Orecchiette With Oyster Mushrooms

I go wild over mushrooms, any mushrooms so to speak especially those that are uncommon and hard to find. I could eat mushrooms everyday to be honest. And if someday I will be forced to become a vegetarian I will have to have mushrooms in replacement of meat.

The other day I was lured into buying a package of oyster mushrooms at the Asian Market. Oyster mushrooms used to be seasonal, growing on trees after the first rains of the season hence they were only available during the fall. Today big companies and local farmers are growing them so they are now available year-round and can be found easily in supermarkets and farmer's market alongside the more common crimini and button mushrooms.

I had no recipe in mind when I bought them but they were on sale and they were some of the most beautiful oyster mushrooms I have seen. A little note on buying oyster mushrooms, buy ones whose caps are white, cream or taupe and whose stems are white and velvety. It should be firm and not too moist.

I had a few ideas, I could saute them with bokchoy and garlic or dip it in egg and breading and pan fry them for an appetizer. Then last night, I had no clue what to make for dinner - the fridge was empty and I had nothing but these mushrooms.  I was skeptical about combining oyster mushrooms and pasta until all-knowing google led me to a few recipes.  So how about a cream based mushroom sauce and pasta?   Sounds good isn't it?  So I went ahead and made this recipe.

Orecchiette With Oyster Mushrooms

8 oz oyster mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon chicken buillon or base (to taste)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
salt and pepper
6 ounces orecchiette
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Cook orecchiette according to package directions.
(Tip: cook sauce before the pasta so you have a pasta cooked aldente)

Separate Oyster mushrooms and wipe clean with wet paper towel.

Melt butter in large skillet. Add mushrooms and garlic and cook over over medium heat, stirring frequently until mushrooms are tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Add flour and cook 1 minute.

Add milk, chicken base, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce is slightly thickened. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Spoon over pasta. Sprinkle on parsley and cheese.

Other Oyster mushroom and pasta dish suggestions:
Oyster Mushrooms, Pasta in Cream Sauce
Chicken Breast with Oyster Mushroom Champagne, Scrambled Eggs with Oyster Mushrooms, Oyster Mushroom Tempura

Orzo Chicken Soup

This dish is a hybrid between congee and a good ole chicken noodle soup.  This recipe came about because I wanted to have congee but I did not have much time to cook it with rice.  At the same time I have some orzo in the pantry which I thought would substitute well, or at least give the good old chicken soup a new spin. 

What perfect timing this is in these days when colds and coughs are frequent as brought about by the ever confusing weather.  And what's a better cold remedy than chicken soup?  I tell you this soup brings instant relief!  Add the fact that it does not take much effort to make.  

Who would want to make something complicated on days when you are under the weather? 

The dish is simple as long as you have a few pieces of chicken, carrot, celery and onion.  Then use whatever spices you have in your pantry to kick it up a notch.  I love adding turmeric (and sometimes curry powder) to my soups lately.  Give turmeric a try, it gives nice color and good flavor.   Plus it's good for you.  It has healing powers you know.

Orzo Chicken Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb chicken pieces with bones
1.5 quart chicken broth
water
2 stalks celery, sliced 1/4 inch crosswise
2 carrots, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
salt and pepper
½ teaspoons Turmeric
¼ teaspoons black  Pepper
¼ teaspoons Ground Thyme
1 teaspoons Parsley Flakes
1 bay leaf
Chicken base (optional)
16 ounces, weight orzo

Rinse chicken and remove the skins.  Place chicken in colander to remove excess water.
Heat a large heavy bottomed pan over medium-high heat.  Add the oil and soon as it starts to smoke, add the chicken legs.  Increase the heat to high and let chicken cook until no loner pink on the outside, about 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes making sure the meat does not stick to the pan. There should be very little liquid in it, you are basically cooking the chicken in its own liquid.
Add salt & pepper, and garlic.  Cook for one minute then add onion, celery and carrots.  Cook further until the the vegetables start to 'sweat', about 5 minutes.
Add the broth to the pan, adding water if it is not enough to cover all of the meat.  Add the turmeric, thyme, bay leaf, black pepper and parsley.  Add some chicken base if you want a more intense chicken flavor but it really should not need it.  
Bring it to a boil then lower the heat.  Simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken in tender.
Add orzo and boil again until orzo is tender and done.
Serve topped with fresh cilantro or green onions.

Spring Chicken Stew

Last night, because it is spring ....

... because the weather was cooler than the last few days,

... because I have not blogged for more than a month,

... because I have new cute dishes that I was excited to use,

... because it was Mother's day,

... because I had some bokchoy in the fridge that were waiting to be cooked,

... because I love my family and I didn't care that I was cooking on Mother's day instead of just sitting pretty playing with my new Android phone,

I whipped up this delicious Spring Chicken Stew recipe I found on one of my mother-in-law's Better Homes and Gardens magazine.  It was easy to make, which is perfect for a lazy Sunday night.  It was a hearty and a comforting dish.  

This is a photo of  the dish from BHG:

Photo from BHG

and this is my version, taken by my new 8 megapixel LG G2X android phone:

Not a bad picture, it just does not look as appetizing as the the first one :)

Spring CHICKEN STEW

ingredients

1 lemon
2 lbs, chicken, (combination of legs and boneless thigh)
2 tbsp olive oil
8 oz. carrots, cut lengthwise
2 8 oz. can chicken gravy
2 tablespoon dijon-style mustar
3 heads baby bokchoy, quartered
2 red potatoes, quartered (optional)
Fresh Lemon thyme (optional)

directions

1. Finely shred peel from lemon; set peel aside. Juice lemon and set juice aside. Season chicken lightly with salt and pepper.

2. In Dutch oven heat olive oil over medium-high heat; add chicken. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until chicken is browned, turning occasionally.

3. Add carrots, gravy and 1-1/2 cups water to Dutch oven. Stir in mustard. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.  

4. Add potatoes and continue to cook until potatoes and chicken are cooked through and tender.

4. Place bok choy on top. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 3 minutes or until vegetables are just tender. Add lemon juice to taste.

5. Ladle into bowls. Top with lemon peel and lemon thyme. Makes 4 servings.

adopted from Better Homes and Gardens

Cilantro Shrimp Scampi

I have a confession to make.   Pasta is not my thing.  But due to limited time and ingredients, and the fact that my bon vivant husband prefers a light meal before his Tuesday boxing workout, I finally made shrimp scampi again after 2 years.

As classic and scrumptious this dish is, I rarely cook it in consideration for my beloved who thinks shrimps  don't provide him enough protein.  On a regular day, he might require a side of chicken or a piece of steak to go with it.  But since it is a "light" dinner, a side of caesar salad was just the perfect pair.

The ingredients are basic and the cooking time is relatively short.  It takes longer to prep actually.  So do all your chopping and assemble your ingredients before you fire up that pan.  And one more thing, this time instead of using the usual parsley, I used cilantro and green onions for a different spin on the traditional shrimp scampi.

Cilantro Shrimp Scampi

ingredients: (serves 2-4)
1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and devained (I used frozen raw shrimp.  Defrost it first if you have time)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine, like chardonnay or sauvignon blanc
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons scallions, chopped
juice of half a lemon
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
3/4 lb linguine
salt and pepper to taste
Note: You may substitute 2 tablespoons chopped parsley for the cilantro and scallions for a more classic approach.

preparations :

Boil water and cook pasta to al dente according to package directions.   Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter.

When the butter has stopped bubbling and starts to brown, add garlic.  Cook 1 minute.

Add the shrimp and saute until shrimp just turn pink.  Remove shrimp and set aside.

Pour in wine to the pan and boil, scrapping the bottom of the pan.  Add lemon juice and boil for a couple of minutes to reduce the liquid a little bit.

Add back in the shrimps, cilantro and scallion,  then stir in the last tablespoon of butter.  Heat through then turn off heat.

Add cooked pasta and parmesan cheese into the pan and toss to combine.  If it is too dry, add some pasta water.  Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper if desired.

Serve with garlic bread, caesar salad or tomato soup to complete the meal.

Spice Up Your Lentil Soup

I have been making lentil soup for the little peanut since she started on solid food.  She started from plain pureed lentils, then I added one ingredient at a time t until I was sure she did not have allergies to any of it.  I usually make one big pot and freeze them in containers to take for lunch to the babysitter's.   It's convenient and healthy, and so much better than the canned Spaghetti-O many parents resort to feeding their kids.  The truth is my daughter has not been fond of eating commercialized, preservative loaded toddler food.  She likes what we grown-ups eat, she likes flavors and at 2 years old she likes to try everything.  I am not trying to say she is a voracious eater as certainly there are days when she does not like to eat anything at all (as some toddlers do).  That's when I get stressed, force her to eat and oftentimes it results to melt downs.  But I learned that the best thing to do is to not mind her at all during dinner.  I try not to say stuff like, "yummy, it's delicious!"  or "good, you're eating" ...  It's more likely that she will finish her food if I ignore her and go about my own business.   And if she does not eat, I do my best to stay calm and not worry.  It's hard, but I read somewhere that kids will eat what they need when they need it.  I find it to be true.  Thankfully the little peanut always eats her lunch and that's why I try to pack as much nutrients as I can in the form of soups.

I often make this Lentil soup out of the cooked lentils I buy from Trader Joe's but using dried French green  lentils is also good.  Just boil the dried lentils in water until tender, about 20 minutes then proceed with the directions as follows.

Lentil Soup

1 package cooked lentils (from Trader Joes)
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp EVOO
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 table spoon curry powder (If you are not into curry though just omit the curry powder and it will still be good.  )
1Quart chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat olive oil in a heavy bottomed sauce pan. Add onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Stir in tomatoes and saute until it starts to breakdown.
2. Add carrots and celery,  saute until the vegetables start to sweat, about 7 minutes.  
3. Add salt and pepper, curry powder (if using) and turmeric.  Enjoy the aroma!
4. Pour in the chicken broth or stock and bring to a boil.  
5. Simmer for 5 minutes then add cooked lentils.  Bring to a boil then simmer on low heat until lentils are cooked to desired doneness.

Catalan Fish Stew with Pimenton Mayonnaise

It seems like I blinked, and the first two months of 2011 are over and gone.  What has happened in january and February?  I got a haircut. I found out I owe $1,800 in taxes.  The family went to Las Vegas for another boxing match - Donaire vs Montiel fight (Donaire won!).  We stayed at the Mandalay Bay where Sophia and I got complimentary tickets to watch The Lion King .  We stayed for the entire show and totally enjoyed it, Hoo-ray!  Well just that Sophia asked "what happened" about a hundred times during the show.  What else?   I can't recall much.  Time flies.

So March is here and in three weeks daughter and I will be going to the Philippines.  I am excited and nervous at the same time. DH will not be going with us and I miss him already.  Then I am stressed out on what to bring home - I have not even started shopping.  I have not been in the mood to go shopping, I guess because money is tight these days which is the reason DH is not going with us.  I am excited for the trip as Sophia will finally meet my parents.  On the other hand, I feel bad that the growing closeness between her and her Dad is going to be interrupted.  And I have so many other worries... Will she cry and look for her dad?  Can I handle her on my own?  What will my husband do while we are away?  What if she gets sick in the Philippines?  How is she going to handle the long flight?  I don't want to worry about all that... at least not right now.

Well I don't really know how to present this dish, so I'm going to cut right to the chase. Catalan Fish Stew with Pimenton Mayonnaise.  I don't know what is Catalan about it but it was pretty darn good.  My picky seafood eater husband liked it even though he had some sort of a stomach bug that day. He claims he'd have another bowl if not for his stomach problem.  But who knows, he's such a sweetheart he does not want to hurt my feelings by criticizing my cooking.

Catalan Fish Stew with Pimenton Mayonnaise

ingredients
1 1/2 lbs halibut fillets (or other white fish)
1 1/2 pound plum or roma tomatoes, cut in half crosswise
4 ounces sliced serrano ham or prosciutto, cut into thin strips
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves
1 cup bottled clam juice
1/3 cup pitted green olives, chopped
salt and pepper
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon sweet Pimenton de la Vera (smoked Spanish paprika)

preparation

Cut fish into 2 inch chunks.

Next grate the cut sides of the tomatoes using a box grater, stopping when you reach the skin. You should end up with about 2 cups of tomato pulp. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large deep skillet. Add the onion and half of the garlic and cook on moderate heat, stirring frequently until softened and just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. 

Add the tomato pulp and cook over high heat until thickened, about 5 minutes.Add the clam juice and boil until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.

Add the serrano ham or prosciutto, olives, and fish and simmer over moderate heat. Stir occasionally and cook until fish is cooked through and the stew is thick, about 5 minutes more.

Meanwhile, mash the remaining garlic with a pinch of salt in a bowl using the back of a spoon. Whisk in the mayonnaise, pimenton and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. (This step can be done upto 2 days ahead).

Sorry for the bad positioning of the teaspoon.

Serve with crusty bread to soak up those delicious juices!

Beef Stew with Ale

On Valentines day I did not know what to make for dinner.  I did not feel like going out because I hate Valentine's Day crowd, the overpriced menu, and the long wait.  I thought of something easy and quick like steak, but I just made steak the day before so it was out of the list of choices.  Well actually there was no list of choices, come lunch time and still I had no clue what to serve my family.  I needed to come up with something special.... something to make my family feel the love.  I was feeling lazy and unadventurous that day but in the midst of my usual blog hopping I was able to get some inspiration which led to a spur of the moment decision to make stew.  That day I drove like a maniac, went to the market to buy the ingredients and hoped I would have enough time to do a 3-hour beef stew.  I was inspired by Elise's stew over at Simply Recipes and also the Pioneer Woman's stew.  I sort of cross referenced both recipes, I do that a lot.

But before proceeding,

first let me show the Valentines card my husband gave our 2 year old daughter.  Man, that's sweet!

Our daughter flashed the card to me with excitement when they got home.  At first I thought it was mine so I snatched it from her (I know, shame on me!).  Then my husband handed me mine.  Sorry I am not posting that, it's for my eyes only.

Now this.....

from me, for the loves of my life - a hearty beef stew cooked with lots of love!

The original recipe called for beef short ribs but I decided to use Trader Joe's tri-tip meat instead. I figured it would get tender quicker.  I used every short cut I know to cut down the cooking time. I am trying to serve dinner by seven thirty, you know.  So I browned the beef in big chunks then cut them afterwards.  I also added the vegetables right away so they get tender along with the beef, which shortened the time by about 30 minutes.  I actually like it when the potatoes gets mushy, and thickens the stew a little bit.

Beef Stew with Ale

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup flour
2 Tbsp paprika
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 pounds beef (tri-tip, stew meat, or beef short ribs)
4 strips thick-cut bacon, cut in 1 inch strips
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 bottle (12 oz.) brown ale
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes
2 pounds red potatoes, unpeeled
1/2 pound baby carrots
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 cup water
1/2 Beef Bouillon cube
Minced Parsley (optional)


METHOD

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine flour, paprika, smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of black pepper in a large bowl. Dredge the beef in the flour mixture.

In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook bacon until fat renders. Transfer bacon to a plate and set aside.

Pour off all but 2 Tbsp of the bacon fat from pot then add beef. Notice the beef were in huge chunks. I was trying to save time in the browning process.

Brown beef on all sides.

Transfer browned beef to the bacon plate and reserve. Cool beef for a little while then cut them into smaller pieces.


Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the pot and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the ale and, using a wooden spoon, scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. It is called deglazing, the process of dissolving all the flavorful food particles stuck at the bottom of the pan.

Add tomatoes and their juices, tomato paste, brown sugar, reserved bacon, beef, carrots, potatoes, bouillon cubes and water. Increase heat to high and bring mixture to a boil. Cover and put in the preheated oven, and cook two hours. Make sure to check how it taste like and adjust seasoning as desired.  A lesson from Top Chef - always taste your dish!

This is how it looks like after 2 hours.  Next, do your best to spoon off any excess fat on top.

I also bought these pre-baked mini baguettes from Trader Joes which I thought would be perfect to serve with the stew. They only need about 5 minutes to crisp in the oven.

Serve the stew in bowls along with crusty mini French baguettes.

This is what they call comfort food.

And yes, dinner was served before seven thirty.

fideua

It was September 2007 on our honeymoon in Barcelona that I first laid eyes on this dish.  Strolling along the famous La Rambla , I could see every restaurant having it on their menu with a photo of the dish right next to the popular paella.  I was intrigued but never had the chance to eat it - to which I regret to this day.  I was travelling with uberly cautious eaters who did not want to diverge far from the American dish.  I mean c'mon, how could you travel to Spain and eat at the Hard Rock Cafe?  There was the fear of the unfamiliar I suppose - which I understand.  Looking back, I should have sneaked out and went on a food adventure by myself.  Spain had so much stuff when it comes to food, and I just drooled past delicious looking seafood paella and fideua while touring the city.  But it was not all bad.  In the last few days when the decision of where to eat was just between me and my husband we took risks and there we found one great restaurant in the heart of Barcelona.  I will have to save the review on that restaurant for another post.
Going back to the fideua, when I saw the recipe on another blog I was immediately inspired to make it.  Afterall, I had a new paella pan to use.  It did not seem difficult to make and the ingredients were easy to find.  The original recipe from Bon Appetit May 1992 did not include shrimp but I added about 1/2 lb to add more to the protein.  I also coarsely chopped the kielbasa for the sake of my little one =)
Traditionally a noodle called fideo is used in the dish (hello, it's called fideua!).  It's a very thin noodle with about  1 to 2 inches in length.  If you can find fideo use that by all means but if not you can use angel hair pasta as a substitute.  Just break them in halves or quarters.

Kielbasa and Mushroom Fideua

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 pound onions, chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 pound mushrooms, quartered
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 3 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 5 ounces kielbasa or Spanish chorizo or other garlic sausage, coarsely chopped
• 3/4 pound fideo or angel hair pasta
• 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Minced fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat olive oil in heavy deep paella pan skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until tender, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté 4 minutes. Add paprika and cayenne and stir just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and bell pepper and sauté 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, wine, chorizo. Bring mixture to simmer. Break pasta in half and add to pan. Cook until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Arrange shrimps on top and set pan in oven and bake until all liquid is absorbed and pasta is crusty, about 25 minutes (turn the shrimps half way to being done).  Sprinkle with parsley.

Hello 2011!

Today is the first day of the year 2011.  But, my daughter woke up this morning not thinking much about the new year. Well she is not thinking much about the past year either. She woke up today with the same enthusiasm as she does everyday.  She just lives.  Fully.  In the present.  That is what I am learning today from my child -- not to worry too much about what this year brings but that I just live each day.  FULLY. Of course, in faith that the Father will take care of it all.

Our 1st family Christmas tree surrounded with new toys

New Year's eve was quiet for us.  Ok, my eyes were shut by 11:15PM as I was t-i-r-e-d.  My daughter and I have been sick since Christmas day with cold and cough, so we have to have the much needed rest before the holiday ends.  I skipped the usual tradition of having food and champagne at midnight to welcome the new year but at least I had a bowl full of round fruits on the table for good luck.  I also skipped carrying coins in my pocket and didn't scatter any on the windows this year (supposedly for prosperity).  Yet daughter and I wore yellow shirts (for prosperity) and put on my polka dot red pajamas.  Red for love, the dots for money.

To make up for not making preparations for last night I made today's dinner special.  After all, today is the first day of the year, right?!  So it may be the start of a tradition that I will be making this dish every January 1st.  It entails a lot of work so that it will be exclusive to this day only. It was divine and really, it was worth a half day making it. Thanks to you Julia Child -- we now have a family tradition.

I followed Julia's recipe to a tee.  So, as much as I love the flavor of bacon and that I did not understand the reason behind boiling the bacon first before browning it, I obediently followed the procedure.  Honestly though I think next time I will skip boiling it and keep the smoky flavor.  I strongly believe it will make it taste even better. 

Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon

ingredients

One 6-ounce piece of chunk bacon
3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3 pounds lean stewing beef, cut into 2-inch cubes
1 carrot, sliced
1 onion, sliced
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons flour
3 cups red wine, young and full-bodied (like Beaujolais, Cotes du Rhone or Burgundy)
2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups brown beef stock
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cloves mashed garlic
1/2 teaspoon fres thyme
A crumbled bay leaf
18 to 24 white onions, small (or defrosted frozen pearl onions)
3 1/2 tablespoons butter
Herb bouquet (4 parsley sprigs, one-half bay leaf, one-quarter teaspoon thyme, tied in cheesecloth)
1 pound mushrooms, fresh and quartered

Remove bacon rind and cut into lardons (sticks 1/4-inch thick and 1 1/2 inches long). Simmer rind and lardons for 10 minutes in 1 1/2 quarts water. Drain and dry.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Sauté lardons in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a flameproof casserole over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon.

Dry the boiled bacon in a paper towel, then brown lightly

Dry beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Heat fat in casserole until almost smoking. Add beef, a few pieces at a time, and sauté until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the lardons.

In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the excess fat.

Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly. Set casserole uncovered in middle position of preheated oven for 4 minutes.

Toss the meat again and return to oven for 4 minutes (this browns the flour and coves the meat with a light crust)

                

Remove casserole and turn oven down to 325 degrees.

Stir in wine and 2 to 3 cups stock, just enough so that the meat is barely covered.

Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs and bacon rind. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove.

Cover casserole and set in lower third of oven. Regulate heat so that liquid simmers very slowly for 3 to 4 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.

While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons butter with one and one-half tablespoons of the oil until bubbling in a skillet.

Add onions and sauté over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, rolling them so they will brown as evenly as possible. Be careful not to break their skins. You cannot expect them to brown uniformly.

Add 1/2 cup of the stock, salt and pepper to taste and the herb bouquet.

Cover and simmer slowly for 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but hold their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove herb bouquet and set onions aside.

Wipe out skillet and heat remaining oil and butter over high heat. As soon as you see butter has begun to subside, indicating it is hot enough, add mushrooms.
Toss and shake pan for 4 to 5 minutes. As soon as they have begun to brown lightly, remove from heat.

When the meat is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan.

Wash out the casserole and return the beef and lardons to it. Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms on top.

Skim fat off sauce in saucepan. Simmer sauce for a minute or 2, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly.

If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons stock. Taste carefully for seasoning.

Pour sauce over meat and vegetables. Cover and simmer 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times.

Serve in casserole, or arrange stew on a platter surrounded with potatoes, noodles or rice, and decorated with parsley.

Thanksgiving Weekend

The Thanksgiving holiday sort of snuck up on us.  Last week I was eagerly waiting for it to come as I needed  a few days to catch up on sleep and some chores which were pushed aside when I got sick in the previous week.   All of a sudden it has come and gone... Nevertheless, we had a beautiful thanksgiving weekend so I cannot complain.  In fact I am very thankful in this holiday.  I have a beautiful family and we are happy and in good health.  I thank God every day for such blessings -- they are far more important in life than wealth and material things.  I am thankful that we have what we need.

Thanksgiving day was an all day buffet.  We did not get home until midnight and we were bloated from two parties we went to - his Mom's and my brother's.  At my mother-in-laws we enjoyed the traditional thanksgiving dinner: roast turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole, cucumber salad, ham, mashed potatoes, yams, cranberry sauce, and cheesecake.  There was plenty of food for a crowd of seven people so we get more food to take home. Yay!  My brother also prepared turkey but was accompanied by the usual Filipino food.  I don't remember each dish but there was also a lot of food there.

We skipped Black Friday shopping.  I think it's overrated anyway. I hate big crowds and how people get rude to get a hold of what they want. Also I do not have patience for long lines. Instead we took our dear daughter to see her favorite show on concert - Yo Gabba Gabba Live! As my husband says, "Pretty awesome to see Sophia so happy and excited, nothing could replace that. That was some of the best money I ever spent. DJ Lance Rock knows how to hype up the kids, let it never be said that there aren't any black superheroes!" I agree with him, I was almost in tears at the show seeing my daughter so happy... awed and almost speechless. It was such a wonderful feeling which made me forget about the $200 we paid for our tickets, not to mention the overpriced souvenirs we bought at the show.

Saturday was laundry day.  We did four loads at my grandma's (we thought we could visit and wash clothes at the same time).  Still there's more left to do next weekend.  By the end of the day I was tired and don't have the energy for an elaborate weekend dinner.  We have eaten thanksgiving dinner leftovers the night before so I had to come up with something quick and easy and hence this dish.  This is my usual go to dish - all you need is canelini, kale and sausage and tada!... comfort in a bowl!

White Bean and Sausage Saute

5 Italian Sweet Sauge

2 (14 oz) canelini beans

1 bunch kale, coarsely chopped

1 onion, sliced

1 teaspoon fresh parsley

1 teaspoon fresh oregano

2 cups tomatoes, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons olive oil

There is my daughter's hand - couldn't wait to get the beans!

Heat olive oil in a heavy bottomed skillet over medium high heat.  Brown sausage on all sides.  When firm, slice them into medallions and add back into the pan along with the onions.  Saute until the onions are soft and clear and the suasage are cooked through and no longer pink on the inside, about 5 minutes, then add garlic and saute for a minute.

Add tomatoes and herbs then cook until the tomatoes start to disintegrate, about 4 minutes.  Add broth and bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.  Add kale and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook until kale are soft but still has some crunch to it, about 5 minutes.  Add beans and simmer for about 3 minutes.

Other variations of this dish:
Tuscan Bean Soup with Shrimp

The Classic Cold Medicine

I have been nursing a persistent cough since last week, the kind that leaves you gasping for breath after coughing up like ten times in a row.  I am not a big fan of cough syrups so I avoid them as much as I can.  Besides those cough & cold medicine doesn't really give much relief much else cure it.  So now the cough has turned into a really bad cold... the runny kind where you cannot bend down long enough or else all the water in your brain will flow out.  And not to mention the constant sneezing which is just annoying and so unladylike. Anyways I gave in to taking medicines, although nothing has brought me comfort except the smell of the vinegar I used to dip the pears I ate.  It smelled so good I slurped what was left in the bowl.  Back in the Philippines the best home remedy for colds was to simmer some local vinegar underneath your nostrils.  It clears congestion pretty good! I ought to give that a try later...

For now, a good ol' chicken soup sounds exceptionally good.

Chicken soup is nature's best cold and flu remedy, or for whatever ails you.  It must be the steam or the aroma from the spices, interestingly there's scientific evidence that there is truth to the tales that chicken soup has medicinal qualities.

There are many many different ways of making the classic soup.  My version is a slight asian fare, loaded with some greens and some Thai noodles.  I always like to add some sriracha and lemon at the end to make it a little pho-ish.

Chicken Soup

10 pieces chicken legs, bone-in, skin removed (preferrably organic-free range chicken)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1.5 quart chicken broth
water
2 stalks celery, sliced 1/4 inch crosswise
2 carrots, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
salt and pepper
1 jalapeno peppers, sliced (optional, i like mine hot)
1 napa cabbage, sliced 1/4 inch crosswise (separate the stems from the leaves)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup cut fresh green onions
6 oz rice stick (thai style pasta)

1. Rinse chicken legs and remove the skins.  Place chicken in colander to remove excess water.
2. Heat a large heavy bottomed pan over medium-high heat.  Add the oil and soon as it starts to smoke, add the chicken legs.  Increase the heat to high and let chicken cook until no loner pink on the outside, about 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes making sure the meat does not stick to the pan. There should be very little liquid in it, you are basically cooking the chicken in its own liquid.
3. Add salt & pepper, and garlic.  Cook for one minute then add ginger, onion, celery and carrots.  Cook further until the the vegetables start to 'sweat', about 5 minutes.
4. Add the broth to the pan, adding water if it is not enough to cover all of the meat.  Bring it to a boil then lower the heat.  Simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken in tender.
5. Add the rice noodle and cook until soft, about 10 minutes depending on the thickness of the noodle you are using.  Thinner ones cook a lot faster.  At the last minute of cooking add the cabbage stems.
6. Serve topped with cabbage leaves, green onions and cilantro.
7. If you like it hot as I do, add sliced jalapeno and a dash of sriracha.  A bit of lemon or lime is also a good addition.