Month: April 2018

Matcha Taiyaki

Matcha Taiyaki

I was browsing around H-Plaza (a Korean home goods strip mall) in Great Neck today and came across this adorable taiyaki pan. I loved taiyaki as a kid, especially the custard cream ones, so of course I snatched it up and ferreted it home so 

Steamed Vegetable Dumpling (蔬蒸餃)

Steamed Vegetable Dumpling (蔬蒸餃)

I made this with hairy bittercress but you could potentially do it with a lot of different mild flavored greens (spinach, shepherd’s purse, edible chrysanthemum, goosefoot, stinging nettle). My particular version only has 3 main ingredients–egg, shiitake mushroom, and the greens, but other versions can include 

Breakfast Pan with Hairy Bittercress

Breakfast Pan with Hairy Bittercress

Make sure you wash the hairy bittercress well so you don’t get a mouthful of grit, and that it’s from an area where you are certain no pesticides or herbicides have been applied!

In the mornings during spring, one of the things I like to collect for my breakfast is hairy bittercress (which is a misnomer for it is neither hairy nor bitter, and has a very mild flavor.) It’s all over the place which makes it very easy to get a handful of these delicious veggies. In this recipe, it gives color, flavor, and nutrition to my breakfast pan. If you, like me, don’t have the habit of buying spinach, this “weed” is a wonderful (and dare I say, better?) substitute.

The great thing about a breakfast pan is that you can throw whatever veggies you want into it! This was today’s.

Recipe

  • 8-9 hairy bittercress crowns (each are about 4 inches in diameter)
  • 3-4 eggs
  • 5 campari tomatoes or 2 roma tomatoes or 1 beefsteak tomato, sliced
  • 1/2 bell pepper, diced
  • 1/4 onion, diced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Diced olives (optional)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • parmesan cheese to taste
  1. In a pan, sautee onions and peppers in olive oil over medium high heat until onions are just starting to turn translucent.
  2. Lay tomato slices over the onions and peppers and crack eggs on top.
  3. Add dollops of diced olives and lay hairy bittercress crowns around the pan.
  4. Cover and allow to steam until desired done-ness for eggs.
  5. Uncover, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese to taste.
Hair Raising Bittercress

Hair Raising Bittercress

Along with dandelions and garlic mustard, hairy bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta) is one of the first greens to come out during the spring. Often viewed as a weed, it’s actually a delightful vegetable that, while a pain to collect, is quite tasty in that it can 

Single-Side Sear Marbled Short Rib with Negi Miso Donburi

Single-Side Sear Marbled Short Rib with Negi Miso Donburi

I rarely go to the Asian supermarket because I’m so far away from any (which has resulted in me making a lot of things at home) but when I do go, I like to pamper myself a bit. I bought this beautifully fresh and insanely 

Fire Roasted Tomato Jam

Fire Roasted Tomato Jam

That bumper crop of tomatoes sitting in your freezer can come out when the wood burning stove starts roaring to make this delightful tomato jam. Paired with burrata or on some buttery biscuits, its tangy tomato-y sweetness is wonderful for a laid back brunch charcuterie board!

If you don’t have access to fire, you can char it in the oven at 450 degrees F, or skip that step altogether. I like the smokiness it produces, but if you’re short on time, it’s not necessary. You can also easily multiple this recipe and add other herbs such as rosemary or thyme to give it a deeper flavor. Another fun option could be halving the amount of tomatoes and combining it with roasted red peppers or jalapenos–the possibilities are endless!

Recipe (Makes 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup)

  • 8 campari tomatoes or 1 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon mix of equal parts lemon zest, cinnamon (optional), ground ginger (optional)
  1. Nestle campari or cherry tomatoes in charcoal of woodburning stove, or char them in the oven at 450 degrees F for 30 – 40 minutes, or until skin as started to blacken.
  2. Run under cold water and removed blackened areas.
  3. Place in food processor and roughly blend.
  4. Add to pot with sugar, salt, lemon juice, zest, cinnamon, and ground ginger (as well as additional herbs.)
  5. Bring to a boil and reduce to about 2/3rd of the original liquid for a runnier jam, 1/2 for a firmer jam. Place in container, cool, and use within the week. Alternatively, you can can it in mason jars.

 

Chinese Marinated Pork Kidney

Chinese Marinated Pork Kidney

Welcome to my new website! I finally migrated everything over to wordpress and am still in the process of tweaking and making sure everything is running smoothly for your viewing enjoyment. To celebrate this move, I present to you a childhood favorite of mine: Marinated 

Yang Rou Jia Mo (Easter Leftovers: Lamb Stuffed Pancake)

Yang Rou Jia Mo (Easter Leftovers: Lamb Stuffed Pancake)

We went over to my husband’s mom’s house for Easter yesterday, and came away with quite a bit of lamb. My husband actually really dislikes lamb and often complains about the gaminess of it. However, he is quite fond of Mongolian and Xi’an stir fries