Korean Beef & Lettuce Wraps with an Asian Slaw

How do you start eliminating carbs from your meals? With a lot of regret! So these lettuce wraps might just be the way forward. It is definitely healthier than a flour wrap, tortilla, naan or pita. 

Brown some ground beef or any protein with onions, garlic, gochujang, soy sauce and chile powder. Make a slaw with radish, red peppers, red onion and green chiles marinated in vinegar and sugar. Pile spoonfuls of beef onto butter lettuce. This lettuce is soft. If you like a bit of crunch use romaine. Top meat with some slaw. Fold the leaf. Take a bite. A melody of tang, spice, meaty flavor and freshness unfold. A no guilt pleasure!

KOREAN BEEF & LETTUCE WRAPS WITH AN ASIAN SLAW

Serves 4

1 lb ground Beef, Chicken or Turkey

1 tablespoon Canola Oil

1 large White Onion

3 Garlic cloves

2 tablespoons Gochujang paste

1 teaspoon low sodium Soy Sauce

1 teaspoon Chile Powder

1 head Butter Lettuce or Romaine hearts

3 Radishes

1/2 Red Onion

2 small Red Peppers

1-2 green Chiles

3 tablespoons White Vinegar

1 teaspoon Sugar

Pinch of Kosher Salt

Make the slaw by slicing radishes and red peppers into small sticks. Slice red onion and green chiles thinly. Place veggies in a bowl. Pour vinegar and sugar over veggies. Season with a pinch of salt. Stir well and let veggies marinate for 10 minutes.

Start cooking the meat. 

Mince onion and garlic cloves fine. 

Heat oil in a saucepan.

Add onion and garlic to hot oil and saute till light brown. 

Dump ground beef into the saucepan, smashing the meat with a spoon so it doesn't clump.  Saute meat till crumbly and loose for about 3-5 minutes. 

Add gochujang, soy sauce and chile powder to meat. Stir fry well and cook over low heat for 5-8 minutes. 

Take off the flame and keep meat warm. 

Break off lettuce leaves and arrange them on a plate. 

Top lettuce with a generous heaping of meat. 

Spoon some slaw over meat, 

Fold lettuce into a wrap and take a delicious bite.

Like I said, a no guilt pleasure. Make sure you have plenty as they are easy on the palate and plate. They will disappear fast!
 

Prosciutto Mozzarella and Truffle Panini

I watch a snippet on a late night food and travel show on CNN  and I am hooked. The picture of this chef feasting on this particular tapas has me intrigued, has me salivating, has me craving for that sandwich that very instant. So when morning comes I know what I need to do.

Thin slices of white bread are trimmed of their crusts and then spread with truffle paste. Prosciutto slices are draped over the truffle paste. fresh mozzarella slices are next. The top layer of bread is buttered sparingly. The sandwich is then grilled till golden on both sides. 

The restaurant calls this tapa The Bikini. I call it a two bite wonder.

PROSCIUTTO MOZZARELLA AND TRUFFLE PANINI

Serves  2-4

10 thin White Bread slices

Truffle Paste

10 Prosciutto Slices

10 slices of Fresh Mozzarella

Butter

Trim the crusts of the bread.

Spread a generous layer of truffle paste on 5 slices.

Top the 5 slices with prosciutto.

Lay fresh mozzarella slices over prosciutto. 

Cover cheese with bread slices. 

Butter the top slices. 

Heat a flat griddle. 

Place the panini with the buttered slices down on the griddle.

Allow bread to turn golden brown. 

Lightly butter the exposed slices. 

Flip them over and cook till brown. 

Cut panini and serve then warm. 

My television dream comes true...the Bikini is quite a revelation. Melty, gooey, salty and a punch of truffle.

Fondant Potatoes

If potatoes were the last thing I ate, then these would be my choice. How do I describe these golden brown crispy discs? Heavenly? Scrumptious? It is hard to describe. The Serious Eats recipe is magic. Apt, as they disappeared fast!

Yukon Golds are peeled and halved. I slice off a little bit on the ends so they sit flat. Use a cast iron pan because the intense heats allows potatoes to brown evenly. A little butter, garlic slivers and fresh thyme give the dish oomph. A gelatin laden chicken broth lets potatoes braise, so the insides are soft and the outer surfaces are crisp. As I said ...magic.

FONDANT POTATOES

Adapted from Serious Eats

Serves 2

4 medium Yukon Gold Potatoes 

1 tablespoon Canola Oil

4 Garlic cloves

1 teaspoon Thyme leaves

1 tablespoon Butter

1/2 cup Chicken Broth

1 teaspoon Gelatin Powder

1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Freshly ground Black Pepper

Peel potatoes. Cut them in half. Slice a little bit off the ends so the potato sits flat. 

Season with salt and pepper.

Dissolve gelatin in chicken broth.

Cut garlic into slivers.

Chop thyme leaves roughly.

Heat oven to 400F.

Heat a cast iron pan over medium high heat. 

Add canola oil to pan. 

Nestle potatoes in oil.

Cook undisturbed for 4-5 minutes. 

Check to see if undersides are browning. 

Cook for another 3-4 minutes. 

Flip the potatoes over gently.

Drop butter into the pan.  Allow butter to foam and bubble.

Scatter garlic and thyme leaves over potatoes.

Pour chicken broth into the saucepan. It will come to a quick boil.

Place pan in the oven and cook for 20 minutes. 

Take them out of the oven. 

Lift them gently into serving dish. Make sure to add the crispy garlic slivers as well.

Enjoy with steak or just eat them as they are.

It is a case of delicious disappearing potatoes...

Vietnamese Chile Chicken

I call it Vietnamese chicken as there is whole lot of fish sauce involved. Lots of chiles as well. This is a fast prep dinner. Mix the sauce in one bowl. Onions and chicken chunks benefit from a quick saute. The sauce goes in. Chicken simmers. When almost done , drop a little cornstarch to thicken the sauce. Hot cooked rice is the perfect foil for this spicy, superfast stew.

VIETNAMESE CHILE CHICKEN

Serves 4

1 pound boneless skinless Chicken Thighs

1 Onion

1 tablespoon Canola Oil

1/3 cup light Brown Sugar

2 tablespoon Molasses

1/4 cup Fish sauce

2 tablespoons Rice Vinegar

2 teaspoons Ginger Garlic Paste

4 Green Chiles

1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 tablespoon Cornstarch

Cilantro leaves

Hot cooked Rice

Cut chicken into bite size chunks.

Slice onion finely.

Slice green chiles on a bias.

Mix brown sugar, molasses, fish sauce, ginger garlic paste and green chiles in a bowl till sugar dissolves.

Heat oil in a saucepan. 

Add onion and saute till soft.

Drop chicken into the pan. 

Pour sauce over chicken. 

 Season with salt, bring to a low simmer and cook uncovered for 10-15 minutes until.

Dissolve cornstarch in a little water till smooth. 

Add to chicken and cook for 3-5 minutes more. 

Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice.

Super Asian, super fast and super tasty. 

Peach Coconut Panna Cotta with Pistachio

It isn't often that I try a new dessert before I have company coming to dinner. So I make this with fingers crossed.

Peaches are peeled and pureed along with coconut milk. Gelatin blooms in milk instead of water.  In spite of my trepidations, my audacious efforts work out pretty well. The dessert doesn't have the silky smooth texture of the original as I haven't sieved the mixture. I prefer the mouthfeel of peach puree. Coconut milk offers an Asian twist. Chopped peaches and pistachio powder draw out fruit and nut flavors. I am delighted with this medley. So are my guests!

PEACH COCONUT PANNA COTTA WITH PISTACHIO

Serves 6-8

4  ripe Peaches

1 cup Milk, whole or 2%

1 packet unflavored Gelatin

1/2 cup Coconut Milk

1 Lemon

1 cup heavy Cream

1/2 cup Sugar

1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Pistachio powder or chopped Pistachios

Pour milk into a bowl. 

Sprinkle the packet of gelatin over milk. Let it bloom for 5-10 minutes.

Peel and pit 3 peaches. Chop roughly. 

Place peaches in a blender.

Add coconut milk  and juice of lemon to peaches. Blend till smooth.

Pour mixture into a saucepan and heat for 5 minutes over a medium flame . 

Add milk and gelatin to the saucepan. Stir well. 

Add cream, sugar and salt to saucepan. 

Stir till smooth. 

Take it off the flame and cool for 15 minutes. 

Divide among 6-8 ramekins. 

I like to line my ramekins with plastic wrap. This way is easier as I don't have to dip the ramekins in hot water before inverting them onto a plate. 

Cover well and refrigerate for 4-6 hours. 

Chop remaining peach into small dice. 

When you are ready to serve invert the ramekin over a plate and gently remove the plastic wrap. 

Scatter peaches and pistachio powder over panna cotta and serve. 

I am thankful the experiment succeeded.  Even happier to see the panna cotta disappear.

Peach Tomato and Mozzarella Salad

Just when I decide that peaches and tomatoes go together, the NYT comes up with their version! Though my recipe is way simpler.  And that's okay. 

Heirloom tomatoes deserve special treatment. Luscious peaches even more so. Pairing them in a salad is a no brainer. Add some hand shredded Buffalo mozzarella. Spice it up with a chile vinaigrette. A handful of fresh basil gives it a herbal flavor.  When you have star power ingredients, you have a stellar salad. 

PEACH TOMATO AND MOZZARELLA SALAD

Serves 4 

2 large Peaches

1 Large Beefsteak Tomato

3-4  Buffalo Mozzarella  slices

2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1+ 1 teaspoon coarse Chile  Powder

1 tablespoon Lemon Juice

1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

Several grinds of Black Pepper 

Basil leaves

Cut peaches into 1/4"  slices and place in a bowl.

Cut tomato into bite size chunks and add to peaches. 

Shred mozzarella with your hands and drop it over the fruit. 

Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of chile powder, a little Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper over fruit. 

Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, remaining chile powder, salt and pepper in a bowl. 

Drizzle dressing over fruit. 

Scatter basil leaves over salad. 

Toss and serve. 

 There isn't a better way to use my fork!

Cucumber Soup

The sheer abundance of  cucumbers from my garden is overwhelming! There is  only so much salad one can eat. So soup it is. This thick, bisque like version comes from Julia Child. With a few variations. 

Onion and raw rice are sauteed in olive oil. Chicken stock makes it non-veg but you could easily add water for an alternative. I've made both versions with very little difference. While the rice cooks, cubed cucumbers are bathed in salt, sugar and vinegar. Added to the cooked soupy rice, the cucumbers cook for a few minutes before they are pureed. The resulting soup is a thick, hearty bowlful. My husband prefers it warm but I love a cold bowlful any day. 

CUCUMBER SOUP

Adapted from Julia Child

Serves 4

1 white Onion

1/2 cup Rice

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

2 cups Chicken stock or Water

2 medium sized Cucumbers

1/2 teaspoon Sugar

1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt 

2 teaspoons White Vinegar

Cucumber, thinly sliced

Dill or Parsley

Chop onion into rough chunks.

Rinse the rice a few times till water runs clear.

Heat oil in a deep saucepan. 

Add onion and saute for a few minutes till soft. 

Drop rice into the saucepan and saute again for a few minutes. 

Pour chicken stock or water over rice and bring to a boil. 

Lower flame to medium, cover and cook rice for 10 minutes. 

Peel cucumbers and chop into small dice. 

Place them in a bowl and season with sugar, salt and vinegar.

 

Once the 10 minutes are done add cucumbers  to the soup and cook for a further 5 minutes. 

Take soup off the flame and cool for 5 minutes. 

Puree in a blender till smooth.

Add more water if you prefer a thinner soup.

Test for seasonings.

Garnish with thin slices of cucumber and herbs. 

Serve soup warm or cold. Both ways are delicious!

While we both enjoy the soup in different ways, what stands out most is how simply delicious it is.