Cut ½ lb flounder filet (boneless, skinless) into bite-sized (1 ½ inch) pieces. Lightly season with salt and black pepper. Set up two bowls next to the stove: one small bowl with 3 Tbsp flour, another with 1 egg, ½ tsp water, and a little Korean beef bouillon seasoning (sogogi dashida). Heat a large skillet,… Continue reading Korean egg-dipped flounder (saengsun jun)
Greek sweet cheese pastries (bougatsa)
This is a Cretan specialty that I saw on Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations many years ago, and that Imade only once before (in 2011) because it is so time-consuming and phyllo so temperamental. Preheat oven to 375. For the filling: combine 15 oz ricotta cheese, 8 oz cottage cheese, 4 oz cream cheese, 1 Tbsp… Continue reading Greek sweet cheese pastries (bougatsa)
Clapshot shepherd’s pie
This is virtually identical to classic shepherd’s pie except for the addition of turnip to mashed potato (clapshot), which is a Scottish specialty. Heat 2 tsp oil in a wok, cook 1 chopped onion until wilted, then add 1 lb minced beef (here, bison). Season with a little salt and pepper. When browned, stir in… Continue reading Clapshot shepherd’s pie
Cuban minced beef (picadillo)
Inspired by our recent trip to Miami, I tried my hand at picadillo. In a large wok, heat olive oil, then sauté 1chopped red onion, 1 yellow bell pepper, and 4 minced garlic cloves. When onion is translucent, add 2 tsp cumin, ½ tsp paprika, and some salt and pepper. A minute later, add 1… Continue reading Cuban minced beef (picadillo)
Venezuelan black beans
This is a recipe I learned from Cristian’s cooking class in Tampa in October 2010. Mix the following in a bowl: 3 diced Roma tomatoes (I forgot fresh tomatoes, so I used 4 oz of drained, canned diced tomatoes), diced ½ onion, chopped ¼ bunch curly parsley, 3 minced cloves garlic, and 2 tsp cumin.… Continue reading Venezuelan black beans
Fried sweet plantains
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… Continue reading Fried sweet plantains
Cuban-style skirt steak (churrasco estilo cubano) with chimichurri
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… Continue reading Cuban-style skirt steak (churrasco estilo cubano) with chimichurri
Korean kimchi stew with pork (kimchi jigae)
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, andabout 3-4 cups of kimchi (here, a mix of radish and cabbage). Mix well, then add water - enough to… Continue reading Korean kimchi stew with pork (kimchi jigae)
Blueberry crumble with cornmeal-almond topping
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.
Fried rice with Chinese sausage
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… Continue reading Fried rice with Chinese sausage
Cooking Adventures 