Hello, dear reader, I know it has been a long time. Chris and I have been in Taiwan for the past 11 days, and we were too busy stuffing our faces full of delicious Taiwanese street food to post. Those pictures will be [...]]]>

Hello, dear reader, I know it has been a long time. Chris and I have been in Taiwan for the past 11 days, and we were too busy stuffing our faces full of delicious Taiwanese street food to post. Those pictures will be coming up soon, but in the meantime, here’s a quick and easy meal that’s perfect for summer.

This yummy pork burger from Elise Bauer’s SimplyRecipes.com is like a large Swedish meatball, flattened into a patty. It’s a delicious alternative to beef burgers this summer, especially if you’re cutting down on eating red meat. It’s hard to compare it to a beef burger – let’s just say it stands on its own, and it’s mouthwatering in its own way.

Pork burgers are a lifesaver for us here in Xiamen, China, as beef is not only difficult to find, but very expensive as well (we live on an island). So it’s great to be able to buy a pound of ground pork, mix it with an onion and a couple other easy ingredients, and voila! A quick and easy escape into Western cuisine. Top the burger with some mustard, arugula and basil, and you’ve got an aromatic feast at your fingertips.

Danish Pork Burgers
From SimplyRecipes

1 pound ground pork
1 medium onion, diced
16 saltine crackers, crushed
1/3 cup whole milk
2 eggs
salt and pepper
cooking oil

In a large bowl, place the crushed saltines, milk, and eggs. Stir to mix, and let sit for a few seconds so the crackers absorb the milk. Add the pork, onion, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to mix, using your hands to really mash it all together.

Divide the pork into 8 portions and pat them into roughly shaped patties. Heat a little oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry a few patties at a time, turning once, until browned on both sides and cooked through, about 8 minutes total.

Serve in burger buns with your choice of condiments and veggies – we added aromatic greens like arugula and basil for a bright punch of flavor.

Any leftover uncooked patties can be stored in the freezer, sandwiched between layers of parchment paper.

When you have access to hopping fresh shrimp, it’d be a pity not to take advantage of it. And when I say hopping fresh, I mean that literally. Living by the sea gives us the blessing of incredibly fresh (i.e. still alive) seafood, [...]]]>

When you have access to hopping fresh shrimp, it’d be a pity not to take advantage of it. And when I say hopping fresh, I mean that literally. Living by the sea gives us the blessing of incredibly fresh (i.e. still alive) seafood, and being in China means that it is almost dirt-cheap.

Am I concerned with possible contaminants in the water? Yes, of course. But my friend Lali, who is studying environmental management here, says that in comparison to a lot of places, Xiamen’s seafood is not too bad. The municipal government has managed it so that the areas where industries may potentially pollute the ocean are located far from the areas where fish are usually fished or farmed. And you’re unlikely to get sick or blemished seafood, because local markets, in deference to the Southern Chinese preference for all things fresh, sell the fish live. You choose the most energetic fish of the lot, and the fishmonger clubs it and cleans it right in front of your eyes.

Anyway, the aforementioned shrimp were literally jumping; making little popping noises against the plastic bag I was holding them in. I tried my best to give them a humane death by popping them in the freezer to numb their senses for about half an hour, then dumping them in a pot of boiling water.

Then I made a pot of creamy polenta, flavored it with basil, and threw together a quick spicy tomato sauce with bacon. In went the peeled and beheaded shrimp, and this easy weeknight meal was ready. Astonishingly, the short and simple list of ingredients yielded a dish with deep flavor, and the shrimp had that deliciously springy mouthfeel characteristic of fresh seafood. We polished the whole lot off in one sitting.

Shrimp and Bacon on Polenta
Serves 2 hungry people

Easy Polenta
From Marcella Hazan’s recipe on Epicurious
1 cup polenta
4 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp dried basil
2 tbsp butter

Shrimp and Bacon Sauce
Gourmet Nov 2009

¾ pounds shrimp, cooked and peeled
1 can diced tomatoes in juice
3-4 strips of bacon, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp red pepper flakes
olive oil for cooking

Start the polenta – bring water and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Over medium heat, stir in the polenta gradually, whisking to incorporate. Whisk for about 2 minutes, until polenta thickens. Stir in the dried basil. Cover pot. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for about ½ hour, stirring vigorously every 10 minutes or so.

Meanwhile, heat about 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, bacon, and red pepper flakes. Cook until bacon is browned. Add the can of diced tomatoes and cook until sauce is thickened, about 5-8 minutes. Add cooked shrimp and stir just until warmed through, about 1 minute. Taste for seasonings and add salt if needed (though the bacon is usually salty enough).

Stir the butter into the polenta until melted and incorporated.  Spoon polenta onto plates and top with shrimp-bacon mixture. Serve immediately.

My husband LOVES Mexican food. He grew up in Southern California where you can get a vast array of authentic Mexican or Americanized Mexican food, and he just LOVES it. Whereas me, while I grew up in Toronto where there is a huge [...]]]>

My husband LOVES Mexican food. He grew up in Southern California where you can get a vast array of authentic Mexican or Americanized Mexican food, and he just LOVES it. Whereas me, while I grew up in Toronto where there is a huge variety of ethnic food, there weren’t that many Mexican restaurants around during my formative years. The first time I really had authentic Mexican food was when I arrived in California to meet Chris’ parents for the first time.

Being the loving wife that I am, I had to attempt another Mexican dish for Chris’ birthday, and I have to say, this Chipotle Pork Stew came off beeyoo-tifully. Slowly simmered pork shoulder gets tender and flavorful, with the smoky heat of chipotle chili peppers and deep flavor from being simmered in beer with lots of onions, garlic and spices. I served it on top of lentils and rice that I flavored with chicken stock, more onions, and a bit of Mexican saffron.

Serve it with loads of fresh cilantro and fresh pico de gallo, and this stew feels lighter and even summery. You can shred the leftover pork and serve it in warm corn tortillas the next day for lunch, if there ARE any leftovers!

I have no idea if this is authentic or not, but it was delicious, and that’s good enough for me! Our dinner guests were happy, Chris was happy, and I was happy.

Chipotle Pork Stew
Loosely adapted from Epicurious

3 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, diced (I used red ones)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large ripe tomato, peeled and diced
1 ½ pounds pork shoulder, cut into one-inch cubes
1 can or bottle of beer
1 cup chicken stock
3 potatoes, cut into one-inch pieces
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground chipotle chilies (or more)
2 bay leaves
salt
¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Over medium heat, heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot. Add the garlic and onions and stir around until slightly translucent. Put the lid on, and sweat the onions for a few minutes until pale golden and aromatic. Lower heat to medium-low, and add the peeled diced tomato. Cook until tomato disintegrates.

Increase heat back to medium. Add the pork and stir until cubes of pork are browned. Add potatoes, beer, and then the chicken stock. Add the cumin, chipotle chili powder, bay leaves, and a pinch of salt. Bring back to a boil. Cover, and lower heat to a simmer.

Simmer approx one hour or more until pork is tender. If sauce isn’t thick enough, simmer with lid off for a few minutes to thicken sauce. Adjust seasonings and serve with rice and lentils and topped with cilantro.

Rice Cooker Rice and Lentils
Don’t forget to soak the lentils before cooking, or they won’t cook at the same rate as the rice.

2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups rice
3/4 cup lentils, rinsed and soaked for 1 hour
½ an onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp Mexican saffron
1 cup chicken stock
2 ½ cups water

Put the olive oil, onion and garlic in the rice cooker. Switch to on and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the rest of ingredients and mix thoroughly. Put the cover back on, make sure rice cooker is set to “cook” and let the rice cooker do the rest of the work! When it’s done, stir up the rice and lentils and mix thoroughly to make sure the flavorings are well distributed.

Have you ever had a bunch of leftovers in your fridge you needed to use up, and so you just stuck them all together in the hope that they would turn out ok, only to find that all together, they had created something delicious, altogether [...]]]>

Have you ever had a bunch of leftovers in your fridge you needed to use up, and so you just stuck them all together in the hope that they would turn out ok, only to find that all together, they had created something delicious, altogether more than the sum of its parts?

Well, that happened to me today. I had about 1/3 pound of homemade chorizo sausage in the fridge, some cherry tomatoes I needed to use up, and half of a rather sad looking onion. I also had a few eggs, some milk and some cheese. Hmm. I didn’t want to make chorizo con huevos again, so I decided to throw together something I’d wanted to experiment with for a long time. A breakfast casserole.

Think of this as an American/Mexican take on the French oeufs cocotte, eggs baked on top of ham, vegetables, and crème fraiche. That’s basically what I did, except I used chorizo, jalapeños, tomatoes, cheese, and onion, and instead of using cream (didn’t have that handy) I just drizzled a quick béchamel sauce over the whole thing. The result, a spicy, creamy, flavorful breakfast casserole that just hit the spot on this cold autumn morning.

Sausage, Tomato and Egg Breakfast Casserole
Serves 2 or 3

½ cup whole milk
1 tsp butter
1 tsp flour

½ onion, diced
1cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 jalapeño, chopped
¼ cup grated cheese (I used a mild Gouda)
1/3 pound chorizo sausage
3 eggs
salt and pepper
oil

Preheat oven to 375 F or about 190 C.

Heat milk in microwave or a pan on the stove until warm. In a skillet, melt the butter, then add the flour and cook, whisking, until smooth. Add the warm milk and whisk for a minute or two until milk thickens. Pour into a bowl and set aside.

Rinse and dry the skillet. Pour in about ½ tbsp oil, and sauté the onion until translucent. Add the sausage and continue frying, breaking up lumps, until sausage is cooked through. If a lot of fat has rendered, drain off some of the fat.

Butter a baking dish (mine was an oval dish about 6 by 9 inches, I think), or individual ramekins. Spread the drained sausage/onion mixture evenly over the bottom, and top with the sliced tomatoes, jalapeno, and grated cheese. Drizzle the reserved béchamel sauce over everything. Make 3 shallow indentations in the mixture to hold the eggs (I didn’t do this, and my eggs went everywhere). Crack the eggs into the dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Put the baking dish into a larger pan and place in oven. Pour enough hot tap water into outer pan to reach 1/3 to halfway up the side of the casserole dish/ramekins (this will ensure your eggs bake up tender instead of rubbery). Bake for 15-20 minutes until whites are set but yolks are still soft.

Enjoy!

My husband, Chris, has an obsession with good Mexican food. My Southern California boy craves Mexican food at regular intervals, which is not the most convenient craving to have when you live in Southern China (as many of you know, we live in Xiamen, [...]]]>

My husband, Chris, has an obsession with good Mexican food. My Southern California boy craves Mexican food at regular intervals, which is not the most convenient craving to have when you live in Southern China (as many of you know, we live in Xiamen, a small city in southern Fujian province). Mexican food hasn’t exactly caught on here in China, unlike the Golden Arches or “ken-de-ji” (aka KFC), and you can’t buy premade salsa or Mexican spices, or chorizo, and although you can find frozen tortillas, the supply isn’t very reliable.

Which, of course, continues my ongoing theme of “Necessity is the mother of invention”. Living in China has made me SO much less dependant on prepackaged foods and fueled my love of cooking from scratch. How AWESOME and satisfying is it to make your own homemade chorizo in a tiny Chinese apartment kitchen and serve your husband chorizo con huevos with homemade salsa? Pretty awesome.

Just a quick note here. I grew up in Toronto, Canada, which is a mecca for food-lovers and a haven for authentic ethnic restaurants. However, I very rarely tasted authentic Mexican food growing up, and I don’t think Taco Bell counts. Therefore, if the chorizo I made isn’t completely authentic, please don’t string me up and beat me with a dry-cured ham. I’m doing my best with limited resources at my disposal :p.

Chorizo con Huevos (Chorizo sausage with Eggs)

1/3 pound homemade chorizo (see recipe below)
5 eggs, beaten
½ onion, diced
oil
salt

In a skillet, sauté the onion over medium heat in 1 tablespoon of oil. When onion is just softened (2-3 minutes), add the chorizo. Break it up with a spatula and sauté until cooked through. Mmmm! Smell those spices!

Pour the eggs into the pan over the chorizo, and cook, stirring, until the eggs are set but not too dry. Taste to see if it needs salt (the chorizo is pretty salty, so you may not need any), and sprinkle salt on as needed. Serve with warm tortillas and salsa.

SOOOO good.

Homemade Chorizo
This recipe was cobbled together from several recipes on the Internet and heavily influenced by what I had in the kitchen at the time.

1 pound lean ground pork (but not super lean; you need some fat for flavor and texture)
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp cayenne pepper or red chili powder
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp cumin powder
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp water
1 tsp salt

Mix everything together well, then knead well with your hands to make sure all ingredients are evenly distributed (this was kind of fun, once you got over the “eww gross” bit).

Put the meat into a plastic freezer bag, squeeze out all the air, and allow the meat to cure in the refrigerator for about 3 days. After that it can be used (it will keep in the refrigerator for a week or two) or frozen for months.

Now, I realize that I don’t have a lot of meat recipes up on this site yet.  Um…like…any.  That’s not because Chris and I are vegetarians.  Oh no, quite the contrary.  While we can appreciate the fact that raising meat creates exponentially more [...]]]>

Now, I realize that I don’t have a lot of meat recipes up on this site yet.  Um…like…any.  That’s not because Chris and I are vegetarians.  Oh no, quite the contrary.  While we can appreciate the fact that raising meat creates exponentially more greenhouse gases, and that North Americans eat way too much meat for their own good, and that a diet based on vegetables, legumes, healthy oils, and fish helps you live the longest (aka the Mediterranean diet)…we couldn’t really envision giving up steak.  Or chicken.  Or bacon.

The reason, plain and simple, is that our freezer is a bit wonky, and only one of the 3 freezer drawers actually freezes (we live in China, friends).  Which makes it a bit complicated to store a lot of meat at once, and I’m generally too lazy to walk to the supermarket every time we want meat for a meal.  When faced with the choice between a walk (that might actually constitute exercise), and well, just using what’s in the crisper drawer…I’ll vote for vegetables every time.  I’m really not too sure how my health account sheet balances on that.

But with the realization that Chris needs protein in his diet to maintain his wonderful muscular figure came the realization that I really ought to cook some meat once in a while so the poor guy doesn’t have to rely solely on peanut butter for his protein fix.

So here we are.  Meat!  Finally!  I actually really like pork tenderloin.  It’s tender and juicy, and here in China, it’s dirt cheap, because China is the land of pork!  And by the way, I should really make this more often, because this dish came together in all of 20 minutes – just the time it took me to slice and season the pork, slice the apples, fry the meat, and sauté the apples.  The pork was juicy, savory, and just slightly spicy, and the sweetness of the apples was the perfect counterpoint.

Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Sautéed Apples

Tenderloins vary in size, so for 4 people, plan to buy about a pound to a pound and a half of pork.  You may have to buy 2 tenderloins.

1 to 1 ½ pounds of pork tenderloin (for 4 people)
½ tbsp mild red curry powder
salt and pepper
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp oil

3 apples (I used Galas, but any cooking apple will do)
¾ cup chicken or vegetable broth
pinch of dried herbs (thyme or rosemary or whatever you like…)

Cut the tenderloins into ¾ inch slices (they will cook quicker this way than if you cut them thicker, but if you like the look of a thicker medallion, go ahead and slice them 1 inch thick).  Season each side with salt and pepper, and rub them with the curry powder.

Peel and thinly slice the apples.  Set aside.

In a skillet, melt the butter with the oil over medium-high heat.  Lay the pork in the skillet and fry about 2 minutes on each side until cooked through, turning once.  The pork should be nicely browned on the outside.  Remove to a plate.

Add the apples to the skillet with the pan drippings.  Sauté until apples are browned, then pour in the broth, scraping up any browned bits.  Stir in the dried herbs and any juices that have accumulated on the plate with the pork.  Turn heat down to medium and boil until sauce is thickened and apples are tender, about 3-4 minutes.

Divide among plates and serve.

Chris and I regularly eat out at Sichuan restaurants – it is one of China’s best cuisines and the bold flavours especially appeal to a Western palate (as long as you don’t mind spiciness).  One of our favourite dishes is ma po doufu, [...]]]>

Chris and I regularly eat out at Sichuan restaurants – it is one of China’s best cuisines and the bold flavours especially appeal to a Western palate (as long as you don’t mind spiciness).  One of our favourite dishes is ma po doufu, Ma Po Tofu, a spicy tofu dish with a bit of ground pork, lots of chilies, and the signature Sichuan spice – Sichuan peppercorns.

Sichuan peppercorns are not only spicy, but they also have that characteristic Sichuanese tongue-numbing property known as ma la, or “numbing-spice”.  It adds both heat and savory-ness to a dish, as well as a tingling sensation typical of Sichuan dishes.  You can replace Sichuan peppercorns and still get a great-tasting tofu dish, but you won’t have Ma Po Tofu.  The “ma” in the name of this dish is a pun referring both to the ma la taste, as well as the pockmarked old woman (ma po) who first invented the humble Ma Po Tofu, to satisfy travelers who passed by her little cottage.

Chris and I have this dish on average about once every two weeks, and it is a bargain at most restaurants, costing between 5 and 10 yuan (between $0.70 to $1.40 USD).  So why would I want to recreate this dish at home?  Why, to see that I can, of course.

I did a lot of recipe research on the Internet looking for an authentic recipe.  Based on the ingredient lists, most recipes had been altered to suit Western palates and styles of cooking.  But I wanted the real thing – I wanted to taste in my kitchen the same taste I taste in the Sichuan restaurant down the street.  I finally settled on a recipe from Rasa Malaysia – the author learned this recipe from a friend whose mother had studied at the Sichuan Culinary School in Chengdu.  I simplified the ingredient list a bit, because I distrust Chinese chili powder (sometimes it is colored with a red dye that is a banned carcinogen in most countries), and I don’t recall there being fermented black beans in the Ma Po Tofu we are accustomed to having.

And the result?  Astonishing.  I amazed myself.  I thought it would be close, but not this close.  I may never order Ma Po Tofu again.  With a dish of stir-fried greens and steamed rice, this was our very satisfying dinner.

Ma Po Tofu
Adapted from Rasa Malaysia

Most or all of these ingredients are available from your local Asian grocery store.

1 block tofu (not silken)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsp vegetable oil (do not use olive oil as it does not have a high enough smoke point)
2 tbsp chili oil
3 tbsp chili bean paste
1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns (I used whole peppercorns, but if you have powdered Sichuan pepper, that will work too)
½ pound ground pork
1 tsp dried chili flakes or chopped dried red chilies
1 tbsp soy sauce
½ cup water

(To tone down the spiciness, omit the dried chili flakes and halve the Sichuan pepper.)

Drain the tofu and cut it into cubes.  Set aside.

Over high heat, heat the vegetable oil and chili oil.  When hot, add the garlic, chili bean paste, and dried chili flakes.  Make sure your stove hood fan is on, as the spices get very aromatic.  Add the ground pork and stir-fry until cooked.

Add the soy sauce and water, and then carefully add the cubed tofu.  Let it simmer for a few minutes as the tofu steams, then gently stir the tofu into the sauce.  Add the Sichuan pepper, and stir-fry for about 2 minutes until the sauce thickens.  Serve immediately (you can garnish it with a sprinkling of scallions if you like).

Note:  Chris calls Sichuan peppercorns “mind-numbing balls”, and they really are – your first time at least!  If you aren’t used to Sichuan pepper, you probably want to avoid eating any whole peppercorns as they are pretty intense.  We have found that the best way to do this is to use your chopsticks to pick up each cube of tofu from the dish instead of spooning it all into your bowl.  Of course, if using powdered Sichuan pepper, this isn’t a problem.

A few nights ago we had a welcome home, picture sharing, dinner party for some of the other teachers who teach at the university with us.  It was the first weekend we were all back, and everyone had stories about their adventures over [...]]]>

A few nights ago we had a welcome home, picture sharing, dinner party for some of the other teachers who teach at the university with us.  It was the first weekend we were all back, and everyone had stories about their adventures over the summer.  Nick and Lali had taken the train to Tibet, and explored Lhasa and Kathmandu.  Mary-Chris had been home to the Philippines and brought a delicious package of dried mangoes (which we didn’t find till after she left, and that is the reason we didn’t share with anyone – really, I promise!).  Matt had been home in Phoenix, and we had just finished our trip in Europe and the Middle East.

It was a warm and fuzzy time of laughter, picture sharing, and catching up, punctuated with rounds of warm meatballs, mashed potatoes, and shots of the Williams-Christ-Birne pear brandy we had brought from Germany to share.

Food and friends – what could be better?

Aren’t these little shot glasses the cutest?  They were so adorable we were sorely tempted to buy them at horrendous tourist prices in Berlin, but resisted, and lo and behold, we found them in China for 30 cents each!  You see?  Good things come to those who wait.

Finnish Meatballs
Adapted from Gourmet May 2009

These meatballs are hearty and savory – just what meatballs should be – with an added note of interest from the subtle spicing provided by the allspice.  I found adding an extra egg helped the meatballs hold together, though the recipe only called for one.  I also used just pork, instead of mixed pork and beef, as beef is expensive in our city.  I think either would turn out just fine.  Oh, and if you don’t happen to have allspice, substitute a generous pinch of cinnamon and some extra black pepper.  Trust me, it’s terrific.

2 ¼ lbs ground pork and beef mixed, or just pork if you live in Xiamen (not too lean)
3 slices white bread, crusts removed
1 red onion, finely chopped
¾ cup milk
1.5 tsp allspice
2 eggs
salt and pepper
butter and oil for frying
1 tbsp flour
extra 2 cups warm water and milk (quantity of milk depends on how creamy you like the sauce)

Ok, it’s no secret – meat just doesn’t photograph well!  But trust me it tastes really good.  Chris ate so much that (in his words) he was “officially incapacitated” and had to lie on the sofa for 20 minutes.

1.  Soak the bread in the milk for about 30 minutes until soft and mashable.
2.  Mix meat, bread, allspice, eggs, onion together, kneading with hands if necessary.  Season generously with salt and pepper.
3.  Roll into walnut sized balls and fry (in batches) in a combination of butter and oil, turning to brown all sides evenly.
4.  When done frying, add flour to the pan drippings and stir till smooth.  Add about 2 cups of warm water and milk mixed (depending on how creamy you like your sauce), and cook about 10 minutes until thickened.  Season to taste.
5.  Serve meatballs warm with sauce.  A side of mashed potatoes goes nicely with it too.  Serves 4-6.