RSS FEED IDEMS: Eating Out Loud
- Poached egg with basil and meyer lemon confit
Ok, enough with the meyer lemons already, right? Well, as I worked away in my office this morning, my mind kept drifting toward lunch. I haven't had eggs in a long time due to my recent dietary adventures, so they've been on my mind.
In theory, I could have an egg. But one egg without alot of the other good stuff that goes with them just seems futile. Sam's confit stuck in my head from the other day and I wondered how it would be with a bit of basil, drizzled over a perfectly poached egg ... and so began my lunch break.
I sliced a meyer lemon thinly and covered with olive oil, then set the whole thing to low for an hour. Mid-way through I tossed in about a dozen small basil leaves. As my confit was nearing an end, I poached an egg and balanced it on a thin and super crispy slice of bread. I added a bit of the lemons and drizzled a teaspoon of the oil over the egg. A dash of freshly ground black pepper and ... ta-dah!
I cannot describe how flavorful and decadent it tasted. The yolk of the egg mixed with the lemony oil and basil ... amazing. Simply. Amazing.
And, given the ingredients/quantities I used, this turned out to be only 5 of the troublesome Weight Watcher points.
You might also like these posts:
Zucchini & meyer lemon muffins
Poaching the perfect egg
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Thu, 31 Jan 2008 20:53:00 +0000
- Peeking over blog walls
I'm spent my lunch break running around the food blog neighborhood to see what new creations are out there waiting for me to salivate over. And it wasn't until now (say, 5:40pm) that I realized I never posted about my adventure. Geesh!
I've been working from my home office since early January and clearly it's taken a toll on me. It's my first time not working in a true business setting, but being an introvert, this is largely ok with me. The only real downside is that I don't have people around me to gossip with on a daily basis. I'm not able to peek over a cube wall and talk about Project Runway or who has a crush on the boss.
So, my coworkers are *you*, the readers of my blog and the bloggers I visit. Every day I try and take some time to peek over the blog walls to see what's going on out there, to feel a part of the world outside my office walls. Like Fanny for example from Foodbeam who I visit from time to time, she reminisced of childhood lemon meringue tarts and her recent Daring Bakers challenge to make lemon meringue tartlets. They may not be as good as her personal recipe, but the look absolutely perfect to me. Good job, Fanny!
After looking at Fanny's tarts, I headed over to Culinary in the Country -- Joe always has something delicious to look at. Apparently, he sent Jeff to work today with a big batch of Banana Bars with Browned Butter Pecan Frosting for Wednesday Treat Day. Um, and where do I submit my resume to work with Jeff??
I've got to be honest, I spent alot of time looking through Joe's blog, but pulled myself away to see what Sweetnicks was up to. Cate tried out a Texas Home Fries recipe she found in a Taste of the South magazine. They look great -- being from the Midwest originally, me likes my potatoes. Apparently, Cate's dish swayed her husband to give them a thumbs up, even though he's an admitted roasted potato and french fry lover.
Just as I was about to head back to work, I remembered to check on Sam of Becks & Posh. She's been under the weather this week but stirring up plenty of inspiration with her meyer lemons. I was about to close her blog when I noticed a link to Food Blog S'cool and tip-toed over there to find an interesting debate on blog advertising. It's a healthy conversation and one that many of us have pondered, I'm sure (i.e. I keep fiddling with ads on my blog, one of these days I'll pull out my hair and rip the ads out entirely). The post is worth a read and still seems to be getting new comments though it started a couple weeks ago.
And so goes another day. I had a good dose of blog reading before putting on my thinking cap to deal with assorted data/taxonomy issues (i.e. the day job). I need to go make dinner -- have a good night, will see you back in the office again tomorrow :-)
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Thu, 31 Jan 2008 02:44:00 +0000
- The bacon flowchart
Ahhh, bacon. Paula discovered my dieting today and promised not to send me any more bacon recipes. She sent me this little gem recently -- it's too funny ... and pretty accurate, at least for me :-)
Reminds me of the time I had to make bacon toffee ...
The Bacon Flowchart
as found on Photobucket
You might also like these posts:
Oink! Did someone say bacon toffee?
Hittin' the vodka sauce
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Wed, 30 Jan 2008 20:23:00 +0000
- Zucchini & Meyer Lemon Muffins
Part inspiration, part guilt (for not using my meyer lemons) -- these muffins are a new spin on my mother's zucchini bread recipe.
I'm not sure why I haven't taken the meyer lemon seriously, there have been a bad experience I'm blocking out. I seem to remember the meyer lemon tasting very similar to a cleaning product ... not that I spend my time tasting or sniffing cleaning products :-)
I decided to give the lemons a second chance. When I think of the meyer lemon taste, I associate it with savory foods ... not sure why, I just do. So as I pondered what to do with them zucchini popped into my mind. I had a few in my fridge begging for me to do something with them. The plan was hatched and I decided to spike my mother's basic zucchini batter with plenty of lemon zest and juice, a perfect pairing for the zucchini. Instead of a big loaf, I opted to make muffins and changed the baking powder accordingly to give them extra rising power.
I'll admit, the muffins turned out better than expected, light and airy, melt-in-your-mouth moist. The muffins are sweet with light citrus flavor running through them, which blends perfectly with the soft bits of zucchini. My mother's recipe calls for lots of cinnamon and nuts, but I omitted both to keep the flavor 'light' and I'm glad I did so. *sigh* ... so I must say that I don't hate meyer lemons. These muffins have made me happy. I'll be heaven today as I nibble on them throughout the day while working.
Zucchini & Meyer Lemon Muffins
3 eggs
1/2 c. oil
2 c. flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3 tsp. vanilla
2 c. sugar
3 c. grated zucchini
zest of 4 meyer lemons
1/4 c. meyer lemon juice
Mix dry ingredients and then slowly add wet ingredients. Mix until combined. Place into muffin tins and bake in a 350 degree over for 15-18 minutes. Makes 20 muffins.
Normally, this recipe also includes lots of cinnamon and nuts, but I've excluded these to make a 'lighter' flavor where the zucchini and lemon can come through.
Notes -- if made using Splenda in place of sugar, these muffins have a Weight Watchers points value of 2.
You might also like these posts:
Hazelnut Blueberry Muffins
Creating a photo recipe journal
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Wed, 30 Jan 2008 16:12:00 +0000
- Easy roast pork and mixed vegetables
I've been in front of the computer all day with work. I didn't spend much time thinking about dinner, but instead resorted to a quick and easy meal of roasted pork with vegetables. And, it does give me another chance to use my new aluminum baking sheets. Yes, I'm a kid with a new toy ...
I used the pan earlier today for making parmesan crisps and just realized I never removed the silpat pad. Hmmm, probably shouldn't have done that. Oh, well -- I'm a bit scattered today.
From the pic, you'll see a mix of zucchini, portobellos, and an orange pepper. I added two pieces of pork steak, then splashed it all with olive oil and sliced garlic. I sprinkled with a bit of dry sage and herbs d'provence with a few hearty grinds of pepper. I put it into a 450 degree oven and hopefully it will only take 30-40 minutes. I just visited Becks & Posh -- Sam posted an amazing pic of her Tuna & Meyer Lemon Confit with White Bean Puree.
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Wed, 30 Jan 2008 02:25:00 +0000
- Hot and spicy chicken gizzards!
Joe loves his animal innards, and made chicken gizzards over the weekend. He posted elsewhere on the internet even though he's been given full access to post here. *sigh*
Since he's being difficult, I decided to paste his post here (no worries, I have full permission from him to do so put away the copyright badges). I've never been a fan of these and didn't touch a single one. However, my mom does share this trait with him and they often share tips on how to make the best gizzards. Here is how Joe likes to prepare his:
"For all of $2.50, you get a full pack from Safeway. With a little bit of chili pepper sauce, hot oil, ground black pepper, soy sauce and sesame seed oil and a red hot wok, this is a gourmet treat that compliment just about anything for the whole weekend ... you can chow down the spicy crunchy little pieces just by themselves. I had been savouring them since Saturday night with instant noodle, chicken rice soup and Italian wedding soup. By Sunday afternoon, they were finally gone."
So, there you have it -- hot and spicy gizzards! I shudder just thinking about them -- at least the gizzards aren't going to waste, right?
Oh, my god ... I just realized that this post is my 100th -- woo-hoo, hooray! I'm personally disappointed that the 100th post happened to be for animal guts ... I'm slipping. I promise that my 200th post will be something sweet and decadent.
Ok, I'm off to write another post ... about our weekend adventure to an RV show. It wasn't my cup of tea, so I focused on the kitchens and trends/features I noticed. Stay tuned for more :-)
You might also like these posts:
Dim sum, The Art of Chinese Tea Lunch
Finding a cast iron wok
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Tue, 29 Jan 2008 21:51:00 +0000
- Jazzin' up parmesan crisps
Well, you're looking at my lunch for today -- the result of an eBay purchase of 2 aluminum baking sheets that arrived this morning. I decided parmesan crisps would be a nice way to christen the pans and make for a flavorful side to my lunchtime salad.
I am still inspired by my olive oil cracker baking over the weekend where I seasoned the crackers with a variety of toppings, so I wondered how well the approach would work on the crisps. After making the mounds of ground parmesan, I sprinkled some with sesame seeds, freshly ground black pepper, and while others received a dusting of herbs d'provence.
Parmesan Crisps
6 tablespoons grated parmesan
Any mix-ins that you desire (i.e. black pepper, sesame seeds, herbs)
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place 1 tablespoon in a mound on a silpat/silicone mat lined baking sheet. Space the parmesan mounds 1 " apart. Sprinkle mounds with any desired toppings -- I used about a 1/4 teaspoon per mound. Bake for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown. Each crisp is considered 1/2 point on the Weight Watcher's system (toppings for the crisps were not factored in)
So, with the crisps underway I hadn't given any thought to what my salad would be. I didn't want to use the same old bottle of dressing I'd been using, so decided to play with make a low calorie vinaigrette dressing. I surprised myself with the following -- yes, it looks like mud or chocolate pudding, but it actually tastes quite good. It's slightly thick, so works perfectly as a fruit/veggie dip or creamy salad dressing.
Blueberry Thyme Vinaigrette
1 tablespoon fat-free cream cheese
1 tablespoon sugar-free blueberry preserves
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Dash of cayenne
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat preserves and cream cheese in microwave for 20-30 seconds to soften. Remove and whisk in the vinegar and thyme until smooth. Season to taste. 25 calories, 0 fat, 0 fiber = nearly 1 point on Weight Watcher's program.
I'm still nibbling on my last remaining crisp. They are so wonderful ... I don't want them to end.
You might also like these posts:
How to make pita chips
Asparagus Rice Salad
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Tue, 29 Jan 2008 20:20:00 +0000
- Book Review: Dim Sum, The Art of Chinese Tea Lunch
While cleaning my office today, I rediscovered a small yet wonderful cookbook by Ellen Leong Blonder, Dim Sum: The Art of Chinese Tea Lunch
. Beautifully illustrated, the book is tailored to the everyday person, utilizing commonly found ingredients with detailed explanations on cooking techniques.
I've been going out for dim sum over the past few years at least 1 or 2 times per month. The practice of dim sum started as snacks to accompany afternoon tea but over time became common as breakfast or lunch, with some restaurants serving it well into the evening. The variety of dim sum dishes varies by restaurant, but there are a core set of dishes found almost everywhere and it's these dishes that the author focuses on for her book.
Contents include:
Introduction
Role of Tea
Steamed Dumplings
Boiled and Pan-Fried Dumplings
Breads and Baked Dishes
Rice and Rice Flour Dishes
Greens and Pan-Fried Dishes
Deep-Fried and Bean Curd Sheet Dishes
Meats
Sweets
Sauces and Condiments
Planning a Menu
Equipment and Supplies
Resources
Bibliography
Index
You'll find savory Pork Siu Mai, Chive Dumplings, Char Siu Bao, Taro Dumplings, and Bean Curd Rolls. For the lover's of sweet treats, you'll not be disappointed with Red Bean-Filled Pancakes, Egg Custard Tarts, or Mango Pudding. There are many recipes, and each is accompanied with thorough explanation and guidance.
This cookbook is the first one I've found that made me realize I could confidently recreate a dim sum meal at home. The cookbook makes a great addition to my collection and it deserves a better home than on my cluttered desk!
Note: Ellen Leong Blonder also coauthored the award-winning book, Every Grain of Rice: A Taste of Our Chinese Childhood in America
You might also like these posts:
Finding a cast iron wok
Exploring Chinese hot-pot
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Tue, 29 Jan 2008 18:02:00 +0000
- Beef stew with vegan memories
It's Monday evening and dinner turned out to be a beef stew. I hadn't planned for it, but when I looked into the fridge ... there was the leftover tri tip roast staring back at me. In retrospect, the roast was kinda big for only two people so I should have known I'd be eating red meat for a few days.
Maybe it's the weather which inspires me to make heavy, comforting foods -- it seems to be my theme this past week. Maybe it's that my parents have been visiting us since December and I know there visit is nearing an end. Maybe, I'm secretly craving and seeking out the heavy meat and potato dishes of childhood. When I was young, not a day went by without fluffy white bread, meat, potato, and some sort of veg (optional, of course ... I did not like veggies as a kid).
And, the fact I eat meat at all has a history of its own that I tend to forget about. In high school I protested the slaughter of animals on our farm and declared, "I will not eat meat!". My mother consulted the family doctor, since such a declaration had not been made in those parts. He told her the phase would pass and I would be fine, assuming I took vitamin supplement.
I took the vitamins and avoided meat for nearly two years until college. I returned to my meat eating ways once I left my parents house, but I had made my point and was ready to move on. It wasn't until grad school that my veggie ways returned, more for health reasons this time. I became a strict vegan this time and the effects were noticeable. I felt more energetic and healthy. Oddly, this wave of vegan-ism occurred while I went to school in Texas (yeeeehaw, ya'll!).
It wasn't until I moved to California that I dropped the it for a second time. Most people come to California to be vegetarians, not the other way around. I'm not sure when the urge will strike me again -- for now, at least tonight, I will be having my veggies in a rich and hearty beef stew.
You might also like these posts:
Olive oil crackers
Spice rubbed tri tip roast
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Tue, 29 Jan 2008 04:08:00 +0000
- Weekend blog reading: Olive Oil Crackers
I spent some time catching up on other food blog sites -- it's fun to see what others are doing. I was excited to see that Heidi of 101 Cookbooks recently posted a recipe for Olive Oil Crackers -- they looked amazing. I love all types of crackers and have been thinking about trying to track down a good recipe. Well, as fate would have it, I didn't need to look any further!
The dough is constructed quickly from olive oil and flour. Although the recipe calls for both semolina and a white whole wheat flour, I used what I had on hand -- all purpose flour and whole wheat flour. I used the same ratios as in the recipe. The dough turned out a medium tan color and was easy to knead.
I'm horrible and rolling doughs, especially when they need to be evenly thin. Fortunately, I have pasta roller attachments tucked away in a drawer and it's been ages since I dusted them off. I'm glad that Heidi mentioned this because I'm not sure if I would have thought to use them. They worked perfectly and without much effort on my part.
I used the lasagna roller attachment first and only rolled the dough to a #2. I didn't want the crackers to thin and this seemed to be the thickness I desired. I sliced the sheet into 1" strips then brushed lightly with a garlic infused olive oil before applying my toppings.
One batch received sesame seeds while the another received caraway seeds. A third batch I dusted with poultry seasoning and cracked black pepper. All of them received a little sprinkle of sea salt too. They baked for about 6 minutes until nicely browned.
The dough makes alot of crackers if you're cutting them into strips as I did. I wondered what would happen if I used my fettuccine attachment, so I gave it a whirl. I placed the thin strips on my baking sheet and sprinkled with a combination of: ground cumin, ground chipotle, chili powder, and garlic powder. The result were perfectly crisp cracker 'straws'. And to be honest, they by far were the best batch. These would be perfect stand in a glass next to a big bowl of hummus .... yum.
You might also like these posts:
How to make pita chips
Jazzin' up parmesan crisps
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Mon, 28 Jan 2008 05:19:00 +0000
- Spice rubbed Tri Tip roast
It was love at first sight, a beautiful tri tip roast that hadn't been trimmed of its fatty goodness caught my attention as I approached the meat department. The diet be damned, I had to buy it!
The tri tip roast weighted a little over 2lbs and had a nice layer of fat on top. I allowed the roast to sit on the counter and come up to room temperature, then prepared a quick spice rub/paste and massaged it into meat to coat both sides.
Spice Rub
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
t tablespoon ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. black pepper
Preheat the oven to 425. Place the tri tip onto a roasting pan and roast for 25 minutes. The high heat will help the roast to develop a beautiful brown crust.
After 25 minutes, reduce heat to 350 and continue to roast until medium, another 15-20 minutes. It's important that you keep an eye on it as it will cook quickly, and will continue to cook after removed from the oven.
Let the meat rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
I'll admit that I was in the office blogging and didn't pay close enough attention. I let my meat reach a medium-well state before removing from oven. After it rested, it was nearing well done ... bummer.
I love the crust on top of the meat. The rub gives a slightly warm/spicy flavor and the garlic gives it a little boost. Remember to slice the meat against the grain and in thin slices. I served with steamed broccoli and roasted potato pockets.
Wouldn't this taste good with:
Roasted potato pockets
Asparagus Rice Salad
Tangy Spiced Eggplant Salad
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Sun, 27 Jan 2008 17:27:00 +0000
- Roasted potato pockets
A quick and simple side dish, I prepared this last night to accompany my tri tip roast. I had two large potatoes that I was going to roast, but decided they were way too large for us. I used one potato and sliced in half. I cubed each half and placed onto a piece of foil
Give it a splash of olive oil, a grind of fresh pepper, add a clove of crushed garlic, and a sprig of rosemary. Fold up the edges of the packet and place into a 350 preheated oven for 30-40 minutes.
The potatoes come out perfectly done and full of flavor. I love simple sides ... and there's no dishes to wash!
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Sun, 27 Jan 2008 16:11:00 +0000
- More egg substitution suggestions
I recently wrote about how to make a fake egg. I've since received a few emails and come across additional suggestions. My word of caution is that I have not tried these myself.
Applesauce or Bananas:
1/4 cup applesauce OR 1/2 mashed banana along with 1/2 teaspoon baking powder -- while the fruit adds moisture, the baking powder provides leavening. These would both work best in sweet baked goods situations.
Baking Powder:
Use a 1/2 teaspoon baking powder along with 2 tablespoons of a liquid (i.e. fruit juice)
Not only will these substitutions help in a pinch, I've been reminded that these are helpful for people who are strict vegans.
Related Posts:
How to make a fake egg
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Sun, 27 Jan 2008 03:16:00 +0000
- Testing the strength of baking soda and baking powder
There's nothing worse than baking a cake only to find it flat and lifeless. Both baking soda and baking powder should be stored in a cool, dry cupboard and will remain potent for up to 6 months. If you're concerned that your leavening agents might be a bit stale then here's a quick way to find out:
Baking Soda
Combine 1/4 teaspoon baking soda with 2 teaspoons vinegar
Baking Powder
Combine 1 teaspoon baking powder with 1/3 cup water
If the mixture bubbles, then the leavening agents are still good. If they don't bubble, you need to make a run to the grocery store!
Sat, 26 Jan 2008 23:07:00 +0000
- Dinner at Sushi Zen in San Jose
Last night we had dinner at Sushi Zen in San Jose. The menu is expansive and the food is wonderful. We only discovered this restaurant a few months ago and already it's one of our favorite for consistently good Japanese food.
Sushi Zen
1305 N 1st St
San Jose, CA 95112
(408) 453-1070
read reviews
Joe is a big fan of raw fish, so a large bowl of Chirashi makes him instantly happy. He had already started to dig in when I stopped him so I could take this picture. The dish look even nicer and not as sloppy as it looks in this photo. Essentially, Chirashi is a bowl of rice and vegetables topped with different types of raw fish.
Unfortunately, Sushi Zen was out of the skewered grilled chicken skin, so he ordered the baby grilled squids instead. Personally, I have a policy (or hesitation) with eating any animal still in its full form. Tender and flavorful, the little squids disappeared quickly. The menu contains a sizable grilled section of grilled dishes and next door is an izakaya restaurant with a larger focus on these dishes. I think they are sister restaurants.
The Sushi Zen menu consists of the grilled items as well as teas broths and numerous types of sushi. I'll admit that I'm a fan on less traditional sushi rolls, but often they contain added calories due to creamy sauces or deep frying. So tonight, I had a spicy tuna roll and a California roll. I really don't care for California rolls and I'm not really sure why I went in that direction ... call it an off night.
When we finished eating, our table was cleared promptly and we were given what I call 'orange lollipops'. Peeled orange segments are served in a orange rind bowl with skewers to pick them up. I wrote about this previously and show step by step instructions on how to recreate these little gems.
Overall, it was another good meal from Sushi Zen. The restaurant consistently receives high ratings and I've found every dining experience to be a good one. It was pouring rain last night so the restaurant wasn't too busy and service was prompt and courteous as always. If you live in the San Jose area, I highly recommend trying it out.
Sat, 26 Jan 2008 17:37:00 +0000
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