Salsa is a wonderful condiment and dip. Most recipes are fast and easy to make and so much better than anything you can buy. Moo liked to collect, invent and reinvent salsas. As a result I have a lot of recipes to offer in this category. I'll be sharing many of her palate pleasing salsas with upcoming posts.
6 tomatillos, husks discarded and fruit quartered
1 T Olive oil
5 green chile peppers, I like to roast and peel
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 ripe avocado, peeled and cut into large chunks
1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
1/2 to 1 t. salt (to taste)
1 cup sour cream
1 t. fresh lime juice
Place husked and quartered tomatillos in a skillet with olive oil and cook over low heat until softened (3-4 minutes). Transfer tomatillos to food processor. Add chilies, garlic and avocado. Blend until smooth. Add sour cream, cilantro and salt. Puree until smooth.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Moo's Quick Cracker Dumplings
This is a very quick and easy way to make dumplings. Excellent in soup or stewed vegetables, such as tomatoes. It's part of a palate pleasing comfort meal.
23 soda crackers or saltines, crushed
2 T flour, unsifted
1/2 t. baking powder
1 whole egg, beaten
Combine crackers, flour and baking powder. Crack egg into a small bowl so you can beat with a fork. Then add to the cracker mixture. Mix into a dough. Mold each dumpling with the help of a teaspoon, then drop into simmering chicken stock. Cook until done. It will float to the top.
23 soda crackers or saltines, crushed
2 T flour, unsifted
1/2 t. baking powder
1 whole egg, beaten
Combine crackers, flour and baking powder. Crack egg into a small bowl so you can beat with a fork. Then add to the cracker mixture. Mix into a dough. Mold each dumpling with the help of a teaspoon, then drop into simmering chicken stock. Cook until done. It will float to the top.
Moo's Szechwan Lobster
It's lobster with a Szechwan flavor...of course it's delicious. This is Moo's version and she declared it a palate pleaser. I love boiled lobster right from the pot, but I have to say this is a very good dish. And easy to make.
1 two-pound live lobster
1 t. soy sauce
1 1/2 t. white vinegar
12 drops chili oil
1/2 t. minced garlic
1/4 t. salt
3 t. sherry
12 water chestnuts, cut in 1/2" pieces
3 T cloud ear fungi, soaked about 30 minutes to soften
20 peapods
1/4 cup scallions, minced
1/4 cup Olive Oil for stir frying
Select a pot large enough for boiling the lobster. Add water and salt water enough to simulate sea water. Bring to a boil, add lobster and cook for just 10 minutes. The lobster will not be completely cooked but enough so that removing meat from shell is easy. Allow lobster to cool enough that you can handle it. Remove all meat from the shell and cut into 1 1/2" pieces.
Wash and pull strings from peapods. In pot of boiling water, blanch peapods for just 15 seconds--until bright green. Set aside.
In a bowl, mix sauce ingredients together: soy sauce, vinegar, chili oil, garlic, salt and sherry. Heat oil in wok on high. Add lobster and water chestnuts. Stir fry about 3 minutes. Add cloud ears and scallions for about 30 seconds. Add sauce and cook another 15 seconds. Finally add peapods and cook another 15 seconds. If you like a thicker sauce, you can prepare a teaspoon of cornstarch with a little water and add to the dish. This will thicken dish slightly.
1 two-pound live lobster
1 t. soy sauce
1 1/2 t. white vinegar
12 drops chili oil
1/2 t. minced garlic
1/4 t. salt
3 t. sherry
12 water chestnuts, cut in 1/2" pieces
3 T cloud ear fungi, soaked about 30 minutes to soften
20 peapods
1/4 cup scallions, minced
1/4 cup Olive Oil for stir frying
Select a pot large enough for boiling the lobster. Add water and salt water enough to simulate sea water. Bring to a boil, add lobster and cook for just 10 minutes. The lobster will not be completely cooked but enough so that removing meat from shell is easy. Allow lobster to cool enough that you can handle it. Remove all meat from the shell and cut into 1 1/2" pieces.
Wash and pull strings from peapods. In pot of boiling water, blanch peapods for just 15 seconds--until bright green. Set aside.
In a bowl, mix sauce ingredients together: soy sauce, vinegar, chili oil, garlic, salt and sherry. Heat oil in wok on high. Add lobster and water chestnuts. Stir fry about 3 minutes. Add cloud ears and scallions for about 30 seconds. Add sauce and cook another 15 seconds. Finally add peapods and cook another 15 seconds. If you like a thicker sauce, you can prepare a teaspoon of cornstarch with a little water and add to the dish. This will thicken dish slightly.
Moo's Chicken Wing Appetizer
When Moo first gave me this recipe, she wrote: This is as good as the old standby. The use of chicken broth makes this one very moist.
18 (or about 3 pounds) chicken wings
Olive oil
3 scallions, cut into 3" pieces
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup sherry
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup catsup
3 whole star anise
2 T sugar
1/4 t. ground ginger
1 large head iceberg lettuce, shredded
Cut wing tips off at the joint and discard. Cut the remaining two joints apart. Heat oil in skillet and saute wings until golden brown. Remove wings and pour off the excess oil. Combine soy sauce, sherry, chicken broth, catsup, scallions, star anise, sugar and ginger in skillet. Add wings and simmer 25 minutes or until tender, basting occasionally. Then cover and cook 10 minutes longer. Serve wings on bed of shredded lettuce.
18 (or about 3 pounds) chicken wings
Olive oil
3 scallions, cut into 3" pieces
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup sherry
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup catsup
3 whole star anise
2 T sugar
1/4 t. ground ginger
1 large head iceberg lettuce, shredded
Cut wing tips off at the joint and discard. Cut the remaining two joints apart. Heat oil in skillet and saute wings until golden brown. Remove wings and pour off the excess oil. Combine soy sauce, sherry, chicken broth, catsup, scallions, star anise, sugar and ginger in skillet. Add wings and simmer 25 minutes or until tender, basting occasionally. Then cover and cook 10 minutes longer. Serve wings on bed of shredded lettuce.
Imperial Moo Chicken Salad
This is a palate pleasing salad with an Asian flavor.
2 large chicken breasts, boned
1/3 cup sherry
1/4 cup soy sauce
6 thin slices ginger
Olive oil for frying
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
6 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup almonds, toasted and chopped
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
2-3 ounces of Chinese rice sticks or bean thread
Dressing
1/2 cup olive oil
2 T lemon juice
1 T plus 1 t. soy sauce
3 t. sesame oil
2 t. dry mustard
2 t. sugar
1 t. fresh ginger, minced
1/2 t. hot chili oil
Combine sherry, soy sauce and ginger slices to create marinade. Marinate chicken breasts for several hours (overnight, if possible). Turn chicken breasts over a couple times. When ready to cook, drain chicken breasts, pat dry and lightly salt. Then coat with cornstarch. Refrigerate for an hour to allow cornstarch to set.
Heat olive oil in skillet and deep fry chicken breasts for about 5 minutes per side or until golden and crisp and cooked through. Drain chicken on paper towel then slice into bite-sized pieces. Place in a large bowl. Add lettuce, scallions, almonds, sesame seeds.
Heat olive oil in skillet or wok. Deep fry rice sticks or bean threads. They will puff up very quickly. Drain, salt lightly and add to salad. Mix dressing ingredients, add to salad, toss and serve.
2 large chicken breasts, boned
1/3 cup sherry
1/4 cup soy sauce
6 thin slices ginger
Olive oil for frying
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
6 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup almonds, toasted and chopped
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
2-3 ounces of Chinese rice sticks or bean thread
Dressing
1/2 cup olive oil
2 T lemon juice
1 T plus 1 t. soy sauce
3 t. sesame oil
2 t. dry mustard
2 t. sugar
1 t. fresh ginger, minced
1/2 t. hot chili oil
Combine sherry, soy sauce and ginger slices to create marinade. Marinate chicken breasts for several hours (overnight, if possible). Turn chicken breasts over a couple times. When ready to cook, drain chicken breasts, pat dry and lightly salt. Then coat with cornstarch. Refrigerate for an hour to allow cornstarch to set.
Heat olive oil in skillet and deep fry chicken breasts for about 5 minutes per side or until golden and crisp and cooked through. Drain chicken on paper towel then slice into bite-sized pieces. Place in a large bowl. Add lettuce, scallions, almonds, sesame seeds.
Heat olive oil in skillet or wok. Deep fry rice sticks or bean threads. They will puff up very quickly. Drain, salt lightly and add to salad. Mix dressing ingredients, add to salad, toss and serve.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Moo's Coconut-Coriander Chutney
If you like chutney, you'll love this. Who'd have thought making a palate pleasing chutney would be so easy.
1 bunch coriander
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 fresh or canned chili (if fresh, you'll need to roast and peel off skin)
1 cup coconut
Juice of 1 lemon or lime
1/4 cup water
Trim leaves from coriander stalks and put them into blender with remaining ingredients. Blend and pour into serving bowl. You can make ahead and refrigerate, but I think it tastes best at room temperature.
1 bunch coriander
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 fresh or canned chili (if fresh, you'll need to roast and peel off skin)
1 cup coconut
Juice of 1 lemon or lime
1/4 cup water
Trim leaves from coriander stalks and put them into blender with remaining ingredients. Blend and pour into serving bowl. You can make ahead and refrigerate, but I think it tastes best at room temperature.
Day Ahead Potatoes
Although you have to begin making this the day before, it is a fast and easy side dish. I guarantee your guests will love it. I give this 5 palate pleaser stars.
12 potatoes, peeled
1 pint whipping cream, unwhipped
salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste
Boil potatoes the day before your dinner. Refrigerate over night. This will firm the potatoes up a bit and make them easier to grate. So grate potatoes on the day of the party and lightly layer into a casserole seasoning throughout with salt and pepper and garlic powder. Drizzle whipping cream over the potatoes. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour. Serves 12
12 potatoes, peeled
1 pint whipping cream, unwhipped
salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste
Boil potatoes the day before your dinner. Refrigerate over night. This will firm the potatoes up a bit and make them easier to grate. So grate potatoes on the day of the party and lightly layer into a casserole seasoning throughout with salt and pepper and garlic powder. Drizzle whipping cream over the potatoes. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour. Serves 12
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