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To Do: Asian Market Adventure

January 19, 2012

Edgewater, New Jersey is a narrow strip of land in Bergen County lying along 3 1/2 miles of Hudson River waterfront. Bettina was recently there to take care of some difficult family business but found the time to escape over to the marvelous Mitsuwa Marketplace for comforting hot noodle soup and some provisions to bring back home from this incredible grocery store. Edgewater and the surrounding small towns have thriving Asian populations, unlike the sad little Chinatown “neighborhood” (really a block) we have in the District.

For those of us that are here in the Washington, DC area, the best Asian markets are found mostly in the suburbs. Here are a few of our favorite local Asian grocery stores. It’s fun to visit these markets this time of the year (you never know what you will find: dried noodles, bean pastes, or cute Asian slippers!) because it is the Chinese New Year, which begins on Monday, January 23rd and is celebrated for 15 days. Note: Try to go early or on an off-day; these stores are often big and can be chaotic.

H Mart, sometimes known as Super H Mart, is operated by the Hanahreum Group. “Han Ah Reum” is a Korean phrase meaning “armful of groceries”. The company is American-owned and was started in Queens over thirty years ago. The business has grown to include many stores in the U.S., including local stores in Falls Church, Silver Spring, Fairfax and Gaithersburg, internationally in London and an online market – hmart.com

Kam Sam, Maxim and Great Wall are three Chinese grocery stores in our area (Rockville and Falls Church) with Great Wall probably the largest.

Where are your favorite Asian markets? Please leave a comment below.

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Crispy Chard: A Super-Smart Topping Alternative

January 17, 2012

During a lunchtime cooking demonstration at Whole Foods, we made green miso soup. We passed this recipe on to our readers a few weeks ago as a healthy option during the holidays. For the demonstration, we chose this recipe because it is not the typical, brothy tofu miso, but is based on pureeing chard and making a “greener version”.

There is a topping that is added using the ribs of the chard. “Brilliant“, “genius” “a healthy alternative to bacon bits“, said many shoppers who tried the soup, which made us realize that this idea of saving the chard ribs (giving food waste a second chance) and frying them up in a little oil and panko is really a good idea that goes beyond this soup. One woman even said that she was going to use the topping for seared scallops and risotto – first layering risotto on a plate, then sauteed chard, then scallops and topping it with the crispy chard ribs. Yum! We want an invitation.

Tip: Save the ribs from your swiss or rainbow chard, dust them with a little panko and fry them up in a pan of hot oil until they turn brown and crispy. Drain on a paper towel.

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Things We Love

January 12, 2012

The Saveur 100 List was published this week.

One, Two, Three restaurants in Washington DC we want to try this winter.

This digital publication.

Thinking about summer favorites.

Our new outdoor smoker. We’ve been using it with fresh-caught rockfish (striped bass) and gearing up to use it with shelled peanuts.

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Weekday: Simple Braised Chicken Tacos with Avocado Mash

January 9, 2012

These tacos are made with tender, braised meat. Similar in style to Mexican street tacos, the chicken is cooked until the meat is melty and then condiments are used to add flavor. We tried this method as a weekday dinner and decided it’s going into the repertoire for sure. Our families really liked it. Try serving the tacos with this delicious side salad of Hearts of Palm, Avocado & Corn, a green Spring Onion and Jalapeno Salsa, and finish them with a little adobo sauce from a can of chipotles en adobo for more heat.

Recipe: Simple Braised Chicken

3 lbs. skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
1 carrot, diced
1 celery rib, sliced
1 red pepper, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
5 lg. cloves garlic, minced plus 2 more for easy guacamole
3 c. chicken stock or broth
3 ripe avocados
1 lime
Small corn tortilla rounds, about 2 per person
Note: And, don’t forget ingredients for condiments mentioned above. Condiments are a must for any good taco.

Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper. In a large dutch oven or saute pan, heat a generous glug of olive oil over medium high. When hot, add half of the chicken pieces and saute (about four minutes per side) until lightly browned. Remove to plate and repeat with other thigh pieces. Set aside.

In the pot or pan add carrot, celery, red pepper, onion and garlic. Saute for 8-10 minutes until soft. Add stock to pot and return chicken thighs to pot, nestling them in to cover with vegetables. Bring pot to boil and then reduce heat to simmer and cover pot. Cook for one and a half hours.

Remove chicken thighs to a separate plate to cool enough to handle. (Don’t discard the vegetable broth, it will be great another meal with steamed rice and black beans!)

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl mash avocados together with minced garlic. Add juice of 1 lime and mix.

When ready to serve, heat a small cast iron pan to hot. Place one corn tortilla in to heat for about 30 seconds per side. Fill each tortilla with some braised chicken pieces and a dollop of the guacamole. You can also put some shredded cheese out on the table or other add-ins that you prefer.

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Pantry Essential: Dried Mushrooms

January 9, 2012

On the short list of pantry items in our kitchens are dried mushrooms. We keep them on hand because they are a luxuriously affordable and delicious extra boost for many kinds of weekday and elegant meals. The concentrated, intense, and meaty (umami) flavor of wild mushrooms works well in soups, sautés and sauces. Some easy ways to use dried mushrooms are in rice pilaf dishes, spooned over risotto, in pan sauces for meats, added to stir-fries, beans or omelets, with flavored butters, and in tomato or cream-based pasta sauces – like this one we’re making tonight for supper.

Recipe: Pasta with Dried Mushrooms and Tomato Sauce

Note: Dried mushrooms keep well if they are kept sealed in an airtight container. Although there are no set rules to using the various types of wild mushrooms, consider using mushrooms from one region to cook that type of cuisine. For example: use porcini or portobello with Italian sauces, shiitake with Asian dishes, and chanterelles in French foods.

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For the Weekend: Hot Apple Chutney

January 6, 2012

Inspired by a recipe from Tart and Sweet, we discovered this spicy, apple chutney that is delicious with everything from Indian flatbread to roasted pork. Knowing how to make a good, seasonal chutney and then having it on hand in your pantry to add to a meal can turn something pretty basic into something pretty amazing. And, you will feel so gratified when you pull out your jar of homemade chutney to serve at your next dinner party.

This recipe can be made to eat right away, kept in a glass jar for a few days in the refrigerator or canned to place on the shelf. If canning, you will need about 6 small Ball canning jars and new lids, so the jars seal properly for storing.

About 3 pounds apples (your choice), peeled and chopped into small cubes
3 Tbls. lemon juice
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 small onion or half large, peeled and minced
2 Tbls. cumin
2 Tbls. kosher salt
1 Tbls. yellow mustard seeds
1 Tbls chili flakes
1 Tbls. grated fresh ginger
1 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. apple cider vinegar

Mix apples with lemon juice while chopping in a large bowl to keep from browning. In a large pan, combine oil, onion and spices. Cook and stir until onions are soft and translucent, about 10 minutes over medium low heat. Add apples and mix well. Increase the heat and add brown sugar and vinegar. Bring to a boil and then lower heat and cook for about 40 minutes, until the chutney has thickened and the apples are well cooked. Ladle into clean, hot jars, leaving about 1/2 inch headspace. Check for air bubbles by running a knife down the side of the jars, wipe the rims and place the lids on the jars. At this point, you can seal and store the chutney in the refrigerator or process the jars for 10 minutes covered in boiling water to store on the shelf.

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On Our Shopping List: Bok Choy

January 3, 2012

Very easy, very good and easily adaptable – it is hard to go wrong with bok choy, even though it is often overlooked. Here are a few recipes we have tried and really like or want to try. Take your pick.

Stir-fried Green Beans and Bok Choy with Udon Noodles
Bok Choy with Cashews
Quick Orzo and Bok Choy Salad

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Curried Risotto

December 29, 2011

Here is a recipe if you are staying in for a cozy night. Curry in risotto? Yes, we know it does seem a bit unusual, but it really works. The cooking method is a bit unconventional too. Let us know if it works for you and how you like it. The recipe is based on a version found in Bistro Cooking at Home by Gordon Hamersley. Also, feel free to substitute stock with salted water for a vegetarian version. The curry gives this dish lots of flavor. It is delicious topped with seared scallops or any sauteed green.

Serves 4

5 to 6 c. of chicken stock
1 c. dry sherry
pinch of saffron
3 Tbls. olive oil
4 to 5 Tbls. butter
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp. good, fresh curry powder
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 1/2 c. Arborio rice
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
about 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
2 Tbls. cilantro leaves for garnish
2 Tbls. chopped fresh mint, garnish

In a saucepan, combine stock with sherry. Add saffron and bring liquid to a boil then reduce to a simmer. In a large heavy-bottom pan, heat olive oil and 4 Tbls. butter over medium heat. Add onion and curry powder. Cook until tender. Add garlic, cook for a minute, then add rice. Stir to coat. Add about 1 cup of hot stock and stir until liquid is absorbed. Add another cup and cook until absorbed. Continue this until 3 cups of stock have been added and absorbed. Then, add the remaining stock to the pan and cook until absorbed and rice is chewy and just firm to bite. Remove from pan and add another tablespoon of butter and Parmesan cheese. Stir. Divide risotto among bowls, sprinkle with chopped cilantro and mint.

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Cinnamon Cake Doughnuts

December 27, 2011

Jewish or not, homemade doughnuts are a treat. We tried these a couple of years ago with friends on the last night of Hanukkah. The most important thing is to heat the frying oil to a high temperature. If you place the dough into a less-than-hot oil, your doughnuts will sink — as ours did when we first tried this recipe. We have been perfecting it each year.

Makes 24- 30 smaller doughnuts.

For the Cinnamon Sugar:
1/2 c. superfine sugar
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground cardamom
Pinch of fine-grain Kosher salt

For the Doughnuts:
1/2 c. clarified butter (see note)
3 1/2 c. cake flour
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. Kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnmaon
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 c. buttermilk
1 egg
3 egg yolks
Grapeseed or canola oil for frying

In a small bowl, combine first four ingredients to make cinnamon sugar. Set aside.

To Make Clarified Butter: bring butter to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove pan from heat and skim off butter bits that rise to the top. Set aside in a warm spot until ready to add to following ingredients. When you are ready to add, gradually pour into recipe without including solids (TIP: a gravy skimmer works well for this).

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or with a wooden spoon and a lot of muscles), sift 1 1/2 cups of cake flour with sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. With the mixer running, gradually add buttermilk, butter, egg, and egg yolks. When the mixture is smooth (but is sticky), fold in remaining 2 cups of flour by hand.

Divide dough in half. Place one-half of the dough onto a well-floured surface. Add a little more flour to the top of the dough pile, pat down and then lightly roll out dough into 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 2-inch cookie cutter or small water glass, cut out rounds. Then, using a small 3/4-inch cutter, cut out the center doughnut holes. (Better yet, but only if you’ve got one: you can, of course, use a doughnut cookie cutter as well). Repeat with second half of dough as well.

Place about 4 inches of oil in a deep saucepan and heat to 375 degrees. Fry doughnuts in batches without crowding. Turn doughnuts so they brown on all sides. Cook until they are evenly browned, about 2 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels. Roll warm doughnuts in cinnamon sugar mixture.

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List: Winter Menus

December 26, 2011

If you didn’t see this super-helpful inventory of delicious tasting dinner ideas, we don’t want you to miss it! Some of the recipes are from our archive of nearly 1000 recipes while several of them are new for you to try right now. Enjoy the holidays and time with family and friends.