Stuffed Peppers - Hungarian Style

     

        One of my favorite experiences of living around the world has been to meet people from other countries, who love to cook. Yes, it was fun to talk to them of their different cultures, world-views, their families and interests but honestly, I was out for one thing.....their recipes!!  And if they loved to cook, I suspect their motives were the same in getting to know us, either that or they were ordered by their governments to do so!

       But truly we met so many delightful people from all over, some from places where you wouldn't expect them to be delightful but most often at least something from their country's cuisine was delightful to eat!  There was our Turkish friend and her incredible boreka, Italian friend with her Tuscan bean soup and her chicken roulade, our Israeli friend with her matzo ball soup, our Tunisian friend with her tajin malsouka, our Jordanian friend with everything Jordanian and our Hungarian friend with her stuffed peppers!   

       I'm sure we've all sampled stuffed peppers on some occasion in our eating careers, but these have been  my favorite with the high doses of paprika and served over mashed potatoes with a buttery chicken sauce (starch on starch - a winner from the get go).  I learned just this week that a green pepper has more Vitamin C than an orange - so there you go.  A truly delicious, flavorful power meal in one dish! If Reka were here now, I'm sure she'd be pleased that I shared her recipe....but she would expect one of my American ones back as payment!  Only fair.

Hungarian Stuffed Peppers

1 cup white rice                                                                           

6 bell peppers, any color

1 tablespoon oil

1 pound ground beef

1 onion

3 cloves garlic

1 cup diced, canned tomatoes with 1/2 cup juice

1/2 cup minced parsley

3 tablespoons sweet paprika 

          (or some hot paprika if you prefer)

3 cups fluffy mashed potatoes (recipe below)

1 shallot, peeled and finely minced

1/4 cup butter

3 tablespoons flour

2 cups chicken stock

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

     -Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Par cook rice by covering with 1 1/2 cups water, bring to boil and cover.  Continue to cook over low heat for 8 minutes.  Drain rice and set aside.

      -Slice the stem end off of each pepper and remove the stems, ribs and seeds.  Fill a baking dish with 1/2 inch of water and place peppers upside down in pan.  Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and remove foil.

       -Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and saute onion, 3 -4 minutes until soft.  Add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper and 1 1/2 tablespoons paprika.  Break down beef and continue to cook with onion until beef is cooked through and browned.  Add garlic and continue to cook 1 minute more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and drain off fat.  Return skillet to heat and stir in tomatoes and juice, par-cooked rice, 1/4 cup parsley and check for salt and pepper.  Heat through for 1 minute as you combine the ingredients.

       -Turn oven down to 350 degrees.  Place the peppers upright in the baking dish and sprinkle inside of peppers lightly with salt and pepper.  Fill each pepper with beef filling to within about 1/2 inch of top pressing lightly.  Cover with foil and continue to bake 30 minutes.  Remove foil and cook another 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and cover again with foil to keep warm.  Set aside.

       -While peppers are cooking, prepare sauce by melting butter in a medium saucepan.  Add shallot and saute about 5 minutes, over medium heat, until shallots are soft.  Stir in flour and cook over medium-high heat for a minute or two.  Slowly whisk in the 2 cups of chicken stock and cook over medium heat until sauce comes to a boil and thickens.  Stir in 1 1/2 tablespoons paprika, lemon juice and taste for salt and pepper.  Add the rest of the parsley.

       -To serve, spread hot mashed potatoes over the bottom of a serving platter that has curved edges.  Nestle the stuffed peppers in among the potatoes and then drizzle with the sauce.  Serve extra sauce alongside in a gravy boat.  Serve warm.

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Fluffy Mashed Potatoes

6 potatoes (Yukon gold or russet)

1 cup milk, half and half, cream or buttermilk (depending on taste and calorie count desired)

1/2 cup butter

Salt and pepper to taste

     -Peel the potatoes and cut into quarters.  (For very large potatoes,

       cut into 6 pieces.)

     -Place in a large pot. Cover the potatoes with warm water.  Add 1

       tablespoon salt.  Cover the pot with a lid and bring the water to a

       boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium low.

     -Simmer until potatoes are tender - about 30 minutes.  Insert a fork 

       into a potato to test doneness.  The fork should meet no resistance.

       Give the potatoes more time to cook if they aren't done.  Once 

       potatoes are done, remove from heat and drain immediately.

     -Return the potatoes to the pot and heat over medium-high heat for

       about a minute to cook off any excess water.  This will ensure that

       your mash won't be too watery.  Stir gently until until potatoes are

       dry, and edges look white and flaky.  Remove from heat.

     -Meanwhile, heat the butter and cream (milk, half & half, etc) in a

       small saucepan at a low temp.  Mash the potatoes with a potato

       masher or potato ricer and ensure that all lumps are broken up

       and the potatoes are completely broken apart.  Drizzle half of the

       hot butter mixture and stir in gently.  Add the remaining butter

       mixture and whip with a wooden spoon or whisk vigorously just 

       until the mash is smooth and fluffy. Be careful not to overbeat as

       potatoes may become gluey.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

       (If potatoes are too thick, add a bit more milk.)

      -Serve warm with extra butter on top and sprinkled with chopped

       parsley and/or paprika. (Other herbs and spices can be added 

       while whipping, such as chopped chives, Parmesan cheese, 

       crumbled bacon, roasted garlic, chopped scallions or creamed 

       leeks, shredded cheese or whatever sounds delicious to 

       you!)

    

Peppercorn Crusted Salmon with Wine & Butter Sauce

 

       Now, this is a special one - my favorite salmon recipe of all time!  I am a salmon-lover.  In fact, I get frustrated with myself while eating out, I always gravitate to the salmon offering and almost have to be ripped away from that section of the menu to try new things!  But it wasn't always so.....I was a sworn fish-hater growing up.  The only thing I knew about fish in landlocked Utah was frozen fish sticks and an occasional rainbow trout - the trout was okay but gagging on tiny fishbones was not and I declared I did not like fish.  Yes, we had the Great Salt Lake nearby but the only thing fished from that lake is salt,

       Fast forward to years lived on Puget Sound in Washington State.  Still not convinced, I was horrified when friends brought 2 large freshly caught salmon to our door.  They were quickly dispatched to the bathtub and I told my husband he would have to deal with them.  I don't think they were ever cooked and I still regret that oversight.

       My conversion took place on Blake Island, off of Seattle, at TillicumVillage.  I went with a group of Mexican foreign exchange students that I was in charge of and the menu had one main dish - salmon.  It was grilled over alder wood and served on wooden planks and it only took one bite to convert me. I was in love!  Oh, what I had been missing all my life.  

       From there I went out of my way to find salmon recipes and am still trying to perfect cooking it to the perfect degree of doneness that many restaurants are able to achieve.  But this recipe, which wandered into my home in the pages of a cooking magazine (I've now forgotten which) caught my attention by the addition of the crushed peppercorns and the brine marinade.

       It became a staple on my entertainment table and received raves from those that weren't as suspicious of salmon as I had been.  I have probably prepared it 50 times and find it to be predictably delicious every time.  Over the years I made a few changes to the recipe but found that it was best left pretty much alone.  The salty brine with the liquid smoke, tenderize the salmon, and the honey and crushed peppercorn spread on top create a contrast and depth of flavors - smoky, salty, peppery are intriguing by themselves but the addition of the wine, shallot, butter sauce raise it to pure indulgence.

       This is one to add to your elegant recipes and to the fish section of your recipe files......which section I didn't have until age 32!  If you need to convert anyone to fish, this recipe might be just the missionary you need!

Peppercorn-Crusted Salmon

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup packed brown sugar

3 tablespoons coarse salt

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

4 1/2 tablespoons mixed peppercorns

1 tablespoon liquid smoke flavoring

1 teaspoon whole allspice, or 3/4 teaspoon ground

2 pounds whole salmon fillet

3 tablespoons honey

chopped fresh dill for garnish

Sauce:

     1 cup dry white wine

     1 shallot, finely minced

     2 tablespoon wine vinegar

     1/2 cup whipping cream

     6 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

     1/2 tablespoon flour

     salt & pepper to taste

     For Salmon: Mix water, brown sugar, salt, ginger,

          allspice, peppercorns and liquid smoke in  

          medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until 

          sugar dissolves. Simmer 10 minutes.  Cool 

          completely.

    Place salmon in large glass baking dish.  Pour

          brine over.  Cover and refrigerate 6 - 8 hours,

          turning occasionally.

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Remove salmon 

          from brine and pat dry.  Arrange salmon on

         large, well-greased or oiled baking sheet. Strain

         brine into heavy medium saucepan.  Place all

         peppercorns in plastic bag.  Using rolling pin

         or bottom of heavy saucepan, coarsely crush

         peppercorns.  Add back to brine and simmer

         over medium heat for 15 minutes.  Strain, 

         reserving peppercorns.  Discard brine.

    Spread top of salmon fillet with honey.  Divide

          peppercorn mixture over honey, pressing

          gently to adhere.  Bake salmon until cooked

          through, about 20 minutes.

    Meanwhile prepare sauce:  Combine wine, shallot

         and vinegar in heavy smalls saucepan.  Boil 

         until liquid is reduced to half, about 10 minutes            Add cream and boil until liquid is reduced to

         1/4 cup, about 8 minutes.  Remove from heat.

         Place 1 tablespoon butter in a small bowl and

         smash flour into it with a fork until it makes a 

         paste.  Add to sauce then gradually add rest of 

         the butter, whisking just until melted and sauce

         has thickened.  Season sauce to taste with salt &

         pepper.

   Transfer salmon to large serving platter. Pour 

         sauce around salmon or serve on the side in a

         small pitcher.  Garnish with dill sprigs, cherry 

         tomatoes and lemon slices.   Serves 10 - 12.  

Soak salmon fillet in brine solution

 for several hours.

Wine, butter sauce adds a delectable richness.

PERSNICKETY  NOTES:

**I like to use Costco's skinned salmon fillets for this dish.  Skinned fish

    allows the brine marinade to permeate both sides and makes it easier

    for guests to eat.

**If you like the look of a very smooth sauce, food process the shallots 

    into the mixture before adding the cream.

**I usually add a bed of a few long tapered greens like Romaine to the

    platter and place the salmon on it.

**Let the salmon rest 5 - 6 minutes before removing from the baking 

    sheet.  Then use 2 wide spatulas to carefully move the fish to the

    serving tray, making it less likely that it will break.  If it does break

    garnish away!

Herbed Breadstick Witch's Fingers

 

        Halloween parties can be so much fun and were a family tradition

when our children were growing up.  Come to our house and eat warm but scary sweets and savories to reward your trick or treating efforts!  Most of the children were already full from eating candy by the time they arrived but the adults were grateful for the spicy chili, with floating plastic eyeballs in it, the cheese and vegetable dips with plastic lizards and frogs climbing about and the gnarly witch-finger herbed breadsticks, so realistic looking that the older generation had to be careful not to put their own fingers too close to the serving platter!

        What fun we all had making the dishes and table look as creepy as possible and defying guests to reach in among the fingers and reptiles to take what they wanted to eat.  These breadsticks are so much fun to make and children love to help shape them.  My grandchildren use my own fingers as their model and gnarl the dough to create knobs and swollen knuckles to achieve a witchy look.  And the almond finger-nail!

If that weren't enough, the Italian herbed dough is soft and fragrant, a perfect accompaniment to chili or marinara sauce, or ranch dip or cheese dip - great with anything that is a friend to bread, though perhaps not to witch's fingers!  

Herbed Breadstick Witch Fingers

1 tablespoon (1 pkg.) active dry yeast

1/4 cup lukewarm water

4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup soft butter

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup warm water

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 egg beaten

1 tablespoon crushed basil

1 tablespoon crushed oregano

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon dried parsley

2 tablespoon minced dried onions

whole almond slices

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon paprika

     -Combine yeast with lukewarm water and allow to

       stand 10 minutes. Add butter, milk, water, sugar,

       salt, egg and spices.  Mix in 2  cups flour and beat

       well.  Add the rest of the flour.  Knead for 6 - 8

       minutes with a dough hook on mixer or by hand

       on floured surface.  Place in oiled bowl, turn over

       so dough is covered with oil and cover with

       plastic wrap or towel and let rise in a warm spot

       for 1 1/2 hours.

     -Push down dough and knead for a minute or so.

      Working with half the dough at a time, roll dough

      into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick.  Allow to 

      rest  for 5 minutes.  Cut strips of dough, finger-

      size, about 3/4 inch wide and 4 inches long.  Roll

      each finger strip between your fingers to create

      knobs and indentations in the "fingers".

     -Place finger strips on greased cookie sheet.  Shape

      one end to a point and brush with a bit of  egg 

      white to help the "finger nail" adhere.  Press a

      whole almond slice into the end of the finger. 

      With a sharp knife, score knuckle creases at 2 

      points on the finger.  Brush the breadsticks with 

      melted butter.  Combine Parmesan cheese and

      paprika and sprinkle breadsticks lightly with 

      finely grated parmesan cheese.

     -Let rise 15 minutes at room temperature.  Bake in

      a 375 degree oven until slightly browned, 15 - 20

      minutes. Let cool and serve with chili, chili dip or 

      spicy marinara sauce.   

Roll out the dough to 1/4 - 1/2 inch thickness.

Cut into thin strips 4 - 5 inches long.

Create gnarly fingers, by twisting or pushing,

brush with melted butter and sprinkle with

 Parmesan cheese and paprika.  Let rise 15 minutes.

PERSNICKETY  NOTES:

**Try coloring the dough a dark green by adding a drop of black food coloring and a few drops of green to make them particularly ghoulish.

**A great way to get the effect of gnarly witchy fingers, is to push each

end of the length of dough toward each other, which naturally creates wrinkles and misshapen fingers!

**Why stop here?  Try making actual "finger" sandwiches, slicing

the fingers in half and filling with chicken salad, cream cheese and cucumbers or pimento cheese!

Cincinnati Chili Dip

        Whether you make this recipe as a dip or entree for dinner, the collection of spices used will cover your countertop!  Yes, there are the typical chili seasonings including chili powder, cumin, red pepper but why stop there, particularly if you enjoy depths of flavor from multiple spices!  Or so thought, as the story goes, a couple of men from the Middle East who immigrated to Ohio and concocted this recipe.  Why stop with Mexican seasonings when Middle Eastern spices can add a delicious spin to the classic - so in went the cinnamon, allspice, and chocolate!  

        Oddly enough, it was not in Cincinnati that I first tasted this chili.  In fact, I thought it was unique to Amman, Jordan having first encountered it there in a restaurant called "Chili House".  Yes, we immediately liked the chili but this was also one of the few places in town that served a hamburger that tasted as it should, minus the cinnamon and allspice they add to every other meat dish.  In fact, as in

Cincinnati, they served the chili 5 ways - most over a pile of spaghetti.  My husband's favorite was the 5-ways chili which included chopped raw onions and cheese.  Myself and the kids honed in on the chili fries - crispy fried french fries covered with the chili and mounded with shredded cheddar.  Then there was the slushy machine.....the only one we knew of in Jordan.

         It may have been a debate over how much cinnamon to add to the mixture that caused the split between the owners and in later decades there were Chili House restaurants as well as Chili Ways, both of which tasted the same to me.

        Upon visiting my brother in Cincinnati I first discovered that someone had let the cat out of the bag or the spices out of the cupboard because we found ourselves eating 5-ways chili and chili fries!  Which came first, the chicken or the egg seemed appropriate to our musings as we wondered who started it where.  But I like the version of the two men coming from the Middle East and cooking in Cincinnati then returning home to Jordan and introducing the same recipe there.  But most of all I'm so relieved to find it in the states and even more so upon finding a recipe for it.  Every time I eat it the warmth of all those seasonings purr to me from among the mounds of cheese and fries!  This dip version makes it more accessible for sampling at parties and to take to potlucks and the cream cheese adds another layer of satisfaction to the concoction. (Oh, and the finger in the picture is not mine, but a breadstick witch finger - what fun for Halloween!)

Cincinnati Chili Dip:

1-6 ounce can tomato paste

2 medium onions, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 pounds, 80% fat ground beef

4 cups beef broth

1 - 15 ounce can tomato sauce

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 teaspoons salt, or to taste

1 teaspoon round cinnamon

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons water

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

2 tablespoons vinegar

3 tablespoons chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon flour

pepper to taste

12 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 - 3 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese

chips or crackers to serve with dip

      -In a medium skillet, over medium-high heat, add

       the tomato paste and cook constantly scraping

       the bottom with a wooden spoon until the tomato

       smells rich and toasty and you start to see 

       browned patches in the bottom of the pan (2 - 3

       minutes).  Scrape out paste with rubber spatula

       into a bowl and set aside.

     -In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat 

      and add onion and garlic.  Cook and stir just until

      softened (2-3 minutes).  Add the ground beef and

      cook until just browned, breaking up lumps, then 

      drain off fat.  Add 4 cups beef broth, tomato

      sauce, Worcestershrie sauce, reserved tomato 

      paste, cinnamon and allspice.  Cook over low heat

      for 30 minutes.

     -In a small bowl, make a thin paste with the chili

      powder, cayenne, cumin, flour and 2 tab. water.

      Add to the beef mixture and stir well.  Add bay 

      leaf, ground cloves, vinegar, cocoa mixed with the

      1 tablespoon oil, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil.

      Reduce heat, cover and simmer for at least 1 hour

      stirring occasionally.  Add more water if chili 

      becomes too thick and begins to stick to bottom of

      the pot.  Taste for seasoning for salt and pepper.

     -To assemble dip:  Beat cream cheese with fork

       until soft enough to spread then spread on 

       bottom of 8 x 10" ovenproof casserole dish. 

       Spread 21/2 - 3 cups warm chili over cream

       cheese and top generously with grated cheddar

       cheese.  Heat in oven at 350 degrees until cheese 

       on top begins to melt and softens (about 10 

       minutes.)  Serve with chips, crackers or

       breadsticks.

Spread softened cream cheese over 

bottom of casserole dish.

                                               Pour chili over cream cheese layer.

Mound with cheddar cheese & bake.

 

Perfect Pumpkin Cupcakes

 

        I know I should be careful using the term "perfect" but so these cupcakes are according to my palette and opinion of what a pumpkin cupcake should taste like!  Or cake for that matter.  Now, I am no novice to autumn spices used in pumpkin breads, cakes, pies, soups, stews so I speak from extensive pumpkin-tasting experience.  Upon discovering this recipe I also came to appreciate Chinese 5-Spice powder and how it works in concert with pumpkin and fall!  And then to top that off with a French white chocolate buttercream, which complements the moist crumb of the cake with buttery, melt-away sweetness....ahhh!  In all honesty, I had to sit down while sampling my first one this season, overcome by the "umami" and with self-deprecating honesty, I did not eat just one!  

        My favorite pumpkin story occurred in Tunis, Tunisia where we lived for two years.  Now in those days, the 80s, the only pumpkins you found in the states were the traditional fat round orange ones.  But those didn't exist in Tunisia.  In fact, one year I had to use various melons which we found don't carve well.  But being determined to have a jack-o-lantern for our poor culturally deprived children, the next year we eventually found a pumpkin (pale green with streaks of peach). Yes, they had them but they were large, the wrong color and grown exclusively for their meaty flesh to be used in stews and ragouts.  

         Tunisians used them like we use a hubbard or acorn squash and hadn't visualized them as lanterns with scowling, grinning features.  At least the vegetable merchant didn't get it and we had to repeat several times that yes, we wanted the whole thing. which necessitated a jaunt to the meat market where the scale was big enough to weigh "the whole thing."  ("Crazy Americans!"). 

        This, the smallest of the pumpkins, 2 feet in diameter, weighed in at 50 pounds. One of my favorite images is that of my husband hauling it to the car, with Tunisians watching curiously after him.  But there was carving fun for all and it held several pillar candles.  Another perk - I cooked down the 4-inch flesh the next day to use as pumpkin pie filling - something else we couldn't find there, so it took care of two holiday traditions! 

        Speaking of traditions, these cupcakes may become one for you!  Put this recipe on the top of your list of pumpkin sweets to make - I can't imagine you'd be sorry, even if you had to haul a 50-pound pumpkin for the required ingredient.  Maybe that's what I should have done after the number of these cupcakes I ate!

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

3 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter at room temperature

2 cups packed, brown sugar

3 large eggs at room temperature

1 15 ounce can solid pack pumpkin

1/3 cup whole milk

     -Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 18 cupcake

      tins with paper liners.

     -Whisk flour, baking powder and soda, Chinese 5-

       spice powder and salt together in large bowl.  

       Using electric mixer, beat butter in another bowl 

       until smooth.  Add brown sugar and continue to

       beat until creamy.  Add eggs 1 at a time beating to

       blend between each egg. Beat in pumpkin.  Add 

       half the dry ingredient to the butter mixture then

       the milk, then the other half of the dry  

       ingredients. (Mix just until smooth)

       Scoop batter into cupcake liners, filling each 

       3/4s full.

      -Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into a center

       comes out clean, about 25 minutes.  Cool in pans

       for 5 minutes, then remove from tins and cool 

       completely on wire rack.

French White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:

5 ounces white chocolate

3 egg yolks

1/2 pound butter

1/4 cup water

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla or orange extract

     -Place the chocolate in a small bowl and melt it in

       the microwave at full power for 40 seconds.  Let it

       rest for 2 minutes then give it another 30 seconds

       at full power in the microwave.  Let it rest

       another 2 minutes.  Stir the chocolate until it is 

       completely melted.  (If it isn't all melted continue

       the technique above until it is smooth after 

       stirring). Let cool for at least 10 minutes but not 

       until it is hard again.

     -Combine the 1/3 cup sugar and water in a small

       saucepan.  Stir briefly.  Boil, without stirring,

       until the syrup reaches the softball stage (236-

       238 degrees) on candy thermometer.  Remove

       from the heat.

     -Place the 3 egg yolks in a mixing bowl and beat 

       with an electric mixer for 5 minutes, until thick 

       and pale yellow.  As the mixer is running pour the

       hot sugar syrup over the yolks a few drops at a 

       time while beating at medium speed, gradually 

       increasing to a thin stream to temper the eggs. 

       (Do not scrape out the syrup from the saucepan.)

       Increase speed to high and beat for 5 minutes, 

       until mixture is thick and pale yellow.

     -Reduce speed to low and add the 1/2 pound 

       butter, a chunk at a time.  Beat until the mixture

       is smooth.  Add the melted chocolate to the 

       buttercream and beat again until smooth.  Stir in

       the extract.

     -Frost tops of cooled cupcakes generously with 

       buttercream.  Decorate with orange sugar, 

       sprinkle of cinnamon and/or candy corn.  

PERSNICKETY  NOTES:

    **This recipe can also be made as a cake.  If making layers cook the batter in 2 well-greased and floured 9 - 10 inch cake pans.  Cool completely, then slice in half-horizontally to create 4 layers of cake.  If using the buttercream frosting make 1 1/2 recipes then frost between each layer and generously on the top and to cover the sides (or leave the sides naked if you prefer.)

     **The French Buttercream is wonderful with melted dark, semi-sweet or milk

chocolate as well, for frosting cupcakes, cakes, buche de noel, etc.

      **You may want to increase the buttercream recipe to 1 1/2 recipes in order to have

a thicker layer of frosting on each cupcake.

Chicken and Peanuts

          All the world loves Chinese food, except for my sister who lived in Shanghai for 4 years where she ate the real thing.  Well at least all the world loves adapting Chinese food!  Even in Jordan, some of our favorite restaurants were Taiwan Turismo or China King, until we consistently found "slug" listed as one of the ingredients in most of the dishes.

        A Chinese cooking class I took years ago, demonstrated this recipe and I was thrilled - finally a Chinese dish made at home that tasted as good as Chinese take-out!  The secret is in the process (velvetizing) and the use of a couple of ingredients that most of us don't commonly keep in our condiment collection. One is the Hoisin sauce, a thick sweet and tangy sauce made from soybean and the other the sesame oil.  The sesame oil can elevate any Chinese dish to more authentic flavor - but be careful, a little goes a long way.  Most recipes don't call for more than a couple of teaspoons.

       Not only is this dish delicious, tangy yet sweet, with tender chicken and the crunch of the stir-fried cabbage, green onions and nuts, but it is easy and quick! Chopping of ingredients ahead of time, and preparing the seasoning sauce even days ahead, can cut done on the final prep time.

       Give this one a try - your family is sure to love it, and it's great for company and never fails to impress.  I've never met anyone who didn't like it, except for my sister.  But she has too many memories of gnawing on tough slugs!  Serves 8.

Chicken with Peanuts

4 chicken breasts, skinned boned and cut into 1 inch portions

3 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons white wine or Mirin wine

1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2/3 cups coarsely chopped peanuts (or cashews or almonds)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 green onions, cut in into 1/2 inch lengths, white and greens

3 cups roughly chopped green cabbage

oil for frying

Seasoning Sauce:

•        4 tablespoons sugar               
•        1/2 teaspoon salt
•        5 tablespoons rice or wine vinegar
•        4 tablespoons soy sauce
•        1 tablespoon cornstarch
•        dash of red pepper or szechaun pepper (to taste)
•        11/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

      -Mix seasoning sauce and set aside.  Add half of the sliced            green onions. Place diced chicken in a bowl.  Add                          soy sauce, wine, cornstarch, sesame oil and mix well.  Marinate for 20 minutes.  Add 1 tablespoon oil.  Heat 1 cup oil in medium skillet and fry chicken in batches until opaque then    remove and drain in a colander set over a mixing bowl, to          catch the drippings.  Repeat with the remaining chicken.

      -In a wok or large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil.  Stir fry                cabbage for 2-3 minutes stirring frequently.  Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Transfer cabbage to a serving platter.

       -Heat the wok again and add chicken and drippings.  Add            the seasoning sauce and stir-fry until chicken is well                    coated with the sauce.  Add 1/2 cup peanuts and stir.  Spoon                    on top of cabbage.  Garnish with reserved green                            onions and chopped peanuts.

 

Stir chicken with sauce until well coated.

Stir-fry cabbage 2 - 3 minutes over medium-high heat.

A tangy, sweet dish, with tender chicken chunks and 

crunchy onions and peanuts.

PERSNICKETY  NOTES:

**This recipe is equally delicious with cashews or almonds.

**Don't cook the chicken until it is brown, just until it is opaque.  This process of marinating briefly in the cornstarch mixture and then frying in oil in batches is called "velvetizing" the chicken.  It makes the chicken very tender and allows it to hold in the moisture and seasonings from the marinade. Don't cook the chicken in the oil until it is browned, but just until opaque or you will sacrifice the tender, silky texture.  Let the sauce provide the color.

**Likewise, don't over saute the cabbage.  It should still have a crunch to it and have a bright green color.

**You can find Hoisin sauce, Mirin and sesame oil in the Asian section of most grocery stores.