Wine-Braised Chicken

The picture might not look so good, but this dish was very tasty and delicious.  With the short cooking time, the chicken was surprisingly tender and flavorful.  A very easy meal to make for weeknights.

Ingredients

3 fresh thyme sprigs

5 flat-leaf parsley sprigs

1 bay leaf

3 slices bacon, cut into pieces

12 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs (about 4 pounds total)

coarse salt and ground pepper

1 large onion, chopped

6 medium carrots, sliced crosswise on the diagonal into 1/2-inch pieces

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups dry red wine, such as a Pinot Noir or French Burgundy

1 can (14.5 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth

Directions

1) Using cotton kitchen twine, tie thyme, parsley, and bay leaf into a bundle; set aside.

2) Heat a Dutch oven or 5-quart heavy pot with a lid over medium-low. Add bacon; cook until browned, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain (leave bacon fat in pot).

3) Raise heat to medium-high. Season chicken generously with salt and pepper. Working in three batches to avoid crowding, brown chicken about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; set aside.

4) Add onion, carrots, and garlic to pot. Cook until onion softens, about 4 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and flour; cook 1 minute.

5) Add wine, broth, chicken, and herb bundle. Bring to a boil; cover, and reduce to a simmer. Cook 10 minutes; uncover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove and discard herb bundle; stir in bacon.

Chicken and Vegetable Stew

The chicken was amazingly delicious when cooking in tomato juice! I just love cooking with lots of vegetables in one dish.

Ingredients

*8 skinless chicken drumsticks

*Coarse salt and ground pepper

*2 tablespoons vegetable oil

*1 large yellow onion, diced large

*1 large carrot, diced large

*1 large celery stalk, diced large

*3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

*1 large russet potato, diced large

*1 pound collard greens, stems removed, leaves torn

*1 large can (48 ounces) vegetable juice

*2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

*2 teaspoons white vinegar

Directions

1) Season chicken generously with salt and pepper. In a 6-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Cook chicken until brown on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes; transfer to a plate. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic to pot; cook until onion softens, 3 minutes. Add potato and collard greens; cook until greens begin to wilt, 3 minutes.

2) Return chicken to pot; add vegetable juice and Worcestershire. Bring to a boil; reduce to a medium simmer, partially cover, and cook until chicken is separating from the bone and vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in vinegar just before serving.

Mr. S Birthday Feast 2012- Maple-Gingerbread Pots de Crème

After a nice dinner, of course we would have a nice dessert. This is my first time making a cream buree type dessert, and it is quite challenging to make. My biggest challenge was the center wasn't solid after baking for 1 hour in the water bath. I let it cook a little longer and then let it cool down. The center became more solid after it cooled down. I am planning to make this again and definitely will report on my progress.


Ingredients
*1/2 cup maple syrup
*2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
*2 large egg yolks
*1 3/4 cups half-and-half
*1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
*Dash of salt
*Dash of ground nutmeg
*Dash of ground cloves, optional
*2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
*1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 300°.
2. Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk.
3. Combine half-and-half and remaining ingredients in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until mixture reaches 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge (do not boil). Gradually add hot milk mixture to egg mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return milk mixture to pan. Reduce temperature to medium, and cook until mixture thickens slightly (about 2 minutes), stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat. Strain mixture through a sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Divide mixture evenly among 8 (4-ounce) ramekins or custard cups. Place ramekins in a 13 x 9-inch metal baking pan; add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake at 300° for 1 hour or until center barely moves when ramekins are touched. Remove the ramekins from pan; cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and chill 4 hours.

Mr. S Birthday Feast 2012- Saffron Risotto with Butternut Squash

Instead of roasting the butternut squash or turning it into soup. I decided to make it in risotto. If you have saffron at home, this is be the perfect chance to add saffron to bring out the overall flavor of the dish.


Ingredients
*1 butternut squash (2 pounds)
*2 tablespoons olive oil
*salt and freshly ground black pepper
*6 cups homemade chicken stock
*6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
*2 ounces pancetta, diced
*1/2 cup minced shallots (2 large)
*1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (10 ounces)
*1/2 cup dry white wine
*1 teaspoon saffron threads
*1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Peel the butternut squash, remove the seeds, and cut it into 3/4-inch cubes. You should have about 6 cups. Place the squash on a sheet pan and toss it with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing once, until very tender. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock in a small covered saucepan. Leave it on low heat to simmer.
4. In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the pancetta and shallots on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until the shallots are translucent but not browned. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 full ladles of stock to the rice plus the saffron, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir, and simmer until the stock is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes. Continue to add the stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry, then add more stock. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 30 minutes total. Off the heat, add the roasted squash cubes and Parmesan cheese. Mix well and serve.

Tarragon Aioli

I made this dipping sauce for the crab cakes that I made for Mr. S's birthday feast. This sauce can also be used with dipping fries or chicken fingers.

Ingredients
*2 large eggs
*3 cloves peeled garlic
*1/3 cup lemon juice
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*1 cup vegetable oil
*1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
*1/4 cup chopped fresh tarragon
*1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
*lemon juice to taste
*salt to taste

Directions
1. Combine 2 large egg yolks, 3 peeled cloves garlic, 1/3 cup lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor or blender; whirl until mixture is smooth. With machine running, gradually pour in 1 cup vegetable oil (such as peanut) and 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (or use all olive oil) in a slow, steady stream, whirling until mixture is thick and smooth, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup chopped fresh tarragon, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, and more lemon juice and salt to taste.

Mr. S Birthday Feast 2012- Crab Cakes with Tarragon Aioli

The main course of the feast was crab cakes. Since the crab mixture needed time to marinate, I made it the day before and pan fried them right before serving them. I think this is the reason the crab cakes were very flavorful and delicious.



Crab cakes:
Ingredients
*2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
*1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
*1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
*1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
*1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
*1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
*1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
*1 large egg
*1/3 cup panko
*1 pound lump crabmeat, drained and shell pieces removed
*1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
*Tarragon Aioli

Directions
1. To prepare crab cakes, combine first 8 ingredients. Add panko and crab, tossing gently to combine. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.
2. Fill a 1/3-cup dry measuring cup with crab mixture. Invert onto work surface; gently pat into a 3/4-inch-thick patty. Repeat procedure with remaining crab mixture, forming 8 cakes.
3. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 crab cakes to pan; cook 4 minutes or until bottoms are golden. Carefully turn cakes; cook 4 minutes or until bottoms are golden and crab cakes are thoroughly heated. Remove cakes from pan; keep warm. Wipe pan dry with paper towels. Heat remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in pan. Repeat procedure with remaining 4 crab cakes.
4. Serve crab cakes with tarragon aioli.

Mr. S Birthday Feast 2012- Chicken-Orzo Soup

Since I have limited time to make the meal, I decided to make a very easy and hearty soup- Chicken Orzo Soup! It only took me 20 minutes to make and most of the time was spent prepping the ingredients.


Ingredients
*4 cups homemade chicken broth, divided
*1/2 cup uncooked orzo
*2 teaspoons olive oil
*2/3 cup coarsely chopped carrot
*1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery
*1/2 cup chopped onion
*3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
*1 1/4 cups water
*3 fresh parsley sprigs
*1 fresh thyme sprig
*4 cups fresh baby spinach
*1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
*1/4 teaspoon salt
*1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Bring 1 3/4 cups broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add orzo; cook 10 minutes or until done. Drain.
2. While orzo cooks, heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add carrot, celery, onion, and chicken; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in remaining 2 1/4 cups broth, 1 1/4 cups water, parsley, and thyme; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Discard herb sprigs. Add orzo, spinach, juice, salt, and pepper; simmer 1 minute.

Mr. S Birthday Feast 2012- Tuna Poke

First Course of the feast is Tuna Poke. This is our favorite appetizer at all time and it is very easy to make. The most important thing is to get very fresh sushi grade tuna and marinate it at least an hour to 2 before serve.


Ingredients
*1/4 cup chopped green onions
*1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
*1/2 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
*1 1/2 teaspoons peanut oil
*1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
*1/2 pound sushi-grade tuna, cut into (1/2-inch) cubes
*1 garlic clove, minced
*3 piece wonton wrap


Directions
1. Combine the first 7 ingredients in a medium glass bowl. Cover and chill 2 hours.
2. Heat 1/2 cup oil in a sauce pan. Cut wonton wrap into 1/2. Drop wonton wrap one by one in hot oil for around 30 seconds on each side or until golden. Serve crispy wonton wrap with Tuna Poke.

Mr. S Birthday Feast 2012

It's another year of Mr. S Birthday Feast. Every year, I would make a multiple courses meal to celebrate Mr. S's birthday. Click here to see Mr. S Birthday Feast 2011.

Menu for Mr. S Birthday Feast 2012:
Tuna Poke
Chicken-Orzo Soup
Saffron Risotto with Butternut Squash
Crab Cakes with Tarragon Aioli
Maple-Gingerbread Pots de Crème

Mr. S's birthday was on a Wednesday, so I spent around 1 hour the night before to prep some of the food, including roasting the butternut squash, marinate the crab cake and making the tarragon aioli. Then I spent around 2 1/2 to 3 hours on Wednesday to prepare the meal.

Spicy Coconut Chicken Casserole

I like cooking with coconut milk. They enhance the flavor of all dishes and they are very nutritious.  The flavor of this dish is amazing and it is a good weeknight dinner option.

Ingredients

*1 tablespoon olive oil

*4 whole chicken legs (about 3 pounds total)

*Coarse salt and ground pepper

*1 can (14.5 ounces) light coconut milk

*1 1/2 cups canned reduced-sodium chicken broth

*1 to 2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste

*1 cup jasmine rice

*2 red bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), cut into 1-inch pieces

*8 ounces green beans (stem ends removed), cut into 1-inch lengths

*1/2 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving

Directions

1) In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Working in two batches, cook chicken until browned, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to a plate.

2) To pot, add coconut milk, broth, 1/2 cup water, and curry paste; bring to a boil, and stir in rice. Add chicken (with any juices), arranging pieces in a single layer. Cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, without stirring, until rice is almost tender, 15 minutes.

3) Scatter bell peppers and green beans on top of chicken mixture; cover, and cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

Chinese Style Pork Jerky

Some of my Chinese friends were talking about homemade pork jerky.  The Chinese jerky is soft and juicy while American jerky is hard and dry!  Outside of using pork, you can find beef, chicken and boar jerky.  The best place to get Chinese jerky is from Macau.  I am challenging myself for some homemade jerky to comfort my homesick. Ingredients *1 pound ground pork  *4 tablespoon sugar *1 tablespoon honey + 1 tablespoon honey (for basting) *1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce *1 tablespoon rose cooking wine (optional, will taste different without) *1/3 teaspoon salt *pinch black pepper *pinch white pepper Directions 1) Put all the ingredients in a medium size bowl, except 1 tablespoon of honey for basting, stir them quickly for about 4-5 minutes.  Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least half an hour. 2) Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.  Prepare basting sauce with mixing 1 tablespoon of honey with 1 teaspoon of warm water. 3) Place a piece of plastic wrap on the counter top, then put 1/3 of ground pork on the wrap, finally place another piece of plastic wrap on top of the pork. Roll the pork into 2mm thick.  Transfer the pork to a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes each side. Baste the pork with honey water. Increase heat of the oven to 350 degrees F, bake for 8 minutes each side. Cool down on rack. Cut into bite size.

Recipe from here