Sweet & Spicy Chinese Green Beans

I had this incredible dish for the first time recently and within days I had picked up the ingredients to remake it. Green beans are one of my favorite vegetables, so it was nice to find a new and delicious way to prepare them.

This is great as a main course (esp for lunch!), perhaps with rice, or as a side dish with other Asian entrees. Super cheap, fast and easy to make.

 

Ingredients:

1 pound green beans, ends trimmed

2 tablespoons sesame or vegetable oil

2 teaspoons Thai chili garlic paste

2 green onions, chopped

6 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons soy sauce (or to taste)

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (for garnish, if desired)

Directions:Heat a nonstick skillet or wok on medium high; add oil. Add the green beans and stir fry them for about 6 minutes, or until they start to brown a bit. Toss in garlic, green onions, and chili-garlic paste. Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and about 1/4 cup water. Cook for a few more minutes, until most of the liquid has cooked off and the green beans are still crisp, but a bit softened and shriveled. Do not overcook, or the green beans will be mushy. Remove from heat and serve while warm, sprinkled with red pepper flakes if desired. 

Classic Chinese Fried Rice

 

Fried rice is one of my absolute favorite Chinese dishes. Personally, shrimp fried rice is my go to, but there are so many variations. It's also super easy and affordable to make, once you know a few tricks!

 
Ingredients:

4 whole large eggs, whisked until smooth

1/4 cup soy sauce, or to taste
1/4 cup sesame oil
1 large bag frozen peas with diced carrots
4 cups cooked rice

8 green onions, chopped, including white parts

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Protein (if desired)

1 lb raw, peeled, deveined shrimp  (sauteed until pink and firm, but not overcooked)

OR - you can add diced chicken, Chinese BBQ Pork (click link for recipe) mixed vegetables, steak... this is an easy recipe to modify!

Directions:

Heat the sesame oil on medium high heat in a large non-stick pan and add the rice. The true secret for fried rice is that leftover, cold or room temperature rice is far easier to crisp than hot rice you've just steamed. If you know you're making this dish in advance, you can make the rice the day before OR what I usually do is if I make some sort of dinner with rice, I set some aside and make fried rice sometime later that week.

The first time I learned this trick, someone suggested saving plain takeout rice and using it to make fried rice... a funny idea, ordering Chinese delivery one day and then making Chinese food from scratch a few days later!  But... I've used this trick multiple times, ha ha... I do really like fried rice!

Cook the rice, stirring as necessary, for about 10 minutes or until it gets brown and crispy.  Add the egg to the edge of the pan and mix it around until scrambled, then integrate into the rice.  Add the veggies, soy sauce and white pepper, then cook until desired texture is achieved.  Taste and add additional soy, if needed.

If adding protein or veggies, you would cook those separately and then stir in once the rice is done.  Enjoy!

Char Siu - Chinese BBQ Pork

I wanted to make BBQ pork fried rice and had never realized that the pork in the rice is itself, from a classic Chinese recipe called "Char Siu". It's used in various recipes or just served alone.... and it's delicious.

Ingredients:
4 lb pork shoulder roast
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
4 cubes red bean curd
4 tablespoons five spice powder
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup Shaoxing cooking wine (Chinese cooking wine)
1 tsp ground white pepper
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Glaze:
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup marinade


Directions:

Slice the pork roast along the grain into long strips no thicker than 2 inches. Trim off any large pieces of fat.

Mix all the ingredients (with the exception of the glaze items) and mash in the bean curd.  Whisk until combined.

Pour marinade over pork until coated and marinate for 24-48 hours in the refrigerator, turning the pork at least once to ensure even distribution.  Reserve some of the leftover marinade for the glaze.

When ready to cook the pork, heat an oven to 400 degrees. Roast the pork uncovered for 15 - 20 minutes or until it starts to brown.  Whisk the glaze ingredients together until combined. Remove the pork from the oven and brush with the glaze, then return to oven for about 10 minutes, or until the glaze has dried.  Remove and glaze again.

You can glaze the pork as many times as you like, but somewhere between 3-5 times should do the trick.  Roast for about an hour or until the internal temp reaches 155 degrees, then remove.

If the pork does not have a crispy exterior at this point, glaze it again and turn the oven to broil, leaving the oven door open, until the meat is charred as desired.

Be sure to let the pork rest for at least 10 or 15 minutes before serving.  If making for fried rice, dice the pork into 1 inch pieces and combine with rice - here's a recipe for fried rice.  Enjoy!

Crispy Mongolian Beef

Serves 2 to 4

Ingredients:
Vegetable oil (for frying)
2 teaspoons ginger, minced
2 tablespoons garlic, chopped
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup water
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 lbs flank steak
1 cup cornstarch (divided,1/2 cup for sauce, 1/2 cup for beef)
6 green onions, sliced on the bias in approx. 1 inch pieces
2 cups sliced mushrooms (if desired)
2 tablespoons white sesame seeds (if desired)

3 cups white rice (if desired)

Directions:
Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add green onions, ginger and garlic to the pan and fry until softened. Add soy sauce and water, then add brown sugar and cornstarch and stir until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and let stand.

If you would like to add mushrooms to the dish, cook those separately and set aside.

Slice the flank steak against the grain into thin, bite sized slices. Dab with a paper towel to remove excess moisture, then dip each piece of meat into cornstarch on both sides. Let the beef stand for about 10 or 15 minutes, to allow the cornstarch to adhere.

Heat about 1 cup of oil in a skillet or wok on medium heat. Add beef to the oil in batches, frying until just crisp and removing to let drain on paper towels.

Once all the beef is fried, pour any remaining oil out of the pan. Add the beef, sauce and mushrooms (if using) and warm on low heat until meat and veggies are covered in sauce and hot.  Remove and garnish with sesame seeds if desired, then serve.  This is most frequently served over white rice. Enjoy!

Thai Chicken & Potato Curry

There is something so addictive about curry!  It's a drug!

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 pounds small yellow or red potatoes, whole
3 tablespoons ginger root, peeled and minced
5 cloves garlic, minced
4 green onions, minced
1 cup chicken stock
1 can coconut milk
1 4 ounce jar red curry paste
4 tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons cumin
2 teaspoons coriander
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon white sugar
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Directions: 
Warm the oil in the bottom of a large stockpot over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic, green onions and ginger and cook until soft.  Add the chicken and potatoes, then mix in the spices to coat.  Spoon in the curry paste and mix well, then add the chicken stock and coconut milk and stir to combine.

Bring to a boil, then reduce and cook for 1-2 hours, until the chicken and potatoes are tender and a thick gravy has formed.  Season to taste and check for heat - add more cayenne or curry for more heat, or if too spicy, cut with a bit of yogurt or add a bit more stock or sugar.

To serve, sprinkle with fresh cilantro and serve with jasmine rice and/or naan.  Enjoy!

Tips:  this is great leftover the next day!

Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef

The secret to Mongolian beef is the hoisin sauce.  It is also important to sear the meat at a very high temperature to get that super caramelized and crispy outside, but that sometimes makes it difficult to get the meat tender.  This recipe incorporates the best of both worlds; you sear it first, then cook it long and slow in the crockpot to tenderize it.  It came out perfect!

Yield:  Serves 2-4 entree portions 

Ingredients:
2 pounds flank steak, cut into bite sized strips
1/2 cup cornstarch
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium white onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons minced garlic
6 large green onions, sliced diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup water
1 cup brown sugar
3 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
1 cup hoisin sauce 

Optional:  2-3 cups steamed white rice for serving 

Directions:
Bring steak to room temperature and slice it.  Place flank steak and cornstarch into a sealed plastic bag.  Shake to evenly coat the flank steak with the cornstarch.  Add the hoisin sauce to the bag and shake again to coat with sauce.

Next, heat the olive oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat.  Saute steak until evenly browned, about 2 to 4 minutes.  Remove from pan.  Deglaze the pan with half of the water, add that cooking liquid to a crockpot.

Place the vegetables, steak, and remaining ingredients into the crockpot with the reserved liquid and cook on low for 4-6 hours.  Serve over rice, if desired.  This is also delicious if you add about a pound of sliced or whole mushrooms into the mix... mmm mushrooms and beef!  Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Pepper Steak

I ate this a bit too early, and it wasn't quite as tender as I'd hoped.  Two hours later, it was heaven!  The moral of the story is, patience is a virtue when it comes to crockpot cooking!  I think 6-9 hours would be perfect, so this is a dish you might want to put on before you leave for work in the morning.

Yield:  8 servings

Ingredients:
2 pounds flank steak, cut into approx 2-3 inch strips
3 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup lime juice
1 large white onion, thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp fresh minced ginger
1 16 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 green bell pepper, julienned
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 orange bell pepper, julienned
2 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water (reserve for end) 

Rice or noodles, for serving

Garnish (optional):  Chopped cilantro
 

Directions:
Place beef strips into the crockpot.  Add sesame oil, soy sauce, lime juice, undrained canned tomatoes, onion, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, and seasonings and mix with a large spoon. Cover and cook on low for 6-9 hours, or until meat is tender.

If you would like the peppers super soft, add them during the first stage of the cooking process.  For less well done peppers, add them during the last hour.  Any kind of peppers would work; I chose three colors for presentation; yes, they're pretty!

About a half hour before serving, mix water and cornstarch into a paste and stir into the sauce in the crockpot.  This will thicken the sauce into a gravy.  Serve the meat and veggie mixture over noodles or rice, with some of the gravy ladled over it, and chopped cilantro on top, if desired.  Yum!

Tips:  I restrained myself because I always make everything spicy, but I don't think a bit of Thai chili or Sriracha sauce would be out of place here... just a thought!  Enjoy!

Panko Crusted Orange-Ginger Chicken Tenders

 

This didn't take very long to make and I imagine it's a bit healthier than normal orange chicken.  A tiny bit anyway... or at least that's what I told myself.

Yield:  2-4 servings (depending on whether it's an entree or appetizer)

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into approx 2 inch thick strips
2-3 tbsp butter
1 18 ounce jar of orange marmalade
1 tbsp soy sauce 
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced (or substitute 1/2 tsp powdered ginger)
1/3 cup flour 
1 cup panko crumbs
3 egg whites, beaten
Zest of one orange
Olive oil, for frying

 

Directions:
Prepare chicken and pat dry, then set aside to bring to room temperature.  Heat butter in skillet until just soft, then add minced garlic and ginger.  Cook for about 2 minutes, until beginning to brown, then add soy sauce.  Cook for an additional minute, then pour in orange marmalade and stir until well mixed.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium.  Sprinkle in flour slowly, using a fork or whisk to mix it in, reducing any clumps.  Allow to continue cooking until caramelized, about 5-10 minutes.

While the orange mixture is cooking, heat a skillet and drizzle with olive oil.  Dip chicken tenders in egg whites, then in panko crumbs, and place in skillet.   Cook until tender, about 10-15 minutes, flipping once to ensure brownness on each side.

Reduce heat on orange mixture to low and keep warm until chicken is done cooking.  Once the chicken is done, use a fork or tongs to dip each crisp piece of chicken in orange mixture, then place on serving plate(s).  Sprinkle with orange zest and serve immediately.  Yum!

Note:  My claim about this being healthier than regular orange chicken has no evidence to back it up... I'm just guessing since it isn't deep fried.  Then again, I did add that butter, so who knows!  Either way, it didn't come out greasy, so that's a plus!  Enjoy!

Honeyed Ginger Salmon

Yes, I know, I made something healthy. Don't be disappointed, it still has honey and brown sugar and oil and... it's healthy but not THAT healthy!  Phew!

Yield: 2-4 servings

Ingredients:
1 1/2 - 2 pounds raw salmon fillets
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

Optional Garnishes:
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 green onion, sliced

 
Directions:
Whisk oils, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, vinegar, and brown sugar together. Pour over salmon and marinate, refrigerated, for about 45 minutes or up to overnight.  Try not to skimp on the marinating!  It really locks in the moisture and flavor.

Preheat the broiler and place salmon on a sheet tray or cookie sheet.  Place pan directly under the broiler.  Drizzle some of the remaining marinade over the top of the salmon and cook for 8-12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.  I left mine in there probably a little longer than I should have, hoping for a more toasty glaze on the outside.  Be careful not to overcook it, as that would make it dry.

Remove the fish from the oven and drizzle with honeyed ginger glaze.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions, if desired, and serve.

Honeyed Ginger Glaze
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

Simply mix above ingredients together and pour over warm salmon as soon as it is removed from oven.  Yum!

Sweet & Spicy Steak Stuffed Mushrooms

I came up with this one as a last minute appetizer idea, but it turned out really well, so I thought I'd share it!

Ingredients:

1 pound skirt or flank steak

1 pound large mushrooms, rinsed

4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup soy sauce

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup lime juice

1/4 cup thai chili garlic sauce (add less or more, depending on how spicy you like it!)

1/2 tsp black pepper

Olive oil or butter, for sauteeing mushrooms

Garnish:  Cilantro (optional)

Directions:

Preheat grill to high.  Mix all sauce ingredients together.  Reserve about 1/2 cup of the sauce for later.

Pour sauce over steak and allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes.  When ready to grill, remove steak from sauce and pat dry with paper towels (you won't get a good char on it if it's wet).  Grill the steak for about 3-4 minutes per side for medium rare.  Remove and let rest for 5-10 minutes.

While the steak is resting, remove stems from mushrooms.  If desired, you can chop those up and add to the steak mixture later, or you can just discard.  Saute mushrooms in a little bit of olive oil or butter.  Season with salt and pepper.  Remove from pan and flip upside down on paper towels to drain.

Dice steak into small pieces and mix with reserved sauce.  Stuff each mushroom with the mixture and garnish with cilantro.  If the meat and/or mushrooms have grown cold while doing this, simply pop them into the oven for 5 minutes or so, then serve!  These can also be made in advance and heated in the oven just before serving.

Enjoy!

Cucumber Saketini

  

These are refreshing and adorable!

Yield: 4-6 cocktails

Ingredients:

8 ounces sake

3 tbsp simple syrup

2 ounces fresh lime juice

2 tbsp fresh cucumber puree

1 tsp white sugar

Lemon Lime Soda, to taste

Directions:

Purchase fresh cucumbers at the store - if you get regular cucumbers, you can make about 3 of these per.  I used English cucumbers, which are longer and thinner -  I was able to cut 4-5 cucumber "glasses" out of them.

Making the glasses is easy.  Cut cucumbers evenly in 3 to 4 inch tall pieces.  Starting from about 1/4 inch inside, hollow out the pieces.  Be careful not to get too close to the bottom; these leak easily!  The last thing you want is a guest with a trick spouting drink on their hands.  It is a good idea to check them in advance for leaks, for that very reason.  Reserve some of the interior cucumber for the puree.  You can make the puree in a blender, food processor, or just by chopping it up.

Mix cocktail ingredients in a martini shaker or large glass. Taste and adjust flavors (by adding more sake or cucumber) or sweetness (by adding more sugar) if necessary.  The drink should be mildly sweet and refreshing.

Now, using the leftover pieces of cucumber, cut "swizzle sticks" for the drinks.  They should be at least 1/8th inch thick, so that they will stand up in the drink.  To serve, pour chilled saketini into cucumber cups and add swizzle sticks.  Enjoy!

 

Spicy Chili Shrimp with Jalapeno Cilantro Fried Rice

 

 In case you didn't already know this, fried rice is delicious.  Fried rice with cilantro and jalapenos?  Even more delicious!

Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter
2 pounds medium to large shrimp, preferably raw
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons white vinegar
3 tablespoons Thai chile garlic sauce 
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1-2 tbsp cornstarch
3 tbsp honey

Jalapeno Cilantro Fried Rice
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cups steamed rice
3 eggs
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup fresh or frozen peas
4 scallions, diced
2 medium jalapeños, seeded and minced
2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 stalk of fresh lemongrass, minced  
4 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil

Directons: 
In a bowl, combine ketchup, vinegar, chile sauce, lemon juice, soy sauce and honey.  Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (it should be sweet and spicy!).  Add corn starch, mix thoroughly, then set aside.

Next, heat vegetable oil in a large skillet on medium high.  Add rice and allow it to fry in the oil.  In a separate section of the same pan, crack the eggs and fry them.  Once the eggs have cooked all the way through and begun to brown, use a metal spatula to break them apart and mix amongst the rice.  You can also fry the eggs in a separate pan, and then slice them, if that seems easier.  Next, add the jalapeños, garlic, peas, lemongrass and ginger to the rice, and continue to cook until rice is crispy and parts of it have browned.

While rice is cooking, season shrimp with salt and pepper.  In a smaller skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of butter.  Add the shrimp (shells on) to the skillet and cook over high heat, turning once, until they start to turn pink, about 2-3 minutes.  Pour sauce over shrimp and mix thoroughly, then remove from heat.  It's up to you if you want to remove the shells or leave them on, it really depends on how you want the dish to look.

Drizzle the rice with soy sauce and sesame oil, taste and adjust seasonings.  Now you are ready to serve.  Place a mound of rice on plate and add shrimp.  For the presentation I did below, I used a two inch ring (could also use a cup or cookie cutter) to mound the rice and then placed the shrimp around it.  Drizzle with additional sauce and serve! 

Tips:  Be sure to bring shrimp to room temperature before cooking so that it cooks evenly. Also, I can't say this enough - start with raw shrimp and they will be so much more tender! Raw frozen is fine....  they even have them at Target for a reasonable price.  Enjoy!

Pork Gyoza

This is one of my favorite appetizer recipes – I can never make enough of these, they disappear instantly! 

A note on ground pork - all ground pork is not the same! In particular, there is a brand called Smithfield which I would avoid at all costs. It has a really, really bad flavor. Try to get the ground pork from your grocery store's meat counter if they have it, otherwise, any brand but Smithfield should work.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup chopped mushrooms
1 lb ground pork
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/8 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
4 scallions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp Thai Garlic Chili sauce
Salt and pepper, to taste
30 won ton wrappers
1 to 2 cups peanut or vegetable oil

1 egg yolk, beaten (for assembling)

Dipping Sauce:

4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon red rice vinegar
2 teaspoons ginger, minced
2 teaspoons chopped green onion

Directions:

Brown pork in a skillet.  While meat is browning, chop vegetables.  Add to pan.  Next, add beaten egg, Thai Chili Sauce and ginger.  Continue cooking until vegetables are soft.  Taste and season, then allow to cool.

To assemble, place 1 tablespoon filling in middle of each won ton wrapper, about 1/2 inch from edge and shape horizontally.  Fold left and right corners of wedge over filling, overlapping slightly.  There are usually directions on how to do this on the back of the won ton package.

Dab top corner with egg yolk, then tightly roll wedge away from you, making sure ends stay tucked inside. Place roll, seam side down, on wax paper. Continue until all wrappers are used.

Heat about 1 inch of oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Fry rolls in small batches until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

For dipping sauce, simply chop onion and ginger, then mix into oil and vinegar.  Serve room temp or cold with finished gyoza.

Tips:  You can add additional Thai Chili Sauce to make this more spicy, substitute baby shrimp for the pork, or omit meat/seafood altogether for a vegetarian version.  Enjoy!

Sweet & Smoky Asian Beef Ribs

I've made these a number of times - it's a tasty recipe and you can modify the seasonings to personal preference.

Ingredients:

1 cup soy sauce
1 cup sesame seed oil
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon green onions
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic

1 teaspoon liquid smoke
2 lbs beef short ribs

1 teaspoon sesame seeds (for garnish)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Mix all marinade ingredients in a bowl, stirring until the brown sugar is dissolved.  Place ribs in a pan and pour the marinade over them.  Marinate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

When ready to prepare the ribs, remove from pan and discard the marinade.  Pat dry with paper towels.  Preheat grill to medium high.  Grill ribs for 3-4 minutes per side for medium rare.  Let the ribs rest for 5 minutes, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and serve.

Don't be surprised if your guests drool a little bit and look like this:

Also, be careful with your hands, you could lose a finger if you don't pass these out quickly enough.

Spicy Ginger Beef

This has a nice combination of sweetness and heat.  Add more Sriracha, if you prefer it extra hot!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 lb skirt steak, thinly sliced

1/4 cup chopped basil

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1 orange bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced

4 ounces sliced mushrooms

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger, divided

2 tablespoons Thai chili garlic sauce

1 tablespoon Sriracha hot chili sauce

1 tablespoon white sugar

Salt and pepper, to taste 

Optional:

2 cups steamed white rice

Directions:

Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat.  Add beef and one tablespoon of the ginger. Stir fry until meat is barely cooked.  With a slotted spoon, remove beef to a bowl, draining oil back into skillet.

Add the Thai chili sauce, garlic and onion to the remaining oil.  Cook until the vegetables are translucent.  Add peppers, mushrooms, and remaining ginger.  Stir fry until vegetables are tender.

Add the soy sauce to the vegetable mixture. Stir to combine.  Pour reserved meat, with accumulated juices, into the skillet.  Cook until the meat is just heated through.  Add basil and hot sauce, then mix until well combined.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve immediately, on a bed of rice if desired.

Shanghai Chicken Drummettes

This recipe was quite a find - nearly perfect as is!  I hardly made any changes, and it was delicious... and I don't even really like chicken.  This is also a great recipe for parties, since it is easy to make in advance (and difficult to screw up!).

Ingredients:
3 lbs chicken wingettes 

1 cup hoisin sauce 

2 tbsp soy sauce 

2 tbsp sesame oil 

2 tbsp thai chili sauce 

1 1/2 tbsp cider vinegar

1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger

4 cloves garlic, minced

Garnish: sesame seeds, sliced scallions

Directions:

Whisk all of the ingredients besides the chicken and garnishes. Separate about a cup of the sauce and cover and refrigerate to use as a finishing glaze.

Pour remaining mixture into a large ziptop bag or tupperware container and add the chicken. Shake to coat the chicken pieces in the sauce. Refrigerate overnight.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with foil and lightly spray with cooking spray.  Arrange the drumsticks on the tray in a single layer.  Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, turning chicken once, until tender.  After this step, you can either crisp the chicken immediately under the broiler, or cool and refrigerate until later.

Either way, when ready to prepare and serve the chicken, heat the oven to broil.  Brush the chicken with the finishing glaze.  Broil until crispy, about 4 minutes.  Transfer to a platter.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallions.  Enjoy!

Garlic Black Pepper Lobster with Lemon Grass Fried Rice

This was a recipe I saw on some TV cooking show, then looked up online.  Who could resist this much garlic?  The original recipe was with live lobster, but I'm a bit squeamish about committing murders in my kitchen.  Instead, I decided to buy pre-murdered lobsters - nearly as tasty, and a clean conscience was had by all (except my bank account).

Ingredients

2 (1 to 2 pound) unwitting lobsters, alive or dead, tails cut into 4 or 5 medallions

20 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 cups sliced scallions (save 1/4 cup of sliced green scallions for garnish)

2 tablespoons ground black pepper, medium ground

1 cups white wine

1 cups chicken stock

1/4 cup fish sauce

6 tablespoons butter

Salt, to taste

Olive oil

Directions:

In a large, hot saute pan or wok, coated well with olive oil, saute the lobster. Add the garlic, scallions, and black pepper. Deglaze with wine and add chicken stock and fish sauce. Add butter and check for seasoning.

Lemon grass fried rice:

3 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 small white onion, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 tablespoon minced ginger

3 stalks lemon grass, minced, white part only

4 cups cooked jasmine rice

1 lemon, juiced

Salt, to taste

Directions:

In a saucepan on high heat coated with sesame oil, sweat the onions, garlic, ginger and lemon grass. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the rice and saute the rice for 5-10 minutes until hot, slightly brown, and crispy. Add lemon juice and soy sauce and check for seasoning.

On a large plate, mold a mound of rice in the middle and top with lobster. Garnish with sliced scallions, if desired.

Tips -  This makes a lot of extra sauce, but I poured it onto the rice just before serving.   You can form the rice like this by using a cookie cutter or buying a cheap "ring", a chef tool made for serving piles of sides like rice or mashed potatoes.  Also, be careful not to overcook the lobster - I cooked the fried rice first and kept it on low until the lobster was ready.  Enjoy!