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Bok Choy and Fresh Corn Fried Rice
I served this rice with the salmon marinated with miso. When my husband and I ate at Ming Tsai’s restaurant, my lobster dish had the most delicious fried rice I have ever tasted. As I enjoyed and devoured the rice, I realized it had butter in it. Now, of course I am health conscious and don’t want to use extra fat but I realized that if I saute the rice in a mixture of butter and olive oil, I can get great flavor as well.
So that is what I did with this rice dish. I had farm fresh corn and bok choy and decided to combine the two in the dish- the more the merrier. Actually the two went really well together. The sweet corn was great with the earthy taste of the bok choy. I sauteed everything together and cooked the rice in chicken broth.
I love making fried rice as a side dish. You can put anything you want in there, really- no rules.. It’s easy to make and all sorts of vegetables can be added to make it healthy.
I was happy to serve a really healthy protein with this fried rice full of vegetables- it was a great combination. My daughter didn’t eat the fish but loved the rice. There was no mention of the strange green vegetable floating around- that is another reason to make fried rice- kids will eat it with whatever you add to it.
Overall it was a successful dinner- no complaints.
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt
In a medium saucepan, heat the butter, olive oil and add the rice. Saute for a minute on medium heat or till the grains begin to look opaque. Add the chicken broth and salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium once bubbles begin to show on the surface. Cover the saucepan once the broth has evaporated and cook on low for 15 minutes or till rice is cooked. Take out and let cool.
- 1 large head of bok choy, cleaned and the white and green parts separated and chopped.
- 2 ears of corn, husked and kernels taken out
- 3 inch piece of ginger, minced
- 1 teaspoon white miso
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 teaspoons tamari
Mix the white miso, honey and tamari together and keep aside.
- 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
In a wide wok-like pan, heat the olive oil and add the ginger. Saute for a minute and add the chopped white parts of the bok choy. Saute on medium high heat for 3-4 minutes. Next, add the green part and the fresh corn kernels. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the cooked rice and the miso mixture. Saute the rice on high heat for 5-6 minutes. Check for seasonings.
Miso Marinated Salmon
I love miso flavored anything. I first had the alaskan butterfish marinated in white miso at Ming Tsai’s restaurant, Blue Ginger in Boston. It was so fabulous that I replicated it at home with great success. Alaskan butterfish or black cod is quite expensive and is definitely not for a regular weeknight meal. I wanted to use similar flavors and try it with another fish. Salmon came to mind since it is one of the healthiest fish to have and it is not as expensive.
I bought fresh Alaskan salmon at Whole Foods. I am a little leery about using the farm raised variety, especially since they add color to make the salmon pink- I really don’t like that idea at all. I would rather have salmon less often and pay more for the wild variety.
I bought a big piece and and marinated it with white miso, tamari and a little mirin. The flavors are wonderful together and compliment the fish really well. I also made a fried rice with the fish – I had fresh corn and bok choy in the fridge and decided to combine the two in the rice (recipe to follow on Monday).
It was great healthy meal. My daughter does not like salmon- at all. So, I had her try a bite (she hated it) and then gave her the fried rice and made a chicken sausage for her on the side. She is usually such a good eater that I didn’t have a problem with her not enjoying the fish. It is probably the only fish she doesn’t like. All in all it was a successful meal.
- 4 salmon fillets (6 oz each, about an inch thick)
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 2 tablespoons tamari
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoon honey
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 tablespoon butter
Mix the miso, tamari, sugar, honey and mirin together and marinate the salmon for 2-3 hours.
Arrange fish in a shallow dish lined with aluminum foil. Spoon the left over marinade evenly over the fish. Distribute the butter evenly over all the fillets.
Broil 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
Serve with fried rice.
Mango and Nectarine Chutney
I love this chutney! It is very versatile- it is fabulous with pork or chicken- even duck! I served this with scallops for a get together. It worked out really well since all I had to do was cook the scallops for the big crowd and the condiment was all set in advance- I made it the previous night.
The chutney has a great flavor, especially with the nectarine and mango. Although these fruits are quickly going out of season, there is still some time to make this delectable condiment. The fruit doesn’t have to be very ripe, since it will be cooked down with honey and lots of other spices and fresh herbs.
One of the other reasons this chutney is so versatile is because it has flavors from a few different cuisines. Thyme and rosemary remind me of Italian food; chipotle in adobo sauce reminds me of Southwestern cuisine; and cumin seeds yell Indian cuisine.
For the fall, the same spices can be used with a mixture of apples and pears. I think it would great on top of burgers or with a roast chicken. Even a simple cheese quesadilla will taste great topped with the chutney. I guess my point is to have this in your fridge at all times- it is very convenient and helps to serve a quick meal when you are in a rush!
- 1 large mango, peeled and chopped
- 2 nectarines, chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, roasted and ground
- 1 teaspoon chipotle in adobo sauce, just the sauce if you don’t want the chutney too spicy
- Salt
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 cup pineapple juice
In a wide frying pan, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes on medium heat. Add the rosemary, thyme, cumin seeds, chipotle in adobo, mango and nectarines. Mix well and add the salt, honey and pineapple juice. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes till the fruit is soft and the sauce is thick. Check for seasonings.
A Rustic Panzanella Salad Recipe
This salad is delicious. I have watched people on food television in the past making many different versions of it.Panzanella salad is essentially a way to use up day old or even up to a week old bread and any other things you may have in the fridge. Italian cuisine is well known for using leftovers and coming up with new, innovative dishes- I love it!
I had it first in Umbria last month when Paola made it for us. She made a 6 course meal for us- which was delicious. We started with this salad which she put together in a matter of minutes. We bought a big loaf of rustic bread earlier that day. She sliced it and topped it with a combination of greens, cucumbers, fresh extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. I have seen different versions of this – but never this particular one- so simple!
I was a bit hesitant to replicate this easy dish as I wasn’t sure if my ingredients would stand up to the one Paola used. I bought everything from the farmer’s market, including the bread. I made the salad the same day and served it with the sausage and peppers pasta. Well, it was delicious! The ingredients were fresh and exactly how they are supposed to taste. Everything worked really well together and the bread was soaked just the right amount and was a bit mushy and crunchy at the same time. I think you could definitely make a meal out of it- especially if you add some protein like shrimp or chicken.
It took me back to the kitchen in Spello where we sipped wine and watched Paola cooking. I love how food takes you back…
read more …
Healthy Sausage and Peppers Pasta Bake
This is a really healthy dish. I went to the farmer’s market to see what looked good. I bought a large red pepper, some fresh, great looking red onion and a fresh baguette.
I wanted to make a sausage and peppers dish but with pasta and thought baking the dish would be a great idea-so that’s what I did. I had really good quality whole wheat pasta in my pantry and thought it would be great in this dish.
Last week I bought 5 pounds of fresh plum tomatoes and made some delicious sauce and froze it. I took one bag out to defrost and used it in the dish. I also had low fat shredded cheese- why not make it healthy all the way.
I love making these kinds of dishes when it starts to get cold. It was great to smell all the vegetables roasting in the oven. I also made garlic bread with the fresh baguette. I wish we had access to farmer’s market all year round- it is so great to be able to find fresh fruits and vegetables grown locally. The food tastes better and is good for you. My daughter enjoyed the pasta and the garlic bread. I was happy to feed my family and good, wholesome meal!
read more …
Dry Spice Shrimp Curry
I have been making this shrimp dish for at least six or seven years. I remember one of my husband’s friend had come over for dinner. He and his wife are from Switzerland and were living here in the US for a few years. They loved Indian food and wanted to come over for a meal. I made this dish for the first time then and haven’t stopped since. He devoured the dish and actually finished it. Even years after that meal, he talked about it anytime we met.
I made this dish since it was very different than my usual shrimp concoctions- which tend to be more North Indian style. This one has coconut milk but also has a very interesting mix of spices. The cumin seeds, peppercorns, fenugreek seeds and the dry chilies are roasted and then ground to a powder. The mix is then cooked with the onions, ginger and garlic. The spice mix gives the dish a very earthy, almost sweet and spicy flavor. It has flavors found in dishes from Kerala– South of India.
I am fascinated by all the seafood and meat dishes in the South of India. The flavors and spices are so different than what I grew up with in the North. I am always trying to find new recipes to cook and enjoy! This is definitely one of them. It’s in my repertoire, especially when we are entertaining.
We had friends coming over and so I made this dish amongst others- it was a big hit as usual. Definitely give it a try next time you entertain…
- 1 pound jumbo shrimp, cleaned with the tails off
- 3 tablespoons extra light olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 inch piece of ginger, minced
- 10 to 12 curry leaves
- ¼ cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup coconut milk
- Salt
Spice Mix
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon peppercorns
- ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 2-3 dry red chilies
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro for garnish
Dry roast cumin seeds, peppercorns, fenugreek seeds and red chilies in the oven or on the stove until they are aromatic. Let cool and grind them in a spice grinder to form a powder. Keep aside.
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil on high heat. Saute the shrimp for about 30 seconds on each side. Take out and keep aside. In the same oil add the onion, ginger and garlic. Saute on medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the dry spice mix and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and coconut milk. Mix well and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp and salt. Cook for another minute or so, careful not to overcook the shrimp. Garnish with fresh cilantro.
Ground Turkey and Green Beans Stir Fry
I bought green beans with the eggplants the other day at the farmer’s market. They had been sitting in my fridge and I wasn’t sure what to do with them. Usually pasta comes to mind but I was trying to cook different cuisines since we had quite a lot of pasta in Italy- not that there is anything wrong with that.
I thought about making a stir fry with tofu and green beans. I haven’t cooked with tofu in a while and we all love it. I was feeling quite lazy to prepare the tofu- I take the excess water out, cut it up and then saute it in a non-stick pan. I decided to scrap the tofu and use ground turkey instead. There is a dish my husband really enjoys called ma po tofu that has ground meat and is cooked in a black bean sauce. It is quite tasty and I have made it a few times but I didn’t have black bean sauce at home- oh well. I made my own sauce and sauteed the turkey meat with ginger and garlic. I then added the green beans and the sauce.
It was a quick and easy dish. I made healthy brown rice with it. I saute the rice in a little olive oil and butter and then cook it in chicken broth- it is absolutely delicious! You don’t miss white rice at all. I also buy the Indian basmati brown rice from Trader Joes, so it has a longer grain and is closer in terms of looks to white rice.
My daughter really enjoyed it and surprisingly said nothing about the green beans- I guess she likes them now. She even took leftovers to school the next day. I refrained from drinking any wine as I have indulged a bit too much on my trip and over the summer. Just plain water was good enough with the delicious meal!
- 1 pound ground turkey breast
- ½ pound green beans, trimmed
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons ginger, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons tamari
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
Mix all the ingredients and keep aside.
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
- 2 teaspoons water
Mix the corn starch and water and keep aside.
In a large wok, heat the olive oil. Add the ground turkey meat and cook over high heat, separating the meat while stirring constantly for about 5 mintues. Add the garlic and ginger. Saute for 2-3 minutes on high heat. Add the green beans and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Add the sauce and the corn starch mixture. Cook for 2-3 minutes, mixing well. Cover the dish and cook on low heat for 5 minutes or till the beans are cooked. Serve with brown rice.