Filipino Caldereta (Beef Stew w/ Liver Sauce) done Sous Vide

December 01, 2014 0 Comments

I'm not well versed in my own heritage regarding Filipino food. I know the basics: lumpia, adobo, and pancit.  This recipe for Caldereta is one I did not grow up on, but have had to discover on my own as an adult.

 For those unfamiliar with Filipino dishes, there is a complexity of flavors in each dish. Filipino food is not spicy, but instead relies of the blending of salty, sour, sweet, and umami in rather unique combinations. Vinegar is used a lot to give a tang to the dish. 

 Another fact is that Filipinos love offal. They have no problem eating nose to tail including the oink. In this dish, there is a liver pate added in which definitely adds that liver taste, but this can be optional for those that don't care for it. 

 Use whatever vegetables and meat you like. The stew's background is to be made with goat meat, but you'll most often find it this days with beef.  But you can use pork and even chicken if you choose. 

 Usually the stew is simmered for 2 hours to tenderize the beef. I started by tenderizing the beef first by cooking it sous vide, and then assembling the rest of the ingredients.  The beef was wonderfully tender and the flavors didn't suffer from the difference in cooking methods. 

 Check out the Cyber Monday SousVide Supreme special:

Caldereta

 1.5 pounds of stew beef cut into 1" cubes
1/2 cup of vinegar
6 whole peppercorns, crushed
3-5 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 onion, sliced
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup hot water
1/2 green pepper, sliced
1/2 red pepper, sliced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon of hot sauce (Tabasco or Sriracha)
1 teaspoon sugar
3 Tablespoons oil
1 8 ounce can of peas
3 ounces liver spread/pate

 Marinate the beef in the vinegar, peppercorns, and garlic for 2 hours. Drain.

 Fill the SousVide Supreme with water and heat to 130F.  While it's heating up, place marinated beef into a food pouch, vacuum and seal.  Cook in the water bath for 3 hours. When done, remove from the water bath.

 Heat a Tablespoon of oil in a skillet on medium high. Saute the onions until soft. Add the cooked beef to the skillet and add the tomato sauce, bay leaf, salt, sugar, and hot water. Bring to a simmer. 

 Add red and green peppers and hot sauce. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add liver pate and green peas. Stir and cook for another 5 minutes. Serve over rice. 

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The Best Covered Bridge in the World is Near Us

November 17, 2014 0 Comments

Forget about the Bridges of Madison County, the longest covered bridge in the United States is nearby in Nevada County.  This weekend my BFF and I took a day to go shopping in Nevada City and then headed to check out the covered bridge on a beautiful fall day. 

The Bridgeport bridge is located at South Yuba River State Park, a few miles off of Highway 20.  You can either go to Lincoln and take Highway toward Grass Valley or go to Grass Valley and head back toward Lincoln.  The park is closer to Grass Valley - 16 miles away.


In the 1860’s this bridge was constantly abustle day and night, with passenger and commercial traffic beating a path to the silver mines of Virginia City via the Henness Pass. Today at 229 feet, David Wood’s bridge is the longest single-span wooden covered bridge still in existence in the United States.

The bridge is in need of restoration funds and it's definitely a historical building worth saving.  Consider donating to the cause. 


This barn stored the horses and equipment along the Virginia Turnpike. "The Virginia Turnpike was a crucial link between the port in Marysville and the Henness Pass, which was passable more months per year due to its relatively low altitude."


 If you are looking for a nice day trip to do with a bit of hiking or picnicking thrown in, then take a drive up to South Yuba River State Park







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Thai Beef Stew

November 07, 2014 0 Comments

If I was stranded on a desert island and only given one type of food I could eat for the rest of my life, it would be Thai food. I love the flavors of the spices and fresh ingredients such as lemon grass, lime, peppers, and coconut milk. 

 This is actually one of my go-to dishes that I can easily whip up when I'm too lazy to think of anything else to cook. I make sure to always have a can of coconut milk in the pantry.  The flavors of this are Thai, but putting potatoes and carrots into it is rather Western. 

 Still, it's a hearty meal. One that is perfect as we start moving toward winter. It also seemed a good choice for me to use Tasteful Selections ruby red potatoes. They are the perfect size for this stew versus my usual method of chunking out a large potato.

 Tasteful Selections supports a great charity, Katie's Krops. Katie's Krops was started by a 9-year old Katie Stagliano (she's now 16). The mission of Katie's Krops is to start and maintain vegetable gardens of all sizes and donate the harvest to help feed people in need, as well as to assist and inspire others to do the same. Once a year, Katie's Krops hosts an annual grant cycle where youths, ages 9 to 16, apply to receive funding to start a Katie's Krops vegetable garden in their community.

 

From now through January, when you buy a specially marked package of Tasteful Selections potatoes, a portion of the profits will go to the non-profit to help maintain current Katie's Krops grantees and gardens and provide funding for a new grant cycle.

Tasteful Selections  potatoes can be found at Whole Foods, Nugget, Raley's, and Bel Air markets.

 Thai Beef Stew

 1/2 T vegetable oil
2-3 T Thai red curry paste
1 1/2 lbs of beef, in 1/2 inch cubes
2 cans of coconut milk
2 T fish sauce
2 T brown sugar
6 oz of pearl onions, peeled (peeling instructions)
1/2 package of Tasteful Selections Ruby Sensations Potatoes, cut in half
1 large carrot, sliced 1/4 inch slices

 In a large saucepan, heat up vegetable oil on medium high heat.  Add curry paste and let sizzle for about a minute. Add beef. Stir and cook until beef is seared on all sides.

 Pour in coconut milk, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Stir to blend. Add onions, potatoes, and carrots. Turn heat down to simmer and let cook for 20 minutes until vegetables are tender.  Serve.

Disclosure: Tasteful Selections sent me the potatoes and is paying for the recipe submissions. 
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Sriracha Corn in the Sous Vide Supreme

November 03, 2014 0 Comments

Here's a quick and easy recipe for those Sriracha lovers out there.  What I love about this recipe is that the Sriracha gets into all the crevices of the corn. Soooo good.

Sriracha Corn on the Cob

 2 pieces, corn on the cob, shucked
1/2 cup of Sriracha
1/2 tablespoon of butter
Parmesan cheese (or your favorite cheese), shredded

 Fill and preheat the SousVide Supreme water oven to 182F/83.5C

 Take each corn cob and use a basting brush to coat the corn all over with Sriracha sauce.

 Place coated cobs into a vacuum seal bag with the butter.  Vacuum and seal.

 Submerge in the water bath and cook for 30-45 minutes.  Carefully remove from the water bath and remove the cobs from the bag.  Sprinkle the hot cobs with cheese. Serve hot. 

 ***************************************

 Check out this holiday deal - Retail $1500 is on sale for $999!

From SousVide Supreme:
  • (1) SousVide Supreme Water Oven
  • (1) SousVide Supreme VS3000 Sealer (includes 12 pouches)
  • (4) boxes sous vide cooking pouches (100 pouches)
  • (1) box of two sous vide cooking pouch rolls (approx 40 - 60 pouches)
  • (2) sous vide cookbooks
    • Sous Vide for the Home Cook 
    • Sous Vide : The Cookbook
From Lone Mountain Wagyu:
  • (2) 100% Wagyu beef filet mignon steaks
  • (2) 100% Wagyu ribeye steaks
  • (2) pounds 100% Wagyu ground beef
  • (3) pounds 100% Wagyu brisket flat
  • (1) 100% Wagyu chuck roast
From Gunter Wilhelm Cutlery:
  • (6) steak knives
  • (1) Butcher's cleaver
  • (1) 7-inch Santuko knife

Disclosure: I was given a SousVide Supreme Demi and vacuum sealer in exchange for recipe development. 
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Steamed Pumpkin Sticky Toffee Pudding done Sous Vide

October 28, 2014 0 Comments
We are fast approaching the holidays and so it made me think of what I could make in my new SousVide Supreme that was holiday oriented. Last month I had made Filipino chicken adobo, a dish I grew up with from my Filipina mother. This month I'm going with my dad's British side and making a steamed pudding.

 In the United States puddings mean soft, creamy, usually cold desserts. Chocolate pudding being the most popular. But in the United Kingdom, puddings are steamed cakes.  You make a cake batter, put it in a crock that you seal with foil, put it in a giant, covered stockpot, and steam for a couple of hours. Then you serve it with a sauce, oftentimes a boozy one. 

 That's why it was a no-brainer to use the sous vide machine to make a steamed pudding. You can put the pudding into the machine and leave it without having to worry about monitoring it like you would a pot on a stove. 

 Steamed puddings come out wonderfully moist and dense. This one did too. It was a very successful recipe and I look forward to trying other steamed pudding recipes in my SousVide Supreme in the future. 
Steamed Pumpkin Sticky Toffee Pudding 

 1 cup dates, chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin spice mix 
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2 cups of pumpkin puree, homemade or canned
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

 Find a glass or ceramic bowl that will fit inside your SousVide Supreme.  Butter the inside walls and set aside.  

 Place the low rack into the Sous Vide Supreme and add about 1 inch of water.  Heat the Sous Vide Supreme to 90 degree Celsius. 

 In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until lightly beaten. Stir in the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Stir in the dates. Gradually stir in the flour mixture just until blended. Scrape the batter into the prepared mold. 

 Cut a piece of parchment paper the size to cover the top of the bowl. Butter one side and place the butter side down over the top of the bowl. Cut a piece of foil large enough to cover the bowl and seal around the sides. Take a piece of cooking twine and tie it around the edge of the bowl, sealing down the paper and foil tightly. Cut another piece of cooking twine large enough to tie under the bowl up the sides to the top. You are creating a twine handle to be able to safely lift the bowl out of the machine at the end when it will be very hot. 

 Carefully lower the bowl into the SousVide Supreme. The water should come up the sides of the bowl, but be an inch shy of the top of the bowl. Place the lid on the Sous Vide Supreme and let cook for 3 1/2  hours. 

 Using the twine handle, carefully remove the bowl and check the pudding; it should feel set to the touch, yet slightly moist. A cake tester inserted into the center should come out clean.

 Allow the pudding to cool for 10 minutes, then turn it upside down onto a plate. Serve warm with the salted caramel sauce and/or whipped cream. 

 Salted caramel sauce

 1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
3/4 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon sea salt

 In a small saucepan on medium heat, melt the sugar and water together. Let boil until the sugar mixture starts to turn a nice caramel color. Remove from heat and carefully add in the cream and butter. When fully incorporated, add butter and mix in the sea salt. Serve warm over the steamed pudding. 








Recipe adapted from Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Recipes for Entertaining
Disclosure: I was given a SousVide Supreme Demi and vacuum sealer in exchange for recipe development. 
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Sriracha Popcorn Balls for Halloween

October 26, 2014 0 Comments
I am not one of those Sriracha superfans. You know the ones. They carry Sriracha bottles around with them and put it on everything. In fact, I rarely use the stuff at all. But these days there is Sriracha chocolate, Sriracha chips, Sriracha candy.

 Recently I started making Sriracha popcorn and just love it.  It's got the Sriracha flavor but without the heat. That is, it has the sugar/vinegar Sriracha flavor, but it loses a lot of the spicy heat when thinned out with the coconut oil.

 I knew I wanted to make Sriracha popcorn balls for Halloween, but I wanted to maintain the heat that so many people love.  The way to do it....with the peanuts.

When I eat caramel corn I need to have the peanuts. To me they are the best part. So I decided to take the peanuts, coat them in Sriracha, and roast them in the oven.  

 Success! Now you have the sweetness of the Sriracha caramel corn, but still have the spice when you eat the peanuts. 

 Sriracha Popcorn Ball

 1/2 cup of unroasted peanuts
3 Tablespoon of Sriracha sauce

 1/2 cup butter, unsalted
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2-3 Tablespoons Sriracha
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
5 cups popped popcorn

 Heat oven to 350 degrees.

 Place the popcorn into a large mixing bowl.

 In a small bowl toss the peanuts and 3 Tablespoons Sriracha to coat the peanuts. Spread them out evenly on a Silpat lined baking sheet or a baking stone. Roast for 20 minutes. Keep an eye on them because the Sriracha can burn. Remove from oven and let cool. When cooled, add them to the popcorn.

 In a medium saucepan melt together the butter and brown sugar over medium high heat. Let boil for about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the corn syrup, Sriracha, vanilla, and baking soda. The mixture will foam up a bit. Immediately pour over the popcorn and peanuts and stir well to make sure all the popcorn is evenly coated. 

 Put on a pair of vinyl kitchen gloves and take enough popcorn to squeeze together and form a ball about the size of a baseball. Set to cool on some waxed paper. 

 Enjoy or wrap the balls in plastic wrap to save for later. 

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Cajun Smashed Fries for a Cause

October 22, 2014 0 Comments

Are you tired of French fries and looking for a different potato treat? Smashed fries are like a hybrid of French fries and home fries. If you like crispy, crunchy potato bits, smashed fries are for you.

The first time I had smashed fries was at Bacon and Butter, where they have become a signature side for them.  They are also a popular item on the Slightly Skewed truck where Rob adds Sriracha and a wasabi aioli.  

 Smashed fries turn out to be quite simple to make and so I've chosen to make them with Tasteful Selections potatoes.

 Many know that my charity of choice in Sacramento is the Food Literacy Center, which educates low income elementary school children on proper nutrition and to eat their vegetables. Well Tasteful Selections supports a charity that is another one geared to children and vegetables.

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Paul Martin's Fall Menu is Here

October 20, 2014 0 Comments
Fall means a change in the weather, in the gardens, and therefore, on your plate. When the weather changes not only does our produce in the stores change, but so do our appetites. Fall means squashes, Brussels sprouts, and the beginning of braised meats. And in our new world of farm-to-table dining, the menus at your favorite restaurants change as well.

I haven't been to Paul Martin's American Grill in years. The main reason is that  I live about 30 miles away from the nearest one in Roseville. Recently I was invited to go and check out their fall menu and I figured it would be a good time to revisit them and to catch up with someone who lives out that way, my ex-husband.

Now as intriguing as that may sound, we're not here to talk about my cordial relationship with my ex. We're here to see what sorts of things are on the menu for fall.  I did not take any pictures because the lights were too low for good photos. These pictures were supplied by Paul Martin's PR firm.

One thing Paul Martin's does is have the server explain their motto = "Seasonal & Delicious". You are told that they try very hard to have everything be both seasonal and as local as possible. The meat and fish come from sustainable fisheries and from free-range and natural producing farms. The sauces and dressings are made in-house and the smoked fish and meats are also. This is definitely in line with Sacramento's Farm-to-Fork movement. 

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Filipino Chicken Adobo done Sous Vide

October 16, 2014 0 Comments



Almost two years ago I tried my hand at a sous vide cooking - McGuyver style. Using just an ice chest and water boiling on the stove, I managed to cook steaks to a perfect medium rare. The trouble is, the McGuyver method means you have to babysit your sous vide for the entire time. That can be a problem if you want to sous vide something for one or two days. That's when you need the real deal equipment.

Last month I was at the International Food Bloggers Conference and one of the sponsors was SousVide Supreme.  They are the ones who make water bath machines that are often used in restaurant kitchens and by professional chefs. They made a pretty sweet offer that I took them up on - a SousVide Supreme machine in exchange for some recipes.


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I Escaped Room Ω

October 14, 2014 0 Comments
I'm not a gamer. I don't own a Playstation or XBox. I have no interest in most computer games. When I play games on my tablet they tend to be advanced solitaire card games or Rummycube with people online. The other kind I will play is adventure/puzzle games.

 Twenty years ago we all had big ol desktop computers and having 1 gig of memory was a big deal. That's when Myst came out and was a big hit. It was a puzzle game that was famous for fabulous graphics and complicated puzzles.The puzzles were often quite complicated and ranged from visual to auditory, mathematical, logical, etc. I managed to get through it with the help of some hints along the way.

 On today's tablets you can play similar games such as The Room, The Room 2, and Machinarium. But did you know that you can play LIVE versions of these kind of games?

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