To all my readers,
Vu and I have decided to start a new blog together, www.beyondsweetandsavory.com. Please redirect your bookmark to the new page.
Vy
Site moved to www.beyondsweetandsavory.com
October 17, 2011
Goodbye Summer: Scallop, Mango, and Avocado Salad
October 1, 2011
Hi everyone! I apologize for my long absence. It has been a whirlwind since we came back from Chicago. In June, my husband and I decided to expand our family, so we got a puppy. Our maltipoo, Betsy, has been an absolutely joy. Potty training has been difficult and continues to be a challenge but we are getting the hang of it. So is Betsy. For all you pet parents out there, we understand your pain. Then my residency ended in July, and it was time to start a new job! We also moved to a new place. Before we even had a chance to breathe, summer is over. To celebrate the end of summer, I am whipping up a salad highlighting some of my favorite ingredients: scallops, mango, and avocado. So simple, yet absolutely refreshing! If you love scallops, mango, and avocado, you are in for a treat!
Ingredients
3 cups mixed green salad 1 mango 1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes 9 sea scallops Sea salt and pepper ½ cup of fresh squeezed orange juice ¼ cup of olive oil Green onion for garnishInstructions
1. To make the vinaigrette, combine the orange juice and olive oil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Cut the mango and avocado into ½ inch cubes.
3. Heat a grill pan and brush with a little olive oil. Season the scallops on both sides with salt and pepper. When very hot, place the scallops on the grill pan and cook for 2 minutes, then flip them over and cook for another minute until lightly golden.
4. In a bowl, toss the salad greens with the vinaigrette and put them on chilled plates. Scatter the mango and avocado cubes among the greens. Add the scallops to the plates and garnish with green onions and serve.
And of course, I could not resist sharing a picture of Betsy with you!
Chicago: The Purple Pig
June 5, 2011
May has been the busiest month of my residency as I am wrapping up my research project. After many hours of data crunching, presenting my research at Western States Conference in Monterey Bay, and celebrating with a trip to Chicago, I am excited to blog again and share with you my culinary adventure in Chicago. We flew into Chicago last Friday and hit up The Purple Pig for dinner, located conveniently on the Magnificent Mile. Recommended by a friend for its lively atmosphere and creative menu, we could not pass up the opportunity. With a group of seven, we ordered practically everything on the menu. I will tell you my 4 favorites of the night: Razor Clams with Oregano and Lemon & Olive Oil, Mussels with Pancetta and Crème Fraiche & Marjoram, Pork Blade Steak with ‘Nduja & Honey, and last but not least, Steak and Mushrooms. The razor clams were grilled to perfection, flavorful, and left me wanting more even though my stomach was ready to explode. The mussels, on the other had, were the best mussels I have ever tasted in my life. They were tender, moist, and and delicious. Who would have thought a restaurant specializing in pork would have such amazing mussels! The pork blade was Vu’s favorite. According to him, it was the best piece of grilled pork he has ever had in his life, and I concur. The thickness was just right. You can taste a hint of sweetness from the honey mixed in with the char. The steak was seasoned perfectly and so juicy. It beats David Burke’s Primehouse famous 55 day aged ribeye and Ruth’s Chris steakhouse in my book. There were so many other amazing plates that we ordered but those four stood out the most. The Purple Pig was my favorite restaurant from this trip, beating out L2O and David Burke’s Primehouse with regard to taste and price. I would go back to this restaurant again and again.
Salt-Roasted Beets with Whipped Goat Cheese & Pistachio Vinaigrette
Charred Cauliflower, Toasted Breadcrumbs, Cornichons & Parsley
Asparagus & Hazelnuts with Arugula & Treviso
Octopus with Favette, Celery & Radishes
Purple Pig Platter
Pork Liver Pate
Eggplant Caponata with Goat Cheese
Roasted Bone Marrow with Herbs
Milk Braised Pork Shoulder with Mashed Potatoes
Mussels with Pancetta, Crème Fraiche & Marjoram
Razor Clams with Oregano, Lemon & Olive Oil
Pork Blade Steak with ‘Nduja & Honey
Steak and Mushrooms
Chocolate Chip Cookies
April 24, 2011
Vu has been craving for chocolate chip cookies so I decided to take on the cookie challenge. Let’s just say that cookies are not my forte. When I was still in pharmacy school, I failed miserably trying to bake chocolate chip cookies for a potluck. A classmate of mine, O, took a bite of my cookies and said he felt sorry for whoever would marry their creator. Then he kept on going without realizing that I had heard the entire commentary. When O was done, I quietly took ownership of those cookies. All of our friends roared with laughter as O’s face turned beet red and he started apologizing profusely for his comments. I laughed it off and admitted that I was not born a baker. Ever since, I am still intimidated by cookies. Today, I am using a bit of help from Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc At Home. I altered the recipe a bit, using less butter and sugar to cut down on the calories. They turned out quite delicious, one of the best chocolate chip cookies ever! Quite moist and chewy! Too bad O is not around to taste them.
Ingredients
2 1/3 cups of all purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 1 stick of butter, cut into small cubes ¾ cup of brown sugar ½ cup of granulated sugar 2 large eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 8 oz of chocolate chipsInstructions
Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl.
In a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth.
Add both sugars and beat until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time and then mix in the vanilla, scraping the bowl as necessary to blend everything.
Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed to combine.
Mix in the chocolate chip.
Use an ice cream scooper, take about 2 tablespoons per cookie and transfer the dough onto a baking sheet. Leave about 2 inches between the dough because it will spread. Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking to ensure even cooking. Cool the cookies for 2 minutes. Enjoy them with a glass of milk.
Take a bite of this!
Inspired by an episode of Throwdown with Bobby Flay with a lobster mac and cheese challenge, I decided to test out my own recipe for dinner. With Vu’s love of mac and cheese and my craving for lobster, it was a perfect combination. I went the unconventional route and added mascarpone cheese to my recipe. Yes, mascarpone cheese! Who says you can only use mascarpone cheese for desserts! The sauce was creamy and delightful! The lobster meat was tender and sweet, elevating the dish to a new level. I would proudly serve this dish at a dinner party.
Ingredients
1 tbsp butter 2 cloves of garlic, chopped 3 lb lobster, should yield 1-1 ½ lb of meat 1 tbsp butter 1 tbsp all purpose flour 1 ½ cup heavy cream 1 ½ cup half and half 2 bay leaves 1/2 yellow onion, cut into fourths a pinch of nutmeg 1 cup of mascarpone cheese a pinch of salt a pinch of pepper ½ pound of Barilla medium shells conchiglie ½ cup of panko (Japanese bread crumb) ½ cup of butter ½ cup of shredded Gruyere cheese Chives for garnishInstructions
In a large stockpot, add 1 cup of water, and steam the lobster for 5 minutes. Let the lobster cool down before you separate the meat from the shell. Cut the lobster meat into small pieces.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter and add in the garlic. Sautee the lobster meat and season with a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper for 5 minutes on medium heat. Remove from heat and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 375˚F. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the shell pasta until al dente, 6-8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
For the béchamel sauce, in a small saucepan, melt the butter on low heat and whisk in the flour, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes until lightly golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream, half and half, bay leaves, onion, and nutmeg and bring the mixture to a simmer over 10 minutes. Strain and discard the solids.
Return the cream mixture to the sauce pan and gently stir in the mascarpone cheese until everything is well blended. Whisk in the butter and flour mixture and continue cooking for 10 minutes on low heat. Add in the pasta and lobster meat and season to taste.
In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and butter and stir to moisten evenly.
In a casserole dish or individual cocotte, add the pasta mixture, top with Gruyere and bread crumbs, then bake for 10 minutes, or until the bread crumbs are golden brown and the cheese has completely melted.
Remove from the oven and let it cool. Garnish with chives before serving.
Enjoy!
Brown Sugar Glazed Pork Spareribs
March 30, 2011
I have been MIA from the blogging world for a while. It feels good to be back! Today, I am making brown sugar glazed pork spareribs, one of Vu’s favorite dishes. This dish brings me back to my undergraduate days at UC Davis when I was living with two other girls, Kc and L. We would cook together, then gathered around the dinner table and enjoyed our creations while chatting about classes, college drama, and everything in between. Kc, one of my closest friends, showed me how to make this dish. It is definitely one of the simpler Vietnamese dishes but incredibly delicious. The meat falls off the bone with a hint of sweetness while your olfactory bulb picks up the scent of the sesame oil. Every since Kc taught me how to make this dish, I have cooked it on a monthly basis, if not more often. I hope you find these pork spareribs as satisfying as I did.
Ingredients
1 lb pork spareribs 1 tbsp sesame oil 1 ½ tbsp fish sauce 3 tbsp of brown sugar Green onions for garnishInstructions
Cut the pork into bite size pieces and boil on medium high heat for 20 minutes to soften the meat and remove any excess fat.
In a frying pan, add the sesame oil and turn on medium high heat. Add the strained pork pieces and let them brown for about 5 minutes. Add in the fish sauce and let the meat cook for another 5 minutes.
Add the brown sugar and let the meat caramelize for 10 minutes taking care not to burn them.
When ready to serve, garnish with green onions and enjoy it with rice.
Cafe Sua Da Vietnamese Iced Coffee
March 7, 2011
The French introduced coffee to Vietnam in the 19th century, and it has become an essential morning ritual of many Vietnamese. Since then, you can find a coffee shop at every street corner in Saigon. Early in the morning, men would fill up the coffee shops to get their morning fix before heading to work. Some read their newspaper while other people enjoy coffee over a game of Chinese chess. Today, coffee shops have become more modern, where young people can hang out and listen to the latest musicians. Unlike my husband and mom, who are addicted to coffee, I like to drink mine on the weekend. My favorite brand of coffe is Café Du Monde. Using a metal filter, the coffee is extracted with hot water, slowly dripping until the last drop. The sweetness of the condensed milk when mixed with the black coffee creates an unbelievable flavor. I slowly sip it, savoring every drop. If you are coffee lover, you will fall in love with Vietnamese coffee.
Ingredients
2 tbsps of coffee (Café Du Monde) 2 tbsps of condensed milk (Parrot) ½ cup of hot water ½ cup of iceInstructions
Pour the condensed milk in a cup. Remove the filter’s top screen and fill with coffee. Put the screen back on and turn until you feel a bit of resistance. Pour the hot water into the filter and put the lid over the top.
Let the coffee drip for about 15 minutes. When the dripping stops, mix the coffee and condensed milk together.
Let it cool before adding ice.
My stomach has been feeling funny for the past few days so I made chao vit, or duck porridge, for dinner. Whenever I was not feeling well, my mom would make a huge pot of chao. Chao is made with a duck based broth and rice, so simple yet satisfying. The broth can be made from chicken, pork, or just water. Many people cook the rice directly in the broth, but I strained the broth to remove all the fat, and then added in the rice to make a healthier soup. I probably removed 2 cups of fat. When paired with toasted gio chao quay (Chinese donuts), they soak up the soup and add a wonderful texture to the meal. I added a handful of bean sprouts to my chao, squeezed a few drops of lime juice, and topped it with pepper, a few pieces of red chili, cilantro, and green onions. The crunch of the bean sprouts, the sourness of the lime, and the kick from the chilies brought so many flavors to the chao. It was a comforting and satisfying meal!
Ingredients
One 5-lb duck 10 cups of water 1 tbsp of salt 1 bulb of ginger, sliced 2 cups of cooked rice 2-3 tbsps fish sauce Gio chao quay (Chinese donuts) Pepper to taste Bean sprouts Lime wedges, red chili, cilantro, and onions for garnish Nuoc mam cham (fish sauce) for the duckInstructions
Place the whole duck in the pot filled with 10 cups of water. Add the salt and ginger. Bring the pot to a boil and let simmer on medium heat for 45 minutes.
Remove the duck from the broth and strain the broth to remove any excess fat. Add the rice to the pot. Use a hand blender, blend the rice until finely ground. Continue cooking for another 30 minutes to let the porridge thicken. Add in the fish sauce and season to your liking.
While you are waiting for the porridge to finish cooking, chop the duck into small pieces, prepare the fish sauce, and toast the Chinese donuts.
Add a few pieces of duck and a handful of bean sprouts before ladling the porridge to a serving bowl. Garnish with green onions, cilantro, pepper, and red chillies.
Enjoy!
Nuoc Mam Cham Vietnamese Dipping Fish Sauce
March 6, 2011
Fish sauce is an essential staple of Vietnamese cuisine. This flavorful dipping sauce is eaten with countless dishes such as bi cuon (pork rolls), egg rolls, banh xeo (Vietnamese crepes), many noodle dishes and drizzled over fried fish. The chili and garlic add a huge kick to the sauce. Without nuoc mam cham, the flavors of many dishes would fall flat.
Ingredients
1 cup warm water ¼ cup sugar1/4 cup fish sauce
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 tsp of finely chopped chilies
Instruction
In a small bowl, whisk the water, sugar, and fish sauce. Add the garlic, chilies, and vinegar to the fish sauce and stir well. Store in a tightly sealed jar in the fridge up to two weeks.
Strawberry Mascarpone Jelly Roll
February 28, 2011
I am starting off my Sunday morning with dessert. You heard right! I have been thinking about making a jelly roll for a while and adapted this recipe from Martha Stewart’s Cooking School. The building block for a jelly roll is genoise, a French sponge cake. Genoise relies solely on eggs beaten with sugar until thick and doubled in volume instead of chemical leaveners. To finish my roll, I spreaded a thin layer of strawberry jam and thick layer of mascarpone whipped cream over the sponge cake before rolling it. I let the jelly roll sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so all the flavors have the chance to meld together. This dessert was absolutely amazing, or shall I say breakfast! The cake was light and fluffy while the sweetness of the jam balances with the richness of the mascarpone cream. Sometimes, you gotta start the day with dessert!
Ingredients
2/3 cup sifted cake flour A pinch of salt 3 large whole eggs and 2 egg yolks ½ cup of sugar 4 tbsps butter (1/2 stick) melted, room temp 1/3 cup of strawberry jam 1 cup of heavy cream, whipped 4 oz mascarpone cream ¼ cup of powdered sugar and more for dusting Fresh strawberries for garnishDirections
Preheat the oven to 375F. Bring about 2 inches of water to a simmer in a small sauce pan. Place the mixing bowl over the simmering water making sure the bottom is not touching the water. Whisk the eggs, yolks, and sugar until the sugar has melted, about 5 minutes.
Attach the bowl to mixer and beat on high speed until the mixture is pale and doubled in volume, about 5-7 minutes. Sift flour and salt over egg mixture. Use a spatula, fold in the flour. Pour the melted butter down the side of the bowl and gently fold, making sure not to deflate the batter.
Pour the batter onto a baking sheet and smooth out. Transfer baking sheet to the oven and bake until golden brown and springy to touch, about 7 minutes.
Loosen the edges and turn the cake out onto a paper towel. Fold the towel over the edge of the cake and roll up. Let it cool at room temp.
Whisk the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add in the powdered sugar. Add in the mascarpone and continue whisking.
Unroll the log and spread a thin layer of jam. Layer the mascarpone cream mixture on top. Reroll the cake and put in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Garnish with fresh strawberries and dust with powdered sugar when ready to serve.
