Matcha is a Japanese green tea that has been ground into a micro-fine powder and is served several different ways. My two favorite ways are drinking it steeped in hot water and using it to make Agave Sweetened Green Tea Gelatine.
Matcha is rather expensive and there are a few different grades. Organic ceremonial grade is the most expensive, around $100 per pound. You can find what is called “second harvest” which is a bit more bitter and astringent, but still quite delicious in blended drinks and recipes.
My two favorite brands are DoMatcha and The Tao of Tea’s Liquid Jade. You can purchase both of these at Whole Foods.
You will need matcha, agave nectar and one box (1 ounce) gelatine.
Sprinkle all four packets of gelatine over 1 cup of cold water; let stand 2 to 3 minutes.
Place 1 tablespoon of matcha into a 2 cup measuring cup.
Pour 2/3 cup of agave nectar into the matcha powder. Mix well.
After mixing well, you will have this beautiful jade colored matcha goo.
Pour the matcha goo into the bowl with the gelatin and add in 3 cups of very hot water. Whisk for about 3 minutes to ensure gelatine has totally dissolved.
Carefully pour mixture into a 13x9 inch pan. Place in refrigerator until firm, about 3 hours. To serve, cut into 1-inch squares.
On a recent visit to my home state of Oklahoma, my uncle and I were having a chat about delightful Southern chow. He asked me if I had ever heard of Chicken Fried Bacon. I had not heard of this enchanting food he spoke of; however the imagery that entered my mind were that of meaty thick slices of smoked bacon with a buttery crunchy coating just begging to be dipped in velvety peppered cream gravy. I swiftly snapped out of my bacon-y daydream and began developing a recipe for chicken fried bacon.
I bought a few packages of thick center cut bacon as I assumed the regular thin slices may not hold the coating. For my first attempt, I dredged the slices in all-purpose flour, dipped them in an egg and milk mixture, and pressed the slices in a coating of corn meal and crushed saltines. I fried the coated bacon slices in vegetable oil heated to 360 degrees. The good news is the bacon strips fried to a gorgeous golden brown and the coating stayed put. The bad news is that the cornmeal imparted a very granular texture which I did not enjoy.
On my second attempt, I dredged the slices in a combination of potato starch and flour, dipped them in a mixture of condensed milk and beaten eggs, and coated them with crushed up saltine crackers and flour. JACKPOT! I had fashioned extremely tasty chicken fried bacon that I dipped in cream gravy. I was barely able to devour four strips before I started to feel really full.
Give chicken fried bacon a try and you may just want to serve it along with a deep fried Twinkie for dessert.
Chicken Fried Bacon
1 (12 ounce) package of thick center cut bacon
1/4 cup potato starch
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons condensed milk
1 sleeve saltine crackers, crushed
1/4 all-purpose flour
Separate the bacon slices from the package. In a large zip-lock bag, add in the potato starch, flour, and pepper. In a pie plate or shallow dish mix the beaten eggs and condensed milk. In another pie plate or shallow dish mix the crushed crackers and flour.
Add 1 inch of oil to a heavy pot and heat to 350 degrees.
While oil is heating, place a few slices of bacon in the zip lock bag and gently shake to coat the bacon. Shake off extra and dip in the egg mixture. Press the strips into the cracker coating to coat both sides.
Fry the bacon for about 2 to 3 minutes, keeping oil at 350 degrees, or until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels and keep warm in a 250 degree oven. Continue process with remaining bacon strips.
Zereshk is the Persian name for the tiny, garnet colored berries that grow on a spiky evergreen shrub known as Berberis Vulgaris (a.k.a Barberry). The petite berries that are harvested from the bush are safe to eat and used extensively in Iran. In fact, Iran is the main producer of this cherished berry. There is evidence that the cultivation of zereshk goes back to over 200 years ago.
Zereshk is usually used to concoct juice, jelly and dried fruit rolls. However, my preferred use of the tart berries is making Zereshk Polo which is hot and fluffy basmati rice studded with the berries. I often serve it along with joojeh kebab or another Persian chicken dish.
Zereshk is found in most Persian grocery stores. Keep the berries tightly sealed in your freezer until you are ready to use.
You will need 1 3/4 cup.
Pick over the berries and remove any visible stones, twigs, and debris. You will need to rinse at least ten times (no kidding!). Rinsing in a colander with cold water is good. On the final rinse, fill the bowl with cold water and soak the zereshk for at least 30 minutes.
Start making your basmati rice while the zereshk is soaking. I usually use 4 cups of rice with this dish. Feel free to make tadig (potato, rice, or bread)!
Once your basmati rice is finished cooking, keep it warm. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pan set over medium heat. Add in 2 tablespoons of grape seed oil.
Saute 1 cup of finely sliced white or yellow onion in the hot fat until soft and light gold.
Add the soaked zereshk to the cooked onion. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes.
In a small cup, add in 2 tablespoons of boiling water, 1 tablespoon of white sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of powdered saffron. Allow to steep for 2 minutes and pour over the zeresk. Stir and cook for a few minutes to reduce the liquid.
There are a small number of “convenience foods” that bother the heck out of me. Microwave popcorn is at the top of my list. I have worked in offices where staff essentially implemented a “no microwave popcorn” policy. The stench of the stuff being micro waved is atrocious, which I believe is most likely from the artery-clogging carroty-orange hydrogenated oil that is in the bag along with the kernels which is rumored to make it pop better, and impart a buttery-like flavor (yeah right!!!!).
I grew up with a Super-mom, the kind that made everything from scratch and could repair any item that happened to become broke with a butter knife. She made the best old-fashioned popcorn on the stove. Not only did it smell mouth-watering, the buttery-salty taste was awesome!
Next time you fancy “real” popcorn, follow these simple steps and you will never go back to that bagged junk again!!!
1.Place a large heavy pot with a lid over medium-high heat.
2.Add in about 3 to 4 tablespoons of corn or vegetable oil.
3.Add in about 10 popping corn kernels and cover with a lid
4.When you hear the kernels start to pop, quickly add in about 1 cup of kernels and cover.
5.Gently shake the pot back and forth until you hear the kernels start to pop.
6.Shake the pot a bit faster and crack the lid every-so-often to allow the steam to escape.
7.Once you hear the popping stop, carefully transfer the popcorn to a large heat-proof bowl and salt to desired taste.
Have you ever made hard-boiled eggs only to realize they have a strange grey ring around the yolk once you peel them or they actually won’t peel at all? Here is the method I use and my eggs always turn out perfect.
1.Never use fresh eggs, I always use eggs that are at least two weeks old. I “roughly” know how old my eggs are because I mark the date I bought them on the carton. The older the egg is, the less it’s membrane is tightly stuck to the shell.
2.Place the eggs in a single layer in a pot and cover with cold water to ½ inch above the eggs. Bring the water to a rolling boil and immediately turn off the heat and cover the pot with a lid. Carefully time 12 minutes while they sit in the hot water. Transfer them to an ice water bath for exactly 10 minutes.
3.Roll the eggs on the countertop so the shell cracks into little tiny pieces. Start peeling the egg shell off while running cold water over the egg (this helps to rinse off the shell pieces).
In Persian culture, it is common for folks to eat noodles (Reshteh in Farsi) before they start something new, such as a vacation or a new job. They are also served on the Iranian New Year’s Day called Norooz or Nowruz. I like to serve them two ways; either as Reshteh Polo which is a spiced mixture of basmati rice and roasted noodles, or as Ash-e Reshteh which is a delicious and thick noodle soup.
When I first made this for my husband, I followed an “old-school” Persian recipe that requires soaking dried beans in water for over 2 hours, simmering beef bones for homemade broth, washing and chopping spinach, and peeling garlic to crush. Needless to say, after my initial attempt at this, I swiftly created shortcuts that kept the traditional flavor, but simply saved time.
Rather you are cooking this for the first time, or you grew up eating this in Iran, you are sure to agree that this time-saving version is delightful!!!
In a large Dutch oven, heat 1/4 cup of oil over medium heat. Add in 4 large chopped onions and 6 teaspoons of jarred minced garlic. Saute until soft (about 8 minutes).
Add in 3 bunches of chopped green onions, 1 bunch of chopped parsley and 2 (9 ounce bags) of ready-to-eat baby spinach that has been coarsely chopped. Saute for 10 to 12 minutes or until the herbs have given up their water and have reduced by about 75 percent.
What they look like reduced.
Season with 1 teaspoon of black pepper, 1 ½ teaspoons of salt, 2 teaspoons of turmeric, 2 tablespoons of dried dill. Add in 2 (32 ounce) containers of good quality chicken or beef broth. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes.
Add in 1 (15 ounce) can of drained and rinsed garbanzo beans, 1 (15 ounce) can of drained and rinsed white kidney beans, and 1 (15 ounce) can of drained and rinsed dark red kidney beans. Add in one more (32 ounce) container of chicken or beef broth. Cover and cook for 25 minutes.
Break them into 3rds and add in
Break 1 (12 ounce) package of Persian reshteh ( I break them into 3rds) and add to the pot. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in 1/2 cup of kashk (thick whey found at Persian grocery stores) and stir well.
Make the garnish by thinly slicing one large onion and placing in a large bag, add in ¼ cup of flour and ¼ cup of corn starch. Shake the bag well and pour onions and flour into a large colander, shake colander over sink to remove extra flour. Fry onions in hot oil until golden brown and crispy.
Add 6 teaspoons of jarred garlic to 2 tablespoons of oil in a small pan set over medium-low heat. Cook and stir for 2 minutes, add 1 tablespoon of powered dried mint, stir and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat.
In a small bowl, add 2 tablespoons of kashk and 2 teaspoons of hot water, stir to a smooth consistency.
Add soup to bowls and garnish with crispy onions, garlic & mint, and a drizzle of kashk.
Santa will be stopping by my house pretty soon, so I dusted off my sugar cookie recipe and decided to share it with my blog friends. This recipe is for the most delicious, easy-to-make cookies that are perfect for cutting into your favorite shape. You have endless options for decorating them. You can top them with icing, sprinkles or a simple dusting of powered sugar. Santa is sure to be pleased.
1 stick of premium salted butter, softened
1/2 cup of white sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add in the egg and yolk along with the vanilla. Beat until well combined. Add in the flour, salt, and baking soda. Beat on low speed until just combined.
Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.
Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and roll to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut out the cookies with your cookie cutter and transfer to baking sheets. Sprinkle the tops with sugar or sprinkles if using those. Bake until the cookies or set, but not brown (usually around 9 minutes).
Allow to cool for 3 minutes and transfer to wire rack to cool for about 30 minutes.
Decorate with icing or frosting if desired.
I’ve always been passionate about cooking and food. I was never one to “follow the directions” when it came to cooking. I constantly added a few extra ingredients to make it “that much better”. It used to drive my mother crazy, but my stubbornness paid off. I started entering my recipes into contests in 2004. I have won over $12,000.00 in prizes, cash, and trips. I have attended one cook-off, been published in several cooking magazines,invited to appear on KCTS Channel 9 Cooking shows twice, and was flattered to be the cover story of the November 26, 2006 Women’s Journal. I was also featured in the April 9, 2008 Seattle Times. I was fortunate enough to be invited to volunteer at my local YMCA teaching cooking classes to children and adults. My biggest ambition in the realm of cooking contests is to make it to the Pillsbury Bake-off and publish a cookbook that gets on Barnes & Noble shelves.
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