Amour's Food Korner...

[ML'Amour]

Kung Pao Chicken

Ingredients

* 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
* 2 1/2 tablespoons of sesame oil
* 1 teaspoon of Szechwan peppercorns (optional)
* 8 red chili peppers
* 3 cloves of garlic
* 1 tablespoon of freshly grated ginger
* 6 green onions, chopped
* 2/3 cup of roasted, unsalted peanuts

For the marinade

* 2 teaspoons of soy sauce
* 1 1/2 teaspoons of sherry or Shaoxing rice wine
* 1 tablespoon of water
* 2 teaspoons of cornstarch

For the sauce

* 3 teaspoons of Chinkiang or 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar
* 2 teaspoons of soy sauce
* 1 teaspoon of sesame oil
* 1 tablespoon of water
* 3 teaspoons of sugar
* 1 teaspoon of cornstarch

Method

1/ Mix together the marinade ingredients. Chop the chicken into bite sized pieces and toss them in the marinade and set aside.

2/ Combine all the ingredients for the sauce, whisking well to ensure the cornstarch is fully incorporated. Set aside.

3/ Thinly slice the garlic. Break the chilies open and discard the seeds inside, then cut them into a few large pieces (the dish will already be very hot, keeping the seeds will make it near inedible).

4/ Place the 2 1/2 tablespoons of sesame oil in a wok or large saute pan and place over medium-high heat. Add the chilies and Szechwan peppercorns if using. Stir-fry for a few second until they become fragrant being careful not to burn them. Add the chicken, as soon as the pieces have separated add the ginger, garlic, and green onions. Stir-fry for a few minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

5/ Add the sauce and toss. When the sauce becomes thick add the peanuts, toss, and serve.

[ML'Amour]

French Onion Soup

The trick to a great French onion soup is starting with good stock. French onion soup is usually made with beef stock. I've made delicious soup with stock from the leftover rib and chine bones of a rib roast. Another important element is the proper caramelization of the onions. Caramelizing onions take at least thirty minutes of slow cooking the onions over medium high heat. The browning, or caramelizing, of the onions brings out the sweetness in them.


Ingredients

* 6 large red or yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced.
* Olive oil
* 1/4 teaspoon of sugar
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 8 cups of beef stock, chicken stock, or a combination of the two (traditionally the soup is made with beef stock)
* 1/2 cup of dry vermouth or dry white wine
* 1 bay leaf
* 1/4 teaspoon of dry thyme
* Salt and pepper
* 8 slices of toasted French bread
* 1 1/2 cups of grated Swiss Gruyere with a little grated Parmesan cheese


Method

1/ In a large saucepan, sauté the onions in the olive oil on medium high heat until well browned, but not burned, about 30-40 minutes (or longer). Add the sugar about 10 minutes into the process to help with the carmelization.

2/ Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the stock, vermouth or wine, bay leaf, and thyme. Cover partially and simmer until the flavors are well blended, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Discard the bay leaf.

3/ To serve you can either use individual oven-proof soup bowls or one large casserole dish. Ladle the soup into the bowls or casserole dish. Cover with the toast and sprinkle with cheese. Put into the broiler for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F, or until the cheese bubbles and is slightly browned. Serve immediately.

[♥Ý Nhi♥]

Nguyên văn bởi ML'Amour

French Onion Soup

Sis hông post luôn tiếng Pháp cho ai ở Paris đọc luôn
Ý Nhi hông có ở Paris :laughing2:

Thank sis ML nhiều thật nhiều for sharing

[ML'Amour]

Nguyên văn bởi ♥Ý Nhi♥

Sis hông post luôn tiếng Pháp cho ai ở Paris đọc luôn
Ý Nhi hông có ở Paris :laughing2:

Thank sis ML nhiều thật nhiều for sharing

Hihihi....Ko có chi....
Thui Sis posted bằng tiếng Anh là thượng sách...
International languages muh...
Bên VN thì có dịp...tra tự điển mệt xĩu..tha hồ học hỏi thêm nè...
Còn bên Paris thì....món nì nhìn hình là bít nấu rùi...khỏi đọc lun á...

Ủa ủa...Thí cưng làm phóng sự....Paris có gì lạ ko em...?
Nên Sis nghĩ cưng ở bên Pháp...
hmmm...
dzị ai ở Paris dzị ta..? :laughing2:

[ML'Amour]

Asparagus

Ingredients

* 1 bunch of medium sized asparagus, about 1 lb
* 2 Tbsp of the most exquisite extra virgin olive oil
* 2 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
* 1 teaspoon lemon zest - freshly grated lemon rind
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1/ Prepare the asparagus by rinsing them thoroughly, break off any tough, white bottoms and discard. Cut into 1 to 2 inch sections, slicing the asparagus at a slight diagonal.

2/ Fill a medium sized saucepan half way with water, bring to a boil. Add the asparagus and reduce heat slightly to a simmer. Parboil the asparagus for exactly 2 minutes. Drain the hot water. While the asparagus are still hot, toss them in a bowl with the olive oil, Parmesan, and lemon rind. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or room temperature.

Note that when you are working with so few ingredients, it's important to make sure they are of the highest quality.

[ML'Amour]

Steak Teriyaki

Flank or skirt steak is naturally tough, but the combination of marinating it in a homemade teriyaki marinade of mirin, sake, and soy sauce, along with a fast sear on high heat, and cutting thin slices against the grain, makes for a juicy, tender presentation.

You can either pan-fry or grill this steak, either way you'll want to sear it on very high heat. If pan frying, I recommend using a large cast iron frying pan or griddle pan.

Ingredients

* 1/3 cup mirin rice wine
* 1/3 cup sake
* 1/3 cup soy sauce (if cooking gluten-free, use gluten-free soy sauce)
* 1 Tbsp sugar
* 1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger

* 1 1/2 to 2 lb flank steak or skirt steak
* Olive oil or grapeseed oil

Method

1/ Combine the mirin, sake, soy sauce, sugar, and grated ginger in a large, shallow bowl. Place the steak in the marinade and let marinate for at least an hour, and up to 48 hours. If marinating for more than an hour, keep chilled until an hour before you plan to cook.

2/ When ready to cook, remove steak from marinade, reserving the marinade. Place steak on a plate and set aside. Place marinade in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes, or until the marinade has reduced to a thin glaze, becoming your teriyaki sauce.

Please note that if you are concerned by the idea of reusing the marinade after raw steak has been sitting in it, you will be boiling the heck out of this marinade, killing anything that may have decided to grow in it during the marinating process. Also steak isn't the same as chicken. People eat steak raw (steak tartar). Salmonella is not a problem with steak; it is with chicken. If you are still concerned, make twice as much marinade, and reserve half to boil down to make the sauce, using the other half as a marinade.

3/ If grilling the steak, prepare your grill for high, direct heat. If pan frying, heat a large cast iron pan on high heat. If grilling oil the grill grates. Pat dry the steak. Rub a little olive oil or grapeseed oil all over it. Place the steak on the hot grill or pan. Sear for 3-5 minutes on one side, or until the side is well browned, and turn the steak over and sear the other side. Baste the steak with teriyaki sauce. When the steak is well seared on both sides, remove from the heat and let rest for 10-15 minutes.

4/ Notice the direction of the grain of the steak. It should like like striations in the muscle fibers of the steak. Slice the steak in half, following the grain of the steak so that you are slicing along the grain. (This will make it easier to make cuts across the grain.) Then make thin slices (1/4-inch) against the grain and on a slight diagonal. Slicing this way will break up the muscle fibers, making this naturally tough cut of meat quite tender.

If there are juices that run out of the steak as you cut it, add the juices to the teriyaki sauce. There's lots of goodness in the steak "jus" that you don't want to waste.

Arrange on a serving plate and pour the remaining teriyaki sauce over it.