Author: andreah94

Pad See Ew

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Pad See Ew, literally stir-fired soy sauce, is a common Thai dish of rice noodles, Chinese broccoli, meat stir-fried in a soy sauce broth. I have a hard time refraining from ordering this in Thai restaurants (along with Tom Kha and Gaeng Mussaman) in the interest of broadening my culinary horizons. Last night was the first night I have made homemade Pad See Ew, and apart from needing a touch more sugar, I was thrilled with the outcome! This may have to be a regular in the rotation…Additional perks are that the dish is simple, quick, economical, and fairly healthy (if you are not tracking your sodium intake and use white meat chicken).  You can use any meat you would like, I opted for white meat chicken.

Most recipes will call for both dark soy and light soy. If you have a Chinese market near you, this will not be a problem. Dark soy is less salty and much thicker than light soy. You can use regular soy if you like and overlook this, but it is not a bad idea to have some on hand. Oyster sauce can now be bought at most grocery stores (in the ethnic aisle). Same goes for fish sauce (although an Asian market can provide better quality and good recommendations). All these ingredients keep for ages. If you can find fresh flat noodles (again Asian market), use those – and allow them to sit on the pan for several seconds to impart a nice texture – if not, boxed rice noodles are fine. When cooking rice noodles, you need to soak them for about thirty minutes in boiling hot water. After pouring the water over the noodles make sure to separate the noodles to avoid sticking.

Pad See Ew

Serves 3-4

For Marinade

One Chicken Breast
Five tablespoons Soy Sauce
One tablespoon Hoisin Sauce
Five tablespoons Mirin
Pinch Brown Sugar
Half Tablespoon (more to taste) Chinese Five Spice Powder

Mix all together and cover chicken, marinate for 20 minutes on each side, remove and cut into pieces. Reserve.

For Stir Fry

Three tablespoons dark soy sauce
One Tablespoon soy sauce
One tablespoon Oyster Sauce (one tablespoon or less)
One tablespoon Brown Sugar
Dash of Rice Wine Vinegar (or Mirin or Sherry Vinegar)
One large egg
One bunch Chinese Broccoli (aka baby broccoli or broccoli rabe)
Six garlic cloves, chopped
Three tablespoons Sriracha (more or less to heat preference)
One half small white onion (not traditional – just needed to use it)
Two shredded carrots
Squeeze of fresh lime juice (optional)
Eight ounces flat rice noodles
Two tablespoons Peanut Oil

Tip: this is easier if you have everything ready to throw in the wok. Before you start, make sure you have allowed adequate time for the noodles to soften (20-30 minutes); Chicken to marinate (can be skipped if desired otherwise up to an hour) and be sliced or cut; sauce made; and all veggies chopped. I like to do an assembly line that goes: oil, garlic, chicken, veggies, egg, sauce, noodle, garnish.

Make a sauce by mixing the oyster sauce, both sauces, sugar, sriracha and vinegar; reserve.  Heat peanut oil in a wok over a high heat, add garlic and onions and stir fry for a couple of minutes. Add the chicken slices or pieces and continue to stir fry for about four minutes. Add the broccoli and carrots and continue stir frying (de-glaze with some broth if necessary). Make a small well in the wok and crack the egg into the center, immediately begin to scramble it. Add sauce and continue to stir fry very briefly. Make a large well and add the noodles to the pan. Allow to rest for about 30 seconds then mix all ingredients very well (now is a good time to check and see if you need more sauce, more sugar, chili sauce or lime juice). Garnish with fresh cilantro and green onions and serve immediately.

Tom Kha Gai

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Last night, D and I had Thai night. I was happy he agreed because I was dead set on having Tom Kha (but did not want to go all the way north to Titaya’s to get it). Tom Kha Gai  is not a joking matter. If a Thai place has lackluster Tom Kha, I will never again eat there and you better hope you did not recommend it to me. This is hands down my favorite soup to eat and I would eat it everyday if I had my 18-year old body back  (pho, roasted tomato and traditional ramen/udon are close behind). I really hope, and think I rightfully suspect, that Heaven boasts a never-ending bowl of Tom Kha. My homemade Tom Kha, while close, is not quite on par with Titaya’s (FYI best Thai in Austin) – but it is a damn good comparison. The only real difference is that mine is a bit healthier: I use low fat coconut milk and only about three-quarters of a cup of regular fat to save about 400 calories.  This switch does affect the soup slightly – it will not be quite as thick and creamy and will be a tad less sweet, but really – it tastes pretty awesome!

The shopping: there are not a ton of ingredients in this, but some can be hard to track down (if you can buy large quantities and store appropriately for a pantry meal). Whole Foods, Central Market and specialty Thai stores will have the ingredients you need. If possible, try to get your Kaffir Limes either from your own plant or from a Thai store (who will generally have their own tree) because they have better and more potent flavor than store bought ones.  You can buy several extra stocks of lemon grass, cut into three-inch pieces, and store in a freezer bag for months. Do not sub dried lemon grass for fresh, it is far inferior. Coriander is cilantro; ergo coriander root is the root of the cilantro bunch you pick up at the store. I have never found this fresh in a non-Asian market – you can sub ground coriander or coriander seed with fresh cilantro. Additionally, try to find fresh galangal (it is also jarred in some specialty stores); if you cannot, sub ginger.

If you have a well-stocked pantry, this soup is a super quick way to have a delicious, flavorful, health fortifying meal (the ingredients are used in Asian countries to heal the body and stave off illness). The flavors are surprisingly complex. You can use chicken or shrimp, or leave them out altogether if you do not have any on hand.

Note:  I have been making this soup (I also use a smaller portion for sauce) for years. It may not come out right every time, but have patience, eventually you will learn the flavors and how to tweak them. Too sour or spicy: Add a bit of sugar. Too acidic: add some more coconut milk. Too Sweet: add some acid and fish sauce. Many times the outcome of the soup will be the victim of sub-par and commercialized ingredients (which is why if you can find an Asian market, it will be your best bet). All that said, you most likely will never have a terrible outcome and it sure is fun getting it just right!

Tom Kha Gai

Serves Three

One Can Light Coconut Milk, Plus a quarter to a half can Regular Coconut Milk
Two cups Good Chicken Stock (preferably homemade sub boxed if necessary), use more if needed
One teaspoon of brown sugar (or palm sugar), using more as necessary
Five lemongrass stalks, cut into three-inch pieces and brusied slightly (use more if the potency is a bit off)
One white onion, quartered and roughly chopped
Four cloves garlic, crushed
Two pieces coriander root (or good pinch seeds/powder with a decent handful of cilantro)
Five Thai chili peppers – can sub Habaneros (use less according to heat preference)
Two inch chuck of galanga or ginger
Ten Kaffir Lime Leaves
Sriracha, to taste
Pre-cooked chicken, cut into bite size pieces
Ten Cremini Mushrooms, quartered
Two tablespoons fish sauce
Fresh Lime Juice, to taste

Garnish

Chopped Basil (not traditional, I just needed to use it up)
Chopped Green Onion
Chopped Cilantro

Heat a small bit of oil in a large stock pan, add onions, garlic, peppers, galanga/ginger, lemongrass, sugar, salt, and coriander (root/seed/or powder) and saute until slightly fragrant. Add coconut milk and broth, bring to a boil, then simmer for twenty minutes or so. Strain solids and broth, then return to pan and taste the soup and add ingredients as necessary/desired. I usually add additional lemongrass stalks and kaffir lime leaves (in addition to the amount listed in ingredients) to the soup – this is sometimes not necessary depending on the quality of ingredient, but I always leave it as an option. Feel free to add some onions back into the soup. Add sriracha and allow to cook for about ten minutes, then add mushrooms and some fresh cilantro. After about five minutes, add chopped chicken and lime juice to taste. Laddle into bowls over steamed basmati rice and garnish with freshly chopped basil, cilantro, and green onion. Serve Hot.

Bonus: even better the next day!!

 

 

Red Wine Spritzer

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Can you think of something better than a lovely glass of red wine or champagne? Besides winning the lottery, I am stumped. So can you imagine the euphoria of mixing the two? Quite stellar. This adult-swim concoction is the wonderful by-product of Red-Wine Soaked Strawberries and Brinner Brunch. It was superb and I plan to make this every time I have a reason to make dessert (or maybe just a cocktail). Salud!

Red Wine Spritzer

Fill have a champagne flute with the strained liquid from the strawberries. Then pour champagne to fill. Feel free to add some fresh basil or mint and enjoy!

 

Creamy Cheddar Grits

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If you have ever accompanied me to NOLA, you were probably disturbed by the amount of grits I consumed. I order them with every meal and I love them. This is all very odd considering I am not a breakfast grit fan, or to a large extent, a sweet grit fan. I prefer my grits savory and succulent. Even though grits are arguably one of the simplest dishes to make (especially on a cold night when you are coming down with something), this was my first grit-making experience. It certainly will not be the last. I buy grits in bulk at either Whole Foods or Central market which did not indicate if they were instant or slow cooking. I eventually (and quickly) found that they were instant grits, so ending up adding much more milk than I was planning. Just FYI.

Creamy Cheddar Grits

One and one-half cups Grits
Five to Six cups Two percent Milk (use more or less depending on consistency desires, also I used two cups of skim milk and the rest reduced fat)
A couple good pinches of Salt
Two tablespoons pepper (adjust to preference)
Two tablespoons butter
Good Pinch each, Cayenne, Garlic, and Onion powder), adjust to taste
One and one-half to two cups of good-quality cheddar cheese

Boil three cups of milk, with butter in a large pot. Stir in grits and reduce heat to a simmer. Add seasoning (salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic, onion) and stir well. Continue adding milk to obtain desired texture and adjust seasoning according to preference. Stir in handfuls of cheese, allowing it to melt slowly, then repeat until gone. Serve hot.

Apple-Avocado Relish

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I wanted to top a spicy pulled pork dish with something crisp, bright, sweet and acidic. After looking through my fridge, I had my solution. You can whip this up in no time to had contrast to tons of things!

Apple-Avocado Relish

One green apple, cut into small dice
Three-Fourths avocado, diced
Six green onions, small dice
Pinch of Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste
Fresh squeezed lemon juice, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Voila!

Hatch Green Chile Pulled Pork

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Hatch Green Chilis…good. Pulled Pork…amazing. Grits…scrumptious. Combination of the three = Winner, Winner, Porky Dinner! This was another dish (served on top of creamy cheddar grits) that I made during the “Brinner” themed charity dinner party we threw recently. Tender pork, stewed in a wonderfully spicy sauce, just makes the house smell good and bellies happy…no doubt about it.  I am not sure if this was everyone’s favorite of the day, but I do know that D and I had to take the spoons out of each others hands just to we would be able to save it for the actual dinner and there were not any leftovers! You can serve the pork on its own, in tacos, enchiladas, or over grits – as I did. I topped it with a very quick apple-avocado salsa to cut some of the heat and add a little crunch to an otherwise soft dish. I must warn you, this dish was spicy – I used a bit of acid, the creamy grits, and the salsa to balance it out and it worked quite well.

Note: I hate to admit this, but I made this dish about a month ago and did not write down everything I threw in the pan. The following recipe is my attempt to remember, but something may have been left out. Play with it until you get the outcome you want.

Hatch Green Chili Pulled Pork

Two and a Half pounds of Pork Shoulder, cubed
Seven Hatch Green Chilis, de-seeded (quarter half of peppers and dice the rest)
One and One half Cans of Hatch Green Chile Enchilada Sauce (or favorite verde Salsa)
One head of Garlic, minced
One and one half white onion, diced
Three tomatillos, husked
Chicken Broth, as needed
Pinch of each: Cumin, Sugar and Oregano
Fresh Squeezed Lime, to taste

Heat a bit of oil in a large stock pot; add garlic, and onions and saute for a few minutes (with a pinch of salt). Add pork and brown well. Add peppers and saute for a couple minutes. Add Sauce to cover pork, switching to chicken broth once the sauce runs out. Bring to a boil, the add seasoning (cumin, sugar, oregano) and tomatillos and simmer for at least four hours, stirring occasionally. Taste occasionally, adjust seasoning as necessary (squeezing lime juice at the end). Cook until pork is fork tender and can be shredded with no effort. Remove pork from pot and shred, then return to pot.Remove chili quarters and discard.

In a large bowl, place Creamy Cheddar Grits, spoon pork over, then top with Apple-Avocado Relish.

Bricken and Waffle Lolli-Pops

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If you have never pleasured your mouth and stomach with Chicken and Waffles, I suggest you remedy that situation IMMEDIATELY. They are so incredibly good (incidentally – the best I have ever had are from 24 Diner here in Austin). Other than Belgian Waffles (from Belgium), chicken and waffles are the only way I crave waffles now. There is just something magical about a crispy piece of chicken, with a doughy waffle, and a tasty syrup that can inspire me to consume 2,500 calories in one sitting – without feeling badly for a second. This past Sunday we held a benefit Sunday Funday for a dear friend whose family has been affected by the Central Texas Wildfires. I came up with the theme of Brinner, because it yummy, inexpensive for a crowd, and somewhat unique (when is the last time you went to a brinner party? The menu consisted of: Creamy Cheddar Grits with Hatch Pulled Pork and Apple Slaw; Bricken and Waffle Pops; Mama Joy’s Quiche; Wine-Soaked Strawberries; Nutella Rice Krispie Treats; and Spinach, Ham, Egg Bakes.

I had been craving Chicken and Waffles for quite some time, but did not have a supremely good reason for making them, until Sunday! In keeping with the theme, I used a cereal crust for the chicken and baked in instead of frying them. For a little more amazingness, I added crumbled bacon to the waffle batter. I thought these were delicious, but the lolli=pop idea would probably work better if you have a large, deep waffle maker versus a small one. The dough did not seem to cook properly. Eventually we just made waffles and stacked the chicken on top. I served this with Chili-Honey Butter and Bourbon infused Butter Pecan Maple Syrup.

Bricken and Waffle Lolli-Pops

Serves 8-10

For the Chicken

Two pounds Chicken Tenders, cut in half and trimmed as needed
Five cups of Corn Flakes, crushed
One tablespoon each: Cayenne and Black Pepper
Half tablespoon Salt (more to taste
Pinch of Sugar
Three eggs
Three Tablespoons Milk
Two cups waffle mix or flour

Pre-oven to 375. In a large bowl combine eggs, milk and a dash of salt and pepper and whisk until mixed reserve. In a shallow square pan, spread the flour with a small pinch salt and pepper. In a large rectangular dish combine corn flakes, sugar, salt, pepper and cayenne and stir to mix well. Make an assembly line. Dredge the chicken in the flour well, then dip in the egg wash, then coat well with the cereal mixture. Place on a greased baking tray (that is vented to ensure the bottoms get crispy). Repeat until all chicken is coated. Bake until done, about 12 minutes. Remove and skewer with a water-soaked wood skewer.

For the Waffles

Two cups favorite waffle mix made according to instructions
One cup crumbled bacon, well-drained

Prepare waffle mix (should generally consist of milk, melted butter or oil, eggs, flour/mix, salt) according to directions and mix well until smooth and creamy. Add bacon crumbles and stir well to incorporate.

Lolli-pops

Place a skewered piece of chicken on a hot waffle maker, pour batter around the chicken, press down firmly and cook until golden brown. Remove and serve with Chili Honey Butter and Bourbon Maple Syrup immediately. Alternately, prepare the waffles whilst the chicken is baking. Cut into quarters or halves and top with crispy chicken and serve with butter and syrup.

 

 

Bourbon Infused Maple Syrup

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An adult topping for Sunday Funday breakfasts is always welcome. Make sure to buy good quality maple syrup, you can taste a difference. I like to buy Butter Pecan Maple Syrup by Stonehouse, but go with your favorite.

Bourbon Infused Maple Syrup

One-half cup Butter Pecan Maple Syrup
Pinch of Cayenee
Two tablespoons Bourbon

Combine all ingredients in a pan, preferably one that is coated with bacon or sausage drippings. Bring to a gentle boil then reduce heat and simmer. Remove after about five minutes and serve warm with dish of choice.