Vanessa Thomas

Baked Char Siu Bao

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Ingredients

FOR THE BUNS:

  • 5 1/3 cups bread flour (or all purpose flour, divided)
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 1 1/3 cup milk (divided)
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 teaspoons instant yeast
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 tablespoons butter (melted)
  • eggwash (1 egg, beaten with a tablespoon of milk)
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)

FOR THE FILLING:

  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1/2 cup shallots (or onion, finely chopped)
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
  • ¾ cup chicken stock
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 2 cups Chinese roast pork (char siu, diced)

Instructions

  • In a medium saucepan, mix 1/3 cup flour with 2/3 cup water and 1/3 cup milk until the flour is dissolved. Put the pan over medium heat and stir constantly until the mixture resembles a thick paste, about 3-5 minutes. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine 5 cups of flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add the flour paste (tangzhong), 1 cup milk, 2 eggs, and melted butter. Stir together to form a soft dough, and knead (by hand or with the dough hook attachment of your mixer) for 15-20 minutes. Form the dough into a ball and place into a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise for 1 hour.
  • While that’s happening, make the meat filling. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok over medium high heat. Add the onion and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and dark soy. Stir and cook until it starts to bubble up. Add the chicken stock and flour. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, stirring, for a couple minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the roast pork. Set aside to cool.
  • After it has risen, separate the dough into 16 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a small circle, where the center is slightly thicker than the edges. Fill each with meat filling, and crimp them closed, making sure they’re tightly sealed. Lay them out seam side down on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, and let rise for another hour. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (200 degrees C).
  • Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with sesame seeds (if using). Put them in the oven and immediately turn the oven down from 400 degrees (about 200 degrees C) to 350 degrees (about 175 degrees). Bake for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Source

Lemon Loaf

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Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs room temperature
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup milk room temperature

Lemon Glaze (optional):

  • 1/2 cup icing sugar sifted
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350℉ (175°C) .
  • Grease and flour (or use non-stick spray) a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
  • Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Stir in lemon zest. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl (of stand mixer) beat butter on medium speed for 2-3 minutes.
  • Gradually add the sugar and continue beating for another 2-3 minutes.
  • Add eggs, one at a time. Make sure you scrape the bottom of your bowl.
  • Add lemon juice (the batter will curdle).
  • Alternate addition of flour and milk (in 2 additions). Mix on low speed until combined. Do not over mix.
  • If using add-ins, combine gently at this point.
  • Bake in preheated oven for 60-75 minutes until golden and cake tester comes out clean.
  • Transfer pan to a rack where it can cool down for about 10 minutes before removing loaf to cool down completely on a wire rack.

Notes

Tips, Tricks and Recipe Notes:

  • Ensure oven is preheated to the right temperature.
  • Take out the milk, eggs and butter 30-60 minutes before starting.
  • Cream the softened butter, then slowly add the sugar until light and fluffy.This step takes at least 5 minutes.
  • Add the eggs one at a time and properly beat after each addition. Be sure to scrape down the bowl during this process.
  • Reduce the speed to low when adding the flour and milk. DO NOT OVER MIX.
  • Lemon zest is an ingredient in this recipe. This is the bright yellow outer layer of the lemon peel. Use a micro-plane or a box grater for grating. Make sure you only grate the yellow part as the white pith is extremely bitter.
  • Make this lemon dessert your own by adding slivered almonds (½ cup) or poppy seeds (2 tablespoons).

Source

Garlic Lemon and Parmesan Oven Roasted Zucchini

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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lbs zucchini (about 4 – 5 small/medium zucchini)
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • Zest of 1 small lemon (1 tsp)
  • 2 cloves garlic , crushed through a garlic crusher or finely minced
  • 3/4 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed cookie sheet with aluminum foil.

  2. Cut zucchini into 4 wedges through the length.

  3. In a small bowl, stir together olive oil, lemon zest and garlic. Align zucchini on prepared baking sheet spacing them evenly apart.
  4.  Brush olive oil mixture over tops of zucchini (working to get some of the garlic/lemon zest on each piece and not just in one spot. It clumps together a little so just spread it out).
  5. Sprinkle tops with parmesan cheese (try to get as much of it on the tops as possible, you can pick up what was sprinkled off to the sides of the zucchini and add it to the tops) and season lightly with salt and pepper.
  6. Bake in preheated oven 11 – 13 minutes then, adjust oven rack near top of oven and broil for several minutes until parmesan is golden brown. Serve warm

Source

Honey Lemon Chicken and Green Beans

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Ingredients

Honey Lemon Chicken and Green Beans

  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces (2 large chicken breasts)
  • 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • salt and pepper
  • Olive oil
  • 12 ounces green beans trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces (about 2 cups)
  • Honey Lemon Sauce see below

Honey Lemon Sauce:

  • 3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
  • Juice and zest from 1 large lemon
  • 1/4 cup honey or more/less to taste
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 garlic clove minced

Instructions

  • Combine the chicken, soy sauce and rice wine vinegar in a large zip-top bag, and toss until the chicken is evenly coated. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours. (If no time to marinate, just toss the chicken, soy sauce and vinegar in a small bowl and let sit while you prep the rest of the recipe).
  • In a small bowl, whisk the sauce ingredients together until combined (cornstarch should no longer be visible). Set aside.
  • Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add green beans and season with a pinch of salt. Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes, until beans are bright green but still crisp. Transfer to a large plate or bowl and set aside.
  • Add another tablespoon of oil to the skillet over medium-high heat. Pour the chicken from the bag into the hot skillet. Season the chicken with a pinch of salt and pepper.
  • Add the chicken and saute for 5-7 minutes or until cooked through and no longer pink, stirring and turning the chicken occasionally for even browning. Using a slotted spoon, add the chicken to the plate with the green beans.
  • Pour the whisked honey lemon sauce into the empty saute pan. Cook over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the sauce reaches a low boil and thickens. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking (salt, pepper, honey, lemon).
  • Add the chicken and green beans back into the pan and toss until evenly coated with the sauce. Remove from heat and serve immediately, topped with green onions and sesame seeds, if desired. Can be served over steamed white or brown rice, or on it’s own.

Source

Air Fried Chicken Wings

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Prep:

Coat with flour then dust off

Spray with oil

 

Cook:

20 mins at 370, shake every 5

5 mins at 400

Toss in dressing

 

Dressing:

For 4lb wings

½ cup Frank’s red hot

¼ stick butter

½ tbsp whostershire sauce

 

Serve with Blue Cheese dressing for dip

Chateauneuf-du-Pape Wine Tasting

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Cuvée du Vatican / Château Sixtine

Château Sixtine is a family-run property, where the traces of the DIFFONTY family go back to 1673. Today, after 4 generations, Jean Marc DIFFONTY, son of Félicien DIFFONTY who was the mayor of Châteauneuf-du-Pape during 30 years, works of the maintenance of the family traditions since 1990. Located between Orange and Avignon, in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the Château Sixtine extends on 15 hectares. Here, 4 grape varieties dominate: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre for red, and Roussanne for white. Jean Marc DIFFONTY, has given a new boom to the domain, bringing modernity and elegance, to propel Château Sixtine to the rank of the biggest names of the Appellation Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

[row cols_nr=”2″][col size=”3″][/col][col size=”9″]

Château Sixtine White 2017
Région : Rhône Valley
Appellation: Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Grapes Varieties : 95% Roussanne – 5% Clairette
Degree : 14,5%
Yields : 32hl/ha
Wine Making : Reasoned culture principles. Traditional hand
picking into small crates. Using a sort table. Direct pressing. Fermentation and Aging in oak barrels, Aging on lees. Regular batonage.
Terroir : Sand and clay, clayish limestone.
Weather conditions: The winter of 2017 was characterized by a very cold January (the coldest in 5 years). The temperatures are then raised, to predict an early harvest. The summer months were very hot. The 2017 vintage is the second warmest in 20 years. The year was relatively dry, the vegetative period will have benefited from only 185 mm of precipitation against 360 mm in normal year. The grape harvests were therefore early, with exceptional health conditions, a particularly mild weather, and a beautiful late-season, which resulted in a little quantitative harvest of excellent quality.
Production : 2800 bottles (75cl).
Food matches : Aperitif, fish, seafood (scallops gratin), norway lobster, white meats, poultry, truffle dishes, asparagus tarts, goats
cheeses.
Ageing : Ageing from 2017 to 2030.

[/col][/row]

 

[row cols_nr=”2″][col size=”6″][/col][col size=”6″]Cuvée du Vatican Red 2016
Région : Rhône Valley.
Appellation: Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Grapes varieties : 65% Grenache – 25% Syrah – 10% Mourvèdre
Degrees : 15%
Yields: 32/35hl/ha
Wine making : Reasoned culture principles. Traditional hand picking into
small crates. Using a sort table. Destemming. Fermentation in thermo-regulated stainless steel vats. Classic winemaking. Aging in tanks and oak
barrels, light filtration.
Terroir : Sand and clay, clayish limestone, clayish limestone with rounded
pebbles.
Weather conditions : The winter of 2016 was mild, followed by a dry
spring and quite cool, the vineyard had to face a warmer summer
with several days when temperatures exceeded 35°C, including in
the month of September. A hot summer but not scorching heat, characterized at the veraison by thermal amplitudes between the day
and the night favorable. Ideal weather, the summer season was dry,
but the fine rains of September allowed the grapes to reach full
maturity.
Production : 30 000 bottles (75cl).
Food matches : Red meats, game, poultry, navarin of lamb, Mediterranean cooking.
Aging : Ageing from 2018 to 2033[/col][/row][row cols_nr=”2″][col size=”6″][/col][col size=”6″]Château Sixtine Red 2017
Région: Rhône Valley
Appellation: Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Grapes varieties: 50% Grenache – 30% Syrah – 20% Mourvèdre
Degree: 15,5%
Yields: 23hl/ha
Wine making: Reasoned culture principles. Traditional hand picking into
small crates. Using a sort table. Destemming. Fermentation in thermo-regulated stainless steel vats. Classic winemaking with punching and delestage. Aging in tanks and oak barrels, light filtration.
Terroir: Sand and clay, clayish limestone, clayish limestone with rounded
pebbles.
Weather conditions: The winter of 2017 was characterized by a very
cold January (the coldest in 5 years). The temperatures are then
raised, to predict an early harvest. The summer months were very
hot. The 2017 vintage is the second warmest in 20 years. The year
was relatively dry, the vegetative period will have benefited from
only 185 mm of precipitation against 360 mm in normal year. The
grape harvests were therefore early, with exceptional health conditions, a particularly mild weather, and a beautiful late-season, which
resulted in a little quantitative harvest of excellent quality.
Production: 29 600 bottles (75cl). 514 magnums (1,5L)
Food matches: Red meats, game, poultry, navarin of lamb, Mediterranean cooking.
Aging: Ageing from 2018 to 2035[/col][/row]

 

[row cols_nr=”2″][col size=”6″]

Content

[/col][col size=”6″]

Content

[/col][/row]

Château de Vaudieu

[row cols_nr=”2″][col size=”6″][/col][col size=”6″]

2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Val de Dieu is 64% Grenache, 28% Syrah, and 8% Mourvèdre.

AGE OF VINES40-70SOILSandy sandstone, sandy limestone, sandy clayALTITUDE100-110 metersFERMENTATIONHand harvested, destemmed, fermented in tronconic concrete tanks, 30 day maceration with delestage, remontage or pigeageAGING18 months in French oak barrel, 600L demi-muids (Grenache) and 228L barriques (Mourvedre & Syrah)[/col][/row]

Château La Nerthe

Château de la Gardine

Domaine la Boutinière

Domaine Pierre Usseglio

Chateauneuf-du-Pape White Wine Selection

NOTES

I did not take note of the vintner of the wine bottle that you ordered at Brooklyn Fare. Alyssa and I (who had a wine pairing) and you really liked that one. Brooklyn Fare does not publish their wine list, so I called. Running through our phone numbers, it was Alyssa who made the reservation. Looking at the bill, the wine was “Château de Tour.” I found “Château des Tours” (just the plural) (http://chateaurayas.fr/domainedestours.htm), which is very close to Châteauneuf du Pape, and offers a white, but the terroir is listed at a « Cotes-du-Rhone, not a Châteauneuf du Pape. The white offering of a sister winery (see website in French), Château Rayas, IS labelled as Châteauneuf du Pape. I’m thinking that this is your baby. Digging a little deeper on the website, the US distributor is located down the road from you, in Novato. I called them and ask for a retail outlet. They said that they do not get much Château Rayas, but will look around and email me. (“Did I have a particular vintage in mind?”) Possibly we can locate and try a white CNP from Château Rayas in the near term. /// Here’s what I got back “This is the only local account that has purchased Chateau Rayas whites in the past. I would also look on winesearcher.com. Porthos 4326 Redwood Hwy #300 San Rafael Sorry I wasn’t much help but as I said we really don’t get much of this wine. Good luck.” Sounds like a second-tier distributor to me. Boy, winesearcher.com sure has some stupidly priced wines. What end users buy at those prices? /// Translated French language comments at Google had me thinking that there must be a Château des Tours “reception” that is very warm and hearty, i.e., there must be a visit/ possible tasting deal available. But there’s not exactly a warm feeling here: https://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2014/10/10-things-every-wine-lover-should-know-about-chateau-rayas. Château Rayas phone is: +33(0)4 90 83 73 09. Maybe the personal tour person(s) will have special insight for us.

WOW! Look at this cool map I found along the way: http://www.europeancellars.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ChateauneufDuPape300dpi.jpg. I want a detailed print out. I’ll work on that.

I bought you three at Total Wine several weeks back, and requested that you take notes on the good and the meh. You reported that one was austere, i.e. not the kind of wine we like, but I don’t recall you sharing the name. I just made a special trip back to that store to see the names. I can’t confirm that these three are the ones that I bought for you, but last night they were selling:

· Domaine de la Presidente;

· Clos Saint Michel; and

· Domaine la Millière.

The sommelier at Providence made these suggestions:

· Beau Castel;

· La Nerthe;

· Vieux Télégraphe; and

· Clos du pape (but only for older vintages).

Some weeks back, you shared the results of some web surfing that you had done. The vintners (and URLs that you provided) were:

· Chateau La Nerthe (https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/rhone-wines-cote-rotie-hermitage-chateauneuf-du-pape/chateauneuf-du-pape-wine-producer-profiles/chateau-la-nerthe-chateauneuf-du-pape-rhone-wine/);

· Famille Brechet (http://www.famillebrechet.com/rhone-valley-wine-chateauneuf-du-pape-wine-tourism); and

· Château Fortia (https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/rhone-wines-cote-rotie-hermitage-chateauneuf-du-pape/chateauneuf-du-pape-wine-producer-profiles/chateau-fortia-chateauneuf-du-pape-rhone-wine/).

Very interesting, we (and the Providence sommelier) believed that white CNPs were chardonnay. Not so, according to the websites that you found. The white CNPs are blends, with Grenache Blanc and Roussane predominating; Clairette predominates in the Chateau Fortia white CNP offering.

Crispy Chicken Banh Mi Bowls

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Crispy pressure cooker chicken banh mi bowls! The chicken is quickly cooked in the pressure cooker and then we crisp it up under the broiler and serve it with rice, pickled veggies and sriracha mayo! It is so so good!

Source: LittleSpiceJar.com

INGREDIENTS:

FOR PICKLED VEGGIES:

  • 1/2 cup EACH: water AND rice vinegar
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 1/4 cup EACH daikon radish ribbons AND carrot ribbons (see notes)

FOR THE CHICKEN:

  • 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast (or thighs)
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 tablespoon EACH: sugar, sriracha, rice vinegar, lemongrass paste, AND fish sauce (see note)
  • 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 small onion, quartered
  • 1 jalapeño, sliced (seeds and ribs removed for less spicy)
  • 4 cloves garlic, pressed
  • 1/2 bunch cilantro leaves + stems
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil

BOWLS:

  • white rice or quinoa, sliced jalapeños, chopped cilantro, sliced cucumbers, sriracha mayo (see notes for recipe)

DIRECTIONS:

  1. PICKLED VEGGIES: In a medium bowl, whisk together the water, sugar, rice vinegar and salt until dissolved. Add veggies and allow to soak for at least 30 minutes and ideally for 1-2 hours, covered, in the refrigerator.
  2. CRISPY CHICKEN: Whisk together the sugar, sriracha, rice vinegar, lemongrass paste, and fish sauce with 2 tablespoons of water, and soy sauce in a bowl; set aside.
  3. Sprinkle the chicken with a pinch of salt and pepper on both sides. Heat the instant pot on the sauté setting. Add a quick swish of oil and sear the chicken breasts for a minute on each side. Remove chicken to a plate. Add the onions, garlic, jalapeños, and cilantro to the pot and let cook for 2 minutes stirring so nothing sticks.
  4. Add the chicken back into the pressure cooker and pour the prepared liquid on top. Cover, let pressure cook on the ‘chicken’ setting for 8-10 minutes depending on the size of the chicken breast. Allow the pressure to release naturally or turn to the ‘vent’ setting and allow it to vent completely before removing lid.
  5. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to the ‘broiler’ setting. Remove chicken breast to a flat surface and shred using 2 forks. Place in a large bowl and drizzle ¼ cup of cooking liquid and sesame oil over the chicken and toss to coat. Spread chicken out onto a baking sheet. Broil the chicken for 10-12 minutes stopping half way to toss the chicken and drizzle another 1-2 tablespoons of cooking liquid. Rotate the pan for even broiling.
  6. ASSEMBLE: Place the rice or quinoa in a bowl, top with crispy chicken, pickled veggies, sliced jalapeños, chopped cilantro, and drizzle with homemade sriracha sauce and a pinch of sesame seeds if desired.

NOTES:

  • To make the ribbons, use a regular vegetable peeler and peel the way you normally would, turning the vegetable slightly after every peel. You can also use a mandoline to make the ribbons or simply make circles. Thinly sliced daikon radishes + matchstick carrots would also work!
  • I found Lemongrass paste from Gourmet Garden in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Equal quantities of freshly minced lemongrass can also be used.
  • Fish sauce is optional. You can easily omit it from this recipe if you don’t care for the flavor.
  • To make your own sriracha mayo: combine 2-4 tablespoons of sriracha (depending on your spice preference) with 1/2 cup of mayonnaise and a pinch of garlic powder. Stir to combine. Pour into a squeeze bottle, it’s easier to serve that way!

Indian-Spiced Chicken and Cauliflower

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Spice up your usual chicken and veggies with a kick of Indian spices.
YIELDS:4
PREP TIME:0 hours 20 mins
TOTAL TIME:5 hours 20 mins

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp. tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp. ginger
  • 1 tbsp. curry powder
  • Kosher salt
  • pepper
  • 1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 small head cauliflower
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1/4 c. golden raisins
  • 1 c. long grain white rice
  • 1/2 c. cilantro
  • Greek yogurt
  • Lemon wedges

DIRECTIONS

In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, whisk together the tomatoes, tomato paste, ginger, curry powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Add the chicken, cauliflower, onion and raisins to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cook, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, 4 to 5 hours on high or 6 to 7 hours on low.
Twenty minutes before serving, cook the rice according to the package directions. Spoon the chicken mixture over the rice and top with the cilantro. Serve with yogurt and lemon wedges, if desired.

Butter Steak & Potatoes with Green Beans

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astIngredients

  • 1 lb Rib-eye steak
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 2-3 pads of butter
  • 1/2 lb red or Yukon potatoes, halved
  • 1/2 lb green beans, cleaned and trimmed

Method

Boil the halved potatoes until not quite fork tender. Drain and set aside.

Salt and pepper both sides of the rib-eye.

Heat a well oiled cast iron pan to med high.  Place the rib eye in the middle of the pan, flip every 30 seconds to a minute  After two or so flips, add the pads of butter to either side and between turns baste the steak in the melted butter.

Continue until both sides have browned and have developed a crust. For medium the crust should around the fatty sections and cover some of the meat but not all, for well-done the crust should be on most of the meat and all the fat is crispy. Test for doneness by lightly pressing down on the meat.  Medium will be firm on the edges and softer in the middle, well-done will be firm through out.

Remove the rib-eye from the pan, cover with foil and set aside to rest.

Place the boiled potatoes cut side down in the the pan around the edges. Cook the potatoes in the pan for about 3-4 mins then in the middle place the cleaned and trimmed green beans. Toss the beans in the oil and cook until the potatoes cut side is browned, total time for green beans should be no more than 2 minutes.

Remove all from the pan and serve.

Serves 2.