ISO: ISO Ideas for Year of the Pig Party on Sunday

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traca

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I know this is totally last minute, but I'm throwing together a little get together/party on Sunday. Since the cherry blossoms are in bloom and it is the Year of the Pig, I want to plan the menu around that.

I'm thinking of doing Asian flavored slow roasted pork served on lettuce bundles.

Beyond that, I'm stumped. And ideas?

 
Some ideas

How about fortune cookies? Personal ones, if you have time to write and stuff them!

You hafta have Chinese lanterns and a red (the color for good luck) tablecloth, placemats, napkins, etc. - and bring those cherry blossoms inside and put them in an Asian-themed black vase.

Paper dragons? Lychee nuts (fruit, really), available canned. Lots of tea, almond cookies, and maybe coconut milk sticky rice with mangoes (from epi) to go with your pork bundles?

Chuc Mung Nam Moi! (Happy New Year!)

 
Some other easy Asian style recipes

Asian Green Beans
½ lb. green beans
½ c. water chestnuts, sliced
½ c. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp. sugar
2 1/12 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. sesame oil
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
2 tsp. sesame seeds, crushed
Slice fresh beans diagonally. Stir-fry green beans, water chestnuts, mushrooms and garlic in oils. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and cook until beans are tender, about 4-5 min.


This recipe is from Michelle in CA from the Swap - it is wonderful!
Sesame Rice
2 cups water
1 tsp. salt
2-3 Tablespoons dark sesame oil, divided
1 tsp. butter
1 cup rice
dash white pepper
1/2 tsp salt, optional
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
1/4 cup green onions sliced, include green
tops
Boil water in a medium saucepan and add salt, 1 tablespoon sesame oil and the butter. Bring to a boil and add rice. Boil for 2-3 minutes, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork and add 1 or 2 more tablespoons sesame oil, white pepper, salt, sesame seeds and green onions.
Serves 4

Asian Slaw
2 green onions, thinly sliced
6 cups of shredded cabbage or slaw mix
Make a dressing of: 1 tablespoon canola oil, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon chile sauce. Toss the cabbage with the green onions and the dressing. Let sit for 15 minutes, toss again.

 
REC: Chinese Coleslaw

Cabbage Salad (aka Chinese Coleslaw)

1/2 head cabbage, shredded
2 green onions, sliced
Juice of 1/4 lemon
1 pkg. Nissin brand Ramen noodles, crumbled & toasted
3 tbl. EACH sesame seeds and slivered almonds, toasted
Dressing :
2 tbl. sugar
1/4 cup oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3 tbl. rice vinegar
2 tsp. sesame oil
dash of soy sauce

Combine salad ingredients in large bowl. Put dressing ingredients in a jar and shake to blend. Mix salad and dressing just before serving.

 
REC: Sesame Vegetable Egg Rolls with Sweet 'n Sour Sauce

Sesame Vegetable Egg Rolls
Sunset Magazine, July 1982

Makes 28 egg rolls
These are great to make ahead and freeze

2 tbl. soy sauce
2 tbl. aji mirin or dry sherry
1 tbl. cornstarch
1 tsp. sesame oil
1/4 tsp. EACH salt and black pepper
2 tsp. fresh minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-3/4 cups shredded cabbage
1-3/4 cups shredded carrots (about 3 large)
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
3 whole green onions, thinly sliced
1/3 lb. mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 can (8-oz) bamboo shoots, sliced
1 can (6 oz.) water chestnuts, thinly sliced
1/4 lb. bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
1/2 sesame seed, toasted
2 tbl. salad oil + more for deep frying
1 package + 5 more egg roll wrappers
1 egg, beaten

Stir together soy sauce, aji mirin, cornstarch, sesame oil, salt and pepper. In a 10” frying pan on high heat, add 2 tbl. salad oil, ginger and garlic; stir once. Then add cabbage, carrots, celery, onion, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and water chestnuts. Cook, tossing vegetables with spatula constantly, just until crisp-tender (2-3 minutes). Add cornstarch mixture, sesame seeds, and bean sprout; stir until sauce thickens. Let cool.
Mound about 2 tbl. of the cooled filling across each egg roll skin in a 3” strip starting about 2” from the corner nearest you. Fold this corner up over filling to cover, tucking the corner under the filling firmly, then roll once to enclose filling. Fold left and right corners in towards each other then moisten the remaining tip with beaten egg and roll to seal this corner. Place filled egg rolls on a baking sheet and cover with a slightly damp towel as you fill the rest.
Pour salad oil into a deep 10-12” frying pan to about 1 to 1-1/2” deep and heat to 370 deg. on a deep-fry thermometer. Fry 3 or 4 egg rolls at a time, turning as needed, until golden brown (about 2-3 min.). Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Keep warm in a 200 deg. oven until all are cooked.
Serve whole or sliced with soy sauce or Sweet ‘n Sour Sauce (below)-

Sweet ‘n Sour Sauce

1 small can (6 oz.) pineapple juice
1 tsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbl. vinegar

Put all into a saucepan and stir together until mixed. Turn heat to medium and cook, stirring, until mixture thickens and clears.

 
REC: Five Spice Pork Dumplings

Five-Spice Pork Dumplings
Bon Appetit Magazine, March 1999

Makes 40 dumplings

14 (about) large Napa cabbage leaves, pressed to flatten
1 lb. ground pork
1 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup soy sauce
3 tbl. chopped fresh cilantro
1-1/2 tsp. fresh ginger, peeled & minced
1/2 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
40 gyoza wrappers

1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 tsp. oriental sesame oil
Plum sauce (purchased)

(This recipe is set up so dumplings are steamed in two large baking pans. If you use a bamboo steamer, note that you will need to cook the dumplings on stacked trays in batches.)

Place racks in two 13x9x2” metal baking pans. Cover racks with single layer of cabbage leaves.
Mix pork, onions, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 tbl. cilantro, 1 tsp. ginger, five-spice powder and pepper in medium bowl. Place scant tablespoon pork mixture in center of each gyoza wrapper (work with 3 or 4 at a time). Using fingertips, gather up wrapper around pork, forming pouch and leaving top of dumpling open. Gently crimp wrapper around filling to form pleats. Place dumplings on cabbage in pan, side by side but not touching. Repeat until all mixture is used up.
NOTE: these can be made 4 hours ahead - just cover well and chill until needed.
Preheat oven to 400 deg. Pour enough hot water into each pan around (NOT over) the dumplings, to a depth of 1/8”. Cover pans tightly with foil. Bake about 20 minutes until dumplings are done.
Meanwhile, mix rice vinegar, sesame oil, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 tbl. cilantro, and 1/2 tsp. ginger in small bowl as a dipping sauce. Serve dumplings warm with the dipping sauce and Plum Sauce.

 
REC: Quinoa Pilaf

Quinoa Pilaf
from Cook's Illustrated

Quinoa in sort of nutty tasting and when you cook it, the germ separates from the kernel so it sort of looks
like little 'tails'. Kinda weird, I know, but the taste is amazing. It's also very forgiving and you can play with it to your own taste.

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
3 Tbl. butter
1 large Granny Smith apple, peel, core &
finely chop
1 tsp. sugar
1 med. onion, finely chopped
2 cps. quinoa, well rinsed & drained in a
FINE sieve
3-3/4 cps. low sodium chicken broth (I use water and Better Than Bouillon chicken base)
2 Tbl. coarsely chopped parsley
3/4 tsp. minced thyme (I prefer rosemary but you can use garam masala, tarragon or herb of your choice)
fresh ground black pepper
salt to taste (omit if using Better Than Bouillon)

1. Saute pecans in large 14" hot skillet until toasted, then set aside.

2. Melt 1 tbl. of the butter in the skillet over med-hi heat. When foaming subsides, add apple and sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Set aside with the pecans.

3. Reduce heat to med. and add rest of butter to skillet. Add onion and 1/4 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring, until onion softens and just begins to brown. Add quinoa and stir often until it begins to turn golden (about 4 min.). Add broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender but slightly crunchy - about 15 min.

4. Remove cover, increase heat to med., and cook, stirring frequently until remaining liquid has evaporated, about 2-3 min. Gently stir in apple, pecans and herbs. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Note: I find that it is almost impossible to toast the quinoa TOO much - the more you can brown it, the more flavor you will get. You can eat this at any temperature - I even eat it cold right out of the fridge

 
REC: Roasted Zucchini and Walnut Orzo

Roasted Zucchini and Walnut Orzo
from Laura Sabo, Portland, OR, printed in Sunset Magazine

Makes 4 servings and takes 30 minutes to prepare

1-1/4 pounds zucchini
2 teaspoons olive oil
About 1/8 teaspoon salt
About 1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup walnut pieces, coarsely chopped
4 3/4 cups fat-skimmed chicken broth or vegetable broth
2 cups dried orzo pasta
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons walnut oil

1. Rinse and dry zucchini; cut each in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. In a bowl, mix zucchini with olive oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Divide mixture equally between two baking sheets, each 12 by 15 inches, and spread zucchini in a single layer.

2. Bake in a 400 deg. regular or convection oven until zucchini is tender when pierced, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour back into bowl. Rinse and dry one baking sheet.

3. Put walnut pieces on clean baking sheet and bake in a 350(degrees) oven until pale gold beneath skins, about 5 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, in a 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat, bring broth to a boil. Add orzo, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until orzo is tender to bite and liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.

5. Stir zucchini, walnuts, lemon juice, and walnut oil into orzo. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

 
REC: Perry's Pineapple Casserole

Perry’s Pineapple Casserole

1 cup sugar
6 tbl. flour
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 20-oz. cans pineapple chunks, drained, and 6 tbl. of the juice reserved
1 cup Ritz cracker crumbs
8 tbl. (1 stick) butter, melted, plus extra for greasing the pan

Preheat oven to 350 deg.
Grease a medium size casserole dish the butter.
In large bowl, stir together sugar and flour. Gradually stir in cheese and pineapple chunks. Pour into casserole dish.
In another bowl, combine the Ritz crumbs, melted butter and reserved 6 tbl. pineapple juice, stirring with a rubber spatula until evenly blended. Spread crumb mixture over top of casserole.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

 
REC: Basmati and Nut Pilaf

Basmati and Nut Pilaf
from The Cooking Adventures of Chef Paz

This pilaf is absolutely delicious!!

1-1⁄4 cups basmati rice
1 onion chopped
1 garlic crushed
1 large carrot, grated
1-2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp black mustard seeds
4 cardamom pods (you can buy them at an Indian grocery very cheap)
2 cups stock or water
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
cashews --a handful or two, or however many you like. Salted or unsalted whichever is your preference.

Wash rice. Fry the onion, garlic and carrot in oil. Add rice and spices and cook another 2 minutes or so. Pour in stock or water, add bay leaf and season. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer gently for about 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf an cardamom pods. Add the nuts.

 
A few more ideas: Hot and Sour Soup, Egg Drop Soup, Vegetable Lo Mein, Sesame Noodles, Fried Rice

 
Hi Cyn, I've never made my own, but there's one in my files that looks good...

It's from Cook's Illustrated:

HOT AND SOUR SOUP

To make slicing the pork chop easier, freeze it for 15 minutes. We prefer the distinctive flavor of Chinese black vinegar; look for it in Asian supermarkets. If you can't find it, a combination of red wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar approximates its flavor. This soup is very spicy. For a less spicy soup, omit the chili oil altogether or add only 1 teaspoon.

INGREDIENTS:

7 ounces extra-firm tofu , drained
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons cornstarch , plus an additional 1 1/2 teaspoons
1 boneless, center-cut, pork loin chop (1/2 inch thick, about 6 ounces), trimmed of fat and cut into 1 inch by 1/8-inch matchsticks
3 tablespoons cold water, plus 1 additional teaspoon
1 large egg
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup bamboo shoots (from one 5-ounce can), sliced lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick strips
4 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms , stems removed, caps sliced 1/4 inch thick (about 1 cup)
5 tablespoons black Chinese vinegar or 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar plus 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (see note above)
2 teaspoons chili oil (see note above)
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
3 medium scallions, sliced thin

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place tofu in pie plate and set heavy plate on top. Weight with 2 heavy cans; let stand at least 15 minutes (tofu should release about 1/2 cup liquid). Whisk 1 tablespoon soy sauce, sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch in medium bowl; toss pork with marinade and set aside for at least 10 minutes (but no more than 30 minutes).

2. Combine 3 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water in small bowl and mix thoroughly; set aside, leaving spoon in bowl. Mix remaining 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch with remaining 1 teaspoon water in small bowl; add egg and beat with fork until combined. Set aside.

3. Bring broth to boil in large saucepan set over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; add bamboo shoots and mushrooms and simmer until mushrooms are just tender, about 5 minutes. While broth simmers, dice tofu into 1/2-inch cubes. Add tofu and pork, including marinade, to soup, stirring to separate any pieces of pork that stick together. Continue to simmer until pork is no longer pink, about 2 minutes.

4. Stir cornstarch mixture to recombine. Add to soup and increase heat to medium-high; cook, stirring occasionally, until soup thickens and turns translucent, about 1 minute. Stir in vinegar, chili oil, pepper, and remaining 3 tablespoons soy sauce; turn off heat.

5. Without stirring soup, use soupspoon to slowly drizzle very thin streams of egg mixture into pot in circular motion. Let soup sit 1 minute, then return saucepan to medium-high heat. Bring soup to gentle boil, then immediately remove from heat. Gently stir soup once to evenly distribute egg; ladle into bowls and top with scallions.

Serves 6 to 8 as an appetizer

Cook's Illustrated

 
Cyn, do a search for hot and sour soup up above and some good posts come up.

Remember to change the date range to ALL. I'm making the chicken soup that DawnMO posted this weekend with some leftover roasted chicken. It sounds like it's a bit hot/sour too.

 
REC: Hot and Sour Soup (my T&T)

Hot-and-Sour Soup

Makes 5 servings

1/4 lb. boneless pork loin
1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. soy sauce
6 medium dried black mushroom (shiitake)
4-oz. block firm tofu
4 cups chicken broth (or 4 cups water + 3 tsp. Better Than Bouillon chicken base)
3 tbl. white vinegar
1 tbl. soy sauce
1/2 cup shredded, canned bamboo shoots, drained
2 tbl. cornstarch mixed with 2 tbl. cold water
1/4 tsp. white pepper
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 tbl. chopped green onions
2-1/2 tsp. red pepper sauce (like Tabasco)
1/2 tsp. sesame oil

Trim fat from pork and cut into 2” strips. Cut strips across into 1/8” slices. Stack slices and cut into thin strips (you just want to end up with small, thin strips of pork). Toss pork, 1/2 tsp cornstarch, 1/2 tsp. soy sauce in medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate 15 min.
Soak mushrooms in water for 20 minutes, or until soft; drain. Rinse in warm water and drain again. Squeeze out excess moisture. Remove and discard stems; cut caps into thin slices. Cut tofu into 1-1/2” x 1/4” pieces.
Heat broth, vinegar, 1 tbl. soy sauce to boiling in 3-quart saucepan. Stir in bamboo shoots, mushrooms, pork and tofu. Bring back to boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 5 minutes.
Combine cornstarch/water mixture with white pepper and stir into soup. Heat to rolling boil over high heat. Pour egg slowly into soup, stirring constantly with fork until egg forms threads. Stir in green onions, pepper sauce and sesame oil.

 
REC: Chinese Winter Soup - similar but with spinach and VERY yummy!

Chinese Winter Soup

This is very much like the Chinese-restaurant variety, and easy, too -
Makes 6 servings

5 cups chicken broth 1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 cups young small spinach leaves (or bok choy, sliced)
3 Tbl. mild soy sauce
2 Tbl. cider vinegar 1/2 tsp. black pepper
1-1/2 Tbl. dark sesame oil 1/4-1/2 tsp. chile oil or tabasco sauce
1/2 lb. tofu, cut into small dice (about 1/2” squares)
2 Tbl. cornstarch dissolved in 3 Tbl. water
1/2 egg, slightly beaten 1/4 cup bamboo shoots
1 green onion, finely chopped

In saucepan, heat broth, mushrooms & spinach. Simmer 3-4 min. Combine soy sauce, vinegar, pepper & sesame oil in small bowl. Stir to blend. Add to broth. Adjust seasonings to taste. Add tofu, cornstarch & egg, stirring constantly until bits of ribbons form. Sprinkle with green onions on each servings.

 
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