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Beef & Celery in Oyster Sauce

Beef & Celery in Oyster Sauce

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Yield: 2 to 3 Servings
Adapted from Happy Wok

Love tender-crisp cooked celery. Makes a great combination and alternative to beef with broccoli, etc. My last time making this I only had half a bunch of celery and no green onions. I add a julienned onion to round it out. An excellent dish.

Beef:

  • 1lb beef flank steak

Tenderize: (optional)

  • ¼tsp baking soda
  • 3TBS water

Marinade:

  • 1egg white
  • 1TBS light soy sauce
  • 1tsp Chinkiang black vinegar
  • 1pinch white pepper
  • ¼tsp salt
  • 1-2½TBS of corn starch
  • 1TBS of oil

Celery & Stir-fry:

  • 1lb celery, ½ inch diagonal slices
  • 6cups water
  • 1tsp salt
  • 2stalks green onion, chopped 1 inch lengths or 1 onion, julienned
  • 1tsp ginger, minced
  • 1tsp garlic, minced

Sauce:

  • ¼cup beef broth
  • 1tsp light soy sauce
  • 1TBS oyster sauce
  • 1tsp sesame oil
  • 1tsp sugar
  • 1tsp corn starch


Beef:

Note: Tenderize the beef with a Jaccard before slicing. (optional)

Slice the beef with the blade tilted 45 degrees to get a thin cut through the grain.

Tenderize: (optional)

Mix 1/4 tsp baking soda and 3TBS water in a small bowl. Add beef and let sit for at least 30 minutes.

Marinate the beef:

Add egg white to a small bowl. Add soy sauce, vinegar and beat until foamy. Add meat and mix to coat. Add corn starch, mix. Add oil to meat and stir well. Marinate 15 to 30 minutes.

Drain to remove excess marinade.

Make the sauce:

Mix all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Prepare celery:

Bring 6 cups of water to a boil, add 1 tsp salt and celery and onion if using. Blanch 2 minutes, drain and set aside.

Stir Fry: 

Add oil to wok. Add meat to wok, stir fry until light brown all over, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove meat fromwok, set aside.

Add green onion, garlic, ginger to wok. Stir fry until fragrant. Add additional oil if the wok is too dry.

Add celery and stir fry one minute. Return meat to wok. Stir fry 30 seconds. Add sauce and bring to boil. Stir until thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning. An extra tsp each of soy sauce and oyster sauce is always welcome.

Serve with steamed rice.

Thighs, Honey Balsamic Grilled Chicken

Thighs, Honey Balsamic Grilled Chicken

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Yield: 4 Servings
Delish

We love chicken thighs for how much flavor they bring. Grilling your thighs means even more flavor and we are always down for that. Unless you burn the crap out of them like I usually do. I modified the grill instructions to improve the chances of success.

  • 8bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2TBS butter
  • 2TBS balsamic vinegar
  • ⅓cup honey
  • 3cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
  • Canola oil, for greasing
  • Chopped chives, for garnish
  • Chopped parsley, for garnish
  • Lemon wedges, for garnish

Place the chicken thighs on a large plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper on all sides. Work the seasoning into the chicken. Let sit, in the refrigerator, for at least an hour.

Meanwhile, make the glaze: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter.

Add the vinegar, honey and garlic and stir until the honey has dissolved. Season with salt and pepper. Set near the grill.

Heat a gas grill to high and clean and grease the grates with canola oil.

Turn off one side of gas grill. Add chicken skin side down to the side that is off and grill, flipping often and basting with sauce, until cooked through, 10 minutes per side.

Serve with lemon wedges and garnish with chives and parsley.

Mongolian Beef

Mongolian Beef

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Yield: 2 Servings
Adapted from Sue & Gambo

Add a glop of steamed rice, maybe some pot stickers or an egg roll and enjoy.

Beef:

  • ½lb sliced beef tenderloin

Marinade:

  • 1pinch salt
  • 1tsp sesame seed oil
  • 1pinch white pepper
  • ½egg white
  • 1-3TBS corn starch

Sauce

  • 1TBS oyster sauce
  • hot pepper sauce to taste
  • 1TBS hoisin sauce
  • 1TBS vinegar
  • 1TBS Shaoxing rice wine (or dry sherry)
  • 1TBS sugar

Slurry

  • 1TBS corn starch
  • 2TBS water

Stir-Fry

  • 1tsp ginger
  • 1tsp garlic
  • 1cup white onions, julienned
  • 1cup green onion, chopped 2-inch pieces
  • 1tsp dark soy sauce
  • 1cup water


Marinate the beef:

In a bowl add sliced beef, salt, sesame seed oil, white pepper, egg white, 1½ TBS of corn starch, 1 TBS oil, and mix together well. Marinate for 5 to 15 minutes.

Premix the sauce:

To a small bowl, add oyster sauce, hot pepper sauce, hoisin sauce, vinegar, Shaoxing wine, and sugar. Mix well, set aside.

Make a slurry:

Whisk together 1 TBS of corn starch and 2 TBS of water in a bowl.

Stir-fry the beef:

Add 2 TBS of oil and the beef to your wok. Cook on high heat until the beef is done to medium. Set the beef aside to drain oil.

Stir-fry the vegetables:

In a wok add 2 TBS of oil, minced ginger, minced garlic, white onions, and stir-fry for several seconds.

Next add the beef, green onions, dark soy sauce and a cup of water or stock, bring to a boil.

Add the premix sauce and mix. To thicken the sauce, slowly add slurry to your stir-fry and return to boil. Add additional until it’s the desired thickness.

Serve.

Mongolian Chicken

Mongolian Chicken

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Yield: 2 Servings
Adapted from Sue & Gambo

Chicken version of Mongolian Beef. Add a glop of steamed rice or some lo mein, maybe some pot stickers or an egg roll and enjoy.

Chicken & Marinade

  • 12oz sliced chicken
  • 1pinch salt
  • 1tsp sesame seed oil
  • 1pinch white pepper
  • ½egg white
  • 1-3TBS corn starch

Sauce

  • 1TBS oyster sauce
  • hot pepper sauce to taste
  • 1TBS hoisin sauce
  • 1TBS vinegar
  • 1TBS Shaoxing rice wine (or dry sherry)
  • 1TBS sugar

Slurry

  • 1TBS corn starch
  • 2TBS water

Stir-Fry

  • 1tsp ginger
  • 1tsp garlic
  • 1cup white onions, julienned
  • 1cup green onion, chopped 2-inch pieces
  • 1TBS soy sauce


Mise, Mise, Mise, get your mise together! This means me! This happens so fast, that you must get everything prepped and measured before cooking starts.

Marinate the Chicken:

In a bowl add sliced chicken, salt, egg white, white pepper, sesame oil, 1½ TBS of cornstarch and 1 TBS of oil. Mix everything together well. Marinate for 5 to 15 minutes.

Make the sauce:

Mix vinegar, Shaoxing wine, hoisin sauce, hot pepper sauce, sugar and soy sauce in a small bowl.

Make a slurry:

whisk together 1 TBS of cornstarch and 2 TBS of water in a bowl.

Stir-fry the chicken:

Add 2 TBS of cooking oil and your chicken to your wok and cook on high heat until chicken is fully cooked all the way through.

Set the chicken aside to drain oil.

Stir-fry the vegetables:

To the wok add 2 TBS of oil, white onions, minced ginger, minced garlic, green onions, and stir-fry for several seconds.

Next add the chicken, green onions, and soy sauce.

To thicken the sauce, slowly add slurry to your stir-fry and return to boil. Add additional until it’s the desired thickness.

Shrimp & Broccoli

Shrimp & Broccoli

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Yield: 2 to 4 Servings
Adapted from Sue & Gambo

Similar to Beef & Broccoli, but with Shrimp. Mmm, good.

Shrimp & Marinade:

  • 8oz medium shrimp
  • 1pinch salt
  • 2tsp sesame seed oil
  • pinch white pepper
  • ½egg white
  • 1½TBS corn starch
  • 1TBS vegetable oil

Broccoli:

  • 1lb broccoli florets

Slurry:

  • 1TBS corn starch
  • 2TBS water

Sauce:

  • 1TBS oyster sauce
  • 1tsp sugar
  • 1tsp sesame oil
  • pinch white pepper

Stir-fry:

  • 4TBS + 1 tsp of oil
  • 1tsp minced ginger
  • 1tsp minced garlic
  • 1TBS Shaoxing cooking wine
  • 1cup water + 2 TBS of water


Mise, Mise, Mise, get your mise together! This means me! This happens so fast, that you must get everything prepped and measured before cooking starts.

Marinate the shrimp:

In a bowl add shrimp, salt, 2 tsp sesame oil, a pinch of white pepper, egg white, 1½ TBS of cornstarch, and mix well. Add 1 TBS cooking oil and mix a bit more. Marinate for 5 to 15 minutes.

Make the sauce:

In a small bowl add oyster sauce, sugar, sesame oil, white pepper.

Make a slurry:

In another bowl, make a slurry from 1 TBS cornstarch and 2 TBS water.

Broccoli:

Put broccoli and 1 tsp cooking oil in boiling water. Return to boil and cook to desired tenderness, about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain, rinse in cold water to stop cooking.

Stir-fry:

Add 2 TBS of cooking oil and the shrimp to your wok. Cook on medium heat until opaque. Remove to bowl with broccoli.

To the wok, add a small amount of cooking oil and add ginger and garlic, stir. Return shrimp and broccoli to wok. Add 1 TBS cooking wine and 2 TBS water to wok and stir for a few seconds.

Add sauce to wok, stir.

To thicken the sauce, slowly add slurry to your stir-fry and return to boil. Add additional slurry until it’s the desired thickness.

Buttery Breakfast Strata

Buttery Breakfast Strata

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serves 8 – 10
adapted from NY Times

Using croissants as the bread component gives this strata a wonderful buttery taste. The mild nuttiness of the Gruyère compliments it well.  Prepare the day before and bake to serve.

  • 1lb croissants (about 5 to 7), split horizontally into 2 pieces
  • 1TBS extra-virgin olive oil, more for baking dish
  • 1bunch scallions (6 to 7), white and light green parts thinly sliced, greens reserved
  • 1lb sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 2tsp finely chopped fresh sage (or 1 tsp dried)
  • 8large eggs
  • 3cups whole milk
  • 1cup heavy cream
  • 8oz Gruyère, finely grated, not shredded (about 2 cups)
  • 1¼tsp kosher salt
  • 1tsp black pepper


Heat oven to 500°F. Spread croissants on a large baking sheet and toast, cut side up, until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes (watch carefully to see that they do not burn). Let cool, then tear into large bite-size pieces.

In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add sliced scallions and sausage meat; cook, breaking up meat with a fork, until mixture is well browned, about 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat.

In a large bowl, toss together croissants and sausage mixture.

In a separate large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, 1½ cups cheese, sage, salt and pepper until well combined.

Lightly oil a 9- x 13-inch baking dish. Turn croissant mixture into pan, spreading it out evenly over the bottom. Pour custard into pan, pressing croissants down gently to help absorb the liquid. Cover pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

When you’re ready to bake the casserole, heat oven to 350°F. Scatter the remaining grated cheese over the top of the casserole. Transfer to oven and bake until casserole is set, golden brown and firm to the touch, 45 to 55 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Garnish with sliced scallion tops before serving.

Scrap Chicken Noodle Soup (IP)

Scrap Chicken Noodle Soup (IP)

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Yield: 6 to 8 Servings
Very loosely adapted from https://www.jocooks.com/recipes/instant-pot-chicken-noodle-soup/

Don’t laugh at the name. This tasty soup is made with scrap chicken and/or turkey bones, skin, giblets, etc. that you saved in the freezer. You do save all your poultry scraps, right? Using a soup bag gets all of the flavor from the scraps and makes them easy to discard.

  • 2TBS olive oil
  • 1large onion chopped
  • 3to 4 medium carrots chopped
  • 3to 4 stalks celery chopped
  • 1tsp salt plus more to taste
  • ½tsp pepper or to taste
  • 1tsp thyme dry
  • 1tsp parsley dry
  • 1tsp oregano dry
  • 8cups water
  • 4lbs chicken scraps, thawed if previously frozen
  • 1chicken breast
  • 2to 3 heaping tsp chicken base
  • 6oz egg noodles uncooked, (about 2½ cups)
  • Special Equipment: Soup Bag/Soup Sock, available at Amazon.

Set Instant Pot to the saute setting.

Add the olive oil, onion, carrots and celery and saute for 5 to 8 minutes until the onion softens and becomes translucent.

Season with salt and pepper, add the thyme, parsley, oregano and stir. Pour in half the water. Add the chicken scraps to a soup bag and place in IP. Add the chicken breast to the IP (not in the bag!). Add remaining water, but do not exceed the Max fill line.

Close the lid. Set the Instant Pot to the Manual setting and set the timer to 20 minutes.

Once the Instant Pot cycle is complete, use a quick release. Carefully unlock and remove the lid from the instant pot.

Remove the breast and set aside. Remove and discard the chicken scaps in the soup bag.

Dice or shred the chicken breast

Set the Instant Pot to the saute setting again and return to a boil. Add the chicken base and and mix. Check for seasoning and adjust.

Add the noodles to the soup and cook for 5 to 6 minutes uncovered, until the noodles are cooked al dente.

Turn off the Instant Pot. Add the shredded chicken back to the Instant Pot, taste and adjust seasoning.

Garnish with additional parsley if preferred.

Pork Tenderloin – Pan Roasted

Pork Tenderloin – Pan Roasted

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Yield: 2 Servings (can be doubled)

Scott Nowell

Ah, so good with a nice seasoned crumb crust.

  • 1pork tenderloin
  • all-purpose flour
  • 1egg beaten
  • 1TBS milk
  • 1cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1TBS minced flat leaf parsley
  • 2tsp finely minced rosemary
  • 1TBS olive oil
  • 1-2TBS butter
  • salt
  • black pepper

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Remove any fat and silver skin from pork. Season well with salt and pepper. Sprinkle all over with flour. Pat flour to stick.

Mix beaten egg with milk in shallow dish.

Mix panko, parsley and rosemary in another shallow dish or plate.

Heat oil in oven proof skillet large enough to hold tenderloin.

Dip tenderloin in egg-milk mixture and roll to coat.

Roll tenderloin in panko mixture pressing to coat all over completely.

When oil is hot, brown tenderloin for two to three minutes per side.

Place skillet in oven and roast for 10 minutes. Check temperature. Should be 145-150°F. Depending on thickness of tenderloin, meat will likely need additional time, add the butter to the pan and add any leftover crumbs. Return to oven and cook five to ten minutes to get temperature to 145°F in thickest part.

Remove meat to plate and cover with foil and rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

Slice diagonally to 3/4 to 1 inch thick slices.
Serve with:

Vegetable Starch
Green Beans Noodles
Broccoli Austrian-Style Potato Salad (Erdäpfelsalat)
Asparagus Spaetzle
Green Salad French Fried Potatoes

Baked Stuffed Jumbo Shrimp

Baked Stuffed Jumbo Shrimp

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Yield: 2 to 3 Servings

Add some shredded crab meat, lobster meat, or tiny bay scallops to the stuffing to fancy it up a bit.

  • 12jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 2TBS white wine
  • 1TBS parsley (chopped)
  • 2tsp ginger (fresh grated)
  • For the Stuffing:
  • 1TBS olive oil
  • 1TBS butter
  • 12cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1cup dried breadcrumbs (or ritz cracker crumbs)
  • 3TBS parsley (chopped)
  • crab, lobster meat or bay scallops, minced (optional)
  • 1TBS butter

Put the shrimp on a cutting board and make another cut along the inside curve of the shrimp, cutting almost all the way through.

In a small bowl, combine white wine, parsley, and ginger. Pour half of the mixture into a shallow dish, add the shrimp and toss to coat. Cover and let the shrimp marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes. Reserve the remaining marinade mixture.

Make the stuffing: Heat the oil and butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until just beginning to turn golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring often until lightly browned, about 3 minutes more. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and add the lemon juice and half of the parsley, and stir until blended.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a shallow baking dish with cooking spray. Remove the shrimp from the marinade. Press open the shrimp to flatten and place a generous tablespoon of the stuffing onto the belly of each shrimp.

Arrange the stuffed shrimp in the prepared baking dish. Drizzle the reserved marinade over the shrimp. Dot the shrimp with the remaining butter.  Bake until the shrimp are opaque, about 10 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the oven. Preheat the broiler. Broil the shrimp, 4 to 6 inches from the heat source, until the stuffing is lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with the remaining parsley and serve right away.

Mushroom Sauce for Chicken

Mushroom Sauce for Chicken

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Yield: 4 servings

A delightful mushroom sauce for chicken

  • ¼cup finely chopped shallots (chopped onion will work if you can’t find shallots)
  • 2oz butter (½ stick)
  • 8oz fresh supermarket mushrooms, sliced
  • ½cup white wine
  • 8oz chicken based demi-glace
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium high heat and sauté shallots briefly until they become translucent. Add the wine, then the mushrooms and cook until most of the wine is cooked off. Add chicken based demi-glace and simmer for approx. 5-6 minutes (until sauce has thickened). You know the sauce is ready when it is thick enough to coat a spoon.

Restaurant trick – If you want an even richer sauce, whisk in a tablespoon or two of butter at the end.

Sauce is excellent over any grilled, roasted, or pan-fried chicken.