Family Favorites II

The first post went over so well that I thought I would add some more family favorites....These are my favorites.

French Onion Soup
This is one of my favorites from childhood - Panera now serves it every day... yummm
1/4 c sweet cream butter
8 c sliced yellow onions (4 - 5 med. onions)
2 14-ounce cans beef broth
3/4 cup chicken broth
3 T all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c water
1 T ketchup
2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp garlic powder
couple drops Tabasco pepper sauce

Garnishcroutons
shaved asiago cheese
Onions and croutons and cheese...oh, my.

Melt butter in a dutch oven (stew pot) over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add sliced onions and sauté for 15 - 20 minutes, stirring often, until onions turn brown.Add remaining ingredients (but not the garnish) to the pan and stir to combine. Heat soup until it's boiling, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.

Make croutons for the top of the soup by slicing foccacia bread (or any bread you may have) into 3/4-inch thick slices. Butter both sides of those slices, then cut the slices into bite-size cubes. Bake the bread in a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes or until crispy. Shave some asiago cheese by simply dragging a potato peeler over the edge of a wedge of asiago.

Serve the soup super hot with a handful of croutons floating on top followed by a couple tablespoons of shaved asiago cheese.
Oyako Donbouri - Japanese fast food
Serves 4 - this was my favorite dish in Japan.  Oyako means Chicken, Donbouri means bowl.

6 - 8 c rice, cooked
4 - 5 eggs
1/4 - 1/2 lb chicken breast
4 green onions

Sauce:
2 1/2 c dashi or chicken stock

6 T dark soy sauce

6 T light soy sauce (yes, there is a difference)

3 T sugar

Mix - do not beat - eggs in a bowl lightly and set aside.  Cut chicken breast into 1/4-inch pieces. Chop onions diagonally into 1-inch (2.5cm) lengths. 

Combine ingredients for sauce in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Add chicken and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add onion and simmer 1 minute longer. Stir the eggs and pour gently in a steady stream around the chicken in the simmering sauce. Let the egg spread naturally. Do not stir. Keep heat at medium high till the egg starts to bubble at the edges. At this point, stir once. The egg will have almost set but will still be a little runny. Keep in mind that the high temperature of the rice over which the egg will be placed will do the final cooking. Do not let the egg cook hard.

Put portions of hot rice into individual donburi bowls (deep soup bowls). With a large spoon, scoop a portion of the egg topping and sauce and place on rice. Sauce will seep down into rice, but the dish will not be soupy. A traditional Donbouri bowl will have a lid to aid in final cooking.  if you do not have a lid for your bowls use a small plate.  Serve immediately.

Gyoza - Japanese Pot Stickers

30 - 40 dumplings

1lb lean ground pork - I usually find a nice pork loin and ask the butcher to grind it for me

1/2 - 1 c soy sauce

2 tsp fresh garlic, crushed

1/4 tsp fresh ginger, grated

4 green onions, chopped

1 - 2 tsp pepper

1/4 c finely grated carrot

2 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp cayenne pepper

gyoza or round wonton wrappers

peanut oil

Mix all ingredients down to the wrapper and let sit for 30 minutes to marinate.  Take a small teaspoon of the meat and put in the middle of one side.  I am including a link that shows you how to "pleat" the dumpling as it is rather difficult to explain without pictures - http://japanesefood.about.com/od/tempuraappetizer/a/aboutgyoza.htm 

In large frying pan (you need one with a lid) over medium heat add just enough peanut oil to cover sparingly the bottom of the pan when hot.  Lay the gyoza in the pan flat side down and let brown.  Once browned quickly add 1/2 c water and immediately cover with lid.  The gyoza will be done when the top of the dumpling begins to wrinkle.  Remove and sit on paper towel to draw out some of the oil.  Serve hot with dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce:

3T soy sauce

2T teriyaki sauce

3T vinegar

1 tsp sesame oil

tobasco to your level of heat desired.

Fresh Summer Rolls - Thai

4 servings

1 package of large dried rice wrappers / spring roll wrappers (also known as "rice paper")

8 shrimps cleaned and steamed

4 strips tofu fried ( 1/2" wide, 1/4" thick, 2" long)

1/4 c warmed honey

2 T fish sauce (nuoc mam)

1 T fresh lime juice

1 fresh chili, minced, OR 1-2 Tbsp. chili sauce

1/4 c white cooking wine

3-4 oz. thin dried rice noodles bean threads (asian section of the grocery store)

1/2 c fresh basil

1 c fresh cilantro / mint (whichever flavor you prefer)

4 spring onions, sliced thinly lengthwise (into matchstick-like pieces)

2 cups lettuce (any type), chopped

Make a marinade by combining the warmed honey, fish sauce, fresh lime juice, and chili sauce. Mix this with the shrimp and tofu and set aside. In large bowl add enough HOT tap water to cover the noodles - set aside for about 10 minutes until softened.  Rinse and drain completely.  Set aside. In a pie plate that allows you to lay one sheet of wrapper completely cover with HOT tap water and let soften completely - only about 30 seconds. 

Lay on counter and fill (like you would a burrito) from the center of one side - noodles, two shrimps, herbs, tofu and wrap like a burrito - middle up, sides in, and roll to complete.  They should be wrapped tightly.  Cut in half on a diagonal.

Peanut Dipping Sauce:

1 c fresh-tasting dry roasted peanuts, unsalted

1/3 c water

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp soy sauce

2 tsp sesame oil

1 T brown sugar

2 T fish sauce

2 T lime juice

1 tsp Thai chili sauce

1/3 c coconut milk

Place all ingredients in a blender and mix until sauce is smooth.