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In the mood to cook? Here's some recipes to get you going courtesy of our always hungry folks here at spoon+fork and our favorite food blogger cia b.
If you want to share a recipe, just email us at hungry@spoonandforkstudio.com!
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mao po tofu
Ingredients:
+ 1 block silken tofu (19 oz box)
+ 1/4 lb ground pork
+ 3 tablespoons Sichuan spicy bean paste (辣豆瓣酱)
+ 2 tablespoons chili powder
+ 2 tablespoons cooking oil
+ 3 tablespoons chili oil
+ 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns (roasted and ground to powder)
+ 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
+ 1 teaspoon fermented black beans (rinsed and pounded)
+ 2 stalks of leeks or scallions (chopped into 1 or 2-inch length)
+ 2 gloves garlic (chopped)
+ 1/2 cup water
+ salt to taste
Directions:
1.
Cut the tofu into small pieces, drain the water from the tofu and set aside.
2.
Heat up a wok and pour in the cooking oil and chili oil.
3.
Add the chopped garlic, ground pork, spicy bean paste and stir-fry until the pork is half-done.
4.
Then add in chili powder, soy sauce, fermented black beans and stir-fry until aromatic.
5.
Add in the tofu and water; stir gently to blend the tofu (don't break them) well with the sauce.
6.
Lower the heat and simmer for about 3-5 mins or until the sauce thickens. Add in the roasted Sichuan peppercorn powder and chopped scallions.
7. Gently stir and blend well. Dish out and serve hot.
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spinach pasta, chicken soyaki and chilled yellow squash
Ingredients:
+ 1 box spinach pasta
+ 6 pcs. chicken thigh
+ 1 cup soyaki Sauce
+ 6-8 cloves garlic
+ 1 lemon
+ 1/2 cup rice wine
+ 1 yellow squash
+ salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Boil spinach pasta in water and a few dabs of salt.
2. Marinate chicken thighs with garlic, pepper, lemon and soyaki sauce for at least an hour.
3. Heat skillet with olive oil. Throw in lots of garlic til brown.
4. Add rice wine and pepper then throw the chicken in and cook until slightly rare at low heat.
5. Remove chicken and toss the grease from the pan. Leave the burned garlic though.
6. Throw the chicken back in and add more soyaki sauce. Cook on high heat til tender with the outside slightly crispy.
7. Keep yellow squash in fridge for 2 hours before slicing. Slice thinly and serve along side a little mound of pasta and the chicken.
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spaghetti carbonara
COURTESY OF AFTERTASTE BY SHERRY
Ingredients:
+ 1 lb spaghetti, snapped in half while still uncooked (or linguine)
+ 4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
+ 1/3 lb bacon, diced into tiny cubes
+ 2 cups (Approx.) Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
+ 4 large egg yolks, separated from their whites (whites discarded or saved for something else)
+ ½ cup reserved pasta water
+ ½ (Approx.) cup heavy cream or half and half
+ Salt and Pepper
Directions:
1. Follow the instructions on the box of pasta, and do not overcook it. Timing of the pasta is important- you want all the other ingredients waiting for the spaghetti to finish cooking, not vice versa, because you must add the eggs and cream to the very hot pasta or else it won’t become the glistening, smooth sauce that it should.
2. Heat a frying or sautee pan over high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the bacon to the pan. Let it fry until it’s completely cooked through and slightly crispy.
3. While the bacon is cooking, whisk the egg yolks in a bowl. Add the cream, cheese, and lots of black pepper. Stir them all together. Set this aside (not in the fridge).
4. Turn off the heat under the pan. Scoop out the bacon onto a plate (lined with paper towels to make yourself feel better about eating bacon and cream, if you’d like).
5. Once the bacon is no longer searingly hot, add a couple of tablespoons of it to the egg and cream mixture to raise the temperature. This is called “tempering” the cream, and it’s important because if you don’t, the cool cream might curdle when it hits the hot pasta. But if you’ve added the warm bacon to the eggs and cream, the overall temperature of the cream mixture will slowly and gradually rise, thus preventing curdling.
6. Dispose of excess bacon fat in the pan.
7. Using the residual oil in the pan, heat up the pan again on medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until brown about 2-3 minutes.
8. Reserve a cup of the pasta water before draining, and transfer the cooked pasta it to a large pot or bowl. Working quickly, add the egg and cream mixture, garlic, and bacon (if you haven’t already incorporated it all into the cream mixture) to the pasta and stir vigorously.
If the pasta seems dry or there’s not enough sauce, pour in 2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water at a time until it is sufficiently loose and stirrable; however, if it’s still clumping too much to stir easily after about 6 tablespoons, add a bit of cream about 2 tablespoons at a time so the sauce doesn’t get too watery and bland. If you’ve added extra water and cream, add more cheese as well. Taste and add salt if necessary. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
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Pressed Reuben Sandwiches
COURTESY OF WRITING WITH MY MOUTH FULL
Ingredients:
+ corned beef, shredded; thinly-sliced if not homemade
+ Swiss cheese slices
+ sauerkraut, excess water squeezed off using paper towels
+ 8 slices rye bread
+ horseradish cream sauce
+ half a stick unsalted butter, softened in microwave for 15 seconds
Combine the following to make Russian dressing if you don’t want to use ready-made horseradish cream sauce:
+ 1/3 cup mayonnaise
+ 1 1/2 tbsp ketchup
+ 1 1/2 tsp prepared horseradish
+ 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
+ salt, pepper
Directions:
1. Spread one side of each bread slice evenly with some butter. With buttered sides down, spread horseradish cream on four slices and with some corned beef, sauerkraut and equal portions of cheese. Top with remaining slices, buttered side up.
2. Place large skillet over high heat and melt a small knob of butter. Reduce heat to low and add sandwiches. Using an iron grill press, put on top of the sandwiches and press. Cook until browned and crisp on both sides, about 2 minutes a side. Transfer to a platter lined with parchment paper. Cut in half and serve.
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Sauteed Ramps with Pancetta
COURTESY OF WRITING WITH MY MOUTH FULL
Ingredients:
+ 2 bunches of ramps
+ a thin sliver of pancetta, diced
+ a bowl of ice water
+ salt, pepper
Directions:
1. Add thoroughly washed ramps in boiling water for four minutes. When they’re done, drain and shock them in ice water to stop its cooking.
2. Fry the pancetta in a skillet and drain on a paper towel.
3. Using the same skillet, add the ramps and toss them in the rendered fat with salt and pepper. |
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Bacon Corn Muffins
COURTESY OF WRITING WITH MY MOUTH FULL
Ingredients:
+ 1 1/4 cups whole milk
+ 1 large egg
+ 3/4 stick unsalted butter, melted
+ 1 cup yellow cornmeal
+ 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
+ 4 stalks scallions, chopped
+ 4 bacon slices
+ 2 tbsp sugar
+ 1 tbsp baking powder
+ pinch of salt
Directions:
1. Cook bacon. Using a skillet, cook bacon until almost-crisp. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. When cool to touch, roughly chop. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 375º. Whisk together milk, egg and butter in a small bowl. In a different bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients. Add bacon. Combine both mixtures and stir.
3. Grease a 12-muffin pan and fill in with mixture. Bake on middle rack until golden and a toothpick comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Turn off heat and cool in oven for about 5 more minutes.
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Rhubarb Crumb Cake
COURTESY OF WRITING WITH MY MOUTH FULL
Ingredients:
For the rhubarb filling:
+ 6 stalks of rhubarb, trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
+ 1/4 cup white sugar
+ 1/2 tsp ground ginger
+ 2 tsps cornstarch
For the crumbs:
+ 1 3/4 cups of flour
+ 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
+ 1/3 cup white sugar
+ 1 tsp ground cinnamon
+ 1/2 tsp ground ginger
+ 1 stick of butter, melted in microwave for 30 seconds
+ a pinch of salt
For the cake:
+ 1 cup flour
+ 1/2 cup white sugar
+ 1/3 cup sour cream
+ 1 large egg
+ 1 egg yolk
+ 2 tsp vanilla extract
+ 1/2 tsp baking soda
+ 1/2 baking powder
+ 1/4 tsp salt
Directions:
1. Using some of the melted butter, grease an 8-inch square glass baking dish. Set aside.
2. Prepare the rhubarb filling. In a big glass bowl, toss the rhubarb with the sugar, ginger and cornstarch. Set aside.
3. Make crumbs. In another large glass bowl, whisk together brown and white sugars, spices, salt and melted butter until smooth. Stir in flour with a spatula. They should look like, well, crumbs. Set aside.
4. Preheat oven to 325º while preparing the cake. In another large glass bowl, stir together the sour cream, egg and egg yolk, with the vanilla. Mix in the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt using a spatula. Keep folding until it has the consistency of batter.
5. Scoop about half of the cake batter into the greased baking dish, covering the bottom. Spoon rhubarb filling over batter. Then cover with the rest of the batter over the rhubarb. This layering doesn’t have to be even. Using your fingers, scoop the crumbs and sprinkle on top of the rhubarb-filled cake batter.
6. Bake crumb cake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean of batter, about 55 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on table counter before serving with vanilla ice cream. |
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Pan Roasted Chicken and Sausage
Ingredients:
+ 2 small to medium onions, quartered
+ 1/3 cup light olive oil
+ 2 tsp dijon mustard
+ 2 1/2 tbp chopped sage leaves
+ 1 1/2 tbp Worchestershire sauce
+ 1 lemon, quartered
+ 10 garlic cloves
+ 10 chicken thighs, skin on
+ 8 sausages (your choice of what kind)
+ salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
1. Put the onions and garlic in a large bag with the oil, mustard, dried sage, pepper, juice from the lemon, the squeezed-out rinds, and the Worcestershire sauce. Mix well and add the chicken pieces.Marinate in the fridge overnight (at least 8 hours, no more than 2 days.)
2. When ready to cook, allow the chicken to come to room temperature in its marinade. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees for 10 minutes.
3. Arrange the chicken pieces in a roasting pan, skin-side up. Pour the marinade into the pan and place the sausages around the chicken pieces. Sprinkle the sage leaves over the chicken and sausages. Put the pan into the oven to cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes, turning the sausages over halfway through the full cooking time.
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Sugar Snap Peas with Caramelized Shallots
Ingredients:
+ 1 pound sugar snap peas
+ 1 shallot, minced or sliced
+ 1 garlic clove, minced
+ dark sesame oil
+ white sesame seeds
+ salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
1. Remove the stem end and string from each sugar snap pea pod.
2. Add peas and water to a pot and boil for 3-5 minutes. While the peas are boiling, sauté shallots for 3 minutes, then add garlic and cook until tender.
3. Transfer the peas to the pan and remove from heat. Toss with the sesame oil, sesame seeds, salt and pepper. This dish can be served at room temperature.
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Ka Prow - Thai Chicken w/ Basil
COURTESY OF WRITING WITH MY MOUTH FULL
Ingredients:
+ 8 pieces of boneless chicken thighs, cut into small pieces
+ 1 bunch of Thai holy basil
+ 2 Thai chilis, seeds removed
+ 2 kaffir lime leaves
+ half a red onion, finely chopped
+ 4 garlic cloves, minced and finely chopped
+ semi-sweet black soy sauce or kecap manis
+ 1 tbsp palm sugar
+ a splash of fish sauce
+ 2 tbsp peanut oil
Directions:
1. Heat some oil in a heated large wok. Sauté garlic until light brown and cook onions until translucent. Add chicken and enough soy sauce to cover half of them. Cook chicken while stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
2. When chicken is almost done, stir in the rest of the ingredients and cook for another 5 over medium-low heat or until basil leaves are wilted.
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Pearl Onion-Infused Martini
COURTESY OF WRITING WITH MY MOUTH FULL
Ingredients:
+ 1 bottle Kettle One vodka
+ 1 small bag of pearl onions, peeled, some halved
+ dry vermouth
+ 1 jar of olives with brining juice
+ ice cubes
Directions:
1. Using a large pickling jar, combine the onions and the vodka. Let sit in room temperature. Save the original vodka bottle for later.
2. After a week and a half, strain the infused vodka back into the original bottle. Discard all the onions. Store in the freezer until ready to make your own martinis.
For the martini:
1. While preparing martini, put ice cubes in cocktail glass with a splash of vermouth. Set aside to chill.
2. Using a martini shaker, combine ice cubes, two shots of the infused vodka and a shot of the olive brine. Shake well.
3. Discard ice cubes and vermouth from cocktail glasses. Strain contents of the mixer into the glasses. Garnish with a couple of olives.
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Asparagus-Stuffed Branzino
COURTESY OF WRITING WITH MY MOUTH FULL
Ingredients:
+ 1 branzino, butterflied, deboned
+ 4 pieces of asparagus, cut in short pieces
+ 1 shallot, sliced thinly
+ olive oil, salt, pepper
Directions:
1. In a large wok, heat some olive oil. Sauté onions and asparagus until onions caramelize a bit and asparagus pieces are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from wok and set aside.
2. Lay the butterflied branzino on a chopping board. Season the inside with salt and pepper. Scoop some of the asparagus-onion mixture and stuff the fish. Using kitchen twine, close the fish to keep the stuffing inside. You can either use a giant kitchen needle or just gently wrap the fish with the twine to hold the butterflied pieces close together.
3. Using the same wok, heat some more oil. Add the fish and cook one side until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Using a heat-resistant spatula, gently turn the fish over and cook the other side for another 5 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
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Roasted Lamb Chops with Balsamic Sauce
Ingredients:
+ 6 1 1/2–inch–thick lamb loin chops or 6 1-inch-thick lamb rib chops
+ 1 1/2 tbs butter
+ 1 tbs vegetable or canola oil
+ 1 c unsweetened apple juice
+ 2 tbs aged balsamic vinegar
+ 1/8 cup sugar
+ 1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
+ 1/2 tsp chopped fresh oregano
+ 3-5 sprigs of fresh rosemary or 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
Directions:
1. Combine the apple juice and sugar in small saucepan. Bring to boil over medium–high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add the fresh thyme and reduce heat to medium–low, cover, and simmer for 12-15 minutes. Strain, reserving the juices.
2. Sprinkle the lamb with salt and pepper.
3. Heat the oil and 1/2 tbs butter in heavy large skillet over medium–high heat. Add lamb, place rosemary sprigs or sprinkle chopped rosemary on top of chops; cook to desired doneness. (For medium-rare, cook about 3 1/2 minutes per side for loin chops or 2 1/2 minutes per side for the rib chops.)
4. Transfer the lamb to a serving platter; cover to keep warm. Pour out drippings from skillet; place skillet over medium heat. Add the reserved juices; boil until reduced to 1/4 cup, scraping up any browned bits, about 2 minutes.
5. Remove skillet from heat; stir in vinegar, remaining butter, oregano and 1/2 teaspoon chopped thyme. Season pan sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Spoon pan sauce over the lamb and serve.
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