Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, since you can eat, shop like mad on Black Friday, and look forward to Christmas fast approaching. And it's a great time to get into the habit of counting your blessings, instead of focusing on what you might be missing.

My family tried combining Asian and American dishes for Thanksgiving dinner this year and left the table happily stuffed. On the menu:

• Butternut squash with basil (It was my first time cutting and peeling butternut squash, and it was terribly unwieldy. I'll have to research some techniques next time so I don't have to throw my weight onto the cutting board or risk losing any fingers.)
• Brussels sprouts with garlic and prosciutto
• Soy sauce chicken, courtesy of our local Chinese BBQ store
• And of course, pumpkin pie!

And adding to my list of blessings – plenty of leftovers. Happy Thanksgiving!!

Braised Cabbage à la Tyler Florence

A few weeks ago at the annual Foodbuzz Festival, I watched Tyler Florence cook pork chops and braised cabbage for a dinner demo, and was inspired to try making a variation at home. I was particularly interested in the cabbage, since the flavor profile just screamed Thanksgiving. The ingredients Tyler used: chicken stock, apple cider, brown sugar, caraway seeds, salt and pepper, and a bay leaf. 

Unfortunately I couldn't find any caraway seeds at my grocery store, so I had to do without those. I quickly sautéed about a pound of red cabbage in a stock pot and then threw in all the other ingredients, guessing at the amounts to put in (bold, I know). I let the cabbage simmer for about 15 minutes in the liquids, and it came out tasting the way I imagined – sweet from all the brown sugar and apple cider, but still savory thanks to the chicken stock and bay leaf infusions. 

Paired with some pork chops (using Tyler's brown sugar pork rub) for a hearty, autumn-flavored meal! Though I still think I need to visit his restaurant for a comparison!

Cinnamon Raisin French Toast

My mom and I are big fans of French toast, so I decided to make some this morning for her birthday. Of course, whenever I do anything in the kitchen that involves more than two steps, my mom can't help but fuss around me while I'm cooking - moving dirty dishware, cleaning inadvertent drips, and asking what I'm doing every five minutes. I suspect these habits will never change.

I picked up this recipe card from my local Panera Bread and used their cinnamon raisin bread for the French toast, but you can probably use any bread you like. The perk about using cinnamon raisin is that the bread is already sweetened, so you can't really screw up on the flavor, and it was sweet enough that we skipped the maple syrup when serving.

Ingredients

• 8 slices of half-inch thick Panera cinnamon raisin bread (or other bread)
• 4 tbsp melted butter
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

1. For the French toast custard, combine and whisk together the milk, heavy cream, eggs, honey, vanilla extract, and salt. This custard can be made well in advance. Give a brisk stir before making the toast.
2. Transfer the custard to a casserole or open shallow dish for dipping.
3. Dip one slice of bread into the custard and turn over after about 15 seconds. Transfer the slice to a plate while dipping another slice into the custard.
4. Place a large skillet on a medium fire. Allow the pan to heat thoroughly before pouring 1 tablespoon of the melted butter into the pan.
5. Place both slices carefully into the skillet and cook on each side until golden brown or about 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Repeat steps 3 to 5 until all the French toast is cooked.
7. An optional step is to place each finished French toast onto a baking sheet in a preheated oven until all are ready to serve. 
8. Serve warm with maple syrup, if desired. Makes four servings.

Cinnamon-Honey Waffles

I came across this recipe in a recipe leaflet from Lucky's, and since the photo looked so nice and my boyfriend had yet to try out his new waffle iron, I decided to give it a spin. The only waffles I'd ever made before were the Eggos from the frozen aisle, which I had long sworn off. Fortunately, making real waffles from scratch is nearly just as easy! These came out fluffy and sweet - perfect for weekend brunch. I like my waffles a bit crispier though, so next time I'll let them cook for just a tad longer.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp melted unsalted butter
• Optional: maple syrup, warm fruit topping, mint sprigs

Instructions

1. Preheat waffle iron.
2. In medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
3. In separate medium bowl, whisk together egg, yogurt, milk and honey.
4. Stir wet mixture into flour mixture just until combined. Stir in melted butter and mix.
5. Cook waffles in waffle iron according to manufacturer's instructions.
6. Serve with maple syrup or warm fruit topping. Garnish with a dollop of yogurt and/or mint sprigs, if desired (I didn't have mint sprigs so I randomly used parsley for garnish). Makes approximately four waffles.
   

Happy Lunar New Year!

Lunar New Year for my family is pretty simple. As long as there's chicken, mushrooms, and some kind of soup, we're happy. And the best part is eating at home. Happy Rabbit Year!

Sushi Tabemasho!

Photos from a recent sushi party that my friends Eugene and Joanie hosted. Super kudos to Eugene for being an awesome sushi chef without a recipe page in sight, and for managing to prepare everything with about 10 people gawking at him and snapping photos.


Maki ingredients

From the Tokyo Fish Market

My favorite - toro nigiri!

Baked rolls

And some tender teriyaki beef on the side! Oishii!

Banana Smoothie!

What better way to start your morning than a refreshing home-blended smoothie? It's delicious, filling, good for you, and super easy to make. You can pretty much use any fruits or vegetables, in endless combinations. I personally stick to the fruit-based smoothies since I haven't quite acquired the taste for the veggie ones (e.g., my dad's bell pepper smoothie - no thanks). Anyway, we tested out the boyfriend's new blender / food processor this morning with this simple banana smoothie recipe.

Ingredients:
1 banana
3 cups soy milk
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 tsp vanilla extract
Sugar to taste

Toss everything into the blender and mix until smooth!

Who needs Jamba Juice?

If you want a sweeter drink, you can try using sweetened strawberries, or a scoop of vanilla yogurt in place of the vanilla extract. If you have any smoothie ideas, please send them over!

Spook-tacular Cupcakes!

What's even better than trick-or-treating? Making your own treats for the occasion! For Halloween, the boyfriend and I baked up some red devil cupcakes and decorated them with festive frosting.

For the cupcakes

Ingredients (makes 20 cupcakes)

• 15-ounce can of sliced beets
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable or olive oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda

Directions

1. Drain the beets, reserving 1/2 cup of the juice. In a blender, puree the beets with the reserve juice to make about 1 1/4 cups of puree. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs well. Thoroughly whisk in the sugar, oil, vanilla, salt, and beet puree until very smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients a little at a time, whisking until smooth.
5. Pour the batter into the cupcake tin and bake for 25 minutes. Set aside to cool.
   

For the frosting

I was actually inspired to decorate these cupcakes from a Food Network photo, http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_36613.html, and used their recipe for a fluffy meringue frosting. Beware - we ended up with way too much frosting, so if you're not making a ton of cupcakes, you might want to cut the ingredients down proportionally (starting with 4 or 5 egg whites instead of 8). Or you could improvise like we did and use the leftover meringue to make cookies!

All that fluffy goodness!

It was our first time piping, and it was surprisingly fun ... and harder than it looks on tv. I tried making blobs to simulate ghosts, but I don't think I used enough frosting. We used a supermarket tube of black-colored icing to add the eyes and other design touches. I think some themed candy would've been awesome too!

BOO!!!

Baked Japanese Salmon in Green Tea Broth

I got the inspiration to make this dish by modifying a recipe from a friend, a crazy good cook whose facebook mobile uploads constantly make me drool (check out his blog here). I didn't know what else to call it, but since the marinade has a teriyaki-like flavor and the broth is just dressed-up green tea, "Japanese salmon" seems fitting enough.

The marinade is simple and can be modified depending on whether you want more savory or sweet elements. The broth is even simpler - feel free to create your own variation, as it mainly serves to balance out the intensity of the marinade. The only thing to be cautious about is the cooking time for the salmon. Baking the fish is healthier and easier if you have multiple fillets, but no one likes dried out meat. Or you can pan-sear the salmon if you prefer.

Ingredients

• 2 salmon fillets (8-10 oz)
• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp of Mirin
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 garlic gloves, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp miso dressing
• 1 teabag of green tea (I used Yamamoto)
• Salt
• Honey
• Optional: Your choice of garnish
  

Instructions

1. Whisk together soy sauce, Mirin, sugar, garlic, sesame oil, and miso dressing. Once the sugar dissolves, pour the mixture over the salmon fillets and marinate for 25 to 30 minutes.
   

   
   

2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
3. Line a baking tray with foil and place the salmon on. Drizzle the leftover marinade over the fish as desired.
4. Bake the fish at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. To check if it's done, poke at it with a fork - the flesh should flake into pieces.
   

   
   

5. Brew a cup of green tea (10 to 12 oz) with one teabag and pour into a small serving bowl. Add a dash of salt and a couple drops of honey to taste.
   
6. Place each salmon fillet in a bowl or shallow serving dish. Spoon in some of the green tea so it covers the bottom of the bowl/dish. (To use the words of my friend: "How much tea you use here is really up to you. If you like your flavors on the more intense side, use a little less tea. If you like it lighter, use more tea. If you like bland, flavorless fish, then dump the whole cup of tea in. Adjust accordingly.")
   
7. Optional: Add garnish as you wish. I used some Japanese rice seasoning (furikake), but you can use thin lemon slices, sesame seeds, seaweed strips, or even some small cooked veggies. Really, it's just for plating, right?

Enjoy!

Homemade Crème Brûlée

The boyfriend made me crème brûlée for Valentine's Day, and then I helped him make it again last week! He followed a recipe from a Youtube instructional video from the French Culinary Institute, shown below. Can't really go wrong with a crème brûlée lesson from a French guy, right?

Well, lessons from the French paid off, because the custard was nearly as good as the one in Chapeau's crème brûlée. Using real vanilla bean instead of vanilla extract makes a big difference for the flavor and the aroma and is well worth the extra price, in my opinion!

Simmering the custard

Filling the ramekins

All ready to be baked...

Making and baking the custard is pretty easy, but the tricky part about crème brûlée is getting that perfect crust on top. It's all about adding the right amount of sugar and then torching it to get a nice caramelized color. Add too little sugar, and the crust will be thin and watery; but add too much, and you'll have to chisel away to get to the custard. For next time, I'm determined to get the crust just the way I like it ... which is a good excuse to experiment more with the torch!

The final product! I like throwing on some berries for color :)

Soy and Sesame Oyster Dressing

Ahhh ... nothing like a juicy, succulent raw oyster to slurp down! As the weather warms up, I'm anticipating more trips up to Point Reyes and Tomales Bay for shucking, armed with a new fave Asian-flavored dressing sauce.

Soy and Sesame Oyster Dressing

• 4 tbs light soy sauce
• 3 tbs rice wine vinegar
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 green shallot, ends trimmed, thinly sliced

Simply mix the soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil in a screw-top jar and shake well until combined. Play with the proportions if you want to change the flavor. Place in fridge if you're not serving immediately. When ready to serve, use a spoon to drizzle some sauce onto your oysters and sprinkle with green shallots. Slurp away!

Brunchin' At Home

What better way to spend a Saturday morning than cooking up some brunch at home? And if I'm in the kitchen, I will default to my (usually) fail-proof omelets. I love omelets because they're so versatile; you can make them as simple or as fancy as you wish. I like folding mine in a half circle, just the way Remy does it in Ratatouille (which, incidentally, is still one of the best movies for foodies, in my opinion).

On this particular morning, I made some omelets with prosciutto, a shredded four cheese blend, onions, and a sprinkle of parsley flakes on top. I even took the time to pay some attention to plating since, let's face it, who doesn't like their food to look pretty?

The boyfriend also had a bag of pumpkin pancake batter mix from Trader Joe's, so we made some cinnamon-y pumpkin pancakes too. We're still experimenting on getting the heat and texture just perfect, but I'm sure we'll be pros in no time. Two foodies in the kitchen can't go wrong!

Looking forward to some good Dine About Town dinners in San Francisco this weekend! Eat on!

Special thanks to WongCo Food for the photos :)

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I've started to bake more, so lately the smell of fresh cookie dough has been wafting through my house. Can't really complain though! Here's a recipe for oatmeal raisin cookies that I modified from Simply Recipes (a wonderful resource).

Ingredients:

• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (I used Quaker Old Fashioned Oats.)
• 1 1/2 cups raisins

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two large cookie sheets or line with Silpat, parchment paper or waxed paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until creamy. Add sugars; beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs. Add vanilla.
3. Mix flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in medium bowl. Stir dry ingredients into butter-sugar mixture.
   
4. Stir in raisins and nuts.
   
5. Stir in oats.

   
   

6. Spoon out dough by large tablespoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets, leaving at least 2 inches between each cookie.
7. Bake until cookie edges turn golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets. Then carefully remove them, using a metal spatula, to a wire rack. Cool completely. They will be quite soft until completely cooled. Store tightly covered.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Fruit Pizza Recipe

I've seen a few chefs on Food Network whip up a dessert pizza or two, so I decided to try making one myself based off a recipe in my Costco Creative Cooking book. I ended up improvising quite a bit, but that's part of the fun of home cooking, right?

Ingredients:

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 prepared thin-crust 12-inch pizza crust
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 bananas
• 4 cups assorted fresh fruit
• 1/4 cup of nuts
• 1/4 cup raisins (optional)
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Cooking Instructions:

1. In a bowl, blend the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract until well-mixed and smooth. Set the mixture aside.
   
2. Wash, peel, and slice the fruit however you like. I used fresh bananas, strawberries, kiwis, and grapes, but you can use any fruit that would make a good topping. Set the fruit aside.
   
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
   
4. Spray a 12-inch pizza pan with cooking spray. (I didn't have a pizza pan, so I just used a large baking tray. So my pizza ended up in a rectangular shape.)
5. Bake the crust for 10-12 minutes. The crust should now be a golden brown color. Let the crust cool down for about 10 minutes.
   
6. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the crust.
7. Arrange the banana slices over the cream cheese. Then arrange the other fruit slices on the pizza, varying colors and shapes.

   
   

8. Sprinkle the nuts and raisins over the pizza. I used whole almonds on mine, but you could easily use whole or chopped pecans or pistachios.
9. For an added touch of decadence, heat up some chocolate chips in a small pan on the stove and drizzle the melted chocolate over the pizza. And if you have any chocolate left over, you can have some fondue on the side!

   
   

10. Cut and serve your pizza. And there you have it - a quick and tasty dessert. Enjoy!
    

Thai Cooking Class!

One of my favorite experiences in Thailand was a wonderful cooking class I took in Kanchanaburi. I was staying at a guesthouse run by two friendly women named Apple and Noi. In addition to taking care of the finances of the establishment, Noi also taught a cooking course that was popular enough to get a mention in Lonely Planet's guidebook for Thailand. So I definitely could not pass up the chance to learn how to cook from a local chef!

Luckily for us, the cooking class took place in Apple and Noi's new guesthouse location (still undergoing construction) right by the river! So gorgeous!

Our open-air kitchen area

According to Noi, this is a list of staple ingredients you should always have in your kitchen for cooking Thai food:

• Light oil - canola, peanut, vegetable, sunflower, or corn oil are appropriate, but NOT olive oil!
• Dark soy sauce
• Oyster sauce
• Fish sauce - both salty and sweet
• Rice stick noodles
  
• Egg noodles
• Curry paste - you can rewrap the leftover portion and put it in the freezer
  
• Salt and black pepper
• Sugar
• Crushed peanuts
• Chili powder
• Lime juice

Our tray of sauces and spices

To your cooking stations!

And now for the recipes I learned ... please note that these portions are good for one or two people, depending on how big an appetite you have!

PAD THAI

The test for a good French restaurant is their creme brulee. For Italian, it's the bruschetta. For Mediterranean, it's the hummus. For Thai places, it's the pad thai. I learned that authentic pad thai should be slightly sweet with a spicy kick. Here's the recipe Noi gave us.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of oil
• 100 grams of rice noodles
• 80 grams of beans sprouts
• 3 tablespoons of chives
• 2-3 tablespoons of grated carrots
• 1 tablespoon of pickled radish
• 1 tablespoon of finely sliced shallots or red onions
• 150-250 grams of finely sliced meat (chicken, pork, or beef)
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons of tamarind sauce
• 2 tablespoons of fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• Chili powder
• 1 tablespoon of crushed peanuts
• Lime juice

Cooking Instructions:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in your pan on low heat.
2. Soak the rice noodles in cold water for 5-7 minutes.
   
3. Add in the shallots and stir fry for about 5-8 seconds until you can smell them.
   
4. Add the meat and cook it about 60%, then put it off to the side. Let the oil fall back into the center of your pan.
   
5. Crack the egg into your pan, break the yolk with your spatula, and stir slightly so you get a mix of egg white and yolk frying together.
6. Add the pickled radish to the egg and fry for about 30 seconds.
7. Add the meat back into the pan. When the meat is about 80% cooked, add in the rice noodles with 1/2 a cup of water.
   
8. Double the heat on your stove. Separate the noodles, and cook until they start sticking slightly to the pan. Lower the heat.
9. Add in the tamarind sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and a dash of chili powder.
   
10. Continue mixing everything together in your pan. Let the meat absorb all the flavors.
    
11. Add in the veggies (bean sprouts, carrots, chives) and cook them for about one minute. Lower the heat again.
12. Add in the crushed peanuts and 2-3 drops of lime juice. Stir everything together one final time.

I found that the trickiest part was getting the right consistency for the rice noodles. Too little water in the pan, and the noodles would stick to your pan and risk burning. Too much water, and the noodles would not retain that yummy chewy texture. Just by observing us, Noi could tell exactly how our noodles would turn out. That woman is amazing.

My finished pad thai. I still have to work on the texture of those noodles!

MASSAMAN CURRY

Massaman curry originally came from India, but this is the Thai version. This curry is special because, if made properly, it has four different tastes going at the same time -- sweet, spicy, sour, and salty.

Ingredients:

• 8-12 pieces of boiled, cut potatoes (Note: You can substitute squash or carrots.)
  
• 5 pieces of pumpkin
• 200-300 grams of beef (Note: You can substitute other meat.)
  
• 1 onion, quartered and sliced
• 1 tablespoon of massaman curry paste
  
• 1 tablespoon of oil
• 250 mL of coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons of tamarind sauce
• 1 tablespoon of palm sugar, brown sugar, or cane sugar
• 3 tablespoons of ground peanuts or cashews
• 2 tablespoons of fish sauce
• Salt
  

Cooking Instructions:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in your pan on low heat.
2. Add the curry paste, onions, and a pinch of salt into your pan. Stir fry together until the onions soften. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water when the curry paste starts drying.
   
3. Add in the potatoes and pumpkin. Stir together.
   
4. Add in the coconut milk and let it sit -- don't stir it. Turn the heat on high.
   
5. Add in the sugar, tamarind sauce, and crushed peanuts.
6. Let the mixture cook in your pan, and only stir it once in awhile. If there's burning, add some more water.
   
7. After a few minutes, add in the meat. After the coconut milk comes to a boil, add in the fish sauce.
8. Let the mixture cook until the sauce is thick and creamy. And voila, you're done!

This dish really gave me a run for my money. I was starting to go a little crazy between watching the heat and the water and the curry sauce. Yikes!

My finished curry ... and it tasted pretty darn good too!

GINGER VEGGIE STIR FRY

For our last dish, Noi taught us to make a simple vegetable stir fry with a subtle ginger flavor. Delish!

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of oil
• 2 baby corn, sliced diagonally
• 1 carrot, sliced
• A quarter of an onion
• 2 mushrooms, sliced
• A couple pieces of black fungus (Note: Soak for at least 30 minutes before cooking.)
• 2 tablespoons of scallions
• 3 tablespoons of ginger, finely sliced
• 1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce
  
• 2 tablespoons of soya bean paste
  
• 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon of fish sauce
  
• 1/4 tablespoon of sugar
  
• 200-300 grams of meat or tofu (we used tofu in the class)
• 1 tablespoon of shallots, sliced
• Black pepper
  

Cooking Instructions:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in your pan on low heat. Stir fry the ginger, then the shallots, until you can smell them.
   
2. Add in the meat or tofu, with a pinch of black pepper. Stir fry together.
3. When the meat or tofu is partially cooked, add in the dark soy sauce. Then add in the oyster sauce and soya bean paste.
   
4. Lower the heat. Add 1/2 a cup of water and stir.
5. Add the corn, onions, carrots, mushrooms, black fungus, and shallots. Stir fry together.
6. Add in the light soy sauce, fish sauce, and sugar.
   
7. Stir fry until the vegetables are cooked.
   
8. Add in the scallions and stir again.
   

After all our hard work cooking, we sat down to lunch and sampled our dishes. Really not bad, for first-timers! I really have to thank Noi for a great class. Not only was she an amazing chef, but she was the most feminist woman I met while in Thailand. Unlike most Thai women, she didn't buy into the traditional mentality that women needed to depend on men to survive in society. And with her successful guesthouse business, cooking course, and culinary skills, I would say she's better off than a lot of men in that country.

Well, this is the last of my Thailand posts, as well as the last of my entries from my Southeast Asia trip. Next time -- some long overdue photos from Uva Enoteca, a cozy Italian wine bar that's quickly made a name for itself in San Francisco.

Best "Study Breaks" Ever

The non-blogging part of my life has been consumed with incessant studying for the July California bar exam, so I apologize for the infrequent posts. Thankfully, I'm still taking time to enjoy some great food amidst the madness.

Shrimp and goat cheese omelet | Brenda's French Soul Food

Ham fritatta | Stacks Restaurant

Cantaloupe wrapped in proscuitto
Proscuitto de parma ($26.99/lb) from Bristol Farms

Chinese-style hot pot

Red velvet cupcakes | U.N. Plaza Farmer's Market

Passion fruit mousse | Cleo's Steakhouse
Definitely pay a visit here for their $19.99 Brazilian bbq buffet

Next up - a belated review of my Dine About Town dinner at One Market from last month!