Caprese Quinoa

Tonight we had some of my parents friends over. They've known me since I wore diapers and my cow pajamas, which was 20 years ago not 4 years ago as some of you may think. It's really encouraging for me to see such long-lasting friendships. They have been supporting and praying for each other for years and have such strong bonds with one another. I haven't seen them in quite a long time so I made some food and we had some great discussion about faberge eggs, Berkeley Bowl (my favorite food store) and my upcoming semester in the United Kingdom. I thought my friends were the only ones who talked about the most random, unrelated topics....guess I was wrong.

Anyways, I made caprese quinoa - part salad, part grain but all together really tasty and really really good for you. Quinoa is a seed from a plant that is related to spinach and swiss chard.

It has all essential amino acids making it a complete protein. Great for vegans, no more Soyrizo or Tofurkey! Quinoa can be mixed with all kinds of things. Think of some vegetables that are in season right now and combine quinoa with them. Quinoa can also be cooked like oatmeal and topped with fresh blackberries and blueberries. Since it's the end of summer, I found some great looking baby roma and pear tomatoes at the Berkeley Bowl.

We also had some fresh basil from our plant so in it went.

This grain is becoming quite popular and trendy in the food world, think culinary V neck- comes in a few colors and can be paired with basically anything.

The Ingredients

3 cups quinoa

5 cups water and/or broth

1 clove garlic, finely minced

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 baskets (pints) of cherry tomatoes/pear tomatoes/smallish tomatoes, cut in half or quartered

1/2 cup basil, sliced thin

16 oz fresh mozarella, put into the freezer for 30 minutes and then cubed

2 tablespoons lemon juice

salt and pepper

The Method

Pour the quinoa into a large bowl and fill the bowl with water. Quinoa must be rinsed to remove the saponin which is a natural coating which acts like a natural bird and bug repellent. It also acts as a natural laxative...so make sure you rinse a few times, to get rid of the bitter saponin and its ill effects.

Once washed, pour the quinoa into a large pot with the broth/liquid. Most people will say that there should be a 2:1 ratio with the liquid but I prefer an al dente texture quinoa and plus there will be water on the rinsed grain so I opt with a little less. Put a cover on the pot and bring it to a boil on medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until tender and the spiral shaped germ unravels. Fluff with a fork when it's done.

Mix the garlic, lemon juice and olive oil together and pour it into the cooked quinoa. The mixing will prevent a huge garlic clump which may surprise your guests.

Add the tomatoes, basil and cubed, slightly frozen mozarella.

Freezing the cheese for 30 minutes is crucial. The quinoa is quite hot and if the cheese wasn't frozen, the cubes would melt together into one chewy, gummy mess. The chilled cubes will allow the mozarella to be mixed in while staying separated and will be perfectly soft by service time. Fold together and season with salt and pepper.

This makes a great side to a grilled steak or roast chicken and serve about 8-10 people.

Recipe by Spencer Huey

Cantonese Chicken Claypot (without the claypot)

So I decided to ditch the claypot, mainly because I didn't have one, and chose to make it in a rice cooker instead. The results are about the same; although with the claypot, you can get a crunchy layer of rice at the bottom. But what college student has a chinese claypot on hand? Not this one. This Chinese dish takes many flavors and combines them to create a very homely dish.
The Ingredients
3 cups of rice (I used medium grain, but adjust water for long grain)
1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
3 stalks green onion, chopped
2 inch piece of ginger, finely chopped
10-12 dried shitake mushrooms
3 chinese sausages (lop cheung), sliced
.25 cup cilantro, chopped
cooking oil
for the chicken:
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1.5 teaspoons cornstarch
.5 teaspoon sesame oil
.5 teaspoon sugar
.25 teaspoon pepper
for the rice:
4 cups of water
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
pinch of salt

The Method
Chop the chicken into large chunks and mix it with the chicken seasoning. Let this marinade for at least 3 hours or overnight. Soak the dried mushrooms in water for at least half an hour until soft. Cut them in half. Slice the sausages, and chop the green onions, cilantro and the ginger.Mix the water and rice seasonings in the rice cooker. Press the cook button.
Put a large pan on medium high heat and pour some vegetable oil to prevent sticking. When the pan is hot, place the chicken and mushrooms in a single layer. Brown the chicken and make several batches if you need too. Throw in the ginger and chinese sausages. Take the chicken out when it is about half cooked and place in a large bowl. When the rice has about 7-8 minutes left and is dry, add the chicken, mushrooms and sausages. Close the rice cooker and let it cook. When the button pops up or beeps sprinkle the green onions and cilantro on top, and set a timer for 12-15 more minutes. This will continue to cook the chicken and let the flavors mix. Serve with additional cilantro and green onion. This recipe feeds 4-6.

Coconut Sticky Rice with Fresh Berries

Rice...for dessert? For those of you who have not tried this Thai dessert, I can understand that this may seem a little weird. It's good, I promise. The match of the sweet, creamy yet slightly salty rice pairs perfectly with the sweetness of seasonal fruit. I usually prefer mangoes with the sticky rice, and it is indeed more traditional. Sadly, the mangoes were not-so-great so I opted with fresh strawberries and blackberries instead.

The Ingredients
2 cups of Thai sweet rice
3 cups water
1 can of coconut milk (not lite)
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Strawberries
Blackberries
sesame seeds

The Method
The traditional way of preparing Thai sweet rice is to soak it for hours and then steam it in a special basket. I have found that if you put the rice with the water in a rice cooker, it turns out pretty well. However, it's important to let it soak for at least 20 minutes and then press the cook button.
Meanwhile, put a small saucepan on medium heat. Pour in the coconut milk, sugar and salt. Take the cooked rice and pour it into a large mixing bowl. With a rubber spatula, fold the rice to fluff it. Pour in the coconut milk mixture. It will look pretty soupy at first but let it set covered for about 10 minutes and the rice should adsorb it all. Fluff once more and plate a small mound and sprinkle it with the fresh berries and sesame seeds.
This serves around 6-8 hungry college students craving this Thai dessert.

Creamy Ham and Rice Soup

It was a chillier day in San Diego...well I don't know maybe it wasn't. I do know, however, that I wanted to make a stick-to-your-ribs kind of soup. This is a quick and hearty soup to make on those days where you have no idea what to cook for dinner.

The Ingredients
3 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons olive oil
6 Tablespoons flour
1 small onion finely diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1.5 cups cubed ham
2.5 cups cooked rice
4 green onions sliced
5 cups of chicken broth
3 cups of water
.5 cup cream
1 cup milk
salt
freshly ground pepper

The Method
Heat a large stockpot on medium heat with the olive oil. Add the minced onions and some salt and caramelize until brown. This will take about 25 minutes. Be patient, this develops the rich flavor which the soup will need. The sugars will also caramelize making them sweeter. When they are caramelized and sweet, add the butter and flour. Stir and cook the onions for a couple of minutes. This provides the thickening for the soup.
Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the broth and water and wait for the soup to boil. Add the ham, rice, green onions, milk, cream, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for another 5 minutes.
Serve with some crusty bread on a rainy day.