Recent Posts
Hokkaido Milk Buns
Hokkaido Milk Buns
Hokkaido milk bread may be of Japanese origins, but it’s eaten all over many Asian countries. The bread can be made in loaf form, free form rolls, braided, filled, or made as pull apart rolls like I did. The bread is fluffy, but dairy heavy, with a milk roux, evaporated milk, and butter add to the dough.
Equipment
- standing mixer with dough hook
- springform pan
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 3 cups bread flour
- 2 tsp dry active yeast
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp sugar
Instructions
- Whisk 3 tbsp of flour with the whole milk in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Cook until a thick paste forms. Take off the heat.
- Tranfser the paste into a bowl and whisk in the evaporated milk.
- Whisk in the egg.
- In the bottom of the standing mixer bowl, activate the yeast with 3 tbsp of warm water for 5 minutes until it’s bubbly.
- Add in the flour and the evaporated milk mixture.
- Usinb the dough hook, mix on medium low speed for 2 minutes.
- Once the dough forms, cover the bowl and let rest for 20 minutes.
- After resting, knead the dough on low speed. Sprinkle in the salt and sugar. Continue kneading for 8 minutes.
- Slowly incorporate 1 tbsp of the butter at a time until the dough absorbs it all.
- Drizzle oil over the dough ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for an hour.
- Once risen, punch the dough down on a clean surface.
- Roll into a dozen balls.
- Place the dough balls in a well greased springform pan. Cover with a towel and allow to rise for an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Turn the oven down to 350. Put in the pan and bake for 20 minutes.
Thai Smoked Duck with Gravy
Thai Smoked Duck with Gravy
Instead of a turkey for thanksgiving, I went the duck route. I also wanted to do a Thai inspired dinner. So I made a smoked Thai duck with a rich gravy. The duck was stuffed with lemongrass, garlic, and ginger; the outside rubbed with salt, sugar, and ground ginger. The duck was smoked with hickory wood for 4 hours until the fat rendered out and the skin turned a dark golden brown.
Servings: 4
Equipment
- Electric Smoker
- food processor
Ingredients
- 5-6 lb whole duck
- 3 stalks lemongrass
- 6 garlic cloves
- 3” ginger cut in half
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp sugar
Gravy
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1” ginger peeled
- 5 cilantro sprigs
- 2 tbsp fermented soybean paste
- 1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp five spice powder
- 2 tbsp honey
- 3/4 cup chicken stock
- 1/4 cup coconut milk
Wood Chips
- hickory
Instructions
- Season the inside cavity of the duck with salt. Stuff with lemongrass, ginger, and garlic cloves. Prick the skin all over with a knife. Rub the outside with salt, ground ginger, and sugar. Let dry out in the refrigerator overnight on a rack.
- Let your duck sit at room temperature for 2 hours before smoking. Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees. Throw the duck in the smoker.
- Smoke the duck for 4 hours.
- Let the duck rest for 15-20 minutes before serving.
Gravy
- Place the garlic, ginger, cilantro, white pepper, soybean paste, and 5 spice powder in a food processor.
- Process into a paste.
- Heat up a tsp of cooking oil in a small pot and sauté the paste for 2 minutes.
- Deglaze the pot with the chicken stock. Pour in the soy sauces, honey, and coconut milk. Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes until thickened.
Powdered Beef (Carne en Polvo)
Powdered Beef (Carne en Polvo)
Powdered beef is commonly eaten in Colombia as part of a bandeja paisa platter. Flank steak gets marinated, boiled, then pulverized in a food processor until it resembles a powdered form. Carne en polvo is great for little kids who might have a problem chewing pieces of steak. Not me. I was consuming meat at 6 months old like a champion.
Equipment
- food processor
Ingredients
- 1 lb flank steak
- 5 cups watet
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 green onions chopped
- 1/2 cup white onion chopped
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the flank steak in a storage bag with the garlic, green onions, white onions, cumin, salt, and pepper. Marinate for 24 hours.
- Put the flank steak in a pot of water.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low. Simmer for an hour.
- Strain the meat. Let cool.
- Cut up the flank into chunks and place in a food processor.
- Process until it is finely shredded.
