Peanut Butter Banana Bread

~It was a dark, chilly autumn night. I was bored. And cold. And I couldn't stand the sight of fruit flies buzzing around the ripening bananas. That's what really did it. Please to enjoy :-)

 

Special Equipment:

9x5x3 loaf pan

parchment paper

electric mixer

large mixing bowl

 

Ingredients:

1/3 cup peanut butter

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 stick unsalted sweet butter- softened

2 large eggs

4 large ripe bananas

1 tbsp whipping cream

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

 

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Cut 2 lengths of parchment paper; one to go across and the other down. Make sure to cut it long enough, so the paper drapes over side of pan.
2. In a small bowl, mash bananas thoroughly. Mix in the cream and cinnamon. Set aside.
3. In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using a spoon or fork, gently but thoroughly mix together.
4. Using electric mixer, cream the sugar and butter in mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Add half of the banana mixture to the creamed mixture and stir until combined. Set aside.
6. Add dry ingredients into batter, mixing just until flour disappears.
7. In a microwave safe bowl, heat peanut butter for 15 seconds until softened.
8. Pour half the batter into prepared pan. Pour half portion of the peanut butter evenly on top of batter. Use the back end of a spoon to smooth it over as evenly as possible.
9. Pour remaining batter to layer on top of peanut butter.
10. Pour over remaining portion of banana mixture on top of batter. Pour remaining peanut butter on top of banana.  Use a knife or spoon to lightly swirl peanut butter and banana mixture into batter. As it bakes, the banana chunks will slowly sink into the batter and it will yield a banana bread with small chunks of bananas.
11. Bake for 50min – 65min. At the 50min mark, insert a toothpick in the center. If it does not come out clean, let it bake and check back in 5min. When it comes out clean, it’s ready.
12. Set aside to cool for 15-20min.
13. Using parchment paper, lift bread out. Set aside to cool completely before serving.

 

 

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad

~It's officially summer! And that means eating light on hot sunny days :-) I love a good salad and I'm constantly on the lookout for a new variation. One of my recent discoveries is butternut squash; specifically roasting it. I know, I know- I'm a late bloomer. Please keep in mind, I grew up with nearly all my veggies stir-fried. No complaints there. But that also means, I've had to "discover" certain Western vegetables as an adult. Like brussel sprouts.

I took a few pointers from Ina Garten in the roasting portion, because let's face it- who couldn't use a few pointers from her? The vinaigrette is my own, but more on that in the connecting post ;-) What I love about this salad, is the sweet, the tangy, the different play on textures; the softness of the squash, the crunch of the almonds, the crisp of the apples. I admit; I am a texture fiend when it comes to food.

Serves 6-8 as side salads or 4 as entree portions.

Ingredients

• 2lb butternut squash- peeled and diced
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 Granny Smith apple- thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup toasted almond slivers
• 10oz mixed salad greens
• *1/4 cup Orange Muscat Champagne Vinaigrette 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a shallow roasting pan, combine squash, maple syrup, olive oil, salt, and fresh ground pepper. Mix thoroughly. Lay the pieces flat.
3. Roast on one side for 15min. 
4. Flip squash to other side and roast for another 18min. 
5. Remove and set aside to cool.
6. In a large bowl, combine roasted squash, dried cranberries, half portion of the almond slivers, and half portion of the apple slices.
7. Toss thoroughly with vinaigrette. 
8. Divide mixed greens evenly amongst the serving plates. 
9. Divide squash mixture evenly and serve atop the mixed greens. 
10. Sprinkle remaining portion of toasted almonds evenly amongst the salads.
11. Use the remaining apple slices as garnishes on the salad plates. 
12. Needless to say, once dressed, a salad must be served immediately. Enjoy! :-)

Orange Muscat Champagne Vinaigrette

~Ok, first off- faaaaaancy, right? ;-) Come on. Anytime you throw in words rarely used outside of the foodie world like "muscat" and then you throw in "champagne" too? Pssssh...I could charge $18 for per plate just with these words in the title. I'll let you in on a secret. The orange-muscat-vinegar part is already in a bottle. At your local Trader Joe's. 

I'll let you in on another secret. It's painfully; like PAAAAAAINFULLY easy making your own vinaigrette. As long as you have an acid, a fat, and a few flavoring agents- you're set. At a dinner party, my host provided tons of salad greens, but forgot about the dressing. I whipped up a garlic, herb vinaigrette using white vinegar and yellow mustard. And it was still better than any store-bought dressing. 

So for those of you who are still dabbling or prefer measurements, here's a dressing that sounds so much more impressive than the work that goes into it. I'm sure those of you studied the French method find my use of sugar and/or jar, deplorable. To that, I say- it's my kitchen. Asians prefer our food not so brash, so I use sugar to temper the vinegar. I use the jar because, why not? It's going to end up in a jar anyway, so why waste a bowl? Homecook here, folks. Not sloppy, just efficient.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Orange Muscat Vinegar (Trader Joe's)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 1 garlic clove- smashed and finely minced
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro- finely minced

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk throughly. Alternatively, you may also combine all ingredients in a small/medium jar, tighten the lid, and shake thoroughly.
2. Taste and adjust seasoning according to taste. 
3. Store in a sealed jar, in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Taste of Chicago 2013

Disclaimer: This is not a review of the official Taste of Chicago.

Since I changed departments, I am now privy to not only education opportunities, but also traveling opportunities. This year, I was lucky enough to go to one of the great food meccas; Chicago. I was there for a two day symposium that was not food-related (i.e. therefore doesn’t matter). Since I spent the majority of my time trapped in a hotel conference room, I tried to make the most of my “freedom.”  Fortunately, my good pal Ms. T had been to Chicago before and had a laundry list of places for me to check out. Not that I had the time, but it definitely helped knowing where I should go within the vicinity of my hotel.

My first night was spent at GT Fish & Oyster Bar. Being in an oyster bar, of course we had to start off with a dozen oysters; half from the East Coast and half from the West Coast. We agreed West Coast oysters had more of a natural sweetness. The East Coast oysters were from New Brunswick brinier. Served on a platter of ice with a house cocktail sauce and mignonette, the cocktail sauce blew the other away. It was the perfect balance of sweet, salty, and tangy.

 

 

The GT Oyster Shooter came next. It was tasty but almost more of a ceviche. I prefer less chewing. And less chunky.

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I initially told Ms. T I’d be having dinner at one of her favorite spots, she more or less ordered to have the Fried Oyster Kimchi Po’ Boy Sliders.  The woman is never wrong. The rolls were a soft pillow to cushion succulent juicy fried oysters. Lightly coated in cornmeal, it gave the perfect contrast in texture. Authentic baechu (napa cabbage) kimchee diced and stuffed in between it all…I’m honestly salivating reliving the food memory of that slider.

Fish tacos were excellent. Grilled halibut with just the right amount of seasonings. What really stood out to me, were the fresh homemade tortillas. I can honestly say now at the age of 34, I have finally eaten a REAL tortilla. It was thin, but sturdy enough to hold all the fillings. And it was so soft. Oh, the texture of that tortilla. It was like wrapping a warm blanket around my tongue.

 

 

 Octopus and potatoes. A curious combination, which is why I ordered it. But the description itself wasn’t enough to incite my imagination. Let me begin by apologizing for having such a blasphemous thought cross my mind. As my dinner companion chattered away, I distractedly placed a piece into my mouth. I chewed and then confusion quickly set in. I put my hand up to signal silence. I could have sworn I ordered octopus. As I poked around the dish to figure out whether the octopus was hiding, my taste buds were screaming, “THIS IS THE BEST PIECE OF BACON EVER!” I looked across the table and I could see the same thought occur to my dinner companion. THIS was the octopus. We frantically signaled the serving staff to explain themselves. They were patient with us. It’s not the first time someone got so excited about the octopus. The octopus is confit in olive oil for an indeterminable amount of hours, then pan fried in a cast iron skillet. My dinner companion looked at me and said, “You have to figure out how to make this.” I replied, “I have to figure out how to make this.”

 I only hope the next time I make it back to Chicago, GT Fish & Oyster will still have this dish. Everything about this dish was perfect. P-E-R-F-E-C-T. Sunchokes were lightly seared. Purple potatoes were diced and added a nice color. The beer mustard wasabi gave the dish just enough kick. Pickled oyster mushrooms provided the perfect balance of acidity and silky contrast in texture to everything else. I realize I am overusing the word quite a bit but this dish was by far, one of THE most PERFECT things I have ever eaten. I am not ashamed to say that when the waitress asked if we were interested in dessert, we told her to give us another plate of octopus instead.

Having stayed up the night before, I was in no mood for breakfast the next day. Not to mention, it being 2 hours ahead of PST. Off to the symposium we go. While they offered to provide lunch at the hotel, I had other plans.

On the cab ride over, I noticed that conveniently across the street was famed Purple Pig. Although they had just opened up for lunch service, a line was already forming. Not knowing better, we asked to sit inside. The only negative I would say about Purple Pig, is their unfortunate ventilation (or lack thereof). The staff is casual and slightly disorganized. But very friendly and obviously proud of the food being served, so I can forgive having to wait 10min to flag down someone.

I didn’t have a chance to order too much unfortunately. I would have loved to spend several meals perusing through their menu. There were highs and middles, but no lows as far as I can tell. Mussels were standard; Penn Cove mussels, beer or wine, bacon, the usual. Good but nothing exciting.

 

 

The eggplant caponata was delicious on top of perfectly buttered grilled bread. There’s that word again, but I am a bread lover. If you do the bread right, I will be loyal to you for life. That was on the “smear” section of the menu. My one criticism is that all the portions under that section were disproportionate with the rest of the menu of small plates. It was practically a platter.

 

 

Ms. T and I are much alike. If we know you are going to one of our favorite places, we will order you to get a certain dish. And we are always right. At Purple Pig, I was told to order the fried pig ears served with kale and topped with a fried egg. I had no problem with my marching orders; it had everything I loved- odd animal parts, greens, and breaking an egg yolk. The dish was delicious. Crunchy pig ears, salty almost-kale chips (maybe also fried?), and a velvety sauce from the egg yolk. I might have enjoyed it more, had I not been breathing in so much smoke coming off the grill.

 

 Considering how wonderful it was at GT, I hesitated to order the octopus at Purple Pig. What if it wasn’t nearly as good? What the hell. It was simply yummy. Didn’t blow my mind like GT but very delicious nonetheless. The Purple Pig braises their octopus in red wine for (again) an indeterminable amount of hours, then removes the skin, and then pan sears the suction cupped sides so it gets nice and crisp. Served with grilled yukons, green beens, and just the right touch of acid from the house salsa verde.

 

 

This is not what I had last, but I do like to finish off on high. This is another that goes under the heading of One of the Best Things I’ve Eaten in My Life. Two days in a row- how lucky am I, right? Seared broccoli tossed in anchovy vinaigrette. Broccoli is one of my favorite vegetables but this was easily the BEST broccoli I’ve had in my life. The slight char gave it a nice smokiness. The anchovy vinaigrette- how do I begin to describe it? Salty, savory, rich in depth- I am absolutely obsessed with it. As if that wasn’t enough, it’s topped off with buttery breadcrumbs. I loved it so much, I actually went back on my last day for lunch. While everyone else scrambled to get to O’Hare (tornado warnings?), I went across the street to have the broccoli. It was just as perfect. I asked for a side of the charred buttered bread and used the broccoli as a “smear”. Don’t be surprised if you see a post with the recipe. I am determined to recreate this dish.

 

I have never been wined and dined before. If you’ve never done something before, try to make sure you’re with the right people. And I was with absolutely the right people. For dinner on my second night, I was thoroughly wined and dined. The great folks who hosted the symposium arranged to take all the guests out to dinner. I was very fortunate to end up with a host who is an avid foodie. We spent the entire evening marveling at the dishes and discussing what else- food; food experiences, food memories, etc.

Dinner at Les Nomades was an experience. Very French, very rich, lots of technique, lots of wine. Forgive my pictures. The lighting was unfortunately (for me) set at “romantic” with nary a candle on the table.

We started with an amuse bouche. It was Vietnamese inspired, we’re told. I tasted lemongrass, pea puree (?), perhaps crab or shredded shrimp.

 

First course: Escargot braised in a yellow tomato coulis topped with a Roquefort cheese crouton. The snails were soft yet, still retained a slightly chewy texture. The hero of this dish is the coulis. I would have been perfectly happy dipping a baguette into this.

 

Second course: Warm lobster and shrimp salad with mango dressing and pickled mangos. The lobster was gently poached, the shrimp was grilled, and then all tossed with a tangy mango dressing. The portion was substantial enough for me to swap samples with my gracious host who was more than happy to share.

 

 

 

Third course: Dover sole sautéed with asparagus and topped with saffron beurre blanc. The beurre blanc is what caught my eye. Here was my chance to taste a real beurre blanc at a French restaurant. Very subtle, a touch of acid to accompany the delicate sole. 

 

 

 

 

Fourth course: Veal sweetbread, and prime beef rib-eye, blue corn grits, roasted carrot, shallot. Everything on this plate was well seasoned and prepared well. I have to admit that by this time, I was starting to lull into a food coma.

 

 

 

 

 

Fifth course: Citrus panna cotta, tapioca sauce, pineapple sorbet. While everyone else opted for chocolate or a soufflé. I was very happy have a light dessert.

 

 

 

 

 

We won’t even mention the petits fours; chocolate ganache, passionfruit candy, mango macaroons, and mini Madeleines.

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I waited for my flight, I made one last stop. The best thing about the O'Hare Airport is Tortas Frontera Grill. Rick Bayless has created the perfect sandwich. The Pepito is a griddle bread sandwich stuffed with beer braised shortrib, subtle Chihuahua cheese, spicy black beans, peppery arugula, and a kick of tomatillo salsa verde. I had it last when I sped through O'Hare last September and I've been thinking about this sandwich ever since.  

 

It’s a funny thing about food memories. The feelings and excitement it invokes in individuals. Whether it be a home cooked meal or a meal of a lifetime that blew your mind- those memories of the smell, taste, sensation as it rolled across your tongue. Thank you, Chicago! Can't wait to come back again!

Roasted Strawberry Jam

~The best part of being part of a food page group, are the ideas that I wouldn’t have ever thought of myself. Someone in the group mentioned the other day about roasted strawberry jam. I was intrigued. And I just so happened to have 4lbs ripening faster than I could eat it. I had originally planned to make Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries, but the days just got away from me. In the past, I would have been forced to guiltily dump the strawberries, silently promising to never again waste so much food. But now, I can make jam! Because you are SUPPOSED to use overripe fruit. And the jam is so incredibly simple; no canning involved simply because it makes just enough for the next few weeks. Another bonus, your house will smell incredible. Like you’re a smurf living inside the ripest strawberry.  

Yield: 1 ½ cup

Special Equipment:

Roasting pan

Ingredients:

4lbs ripe strawberries

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Wash berries thoroughly. Cut tops and carve away any parts which are discolored and mushy.
3. Depending on how chunky you prefer the jam, either quarter or dice each berry.  
4. Place berries into roasting pan and mix with sugar and vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly. Spread berries flat across surface of roasting pan.
5. Roast for approximately 2hrs 15min. Every 20-30min, stir to prevent burning and sticking. Make sure to stir and scrape the sides of the pan a bit.
6. Remove and pour into a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight to firm.

Vietnamese Grilled Lemongrass Pork (Thit Nuong)

~ My buddy Ms. T shared this wonderful recipe a while back and I’ve only now had an opportunity to indulge. After I gave my son a quick sample, the kid tried to run off with the entire plate. Another friend who got to try it, has dubbed it “Crack Pork”. A high honor, but nothing short of the truth. The lemongrass gives the pork a beautifully bright element, while the caramel sauce lends an intoxicating smoky  aroma.

Adapted from Ms. T.

Ingredients:

5lbs pork butt or shoulder- cut into ¼” slices

5 lemongrass stalks- finely minced

½ head garlic- finely minced

2 large shallots- finely minced

2 tbsp caramel sauce

1/3 cup fish sauce

2 tbsp honey

4 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp sesame oil

Fresh ground pepper

Baking powder

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, lay several pork pieces flat across surface. Lightly douse with baking soda. Layer several more pieces on top and douse with more baking soda. Repeat until all pork is treated with baking soda. Set aside for 10-15min.
2. Run cold water onto pork, rinsing each piece individually and thoroughly. As each piece is cleaned, place into colander and set aside to drain.
3. In a large bowl, combine lemongrass, garlic, shallots, caramel sauce, fish sauce, honey, sugar, sesame oil, and fresh ground pepper. Mix until blended.
4. Place piece of pork into bowl and lightly toss to ensure each piece is coated.
5. After several hours, turn pork so that the pieces marinating on the bottom is now on top and vice a versa. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
6. Grill over medium heat until done. Make sure to turn often. Because of the high sugar content, the meat can burn easily.

Serving suggestions:

• Bun: Vietnamese noodle dish using rice noodles, fresh herbs, pickled vegetables, and chopped lettuce with nuoc cham and mo hanh
•  Toasted baguette with tomatillo salsa verde
• Steamed rice topped with a fried egg
• Salad

Chicken Stew

~ A friend recently asked me for recipes with chicken. Coincidentally, both my kids caught a cold so I had a batch of rotisserie chicken stock already. For the kids, I made noodle soup for days but I still had enough stock left over. What to do- freeze or make something else? Stew is one of those great concepts for throwing whatever you have in the fridge. Many of the ingredients are items I usually have in the pantry.  

*Cook’s note: if using canned chicken broth, taste everything before adding salt. I do not season my stock beforehand.

Ingredients:

4 chicken thighs- deboned and skinned

3 celery stalks- diced

1 medium onion- diced

3 carrots- diced

15 oz can fire roasted tomatoes with garlic

4 cups homemade chicken stock

½ cup Chardonnay

1 branch of fresh thyme

2 tbsp Italian parsley- minced

3 cloves garlic- minced

1 large bay leaf

kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

1 tbsp tapioca starch

1 tsp sugar

vegetable oil

green peas (optional)

Directions:

1. Cut chicken into 1” cubes. Lightly season with salt.
2. Set a large flat bottom pot on medium high heat. Lightly cover surface with oil. Sear all chicken in batches, remove from pot, and set aside.
3. Reduce to medium heat. Add celery, onion, and garlic. Sautee until softened. Add canned tomatoes. Using a wooden spoon, gently scrape up the fond and mix in. Add broth, wine, salt, sugar, parsley, thyme, and bay leaf.
4. Lower heat to the lowest setting and cover. Let contents gently simmer for 45min.
5. Move contents of pot over to one side as much as possible. Pour in potatoes and carrots. Try to move potatoes and carrots under the chicken as much as possible. Cover and simmer for another hour.
6. Taste and season with more salt if necessary. Add fresh ground pepper.
7. If desired add green peas and cover for 5min. This will add a nice touch of bright color.
8. Remove and discard bay leaf and thyme branch. 
9. Serve with warm bread or a light salad. 

Greek Turkey Meatballs (Turkey Kefthedes)

~For the health conscious, non-vegan, non-vegetarians, life involves a lot of turkey and chicken breast. Needless to say, it’s easy to get tired of the same old, same old. Kefthedes is one of my favorite Greek dishes. I was surprised to find one done with turkey, rather than the traditional beef/lamb mixture.

*Cook’s note: when I initially followed the recipe, I found the mixture to be too moist so I added a bit of rolled oats to help soak up the flavors and add some dimension to the meatballs.

Recipe adapted from Chef Evan Branning

Special equipment:

Half sheet sized sheet pan

Half sheet sized Silpat or parchment paper

Ingredients:

20oz ground turkey

2 shallots- finely minced

6 mint leaves- finely minced

1 tsp dried oregano

¼ cup rolled oats

1 large egg

1 tsp kosher salt

Fresh ground pepper

Pinch of sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients thoroughly.
3. Place a pan on stove on medium heat. Add just a drop of oil. Fry up a very small patty from mixture. Turn off heat. Taste patty and season more if necessary.
4. Form rest of mixture into 1” balls.
5. Place pan on stove on medium heat. Lightly cover surface with oil. Sear all sides of meatballs until golden brown.
6. Place seared meatballs onto Silpat (or parchment) lined sheet pan.
7. Place into oven and bake for 10-12min.
8. Serve with tzatziki. 

Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad (Balela)

~I was shopping one night at Trader Joe’s and glanced up to see a little tub of chick peas in the prepared foods section. I turned it this way and that- I saw specks of red, green, and a few black beans. The label said it was Middle Eastern. I was intrigued. I love finding new things to throw on top of my lunch salads and Trader Joe’s has never steered me wrong.

Score another hit for TJ’s! Lowly beans were brought to new heights with fresh herbs and bright lemon undertones. The flavors were simple, yet complex. I had to have MORE. But no way was I shelling out $2.69 for an 8oz tub of beans no matter how good they were. Fortunately, it looks like I wasn’t the only instant-convert.

*Cook’s note: it may keep for more than a week. I haven’t had a chance to find out since I finish a batch by myself in a week =)

Recipe adapted from Chef Kristin

Ingredients:

15oz can chickpeas- rinsed and drained

7.5oz can black beans- rinsed and drained

6 grape tomatoes- halved

2 shallots- finely minced

¼ cup Italian parsley- minced

6 mint leaves- finely minced

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

½ tbsp apple cider vinegar

Juice of ½ a lemon

¼ tsp kosher salt

large pinch fresh ground pepper

large pinch of cayenne

Directions:

1. Make sure beans are thoroughly drained and fairly dried. Combine with rest of ingredients.
2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1hr before serving.