…from the Perspectives’ KitchenHow you doin’? I love to vacation in Thailand. I usually spend a couple of days in Bangkok at the Oriental Hotel and then go off to one of the islands down south. The last time I went I changed up the routine and went up to Chiang Mai where the elephant sanctuaries are located. Aside from these magnificent animals, I found the following recipe for Thai Peanut Chicken with Broccoli at Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi Resort. My version of the Thai Peanut Chicken Dish with Broccoli is to cook it in a spicy sauce. If you like it milder, use less cayenne; if you like it spicier, use more. If you're salt conscious, use low-sodium soy sauce or fish sauce. Prep time: 25 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Yield: 8 servings Ingredients For the rice 4 cups cold water 1 tablespoon chicken base (I prefer Better Than Bouillon) 2 cups uncooked Jasmine rice For the sauce 8 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce 4 tablespoons creamy peanut butter 4 tablespoons coconut milk 4 teaspoons rice vinegar 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper For the chicken 4 tablespoons peanut oil 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into thin strips 4 tablespoons chopped garlic 1-1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger 2 -1/2 cups broccoli florets 3/4 cup chopped green onion, green tops only 1/3 cup chopped roasted peanuts 1/2 cup whole roasted peanuts for garnish 2 limes, quartered, for garnish Directions To make the rice 1. Combine the water, chicken base and rice in a saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. 2. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed; about 20 minutes. To make the sauce 3. Meanwhile, stir together the soy sauce, peanut butter, coconut milk, rice vinegar and cayenne pepper in a small bowl; set aside. To make the chicken 4. Heat the peanut oil in a skillet or wok over high heat. 5. Stir-fry the chicken, garlic and ginger in hot oil until chicken is lightly browned; about 5 minutes. 6. Meanwhile, steam the broccoli in a microwave oven until tender; about 2 minutes. 7. Reduce the heat on the chicken to medium and add the green onion tops, peanuts and soy sauce mixture. 8. Continue to cook, tossing frequently. 9. Add the precooked broccoli; cook until it is tender and the chicken is cooked through; about 5 more minutes. 10. Serve the cooked chicken and broccoli over cooked rice. 11. Garnish with a few whole peanuts over the top and on the edges of the plate and a 1/4 cut lime. ChefSecret: I use dark meat (chicken thighs) for most of my Asian dishes that call for chicken. I find that dark meat results in a moister product. If you’re hung up on white meat, use 4 half breasts for this recipe. You can also top with 3 tablespoons of toasted shredded coconut. Quip of the Day: Did you hear about the Thai chef who became a superhero? He had the power to pad Thai! ------------------------------------------- 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, 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, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross. #Entree #ThaiPeanutChickenWithBroccoli #ThaiFood #Peanuts #ChickenThighs #Broccoli #NPB #ChiangMai #Elephants #Bangkok #OrientalHotel #Dinner #2024Recipes #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024
0 Comments
Zesty Grilled Chicken SaladHow you doin’? I really hate boring salads—you know the ones that have a little iceberg lettuce and a tomato slice with a bottled commercial dressing? We can do so much better than that. The bestselling salad at my first restaurant was The Conglomeration. It was a large salad made with chopped iceberg, romaine, crisp bacon, chopped hard cooked egg, cucumber, shredded carrots, diced celery, chopped olives, red onion and chunks of soft white cheese. All of this was tossed with my secret Champagne vinaigrette—a masterpiece! The more “orts” (ingredients) the better. We even took care to serve it on a Hawaiian monkey pod, garlic rubbed salad plate. When we found out this was the bestselling salad, I put our kitchen staff’s talents to invent and test new mixed salads. I declared our restaurant would never serve ho-hum salads. Even our Angel’s Fruit & Yogurt Salad was loaded with flavors and textures. Our guests used to ask me, why can’t I make salads like this at home? You see, restaurant salads are delicious because of the variety and freshness of the ingredients. Most people don’t keep a wide variety of fresh veggies on hand for fear they will spoil before consuming. So please trust me, there's more to making salads than heaping on a pile of deep-fried croutons and boatloads of cheese. Here is what you can do from your very own kitchen to make the best salads ever:
Ingredients 4 ounces spring lettuce mix salad blend 4 tablespoons grilled chopped chicken breast 3 tablespoons grilled fresh corn 3 tablespoons low-sodium, canned black beans, drained 3 grape tomatoes, halved 2 tablespoons red or yellow bell peppers, diced 1-1/2 tablespoons Mexican cheese blend 1 tablespoon hulled pepitas, toasted 2 ounces Spicy Cilantro-Avocado Dressing, (see recipe below) 3 thin slices of fresh lemon, quartered ... and whatever you want to add Directions
ChefSecret: I sometimes use leftover chilled chicken meat or better yet warm fried chicken tenders in this salad. Zesty Avocado-Cilantro Dressing Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Total time: 20 minutes Yield: 16 ounces+ Ingredients 2 ounces toasted macadamia nuts 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro leaves 1 teaspoon fresh, peeled garlic 1/2 teaspoon fresh, seeded and ribbed diced red jalapeño pepper 3/4 cup fresh, peeled and pitted avocado 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 5 ounces cold water 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt Directions
ChefSecrets: Freshly-roasting the macadamia nuts adds another level of flavor to the salad dressing. Quip of the Day: “Why is it called a Caesar Salad? ‘Cause Caesar ruled the romaines.” ------------------------------------------- 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, 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, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross. #EntreeSalads #Salads #PerfectSalads #Lunch #Dinner #Vinaigrette #CilantroAvocado #Dressing #2024Recipes #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024 …from the Perspectives’ KitchenHow you doin’? Did you know that if your oven has a convection setting it is as good as an air fryer? So don’t go buying another appliance that you probably don’t have room to store. If you have an older oven that does not have the convection option and you want to fry healthfully then purchase an air fryer on Amazon—some are available for about $100. You can air fry “fried foods” that can be oil free and grease free, yet they will come out perfectly crisp and crunchy. This is possible because of the high volume of air that is generated by your convection oven or air fryer. My Air Fried Eggplant Parmesans are delicious and healthy by themselves eaten right out of the air fryer or, adding a few more calories topped with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. Either way you’ll find yourself coming back to this recipe time and time again. Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Yield: 4 servings Ingredients 1/2 cup seasoned Italian breadcrumbs 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon roasted garlic powder (I prefer Penzey’s) 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 2 large beaten eggs 1 medium eggplant, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds 1 cup marinara sauce, or more to taste (I prefer Rao’s marinara sauce) 8 slices mozzarella cheese, or as desired Directions
ChefSecret: Let this breading procedure be your wing stop as well. Use the same preparation procedure for air frying chicken wings or tenders. Check the internal temperature of the chicken to make sure it reaches 165⁰ F. Quip of the Day: Q. “What is a huge hen house called? A. An Eggplant! ------------------------------------------- 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, 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, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross. #Entree #EggplantParmesan #AirFryer #ConvectionOven #Penzeys #RaosSauce #Eggplant #Parmesan #Dinner #2024Recipes #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024 …from the Perspectives’ KitchenHow you doin’? I did have a drink or three while making these, so I could enjoy them as the food gods intended, which is slightly drunk. At least that's the main theory of how this dish got its name. The other theory for its name is because at one point it was made with wine—but that's not as funny! I always love it when there's some sort of controversy regarding the origins of a recipe's name, and this amazing Drunken Noodles dish fits the bill. One theory is that this spicy, sweet and very savory bowl of noodles was invented by drunk people, for drunk people. As someone who has enjoyed the occasional late night bowl of noodles to "soak up the alcohol," this origin story makes a lot of sense. It might be unscientific, but it does seem to help. The other story, which isn't nearly as interesting, theorizes that at one time wine was used in the sauce. I mean, that's barely a story. And if that were the case, why did they stop using wine? So, I'm team drunk customer, although it's most likely to be a combination of the two. The good news is that none of this really matters, since regardless of how "Pad Kee Mao" got its name, it is one of the easiest, and most delicious noodle dishes from China Rose. No matter what size or thickness Asian noodle you're using, simply soak them in hot water until they are very flexible, but not too soft. Do not use boiling water as many recipes suggest. I find that makes them soften too quickly, and they tend to get sticky and starchy, which I don't want to happen until they're in the sauce. Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Additional time: 10 minutes Yield: 4 servings: Ingredients A glass of your wine, spirits or bubbly of your choice (for you, not the recipe) 8 ounces dried rice noodles 1/4 cup oyster sauce 1/4 cup soy sauce 1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce 1 tablespoon maple syrup 1 teaspoon granulated sugar 2 tablespoons cold water 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil 1 cup shallots, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons thinly sliced bird's eye chiles 4 tablespoons minced garlic 1 pound jumbo shrimp (16-20), peeled and deveined—tail on 1 pound Chinese broccoli, sliced, stems and leaves separated 4 thinly sliced green onions 1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves Directions
ChefSecret: Any noodle or pasta can be used. Any hot pepper will work, or you can use sweet pepper and make up the difference with red pepper flakes. Regular basil will work, but Thai basil is preferred. Quip of the Day: My favorite Chinese food place was closed for the holidays, but there was a sign that said they would wok from home. ------------------------------------------- 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, 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, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross. #Entree #RosiesDrunkenNoodles #Shrimp #PadKeeMao #AsianNoodles #JumboShrimp #BirdsEyeChiles #Dinner #2024Recipes #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024 …from the Perspectives’ KitchenHow you doin’? Growing up in my house my mother seldom fried any food. She just didn’t think the prolonged “aroma” of the grease and the waste of oil was worth it. So, we would go out to a restaurant or would order Chicken Delight for delivery or send my dad out to pick-up a box of Pioneer Crunch or a bucket of the Colonel’s best—KFC. The fact of the matter is, I’m not that squeamish about frying food in my kitchen and I do love my fried foods—French fries, fish and chips and definitely fried chicken. It’s not so much the flavor but I love the crunchy texture—flavor is 50% and texture is the other 50%. So, when I find a simple new recipe for crunchy chicken that doesn’t have to be fried, I get all excited. A few weeks ago, I found a recipe in Allrecipes that made me stop and focus on this neat dish. There are few things more thrilling than finding out a secret ingredient that will make your oven-roasted chicken taste more like fried. If you’re like me and want to create a little magic, take a load off because this chicken dish has two special tricks that will make it one the most popular dinner recipes for your family. Abracadabra Encrusted Crunchy Chicken is always incredibly juicy, flavorful, crunchy and picky-kid eater pleasing. It takes just six ingredients to create a little Penn and Teller chicken magic and they are probably in your snack cupboard right now, but just two important secret components are the key to crunchy breading and tender, juicy chicken breasts. The ingredients include mayonnaise and Cheez-It crackers. I’ve talked about using mayo on oven roasted potatoes before, so it should come as no surprise that mayonnaise is more than just a binder for tuna salad. The mayo holds the breading on the chicken without the gummy interface you usually get with a coating of flour. The remainder of my secret ingredients are the chicken breasts, of course, which are coated in a thin layer of mayo dredged in breading mixture, which is a combination of Cheez-It crackers, canned French-fried onions, Italian breadcrumbs and toasted sesame seeds. The mayo not only helps hold the breading in place, so you won’t lose it on the sheet pan in the oven, but it also keeps the chicken moist and tender. The Cheez–It crackers, French-fried onions, and Italian breadcrumbs together pack a flavorful punch and will create a crunchy breading when baked, not fried. Together, the breading creates a unique flavor that everyone will love. Prep time: 25 minutes Cook time: 35 minutes Yield: 4-8 servings Ingredients 2 cups crushed cheese flavored crackers (I prefer Cheez-It) 1 cup crushed canned French-fried onions 1/2 cup seasoned Italian breadcrumbs 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly- ground black pepper to taste 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut in half 4 tablespoons mayonnaise Directions
ChefSecret: If you prefer dark meat use 8 boneless skin-on thighs. Quip of the Day: Q: What do chicken families do on the weekends? A: They have peck-nics! Have you ever wondered what the big 11-spice secret is to making KFC fried chicken? It is a combination of salt, thyme, basil, oregano, celery salt, ground black pepper, dried mustard, garlic salt, paprika powder, ground ginger and white pepper. ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your favorite recipes, pictures or thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. 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, 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. #ChristmasRecipes #Entrees #CrunchyChicken #OvenFriedChicken #Cheez-It #Mayonnaise #Chicken #Holidays2023 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #RedCross #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 |
For over 4 decades collaboration and vision have been the cornerstones of our approach to developing innovative solutions. We fuel innovation, uncover opportunities, discover trends and embrace sustainability, turning imaginative ideas into profitable realities. Categories
All
Archives
May 2024
|