Mint Walnut Pesto, served with Gnocchi

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Ingredients:

• 1 cup packed fresh mint leaves
• 1 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cup roasted slivered almond
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup (or more) extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 - 1 tbsp kosher salt

Directions:

• In a food processor, blend the first 6 ingredients to coarse puree.
• With food processor running, slowly and gradually pour in the olive oil. Continue blending until it forms smooth puree.
• Transfer to a bowl, season with salt.
• Serve mixed with gnocchis, or your preferred pasta.

Orecchiette with Tomatoes, Sausage, and Arugula

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I am not even going to talk about how long has it been since my last post, it's just downright embarrassing. All I can say is I can't believe how fast time flies, or how much my life has changed in the past year or two. 

Little C is a freshman in high school (holy smoke!). He's loving it so far! 

Big C graduated high school last May, and after a short summer break, has started his life at US Naval Academy. It's been quite an adjustment for him, and also for us. Being away from home at (not) college has proven to be a bit challenging for him. Not having him at home makes everything just weird. 

But I believe eventually all of us will get used to the idea that he's a grown up now, and will have to do grown-up things. 

Me, on the other hand, find myself with more time in hand than I know what to do with. So back to my true nature, I cook. And I bake. And realized that maybe I need to start posting stuff on my blog again, and get myself busy, before I get bored and decided to move to Annapolis to get closer to big C (J is really against this idea! With good reasons).

Ingredients:

• 1 lb dry orecchiette, cook according to package direction, rinse and drain, set aside
• 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 smoked sausage links, sliced 1/2"
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon dried chili flakes
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved (unless they're small, then leave whole)
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan, plus more for sprinkling
• 3 cups arugula
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

• Warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add sliced sausage into the skillet and cook until brown, stir occasionally. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
• In a different large skillet, warm the remaining 2 tbsp oil, add garlic and chili flakes. Cook until fragrant and almost brown. Add cherry tomatoes into the skillet, toss until well coated with garlic oil. Cook for about 3 minutes until the tomatoes start to wilt. Add pasta, sausage, and pasta water into the skillet, mix until combined. Next, add grated parmesan into the pasta, stir to mix. Season with salt and pepper.
• Remove the skillet from he heat, gently fold in half of the arugula. Transfer pasta into individual plates, top with more arugula and sprinkle with more parmesan. Serve and enjoy.

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Southwest Style Pasta Salad

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Because if memory serves me right, everybody loves pasta salad. Especially now that the weather is warming up nicely in this good Northern CA. Did I hear someone say picnic?

And to be able to bring fresh, zesty, and healthy dish to the table that can be prepared in 30 minutes or less, now that's just the icing on the cake!

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces dry mini farfalle pasta, cooked al dente per package instructions
• 1 can sweet corn kernels, rinsed and drained
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can capellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 large red pepper, diced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup packed cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

• Place the first 8 ingredients in a large salad bowl.
• Whisk together oil, lime juice, brown sugar, garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper until well incorporated. 
• Pour dressing over pasta and vegetables (you might not want to use all of the dressing), toss to combine, serve and enjoy!

Sichuan DanDan Noodles

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If you like noodle soup and you like spicy food, you should definitely try this (and if you have never tried, why the hell haven't you?).

Dandan noodles/Dandanmien/Tantanmen hails from Sichuan province in China, known for their cuisine's bold flavors and spiciness. With its sweet pungent aroma, mouth-numbing and piquant flavors, all in delicious savory broth, the soups is literally an assault on your senses.

But a good assault. Because you will be addicted to this.

Because you will wake up the next morning and feel sad because you don't have any leftover.

Because you realize that your regular noodle soup just won't do anymore.

Ingredients:

For Sichuan Chili Oil (Hong You) aka happiness in a jar:

• 1 cup canola oil
• 1-inch fresh ginger, sliced
• 5 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 stalks green onion, sliced
• 4 star anise pods
• 2-inch cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3 tablespoons Sichuan peppers (preferably red and green mix), crushed
• 4 tablespoons red chili flakes

For the noodle soup:

• 1/2 pound pork, coarsely minced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine/rice wine
•  2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 4-5 tablespoons Pixian Doubanjiang/spicy broad bean paste (it looks like this)
• 4 tablespoons sesame paste
• 6 cups chicken stock
• Asian dried noodles
• Cilantro for garnish

Directions:

To make Sichuan Chili Oil (Hong You):

• Combine all of the ingredients in a sauce pot. Cook over medium heat and fry the ingredients until garlics and green onions are browned, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat and continue cooking until the oil turns darker color. Remove from the stove and set aside.
• Transfer oil to an airtight jar. Store in the cool part of the kitchen until ready to use.

* The leftover chili oil stores very well and can be used for other dishes such as this one.

To make the noodle soup:

• In a large bowl, mix pork, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and rice wine until well combined. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes.
• Heat oil in a pot. Add pork and cook until brown. Stir in Douban and sesame paste, cook for about 1 minute. Add chicken stock into the pot, bring to simmer. Taste the soup, season with salt and white pepper if necessary.
• In a separate pot, boil water and cook dry noodles per package instruction. Drain the noodles and divide into 4 individual bowls. Ladle the broth over the noodles, sprinkle with a lot of cilantro. Drizzle generous amount of chili oil before serving.

Spicy Miso Ramen with Pan-Fried Pork

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Ingredients:

For the broth:

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 cup red miso paste
• 3 tablespoons Sichuan chili paste
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons Mirin
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onion
• 3 cup cooked ramen noodles

For the soft-boiled eggs (Ajitsuke Tamago):

• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sake
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 2 tablespoons sugar

For pan-fried pork:

• 1 pound pork shoulder
• 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon Shimichi Toragashi powder
• Salt and pepper

For chili-garlic oil:

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons sesame oil
• 10 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons Sichuan Douban chili sauce

Directions:

• First let's prepare the pork. Rinse and pat dry the pork. Brush with oil and rub the pork with toragashi, salt and pepper. Brown both side of pork on a hot pan, about 7 minutes on each side. Transfer pork to a roasting pan, cover with foil. Place pork in a 350 degree oven and cook until very tender, when internal temperature reach about 190 F. Shred the pork using hands or pork. 
• To make soft-boiled eggs: Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Pierce the bottom of each egg with a needle to create a very small hole (this will prevent the eggs from cracking). Slowly lower the eggs into the boiling water, reduce the heat to simmer, set the timer for 6 minutes. Meanwhile, mix all of the marinating ingredients in a bowl. Transfer the eggs to the sink and peel carefully under cold running water. Place eggs in the bowl to marinate, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• To make the broth: In a large saucepan, heat vegetable and sesame oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger and cook until tender. Transfer into a food processor and pulse until smooth, return onion paste to the same saucepan. Add miso paste and chili paste, stir to blend. Add stock, mirin, and sesame seeds into the pan. Simmer broth over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes. Season with salt, if necessary.
• To make chili-garlic oil: In a small saucepan, heat vegetable and sesame oil. Add garlic, chili sauce and sesame seeds, and cook until garlic are done and slightly crispy. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool down.
• To assemble: Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add shredded pork and cook until brown and slightly crispy. Divide ramen noodles into 4 individual bowl, ladle broth over the noodle. Add shredded pork and about 1 tablespoon of chili-garlic oil, sprinkle with chopped green onion, and serve with soft-boiled egg. Enjoy!

Thai Curry Chicken Noodle Soup

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Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 inch fresh galangal (Kha), or 1 inch fresh ginger
• 3 ounces dried red Guajillo chillies, soak in warm water for 30 minutes
• 5 red bird chili peppers, seeds removed
• 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 can coconut milk
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons palm sugar, or brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce (Nam Pla)
• 1 large lemongrass, white part only, bruised
• 5 Kaffir lime leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pound chicken breast, slice into strips
• 5 ounces mushrooms (straw, clamshell, or crimini mushrooms)
• 5 ounces snow peas, trimmed
• 1 cup loosely packed basil leaves
• Cilantro sprigs and cracked cashews/peanuts
• 1 pound uncooked rice stick noodles

* For those who choose more traditional route, red bell pepper, Thai eggplants and bamboo shoots may be used in this recipe. But really, you can use almost any vegetable you like.

Directions:

• Using mortar and pestle, grind the first 7 ingredients until they turn into paste. Alternatively, you can use food processor to make the paste.
• Heat oil in a dutch pan over medium heat. Add curry paste, lemon grass, lime leaves and stir fry until fragrant. Pour coconut milk into the pan, stir to combine and bring to boil. 
• Reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue cooking for another 5-10 minutes, stir often to prevent burnt bottom, until the sauce is reduced and starting to become oily.
• Increase the heat to medium-high. Add chicken, cook and stir for about 1 minute. 
• Add chicken stock into the pot, stir to combine. Bring to simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. 
• Meanwhile, boil and cook noodles per package directions. Drain and rinse under cool water to prevent sticking. Divide and transfer noodles into 6 individual bowls.
• Add vegetables into the soup. Season with fish sauce, palm sugar, salt and pepper. Stir until the sugar dissolved and everything is well blended. Cook covered for another 5 minutes, then turn off the heat. Stir in basil leaves.
• Using a ladle, pour curry onto the noodles, top with cilantro sprigs and sprinkle with cracked cashews/peanuts. Serve hot.

Makes 6 bowls of noodle soup, served as main dish.

Spinach Lasagna Rolls

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Ingredients:

• 12 lasagna noodles, cook according to package direction, drain and set aside.
• 3 cups ricotta cheese
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 cup finely chopped fresh spinach (or 10 ounces thawed and squeezed dry frozen spinach)
• Salt and pepper 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
• 2 cups homemade quick marinara sauce (recipe below), or store-bought marinara sauce
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Pour one cup of marinara sauce into the bottom of a 9 X 13-inch lasagna dish. 
• In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, chopped spinach, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Divide the cheese mixture into 12 portions, spread each portion onto lasagna noodle and roll up carefully. Place lasagna roll seam-side down in the lasagna dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and cheese mixture. 
• Top the lasagna rolls with the remaining marinara sauce. Spread grated mozzarella cheese over the sauce and sprinkle with oregano. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes, or until the cheese on top turned bubbly and golden brown. Serve immediately.

Quick Marinara Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes 
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

• Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook garlic until tender, then add crushed tomatoes, oregano and basil. Bring to boil and reduce the heat. Let the sauce simmer for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately or store in a refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Purple Gnocchi

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Ingredients:

• 2 pounds purple potatoes, washed and scrubbed
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

Directions:

• Cook the potatoes in a steamer for about 30 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through. Steaming the potatoes instead of boiling them will  ensure that they retain the flavors without adding more moisture. Alternatively, you can bake the potatoes in a 400 degrees F oven for about 35 minutes.
• Transfer the potatoes into a large dish and cool down for about 10 minutes. Peel the skin off potatoes using a paring knife. Press peeled potatoes into a potato ricer. Spread them into a flat surface and cool completely. 
• Pile the riced potatoes together in a mound with a well in the center. Add egg and salt into the well, and begin to mix them together. Add four and parmesan cheese gradually, continue kneading until the dough is less sticky and form a ball, scraping with pastry knife if necessary.
• Take a handful of dough and roll it into a long 3/4-inch diameter dowel. Cut dowel into 1-inch long pieces. Roll each piece on the back of fork tines to make indentations. Continue the process with the remaining of the dough. Place finished gnocchi on a floured baking pan to prevent them from sticking together. 
• Bring a large pot of water to boil and add salt. Drop the gnocchi into the water, wait until they rise to the surface, and cook for about 90 seconds after that. Take gnocchi out using a skimmer, shake off the excess water, and place them in the individual bowls. Serve with the sauce of your choice (We like to serve them with this Italian sausage, roasted red pepper and tomato sauce).

Linguine alla Bottarga

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I had been wanting to try this recipe since, oh...hmm...maybe about 2 years ago. The problem was, I did not even know where to purchase a Bottarga other than ordering it online.

Until recently, I found one in this lovely store in Berkeley. 

But what is Bottarga? It's a dried and cured tuna or grey mullet roe sack, originally from Sardinia but also very popular in Italy.

Combined with plain pasta of your choice, a little bit of garlic and olive oil, you can literally taste the ocean in your mouth. I mean, it's good. 

It's really, really good...

Ingredients:

• 1 pound linguine (or any pasta of your choice)
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes
• 6 ounces Bottarga, grated
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

Directions:

• Boil some water in a large pot, add 1/2 tablespoon of salt. Add linguine into the pot and cook until al dente.
• In a large skillet, heat oil, add garlic and chili flakes. Cook until the garlic turns golden brown in color. Add 1/2 of the grated Bottarga, and stir. Turn off the heat. 
• Drain pasta and add to the skillet. Add parsley and toss together to combine.
• Divide pasta into individual plates, sprinkle with the remaining bottarga and lemon zest. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 as main dish

Hot Italian Sausage, Roasted Red Pepper, and Tomato Sauce

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The Indonesian in me does not like skiing. 

We like warm weather. We do not like wearing big heavy bulky clothing. We like things (and ourselves) to move at a slower pace. And we certainly do not like to crash land on our behind going downhill at 40 mph on a slippery slope. 

And to do it all when you're 'not as young as you used to be' certainly makes the whole experience a lot more excruciating.

Last week, the whole family decided that a ski trip was called for.

And while we as a family, had so much fun, I (whose skiing skills are nothing to write home about) suffered most pain and bruises from all of the falling and tumbling.

So here I am, a few days after the fact, sore muscles and bruised ego still linger, trying to get back to my regular schedule.

Kids are back to school, and family still needs to be fed. It's time to whip up one of my 'quick, easy but delicious' meals.

The sauce is absolutely wonderful mixed with cooked pasta and grated parmesan cheese. Double or triple the recipe to make a big batch, store in an airtight container and freeze up to one month for later use.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 large sweet red peppers
• 4 links Italian sausages, casing removed
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced
• salt and pepper

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Half the red peppers lengthwise, remove the seeds from the cavities. Line a baking sheet with a piece of aluminum foil, place the peppers on the baking sheet facing up. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and roast in the oven for about 15 minutes. Flip over the peppers and continue roasting for another 15 minutes, or until the peppers are soft and nicely charred. Remove from the oven and cool down.
• Place the roasted peppers in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Set aside.
• In a heavy pot, heat the remaining of olive oil over medium heat. Add loose sausage and cook until golden brown, breaking them up with the spatula. Add minced garlic and chili flakes, mix and continue cooking for another 3 minutes.
• Add canned tomatoes, red pepper puree, basil and oregano. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with lid, and continue cooking for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. 

Happy New Year 2013!

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2012 flew by so fast. Lots of fun and exciting things happened to us in 2012. 

A new addition to our family (puppy), summer vacation (Puerto Rico), J's new job, and my short trip to Jakarta to see family and friends. We took bread making classes in San Francisco, watched a couple of touring Broadway shows, and shared some wonderful and memorable meals with family and friends.

All in all, 2012 was a great year.

So, on this first day of 2013, please allow me to wish you all a joyous and happy new year. May this new year brings immense happiness in all you do, the creativity and passion to cook and to try new things, and may we will never gain weight from all the cooking and eating we'll do in upcoming year.

Artichoke Lemon Pesto

Ingredients:

• 1 can quartered artichoke hearts
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/4 cup fresh flat leaf Italian Parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon rind
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Put all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Note: Artichoke lemon pesto is great for dip, or spread, or mix with pasta (mix hot cooked pasta with some pesto, sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese)

Squid Ink Tagliatelle alla Primavera

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Ingredients:

• 2 cups broccoli florets, blanched
• 1 can button mushrooms, quartered
• Kernels from 1 cooked sweet corn
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 16 ounces freshly cooked black ink tagliatelle (or any kind of pasta)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan/Pecorino cheese

Directions:

• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and chili flakes into the hot oil, sauté until the garlic is soft and golden in color, about 2-3 minutes. Add white wine and continue cooking until all the wine evaporated. Stir in broccoli florets, mushrooms and corn, cook for another 3 minutes or until the broccoli is tender. 
• Add cooked pasta into the skillet along with tomatoes, basil and mint. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Transfer pasta and vegetables onto individual plates, top with grated Parmesan/Pecorino.

Homemade Raviolis

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Over the time, I learned a thing or two about cooking;

I learned that simple food with fresh ingredients can have big flavors.

I learned that it's ok if my food doesn't look as good as the store bought ones.

I learned that I like to hear about who's and what's in my children's (school) lives, when we're doing a cooking project together.

These raviolis, are the perfect representation of those things I mentioned above.

Basic pasta dough:

• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup semolina flour
• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Water, if needed

Cheese filling:

• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated pecorino
• 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar
• 1 tablespoon minced basil
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

• Place the flour and semolina on a clean countertop. Make a well in the flour. Add eggs and olive oil into the well. Start to knead the dough with your hands. Add a little bit of water if needed until you reach the desired consistency. Roll dough into one big ball, put in a plastic bag and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to relax the gluten.
• Meanwhile, place all of the ingredients for the filling in a large bowl and mix well. Take the chilled dough out of the refrigerator. Grab a handful of dough and run it through the pasta roller. Adjust the roller and run the dough a few times until you have long thin pasta with no holes. 
• Lay the pasta sheet on a floured surface. Spoon about a teaspoon each of cheese filling onto the pasta, spacing them about an 1 1/2 inch apart. Brush the area around the filling with some water, then lay another piece of pasta on top. Press out any air bubbles around the filling, then cut out the raviolis with cookie cutter (or ravioli cutter if you have one). Repeat the process with the remaining dough and filling.
• When you're ready to cook, simply cook the raviolis in a salted boiling water for about 7-8 minutes, or until tender. Drain and serve with any sauce of your choice.

Garden Fresh Pasta

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Fresh farmers market acquisitions really shine in this simple, healthy and delicious pasta dish.

Ingredients:

• 10 ounces dried pasta (I used basil linguine, but any kind of pasta should do just fine)
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• Juice from 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 ears corn, shucked
• 2 medium zucchini, peeled into thin strips using vegetable peeler
• 10 brussels sprouts, ends trimmed, leaves separated
• 2 cups colorful cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoon fresh oregano
• 1/2 cup shaved parmesan 
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

• In a large pot, bring water and salt to boil. Cook corn in the pot until tender, remove and set aside to cool down. Cut corn from cobs.
• Cook pasta according to directions. While pasta is cooking, mix garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil in a large mixing bowl. When pasta is done cooking, remove from the pot, drain completely and transfer to the mixing bowl. Using the same pasta water, cook brussels sprouts and zucchini strips for about 15 seconds. Remove and drain, add to the mixing bowl.
• Add corn, tomatoes, red onions and herbs into the bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Toss gently to mix. Serve pasta with shaved parmesan. 

Makes 4-6 servings

Stir Fried Soba Noodles with Beef and Vegetables

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Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound beef, thinly sliced across the grain
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeds removed and cut into strips
• 4 ounces frozen green peas
• 1 package (12 ounces) dry Soba noodles, cook as instructed on the package, drain
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

• In a large glass bowl, mix together beef, soy sauce, cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil until well combined. Set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large non-stick skillet over high heat. Add beef into the skillet and cook until they're done. Transfer beef to a bowl and set aside.
• Add another 1 tablespoon oil into the skillet, toss onion and garlic, cook until onion turns translucent and fragrant. Add bell pepper strips and frozen peas, cook until the vegetables are done but still slightly firm. Add cooked soba noodles and beef into the skillet. Season with salt and pepper, stir until well mixed. Remove skillet from the heat. Divide noodles into plates and serve hot.

Serves 4 - 6

Slow Cooked Pork Ragu with Farfalle

Today is the last day of school for my children. Summer break will officially start tomorrow, and  I will have different kind of hectic and crazy days ahead of me. 

That means a lot of driving to and from the kids' summer camps, a lot of play date and sleepover hosting, a lot of time spent at the pool, and tons of prepare-in-advance meals to cook.

This, is just one of them.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 pounds pork shoulder, cubed (about 2 X 2 inch)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 3/4 cup chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 package Farfalle (or Pappardelle, or Rigatoni)
• Grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley

Directions:

• Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Season the pork with salt and pepper. Brown the pork on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove pork from skillet and transfer to slow cooker. Add onions, garlics, wine, crushed tomatoes, chicken stock and bay leaves into the slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours, until the pork is fork tender and the juice thickens.
• Remove the pork from the crock pot, shred with 2 forks to make smaller pieces. Remove bay leaves and return shredded pork into the crock pot. Season with additional salt and pepper if necessary. Simmer/warm for additional 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in a boiling salt water until soft, per package directions. Drain pasta, toss with pork ragu, serve immediately with grated parmesan and chopped parley.

Linguine and Clams

Classic comfort that never fails to satisfy my crowd.

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 tablespoons dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon hot red pepper flakes
• 1 pound small clams, scrubbed (I used 1 can of baby clams, juice included)
• 1 pound dry linguine
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh Italian parsley
• salt

Directions:

• Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot and add 3 tablespoons of kosher salt. Meanwhile. combine the oil and the garlic in a large pot and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until the garlic is softened, about 1 minute. Add wine, red pepper flakes, and clams, shaking the pot occasionally, until the clams open, about 5 minutes. Transfer the clams to a bowl as they open. Remove the pot from the heat. 
• Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook until just al dente. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
• Add the pasta and 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to the clam broth and stir and toss over medium heat until the pasta is well coated (add a splash or two more of the reserved pasta water if necessary to loosen the sauce). Stir in the clams, with their juice, and toss until just heated through. Stir in the parsley and serve immediately.

Recipe is taken from Mario Batali's Molto Gusto cookbook.

Spinach Noodle Soup with Sautéed Chicken and Mushrooms

Ingredients:

For sautéed chicken and mushrooms:

• 2 chicken breast, diced
• 1 cup sliced canned button mushrooms
• 1 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 3 cloves garlic. minced
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• salt and ground white pepper to taste

For the broth:

• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh garlic
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• salt and ground white pepper to taste
• 2 stalks green onion, chopped

For the noodles:

• 1 pound spinach egg noodles
• 2 quarts of water
• 2 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

• To make the sautéed chicken and mushrooms: In a large heavy skillet, heat the cooking oil and sesame oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic, stir and cook until fragrant. Add diced chicken and sliced mushroom, cook until the chicken are done and no longer pink. Season with soy sauce, sugar, salt and pepper. Add chicken stock, stir and continue cooking until the stock is reduced to half. Transfer chicken and mushrooms to a large bowl and set aside.
• To make the broth: In a large saucepan, heat up the oil over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger, stir and cook until fragrant. Pour the chicken stock into the saucepan, season with soy sauce, salt and pepper. Add chopped green onions, bring the broth to boil and let it simmer.
• Place water, oil and salt in a different large saucepan. Heat it up and bring to boil. Add the noodles into boiling water, and cook until tender but not mushy (about 3 minutes). Drain the noodles and separate them into 4 bowls. Top each noodle with some chicken-mushroom, and ladle some broth over the noodle. Serve immediately.

Serve 4 as main course

Penne with Chile - Black Bean Sauce and Garlic-Fried Bread Crumbs

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup small dried black beans or 15 oz. canned black beans
• olive oil, for cooking
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 celery stalk, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 15 oz. canned plum tomatoes, drained (reserve the juice), seeded and chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cinnamon stick
• a large handful of arugula
• 8 oz. pasta (I use Penne), freshly cooked
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shavings, to serve

Garlic-fried bread crumbs:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Directions:

• If using dried black beans, soak them overnight in plenty of cold water. Next day, drain them, rinse well, put in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to boil. DO not add salt. Boil hard for 15 minutes, then drain and rinse. If using canned beans, drain and rinse them
• Cover the base of the medium saucepan with olive oil, then heat gently. Add the carrot, onion, celery, garlic and beans, and stir gently in the oil for 5 minutes, or until vegetables soften. Add the tomatoes and pepper flakes plus cinnamon and stir again. Heat to simmering, cover with lid and cook over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring from time to time. It might be necessary to add a little reserved tomato juice to keep the sauce moist. Add salt and pepper to taste and discard the cinnamon stick.
• To make the garlic-fried bread crumbs, heat the 3 tablespoons olive oil in the skillet. Put the bread crumbs, rosemary and garlic in a bowl and mix well. When the oil starts to haze, add the bread crumbs mixture and sauté until crisp and golden. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel, let drain and cool.
• Add the sauce and arugula to the freshly cooked pasta and stir well. Serve topped with garlic-fried bread crumbs and Parmesan shavings.

Note: Recipe was taken from Pasta cookbook, authored by Silvana Franco and Lindy Wildsmith

Soto Ayam Ambengan

The first post of the year! 

It feels like that 2011 flew by us too quick. Not much has changed in our household. DH is still busy with his work as usual, I still (try to) keep the house organized, make sure that everybody's fed and demand my kids to do whatever they're suppose to do by instilling fears into their little heads (like that EVER works!).

Although on the other hand, I must say that 2011 was the year for growing. By that I mean that the children are growing up, DH and I are growing out. Big C is almost 13 years old has grown to be as tall as his Dad and 9 year old little C has outgrown most of his clothes. 

But, changes in body size aside, we went through the holiday break pretty much unscathed. Quiet Christmas at home, several play dates and sleepovers (for the kids and their friends), ski trip, Six Flags day and New Year's Eve dinner with family friends. That kept us busy enough. So it's suffice to say that I'm looking forward to a better, peaceful and happy year to come. 

To mark the beginning of the year, and to stray away a little bit from greasy and heavy holiday food, here is the recipe for Soto Ayam Ambengan (East Javanese Chicken Noodle Soup) that's perfect for a chilly winter night. It's fragrant, because it contains a lot of lemon grass and kaffir lime leaves, yet succulent and rich.

Ingredients:

• 50 grams small shrimp, sautéed
• 6 red shallots
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 1 inch fresh turmeric (or 1 teaspoon turmeric powder)
• 1 inch fresh galangal (or 1 teaspoon galangal powder)
• 2 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 inch fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 5 candle nuts (substitute with Macadamia nuts if candle nuts are not available)
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 whole medium-sized chicken
• 3 stalks of lemongrass, white parts only, bruised
• 5 kaffir lime leaves
• 2.5 liters of water or chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• salt to taste
• 200 grams white rice noodles
• 4 green onions, mince
• 3 tablespoons of minced celery leaves
• 5 hard boiled eggs, cut in segments

Optional:

• Lime juice
• Kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
• Chili sauce 
• Poyah (grind shrimp crackers and fried garlic in a food processor until they turn into powder)

Directions:

• In a large pot, put together water/chicken stock, chicken, lemongrass, lime leaves, sugar and salt. Bring to boil and reduce the heat to medium. Continue cooking until the chicken is cooked thoroughly. Remove chicken from the pot, cool down and shred the meat. Put aside.
• Using mortar and pestle, grind the first 9 ingredients until it forms smooth paste (or use food processor). Stir fry the paste in hot oil until fragrant, then transfer to the pot with the stock. Cook over medium heat for about 15-20 minutes, season with salt and pepper.
• To serve, separate noodles into bowls, top with shredded chicken, chopped green onion, celery and hard boiled egg. Ladle hot soup over the noodle. Serve with lime juice, kecap manis, chili sauce and poyah if desired.