Nomnomymous Ramblings

Chinese Red Bean Hamantashen

2014-03-16T10:00:00.004-04:00

The Seudah will be chinese food, so i decided to bake chinese hamantashen. I have for your red bean hamantashen.

For the Filling;

Ingredients:

2/3 cup dried red beans

Water for boiling

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup oil for frying

Preparation:

1. Wash the beans and throw out any that are damaged. Place the beans in a small to medium-sized saucepan, cover with water and soak overnight. (This helps shorten the cooking time).

2. The next day, bring the beans and water to a boil. Simmer for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, until the beans have softened, adding more water as necessary. Drain.3. Process the beans in a blender until smooth. Remove from the blender, and stir in the sugar.4. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan. Fry the beans on medium-low heat (about 4 on an electric stove) for a few minutes until they are dry, pressing them gently with the back of a spatula to form a paste. Cool and use as called for in the recipe. (Stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator, homemade sweet red bean paste will last for approximately one week). Yields approximately 1 3/4 cups.

For the Dough;

4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted margarine
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
4 teaspoons milk, rice milk or water
1 teaspoons vanilla

1.5 teaspoons 5 spice powder

1 cup of your red bean paste

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Cream together margarine and sugar, then add the eggs and vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt and 5 spice powder.
4. Add dry ingredients to the egg mixture with the mixer on low, alternating with water or rice milk.
5. Chill the dough for 1 hour to overnight (this step can be skipped if you're in a rush, cold dough is just easier to handle), then roll out with flour sprinkled below and above the dough, to 1/4 inch thickness, and using a water glass or round cookie cutter, cut into 2-inch rounds.
6. Fill each round with 1 heaping teaspoon of your favorite filling, and draw up sides for triangle.
7. Seal edges with cold water.
8. Bake at 375 degrees F for 12-14 minutes. Reduce your oven temperature if the dough begins to burn on the bottom. It is very common that ovens run hot, especially if you are baking in batches and the oven has been on for multiple hours. I use an internal oven thermometer for this reason.
9. To keep hamantaschen soft, store in airtight containers.

(modified from http://www.classicallykosher.com/2013/02/the-best-hamantaschen-recipe-bar-none.html and http://chinesefood.about.com/od/dessertsfruit/r/redbeanpaste.htm)

Sorbet Fever! (pics forthcoming)

2011-06-06T21:16:00.001-04:00

I have been on a wild sorbet kick recently. It took me a while to get the technique down but i managed to put one together. Basically a sorbet is flavoring and simple syrup. The sugar in the syrup is key to the texture.

First things first is the syrup. You can make the basic syrup with equal parts sugar and water. You simmer the sugar and water until the sugar is all dissolved. The amount of syrup depends on the sweetness of the fruit, and how much pulp you will be using in the sorbet. One can also flavor the syrup with mint or ginger. I also like to make the syrup with wine from time to time, white wine with light fruits and red berries, and red wine with purple dark berries.

Today I made mango, cantaloupe, ginger sorbet.

2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup water
1 oz tequila
4 tbsp fresh ginger
4 mangoes
3/4's a cantaloupe

Grate 4 tbsp fresh ginger. Mix water, sugar, ginger, and bring to a boil on a stove top, reduce to a simmer and stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Puree 3 mangoes and 3/4 of a cantaloupe, add simple syrup and a splash of tequila.

Chill in fridge until under 40 F.

Place mix in a ice cream maker until stiff, then place in the freezer for at least 3 hours. Alternatively place it in the freezer and make sure to stir it every 45 min or so.

Other ideas blueberry cabernet. Strawberry, cherry, chardonnay.

[[UPDATED]] I have another sorbet chilling in the fridge. I made a simple syrup with thyme and oregano. Then I roasted peaches (and a single pear for a bit more bulk). I skinned the peaches and pears. Then I pureed it in a food processor with ground black pepper, pink peppercorns, a dash of salt, a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil, and the juice of 2 lemons and 2 limes.

A Primitive Dinner

2011-03-06T23:30:00.012-05:00

I went over to a friend’s house to dinner tonight. Steve has been interested in the paleo diet in recent and we put the menu together with that in mind. He had just went food shopping at Corrado's and Whole Foods,

had some nice looking produce and a couple of interesting ingredients, namely fresh turmeric, and macadamia nut oil. The menu ended up being spiced and broiled lamb belly ribs, Lentils with fresh turmeric and leeks, red chard with leeks and andouille sausage, and spicy israeli salad. I removed the sausage from its casing and chopped it finely, then browned the sausage until it was mostly brown bits. Then I deglaze the pan with beer, but you could easily use wine. Don't forget to scrape up the brown bits after deglazing; they are a powerhouse of flavor. Under Steve’s bad influence i put a splash of lamb fat in both the lentils and chard, about a tbsp. each, this was completely optional and slightly overkill but very delicious.

Dinner was delicious, the ribs were fatty and tender and flavorful. The lentils were honestly amongst the tastiest I have ever had, the turmeric adding a subtle but amazing flavor, that is difficult to describe, similar to the dried spice, but less intense with a some vegetable flavor. As for the chard, well I tend to love dark leafies and this was no exception, bright and flavorful, any trace of bitterness removed by the squirt of lemon juice. The israeli salad came out nicely as well, the bright acidic flavor helping to cut through the richness of the rest of the meal.

Recipe after the break.

Broiled Lamb Breast Riblets.

Preheat the broiler on low, dust the riblets with allspice, hot paprika salt and pepper. Broil 15 minutes on one side and 10 on the other remove and let rest covered for 5 minutes.

Lentils with Leeks and fresh Turmeric.

3 leeks halved washed and sliced

1 tbsp. fresh grated turmeric (sub with less then half a teaspoon of dried turmeric)

2 cans lentils (can be substituted with dried lentils cooked in water with a bay leaf and salt for 10-15 min and al dente)

2 Thai bird chili’s halved

2 bay leaves

Pinch cumin seeds

Low sodium chicken stock

Juice/zest of 1 lemon

Pepper

2 cloves garlic chopped

Macadamia nut oil

Splash of lamb fat from riblets (optional)

Brown the leeks in macadamia nut oil, once the leeks start to brown add the garlic and chilis. Add lentils, if the liquid from the can is fresh and tastes good you can use the liquid from one can (be careful this might have a bunch of salt). Add chicken stock, turmeric, cumin seeds, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Simmer until the cooking liquid has mostly reduced. Optionally you can take a bit of the lamb fat from the riblets, throw a pinch of cumin seeds, and mix that in to the lentils.

Spicy Israeli Salad.

1 cup cubed cucumber

1 cup cubed tomato

1 to 4 Thai bird chilis sliced thin

Juice of 3 lemons

Zest of one lemon

Handful of flat leafed parsley chopped

Garlic powder to taste

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Macadamia nut oil

Combine all ingredients and season to taste.

Red Chard with Leeks and Mushrooms.

2 bunches red chard

3 leeks sliced

Juice of half a lemon

3 andouille sausages, chopped fine

8 crimini mushrooms roughly chopped

Macadamia nut oil

1/4 cup beer

Vegetable stock

2 cloves garlic chopped

Splash of lamb fat

In a not-nonstick pot heat up macadamia nut oil, sauté sliced leeks, add mushrooms and garlic once the garlic gets fragrant set aside. Brown the sausages until they are mostly brown bits. Deglaze the pot with beer and make sure to scrape up all the brown bits. Cut the stalks off of the chard, cut the chard in to bite sized pieces and the stalks in to 1 inch pieces. Add the stalks and cook for 3 min. Add the chopped leaves a pinch of salt, and the chicken stock. Cover the pot simmer until the greens are wilted. Finish with lemon juice and optionally lamb fat.

Been gone for a while, yea I know disappointing, but I return with a recipe!

2011-03-02T00:41:00.005-05:00

It has been some time since I have been here. I made two posts on this blag, and I think they were pretty entertaining and engaging, but then i stopped, and lo and behold it's a year later. Well tonight I will end this.

I would like to share with you two recipes, my Miso Mirin Pot Roast, and a great way to use the leftovers, Pot Roast Hash. Sorry for my lack of photography, I hope this thread is not useless, even for its lack of pics. Next time I promise. Recipes after the jump.

Miso Mirin Potroast

In this recipe I used some fantastic umami hacks. (If you dont know what umami is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umami) Ingredients like tomato paste, miso paste, soy sauce, and mushrooms are high in glutamates, a key source of umami flavor. If you add these to your pot roast braising liquid you will find that your beef tastes beefier. I used a heavy oven safe Le Creuset
dutch oven to cook this, and the heavier the pot you use the better off you are. This pot roast tasted amazing, while the ingredients are not traditional, the flavor was, the meat was falling apart, super beefy, and the sauce had a slight bit of heat from the pepper.

light oil
white flour
1 pot roast or french roast
2 cups onion sliced
2 carrots chopped finely
2 celerys chopped finely
3 cloves chopped garlic
1 -3 serrano peppers chopped fine
3 tbsp miso paste
1/4 cup mirin
splash of soy sauce
splash of worcestershire sauce
1 can tomato paste
low sodium vegetable stock
water from cooking lentils with starch from the bottom of the bowl (leftover from cooking lentils that has been drained and set aside, use the lentils elsewhere.)

Preheat the oven to 375
Coat the roast in flower and brown the pot roast in a large very heavy oven safe pot.
Remove the pot roast and set aside. Saute the onions until translucent and add the garlic. Let the onions begin to brown. Add the carrots and peppers and celery. Allow the veg to begin to soften. Add the tomato paste, mirin, soy sauce, miso paste, worcestershire sauce. Let that cook until the smell begins to intensify then add the lentil water and vegetable stock.

Cover pot and put in the oven at 375. Cook until the meat is falling apart.

Pot Roast Hash (serves 2)

This next recipe I had for dinner tonight, it was a delicious way to give the pot roast a second life. The heavier the pan you use the better your potato's will be, a cast iron pan would be best.

Vegetable oil

1 medium russet potato

1 small onion

1 cup leftover potroast cubed

Delicious gravy from the pot roast

Cube the potato and cook in salted boiled water until firm. Drain and rinse in cold water. Dice onions and brown them over a medium flame until golden and fragrant. Mix the onions, potato, and pot roast. Add enough delicious gravy to bind the mix together. Cook over a medium-medium high flame until potato's are crispy.

Serve with a egg with a runny yolk!

Korea In Bergen County: Volume 1

2009-12-12T15:44:00.004-05:00

In Fort Lee, Palisades Park, and Leonia there exists a very large and vibrant Korean American community, and with that comes a plethora of truly excellent, guaranteed authentic, and always interesting Korean restaurants. Being obsessed with Korean cuisine I have endeavored to try as many as I can, and from now on you folks will get a taste of my explorations of Korea in Bergen County.

So Kong Dong Tofu - ( 130 Main St, Fort Lee, NJ‎201) 242-0026). Soondooboo Chigae is the star here, in fact, aside from some delicious thinly sliced ribs, called Kalbi, it is the only thing on the menu. Soondooboo is very soft tofu curds, and with it is made the main event at this restaurant. It is ofered in 5 levels of spiciness (from not spicy to very spicy) with 7 different options mixing seafood and beef. As today was fracking frigid, hovering at about 30 degrees, this seemed like the perfect lunch.

As in all Korean restaurants the meal starts with banchan being brought out. Banchan are small dishes of food that come with every meal, always including kimchi, a backbone of Korean cuisine. The basic recipe for kimchi is napa cabbage, or other vegetables, fermented with hot chilli peppers and various other ingredients, and it is served at every meal. In fact, kimchi is so ingrained in Korean culture that when Koreans take photos they use the word kimchi much the way Americans say cheese. One may always ask for more banchan, it is part of the meal, and it is gratis. Here, while the banchan was not extensive, it was excellent. The regular kimchi, made with napa cabbage, was fresh, tasty, lightly fermented, and not too spicy. The cucumber kimchi was a bit spicier, and also lightly fermented. On the other hand, the radish kimchi also had a few green chili peppers, and was very fermented, slightly fizzy, and quite spicy. The last of the banchan was a dish made of sautéed bean sprouts that was tossed wth sesame oil, a refreshing and mild counterpoint to the spicier kimchis.

Additionally it came with mul-kimchi (water kimchi), napa cabbage and daikon in a light vinegary pickling liquid was also very refreshing.

The rice here was perfect. It is brought to the table by the waiter in a hot stone bowl, dished out, and is fragrant, sticky, and sweet. The bowl is then filled with a roasted rice tea and left to sit, to be enjoyed as a drink as the meal goes on.

The kalbi comes to the table heaped on a platter, and the only utensil that comes with it is a pair of kitchen shears. I have never seen kitchen shears used as extensively in table service as I have in Korean restaurants, and it is an unusual experience to the unaccustomed, cutting your kalbi yourself with shears. Fatty and flavorful, marinated in a sweet soy mixture, the kalbi are perfectly cooked and very tender, a real wallop of umami.

But in here, as I said before, the star is really the soondooboo chigae. I ordered the clam soondooboo, very spicy, and my friend ordered a mix of beef and mushroom soondooboo, not spicy. The waiter brings this to the table in a metal bowl and it is still boiling.

The raw egg at the table is cracked into the still boiling soup and stirred up, thickening and enriching the broth. At this point I tasted my soup and it was a wonderful, fiery broth redolent with fermented soy and chilies, onion, and garlic. The flavor of the clam is basically lost in the heat of the broth, and I suggest the beef as it actually adds something to the dish. My friend's mushroom and beef soondooboo was too mild for my taste, but had good flavor. In my opinion, without at least a little spicy heat this dish is lackluster, but my dining companion enjoyed it, saying;

"Without the, what was to me, overwhelming amount of spice, the well developed flavors of tofu, mushroom, and beef to sing on their own, with just a little hint of spice for those who don't enjoy spicy foods".

So Kong Dong Tofu is a busy, busy restaurant, and they hurry you in to your table take your order almost immediately. There are often lines during the lunch and dinner rush, and they will take your order while waiting if there is a line, to make sure you get served right away. We were quite fortunate to get a seat just before a line formed. The service was brisk, but friendly, and when we were done we were brought the check and asked to vacate our seats. I thought I had left my camera there ( I later found it in my sweatshirt pocket), and the staff was very helpfully looking for it with me. One of the joys of Korean restaurants is that you are pretty much guaranteed that the flavors are not at all modified for the Western palate, and in this So Kong Dong is no exception. This place is a gem, and in the way of my favorite restaurants does one thing well: the single-dish focus is its success.

I give So Kong Dong Tofu 4 noms on the nomscale.

- Nomnomymous

Peru in Passaic Volume 1

2009-12-08T07:45:00.010-05:00

Passaic is a diverse city in North Jersey. It is home to a sizable Peruvian community, and with that comes Peruvian food. This is just the first post as I eat my way through these fantastic, inexpensive restaurants in downtown Passaic.

Anticucheria el Chevere - (603 Main Avenue Passaic, NJ 07055-4921 - (973) 458-8308) This is an authentic Peruvian restaurant specializing in Antichuchos, basically beef heart skewers, but I will get to the organ meat in a bit. It's in downtown Passaic, not the most scenic of areas, but a friendly resturaunt.

We sat down and before we ordered the waiter brought a plate with two hot sauces, the darker one made with garlic, hot and bell peppers, scalions and cilantro. The lighter one seemed to be an Aioli flavored with the other hot sauce. Both were very flavorful and really made the food pop.

We got an order of Peruvian corn to start with, and it came with a cold cheese sauce. The corn is not like what you are used to as American corn on the cob. It has large starchy kernels that seem to be a cross between potato and corn, and was served with little cubes of queso blanco, the kind that squeaks a bit when you chew it. This corn is interesting mostly as a textural mindfuck; one is not used to corn that feels that way. The cheese sauce was tasty but nothing too spectacular.

Next was Aguadita, listen on the menu as chicken gizzard soup, it also has rice, potatoes, chicken necks, and is flavored with a lot of cilantro. With it came some lime wedges. It is a hearty flavorful soup, the neck bones added a lot of flavor and the potatoes basically melted in the soup to give it a great thickness. The gizzards added a wonderful funky organ meat taste (like a very light liver flavor). Before the lime the soup was tasty, but after a healthy squirt from a few wedges of lime the soup positively sang!

Antichuchos is the namesake dish of this restaurant and does not disappoint . Antichuchos can be found all over South America, and be made from many kinds of meat, but when in Peru, antichuchos refer to beef hearts. I myself love to eat organ meat, and am not freaked out by hearts. Chicken hearts are fantastic little morsels of meat. Beef hearts are a great beginner organ meat to be honest. The flavor is very beefy, very meaty, and there is only the lightest mineraly organ meat flavor. They were grilled perfectly, the meat not tough or rubbery at all. They were served up on top of a few slices of potato very simply cooked ( I can't tell how honestly. I think likely boiled then put on a grill for color). With a bit of the hot sauces (both were great with the antichuchos) this is a very satisfying dish.

Next up is the Rachi, made from beef tripe (cow stomach), It was grilled with chili's, onions, and spices, and was both crispy and chewy. I have had tripe a few times, and usually it mostly resembles flavorless rubber bands, but this was tasty and wonderful with a great bit of kick to it.

And, lastly, a half chicken. Roasted chicken is a big deal in Peruvian restaurants, and the chicken here was perfectly cooked, with super crispy skin. The white meat was very moist, and the dark meat flavorful. The only downside was that it came with frozen french fries. I should have asked for one of the other options, and gotten it with one of a myriad of available Latin starches but this was only a minor drawback.

We accompanied the meal with chicha morada, a shockingly purple drink made with purple corn. Fruity and tasty and something I would drink at home if it was in the grocery.

All in all this was a fantastic restaurant experience and I will be returning to Anticucheria el Chevere again, once i have made my rounds through the other Latin delights that downtown Passaic has to offer. While I know this is likely out of your comfort zone there are surprises to be found, and this is a fantastic cuisine to get to know. The menu is not just freaky organ meat for the serious eater, but also contains some less daunting items that I might try the next time I am around: beef stir fry, some ceviche and some great chicken.

I give Anticucheria el Chevere 3.5 noms on the nomscale.
- Nomnomymous

Welcome to my new blag!

2009-12-07T18:45:00.001-05:00

Hey folks, I'm happy to introduce you to Nomnomymous Ramblings, a new food blag here on the interwebs!

I know its empty but my friends and I will soon fill this place with all sorts of food porn of interesting and funky and different foodbits.
- Nomnomymous