Bouillabaisse

In our church, we bring meals to new moms after they have a baby.  Today I volunteered to bring dinner to a new mom and her husband.  I was told to avoid starches since the new mom has diabetes.   I wanted to make ratatouille again and a fish soup with it so bouillabaisse seemed like the best choice. French food sounded like a good idea for dinner.  My bouillabaisse is simple and does not have as much seafood variety as you would find in France.

I love soup, and since we had a torrential downpour today, this was even more comforting today.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. Red Snapper Fillets
2 lbs. Tilapia Filets
2 Leeks
10 Campari Tomatoes
6 cloves Garlic
1 large White Onion
10 sprigs of Thyme
1 teaspoon Fennel
3 tablespoons Kosher Salt
3 bunches of Scallions
1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
Water

Rinse and cut tomatoes into quarters.  Peel and dice the onion.  Slice the leek, only the white and the light green portion.

Place 2 of each fish fillets in a pressure cooker pot, add tomatoes, 5 sprigs of thyme, onion,
leeks, salt, and enough water to bring to the 16 cups line.

Cook in pressure cooker on high for 30 minutes.

Strain fish broth through a fine mesh sieve into a large stock pot over a medium high flame.

Remove thyme from stems.  Slice scallions and the other leek.

Cube the remaining fish fillets.  Remove any small bones if you find any.

Add leeks, scallion, thyme, and fish to boiling broth.

Cook until fish becomes opaque.

Add paprika to soup.

Serve with a nice crusty french bread like we did.

Enjoy!

Bouillabaisse
Printable Recipe Found Here

Ingredients:https://sites.google.com/site/queensfoodiemama/bouillabaisse

2 lbs. Red Snapper Fillets
2 lbs. Tilapia Filets
2 Leeks
10 Campari Tomatoes
6 cloves Garlic
1 large White Onion
10 sprigs of Thyme
1 teaspoon Fennel
3 tablespoons Kosher Salt
3 bunches of Scallions
1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
Water

Rinse and cut tomatoes into quarters.  Peel and dice the onion.  Slice one of the leeks, only the white and the light green portion.

Place 2 of each fish fillets in a pressure cooker pot, add tomatoes, 5 sprigs of thyme, onion, leeks, salt, and enough water to bring to the 16 cups line.

Cook in pressure cooker on high for 30 minutes.

Strain fish broth through a fine mesh sieve into a large stock pot over a medium high flame.

Remove thyme from stems.  Slice scallions and the other leek.

Cube the remaining fish fillets, remove any small bones if you find any.

Add leeks, scallion, thyme, and fish to boiling broth.

Cook until fish becomes opaque.

Add paprika to soup.

Enjoy!

Ratatouille

Remember Ratatouille, the cute rat Remi who loved to cook and dreamed of working in a French restaurant? His culminating dish being Ratatouille.  I have been fascinated by the simple French dish ever since and finally felt inspired to make it as my contribution to a dinner my family was invited to attend. We were invited to someone else's apartment for dinner! Truly miraculous, our Chinese teenager was surprised too, he even remarked that this was the first time we were invited and he was able to come to someone else's home for a meal. We have friends over often for a meal in our apartment, but more rare for us to go to someone else's home.  It could be because we are a large family of seven.  Or, as Sarah the friend who invited us over remarked, because she is intimidated by my cooking.  Thank you Sarah for inviting us over.  She had a few food issues that I tried to address when I picked a recipe.  She is allergic to shell fish and soy and her stomach has trouble digesting a lot of fat.  When I went shopping last week I picked up the cutest small eggplants and then at my favorite Asian market I bought the other vegetables.  This is a wonderful vegetable side dish.  My husband loved it.  Sarah also enjoyed it.  Now I can say I have made ratatouille, and it was delicious.

 This is how vegetables should be eaten.

Ingredients:

1 Yellow Crookneck Squash

1 Zucchini

3 small Eggplants

6 Campari Tomatoes

1 Red Bell Peppers

1 Orange Bell Peppers

2  Shallots

6 cloves of Garlic

1 1/2 tablespoons Kosher Salt

Olive Oil

Preheat Oven to 500 Fahrenheit

Wash and cut squash, zucchini, eggplants, and  bell peppers into 1/2 inch chunks.

Peel garlic and shallots and mince very small.

Put all the cut vegetables into a large bowl.

Pour olive oil to coat the vegetables, sprinkle salt and stir until all the vegetables are coated with oil and salt.

Place vegetables on one or two sheet pans depending how big your sheet pans are.  

The vegetables should be one layer high.

 Roast vegetables for 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are browned.

Remove vegetables from the oven and place in large serving dish together.

Wash and quarter the tomatoes and place on the other vegetables. 

Enjoy!

Ratatouille

Printable recipe Found Here

Ingredients:

1 Yellow Crookneck Squash

1 Zucchini

3 small Eggplants

6 Campari Tomatoes

1 Red Bell Pepper

1 Orange Bell Pepper

2  Shallots

6 cloves of Garlic

1 1/2 tablespoons Kosher Salt

Olive Oil

Process:

Preheat Oven to 500 Fahrenheit

Wash and cut squash, zucchini, eggplants, and  bell peppers into 1/2 inch chunks.

Peel garlic and shallots and mince very small.

Put all the cut vegetables into a large bowl.

Pour olive oil to coat the vegetables, sprinkle salt and stir until all the vegetables are coated with oil and salt.

Place vegetables on one or two sheet pans depending how big your sheet pans are.  

The vegetables should be one layer high.

Roast vegetables for 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are browned.

Remove vegetables from the oven and place in large serving dish together.

Wash and quarter the tomatoes and place on the other vegetables. 

Enjoy!

Peking Duck

When I found the duck in the frozen food section of my Costco, I knew what I wanted to do with it.  I wanted Peking Duck.  I could't make it completely like they do in China, but I think I came close.  I have not ever had Peking Duck, so I'm not sure if I came close or not, but our Chinese teenager assured me I did indeed make a very yummy Peking Duck.  My husband even agreed that it was delicious cold, which is what happens when you are waiting for who knows what.  Getting my family to the table to eat my food while it is hot can be just as challenging as preparing the food. 

 Beautiful crunchy delicious skin, oh my goodness I'm feeling hungry just looking at this picture.

 It starts with this, a delicious Kosher and Halal approved whole duck.  I think I got a 4-5 lb. duck.

Remove the duck from its packaging and remove all the giblets and neck from the cavity of
the duck.  Using a sharp knife make small slits all over the duck, cutting at an angle so you
only cut the fat layer and not the tissue.

Fill a large stock pot 2/3 full of water and bring to a boil over a medium-high flame.

Using heat proof and water proof gloves slowly submerge half the duck in the boiling water.
When you see goose bumps, or should I say duck bumps, flip the duck over and do the same to
the other half.

 See the bumps, I was giddy when I saw the bumps.

Place duck in a large dish and place in the refrigerator.  Allow to dry over night.

Ingredients:

4-5 lb. Duck
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
1/4 cup Honey

Mix the honey and soy sauce together in a small bowl.

Using your fingers and the handle of a wooden spoon loosen the skin of the duck and create a pocket under the skin.  In China they blow air between the skin and the duck to achieve this step.  Try to disconnect as much of the skin from the fat as you can. 

Using a basting syringe, squirt the liquid under the skin of the duck.  Place duck on a rack in the dish.   Remove extra sauce from the dish.  Refrigerate for 24-48 hours.  Flip half way through to ensure it dries properly.

In China Peking Ducks are dried hanging upside down in special drying chambers.

Tie the legs on the duck together so they don't come loose.   Place on the spit of a rotisserie.  In the rotisserie, cook for 15 minutes per pound, and allow to rotate without heat for 15 minutes. 

It is done, the duck is done.  That is beautiful sight to see.  I think I might cry to see such a 

beautiful culinary achievement. 

Cut skin off first, then slice the duck off the bones.  In China they use a small chefs knife to 

remove meat.  Our Chinese teenager told me that.

Serve a few small pieces of duck, a piece of crispy skin and some Hoisin Sauce on a Scallion Pancake.

Enjoy!

Peking Duck

Printable Recipe Found Here

Ingredients:

4-5 lb. Duck

1/4 cup Soy Sauce

1/4 cup Honey

Process:

Remove the duck from its packaging and remove all the giblets and neck from the cavity of the duck. 

Using a sharp knife make small slits all over the duck, doing so at an angle so you only cut the fat layer and not the tissue.

Fill a large stock pot 2/3 full of water and bring to a boil over a medium-high flame.

Using heat proof and water proof gloves slowly submerge half the duck in the boiling water.  When you see goose bumps, or should I duck bumps, flip the duck over and do the same to the other half.

Place duck in a large dish and place in the refrigerator.  Allow to dry over night.

Mix the honey and soy sauce together in a small bowl.

Using your fingers and the handle of a wooden spoon, loosen the skin of the duck and create a pocket under the skin.  In China they blow air between the skin and the duck to achieve this step.  Try to disconnect as much of the skin from the fat as you can. 

Using a basting syringe, squirt the liquid under the skin of the duck.  Place duck on a rack in the dish.   Remove extra sauce from the dish.  Refrigerate for 24-48 hours.  Flip half way through to ensure it dries properly.

Tie the legs on the duck together so they don't come loose.   Place on the spit of a rotisserie.  In the rotisserie cook for 15 minutes per pound, and allow to rotate without heat for 15 minutes. 

Using a small chefs knife remove skin first then cut the meat off the bones.

Enjoy!

Chinese Scallion Pancakes

We have our Hoisin Sauce, now we need Scallion pancakes to go with our Peking Duck.  Don't worry the next post is about the Peking Duck.  Scallion Pancakes are very traditional in Chinese cuisine and are served with Peking Duck.  These pancakes resemble a tortilla more than a pancake.  I loved making these because the process is so fascinating.  Keep reading and you can decide whether I'm crazy or you agree.

Consider this a preview.  Here is my Peking Duck on a scallion pancake with the homemade
  hoisin sauce.  Yes it was very yummy together, even cold it was yummy.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
1 cup warm Water
1 bunch of Scallions
1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
2 tablespoons Kosher Salt

Mix the water and flour together with your hands until the dough comes together.

Slice scallions.

Pour oil into a small bowl or ramekin, pour salt into another bowl or ramekin and also place the scallions in a bowl or ramekin.  Have these ingredients ready to assemble on your pancake.

Roll out half of the dough into a large rectangle, 1/8 inch thick.

Brush with vegetable oil.  Sprinkle salt and half the scallions on the pancake.

Roll the long side of the dough away from you into a wide dough snake.

Cut the dough snake in half, poor dough snake.  Just kidding, it's not a real snake.

Taking half the dough snake coil itself around to form a tight roll.

Preheat large cast iron skillet or flat griddle to medium-high.

Using a small rolling pin flatten the coil.  That's right, you are going flatten your snake into a pancake.

Brush vegetable oil on skillet/flat griddle and cook pancake for 2 minutes on first side.

Flip and cook until golden brown.

Serve with Peking Duck and hoisin sauce.  The next post will be the duck recipe.

Enjoy!

Chinese Scallion Pancakes

Printable Recipe Found Here

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour

1 cup warm Water

1 bunch of Scallions

1/4 cup Vegetable Oil 

2 tablespoons Kosher Salt

Process:

Mix the water and flour together with your hands until the dough comes together.

Slice scallions.

Pour oil into a small bowl or ramekin, pour salt into another bowl or ramekin and also place the scallions in a bowl or ramekin.  Have these ingredients ready to assemble on your pancake.

Roll out half of the dough into a large rectangle, 1/8 inch thick.

Brush with vegetable oil.  Sprinkle salt and half the scallions on the pancake.

Roll the long side of the dough away from you into a wide dough snake.

Cut the dough snake in half.

Taking half the dough snake coil itself around to form a tight roll.

Preheat large cast iron skillet or flat griddle to medium-high.

Using a small rolling pin flatten the coil.

Brush vegetable oil on skillet/flat griddle and cook pancake for 2 minutes on first side.

Flip and cook until golden brown.

Enjoy!

Hoisin Sauce

Chinese food is another of my favorite ethnic cuisine's to cook. It help's that we have a Chinese teenager living with us, to give me his honest opinion about how far off the mark I was with authenticity.  I bought a frozen duck from Costco, my very first attempt at preparing duck and also my first time eating it too.  I wanted to have sauce with the duck that any self-respecting Chinese family would serve with Peking Duck.  Hoisin seemed to be my best bet for authenticity and I had all the ingredients on hand already.  This is a super easy recipe to prepare. 

This is a bottle of yummy Chinese goodness, just waiting to be put on your Peking Duck.
Don't worry, I'll show you how to make Peking Duck in another post.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 tablespoons Smooth Peanut Butter
1 tablespoon Turbinado Sugar (Dark Brown Sugar can be substituted)
2 teaspoons Brown Rice Vinegar (rice Vinegar can be substituted)
1 Clove of Garlic
2 teaspoons Toasted Sesame Seed Oil
1 teaspoon Hot Sauce (I used my homemade hot sauce, recipe found here)
1/8 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

 Place all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.

 You now have Hoisin Sauce!

Pour into a squeeze bottle or lidded container.

Enjoy!

Hoisin Sauce

Printable Recipe Found Here

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons Soy Sauce

2 tablespoons Smooth Peanut Butter

1 tablespoon Turbinado Sugar (Dark Brown Sugar can be substituted)

2 teaspoons Brown Rice Vinegar (Rice Vinegar can be substituted)

1 Clove of Garlic

2 teaspoons Toasted Sesame Seed Oil

1 teaspoon Hot Sauce 

1/8 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Process:

Place all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.

Pour into a squeeze bottle or lidded container.

Enjoy!

Spicy Chicken Salad

When I was a young mother with one child, and managing our first house in California, I loved trying to find new recipes for Summer potlucks we were invited to attend.  This recipe was one of those recipes.  I don't have the recipe anymore, so today I made one up based on my memories.  We had the best Summer's in California with friends and family spending time together and playing in parks, at the beach, or in different backyards.  My memories are what I cherish now being so far away from family and friends we left behind in California.  Cooking brings me joy, and cooking and preparing food that reminds me of my California home really lets me feel better about my future.  Today I wanted food to lift my mood, and nothing like a nostalgic meal to help that along.  This is a very simple chicken salad, and it doesn't have mayonnaise.  My husband doesn't like the white stuff, so this was just for him.  

 Chicken Salad Torta, this was so yummy, you have to try this easy recipe.

Ingredients:

2 Cooked Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (leftover rotisserie chicken works well for this)

1/2 English Cucumber

1 Orange Bell Pepper

4 Campari Tomatoes (or 1 large tomato)

2 Green Onions

1/2 Seeded Jalapeño

1 Avocado

1 Lemon

1/2 cup Avocado Oil (or Olive Oil)

1 clove Garlic

1 teaspoon Kosher Salt

 Clean cucumber, bell pepper, and tomatoes.  Dice into 1/2-1/4 inch pieces.

Shred the chicken breasts.  I had to go shopping at Costco, so I picked up a rotisserie chicken
from the deli section to use for this.  I removed the two breasts and the skin.  Using
my fingers, I shredded the chicken into a small metal bowl.

You don't have to do this part the way I did, but it does do wonders for the salad, and if you like to crush stuff.  

Cut greens onions, jalapeño, and garlic into small pieces and with the salt add them to a molcajete.

Otherwise you can add the ingredients already cut up to a small bowl.

 Grind into a paste.

 Cut lemon and squeeze lemon juice and pour avocado oil into molcajete or small bowl with
the paste and mix.  

Cut avocado in half.  Remove pit, and cut the avocado down and across inside the skin and 

remove from the peel.  

 Add cut up vegetables and fruits to the chicken, pour in the sauce and stir.  

This salad gets better if you refrigerate it for at least an hour.

Spoon some of your salad on a Torta roll, which I also purchased from Costco.

Enjoy!

Spicy Chicken Salad

Printable recipe Found Here

Ingredients:

2 Cooked Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (leftover rotisserie chicken works well for this)

1/2 English Cucumber

1 Orange Bell Pepper

4 Campari Tomatoes (or 1 large tomato)

2 Green Onions

1/2 Seeded Jalapeño

1 Avocado

1 Lemon

1/2 cup Avocado Oil (or Olive Oil)

1 clove Garlic

1 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Process:

Clean cucumber, bell pepper, and tomatoes.  Dice into 1/2-1/4 inch pieces.

Shred chicken breast. (Rotisserie chicken from any grocery store deli works well for this recipe)

Cut greens onions, jalapeño, and garlic into small pieces and with the salt add them to a molcajete.

Otherwise you can add the ingredients already cut up to a small bowl or food processor.

Grind into a paste, or process in a food processor.

Cut lemon and squeeze lemon juice and pour avocado oil into molcajete or small bowl or food processor with the paste and mix.

Cut avocado in half.  Remove pit, and cut the avocado down and across inside the skin and remove from the peel.  

Add cut up vegetables and fruits to the chicken, pour in the sauce and stir.  

This salad gets better if you refrigerate it for at least an hour.  

Enjoy!