by TheLastWonton | Mar 6, 2014 | Appetizers & Snacks, Burgers, Sides, Vegetarian
Skinny-sliced sweet onion, fried to crispy, crunchy, golden, nibbling perfection.
Seriously, sinfully, sublime.
I bet I can banish your foggy-soggy-chillin'-when-will-it-be-spring blues with one crispy little morsel.
Yup, seriously, these strings of crunchy gold are that powerful. Your tastebuds will jump up and down and you will smile with the smug satisfaction of accomplishment. If you'd only known sooner, right?
Besides that, you know and I know, that we've been pretty darn good (well mostly) since the New Year rang-diddly-dang in, with our yogurt, bare-naked salads, fruit, fruit, fruit, fruit, fruit and enough veggies to make the Jolly Green Giant gaffaw.
So, deservedly, on this drizzley March morning, that is still far more Winter than Spring I give you a damn fine, easy peasy, recipe that may indeed make you emit teensy little pleasure moans.
But it doesn't stop there, oh no. Frizzled Onions deliciously define multi-tasking. First off they're simple to make, and one big sweet onion makes a whole schwack of Frizzles, and they be a fine little nibbler just as they are, with Frizz Dunk, or ranch dressing, and ta-da, they're crazy delicious with main dishes and sides:
~ Tucked into the bun with a big, juicy burger or beef dip.
~ Served alongside a BBQ steak.
~ Crowning creamy mashed potatoes, or turnips.
~ Plopped on a salad or nice bowl of soup.
~ ♫ On top of spaghetti all covered with cheese….or tomato or meat sauce
~ Piled on top of fettucine Alfredo or mac and cheese
And, making Frizzled Onions will almost for sure get you digging into the memory banks to sing, "Onions, Onions la la la…" Bonus!
So what are you waiting for? Nibble me this.
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Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you, wonderful Ree Drummond, Pioneer Woman extraordinaire,
for once again giving us a recipe we simply cannot resist.
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FRIZZLED ONIONS
1 whole, large, sweet onion
2 cups buttermilk, or make your own buttermilk by adding 2 tablespoons vinegar to 2 cups milk
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon sea, Kosher or regular salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 quart (to 2 quarts) oil for frying
Slice onion very, very thin. Place in baking dish and cover with buttermilk to soak for at least one hour. Press the onions down a bit so they are as submerged as possible.
Combine dry ingredients in bowl or baking pan and set aside.
Heat oil in heavy, deep, large pan or wok to 375F.
Grab a handful of onions, throw into the flour mixture, toss around a bit, tap to shake off excess and plunge into hot oil. With a spoon or chopstick, fiddle with them a bit to break up any clumps. Fry for about 3 to 4 minutes and remove as soon as golden brown. Drain on paper towels or newspaper. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt flakes, while hot.
Repeat until onions are gone.
Eat before your family sees them.
Repeat with another onion, because they'll be really mad they didn't get any.
FRIZZ DUNK
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup mayonnaise
4 tablespoons malt vinegar
3 tablespoons creamy, hot horseradish
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Whisk all ingredients together and serve with hot Frizzled Onions.
by TheLastWonton | Mar 2, 2014 | Baking & Desserts, Breads & Sandwiches, Breakfast & Brunch, Treats
Climbing to Heaven on yeasty, pillow-soft layers of cinnamon sugar.
Made you look!
I know, I know, it's unfair. I apologize.
Winter seems to have gone on FOR-EVER.
We've had way, way too much brrrr-ing of late and, still, the weatherman insists on mentioning snow squalls. Then I come along, all smug, with my cinnamon sugar grin, pushing warm, soul-comforting, yeasty, hedonistic pleasures at you.
It's just not fair!
But…….I'm pretty darn sure you will forgive me the second you start pulling one pillowy sheet after another off your hot-from-the-oven loaf.
And what fun having matching cinnamon sugar grins.
Now, please, everyone join me in a big, enthusiastic thank-you to Joy the Baker for this enjoyable-to-make, easy, keeper of a recipe. Joy, you rock!
It's so good to know for sure, unlike those Summertime Blues, there is most definitely a cure for the wintertime blues!
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"Anyone who gives you a cinnamon roll fresh out of the oven
is a friend for life."
~ Lemony Snicket
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CINNAMON SUGAR PULL-APART BREAD ~ Makes one 9x5x3-inch loaf
**Joy mixed the dough by hand, as the instructions suggest. I use my stand mixer, fitted with the dough hook, and it works like a charm. Every time.**
FOR THE DOUGH:
2 3/4 – 3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) butter
1/3 cup whole milk
1/4 cup water
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
FOR THE FILLING:
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
6 tablespoons butter, melted until browned
Stir 1 tablespoon of the sugar in warm water (between 105-115 degrees F), stir in the yeast. Allow mixture to sit for about 5 minutes, until foamy and frothy.
In large mixing bowl whisk together 2 cups flour, the rest of the sugar and salt.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, (or microwave) melt together milk and butter until butter has just melted. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract. Let mixture stand for a minute or two, or until mixture registers 115-125 degrees F. (just warm to the touch).
Pour the milk-butter mixture and yeast into the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula. Add the eggs and stir the mixture until the eggs are incorporated into the batter. The eggs will feel soupy and it'll seem like the dough and the eggs are never going to come together.
Keep stirring. Add about 3/4 cup flour and stir with a spatula for 2-3 minutes. The mixture will be sticky. That's just right.
Place the dough in a large, greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel. Place in a warm space and allow to rest until doubled in size, about 1 – 1 1/2 hours.
**The dough can be risen until doubled in size, then refrigerated overnight for use in the morning. If you're using this method, just let the dough rest on the counter for 30 minutes before following the roll-out directions below.**
While the dough rises, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg for the filling. Set aside. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter until lightly browned. Set aside. Grease and flour 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Set that aside too.
Deflate the risen dough and knead about 2 tablespoons flour into the dough. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 5 minutes. On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough out. The dough should be 12-inches tall and about 20-inches long. If you can't get the dough to 20-inches long…that's okay. Just roll it as large as the dough will go.
Use a pastry brush to spread melted butter across all of the dough. Sprinkle with all of the sug
ar and cinnamon mixture. It might seem like a lot of sugar. Seriously? Just go for it.
Slice the dough vertically, into six equal-sized strips. Stack the strips on top of one another and slice the stack into six equal pieces once again. You'll have six stacks of six squares.
Layer the dough squares in the loaf pan like a flip-book. Place a kitchen towel over the loaf pan and allow to rest in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes or until almost doubled in size.
Place a rack in the centre of the oven and preheat to 350F. Place loaf in the oven and bake for 30-35-40 minutes, until the top is very golden brown. The top may be lightly browned, but the centre may still be raw. A nice, dark, golden brown will ensure that the centre is cooked as well.
Remove from oven and allow to rest for 20 to 30 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the bread and invert onto a clean board or pan. Place a cake stand or cake plate on top of the unside down loaf, and carefully invert so it's right side up. (We always seem to serve and eat ours upside down) Serve warm with coffee or tea.
Seems this bread is best served the day it is made, but it can also be wrapped and kept at room temperature for up to 2 days. (Like that's going to happen!)
by TheLastWonton | Mar 1, 2014 | Appetizers & Snacks, Asian, Beef, Pork & Lamb, Filipino, Sides
Golden, crispy, crunchy, skinny egg rolls filled with garlic aroused ground pork and veggies. Masarap!
TOP TEN REASONS TO MAKE FILIPINO LUMPIA
10. It doesn't matter what season, or month, or time of year, Lumpia are always in vogue!
9. One bite sums up everything you've always loved about Asian food.
8. Just saying Lumpia (LOOM-pya) makes you smile.
7. When socializing you get to say, "Yeah, I whipped up fantastic Filipino appies again last week".
6. There's a great deal of satisfaction in doing the lay, plop, shape, tuck, roll, brush, stack.
5. Perfecting folding Lumpia gives you an unfair advantage when it comes to origami.
4. They're made using a tried and true, age-old, traditional, family recipe.
3. You too get to celebrate my enthusiastic love for my Filipino, Frizzle family heritage. Fo' shizzle.
2. Your friends and kinfolk will appreciate you, just a teensy weensy bit more.
1. When someone takes their first bite of Lumpia, they flash you the silliest most satisfied grin ever.
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Big, big warm thanks to Isabel and her delightful food blog Pretty Tasty Things
for sharing her parents special Lumpia recipe and inspiring me to hone my own version.
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FILIPINO LUMPIA ~ Makes 20-25 skinny rolls
1 1/2 lbs. ground pork
1 cup jicama or *cabbage, chopped very fine in a food processor
1 cup rutabaga or turnip, chopped very fine in a food processor
1/2 cup young carrots, chopped very fine in a food processor
1 small, sweet onion, chopped very fine in a food processor
5 plump garlic cloves, minced, or chopped very fine in a food processor
1 egg, beaten
5 tablespoon soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar, white or brown
1 – 2 tablespoons sambal oelek or other Asian chile paste
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 generous teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 package **large (approx. 9 1/2" square) spring roll wraps
1 egg, beaten with 2 tablespoons of water
2 cups or more vegetable oil for frying
Process each vegetable separately in food processor.
In a large bowl, simply combine ground pork, chopped vegetables, beaten egg, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, sambal, salt and pepper. Mix very well to ensure seasonings and veggies are evenly distributed.
Once the meat-veggie mixture is well combined, it's time to make the rolls. Rolling a lumpia can be done in 8 simple steps. I just use a tablespoon, but an ice cream scoop works well to dish out an even amount of meat onto the wrapper. In step 7, when you're almost done, dip a pastry brush in egg-water mixture and brush on the triangle tip of the wrapper to create a seal.
Lay your completed rolls on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
Now you can either cover and refrigerate, if frying same day, or these freeze beautifully. Just stick your finished rolls, just as they are on the baking sheet, in the freezer for a few hours. When completely frozen, carefully transfer to large freezer bags. This way you can always have a stash of homemade Lumpia in the freezer whenever you need them. No need to thaw before frying – they fry up perfectly, right from the freezer.
To fry, heat a large, deep skillet or wok at medium-high heat, with 2 cups (or more, if needed) vegetable oil. Make certain the oil is hot before frying the lumpia, in batches.
Each side takes about 3-5 minutes, but keep an eye on them. You don't want to fry them too fast. When the rolls turn golden brown on all sides, remove and drain on paper towels.
Let cool for 3-5 minutes so you don't burn your tongue. Serve with sweet hot chili sauce, and enjoy these delectable Filipino tasty treats. Napakasaráp nitó!
*Using jicama as opposed to cabbage does give a different flavouring to the lumpia. I didn't include both veggies as a substitute one for the other, more as an option. Both versions are delicious, so you cannot go wrong. I swing back and forth between using jicama and cabbage.
**Large spring roll wraps – the wraps I use to get these long, skinny rolls are Tyj Spring Roll Pastry and come in packages of 30. Our local Oriental market always has them in stock.
If you cannot find these large spring roll wraps, any size egg roll or spring roll wrap will work. Little squatty rolls are equally as addictive and delicious. Admittedly though, there's some kind of je ne sais quoi about the long, skinny Lumpia.
by TheLastWonton | Feb 28, 2014 | Beef, Pork & Lamb, Italian, Main Dishes, Pasta & Noodles, Sauces, Dips & Condiments
Meaty prime rib bones, spareribs and hot Italian sausage slow simmered for hours, in a timeless tomato sauce, until the meat lazes right off the bone and begs to melt in your mouth, tossed with al dente spaghettini, and way too much freshly grated Asiago. Mamma Mia!!
Yes, it is another gloriously flavourful, lovingly prepared Italian tomato meat sauce, but this my friends, is indeed a handcrafted feast to remember. Sunday Gravy is a true Neopolitan masterpiece, steeped in generations of Italian-American family tradition.
You know, that kind of meal you always dream of having if you are ever lucky enough to be invited to one of those real Italian family feasts. Well, this bodacious, slow simmered, tomato sauce indulgent with meat, and ritually served as after-church-early-dinner is indeed manna.
After all, if Sunday Gravy was good enough for Tony Soprano……… Capisce?
I perused and browsed a lot of old family recipes online before I started concocting my version of this deliciously rustic, bountiful, family meal. I used smallish, meaty, prime rib bones, pork side spareribs and top quality, hot Italian sausage in my sauce, but there's no hard-fast rule on what meats to use. I came across recipes using pork chops, meatballs, pork butt, chuck roast, flank steak, braciole and beef short ribs. You cannot go wrong. Seriously!
Next time I think I'm going to leave out the prime rib bones, and in the last half hour of simmering, plop in tiny meatballs. Sì, io sono.
This time around I served our Sunday Gravy over al dente spaghettini (that came in nests), but with tasty satisfaction still fresh in my mind, it seems to me, any pasta would work well with this meaty, filling, traditional dish.
You know what I think?
I think, that before too long, you should get yourself all set up with quality Italiano ingredients and throw on some Dean Martin
Now pour a glass of a big, bold Red, and discover your family's version of Sunday Gravy.
A tavola non si invecchia. – Italian proverb.
Italian proverb ~ "A tavola non si invecchia."
"At the table with good friends and family you do not become old."
SUNDAY GRAVY ~ Serves 4
2 + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 small, sweet onion, chopped
4 plump garlic cloves, minced
4 small-ish, meaty prime rib bones
8 pork side spareribs, cut into 4 pieces
2 large, top quality hot Italian sausages
Heavy handed glass of big, bold, red wine
2 28-ounce cans San Marzano or other Italian peeled, tomatoes, buzzed in blender
1 heaping tablespoon dark brown sugar
6 large, fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried basil)
3-4 tablespoons fresh oregano (or 2 teaspoons dried oregano)
2 big tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
1/2 – 1 teaspoon dried red chile flakes
Sea salt and lots of fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1 pound spaghettini nests, or your favorite pasta
Asiago, Parmigianio Reggiano, or Romano cheese, grated.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and butter in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and saute 8-12 minutes until starting to get good caramelization, adjusting the heat if necessary so that the onions do not brown too quickly. Add minced garlic, saute another 2-3 minutes. Remove onion and garlic from pot, into small bowl, set aside.
Turn heat to high, add 2 more tablespoons olive oil, add prime rib bones to pot, meaty side down. Cook, turning, if necessary, until nice, golden brown crust forms. Remove from pan, and repeat with spareribs and Italian sausage, adding a bit more oil, if necessary.
Deglaze the pot with red wine. Place the meats and the onion-garlic mixture back into the pot. Add tomatoes, brown sugar, basil, oregano, Italian parsley, red chile flakes and salt and pepper. Stir well, to evenly combine flavours. Bring sauce to a simmer. Cover and simmer slowly for 2 hours, stirring, occasionally, being careful not to break up the meat as it cooks.
After 2 hours remove the lid and let simmer for another 30 minutes to 1 hour, until sauce is the perfect consistency and the meat is falling-off-the-bone tender. If necessary add 1/2 cup to 1 cup water.
Meanwhile, cook pasta, until just al dente, drain. Carefully remove meat from sauce. Cut the sausages into 4 pieces, each. Place the meat on one side of serving platter. Toss cooked pasta with 3/4 of the sauce and place on other side of serving platter. Drizzle remaining sauce over top of meat and pasta, or serve on the side. Top with oodles of grated Asiago. Buona appetito!
by TheLastWonton | Nov 5, 2013 | Asian, Breakfast & Brunch, Eggs, Sides, Vegetarian
Fragrant little mounds of jasmine rice, boasting toasty, caramelized leeks, topped with a soft-yolked egg and crowned with sprinkles of crispy, luscious bits of fried ginger and garlic.
Boys and girls, I give you…….. Comfort and Joy. On a plate.
Nothing sums up this unusual spin on easy peasy to make fried rice, better.
I found this gem on one of my absolute favorite food blogs, Smitten Kitchen. Deb of Smitten Kitchen describes this 'deconstructed' fried rice recipe as, "….a classic Chinese dish, clearly reinterpreted by a French hand."
Enter, stage right, caramelized leeks, whole fried egg laid atop, rather than scrambled in, and pleasing drizzles of soy sauce and golden ginger-garlic sprinkles to adorn and amp up the eat-with-your-eyes-first factor. Chow Bonne?
You know what else? It's really fun to make. You get to do stuff in the kitchen you've never done before, like stir-fry minced ginger root and garlic together until they get all crispy golden. Then, while still hot, lightly sea-salt these seductive little tidbits. Yum!
I did have my way with Smitten Kitchen's version of this recipe just a bit, and have been thinking next time I might add some extra veggies, like zucchini or chopped asparagus. Or finely chopped Thai chili. But then again, it's hard to improve upon this sublimely yummy merger of flavours and textures. Comfort and Joy.
You really should try this one.
GINGER FRIED RICE ~ Serves 4
1/2 cup peanut oil
4 tablespoons minced ginger root
3 tablespoons minced garlic
Sea salt
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 cups thinly sliced leeks, white and light green parts only, rinsed and dried
4 cups day-old cooked jasmine rice
Freshly ground black pepper
4 eggs
4 – 6 teaspoons soy sauce
In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup oil over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy and golden brown. With a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels and salt lightly.
Reduce heat under skillet to medium-low and add 1 tablespoon of oil, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and leeks. Cook 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very tender and partially caramelized. Season lightly with salt.
Raise heat to medium and add rice. Cook, stirring well, until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
In a nonstick skillet (it just makes it easier) fry eggs in remaining oil, sunny-side-up, or over easy-ish (to your liking) until edges are set but yolk is still runny.
Divide rice among four dishes. Top each with an egg and drizzle with soy sauce. Sprinkle crisped ginger and garlic over everything and serve.
~ Tucked into the bun with a big, juicy burger or beef dip.
