Koko Samoa for Catherine of the Observers...

                                                        
I haven't forgotten about you.  I have to work out a recipe for the Samoan cocoa because well, I just "Make" it lol.  Koko Samoa is Hot Chocolate on steroids.  Who needs coffee?  This stuff is chock full of caffeine lol and the flavor that you get from it is like no other.  Swiss Miss and Nestle hot cocoa mixes are a joke compared to this.  I grew up on this stuff and it was a precious comodity when I was a child because the Only time we got to have it was if someone came to visit us from the Islands.  So my mom used just a little bit of the Samoan cocoa mixed with the Hersheys baking cocoa just so she could stretch it.  But now you don't have to do that because it's readily available at specialty stores but it costs a pretty penny.

Samoan koko is just straight up dried, roasted, pounded and packaged cocoa beans from Samoa and is considered to be premium cocoa due to the fact that it lacks the bitterness that most cocoas have.  To make it is just grated Samoan cocoa, boiling water, sugar to taste and coconut milk or evaporated milk is optional.  Most don't use the milk, or grate the cocoa because they like to nibble on the pegu (grounds).  Grating the cocoa is just something that we did in my family and I personally don't like to nibble on the pegu.

So, the ratio is what i have to work out but you're more than welcome to buy the Samoan cocoa at the Vegetable Bin on MLK in Seattle and experiment on the ratio.  In San Francisco there are Stores on Geneva down by where the Cow Palace used to be right next to the KFC. 

Start with 1/2 c grated cocoa to 1 gallon of water.  Grate and add more cocoa to your taste, but I must say that the Samoans like thier cocoa strong.  I will work on this for you but if your patience has dwindled then have at it lol. 

Grate the cocoa, add it to the boiling water, stir, cover and simmer for at least 15 minutes.  I found this video on youtube and hope it helps.    http://youtu.be/z3wjufJUBhI

That's another Blip for my BFFs today.  Enjoy.

Fresh Egg Noodles/Won Ton Wrappers

As promised here is the recipe for the won ton wrappers.  I would suggest that you use the same technique for portioning them out as what is on the Har Gau recipe on the blog prior to this one.  Please click on my youtube link for video of how to wrap the won ton dumplings.

Enjoy.

Fresh Egg Noodles

2 cups                  ap flour

1 ¼ tsp.                salt

2 ea.                     Egg yolks

¼ c.                      milk at room temperature

¼ c.                      water

1.     Sift flour.

2.    Combine salt, yolks, milk and water

3.    Make a well in center of flour, pour liquid, then slowly work into flour

4.    Add extra eggs or liquid at this stage if needed

5.    Knead until smooth and firm

6.    Rest for 1 hr.

·       This dough is also used to make won ton wrappers.

Yields:  1.5 # of cooked noodles

Har Gau aka Shrimp Dumplings etc...

Have you gone to eat Dim Sum?  Have you Heard about Dim Sum?  If not and you like Chinese food then you just don't know what you're missing.  What is Dim Sum?  Dim Sum finds it's origins with the Cantonese in south of China and Dim Sum is the term for "snack".  So, when you go for Dim Sum you'll see carts being pushed around with steam billowing about and inside the little bamboo steamers are bite size portions of dumplings, roasted meats, chia siu bao, etc...The carts are wheeled to your table and you pick from the various dishes and the items are then marked off on a ticket that sits at the edge of your table.  You eat, drink tea and have a great gathering with friends and family.

 In Arizona we went to C-Fu Gourmet in Chandler for Dim Sum. It is OMG Deeeeliicciious and it was where I lost my Dim Sum virginity and been hooked ever since. Here in Seattle we go to a place on Jackson and 10th Ave. S called The New Hong Kong Restuarant on Sundays and it's Always packed with patrons and full of yummy goodness.  We try to make it there around 12pm because if you go too early then you get too full and they haven't yet brought out thier specialty dishes.  Today Chef Herman said that she goes to a place called Harbor City BBQ on King St. in the International District for Dim Sum.  So here is a tip that has been tried and tested out to be true...If a place is full of Asian customers, chances are you are getting the real deal and good eats.  If you look around and all you see are White folks, no offense, then chances are it's your "Americanized" version of an "international" cuisine.  Good luck on finding a Great place for Dim Sum.

Anyway, so today I made the shrimp dumplings, all from scratch and it was nom nom nommy!!!  Here is the recipe for the filling AND the dough. 

Har Gau (Shrimp Dumplings)

½ lb.                shrimp, shelled, deveined, and diced

¾ tsp.              salt

1 tsp.               sugar

1 ea.                egg white, beaten

1 ½ T.              tapioca flour

1 ½ tsp.           oyster sauce

¾ tsp.              sesame oil

Pinch               ground white or black pepper

¼ cup               finely dice water chestnuts

¼ cup               finely slice scallion

2 T.                  finely diced bamboo shoots

For the har gau dough

1 1/3 cup         wheat starch

2/3 cup            tapioca flour

¼ tsp.               salt

1 cup plus 3 T. boiling water

2 T.                  liquefied pork fat or peanut oil.

1.       Place the shrimp, salt, sugar, egg white, tapioca flour, oyster sauce, sesame oil and the pepper in a mixing bowl and combine thoroughly. 

2.      Add the water chestnuts, scallion and bamboo shoots and combine evenly and thoroughly. Let sit for 30 minutes

3.      To make the dough.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, place the wheat starch, tapioca flour, and salt.  Start the mixer and add the boiling water. If doing the dough by hand, need to pour water with one hand and mix with a wooden spoon with the other hand. Add the lard or peanut oil and mix thoroughly. If the dough is too dry, add 1 tsp. boiling water. Continue to mix until a ball of dough is formed. Remove from the bowl, knead a few times, and divide into 4 equal pieces. Place each piece in a plastic bag to retain moisture.

4.      To prepare the dumplings, roll each piece of dough into a cylinder 8 inches long and 1 inch in diameter. Cut into ½ inch pieces. Work with one and keep the others covered. Roll each into a small ball and press down with your palm to flatten it. Press flatter with the broad side of an oiled cleaver to create a round skin 2 ½ inch in diameter.

5.      Follow instructions of chef to form the dumplings.

What we did was instead of using pork fat we used Duck fat.  And we added chopped Cilantro.  Also we used a Tortilla press to make the wrapper for the filling.  If you don't have a press then use the smooth end of your meat tenderizer/mallet to press the dough flat. Wrapping technique is the same as the potstickers.  See link to my youtube vid for how to.  We steamed them for 20 minutes.  Made a simple dipping sauce and drizzled it over the dumplings.  Yummy goodness!!! 

That is my Blip for my BFFs today.  Enjoy

Wor Tip aka Potstickers

Potstickers is what that is.  The BEST for me was a tiny little hole in the wall Chinese restaurant in Pacifica, CA called the Golden Lantern, it was across the street from the Bowling alley and my best friend Sue Banks, now Roberts, took me there.  There was a litlle Chinese woman that sat in the back and did nothing but make the potstickers.  We sat down and placed our order and she came and brought us a plate of Potstickers and with her broken English told me that it was best dipped into plain white vinegar and now every time I order potstickers I ask for white vinegar.  The place has since closed down and I haven't had potstickers like it since. 

But here is a recipe of the potstickers we made at school and it was OH SO YUMMY!!!

Blanch 8oz Bok Choy in 1.5 quarts water and 2t salt.  Shock in ice water.  Use a towel to wring out the water and then fine chop them and set aside.

1#  Lean Ground Pork
2    Egg whites, whipped until Frothy
2oz  Soy Sauce
1oz  Rice Wine
2t  Sugar
1oz  Sesame Oil
1oz  Ginger, minced
1/2 bunch Scallions, minced.
prepared Bok Choy.

Mix all the ingredients well.  It may seem liquidy but it's come together the more you mix it. 

Watch the Video on my Youtube channel for wrapping the meat in the dough.  Here is the recipe for the dough but it's easier just to buy it in the store.

For 40 Wafers:   2.5c Flour, 1c water.   Use more water if needed to make it a smooth dough.

Now to cook these puppies you want to use oil of choice in a saute pan, medium heat.  Use just enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan then just a smidgen more. In other words, you don't want too much oil as if you're Pan Frying chicken... The potstickers will, stick to the pan, Hence the name Pot Sticker...  They will losen up from the bottom eventually, check for browning on the bottom.  Once it hits the brown point use your lid as a shield and throw in a handful of Ice into the pan and cover it right away.  This will in turn steam cook the potsticker.  When the water evaporates it will start to fry and crisp up the bottom again and BAM, your potsticker is ready for nom nom nom Yummy goodness consumption.

That is my Blip for my BFFs today.  Enjoy...

The Velvet Hammer

I am now in a term called CAC which is short for Cusine Across Cultures.  And it is taught by Chef Shannon Herman.  From day one of school I have been deathly afraid of this woman on first sight.  She is a tiny li'l thing but her nick name is "The Velvet Hammer" and in other words, She walks with not a 2x4 but a LARGE sledge hammer and she swings it with one hand...

I had done Everything possible to avoid this woman in the hallways, no eye contact if possible NOTHING.  Then I just had to be the Over Achiever that am and became an Ambassador and next thing I know I had volunteered for an Event and later found out it was headed by none other than...Yes, you guessed it, The Velvet Hammer, and I was shivering in my steel toed shoes. 

So I had to find out if she needed anymore help for her event (hairs in the back of my neck tingling) after school.  After class I went to my car put my stuff away, put my brow pierce in and was just about to start the car and DAMN, I forgot to go ask her.  So, back into school I go, slowly because my knees were knocking.  Got to her door, took a deep breath and walked in.  I stood there and waited to be acknowledged, as is the way we are taught..."can I help you?"  She looks at me and before I could answer she points at my brow and says, "you didn't have that in during class today did you?" I think my face turned red Instantly and my knees almost buckled but somehow I stood firm, "No Chef, I just put it in, I was just on my way home."  She had that thin lipped, head nodding "Hmmm?" thing going.  "What did you need?"  I think I stuttered and was probably inaudible but I roughly spat it out and she said she didn't need any more help and I said "Ok Chef" turned and Bolted from the room and from that day forward was even MORE afraid and not Eagerly awaiting CAC.

Darcy says to me, you know, you're so afraid but you come across the same way to people that don't know you and the way you run things sounds just about the same.  Hmmmm?  And you know what.  She was right.
Now that I'm in the class I just LOVE this woman to death.  Her lectures are interesting and she runs the kitchen with a "Velvet Hammer".  I love me some tiny little, STRONG women LOL...Well, they don't necessarily have to be tiny but STRONG?  OMG, to me, THAT is "Sexy" for lack of a better word.

And so I didn't get the TEXT book for this class when Everyone else did and I told her about it and she said that she had 3 of them at home and that she'd bring me one of hers.  I got that yesterday and now I'm all Feeling like Harry Potter using the Half Blood Princes' text book to whip up concoctions...

And so, The Velvet Hammer is smooth as velvet to be sure but I've seen her swing that hammer and damn if she didn't hit Shamus HARD, smack dab between the eyes the day he decided he was going to question her about recipes with a slight attitude.  And his reply after her response was, "Thank you Chef, You're a Beautiful woman Chef"...Yep, it made me swoon just to watch her wield her weapon. 

That's my Blip for my BFFs today.

Avocado Ice Cream

So this term we've been making International dishes and it's been quite the learning experience but today I had the most Wonderful Avocado ice cream with mint sauce and vanilla wafer.  You MUST go out and buy an ice cream maker just so you could experience such delectable deliciousness.  Enjoy...

Avocado Ice Cream

3 medium ripe avocados
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
Pinch of salt

Slice avocados in half, remove pits, scoop out flesh into a blender or food
processor.
Add sugar, sour cream, heavy cream, lime juice, and salt. Blend until
smooth.

Pour into an ice cream maker immediately* (to prevent browning) and freeze
according to the manufacturer's instructions. Place plastic or parchment
over ice cream (to prevent ice crystals) and freeze until firm, at least 4
hours.

*if you don't want to make the ice cream immediately, freeze the ice cream
base. When ready to use, thaw in the refrigerator and then follow
directions for churning.


Sweet Mint-Jalapeno Sauce

1 1/2 cups honey
Juice from 2 fresh limes
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Finely chopped jalapeno (seeds removed)
3 Tablespoons finely chopped mint leaves

Whisk honey and lime juice together until honey is no longer thick.

Add remaining ingredients a little at a time until the taste ratio is the
way you want it.

Drizzle over Avocado Ice Cream.


Vanilla Wafers

8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (112g)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar (210g)
1 vanilla bean, seeds only
1 large egg white
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon milk
1 1/3 cup AP flour (160g)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1. With an electric mixer, cream butter, salt, sugar and vanilla seeds
until light.
2. Beat in egg white until well incorporated, scraping sides and bottom of
mixing bowl to insure that all white has been incorporated.
3. Beat in extract and milk until well incorporated.
4. Whisk together flour and baking powder and add to butter mixture. Mix
just to incorporate, scraping down sides and bottom of mixing bowl to insure
that all flour has been incorporated.
5. Fit a piping bag with a large, plain pastry tip. Fill bag with about
1/3 of the batter. Holding the filled bag perpendicular to parchment-lined
baking sheet, pipe batter into nickel-sized mounds, about 1 inch apart. To
make neat, well-shaped cookies, as you finish piping each round, sweep the
pastry tip horizontally off to the side with a slight curving motion. (The
batter was too thick for me to do this way. I just made small rounds and
placed them on the parchment paper about 2 inches apart. They'll spread out

6. Bake at 350ºF for about 15-20 minutes, until cookies are lightly browned,
rotating trays every 5 minutes or so for even coloring. Cool completely
before storing. Cookies will keep in an airtight container for at least a
week.

that's my Blip for my Bff's today...  Enjoy.

The Search is Over...

I have been searching for an Externship site for well over 2 months.  I searched online and sent out emails and recieved replies, sent out resumés and recieved no replies.  Then one day I see that there is a message on my voicemail and Lo and Behold it's a call from the Executive Chef for Tom Douglas Restaurants.

Tom Douglas is Seattles Celebrity Chef most notably for his win against Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto.  Needless to say I was most excited to set up an interview with him.  I thought that the interview went well and he asked me to return on Monday to work in the kitchen for a trial run.

I showed up and had a nice conversation with the Pasta crew while I waited for the Sous Chef.  He took me to the kitchen and introduced me to the Cook I was to work with that night and what he gave me were bags and bags of herbs they wanted me to chop up.  Then run mirepoix through the robo coup.  In between this I was to go into the walkin and fetch stuff for the cook that he might need during crunch time.  Then he took me into his cooking station and all I could think about was, OMG how am I going to work in such a cramped space.  (can i just say "CLAUSTROPHOBIA!!!) You got the order from the server, grab a pan pivot, get the ingredients, pivot to the stove directly behind, pivot grab more ingredients, pivot cook, pivot plate up and call up the server.   And all the while there are 3 or 4 other people working beside you doing the same pivoting motion and sometimes rubbing elbows. 

And so at the end of the night the Sous Chef Jack somethingorother tells me he spoke with the Executive Chef and he'll call me at the end of the week.  The End of the week, Friday, comes along and still no call and I was advised by Student services to call him back after school was over on Friday...No answer, no answer, no return call, no answer.  I get a call on Sunday and was informed that they are looking for a Chef/Cook NOW and I need a little more experience under my belt.  Come back when you get more experience... UM I was applying for an "Externship" not a freaking Job.   I'm frustrated and relieved at the same time.  I don't know what I would have done if he said "okay, you can start right away"  Then I would have been unhappy pivoting my life away and wearing my skin down to the bones rubbing elbows with the 2 cooks standing and cooking beside me.  So back to the drawing board I go.

I was looking into working in catering before I was Star struck.  I had already recieved the "sorry we're not looking for externs right now, please try another" or "Sure, you can wash dishes for 2 hours and prep for 2 hours"  and for some people they are like "so? what's wrong with that?" and my reply is "I didn't go to school so I can wash dishes for 2 hours..."  So I may seem snobby or silly but that's just how I feel.  I just didn't feel like I'd be learning very much by chopping cabbages for 2 hours or scrubbing pots.  There had to be more...

So I've worked for Lisa Dupar Catering twice now and Chef Grover Ramsey is an Excellent Exec. Chef and runs his staff extremely efficiently and I was in awe, intimidated and scared to death about calling him to set up an appointment for an interview.  I've tried 3 times before and each time someone else answered the phone, routed me to the kitchen and he was in a meeting, just left, unavailable/too busy for your sorry ass... So I grit my teeth on Monday morning, the Day after my rejection from the Tom Douglas people, and dialed the phone for LDC.  Riiiiiing, riiiiing,  "Lisa Dupar Catering, Grover Ramsey..."  SHOCK!!! "uh...Chef Ramsey?"  Yes, I stammered badly.  I SOOOO was Not expecting him to answer the phone and I'm sure I fully sounded like an idiot with my "UH?"  But I swallowed my suprise and fear and continued to speak.  He remembered me from the previous gigs and he was all "well, Eric is the person you should speak to but he leaves tomorrow on vacation can you come on the 16th?"  me..."well, my only problem with that is that I was supposed to have my externship contract turned in this past Friday but that fell thru..."  (holding breath)  "Can you come in tomorrow at 2?"  "well, I'm in school from 10-2 and don't get home til 3" (turning blue)  "well lets do this come in on Thursday after school, anytime, I'll be here"  "Thank you Chef I'll be there"  (inhale&exhale) 

Interview went well, he asked me back for a trial on Saturday and somehow worked me into a gig that Saturday night as well lol.  Carlee, the HR person walked into the office to ask him a quick question and he rattled off something and along with that something was "and this young lady would be happy to work with us on Saturday night.  She did the Zoo event and the Solomon wedding party..."  SHOCKED again.  He remembered exactly Which gigs I did with them.   "Sure, I'll be there..." 

And so I did my stage Saturday morning and worked from 730 til 230 and was told to go home and he would talk to me after the Event that night.  Again, left in suspense...  I did the event and at the end he calls me aside and says, "so you need to turn in this contract by Monday?"  Me with eyes Wide open in the dark, under the stairs at Husky Stadium..."so, I did okay?  You'll keep me as an Extern?"  "Oh yes, You did just fine, I just wanted to scare you."  chuckle chuckle..."well, it worked!"   Big exhale and sigh of relief...

And Here is the final note.  As I was standing in the Chefs office that morning before my stage, I glanced around at the desk of the man that I was hoping to work for and what caught my eye was the calendar.  On the calendar was a picture of a Mormon Temple.  I emailed Darcy and told her about this and she replied (copied and pasted)  'I'm so proud of you hun, you got your externship....see the folks up above saw that picture of the temple and said "okay...this is the place for our Soloau." :)'     It made me cry.  My parents... I love and miss them Sooo Much and yes, I believe this to be very true.  God works in mysterious ways and with the people in heaven that are pulling for their loved ones.  They let me see what the grass was like on the other side, then handed me what they thought I would really enjoy.   I loved the time that I spent at LDC for my stage and the Kitchen is a Dream come True for me.  I really couldn't ask for more...

I want to Give my Thanks to the Lord above for the blessings that he has bestowed upon me and my loved ones.  Thanks to all my Family and Friends for the love and support that they give me.  And last but not least, my Thanks to my Mom and Dad for the Love and Support that they showed me in this life and the life hereafter, for without them I would not be the person that I am today...Families are Forever!

That's my blip for my BFFs today.

"Mommy makes frosting, Chefs make icing" Chef Warren Mah

 

So it's the end of Baking and Pastries and it's gone by so fast I can't believe we had our finals completed yesterday. 

I absolutely loved the baking and pastries segment of school and Chef Mah was Most Excellent and I found him to be quite hilarious.  Easy paced and relaxing.  I learned how to make soooo many things that I had always wanted to be able to make for myself like Creme Brulee, French Bread, Puff Pastry,  The Custard for Creme Puffs and OMG the Mousse, Lemon curd for lemon tarts and gosh, so much more.

As we ran around getting our icing made for our final cake decorating someone said they were making thier Frosting and to that Chef Mah slowly looked up from his table and replied "Mommy makes frosting, Chefs make icing."  So, here is the recipe for Simple Buttercream for when you decide you want to make "Icing" for your cake you're making from Scratch...

8oz  Butter
4oz  Shortening
20oz Confectioners Sugar
1.25 oz  Egg Whites
1/2 t  Lemon Juice
3/4 t  Vanilla

Cut the butter up into cubes and let it soften, Not Melted... then mix it together with the shortening.  Add the sugar and cream it.  If you're using a mixer you don't want it on high... you want to mix it on low or low medium because you don't want to beat in too much air into the icing, it makes for a rough look when you spread it on the cake.  Once creamed add the egg whites, lemon juice and vanilla.  Add the vanilla slowly and you might not even use all of it.  You don't want your icing to look beige.  Now, you want the right consistency for spreading so what you will do is use water to thin the icing out slowly so you get a nice spreadability but not too thin that it starts running off of the cake.   It'll be a trial and error thing.  I added more lemon juice to thin the icing when I decided that my cake was to be a lemon chiffon cake.   Play with your food.   Experiment and have fun.  In a couple of days I'll put in a really good recipe for Cheesecake.

***
I loved the Italian Buttercream that we made the first time we made our cakes.  The Simple Buttercream that he had us make for our final was nice too but I prefer the Italian version even though it's a little more complicated to make.

And Yes, that is a picture of my decorated cake for the Finals.  The Chef said it was the best decorated cake he had seen all day.  And so I held my head high and said "Thank you Chef". 

Today was clean the Kitchen day but Chef called Caitlin and I up to the front and he had us make cakes for the Graduate BBQ they were having at the end of the day today.  Yay to not having to clean lol!!!  And so, today at the end of class, our final day with Chef Mah, I walked up to him, reached out to shake his hand and said "Thank you Chef".  He shook my hand and said "You're Good!"  And what could I say to that except, "Thank you Chef"...

That's my blip for my BFFs today.

Here ya go my Canadian Muffin. The Muffin Bread I Promised you.

Muffin Bread... Very easy to make. Very Yummy all warm from the oven with butter, etc...  Samoan cocoa and this bread for after dinner anyone?  Enjoy! 

1/2 oz. Dry yeast
1T Sugar
1/4t  Baking Soda
1 1/2 #  All Purpose Flour
1 Pint Milk
4 oz.  Water

yield=2 loaves

T=tablespoon  t=teaspoon  oz.=ounce  #=pound  (you may know but some don't...)


Combine all the dry ingredients and 1/2 of the flour.  Heat the Water and Milk to 120ºf .  Any hotter and you will kill the yeast.  Add the liquid to the dry ingredients minus 1/2 the flour and beat/mix well so that there are no lumps.  Then add the remaining flour and mix well.  This is more a stiff batter than a dough.

Spray your loaf pan well and coat with cornmeal.  put your dough into the pans and proof until doubled in size.  Bake at 400ºf for about 20-25 minutes.

Proofing?  Turn your oven on to "warm".  Place a pan at the Bottom of your oven and add boiling water.  Et Voila!! You have a Proof box.  Put your dough in to rise. 

That's my blip for my BFFs today.