Garlic Shrimps

I saw this recipe in a magazine. It seems simple enough and I like shrimps.

1 bunch of shrimps (about 20)
4 cloves of garlic
1 jalapeño pepper
lots of olive oil
salt
a bit of dry rosemary



I had frozen shrimps, so I defrosted them by running cold water over the shrimps in a strainer.

Chop up the garlic and jalapeño. Leave the guts and seeds of the pepper in, you want this spicy. Throw them in a skillet and drench them in olive oil. I used a lot of olive oil, about a half cm deep.

Let the oil get hot over high heat. The idea is to sear the shrimps so it is a bit crispy on the outside. After the oil is nice and hot, put the defrosted shrimps in the skillet. Give it a few minutes on each sides. Add salt and rosemary on each sides of the shrimps as they cook.



I ran into a little problem here. I think the shrimps are not completely defrosted or maybe they are just too wet. The shrimps started sweating. Water started coming out and the shrimps are not searing. They just kinda boiled in oil and water. I didn't want to overcook the shrimps so as soon as the shrimps looked cooked I pulled them. Because of the water coming out of the shrimps, the shrimps didn't pick up the flavor of the garlic and the pepper very much.

I put the shrimps on a bed of spinach because veges are good for me.



It didn't taste great, it was ok. I think I can do better next time. I didn't pick up the spiciness and the garlicness. It is not crispy like how I intend it to be. Boo!

Next time, I will defrost the shrimps ahead of time in the fridge, then maybe pat it dry on paper towel before I cook them. I will post an update. Hopefully it will be better.

-a

Pulled Pork 2nd attempt

I liked it so much last time, I made it for a superbowl party this time.

3.5 lb pork shoulder
liquid smoke
3 cloves of garlic
a stem of green onion
Chili powder
Salt and pepper
1 mystery hot pepper (not that hot)
some vinegar
lots of barbeque sauce

This time around, I marinaded the pork before cooking it. I marinaded the pork in liquid smoke, smashed garlic, hot pepper, chili powder, salt and pepper overnight.



Then I put it on a baking tray and wrap that tight with foil. It is important that very little moisture escape. Bake it at 325 for 4 and a half hours.



Next is my favorite part, ripping it apart. Use two forks and go to town. Tear it into shreds. When it is all shredded up, I pour on the barbeque sauce. I used a lot.



I love pulled pork. This one was good. The marinade adds a lot of flavor. The liquid smoke is ok, but since I don't have a smoker, this will have to do.

Too bad I had to take it to the party. Over the course of the game, this got cold and was not as good later on. But next time I make this for myself, I will try to do the same thing. Maybe try a different hot pepper.

-a

Seared Tuna - 2nd attempt

I made seared tuna again. This time I added some more fanciness to it. I bought a new cast iron skillet and now I can sear things at super hot temperature. This is perfect.

2 pieces of tuna steak
soy sauce
a lemon
2 stems of green onion
salt and pepper.
sesame oil
sliced almonds



First I marinaded the tuna in soy sauce, salt, pepper, and juice of a half of a lemon. Last time I marinaded overnight and it was too salty. This time, I only marinade for an hour.

I heat up the skillet nice and hot with cooking spray. Then I sear the tuna for just about 2 minutes on each side. I want to leave it rare on the inside.

When it's done, I top it with sesame oil and sliced almonds just to add an extra touch. Something to make it mine. Hehee.

I made green beans and rice as sides. Use the other half of the lemon for extra juice.



I liked this dish. Much better than last time. Tuna picks up flavor pretty good, it taste almost like red meat. I gonna experiment a bit with some new marinades next time.

-a

Braised Ox Tail

I didn't even know how to cook this. I went to the store and saw this and thought it would be interesting. So I bought all the stuff I thought I would need to cook ox tail and throw it all together and see what happens.

3 lbs of ox tail
1 yellow onion
a couple stems of green onion
a few slices of ginger
a handful of shredded carrots
a half box of beef broth, about 16 oz.
lots of soy sauce, between a half cup and a cup
lots of sugar, about 3 tablespoons
a splash of worshire sauce.



First, I brown the ox tail a little in a big pot. Just barely cook the outside a bit. Then I threw in the ginger and chopped up yellow and green onions. Let that cook for a few minutes.



Then put everything else in, the carrots, broth, sugar, soy sauce, worshire sauce. Stir it a bit to mix it up and let it simmer on low heat for 3 hours.



I made rice to have with it because the flavor is gonna be strong with all the soy sauce I used.



For not having a plan, a recipe to follow, I'm proud of what I made here. It is actually pretty damn good. Braising it for 3 hours make the ox tail very tender. The flavor is good, very beefy taste. Goes great with the sweetness of carrots and all the sugar I used.

I tossed the bones, I probably could have saved it to make broth. Maybe next time.

-a

Ham and Cheese Rolls

This is a snack thing that I made. I had this before, I just don't remember when and where.

Sliced ham
Cream cheese
Cucumber
Tortilla



There is really no cooking involved with this. I just had to put it together. I'll make it up by taking more pictures.

Cut the cucumber into strips, not too thin. Cut them about a quarter inch thick square and about the length of a half of the tortilla.

Lay a tortilla flat and spread the cream cheese on top of it. Use a lot, cover the entire tortilla. Put a couple slices of ham on top of that. Leave about a quarter of the cream cheese uncovered away from you. Put a couple strips of cucumber on the edge, line them up like the picture below.



Roll it up around the cucumber. The extra cream cheese at the end will make it stick. Then cut it into thick slices.



I made a bunch. I like it.



This is a good easy snack thing to make. I will probably try variations in the future. Maybe add avocado, maybe try flavored cream cheese, turkey, smoked salmon... I don't know, possibilities are endless.

-a

Honey Almond Chicken Breast

I feel like chicken tonight.. Actually it was last night.

First I marinade chicken breast in salt, pepper, and lemon juice in a zip lock bag.



A couple hours later, I added the honey and sliced almond.



I took the chicken out of the bag and put them on a oiled up piece of foil on a oven plate. I brushed the honey on top of the chicken evenly and thoroughly. The idea is that the almonds have to stick to the chicken. So I used a lot of honey. Sprinkle on the almonds, I used a lot of that too. These are big pieces of chicken.



In the oven at 350 for 40 minutes and it's done!



The honey kinda melted and didn't all stay on the chicken. The almond did stick though, but not well.

It tasted pretty good, the chicken managed to stay a bit moist. That's good. I usually don't like chicken breast because they get dry. This didn't. The lemony taste and the honey makes a nice combo. I like it... Still not a big fan of white meat chicken though.

-a

Chili 2

It was a zero degree cold Chicago weekend. Chili sounds appropriate. This time I made the chili a little different than last time. Lets see how it turns out.

1 28 oz. can of chopped tomatoes
1 6 oz. can of tomato paste
1 jalapeño pepper
1 poblano pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 medium size white onion
1 can of corn
2 cans of black beans
a bunch of cilantro
a lb of grounded beef
a lb of grounded turkey
a bottle of bock beer
cumin
chili powder
salt and pepper
liquid smoke
worshire sauce



First I browned the meat in a pot, add salt, pepper, cumin, worshire sauce and liquid smoke. I didn't measure anything, just threw some in. After they are cooked I set them aside in a bowl.

Next I cook the vegetables. Chop everything up, gutted the peppers. Only use about 2/3 of the cilantro. Saute the vegetables in the pot for about 6-7 minutes. I added some cumin, more salt and pepper and some chili powder to the vegetables. After the vegetables start smelling good, I added the meat back in.

After the meat goes back in the pot, I added the rest of the ingredients too. The tomatoes, beans, and beer. I added more chili powder and stir. Let the chili cook for a couple hours and stir occasionally.

When it was ready, I served it with cheese on top and a little of the cilantro that I had left.



The chili this time is good. I liked it better than the last time. The cilantro was a good call. Though the meat last time with grounded pork and beef was a bit better, the liquid smoke really added a good smell to the chili. It is a bit spicier this time, even though I use a milder pepper with the poblano, I used a lot of chili powder this time. Just enough heat for me. Good stuff. This may be the last time I do chili this season though. Then again, who knows.

-a