Dishes i've worked on over the weekend through today

 

 

 

 

 

Ginata'an (Filipino Dessert) or  Tambo Tambo

 

I try to make this dessert only enough for 2 people 2 servings kind of thing.

Hubby doesn't like this dessert.

 

So this one has Mochi Balls, Lychee Large Tapioca, regular tapioca,

okinawan sweet potato, langka and palm fruit.

You'll need:

Mochiko Brand Glutinous Rice Flour

Brown Sugar

Stevia C and H brand it has only 2 grams of sugar per serving

1 small bag of tapioca pearl

1 bag of the large Tapioca Pearl (I got the Lychee flavored)

1 small okinawan sweet potato or 1 small sweet potato or yam

1 small can of the sliced langka with palm fruit (I only used half the can and froze the rest)

1 small can of coconut milk

Corn Starch Slurry 1 Tablespoon thicken slightly with a little water.

 

Medium Pan bring to boil 3-4 cups water,

once it comes to a boil add 1/4 of regular tapiocs small size balls. Cook 8 minutes turn down to simmer.

 

In another small pot bring to boil 3 cups water

add 1/5 of the large tapioca cook 3 minutes they'll float to the top, turn off stove and cover.

 

Meanwhile, make the mochi balls:

 

The Mochi Balls, my method as follows:

 

2/3 cup of Mochiko (Glutinous) Rice Flour

8 Tablespoons Water

1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar

Mix the brown sugar with the water and pour into the rice flour.

Carefully Mix with your hands and don't overwork the dough

It should be shaggy and start to come together so from here, rinse hands clean

just air dry your hands then start to roll your mochi balls again don't overwork so as to not

creat anymore gluten as they will become gummy a few presses in the palm of your hand

and shape and set aside  on a plate with a little rice flour on the bottom. They should feel like a soft pillow to the touch. Keep in mind the more you mess with it the harder they become .

 

At this point the small tapioca should be cooked the large tapioca should be done.

Add the big pearls,  the Okinawan sweet potato and mochi balls and cook until the potato is tender.

Then I add the small can of coconut milk.

 

If you want to use plantains you can cook at the same time with the sweet potato it will need that time. But that's a lot of starch carbs for me so I omit that part.

 

Simmer on low for about 2 minues and then add the langka and palm fruit and if it's not thick enough add the corn starch slurry and cook until it thickens then turn off then cover for a minute or 2 then

you are ready to eat.

 

Masarap!  (to me)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oyster Sauce Beef Skirt  Steak with Broccoli/Romanesco and Shitake Mushrooms.

 

No recipe required right?

 

The only thing I do different since I don't have a commercial stove.

I blanch and shock my broccoli , then once I have cooked the meat with the corn starch slurry

then I turn off stove and toss in the veggies then they are crunchy but booked.

 

You'll need:

 

I like to use a good piece of meat here so sliced Skirt Steak or Rib Eye works nicely

1 half yellow onion

Garlic to your own taste

2 Tablespoon Fish Sauce

2 Tablespoon Xioshing Cooking wine

4-5 fresh Shitake Mushrooms sliced

1 Broccoli or Florets but it's best to get the head

If Romanesco is around get one and use half of it

2 Tablespoons Oyster Sauce you'll need a good one

2 Tablespoons low sodium shoyu (soy sauce)

**Bamboo shoots optional**

Corn Starch Slurry 1 heaping Tablespoon to 1/2-2/3 cup water

 

Saute the onion and garlic, sweat it little to release the natural sugars medium heat.

Then turn up the heat to medium high and add the beef.

Then I add Fish Sauce and Xioshing Cooking wine, I let this simmer so that

the wine and fish sauce envelopes into the meat, once the water has evaporated

the oils from the fat in the meat will be prominent then stir fry accordingly.

Add the fresh shitakes and bamboo shoot if desired.

Then add the oyster sauce and shoyu.

Then add the corn starch slurry and cook it will start to thicken at this point you

can add more water to loosen the sauce.

 

In another pot blanche and cook the broccoli then shock in ice cold water.

 

Turn off the heat from the other pot with the dish and then add the broccoli and toss.

 

Serve with brown or white rice.

 

Bon appetit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fried Brown Rice with Bacon Chive and Egg

 

This is unlimited on what you make in your fried rice.  There are so many techniques, ie

the colder the rice when frying the better.

 

So I fried this one in a little bacon grease, then I fry the rice.

Seasonsings are simple:

Onion Salt

Garlic Salt

Old Bay or 21 seasonsing of your choice

1 Tablespoon shoyu

1 Egg add this at the end

 

Once the rice is done and you have added your seasonings:

Add the shoyu and stir around

Add the egg (mixed like you're going to scramble)

Move some of the rice to the side in pan and scramble in same pan

add bacon, chives, peas whatever is in the fridge. But I like it simple

then serve.

 

 

 

New York Style Crumb Cake

 

 

 

New York Style Crumb Cakes with Huckleberries

 

 

Lasagne Soup my way

 

This one is basic and you can do whatever you want with it.

My difference was I made my Roasted Tomato Soup.

I cooked the noodles separately and reserved 1 cup of the starch liquid.

I cut the cooked noodles to they were more uniform.

I also cooked in a separate pan some italian sausage.

Once the soup is done then I add the noodles and cooked sausage and simmered

for 10 minutes.

Then I add grated fresh mozzarella and fresh grated parmesan

I also finished it off with truffle butter that I made.

Top off with snipped chive.

 

 

 

 

 Butter Croissants

With a Combo of flours

 

 

 

 

 

Bibingka Souffle Re-dux

So I call it Butter Mochi Souffle'

 

Bibingka souffle is big I guess in the Philippines and here in some of the Bay Area Filipino Restaurants.

 

With all the different recipes of the dessert I envisioned really what I know when I make my own bibingka I learned from my Kaua'i grandmother and my mother and another aunt that I felt made the best Bibingka Vigan style god she made the best ilocano longaniza as well.  I remember seeing from our yard her hangings drying them and I knew wow mom are you gonna get some of those? You could smell the onaona of it in the air.

 

So what did I do to make this confection?

 

Well it's your regular souffle for one-two

Replace the flour with Mochiko Rice Flour

Replace all the liquid with coconut milk and make as normal.

 

Bon appetit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pain de Chocolat

 

I have been working on 4 types of Croissant Recipes.

Well voila this one that I finally tweaked I like the best.

It's hard being diabetic, trying to be totally good and have a little bad.

 

So I spend some time trying to revamp, substitute etc.

 

I will post the recipe after I make another batch to make sure I have everything down

 

So this is a chocolate filled one with the above Valrhona Guanaja dark chocolate.

The topping is a Hazelnut Praline that I made with Stevia by C and H for baking

and processed to a coarse powder along with some valrhona cocoa nib.

 

 

Cream of Mushroom Soup

my way

 

I made a pot of the Nilaga, but I knew hubby would want something else so

I had the Cream of Mushroom Soup in my mind.

 

It's so much better homemade so here is my version.

 

Now 3 of my favorite fungi weapons are:

Tube of Black Truffle Concentrate imported from Italy

Ground Porcini Powder and Procini Boullion

Ground Shitake Mushroom Powder I made myself

 

You'll need:

 

1-2 containers of Crimini's I slice my own but you can get them sliced

4-5 dried Morel's rehydrated strain and reserve liquid

Some Chanterelle's if available they're expensive so it's a bonus if you use

Fresh Shitake if available a handful sliced.

1 leek cleaned and sliced

1/2 yellow onion sliced

1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic

1 teaspoon Hawaiian Salt

1.5 Tablespoons Porcini Powder (if you don't have this you can take dried porcini and and process into powder)

1.5 Tablespoons of Shitake Powder

1/2 teaspoon pepper is using ground 3-4 turns on the grinder

White pepper to your flavoring I use a couple turns on the grinder 

3 Tablespoon Flour or Wondra

2 quarts of water

1 teaspoon of thyme

1/2 Heavy Cream you can use half and half as well

1 Tablepoon Butter to finish

1-2 teaspoon snipped chives to finish

 1-2 Tablespoons of cooked Pancetta Lardons or 1 nice slice cut into lardons,cooked and set aside

Add: Dollup of Creme Fraiche if desired.

Serve with Artisan Crusty Bread, Crostini any bread of  your choice

 

Use a nice pan that will caramelize the mushrooms in be able to hold your soup.

I have a 3 QT All Clad Pan which is perfect

Cook the pancetta lardons and set aside

Caramelize the mushrooms in a little olive oil with a tad of butter ratio along with the oil rendered from Pancetta on medium-high heat don't keep stirring them just let them brown and toasty and flip as you go you'll know. Remove and set aside

Saute' the onions and leeks then add garlic

Add mushrooms back in and toss slightly

I add the flour here and stir to cook the flour taste away add a little oil here if it looks too dry.

Then add the water/stock slowly and it will start to thicken add enough of the liquid until your thickened desire. Don't take it to gravy so add a little more water to loosen the soup

Add thyme I grow my own so chopped it up to release those wonderful flavors

Add the Porcini and Shitake Powder stir and let it simmer for 30 minutes on medium heat covered.

Taste flavor and adjust seasoning here if needed.

Add the cream and cook for 1-2 minutes if the soup is too thin you can thicken with a cornstarch solution or wondra solution

Add the pancetta lardons, the butter, and chive and stir to finish off.

 

Serve with Artisan Crusty Bread, Crostini any bread of your choice

Bon  Appetit

 

 

Short Rib Nilaga

Filipino Cuisine my way

 

You'll need for Nilaga:

1 big pot 3 quart or little larger.

Short ribs plank but you'll want ones that are an 1 inch thicker or 1.5 inch. (I noticed Safeway is cutting them quite nicely lately and they are lean)

Don't get them too fatty a little fat is fine. Cut in between the bones so then they'll be in easy to eat squares and won't splatter soup all over when you eat.

it's not sexy at that point. Hahaha.

If you want to use New England Cut that is fine but those require more cooking time.

Part 1

  rinse planks and cut into piece you'll either have 3 - 4 per plank.

 

 Part 2

                                                                       

1/2 Yellow one nicely diced

1 Tablespoon Crushed Garlic or roasted if you do that (as I do and put in fridge)

 

Part 3 Seasonings:

1 T Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon Pepper

1/2 teaspoon White Pepper

1 ladle of Patis Fish Sauce  (any brand even cambodian)

1 ladle of mirin

1 ladle of sake

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon of dry steak rub any kind or old bay seasoning but something for meat is good.

1/2 of a regular cabbage or savoy

1-2 russet potatoes I cut them a little larger than for a gratin but now as you would stew

I sear and brown the pieces on each side in bacon fat or a little olive oil in sections and put to the side on a plate.

 

 Saute' the onion and garlic

Add back in the meat and stir around add the water to meat level in your pot.

Add seasonings in part 3 bring to a roaring boil then lower heat to medium-medium high set timer for 1 :45 hours. Check now and then if you need to add more liquid to about meat level. Not meant to be thick it's a soup.

Check the meat you don't wan't it falling but where there is still some give and tender. If ready then add potatoes and cook those until fork tender about 3-5 minutes depending on how big you cut them.

Taste for seasoning adjust anything here but you should have too but your choice

Add the cabbage ladle some of the soup on the cabbage or press is down a tad. Turn off the stove and cover for 2 minutes then uncover let the steam cook the cabbage.

Then you're done. Total time about 2 to 2.5 hours

Serve with brown rice or white.

 

You can top with any vegetable really  if not cabbage, mom did cabbage and I like it steamed the last 2 minutes.

But i've seen green beans, spinach, chili leaves etc.

Now if you add green beans like Blue Lake, Chinese Long bean, I recommend blanching and shocking separately then top it on the soup itself.  I like crunch in the beans not the sogginess.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Huckleberry and Marscapone Filled Wheat Croissant

 

 

 

 

 

Plain Wheat Croissant topped with Turbinado Sugar

 

 

 

Matcha Green Tea White Chocolate chips and Macadamia Nut Cookies

 

Since I have that culinary grade powder I saw some cookies on other sites and

thought I'd try out my own.

 

Here we go.

 

It's simple really just use any shortbread type recipe and add 2 teaspoon or 1 tablespoon Matcha Green Tea Powder (Culinary Grade) and 1 teaspoon of lemon extract or yuzu juice.

 

Voila.

 

 

 

 

Hangar Steak Hash

 

You know, I knew what Corned Beek Hash was, but didn't really think of Steak Hash.

 

So twice in the past 10 days, I saw a girlfriends dish she had at Orphan in Sacramento.  It looked

so delicious.

 

Yesterday a Chef friend posted his steak hash and that was it.

 

So when I saw Chef Pahk's posting (he's now the Executive Chef at the Mauna Kea Hotel

on Big Island up in the Kohala area.  I realized that I had leftover hangar steak that I made for

hubby and I. So I chopped some fingerlings, garlic and onion chives and voila.  I fixed one egg over medium to accompany my dish and finished it with Black Truffle butter.

 

I was happy, and so simple and what didn't I know of this before?

 

Bon Appetit.

 

 

 

 

 

Kouign Amann my way

 

 

I have only had these from Whole Foods. 

 

Although I remember the episode of the Neely's when the ventured to Le Madeliene

and I really wanted to try them. So expensive via the mail.

 

So after reviewing 20 pages in google of the Breton, I thought I'd give it a whirl my way of course.

 

So here they are, I did use wheat flour, 1/4 cup a/p flour and 1/4 cup cake flour.

For the sugar's I used Stevia for baking and mixed with the Lemon Verbena one I made here at home.

 

Turned out pretty good.  I have my daugher one and a couple Kouignettes.

 

Bon  Appetit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love the Shrimp Dumpling Soup from

Wong's Cuisine here in town.

 

On my way for my labs I picked up some

Won Ton Pi at the local Noodle Factory.  $1.30

 

Picked up some Gulf Prawns, Water Chestnuts, Bamboo Shoots,

Pea Sprouts and Bean Sprouts.

 

Well here you have it my way, but of course I know I am missing

some certain seasoning.

 

But nonetheless it still came out ono.

 

Bon Appetit!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy New Year 2013 all.

 

Spent New Year's Eve day in Napa, and had lunch at Redd/Yountville with hubby.

 

For lunch today to start our year, I made Lobster Bisque my way, we had a late dinner with Steak and Lobster that we shared.

 

Below we had lunch at Redd/Yountville, love this place, saw our favorite waiter as well.

 

 

I think I have posted before, I am not a true fan of Rissotto, however,

I do enjoy how it's cooked at Redd and Plumed Horse.

This was a wild mushroom one which was very delicious.

 

 

It was a beautiful day in Napa.  It got a tad colder in the afternoon,

But I couldn't ask for a better day from hubby.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aloha Kakahiaka,

 

Well this week I have been working with wheat flour and making my favorite

morning buns and croissants.

 

I was lucky the recipes turned out great for me.

 

No I didn't eat them all up.  I actually scaled down the recipes as much as I could to make 1 tray making 8-9 medium sized ones.

 

I was glad how they turned out and were delicious.

 

I did use C and H Stevia light sugar it has 2 grams sugar and it works perfectly and no difference in the taste.  Because I grow my own lemon verbena I dried the leaves and I made Lemon Verbena Stevia sugar.

 

Bon appetit. 

 

 

Flan Cake

I've been tinkering on a small scale, what desserts I will be making for Christmas with

the ohana.

 

I found a recipe online Zoe bakes for deconstructed S'mores which I am dying to make.

 

I love flan but not too much on the filipino version.  I really like a brazilian type flan that I had in San Diego. I make mine more on the spaniard style.

 

So I toyed around with this Flan Cake.  It came out quite good.  I downscaled the recipe

and it came out good. I made some adjustments to the recipe to be a bit more diabetic friendly.
ie., I used C and H Stevia for baking.  This sugar I have blended with Lemon Verbena from
my garden this  year and adds a nice little hint of lemon.

This is made with wheat pastry flour so the cake is a little more dense but the textures combined

are quite beautiful, silkiness in the flan then into the cake.

I will post the recipe after I have fine tuned the cake part as it's not quite where I want it.

 

Bon Appetit. 

Energy Bars

 

 

This recipe was adapted from:

I used a conversion chart accordingly.

Lovely flavor, I cut back some of the honey for me. For the most part

I happened to have all the ingredients handy, which was odd meant to be.

I used my nut choice as I had almonds from our tree and have hazelnuts as I made Better then Nutella the other day.

Lastly, I added a quarter cup of mini semi sweet morsels.

 

 

http://www.flagrantedelicia.com/en/

 

 

Energy bars

Serves 8:

115 g butter, softened
150 g honey
1 egg
85 g powdered almonds (Almond flour)
90 g dried apricots, sliced ( I used dried cherries and cranberries)
50 g Goji berries
50 g cashew, chopped  (for the nuts I used, almonds and hazelnuts)
15 g sesame seeds
15 g sunflower seeds
10 g inflated quinoa ( I happened to have honey roasted quinoa puffs I got at Whole Foods)
85 g oat meal  (I used oatmeal that I processed)

Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC.
Grease a rectangular pan (18 x 27 cm).
Whisk the butter with the honey until creamy.
Add the egg and the powdered almonds and combine until smooth.
Add the remaining ingredients.
Pour the dough into the pan taking care to make an even surface.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until firm and golden.
Let it cool down completely before unmoulding and cutting the bars.



 

Whole Wheat Pain

 

 

I have been expirementing with Wheat Flour baking lately.

So I do love a good croissant so here we have it.

 

I used no eggs, and used Stevia for Baking by C and H which I infused my dried lemon verbena

from my garden.

 

The chocolate ones have Valrhona Dark Chocolate bars in them.

 

Bon Appetit. 

 

 



 

 

 

Homemade Nutella

 

 

I woke up too dang early 5:30, so since I can't fall back asleep

back in the kitchen.

 

This wasn't as hard as I thought, but now that I know what is going into my own Nutella and tastes

really really yummy I will make my own.

 

This is adapted from Bon Appetit Better than Nutella

I did cut this in half and made 2 cups this will last a while for me.

 

Better Than Nutella

 (Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread)

We're big fans of Nutella, but this luxurious homemade gianduja tastes even better

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2012/12/better-than-nutella#ixzz2ErNU5JkC

Ingredients

• 2 cup2 (heaping) hazelnuts, preferably skinned (about 10 ounces)
• 1/4cup sugar
• 1 pound semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/2cup(1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, room temperature
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350°. Spread out nuts on a rimmed baking sheet or in an ovenproof skillet. Roast, shaking sheet once for even toasting, until deep brown, 13-15 minutes. Let cool completely. (If nuts have skins, rub them in a kitchen towel to remove.)
• Grind hazelnuts and sugar in a food processor until a fairly smooth, buttery paste forms, about 1 minute.
• Place chocolate in a medium metal bowl. Set bowl over a large saucepan of simmering water; stir often until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over saucepan; add butter and whisk until completely incorporated. Whisk in cream and salt, then hazelnut paste.
• Pour gianduja into jars, dividing equally. Let cool. (Gianduja will thicken and become soft and peanut butter-like as it cools.) Screw on lids. DO AHEAD Gianduja can be made up to 4 weeks ahead; keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature for 4 hours to soften. Can stand at room temperature up to 4 days.

Hungry for More? If you have a question about this recipe, contact our Test Kitchen at askba@bonappetit.com. To see more recipes like this one, check out our Gifts from the Kitchen Slideshow.

·         Nutritional Information

32 servings, 1 serving contains: Calories (kcal) 170 Fat (g) 15 Saturated Fat (g) 6
Cholesterol (mg) 20 Carbohydrates (g) 11 Dietary Fiber (g) 2 Total Sugars (g) 9
Protein (g) 3 Sodium (mg) 55

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2012/12/better-than-nutella#ixzz2Emjo6FZE

 

 

 Whole Wheat Buns

 

Not too sure really what do name these but simply whole wheat buns.

 

I am trying to make things as diabetic friendly as I do love sweets.

 

Since I have my type II under control with no meds it is very important that

I try to make as friendly as possible.

 

This year I was able to buy a lemon verbena plant, it still small but I trim it all the time and

it bares some beautiful leaves which I have taken and dried myself. Thus taking the C and H

Stevia light for baking and making my lemon verbena sugar.  I have been able to make 3 fulls cups of this sugar and I only use a teaspoon or 2 for baking.  I don't use agave as I read that can be bad for diabetics.  I will use some regular sugar now and then depending on the recipes.

 

One of my goals was to be able to make a 1 pan of items like and this success today.

Here goes my way of course.  Bon Appetit.

 

6 piece Whole Wheat Buns

 

1 1/4 teaspoon yeast bloomed with 1 teaspoon stevia sugar and a tad of honey

in 1/3 cup of warm water.  Yup 1/3 cup

 1/3 cup milk set aside

 1 egg mix like to scramble

 1 and 2/3 cups bleached organic wheat and "00" combination

(have 2/3 -1 cup on side to knead by hand)

 1/8 teaspoon salt (I use hawaiian or himalayan salt it's what I have on hand)

 2 teaspoon lemon verbena sugar ( now I dry my own lemon verbena and made my own  lemon verbena sugar with C and H Stevia for baking)

1 teaspoon vanilla sugar

 

2 Tablespoons melted butter

 

For the top, egg wash and 2T each of lemon verbena sugar and vanilla sugar for the top ( save for when about to bake)

 

After yeast is bloomed, mix in milk and add all other ingredients mix well then start to knead it will be tacky for a bit until all the remaining flour is incorporated.

 I knead for 7 minutes until all the glutens have done their job and feels smooth supple.

Place in bowl with a little canola on the bottom and put a little on top, cover in non draft area and let it rise for 1 to 1.5 hours.

 

Punch down, and roll into rectangle.

 I use simply a mix of lemon verbena sugar and a little vanilla sugar.  If you want to make it cinnamon roll type you can do that too.

Sprinkle all over and then tuck and roll, cut into six  equal parts place on silpat let them rise for the 2nd time for 1 hour.

 Egg wash and bake at 350 preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.  I have a medium convection oven so I put straight in and I turn the pan around halftime into baking.

 

Once done golden brown pull out and enjoy. Voila!!!

 

You can make glaze sugar icing of course if  your heart desires.

 

 



 

 

 

Organic Wheat Flour Cinnamon Rolls

 

Well, I'm thinking I was craving sweets really bad.  But I tried to make them

as friendly as possible.

 

Organic wheat flour, stevia with lemon verbena.

All the sugar will be in the cream cheese icing where I did use 1 cup of icing sugar.

 

 

 

 

 

Last month we had dinner at 5A5 in San Francisco with our son.

That had this fantastic Bacon bread.

Well today a little bored thought I'd try it. So I did this with part

"00" flour and Organic Wheat flour.

 

It came out tasty.

 

I found some Maeda den Culinary Grade Matcha Green Tea.

 

Since I already make a New York style crumb cake, I thought why not.

Well, it was very tasty just enough flavor of the Matcha Green Tea.

 

 

 

 

 

I had my 2nd zen moment and made some Matcha Green Tea Panna Cotta with Lemon Verbana.

 

 

 

Happy Holidays 2012 everyone.

 

The past few days have been stormy here.  Yesterday we had a Holiday Hula event with

our Sister Halau and journeyed over to Redd for Dinner.

 

 

The above main entree was my Petrale Sole with Jasmine Coconut Rice with Chorizo and

a Saffron Curry Nage with manila clams. This was excellent.

 

Hubby and I of course shared the Pork Belly Appetizer that I had posted previously.

 

For dessert I had the above like a Struedel but Chef Reddington had a specific name to the dessert that I forgot the name of it.  It also had an apple sorbet hubby and I shared the dessert which was yummy.

 

 

Chef's Cabernet Sauvignon '09 is a beautifully bodied wine.