Life's Better With Bacon - Steamed Bacon Buns With Hoisin

Steamed Bacon Buns, Photo: NK

In keeping with the premise of this blog, when I can't take the heat, I get into the kitchen. 

Cooking is my favorite therapy, so that's just what I did when an exhausting and oddly emotional week peppered with endless snafus crescendoed to an impressive finale. 

Just when we thought we could relish the remainder of a blessedly quiet Sunday, we figured out the pipes in our apartment had frozen, leaving us with no water for hours. Sigh... 


When life gets a bit zany, I always check my moon calendar. Sure enough, it was a full one! Thankfully, the situation finally corrected itself, leaving us free to explore the universally restorative power of carbs and salt-cured meats. 

Grace Parisi's shortcut version of one of our favorite Chinese street food - Steamed Pork Buns - is brilliant. 

Delicious Steamed Bacon Buns with Hoisin, Photo: NK 

With my creative powers sapped from exhaustion, I didn't even attempt adapting this already clever and surprisingly easy recipe. Today, I'll just take you though it step by step and suggest some pointers along the way. Parisi's version simplifies your life by using packaged biscuit dough for the buns, and thick-cut bacon to sub in for harder to find pork belly. Add some zesty garnishes like Radish, Scallion, Sriracha and Hoisin sauce, and you've got a bursting-with-flavor tender steamed Bun filled with smoky-sweet Bacon. 
Trust me, you'll impress yourself. 

Steamed Bacon Buns with Hoisin

Photo: NK 

Recipe by Grace Parisi of Food and Wine
Serves 4 

Ingredients:
1/2 Pound Thick-Cut Smoked Bacon, cut into 2 inch pieces 
16 1/8-inch thick rounds of fresh peeled Ginger
1 Cup Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
1/4 Cup Mirin
1/4 Cup Unseasoned Rice Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
One 16 Ounce Tube Buttermilk Biscuits (Pillsbury Grands - 8 Biscuits per tube)
Hoisin Sauce
Sriracha Sauce
Sliced Radishes
Bread and Butter Pickles 
Scallions, roughly chopped 
Special Equipment: 
Heavy-Duty or Regular Aluminum Foil
A Large Broiler Pan  
A 9x13 inch Baking Pan 

Method:

Sizzling Bacon and Ginger, Photo: NK 

In a large and deep skillet, cook the Bacon and the Ginger Coins over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. 

Turn the Bacon over once midway through. The Bacon should become lightly golden brown. Spoon off some of the fat from the pan and discard. Next, add the Chicken Broth, Mirin, Rice Vinegar, Sugar, and Soy Sauce. Turn the heat down low and simmer, turning the Bacon occasionally until the liquid is reduced to a syrup-like glaze - about 10 minutes. Cover the skillet and keep warm.

Meanwhile, fill up a large roasting pan with 2 inches of water. Set 4 ramekins in each corner or the pan. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment and spray it down with Vegetable Oil or other non-stick spray. Arrange the Biscuits in the baking pan and set the pan on top of the ramekins in the roasting pan. You are basically creating a makeshift steamer basket. (You could certainly use a traditional metal steamer basket over a pot of boiling water but it would likely only hold 3 to 4 Biscuits at a time.)

Homemade Steamer, Photo: NK 

Now, Cover the roasting pan tightly with foil, heavy duty foil if you have it. The goal is to trap the steam that will rise from the bottom roasting pan so it will flow into the baking pan that's atop it. Set your makeshift steamer over a burner on the top of your stove and turn the flame to medium high. As the water in the pan boils, your buns will begin to steam. Check them at around 8 minutes, being careful of the escaping steam that will flow out (neurotic danger!). The original recipe says the bun steaming should take 8 minutes. My Buns took about 12 ( I think my foil wasn't sealed tightly enough). Just keep an eye on them. When they are finished they will be fluffy rather than doughy and cooked through. 

Remove buns and let them cool for a minute. Carefully split them in half and lay on a cutting board. Spread the bottoms with Hoisin and the tops with Sriracha. Portion out even amounts of Bacon on each Bun, and pour some of the pan glaze on top. Finish with sliced Scallions, Radishes, and Pickles. Close the buns and serve right away. 

I hope you swoon over these the way we did! Wishing a calm and happy week to all! 

Photo: NK

In the Kitchen With Moni - Kung Pao Shrimp Makeover

I'm so happy to share cooking inspiration from one of my dear friends, Monica (also known as Mo or Moni, as we affectionately call her). Monica is my healthy food muse. She knows how to eat sensibly and is also great at remaking diet-busting recipes into healthy yet super tasty dishes. Today, I'll be sharing one of Monica's best recipe makeovers - a guiltless version of Kung Pao Shrimp with an amazing and easy side dish of Sichuan Asparagus. 

Lighter Kung Pao Shimp with Sichuan Asparagus and Brown Rice, Photo: NK 

Looks great, right? Trust me, you won't miss the extra fat, salt, or starch. This dish proves that you need not lose your joie de vivre to stay slim! While I made some minor tweaks to her recipe because I was missing one or two of the ingredients, you can find the original recipe and many other great dishes here on Moni's blog: Meals From Mo's Kitchen.

Before we start, here's how to time this meal:

Preheat the Oven to 400

Clean the Shrimp

Cut up the Lemons and put the Asparagus in the Oven.

Chop all the Shrimp and Sichuan Sauce Ingredients, and pull out all the bottles you'll need. 

Cook the Kung Pao Shrimp, preparing the Sichuan Sauce during inactive time. 

~Everything should be done around the same time this way. 

Healthy Baked Asparagus, Photo: NK

Let's start with the Asparagus Side Dish. I have to say, this recipe is really amazing. I love baking Asparagus but I refrain from doing so often because I don't like having to slather it in oil. Covering the Asparagus with Lemon Slices, as Monica does, solves this problem. The juices of the Lemon basically steam the stalks, cooking them perfectly without using excess oil and fat. Smart! And who knew making a Sichuan Sauce could be so easy? This sauce would be delicious on many veggies, so feel free to be creative. 

Mo's Sichuan Asparagus 

Serves 2-3

Sichuan Sauce Ingredients: 

3 Tablespoons Chicken Broth

1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste

2 teaspoons Chinkiang Vinegar (learn about it HERE.) or 2 teaspoons Balsamic Vinegar

1 teaspoon Soy Sauce

Sichuan Sauce Coming Together, Photo: NK

1/2 teaspoon Sugar

1/2 teaspoon Sesame Oil

1/4 teaspoon Cornstarch 

1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper, or more to taste

Additional Ingredients:

2 Lemons, sliced into rounds

1 Bunch of Asparagus 

1 pinch of Oil, for pan

Optional - 1 package Uncle Ben's Ready Rice - Brown Rice that microwaves in only 90 seconds. 

Method:  

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Lightly oil a pan and place the Asparagus in a row. 

Lay Lemon Slices over the Asparagus until completely covered.

Bake for approximately 20 minutes. 

To prepare Sichuan Sauce, whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. 

Warm the Sichuan Sauce in a pan. 

Once the Asparagus is done add it to the pan and toss together with the Sichuan Sauce. The Sichuan Sauce is on the sweet side so you may want to add it slowly, adjusting the amount to your tastes. 

If you are preparing the rice, place it in the microwave now. 

Serve with Brown Rice on the side. 

Mo's Lighter Kung Pao Shrimp 

Serves 2  

Ingredients: 

1 teaspoon Canola Oil

5-8 Dried Chili Peppers - I used 8, because Sam likes her Kung Pao spicy...

1 Tablespoon Dry Sherry, Cooking Sherry, or Shaoxing Wine

1/2 teaspoon Cornstarch

2 Cloves Garlic, minced

1 teaspoon Minced Ginger or 1 teaspoon Ginger Powder

1 Lb Peeled Raw Shrimp, tail on, deveined

1/2 teaspoon Sugar

2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce

1 Chopped Scallion (we didn't have Scallion so I used Celery and it was just fine)

1 Tablespoon Chopped Peanuts

Method:

In a bowl, combine Sherry, Cornstarch, Garlic, Ginger, and Shrimp together.

In a wok or large skillet, heat the Canola Oil over medium heat.

Add Dried Chili Peppers and stir. Cook until slightly blackened. 

Next, add the contents of the Shrimp Bowl to the wok. 

Cook about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Reduce the heat to low. 

Add Sugar and Soy Sauce. 

Cook, stirring occasionally, another 5 minutes.

Remove the wok from the heat.

Stir in Sesame Oil, Scallion, and Peanuts.

Enjoy!! 

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Après Ski Detox - Meatless Moo Shu Dinner

My husband and I recently enjoyed a brief ski weekend away with three other couples at a gorgeous lake house up in Adirondack, NY. As is often the case when we spend time with great friends, there was lots of eating and imbibing, laughter, and other hijinks. Our rental house not only had gorgeous panoramic views of Schroon Lake, but also the most amazing chef's kitchen I've ever seen up close - it even came complete with a chef's jacket and funny cook's hat that made for some very amusing photo ops as the nights, and drinks, wore on. 

Schroon Lake, Adirondack, NY Photo, NK 

Our location, 4 hours north of NYC, was remote to say the least. The lack of nearby restaurants meant we'd be relying heavily on our tricked out kitchen to cook up some great meals. As for me, I can take none of the credit for the cooking and baking that went on during our stay. Our first night, my best friend and her husband prepared homemade pizzas in several varieties which they cooked on their handy pizza stone. Their efficiency in preparing these incredibly tasty and made-to-order pies was mind-bending. Check them out:

Red Onion and Spinach Pizza, Photo: NK

Fresh Tomato and Garlic Pizza, Photo: NK

Pineapple Pie! Photo: NK 

Another couple brought up a fresh suckling pig from a butcher in NYC that they basted with oil and slow roasted until it emerged from the oven extremely juicy and delicious. As you can see, it was also quite popular.

Oven Roasted Suckling Pig, Photo: NK

As if all these dishes weren't enough, we were then treated to a home-baked chocolate bundt cake which was made even more delectable by the addition of Jameson Irish whiskey. Apparently we find ways to get alcohol into everything!


Our weekend was a smashing success and we did tons of fun activities including skiing and even an impromptu trip to an Alpaca farm (these guys are really friendly and adorable).

Our Alpaca Friend, Photo: NK

During the four-hour ride home, I found myself craving vegetables. I just wanted something light and reasonably nutritious to erase the culinary (and cocktail-fueled) overindulgences we'd engaged in for the past three days. 

When I think food detox my mind jumps to vegetarian fare, and after searching for meatless entree ideas (on my sluggish Blackberry in slow traffic on the Thruway), I came across a fast and easy yet untraditional Moo Shu recipe. This vegetarian version omits the usual pork and substitutes whole wheat tortillas for the traditional pancake wrappers. 


Since I had a lot of time on my hands, I reasoned that somehow this would be less filling if instead of using a bunch of tortillas, I made this into more of a noodle dish with just a small portion of soba noodles (made of buckwheat). Yeah, buckwheat sounded wholesome to me in my weakened state. As the original Vegetable Moo Shu recipe on Eatingwell.com suggests, buying ready-chopped veggies such as broccoli slaw really does cut down prep time significantly. Below is my adaptation of their recipe. You have the option of using whole wheat tortillas for a play on traditional Moo Shu pancakes, or mixing in a modest portion of noodles or even brown rice as your carb addition instead. 


If you are interested in learning more about  traditional Moo Shu (or Mu Shu) Pork and its potential origins, check out this interesting excerpt I found online:

http://chinesefood.about.com

I am sure I will be making the real thing one of these days!


Moo Shu Vegetable Soba
Serves 4
Adapted from Eating Well


Ingredients:
3 teaspoons toasted Sesame Oil
3 large Eggs - 2 eggs with yolk and white, one with just white, lightly beaten together
2 teaspoons fresh Ginger, minced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 bunch Scallions, sliced and divided into two portions
1 12 oz. Bag of Shredded Mixed Veggies such as Broccoli Slaw, Rainbow Salad, or Carrot and Cabbage Slaw
2 cups of Mung Bean Sprouts 
1.5 tablespoons Rice Vinegar
2 tablespoons Hoisin Sauce plus extra for serving
Pancake or Soba Noodle Option: 4 Servings Soba Noodles or 12 small Whole Wheat Tortillas 

Moo Shu Veggie Ingredients, Photo: NK

Method:
~If using the Soba Noodle version, set a medium pot of water to boil. Once boiling, add noodles and cook, stirring occasionally for 4 minutes. Drain and set aside. You may have to loosen the noodles with water before serving. 


~If serving in "pancakes," set aside 12 small tortillas and heat them just before serving veggies. Diners can fill their own pancakes and top with extra Hoisin sauce served alongside.


Heat 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil in a large non-stick skillet or Wok over medium high heat. 
Add the eggs as you would if making an omelette and cook them until they are set, 3-4 min.
Remove egg pancake to a plate. 


Wipe out the pan and heat the remaining two teaspoons of sesame oil over medium heat and add the ginger and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until softened and fragrant, about 1 min.


Add the shredded veggies, bean sprouts, half the sliced scallions, soy sauce, and vinegar. Stir and cover, stirring again once or twice, until the veggies become crisp tender, about 3 min.


Meanwhile, slice your egg pancake into thin strips and slice the strips once again down the middle. Add the chopped egg  and Hoisin sauce to the skillet and toss until heated through, about another 1 to 2 min. Stir in the remaining scallions and remove from the heat. 


To serve: 


Place a small portion of Soba Noodles on a plate and add the veggies on top. 
(I actually like to place a tiny pile of noodles on 4 corners of the plate and fill the middle liberally with the Moo Shu Veggies.)


For the pancake option, serve heated tortillas and allow diners to fill the pancakes with the veggie mixture themselves. Serve with extra Hoisin. 

Moo Shu Veggies and Soba Noodles, Photo: NK

Enjoy!