I love the taste of ube-macapuno, the Filipino sweet potato with young sweet green coconut. Problem is, it’s hard to find ube here. I became obsessed with ube and it purple colour right after trying a Goldilock’s ube cooler; a drink which is sort of a sweet smoothie but not as thick. Ube is purple yam (sweet potato for us Southerners), similar in texture to an orange sweet potato, more fibrous, but mellower;  It goes well with well with coconut – or at least coconut is not far behind when ube shows up. There’s a few places to get ube here in Houston, but I already had some purple sweet potatoes that I had picked up earlier in the day. The purple sweet potatoes that we use here are known as Okinawan sweet potatoes; they are actually from Hawaii (originally from Okinawa Japan). You can use the purple variety much in the same way that you use orange.  The purple’s taste is less like carrot and slightly tarter.

Okinawa Purple Sweet Yam

• Pre-heat the oven to 400F. Bake the yams for 45 minutes or until tender.
• Remove the yams from the oven, then allow to cool for about 15 minutes.
• Remove the skins from the yam then add the filling to a bowl (I prefer to use a Kitchen-aid mixer). While the yams are cooling off, bring the oven down to 350F.
• Add the coconut milk and condensed milk. Combine ingredients on low speed for 1 minute.
• Add the mixture to the pie or tart shells. Bake for 15 minutes.
• Remove from the oven, let cool, then top with toasted non-sweet shredded coconut.

Cashew Carrot Torte

I decided to try my hand at Brennan’s Cashew Carrot torte, which is described as a grown-up carrot cake. In my Brennan’s cookbook I found the ingredients to be fairly accurate, however the book has been short on instructions and technique. Reading through the cake recipe I realized that if you have not made a cake before you not be able to figure it out from this recipe. First up, I keep saying cake although this recipe is for a torte. In America, we rarely make the difference between the two. Bakers know that a torte will be 1 layer and richer than a cake; sometimes it will contain multiple layers separated by a thin layer of preserves or jelly, and often not topped with an icing. It is usually intended as a snack or for afternoon tea. A cake will have multiple layers and be buttery. It is usually topped with an icing or ganache and is intended for dessert or parties. This recipe is fairly time intensive so I had to make 2 cakes – well, in all truth I was giving one of the cakes to my daughters school so I needed make a tasting cake before the teachers got a hold of it. Since it came out well, I shared it with my co-workers and got a the thumbs up.

10 medium eggs
3.5 cups vegetable oil
6 cups grated carrots. Use a the middle grate on a box grater. Peel the carrots using a peeler before grating.
4 table spoons ginger. Use a the middle grate on a box grater.
1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest. Note: I’ve also tried the recipe with 3 tbsp dried orange zest for more orange taste; can be found at Middle-Eastern markets
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
4.5 cups sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3.5 cups chopped cashews. I used 2 cups cashews, 1 cup pecans, and, 1/2 cup walnuts
4 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
5 teaspoons baking powder.
2 teaspoons kosher salt
rum sauce (see below)

I used a stand mixer for this cake. Once all the ingredients are in a bowl it will be difficult to stir. I toasted the nuts for 7 minutes on 350F, cooled, then placed them on the chop mode in a small food processor for a few seconds. After making cake several times, I believe the best texture for the nuts is a rough chop, however follow your preference. In a mixing bowl, add eggs (no need to beat ahead), oil, carrots, ginger, orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla and almond extract. Fold in, until evenly distributed. Move the mixing bowl to the stand mixer and set to “Stir” for 1 minute.

Add the sugar, cinnamon, and nuts to the mixing bowl. Set the stand mixer on Stir for 3 minutes. The eggs will begin to emulsify with the oil.
In a separate dry bowl sift in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Then add to the mixing bowl and set to 3 for 2 minutes.
Pour the batter into the 2 prepared pans. Bake for 1 hour and 25 minutes. After 45 minutes, rotate the pans 1/2 turn. Check the cake after 1 hour and 15 minutes. You should be able to insert a toothpick into the center and it will come out clean.

This recipe can be divided in half for 1 cake. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare two 10″ pans. Apply a thin coat of butter, then dust with flour.

For the rum sauce
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup dark 2 cup dark rum

Add the dark rum and lime juice to a saucepan. Cook on medium for 1 minute. Then add sugars and stir until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil for 1 minute. then remove from heat and set aside to cool. Poke many small holes in the top of the cake with a fork (for the sauce to enter). Once the sauce cools it will thicken. You can reheat it in a microwave to thin it out right before serving.

We were looking for a fun and tasty Saturday baking adventure for our 3 year old. It had to be something quick since snack time was upon us. Muffins are easy and force you to be quick since once the dry ingredients are wet you need to get everything in the oven within 30 minutes. I am a fan of anything with coconut (as is the namesake of my site). I had recently done a coconut cake with chocolate ganache for my mothers birthday, so these flavors were on my mine already. Here is a recipe from The Ultimate Muffin book by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough that I think you will enjoy.

Equipment:
Nonstick spray or paper muffin tins
2 mixing bowls – medium and large
wooden spoon

Ingredients
1½ cups unsweetened coconut flakes.
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 cups all-purpose flour
^_2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
^_1/2 teaspoon baking soda
^_1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
^_1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
5 ^_1/2 ounces coconut milk. Full cream will make for a more tender muffin.
^_1/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Steps
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line the muffin tins with paper liners. In a food processor grind 1 tablespoon brown sugar with 1/4 cup of the coconut flakes until coarsely ground. Add to a mixing bowl along with 4 tablespoons of the melted butter. Set Aside
2. Whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, chocolate chips and salt until well combined. Stir in the remaining coconut flakes. Set Aside.
3. In the large bowl, whisk the eggs until lightly beaten. Then add the coconut milk, whole milk, lemon zest, and the remaining melted butter. Stir in the prepared flour mixture with a wooden spoon.
4. Add a chocolate chip or 2 to the bottom and top of the mixture. Fill the muffin tins three-quarters full. Bake for 25 minutes. The let cool 10 minutes.
5. Store muffins at room temperature for 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

It really is true what they say – there are as many adobo recipes as there are people who make it. I decided I would write down my recipe which I consider to be a very good version of a Filipino adobo. I like my adobo chicken crispy but not with too much oil. My secret for this is baking, then basting the chicken with coconut oil, and finally placing the chicken under the broiler. The recipe is finished by reducing the adobo sauce to a nape. Try this version of a traditional Filipino adobo and let me know your thoughts. I have provided all the techniques here to ensure your meal is delicious.

• 1 whole cut up chicken. I prefer to use skinless chicken with a mixture of dark and white meat
• 12 cloves garlic (minced)
• 4 Turkish bay leaves or 6 California bay leaves
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 1/3 cups cane vinegar. For sweeter adobo use coconut vinegar
• 2/3 cups light soy sauce. Do not use dark.
• 20 whole peppercorns
• 1 tsp. light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup coconut oil

I prefer to use a cast iron pot with a heavy lid so that my chicken will remain tender after it is cooked. The heavy lid helps to keep the moisture and pressure in the pot so the chicken cooks quicker and stays tender. Add 8 cloves of garlic, bay leaves, chicken stock, vinegar, soy sauce, peppercorns, brown sugar, and chicken to the pot. Bring the pot to a boil with the lid off, then place the lid on the pot and reduce the heat to simmer Cook for 40 minutes. 30 minutes through cooking pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Using a brush, apply a small amount of coconut onto a baking sheet. When the oven has reached temperature, remove all the chicken from the pot and place the chicken on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. While the chicken is baking turn the heat up on the pot to high (Note: For a stainless steel pot use medium high. Continue to reduce the sauce in the pot to nape (where it coats the back of a spoon). Remove the sauce from heat and set aside.

Cut up the remaining 4 cloves of garlic then quickly fry in the remaining coconut oil until golden. After 15 minutes, remove the chicken from the oven and brush lighty with coconut oil. Then broil the chicken on a high rack in the oven for 5 minutes at 450 degrees.
Remove the chicken from the broil, and pour
reduced sauce over chicken. Then add fried garlic atop chicken.

This is dedicated to Rio’s win of the 2016 games. Caipirinha is Brazil’s national drink; it is usually made using limes, which are somewhat sour. I was looking to do something a little different with the fruit from my calamasi trees this weekend. So calamansi is the perfect citrus fruit to give this traditional drink a little makeover. My calamansi trees have been growing very well this year and have given about 3 harvests each. Things slow down a little in the winter, but they do continue to grow.  Calamasi’s taste in between a kumquat and a tangerine. They are very sour with a subtle sweetness, so this drink has a good balance between sour and sweet without having any hint of syrupyness.

Cachaça is essential to the obtaining the correct flavour for this drink if you choose to add alcohol. If you do not have access to cachaça, rum is the closest substitute. However the difference is taste is noticeable. Cachaça is made is made directly from sugar cane, while rum is a by product of the sugar making process. For this mix drink use a clear cachaça as you would a clear rum. You will need

• 4 ounces water
• leaves from 1 sprig of mint
• 2 tsp. f granulated sugar
• 1/2 to 1 tsp. cachaça (optional)
• 3 tsp. calamansi juice
• 2 small ice cubes

Squeeze the calamasi juice into a small glass, then add the granulated sugar and mint leaves. Using a spoon mash the mint leaves into the sugar. This wil also help the sugar dissolve. Add the shot of cachaça, then the ice cubes. Next fill the glass with water and stir. Serve immediately.

Cachaca

I think I’ve picked the last longans (or longons) of the season here – well at least my plant does not have anymore to give. I was very happy that it survived the winter last year, so I can now look forward to an even bigger harvest next year. Now what to do with longans? They’re very similar in appearance to lychee but smaller and not as sweet.

Fresh Picked Longans

Their flavour is very similar to coconut water, so I decided to use them for something refreshing, something that would not destroy their subtle flavour. Here is a simple recipe for a longan refresher that will make your morning extra special. You can do it with or without alcohol. Be careful to peel your longans and remove the hard inedible seed in the middle. I encourage you to peel quickly, because you will find yourself eating the longans before you have enough to make the drink.

10 peeled and seeded longans

2 tsp sugar

6 ounces cold low sodium soda water or mineral water, soda is better.

1 tsp lemon

1 ounce anejo (optional)

Place the peeled and seeded longans into a glass and add the sugar. Use a spoon to crush the longans with the sugar. Add the lemon and anejo if you desire. Then add the cold soda or mineral water. Enjoy!

Lychees

Growing up, Sundays were reserved for homey meals – soul food, comfort food, family food. I like to the continue this tradition with my wife and kid. So every Sunday I try to make something a little extra special. Sundays are my day to use [uhmmm..] butter, oil or coconut milk. It’s my day not to count calories, but just to go for it. Curries are one of those foods. Good curries require oil and coconut milk. Low fat curries, while they can be excellent, always seem to lack that little something. While it helps tremendously, making a low-fat curry very spicy does not make up for the lack of fat.

This past Sunday, was our day to eat goat curry. Goat meat is regaining popularity in American especially Texas with its large Latino and Caribbean populations. I like to turn on a little reggae and make a hot pot of goat curry. I start preparing the goat early since the curry has to cook for 3 hours.

Recipe for Jamaican Goat Curry

Interestingly, curry goat was introduced to Jamaica by Indian immigrants to the island. If you hear “curry goat” it’s Caribbean. “Goat curry” would be Indian. You will need

2lbs. lean goat meat. Depending on where you live obtaining goat meat can be easy or not so. In Houston, many large supermarkets carry it as “goat meat” or “cabrito”. Checkout your local African, Middle Eastern, Indian, Pakistani, or Halal grocer. Or order some online http://www.goatmeats.com/

• 2 lbs cut up lean goat meat including bones divided into 4 batches. Trim fat away fat and any skin that has no meat on it
• 1 medium yellow onion (large dice)
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 4 cups goat or beef broth. Goat broth can be made by boiling your goat trimmings and bones in 6 cups of water for 30 minutes
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 3/4 cup light coconut milk or 1/2 cup full cream coconut milk + 1/4 cup water
• 1 or 2 habaneros, depending on how spicy you like it. For the habanero taste without the spiciness, split the habanero and carefully remove  the seeds.
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus 1 tbsp for later.
• 2 tsp flour for later.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pot on medium high for 1 minute, then fry onions and garlic for 2 minutes. Then braise the goat so that it will be remain tender when it cooked, but not fall part or get mushy. Add the goat to the pot, such that it is not not overcrowded. Cook each batch of the goat,1 at a time until lightly browned. Remove each batch, then add the next. After all batches are cooked return all the goat to the pot.

Add the broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Add thyme, black pepper, and curry powder. Stir in, then bring heat down to a simmer. Set timer to 3 hours and cover the pot. Go watch a movie.

After the timer goes off, drain off 1/2 cup of the curry liquid into a separate bowl and set aside. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in saucepan on medium, add 2 tsp flour and stir in to make a roux (lightly browned flour). Add the curry liquid that was set aside, then stir in vigourously to prevent clumping. Then re-add the liquid to curry pot with the goat. Turn up heat to medium. Add coconut milk and stir in. Add habaneros. Then cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve with fresh steamed rice.

Another great curry idea using fish

Technorati Tags: curry goat

This is my version of a beautiful brunch salad that we prepared in a cooking class. It’s hearty enough to be served as a meal. What I really like about it is that it gives you so many wonderful flavours and textures while still be  very well balanced salad. Sourness from the cherries, savoury peppery tastes from the arugula, creaminess from the cheese, and meatiness and sweetness from the walnuts. It’s possible to prep the walnuts and vinaigrette a day before so that you spend less time in the kitchen. This scaled recipe serves 4.

Pinot Grigio Vinaigrette

1 shallot minced
1/4 cup pinot grigio
1 cup olive oil. Use a high quality extra virgin.
10 strands of thyme
8 strands fresh oregano
2 tbsp. honey
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
dash of ground pepper

Directions
Finely chop the herbs and add to a bowl and set aside. Place shallots, honey, vinegar and run on medium speed of blender*, slowly add olive oil. (If you add the oil to fast it will not blend properly). Dressing should begin to emulsify.

Technorati Tags: arugula

Red Snapper is one of the most prized native fish to the Texas Gulf Coast region. It can be prepared in just about anyway. It’s my preferred fish for frying, baking, or broiling. I purchase the whole fish, then use the head to make a stock. The stock is later used for sauces or soups. The skin of a pan seared Red Snapper is well known as having very much the taste of bacon. Since Red Snapper is is delicious baked, I decided to make my version of  Pla Ped Pla with a Red Snapper that is first baked, then broiled. Note: This recipe calls for the use of krachai (a rhizome, similar to ginger, but sweeter and more aromatic). Krachai is critical to the development and taste of this dish. Ginger or galangal won’t quite get it. Try a local Thai supermarket or Asian market for krachai. If you don’t have a local market, check Thai Import Food. In this recipe is important to use a fresh fish otherwise the recipe comes off as an attempt to disguise a frozen fish with a great sauce.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut 3 diagonal slits on each side of the fish, lightly salt fish using kosher salt (do not use regular salt), and run a thin layer of vegetable oil on both sides. Then place into middle or lower rack of the oven for 20 minutes.

For the Sauce: Heat oil on medium, then cook krachai, garlic, onions, and ginger. Cook for 2 minutes. Add red curry and stir in, cook for 5 minutes for pre-packaged curry. Cook for 2 minutes for fresh curry. Add sugar, fish sauce and stir in. Let develop. Go by smell; you should smell the krachai. Maybe 3 minutes or so.

Lower heat, then add basil, chili, keffir lime, and peppercorns. cook for 5 minutes.

While the sauce is cooking, turn broiler on at 450. Move fish to top rack and broil for 5-6 minutes.

Add coconut milk and water, then and change burner to lowest heat for 5 minute – add more water if too dry. Remove fish from oven, then pour the sauce over fish and serve with steamed rice.

Technorati Tags: Recipes, Seafood

Ok, so if you live in Houston, please don’t tell my mama that I made backed macaroni and cheese without using yellow cheese. We Southerners love our mac ‘n cheese. So much that you will find it on the menu of many high-end restaurants – of course it will be made using truffles, aged Gouda  or some other type of artisan cheese. Tip: In Texas, if you make macaroni and cheese with processed cheese, you are not allowed to call it macaroni and cheese or mac ‘n cheese; you have made “cheesy pasta”. I digress.

This my is first attempt at some type of artisanal mac n’ cheese so there I did not include the traditional yellow cheddar. But I love yellow… it brings back memories of my college days , making it off of $25/week in grocery. I needed some yellow.. ahhh dry mustard. So here’s the dish. I hope you enjoy.

8 oz. Pipette Rigate or Pipe Rigate (I found that the smaller pipette will be cheesier)

Pipe Rigate

4 oz butter
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/ tsp dry yellow mustard
2 tbsp. sour cream
6oz milk
3 oz aged Gruyere
3 oz sharp cheddar
1/4 cup panko

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Bring a large saucepan to boil. Add a 1/4 tsp salt and teaspoon of oil. Add the 8 oz of rigate and cook until al dente, about 11-12 minutes.

In a separate bowl shred the 2 cheeses and mix together.

In a separate bowl, add butter, sour cream, nutmeg, salt,  black pepper, and dry mustard. After the pasta is cooked, drain it, then add it to the bowl. Gently mix in the pasta.

Add a layer of pasta to an oven safe pan. Add 1/3 of the cheese over the layer. Add another layer of the pasta and cover with the remaining cheese, then shake panko over the top. Put in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, switch the oven to broil at 450 degrees and broil for 5 minutes. Remove from oven allow to cool. Serve and enjoy

Technorati Tags: pasta

Flat bread preparations can be as versatile as pizzas. Feel free to experiment with your own flavour profiles to come up with your own favourite.

2 chicken breasts brined (recipe below)

6 tbsp olive oil

4 home made or store bought flat bread, approximately 10″ long.

1 cup no salt tomato sauce

1/2 cup diced red onions

1 cup thinly sliced tomatoes

1 cup mozzarella cheese

3 cups washed arugula

5 tbsp goat cheese crumbles

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil on medium for 1 minute then add cut up chicken breasts. Cooked until done – 7-8 minutes. Set aside.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat flat bread on a crepe pan or similar, one piece at a time on medium until bread becomes slightly brown. Remove from from heat and place onto foil or ceramic pizza pan. Brush with 1 tbsp olive oil.

Layer tomato sauce, red onions, chicken, tomatoes, mozzarella, arugula, and goat cheese onto flat bread. Bake on 400 degrees for 8 minutes.

To brine the chicken breasts:

3 tbsp kosher salt

2 tbsp dark brown sugar

10 peppercorns

Add kosher salt, sugar, and peppercorns to a container along with 2 liters of cool tap water. Stir in until salt and sugar dissolves

Layer a cutting board with 2 layers of saran wrap, place chicken breast on the cutting board. Add another 2 layers of Saran wrap to cover chicken. Using a mallet beat the chicken breast until 1/2 its current thickness. Add to brine and refrigerate for 1 hour. Remove from brine and cut into desired size.

Technorati Tags: Bread

I talk with a lot people who are unsure what to do with ground bison aka buffalo. Ground bison is well known as being a leaner and often an organic substitute for regular ground beef. Beyond this, bison does have a distinct taste that is different than it’s beef counterpart; it just needs to be coerced out a little bit. Here is a dish that does just that. The flavour of the bison blends well in this simple fusilli pasta dish.  I used fusilli pasta since it has the advantage of picking up more sauce in the skillet than other types of pastas.

8 oz uncooked large fusilli
3bsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
1 minced clove garlic
1 1lb. ground bison
1/2 cup water with 1/2 tsp beef bouillon
1 cup no salt tomato sauce
2 oz Parmesan reggiano
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
12 cherry tomatoes cut into halves
4 tbsp goat cheese crumbles
black pepper, crushed red pepper and salt to taste

Tip: For restaurant style pasta , work on the sauce while the pasta is boiling so that the pasta can be added soon after the sauce is ready.

Heat a pot of water with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1 tbsp. olive oil. Boil the tagliatelle for 8-9 minutes until al dente

Add 1/2 tsp beef bouillon to 1/2 cup hot water, stir, dissolve and set aside.

Heat 3 tbsp of olive oil on medium in a large pan or skillet. Add onions, garlic, and cook for 2 minutes. Add ground bison and cook until meat is almost completely browned. Bring heat down 1 notch and add oregano, thyme, beef bouillon, then tomato sauce. Cook for 5 minutes.

Add drained pasta, and stir in. Then add Parmesan reggiano and stir in. Plate, then add cherry tomatoes and goat cheese crumbles.

Add black pepper, crushed red pepper and salt to taste

Technorati Tags: pasta, Recipes

Zucchini is one my favourite plants to grow in the garden. It doesn’t require the best of soil and can take in the heat of the Texas summer . One of my zucchini plants grew about 4 feet wide this spring and was producing some great and sweet fruit. We only grow organic at home so the fruits are a little sweeter and have a creamier texture than store bought. With all this delicious zucchini we have been looking for a way to incorporate it into more daily meals. We added Smitten Kitchen’s lemon zucchini pasta to our menu and also started grilling zucchini with olive oil and salt more often.

Since zucchini can be both sweet and savory, we had been looking for way to use it beyond zucchini bread in a dessert. I recently came across a recipe tucked in the back of Cooks Country magazine for chocolate zucchini cake. We adapted a little to make muffins. We prefer all our desserts less sweet so that they can be served with tea, coffee, and to a 3 year old. Thanks for Tamara Anderson of Road Island for the inspiration:

This recipe makes 8 cupcakes

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour.
1/4 cup non-sweet dark cocoa powder.
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp baking power
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
4 tbsp. softened unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup butter milk or (1/4 cup whole milk + 1 tbsp while vinegar)
1 medium zucchini shredded.
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup walnut pieces (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Add cupcake paper to the muffin tins – no need to grease. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cloves in a bowl. In a stainless steel bowl using a wooden spoon or using an electric mixer combine the butter, oil, and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla, and butter milk and mix until blended. Stir in dry ingredients, stir in shredded zucchini. Pour mixture into prepared tins.

Top batter with chocolate chips and walnuts if desired. Bake for 22-24 minutes. Use a toothpick as your indicator (poke and see if the toothpick comes out clean).

Technorati Tags: chocolate cupcakes, Dessert, Recipes, Zucchini

Thien Ahn is one of Houston’s best Vietnamese restaurants. I frequented this eatery often , since it was delicious, a great value, and only a trolley ride away from my office. How times have changed. The shuttle is no more and Thien Ahn has moved a few blocks away.
It was once located in the spot where Reef is currently. This was a run-down mini mall with a hair salon, several small eateries, and a Asian grocery store. The stores sold out a few years after the gentrification of the mid-town area begin. Thien Ahn was closed briefly during the move. When it reopened it like an event for the many loyal patrons who had been waiting for their favourite Vietnamese restaurant. Thiehn Ahn is the type of small Vietnamese
restaurant you take your friends to when you really want to show them how good authentic Vietnamese food can be. I prefer skipping the large scale palaces located in Houston’s Chinatown West.

Thien Ahn specializes in grilled items, Vietnamese pancakes, and sandwiches. The staff is prompt, but always friendly and the owners greet you with a genuine “Nice to see you again”. While there try their com ga nuong xa (lemon grass grilled chicken, banh xeo (Vietnamese crepes), or a bun dishes (rice vermicelli with grilled meat of your choice). Many Vietnamese grilled dishes require some marinating so be sure to plan ahead for the best flavour.

Recipe for Com Ga Nuong Xa (Vietnamese Lemongrass Grilled chicken)

1 lb. bonless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed off fat and cut into thirds.
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 stalk lemon grass chopped or 3 tbsp. lemon grass
1tbsp. molasses
2tbsp. light soy sauce
1 tsp. good quality fish sauce
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1tbsp. lime juice

Place chiken into a medium bowl.
Mix all ingredients except chicken, then put over chicken and mix.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 12 hours.
Heat a grill to 400 and grill the chicken for 5 minutes per side. The sugars in the marinade will create a beautiful finish to the dish.

Serve with broken rice or a good quality short grain rice.

Technorati Tags: Poultry, Recipes

There’s not a person in the south who hasn’t had pecan pie. Pecan pie is an integral part of the culture of southern US and Texas . Pecan pies are made throughout in the south. They are especially made and served at Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Growing up, everyone knew my mother for her pecan pies, as well as for her cakes. They were deliciously sweet with a velvety texture inside. During the height of the pecan season, the pecans on top were sweet and juicy on their own. I had to be careful not to eat too many of them so that the pie would have enough to go on top.

It is possible that pecan pie originated with the Acadian settlers who were migrated from French Canada to south-west Louisiana . In French Canada, there is a very similar pie called “tarte de sucre” or sugar pie. It is like pecan pie made with maple syrup, rather than sugar and corn syrup, and without pecans on top.

Pecan pie remains one of those foods that in usually better if homemade. Being from Texas , I would never, ever eat a store bought pecan pie. One sure sign of a quality pecan pie is the pecans on top. Great pecan pies should have a mixture of of whole and cut up pecan pieces. Generally frozen commercial pies and mass produced ones have only whole pieces on top.

Recipe for Pecan Pie

This is for a 9″ deep dish pie

3 eggs
1 cup cane sugar
1 cup light Karo corn syrup. Use cane syrup if cannot find corn syrup.
2 tbsp butter melted and cooled.
1 tsp. quality vanilla extract
2 cups pecans (mixture of whole and cut up pieces.

Pre-heat oven to 350 F
Blend all ingredients, except for pecans.
After all ingredients , blend in pecans.

Place mixture into a uncooked 9″ deep dish pie shell.
Bake on flat sheet or cookie sheet for 50 to 55 minutes until a knife can
be stuck into the mix and come out clean.

Let cool before serving.

Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: Dessert, Recipes

While visiting Tokyo and Kyoto I made every attempt possible to only eat Japanese food. After a week or so this can become a daunting task. I was very happy to find “Japanese spaghetti”. Usually it is made with a cheesy marinara. The meat is often pork or tuna. I like to make this dish at home since it reminds of my visits to Japan and mostly because it’s a quick cook dish that is very nutritious and delicious to both adults and kids. It has a subtlety sophisticated enough, yet simple enough to appeal to a wide range of taste buds.

8 oz uncooked spinach tagliatelle
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
1 minced clove garlic
1-2 chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp. capers
12 oz. canned tuna drained or 8 oz cooked tuna (broken up)
1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
4 oz. grated sharp cheddar
black pepper and salt to taste

Heat a pot of water with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1 tbsp. olive oil. Boil the tagliatelle for 8-9 minutes until al dente

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil on medium in a large pan. Add onions, garlic, and cook for 2 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes, marinara – cook for 1 minute, then add capers and stir. Stir in tuna and bring heat down 1 notch. Add pasta to pan and toss.

Add grated cheddar and stir in. Serve

Technorati Tags: capers, pasta, Recipes, tuna

These cheddar and tarragon biscuits have a anglo-french flavour. I prefer to use 2 year aged sharp cheddar as it combines well with tarragon’s flowery sweetness.

2 ounces non-salted butter
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
3 tbsp. all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. dried chopped tarragon
1/2 tsp. salt

Pre-heat an oven to 350°F
Soften the butter, then stir until creamy. Add the shredded cheese and combine
Add the flour, salt, and tarragon and stir for 1 minute
Remove the mixture and place unto a flat surface and roll into a log. Move to a refrigerator 1 hour.

Line a cookie pan with parchment paper.

Cut the log into 1/4″ or 1/8″ slices and layout onto pan.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, then allow to cool.

Ideas: top with prosciutto and cantaloupe for a delicious appetizer.

Technorati Tags: Recipes, Snacks

Milkfish is a popular fish in the Philippines. It can be fried, baked, or is often used in clear and sour soups. Stuffed meats are one of the many preparation methods brought over by the Spanish. This is a delicious Filipino dish well worth the work and wait. It is usually made for special occasions  – likes Fiestas or when special guests are coming to your home. This is the dish which welcome me to the Philippines on my first visit. Again it was served to my family and friends the year of my wedding, as a welcome. I had the luck of having my wife’s relatives here several times. And guess what?  – several occasions they made this fish for dinner. No special occasion. My mother-in-law even made several for us before she left, so we free packed them. We ate them a month later and they were absolutely delicious!

1 whole milkfish, cleaned
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion diced
black pepper
2 tbsp. pickled relish
1 medium carrot, diced
1/4 cup black raisins
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1 oz. edam cheese
catsup
vegetable oil
3 tbsp. calamansi juice
2 tbsp light soy sauce

For the dip:
3tbsp toyomasi or 1 tbsp. calamansi juice and 2 tbsp light soy sauce

The fish should be cleaned and cut along the belly so that it can be stuffed. The cut should  not include the head and tail. They must remain en-tact, so that when the fish is stuffed the filling does not fall out. Make an incision along the back of the fish – just after the head to the end of the fish’s backbone. Remove the backbone and remove the meat from the fish’s inside using a fork; set aside.

Marinate the skin in a mixture of 3 tbsp. calamansi juice, 2 tbsp light soy sauce and 1/4 tsp ground black pepper for 20 minutes. Poach the fish meat for about 10 minutes on medium heat. Remove from heat and cool. Have a seat and begin removing the small bones contained in the poached fish meat.

In a large sauce pan, sauté garlic, onion for 3 minutes on medium. Add the fish meat and 2 tbsp light soy sauce, cook 1 minute. Turn the heat down to low. Add the carrots and raisins. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 10 minutes.
Add the edam cheese, cook 1 minute. Add the catsup and pickled relish, cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer meat mixture to a bowl to let cool.

Remove skin from marinade, drain, and lay on cooking sheet.

Stuff the marinated fish skin from the belly side. Be careful not to overfill since you will sew up the bottom.
Sew the milkfish up using everyday sewing string.. Pre-heat oven to 400F. Spay a cooking sheet with flour cooking spray. Also spray the fish with the floured cooking spray. Bake the fish for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Technorati Tags: Recipes, rellenong, Seafood

Most non-Koreans’ first introduction into Korean includes some type of Korean barbeque – the best known of which is bulgogi. Bulgogi or Korean barbeque is sirloin marinated in a sweet, and salty mixture of soy sauce, garlic, and ginger, then quickly grilled. It is often served with rice, kimchi, and other vegetables.

I decided to try my hand at my own bulgogi marinade. I wanted to create something delicious but with a less sodium and no MSG. I wanted to create something that I would feel perfectly safe serving to my 3 year old.

1 lb. bulgogi meat or very thin slices of ribeye
2 tbsp. dark soy sauce
1 tbsp. light soy sauce
4 tbsp. mirin
2 tbsp cooking sake
6 cloves garlic (quartered)
1 quarter size piece of ginger (chopped)
2 tbsp. sesame oil
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/8 tsp crushed black pepper
1 bunch of green onions (chopped into 2″ long pieces)

Tip: allow 2 hours for the meat to marinade.

Spread out meat on large plate or platter or place in a large bowl.

Prepare the marinade by mixing all wet ingredients in bowl. then add black pepper, garlic, and ginger, and green onions.

Pour marinade over beef and move to refrigerator to marinate.

Purchase bulgogi meat, or very thin slices of sirloin or prime beef. Bulgogi meat should be available in your local Korean market or Asian grocer.

Start by marinating the meat in the bulgogi marinade for 2 hours. Keep the marinated meat in a refrigerator.

Heat an iron skillet on medium or heat a grill to 400F. Cook each slice of meat for 1 minute on each side.

Serve with rice, kimchi, lettuce or fresh raw vegetables.

Technorati Tags: Meats, Recipes

Kaldereta, also spelled Caldereta is a hearty Filipino dish originating out of Spain. The name Caldereta comes from the the spanish “caldera”, meaning cooking pot. In most of Spain caldereta is made with lamb, beef, or goat. In the Balearic Islands and Minorca it is commonly made with lobsters. Caldereta is similar to the cooking style of guisado (stewed) commonly found in Mexico and Texas – think carne guisado with the Filipino touches of soy sauce and a sweeter taste. This is one of my favourite mainstay dishes. We have it in some form several times a month. It fuses flavours of tomatoes, olives, peppers, and sherry or red wine. This dish can be cooked with a number of meats including lamb, chicken, beef , or goat. My favourite preparation is with goat.

2 lbs. chicken (preferably a mixture of chicken breasts and boneless, skinless, chicken thighs)
1/2 cup cooking sherry
2 cloves garlic, minced
black pepper to taste
1/2 cup onions
1 cup sliced tomatoes
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
20 slivers of red bell pepper, sliced.
1/2 cup diced bell pepper
1.5 tbsp light soy sauce
2 bay leaves (preferably Turkish)
1 tsp paprika
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup chicken stock
kosher salt to taste
1/2 cup uncooked chicken livers
1/2 cup green olives, pitted
2 oz. Edam cheese (can also use Gouda)
3 tbsp. olive oil for chicken + 2 tbsp. (kalamata works very well)
2 Thai chilies (optional) if you want spicier.

Cut the chicken into pieces (not to small). Remove the excess fat.

Heat the olive oil in pan on medium, then braise each piece of chicken until light brown. This method will help keep the chicken from falling apart as it simmers. Remove each piece as it is browned. Then add 2 tbsp additional olive oil to the pan. Cook the garlic and onion for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, diced bell peppers, and chili peppers (if wanted) and cook for 3 minutes.

In order add the chicken and stir in, then bay leaves, paprika, tomato sauce, soy sauce. Cook for 3 more minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cook on simmer low for 1.5 hours.

Bring mixture to low, add sherry, cheese, the 20 slivers of red bell pepper, sliced, salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 10 minutes. Cook liver in a separate pan in a small amount of oil until done, then chop up and add to kalderera. Add olives and cook for 2 minutes.

In small bowl, cut up thai chiles and add 1 tbsp of fish sauce. Sprinkle this over kaldereta.  Serve with steamed jasmine rice.

If you are new to Filipino cooking also checkout my recipe for Adobo Chicken

Technorati Tags: caldera, caldereta, filipino, kaldereta, manok, Philippines, Poultry, Recipes

Holiday Fruitcake

Fruitcake has to be one of the best fruit and nut cakes. It has an undeserved reputation of being hard and too sweet; this comes from certain commercial fruitcakes which use super sugared pieces are fruits. This recipe is guaranteed to inaugurate you as a new fruitcake fan!

1 Week Before Baking Day

Candied Fruits
Add 1/4 cup of Grand Marnier, Brandy or Calvados to
1/4 cup raisins
zest of 1 small orange
4 snipped mejdool dates, pitted
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Baking Day

Dry
1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp freshly ground cloves
1/2 tsp. freshly ground allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg (preferably freshly ground)
1/2 cup walnuts

Wet
2 eggs
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup orange juice
1/3 cup no salt butter
2 tbsp. molasses
1/4 tsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. liqueur (Grand Marnier, Brandy or Calvados)

2 days prior to baking the cake create the candied fruit mixture and keep in the refrigerator

Pre-heat oven to 300 F. Butter an 8X4X2-inch bread pan

Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, add flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, ground cloves, ground allspice, and walnuts, then mix well.

Wet Ingredients
In a medium bowl, add beaten eggs, brown sugar, apple juice, orange juice, butter, and molasses and mix. Add candied fruit mixture and mix.

Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until combined. Do not over-mix. Pour mixture into baking pans. Bake on 300F for 55 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack.

Cut some cheesecloth to a size big enough to wrap cake in. Wet the cheesecloth with a liqueur of your choice and wrap around fruitcake.

Tip: Add liqueur to a small spray bottle and spray cheesecloth daily for 2 week, then cut fruitcake and eat.

Technorati Tags: Dessert, Recipes