Why I Started Cooking

Sorry, no new recipe here, but I thought I might give a like back story since, to some, this cooking stint seems random.

Cooking has been an art that I have never truly appreciated until as of late. Looking back, I was not made to be a cook. Neither was I an adventurous eater (meaning I was annoyingly picky) nor did I have the patience to prepare meals. I grew up with the mentality that I need to save us much time as possible for me. That included cutting my sleep, skipping meals and showers (I know, it’s gross but I’d happily debate you on this), rushing routine activities, speeding down highways, and the list goes on. Therefore, cooking equaled wasting time that could be cut with the microwave.

The need to save time became increasingly apparent in college. Despite having a full kitchen all 5 years of college, I didn’t bother to consistently cook myself tasty meals. Hamburger helpers and top ramen were my friends, who I shared with many other college students. KP obviously did not help in that department with days ending at 10pm. That is when happy hours, 24 hours joints, and fast food became my 1st kitchens.

After all of this, I find it ironic that my dad is widely considered an amazing cook within my extended family and I failed to pick up any of that. The other thing I failed at was sports, but that’s another story. Sports or cooking…I went with the latter.

After PGrad, life was simple to say the least. I had no obligations and it was my intention to live up these 3 months of vacay because I know luxury like this will never come around until retirement. Too bad I can’t get paternity leave. Anyway, that summer is when I decided to turn my life around and dedicate time for myself. With motivation from my roommate Larsen, we tried to do that. Less video games, cleaner house, life walks, regular activities like bowling, among others. And the one that led to cooking was regular grocery shopping. I started simple, mostly alternating meats (chicken, beef, pork) complimented with vegetables and making dishes I always made, like spaghetti. Sad to say, they were just okay (except for my spaghetti which I think is bomb). Nothing I was necessarily proud of that I would serve at a dinner party.

And then I went home to LA for 2 weeks. What I found out was my sister had started to cook more too. That was one thing I never expected. But my house was blessed with a variety of foods and seasonings to cook with, and it was the perfect time to experiment. I started to make random dishes but looking into the fridge and seeing what I could make out of them. And I couldn’t believe what I was tasting. They were good!

I convinced myself that cooking was genetic and that I inherited it from my father, but I had just never tapped into it. From then, I was inspired. I knew cooking was an ability I want to be able to bring to my family. What better time to start than the time I move to the bay?

Basically, I started to do what I did in LA: put whatever I have in the fridge into a pot and see what comes of it. While there were some random dishes that I was proud of, I felt I was not learning anything. That’s when I saw Rachel Ray on TV one Friday morning and it dawned on me: FOOD NETWORK! I actually made that dish I saw that morning, but honestly it was not good, haha. I probably just fucked up.

I started to think about all these dishes that I die for in some of my favorite restaurants. Alfredo, curry, ramen, Korean BBQ, jambalaya, chicken tortilla soup, mashed potatoes, rib-eye steak, carne asada fries, and there are just too many. And basically, I searched up these dishes and made them. Just to ensure they taste good, I look for the recipes that have large numbers of 5 star ratings and pretty much all of them are delicious. Coincidentally, many of them are from Emeril. He’s just an amazing chef.

I personally think I am doing pretty well. I am pleased with what I am able to conjure up. And it’s nice to have someone taste your food other than yourself. Not only is it relaxing but it’s also rewarding to know that I can pull this off. To think back and see how my dietary habits were for the past 23 years, it’s mind-boggling to see how far I’ve come in just 2 months. It reminds me of one of my favorite movies: Ratatouille. And that’s why Remy is on top. Because I hold his beliefs as truth:

Anyone can cook.

Carne Asada Fries

As an ode to the wonderful 24-hour Mexican food of San Diego, we had a Carne Asada Night with Heroes with the present and former roommates (by the way, this was long ago and I wanted to post this since I don't anticipate making this anytime soon).

Who can deny the delicious combination of flavors that is Carne Asada fries? Conceptually, it is quite simple. Preparationally, it is not. It is quite hell actually, especially if your kitchen is not a Roberto's.

1st Serving
(Nice presentation, but you can't see the carne asada)

2nd Serving
(Messier by better)

Ingredients

• Carne Asada (recipe follows)
  
• Pico de Gallo (recipe follows)
  
• Guacamole (recipe follows)
  
• Potato Fries
• Sour Cream
• Jack Cheese

Directions

Prepare the above 3 recipes. For the fries, cut the Russet potatoes into slender slices and deep fry them in a pot of peanut oil on high heat until golden brown (be sure that the oil in the pot is up to full heat so prevent the fries from getting soggy). Ensure that the potatoes do not clump because it prevents them from cooking well, but also be gentle so that they do not break. Once that is done, stack all ingredients in whatever order and amount you prefer . This is what I did (from bottom to top): Potato Fries, Carne Asada, Jack Cheese, Guacamole, Pico de Gallo, Sour Cream. Note: the peanut oil can be safely reused up to 6 months.

Carne Asada

Ingredients

• 2 pounds flank or skirt steak, trimmed of excess fat
• Olive oil, for coating the grill
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 recipe Mojo, recipe follows
  

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalapeno, minced

1 large handful fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 limes, juiced

1 orange, juiced

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

Directions

In a mortar and pestle or bowl, mash together the garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, salt, and pepper to make a paste. Put the paste in a glass jar or plastic container. Add the lime juice, orange juice, vinegar, and oil. Shake it up really well to combine. Use as a marinade for chicken or beef or as a table condiment.
Lay the flank steak in a large baking dish and pour the mojo over it. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 8 hours, so the flavors can sink into the meat. Don't marinate the steak for more than 8 hours though, or the fibers break down too much and the meat gets mushy.
Preheat an outdoor grill or a ridged grill pan over medium-high flame (you can also use a broiler). Brush the grates with a little oil to prevent the meat from sticking. Pull the steak out of the mojo marinade and season the steak on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill (or broil) the steak for 7 to 10 minutes per side, turning once, until medium-rare. Remove the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to settle. Thinly slice the steak across the grain on a diagonal.

Pico de Gallo

Ingredients

• 1 large tomato, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped
• 1 white onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 jalapeno, if preferred
  

Directions

Mix ingredients together and season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Guacamole

Ingredients

• 4 ripe Haas avocados
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon)
• 8 dashes hot pepper sauce (I use Sriracha as a substitute)
  
• 1/2 cup small-diced red onion (1 small onion)
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium tomato, seeded, and small-diced

Directions

Cut the avocados in 1/2, remove the pits, and scoop the flesh out of their shells into a large bowl. (I use my hands.) Immediately add the lemon juice, hot pepper sauce, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper and toss well. Using a sharp knife, slice through the avocados in the bowl until they are finely diced. Add the tomatoes. Mix well and taste for salt and pepper.

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While I was preparing this, I thought it was heading for disaster. First of all, I did not marinate the carne asada correctly because I was supposedly to create a paste with a mortar and pestle and I did not realize that until I had already chopped everything and put it in the olive oil. My last ditch effort to save it was to use top of an Aquafina bottle to smash up the the ingredients get out as much of the flavor as possible, but that failed. I had to stick with what I had. Also, I did not have grill or a broiler pan. I ended up using a baking pan, which left the juices in the pan and the meat didn't have that crispness that typical carne asada has. I tried to salvage it by dumping the fluids and allowing it to broil a little more. That wasn't the end of my worries. I was cooking the fries, and they weren't cooking! I put them into the pot when the oil was still getting super hot. Not only that, but the fries were breaking apart because my stirring was too fierece. These fries ended up being in the deep fryer for about 20 minutes, and they came out tasting stale, lacking the crispness of typical french fries. That makes two.

I was uberly disappointed because I thought this was a surefire winner. I complied the whole ensemble and I was scared for the first bite. And it wasn't bad! Granted, it wasn't the quality of Cotixans or Super Sergios, but it was pretty damn legit. The second serving was a little better because I got better with the frying technique. While it wasn't what I hyped it up to be, it was good enough.

My expectations were that this was going to be easy and cheap. It was quite the opposite. The total bill came out to 50 bucks and the preparation was tedious with all the chopping of the ingredients and the mess of working with a deep fryer. All in all, it was a great experience. I defintely want to try this again, and hopefully the carne asada turns out better.

Cajun Shrimp Alredo

I first made this for Erline and Theresa's apartment last year around Halloween. That was when Aaron and I got kicked out of our old apartment, but that's a long story I'd rather not get into here. Anyway, ever since then I have cooked this for almost every special occasion and my friends just love it. This is definitely one of my most favorite dishes to make of all time.

Courtesy of Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 6 tablespoons Essence (listed below), plus more for garnish 
• 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 10 ounces andouille sausage, chopped
• 1/2 medium onion, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 shakes Worcestershire sauce
• 1 pound linguine
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon hot chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, sliced
• 1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Essence (Creole Seasoning)

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Directions

Place the shrimp and 3 tablespoons Essence in a large resealable plastic bag and shake. Place the bag in the refrigerator while you prepare the sauce.

Heat a deep 3-quart skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the andouille sausage. Saute sausage for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add crushed red pepper flakes and garlic and cook 1 minute. Add Worcestershire sauce.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to package instructions.

To the skillet, add cream, milk, remaining Essence, black pepper, chili powder, and salt. Stir to a consistent color. Add butter and stir until melted. Stir in cheese until melted. Lower heat to a simmer.

Heat the remaining olive oil in another large skillet over high heat and add the shrimp. Saute shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes per side or until they just start to turn pink. Add the shrimp and cooked, drained pasta to the first skillet. Stir to combine and blend flavors, about 1 minute.

Serve in a large pasta bowl. Sprinkle with parsley and Essence for garnish.

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The first time I made this, we forgot to buy heavy whipping cream, as you can see in the first picture because it lacks that creaminess that this dish needs. In fact, I didn't even know what the hell heavy whipping cream was up until I cooked this. Thank goodness I found out what it was because I've used it so many times in my cooking. Anyway, we had to use a cream-substitute and all we had was sour cream. Thankfully, it didn't come out that bad. It wasn't that creamy, but it was still delicious. This dish definitely has a huge kick to it, but I love the fire. Coupled with the shrimp and the andouille sausage, this dish is to die for. It is really rich (and definitely does not belong in the South Beach diet, or any kind of diet for that matter), but if you're looking for a really savory meal with fire, this is it.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Finally! My phone has refused to cooperate with me and has consistently failed at sending my pictures to my facebook, hence my prolonged absence from this blog.

Anyway, last weekend Aaron and I were homeless because we got kicked out of our temporary townhouse (it's a long story, you can ask in person) and we were graciously allowed to bum it on Erline's couch for the weekend. As a payment for their generous hospitality, we decided to cook her and her roommates an extensive meal and this time it was like I had a sous chef (because usually Aaron comes home really late and I usually cook by myself). Here is the soup creation we made. As for the rest of the meal, here are the links to the Cajun Shrimp Alfredo and the Bacon-Wrapped Scallops.

Courtesy of Rachel Ray 

Ingredients

• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 pound chicken tenders
• 1 bay leaf, fresh if available
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
• 4 slices thick, smoky center cut bacon, chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 chipotles in adobo, chopped, plus 2 tablespoons sauce
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed fire roasted tomatoes
• Salt
• 4 cups lightly crushed corn tortilla chips
• 2 cups shredded fresh smoked mozzarella or smoked sharp white Cheddar, 3/4 pound
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• Freshly chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish

Directions

Bring broth to a simmer and add chicken tenders, poach 6 to 7 minutes with a bay leaf.

While chicken poaches, heat extra-virgin olive oil in a medium soup pot or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp then remove with slotted spoon. Drain off excess fat, leaving 2 to 3 tablespoons in the pan. Add onions and garlic to the skillet and cook 5 minutes then stir in chipotles and tomatoes.

Remove chicken from stock, dice and then add to soup. Pass stock through a strainer then add to the soup.

Place a pile of crushed tortilla chips in the bottom of each soup bowl. Cover liberally with smoked cheese then ladle the hot soup down over the top. Serve with lime, raw onions and cilantro at table to finish the soup.

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We had one major problem. First of all, Aaron couldn't find the Chipotle in Adobo for the Chicken Tortilla Soup, which sounds like a really critical ingredient. What he did instead was he bought Chipotle Salsa. I can't really say if this was a good substitute for Chipotle in Adobo since I had never used it before, but hey, the soup still turned out pretty good. Erline was so amazed with ithis soup. I was laughing to myself that every 5 minutes she had to express that sentiment, but it was definitely validating. I know I can do better, so I can't wait to make this again and taste how this is really supposed to taste.