Tag: main course
Minnesota-Style Chow Mein
Minnesota-Style Chow Mein
If you live in the Midwest, specifically Minnesota, you’ve probably eaten what we recognize as chow mein. MN chow mein can be traced back as early as the 1920s; adapted to fit the American palate. Actual Chinese chow mein is a lot closer to what we know as lo mein; stir fried noodles with meat and vegetables. Our version of chow mein consists of a brown slurry of ground pork and celery served over rice, topped with crispy fried chow mein noodles. Additions to the chow mein can include chicken, mushrooms, shrimp, and a variety of vegetables. You can find this particular style of chow mein on just about every Chinese American menu. You won’t find our indigenous version of chow mein in China.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 bunch celery chopped 1/2” thick
- 1/2 medium onion diced
- 8 oz mushrooms thinly sliced
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup cold water
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tsp beef bouillon
- 1 tsp molasses
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- white rice cooked
- chow mein noodles
Instructions
- Brown the ground pork in a large sauté pan over medium high heat.
- Add the celery, onions, and mushrooms. Continue cooking for 5 minutes.
- Pour in 1 cup of water. Cover. Reduce the heat to medium. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Mix together the cold water, cornstarch, soy sauces, molasses, and beef bouillon.
- Pour the slurry in the chow mein.
- Simmer for 2 minutes until thickened.
Smoked Cured Spare Ribs
Smoked Cured Spare Ribs
What’s different about these ribs is the addition of pink curing salts to the brine. What this is going to do is turn your ribs into ham. Yes. Ham ribs. They turn out so unbelievably moist, I kinda only want to make ribs this way from now on. They will take a total of 5 hours of smoking.
Equipment
- Electric Smoker
Ingredients
- 4 lb spare ribs
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 2 tsp ground sage
- bbq sauce
Brine
- 4 cups water
- 1/4 cup sea salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp pink curing salts
Wood Chips
- hickory wood chips
Instructions
- Mix together the brining ingredients.
- Brine the ribs for 1 day.
- Season the ribs with paprika, black pepper, and ground sage. Let rest on a rack for an hour before smoking.
- Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees. Place the ribs in the smoker.
- At the 3 hour mark, brush a layer of your favorite sauce on the ribs.
- Brush one more layer of sauce on the ribs at the 4 hour mark. Smoke for 1 more hour for a total of 5 hours of smoking.
- Let the ribs rest for 20 minutes before cutting.
Cemita Poblana
Cemita Poblana
Cemita Poblana originates from Puebla, Mexico. This wonderful sandwich contains either a breaded chicken, pork, or beef cutlet fried and topped with a plethora of ingredients including avocado, oaxaca cheese, chipotle peppers, onion, cabbage, and cilantro; all on a brioche sesame seeded bun. If you can’t find buns with sesame seeds, a regular brioche bun will work.
Equipment
- Meat Mallet
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- salt
- pepper
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil for frying
Cemita Poblana
- 2 brioche rolls
- 1 avocado sliced
- oaxaca cheese grated
- red onion thinly sliced
- 2 chipotle peppers chopped
- green cabbage shredded
- cilantro sprigs
Instructions
- Hammer the chicken with a meat mallet to 1/4” thick. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Dip the chicken in the beaten egg.
- Coat the chicken in the breadcrumbs.
- Heat up the cooking oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Place the the chicken in the oil.
- Fry the chicken for 5 minutes a side until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
Sandwich Assembly
- Placecdliced of avocado on the bun.
- Place the chicken on top.
- Top the chicken with the oaxaca cheese and chipotle peppers.
- Top with red onion, cabbage, and cilantro.
