All this constant Go Go Go in my new Vancouver life left me with a horribly sore throat this morning. I immediately craved hot lemon ginger honey tea and miso soup - serious childhood staples. These are the 'feel good' things that have been in my cooking repertoire for as long as I can remember.
For the tea: Fill a medium sized sauce pan with fresh, cold water, about 3 cups. Add to it a 3 inch piece of ginger, roughly chopped. There is no need to peel the ginger, as you will strain the tea at the end. Bring to a boil and then simmer on low heat for about fifteen minutes. The longer you simmer, the stronger the tea will be. Add honey to taste, remembering that honey has great antibacterial properties and is ultra soothing for a sore throat. I like to add a touch of cayenne pepper at the end to heat me up, but that is totally optional. I usually just put a spoon on the side of the saucepan while I pour it into a mug, but you can strain it in a colander or through cheesecloth. You can keep filling up the pan with more water and repeating the process, boiling the tea a bit longer each time and adding more lemon or ginger to taste. Drink this back and feel better.
The thing I crave the most when I am sick is miso soup. Miso soup has been a comfort food my whole life. Some of my earliest childhood memories are at the sushi bar at Sushi Hiro, downtown Calgary on 5th avenue and 6th street, where the miso soup is simple: tofu, green onions and that perfect dashi broth that makes it all come together.
At home it's easy enough to recreate this delectable soup.
Bring a pot of cold fresh water to boil. If you have chicken or vegetable stock, you can use that too. Today I used a chicken bullion cube and it worked out quite nicely. If you are using bullion, wait until the water is at a rolling boil, then add the cube, whisking until combined. I like soba noodles in my soup, but you can use rice noodles, regular pasta noodles, egg noodles, rice...get creative. I chopped up some extra firm tofu into small cubes and stir fried it on medium high heat until it was golden in a little bit of canola oil. I added some sesame oil and a bit of soy sauce and removed from the heat.
When the noodles are cooked, take a bit of the hot broth out into a bowl and add 2 tablespoons of miso to it. I like Amano brand Shiro type miso. Experiment with different types and brands, everyone has their favourite. You can usually find it in the refrigerated section in health food stores. Mix with a whisk or a fork until there are no lumps and add back into the soup. Remove from heat, add the tofu and I like green onions and green peas in it.
Serve immediately and get better!!!
Happy cooking friends.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
Easy Soba Noodle Salad with seared Sirloin
This salad is so simple and absolutely delicious. It's great if you're in a rush and makes excellent leftovers.
Soba (buckwheat) noodles are a nice alternative to rice or pasta. They are light brown in colour and are delicious hot or cold. I made this salad chilled so I can take it to work for dinner tonight.
Last night I marinated a sirloin steak in soy sauce, hoisin, lime juice, minced garlic and ginger and sambal olek. Put all the ingredients in a plastic bag and add the meat, sealing the bag and smashing it around a bit to tenderize. This can be done up to 2 days before making the salad, to as little as 10 minutes before.
Bring a large saucepan of water to a rolling boil, add a handful of soba noodles (they double in size like pasta, so plan accordingly) to the water. Stir occasionally and drain when they noodles are al dente (Italian for 'to the tooth) which just means they have a bit of a bite to them and are not soggy or soft. Rinse with cold water and drizzle a little roasted sesame oil over the noodles to keep them from sticking together.
As for veggies, use whatever is fresh and available. Today I thinly sliced up some red cabbage, grated carrots, minced cilantro and minced green onions. Mix in with the noodles. For a dressing I used a splash of each soy, rice vinegar, a drizzle of sesame oil and a bit of sugar. Lime juice, hoisin, and chili sauce would all be tasty on this salad.
Sear the meat on both sides and pop into an oven (make sure you're not using a non stick pan) at 350 until it is done, about 6 minutes (ish). Again, it depends on how big the piece of meat is.
An approximate way to test if the meat is done is to use your hand: place your forefinger and thumb together and feel the fleshy mound below your thumb: that is what rare meat should feel like. Middle finger and thumb: Medium rare, fourth finger, medium.
Remove the steak from the pan onto a plate or cutting board and let rest for 1o minutes. Slice against the grain and serve on top of the noodle salad.
Try it and let me know about your favourite additions or variations. It's delicious, you won't be sorry.
Happy cooking!
Soba (buckwheat) noodles are a nice alternative to rice or pasta. They are light brown in colour and are delicious hot or cold. I made this salad chilled so I can take it to work for dinner tonight.
Last night I marinated a sirloin steak in soy sauce, hoisin, lime juice, minced garlic and ginger and sambal olek. Put all the ingredients in a plastic bag and add the meat, sealing the bag and smashing it around a bit to tenderize. This can be done up to 2 days before making the salad, to as little as 10 minutes before.
Bring a large saucepan of water to a rolling boil, add a handful of soba noodles (they double in size like pasta, so plan accordingly) to the water. Stir occasionally and drain when they noodles are al dente (Italian for 'to the tooth) which just means they have a bit of a bite to them and are not soggy or soft. Rinse with cold water and drizzle a little roasted sesame oil over the noodles to keep them from sticking together.
As for veggies, use whatever is fresh and available. Today I thinly sliced up some red cabbage, grated carrots, minced cilantro and minced green onions. Mix in with the noodles. For a dressing I used a splash of each soy, rice vinegar, a drizzle of sesame oil and a bit of sugar. Lime juice, hoisin, and chili sauce would all be tasty on this salad.
Sear the meat on both sides and pop into an oven (make sure you're not using a non stick pan) at 350 until it is done, about 6 minutes (ish). Again, it depends on how big the piece of meat is.
An approximate way to test if the meat is done is to use your hand: place your forefinger and thumb together and feel the fleshy mound below your thumb: that is what rare meat should feel like. Middle finger and thumb: Medium rare, fourth finger, medium.
Remove the steak from the pan onto a plate or cutting board and let rest for 1o minutes. Slice against the grain and serve on top of the noodle salad.
Try it and let me know about your favourite additions or variations. It's delicious, you won't be sorry.
Happy cooking!
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
things that taste good this week
So I have managed to do some eating out and some cooking in over the last week. The most notable meal out would have to go to The Eatery on West Broadway in between Collingwood St and Waterloo St. This funky sushi joint I first ate at with my sister Carmen when I was 17. I remember eating tempura battered California rolls and fresh, fresh, perfect sushi. It hasn't changed in three years. I went with my dear friend Aysha, who got us in in a flash, knowing all the servers by name. We had a lovely table on the cozy front patio, smack dab in the centre. She's a regular there, so I put ordering the appies in her hands. Turns out that was a good decision.
To start we had the 'Fat Elvis': tempura avocado, perfectly crispy on the outside, and melt in your mouth creamy on the inside. It was topped with a spiced mayo sauce that I was tempted to lick off the plate when we were finished. We also had a delicious, simple Age Dashi Tofu (one of my all time favourites). The tofu was golden brown and crunchy, suspended in slightly sweet Dashi (fish flake) broth. We also had Tuna Tempura with a citrus ponzu sauce (to die for, really).
For our mains, we decided to keep it minimal (ha!): I had a spicy tuna roll (amazing, topped with sambal olek instead of siracha, a welcome and delicious change), a piece of salmon sushi that pretty much melted as soon as it hit my tongue and an inari (sweetened, fermented bean curd stuffed with rice). Aysha had the spicy vegetable roll (avocado, asparagus, lettuce, cucumber and tasty mayo sauce) and a spicy salmon roll. After all of our sushi and two pots of Gen Mai Cha, the green tea with puffed, roasted rice in it later, Aysha and I walked out of the restaurant, feeling satiated and happy. I love that cheap sushi is part of my life now. A complimentary fridge magnet was included at the end of the meal: a very tasteful, colourful soup can with 'miso horny' on it. Happy days.
Tonight I made Turkey Tacos for dinner. Because Turkey's flavour is so mild, I like to enhance it with some aromatic veggies. Tonight I finely chopped half a yellow onion, an orange pepper, some yellow zucchini, chilies and garlic. I sauteed the veggies over medium high heat until softened and slightly golden, and then added lean ground turkey thigh. I can't remember where I learned this trick, but using a whisk to break up ground meat works like a charm. Just at the beginning when it is sticking together, use the whisk in an up and down motion to break it apart. This way, you get uniform pieces and it all cooks evenly. I copped out and bought the old El Paso taco seasoning mix, but it's just as easy to make your own at home:
* 1 teaspoon paprika
* 2 teaspoons ground cumin
* 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1 teaspoon oregano
* 2 teaspoons garlic powder
Add and adjust the amounts to taste.
After the meat is brown, add the seasoning and about a cup of water, bring to a boil, then simmerering until the sauce thickens, usually about 10 minutes.
I like my tacos with Quinoa. Quinoa is a wonder grain that originated in the Andean region in South America over 6000 years ago. It's valued for it's high protein content (12-13%) and it's balanced set of essential amino acids, making it a perfect protein. It can take the place of meat in salads and soups, making them filling and satisfying. It's easy to make, tastes mild and slightly nutty with a bit of a bite to it, and is completely and totally versatile. I like it in bean salads, in pilafs, porridge in the morning, really, the opportunities are endless. It comes in black, red and white varietals, all having slightly different flavours. Tonight I used red for it's slightly crunchy texture. It's liquid to grain ratio is similar to that of rice: 1 cup grain to just under 2 cups liquid. In a medium sized sauce pan, bring the quinoa and water to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes. Quinoa is not as finicky as rice, so you can lift the lid off at the end and see if the water's been absorbed yet. When it's cooked it should look like it has a little white curl in it and has some bite to it. You can use water or broth as your liquid and add spices to flavour it.
I made a simple tomato salad with cilantro, lime, olive oil and salt and pepper to top off the tacos.
I always over stuff my tacos anyways, so I usually end up breaking the taco shells (after they have been heated in a 300˚ oven until crispy and golden, 2-4 minutes) at the bottom of a bowl, and then layering the meat, quinoa and salsa on top. Refried beans would also be delicious in this dish. My favourite right now is Amy's Organic refried beans with green chilies.
Top with grated cheese and sour cream if you wish and voila, Dinner's ready.
On another note, I've been playing around with vinaigrettes and this is the one I can't seem to get enough of:
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/3 tsp sugar
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
(These measurements are approximate. Add each one to taste, all the flavours should blend harmoniously, with none of them individually standing out.)
Combine these in a bowl and mix thoroughly with a fork.
Take a small shallot (no bigger than your thumb) and grate, using a micro plane or a lemon zester works fine too. Slowly add olive oil to the dressing, mixing constantly with a small whisk or a fork. The slower you add the oil, the better the emulsion with be, so your dressing won't separate on the salad. Add a little oil, and then mix and mix until the dressing is shiny and homogeneous. Add a little more and repeat. Taste it often and add the oil to your taste.
I've been having this on thinly sliced red cabbage, with lots of extra pepper on top.
Today though, I had fresh blanched green beans, boiled peaches and cream corn, juicy Campari tomatoes and feta cheese on red leaf lettuce with this vinaigrette and it made my knees weak. Go ahead, try it, I dare you!
I bet it would be good on warm green beans with shaved parmesan cheese too. Yum.
Happy cooking!
To start we had the 'Fat Elvis': tempura avocado, perfectly crispy on the outside, and melt in your mouth creamy on the inside. It was topped with a spiced mayo sauce that I was tempted to lick off the plate when we were finished. We also had a delicious, simple Age Dashi Tofu (one of my all time favourites). The tofu was golden brown and crunchy, suspended in slightly sweet Dashi (fish flake) broth. We also had Tuna Tempura with a citrus ponzu sauce (to die for, really).
For our mains, we decided to keep it minimal (ha!): I had a spicy tuna roll (amazing, topped with sambal olek instead of siracha, a welcome and delicious change), a piece of salmon sushi that pretty much melted as soon as it hit my tongue and an inari (sweetened, fermented bean curd stuffed with rice). Aysha had the spicy vegetable roll (avocado, asparagus, lettuce, cucumber and tasty mayo sauce) and a spicy salmon roll. After all of our sushi and two pots of Gen Mai Cha, the green tea with puffed, roasted rice in it later, Aysha and I walked out of the restaurant, feeling satiated and happy. I love that cheap sushi is part of my life now. A complimentary fridge magnet was included at the end of the meal: a very tasteful, colourful soup can with 'miso horny' on it. Happy days.
Tonight I made Turkey Tacos for dinner. Because Turkey's flavour is so mild, I like to enhance it with some aromatic veggies. Tonight I finely chopped half a yellow onion, an orange pepper, some yellow zucchini, chilies and garlic. I sauteed the veggies over medium high heat until softened and slightly golden, and then added lean ground turkey thigh. I can't remember where I learned this trick, but using a whisk to break up ground meat works like a charm. Just at the beginning when it is sticking together, use the whisk in an up and down motion to break it apart. This way, you get uniform pieces and it all cooks evenly. I copped out and bought the old El Paso taco seasoning mix, but it's just as easy to make your own at home:
* 1 teaspoon paprika
* 2 teaspoons ground cumin
* 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1 teaspoon oregano
* 2 teaspoons garlic powder
Add and adjust the amounts to taste.
After the meat is brown, add the seasoning and about a cup of water, bring to a boil, then simmerering until the sauce thickens, usually about 10 minutes.
I like my tacos with Quinoa. Quinoa is a wonder grain that originated in the Andean region in South America over 6000 years ago. It's valued for it's high protein content (12-13%) and it's balanced set of essential amino acids, making it a perfect protein. It can take the place of meat in salads and soups, making them filling and satisfying. It's easy to make, tastes mild and slightly nutty with a bit of a bite to it, and is completely and totally versatile. I like it in bean salads, in pilafs, porridge in the morning, really, the opportunities are endless. It comes in black, red and white varietals, all having slightly different flavours. Tonight I used red for it's slightly crunchy texture. It's liquid to grain ratio is similar to that of rice: 1 cup grain to just under 2 cups liquid. In a medium sized sauce pan, bring the quinoa and water to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes. Quinoa is not as finicky as rice, so you can lift the lid off at the end and see if the water's been absorbed yet. When it's cooked it should look like it has a little white curl in it and has some bite to it. You can use water or broth as your liquid and add spices to flavour it.
I made a simple tomato salad with cilantro, lime, olive oil and salt and pepper to top off the tacos.
I always over stuff my tacos anyways, so I usually end up breaking the taco shells (after they have been heated in a 300˚ oven until crispy and golden, 2-4 minutes) at the bottom of a bowl, and then layering the meat, quinoa and salsa on top. Refried beans would also be delicious in this dish. My favourite right now is Amy's Organic refried beans with green chilies.
Top with grated cheese and sour cream if you wish and voila, Dinner's ready.
On another note, I've been playing around with vinaigrettes and this is the one I can't seem to get enough of:
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/3 tsp sugar
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
(These measurements are approximate. Add each one to taste, all the flavours should blend harmoniously, with none of them individually standing out.)
Combine these in a bowl and mix thoroughly with a fork.
Take a small shallot (no bigger than your thumb) and grate, using a micro plane or a lemon zester works fine too. Slowly add olive oil to the dressing, mixing constantly with a small whisk or a fork. The slower you add the oil, the better the emulsion with be, so your dressing won't separate on the salad. Add a little oil, and then mix and mix until the dressing is shiny and homogeneous. Add a little more and repeat. Taste it often and add the oil to your taste.
I've been having this on thinly sliced red cabbage, with lots of extra pepper on top.
Today though, I had fresh blanched green beans, boiled peaches and cream corn, juicy Campari tomatoes and feta cheese on red leaf lettuce with this vinaigrette and it made my knees weak. Go ahead, try it, I dare you!
I bet it would be good on warm green beans with shaved parmesan cheese too. Yum.
Happy cooking!
Monday, August 10, 2009
Breakfast on a rainy day
Might have been the rain, might have been the late sleep-in, but whatever the reason, i woke up craving a proper breakfast: hash browns, eggs, beans and toast. I had some fingerling potatoes that I needed to use up. I sliced them thinly and put them in a hot pan with some olive oil. I let them brown a bit, stirring occasionally, then added some chopped up onion, salt, pepper, chilies and some dried oregano.
I fried the eggs and heated up some Heinz beans in tomato sauce (a true childhood favourite of mine) and toasted some french bread that Kayla was nice enough to bring over last night after the lump loaf bread machine fiasco.
Breakfast of champions. Happy Monday!
I fried the eggs and heated up some Heinz beans in tomato sauce (a true childhood favourite of mine) and toasted some french bread that Kayla was nice enough to bring over last night after the lump loaf bread machine fiasco.
Breakfast of champions. Happy Monday!
Sunday, August 9, 2009
No go on the martha stewart bread making
I spoke to soon. The bread did not work out.
I'm still prying it off the roof of my mouth.
I need measuring cups and spoons, stat.
The second attempt will be better. I thought bread machines were fool proof!!!
I'm still prying it off the roof of my mouth.
I need measuring cups and spoons, stat.
The second attempt will be better. I thought bread machines were fool proof!!!
bread
I'm also making bread in my new bread machine:
Herbed french bread. But I don't have measuring cups or spoons (how is that even possible?!) and I couldn't wait until tomorrow to make it. So I used this ceramic mug and eye balled a cup. I'm still waiting for the buzzer to ding. I will let you know how it works out.
Herbed french bread. But I don't have measuring cups or spoons (how is that even possible?!) and I couldn't wait until tomorrow to make it. So I used this ceramic mug and eye balled a cup. I'm still waiting for the buzzer to ding. I will let you know how it works out.
The soloution for a foodie living on her own in a new, exciting city
So I've moved to Vancouver on my own and here I am doing this thing that people call 'growing up'. I am blessed to have been born into a family of food lovers. I have been cooking for as long as I can remember and now that I live by myself it has become an even more integral part of my life. I have been delving into local grocery stores, markets and restaurants, but have no real forum to share these experiences in. Just the other day I made myself a braised halibut soup with bok choy, mushrooms, and a light miso broth. When I sat down to eat it, I was filled with a sense of happiness and contentment, but wished there was someone else there to appreciate it with me. I stand in my tiny kitchen at home and it's almost as if a force outside of myself grips me and produces these glorious meals. I've decided to open up a blog to share these things with you. I'll post recipes, although I am not known to stick to them, share tips that I've learned over the years, and hopefully open some eyes to the true joy that cooking can bring into your life. We are what we eat and I really take that saying to heart. Good food is not hard to make! Just make it a priority.
Here we go, bon appetite, and happy cooking!!
Tonight my friend Kayla is coming over for dinner. I picked up some really beautiful chicken breasts from Whole Foods market on West 4th Ave. I have them in the fridge right now marinating in olive oil, garlic and some fresh oregano. In the summertime when everything is fresh it's easy to keep the recipes simple and great tasting. I am going to make mashed potatoes and a carrot and red cabbage coleslaw to go along with the meat.
I am using red nugget potatoes for the mash, and I like to leave the skins on. Scrub them and put them in a high sided saucepan and fill with cold water. Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes until they are soft when stabbed with a fork. Drain them, saving a bit of the water to add back in later. Transfer them back into the saucepan and add a big lob of butter, a splash of milk or cream and salt and pepper to taste. What you add to your potatoes is totally up to you. You can experiment with broth (chicken, vegetable), sour cream, and or cheese. I like adding seasoned, sauteed green onions and some fresh minced flat-leaf parsley. The options are endless.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both side. Heat a stainless steel pan over high heat. Add the chicken skin side down into the hot pan and leave until it is crispy brown and lifts away from the bottom of the pan. Flip over and put into an oven preheated to 375 degrees. I don't really know how long it will take. Just until it's done. Maybe 7 minutes? It all depends on how big the breasts are. Make sure you let the chicken rest for a couple minutes before cutting into it, as it lets the juices return back into the centre of the meat.
For the coleslaw, julienne the carrots and cabbage. Make a simple dressing from mustard, garlic, lemon juice (or a vinegar of your choice) and olive oil. Whip with a fork to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper and pour over the salad.
Voila, easy peasy. Dinner's ready.
Here we go, bon appetite, and happy cooking!!
Tonight my friend Kayla is coming over for dinner. I picked up some really beautiful chicken breasts from Whole Foods market on West 4th Ave. I have them in the fridge right now marinating in olive oil, garlic and some fresh oregano. In the summertime when everything is fresh it's easy to keep the recipes simple and great tasting. I am going to make mashed potatoes and a carrot and red cabbage coleslaw to go along with the meat.
I am using red nugget potatoes for the mash, and I like to leave the skins on. Scrub them and put them in a high sided saucepan and fill with cold water. Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes until they are soft when stabbed with a fork. Drain them, saving a bit of the water to add back in later. Transfer them back into the saucepan and add a big lob of butter, a splash of milk or cream and salt and pepper to taste. What you add to your potatoes is totally up to you. You can experiment with broth (chicken, vegetable), sour cream, and or cheese. I like adding seasoned, sauteed green onions and some fresh minced flat-leaf parsley. The options are endless.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both side. Heat a stainless steel pan over high heat. Add the chicken skin side down into the hot pan and leave until it is crispy brown and lifts away from the bottom of the pan. Flip over and put into an oven preheated to 375 degrees. I don't really know how long it will take. Just until it's done. Maybe 7 minutes? It all depends on how big the breasts are. Make sure you let the chicken rest for a couple minutes before cutting into it, as it lets the juices return back into the centre of the meat.
For the coleslaw, julienne the carrots and cabbage. Make a simple dressing from mustard, garlic, lemon juice (or a vinegar of your choice) and olive oil. Whip with a fork to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper and pour over the salad.
Voila, easy peasy. Dinner's ready.
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