Tag Archives: dinner

Recipe: Spicy Thai Noodles with Plums & Bok Choy

05 Monday Aug 2013

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Thai Noodles with Plums & Bok Choy

Mmm, such a tasty summer entree. This recipe has survived dinner parties from Chicago to Buenos Aires, and every time I make it, it’s a bit different based on what’s in-season and what ingredients I have access to. In Buenos Aires, the wide variety of ethnic food products we’re accustomed to in the United States was immensely narrowed down, but with a little creativity (and a heavy hand with the not-spicy spices) I made it work.

The flavors and textures in this dish are unexpected and fresh. It’s a combination of juicy stone fruit, slightly bitter bok choy and slurp-worthy noodles tossed in a peppery-sweet sauce with a spicy kick. If spicy’s not your thing, omit the cayenne pepper and go easy on the crushed red pepper. I tend to use whole grain angel hair or soba noodles, but ramen or rice noodles would work well, too. And I grab whatever stone fruit looks most appealing. Nectarines work really well, but these plums were too pretty to pass up.

This is another oldie but a goodie adapted from Better Homes & Gardens.

Thai Noodles Closeup

SPICY THAI NOODLES WITH PLUMS & BOK CHOY

1 lb. chicken tenderloins

4 ounces of noodles

1/4 cup chicken stock

3 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 Tablespoons hoison sauce

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 Tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 nectarines and/or plums, sliced

one bunch of bok choy

1 green onion, thinly sliced

Cook the tenderloins in a small amount of boiling water in a large skillet, covered, for 12 to 15 minutes or until no longer pink. Drain and cool slightly, then slice against the grain. Cook noodles according to package directions. While the pasta’s cooking, whisk together the chicken stock, soy sauce, hoison sauce, sugar, olive oil, sesame oil, ginger, crushed red pepper, cayenne pepper and black pepper in a small bowl. Drain the cooked pasta, rinse in cool water and toss it with about 3/4 of the dressing. Divide the pasta up on your serving plates, and top with chicken, fruit, bok choy and green onions. Drizzle with the remaining dressing.

Recipe: Polenta & Spinach Soup

11 Friday Jan 2013

Posted by in appetizers and sides, entrees, recipes

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Spinach & Polenta Soup

I admit, it may be a bit odd to make thick, hot soup when it’s pushing 90 degrees outside. But I’m on a mission to use up all of our food stuffs in the next week, including a half kilo of polenta. So, sorry husband! Sit in front of the fan and eat it.

Polenta is a ground cornmeal that has a smooth, creamy texture when cooked. It originated in Italy, so I suppose it’s no surprise that it’s so popular in Buenos Aires. According to Wikipedia it’s known as a “peasant food”, which seems kind of rude, right? But considering I’ve made at least five meals out of this one-kilo bag with no end in sight, I suppose I can see the correlation.

I actually purchased the polenta just to try this recipe out in the first place. It was so good that rather than expanding my polenta-cooking repertoire I just made it again…and again, and again. It’s cheap, super flavorful, and takes about 30 minutes to whip together. Well, 45 if you have to carefully clean each leaf of spinach, like I do.

The original recipe was from Bon Appétit. I’ve altered it to suit my preferences.

POLENTA & SPINACH SOUP

  • 6 cups (or more) of chicken broth
  • 3/4 cup polenta
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • Coarse kosher salt
  • 8 ounces baby spinach leaves
  • Fresh shredded parmesan or sharp cheddar cheese

Bring 6 cups of broth to a simmer in a sauce pan; cover to keep warm. Whisk polenta and flour in heavy large pot. Add 1 cup hot broth; whisk over medium-high heat until smooth. Stir in butter and garlic; sprinkle lightly with coarse salt. Gradually add 5 cups hot broth by cupfuls. Boil gently over medium heat until polenta is tender and soup is creamy and thickened, whisking frequently and adding more broth to thin, if desired, about 15 to 25 minutes depending on the strength of your stovetop. Stir in spinach by handfuls; simmer until wilted, stirring often, 5 minutes longer. Season with more coarse salt and black pepper. Spoon into bowls and top with shredded cheese.

Christmas Feast-Worthy Roast Duck

24 Monday Dec 2012

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Simple Roast Duck

Growing up, Christmas always meant amazing home-cooked food. From the early morning breakfast (Magic Marshmallow Crescent Puffs, FTW!) all the way to the array of post-dinner cookies, it was day of continuous culinary delights. I still feel the same way today. Christmas is just not the same for me without a delicious home-cooked spread.

Ham was the tradition when I was a kid. In recent years, I dabbled in turkey. This year, I’m thinking duck.

Until recently, I’d only ever had duck at restaurants, hearing that it’s difficult to prepare at home. I was misinformed. To be sure, you can make it as complicated as you like, but a simple roast duck is delicious without all that craziness involving hair dryers and boiling pots of water. There may be an extra step or two involved, but when you carve into that melt-in-your-mouth bird, you will feel it’s well worth it.

Carving Duck

I followed a video recipe from the New York Times. It was low-maintenance, and the outcome was crispy, flavorful and Christmas feast-worthy for sure.

SIMPLEST ROAST DUCK (original recipe from the New York Times)

4 – 6 pound duck

1 Tablespoon kosher salt 

Aromatics of your choice: orange zest, toasted coriander, ground pepper, rosemary, garlic, onions, shallots, etc.

Fingerling potatoes, for an easy side dish

24 to 48 hours before you plan to serve the duck, trim off excess fat and skin around neck and tail areas. (This can be saved to render duck fat later). With a paring knife, prick the duck skin all over, sliding the knife between the skin and the flesh. This will release the fat so it will render while the duck roasts, making the skin nice and crispy. You don’t want to directly prick the flesh, as that will dry it out.

Season the duck, inside and out, with kosher salt and whatever aromatics you’d like to use. I used chopped fresh rosemary, garlic, and ground pepper. Put the duck in the fridge, uncovered, so that the skin can dry out a bit for the next 24 – 48 hours.

When you’re ready to roast the duck, preheat the oven to 450° F. Add more seasonings to the cavity. I used crushed garlic, sprigs of rosemary, and onion slices. Place in roasting pan, breast side down. If desired, toss the fingerling potatoes in the pan along the sides, to cook in the duck fat. Roast for 30 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 350° F, and roast for another 30 minutes. Flip the duck over in the roasting pan, so that it’s breast-side up. If desired, use a turkey baster to suction up some of the fat in the bottom of the pan, to prevent it from smoking. Put the duck back in the oven for another 1 – 2 hours.

To check for done-ness, you can wiggle the legs of the duck. They should feel loose. A meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh should register at least 175° F.

Roast DuckWhatever you decide to serve for your holiday feast this year, we hope you enjoy! Felices Fiestas!

Pintxos at Sagardi in San Telmo

03 Monday Dec 2012

Posted by in buenos aires, restaurants, travel

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Finally! We passed this restaurant so often on our evening dog walk that the route was officially dubbed The Sagardi Walk. (“Let’s grab the pup and go on The Sagardi Walk!”). We finally decided it was time to stop talking about it, and be about it.

Pintxos at SagardiSagardi is a Spanish restaurant, and the focus is pintxos. These tapas-style snacks offer a seemingly endless variety of options, all on top of small slices of bread and held together by a toothpick; hence the name that literally translates to “thorn” or “spike”. They’re especially popular in the Basque country of Spain.

Sagardi has a dining room for formal, sit-down dinners with a menu full of delicious-sounding entrees, but there’s really no need to go beyond the bar area where the pintxos are lined up along the counters.

bar at Sagardi

At Sagardi, you can choose to sit along the actual bar where the pinxtos are showcased or at a large communal table that offers enough room for different dining parties to be separated and comfortable. You basically serve yourself, grabbing a plate and piling it high with options ranging from thick slices of smoked salmon to wedges of tortilla española. I recommend taking it slow. Hang out for a while. As the evening progresses, piping hot pinxto varieties will be passed around the restaurant by the waitstaff, and you’ll be sorry if you filled up too quickly. Options like grilled squid and shrimp, mini-burgers with caramelized onions, and filet mignon with grilled mushrooms come out of the kitchen in a steady, tempting stream.

pintxos at Sagardi

Pintxos are paid for individually at $12 pesos a pop, and your bill is determined by the number of toothpicks you’ve accumulated. Choose wisely!

SAGARDI – Humberto Primo 319 in San Telmo

Check out reviews on TripAdvisor.