How you doin’? Who doesn’t love, love, love fried rice?! We were told at our Chinese restaurant, China Rose, that we made the best fried rice ever! What exactly is fried rice?

Fried rice first appeared during the Sui Dynasty (220–589ce) in China and, as such, all fried rice dishes can trace their origins to Chinese fried rice. At the time it wasn’t an expedient way to use leftover rice (as it is today).
 
It is a dish of cooked rice that has been stir-fried in a wok or a frying pan and is usually mixed with other ingredients such as eggs, vegetables, seafood or meat. It is often eaten by itself or as an accompaniment to another dish. Fried rice is a popular component of East Asian, Southeast Asian and certain South Asian cuisines, as well as a staple national dish of Indonesia and Malaysia. As a homemade dish, fried rice is typically made with ingredients left over from other dishes, leading to countless variations.
 
Many varieties of fried rice have their own specific list of ingredients. In Greater China, common varieties include Yangzhou fried rice and Hokkien fried rice. Japanese chāhan is considered a Japanese Chinese dish, having derived from Chinese fried rice dishes. In Southeast Asia, similarly, constructed Indonesian, Malaysian, and Singaporean nasi goreng and Thai khao phat are popular dishes. In the West, most restaurants catering to vegetarians have invented their own varieties of fried rice. Fried rice is also seen on the menus of American restaurants offering cuisines with no native traditions of the dish. Additionally, the cuisine of some Latin American countries includes variations on fried rice, including Ecuadorian chaulafan, Peruvian arroz chaufa, Cuban arroz frito, and Puerto Rican arroz mamposteao.

Fried rice is a common street food in Asia. In some Asian countries, small restaurants, street vendors and traveling hawkers specialize in serving fried rice. In Indonesian cities it is common to find fried rice hawkers moving through the streets with their food cart and stationing it in busy streets or residential areas. Many Southeast Asian street food stands offer fried rice with a selection of optional garnishes and side dishes.
 
Today, fried rice is every person’s dish.
 
Prep time:  5 minutes
Stir-Fry time:  10-15 minutes
Yield:  4 servings
 
Ingredients
For fried rice seasoning base
8 cups cooked rice, cold, 1 day old
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce (I prefer Kikkoman)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup peanut oil
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
 
Directions
To prep the fried rice base

1. Fluff 8 cups of cold cooked rice by rubbing it between two gloved hands to separate it into individual grains in a medium size mixing bowl.
2. Combine the seasoning ingredients and pour over fluffed rice.  Mix thoroughly using gloved hands.
3. Divide seasoned rice evenly among 2 smaller bowls.
4. Cover, label, date, rotate and refrigerate until ready to stir-fry.

Shelf Life:  5 days, refrigerated
 
Ingredients
For the fried rice
1 egg omelet, thin, cut into long julienne strips
Pinch of kosher salt and white pepper
2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
4 cups fried rice base
1/4 cup frozen carrots/green peas blend
1/4 cup pre-cooked Chinese barbecued pork, chicken or beef, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and/or
1/4 cup uncooked shelled and deveined shrimp or lobster meat (36-40 ct)
1 tablespoon sherry wine
2 tablespoons of cut green onion tops
 
Directions
To stir-fry the fried rice

1. In a small bowl beat an egg.
2. Season the egg with salt and white pepper.
3. Using a seasoned wok or fry pan add 1 tablespoon of the oil and heat until it the oil is hot and ripples.
4. Fry the egg into an omelet and remove from the pan and set aside on a plate.
5. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the already-hot wok and add 4 cups of the fried rice base and the carrots and peas.
6. Dry-wok (no other sauce) the mixture until it is getting hot and the rice is well-separated.
7. Add the pre-cooked proteins and continue to mix the rice in the wok.
8. When the rice is hot, add the uncooked shrimp or lobster if using, continue to stir-fry.
9. Cut the omelet into thin julienne strips, add to the rice mixture and stir to incorporate into mix.
10. Make a well in the center of the rice mixture and splash the sherry in the center, let it sizzle, then continue to stir-fry the mixture a few more turns.
11. Plate-up, garnish with green onions and serve steaming hot.

ChefSecret:  The professional’s secret to making perfect fried rice is using leftover rice at least 24 hours old that has been kept in a refrigerator uncovered allowing it to dry out.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “I love being married and confined. It’s so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life.”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to send a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  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. We added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs. 
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Entrees #Sides #FriedRice #ChinaRose #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                           ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? I’ve lost nearly 30 pounds since the whole COVID-19 pandemic started.  Yes, I still walk between 2 to 4 miles a day and I do get off my “keister” once every hour on the hour to power walk another 250 steps—Alexa, not so subtly reminds me when Mickey’s big hand strikes 12 on the clock. Between Alexa and my Fitbit I don’t stand a chance to slack off.  But I give credit, not to all the exercise, but to the lack of consuming French fries almost every day.
 
Now, I’m still a lover of potatoes and especially fries, but now that I have some extra  time on my hands, I have been finding new ways to cook spuds. Here’s a crusty potato recipe that I created when I had leftover ingredients to use up—I never know quite what to do with leftover buttermilk. I hate to waste food—don’t you? My buttermilk potatoes are a bit of twist on the standard scalloped potatoes. I must resist going back for seconds. Locked-Down Buttermilk Parmesan Spuds reheat well the next day. That would make them leftover leftovers.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Cook time:  1 hour 30 minutes
Yield:  8 servings
 
Ingredients
14 small potatoes, peeled and cubed (mini red skins or Yukon golds)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 cup minced red onion
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crush red pepper flakes
1 cup 2% milk
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 cup chopped parsley for garnish
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350⁰ F.
2. Lightly butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
3. Arrange the cut potatoes over the bottom of the dish and set aside.
4. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
5. Add the garlic and onion; cook and stir until the onion is transparent, about 5 minutes.
6. Stir in 3 tablespoons of additional butter until melted.
7. Sprinkle the flour, salt, and peppers (red and black) over the onion mixture. Cook and stir until the mixture bubbles and thickens, about 2 minutes.
8. Continue to stir the flour mixture while gradually pouring in the milk and buttermilk; return the mixture to a boil.
9. Stir in 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese; cook for 2 minutes until melted, and mixture is smooth.
10. Pour the mixture over the potatoes in the baking dish, stirring to coat evenly.
11. Bake in preheated oven for 1/2 hour and stir.
12. Bake 1/2 hour longer, stir the potato mixture again, and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake for 20 minutes more.
13. Garnish with a little fresh chopped parsley on top.

ChefSecret:  If you don’t have buttermilk use 1 cup of cream.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “If you would like to know how it feels today to be in the Hospitality Industry—remember when the Titanic was sinking and the band played on?  Well, we’re the band!”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  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.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#SideDish #Potatoes #Buttermilk #Parmesan #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                                  ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? I must admit I love fried foods—all fried foods—do you? Since we are not going out to lunch these days, I haven’t had French fries in over nine months (full disclosure… I did stop at KFC for some extra crispy chicken twice). I am far beyond withdrawal, but I must confess I really miss my French fries. However, I’ve lost about 30-pounds without my daily potatoes so there’s a silver lining.
 
I want to share with you the best procedure for making French fries that we developed for TGI Friday’s back when everything in their kitchens was made from scratch. You might find this procedure a bit Baroque (long and complex), but the end results are definitely worth it.
 
Prep time:  1-1/2 hours active
Soak time:  24 to 48 hours soaking overnight
Final fry time:  4-1/2 minutes
Yield:  4 to 6 servings
 
Ingredients
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-by-1/4-inch fries kept refrigerated in cold, clean water overnight (about 5-6 potatoes, depending on size)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
3 quarts peanut oil for frying
1 to 2 tablespoons kosher salt
 
Directions

1. To make perfect homemade, fast-food-style French fries start by peeling cutting and soaking the raw fries in cold water to remove much of the surface of the starch. Continue to soak the potatoes in several turns of fresh cold water for at least 24-hours. From here, the perfect French fry procedure is straightforward, if not laborious.
2. After you have soaked the potatoes, you are going to par-fry the potatoes in peanut oil as follows:
3. Fill a large container with a gallon of cold water with the vinegar and granulated sugar.
4. Preheat a frying kettle or Dutch oven filled with peanut oil to 250⁰F.
5. Working quickly, remove the cut fries from the cold water, drain off as much water as you can without breaking the fries.
6. Par-fry the potatoes in batches the peanut oil for 2-1/2 minutes.
7. Remove the par-fried potatoes and immediately plunge them into the cold sugar water.
8. Drain the potatoes for 10 minutes and then refry them again and plunge them in sugar water as before.
9. Drain the twice par-fried potatoes and hold at room temperature until ready to fry them for the last time. (See ChefSecret for more options.)
10. For the final fry, preheat a kettle or Dutch oven of peanut oil to 390⁰ F. Working in three batches, add the fries to the peanut oil and cook until the fries are light golden in color, about 4 minutes. When you add the fries the temperature of the oil will get lower. Carefully, adjust the temperature as needed in order to maintain oil temperature between 350⁰ F and 375⁰ F. It’s better to keep the oil temperature be below 375⁰ F rather than higher.
11. Agitate the fries with a slotted spoon or spider during the cooking process to ensure even cooking.
12. Remove the fries from the oil into a metal bowl or sheet pan lined with paper towels.
13. Season with kosher salt and serve hot immediately.

ChefSecret:  Peanut oil is the perfect shortening for frying Perfect French Fries. After par frying, you can freeze the par-fried potatoes on a tray. After they are completely frozen, bag them up in a zip lock bag. You can then fry them from frozen whenever you’re ready from Step #10 forward.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “The best way to avoid touching your face is to have a glass of wine in each hand.”

Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers? 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.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Snack #Side #Treat #FrenchFries #PerfectFries #Russet #TGIF #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                                ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? Like many companies that develop products, not all the recipes we develop come to market. For many of our projects, we show our clients twice as many recipes as they contracted for. That gives our clients a lot to choose from and it’s fun to really stretch the test kitchen chefs. This is one recipe that never went anywhere. I was surprised, but then the client approved about 10 other sandwich fillings, leaving this one to be rediscovered here on the blog.
 
What I particularly like about this recipe is it can be used as a spicy sandwich filling, side salad or an entrée salad. It is easy to make and simple use. Oh, and by the way it tastes great.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Yield:  16 ounces (2 to 3 sandwiches / 2 to 3 side salads / 2 entrée salad)
 
Ingredients
10 ounces cooked shrimp defrosted, drained, tails removed (see ChefSecret)
5 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 tablespoon, Grey Poupon mustard
2 tablespoons diced celery
1/2 tablespoon diced red onion (1/8-inch)
1/2 tablespoon finely chopped scallions
1/4 teaspoon seeded red jalapeno, diced (1/16-inch)
1/4 teaspoon seeded green jalapeno, diced (1/16-inch)
1/4 teaspoon hot paprika
1 tablespoon fresh, finely-chopped cilantro leaves
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon sriracha chili sauce
 
Directions

1. Combine all the ingredients together in a small mixing bowl; lightly mix until thoroughly incorporated.
2. Transfer the shrimp salad into a small container, cover with food film and refrigerate until ready to use.

ChefSecret:  There are several options of shrimp that can be used. I prefer whole, chopped medium shrimp, but you can also use the little baby bay shrimp (aka “sea monkeys”). The shrimp can be frozen or fresh.
 
Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “I was told to keep my social activities under 10 people. No problem… there aren’t 10 people I like enough to gather with!”
 
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  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.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Salad #Entree #Side #Seafood #ShrimpSalad #Shrimp #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                      ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? Are you looking to make something a little different? Maybe a little fun? When was the last time you used your spiffy new waffle iron that you got for Christmas a few years back? The novelty doesn’t have to wear off, you just need to find/create fun other ways to cook with it.
 
Waffles are always fun. On Cooking Lesson #10 we featured Aunt Ethel’s Yeasty Overnight Waffles; they are always special, and they turn out great. While you have your waffle iron down from the top shelf of your kitchen cabinet try my Waffle Iron Hash Brown Potatoes. It’s easier than pie and people love the crisp texture you get without much effort. 
 
Ingredients
1-1/2 to 2 pounds russet (2 large bakers) potatoes, peeled
1 medium yellow onion
2 tablespoons melted salted butter, plus extra for the waffle iron
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 250⁰F. degrees. You will put finished waffle potatoes in the oven to keep them warm until they all are done.
2. Preheat a Belgian or standard waffle iron on medium-high heat.
3. Grate the potatoes in a food processor fitted with the grating disk. (You can also grate them by hand on a box grater.)
4. Transfer the potatoes to a clean kitchen towel and spread them out.
5. Working quickly, roll the towel up like a jelly roll. Press firmly to squeeze out any moisture but not so hard that you break up the potatoes.
6. Transfer the potatoes to a large mixing bowl.
7. Grate the onion the same way you grated the potatoes, spreading it out on the kitchen towel and squeezing out the moisture.
8. Add the onion to the bowl.
9. Add the butter, egg, flour, salt and pepper and mix with a fork or tongs.
10. When the waffle iron is hot, brush both sides generously with melted butter. Place a generous 1/3 cup of the potato mixture on each of the four waffle divisions, spreading it out with a fork. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on your waffle iron, until the potatoes are browned and crispy.
11. Transfer the potatoes, browned side up, to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and keep warm in the oven for up to 30 minutes while you prepare the next batch.
12. Repeat with the remaining mixture to make 8 hash browns.
13. Transfer to a platter, sprinkle with salt, and serve hot.

ChefSecret:  I love my hash browns with a little country gravy. The gravy is great on top of waffled hash brown because it collects in all the nooks and crannies.

                                                       Country Gravy
Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (you can use bacon fat if you’ve got it)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika (if you’ve got it)
 
Directions

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter.
2. Add the flour and cook until golden and bubbling, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Whisk in the milk and bring to a simmer.
4. Season with salt, pepper and paprika, if using.
5. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. (It will thicken as it cools!)
6. Remove from the heat.
   
7. Serve the gravy on top of the potato waffles.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day:  “This is an inquiry for those of you quarantined without children. Can you just do whatever you like all day? Do you get to eat your own snacks—without sharing? Is there any of that peace and quiet stuff going on? How is it? Inquiring minds need to know.”                                                          ~ Rachel, mother of four
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  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.

Here is wishing you the very best for the upcoming holidays. To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind welcoming in the holiday season. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America.

#SideDish #HolidayRecipes #WaffleIron #HashBrowns #Holidays2020 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                                ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020