Summer Cooking #2 THUNDER STORMING!

Ah, summer thunderstorms…. or a flash storm if you are in my area…

So you're stuck inside without the grill again because of another flash thunderstorm, thats ok. I've got something up my sleeves for this. :)

This menu set is super light and also rather healthy. It gives you Omega-3's and is packed with flavor. I stumbled upon this when I was looking at my grandmother's old recipe book (it was in Japanese) and was sooooo simple, I over looked it for the longest time but it since I have tired the recipe, it has easily become one of my quickest and tastiest throw togethers.

Sesame Salmon

4 Salmon Fillets (3-4 oz each)
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Pepper
1 Tsp 5 Spice Powder
1 Tbsp Mirin (Japanese Cooking Wine)
¼ Cup Sake
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 Tsp Sugar
1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
1 Tbsp Cornstarch
1 Tbsp Cornstarch with ½ Cup of water (this is called a Slurry)
4 Pinches of Sesame Seeds

In a bowl place the salmon, salt, pepper, mirin, cornstarch, 5 spice powder, sugar, soy sauce, and a splash of sake and let it sit in a bowl for about 20 mins to marinate. Then in a heated skillet, wok, pan, whatever you have (just make sure it is properly oiled up) and place the salmon into it and let it sizzle away for about 4 mins on one side, then flip it over. Let it cook for about 4 more minutes before adding in the sake. Let the alcohol cook out and then cook the salmon covered for about 2 more minutes and test to see if it is done. If it is add in the slurry mixture AFTER you have taken out the salmon fillets. Sprinkle on some sesame seeds and eat up!


Summer Vegetables in Sake Demi-Glaze 

2 Zucchinis (Sliced into ½" disks)
1 Yellow Squash (Sliced into ½" disks)
1 Cucumber (Sliced into ½" disks)
1 Medium Onion (Sliced into ½ inch ribbons)
(Feel free to add any other vegetables to this)
½ lb FRESH FRESH FRESH Shiitake Mushrooms
1 Tsp Mushroom or Chicken stock powder
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
3 Tbsp Sake
1 Tsp Sugar

In a VERY hot pan (wok works best) with enough oil to cover the bottom and sides, throw in all of the vegetables and let them sautee for about 3-4 minutes. Then add about ½ cup of water and throw in the rest of the ingredients and cook until done. THATS IT! Just serve it up with the salmon ontop for a wonderful presentation.

The slightly sweet flavors from the salmon compliment the more savory vegetables perfectly AND it will leave you feeling full but not bursting at the seams.

Enjoy!

-Sorian

Summer Cooking #1

I know I know, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!? Well, I've been taking care of my grandmother for the most part lately and also working about 100+ odd hours a week for the past um… 2 or so years, SO I AM BACK!

Quick-ish up dates on random things…. I have 2 dogs now Yuki (2 year old Chiba Inu) and Max (10 year old Corgi Beagle mix). The herb garden I started growing the year before last, has turned into a gigantic jungle of a hellion garden! The chives, rosemary and lavender are up to my hips! ITS AMAZING!

SOOOOOOO ON TO SOME COOKING NEEDS!

DRINKS!

Raspberry Tea (Adult Style) 

4 Cups of Chambord Dark Raspberry Liqueur
1 Pitcher of FRESHLY BREWED Iced Tea (Black tea is fine)
1 Cup of Sugar
1 Cup of Freshly washed Raspberries

Mix and serve with some ice and lime or lemon (personally, I pick the lime) slices in and drink up!

Chambord and Coke:
Ok first of all, if you know me, you know I rarely ever drink soda. HOWEVER In a cocktail, I sometimes will.

Simple:
2oz         Chambord Raspberry Liqueur
2-3oz      Coca-Cola (I think pepsi makes it too sweet) or You can use Sprite either or really.

APPETIZER!

So to go along with the Adult Raspberry Tea: Raspberry and Apricot Glazed Chicken Skewers 

This is perfect to grill or just fire up in an oven, especially on hot summer days when you really do not feel like cooking.

½         Cup Fresh Raspberries
½         Cup Dried Apricots (Soaked over night so they plump up, not required, then minced)
2-3       Boneless skinless chicken thighs (They hold up better, but you can use breasts as well)
1 Tsp   Salt
½ Tsp  Black Pepper
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 Tsp Chives
½ Tsp Rosemary
¼ Cup Finely diced White Onion
4 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

First off cut up the chicken into nice sized 1-1½" chunks. And rub them all over with salt and pepper, lemon juice and herbs and toss with the raspberries (its better if some of them break!) and dried/ rehydrated apricots. Coat them evenly with the Extra Virgin Olive oil for at least 2 hours.

When you are ready to cook them, skewer those babies up and fire up the grill~! OR line a baking pan and cook them up in the oven/ broiler. 20 mins at 350ºF should do the job well. Let them rest about 5 minutes covered with aluminum foil then serve. (They are delicious hot or cold, honestly, I tend to just eat the leftovers from the fridge…. hahaha)

MAIN ENTREE!

This started off as a meditation…. yeah…. right… THIS actually started off as a scramble of me trying to get some kind of light (and lightning fast) dinner out because of some un expected guests… now, if your herb garden or stock of herbs is like mine…. (MASSIVE) here is a really quick way to use some of it up…. especially if your herb garden is spreading like wild fire. 

Herb Infused Curry Chicken with Pineapple Demi-Glaze : you will need

1-2 1' Long Sprig(s) of Tarragon

1    1' Long Sprig of Rosemary

4    1' Long Sprigs of flowering Lavender

1 Cup of Parsley (Flat leaf, chopped or not) 

1 Tsp chopped Parsley (Flat or curly, up to you) 

3 Cups of Pineapple (cubed) 

½ Cup of dried Cranberries

½ Cup of dried apricots

1 Tsp of Curry 

½ Cup Pineapple Juice

1 Tsp Salt and Pepper

½ Cup of Olive oil or Canola Oil

1 Cup of white wine or rum, (go with pineapple rum) 

8 BONE IN Chicken Thighs (Again you an use breasts) 

Before any of you start complaining, you will be roasting this, if you roast it well and correctly, those bones will slide out so fast you will be looking for it as your dogs fight over it. So don't worry, the bone is for flavor and also, to give you some body to hold on to while roasting.

ANYWAY, Rub the chicken with salt, pepper, curry powder and soak in the pineapple juice with the olive oil for about 1 hour. The pineapple juice will penetrate and tenderize the chicken and infuse the chicken with all of the other flavors. When you are ready to cook, in a large and deep roasting pan lay down your  bed of herbs. and then lay the chicken on op of them. ADD IN THE REST OF THE MARINADE! and also a cup of pineapple rum. If you are feeling adventurous add in a ½ a cup of Chambord to that pineapple rum. Roast away (basting at least twice throughout the cooking process to make sure that a demi-glaze is set on the skin of the chicken) 40 minutes at 325ºF will make this an excellent meal.  

This is great with a nice summer salad or just some heirloom tomatoes coated in balsamic vinaigrette and olive oil with slices of mozzarella cheese. 

Either way, I'm sure you will enjoy this delicious dinner… especially with this summer heat going on (at least… its here in Virginia.) 

More summer recipes to come. And back to once a week posts! EVEN IF IT KILLS ME!

Mango Mousse Tart~

3 Ripe Mango's (Alphonso Mango's work the best for this recipe) diced/ cubed
½ C. Heavy Whipping Cream
2 Tbsp. Vanilla Sugar

You can use a pie crust/ or pie dough doesn't really matter for this recipe.

Whip up the heavy cream with the vanilla sugar until it forms stiff peaks and FOLD in ⅔ of the diced mangos.

Once that is done, place the mango mousse mix onto your precooked pie crust/ tart crust (even a graham cracker crust would work for this). And place it into a freezer for 30-40 mins until its set, or until you are ready to serve. Either way, before you serve just place the remaining ⅓ of the diced mango's on top of the mousse. Cut it up and serve away!