Kale and Daikon

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Daikon and Kale Greens

If you love kale as I do, you will appreciate this simple and delightful side dish to accompany chicken, tofu or other vegetables.   It only takes a short time to make and the results are very tasty. Plus, for me, it's a new twist to add Daikon and fresh ginger to one of my favorite greens.

As I make my dishes, one of the hardest things for me to do is to write down exactly how much of anything I use.  I suppose that goes back to my mom's and my grandmother's way of cooking.  Unless it was a cake or cookies, something that needed precise measurements, they didn't measure everything exactly. 

I am likely to throw things into the pan and then add seasonings and ingredients that In most cases, I have to painfully try to remember and then record it.  That's why it takes me so long sometimes to put a recipe on my blog.

Anyway, here goes.

Ingredients

1-2 Tbs vegetable or canola oil

1 lb fresh kale

½ lb Daikon radish

1 Tbs minced garlic

½ medium onion, sliced thin

1 Tbs fresh minced ginger

1 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste

2 Tbs hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

Wash kale.  Tear the leaves from the stems.  Discard stems.  Cut or tear leaves into smaller pieces or strips.  Peel the Daikon radish, cut into ¼ inch thick slices and then into four small pieces.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add Daikon and cook for about minutes.  I actually cooked it until it got a little brown.  Add sliced onions, garlic and ginger and co2 ok until soft, another minute.  Add red pepper flakes and washed kale, being very careful because the water from the kale may splatter.  Cover with a tight fitting top and cook about 5 minutes, stirring, occasionally.   Raise heat to medium high and cook another 5 minutes allowing the liquid to evaporate.  Stir in hoisin sauce and vinegar.  Way yum!

Small Kitchen Big Taste

For 25 years, I lived in a one bedroom condominium in Washington, DC.  I truly loved living in the city even though I grew up in the small Naval Academy town of Annapolis, Maryland.  I had always dreamed of being able to cook in a large kitchen.  My condo kitchen was not like that; it was tiny.  Not only was there was no room for a table, I couldn't even get a chair in it.

The place was so small that I had to store my pans and cookware on the tops of the cabinets and inside the oven.  The cooking area was less than minimal.  By the time I put a microwave and a toaster on the counter, there was no room to slice and dice vegetables or anything else.    None of that ever stopped me from making some great meals, though.  I made it work.  From my small railroad-car sized kitchen, I was able to create some big tastes: dare I say, masterpieces.

I always had to be careful when cooking anything that had the least amount of steam or smoke, because the smoke alarm would go off at the drop of a hat.  Funny thing, I think I may have changed that alarm battery one time in all those 25 years.  It always went off.  I had to run around looking for a newspaper or a magazine or anything to wave directly under the alarm to get it to stop making that horrendous loud noise.  I always imagined the neighbors running to call the fire department, however, no one ever did, thank goodness.

The whole experience was an exercise in getting big taste out of a small kitchen.  My friends always thought it was an astounding feat that sI could cook just about anything in that space.  Yes. I must say that some amazing meals came out of that miniature caboose.

Fish and Seafood Cooking Tips from A Former Personal Chef

When I was a personal chef, the overwhelming request I got from my clients was for my seafood recipes. No matter what dietary challenges they faced, most could eat some kind of seafood. Many of the clients wanted tips for fish and seafood recipes so they could cook them on their own. Here are some general tips.

1. One of the most important things to keep in mind is that fish are very delicate and can spoil easily and quickly. Keep your seafood in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook it.

2. No matter what you may see on TV, keep cooked and raw fish separate when you are preparing a meal to avoid cross-contamination. And, make sure you wash your hands after handling raw seafood.

3. Fish will continue to cook even after you take it off the heat, so remove it just before it is done.

4. As I mentioned fish is very delicate, so turn it over only once so it will not fall apart. Fish cooks quickly and can dry out, so do not overcook.

5. Fish and seafood are versatile. They can be baked, broiled, sautéed, grilled, poached, made into stews and soups or cakes and salads. They can be pan fried or deep-fried and even smoked.

6. When frying fish, make sure to use a good quality oil that will not burn quickly. Many cooks use peanut oil because it has a higher heat rate. It does not burn as quickly as others and you can use it several times if you keep it refrigerated. I also use canola oil, however, it cannot be used more than once or twice, because it burns very quickly. Vegetable oil is my last resort.

7. Shell fish such as oysters, mussels and clams, should be cooked until the shells open, and then generally only about 30 seconds more. If they do not open, throw them away!

8. Shrimp should be cooked only until they turn pink. If using in a stew or soup, add them last. If they turn pink before the dish has finished cooking, remove them, because they will get rubbery.

I love seafood. My favorite fish of all is catfish. I love them fried, in a stew or sauteed with bell peppers, onions and tomatoes. You can cook your favorite seafood, too. I hope these tips will help.

Anchovies: A Mediterranean Essential

Many people turn up their noses at the thought of anchovies. Either they have had a bad experiences with the fishy taste or someone did not know how to use them to bring out their delicious flavor.

I am an anchovy lover from way back. The first time I had them was when I was in college and had them on a pizza. I thought the taste was pretty weird at first. However, I tried them again and just loved them.

They add so much flavor to meats and poultry. They are just great in mashed potatoes and in sauces. They are extremely popular in Mediterranean cooking and especially in Italian and Spanish cooking and recipes.

Here is a delicious recipe from the cookbook, Mediterranean, published by Hermes House

Olive and Anchovy Bites

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chilled butter
1 cup finely grated cheese, such as
Manchego or Gruyere
2-ounce can anchovy fillets in oil,
drained and roughly chopped
1/2 cup pitted black olives, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Sea salt

Makes 40-45

1. Place the flour, butter, cheese, anchovies, olives and cayenne pepper in a food processor.
2. Wrap the dough loosely in plastic wrap. Chill for 20 minutes
3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Roll out the dough thinly on a lightly floured surface.
4. Cut the dough into 2-inch-wide strips, then cut across each strip diagonally, in alternate directions, to make triangles. Place on baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until golden. Cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle with sea salt and serve.

Discover the secret recipes from your FAVORITE restaurant and easily cook them yourself in Your Own Kitchen!

3 Smoked Salmon Breakfast Sandwiches

You do not have to always follow a recipe exactly. There are times when I want to try out a recipe, yet, there are ingredients I do not have on hand. So, I improvise, because there is a certain taste I want. ( I rarely do this with baking unless I am just testing)

For example: When I have smoked Salmon available and I do not have bagels, I use what I have. I mix up a Dijon dressing or I may use store-bought creamy Horseradish sauce.

So, for breakfast this morning, I had this smoked Salmon sandwich:

Smoked Salmon Breakfast Sandwich #1

Smoked Salmon pieces or slices.
Sliced tomatoes
Laughing Cow Swiss
A fried egg
A Dijon mustard dressing (See below)

Toast the bread
Spread one slice with Laughing Cow Light Swiss
Pile on Salmon pieces
Add sliced tomatoes
Fry an egg in olive oil
Add to sandwich
Slather Dijon dressing on remaining slice of bread
Cut in half
Enjoy!

Dijon Dressing

3 TB Light or Low Fat Mayonaise
2 TB Dijon Mustard (More or less to taste)
Mix until smooth

Smoked Salmon Breakfast Sandwich #2

Whole Wheat Mini Bagels
Smoked Salmon pieces
Brie cheese

This one is so easy. For budget concerns, use Trader Joe's Smoked Salmon pieces and Trader Joe's brand Brie. They also have packages of wheat and white mini bagels. This little sandwich is also a simple lunch to carry to work or to a pot-luck brunch. Guests devour them!

Smoked Salmon Breakfast Sandwich #3

Bagel or Whole Wheat Toast
Smoked Salmon
Brie or Laughing Cow Light Garlic & Herb Cheese
Thin slice onion
Tomato slice
Dijon Dressing (See above)

Try These Famous Restaurant Recipe Secrets

Fast Chinese Food Inspired by 2008 Beijing Olympics

Think Chinese Cooking is Complicated and Takes Too
Long?

Not so!
Many Chinese recipes are quick and easy.
And, delicious, too.
Chinese cooks have families, jobs, and
other things to do besides stay in the
kitchen all day--just like you.
Take a break from ordinary fast food.
You will and your family will love it !!

Learn the Step by Step Instructions for Making
Specific World Famous Restaurant Dishes in YourOwn Kitchen!