Gourmet Heartbeat Blog » Recipes

Fire Cracker Chicken

Cameron — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 06:52:07 +0000

One of my favorite dishes at my local chinese restaurant is called Fire Cracker Chicken its spicy and sweet all at the same time. I liked it so much that I worked at developing my own recipe at home. The nice thing about this recipe is that it works equally well with beef and pork. I like a recipe that is versatile and easy to do. This recipe also features a classic oil and spice mixture. Spices always work well with oils because oil absorbs the flavor and delivers it to the food.

1 lbs chicken breast, chopped in bite size pieces

1/2 yellow onion chopped

1 tbsp sesame oil

4 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp crushed red pepper

1 tsp five spices powder

3 tsp sriracha sauce

2 tsp yellow chinese mustard

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp rosemary

2 tsp soy sauce

2 tsp teriyaki sauce

1 tsp sugar

Stir spices into oil until well blended together and fragrant. Begin sauting onions and chicken in medium heated wok. When onion is clear spread oil mixture over chicken and wok until well done. Serve warm with rice.

Chop Suey

Cameron — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 21:52:23 +0000

Did you know that most “Chinese Food” we get in our favorite restaurants is actually Chop Suey which is essentially the trash of other dishes? Its an interesting history. When Chinese cooks came to America ingredients there were used to were scarce and often they had to make large amounts of food for Chinese miners and rail workers. The China when much food was needed in a short time everything edible was thrown in a pot and cooked in broth and called Chop Suey. Well the trash of Chinese cooking became so popular that Chinese restaurants opened serving these traditional Chop Suey dishes. By the 1970′s Chop Suey had gone high class with expensive Chinese restaurants with chefs from szechuan and canton serving up Chop Suey for 50 dollars a plate. There was an excellent TV special on the subject several years ago. I was thinking though that there are lots of good cooking principles we can garner from Chop Suey. I’m sure you’ve had this kind of situation as it is a frequent occurrence in my kitchen. You’ve cooked several dishes and you have tons of ingredients but nothing that actually adds up to a dish? Well, I have that problem all the time and this is your time to shine in the kitchen because it doesn’t look like you’re making anything and then you can suddenly turn out a great meal.

I wrote not too long ago about seasonings and having plenty of seasonings is important to our version of Chop Suey. One of the first thing to decide when cleaning out the fridge is how you’re going to base this dish. If making a soup or stew are you going with a tomato sauce, cream sauce or stock? Are you going for a marinade of meat? Are you going for a baked dish that bakes everything over time? Once you’ve decided you can move forward. I highly recommend things like dumplings for stews, biscuits and bread bases for baked dishes and pasta for tomato and cream sauces. See how we’re building these dishes from the bottom up? That is how Chop Suey was originally created in the fields, mountains and valleys of this great land of ours. Then you have decide what meats and vegetables are going to complete the dish. Chicken and other poultry is perfect for stock dishes and baked goods. Beef is good for beef stock stews, tomato sauce dishes and marinades because if how easily it takes flavor. Corn, string beans, beans, and spinach are really good for all of these dishes and work particularly well in the stews. Its Chop Suey, get creative and inventive, taste a lot, take cues from traditional dishes and experiment.

Enjoy! Remember, good food, good friends, and good conversation.

Yoghurts and Your Diet

Cameron — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 16:21:23 +0000

Ah yes, its back on the diet train of things. Yogurt (yoghurts) is a very healthy kind of dairy for everyone. Yoghurts are full of active cultures that are good for digestion and they are low in calories. As we all need a consistent serving of dairy yoghurts are an important part of that. Yoghurts are a very versatile product because they can be put in things, on things, enhance things and if its unflavored can be modified to be very tasty. One of my favorite uses for yoghurts is in its unflavored and frozen forms. I combine them together to create delightful protein shakes before I go to the gym. Frozen yoghurt is a great ice cream substitute because it is lower in fat and in calories. A few days ago I talked about my favorite yoghurt parfaits with oats, granola, and fruit and I wanted to bring back up yoghurts because I didn’t really get to talk about the actual food. Yoghurts are made from the bacterial fermentation of milk. The bacteria are called yoghurt cultures and they ferment the lactose and release lactic acid which gives yoghurt its goupy texture and sharpness of taste. Yoghurts are one of the oldest foods known to man and has been eaten in every culture throughout the Eurasian continent. There are writings about it in ancient Rome and during the 16-19th centuries people in southern and eastern Europe used it as a cleaning agent for both themselves personally and for their animals. Its a popular dish throughout the Caucasus’ where it probably originated. A variety of seasonings plants and spices are used to season Yoghurts. In Bulgaria they use Cucumber and dill to make a soup called Tarator. In India yoghurts are used for a dip called Raita that is made of cumin, cilantro, mint, and cayenne. Yoghurts are really versatile so just have fun and keep an eye for plenty of uses for yoghurts especially as we all endeavour to lose weight.

Enjoy! And remember good food, good friends, and good conversation.

Great Recipes Using Peta Bread!

Cameron — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 20:42:00 +0000

Pita bread has an interesting history. Pita bread orginally comes from the Balkans region of Europe is a flat baked bread with no yeast and is low in gluten content. It is very versatile because you can use it a low-calorie pizza kind of thing that is precooked and you can put a variety of things on it and create a flat open-faced kind of sandwich. You can also cut them in half and put the ingredients inside and also roll them up a bit as well. Pita bread is also a staple of many diets as well because of its low calorie content. Its much better for you than bread. You can also use it for lunches and other portable foods which was one of its original purposes. It was great for miners and farmers to carry food into the field. So here are some nice peta recipes. Enjoy!

Beefy Yoghurts Peta

1/2 c dry red wine
2 T olive oil
2 t minced garlic
1/2 t dried oregano
1/2 t salt
1 ds pepper
1 lb beef flank steak
1 T butter or margarine
4 ea pitas
3 c chopped lettuce
1 c cucumber, diced
1 c tomato, chopped
1 c plain yogurt

Combine wine, oil, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper in bowl and set aside. Cut steak into strips, 2-inches by 1/4-inch wide, or as thin as possible.
Pour wine marinade over beef strips, and let stand for 1 hour at room temperature. Drain meat strips and cook, in two batches, in
hot butter, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes or until brown on all sides. Serve meat in a chafing dish or on a hot tray to keep warm.
Open one end of pita to make a pocket. Set out dishes of lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and yogurt. Allow each person to
fill their own pita.

Cameron’s Peta Pizza

4-6 Peta Bread pieces

4 Cups of Pizza Sauce (directions below)

1 can tomato sauce

1tsp Oregano

1 tsp Basil

1 tsp Tyme

2 tsp Crushed red peppper

1 Cup Mozzarella

1/4 Cup Tomato

1 Cup Italian sausage, cooked

2 Tbsp Cream Cheese

Directions for Sauce:

Combine seasonings and sauce and simmer for 20 minutes.

Layer the sauce, cream cheese, cheese tomatoes and sauce over the pitas and bake in the over for 5-10 minutes until cheese is sizzling and brown.

Enjoy! Remember good friends, good food, and good conversation.

Pot Stickers, an Asian Staple

Cameron — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 19:48:45 +0000

While I don’t believe that pot stickers are a staple in actual Asian cooking they are a staple in our American versions and a great party food. The recipe below makes 20 but simple double for your party or get together. These are also a great complement for any Asian dish you serve and are generally a favorite. Fortunately, they are easy to make and my recipe has a cheat, it allows you to use Wonton wrappers as the dough. If you’re a pure foodie and you want to make your own, which I don’t recommend because of the difficulty, you are welcome to do so. However, even the best chef knows when to make things easy on himself and this is one of those times when its easier to take advantage of someone else’s hard work. Recipes for the wonton wraps are easily available though I still highly recommend you hit your favorite Asian grocery for those helpful wrappers. Anyway, here is the recipe below:

Pot Stickers

1/4 pound ground/finely minced pork (seasoned with rosemary, five spice powder, and hot mustard, and crushed red peppers a tea spoon of each)

1 cup red wine

1 tablespoon minced chives

1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

20 wonton wrappers (from a 12-ounce package)

1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions

In a bowl, combine seasoned pork, chives, soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon water.

Place a heaping teaspoon of pork mixture in center of a wonton wrapper. Lightly wet edge of wrapper, fold over, and press to seal. Repeat to form remaining dumplings.

In two batches, cook dumplings in a large pot of boiling water until cooked through. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon. In a large nonstick pan, heat oil over medium-high. In two batches, cook until browned, about 1 1/2 minutes per side.

Enjoy! And remember good food, good friends, and good conversation!

Pierogi, A Great Party Food!

Cameron — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 19:48:00 +0000

So I was reading Martha Stewart this morning and she did a delicious post about Pierogi and that got me rummaging for my own recipe. Mine is a little more simple than Martha’s recipe as usual but it still retains the same goodness and the same familiarity. Not to my dieting crowd these aren’t exactly diet food so eat in moderation! Pierogi are great for parties because with a little bit of additional effort you can create these quickly and easily and the nice thing is that you can put in a variety of fillings. In the recipe below I have a potato filling but you can use real fruit jam and sugar and a variety of other fillings that I will try to discuss later. Pierogi also have an interesting history. These little pastry items are known to be of polish descent but they are common in almost every culture in some for or another. They are very popular in Eastern Europe and came to America like most foods, with immigrants from Eastern Europe. We of course Americanized it and have it here for you to enjoy today!

Basic Pierogi

For the dough

1 large egg, lightly whisked

2 tablespoons sour cream

1 cup whole milk

1 cup water

5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface and dusting

Yellow cornmeal, for dusting

Directions:

Whisk together egg, sour cream, milk and water. Stir in flour, 1 cup at a time. (This is best done in a mixer)

Turn out dough onto a floured surface. Make dough slightly stiff with flour as needed. Let rest for 1 hour.

Divide dough into 4 equal pieces.Dust baking sheet generously with cornmeal to prevent sticking.

Roll out 1 piece of dough on a lightly floured surface into a 1/8-inch-thick round (keep other pieces covered).

Cut out circles very close together, using a 3-inch cutter or glass

Once filled with filling below squeeze edges together by hand to create the crescent.

Potato Filling

5 pounds (about 12 medium) peeled and quartered Yukon gold potatoes

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

8 ounces room-temperature cream cheese

4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

Make potato filling: Place potatoes in a large pot, and cover with cold water. Season with salt. Bring to a boil; cook until fork-tender, 8 to 9 minutes.

Drain and mash the potatoes or pass then through a ricer. Stir in cream cheese and butter. Season with salt and pepper. Then fill the above dough with sufficient amount of potato to create the iconic filled cresent. Usually 1 1/2 tablespoons of filling.

Let’s Get Cajun

Cameron — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 15:48:54 +0000

Cajun cuisine is one of my favorite cuisine types. Cajun food incorporates all kinds different ingredients like sausage, shrimp,rice, beans, vegetables, and all kinds of different sauces that are sweet, sensual and spicy. There are all kinds of different dishes that have a variety of flavors. Cajun food is a blend of french and native dishes in the southern united states that literally have created dishes that are heavenly. Dishes like gumbo, dirty rice, and jambalaya are simply divine and for the busy folk who want to eat well these dishes can make many portions. I want to give you a few great cajun recipes.

Gumbo

3 large boneless skinless chicken breast halves

Salt and pepper

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

5 tablespoons butter

1 large onion, chopped

8 cloves garlic minced

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

3 stalks celery chopped

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/4 bunch flat leaf parsley chopped

4 cups hot water

5 beef bouillon cubes

1 can stewed tomatoes with juice

2 cups frozen sliced okra

4 green onions, sliced

1/2 pound small shrimp, peeled, deveined and cooked

Directions

Brown the chicken in the oil with seasoned with salt and pepper. Add sausage and brown. Remove the meats. Sprinkle the flour over the oil and add the butter.

This will create a delicious roux. Do not let it burn. When its well mixed make sure to remove and cool. Re-add the meant and add the remaining ingredients and cook well.

Cook for about 45 minutes until the ingredients are well blended and well seasoned.

Dirty Rice

1 1/2 cup long-grain rice (Carolina, basmati, jasmine, etc)

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

3 Tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 pound ground pork

1/2 cup chicken livers

3 slices of bacon, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1/2 green bell pepper or 1-3 jalapeños, seeded and chopped

1 Tbsp Cajun seasoning

2 green onions, chopped

Directions:

Cook the rice according to the package instructions, but use chicken broth for one third of the cooking liquid. So, for example, if the package says to use 3 cups of water for 1 1/2 cups of rice, use 2 cups of water and 1 cup of chicken broth. Once the rice has finished cooking, remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Turn the rice out onto a sheet pan and drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over it. Mix to combine and let cool.

While the rice is cooking, mash and finely chop the chicken livers, or purée briefly in a blender. In a large pan that can eventually hold the rice plus everything else, put 1 tablespoon of oil plus the bacon in and cook over medium-low heat until the bacon is crispy.

Add the ground pork and increase the heat to high. Allow the meat to brown before stirring. As soon as the pork starts to brown, add the final tablespoon of oil and add the celery, jalapeños, and onions. Brown them all over medium-high heat. You may notice the bottom of the pan getting crusty. Keep it from burning by lowering the heat if needed. Add the minced liver and cook for a few minutes more.

Add the remaining cup of chicken broth and deglaze the pan by scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the Cajun seasoning and turn the heat to high. Boil away most of the chicken stock and then add the cooked rice. Toss to combine.

Turn off the heat and add the green onions. Toss once more to combine and serve hot.

Jambalaya

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of butter

1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning

10 ounces andouille sausage, sliced into rounds

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 onion, diced

1 small green bell pepper, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 (16 ounce) can crushed Italian tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon file powder

1 1/4 cups uncooked white rice

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

Directions

Heat the butter in a large heavy Dutch oven over medium heat. Season the sausage and chicken pieces with Cajun seasoning. Saute sausage until browned. Remove with slotted spoon, and set aside. Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil, and saute chicken pieces until lightly browned on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon, and set aside.

In the same pot, saute onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic until tender. Stir in crushed tomatoes, and season with red pepper, black pepper, salt, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce and file powder. Stir in chicken and sausage. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the rice and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed.

Enjoy! And remember, good food good friends, and good conversation.

Healthy Changes in Everyday Foods

Cameron — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 08:46:16 +0000

I was at the market today and I was looking at all the latest and greatest options of low fat, low calorie, reduced sodium, and all kinds of other foods that have various parts removed to make the foods “healthier.” We’ve all read articles talking about the dubious nature of various good that have tried to make themselves more healthy but are these foods actually healthy and is it possible to make everyday gourmet cooking just as healthy?

If you look at labels alot of foods that claim to be “low” this and “reduced” that compensate in other areas by adding sodium, or other chemicals and such which are not good and invalidate the point of trying to eat healthy. The idea is to understand what you body needs and then create meals that gives your body what it needs while making it taste good as well. Moderation in all things is key. I would make sure that you limit cream sauces and pump up flavor by increasing spices. An increase in spices will actually help you eat less. Increase vegetables and whole wheat, whole rice, and whole beans. Many gourmet recipes already have their provisions so really all you have to do is buy the right things at the market and substitute accordingly.

I also want to have a word about organic. I am a big proponent of organic vegetables, free range chickens, and other natural foods. However, it can be hard to tell the difference between a marketing ploy and actual natural/organic foods. Fortunately, the USDA has started to brand certain foods and certain vegetables but that doesn’t give us much guidance in the packaged and bottled food area. Just like checking for calories you need to check for ingredients. The best natural foods and the best natural ingredients are those with no or minimal preservatives. I am also a huge proponent of making dressings, sauces and other things instead of buying them. I try not to cheat very often and neither should you. It is just healthier for your body chemically and physiologically.

Enjoy! And remember, good food, good friends, and good conversation.

Peanut Butter?

Cameron — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:56:22 +0000

I was just on facebook and Martha Stewart was talking about some new recipes using peanut butter. I thought, “If its good enough for Martha its good enough for Gourmandia!” So I started to think about some fun peanut butter recipes. Peanuts are particularly important because they are an excellent source of protein. The Peanut is also very old, it was grown by the aztecs and other pre-columbian societies. The Peanut spread throughout the Americas with the arrival of the Spanish as a good for livestock and the poor. However, in 1860 with the outbreak of the American Civil War both sides ate it as a tasty snack and it grew in popularity. However, it would take advances in harvesting and over 300 innovations by George Washington Carver to really make the peanut popular. Once the trash and stems were removed from peanuts and people had tasty things like peanut butter, the peanut took off is now one of America’s most popular foods. I know that I’ve been writing alot about dieting lately and the peanut is a great diet substitute in moderation.

Some here are some yummy peanut ideas:

Peanut Butter Pie

Crust:

1 3/4 cups chocolate cookie crumbs

6 tablespoons butter, melted

3 tablespoons packed dark-brown sugar

Filling:

6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 1/4 cups smooth peanut butter

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups heavy cream

Directions:

Make the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cookie crumbs, butter, and brown sugar. Press mixture firmly into bottom and up sides of a pie plate. Bake until set.

Make the filling: Beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and salt with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in peanut butter and vanilla.

Beat heavy cream until soft peaks form. Whisk 1/3d of the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture, then gently fold in remaining whipped cream. Spoon filling into cooled crust. Freeze, uncovered, at least 4 hours (or overnight, covered with plastic wrap).

Peanut Butter Cookies

Makes about 2 dozen

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup smooth peanut butter

1 cup roughly chopped, roasted, salted peanuts, plus 48 halves for pressing into tops

10 ounces semisweet chocolate, cut into 1-inch chunks

Directions

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl, and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat until well combined. Add peanut butter, and beat until combined.

Add the flour mixture all at once, and beat on low speed until just combined. Add the peanuts; beat until combined. Wrap dough in plastic wrap, and chill in refrigerator at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Pinch off about 2 tablespoons of dough, and make a well in your hand with the dough. Place one chunk of chocolate in the center, and enclose with the dough to cover completely. Roll dough into about a 1 3/4-inch ball with your hands.

Place the ball of dough on the baking sheet; repeat with the remaining dough and chocolate, placing cookies about 2 inches apart. Press 2 peanut halves into the top of each cookie.

Bake until cookies are golden, 16 to 18 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. Remove from the oven; transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool slightly.

Peanut Chicken

1/2 cup Shallots

1/2 cup Peanuts

1 tbsp Peanut oil

1 lbs Chicken (cubed)

1 tsp Pepper

1 tsp Five spices powder

1 tsp Rosemary

1/4 cup Teriyaki sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce

Chop chicken. Place oil in medium wok. Brown chicken, add shallots, peanuts and seasoning. After 5-10 minutes add soy sauce and teriyaki. Boil off excess water and serve warm over rice.

Its Pasta Time!

Cameron — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:13:07 +0000

Most people seek to avoid pasta while on a diet or trying to lose weight but fortunately you can still enjoy your favorite pasta dishes while staying on the diet bandwagon. I have a few ideas on how you can pep up your pasta dishes and lower calories and increase nutrition. Pasta is a staple in my kitchen and with the ability to use cream, cheese and tomato sauces with a variety of spices and other ingredients. Pasta is very versatile and can have many sides. However, we all know that pasta dishes can pack on the calories. Here are a few tips to lower calories of pasta dishes:

1. Avoid cream sauces and get more tomatoes

Now is the time to put down the heavy whipping cream and pick up the milk and cheese. Fettucine Alfredo is a great dish but the cream sauce adds a ton of calories with little nutrition. I like to substitute cream with some half and half and milk. Keep the cheese. The cream sauce won’t be as thick but it will have the same affect and flavor. Obviously, tomato sauces are more healthy and have fewer calories. Obviously use tomato sauces whenever you can.

2. Increase your seasoning

Its a proven fact that we eat less when the food is more flavorful so don’t be afraid to put in more oregano, tyme, or rosemary in your italian pasta.

3. Make the switch to whole grain pasta.

Pasta before the age of refined flours was brown and made of whole wheat. Just like bread, pasta is best when it full of whole grains. Whole grains are very nutritious and helps brain health and prevents a variety of ailments. Whole grains are full of vitamins and minerals.

These are three little ways to make pasta work for you and help you enjoy your favorite pasta dishes. Enjoy and remember good food, good friends, and good conversation.