what is "Flashback Friday"? click HERE. **************************************** Original post date: March 18, 2010 Original link: http://umami-quest.blogspot.com/2010/03/recipe-hungarian-pork-goulash.html **************************************** i have this huge cookbook, that i got on discount for about 7 bucks. i think the original price was more like 25, so awesome discount. its called "Starting with Ingredients" by Aliza Green. this book is great so far. the author gives a little bit of food history with every ingredient she highlights in each recipe. its learning and cooking and so far, pretty good. a friend and i decided to try to make something out of this thick book, so we opened it up, and came across "Hungarian Pork Goulash with Potato Dumplings". i love pork. its good stuff. i feel sorry for all the pigs that had to die so i can eat them, but i cant help that they're so delicious. so, this recipe seemed like a great choice. the pix below were actually from the second time we made this dish (yes, i got enough ingredients to make it 2 times), so you will not see the potato dumplings we made, but the dish itself is the same.... sorta, i'll explain in a minute. Hungarian Pork Goulash - 2 lbs. pork shoulder, cubed - Kosher salt / fresh ground pepper to taste - 2 oz. (1/2 cup) AP flour - About 1/4 cup canola oil - 1 red onion, cut into thin strips - 2 large carrots, cut into diagonal half moons - 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips - 1 green bell pepper, cut into strips - 2 tsp. chopped garlic - 1 tsp. ground cumin - 2 TBSP paprika - 1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes - 1/4 cup chopped dill Season pork with S&P, dust pieces with flour and shake off the excess. Using a large braising pan, brown the pork cubes on all sides in 3 to 4 batches over high heat in oil. In the same pan, sauté the vegetables until transparent, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, paprika and saute 2-3 minutes longer. Add tomatoes and S&P. Bring to a boil. Place in a casserole dish, cover, and bake @ 300 degrees F for 1 and 1/2 hours, or until pork is tender when pierced. Serve with potato dumplings or rice. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * NOW, if you were paying attention.... did you notice something wrong with the recipe?? dill is listed as an ingredient, however, there is no instruction in the recipe itself for when to use/put in the dill. wtf! we ended up putting in the dill right before putting the goulash in the casserole dish. also, we forgot to cover it, but i dont think it really had an effect on the outcome. AND, as a side note, after making this dish 2x, we used different cuts of pork, and found that the pork shoulder that is still attached to the bone is better to use. the meat comes out SO SOFT and good - yes, it is more work to butcher the meat away from the bone, but trust me, it is worth it! enjoy! :D P.S. - if you want the potato dumpling recipe, let me know, and i'll post. this dish is good with the dumplings, or simply on hot rice. so good!
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FLASHBACK FRIDAY IS HERE AGAIN! ****************************************** Original post date: July 16, 2009 Original link: http://umami-quest.blogspot.com/2009_07_01_archive.html ****************************************** POTATO CHIPS so, i still had a lot of potatoes..... and, they were on the verge of spoilage. i hate wasting food, so i thought, "geez, i'm tired of roasted potatoes - what should i do?" i'll make potato chips! i know this is not a pic of potatoes or chips - THIS is a pic of my injury due to bad judgement. using my madoline, i began slicing potatoes. the finger guard wasnt holding it as good as i would like, so i thought "i'll just use my hand and be careful" - i am an idiot. funny enough, i didnt bleed. i was lucky. oh, and the madoline injury is on the tip of my first finger. the band aid on my pinky is from an altercation i had at work..... with a tape dispenser. :P 1. after slicing potatoes thin, heat up about 1/2 a quart of oil (i used canola) on med-high. when oil is hot, throw in potato slices ONE AT A TIME. this will prevent them from sticking together. the chips are ready to take out when: they turn golden brown, and the oil stops making crazy cooking noises. you'll know what i'm talking about when you do it. 2. drain on paper towels and racks if you have them lookin goooooood..... 3. season with a little salt, toss, and EAT. so good.
TIP: to cut the greasy oily-ness of the chips, after you drain them on paper towels, use a salad spinner to get rid of excess oil, THEN season your chips. FOOD FLASHBACK FRIDAY again! don't know what it is? read HERE. ********************************** Original Post date: July 16, 2009 Original Link: http://umami-quest.blogspot.com/2009_07_01_archive.html *********************************** POT ROAST i've wanted to attempt this for a while. the last pot roast i made was ages ago. it was a miso pork pot roast that was pretty awesome. this time around, i wanted to do a beef pot roast. i got a pretty good deal at Costco for the meat, use the potatoes from that bag i talked about earlier, and chopped up some carrots to toss in with it. i'm going to format the recipe layout a little differently for this one, so pay attention...... “Quick” Pot roast 2 – 2 1/2 lbs chuck roast 1 1/2 c. beef broth* 1/2 c. red wine** 1/4 c. water 2 Tbsp. parsley flakes 3 Tbsp. dried rosemary, slightly crushed 1 Tbsp. ground pepper 1 envelope dried onion soup mix 1 beef bouillon cube (optional)*** 5 cloves garlic, minced 2 bay leaves 1 large stalk celery, minced 2 Tbsp. butter (1 Tbsp. for meat, 1 Tbsp. for sauce) 2 – 3 Tbsp. AP flour or cornstarch 1 pound carrots, cut into 2 inch chunks 1 pound red potatoes, cut into 2 inch chunks 1. Mix together broth, wine, water, parsley, rosemary, pepper, onion mix, bouillon, garlic, bay leaf, and celery. Marinate meat for 20 min. 2. Take out meat and put in a large pot. Pour in 1/2 of marinade liquid and cover. Throw 1 Tbsp. of butter on top of meat. Simmer roast in liquid for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours............. but dont forget........ ........ Flip the meat over in the pot when it is half way done (at 1/2 hour mark, or 45 min). 3. Take the other half of marinade liquid and begin to reduce in a smaller pot. add 1 Tbsp. of butter to thicken a little. 4. After meat is done, take out roast and let it rest on a cutting board. Keep the liquid simmering. 5. Using a collapsible steamer basket, place carrots and potatoes in the larger pot of simmering liquid and cover. Steam the vegetables for about 15 minutes. At 15 min. mark, take the vegetables out of the steamer basket and place them directly into the liquid in the pot. Take the small pot of reduced liquid and pour over the vegetables; cover and simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes. 6. After vegetables are done, remove them and keep on the side. In the large pot, that should have all of the liquid now in it, reduce until sauce thickens and add the flour at the end to help thicken more – be sure to mix flour with a little warm water first before putting into the roast sauce – to avoid lumps. 7. Slice roast as thick or thin as you like, pour on sauce and serve with potatoes and carrots
>> Additional notes about the pot roast: * I used broth, but if using stock instead, omit water and use 2 cups stock, instead of 1 1/2. ** I used Cabernet Sauvignon, but you can use any good red. *** I threw in a bouillon cube for more beef flavor, but you can omit if it tastes too salty - the salt in the onion soup mix and the beef broth makes it salty enough. If using stock, you may want to add the bouillon. - You could also do this in the oven, but I would do the vegetables in a separate pan, only b/c the potatoes might take on too much liquid. i'll admit, i am not savvy on the intricacies of Filipino food. the only Filipino food i've ever experienced have been from Juliez in Kapolei, Elena's from the Eat the Street food truck festivals, and from friends and family. all of the above were delicious. when i heard there was going to be a "Max's of Manila" opening in Hawaii, i was pretty stoked. why? their infamous fried chicken. if you know me - you know i have thing for fried chicken. i've been dying to go here for the longest time, and FINALLY got the chance with a few friends. luckily, one of my friends is a Max's veteran, and had some great suggestions. i loves me some good pancit. BUT did you know? = there are a few different types of pancit? i did not know this until i came here. the noodles vary in thickness (and ingredients), thus, different types. my favorite type are the very thin noodles, Pancit Bihon. this dish was pretty good, but i was disappointed in the amount of shrimp.... there were only 2 pieces of shrimp incorporated into the dish. the least they could have done was chop it up, so then we wouldn't notice how much shrimp wasn't in the dish.... despite this, i would eat it again. this is Pinakbet (pronounced pee - knock - bet). it is a mixed vegetable dish consisting of onion, ampalaya (a.k.a. Bitter melon), okra, sitaw (a.k.a. Long Beans), eggplant, squash, kangkong (a.k.a. Water Spinach), pork, and shrimp - all sauteed in bagaoong (its fermented fish sauce). i'm exhausted just explaining it to you. this was another "stingy with the shrimp" dish. that is quickly becoming Max's trademark, which makes me sad. again, despite the sad amount of shrimp, i would eat this upon a re-visit, no doubt. that right there is crab meat fried rice. sadly (and i hate to say this) the crab meat was hardly present. i ate way more egg than i did crab. what is going on with Max's food? is this the way it is usually? anything containing seafood seems to be severely lacking in actual seafood. *confused and frustrated* this dish was good, but when promised CRAB - you don't hold back on it. STOP PLAYING WITH MY EMOTIONS ALREADY...... i will not get this again (considering this was close to $9, for me it was not worth it - unless of course there is more crab), and next time will opt for the garlic fried rice instead, which i hear many good things about. this dish was suggested as a MUST HAVE from my veteran diner friend. i'm SO GLAD she came to eat with me. without her input about this dish, i would have totally missed out on a great experience. this is the CRISPY PATA. if you go to Max's - YOU MUST EAT THE CRISPY PATA. trust me. and if you're squeamish about pig's feet... well... bring a friend who isnt. you don't want to miss this. all i have to say to you is, just eat it. you'll be glad you did. on the Max's menu, it is described as a pork leg that is "processed and cooked the same way we cook our famous... Max's fried chicken." SO, if the crispy pata is fantastic, then of course the chicken must be too, right?.................. not so. :(
while the crispy skin on the outside of the chicken was great, the meat of the chicken was blah. not a lot of flavor. while it was tender and juicy, it was a little bland. not inedible, but not something i would go out of my way to eat again. Even though this was a let down, the crispy pata more than made up for it. Max's of Manila might not be as spectacular as i was hoping it would be - but it is a place i can see myself eating maybe once a month.... after all, their menu is BIG, and there are still more foods i'd like to try from there (the lumpia for example). Max's - I'll be back..... ********************************************** Max's of Manila 801 Dillingham Blvd. #108 Honolulu, HI 96817 Phone: (808) 951-6297 website: http://www.maxschicken.com/index.php? hours: 11a - 9p daily What is "Food Flashback Friday"? Click HERE to find out! ************************************* Original post date: July 16, 2009 Original link: http://umami-quest.blogspot.com/2009_07_01_archive.html ************************************** HERBED POTATOES:
- 20 small potatoes, cut in half - olive oil to coat - salt to taste - 3 Tbsp. dried Rosemary, crushed - 3 Tbsp. dried parsley - 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika - 3 Tbsp. garic powder Directions: 1. mix together dry ingredients, toss potatoes in oil and herb mix. 2. put everything in a small baking pan and roast in oven for 20 min. at 400 degrees, mixing with spoon half way in cooking. 3. EAT THEM. oh yes - it is (was) that time again..... time to stuff my face with Okinawan-ish type foods, and bitch and moan about how hot it is. the 2011 Okinawan festival! it was hot.... i did not complain that much, and i DID stuff my face. i had some of the usual things, and some new things as well....... that UP THERE is "Taco Rice". is this Okinawan? not to my knowledge - but - i did hear about it from someone who knows someone who is married to someone from Okinawa.... and apparently, it is popular there? well, whatever, carry on shall we? this is more or less exactly what it sounds like. it is white rice topped with taco fillings such as seasoned beef, cheese, salsa and tomatoes, lettuce, and bits of corn chips. weird, but pretty good. it is something i would actually eat again. i imagine this would be a popular item with local island stoners. thinking about this - i should start a business on the UH campus.... hahaha. this my friends, is the delicious and "famous" Anda-dog...... it is like a corn dog, BUT WAY BETTER. Instead of the cornmeal breading/batter you're accustomed to, it is a hot dog dipped in andagi batter. SO. FREAKING. GOOD. i could probably eat this everyday....... hello obesity. O_O Yakisoba is by far one of my favorite dishes. ESPECIALLY Okinawan kine. the texture of the noodles is probably what i like about it the most. nicely chewy, not rubbery, and so delicious. i <heart> you Yakisoba. i really do :) and finally..... another "famous" item = The Oki-Dog. yes folks. what is it? it is = a tortilla wrapper filled with a hot dog, chili, lettuce and shoyu pork. AND IT IS AMAZING. this is one of those things that people specifically come to the Okinawan festival for. yes, it probably is easy enough to make at home, but then it takes the fun right out of it.
and yes - i had some Andagi. of course it was good (but not as good as the ones i had at the Mililani Bon Dance this year). ah, blissful festival foods...... if you havent been to the Okinawan Festival before, there's always next year!!! Hope to see you there!! Welcome to the FIRST Food Flashback Friday post! if you don't know what it is, see yesterdays post.... enjoy! Original post date: July 16, 2009 Original link: http://umami-quest.blogspot.com/2009_07_01_archive.html TERIYAKI SAUCE:
- 2 C shoyu - 3 C sugar - 3 Tbsp. sesame seeds - 4 Tbsp. sesame oil - 5 cloves garic, minced (or 4 heaping Tbsp. garlic powder ) - 1-2 stalks green onion, minced - 1/4 C Shiracha hot sauce Directions: 1. mix all ingredients together and use for whatevers. 2. for best results, cook sauce on stove until it has thickened in to a syrup type constency, then use for marinades, etc... 3. keep in mind, these measurements are guesses..... depending on what i do, i dont really measure when i cook - i taste as i go, and adjust as needed. I'm sorry. i know i've been slacking in the cooking / recipe making part of my website. its b/c i've been too busy eating out all the time - birthdays, dinners, breakfasts, eating out in general. i had a few inquires about the recipes on my old site - which some (or almost all of you) have not seen. i've changed web-hosts 2 times now, and i am finally happy with the way this one is set up.
as a result of this - simply posting the old link (www.umami-quest.blogspot.com) is not enough for some of you..... so here we go..... i'm going to start implementing something i like to call "Food Flashback Friday". what is it? every Friday, i'll feature a recipe from my old site, until there are no more. that way, my current site has "EVERYTHING" from present to past. you'll only have to come to one spot, if you come here to read at all, which i really hope you do. the posts will contain the original recipes, text and pictures, BUT, the pictures will be larger (thanks to this new site)! also, i will not be including any posts that did not have pictures with them. sorry bout that. when i re-do those recipes, i'll take pix, and post them then. when does "Food Flashback Friday" start? this coming Friday..... Prepare yourself! :D thanks everyone for reading! |