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Posted on » by Michael » Theme:

White Sangria

Use whatever stone fruits look freshest at your market to create this refreshing sangria. Its the perfect cooler for a hot summer day.

Ingredients

  • 6 peaches, plums or nectarines, or your favorite
    combination of stone fruits, halved, pitted and
    sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • 1 1/2 cups peach nectar
  • 1/4 cup orange liqueur, such as Cointreau
  • 1 bottle (750ml) dry Spanish white wine (white
    Rioja) or Sauvignon Blanc
  • 2 cups club soda, or more, to taste
  • Ice cubes for serving

Directions

In a large pitcher, combine the fruit, peach nectar, orange liqueur and wine. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 12 hours.

Stir in the club soda and ladle the sangria into ice-filled glasses. Serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Outdoor Entertaining, by George Dolese (Free Press, 2006).

Posted on » by Michael » Theme:

California Roll

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2005

Prep Time:
45 min
Inactive Prep Time:
1 hr 0 min
Cook Time:
20 min
Level:
Intermediate
Serves:
8 appetizer servings

Ingredients

  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 medium avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced into 1/4-inch thick pieces
  • 4 sheets nori
  • 1/2 batch sushi rice, recipe follows
  • 1/3 cup sesame seeds, toasted
  • 1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into matchstick-size pieces
  • 4 crabsticks, torn into pieces
  • Pickled ginger, for serving
  • Wasabi, for serving
  • Soy sauce, for serving

Directions

Squeeze the lemon juice over the avocado to prevent browning.

Cover a bamboo rolling mat with plastic wrap. Cut nori sheets in half crosswise. Lay 1 sheet of nori, shiny side down, on the plastic covered mat. Wet your fingers with water and spread about 1/2 cup of the rice evenly onto the nori. Sprinkle the rice with sesame seeds. Turn the sheet of nori over so that the rice side is down. Place 1/8 of the cucumber, avocado and crab sticks in the center of the sheet. Grab the edge of the mat closest to you, keeping the fillings in place with your fingers, and roll it into a tight cylinder, using the mat to shape the cylinder. Pull away the mat and set aside. Cover with a damp cloth. Repeat until all of the rice has been used. Cut each roll into 6 pieces. Serve with pickled ginger, wasabi and soy sauce.

Sushi Rice:

  • 2 cups sushi or short grain rice
  • 2 cups water, plus extra for rinsing rice
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
Place the rice into a mixing bowl and cover with cool water. Swirl the rice in the water, pour off and repeat 2 to 3 times or until the water is clear.

Place the rice and 2 cups of water into a medium saucepan and place over high heat. Bring to a boil, uncovered. Once it begins to boil, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cover. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
Combine the rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small bowl and heat in the microwave on high for 30 to 45 seconds. Transfer the rice into a large wooden or glass mixing bowl and add the vinegar mixture. Fold thoroughly to combine and coat each grain of rice with the mixture. Allow to cool to room temperature before using to make sushi or sashimi.
Yield: 4 cups

Posted on » by Michael » Theme:

California Pizza Kitchen Thai Chicken Pizza

California Pizza Kitchen Thai Chicken Pizza
Prep Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
Yield: 2 pizzas
Ingredients
·         Spicy peanut sauce
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons minced ginger ( or more if you wish)
  • 2 minced garlic cloves
  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon vietnamese chili sauce ( or dried chili flakes)
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 2 tablespoons water
Thai chicken pieces
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 10 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
For the pizza            
  • 1 pizza dough, use your own recipe
  • cornmeal or flour, for handling
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 4 scallions, slivered diagonally
  • 1/2 cup white bean sprouts
  • 1/4 cup shredded carrots
  • 2 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Directions
1.             Combine sauce ingredients in a small pan over medium heat.
2.             Bring the sauce to a boil; boil gently for one minute.
3.             Divide into 2 portions for use on chicken and pizza; set aside.
4.             To make Thai chicken: Cook the chicken in olive oil over med-high heat, stirring, until just cooked; 5 to 6 minutes do not overcook.
5.             Set aside in refrigerator until chilled through.
6.             Once chilled, coat the chicken with 1/4 cup sauce.
7.             Set aside in refrigerator.
8.             To make the pizza: Use a large spoon to spread 1/4 cup sauce evenly over pizza dough within the rim.
9.             Cover sauce with 3/4 cup cheese.
10.          Distribute half the chicken pieces over the cheese followed by half the green onions, bean sprouts, and carrots, respectively.
11.          Sprinkle an additional 1/4cup cheese over the toppings and top the pizza with 1 TBSP chopped peanuts.
12.          Transfer the pizza to oven; bake until crisp and golden and the cheese is bubbly, 9 to 10 minute.
13.          When cooked through, remove pizza from oven.
14.          Sprinkle 1TBSP chopped cilantro over the hot cheesy surface.
15.          Repeat with remaining ingredients for a second pizza.