Cooking with Oranges
Winter is citrus season. Oranges and other citrus fruits are abundant this time of year. I love them. I love the tiny Mandarins, the big navels and the seedy, but oh so juicy, Temples. I am content to just peel and eat any of them, any time.
You can do a lot more with oranges than just eating them fresh or juicing them. Oranges can be added to both sweet and savory dishes. We use lemons and limes in cooking all the time, why not cook with oranges?
I have put together some of my favorite recipes using oranges. I’ve even including recipes to use the peels!! Enjoy!!
Orange Broiled Salmon
2 large oranges
4 (4 ounce) fillets salmon
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
Preheat the oven’s broiler. Slice, peel, and pith oranges; slice crosswise into 1/4 inch rounds. Season fillets with salt. Place salmon fillets on broiling pan. Place the pan of fillets 4 to 6 inches from heat. Cook for 15 minutes under the preheated broiler, or 10 minutes per inch of thickness. Remove from broiler just before they are cooked through. Sprinkle with vinegar. Arrange orange rounds on top. Sprinkle with green onions and cracked black pepper. Broil 1 minute longer. Serves 4.
Orange Kissed Chicken
1 (4 pound) chicken, cut into pieces
1 tablespoon oil
3 onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup orange juice
salt and pepper to taste
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces and sauté for 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Add onions and sauté for 2 minutes more. Add juice, broth, salt and pepper. Stir all together. Cover skillet and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Serves 4.
Orange Vinaigrette
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 orange, juiced
2 tablespoons orange zest
2 tablespoons coarse-grained mustard
In a medium bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, orange juice, orange zest and mustard. Use immediately, or store in the refrigerator for up to one week. Great on mixed greens or on chicken or seafood salad.
Hot Cranberry-Orange Punch
2 quarts cranberry juice cocktail
3 cups orange juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 pinch salt
2 (3 inch) cinnamon sticks
In a 4 quart or larger slow cooker, combine the cranberry juice, orange juice, white sugar, brown sugar, lemon juice, salt and cinnamon sticks. Stir to dissolve sugar. Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours. Turn heat to low and keep warm for serving. Or heat on stove in saucepan. Simmer, covered for 30 minutes before serving. Serves 10-12.
Orange Tea Bread
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup non-fat plain yogurt
2/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs (egg substitute optional)
3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
Syrup
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-1/2″x4-1/2″x2-5/8″ loaf pan. Line pan with wax paper or parchment and set aside. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together yogurt, sugar, eggs, butter and orange zest. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients, and stir mixture until well combined. Transfer batter to loaf pan, smoothing top, and bake in oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until skewer inserted in middle comes out clean. While the bread is baking, combine orange juice and sugar in a saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil over moderate heat while stirring, and simmer for 1 minute. Keep syrup warm. Make holes in top of bread with a thin wooden skewer and drizzle with syrup. Let stand in pan until cool. Makes 1 loaf.
Whole Orange Liqueur
3 oranges, unpeeled, cut into wedges
½ lemon
3 whole cloves
3 cups vodka
1 c. sugar syrup
Combine fruit, cloves and vodka in jar. Vodka should cover fruit. Steep 10 days. Strain and filter. Add sugar syrup and mature 3-4 weeks. Makes 4 cups. Note: Sugar syrup is made from 1 cup of sugar and ½ cup of water. Bring to a boil, then cool. You will have 1 cup of syrup.
Orange Peel Liqueur
Peels only from 4 large oranges, scraped and cut into chunks
3 cups vodka
1 c. sugar syrup, see note
Remove all traces of white from orange peels. Mix peels and vodka and steep 2-3 weeks. You can use more peels for stronger flavor. Strain and filter and add sugar syrup. Let mature a week. Makes 4 cups. Note: Sugar syrup is made from 1 cup of sugar and ½ cup of water. Bring to a boil, then cool. You will have 1 cup of syrup.
Orange Beef Sauce
1-1 ½ lbs. lean ground beef (turkey or chicken would also work)
1 T. olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
½ c. chopped onion
¼ c. grated carrot
½ c. orange juice
1 c. beef, chicken or vegetable stock
½ t. caraway seeds
½ t. orange peel
1 T. brown sugar
1 T. vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
¼ c. water
2 T. cornstarch
Brown meat in oil until no longer pink. Drain and place in Dutch oven with the vegetables Cook until onions are tender. Add remaining ingredients, except water and cornstarch and simmer, covered, 30-60 minutes. Five minutes before serving dissolve cornstarch in water and add to sauce to thicken. Cook until sauce is thickened and bubbly. Serve over pasta.
Citrus Sugar
1 c. sugar
1 T. orange, lemon, lime or tangerine peel
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/8 t. allspice
Mix all ingredients and place in pie pan. Place in a preheated 200 degree oven for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Cool sugar before storing in airtight jar or you can powder the sugar in a blender for 10 seconds or so before storing. Use in tea, on sugar cookies, on toast and bagels or with fresh fruit and yogurt.
Note: you can also make a citrus mint variation by combining sugar with citrus peel and 1 tablespoon dried mint leaves, omitting other flavorings. This sugar is great in lemonades and iced teas.
Orange and Oatmeal Scones
2 1/2 cups flour
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup very cold, unsalted butter – cut into chunks
1 egg
1/2 cup orange juice
2 t. grated orange peel
1 cup raisins – plumped and well dried
Glaze
milk, sugar, orange zest
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (double two sheets if you have them – one inside the other). Preheat oven to 425 F. In a large bowl, place flour, oatmeal, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda and mix together. Cut or rub in butter to make a mealy mixture. Stir in egg and orange juice. Add orange peel and raisins. Mix to make a soft dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead for a few minutes. Roll or pat out into a thickness of 1/2 inch. Using a serrated cookie cutter cut into disks or rounds. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar and orange zest. Bake until nicely browned – about 14 minutes. Makes about 24.
Chocolate-Orange Scones
1 1/2 c. baking mix, like Jiffy or Bisquick or homemade
1 T. grated orange peel
3/4 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. milk chocolate chips or 3 oz. milk chocolate, chopped
Combine baking mix and orange peel in medium bowl. Stir in cream to make a soft dough that forms into a ball in the bowl. On floured surface gently knead in chocolate and press or roll dough to 3/4- inch thickness. Cut into 2 1/4 -inch rounds, re-rolling scraps. You should get 8. Place on and ungreased cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 425-degree oven for 8-10 minutes.
Double chocolate version: Knead 3 tablespoons of cocoa into dough with the chocolate chips.
Orange and Chocolate Mini Cheesecakes
8 chocolate graham crackers
3 T. butter, melted
2 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
½ c. sugar
2 t. orange zest
2 t. vanilla
2 eggs
4 or 5 mandarin oranges
4 T. sugar
3 T. water
Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners. Set aside. Crush graham crackers into crumbs- you should end up with about a cup of crumbs, or a bit more. Place crumbs in small mixing bowl. Drizzle the melted butter over the crumbs, and toss to distribute the butter evenly. Spoon a rounded tablespoon of the crumb mixture into each of the paper lined muffin tins. Press firmly on the crumb mixture. I used the bottom of a small glass to press the crumb mixture down. Set aside. Beat together the cream cheese, sugar, zest and vanilla for 1 minute with electric mixer. Beat in the eggs until just mixed in. Divide this mixture in the muffin tins, filling each 3/4 full. Bake 25 minutes at 325 degrees. While cheesecakes are baking, prepare oranges. Peel oranges and break apart into segments (sections). You will need 36 segments in all. In small pan, boil together sugar and water for two minutes. Place orange segments in a small bowl and pour the sugar syrup over them, tossing gently to coat. Set aside to cool down. Place three orange segments on top of each cooled down cheesecake. Makes 12. Serves 6.
Candied Orange Peel
2 large oranges ( you can also use 1 grapefruit or 3 lemons)
¾ c. water
¾ c. sugar, plus extra for rolling
3 T. light corn syrup
Remove peel from fruit using a sharp knife. Try to get the peel off in 4 pieces. Cut the peel into ¼-inch wide strips. Place peel in a pot with cold water and bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute, drain and rinse under cold water. Repeat process 2 more times. Return to pan with fresh water and boil 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Bring ¾ c. water and ¾ c. sugar to boil in sauce pan with the corn syrup. Boil 2-3 minutes and then add the peel. Simmer, stirring occasionally until all but a spoonful of the syrup is left. This should take about 10 minutes. On a wax-paper lined baking sheet sprinkle 1 cup of sugar and arrange the peels on top of the sugar. Toss the peels around until cooled adding more sugar if needed. Place peels on a drying rack for 24 hours before storing. Once dried you can also dip one end of the peels in dark chocolate. Makes ½ pound.
Preserving/Drying Orange Zest
I love to use orange zest in a lot of recipes, but I don’t always have fresh oranges around to zest. I dry my own, so I always have orange zest handy. It’s easy to do. You don’t need a dehydrator, but you can use one, if you have one. You can save the entire peel from thin-skinned oranges, like mandarins or temple oranges. For oranges with a thick, white pith, use a peeler to remove the peel in strips- leaving as little of the white portion on them as possible. Place in a single layer in a basket. Air circulation helps them to dry faster. If you pile them up, you risk them getting moldy before they dry. Leave room for air circulation. You can also leave them on a tray in a single layer. When the peels are brittle, break into smaller pieces and grind into a powder. A spice/coffee mill works well. A blender works fine, too. I have tried to powder them up in several types of food processors and the peels seem to get wedged between the blades and the sides of the work bowl. Once they are powdered up, I use a fine strainer to get out any larger pieces. To be safe, just in case they aren’t completely dry, I put my zest in a freezer container and store in the freezer. The freezer helps the zest to retain its flavor and color longer, too. Better to use organic oranges, if you can.
Salmon Quiche
I like canned salmon. There, I said it. I know it sometimes gets a bad rap, but I find canned salmon very convenient to have around. If you didn’t already know this- canned salmon is made from wild caught salmon and has all the nutritional benefits of fresh. If you are looking for something different to do with canned salmon, you might want to try this recipe.
If you prefer, you could use fresh salmon. About 12 oz. of cooked salmon, flaked, would be used in place of the canned salmon.
The crust is a breeze to make. It’s pressed into the pie pan, rather than being rolled out. The crust is made with whole wheat flour, almonds and cheddar cheese. Yum. You could use this crust recipe for other quiches.
Did I mention it also freezes well?
Salmon Quiche
1 c. whole wheat flour
2/3 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 c. chopped almonds
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. paprika
6 T. oil
1 (15 oz.) can salmon, flaked, drained, liquid reserved, bones and skin removed
3 eggs, beaten
1 c. sour cream
1/4 c. mayo or salad dressing
1/2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 T. grated onion
1/2 t. dill weed
3 drops Tabasco
For crust, combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl. Add oil and mix well. Press into a 9 inch pie plate. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. Remove pie crust from oven and reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Meanwhile, begin filling. If needed, add water to reserved salmon juice to measure 1/2 cup. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl, including reserved liquid. Pour into prepared crust and bake for 45 minutes or until set in the center. Makes 6 servings.
Rustic Veggie Stew
I made a vegan stew for lunch yesterday. A neighbor stopped by and so we got a chance to enjoy it together. I’ll go through what I used to make it- but feel free to sub out veggies you have on hand. Since I was able to get nice asparagus and broccoli I used them. For a non-vegan version you can serve it with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
Rustic Vegetable Stew
oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 turnips, peeled and chopped, optional
2 potatoes, cubed
1 can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 oz.) tomatoes, undrained – I used a pint jar of home canned tomatoes
4 c. chopped veggies, use what is on hand, I used asparagus and broccoli*
hot sauce to taste
1/4 c. fresh chopped parsley
1 t. fresh chopped rosemary
salt and pepper to taste
In soup pot, heat oil and saute onions, carrots, celery and turnips for 5-10 minutes or until veggies are wilted. Add potatoes, beans and tomatoes and cook, covered, over medium low heat until veggies are tender. Stir occasionally. Add remaining veggies and cook, covered, another 10 minutes or until they are just tender. Add herbs and adjust seasonings. Serves 6. I served it with a crusty herb bread.
*The last veggies added needed less time to cook so I added them later so they would keep some of their texture. Even frozen veggies could be used.
Cheesy Chocolate Hamantaschen
A friend shared this recipe recently, and I was intrigued. I had to try these cookies. The filling for these traditional Jewish cookies is inspired by the filling used in cannoli. I made a few changes from the recipe he shared, and was very happy with how they turned out.
The dough, which contains no sugar, has a wonderful, pastry-like texture. It pairs up well with the filling. The drizzle of chocolate is a perfect finish for them. They aren’t a gooey, overly sweet cookie, which I really like.
They are great served with tea or coffee. I confess, I had a couple for breakfast with my morning tea. I would definitely make these again.
Thanks, Jared, for sharing this recipe.
Cheesy Chocolate Hamantaschen
Filling:
¼ c. ricotta cheese
5 oz. cream cheese
½ c. powdered sugar
1 t. cinnamon
½ c. mini chocolate chips
Dough:
½ c. (1 stick) butter, softened
3 oz. cream cheese
½ c. half and half or milk
1 t. vanilla
½ t. salt
2½ c. flour
Topping:
1 egg white
2 T. water
½ c. chocolate chips
Powdered sugar, optional
Prepare the filling. Beat together the ricotta and cream cheese until smooth. Mix in the milk and cinnamon, then stir in the chips. Chill until ready to use. Make the dough by mixing the cream cheese and butter together. Add the milk, vanilla and salt and mix until smooth. Stir in the flour until a stiff dough forms. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, or put in a bag and chill at least an hour – or up to a couple of days – before proceeding. On lightly floured surface, roll the dough to a little less than ¼ – inch thickness. Cut dough out into 2-3 inch circles. Place a scant teaspoon of filling in middle of each dough circle. Combine the egg white with water and beat together. Brush a little of the egg white mixture over the edges of the dough circle. Fold the dough up in thirds towards the center, pinching the edges to seal. They should look like little three-corner hats. Repeat with remaining dough, re-rolling the scraps. Brush folded cookies with a little more of the egg white mixture. Place on lightly greased cookie sheets and bake in a 375-degree- oven for 15 minutes, or until golden on the bottom. Remove to cooling rack. Once cooled, melt the chocolate chips and drizzle over the cookies. You can top with some powdered sugar, if you like. Makes 2½-3 dozen.
Classic Meringues
I love meringues. That first crunch followed by a melt in your mouth sweetness. I’ve made meringues in a lot of different flavors, colors and shapes over the years but I seem to gravitate back to basics. egg whites, powdered sugar and cream of tartar. Pretty simple for something that tastes and looks so amazing. I think in the past, people who made meringues must have been pretty strong. Think of having to beat egg whites to stiff peaks before the days of electric mixers. Today with a stand mixer the process is easy.
Classic Meringues
5 egg whites
1 t. cream of tartar
3 c. powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking sheets. Place eggs in mixing bowl or bowl from stand mixer and start to beat. When whites become foamy add the cream of tartar and beat a couple minutes longer. Add the powdered sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time until it is all mixed in. Continue beating the egg white mixture until it appears glossy and holds a stiff peak. This will take anywhere from 7-12 minutes, depending on your mixer. Place egg white mixture in a piping bag fitted with a star tip and start to form meringues on baking sheet by squeezing some out into desired size and shape. They do not grow at all while baking so you can place them close together on baking sheet. Continue with remaining meringue batter. Place baking sheets in oven. Prop door open a little with a wooden spoon and bake for 90 minutes. Remove wooden spoon so oven door is now closed and bake for 90 minutes longer. Cool a few minutes then remove from the trays. Store cooled meringues in an air-tight container.
Note: You can add flavorings like vanilla, mint or almond with a few drops of extract near the end of the whipping process. You can also add a few drops of food coloring for tinted meringues.
Caramelized Onion Pierogi
I grew up with pierogi. In my family they were usually stuffed with potatoes or prunes. Both are very tasty. Recently a friend asked if I could make them stuffed with something else. I decided to make a caramelized onion filling. I had made something similar recently and used the filing with wonton wrappers. It made sense that it would work. Pierogi are often served with sauteed onions. So that is what i did. I love this new version. The filling can be made day ahead, if that is more convenient. It is best to stuff pierogi with cold filling. So here is the recipe for the dough and the filling. You might want to give them a try.
Caramelized Onion Pierogi
Dough:
2 c. flour
1 t. salt
½ c. water (you can also use half milk and half water)
1 egg
Mix all ingredients together and knead on floured surface until smooth. Cover and let rest at least 15 minutes. Roll out thin and cut into circles. Re-roll scraps. You should get between 15-24. Spoon filling of your choice on center of dough circle. Fold dough in half over filling and press edge with fork to seal. Wetting the edge of the dough will help the dough to stick. Don’t overfill or pierogis will split. Test a couple first to get the hang of it. Place a few at a time into salted boiling water and cook until they float. You can eat them as is or brown cooked pierogi in butter in a skillet. Serve with sour cream. We would often make a larger batch and then freeze them, uncooked on wax paper-lined baking sheets. When frozen they would be transferred to a freezer bag or container. Place right from the freezer into boiling water when ready to use.
Filling:
3-4 medium onions, peeled and chopped fine
1 T. oil
2 T. cider vinegar
2 T. sugar or brown sugar
1 t. paprika
Dash of hot sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
8 oz. cream cheese
4 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
In medium skillet cook the onions in oil over medium to low heat until onions are tender. Add the sugar, vinegar and seasonings and keep cooking the onions until they are a little golden and most of the liquid has cooked off. Adjust seasonings and stir in the cream cheese. Chill filling until ready to use.
Mom’s City Chicken
If you never had City Chicken, you don’t know what you are missing. Meat on a stick- always a good thing. But not just meat on a stick- breaded meat on a stick! If you like breaded pork chops, you should love City Chicken. This is a dish I grew up with. When my Mom made City Chicken, I knew dinner was going to be special.
There is no chicken in the dish at all. Odd, but well, I didn’t name the dish, I just like eating it.
City Chicken is normally made with chunks of pork- or chunks of pork and veal- skewered on wooden sticks. I used pork. After skewering, the meat is dipped in seasoned flour, egg wash and then bread crumbs- or cracker crumbs.
You can just bake them, or brown in a little oil first, before baking- for a crispier coating. They also can be cooked in an air fryer or convection oven. I served these to friends last night. They really enjoyed them
I didn’t have my Mom’s recipe, so I recreated it as I remembered it. So here is my recipe. A tasty dish, and also a trip down memory lane.
Mom’s City Chicken
2 lbs. boneless pork – I use Western style ribs or pork loin
½ c. sherry – not cooking sherry
2 T. soy sauce
¾ c. flour
Salt and pepper
3 eggs
½ c. milk or half and half
2 T. chopped parsley
Hot sauce
½ t. garlic powder
1-2 c. bread crumbs
2 t. dried basil
2 t. dried oregano
½ t. dried thyme
Oil
6 –inch Wooden sticks or skewers
Cube pork into 1-inch cubes. Place in a bowl and add the sherry and soy sauce. Stir to combine, cover bowl and place in fridge. You can do this a couple of hours ahead or even a day ahead. You might not really need to do this step, but I like the flavor of the sherry, so I chose to marinade my pork in it before breading. Your choice, completely.
Take pork and skewer it onto wooden sticks. I used skewers that were a little thicker than what I normally use. Since they were long, I cut them in half before using. I ended up with 9.
Place flour in a bag with salt and pepper to taste. Add one pork skewer at a time to the flour, shaking to coat evenly. Place floured pork skewers on a tray. Once finished, combine eggs with the milk, parsley, hot sauce, garlic powder and a little more salt and pepper. Place bread crumbs in a bag with the basil, oregano and thyme. Shake to combine. Dip each floured skewer into the egg mixture, remove from egg mix and allow excess to drip off a little. Then place in the bag of bread crumbs, shaking to coat evenly. Repeat until all the city chicken is breaded.
Now I know I already asked you to wait to marinade the pork in the beginning. I am going to ask you to wait again. If you fry up the city chicken right away, the breading is likely to fall off. If you bread the city chicken early in the day- then leave it in the fridge at least a couple of hours before cooking it, the breading will stay on much better. I actually marinade a day ahead, in the morning. Then I bread them in the evening the night before. But even breading them a couple of hours before makes a big difference. Just keep in the fridge until you are ready to cook.
When ready to cook them- I know you were giving up hope we would ever get to this step- heat oil in a large skillet. You don’t need much oil- a few tablespoons, at most. Brown the city chicken on all sides in the hot oil. Transfer them to a baking dish, as you finish browning them. Place in a preheated 350-degree oven for about 30 minutes. Don’t bake them too long- you don’t want them to dry out. Pork has to reach a minimum internal temp of 145 F. Serves 6.
Asian Fish Balls
Fish balls are kind of like meat balls, but made with fish. Still, they are different, and it is the texture that makes them so special. I had eaten fish balls at Asian restaurants and always loved them. I was curious as to how they were made.
I looked up several recipes online and watched a few videos. After making them, I added them to simmering stock and served with dipping sauces. These are fun to make and serve at parties.
The big difference in making fish balls, as opposed to a traditional meat ball, is that the fish is pureed into a smooth paste. Combined with a few other ingredients, the mixture is very soft. More like a batter or dough in feeling and appearance. The fish batter is also mixed for a long time. It helps to give you the smooth final product you want in fish balls.
Once you make the base, the balls are shaped and simmered until done. The final texture should be smooth and light. Mine are pretty basic, but you can add all sorts of seasonings for different flavors. Different fish will also give you different flavors. Fish balls are usually served in a soup, but they can be added to all sorts of dishes.
When you read the recipe, it sounds like a lot of work. There is some time in prep, but a lot of that is just letting the mixer do its job. I thought they were well worth the effort. I had plenty for dinner with a friend, and extra to freeze.
I used catfish and I really loved the flavor.
Asian Fish Balls
2½ lbs. of raw fish – I used catfish
1¾ c. ice water, divided
4 T. sugar
2 T. dry sherry – not cooking sherry
3 t. salt
4 eggs whites
4 T. cornstarch
Place the fish in a blender add ¾ cup ice water and puree until smooth. Remove fish puree to a stand mixer and add the sugar, sherry and salt. Use the paddle attachment and blend the fish mixture on high for 12-15 minutes. Add the egg whites, one at a time, while the mixer is running, during the 15 minute blending time. Now, with the mixer still running add ½ cup of the ice water, then 2 tablespoons of the cornstarch, blending well each time. Add the rest of the water, then the rest of the cornstarch. This should take about 5 minutes. The mixture should look really smooth and kind of silky. Turn off the mixer and place a small spoonful of the mixture in water- to be sure it floats. Now, you are supposed to squeeze small amounts of the mixture through your hand as you make a fist to form into 1- inch balls. I just used a tablespoon to spoon out the mixture, then used wet hands to form into balls. They aren’t going to be perfectly smooth and round, but that is fine. Have a big bowl of cold water standing by. As you make the balls drop them in the water. They will keep their shape and not stick together- they are soft, but should hold together. Once you have all the dough in balls, get a big pot of water just barely simmering. You don’t want the water to boil. Drop about half of the fish balls into the water at a time. Cook until they float, 2-3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool. Now you are ready to go. It makes a big batch, so feel free to freeze some. You can add your fish balls to soup, sauté in oil until crisp or warm in broth and serve with dipping sauces.
Ginger Curry Pork Bites
These pork appetizers are sure to please any carnivore at your next party. Cubes of pork are marinated for a day or two, before being sauteed. They are full of flavor and easy to make. You can bake or broil them, if you prefer.
I used cornstarch, soy sauce and sherry to start my marinade. Then I added ginger, garlic and curry powder. You can play around with different spices. Garam Masala would work well, too.
I decided to make a peanut sauce to dip them in.
You can serve them as is, or on small skewers. People always seem to love food on sticks. They can also be cooked ahead of time, then just reheated when ready to serve.
Ginger Curry Pork Bites
1-2 lbs. pork, cubed into 1-inch pieces – I used western ribs
½ c. cornstarch
¼ c. soy sauce
¼ c. dry sherry
1 (2 inch) piece fresh ginger, sliced
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1-2 T. curry powder
2 T. oil
Combine pork cubes with cornstarch, soy sauce, sherry, ginger, garlic and curry powder. Mix well and refrigerate overnight or up to two days. Heat oil in skillet and sauté pork until just cooked through. Serve with peanut sauce on skewers.
Peanut Dipping Sauce
1/3 c. peanut butter
1/3 c. milk or coconut milk
1/3 c. chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 t. crushed red pepper
1-2 cloves garlic
1 t. fresh grated ginger
1 t. soy sauce
Dash hot red pepper sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Creole Jambalaya
There are so many variations for Jambalaya. I don’t think I ever had a Jambalaya I didn’t like. This Creole dish varies a little with each person who makes it. The assortment of ingredients adds so many layers of flavor.
Traditionally, Jambalaya would include smoked sausage or ham, chicken, shellfish, rice, tomatoes and assorted veggies and seasonings.You can see why there are so many variations. For me, it just isn’t Jambalaya without mussels. Lots and lots of mussels.
It is definitely a great dish for a party. It is impossible to make a small batch of Jambalaya!!!
This recipe is a tweaked version I got from a boss of mine a long time ago. I must say, every time I make this for friends or family it gets rave reviews.
The heat level in this dish is really about personal preference and for the people who are going to be eating it. I like it a bit spicier, so I add more cayenne. If I am making it for friends who like their food less spicy, I use less. Of course, you can always serve it with hot sauce on the side, so people can spice it up a little more.
Creole Jambalaya
1 lb. smoked sausage, sliced into 1-inch pieces
1 c. chopped onions
1 c. chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 c. oil
2 c. cubed uncooked chicken
3 c. chicken stock
1 1/2 c. uncooked rice
1 (14.5 oz.) can tomatoes
2-3 t. paprika
Cayenne pepper to taste
Black pepper to taste
1/4 t. ground turmeric
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined, uncooked
1 1/2 c. shelled peas, fresh or frozen
1/2 c. chopped red pepper
1-2 lb. mussels, scrubbed
In Dutch oven cook sausage, onion, celery and garlic in oil until onion is tender. Add remaining ingredients, except shrimp, peas, sweet red peppers and mussels. Bring to a boil, turn down to simmer and cook 20 minutes. Stir in shrimp, and peppers, cover and cook 10 minutes. Stir in peas and stick in mussels. Cover and cook 5 more minutes. Discard any mussels which have not opened in 5 minutes. Serves 8.
