Vegetarian Curry with Potatoes and Apple

When I don't even the time to defrost the meat, I come up with something 'vegetarian' like dish.  And here is my photo journal of Vegetarian Curry with Potatoes and Apple.   When you bite into the diced Apple in the curry, it gives a burst of surprising experience.  If I am not mistaken, most of the people who has tasted "Japanese" style curry expect this 'apple' surprise in the curry.  It adds faint bouquet aroma to the curry.  Your tongue will delightfully appreciate the tartness and sweetness that mellows the taste of spicy hot curry.  And you want more of it.   If you have never tried it before, add some diced golden delicious or red delicious to your curry. 

Potato Salad with Vinaigrette

By the way, all these recipe testings I posted in June were not completed in the weeks of June.  They were completed in May.   I just did not have the time to post them due to my crazy final exam and oral surgery (I could not taste well).  It was a very stressful months, and I almost gave up on sharing them over the blog.  But I still cooked every night, testing the recipes and cooking methods, ....    So here is my adaptation of Mustard Vinaigrette (from Ad Hoc cookbook, p 179) with my Potato Salad with Beets served with hard boil egg wedges.  I am quite impressed with the function of Dijon mustard in vinaigrette and in other dressings.  It seems to provide that secret molecular combination to bring the mixture of vinegar and olive oil as in 'emulsification' together.  A tiny mustard seed indeed have a great power.   I like the smooth texture of this vinaigrette and less acidic taste from the champagne vinegar used.  Boil large diced potatoes and medium diced carrots till fork tender.  Mince 1 Tb of onions.  Mix in vinaigrette to chopped red beets and carrots first, then fold into potatoes.  Add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.  Toss in some chopped cilantro leaves from the garden.  Slice one hard boiled egg into wedges and serve.

Black Bean Soup

Black Beans is not one of the common beans in my kitchen.  And using it to make the soup is just not done.  Most of my friends have made many different types of dishes with black beans.  But as for me, my first encounter with black beans is inside some healthy burrito somewhere, then, inside Adobe Cob Salad served at Dos Coyotes, which I like very much.  It taste nutty and firmer in texture than the pinto beans that I use almost exclusively to make my family famous chili during the cold winter.  What kind of culinary adventurer am I if I don't try black bean soup, I thought.  We've done this in the class, and it did not turn out to my liking.  The cooking time is too short that beans were not tender enough to release its flavor.  Mindfully remembering this, I soaked the beans and patiently boiled the beans till they are just right.  What a difference in the final serving.  Love that heart warming and nutty taste going down my throat.
Soaking beans overnight.  Soaked black beans look almost like red beans from natural discoloration during hydration.

 It resembles the sweet Chinese sesame soup.

Boeuf Bourguignon - Bouchon

I have been waiting for a quiet day to try this Boeuf Bourguignon for quite a long time.  I have my personal recipe to make beef stew, but when I heard about the boeuf bourguuignon in the culinary world, I wanted to try their recipe.  But the list of ingredients and long procedures have been quite intimidating.  Luckily with the instructional cooking broadcasting of Julia Child and Jacques Pepin by local KQED or KVIE2 channel, my courage is boosted slowly to try it.   Why not try and eat something new?  Just for the sake in trying my hands on pouring the mysterious liquid (as I am not a wine drinker)  - a whole bottle of it - into the seared beef is a wonder that I want to try.  I wanted to experience the happy face that Julia express every time she pours some of that magic liquid into most of her dish.  This particular recipe is from BOUCHON cookbook by Chef Thomas Keller.  It was two days in the preparation and served on the 4th day.   I wished I had the short ribs to prepare it, but I only had the stew beef.  The result of taste really rested on the cuts of the beef used.   The next time for 'this' type of involved recipe, and as I am an inexperienced with this particular recipe, it's best to use the exact cuts of beef, I told myself. 

Ingredients & preparing for the red win reduction.       And making my own stock.

 Adding an entire bottle of cabernet sauvignon and reduce to 'a sec'.

 Searing Stew Beef--should use more fattier cut  'my mother commented.'

 Great technique to enable braise beef to tender and keep impurities from attaching to the beef when done - envelope them in cheesecloth.

 Make the Parchment Lid with steam hole and cover with lid.

 Ready for braising in the oven - mine took 4 hours.

 After 4 hours.

 Lift and transfer the beef out - check out all the impurities that are stuck to the cheesecloth.

 Fork Tender!

 Strain and discard the vegetables.  Strain the braising liquid twice through a fine strainer. 

 Skim the fat off.  "Strain the liquid over the beef.  Let it cool, then, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 day or up to 3 days." (Ref: Bouchon cookboon, p 215)

And of course, there is Garnish cooked individually for Potatoes, Carrots, Bacon and Mushrooms, and Pearl Onions. 
Unfortunately my taste buds got so messed up from the oral surgery I had on the 4th day of the making, I could not officially taste the final product.  I know that the beef is fork tender, but what about the final taste?  My guests says, "Good".  My mother says, "It should have more fat and ..."  As she is an excellent cook, and I respect her judgement.  I will try it the next time with beef cut with bit more fat - the short ribs as stated in the Bouchon cookbook.  Let's see how it will turn out when I try Julia's Boeuf Bourguinon.  I hope I can say, "Bon Appetite!", then, myself.

Beets with Vinaigrette

When it comes to eating healthy salad, fresh red beets come to my mind.   Down to earth unique flavor of fresh beets is much appreciated when they are julienned or sliced very thin.   Thinly julienned beets can be served right away with freshly prepared basic vinaigrette with a dash of sesame oil and cayenne pepper or saved in a clean mason jar as pickled beets.  Either way, the crispy beets are my favorite over the boiled soft beets usually served at the smorgasbord.

Corn Pudding Souffle and Creamy Polenta

Corn Pudding Souffle is light and delicious accompaniment as side dish to vegetable course or main dish.   For my first time testing with this recipe in my kitchen, I served it with Creamy Polenta.   Airy light texture of the corn pudding souffle with slight crispy crust added an interesting dimension when served together.   As for the polenta's creamy texture, I compare it to something like the creamy hot malt-O-meal cereal, except with more larger coarse grains and creamy corn taste.   I think I need to acquire the taste bud for it, yet.   Will see how I will like it with few more testings.

Banana Bundt Cake with Tasty 5 Grain Cereals

There are so many new ingredients out there in the markets that I don't know where to begin testing with.  I have my favorite banana bread recipe that I have been baking with for the past thirty-years.  Then, there is new healthy ingredients to try with.  For the health conscious bakers who maybe concerned with consuming too much white flour, here is Banana Bundt Cake with Bob's Red Mill 5 Grain Cereals photo journal.

The top and bottom cake are the same.  It was taken under slightly different lighting.
The result of adding 5 Grain Cereals added the nutty flavor.   Some friends thought I had walnuts in it.  Instead of full amount of white flour, substitute at least 2/3 C with white whole wheat flour and the rest with regular flour.

Chocolate Banana Chiffon Cake

I finally made this 'Chocolate' Banana Chiffon Cake as a stress relief.  Chocolate is known for its mysterious power it posses to give energy,.... but most of all for its smooth creamy satisfying taste.   (I believe this is one of the recipe from one of my favorite blogger's site.  I will have to dig out my print out to give the proper credit later.)  The cake's texture is light, banana did not overpower the taste.  I think it will go very well with some kind of dessert wine.  I enjoyed my slice with a glass of cold milk.

Fried Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are preferred over regular potatoes in the diabetic recipes.  At the Elephant Bar Restaurants, there are two types of French Fries.  One made from Russet potatoes and the other from sweet potatoes.  I used the "sweet potatoes".  Caution:  watch the peanut oil temperature.  I think I would prefer to cook them in an electric fryer with auto temperature control to keep it at 325'F when blanching and 375'F when frying to avoid sugar burn.  I also would like to learn how to get those thin crispy crusty outer shell on those fries.  The thought of the process and clean-up opted me to just 'go and enjoy' it at the restaurant. 

Polly's Lentil Salad Adventure

"In your lifetime, how many different nuts have you tasted?  or how many different types of beans or grains have you tasted?"  I thought to myself.  And here it is, another nutrients that I have never tasted before, and when it is prepared 'this' way, watch out, I can eat the whole thing like a bowl of rice.  Lentil salad made with garlic, olive oil, minced onion, Italian parsley, bacon, red wine vinegar, and Tabasco has been added to one of my favorite health food.  My refrigerator has never seen fresh herbs such as Italian parsley, thyme, bay leaves, rosemary, sage, etc.  but now, it has been added to my garden this year, so I have freshly cut herbs to cook with.   I have tasted so far with two different types of Lentils - Organic Lentil, common and Lentils - French Green.  I prefer the later because it keeps firmer and prettier. 

Stir Fried Kale with Garlic and Jasmine Rice with 5 Grain Cereals

My vegetable gardens are doing quite well despite of the inclement weather we are having.  Hailstorm, thunderstorm, wind storm in May provided all the natural nutrients that all our plants needed.  Kale is one of the new crop in my garden.  My friend gave a few grown plants.  I took them home and pluck them right into my raised bed vege gardens.  I have never tasted Kale before, and I did not know what to expect.  Beside not knowing how it taste, I didn't know how to cook it either.  But I sure did not want any garden insects, if any, to get a head start on it.   So as soon as they were about 7 inches tall, I cropped them, washed them, stemmed them, chopped them, chopped some garlic, stir fried with clarified butter. Stir fry 30 seconds or so to finish cooking.  The grey-green leaves turned into beautiful dark green color.   The garlic really complimented its slightly bitter taste and butter mellowed it out smoothly.  That's when I said, "Cook Rice!"  This time, the mixture is Jasmine Rice with Bob's Red Mill brand, 5 Grain Cereals.  I quickly sauteed chopped onions in clarified butter, added washed jasmine rice (well strained), added 5 Grain Cereal (whole grain wheat, rye, barley, oats, triticale, and flaxseed),  some white wine, chicken stock.  Stir.  Cover and simmer to cook till the liquid is quite absorbed.  Open the lid.  Fluff and stir.  Taste for doneness.   Add, cooked Kale to mix.   Serve.

Stir Fried Jasmine Rice with Bulgar, Onions and Mushrooms

Some of the best dishes I learned are the ones that are totally opposite of what I knew how to cook.  I consider myself 'expert' rice cooker and know very well how to cook rice.  Then, came the 'doubt'.  If Rice is one of your staples in your diet, surely you know all about it.  At least we all think that way, but quite a few new varieties - Japanese rice, for example, have been introduced in the past 10 years, I doubt even the culinary best can keep up with them.  GEN-JI-MAI and HAIGA-Rice are two of the Nutri-whole Grain Brown Rice that I enjoy for the last couple of years.  It is advertised as "Gen-JI-MAI is a premium medium grain brown rice that is lightly polished.  This special procedure removes only a limited amount of the outer bran layer, allowing the water to absorb quickly, much in the same was as milled white rice.  This process leaves a product that is not only superior in taste to ordinary brown rice, but one that also cooks quicker.   Since 100% of the rice germ (HAIGA) and much of the healthy bran layer are left intact, GEN-JI-MAI is much more nutritious than ordinary milled white rice, with: 64% more Fiber, 286% more Potassium,  583% more Magnesium, 161% more Vitamin B6, 1,021% more Vitamin E, and 400% more Antioxidant capacity.  You also benefit from the convenient quick cooking time of GEN--JI-MAI."   While the cooking direction in the back of the package indicates to use the "rice cooker" manufacture's suggested rice to water ratio, I find some of the new crops require half cup less water than the older brand.  I have 30 years old rice cooker from Japan.  The ratio of rice to water has changed by 1/2 cup since the introduction of 'new crop'.  Before the appearance of rice imprinted with 'new crop' on its bag, whether I cook Thailand rice or short grain, the ratio was 1:1 with my rice cooker.  Now, with new crop, it is 1:1/2.  However, interestingly, when the rice is cooked with ZOJIRUSHI brand 'atomic' rice cooker -- I call it 'atomic' because it is pre-programmed to cook mixed rice, brown rice, sushi texture rice, hard rice, soft rice, white rice, quick cooking, etc.  the rice cooker seems to "know"--calibrated to cook all rice at 1:1.   But we noticed that the rice is too soft, as we all prefer "al dente" - the bite feeling with our cooked rice.  So, we cook the new crop rice with 1/3 C less water in the atomic rice cooker. 
All around the world, there are many different types of rice - Long grain, medium grain, short grain, sweet rice, varieties of grains.  Learning just a couple of different methods of preparation certainly has changed my diet in the last couple months and to a better health.  And this is one of them.
1 C Thailand three ladies Jasmine Rice - "new crop"- washed to remove talc - water is clear during rinsing,1/2 C Bulgar, 4 Tb Clarified butter, 1/2 C chopped onions, 1/2 C chopped mushrooms.  1/4 C dry white wine.  2 C Hot Boiling homemade chicken stock (you might not need all 2 C of stock.)  Saute onions and mushrooms in 2-1/2 Tb clarified butter and evaporate liquid from mushroom.   Add the rest of the butter.  Stir in rice and Bulgar and coat well with butter.  Add dry white wine.  Let rice mixture absorb all liquid and mix well with onions and mushrooms.  Add hot stock 1/2 cup at a time.  Stirring rice mixture, let the rice absorb.  Repeat.  Stirring.  The method is similar to making Paella and Risotto.  The finished rice should not be soupy or soggy, but fluffy.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Whole Wheat Baguette with Wheat Germs

Sometimes you really feel lucky when the bread turns out great. After a long hours of patience, including some sleepless weekend hours, awaiting it's rise and yawn, and changing of its cloth and another tucking into snugly cloth trying to keep it warm through the stormy night we were having -- when it is baked, the final tale is told of how it appreciated my pampering. . . . sounds dramatic, but naaaa.... if the bread formula is bad, irregardless of how many hours I spent waiting its rise, baby patting and powdering its rounds, then, gently covering it with nice powdered cloth to keep it warm seems like a nightmare.
Trying to be pro-health conscious this year, I made this baguette with whole 1-1/2 C wheat flour, 1 C flour, 1/4 C wheat germs. The usual home steam injection method of steam pan and mist spraying gave it the crispy crust. The crumb is chewy and quite satisfying with a warm bowl of Leek Potato Soup.