“A nice alternative to its fermented cousin; put this on pork chops or fish.” —Brad Leone, test kitchen manager
Ingredients
SERVINGS: 4
2 scallions, cut into ½” pieces, plus more, sliced
2 garlic cloves
1 1” piece peeled ginger, chopped
2 tablespoons gochujang
1 tablespoon fish sauce (such as nam pla or nuoc nam)
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ head green cabbage, cut into 1” strips
Kosher salt
Preparation
Purée scallions, garlic, ginger, gochujang, fish sauce, and rice vinegar in a blender. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Cook cabbage, tossing often, until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add scallion mixture and sliced scallions; season with salt.
Recipe by Brad Leone Photograph by Danny Kim
not mine.credit and source: BON APPETIT
Author Notes: To embark on this chewy cake journey with me, you need to first assure me that you are down with your baked good being green, and then affirm that you are on board with a cake texture unlike any cake in your past (unless you've made this before). Dense and gummy in a good way—the kind of cake you can really sink your teeth into and entirely without "crumb"— this is a block of coconut-y, green tea goodness that I couldn't get enough of. —Kendra Vaculin
Makes about 2 dozen squares
1 stick butter, softened
4 eggs
One 12-ounce can evaporated milk
One 13 1/2-ounce can coconut milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3c ups glutinous rice flour, like Mochiko (available at Japanese markets)
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon matcha powder
1 big handful of shredded coconut (I used a sweetened variety because I love that stuff—and this dessert, despite the 2 cups of sugar, is not innately that sweet — but you do you!), for sprinkling
1.Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a rectangular 9- by 13-inch pan with parchment paper, allowing the paper to hang over the edges.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter and eggs together with a whisk until smooth. Then add the milks and the vanilla, stirring to combine.
3.In a separate bowl, mix the rice flour, sugar, baking powder, and matcha together in a separate bowl.
4.Add the dry mixture to the wet, and mix until you have a thick-ish, almost pancake-like batter—except, you know, it's green and smells like tea and loveliness.
5.Pour the batter into prepared pan and baked for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a fork stuck into the center comes out clean (it will still be jiggly-ish though! It’s mochi) and the edges have browned slightly and are peeling away from the sides of the pan.
6.Allow to cool slightly before removing cake from pan (pull it out by the parchment paper overhang). Top with a liberal sprinkling of shredded coconut. Allow to cool completely, then cut up into 24 small squares. You may need to flour the sides of your knife to be able to cut though, especially right after the cake has cooled.
7.Mochi cake freezes super well! Store it in an airtight container with layers separated by parchment paper.
4 servings Ingredients: 1 Korean cucumber or 2 Kirby (pickling) cucumbers (5 – 6 ounces) 1 cup soaked miyeok (seaweed) – about 1/2 ounce dried 1 Korean green or red chili pepper or scallion (optional) 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce 1 teaspoon Korean red chili pepper flakes 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
For the soup: 4 cups of water 1 tablespoon soup soy sauce 3 tablespoons vinegar salt to taste
Cut the cucumber into match sticks (julienne). Finely chop the optional chili pepper or scallion.
Prepare the dried seaweed by soaking and rinsing well. (See my miyeok gukrecipe for more.) Boil water in a small pot and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook the soaked seaweed briefly (blanch), about 1 minute. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain again, squeeze out excess water and cut into bite size pieces.
In a medium size bowl, gently toss the vegetables with the next 5 ingredients. Refrigerate to chill.
In another medium size bowl, mix 4 cups of water with the soup soy sauce, vinegar, and salt. Start with a half teaspoon of salt, taste and add more if necessary. Refrigerate to chill.
When ready to serve, combine the cucumber andmiyeok mix with the soup. Stir the soup, taste and adjust the seasoning with salt to taste, if necessary. Serve in chilled bowls with a couple of ice cubes.
Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 small sweet or yellow onion, finely diced 1 large or 2 small celery stalks, finely diced 1 small zucchini (about 1/2 pound), finely diced 3/4 teaspoon salt + additional salt to taste 4 cups (1 quart) chicken or vegetable broth 1 pound baby yellow or red potatoes, sliced into bite-size chunks 1 medium red bell pepper, cored and finely diced 2 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 2 small ears) or frozen corn 1/4 cup heavy cream or half and half (optional) Whole parsley leaves or chopped parsley for garnish (optional) Bread for serving (optional)
Preparation
Casey Barber
1. Heat the oil in a medium (3-4 quart) stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Stir in the onion, celery, zucchini and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are very soft and translucent, about 10-12 minutes.
Casey Barber
3. Transfer the cooked vegetables to a blender and purée with the broth until smooth, or remove the pot from the heat, add the broth, and carefully purée in the pot with an immersion blender.
4. Return the purée to the pot and place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, add the potatoes and bell pepper, and cook until the potatoes are just tender, about 10-12 minutes more.
5. Add the corn and cream (if using) and cook just until the corn is warmed through, about 2-3 minutes for fresh corn and 4-5 minutes for frozen corn.
6. Taste and add more salt to your taste. Divide between 6 bowls; sprinkle with parsley and serve with crusty bread if desired.
any extremely severe or trying test, experience, or trial
A difficult or painful experience, especially one that severely tests character or endurance
credit and source: WIKIPEDIA
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Tongue-in-cheek
figure of speech used to imply that a statement or other production is humorously or otherwise not seriously intended, and it should not be taken at face value. The facial expression typically indicates that one is joking or making a mental effort. In the past, it may also have indicated contempt, but that is no longer common.
without really meaning what one is saying or writing.
On January 27, actress Inoue Waka (34) reported through her official blog that she is 5-months pregnant with her first child.
Inoue, who married film director Iizuka Ken (36) in May of 2012, announced, "It's a personal matter, but at this time, we as a couple, have been blessed with a new life. I'm currently 5-months pregnant and have entered my stable period. I'm scheduled to give birth in July." She expressed, "It's my first time, so I am anxious and confused, but I feel the joy and happiness of gaining a new family member."
Inoue continued, "While praying that our child will grow healthily, we hope to mature as husband and wife." Finally, she called out to her fans, "I am happy to finally announce this to everyone. Please continue to support me."
水嶋も自身のInstagramにて、「I'm a dad. #mytreasures（お父さんになりました。#僕の宝物）」というコメントとともに、絢香と同じく我が子の手首に赤いリボンを結んだ写真を公開。出産前から、それぞれのSNSで妊娠中の様子や産まれてくる我が子への思いを明かしていただけに、ファンからは「おめでとうございます 素敵なパパになって下さい」「無事に産まれて私も嬉しいです」「思わず涙が出てしまいました」など祝福のコメントが殺到している。
If a fudgy brownie and chewy chocolate chip cookie had a baby, it would be this decadent creation.
YIELD: Makes 2 dozen INGREDIENTS 3 cups gluten-free powdered sugar 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 large egg whites 1 large egg 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped 3 tablespoons cacao nibs PREPARATION Place racks in lower and upper thirds of oven; preheat to 350°F. Whisk powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in a large bowl, then whisk in egg whites and egg; fold in chocolate and cacao nibs. Spoon batter by the tablespoonful onto 2 parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 2" apart. Bake, rotating sheets once, until cookies are puffed, cracked, and set just around the edges, 14–16 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to wire racks and let cookies cool on pan (they'll firm up). DO AHEAD: Cookies can be baked 3 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
It's still summertime, but I can feel the cooler days of fall coming, especially in the evenings when the temperature is dropping just a bit more than it did a few weeks ago. This is one of the best times of the year for food lovers, especially if you love vegetables.
Eggplants (aubergines) are in high season now and will be around for at least another month or so. While you can get them year-round, they are at their best of course in their natural season.
This is a classic Japanese way of serving eggplant, and it's really easy. All you do is to slowly roast the eggplant until tender, either in the oven or on the stovetop in a frying pan, then serve with a glossy, salty-sweet dengaku (田楽）sauce. I could eat this every day, with a bowl of plain rice and some coldmugicha to wash it down.
Recipe: Slow roasted eggplant (aubergine) with dengaku sauce (nasu no miso dengaku 茄子の味噌田楽)
Serves 1-2, depending on what else is served at the same meal.
1 large, round or 2-3 small, fresh eggplants. Try to get ones with thin skins.
Olive or sesame oil
For the dengaku sauce:
3 Tbs. miso. Here I've used a haccho miso (八丁味噌）with some texture to it, but any miso you like will do. See Japanese miso primer.
1 Tbs. sugar
1 Tbs. sake
1 Tbs. mirin
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 tsp. olive oil or sesame oil
water
Prepare the eggplant, according to the type:
If you're using a big round one: Cut off the blossom end, and reserve to use as a decoration.
If you are using a big long one (e.g. the standard Italian or American type eggplant): Take off the blossom end (optionally reserve for use as decoration) and cut the eggplant into thick slices crosswise, or into half lengthwise. (Note that I don't recommend this type of eggplant for this, since the skin tends to be rather tough. Choose one of the other kinds if you can.)
If you're using a small thin Asian-type eggplant: Cut in half lengthwise, keeping the blossom end on for decorative purposes.
Rub the cut surfaces of the eggplant with a little sesame or olive oil. Roast it in an oven at 200°C / 400°F, cut side down and tented with some loose foil until tender (the time depends on the size of the eggplant, but it's about 10 minutes for a small eggplant, 30 minutes for a big eggplant, with the slices somewhere in between). It's tender when you can pierce through easily with a skewer. You can try cooking the eggplant in a toaster oven too, but I haven't tested this myself so you're on your own as to timing and so on.
Alternatively, you can slow-roast the eggplant in a dry frying pan. Place cut-side down in a non-stick pan, and cover loosely with some aluminum foil. Pan-roast until tender over medium-low heat, turning once. This method is especially suited for small eggplant - it takes 5-10 minutes and doesn't heat up the kitchen as much as the oven method.
While the eggplant cooks, prepare the dengaku sauce. Combine all the ingredients in a small pan, and set over low heat. Mix the sauce vigorously with a wooden spoon, until the sauce turns glossy. Adjust the consistency by adding drops of water. It should not be too runny, but should flow thickly, rather like a thick ketchup.
Serve the eggplant warm, coated with sauce.
About dengaku sauce
Dengaku (田楽 - the characters mean 'rice paddy' + 'harmony' or 'music' or 'play') is a classic miso based sauce. There are many variations, but the basics are the same: miso with sweetener, a little oil for adding gloss, and sake and/or mirin for added flavor. Sometimes a little soy sauce is added, or dashi stock instead of water, or even MSG. My version comes from my mother, of course, and is quite simple.
You can make dengaku sauce in quantity and keep it in a closed jar in the refrigerator, but I don't bother since it's so easy to make fresh. If you do make it and store it, warm it up a bit before using.
Dengaku sauce is terrific on other grilled or roasted vegetables, firm tofu, blanched konnyaku, and so on. It's a bit sweet for my taste for serving on meat and fish, but you can try it out!
You might be thinkng, "But Japanese eggplants are small and thin and cute!" Well the standard ones are, but in Kyoto (the home of Japanese haute cuisine) there is a variety of eggplant that is similar to the one in the photo called kamonasu （賀茂茄子）- big, round, and quite thin-skinned. Here's a photo of one.
There's nothing like the combination of juicy, soft eggplant with that sweet-salty, thick dengaku sauce. Wait, I think I need to go to the market today...
Other favorite eggplant recipes from the archives:
In Japan, souvenirs were born to be eaten. And in Kyoto the choice of edible souvenirs is staggering. There's creamy green tea pudding, sesame flavored cookies, and innumerable pickles and dried fish, but nothing really screams "I've been to Kyoto" quite like yatsuhashi or nama yatsuhashi. The former, a cinnamon-flavored cookie made from glutinous rice flour, is hard enough to break teeth, but the latter, a floppy unbaked version typically flavored with cinnamon, green tea or sesame (and often wrapped around sweet red bean paste), is just about the perfect match for a cup of green tea.
You can pick up both varieties at the numerous souvenir shops in Kyoto Station and at major tourist attractions, but if you are in Gion, go straight to the source and visit Izutsu Yatsuhashi Honkan, a yatsuhashi maker that's been in business since 1805.
(八ツ橋 or 八橋?) is a Japanese confectionery sold mainly as a souvenir sweet (miyagegashi). It is one of the best known meibutsu (famous regional products) of Kyoto. It is made from glutinous rice flour (上新粉jōshinko?), sugar and cinnamon. Baked, it is similar to senbei. Raw, unbaked yatsuhashi (Nama yatsuhashi) has a soft, mochi-like texture and is often eaten wrapped around red bean paste(餡an?), and may come in a variety of different flavours. not mine.credit and source: WIKIPEDIA
On May 14, comedian Fujimoto Toshifumi (44) and talento Kinoshita Yukina (27) sent a fax to media outlets announcing that they are expecting their second child.
The couple reported, "At this time, the Fujimoto family will be gaining a new family member." They also called out to their fans, "The whole family is looking forward to becoming more lively. We will work even harder, so please continue to support us."
Kinoshita is currently 4-months pregnant and is expected to give birth sometime in November. The two tied the knot back in August of 2010 and welcomed their 1st child, daughter Ririna, in August of 2012.
Cut the cucumber into match sticks (julienne). Finely chop the optional chili pepper or scallion.
Prepare the dried seaweed by soaking and rinsing well. (See my miyeok guk recipe for more.) Boil water in a small pot and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook the soaked seaweed briefly (blanch), about 1 minute. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain again, squeeze out excess water and cut into bite size pieces.
In a medium size bowl, gently toss the vegetables with the next 5 ingredients. Refrigerate to chill.
In another medium size bowl, mix 4 cups of water with the soup soy sauce, vinegar, and salt. Start with a half teaspoon of salt, taste and add more if necessary. Refrigerate to chill.
When ready to serve, combine the cucumber andmiyeok mix with the soup. Stir the soup, taste and adjust the seasoning with salt to taste, if necessary. Serve in chilled bowls with a couple of ice cubes.
Casey Barber
Casey Barber
Brandon Goodwin / TODAY
1. Cook pasta following the manufacturer's instructions.2. In a large mixing bowl have tomatoes, mozzarella, garlic and basil in the mixing bowl3. Once pasta is cooked add to the mixing bowl and toss seasoning with olive oil, salt and red pepper flakes.4. Add extra olive oil if desired5. Divide into serving vessels and enjoy
