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Would You Eat These Chicken Feet?

YumSugar — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 05:30:48 -0800

Last time I went out to dim sum with my grandmother, she ordered chicken feet and urged me to take one. While I appreciate the slippery, gelatinous texture of chicken feet every now and then, my sweetheart absolutely refused. "Chickens run around in filth," he said. "I eat with my eyes first, and the sight of a pair wrinkly chicken feet just grosses me out." How do you feel about it?

Name That Dish!

partysugar — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 16:15:58 -0700

This classic Chinese dish would be perfect on a dim-sum inspired, Olympics-viewing party menu. Do you know what they're called?

Come Party With Me: Olympics Viewing - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 09:00:57 -0700

The Olympics are taking place in Beijing, so I plan on serving a dim sum-inspired Chinese menu. Dim sum are small dishes usually consumed at brunch. Since my viewing is in the evening, the recipes aren't necessarily über-traditional; they are, however, divinely delicious. Shrimp shau mai are bite-sized pillows packed with delicate flavors. Chinese spareribs with teriyaki glaze will satiate the hunger of carnivore guests, while sweet and spicy fried cauliflower will tantalize the vegetarian tastebuds. When served in individual take out containers, spicy sesame noodles make an excellent hors d'oeuvre.

If you have a large crowd coming over, supplement this homemade menu with store bought Spring or Summer rolls and pork buns. To check out the recipes, read more.

Shrimp Shau Mai
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

1/3 cup chopped canned water chestnuts
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1/2 pound shelled and deveined shrimp, chopped
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 tablespoon sherry wine
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 to 2 teaspoons sugar, optional
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 package wonton wrappers
Shau Mai Dipping Sauce, recipe below

Directions

In a large bowl, mix together water chestnuts, scallions, shrimp, sesame oil, peanut oil, sherry wine, cornstarch, sugar, if desired, salt, and pepper.
Using a knife, trim the edges of each wonton wrapper to form a round. Place 1 tablespoon filling in the center of each wrapper; moisten edges with water. Cup your hand around wrapper, gathering folds up and around the filling. Press gathered folds lightly around filling to adhere.
Fill a large skillet or wok with 2 cups water; bring to a boil.
Set a bamboo steamer into skillet and line with a damp piece of cheesecloth or a piece of parchment paper. Place shau mai in steamer about 1-inch apart. Cover and cook until filling is cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Serve immediately with dipping sauce.

Makes 20.

Shau Mai Dipping Sauce

1/3 cup unseasoned rice-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons freshly grated and peeled ginger

Mix together vinegar and ginger in a small bowl.

Makes enough for 20 shau mai.

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Chinese Spareribs with Teriyaki Glaze
From Tyler Florence

Ingredients

Spiced spare ribs:
2 (4-pound) racks pork spareribs, trimmed of excess fat
1/2 cup Chinese five-spice powder
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Teriyaki glaze:
1 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 cup grapefruit juice
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 fresh red chili, minced
2 garlic cloves, smashed
2-inch piece fresh ginger, whacked open with the flat side of a knife
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, for garnish
Chopped fresh cilantro and green onion, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Rub the ribs all over with the five-spice powder; then season generously with salt and pepper. Put the ribs in a single layer in a roasting pan and slow-roast until they are almost tender, about 2 hours.
Meanwhile make the glaze. In a large bowl combine the soy sauce, grapefruit juice, hoisin sauce, ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, chili, garlic and ginger in a saucepan. Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until the sauce reduces and thickens then remove from the heat. Strain the sauce and reserve.
When the ribs are about 30 minutes away from being done, baste them with the teriyaki sauce. Cook until the meat pulls easily from the bone (about 1/2-inch of bone will show).
Just before serving, preheat the broiler. Baste the ribs again with the teriyaki sauce and brown them under the broiler for 5 to 8 minutes. Keep a close eye on these guys - ribs go from perfectly crisp to perfectly burnt in seconds.
Separate the ribs with a cleaver or sharp knife, pile them on a platter, and pour on the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, chopped cilantro, and green onion before serving.

Serves 8.

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Indian-Chinese Sweet and Spicy Fried Cauliflower
From Saveur magazine

Ingredients

12 cloves garlic
4 2" pieces peeled fresh ginger
(3 cut into thin coins, 1 julienned)
1 head cauliflower, cut into large florets
Kosher salt
2⁄3 cup cornstarch
2⁄3 cup flour
1 tsp. red chile powder
Freshly ground white pepper
2 tsp. plus 3 tbsp. soy sauce
Peanut oil for frying
2 small onions, chopped
8–10 Thai chiles, thinly sliced
1⁄2 cup ketchup
1 1⁄2 tbsp. sesame oil
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Cilantro leaves

Directions

Purée garlic, ginger coins, and 1⁄3 cup water in blender; set aside. Boil cauliflower in a pot of salted water until tender, 6–7 minutes; drain.
Whisk together cornstarch, flour, chile powder, 1⁄2 tsp. salt, and 1⁄4 tsp. pepper in a bowl. Stir in half the garlic paste, 2 tsp. soy sauce, and 3⁄4 cup water to make a batter.
Pour oil into a large deep skillet to a depth of 1"; heat over medium-high heat. Working in batches, dip cauliflower in batter; fry until golden, 5–6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel–lined plate.
Drain all but about 6 tbsp. of the oil. Add onions; cook for 3–4 minutes. Add chiles and remaining garlic paste; cook until paste is lightly browned, 3–4 minutes.
Add ketchup, remaining soy sauce, sesame oil, and 1⁄3 cup water. Boil; lower heat to medium-low; simmer until thick, 1–2 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste; toss cauliflower in sauce. Garnish with remaining ginger, scallions, and cilantro. Serve with white rice, if you like.

Serves 4.

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Spicy Sesame Noodles
From Bon Appetit magazine

Ingredients

1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
11/2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon (or more) hot chili oil*
11/2 teaspoons salt
1 pound fresh Chinese egg noodles (about 1/16 inch in diameter) or fresh angel hair pasta
12 green onions (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped roasted peanuts
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh Thai basil leaves

Directions

Heat peanut oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Transfer to large bowl. Add next 6 ingredients; whisk to blend.
Place noodles in sieve over sink. Separate noodles with fingers and shake to remove excess starch.
Cook in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, stirring occasionally. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool. Drain thoroughly and transfer to bowl with sauce.
Add sliced green onions and toss to coat noodles. Let stand at room temperature until noodles have absorbed dressing, tossing occasionally, about 1 hour.
Stir in peanuts and Thai basil; toss again. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.

Serves 4-6.

*Available in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets and at Asian markets.

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Definition: Dim Sum

partysugar — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 12:01:18 -0700

Dim Sum
Literarily translated to mean heart's delight in Cantonese, dim sum are small dishes traditionally served in teahouses. A selection is passed by tables on a cart or tray and the customer picks what they want to eat. Usually each plate has a set price and at the end of the feast, the plates are counted to figure out the price of the meal. Dim sum consists of a variety of mouth watering savory and sweet dishes such as fried and steamed dumplings, shrimp balls, fried noodles, and Chinese pastries.

Ming Tsai on Best Meals, Food Politics, and What's Next

YumSugar — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 10:30:41 -0700

If it hasn't become apparent over the last few days, I'm an enthusiastic fan of Ming Tsai's. Last week, the Simply Ming chef stopped into San Francisco to host a party for the Macy's Come Together campaign. While demonstrating how to make potstickers, Ming, an exceptional storyteller, made fun of his parents who were present in the audience, told tales of mischief in France's Michelin-starred restaurants, and recalled his win against Bobby Flay on Iron Chef America ("rumor has it that I may soon face off against Iron Chef Morimoto," he told the crowd).

I got to kick back with Chef Ming, who, in between his thoughts on joining Top Chef Masters, must-have kitchen ingredients, and tips for keeping cool when hosting a party, had more surprising thoughts to share! Learn what they are when you read more

Know Your Ingredients: Worcestershire Sauce

YumSugar — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:00:53 -0700

From crab cakes to Caesar salad to Bloody Marys, many of Summer's staples share one ingredient in common: Worcestershire sauce. But what exactly is it?

Originally bottled in Worcester, England, Worcestershire sauce - commonly referred to as "Worcester sauce" - is a fermented flavoring that contains many ingredients. Lea & Perrins, the original purveyor, keeps its recipe a well-kept secret, but it contains a plethora of items that are left to mature in oak barrels for several months, including malt vinegar, molasses, corn syrup, anchovies, onions, salt, garlic, tamarind, cloves, and chili pepper extract. Worcestershire sauce is frequently added to cocktails, salad dressings, and gravies.

It is used around the globe in dishes ranging from Cantonese dim sum to Welsh rarebit. For those of you who are well-versed in cooking with Worcestershire sauce, what do you use it for? Are you surprised to learn of its manifold ingredients?

All the News That's Fit to Eat - Jan. 28, 2009

YumSugar — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 12:30:51 -0800

The complete, illustrated guide to ordering the Cantonese brunch known as dim sum. - San Francisco Chronicle
Get a head start on Spring cleaning by updating your pantry items. - The Oregonian
This Super Bowl Sunday, forget rising chicken wing prices and turn to turkey. - Los Angeles Times
A recipe for the Bacon Explosion has swept the Internet. - New York Times
Argentine Malbec, with its peppery, crisp, berry flavors, has become wildly popular. - Wall Street Journal
During Winter's coldest days, stay cozy with cassoulet. - Boston Globe
Master the art of flavor with the current bestselling cookbook, which codifies ingredient combinations. - Chicago Tribune
Toaster ovens make countertop cooking for one an easy feat. - Washington Post

Source

Jill: "Tom and Padma Are Famous For Being Critical"

partysugar — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 08:00:04 -0800

Yesterday I spoke to Jill Snyder, the latest cheftestant to pack her knives and leave Top Chef. Jill's a chef in Baltimore, MD, where she enjoys making desserts and crab cakes. She wishes she would have defended her dish better, but claims that with the cameras staring at her, she choked up. To see what Jill has to say about ostrich eggs and the judges, read more.

On the ostrich egg: I've used eggs before and I thought using an ostrich egg would be the same. I thought it would make me more original. I have yet to experiment with them. I wanted to wait until this came out, but now I think I will cook with them. It's a creative dish and I think people will like it. I tasted it and didn't think it tasted like dog food. It was egg, asparagus, mushrooms, and cheese with a rice crust. It would be really hard to make those flavors taste bad, but I guess it's a TV show.

On getting kicked off: It felt horribly disappointing. I didn't really get to show a good representation of my cooking, but it's just a show. I've cooked for many more people than the judges. I thought Ariane was getting kicked off, she didn't really cook anything. I know a lot of people ate that dish. I was surprised, I mean Padma spit it out. I guess it's all in the judges' opinion. They thought who could go further in the competition. I guess maybe I should have been a little more dramatic, throw somebody under the bus or something. It was really hard to think of what to say when the cameras are on you.

On Tom and Padma: Tom and Padma are there to judge things. Whatever their opinion is, that's what is going to go. It's kind of intimidating being in front of people who are famous for being critical.

On deciding not to do dessert: Originally I did want to do dessert and a lot of people wanted to do dessert. I guess I should have stood my ground and done the dessert. Since I botched the hot dog challenge, I thought an entree would better show off my cooking skills. I really wish I had done a dessert because I thought all of those desserts were really bad.

On the hot dog quickfire: They asked for a gourmet hot dog and we had a certain amount of time. I thought I could do dim sum. A little bite-sized hot dog. I thought they would appreciate it. I wasn't picturing sausages in some bun because I don't see that as gourmet. I was thinking, how can you make a hot dog gourmet? I put the Asian twist on it. I know how to make sausage. I've made it plenty of times before, but I was worried the judges weren't going to take a sausage instead of a hot dog.

On the Feedbag's open love letter to her: What? I didn't even know. Wow, of course that's really flattering. Well he's probably disappointed in me now that I lost. I didn't even know, I will have to check it out.

Source

Don't Take Almond Cookies for Granted

YumSugar — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 15:27:19 -0700

As a child, my mom would often treat us to a box of Chinese Almond Cookies after our dim sum breakfast. It was part of our Sunday morning tradition: stuff our face with dim sum, and then chow down on cookies. At the time, I definitely took it for granted and never thought twice about the delicious, crumbly almond cookies. Now, many years later, I think it's time to bring almond cookies back into my life. To join me in today's cookie adventure, get the recipe read more

Chinese Almond Cookies
From Sunset Magazine, November 2003

1 cup (1/2 lb.) butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon milk
1/3 cup blanched whole almonds
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until smooth. Add whole egg and almond extract and beat until well blended. Stir or beat in flour and baking powder until well blended. Cover bowl and chill until dough is firm, about 1 hour.

2. Shape dough into 1-inch balls, flatten each slightly, and place each about 1 inch apart on buttered or cooking parchment-lined 12- by 15-inch baking sheets.

3. In a small bowl, beat egg yolk with milk to blend. Brush cookies lightly with egg mixture; discard any remaining. Press an almond into the center of each cookie and sprinkle each with about 1/8 teaspoon sesame seeds.

4. Bake cookies in a 325° oven until lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes; if baking more than one pan at a time, switch pan positions halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then use a wide spatula to transfer to racks to cool completely.

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 86(51% from fat); FAT 4.9g (sat 2.6g); PROTEIN 1.2g; CHOLESTEROL 19mg; SODIUM 52mg; FIBER 0.3g; CARBOHYDRATE 9.4g

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'Wich of the Week: Tofu and Chinese Broccoli

YumSugar — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:00:20 -0700

With all this talk about Chinese barbecue and dim-sum Olympics parties, I've had Chinese food on the brain. So on my last trip to the farmers market, I picked up some Chinese broccoli, a yummy in-season green that tastes like a cross between asparagus, broccoli, and bok choy. After making a tofu stir-fry, I refocused the remaining ingredients into an elegant vegetarian sandwich. I used wheat bread, because that's what I had on hand, but any sliced bread will do. I also had some garlicky homemade almond butter leftover from another recipe, but if you don't want to make your own, I recommend mixing crushed garlic into regular peanut butter or almond butter for an Asian-inspired spread. To get both recipes and see how I made this tofu treat, read more.

Tofu and Chinese Broccoli Sandwich
Original recipe

Ingredients

4 stalks Chinese broccoli, washed and ends trimmed (if you can't find Chinese broccoli, asparagus or bok choy are good substitutes)
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/8 cup sake or rice-wine vinegar
2 slices wheat bread
1 tablespoon almond butter (or more to taste)
2 oz. baked tofu (such as Soy Deli Five Spice), cut into 1/4-inch slices

Directions

Preheat oven to 300°F.
In a skillet over low heat, combine vegetable oil, soy sauce, and Chinese broccoli; toss to coat.

Cook broccoli for about 5 minutes, turning frequently, until leaves start to wilt and stalks begin to brown.
To the skillet, add sake or rice-wine vinegar and cook for an additional 5 minutes, using the liquid to deglaze the pan. When the broccoli is tender, remove from heat.
Lay both slices of bread on an baking sheet or other oven safe platter. On one slice of bread, spread half the almond butter and top with the tofu slices. Using a spatula, lay the broccoli atop of the tofu, and drizzle any remaining liquid from the pan on top.

Place both slices of bread and the toppings in the oven for about 5 minutes, until bread is toasted.
Spread remaining almond butter on other slice of bread, and press it, spread-side down, onto the broccoli. Cut in half and serve.

Makes one sandwich.

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Almond Butter
Modified From Epicurious

Ingredients

1/2 cup toasted Marcona almonds
1/2 garlic clove, chopped
Pinch of cayenne
1/2 to 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Directions
Grind almonds to a paste with garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cayenne in a food processor. With motor running, add just enough oil to make a silky paste. Season with salt.

Makes about 1 cup.

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