Som Tam (Thai Papaya Salad)

Papaya. Have you ever had it? It is a tropical fruit that tastes like a cross between a cantaloupe and an orange. I know, that is not a good description but that is all I could think of. There is also a second type: green papaya, which I had never had until I tried Som Tam (Thai papaya salad) for the first time. That day, I started to think of papaya in a whole different way. See, growing up I ate a lot of papaya. I would eat big chunks of papaya with a few drops of lime juice and salt or sugar. But I never thought about eating papaya in a salad, meaning with olive oil, tomato, onion, etcetera. That is, until I tried Som Tam. Who knew that papaya would make the perfect salad? So when Jen sent me a recipe to make this Thai dish, I was more than excited to try it. 

A few days later, Jen and I were in the kitchen experimenting again (I know, this blog should be called “cooking with Jen”). The recipe called for some ingredients that the “traditional” papaya salad does not have: for example basil and honey. But you know what, I would not change a thing. The combination of fish sauce, honey, olive oil and basil makes for a wonderful dressing that is sweet but sour at the same time and very refreshing. The nuts add a crunchiness that balances the mushiness of the papaya. Right now you may be wondering: “Did you say mushiness?” Yes, the salad was a bit mushy but that is because we mistakenly bought orange papaya instead of green papaya. But the salad was good. In fact, I had more than three servings of it. I say you try making this recipe this weekend. It’s really refreshing and easy to make.

Sum Tam (AKA Thai Papaya Salad) – Jen’s and Ana Paulina’s version

Note that we added more fish sauce to the salad because it wasn’t salty enough. But, I like things on the salty side. Also, note that the original recipe called for bean sprouts but we didn’t add them to recipe because for whatever reason we could not find them – and we checked three grocery stores.

Ingredients:

1/2 large orange papaya

1/2 cup cashews

1-2 cups bean sprouts

1 tomato cut into long thin strips

3 spring onions, sliced into long matchstick-like pieces

1/2 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped if leaves are large

Dressing:

1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce)

2 Tbsp. good-tasting oil, such as olive

2 Tbsp. fish sauce

3 Tbsp. lime juice

1/2 to 1 Tbsp. honey, to taste

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon chili powder

Preparation:

1.    Prepare the dressing by mixing together all dressing ingredients together in a cup. Make sure the honey dissolves full. Set aside.

2.    Peel the papaya, then slice it in half and remove all the seeds. Using the largest grater you have, grate the papaya. Place in a strainer and drain.

3.    Add the sliced tomato, spring onion, and most of the basil. Add the dressing, tossing to combine.

4.    Add the cashews (you can either leave them whole, or roughly chop them). Toss again. Taste-test the salad. If not sweet enough, add a little more honey. If not salty enough, add a little more fish sauce. If too sweet or salty, add more lime juice. If you prefer it spicier, add fresh-cut chili or dried crushed chili.

5.    To serve, scoop the salad into individual bowls or onto a serving platter. Sprinkle with remaining basil leaves. Serve immediately and ENJOY!

Chicken & Chorizo with Rice

Aren’t you proud of me dear readers? I haven’t posted a chicken recipe in a while – that is, until today. I found this recipe in the most unexpected place: The Rachel Ray Show. I’ve always liked Rachel Ray but I was reluctant to try any of her recipes because some of them looked a bit messy and, I am a bit embarrassed to admit it, because she was not a chef.  One day, I was watching TV and her show was on. She was making a chicken dish – “boring” I thought – until she mentioned the word “chorizo.” I love chorizo. I paid more attention to the dish she was making and I thought the recipe looked great and really easy to make. I stopped listening to the snob within me and decided to give Rachel Ray a chance. The following day I made this recipe (with a few tweaks from the original recipe) and everyone loved it. All of a sudden, chicken did not seem so boring.

This recipe is great when you want to have people over but don’t have much time to cook. The smell from the kitchen will make your guests go hungry: the lemon and bay leaves cooking with the chicken leave a wonderful smell in your kitchen. And, when you serve it on a nice platter, it looks beautiful. Oh, and the next day, this dish tastes even better. That is, if there are any leftovers. Go and get cooking!

Chicken & Chorizo with Rice

Adapted from Rachel Ray’s “lemon-Garlic Spanish Chicken Thighs and Rice Pilaf” recipe

Serves: 4-5 people

Ingredients:

1/3 pound of Spanish Chorizo, casing removed and sliced on an angle 1-inch thick

8 chicken thighs

4 small onions, quartered lengthwise

1 small lemon, sliced crosswise

½ cup pimento-stuffed green olives

4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons paprika

½ cup dry white wine

½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 cup chicken stock

1 tablespoon butter

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

Cooked rice (optional)

1. In a large, deep skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add the chorizo. Cook on medium heat until browned, approximately 2 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate covered with a paper towel. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the skillet. Cook over medium heat, turning once, until browned, approximately 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

2. Add one more tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper and cook on medium heat tossing frequently for approximately 2 minutes. Add the lemons, olives, garlic, bay leaves and paprika. Cook, stirring frequently for approximately 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook, scrapping the browned bits from the pan. Stir in the chicken stock.

3. Return the chicken and chorizo to the skillet, cover the pan, lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer all the solid ingredients to a platter. Reduce the sauce for a minute over high heat, then stir in the butter and parsley. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Discard the bay leaves and serve with cooked rice.

If you have any questions or comments, you can contact me at goodsazon@gmail.com

Pad Thai

Earlier in the week, my friend Jen and I talked about getting together to cook. We both like Thai food so we decided to make one of her favorite dishes: the ubiquitous Pad Thai. We both were a bit nervous because we had never cooked Thai food before. To me, Thai food appeared too exotic and outside my realm of comfort.  But, our worries were misplaced. Nothing about the recipe was difficult, not even finding the ingredients. Furthermore, making Pad Thai was a great excuse to use my mostly forgotten wok (T fal Specialty 14-Inch Nonstick Jumbo Wok, Black) and chopsticks .

If you like Thai food and you don’t feel like spending too much time in the kitchen making dinner, make this recipe tonight. You won’t regret it. Dinner was delicious and it was ready in approximately 25 minutes, max.

Pad-Thai
Adapted from Tahitable.com
Servings: 3

Ingredients:
1 lime
1 egg
2 teaspoons Clam Base
3 cloves of garlic (minced)
½ teaspoon ground dried chili pepper
1/2 onion minced
1 1/2 tablespoons Tamicon Tamarind Paste 16oz
½ package Thai rice noodles Thai Kitchen Thin Rice Noodles, 8.8-Ounce Unit (Pack of 12)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ lb. Shrimp
2 tablespoons crushed peanuts
1 1/3 cup bean sprouts
2 tablespoons Marukan Rice Vinegar 24 Oz.
Salt and pepper to taste
Water as needed

Directions:

1. Soak the dry noodles in lukewarm water while preparing the other ingredients, for 5-10 minutes. 

2. Rinse the bean sprouts and save half for serving fresh. Mince shallot and garlic together.  

3. Use a wok. If you do not have a wok, any big pot will do. Heat it up on medium-high heat and pour oil in the wok. Fry the peanuts until toasted and remove them from the wok.  

4. Add shallot and garlic and stir them until they start to brown.  

5. The noodles should be flexible but not expanded at this point. Drain the noodles and add to the wok. Stir quickly to keep things from sticking. Add tamarind, clam base, vinegar, and chili pepper. Stir. If the wok is too dry add a few tablespoons of water.

6. Make room for the egg by pushing all noodles to the side of the wok. Crack the egg onto the wok and scramble it until it is almost all cooked. Fold the egg into the noodles.

7. Add shrimp and bean sprouts. Stir a few more times. Add salt and pepper as needed. The noodles should be soft and very tangled.

8. Pour onto the serving plate and sprinkle with peanuts. Serve hot with a wedge of lime on the side and raw bean sprouts on top.

If you have any questions, email me at goodsazon@gmail.com

Blueberry Coffe Cake

You may be wondering why, after three months of blogging, I have not posted a breakfast recipe. The answer is because I am not a breakfast person.  I do not have a big appetite early in the day. However, I do crave something sweet in the morning. In fact, I am known for eating cake for breakfast. A perfect breakfast for me is a cup of coffee and a piece of muffin, pastry or coffee cake. That makes me happy.

And happiness I found when I ate this blueberry coffee cake for breakfast. Last summer, a group of friends and I went to the Fingerlakes for a weekend of wine tasting. We stayed at a lovely B&B called The Lakehouse (http://www.thelakehouseonseneca.com). The Lady who ran the B&B was an excellent cook and every morning, before the breakfast feast, she would make this lovely coffee cake. It was so good that I seriosouly considered skipping breakfast so I could keep eating more coffee cake. By the end of our trip, we all left with our bellies full, way too many bottles of wine and the recipe for the blueberry coffee cake that the innkeeper baked for us in the morning. 

Yesterday, I decided to make this recipe for the first time because a friend of mine was coming over for breakfast and I had all the ingredients at hand. Five hours later, I only had ¼ left. Although the cake was delicious, I think the next time I make it I will add an additional egg because the center was a bit doughy. If you like doughy coffee cake, don’t make any changes. Here is the recipe. Enjoy with a warm cup of coffee.

Blueberry Coffe Cake
Adapted from The Lake House B&B’s recipe book

Comments: I added bran to the recipe because I like to add fiber to my diet whenever I can. Bran is tasteless, so the flavor of the coffee cake was not compromised. I added vanilla as well because I think it enhances the flavor of the bread.

Ingredients for the batter
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
 ½  teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons bran (optional)
 ¼ butter
1 tablespoon vanilla
¾ cup sugar
1 egg (I would add a second egg)
½ cup milk
2 cups blueberries

Ingredients for the topping

½ cup sugar

¼ cup flour

½ cup butter (use real butter!)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions 

1. Grease a 9in. square pan.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
3. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and bran in a medium bowl.  
4. In a mixer, cream the butter, vanilla, sugar and egg.
5. Add the creamed ingredients to the dry ingredients. Add the milk and mix. Add the blueberries and mix again. 
6. In a mixer, cream the topping ingredients.
7. Pour the batter in the greased pan. Add the topping (with your fingers) on top of the batter.
8. Bake in the oven for 45 min. to 1 hour (depending on your oven). Before serving, let it sit for approximately 45 minutes.