Orang3: March 2008

panko fried oysters with cumin glazed carrots

on a bed of curry tomato basmati rice plus a blistered egg.

Chicken and spinach soup w/ dumplings

My twist on the southern classic of chicken and dumplings. Broth was modified from the Terra cod recipe and the dumpling was from a southern cookbook from the library. Very Tasty.

Backs and inner chicken parts of 2 chicken

3 quarts water

Bring to boil add chicken, skim scum

Add ½ large carrot, peeled and chopped

Strain, shred some boiled chicken meat or add fresh chicken

Reduce to about 1 quart or less

Add

1 tbs soy, less than
1 tbs mirin
¼ tsp sesame oil
1 slice of ginger
1 ts salt or less, taste it.

Add spinach, 1 bunch, about 3-4 cups
Boil for 2 mins
Remove form broth

Make the dumplings

Dumplings(make like 1/4 of this recipe, unless you really like dumplings).

2 c flour
1 c chicken broth
1 ts salt
1 ts baking powder

Mix and cut into strips, make smaller long ovals

Add thinly sliced carrots to broth and bring to boil.

Add dumplings and cover. Simmer for 13 mins

Add chicken and spinach. Serve hot

Asian Flank Steak

I think anything with soy sauce in it is considered "Asian".

flavor could use a bit tweating, but the steak was tender and juicy.

soy, ginger, sake, tabasco

Chocolate Review

I was at the enormous westfield mall in SF a few weeks ago. Other people went shopping for clothes, but I of course bought food. I picked up the two chocolate bars at Bristol farm after getting pass angry boycotting unionized workers. They both pretty good, i recommend you try them.
Chuao Caracas- Milk chocolate bar with almonds, hazelnuts, and pistachios 41% cacao. Soft snaps, very smooth, filled with whole nuts, i mean every bite. If you like dark, they have a 60% one too. $5.99 / 100g

Voges Black Pearl- Dark chocolate w/ Wasabi, ginger, black sesame. 55% cacao . Clean snap, complex blend of flavors, pretty smooth. The back of the package teaches you how to enjoy this exotic candy bar. Though it sounds a little hoity toity, i think it works. You first taste the ginger, then you get the cocao, follow by the wasabi, finishing with the sesame.

The second place i went to( actually the second place i bought stuff at cause i really went to all the food and cooking stores which brings me to, how can they not have any fine gourmet stores like sur la table or william sonoma!) was Cocoa Bella.

I felt like the fat kid at Willy Wonka's Factory. The placed looked like a jewelry story, U shaped glass cases filled with chocolates. The chocolates were separated into country of origin and then by the chocolatier, now that is hardcore. They even have a little bio on the chocolatier, "Blah is a graduate of the culinary institute of america and has spent his last 5 years working with Ferran Adria at the world renown El Bulli....." I'd say there was at least a 100 different type of chocolates to chose from, it was very very hard to chose.
Michel Cluizel-France- champagne- very good
Laderach- Swiss- zabaglione - didn't eat the whole thing, good from what i tasted
Amedei- Italy-milk chocolate truffle- above average
Knipschildt-USA-berry- above average
Marquise Sevigne-- France- Coconut- good
the flavors might not correspond to the correct maker, they are not labeled so this is my guess.
Though i don't recommend that you go out of your way to try these, i do suggest you go to the store and take a look at the enormous selection they have.

Ubuntu- Vegetarian

Life ain't so bad without meat...

Cauliflower cast iron pot- The first thing that hits you if the wonderful aroma when the waiter removes the lid. Resting on top of of the cauliflower in cream sauce is a heaping quenelle of finely chopped garlic. An interesting element in this dish is orange segments. It adds nice freshing touch of acid and sweetness to the creamy dish.

top- mushroom pizza- iono, level of CPK.
bottom- bbq brussel sprounts w/ grits- so this is what brussel sprouts taste like. Not bad, but not going for seconds

Beet salad with grapeful and avocado. Interesting salad, hint of mustard and dirty after taste, I mean terroir.

Citrus winter float- I'm usually not a fan of sorbets because they tend to be too sweet and you get sick of it half way through. This was surprisingly good though. On the bottom is some type of pastry cream with grapefruit and orange segments. Then some type of ice and some more cream i think. And on top a scope of grapefruit sorbet and lemon granite. It wasn't super sweet so i'll guess they used club soda instead of sprite. There was also i think a kifer lime oil or essence drizzle on top, the aroma was very nice.