My dad is (still) on the Atkin's diet, so when I saw the packages of ground pork in the freezer, I knew exactly what to do. I was inspired by Brigitte Nguyen's Vietnamese Bistro Burgers from the Food Network's Ultimate Recipe Showdown, but I simplified the recipe to accommodate our pantry. Enjoy!
For about 8 burgers, you'll need:
+ daikon radish, peeled and julienned, about 1/2 cup
+ red bell pepper, julienned, about 1/2 cup
+ carrot, peeled and julienned, about 1/2 cup
+ 1/2 Anaheim chile, seeded and julienned
+ apple cider vinegar, 1 1/2 cups
+ sugar, 1 cup
+ S&P
+ ground pork, about 2 pounds
+ soy sauce, 4 tablespoons
+ toasted sesame oil, 4 tablespoons
+ olive oil, for pan
+ hamburger buns
Combine the vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan; add daikon, bell pepper, carrot, and chile. Liberally salt and pepper. Pickle the vegetables over medium-low heat for at least 20 minutes. Drain.
In a large bowl, incorporate ground pork, soy sauce, sesame oil, and pepper. Form the mixture into patties of equal size. Coat a large skillet in olive oil, and cook the burgers for 7-8 minutes per side, flipping only once. Remove from pan.
Assemble, placing a liberal amount of pickled vegetables atop each burger. Enjoy!
- Sarah
- Washington, DC, United States
- "A rose is a rose is an onion." -Ernest Hemingway
31.5.09
25.5.09
Clarified Butter
Melt butter over medium-low heat. When a white film forms on top, carefully skim it away. The product? A bright, translucent butter, free of milk solids.
Asparagus Mousse
When I put together a recipe for this light vegetable mousse, I wanted the asparagus flavor to be strong, recognizable, and honest. I omitted one of the most common ingredients of savory mousses (mayonaise), added a splash of vinegar to brighten the dish, and let my all-time favorite vegetable shine through.
For about 3/4 cup, you'll need:
+ fresh asparagus*, one bundle
+ white wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons
+ 1 egg white
+ heavy cream, 1/4 cup
+ S&P
Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Whip cream until thick; refrigerate both until needed.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. In the meantime, trim the asparagus of their woody ends and cut the remaining portion into 1 - 1 1/2" segments. Blanch until tender, about 5-10 minutes. Drain.
Puree cooked asparagus in a food processor. Add vinegar; lightly salt and pepper. Remove; cool.
Stir 1/3 of the egg whites into the asparagus puree, to lighten the mixture. Gently fold in the remaining whites and the cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste. I served this mousse as an amuse-bouche in a Chinese spoon, and garnished each with a disc of Parmesan "Lace" and a tip of roasted asparagus. Enjoy!
* I brought home a pack of beautiful, purple asparagus just for this purpose. They went into the pot a lovely deep purple, and came out ... green. I'd stick to white or standard green asparagus for this recipe!
For about 3/4 cup, you'll need:
+ fresh asparagus*, one bundle
+ white wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons
+ 1 egg white
+ heavy cream, 1/4 cup
+ S&P
Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Whip cream until thick; refrigerate both until needed.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. In the meantime, trim the asparagus of their woody ends and cut the remaining portion into 1 - 1 1/2" segments. Blanch until tender, about 5-10 minutes. Drain.
Puree cooked asparagus in a food processor. Add vinegar; lightly salt and pepper. Remove; cool.
Stir 1/3 of the egg whites into the asparagus puree, to lighten the mixture. Gently fold in the remaining whites and the cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste. I served this mousse as an amuse-bouche in a Chinese spoon, and garnished each with a disc of Parmesan "Lace" and a tip of roasted asparagus. Enjoy!
* I brought home a pack of beautiful, purple asparagus just for this purpose. They went into the pot a lovely deep purple, and came out ... green. I'd stick to white or standard green asparagus for this recipe!
23.5.09
Balsamic Watermelon with Parsley-Lime Emulsion
This was my first attempt at amuse-bouche (and my first excuse to use my new Chinese spoons). I combined the complex sweetness of watermelon and balsamic vinegar with the bright acidity of lime juice-- yum!
For 8, you'll need:
+ small (1" by 1") cubes of fresh watermelon, 8
+ balsamic vinegar, 4 tablespoons
+ fresh parsley, finely chopped, 2 tablespoons
+ limes, 3
+ olive oil, 8 tablespoons
+ S&P
Marinade the watermelon in the balsamic vinegar for at least 1 hour. Zest 2 limes, juice all three, and combine the zest and juice with the parsley. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the oil. Salt and pepper to taste.
Spoon the lime emulsion into the bottom of a Chinese spoon, and gently place a cube of watermelon on top. A stimulating, light beginning to any meal-- enjoy!
For 8, you'll need:
+ small (1" by 1") cubes of fresh watermelon, 8
+ balsamic vinegar, 4 tablespoons
+ fresh parsley, finely chopped, 2 tablespoons
+ limes, 3
+ olive oil, 8 tablespoons
+ S&P
Marinade the watermelon in the balsamic vinegar for at least 1 hour. Zest 2 limes, juice all three, and combine the zest and juice with the parsley. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the oil. Salt and pepper to taste.
Spoon the lime emulsion into the bottom of a Chinese spoon, and gently place a cube of watermelon on top. A stimulating, light beginning to any meal-- enjoy!
Blood Orange Sorbet
I came home from college last week, with a long list of pastries and sweet desserts that I planned to make. When my dad informed me that he was on the Atkin's diet (again), I realized that I'd have to revamp some of my menus. For this sorbet, I used sweet blood oranges and a (relatively) small amount of sugar. Enjoy!
For about 1 pint, you'll need:
+ blood oranges, 4 pounds
+ 1 lime or 1 lemon
+ water, 1 1/4 cups
+ sugar, 3/4 cup (Small? Okay, not really.)
Chill the metal canister of your ice cream maker.
Zest 3 of the oranges. Simmer the zest, the sugar and the water over medium-high heat until the sugar has dissolved and the water has reduced by half. Chill.
Juice all of the oranges, and the lime or lemon, making sure to pass the juice through a sieve. Combine juice with syrup; chill for at least one hour. Churn in your ice cream maker until thick and cold. Place in a plastic container, and freeze for at least 3 hours before eating. Garnish with thin strips of lime or lemon zest; enjoy!
For about 1 pint, you'll need:
+ blood oranges, 4 pounds
+ 1 lime or 1 lemon
+ water, 1 1/4 cups
+ sugar, 3/4 cup (Small? Okay, not really.)
Chill the metal canister of your ice cream maker.
Zest 3 of the oranges. Simmer the zest, the sugar and the water over medium-high heat until the sugar has dissolved and the water has reduced by half. Chill.
Juice all of the oranges, and the lime or lemon, making sure to pass the juice through a sieve. Combine juice with syrup; chill for at least one hour. Churn in your ice cream maker until thick and cold. Place in a plastic container, and freeze for at least 3 hours before eating. Garnish with thin strips of lime or lemon zest; enjoy!
20.5.09
Just Plum(b) Good: Asian Pork Tenderloins
These pork tenderloins are fruity and sweet, and amazingly tender. I wanted to braise sliced plums with the pork, but, since they aren't in season, I left them out of the recipe. Feel free to add them!
For four servings, you'll need:
+ 1 large lean pork tenderloin
+ soy sauce, 1/4 cup
+ dry white wine, 1/4 cup + 1/2 cup
+ brown sugar, 2 tablespoons
+ hoisin sauce, 2 tablespoons
+ Thai chili oil, 1 splash
+ garlic, 2 cloves, minced
+ ginger, 1 one-inch segment, minced
+ plum jam, 1 12-ounce jar*
+ S&P
+ olive oil
Trim the tenderloins of excess fat and slice into 2" segments. Use cooking twine to help the slices hold their shapes. Combine the soy sauce, 1/4 cup of wine, brown sugar, hoisin sauce, chili oil, garlic, and ginger in a shallow dish. Add the pork tenderloin; cover. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours; flip, and marinade for at least 2 more. Reserve marinade.
In a large skillet, bring olive oil to medium heat. Lightly salt and liberally pepper the tenderloins, and sear for about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from pan. Deglaze pan with reserved marinade, and gently whisk in the jam. Reintroduce the pork to the pan; cover, and braise for 20 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through. Remove the pork from the pan (and cut away the cooking twine) and place in a serving dish. Add the reserved wine to the sauce and stir until thick. Pour over the pork. Enjoy!
* I recently made this with fig preserves, and it was also fabulous! Most sweet fruits will work in this recipe.
* I recently made this with fig preserves, and it was also fabulous! Most sweet fruits will work in this recipe.
Profiteroles
These light, airy cream puffs couldn't be more delicious-- or much easier!
For about 20, you'll need:
+ one batch of Pâte à Choux
+ ice cream or softly whipped cream
+ chocolate sauce (optional)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Put dough into a pastry bag (or a large zip-top bag, with one corner snipped off). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and gently pipe 20-24 balls of dough (each about 1" wide and 1 - 1 1/2" tall). Bake for 30-35 minutes; cool.
When the profiteroles are cool, slice each in half with a serrated knife (your knife should be parallel with the cutting board) and fill with cream. Drizzle chocolate sauce on top, and enjoy!
Pâte à Choux
This simple pastry dough is used to make a variety of baked (or fried) goods, from profiteroles to churros.
For one batch, you'll need:
+ 1 cup of water (filtered, if not from a well)
+ butter, 6 tablespoons
+ salt, 1 pinch
+ sugar, 3 teaspoons (omit in savory variations)
+ eggs, 4
+ flour, 1 cup
Heat first 4 ingredients in a small saucepan, until butter is completely melted and water simmering. Remove from heat. Add the flour (all at once), and stir rapidly to combine. Replace on heat source, and stir until the mixture pulls away from the pan and forms a dough ball. Remove from heat.
Using an electric mixer, incorporate the eggs, one at a time.
15.5.09
Tangy Chicken Drumsticks*
* You could totally use this recipe with chicken thighs, breasts, wings or tenderloins-- but drumsticks were on sale at our TJ's, so that's what I used.
For 6 drumsticks, you'll need:
+ juice from 6 limes
+ soy sauce, 4 tablespoons
+ honey, 1 tablespoon
+ 6 lean chicken drumsticks
+ olive oil, 2 teaspoons
+ S&P
+ butter, 1 tablespoon
+ heavy cream, 2 tablespoons
In a shallow dish, combine lime juice, soy sauce and honey. Add drumsticks, and toss to coat. Marinade for 2-8 hours, turning occasionally.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Gently pat drumsticks dry with paper towels. Drizzle oil over each piece, arrange on a baking sheet, and lightly salt and liberally pepper. Roast for about 45-55 minutes, or until the juices run clear.
Transfer marinade to a saucepan; boil for at least 4 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in butter and cream. Pour over the chicken (leave the "handle" of the drumstick clean, if you want to eat these with your fingers!) and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Char-Steamed Corn on the Cob
You know it's summer when the local grocery stores start stocking fresh cobs of corn, and I couldn't resist picking up a few.
You'll need:
+ corn (about 1 ear per person)-- do NOT remove the husk
+ olive oil
+ salt
+ garlic (about 1/2 - 1 clove per person)
+ pepper
+ water
Mince the garlic. Using the salt as an abrasive and the back of your knife, make a garlic "paste" (click here for more detailed instructions). Set aside.
Peel the husks back, remove the silks (unless you're in the mood for surprise dental floss), and apply a light coating of olive oil. Season liberally with garlic paste and pepper; return the husks to their original position (you might want to use a piece of cooking twine to secure the husks...or even a strip of husk).
Add olive oil to a medium-hot skillet. Char the ears (just until smoky and dark brown on each side). Add water (about 1/2 cup) to the skillet. Pop the lid on and steam for 5-10 minutes, or until the kernels are bright yellow and tender. Carefully remove the husks, and dig in!
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