Chicken with Udon Noodles, Shiitake Mushrooms and Snow Peas

My husband and I returned from Canada yesterday late in the afternoon and I knew that I would have to stop at the local grocery store before I could make dinner. I was feeling an Asian void in our diet of late and decided to make a meal that would remind us of the Far East.  Dinner was on the table in 20 minutes...

Our love affair with Asian food began 12 years ago when we first moved to Hong Kong.  I loved visiting the outdoor food stalls (dai pai dongs) in Hong Kong and later in Singapore and Bangkok. The old familiar sound of propane fiercely firing a gigantic wok brings back a flood of gastronomic delights. One wok but, oh, so many scrumptious dishes churned out for the hungry patrons. And, it was dirt cheap! I think the most amusing part of watching the food being prepared is how these guys (yes, usually it was a man behind the wok and usually with a cigarette precariously hanging out of the corner of his mouth) could work so fast and not get burnt by the billowing flame that engulfed their woks.  Once you get past the untidy, questionable food safety issues of a dai pai dong, and the plastic table and stools, you won't be disappointed with the food! Sadly, though, these food stalls in Hong Kong are slowly disappearing to the redevelopment of old districts.

Whilst writing this post I am reminded that I need to get on my bike and visit Chinatown in NYC.

Serves  4
adapted from Canadian Living

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 lb. (454g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
2 cups (500 ml) stemmed shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 cup (125 ml) water
1/4 cup (50 ml) hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon sambal oelek or hot sauce
4 packets (7 oz/200g each) fresh udon noodles
1 cup (250 ml) snow peas, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 teaspoon sesame oil

In wok or large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and fry with garlic and ginger until chicken is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and fry until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Stir in water, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce and sambal oelek; bring to simmer. Add noodles and toss to combine; simmer until sauce is thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add snow peas and sesame oil; cook for 1 minute.

The Culinary Chase's Note: The key to a successful stir-fry is to have all your ingredients ready to go as the cooking time isn't long.  I combined the water with the hoisin sauce, oyster sauce and chili sauce. If you can't find the sambal oelek, use your own favorite hot sauce. The chilies compliment the sweetness of this dish and a teaspoon isn't going to be overpowering even if your palate can't handle the heat.  Look in the Asian aisle of your grocery store to find Japanese udon noodles.  If not available, look for pasta such as linguine.  Enjoy!

Fried Fingerling Potatoes with Tarragon Sauce

The humble potato shines in this dish!  It originated in South America (on the border between Bolivia and Peru) along the slopes of the central Andes nearly 8,000 years ago. What's more amazing is that "what we know as the potato contains just a fragment of the genetic diversity found in the seven recognized potato species and the 5,000 potato varieties still grown in the Andes".

Tarragon has a slight tart flavor with a spicy anise aroma. French tarragon is the one to use in culinary dishes as others are too bitter to eat. If there's no distinct anise aroma or tangy taste it's most probably Russian or Mexican. It is excellent in dressings and sauces, with fish, chicken, veal, and egg dishes.   Freeze tarragon for future use by chopping the leaves, mix with a little water and put into ice cube trays in the freezer.  Serve these as shown or let your friends dip the potato in the sauce...just watch out for the ones who double-dip!    Enjoy!

Serves 12
adapted from Bon Appétit

1 pound small fingerling potatoes
1/4 cup sea salt
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup plus 11/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons drained capers, patted dry
vegetable oil or grapeseed oil (for frying)

In a large saucepan bring potatoes, 1/4 cup sea salt, and water to a boil. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes. Drain; let cool completely. Halve potatoes lengthwise.

Whisk egg yolk, lemon juice, and a pinch of sea salt in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in 1/2 cup olive oil until mayonnaise forms. Stir in shallot and tarragon. Season to taste with pepper. Heat remaining 1 1/2 teaspoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add capers and fry, stirring often, until crisp and golden, 2–3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer capers to paper towels to drain.

Pour vegetable oil into a large pot to a depth of 2 inches. Attach a deep-fry thermometer to the side of the pot and heat oil over medium heat until thermometer registers 190c (375f). Working in batches, fry potatoes until crisp and dark golden brown, 3–4 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Season lightly with sea salt. Arrange warm potatoes on a platter, cut side up. Spoon some mayonnaise over each; sprinkle with capers.

The Culinary Chase's Note:  Finger food at its best! You can easily make the tarragon sauce the day before and the potatoes as well.  Choose capers that are small as the larger ones are stronger in flavor and less aromatic.

Greek Salad Skewers

American Thanksgiving is tomorrow and I am sure there is last minute food shopping going on as I write this post. This appetizer is a fun spin on a classic salad. So fresh and full of flavor who could resist? Cucumbers are the fourth most widely cultivated vegetable in the world and are enjoyed on all continents. Cucumbers provide us with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer benefits. Although cucmbers arrived in North America around the 1500's via European colonists, they are believed to have been around since 2500BC in Iraq and Kuwait.  Feta is a soft cheese, produced by sheep milk or a blend of sheep and goat milk. Look for the PDO (protected designation of origin) label on feta cheese for authenticity.  

Happy Thanksgiving America...gobble gobble!

Serves 4 to 6
adapted from Fine Cooking magazine

1/4 English cucumber
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 lb. feta cheese, cut into 16 small cubes
8 pitted Kalamata olives, halved
8 rip grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
extra-virgin olive oil

For the cucumber, cut four 1/2-inch thick slices (you may need to half if the slices are large). Place cuc slices on a serving platter. Top each with a piece of feta and then an olive half. Slide a toothpick through on the cucumber stacks. Drizzle with olive oil and freshly ground salt and pepper.

The Culinary Chase's Note: This is super easy and lovely to pop into your mouth! Just make sure serving sizes are small enough to make it easy for your guests to eat in one go.  Keep these at room temperature for up to one hour thus allowing the flavor of the cheese to develop.  Enjoy!

Beer Deep-Fried Avocado

I first started following Sweet Paul (blog) a few years ago before his on-line magazine came to life. His style is fresh and easy which are two schools of thought I try to use whenever I cook. So you could imagine how delighted I was when I read Paul was going to have his first ever workshop and as luck would have it, I would be in NYC! The morning started off with a brief introduction by Paul and what we could expect going forward. Originally from Oslo, Paul told us that when he as a young boy his mother's friends used to tell her she had a sweet son and the voice of an angel and since then, sweet Paul stuck. The next Sweet Paul Magazine workshop is scheduled for February. For highlights of the October workshop, visit the magazine and go to page 167.

Serves 4
adapted from Sweet Paul Magazine

3 ripe avocados
1 1/3 cup beer
1 cup flour
vegetable oil, for frying
flaky sea salt

Peel the avocados and cut them into 4 pieces. In a large bowl mix together beer and flour until it becomes a smooth batter. Heat the oil 185c (365f) in a large pot. Working in batches, toss 2 avocado wedges in the batter at a time and then put them into the pot. Fry, turning once, for about 1 to 2 minutes or until they look golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with sea salt while still warm.

The Culinary Chase's Note: Holy smokes, these were AMAZING!! I have never had deep-fried avocado before and now I am hooked!  Serve these with your favorite salsa or in a taco.  YUM!

Beet Salad

I love creative salads.  Simple ingredients but when mixed together - a taste sensation!   Beets are an excellent source of folate (produces and maintains new cells) and manganese (keeps your bones strong and healthy) and a good source of potassium (helps muscles and nerves), dietary fiber and vitamin C.  This dish excites all the senses and does not disappoint.  Enjoy!

adapted from Chef Paul McCabe

16 small beets
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup organic plain yogurt (you can also use sour cream)
1/4 cup unsalted pistachios, roasted
1 orange, segmented
1 - 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Blue cheese, crumbled (optional)
3/4 cup baby arugula (rocket)

In a baking dish, toss the beets with the canola oil and vinegar season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake in a 180c (350f) oven for 30 minutes, or until tender. Let cool, then peel and quarter the beets. Transfer the beets to a bowl; if using golden and red, put them in separate bowls.

In a bowl, whisk the vinegar with the olive oil and toss the beets, pistachios, oranges, arugula and cheese with the vinaigrette, season with salt and pepper. Spread the yogurt on the bottom of the plates and top with the salad.

The Culinary Chase's Note: The flavors here were amazing and I will definitely make this again!    

Tomatillo Salsa

I've been eyeing these tomato-like fruit for quite some time but I never really had a reason to use them until now. Last month I enrolled in a food styling and photo workshop arranged by Sweet Paul Magazine. It was a full-on day with tidbits of information flowing from Paul on how to style food. Paul also enlisted the services of seasoned food photographer, Colin Cooke, to show us things such as lighting (a topic I struggle with), shapes and colors to consider for shooting and more. Even though I was tired towards the end of the day I somehow came away feeling energized. Thank you Paul and  Colin!

Tomatillo (green tomato or tomate verde) is a key ingredient in Latin American green sauces such as salsa verde and Chimichurri. When purchasing tomatillos, the protective paper-like husks should be light brown and fresh looking. Choose smaller sized tomatillos as they tend to be sweeter than the larger ones. They can be eaten raw (they have a tangy, citrus flavor with a hint of spice) or fire roasted to bring out the smokey essence in the fruit.  Cooked tomatillos are sometimes an ingredient in curries, marmalades or soups. You can also fry slices of tomatillo.  They are a good source of vitamin C and A and is low in calories.

Makes 2 cups
adapted from Sweet Paul Magazine


2 lbs. tomatillos, cleaned and coarsely chopped
4 serrano chilies, coarsely chopped (remove seeds to reduce heat - optional)
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 teaspoons salt

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until a smooth salsa forms.

The Culinary Chase's Note: I couldn't get serrano chilies and used jalapeño instead.  Enjoy on top of pulled pork with sour cream, tomatillo chicken stew or with meat.  Enjoy!

Fig and Goat's Cheese Mini Croissants

As I sit here typing this recipe, our guests are on their way to our home for dinner. No, I'm not panicking at all as I have the ingredients ready and will pop them into the oven in a few minutes...just enough time to finish this post!

Makes 16
adapted from Australian Vogue Entertainment & Travel

100g fresh goat's cheese, crumbled
4 ready-soaked or pre-soaked dried figs, stems removed, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts
300g frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 200c (400f). Combine cheese, figs, walnuts a little freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl. Roll out pastry and trim the a 28cm round. Cut into 16 wedges like the spokes of a wheel. Spread a little cheese mixture evenly on the widest end of each wedge and roll up. Place on a baking sheet and lightly brush each croissant with beaten egg. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until golden and crisp. Serve warm or at room temperature.

The Culinary Chase's Note: These were heavenly and the flavors from the cheese, figs and walnuts complimented each other.  I bought puff pastry sheets and didn't have to worry about rolling out the pastry.  Enjoy!

Seared Scallops and Bacon Jam

Bacon jam conjures up all sorts of culinary delights and possibilities. It seems that bacon is today's hero in sweet concoctions such as bacon baklava, cupcakes with bacon, bacon chocolate crunch bar, chocolate bread pudding with bacon crème anglaise to name a few. But wait, before you turn your nose up at the notion, I'll bet you have gleefully eaten pancakes drenched in maple syrup (or favorite other sauce) along with bacon and the taste? Well, for me, scrumptious! We have Heston Blumenthal to thank for starting this bacon craze back in 2006 (remember his bacon and egg ice cream?). I love salt in dark chocolate so why not bacon?

Whole Foods opened a new location last month 8 miles from where we live. I love this store! I first found out about Whole Foods (Columbus Circle location) back in March of this year. I've been to the new location a few times now and each time I come away thinking, "wow, that's my kind of food shopping experience".  The staff there are always eager to assist you and to answer any questions you might have.  This is where I purchased the larger-than-life scallops and enjoyed listening to the fish monger tell the story where they came from.  He definitely was passionate about what he was selling!

Serves 4 to 6
adapted from The Old Fish Factory found in the culinary guide, Taste of Nova Scotia

2 teaspoons butter (can also use olive oil)
500g (1 lb.) scallops (20 - 30 size)

Bacon Jam:
2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
500g (1 lb.) bacon cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion, sliced
3 tablespoons brown sugar
250ml (1 cup) brewed coffee
50 ml (1/4 cup) cider vinegar
50 ml (1/4 cup) maple syrup

To make the jam, fry the bacon until lightly browned and just starting to crisp. Sauté the onion and garlic in the bacon fat without browning the onion. Transfer the bacon, onion and garlic into a pot and add the rest of the jam ingredients. Simmer for 1 hour, adding 50ml (1/4 cup) of water every 30 minutes only if it's starting to look dry. Place in a food processor and pulse 2-3 seconds to allow some texture to the jam.

Before searing the scallops, remove any moisture by patting them dry. Sear scallops in a hot skillet with butter or olive oil for 2 minutes per side until the scallop starts to brown and splits on the side. Depending on the size, you may need to increase cooking time.

Place warm scallops on a plate and top with the bacon jam.  Remember to warm the jam before serving.

The Culinary Chase's Note:  Absolutely delicious!  These scallops were U-20, wild-caught 100 miles from New York and each one weighed 100g! If you are not familiar with the scallop sizing of U-20 (like I was), all it means is that "u" means under. So a U-10 would have under 10 scallops per pound.  Use bacon jam as a condiment on hamburgers, crostini, grilled cheese sandwich, baked potatoes or as a base for a vinaigrette.  Cheers!

Manhattan Clam Chowder

I've never eaten Manhattan clam chowder, that is until now.  I grew up in the East Coast of Canada and being a 4th generation Canadian, clam chowder was always served using milk or cream (New England clam chowder).  I have The Countryman's Cookbook copyright 1946 and author Haydn S. Pearson writes this about clam chowder:

"In foreign parts of the United States, a place like New York City for instance, they do all sorts of things we wouldn't dream of doing up here in New England.  I know it's hard to believe, but they actually put tomatoes, green peppers, and carrots in clam chowder!  I paid 80 cents for a bowl of it once, but it turned my stomach so I couldn't eat it."

Tomatoes were introduced in the mid 1800's due to a large population of Italians in New York and Portuguese in the fishing communities in Rhode Island. According to Wikipedia, the New England clam chowder has been around since the mid 18th century while the Manhattan clam chowder seems to have started in the 1930's.

Serves 4
adapted from Emeril Lagasse

4 lbs. clams (quahogs, if possible as they are a bit richer and more succulent ), scrubbed and rinsed (discard any opened clams) OR a jar of clams in their brine
2 to 3 slices bacon, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
3/4 cup diced carrot
1 garlic, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
1 cup chicken stock
2 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes or 1 (28-oz.) can whole tomatoes, chopped and juices reserved
1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves
1/2 cup white wine

In a large stockpot add clams and 1 1/2 cups of water. Cover and bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes or until the clams have opened. Transfer clams to a large bowl and strain broth through a fine-meshed sieve into a bowl. You should have about 3 cups of clam broth. If not, add enough water to bring the volume up to 3 cups. When clams are cool enough to handle, remove them from their shells and chop into 1/2-inch pieces. Set clams and broth aside.

In a large pot add bacon and cook until golden and crispy. Pour off all fat except 4 tablespoons. Add onions, celery, and carrots and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until vegetables are softened. Do not allow to brown. Add garlic, bay leaves, oregano, thyme, wine, crushed red pepper and cook an additional 2 minutes. Increase heat to high and add potatoes, reserved clam broth, and chicken stock and bring to a boil, covered. Cook for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Add tomatoes and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and add reserved clams and parsley and season with pepper and salt (if needed).

The Culinary Chase's Note: John and I enjoyed this chowder and I would definitely make this again.  If time permits, allow the chowder to sit for up to 1 hour as this increases the flavor.  Reheat slowly over low heat and do not allow to boil.   Enjoy!

Oven-Dried Tomato and Oregano Tartlets

Holiday entertaining is just around the corner and this simple, yet elegant recipe is perfect for finger food.  They are delicate and small enough to eat without too much fuss or mess.

Makes 24
adapted from Australian Vogue Entertaining

12 large cherry tomatoes
olive oil, to brush
3 sprigs oregano, leaves removed
375g frozen puff pastry, thawed
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 140c (285f). Halve tomatoes and place, cut-side up, on a non-stick oven tray. Brush lightly with olive oil and top each with oregano. Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bake for 1 hour and remove from oven. Increase oven temperature to 200c (400f). Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface. Using a cutter, cut out 24 x 5cm rounds. Place on an oven tray and prick centers with a fork. Top each with a tomato half and sprinkle with parmesan. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until crisp and golden.

The Culinary Chase's Note: These are delicious served warm or room temperature.  Change the tomato halves for toppings such as: caramelized onion and Gorgonzola, chorizo sausage and Manchego cheese, prosciutto and Gruyère, spinach and feta.  Enjoy!