Becoming Jana-San: Or How I Made Beef Sukiyaki

Sukiyaki (skee-YAH-kee)-Known in Japan as the "friendship dish" because it appeals to foreigners, sukiyaki consists of stir-fried bite size pieces o f meat, vegetables, and sometimes noodles and tofu. It is flavored with soy sauce, dashi (bonito flakes) and mirin, and is usually prepared at the table. Before eating each bite, diners dip their cooked food into beaten raw egg.

That definition comes from The New Food Lover's Companion --really a must own for any aspiring foodie.

A couple weeks ago in the restaurant run by the culinary arts students at UVU (hey! I'm one of those!) it was Japanese week. One of the dishes we made was beef sukiyaki and let me tell you, it was fantastic.

Fast forward a few weeks and Chef Troy was going through the walk-in, throwing out things that had gone bad. We still had several containers of tofu left from Japanese week, so he sent it home with some of us. With 3 containers of tofu in my fridge, I thought I would make some Japanese at home. I used the recipe I got in class, but made a few modifications. It turned out very well.

A NOTE ON WORKING WITH TOFU: Tofu is packed in water. As a result, it tends to soak up a lot of it and will release a ton of water into your food as you cook if you do not prepare it properly. To start, drain the water from the tofu. Then place it on a plate that has been lined with paper towels. Place another paper towel on top, then place something heavy on top, like a cast iron skillet, or even a baking sheet with a heavy book on it. Wait about 15 minutes for the water to press out. Then your tofu is ready for use!

Beef Sukiyaki

3/4 cup soy sauce

2/3 cup mirin

1/2 cup sake

2 TBS sugar

1 1/4 lbs well marbled boneless beef, placed in freezer for 1 hour for easy slicing

3 packages shirataki noodles (check out your local Asian market)

1 lb mushrooms (crimini or button mushrooms are fine. If you want to use Shitakes/enoki, go for it)

1 bunch scallions, cut into 2 inch diagonals

8 oz firm tofu, drained, pressed and cut into 1 inch cubes

2 bunches of watercress, bottom stems removed

4 eggs

Olive oil

All of my ingredients, ready to go

1. Make the sauce by placing the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar in a small saucepan. Stir to combine. Heat over medium heat and bring to a boil until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.

2. Slice the semi-frozen beef across the grain into bite size pieces about 1/8 inch thick

3. Prepare noodles according to directions on the package

4. Coat the bottom of a large pan with about a tablespoon of olive oil and place over medium high heat. Add the scallions and cook for a few minutes, moving them around occasionally until they begin to soften.

5. Add the meat and cook for about a minute. Add half of the sauce and bring to a simmer. Add th noodles, mushrooms, tofu. Allow to cook for a few minutes.

6. Add the remaining sauce and the watercress and cook briefly until wilted.

When served, give each person a small bowl with a beaten egg in it. Traditionally this dish is eaten by dipping each bite into the raw egg. Sound gross and unsanitary I know, but the Japanese have been doing it for thousands of years and they haven't died because of it. I've done it a fair few times myself and let me tell you, it's delicious. All I ask is that you try it with the egg at least once. If you hate it, fine. But at least try it.

That hand belongs to my handsome man! I remembered I wanted a picture after he was halfway done eating. Notice the bowl of egg. :)

Salsa Verde for Enchiladas

Dear blog followers,

It has been FOREVER since I have last posted! I apologize. My life has gotten pretty crazy as of late....because I'm getting married! So I have been spending countless hours on the phone and looking at vendors instead of in the kitchen where I belong. So I apologize

My cute roommate Chantel is making enchiladas tonight and requested that I make the verde sauce for the enchiladas. Simple enough request. Here is the secret to making some killer verde!

Salsa Verde

Makes 3 cups

15 tomatillos

1 large onion

3 poblano peppers

3 cloves of garlic

*NOTE* This recipe will make a very mild verde. If you would like your verde to have more kick, add in 2-3 serrano or jalapeño peppers.

1. Remove the papery covering from the tomatillos and place on a baking sheet with the poblanos. Dice the onion in quarters and spread the layers over the sheet as well.

2. Roast in oven under the broiler on high, turning frequently, until skin is blistered on all sides.

*NOTE* The more frequently you turn the tomatillos/poblanos, the more evenly they will roast. The more evenly they roast, the easier step 3 will be. :)

3. Remove from oven and allow to cool until you can handle them comfortably. Peel the skins from the tomatillos and the poblanos and place the flesh in a food processor with the onions and garlic. *PLEASE PLEASE be careful not to touch your eyes or face until after you have thoroughly washed your hands. The capsaicin in the peppers will burn your eyes and the sensitive skin on your face like you wouldn't believe! So save yourself the pain.

4. Pulse the tomatillos/peppers/onions/garlic in the food processor until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour over enchiladas, serve in burritos, or just serve it with some tortilla chips! :)

The Perfect Creme Brulee

I was standing in my good friend's pantry a little while ago and I noticed some chamomile tea. I stood there thinking, "Hey, wouldn't it be cool to do a dessert with chamomile and honey?" Then I forgot about it. Until a few days ago when I really wanted to bake. Then I remembered my little epiphany and pioneered this brainchild:

Chamomile and Honey Creme Brulee

Makes four 6 oz creme brulees

You will need:

A kitchen torch

Four 6 oz ramekins AKA those cute little ceramic dishes --> check out bed, bath and beyond or willams sonoma if you have trouble finding them

...............................................................................

5 egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup honey

1 pint heavy cream

3 chamomile tea bags

Extra sugar for the tops

1. Measure out your ingredients. Separate the egg yolks into a bowl. Save the whites for something delicious like chocolate mousse. :) Pour the cream into a small pot and add the tea bags. Turn the cream on low heat so the tea bags will steep and the cream can scald.

2. While the cream is scalding, add the honey and sugar to the egg yolks and beat vigorously with a whisk until the mixture is pale and smooth.

3. Remove the tea bags from the cream (squeeze all of the flavor out before you throw them away!) and pour slowly into the egg mixture, whisking continuously.

4. Pour into ramekins that have been placed in a baking dish. Pour water halfway up the ramekins. Cover with foil and bake at 325* for 35-45 minutes, or until the centers are set, but still jiggle slightly.

Just after removal from the oven

5. Chill the creme brulee in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

6. To caramelize the tops: Pour sugar on top of the creme brulee and move it around, dumping out the excess sugar. Using a kitchen torch hold the flame just above the top and move it around slowly to caramelize. Be careful not to burn the sugars, especially around the edges where it burns more easily.

Serve in the ramekins. Fresh berries on top are a nice touch!

New Mexican Christmas Eve

Every year for Christmas Eve my family has a traditional New Mexican dinner: Tamales y frijoles. This year, we had the missionaries that are serving in our ward over for Christmas Eve dinner, so we ramped up our dinner a little bit and added a salad and a dessert. Our salad was a lovely southwestern number complete with a rockin' tomatillo lime vinaigrette, compliments of yours truly. :)

Tomatillo Lime Vinaigrette

1 cup apple cider vinegar

Juice of 3 limes

1 bunch cilantro

2 cloves garlic

2 tomatillos, halved

1 shallot, quartered

1 1/2 TBS dijon mustard

1 1/2 cups olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Add the cilantro, tomatillos, shallot, lime juice, vinegar, garlic, and mustard to a large bowl

2. Blend using an immersion blender (you can also do this in a normal blender)

3. Once the above mixture is blended smoothly, add the oil in a slow stream with the blender on. Adding the oil slowly creates a better emulsion.

4. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Now for my salad: I chopped some lettuce, tossed it with arugula, tomatoes and roasted corn kernels. Done. You could also make some seasoned tortilla strips. Just cut the tortillas into thin strips, toss with oil and seasonings and bake in the oven at 350* until crispy. They would add a fabulous crunch to this salad.

Happy cooking everyone!

Cupcake obsession

Lately I've made a lot of cupcakes. I guess you could call me cupcake obsessed. I've been playing around with some new flavors. Here is the latest one I've done:

Maple Cupcakes

Makes 1 dozen cupcakes

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup maple syrup (Use real maple syrup. Grade B is best because it has the most intense flavor)

1. Cream the butter and brown sugar together.

2. In a separate bowl, sift the dry ingredients together.

3. Add the eggs and vanilla to the creamed mixture and beat to combine. Scrape down the bowl once combined.

4. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

5. Add the buttermilk and maple syrup.

6. Fill cupcake cups 2/3 full and bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Oh my heavenly cheese.

What I made for dinner tonight involved four different cheeses. FOUR! I'm lactose intolerant. Basically, this was a death wish. But it was a death I welcomed with open arms. For the cheesy goodness that I inhaled off my plate tonight was....Manicotti.

But not just any old Manicotti. Oh no. This was special Swiss Chard and Sweet Pea Manicotti. I totally stole the idea from Giada de Laurentiis (Love her!). Because this Manicotti had peas and Swiss Chard (TWO green vegetables) I decided it made up for it being covered in cheese...right? Anyway, remember this dish next time you are trying to sneak green food into your children. It's covered in cheese, so they have to love it. Who can resist anything when it's drenched in cheese?

Swiss Chard and Sweet Pea Manicotti

12 manicoti or canneloni pasta shells

FILLING

1 bunch red or white Swiss chard

2 TBS olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 (15 oz) container ricotta cheese

3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup fresh basil

Salt and pepper to taste

FONTINA FONDUTA SAUCE

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

3 cups grated fontina cheese

2 TBS grated Parmesan cheese

2 TBS fresh chopped basil

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch glass baking dish

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the pasta and cook until tender, but still firm to the bite, about 6-8 minutes. Drain the pasta. Set aside

FOR THE FILLING

3. Remove the Swiss chard stems. Chop the leaves into 1 inch pieces.

4. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Then add the chard and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Cool the mixture slightly.

5. Place the ricotta, peas, mozzarella, parmesan, basil, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Add the cooled chard mixture and blend until smooth.

6. Spoon the mixture into a prepared pastry bag with a large tip and stuff each manicotti shell with the filling. Place the stuffed manicotti in the prepared baking dish.

FOR THE SAUCE

7. In a medium saucepan, bring the milk and cream to a simmer.

8. Reduce the heat and add the fontina, stirring constantly until the cheese is melted and the mixture is smooth.

9. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese and basil.

10. Pour the sauce over the stuffed pasta and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is golden. Let the baked manicotti stand for 5 minutes before serving.

I'll make you banana pancakes, pretend like it's the weekend...

Pancakes. This word alone has the power to draw sleepy roommates from their beds, calm the rage of a hungry five year old, and to bring back memories of late night runs to IHOP or family breakfasts in which mom would make pancakes shaped like Mickey Mouse.

I made pancakes this morning. Not banana pancakes as my title may suggest....I mostly just used that fabulous little number by Jack Johnson because I enjoy having catchy titles. I'll post about banana pancakes another time. By then maybe I will have thought of another clever pancake title.

Today, whole wheat pancakes. A lot of people don't like whole wheat pancakes because they tend to be reeeeeeeeeeally dense and quite chewy. Not these pancakes. Guaranteed, these will be the lightest, fluffiest whole wheat pancakes you've ever had the pleasure of sinking your teeth into. But be warned, they are quite filling. I eat like a pig and I get stuffed with 1 1/2 pancakes.

Whole Wheat Pancakes

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 eggs

2 cups vanilla soymilk (If you don't know, I'm lactose intolerant. If you aren't, by all means use regular milk!)

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 TBS vegetable oil

1. Sift all of the dry ingredients into a medium sized bowl

2. Separate the egg yolks and whites. Put the yolks in the bowl with the dry ingredients, and put the whites in a separate bowl.

3. Whip the egg whites until medium peaks form.

4. Add the milk, oil, and vanilla to the dry ingredients and mix gently to combine.

5. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter

PANCAKE SECRET! The secret to getting perfectly round pancakes is to use a ladle to drop your batter into the pan. When you start to tip the ladle to let the batter run out, DO NOT MOVE IT FROM ITS POSITION. This will result in perfect pancakes. :)