$100 Costco Cash Card Giveaway

To celebrate the arrival of Easy Chinese Recipes at Costco Wholesale locations, I’m partnering with Tuttle Publishing to giveaway a $100 Costco Cash Card. There will be one (1) winner whom will receive one (1) Costco Cash Card of which, when activated, will have a balance of $100 that can be used at any Costco Wholesale.

My cookbook, Easy Chinese Recipes: Family Favorites From Dim Sum to Kung Pao, will be available at the following Costco Wholesale locations, so go pick up a copy for you and your friends. It’s one of the best selling Chinese cookbook on Amazon for two years, so own it today!

Eligibility: United States. No purchase necessary and subject to this official giveaway rules. Closing Date: September 8, 2013, 11:59 pm PST. Winner will be randomly selected and contacted via email on September 9, 2013. The prize is proudly sponsored by Tuttle Publishing. To enter, please follow the steps below.

Eligibility: United States. No purchase necessary and subject to these official giveaway rules.

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Red-Cooked Beef

Red-cooked beef is one of those dishes that is just made for the winter. This Chinese beef stew — made by simmering well-marbled beef in a combination of soy sauce, cinnamon, star anise, tangerine peel, and chilies — is as aromatic and delicious as it sounds.

Plus, the bubbling action and warmth in the kitchen while you make this dish is a huge plus when it’s 19 degrees F out and your radiator isn’t working as well as it should.

Some of you may have tried making red-cooked pork before from this site. My method for red-cooked beef is similar, with some key differences. One big difference is the addition of dried tangerine peel. You can choose to include it or not, but I find that orange flavors pair so well with beef, and adds such a wonderful citrus fragrance to the stew, that I can’t pass it up.

You can buy tangerine peel in any Chinese market, but it’s also easy to make your own at home. Just peel a tangerine (reserving the insides for a snack!), rip the peel into large pieces, and keep the pieces on a windowsill or another cool, dry spot for 2 to 3 days. Or, to dry the peels on short notice, bake the peels in a 200 degree F oven for about 60 to 70 minutes, until they dry up and look like the peels in the photo above.

Another important difference is the meat and how to cook it. We’re not using pork belly, but beef that still contains a good amount of fat is key. I buy about 2 pounds beef short ribs, slice the meat off the bone and cut them into cubes, and save the bones in the freezer for when I get around to making beef stock. You can also use beef chuck or stew meat as a substitute, but the meat tends to be leaner, so the texture will just end up a bit drier after cooking.

Many recipes call for boiling the beef before braising so the stew doesn’t end up with scum on top, but I use another method that achieves the same purpose. It’s probably a product of my French culinary training, but I like to toss the beef cubes in flour and sear them in the pan all around, much like the method for preparing beef bourguignon. You end up with a golden-brown exterior on the beef that stays there even after an hour or more of slow, gentle braising.

Rice is a must for soaking up all the sauce. I also love serving this with a vegetable side like stir-fried bok choy. (You can also do a side of broccoli, broccoli rabe, kale, or another dark winter green.) Like other braised dishes, it gets better after sitting overnight, after the flavors have a chance to coalesce more. So don’t be a afraid to make this ahead of time too, whether for a dinner party or a weeknight meal.

______________________________

Red-Cooked Beef

Serves 4

2 pounds beef short ribs, or substitute 1 pound beef chuck or stew meat1/2 cup all-purpose flour2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil1 large yellow onion, diced2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry2 cups water3 tablespoons soy sauce2 tablespoons sugarOne 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and sliced into 3 pieces2 cloves garlic, minced1 cinnamon stick2 pieces star anise2 pieces dried tangerine peel3 whole dried red chilies1/2 teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper (optional)2 large red carrots, peeled and chopped into small bite-sized piecesSalt and pepper to tasteHeat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot, Dutch oven, or pan with deep sides over medium-high heat. Using tongs, toss the beef lightly in the flour in a shallow dish.Sear the beef until lightly brown all around, about 2 minutes. Transfer the beef to a plate and set aside.Lower the heat to medium. In the same pot or Dutch oven, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Sauté the onions for about 2 to 3 minutes, until aromatic and softened. Return the beef to the pot. Add the rice wine to lift any beef drippings from the bottom of the pan. Add the water, sugar, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, star anise, tangerine peel, chilies, and optional Sichuan pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally.Add the carrots to the pot and cook for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the carrots are tender and the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Taste the stew and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Transfer to a large serving dish and serve warm with rice.

______________________________

More Asian beef recipes to try:

Tagged as: Beef, Chinese, Hunan, Recipes, Sichuan

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Preserving summer's bounty - for diabetics

I’ve been living with pre-diabetes and diabetes (the pre- turned into the full thing post-cancer treatments, unfortunately) for about 3 years now. That has meant having to adjust many things with my eating and cooking habits. One of those things is canning and preserving all the wonderful things that are in season in the spring to summer. I used to make jars and jars of strawberry jam and apricot preserves, as well as dark plum jam and cherry jam. I loved to see the jewel toned jars lined up in my pantry. We gave away most of those jars, but I loved to eat them too.

I still make a few jars of jam, but since I have cut out most sugary things from my diet except for very occasional treats, and The Guy is nice enough not flaunt The Sugar around me, jam consumption in our house is way down. The same goes for other preserves too. Preserving foods the old fashioned ways using methods like making them into jams or pickles, often involves adding lots of sugar, salt and vinegar. Vinegar is not bad for you (that we know of right now anyway!) but sugar and salt intake have to be watched by a lot of people.

For instance, my mother loves making umeboshi every year, but she has to give away most of it since she has high blood pressure. I try to avoid high-salt preserves and pickles too (although I do make a few jars of chutney when black plums are in season) since The Guy has high blood pressure. A lot of standard pickle recipes use a lot of salt and sugar besides the vinegar.

Still, I do like to preserve some summery goodness for the dull days of winter. We don’t have a vegetable garden at our current house yet (the garden is still a pile of weeds and rubble) but the local produce in Provence is so cheap and wonderful in the summer, it’s a shame not to try to keep some of it. Here are a few ideas for healthier preserving.

This may be obvious, but a freezer is your best friend if you want to keep produce for use later. Our ancestors didn’t have freezers, but hey - we do! If you can afford it budget and space wise, a dedicated freezer is one of the best investments you can make, especially if you have a vegetable garden and/or fruit trees and plants, and you want to eat a reasonably healthy diet.

It doesn’t have to be the huge coffin like type that resides in many garages and basements (we used to have one of those at our house in Switzerland, but I never liked using it much since things always got lost in the bottom). I have a small freezer with drawers (this one actually; the refrigerator unit was broken by the movers, grr) that is very energy efficient, and takes no more space than a low chest of drawers. It’s in a storage room rather than the kitchen (we have a regular refrigerator in there with a pretty big freezer compartment); despite its compact size it can hold quite a lot of bags of frozen cut up fruit and such. Right now we are in the middle of peach season, so I’m trying to bag up as much of it as possible - although it’s so good, it’s hard to resist eating it all up as it comes in!

Do be aware that many vegetables need to be blanched (cooked quickly in boiling water, then cooled down in cold water) before freezing. Many fruit and vegetables will get mushy in texture when frozen, since the ice crystals break down the fibers. That’s not an issue if you are freezing fruit to use in smoothies and so on. Just expect to use frozen veggies in soups and stews rather than in stir fries.

Chopping up some types of vegetables and herbs works very well. For instance, try the basic basil puree at the end of this page, which is just chopped up basil, olive oil and an optional bit of salt. Parsley can just be chopped up and frozen in plastic containers or bags; just take a little at a time as needed. Chop up chives, nira (Garlic or Chinese chives) and such with a knife, freeze loose in containers or bags, and use as soup garnishes or add to stir fries and so on.

Also, don’t freeze more than you will be using up in a few months - in other words, what you’d use up during the winter. Frozen foods don’t have an indefinite lifespan.

Drying fruit and vegetables is very interesting. Various dried vegetables are used in Japanese cooking, such as kiriboshi daikon (shredded dried daikon radish). In Switzerland, dried green beans are popular - they’re just stewed or put into soups and stews. Besides green beans I’ve experimented with drying slized zucchini, tomatoes, and even garlic cloves.

To dry produce you do need a food dehydrator, although you can try using the oven (Pim’s tomato confit using oven dried tomatoes is quite awesome). I have a really ancient aluminium dehydrator inherited from my mother in law, but one like this model is much more modern and energy efficient I’m sure. You can try out things like fruit leathers and beef jerky in those things too.

You can still make preserves in good old jars, if the recipes do not use a lot of sugar and salt. I plan to make another batch of this tomato sauce for example, and I may also make a modified version of this red pepper jam with reduced sugar since it doesn’t rely on sugar for its consistency as many jam recipes do.

You will need to be extra careful to sterilize your jars and lids properly when making low-sugar/low-salt preserves other janned and canned foods without the buffer that sugar and salt provide in warding off spoilage. The time tested way to do this is to boil them in water. Watch out for any signs of mold. Or if you have a big refrigerator, store the jars in there for safety. (You can freeze jams and anything that doesn’t have to stay crispy.)

Fermenting foods is another way of preserving them. Sauerkraut is a classic fermented-preserved item, and many long-term storage Japanese pickles are fermented. I haven’t gotten into this much yet, but I am doing some experiments along this line with some interesting things… and no I don’t mean brewing. ^_^; One thing I’m trying out is fermenting tomatoes. I’ll report back on this soon!

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Chicken-Fried Tofu and Sriracha Pimento Cheese Sandwich Recipe

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« Surprise! Tofu with a Southern Touch |Main

August 08, 2013Chicken-Fried Tofu and Sriracha Pimento Cheese Sandwich Recipe

How’s that for an oxymoron? Tofu disguised as chicken in aSouthern favorite, deep-fried tofu with dairy, everything encased in an airybun. It’s a sandwich that may put off Southern purists, vegans, and healthfanatics but it’s one that tastes quite good. I didn’t think of the idea, onlyriffing from a sandwich created by chef Lee Gregory at The Roosevelt inRichmond, Virginia.

Chicken-fried steak is an old timey Southern dish thatinvolves a cubed beef steak coated and shallow or deep-fried like chicken.Wanting a vegetarian sandwich on his menu, Lee developed this meatless take onchicken-fried steak. I’ve been making a lot of pimento cheese and read aboutusing the spread for sandwiches.

You can see where I’m going here: What if you combined thetwo in a sandwich with sliced dill pickle? Well, it works deliciously well. A bit salty, rich, crisp and tangy. It tastes kind of bad but in a healthy, good way. 

Toarrive at this recipe, I checked out two insightful books: Robb Walsh’s TexasEats and the SouthernFoodways Alliance Community Cookbook. I decided on a simple approach ofmarinating slabs of tofu in buttermilk, Korean ground chile (there’s a currentlove affair in the South with Korean foodways) and salt. Then I coated the tofuin seasoned flour before quickly deep-frying it.

Super-firm tofu. The fried pieces show all-purpose flour on the left, rice flour on the right.
I tried it out with super-firm and extra-firm tofu. I likedthe latter more for the tender insides but the coating didn’t stay as crisp aswith the super firm tofu, which has a heartier, slightly rubbery texture. The firmer the tofu, the better it is to grip onto the coating because of the the tofu's lower moisture content. That said, super-firm tofu is akin to overcooked chicken breast or pork loin. 

Spread the Sriracha pimento cheese directly on the hot tofuif you want to melt the cheese a bit. Otherwise, spread it on the bread. Iadded extra Srirachato give a spicy hit to the sandwich. 

Chicken fried steak goes by CFS in the South. I suppose thiswould be CFTS.  It’s a fun sandwich tomake, especially if you have lots of Sriracha pimento cheese around like I dothese days.

RECIPE

Chicken-Fried Tofu and Sriracha Pimento Cheese Sandwiches

Yields: 3 or 4sandwiches

Ingredients

16 to 20 ounces (450 to 565 g) extra-firm or super-firmtofu1 cup buttermilk1 teaspoon Korean ground chile pepper(gochugaru), or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne1 1/2 teaspoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt1/2 teaspoon black pepper1 cup all-purpose flour or regular rice flourCanola oil for deep-frying4 hamburger buns or ciabatta rollsMayonnaise, optionalSriracha chile sauce (optional)SrirachaPimento Cheese 2 dill pickles, sliced

Instructions

Cut the tofu into 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) slabs. Seton a dry dish towel or several layers of paper towel to drain for 10 to 15 minutes.Blot away excess moisture then set aside briefly.In a small glass container or zip-top plasticbag, combine the buttermilk with the ground chile and 1 1/2 teaspoons koshersalt. Add the tofu and turn to coat well. Refrigerate for 2 hours or as long as24 hours. Return to room temperature before frying.In a shallow bowl, combine the remaining 1teaspoon kosher salt with the black pepper and flour. Lift the tofu from thebuttermilk then coat well in the flour. Pat the tofu to ensure the floursticks. Set aside on a plate to let the flour and buttermilk turn into a batterof sorts. The tofu will darken a bit.Heat 1 inch of oil in a skillet or deep fryingpan to just above 350F. Meanwhile, toast the buns or rolls.In batches, deep-fry the tofu for about 2minutes, turning midway, until crisp and rich golden-brown like autumn leaves.Drain briefly on a rack.To assemble sandwiches, spread mayonnaise (and/or pimento cheese) on thebottom portion of the bread. Squirt or drizzle on some Sriracha, if you like.Add the pickle, tofu (If needed, cut the tofu so it fits into the bread). Spreadthe pimento cheese on the warm tofu or on the top portion of bread. Close andeat.

Tip: You canreuse the buttermilk for another batch of tofu or maybe marinating catfishdestined for a fish fry. Don't want to deep-fry? Then just pan-fry the tofu; don't marinate it, just salt and pepper it. If you need an assist on buying and frying tofu, see the links on the Asian Tofu page. 

Related posts:

SrirachaPimento CheeseSriracharound-up (links to homemade sriracha, sriracha taste offs, etc.)Surprise! Tofu with a Southern TouchPosted in Asian Tofu, Recipe: Sandwich, Recipes: All, Recipes: Appetizer and Snack, Recipes: Gluten-Free Adaptable, Recipes: soy | Permalink

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Comments Chicken-Fried Tofu and Sriracha Pimento Cheese Sandwich Recipe

How’s that for an oxymoron? Tofu disguised as chicken in aSouthern favorite, deep-fried tofu with dairy, everything encased in an airybun. It’s a sandwich that may put off Southern purists, vegans, and healthfanatics but it’s one that tastes quite good. I didn’t think of the idea, onlyriffing from a sandwich created by chef Lee Gregory at The Roosevelt inRichmond, Virginia.

Chicken-fried steak is an old timey Southern dish thatinvolves a cubed beef steak coated and shallow or deep-fried like chicken.Wanting a vegetarian sandwich on his menu, Lee developed this meatless take onchicken-fried steak. I’ve been making a lot of pimento cheese and read aboutusing the spread for sandwiches.

You can see where I’m going here: What if you combined thetwo in a sandwich with sliced dill pickle? Well, it works deliciously well. A bit salty, rich, crisp and tangy. It tastes kind of bad but in a healthy, good way. 

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Thai Shrimp and Pineapple Curry

Earlier this week I tested out a recipe with pineapple, for the street food festival at ChoLon Denver on August 22 where I am going to present two dishes for the guests (click here to buy tickets for the event). I bought a big pineapple and had the leftover. Whenever I have some leftover pineapple, I’d make pineapple fried rice, or shrimp and pineapple curry.

There are two versions of shrimp and pineapple curry I like. One is the Nyonya version (click here for the recipe) and the other one is Thai shrimp and pineapple curry. Both of them are utterly scrumptious and appetizing. The pineapple adds a nice, sweet tang to the overall curry, and the shrimp and coconut milk basically complete the dish. I can eat two full servings of steamed white rice with this dish.

What I love about this Thai shrimp and pineapple curry is that I can just use store-bought red curry paste, so there is no need to make the spice paste from scratch, unlike the Nyonya Udang Lemak Nenas. You know me, when it comes to cooking, I don’t mind all the shortcuts as long as the end result tastes great. I know most people don’t buy fresh pineapple and eat it as a daily “fruit,” so you can always opt for canned pineapple. If are you using canned pineapple, make sure you choose those cut in rings.

Here you have it, my Thai shrimp and pineapple curry recipe, quite possibly my favorite Thai curry ever! It’s so tasty you will thank me after you try making this yourself.

(Click Page 2 for the Thai Shrimp and Pineapple Curry Recipe)

Pages: 1 2

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Fig Bruschetta Recipe and Love of Fig Photographs

I vividly remember a conversation I had with a fellow food photographer/food blogger a few years ago about figs. Food talk with fellow food bloggers? I didn’t intend for this an “f” alliteration, but doesn’t it sound like it could be the title of a food column? Yes? Anyways, I’ll get back on track about all this fig talk. I have a tendency to get off track at times and figuring all this out during the blog post will give you a better idea of how my crazy mind works.

Anyways, fig talk, yes, figs. Around this time of year, our figs are dripping with fruit and I was telling this person how I love figs and how much I love photographing figs. Figs are sexy, beautiful and I just can’t get enough of photographing and seeing them in images.

This food blogger responded by telling me that fig pictures are over-rated (or something to that point) and said that everyone always has a default fig picture to show off. This person was tired of seeing figs pictures. And this person was tired of seeing egg pictures in baskets, ribbons around cookies and a few other examples of popular food styling that I was clearly “guilty” of.

It took me a few moments to think about how to respond. All my mind could whisper was “…but…but…i love fig pictures. and I have a whole Lightroom folder of ribbon-ed cookies and basket-ed eggs!”.

I quickly realized that no matter what anyone’s opinions are about what other people are doing online, I respect their choice and I clearly have the option to read their content or not. So rather than sit and make fun of other people and what they are doing, why don’t we just surround ourselves with content that we love. Why waste time looking/reading/following others and their content that we don’t like or agree with? Oy, such silly questions have easy answers.

So in the spirit of always being true to yourself and doing what you love and not being hurt by outside criticism (cliche ideas, maybe?), I’m here to tell you that I FREAKING LOVE FIG PICTURES (dammit) and I will continue to share them whether or not some people make fun of them.

And so here you have it, a crap load of fig pictures to look at and a really good fig bruschetta recipe that goes along with it!

So to all you fig picture haters, take that.

Nothing but love and #TeamFig ,

diane

luscious, sexy figs

Joy of figs here

#TeamFig

 More Fig Recipes:

Roasted Figs with Sage and Wine Recipe
Fig Pecan Sticky Buns Recipe
Rosted Fig and Goat Cheese Ice Cream Recipe
Fig Focaccia Recipe
Marinated Fig Salad Recipe

Yield: Serves 3-4

Total Time: 45 min

The addition of the fig compote on the bruschetta adds another layer of wonderful fig flavor and texture. But if you don't have time to make the fig compote, plenty of fresh, sweet figs on top will be equally delicious.

1/2 pound (225g) ripe figs2 Tablespoons (30ml) balsamic vinegar, divided1 Tablespoon (15g) brown sugarCrusty bread loaf or baguette, sliced thin or grilled (optional)Olive Oil for brushing the bread, if you are serving it grilled5-6 ripe figs, quartered1 cup Ricotta Cheese1/4 cup chopped pecansFresh thyme leavesPreheat the oven to 400°F.Slice the tough stems off of the figs then slice the figs into quarters. Place the figs in a baking dish and toss with one Tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. Cover the baking dish with foil and roast for 15-20 minutes or until the figs are soft.When cool enough to handle, puree the figs in a food processor or blender with the remaining tablespoon of balsamic vinegar (feel free to add more balsamic to taste). Put puree in a bowl and place in fridge to cool until ready to useIf you are grilling the bread: heat the grill and lightly brush each sides of sliced bread with olive oil. Grill each side of the bread till crisp.Spread ricotta cheese over each slice of bread.Top each bread slice with fig puree, pecans, fresh figs and fresh thyme leaves.Serve on a platter or wood cutting board as the perfect appetizer.

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10 lb Cherry Challenge: Mini Cherry Cobblers and Mojitos

Fresh and simple Asian cooking A few weeks ago I had been lamenting the fact that I hadn\u2019t had a chance to bake much this summer. The heat wave in July just about zapped all the cooking energy out of me. Summers should be filled with homemade pies, cobblers, and sorbets, but I had been resorting to the store-bought versions instead. Which was sad, given all the bright beautiful fruits in the markets.

Or as my friend Dave said a few weeks ago,\u201DIt\u2019s one of life\u2019s great tragedies that the best season for food is the worst season for cooking.\u201D

But August? August has been almost perfect, weather-wise. Some nights have even started to feel like fall, which I\u2019m 100% happy about. So when my friend Veronica asked me to be a part of the Cherry Challenge that her company OXO was sponsoring with Northwest Cherry Growers, to be sent 10 lbs of cherries and equipment for making cherry-filled goodies, I was game. 

 

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A few weeks ago I had been lamenting the fact that I hadn’t had a chance to bake much this summer. The heat wave in July just about zapped all the cooking energy out of me. Summers should be filled with homemade pies, cobblers, and sorbets, but I had been resorting to the store-bought versions instead. Which was sad, given all the bright beautiful fruits in the markets.

Or as my friend Dave said a few weeks ago,”It’s one of life’s great tragedies that the best season for food is the worst season for cooking.”

But August? August has been almost perfect, weather-wise. Some nights have even started to feel like fall, which I’m 100% happy about. So when my friend Veronica asked me to be a part of the Cherry Challenge that her company OXO was sponsoring with Northwest Cherry Growers, to be sent 10 lbs of cherries and equipment for making cherry-filled goodies, I was game. 

Yes, these tasted as good as they look.  

Last weekend a few friends came by to eat and drink and hang out before the Beck concert in Prospect Park. I made mini cherry cobblers in little ramekins. The cherry pitting was a bit challenging, though the OXO cherry pitters and nesting bowls made the job easier. I didn't have brandy on hand to add to the cherry filling, but a splash of white rum worked splendidly. Note to self: have vanilla ice cream on hand, always!

It was my first time baking with fruit this summer and most likely won't be my last.

 

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Yes, these tasted as good as they look.  

Last weekend a few friends came by to eat and drink and hang out before the Beck concert in Prospect Park. I made mini cherry cobblers in little ramekins. The cherry pitting was a bit challenging, though the OXO cherry pitters and nesting bowls made the job easier. I didn't have brandy on hand to add to the cherry filling, but a splash of white rum worked splendidly. Note to self: have vanilla ice cream on hand, always!

It was my first time baking with fruit this summer and most likely won't be my last.

We also made cherry mojitos by muddling cherries and adding the usual mojito ingredients. (Rum seemed to be the 2nd theme of the day.)

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We also made cherry mojitos by muddling cherries and adding the usual mojito ingredients. (Rum seemed to be the 2nd theme of the day.)

The recipes from the other Cherry Challenge participants will be up on Facebook on Tuesday, so you can go and vote for your favorites. Check out the other participants here! (Recipes following the list.)

thesweetsensations.comgirlichef.comnoblepig.comhungrycouplenyc.blogspot.comappetiteforchina.comeat-your-heart-out.netnibblesandfeasts.comdiethood.comblushandjelly.comeat-drink-love.comseaweedandsassafras.comcrunchycreamysweet.comtasteloveandnourish.commrsregueiro.comnatashaskitchen.commaedeforyou.blogspot.com52kitchenadventures.combrighteyedbaker.comsweet-remedy.companfusine.commeandmypinkmixer.com

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Mini Cherry Cobblers

Makes 12

Cherry filling

6 cups cherries, pitted1/4 cup sugar1/3 cup all-purpose flour2 ounces white rum

Topping

1/2 cup all-purpose flour1/4 cup sugar1/4 cup light brown sugar1 stick unsalted butter, melted1 pinch sea saltPreheat the oven to 350 degrees F.In a large mixing bowl, mix together the pitted cherries, sugar, flour, and white rum.In another large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, light brown sugar, melted butter, and salt. Mix until the topping is well-combined and a bit crumbly.Butter twelve 3.5-inch ramekins. Divide the cherry filling evenly between the ramekins, filling each about 3/4 of the way. Add the crumbly topping evenly between the ramekins. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool for at least 20 minutes before eating. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Cherry Mojitos

Makes 1 drink

8 cherries, pitted15 to 20 mint leaves, plus a nice sprig for garnish1 teaspoon sugar1 ounce fresh lime juice2 ounces light rumClub sodaIn a cocktail shaker, muddle the cherries with the mint, sugar, lime, and rum. (If you'd like a stronger cherry flavor, muddle the cherries with the rum, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours before combining with the sugar and lime.) Add a few ice cubes. Shake well and strain into a glass with ice. Top off with club soda and serve.

 

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The recipes from the other Cherry Challenge participants will be up on Facebook on Tuesday, so you can go and vote for your favorites. Check out the other participants here! (Recipes following the list.)

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Makes 12

Cherry filling

6 cups cherries, pitted1/4 cup sugar1/3 cup all-purpose flour2 ounces white rum

Topping

1/2 cup all-purpose flour1/4 cup sugar1/4 cup light brown sugar1 stick unsalted butter, melted1 pinch sea saltPreheat the oven to 350 degrees F.In a large mixing bowl, mix together the pitted cherries, sugar, flour, and white rum.In another large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, light brown sugar, melted butter, and salt. Mix until the topping is well-combined and a bit crumbly.Butter twelve 3.5-inch ramekins. Divide the cherry filling evenly between the ramekins, filling each about 3/4 of the way. Add the crumbly topping evenly between the ramekins. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool for at least 20 minutes before eating. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Makes 1 drink

8 cherries, pitted15 to 20 mint leaves, plus a nice sprig for garnish1 teaspoon sugar1 ounce fresh lime juice2 ounces light rumClub sodaIn a cocktail shaker, muddle the cherries with the mint, sugar, lime, and rum. (If you'd like a stronger cherry flavor, muddle the cherries with the rum, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours before combining with the sugar and lime.) Add a few ice cubes. Shake well and strain into a glass with ice. Top off with club soda and serve.Black Garlic Soba Noodles ?

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Easy Vietnamese Iced Coffee Recipe with Espresso

Chances are if you walk into our house or work with us in our studio, you’ll end up sipping on some of our favorite coffee drinks. For the morning, a manual pressed espresso or cappuccino will start the day. In the afternoon when we start feeling sluggish, a Vietnamese iced coffee is the perfect “pick-me-up”. If you’ve never had a Vietnamese Iced Coffee, it’s a combination of strong coffee and a hit of sweetened condensed milk, add iced and a super refreshing “ahh”.

It’s been a super busy summer and when the two o’clock hour rolls along, we’re reaching for the iced coffee like it’s going out of style.

Speaking of Summer, we still can’t believe August is already here and we’re heading towards the holidays. Isn’t that terrible to already be thinking of the holidays?! We’re in no rush in any way to be pushing Summer away, but when we were shopping for some Summer props the other day, the stores were already stocking their shelves with faux pumpkins, autumn leaves and some Halloween items. We’re not ready to be giving up sweet corn, stone fruit and watermelon just yet, so why drop all this bounty and hang faux pumpkins? It just doesn’t feel right.

So in continuous celebration of this glorious warm weather and longer days on the beach, we’re sharing with you our easy method of making Vietnamese Iced Coffee.

Vietnamese iced coffee can be made in an number of ways, so have fun in exploring the different methods. We’re here to show you how we make it:

Starting with good coffee grinds: Many Vietnamese cafes or restaurants will use Cafe Du Monde grounds or they will grind their own coffee. Cafe Du Monde may be thought of as classic, however most of the better coffee shops around in Little Saigon here in Orange County and the shops Diane’s cousins took us to in Vietnam use a much better bean. Times are moving forward. We personally use our favorite coffee beans for our morning cappuccinos which lately have been either from Kean Coffee or Sleepy Monk Roasters.

For the method of brewing the coffee there are usually two schools. One which does it the slow and poetic way with the Vietnamese coffee filters. For the other Vietnamese coffee shops, you’ll usually see espresso shots being used for each glass.

Either way makes a great Vietnamese Iced coffee. For the classic Viet coffee filter method, there is something beautiful and relaxing in having to wait for 5 minutes while the coffee brews one drip at a time. There is also something quite beautiful in quickly pulling a luscious shot of espresso and then flicking the fingertips to stir in the sweetened condensed milk. We love both ways depending on our mood.

If you want to customize each glass and have time to brew it the old fashioned way, use a Vietnamese iced coffee filter. It’s cool to be able to watch the coffee drip into each glass. Here’s our post about the coffee filter from our last Vietnam trip.

For a quicker, but still wonderful espresso version, fire up the espresso machine. There is also the added convenience for when you want to make it in bigger batches. Pull a bunch of shots then stir in the sweetened condensed milk to taste. You can even do this ahead of time if needed. Then when you are ready serve; ice, pour, and enjoy.

Now you have a couple options to make Vietnamese iced coffee for one or for a big party. Quick or slow a meditative. Have fun and drink up while the weather is still warm so you can hydrate yourself with lots of iced coffee!

-diane and todd

any iced coffee lovers out there?

More Beverage Recipes:

Fizzy Blueberry Meyer Lemonade Recipe
Thai Iced Tea Recipe
Margarita with Bitters Recipe
Passion fruit mint cooler Recipe
Watermelon Tarragon Fizz Recipe
Nectarine Basil Lemonade Recipe

Yield: 1 Serving

Total Time: 10 min

This recipe is a quick version for those who have an espresso machine at home. For the classic recipe using a Vietnamese coffee filter, click here. Strength of coffee and sweetness will depend on your espresso and specific sweetened condensed milk brands. Adjust sweetened condensed milk to your personal taste.

2 Tablespoon Sweetened Condensed Milk2 oz. EspressoIcePour the sweetened condensed milk in a glass. Add the hot espresso and stir to combine.Taste and adjust to preference. Add ice and serve.

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bread

This chocolate chip cookie dough bread takes only two ingredients.

Two. Ingredients.

Yes, you heard it right.

If there is a genius recipe award, I’d give this to my friend Javan at The Dining Table (Singapore Food Guide). This recipe is made of two ingredients: your favorite ice cream (not low fat) and self raising flour. Two ingredients, 5 minutes of mixing time, and 45 minutes of baking time, and you have a loaf of sweet, tasty, and aromatic bread that tastes like you had a very complicated recipe and spent the whole afternoon baking. And the best of it all, you can make just about any flavor of this bread using your favorite ice cream. Dark chocolate chip bread? Sure. Peanut butter S’mores bread, not a problem. Salted caramel truffle bread? Check. You can make just about any bread you like, using your favorite brand of ice cream. It’s magic!

Fresh off the oven, this Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bread tastes so delicious. It’s got all the flavors and perfect sweetness. You don’t even need any jam. You can just eat it as is, or if you like, with a spread of butter. This recipe is also toddlers and kids friendly. Who doesn’t like their favorite ice cream in the form of a bread? Try the recipe today and I am sure you will love this effortless and easy baking recipe.

(Click Page 2 for the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bread Recipe)

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