Pad See Ew

• Countless cravings for Madam Ma'ams in Austin finally pushed me to the point of trying to make my own Pad See Ew. The recipe below, I found to be a good start, but a couple more tries and maybe some additional vegetables in the stir fry would give it a few extra points in my book.
• 
  
• Ingredients
• 1 lb Chinese broccoli (I had to get this from a grocery in China town)
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1 egg
• Fresh flat rice noodles
• 2 cloves chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• thinly sliced pork
• 1 tablespoon sugar

1. Give the broccolie a chop into ~1 inches pieces. I did the same for the pork.

2. Slice the noodles to your desired width (I did about 1" wide). The noodles I bought were already sliced in the other dimension.

3. In a really hot wok with some vegetable oil, drop in the garlic and get it going for about 30 seconds, then add the pork. The pork won't take long, so be sure to keep an eye on it. Quickly follow the pork (once almost cooked) with the noodles, soy sauces, and sugar. This will make a dark caramel colored appearance.

4. After a minute or two, drop in egg in to scramble it and follow closely with the broccoli; you could definitely add more veggies at this point. Once you feel that the broccoli is cooked slightly, then you are ready to serve and enjoy!

Youfan's Stir-Fry Carrots

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of shredded carrots (about 3 big carrots shredded or 1 pack pre-shredded) -- the pre-shredded will come out crunchier or cook longer for more flavor -- don't mind the extra carrots in the picture!
• 3-5 cloves of garlic
• 2 green onion
• 1/3 inch ginger (or 1 tsp minced)
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/3 lb ground pork (can also use 85% ground beef)
• 1/2 tsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp cooking wine
• 1/2 tsp Chinese dark vinegar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce (regular)
• 1 tbsp dark soy
• 1/2 - 1 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1/4-1/3 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper if you like spicy

Directions

• Grate/shred carrots
• mince/chop finely the garlic and ginger
• chop the green onion 
• heat the oil in a pan (have lid handy) then add the ground pork
• cook on medium until pork breaks apart and is no longer pink
• Add the green onion, garlic, and ginger
• Cook until flagrant 
• Add Carrots
• Add in fish sauce, cooking wine, vinegar, soy sauce, dark soy sauce
• Add lid to the pan and let cook -- if too dry or if you like your dish saucy to go over rice, can add 1/3 cup water and double the sauce (liquids)
• Cook about 3-4 minutes, add in sugar, sesame oil, pepper (and red pepper if you like spicy), cook another 3 minutes, taste -- simmer longer if you like your carrots softer or if you are using pre-shredded, cook until carrots are to your desired consistency

Kung Pao Chicken v1.0

Sorry I don't have a picture!! Will add next time I make this..which the Janitor says "hopefully soon!"


Kung Pao Chicken v1.0

Ingredients:

2 boneless & skinless chicken breast 


3 tablespoons roasted peanuts


8 dried red chilies (deseeded and cut into halves)
 (leave one with seeds in -- the seeds stir-fried in cooking oil + scallion + garlic + ginger gives it an amazing aromatic smell/taste)

3 tablespoons cooking oil


5 slices peeled fresh ginger

2-5 gloves garlic (sliced diagonally)
 (more = better at our house)

1 stalk scallion (chopped)

For the marinade:

1 tablespoon corn starch


2 teaspoons soy sauce


1 tablespoon dry cooking (rice) wine


1 teaspoon sesame oil

For the sauce:

1 1/2 tablespoon light soy sauce


1 teaspoon dark soy sauce


1 teaspoon sugar


1/4 teaspoon black vinegar


2 tablespoons water


1 teaspoon corn starch

(Add more sugar + water if too salty) 

Directions:

1.            Cut the chicken meat into small cubes, rinse in water, pat dry with paper towels and marinate with the ingredients above for 30 minutes.

2.            Mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

3.            Heat up a wok with one tablespoon cooking oil and stir-fry the marinated chicken until almost done -- note because you added corn starch, the chicken will not fall apart when cooked. Dish out and set aside.

4.            Clean the wok and add in the remaining 2 tablespoons of cooking oil until it smokes.

5.            Add in the ginger and garlic slices and do a quick stir before adding in the dried red chilies

6.            Stir fry the dried red chilies until aromatic and they smell spicy, then add in the chicken meat.

7.            Do a quick stir before adding in the roasted peanuts and continue to stir a few times.

8.            Add in the sauce and stir continuously until the chicken meat is nicely coated with the sauce.

9.            Add in the scallions and stir evenly.

10.        Dish out and serve hot with steamed white rice.

Clams and Veggies in Linguine

Ingredients:

    2 doz  Littleneck Clams

    1 tsp Lemon Zest

    1/4 cup White Wine

    1 garlic clove peeled and left whole

    1 tbsp Parsley (chopped for garnish)

    1 lb + of Linguine

    Broccoli

    Mushrooms (of your choice)

                

 

1) Bring a pot of salted water to boil (for the pasta). Once boiling, add the linguine and cook al dente. 

2) Saute the broccoli and mushrooms in olive oil and steam same briefly. These will be added to the clams after they are cooked.

2) Heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a broad sauce pan or saute pan (with top) over medium heat.

3) Clean the clams under cold water (remove grit, etc.). Then add the clams, garlic clove, and white wine to the sauce pan and cover. Allow the clams to steam for approximately 3 - 5 minutes or until they open up. Discard any clams that do not open in 5 minutes. 

4) Drain the linguine once al dente, and add to the cooked clams along with the broccoli and mushrooms. Toss the mixture and serve at once onto plates or into bowls. Don't forget to spoon some clam juice from the pan onto the pasta.  Garnish with parsley and lemon zest. 

ENJOY. 

Homemade Ravioli - Mushroom Stuffing

Mushroom Stuffed Ravioli in Roasted Bell Pepper Pasta with Creamy White Wine Sauce

Pasta Ingredients:

    4          Red bell peppers

                Normal pasta ingredients (egg, flour, water, etc.)

1) Roast/char the peppers on an open flame until blackened entirely (the more completely blackened, the easier it will be to de-skin the peppers).

2) Place the roasted peppers in a bowl and cover with saran wrap; this will steam the peppers in their own skin.

3) After about 20 minutes, remove the peppers and, under cold water, peel/de-skin the peppers. 

4) Chop the peppers and add them to a food processor. Puree same.

5) Incorporate the bell pepper puree to the pasta in place of some of the water and make the pasta as you normally would.

Stuffing Ingredients:

• 4 ounces  fresh mushrooms, finely chopped (I used Cremini and Enoki)
• 1 tablespoon  olive oil
• 1 tablespoon  snipped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon  salt
• 1/8 teaspoon  ground black pepper
• 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup  ricotta cheese

1) Add chopped mushrooms to hot olive oil in a medium saute pan. Cook about 5 minutes or until the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated. 

                                

2) Add the parsley and garlic. Cook and stir for another minute.

3) Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.

4) In a medium bowl, combine the yolk, ricotta, and mushroom mixture. Mix well and cover. Chill until needed to stuff pasta.

White Wine Sauce Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons  finely chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons  butter
• 1 tablespoon  all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon  salt
• 1/8 teaspoon  ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 cups  whipping cream
• 1/2 cup  dry white wine
• 1/2 cup  shredded or crumbled Pecorino Romano, Parmesan, Asiago, Gorgonzola, and/or provolone cheese
• 2 tablespoons  snipped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
• 2 tablespoons  snipped fresh basil or chives or 1 tablespoon snipped fresh sage, thyme, oregano, or rosemary

1) In a sauce pan (small or medium), cook the onion and garlic in hot butter over medium heat for 4 minutes, stirring occassionally.

2) Stir in the flour, salt and pepper.

3) Add the cream and white wine at the same time. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly.

4) Add the cheese (we used like 4 different cheeses, get creative). Cook and stir for another minute.

5) Stir in the parsley and basil.

Final Steps:

1) Finally, put the stuffing in the dough, ravioli style.

2) Cover with white wine sauce and serve (two types of ravioli shown, green recipe to come!).

Creamy Salmon and Leek Pasta

This recipe would probably be good with other meats/fish, but I have yet to try. My Janitor thought it was a bit fishy as he prefers fish prepared as just "fish" and nothing else, but I thought it was quick and easy and just right. :)  courtesy of Chef John from Food Wishes

Ingredients (about 2 servings):
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 large leek, diced, washed thoroughly  - I used both white and green parts
- salt to taste
- 1/2 cup white wine
- juice from 1/4-1/3 lemon
- 1 cup heavy cream or sour creme/cream/milk mix (recipe calls for 1 cup creme fraiche which would definitely be best if you have it)
- cayenne to taste
- 1 tsp tarragon Dijon (or regular Dijon)
- 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
- 6 oz boneless skinless salmon, sliced thin (about 1 piece)
- Cooked pasta for 2!  -I used whole wheat thin spaghetti

Chopped Leek

Directions:
1)  Cook pasta according to directions. Set aside
2) Chop leek and rinse thoroughly - The green parts are a bit more tough, so omit if you'd rather
3) Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir leek in butter until softened, about 5 minutes; season with salt
4) Pour white wine and lemon juice over leeks and bring to a boil, simmer until liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes
5) Stir in cream/creme fraiche, mustard, and cayenne pepper into leek mixture. Reduce heat to low and let cook until warmed, about 5 min
6) add salmon to sauce, cook and stir until salmon starts to flake and is no longer pink in the center, 2-3 minutes (salmon should break apart easily)
7) Remove pan from heat and stir in cilantro to taste. Pour sauce over pasta; toss to coat. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper for color

Voila! Quick easy creamy pasta!