To recreate an appetizer we tried at a Montreal dumpling house, we tried this Andrea Nguyen recipe as our base: https://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2012/07/celery-and-carrot-tossed-with-sesame-recipe.html We used 4 large celery stalks and 2 medium carrots (orange and purple). We increased the sesame oil to 2 tsp. We then added ½ cup drained, Chinese five-spice boiled peanuts (http://piglettedc.tumblr.com/post/182349694281/chinese-five-spice-peanuts-pressure-cooker-style), tossed with… Continue reading Chinese celery and carrot tossed with sesame oil and five-spice peanuts
Pressure cooker Korean beef short rib soup (kalbi tang)
We tried this recipe: https://tastingmenu.wordpress.com/2015/04/17/pressure-cooked-galbi-tang/ We followed the Tasting Menu recipe (including the exact additional seasonings) except for these minor modifications: first, we used 3 lb short ribs and 1 lb beef shank (see Note below). We soaked them in a large bowl of cold water for 30 mins before placing them in a large… Continue reading Pressure cooker Korean beef short rib soup (kalbi tang)
Japanese vegetable curry with pressure-cooked beef
We used a pressure cooker to tenderize beef chuck (a tough cut) before adding it to a quick curry in a separate pot. Here is the method we used: first, we trimmed fat off of and cut 1 lb beef chuck into bite-sized pieces. We heated 1 tsp vegetable oil in the bottom of a… Continue reading Japanese vegetable curry with pressure-cooked beef
Blueberry crumb pie
We had about 14 oz fresh (but too soft) blueberries and a frozen pie crust, so we tried this recipe: https://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/blueberry-crumb-pie-34185 Because we used frozen pie crust, we let it come to room temperature for 10 mins, and then poked the bottom of the crust a few times with a fork before scooping in the… Continue reading Blueberry crumb pie
Baked mac and cheese
We tried this recipe from Food Network, which calls for only American cheese rather than creamier cheeses: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/chef-joes-baked-macaroni-and-cheese-recipe-1915004?soc=itksocialshareSMS%7Cios%7Cp Our modifications: first, given the size of the 9x12" casserole dish, the amount of elbow macaroni seemed off. So instead of cooking ½ lb (2 cups) macaroni, we made the full 1 lb box. In retrospect, this… Continue reading Baked mac and cheese
Middle Eastern minced beef and eggplant over toasted pita (fatteh)
We loosely based this on a Nigella Lawson recipe, with substantial modifications: https://www.bbc.com/food/recipes/beef_and_aubergine_46108 First, we followed the beef and cubed eggplant recipe exactly, except for reducing the Aleppo pepper to ¼ tsp. Second, we loosely followed the tahini-yogurt recipe as follows: 3 mounded Tbsp plain Greek yogurt, 2 mounded Tbsp tahini, 2 minced garlic cloves,… Continue reading Middle Eastern minced beef and eggplant over toasted pita (fatteh)
Pita chips
We tried this recipe: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/patrick-and-gina-neely/homemade-pita-chips-recipe-1938841 However, instead of 375, we baked these at 425 to make sure they were browned and crisp. (Jan. 2019)
Hot mulled apple cider, version 2
We tried this Bobby Flay recipe: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/mulled-cider-recipe-1943275 Because our orange was unexpectedly sour (almost grapefruit-like), we added a drizzle of honey to the pot before serving the cider. (Jan. 2019)
Breadcrumbs made from crackers.
We made instant breadcrumbs from leftover Trader Joe’s wheat entertainer crackers (similar in texture to Ritz). Using a Braun electric handheld mixer, we quickly pulverized about a dozen crackers to make 1 cup of breadcrumbs for a Salisbury steak recipe. We loosely followed instructions here: https://www.finecooking.com/article/crush-crackers-to-replace-breadcrumbs (Jan. 2019)
Cast iron skillet cornbread
We tried this recipe: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alexandra-guarnaschelli/cast-iron-skillet-corn-bread-recipe-2012669 For the buttermilk, we combined 1 Tbsp white vinegar and nearly 1 cup (1 cup minus 1 Tbsp) of 1% milk (see Note below). We also used 1 cup blue cornmeal and ¼ cup yellow cornmeal. When coating the hot skillet with 1 Tbsp melted butter, we encountered a lot… Continue reading Cast iron skillet cornbread
Cooking Adventures 