Crispy Red Snapper with Chili Tamarind Sauce + Nambé GIVEAWAY

July 16, 2012June 21, 2016 The Culinary Chronicles56 Comments

You know what can make me do the Happy Dance?

When I can cook something pretty and then serve it on something pretty. Win-Nguyen in my book.

So when our generous friends at Nambé gave me the chance to create something to showcase their beautiful Fish Platter, I jumped at the opportunity!

I love making whole fish—it retains a lot of moisture and I believe, often enhances the flavor of the fish. I opted to drizzle this crispy red snapper with a sweet and sour tamarind chili sauce—and trust me, you will LOVE the flavor and texture balance.

And guess what? Not only can you make this Crispy Red Snapper but you will also have the opportunity to win the stunning Fish Platter! Woo Hoo!

How to Enter:

Leave a comment and tell us what the first thing you’ll serve using the Fish Platter

For extra chances to win, leave a separate comment for each indicating which of the below you did:

Subscribe to The Culinary Chronicles & get automatic emails when new posts are published (If you already Subscribe, leave a comment indicating so);
Like the Nambé Facebook Fan Page (If you already “Like” Nambé, leave a comment and let us know); or
Like our Facebook Fan Page (If you already “Like” us, leave a comment indicating so); or
Follow @CulinaryChron on Twitter (If you already Follow us, leave a comment indicating so).

The deadline to enter is Sunday, July 22nd at 5pm (PST) and the winner will be announced the next day.

Best of luck friends and THANKS so much Nambé!

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Crispy Red Snapper with Chili Tamarind Sauce
Serves 2

Ingredients:

Chili Tamarind Sauce
2 tablespoons shallots, minced
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2-3 Thai chili peppers, finely minced (more or less depending on heat preference)
1/3 cup tamarind juice concentrate
2 tablespoons palm sugar
3 tablespoons fish sauce
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Fish
1 (2 pound) whole red snapper, head-on and thoroughly cleaned
Vegetable oil (for frying)
½ cup red bell pepper, julienned
2 scallions, diced
1 cup fresh cilantro

In a sauce pan, heat the vegetable oil and sauté the shallots and garlic for 2 minutes until fragrant but not browned. Add in the chili peppers and cook for an additional minute. Add the tamarind juice concentrate, palm sugar, fish sauce and water. Continue cooking over medium-low heat while stirring until all the sugar has dissolved. Lower the heat and gently simmer until the sauce has thickened. Taste the sauce and adjust with the desired level of sweetness or heat by adding more chili peppers, palm sugar or tamarind juice concentrate.

While the sauce is reducing, rinse the fish with cool water and pat dry with paper towels. Score both sides of the fish about every 1½ inches. Fill a heavy bottom pot or wok with oil deep enough to submerge your fish. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F and carefully slide the fish into the oil. Fry the fish until golden brown—about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the fish from the oil and drain on a cooling rack that has been placed on top of a sheet pan. Allow to drain for 1-2 minutes before transferring to a serving dish.

Cover the crispy fish with scallions, red bell pepper and drizzle the sauce all over the top. Add the fresh cilantro and serve immediately with steamed rice.

Desserts/Pastries

Chocolate Dipped Frozen Bananas

July 3, 2012 The Culinary Chronicles4 Comments

Don’t you just love delish treats that are quick and easy? And when they can be served at a holiday or themed party, it’s even better!

With Independence Day quickly approaching, I whipped up a few batches of these beloved Chocolate Dipped Frozen Bananas to cool down the hot summer days with. I went with some festive sprinkles for a patriotic touch but hey–anything goes!

Have a Happy and Safe 4th of July!

ps. I plan on throwing down some baby back ribs that day. What are y’all planning on putting on the grill? 🙂

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Chocolate Dipped Frozen Bananas
Serves 6

Ingredients:

3 Bananas, cut in half
8 Ounces Bittersweet Chocolate, chopped
1 Teaspoon Vegetable Oil
6 Popsicle Sticks
Toppings (sprinkles, nuts, chopped candies, etc.)

Slide a popsicle stick in each of the banana halves. Place the bananas in the freezer and allow to chill for 2-3 hours. Combine the chocolate with the teaspoon of oil and microwave in 20 second intervals until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove the bananas from the freezer. Dip each of the bananas into the chocolate and gently roll/shake the excess chocolate off. Sprinkle each banana with your choice of topping and rest on a wax paper lined tray. Repeat with the remaining bananas. Once complete, place the tray of bananas in the freezer for approximately one hour until hardened. ENJOY!

Breads · Desserts/Pastries

Nutella Swirled Banana Bread

June 4, 2012June 4, 2012 The Culinary Chronicles5 Comments

I’m Bananas…..

For Nutella.

Shocking— I know.

So why not add Nutella to Banana Bread? Seemed like a Win-Nguyen Situation to me.

And it sure was 🙂

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Nutella Swirled Banana Bread
Makes one 9-inch loaf

Ingredients:

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 very ripe, soft, darkly speckled large bananas, mashed well
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for the pan
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons Nutella

Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) degrees. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan. Dust the pan with flour, tapping out the excess.

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Mix the mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter, and vanilla with a wooden spoon in a medium bowl. Lightly fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until just combined and the batter looks thick and chunky. Spoon 1/2 the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Spread 1/2 the Nutella on top and lightly swirl the Nutella into the batter with a butter knife. Do not over mix. Spoon the rest of the batter on top and repeat with Nutella swirls.

Bake until the loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 60 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. (The bread can be wrapped with plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.)

Slightly adapted from Cooks Illustrated

Pastas/Noodles · Seafood

Shrimp and Tofu Pad Thai

May 11, 2012May 12, 2012 The Culinary Chronicles14 Comments

Okay. Here’s my confession.

The way I feel about Pad Thai is how I imagine “non-Vietnamese folks” feel about phở. It’s kind of the gateway dish to the culture’s cuisine but it’s so flippin’ good!

Pad Thai has a whole range of textures and flavors all in one plate…what’s not to love?

So it was high time that I started to make it on my own. After grabbing a few key essentials, I turned to Alice over at Sweet Savory Life to fix up some seriously authentic and delicious Pad Thai.

By far, this is the best recipe I have tried yet. The sauce is totally clutch and is what makes this version a keeper! I also suggest to not substitute cane sugar for palm sugar as it will be way too sweet.

As for the tamarind, I opted for the concentrate like Alice but my sis shared that she used tamarind pulp when she took a Thai cooking classes.

And once you have the sauce done, the rest goes by super quick and easy. I owe you big time Alice—this recipe is definitely staying in heavy rotation! 🙂

With that dear Friends, I hope you have a fabulous Mother’s Day Weekend!

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Shrimp and Tofu Pad Thai
From The Sweet Savory Life

Ingredients:

1/3 cup fish sauce
1/2 cup palm sugar
1/2 cup tamarind juice concentrate
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 ounces dried rice stick noodles
6 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1 ½ cups thinly sliced shrimp and fried tofu
1 egg
1 cup carrots, match sticks
1 cup green onion cut diagonal in ½ inch segments
1 cup mung bean sprouts
1 cup cilantro
1 cup toasted peanuts chopped
Lime wedge

To make pad thai sauce, heat a small pan on medium low and add fish sauce, palm sugar, tamarind concentrate, and garlic. Cook sauce until palm sugar has completely dissolve. At this point, you will want to taste the sauce and tweek the sweetness or hotness (be careful, the sauce will be hot). To make it more spicy add a little Thai chili powder (I used Thai chiles). Remove from heat and allow to cool 10 minutes before storing it in a jar or plastic container.
Boil noodles for 4-5 minutes and drain immediately rinsing with cold water for a few seconds. Noodles should be slightly firmer than Al dente. But don’t worry, they will continue to soften and cook later when stir frying. Using kitchen shears, cut the noodle clump in half. This will make it easier to fry and eat.
Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a wok or frying pan on high and cook raw shrimp with tofu for 3-4 minutes. Remove tofu/seafood into a small bowl. Next, heat the remaining oil and then add garlic and red onions to the hot pan and stir fry for 1 minute stirring the garlic mixture so it will not burn. Add noodles and stir for 1 minute. Add 3-4 tablespoons Pad Thai sauce continually stirring noodle mixture until well coated with sauce. Add cooked meat/tofu/seafood back and fry for 2-3 minutes. Move the noodle and meat mixture to one side of the pan and crack an egg on the other side. Scramble the egg with a wooden spoon and cook for 30 seconds. Add carrots, green onions, and sprouts and cook for one more minute frying everything together. Test the firmness of the noodle. If the noodle is too firm, fry for an additional minute. If your noodles need more flavor, add another tablespoon of sauce and fry another half minute.
Remove from heat and serve. Garnish with remaining raw carrot match sticks, spouts, cilantro, toasted peanuts, and a wedge of lime. Enjoy!

Salads · Vietnamese

Gỏi Bắp Chuối (Vietnamese Banana Blossom Salad) & Giveaway Winner!

April 24, 2012March 30, 2015 The Culinary Chronicles5 Comments

Ever had Gỏi?

Gỏi is a general term for “salads” in Vietnamese and can come in all forms using a variety of ingredients. Lately, my favorite Gỏi utilizes thinly sliced Banana Blossoms. I combine it with grilled proteins, pink grapefruit, creamy avocados, a ton of herbs and a healthy douse of Nước chấm “vinaigrette”. It’s absolutely delicious and epitomizes the balance in Vietnamese cuisines.

If you’ve never used Banana Blossoms before, they can be somewhat tricky the first time around. It’s best to remove the outer few petals as they’re quite tough (though you can save them as garnish), use a really sharp knife so you can get thin slices, and be sure to soak the cut blossoms in cold water that has been mixed with some type of acid–citrus juice or vinegar does the trick. The later helps removes some of that chalky flavor that the Banana Blossoms can sometimes have.

And although it sounds a bit laborious—it’s totally worth it and delicious!

And now to announce the winner of a fabulous Nambe Pasta Cradle Bowl—

Drum Roll please………….

CONGRATS Serena Kim who said she would serve Shrimp Pesto Pasta in the Nambé Bowl. Sounds yummy and will look gorgeous in your new bowl! Serena, we’ll be sending you an email shortly so we can get your new Nambé artwork shipped out.

THANK YOU to everyone who participated! And THANK YOU Nambé !

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Gỏi Bắp Chuối (Vietnamese Banana Blossom Salad)
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
Nước chấm (Sauce):
¼ cup fish sauce
¼ cup fresh lime juice
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cold water
1 teaspoon fresh garlic, finely minced
chili paste, to taste

Gỏi (Salad):
1½ cups chicken breast, grilled and shredded
1½ cups prawns, shelled and grilled
2 medium sized avocadoes, cubed
1 cup Ruby Red Grapefruit segments
4 cups banana blossoms, julienned
¼ cup loosely packed fresh Vietnamese Mint (rau răm), chopped
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1½ tablespoon fresh mint, chopped
1 cup rice wine vinegar
¼ cup fried shallots
¼ cup roasted peanuts, crushed
cold water
black pepper to taste

Prepare the sauce. In a medium sized bowl, stir the sugar and water together until completely dissolved. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and stir until combined. Set aside.

Fill a large bowl with cold water and add the rice wine vinegar. Peel off the dark colored and tough outer leaves of the banana blossom. Use a sharp knife or mandolin to julienne the blossoms. You can either discard the “baby bananas” or chop them up finely. Submerge the banana blossoms into the bowl of water/vinegar after they have been julienne. Allow the banana blossoms to sit in the vinegar water for 15-20 minutes.

In a large bowl, add the shredded chicken, prawns, avocados, herbs, and freshly cracked black pepper. Add a few spoonfuls of the sauce until the items are lightly coated. Drain the banana blossoms from the vinegar water and squeeze out any excess liquids. Add banana blossoms to the other ingredients and spoon in some additional sauce. Gently toss the salad with the fried shallots and plate. Sprinkle the top with crushed peanuts and serve.

Giveaways · Pork · Seafood · Sponsored

Spicy Mussels with Andouille Sausage + Nambé GIVEAWAY

April 18, 2012June 21, 2016 The Culinary Chronicles59 Comments

Man, oh man……

This is a doozy.

You might as well just jump through the screen and hug me now.

Not only do I have a DELISH recipe to share with you but we have a FABULOUS GIVEAWAY!!!!! Oh yes, it’s another Win-Nguyen Situation!

Our generous friends at Nambé have offered to give one of our readers a STUNNING Cradle Pasta Bowl. I’m not kidding friends. When I took mine out of the box, I literally gasped! Forget about calling it a “pasta bowl”, it’s a work of art!

I had so many different dishes I wanted to display in this beauty but finally settled upon a flavorful and easy summer meal– Spicy Mussels with Andouille Sausage. I often steam mussels in white wine with tons of citrus and herbs but wanted to kick up the flavors a bit this time around. The spice and richness from the Andouille were perfect! The broth is extremely satisfying as it melds the earthiness of the sausage with the briny goodness from the mussels and clam juice. I think it’s best enjoyed with a hunk of crunchy bread and a glass of crisp vino but it would also go well with some linguine. Exquisite!

But as delectable as these mussels are, I’m sure you want to know how to win the lovely Cradle Pasta Bowl, right? Well the good news is that you have FIVE (5) separate chances to win! To enter:

Leave a comment and tell us what the first thing you’ll serve in the Cradle Pasta Bowl;
Subscribe to The Culinary Chronicles & get automatic emails when new posts are published (If you already subscribe, leave a comment indicating so);
Like the Nambé Facebook Fan Page and leave us a comment here indicating so (If you already “Like” Nambé, leave a comment and let us know); or
Like our Facebook Fan Page (If you already “Like” us, leave a comment indicating so); or
Follow @CulinaryChron on Twitter (If you already Follow us, leave a comment indicating so).

The deadline to enter is Monday, April 23rd at 12pm (PST) and the winner will be announced the next day.

Best of luck friends and THANKS so much Nambé!

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Spicy Mussels with Andouille Sausage
Serves 6

½ pound Andouille Sausage, casings removed
½ cup diced shallots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon red chili flakes
1½ cups dry white wine
1 cup clam juice
1 32-ounce can crushed San Marzano tomatoes
5-6 sprigs fresh thyme
½ cup chopped Italian parsley, plus more for garnish
5-6 lemon slices
4 pounds fresh mussels, scrubbed and debearded
vegetable oil
kosher salt
black pepper

Heat a heavy bottom pot with 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add in the sausage and use a wooden spoon to crumble up the meat while it’s browning. Once cooked, remove the sausage to a plate.

Lower the heat to medium and cook the shallots for 2-3 minutes until tender but not browned. Add in the garlic, chili flakes and cook for an additional minute. Turn the heat back up to high and add in the white wine. Deglaze the pan with the wine and use the wooden spoon to scrape up the brown pits. Reduce the liquids by half. Add in the clam juice and tomatoes (with its juices). Once the liquids come to a slow boil, carefully add in the mussels, thyme, parsley, and lemon slices. Stir in the cooked sausage and cover the pot with a lid. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the mussels have opened. Remove the mussels to a serving dish. Check the broth for seasonings and adjust as needed with the kosher salt and pepper. Ladle the broth over the mussels and garnish with additional parsley and lemon wedges. Serve immediately with warm bread (baguettes or ciabatta).

Poultry · Vietnamese

Bánh Mì Gà Nướng (Vietnamese Roasted Chicken Sandwich)

March 29, 2012 The Culinary Chronicles6 Comments

The other week I did a quick poll via Twitter and Facebook asking folks what Vietnamese dishes they’d like to see on the blog—well, other than Phở 🙂

I got a range of requests from Bún (Vermicelli Noodles) to Gỏi Cuốn (Spring/Summer Rolls) and even Bánh Mì (sandwiches).

But truth be told, outside of the occasional Bánh Mì Chả Lụa (Vietnamese “Ham”/”Sausage” Sandwich), I rarely ever make Bánh Mì.

By no means is Bánh Mì difficult to assemble but I’ve always been lucky enough to have local Bánh Mì shops nearby and at under 3 bucks a pop (and that’s on the high end), I have been just darn lazy. Yup, I admit it.

At it’s base, Bánh Mì is made up of a toasted french baguette, pickled veggies, tons of cilantro, mayonnaise, and some type of protein. But don’t let it fool you. Just because it sounds simple, doesn’t mean the flavors aren’t genius!

Bánh Mì is all about balance. The great crunch from the baguette, savory flavors from the protein, bright notes from the herbs and the sweet/tangy aspects of the pickled veggies. Just Perfect.

But I realize not everyone has access to yummy Bánh Mì shops so I thought it would be fun to share a delish and easy method. For this particular Bánh Mì Gà Nướng, I used chicken thighs marinated with Chinese Five-Spice and Maggi Seasoning Sauce. In fact, this is how our mom would often marinade our poultry—including our Thanksgiving turkeys every year! The Five-Spice gives a deep, earthy flavor from the combination of star anise, cloves, and other goodness. Trust me, it’s amazing.

And with that friends—Ăn ngon! Stay tuned next week for another Vietnamese dish!

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Bánh Mì Gà Nướng (Vietnamese Roasted Chicken Sandwich)
Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 6-inch Baguette Rolls, lightly toasted and sliced lengthwise
Five Spiced Chicken*
Đồ Chua (Pickled Vegetables)*
Mayonaisse*
1 Bunch Fresh Cilantro Leaves, washed and dried
1 Jalapeno Pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1 Small Cucumber, thinly sliced lengthwise

Five-Spice Chicken:
6 Chicken Thighs, bone in and skin on
1 Tablespoon Five-Spice Powder
¼ Cup Granulated Sugar
2 Teaspoons Black Pepper
3 Tablespoons Minced Garlic
2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
½ Cup Maggi Seasoning Sauce

Đồ Chua (Pickled Vegetables):
1 Cup Carrots, julienned
1 Cup Daikon Radish, julienned
2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Cup Rice Wine Vinegar
½ Cup Boiling Water

Mayonnaise:
2 Large Egg Yolks, at room temperature
1 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 Garlic Clove, minced
¼ Cup Fresh Cilantro Leaves, chopped (optional)
2-3 Dashes Nước Mắm (fish sauce)

Prepare the marinade for the chicken. In a large bowl, whisk together the Five-Spice, sugar, and pepper. Stir in garlic, Maggi and oil until the dry ingredients have dissolved. Submerge the chicken into the marinade, being sure to coat both sides. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the Đồ Chua (Pickled Vegetables). In a medium sized bowl, dissolve the sugar and salt with the boiling water. Add the vinegar and allow the liquid to cool to room temperature. Add the vegetables and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Prepare the mayonnaise. In a blender, add all the ingredients except the oil. Pulse several times and then slowly drizzle in the oil until the mayonnaise has properly emulsified. Refrigerate until ready for use. *You can also use jarred mayonnaise to substitute*

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet with oil and place the marinated chicken thighs on the sheet, skin side up. Roast for approximately 30 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. Remove the chicken and transfer to a plate. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones and shred the meat into pieces.

Assemble the Bánh Mì. Spread a heaping spoonful of mayonnaise inside one side of each toasted baguette roll. Fill each roll with the chicken and drizzle a bit of the pan drippings over the meat. If desired, sprinkle with more black pepper. Fill the sandwiches with pickled vegetables, jalapeno and cucumber slices, and the cilantro. Enjoy!

Pastas/Noodles · Poultry

Creamy Pesto Rigatoni

March 22, 2012March 22, 2013 The Culinary Chronicles5 Comments

This past weekend I caught up with some friends over dinner. And before we knew it, we launched into an extensive and detailed conversation on how we believe that Pesto goes with practically anything.

Sandwiches, appetizers, crackers, pastas……….

P had even threatened to top the panna cotta I made for dessert with it but his wife quickly intervened. Okay…that may have been a bit much but I see where he was going with it.

I typically go on a major pesto binge when herbs are abundant at my local farmers market. It’s so easy to change things up with various herbs and whatever types of nuts you have on hand. And the awesome thing is— Pesto freezes beautifully! Just drizzle some olive oil on top before sealing the container and your fresh pesto can keep in the freezer for months! A quick and easy way to flavor dishes with yummy herbaceous notes.

This little number is a delicious and satisfying quick meal. PERFECT for any weeknight as you can pull it together in under 30 minutes! Easy Peasy!

And for an added spin, toss the pesto pasta with a cup of shredded cheese (of your choice) and spread into a casserole dish. Top with panko bread crumbs, more parmesan cheese and drizzle olive oil on top. Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees and you’ve got a hearty and tummy warming alternative dish!

Oh Pesto….I love you.

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Creamy Pesto Rigatoni
Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 Pound Chicken Breast, skinless and boneless
1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
1 Cup Pesto
1 Cup Grape Tomatoes, halved
1/4 Teaspoon Red Chili Flake
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper
Olive Oil
1 Pound Rigatoni Pasta

Slice chicken breast into strips and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Fill a large pot of water and bring it to a boil. Heavily salt the water and cook pasta according to directions.

In a heavy bottom pan, add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and brown the chicken. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the pan. Add an additional tablespoon of oil and cook garlic over medium heat for 1-2 minutes before tossing in the tomatoes and red chili flakes. Cook for about 2 minutes and stir in pesto. Heat the pesto and then stir in the heavy cream. Once incorporated, toss in the pasta, chicken, parmesan cheese and coat well. Check for seasonings and adjust with salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm.

Desserts/Pastries

Fresh Strawberry Cheesecake…because it’s Leap Day!

February 29, 2012February 29, 2012 The Culinary Chronicles14 Comments

It’s Leap Day-–so let there be Cheesecake!

Fresh Strawberry Cheesecake to be exact.

You may be wondering what Fresh Strawberry Cheesecake and Leap Year have in common. Not much really but I’ll take any excuse to indulge in something yummy and pretty 🙂

Happy Leap Day!

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Fresh Strawberry Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Crust:
2½ Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
3 Tablespoons Sugar
6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted

Filling:
24 Ounces Cream Cheese, at room temperature
¼ Cup Sour Cream, at room temperature
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
3 Large Eggs, at room temperature
¼ Teaspoon Cornstarch
2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
Zest of 1 Lemon

Whipped Cream:
1 Cup Heavy Cream, chilled
2 Tablespoons Sugar

1 Pint Fresh Strawberries, washed and stemmed

Preheat oven to 325 ˚F.

Prepare a 9-inch spring form pan by wrapping the outside with 2-3 sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Spray the inside of the pan with cooking spray. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter until moistened and resembles the texture of wet sand. Pour into the pan and evenly press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and about one inch up the sides. Bake for 8-10 minutes until golden and cool to room temperature.

Using a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the cream cheese and sour cream until its light and fluffy. Gradually mix in the sugar. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract, lemon zest and cornstarch until well combined. Pour the filling into the cooled crust.

Place the springform pan in a large roasting pan on the middle rack of the oven. Fill the roasting pan with hot water to come halfway up the sides of springform pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the center is set. Allow the cake to sit in the oven (heat turned off) with the door propped open for about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Allow the cake to cool for an additional 30 minutes. Wrap well with plastic film and foil. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours. Carefully remove the sides of the pan by running a hot knife around the outside of the cake. Carefully release the ring mold.

Prepare the whipped cream. Using a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the chilled heavy cream on high until it just holds stiff peaks. Slowly sprinkle in the sugar until you reach a thick consistency.

Arrange the whole strawberries on top of the cheesecake. Place a piping tip inside of a pastry bag and fill with whipped cream. Pipe decorative patterns of whipped cream on top of the cheesecake.

Poultry

Oven-Baked Parmesan Chicken Tenders

January 11, 2012February 20, 2012 The Culinary Chronicles4 Comments

Despite what you may have heard…..Chicken Tenders aren’t just for kiddie menus.

Though, in an effort for full disclosure, I have been known to order off the kiddie menus at certain dining establishments. Heck, depending on the spot, the portions sizes are perfect for me—-and at a fraction of the cost.

I, apparently, have no shame.

But back to the Tenders…..

Now, I’m not sure if I’ve said this before but when it comes to poultry, I’m a dark meat kind of gal. I find that there’s more flavor to dark meat and it retains much more moisture when cooked. But of course, white meat is considered the “healthier” portions of the bird and often times, can be cooked in a shorter time frame.

For a fast meal, I often pick up packages of Chicken Tenders to throw in recipes. Though they technically are a part of the chicken breast, I find them easier to use and quick to cook with.

So when I got a hankering for some crispy, fried chicken this past weekend (one of my vices), I opted for a “healthier” alternative by baking instead of frying up some chicken. Using the method from Americas Test Kitchen, I took a bunch of defrosted chicken tenders, rolled them in Parmesan cheese and pan-toasted panko crumbs and got deliciously crunchy Chicken Tenders. They were golden brown, wonderfully crispy, not the least bit dry, and kind of fun!

And before anyone busts my chops for throwing in cheese to a recipe when I was trying to go healthy—-allow me to say, MY KITCHEN, MY RULES! Though…..at least I had a salad to go along with it. 🙂

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Oven-Baked Parmesan Chicken Tenders

Ingredients:

2 Cups Panko Breadcrumbs
2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
½ Cup Parmesan Cheese, finely grated
2 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
½ Teaspoon Kosher salt
¼ Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
3 Large Egg Whites
1 Tablespoon Water
1 Teaspoon Minced Fresh Thyme
Cooking spray
1½ lbs. Boneless, Skinless Chicken Tenders (or skinless breasts cut into strips)
Kosher Salt and Black Pepper

Preheat the oven to 475˚ F. In a large skillet, toss the panko with the oil. Toast over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer the toasted crumbs to a shallow dish or pie plate.

In a second shallow dish, whisk together the parmesan cheese, flour, garlic powder, salt, and cayenne pepper. In a bowl, whisk together the egg whites, water, and thyme. Heavily season the chicken with salt and pepper.

Spray a wire rack lightly with cooking spray and place over a rimmed baking sheet. Working in batches, dredge a few pieces of the chicken in the cheese/flour mixture, then the egg whites, and finally the breadcrumbs to coat, shaking off the excess between each step. Lay the coated pieces on the prepared wire rack and repeat with the remaining chicken.

Spray the tops of the chicken pieces lightly with the cooking spray. Bake until the chicken is cooked through, 15 minutes. Flip the chicken halfway through the cooking time and lightly spray the tops with cooking spray before returning to the oven. Serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon or dipping sauce of your choice.

Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook (Baked Chicken Fingers)