Garlic-Herb Pasta

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This was dinner the other night.  I enjoyed the light flavor of garlic and basil together with fresh tomatoes.  This can be prepared meatless or with chicken.  Because I am a garlic lover, I increased the amount of garlic I added from 5 cloves to 7.  I also decided that the next time I make this dish, I will use 6 tablespoons of basil opposed to 3 tablespoons of parsley and 3 tablespoons of basil.  I prefer the flavor of the basil in this recipe.  This recipe originates from Southern Living's April 2007 edition.

Ingredients

8 ounces uncooked thin spaghetti
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds plum tomatoes, cut into eighths
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
3 tablespoons thinly sliced or chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese 

*Diced chicken breast

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Place pasta in a serving bowl, and keep warm.

* While the pasta is cooking, prepare the chicken.  Season with salt and pepper and saute for for about 4 minutes or until cooked through.

2. Sauté garlic in hot oil in a large skillet over medium heat 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and next 4 ingredients. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated and tomatoes release juices. Pour over pasta; toss to combine. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

*I add the pasta to the sauce and stir to combine.  I also wait to add the cheese until after I serve it on plates.

Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes

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This appetizer is not only appealing, but delicious.  I made this recipe for a dinner I had and it was a hit.  There were no leftovers and many positive reviews.  Preparing the tomatoes was a little time consuming, but the use of a melon baller proved to be worth the small investment.  I did make some of these vegetarian by omitting the bacon and they tasted just as delicious.  This recipe comes from Southern Living's February 2007 issue.

Ingredients

2 pints cherry tomatoes (look for larger cherry tomatoes)

1 avocado, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup mayonnaise
8 cooked bacon slices, crumbled
2 green onions, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Cut a small slice from the top of each tomato; scoop out pulp with a small spoon or melon baller, and discard pulp. Place tomatoes, cut sides down, on paper towels, and let drain 15 minutes. To help the tomatoes stand, I cut a very thin slice from the bottom as well to flatten it.

2. Meanwhile, combine avocado and lemon juice in a small bowl, stirring gently; drain. Stir together mayonnaise, bacon, and green onions; add avocado mixture, and stir gently until combined.

3. Spoon avocado mixture evenly into tomato shells. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill 1 hour. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste just before serving.

Perfect Rice

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After living in China, I have a preference for short grain rice which is only really found here in the form of sushi rice.  The traditional 2 cups water to 1 cup rice for long grain rice does not make me excited.  It has taken me several years to perfect making Asian rice.  I followed the directions on the bag, took my grandmother's advice, and researched the Internet.  I was about to give up on Asian rice until one Sunday evening at 7:30 pm.  I was watching Your Japanese Kitchen on NHK World and Harumi said to wash the rice.  It was that simple.  The texture is perfect.  The rice is firm and sticky, and it holds together very well on chopsticks and stands up to Asian sauces.

Makes 3 1-cup servings

1 cup short grain sushi rice
1 1/4 cups water

1.  In a deep bowl, place the rice.  Put in the sink and rinse in cold water until the water runs clear.  (I run the water and swish the rice around, and once the bowl is full I drain the water (not the rice) and start over.)
2.  Strain the rice in a sieve and allow to dry for about 15 minutes.  Place rice in a small sauce pan, pour in the water, put a lid on and bring to a boil (I like to use a glass lid so I can see when it begins to boil).  Once the water is boiling, lower the heat to low and allow to cook for about 10-12 minutes or until most of the water is absorbed.  Turn off the heat and allow to steam for another 10-12 minutes (this is the key).  

Do NOT remove the lid during the cooking or steaming. (This is very important to perfect rice.)    

Rice picture borrowed from: http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/News/2008/May/21050801.asp

蒜泥刀豆 (suan ni dao dou) Garlic Green Beans

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These green beans are the greatest!  They were a staple in China (because they weren't scary) and they continue to be a staple dish now.  I cook these green beans with most Asian dishes because it is so simple and the flavors are simple.  Usually the meat dish is the main character of the meal.  Most of the time I use frozen whole Green Lake green beans, but fresh are better.  When I use frozen, I throw them into the wok or frying pan still frozen.  They steam as they cook.  When using fresh green beans, I blanch them first.


Ingredients
1 lb. whole green beans (frozen)
2-4 cloves of minced garlic (depends on your taste for garlic)
2 tsp. vegetable oil
salt to taste

Heat oil in a wok or frying pan over medium high to high heat.  Add green beans.  Stir fry for about 7 minutes or until they are tender, but crunchy still.  The green beans will become a bright, vibrant green.  Salt the green beans.  Add garlic and stir frequently for about 30 seconds or until the garlic is aromatic.  (Don't overcook the garlic. Yuck!)

 Notes: 
For fresh green beans, wash and snap the ends off.  Bring a pot of water to boil.  Add green beans and allow to boil for about 2-3 minutes until the color changes to a vibrant green.  Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking.  Proceed with the cooking directions above.  

Japanese Ginger Pork

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I think I have found a new love.  Last week we watched a new Japanese cooking show called Itadakimasu ! Dining with the Chef on NHK World English.  This dish was featured on that episode.  It is very simple to make and is eaten with shredded cabbage, rice, and miso soup.  






Serves 4
Ingredients 
16 oz. thinly sliced pork loin
Salt and pepper to taste
5 cups shredded cabbage
Sauce
4 tbsp. sake
3 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. sugar
4 tsp. mirin
2 tbsp. grated ginger
3 tsp. vegetable oil

1.  Cut the pork into large bite size pieces.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2.  Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a bowl.
3.  Heat the oil in a frying pan, and cook the pork until cooked.  Place the pork slices in the bowl with the sauce.  Mix and allow to marinate for 30 seconds.
4.  Pour the pork and sauce in the frying pan over the medium high heat.  Cook the pork in the sauce, stirring occasionally until the sauce reduces and sticks to the meat.
5.  Arrange 1/4 of the pork slices over 1 1/2 cups of cabbage.

Notes:
I briefly steamed the cabbage prior to serving.  The cabbage still had a crunch, but some of the bite was gone.    

咕老肉 (Gu Lao Rou) Sweet & Sour Pork

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I had this the first day I was in China, it instantly became a favorite.  I made several attempts at first to cook this, but it flopped each time.  I thought I was destined to only eat this at the "Green Sign Restaurant."  (We named the restaurant across the street from my school's campus this because we couldn't read the Chinese name and it had a green sign.)  Before leaving China in 2008, I finally took the first of several cooking classes and the chef taught us this dish.  It is surprisingly simple, and tastes just like the dish at the Green Sign Restaurant.  



Ingredients
12-16 oz. pork loin roast
1 cup cubed pineapple (can or fresh work equally as well)
1 cup chopped red and green peppers (make sure they are all cut the same)
dash of salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
dash pepper
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 egg white
3/4 cup ketchup
1 cup water plus 2 tablespoons
1 cup cornstarch plus 1 tablespoon
2-3 cups vegetable oil for deep frying

1.  Thinly slice pork loin.  Pork loin roasts are quite large, so I cut it into quarters so that my pieces are small and thin.  Place the pork in a bowl.  Add salt, sugar, pepper, rice vinegar, and egg white.  Using your hand mix these into the pork.  As you do this, massage the meat by squeezing it through your fingers.  (The Chinese chef said that it helps tenderize the meat.)  Allow to marinate on the counter for about 20 minutes.
2.  Prep the vegetables and pineapple.  Set aside.
3.  After the meat has marinated, place 1 cup cornstarch in a shallow dish.  You are going to make meatballs that are about 3/4" in diameter.  (If they are too big, it is harder to eat and the flavor is different.)  Take some meat and drop it into the cornstarch.  Roll it around in the cornstarch forming a loose ball.  Put the ball in your palm and squeeze it to compact the meat.  Rotate it as you squeeze to get a ball shape.  Place on a place with a thin layer of cornstarch.  Continue with the remaining meat.
*Note: You don't want to squeeze the meat ball too tight or the meat will become tough, nor do you want to leave the meat balls too loose or they will fall apart during cooking.
4.  Heat oil in a pan to deep fry until it is 350ºF.  I use my wok which is stainless steel (don't use your wok if it is non-stick.)  Cook about 9 of the meat balls at a time.  You don't want to crowd the wok or cause the temperature to drop.  As the meat cooks, roll them around with a slotted spoon occasionally to allow all sides to be cooked evenly.  Cook for

about 3-4 minutes.  The crust will turn golden brown.  Remove one meatball and test it by cutting it open to ensure that the meat is cooked through.  Remove to a covered plate to drain. (Like to use brown paper bags.  It keeps the crust from getting soggy.)  Repeat with remaining meatballs.
5.  After cooking the meat, place peppers and pineapple into the oil.  Immediately remove.  (I am not sure why this needs to be done, but the Chinese chef said it was important.) 
6.  Combine 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl.  Mix until the cornstarch is dissolved.  In a clean wok, (I pour the oil into another container and just was my wok) add about 1/2 tablespoon of the used oil.  Heat the oil on medium-high heat.  Add ketchup and water.  Stir until it is combined.  If the ketchup mixture looks too thick add a little more water.  Bring to a boil.  Add meatballs, peppers, and pineapple.  Stir until the meat is coated by the sauce.  Add about half of the cornstarch mixture, and stir.  Bring back to a boil.  Allow the sauce to thicken.  If the sauce is still thin and not sticking to the meat, then add a little more cornstarch mixture.  

Notes:  I have tried using ground pork instead of slicing the pork loin.  It is a time saver, but the meatballs have a different texture.  The flavor is still awesome, but the sliced pork gives the meatballs a more tender bite.  The pineapple is the key ingredient in this dish.  Don't forget it. (I speak from experience.  Without the pineapple, it was just ketchup on pork meatballs, and not very tasty.)    
                                                    

Chipotle Pork Tenderloin

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Pork tenderloin is one of my favorite ways to eat pork (bacon is my favorite).  I found this recipe from Eatingwell.com (and borrowed their picture), and it is one of the best ways to prepare pork.  When I made this the first time, I had never worked with chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and found it overwhelming at first, but I stuck with the recipe and after marinating and cooking the tenderloin, it was amazing.  The chipotle gives the meat a smoky flavor (one that I miss since living in an apartment with no access to a grill), and the lime juice and orange juice give it a hidden tang in the background.  You only taste it at the end of each bite.  This is best when it can marinate overnight.  The original recipe says to grill the meat, but like I said above, I do not have a grill.  I do have a grill pan thanks to a wonderful mother-in-law.  I have been trying to figure out the best way get the tenderloin cooked through without smoking us out of the apartment.  I think I finally figured it out.  The oven. This recipe would work very well on chicken too.  Give it a try!

Ingredients
1 canned chipotle chile in adobo plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce,
1 garlic clove, minced (or crushed in a garlic press)
1/2 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
8 ounces pork tenderloin, (see Kitchen Tip), trimmed of fat
*For some added heat, add some sliced jalapenos seeds and all

1.  Combine chipotle and sauce, garlic, orange juice, lime juice, vinegar, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper in a blender or mini food processor; blend or process until the chipotle is chopped and the mixture is relatively smooth. Pour into a sealable plastic bag, add pork and seal, squeezing out any excess air from the bag. Turn to coat with the marinade. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.

2.  Preheat grill to high.  Remove the pork from the marinade (discard marinade). Grill the pork, turning occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted diagonally into the center of the meat registers 145° F, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.





In the oven: 
Heat the grill pan on the stove over high heat.  Once it is hot, add the meat.  Turn several times browning all sides (and allowing gorgeous grill marks to leave their mark).  Put both pan and meat into a preheated, 400ºF oven and allow to cook for about 20 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 145ºF.  Allow the meat to rest under foil for about 5 minutes, and then slice.

Chicken Quesadillas

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This recipe is an original that I created after reading a variety of quesadilla recipes.  The layers begin with a cream cheese mixture spread over a flour tortilla, and then topped with queso cheese, chicken, fresh tomatoes, and more queso cheese.  Then it is finally topped off with a second flour tortilla and a thin layer of butter.  Both the husband and I really enjoyed this dinner.
I seasoned my chicken breast with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cumin and then baked it in the oven for about 30 minutes until it was cooked through.  To roast jalapenos, place on a pan and bake at 450º F for about 20 minutes or until the skin begins to blacken.  Remove from the oven and place jalapenos in a heavy duty zipper bag.  Allow to sit in the bag 20 minutes and then remove the skin of the pepper.  Remove the top and seeds.  Dice.


Makes 5 servings.


Ingredients
10 Fajita sized flour tortillas
1 cooked chicken chicken breast, thinly sliced
1 oz. tablespoon reduced fat cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper 1/2 cup diced onions
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 cup diced tomatoes, seeded
1 teaspoon diced, roasted jalapeno
1 1/2 cup queso cheese

1.   In a medium saute pan, cook onions over medium heat until they are translucent, about 5 minutes.  Chop the cilantro and place in a small mixing bowl.  Add cream cheese, diced jalapeno, cumin, salt, pepper.  Add onions to the mixture.  Stir to combine.  


2.  Spread a thin layer of the cream cheese mixture over 5 tortillas.  Sprinkle a tablespoon of cheese, place a few slices of chicken, 2 tablespoons of tomatoes, and another tablespoon of cheese on each tortilla.  Place another tortilla over each topped tortilla.  Spread a little butter over the top of each quesadilla.  


3.  Heat a nonstick frying pan over medium heat.  Place one quesadilla butter side down in the pan.  Add a little butter to the bottom of the quesadilla.  Cook until it brown and then flip.  When both sides are browned, remove from the pan and cut into quarters.  Repeat with remaining quesadillas.