Guacamole And Toasted Pita Chips

About guacamole--try to add some fresh corn, pinenuts, or sun-dried tomatoes, and you will find this classic dish exciting again!

Toasted Pita Chips
I love Trader Joe's whole wheat pita bread. Somehow it's not as bitter as other whole wheat products, and it has a very nice wheat aroma. I simply toasted them on my pizza stone--they came out really crispy and delicious!
Guacamole

I have to confess, I used Trader Joe's guacamole kit, and why not? You get all the tiny pieces of ingredients in a nice box (right portion too!), and all you have to do is to blend!

In case you want to start from very scratch, here is the recipe: )
Ingredients:

• 2 avocadoes
• 2 tomatoes
• 2 pearl onions
• 1 jalapeno
• 2 cloves of garlic
• juice of one lime
• salt and pepper to taste
  
  Blend everything together, and add your favorite twist. You get yourself a very nice weekday snack!

Desserts From Yesterday

Several months ago, I got into "sugar fever". I made so many desserts that my boyfriend(ex) back then was very worried about my weight! Luckily, this fever finally faded, and after working out for a while, I was totally back! :)
My photographing skill sucked, so I can only recall from my memory what they really look like, and taste like. But I can tell you, those are very sweet, very happy memories.. well worth the extra pounds.
Pineapple cheese cake with almond crust and tortoise jelly







The black layer is turtoise jelly, a very unique chinese herb (not from turtles!)
Pair this cheesecake with purple yam cream... I was in heaven!




Purple yam cheese cake with champaign grapes and almond honey crust






Bubble eggs with cactus fruit



They are so light that you can only taste the taste, but you can't bite into anything!



Crepes with black sticky rice and peaches

It looks like peony to me.

Blue potatoes with papayas, dragon fruit and black rice



Flex seed pumpkin harvest cake


I had this huge cake for a whole week!

Chicken Marsala

Honestly, it's not a cheap dish! I probably spent more money on marsala and cream than chicken and mushroom combined! However, on the bright side, it is a very delicious dish, and I don't have to travel to a restaurant, wait for a long time and spend even more money. :)) It's very important for a graduate student who lives on a tiny stipend.

Ingredient:

• 1 3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (14 fl oz)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 10 oz mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (2 lb total)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons dry Marsala wine
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Preparation:

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 200°F.
   Bring broth to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan over high heat, then boil, uncovered, until reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 20 minutes.
2. Cook shallot in 3 tablespoons butter in an 8- to 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until shallot begins to turn golden, about 1 minute.Add mushrooms, 1 teaspoon sage, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated and mushrooms begin to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Put flour in a wide shallow bowl.Gently pound chicken to 1/4 inch thick between 2 sheets of plastic wrap using the flat side of a meat pounder or a rolling pin.
4. Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour, 1 piece at a time, shaking off excess.Transfer to sheets of wax paper, arranging chicken in 1 layer.
5. Heat 1 tablespoon each of oil and butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté half of chicken, turning over once, until golden and just cooked through, about 4 minutes total.Transfer cooked chicken to a large heatproof platter, arranging in 1 layer, then put platter in oven to keep warm. Wipe out skillet with paper towels and cook remaining chicken in same manner, then transfer to oven, arranging in 1 layer.
6. Add 1/2 cup wine to skillet and boil over high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, about 30 seconds.Add reduced broth, cream, and mushrooms, then simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add lemon juice and remaining 2 tablespoons wine and 1/2 teaspoon sage.
   Serve chicken with sauce.
   
   
   
   

Chicken And Corn "Pie"

I love to cook, but as a 5'5'' girl, I really couldn't eat all my creations. So dealing with leftovers has become a big part of my everyday life..
Luckily, I have so many odd pieces I can mix and match, so sometimes, magic happens! For example, this chicken and corn "pie".

Sweat your onion slices using a little salt, then add some garlic, caper, black pepper, saute until onions are very soft. Add diced leftover chicken pieces, warm it up. Make a corn bread batter by mixing corn meal, eggs, milk, fresh corn, and baking powder, then pour it over chicken mixture. Bake until it's set in the center.
Sprinkle some parmesan cheese on top. And put apricot-sour cream combo on the side. Delicious. A successful leftover makeover!

Water Fried Buns

About water fry--Baking makes food crispy but dry; steaming makes food moist but mushy; water fry gets all the benefits.
Let's see the end result--very moist and tender buns with lacy and crispy crust. Talk about yummy!

A good water fried bun should have this lace.

The buns are so tender and soft, even toothless people can appreciate them!


It's a little labor intensive, but the heavy snow made me leave work early. I got plenty of time on hand..

First, combine warm water, eggs,oil,sugar, salt in the bread machine.
The portion is the same as Chinese soft buns.


Put in the flour and yeast


Choose "dough" for the machine


After the cycle completed, the dough would almost triple in volume.

Ok, now let's make the filling.
Combine 2 eggs, one TBSP water and 1/4 TSP salt, and beat. Then use 1 TBSP olive oil to cook the eggs.

Chinese chive flowers


Finely dice them


Wood ear mushroom


Chop them..


Use a little hot water to soak the bulgur. Let it undercook and still have some bite.


Mix all the ingredients and add some ground white pepper. The filling is done!
Make buns the size you like and let them sit for an hour.
Now the water fry.
Heat 1TBSP vegetable oil in a pan, and carefully put the buns in. Swirl them so that the bottom is well greased. Don't crowd the pan, otherwise the water won't distribute evenly and the buns may burn or get soggy. Put 1/2 cups of thin corn starch slurry in, and cover. Use high heat to boil the slurry, then lower to medium heat until almost all the liquid has evaporized. Then turn to low heat until you see a thin layer of starch paper. Turn off the heat and let it sit for 2 more minutes. Don't try to open the cover during the cooking because the buns would shrink!

Put a place over tha pan and carefully slip the buns out. Now you get it!

Falafel And Hummus

About chickpeas--Use dried ones for falafel and save canned ones for hummus!
Food truck is the trademark of philadelphia. Here, for less than 5 bucks, you can get amazingly good food from all over the world. I used to frequent a middle-eastern truck called "Magic carpet"--their falafel is the best I'v ever had! Keen to reproduce the same flavor, I bought some canned chickpeas (only 69 cents/can!) and started to wait for my impulse to cook.
Finally, on a lazy Friday night, I managed to make a mushy baked version of falafel. Word of caution--DO buy dried chickpeas and soak them, or you will end up like me!
Falafel

The taste is the same though..


Ingredient:

• 1 cup dried chickpeas
• 1/2 large onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2-1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 4-6 tablespoons flour
• Soybean or vegetable oil for frying
• Chopped tomato for garnishDiced onion for garnish
• Diced green bell pepper for garnish
• Tahina sauce
• Pita bread

Preparation:

1. Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Let soak overnight, then drain. Or use canned chickpeas, drained.
2.Place the drained, uncooked chickpeas and the onions in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the parsley, cilantro, salt, hot pepper, garlic, and cumin. Process until blended but not pureed.
3.Sprinkle in the baking powder and 4 tablespoons of the flour, and pulse. You want to add enough bulgur or flour so that the dough forms a small ball and no longer sticks to your hands. Turn into a bowl and refrigerate, covered, for several hours.
4.Form the chickpea mixture into balls about the size of walnuts, or use a falafel scoop, available in Middle-Eastern markets.
5.Heat 3 inches of oil to 375 degrees in a deep pot or wok and fry 1 ball to test. If it falls apart, add a little flour. Then fry about 6 balls at once for a few minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Stuff half a pita with falafel balls, chopped tomatoes, onion, green pepper, and pickled turnips. Drizzle with tahina thinned with water.
NOTE: Egyptians omit the cilantro and substitute fava beans for the chickpeas.
To garnish your falafel in true Israeli style, try adding one or several of the following condiments: harissa hot sauce, pickled turnip , mango amba (pickle), or sauerkraut.
Hummus
I don't want to make mushy falafel again, but I still have a can of chickpeas...Em..how about hummus?

I was lying on my bed last night, reading susan spicer's crescent city cooking (It makes my mind peaceful.^_^) , when her hummus recipe caught my eye. It has garlic confit? Gotta try it!

For garlic confit

Ingredient:

• 2 heads of garlic
• 1 cup of olive oil
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 sprigs of thyme or rosemary

Bring the mixture to a boil, and simmer until all the water has evaporized. The garlic would turn golden like the following picture.

For hummus:

Ingredient:

• 1/4 cups garlic confit
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 cans of chickpeas or white beans
• 1/2 cups of tahina
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1/4 cups of water
• 1 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar
• 2-4 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 1/4 cups of olive oil+1-2 tablespoon garlic confit olive oil

Blend all the ingredient together, and you will get this amazingly tasty hummus! It's quite addictive.:)

Perfect chinese soft buns

These chinese soft buns are nothing like the breads from your "western" bakery--I think Allen would agree with me 100%. Here is how I made those chocolate almond stuffed buns, so yummy, so easy!



They are feather light, with just a touch of sweetness...

Recipe from King Arthur
Dough

• 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) sugar*
• 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 3 cups (13 3/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1 tablespoon corn or safflower oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (9 ounces) warm water
• Fillingabout 2/3 cup filling of your choice, chilled

Topping

• 1 egg, lightly beaten with 3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) water
  *you can increase the sugar to 1/4 cup if you're using a sweet filling. Also, you could sprinkle some sugar on top after you do the egg wash.

Manual/Mixer Method:

1. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine all of the dough ingredients, and mix until the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased or floured surface, and knead it for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it's smooth and shiny. Or knead it in a mixer, using the dough hook.
2. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl or rising bucket, turn to coat, cover the container with plastic wrap, and let the dough rise till it's tripled in bulk; this took about 2 hours in our test kitchen, but may take longer in your home kitchen. The more bread you bake, the more wild yeast develops in your kitchen, the faster yeast doughs will rise; we bake a lot of yeast breads here in our test kitchen, so they tend to rise faster than they might in a regular kitchen.

Bread Machine Method:

1. Place all the dough ingredients into the pan of your bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer (usually, liquids first, yeast last). Program the machine for dough or manual, and press Start. Check the dough about 10 minutes before the end of the final kneading cycle and adjust its consistency as necessary by adding additional water or flour to form a soft, smooth ball. Allow the machine to complete its cycle, then allow the dough to remain in the machine till it's tripled in bulk, perhaps for another hour.

Shaping:

1. Turn the dough out onto a lightly greased or lightly floured work surface, and divide it into eight equal pieces, each about 3 ounces (85g), a bit smaller than a tennis ball. Cover the dough pieces, and let them rest while you prepare the filling of your choice. Note: To test this recipe, I used equal parts -- 2 1/2 ounces each --smoked tofu and minced cooked pork, moistened with a bit of bottled barbecue sauce. Pretty tasty!
2. Cover the unused dough pieces with a damp cloth or plastic wrap as you work. Working with one piece at a time, use your fingers to flatten it into a 4-inch round whose edges are slightly thinner than the center. Place a heaping tablespoon of the filling in the center of the dough, pull the edges into the center to enclose the filling, pinch to seal, then give the pinched edges a twist, to seal even more securely. Place the buns sealed-side-down on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough pieces and filling, placing buns about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
3. Cover the buns with a proof cover or lightly greased plastic wrap. After 45 minutes, brush them with the topping, and re-cover. After 1 hour (15 minutes later), brush them again with the topping. Don't worry if they don't appear to have risen much; they'll rise as they bake.

Baking:

Bake the buns in a preheated 350°F oven for 25 minutes, until they're golden brown. Serve them warm, or at room temperature. Yield: 8 buns.

This recipe reprinted from The Baking Sheet Newsletter, Vol. XIII, No. 2, Winter 2002 issue.

Soothing Desserts

About cardamom--there is nothing like cardamom! Not mild, but very soothing~

Solid yogurt with cardamon and cranberry honey sauce..
I added my own twist by pouring cranberry honey sauce on top. :)


Gelatin can make yogurt solid. It tastes quite different..



Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 teaspoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (from 1 envelope)
• Pinch ground cardamom
• dried cranberries
• 1 tablespoon mild honey (preferably orange blossom)
• Small pinch cinnamon
  Special equipment: a 1-cup ramekin (4 inches across and about 2 inches deep)

Preparation

1. Whisk together yogurt, sugar, and vanilla in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Put water in a very small saucepan and tilt pan so that water is on one side, then sprinkle gelatin and cardamom evenly over water. Let stand 1 minute to soften. Heat mixture over low heat, stirring, until gelatin is dissolved, about 30 seconds. Whisk hot gelatin into yogurt until combined well.
2. Pour yogurt into ramekin and chill, covered, until set, about 1 1/2 hours.
3. Bring dried cranberry, honey, and cinnamon to a simmer in cleaned very small saucepan, stirring, then simmer about 1 minute. Cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
4. Run a thin knife around edge of ramekin to loosen pudding, then dip ramekin into a bowl of hot water 30 seconds and invert pudding onto a plate. Spoon syrup over pudding and arrange orange around side.

Yam"cream" with almond, mint and champaign grapes

The yam was baked, mashed and mixed with port wine. Good match!

Chicken Tikka

About yogurt marinade--it makes a big difference!

I have been craving for Indian food for a long time. The only problem was that I couldn't find those spices! Recently I found a nice indian supermarket nearby and I am so thrilled! Yep, I will try all my indian recipes, one by one.

Ingredient:

• 1/2 cup thick plain whole-milk yogurt such as Greek
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon finely grated (with a rasp) peeled fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon finely grated (with a rasp) garlic
• 3/4 teaspoon garam masala (Indian spice mix)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes

Preparation

1. Stir together all ingredients except chicken in a medium bowl, then add chicken, stirring to coat. Marinate, covered and chilled, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Put chicken in preheated 550F oven, and let it bake for 5 to 7 minutes total.

I put the chicken pieces on top of lemon spinach--I can't eat meat without veggies. :)

Half-Blood Orange Budino

About budino--mix the egg whites gently but thoroughly, or you won't get those beautiful three layers!

I am very proud to present my version of budino, although I did forget to use water bath and the top cracked a little. :(

Check out the crispy topping...

And soft egg cloud....

And creamy corn custard....


Let your guests gasp and wonder how much work you put into this. It's quite easy indeed!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 1/4 cup very fine corn meal
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh regular lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons finely grated blood orange peel
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1/4 teaspoon saltWhipped cream (optional)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter six 3/4-cup custard cups or ramekins.( I recommend glass custard cups. After all, you worked so hard to get those beautiful layers. You want people to see, right?) Combine 1/2 cup sugar, egg yolks, corn meal, orange juice, and blood orange peel in large bowl; whisk until well blended. Whisk in milk.
2. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt(!) in medium bowl until frothy. Gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and beat until soft peaks form.
3. Fold beaten egg whites into orange mixture in 2 additions. After folding the egg whites in, the batter should look like this..
4. Divide mixture among prepared custard cups. Place custard cups in roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of custard cups. Bake puddings until tops are golden and spring back when lightly touched, about 30 minutes. Remove cups from water. Serve warm or cold with whipped cream, if desired.

30 minutes have elapsed........................................

Bam! Here comes our B-U-D-I-N-O! After thought: why do I call it half-blood orange budino? I was supposed to use blood-orange juice instead of regular orange juice, but I can't imagine what the color would be--maybe too scary for the picture! So blood orange peel+orange juice=half-blood orange, right?

Swordfish-Bacon Kebabs with Cilantro Gremolata

About swordfish--Cooked swordfish trumps sashimi this time!

I love sashimi. When I get fresh fish on hand, the first thing I think of is sashimi. But not swordfish, baby! The cooked swordfish is so tender that it literally melts in your mouth, while the raw fish tastes chewy and fishy to me.

Recipes from Ming Tsai.

Swordfish-Bacon Kebabs with Cilantro Gremolata
Serves 4

Ingredient:

• 1 cup chopped cilantro
• 3 lemons, zested and juiced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 stalks lemongrass, white part only, finely minced
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 12 slices of bacon
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1 1/2 pounds center-cut swordfish, cut into 1x1-inch cubes
• 4-8 long satay skewers, soaked in water
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Cooking spray

Preparation:

1. Prepare a hot grill, sprayed slick. In a bowl, combine the cilantro, lemon zest and juice, garlic, lemongrass and extra virgin olive oil. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
2. Assemble the kebabs by first skewering one end of the bacon and following with swordfish cube. Weave the bacon in between the swordfish and tomato as you thread each onto the skewer. Lay the kebabs in a dish and take 1/3 of the gremolata and rub all over kebabs. Let marinate for at least 20 minutes.
3. Season the kebabs with salt and pepper and grill until bacon is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Plate using a satay plate and serve with remaining gremolata in dipping bowl.
   

I made a salad using the leftover swordfish, skin on, sashimi style. But I ended up cooking the swordfish again with broccoli to make a pasta. NO swordfish sashimi, please! The rest of the salad was awesome!

Don't ask me where is the chicken, there is no chicken. Eggs? Don't you see the thousand year egg on top? Gotta improvise..

Ah.. You should see the peas, from the side. It's a true goddess dressing, creamy, light, tasty, everything but fatty. :)

Layered Salad with Green Goddess Tofu Dressing

Ingredient:

• 2 ripe avocados, chopped
• 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced, white and green separated
• 1/2 cup packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
• Juice of 4 limes
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 package silken tofu
• 2 cups green peas
• 3 ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch dice
• 3 cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 hard boiled eggs, sliced
• 6 slices of crisp bacon, chopped
• 1 head iceberg lettuce, cut into 1-inch dice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. In a food processor fitted with blade, puree avocados and scallion whites. Add parsley, lime juice and fish sauce and puree. With food processor running, drizzle in extra virgin olive oil to emulsify. Add silken tofu and puree; add water if too thick. Check for flavor and season.
2. Using glass coupes or clear bowls, build the salad in layers, seasoning each layer as you go. Start with peas, add about 1/2 cup dressing, taking care not to get dressing too close to sides of bowl. Then, layer tomatoes, dressing, chicken, dressing, eggs, lettuce, bacon and finish with a dollop of dressing. Garnish with scallion greens. Chill and present at the table in its layered form. Remember to toss the salad before serving.
   
   

Fermented Rice (甜酒酿）

About fermented rice--Control the temperature well, and you will always get this dreamy desset right!
I have to put the chinese name here (酒酿), because it's so romantic! When translated, all the poetry is gone! Sigh...............................................

"French women don't get fat", I agree, portion control is the key.

Then what's the secret to Chinese women's willowy figures? A lot of delicious good-for-you delicacies! For example, we love fermented rice--it's sweet with just a touch of alcohol. When mixed with Osmanthus fragrans, it tastes like heaven.
Let's see how it's made. The following pictures are from a friend 山菊花. But I made the fermented rice in the title picture. :)

First, you have to soak the rice (2-3 cups) overnight.
Then steam them for 30 minutes. See how shiny they become?

Finely grind the distiller's yeast (one ball for 2 cups of rice).

Scoop the rice into a clean bowl. Cool the rice down by slowly rinse them with cold water. Feel the temperature with your palm. If it's slightly higher than your body temperature, say you think it's hot, but you can put your palm still for 30 seconds, it's ready. Mix most of the yeast powder in. This is the key step. If the temperature isn't right, the fermented rice would go bad or tastes bitter/sour.

Use your palm to push the rice down firmly, then make a hole in the center. Scatter the rest of the yeast powder on the surface.

Use plastic wrap to tightly seal the bowl, and put it in a warm place for 2 days. I normally put it in my oven without turning it on.

When do you know it's ready to eat? If you see the hole in the middle filled up with liquid, it's time to enjoy this treat! Keep it in the fridge and it is good for a month. Time only makes it sweeter. :)

You can eat it as it is, or as I said, mix it with Osmanthus fragrans, and add a touch of honey. For more complicated dessert, you can make fermented rice cake or sticky rice balls. But trust me, make this wonderful fermented rice yourself. You can't find it anywhere in the supermarket!

Slow-cooked eggs

About eggs--Be patient sometimes, and let time do the wonders.

I am always amazed at the wisdom of ancient Chinese people. Whoever invented the thousand year eggs was definitely a genius. They are made by preserving duck, chicken or quail eggs in mixture of clay, ash, salt, lime, and rice straw for several weeks to several months, depending on the method of processing. After the process is completed, the yolk becomes a dark green, cream-like substance with a strong odor of sulfur and ammonia, while the white becomes a dark brown, transparent jelly with little flavor or taste. The transforming agent in thousand year egg is its alkaline material, which gradually raises the pH of egg from around 9 to 12 or more.[1] This chemical process causes an "inorganic version" of fermentation, which breaks down some of the complex, flavorless proteins and fats into simpler, flavorful ones.

For more information on thousand year eggs (century eggs), please click here.

I have been eating those delicious thousand year eggs all my life, so I am not surprised at all when I saw this 300 minutes egg. They were baked in a 212F oven for 5 hours to achieve a smoky flavor.

Click here to see how François-Xavier makes them.

The eggs in the following pictures were made by me.

It's quite interesting to see the dark egg "white" in an innocent white shell.

Actually the taste of 300-min eggs reminds me of a special kind of Chinese pickled eggs. The pickling liquid is made by boiling star anise，cinnamon，scallion，ginger，garlic, wine，soy sauce，dark soy sauce, chili，sugar and chicken stock all together.

The eggs are pickled for 3 hours and then blow-dried for 21 hours each day. The whole procedure takes a week. The end results are incredibly aromatic eggs. No offense, 604800 minutes eggs easily beat 300 minutes eggs. :)

Crispy cranberry tart

About cranberry--Don't skip on sugar, or the tartness would blow up your mouth!
Cranberry has become my favorite fruit. You can control the sweet level precisely depending on your mood, and they can revive your appetite in a second!
Tired of sticky, gooey cranberry pie/sauce, I found this crispy cranberry tart quite catchy.

The secret is to dust cranberries with confectioners' sugar and then freeze them. I also added Chrysanthemums because it has a cooling effect on the body (a traditional chinese therapy).


I got some pink cranberries too. They were stunningly beautiful without the white sleepwear~


Yep, there is no need to defrost the cranberries. Just bake them in 375F oven for 15 minutes, the skin should be quite crispy, and the inside should just start to pop.
I made a tart shell using Pierre Herme's recipe.

Spread some whipped cream on top.. Haha, I was watching my diet. You should certainly use pastry cream.


Arrange the baked cranberries on top. And it's done!


Believe me, it's prettier than the picture! The trick to get a perfect tart shell (they are very fragile!), is to put the tart pan on top of a wide-mouth jar, and gently push down the outer ring.



Time to dig in~~

Gravlax

About Dill--Cure de force!
I love to have gravlax as breakfast, but they are so expensive!
Em... How about making it myself? Fresh salmon is certainly affordable. Em....Good idea!
Dill has become my favorite pickling spice. I have combined dill seeds with red wine vineger to pickle carrot sticks with marvelous results, and now, it is working wonders on my salmon!

I stir fried some broccoli with garlic, and healthy as it is, it's so delicious~

Ingredients

Gravlax

• 1 teaspoon whole white peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 2 tablespoons sea salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 1-pound salmon fillet, skin on
• 1 cup chopped fresh dill, divided
  
  Sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey mustard
• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
• 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil or canola oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Mini pumpernickel or brioche toasts
Dill sprigs

Preparation

For gravlax:

1. Heat all peppercorns and coriander seeds in small skillet over medium-high heat until spices are fragrant and seeds jump slightly, shaking skillet frequently, about 2 minutes. Crush spices in mortar with pestle or transfer to work surface, cover with kitchen towel (not terry cloth), and crush with mallet or bottom of heavy pan. Transfer spices to small bowl. Mix in salt and sugar.
2. Using small sharp knife, poke 12 small holes through skin of salmon. Rub 1/3 of spice mixture over skin. Sprinkle 1/3 cup chopped dill in bottom of 7x7x2-inch or 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish. Place salmon, skin side down, atop dill. Rub remaining spice mixture into top of salmon. Press 2/3 cup chopped dill onto salmon. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly onto fish. Place plate or another pan atop plastic. Place heavy cans on plate. Refrigerate 2 to 3 days.

For sauce:

1. Whisk mustard and vinegar in small bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in oil. Stir in chopped dill and salt. Season with ground black pepper. (Sauce can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.) Scrape spices and dill off both sides of salmon (some spice mixture will remain).
2. Using knife with long thin blade, thinly slice salmon diagonally at 45-degree angle from top of fillet toward skin. Arrange toasts on platter; top with salmon slices, sauce, and dill sprigs.
   

Chicken with drunken prunes

About Prunes--Get them drunk and their taste would make you drunk!
I never thought prunes would go so well with brandy. In Chinese cuisine, it's common practice to add fruit to meat dishes. Not only would the fruit mask the smell of dead animals, their acidity would also make the meat more tender. Wonderful combo!

chicken with drunken prunes

Makes 4 servings

The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen

• 1 cup large pitted prunes (about 20)
• 2/3 cup Armagnac or other brandy, divided
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 4-pound cut-up free-range chicken
• 12 large shallots, peeled
• 1 1/4 cups organic chicken broth
• 3 large fresh thyme sprigs plus 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon Sherry wine vinegar

1. Boil prunes with 1/3 cup Armagnac in small saucepan until almost all liquid is absorbed, about 3 minutes. Cover and set aside.
2. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add to skillet, skin side down; cook until browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to plate. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings. Add shallots; cook until browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 1/3 cup Armagnac; boil 30 seconds, scraping up browned bits. Add broth, prunes, and thyme sprigs; bring to boil. Add chicken in single layer, skin side up, and any accumulated juices. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 17 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate.
3. Stir vinegar into sauce; simmer until thickened, 3 minutes. Remove thyme sprigs. Season with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with chopped thyme.

Beet ravioli with poppy seed butter

About Beet--Roast them until tender. Be careful, they "bleed"!

It's Chinese new year! Traditionally we use pork, shrimp, garlic chives, eggs, cabbages to make dumplings. The more dumplings you eat, the luckier you will be in the next year! Haha, just kidding~

But this year, I want to make something different--beet ravioli, a cousin of chinese dumplings. This is what it supposed to look like

My egg pasta turned out to be a little thick, and I used whole wheat white flour, so they are not transparant enough.

But they are still gorgeous and tasty!



beet ravioli with poppy seed butter Bon Appétit May 2005

Few stuffed pastas are as pretty as these traditional ravioli from Veneto. The rich, sweet filling of roasted beets is complemented by the unique flavor of tiny black poppy seeds. If you don't have time to make fresh pasta, use purchased wonton wrappers.
Makes 8 first-course servings.

• 2 large red or golden beets (about 14 ounces)1/2 cup fresh whole-milk ricotta cheese2 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs
• 1 1/4 pounds Fresh Egg Pasta
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter1 tablespoon poppy seedsFreshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap beets individually in foil; place on baking sheet. Roast until tender when pierced with knife, about 1 hour. Open foil carefully (steam will escape). Cool. Peel beets; finely grate into medium bowl. Add ricotta cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in breadcrumbs.
2. Roll Fresh Egg Pasta dough into sheets according to recipe.Place 1 dough sheet on work surface. Using 3-inch round biscuit cutter, cut sheet into 7 rounds. Transfer rounds to lightly floured baking sheet; cover with plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining dough for total of 56 rounds.
3. Sprinkle 2 smooth kitchen towels with flour.Place 8 pasta rounds on work surface, keeping remaining dough covered with plastic. Place small bowl of water next to work surface. Spoon 1 teaspoon beet filling onto half of each round. Dip fingertip into water and dampen edge of 1 round. Fold dough over filling, pushing out as much air as possible and pressing edges firmly to seal. Transfer to prepared towels. Repeat with remaining rounds. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Transfer to rimmed baking sheet and place in freezer until frozen solid, about 6 hours. Transfer ravioli to resealable plastic bags.)
4. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat and stir in poppy seeds; keep warm.Working in batches, cook ravioli in large pot of boiling salted water until cooked through, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to skillet with melted butter; toss to coat. Divide ravioli among 8 plates; sprinkle with Parmesan.
   
   
   

Tea time, Ball time!

About coconut-- Quick dessert fix! 20 minutes and your guests would be delighted!

Golden Coconut Balls

• 1.5 Cups sweetened coconut flakes
• 1 egg
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  

Mix the ingredient together, roll them into ball shape and bake in a preheated 350F oven for 10-15 minutes, until the balls are crispy and golden.


Æbleskiver with apple butter
Why are so many American people overweight? They put tons of sugar and butter in ANY dessert! One bite, your heart rate would soar!
I made my apple butter without any sugar, and they are still apple-y sweet!
Apple butter

• 3lb apples, diced
• 1 cup apple cider
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1 teaspoons of mince ginger

bring those ingredients to a simmer and reduce to "apple butter" consistency. :)
Using my apple butter, I made some Æbleskivers. Yum! They are so cute and delicious! Oops! I just bit into a perfect spherical Æbleskiver--it's not picture-perfect now. :(

Æbleskiver
Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 2/2 Tbs granulated sugar
• zest of 1/2 lemon
• 3 egg yolks,lightly whipped
• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
• 3 egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks
• 7 Tbs unsalted butter melted
• confectioners' sugar for dusting

Directions

1. In bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, granulated sugar, salt and zest. In small bowl, whisk egg yolks and buttermilk. Whisk into flour mixture; batter will be lumpy. Gently stir egg whites into batter in 2 additions
2. Put 1/2 tsp butter in each well of Æbleskiver pan. Heat over medium heat, Pour 1 Tbs batter into each well. PUt 1/2 tsp filling into center of each pancake; top with 1 Tbs batter. Cook until bottoms are golden and crispy, 3-5 minutes.
3. Using 2 skewers, flip pancakes over, cook until golden and crispy, about 3 minutes more. Transfer to plate. Repeat with remaining batter. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Makes about 40

Variations

1. lemon-mascarpone filled Æbleskiver

• 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
• 1/4cup meyer lemon curd

Using electric mixer fitted with flat beater, beat mascarpone and lemon curd until fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Cover filling, refrigerate

2. Maple-pecan Æbleskiver

• 5 Tbs maple butter
• 1/2 cup pecans toasted and chopped
• pinch of salt

In small bowl, stir together maple butter, pecans and pinch of salt.

Ladle into sterilized jars and process as directed for Shorter Time Processing Procedure.

Variation: Spiced Apple Butter
Add 2 tsp (10 mL) ground cinnamon and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) each ground cloves and allspice with the sugar.

Extra! Tips from Epicurious:
• This recipe uses a mix of two varieties of apples for greater flavor.

"If these types are not available in your area, go for what's fresh and local," says Topp. "This might change the texture of the butter slightly, but starting with quality fruit is the most important thing."

• "This sweet spread does not need to be processed as long as a relish or pickle recipe," says Topp.

"The sugar does most of the preserving — you just need to briefly boil the jars to kill off any contaminants that might have gotten in during filling."