Monthly Archives: September 2014

Karl’s Filé Gumbo (Andouille, Chicken & Shrimp)

Miriam was working in Rome this week and she was coming back through Chicago. Needless to say, it took her two days to get back and she is exhausted. As a result, the kids are not coming over this Sunday for dinner. Instead of my usual feast, I will be making a gumbo, a Louisiana signature dish.

Karl’s Filé Gumbo (Andouille, Chicken & Shrimp)

Karl’s Filé Gumbo
(Andouille, Chicken & Shrimp)

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Filed under Chicken, Main Dishes, Pork, Poultry, Seafood, Stews

Karl’s Baked Salmon with Lemon and Thyme

I was shopping at Lucky supermarket and I noticed that they had whole salmon for $3 a pound. It may have been a weekday, but I could not pass that up. Personally I prefer to barbecue salmon, but it is a weekday and with all of the fires in California it has been constant “spare the air” days.

Karl’s Baked Salmon with Lemon and Thyme

Karl’s Baked Salmon with Lemon and Thyme

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Filed under Fish, Main Dishes, Seafood

Karl’s Noodles Florentine

I wanted a vegetable/starch side dish to go with my baked salmon. Lately, I have been making  dishes with noodles in white sauce for Jan and Eilene. Today, I decided to make it a green sauce.

Karl’s Noodles Florentine

Karl’s Noodles Florentine

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Filed under Casserole, Pasta, Side Dishes, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Karl’s Medicinal Dong Quai Chicken Soup

My girls have been feeling run down lately and they requested dong quai chicken soup. Dong quai is also called women’s gensing, because it is supposed to do for a woman what gensing is supposed to do for a man. It would not harm a man to eat this soup, but if you are a man—or a woman who does not need it—it simply smells really bad. If you are a woman in need of feminine (yin) balancing it—apparently—smells wonderful.

Karl’s Medicinal Dong Quai Chicken Soup

Karl’s Medicinal Dong Quai Chicken Soup

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Filed under Chicken, Chinese, Clay Pots, Main Dishes

Karl’s It’s Still Not a Tuna Casserole!

I have a problem with casseroles. In the forty years that Jan and I have been together, I have made maybe three tuna casseroles. Last month, bowing to pressure from both Jan and Eilene, I made  a seafood casserole. They both really liked this dish. They both had seconds and barely left enough for two more servings as their lunches.

Karl’s It’s Still Not a Tuna Casserole!

Karl’s It’s Still Not a Tuna Casserole!

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Filed under Fish, Main Dishes, Seafood, Shrimp, Vegetables

Karl’s Chinese Steamed Ginger Chicken

Dong quai steamed chicken is one of those dishes that I had in Chengdu and reconstructed from the memory of the taste. You steam the chicken for hours until the meat is falling off the bones. I remember that it had ginger and Chinese broad beans and was finished off with pea top. Pea tops are the tender leaves at the ends of the pea plant.

Karl’s Chinese Steamed Ginger Chicken

Karl’s Chinese Steamed Ginger Chicken

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Filed under Beans, Chicken, Chinese, Main Dishes, Poultry, Steaming

Karl’s Sichuan Cauliflower and Green Beans

I wanted a side dish to go with my Chinese steamed chicken. Jan suggested one of my cheesy cauliflower dishes. While those are popular in my house, they are not very Chinese.

Karl’s Sichuan Cauliflower and Green Beans

Karl’s Sichuan Cauliflower and Green Beans

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Filed under California Fusion, Chinese, Sauces and Spices, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Karl’s Chili Lime Jicama Salad

As I was at the Mexican store, picking up some things for my fish tacos, I saw some jicama on sale. I usually do not make a side salad when we have fish tacos, but I thought why not? I was sure I would think of something to do with it.

Karl’s Chili Lime Jicama Salad

Karl’s Chili Lime Jicama Salad

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Filed under California Fusion, Salads, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Karl’s Corn Salsa

Fish tacos have become a weekday meal at our house. If I do not have a lot of time, they can be simply topped with some cilantro, guacamole, and diced onion. If I have more time, I will make pickled red cabbage and a salsa to go with the fish.

Karl’s Corn Salsa

Karl’s Corn Salsa

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Filed under California Fusion, Fish, Sauces and Spices, Seafood

Karl’s Barbecued Chili Burgers

Jan decided that she wanted a traditional Labor Day barbecue with sausages and “plain” hamburgers. Sunday, just as I was forming the patties, she passed along the information that the kids wanted “doctored” hamburgers.  It was time to get creative—this was a no recipe, what do I have on hand at the last minute idea.

Karl's Chili Burgers (close up)

Karl’s Barbecued Chili Burgers
(close up)

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Filed under Barbeque, Beef, Main Dishes