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Tom Yum Het

This soup is so flavorful.  It is not truly vegetarian because it contains fish sauce, but soy sauce can be substituted to make it so.  This soup can be made with chicken, by adding about 1/3 pound of sliced chicken and using chicken broth instead of vegetable.  I really like the fried tofu version.  I recently figured out the secret of fried tofu.....dredging in flour before frying.  Such a simple thing really makes the difference, creating a crunch coating, yet keeping the interior moist.  The fried tofu served with a dipping sauce (sweet chili sauce, a soy-cilantro sauce, or nuoc cham) is a great appetizer.   The glanga should not be eaten, it is for flavoring only.

Tom Yum Het

1 T. vegetable oil
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 T. finely minced lemongrass
1 tsp. dried red chili flakes (or to taste)
1 tsp. ground chili paste (or to taste)
1 1-inch section frozen or fresh galanga, thinly sliced and bruised with the back of a knife
3 cups vegetable broth
2 T. fish sauce (or to taste)
1 tsp. sugar
1 can unsweetened coconut milk
1 1/2 cups fried tofu cubes (instructions at end of recipe)
1 cup sliced white mushrooms
1/2 T. fresh lime juice
2 kaffir lime leaves, thinly julienned
handful fresh cilantro, chopped

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the shallot, garlic, lemongrass, chili flakes, and chili paste and cook, stirring about 30 seconds.  Add the galanga, vegetable broth, fish sauce, sugar, and coconut milk.  Bring the soup to a boil and add the tofu and mushrooms.  As soon as the soup comes to a second boil, turn off the heat and add the lime juice, kaffir lime leaves, cilantro.  Serve immediately.

Fried Tofu

1 package extra firm tofu
vegetable oil for frying
1/3 cup all-purpose flour

Remove tofu from package and drain off any liquid.  Carefully slice into 1/2-inch cubes by cutting tofu
lengthwise in half, then widthwise into thirds, and then into cubes.  Place cubes on paper towels and cover with a few more paper towels.  Press gently to remove excess moisture.  The process may need to be repeated with different paper towels if there is a lot of liquid.

Heat oil in a pan. Lightly coat tofu pieces in flour, shaking off excess.  Carefully place in hot oil.

Fry tofu for about 4 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain well on paper towels.

posted by: artichoke72 at 15:17 | link | comments |
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Basic Harissa

This is a chile and garlic paste from Northern Africa that I have been wanting to try for quite awhile.  I must say I waited way too long.  This stuff is awesome!  It's not very hot, but it is super flavorful.  Use it anywhere you would Tabasco or Sambal (on eggs, in sandwiches, in soups/stews, etc...).  I used dried New Mexico chiles, but you could use any one dried chile or even a combination.  This is a basic Harissa recipe.  Other variations have tomato paste, cilantro, lemon juice, and/or cumin (among other ingredients).  I'll probably add some cilantro next time I make this.  This keeps in the refrigerator a couple of months.

Basic Harissa
makes 1 cup

Note: You can grind the spices in a spice grinder, a coffee grinder or with a mortar and pestle.

4 ounces dried chiles
5 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds, freshly ground
1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds, freshly ground
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for
storage

Place the chiles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let rest until softened, about 30 minutes. Drain, then remove the seeds and  stems from the chiles.

Place the seeded and stemmed chiles into the bowl of a food processor (or blender) with the garlic and pulse a couple of times. Add the salt, caraway and coriander. Process until smooth, pouring the olive oil
into the feeding tube on top as you blend. Add a little water if necessary to achieve the right consistency: The harissa should be a thick paste. To store, top off with a thin layer of olive oil and refrigerate.

posted by: artichoke72 at 00:04 | link | comments |
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Applejacks

This is supposedly a recipe from Colonial America.  I'm not sure of its authenticity, but it's a keeper.  My students and I made these cookies in class when we were studying Colonial America and the whole school smelled so good.  They are very nice cookies.

Applejacks

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup chopped, unpeeled apple

Cream together sugar and shortening. Add egg and beat well. Mix dry ingredients together in another bowl.   Add slowly to sugar mixture, beating well after each addition.  Stir in apples. Form into small balls and place on a baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

posted by: artichoke72 at 01:45 | link | comments |
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Sweet Bourbon Salmon

One of my hubby's friends gave him two bottles of bourbon.  One is 126 proof and the other is 107 proof.  Whew!  They are strong!  I am not a big fan of whiskey.  I was looking for a way to use the bourbon and created this recipe based on a drink recipe(bourbon and pineapple juice).   The salmon was much better than the drink.  This recipe is easy and delicious.  The marinade makes a nice carmelized coating on the salmon.  I wouldn't let the salmon marinate more than 1 hour, or the bourbon flavor will be too strong.  I served the bourbon salmon with buckwheat noodles and spinach sauteed with mushrooms and garlic.

Sweet Bourbon Salmon

2 8 oz salmon fillets
1/2 cup bourbon
1/4 cup pineapple juice
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. brown sugar
1/8 tsp garlic powder
salt and black pepper, to taste
2 T. coconut oil
 
Combine bourbon, pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Stir to dissolve sugar.

Remove any skin on salmon fillets.  Put fillets in a dish and pour marinade over them.  Let sit in the fridge for one hour or longer. The longer it sits, the more the marinade seeps into the fillets .

Heat the coconut oil in a skillet and cook the salmon on medium heat.  Brush the marinade over the filets as they are cooking.  The salmon is done when the fillet is cooked through and has a nice golden color. The salmon could also be grilled.

posted by: artichoke72 at 22:16 | link | comments |
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