Tag: appetizer
Savory Sweet Potato Pancakes
Savory Sweet Potato Pancakes
These aren’t the traditional pancakes that you’re used to eating for breakfast. Chinese sweet potato pancakes are eaten as a savory appetizer and/or side dish. They get dipped in a simple soy/rice vinegar/sugar/sesame oil sauce. What’s unique about these pancakes is the use of glutenous rice flour. It gives them a chewy, slightly gummy texture; not cake-like whatsoever. If you want to make these a sweet flavored pancake, swap out the salt for sugar and leave out the green onions.
Ingredients
- 1 lb sweet potato peeled and cubed
- 1 1/2 cups glutenous rice flour
- 2 green onions chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- vegetable oil for frying
Dipping Sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
Instructions
- Place the cubed sweet potatoes in a steamer and steam for 15 minutes until soft.
- Let the sweet potatoes cool. Mash with the back of a fork.
- Mix the sweet potatoes with the glutenous rice flour, green onions, and salt until a dough forms.
- Flour your hands and roll out the dough into 2” balls.
- Flatten with the palms of your hands.
- Heat up a 1/4 cup of vegetable oil on a griddle over medium heat. Add the pancakes to the griddle, making sure to not overcrowd.
- Cookfor 3 minutes a side.
- Heat all of the dipping sauce ingredients in a small sauté pan until the sugar dissolves.
Laotian-Style Chicken Wings
Laotian-Style Chicken Wings
I’m not a fan of heavily sauce covered chicken wings. The combination of buffalo sauced wings being dipped in ranch dressing is an abomination to the culinary world as far as I’m concerned. These chicken wings are the exact opposite. The wings are marinated in an oyster sauce/garlic/cilantro base with a few seasonings and a bit of sugar to add a hint of sweetness. You can either grill or broil the chicken wings for about 20 minutes, flipping half way through. The other option would be to bake them in the oven at 400 degrees for 45-50 minutes. The wings turn out crispy, moist, and highly flavorful without any deep frying and drowning in sauce.
Equipment
- food processor
Ingredients
- 3 lbs chicken wings drumette and wingette separated; tips removed
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1/3 cup cilantro
- 3 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Place all of the marinade ingredients in a food processor.
- Blend until smooth.
- Place the wings and the marinade in a gallon sized storage bag. Marinate the wings for 8 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the wings on a rack on a baking sheet lined in foil.
- Bake the wings for 45-50 minutes, flipping half way through. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Smoked King Salmon
Smoked King Salmon
King salmon, aka chinook salmon, is the largest of the pacific salmon species. They average between 10-50lbs, but can weigh as much as 100lbs. They are valued for their rich, buttery flesh that is very high in omega 3 fatty acids. The king salmon is an anadromous fish, meaning it migrates from the sea into coastal fresh water river systems. Since the flesh of king salmon is thicker than other salmon, it will take a little longer to smoke.
Equipment
- Electric Smoker
- Probe Thermometer
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs king salmon fillet
- cracked black pepper
- Hawaiian pink salt
Brine
- 4 cups water
- 1/4 cup sea salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
Wood Chips
- 1/2 pecan wood
- 1/2 cherry wood
Instructions
- Remove the pin bones from the fillet. Cut into 3 pieces.
- Mix together the brining ingredients.
- Place the salmon fillets in a gallon sized storage bag with the brine. Brine the fillets for 4 hours.
- Place the fillets on a rack and allow to dry at room temp for an hour. Lightly seasoned the fillets with cracked black pepper and a small pinch of Hawaiian pink salt.
- Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees. Place the salmon in the smoker. Allow the wood chips to start smoking, then turn the heat down to 215 degrees. Smoke for 2 hours until the internal temp reaches 150 degrees.
- Let the salmon rest before serving.
