Okonomiyaki (Japanese Pizza) Recipe

Leeks are notoriously gritty. To clean them well I typically slice them lengthwise and then submerge them in a big bowl of water - where I rinse and swish them to loosen up any dirt. Drain and repeat if needed. Then chop/slice.

2 cups cabbage, finely shredded

1 cup leeks, well washed and chopped (see head notes)

2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or apf flour)

a couple pinches of fine grain sea salt

2 eggs, beaten

1+ tablespoon olive oil

Garnish: toasted slivered almonds, chives/ herbs

Combine the cabbage, leeks, flour, and salt in a bowl. Toss until everything is coated with a dusting of flour. Stir in the eggs and mix until everything is evenly coated.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add a generous splash of olive oil. Scoop the cabbage mixture into the pan, and using a metal spatula press it into a round pancake shape, flat as you can get it. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the bottom is golden. To flip the okonomiyaki, slide it out of the skillet onto a plate. Place another plate on top and flip both (together) over. If you need a bit more oil in your skillet, add it now, before sliding the okonomiyaki back into the skillet. Again press down a bit with a spatula and cook until golden on this side - another 3 -5 minutes.

When you are finished cooking, sprinkle with toasted almonds and chives, and slide it onto a cutting board to cut into wedges. Enjoy immediately.

Serves 1 - 2.

Peacamole

- 300 grams (10 1/2 ounces) shelled green peas, frozen or fresh but not canned

- 1 drop cilantro essential oil for cooking, or a small bunch fresh cilantro

- 2 tablespoons whole almond butter (like peanut butter but made with unblanched almonds; look for it at natural foods stores)

- 1 clove garlic, minced (optional)

- 1 dash Tabasco sauce

- Salt, black pepper

Makes enough for an appetizer for 4.

Steam the peas for 14 minutes, or until tender, and let cool to just above room temperature.

If you're using fresh cilantro, pluck the leaves and set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor or blender, combine the peas, almond butter, cilantro (essential oil or fresh leaves), garlic if using, Tabasco sauce, a little salt and some pepper. Process until smooth. If the mixture is a bit too thick for the blade of the food processor to mix properly, add just a little bit of water, a teaspoon at a time, until soft enough to mix.

Taste and adjust the seasoning. Spread on pieces of multigrain crispbread and serve. The peacamole can be made a day ahead and kept in the fridge in an airtight container; it will keep for 2 to 3 days.

Grilled Vietnamese Pork with Vermicelli Noodles and Nuoc Cham

- serves 4 -

Adapted from Une-Deux Senses.

Ingredients

For the marinade:

8 cloves of garlic, minced

5 tablespoons fish sauce

4 tablespoons sugar

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

2 pounds of pork shoulder

1 package of rice vermicelli

1 head of butter lettuce, torn into small pieces

1 bunch of mint

Olive oil

For the sauce (also known as nuoc cham):

1/4 cup sugar

Juice of 1 lemon

1/3 cup fish sauce

1/2 cup water

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 carrot, thinly sliced or julienned (depending on your preference)

1 to 2 teaspoons chili paste

Procedure

1. Place pork in the freezer until it firms slightly, 45 to 60 minutes. Remove the pork from the freezer, thinly slice and place in a large ziploc bag.

2. In a small bowl, mix the ingredients for the marinade. Pour marinade into the bag with the pork and seal, removing as much air as possible. Place in the refrigerator and allow to marinate for one hour to overnight.

3. In a small bowl, mix the ingredients for the sauce. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

4. Right before grilling, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the vermicelli noodles and cook until tender, about 2 to 4 minutes. Drain the noodles and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process, set aside.

5. Remove the pork from the fridge. Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread coals out evenly over the charcoal grate. Grill pork immediately over the hot fire until cooked through and charred well on both sides, about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove pork to a plate.

6. To assemble, place noodles in bowl or on a plate, then top with the grilled pork, lettuce and mint. Drizzle with the sauce and enjoy!

You will need:



• 1 (14.5 ounce) can of Garbanzo beans
• kosher salt and pepper
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
• Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Drain the garbanzo beans and gently pat dry. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
• In a resealable plastic bag shake together flour, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper and granulated garlic. Add garbanzo beans and toss to lightly coat.
• Shake off any excess flour. Lay garbanzo beans in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Bake 25-35 minutes, shaking the baking sheet every 10 minutes or so to roll the beans around. When they are done they will be golden brown and crunchy. (Note: Keep an eye on them towards the end, if they look like they are getting too dark remove them,  a few of mine burned and let me  tell you a burnt garbanzo bean is not so tasty.)

Ingredients (Makes 2 burgers)

1/2 lb. Ground Chuck

1/2 lb. Ground Sirloin

2 slices of bacon chopped

1 tablespoon Salt

1 tablespoon Pepper

2 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 an onion sliced thinly

1 tablespoon brown sugar

4 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon balsamic vinaigrette

2 tablespoons Blue Cheese

2 tablespoons Gruyere Cheese

Fresh Arugula

2 French Rolls

Step 1. Combine 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire Sauce, Salt, Pepper and Beef in a bowl and mix.  Divide the meat in half and form into 3/4 inch thick patties

Step 2. Heat up a pan with a tablespoon of oil until it is smoking hot and place the two patties into the pan and cook for about 3 minutes on each side.

Step 3. In another pan, cook the bacon until it is crispy.  Remove half for use later.   Throw in the onions, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce and cook the onions until they are nice and brown and caramelized.  Add the 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

Step 4. Take the patties off the heat and place the Gruyere and blue cheese on top, followed by a layer of the caramelized onions and bacon mixture.  Place the patty on top of a french roll and top off with Arugula.  Cut the burgers in half and serve.

Hoppel Poppel










	Recipe Source: Benji's Preparation Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Servings: 4 If you are looking for a really big breakfast in Wisconsin or Iowa, find a place that serves hoppel poppel. At Benji's deli in Milwaukee it is part of a large menu that includes such traditional Jewish fare as corned beef and fried kreplach. It is listed as a Benjy's special, and customers have their choice of regular hoppel poppel, which is browned potatoes, salami, and scrambled eggs, or super hoppel poppel, which added green peppers, mushrooms, and melted cheese to the formula. This recipe makes 4 very large servings or 6 modest ones.
Ingredients: 8 small, thin-skinned potatoes 1/4 cup corn oil 6 tablespoons butter 1 cup diced onion (optional) 2/3 cup sliced mushrooms 1 cup diced green pepper 1 cup diced all-beef salami 10 eggs 2 tablespoons milk 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1 cup grated cheddar cheese salt and black pepper to taste	Directions: Boil the potatoes until just barely tender, 15 minutes. Drain and cut them into 1/4-inch slices. In a large skillet over medium heat, fry the potatoes in the corn oil, tossing and stirring until they begin to brown. Add the butter to the skillet, then onions, pepper, and salami. Continue cooking and stirring until the potatoes begin to get crisp, the salami is crusty, and the vegetables are limp. Add the butter to the skillet, then onions, pepper, and salami. Continue cooking and stirring until the potatoes begin to get crisp, the salami is crusty, and the vegetables are limp. Lightly beat the eggs with milk and parsley in a medium bowl. Pour them into the skillet over all the other ingredients. Stir occasionally. As the eggs begin to set, sprinkle on the cheese. Cover and cook without stirring about six more minutes, until eggs are fully set but still moist. Accompany hoppel poppel by toast or toasted bagels.