Comfort Food For The Lunar New Year

 Nothing says a good holiday meal than comfort food. This is true with the Lunar Nw Year starting this Saturday.Hot pot is one of those .It's hot and comforting , with ingredients used for centuries.It's shared throughout the Asian community , especially for those far from home.

New contributor and New YorkTimes Cooking assistant content strategist Allison Jiang wrote this piece in yesterday's New York Times wednesday Food section. The Lunar New Year, the Year of the Dragon starts this Saturday and for many  the hot pot is the way to celebrate. There is a Chinese Diaspora where many are far fromthe homeland and want a taste of it. It's also served when the weather turns cold as Tansy Pike of seattle Washington states.Her mtohr always makes it as a way of showing care for each other along with being warm and healthy. for some it's a sub in for Thanksgiving turkey and a highlight at as birthday meal. This is the case for Zoey Gong, a food therapist (a clinician who helps people overcome or deal with eating disorders) who makes it for these occasions along with others. She left China eleven years ago and has no family here.Creating a hot pot helps her reconnect with those roots and forge new bonds with friends.Hot pot isn't known in other Asian counties like Korea.Korean Irene KIm has her CHinese roomamte Jenna Zhang teach her about hot pot and now she's hooked on it.

There's nothing to dislike about hot pot. To some it's reminiscent of other communal pot dishes like bagna calda and fondue.Diners put what they want into the pot and eat it. Someione's shrimp might wind up in another's plate while spinach is shared by the whole table. What makes a good hot pot? You'll need meat such as a good chuck, rib eye or Wagyu, along with pork belly or lamb. They have to be thawed out first if they are frozen. Seafood is always lobster, shrimp or fish balls along with fresh thinly sliced white fish . Think halibut or bass. Cut up squd and shrimp, scallop or clams round it out. You're also going to need bean curd strings  and sheets along with tofu. Veggies are a marriage of East and West with russet potatoes being cooked with chrysanthemum greens and Daikon radishes. Add canned baby corn ears along with an array of such mushrooms as  shiitaki and enoki. A starch is added . Use vermecelli ro glass noodles. You cna also use frozen dumplings or rice cakes too. The broth is a hot pot soup[ base that you can find at any Asian grocery store. As what to dip the cooked piece in, try shar cha, Chinese barbecue sauce, sesame sauce or oil along with chili saouce or crisp.There' also fresh chopped garlic , cilantro and scallions to put on top along with toasted sesame seeds.

Celebrate the year of The Dragon with a fun and tasty hot pot.It's a great way to njoy a meak with family and friends.Enjoy the varied ingredients and flavors.

The Korean Food Empire

 Korean food is on the rise. However unlike other Asian cuisines it's stayed pretty pure in its'recipes and ingrdients. What's the reason for this? Namely that Korean chefs and the corporations responsible will not cave in to Amrcian tastes.

Regular contributor and chef herself Priya Kirshna wrote about this in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. Korean food has never been more popular in Manhattan and the city has the Hand Hospitality to thank for this. This corporation has achieved what many non western restaurants still find difficult to do in America, win wide appeal while focusing on a narrow audience. This being young Korean and Korean-Americans hungry for a tasty of nergy pouring out of South Korea. Even Hand'sservers speak no or little English. Some dishes are only in Korean. They mean to cater strictly to this crowd however American are coming in droves to the eateries. Hand has imported some of the restaurants to New York and specialize only in one single dish - such as bulgoki thats served at Samwoojung.or the hearty soup gomtag at Okdonsig.Also trendy restaurants like Atomix and Atoboy, are also popular New York restaurants.

Hand has picked a good city to showcase its'restaurants. New york and its' boroughs have roughly twelve million people of Asian descent along with a dining crowd that's well acquainted with a myriad of different cuisines Hand Hospitality's influences goes beyond its' own restaurants and extends to such places as Korean Southern C as in Charlie. This is a fusion place whre popcorn chcken has a sweet gochujang glaze and there is a Seoulsbury strak with Gruyere grits.The chef David Jun woo serve swett tea alongside his meals. More and more Korean chefs are also combinging their American experience with their Asian backgrounds. Hand also maintains the cool and sometimes stern Korean style ethic to their restaurants . They are brutalist or minimalist lines. This again appeals to the downtown crowd used to warehouse design.  This also appeals to a ounger Korean crowd although not necessarily their elders. The older generation still wants traditional food in traditional settings. 

Korean food is on the uptick thanks to Hand Their restaurants not only attract Koreans longing for a taste of home but adventurous New Yorkers. It's the best of both worlds for them.

Dip Dictionary

 This is the weekend for dipping and double dipping. What dip goes well with chips? Shrimp? Chicken wings? what's the easiest one to make and store? Don;t worry .There 's a guide to help you.

Surprisingly dips are relatively new , coming into popularity in the 1950's.It started with the ever classic onion dip and evolved into all sorts of sauces from around the world. The aforementioned onion dip or California is an easy make. Most just take a powdered onion soup like Knorrs  and stir it in to a tub of sour cream. You cna also buy this already made. However if you want to step up your dip game, then try adding caramelized onions. You can also had a splash of white wine and Worcester sauce in a mix of sour cream and cream cheese. Yellow onions work the best here. Another fun crowd pleaser is guacamole. Use ripe avocadoes in this mash of them, tomatoes and onions.   You can sub in onion powder and garlic powder m because fresh onions may be too strong and overpower the avocadoes mild flavor. Also a little olive oil drizzled in will give the dip a smooth silky texture. Add lemon to the leftover to make sure the guacamole doesn;t turn brown in the fridge.Salsa is another fun one, perfect with tortilla chips. yes you can buy a wide range of already made bottled one but fresh made tastes the best. Use fresh tomatoes, green peppers and onions tossed in lime juice, garlic and cumin.

One of the most famous and most popular is the artichoke one. This starts with a mix of sour cream, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese and mayo.  Once these are thoroughly folded together add artichoje hearts and their oil along with dillweed. Pour into a baking dish, sprinkle on more Parmesan cheese and bake at 350 degrees farenheit for twenty minutes or until bubbly. You can add spinach too if you want. Serve in a hollowed out bread bowl (go to Panera for this) and use the scooped out bread chunks for dipping. You can also eat the bowl for later. If your'e having a sea -cuterie platter then you'll have to have a yummy butter sauce for dipping those shrimp ,crab and scallops. Cook sliced garlic in a good amount of butter for a couple of minuets. Add a bit of lemon juice and zest along with dill.  Serve in little ramekins . Microwave them for a few minutes if the butter starts to solidify. Pizza sauce is another great hot dips.It's excellent for garlic knots and mini calzones.Take a can of diced toamtoes and cook with tomato paste, crushed garlic, oregano and basil. Serve piping hot in bowls.

Dips are as vital to the Superbowl as the football itself.There are so many to make and enjoy. Choose a few for a tasty day of fun snacking.

Hot Or Cold Table?

 The Big  Super Bowl Game is tis Sunday and there are choices to be made. Do you have a hot table? A cold one? Or a little of both? What can be served to satisfy guests?

A hot table can be a buffet or a bg crock pot of something. The first question you should ask is what do your guests want  along with how much should you make. A buffet can range from three or four dishes Or a whopping ten.Popular hot dishes are anything with chicken , from nuggets to drumsticks and wings.This is broken down into flavors too. Not everyone likes super spicy Buffalo wings. Other flavors such as lemon pepper and honey barbecue should also be served. You could also serve chicken patties that can be turned into sliders. Chili is another Super Bowl favorite. Again make a mild and a fiery one  for those who love and don't love fire.Fire up the grill if you want too. Nothing beats a party full of hot dogs burgers and ribs. Set up a toppings bar  too.People can add everything and anything from pizza sauce to relish along with guacamole and sliced tomatoes.. Another fun dish are personal pizzas. Again guests and family can go wild with freating their favorites, from meat lovers to veggies and hot peppers.

What about a cold dish buffet? The most obvious answer is a charcuterie board. A classic ones includes an array of cold cuts like salame, ham , prosciutto and mortadella.Add dried figs, and breena nd black olives too. There should be a good choice fo cheeses from the deliciosuly runny Brie to a firm, buttery Edam. Have a sliced baguette along with a good variety of crackers, from Ritz to water to act as a base to all these foods. If you want to splurge have a sea-cuterie. This is a melange of chilled shrimp, crab legs, oysters and scallops .Make sure there are plenty of lemon wedges , tartar and shrimp cocktail sauces.Not into that fancy stuff? Then make hero sandwiches. You can use any kind of bread, from baguettes to those long Portuguese rolls. Add such tasty cold cuts as roast beef, sliced turkey and ham, along with such Italian sub classics as capicola and salami. Again these sandwiches demand cheese . have slices that match the meats. roas tbeef and turkey can go with a sharp cheddar or mild American. Ham works well with Provolone as do the Italian cold cuts. What goes with these? Large bowls of potato chips , Funyuns and all sorts of Doritos.

What 's the best choice? Your choice. Hot or cold , the food at any Super Bowl Party is bound to be fun and tasty.

Dinner By Lidl

 You can have a really nice meal without paying too much. How is that possible in this excpensive day and age? Lidl. The store has great deals on just basic dishes. best of all the fodo is pretty delicious.

I've been wanting to make the Vemondo vegan patties I bought them a while ago and finally had the chance to try them.I paired them with Lidl's mashed cauliflower for a tasty Saturday supper.

Both were an easy cook, (although they had to be cooked at different times due to having one electrical outlet). Here were the patties. They're more oval than round and very thick, almost like salmon steaks.

It took fifteen minutes in teh air fryer at 360 degrees Farenheit. Again their thickness was responsible for the long cooking time.They were flipped over after seven minutes of cooking.

                                            They were a little crispy and burnt but not bad.

 It has a lovely red pepepr flavor and a good texture and mouthfeel. I liked the crispy exterior. Again it kind fo reminded me of a salmon patty. 

As for the cauliflower

It came out in these cute little cups. It sort of looks like sliced bananas.It was ten minutes in the microwave.

The chunks had retained their shape despite being cooked. Here they look kind of like a meringue topping. It was just a quick stir and they resembled creamy mashed potatoes

It was very good. with a fresh from the garden taste.I just added a little of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter as I do with anything mashed. I would definietely get both th e patties and cauliflower again. These made for a tasty and filling dinner.

Choose Lidl for your next dinner. They hav a wide array of good foods that cna be prepared easily and quickly. Try their vegan patties and mashed cauliflower and taste a good flavorful dinner.

A Culinary Getaway

 February is the time when most people go away either to a plush ski resort ro a sunny tropical island. yet what happens when you can;t get away? Bring the food to you.It's a fun way to enjoy the slopes or the sand without leaving home.

Think Switzerland when you're making an apres ski type meal. Fondue is always the best and it's a good reason to buy a fondue pot (Keep in mind that you cna also use it for bagna calda and chocolate fondue too).it starts with a good butter and creamy cheese like Fontina, Gruyere or Gouda. You could also use Comte or Emmethaler too if you can find them.A good white wine is also needed.The acid in in it keeps the texture smooth  and even Another must is constarch. First grate the cheese and then toss it in cornstarch. Doing such will help thicken the fondue and prevent any lumps from forming. What to dip in?  Quartered slices of  a good baguette along with apple and boiled potato slices. If you 're leaning towards the Italain Alps of Piemonte, then try the intensely flavorful and delicious bagna calda. This "hot bath" consists of anchovies being cooked in a mix of garlic butter and oil. Savoy cabbage is dipped in it but for a more flavorful bite use parboiled London Broil. This leads to a wonderful marriage of flavors when the beef juices blend with the anchovies. Always have a loaf of French bread for dipping too. What's for dessert? Hot toddies or a more substantial slice of Black Forest torte with strong coffee.

If you'd rather go the sand and sun root then think Caribbean cooking. Nothing takes away that February wintry chill than jerk chicken, This spicy dish requires chicken legs,  along with brown sugar oil and thyme. Of course there are spices and herbs for the kick. There is cayenne for that fiery taste minxed with allspice, paprika , cinnamon and cloves. You'll also need onion  and garlic powder and freshly ground pepper too. This is a dry rub . Toi make sure every bit fo meat is spiced you have to pok holes in the legs so the spices can seep though.It's then baking ona pachment covered sheet pan for about forty minutes. Serve it with Jamaican rice and peas fired up with Scotch Bonnet peppers.This also has allspice berries and coconut milk added . Callaloo is another great dish for a culianry getaway. Try to get the calloloo plant (which looks like a hardier version of spinach) at a local Caribbean grocery.If not its' cousin spianch can sub in just fine. Soak the leaves first in salt water before adding t a skillet. Onions and red peppers  are first cooked in vegtable oil  Tomatoes thyme and Scotch bonnets foloow then the callaloo. .Add hot water to steam the greens and cover for five minutes. You can add crab or fish as they do in Tobago if you want.

Feel sad about not getting away this winter. Don;t be. You cna easily have the slopes or sand in yiur kitchen by cooking ski resort or island food. It's a fun way of having the adventure without all the traveling fuss.

The Classic Patty Melt

 A diner classic is making a comback and in a big way.It's the patty melt and sudeenly New Yorkers are going wild for this vintage sandwich. To be nones tit';s a tasty departure from it's cousin the hamburger.

Pete Wells wrote about it in yesterday's New York Times  Wednesday Food section. He even included a recipe that's makes for an easy replica. MAny of the trenider eateries both in New York and on the West Coast in Malibu are making their versions of it. It's a classic beef patty(hoemamde  - not one of those frozen kinds), cooked and placed on butter  and fried rybread. Cheese is added along with carmelized onions. It's basically an old fashioned hot snadwich, soe =rto f like that other diner classic the tuna melt (this is tuna sald placed on toast then topped with cheese, usally American. It's then popped into the oven or broiler untile the cheese becomes all melty and bubbly). The famed Commerce Inn, a West Village restaurant that explores American farmhouse cuisine has added it to it's menu. S & P lunch, also in Manhattan gives it a bit fi Forties quaintess with a cherry lime rickey to drink.Revelie, alunceonette with French leanings serves their with a true New York classic - the egg cream. They also serve a vegan one too.

Mr. Wells gives the Commerce Inn's recipe which is probably the most authentic.You need good ground beef..It should be iberall salted and peppered on both sides  as you would do with a steak, Each patty should be bigger than the bread slice because the meat shrinks down when cooking. The onions should be thinly sliced and cooked with butter and rosemary. The bread should be  buttered and fried on the griddle. If you don't have a large enough griddle then use tow skillets instead.The cheese along with a mayo and Dijon . mustard mix should be spread on them. Smash the burgers with a spatula and then cover them with the onions Layer the meat and the onions onto the bread and then serve as hot sandwiches.  For a sub in  you can use sourdough which is what the first patty melts were served on . They were first created at Tiny's Waffle  Shop on Powell Street in San Francisco. Funny enough the sourdough wasn't popular and rye was put in in its' place.

Make a patty melt for a classic American taste. It's a gooey , tasty marriage of cheese and beef with onions and mayo. Nothing beats it.