Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Back to Buddakan


As I told you before, about a year ago, this restaurant has an amazing atmosphere, it sings to you "try this, try that" you just don't know what to order everything is so great. The main dining room is downstairs but it's wide open and visable from the top two stories up with huge chandeliers hanging overhead and wax-caked candlesticks on the tabletops. The side area in which we ate has pictures of Buddha heads randomly lit on the walls, and a dark environment that gives a sense of privacy. Then ther are the candle lit steps leading down the staircase that descends into a main room with a 35-foot ceiling and a long communal table. I think it sounds fancier than it is. It's really cool.
Our server was very good and well informed about the food on the menu as all the servers are here. He made some excellent suggestions as to the daily special. The food is served family style, which was a great way to get tastes of several different dishes. That's the way Chinese people eat anyway. .You just can't go wrong here with that legendary chef Jean Georges, this guy has never make a bad dish in his life.
We started with a few appetizers, including the General Tso’s Dumpling, which was stuffed with chicken, ginger and garlic, which were served right from the steamer basket. I found the Crispy Calamari Salad with green apples, cashews, and a miso vinaigrette also to be very good. I was the only one that ordered the frog legs, everyone else wimped out. The steamed sea bass roll with cabbage, ginger, sizzling scallion oil was good, tender and buttery.
We tried three main courses, and my favorite was the rich and flavorful Sizzling Short Rib with mushroom chowfun (noodles), and Asian pear. The meat was tender and not at all fatty, the pear was refreshing, and the mushrooms and noodles were a great compliment. Next the list was the Glazed Alaskan black cod with chili eggplant, black bean relish. The fish was light and flaky and the black bean relish was a nice flavor to go with it. The last dish served was a seared pork tenderloin with wild mushrooms, lotus scented rice, Chinese bacon. The rice was wonderful, and full of all kinds of goodies. We also ordered a side of charred asparagus that was amazing and had a great flavor with a "black bean foam." Capping off the meal was a great cup of cappuccino and a Tempura Apple Fritter ,essentially fried apple rings with Saigon cinnamon anglaise (a white, creamy sauce) and salt and pepper caramel. And we didn't forget the Lychee Martini's.. Trust me.

Another great time and a great meal at Buddakan

African Chicken Stew

I love changing up recipes at home. I am not the spaghetti on Monday, hamburgers on Tuesday, and so on through the week. My children never know what they are going to get. LOL I have been trying to get a little ethnic. We have family that live in West Africa. This recipe is supposedly inspired by authentic West African cooking. It is TERRIFIC!! ALL my children ate it and had seconds. I love the spices in it. Coriander, cumin, crushed red pepper flakes. The flavor POPS!! It was hard not to gorge myself!! I hope you try it!!

African Chicken Stew
Rated: 4 out of 5 by 233 members
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 35 Minutes
Ready In: 45 Minutes
Yields: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon olive oil 1
(3 pound) roasting chicken, deboned and cut into bite size pieces
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 onion, chopped
1 large potato, diced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup water (or chicken broth)
1/2 cup unsalted natural-style peanut butter
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid, heat oil over medium high heat. Add chicken, and brown quickly. Remove chicken from pan. Reduce heat to medium low, and add garlic, onion and potato to the pan; saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Season with cumin, coriander, black pepper, red pepper and salt. Do not let garlic brown.

2. Mix in water and browned chicken, and any accumulated juices. Place lid on skillet and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Remove lid, and stir in the peanut butter and garbanzo beans. Make sure the peanut butter is blended in. Replace lid to simmer for 10 more minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are tender. Remove from heat, adjust seasoning, and serve.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2008 Allrecipes.com Printed from Allrecipes.com 4/30/2008

Melanie

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Pork Loin

I never knew how to cook pork.I knew 2-3 traditionaly Indian recipes and that was it.
The other day Kroger had pork loins on sale at $2.00 for a "log"!It was a part of their special sale to entice buyers away from walmart next door.
Well,I cooked the pork according to the directions and added strips of some very salty bacon that I could not use on top of it.The bacon juices flowed down to the pork and gave it that smoky flavor.
(Blogger is acting up so I cant post any pics)
Then I baked some potato wedges in the oven and added the bacon to that too!
I got rid of the salty bacon that day!

Friday, April 18, 2008

Teriyaki Salmon

I have been trying to add fish to our diet. I did not grow up eating a lot of seafood. Most of my past experience was shrimp, fish sticks, catching fish when were camping and grilling it, and tuna casserole or tuna fish sandwiches. That would be it. I know it is good for you so I have purposely tried different recipes. The following was AWESOME!! I love anything with ginger in it. Yum! I uploaded a picture of our meal. Brown rice, salmon, and I sautéed some zucchini with onions and green pepper in olive oil. My children really liked it!! It is a family keeper. I will be making this again very soon!



INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup soy sauce (reduced sodium)
1 teaspoon ground mustard

1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
4 (6 ounce) salmon steaks
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large resealable plastic bag or shallow glass container, combine the first six ingredients; mix well. Set aside 1/2 cup for basting and refrigerate. Add salmon to remaining marinade; cover and refrigerate for 1-1/2 hours, turning once. Drain and discard marinade. Place the salmon on a broiler pan. Broil 3-4 in. from the heat for 5 minutes. Brush with reserved marinade; turn and broil for 5 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Brush with marinade.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2008 Allrecipes.com Printed from Allrecipes.com 4/18/2008


Melanie