Posts tagged ‘Spicy’

« Older Entries  |  
March 20, 2016

Gochujang Stir-Fry Sauce & Other Obsessions

IMG_0021

At any given time I have a handful of food obsessions rolling around in my head. I find ways to incorporate them each week in my cooking and I often spend down time poking around online for creative ways to use them. Some fall off the list, others stick around and new ones are always finding their way to my dinner table. When the whole family loves them like I do, everyone is happy. Unfortunately that isn’t always the case… said the lentil salad I keep making.

My current obsessions…

Frisée – A crisp frisée salad with radicchio, farm picked diced apples and a little crumbled blue cheese could be one of the best salads. Skip the apple and cheese, and toss in some crispy pancetta or bacon lardons if you “Parlez-vous français.” Top with a poached egg and voilà! A Salade Lyonnaise. My recent dinner at the très chic restaurant La Chéri, in the Philadelphia Art Alliance building, included a delicious Salade Lyonnaise and too much French white wine I’m sorry to admit (nice segue to my next addiction).

IMG_9754

Version 2

French White Wines – Extra dirty martinis and sazeracs no more… I don’t know what’s happened to me in the last 6 months but my alcohol tolerance has plummeted to its lowest levels. I’m sad to report my days of cocktails before having wine with dinner are over. I have however, found a new love of French whites. Our dinner at La Chéri introduced me to Vouvray, a refreshing white wine with a hint of effervescence. Sancerre and white bordeaux are also on the list. Here are a few delicious bottles. Sophie Bubbles is not impressed.

IMG_0036

IMG_0027

Lentils – To me, lentils are a perfect food. I love these lentils with chorizo and making lentil soup with sausage and spinach, and I even love canned lentils for this quick cold salad. I could go on and on. Below is Ottolenghi’s Mejadra, an ancient rice dish with lentils and fried onions (I could eat the whole bowl). It’s from his Jerusalem cookbook. If you love Middle Eastern food, check out his cookbooks. Love!

IMG_9288

Gochujang – Gochujang is a Korean fermented chile paste. I’ve used it to make stir-fry, fried rice and chicken lettuce wraps. It’s spicy but not overpowering. You definitely need to mix it with other seasonings like sesame oil, soy sauce and fresh ginger. It has a wonderful umami type flavor. If you’re interested in learning a little more, Bon Appetit has a nice article about gochujang. Here’s the stir-fry sauce that I always make, adapted from Eating Well magazine. It’s an easy weeknight dinner with a spicy kick. Yum!

IMG_9655

Gochujang Stir-Fry Sauce

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup gochujang
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon dry sherry
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons sugar

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Stir-fry any combination of veggies and protein you like. Pour the stir-fry sauce over the ingredients in the pan and stir until everything is coated and the sauce is heated through. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and serve over brown rice.

Enjoy!

** I’ve found Gochujang at some Wegmans and at Mekelburgs in Brooklyn.

Posted in DRINK, EAT, Main Dishes, Soups, Salads & Sandwiches, Wines we love | Leave a Comment »

Tags: , , , , , ,
September 23, 2014

Spicy Home Fries with Green Chiles & Fresh Rosemary

IMG_4004

Breakfast for dinner is a favorite in our house. I love to make a fritatta with these home fries. Fritattas allow you to dig through your refrigerator to find those lonely peppers, herbs and any other veggies that have gone unused that week. Add a little Italian sausage and some cheese – of course, there must be cheese! Really, anything can be used to make a delicious fritatta for dinner.

Instead of serving bread, I like to make these spicy home fries. I used to make them by cutting the potatoes into a small dice and cooking them until tender right in the fry pan, but I recently read that boiling them first creates even better results. I gave that method a try here and they were great.

IMG_4023

You can leave out the hot chilies if you prefer. We like things on the spicy side. I used small red bliss potatoes for this, but you can use yukon golds or any other small waxy potato. I would steer clear of russets. I think they’re a bit too starchy for home fries.

IMG_4037

INGREDIENTS

  • 2lbs small red bliss potatoes
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 large red onion, diced
  • 2 serrano chiles (more or less as you like), sliced – you could also use fresh jalapeños
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large sprig fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • Kosher salt & pepper
  • Chopped fresh parsley for serving

IMG_4048

  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the potatoes. If your potatoes are small, boil them whole. Cook until tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
  2. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Saute the red onions and chilies until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
  3. Halve or quarter (depending on their size) the cook potatoes and add them to the skillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Using a spatula, mix the potatoes around with the onions and chilies so the potatoes are coated with the olive oil. Turn the heat down to medium and let the potatoes cook. Resist the urge to move them, so they can start to brown properly.
  4. After about 10 minutes, check the underside of a potato to see that they are browning. They should also get nice and soft. Using the back of a spatula, press down on each potato so they squish flat.
  5. Add the chopped rosemary and stir well. Using your spatula, press everything evenly flat in the pan and allow to cook for another 10-15 minutes.
  6. From this point, it’s a matter of opinion. We like them really crispy and golden so I stir and flatten them again, letting the potatoes continue to cook. If you prefer them less browned, remove them from the heat when they look great to you. Taste for seasoning, sprinkle with some chopped parsley and serve.

Enjoy!

 

 

Posted in Breakfast, EAT, Sides | Leave a Comment »

Tags: , , , , ,
« Older Entries  |