tonkatsu made with hazelnut flour

I like making tonkatsu because it’s so simple and easy: rice, meat, and vegetables all in one bowl. Make the rice first–in a rice cooker you push a button and forget it. Next, make the sauce. While it’s simmering on the stove,  prep the meat. That’s it! This is my gluten-free version. I used ground hazelnut meal/flour instead of Panko bread crumbs. What was sacrificed in the crunchiness of the crumb coating was made up for by the nutty flavor of the hazelnuts.

Oven-Fried Tonkatsu

Ingredients

---

• 8 pork tenderloin medallions, pounded thin  (1 pound trimmed of fat and silver)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 cup egg whites
• 1 1/4 cups ground hazelnut meal/flour (can use any nut flour)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper

How to make it

---

• Preheat oven to  400˚F for pork tenderloin medallions
• Flatten each medallion to about ¼ inch thick.
• Prepare a baking tray; spray with cooking spray and set aside.
• In a pie plate, combine the hazelnut meal, salt and pepper.
• In another pie plate, pour the egg whites. Dip meat in egg whites
• Roll meat lightly in flour mixture until coated.
• Place each cutlet on the prepared baking tray.
• Bake cutlets 10-15 minutes.
• Slice meat into slivers about ½ inch wide.
• Serve meat with warm rice, steamed broccoli, and tonkatsu sauce for dipping (see my recipe for homemade tonkatsu sauce below)

Tonkatsu Sauce (from grouprecipes.com)

Ingredients

---

• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup sake or rice wine (substitute rice vinegar)
• 2 tablespoons ginger, sliced
• 2 tablespoons garlic or 3 whole garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup mirin (substitute ¼ teaspoon sugar to ¼ cup white wine)

How to make it

---

• Put all the above ingredients in a sauce pan.
• Bring to a boil over medium heat stirring occasionally.
• Reduce to a simmer for 25-30 minutes skimming any foam that rises to the top.
• Refrigerate extra sauce.
• Makes about 3 cups.

toasted orzo risotto with corn, thyme, tarragon, and chives

The secret to this deliciously simple dish is the orzo. For best results, this tiny pasta must be al dente. And I recommend making it with a vegetable stock because it tastes so much better! As the orzo absorbed the stock, it turned brown. If you use water, the orzo will be white. I insist that all the ingredients must be fresh: fresh corn, thyme, tarragon, chives, garlic, lemon, and shallot. It’s surprisingly sweet but tangy, with a faint peppery flavor from the tarragon. To get the corn off the cob, I used a sharp knife to slice the kernels off the cob, then lightly chopped them to separate them. Be careful when you do this;  I put the cob lengthwise on the cutting board and sliced downward.  I added tarragon and chives because the thyme was already in the recipe, but I think experimenting with a combination of fresh herbs would be delicious. Savory Simple recommends Penzey’s Sunny Paris Spice for seasoning, but I think it is only available by mail order. I just used salt and pepper, which is simple and easy. Like this recipe. The whole thing took 25 minutes to prep and cook.

Toasted Orzo Risotto with Corn, Thyme, Tarragon, and Chives (adapted from Savory Simple)
Makes  2 entrees or 4 side dishes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup shallots, diced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup orzo
1 ear of sweet corn, approximately 3/4 cup kernels (see note)
Juice of 1 lemon
3 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves only
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, leaves only, minced fine
2 tablespoons fresh chives, minced fine
1 3/4 water or homemade stock
salt & pepper to taste
optional: 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Preparation

1. In a 10 inch skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and cook until translucent, then add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds Add the orzo to the pan and turn the heat up to medium. Allow the orzo to toast while stirring. You can go lighter or darker with the toasting. As the orzo browns, it will develop a nutty flavor.
2. Turn down the heat to medium-low and stir in the corn kernels, lemon juice, thyme, tarragon, and chives. Add 1/4 cup of water or stock. Stir frequently to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom of the pan. When the liquid is absorbed, add another 1/4 cup liquid. Repeat until a total of 1 1/2 cups liquid is added  to the pan and is absorbed by the orzo. Reserve the last 1/4 cup.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the last of the water or stock, pine nuts (if using) and salt and pepper to taste.

creamy delicious strawberry ice cream–without an ice cream maker

I don’t have an ice cream maker.

I also don’t have a microwave oven and I don’t have a television. But am I missing anything? Absolutely not! I made this ice cream using fresh cream and strawberries without an ice cream maker. It was quick and easy to make, however, the freezing part took twelve hours. So eating it requires a little patience. If you want it for dessert that evening, then make it in the morning.  Aside from the usual cream, fruit, and condensed milk, this recipe calls for some unexpected ingredients, like white chocolate chips and vodka, which you never taste in the ice cream. It wasn’t as creamy as I had hoped, and I don’t understand the alchemy let alone the chemistry of ice cream making, but it tastes just like fresh strawberry ice cream. The folks at America’s Test Kitchen call it

Magic Strawberry Ice Cream
Makes one quart

INGREDIENTS
8 ounces fresh strawberries, hulled (1 1/2 cups) [Cook’s Note: frozen thawed strawberries can be substituted for fresh]
1/2  cup sweetened condensed milk
1 ounce white chocolate chips
1  tablespoon vodka
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch salt
1 1/4 cups heavy cream, chilled

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Process strawberries in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds (puree should measure about 3⁄4 cup). Microwave sweetened condensed milk, white chocolate chips, and vodka in large bowl until chocolate melts, about 1 minute, whisking halfway through cooking. Whisk in strawberry puree, vanilla, and salt.

Cook’s Note: In lieu of a microwave, I melted the chocolate chips into the vodka and condensed milk in a double boiler. I made a double boiler out of a saucepan and a small glass mixing bowl which rested on the rim just above half a pan of water. First bring the water to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Stir the milk, chips, and vodka until the chips melt. The condensed milk mixture will thin. Be careful and use a pot holder to remove the hot bowl from the saucepan.

2. Using a stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip cream on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form, 1 to 3 minutes. Whisk one-third of whipped cream into strawberry mixture, then gently fold in remaining whipped cream, 1 scoop at a time, until combined. Freeze in airtight container until firm, 6-12 hours, depending on the freezer. The ice cream will keep in the freezer for up to 2 weeks–if it lasts that long!  Serve.

Cook’s Note: I should have added I don’t have a fancy (read: Kitchenaid) stand mixer either. I used a Black and Decker hand held mixer (cost me Canadian $15.00 three years ago) with a whisk attachment to whip the cream. You’ll know you have soft peaks when you raise the beaters and the peaks just bend over.

pan-fried fish fillets with mediterranean tomato sauce

I’ve been cooking a lot with tomatoes lately!  Tomatoes are so versatile raw or cooked, so naturally, I had to try this new fish recipe. According to myrecipes.com, this recipe, if made with 6 ounce yellowtail snapper fillets with the skin on, amounts to 282 calories per serving. I used tilapia because it was available (and cheaper) but I think any white fish will do. The sauce has a nice light taste; not overpoweringly tomato-y. In fact,  all the flavors of the herbs come through, so be sure to use fresh as directed in the recipe.

Pan-Fried Fish with Mediterranean Tomato Sauce (adapted from myrecipes.com)

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons butter
2 cups chopped seeded plum tomato
1 1/2 tablespoons capers
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (flat-leaf parsley in original recipe)
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper or to taste
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 pounds tilapia fillets (approximately 2 large fillets)

1. In a medium skillet heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add tomato to the pan and cook 6 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the capers, Dijon mustard, and minced garlic. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 2 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley, chives, and tarragon. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper to taste. Cover the skillet to keep warm.

2. In a large nonstick skillet heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle fish with about 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper per side. Add fish to the pan and cook for 3 minutes or until browned. Turn the fish over; cook 3 minutes or until the fish turns white and flakes easily with a fork. Serve fish with the warmed sauce.