Asian Slaw

Just like Asian Noodle Salad, but without the peanut butter.

Asian Slaw

4 Cups of chopped Red Cabbage
1/2 Chopped Red Onion.

1/4 C Soy Sauce
4 TBS Laxmi Garlic Ginger Paste
2-4 TBS Rice Vinegar (plain or seasoned)
2 TBS+ Sesame Oil
1 TBS Canola or other light oil
1 tsp garlic powder to taste 
1/2 - 1 tsp Siracha or Chili Paste to Taste

Whisk all of the above over the salad. Cover the container and shake to integrate.

Flavor Additions:

Raisins
Cranberries
grated carrots
sliced radishes
Sesame Sticks
Sesame seeds
Sunflower seeds
Broken ramen Noodles

Sauerkraut? Oh! No Sauerkraut and Kielbasa

 Forgot to get Kraut for the Easter Kielbasa.  My wife asked how to spell that and I told her it's Mexican: Qi le Basa.

1/2 head of cabbage, Slice the cabbage 1/4 inch thick
2 strips of bacon or 2 cooked slices cut into 1/2 inch pieces + 1 TBS Bacon grease 
1/2 tart apple sliced 1/8 inch thin
2 medium carrots diced (mainly for color)
1/2 medium onion, sliced thin
3-4 garlic cloves smashed or diced.
1/4 Cider vinegar
1 TBS Bavarian Blend (Penzy's)
1 tsp coarse ground mustard from a Hindustani grocery  (NOT Colemans or powdered muster)

fry the bacon and set aside.  if cooking kielbasa, brown the kielbasa in the bacon grease

Add the remaining ingredients, EXCEPT the cider and saute for 3-4 minutes.  

Add the cider to deglaze, and bring to a simmer. 

Cover and simmer for 35 - 45 minutes until vegetables are tender and the meat is 160 F 

  

 

Oriental Broccoli Ramen Noodle Salad

I first had this at the Barn Door with grilled chicken, The Barn Door was by far Wilmington's best dive bar.  The businessman's cheap liquid lunch with a cheap greasy burger.  Actually the proprietor Art, loved to eat and was a very creative cook.  There was live music at night.  Punk Rock, Grunge, Metal... total 90's youth scene.  You had to walk through the band to get to the bathroom.  I am pretty sure I am one of the few patrons who knew both sides of the Barn Door.

Gripes about the usual internet recipes:  Too much sugar, no sesame oil, pre-pack Broccoli slaw is awful.

2 Packets of Ramen Noodles (chicken or beef) smashed in the bag.  (Reserve flavor packets!!!)
2 heads of Broccolli, chopped small
1/2 C pre grated carrot or 1 grated carrot
1/2 C grated or chopped cabbage
1/3 C Rice Wine Vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
1/3 C Canola Oil
1/4 C Sunflower Seeds (or chopped Almonds or Cashew pieces)
1/4 C Raisins (a little sweetness or mandarin oranges. or both)
1-2 TBS brown sugar to taste (you can use white, but I find the brown sugar has a nicer tase
1-2 TBS sesame oil to taste
1-2 TBS Soy Sauce to taste
1 TBS Siricha to taste, (a Thai garlic hot pepper sauce, now available in Asian section of most groceries.)

Combine Vinegar, Oils, sugar and soy, Siricha and 1 (only one) Ramen flavor packet in a measuring cup and whisk together.
Combine smashed ramen, chopped broccoli, carrots, seeds/nuts, fruit in a bowl, and mix well with dressing.
Chill 1 - 4 hours

Works very well when served with leftover (chilled) London Broil, Grilled Chicken, Grilled Tuna or Salmon.

Corned Beef on the Stovetop

One of my greatest frustrations is that I make food overly complex and difficult. I invest too much prep time for meals that are tasty, but not worth the extra hour or two it took me to pull it together. I'm not cooking for gourmets, nor am I one myself. So this year I will improve my ROI by blogging more simple meals. And remember to record the oven temperature.

3.5 LB Corned Beef Brisket ($1.88/Lb 2011)
1/2 bottle of Guinness (widget bottle)*
Cover Brisket with water.
Add flavor packet + pepper corns (bay leaf?)
Bring to a boil, Skim foam, then reduce to low and simmer for 50 min/lb.

1Hr before dinner (D-60)
Peel and quarter potatoes, peel and cut carrots, Slab the cabbage

d-45
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, boil the cabbage for 30 min drain and cover
Remove beef, ADD potatoes and carrots to the crockpot return to boil for 20-30 min.
BROIL the Beef for 5 min to crisp the top, Remove and let sit for 20-30 min

Serve with mustard.

* No honest Irishman would waste a whole bottle of Guinness cooking. half to the roast, half to the cook! The widget bottle and the widget can are not as bitter as the stubby bottles (aka Guinness Export).