Pre-Chinese New Year of the Horse menu in photos: Egg Drop soup; Moo Goo Gai Pan; Mongolian Style Meatballs, Ginger fried rice: Steamed carrots and asparagus; Berry Cobblers; and over 20 color photos of today's delivery menu

These 2 egg drop soup with bok choy & rice wine

These 2 tomato and noodle soup Minestrone style

Chicken broth with broccoli and later will top with own grown bean sprouts

Turkey a la Bolognaise sauce ( some clients have opted for the Italian menu today)

The Broccoli-Chicken soup topped with own grown bean sprouts

Moo Goo Gai Pan to be topped with water chestnuts and jicama

Ginger-vegetable "stir steamed" Fried rice..cook the veggies in a little oil, add the cooked and dried rice, and add fresh chicken broth

Mongolian style meatballs, with Hoisin sauce, soy sauce, vegetables, ginger and chili sauce..saute first then bake in tomato-chicken broth and serve with noodles (to be cooked at client's home)

Vegetable and rice pancakes with dark soy sauce, served with a tomato-eggplant sauce

Fresh strawberries in their juice for the Berry Cobblers

Moo Goo Gai Pan..ready for delivery

Mongolian style meat balls ready for delivery

Steamed Carrots and Asparagus

The eggplant & tomato sauce for the rice pancakes

Slow roasted chicken with rosemary and 5 spice powder

Berry Cobbler

Wishing you a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year, tomorrow Jan 31st
                             Year of the Horse

Egg Drop Soup; Minestrone; Broccoli & Chicken soup; Moo Goo Gai Pan style chicken; Mogolian Style meatballs and fried rice; Vegetable and Rice Pancakes, Spaghetti-Bolognaise - Asian-Italian Fusion Menu for day before Year of the Horse

Lots of dishes here to whet any appetite, and all the soups are based on own made chicken broth, this is the prep. so far, more photos tomorrow

Moo Goo Gai Pan Style Chicken & mushrooms (this dish is usually stir fried, I have stir steamed it adding sherry and own made chicken broth), & oyster sauce and tomorrow will add water chestnuts & Jicama

Egg Drop soup with bok choy

Pasta sauce base

Minestrone finished with fresh basil and olive oil

Ground turkey and mushrooms for the 'bolognaise"

Mongolian style turkey meatball mix with cooked carrots, onions, scallions, celery, hoisin sauce..served tomorrow in tomato sauce with fried rice

Chicken and broccoli soup will be topped with sesame oil and own grown sprouts

Turkey Bolognaise sauce

Chicken & broccoli soup

Some of my clients can't tolerate ginger so they are having the Italian dishes, and keeping the menu noodleified with pasta..long noodles = long life

SUCCULENT LAMB IN GARLIC MARINADE..GREAT RECIPE

This is not the "trendy pink" lamb, but  a luscious and very tender way to cook lamb, chicken or pork.
The meat should fall off the bone and be sweet and garlicky, and you will notice no salt is added.
Salt on raw meat causes it to bleed and lose precious moisture and flavors, soy sauce and lemon adds any salt like flavor.

2 X 2-3 pound shoulders of lamb boned and fat trimmed
OR 1 x4pound chicken "butterflied..back removed and flattened
OR 1/2 pork shoulder,( 4 pounds) fat trimmed and bones removed

Feeds 6-8

12 cloves garlic thinly sliced

Using  a sharp paring knife make small holes in the lamb and poke slivers of garlic into them allover the meat.
Place the meat in a large bowl and cover with the marinade.
Seal and refrigerate overnight.


The Marinade:
in a processor bowl:

2 cups onions
2 tbsp fresh lemon zest
2 tbsp dried basil
2tbsp dried oregano
1 cup olive oil
1 cup apple juice

process well. almost to a paste.

Next day:

preheat oven 400f


In a roasting pan with a grid/wire rack, lay the marinaded soaked meat skin side up.
Add 3 cups hot stock/water to the roasting pan so the meat steam roasts
Roast for 20  mins at 400f
Turn oven down to 350F and bake/roast for 20 mins per pound. ( butterflied chicken 15 mins per pound)

In a heavy bottomed saucepan, heat the marinade to boiling for 5 mins, adding 1/4 light soy sauce and 1 cup chicken stock .
keep warm and baste the meat with this every 30 mins.using a spoon or brush.

The meat should be fork tender .

Remove from oven and wait 15-20 mins to serve..any meat juices and left over marinade should be combined and brought to boil before serving with the meat.
This meat is too tender to carve in usual way
 Serve with pasta, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, steamed veggies or salads
 

BEEF KEBABS WITH "FIRE & ICE" DIPPING SAUCES..GREAT RECIPES

This is great for a summer BBQ or even a great fireside dinner in the middle of winter..BBQ on skewers over open fire in Summer and baked without skewers in oven in middle of winter.
Serve with green salad, steamed whole grains and you have a great dinner for 4



1 pound ground beef ( may also use pork, turkey, chicken, veal)
8ozs sausage meat ( if using chicken sausage meat add 1 tbsp olive oil to the mix)
1 cup minced onion
4 cloves garlic smashed and  minced
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon (zest first then juice)
2 tsp either dried or fresh herbs of choice, sage, basil, rosemary, thyme,oregano, OR mint.
1/2 cup cooked steamed grains cold (rice, millet, quinoa, & etc.)
1tbsp tomato paste
1 cup minced parsley or cilantro
1 large egg beaten

Mix everything  well together, using clean hands, in a large bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Also soak 20 wooden skewers overnight in cold water..hold them down with a weight so they are completely submerged.

Next day,: allow 2 tbsp per kebab, shape into a sausage shape and skewer well.
SUMMER
Cook over medium heat until browned all over and cooked through.

WINTER BAKE IN PREHEATED 375F (TOP SHELF) OVEN ON  WIRE & A LINED COOKIE SHEET  OR GRILLPAN
Also in Winter for baking there is no need to bother with the skewers , just bake as for sausages and serve with steamed vegetables and steamed grains or baked potatoes

Serve with salad, more grains and dipping sauces

FIRE DIPPING SAUCE:

3 Tbsp orange marmalade or apricot jam
1 chopped chipotle pepper or 1 tsp chili flakes
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1 tsp grated ginger root
heat everything together on low heat until well blended



ICE DIPPING SAUCE

1/4 cup mint or apple jelly
2tbsp chopped mint
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup shredded cucumber
sea salt and pepper

Melt the jelly over heat , allow to cool slightly then stir in the cucumber, season with salt & pepper and add the yogurt and fresh mint..serve cold

TGGD RECIPE :Gluten-Free Moussaka..Step By step Photographs

ENSURE THAT ALL THE VEGETABLES ARE PREPARED AS FOR TGGD 

This, as you can imagine, is a very tasty and vegetable-meat filled dish.
The recipe feeds 4-6 And as with true Moussaka it DOES NOT CONTAIN CHEESE, American Restaurants have a tendency to put cheese in everything.


1 pound lean ground meat 
( beef/veal/pork/dark meat chicken or turkey.
Traditionally it is made with lamb)...

if making it Vegetarian use 1/2 pound tempeh, (boil in salted water for 30 mins, cool, rinse in cold water and crumble before using in the recipe)

2 cups finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped carrots
1 cup finely minced celery 
3 cloves garlic smashed and minced
2tbsp neutral oil ( sunflower. safflower etc.)

3 cups 1/4 inch sliced waxy potatoes (red and white in USA are fine)  

2 globe eggplants cut in 1/4 inch slices (slice and place in a colander and sprinkle with salt, leave for 1 hour then wash well and drain)

 Dried thyme salt & pepper

 Fresh minced rosemary ( optional)
Ground nutmeg
 2 cups milk ( nut milk is fine)
cornstarch ( trad. flour is used with butter to make a roux and then bechamel..I am cooking for Gluten-free folk)

 2 tsp ground paprika
 1 cup chopped peeled tomatoes or canned
 3 cups beef or chicken stock,  MADE AS IN TGGD red/white wine (optional)

 The meat and vegetable sauce:
Saute the meat in batches in the oil in a  heavy skillet.. Remove & set aside 

COOK the onions, celery and carrots As in TGGD, then add this to a heavy bottomed saucepan, add the meat and saute for 3 mins, adding the garlic, paprika and 2tsp dried thyme (or fresh rosemary minced)
De glaze with the wine.
Cover with hot stock,and tomatoes and bring to boil
Simmer on med high heat for 45 mins until the meat is tender...and the liquid has reduced by 2/3.
Season with salt and pepper.
Set aside ( I like to cook mine the day before so there flavors in the meat and vegetable sauce can develop store when cold in the fridge.)


To assemble the dish

Boil the potato slices* in salted water until just cooked, drain well and set aside

Bake the eggplant slices on a greased cookie sheet in a 400f oven until lightly browned, on one side only.  remove and allow to cool down.

Bring the milk to a rolling boil, add 1 tsp thyme, 2 more cloves garlic smashed and minced, 1 tsp ground nutmeg and mix 2tsp cornstarch with a little more cold milk and add to the boiling mix...you may have to add more cornstarch and milk to get a sauce the thickness of double cream.
remove from heat.

In a medium bowl , beat a large egg(room temp.) very well, and whisking slowly add the warm sauce  ( go slow so that the eggs don't scramble).

In a large deep ovenproof dish (souffle dishes are good for this), grease well.
Then place a layer of the warmed  meat and vegetable sauce, top with cooked eggplant, another layer of sauce, topped with layers of potatoes overlapping..repeat this and end with potatoes.

Top the potatoes with the egg and milk sauce ( bechamel) and bake, on a cookie sheet, in a 350F oven for 30-45 mins until golden and bubbling.
remove from oven and wait 10 mins before serving as contents will be boiling hot.

* for smaller dishes I add the potatoes to the meat sauce as it cooks then just layer with the baked eggplants.

TOSTADA PLATTER-Tostada Compuesta...recipe for a Fiesta at home

This is a fantastic dish for parties especially great with kids...everyone make their own tostada filling..sort of a crispy Mexican Pizza.
Also great for Adults with ice cold beer

Serves 6

1 pound ground beef OR pork, OR lamb, OR chicken,OR  turkey, OR tempeh*
2 cups chicken/beef stock or water
1 cup minced onion
4 cloves garlic smashed and minced
1 tsp chili powder (or for adults, 2 chipotle peppers minced)
1 cup cut green beans..blanched
1 cup cooked beans ( pinto, black beans, chickpeas,OR  red kidney beans)

Neutral cooking oil for frying
12 x 8-10 inch flour tortillas



all served in bowls to accompany this dish:
2 fresh limes cut in 1/4's
2 cups chopped tomatoes
2 cups shredded lettuce
2 cups shredded melting cheese
1 cup chopped radish
1 cup mashed avocado
1 cup minced cilantro
1 cum  minced scallions
1 cup shredded carrot
1 cup sour cream
2 cups salsa
2 cups roasted salted nuts


 method:

In a large saucepan  add 2 tbsp oil and saute the meat until it is no longer pink.
Remove to a dish
Saute the garlic and onion in the same oil, adding the chili powder and 1/2 tsp salt. Cook for 3 mins then add the warmed stock.
Add the sauteed meat, and cooked dried beans and bring to boil, simmer for 30 mins or until meat is tender and liquid has reduced by 2/3.
Add the blanched green beans and simmer 5 mins check seasonings.
Keep warm on low simmer.

In a large skillet add oil to depth of 1/2 inch and fry each tortilla in very hot oil for 30 secs. each side or until crisp and golden, drain on wire rack/paper towels.
keep warm wrapped in foil in a 250F oven.

Serve on warm plates, 1 cooked tortilla topped with the meat mix, and allow folks to add whatever toppings they like.


* tempeh...cook the tempeh in boiling salted water for 30 mins.
Drain then allow to cool...the tempeh will then crumble and be able to make into the sauce as with using raw meat, using just 1 cup vegetable broth or water.

TGGD Chicken With Peanut Mole Sauce RECIPE..HEARTY AND SPICY..Pollo en Mole de Cacahuate

This is simple and wonderful.
A great way to spice meals up mid week

feeds 6-8 persons with steamed rice or boiled potatoes

1 x 4 pound stewing chicken cut into segments drums sticks, thighs, breast & winglet
8 cups water/chicken stock

1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped onion
SEE TGGD FOR THE SIZE OF THE VEGETABLES
 
1/2 cup minced parsley

6 roasted tomatoes..halve and place on a greased cookie sheet and bake in 400f oven for 20-30 mins until skin chars, remove and allow to cool, remove skins
2 chipotle pepper minced
2 tbsp adobe sauce
2 slices white bread torn
2 tbsp creamy peanut butter (or any roasted nut butter)
4 whole cloves
3 whole black peppercorns
1/2inch stick cinnamon
3 cloves garlic smashed minced


Method:
 Place the chicken pieces in a large saucepan of Dutch oven and cover with water.
Add celery, carrots, onion, parsley and salt & pepper to taste.
Bring to boil and cover, simmer for 2 -2 1/2 hours or until chicken is tender.
Remove from heat and place the cooked chicken pieces in bowl while your strain the chicken stock, and skim off the fat.

Reserve 2 cups stock for the sauce and store the remaining broth for another dish.


The Mole de cacahuate:

In a blender, the chicken broth, roasted tomatoes, chipotle, bread and peanut butter and adobe sauce..blend until smooth .
Strain into a saucepan.
In a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, crush the cloves, peppercorns and cinnamon stick to a fine powder.
Add this to the sauce and add the garlic.
Bring ot a boil then reduce heat down to simmer and cook for 20 mins, or until thickened, stirring often.

Spoon the mole sauce over the chicken pieces, cover and bake in 350F oven for 30-40 mins until bubbling hot.
Serve with steamed rice and grilled vegetables