Seafood Paella

The paella should look like this picture.

 

Mine turned out like this, but it tasted really good.

                  

1 1/2 pound of seafood mix, scallop,shrimp and squid (or any kind of seafood)                   

Salt and pepper to taste

1 onion, chopped                                     

2 cups rice

1 pinch saffron

3 1/2 cups liquid (chicken, lobster or vegetable stock; water; wine, etc., or a combination)                                      

1/2 pound vegetables, like olives, tomatoes, snow peas, mushrooms

 

 

Put 3 tablespoons olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.  Add one chopped onion  and cook until soft and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

 

Add 2 cups rice and a pinch of saffron and cook, stirring, until shiny. Add 3 1/2 cups of your liquid of choice, heated, and stir until just combined, then stir in seafood (or lay it on top of the rice).

 

Cook over medium-high heat, undisturbed. If the pan is too big for your burner, move it around a little; but after that initial stirring, leave it alone. When the mixture starts to dry, begin tasting the rice; if the liquid amount seems O.K., keep going. If the rice seems quite tough, add another 1/2 cup or so of liquid. And if you can smell the bottom starting to burn, lower the heat a bit. About halfway through the cooking (about 10 minutes), add any vegetables, adjust seasonings and stir gently, just once.The rice is done when tender and still a bit moist.

P F Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps

MARINADE
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons sherry wine or red wine
2 teaspoons water
2 teaspoons soy sauce
FILLING INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced small
5 tablespoons vegetable oil or peanut oil
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger or grated ginger
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1/2 cup green onions, minced
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, minced
1 (8 ounce) can bamboo shoots, minced
1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, minced
1 (6 ounce) package chinese cellophane noodles, cooked to pkg. directions
(options : green onion, chicken liver, pine nuts)
 COOKING SAUCE
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sherry wine or red wine
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
lettuce leaves, washed and taken off the head but left whole (I used romaine lettuce)

Mix all ingredients for "cooking sauce" and set aside.
In medium bowl, combine marinade ingredients and mix well. Add chicken and stir to coat thoroughly. Stir in 1 t. oil and let sit for 15 minutes.
Heat wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 T. oil, then add chicken and stir-fry for about 3-4 minutes. Set aside.
Add 2 T. oil to the pan. Add ginger, garlic, and onion and stir-fry for a minute or so. Add mushrooms, bamboo shoots and wter chestnutsl stir-fry an additional 2 minutes. Return chicken to the pan. Add mixed cooking sauce to the pan. Cook until thickened and hot. Break cooked cellophane noodles into small pieces and cover bottom of serving dish with them. Then pour chicken mixture on top of noodles. Serve along side lettuce leaves for everyone to take what they want, and then spoon into lettuce leaf and roll (like a burrito) individually themselves. 



Chicken Enchiladas Verdes

Recipes link :http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/chicken_enchiladas_verdes/
* I used the Costco rotiserrie chicken and salsa verde from supermarket

Walnut Pear Coffee Cake

 

Cake

2 medium ripe pears, peeled and sliced (about 2 cups)

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

 

topping

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cold butter, cubed

 

In a small bowl, combine the walnuts, brown sugar and cinnamon; set aside. Place flour in a small bowl; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 3/4 cup of nut mixture; set aside for topping. Set aside remaining nut mixture for filling.

 

In a small bowl, toss pears with lemon juice; set aside. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well after each addition.

 

Spread two-thirds of the batter into a greased 9-in. springform pan. Top with the reserved nut mixture, pears and remaining batter. Sprinkle with walnuts and reserved topping mixture.

 

Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen. Cool for 1 hour before cutting.

 

Bulgogi (Korean Stir-fried beef)

 

2 rib-eye steaks (400g),1 asian pear (nashi pear),a clove of garlic, peeled,a small chunk of fresh ginger (10g),1 tbsp of honey,1 tbsp of soy sauce ,1 tbsp of rice wine ,1 onion,1 green pepper,2 spring onions,a small handful of sesame seeds,½ tsp of chilli flakes,a glug of sesame oil,2 tbls cooking oil

put the beef in the freezer for 15 minutes, until it hardens slightly.
grate the pear, garlic and ginger into a bowl.
add the honey, soy sauce and rice wine to the bowl.
slice the beef very thinly against the grain and add to the marinade.
store in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, over night is ideal.
peel and slice the onion, deseed and dice the pepper and slice the spring onions.
heat the cooking oil in a very hot frying pan or wok and throw in the beef, saving the marinade.
fry until all the beef is starting to brown and caramelise.
add the sliced vegetables, the chilli flakes, the sesame seeds and the beef marinade then fry for a few minutes more until the veg begins to soften.
serve the beef with a bowl of the rice.
drizzle over a little sesame oil and you're done!

Braised Pork Belly (東坡肉）

Pork Belly - Dong Po Rou

500 gm pork belly; 5 slices of ginger;1 stalks of green onion; 3 star anise; 30 gm rock sugar;1/2 cup of soy sauce; 1/3 thick soy sauce(醬油膏）；150ml Chinese cooking wine；

 Chicken stock

 
Cut pork belly into cubes  Blanch pork belly in boiling water. Drain and pat dry.  Put pork belly and all the spices into a clay pot and fill with chicken stock up to covered the pork belly .  Bring to boil over high heat and let itsimmer for 3 hours until soft and fragrant.   Turn heat to medium and reduce sauce to half. Pour sauce over pork belly and serve.

Celebrating July 4th - blueberry & raspberry mousse and ice pops, and mango mousse

Blueberry & raspberry ice pops
3 cups  mixed b&r berries, 1 can  coconut milk, 1/2 tbls vanilla extract, 3 tbls honey.
mix coconut milk, vanilla extract and honey in a bowl until combined thoroughly , then add berries. Pour to popsicle molds (I used small rectangle containers), freeze 5-6 hrs.

Blueberry & raspberry mousse
http://cooking.lovetoknow.com/vanilla-mousse-recipe. Garnished with fresh b&r&s berries

Mango mousse
http://allthatmatters2rei.blogspot.com/2009_06_01_archive.html