In Austin, winter doesn't last long, so while it's here, I try to make the most of it. We're a soup once a week or so type of family. I embrace recipes that require long periods of time simmering on the stove or slowly cooking in the oven.
This recipe comes from my other Christmas present cookbook: Vietnamese Home Cooking by Charles Phan. I am so excited to cook out of this book, partly because I know I will learn some new cooking methods, some new ingredients, and some new recipes!
We loved this and our house smelled like loveliness for an entire day. I started this in the morning, then set it aside and finished it later in the afternoon.
This serves 6 - 8.
Lemongrass Beef Stew
adapted briefly from Vietnamese Home Cooking by Charles Phan
3 lbs boneless beef ribs (I used chuck ribs, you could also use boneless short ribs or even boneless stew meat), cut into 1 1/2" cubes
4 T olive oil
1 t salt
1 large (about 2 c) onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c finely chopped lemongrass (cut in half, remove the thick out leaves and then finely chop)
3 T tomato paste
2 x 1" piece of ginger, peeled, then smashed or grated
2 whole star anise
6 c beef stock
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 2" lengths
8 oz daikon radish, peeled and cut into 1/2" lengths
2 T fish sauce
1/4 c basil (Thai preferable), finely sliced, for garnish (optional)
1 hot chile (a Thai chile or jalapeño is preferable), thinly sliced, if desired
Place the beef in a bowl. Drizzle with 1 T olive and sprinkle with 1 t salt and 1/2 t black pepper. Stir to coat and set aside.
In a large Dutch oven, heat 3 T remaining oil over high heat. Working in batches, brown the beef on all sides. Set browned beef aside. In same pot, reduce the heat to medium and add the onions. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is a deep golden brown, stirring frequently. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the lemongrass, tomato paste, ginger, and star anise and stir to combine. Add the beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. Pour the stock over top. Bring to a boil, then decrease the heat so the stock is at a gentle simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally for 1 1/2 hours, or until the meat is just tender. Add the carrots and daikon, cover again, and cook an additional 30 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked through and the meat is very tender. Remove from heat and stir in fish sauce.
To serve, top with basil and sliced chiles if desired.
Showing posts with label Daikon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Daikon. Show all posts
Friday, January 31, 2014
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Banh xeo or Vietnamese Crepes
Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi continues to please!
I decided this would be a good recipe based on the three daikon radishes that had been sitting in my crisper drawer for 6 months. I figured it was time they were used, especially since we are due to get fresh daikon in box soon.
Let me start by telling you, I am not a crepe maker. I've attempted it twice now, and well, both times things haven't gone well. This time resembled the first time. My crepes were too thick and sticking to the pan--they ended up as scrambled crepes instead of the real deal. Thankfully, this time I had someone to bail me out.
As I stood, baffled, over the crepe pan, Curtis walked into the house in his biking clothes. He had biked home from work and came over to see what I was doing. "Your batter is too thick," he informed and then moved me out of the way and took over. Whew. In no time, he had the batter at the right consistency, heated up a second pan, and cranked up the heat on the first pan. Before long, he was flipping crepes off the crepe pan (into the air--all fancy like) and pulling beautiful crepes off both the crepe pan and cast iron skillet.
That's one of the great things about being married. Sometimes, when one of us is floundering, the other one call bail us out.
We learned a few things here:
•The pan temperature needs to be very hot. The cast iron skillet works better than the crepe pan because it holds the heat better.
•The batter needs to be very thin.
•A single batch is probably plenty, but a double batch worked perfectly because there was a lot of room for trial and error.
•The electric griddle we use for making pancakes would probably work beautifully for this recipe.
Once we got the crepes off the pan in crepe shape, we served them straight the kids. I was nervous we the filling wouldn't satisfy the kids or the taste of the crepes would throw them off. Nope! They loved the crepes. J ate three and the other two each ate two. The crepes tasted wonderful and the sauce was fabulous (the boys even ate the sauce. M boycotts sauces on principal, unless we're talking maple syrup).
This recipes calls for enoki mushrooms. I tried two stores (HEB and Whole Foods) and couldn't find them. I finally found a cute bundle of them at our closest Asian grocery store. I'd like to use them, but need to have the energy and time to go to multiple stores to source them. If you want to add a meat, you can cooks some shrimp or prawns to add to the fillings. HEB had the rice flour--which makes the recipe vegetarian (if you substitute sweet soy sauce for the fish sauce) and gluten free.
Serves 4 -5.
Bahn xeo or Vietnamese Crepes with Fresh Vegetables and Herbs
adapted a hair from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi
Crepes
1 1/3 c rice flour
1 egg
1/2 t salt
1 t ground turmeric
1 3/4 c (1-13.66 oz can) unsweetened coconut milk
a bit of sunflower oil
Sauce
2 1/2 T lime juice
1 1/2 T sesame oil
1 T brown sugar
1 T rice wine vinegar
1 T (or more, to taste) fish sauce (nuoc mam) or sweet soy sauce
2 t grated fresh ginger
1/2 t salt
1 garlic clove, crushed (optional)
1 fresh red chile, finely chopped (optional)
Filling
1- 2 large carrots, peeled and thinly shredded
1 daikon radish, peeled and thinly shredded
4 green onions, sliced on an angle
1 fresh green chile, cut into long thin strips
1 1/2 c snow peas (or more--we love these), cut into long thin strips
1/2 - 1 c cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
1/3-2/3 c basil leaves (preferably Thai basil), roughly chopped
1/4 c mint leaves, roughly chopped
1 c mung bean sprouts
1 c enoki mushrooms
Blend the rice flour, egg, salt, and turmeric in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the coconut milk, whisking well to avoid a lumpy batter. Add more coconut milk or water (put water in the coconut milk can to get all the coconut milk out) until the batter is the consistency of light cream. Set aside to rest.
Prepare the filling ingredients if you haven't already done so. Put each filling in it's own bowl so people can choose what they want.
Whisk together all the sauce ingredients and adjust the flavor adding more red chile if using or fish sauce (if using). Set aside.
To cook the crepes, add more coconut milk or water to the batter if it has thickened while resting. Heat up a large nonstick frying pan (or a cast iron skillet or an electric griddle--the electric griddle doesn't let you swirl the crepe batter around though, which is kinda fun). The pan should be pretty hot. Add a little sunflower oil. Put some batter in the pan, if not using an electric griddle, swirl it around to cover the surface. Once the bottom is golden brown, carefully turn the crepe over. If the crepe isn't cooked enough or the pan isn't hot enough, the crepe will probably stick and you'll end up with scrambled crepes. Remove from pan and repeat with remaining batter.
Place a crepe on each plate and top desired fillings in the middle of it (like a taco!). Drizzle some sauce over top and fold or roll up. If desired, drizzle some extra sauce over top.
I decided this would be a good recipe based on the three daikon radishes that had been sitting in my crisper drawer for 6 months. I figured it was time they were used, especially since we are due to get fresh daikon in box soon.
Let me start by telling you, I am not a crepe maker. I've attempted it twice now, and well, both times things haven't gone well. This time resembled the first time. My crepes were too thick and sticking to the pan--they ended up as scrambled crepes instead of the real deal. Thankfully, this time I had someone to bail me out.
As I stood, baffled, over the crepe pan, Curtis walked into the house in his biking clothes. He had biked home from work and came over to see what I was doing. "Your batter is too thick," he informed and then moved me out of the way and took over. Whew. In no time, he had the batter at the right consistency, heated up a second pan, and cranked up the heat on the first pan. Before long, he was flipping crepes off the crepe pan (into the air--all fancy like) and pulling beautiful crepes off both the crepe pan and cast iron skillet.
That's one of the great things about being married. Sometimes, when one of us is floundering, the other one call bail us out.
We learned a few things here:
•The pan temperature needs to be very hot. The cast iron skillet works better than the crepe pan because it holds the heat better.
•The batter needs to be very thin.
•A single batch is probably plenty, but a double batch worked perfectly because there was a lot of room for trial and error.
•The electric griddle we use for making pancakes would probably work beautifully for this recipe.
Once we got the crepes off the pan in crepe shape, we served them straight the kids. I was nervous we the filling wouldn't satisfy the kids or the taste of the crepes would throw them off. Nope! They loved the crepes. J ate three and the other two each ate two. The crepes tasted wonderful and the sauce was fabulous (the boys even ate the sauce. M boycotts sauces on principal, unless we're talking maple syrup).
Serves 4 -5.
Bahn xeo or Vietnamese Crepes with Fresh Vegetables and Herbs
adapted a hair from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi
Crepes
1 1/3 c rice flour
1 egg
1/2 t salt
1 t ground turmeric
1 3/4 c (1-13.66 oz can) unsweetened coconut milk
a bit of sunflower oil
Sauce
2 1/2 T lime juice
1 1/2 T sesame oil
1 T brown sugar
1 T rice wine vinegar
1 T (or more, to taste) fish sauce (nuoc mam) or sweet soy sauce
2 t grated fresh ginger
1/2 t salt
1 garlic clove, crushed (optional)
1 fresh red chile, finely chopped (optional)
Filling
1- 2 large carrots, peeled and thinly shredded
1 daikon radish, peeled and thinly shredded
4 green onions, sliced on an angle
1 fresh green chile, cut into long thin strips
1 1/2 c snow peas (or more--we love these), cut into long thin strips
1/2 - 1 c cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
1/3-2/3 c basil leaves (preferably Thai basil), roughly chopped
1/4 c mint leaves, roughly chopped
1 c mung bean sprouts
1 c enoki mushrooms
Blend the rice flour, egg, salt, and turmeric in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the coconut milk, whisking well to avoid a lumpy batter. Add more coconut milk or water (put water in the coconut milk can to get all the coconut milk out) until the batter is the consistency of light cream. Set aside to rest.
Prepare the filling ingredients if you haven't already done so. Put each filling in it's own bowl so people can choose what they want.
Whisk together all the sauce ingredients and adjust the flavor adding more red chile if using or fish sauce (if using). Set aside.
To cook the crepes, add more coconut milk or water to the batter if it has thickened while resting. Heat up a large nonstick frying pan (or a cast iron skillet or an electric griddle--the electric griddle doesn't let you swirl the crepe batter around though, which is kinda fun). The pan should be pretty hot. Add a little sunflower oil. Put some batter in the pan, if not using an electric griddle, swirl it around to cover the surface. Once the bottom is golden brown, carefully turn the crepe over. If the crepe isn't cooked enough or the pan isn't hot enough, the crepe will probably stick and you'll end up with scrambled crepes. Remove from pan and repeat with remaining batter.
Place a crepe on each plate and top desired fillings in the middle of it (like a taco!). Drizzle some sauce over top and fold or roll up. If desired, drizzle some extra sauce over top.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Asian Beef Stew
Once we discovered the wonder of the thermos we learned lunch options were endless. This was another one of M's favorites to take for lunch, however, she did have to beware of the aromatics.
The star anise may be a little hard to source. If you can buy it in bulk somewhere, it's very affordable and worth it. The dried shitake mushrooms also look really expensive you buy them bagged. They are also a lot cheaper if you can find them in bulk (possibly at Whole Foods if your Whole Foods is big enough). If you can't find them, just substitute cremini mushrooms. Shitake mushrooms give a nice meaty flavor to the stew. If you aren't a fan of a slight wine taste to your beef stews, just leave out the sake (or sherry). Just add a little of water to the pan to deglaze it.
This will serve 4 - 6 in these proportions.
Asian Beef Stew
adapted from monkeymom on Food52.com
3 lbs stew meat, cut into 1- 2 inch cubes
salt and pepper
1 - 2 T canola oil
3/4 c sake, sweet rice wine, or sherry (red)
1/4 c soy sauce
1 T brown sugar
3/4 t rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 c chicken stock
2 star anise
1" piece of ginger root, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, left whole
3 - 4 red chili peppers, fresh or dried (to taste)
3 whole dried shitake mushrooms, stems removed (can use fresh, just remove stems and quarter)
zest of 1 lime
3 - 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
1 lg daikon radish, peeled and cut into 1" pieces (optional)
Heat oil in a large dutch oven. Sprinkle beef cubes with salt and pepper. Brown beef in batches and set aside. Return meat and accumulated juices to pot. Add the sake (etc) or water to pot to deglaze. Bring to a boil and scrape up browned bits. Add the soy sauce and sugar. Add the rice wine vinegar, stock, star anise, ginger, garlic, chiles (if using), and mushrooms and bring to a boil. Add the lime zest. If meat is not covered with liquid, add enough water so meat is covered. Once the stew comes to boil, cover tightly (either with a lid or foil), and transfer to preheated 325 degrees oven. Cook for 1 hour. Stir and cook for a second hour or until meat is tender.
Return the stew to the stove. Remove the lid and simmer on medium heat to cook reduce the liquid, about 30 minutes. While the stew cooks down, in a separate saucepan, bring a pot of water to a boil. Place vegetables in boiling water and cook for 20 minutes or until tender. You want the carrots to stay bright orange and not to fall apart easily when stirred. Add the boiled vegetables to the stew.
Serve hot with either brown rice or noodles. Garnish with chopped green onion or a bit of lime juice.
The star anise may be a little hard to source. If you can buy it in bulk somewhere, it's very affordable and worth it. The dried shitake mushrooms also look really expensive you buy them bagged. They are also a lot cheaper if you can find them in bulk (possibly at Whole Foods if your Whole Foods is big enough). If you can't find them, just substitute cremini mushrooms. Shitake mushrooms give a nice meaty flavor to the stew. If you aren't a fan of a slight wine taste to your beef stews, just leave out the sake (or sherry). Just add a little of water to the pan to deglaze it.
This will serve 4 - 6 in these proportions.
Asian Beef Stew
adapted from monkeymom on Food52.com
3 lbs stew meat, cut into 1- 2 inch cubes
salt and pepper
1 - 2 T canola oil
3/4 c sake, sweet rice wine, or sherry (red)
1/4 c soy sauce
1 T brown sugar
3/4 t rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 c chicken stock
2 star anise
1" piece of ginger root, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, left whole
3 - 4 red chili peppers, fresh or dried (to taste)
3 whole dried shitake mushrooms, stems removed (can use fresh, just remove stems and quarter)
zest of 1 lime
3 - 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
1 lg daikon radish, peeled and cut into 1" pieces (optional)
Heat oil in a large dutch oven. Sprinkle beef cubes with salt and pepper. Brown beef in batches and set aside. Return meat and accumulated juices to pot. Add the sake (etc) or water to pot to deglaze. Bring to a boil and scrape up browned bits. Add the soy sauce and sugar. Add the rice wine vinegar, stock, star anise, ginger, garlic, chiles (if using), and mushrooms and bring to a boil. Add the lime zest. If meat is not covered with liquid, add enough water so meat is covered. Once the stew comes to boil, cover tightly (either with a lid or foil), and transfer to preheated 325 degrees oven. Cook for 1 hour. Stir and cook for a second hour or until meat is tender.
Return the stew to the stove. Remove the lid and simmer on medium heat to cook reduce the liquid, about 30 minutes. While the stew cooks down, in a separate saucepan, bring a pot of water to a boil. Place vegetables in boiling water and cook for 20 minutes or until tender. You want the carrots to stay bright orange and not to fall apart easily when stirred. Add the boiled vegetables to the stew.
Serve hot with either brown rice or noodles. Garnish with chopped green onion or a bit of lime juice.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Meatball Banh Mi
(Sorry, another dark picture....)
I've read about banh mi sandwiches for quite some time. Then a couple of months ago, I saw a recipe for them in Bon Appetit that looked like something I could possibly handle. I've yet to have an authentic banh mi, so I don't know how well this recipe rates. We loved it though. Curtis and I had sandwiches as pictured above. The kids just had meatball sandwiches (alas, without the veggies).
Cooking teaches me things about culture and geography. For example, it's only been since really getting interested in food that I've learned that there are French and Vietnamese connections. If I am remembering correctly, the French occupied ("colonized") Vietnam for about 50 years. Thus, in Vietnamese cooking, there are some French influences, for example, meatball and carrot/daikon vinegar sandwiches on baguettes.
These were tasty sandwiches. The original recipe says it will serve 4, but that is if each person eats a 10" long sandwich. I don't eat 10" long sandwiches (nor does anyone in my family). I think this will serve more like 6, possible 8 if the the sandwiches are made very small. I will definitely make these again!
Meatball Banh Mi
adapted from Bon Appetit
Pickled Vegetables
2 c carrots, coarsely grated
2 c peeled daikon, coursely grated
1/4 c rice vinegar
1/4 c sugar
1 t coarse kosher salt
Hot Chili Mayo
2/3 c mayo
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 T hot chili sauce (like sriracha)
Meatballs
1 lb ground beef or pork
1/4 c finely chopped fresh basil (I omitted this because I didn't have)
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 T fish sauce (such as nam pla or nuoc nam)
1 T hot chili sauce (optional)
1 T sugar
2 t cornstarch
1 t black pepper
1 t coarse kosher salt
Sandwiches
1 T sesame oil
2 long baguettes, cut into sandwiches of desired size
thinly sliced jalapeno chiles (optional)
16 fresh cilantro sprigs
Pickled Vegetables: Toss all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour, tossing occasionally.
Hot Chili Mayo: Stir all ingredients in a small bowl. Season with salt. Cover and chill until you are ready to use.
Meatballs: Gently mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Roll meat mixture in to 1" meatballs (about a scant tablespoon per meatball). Place on baking sheet, plate or desired surface until ready to cook. Heat 1 T sesame oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the meatballs (or however many will fit without crowding). Saute meatballs until brown and cooked through, turning meatballs often and lowering heat if browning too quickly, about 15 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack lined with paper towels to drain, then put on baking sheet and place in preheated 300 degrees oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining meatballs.
To assemble sandwiches: Cut each baguette piece in half horizontally. Pull out enough bread half to leave 1/2" thick shell. Spread hot mayo over each shell. Arrange jalapenos and then cilantro in bottom halves. Fill each with enough meatballs to fill. Drain pickled vegetables and place a generous spoonful or two on top of meatballs. Press on baguette tops and serve.
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