This vacation inspired a semi-homemade cooking moment for me. Preheat oven to 400. Peel 3 parsnips and cut into wedges. Trim fennel bulb and cut into thick slices. Spray a baking pan with cooking oil, then spread the parsnips and fennel in a single layer, if possible. Season lightly with salt, black pepper, and another spray of oil. Let… Continue reading Roasted parsnips and fennel with store-bought rotisserie chicken
Roasted rutabaga
Preheat oven to 425. Peel and cut 2 rutagabas into largedice (here, I also added 1 small fennel bulb, chopped). Spray with olive oil, lightly season with salt and black pepper, and then roast for 40 minutes. Toss lightly with 1 tsp apple cider vinegar, or add to soup (we’re doing half and half this evening). This recipe… Continue reading Roasted rutabaga
Burmese golden chicken noodles (nang-pyar thoke)
This recipe is from my friend Juju, who made it a few weeks ago. Here, I modified slightly based on ingredients I had on hand, and my penchant for marinating meats before cooking them. Marinate 1 lb boneless chicken thighs (cut into bite-sized pieces) in 1 ½ Tbsp paprika, 1 ½ tsp cayenne, ¾ tsp… Continue reading Burmese golden chicken noodles (nang-pyar thoke)
Brazilian chicken and rice soup with hearts of palm
Heat 1-2 tsp oil in a stock pot, then add 1 diced onion, 2 cloves minced garlic, 2 serranos and 2 jalapenos (seeded and sliced), 1 tsp allspice, and ½ tsp cayenne pepper. When fragrant, add ½ cup uncooked long-grain white rice, 9-10 cups chicken stock, and 13 oz can of coconut milk (here, I used light). Bring to… Continue reading Brazilian chicken and rice soup with hearts of palm
Chinese minced chicken in lettuce cup (gung bo gai ding)
This recipe calls for diced chicken, but we used minced chicken instead. Marinate 1 lb chicken in 1 tsp each sugar and sesame oil, 1 ½ tsp soy sauce, 2 tsp Shao-Hsing wine, 1 tsp microplaned ginger, 1 ½ Tbsp oyster sauce, 1 Tbsp cornstarch, and a pinch white pepper for 30 mins. In the… Continue reading Chinese minced chicken in lettuce cup (gung bo gai ding)
Grilled stone fruit skewers
Cut peaches and plums in half and remove pits. Alternately thread on metal skewers, with cut side facing up. Sprinkle white sugar on cut side and let sit for a few minutes. Coat a BBQ grill with cooking spray, then grill skewers (cut side down) on medium-high heat for about 5 mins. Serve immediately. This dish… Continue reading Grilled stone fruit skewers
Fowl poached with Chinese celery
This recipe originally called for a 6 ½ lb chicken, but the largest poultry we found was fowl, so we gave it a try; because fowl is less tender than chicken, we added more cooking time to tenderize the meat. Combine 14 cups water, 1 bunch Chinese celery (cut into thirds lengthwise), 1 bunch… Continue reading Fowl poached with Chinese celery
Oven-roasted Korean sweet potato (goguma)
Preheat oven to 400. Wash and scrub four Korean sweet potatoes, dry off with paper towels, and then place two sweet potatoes on a large piece of foil (enough to create a foil pocket for two sweet potatoes). Lightly coat the skin of each sweet potato in olive or neutral vegetable oil. Gently wrap the… Continue reading Oven-roasted Korean sweet potato (goguma)
Oven-roasted strawberries
Preheat oven to 375. Hull 1 pint strawberries and place, cut side down, in a baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp brown sugar. Bake for 30 mins. This recipe is from Cooking Light. (July 2014)
Oven-roasted stone fruit with cherries
Preheat oven to 450. Cut 6 peaches (here, white nectarines) and 6 plums into quarters (removing pits), then place cut side up in a large baking dish. Sprinkle ½ cup sugar (here, I used homemade vanilla sugar) over the stone fruit. Garnish with 2 small containers of pitted cherries (or raspberries), then place in the… Continue reading Oven-roasted stone fruit with cherries
Cooking Adventures 