…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen ![]() How you doin’? A lot of people ask, What's the difference between white chili and regular chili? There's your typical red chili and beans made with beef or pork. On the other hand, white chili versions are made with chicken or turkey instead of beef or pork and without tomatoes but sometimes with beans (usually white beans) and lots of flavor from green chiles. White chili is a relatively new modification with its origins traced to sometime in the 1980s. The modern dish we know as chili, also known as chili con carne (chili with meat), does however appear to have roots in the American West, particularly the State of Texas. An old legend holds that immigrants from the Canary Islands brought a recipe for chili with them when they settled San Antonio in the early 1700s. Another story says the origins may have come from as far away as China or India. Whichever story you want to believe, you will enjoy everything about my slow-cooked White Chicken Chili. It’s made with canned green chiles and is very fragrant as it is cooking, exciting the taste buds and warming the cockles of your heart. Serve with dollop of sour cream, shredded pepper Jack cheese and other good things. Prep time: 30 minutes Slow Cook time: 5 to 8 hours (depending whether slow-cooked on low or high) Yield: 6 to 8 servings Ingredients For the chicken chili 1-1/2 to 2 pounds chicken thighs 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock 12 ounces diced canned green chiles 15 ounces canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 15 ounces canned garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed 1 cup diced sweet onion 4 tablespoons minced garlic 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice For the toppings (you can use all the toppings or any combination) 1-1/2 cups fried tortilla strips (or corn chips—I prefer Frito brand corn chips) 1/2 cup pepper-jack cheese 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup sliced green onion circles 1 avocado, halved and sliced 1 lime, cut into wedges Directions
ChefSecret: I prefer to purchase whole chicken thighs. Cooking thighs with the skin and the bones adds more flavor to the chili. While this recipe specifically calls out a slow cooker, you can use an Instant Pot set to slow-cook and set the timer accordingly. Quip of the Day: “The lady in Walgreens is looking at me like she has never seen a man put on deodorant and put it back on the shelf.” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and drink responsibly. #Entrees #WhiteChickenChili #SlowCooker #BigGame #SuperBowl #Chicken #CannelliniBeans #GarbanzoBeans #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023
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Happy Lunar (Chinese) New Year ![]() Chinese New Year—often referred to as Lunar New Year--is a time to celebrate long-honored food traditions and delicious celebrations where the foods are symbols of luck and prosperity. Longevity Noodles celebrate long life and usually are one of the most delicious elements of the holiday meal. My recipe for Longevity Noodles includes all the essentials that make for a well-balanced stir-fry, along with a few culinary tricks I learned along the way at China Rose. See all my secrets in the ChefSecret section of this blog. The entire dish is hot and flavorful with great contrasting textures. Add shiitakes, green onions tops and plenty of crisp Napa cabbage to the wok. Be careful not to overcook the vegetables, just let them sizzle for a moment in the wok. You’ll notice the red pepper flakes and ginger bloom in the oil bringing a wonderful fresh flavor to the dish. It is rumored the longer the noodle the great the longevity for you and your family. Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Yield: 4-6 servings Ingredients 12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2- inch thick, bite-size pieces (thighs are perfect for high heat wok dishes) 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger 2 tablespoons, plus 2 teaspoons Shaohsing rice cooking wine (or dry sherry), divided 1 teaspoon cornstarch 1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce, divided 1 teaspoon, divided (plus a pinch for the noodle water) 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper 1 10-ounce package dried lo mein noodles 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil 2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided 1/4 teaspoon dry crushed red pepper 3 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage 2 cups fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps thinly sliced 1/2 cup green onion tops, plus more for garnish (cut 1-inch long) Chinese chili oil, for serving Directions
ChefSecret: Toss the noodles in a wok separately, add in just a small amount of peanut oil keeping them light and springy (so they won’t stick together). Marinate the chicken in sherry, soy sauce, fresh ginger and just a bit of cornstarch. This keeps it moist when cooked in a hot sizzling hot wok with oil and red pepper flakes. This process of coating the meat in cornstarch is called velveting giving it that lovely smooth texture—the sign of a professional Asian chef. Quip of the Day: Confucius Says: “Food can never be too clean and meat can never be sliced too thin.” (食不厭精,膾不厭細) ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross. #Entrees #LongevityNoodles #LoMein #LunarNewYear #ChineseNewYear #YearOfTheRabbit #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 …from the Perspectives’ Kitchen![]() How you doin’? Char Siu Bao Dim Sum Pork Buns were best-selling dim sum food at my China Rose restaurant. Little wonder why… just look at these beautiful little buns. I make these with Chinese barbecued pork filling with lots of seasoning and spices—it is utterly delicious and the perfect bite. Baos are made with a simple steamed yeasted dough that creates a soft and pillowy texture. If you’ve never tasted one, it’s a bit like eating a cloud. Remember to temper the buns in the steamer basket for five minutes after they’ve steamed, which keeps them from cooling too quickly and deflating. Ed’s Comment: This is a complex recipe—it is fairly easy but daunting just the same. You would be forgiven to just read it and see how much effort goes into the restaurant dim sum that looks so easy when the cart comes to your table. If you’ve got some time on a rainy day, give it a try. Prep time: 10 minutes Marinade time: 8 hours or overnight Cook time: 50 minutes Yield: 16 buns (with leftover pork for a great stir fried rice) Ingredients For the char siu (Chinese BBQ Pork) 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder/pork butt (select a piece with some good fat on it) 1/4 cup granulated sugar 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce 2 teaspoons molasses 1/8 teaspoon red food coloring (optional) 4 tablespoons finely minced garlic Water for the roasting pan 2 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon hot water Directions
Ingredients For the char siu filling 1/3 cup water 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce 1 teaspoon rice wine 1 tablespoon oyster sauce 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water 8 ounces diced char siu (use the recipe above) Directions
Steamed Buns (Baos) Ingredients For the bao dough 3/4 cup warm water (about 110⁰ F) 1 teaspoon instant yeast 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/8 teaspoon baking soda 1 tablespoon vegetable oil Non-stick cooking spray as needed Chili oil, for serving You will need a steamer (bamboo steamer or steamer insert for your double boiler (with at least 2 steam trays) and 2 parchment liners. Directions To make the dough
ChefSecret: If not using all 16 buns, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Quip of the Day: “Life should be more like dim sum. We should all learn to get Oolong.” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross. #Snacks #Appetizers #DimSum #CharSiuBao #ChinaRose #ChineseFood #PorkBuns #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 …from the Perspectives’ Kitchen ![]() How you doin’? Ms. Swander was a 2nd grade teacher in my grammar school. She used to invite us to her house for lunch every month. Imagine that happening today!... hey, it was a different time. She always made the same thing—Miss Swander’s Casserole. Kids loved this casserole dish, and our mothers could never seem to master it until she actually posted it the school newspaper. My version probably adds a few more ingredients than the original and has more of an adult profile, but I’ve tried this with my nieces and nephews and they love it as much as I did all the way back in grammar school. Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 1 hour 10 minutes Cooling time 15 minutes Yield: 6 servings Ingredients 8 ounces shell pasta 1 pound ground beef 1/2 pound bulk mild Italian sausage 3/4 cup chopped onion 1/4 cup chopped celery 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon minced red bell pepper 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs Directions
ChefSecret: I prefer to have this dish sit overnight before baking as the flavors improve and the pasta absorbs some of the sauce so the consistency is just right. Quip of the Day: “What did the pencil sharpener say to the pencil? Stop going in circles and get to the point!" ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross. #Entrees #BakedPastaCasserole #GrammarSchoolCasserole #PastaShells #ItalianSausage #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 …from the Perspectives’ Kitchen![]() Happy New Year! Hope your holidays were wonderful... and that 2023 has gotten off to a great start. How you doin’? If you look closely, you’ll find a slow cooker setting on most Instant Pot models. Why? Sometimes it’s a matter of convenience and at other times certain foods just cook better in a slow cooker. If you’re suffering from a shortage of cabinet space for all those one-use gadgets you bought and seldom use, your Instant Pot allows you to sell the larger of the two and use your Instant Pot for a multitude of cooking procedures. My Slow-Cooked Sticky Honey-Garlic Chicken is a favorite. While leaning toward Asian tastes, it is an anytime, anyplace single pot meal. The side dishes chosen will determine which way your meal is themed. Slow-Cooked Honey-Garlic Chicken can easily be served with white or fried rice, noodles and lightly steamed green vegetables. The aroma emanating for the Instant Pot will permeate your kitchen and be a great preview of wonderful flavor to come. Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 6 hours Yield: 4 servings Ingredients 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup honey 1/4 cup ketchup 1/4 cup hoisin sauce 1/4 cup chicken stock 5 tablespoons minced garlic 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 2 teaspoons sesame oil 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh ginger 3-4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs 2 tablespoons sesame seeds for garnishing 3 tablespoons green onion circles Directions
ChefSecret: Serve over rice, fried rice or noodles with sautéed vegetables! Quip of the Day: What do chickens order at a Chinese restaurant? Eggroll, of course! ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross. #Entrees #SlowCooker #InstantPot #Chicken #Hoisin #ChickenThighs #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2023 |
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