1 lb. chinese cabbage (Napa)
2 stalks celery
1/2 lb. cooked shrimp
1/2 lb. cooked pork or chicken livers
10 water chestnuts
1/3 cup bamboo shoots
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
Liberal dash pepper
1/2 tsp. light soy sauce
1/4 tsp. sesame oil
1 beaten egg
10 egg roll skins
3 cups oil
PREPARATION: Boil cabbage and celery until very tender. Drain and squeeze
out excess water. Shred very fine and set aside to
drain further. Parboil shrimp and fry or bake pork. Mince both. Shred
water chestnuts and bamboo shoots. Mix all ingredients but egg together.
Beat egg. Wrap filling in egg roll skins and seal with egg.
COOKING: Heat oil in wok or deep fat fryer to 375 degrees and drop in egg
rolls. When skin turns light golden brown, remove from oil and drain. (At
this point restaurants refrigerate them and finish the cooking process as
needed.) When cool, drop again into hot oil and fry until golden brown.
Makes 10.
The two−stage deep frying method is actually a professional Chinese chefs’
secret. It assures that the inside will be moist and not overcooked (as
anything overcooked becomes dry) and the outside will be crisp.
Archive for January, 2009
Egg Rolls
Saturday, January 10th, 2009Ropa Vieja
Saturday, January 10th, 20093 pounds flank steak
1−1/2 cups water
6 whole garlic, peeled
6 whole black peppercorns
salt to taste
8 poblano peppers, fresh
1/2 cup lard, bacon drippings, or veg.oil
2 garlic clove, peeled and sliced
1 large onion, sliced 1/8″ thick
flour tortilla
1. Cut the flank steak in half horizontally so it will fit into a large
Dutch oven. Place it in the pot and cover it with the water. Add the six
whole cloves of garlic, along with the peppercorns and salt as desired.
Place over low heat and bring the liquid to a simmer. Cover and continue
cooking over low heat, turning the meat occasionally, until it is tenderand
well done, about one and a half to two hours.
2. While the meat is stewing roast, peel and seed the peppers and slice each
pepper lengthwise into strips an eighth of an inch wide. Set aside.
3. When the meat is tender, remove the Dutch oven from the heat and let the
meat cool in its own broth. When it coolds enough to handle, remove it from
the broth and place it on a cutting board. Slice the meat across the grain
into stips about two inches across. Using your fingers, pull the meat into
fine shreds. Return it to the broth.
4. Heat the lard or other fat in a large heavy skillet over medium heat
until it is rippling. Crush the sliced garlic cloves and add to the hot fat.
Saute for one minute, stirring frequently. Add the sliced onions and saute
until it’s somewhat soft, about three minutes. Add the reserved pepper
strips to the pan and continue sauteing and stirring for about two minutes.
5. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the peppers, onion and garlic to the Dutch
oven. Cook the meat mixture, uncovered, over medium heat, stirring
frequently until the flavors are blended about 10 to 15 minutes. Serve the
meat hot, rolled up in heated flour tortillas.
Peanut Butter−Coconut−Raisin Granola Bars
Saturday, January 10th, 20091−1/3 cups rolled oats
2/3 cup raisins
1/2 cup bran flakes
1/3 cup unsweetened coconut
3 tablespoons chocolate chips
2 tablespoons chopped pecans
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons margarine or butter
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9−inch square pan with vegetable spray.
Put rolled oats, raisins, bran flakes, coconut, chocolate chips, pecans, and baking
soda in bowl. Combine until well mixed.
In small saucepan, whisk together peanut butter, brown sugar, margarine, honey and
vanilla over medium heat for approximately 30 seconds or just until sugar dissolves
and mixture is smooth. Pour over dry ingredients and stir to combine. Press into prepared
pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until browned. Let cool completely before cutting
into bars. Yield: 25 bars
Nutritional Information Per Serving (1 bar):
Calories: 97, Fat: 5 g, Carbohydrate: 13 g, Fiber: 1 g,
Protein: 2 g, Sodium: 77 mg, Cholesterol: 0 mg
Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 Fruit, 1/2 Other Carbohydrate, 1 Fat
Kung Pao Chicken
Wednesday, January 7th, 20092 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken
Sauce:
1/4 cup Chinese black vinegar or balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons cooking oil
8 small dried red chilies
4 teaspoons minced garlic
2 stalks celery, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1−inch squares
1 can (8 oz.) sliced bamboo shoots, drained
2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
1/3 cup roasted peanuts
1. Combine marinade ingredients in a bowl. Cut chicken into 1−inch pieces.
Place chicken in marinade and stir to coat. Let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Combine sauce ingredients in a bowl.
3. Place a wok over high heat until hot. Add 2 tablespoons oil, swirling to
coat sides. Add chilies and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 10
seconds. Add chicken and stir−fry for 2 minutes. Remove chicken and
chilies from wok.
4. Add remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil to wok, swirling to coat sides. Add garlic
and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add celery, bell
pepper, and bamboo shoots; stir−fry for 1 1/2 minutes.
5. Return chicken and chilies to wok; stir−fry for 1 minute. Add sauce and
bring to a boil. Add cornstarch solution and cook, stirring, until sauce
boils and thickens. Add peanuts and stir to coat.
Shrimp with Snow Peas
Wednesday, January 7th, 20092/3 lb. tiger prawns
Marinade for shrimp:
1 1/2 tsp. sherry
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. grated ginger
1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. water
Seasoning:
1 Tb. chicken broth
3 Tb. water
1/2 tsp. cornstarch
3 Tb. oyster sauce (very important)
1 Tb. hoisin sauce
also needed:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 lb. snow peas
Shell and devein prawns. Rinse and pat dry with a paper towel. Combine
marinade in medium bowl. Add prawns and mix well. Let stand 30 mins.
Heat wok over medium heat, add oil, and stir fry garlic for 15 secs. Add
prawns and stir fry until pink. Remove from wok, and place on plate.
Add salt and snow peas to oil in wok. Stir fry 30 secs. Add seasoning
sauce and stir slightly until think and bubbly. Add cooked prawns. Stir
to coat everything with sauce. Serve hot with cooked rice.
Puchero
Wednesday, January 7th, 20091/2 Cup Chickpeas
2 Small Zucchini
1/4 Pound Boneless lamb
2 Small Sweet potatoes
1/4 Pound Boneless beef
1 Cup Corn cut from the cob
3 Pound Chicken
2 White potatoes, boiled in jackets
1/2 Pound Ham
3 Barely ripe bananas
1 Large Onion
1/2 Teaspoon Coriander seeds, crushed
3 Cloves garlic
1/4 Teaspoon Pepper
1 Veal knuckle, split
3 Tablespoon Oil (or butter)
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Pears
2 Quart Chicken broth
3 Peaches
1/2 Small Cabbage
2 Limes
2 Small Turnips
1 Large Carrot
Place the chick peas in a kettle, cover with broth, and soak overnight.
Cut the lamb and beef into 2−inch cubes, cut the chicken into serving
pieces, and dice the ham. Peel and slice the onion and garlic. Combine the
drained chick peas, all the meats, the veal knuckle, onion, garlic, and salt
in a large soup kettle. Cover with 2 quarts of cold water and bring to a
full boil. Skim off the froth. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 45
minutes.
Cut the cabbage into eight wedges. Peel and slice the turnips and carrot.
Slice the zucchini. Peel and dice the sweet potatoes. Cut the corn from the
cob. Add the cabbage, turnips, carrot, zucchini, sweet potatoes, and corn to
the kettle. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes or until meats and vegetables
are tender.
Peel the boiled white potatoes and cut into thick slices. Peel bananas and
Pork Loin Vampiro
Saturday, January 3rd, 20093 medium−sized ancho chiles, stems, seeds and veins removed
2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice
3 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup grenadine
1/2 cup tequila
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon thyme
1 cup sliced white onion
3 pound, lean boneless pork loin, (either a single loin or two loins tied together)
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons lard or olive oil
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
Toast the chiles on a skillet over medium heat for 30 seconds to 1 minute on
each side, but do not allow them to scorch. Tear the chiles into pieces,
place them in a bowl, cover them with boiling water, and allow them to
rehydrate and soften for 15 minutes. Drain the chiles and place them in the
bowl of a blender. Add the orange juice and lime juice and blend for 1
minute. Strain the mixture through the fine blade of a food mill, then add
the grenadine, tequila, salt, thyme and onion, and reserve.
Salt and pepper the pork. In a Dutch−oven or heavy baking dish, heat the oil
over medium high heat until it is very hot but not quite smoking. Add the
pork and sear it, turning as necessary, until it is golden brown on all
sides, about 4 minutes. Remove the pork to a plate and the pot from the heat
and allow it to cool, briefly. Add the chile mixture, stirring well to
incorporate any caramelized pieces of pork and juices from the bottom of the
pot. Put the pork back in the pot, fat side up, replace it on the burner and
heat until the sauce just begins to bubble lightly, but do not bring it to a
complete boil. Place the pot in the preheated oven and bake, uncovered,
until pork reaches an internal temperature of between 145 and 150 degrees,
(about 30 minutes per pound for a roast with two loins tied together, or a
total of about 1 hour for a single loin) spooning some of the sauce over it
every 15 minutes. Remove the pork from the pot, and allow it to rest for 5
minutes, then slice it into servings. While the meat is resting you can
reduce the sauce if it is too thin.
Spoon some sauce on each of 4 serving plates, and top with a slice of pork.
Mexican style white rice and sauteed nopalitos or squash go well with this
dish.
Pork Carnitas
Thursday, January 1st, 2009Guacamole
4 Poblano Chiles; roasted and peeled
1 Onion; Medium, Cut in halves
1 Pound Center Loin Roast; boneless and cut into 2 X 1/4−inch strips
1 Clove Garlic; Finely Chopped
2 Teaspoon Vegetable Oil
2 Teaspoon Tomato Paste
1 Teaspoon Red Wine Vinegar
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 lb. plum tomatoes, finely chopped
Flour Or Corn Tortillas
Dairy Sour Cream
Prepare Guacamole; set aside. Cut chiles and onion halves lengthwise into
1/4−inch strips. Cook pork, chiles, onion and garlic in oil in a 10−inch
skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until pork is no longer
pink, about 12 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, vinegar, salt and tomatoes;
cook until hot. Serve with tortillas, Guacamole and sour cream.