Pho & Vietnamese Salad

 

I've now made these recipes twice - once on a cooking Zoom with a friend-of-a-friend, and once last Friday with five of my friends. I keep tweaking things to streamline, but this is an amazingly delicious recipe. Make it! 

 

Vietnamese Pho Soup

Serves 6 people

PHO BROTH INGREDIENTS:   Extra broth can be saved and frozen.

·         2 large Walla Walla sweet onions, peeled and halved

·         2, 3-inch pieces of fresh ginger root, peeled and cut into halves

·         3-4 tsp star anise or fennel seeds, toasted (OR 3-4 tsp ground anise or fennel powder)  

·         6 whole cloves (OR ½ tsp ground cloves)

·         3-5, 3 inch cinnamon sticks (OR  2 to 2 ½ tsp ground cinnamon)

·         3-4 cardamom pods (OR couple pinches of ground cardamom)

·         1 ½ tablespoons whole coriander seeds (OR 3 tsp ground coriander)

·         12 cups good-quality beef, chicken or vegetable stock (this is 3 boxes of 32 fl oz stock)

·         1 ½ tablespoon brown sugar (optional - I leave it out)

·         3 teaspoons fish sauce (optional, but delicious – tamari or soy sauce for vegan)

·         1 teaspoon Sriracha (or red curry paste) – (optional)

·         Sea salt, to taste

PHO SOUP INGREDIENTS (substitute with your favorites):

 

·         12-15 oz UNCOOKED steak, chicken or pork, very thinly sliced (while still very cold/partially frozen) OR 1” cubes of FIRM tofu

·         8-12 oz UNCOOKED thin rice noodles or other flat noodle (Shirataki or Miracle Noodles perfect an easy)

·         1 medium sweet onion, very thinly sliced (or green onions)

·         Bean sprouts

·         Lime wedges

·         Handful of fresh herbs (cilantro, mint, and/or Thai basil)

·         Thinly-sliced jalapeno chiles

·         Sriracha sauce

Prep the protein in one of two ways. Either remove your meat from the freezer (to fridge) a couple hours ahead of time to let it defrost slightly OR put fresh meat into the freezer for 30-60 minutes before you are going to use it so it will freeze slightly and be easier to slice.  Both ways will allow your meat to be partially frozen and make it easy to thinly slice before adding it to the broth. 

Make the broth.  Turn your oven broiler onto HIGH.   Place the baking rack about 8 inches away from the heating element.   Broil that onion halves and ginger chunks for about 7-10 minutes, under broiler until the tops of the onion and ginger are slightly charred.  Then remove and set aside.   

While the onion and ginger are broiling, briefly heat the spices (whole or ground) on medium heat in a LARGE stockpot for about 2-3 minutes until fragrant (toasting brings out their flavor).  Stire them occasionally so they don't burn.  After toasting the spices, add the charred onion, ginger and broth to your stockpot and stir well. 

If you are using curry paste or Sriracha, measure out your curry paste into a very small bowl, add 2-3 Tbsp of broth to it and whisk well.  Add this liquid to the broth.

Cover and let this mixture come to a simmering boil.  Then turn down the heat a bit to medium low and let everything simmer together for at least 30 minutes so the flavors blend well.  Next, strain out and discard the onion and ginger root pieces and spices.  Then stir in the fish sauce, salt, and (optional) brown sugar.  Taste your broth for good flavor and add more salt/spice if needed.  

Prep the noodles. Meanwhile, as your broth is simmering, cook the noodles al dente according to the package instructions.  Drain in a strainer, then toss briefly with cold water to prevent the noodles from continuing to cook. Put them back into your cooking pot, add a little oil to prevent them from all sticking together and set aside.

Prepare the vegetables and garnishes. 

Chop up your fresh onion, herbs, cut your lime wedges and your jalapenos into slices if desired.  

Assemble the bowls.  Just before assembling the bowls, add your thinly sliced meat to the hot simmering broth and stir well.  Make sure the meat slices all get cooked thoroughly.

Note:  If you are using tofu, make sure it is drained and cubed ahead of time.  Then add it into the broth now so it can heat up for a few minutes. 

Add a handful of noodles to each individual serving bowl, top this with your slivered onions, and finally add ladles of your meat or tofu and the hot broth into the serving bowls.  Top with fresh herbs, lime wedges and jalapeno slices if desired. 

Recipe adapted from https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/pho-recipe/ & Andrea Roelen, Hummingbird Kitchen

Vietnamese Cabbage, Jicama and Pear Salad  Serves about 4-6 people

SALAD INGREDIENTS (substitute as desired - this is also great with just chopped cabin and arugula):

½ Walla Walla sweet onion, diced

2 cups purple or green cabbage, roughly chopped

1 tart apple (Granny Smith or Cripps Pink are great), cored and julienned

2 cups jicama, grated (or subbed diced/julienned daikon radish)

1 large carrot, grated

1 firm pear, cored and julienned

¼ cup mint leaves, finely chopped

¼ cup toasted peanuts, lightly crushed for garnish (optional)

Chop up the onion, cabbage, apple, jicama, carrot, pear and mint leaves and add to a large bowl.  Set aside.  Toast peanuts in a dry skillet for a few minutes until golden brown.  Roughly chop them up and use them later as a salad topping garnish. 

 

DRESSING INGREDIENTS:

4 Tbsp canola or avocado oil

¼ cup onion, finely minced

3-4 cloves garlic, crushed

1/4-1/2 tsp. powdered ginger (or to taste)

1 Tbsp. Sriracha sauce (or more to taste)

4 T fish sauce (tamari, soy sauce or liquid aminos if vegan)

¼ cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)

2 Tbsp sugar, depending on desired sweetness (optional – I don’t use any sugar)

 

Add the onions, garlic, ginger and Sriracha to a small mixing bowl.  Add the fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar (optional - and it is perfection without it, so why add sugar?).  If adding, whisk well until sugar dissolves thoroughly into the dressing.  

Add the dressing to the salad ingredients and mix very well.  Taste and add salt if needed to bring out the flavors. Serve into portions and top with crushed peanuts. This dressing keeps well in the refrigerator for a couple weeks. 

Recipe adapted from Vietnamese Table, PCC Cooks

 

 

 

Greek Dinner Zoom - Chicken Souvlaki & Lemon Potatoes

This week my Girl Scout troop starts their Sow What? journey, which is all about learning about your families "food print" and how to reduce their carbon footprint (and improving the taste of their food) by shopping local, or ever growing their own produce or herbs. They'll be tasked with finding a nearby Farmer's Market to shop at, or a farm to visit and buy ingredients for their family. We chose these recipes based on the girls' preferences, and on available local produce and herbs. I've got lots of oregano in my garden, and mint, so Greek it is this week! We'll be doing dinner on Friday via Zoom...

Chicken Souvlaki

2.5-3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into 1.5-inch pieces

Marinade

10-12 peeled garlic cloves
2 Tbs. dried oregano, or 4 Tbs. fresh oregano
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp each Kosher salt and black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)
Juice of 1 lemon
2 bay leaves

Blend marinade ingredients in food processor, then put it in a Ziploc with cut-up chicken pieces to marinade at least 40 mins. or overnight.

Soak skewers in water at least 15 mins before threading, and grill on charcoal or gas grill (or broil in oven). Turn as needed.

Serve with pita bread, tomato, cucumber, sweet onions and feta cheese, kalamata olives, and tzatziki sauce.

Tzatziki Sauce

1/2-3/4 of an English cucumber, peeled, grated, and pressed to remove liquid
1 tsp kosher salt, divided
4 to 5 garlic cloves, peeled and pressed
1 tsp white wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
1 Tbs olive oil
2 cups Greek yogurt
1/4 tsp ground white pepper

1 Tbs. fresh mint leaves, diced

Mix all ingredients, cover and fridge for at least an hour before serving.

  

Greek Lemon Potatoes

3 lbs yukon gold potatoes or other waxy, peeled potatoes

Marinade

1/2 c. lemon juice (fresh is best)

1/3 c. olive oil

2 pressed garlic cloves   

1 tsp. dried oregano, or 2 tsp. fresh, diced oregano

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 cups. chicken stock

Peel and halve (or quarter is they're large) potatoes and soak in water while prepping lemon sauce.

In a gallon Ziploc bag, combine lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, garlic, salt, pepper and stock. Drain potatoes and put them in the bag. Marinate for at least 2 hours in the fridge.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, and pour potatoes and sauce in a 9x13 pan, and roast for about an hour. Turn every 20 mins or so. Broil for about 5 mins at the end to crisp edges before serving.

Cubanos & Garbanzo Bean Salad

Last week's dinner Zoom was an attempt to create our favorite Cuban take-out at home. It was delicious, and excellent with mojitos made with mint, fresh from the garden.

Cuban Sammies (AKA Cubanos) 

Good cuban sandwich bread (recipe from Allrecipes.com is amazing)

Roasted or pulled pork (made with Mojo, ideally)

sliced deli ham (3-4 slices per sandwich)

Swiss cheese slices (1-2 slices per sandwich)

whole Kosher dill pickles (sliced thin by you)

Yellow mustard

Horseradish (optional, but delicious)

Butter for grilling sammies, and sandwich press, panini grill, or two cast iron pans and some hot pads

Assemble sammies, butter outsides, and grill. If using cast iron pans, heat both, and put one (smaller) on top of sammies, using it to press down the sammies in the pan. Use hot pads to press down hot pan on sandwich. Grill to golden and melty, and enjoy with Garbanzo Bean Salad and a mojito with LOTS of mint and lime!

Garbanzo Bean Salad

(about 8-10 servings as a side)

Salad  

2 (15 ounce ) cans of garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed
2 flame bell peppers (or whatever color you prefer)
1 c. of diced sweet onion
1 c. of  quartered cherry tomatoes

1 c. fresh corn (blanched or grilled and planked off the cob)

1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

1/4-1/2 c. chopped cilantro

Dressing

1/4 c. lime juice

1/4 c. olive oil

1.5 tsp. of ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3-4 pressed garlic cloves

 
Combine the beans, peppers, onion, tomatoes, corn, and chopped cilantro in a large glass salad bowl.

Blitz dressing in a small blender (or whisk by hand), pour over the salad and toss. Best flavor comes from letting this salad chill in the fridge for at least a couple hours. Lasts several days in the fridge.

Chicken Piccata & Kale Caesar

It's time to dust off the old cooking blog and get my current recipes on here, as people have been asking...

This was a hit with everyone in the house, so it'll be dinner tomorrow, and we're making it with some family on Zoom or Teams. We'll add in Mads' fave smashed potatoes (small goldens or reds, steamed or boiled, then crushed on a cookie sheet, drizzled with EVOO and seasoned/roasted), and Kale Caesar (adapted from Dr. Andrew Weil, and enjoyed in our home at least twice a week).

Chicken Piccata (Chicken with Lemon and Capers)

Serves 6-8 (great for leftovers)

3-4 chicken breasts split in half into cutlets (or sub thighs if you prefer)

1/2 cup flour

2 tsps lemon pepper

2 tsps salt

2 tsps garlic powder

2-3 lemons (zested, and juiced)

4 Tablespoons olive oil

1.5 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup capers

4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced

1-2 Tablespoons half-and-half

Split your chicken breast in half (into cutlets) and then pound them thin (I do this in a Ziploc bag with a rolling pin). I then cut each half into two or three pieces. If you're using thighs, just pound them thin. Two chicken breasts fed our family of four dinner, with leftovers for lunch for two the next day.

Mix the flour and seasonings together in a pie pan or on a large plate, and coat the chicken pieces. Add pieces to a large skillet to brown, about 8 mins, depending on thickness. Turn the chicken to brown evenly. Move the chicken to another plate or pan as you finish cooking all of the chicken.

Whisk together the lemon juice and zest, broth, and garlic, then pour it into the chicken drippings in the pan. Stir and reduce a bit, and add half-and-half. Add the chicken back to the pan, and sprinkle in the capers to warm up to serve.

Kale Salad

5-6 cups chopped Italian (Lacinato) kale, ribs removed (or a triple-washed package of baby kale)
Juice from 1 large lemon, or two small lemons
4-5 Tbs. olive oil (truffled olive oil from Trader Joe's is amazing in this)
4 cloves pressed, fresh, garlic
Kosher or sea salt (to taste)
lemon pepper (or Penzey's Sunny Spain) to taste
3/4 cup shaved or grated Parmesan, Asiago, or other hard, flavorful cheese

Whisk the fresh-squeezed lemon juice, olive oil, pressed garlic and seasonings in a large salad bowl, then add all but 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese and whisk again. Let sit for at least 5 minutes, just before serving, and top with remaining Parmesan.

Unfussy: Hernekeitto

Made pea soup for dinner. Erik was not pleased. "But, I hate peas. I have always, always hated peas." True enough. I might have told him that herne are "special Finnish peas" and this is my favorite soup. So, he (very reluctantly) tried it. And, as often happens, he was pleasantly surprised. Thumbs up from Erik (even with his post-soccer hair).

And, Mads had a second bowlful, so she's a thumbs up there too.

Unfussy: Grilled Endive

Thumbs down from both kids on the grilled endive, but Mads loved the garlic vinaigrette that it was dressed with. The chicken roasted perfectly in 40 minutes, and the carrots are absolutely delicious (and I don't care for cooked carrots).

Trial Run: Spatchcocking

Erik said, "No, mom, we need a bigger turkey than that. This one's so wee." I pointed out that it's a chicken. It was delicious, and I'll make avgolemono soup today!

Unfussy: Meatloaf

Erik was thumbs up on meatloaf (after finally trying it), and Mads was on the fence about it. I made Lora's recipe, but with onion powder instead of chopped onion so that E could have zero issues with it. He loved it, but didn't touch the potato. Go figure.

Unfussy: Variety

We were going to make Shepherd's pie (with leftover chicken) for dinner, but needed a quicker meal, so we did tacos.

I love letting the kids choose what they want, and offering up a good variety of delicious things. Even if (like Bread and Jam For Francis) Erik chooses only one corn tortilla with chicken, some carrots and a bunch of pear. His loss.

Unfussy: Eggplant Parmesan

I had a taste of this style of eggplant parm at my friend Claudia's house the other night as she was assembling it. The trick is to slice the eggplant thinly after soaking it in salted water to remove the bitterness from the seeds. 

Both kids liked it. Erik preferred it without the sauce, but Mads loved it entirely, and mom deemed it the best she's tasted. I didn't re-baked it smothered in sauce and cheese, but just topped them because we were short on time to get to a school function this evening. 

Eggplant Parmesan

Two large aubergines, peeled and sliced 1/8-1/4-inch thick and soaked in 2 Tbs. salt in water in a gallon-sized ziploc. I left ours overnight. 

3 eggs, beaten

2-3 cups panko crumbs or Italian breadcrumbs

Drain eggplant in colander, then squeeze dry. Dip in egg, then panko and bake on sprayed cookie sheet at 425-degrees F for at least 5 mins. per side. or until golden and crisp. 

Top with homemade marinara, fontina/mozzarella blend and parmesan, serve with whole wheat angel hair pasta.