I bought some lettuce stem for a Chinese stir-fry that I ended up not making. This is a vegetable that I learned to cook while I was in Chengdu. I have always called and thought about it as lettuce stem, but its proper name is celtuce (or wōsŭn; 莴笋 ; asparagus lettuce).
Karl’s Celtuce Pickles
Filed under Pickles, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian
I love Japanese pickled vegetables and I frequently get the urge to make them. The day before my Sunday dinner I started to make a bunch. Sometimes the side dishes leads you to the main dish, rather than the other way around. Today, pickles, fresh tofu and rice balls led to teriyaki chicken skewers.
Karl’s Carrot and Daikon pickle II
Namasu 紅白なます
Filed under Pickles, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian
Onigiri are the Japanese equivalent of a PB&J sandwich, something to take for a school lunch or on a picnic. One of Eilene’s Japanese class friends taught her how to make these a couple of years ago. While they are commonly formed into triangles and may have savory or salty filling, they may also be formed into simple round balls.
Karl’s Onigiri (Rice Balls)
Filed under Rice, Sauces and Spices, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian
I am made a Japanese meal last Sunday. Chicken teriyaki skewers, rice balls, inari and various pickles. No Japanese meal would be complete without miso soup.
Karl’s Miso Soup II
A barbecue is very traditional for a Labor Day weekend, this year I decided to do tri-tip. Tri-tip is a very popular beef roast to barbecue in California—popularized in Oakland and Santa Maria in the 1950’s. The problems with this cut—it’s thick fat cap and odd shape—leads much of the rest of the world to slice this roast into steaks. The Hispanic world—of which California is really still a part of—knows better. Done right it is flavorful, moist and juicy—of course done wrong it is carbonized, dry and chewy.
Karl’s California Fusion Barbecued Tri-tip
Filed under Beef, California Fusion, Holidays, Main Dishes, Sauces and Spices
I am doing a Cal-Mex barbecue for labor day and I decided to make beans to go with my tri-tip. Moro Beans are a Mexican heirloom varietal. When Jan and I went to Napa, she bought me a package of these beans from Rancho Gordo. They describe Moro beans as a cross between pinto and black beans. They say that these beans are flavorful enough to stand on their own with few additional flavors. I decided to take them at their word and keep it simple.
Karl’s Moro Beans
Filed under Beans, Holidays, Side Dishes, Starches
I love the very idea of a meal wrapped up in a neat package of bread. Anyone who has been following my blog recently will have noticed than I am on a pocket bread binge—Chicken Curry Pasty, bierock, better bierock, California Fusion guo kui. Today, I decided on a Cal-Mex Fusion taco bun.
Karl’s Pocket Tacos
Filed under Beef, California Fusion, Main Dishes
Adapted from a Serious Eats recipe
I like marinated artichoke hearts, but they get a bit pricy for a tiny little bottle. When I saw baby artichokes for 5 for one dollar, I thought I would try making them for myself. It turned out not to be a simple task, but it was well worth the effort.
Karl’s California Fusion Marinated Artichoke Hearts
Filed under California Fusion, Salads, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian
I am doing a fusion Mexican theme this Labor Day. Spices from South of the (U,S,) Border, but in ways that are probably non-traditional. Jan and the kids have been pushing me to make more vegetarian dishes. I decided to make a second vegetable dish to go with my cauliflower. I had used an annatto sauce to make a bright red cauliflower. I am using the same sauce on zucchinis before I barbecue them.
Karl’s Annatto Barbecued Zucchini
Filed under California Fusion, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian
I am doing a fusion Mexican theme this Labor Day. Spices from South of the (U.S.) Border, but in ways that are probably non-traditional. As an additional vegetable dish I decided on cauliflower. As I was looking around I saw that someone had used annatto to make a bright red cauliflower. That gave me ideas.
Karl’s Annatto Cauliflower
Filed under California Fusion, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian
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Miriam
Jabberwocky Stew 