12 December

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December 20, 2010

Firecracker Shrimp

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Firecracker Shrimp

Firecracker Shrimp

December 20: National Fried Shrimp Day

With just a few days away from the new year (and only a couple of months until the Asian lunar new year), we are already in the mood to celebrate! The timing of National Fried Shrimp Day is another reason to cook festive Firecracker Shrimp. This auspicious appetizer makes a great yang alternative and brings balance to a holiday spread filled with a yin of Christmas cookies and confections.

Noisemakers and fireworks on New Year’s Eve are believed to scare away any evil spirits and bring good luck. Firecracker Shrimp is the perfect combination of crunchy (noisemaker) and spicy (firework) finger food to serve while celebrating on New Year’s Eve and National Fried Shrimp Day!

Recipe

(Adapted from New Asian Cuisine)

Ingredients

  • spring roll wrappers
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • shrimp (uncooked)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • ¼ cup sweet chili sauce

Directions

Defrost the spring roll wrappers, cut the stack diagonally with a sharp knife, separate the sheets, place in a container and cover with a damp cloth until ready to use. Meanwhile, mix the water and cornstarch together and set aside to use for sealing the wrapped shrimp.

Firecracker Shrimp

Shell and devein the shrimp (optional: leave the tail on). Straighten out the shrimp by slitting the inside curve in a few places but not cutting all the way through. Lay out the shrimp to dry on paper towels. Marinate in the sweet chili sauce for 10 minutes at room temperature.

Firecracker Shrimp

Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Wrap each shrimp by placing it on the left side of a spring roll wrapper with the triangular point facing up. Fold the wrapper inward then bring the triangular point down. Roll tightly to the right as shown in the photos below. Seal with the cornstarch mixture.

Firecracker Shrimp

Place the wrapped shrimp on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Freeze until firm. Transfer to a plastic freezer bag until ready to cook. Deep fry until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels. Serve with sweet chili sauce as a dip.

Firecracker Shrimp

Notes

  • Although shrimp is sometimes considered a yin food, the deep-fried cooking method gives it a yang quality.  For a brief introduction and list of the chi nature of foods and their roots in Chinese and Asian holistic medicine, click here and here.
  • Search our blog for posts on other shrimp recipes.
 

December 17, 2010

Maple-Glazed Chicken

Posted by HI Cookery under 12 December | Tags: , , , |
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Maple-Glazed Chicken

Maple-Glazed Chicken

December 17: National Maple Syrup Day

We bought a bottle of maple syrup from Bob’s Sugarhouse when we were in Maine visiting our goddaughter, Keira B., and her family a few summers ago. The rustic cabin had shelves lined with a variety of decorative glass containers, tins and plastic jugs filled with 100% Maine maple syrup and other fine maple and Maine products. The owner of the sugarhouse, Bob Moore, personally gave us a tour of the syrup-processing equipment behind the storefront.  He explained that it takes 30-40 gallons of maple sap to make just one gallon of syrup. Water from the sap must be filtered, boiled and evaporated until the syrup reaches proper density and a rich amber color.  The distinctive taste of maple is worth all the effort.

Bob's Sugarhouse

For National Maple Syrup Day, we made maple-glazed chicken with thyme and sweet potato hash using the 100% Maine maple syrup medium grade A amber that we bought at Bob’s Sugarhouse.

Recipe

(Adapted from Continental inflight magazine)

Ingredients

  • 6 chicken leg quarters
  • 1 cup olive oil, divided
  • 1 bunch fresh thyme
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 4 sweet potatoes, diced
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • ¾ cup pure maple syrup

Directions

Salt and pepper the chicken. Marinate in olive oil and a half bunch of thyme for two hours in the refrigerator. In a roasting pan, mix the sweet potatoes, onions and the other half bunch of thyme. Salt and pepper to taste.

Maple-Glazed Chicken

Place the chicken among the sweet potatoes and onions mixture, drizzling the rest of the olive oil marinade over the chicken and arranging the thyme on the top and sides. Pour the maple syrup over everything. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the top skin is browned. Drain oil and discard the baked thyme sprigs. Serve the chicken with the side of sweet potatoes and onions and garnish with a fresh sprig of thyme.

Maple-Glazed Chicken

Notes

  • We  reduced the recipe by a third to feed just the two of us (and save our pricey yet precious Maine maple syrup for another blog recipe).
  • Read an interview with Chef Robin Paula, creator of the above recipe, on the Continental Airlines website. We first saw her recipe printed in the July 2010 issue of the inflight magazine when we were flying from Hawaii back to the mainland after a short summer vacation.

 

December 15, 2010

Pineapple-Plumeria Cupcakes

Posted by HI Cookery under 12 December | Tags: , , , |
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Pineapple-Plumeria Cupcakes

Pineapple-Plumeria Cupcakes

December 15: National Cupcake Day

Aloha! We have combined two island icons, pineapples and plumerias, to create a tasty tropical treat. Pineapples are a symbol of Hawaiian hospitality and fragrant frangipani flowers are often made into leis. We baked a basic pineapple-flavored cake and topped them with marshmallows cut as plumeria petals. These edible, brightly-colored blossoms look like the real things from afar!

Make pineapple-plumeria cupcakes for a kitschy kanikapila or luau, for a warm welcome to the winter season (especially on the mainland) and for a celebration of National Cupcake Day.

Recipe

For the cupcakes

  • 1 box pineapple flavor cake mix (we used Duncan Hines brand Moist Deluxe Pineapple Supreme )
  • 1/3 cup pineapple juice (we used Dole brand)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/3 cup oil
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup dried/candied pineapple, finely chopped (optional)

Directions

In a mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, juice, water, oil and eggs. Blend until the batter is smooth. If using dried/candied pineapple, add to the batter and mix well.

Pineapple-Plumeria Cupcakes

Scoop the batter into muffin tins lined with cupcake papers. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 18-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Yield about 2 ½ dozen cupcakes.

Pineapple-Plumeria Cupcakes

For the frosting

(Adapted from The Cake Mix Doctor Returns by Anne Byrn)

  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla (we used Hawaiian Vanilla Company pure vanilla extract)
  • 3+ cups powdered sugar (we used C&H brand), sifted
  • 3+ tablespoons pineapple juice (we used Dole brand)

Directions

Cream the butter with the vanilla until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and mix well. Add the pineapple juice to thin the frosting to a spreadable consistency. Frost the tops of the cupcakes.

Pineapple-Plumeria Cupcakes

For the marshmallow plumeria flowers

  • 1 bag of jumbo marshmallows
  • yellow food color spray (we used Wilton brand Color Mist)

Directions

Make sure that the work surface and kitchen scissors are clean and dry. Lay waxed paper down and sprinkle a bit of powdered sugar to prevent stickiness. Cut four times through a marshmallow to create five petals. Arrange on top of the frosted cupcake. Carefully spray the food color in the center of the plumeria. Store covered at room temperature until ready to serve.

Pineapple-Plumeria Cupcakes

Pineapple-Plumeria Cupcakes

Notes

  • Plumeria is commonly called frangipani outside of the United States. The flower is not to be confused with the food-based Italian frangipani (almond cream filling) or French frangipane (pastry batter).
  • If a pineapple flavor cake mix is unavailable, use a yellow cake mix and substitute pineapple juice for the water.
  • Thanks to Lisa L. for the vanilla extract from the Big Island.
  • Thanks to Ninang Rosario C. for the handcrafted clay frangipani bouquet. It was a realistic reference point for the picture of the plumeria marshmallows.

 

 

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