Frozen Hibiscus Mousse

I have so many hibiscus flowers left over from dyeing fabric that I thought I would start exploring hibiscus recipes!

Ingredients:

• 4 cups rehydrated, chopped hibiscus flowers
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 cup water
• 8 egg yolks, beaten until thick
• 1 TB grenadine
• 4 egg whites, beaten until frothy
• 1 cup heavy cream, whipped.

Directions:

1. Combined 2 cups of the sugar and the water in a saucepan and boil for 5 minutes.
2. Add the hibiscus flowers and simmer them for 5 minutes.
3. Remove the flowers from the juice.
4. Measure 1 cup of the hibiscus juice and beat the juice into the egg yolks.
5. Transfer the mixture to a small saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens enough to coat the spoon heavily.
6. Do NOT allow to boil or the eggs will curdle.
7. Stir in the hibiscus flowers and grenadine and pour into a bowl.
8. Chill in the refrigerator for about one half hour until it thickens slightly.
9. Gradually beat the remaining sugar into the egg whites.
10. Continue to beat until the whites form peaks.
11. With a rubber spaturla, fold the cream gently but thouroughly into the thickened hibiscus mixture, then fold in the egg whites, folding until streaks of white no longer show.
12. Pour into refrigerator trays or a 2-quart decorative mold or souffle dish.
13. Cover with foil and freeze until firm.
14. The hibiscus mousse may be served in scoops like ice, unmolded on a plate, or servved directly from a souffle dish. 

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Chicken Ramen

 

So, we're pretty sure the sign at the farmer's market said that this mushroom is hen of the wood. Which is also known as maitake--so I thought I'd go with a Japanese recipe for this one. We love Ramen, for one because it's easy, and two because it's versatile. I've made Ramen so many different ways before I blogged that I can't remember all the yummy variations. One of the reasons I'm doing this blog is purely so that I'll have access to all my mad experiments after I've forgotten them!

Promise, this one's pretty sane! And to be completely honest, it's a riff off of Alton Brown's Ramen Shrimp Pouch

My recipes are generally for two people, but this one serves 4.

Ingredients:

• 3 chicken thighs
• 3 package Ramen noodles
• 6 cups chicken broth (from cooking the chicken thighs)
• 1/2 cup mirin
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 4 tsp sesame oil
• 1 clump hen of the wood or oyster mushrooms
• 1 sliced onion
• 1 small parcel of bok choy, chopped
• 1/2 cup scallions sliced
• Fresh ground white pepper to taste
• Honey to taste

Two very good things in life--ichimi (finely ground red chili pepper) and white pepper.

Directions:

• Place the chicken thighs in a small sauce pan and cover with 7 cups of water, bring to a boil, then turn down to medium low heat and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes.
• Remove the chicken thighs from the liquid and put in the fridge to cool, when it is cool enough to handle shred the chicken.
• Strain the liquid and reserve six cups.
• Cook the ramen noodles per package instruction, but discard the seasoning packets. Strain the noodles, run cold water over them, and put to the side.
• Combine reserved chicken broth, mirin, soy sauce, and sesame oil, bring to a boil and add the bok choy.
• Turn down to a slow boil and cook the bok choy and onions for about 5 minutes or until the tenderness is to tase.
• Add the mushrooms and the scallions and the shredded chicken.
• Sprinkle on white pepper.
• Drizzle over honey.
• Place cooked ramen in the bottom of each bowl and ladle soup over.
• Serve with ichimi.

The Secret to Smokey Pulled Pork--Without a Smoker

I love pulled pork.  My husband loves pulled pork.

We like to enjoy a bite or two of our pulled pork without any bbq sauce, just to taste the smokiness of the meat and enjoy all the hard work that went into making it perfect.

However, it's cold outside.  So this is my super duper top secret recipe for smokey flavor from inside a slow cooker.

And the secret is . . .

lapsang souchong

Lapsang souchong is smoke-dried over pinewood fires.  It is a very strong, smokey tea that tastes like a campfire that just got put out.  It is an acquired taste and one that I love.  But I didn't at first!  

I take two cups of the tea and steep it in boiled water for 10 minutes.  Then I pour it through a mesh strainer into the slow cooker and add the meat (about two LB in this photo) with a little salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  I just toss the leaves. I then cook it on high for four or so hours, turning it over ever hour to make sure that the whole thing is steeped in the smokey goodness.

  

While the meat is cooking I make my mop sauce.

 Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup pickled jalapeno juice
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 TB lemon juice
• 2 TB butter
• 1 TB soy sauce
• 1 tsp siraacha

Directions:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a microwaveable bowl and heat for a minute or two until the butter is melted and the mop sauce is warm.
2. Every hour when you flip the meat, spoon over a little mop sauce.

• After 4 hours remove the meat to a platter and using two forks pull it apart.
• Remove the broth from the slow cooker.
• Return the pulled pork to the slow cooker, add what is left of the mop sauce, and just enough of the broth to keep the meat moist.  Reserve the rest of the broth for another use.

Serve the pulled pork with the sides of your choice (in this case I served warm slices of bread and greens seasoned with bacon, salt and pepper), or pile it on a bun, and do it like we do here in Arkansas, top it with a pile of coleslaw.  And serve the bbq sauce on the side--get in those couple of tastes of smokey deliciousness before you dose it.

And just in case you want to make your bbq sauce from scratch here is my super spicy Carolina style mustard based bbq sauce.

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp onion powder
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 cup silver spring beer n' brat mustard with horseradish
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 Cup pickled jalapeno juice or Cider Vinegar
• 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1 Teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper
• 1 TB chili powder

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a microwaveable bowl.
2. Microwave for about 10 minutes, stopping to stir every two, until the bbq sauce is nice 'n thick.

Vintage Cookery: Chili Mac, from the 1958 Sunset "Cooking with Casseroles"

 Ingredients:

1 cup dried red beans

1 pound beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes

Flour

4 Tablespoons shortening

1 onion, sliced

1 clove garlic

1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste

1 cup tomato juice

3 cups hot water

1 can bouillon

1 green pepper, minced

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon monosodium glutamate

1 tablespoon chili powder, or to taste

Salt to taste

1 package (8 oz.) macaroni

1/2 cup melted butter or margarine

1/2 up grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup pitted ripe olives

Directions:

Soak beans in warm water for two hours, drain.  Flour beef lightly.  Melt shortening in large kettle, add beef cubes, onion, and garlic and brown.  Stir in tomato paste, tomato juice, hot water, bouillon, green pepper, beans and seasonings.  Simmer until beans are tender, 2 to 3 hours.  Season to taste.  Cook macaroni until tender in boiling salted water; drain well.  Stir in butter and cheese.  Spread on a large greased ovenware platter or in a casserole.  Reheat in slow oven (350 degrees) for about 5 minutes.  Add olives to chili and pour over macaroni and serve at once to 8 to 12 persons.

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I do actually make this--with a lot of changes!  Canned beans, ground beef, a lot less fat, no msg, no olives (the husband), no green pepper (me) and cheddar cheese.

Vintage Cookery: Chili Mac, from the 1958 Sunset "Cooking with Casseroles"

Vintage Cookery: Chili Mac, from the 1958 Sunset "Cooking with Casseroles"

 Ingredients

• 1 cup dried red beans
• 1 pound beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
• Flour
• 4 Tablespoons shortening
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
• 1 cup tomato juice
• 3 cups hot water
• 1 can bouillon
• 1 green pepper, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon monosodium glutamate
• 1 tablespoon chili powder, or to taste
• Salt to taste
• 1 package (8 oz.) macaroni
• 1/2 cup melted butter or margarine
• 1/2 up grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup pitted ripe olives

Directions

1.  
2. Soak beans in warm water for two hours, drain. 
3. Flour beef lightly.  
4. Melt shortening in large kettle, add beef cubes, onion, and garlic and brown.  
5. Stir in tomato paste, tomato juice, hot water, bouillon, green pepper, beans and seasonings.  Simmer until beans are tender, 2 to 3 hours.  
6. Season to taste.  
7. Cook macaroni until tender in boiling salted water; drain well.  
8. Stir in butter and cheese.  
9. Spread on a large greased ovenware platter or in a casserole.  
10. Reheat in slow oven (350 degrees) for about 5 minutes.  
11. Add olives to chili and pour over macaroni and serve at once to 8 to 12 persons.

 I do actually make this--with a lot of changes!  Canned beans, ground beef, a lot less fat, no msg, no olives (the husband), no green pepper (me) and cheddar cheese. 

It's yummy!

Chop O Matic

 

 

One of my favorite tools is this awesome 1950s Chop O Matic that I found for a $1 at a thrift store.  I love the design and I love the way it chops my onions.

 

 

Southern Italy Meets Southern US

So, this weekend I combined Uova in Purgatorio (Eggs in Purgatory) with Southern Biscuits. I've found many recipes for the eggs--some with the eggs poached in marinara sauce and some with the eggs baked on top of a layer of bread or potato pancakes and smothered in marinara sauce. In my version, I poach the eggs in marinara sauce and then serve them on top of Southern style biscuits, as if the marinara sauce was a gravy. Some versions had red pepper flakes, and some didn't. Being used to a lot of "South of the Border" cooking (having a mother-in-law from Texas who cooks awesome Tex Mex) this recipe reminds me too much of Juevos Rancheros, not to add the red pepper flakes to the marinara sauce and give it a little zing.

Ingredients:

• 1 batch Marinara Sauce
• 4 eggs
• 2-4 Southern Biscuits
• Parmesan Reggiano

Directions:

• Make marinara sauce.
• Break the eggs carefully into the heated sauce.
• Cover and cook for 3 minutes, or until eggs are cooked to your taste.
• Break open the biscuits on a plate.
• Gently place eggs on top of biscuits and spoon over the marinara sauce.
• Grate cheese over the top.

Pork Roast Day 5

So I made my fifth recipe using the left over pork roast nearly a week ago on Lunar New Year.  I made a sort of Chinese style bbq pork (char sui) served over noodles with pork broth and tea eggs.  Unfortunately, now that I'm finally posting it I can't remember what recipe I used!

So here is something similar:

Char Sui

Tinga Tostadas

Ingredients:

• 6 LB on the bone chicken thighs
• 3 cup water
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 4 roma tomatoes
• 1 LB tomatillos, husked and washed
• 1 jalapeno chile, stemmed and halved lengthwise
• 3 large cloves garlic, peeled,
• 1/4 cup adobo sauce
• 2 dried chipotle chiles
• 2 large onions
• 1 TB vegetable oil
• 1 tsp whole dried Mexican oregano

To serve:

• Corn tortillas, fried to make tostadas
• Diced avocado

Directions:

1. Cover the chipotles with hot water.
2. Combine the chicken, water, and salt in a crock pot and simmer for 4 hours.
3. Remove the chicken, run under cold water until cool and then remove the skin and bones and break the chicken into large chunks.
4. Reserve the chicken broth for another use.
5. While cooking the chicken make the salsa.  Cover the tomatoes, tomatillos, and jalapeno with water,
6.  Bring to a boil and then simmer about 5 minutes.
7.  Drain and transfer them to a blender along with the garlic, the adobo sauce the chipotles, and the salt.  Blend until fairly smooth.
8. Slice the onions, combine with the oil and oregano and cook in the microwave 5 to 10 minutes until they are soft.
9. Combine the cooked chicken, the salsa (I only used half the salsa and froze the rest for another use), and the onions in the slow cooker and cook for another 2 to 4 hours on low.
10. To serve, pile the chicken mixture on tostadas and top with avocado chunks.

This recipe came from Deborah Schneider's "The Mexican Slow Cooker"--Although, to be fair I did make several changes.  (she uses 2.5 LB boneless and skinless chicken thighs and only 1 cup of water.  I changed that because I love getting a nice broth.  She also used chipotles in adobo, where I used my home made adobo and dried chipotles.  My cooking method was also different). I really enjoyed this book and recommend it.

I ended up with enough chicken that we ate these tostadas for 2 days.  There is still half of the chicken left today so I will be using it to make pozole along with the leftover chicken broth.  Which should end up stretching my $6 chicken thighs to 4 days!

Tea Eggs

As I noted in the previous post, eggs are a traditional Lunar New Year dish, due to their relationship with fertility.  This recipe is traditionally made with black tea, but I've changed it up and used cinnamon tea.  I've also added food coloring--just because I personally associate red with cinnamon!

Ingredients:

• 12 hard boiled eggs
• 1/4 cup black tea (I used 4 cinnamon tea bags)
• 4 star anise
• Red food coloring (optional)

Directions:

1. Roll the eggs on the counter to produce cracks, but do not peel.
2. Cover the eggs with cold water and return to a boil.
3. Add the tea, star anise, and food coloring if you are using it.
4. Lower the heat to a simmer.
5. Simmer for 2 hours

Bacon and Eggs--Lunar New Year Style

Today for brunch I wanted to make something that celebrated Lunar New Year, which is a huge holiday for millions of people around the world.  Eggs and pork are both one of the many foods served traditionally for this holiday.  The pork symbolizes abundance and the egg fertility.  I also made a red sauce, as red is a celebratory and lucky color in China, where brides wear red for their wedding.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 cups of steamed rice cooked with 1/2 cup cook peas
• Bacon, fried crispy enough to crumble, 2 for each person
• Eggs, fried to taste, 2 for each person
• 2 TB chili paste (I used Korean gochujang)
• 2 TB sugar
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 2 TB peanut butter
• 1/4 cup rice wine.

Directions:

1. Combine the chili paste, sugar, garlic powder, soy sauce, peanut butter, and rice to form a smooth sauce.  
2. Warm in a small sauce pan on the stove.
3. Prepare your rice, bacon and eggs.
4. Fill each persons bowl with a bed of rice, 2 eggs, 1 strip of bacon, and one bacon strip crumbled.
5. Divide the sauce among each bowl.

Day 4 Roast Pork--Creamy Adobo Chipotle Chili

I should call this day 6 or 7 I think.  This project has produced so many leftovers for just the two of us that I'm not sure which day I'm on anymore.  Anyway,  here's recipe Four of the pork roast project.

Ingredients

• About 2 cups pork from left over pork roast.
• 1 cup broth
• 2 16 oz cans chili beans
• 2 TB spoon butter
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 pickled jalapeno chiles, chopped
• 4 or 5 roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1 TB garlic powder
• 1/4 cup finely chopped chipotles in adobo or more to taste.  You can used canned or make from scratch.  (If from scratch you will have to hydrate a chipotle chile to chop and add to the sauce.)
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup milk
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup

Directions:

1. Add the pork and beans to the slow cooker with 1 cup water.  Allow to cook on high 4 hours or low 6 to 8 hours.
2. About an hour and a half before you wish to serve dinner proceed with the next steps (I actually did it in the morning and refrigerated the following sauce until an hour before the chili was ready.)
3. Melt the butter in the microwave in a large bowl.
4. Add the onions, mix well with the butter, and microwave 3 minutes.
5. Add the jalapenos, tomatoes, garlic powder, chipotles, adobo and pepper and microwave for 3 more minutes.
6. Stir in the cup of milk and the cream of mushroom soup and add to the chili sauce, stirring to blend.
7. Add to the crock pot and cook for 1 more hour on low.

Creamy Adobo chipotle Sauce

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Adobo Sauce--From Scratch

Ingredients:

• 4 ancho chiles
• 4 guajillo chiles
• 2 TB onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, smashed
• 1.5 tsp salt
• .5 tsp sugar
• .5 tsp dried oregano
• .5 tsp dried thyme
• .5 tsp cinnamon
• .25 tsp cumin
• .25 tsp nutmeg
• pinch cloves
• 1/4 cup vinegar

Directions:

1. In a large microwave bowl cover the anchos and guajillos with water.
2. Microwave 5 minutes.
3. Put a saucer on top of the bowl to hold the chiles down and let them rehydrate for 10-15 minutes.
4. Reserve the chile water.
5. Add the soaked chiles and all the other ingredients to the blender.
6. Blend on high for a minute or so, adding the reserved chile water as needed to water down the mixture enough to blend.
7. Store in the fridge in a jar. 

I'm honestly now sure how long this will keep it is the first time I have made it.  Since it has vinegar in it I imagine it should keep awhile.

Note:  If you have a local Latino market that sells dry chiles in bulk it is much more inexpensive to buy them that way that packaged a supermarket.  I usually buy my chiles at our local market, La Perla, every quarter year.

Roast Pork Day 3: Part 2

I used Italian bread and provolone cheese with the seasoned shredded pork and grilled it on a panini maker for a couple of minutes.  If you don't have a panini maker you can use two cast iron skillets, set one on top of the sandwich to weigh it down.

If you don't like lima beans you can easily substitute a canned bean to your taste to the soup.

This made enough shredded pork and soup for two days worth of meals.

Day 3 Pork Roast

Today I'm making Panini's and Umbrian style lima beans.  Here is this mornings prep work:

Panini Meat

Ingredients:

• 2 Tb Italian seasoning*
• 3 or 4 sun dried tomatoes diced
• 2 TB fresh Italian parsley
• 1 large clove garlic thinly sliced
• 1 TB olive oil
• 1 TB lemon juice
• 2 cups left over pork roast, shredded

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir well (combine with your hands for best results.
2. Leave in the fridge until the evening meal.

 Slow Cooker Umbrian Style Lima Bean Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 oz bacon, chopped
• 3 TB olive oil
• 12 oz fresh or frozen lima beans
• 3 cups broth
• 1 TB tomato paste

Directions:

• Combine the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl and microwave for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.

• Add the cooked mixture, the lima beans, broth and tomato paste to the slow cooker.
• Cook for 4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.
• Add salt and pepper if necessary towards end of cooking.

*Note:  I make my own Italian seasoning using the following recipe:

Ingredients:

• 3 TB dried oregano
• 1 TB dried thyme
• 1 TB dried rosemary
• 1 TB garlic powder
• 1 TB onion powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:

Combine well in a bowl and store in a cool dry place.

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Pork Roast Day 2--Pozole Rojo

The day after I make a pork roast I always make pozole rojo.  At least, that has been the case this winter.  I haven't made chili once!  Because OMG pozole rojo!

This is a Jalisco style pozole, which does not contain chicken as most pozole recipes do.  Also, I only use 1/5 of a 6 LB pork roast which is less meat than most recipes call for so I stretch it with canned beans.  I usually use a mixture of navy beans and kidney beans, but any bean you are fond of could be used.

Ingredients:

• 6 slices of bacon
• vegetable oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• A little bit of beer or wine
• 1 28 oz can tomatoes with their juice
• 1 tsp of garlic powder, or to taste
• A handful of canned jalapenos, or to taste, or you could used a little bit of cayenne if you want less heat
• Leftover gravy from pork roast day 1
• Water
• 2 cups or so of left over pork roast
• 1 28 oz can hominy, drained
• 1  16 oz can navy beans, drained
• 1 16 oz can kidney beans drained
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp oregano (Mexican if available)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• In a large heavy bottomed pot, fry the bacon with a little vegetable oil on medium heat until it get crunchy and renders its fat.
• Remove bacon and drain on paper towels.
• Add sliced onion to the bacon fat and saute on medium heat until it is wilted and brown.
• Add a splash of wine or beer and scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen up the brown stuff.

• Add the onion to a blender along with the tomatoes, and garlic powder, jalapenos or cayenne. (Note, I had some leftover roasted potatoes and carrots from Day 1 that I also added to the blender.
• Blend on high for a minute until you have a nice thick tomato sauce.

 

• Add the sauce to the pot that you fried the bacon and onions in (or to a slow cooker if you want to let it cook all day).
• Pour the left over gravy from Day 1 into the blender and add enough water to make a liter.
• Blend on high for 30 seconds or so and you should have a nice brownish broth (if you want you can add a little bouillon or use broth instead of water).

 

• Add this to the pot and you should have a nice reddish stew base.

• Crumble the bacon and add it, the hominy, the left over pork, the beans and the spices to the stew.
• Let it cook for a couple of hours to really let the flavors meld.
• If you want to use a slow cooker cook for 4 hours on high and 6 to 8 hours on low.

You can serve this with cheese, avocado, lettuce, tomato, fried tortillas, limes, sour creams etc. in any combination.

You might become addicted.

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Pork Roast Week in Recipes Grocery List

Produce:

• carrots
• potatoes
• garlic
• onions
• 4 or 5 roma tomatoes
• Italian parsley

Canned/Bottled:

• Chicken broth
•  lemon juice
•  28 oz diced tomatoes
• canned jalapenos
• 28 oz can hominy
• 16 oz can navy beans
• 16 oz can kidney beans
• 2x 16 oz chili beands
• adobo sauce
• cream of mushroom soup
• honey
• hoisin sauce
• black bean sauce
• soy sauce 
• dry sherry

Baking/Spices:

• ground cumin
• oregano
• Italian seasoning
• garlic powder 
• Chines 5 spice
• sugar
• olive oil
• vegetable oil

Dried:

Ramen noodles

Frozen:

lima beans

Meat:
6 LB pork roast
bacon

Dairy:
butter
milk

Other:
12 oz bottle beer 

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Pork Roast Day 1

  

Day 2: Pozole Rojo
Day 3: Paninis and Umbrian bean soup
Day 4: Creamy Adobo chipotle chili
Day 5 Char Sui

Grocery List 

Also try: The Mexican Version

Ingredients:

• 6 LB pork roast
• 1 cup broth
• carrots 
• potatoes
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Combine ingredients in slow cooker and cook on high 4 hours or low 6 to 8 hours.

Ingredients for Gravy:

• Remaining broth and meat juices from the slow cooker after removal of meat and vegetables.
• An additional cup of broth.
• 1/4 cup flour

Directions:

1. Combine ingredients in blender and blend 30 seconds.
2. Pour into a pan and stir on medium heat until thickened.

Note:

• Reserve half the gravy for Day 2 of Pork Roast.
• Divide left over meat into four freezer bags and reserve for Day 2-5 of left over Pork Roast.

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