Buchujeon -my favorite recipe

 https://kimchimari.com/korean-chive-pancake-buchujeon-with-chive-flowers/

Crispy Umami Bomb Tofu

Umami Bomb Tofu

I cook the tofu in the air fryer but I do everything else according to this recipe.

https://www.darngoodveggies.com/umami-bomb-tofu/

Tofu in Oyster Sauce

 Cook tofu and scallions, a very simple, delicious, fragrant and spicy tofu dish

Ingredients

5 pieces of firm tofu

3 scallions, separate the white and green parts

2 cloves of garlic

1 tbsp red chili flakes

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tbsp sesame seeds

1/4 tsp pepper powder

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

100ml water

cornstarch solution (1 tsp cornstarch + 10ml water)

1 tbsp sesame oil

how to cook it:

- Tofu cut into 3 parts

- Slice the scallion into 2 cm then finely chop the garlic

- prepare a bowl, mix red chili flakes, salt, sesame seeds, pepper powder, soy sauce, oyster sauce, water, mix well

- heat cooking oil, fry the tofu until all sides are slightly golden yellow, drain

- leave some cooking oil, fry the white part of the scallion and garlic until fragrant

- add the sauce, cook to a boils

- add the tofu and green part of the scallions, cook until the scalions are wilted

- add cornstarch solution, cook until the sauce is thick

- add sesame oil, mix well

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGWag1mzSNs

Things I'm making this week -Vegan Mushroom Wild Rice Soup, Korean Mushroom Stew, Panchan, Salmon with Leeks

 https://shortgirltallorder.com/vegan-mushroom-wild-rice-soup?fbclid=IwAR2dTbywUVuAvAXZT7KaE9SDB6poSHhSi5bXKR86GNRDzCSTcNE2swczDdY

https://www.koreanbapsang.com/beoseot-jeongol-mushroom-hot-pot/

https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/oi-muchim

https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/broccoli-dubu-muchim but with garland chrysanthemum

https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/musaengchae

https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/foil_baked_salmon_with_leeks_and_bell_peppers/

https://smittenkitchen.com/2019/11/roasted-cabbage-with-walnuts-and-parmesan/?fbclid=IwAR3hzOBNwHhxyfQXctyRJpzJlvlSBRLANHz4KOqDCq9I9QS0X-GAXBLC1ng

Family Thankgiving 2021

We tried a few new recipes this year

Florentine Dip-this was a nice surprise 

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022737-florentine-dip

Ina's Make Ahead Gravy-very flavorful

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/make-ahead-turkey-gravy-with-onions-and-sage-5486134

Confit Turkey Thighs and Legs

https://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/13315-sous-vide-turkey-thigh-confit-with-citrus-mustard-sauce?pac=cF2hroN6gmRKzCZ%2FPRs9clXm7BG252F0WO0l94PWsZA%3D%0A

We think this confit turkey will replace all the others that we have tried. My sister used the apricot glaze from the turkey below instead of the mustard one called for in this recipe.

Corn and Hominy Pudding

This was a HUGE hit! Everyone says we now have to make it every year.

https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/corn-and-hominy-pudding

Brussels Sprouts in Saor -good, we may try something else

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022711-brussels-sprouts-in-saor?ds_c=71700000052595478&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIraH6haq29AIV1nNvBB0FDAprEAMYASAAEgL9p_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

French Onion Stuffing/Dressing- very good, moist, don't forget to crisp the top at the end

NY Times recipe - I added chestnuts and used fresh shiitakes and oyster mushrooms instead of button.

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022669-french-onion-stuffing

Mama Stanberg's Cranberry Relish-definitely worth the hype

https://www.npr.org/2006/11/23/4176014/mama-stambergs-cranberry-relish-recipe

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Old Standbys- These are tried and true recipes that we have on repeat.

My sister has makes this turkey nearly every year.

Ma Lipos Apricot Glazed Turkey with Shallot Gravy

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/13539/ma-lipos-apricot-glazed-turkey-with-roasted-onion-and-shallot-gravy/

Persimmon Pomegranate Salad with Endive and Pecans

https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/endive-salad-with-pomegranate-seeds-persimmon-pecan-vinaigrette

Savory Sweet Potato Casserole with Browned Butter Crispy Sage and Rosemary

https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/savory-sweet-potato-casserole

Maple Ancho Roasted Delicata Squash

https://townandcountrymarkets.com/recipes/maple-ancho-roasted-delicata-squash

Fresh Cranberry Relish

chopped fresh cranberries, apple, celery, crushed pineapple, chopped whole orange, brown sugar, walnuts

Cranberry Curd Tart

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017817-cranberry-curd-tart

Spiced Lamb Shanks

These were some of the best lamb shanks I have ever eaten from a little restaurant near Christchurch, New Zealand. So good that I had to ask my friends to get the recipe after, we returned to the States.

 SPICED LAMB SHANKS – Serves 4

 

8 lamb shanks

 

Marinade:

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

½ teaspoon fennel seeds

1 star anise

½ cinnamon stick

2 kaffir lime leaves

1 fresh chilli

1 clove garlic

8 tablespoons olive oil

 

Place all dry spices on roasting tray.  Place in hot oven and cook until brown and aromatic, taking care not to burn.  Place with rest of marinade ingredients (except the oil) into a grinder or pestle & mortar, grind to course powder.  Mix with olive oil to form a paste and rub all over lamb shanks.  Leave for 2 hours, or overnight.

 

Preheat heavy based pan on stove top.  Cook shanks for 4-5 mins until well browned.  Place into casserole, deep enough to cover lamb shanks.

 

Casserole Stock:

2 carrots

3 stalks celery

2 medium onions, unpeeled

1 whole head garlic

1 lemon

2-3 cups of beef stock

2 sprigs of rosemary

3 sprigs of mint

1 teaspoon tomato paste

salt & pepper

 

Roughly chop carrots, onions, celery, garlic and lemon and brown in frying pan, add to casserole with shanks.  Cover shanks with beef stock.  Add rosemary, mint and salt & pepper.  Cover with lid.  Cook in oven at 200º C for 30 mins, then turn down oven to 160º C and cook for 2 ½ - 3 ½ hours until tender.

 

Remove shanks and keep warm.  Strain veges from stock and discard.  Place stock on heat to reduce liquid until it thickens to sauce consistency.  Thicken with cornflour if necessary.

 

Serve cooked shanks on:

Potato mash (flavoured with roast garlic and fresh chopped parsley), honey roasted carrot, parsnip, onion, and fresh steamed green beans.  Ladle shank sauce over the shanks and mash, finishing with crispy parsnips.

How to confit a duck for cassoulet starting with a whole duck

 My sister and I love to eat cassoulet and decide to embark on a shared project. My job is to confit some poultry to eventually add to the beans and other goodies in the cassoulet.

I bought a frozen whole duck because I knew that I needed the additional fat to make the confit.

<insert frozen duck photo>

I watched this video to learn how to cut up the duck.

I wanted to confit two halves of the duck instead of only the legs. She demonstrates how to prepare the duck in this way at 4:40 in the video.

Then, I made a salt mixture to cure the duck.

I combined kosher salt, juniper berries, peppercorns, and crushed bay leaves to make a dry salt brine. I used about 1/4 c salt, 1 T each of juniper berries and peppercorns, and around 4 crushed bay leaves. You could add thyme or another aromatic if you want.

I salted both sides of the duck and chicken legs well and covered with plastic wrap to cure for 24 hours.

While the duck cures, render the extra fat (the video shows you how to cut off the fat to render) so you have it to cover the duck while it is cooking later. I combined all the extra fat with 1/4 c of water and put it on low on the stovetop to render. It takes about an hour to fully render. The skin will shrivel into delicious crackling.

Then you need to strain the solids from the fat into a glass jar or some other vessel that can be heated and put it in the fridge for the next day. I bought an extra jar of duck fat to have enough to cover the meat.

After 24 hours, I rinsed the salt off the poultry with water and used a brush to get most of the big pieces of the rub. Then, pat dry the poultry with a paper towel.

I used the tip of a knife to poke the skin in a few places so the fat can render out. Take care to only poke the fat and not the meat. I warmed the duck fat slightly to liquify it and put a little in the bottom of my Dutch oven.  Then, I nestled the duck half pieces in the bottom of the Dutch oven, skin side down. I put a few chicken legs on top also nestled in the fat. Then, I poured the rest of the fat that I rendered and the extra that I purchased over the top. I wanted to make sure all of the duck was covered and most of the chicken was covered.

I put the lid on my pan and put the poultry in a 225 degrees Fahrenheit oven to cook for 3 1/2 to 4 hours. I checked every hour to make certain that it remained submerged and at the two hour mark I turned the pieces over.

It smells so good.

At the four hour mark, I took the pot out of the oven and let the duck and chicken legs come to room temperature in the fat.

remove poultry and cover and store in fat to preserve 

or if using the meat right away strain fat to keep and reuse up to two more times to make confit