Beef and Broccoli

Today is the day I learned to tenderize beef with baking soda (velveting), and oh man does it make a difference!  Velveting is how Chinese restaurants are able to turn cheap cuts of beef into soft tender bites.

The amount of broccoli may seem like too much, but it's really not.

Beef and Broccoli

Ingredients

1 lb beef, such as petite sirloin
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup broccoli (about 2 stalks), cut into florets, and stalks cut into small pieces
Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

Sauce
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated (loosely packed)
2 tsp garlic, grated (from 3 cloves)
1/2 cup hot water
6 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce, (or GF Tamari)
3 Tbsp packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp corn starch
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp sesame oil

Directions

Cut beef into thin, bite sized slices.  In a bowl, mix with baking soda.  Let sit for 45 minutes in refrigerator.

Meanwhile, mix sauce ingredients and set aside.

Rinse beef well to remove baking soda: Add cold water to the bowl and agitate well, then drain in a strainer and repeat, until the slick baking soda texture is gone. Dry well, patting dry with a towel. Lightly season beef with salt and pepper and set aside.

Place a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp oil. Add broccoli florets and sauté 4-5 minutes, partially covered with lid, stirring or tossing several times until broccoli is bright green and crisp-tender then remove from pan. Tip: If you prefer softer broccoli, add 2 Tbsp water before covering with the lid and it will steam cook the broccoli.

Increase heat to high heat and add 1 Tbsp oil. Add beef in a single layer and sauté 2 minutes per side or just until cooked through. Quickly pull out a piece to test for doneness.

Add the sauce, reduce heat to medium/low and simmer 3-4 minutes. It will thicken. Add broccoli and stir to combine. Stir in 1-2 Tbsp water to thin the sauce if desired. Top with sesame seeds. Serve over white rice.

Original link:

https://natashaskitchen.com/beef-and-broccoli/

Summer Shrimp Bowls

This dish came together quite nicely. It was light, yet full of nutritious ingredients. Perfect for summer. They're like yum bowls, but better.

Once again I was playing around with a couple of different recipes, and I really like how it all turned out.

The shrimp is a nice touch, but also unnecessary in a pinch. They are hardly the star of the show.

If you can, try to mix the sauce early in the day so the garlic flavor has time to settle.

For the brown rice, I first sauteed the rice in butter until brown before cooking.

Summer Shrimp Bowls

Ingredients

Garlic Cilantro Lime Sauce

1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
3 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
juice of 2 limes
1/2 cup sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 tsp coriander


Shrimp

16-20 shrimp

1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp sea salt
dash of cayenne


Bowl base

1 1/2 cup brown rice, cooked according to package directions
Black beans, cooked in garlic and onion (if using canned, use garlic and onion powder and other spices to taste)
Pico de gallo
Shredded cabbage, mixed with some of the garlic cilantro lime sauce above to make a slaw


Additional optional ingredients

Avocado
Cilantro, roughly chopped
Green onion, sliced
Shredded cheddar cheese
Sour cream

Directions

Garlic Cilantro Lime Sauce

Mix ingredients in a food processor until well blended.  If you do not have a food processor, use a mortar/pestle or other similar method to crush the cilantro, green onion, and garlic before mixing with the remaining ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Shrimp

Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan on medium to medium high heat until shiny. Mix together shrimp seasonings in small bowl. Add shrimp to the pan and top with mixed seasonings (you may still have some seasoning leftover). Cook for 6-8 minutes until shrimp are fully cooked through. Set aside.

Bowls

In each bowl add a large scoop of brown rice.  On top of the rice, in separate quadrants, add black beans, pico de gallo, and cabbage slaw.  Top with shrimp.

Lay out optional ingredients on the table, including additional garlic cilantro lime sauce, to be added to taste.

Chicken Adobo with Ginger Rice and Green Beans

This recipe was actually a combination of a couple of different chicken adobo recipes that I found.  I can't attest to its authenticity, but it was delicious.

When I first made it, I used bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs.  The skin does get soft after cooking, despite the initial sear, but it is still delicious.  You can also leave the skin off, or you can try broiling the chicken at the end to crisp the skin again.

(If you take the skin off, be sure to save it for Chicken Cracklings!)

 

Chicken Adobo with Ginger Rice and Green Beans

Ingredients

Chicken

6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

Salt and fresh ground black pepper

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion, sliced

6 cloves garlic, smashed

2 tsp whole black peppercorns

For sauce:

3/4 cup low sodium soy sauce (or a Filipino soy sauce, which will be a little sweeter)

1/2 cup rice vinegar (or cane sugar vinegar)

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup water

3 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

1 tbsp of fish sauce

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

3 bay leaves

Rice

1 cup long grain brown rice

1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

1 bay leaf

Pinch of salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Green Beans

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp garlic, minced

2 tbsp lime juice

2-3 tbsp water

1 lb green beans

Directions

Rice

Cook as label directs, with ginger, bay leaf, salt and pepper.  Remove bay leaf and serve.

Chicken

Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels.  Season all over with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.

Mix sauce ingredients and set aside.

Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the chicken thighs to the pot, skin-side down, and seared until browned.  Transfer to a plate.

Add the onion to the pot.  Cook for 2-3 minutes (to give them a head start), then add garlic and peppercorns.  Cook until onions and garlic are golden brown, and peppercorns are slightly toasty and fragrant.

Add about 1/2 cup of the mixed sauce to the pan to deglaze, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Return the chicken and any accumulated juices on the plate to the pot, arranging the chicken in a single layer.  Add remaining sauce and bay leaves.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and simmer at low heat until chicken is cooked through, about 20-30 minutes, turning halfway through.  Chicken should be around 175-195 degrees in the thickest part.

Remove and discard bay leaves.  Serve chicken with sauce.

If broiling chicken:

When chicken is about 165 degrees or so, remove chicken from sauce.  Broil chicken in the upper third of the oven, on a broiler pan or rimmed baking sheet covered in foil, until chicken is browned on top and skin is crispy (about 3 minutes).  Continue to cook sauce, uncovered, while chicken is broiling.

Green beans

Heat a large skillet (with a lid) over medium heat.  Add butter and melt.  Add garlic and cook until fragrant and just starting to turn color.  Add green beans, water, and lime juice.  Bring to a boil and cover, simmering on medium heat until liquid is almost gone (2-3 minutes).  Remove lid and cook until liquid is gone and green beans are crisp tender.

Sweet and Juicy Pork Chops and Greens

The first time I made this recipe I didn't have white wine vinegar, so I used apple cider vinegar instead.  I also had some agrodolce in my cupboard (white wine vinegar with grape must), so I added a little bit of that to maintain the grape flavor.

Try to aim for a nice medium doneness. (https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/pork-chop-temp/).

Sweet and Juicy Pork Chops and Greens

Ingredients

2 bone-in pork chops

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tbsps light brown sugar

5 cloves crushed garlic

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 bag baby spinach (or your choice of greens)

Directions

Mix marinade ingredients in a ziploc bag and marinate pork for up to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 425.  In a 9x13 glass baking dish, create a bed of spinach greens.  Place pork chops on top of greens, and lightly sprinkle 2 tbsp of marinade over greens.

Bake pork chops and greens in oven until it reaches an internal temp of about 135-145.  For thin cut chops, remove after about about 10 mins; thicker chops may take longer.  Remove pork chops.  Stir greens and return to oven until desired doneness.

Heat vegetable oil in a heavy cast iron skillet on medium high heat.  Gently wipe any marinade or moisture from pork chops.  Sear pork chops until golden brown, about 60-90 seconds each side.  Rest for five minutes and serve with greens.

Crispy Fried Leeks

Leeks are great vegetables, but it's always frustrating throwing half of it away.  So don't!

These make a wonderful crunchy addition when sprinkled over meat or vegetable dishes. They can be added to salads, or anything else that needs a bit of texture. They're also great in soups.

The link below includes a ton of more suggestions for how to use the ends of leeks.

Crispy Fried Leeks

Ingredients

Dark green leek ends

Directions

Cut the leek tops into small pieces and heat about 3cm of vegetable oil in a pot or pan, drop in one piece of the leek and when it ‘fizzes’ and floats to the top, add the rest. Don’t overload the oil with leek and fry them little by little. When they are golden brown, scoop out with a slotted spoon and leave to drain on a piece of kitchen paper.

Once cooled, store them in a ziploc in the fridge until ready to use.

Original link:

https://www.finedininglovers.com/explore/articles/how-use-ends-leeks-everything-you-need-know

Sauteed Broccolini

This side dish ends up with a really nice bright flavor, with a little kick of spice.

Sauteed Broccolini

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 bunch broccolini, trimmed, halved lengthwise if thick (about 6 ounces)
¼ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large lidded skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds, then add the broccolini and salt and toss.

Cook, tossing occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add the water, cover, reduce the heat, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, tossing occasionally, or until tender and bright green.

Remove from the heat, toss with the lemon juice, and season to taste.



Original link:

https://www.loveandlemons.com/broccolini/#wprm-recipe-container-69009

Balsamic-Roasted Mini Peppers

Yet another incredibly easy side dish.

Balsamic-Roasted Mini Peppers

Ingredients

1.5 lbs. mixed baby peppers, cleaned and left whole
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Directions

Heat the oven to 450ºF. Place peppers in a 9×13-inch pan or something similar (a sheet pan is not recommended). Season with salt, olive oil, and balsamic and toss to coat.

Transfer pan to the oven and cook for 15 to 25 minutes. Start checking at the 15 minute mark — every oven is different, and depending on the pan you are using the peppers may need more or less time. Remove the peppers when they look blistered to your liking — they shouldn’t be charred the way peppers look when you want to roast and peel them, but they should have some nice dark spots, and they should look wrinkly and slightly collapsed — they’ll collapse more once you remove them from the oven.

Remove peppers from the oven and transfer them and all of their juices to a serving platter. Sprinkle with more flaky seas salt (or other) if desired. Serve immediately or at room temperature.





Original link:
https://alexandracooks.com/2019/06/14/dinner-party-balsamic-roasted-mini-peppers/