Category Archives: entree

General Tso’s Chicken

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General Tso's Tofu, by thewoksoflife.comFor the tofu:

  • 1½ tablespoons honey
  • 2 teaspoons Louisiana hot sauce, such as Crystal
  • 1 block of regular or firm tofu, drained, pat dry, and cut into 1-inch squares
  • 1 ½ tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons cornstarch (depending on how wet the tofu is)
  • ⅓ cup peanut or canola oil, for shallow frying

For the rest of the dish:

  • ½ teaspoon minced ginger
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 7 whole dried Chinese red chili peppers (optional)
  • ½ of a red bell pepper, cut into large pieces
  • ½ tablespoon Shaoxing wine
  • 1 cup water or vegetable stock
  • 2 cups broccoli florets
  • 1½ tablespoons light soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1½ tablespoons cornstarch, mixed with 1 tablespoon water

Mix the honey and Louisiana hot sauce in a bowl until well combined. Add the tofu to the bowl, and toss together gently with a spatula until the tofu is well-coated.

Next, sprinkle the sesame seeds over the tofu, and toss until evenly distributed.

Next, sprinkle the cornstarch over the tofu until lightly coated. If the tofu is still too wet, add a little more cornstarch.

Heat 1/3 cup oil in a medium-sized frying pan (we like to use a cast iron skillet) until the oil is about 350F, or when a bamboo chopstick bubbles when inserted into the oil. If you want to make the tofu frying easier, use more oil to achieve a deep fry.

Carefully place the tofu pieces into the pan, ensuring that the pieces are not touching, and let fry for about 2 minutes.

Turn them over to continue frying on the other side. Work quickly and turn the heat down if you need more time for turning, or if you see they are starting to burn. Continue to cook the tofu until a nice crust is formed, and they turn golden brown (about 4-5 minutes time in total). Transfer the tofu pieces to a sheet pan with a slotted spoon.

Heat your wok over medium heat, and add 1 tablespoon of the oil left from tofu-frying, and add the ginger. After 10 seconds, add the garlic and the whole dried chili peppers, and stir for 15 seconds.

Next, stir in  the red bell peppers and Shaoxing wine.

Now add the water or vegetable stock, and let the mixture come up to a boil. Add the broccoli florets.

Immediately add the soy sauces, rice vinegar, salt, sugar, and sesame oil. Let the mixture come up to a boil. Immediately add the cornstarch mixture slowly while stirring.

The sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon. Feel free to add more or less of the cornstarch mixture depending on how thick you like your sauce, but give it 30 seconds to 1 minute between additions, as it does take some time for the sauce to thicken.

Toss in your fried tofu and give everything a quick stir to make sure the tofu is coated.  And serve with steamed rice!

Bang bang shrimp pasta

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  • 8 ounces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 8 ounces spaghetti
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, or more, to taste
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

FOR THE SAUCE

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
  • 2 cloves garlic, pressed
  • Juice of 1/2 lime, or more, to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon Sriracha, or more to taste
  • Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
  1. To make the sauce, whisk together mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce, garlic, lime juice, Sriracha and red pepper flakes; set aside.
  2. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
  3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray.
  4. Place shrimp onto the prepared baking sheet. Add olive oil, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper, to taste, and gently toss to combine. Place into oven and roast just until pink, firm and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
  5. In a large bowl, combine pasta, shrimp and mayonnaise mixture.
  6. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley.

 

pasty from http://12tomatoes.com/

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meat-1200x627Pastry:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra as needed
  • 2/3 cup ice water, plus extra as needed
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold, unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten

Filling:

  • 8 oz. ground faux meat
  • 1 russet potato, peeled and diced
  • 1 small turnip, peeled and diced
  • 1 large carrot finely diced
  • 1/2 white onion, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
  • kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • brown mustard, garnish

Directions

  1. In a bowl or directly in your food processor, mix flour and salt together before adding in cold, cubed butter.
  2. Pulse for 10-15 seconds, or until mixture is crumbly and butter is the size of small pebbles.
  3. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in 2/3 cup ice water and pulse until dough ball begins to form. Note: if mixture is too dry, add more ice water, 1-2 teaspoons at a time.
  4. Once dough is formed, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a large, flat rectangle.
  5. Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30-45 minutes, or until chilled.
  6. While dough chills, combine beef with potato, turnip, carrot and onion, and season generously with salt and pepper, thyme and rosemary.
  7. Preheat oven to 400º F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  8. Remove dough from refrigerator and cut it into 6 equal pieces. On a floured surface, roll each piece out to an 8-inch circle.
  9. Spoon 1/2-2/3 cup beef mixture into the center of dough, then top with 1/2 tablespoon butter.
  10. Take the far edge of your dough circle and fold it over the beef, towards yourself, to form a half moon.
  11. Seal edges with a fork and repeat with remaining pasties.
  12. Transfer to lined baking sheet and brush the tops of dough with beaten egg.
  13. Bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned, then lower oven temperature to 350º F and bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.
  14. Serve hot with brown mustard and enjoy!

Michigan Pasty (Meat Hand Pie) cookingchanneltv.com

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  • cq5dam-web-266-2003 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling dough
  • 1 cup shortening
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 cup ice cold water
  • 8 ounces faux ground beef
  • 4 ounces rutabaga, cut into 1/4-inch dice
  • 1 medium carrot, cut into 1/4-inch dice
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1 small potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
  • 1/4 cup picked fresh parsley, chopped
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 egg, whisked
  • Ketchup, for serving
Add the flour, shortening and a pinch of salt to a food processor and run the motor until the dough starts to clump together. With the motor running, drizzle in the water. Stop the motor when a ball begins to form. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for about 1 hour. This step allows the glutens to relax and makes for easier rolling.

Mix together the beef, rutabaga, carrots, onions, potatoes and parsley. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside until ready to form the pies.

Cut the dough into 6 even pieces, about 5 ounces each, and form into balls. Make sure the dough is cold for easier handling. Flour a work surface and roll out each ball of dough into an 8-inch circle. Evenly divide the filling (about 3/4 cup per pastie) on one half of each dough circle. Fold the dough over to cover the mixture and crimp the edges using a fork. Slice 3 small slits on top of each pocket. This prevents steam from building up and splitting the dough. Brush the pasties with the egg and bake on the prepared baking sheet until the crust is golden brown and flaky, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Serve with ketchup.

Cook’s Note: Pasties can be baked and then frozen. To reheat, place in a 300 degree F oven until warmed through, about 20 minutes.

Shakshuka from seriouseats.com

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  • 3 tablesp20160926-shakshuka-17-thumb-1500xauto-434268oons (45ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 large red pepper (bell pepper for milder heat, or a hotter variety, such as red horned pepper, depending on your heat preference), stems, seeds, and ribs removed, thinly sliced
  • 1 fresh small hot chili (such as jalapeño, serrano, or Fresno), stems, seeds, and ribs removed, thinly sliced
  • 2 to 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons (15g) sweet Hungarian or smoked Spanish paprika
  • 2 teaspoons (8g) whole or ground cumin seed
  • 1 (28-ounce; 800g) can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by squeezing between your fingers or with a pastry blender (see note above)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Large handful minced cilantro, parsley, or a mix
  • 6 eggs
  • Sliced oil-cured black olives, feta cheese, or artichoke hearts, for serving (all optional)
  • Crusty bread, for serving

  1. Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet or straight-sided sauté pan over high heat until shimmering. Add onion, red pepper, and chili and spread into an even layer. Cook, without moving, until vegetables on the bottom are deeply browned and beginning to char in spots, about 6 minutes. Stir and repeat. Continue to cook until vegetables are fully softened and spottily charred, about another 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until softened and fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add paprika and cumin and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Immediately add tomatoes and stir to combine (see note above). Reduce heat to a bare simmer and simmer for 10 minutes, then season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in half of cilantro or parsley.

  2. Using a large spoon, make a well near the perimeter of the pan and break an egg directly into it. Spoon a little sauce over edges of egg white to partially submerge and contain it, leaving yolk exposed. Repeat with remaining 5 eggs, working around pan as you go. Season eggs with a little salt, cover, reduce heat to lowest setting, and cook until egg whites are barely set and yolks are still runny, 5 to 8 minutes.
  3. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro or parsley, along with any of the optional toppings. Serve immediately with crusty bread.

Ann Marotto’s Fresh Tomato Pie

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  • FOR THE PASTRY
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • FOR THE FILLING
  • About 2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
  • 2 to 3 large beefsteak tomatoes, sliced thick and evenly
  • 1 cup grated low-fat Swiss cheese
  • About 8 basil leaves, stacked, rolled and cut crosswise into very thin slices (julienne; about 2 tablespoons)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • Kosher or coarse sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Have ready an ungreased 9-inch pie plate or fluted quiche

For the pastry: Combine the ingredients in a large bowl and, using your fingers or a pastry blender, cut the mixture until it comes together as a smooth dough, with the butter well incorporated. Form the dough into a ball, flatten it slightly, wrap in wax paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. note: play around with this maybe use food processor for butter and flour and then add cottage cheese and pulse, don’t think mine dough was incorporated enough.

On a lightly floured surface or between two pieces of wax paper, roll out the dough slightly larger than the pie plate or quiche pan and press the dough into the plate or pan. Prick the bottom with the tines of a fork, cover loosely and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Line the pie shell with aluminum foil and pour ceramic pie weights or dried beans evenly on the foil. Bake for 8 minutes, then carefully remove the weights or beans and the foil, and bake for 2 minutes. (At this point, the crust will not be fully baked.) Cool.

For the filling: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Brush the bottom of the cooled pie shell with a thin, see-through coating of the mustard. Layer the tomato slices, Swiss cheese, basil and parsley, seasoning each layer lightly with salt and pepper to taste. Scatter the mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the top; bake for 30 to 40 minutes.

Serve warm.

 

One Skillet Mexican Quinoa

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1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (optional)
1 can green chilies
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (28 ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes
1 cup yellow corn
1 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cup veggie  broth
1 pinch red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons chili powder

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute jalapeno pepper and garlic in hot oil until fragrant, about 1 minute.  or start with green chilies

Stir black beans, tomatoes, yellow corn, quinoa, and veggie broth into skillet; season with red pepper flakes, chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, cover the skillet with a lid, reduce heat to low, and simmer until quinoa is tender and liquid is mostly absorbed, about 20-35 minutes. Stir avocado, lime juice, and cilantro into quinoa until combined.

Linguine with clam sauce from saveur

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1⁄3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 1⁄4 lb. littleneck clams, cleaned
1⁄3 cup dry white wine
1⁄2 tsp. crushed red chile flakes
1 lb. linguine, cooked to al dente, plus 1⁄2 cup cooking water, reserved
2 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
Crusty Italian bread, for serving
Heat oil in a 12″ skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add clams, wine, and chile flakes, cover immediately, and cook, shaking pan occasionally, until clams open, about 8–10 minutes. Transfer clams to a cutting board, letting them drain back into the skillet as you remove them, and remove meat from shells; roughly chop meat and return to skillet. Add pasta, reserved pasta water, parsley, and salt and pepper, and toss until pasta is heated through, about 2 minutes. Add butter, and toss until melted; serve immediately with bread.
variation: if you dont have fresh clams
2 (6.5 ounce) cans minced clams, with juice
1/4 cup clam juice

Fresh and Wild Mushroom Stew from NY Times

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  • 1 ½ pounds crecipes-wildmushroomstew-master675ultivated brown mushrooms, like shiitake, cremini or portobello
  • ½ pound pale wild mushrooms, like chanterelle (or use King trumpet or oyster)
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
  • 1 teaspoon chopped sage or rosemary
  • Pinch red pepper flakes or cayenne
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 3 small ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • Porcini broth, heated, or use chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tablespoons chopped parsley

    Clean mushrooms, keeping colors separate, and trim tough stems. (Save stems for stock.) Slice mushrooms about 1/8-inch thick.In a wide skillet, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until onion has softened and browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

    Add 1 more tablespoon oil and turn heat to high. Add brown mushrooms, season lightly and stir-fry until nicely colored, about 3 minutes. Lower heat to medium. Add thyme, sage, red pepper and tomato paste. Add tomatoes, stir well, and cook for 1 minute. Season again with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon flour, stir to incorporate and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in reserved onions.

    Add 1 cup mushroom broth and stir until thickened, about 1 minute. Gradually add 1 more cup broth and cook for 2 minutes. Sauce should have gravy-like consistency; thin with more broth if necessary. Adjust seasoning. (May be prepared to this point several hours ahead and reheated.)

    Just before serving, put butter and 1 tablespoon olive in wide skillet over medium high heat. When butter begins to brown, add chanterelles, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for about 2 minutes, until cooked through and beginning to brown. Add garlic and parsley, stir to coat and cook 1 minute more. Add chanterelles to brown mushroom mixture and transfer to a warm serving bowl. Accompany with polenta or pasta if you wish.

Spaghetti Puttanesca from seriouseats.com

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  • 20160221-puttanesca-pasta-week-221/2 pound (225g) dried spaghetti
  • Kosher salt
  • 6 tablespoons (90ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 4 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced or finely chopped by hand (see note above)
  • 4 to 6 anchovy fillets, finely chopped (1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons; 20–30ml chopped anchovy)
  • Large pinch red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup capers, drained and chopped (about 2 ounces; 60g) (see note above)
  • 1/4 cup chopped pitted black olives (about 2 ounces; 60g) (see note above)
  • 1 cup (225g) whole peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, roughly broken up by hand (about half a 14 ounce can)
  • Small handful minced fresh parsley leaves
  • 1 ounce (30g) finely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 (5-ounce; 140g) can oil-packed tuna (optional)

 

  • Place spaghetti in a large skillet, sauté pan, or saucepan and cover with water. Add a small pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally to prevent pasta from sticking.

  • 2.Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, combine 4 tablespoons (60ml) oil, garlic, anchovies, and red pepper flakes. Cook over medium heat until garlic is very lightly golden, about 5 minutes. (Adjust heat as necessary to keep it gently sizzling.) Add capers and olives and stir to combine.
  • 3.Add tomatoes, stir to combine, and bring to a bare simmer. Continue to simmer until pasta is cooked to just under al dente (about 1 minute less than the package recommends).
  • 4.Using tongs, transfer pasta to sauce. Alternatively, drain pasta through a colander, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water. Add drained pasta to sauce.
  • 5.Add a few tablespoons of pasta water to sauce and increase heat to bring pasta and sauce to a vigorous simmer. Cook, stirring and shaking the pan and adding more pasta water as necessary to keep sauce loose, until pasta is perfectly al dente, 1 to 2 minutes longer. (The pasta will cook more slowly in the sauce than it did in the water.) Stir in remaining olive oil, parsley, and cheese.
  • 6.Season with salt and pepper. (Be generous with the pepper and scant with the salt—the dish will be plenty salty from the other ingredients.) If using, stir in canned tuna and break it up with a fork. Serve immediately with more grated cheese at the table.