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.

Crispy Fried Tofu

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No, thank you. I don't like tofu you said?

Maybe it's because you never had tofu that's cooked right. 

Cooking tofu is not difficult, and if you follow the steps necessary, you might see them more often on your dining table. After all, it's delicious and it's a great protein that can be enjoyed by everybody.

1. Use the right kind of tofu for the recipe.  Depends greatly on what I'm cooking, most of the time I'm using firm to extra-firm tofu because they're easier to handle, hold their shape better, and don't crumble in your hand. You can also diced, sliced, and transform into whatever shape you want. Soft tofu is great for scrambles and stir-fries, while silken tofu is great for baking (try tofu pancakes!), creamy sauce, and whenever the recipe calls for it (a lot of Chinese and Japanese food use silken tofu).

2. Always, I mean always, press the moisture out of your tofu before cooking. When you buy a package of tofu, it is normally soaked in water. Not pressing the moisture out of them will add extra water to your food, that might result in soggy and watery food. You don't want that!

Line a plate with several layers of paper towel, place a block of tofu on top of the paper towels and put a few layers of ore paper towels on top of tofu. Place a plate on top of it, weigh it down with a can or other heavy object. Leave the tofu for a couple of hours, drain the excess water every 30 minutes.

3. Always season your tofu, as tofu sold here is naturally bland. The seasoning part can be done either before or after you paper towel drain the tofu, depending on what your cooking. In this recipe below, the tofu is marinated so it absorbs the flavor, then pressed to dry. Or you can also use seasoning rub, or dip into seasoned batter before frying. But nevertheless, add flavors to your tofu, because nobody likes bland food.

Good luck trying and let me know how yours turn out :)

Ingredients:

• 1 block of firm tofu
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 cups warm water
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander (optional)
• Salt and pepper
• Oil for frying

Directions:

• Pour warm water in a large glass bowl, add salt and minced garlic into the water, mix until the salt is completely diluted. Add tofu into the brine, making sure that the block is completely submerged. Cover with plastic wrap, store in the refrigerator for 8 hours to overnight. 
• Take the tofu out of the salt water, rinse with cold water. Place tofu on a plate lined with paper towels, and put a few layers of paper towels on top of it. Place another plate on top, weigh it down with a can or a heavy bowl. Let the tofu sit for an hour or more, drain the excess water every half an hour. Pat dry and cut into about 16 squares, 1/2-inch in thickness. 
• Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 F. Meanwhile whisk the eggs in a bowl and set aside. In another bowl, mix flour, baking soda, sesame seeds, chili powder, coriander, salt and pepper until well combined.
• Dip tofu squares in egg, dust with seasoned flour, fry until golden brown and crispy. Transfer fried tofu to a plate lined with paper towel to absorb excess grease. Serve hot with sweet and sour dipping sauce, if preferred.

Pão de Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Buns)

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This recipe should have been here a few years ago. Seriously. 

Because since we tried them the first time (at Fogo de Chao in LV) a few years back, these cheesy rolls have been our choice of bread to accompany many of our dinners at home.

They're crunchy on the outside but slightly chewy in the center, and relatively easy to make.

The only tricky part for most people is finding the right kind of flour for this. 

If you live in the area where there's a sizable Brazilian population, you should be able to find sour tapioca flour (povilho azedo) in a Brazilian/Latin America market (I got mine from Bossa Nova Brazil in El Cerrito, by the way).

If that's not an option, you should be able to purchase one online from Amazon.com.

Regular tapioca flour can also be used for a substitute. Although in my opinion, it's not the same since it lacks that slightly sour and fermented flavor. So don't change if you don't have to.

And did I mention that in addition to being delicious, they are also gluten-free?

Ingredients:

• 500 grams sour tapioca flour (povilho azedo)
• 10 grams salt
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 150 grams grated firm cheese (parmesan works well for this)
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup milk

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, oil and salt, mix thoroughly. Add cheese, eggs and milk into the mixture, and blend until well combined.
• Line a cookie sheet with non-stick liner or parchment paper. Using a cookie scoop or spoon, scoop a round portion of the dough and roll into a ball (about 1.5 inches in diameter) using the palm of your hands. Place the balls on the lined cookie sheet with an inch space in between them.
• Bake in the oven for about 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, continue baking until the balls turn slightly golden and crispy on the outside, about 15-20 more minutes. Serve warm.

Cheesy Dilly Rolls

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Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus 3 tablespoons melted butter for brushing
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup milk, heated to 105-110 F
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 envelope active dry yeast (about 2.5 teaspoons)
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 tablespoon dried dill weed
• 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar

Directions:

• In a hot skillet melt 1 tablespoon butter, add chopped onion and cook until translucent. Cool completely.
• Add sugar and yeast into warm milk, mix to combine. Let sit for about 5-10 minutes, until the yeast starts to foam. In a large mixing bowl, add flour, salt, dill, sour cream, milk mixture, sautéed onion, cheddar, and 3 tablespoons of butter. Using your hand, mix all of the ingredients and keep kneading until it forms sticky dough. Transfer dough to a floured countertop, continue kneading until the dough turns smooth and elastic. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with kitchen towel and let sit in warm place to rise, until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Punch down the dough, divide into 12* equal pieces. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll each dough piece gently into a ball, place it on the line baking sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining dough, space the balls at least 2-inches apart. Cover baking sheet with kitchen towel. Store in warm place and let rise until doubled in size.
• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake rolls until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Pull baking sheet out of the oven, and brush the top of the rolls with melted butter immediately. Transfer to wire rack and cool down slightly before serving.

Yield 12 rolls, or 24 small rolls

Slow Cooked Pork Tacos and Roasted Salsa Verde

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I'm tired of cooking. I'm tired of eating.

I'm tired of holiday season!

There! I said it!

I don't like December. Holiday season always puts me in foul mood every year, without fail.

The pressure of keeping up with holiday spirit is killing me. 

Like my normal daily life isn't hectic enough, the universe dictated that I need to make time to do tons of shopping, wrap about 50,000 present and wait in line for an hour at the post office to mail them out (I know, I boxed and pre-stamped, but my house sits on a hill with very steep driveway, the postman would not come up and pick up my boxes. And my 'lovely' local post office would not allow me to drop off the pre-stamped boxes. They need to be brought to the counter! Ha!).

Top it all with secret Santas, remembering to give tips to the service guys, holiday baking, and some freakishly fast depleting money in my bank account. I'm done, man! January can't possible come soon enough for me.

I mean, can't we just be nice to people all year long? Give gifts, cooking, baking, get together anytime we want? Why do we have to cram everything in one lousy month, trying to get things done before the deadline? 

I just want things back to normal.

But for my family, especially my offsprings who clearly enjoy the season just like any child would, I grin and bear it. Just like any good person, I keep my coffee (sometimes vodka) induced sanity in place. At the end of the day, who am I to ruin their happiest and most exhilarating season of the year?

Forget the fact that I can't stand the sight of eggnog in my fridge anymore, or the smell of pumpkin cinnamon ginger whatever spice that filled my house, I promise I'll be good and in my best behavior.

Just give me whatever non-Christmas related food for dinner. Something simple, utterly comforting, but ultimately delicious. 

And if you're kind enough, please include some heavy alcoholic beverage with it. 

Cheers! Salute! Gānbēi

Slow Cooked Pork Taco
Ingredients:

• 2 pounds pork shoulder/butt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Ancho chili powder
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 2-3 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
• Salt and pepper
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 cup packed cilantro leaves, chopped
• 20 6-inch soft corn tortillas
• Salsa verde (recipe below)
• Lime wedges and hot sauce to serve (optional)

Directions:

• Rinse pork and pat dry with paper towel. Combine olive oil, chili powder, garlic, cumin, lime juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Mix to blend. Rub the spice mix all over the pork until completely covered.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add pork and brown on one side, about 5 minutes. Flip the pork over, and brown the other side. Remove pork from the skillet and transfer to a slow cooker. Cook pork in low setting for 6-8 hours. When the pork is done and tender, shred the meat using 2 forks.
• To serve, place corn tortilla in a hot pan over medium heat, flip over to heat the other side. Place  a teaspoon of chopped onion, chopped cilantro, and a heaping spoonful of shredded pork in the center of tortilla. Top with salsa verde. Serve with lime wedge and hot sauce, if desired.

Roasted Salsa Verde

Ingredients:

• 1 pound tomatillos (about 5 large), husks removed and washed
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 2 Jalapeños, stems removed
• 1/2 onion
• 1/2 cup pack cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• Salt to taste

Directions:

• Move the oven rack to the top position, turn on the oven to broil. Place tomatillos, jalapeños, garlic and onion in a oven-safe dish. Broil in the oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft and nicely charred. Move and rotate the vegetables if necessary, to ensure that they're cooked evenly. Remove from the oven and let sit to cool down.
• Transfer tomatillos, garlic, onion, and peppers to a food processor. Add chicken stock, lime juice, and cilantro into the mix. Pulse 4-5 time until salsa turn smooth. Season with salt.

Aloo Gobi

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Ingredients:

• 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into small florets (yield about 3-4 cups)
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 green chilies, seeds removed, minced
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon kasuri methi/ dried fenugreek leaves, optional
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons clarified butter (ghee), or oil

Directions:

• In a large skillet, heat ghee/oil, then add cumin seeds. Cook until seeds change color and start to crackle. Add onion, garlic, ginger, green chili, and all of the dried spices. Stir to mix and cook until onion becomes translucent.
• Add potatoes into the skillet. Mix thoroughly with the spices, stirring constantly for about 3-4 minutes.
• Add cauliflower florets into the skillet, stir to combine. Add salt to taste.
• Reduce the heat and cover the skillet. Continue cooking for about 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are cooked through. Add chopped cilantro and mix before serving.

Herbed Focaccia

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Ingredients:

For the bread:

• 1 to 1/4 cup warm water (100 - 110 degreeF)
• 2 teaspoon dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

For the topping:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
• 3 tablespoons grated parmesan 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

• Mix water, yeast and sugar in a large mixing bowl until well blended. Let stand for about 10 minutes, or until it turns foamy. Add flour, salt, oil, and oregano into the bowl, and knead the dough until all of the ingredients are combined. Continue kneading until the dough is elastic and comes apart from the sides of the bowl. Shape the dough into a ball and transfer to floured countertop, cover and let sit for about 10 minutes.
• Mix all of the ingredients for topping (except oil) in a small bowl and toss to combine. Set aside.
• Grease a baking sheet, line with parchment paper and grease the paper. Stretch the dough and shape it into a large rectangle, transfer to baking sheet, and press the dough evenly to fit the sheet.
• Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle topping evenly over the dough. Cover with towel, let rise in warm place for about 40 minutes to 1 hour, or until doubled.
• Bake in a 400 degree F oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Remove from pan, cut in sections, and serve warm.

Pull Apart Cheesy Bread

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Ingredients:

• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup warm milk (100-110 degrees F)
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4-5 cups bread flour
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

Directions:

• Dissolve yeast, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and warm milk in a large mixing bowl. Set aside and let sit for about 5-10 minutes, until the yeast turns foamy. Add the rest of the sugar, vegetable oil, salt, and 2 eggs to the bowl.
• Add flour to the mixing bowl, one cup at the time, and continue kneading until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a floured surface, continue kneading for about 5-7 minutes, adding more flour as needed, until the dough turns pliable but not sticky. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place, about 1- 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch down the dough, divide into small chunks (about 1 heaping tablespoon each). Stuff each small dough chunk with a piece of cheese, and roll each piece with the palm of your hands to form a ball. Arrange the balls on an lightly oiled bread pan/casserole pan. Cover with kitchen towel and let rise for another hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush the top of the bread with beaten egg. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove form the oven, brush the bread with melted butter immediately. Serve with marinara sauce, if preferred.

Do Chua (Vietnamese Pickled Carrot and Daikon Radish)

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Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound carrots, julienned or cut into match-like strips
• 1/2 pound daikon radish, julienned or cut into match-like strips
• 4 cups water
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

• In a large bowl, mix water, sugar and salt. Stir until sugar and salt completely dissolved. 
• Add carrot and daikon strips into the bowl and mix well.
• Transfer to sterilized jars. Seal and refrigerate for at least overnight before consuming. It should last about 1 month in the refrigerator.

Herbed Salami and Cheese Rolls

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Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups bread flour

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 large egg (+1 egg for egg wash)

• 1/2 cup warm milk (100-110 degrees F)

• 120 grams water roux/Tangzhong (recipe below)

• 2 teaspoons instant yeast

• 3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

• 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar 

• 1/2 cup chopped salami

• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped

• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped

Directions:

• Combine warm milk and yeast in a small bowl, and let sit for about 5-10 minutes, or until foamy. Mix flour, salt and sugar in a bowl of a stand mixer. Make well in the center. Add wet ingredients (yeast mixture, egg, and water roux) to the bowl. Fit the dough hook attachment on your stand mixer and begin mixing on medium speed. Knead until the dough comes together. Add butter and continue kneading until the dough is smooth, not too sticky on the surface and elastic, about 20 minutes with mixer.

• When the dough is ready, you should be able to take a chunk and stretch it to a very thin membrane before it breaks. When it does break, the break should form a circle.

• Take the dough out of the mixing bowl and transfer onto lightly floured surface. Add basil, oregano, cheese and salami. Knead the dough using your hand until all of the ingredients is well mixed and distributed. Shape the dough into a ball. Take a large bowl and grease with oil. Place dough into the bowl and cover with wet towel. Let the dough rise in a warm place until it's doubled in size.

• Transfer to a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 8 equal portions. Cover with plastic wrap, let rest for 15 minutes. 

• Grease and flour a rectangular casserole dish. Take one portion of the dough, flatten it with rolling pin, roll up the dough and shape into small ball, sealing up the edges. Repeat the process with the remaining portions. Transfer the rolls to the casserole dish, cover with cling wrap and let rise for another 40 minutes, until they double in size. 

• Preheat the oven to 330 degrees F. Beat one egg and brush over the top of the rolls. Bake int he oven for 30 minutes until they turn golden brown.

Water roux ingredients:

• 1/3 cup bread flour
• 1 cup water

Directions:

Mix flour and water in a small saucepan. Heat the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon or spatula. The mixture will become thicker and thicker. Use the thermometer to check the temperature. When it reaches 65 degrees C (149-150 degrees F), remove the saucepan from the stove. Set aside and cool down.

Happy New Year 2013!

Click here to print the recipe

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)

Blue Corn Muffins

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One great recipe from Taste of Home website that produces the moistest corn muffins I ever baked!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup blue cornmeal (or use yellow cornmeal)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup whole kernel corn
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 to 3 tablespoons honey

Directions:

• In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. In another bowl, combine egg, egg yolk, buttermilk and oil. Stir into dry ingredients until just moistened. Fold in corn.
• Fill lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 400 degrees F until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing the muffins to wire rack.
• In a small bowl, beat butter and honey until blended. Serve with muffins.

Makes 12 regular size muffins

Maple Glazed Roasted Carrots

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Ingredients:

• 2 bunches young carrots, peeled and trimmed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a large bowl, place carrots, olive oil, maple syrup, thyme, salt and pepper. Toss until the carrots are well coated. 
• Line carrots in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes (until carrots are done but still slightly firm), turning them once after 15 minutes. Transfer to plate and serve immediately.

Spicy Fruit Slaw

Summer a-coming! Fruit slaw is a delightful companion for your summer barbeque without adding too much calories to your meal. The fruits in this recipe can be substituted with any kind of firm fruits.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar (packed)
• 1 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 firm mango, peeled and julienned
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and julienned
• 1 large Fuji apple, peeled and julienned
• Salt to taste

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk together the first 5 ingredients; add fruits and toss gently to coat. Season with salt to taste. Serve immediately.

Cheddar and Green Onion Drop Biscuits

Easy, quick, and scrumptious biscuits for some people (like me) who are too lazy to bring out the rolling pin and cookie cutter.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup milk
• 2/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar 
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center, add milk all at once. Add cheese and chopped green onions. Stir until the dough is well incorporated. 
• Drop a generous tablespoon of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, repeat with the remaining dough, keep 1 or 2-inch space between them. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.

Make about 12 biscuits

Sweet Blueberry Bread

With a little bit of butter, or some jam, or by itself.......It's still delicious!

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter, plus 2 tablespoons (melted) for brushing
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup dried blueberries
• 1/4 cup rum

Directions:

• Place the dried blueberries in a medium sized bowl and pour the rum over them. Let it sit until most of the rum is absorbed by the blueberries, and the blueberries turn soft. Drain and set aside.
• In a small saucepan, heat and stir milk, salt, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and butter over medium heat until the butter melts and the temperature registers to 110-120 degrees F. Remove from the heat, add yeast and mix until the yeast dissolves. Let it rest of about 5 to 10 minutes, until the yeast mixture turns foamy. Transfer the yeast mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining of sugar and 3 1/2 cups of flour, along with the eggs. 
• Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour (if needed) to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic. Fold in the blueberries. Shape into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turn once to grease surface. Cover and let rise in a warm place until dole in size, about 1 hour.
• Punch down the dough, and divide into 3 portions. Roll each portion into a ball, then roll each ball into evenly thick rope about 16-inch long. Line 3 ropes on a greased baking sheet, and braid the ropes loosely from one end to the other end. Press the ropes ends together to seal. Let rise and bake in the 375 degrees F oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until turns golden brown. Remove the bread from the oven, brush with melted butter immediately. Transfer to a wire rack to cool down.

Stir Fried Green Beans and Tofu with Black Bean Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 2 tablespoons black bean sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon chinese cooking wine (or substitute with dry sherry)
• 1 pound green beans, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 package extra firm tofu, sliced
• Freshly ground pepper
• Salt to taste

Directions:

In a heavy skillet (or wok), heat the cooking oil over high heat. Add garlic and ginger, stir and cook until fragrant. Add black bean sauce. Toss green beans and tofu into the skillet, followed by soy sauce, chinese cooking wine/sherry, salt and pepper. Stir fry the green beans and tofu until cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Serve hot with steamed rice.

[Cuban] Pan Suave - Soft Sweet Bread

The Italians have their Pane Dolce, the Mexican have their Pan Dulce, and the Cubans have their own version of these delicious sweet bread that they call Pan Suave. These sweet rolls are commonly used in Cuban Medianoche sandwiches, but also good eaten by itself or with a little bit of butter.

Ingredients:

• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup warm water (100-110 degrees F)
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 teaspoons salt, plus a little more for egg glaze
• 4 to 5 cups bread or all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds (I used poppy seeds)
• 1 tablespoon melted butter

Directions:

• Dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon of sugar and 3 tablespoons warm water in a large mixing bowl. Set aside and let sit for 5-10 minutes until the yeast turns foamy. Add the remaining water, sugar, vegetable oil, salt, and all but 1 tablespoon of the beaten eggs. (Beat the remaining egg with a pinch of salt and store in the refrigerator until needed).
• Add flour to the mixing bowl, one cup at the time and continue kneading the dough until it's stiff enough to pull away from the side of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a floured surface, continue kneading for about 6-8 minutes, adding more flour as needed, until the dough turns pliable but not sticky. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. 
• Punch down the dough, divide into 12 equal pieces. roll each piece with the palm of your hands to form a ball (or a tube with tapered ends). Arrange the rolls on a lightly oiled baking sheet, leaving about 3-inch of space between each. Cover with paper towel and let rice for another hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush the top of the rolls with reserved egg glaze. Sprinkle with sesame seeds/poppy seeds. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped. Remove from the oven and cool down for 5 minutes. Brush the rolls with melted butter. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Make 12 rolls.

Recipe was taken from Taste of Cuba website.

Roasted Sunchokes

Because they're in season now! :)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds Sunchokes/Jerusalem Artichokes
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon celery powder
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed dry oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
• lime wedges

Directions:

• Wash the sunchokes, cut them up so that the pieces are matched for size, otherwise they will cook unevenly. Drop the pieces immediately into water mixed with lime juice, to prevent them from browning.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bring a pot of salted water to boil. drain the sunchokes from the lime water and boil them for 3 minutes, or until slightly tender. Remove chokes from the pot and drain. 
• Mix the flour with salt and pepper, garlic and onion powder, celery powder, oregano and cayenne pepper in a plastic gallon bag. Shake the bag until all the ingredients is well combined. Melt the butter in a roasting pan, coat the sunchokes in the seasoned flour and roll them around in the butter in the pan. Cook the butter and flour coated sunchokes in the oven for 20-30 mints, or until golden brown. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and squeeze some lime juice over the sunchokes, if desired. Serve immediately.

Recipe is loosely adapted from Irish Food & Cooking cookbook authored by Biddy White Lennon and Georgina Campbell

Chili Lime Taro Fries

A hundred times better than French Fries. More flavor, more crunch and more satisfying :)

Ingredients:

• 1 large Taro root, peeled and cut into fries size
• cooking oil for frying
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Ancho chile powder
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

Directions:

In a large skillet, heat the cooking oil over medium-high heat. Make sure you have enough oil to completely submerge the fries. Fry the taro root until they turn golden brown. 

Using a strainer, transfer the fries into a large bowl. 

Sprinkle immediately with salt and Ancho chili powder, and drizzle with lime juice. Toss all the ingredients together using large spoon until the spices are well distributed. Serve hot.