Stir fried rice cake and vegetables

This is one of my favorite discoveries I have made in the last 2 years. Korean rice cakes! They are cheap ($1.50) freeze well and are like a gnocchi when cooked. They are supper versatile, and can be added to soups, stir fries, just fried on their own and dressed with a little soy sauce is yummy.

On the left is the beef marinade. On the right is green onion, garlic(crushed) covered in mirin. If you do not know Mirin is a sweet cooking rice wine.

Beef Marinade

4 Tbsp dark soy sauce

1 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp white pepper

1 Tbsp sesame oil

I used skirt steak that I froze for an hour then sliced thin. 

These rice cakes are HARD! So they need to be blanched for two min. then rinsed well and then coat with sesame oil to keep them from sticking.

Heat the pan over medium heat and add beef. When it is almost done add onion and rest of ingredients.

Add carrot, shitake mushrooms, cucumber(remove seeds) and rice cakes.

Cook until the sauce thickens and becomes sticky. Stir from time to time to get every thing coated.

Transfer to a dish and serve immediately! 

Serve with some pickled daikon, pickled mushrooms or kimchi 

Pickled Shitake mushrooms

Rehydrate in HOT water for half an hour. Clean veins of any grit, remove tough stem and cut into smaller pieces. Reserve 2 cups of steeping liquid.

Combine 2 cups of reserved steeping liquid and,

1 cup sugar

1 cup light soy sauce

1 cup sherry vinegar

Two 3 inch knobs of fresh ginger peeled

Bring to a  simmer gently over medium heat. Just lazy bubbles not a hard boil. Stirring occasionally for 30 min. 

Let cool then put in container pour enough liquid to cover. Refrigerate and they are good for one month.

They make a nice sweet pickle that counter balances spicy things.

Tofu banana/strawberry pudding

I am starting with the desert as it needs to be refrigerated for an hour or more to firm up while the rest of the meal is cooked. This will be a three part posting of our Wednesday dinner.

Extra soft tofu, the entire package.

Fruit in blender with

1 Tsp vanilla 

1 Tbsp lemon

Honey or agave nectar or spelnda to taste(about 3 Tbsp)

1/2  tsp salt

Blend until combined. Pour into what ever you like.

Add a bit of whipped cream if you like!

Wonderful Korean market on El Camino 

$4.99 per pound marinated pork. SPICY!

In a pan or on a grill.

Brown it up.

OK so this is where it can become a low carb dinner. 

1/2 Cup rice, spicy pork/green onions. Cucumbers and spicy daikon.

Add some lettuce leaves to make wraps.

Arugula Pesto pizza

Arugula pesto, goat cheese, red onion.

Arugula Rocket pesto

I planted a row of mixed salad greens from seed. The only thing that sprouted was this arugula. So now I have a 6 foot row of arugula. This is what it looks like. It has an flavor that you either love or hate.

 

Harvest 2-4 lightly packed cups worth. Wash well and blanch in boiling water for about 20 seconds then plunge into an ice bath to help set the nice green color. Give it a spin in a salad spinner to dry as much as you can.

You could use pine nuts but  walnuts work well 

In a dry pan toast 6 cloves garlic about 10 min. Let cool then peal add 2 raw cloves of garlic pealed to the pile.

Toast 1/2 Cup nuts in dry pan.

In food processor add nuts, garlic, blanched arugula, and salt. Pulse while pouring in 1/2 Cup of olive oil  when done put into bowl and add 1 cup parmesan cheese. Mix by hand to incorporate and taste.

I had to try it on sourdough!

With some cheese it was awesome! Next we will try it on pizza or pasta! 

Arugula Pesto

2 cups arugula leaves, stems removed

1/2 cup walnuts or pine nuts

1 cup parmesan cheese

1/2 cup olive oil, more if needed

2 cloves garlic raw

6 cloves garlic toasted

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Pesto depends on what ingredients you have to use. The strength of the flavor of arugula can vary quite a bit depending on season and how large it is. So taste the greens, and at the point you add cheese. Adjust with more oil, salt, cheese to taste.

Green onion pancake, beef wrap.

Yes it is like cheating but it is convenient and cheap.

In the frozen section at Maxim Super market. 

Hot pan! 

 

Brown it both sides. 

Add cooked beef and cilantro and that is it.

Mothers Day 2011

The young chef wants to cook for her! Thats my BOY!

His special creation,"Cupcake cookie smoothie" 

Sprinkles and little marshmallows

Add vanilla soy milk

Taste test

Sugar

More sugar

Lets see, what next?

More sprinkles

Perfect!

He gave it to Mommy in bed!

Yumm-ay!

Little hands can make some big memories.

We Love you Mommy, you are the best!