Do you Moo Shu? (Daring Cooks)

I think I've only had Moo Shu once from a Chinese restaurant.  MAYBE twice.  It's just not a dish that I'm much into.  So when this month's Daring Cooks challenge was announced, I was excited and thought maybe this would convert me...or at least, inspire me to make it more often at home and continue to skip ordering it :)

Are you familiar with what Moo Shu is?  Simply put, it's a stir fry that traditionally contains lots of vegetables and meat (very thinly sliced and/or shredded), and scrambled egg...served with hoisin sauce and rolled up into a flat thin pancake.  What's nice about it is that you can sub just about whatever you like if you're not crazy about an of the typical ingredients.

I really enjoyed this challenge.  To some, it may seem like a bit much, given all of the components, but it is fairly simple and all comes together quite nicely.  I made a few adjustments to the suggested recipe based on my likes and what I had available.  All in all, we really liked it, and now if the mood ever strikes us to have Moo Shu, we know we'll be able to satisfy our craving without picking up the phone.

Here are the original recipes...again, they seem long and tedious, but it's all easy to do!  They are from the cookbook The Chinese Kitchen.

Thin Pancakes:

Makes 24-30 pancakes

4 cups AP flour
About 1½ cup boiling water
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
Dry flour for dusting

Directions:

1. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl. Gently pour in the water, stirring as you pour, then stir in the oil. Knead the mixture into a soft but firm dough. If your dough is dry, add more water, one tablespoon at a time, to reach the right consistency. Cover with a damp towel and let stand for about 30 minutes.
2. Lightly dust the surface of a worktop with dry flour. Knead the dough for 6-8 minutes or until smooth, then divide into 3 equal portions. Roll out each portion into a long sausage and cut each sausage into 8-10 pieces. Keep the dough that you are not actively working with covered with a lightly damp dish cloth to keep it from drying out.
3. Roll each piece into a ball, then, using the palm of your hand, press each piece into a flat pancake. Dust the worktop with more dry flour. Flatten each pancake into a 6 to 8 inch circle with a rolling pin, rolling gently on both sides.
4. Place an un-greased frying pan over high heat. Once the pan is hot, lower the heat to low and place the pancakes, one at a time, in the pan. Remove when little light-brown spots appear on the underside. Cover with a damp cloth until ready to serve.

Alternate method for preparing the pancakes:
Once the dough has rested and been kneaded again, divide it into an even number of small pieces, rolling each into a ball. Working with two balls of dough at a time, dip the bottom of one ball lightly into sesame oil and press it onto the top of the second ball. Press the double layer flat, then roll the doubled pancake layers into 6 to 8 inch circles. In a dry pan, cook on each side until dry and lightly blistered (but without browning). Separate pancakes after cooking.

Moo Shu Pork:
2/3 cup Dried black fungus ('wood ears')
½ lb pork loin or butt
¾ cup bamboo shoots, thinly cut
3 cups Chinese cabbage (Napa cabbage), thinly cut
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 scallions
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 teaspoons rice wine
A few drops sesame oil
12 thin pancakes to serve

Directions:

1. Soak the fungus in warm water for 10-15 minutes, rinse and drain. Discard any hard stalks, then thinly shred.
2. Thinly cut the pork, bamboo shoots and Chinese cabbage into matchstick-sized shreds.
3. Lightly beat the eggs with a pinch of salt.
4. Heat about 1 tablespoon oil in a preheated wok and scramble the eggs until set, but not too hard. Remove and keep to one side.
5. Heat the remaining oil. Stir-fry the shredded pork for about 1 minute or until the color changes. Add the fungus, bamboo shoots, Chinese cabbage and scallions. Stir-fry for about 2-3 minutes, then add the remaining salt, soy sauce and wine. Blend well and continue stirring for another 2 minutes. Add the scrambled eggs, stirring to break them into small bits. Add the sesame oil and blend well.
6. To serve: place about 2 tablespoons of hot Moo Shu in the center of a warm pancake, rolling it into a parcel with the bottom end turned up to prevent the contents from falling out. Eat with your fingers. 

Hoisin Sauce (from Epicurian)

Ingredients
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons peanut butter OR black bean paste
1 tablespoon honey OR molasses
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons sesame seed oil
20 drops Chinese style hot sauce (optional, depending on how hot you want your hoisin sauce)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:
Simply mix all of the ingredients together by hand using a sturdy spoon.
At first it does not appear like it will mix, but keep at it just a bit longer and your sauce will come together.

The October Daring Cooks' Challenge was hosted by Shelley of C Mom Cookand her sister Ruth of The Crafts of Mommyhood. They challenged us to bring a taste of the East into our home kitchens by making our own Moo Shu, including thin pancakes, stir fry and sauce.

Jewish Penicillin (Daring Cooks)

Another month, another Daring Cooks challenge.  As soon as I read this one, I knew what I'd be making...a dish that I hadn't made in a while, one that I could easily call my Jewish pasta e fagioli.   It's homecooking, comfort, and warmth all wrapped into one bowl.


Peta, of the blog Peta Eats, was our lovely hostess for the Daring Cook’s September 2011 challenge, “Stock to Soup to Consommé”. We were taught the meaning between the three dishes, how to make a crystal clear Consommé if we so chose to do so, and encouraged to share our own delicious soup recipes!


So yeah, I took the easy way out and didn't make the consomme.  It's been a busy month.  I'll leave it at that. 


I made use my usual stock recipe, although I added fresh dill instead of my usual parsley.


And then, I made matzo balls.  (I consulted with a good friend who is Jewish to make sure I was using one of the correct spellings for matzo, by the way...she verified that this way is fine).  The consomme wasn't mandatory for the challenge, but making an accompaniment for the soup...noodles, dumplings, bread, crackers, etc. was.  Perfect.


Coincidentally, Frank wasn't feeling well the day I made this.  After a big bowl, he got a little pep back in his step.  Funny how that happens.  This stuff is like magic.

This is the perfect recipe to have handy now that flu season is about to begin.  Or when you just feel like you're in the comforts of home.  Enjoy!


Matzo Ball Soup
using my stock recipe, matzo ball recipe slightly adapted from Judaism 101

Chicken stock
1/2 cup matzo meal
2 eggs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
pepper

Make stock.  While simmering, combine eggs and oil, then add matzo meal and some pepper.  Stir until an even consistency is achieved.  Place in refrigerator and let chill for about 15 minutes.


Wet hands and roll matzo mixture into balls, about an inch thick.  Bring stock to a boil and add balls, then reduce to simmer.  Cook for about 20 minutes, covered.


Linked to:  This Chick Cooks

Daring Cooks: Homemade Pasta

It's been a while since I made homemade pasta. Good thing I have Daring Cooks to keep me in check.

Our hostess Steph gave us this video to follow along as a guideline. My shape of choice was pappardelle. I used the recipe she provided as well (see below)...it's s great basic pasta recipe.

Along with my marinara and meatballs, this meal was thoroughly enjoyed by all. Mangia! And thanks to Daring Cooks for yet again another fun challenge.

Homemade Pappardelle
2 cups AP flour
3 large eggs, beaten
water, as needed

Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl.
Push the flour out of the very center of the bowl, to make a 'well'. Pour the beaten egg into the 'well'.
Slowly incorporate the flour into the egg by mixing a small amount of flour into the "well" at a time and mixing until incorporated. Start by mixing in flour around the perimeter of the egg, and gradually widening the mixing to include more and more flour. Mix until all of the egg is mixed into the flour.

At this stage, use your hands to try to form a rough ball. If the dough is too dry, add a few drops of water and incorporate. Be careful to not add too much liquid – it's better to slowly add water as needed, as opposed to trying to add more flour to a sticky dough. My trick is to wet my fingers, instead of pouring water directly into the dough. This ensures a minimal amount of water is added, and is more evenly distributed.
Knead the dough for a few minutes, until it is smooth.
Roll the dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside to rest. It should be allowed to rest for at least 15 minutes, at most 2 hours. Take this time to set up your pasta roller, and/or to prepare the sauce.
Divide dough into 6 equal pieces. Take one piece to start, and put the remaining back into the plastic wrap so that they don't dry out.

Form the piece of dough into a ball, and then flatten using the palm of your hand.
If using pasta rollers: Run this through the pasta roller at its widest setting
If using a rolling pin: Use a rolling pin to create a thin elongated oval.
Place the dough horizontally on your work surface, and fold the long ends into the center, so that they meet. Press down on the edges to seal them. At this stage, you should have a rectangular shape.
If using pasta rollers: Run the dough through the pasta roller, open-side first, again at the widest setting
If using a rolling pin: Roll into a long, thin rectangle. Carefully flip the thin dough over, and dust with flour on both sides. Skip to step #15.

Repeat steps 9 and 10
Now run the dough through the roller two more times, again on the widest setting, without folding first. This will help to make the dough very smooth and elastic, for stretching.
Now stretch the dough by running through the rollers, each time switching to a narrower setting. After the final setting, you should be able to see the outline of your hand through the dough.

If using pasta rollers: Run the stretched dough through the fettuccine-sized cutters. Gently lay or hang your freshly cut pasta, and cover with a clean cloth so that it doesn't dry out while you roll and cut the rest of your dough.
OR, If using a rolling pin: Carefully roll the dough up (like rolling up a yoga mat). Choose how wide your noodle will be, and using a very sharp knife, cut through the rolled up dough. Unroll the noodles as you go, to prevent sticking.

Repeat steps 8-15 for the remaining dough.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, gently drop in the freshly cut pasta, and cook for about 5 minutes. Drain and toss with sauce and enjoy immediately!

Steph from Stephfood was our Daring Cooks July hostess. Steph challenged us to make homemade noodles without the help of a motorized pasta machine. She provided us with recipes for Spatzle and fresh egg pasta as well as a few delicious sauces to pair our noodles with!

Daring Cooks: Healthy Potato Salad

I was very excited when this month's Daring Cooks challenge was announced, because I knew immediately how I'd go about it.  We were asked to make a delicious and healthy potato salad, and right away I knew I'd be using my Mom's recipe.  It's always been a HUGE hit, and it feeds a huge crowd.  There are some interesting ingredients, plus there's no mayonnaise...score!

I brought a batch to my cousin's barbecue over Memorial Day weekend, knowing she always has a big crowd.  Although my Mom wasn't there, my aunts and uncles knew right away who made it and where the recipe came from.  What's great is that it can be made the day before (no need to refrigerate, either)...so keep this in mind when you need something that can be done in advance.

DISCLAIMER:  Mom told me to make it clear that the oil and vinegar measurements are approximate.  You really have to eyeball it and see for yourself what looks/tastes best.  It's best to add a little at a time and taste as you go, rather than dumping it all in at once and not being able to take it away.

Please make this at some point this summer and let me know how it's received...I promise, no one will be disappointed!  It's such a great alternative to the usual mayo-laden potato salad.  LOVE it.

Jami Sorrento was our June Daring Cooks hostess and she chose to challenge us to celebrate the humble spud by making a delicious and healthy potato salad. The Daring Cooks Potato Salad Challenge was sponsored by the nice people at the United States Potato Board, who awarded prizes to the top 3 most creative and healthy potato salads. A medium-size (5.3 ounce) potato has 110 calories, no fat, no cholesterol, no sodium and includes nearly half your daily value of vitamin C and has more potassium than a banana!


Mom's Famous Potato Salad
5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes

1 head cauliflower, broken into flowerettes

1 bunch scallions, chopped

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 lb. assorted olives, chopped

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (approximately - use your discretion)

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (approximately - use your discretion)

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup pepperoncini, chopped (optional)

Boil potatoes, cooling them just long enough so you can cut them into bite size pieces.  Cook cauliflower until cooked yet still a bit firm.  

Combine the potatoes and cauliflower in a large bowl.  Add olive oil while veggies are still warm so it can be absorbed.  Add the rest of ingredients, toss together and enjoy immediately or leave out before eating later.  

If you choose to refrigerate it, be sure to bring it to room temperature before enjoying it.

Serves an army :)

Linked to:  What's On Your Plate?
                  These Chicks Cooked

Daring Cooks: Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

I still can't believe I've never been to New Orleans.  And if you know me, you probably are wondering the same thing.  Must.schedule.SOON!  The food alone is worth the trip.  I could eat Cajun cuisine every day.

Frank and I had our first date at Oddfellows, one of my favorite restaurants in Hoboken.  I completely admit I had many-a-first-date there, as well as plenty of fun nights out with the girls, and a few too many evenings with waaaaay too many hurricanes.  But the main reason I love it so much is the food.  It's delicious, it's cheap, and it's Cajun.  Just like our gumbo was tonight.

I was happy to see that Denise from There's a Newf in My Soup chose gumbo for this month's Daring Cooks challenge...I never made it before and as I mentioned above, I love anything Cajun.  I waited until tonight to make it (yep, today's the deadline!) because I knew a group of us would be together for dinner...we're still caring for my dad and sister who are recovering from their surgeries at my sister's house.  You have to cook this meal for a crowd - it's just better that way.

The original recipe comes from John Besh and it doesn't disappoint.  One thing I did differently was use the Trader Joe's chicken andouille sausage that I've raved about here before (I've used it in my paella) - there is zero sacrifice in taste and it's so much better for you.  Try it out - you'll love it, I promise.

I would also recommend using a little more chicken - I ended up with lots of "juice" leftover but the chicken disappeared fast (I used 8 thighs).  The original recipe calls for about 10 pieces, so I was short, unfortunately...but I think even a bit more than they recommend would be good.  You could use more sausage, too...I used 2 packages, which is 8 links.

The roux is the most important part of this dish.  DO NOT abandon it!  Watch it like a baby.  Don't be intimidated - just follow the directions and all will be right in the world :)

Keep this recipe in mind the next time you have a casual get-together, a crowd for the big game, or a nice cool night where you just want to kick back with great food and some beers.  It's that kind of meal.

Our May hostess, Denise, of There’s a Newf in My Soup!, challenged The Daring Cooks to make Gumbo! She provided us with all the recipes we’d need, from creole spices, homemade stock, and Louisiana white rice, to Drew’s Chicken & Smoked Sausage Gumbo and Seafood Gumbo from My New Orleans: The Cookbook, by John Besh.

Chicken & Sausage Gumbo
adapted from My New Orleans: The Cookbook - by John Besh


1 cup canola oil
1 cup flour
2 large onions, diced
1 chicken (3 ½ to 4 lbs.), cut into 10 pieces
2 tablespoons Creole spice blend
2 pounds spicy smoked sausage, sliced ½ inch thick
2 stalks celery, diced
2 green bell peppers, seeded and diced
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons thyme
3 quarts chicken stock
2 bay leaves
2 cups sliced fresh okra, ½ -inch thick slices (or frozen, if fresh is not available)
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Tabasco, to taste
White rice

Season the chicken with the creole spice and set aside.  Cut vegetables in advance, before beginning the roux, and set aside.

In a large stockpot, add oil over high heat.  Once it's hot, add flour and lower heat to medium.  Using a whisk, stir constantly for about 15 minutes.  The roux should become a brown color.  Once that happens, add the onions and reduce heat to medium-low.  Stir with a wooden spoon constantly for about 10 minutes, until it becomes a glossy dark brown.

Turn the heat back up to medium and add the chicken.  Cook until brown (turn once), about 10 minutes.  Add sausage, stir, and cook another minute.  Add celery, peppers, garlic and tomato and stir, cooking for another 3 minutes.

Add the thyme, stock and bay leaves.  Bring gumbo to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add okra, worcestershire, salt, pepper and tabasco and stir.  Simmer for another 45 minutes.  Skim fat a few times while cooking.  Remove bay leaves and serve over rice.

Serves 10-12.

Daring Cooks: Edible Containers

I had a pretty unique idea for this Daring Cooks challenge right from the get-go, and of course, never found the time to execute it.  Had I remembered that a contest was involved this month (see details at the end of this post), maybe I would have been sure to make the time!

Instead, in true Melissa fashion, I waited until the last minute and made this quick (and delicious!) breakfast for us...yesterday!  Hey, nobody's perfect.

The first time I saw these was over a year ago - my sister made them for us while hosting brunch.  I've made them a few times since then...they never fail to satisfy and impress.  You could change it up a bit by using scrambled eggs, or a different kind of cheese or bread.  I used what I had on hand.  I've also made a low carb version by skipping the bread and using canadian bacon as the cup.

Bacon, Egg & Bread Cups
12 eggs
12 strips of bacon
12 slices of whole wheat bread
shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Prepare a muffin pan by spraying with non-stick butter spray.  Cook bacon in a skillet until partially cooked.  Place on paper towel lined plate and blot off all excess oil.

Use a standard size glass to cut a circle out of each slice of bread.  Press each piece into muffin pan.  "Line" each tin with bacon around the sides, forming a circle on top of the bread.  Fill each tin with a spoonful of cheese.

Crack each egg and after discarding about half of the egg white, drop into tin.  Repeat with the rest of the eggs.  Add salt and pepper and cook for approximately 8-10 minutes (or as long as it takes to cook eggs to your liking).

Remove each cup gently with a spoon.  Serve immediately.

Renata of Testado, Provado & Aprovado! was our Daring Cooks’ April 2011 hostess. Renata challenged us to think “outside the plate” and create our own edible containers! Prizes are being awarded to the most creative edible container and filling, so vote on your favorite from April 17th to May 16th at http://thedaringkitchen.com!


Linked to: Melt in Your Mouth Monday
                     Egg Recipes Link Up

Daring Cooks: Papas Rellenas

The challenge for Daring Cooks this month was a great one - Ceviche and Papas Rellenas (Peruvian Style).  We have a small Peruvian restaurant near us that we go to occasionally and always are happy with the food.  It's warm, comforting and delicious (not to mention cheap!).   We really like it.


I chose to tackle the Papas Rellenas, and I'm glad I did.  They were really good, and BIG...one was enough for a serving, and the recipe made 6, so we had plenty of leftovers!


The only thing I did differently was make the potatoes the day before and store them in the fridge...this way, they were easier to handle once I was ready to assemble them.  My friend's mom, who is Puerto Rican and makes these often, gave me that tip...and it definitely helped!

Frank helped me out with this dish by taking charge of the ricer - a much easier task for a big, strong man like him (he's going to eat up that shout-out).  The one I borrowed from my Mom isn't very big and takes some elbow grease, so I was happy to pass that off :)  Next time, he'll also be the one in charge of forming them, since I now know that the bigger the hand, the better they get filled!  Mine didn't make it all the way into the middle...oh well.

These would be great with different types of fillings, too.  We loved them and will definitely be making them again.  Another successful Daring Cooks challenge :)  Can't wait to see what the next one is!


Kathlyn of Bake Like a Ninja was our Daring Cooks’ March 2011 hostess. Kathlyn challenges us to make two classic Peruvian dishes: Ceviche de Pescado from “Peruvian Cooking – Basic Recipes” by Annik Franco Barreau. And Papas Rellenas adapted from a home recipe by Kathlyn’s Spanish teacher, Mayra.


Papas Rellenas
adapted from Bake Like A Ninja


For the dough:

2¼ lb russet potatoes

1 large egg

For the filling:

2 tablespoons canola oil

½ lb ground beef

12 green olives with pimento, chopped

3 hard boiled large eggs, chopped

1 small onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)

½ cup raisins, soaked in 1 cup boiling water for 10 minutes, then minced

1 finely diced jalapeno pepper 

3 cloves garlic, minced or passed through a press

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 

½ teaspoon sweet paprika

¼ cup beef stock for deglazing 

Salt and pepper to taste

For the final preparation:

1 large egg, beaten

1 cup all-purpose flour

Dash cayenne pepper

Dash salt

1 cup panko bread crumbs 

Oil for frying (enough for 2” in a medium sized dutch oven)

Directions:

For the dough:

Boil the potatoes until they pierce easily with a fork.  Remove them from the water and cool.  Once the potatoes have cooled, peel them and mash them with a potato masher or force them through a potato ricer (preferred).  

Add egg, salt and pepper and knead dough thoroughly to ensure that ingredients are well combined and uniformly distributed.  Store in the refrigerator overnight if you can...the potatoes will be much easier to handle that way.

     

For the filling:

Gently brown onion and garlic in oil (about 5 minutes).  Add the jalapenos and sauté for a few more minutes.  Add ground beef and brown.

Add raisins, cumin and paprika and cook very briefly.  Deglaze the pan with beef stock.  Add olives and cook for a few moments longer.  Take off the heat and add hard boiled egg.  Allow filling to cool before forming papas.

Forming and frying the papas:

Use three small bowls to prepare the papas. In one, combine flour, cayenne and salt.  In the 

second, a beaten egg with a tiny bit of water.  Put bread crumbs in the third.  Flour your hands and scoop up 1/6 of the total dough to make a round pancake with your hands.  Make a slight indentation in the middle for the filling.  Spoon a generous amount of filling into the center and then roll the potato closed, forming a 

smooth, potato-shaped casing around the filling.  Repeat with all dough.

Heat 2 inches of oil in a pan to about 350 – 375° F (175 - 190°C).  Dip each papa in the three bowls to coat: first roll in flour, then dip in egg, then roll in bread crumbs.  Fry the papas (in batches if necessary) about 2-3 minutes until golden brown.  Flip once in the middle of frying to brown both sides.  Drain on paper towel and store in a 200ºF oven if frying in batches.

Daring Cooks: Stepping Out Of My Comfort Zone

Part of the reason I started this blog two months ago was to push myself out of my comfort zone by preparing dishes I wouldn't normally even consider.  That's the main reason I joined Daring Cooks, and this month was the first challenge I was eligible to participate in.  Mission accomplished - the assignment was one that I've never attempted before...

The February 2011 Daring Cooks’ challenge was hosted by Lisa of Blueberry Girl. She challenged Daring Cooks to make Hiyashi Soba and Tempura. She has various sources for her challenge including japanesefood.about.com, pinkbites.com, and itsybitsyfoodies.com.


I couldn't believe how easy it was to prepare everything!  First was the buckwheat soba noodles and spicy dipping sauce (which is served on the side).  I topped the noodles with some sliced scallions.  There were other things that were suggested to add on top (ham, sliced scrambled egg, cucumber to name a few) but this was just fine.  The sauce was delicious (and actually not that spicy!) and gave the noodles all the taste they needed.


For more details, check out the recipes, courtesy of Globetrotter Diaries and about. com.  

And then, the tempura.  Again, I was very happy to see how easy it was to make tempura batter and will definitely be making it again soon!  I was also surprised to see how thin the batter was - I thought maybe I did something wrong - but it all worked out just fine.  


I used all vegetables - yams, mushrooms, onions, asparagus and green beans.  Next time I'll include shrimp, lobster, scallops, and other proteins.Delicious, light, and fun to make.

The recipes for the tempura can be found on Pink Bites and itsy bitsy foodies.  Lisa also influenced the tempura a bit with things she learned from her Japanese grandmother.


I had SO MUCH FUN with this challenge, and can't wait for the next one!  :)