Green Beans with Sesame Dressing (Ingen no goma-ae) | #JapaneseHomeCooking

I used to believe that Japanese was somewhat of an elusive entity to me; it existed, but just beyond my realm of understanding. I've made a few Japanese recipes over the years, almost always something very basic. But here's the thing I've started to realize—Japanese cooking isn't as out of reach as it sometimes seems.

Like anything, a solid knowledge and skill base builds a foundation and unclouds vision. That's what (Iron) Chef Masaharu Morimoto offers up in his new cookbook, Mastering the Art of Japanese Home Cooking. While admitting that this book does not, and could not, contain "every dish in the Japanese grandmother's repertoire", it does feature ones that he whip up in your kitchen if he could...his favorites.

Stovetop Green Bean Casserole

When I sit down to plan our Thanksgiving menu, I start out by making a list of dishes down the left side of my paper. Most are very distinct, so I only leave room for the name of one dish to be written beside it. Others are more a category than a dish, so I leave room for two or three options. Without fail, this is how my menu planning begins:

• Turkey
• Gravy
• Stuffing
• Potato
• Sweet Potato
• Cranberry Sauce
• Side Dishes
• Bread/Rolls
• Desserts
• Drinks

The History of (and 18 Variations on) the Classic Green Bean Casserole Recipe

Did you know that this year marks the 60th anniversary of the classic Green Bean Casserole? It was originally developed in 1955 in the Campell's Kitchens by Dorcas Reilly and a team of home economists as an "easy recipe featuring a few simple ingredients", and known as Green Bean Bake. Apparently it caught on, because today, over 20 million households make green bean casserole and Campbell's receives over 10,000 requests for the recipe every year.

Given that fact, it probably doesn't come as much of a surprise to hear that 25-30% of all Campbell's Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup is sold in the month of November. Last year, the green bean casserole page on the Campell's website received 722,052 page views on Thanksgiving day alone!

Chicken Scaloppine w/ Bacon

Juicy chicken infused with the flavors of bacon and garlic. The end.

Okay, not the end - but it would totally be enough said, don't you think? I mean, maybe I could just say...

Both this juicy chicken and the tender-crisp bed of green beans it is perched on are infused with the flavors of bacon, garlic, and white wine . The end.

I don't know about you, but either of those sentences would send me flying to the dinner table. The same is true for my family. This is such an incredibly simple meal. I mean, four ingredients (plus a little salt and pepper). Five ingredients if you count the green beans, which are a side dish and entirely optional. I recommend just thinking of them as part of the process. I mean, swirling them around in the bacony sauce that smothers everything is a blissful bit of magic all in itself.

Szechuan Green Beans with Ground Pork

You know those days when sports and homework,  after-school activities and working late, favorite tv shows and a lonely book are all vying for that same coveted evening time slot? You mean every night? Well, I think it's essential to have a good dozen 30-minute meals in your back pocket. At least.

I'm talking in addition to refrigerator soup omelets and stir-fry. Let's call them "back pocket meals". Meals that don't require much thought. Meals that don't require you to consult a mil-long recipe and a laundry list of ingredients. Meals that don't add any stress to your already insane day.

This is one of those meals. Put it in your back pocket.

Roasted Green Beans w/ Pistou {food 'n flix: A Good Year}

What would you do if your favorite uncle, from whom you were estranged, passed away and left you a beautiful chateau in Provence?  That is exactly the "predicament" that Max Skinner, a powerful London investment trader found himself in.  Growing up, Uncle Henry was Max's favorite person to be around. He spent time with him in France, learning life lessons sampling the wine of the land.  But Max grew up and grew away, choosing to live in the city and value money, power, (local) fame; basically, he liked a fast life.

Having just made a questionable "play" on the market, Max's best friend and lawyer, Charlie, encourages him to take a few days to fly to France and settle his affairs.  Max is determined to get in, prepare for the sale of the chateau, the land, the vines, and get out in a manner of days.  But life never goes according to plan now, does it?

Fate steps in and slowly starts to crumble Max's well-laid plans.  Memories of his youth that happened within 100 feet of where he is now standing.  And of course, there is a love story; trying to win the heart of the beautiful woman that you (unknowingly) almost killed.  There's also a wrench thrown into his plans when Henry's illegitimate daughter shows up looking for him, and Max suddenly has family again.

Ejotes con Huevo {she made, ella hace}

It was TWO YEARS ago this month that Leslie and I decided to head into our kitchens/cocinas together (yet separately) on a regular basis for she made, ella hace!   Our very first endeavor was baking up Conchas.  We've chosen so many different ingredients and dishes since then, and when trying to decide what was worthy of an anniversary, Leslie came up with a brilliant idea.  She suggested that we each make something from the other one's blog!

So yes, genius.  But then came the hard part - narrowing the list of delicious food of Leslie's that I've bookmarked, pinned, and pined after over the years!   Can I just tell you, it was not an easy task.

But I did manage to decide on one certain dish.  My favorite kind of food...food fueled by memory...food fueled by love.  I don't care if it's the simplest dish in the world, or one with days-worth of steps, those recipes always turn out to be the best.  I chose Leslie's Ejotes con Huevo.

Now, having a full-blooded Mexican for a husband, I couldn't believe that I'd never tried Ejotes con Huevo before.  I mean, I am always asking him to tell me stories of the food he ate as a kid.  But even the tiniest whisper of this dish has never passed through his lips.

He was home from work the morning that I decided to make them for a late breakfast.  When I told him what I was making, he nodded.  I asked him if he'd ever eaten Ejotes con Huevo before.  He said yes. 

 "Well, why haven't you ever told me about them!?" 

 "I haven't thought of them in a long time; I'd forgotten about them, really."

I think he gets exasperated with me sometimes.  He's all "just because I'm Mexican doesn't mean that I've tried everything you can pronounce in Spanish".  Or you know, he tells me that with his eyes.

So making this dish sparked a little nostalgia for him, and lit a full-blown raging fire for me.  I mean, it's a simple dish.  And while I never would have thought that green beans and eggs went so well together - they totally do!

Through heaping tortillas-full, I declared that these were officially being made at least once a month.  Maybe more.

Are you wondering which dish of mine that Leslie chose?  I knew you were.  She went with my Tortas con Chile Colorado...and oh, how I wish that I could scoot my butt on down to Mexico and enjoy one with her!  We'd have two of the days meals covered...

Ejotes con Huevo (Green Bean Scramble)

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Keywords: breakfast vegetarian nut-free soy-free sugar-free eggs green beans Mexican

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1/2 of a small red onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
• 1 large, ripe tomato, chopped
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can whole green beans, beans cut in half
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

to serve (optional)

• warm tortillas
• queso fresco, crumbled
• salsa

Instructions

Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium cast-iron (or other non-stick) skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, jalapeño, tomato, a pinch of salt, and a few grates of pepper; cook until just soft, 3-4 minutes.

Add green beans and cook, stirring, until heated through, another minute or so. Reduce heat to medium-low.

Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and the beaten eggs; cook, stirring constantly, until the eggs are done to your liking.

Serve immediately topped with queso fresco and salsa, if you wish - preferably scooped up with warm tortillas.

   note:
You could use ~2 cups of fresh, blanched green beans that have been cut into 2" pieces in place of the canned green beans, if you'd rather.  And yes, I use (and prefer) fresh ones in most applications...but in this dish, there's just something so delicious about using the canned variety.  Entirely up to personal preference.

slightly adapted from La Cocina de Leslie

What happens when two American girls who are both married to Mexican guys find out that although one of them lives in the U.S. and one of them lives in Mexico, they both love eating the same food?  Well, naturally they decide to get "together" the only way they can and cook up the same dishes.  Or perhaps take the same ingredients and talking about them in their own voice or using them in their own way. 

Leslie and I have teamed up to occasionally cook/bake/make a our own versions of the same food.  We want to see how similar (or how different) they turn out.  Other times we will pick an ingredient and use it however we choose...or maybe just talk about it.  Good food knows no borders and we hope to share the food we love with you.  It's not a competition, it's a showcase.  We will post on the same day as each other and would love to hear your thoughts on what we've made and how you make it. 

Join me (here at girlichef) and Leslie in her kitchen (at La Cocina de Leslie) for some delicious food.

Caldo de Res ...or is it Mole de Olla!? {Red Chile Beef Soup w/ Vegetables}

Caldo de Res and Mole de Olla are not necessarily the same thing.  But since dishes vary from region to region, sometimes they can overlap.  The recipe that I based this Caldo de Res on was actually labeled Mole de Olla.  But mi esposo and local Mexican friends tell me NO!  It's not Mole de Olla, it's Caldo de Res.  Confused much?  I asked hubby just what the difference is...and he says he doesn't really know.  I tried researching it a bit, but when I find pictures or descriptions of one or the other, they somewhat overlap.  Perhaps some regions leave the chiles out of their Caldo de Res?*  Perhaps some leave it out of their Olla de Mole?  After a few hours of hair pulling and trying to figure out here from there, I just gave in and decided it could be either-or.  I really do think it boils down to who is making it.  Methods seems to vary from region to region, city to city, family to family, and cook to cook.

When I talked about the different types of moles the other day, I mentioned that although not a sauce, Mole de Olla still qualifies as a mole in the broader sense of its original meaning of stew or sauce.  Looking at the meaning of the terms...Olla is actually the name of the pot that something is (traditionally) cooked in ...a tall, narrow earthenware pot.  So, originally...a soupy mole that simmered in an olla.  A caldo is basically a soup or broth.  So...a meaty broth in this case, if you will.

Yeah.  I'm still not any closer to deciphering the two.  I'd love to hear your thoughts on either.  If you've tried them.  If you make them.  What is your version, or the version you know you like?  And if you know the region of Mexico your version came from, I'd love to know that as well.  No matter the name, this is a rich, brothy soup laden with meat, chile, and veggies that is sure to satisfy.

Caldo de Res (or Mole de Olla)

Red Chile Beef Soup w/ Vegetables

inspired by & adapted from Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen

yield: ~3 quarts

1 lb. boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 1½" chunks

1½ lb. oxtails, in 2" pcs.

~1 tsp. sea salt

2 small white onions, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 bay leaves

¼ tsp. ground cumin

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

⅛ tsp. ground cloves

~¾ oz. dried guajillo chiles, seeded & stemmed

~¾ oz. dried ancho chiles, seeded & stemmed

1 medium, very ripe tomato

small handful cilantro (or 5 sprigs epazote)

2 large carrots, sliced ¼" thick

2 medium zucchini, ½" dice

2 ears corn, husked & cut into 1" sections

4 oz. fresh green beans, snipped & halved

for serving:

white onion, finely diced

lime wedges

Place the meat in a large (should hold at least 6 quarts) soup pot or Dutch oven with 3 quarts of cold water.  Bring to a bowl, skimming of any gray scum/foam that rises to the top (these are the impurities and you don't want them in your soup).  Once the water is boiling, put heat on medium-low.  After the scum has all been skimmed off add salt, onion, garlic, bay leaves, cumin, pepper, and cloves to the pot.  Partially cover the pot and simmer it for ~1½ hours.  

While the broth is gently bubbling, rip the chiles open and toast them on a heavy skillet over medium heat for just a few seconds per side.  Place in a bowl and cover with very hot water.  Put a plate on top to keep the chiles submerged and let them sit for ~30 minutes.   Add chiles to the jar of a blender along with the tomato and 3 Tbs. of water.  Process until very smooth.  Strain through a medium-mesh sieve into a small bowl and set aside.

After the hour and a half is up, skim as much fat from the top of the broth as you can.  Stir in the chile puree and the cilantro (or epazote).  Partially cover again and simmer gently for another 30 minutes.

Uncover the pot and turn up the heat to medium-high.  Add the veggies and cook until just tender, ~10 minutes.  Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.

Ladle the soup into bowls, making sure to put some of everything in each bowl.  Pass the diced onion and lime wedges for everybody to add to their bowls as they like.

*Update: ...and yes, I'm told that Caldos usually are just the broth, without chile.  When you add chiles, it turns into the Mole.  Although, I'm guessing it has evolved over generations, like in my hubby's (and many others) family.  He grew up with chiles in his Caldo de Res.  But I do believe to be technically correct, without chile equals caldo and with equals mole. 

Today is the 3 year anniversary of Souper Sundays which is hosted weekly by my friend Deb of Kahakai Kitchen.  Be sure to head over there this evening and check out all of the wonderful soups (plus salads and sandwiches) she's rounding up for this celebration!

I am sharing this post with:

50 Women Game-Changers (in Food): #15 Sheila Lukins & Julee Rosso - Salad Niçoise

In May '11, Gourmet posted a list of 50 Women Game-Changers (in Food) that runs the gamut from food writers to cookbook authors to television personalities to restauranteurs to chefs to food bloggers.  Some are a given.  Some are controversial.  Speaking the names of some brings fond childhood memories.  Speaking the names of others will make some readers cringe.  And of course, some of our favorites were not even included.  We food-lovers are a passionate bunch of people and whether we agree or disagree, every woman on this list has earned her place for a reason.  Being a woman who is passionate about food (cooking, eating, talking about, writing about, photographing), when I caught wind of Mary from One Perfect Bite's idea of cooking/blogging her way through each of these 50 women...one per week...I knew I wanted to join her.  Many of these women paved the way for us in culinary school, in the kitchen, in cookbooks, in food writing, and on television and I think it is a fabulous way to pay tribute to their efforts.  Some of the women on the list have been tops with me for years.  Some I have heard of (perhaps even seen, read, or cooked from) before.  And there are even a handful that I am not familiar with at all.  I excited to educate myself on each of these women game-changers and hope you look forward to reading along.  We are going in order from 1 to 50.

the "Gourmet" prompt...

15. Sheila Lukins and Julee Rosso- It’s hard to overstate the influence of The Silver Palate—the 1982 cookbook named after the gourmet emporium this pair opened in 1977 on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Before, there was no ratatouille; after, there was chicken Marbella.

I think I may have to shield my head from flying objects when I say...I had never heard of Sheila Lukins or Julee Rosso before I found their names on the list.  {ducking head}  I do think that I'd heard of The Silver Palate Cookbook before, though...but never actually held it in my hands or looked through it before a couple of weeks ago when I checked it out from the library.  So, I did what I normally do and started paging through, leaving little strips of paper poking out here and there.  Okay, so...another cookbook to for ever-growing, never-ending "want" list.  It is packed with cooking tips, kitchen info, menus, quotes, and lots and lots of good-looking food.

Sheila Lukins first received a degree in Art Education from NYU and eventually attending Le Cordon Bleu in France and studied with Michelin-starred chefs in Bordeaux.  She then started The Other Woman Catering Company, which was how she met Julee Rosso (she was living with a client of Sheila's and had eaten her food many times).  Together they opened a 156 square foot take-away food shop and kitchen on the Upper West side which was modeled on a French traiteur, called The Silver Palate.  Shortly after, they wrote The Silver Palate Cookbook which has already been released in its 25th Anniversary Edition.  After feuding and "breaking up", the shop eventually closed around '93.  Lukins worked as a food editor and columnist for Parade Magazine (a position formerly held by Julia Child) for 23 years.  She succumbed to brain cancer at the age of 66.

Julee Rosso on the other hand, is a bit more elusive.  But what I was able to discover, I really liked.  She graduated from Michigan State University (GO STATE!).  Yeah, I'm easy.  Along with her husband, she has owned The Wickwood Inn in Saugatuck, Michigan since 1991...and she teaches cooking classes.  Her biography states that "she continues to be passionate about good food and health everyday".

Salad Niçoise
slightly adapted from The Silver Palate Cookbook
To make a Pan Bagnat (the official beach sandwich of Nice), prepare salad in advance and layer it into a hollowed-out baguette.  The longer the salad rests on the bread, the more the two become one.
makes 6-8 portions

8 new potatoes (~1 lb.), scrubbed
2 lbs. green beans, cooked
10 very ripe plum tomatoes, washed and quartered
1 small purple onion, thinly sliced
½ c. niçoise olives
¼ c. chopped Italian parsley
pinch of salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
¾ c. "Silver Palate" Vinaigrette *recipe follows
6 hard-cooked eggs, shelled & quartered lengthwise
12 oz. canned oil-packed tuna, well drained
2 oz. anchovy fillets (optional)

Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender but not mushy, ~10 minutes.  When cool enough to handle, quarter the potatoes and transfer them to a large bowl.

Add the green beans, tomatoes, onion, olives, parsley, a pinch of salt, and pepper.  Pour ½ cup of the vinaigrette over the vegetables and toss gently but well.  Transfer the mixture to a large serving platter.  Arrange salad informally, or as follows: Place the egg quarters around the edge of the platter.  Flake the tuna over the salad and arrange the anchovy fillets, if you use them, over the tuna.  Drizzle with additional vinaigrette and serve at room temperature.

*"Silver Palate" Vinaigrette
yield: 1 c.

1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
¼ c. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
minced fresh parsley and/or sipped fresh chives, to taste
½ c. olive oil

I just throw everything into a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake-shake-shake!

Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins (11/18/42 - 8/30/09)

Who is cooking along with these 50 Women Game-Changers?

Mary- One Perfect Bite, Val- More Than Burnt Toast, Joanne- Eats Well With Others, Taryn- Have Kitchen Will Feed, Susan- The Spice Garden, Heather- girlichef, Miranda- Mangoes and Chutney, Jeanette- Jeanette's Healthy Living, Katie- Making Michael Pollan Proud, Kathy- Bakeaway with Me, Sue- The View from Great Island, Amy- Beloved Green, Barbara- Moveable Feasts, Linda- There and Back Again, Kathleen- Gonna Want Seconds, Martha- Lines from Linderhof

I am also sharing this post with: