Weekly Menu 12/12- 12/18

  Saturday
Lamb Kofta
Israeli Tomato and Cucumber Salad
Hummus and Pita
 
Sunday
Slow Roasted Barbecue Pork Ribs
Broccoli Slaw
Sweet Potato Fries
 
Monday
Holiday Spiced Pumpkin Soup with Toasted Pepitas
Roasted Mushroom Bruschetta
 
Tuesday
Pan Seared Salmon
Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
Sautéed Tuscan Kale with Garlic and Parmesan
 
Wednesday
Shredded Chicken Tacos
Guacamole and Salsa
 
Thursday
Oven Roasted Black Cod with Spiced Lentils
Asian Green Beans
 
Friday
"Steak and Red Wine Night"

Spicy Stir Fried Chinese Green Beans

If you can make vegetables taste this good, you may not even need the meat (who am I kidding, love meat!). If you can find Chinese long beans that would be great, but regular green beans work fine.  I will warn you, these are addicting.  They are spicy, sweet, and the addition of bacon makes them beautifully smoky.  You may never look at greens beans the same way again.  Enjoy!

Serves 6

2 Tbsp. Chinese chili garlic sauce
2 Tbsp. Oyster sauce (Hoisin sauce works as a substitute)
1 tsp. white sugar
1 Tbsp. avocado or sunflower oil (any frying oil good for high heat will work)
6 slices of thick, center cut bacon, cut into bite sized pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small shallot, chopped (1/4 of an onion will work too)
1# trimmed green beans (if using long beans, trim and then cut into 2-3" pieces)

1/4 C. chicken stock

salt and black pepper

Optional- Sesame seed oil and sesame seeds

In small mixing bowl, combine, chili garlic sauce, oyster sauce, and white sugar. Set aside.

Heat either a wok or skillet over high heat (get that vent fan working, gonna smoke).  Add oil and bacon.  Cook bacon until edges are crispy and fat has rendered.  Add chopped garlic and shallot. Stir fry for 30 seconds or until they become fragrant (be careful not to burn, it'll go quick).  

Pour sauce into pan, mix and cook an additional 30 seconds.  Add green beans and stock, mix and cover with a lid and let cook for 5-6 minutes.  Stir occasionally. Cook until beans are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated.  Taste and correct seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.  If using, drizzle a small amount of sesame oil over beans and top with sesame seeds. Serve and enjoy!

Beef Bulgogi

 For my Daughter's Birthday she asked if I could do Korean Barbecue.  I said, "Sure thing!"  She really wanted beef over pork, so we made this really excellent, very fulfilling version of this traditional preparation.  The beef is best if left marinating over night, so a bit of planning is needed, but if not, an hour in frig will be just fine.  I cooked the meat on my grill using a screen so the strips would not fall through.  I wanted to get that really nice char the flame gives the meat.  A hot, heavy bottomed skillet or cast iron on your cooktop inside will do the trick too.  Just make sure your vent is on and windows open, cause you will create a bunch of smoke.  I served it over cauliflower rice (keeping it healthy), along side some spicy stir fried Chinese Green Beans.  Totally was a hit and I think you'll no longer need to order this in.  Enjoy!

Serves 4 people

3 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp. mirin (you can substitute a sweet white wine of sherry)

2 Tbsp. white sugar
1/2 ripe pear, remove skin and core. Mash to pulp
1 Tbsp. sesame oil, plus more for finishing the dish
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds, plus more for finishing the dish
1# thinly sliced beef ribeye
1 large onion, sliced, divided in half
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 green onions
2 Tbsp. sunflower oil (can substitute canola or vegetable oil)

Optional garnish- serve with kimchi and lettuce wraps

First, remove root end of green onions and cut them 3/4 from the bottom, cut the white parts in half lengthwise, then into 2-inch long pieces.  Chop the remaining green parts and reserve both separately on the side.

In a large mixing bowl combine soy sauce, mirin, sugar, pear pulp, sesame oil, and sesame seeds.  Add beef, half the sliced onions, garlic, and white parts of the green onions.  Mix well with your hands and marinate for 1 hour up to overnight in the refrigerator.

Heat your flame grill (use a screen so the meat won't fall through).  You can also use a skillet or cast iron pan on your cooktop.  Get skillet very hot (if using skillet, add a small amount of oil to pan and heat before adding beef).  Cook beef for 6-8 minutes.  Remove from heat and let beef rest 3-4 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat small skillet add sunflower oil and heat.  Add remaining sliced onions to hot oil and cook until edges brown slightly, 3-5 minutes.  Once done, place onions on serving platter, place bulgogi right on top of onions and garnish with sesame seeds, small amount of sesame oil, and the sliced green onions.  Serve with warm cooked white rice, kimchi (if desired) and lettuce wraps. Enjoy!

Weekly Menu 12/5-12/12

 Saturday
Shredded Chicken Tacos
Pico De Gallo

Chopped salad with Avocado, roasted corn, and tomato - Sweet-Lime Vinaigrette

Sunday

Slow Roasted Barbecue Pork Loin

Broccoli with Roasted Shallots

Baked Beans

Tator tots

Monday

Stir Fry Vegetables with Teriyaki

Cauliflower Rice with Green Onions

Tuesday

Carrot and Ginger Porridge with Sweet Potato

Broccoli with Red Onion and Oranges

Wednesday

Grilled Lemon and Herb Chicken

Spicy Oven Roasted Carrots

Sautéed Kale with Pistachios and Golden Raisins

Thursday

Oven Roasted Tilapia with Citrus Zest

Spaghetti Squash with Tomato and Parmesan

Asparagus with Roasted Garlic

Friday

"Steak and Red Wine Night"

Saturday

Lamb Kofta

Israeli Tomato-Cucumber Salad

Hummus and Pita

Sweet-and-sour chicken

Why go through the hassle of ordering and picking up Chinese food (or waiting for delivery). How many times have you tried a new spot and been disappointed? Here's a great version of sweet and sour chicken, got raved reviews and so easy to make. Enjoy!

Serves 4

Sauce

3/4 C. granulated white sugar

1/2 C. apple cider vinegar

1/4 C. Ketchup

2 Tbsp. Soy sauce

1 Tbsp. sesame oil

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. cold water

1 Tbsp. corn starch

 

Chicken

2 large boneless chicken breasts, skin removed and cut into 1” pieces

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

3 Tbsp. corn starch

Kosher salt and black pepper

4 Tbsp. Avocado oil or vegetable oil for frying

3 Tbsp. Green Onion, sliced thinly on the bias

2 C. Cooked white rice

Place cut chicken in a large ziplock bag.  Add soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste, seal and coat evenly.  Open bag, add corn starch, seal and mix well to fully coat chicken. Reserve.

In a sauce pan combine the first seven sauce ingredients.  Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.  In a small bowl combine water and cornstarch, stir and add to sauce.  Stir as sauce thickens, cook for 3 more minutes.  Turn off heat and reserve on the side.

Place large skillet or wok over medium-high heat, add oil and get hot.  Carefully add chicken in small batches as not to crowd the pan.  Cook, turning often until pieces are golden brown.  If needing to work in batches, remove browned chicken (reserving on a plate), wait a minute for oil to come back to temperature and continue to cook remaining chicken until all is beautifully golden brown.  Remove chicken and pour excess oil out of skillet into bowl to cool, then discard oil.  Return all of the chicken to skillet over medium heat, add sauce, coat well and cook for 3-4 more minutes.  Top with green onion, serve over rice or just by itself and Enjoy!

Braised Leeks with Fennel

When was the last time you had a leek?  I love these little guys!  A member of the onion family, leeks have a very mild onion flavor and when cooked they take on this beautiful buttery, creamy essence, yum!  Just make sure you wash them very well since they grow in sandy soil and there is a lot of grit in them. We are only going to use the white part for this recipe.  Make sure you reserve the green tops for another day.  They can be used to flavor soups, stocks, what ever cooked onions are used for.  I also use the greens to line a baking sheet and place fish, chicken, or meat on top when cooking.  It adds a mild onion flavor, delicious. I think once you discover these amazing Alliums, like me, you'll be hooked.  Enjoy!

serves 4

4 medium sized leeks, white part only (should only have about 2-inches of light green at top, leek should be 6-8 inches once green part removed)

4 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half 

4 Tbsp. butter

1 C. beef bouillon, hot

2 large Tbsp. Fennel fronds (in a pinch, fresh dill can substitute)

Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper 

Preheat the oven to 375°F

Trim off root end of each leek, slice lengthwise.  Wash under running water, gentle separating each layer to remove the sandy grit that hides inside.  Reserve.

Using a tablespoon of the butter, grease the bottom of a baking dish or casserole. Place leeks in dish cut side up. Sprinkle cut garlic and fennel on top of leeks.  Take the remaining butter and dot the top of the leeks.  Season with salt and pepper.  Carefully pour the hot bouillon around the leeks, only use enough so leeks are submerged halfway.  Seal in foil and place in hot oven, cook for 45-50 minutes.  

Remove from oven, carefully remove foil, serve and enjoy!

Balsamic and Honey Roasted Carrots

Balsamic vinegar and honey is one of those classic combinations, I love it with these carrots.  If I can find them, I like the multi-colored variety, it added a beautiful color to the plate.  Roasting brings out a caramel, almost nutty quality to the carrots and the sweetness of the honey mixed with the subtle bite of the vinegar is terrific.  Don't forget the lemon zest to finish the dish, it's bright punch really makes a difference and elevates the dish.  Enjoy!

serves 4

1# Carrots, washed and cut into 2" pieces

2 Tbsp. Olive oil

2 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar

2 Tbsp. Honey

1 Tbsp. Lemon zest

1 Tbsp. chopped Italian parsley

Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400°F

On baking sheet spread out carrots, toss with oil and season generously with salt and pepper.  Put in hot oven and cook, turning every 15 minutes.  This will take 40-50 minutes, you are looking for the carrots to be just about fork tender.  Carefully remove from oven, drizzle vinegar and honey on carrots and place back in the oven for 5-7 minutes.  Remove and sprinkle with lemon zest.  Taste and correct seasoning with salt and pepper, top with chopped parsley.  Serve and Enjoy!