Viewing entries tagged
dinner

Tofu Potato Tacos

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Tofu Potato Tacos

This amazing piece of art was done by Lacie Laurendine, check out her etsy shop and buy something! 

Here's a vegan recipe that's actually really good. Yes, I'll admit that a vegan recipe is actually good. For those of your who are vegan and found this through PETA's website, yes the sour cream is optional. 

For those of us who aren't vegan, this recipe is a great breakfast taco choice for times when you're burnt out on scrambled eggs. 

Tofu Potato Tacos

Makes 4 tacos

  • 2 Golden Potatoes diced
  • 7 oz Firm Tofu cubed
  • 1/2 cup Green Enchilada Sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Bacon Fat (or vegetable oil if you're a vegan)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Cumin
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • Salt & Pepper (to taste)
  • Hot Sauce (to taste)
  • 4 Corn Tortillas ( Or a Corn/Flour Blend)
  • Sour Cream optional
  • Parsley optional
  1. Add the bacon fat to a cast iron pan or a large skillet. Once the bacon fat is melted add the potatoes and saute until they're golden brown.
  2. Add the cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and hot sauce.
  3. Stir in the tofu. Be aggressive in your tofu stirring to break it into cottage cheese size curds. 
  4. Stir in the enchilada sauce. Let it boil down for 3 minutes. Stirring occasionally.
  5. Serve up on warmed tortillas and top with sour cream and parsley if you desire. 
  6. Enjoy!

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Stuffed Mirliton Topped with Pecans

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Stuffed Mirliton Topped with Pecans

So what the hell is a Mirliton? Also known as Chayote,  a type of squash that's used in dishes all around the world. Though you might know it as a popular dish in Louisiana. My wonderful girlfriend turned me on to these delicious vegetables. Okay, they only really become delicious when you stuff them with crab, shrimp and butter. 

Oh you want a straight-forward Stuffed Mirliton recipe? Well by now you should know that's not what I do on this blog. If you want a "normal" mirliton I recommend checking out Chef John D. Folse's recipe. 

Not a pear, nor an avocado, but a chayote. 

The healing powers of Crystal's Hot Sauce. 

Stuffed Mirliton Topped with Pecans

  • 4 Mirliton sliced lengthwise
  • 5 Tablespoons Butter
  • 1/4 cup Crab Meat
  • 1/4 cup Shrimp Meat raw, cubed
  • 1/4 cup Green Bell Pepper diced
  • 1/4 cup Celery diced
  • 1/4 cup Onion diced
  • 1/4 cup Pecan ground 
  • 1 Tablespoon Basil chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons Breadcrumbs
  • 1 teaspoon Hot Sauce
  • Bonito Flakes
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  1. Preheat your oven to 375.
  2. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil and add the mirlitons. Cook until tender.
  3. Saute 2 Tablespoons of the butter with the onions, celery, and bell peppers. 
  4. Remove the mirlitons from the water. Scoop the meat of the mirlitons and discard the seeds. Be sure to keep some meat around the edges of the mirlitons. 
  5. Add the shrimp to the vegetables. Cook until pink. Add the mirliton meat, hot sauce, salt and pepper, a pinch of bonito flakes and the crab meat.  Stir together. Add the breadcrumbs. 
  6. Add the stuffing to the hollowed shells of the mirlitons and place in a casserole pan. Top the mirlitons with pecans and a pat of butter. 
  7. Bake for about a half hour or until the tops turn golden brown. 
  8. Top with bonito flakes and enjoy! 

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Dungeness Crab and Grits

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Dungeness Crab and Grits

So I haven't posted in a while. I've been busy with life! I recently went down to New Orleans, check out my Instagram feed to see some of the things I ate when I was down there. 

Louisiana can keep its gulf shrimp, even though it's delicious, I will stick to my Pacific Dungeness Crab any day of the week, as long as it's non-toxic that is. Dungeness crab is what crab meat should taste like, a little sweet, a little oceany, but over all something that's drool worthy. 

I don't often say "this is the best thing I've ever ate" but this dish is one of those times. Much like Shrimp and Grits it balances the texture of the creamy grits with that of the shrimp or in this case the crab. The sauce though, this sauce is why I'm sharing this recipe. Imagine cocktail sauce, but 1000% better. 

Grits

Everyone has their own recipe for grits, so I'm not going to post one here. I will say though that Chef Edward Lee's grits recipe. 

Dungeness Crab

Yes, you should break down your own crab to get it's meat, it makes it taste better. Also if you're not sure how to clean a crab just ask your local seafood provider, they'll be more than happy to help. 

BS's Seafood Sauce

  • 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
  • 1 Tablespoon Red Miso Paste
  • 3 Tablespoons Lime Juice
  • 1/2 Tablespoon Lime Zest
  • 1/2 Tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon Chipotle ground
  • 1/4 cup Tomato Sauce Optional
  1. Heat the butter over medium heat, once melted whisk in the miso, then the spices lastly add the lime zest and juice and then the tomato sauce. 
  2. Word of warning to those not adding the tomato sauce, this sauce is pungent. It's strong and it's not for the faint of heart. Use sparingly.

Go on, make it, make 15 servings worth. You'll thank me later. Enjoy!

And my suggested wine for this dish would be Woven Winework's 2014 Farmer's Market Edition

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Butternut Squash Soup

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Butternut Squash Soup

It's fall! That means it's time for another butternut squash recipe! I figure, 'why not run another classic fall ingredient into the ground just like Starbucks did with pumpkin spice.' Fall is also the season to get rid of old things and prepare for something new. I never quite got spring cleaning, fall has always seemed like a better season to get rid of old things. Anyway I present my version of a classic fall recipe, Butternut Squash Soup.

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Thai Chicken and Waffle Sandwich

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Thai Chicken and Waffle Sandwich

Thai Chicken and Waffles

One of the greatest pieces of advice I've ever heard was from

Alton Brown

who said, "Never take advice." I am open to criticism and feedback though, because without them you can't get better. But advice is more one sided than a HP Laserjet P3005ch printer (it doesn't have duplex printing). When it comes down to it, you're the only one who knows what you really want and what you have to do to make it happen, so start being selfish and start working towards something awesome. 

For some reason in today's culture, selfishness is portrayed as a negative trait, although people forget is that this is what made this country great in the first place (that's right I'm making this a cultural thing). We broke away from the British Empire because we wanted to do things OUR way. We didn't get involved with WWII until we were attacked and it affected us. 

Knowing that your crazy idea is a great one, and actually having the guts to go out there and make it happen doesn't make you insane or eccentric; it makes you successful and a goddamn American. Frankly I'm tired of having artificial roadblocks being put up, especially for people of my generation.  Just get out there and create something, whatever it may be. 

chicken and waffle sandwich
chicken and waffle sandwich

What do those old-man style ramblings have to do with Thai chicken and waffles? Almost nothing. But let's be honest, "Thai chicken and waffles" sounds like a weird, crazy idea, until you actually make it happen and try it. Remember an idea is only as good as its end product, so ignore that advice and prove those nay-sayers wrong.

produce

Before I get into the recipes, I want to make a couple shout outs! First, thanks to

Flavour Gallery

for sending me

an awesome apron

(I was wearing it the entire time I was cooking all this). They also have a bunch of cool food t-shirts you should check out. The second shout out is to

Kraken rum

because I love the stuff and would love a free bottle or two. The great thing about Kraken rum is that you get to yell, "RELEASE THE KRAKEN!" Everytime you open the bottle.

dirty colada

Dirty Coladas

I know it's not a direct translation, but dark rum produces a "dirtier" look than white rum

  • 1 part Kraken Dark Rum
  • 1 part Coconut Cream
  • 2 parts Pineapple Juice
  • 2 parts Ice
  1. Add all ingredients into a blender and blend until the ice forms a smooth texture. 
  2. Pour into a glass and garnish with a lime slice.
carrots
carrots
cabbage
cabbage
coleslaw
coleslaw

Rice Vinegar Slaw 

  • 1 Carrot grated
  • 1 Zucchini grated
  • 1/2 Red Cabbage chopped
  • 1/2 Red Onion chopped
  • 1 clove Garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon Rice Vinegar
  • Juice from 1 Lime
  • 1 pinch Salt
  • 2 tablespoons Sugar
  1. Add the cut up vegetables to a large mixing bowl toss with the vinegars, lime juice, sugar, and salt. The best way to mix everything up is to use your hands.
  2. Once your salad is tossed, let the slaw sit in the fridge for about 15 min before serving. 
rice flour waffles
rice flour waffles

Ginger-Lime-Coconut Waffles

  • 1 1/4 cups Rice Flour
  • 3 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 tablespoon Sugar
  • 1 can Coconut Milk
  • 1 heaping tablespoon shredded Coconut
  • 1 Egg
  • 3 Tablespoons soft butter
  • 1 teaspoon ground Ginger
  • 1 pinch of Five-Spice
  • 1 Lime juiced and zested
  1. Sift together all dry ingredients. 
  2. Add the lime zest and shredded Coconut to the dry mixture.
  3. Whisk in the rest of the ingredients. Once the batter is mixed together add to your waffle iron. [These are really good by themselves too, don't think you need to make a Thai chicken and waffle sandwich when you make these.]
chicken
chicken
sweet and spicy chicken
sweet and spicy chicken

Sweet and Spicy Chicken

  • 1 lbs. Chicken Breasts cut into thick strips
  • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
  • 2 teaspoons Fish Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
  • a dash of Garlic Salt
  1. Heat the oil over high in a wok or large skillet. 
  2. Add the pepper flakes to the oil and let their flavors seep into the oil.
  3. Toss the chicken into the cooking vessel. Move the chicken around a bit so it doesn't clump together in the pan. 
  4. Add the fish sauce, garlic salt, and brown sugar to the pan. Keep stirring to avoid burning the sugar. The chicken should finish cooking within a couple minutes, depending on what type of stove you have. 
  5. Serve with the sauce that is created when cooking the chicken. 

Assemble your sandwich by placing a waffle on a plate, add the chicken and some of the sauce then the slaw and a bit of cilantro and top with another waffle.

Once again my partner in crime, 

Katy Weaver

, is responsible for these mind-blowing photos. She's right in the middle of her busy season and still finds time to help me out with this little project, she's sort of the best you guys.

chicken and waffles
chicken and waffles

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