Asian Crispy Roast Chicken Salad

I both love and hate salads. A salad really has to rock and capture my attention. Spare me a bland lunch time salad offering. Sometimes the most prep work on ingredients that go into a salad yields a better salad. Otherwise in most cased we have boring, sometimes soggy messes. This morning I woke up not knowing what to so with some chicken in the freezer that I knew would have to me my dinner.
I tossed a packet of some Chinese marinating powder I pick up from time to time. Its made with dehydrated shrimp, and spices and really transforms chicken.I totally picked up this tip from Jaden at Steamy Kitchen and am addicted. There are many types of marinaded and seasoning packet ts to find in the aisles of an Asian grocer. The fun part is reading the labels and trying to figure it out . I had half a head of Napa Cabbage and some string beans that needed to used or chucked soon. I parboiled the beans and chilled them with some thinly sliced raw scallions. I also chopped the cabbage and set to chill. I roasted my chicken thighs with skin on a rack over a pan in the oven . This allowed the fat to drip out and yield a crispier skin. When done I let the thighs cool to room temp to settle. I didn’t have sesame oil so I improvise a quick taste dressing of 1 part olive oil, 1/2 part sweet chili sauce,and a smidgen of fresh diced ginger. Whisk up and you ready to go. Assemble on a plate or bowl the cold chilled Napa Cabbage, string beans, scallions. Top with sliced chicken with skin. Drizzle with dressing and your set.
Can it say it was delicious?! Maybe not the most healthy because of the use of dark meat and skin, but oh so flavorful and juicy. I don’t think this would have worked so well with a boring breast.Play around and see for yourself. The key in the marinade and crispy skin.I am going to submit this one to Jadens contest too. It can be a 15 minute meal if you use store bought rotisserie chicken.

Pan Fried Hong Kong Noodles and Contest Over at Jadens!

Today was a day. Normally Friday I’m winding down, but this Friday I’m winding up. I went back ‘into the field’ as makeup artist today to help out with an event. After a few months of mostly working from my cubicle, I was itching to get out and keep my artistry skills up. I was pretty good and had lots of requests. Unfortunately what I hated before about working in the public all came rushing back. People are weird and I need the patience of Job to deal with them. Especially when they are getting something free.Anyway after a few hours and about 10 makeovers I went back to the office and wrapped up my day. The streets were packed with Lolapaloza concert goers and traffic was a mess.I detoured through China Town and picked up some Lychee’s, and other provisions for the weekends. When money is tight China Town is a great find especially if you want to cook exotic but cheap.

 

Anyway this is what I created in about 15 min. Its like having takeout at home.

 

Glamah’s Pan Fried Hong Kong Noodles with Pork( serves 2)

 

Slice and sear 1 center cut boneless pork chop in oiled Wok. Add half chopped jalapeno pepper, and 1/2 cup chopped long beans. Stir around in Wok. Add 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and let meat and veggies simmer slightly. Take 1/2 lb *ready purchased /pre cooked Pan Fried Hong Kong noodles and add to Wok. Add a few tablespoons of water and more oil if needed, and toss all ingredients together and cook a minute or two more until mixed. Place noodles in serving dish and top with sliced raw green onion and * ready made purchased fried garlic.

 

* found in Asian Stores

 

 

I wrote this in the style that Jaden at Steamy Kitchen asked. You see its her Birthday and shes having a contest. She’s giving away Flip Ultra 30 Minute video camera to whoever she picks, that has submitted a quick and easy Asian style meal in under 15 minutes.Its purely coincidence that I made this and then a few hours later surfed and saw this. Jaden is a huge influence on my cooking and she has one of the best food blogs out there. So I submit my humble entry and urge you all to submit too. Whats to loose and you get a tasty quick meal too!

An Ending And A Beginning

The past week for me had me saying goodbye to an old friend and hello to a new one. Mama Roxy’s two funerals were held on Thursday and Friday. I got to see some other long lost acquaintances. Why is that when people usually catch up its at funerals? We all had a nice lunch at Dixie Kitchen after the service. Since the repast would be on Friday out of the city, everyone and Roxanne’s family ended up there for lunch before they hit the road. It couldn’t have been orchestrated better. A nice laid back informal lunch.
On Saturday I was a guest at a Chinese Banquet to celebrate the birth of Baby K . I represented both Marc and I at this new experience for me. I tried not to over indulge that day to make room for the feast.The above symbol I was told means long life. On my way to the event I found a great kitchen store in China town. My eyes were drawn to the vegetable cutters. How fun is this! I cut the above out of a potato. I cant wait to play some more with this. I can even see me using it on cake designs.I need to revisit and get the Double Happiness symbol. I’m going to apologise for the pictures on today’s post. As I mentioned in an earlier post, Certain Someone has reclaimed his camera and I reduced to an antique digital and my Blackberry camera with flash. I cant figure out how to deactivate the flash on it. I photo shopped some pictures to make a tad better, but its still doesn’t the food justice.

These shots show 9 out of the 12 courses we had that evening. I was seated at the American table unfortunately . Because we weren’t Chinese, they felt one course of braised Pigeon would be to exotic for us. I could have ate the Pigeon. But the other people at the table were not so keen as they passed on it before at the older child’s banquet years ago. Here is a menu of what we were served:

Tea Dyed Eggs and Pickle
Assorted Chinese Cold Cuts( pork belly, beef, bean curds,
jelly fish,pork with crispy rinds,etc.)
Peking Duck ( Braised Pigeons for the other guests)
Shrimp Puffs( The best!!!!)
Chinese vegetables (mushrooms, bamboo, etc.)
Scallops and Chinese Broccoli
Steamed Lobster
Shark Fin Soup
Crispy Chicken
Noddles
Steamed Whole Fish
‘Fried Rice'( More like steamed rice with 2 types of toppings, very saucy)
Did I mention they had cake too? I could barely stand and walk after this.And there were so many kids running around and rolling about under the table I was getting antsy. But it was a joyous time . I’m not a preachy person but I think this verse sums up my week and life best.

To everything there is a season,a time for every purpose under the sun.A time to be born and a time to die;a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted;a time to kill and a time to heal …a time to weep and a time to laugh;a time to mourn and a time to dance …a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing;a time to lose and a time to seek;a time to rend and a time to sew;a time to keep silent and a time to speak;a time to love and a time to hate;a time for war and a time for peace.
ecclesiastes 3:1-8

What Do I Look Like…Chopped Liver?

I have been meaning to do this post for a while. Maybe its to heavy for the season, but as long as the air conditioning works, why not? Also my Certain Someone is away for 2 weeks( to work on the Swedish house and then Florida for work) and he’s not a fan of chicken livers. Funny because doesn’t sausage contain all sorts of offal? However all my female family and friends love this stuff. I get countless requests for it. Mama Roxy loved it too.I don’t know if we were all iron deprived or what. I have tweaked and “glamahed” this recipe up so it doesn’t even resemble or taste like what you find in most delis. If Im lucky , I substitute goose or duck fat for chicken fat. I also cream the mixture more so than chop. And finally I drizzle some aromatic black truffle oil on top. Is it kosher , no, but its damn good!My recipe base comes from one of my favorite cookbooks. Once way before Certain Someone, I was involved on and off, with a Jewish guy. So I became fascinated with the foods and customs. Not like that vegetarian would eat what I honed in on.Anyway this book remains a favorite, The Book of Jewish Food…An Odyssey From Samakand To New York, by Claudia Roden. The book has great historical tidbits and chronicles all the different types of Jewish foods based on tribes/regions. One of my favorites are the Italian Jewish dishes. Once in New York City I was lucky to taste some old Italian Jewish recipes and it was fantastic. My dining companions who were laughing at me at first couldn’t stop reaching over to taste mine. So back to the liver. The author, Roden , Points out that that delicacy we all love ( well most of us) pate de foie gras may have Jewish origins. Come to find out,it was the Jews in the Rhineland community of Alsace that developed the way of breeding and fattening the geese by force feeding, became their trade. Force fed geese is a whole other controversy that I wont get into today. Today’s chopped liver just uses humble chicken livers, the left over garlic infused duck fat from my confit before,onions, eggs, and black truffle oil. Open your mind, mouth, and enjoy.
Chopped Liver adapted from The Book Of Jewish Food, by Claudia Roden
1 large onion chopped
3 tablespoons duck fat ( I used my leftover garlic infused confit fat, the book recommends chicken fat, and that’s more standard)
1/2 lb chicken livers
1-2 hard boiled eggs
salt
pepper
Black truffle oil

Fry the onion in the duck fat in a large pan with lid on until soft and golden. Be sure to stir occasionally.Rinse the livers and sprinkle with salt. Place the livers on a a sheet of aluminum foil and grill/cook until they change color. Turn once. Let cool.
Cut the hard boiled egg up. You can use a food processor. Add the liver and onions to the processor as well to create a coarse paste. Mix with the eggs. Salt and pepper to taste. Smooth the surface and drizzle some black truffle oil (my addition).Note I also use a immersion blender to chop all the ingredients. It works and makes a nice paste.Traditionally this is served with some chopped egg on top and with hallah or rye bread.

Burgers Transformed With Rose Levy Beranbaums Golden Burger Buns

For the past few months on the blogospehere I have seen a trend in making your own hamburger buns. I immediately thought what a brilliant idea. Breads intimidate me. I have no fear of yeast, like a lot of people, but I want to perfect and master it. Breads for me are either hit or miss. This my friends was a hit. If you don’t know her, Rose Levey Beranbaum is the well known author of The Cake Bible, The Bread Bible, and some other great titles.Her approach is very scientific but she comes off as approachable and likable.She has a great blog where I got this recipe for hamburger buns made with Sweet potato. Rose calls them Golden Burger Buns.Sweet Potatoes have been popping up in my CSA box lately and other than bake them I wanted to find some more uses.I don’t like to candy and sweeten them all up. I also made a little promise to myself and Certain Someone I would bake more breads. He would much prefer that then cake. In the kitchen at the caterers I have shaped and baked some dinner rolls and its piqued my curiosity. The bad memories of the Daring Bakers making Julia Child’s french bread has faded into the distance. In my preoccupation with other matters I didn’t follow the recipe as written, but it all worked. I retarded(let dough rise in the refrigerator) the first 2 risings because I started at night, and had to go to work the next day. After work I shaped them , let rise the final time and baked. Because I didn’t have sesame seeds I used some fried garlic I got in China town to top the buns. The garlic smell as they baked was heavenly and I prayed it wouldn’t burn. I quickly fired up a burger and just adorned it with my German curry ketchup, and Dijon mustard. I didn’t even let the buns cool thoroughly in my haste. Most times its the burger and the fixing you remember. This burger was all about the bun. So soft and delicious. I will be making these again and again.