Welcome

  • I cook as a hobby, and I maintain this blog primarily to keep track of recipes that my family has enjoyed over the years. I started blogging back in 2015, in response to requests from friends for recipes they had seen me post on Facebook (but that I couldn’t easily catalog). My original blog was on another platform that became less user-friendly over time. I migrated my blog to WordPress earlier this year, and I’ve spent more time than expected reformatting the migrated posts.

    This blog is and always will be a work in progress. For example, I currently provide Tags for posts, but I have not coded for Categories. I also generally try to share the recipes themselves in my posts, but in cases where the recipe is not available online, I try to identify the source (e.g., the cookbook title and author) as needed. In some cases, such as where a family has shared their recipe with me but hasn’t authorized me to share it widely, I post a photo of the dish with that proviso.

    I recently added a Search widget to this blog. On the desktop version, the Search bar appears prominently on the left hand side. But for some reason, it is hidden on the mobile app. If you’re on your phone, tap on the SHOW tab at the top left of the home page. That will reveal another screen with the Search bar.

    I hope you enjoy exploring my blog and find some recipes to try.

  • This is part of the Venezuelan Pabellon recipe that I learned from Chef Cristian Feher in 2010.  Take 3 sweet, ripe plantains (the blacker the skin, the sweeter the flesh – which will caramelize when cooked), peel, and cut into ¼ inch diagonal slices.  Heat ½ to 1 inch of peanut oil in a cast iron pan until hot.  Place the plantain slices in the hot oil. When one side is browned (about 1-2 mins), flip and cook on the other
    side.  When that side is browned, place on a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with salt while still hot and enjoy.  (Jan. 2014)

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  • Inspired by our meal at Jimmy’z Kitchen in Miami, we decided to try out this dish at home.  Its origin is Argentinian, but it is popular in a lot of Latin American cuisines.  First, prepare the marinade (mojo):  Place peeled garlic cloves from 2 bulbs, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp whole black peppercorns, and 1 onion (rough-cut) in a food processor.  Blend until pureed, then add 1 ½ cups sour orange juice (here, ¾ cup orange juice plus the juice from 2 limes and 2 lemons), 4 sprigs fresh marjoram.  Let the mixture sit for 30 mins.  In the mean time, heat 1 cup of olive oil in a small pot until hot (but not boiling).  Whisk the citrus mixture into the oil, then let cool; this is your mojo.  Pour the mojo over skirt steaks (we used three ½ lb steaks) and let marinate for at least 5 hours.  Second, while the meat is marinating, make the chimichurri:  place ½ bunch cilantro, ½ bunch curly parsley, 8 cloves garlic, the juice of 2 limes and 1 lemon, ½ tsp crushed red pepper, and some salt and pepper in a blender.  Puree, then whisk in 2/3 cup olive oil (I added it to the food processor, which may have been a mistake because it emulsified).  When meat is ready, pan-sear it in a grill pan (it took about 15 minutes for one steak to cook medium well), then pour the chimichurri over top. Serve with rice and fried plantains.  The churrasco recipe is from Three Guys from Miami Cook Cuban.  The chimichurri recipe is based on that cookbook, with modifications (omitted vinegar, onion, and oregano, increased citrus juice).  (Jan. 2014)

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  • This is a dish from my childhood.  Using a large Dutch oven, heat some neutral oil and then saute bite-size pieces of pork (here, 1.5 lb boneless pork loin).  When browned, add 1 onion, roughly chopped, and
    about 3-4 cups of kimchi (here, a mix of radish and cabbage).  Mix well, then add water – enough to create a stew, but not too much to dilute the flavors (I eyeball the amount so that the liquid leaves ½ inch of the mixture above water).  Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a medium boil until vegetables are tender (about 20 mins).  Season to taste (I added about 2 Tbsp sugar and 1 tsp fish sauce).  Serve with short-grain rice.  This recipe is from The Kimchi Chronicles cookbook by Marja Vongerichten.  (May 2013).

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  • We tried this Food Network recipe: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/blueberry-crumble-with-cornmeal-almond-topping-recipe-1973476 (Jan. 2014)

    Note: If you use frozen blueberries, they elicit more liquid than fresh blueberries. So you may want to supplement frozen blueberries with additional flour to absorb that liquid.

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  • Heat some canola oil in a large wok on medium-high heat, then sauté 1 Tbsp each minced garlic and micro planed ginger, 4 scallions chopped (whites only), 1 chopped carrot, and 2 chopped celery stalks. When fragrant, add 3 links Chinese pork sausage (here, Kam Yen Jan brand lap xuong thuong hang), diced. After a few minutes, add ½ cup frozen peas and chopped scallion greens, then 3 cups cooked rice (here, jasmine), 3 Tbsp soy sauce (we reduced to 2 Tbsp) and 1 Tbsp each Marukan rice vinegar (green label) and seasoned dressing (yellow label) (see Note below). nbsp;Season to taste (I added some freshly ground black pepper). Mix well, and turn off heat. Separately, scramble 3 eggs (mixed with a dash of water) in a little oil. When cooked, add the scrambled eggs to the fried rice. Serve immediately. This recipe is from Fried Rice with Chinese Sausage by Brian Boitano, available on Food Network, with slight modifications (reduced amount of soy sauce and rice, added green peas and seasoning dressing). (Feb. 2014)

    Note: For a lower sodium version, try halving the soy, Marukan green label, and Marukan yellow label.

    Note 2: During the pandemic, we made a version with 1 Chinese sausage link and 6 raw medium shrimp (peeled, deveined, and cut into 1″ chunks). We added the shrimp 30 seconds before adding the rice. (Aug. 2020)

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  • Combine the following:  1 ¼ lb minced pork, 2 chopped scallions, 1 minced garlic clove, 30 water chestnuts (diced), 1 tsp microplaned ginger, 1 Tbsp each soy sauce and cooking sherry, and 1 large egg (beaten).  Slowly add enough cornstarch, 1 Tbsp at a time (and up to 3 Tbsp) to bind the meatball mixture.  Using your hands, form the mixture into several large meatballs (I made 7).  Using a large wok, heat some peanut oil, then brown the meatballs on each side (I browned 2-3 at a time).  With each round of browned meatballs, place them in a large Dutch oven until finished.  Then pour in 1 ½ cups chicken broth, 1 ½ Tbsp soy sauce, and 1 tsp Chinese cooking wine.  Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer for 15 mins.  Add 1 lb bok choy, roughly chopped, and then cover and simmer until vegetable is tender (about 10 mins).  Serve with jasmine rice.  This recipe is from James Villas’ From the Ground Up (a cookbook all about minced meat), with some modifications (increased amount of water chestnuts, added Chinese cooking wine to broth).  (Feb. 2014). 

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  • Saute 1 diced onion, 2-3  cloves minced garlic, and 1 tsp microplaned ginger in a little oil (1-2 tsp). When fragrant, add 1 chopped medium tomato, 1 can (5 oz) chunk tuna (drained), 1 tsp paprika, and ½ tsp turmeric. Saute until tomato has wilted, then add 1 can (10 oz) unripe jackfruit (drained and rinsed) and coat evenly with the tomato mixture.  Season to taste (I added a dash of fish sauce) and let simmer until flavors meld (about 10 mins).  Serve with jasmine rice.  This recipe is from Waimar’s family and always reminds me of our college days, when she managed to make this using a rice cooker in a dorm room.  (Feb. 2014)

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  • Combine 15 oz cannellini beans (drained and rinsed), 12 oz marinated artichokes (drained and rough-chopped), and 5 oz tuna (drained) with 2 chopped celery stalks, ¼ chopped Italian parsley, 1 Tbsp chopped shallot, 3 Tbsp olive oil, and the juice and zest of 1 lemon.  Toss lightly, then season with salt,
    pepper, and a little crushed red pepper.  Serve over a bed of salad greens (here, baby mache), and serve with crusty bread like Ciabatta.  This recipe is from Kelsey Nixon and available on Cooking Channel, with
    minor modifications (proportion of tuna, artichoke, celery, and shallot; addition of crushed red pepper).  (Feb. 2014)

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  • Heat neutral oil in a wok, then add sliced garlic (about 10 cloves).  When fragrant, add about 2 lbs of fresh snow pea shoots (they will reduce volume when cooked).  Season lightly with salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper, and sauté on medium-high heat until the shoots are tender.  Serve immediately.  Thank you to my friend Amy for encouraging me to buy these when we spotted them at H-Mart.  (Feb. 2014)

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  • We made this for gameday. Marinate 3 lbs chicken (here, wings and drummettes) in 2 cups buttermilk, ¼ cup neutral oil, 5 cloves garlic (peeled and bruised), 1 Tbsp kosher salt, 1 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper, 1 tsp cumin, 1 Tbsp maple syrup, and a dash of marash pepper flakes.  Let marinate overnight.  Preheat oven to 425, then place chicken pieces on a cookie sheet, shaking excess marinade off.  Drizzle a little oil on the chicken pieces, then bake until fully cooked (about 25 mins).  This recipe is from Nigella Lawson and available on Food Network.  (Feb. 2014)

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