Light Summer Fare

Last week I featured Udon Noodles with the Three Cup Chicken recipe. That, and a bit in the NY Times Food section, got me thinking about cold noodle “salads” which are common and popular in various parts of Asia. We're deep in the summer heat, as is most of the US, and I thought I'd share some light, cool summer dinner ideas with you.
 

Buckwheat Soba and Vegetables

Buckwheat, to some folks' surprise, is not related to wheat at all. It's not a grass. It's related to Sorrel, Knotweed and of all things Rhubarb! But it does produce very tasty seeds which are ground into flour and used in all sorts of dishes. It's a great substitute for folks on a gluten-free diet.

I like buckwheat noodles, especially the soba noodles made in Japan. So the other night when Sally was not home for dinner, I decided to create a cool recipe with chicken, mixed veg and soba.

The noodles take about 3 minutes in boiling water. Then drain and rinse in cool water. I cooked them first and put them in the fridge while I chopped up the veggies and sliced the half chicken breast.

The chicken had been cooked a day or so earlier and stored in the fridge, of course.

For this experiment I went with chopped raw vegetables – red bell pepper, English cucumber, green onion, and Jicama (it's Latin, not Asian, but goes well in all sorts of veggie dishes).

Put the drained noodles in a bowl and top with veggies and chicken. Really tasty, crunchy, and cool! Not to mention healthy. A serving of buckwheat soba is about 200 calories and the chicken about a hundred. Practically no count for the veggies, of course. Although I liked the dish, I thought it would be better with cooked, flavored vegetables, so I went to Phase II:

Cold Rice Noodle Stir Fry

These noodles are the kind used in Pad Thai. When uncooked they are sometimes called cellophane noodles. The thin ones remind me of hairbrush bristles. When deep-fried they puff up, turn white, and look like pipe cleaners!  The ones I chose for this dinner were more or less the size of Italian fettucini, and were boiled not deep fried.

Well, I say “boiled”, but in reality I simply used our HotPot to make a liter of boiling water in about 2 minutes, and poured the boiling water over the noodles. Then I waited about 5 minutes and drained them, ready to serve!

This time I stir fried the vegetables, including snow peas, celery, onion, mushrooms, bell pepper, carrot, cucumber and jicama. While they stir fried I added lots of flavor via a sauce made from low-sodium soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, rice wine vinegar and mirin (rice wine). Then I tossed everything together and put in in the fridge for an hour or so before Sally came home for dinner.

This dish was rated “make it again!” and the leftovers went in Sally's lunch the next day!

Either of these techniques (not really recipes are they?) can be used with other noodles, like Udon, or even Italian spagetti or fettucini!

 

Udon Noodles work well in cold noodle dishes

Turkey Rissole

It wasn't all noodles this week. I got these ground turkey patties (rissoles as the Brits call them), premade at the megamart, and wanted to do something other than the ubiquitous turkey-burger. So I dusted them with a bit of Ras el Hanut, Moroccan seasoning, and simply pan fried them. At the end of the fry up, I topped each rissole with a spoonful of the Spanish Salsa Verde that I made and wrote about a couple weeks back, in connection with the Mongetes bean recipe. On the side I served a large baked (microwaved) Yam.

Fast, easy, tasty, and doesn't over-heat the kitchen during the dog days of summer.

Mango Pico de Gallo

Pico de Gallo is a sort of relish often served as an accompaniment to Mexican dishes. I usually make a batch to put on tacos, so my guests don't have to dig into three or four bowls for taco toppings. This version, with mango, goes really well with fish tacos, which I made for Sunday brunch this week.

1 Roma Tomato, diced

1/2 cup diced Onion

1 filet of firm Mango, diced

1/4 of a red Jalapeño (milder than the green) veined, seeded and diced fine

1/8 cup Cilantro, chopped (unless you like more)

Juice of two Limes

Splash of White Wine Vinegar

Splash of Balsamic Vinegar

Mix it all together. Chill. Serve.

Jicama Carrot Slaw

Here's that jicama again. Cool, crisp, juicy and slightly sweet. This dish is a great substitute for 'ordinary' cole slaw, and makes a great side with fish tacos.

1 cup shredded Jicama

1 cup shredded Carrot

¼ cup thin sliced Red Onion

3 Tbsp Sweet Vidalia Onion Salad Dressing

Toss everything together to combine. Chill and serve.

Pan Asian Dinner and Cod with Chayote/Mirliton

My Pan Asian dinner features a classic main dish from Taiwan, traditional Japanese noodles, and a quintessential Korean melon for dessert.

San Bei Ji -- Three Cup Chicken (Taiwan)

Three “cups” = three main ingredients = sesame oil, soy sauce and rice wine. Even if you don't have a wok, you can cook this in a large skillet, very hot to start. Serves 4.

1-1/2 Lbs Chicken (boned thighs, preferred but can also use breasts) in bite sized pieces

1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced into strips or squares

1 tsp Red-Pepper Flakes

1” thumb of Ginger, sliced into coins, approximately 12

6 cloves of Garlic, peeled and sliced

4 whole Scallions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 Tbsp  Brown Sugar

1/4 cup Sesame Oil

1/4 cup Rice Wine – Sherry cooking wine

1/4 cup Soy Sauce

2 cups fresh Thai Basil leaves or regular basil leaves, whole

Heat a wok over high heat and add 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil. When the oil shimmers, add the ginger, garlic, scallions and peppers, and stir fry until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Scrape the aromatics over to the sides of the wok, add the remaining oil and allow to heat through. Add the chicken, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is browned and crisping at the edges, approximately 5 to 7 minutes.

Add the sugar and stir to combine.  Then add the rice wine and soy sauce, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the sauce has reduced and started to thicken, approximately 15 minutes. 

Turn off the heat, add the basil and stir to combine and wilt the herb.  Serve with white rice or noodles.

Udon

These Japanese wheat flour noodles, are often served cold in the summer, with a light broth and minimalist toppings. Here, though, I'm using them as a base for the San Bei Ji. 

Available in many megamarts and Asian markets, you can find udon fresh (in a chill case), dried (need to be re-constituted, or frozen (fresh then deep frozen). I prefer the fresh. Simply put the noodles, flavor base, and water in a pot and bring to a simmer for a few minutes.  Serve with or without the broth.  Udon in broth make a fine soup for lunches.  Just add a splash of toasted sesame oil and soy sauce.

Chamoe – Korean Melon

Similar in taste to Honeydew or Pear, this melon is a member of the cucurbit family – home to zucchini, cucumbers, watermelon, some squash, and gourds! You may find these small melons at your local farmer's market, but I found mine at a local Asian market.  Eat them when firm and crisp on the tongue.  A great summer delight!

Cod with Chayote

We love our Panko-crusted cod, but I wanted something lighter for a change, and chose to pan-poach the fish on slices of lime, dusted with a bit of fresh cracked black pepper and a pinch of paprika.

I wanted a light, mild accompaniment to the cod, and a BOGO on chayote caught my eye in the produce department at my megamart. Chayote is a mild squash, and this pear-sized squash, is also a member of the cucurbit family of plants. Chayote is a Spanish derivative of the Nahuatl (Aztec) word chayohtli. In the French-Creole patois of New Orleans, they call this squash Mirliton.

Very mild tasting, the squash has a long flat seed, easily removed when the squash is cut in half along the smile. From there it's easy to slice into strips or half moons (skin on) and either pan-fry or steam. I steamed my chayote and seasoned them with a bit of cumin and paprika.

Once upon many years ago I made a stuffed chayote dish, but can't for the life of me remember what it was...

Summer Salads, Handmade Marshmallows and more

Tuna Salad Salad

A perfect light dinner for a sultry summer evening. No stoves or ovens were heated to prepare this tasty and healthy dinner!!  Start with Tuna Salad (or Tuna Mayonnaise as the Brits call it) made your way – some folks use mayo, some use mustard, some Ranch Dressing.   Some folks add diced onion, or red bell peppers, or celery or shredded carrots. I like to make mine with celery, red bell pepper and bleu cheese dressing.   Always buy Solid White Albacore tuna, otherwise you're spending far too much money on fishy tasting water.

Chop up some lettuce. I prefer Romaine over watery old Iceberg, any day. Add some tomato wedges or cucumber slices, carrots, mushrooms, roasted sunflower seeds or croutons. Or all of the above.  Then a nice mound of the tuna salad.  Top with the dressing of your choice.

Floribeño Salad

What distinguishes a Florida Salad from others is the addition of fruit – usually citrus. Nuts of some kind (pecans down here in the South) are also a common addition.

For Sunday Brunch yesterday I made Tropical Chicken Breasts with two salads – Floribeño and the Olivje Russian Potato Salad I made a couple months back 

http://foodingaround-kiltedcook.blogspot.com/2016/03/asparagus-olivje-aubergine-brussels.html.

My Floribeño included mango instead of citrus, sunflower seeds instead of pecans, plus some fresh blueberries and raspberries.

Sunday Brunch:

Old Fashioned Marshmallows

I saw a Food Network episode awhile back which showed a candy shop making marshmallow by the foot. Looked so good I though I'd better try to make some. Many recipes call for a stand mixer, but you don't need one if you're willing to stand there for 10 minutes with a hand mixer. Easy, albeit a bit messy, these are fun to make, and can be decorated in a variety of ways as a desert. Clean up with hot water is easy too.  Here's the egg-less recipe I used -- there are a number of eggy or egg-less recipes out there in the Netiverse, takr your pick.  There are also recipes that use DIY cane syrup or even maple syrup rather than light corn syrup.  I may have to try that next.

3 cups White Sugar

1/4 cup Light Corn Syrup

2 packets Unflavored Gelatin

1/4 tsp Salt

1 cup of water, divided

3 Tbsp Vanilla, Lemon, or other flavor Extract

Confectioner's Sugar for dusting

Optional --  assorted 'toppings' such as crushed nuts, candy sprinkles, melted chocolate, toasted coconut, etc.

Thoroughly spray an 8x8 or 8x10 baking dish with no-stick.  I prefer Baker's Choicetm.

In 1/4 cup of water, 'bloom' the gelatin for at least 5 minutes. Meanwhile combine the sugar, syrup, salt and 3/4 cup of water in a large pot, and stir while bringing it to a boil. You'll want a deep pot because this stuff foams, and stirring doesn't knock the foam down...

After 5 minutes, add the thick gelatin bloom, and stir it to dissolve into the mix. Bring the temperature up to a hard boil, all the way to 234-240F on your instant-read or candy thermometer.

When you hit 234-240F, remove from the heat and immediately start to beat with your hand or stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Beat 10-12 minutes. About half way through the beating, add the flavor extract. When you get “stiff peaks”, quickly transfer the goo to your prepared pan, and smooth it down with a wet spatula.

Let the pan sit at least 4 hours before removing the marshmallow slab. Dust the top surface with confectioners sugar. Run a wet knife around the edges, gently lift out the slab, and lay it, powdered side down, on a cutting board. Use a wet knife to cut the slab into squares. Dust the squares with more confectioner's sugar and/or apply other toppings as desired. Store in an air tight container. They may not last long enough to get to the refrigerator...

Granted, mine didn't turn out as light and fluffy as a commercial 'mallows.   I didn't get as much air in the mix as I should have – I probably didn't whip fast enough, soon enough. Or I might have needed more or less gelatin. I will admit I forgot to put in that ¼ tsp of salt; which as Alton Brown reminded us in his road show last year, can have devastating effects in baking.

Still, they tasted really good. And they were 'marshmallowy' with a slightly stiff surface and a creamy soft interior. Sally said the texture of this batch reminded her marzipan.  The lemon extract really gave a “pop” to the flavor. This was simple enough that I'll be spending some time perfecting the recipe.

Rather than dipping or rolling my 'mallows', for Sunday Brunch's I made dessert in the form of skewers of 'mallow and pineapple-from-the-garden and mango-from-the-tree.

India's Grill

Local readers who enjoy good Indian food will be happy to find India's Grill, the new Indian restaurant on Hwy 41 in Fort Myers. The regular menu has an extensive selection of made-to-order appetizers, main dishes (vegetable, chicken, lamb and seafood), breads and rices, desserts and more.  

 If you swing by during the lunch hour you can also take advantage of a buffet bar that puts the venerable India Palace to shame. This lunch bar features a much wider variety of dishes, spice levels, and flavors than the IP. The huge heaping platter of Grilled Medley alone had over a dozen wonderfully different flavors enhancing the chicken and vegetables. If you like it hot, their Vindaloo dishes will light your fire. If you like it mild, they can accommodate you was well. Many people think that all Indian food is gratuitously hot. But India's Grill serves it up the way you like it!

Mango Madness!

It's Mango season once again here in south Florida, and Sally's tree has a plethora of yummy fruit this year. So I though it would be nice to recap for you faithful readers a bunch of our favorite mango recipes all in one place. 

Choose your mangoes to be soft to the touch, but not mushy. Mushy will work, especially for smoothies,  but they're much more of a mess to work with. On the other hand, if a mango doesn't give to finger pressure it's not ripe enough yet.

Mango Smoothie

Great for breakfast or as dessert on a hot summer's night.

1 Large Mango per two people (chilled)

3/4 Banana per two people

1/3 cup Greek yogurt per two people

Fresh grated Nutmeg to taste

Optional additives – flax seeds, whey powder, protein powder and/or other 'healthy' additions for a breakfast smoothie

Put everything but the nutmeg in a blender and take it for a whirrrr. When no longer lumpy, pour into tall glasses, and grate some fresh nutmeg on top. 

I moved this bit up to the top so that the picture is the one to appear on Facebook etc....

Mango in a Glass

This is the simplest, easiest way to de-construct a mango for use in just about everything.  Cut the "fillets' away from the central pit, and work the edge of a glass around to separate the meat from the skin.  Much better (and cheaper) than a uni-tasking mango-pitter.

Mango Hummus

Makes a tasty accompaniment for snacking on some of my chef-made crackers, and the two together are a perfect take-a-dish for a summer potluck.    A little sweet, a little tangy, a lot tasty. To avoid extra salt in your diet (a GOOD thing), buy dried chickpeas/garbanzos, and cook them up yourself according to package directions.

1 can chickpeas, about 1-1/2 cups home-cooked garbanzos

1/2 cup diced FIRM mango - save the thin soupy mango for a smoothie

1 clove garlic, minced

2 Tbsp Tahini

about 1/4 cup EVOO

Combine the first 4 ingredients in blender or food processor until it forms a thick paste. Drizzle the oil until you get the smooth consistency you prefer for your hummus. I usually use less than the listed amount of EVOO. Add a bit of fresh cracked black pepper for an additional tang to cut the sweetness, if desired. You could also add fresh grated nutmeg.

Mango Gazpacho

Chilled soups are wonderful for hot Florida summer meals.  Anything that we don't have to heat the oven or stovetop for.  This gazpacho is a great addition to your chilled soup repertoire!

3 cups Mango, chopped

1 English Cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped

1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped

1 cup Coconut Water, not Coconut Milk or Cream

1/2 cup Vegetable Broth

3/4" finger fresh Ginger, minced

1 tsp Curry Powder of choice

1/2 tsp Red Pepper flakes

1 Tbsp Cider Vinegar

2 Tbsp Mint, chopped, plus additional

S&P TT

In a blender, combine 1 cup of mango, half the cucumber, half the bell pepper, coconut milk, broth, ginger, curry powder and vinegar. Puree until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse a couple times to combine, but leave it somewhat chunky. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. When served, top with a chiffonade of additional mint.

Mango Pico de Gallo

This is a wonderful topping for fresh grilled white se fish of any kind -- Grouper, Hogfish, Sea Bass, you name it.  Also good on firm freshwater fish, pork sirloin steaks, pork chops, chicken breasts... you name it.  Pretty darn good as a torilla chip dip too!

1 Firm-ripe Mango, peeled, pitted and diced into about 1/4" cubes
3 Roma Tomatoes, diced 1/4"
1/2 medium White Onion, diced 1/4"
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 Jalapeno, seeded, veined and diced fine
juice of 1 Lemon

Toss everything to combine well, and allow to chill for at least an hour before serving. 

 

Mango Shrimp Salad and Mango Viniagrette

This recipe takes the mango into savory territory.

Salad
1 head Romaine, chopped
1/2 cup fresh Basil, julienned
4 Green Onions, sliced
6" Carrot, sliced into thin coins
6 each Red and Yellow Cherry Tomatoes
1 Mango, cubed

Make A nice bed of the chopped romine -- you can use any combination of lettuces/greens you like.  Then arrange the other ingredients so that they are showcased around the central mound.   That's where you'll plate the:

BBQ Shrimp
With the tails and shell on, saute the shrimp in a bit of oil, liberally sprinkled with a Cajun/Creole type seasoning. I prefer Evergladestm Original seasoning; or for more heat I use Tony Cachere's Creole Seasoningtm. If you want even spicier shrimp, peel them first - but leave the tails on for the look of things. Cook on med-high heat, just until they turn that beautiful orange. Don't overcook or else you're eating Creole-flavored rubber! Cool slightly and arrange the shrimp artistically on your plated salad.

Mango Vinaigrette
1 Mango, peeled, pitted and cubed
1/2 cup EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
1/2 cup white vinegar (I like Rice Wine Vinegar, but White Balsamic would also be good)
Pinch of Salt

Take the mango, salt, and vinegar for a spin in your blender. I like the Aerate setting as it gives the dressing some extra body and brings out the flavors. Gradually drizzle the EVOO into the spinning fruit vinegar so that it makes a strong emulsion. If you like a bit of heat against the sweetness, add a pinch of cayenne to the blender. I serve the vinaigrette alongside the salad so that diners can add as much or little as they prefer.

Mango and Forbidden Rice

What a delectable savory-sweet flavor combination. The color contrast is fabulous, and the combined taste is heavenly. Worth searching out and buying a bag of the sometimes hard to find rice.

I've made this as a sort of semi-sweet dessert. Just made up a batch of Forbidden (Black) rice, toss with cubes of mango, and serve warm with a splash of cream. You can also turn this into a cold salad by adding some combination of peanuts, cashews, cucumber cubes, mandarin wedges, colored bell pepper pieces, avocado cubes or slices, a little cilantro, etc.

Mango Jam

Simple, easy, and not terribly time consuming...  Almost as easy as my Ten Minute Marmalades!

I hate to see something as delectable as mango go to waste. Wind-fall, or squirrel-gnawed mangoes do not need to be thrown away. Cut out the bad bits, cut away the skin and pit, and you have a good source of mango for jam.

2-1/2 cups Mango meat

1 cup Sugar or Splendatm if you're trying to be good

Juice and zest of 1 Lemon

Put the ingredients in a food processor or blender and whirrr into a puree. Ladle into a pot and cook on medium (325F) for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low (200F) and continue cooking for another half an hour. I did this in my electric skillet, so I was able to use precise temperatures. Keep cooking until all the water is cooked off, the surface has a nice glossy sheen, and the puree has gotten thick. I ended up with about 1-1/2 cups of jam.

Spoon the jam into a freshly dishwasher-sterilized canning jar, and let it cool to room temp. before refrigerating. The jam will keep in the fridge until it's entirely consumed, or 3 months, whichever happens first!

Mango Brulee

You know you want one...

Mango

Brown Sugar or cane syrup

Nutmeg

Slice the fillets away from the pit, and slash the cut surfaces.  Lay on a baking sheet, sprinkle with brown sugar, and put them under the broilers for a couple minutes  until the sugar melts and starts to caramelize.

Mango Upside Down Cake

Not yo mamas pineapple-yellow cake thing with mango instead of pineapple (well.... sorta). 

 Why use that blah yellow cake mix when there so many other, better tasting, cakes out there. Like Spice Cake. Like Gingerbread. Like Devil's Food even.... Live dangerously, try one of the above. I KNOW you'll love it!

 Mango Upside Down Spice Cake

Mango Upside Down Gingerbread Cake