Polly's Quick Stir Fried Organic Red Chard

Just as quick as I can dish up a stir fried fresh Kale, I tried it with Organic Red Swiss Chard.  Whether Organic or not, it is up to you, but make sure to wash and rinse vegetables carefully.   You will notice the color of rinsing water change from mirky color sometimes to fresh bright greenish tinted water, etc.  It won't hurt to sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of salt while washing to clean the vegetables.   As they say, however the shape of the vegetables or fruits maybe, it is supposed to be good for that body part of yours.   So, I am guessing this Swiss Chard is good for my lungs.

 What do you see?

Ingredients:
2 cloves of large garlic, smashed, then, pilled
1 bunch of Organic Swiss Red Chard - Washed and chopped crosswise
2 TBsp EVOO
Pinch of salt
Large WOK to cook in
Two spatula to stir fry like a pro

 

Heat up the wok, then, add the oil.
When the EVOO starts to shimmer, Add the garlic, then, chopped Swiss Red Chard.
With both spatula/wooden flat spatula, stir fry to coat all chard is coated with vege oil.
Add Salt.
Keep stirring to cook until tender - about 7 to 8 minutes.  or Depending on your gas stove's BTU, maybe it's only 5 minutes for you.

 Serve with cooked Extra Long Basmati rice mixed with Quinoa.   Yum!

Polly's Lionhead Harissa Stew

This is a modified Chinese Lionhead stew with Harissa paste.   It actually turned out quite tasty.
Prepare the pork meat balls first - Mix the following ingredients.
Wash and Cut NAPPA Cabbage about 6 Cups full
Pre-Hydrate SHIITAKE Mushrooms - Qty 6 in a Hot boiling water in a bowl - set aside
Drain Firm or extra firm Organic TOFU.  Cut them into 1 inch cubes, approx. - set aside
Get rice vermicelli ready.   Cut into desired length with Kitchen scissors.  You can use Yam Noodle also (as shown in picture.)  Set aside

In a Large soup pot, with some EVOO 1 - 2 tsp,  fry them till dark brown.  Turn the heat low and transfer to a plate, set aside.
1 lb ground meat balls
1 can or fresh chestnuts, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
1 large egg
2 TB fresh gingers, chopped
1/4 Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper
For Soup:
2 TB Organic soy sauce.
8 C Chicken Stock or half half chicken stock and water.

 

When meatballs are nice and brown, Add stock.  Add liquid from SHIITAKE mushrooms and mushrooms.  If you would like, you can add large cut DAIKON as well.  (DAIKON - Japanese white long radish)

 Taste the soup.  Add salt and Blk pepper or white pepper.  Add 2 TB Organic soy sauce.
Add vermicelli. 2 minutes.

 Add Nappa Cabbage.   Stir.  
2 minutes

 Add TOFU last.

 ADD homemade HARISSA paste

 http://rockdavinci.blogspot.com/2012/04/pollys-harissa.html

 Cook to reduce liquid.

Serve!

Repurposing COCSTO's Roasted Chicken

Here is how I repurpose Costco's Roasted Chicken.   It's cheap, It's cooked, but I don't like its taste - too salty, and it's kind of stinky.
Whole fresh chicken is very good, but sometimes, I just don't have the time to go through the whole regiment of cleaning the sink, chicken, utensils, and you have a better choice chicken, etc.   It's actually no more or less time than what I am doing it here, but this is how I repurpose the Costco's roasted chicken.
So, first, get a large pot that would hold the chicken plus water.   Fill the pot with fresh clean water.   Set aside on the stove.
Take the roasted chicken out of the COSTCO chicken package and remove the truss thread/rubber band; chop off the tail, if you would like.   Then, place the chicken in a large clean bowl.  Run the Filtered tap water to rinse the chicken.
Add the chicken into the pot.  Bring the water to a boil.
In the meantime to bring the water to boil, fill the large clean bowl with fresh Filtered water.  Set aside.
Then, let the boiling water to boil for a couple of minutes, and then, dump the water that came to boil with the chicken - dump  just the water.
Fill the pot with the fresh Filtered water.  Bring it to boil.
Then, immediately place a lid and bring the heat to simmer (no bubbling of water).
Cook for 10 minutes.
Without opening the lid, Turn Off the heat.
When the pot is warm to the touch.
Open the lid, remove the chicken to a clean cutting board.
Remove the skins.  Remove the meat.  Cut into portion size that you will using it for.  Vacuum seal the meat for storage, for example.
Use as needed.

Quick Spinach Ravioli and Mushroom Risotto Dinner

When I am really pinched in time and tired, I can't think much what to cook.  I would grab the first readily edible item found in the refrigerator and stuff them into my mouth, then, "worry"... aaahh Yak!
I have mushrooms, arborio rice, Organic spinach ravioli I bought at COSTO.  Cool.
And voila!   I noticed when my health is back to 'normal' level, I can squeeze some more energy out even at the end of the day to do a bit more for myself.  I wish everyone a healthy year for 2015!
Ingredients:
Organic Tomato sauce with Basils in jar.
Organic Spinach Ravioli

For Risotto:
You need to know the Risotto preparation method to cook the following ingredients.
1 Cup Arborio rice, rinsed
1/2 C to 1 C white wine - dry vermouth
1 - 2 C Water, add as needed.
Onions, chopped
1/4 C Butter
1/4 C EVOO
2 C Mushrooms, washed, dried, and sliced
Salt and fresh ground black peppers to taste

Stir fry sliced mushrooms in 1-1/2 TB butter and 1-1/2 EVOO.  Set Aside
Stir fry chopped onions till transluscent, but not browned.
Prepare Arborio rice to make Risotto following the regular Risotto method.
Add Mushrooms into the prepared rice.

Heat Organic Spinach Ravioli in a pot with the tomato sauce.  Taste and add any spices to your taste.
Serve Risotto topped with Parmesan Reggiano cheese, if you wish.

Homemade Pizza topped with Mushrooms, Basils, and Honey

This pizza is one of the product I prepared yesterday.   To store the proofed dough overnight in refrigerator, for tonight's dinner, I wrapped it tightly in a saranwrap and then in a plastic bag, then in a plastic container of the similar diameter as the dough.

The recipe is for two portions of single size pizza.  

Ingredients are reduction of full recipes by 3 from Nancy Silverton's Mozza cooking book.  Modification is substitution of wheat germ with hemp hearts and Bread Flour wth AP Flour.

Ingredients:  

7.3 oz warm water

0.33 tsp yeast

8.66 oz flour + more for dusting

0.166 oz rye flour, dark or medium 

0.5 tsp organic Hemp Hearts 

0.5 tsp honey

0.33 Tbsp kosher salt 

EVOO

Preferment:

Mix 3 oz of warm water with pinch or 1/8 tsp yeast, 2.3 oz of flour. 

Mix well with spoon and cover with plastic and place in microwave oven with a bowl hot water, if your microwave has internal rack. At 800 Watt power microwave for 17 seconds. Stop and let it rise.

To prepare Dough:

Using paddle head, Mix the rest of the flour, yeast, rye flour, hemp hearts in the mixer.  Premix honey and the rest of the warm water in a small measuring cup.  Add to flour mixture.  Mix for 30 seconds.  Add preferment. 

Mix at low for 2 minutes.  

Add salt.

Mix for 4 minutes, and see if the dough is starting to form - not shaggy.

Change to dough hook, knead until the dough become tacky and dough leaves the side of the bowl.

Spray a bowl lightly with vegalene.

Place the dough in to rise.  Cover.

To store overnight, place the dough over a sprayed saranwrap. Wrap the dough tightly and place in a zip lock bag.  Then place in a plastic container of the same size.   Place in refrigerator.

To Bake Pizza:

Organic Tomato Sauce mix with minced garlic and chopped basil

12 oz Mozzarella cheese block cut into small slices or pieces or shredded

Pre-sautéed mushrooms

Fresh Basil leaves

Pizza paddle 

Some semolina flour...2 Tbsp

Remove the dough from refrigerator and let sit for 30 to an hour depending on your kitchen temperature.

(Read thru once first the following steps). 

Remove all oven racks or move them to the top.  (They are not used.)

Preheat home gas oven to 460'F with baking stone directly at the bottom of the oven.  

Turn the dough out on a well floured work surface.

Dust the pizza paddle with some semolina flour and set aside.

Divide the dough into (approx) 7 oz each

Using flour coated fingers press the dough into disc form, but leave 1 inch outer rim alone.

Then with a floured knuckles (of your hands) place the dough over and flip flop the dough over opposite each to extend the dough slightly.  As this is a 'personal' size approx. 10" size pizza 2 to 3 toss over is sufficient.  Transfer the dough at last toss onto pizza paddle. 

Top with sauce, mozzarella, mushrooms, Basils, except the 1 inch rim of the crust. 

Open the oven door and with a controlled single push slide the dough over to the baking stone.

Set the timer to 8 minutes.

Into 5 minutes, open the oven and brush the outer edge/crust of the pizza with olive oil.  Bake till cheese is slightly brown. 

Remove the pizza with paddle.

Drizzle with wild honey.

Slice with pizza cutter.  Serve