Peasant Palate

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Calvin L.) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 07:14:00 +0000

Sun, 13 Nov 2011

Lately, I've been on an Eastern European bent. The recipes seem to be rustic, filling, and comforting. It doesn't hurt that many of them include sour cream and cheese, which is always a plus in my book.

The first time I had Hungarian Mushroom Soup was in Hungary of all places. My tour package included a stop in the twin cities, Buda and Pest, and I knew close to nothing about them. Although, the visit quickly became a highlight of my grand tour of Europe. The historic buildings and scenery were amazing. Seeing a wine fountain in an underground maze was pretty darn cool. The cosmopolitan areas of the cities felt like any of the other big cultural hubs, alive and full of energy.

I am a sucker for soups. They have layers of flavors, and usually don't hurt the pocketbook. Another reason I love soups is their connection to a particular culture. It is my belief that any particular cuisine or country will have some traditional soups. Hungary is no exception. I had a small bowl of Hungarian Mushroom Soup at some cafe after doing the typical sightseeing. The weather changed on a dime that day, going from sunny to rainy in 35 minutes. The soup hit the spot to warm me right up after getting drenched.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion (chopped)
1 8 ounce package mushrooms (quartered)
2 teaspoons dill
1 tablespoon paprika
2 cups chicken stock (or vegetable broth)
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon of saltsalt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped)

Directions:
1. Melt butter in a pot.
2. Add onions and saute until tender.
3. Add mushrooms and saute until the mushrooms are cooked.
4. Add dill, paprika, salt and chicken broth.
5. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Mix the milk and flour in a bowl.
7. Add the milk mixture to the pot, cover and simmer for another 15 minutes.
8. Add the lemon juice, salt and pepper.
9. Remove from heat.
10. Add the sour cream and parsley and stir.

Basic Beef Tacos

noreply@blogger.com (Calvin L.) — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 06:33:00 +0000

Fri, 11 Nov 2011

The other night there was a nice beef rib roast on sale, and it's hard to turn a great deal down; especially, when the price of food seems to go up week to week. And with a cut of meat this big, it easily lends itself to several meals and dishes.

Normally, I like to cook dinner, but sometimes it feels nice to have someone else take over the kitchen. Tonight, I was the sous-chef and helped with some of the prep work. Chopping tomatoes, grating cheese, and cutting some onions. Peter handled the bulk of the cooking, and seemed to enjoy it. Maybe I should hangup my apron more often.

His cooking style is a lot different than mine. I usually like to adhere to a recipe, because I figure it's how the author wanted it prepared. Peter on the other hand is never hesitant in exercising his poetic license, and loves to take liberties with a dish. While this process can lead to some scrumptious creations, it makes writing a formal recipe a bit more difficult.

Ideally, this recipe will allow everyone, including Peter, to make these tacos anytime. I certainly enjoyed them this time and hope all of you will, too.

Ingredients:
2 tomatoes, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1/2 small red onion, diced
1/2 lb of beef, cut into thin strips
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 New Mexico chiles (or other red chili), soaked in water for 20 minutes.
small tortillas
sour cream
grated cheese
herb to garnish like cilantro or parsley

Preparation
1. Cut beef into half inch pieces.
2. Add the tomatoes, onions, and garlic to a pan over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes.
3. Seed the chili peppers after re-hydrating them, and add to pan. Cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add the lime juice and beef. Cook for 6 minutes.
5. Reduce any liquid left in the pan.
6. Assemble tacos with the tortilla, beef filling, sour cream, and other garnishes.

How to Seed A Bell Pepper and Cut Perfect Strips

noreply@blogger.com (Calvin L.) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 03:42:00 +0000

Sun, 6 Nov 2011

Today, I want to focus on a quick way to prepare bell peppers, and to get uniform cuts. I've never liked the conventional technique to remove the bell pepper seeds and veins; where you slice it in half and scoop the core out. It seems like a slow and inefficient way to prep a pepper. Plus, it makes it even more awkward to get nice uniform pieces. The methods most commonly known and taught are in the video shown below. However, the second video will show an even better method.

The more efficient method is demonstrated by someone known for lightning fast knife skills, Martin Yan. In this video he demonstrates how to prepare several types of vegetables, but the bell pepper scene is roughly 2:30 minutes in.

I think the rolling method is a much better way to prepare peppers, and ingredient prep is usually the most time consuming part of cooking, as far as active hands-on time goes.

Lamb Chops with Tahini and Date Couscous

noreply@blogger.com (Calvin L.) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 05:56:00 +0000

Sat, 5 Nov 2011

I tend to favor recipes that pack a lot of flavor with little preparation time. These recipes are usually simple to execute, and difficult to bungle. Recently I made Middle Eastern style lamb chops with lemon date couscous, and it fits all those criteria. The fruity couscous provides some brightness to the dish and adds more depth to balance the minimally seasoned lamb. The tahini sauce brings nuttiness and bitterness to temper the sugary dates. You can easily have this Middle Eastern inspired meal on the table in 20 minutes, leaving time to do other things; making a dessert like baklava, or just kick your feet up and relax.

Ingredients:

Sauce

1/4 cup jarred sesame tahini, well stirred
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, pressed or very finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
salt

Lamb:
4 lamb chops
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper

Couscous:

1 cup couscous

1 cup of boiling water
8 dates stoned and finely chopped
2 lemons juiced and zested
small bunch of mint and parsley chopped finely

Preparation:

1. Whisk together tahini, 1/4 cup water, lemon juice, garlic, cumin and 1/2 tsp. salt. Set aside.

2. Boil 1 cup of water, and add it to couscous. Cover couscous with a towel for 10 minutes.

3. Fluff couscous with a fork and add the dates, lemon juice, zest, and herbs. Set couscous aside.

4. Sprinkle chops on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chops and sauté until browned on both sides, about 8 minutes per side.

5. Drizzle chops with tahini sauce and serve with couscous.

Agnello Scottadito Alla Diavola

noreply@blogger.com (Calvin L.) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 03:13:00 +0000

Tue, 1 Nov 2011

Agnello Scottadito translates into English as finger-burning lamb. Legend has it people could not stop themselves from picking at the freshly grilled lamb chops, and they burned their fingers in the process. Hence, it is now a tradition to eat this dish using your hands. Many dishes seem to taste better when using your hands anyway. After wolfing down this dish both barehanded and with a fork, I can honestly say the lamb tastes much better using your hands.

Ingredients:
4 Lamb Chops
6 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves, no stem
2 tablespoons of white wine
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 yellow heirloom tomato, diced
zucchini, sliced thinly
salt and pepper to season

Preparation:
1. Season the lamb chops with rosemary, salt, and pepper.
2. Grill each side for 8 minutes for thin lamb chops ( more or less time depending on thickness of chops).
3. Heat the olive oil in a pan, and add the minced garlic.
4. When the garlic starts to change color, add the wine and stir. Reduce the sauce by half, add parsley and red pepper flakes before setting the sauce aside.
5. Cook the zucchini in the same pan as the sauce until soft.
6. Assemble a plate with the lamb chops, zucchini, and diced tomatoes. Drizzle some sauce over the dish, and reserve the rest for dipping the lamb.

Duck Fat Potatoes

noreply@blogger.com (Calvin L.) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:19:00 +0000

Mon, 31 Oct 2011

Duck fat is an amazing substitute for regular cooking oil, particularly for frying potatoes. Add a little salt and pepper, and you have a great side dish or appetizer.

Potatoes cooked in duck fat is a classic french preparation to accompany duck confit, and it's known as pommes de terre à la sarladaise. I first had this dish at a French restaurant in San Francisco, L'ardoise, and it was incredibly crisp and flavorful. Now I make them at home whenever I happen to have some duck fat on hand.

While Alton Brown isn't my favorite culinary talking head, but what I respect and admire about him is his knowledge for all things food. He does a very good job of explaining the history and basic preparation of ingredients, and he demonstrates the proper cooking techniques throughout the show. His show is a live version of the classic kitchen reference On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. Here is an excerpt from Alton Brown's show "Good Eats" on how to prepare duck, and to render the fat for future use. I would fast forward to the 3:34 mark to get his instruction on rendering the fat.

Ingredients:

duck fat (enough to completely cover the pan in fat)
new potatoes (or any variety you like)
salt and pepper

Preparation:

1. Add the duck fat to the pan and heat for 2 minutes.
2. Slice the potatoes thinly (I used a food processor).
3. Add the sliced potatoes to the pan and cook until brown, flipping them cook evenly and get a nice color on both sides.
4. Remove potatoes from pan and blot them with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper immediately.
5. Let cool and serve.

Peel Head of Garlic Under Ten Seconds

noreply@blogger.com (Calvin L.) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 06:20:00 +0000

Sun, 30 Oct 2011

Peeling garlic is a step common in many cooking recipes. Depending on how many cloves it calls for, the easy task becomes more of a chore and time consuming. This is a great tip on peeling an entire HEAD of garlic, in under 10 seconds! If you only need a few cloves, you can set the peeled cloves aside for another recipe. Chances are you'll need garlic for something.

Ginger Lemongrass Soda

noreply@blogger.com (Calvin L.) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 06:03:00 +0000

Sun, 30 Oct 2011

The season has finally changed. There is not a single cloud in the sky, the air is warm and balmy, people have opted for shorts instead of layers, and it's only 70 degrees outside. In San Francisco, anything above 65 is considered warm. Consecutive days in the 70's can feel like a heatwave. Living in a temperate,foggy climate makes the so called "Indian Summer" feel, well, like summer. On those rare moments when a thirst quencher is needed, I opt for something cold,fizzy, and lemony is high on the list. This season, I'm partial to a modern and Asian twist on lemonade; homemade ginger and lemongrass soda.

I've never been much of a soda drinker. The kind available in supermarkets and other stores are way too sweet, in my opinion, and are not very effective at quenching thirst. If anything, drinking store bought soda makes me feel even more parched. It wasn't until a friend of mine introduced me to homemade soda that I become a fan. She just mixed some fresh pomegranate juice with some seltzer water, and bam! I was instantly sold on the concept, and have since have concocted my own flavors. One of my personal favorites is ginger and lemongrass.

Ingredients:

3 stalks of lemongrass, cut into smaller pieces
1/4 lb of fresh ginger, peeled & cut into small pieces
1 1/2 sugar
1 1/2 c water

Carbonated water

Preparation:
1. Smash the lemongrass and ginger to release the flavors.
2. Add all ingredients in a sauce pan and simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes.
3. Remove pan from heat and steep for 2 hours, or overnight.
4. Strain the syrup to remove ginger and lemongrass.
5. Spoon syrup a tablespoon at a time into 3/4 cup of carbonated water. Serve with lemon slices.

Dongpo Pork Belly

noreply@blogger.com (Calvin L.) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 06:30:00 +0000

Sat, 22 Oct 2011

Dongpo braised pork belly, like other pork belly dishes, is melt in your mouth and eye fluttering good. It is historically a peasant dish, but has been rediscovered in recent years after the world's fascination with all things pork mushroomed. Having grown up eating this dish, I can understand why someone who has never had pork belly would dissolve into a puddle of bliss and contentment. Good food can do that to you, and this is a dish that has been perfected over 900 years.

In today's culinary environment, pork belly is enjoying its time in the spotlight. It is served in the finest restaurants, prepared with the best ingredients, but like many incredible cuts of meat it has humble beginnings.

This dish is said to have been created by Su Shi, also known as Dongpo Jushi--who this dish is named after. He was a writer, poet, artist,calligrapher, pharmacologist, gastronome, and statesman of the Song Dynasty (I guess he had to occupy his time somehow without the internet or television). As with many discoveries and inventions, Dongpo Pork was created by accident.

Dongpo Jushi was sentenced to political exile and lived in poverty after being accused of crimes against the Emperor. One day, he decided to make stewed pork. An old friend visited him in the middle of cooking, and Dongpo completely lost track of time, forgetting he had stew cooking until a wonderful smell wafted out of his kitchen. It became one of the most famous dishes of the region, and a Chinese classic.

Serves 4

Ingredients
2 lb piece of pork belly
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon tea leaves
4 stalks spring onions
3" fresh ginger sliced into matchstick

Sauce
1 cup water
6 cloves garlic crushed
6 slices of ginger
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon corn flour +1 tablespoon water for thickening sauce at the end

Preparation

Blanch pork in a pot of boiling water and throw out water.
Put pork back in pot and cover with new water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 30 minutes.
Heat a wok and add sauce ingredients. Mix well and bring to a boil. Add pork and cook each surface for a few minutes over a medium heat. Remove pork and drain well. Pour remaining sauce into a small saucepan and set aside.
Clean and drain wok. Heat vegetable oil to a medium heat. Fry pork on all sides until it is well browned, making sure skin side is a little crispy.
Steep tea leaves in hot water for a couple of minutes, remove and set aside. Place pork in pot of water again–topping up water if necessary. Add tea leaves and simmer for 30 minutes.
Place scallion stalks on bottom of a steamer. Transfer pork to steamer. Steam for 2 hours, turning pork after 1 hour. Replenish the water for the steamer whenever it gets low.
Remove pork to a serving dish. Reheat sauce in saucepan, adding and stirring in thickener. Pour over pork and serve.

Steamed Pork Belly Buns

noreply@blogger.com (Calvin L.) — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 16:20:00 +0000

Sat, 22 Oct 2011

Pork belly is really great by itself, but accompaniments can make it taste more complete and interesting. I took some inspiration for a dish I love; roast duck with hoisin sauce in a steamed bun. Of course, there is already a famous pork belly bun recipe, floating about by none other than David Chang of Momofuku. This is not his recipe, but maybe one day I'll try it and share with you the results. In the mean time, here is my non-Momofuku version.

The pork belly used were leftovers from this post. The steamed buns were sadly not homemade, but bought from a Chinese bakery. If you are feeling ambitious, you can make the steamed buns from scratch with this recipe from epicurious.

Ingredients:

Braised pork belly
frozen, steamed buns
cilantro
carrots, thinly sliced

Preparation:

1. Steam the buns according to the package instructions.
2. Thinly slice the carrots, or use a peeler.
3. Cut the buns in half and assemble with carrots on bottom, pork belly, and cilantro on top of pork belly.

Cream of Chicken Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Calvin L.) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 16:12:00 +0000

Sun, 16 Oct 2011

Campbell soup has been one of the top brands of canned soup for over 100 years. In this country, I'd wager everyone has tried one of their many flavors at some point. It’s an American institution. The classic cherry red and bright white design was immortalized by the great pop art pioneer Andy Warhol. I guess Drella thought their soups were Mmmm Mmmm good.

When I was a kid, I would get sick a lot with one ailment or another. On many of those occasions, my mother would pop open a can of Campbell’s chicken noodle soup on the many occasions I was sick—those schools are like germ factories. Some people may have fond memories eating the miniscule bits of diced chicken and skinny noodles swimming in the briny broth, but I definitely did not. In fact, I dreaded having to eat it, but it was either the chicken noodle or traditional Chinese medicinal tea (trust me, you would not want to try traditional tea).

Being blessed with a weak immune system meant missing many days of school and going through lots of canned soup. Unfortunately, one of those sick days happened to coincide with running out of the classic cold remedy in a red and white can. If you’ve ever drank traditional medicinal tea, you would understand my apprehension towards having to face that reality. It’s like drinking coffee flavored with dead bees, tree bark, and just a hint of dried tumbleweed (if you’re lucky). The only alternative was a can of Campbell’s cream of chicken soup my mother managed to dig out of the pantry—even she didn’t know we had it. Honestly, I may have been better off with the tumbleweed tea.

Campbell’s cream of chicken is a very appropriate name, given how that’s exactly what it tastes like; cream made from chicken. It was like drinking chunky chicken fat. Remember the “Friends” episode where they’re all getting ready for an important event at the museum where Ross is going to give a speech, but Ross is the only one ready and he tries to make everyone hurry up since they were running low on time. In that same episode, Monica had a tall glass of chicken fat in the fridge unbeknownst to Joey “Yep. It’s fat. I drank the fat!” I had the exact same face and reaction—pure and utter disgust. I’m still traumatized by the incident; the soup, not the show.

This past week, San Francisco had some unexpected rain. The perfect weather for soup. Of course, what does Peter suggest we have for dinner? You guessed it. Cream of chicken soup. I was definitely hesitant, but willing to give it a chance. Most homemade dishes taste better than their mass-produced counterparts. Hopefully, this dish would as well. The recipe called for stock made from chicken bones (always a strong indicator of a decent recipe) and simmering the ingredients for a few hours. The final verdict? The homemade version is hands-down better than the canned one. Then again, what good recipe is not?

Ingredients

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast, diced
1 tablespoon butter
1small onion, chopped
2 carrots
2 ribs celery
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
3 cups chicken stock
3 cups cream
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Direction

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Place chicken in the pot, season with salt and pepper, and cook 5 minutes. Remove chicken, and set aside. Reduce heat to medium-low. Melt butter in the pot. Stir in onion and garlic and cook 5 minutes. Stir in flour, and cook until lightly browned.

Pour stock and milk into the pot, and stir in the cooked chicken. Place herbs into soup. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

Serve with some prepared noodles or bread.

V8 and Ketchup Bisque

noreply@blogger.com (Calvin L.) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 15:48:00 +0000

Fri, 14 Oct 2011

Ketchup is a condiment I was obsessed with as a kid. It was sweet, tangy, and great on everything. Our house was always stocked with enough bottles to supply a restaurant—O.K, maybe not quite that much, but close. However, it keeps well and is a convenient thing to have on hand with hungry kids around that have a taste for the Red sauce. It would have been considered a major food group if I had permission to redo the food pyramid.

I’m not sure where I acquired the penchant for using ketchup on everything. Maybe I was just a kid who liked a bit of sweetness on dishes that ranged from scrambled eggs to broccoli. They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, which brings me to my father. He was even more egregious, applying it to ice cream instead of what most people normally put; sprinkles or chocolate, and nuts. He would add more to foods that already had ketchup. With some things, there is too much of a good thing (ice cream and duck fat), but in our household not so with good ole’ ketchup.

As time has passed, I’ve learned you may like one thing and dislike its derivative. For example, we can be absolutely enamored with our partner, yet detest our in-laws. Some people like coffee flavored treats, but can’t stand the idea of drinking a cup of java (I’m looking at you Mr. Anderson Cooper—don’t ask where I learned that piece of trivia). For me, I can’t stand tomato juice, even though I’ve already admitted my passion for its cousin. Those that have tried things like V8 juice know how strange it tastes; it’s remarkably similar to a cold tomato soup, but not nearly as good as gazpacho. Of course, why drink V8 at all if it tastes disgusting? For the health benefits of course.

Not everything that tastes good is good for you (pork belly and foie gras). When the things that are, taste awful, trying to stick with the regimen is difficult. The only time I would include V8 as part of my diet was during finals week—aka personal hell week. For two weeks, eight ounces would be pounded down daily along with some sautéed spinach and tuna (brain food). Like working out, to reap the rewards you need to stay with it and endure the routine.

Sticking with a routine is boring, though. Humans are creatures of habit—who also happen to enjoy variety, which is why it’s also important to spice things up a bit every once in a while. In this recipe, we’re doing a little cosplay. We’re taking a beastly bottle of V8, and some ketchup to dress up simple tomato bisque. Throw in some heirloom tomatoes to make things even more interesting. Some people may find the soup scrumptious, and others may feel it’s putting lipstick on a pig. I guess even pigs like to feel pretty, too.

Ingredients:

3 large Heirloom tomatoes
3 cups V8 juice
1 cup ketchup
1 medium onion
2 ribs celery
1 large carrot
1 bunch fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

1.In a large pot, simmer the tomatoes with the juice, ketchup, onions, celery, and carrot for 30 minutes.
2.Add the basil, then blend the mixture in batches. Return to the pot.
3.Add the cream and butter, and heat through without boiling.
4.Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped fresh basil. Serve with some bread.

Makes 5 to 6 servings.

Thai Basil Pesto

noreply@blogger.com (Calvin L.) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 16:47:00 +0000

Mon, 10 Oct 2011

Thai basil is one of my favorite herbs (if you haven't noticed from reading my blog posts). The aroma and taste is similar to Italian basil, but common Thai basil has a more complex licorice smell and taste to it. Plus, Thai basil can withstand heat from the cooking process better than the Italian version—if you want to cook it that is; Chef Arun Sampanthavivat in "Chef's Story" does note that Thai basil is very good as an a la minute finish to a dish.

After watching Chef Arun's episode of "Chef's Story", I was inspired to use Thai basil in a way that I never thought of before. He mentioned that when he first opened his Chicago restaurant in 1985, there was no immediate access to Thai basil, and substituted Italian instead. What happened? Chef Arun went on to become a multiple James Beard award winner, and the poster chef for Thai food. I'm sure his kitchen now uses the authentic ingredients, but the admission did get my creative juices flowing. I thought, "Why not use Thai basil for Italian?"

Traditional pesto uses a few ingredients: namely, basil, olive oil, cheese, garlic, and maybe some pine nuts for a thicker paste. I wanted to use the same basis for this fusion condiment. Just to be sure, I did a Google search for "Thai basil pesto" to find out what kind of recipes were out in the ether. One of the first hits to pop-up was by a chef known for demystifying Asian cuisine, Ming Tsai. I adapted this recipe from his site. The only addition I made was adding some roasted acorn squash seeds that I saved from baking the bread earlier in the week.

The only question is what to make with it? Pasta perhaps?

Ingredients:
1 cup of Thai Basil
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup of parmesan cheese
1/4 cup of acorn squash seeds
1/3 cup of olive oil, and more to drizzle

Preparation:
1. In a food processor, blend the Thai basil first.
2. Add the garlic cloves, cheese, and squash seeds.
3. Blend together with olive oil.

Acorn Squash Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Calvin L.) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 07:16:00 +0000

Sun, 9 Oct 2011

Sunday morning is a time for most people to relax after a busy work week. Unfortunately, for me, I have to work later today. Nonetheless, I just finished breakfast with my partner, who has the day off. We have eased into the day by eating some of the acorn squash bread I made the other day. It really is a tasty, light breakfast, pan-heated in a little butter and drizzled with honey, so I thought I would share the recipe with you. Here it is from simmerboston:

For the Bread
1 small-medium acorn squash
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup mild olive oil or vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground clove
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup chopped pecans or hazelnuts (optional)
Coarse sugar for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place the squash halves cut side down on a baking tray and fill the tray with ½ an inch of water. Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the squash is very tender. Remove from the oven a cool. Once cool, scoop the squash from its skin and puree in a food processor until smooth. Reserve 1 cup squash puree for the recipe and save any leftover for another use – you can eat it simply for dinner warmed with a little butter, salt, and pepper. (My medium sized acorn squash yielded about 1 ½ cups puree.)

In a medium size bowl, combine the 1 cup squash puree, the sugar, the oil, and the eggs. Mix well. Sift together the flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add this to the squash mixture and mix until no lumps are visible. Fold in the nuts if using.

Butter and flour a loaf tin, and scoop the batter into the prepared tin. Sprinkle the top of the loaf generously with coarse sugar. Bake for 45-55 minutes until set. A toothpick inserted into the center of the bread should come out clean. Cool, slice, and munch!

Recipe Note: If you want to go a little more American here, this recipe is pretty killer topped with cream cheese frosting. Omit the coarse sugar sprinkle, and instead whip together: 5 oz softened cream cheese and 3 tbsp softened unsalted butter. Add 1 cup confectioners’ sugar and 2 tbsp maple syrup and whip smooth. Let the loaf cool completely and then frost it.

Food Bucket List

noreply@blogger.com (Calvin L.) — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 16:56:00 +0000

Sat, 6 Oct 2011

As grim and macabre as it may sound, a bucket list is something that many people compile and complete throughout their lives. We strive to create memories and experiences that will stick with us till our old age, so we don't leave having any regrets. Many people may not have formal lists, but nonetheless, they still have things they want to accomplish. For some, it's traveling and seeing the world, meeting a celebrity, overcoming a fear, and the numerous other goals people set for themselves. For me, one thing on my bucket list is a food bucket list.

A few years ago, the bucket list become something of a talking point and a mainstream obsession after the release of Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson's movie "The Bucket List." It inspired talk show segments, books, and even an MTV reality series, "The Buried Life." I'm not ashamed to say that I jumped on the bandwagon and complied my own list. While researching what things I would want to have eaten before my time, I stumbled upon this list from verygoodtaste, and decided to incorporate it as part of my overall bucket list. I'm sure over the years I may add a few things to it, but it's a start. Feel free to post anything you feel should also be added to the list, or your own list.

The complete ones are in blue, bold italics:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Chocolate covered churro
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

Burmese Semolina Cake (Shwe Gye) with Rum Raisins

noreply@blogger.com (Calvin L.) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 17:33:00 +0000

Thu, 6 Oct 2011

The other day while reading through the newest posts by my favorite food bloggers and writers, there was one in particular that struck a chord with me; Marc of norecipes released his version of spaghetti and meatballs. Anyone that follows his work knows that the classic Italian dish is pedestrian compared to many of his entries: however, as pedestrian as it may be, it’s one of his favorite dishes. I thought it was almost ironic that someone who is so experimental in the kitchen would love such simple fare, but that wasn’t what gave me pause—it was his admission that in all his years of writing about food, he neglected to share one of his favorite dishes with the rest of the blogosphere.

That revelation made me think of all my favorites and how long it has been since I’ve made them or eaten them. It’s possible that we take our favorite foods for granted; much like how we take our nearest and dearest friends or family for granted. After experimenting with new recipes, or getting bored with our latest obsession, with the “It” ingredient of the moment, the favorite dishes will still be there—like a true friend.

One of my favorite things growing up was a Burmese semolina cake. It is known by a few names: San Win Ma Kin or Shwe Gye may be the most familiar ones. The texture is hard to describe (try imagining the offspring of a pudding and a cake). The cake is also not very rich or decadent by Western standards; only sweetened by some sugar and raisins. But sometimes simple desserts can be equally satisfying.

I didn’t have a major sweet tooth growing up, but this dessert was something I couldn’t resist. The only gripe I have is the laborious preparation. Some recipes may involve less effort, but this is the way my mother taught me to prepare it. The hard part is stirring the semolina after it absorbs all the liquid and becomes a heavy paste—like polenta. When I was a kid, my mother would make me stir the mixture for an hour (it kept me out of trouble and from making a mess running around the house). I think that when we put in effort, the dish ends up tasting better than if we took shortcuts. Food made with TLC always ends up tasting better, because like Carla always says “Cook with love.”

In this recipe, I’ve made a few changes that my mother may not approve. Instead of stirring the semolina mixture for one hour, I stirred it for 30 minutes (it gave me time to practice some Spanish using my iTouch) and used rum raisins. After making Sherry Yard’s fat raisins for oatmeal cookies, I try to incorporate them in any dessert.

Ingredients:

2 cups semolina or cream wheat
2 cups white sugar
2.5 cups Coconut Cream
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs beaten
3 cups water
1/2 cup corn oil
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup rum
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbl spoons white poppy seeds (optional)
Honey to drizzle (optional)

Preparation:

1. Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees F. Stew raisins in rum and brown sugar over low heat until all the alcohol is absorbed.

2. Toast semolina over moderate heat for 2 minutes, and careful not to burn.

3. Mix semolina, sugar, coconut cream, salt, eggs, water and oil together. Mix and stir continuously until thickens. Add raisins and stir. Mixture should be extremely thick and hard to stir (your arm should get tired after a few minutes). You can stir from anywhere from 5 minutes to 1 hr. My mother's recipe is to stir for 1 hr.

4. Bake in 9 inch buttered baking dish for 1 hr until golden brown on top, and sprinkle poppy seeds and honey if desired.

Coconut Carrot Curry Crepe

noreply@blogger.com (Calvin L.) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 20:51:00 +0000

Tue, 4 Oct 2011

Have you ever experienced opening their fridge or pantry only to be met with bare shelves, and wondered where to go from there? That depressing dilemma is what my partner and I were faced with a few days ago. One way to save money on groceries these days is to buy less, but the thrifty tactic does present its own problems. Another penny pinching strategy is to use leftovers; luckily, we had at least that. There was enough coconut carrot curry soup made earlier in the week to stretch whatever we scrounged together. The soup, a can of old crabmeat, one onion, and a green pepper were the only remnants of our once stocked kitchen. What did we end up creating? Crepes, naturally.

Makings crepes is something I’ve learned to use as a way to stretch leftovers and save money. When I was traveling through Europe on a student’s budget (I allowed myself $10 a day for food), crepes and their cousins were a main staple of my diet. They were cheap, easy to transport, and above all else—satiating. Even a simple ham and cheese crepe was enough to tide me over until I needed to refuel. Coming back to the states, I realized it was a great way to use leftovers. Crepes are versatile in that they can be made sweet or savory; they are a delectable vessel to house whatever you decide to make. Crab-coconut-carrot-curry crepe sounded like a mouthful, but a delicious mouthful.

The recipe for the coconut carrot curry is posted here, and the crab filling and crepe recipe will be posted below. One fear that I had while conceptualizing this dish was the delicate natural of the crab meat; it gets overpowered easily, and crab is one of those ingredients that should be featured and never hidden. What I loved about the dish was how well the crab meat complemented the curry sauce. The crab played off the spicy sweetness of the curry without sacrificing any of its own flavor. I was surprised that it had any flavor considering it has been in the back of the fridge for months, but just imagine how much better the crepe will be if you’re lucky enough to have fresh crab!

Ingredients

1lb crab meat (fresh or canned)

1/2 an onion (cut into slivers)

1/2 one green bell pepper (minced)

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup flour

2 tbsp butter (more for the crepes)

Preparation

Crab Filling:

1. Heat some oil in the pan, then add the onions and cook them until opaque.

2. Add the bell peppers and cook for 5 minutes.

3. Toss in the crab to heat through.

4. Set mixture aside and prepare the crepes.

Crepe:

1. Beat two eggs in a mixing bowl and add the milk.

2. Whisk in the flour and get rid of lumps.

3. Heat the butter in the pan, and pour batter according to desired crepe size.

4. Cook both sides for about 2 minutes.

Assemble:

Place desired amount of filling into the crepe and top with curry sauce. Garnish with some Thai basil leaves.

Bagel with Cream Cheese and Lox

noreply@blogger.com (Calvin L.) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:28:00 +0000

Mon, 3 Oct 2011

New York, New York, it’s one hell of a town. I can’t profess enough how much I love the city. From fashion to food, it has everything a person needs to be entertained. When I think about the city that never sleeps, the thing that I associate New York with the most, besides pizza, is a bagel. The debate is out on whether it’s the mineral content of the water that set them apart from their other geographic counterparts (I think it’s a combination of the water and the local atmosphere like the altitude and humidity). For whatever reason, the bakers in New York City know how to make a bagel.

Of course, what’s a bagel without a nice spread? To me, what goes on a bagel is equally important as the bagel itself. It’s another thing that the bakers in New York do oh so well. One of my favorite breakfasts during my last trip to New York was a simple bagel with cream cheese and lox. It’s a classic pairing, but classics stand the test of time for one simple reason—they work: as the saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The bagels from Arizmendi are not as divine as those in the East coast; with some lox and cream cheese it is enough to tide me over until the next visit to the Big Apple.

Coconut Curry Carrot Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Calvin L.) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 07:11:00 +0000

Sun, 2 Oct 2011

Top Chef is easily my favorite show on television. Picking a favorite season is a more difficult task. If I had to pick, season five would be my first choice by a nose. That season had some of the most lively personalities ever to set foot in the Top Chef kitchen; ex-model to-CPA-to-classically trained chef, Carla Hall; Italian Stallion Fabio Viviani, and love-to-hate villain Stefan Richter. There were many entertaining and dramatic moments throughout the competition, but what really made the season memorable was the food.

The one chef I rooted for besides Carla was Jamie Lauren. Before her run on the show, she was serving as executive chef at Absinthe in San Francisco. Obviously, I had to root for the local girl. I would have rooted for her during the All Star season, but her demeanor and candor during that stint made the other chefs, and me, lose respect for her. The food she produced that season wasn’t spectacular or innovative. It was safe and boring. However, I still like to use her recipes from season 5 because some of them are good, very good. Today I’m focusing on a recipe she concocted on her first stint on Top Chef, with a few changes of my own, hopefully, for the better.

One thing Jamie was known for on the series was soups and scallops—Fabio would agree wholeheartedly. I’m a big fan of soups for their ease of execution and the big payoff that comes with delayed gratification (soup tastes better if you let it rest for a few hours or a day). It saves money and time by being a one pot meal. From experience, this recipe is better the next day.

I made a few changes to the recipe: First, you need to make fresh curry paste and do not use the store bought kind. Store bought curry paste is definitely a big short cut in terms of saving time, but you’re sacrificing all the flavor—I’m not being hyperbolic, because the curry paste is the backbone of this recipe (and you never want to support anything with a weak base). Some recipes can get away with using shortcuts, but not this one. The curry paste recipe is posted here. Second, instead of adding regular cream I substituted coconut milk or coconut cream, and reduced the amount of vegetable stock. The addition of coconut milk gives the soup a more Southeast Asian feel, which is a good thing here.

Ingredients

6 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 shallots, sliced
1 yellow onions, sliced
7 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
1/4 lb butter
3 cup coconut milk
1 quarts vegetable stock
Salt to taste

Directions

In a soup pot, combine 1/4 lb butter with the garlic and cook over medium heat till the garlic is toasted.

Add the curry paste and cook at about 2 min. Add the carrots, stock, coconut milk, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, season again with salt. When the carrots are soft, puree in batches. Adjust seasoning and hold warm. Garnish with some Thai basil.

Red Curry Paste

noreply@blogger.com (Calvin L.) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 06:55:00 +0000

Sun, 2 Oct 2011

Chef Arun Sampanthavivat, master of Thai cooking, has a few commandments for a good curry paste. The main ingredients are: lemongrass, shallots, garlic, chili peppers, and Thai ginger. His instructions are to use an old fashioned mortar and pestle to grind those ingredients into a thick paste (it takes a lot more time and effort than blending it in the food processor).
The advocates for the traditional method contend that more of the essential oils are released by pounding and grinding, versus putting everything in a food processor—a lot of liquid is released when you blend the ingredients. The metal blades slice open the cell walls and release all the contents, and supposedly make the paste watery. Other important ingredients like dried shrimp, Thai basil, and kaffir lime leaves are added in later. These instructions were passed down to Chef Arun from his grandmother, and one thing that I’ve learned about cooking is that the best kitchen secrets come from grandma; who knows more about food than the Nonas of the world?

Curry Paste

1/3 cup dried chilies, soaked until soft and seeds removed for easier grinding
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons galangal, minced
2 tablespoons lemongrass, cut into thin rounds
1 tablespoon cilantro
1 teaspoon toasted coriander seeds
1 teaspoon toasted cumin seeds
2 tablespoons garlic
2 tablespoons shallots
1 teaspoon shrimp paste

Vietnamese Grilled Pork Chop

noreply@blogger.com (Calvin L.) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 05:07:00 +0000

Wed, 28 Sep 2011

Whenever I order takeout, I think to myself “Can I make this myself?” Food that you take home in Styrofoam (or biodegradable plastic for San Francisco) usually does not have shaved truffle on top, yuzu foam, or a fennel gastrique drizzled on a carefully plated tier of salmon slabs. Many times the food is simple, because it has to travel well. Nothing looks sadder than food resembling the remnants of a fifth grade food fight.

One dish that I liked to order was a Vietnamese rice plate. It’s simple, cheap, and, of course, tasty; all the things that please a peasant’s palate. Plus, it travels well. There was a tiny neighborhood Vietnamese place a few blocks from my parent’s house when I was growing up in the Outer Sunset. Once in a blue moon we would order out from there; upon entering high school a stone’s throw away from it, the visits became more frequent. It doesn’t seem like it has been years since I’ve ordered a rice plate, but as the saying goes “Out of sight, out of mind.”

I like to serve these pork chops with rice and a simple salad. The salad above is romaine lettuce with shaved carrot, but without any dressing. If you want to add some zip to the dish, you can mix together some rice vinegar and sweet chili sauce and chili flakes for a quick dressing; adding more of either ingredient depending on how sharp, sweet, or spicy you want it.

Recipe:

Vietnamese-Style Pork
by Mark Bittman
From "The Minimalist: Vietnamese Pork Chops Demystified," New York Times (September 15, 1999)

Serves 4

2 tablespoons minced lemongrass
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon nam pla, or to taste, or soy sauce
Juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
1 1/2 pounds boneless pork chops or country-style ribs
1 lime, quartered
Chopped Thai basil or cilantro for garnish (optional).

1. Whisk lemongrass, garlic, honey and nam pla in large bowl. Add lime juice and pepper. Place pork in the bowl, turning to coat; let stand while you preheat grill or broiler.

2. Grill or broil pork, spooning marinade over as it cooks, until nicely done, about 10 minutes. Turn only once so that each side browns nicely. Serve with remaining lime and, if you like, the herb garnish.

Thai Basil Mushrooms

noreply@blogger.com (Calvin L.) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 15:58:00 +0000

Sat, 24 Sep 2011

For those that tried the Thai Basil Pork recipe, this recipe may seem familiar. Well, there is good reason to make such an assumption. It uses the same stir fry sauce. I love how flexible the this sauce is, because it works well with all kinds of proteins; namely, pork and chicken. The sauce also happens to work great with vegetables, especially mushrooms.
Mushrooms add a touch of earthiness, and tame the salt monster that rears its ugly head when combining fish sauce with soy sauce and oyster sauce. The fried egg and Thai basil do an admirable job in adding depth to the dish, while balancing out the seasoning. This recipe gets extra brownie points for being quick and easy. Just mix together the sauce, fry the egg, sautee the mushrooms, top with some chopped basil, and you’re done!

Ingredients

2 cup mushrooms, any kind
10 thai basil
1 tbsp. minced red chili peppers
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 tbsp. fish sauce
2 tbsp. oyster sauce
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. olive oil

Preparation:
1. In a hot pan, put olive oil, and fry garlic until it slight cooked.
2. Add mushrooms, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar and oyster sauce. Mix well.
3. Cook the mushrooms for 3 minutes. Then add red chili pepper and basil. Mix it together.
4. Serve with rice and a fried egg.

Smoked Salmon and Scrambled Eggs with Chives

noreply@blogger.com (Calvin L.) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 14:50:00 +0000

Thu, 22 Sep 2011

For me, eggs embody the breakfast of champions. Why? For one, they are a great source of protein to provide energy and build muscle. Second, eggs are extremely quick to whip up if you're pressed for time in the morning. Third, they happen to be a cheap staple food to have around the house. I mainly love eggs for the third reason. It's also the reason why I have a love-hate relationship with brunch.

Brunch is a great concept. It's not breakfast, but it's also not quite lunch; so, you get the best of both worlds. I think people also love brunch because of all the associations that come with it; meeting with friends and family on a lazy, sunny weekend, and drinking a little bubbly 11 in the morning. Although, I wouldn't know anything about the latter. I do understand its appeal, but the major reason I dislike brunch is the sticker shock. Brunch is great for many things. Just not for the wallet.

The few places I've gone for brunch, I always left feeling like I got shafted when it was time for the bill. Ten dollars for French toast? Thirteen dollars for a plate of scrambled eggs and some diced potatoes?!? Those prices feel inflated to me–more so than the typical restaurant price hike for regular dishes. I thought why not try making brunch on a peasant's budget?

I was lucky to get packages of smoked salmon for $2.53 at Safeway the other day; normally, they cost almost double. I also happened to buy a bunch of chives from one of the ubiquitous ethnic grocery stores around my neighborhood. Those two ingredients with a nice scrambled egg seemed like good fixings for a brunch inspired dish. The total cost ended up well below $3 per person, and with ingredients left over to make other delicious dishes.

Serves 1

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1 tablespoon chives (more for garnish)
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon olive oil
1.5 oz smoked salmon

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in the pan.
2. Scramble eggs and mix in the milk.
3. Add eggs to the pan and stir to prevent them from burning.
4. When the eggs are cooked through, remove from the pan and into a bowl.
5. Chop the smoke salmon and chives, and add to the bowl of scrambled eggs. Mix.
6. Serve and garnish with some chives.

Thai Basil Pork

noreply@blogger.com (Calvin L.) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 06:00:00 +0000

Wed, 21 Sep 2011

This is a dish that I love to make whenever Peter and I have a craving for some Thai food. Plus, it happens to be a snap to throw together when you're tired or short on time: On average, it takes me 15 minutes to prepare from the cutting board to the tabletop. You can kick things up a notch if you want a more complex and substantial entree. Taking inspiration from my favorite Thai restaurant, Marnee Thai, I like to add some flat rice noodles and bell peppers. I would throw in some other vegetables like broccoli or baby corn if that happens to be in the fridge. Of course, you can steer this any direction you want. Peter personally likes to make wraps out of them.

Prepare:

1/2 cup sliced pork (or chicken)
1/2 onion (sliced)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
3 red chili peppers (chopped)
10 basil leaves
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. fish sauce
1 tbsp. oyster sauce
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. brown sugar
Cooking Instructions:
1. Put olive oil in the pan and fry garlic and chili pepper.
2. Add pork when aromatic.
3. When pork has lost its pinkness—add fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and onion. Mix well.
4. Serve with hot jasmine rice and garnish with basil.

Cajun Pizza

noreply@blogger.com (Calvin L.) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 05:28:00 +0000

Tue, 20 Sep 2011

As a college grad working part time for minimum wage, I have to stretch every penny where I can. My most glaring expense would be food. If you have been paying attention to the prices in the grocery store, you would notice that almost everything has gone up; many staples like dairy, meat, and grains have gone up the most. Richard Volpe, an economist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, revealed that beef, veal, pork, eggs and such dairy products as butter, milk and cheese have seen the biggest increases in the past year. The price of groceries rose 5.4 percent from July 2010 to this July, according to the USDA's latest report. As a result, I use ingredients as many ways as I can and make sure not to waste even a crumb. The last big trip I took to the grocery store was last week for the Cajun Meatloaf and Avocado Soup. There were some left over peppers, sausage, and rock shrimp— enough ingredients to do something Cajun inspired. I had a craving for pizza, and thought why not Cajun Pizza?

Normally, I like to make everything from scratch, because the final product tastes fresher and more flavorful. One exception is pizza crust. I find making the dough too time consuming for my liking, and it’s definitely easier to use one that already has tomato sauce with cheese. I do not advocate shortcuts in every recipe or every step like Sandra Lee of Food Network renown, but sometimes there is no difference in the end result; that’s when I prefer the shortcut. In my opinion, the stars of the show in pizza are the toppings, and not the crust. The crust is the supporting actor and can help to enhance the focus of the toppings, but when the toppings are good the crust is all but forgotten. Only when the toppings do a poor job does the crust get recognition; the toppings for this Cajun Pizza were not outshined. If you happen to have an awesome recipe for pizza crust, I would definitely be willing to try it out, and share the result!

This recipe was from MSN and I took a few liberties. For my pizza, I omitted the spinach and cream cheese. I also used rock shrimp instead of Gulf shrimp. As much as I love cream cheese, there are times when I want to eat healthier and have to resist the urge to use it.

Recipe: Awesome Al’s Shrimp Pie

Po’ Boys Creole Café in Tallahassee, Fla.

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup white wine
1 teaspoon olive oil
12 ounces medium Gulf shrimp, peeled
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 stick butter
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon honey
12 ounces chopped, thawed, well-drained spinach
2 (8-inch) pizza pie crusts
20 ounces shredded provolone or mozzarella cheese
Cocktail sauce (optional)

Preparation

Steal This Recipe® step-by-step instructions:

1. Saute yellow and green onions, oregano, salt, mushrooms and garlic in olive oil and white wine until soft.

2. Add shrimp, cook until it turns a pinkish color.

3. Remove from heat and let cool.

4. Once cooled, pour into a mixing bowl and add cream cheese, butter, Worcestershire sauce, honey and spinach.

5. Mix until there are no lumps of cream cheese or butter remaining.

6. Spread 1 cup of the mixture on each pie crust.

7. Sprinkle each pie with 10 ounces of shredded provolone or mozzarella cheese.

8. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes at 350 degrees until each pie is lightly brown on top. (Check periodically.)

Optional: serve with a side of cocktail sauce