Green Tomato Sauce

It's official. Fall is here and my tomato harvest is officially over. Okay, it's been over for a few weeks now, but I've finally gotten around to harvesting the green tomatoes off of the plants before cleaning the beds up for the winter.

I have lost all hope that these green tomatoes will turn red. And unfortunately, with the rainier and cooler August and September that we had, there are lots and lots of green tomatoes. So, what to do with all these completely green (and only partially ripened) tomatoes? Well, I decided to make some tomato sauce.  Now you might think that to do this you need to combine ripe tomatoes with a small quantity of green tomatoes, but that's really not the case. In fact, I used 100% green and partially ripened tomatoes and the sauce tasted fantastic!

Curry Rice Noodles

So, I was craving Singapore Fried Noodles-- the thin, vermicelli noodles that are stirfried with curry. It's funny because I have only ever had them once, when I went to a noodle house with my mom and she ordered them. But they have stuck with me. And I have been thinking about making them ever since.

Well, today was the day. The day that I wanted them so badly. Unfortunately, I didn't have vermicelli noodles, nor ground pork or shrimp which is what the noodle dish I ate with my mom had in them. But that's okay. I improvised to get the flavours that I was craving. And it turned out to be exactly what I had been thinking about.

Just goes to show that you can use what you have around and still recreate the flavours and textures you are craving. (No longer necessary to run to the grocery store in the middle of cooking!!).

Homemade Chicken (or Turkey) Noodle Soup

The ultimate comfort food. Who doesn't like Chicken Noodle Soup?

I was  sitting in my office at work the other day when one of my staff walked into my office with a cup of instant chicken noodle soup. The smell was so comforting and I instantly wanted some.  So on the weekend, I went to the grocery store and wandered down the soup isle until I found the cup-a-soup. But I just couldn't bring myself to buying it. I knew if I wanted tasty, satisfying Chicken Noodle Soup, that I would need to make it myself.

As I was buying all the ingredients, I noticed that there were turkey parts available in the poultry section, so I thought I would put a little twist on the classic, but of course, you could make it with a whole chicken or chicken parts as I usually do.

The result was so delicious, and honestly, it is quite simple to make. You could make a whole stock pot and then freeze the stock for later use as well.

Spaghetti and (Turkey) Meatballs

 

Who doesn't love spaghetti and meatballs? It is comforting and delicious, and has some sort of romantic quality (yes, too much time watching Lady and the Tramp....). But seriously, it's a home and restaurant favorite for so many people, including myself.

I love making spaghetti and meatballs. You can pan brown them or bake them, and you can make them traditional or you can spice things up with a variety of flavour combinations. In this case, I made my meatballs with ground turkey and lots of yummy, flavourful ingredients including feta cheese and basil. If you prefer other types of meat, you could use beef or a combination of beef and pork. You can even turn this mixture into a meatloaf (just bake in a loaf pan at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 45 minutes, until the meatloaf is cooked through).

Turkey Meatballs

Makes about 36 meatballs

Meatball Ingredients

1 Small Onion, finely chopped

3 cloves Garlic, minced

1 Large Egg

1/2 cup Bread Crumbs

2 tbsp Ketchup

1 tbsp Dijon Mustard

1 tbsp Dried Basil

1/4 cup Crumbled Feta

Salt and pepper 

500 grams Ground Turkey

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 cups Marinara sauce or Pasta sauce of choice

1/2 cup Water

Cooked Spaghetti

Mix together all meatball ingredients except the turkey. Add the turkey and lightly mix by hand until all is incorporated. Shape into about 1" balls.

Coat the bottom of a large frying pan with olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs (you might need to do this in batches). Cook until nicely browned on all sides, 3-4 minutes. Drain off excess oil from the pan. Reduce the heat to medium low.  With all of the browned meatballs in the pan, add the tomato sauce and water.  Simmer until the meatballs are fully cooked, about 5-8 minutes. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with spaghetti or pasta of choice

Dan Dan Noodles (Noodles in Spicy Peanut Sauce)

One night, I went for dinner at a place in Vancouver that makes handmade noodles called Peaceful Restaurant. Let me tell you, the food was fantastic. So tasty and exactly what I wanted. 

However, there was one small issue. It was packed. And I mean packed, line up out the door kind of packed. So packed in fact, that when we were ordering, the waitress asked us if we would want anything else because they only allow you to order once. Basically what she was saying is to order, eat and leave because there were other people to feed.

Despite the rushed experience, the food was delicious. Especially one of the dishes called Dan Dan Noodles. It was basically ground beef in a spicy peanut sauce tossed with homemade noodles. After finishing the noodles, we practically lifted up the bowl and drank and sauce it was so good. So, from that moment, I decided I had to recreate it.

Bacon & Egg Breakfast Pasta

Last night I made fresh pasta. Actually, I made Raviole-- my husband's favorite itty bitty ravioli filled with goat cheese, parsley and gruyere.  But of course, I had left over pasta dough. Okay, I lie. I actually got tired of making those itty bitty ravioli and decided that after making a whole container full that it was time to turn the pasta dough into something else.

So, I rolled the pasta into sheets and cut them about and inch wide to make papardelle. I laid them out to dry up a bit on my counter, then put them between sheets of parchment and into the fridge.

This morning when I woke up, I felt inspired to take advantage of this fresh pasta. So I decided to make a breakfast pasta of sorts with all of my breakfast favorites: eggs, bacon, tomatoes, fresh basil. And what a treat it was. Even if you don't stay up all night making fresh pasta, you can use pre-packaged fresh pasta or even dried pasta. Trust me, it is amazing that breakfast/brunch pasta has not made it onto the menus of my fave restaurants yet!

Pho Ga- Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup

I love pho. To be honest, I don’t remember eating it until I moved to Austin, Texas. Sounds like a strange place to start eating a vietnamese dish, so let me explain. I was just flying back to Texas after a vacation. I had quite a cold, and after hours and hours of flying, I was a congested mess. My boyfriend (now husband) picked me up at the airport late that night and recognized the signs, and prescribed for me a steaming hot bowl of pho. Thankfully, he knew the right place. One of his previously favorite hangouts by his old pad on Burton Drive. Yes, it was kinda a cliché, poorly decorated dive. But it was simple, cheap, delicious, and, despite the time of the night, it was open.

I am not sure if this was my first pho experience or not, but it certainly was the most memorable. As I slurped down the limey, spicy broth (recommended as the way to “sweat out” a cold), I couldn’t help but feel surprisingly better. My sinuses cleared, my throat felt soothed, and as I sat across the table from the love of my life, I felt ready to conquer the world.

Since that experience, every time I feel a little under the weather, I order myself a big steaming bowl of pho. I load it with crunchy bean sprouts, sliced chilis, basil, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime and slurp away.

Fortunetely, since arriving in Damascus more than 1 year ago, I haven’t really fallen ill. That is, until last week. And I found myself thinking about pho. Unfortunetely, I haven’t seen any little vietnamese restaurant around here. So, I had to try to make it myself.

I know the list of ingredients may seem a little intimidating, but it is really just the stuff for the broth, the rice noodles, and everything else. Someone told me once that blanching off the bones for 5 minutes first makes a clearer, tastier broth. To be honest, I’m not sure if that’s true because I started doing it that way and since it tastes good, I stick to it and haven’t tried the alternative.

So, next time you are feeling under the weather or just want a heart warming, steaming bowl of soup, try this one. You’re gonna love it!

Pho Ga (Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup )

Makes 2 steamed bowls of Pho

To make the broth:

1.5 kg Chicken carcasses

2 Large Onions

2 pieces Ginger, 2 inches each

2 tbsp Coriander Seeds

6 Star Anise

6 Whole Cloves

1 tbsp Sugar

2 tbsp Fish Sauce

Stems of 1 bunch of Cilantro

2.5 Liters of Water

The rest of the ingredients:

2 Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breasts

400 grams Dried Rice Noodles

1 cup Fresh Bean Sprouts

Cilantro Leaves

1/4 cup Red Onion or Shallot, thinly sliced

1 Whole Lime, cut into wedges

Sliced Chili

Fresh Thai Basil

Char the ginger and onions on a gas element, grill, or under the broiler. Let cool and peel. Cut both the onion and ginger into chunks. Set aside.

Fill a large stockpot with water and bring to a boil. Add the chicken carcasses and boil for about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse the chicken carcasses and the pot. Place the clean carcasses back into the pot and add 2.5 liters of water. Add the onions, ginger, spices, sugar, fish sauce, and cilantro stems. Simmer for about 2 hours, skimming every 20 minutes or so.

Add the chicken breasts to the broth and simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.

Taste the broth. Adjust seasoning with more fish sauce and or sugar. Strain the broth and throw away the solids. Then, my mom’s broth trick… cool it off, put it in the fridge overnight. The next day, skim off all the solidified fat and skum and you will end up with a pretty nice broth. If you don’t have time to do this, you don’t have to, but I think it gives a broth with a better finish and less grease.

Boil water and prepare the rice noodles as per the package instructions. Divide the noodles into two soup bowls, shred the cooled chicken breasts, and place on top of the noodles. Pour the hot broth over top. Add desired garnishes and enjoy.

Chinese Noodle Soup with Sesame

I love noodles. Especially when they are drowning in a flavorful, Asian inspired broth.

They remind me of sitting in a busy noodle house in Chinatown somewhere with my family amongst tables and tables of other families rhythmically slurping noodles and taking quick spoonfuls of piping hot broth to wash them down.

Yup, you know what I am talking about. Plastic tables covered in droplets of broth, a plethora of white napkins littered on the table, and jars of hot chilis nestled between bottles of sauces, a pile of plastic chinese soup spoons and a cupful of ivory chopsticks. It's all so comforting.

That's why when it's chilly outside or I have a cold, I yearn for a steaming hot bowl of noodle soup. It transports me back to that place, where I was elbow to elbow with members of my family, staring into a big bowl of soup and slurping away!

When I made this soup, I didn't have any chicken around, so I used 2 cans of drained tuna instead. This is not at all traditional, but it tasted good, so I added it to the recipe as an alternative to the chicken. Perhaps you could try using both also!

Chinese Noodle Soup with Sesame
Serves 4-6

2 cans Tuna, drained or 500 grams of Chicken Breast, thinly sliced
3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
3 tbsp Tahina (sesame paste)
2 tbsp Fresh Ginger, peeled and minced
2 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
2 tbsp Sesame Oil
1 tbsp Brown Sugar
1 tbsp Rice Vinegar
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
2 1/2 cups Red Cabbage, chopped
1/2 cup Green Onions, sliced
1 Whole Green Chili, seeded and cut into 4 parts
2 liters Chicken Stock
500 grams Thai Noodles or Egg Noodles
1/2 + 1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped

In a bowl, mix together garlic, tahina, ginger, soy, sesame oil, sugar and vinegar. Add the tuna or chicken. Set aside.

In a large pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium high heat. Add the cabbage, green onions, and chili and sautee until the cabbage starts to soften (about 5 minutes). Add the tuna/chicken mixture, and let cook for about 2 minutes. Then add the chicken stock and 1/2 cup of cilantro, bring to a boil, and reduce to simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove the chilis once the soup has finished cooking.

Meanwhile, cook the noodles in boiling water as per the package instructions. Drain and set aside.

To serve, place some noodles in a bowl. Ladle over the hot soup and garnish with remaining cilantro leaves.

Does it have to be HOT??? .... Take Three: Thai Kao Soi Curry

This was the first dish I ate after arriving in Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. I already had great expectations for this dish, having read it in every travel guide and on every food list prior to my arrival. Then, there it was... listed on the menu as Famous Chiang Mai Curry Noodles with Chicken. I had to try it. Mildly spicy, creamy, rich…since that moment, I have been dreaming of recreating this dish at home! So here is my version. Don’t be intimidated by all the ingredients. I assure you, it’s an effortless and crowd pleasing dish!

Kao Soi - Chiang Mai Style Curry Noodles

Makes 4 Servings

Drizzle of Vegetable oil

3 Cloves of Garlic, minced

3 Tbsp Thai Red Curry Paste (found in the grocery store)

500 grams of Boneless Chicken or 750 grams with bones (I prefer thighs because of the softer texture and more moist end product)

2 cups Chicken Stock (I like to use low sodium if available)

1 can (14 ounces) Coconut Milk, unsweetened

1/8 cup Soy Sauce

2 tsp Curry Powder

1 tsp Sugar

Juice of 1 Lime

500 grams of Fresh Egg Noodles, or any other noodles you like- cooked per manufacturer’s instructions

1/2 cup Red Onion, very thinly sliced

For Garnish:

Chopped Cilantro Leaves

Lime Wedges

Crispy Chow Mein Noodles

Heat a large pan with oil. Add chicken and brown on both sides (2 minutes). Add curry paste and garlic and toss together for a couple of minutes until the curry paste coats the chicken.

Add stock, coconut milk, soy sauce, curry powder, and sugar. Cover and let simmer until chicken is cooked (about 8 minutes). Squeeze in fresh lime juice.

Place the cooked egg noodles into the bottom of the 4 bowls and pour over the chicken and curry sauce. Serve with the thinly sliced red onions, cilantro, and crunchy noodles.

The Easy Way Out

Now, as easy as these recipes were (the Indian Fish curry in the previous post and the Kao Soi Curry), I also realize that sometimes, we don't even have time to make these! Especially if you need a quick lunch, or you arrive home late, or you just don't have enough time to grocery shop. So, I have devised a plan.... the easy way out. The throw together meal or snack when you are craving a curry but don't have the time or patience to do the full blown cooking thing.

All you have to do, is pick up a jar of Thai Red Curry Paste and/or Thai Green Curry Paste and some canned coconut milk the next time you head out to the grocery store. Then, at any given time, when you need a no fuss, satisfying dish, just add a couple of tablespoons of either of the pastes into a pan with a little oil and garlic. Add some chicken, frozen shrimp, veggies, or whatever you have around, and toss in the pan for a few minutes. Add a can of coconut milk, a little salt and pepper, and serve with noodles or rice. Yum!! Let’s eat!