Simple French Toast

French toast made with sunflower seed wheat bread.

Slice:

2 pieces of bread.

In a wide, shallow bowl, mix with a fork:

2 eggs
2 T milk

Add bread, once piece at a time. Poke the bread with a fork to encourage the eggs to saturate the bread. Turn it over so both sides are covered and soaked through. 

Heat a little oil in a frying pan. When hot, turn the fire to low.

Add egg-soaked bread. Cover and cook until it is browned on the bottom. Remove lid, flip, and cook uncovered until browned.  

Serve with butter, and syrup, honey, jam, or whatever you like.

Naan

Place in a bread machine in this order:

290 ml water
1 T sugar
1 t salt
(2 T milk powder)
1½ T olive oil or butter
450 gm flour (bread flour or all-purpose flour)

Make a small well in the ingredients and pour in:

2 t yeast

Turn on dough cycle. When done, heat pizza stone under the grill in your oven. (Or you can cook it in a frying pan on the stove with a lid, but it doesn't turn out quite as nicely as when done in the oven.)

Using a handful of dough for each naan, press and spread on a lightly floured surface until it is your desired shape, less than 1 cm thick.

Dust pizza stone with a little coarse flour (like whole wheat, graham, or corn meal — whatever you have), and place one or two pieces of naan on it. If your naan has flour on it from being rolled out, that step may not be necessary. The point is, you don't want it to stick to the pizza stone. Grill for 4-5 minutes, until nicely browned on top. 

Gyoza

You will need:

1 pack gyoza wrappers (30)
150 gm minced meat (I used chicken as it is less fatty than beef or pork, but pork is generally used for gyoza.)
Vegetables
Cornstarch

If you have a food processor, this is very easy to make. You can use whatever mixture of vegetables and meat you like for the filling. These measurements are rough estimates to give you an idea. Finely mince:

¼ head cabbage 
1 carrot
2 shiitake mushrooms
2-3 cloves garlic
½ onion
2-3 green onions (You might want to mince these with a knife so they don't disintegrate in the food processor.)

Put the vegetables in a bowl, and thoroughly mix in:

150 gm minced meat
1 T ginger paste
1½ t cornstarch
1 t sesame oil
(a little salt and pepper)

Lay out the gyoza wrappers and a small dish of water. Put a small spoonful of filling in the center of a wrapper, dip your finger in the water and wet the edge area of half the wrapper, fold it over, and gently squeeze around the edges to seal the half-circle gyoza. Repeat until all the wrappers are filled. 

To cook, heat a little oil in a frying pan, then turn the heat to low. Lay the gyozas in a circle around the edge, overlapping slightly (or line them up in rows if you prefer). Add 2-3 T of boiling water. Cover. Steam until the pan is quiet. Lift the lid and check the bottoms. They should be brown and crunchy. If they aren't cook them a little more. All liquid should be evaporated.

Be sure the gyoza are not stuck to the pan, loosen with a spatula if necessary, and then place a plate over the top of the pan, and turn the gyoza onto the plate.

Serve with individual dishes of sauce, and put out rayu (chili oil) so people can add it to their sauce if they like.

Dipping sauces

A. My favorite:

¼ C soy sauce

¼ C apple cider vinegar (or 3 T rice vinegar)

¼ C freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

1-2 T sugar

1 T sesame oil

2 T freshly ground sesame seeds

1 T chopped green onions (negi)

B. Simple

¼ C soy sauce
¼ C rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
(chopped green onions)

C. Japanese

3 T soy sauce
2 T sake
1 T mirin
¼ t sesame oil

Tonkatsu (Breaded Pork Cutlets)

Cut off anything you don't want to eat from:

5 pork cutlets

Marinate them for 30 minutes or more in:

2 T sake
2 T soy sauce
2 minced cloves garlic

You will also need:

flour
cornstarch
2 eggs
panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
canola oil for frying

Put about ¼ C each of flour and cornstarch in a disposable plastic bag. Scramble the eggs in a bowl. Put about 1 C bread crumbs in a disposable plastic bag.

Take the cutlets one-by-one and first coat them with the flour/cornstarch, then dip them in the eggs - repeat this step (flour and egg) if you want to make the coating more crunchy - and finally coat them with bread crumbs. Push the bread crumbs on firmly so they stick. 

Heat about 1 cm of canola oil in a heavy bottomed frying pan. As always, the oil is hot enough when the ends of a wooden chopstick put into the oil bubbles. 

Carefully place a couple cutlets in the oil. When they are golden brown on the bottom, turn them carefully and brown the other side. Drain on a grill over newspaper. 

Serve with rice. These go nicely with Japanese curry, or sliced in an obento.

Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake

Chocolate cake, with mocha cream filling and vanilla cream frosting.

Preheat oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Line a 9X13" pan with parchment paper. You will need 4 bowls for making this cake.

Bowl #1 -

Melt over hot water:

2 oz unsweetened chocolate (approx. 60 grams)
(OR use 6 T cocoa powder + 2 T butter, no need to melt)
5 T boiling water

When the chocolate is melted and mixed with the water, set it aside to cool.

Bowl #2 -

You will need 1¾ C cake flour. I never use cake flour, instead I do the following:

Place in a 1 C measuring cup:

1 T + 2 t cornstarch, fill the rest of the 1 C measuring cup with all-purpose flour
¾ C flour

Sift flour/cornstarch together with:

3 t baking powder
¼ t salt

Bowl #3 -

Cream until soft:

½ C butter (110 gm)

Add and cream until light:

1 C sugar

Beat in:

4 egg yolks (Place the egg whites in a clean bowl for later.)

Add the cooled chocolate mixture. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 parts, alternating with:

½ C milk

Mix until smooth after each addition.

Add:

1 t vanilla

Bowl #4 -

Whip until stiff:

4 egg whites

Fold them into the cake batter.

Bake about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Be sure the cake is completely cooled before frosting.

To make the frosting, whip:

200 ml heavy cream
 
and add approximately:
 
1-2 T sugar
¼ t vanilla
 
For filling, separate a little of the cream, and add approximately:
 
2 t cocoa powder
1 T sugar
½ t Kahlua or other coffee liqueur
 
Those add-ins can be varied as you like. If you can prepare ahead of time, try this filling:

Mix together:

2 oz bittersweet baking chocolate - melted
1½ t butter
(2 T cocoa powder + 2 T sugar)
1 C whipping cream

Leave covered, in the fridge for several hours or overnight. Whip until stiff.

Chicken Tagine

Chicken and eggplant tagine with apricots and caramelized walnuts

Another amazing recipe from Marianne. Thank you!

Make marinade by blending together:

1-2 cloves garlic
1 handful fresh cilantro or ½ T dried cilantro
½ t dried ginger
½ t white pepper
½ t salt
1 T olive oil
1 t lime juice

Cut into quarters, and marinate for 2-3 hours:

3-4 chicken thighs or breast (preferably boneless)

Lay in a thin layer in a heavy-bottomed pan (or tagine pan, if you have one):

½ onion, thinly sliced

Place the chicken on top, and dot with:

½ T butter

Cover the pan tightly and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking, place in another pan and heat gently:

½ T butter
1 T honey

When that starts to bubble, add:

⅓ C walnuts

Stir around gently until the walnuts are caramelized, then place them on waxed paper or tinfoil. 

Using the same pan, add:

⅓ C water
1 T honey
⅓ C dried apricots
dash cinnamon

Bring to a gentle boil and allow the water to evaporate. Stir from time to time until the apricots are plump and the liquid in the pan becomes paste-like. Remove from heat and set aside.

Now, back to the chicken. At this point, you should see water in the chicken pan. Turn the chicken pieces, mixing up the onions and chicken so that the chicken is on the bottom of the pan. If anything sticks, add 1-2 T of water until it loosens. 

Add:

1-2 eggplants, sliced about twice the size of the chicken pieces

Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes. Add the apricots and extra liquid to the chicken/eggplant mixture. Cover and allow to cook for a couple more minutes. Add the caramelized walnuts. Toss throughout the pan thoroughly and let sit for another minute before turning the heat off. ;

Serve over couscous or saffron rice (saffron rice is my favorite).

Tiramisu

To make this, first set aside:

36-40 ladyfingers (If you need to make them, the recipe is at the bottom of the page.)

Mix in a bowl and set aside:

2 C espresso (It's OK if it's a little warm.)
1 T sugar
¼ C Baileys or other coffee liqueur

Place in the top of a double boiler and beat for 5 minutes or until tripled in volume:

4 egg yolks
½ C sugar
⅓ C Marsala wine, any dry sweet white wine, or sherry

Remove the bowl from the heat and add:

2½ C mascarpone cheese

Put in a clean bowl and beat until stiff peaks form:

1 C heavy cream

Mix carefully into the mascarpone mixture.

Now, to build your Tiramisu.

Use a large 9x3" glass pan or 8" square pan and start with a layer of ladyfingers. Dip the ladyfingers in the espresso mixture then layer into the bottom of the pan. Once the base is covered, add about ⅓ of the mascarpone mixture and smooth it out. Lay a second layer of dipped ladyfingers on the mascarpone then add a second batch of the mascarpone. You should have just about enough for a full three layers. Garnish it with some cocoa sprinkled on top.

Let the tiramisu set in the fridge for about an hour before serving. This can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Ladyfingers

5 large eggs
⅔ C white sugar
1 t vanilla
1 C of flour

¼ t salt
¼ t cream of tartar (if you have it)

Preheat oven to 200ºC (400ºF).

Separate the eggs, putting the whites into clean bowl. Set them aside. 

Beat the yolks and half of the sugar until they become thick and pale or about 5-10 minutes. Mix in the vanilla. Sift the flour over the yolks but don't fold it in.

Take the egg whites, and mix in the salt and cream of tartar (if you have it). Beat until peaks begin to form, then add the rest of the sugar a tablespoon at a time. Continue beating until the whites are glossy and fluffy.

Fold the whites into the yolk mixture in two batches carefully, so as to not deflate either side.

Put the batter in an icing flute (or a bag with a hole cut in one end) and squeeze tube shapes onto parchment paper about 1 inch apart. (They should be about the size and thickness of your middle finger.) 

Bake for 8 minutes, or until they are firm and light brown. Let them cool for a minute or so before removing them from the parchment paper. Cool on a wire rack for an hour. 

These will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week, or you can freeze them in an airtight freezer bag (separating the layers with parchment paper).

Pesto Chicken Pasta

Chicken

Cut in half horizontally:

2 chicken breasts

Place on parchment paper along with:

2-3 garlic cloves

Fold the parchment paper over on top of the chicken and garlic, and pound with a rolling pin until 1 cm thin.

Heat in a frying pan:

1 T olive oil

Spread the smashed garlic evenly on the chicken breasts. Cook the breasts until done on each side. Set the pan aside. When cool, cut into manageable slices.

Pesto Sauce

Place in a blender and mix until smooth:

¼ C walnuts (lightly roasted)
10 fresh basil leaves
1 clove garlic
1½ T olive oil
1 t lemon juice
½ t salt
¼ C pan drippings

Cook according to package instructions:

300-500 gm noodles

Drain and rinse briefly.  

Place the noodles back in the pan, pour on the pesto sauce and mix until all the noodles are coated. Serve on plates and top with chicken, pepper, and basil leaves.

Seaweed and Cucumber Salad

Slice very thinly:

1 cucumber (about 1 C)

Place in a bowl and sprinkle on:

¼ t salt 

Mix in the salt. Set aside for 20 minutes. Then drain and squeeze out the excess moisture.

Meanwhile, soak in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes or so:

2-3 T dried cut wakame (seaweed)

Drain and squeeze out all the water.

Mix in a small salad bowl:

1 T apple cider vinegar
1 t sugar
1½ t soy sauce 
¼ t sesame oil

Add the vegetables and mix. Serve right away, or store in the fridge for later.

Eggplant Tempura with Spicy Sauce

Soak in water for 10 minutes:

eggplant, sliced to your liking (3cm rounds, slices, whatever)

Remove from water and pat dry.

While the eggplant is soaking, mix the tempura batter:

⅓ C white flour
⅓ C cornstarch
⅓ C sake
enough ice water so the batter is the consistency of a thick white sauce

(The colder the batter, the crispier the tempura. Sometimes I mix in ice cubes until the correct consistency is reached.)

Heat in a heavy-bottomed pan:

Canola oil

When a drop of tempura batter placed in the oil bubbles and comes up to the surface immediately, the oil is hot enough. The oil should remain 170º-180ºC (340º-360ºF) throughout, so be careful not to add too many pieces at the same time as that will reduce the oil temperature.

Dip the eggplant pieces one at a time in the batter and deep fry until golden. Drain over newspaper. (Pat off excess oil with a paper towel.) Arrange on a serving plate.

Make the sauce in a microwave safe bowl:

1 t finely grated ginger
1 t finely grated garlic
¼ C soy sauce
¼ C mirin
1½ T sugar
1 t tobanjan (Chinese hot chili sauce)
2 T apple cider vinegar

Heat for 30-60 seconds in the microwave. Add:

1 T minced green onion (negi)

Pour over cooked eggplant. Serve.

This sauce can also be used for as a topping for tofu, fried fish, fried chicken, spring rolls, etc.