House of Zeta

Good food, drinks, friends and ukulele!!!

Category: Tip of the Week (Page 7 of 8)

Japanese Market

December 3, 2012 / / 0 Comments

Another Turkey day has come and gone and we are sad to see it go. Unfortunately we  arrived at our destination late so we didn’t get any pictures of what was made.  There was the usual suspects, more about Turkey, cost green beans stuffing cranberries but  with a few new items.  I made Jason’s famous smoked sweet potato/potato mash, there was a refreshing fennel salad, more sweet potatoes with paprika, and Anna’s butternut squash with parmesan cheese, thyme and fresh parsley.  Luckily for us Jason did take pictures and made a fabulous pumpkin pie that disappeared faster than giblet gravy!  Or was it a pumpkin pie?  I told everyone I would let them know what was it it but not til after.  So without further ado the secret ingredients in the the pies were Butternut Squash and Brandy.  No pumpkins were harmed in the making of this pie.  We got the recipe from The New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/video/2012/11/14/dining/100000001903215/pumpkin-pie.html  We thought, hmmmm interesting lets do it! The results speak for themselves.  Two pies gone in no time.  We also had an actual pumpkin pie and it was also delicious.  But I think from now on it’s Butternut Squash Pie that will be made in The Lab.

So for my birthday we did a couple things, view one of them was go to our favorite Japanese market the Mitsuwa Marketplace in New Jersey.  The prices are amazing and the selection is always interesting and different.   We usually end up with half the store and very full bellies.  This time we actually ate before we shopped, viagra
but not before taking a quick spin around.   We had a great meal of Spicy Melty Pork Ramen and Pork Don.  Then went in for the kill.  We started in the produce department grabbed some Kyo Ninjin carrots from the local Suzuki farm, along with some daikon radish, and Chinese cucumbers we pickled using a Miso Pickling Mix.   We also grabbed a jar of Teriyaki mushrooms,  a package of dried mushrooms for soup,  some saki, wasabi peas,  instant miso soup and instant curry for those long busy days at work  when you have little time for lunch.  We always pick up something we have no idea of what it is,  this time it was a package of unusual veggies in water.   To me they are screaming soup!!!  We actually showed great restraint this time.  With only two bags of goodies we walked away happy and not over burdened with what we purchased.  All in all it was a good Birthday outing.

Comfort Food

November 16, 2012 / / 0 Comments

As the week ends, information pills we start focusing on Thanksgiving, seek   the ultimate in comfort food.   While Mexican is my main food of choice, I would have to say I have a favorite from almost every region , from Ethiopian stews, Italian pastas, Japanese, Thai, Greek, German, Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches, Polish, New Zealand meat pies, Indian, anything curried and of course French, mmmm butter, mmmm cheese. But for most of us, what we grew up with is what truly makes a meal or dish comforting. This time of year though, it’s Thanksgiving.  Turkey, gravy, mashed potato’s, stuffing, cranberries,  green bean casserole and pie.  I’m getting full and sleepy already!!!  We always add new dishes and keep old favorites but it always ends up with friends and family enjoying a day and a meal together.  To me, that is the ultimate in comfort food.  Food for the soul.  I usually make two or three dishes to take with me and as usual I wait till the weekend before to decide what I am bringing.  Hopefully you have your game plan and can stick to it.  If not, don’t worry, in the immortal words of Hudson & Halls have another glass of wine and it will all work out.  Well, that may not be exactly what they said but I like to remember it that way.  In any case, I will be doing a bit of both.  So as you go into the wonderful day of tradition and new experiences remember to take comfort in all that is around you and eat all you can!

Enchiladas!!!!

November 15, 2012 / / 0 Comments

This wonderful heartwarming dish is the anchor in our comfort food week.  Originally from Mexico, adiposity in an area called Valley of Mexico, salve the practice of rolling meat(usually fish) in tortillas dates back to the Mayans.  But it was Hernan Cortes from Coyoacan who first shared this with Spanish Conquistadors, who gave the rolled maize it’s name, Tortilla.   The definition of enchilada is “a rolled maize tortilla stuffed with meat and covered in a tomato chile sauce”, according to the Real Academia Espanola.  Sound familiar?  Not much has changed.  For a while it was street food and consisted of tortillas dipped in chile sauce, not quite the same thing if you ask me.  To me making enchiladas is another family moment of  coming together sharing knowledge and enjoying a meal.   My dad would cook the chicken, and when it cooled we would tear the meat off it’s bones.  As a kid that was the fun part.  We would then grate the cheese and  chop the onions.   Eventually combining these with chopped black olives, to make the inside of our enchiladas.  We would then heat up the tortillas in oil and dip theme in sauce, fill with chicken mixture, roll them up, put them in the baking pan and wait for the goodness to cook.   I still make them the same way except the oil part.  Now I microwave the tortillas, it’s much quicker and makes for easier cleanup and added bonus, less fat.  Pair them with beans and rice and you have the makings of one of my all time favorite comfort foods.

Mole, Ole!

November 13, 2012 / / 0 Comments

I love Chicken Mole, order it is a staple in my house.  Growing up I always loved the smell of it, more about the cinnamon and chocolate, clinic the earthiness of it, I could eat it almost every day.   We never made it from scratch as that was considered way too much work.  Thankfully chefs have been able to shorten the normal 2-3 days it takes to make this chocolate, cinnamon goodness.  Unfortunately I have not done this, but one day I will conquer this mammoth task.  Until then I refer to my childhood version, or the closest I can come to it.  Being on the East Coast has made life a little more challenging to make my Mexican comfort foods but I have and continue to seek out the ingredients I need and the foods I crave.  Usually  I end up making it myself, like west coast Chorizo.  Here in NYC the Spanish version is popular.   It’s good but its a hard, almost salami like sausage, as apposed to the crumbly spicy sausage I am used to.   I grew using  a can of dry Mole spices that you add to stock, here on the east coast it’s a jar of paste.  I had seen it on the west coast when I lived there but always went for the dry can.   I usually add a little more cinnamon and a small amount of sugar, just to get it the way I like it.  I have also come to the conclusion that onions are key to helping get that sweetness that I remember.  Now I’m not big on super sweet Mole but there should be a hint of that sweetness in there.  Also a little heat is nice.  I find when I order it at restaurants they skip that part and I am usually disappointed.  So last night to continue with my comfort food week,  I made Chicken Mole!!!  I paired it with the beans I  made on Sunday along with some flour tortillas and had a great flashback to my childhood and the comforts good food can bring.

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Mole, Ole!
Author: 
Recipe type: Main dish
 
Ingredients
  • 1 Whole Chicken
  • 3 Quarts of Water
  • 1 Tablespoon of Salt
  • ½ Tablespoon of Pepper
  • 2 Medium Onions chopped- divided
  • 1 Clove of Garlic chopped
  • 1 Jar of Mole paste
  • ¼ teaspoon of sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon
  • Pinch of chile flakes(optional)
Instructions
  1. In a large stock pot add chicken and water.
  2. Add one onion, garlic, salt and pepper
  3. Bring to boil and reduce heat to low/medium
  4. Simmer for about 20 minutes or till chicken is done
  5. Set chicken aside in colander in sink to cool
  6. Save broth
  7. When chicken is cooled off enough to handle, strip meat from bone, set aside
  8. Keep bones and skin for stock.
  9. Measure 4 cups of broth and save the rest
  10. Combine stock and mole paste in stock pot
  11. Simmer on low to medium heat till paste is dissolved(use whisk)
  12. Add sugar and cinnamon
  13. Add chicken and second onion
  14. Simmer for about 10 minutes or till onions are translucent
  15. consistency should be thick but not too thick.
  16. Serve immediately
Notes
You can omit the sugar and cinnamon if you want a less sweet sauce. You can add chile flakes if you want some heat. But be careful. Serve over rice with beans on the side. Don't forget the tortillas!!!
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On a Sunday Afternoon

November 12, 2012 / / 0 Comments

What did you do this last Sunday?  Jason went camping and I stayed at home to learn computer stuff.  Sounds boring doesn’t it?  Not really.  I expanded my brain with knowledge and did some, physician (a long time coming) slow cooking.  I made chicken stock and pinto bean soup.  It may not sound like much but both are long, but relatively easy tasks.  I had the makings for stock sitting in the freezer for way too long and finally had the time to make it.  There’s a reason most people buy their stock from a store.   That’s not to say I don’t like homemade stock, quite the opposite.  I love it!  But don’t always have the time to make it.  Another issue is I don’t cook mine as long as some people, or chefs, simply because I’m too impatient.  That’s probably why my stock is very strong and usually cloudy.   I did come across an article on how to make a quick chicken stock and can’t wait to try it.  I will let you know how it turns out.  If it’s as good as it looks then I may never buy chicken stock again!!!  Hahaha, not likely, but maybe I will make more at home.

Now, what did I do with that chicken stock you ask?  I made cauliflower soup!!!  I took six cups of stock, a couple ribs of celery, two carrot’s, a medium onion and a head of cauliflower chopped them up and put them on the stove to simmer for 20 minutes(after bringing it to a boil) and next thing you know lunch was served!

One of the other things I did  was make Pinto Bean Soup.  This is something I had learned from my grandparents.  It was my grandfathers favorite soup and my father’s least favorite.  I first got to taste this hearty goodness when we were living with my grandparents one winter when I was young.  I remember paying attention to how it was made but not really understanding what I was seeing.  It all happened so fast.   My biggest memory is that when it’s done you must add pepper and very finely minced onion.  Something my grandfather took pride in doing.  My father always said it was tasteless soup.  I beg to differ.  The earthiness of the beans and the cloudy stock made smokey from the bacon and the tender cooked onions melt in your mouth, while the fresh onions provide a nice crisp sweet freshness that is to me, pure heaven.  I don’t have the exact recipe just what my father told me as he finally made it one day, after months of begging.   He made it from memory and since he only made it once I had to learn quick.  It’s a very simple soup and there really is no measuring, which is probably where I get my cooking method from.   I’ve asked lots of friends and family about this soup and how they make it.  Everyone seems to make it mostly the same way, soak the beans overnight then rinse them, put back in the slow cooker and cook for several hours.  Some of the other ingredients people added were bacon, onions,  celery, carrots, garlic, a ham hawk or what ever there mother/grandmother use to use to get it just right.  My version is simple with bacon, onion and garlic.   I like to make a couple times so I have  it  on hand all winter for those long cold days and evenings.  Not a bad way to spend a Sunday.

 

 

Stove Top Smoker

November 5, 2012 / / 0 Comments

What happens when a stove top smoker and a rack of ribs collide? The best ribs ever!!! O.K., malady so I may be biased, this but I can’t help it. We bought a stove top smoker last year because we wanted to go camping and the weather wasn’t cooperating. We searched high and low and found one that we liked and have been using it ever since. Last night we used it to smoke some ribs and they were so good we ate most of the rack in one sitting!  We also made sweet and red potato mash with a cucumber, rx radish and tomato salad in a spicy red wine vinaigrette. For the ribs we used are Camerons smoker and apple wood chips to give it that smokey sweetness to balance out the dry rub we made. The potato mash is one sweet potato to four medium red potato’s and the dressing for the salad was red wine vinegar, olive oil and Tapatio hot sauce. Needless to say there was nothing left.  So the next time you want that feeling of camping and can’t get there, remember you can always use a stove top smoker.

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The Rub
Author: 
 
Ingredients
  • 1 Tablespoon of Hungarian Paprika
  • 1 Tablespoon of crushed Coriander Seeds
  • ¾ Tablespoon fresh Cracked Multi-Peppercorns(green,black,pink & white)
  • 1 Tablespoon of kosher salt
Instructions
  1. Combine ingredients in a bowl
  2. Pat rack of ribs dry with paper towel
  3. Rub spices on both sides of ribs
  4. Put in smoker
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Blood Soup

November 1, 2012 / / 0 Comments

 

Usually this time of year I hit a few Halloween parties or at least a pumpkin carving party. Unfortunately I only made it to one this year and didn’t have time to make anything. Also our wonderful guest Hurricane Sandy payed a visit and literally put a damper on the festivities. So now it’s the day after Halloween and I am finally getting around to making my famous blood soup. This years will be a little different as I am adding yellow and orange carrots. I wanted to make it lighter and challenge myself to do something different. I went to the local farmers market and grabbed my supplies, a large red beet, a bunch of yellow carrots and a medium onion. I already had the orange carrots and chicken stock at home. Now as some of you know I don’t always measure what I’m making. Especially if it’s the first time. So if you want to make this you must be brave. Also it’s pretty easy if you can guesstimate while your cooking. Like I said a couple sentences ago, I used one large beet, peeled and chopped into small pieces, four medium to large yellow carrots also peeled, two regular size orange carrots, again peeled, plus one medium yellow onion. They are now sitting in around 6-7 cups of chicken stock waiting to boil, with salt and pepper for taste. I usually roast the veggies, especially the beets, but like I said I am trying something new. I also usually top it off with sour cream and pico de gallo, but tonight it will be chopped honey crisp apples. The veggies will simmer till soft, it should only take about 20-30 minutes. Then we will cool the soup off and then blend it. Now, if you are adventurous, try this one out and let us know what you think. Remember, all these measurements are approximate. If not then don’t worry, you can email us later and we will give you the measured out version as soon as we finalize it.

Beach Camping

October 9, 2012 / / 0 Comments

Camping season is almost over. Well for most people. We will be starting our forest camping and may even do a bit of winter camping. If Jason has any say it will include waking up to a fresh snow fall. But that is another post. This post is about beach camping. We were very lucky this year. Usually we only get one weekend before the mosquitos devour everything in their path. Thanks to a mild winter and an even milder summer we were lucky enough to get in 5 camping weekends! Sun, adiposity sand, erectile riding waves, unhealthy ukuleles and great food. It was a dream summer. We usually set out on Friday or Saturday morning and hit the ferry to Watch Hill where we would walk about a mile and a half before setting up camp. Then it was a celebratory beer, hit the waves and start thinking about food. The first night we usually had salmon and mashed potato’s with a vegetable, like curried corn. Second night was usually chili, sometimes meat, sometimes veggie. Lunches were mostly grilled cheese and bacon sandwiches, sometimes grilled asparagus. Breakfast is eggs and bacon with left overs thrown in for good measure. The trick to camping for multiple days is carefully planning the menu. It sounds like we have it all together but that took years of tinkering. I do have some grand plans for big feasts, but all in good time. I feel we have it down now. Who knows a maybe this will be the year I roast a chicken and turn the leftovers into soup, or roast a pork shoulder.

$3 Grab Bag!

October 9, 2012 / / 0 Comments

Look what you can get for $3 at the farmers market! We got 2 bags!! We made a cucumber salad, try added the carrots, treatment celery and some onion to our roast chicken, advice then with the leftover chicken, the veggies and drippings from the pan we made Chicken Pot Pies! The potato’s will go great in the morning with eggs and bacon. The parsnips and yellow beets we will roast with other root veggies later this week and the peppers we will probably stuff and make an appetizer out of them. So the next time you stop by your local farmer’s market and see a grab bag don’t walk away. With a little imagination you can make some really amazing dishes, and you’ll be supporting local businesses.

And the Emmy goes to……………..

October 1, 2012 / / 0 Comments

Here at houseofzeta.com we are often asked to cook a meal or make a dish for a party and we are always happy to oblige.  This was the case a couple Sundays ago when I went to a friends house to watch the Emmy’s.  O.K. so it was my idea, approved I had some new recipes and wanted to try them out.  Also, order it’s a great excuse to see friends and dish about celebrities.  Sounds like a win, win situation to me!  I went shopping for the final ingredients, prepped what I could and made the trek to Williamsburg.  As I unpacked the bags my friends were like, “did you bring the whole kitchen?” And on closer inspection, I kinda did!  I hadn’t realized it till I started to pull everything out of the bags.  I brought ingredients to make pork and kimchi dumplings, chicken satay, a cabbage and snap pea salad and beef with onion soup.  Oops my bad!  Like I said it was my idea so why not feed everyone, right?!  As I got to work on the feast a friend brought some multicolored baby potato’s to add the the meal.  It was perfect addition, we just boiled them and plated the with the rest of the meal.  The unintentional star of the night was the Beef and Onion soup. It was hearty, rich and just the right dish to end our culinary trip around the world.  Everyone was so pleased with the soup that they were like we need this recipe, put it on the blog!  I was taken back a little, I was really proud of the satay and sauces, of course our dumplings are always a hit.  But if the crowd wants beef and onion soup you give them beef and onion soup.  So without further ado, here is the recipe enjoy!!!

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Beef and Onion Soup
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6
 
Ingredients
  • 6 quart pot
  • 1 Lb of boneless round steak or chuck steak
  • 2 tablespoons of butter, divided
  • 3 large onions
  • 8 ounces of mushrooms
  • 6 cups beef broth
  • ¼ cup of dry red wine, plus a little more.
  • 1 table spoon of worcestershire sauce, divided.
  • Salt and pepper to taste.
Instructions
  1. Cut steak into 3 inch strips
  2. Cut onions into ¼ inch rings
  3. slice mushrooms
  4. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the pot
  5. Add meat, cook for about 10 minutes on medium heat or till done.
  6. When done set aside.
  7. Melt second tablespoon of butter.
  8. Add onion and mushrooms.
  9. Cook till onions are translucent, about 10-15 minutes.
  10. Add stock and meat, red wine, salt and peeper.
  11. Cook for 30-45 minutes.
  12. The last 15 minutes add half of worcestershire.
  13. Add the rest if you want more.
Notes
The wine and worcestershire are approximates because everyone's tastes are different. I put between ¼ and half a cup of wine and the whole tablespoon of worcestershire, but I like really bold flavors. Remember these ingredients can make or break a dish. They are very strong flavors so you don't want to go overboard cause there is no coming back if you do.
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