Kimbap – Korean Seaweed Rice Rolls

July 30, 2015June 21, 2016 The Culinary Chronicles1 Comment

We have been non-stop grilling this summer and it has been fantastic!!!

Burgers (all types!), skewers, seafood, ribs, veggies……

And with this crazy heat and humidity we’ve been having these past few weeks it’s been the perfect way to escape the hot kitchen.

Most of our BBQs have been in the backyard so I’ve been sorely missing out on all of the summertime beach and park picnics. Delish sammies, salads, and fried chicken. SOOOO GOOD!

But if you’re anything like me, I often can’t decide what I want to make to bring for picnics. I strive to fix up dishes that are a bit out of the norm but still delish at room temperature. And since they’re outdoor events, I try to think of items that don’t have ingredients that will spoil easily.

Thank goodness that onigiris and seaweed rice rolls are ALWAYS a hit when I bring them out. Onigiris (also often referred to as musubis) are a Japanese treat consisting of sticky rice shaped into balls or triangles and wrapped in toasted seaweed. They often are filled with seafood, pickled veggies or meat.

What’s my favorite onigiri? SPAM MUSUBIS!!!!!

Yes, the all-caps were a must.

As for seaweed rice rolls — think of sushi maki rolls. But, if you opt to make them for outdoor events or if you don’t plan on serving them right away, I’d recommend staying clear of filling them with raw seafood. Korean style seaweed rice rolls, Kimbap, are perfect because of it.

Kim = Seaweed

Bap = Rice

Ever since I was first introduced to kimbap in elementary by my Korean friends, I have been inhaling these little buggers like crazy. There are so many variations but the standard filling usually consists of bulgogi (or seasoned protein of your choice), shredded carrots, cooked spinach, strips of cooked eggs and danmuji (pickled daikon). However, you can really use just about anything you have in your fridge. I often swap out the daikon for cucumbers and use leftover meat I may have such as grilled chicken, shrimp or imitation crab.

The other distinct difference between kimbap and Japanese maki is the rice. Normally, kimbap will only have sesame oil seasoned rice whereas Japanese sushi rice will have sake, rice wine vinegar and some sugar. But since I like the flavor, I use a combo of sesame oil and rice wine vinegar for my kimbap.

So for my latest contribution to the Safest Choice™ Darling Dozen I thought I would share with you a basic version of Kimbap. Once you get all the pieces together, assembly takes barely any time at all. And since you don’t have to serve it right away, you can make it the morning of a picnic or outing and have it on hand whenever you’re ready for it.

I’ve also included my recipe for the bulgogi marinade below but feel free to use a store bought marinade as there are TONS of great ones out there as well. However, keep in mind one note about the preparation of the eggs or “omelet”. Cook the eggs low and slow so that it doesn’t brown and retains its bright yellow color.

Much thanks to our friends at Safest Choice™ and to learn more about them and their pasteurization process to eliminate salmonella, please click here.

HAPPY PICNICKING!

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Kimbap – Korean Seaweed Rice Rolls
Makes 4 rolls

Ingredients:

½ cup bulgogi marinade, homemade* or store bought
¼ pound thinly sliced ribeye beef
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, divided
3 large Safest Choice™ pasteurized eggs, beaten
2 cups cooked short grain-sticky rice, heated
½ tablespoon sesame oil
½ tablespoon rice wine vinegar
4 toasted seaweed sheets
½ cup finely julienned carrots
½ cup danmuji – Korean pickled daikon (or cucumbers), cut into long strips
½ cup blanched spinach

In a small bowl, mix the bulgogi marinade and beef together. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Heat a small nonstick skillet with ½ tablespoon vegetable oil over medium-low. Pour in the beaten eggs and turn down the heat to low. Cook the eggs until they have just set on top and you see tiny bubbles forming over the surface. Carefully flip over the “omelet”. Allow the eggs to cook for an additional minute and slide the omelet onto a cutting board. Cut the omelet into long strips approximately ½ inch wide. Set aside.

Use a damp paper towel and wipe the interior of the nonstick skillet. Heat the remaining vegetable oil over medium high. Add the marinated beef to the skillet and stir-fry until the meat has browned and cooked through. Set aside.

In a medium size bowl, combine the rice with the sesame oil and rice wine vinegar.

Place one piece of toasted seaweed (shiny side down) on a bamboo sushi mat or piece of parchment paper. Dip your hands into a bowl of water (to help keep the rice from sticking). Spread and press ¼ of the rice mixture into an even, thin layer on top of the seaweed. You’ll want to leave about 2 inches from the top and bottom of the seaweed sheet uncovered.

Place ¼ of the beef, eggs, carrots, daikon, and spinach horizontally along the center of the rice. Hold the bottom of the bamboo mat (or parchment), and use an upwards motion to roll the kimbap. As you’re rolling, you’ll want to gently squeeze the kimbap to ensure that it’s firmly sealed and enclosed into the shape of a log. Unroll the bamboo mat (or parchment) and set the rolled kimbap aside. Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients.

Using a sharp knife, cut each roll into ½ inch pieces. You may need to wipe down the knife periodically as the rice can cause the blade to become sticky. Serve the kimbap at room temperature.

*To make your own bulgogi marinade, add the following ingredients into a food processor/blender and puree. Makes approximately 1 cup.

1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey or agave
1 tablespoon mirin
juice of one small orange
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon Gochugaru (Korean red chili pepper powder)
½ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ tablespoon brown sugar
½ small Asian pear, quartered
2 large garlic cloves
1 inch piece fresh ginger
2 scallions, cut into 2 inch pieces

*DISCLOSURE: As a brand ambassador for the Safest Choice™ Darling Dozen, I was compensated for the creation of this recipe and post. However, as always, all opinions are my own.*

Sunday Family Dinner

Sunday Family Dinner – Summah’ Grilling and Chillin’

July 27, 2015November 19, 2015 The Culinary Chronicles7 Comments

Sunday Family Dinners in the summer are all about dining al fresco. Long days, warm and beautiful weather…it’s perfect.

I love summer family dinners where the pace is a little bit slower and we really get the chance to catch up with what’s new with each other.

A big topic of conversation at June’s fam din?

Backyard decor… obvi.

Seester just got a new set of fantastic patio furniture. And after lounging in the new chairs for a bit, I realized that something was missing. They need a brick pizza oven—STAT! A brilliant idea!

It got quickly vetoed.

Party poopers.

Our inspiration for dinner was not so much a “theme” but started off with an idea that the main dish should feature all kinds of skewers. Because who doesn’t love meat on a stick?

Plus, if there’s grilling involved, the boys get a hand in things.

And because y’all know us so well, you know that there were cocktails. In fact, we had a few different types that night (it’s how we roll), but Seester came up with this one after watching an episode of Tiffani Thiessen’s cooking show.

It consisted of an iced fruit tea, ginger simple syrup, lime juice, mint, tequila and fresh fruit.

Light and refreshing.

Kelly Kapowski apparently knows cocktails.

To munch on before dinner, my niece Nina fried up a batch of Crispy Andouille Hush Puppies. I loved the salty, smokey flavor the andouille gave to the hush puppies. To serve with them, I whipped up a quick sauce from random things I found in the fridge and luckily, it turned out great. Though–I kind of blew it and didn’t jot down what it consisted of but it had things like sour cream, mayo, Old Bay seasoning, lemon juice, fresh dill, garlic and pixie dust.

The last ingredient is not optional.

The recipe for the hush puppies can be found at here.

Then we put the boys to work! Fire up the grill, Dudes!

We did three types of skewers:

Jerk Spiced Shrimp
Buttermilk Chicken Tandoori with a Raita Dipping Sauce
Steak Skewers with Scallion Dipping Sauce

Why three different skewers? Why not?!

Plus, we generally have a hard time just choosing one thing.

To serve with the skewers, I whipped up a quick Watermelon, Feta and Arugula Salad which is a great accompaniment to any BBQ. It’s fresh, light, and essentially guilt free.

Though, I rarely experience guilt with food.

Carpe diem!

We also made a bunch of Elotes – Mexican style street corn. Super simple to make and you can find out how from a previous post here.

And lastly–dessert!

Now, most of us admitted that we underestimated this dessert. Don’t get me wrong–eldest seester can definitely bake but we didn’t really have a good point of reference for an icebox pie. But after one bite, we knew what fools we had been.

The texture was incredibly creamy and smooth which resulted in somewhat of an ice cream pie texture. She also tweaked the originally recipe that can be found here by:

Substituting mango schnapps with mango extract (she also used the extract in the whipped cream);
Used ataulfo mangoes as they generally yield a much sweeter and aromatic fruit;
Used about 1 cup of mango puree versus the listed 3/4 cup;
Used graham instead of saltine crackers for the crust and doubled the amount.

And after all the food was eaten and the dishes were washed–there was nothing else to do but get in some jacuzzi time!

Now if that’s not a fitting Summer Fam Din, I don’t know what is.

Stay tuned for the wrap up of July’s Family Dinner with all 5 Nguyễn siblings!

This Month’s Family Dinner Menu

Cocktails: Spiked Ginger Iced Tea
Appetizers: Crispy Andouille Hush Puppies
Entrees: Jerk Spiced Shrimp, Buttermilk Chicken Tandoori with Raita Sauce, Steak Skewers with Scallion Sauce, Elotes, Watermelon-Feta-Arugula Salad
Dessert: Mango-Lemon Buttermilk Icebox Pie

Seafood

Ceviche de Pescado

July 21, 2015July 21, 2015 The Culinary ChroniclesLeave a comment

I know y’all must be tired of me complaining about the weather…..

But it’s HAWT IN HERRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And muggy.

Bleh.

But I can’t help it! I’m a SoCal wussy when it comes to weather and I am dyyyyiiiiinnnnggg.

Like Dead.

I’ll miss you.

But before I pass on to the afterlife, let me pull this oldie but goodie out to share with you that is an absolute MUST during the summer— Ceviche de Pescado.

Ceviche of all sorts is quite popular in my neck of the woods having its roots in Mexican and Latin cuisines. It’s essentially a dish comprised of fish (or other seafood) that is “cooked” in citrus juice and spices. Since the acidity from the citrus “cooks” the fish, there’s no needs to crank on the stove or oven to make this little number—which is one of the reasons it’s perfect for warm days.

This time around I used a basic approach with the ceviche but depending on the region of Latin America, you can add just about anything such as corn, sweet potatoes, plantains, or even a tomato sauce. I also chose to use red snapper for this batch but any fresh, white fish will do……or even shrimp, scallops, octopus–the ocean is the limit!

But one thing is a must…..since you’re not using any heat in the preparation of this dish, you have to use the freshest proteins you can get your hands on.

How can you tell?

Sashimi grade labeled fish or products from a trusted fishmonger is generally a safe bet. But when in doubt—smell it. If it smells fishy–skip it.

Oh…in case you were worried, my puggle turned on the air conditioner while I was passed out and I miraculously sprung back to life.

That clever little puppy. ❤

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Ceviche de Pescado
Servings 4-6

Ingredients:

1½-2 pounds firm white fish fillets, evenly diced (ie. snapper, tilapia, bass, etc.)
¼ cup fresh orange juice
1 cup fresh lime juice
zest of 1 lime
1 serrano chili, seeds removed and finely diced
½ tablespoon finely minced garlic
1 red bell pepper, diced
½ small red onion, finely diced
¼ cup chopped cilantro
½ cup diced tomatoes
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
2-3 pinches cayenne pepper
2 tablespoon olive oil
kosher salt
black pepper

In a large, non-reactive bowl, gently combine the fish, orange juice, lime juice, lime zest, serrano chili, garlic, bell pepper and red onion. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 60 minutes. The fish should turn white and opaque.

Drain and discard all but ¼ of the liquid from the bowl. Fold in the cilantro, tomatoes, cumin, coriander, cayenne, and olive oil. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with additional lime wedges, hot sauce, diced avocados, and tortilla chips.

Seafood

Belgian Beer Mussels…. You’re Welcome.

July 10, 2015 The Culinary Chronicles1 Comment

We have been having some truly strange weather in San Diego these past few weeks. I’ll wake up to a chilly sea mist and drizzling skies. By late morning, it becomes overcast, muggy and humid. The sun may peak out for an hour or two before sunset. By bedtime it is hot has heck, that if you don’t crank up the AC or turn on the fans, you’ll be drenched by morning.

Eww.

It’s the type of weather that makes you feel a little scattered and you definitely don’t want to be slaving away in the kitchen over a hot stove.

But a gal has got to eat. So I need dishes that are quick, light and still bring the feelings of summer. Since seafood, particularly shellfish, take practically no time at all to cook, mussels are the perfect choice.

Although I haven’t made my way to Belgium yet (but you know I definitely will!), I have a very strong feeling that I would be spending a good amount of time in friteries –little spots you can pop into to grab cones of piping hot fries. And what else will I be consuming with my Belgium fries? Lots and lots of mussels!

This little number is so simple and quick, you’ll be wondering why you don’t have it every week. Instead of white wine, I cooked the mussels with a Belgian wheat beer. Once the mussels release its liqueur, the salty sea flavor mixes with the rich, hoppy beer. Fantastic.

If you don’t want to crack out the deep fryer to make the fries, serve the mussels with crusty, toasted baguette to soak up all that goodness and enjoy the plump little shellfish. The cherry on top? This dish can be done in about 15 minutes.

You’re Welcome.

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Belgian Beer Mussels
Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
½ cup diced shallots
½ cup diced leeks, washed and thoroughly dried
1 tablespoon minced garlic
5-6 sprigs fresh thyme
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
6 ounces Belgian wheat beer
¼ cup fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
2 pounds black mussels, scrubbed and debearded
kosher salt
black pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
lemon wedges

Heat a medium sized pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Once the oil is heated and butter is melted, add in the shallots, leeks, garlic, thyme, and red pepper. Stir and cook for 3-5 minutes until the aromatics are softened but not browned.

Add in the beer and tarragon. Once the liquids come to a boil, add in the mussels. Cover the pot with a lid and cook for 5-7 minutes or until the mussels have opened.

Leaving the liquid in the pot, transfer the mussels with a slotted spoon to a large serving dish. Remove and discard any mussels that have not opened.

Turn the heat to high and whisk in the remaining butter to finish the sauce. Season with salt and pepper before pouring over the mussels. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with toasted baguette or frites along with lemon wedges.

Side Dish · Vegetables/Vegetarian

Elote {Grilled Mexican Style Street Corn} + 4th of July Menu Ideas

July 3, 2015August 3, 2015 The Culinary Chronicles4 Comments

Y’all got your BBQ grills all scrubbed down?

Coolers ready to be filled with frosty,cold beverages?

Menus all set?

Because it’s time to celebrate ‘MURICA!!!

And since your grills will be nice and warmed up, I’ve got a perfect little number that will round out all of your BBQ bites…. ELOTES!!!

Elotes are a Mexican style grilled street corn that are slathered with butter, mayo (yup–MAYO!), a few spices and topped with cotija cheese. A quick squeeze of fresh lime juice and it’s perfection!

When I was living in LA for grad school, we used to have these nifty little trucks and carts that would cruise by our apartment. Produce trucks, paletas (popsicle) carts, fresh made tamales carts and we even had an elote man who would ring a bell on his cart signaling all of us to come running out for a delish and quick snack.

Usually the corn ears are grilled for 10-15 minutes but I take a shortcut method by wrapping them in damp paper towels and heating them in the microwave for a few minutes. A quick char on the grill and they’re ready! But if you’re an anti-microwave person, just soak the ears of corn in water (husks on, silks removed) for about 15-20 minutes before grilling them. This prevents the husks from burning and creates a little steam bath for them.

Either method, you definitely have to make them for your Fourth of July spread…..trust me.

Speaking of which…in case your menus aren’t set yet–here are some other fantastic ideas:

While your peeps are mingling around, have a big dish of this Cilantro & Jalapeño Hummus for them to snack on. It’s fantastic with veggie sticks, chips, bread or even smothered on some BBQ proteins.

Or how about some Oven-Roasted Tomato Salsa?

What picnic is complete without deviled eggs? And these Sriracha Deviled Eggs fit that bill perfectly!

Now on to the grilling!

Chimichurri Ribeye Steaks can be a show stopping stand alone main dish or sliced thinly to be placed inside crunchy, toasted ciabatta bread.

Not feeling beef? Grab your goodies that you set aside for margaritas to make a big batch of Tequila Chili-Lime Chicken!

Or if you want to go with burger route, try these Double Jalapeno-Bacon Cheeseburgers with Poblano Aioli.

And if there are burgers, there must be BUNS! The Perfect Brioche Buns are….well…perfect for the job.

Don’t feel like slaving away over the grill? Then bust out the slow cooker to make these Kalua Pig sliders and bring the islands to your Independence Day.

Got two slow cookers? FANTASTIC! Then use the other one to make these BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches–you won’t believe how easy they are. Not to mention that it’s one of my go-to recipes to feed a crowd.

Need an alternative to potato salad or pasta salad? Try out this light but flavor packed Stone Fruit and Prosciutto Salad.

And because you know me, you know there must be cocktails.

Kick start your Fourth of July with a big batch of Bloody Marys. On second thought, make a double batch….you may need a hair of the dog on the Fifth of July 🙂

Palomas, margaritas’ cousin, are another great cocktail to make in a big batch. Just pour the grapefruit soda (or soda water) over each glass before serving.

Nothing screams summer like watermelon! Add an Asian twist on your cocktails with these light and fruity Watermelon Soju-tinis.

Planning to have any guests with a sweet tooth?

Fix up this wonderfully creamy and decadent Peanut Butter Cream Pie.

Or how about this beautiful Fresh Strawberry Tart?

Or if you’re feeling a little tropical, some Mango Gelato.

However you decide to celebrate and whatever you decide to serve, have an AWESOME FOURTH OF JULY, Friends!!

Just be sure to grill up some Elotes!!!

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Elotes {Grilled Mexican Style Street Corn}
Serves 4

Ingredients:

¼ cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon cumin powder
¼ teaspoon black pepper
4 ears of corn, husk on
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons melted butter
sea salt
½ -3/4 teaspoon chili powder
½ cup grated cotija cheese or parmesan cheese
¼ cup chopped cilantro
4 lime wedges
In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, garlic powder, cumin powder and black pepper. Set aside.

Peel the husks of the corn back but do not remove them. Pull and discard the silk from each ear and fold the husks back over the cobb. Wrap each ear loosely with a damp paper towel. Microwave the corn on medium-high heat for 5 minutes.

Carefully remove the paper towels from each ear of corn. Pull the husks down to the base of each cobb. Using either kitchen twine or a piece of the husk, tie the husks together into a bundle to form a handle. Brush the olive oil over the corn kernels.

Place the corn on the grill over medium heat. Grill the corn for about 5 minutes, rotating every 1-2 minutes, until surface becomes slightly charred. Remove the corn to a large platter. Brush the melted butter over the corn and then spread a layer of the mayonnaise mixture on top. Sprinkle each ear with sea salt, chili powder, cotija cheese and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges to be squeezed over the corn.

Enjoy!

Breakfast/Brunch

Breakfast Tacos — Change Up Your Taco Tuesday!

June 30, 2015 The Culinary Chronicles3 Comments

You know what my favorite Tuesday is?

Taco Tuesday!

Seriously. It’s a legitimate kind of day. Well…at least if you’re in Southern California.

The other day while I was rummaging around my fridge checking out all of the random things I had in there, it came to me.

I love Tacos. I love Breakfast.

So why the heck have I never make Brekkie Tacos?

Two words. Brain Fart.

Oh no. Y’all are going to leave me now that I used the f-word in a food post.

Eek….. Sorry!

But in all seriousness gang…this is the real deal. If you’ve never made Breakfast Tacos before, get on it! And if you have been making them for years—why the heck didn’t you tell me to before?!

No recipe here but I will say that there are 4 MUSTS:

Tortillas –and while you’re at it…why not make these homemade Flour Tortillas? They are a game changer.
Taters’ –any type as long as they’re crispy and potato-licious! French fries, hashbrowns, or even these Crispy Oven Roasted Herb Potatoes would be rad.
Shalsha— or “salsa” if you’re not Cindy Brady. You can use some homemade Oven Roasted Tomato Salsa, that jarred salsa from New York city–or heck, just plain old hot sauce.
Fried Egg— the runnier the better. I’m talking crispy edges and an ooey-gooey center that makes it all seem just a bit sinful.

As for the pic’ above, I added some thinly sliced radish, diced yellow tomatoes, cucumbers, cilantro and pickled red onions. So satisfying and so quick that you won’t have any excuse to not make it today.

HAPPY TACO TUESDAY PEEPS!

Sunday Family Dinner

Sunday Family Dinner – Po’ Boys and Tarts… Oh My!

June 25, 2015November 19, 2015 The Culinary Chronicles4 Comments

Alright. Want to know why it’s taken this long to recap May’s Sunday Family Dinner?

It’s because I was struggling for a week after it.

And I’m a tad upset. No one tells you that the hangover recovery time increases by a 100 when you get older. 😦

Oh…and I should mention that it was due to the below shenanigans that started it all.

Yup.

It was my birthday and this “thirty-something” bday gal thought it would be a “smart” idea to channel her old college self and hire a party bus to shuttle a bunch of her friends and family around for six hours……to, you know…..hang out.

Let’s just say, a lot of mischief can occur when you have a party bus stocked with 2 coolers filled with libations and jello shots. We stopped at four rad local Orange County breweries: Bootlegger’s Brewery, Noble Ale Works, Bottle Logic Brewing, and The Bruery. It was a FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC time and we even made it out to a local spot for a few night caps and to shake our booties. Yes, friends…it was 11+ hours of what seemed to be endless escapades.

We were Rock Stars.

Which is also why the STRUGGLE WAS REAL when we managed to get our act together the next day for Sunday Family Dinner. But luckily we had the foresight to keep things simple.

For starters… COCKTAILS! Because apparently we didn’t’ have enough the night before 😉

Spiced-Tajin Citrus Margaritas!

Initially we had wanted to do something Surf and Turf but couldn’t really settle on one particular dish that we could all agree on.

So, to satisfy my “turf” craving, seester T made these little decadent bites. Seared ribeye steaks that were then thinly sliced and stacked on top of toasted bread. But it was all about the sauce that she came up with…. a super rich Truffled-Pâté-Thyme Sauce.

HOLY MOLY.

That sauce tho’….. ❤

As for the “surf”….eldest seester suggested Seafood Po’ Boys and we were all about it!

For the Po’ Boys, I ended up soaking a bunch of oysters and shrimp in a spiced buttermilk bath before dredging it in a cornmeal-flour mix. A quick fry for a minute or two and they were perfect!

And of course, since it was my burf-day, there had to be bacon. Lots of it.

To put it all together we schmeared a sriracha aioli inside a toasted baguette, mixed greens, ripe tomatoes, a few slices of creamy avocado, thick-cut crispy bacon and of course–the crunchy oysters and shrimp.

YOWZA MOWZA!

Even HUNGOVER we knocked it out of the park!

Perhaps it’s our superhero power….

Oh! And because I am a carb monster….there had to be my favorite starchy love– potatoes.

This time around, I opted for a German Potato Salad…..

Potatoes, bacon….HEO YEAH! Especially when there’s not a heavy sauce. I slightly adapted the recipe from The Lucky Penny by adding extra herbs, chili flakes, chili powder and sriracha.

Heavenly.

As for a birthday cake? That’s not really not my thing despite how many birthday cakes/cupcakes I end up making. True….chocolate is my fav but a very close second is something with citrus.

I adore citrus.

So eldest seester indulged me and made this fantabulous Lime-Fruit Tart. A buttery shortbread crust with lime curd, a cranberry sauce and fresh fruit.

LOVE. ❤

With that, dear friends, wrapped up the most perfect birthday-palooza.

And yes, I finally recovered 🙂

This Month’s Family Dinner Menu

Cocktails: Spiced-Tajin Citrus Margaritas
Appetizers: Ribeye Crostini with Truffled-Pâté-Thyme Sauce.
Entrees: Bacon-Avocado Po’Boys with German Potato Salad
Dessert: Lime Fruit Tart

Breads · Breakfast/Brunch · Desserts/Pastries

Malasadas – Portuguese Doughnuts

June 5, 2015June 5, 2015 The Culinary Chronicles3 Comments

LET’S GET DOUGHNUT WASTED!!!!!!!

And why the heck not? It’s National Doughnut Day!!!

What’s my favorite doughnut or donut?

Easy.

It comes down to either an Old Fashioned with a Chocolate Glaze or Malasadas. Mmmm…malasadas.

Never had one? Let me break it down for you.

Malasadas are Portuguese doughnuts. They’re a yeast based dough with eggs, butter and milk (or half and half). Rolled in sugar, these babies should be light and fluffy…and freaking amazing.

Now of course, the go-to place for malasadas is Leonard’s Bakery in O’ahu and every time I’m on the island, I MUST pop in for a box of them. Traditionally they’re unfilled but when I’m at Leonard’s, I have to get a variety of the filled ones. I love the ones that are stuffed with haupia (a Hawaiian coconut “pudding”), custard or if I’m lucky, they have the lilikoi (passion fruit) filling as their flavor of the month.

Sadly, I’m not on the islands today and had to take matters into my own hands. I used the recipe below from Leonard’s and it’s pretty easy to follow. After proofing, the dough is just lovely.

And no surprise here… they were ONOLICIOUS!

In full disclosure, they were not nearly as good as Leonard’s…..I may be in San Diego but the beautiful air in Hawai’i combined with the sounds of the trade winds and ocean definitely add to the flavor of island food and takes it over the top.

But hey, they sure did do the trick and I happily inhaled four of them and washed it all down with a chilled class of Pinot Grigio….keeping it classy.

Happy National Doughnut (or Donut) Day!!!

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Malasadas – Portuguese Doughnuts from Leonard’s Bakery
Makes about 1 dozen

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1¹⁄₂ cups sugar

3 eggs

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

¹⁄₂ cup milk

¹⁄₂ cup half & half

¹⁄₄ teaspoon kosher salt

4 cups bread flour (1 lb. 2 oz.), sifted
canola oil, for frying

Combine yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 2 tablespoons water heated to 115° in a bowl; let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes; set aside. Beat eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until fluffy. Add yeast mixture, ¹⁄₂ cup sugar, butter, milk, half & half, and salt; mix until combined. With the motor running, slowly add flour; beat until dough is smooth. Transfer to a lightly greased bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap; set in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1¹⁄₂ hours.

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 12″ square about ¹⁄₂″ thick. Using a knife, cut dough into 3″ squares; gather and reuse scraps. Place on greased parchment paper-lined baking sheets, at least 3″ apart; cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Place remaining sugar in a large bowl; set aside. Heat 2″ oil in a 6-qt. saucepan until a deep-fry thermometer reads 350°. Using scissors, cut the donuts out of the parchment paper, leaving about 1″ of paper around the sides of each doughnut (the paper makes it easier to transfer them to frying oil). Working in batches, place donuts in oil, paper side up, using tongs to peel off and discard paper. Cook, flipping once until puffed and golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet with a wire rack; let cool completely, then toss with sugar.

Repost from Saveur

Seafood

Chirashizushi {Chirashi} – Fresh Sashimi Rice Bowls

May 30, 2015August 29, 2015 The Culinary Chronicles2 Comments

Oh Chirashizushi….how do I love thee?

Fresh fish, veggies, pickled ginger, wasabi and perfectly cooked sushi rice—-all mixed up in a bowl. Chirashizushi (ちらし寿司) or chirashi, translates to “scattered” which is one of the beauties about this dish.

Perfection.

As much as I love sushi rolls and nigiris, this gal can get terribly lazy sometimes. So to be able to throw all the ingredients that I love in sushi into one bowl is just genius.

And delicious.

I had been up at my seester’s place one weekend when we decided to pop into a local fishmonger we had discovered some time ago– Dry Dock Fish Company. It’s a smaller little shop, tucked away in Fullerton. But if you’re in the area, you must check it out because it’s an absolute gem.

I contemplated writing out a recipe for chirashi but I felt kind of silly doing it.

Make-at-home chirashi is all about using whatever types of fish that tickles your fancy. The chirashi pictured above has slices of ahi, hamachi, salmon, spoonfuls of ahi shoyu poke that I whipped up, avocado slices, lemon slices, lightly pickled Persian cucumbers, wasabi paste, scallions, gari (pickled young ginger), yuzu kosho (yuzu paste), nori crackers, and of course–sushi rice.

But again, chirashi can be anything you’d like my Friends. Just be sure to use sashimi grade fish ❤

Happy Saturday!!!

Breads

Perfect Broiche Buns

May 24, 2015 The Culinary Chronicles3 Comments

Hey y’all! Happy Memorial Day weekend!!!

What is everyone up to? Camping? Beach bonfires? BBQ grilling?

If grilling is on your to do list for tomorrow, I’ve got a little something that will be a GAME CHANGER for you—the most perfect Brioche Buns!

Remember when my fam bam made these seafood burgers the other month for our Sunday Family Dinner?

The seafood patties and fixins’ were definitely the star of the show but the buns….OH THE BUNS! It’s what took things over the top!

The recipe comes from the former Comma Ca restaurant in LA and have been on my must-bake list for a long time now. And I’ve got to tell you, after having made them, I will look no further because they really are perfect.

Fluffy but firm enough to be able to hold your burgers or sammies together.

And take a look at the crumb! I die.

They’re buttery yet slightly sweet and can be topped with anything from sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or garlic and onions.

So even if you have already picked up a package of buns from the store—nix them! Because when you pull out these perfect Brioche Buns to serve your fam and loves ones, they will likely break out into song and dance to sing your praises.

I’m talking full on High School Musical style…

Errrrr...you know what I mean.

Make these now! Make them forever!

And absolutely make these for Memorial Day! Have a great weekend friends ! ❤

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Brioche Buns
Makes 8 large buns

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons warm milk
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 ½ tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups bread flour
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

In a glass measuring cup, combine 1 cup warm water, the milk, yeast and sugar. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, beat 1 egg.

In a large bowl, whisk flours with salt. Add butter and rub into flour between your fingers, making crumbs. Using a dough scraper, stir in yeast mixture and beaten egg until a dough forms. Scrape dough onto clean, unfloured counter and knead, scooping dough up, slapping it on counter and turning it, until smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes.

Shape dough into a ball and return it to bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using dough scraper, divide dough into 8 equal parts. Gently roll each into a ball and arrange 2 to 3 inches apart on baking sheet. Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel and let buns rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours.

Set a large shallow pan of water on oven floor. Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack in center. Beat remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush some on top of buns. Bake, turning sheet halfway through baking, until tops are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

*Recipe from the New York Times via Comma Ca restaurant, Los Angeles