House Special Fried Rice, Roche style

 Another fast, easy, and delicious fried rice creation from Nick’s kitchen, you must try this. It’s full of nutrients, low on fat and calories, and oh, did I mention full of flavors?

Ingredients

Brown rice 6 cups cooked

Scallops, 8 oz., small

Shrimp, 8 oz. bay size

Shallots, 4 tbsp chopped

Scallions, .75 cup, chopped

*Peppers, 1 large, chopped

Garlic, 10 cloves

*Kikoman Stir Fry Sauce, 1.25 tbsp

*Eden Mirin (rice cooking wine), 3 tbsp

*Kikkoman Lite Soy Sauce, .35 tbsp

Egg, fresh, whole, raw, 2 large

*Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 4 tbsp

Salt, .5 tsp

Chicken Breast (cooked), no skin, 4 ounces chopped

fresh ginger, 3 teaspoons chopped

Tips

You can also use 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce for added flavor. When doing so, add it to the cooked vegetables and seafood before you add it to the rice.

Pre-cook your rice as per package directions.

While rice is cooking, saute ginger, garlic, bell pepper, and shallots in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat for approximately 6 minutes. Add half the Mirin, stir.

Remove ingredients from pan into a bowl. Set aside.

In same fry pan, saute shrimp and scallops in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat for 5 minutes, frequently stirring. Salt and pepper with half the salt. Remove seafood from pan and add to cooked vegetable bowl.

Clean fry pan, spray with cooking spray. Lightly scramble raw eggs and saute over medium high heat, stirring so as to make scrambled eggs. DO        NOT OVERCOOK. Remove eggs to a small bowl.

When rice is cooked, stir fry in large fry pan with remaining olive oil

over medium high heat, stirring frequently.

To the bowl with seafood and vegetables, add the remaining Mirin, stir fry sauce, salt, lite soy sauce, pepper, chicken breast (chopped), and stir well.

Add ingredients to the rice, stirring well and making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan. Add the chopped scallions (green onions) and cooked eggs and stir well.

Turn heat off, remove pan and taste for proper seasonings. If you want more salt, add another teaspoon of lite soy sauce. Serve hot.

Serving Size: makes 8 servings approx. 1 1/2 cups each

Number of Servings: 8

Turmeric and coconut cream add a whole new dimension to the classic Leek and Potato Soup

There's something wonderful about working the art of Cuisine. Like a painter with his/her palate of basic oils or acrylics, blending primary colors to create entire new ones only limited by an imagination, so too is the Chef and his/her vast array of fresh ingredients, spices, and herbs in creating new recipes from the old classics. This idea did not go unnoticed in this latest creation, Turmeric Leek and Potato Soup.


Providing Indian ingredients to this classic soup opens a whole new window to what you can do with potatoes and leeks and introduces new flavors that you might not have thought about blending. The coconut cream enhances the smooth and silky texture that you will notice from the very first spoonful, while the turmeric adds the accent of an ever so gentle curry undertone that will leave you wondering why you haven't thought of this before.

It's time to seize the opportunity to experience this new recipe for yourself. The ingredients are easy to find, the preparation is quick and simple, and the results of your efforts will wow your most discriminating guests.


Ingredients

13 oz. (370 gm) leek stalk, sliced in 1/4 inch thickness
2 medium size Russet potatoes (about a pound)
3 medium shallots, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
5 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped
4 cups of water
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/3 teaspoon of ground black pepper
1 teaspoon of salt (additional to taste, if needed)
1/2 cup of coconut cream
1 tablespoon of butter, unsalted
1 teaspoon of Turmeric powder
1 tablespoon of plain low fat yogurt or Greek yogurt
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish


Directions

Prepare ingredients and gather cooking pots and utensils. Peel and cut the potatoes into 1 inch squares, slice the leeks into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices and soak in cold water for 10 minutes, then remove into a dry bowl with your hands, chop shallots, crush garlic with a knife and then chop finely.

In a 8 to 10 inch diameter pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. When oil is hot, saute the shallots until translucent, then add the garlic. Continue to saute for another minute.

Begin to add the leeks a handful at a time, saute for about a minute between handfuls. Once all leeks are cooking, stir and continue to saute for another few minutes reducing heat to medium.

Next, add the 4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Once water is boiling, add the potatoes, salt, and pepper and lower heat to low, cover, and continue to cook for about 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, using a fork, check to make sure the potatoes are tender and cooked. Using a ladle, transfer approximately 4 scoops into a prepared food processor.

To the food processor, now add the coconut cream, butter, and Turmeric powder. Process until everything is well blended and the mixture is silky smooth. Once accomplished, return the mixture to the pot with the remainder of the soup, stir until well blended.

Lower heat to simmer and allow to finish on simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve hot, with a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley or cilantro. Perform a final taste to adjust your salt and pepper to your desired level.  Enjoy.

This preparation should serve 8 ounce portions for a party of six.

Tips

When preparing the leeks, cut the top 2 inches of the stalks and discard; however, please use the rest of the green as well as the white parts. The green part is where most of the nutrients are and it enhances the flavor of your soup.

To soup or not to soup all depends on you

With the arrival of warmer weather, it's all too often that soup begins to take a back seat to its more fair weather friend, la salade. Well, the time has come to break from traditional habits. Soup is perfectly comfortable as the days and nights warm up. In fact, if you carefully pick and choose the type of soup, it makes perfect sense as a first course for a July evening dinner.

Think lighter fare when choosing what soup you plan to prepare. We're not talking about the heavy and hearty guns here, but more in the line of light and creamy soups that a simple ladle or two will suffice. Think of a light and silky scarf around your neck as you stroll through the city park on a warm Summer's eve, instead of that thick, old, and scratchy wool muffler that's been hanging in your closet that you can't wait to re-gift. Now you're beginning to envision a wonderful cream of red lentils and carrots with a light scent of ginger and golden curry as you close your eyes and your mind wanders to the sandy beaches of Panaji with subtle, warm breezes blowing in from the Arabian Sea as the Sun gives its last kiss good night.

Snap out of it! It's time to make soup and you've no time for day dreaming. Get yourself a fan and pretend. Here are the ingredients for Red Lentil and Carrot Ginger Soup:

2 cups of carrots, chopped in one inch pieces
1 cup of dry red lentils, well rinsed
2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh peeled young ginger
6 cups of chicken stock
3/4 cups of coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon of golden curry power or turmeric (your choice)
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of white pepper
1 tablespoon of honey
1 tablespoon of butter

Begin by bringing the chicken stock to a full boil in a medium to large pot. Add the carrots and the red lentils and boil for about 15 minutes uncovered over medium high heat, stirring occasionally. You will begin to see some foaming around the edges. Take a soup spoon and carefully skim this off and discard it. Reduce heat to medium and add the ginger. Cover and continue cooking for about 30 minutes or until the carrots are tender and lentils are soft to the bite. Check back occasionally and stir.  Liquid should have reduced a bit and lentils should have absorbed some liquid as well.

Now transfer the carrots and lentils, along with the liquid to a food processor in 3 equal amounts and process for about 3 minutes each. Once processed, return the soup to the pot by way of straining through a fine mesh strainer. Take your time and don't rush the straining, as you want to have a silky smooth consistency. You can use a spoon to keep the mesh clear as you strain, but don't try to push it through. Any solids left in the strainer can be discarded. This process can take 10 minutes, but be patient. The finer the mesh the better.

Once the soup has been put through the strainer and back in the pot, stir in the coconut milk, the curry powder (or turmeric), salt, pepper, and honey. Make sure the cook top is reduced to low. Stir well until all ingredients are well blended. If you desire less thickness to your soup, add more cream or coconut milk and stir well.  Taste for flavor and add a bit more salt if needed. Continue to cook on low for about 15 minutes until it comes to a very very low boil, all the while stirring frequently. Once it comes to a boil, cook for just about 5 more minutes, remove from heat, and melt 1 tablespoon of butter until completely blended. Serve hot with sprinkled parsley or a nob of sour cream. Settle in the back yard, hit the fan, and go back to your day dream. Enjoy!

Thai Peanut Sauce Fried Rice Recipe

This rice dish pairs very well with the Basil Baked Game Hen entree. The flavors are exquisite with just a touch of heat. Each bite will have you going back for more (you may even find yourself sneaking a small bowl of it as a later evening snack). Not only will this rice dish hold its head high against the best of restaurant fried rice dishes, but it's so simple to prepare that you'll want to make it often, with variations on the ingredients.

• 4 oz. of pork loin, diced
• 1/4 cup of finely chopped leek
• 1/2 cup of chopped fresh red pepper
• 2 cloves of fresh minced garlic
• 1/4 cup of fresh sweet Thai basil, chopped
• 3 tablespoons of Thai peanut sauce
• 2 pinches of dried chili pepper
• 4 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of sesame oil
• 1 cup of uncooked short grain rice
• 1/2 cup of white rice wine
• 1 2/3 cup of water
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Begin by bringing water to a boil in a medium pan.
2. Add the rice, some salt, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Bring back to a boil, stir well, lower heat to low, and cover. Allow to cook for about 20 minutes.
3. While rice is cooking, prepare all other ingredients, chopping and mincing. Be sure to use the lower part of the leek stalk (the white part). You may substitute 1/2 finely chopped onion for the leek if you prefer.
4. Heat the olive and sesame oil in a large fry pan or wok over medium high heat.
5. Saute the meat until browned, then add the leek and red pepper. Continue to saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
6. Next add the garlic, stir, and continue cooking for another few minutes.
7. Add the rice wine and stir to deglaze the bottom of the pan.
8. Lower heat to medium low and stir in the peanut sauce. Then stir in the fresh basil and 2 pinches of the red pepper flakes. Taste for flavor, add your desired pepper and salt if needed. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
9. Wipe the fry pan (or wok) with a clean paper towel. Add a bit of olive oil enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Heat over a medium high heat.
10. Flake the cooked rice with a fork and add it to the fry pan. Stir quickly and saute rice for about 2 minutes.
11. Add the cooked ingredients you set aside to the rice and stir until all ingredients are well incorporated with the rice. Sprinkle in a bit of sesame oil and do one final stir. Remove from heat and transfer to a large serving bowl. Serve hot.  

Chinese Green Beans n Bacon Stir Fry is lip smacking delicious!

If you are fortunate enough to live in an area that has an Asian supermarket, you are urged to explore it. It's a trip to the market that is unlike any you have been accustomed to. There, you will find foods from vegetables, seafood, to meats you won't find at a regular market. Packaged goods, spices, noodles, and pastries are in great abundance with choices that will make your eyes spin. Furthermore, the prices are very reasonable whether you are shopping for fresh foods, processed goods, or canned items. You will find items that can be purchased in bulk from rice and pasta to grains and legumes at great savings.

One of the items in the produce department that is of great interest is Chinese green beans. That's probably not the official name of this vegetable, but its delicious. Each bean is approximately 12 to 16 inches in length. All you do is cut each one up in the lengths that you want and prepare them the same ways you prepare regular green beans. They are slender like the French style green beans and are indistinguishable in flavor. The preparation presented here is a sesame stir fry with bacon chunks, shallots, and fresh ginger. Preparation is very easy to assemble and cooking time takes only minutes. Here's what you'll need:

1/2 pound of Chinese green beans, cut into 3 inch lengths
1/2 pound of bacon chunks (bacon strips sliced in 1 inch strips)
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
2 medium shallots, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 inch chunk of fresh ginger, julienned thinly
1 teaspoon of sesame seeds
3 tablespoons of water
1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
salt and pepper to taste

It is preferable to use a wok if you have one. Otherwise, use a large saute pan. Heat the sesame and vegetable oil over medium high heat. Once hot, saute the bacon chunks until they begin to get browned. I much prefer to use chunks of bacon. You can take and chop it up in smaller pieces. Ask your butcher to prepare them for you. Many times you can find a few packages in the meat section next to the pork and chicken. They are usually chunks that would otherwise be thrown away, but you'll be amazed as to how much more meat there is than regular bacon.

Once bacon is beginning to brown, add the shallots, garlic, and fresh ginger. Continue to saute, stirring frequently. After a few minutes, add the beans and stir until all ingredients are well blended together. Add your salt and pepper to taste, and continue to saute, reducing heat to medium, for about 5 or 6 minutes. Add about 3 tablespoons of water, stir, and lower heat to low. Continue to simmer for a few more minutes. Right before finished, sprinkle a tablespoon of oyster sauce and stir. Finally, sprinkle the sesame seeds over the dish and serve and present in the wok. Serve hot with a side of steamed white rice or noodles.

Black Japonica Rice is truly "The Emperor's Rice"

Black Japonica has its historical roots in Northern China where it was known as, "The Emperor's Rice". It is a minimally processed rice; therefore, it tends to retain most of its natural nutritional value as well as its rich bran. Traditionally, it tends to be a sticky rice; however, this preparation allows the grains to remain loose and yet retain that somewhat chewy texture. This is a wonderful rice served both hot or chilled. This preparation is as follows:

1 cup of Black Japonica Rice
2 cups of water
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspsoon of butter
6 oz. of coconut milk (170 ml)
1 red bell pepper, sliced and chopped
1 green Italian pepper, sliced and chopped
2 medium shallots, finely chopped
1 teaspoon of crushed garlic
2 teaspoons of fresh ginger, minced
3 pinches of red chili flakes
1 level teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of crushed black pepper

Heat the sesame oil and butter in a pan over medium heat. When butter is melted and begins to foam, add the uncooked rice and stir, bringing heat to medium high. Continue to stir for about a minute or so to toast rice. Now add your water, stir and bring to a boil. When boiling occurs, reduce heat to low and cover. Cook covered for about 40 min at low heat.

While rice is cooking, heat the olive oil in a pan over medium high heat. When oil begins to smoke slightly, add the peppers, shallots, and ginger, and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. When peppers begin to brown, reduce heat to medium low and add the coconut milk and stir. Bring heat to low and add the remaining ingredients (crushed garlic, red chili flakes, salt, and pepper) and stir to blend everything together. Cover and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Once rice is cooked, drain any excess water there may be and add rice to the pan with the peppers and sauce. Stir so rice is completely coated. Taste for flavor and add more salt, pepper, and chili flakes to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot. This is a delicious side dish that can be served with pan fried chicken strips or your favorite seafood, or you can eat it all by itself. Enjoy!

Mexico celebrates lentils Latin style

Ahhh... those lentils, so good, so healthy, and so versatile. If you have been following this blog, you will have noticed lentils done as a salad, soup, entree, and appetizer. Prepared French, Asian, and curry style. Now you can add Mexico to that list with this wonderful preparation full of Latin influence.

Having forgotten to take something out of the freezer, the second choice was to find something out of the pantry (which consists of 2 small shelves in the cupboard above the kitchen sink). Don't laugh, you would be amazed how much can be packed in an area not much larger than 2 carry on bags! Well, as it turns out, the pantry was the right place to start. I found a bag of French style lentils that was begging to be prepared in a way that I had not yet created. The Mexican Paella posted not long ago was a hit and it was time that lentils had their day South of the Border. And so that is the story of this recipe, which turned out wonderful I might add. It's very simple to make and with the exception of one or two ingredients, most of the other ingredients are probably loafing around in your pantry and fridge. Here's what we need:

1 1/2 cups of French style lentils (they keep their shape better when cooking)
1 1/2 cups of chicken stock
1 1/2 cups of water
4 oz. (100 gm) of chorizo (Mexican or Spanish) sliced thin
5 Tomatillos (medium, cut in quarters)
2 Tomatoes (medium, cut in halves, then sliced)
2 cups of fresh green beans, cut in halves
8 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
2 shallots, diced
1 large onion, chopped
2 large red bell peppers, chopped
1/4 cup of parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon of Cumin
1 teaspoon of fresh chopped Tarragon
1/2 teaspoon of chili powder
1 teaspoon of salt + 2 pinches
1 teaspoon of black pepper
4 tablespoons of olive oil
A few drops of Tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon of colorante (see below - only if you have some)

A word about colorante. It is a substitute for Saffron. It comes in powder form, yellow-orange in color, and much less expensive than Saffron. It adds a nice color to your dish and I think it adds an extra layer of flavor albeit very subtle. Nowdays, you can probably find it in ethnic food stores and even the Asian supermarkets that are springing up everywhere in the States. If you're in Mexico, Central and South America, or Europe, you should find it easily available. I recently found some at one of the Asian markets that sell foods and spices from all over the world. If you can't find it, go ahead and use a few Saffron strands.

As usual, please do all your prep work before you start cooking. It will make it much easier on you. Also, don't fear the "long" list of ingredients for this recipe. Most of it consists of spices that are so integral to this dish. Now that you have everything ready and together, it's time to cook.

Start by getting a large pan that is a good 3 inches deep and pour 1/2 of the olive oil. Heat the oil over medium high heat and saute your chorizo until it is beginning to brown. Remove the chorizo and set aside. Do not discard the oil. When chorizo has cooled a bit, use a sharp knife and chop each slice into rough pieces.

In the same pan, now at medium heat, saute the garlic, onion, and shallots until they become translucent. Next, add the red peppers, stir and continue to saute for about 5 minutes. Add the lentils and stir well so that they are well coated. If you need more oil, you can now add the other half of it. Saute for a few minutes.

Next, add your remaining vegetables and stir to incorporate all the ingredients. Saute another couple of minutes and add your liquid, bringing heat back up to medium high. Return the chorizo to the pan and add all your spices, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. You should have have all your ingredients in the pan.

Bring to a boil, stir well, and cover, reducing heat to medium low. Continue to cook for 30 minutes, returning for a final stir about half way through (15 minutes). When done, lentils should be cooked through just past al dente and still retain their shape. Stir one last time, remove from stove and keep covered for about 10 minutes so that remaining juices can be absorbed.

You can serve this in a dress up way or casual, as the pictures show. Dressed up, gather a few metal molds that look more like cookie cutters. Set molds on a cookie sheet and fill them, making sure to pat the lentils down with a spoon. Fill to about 1/4 inch below top rim of mold and fill remaining quarter inch with a Mexican blend grated cheese and set under the broiler for about 6 minutes or until cheese bubbles. Remove them from the oven and let set for a few minutes. Then, using a spatula, transfer them to a dinner plate, run a thin, sharp knife around the rim and carefully lift the mold.

As a more casual way of serving, simply serve a couple of serving spoonfuls per guest on a dinner plate and sprinkle some chopped parsley over the dish for garnish. I guarantee you and your guests will love this dish. It's full of flavors and each spice adds a nice layer to the flavors. It's wonderful! If you are a vegetarian, simply cut out the chorizo and chicken stock and use 3 cups of water instead.

Hummus Elegantus comfortable in clay or crystal

Although most popular in the Middle East, nowdays hummus feels well at home throughout most of the Western Hemisphere and Europe. Rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals, this dish can play a duet as an appetizer for your dinner party and lunch for a lite fare gathering. Although the basic ingredients are found in most recipes i.e., chick peas (garbanzos), garlic, and olive oil, there are many varients of the dish. You can dress it down with just basics or class it up with a touch of this and a touch of that and give it a wonderful assortment of subtle yet exotic flavors. This preparation is a bit dressed up and hence I called it Hummus Elegantus. I think you'll agree this melange of ingredients will wow the palate. Let's gather them now:

2 cans of chick peas (also called garbanzo beans), save 1/4 cup of the juices
2 garlic bulbs, roasted (see directions below)
3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons of sesame seeds (alternatively you may use tahini)
Juice from one fresh lemon
1/4 teaspoon of white finely ground pepper
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika (hot or mild, your choice)
1 teaspoon of pimentos (for garnish)
1 teaspoon of capers (for garnish)
flat leaf parsley (for garnish)
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard (medium hot)

First, preheat your oven to 400. Place garlic bulbs unpeeled, directly on the middle oven rack and roast for 50 minutes to 1 hour until cloves are nice and soft. Don't short the roasting time because you want the garlic to be "creamy" when blended.

While garlic is roasting, drain the beans, remembering to save 1/4 cup of the liquid. Set liquid aside. Combine beans, olive oil, sesame seeds, lemon juice, and all the dry spices in a food processor. Add 1/2 of the liquid from your beans. Pulse process for about 1 minute until beans become smooth and ingredients are well blended. Next, add the Dijon mustard and pulse for another 10 seconds or so. With a spatula, scrape the sides of the bowl and pulse process another 30 seconds. If you need more moisture, add the remaining liquid from the beans. Leave mixture sitting in the bowl until garlic is ready.

Once garlic is well roasted, peel and partially mash cloves before adding them to the hummus. Now pulse the mixture with the garlic once last time for about 20 seconds and give it a taste for flavor. It should be perfectly seasoned; however, if you like it a bit saltier, add a couple more pinches of salt and pluse for 5 seconds more. It's all to personal taste. If you like it a bit spicy, you can even add 1/2 teaspoon of red chili flakes, but it's probably not necessary.

Transfer to a nice clay bowl for a casual get together, or go crazy elegant with a crystal dish. Place the parsley in the center of the bowl and carefully place the pimento on top of the parsley so as to make a flower. Place the capers in a circular position around the parsley. And there you have it, ready for your most discriminating guests, sure to gobble this up like there's no tomorrow. Serve with your favorite dipping bread or crackers and enjoy.

Many thanks to Gabriel, who captured my attention with this recipe.

Spice it up a bit with Mexican Paella

By now, if you have been following this blog, you are familiar with the Spanish Paella that has been presented and well reviewed. The dish is a wonderful and delicate flavor of what Spain has to offer, the abundance of seafoods, fresh vegetables, its famous Bomba rice, and of course one must not forget the great Spanish pork used for chorizo. All that's well and good and over time it has become an all time favorite on the request list of dishes to make at my dinner parties. But it's time to spice it up a bit and bring it closer to home with a flavor from south of the border, Mexico!

Bringing in the taste of Mexico is a perfect marriage for Paella. Mexican chorizo, tomatillos, and spicy green chilies simply sets sail the Paella that made culinary Spain famous across the Atlantic to become Mexican Paella that everyone is sure to embrace every bit as much as its famous cousin. So without further dissertation, let's begin with our shopping list.

Enough to feed 6 people:

2 lbs of chicken wings
1 pound of shelled and cleaned medium shrimp
1 pound of Mexican chorizo, medium heat, sliced in 1/2 inch thickness
2 pounds of fresh Manila clams in shell
1 1/2 cups of short grain rice (Bomba is best)
2 medium sized tomatillos, diced
1 large yellow onion, diced
6 cloves of garlic, diced
1 small green chili, finely diced (2 if you're brave)
2 medium shallots, diced
1 1/2 cup of frozen baby peas
2 cups of fresh green beans, cut in 1 inch sizes
1/4 cup of olive oil
4 1/2 cups of chicken stock
1/4 cup of Tequila
1 teaspoon of paprika (smoked if possible)
1 cup of diced tomato
1/4 teaspoon of red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon of Saffron threads
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon of salt (to taste, so taste before)

The best way not to make this dish labor intensive or complicated, let alone intimidating, it is best, as always, to do all your prep work ahead of time so that all you have to concentrate on is the cooking. Trust me, it works very well that way. So start gathering all your ingredients in their proper amounts, wash, soak, slice, chop, and dice. You're now halfway there. In a very large pan (either paella pan 14" or large oval dutch oven ) heat the olive oil over medium heat. The oil should completely cover the pan. If it doesn't, just add a bit more.

Start by sauteing the chorizo until they are slightly browned and the oil has taken on a shade of the color of the chorizo. Remove the chorizo and now brown your chicken wings for a few minutes. Remove and set alongside the chorizo. If the oil gets too hot, simply turn down the heat slightly.

Next, saute in the same pan, the onion, garlic, diced chili,, and shallots until they become translucent and begin to slightly brown. Once this occurs, add the Tequila and scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Stir well so that Tequila gets absorbed completely by the onions. Now, add the tomatillos and the rice. Stir well so that rice gets well coated. Allow the rice to saute for no more than a minute or so. Now you can add the chicken stock but save 1/2 cup to heat up separately for the saffron threads. Stir well and add the green beans, paprika, diced tomato, black pepper, salt, and chili powder.

While you await the stock to come to a slow boil, heat the chicken stock you set aside in the microwave and add the saffron threads. Allow them to completely bleed into the stock. Add to the rest of your stock. When chicken stock begins to boil, add the chorizo and chicken back into the pot, bring back to a aboil, and then reduce heat to low and cover for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, add the peas, clams, and shrimp, carefully immersing the clams into the rice and broth. Cover again and allow to cook for an additional 10 minutes. When finished, there should possibly be a small amount of liquid left, which is totally fine. Remove from heat and allow to rest semi covered for about 10 minutes. This will allow the rice to complete its absorption of the liquid and you will have a perfectly moist but firm rice.

Present the Mexican Paella in the dish it was cooked in so that it will remain hot. Your guests will be impressed with your culinary prowess and melt in their seats when they savour the first bite. And you won't have to tell them how easy it was to make. Enjoy!

Ashe Anar Soup - I Did It My Way

One of the things that I want to accomplish in this blog is to introduce you to new dishes and how to use ingredients that you are familiar with in a way that you might not be so accustomed to. This week it's pomegranates. Pomegranates are an interesting fruit, one of the few fruits where you eat the seeds and throw out everything else. But it has a variety of uses, I found out. Earlier in the week, I used pomegranate to make a cranberry sauce and this weekend I was thumbing around and found that it can be used in making soups. One of these is Ashe Anar, also called The Pomegranate Soup. I want to share this recipe with you; however, I want to make a couple of changes from the traditional recipe.

First, I am using ground lamb instead of ground beef. You could also use lamb shanks as well. I think lamb adds a richer flavor to this soup and combines very well with pomegranate. Second, I am using yellow lentils as opposed to split peas. Let's face it, the yellow lentils go great with lamb and yet they don't overpower the other ingredients as much as split peas might. I also have read that beets and their flowerettes are used. Since I don't like beets, I decided to use baby zuchini with their flowerettes attached. Other than that, the traditional recipe remains intact. I'm sure you're either getting tired of turkey leftovers or you've run out of ideas on what to do with those leftovers. This will give you a nice break. Here's what we need:

AT LAST THE PAELLA HAS ARRIVED !!

 Well, it has been a long time coming, but I finally am able to post the long awaited Paella article. There is so much to say about Paella that it's impossible to know where to begin. I will start by saying the Paella pictured above, is the one I made in Arizona for Felicia Sorensen. The one below is one I made a year ago for Labor Day.

 Today, Paella is found on the menus of the higher priced restaurants and a serving can command a price tag of $18 to $30. What is ironic is that it was traditionally a peasant dish that consisted of various ingredients that were available in the area and could even include left over items. In Spain the variations of the dish were and still are influenced by where it's made. The regions where there is pork and chicken will feature those meats prominently. If there is an abundance of lamb or rabbit, those items will be included. They all have 3 things in common however, they all include rice, saffron, and some type of seafood or meat.

The original Paella is known as the Valencian Paella. Valencians hold their recipe dear to their heart and have insisted that only the ingredients called for in their recipe can be used for the authentic Valencian rice dish. Among these are chicken, rice, duck, snails, butter beans, artichoke, various other beans, and spices including of course saffron. It is in the region of Valencia that Paella was born during the 18th Century. Over time, the entire Iberian Penninsula adopted it as an uncrowned national dish; however, this dish most traditionally identifies Valencia.

Although there are Paellas that contain only meats or just seafood, the more well known throughout the world is that which is called a mixed Paella, which includes various meats and seafood. One can go crazy with the various ingredients and sometimes too many is too much for a good conclusion. Remember, each ingredient is competing with one another in the flavor category, so it's smart to limit your choices and allow the saffron aroma to be the King. Everything else will fall into place and you will enjoy what is considered by many as one of the great rice dishes of the world.

The Paella that I will make with you today is of the "mixed" variety. We will use pork and chicken in the meat category and shrimp, scallops, fresh clams, and mussels in the seafood category. To tie it all together, we will use the Spanish saussage called Chorizo. Two things you cannot substitute are Chorizo and Saffron, no exceptions! Do not use Italian saussage or it will not be Paella. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about. The only problem that I tend to run up against when making this wonderful dish, is that I tend to call for larger quantities of the ingredients that can fit in my pan. So please keep this in mind when making yours. I will try to give you approximate quantities for a party of 6 people which is a good average. You can adjust things accordingly to your number of guests.

Before we start, I want to talk about rice for a minute. Rice and getting it right is extremely important. If you screw up the rice, you will most likely screw up your Paella. Certain things you want to know are stay away from quick cook rice (the 5 minute Uncle Bens stuff), stay away from long grain rice which will absorb the moisture too quickly and thereby become soggy, and finally, don't let your rice get soggy ! With all that in mind, you want to look for a short and hearty grain rice. Those are the best to use when making Paella. Among the best choices is Bomba rice. It can be found in most supermarkets or specialty food stores. Whole Foods has a great selection of grains and I am sure they probably have several rice varieties that work well with Paella. But please, don't try to short cut through this one, it just isn't worth it and since you really want to make this a hit in your family the first time around, get the right rice.

I am going to assume that you have purchased a Paella pan as I discussed last week. I gave each of you plently of time to shop for them. If you ordered them online, they should be arriving by week's end. Otherwise, there were some available I believe at Target or Walmart in the $30 range for a decent 14 inch one. There's something else that I want to talk about at this time. This dish may appear very difficult to make, but I assure you that it's not the difficulty, but the time consumption and the attention to detail that is necessary. There are no special measurements or wierd baking instructions and no need for foreign dictionaries. In that respect, this is a very simple dish to make. But I"m not kidding when I say if you want to serve this by 6 PM, shop for your fresh ingredients early in the morning around 9 AM, do your prep work by 1 PM, and start cooking by 3 PM. I may be stretching this a bit, but I just want to convey to you that it's not a one hour meal. So fall in love with everything about it, the ingredients, the smells and aromas, and put on some Spanish music. Here is our shopping list for this version of Paella:

MEATS

5 Boneless and skinless chicken thighs, cut in quarters

1 lb of pork, cut in 1 inch pieces (does not have to be an expensive cut)

3 links of Chorizo saussage, cut in 1/2 inch slices (ask your butcher)

SEAFOOD

24 fresh clams in their shells

18 fresh mussels in their shells

1/2 lb of sea scallops, cut in half

1/2 lb of unshelled medium sized shrimp

Optional - 6 crab legs or claws or 6 to 8 jumbo prawns unshelled and heads on

VEGETABLES

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

2 medium red tomatoes, seeded and chopped

2 medium yellow onions, chopped

6 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/2 cup of pitted green olives (ok they're fruit) cut in halves

1/2 cup of pitted black olives cut in halves

1 cup of thawed frozen baby peas (or green beans, cut and parboiled)

1 cup of garbanzo beans (this is unique to my recipe and have found that it works)

1/4 cup of chopped parsley

OTHER INGREDIENTS

3 cups of rice (either Bomba or Calasparra)

6 cups of chicken broth

1/2 cup of dry white wine

1/4 cup of olive oil

3 tablespoons of anise liquor (Pernod, Ricard, or Uozo)

1/4 teaspoon of Spanish smoked paprika

1 teaspoon of saffron threads

3 tablespoons of pimientos

6 to 8 lemon wedges (for garnish)

Before you start cooking, make sure that all your prep work is done. This includes chopping, slicing, and the following. Shell the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Put the shells in a medium size pot and add the chicken broth. Bring broth to a boil, lower heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the shells and discard. Add the saffron and paprika to the broth, cover pot, and keep on warm heat, but do not boil or simmer, just keep it warm. Preheat your oven to 325.

Pour the olive oil in your paella pan and heat oil on high. Saute your chicken and pork until golden brown. Remove from heat and set on a platter. Cover to keep warm. Now saute your chorizo on medium high for about 5  minutes. Add your onions, peppers, and garlic, and saute until onions get translucent. Now add your shrimp and saute for about 2 minutes. Remove the shrimp and put them in the platter with the chicken and pork. Stir the onions and peppers and add the anise liquor, then the white wine to deglaze. Now add the rice and stir well so rice is nicely coated. Next, add the chicken broth to the rice and stir well. Add the parsley, garbanzo beans, peas, olives, tomato, and pimientos and stir well. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered for 10 minutes over medium high heat. Stir on occasion so rice doesn't stick to bottom of pan.

Now add the chicken and pork back to the pan, bury the scallops and shrimp in the rice, place the mussels and clams into the rice face up,  and place in the oven uncovered. Cook in the oven for about 20 minutes, checking after about 15 minutes to make sure rice is nearly done. You want it to be al dente at that point, not crunchy.  If you feel you need a little moisture, you may add 1/4 cup of stock, but it's doubtful you will need to. After 20 minutes, remove from oven and let set on stove top loosely covered with foil for about 15 minutes.

You have just made your first Paella! This recipe should serve about 6 of you with some left over for seconds. Garnish the edges of the pan with the lemon wedges and a bit more parsley sprinkled over the top. This dish is well accompanied with a nice pitcher of chilled red Sangria. To prepare the Sangria, add 3 parts red wine, 1 part 7 UP, 1 part orange juice, 2 oranges cut in eighths, 2 lemons cut in eighths. Stir, refridgerate for about an hour. Finish dinner with some sliced pineapple and a shot of 43 served in a brandy snifter. Enjoy your fabulous dinner !!

Asian Sesame Noodle Salad.... An inspiration from a friend

I love creating recipes and trying them out on my dinner guests. I do a lot of reading so that I can continue to sharpen my knowledge of the culinary arts and by doing so, I am able to be inspired to come up with new ideas. For the most part, my guests have never been disappointed. My inspiration doesn’t stop at the book cover’s closing, however. People around me have been very inspirational in opening my mind to new ideas, flavors, ingredients, and preparations.

The recipe that we are about to prepare today is an inspiration from a long time friend of mine. She introduced me to Asian style salads more than 20 years ago. Although I have made changes, added this and subtracted that, I would certainly be remiss if I didn’t share the creation of this recipe with her. To this day, this is still one of my all time favorite salads. Thanks Ms. H.T.

I call this recipe pure and simple, Asian Sesame Noodle Salad. There are many versions of noodle salads out there; however, I think you’ll find this one to be absolutely delightful. If you like a bit of hot and a lot of Asian, you will certainly agree. Furthermore, I have found that you can heat this up and serve it as a side dish, making this salad very versatile. Finally, I can safely say in continuing with our theme of simplicity, this recipe is very easy to put together. Here’s what we need:

1 package of Chow Mien Noodles (12 oz.)
2 shallots, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup of green onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup of fresh baby spinach leaves, rolled and julienned
1/4 cup of fresh parsly, finely chopped
1/4 cup of pimientos
1/4 cup of sesame oil
1/8 cup of rice vinegar
1/4 cup of low sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons of dry pepper flakes (for heat)
1/2 teaspoon of garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1/3 cup of toasted sesame seeds
1 tablespoon of ginger paste
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

Get all your ingredients together and get all your chopping out of the way. In a large pot, boil water with a tablespoon of vegetable oil and add your noodles. Chow Mien noodles, even though they are dry, tend to cook much faster that regular noodles. With that said, you want to boil them for only about 4 to 5 minutes because you want them to be al dente, not overcooked and mushy. While noodles are cooking, get a bowl of ice water ready. At the 4 minute mark, check the noodles for doneness. If ready, immediately strain them and then transfer them to the ice water. You may need to add more ice to keep the water cold. Set the bowl aside to allow for complete cooling.

Set a small frying pan on a burner set to high. Once heated, add 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil to the pan and quick saute your shallots and garlic for only 30 seconds. Remove and pour into a large mixing bowl. In the mixing bowl, add all the remaining ingredients, EXCEPT THE SESAME SEEDS, and whisk briskly so that ingredients are well blended. Once noodles are cooled, drain liquid through a strainer and rinse noodles with cold running water. Add noodles to mixing bowl with ingredients and toss well so everything is completely blended. Finally, add the sesame seeds and toss gently. Pour salad into a nice serving platter and sprinkle of few more sesame seeds and serve. There you have it. It's that simple. And it tastes so good, your guests won't believe how quick it was to make.

Serve with a nice Saki, chilled prawns with a dipping sauce of of ginger vinegrette and finish with a green tea sorbet. For the dipping sauce, use 1 part sesame oil, 1 part rice vinegar, 1/2 part water, 1 teaspoon of ginger paste, 1 teaspoon of honey, and whisk until well blended. Enjoy.