Category Archives: Pre-preparable

Jimami Tofu Recipe: How to Make Okinawan Peanut Tofu

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Jimami tofu (peanut tofu) with Sweetened Soy Sauce
Jimami tofu (peanut tofu) with Sweetened Soy Sauce

I first had jimami tofu (peanut tofu) when traveling in Mei Prefecture in Japan. Locals invited us over for a delicious breakfast consisting of miso soup, steamed rice, mango, kurobuta sausage, sweet Japanese omelet, pickled plums in honey, jimami tofu, and green tea. The tofu was unlike any other tofu I’ve ever had, bursting with peanut flavor in a sweet, savory sauce. At first, I assumed the sauce gave it the peanut flavor—since tofu usually takes on the flavor of the ingredients it’s paired with. Later, I found out that jimami tofu isn’t actually tofu—since it’s not made with soybeans; rather, it’s made from peanuts! It’s called tofu because it looks and feels like tofu.    read more

Vegetarian Foods Around the World: Tabouleh with Baharat Seasoning

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Vegetarian Foods Around the World: Tabouleh with Baharat Seasoning

Vegetarian Foods Around the World: Tabouleh with Baharat Seasoning

Vegetarian Foods Around the World: Tabouleh with Baharat Seasoning

I know many people want to incorporate more vegetables into their diet as part of a healthy lifestyle, so I thought it would be fun to do a Vegetarian Foods Around the World Series to highlight some tasty vegetarian dishes that you can make at home. I hope these dishes inspire you to eat more veggies and show you the versatility and deliciousness of vegetarian cooking. My first post in this series is a tomato and cabbage tabouleh with Baharat seasoning.

Harrisa Hummus, Fresh Pitas, and Cabbage Tabouleh with Baharat SeasoningHarrisa Hummus, Fresh Pitas, and Cabbage Tabouleh with Baharat Seasoning

I never grow tired of tabouleh and its infinite varieties. It’s a healthy vegetarian salad full of Middle Eastern flavors and spices. Traditionally, tabouleh is made with burghul (also known as bulgur), parsley, scallions, mint, and tomatoes tossed with a lemon vinaigrette. This tomato and cabbage tabouleh recipe is a variation on the original; thinly-sliced cabbage and minced onion replace the parsley, and a Baharat spice blend seasons the salad. I love the brightness of the tomatoes, the crunchiness of the cabbage, the freshness of the mint, and the sweet and heady aroma of the cinnamon and nutmeg. It’s fresh, vibrant, and delicious.

What is Baharat Seasoning?

Baharat—Arabic for spices—is a Middle Eastern spice blend consisting of: all spice, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, ginger, nutmeg, and paprika. It adds a sweet note to savory dishes and is used as a seasoning to flavor grilled meats, rice, soups, and salads.  You can make your own or buy it online. It’s an all-purpose seasoning that you’ll be happy to have in your pantry. It does wonders to this tabouleh dish!

Menu Suggestions

Olives, Harissa Hummus, Homemade Pitas, and Tabouleh with Baharat Seasoning

Olives, Harissa Hummus, Homemade Pitas, and Tabouleh with Baharat Seasoning

Serve this tabouleh with hummus (get the recipe for harissa hummus or roasted red pepper hummus), olives, and pitas for a delicious vegetarian meal!

Let me know in the comments if you like this series and what vegetarian dishes you’d like me to blog about in the future.

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Cook Filipino Yellow Chicken Adobo with Turmeric and Coconut Milk

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Filipino Yellow Chicken Adobo with Turmeric and Coconut Milk

Filipino Yellow Chicken Adobo with Turmeric and Coconut Milk

Yellow chicken adobo is a classic Filipino dish that’s sweet and sour, luscious and creamy. It’s the perfect comfort food—warm, hearty, and full of flavor. Adobo is the Spanish word for marinade, but in this context refers to a specific style of cooking developed in the Philippines, where meat and/or vegetables are slowly cooked in a vinegar-based sauce. Originally, this served as a preservation technique; the acidic vinegar saturates the food, prolonging the time you can safely eat it.

Toasted Ground Turmeric—What Gives Yellow Adobo its Distinctive Color

Toasted Ground Turmeric—What Gives Yellow Adobo its Distinctive Color

This yellow adobo is made with bay leaves, black peppercorns, turmeric, onion, shallots, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, coconut milk, sugarcane vinegar, and honey. The ground turmeric gives the adobo its vibrant yellow hue. Coconuts are a common ingredient in Filipino cooking and feature heavily in the dish, both in the sauce and as a topping. Coconut milk adds richness to the sauce, while burnt shredded coconut adds a smoky-bitterness. Sugarcane vinegar, a distinctive Filipino ingredient, gives the dish a sour kick. The spicy, sweet, sour and bitter flavors interact and combine to create an intensely flavorful stew.

Prepped Ingredients for Cooking Filipino Yellow Chicken Adobo

Prepped Ingredients for Cooking Filipino Yellow Chicken Adobo

Cooking this yellow chicken adobo takes time and effort—you need to prep the ingredients, toast the turmeric and shredded coconut, make the adobo sauce, roast the vegetables, grill the chicken and slowly simmer it in the adobo sauce. However, once you taste it, you’ll know all your hard work was worth it. The chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender and adobo sauce is incredible. I’ve made it countless times and it’s always a favorite!

Have you made adobo before? What’s your favorite Filipino adobo?

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Fromage Blanc with Honey and Raspberries

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Fromage Blanc with Honey and Raspberries

Fromage Blanc with Honey, Raspberries, Vanilla-Bourbon Sugar, and Espresso

This is the last post in my series re-creating Julia Child’s first meal in France. It started off with oysters on the half shell with rye bread and butter, followed by sole meunière (sole filets pan-fried with butter and topped with capers, lemon juice, and parsley). The third course was a light and refreshing salad dressed with a Dijon-mustard vinaigrette. Fromage blanc with honey, raspberries, and espresso concludes the meal (Julia Child had a strong café filter, which is a large cup of American-style coffee, but because I only have a Bialetti espresso maker, I opted for espresso).

Fromage Blanc French-Style Fresh Cheese

Fromage Blanc—French-Style Fresh Cheese

Fromage blanc is a fresh cheese, which means it hasn’t been aged. It’s mild and soft, similar in texture to sour cream, with a tart flavor. Although fromage blanc is low in fat, it still has a rich and creamy texture, and its subtle flavor does well in both sweet and savory applications. You can find fromage blanc in the dairy section of some grocery stores, usually next to the yogurt (call ahead to check). I found it at Whole Foods.

Fromage Blanc with Cream, Honey, and Chambord

Fromage Blanc with Cream, Honey, and Chambord

Julia Child doesn’t go into much detail about the dessert of her first meal in France, other than saying, “We followed our meal with a leisurely dessert of fromage blanc, and ended with a strong, dark café filtre.” So I got to play with how I served the fromage blanc. My mind leaped to raspberries and Chambord, a black raspberry liqueur made with blackberries, raspberries, cognac, vanilla, and herbs.

Fromage blanc’s natural flavor is somewhat tart, so I softened it with a sweetener–honey pairs well with berries. I also boosted the richness of the fromage blanc by adding some heavy whipping cream. I finished the dessert with fresh raspberries and a sprinkle of vanilla-bourbon sugar for some texture and a more nuanced flavor. I made my own vanilla-bourbon sugar, but you can also purchase it online if you prefer. This fromage blanc with honey and raspberries was the perfect ending to a wonderful French meal!

Here’s a look at the four courses of the evening:

Oysters on the Half Shell Rye Bread Unsalted ButterJulia Child’s Sole Meunière Recipe

Chopped Romaine Lettuce Dressed with a Classic French Dijon Vinaigrette and Sliced KumquatsFromage Blanc with Honey and Raspberries

Now you have all the recipes to re-create Julia Child’s first meal in France! Bon appétit!

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Mother’s Day Brunch Menu Bon Appétit 2014

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Strawberry-Rhubarb Salad with Mint and Hazelnuts

Strawberry-Rhubarb Salad with Mint and Hazelnuts

Happy Mother’s Day! This blog post is dedicated to all the moms in the world and especially to my beautiful mother, who taught me the importance of family, inspired my appreciation for good food, and loves my sister and I unconditionally.

 

Preparing a Mother’s Day brunch is a special way to honor your mom. After all, mothers spend a lot of time making meals for their children; it’s nice to return the favor and let them sit back and relax while you wait on them. Trust me, they won’t complain! read more