MISO-GINGER TURKEY MEATBALLS WITH CABBAGE “NOODLES”

Posted in Poultry by sallybr

Once again, I share a recipe that will not get any prizes on beauty contests. Brown food, oh so very tricky to get a good-looking picture. But I would never shy away from sharing something tasty, so let’s get to the most important point: how to get this to your table!

MISO-GINGER MEATBALLS WITH CABBAGE “NOODLES”
(inspired by Modern Proper)

1 + 1/2 pounds ground turkey
2 tablespoons white miso paste
1 egg
1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup finely grated carrot
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 + 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
olive oil spray

for the cabbage:
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
finely sliced green cabbage, amount to taste
salt and pepper to taste

to finish the dish:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon white miso paste
sesame seeds for serving

Heat oven to 400F.

In a large bowl, stir together the eggs and 1 tablespoon of the miso paste until fully incorporated. Add the ground turkey, almond flour, carrot, ginger, salt, and pepper. Mix well, then with wet hands, form golf ball–size meatballs and place on a sheet pan covered with aluminum foil. Spray the surface of the meatballs with olive oil, and bake for about 20 minutes, turning them midway through baking.

When the meatballs are almost done, start making the cabbage. Heat the oil on a large non-stick skillet until almost smoking. Add the cabbage, season with salt and pepper, and allow it to brown slightly. Move it around, flipping the strands, until cooked through, but don’t let it get mushy. Transfer to a serving dish. To the same skillet, add the soy sauce and miso, whisk until the miso fully dissolves. Add the turkey meatballs to the soy mixture and simmer gently for a few minutes, with the pan covered.

Serve the meatballs with the cabbage noodles, sprinkle with sesame seeds if so desired.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: My friend Tracy a couple of months ago mentioned that cabbage is a great alternative to low-carb “noodles” if you get tired of zucchini. I am a huge fan of zoodles , but decided to give her idea a try, and I can see why she loved her Pad Thai so much when lightened up with thinly sliced cabbage. It absorbs any flavor you use for a sauce, and the texture is quite pleasing. I don’t follow any particular type of diet, but tend to favor lightening the carbs whenever possible. In this case, it matched well the meatballs in their Oriental ways. I served ours with air-fried butternut squash that was leftover from another meal.

ONE YEAR AGO: Smoked Shrimp Tacos with Roasted Jalapeño Salsa

TWO YEARS AGO: Corn Fritters

TWO YEARS AGO: Minnie Macarons

THREE YEARS AGO: Air-Fried Mexican Meatloaf

FOUR YEARS AGO: Mimi’s Sticky Chicken, a Call from my Past

FIVE YEARS AGO: Perfect Soy-Grilled Steak

SIX YEARS AGO: The Devil’s Bread

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Heart of Palm Salad Skewers

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Potluck Frittata and Lavoisier

NINE YEARS AGO: Home-made Corn Tortillas

TEN YEARS AGO: Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Peanut Sauce

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Brigadeiros: A Brazilian Party!

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Lemony Asparagus

20Mar2022

PAN-STEAMED BROCCOLI WITH MISO VINAIGRETTE

Posted in Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

Some recipes become part of our routine and the pan-steamed broccoli is my default. Six exact minutes cooking. Six minutes that I use to make a simple dressing as described in the original blog post of years ago (click here). This time, I took the flavor into a Japanese territory, and used miso, vinegar, and ginger. Sesame seeds closed the deal. If you find broccoli flavor too strong, this method might please you, because it masks it quite a bit. If you prefer to taste the real flavor of broccoli, stay with a simpler dressing as previously blogged.

PAN-STEAMED BROCCOLI WITH MISO VINAIGRETTE
(adapted from Ellie Krueger)

1 large head of broccoli florets (1½ pounds)
1/2 cup water
salt to taste
1 tablespoon white miso
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tsp honey
grated fresh ginger, to taste
sesame seeds to garnish

Place the broccoli florets more or less in a single layer inside a saucepan. Add ½ cup water, sprinkle salt all over. Cover and cook over a high heat for 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Do not remove the lid during cooking. When the broccoli is done, it will be cooked to crisp-tender. If you prefer it a bit softer, remove it from the heat and allow it to sit, covered, for another minute or two.

While the broccoli is cooking, make the dressing whisking all ingredients (from miso to ginger) vigorously until smooth.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the broccoli to a serving bowl, toss gently with the dressing, and garnish with sesame seeds. Adjust seasoning if needed.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I share the picture of what the pan will look like once you open it at the end of 6 minutes, because if I don’t you will be shocked and hate me for a few minutes. It will look bad. However, it cleans like a breeze, do not worry about it, the moment you rinse the pan that brown residue goes away. And you are left with perfectly cooked broccoli that can be dressed in any way you like. As I mentioned, this is a recipe I cook all the time, probably once/week. We love it, and it is sooooo simple! The dressing tames the natural funky flavor of broccoli. It will please that family member who twists the nose at this beautiful vegetable.

ONE YEAR AGO: Cookies and Rubber Stamps

TWO YEARS AGO: Macarons for all Seasons and Reasons

THREE YEARS AGO: Lentils and Radicchio? Yes, please!

FOUR YEAR AGO: Tres Leches Cake

FIVE YEARS AGO: The Joys of Grating Squash

SIX YEARS AGO: Auberge-Pecan Walnut Bread

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Gluten-free and Vegan Raspberry Bars

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Lasserre, a French Classic

NINE YEARS AGO: Sourdough Bread with Walnuts and Dates

TEN YEARS AGO: Braised Brisket with Bourbon-Apricot Glaze

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: The Real Vodka Sauce

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Pork Tenderloin and Blue Cheese

7Jan2021

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH APRICOT-MISO GLAZE

Posted in Pork by sallybr

My default method of preparation for pork tenderloin is butterflied and grilled. I suppose default means a single entity, so I will break that rule and include a second option: sous-vide. But sometimes you get into a situation that prevents both from happening. It was very nasty outside so grilling would be masochism. And there was not enough time to sous-vide unless we wanted to have dinner at 9pm. Brazilians do that often, but I totally lost that habit and have no interest in re-visiting it. I had to come up with a plan C, and this was the tasty outcome.

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH APRICOT-MISO GLAZE
(adapted from Bon Appetit)

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
5 tablespoons apricot preserves
1/4 cup red miso
1/4 cup Champagne vinegar
2 teaspoons finely grated orange peel
2 pork tenderloins
1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth

Heat oven to 425°F. Coat large rimmed baking sheet with oil spray. Combine preserves, miso, vinegar, orange peel, and garlic in small pot over medium heat. Cook until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. If you want to make a smooth sauce, use a handheld mixer or small food processor for a few seconds. Reserve.

Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Place on prepared baking sheet, tucking thin end under to ensure even cooking. Brush with 2 tablespoons apricot glaze; roast 12 to 15 minutes. Turn pork over with tongs and brush with 3 more tablespoons glaze. Continue to roast until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 150°F, 10 minutes longer. If you like your pork cooked a bit more (we do), keep cooking and check the internal temperature with a probe thermometer.

Transfer pork to cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, add chicken broth to remaining apricot glaze. Bring to simmer and cook until reduced to 2/3 cup sauce, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Slice pork crosswise into 1/2- to 3/4- inch-thick slices and arrange on platter. Spoon sauce over and serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: There is really nothing special about the handling of the tenderloin, apart from the delicious glaze. Different brands of apricot preserves have different levels of “chunkiness”, I used one with pretty large pieces of apricot and they did not quite melt into the sauce even with heating. So I opted to smooth things out with my blender. You might get by without that step. I only roasted one tenderloin, and had a bit of sauce leftover. It showed up again a couple of evenings later to coat chicken-cashew meatballs. Perfect marriage. Actually I believe this glaze will go well with pretty much any type of protein, including seafood.

ONE YEAR AGO: Tropical Sunshine Entremet Cake (perhaps my favorite ever!)

TWO YEARS AGO: Freekeh with Zucchini and Almonds

THREE YEARS AGO: Salmon a la Wellington, re-visited

FOUR YEARS AGO: The Unbearable Unfairness of Cake Baking

FIVE YEARS AGO: Hermit Cookies

SIX YEARS AGO: Cremini Mushroom Meatloaf

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Ottolenghi & Tamimi’s Roast Chicken with Clementines

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Eight-Ball Zucchini: The Missing Files

NINE YEARS AGO: Grilling Ribbons

TEN YEARS AGO: Peppery Cashew Crunch

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Ossobuco Milanese: an Italian Classic

8Oct2019

MISO & SESAME ROAST CHICKEN WITH REVELATION QUINOA

Posted in Poultry, Rice and Grains by sallybr

It always fascinates me how little details, minor changes in dealing with an ingredient can change the outcome. In this post, the chicken goes from being roasted whole to flattened out – the famous “spatchcocking” method which sounds a lot naughtier than it is. It cooks faster and you get better browning of the skin . And the quinoa? First it is prepared as the instructions in the package tell you to, but then it gets roasted. I don’t call it revelation quinoa for nothing.

MISO & SESAME ROAST CHICKEN WITH ROOT VEGETABLES
(adapted from Nigella Lawson)

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp sesame oil, divided
4 tsp white miso
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp finely grated peeled ginger
1 chicken, butterflied
2 tsp sesame seeds
root vegetables of your choice, peeled and cut in 1/2 to 1 inch pieces
salt and black pepper to taste

Combine vegetable oil, 1 tsp sesame oil, miso, soy sauce, lemon juice and ginger in a small bowl. Place butterflied chicken in a shallow roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet. Add oil mixture, turning chicken to coat. Cover tightly with foil. Refrigerate overnight. One hour before roasting chicken, remove chicken from refrigerator.

Heat oven to 375°F. Distribute the veggies around the chicken. Season the chicken and veggies with salt and pepper. Cover baking pan with foil. Roast for one hour. After 40 minutes, uncover and baste the chicken and veggies with the juices that form at the bottom of the pan. Cover again and roast for another 20 minutes, increasing the temperature to 400 F. Remove chicken from oven; remove foil. Baste with pan juices, drizzle with remaining 1 tsp sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Roast, uncovered, 20 minutes or until skin is golden, chicken is done and juices have caramelized. Cut in pieces and serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

ROASTED RED QUINOA
(adapted from Mostly Plants)

1 cup red quinoa
2 cups water or chicken broth
salt to taste
1/2 tablespoon olive oil

Rinse quinoa with cold running water. Drain well. Heat a non-stick sauce pan and add the quinoa, stirring often until it starts to toast. Once it gets fragrant and you can see some darkening of the seeds, add 2 cups water, bring to a boil and simmer until liquid is absorbed.

Heat oven to 400 F. When the quinoa is cooked, transfer to a quart size baking sheet spreading as a layer. Add the olive oil and mix well. Roast in the oven for about 25 minutes, moving the seeds around a few times during roasting. Serve, and amaze yourself.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I’ve made this chicken three times already, tweaking the temperature and timing to suit our taste. In Nigella’s version the whole thing is done in about one hour at a higher temperature, but I prefer the method I shared with you today. The quinoa is just wonderful. I doubt I will have it any other way from now on. Ok, it does take longer, but what I’m doing now is cooking it in water (or broth), cooling it down and saving it in the fridge. Then it is a 20-25 minute job, perfect to do while the main dish is being prepared. It is all about texture, a real game changer.

As the weather cools down, two things happen. My mood takes a deep dive, and this type of meal shows up more often in our menu. Such is life. Yin and yang.

ONE YEAR AGO: Incredibly Simple Times Four

TWO YEARS AGO: Parsnip, Coconut and Lemongrass Soup

THREE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, October 2016

FOUR YEARS AGO: Paleo Moussaka

FIVE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, October 2014

SIX YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, October 2013

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Bourbon and Molasses Glazed Pork Tenderloin

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Crimson and Cream Turkey Chili

NINE YEARS AGO: Taking a break from the nano-kitchen

TEN YEARS AGO: Chocolate Chip Cookies

21Jan2017

SOUP SATURDAY: A NEW BLOG EVENT!

Posted in Soups by sallybr

As those who follow my site might remember, a blog event I participated for years – The Secret Recipe Club – recently came to an end. Some of the participants took matters into their own hands and came up with fun ideas to keep us connected and sharing recipes on a regular basis. With this post, I offer my first contribution to Soup Saturday, as launched by Wendy, from A Day In the Life on the Farm. We are all sharing recipes for healthy soups so if you’d like some serious inspiration, make sure to click on the link party at the end of this post. I loved the idea because if there’s one thing I should make more often, it’s soup. Any reason to make it more often sounds great to me.

To start things on a nice note, I will share not one but two recipes, both were a huge hit with us. I honestly don’t know which one would be my favorite. Phil leaned towards the second. I wish I had made them on the same day to pour them in a bowl side by side, making an Yin Yang kind of hybrid soup. I’ve seen that done before, it looks very stylish. Take a look at this version, for instance.

These are very low in carbs, especially the first one. The second involves some carrots (three for the whole batch), so it is slightly more fulfilling. Both are Paleo-friendly, in case you are interested…

ASPARAGUS SOUP WITH ADVIEH
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

1 bunch of asparagus, tough ends removed (about 1 pound)
1 leek, white part only, minced
1 tablespoon coconut oil (or olive oil)
1 cup baby spinach leaves, well packed
salt and pepper
1/2 to 1 teaspoon advieh (or a mild curry mix)
2 + 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup coconut milk
fresh lemon juice to taste

Heat the coconut oil in a large saucepan. Add the leeks and saute until translucent. Cut the asparagus, in 1-inch pieces, add to the pan and saute gently for a few minutes, until it starts to get some color. Season with salt and pepper. Add the advieh, is using, saute briefly stirring constantly, until the spice mix releases its aroma.

Add the water, close the pan, and simmer gently until the asparagus is fully tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer mixture to a blender (preferably high power), add the spinach leaves, and blend. The spinach will “cook” in the residual heat of the soup. Return soup to pan, add the coconut milk, simmer until heated through. Squirt a little lemon juice right before serving. Adjust seasoning, and…

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Advieh is a mixture of spices that varies a lot depending on the region, but usually contains turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger and dried rose petals. I got mine not too long ago, and decided to give it a try. Good move by Sally. It turned out subtle, not at all as if you are swallowing perfume… I would define it as a floral curry. Quite unique, very flavorful. I find the idea of eating something with rose petals quite enticing… don’t you?

LEMONY CAULIFLOWER & CARROT SOUP
(adapted from a recipe from Melissa Clark)

1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, diced
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
5 to 6 cups of water
1 teaspoons kosher salt, more as needed
1 tablespoon white miso
1 small head of cauliflower or 1/2 large one,
zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons lemon juice, more to taste

Rice the cauliflower in a food processor and reserve (you can also use the florets, in this case add them together with the carrots). Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the shallots and saute until translucent. Add coriander and a little salt, saute until fragrant. Add carrots, saute briefly, add 5 cups of water and the miso, stirring well until it dissolves. Simmer for 15 minutes, add the riced cauliflower and cook everything together for 5 more minutes (riced cauliflower cooks fast).

Remove the soup from the heat. Using an immersion blender, purée the soup until smooth, or transfer to a blender. Return the soup to the pan, over very low heat add the lemon zest and juice. Adjust seasoning, and serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: The original recipe from Melissa Clark has a higher proportion of carrots and uses more miso, which in my opinion overpowered the flavor of the veggies. I liked my revised version a lot more. You can barely detect the miso, but it adds a nice exotic flavor to it. This soup was my lunch three days in a row, and if there was more, I would have it on day 4 again. Nothing better in a chilly day, I can tell you that. I topped it with black sesame seeds, and a swirl of yogurt and Sriracha. That really took the soup to a higher level, I love to vary the amount of Sriracha at each spoonful, testing my limits. Of course, if you prefer a more tamed version, omit the hot sauce, but the yogurt is perfect with it.