Bok Choy and Ginger with… Protein.

Ok, so in this bowl is chicken stock, soy sauce, nam pla, grated ginger, brown sugar, cornstarch, mirin (rice wine) and Schiracha.


This is baby bok choy, split lengthwise and washed.


This is tofu marinating in soy sauce and rice wine vinegar. For those of you who consider this not to be a food, imagine it to be pork or chicken.


We also have onion, garlic, more ginger, and scallions.


Fry off your protein at a really high heat, remove. I needs me a wok.


Stir fry the veggies, minus the scallions. Add the garlic after the bok choy has started to wilt, so you don't burn it. If you want, a pinch of red pepper flakes is nice.


Make sure the sauce is really mixed together (i.e. the cornstarch isn't sitting in a lump at the bottom), and pour into pan. Scrape up the fond, and cook until thickened.


Toss protein back in to coat, and serve with rice, topped with sesame seeds and scallions. More Schiracha at this point, if you so desire.

More things to do with leftover chicken.

Ah, chicken breast. So versatile, so… boring.


Let's add some flavor: Onion, garlic, bell pepper, and your various herbs, spices, and umami.


No potato in the house, but there is some steamed cauliflower.


Season and brown the chicken!


Sautee the aromatics!


Deglaze with white wine and add some tomato paste! Add a bit of stock!


Add cauliflower!


And the chicken!


Toss in basil and parmesan cheese, toss to combine, and throw in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes!


Serve with more parmesan.


Note: There was something somehow missing in this. We tried adding black olives & more pepper, with mixed results. Suggestions welcome.

White Bean Chicken Soup with Orzo

I got some leftover roast chicken again…


So let's chop up the usual: onion, garlic, bell pepper, jalapeño, celery.


Fry up & brown the chicken with cumin and chili powder (in this case, smoked Serrano) Remove.


Cook the veggies.


Deglaze with red wine; cook for a couple of minutes to get some of the alcohol out.


Chop up some tomato.


Return chicken, add tomato, a bay leaf, and white beans.


Add stock to cover, let simmer for half an hour.


While you're waiting, make some orzo (rice-shaped pasta).


To plate, put some orzo in the bottom of the bowl, ladle on some of the soup, and garnish with lime juice & parsley.

Cuban* Black Bean Soup

We're starting with: Hot sausage, tomatoes, onion, garlic, Serrano pepper, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, red wine, red wine vinegar, salt, and George Bernard Shaw.


Brown the sausage, and remove.


Sauté the onion and Serrano with a lot of cumin and a pinch of salt until soft.


Add the garlic, cook for 30 seconds.


Deglaze with red wine.


Return the sausage; add the beans, tomato, oregano, & bay leaf. Add chicken stock and a shot of Nam Pla, and simmer for 20 minutes. 5 minutes before serving, add a splash of the vinegar.


Garnishes: Cheddar cheese, scallions, cilantro, hot sauce.


It's cold. Eat some soup.







*Please note the lack of actual "Cuban-ness".

Bouillabaisse... or is it?

So, there's some controversy regarding what "they" say makes a true Bouillabaisse. But then again, most of "them" are French. So, whatever.

Anyway, I had some seafood, and it was snowing. So:

Start with a marinade of white wine, olive oil, Pernod, thyme, fennel seed, and saffron.


Into that marinade are chunks of Haddock. Here's the rest of the players:


And here is the booze that is used.


Gently heat some wine, (below a simmer), and add some more saffron threads to it. Remove from heat, and let it steep.


Also, we're going to add some flavor to the store-bought fish stock by simmering it with the peeled shrimp shells.


Gently saute the aromatics. That would be onion, leek, garlic, orange zest, & fennel.


Add some more wine & a splash more of Pernod, and then add the clams. Cover & steam for 3 minutes, or until they open. Discard any that didn't open, or they may kill you.

[fine, I forgot to take a picture of it. Sue me.]

Add fish stock, tomatoes, and chopped fennel fronds. bring to a simmer.


Discard the marinade, add fish. Simmer for 6 minutes.


Add shrimp and parsley. Simmer until the shrimp begin to turn pink, then turn off the burner. The residual heat will finish cooking it through.


Serve with a crusty chunk of sourdough.

The closest name I have for this is, "Roasted Chicken Breast Cacciatore with Tarragon".

Here are some of the players: Leftover roasted chicken breast, tomatoes, tarragon, butter, onion, garlic.


Brown the cut side of the breasts in butter, and remove.


I know some of you are gonna say "yuk" to the anchovy paste, but trust me. You trusted me with the fish sauce, right?


Over low heat, sprinkle some of the red pepper flake into the pan, and melt the anchovy paste into the oil. If you have actual anchovies, the same process will work. Cook over low heat for about a minute.


Add onion, cook until soft, and the add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.


Deglaze with white wine, and add tomatoes. I only used half a can on this one.


Add a few splashes of white wine vinegar.


Fresh tarragon is best, but make do with what you got, amirite? Stir, and simmer for about 5 minutes to let the flavors come together, and some of the vinegar to cook out.


Slice chicken, and return to pan. Cover, and simmer to warm chicken through, and absorb some of the liquid.


Chop up some olives and parsley for a garnish.


Serve with roasted cauliflower seasoned with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. NOTE: My lovely test subject declared the cauliflower tasty, but perhaps not the best match for the strong vinegar/tarragon flavor of the chicken. Just saying.