Spicy Lotus Root Pickles

Tags

appetizer, Asian, chili, lotus root, sesame, snack, spicy

A group of my friends and I have started a monthly get together where we try new cuisines. Last month was Dim Sum. We had tasty dumplings of conch, lamb, mushroom curry, and pearl balls. I made these spicy pickles to go along side. They were crispy, delicious, and packed a flavor punch. They were good with the dumplings but would be good alone, on a pickle tray, or with a refreshing light beer.

Spicy Lotus Root Pickles (From yireservation.com)

• 1lb lotus root
• 2 clove garlic, sliced
• 1 tbsp chili flakes
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp Chinese black vinegar
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• ½ tsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp chili oil
• Salt to taste
• Toasted sesame seeds and scallions for garnishing

On the stove, bring a pot of water to a boil. Peel the lotus root and slice thinly. I used a mandolin to get evenly thin slices. Add the lotus root to the boiling water and boil for 2 minutes. This helps remove the starchy, earthy taste. Drain in a colander.

In a skillet, combine 1 tbsp of neutral oil with the garlic and chili flakes and saute very gently for 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, and chili oil and warm through. Add the lotus root and toss to coat. Serve warm as an appetizer or chilled as a snack.

Start Your Morning With a Taste Bud Bang!

Tags

beverage, chili, cocktail, lime, mango, pepper, smoothie

Mangoes are on sale at my grocery and I bought way too many of them. Usually I just eat them plain or make them into salsa. I am needing some variety and this smoothie sounded like a wonderful breakfast. Add vodka and rim your glass with sugar for a cool treat on a hot summer afternoon.

Chili Lime Mango Smoothie (a variation of this recipe by Matchbox Kitchen)

• 1 mango, peeled and cubed
• 1/2 cup ice
• 1/2 cup limeade
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp paprika

In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend into a smooth puree. Add more pepper if you want it spicier but be careful, the heat builds up as you drink it. Serves 1.

Buffalo Chicken Chili

Tags

bar food, buffalo, chicken, chili, food, soup

We see that buffalo flavor everywhere these days. In bar food, in snack food, even a vegan cauliflower knock off of wings. It makes sense that a natural progression would be into chili. Or so I thought…

This recipe was a bomb. Not impressed at all. The flavors were scattered and did not come together cohesively. The hot sauce added a weird vinegar-y twang. The ground chicken had an odd flavor and texture. I was disappointed and frustrated that we wasted all this money on ingredients that were combined into a nearly inedible mess.

Buffalo Chicken Chili

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1/2 cup celery, sliced
• 1/2 cup carrots, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 cup beer or chicken broth
• 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1/2 cup hot sauce (or to taste)
• salt and pepper to taste
• crumbled blue cheese to taste

Brown the chicken in a large pan over medium heat; drain and set aside. Heat the oil in the pan and saute the onions, celery and carrots and cook until tender, about 10-15 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin and cook until fragrant. Add the beer and deglaze the pan. Add chicken, tomatoes, beans, paprika, oregano, cayenne and hot sauce and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve topped with crumbled blue cheese to taste. Serves 4.

Calamari with Chili Lime Mayo

Tags

appetizer, Calamari, chili, food, lime, seafood

I love that blogging has opened my culinary world up to so many new cuisines, cooking styles, techniques, and ingredients. One of my most favorite food blogs to follow is Cooking in Sens. It’s author is an American lady who now lives in France. She has posted some amazing things (like today’s post- Traditional Oeufs en Meurette from Burgandy) that I have never heard of! All of her instructions are easy to read and free of excessive/useless instructions. She also posts some more traditional recipes like today’s recipe- Calamari with Chili Lime Mayo. In the past, I have tried to make restaurant quality calamari with disappointing results. When I saw this recipe, I knew that it would successful. Sens never posts a poor quality recipe. As you can see below, the calamari was crispy, crunchy, tasty perfection.

Calamari with Chili Lime Mayo

• 1 lb calamari rings
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• Salt and pepper
• Oil (I used vegetable, Sens used peanut)

Beat the milk and egg together. Add the calamari rings and let sit for 5 minutes. Mix the flour, bread crumbs, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper in a Ziploc bag (makes clean-up super easy). Toss a few rings at a time in the flour mixture. Fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve with the Chili Lime Mayo below.

Chili Lime Mayo

• 1/4 cup of mayonnaise
• 1 tsp of Vietnamese garlic chilli sauce
• Juice from 1/2 lime
• Lime zest from the 1/2 lime used above

Combine all ingredients and chill until ready to serve.

Three Bean Chili

Tags

beans, chili, Dinner, Mexican, Supper, vegetarian

This recipe is a variation of one originally created by Rachel Ray. You don’t even miss the meat. The chili is hearty and the fiber from the beans helps you feel full longer. I enjoy my chili topped with cheddar cheese, sour cream, and black olives. Perfect on a day when the high is in the 20s.

Three Bean Chili

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large red pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 pablano peppers, roasted, skins removed, and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
• 1 cup pale beer
• 1 (32- ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (14-ounce) can black beans, rinsed
• 1 (14-ounce) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 cup spicy vegetarian refried beans

Over moderate heat, add oil to a deep pot and combine onion, peppers, and garlic. Saute for 3 to 5 minutes to soften vegetables. Deglaze pan with beer or broth, add tomatoes, black beans, red kidney beans, and stirring to combine.

Season chili with cumin, chili powder, hot sauce, and salt. Thicken chili by stirring in refried beans. Simmer over low heat about 5 to 10 minutes longer, then serve up bowls of chili and top with shredded cheese, scallions, and tomatoes. Place bowls on charger plates piled with assorted tortilla chips.

White Chicken Chili

Tags

chicken, chili, Dinner, Mexican, soup, Supper, white chicken chili

A couple of days ago a friend mentioned having some delicious white chicken chili. Up until that point I had forgotten about this recipe. Normally when I want chili, I just make regular chili. Today I was wanting something different.

This recipe is originally from a Family Circle magazine. According to the publishers, this recipe has only 330 calories per serving with the added bonus of being high in fiber (9g) and protein (33g). If you use low sodium broth and rinse the beans, you will significantly decreased the amount of sodium in the recipe. I love healthy and filling recipes that taste fantastic!

White Chicken Chili 

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs (I used breast)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 can (14oz) chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups tomatillo salsa (salsa verde)
• 2 cans great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 pkg (10oz) frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, for garnish
• 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese, for garnish

Place chicken in slow cooker and top with onion. In blender combine broth, salsa, and 1 can of beans (remember it is drained and rinsed). Puree until smooth. Add to slow cooker along with cumin and black pepper. Cover and cook for 6 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Uncover and remove chicken; allow to cool enough to shred without burning yourself. Stir in corn, remaining can of beans (still drained and rinsed), and cilantro. Shred chicken and add back to cooker. Serve with tortilla chips if desired. Serves 8.