Yikes!!! Thought have overcome food...

It has been a long time since I have posted. What a crazy week and some days it has been. I suppose it was not that great an idea to have more than one writing intensive courses at a time. Now I have work that looms ahead like a 50 foot tall tsunami. I love reading, but a thousand pages a week? and not just any old regular novels, but anthropological articles that drives you to sleep in no time. For those who actually read this blog, it may be a blessing to know that half of the books/articles/excerpts/etc.. are food related. Look on the top left corner. I eat, therefore I think, this has now become I think, therefore I eat. Very interesting reading about food from a cultural and scientific standpoint. It made me realize how lucky I am to have such a great interest in food, you know. Especially since I care for nothing in my food except that I would like it to be made fresh if I can help it. I don't worry about carbs, fats, fibers, or any of those scientific sounding things, instead, I focus on the fresh and delicious produces, and the rich and savory meats.

YUM.

My schedule is really messy during the weekdays, so from now on, most post would probably happen during weekends, as I have a 9 to 9 schedule from Monday thru Thursdays. As a reward for coming back after sooo many days without a post, I'm gonna have 3 different recipes. A breakfast dish, a smoothie, and a delicious snack.

We begin with the breakfast. Seemed like I made it an eternity ago. It was Labor day morning. No work. So of course I had to cook something. I got out my homemade pesto, and the rest of the eggs in the fridge. and thought to make some green eggs. (Sounds weird, but delicious). What do I see? a pack of chorizo sausages sitting right there, telling me, "eggs? how boring. ADD ME!" Fifteen minutes and some tomatoes later, breakfast was ready. Recipe as follows:

Green Eggs and Ham (Labor Day celebratory scramble style.. serves 3)

1/2 pound of chorizo sausages
5 eggs
3 tablespoons of pesto (Make your own? recipe coming soon)
2 medium tomatoes, diced
2 green topped onion
Salt and Pepper

In a bowl, mix the eggs and pesto. This process may take a while, especially if you made the pesto a long time ago and kept it in the fridge (like ME, I make a bunch so I can eat it randomly :) ). But make sure that the mixture is properly blended, it ensures that you don't get chunks of pesto randomly. Heat a skillet, and scramble the egg mixture until nearly cooked (three quarters way solid) take out of skillet and set aside. In the pan, cook the chorizo sausage until brown, stir in the eggs, and add tomatoes in. Make sure its evenly mixed, add salt and pepper to taste. Plate and top with diced green onions. Voila!

So that was Labor Day. Later last week, I discovered a carton of walnuts lying around. My brother has this intriguing recipe for flourless, no baking needed dessert recipe that calls for lots of walnuts. But we're not talking about that. The walnuts were left over from that time. I decided then I was gonna toast the walnuts and eat them as a snack. You know it, when did I just let things go plain like that? Instead, I looked for lots of random stuff I had, and next thing you know, these turned up in my fridge (see picture below). Recipe as follows:

Hazelnut-Chocolate Encrusted Walnuts (No servings here, I'm sure you'll eat it all before giving it out)

1 pound of walnuts, shelled
1 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of water
1/4 cup of oil
1/2 cup of chocolate syrup
4 tablespoon of Nutella spread
1/2 cup of honey

In a pot, heat the water, then add the sugar. Wait until sugar has fully dissolved, then add everything left besides the walnuts. Make sure to keep the heat low, so you don't burn the mix. Stir until the mixture becomes smooth, keep warm. In a separate, flat pan, slightly roast the walnuts. When done roasting, mix the walnuts into the semi-liquid mixture, make sure to coat the walnuts completely. Spread out on a  baking sheet, so that the nuts are not on top of one another. Put in fridge for about 4-5 hours, overnight for best effect.

The last recipe was made for my brother's girlfriend, one of the nicest person I had the privilege to meet. She had some problems with her gums, and was unable to chew anything without excruciating pain. So I made a super healthy smoothie loaded with fruit and all the goodies one would need to recover from such things. Recipe as follows:

Citrus Super Smoothie (Lame name, but true)

2 Navel Oranges
2 Key Limes
1/2 pound of Strawberries
2 cups of Greek plain yogurt
Honey (for sweetness, way better than sugar)
1 cup of Orange juice

No instructions..... you kinda just blend them together... yeah, in a blender.



Its great for when you are super stressed from writing 4 5 page papers for 5 different topics all in a span of 8 days, like me. Great for that little energy boost. Now, for those who know me personally, this blog was written while listening to Phantom of the Opera. And now off to make a midnight snack with honey and yogurt, then on to more reading!!!

Libations of a Long Weekend...

Labor Day weekend... Wonderful. Extra long weekend always cheer me up. Considering that I have a tendency to procrastinate (don't we all?), long weekends are great for catching up on things. Of course, my ideal long weekends involve me being in the kitchen, trying out some new dishes. Some are savory, some are sweet, just the way life works most of the time. Like I always say, life is like food. Sometime the unlikeliest of combinations are what works out the best. Its the type of thing we see in movies over and over again, yet we are always surprised by it. Today feels like a great day to fall back on my traditions, the Asian heritage that I'm so thankful that I can be part of. Just imagine, living in the Western world, but still have access to the most traditional Asian cuisines. The thought of not knowing what Chinese food taste like outside of take-outs can put me into a super depressing mode :(.

In appreciation of my roots, today I made an awesome Miso-Encrusted Orange Ruffie. It was quite delicious. For those that don't know what miso is, it is a paste-like substance often used by the Japanese to make soup, as well as a variety of different things. I also made a chinese style pork meat ball soup to go with the fish. All in all, it was quite traditional, but very delicious. I suppose I'm beginning to miss Taiwan foods after 7.5 months living without. Not as easy as you would expect.

Recipe is as follows:

Miso-Encrusted Orange Ruffie (Serves 2)

1 piece of Orange Ruffie Fillet (or use some type of fattier white meat fish)
2 tablespoons of Miso (Get it in your local Asian market)
handful of chopped fresh green top onions

Score the fillet on both side slightly. Rub the miso paste on to the fish, make sure to cover all of it. Let sit for about 3-5 minutes. In the mean time, bring heat to a pan and wait for the oil to get nice and hot. Put the fish in the pan, and cook each side for about 3 minutes. Plate and top with green onions.

Very simple recipe, if you have the material. The nice long sear gives this slightly crunchy texture to the edge of the fish, and the miso taste is awesome. This takes less than 15 minutes to prepare. Eat with rice and some stir fried bok choy for a complete meal.

Oh, before I forget. I just started reading a book for my Anthropology of Food class (I know, just the kind of class you would expect me to take), it has a very interesting take on the diet and nutrition. It talks about how our sense of eating has gone from food to nutrients, and that it has a drastic affect on our perception of what is healthy. It's called In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan.

Live long and eat well.
Aphrael

Busy day, healthy eating...

So, school has finally started, and I realized how crazy it is to have a 2 1/2 hour long class. It all seems fine on paper, until you actually sat in one spot for that extended period of time. Is it even possible for you to actually focus that long? Your mind start to wander off, probing what fantasy resides in your inner subconscious. Enough with the complaints. Let's talk about food. Wednesday is gonna be hell day for me, since I had to go to lab at 8:30 in the morning, and have classes until 5:00 in the afternoon, then I have to work from 6:30 to 9:30. This leads to a pretty crazy day, with really no time to spend on cooking. Thus, I will now present a recipe that my mom has taught me a long time ago, a delectable fish dish that takes little time to prepare. What's even better, you don't even have to be in front of the stove for half the cooking time. Picture to come later when I am at home.



Recipe is as follows:

Steamed Pan-seared Tilapia (Serves ?... depends on the size of the fish. 4 for 2 medium sized fillets)

2 pieces of medium sized tilapia fillets (medium= 8" in length, 4-5" in width)*
1 bunch of green top onions, diced
1 tablespoon chopped chili peppers (Fresh, dried, minced in a jar)
2 tablespoon garlic (fresh or minced)
Salt and pepper

On the fish, sprinkle salt and pepper on both side of the fish. In a hot pan, heat olive oil, then quickly sear the fillets on both side, just make sure the outside is seared, do not worry if the fish is not cooked all the way through. Remove fish from pan and place in a large plate. In the pan, add garlic, onions and peppers. Sautee until the aroma appears. Pour the mixture over the fish, make sure to cover most of the flesh. Place plate in  microwave, set on high power for 5 minutes. Serve hot with a side of rice, or some type of starch.

I know, microwave? is that really considered cooking? You know, microwaves are pretty useful. There are so many tricks that you can use with microwaves that really helps you in creating a better dish. For these tricks, refer to the tips page for some ideas and inspiration while finding other ways to make good food. All in all, this dish is great for when you want a hearty meal, but is really in a rush, you can do the searing and the sauteeing in the morning, and keep everything in the fridge and just pop it in the microwave right when you get home. Change, shower, whatever, and when you are done, you have a nice dish ready to eat. Another long day ahead of me, hopefully with some time to eat. See y'all later, and maybe next post would be about the versatility of pesto in life!!

Live long and eat well,
Aphrael

A contradiction in foods....

My parents are just done visiting. Guess what I heard from them? Time to lose weight... your getting chubby. I know, I know, its 'cause of all the food that I have been making. I make lots. I eat lots. Not something I can help... or is it? Guess its time to start exercising, but before that starts, time to indulge myself one last time before the great diet/workout begins. Its what I call the contradictory dish, a mixture of healthy habits and fatty foods, yet perfectly (in my sense) combined to create one my craziest creations. You'll see what I mean. To be honest, this is not the first time I made this dish, nor will it be my last (as if that would ever happen). I don't make it often, but when I do, its always well received. My family loves it when they eat it, and hates me after they do. Everything about it is contradictory. As you will soon see.

The recipe is as follows:

Spinach Mushroom Risotto (Serves 3, if you eat as much as I do, otherwise 5-6)

3 cups of rice (uncooked, washed)
1 medium onion
1/4 bag of baby spinach (put more to increase the contradiction*)
10 fresh button mushrooms
Dried Jalapeno chips
Dried Oregano
2 cups of Beef Stock (make your own, by in cartons, your choice)
2 cups of Heavy Cream (replace with milk to reduce contradiction*)
1/4 stick of Butter (replace with Olive Oil to reduce contradiction*)
1/2-1 cup of Whiskey
1 cup of cheese (Provolone, Parmesan-Reggiano, or mix of your favs)

*Changes in flavor may occur.

In a medium sized pan, melt the butter (all of it), sautee mushrooms and onions until onions are translucent, add the dried spices to taste (refer to Dinner Meeting post for how that works). Once the spices are added, add the beef stock and heavy cream, wait until boiling then add the Whiskey, boil until the alcohol burns off (or not, if you like the taste of alcohol.... 'nuff said). Turn down heat to maintain a slight boil, add rice, stir constantly until the rice is fully cooked. Add beef stock as necessary to maintain liquid to rice ratio. Mix in the cheese slowly, making sure all is melted, so you don't get any lumps. Plate and serve while hot. Top with diced green scallions and fresh ground pepper for a beautiful look.

The contradiction, for those that hasn't noticed is the mixture of healthy vegetables, and the massive amount of butter, cream, and whiskey in the mix. You may substitute with healthier options, but nothing taste quite the same as fresh mushrooms and onions sauteed in butter. There's just this nice earthy, tantalizing aroma that you don't get when you do the same thing with olive oil instead. You would know that smell when you make it, it is the only reason that I ever cook with butter (and most likely the only time) Normally I would use milk instead of beef stock, but since this is made with only veggies and rice, its nice to get that meaty, rich flavor without the addition of protein into the mix. The whiskey was kind of a spur of the moment thing. Just know that if you don't like the taste of alcohol, boil the liquid for a while longer so that the alcohol is gone, but the flavor remains. As for me, that didn't really happen. I was in a little bit of a rush, and added the rice before enough of the alcohol boiled off to my liking. I was slightly woozy by the time I was done with dinner.
O_O||| <(lightweight)

Looking back on this dish, it reminds me of the eternal question "to butter, or not to butter?" it is the eternal conflict in the world of culinary arts. I believe I have started to ramble. Time to amble off to another beginning of an adventure of aromas and tastes.

Live long and eat well.
Aphrael

Dinner Meeting....

Right out of the oven

A dish created from my mixed experience of eating, a combination of many ingredients that created something I never imagined. Good thing it turned out well. Actually, better than I expected, as my roommate told me. It was a spur of the moment idea that came to me, may be because I watched so many episodes of Hell's Kitchen, and having seen wellingtons made so many times on the show, decided to try for myself. Of course, its no fun to just copy everything you see on TV. Just as my brother does with his music all the time, I decided do something similar, yet quite different.

Nice cut down the middle. Hope the juices don't dry up.

Recipe is as follows:

Stuffed Tomato Wellington (Serves 5.... maybe? I made enough for 4, but have some left over materials)

• 5 medium sized tomatoes
• 1 can of Pillsbury Crescents dough (Found in your local supermarket.)
• Stuffing:
• 1 pound of Italian Salsicca sausages (Buy the ones that are not in actual sausage casings)
• Can use other pork sausages if you wish
• 1 pound of ground beef
• Fistful of fresh spinach (Define fistful by how healthy you eat.... :D)
• 1/2 cup of Breadcrumbs (Make it fresh, buy it canned, your choice)
• 2/3 cup of Balsamic vinegar
• 2/3 cup of Soy sauce (I know, weird, right?)
• Dried oregano
• Dried basil (If you have fresh, even better. My basil plants died before I was making this)
• Salt and pepper
• Provolone cheese (Optional)

In a bowl, mix the sausages and beef together. Add balsamic, soy sauce, and breadcrumbs. Add dried spices, salt and pepper to taste. (Don't actually taste it... its kinda raw at this point. Kinda sniff, you should get a scent of oregano and basil, and a light vinegary smell) Mix the stuffing nice and evenly, the acidity in the vinegar would make the proteins very smooth in your hand.
Cut the top of the tomatoes. Using a spoon, carefully scoop out the 'meat' of the tomatoes. In other words, leave only the flesh that is directly attached to the skin. Don't worry, you'll have plenty of tomatoes left in there. Stuff tomatoes with stuffing. (Duh.)  Take the Crescent dough, and wrap the tomatoes with it. Make sure to seal it nice and tight so that it covers it completely. It helps keep the juices and the goodness inside when you cook it.
Set oven to 350 degrees. When oven is ready, put the wrapped tomatoes into the oven, bake for 18-25 minutes, until top is slightly golden. Lay a piece of provolone on top of the wellington, continue to bake for 5-7 minutes until cheese melts and becomes bubbly. Serve while hot.

As you can see, I'm not what you call an 'precision' cook. I go mostly by instinct, and most of the time it works out great, while other times, I make what you call 'edible' food. Also, the left over stuffing that you might have from making the above mentioned can be made into an awesome snack. Just take any extra Crescents dough you might have, wrap the extra stuffing(I am assuming you have no tomatoes left to stuff at this point), plus one piece of provolone cheese with it. Make it small, kinda like a mini pastry (2"by 2" squares is great) and bake it until its golden brown. Voila! mini hot pockets, put it in at the same time as the tomatoes, and you'll have something to munch on while the delicious goodness bakes to perfection. Hmmm... the thought of it makes me hungry.... time to make food. Before I go, this was made for my mini exec board meeting with my student group, hence the title.

Live long and eat well.
Aphrael

End of one thing, beginning of another.

Life is just a series of beginnings and endings. It is a never ending cycle. As the summer winds to an end, the beginning of this crazy spontaneous idea of mine begins. What better way to improve on what I already have by publicizing what I love to do in my spare time, besides all the distractions that fills the mundane world that we all live in. Cooking. A symbolic thing to represent the series of beginnings and endings. Just think. Everything we consume, whether you are a omnitarian, vegan, or some other food related '-arian', you are ending something while beginning others.

Endings are not always bad, especially if they represent something great, cooking supplies means the end of an object: Salad greens is the end of lettuce leafs as they are picked, butter the end of fats in milk, and so forth for anything you can think of to eat. However, this end serves a useful purpose, the basis of an incredible and sensual journey through what one can never expect. You don't know where you end up. That is what excites me about cooking.

End of cooking means beginning of eating, an act to which I abandon myself to whenever I encounter some delectable morsel of food, whether I have made it, or others did. It pleases me to no end when I am filled with delicious food that just sparks my imagination and/or memories. No matter what type of '-arian' you are, there a little something that will called to your fondest memories. After all, no one lives without eating something, right?
So here's a cheer to a start of something new, hopefully something that will be kept going for a considerable period of time, and who knows, may be someday this will be a record worth looking at.

Live long and eat well,
Aphrael

P.S. FYI, Aphrael isn't my real name, as most can see. It is the name of my favorite character in one of my favorite books, the Belgariad. Aphrael is the child-goddess of the Styricum in that book, and don't ask me what a Styricum is... Figure it out... its worth the reading time :)

P.S.II I probably will post pretty regularly, as I cook regularly, but since this is the post, I'll post my proudest dishes over the summer, which I am now glad I kept a record of, and most likely some recipes to go along.