DIY ASIAN! Sesame Salmon over Noodles & Dashi w/ Edamame

#TimeCrunch

DIY ASIAN!!!

Sesame Salmon over Noodles & Dashi with Edamame

If Asian cuisine intimidates you… Not any more! This has bright and vibrant flavors in every bite! You will make your own Dashi from your pantry items! You will use frozen Edamame, Grill your own Salmon, and use Top Romain - Yes Top Romain (ditch the salt pack) for your noodles! Quick, Simple, Easy… Look Like a Pro and impress! You can make a gorgeous Gourmet meal in 30 minutes or less! #TimeCrunch

This is the perfect dish for the occasional or weekend cooks, those that want to start learning new types of food, it’s really quite a lovely and refreshing dish… Oh best part- it can be served Hot or Cold!

Ramen noodles are excellent! I use them constantly! They’re fantastic in a pinch because they’re amazing at absorbing the flavors around them, making them blend and most universal. I love them when I’m doing my #TimeCrunch Series especially for that reason, as well as how fast and durable they are. For example in my Chicken Piccata or really anything with a noodle that you want distinct texture for.     

Time: 30 min total /max Difficulty:  EASY

Ingredients:

• Salmon Fillet - deboned, with/without Skin. (4-6 oz per serving.)
• 1 pack Top Ramen noodle= 3-4 servings. (discard salt package)
• 1 bag Frozen Peeled Edamame / Soy Beans - about ¼ cup per serving or more
• Toasted Sesame oil - for searing
• Sesame Seeds - garnish / optional
• Scallions - garnish / optional

Glaze:

• Any Sesame vinaigrette or marinade in the Salad dressings isle!
• Make your own Sure: 1 pot heat: ⅓ cup Toasted Sesame oil, 2 tbsp honey, 1 Tbsp soy sauce,  pinch crushed garlic, pinch red pepper flakes. Simmer set aside to let firm.

Dashi: ¼ Cup per servings -shown above. It’s very rich broth, to compliment, this is not a soup.

• 2 Cups Chicken Broth/ Stock
• 2 Tbsp Mirin - or Sweet Vermouth, Sweet white cooking wine
• ¼ Cup Rice Vinegar ( or cider vinegar)
• ½ clove crushed garlic
• 1 Sprig Thyme
• 2 Tbsp sliced Scallions or  chives
• Pinch Red Chili Flakes
• 1 tsp Salt - to taste
• White pepper to taste
• OPTIONAL: chop up portabello or shitaki mushrooms realy small, add same time. Adds more rich dimension.

Procedure

DASHI:  put all in a pot - boil, turn to a simmer until reduced by ½.  - Set aside or chill if using as a cold plate. *If the Dashi is a little too strong for your taste, add a few Tbsp of warm water until desired flavor.

NOODLE:

Pull off at al dente. Drain and set aside. If you cooked it all the way - run cold water over it until it's cold to stop the noodles from over cooking.

EDAMAME: Save yourself a step! Keep that boiling water from the noodles. Flash those peeled Soybeans in the steaming water about 4 minutes until bite is pleasant to the tooth, drain -set aside.  _OR_ you can pop it in the microwave if you have one of the Steam in Bag kinds, like these from Target.

SALMON: Sesame Oil on pan - Med-High til near smoking. Dab a little marinade on flesh side. Place in pan Skin Side down.

Wait and don’t fuss with it or will loose the skin and make a Damned Mess! 4-5 Minutes, until it easily slides around, and skin is slightly crispy. Pressing in the middle will keep skin on full length as well as cook as the skin starts to seize.  

3-4 more minutes, pending on thickness. You want to still be slightly bouncy, though a paler shade of pink rather than bright orange in the center - You will be cutting these so if you’re not sure, go ahead and slice it open now to check it out.

Take out of pan immediately when finished as to not over cook. Place in marinade with skin side up.  

Now if you’re going to remove skin, you can pull it off now… for those of us who know that’s the best part… leave it be. Cut in half if need be or to appropriate size.

PLATING 123..4

1. Noodle - Super easy because they stay together so just grab it by hand and drop it in the center.
2. Edamame - Again arranged by hand.
3. Spoon Dashi on and around noodles… again it’s light - not a soup, but coat noodles.
4. Place Salmon on top.
5. Drizzle glaze on top of salmon.
6. Any garnish using like the Sesame seeds, chives, parsley…

You’re finished! Asian dish in less that 30 Minutes! An beautiful, healthy, and filling dish!  Enjoy!!!

#TimeCrunch #Asian #Sesame #Salmon # TraderJoes #Noodles #Ramen #KidFriendly #CheapHealthyEats #QuickEats #OnePlateMeal #ChicEats, Edamame #DIYAsianFood #ChefCaylena

Chicken Piccata - A Classic Favorite!

#TimeCrunch

Chicken Piccata

Simple, Easy, Delicious.

A classic Italian dish that is perfect just the way it is. We don’t deviate too much from the traditional Italian version here. That adage “if it ain’t broke…” However I am highly aware of the awful renditions that are just horrible enough to make you steer clear…  

We’ve all had that really bad experience with a terrible Piccata, where it was too greasy, too oily, or crunchy, or just didn’t taste that great. On the other hand we will all swear by -insert your favorite experience here- and no one’s ever made it like that before. This savvy citrus sauce soaks into a slightly browned, sauteed, piece of tenderized and marinated chicken breast, leaving you craving more.  

The technique is simple, and recipe has been perfected… this is a fool’s proof, step by step, way to a 30 minute, one pan, Gourmet meal.  

This rendition should put you on the Best Ever list for everyone else to say about yours!

DIFFICULTY: Moderate $$ SERVINGS:4  TIME: 30 & marinade(time available)

Ingredients -

• 4 Chicken cutlets, or 2 Breast sliced along the width into 4.
• ½ Cup Chicken Stock

• ½ Cup dry White Wine -cooking wine
• ⅓ Cup Lemon Juice

• ½ Cup Flour, 1/4 Cup Flour
• 4 Tbsp unsalted Butter (divided in half)
• ¼ Cup Capers, drained & whole
• ¼ Cup chopped Parsley & 2 Tbsp Parsley (not together)
• ½ Cup Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp crushed Garlic
• Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
• Salt & Pepper

Procedure

Start with the Chicken…

1. Rinse Chicken well. (slice in half lengthwise if thick.) Drain water, pat dry.

2. Line cutting board with plastic wrap.

3. Place Chicken on board, then cover with plastic wrap.
1. I wrap up the sides so raw chicken juice doesn’t escape, and easier clean up.

4. Take your Steel, or meat mallet to pound out meat (without piercing plastic) until nice and thin but still holds together well.

The Marinade…

1. 

   In large bowl combine: ½ cup Olive Oil, Garlic, 2 Tbsp Parsley, Cayenne, Salt & Pepper.
2. Place Chicken in the bowl, mix, and make sure chicken is coated. Put bowl in refrigerator until ready to cook. (10-15 minutes - can last over night it covered.)

Dredging the Chicken…

1. Put the ½ cup Flour with Salt and Pepper in a bowl.
2. Pour oil from marinade (not parsley) in a Large Skillet.
3. Sprinkle with hand, and pat in flour to lightly coat the chicken.    

Lightly coating.

Cooking The Chicken…

1. Turn Skillet on Med-High, add 2 Tbsp butter. Heat until butter foams.
2. Place Chicken in the skillet.
3. Cook 4 minutes on each side. You’re sauteing until slightly browned. You can drop your heat to Medium if chicken is browning too much, or fast.
4. Set Chicken aside.

The Sauce…

1. Delase pan: Pour the white wine in the pan.  Scrape all the sucs off the bottom of the pan, don’t worry about straining them, they’ll mostly dissolve, and add texture (& flavor) later on.
1. If for whatever reason you’re pan and sucs are burnt - discard them, clean the pan and start from there.

2. Turn heat to high. Add Chicken Stock and Lemon Juice, bring to boil and reduce by ⅓.
3. Take the 2 Tbsp Butter, and ¼ cup flour and mix together by hand forming a beurre manie

4. Once reduced, turn heat to med, and add the beurre manie to the sauce.

5. Stir until smooth and all flour is incorporated.
6. Then stir in Capers and Parsley.

7. Let sit 5 minutes to thicken and take on the flavors, stirring occasionally.
8. Then Place Chicken in the sauce. Turn off heat.

9. Let soak up the sauce on both sides for 2 minutes or until service.

*You really want to serve immediately for best sauce! It will seize rather fast, if this happens add a little bit of hot water at a time until thinned out.

Plate with pasta noodle or whatever you’d like.

Take additional sauce and top Chicken.

Or if you’re a traditionalist - after the pasta. Either way… Enjoy!

READ MORE ON MY WEBSITE

#ChickenPiccata #LemonCaperSauce #ItalianAmerican #AffordableGourmet #EasyCooking #FamilyFriendly #Pasta #CuisinArt #ChefCaylena #TimeCrunch #30MinuteMeals #EverydayGourmet

Vanilla Bourbon & Coconut Egg Custard!

Vanilla Bourbon & Coconut

Egg Custard!

This is a super easy dish to prepare! It’s super affordable! This a lovely spin on a classic custard that always is a stand out because of it’s simplicity and sophistication… great for a dessert and yet the kids will devour it (not to mention can make themselves.) And most importantly it’s delicious and light enough for the current summer heat wave!

A Must Try!

This will take 15 minutes of prep, 35 minutes in a low temp oven of 325F, and rests for at least 2 hours. Eaten chilled.

You will need 6 ramekins -or- coffee cups that are oven safe.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Evaporated Milk - or 2% Milk
• 1 ½ cup Coconut Milk - Cream of Coconut
• 3 whole Eggs
• 4 Egg Yolks only
• ⅓ cup Sugar
• 
  ¼ cup Powder Sugar (Confectioners)
• 1 Tbsp Bourbon Vanilla Extract
• Ground nutmeg for top

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 325F
2. Boil a pot of water, let steam out while you prepare. You want it hot not boiling when use.
3. In sauce pan - bring milks to a simmer over med-high heat. (take off heat if it starts to boil or foam up.)
4. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, yolks, bourbon vanilla, then the sugar, altogether.

5. Temper your eggs:

Take a measuring spoon or ladle and slowly pour hot milk into eggs while stirring. This is to raise the temperature slowly enough so they won't break nor scramble.

6. Pour eggs into milk pot, whisk.
7. Pour in Powdered Sugar slowly while whisking until smooth and lump free.

8. Place ramekins in a deep enough baking dish.

9. Use a measuring cup and fill cups, leaving a little room so they won't spill in movement.

10. Carefully pour hot water around cups (do not get in custard) until around half the ramekin.

11. Sprinkle top with Nutmeg

12. Now ever so carefully not to Move the ramekins or spill .. anything, place in middle of oven for 30-35 minutes - if you’re using an electric oven you may need to let them cook another 5-10 minutes.
1. They should be loose but still jiggle as if they hold together, you can touch the top and feel it slightly firm.

Now that’s it! Simple and easy! Just let sit at room temperature in the water bath for at least ½ hour - hour. Then take individually and place in refrigerator for 1 hour (up to 3 days.)

Serve as is! Enjoy!

You can serve with berries or anything you’d like, but it’s really creamy and nice just as.

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#SummerDessert #BeatTheHeat #SummerEats #EggSlut #CheapEats #ChicEats #EasyCooking #EasyDessert #Pudding #TraderJoes #CuisinArt #EggCustard #SummerBaking #FathersDay #Coconut #KidFriendly #KidsCook