to experiment with a few flavors, I did the infusions in mason jars and divided a large Costco bottle of Kirkland Signature Vodka.

for the autumn, one of my favorites was an apple, pear and cinnamon infused vodka. I cut an apple and pear in chunks and threw those in with the vodka and let sit for two days. On the second day, I added a cinnamon stick. On the third day, it was done! I sweet and warm infusion that was perfect for Thanksgiving.

I enjoyed the herbal flavors of the lavender and rosemary infused vodka. Served straight to sip, or as a cocktail.

A classic jalapeno infused  vodka has been a great addition to our weekend bloody mary’s. Much of the inspiration to finally doing infusions came from a fantastic jalapeno infused tequila we had at a friend’s party (thanks, Elizabeth!) – bloody maria’s might be making more of an appearance….

Lastly, a basil & garlic infused vodka came out a bit overwhelming, due to my some-might-think-extreme love for garlic. The smell may have been more overpowering than the actual taste of it. In any case, I used it to make a tasty basil & garlic vodka pasta sauce.

Cheers!

if anything, i’m bummed i didn’t do this from day one, let alone didn’t start cooking altogether until just over a year ago – what was a thinking…

but we live & we learn, we drink & and we eat.

ingredients

1 tsp coriander seeds

½ tsp cumin seeds

10 whole white peppercorns

seeds from 2 whole green cardamom pods (i used about 24 seeds)

2 tbsp roughly chopped cilantro

2 tsp ground turmeric

½ tsp thai shrimp paste (i didn’t have this, so i used a chinese xo sauce)

¼  tsp freshly grated nutmeg

20 green thai chiles, stemmed

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 kaffir lime leaves, stemmed and thinly sliced

1 serrano, stemmed and seeded

1 small shallot, thinly sliced

1 2″-piece lemongrass, peeled and thinly sliced

1 1 ½”- piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced crosswise

juice & zest of 1 lime

kosher salt, to taste

2 cups canned coconut milk

2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (i used breasts), cut into 1″ pieces

(and because i love my veg, i added red & green peppers and 1 carrot)

1 cup chicken stock (i thought was a bit too much, and will use slightly less next time)

1 cup chicken stock

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp sugar

basil leaves & thai chiles thinly sliced for serving over white rice

heat coriander, cumin, peppercorn & cardamom seeds in a 10″ skillet over medium-high heat and cook until seeds begin to pop and are toasted and fragrant, about 1 minute

transfer toasted spices to a food processor (i used my new little ninja!) along with cilantro, turmeric, shrimp paste, nutmeg, chiles, garlic, lime leaves, serrano, shallot, lemongrass, ginger, lime zest, juice and 2 tbsp water. pureer until smooth. season with salt and set curry paste aside.

combine curry paste and coconut milk in a 4-qt. saucepan, and heat over medium-high heat; cook, stirring until oil begins to separate from the milk, about 12 minutes. add chicken, and cook, stirring until cooked through, about 15 minutes. add green pepper and red peppers and carrot, cook a few minutes until softened but still slightly crunchy. add stock, fish sauce and sugar, bring to a boil. remove from heat, and ladle chick and sauce into serving bowls, garnished with basil and sliced chiles. serve with rice.

recipe found here via saveur.com

cheers!

a mix of traditional and non-traditional bites to start

a very good sake, at an incredibly good price! highly recommended.

one of my favorites, a fungi and cucumber salad with a hint of wasabi

crispy pork belly

a favorite from childhood – especially my mom’s ginger dipping sauce.

a traditional dish of shitake mushroom, oysters and fat choy, a vegetable that has the appearance of hair when dried.

scallops, stir fried with carrots and celery

dried scallops and roasted garlic over vegetables

abalone and mushroom over lettuce

a must try delicious ginger liqueur

steamed tilapia

crab & fish maw soup

homemade tong yuan with black sesame filling, a very favorite dessert!

新年快乐 !

to start – of course, it wouldn’t be german night without some beer, brats & sauerkraut  (a variety of brats picked up from uli’s sausage in the market)

german potato salad, reminiscent of our trips to leavenworth oktoberfest

time to pound it out!! – chicken and veal

flour, egg & panko

chicken schnitzel & weinerschnitzel 

topped with lemon juice & capers

red cabbage

chard

roasted brussel sprouts

sauerbraten - a german pot roast

spaetzle - german dumplings

prost!

braised beef shank

tofu bean curd & mushroom roll

spicy sichuanese chicken with cucumber

pork & sticky rice steamed in lotus leaf

braised duck

eggrolls & wontons

beef chow fun

crab with ginger and green onions

fried oysters, leek & ginger

chicken, celery & carrots stir fry

peavines with garlic in broth & duck fat

steamed seabass

steamed tofu & shrimp with fish paste

so fortunate to have experienced the last day of bisato, and the last ticket.

we’ve enjoyed some of the best tastes and experiences with such good company here.

cheers, bisato!

you’ll have to excuse the poor photography skills, but I was bit distracted – what a night!

halibut rillette filled tomato

crudo of tuna and yellowtail

steelhead cooked in tagine with lemon and garlic

poached duck egg with provolone cheese and crespelle

seared super white tuna with ink sauce

chicken schnitzel with garbanzo puree

pecorino toscano cheese baked on cedar with truffle honey

couldn’t help but take a bite before realizing a photo hadn’t been taken

the last ticket: risotto of sea urchin

lemon tart

running low on desserts, so chef carsburg whipped up a tasting of his desserts

2 1/2 lbs beef marrow bones, well rinsed

3 lbs boneless beef brisket, fat attached

1 (4-inch) piece ginger

5 star anise

1 tbs cardamom pods

1 cinnamon stick

1 tsp black peppercorns

1 tbs salt

1 tbs sugar

1 (16 oz) package dried bah pho rice noodles

1/2 white onion

4 scallions

1 lb sirloin

1/3 cup fresh thai basil leaves

1/3 cup cilantro

1/3 cup mung bean sprouts

1 jalepeno

2 limes, cut into wedges

1/3 cup sriracha sauce

1/3 cup hoisin sauce

in a large pot, bring 1 inch of water to a boil. add marrow bones and brisket, cover and steam for 15 minutes.

meanwhile, char ginger under broiler, turning it until blackened all over, about 10 minutes. when cool enough to handle, scrape off blackened skin.

in a soup pot, bring 6 quarts of water to a boil. add bones, brisket and ginger to pot. simmer 5 hours, then remove brisket and set aside in refrigerator  simmer broth 8 hours more, skimming impurities from top occasionally.

near the end of simmering, place a skillet over medium heat and toast star anise, cardamom, cinnamon, and peppercorns until fragrant, about 3 minutes. put spices in a spice sachet and add to broth along with slat and sugar. simmer 30 minutes more. remove sachet and bones, strain broth and keep hot.

put noodles in a bowl, cover with boiling water and soak 10 minutes. rinse under cold water and drain.

slice onion and scallions very thinly. thinly slice reserved brisket and raw sirloin against the grain, discarding fat. divide noodles, onions, scallions, brisket and sirloin among serving bowls, and pour hot broth over and into bowls. serve immediately with basil, cilantro, sprouts, jalepeno, lime wedges and sriracha and hoisin sauces on side for garnish.

cheers!

1 1/2 lbs cherry tomatoes

6 tbls olive oil, divided

2 tbls herbes de provence

1 tsp kosher salt, plus

ground black pepper

1 tbls worcestershire sauce

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 small shallot, minced

2 tbls red wine vinegar

3 tbls flat-leaf parsley leaves

3 tbl fresh tarragon leaves

preheat oven to 450 degrees farenheit. combine tomatoes, 2 tbls oil and herbes de provence in bowl. season with salt & pepper; toss to coat. heat 1 tbls oil in large heavy ovenproof skillet until oil shimmers. carefully add tomatoes to pan. transfer skillet to oven and roast, turning once, until tomatoes burst and give up some of their juices, about 15 minutes.

meanwhile, season chicken all over with 1 tsp salt & pepper. heat 2 tbls oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. sear chicken on both sides until golden brown, 6-8 minutes. transfer pan to oven and roast chicken until cooked through, 8-10 minutes. transfer chicken to cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.

add remaining 1 tbls oil to same skillet; heat over medium heat. add shallot and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute. deglaze pan with vinegar, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan; add tomatoes and their juices and simmer until sauce is just beginning to thicken, about 1 minute. season sauces to taste with salt and pepper.

slice chicken; divide among plates. spoon tomatoes and sauce over; garnish with herbs.

i also served over a small bed of pasta.

cheers!

excited to have found this recipe – just what i was craving – spicy, flavorful, hearty

5 lbs boneless beef shank

1/4 cup vegetable oil

one 2 1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled, cut into 1/3 inch thick rounds, smashed

3 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

2 cups chopped onions

21/2 tbls chili bean paste

3 whole green onions, trimmed, plus 2 chopped green onions for garnish

1/2 cup soy sauce

2 tbls salt

6 whole star anise

two 1 1/2 inch cubes chinese yellow rock sugar or 2 1/2 tbls sugar

1 tbls sichuan peppercorns

2 large plum tomatoes, each cut into 4 wedges

freshly ground white pepper

1 lb eggless chinese wheat noodles

3 baby bok choy, halved lengthwise

chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

bring large pot of water to boil over high heat. add beef; return to boil. reduce heat. simmer until beef is brown on outside, turning occasionally, about 8 minutes; drain. rinse beef under cold water until cool; cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes, wipe pot out.

heat 1/4 cup oil in same pot over medium-high heat. add ginger and garlic. saute 1 minute. add chopped onions; saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. add chili bean paste; stir 30 seconds. add 16 cups water, whole green onions 1/2 cup soy sauce, 2 tbls salt, star anise, and rock sugar. mix in beef. tie peppercorns in cheesecloth; add to pot. bring soup to boil. reduce heat to medium-low. gently simmer uncovered 1 hour, adjusting heat to avoid boiling.

add tomatoes to pot. continue to simmer soup until beef is very tender, 45 to 60 minutes. adjust seasoning, if desired. season with pepper.

meanwhile, cook noodles according to package direction. drain well.

divide noodles among large soup bowls. add bok choy to each. ladle soup and meat over. garnish with chopped green onions and cilantro.

read more here

yum yum!

ingredients:

8 cups water

1 star anise

1/8 teaspoon coriander seed

1-inch peice cinnamon stick

2 lime leaves (or zest of 1/2 lime)

3 thai chili peppers (or serrano or jalapeno peppers)

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons mirin

1 watermelon wedge, about 2 1/2 pounds

1 large heirloom tomato, cored

1 teaspoon white miso

1/2 plus 1/4 cup toasted sesame oil

1/4 cup neutral oil, such as canola

1 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon sambal chili sauce (or sriracha)

1 block firm tofu

1 pack dry soba noodles

1 pint sunflower sprouts (or watercress or baby arugula)

2 scallions, julienned

1/2 cup unsalted sunflower seeds, toasted

1/4 cup crispy fried shallots

make watermelon pickle: in a large pot, set water, star anise, coriander, cinnamon, lime leaves (or zest), chili peppers, salt, sugar, 3/4 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup mirin to boil. while pickling solution heats, cut watermelon. remove green outer skin of watermelon rind and red flesh from watermelon wedge. cut white rind into 1-inch pieces. when pickling solution is boiling, add chopped rind. boil until rind softens slightly and begins to appear translucent, 10-15 minutes more. remove rind to a container. add pickling brine until just covered and refrigerate until ready to use.

make tomato-sesame vinaigrette: combine tomato, remaining vinegar, remaining mirin, miso, 1/4 cup sesame oil and 1/4 cup neutrl oil. blend until smooth. refrigerate.

make the tofu: combine soy suace, remaining sesame oil and sambal. cut tofu into 1-inch cubes and coat with soy dressing. refrigerate for 1 hour.

cook the soba: rinse with cold water, drain.

toss soba with watercress, scallions, 1/2 cup drained watermelon pickle and 1/2 cup tomato-sesame vinaigrette.

remove tofu from marinade and blot dry with paper towels. toss tofu with sunflower seeds. add to soba. sprinkle with crispy shallots and serve.

(recipe printed from the WSJ)