The Food We Eat

Bok Choy and Tofu in Oyster Sauce

 

  

I opened my CSA box (actually a bag) this week and was delighted to see bok choy in there. I am lucky because I love greens. I haven't met one I don't like yet.

But I know there are many (hopefully not that many) of you out there who don't like greens, especially the dark leafy ones with some serious character. If you are in that camp, fear not. Bok Choy is your friend. It is fresh and crunchy, and almost sweet. If you can handle iceberg lettuce and green cabbage, you will love this green. If you can't handle *anything* green and leafy, I hear there are shrinks out there for that kind of stuff :-)

Bok Choy goes by many other names - Pak Choi, Bak Choi, Chinese Cabbage, etc. If you are not familiar with this vegetable, you can learn more about it here. As I mentioned already, it is very mild in flavor so plays along well with other ingredients. As part of a chinese-themed menu, I think it pairs very well with oyster sauce. And it is quite delicate, so stir-frying is the way to go. You can braise it too, but we're talking a pretty short braise here (15 minute-ish). So if I can tempt you to an uber-quick, healthy, protein and vitamin packed dinner, folks here is your answer. Did I mention quick? And oh-so homey and comforting. My boys always gobble this one up. From our family to yours..

 

 

Bok Choy and Tofu in Oyster Sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients

5 - 6 bok choy

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely minced

 1/2 tsp red chili flakes, optional

1 cup sugar snap peas, tough strings removed

 1 package (14 oz) extra firm (or firm) tofu, cut into 1/2 inch chunks

2 tbsp peanut oil

Sauce

1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce

1/8 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup water (or chicken or vegetable broth)

1 tsp cornstarch

Method:

1. Mix all the sauce ingredients till well incorporated. Set aside.

2.Seperate the leaves from the stalks on the bok choy. Coarsely chop the leaves, wash well, drain completely, and set aside. A salad spinner works well to get rid of excess water. Slice the stalks crosswise into bite-sized pieces. Rinse well, drain completely, and set aside.

3. Heat peanut oil in a large wok. Add the garlic, ginger, and red chili flakes, if using. Add the bok choy stalks and peas. Stir fry approx. 5 minutes. Now add the leaves, stir fry 1 minute.

4. Add the tofu. Pour the sauce on top, mix gently but thoroughly to incorporate and cook another minute or two till the sauce thickens. 

5. Serve along with steamed rice.

Thin, Crispy Chocolate Chip cookies

 

Ok, I know this post will cause some issues - controversy, hurt chocolate-feelings, feelings of betrayal, all those negative emotions. But, can't well all just get along? I can see what you're saying. Chocolate chip cookies are meant to be thick and chewy and wholesome and big! Sure, and I love those buttery, chewy, wholesome cookies too, but just trust me. These are a whole different animal, and oh-so-good. They have just the right balance of crunch, richness, and that praline-like look. They come out of the oven really thin, so don't be alarmed. Intended effect.

So, break out of your comfort zone and give these a try. If these don't disappear off the plate (or cooling rack in our house), then you call yell at me all you want! If you like them, you have to say so in a comment.

These will keep in an airtight container for up to a week, but are you kidding me? Unless you have an incredible, almost impossible amount of self-control, you won't have to worry about stale-age (I can't think of a correct word here).

Thin and crispy chocolate chip cookies

(From Cooks Illustrated)

Makes 4 dozen 2-inch cookies, I made larger ones, so got less

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp table salt

3/4 tsp baking soda

8 tbsp unsalted butter (1 stick), melted and cooled

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

3 tbsp light corn syrup

1 large egg yolk

2 tbsp milk

1 tbsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup ( 4 1/2 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (I used the mini ones and they were perfect)

Method:

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 375F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. Sift flour, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. Set aside.

3. Using the bowl of your stand mixer, beat melted butter, sugars, and corn syrup at low speed using the paddle attachment, until blended (about 1 minute). Add yolk, milk, and vanilla. Mix until fully  incorporated and smooth, about 1 minute. Using rubber spatula, scrape bottom and sides of bowl. With the mixer running on low speed, add the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Add chocolate chips and mix on low speed, about 5 seconds.

4. Scoop approx. 1 tbsp of dough onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between each ball (I tend to have a generous 1 tbsp hand, and that is fine. You'll just get less cookies). Bake 1 sheet at a time, until cookies are deep golden brown and flat, about 10 - 12 minutes.

5. Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 3 minutes. Using a wide spatula, transfer to wire rack and let sit until crisped and cooled. Be sure to appoint a trustworthy member of your family to guard the cooling cookies :-)

Baked Eggs (oeufs en cocotte)

 

 

This is a perfect breakfast/brunch dish for one or many.  It presents well, is extremely nutritious, filling, and can be made on demand quickly. It is very simple to make, yet is a nice change from scrambled eggs or omelets. But then, it is a French dish after all. I am always amazed by how perfectly prepared French dishes are. Some are fussy, some are bistro-style, some are pretentious, but the one thing they all seem to have in common is 'flawless execution'. They are so well-thought out. I might sound like a francophile, but really I am not.  I've never even been to France yet (that really needs to change). Seriously, I am not that much in awe of France, but I really like the technique behind the food. Ah! I just hit the nail on the head! That is what I admire most about french food. They have impeccable technique. No wonder most of the classically trained chefs learned French cuisine. Thanks dear friends for letting me think write aloud on your time and clarify my thoughts. What! you thought I blog for your benefit? :-)

Well, here below is my interpretation of baked eggs. You can adapt this recipe in many ways. You could add some ham, sausage, fresh herbs, minced garlic, chopped tomatoes, use different cheeses, etc. I chose this particular combination because

(a) less is more

(b) I was in a 'vegetarian' mood

(c) I like herbes de provence

(d) I *heart* basil

(e) I *heart* parmesan (the real reggiano stuff)

If you guessed all of the above I *heart* you and you are welcome for brunch anytime. If you guessed wrong, we just need to spend more time together.

Ok, back to the eggs. You can use whatever ramekins you have on hand, but I like the shallow ones here. They show off the dish better, have more surface area for cheese, and the wide surface allows the whites to set-up while the yolks stay runny. That said, broilers and eggs can be fickle, and sometimes, the eggs can set up too quick. But fear not. Just pretend that was the way you intended it to be and your guests will lick their bowls clean anyway :-)

Now, here is the most important thing. This dish will only be as good as the eggs you choose, so please find yourself the freshest, organic, free-range eggs you can lay your hands on. It is well worth it! And once you find these eggs, just go ahead and use these eggs exclusively. I swear, there is no going back. You don't need to be a nutritionist. C'mon, all you need to do is look at the lovely deep orange of the yolk and you know what you're eating must be good for you. Not like that pasty pale yellow yolk supermarket eggs sport.

The recipe below is for one serving (2 eggs). If you are making this for many, just multiply the ingredients. Nothing is precise here, so feel free to play around.

Baked Eggs

Single serving

2 eggs

A small knob of butter (~1 tsp)

1 tbsp cream or half-n-half

1/2 tsp herbes de provence

1 tbsp freshly grated parmagiano-reggiano

sea salt

pepper

1 - 2 leaves fresh basil, chopped (chiffonade is great)

Method:

1. Set your oven rack 6 inches from the broiler element. Preheat broiler for 5 minutes.

2. Add cream and butter to ramekin. Set under broiler approx. 3 minutes till cream is hot and bubbly.

3. Take ramekin out of oven (careful). Set on counter. Gently crack the eggs into the ramekin. Sprinkle herbs and parmersan cheese on top. Give a generous turn of salt and pepper. Transfer ramekin back into oven. Cook 5-6 minutes or just until the egg whites are almost set. Oven temperatures vary greatly, so you will need to keep a close eye and calibrate to your oven. The eggs will continue to cook a bit when they come out of the oven, so plan accordingly.

4. Take eggs out of oven. Top with basil and let cool for a minute or two. Serve with buttered toast. Tip: If you cut into the eggs and find that they are too runny, zap them in the microwave for 20 seconds so they firm up a bit. Enjoy!

Chicken Curry (i)

 

Cold day. The kind of day when you just want something like chicken soup with all the soul-warming goodness, but with that little extra something called a kick of spice. A-ha! Chicken curry it is. A little extra spice and  nothing clears out a stuffy nose better.

Now there is a reason why the post is so ambiguously named Chicken curry (i). That is a ridiculous description you say. But I'm not sure what else to call it. There are so many versions of chicken curry, I have to differentiate them somehow. There are curries that use different cuts of chicken, different spices, different cooking methods, yikes! Look for Curry (ii), (iii), etc in forthcoming months. Maybe you all can vote someday on your favorite one.

The one I describe below is one of my favorite recipes. I'm not quite sure how I narrowed it down to this exact recipe, but it is a keeper. It has just the right combination of heat and warm spice, and is quite a no-fuss recipe. You could simmer it for a few hours on the stove-top, or if you've been listening to me, by now you're the proud owner of a state-of-the-art Kuhn Rikon pressure cooker. I'm telling you, you've all got to get yourself one of these things. They are fantastic. If you're thinking of eating more whole foods - dried beans, whole grains, etc you will be so happy when your lay your hands on a pressure cooker. This chicken curry took me all of 20 minutes in a pressure cooker - how awesome is that? The meat is so tender, it almost falls off the bone. Sold?

Oh! I know what you're thinking. Yes, there are recipes out there that use chicken breasts, and yes the curry does cook really fast, and sure, I have made curry using breast meat myself. But dear friends, this is a whole another beast. What we have here is a classic homestyle chicken curry that uses a whole chicken cut-up into 8 serving pieces. I have become very partial to using whole chickens. I've even mastered the art of swift and skilful chicken hackery butchery. It takes a little bit more time that buying pre-cut chicken parts at the grocery store, but I have found that most local farms that sell organic free-range (true free-range) chickens ony sell whole chickens. That is certainly true of my meat purveyor. And here is what I have found. True free range chickens really hold up well to long cooking. Probably has to do with all that nice lean muscle on these guys that happily foraged and roamed. That said, if you want to make do with pre-cut parts, you could. Just take the skin and excess fat off. Whatever you do, please do not use all breast meat. A velvety chicken curry does breast meat not make. And the bones really do add a certain depth of flavor that just makes this curry divine.

       

Chicken Curry (i)

Serves 4 - 6

1 whole chicken, skinned, cut into 8 parts

2 onions

6 cloves garlic

1 inch piece ginger

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 cinnamon sticks

2 black cardamom pods

6 cloves

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp red chili powder

3 small tomatoes, chopped

1 tbsp kosher salt

1 tsp sugar

10 sprigs cilantro, stems and leaves, chopped

2 tbsp coconut powder (optional)

Method:

1. In  mini food processor, pulse together onions, garlic, and ginger into a coarse paste. Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan and add the whole spices - cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom. Saute a minute or so. Add onion paste. Saute on med-low heat, stirring frequently, till the onions are a light brown. Be patient - this step is key to the curry and will take about 15 minutes. If the onions don't cook through they impart an unpleasant bitter taste to the gravy.

2. Add the turmeric, cumin, chili, and coriander powders. Saute a few minutes till fragrant. Add tomatoes, salt and sugar. Cook another 10 minutes till tomatoes are well incorporated into the onion mixture. Add chopped cilantro (stems and leaves) and coconut powder, if using.

3. Add chicken pieces. Stir well to coat with spice mixture completely. Saute a few minutes on med heat till chicken changes color. Add just enough water to cover the chicken pieces. I would err on the side of caution because you don't want the gravy to get too watery.

4. If using a pressure cooker, cook on high (15 psi) for 15 - 20 minutes. If using a pan, cook covered, approximately 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes or so. If the gravy is too thick, thin out with water or chicken broth to desired thickness. If gravy is too thin, cook on med high uncovered till excess water evaporates.

5. Serve over basmati rice or with flatbread of your choice. I  particularly like tandoori roti or naan. Leftovers are excellent. In fact, I almost like the curry better the next day.

Valentines Day Sugar Cookies

 

   

Happy Valentines day to all of you out there! I have to say, here is yet another reason I am so glad we have kids. Sans the munchkins, I cannot stand the whole Valentines day thing. So cheesy. But I can totally get into the spirit (ok not quite totally) because of the kids. By now, you know I like to bake, and I really like making sugar cookies. Sure, it can be a bit messy and time consuming, but it is quite a lot of fun. Plus, the kids have a blast punching out the shapes. They are finally at the age where they are actually a help in the kitchen when they offer to participate. Yay!

I volunteered to bake valentine cookies for both A and R's classrooms. Have you heard about sibling rivalry? Well, we had it in all its glory. Both boys wanted to one-up each other. To add to the complication, R's school was planning to have the kids decorate the cookies at school, which meant I was sending simple, unadorned, unfrosted ones to his school and A's class wanted pre-decorated ones as they would be spending their time decorating valentine cards for each other. Well, let me end this chapter by saying that R was ok with the plan once I told him he would be able to glop on as much frosting as he wants at school. Phew!

I have tried many Sugar cookie recipes in the past, and yes they are 99% the same. Not Rocket science. But, I think this is the mother-of-all recipes, and I have stuck to this trusted one for the last 7 years. It is from Alton Brown, and is virtually foolproof. I usually add a bit of almond extract to mine, but due to severe nut allergies at school, I held off this time.

I had enough for A's school plus some extra, so I packaged some up for the staff at school as they were oh-so-cute. A little afternoon treat!

Sugar Cookies

(Makes enough for 3 dozen, 2 1/2 inch cookies)

From Alton Brown

3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup unsalted buter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 large egg, beaten

1 tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)

Powdered sugar, for rollling out dough

Method:

1. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.

2. Add butter and sugar in large bowl of stand mixer and beat till light in color. Add egg, milk, extracts and beat to combine.

3. Put mixer on lowest speed, and gradually add the flour mixture. Beat just until mixture starts pulling away from the side of the bowl. Divide dough in half, flatten into a disc, wrap in wax paper or plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours (or up till 1 week).

4. Preheat oven to 375F.

5. Sprinkle work surface with powdered sugar ( I use a large silpat mat for rolling out my dough, It makes rolling and clean-up a complete breeze). Remove 1 wrapped dough package from the refrigerator. Sprinkle rolling pin with powdered sugar, and roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness (if the dough is too hard to roll out, wait a few minutes till it becomes a bit pliable). Move the dough around frequently to make sure it is not sticking. If the dough gets too warm, place a cold cookie sheet on top for 5 - 10 minutes to chill.

6. Cut the rolled dough into desired shapes. Place cut-outs at least 1-inch apart on parchment lined baking sheet or silicone baking mat. Bake 7 - 9 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking time, until cookies are barely begining to brown around the edges.

7. Let cookies sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes. Then move to a wire rack using spatula. Let cool completely. Serve as is, or proceed with icing. The cookies keep well in an airtight container for up to 1 week (like they ever last that long :-)).

Royal Icing

(Makes approx. 3 cups, enough to frost all the cookies above plus more)

From Joy of Baking

This is the classic, shiny, hard icing you see on bakery sugar cookies. It is absolutely perfect for decorating sugar cookies. If you want a colored icing, I would highly recommend gel pastes. You only need a mere squeeze to get great color. You can make Royal icing from egg whites (there are a million recipes out there for this), but I really like using Meringue powder. Meringue powder is a fine white powder that contains egg whites, sugar, salt, vanillin, and gum. I started using this when the kids were young and we didn't want to chance raw eggs, and have yet to find a reason to deviate. Meringue powder is readily available in most cake decorating and party stores, specialty food stores, and online.

Royal icing will harden when exposed to air, so store in an airtight container. How long will it keep? I'd say up to a week in the refrigerator. Leave it at room temperature for an hour before icing.

I am particularly partial to lemon extract in the icing. I think it works very well with the sweetness of the icing and the cookie. You could use any extract though.

Ingredients:

4 cups confectioner's (powdered) sugar

3 tablespoons meringue powder

1/2 cup to 3/4 cup warm water

1/2 tsp lemon extract ( you can substitute other extracts)

Method:

1. Beat the meringue powder and confectioner's sugar together to combine in the bowl of your stand mixer (or a large bowl if using a hand mixer).

2. Add 1/2 cup water and extract and beat on medium-high speed till mixture turns glossy and stiff peaks form (5 - 7 minutes). If necessary, add more water 1 tbsp at a time, till you get the right consistency. If you want to cover the entire cookie with the icing, you want it a bit thin (when you lift the beater, the icing that falls back shouls stay on the surface for a few seconds before disappearing into the bowl). If you want to pipe the icing on the edges, you want it a bit thick. If you get it too thin, you can easily thicken with more powdered sugar.

3. I simply spread the icing on the 'heart' cookies using the back of a spoon leaving a 1/4 inch border. Sprinkle on some themed decorative sprinkles. Leave uncovered 8 hours or overnight so that the icing sets up to a hard finish.