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Posted on » by Ashley » Theme:

Brie Waffle Bites

Brie Waffle Bites
Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen – Ashley Covelli

Belgian waffles, cooled (we love Alton Brown’s recipe)
Fresh strawberries, sliced
Brie, sliced
Powdered sugar, for garnish
Pure maple syrup, for serving

Using a serrated bread knife, cut waffles into individual squares, following the grid lines.

Onto each skewer (I used mini ones), thread a waffle square, strawberry slice, piece of brie, and another waffle square. Repeat until you have enough skewers to fill your serving platter. At this point, you can wrap the entire platter with plastic wrap and stash it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.

Dust skewers with powdered sugar and serve with a bowl of pure maple syrup, for dipping.

Posted on » by Michael » Theme:

Vietnamese Sticky Chicken with Daikon and Carrot Pickle (for Bánh Mì)

Gourmet March 2005

The chicken and pickled vegetables are meant to be wrapped up in lettuce leaves and eaten with your hands.

  • Yield: Makes 4 servings
  • Active Time: 30 min
  • Total Time:  35 min

I used this recipe for the “bold flavors” in my chicken Bánh Mì recipe. I also used this recipe for my pickled carrots and beets. That’s all I got from this recipe

Ingredients

For Chicken

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Sriracha or other Asian hot chile sauce
  • 1 1/2 lb skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices

For Pickle

  • 2 medium carrots, peeled
  • 1/2 lb daikon radish, peeled
  • 1/2 cup rice vinegar (not seasoned)
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Special Equipment

  • A Japanese Benriner* or other adjustable-blade slicer; a well-seasoned ridged grill pan

Accompaniments

  • At least 8 large red- or green-leaf lettuce leaves; about 8 fresh mint, basil, and/or cilantro sprigs; Sriracha or other Asian hot chile sauce

Instructions

  1. Marinate chicken:
    • Whisk together garlic, sugar, fish sauce, oil, lime juice, and hot sauce in a large bowl until sugar is dissolved.
    • Add chicken and toss to coat, then marinate 15 minutes.
  2. Make pickle while chicken marinates:
    • Cut carrots and radish into 1/8-inch-thick matchsticks (2 inches long) with slicer.
    • Whisk together vinegar, sugar, and salt in a bowl until sugar is dissolved, then add vegetables and toss to combine.
    • Let stand, tossing occasionally, until wilted, about 15 minutes.
  3. Grill chicken:
    • Heat grill pan over moderately high heat until hot, then grill chicken in 4 batches, turning over once with tongs, until just cooked through, about 1 minute total per batch.
    • Transfer chicken to a plate as grilled and keep warm, covered with foil. Serve with pickle and accompaniments.
Posted on » by Michael » Theme:

Bánh Mì (Vietnamese Baguette)

bread

  • Prep: 60 mins
  • Cook: 20 mins
  • Ready In: 3 hrs 50 mins

I followed the ingredients but used a much more involved recipe

Yield: 3 Servings

The most popular kind of bread in Vietnam. It can be served with beef stew or stuffed with meat and vegetables to make the world-famous Vietnamese Sandwich

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the yeast and lukewarm water. You can add sugar to easy activate the yeast. Stir well to dissolve.
  • Add half of the flour and stir well to create a thick mixture with consistency of pancake batter.
  • Cover and leave it in a warm place for 2-3 hours, until bubbles appear all over the surface.
  • Add the rest of the flour and salt. Stir well with a wooden spoon until well combined.
  • Then transfer the mixture to a floured working surface and knead well until it forms into a smooth, soft and elastic piece of dough. Kneading method: fold the dough and use the wrist to push and stretch without tearing it. This helps gluten to develop. You can switch hands alternately.
  • Place the dough back to the mixing bowl. Cover with kitchen towel and let it rest in a warm place (35-37°C or 95-98°F) for 1 hour or until it doubles in size.
  • Carefully transfer the dough onto the working surface. Try not to deflate the gas inside.
  • With a scrapper or a knife, divide the dough into 3 equal portions (each portion should weigh about 130g). Twist each portion inside out and form into a ball (Please see video demonstration).
  • Cover with kitchen towel and let them rest for 10 minutes.
  • Take out 1 portion, hold the side and bang it 3 times on the counter.
  • Use the wrist of your hand to flatten it out roughly into a 20×10 cm (8×4 inch) rectangle. Roll it lengthwise and pinch the edges together. Place both hands on top of the dough, roll it back and forth on the counter, applying more pressure on your baby fingers than your thumbs to shape it into Bánh Mì form (broader in the middle and slimmer at both ends)
  • Place the shaped dough on a piece of parchment paper and cover with kitchen towel. Let it rest for another 1 hour until it rises double in size.
  • Preheat oven and the baking tray at 230°C/450°F for at least 15 minutes before baking. Place a tray of hot water at the bottom of the oven.
  • To slash the baguette, use a paper cut knife or a razor blade, keep it at 45° angle, and make a quick and determined slash across the dough lengthwise. Bake immediately after slashing.
  • Remove the preheated baking tray from the oven and lift up the parchment paper to transfer the shaped dough onto the tray. Spray water on both sides of the oven and on the dough.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes at 230°C/450°F. After the first 8 minutes, spray water one more time on the baguettes and rotate the baking tray or the parchment paper to bake the baguettes evenly.
  • If the bottom part of the baguettes is not as golden as the upper part, remove the water tray and lower the baking tray. Turn off the heat and let the baguettes sit in the oven for a few more minutes. The crust of the baguettes will continue to crack after removed from the oven. Listen to the beautiful tiny cracking sound!

To assemble the Bánh Mì sandwich, spread each half of the toasted baguette with mayonnaise, and fill the cavity of the bottom half of the bread with broiled chicken, cucumber slices, pickled carrot, onion, and radish, cilantro leaves, and jalapeno pepper.