Frozen Strawberry Souffle

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The recipe for this light and airy creation comes from Wolfgang Puck, who learned how to make frozen souffles while working at Maxim's in Paris. This bears no resemblance to a baked souffle, and the recipe is easy enough that new cooks can successfully prepare the dish. The souffle is made with beaten egg whites and whipped cream. They are folded into a fruit base and frozen, without special equipment, to make a dessert that has a light, smooth consistency that is more like a frozen mousse than ice cream. We have very young children in our family, so, to avoid any chance of salmonella, we use pasteurized eggs in all dishes where eggs are not cooked. While they are beaten with a hot sugar syrup, in a process that is very similar to that used in making an Italian meringue, I don't think the eggs, as processed in this recipe, ever get hot enough to kill salmonella, should it be present. So, I've joined the "better safe than sorry" school of egg handling. I hope you will too. While the souffle is very easy to make and uses only five ingredients, it is an elegant and impressive dessert that is suitable for guests as well as family. This is a terrific recipe that also has instructions for making a lovely fruit syrup to spoon over the souffle. Any of the "cane" fruits can be used to make this dessert. It should be made the day before you need it , and the souffle should be transferred to the refrigerator about an hour before you plan to serve it. I know that those of you who try this won't be disappointed. Here's how it's made.

Frozen Strawberry Souffle...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Wolfgang Puck

Ingredients:
1-1/2 quarts ripe strawberries, hulled + 4 strawberries for garnish
2 pasteurized egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
Optional: Grand Marnier or kirsch, for the sauce

Directions:
1) Set aside berries used for garnish. Place remainder of berries in bowl of a food processor. Process until pureed. Transfer to a storage bowl, cover, and refrigerate until well chilled.
2) When berries are chilled, place egg whites in a mixing bowl and beat with a hand-held electric mixer until they form soft peaks that droop when tested. Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of sugar and continue beating until egg whites form stiff, shiny peaks. Set aside.
3) Place remaining 6 tablespoons of sugar and 3 tablespoons of water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves, and then continue cooking just until mixture starts to bubble and begins to thicken.
4) While continuing to beat egg whites, slowly pour hot syrup into egg whites. Continue beating until whites have cooled.
5) Using a rubber spatula, gently fold 1-1/2 to 2 cups of the strawberry puree into egg whites; reserve rest of puree in refrigerator for a sauce. Then, fold whipped cream into egg white mixture until thoroughly incorporated. Taste mixture and, if necessary, sprinkle in a little more sugar to taste.
6) Pour mixture into a 5- or 6-cup souffle dish. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
7) Before serving, transfer frozen souffle to refrigerator to soften slightly. Meanwhile, pour remaining strawberry puree through a fine-meshed sieve into another bowl. Add a little sugar and a splash of Grand Marnier or kirsch to taste.
8) Scoop souffle into individual serving dishes. Spoon sauce around each serving and garnish with a whole berry. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Cold Lime Souffle - One Perfect Bite
Frozen Lemon Souffle - The English Kitchen
Iced Lime Souffles with Poppyseeds - La Tartine Gourmande
Deep Frozen Orange Souffles - Whisk
Frozen Coffee Liqueur Souffle - Five Star Foodie Culinary Adventures
Frozen Anisette Souffle - Foodista
Souffle Glace aux Framboise - Cookie Madness

Red Pepper Relish

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The horror! Local berries of all sorts, have simultaneously appeared on the shelves of our farmer's markets and roadside stands. The berries are fully ripened and need immediate attention if their wonderful flavor is to be captured and preserved. I've pushed the raspberries and blueberries to the side for the time being, but I'm up to my elbows, literally, in flats of strawberries. My hands look like those of a surgeon in a trauma unit and words can't begin to describe the chaos that is currently my kitchen. I've been known to chuckle, sometimes discretely, at young managers who measured their own importance by the size of their staffs. I escaped that trap when I was working, but I've succumbed to ego in my kitchen. Forgive me, just this once, as I report my "body count." That would be 18 pints of freezer jam, 12 (1-gallon) bags of flash frozen berries, eight pints of raspberry syrup and five glorious desserts that I'll be sharing with you over the next few weeks. I was making strawberry salsa when I remembered this recipe that is based on one originally developed by Michael Symon. It is a sweet, deliciously spicy relish that can make eggs and sandwiches feel important. It's also great as an alternative topping for burgers or fish. For the record, the only thing it has in common with the strawberries is its glorious red color. I was thinking red today, and it made sense to make this before I restored order to the kitchen. Here's the recipe for a wonderful and uncommon relish. It will keep for a month in the refrigerator.

Red Pepper Relish ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by Michael Symon

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup finely diced red onion or shallot
2 large garlic cloves, finely minced
Kosher salt
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and finely diced
2 jalapenos, seeded and finely diced
1 tablespoon toasted coriander seeds
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
1) Add olive oil to a medium saucepan. Place over medium heat and warm until oil begins to shimmer. Add onions, garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook until onions begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add red peppers and jalapenos and cook for 2 minutes longer. Add corainder seeds and cook for 1 minute longer.
2) Add sugar and vinegar to pan and cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Add orange juice and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid has completely reduced, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature. Add cilantro and season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate. Yield: 2 cups.

You might also like these recipes:
Blueberry Salsa - One Perfect Bite
Watermelon, Black Bean and Corn Salsa - One Perfect Bite
Thai Cucumber Relish - One Perfect Bite
Corn Relish - SlashFood
Green Tomato Relish - Mommy's Kitchen
Mango, Red Pepper and Cilantro Salsa - Cook Sister
Mango Chutney - Ciao Chow Linda

Carrot Cake and Cream Cheese Frosting

It was Uncle Bruce's Birthday and he has always wanted a kiddy cake.  He has mentioned it at every kiddy birthday party that he attended.  I know Uncle Bruce loves cars and since i have a mould of a car - it is one of those tear-away silicone mould which made a pretty good cake.  I can't make the cake from a box, you can fool the kids but not the adults, so, i made a carrot cake with all the works and it will not be complete without cream cheese frosting.  Uncle Bruce was delighted with his car but i told him that he can't drive it in the night though cos i forgot to fix in the lights, front and back of his car.  Happy Birthday again, i am not going to tell how old you are!!!!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 cup. sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cupvegetable oil
4 eggs
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups grated carrots
1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup dessicated coconut

Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)

Method:

Combine first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl; set aside.

Combine sugars, buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla extract in a large bowl; stir until all ingredients are well blended.

Add flour mixture, carrots, pineapple, walnuts, coconut and raisins, stirring just until well blended. Do not overmix.

Grease 3 (8 inch) round cake pans(one car silicone mould and 2 tiny loaf pans). Line bottoms with waxed paper; grease and flour waxed paper.

Pour batter into cake pans.

Bake at 350°F. for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool in pans 10 minutes; loosen cake layers from edges of pans with a sharp knife and invert onto wire racks. Peel off waxed paper and cool completely.

Spread Cream Cheese Frosting all over the cake.  Cover and refrigerate overnight before cutting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

2 egg whites from 2  large eggs
2 tbsp light corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
8 ozs cream cheese


Place the egg whites in the bowl of your mixer.

Place the corn syrup, sugar and water in a medium saucepan, with a cast-iron skillet at the bottom. Stir until combined and the sugar is dissolved. Cover the pan and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes, with the pan covered to wash any sugar crystals down from the sides. Uncover and cook to the soft ball stage, 240 f.

Meanwhile, begin to beat the egg whites on slow speed. When they are foamy, add the cream of tartar, Gradually increase the speed to medium and continue beating until soft peaks form.

As soon as the sugar syrup reaches the soft ball stage, remove it from the heat. Turn off the mixer. Very carefully pour about 1/4 of the hot syrup down the inside of the mixing bowl. Turn the mixer on high speed, and beat well. Add the syrup in two more additions, stopping the mixer each time, working as quickly as possible. If the sugar is slightly overcooked and hardens a bit, return it to the heat for a moment to remelt it. Do not pour the sugar syrup into the bowl while the mixer is on; you may splash yourself with hot syrup or the syrup will end up all on the sides of the bowl.

Continue to beat the meringue until it cools to room temperature. This takes about 20 minutes of continuous beating. If you need to hurry it along, place the bowl of your mixer in a ice bath for a few moments while mixing by hand, then return it to the machine. If you attempt to add the butter before the meringue is cool, the cream cheese will melt and the frosting will collapse.

When the meringue is cool, beat in the cream cheese a bit at a time. If the frosting starts to separate, continue beating without adding any more cream cheese until the frosting looks fluffy again.  Beat in vanilla and almond extract, if using.

Serves

Lemon Coleslaw

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If you're still looking for a salad to accompany holiday barbecues or picnics, you might want to give this slaw a try. It's exceptionally easy to make, and if you use commercially shredded cabbage, it's next to no work at all. I know that you are deluged with salad recipes at this time of year, and I'm sure that most of them are worthy of your attention. This one, however, really deserves more than a fleeting glance. It's clean-tasting and is less sweet than most of the slaws I've tried. It also uses less mayonnaise. The slaw components are sprinkled with sugar and salt that causes them to release their juices and extend the mayonnaise. You can use reduced fat mayonnaise and sour cream if you are counting calories or fat grams. This salad gets its tang from fresh lemon juice and zest and that makes it really nice to serve with fish or chicken dishes. I love the ease with which this can be put together. It is one less thing to worry about when you are having guests, and it frees your hands to make that special dessert or entree that might become your signature dish. I hope you'll try this. Here's the recipe.

Lemon Coleslaw...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Gourmet Magazine

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons low-fat sour cream
2 teaspoons low-fat mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
4 cups (1 pound) thinly sliced green cabbage
2 carrots, cut into julienne strips or coarsely grated
1 cup (1 bunch) thinly sliced scallions
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:
Whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, zest, lemon juice, sugar, water, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until sugar is dissolved. Add cabbage, carrots, scallions, and parsley and toss well. Chill, covered, 1 hour to allow flavors to develop. Season with salt and pepper. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Bulgur Salad with Pomegranate Dressing - One Perfect Bite
Wild Rice, Celery and Walnut Salad - One Perfect Bite
Asian-Style Carrot Salad - One Perfect Bite
Whole Wheat Orzo Salad - Kalyn's Kitchen
Bean Salad - New york Times Diner's Journal
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Vinaigrette - For the Love of Cooking
Simple Radish Salad - In Erika's Kitchen
Fresh Pea Salad - Closet Cooking

Chicken Picatta/Piccata

 The word 'piccata' or 'picatta' (wish i know which is the correct spelling cos both should sound the same) is generally associated with veal. but the chicken piccata recipe is more popular. Deliciously rich, lemony flavored  and it is even made better by the fact it's so simple to prepare. The term 'chicken piccata' is quite a generic one and it gives the gourmets among us a great chance of creative experimenting. Add a little twist to the traditional capers by adding some mushrooms

Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 tbsp all-purpose flour season with salt and pepper
4 tbsp oil preferably olive
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tbsp capers
2 tsp minced fresh garlic
3 tbsp cold butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper for seasoning the chicken breasts
8 ozs spaghetti - cooked till al-dente and kept warm
2 tbsp  chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley





Method:

Trim all visible fat and tendons from the chicken breasts. Cut each one in half to make two pieces about the same size. One at a time, place each breast  between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet.  Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.

Add chopped onions, white wine, chicken stock, lemon juice, half of the capers, and garlic ,  scrape pan to loosen browned bits. Cook until stock is reduced by half.

Turn off heat and add cold butter, stirring until butter is melted. Return the chicken to the pan and add the other half of capers and parsley.

Serve chicken over pasta.


Note:

When a recipe calls for wine as an ingredient, it's nice to find a bottle that is delicious enough to drink but affordable enough to toss a little in the skillet. I used Beringer 2004 pinot grigio as i found this in the pantry. It also has the necessary acidity to greet the potent acid of the capers.

Baba Ganoush - Blue Monday

Baba Ganoush



Connor - the youngest of Oma's "Blue Boys"

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Baba Ganoush is a vegetable dip that's very popular in the Arabic Middle East and other Mediterranean countries. It's a simple, inexpensive dish, and there are probably as many versions of it as there are kitchens in those countries. I don't mean to confuse the issue by posting yet another, but I wanted to record our family version of the dip in a spot where my girls can get to it when they need it. My version has a smoky flavor because it's grilled over an open flame, rather than being baked or broiled in an oven, as is the custom in some homes. This recipe also has some zip that comes from a fairly substantial addition of fresh lemon juice. There are several acceptable ways to garnish this dish. I tend to use what I have on hand, so, more often than not, I'll drizzle it with olive oil or sprinkle it with chopped flat-leaf parsley. When they are available I also love to use pomegranate seeds. I used to serve the dip with pita bread, but I have recently started to use still warm, freshly fried tortilla chips in their stead. It is not authentic, but it is delicious. Without further ado, here's the recipe for a dip or spread that is a wonderful accompaniment to a Middle Eastern or Mediterranean meal.

Baba Ganoush...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 large (1-pound) eggplant
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Garnish:
3 tablespoons pomegranate seeds, or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, or 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:
1) Prepare a charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill. Puncture eggplant in several places with a fork. Grill for 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until skin is charred and eggplant is soft.
Cool until it can be handled. Cut eggplant in half and scrape pulp into a sieve. Hold under cold and gently running water. Squeeze as much liquid as possible from pulp.
2) Combine pulp, garlic, lemon juice and salt in bowl of food processor. Process until smooth. Add tahini and process just to incorporate. Adjust seasoning if required. With processor running, add olive oil, cumin and pepper. Transfer to a small serving bowl, cover and chill for at least 30 minutes. Baba Ganoush can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Garnish and serve. Yield: 2 cups.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Red Pepper Hummus - One Perfect Bite
Black Bean Hummus - One Perfect Bite
Mexican Beer-Cheese Spread - One Perfect Bite
Hummus en Fuego - eCurry
Muhammara - Closet Cooking
Grilling Baba Ghanoush - Serious Eats

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday

Curried Cream of Cauliflower and Apple Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We had guests for dinner last evening and I wanted to share the lovely soup we had to start the meal with you. It is French in origin, and has a highfalutin name that makes it sound more formal and pretentious than it actually is. I do, however, work on the theory, that those who know a language are entitled to use the name with which they are most familiar. Lovers of France and the French language call this potage, Soupe Crème de Choux-Fleurs et Pomme au Curry. Those of us who lack the requisite language skills will call it Curried Cream of Cauliflower and Apple Soup. Julia Child would have loved this recipe. It's based on one developed by Daniel Boulud and I think you'll love it too. It's actually easier to make than any of Julia's recipes and were you to eliminate the garnish, the soup is no harder to make than good old tomato soup. Really. Our local farmer's markets have shelves bending under the weight of cauliflower and it's also being tucked into CSA boxes. This is a wonderful way to use it up. The recipe has been developed to provide six servings and uses a cup of heavy cream. None of you need my permission to swap light for heavy cream. It changes the texture of the soup but it is still lovely. The recipe can also be doubled if you have a gang to feed. When I make the soup for family I omit the garnish, but I do use it when we have guests around the table. I use saffron when we have the queen to dinner. Those of you who try this are in for a sweet and spicy treat. It's smooth and creamy, and, like most cream soups, can be made well in advance of serving. Here's the recipe.

Curried Cream of Cauliflower and Apple Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by Daniel Boulud

Ingredients:
Soup
4 cups chicken stock
1-1/2 tablespoons sweet butter
1 cup chopped onions
2 teaspoons curry powder
Optional: 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads or 2 pinches saffron powder
1 cup tart apples, such as Granny Smiths or Golden Delicious, peeled, split, cored and sliced
4 cups cauliflower (about 1 medium head), greens and stem discarded, head broken up
into small florets
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon chives, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Curried Apple Garnish
1 cup Golden Delicious apple, peeled, split, cored, cut in 1/4 inch dice
1 teaspoon curry powder
Optional: 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads or 1 pinch saffron powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
1) For soup: Warm chicken stock over medium heat. Melt butter in a heavy bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add onions, curry powder, and saffron and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add sliced apple and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring often. Add cauliflower and warm chicken stock and bring to a boil. Boil until cauliflower is tender when pierced with a knife, approximately 20 minutes. Add cream and cook for 3 more minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Transfer soup in batches to a blender or food processor and purée at high speed until very smooth. Strain through a fine sieve. Keep warm until ready to serve or refrigerate when cool and reheat just before serving.
2) For garnish: Place diced apples with 1 tablespoon of water in a pan over medium heat. Add the curry powder, saffron, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well, cover with a lid, and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat. Strain and keep warm.
3) To serve: Ladle soup into warm soup bowls or cups. Sprinkle garnish over top. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

You might also like these recipes:
Yellow Cauliflower - One Perfect Bite
Gobi Manchurian - One Perfect Bite
Roasted Spicy Cauliflower - Kalyn's Kitchen
A Tale of Two Cauliflower Soups - Becks and Posh
Cauliflower Soup - Annie Blogs
Simple Cauliflower Soup - Simply Recipes

Watermelon, Cucumber and Tomato Salad - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...While searching for side dishes that would add pizzaz to barbecues and picnics, I came across this lovely salad that's guaranteed to waken tired taste buds. It's made with watermelon, tomatoes and cucumbers and gets an added boost of flavor from herbs that you get to choose. It's tossed with a light vinaigrette and served in a hollowed melon shell that adds visual appeal to an otherwise plain presentation. While there is some chopping involved, the salad is simple to make and it is portable. It can also be made more substantial with the addition of cooked shrimp or feta cheese. The components of this salad all release large amounts of liquid and they will drown in their own juice if the salad sits too long. So, while I prepare everything hours in advance of serving, I wait until the last minute to combine and toss the elements together. I love this dish, but as I made it a wave of nostalgia washed over me. You see, I remember a time when watermelon was a treat eaten while lying shoeless in the grass as we searched the sky for Venus and craters on the moon. No one spoke of mint or maceration, as seeds were spit, willy-nilly, among the fire-flies that lit the dark Midwestern night. I hope our children all still know the joy of simple pleasures and hear the crickets song. Here's the recipe that started my reverie. I think you'll really like it.

Watermelon, Cucumber and Tomato Salad...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Beth Nakamura and Oregon Live

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/4 cup slivered red onion
Pinch salt
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups diced (1/2-inch) seeded watermelon
2 ripe firm, meaty tomatoes, cut into 16 thin wedges
1 seedless cucumber, peeled and halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup slivered fresh basil leaves or other herbs such as mint or tarragon
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1) Combine sugar, vinegar, onion, salt and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add oil. Set aside to cool.
2) Combine watermelon, tomatoes, cucumbers and basil in a large bowl. About an hour before serving, pour dressing over mixture and toss gently. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill. Turn mixture into a watermelon shell to serve. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Corn Salad with Edamame and Tomatoes - One Perfect Bite
Asian Bean Sprout Salad - One Perfect Bite
Asparagus and White Bean Salad - One Perfect Bite
Picnic Pasta Salad - Good Bite
Grated Carrot Salad - Culinate
Dill Potato Salad - Susi's Kochen Und Backen Adventures

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Sweet Potato Ku

These are before steaming

These are after steaming

I cannot be any happier that these 'ku' turned out exceptional beautiful.  The color was so  natural and sweet, of course it was - no food coloring added - the culprit was orange sweet potato/yam.  The filling is the usual mung bean - oh oh i have a story to relate about this filling, yes this particular bag of mung bean filling.  It was a leftover from one of our cooking sessions(a group of us ladies gather every sunday and we cook and bake). So, one sunday, I was the first to arrive at Nellie's and Nellie went through her freezer and pulled out this bag, she asked if i wanted to eat durian.  Of course i said yes, and we had to defrost it fast before the other ladies turn up, there won't be enough to go around. the durian looked so good, yellowish and looked seedless too.  So, into the microwave it went for defrosting.  After a minute of two, the bag came out of the microwave, Nellie and I laughed until tears came down and me with my incontinense, had to rush to the rest room - It was not durian but a bag of mung bean filling.  The moral of the story was, we were bad hearted, we did not want to share and we got none too. I have learned my lesson and am sharing the mung bean filling with those who turned up for dinner last weekend. Hope they liked these cute bite-size 'ku'.

Ingredients:

For the dough:

150 gm orange sweet potato/yam - mash immediately after steaming and keep it hot.
150 gm glutinious flour
50 ml thick coconut milk
50 ml hot boiling water
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp cooking oil

Filling:

Follow the recipe from Angkoo Ah Mah Chew




Method:

Mix the glutinous rice flour, salt and coconut milk to the hot mashed sweet potato.  Knead until dough does not stick to your hands - slightly on the wet side, it will dry out after resting.  If the dough is soft and pliable, do not add in the water.   Lastly add in oil and knead lightly till dough is shiny. Rest dough for at least 1 hr.

Scale the filling and dough according to the size of the mould.  Flatten it and wrap in a filling.  Seal and shape into a round/  Dust the mould with a little glutinious rice flour.  Press firmly into the mould  Knock and dislodge from mould.  Place on oiled banana leaf.  Continue process with the rest of the dough pieces.

Use tap water and wash off excess glutinious rice flour from the surface.  Do it quickly and lightly before steaming the 'ku' over LOW heat for 5 - 10 minutes. Remove the steamer lid after 5 minutes to lower the heat as the pattern will not be as sharp if the heat is too high.  Remove from steamer and brush with oil for a  shiny surface.

 Serves

Apple Raisin Chutney

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I'm all set for a canning and freezing marathon, but our local strawberries are still a few days short of prime. To keep myself focused, I decided to put by a few jars of apple chutney that I anticipate will be lovely for glazing meats, and spreading on the Indian breads I experimented with this morning. If you like chutney, you'll love this recipe. It produces a dark, glossy spread with a curry flavor and a jam-like texture. The choice of curry, hot or not, is up to you. I make this in small quantities because the ingredients need to make it are always available, and that makes bulk storage and a canning orgy unnecessary. While this is really easy to prepare, there is some chopping involved and you'll have to carefully watch the chutney as it cooks to avoid it burning. If it catches on you'll have to pitch the entire batch. This chutney is less viscous than the mango chutneys that are commercially available, so don't panic when you see how thick this is. That's as it should be. I refrigerate or freeze the jars I make, but if you wish, they can be processed in a boiling water bath for long term shelf storage. The chutney will keep for three weeks in the refrigerator and for up to six months in the freezer. Here's the recipe.

Apple Raisin Chutney...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by Nancie McDermott
Ingredients:
4 cups peeled, cored and chopped cooking apples (i.e. Golden Delicious or Granny Smiths)
1/2 cup water
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 can (14.5-oz.) peeled, chopped tomatoes, undrained
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup dark raisins
1/2 cup golden brown sugar
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1) Place apples in a 3-quart pan with water. Cover pan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Simmer for 20 minutes or until apples are soft.
2) Meanwhile, combine onions, garlic, tomatoes, vinegar, raisins, sugar, curry powder, mustard seeds and salt in another heavy bottomed saucepan. Stir to mix well.
3) Mash apples and add to mixture in saucepan. Mix well. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Stir well, reduce heat and simmer gently for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Stir pot often, being sure scrape bottom of pan to discourage sticking. Chutney is done when it is a th. Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature. Transfer to lidded jars or freezer containers. Chutney will keep in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. It will keep in freezer up to 6 months. Yield: 4 1/2 pints.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Fresh Mango Chutney - One Perfect Bite
Balsamic Onion Marmalade - One Perfect Bite
Tomato Jam - One Perfect Bite
Crock-Pot Dried Apricot Jam - One Perfect Bite
Spicy Tomato Chutney - Beck and Posh
Homemade Mango Chutney - Simply Recipes
Apricot Jalapeno Chutney - eCurry

Deviled Eggs with Curry and Cilantro

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I was an adult before I had a deviled egg. For whatever reasons, they were never prepared in the kitchens of my childhood. I suspect these may be one of those dishes that has regional, rather than national appeal and I was raised in an area where they were not widely popular. While I enjoyed my first deviled egg, I was never moved to reproduce them in my own kitchen. I sat in on a planning meeting for a picnic this week, and deviled eggs were mentioned as a possible menu item. I feel badly now, because I was the one who squashed the idea of serving them. I have a "thing" about dishes made with mayonnaise being served on occasions where there is no refrigeration, and, in arguing my point of view I was way more vociferous than was necessary. These eggs were my way of apologizing to the woman whose toes I stepped on. She liked them, so I thought those of you who enjoy deviled eggs might want to give them a try. The eggs have a hint of curry and are wonderfully fragrant. I found the recipe in Nancie McDermott's The Curry Book and I can recommend the eggs and the book to you. These eggs will never win a beauty contest, but if you are looking for a new twist on an old favorite, I think you'll like them. It is probably best to use a mild curry powder to prepare them. Here's the recipe.

Deviled Eggs with Curry and Cilantro...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Nancie McDermott

Ingredients:
8 large eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon mild curry powder
1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large scallion, thinly sliced crosswise
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

Directions:
1) Place eggs in a medium-sized saucepan and cover them with water. Bring to a full boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for eight minutes longer. Remove from heat. Drain and rinse in two changes of cold water. Leave eggs in water until cool.
2) While eggs cook, combine mayonnaise, curry powder, mustard, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Mix well. Set aside.
3) Peel eggs and cut in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out yolks and force through a sieve. Add to mayonnaise mixture and mix well. Fold in scallions and cilantro. Stuff each egg with one tablespoon filling. Serve at once, or cover and chill until ready to serve. Yield: 16 deviled eggs.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Tarragon Mustard Deviled Eggs - Kalyn's Kitchen
Wasabi Deviled Eggs - Cooking with Amy
Deviled Eggs Deluxe - The Recipe Girl
Lemon Dill Deviled Eggs - Eat Real
Incredible Deviled Eggs - Christine Cooks

Apple Strudel

So often this has found its way into my kitchen as this was amazingly easy, delicious and so hearty.

It will be great for entertaining and it was not at all time consuming with store-bought/ready made filo pastry, i can't say for making filo from scratch. It was super flaky and the apple filling  gave it an appetizing crunch!

Ingredients:

Filling:

3 big eating apples, peeled, cored and chopped
½ cup orange juice
 zest from 1/2 orange
1/4 cup brown sugar
freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins
1 tsp cornstarch plus 1/4 cup water
1 tbsp butter

Strudel:

6-8 sheets ready-made filo pastry
2 oz butter, melted and cooled, plus extra for greasing
2 tbsp dried breadcrumbs

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to  375F.

2.  Cook apples, orange juice, orange zest, brown sugar, raisins, cinnamon and nutmeg with the pan covered until apples are soft and raisins are plump.

3.  Add in the cornstarch slurry and cook further for 1 minute, turn off heat and add in 1 tbsp butter. Set aside to cool.

4. .Brush each sheet of filo pastry with melted butter, then place the sheets of pastry on top of each other onto a large sheet of greaseproof paper.

5. Sprinkle the top sheet of filo with some dried breadcrumbs, then spoon the apple mixture down the middle of the filo sheet.


6. Carefully roll the pastry up around the filling like a cigar, using the greaseproof paper to help.

7. Place the filo roll onto a greased baking tray, brush with any remaining melted butter.  Cut roll into 1 1/2 slices at a diagonal. Do not cut the slices right through.

8.  Put to bake  for 30-40 minutes, until lightly browned and the filling is hot.

 Serves

Limeade Concentrate

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...There is in cyberspace a remarkable site called Cooking for Engineers. It's written by Michael Chu who features wonderful recipes with instructions that clearly explain how and why things within his recipes are done. While the site is a technocrat's dream, it's designed and written in such a way that everyone can read and enjoy it. I recently paid the site a visit to search for recipes that used limes. I have a weakness for quantity buying and managed to return from a warehouse store with enough limes to serve the needs of a small country. Having made lime curd and sundry other treats, I still had limes to deal with. Lots of limes. Fortunately, Michael had a recipe for limeade concentrate that you can find here. The concentrate is made using fresh lime juice and a simple syrup. You'll need six to eight good-sized limes to extract a cup of juice. That cup of juice is mixed with three cups of a simple syrup to form a limeade concentrate that can be frozen. When you're ready to enjoy a cool and refreshing beverage, the concentrate is reconstituted using two parts water to one of the concentrate. We love bubbles in our summer drinks, so I reconstitute our limeade with club soda. Ginger ale or a lemon-lime drink would also work well. Here's the recipe for the concentrate and the limeade.

Limeade Concentrate...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Michael Chu

Ingredients for concentrate:
1 cup fresh, strained lime juice
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1-1/2 cups water

Directions for concentrate:
Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Cool. Add lime juice. Refrigerate or freeze. Yield: 1 quart concentrate.

Ingredients for limeade:
1 cup limeade concentrate
2 cups water

Directions for limeade:
Combine concentrate and water in a pitcher. Stir to dissolve. Yield: 3 cups.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Homemade Ginger Ale - One Perfect Bite
Iced Watermelon Drinks - One Perfect Bite
Blue Lemonade - One Perfect Bite

Hawaiian Banana Bread

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...My homey's call this lovely banana loaf King Kamehameha bread. We first had it in Hawaii several years ago. It is a lovely loaf whose taste has been enhanced by some very pleasant memories. When we returned from the islands, I began to search for a banana bread recipe that had the same plantation flavors as the bread we so enjoyed. Some find it strange that my quest for new foods begins with a search rather than an experiment. The work I did before retirement taught me not to reinvent the wheel, and, for better or worse, I've carried that belief into my kitchen. I don't create or develop recipes unless I absolutely have to, or I have a truly original idea. That I ever began to enter cooking contests is a mystery to those who know me, and that I actually began to win some is a miracle to me. So, it should come as no surprise, that rather than parse taste memories, I began a search for a recipe I suspected already existed. The search brought me to this lovely bread from Gourmet Magazine. It is very close to the one we sampled on the islands. There are some tricks to making a great banana bread and if you want full banana flavor you have to start with really nasty bananas. The best bananas, from a cook's perspective, are the ones that have huge leopard spots on their exteriors. Beautiful bananas look lovely in a fruit bowl but they make anemic breads, cakes or puddings. I also find it important to toast nuts and other dry additions that are folded into quick breads. Toasting will enhance their flavors as well. This bread is very moist and, if well-wrapped, will stay fresh for several days. It is easy to make and, in the great scheme of things, fairly inexpensive to make. If you can't find macadamia nuts in your area, almonds or pine nuts can be substituted. This is a wonderful bread and I think you'll enjoy it. The aroma as it bakes has been known to make grown men weep. Here's the recipe.

Hawaiian Banana Bread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by Gourmet Magazine

Ingredients:
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
1-1/3 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 large)
3 tablespoons sour cream
3/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts, lightly toasted and cooled
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, lightly toasted and cooled

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease two 8-1/2 x 4-1/2-inch loaf pans.
Dust with flour. Set aside.
2) Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. In another large bowl, cream butter with sugars with an electric mixer. When mixture is light and fluffy beat in vanilla, eggs, one at a time, zest, banana, and sour cream. Add flour mixture, beating batter until it is just combined. Stir in macadamia nuts and coconut.
3) Divide the batter between loaf pans and smooth tops. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Remove bread from pans. Complete cooling on racks. Yield: 2 loaves.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Lemon Poppyseed Bread - One Perfect Bite
Sugar Crusted Viennese Nut Bread - One Perfect Bite
Three Savory Quick Breads - One Perfect Bite

Raspberry and White Chocolate Ice Cream

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If you love white chocolate I suspect you'll like this ice cream. If you don't care for it, know that I am numbered in your ranks and have worked the recipe in such a way that it can be used to make something a bit more restrained. If you omit chocolate from the ingredient list, you have the makings for a really lovely French vanilla cream. With or without the chocolate, this is an extraordinarily rich ice cream and you'll probably enjoy it more if it is served in small portions. Too much of it becomes cloying and sets me to dreaming of my favorite ice milk recipe that we featured here over a year ago. I have really simple tastes in desserts and were it not for the raspberry streaks, I wouldn't bother with this. My family, however, loves it, so, I'll be making it, grousing sotto voce, for years to come. Here's the recipe for those of you who love white chocolate and don't mind my grousing.

Raspberry and White Chocolate Ice Cream...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, a Cuisinart recipe adaption
Ingredients:
Ice Cream
1-1/2 cups whole milk
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces white chocolate morsels
Raspberry Puree
1-1/2 cups (6-oz.) fresh raspberries
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Directions:
1) To prepare ice cream: Combine whole milk and heavy cream in a medium pan set over moderate heat. Bring to a boil and pour into bowl containing white chocolate, stirring until smooth. Combine sugar, whole eggs, and egg yolk in a medium bowl; beat with a hand mixer until thickened like mayonnaise. Stir in vanilla extract. Beat 1 cup of the hot cream into the egg mixture. Mix in remainder of chocolate cream mixture. Transfer to a medium saucepan and cook mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to thicken and coats back of a spoon.
Transfer mixture to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely cooled.
2) To prepare raspberry puree: Combine raspberries and sugar in bowl of a food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Strain seeds from raspberry puree. Cover and refrigerate.
3) To make ice cream: Pour chilled ice cream mixture into freezer bowl and mix until thickened, about 25 to 30 minutes. Spread 1/3 of mixture into a shallow pan. Cover with half of raspberry mixture. Add another 1/3 of ice cream and top with remainder of raspberry puree. Top with last of ice cream mixture. Return to freezer and chill until firm, about 1 to 2 hours. Yield: 8 (1/2-cup) servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Fresh Mint Ice Cream - One Perfect Bite
Ice Cream Crunch Cake - One Perfect Bite
Lemon Buttermilk Ice Cream - One Perfect Bite

Ina Pinkney's Famous new Old fashioned vanilla bean pound cake

This recipe is adapted from Ina Pinkney Famous New Old-fashioned Vanilla Bean Pound Cake.  Although Ina's quote "This is a vital ingredient! Do not make this cake without it" -  the vital ingredient is the Vanilla Paste, I was more interested in the method - It is prepared in the food processor and is very easy to make. With such a fantastic praise by Shirley O,Corriher of this cake, I had to bake this recipe even without the vanilla paste.  I used vanilla beans and made into a paste instead and the cake is exactly how Shirley O. Corriher described - "Oh wow! When you take a bite, your whole being is filled with buttery wonderfulness, and then the vanilla hits and everything in your mouth is dissolving, melting tenderness! You've got to have another bite"

Ingredients:

Makes about 10 servings.

8 ounces unsalted butter (2 sticks), gently melted in microwave or on stovetop
6 ounces cake flour (1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 3/4 oz. sugar (1 1/4 cups)
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon Nielsen-Massey or Vanilla.com Vanilla Bean Paste






Method:

1. Position a rack slightly below the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 F.

2. Melt butter and set aside to cool.

3. Grease a 9-by-4 small Pullman loaf pan with butter and flour or non-stick spray. A Pullman loaf pan has straight sides, not slanted. USA Pan has an excellent pan this size. Do not use the top of the Pullman loaf pan.

4. In a medium bowl, beat together well with a hand mixer or vigorously by hand with a whisk, the flour, baking powder and salt, and set aside.

5. In a food processor, process sugar, eggs and vanilla for about 2 to 3 seconds. (Ina beats a few seconds longer, but I limit to avoid a crust.)

6. Stir the melted butter well to mix in the separated solids. With the machine running, pour butter through the feed tube in a slow and steady stream. Blend for about 3 seconds.

7. Scatter the flour mixture over the top of the egg mixture in the processor. Pulse 5-6 times until the flour is incorporated. You may have to scrape down the sides of the bowl and pulse 2-3 more times.

8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 325 and bake until deep golden brown and the tester comes out clean.

9. It should bake about 35 minutes. Rotate pan halfway through the baking.

10. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, unmold, and let cool completely on a wire rack. Toast each slice on both sides before serving.

Ina cuts almost 3/4-inch thick slices, toasts on both sides, cuts at an angle to form 2 triangles, serves with one triangle standing

Serves

Sugar Snap Peas with Fresh Mint Oil

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is one of my favorite summer dishes. Sugar snap peas are a cross between snow and English peas and they are one of the easiest of vegetables to prepare. They are crisp and sweet and, unlike the English pea, even the pod is edible. It is, however, advisable to remove the strings from both sides of the peas before cooking. This is done by removing the tip of the pea, pinching the string between your fingers and pulling downward towards the opposite end. I love to make this version of snap peas when I grill lamb chops. The mint oil that is made to dress the peas can also be used as a marinade for lamb chops, assuring that nothing goes to waste. This is a five ingredient recipe that is sophisticated in its simplicity. The peas can be served hot or cold. I usually make them ahead of time and serve them at room temperature. It is one less thing to worry about when trying to get dinner on the table. I must warn you that these are addicting. I have to slap my own hand when I make them. If you are looking for new ways to prepare old standby vegetables, I know you'll love this recipe. You simply can't beat fast, easy and delicious. Here's the recipe.

Sugar Snap Peas with Fresh Mint Oil...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by Grace Parisi

Ingredients:
2/3 cup fresh mint leaves
2/3 cup canola oil
Salt and ground pepper
1 pound sugar snap peas, strings removed
Optional: Lemon wedges and sea salt for serving

Directions:
1) Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a 3-quart saucepan. Add mint and blanch just until it is limp and turns bright green, about 30 seconds. Remove mint from pan with a slotted spoon. Plunge into cold water to stop cooking and set color. Drain mint, squeezing out excess liquid. Place mint in blender jar and pulse until finely chopped. With blender running, slowly add oil and blend until mint is pureed. Transfer to a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2) Add salt to water in which mint cooked. Bring to a boil. Blanch peas until tender and bright green, about 3 minutes. Plunge peas into a bowl of cold water to stop cooking. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels. Transfer to a bowl. Toss with 2 tablespoons mint oil. Arrange on a serving platter. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt if using. Garnish with lemon wedges. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Sugar Snap Peas with Sesame - One Perfect Bite
Asian Sugar Snap Peas - For the Love of Cooking
Flavorful Sugar Snap Peas - The Baking Beauties
Snap Peas and Feta Salad Dressing - Twin Tables
Honey Butter Snap Peas - Rachael Ray Show

Smoked Salmon Quesadillas - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a lovely, quick appetizer that has great eye appeal. While it's easy to prepare, it's stylish enough for guests and will be loved by family and friends alike. Many of you are familiar with a version of this appetizer that is served on thinly sliced rye bread. I use fried flour tortillas to make mine. The base recipe uses goat cheese as a pillow for thinly sliced smoked salmon. Whipped cream cheese or mascarpone can be substituted for the chevre and herbs other than dill can also be used. This is one of my favorite informal appetizers and I make it a point to keep the ingredients need to make it on hand. Smoked salmon is plentiful here in the Pacific Northwest and it is slightly less expensive than in other areas of the country. Folks with a fisherman in the neighborhood are luckier still, as the bounty of our rivers is often shared. It takes about 15 minutes to make this dish. If you try it, I think you'll agree that it is time well spent. Here's the recipe.

Smoked Salmon Quesadillas...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
3 ounces chevre or whipped cream cheese
1 tablespoon well-drained prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon fresh dill or chives
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 (7-inch) flour tortillas
4 to 6 ounces smoked salmon
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:
1) Combine cheese, horseradish, and 1 teaspoon dill or chives in a small bowl. Beat with a spoon until smooth and well-blended. Blend in salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
2) Heat oil in an 8-inch skillet set over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Fry tortillas, one at a time, until both sides are lightly brown, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
3) Spread 3 generous teaspoons of cheese mixture on each tortilla. Arrange smoked salmon slices over over cheese. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon reserved dill or chives. Drizzle with fresh lemon juice. Cut each tortilla into six pieces and serve immediately. Yield: 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Ravioli with Smoked Salmon and Vodka Cream Sauce - One Perfect Bite
Smoked Salmon Frittata - One Perfect Bite
Salmon Burgers with Chipotle Aioli and Pineapple Avocado Salsa
Buckwheat Blinis with Smoked Salmon and Creme Fraiche - The Recipe Girl
Smoked Salmon Chowder - Mennonite Girls Can Cook
Smoked Salmon Costini - Yum Sugar

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Spam Musubi

In Hawaii, Spam musubi, a tradition of Japanese onigiri,  is a very popular snack   Spam musubi is composed of a block of rice, be it jasmine or sushi rice,  with a slice of grilled spam(luncheon meat can be used, then the snack will be called Luncheon Musubi) on top and nori (seaweed) wrapping to hold it together. There are no fast rules to making this yummy snack except for the 3 main ingredients, cooked rice, Spam and Nori.  The sauce is of your own choice and if you are like me, i like mine naked - meaning 'no sauce' cos i find that the Spam is flavorful enough, in fact too salty.  A musubi mould would be good to have but until i visit Hawaii to get one, i will have to continue to make my musubi with a homemade improvised mould - an empty small can of Spam with both ends removed and a thick cardboard cut to the size of the can, covered with several layers of aluminium foil to be used as a press. A word of caution, the edges of the bottom of spam can is very sharp, so neaten sharp edges and use with caution.   I love making spam musubi for breakfast cos it is fast to make.  You know - asian household -  i always have leftover cooked rice and i will just heat it up in the microwave.  I even use the microwave to brown my slices of Spam - no washing of pans.  Yes, in a jiffy you can assemble and a sumptous breakfast/snack can be served.

Ingredients:

5 cups cooked sushi rice/jasmine rice, room temperature
5 sheets nori, cut in half lengthwise
1 (12 oz.) can Spam
Furikake(optional), to taste

Sauce:
6 tbsp soy sauce
4 tbsp mirin
4 tbsp sugar






Method:Cut Spam into 10 slices. Fry until slightly crispy. Remove and drain on plate lined with paper towels.

To make the sauce, in another pan, combine soy sauce, mirin and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low. Add Spam slices, coating them in the mixture. When mixture has thickened, remove Spam from pan.

To assemble, lay a sheet of nori lengthwise on a clean surface. Moisten lower half of musubi mould and place on lower third of nori. Fill musubi mould with rice and press rics flat until the rice is 3/4-inch high(this height is desirable but it does not matter, if you have put in more rice, then the height will be taller -  no rocket science). Sprinkle rice with furikake if using. Top with slice of Spam. Remove musubi mould with the press still on top of Spam,  keep in a bowl of warm water to keep it clean and moist.



Starting at the end towards you, remove the press and  fold nori over Spam and rice stack, and keep rolling until completely wrapped in the nori. Slightly dampen the end of the nori to seal it.

Repeat with the other nine Spam slices, making sure to rinse off musubi maker after each use to prevent it from getting too sticky.

Lemon Anise Churros

Photo Courtesy of Nicki Dowey

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...When a chef whose specialty is Southwestern cooking, adds Asian spices to pâte à choux, the end result is a churro with attitude. In its simplest form, a churro is a cylindrical piece of fried dough. It was developed by Spanish shepherds centuries ago and it got its name because it resembled the horns of the Churro sheep they tended. The original churro was the size of a breadstick and was usually eaten for breakfast. The churro escaped its borders during the Age of Discovery and can now be found on tables in many parts of the world. Chef David Walzog added ground star anise and lemon zest to the churros he made during his tenure in the kitchen at Arizona 206. They are delicious and easy to make, but they are not with out pitfalls. The churro must be well-drained, but still warm when it receives its sugar coating, and it must be served immediately after that's been done. These wait for no man or woman. You've been warned. You'll see what happens when I don't follow my own advice at the bottom this post. Having shared that with you, I'd like it to remain our little secret. If you have never had a churro, I hope you will give this recipe a try. If you've had them before, I hope you'll give this version a try. The star anise and lemon zest make these really special. Here's the recipe.

Lemon Anise Churros...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by David Walzog

Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1 stick (4-oz.) unsalted butter
2 teaspoons ground star anise
Grated zest of 1 lemon
4 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup confectioners' sugar
Vegetable oil for deep frying

Directions:
1) Sift flour and salt into a medium bowl
2) Combine water, butter, anise and lemon zest in a 3-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add flour, all at once, and cook, beating constantly until flour forms a ball and films bottom of pan. Remove pan from heat.
3) Beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated and mixture is smooth and shiny.
4) Combine granulated sugar and confectioners' sugar in a plastic bag and set aside.
5) Spoon batter into a pastry bag fitted with a medium-sized star tip.
6) Heat 3-inch of oil in a deep pan until it reaches 375 degrees F.
7) Pipe batter into oil in 5 to 6-inch lengths. Do not crowd pan. Fry until golden brown, about three minutes. Remove from oil and drain on paper toweling. Continue frying until all batter has been used.
8) Drop warm churros into bag of sugar and shake to generously coat. Serve immediately. Yield: 6 servings

You might also enjoy these recipes:
French Quarter Beignets - One Perfect Bite
Zeppole - One Perfect Bite
Calas Sweet Rice Fritters - One Perfect Bite
Recipe of the Day: Churros - Mark Bittman
Churros con Chocolate - Baking Bites