STEAMED CHICKEN WITH BLACK BEAN SAUCE

Posted in Poultry by sallybr

Sometimes a recipe intrigues me. I am not sure I will like it, or might have issues with the method of preparation, but something tells me I must give it a try. I saw this one at chinasichuanfood, placed an order for the fermented black beans (featured in my latest In My Kitchen post), took a deep breath and went to work. We simply loved it! Plus, it gave me a totally new use for the pressure cooker, exploring the steam setting. Do you need a pressure cooker to make it? No, you don’t. But it gave a delicious, velvet texture to the meat. We ate like kings. Or maybe I should say emperors.

STEAMED CHICKEN IN BLACK BEAN SAUCE
(adapted from chinasichuanfood)

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut in small pieces
1 Tablespoon sherry wine (or Chinese cooking wine)
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon hoisin sauce sauce
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
2 spring onions
5 slices of ginger
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
2 Tablespoons fermented black beans, finely minced
2 Tablespoons peanut oil
shiitake mushrooms, amount to taste, or a mixture of mushrooms
sesame oil and soy sauce to finish

Make a marinade with the sherry, soy sauce, hoisin, salt and black pepper. Add the chicken pieces, mix well, add the spring onions and ginger pieces. Place in the fridge for several hours.

Discard the spring onion and pieces of ginger. Add the cornstarch to the meat and gently mix. Place the mushrooms in the bottom of a steamer, then add the chicken on top. Spread the fermented black beans all over the chicken pieces. Heat the oil until it is starting to smoke. Pour immediately over the fermented beans, it will sizzle.

Steam the whole mixture of mushroom and meat for 15 minutes. If using a pressure cooker, add enough water (a little over 1 cup) in the pan to make sure it will have enough to steam for the required time.

Remove the meat from the steamer and serve, drizzling a bit of sesame oil and soy sauce.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I used 6 pieces of chicken and that was the maximum amount my steamer would hold. It was enough for our dinner and we had leftovers that I claimed for my lunch next day. The texture of the meat is perfect for my taste. I normally prefer to stir-fry breast meat, saving the thighs for the grill, but steaming is a real game-changer. Once again, not the type of recipe that will win beauty contests, but the flavor was fantastic. It will definitely go into our regular rotation. You can go into the original website and watch a nice video of the whole preparation.

ONE YEAR AGO: Ginger-Dill Salmon

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4Jul2022

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

Posted in Cookies by sallybr

For those in the USA, have a nice celebration… please do your part to minimize the fireworks, as it is so difficult for pets and for many human beings, for all sorts of reasons.

To learn more about this set of cookies, stop by my cookie blog with a click here…

1Jul2022

IN MY KITCHEN, SUMMER 2022

Posted in In My Kitchen by sallybr

2 months, 11 days since our beloved friend left us…

In My Kitchen posts are hosted by Sherry, from Sherry’s Pickings. Please visit her site to see whateverybody else is sharing this month. I join four times each year, on the first day of January, April, July and October. If you are a food blogger, considering taking part of this fun event. It is chance to share those little things you bought or received as gifts and that make your life in the kitchen easier.

In our kitchen…

The most delicious lettuce leaves known to mankind, or so we think… thanks to the work of my beloved husband who years ago built a planter and keeps it going every Spring…

The picture above is a couple of weeks old, the planter looks like a little jungle now…

In our kitchen…

A very simple gadget to slice butter (available here). Normally people would buy it to serve pats of butter to guests, but I use it to slice a stick and use in baking. It comes to room temperature a lot faster and it’s so much easier than slicing with a knife.

In our kitchen…

Another simple gadget, this one works magic to get kernels off corn cobs (available here). Super efficient and again, easier than any other method I’ve used.

In our kitchen…

A silicone mold that is used for fondant, but as you can read about in my cookie blog, it also works for baking cookies.

In our kitchen…

Fermented black beans (douchi), small bombs of flavor used in traditional Chinese cooking. I am learning my ways with it. They will be featured in a great recipe very soon. In a food blog near you!

In our kitchen…

Two little platters found at Marshall’s. When you bake the right cookies, they can be little matches made in heaven…

In our kitchen….

Dried kaffir lime leaves… I investigated quite extensively before getting this product. Normally nothing beats fresh leaves, but they are hard to find where we live. These got excellent reviews by consumers, so I caved. And they are indeed great. Stay tuned for future adventures…

In our kitchen…

Tomato powder, a new product from Spice House. I saw it advertised by the company and could not resist it. So far I’ve used it to add flavor to rice, and it works wonders for that. I just add 1/2 tsp to the amount of rice I normally cook (1 cup of Basmati).

In our kitchen…

Another great product I got recently, this one after my friend Karen blogged about it. Stay tuned for my “experiments” with it…

In our kitchen…

A small plastic knife that does wonders to cut cakes with a lot of moisture such as a brownie. Available here. Used to cut a batch of banana bread brownies, works like a dream!

So that wraps up what I had to share as far as new gadgets and goodies for you… Moving on, it’s time to let the pups bark a little bit… Starting with very important news…

It is Buck’s Birthday today, my little Bucky Boy… Last year, when he turned 14, my heart was already getting a bit heavy, wondering how long would we have together. One year later, he is still around, dealing with his almost total deafness as best as he can. His hearing is gone as far as voice commands go, but he hears clapping and that’s how we communicate.

For his Birthday he’s got a toy…

He’s got a ball…

But, truth is, his favorite “gift” is the one he stole from the trash can (sigh)…

And that seems to be totally fine with this brother…

The rivalry is real, but not too serious. Buck and Bogey were great buddies, and we worried about Buck without him. He seems fine, adjusted well, and now explores the backyard with Oscar, following his lead, for the most part.

This time of the year, we are back having our evening tea outside, watching the sunset, admiring the fireflies, listening to the birds, the owls, the distant coyotes. Like before. But the difference is the huge absence of our Black Spotted Capeless Hero… The emptiness he left is impossible to put into words.

ONE YEAR AGO: In My Kitchen, July 2021

TWO YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, July 2020

THREE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, June 2019

FOUR YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen – July 2018

FIVE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, July 2017

SIX YEARS AGO: Secret Recipe Club: Falafel and a Bonus Recipe

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Chocolate Toffee Banana Bread

EIGHT YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, June 2014

NINE YEARS AGO: Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

TEN YEARS AGO: Baked Coconut and “The Brazilian Kitchen”

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Honey-Glazed Chicken Legs

TWELVE YEARS AGO: French-Style Rolls

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28Jun2022

FOR THE LOVE OF SOURDOUGH

Posted in Breads by sallybr

Playing with different scoring styles for sourdough… The only new recipe is Pecan Flour Sourdough (top left). I had a bag of pecan flour hanging around, and did a little sourdough experiment with it. Pecan flour brings flavor and some fat to the party, but no gluten, so it’s not a good idea to add too much to your basic bread formula. We loved the texture of the crumb, the delicate flavor, and the slight purple tone it contributed. The bread lasts longer at room temperature without drying. And of course, it freezes beautifully, like any sourdough does.

PECAN FLOUR SOURDOUGH
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

480g bread flour
20g spelt flour
20g pecan flour
10g salt
370g water
80g sourdough starter at 100% hydration

Make the levain mixture about 6 hours before you plan to mix the dough. It should be very bubbly and active.

When you are ready to make the final dough, place the water in the bowl of a KitchenAid type mixer and dissolve the starter in it, mixing with a spatula briefly, then add the three types of flour, and the salt. Turn the mixer on with the hook attachment and knead the dough for 4 minutes at low-speed all the time. If the dough is too sticky, add 1/4 cup flour, you want the dough to start clearing the sides of the bowl, but still be sticky at the bottom.

Remove from the machine, and transfer to a container lightly coated with oil, cover lightly with plastic wrap and allow it to ferment for 4 hours, folding every 45 minutes or so. After four hours bulk fermentation, shape the dough as a ball, and place, seam side up, in a lightly floured banetton. Leave at room temperature one hour, and then place in the fridge overnight, from 8 to 12 hours.

Next morning, heat the oven to 450F. Invert the dough over parchment paper, sprinkle tapioca flour over it for a very light coverage. Next, use a brand new razor blade to score the design.

Bake at 450F for 45 minutes, preferably covered for the first 30 minutes to retain steam. Cool completely over a rack before slicing.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: The picture did not really show the color too well. In real life, there was a very very light hint of purple. The bread is delicious, with a complex flavor, not clearly associated with pecans. I wanted to keep just the flour in this version, but adding pieces of toasted pecan to the formula will be happening in the future.

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THREE YEARS AGO: Marshmallow Macarons

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25Jun2022

TWO DELICIOUSLY REFRESHING CUCUMBER SALADS

Posted in Salads, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

Cucumber might be one of the most under-appreciated veggies, at least in our kitchen. I love raita, but rarely make it. At the grocery store, I grab every single veggie before inviting a cucumber into my shopping bag. But in the past couple of weeks I’ve been on a cucumber obsession, so today I share two recipes that will be part of our regular rotation from now on.

CUCUMBER & CRISPY CHICKPEAS WITH AVOCADO DRESSING

CUCUMBER AND CHICKPEA SALAD WITH AVOCADO DRESSING
(adapted from Minimalist Baker)

for crispy chickpeas:
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste
spray of olive oil if using air-fryer, 1 tablespoon olive oil if baking

for salad:
2 large cucumbers, peeled in strips, seeds removed, sliced thin
1 avocado, mashed
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar
squirt of lemon juice
1/4 tsp each sea salt and black pepper
1/4 cup freshly chopped mint
1/4 cup freshly chopped dill

Make crispy chickpeas. Best way is with air-fryer. Spray with olive oil, season with paprika, salt and pepper, and cook for about 15 minutes in the highest temperature your fryer allows. Reserve.

When ready to make the salad, mash the avocado in a large bowl, squirt some lemon juice oven, then the olive oil, balsamic and the herbs. Season with salt. Mash it all well together. Add the slices of cucumber, toss with the creamy avocado dressing. Add the crispy chickpeas and serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

This salad took Phil and I into a state of awe. I have a great friend who always says that food bloggers tend to use too many superlatives to describe their food, and I agree that can be annoying. But please allow me to say, this is an outstanding little salad, in which every ingredient works perfectly. Creamy, refreshing, hearty, we had zero leftovers. A moment of silence for my lunch next day, in which this salad was just a memory.

Moving on to version #2…

CUCUMBER & SHAVED CARROT SALAD WITH YOGURT-DILL DRESSING

CUCUMBER AND SHAVED CARROT SALAD WITH YOGURT-DILL DRESSING
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

2 cucumbers, peeled in strips, seeds removed, sliced very thin
1 tablespoon salt
1 large carrot, shaved in a box grater
1/2 cup full-fat yogurt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tsp agave nectar
fresh dill to taste, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Place the slices of cucumber in a colander, add the salt and let it sit for 30 minutes. Lighty rinse the slices, and dry them on a paper towel.

Make the dressing by mixing yogurt, olive oil, vinegar, agave nectar, dill and spices. Whisk well. Add the dressing to the slices of cucumber, incorporate the grated carrot. Leave the salad in the fridge for about 20 minutes before serving.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I took two different approaches to the cucumber. In the first recipe I used them straight after slicing, whereas I salted them in the second version. As expected, in the salted version the cucumber had a slightly more tender texture. We loved them both ways, so if you are in a hurry, skip the salting in version #2, as it won’t compromise the outcome.

Both salads ended up as the star in our dinner, I highly recommend you consider increasing your consumption of cucumber, if you are also part of the team that keeps forgetting all about them…

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