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MaPo Tofu

Written by James on 29 July 10

This is a repost of an old recipe, for the sole reason that a) I love this dish and b) my photography has gotten way better over time. I posted this dish back in November when no one read this blog, I didn’t know what I was doing, and I was still shooting with 3 megapixels. In hindsight, the combination of an old camera and tasty food may be a bit like the Hubble Space Telescope – put into space over a decade ago, but somehow keeps on delivering.

The translation of this dish is great – “pockmarked grandma” tofu – apparently named for the adventurous Szechuan discoverer of this dish. Ma Po Tofu is usually very spicy, and the sauce is reddish from the spice. Or, you can buy the spicy version of the Dou ban jiang (Chinese fermented beans), as I did here.

Anyhow, here is the recipe once again, but more tasty looking, and still just as delicious!

2 Comments

Posted in : Chinese,Saute

Mung Bean Sprouts Stir Fry

Written by James on 23 July 10

There probably isn’t an easier dish to make than a quick Mung Bean stir fry. It’s a great recipe to whip together when you suddenly realize your table is piled high with meats but no vegetables. Alternatively, you may be thinking, what is this mung bean stuff they keep adding to my Pho or Pad Thai?

Good question! Mung bean sprouts are found in pretty much all sorts of Asian food. They can be stir fried in Chinese dishes, or used as fillings in Vietnamese spring rolls. They are a major ingredient in a variety of Malaysian cuisine. And in Korean food, slightly cooked mung bean sprouts are used as a side dish with other assorted kimchi.

Here is one very quick way of making Mung Bean Sprouts.

8 Comments

Posted in : Chinese,Saute

2010 Top Cooking Blogs Award

Written by James on 20 July 10

Edit: Unfortunately, this award turns out to be a bit of a scam for some other site to generate inbound links. Disappointing, but oh well. I was never in this for the awards anyway!

I’ve been having a blast writing about food, recipes, cooking, and eating here at DailyChef. One thing I never expected to get was an award! The folks over at Awarding the Web were kind enough to name DailyChef one of the 2010 Top 45 Cooking Blogs.

Also, thanks to all you readers out there, as the award was chosen based on reader nominations. The best part of DailyChef has been getting to know you and your blogs. I’d recommend any of you for an award too.

13 Comments

Posted in : Uncategorized

Vodka Penne – with Fusilli

Written by James on 17 July 10

While looking up Vodka Penne, I discovered the interesting factoid that the recipe did not originate from the kitchen of a little Italian grandmother but rather from the bastions of Big Vodka. Yes, this recipe was the brainchild of marketing specialists who wanted to do one thing only… sell more vodka. (Was it really that hard to sell more vodka? But I digress.) A couple of trendy restaurants later, Vodka Penne is now here to stay. Fortunately, the vodka marketers did us all a favor – the combination of cream, vodka and tomatoes really makes for a potent and delicious combination.

Although I have a checkered history with vodka, when used in cooking, I’m a big fan. The cooking really tempers the flavor, so it’s not too sharp, but still gives sauces and dishes a unique kick.

4 Comments

Posted in : American,Boil,Italian,Saute

Rotisserie Chicken Panini w/ Pepperoncini and Provolone

Written by James on 9 July 10

Ever notice that every grocery store seems to have rotisserie chickens placed center stage in its deli section? Well, I occasionally fall prey to this clever product placement. I’m pretty sure that not every grocery store can have its own rotisserie oven though – there must be some centralized rotisserie facility. Just imaging that place makes me drool.

Usually, when I look around after devouring a rotisserie chicken, it’s not a pretty sight. Let’s just leave some things unsaid. However, there are usually some leftovers and these leftovers work great in sandwiches or in tortillas. Here is one recommendation for a Panini, but of course the variations are infinite.

12 Comments

Posted in : American

Pan Seared Shrimp

Written by James on 5 July 10

I hope everyone had a great July 4th weekend, full of delicious BBQs and fun friends! I managed to throw a few more burgers on the grill. But, more importantly, I got to whip up some Pan Seared Shrimp, so I can share a recipe with all of you.

Everyone loves the perfect pan-seared shrimp: well-caramelized, moist, briny and tender. Unfortunately, many times the shrimp ends up dry, flavorless, pale, tough or gummy. Ick. So since I’ve made and messed up a bunch of shrimp in my lifetime, I thought I’d write about a few basic rules I like to follow.

5 Comments

Posted in : American,French,Pan Fry

Caraway and Mustard Seed Mozzarella Stuffed Pork Burgers

Written by James on 28 June 10

I think it’s pretty clear by now that I love burgers. I make them both large and larger. If I see a burger smaller/ thinner then the bun its on, then my heart sinks – what a tragedy! I usually use 25% chuck, but I thought it might be fun to try a few different meats. This time, I used pork; maybe next time, I’ll try lamb. I may also get around to ground poultry, but the low fat content of chicken/ turkey may stymie my poultry recipe. Fat, after all, is what makes give a burger its “mouth feel.” It also helps you get a good char when you cook it over direct heat, because the fat causes the fire to jump and lick the burger.

I used caraway seed in this recipe because it has a strong spice flavor and an anise-like smell. I think it works decently in curries and I wanted to give this burger a more exotic flavor. I chose mustard seed for similar reasons. I then added a splash of minced garlic for aroma. Finally, I topped the burgers with my Leek salad and used a nicely toasted bun.

6 Comments

Posted in : American,BBQ,Grill

Leek Salad

Written by James on 24 June 10

A leek salad is something I’ve never even considered before. Before this salad, I usually found myself at a loss when confronted with these giant green onions. They have a much lighter flavor than their more compact cousins, which surprisingly works amazingly well in this salad.

I first saw this recipe at a BBQ and got it third hand from a Venezuelan grandmother. The key to this salad is slicing everything into thin pieces ~ 1/4″ wide. The salad then ends up being much more like a slaw than a traditional salad. The leeks, cilantro, green onions, celery, carrots and lettuce mesh amazingly well with a mayo-based balsamic vinaigrette. Because the salad is so refreshing, I highly recommend this recipe on a hot summer day. Just remember to make enough dressing to coat the salad! I was a bit stingy up with dressing initially and it ended up being a tad dry. I also used this recipe to top my Caraway Seed Pork Burgers (to come later).

6 Comments

Posted in : Latin American,Whisk

Dry rubbed BBQ chicken

Written by James on 20 June 10

I’ve been making this dry rub chicken to bring to BBQs for almost a decade now. The recipe has gone through several variations, but I always return to a few key ingredients: garlic, onion, black pepper and salt. In this variation, I added a bit of Latin flavor – cayenne, cilantro and some white vinegar – but these these additions are optional. The four core ingredients work well by themselves. I recommend playing with your own flavors too!

Chicken on the grill is always hard to cook right. Remember to cook with the skin side down, on indirect heat with a 2-zone fire, and with the grill covered. Finally, give the chicken some time – you won’t regret it.

6 Comments

Posted in : American,BBQ,Grill,Latin American,Mexican

Arroz con Pollo

Written by James on 14 June 10

Arroz con pollo. Although it translates into chicken and rice, the sum of its parts is much greater than the individual ingredients! There are probably hundreds of ways to make this traditional Spanish/ Hispanic/ Latin dish. I’ve found this dish on the menus of fancy restaurants and in hole in the walls or food stands on sketchy corners. Sometimes it’s delicious, sometimes it’s merely edible. At its heart, arroz con pollo is comfort food, and I think I have a great recipe to recommend.

5 Comments

Posted in : Bake,Latin American,Mexican,Saute,Stew

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MaPo Tofu

Mung Bean Sprouts Stir Fry

2010 Top Cooking Blogs Award

Vodka Penne – with Fusilli

Rotisserie Chicken Panini w/ Pepperoncini and Provolone

Pan Seared Shrimp

Caraway and Mustard Seed Mozzarella Stuffed Pork Burgers

Leek Salad

Dry rubbed BBQ chicken

Arroz con Pollo