Kitchen MacGyver: Lobster Claws

I got a lobster recently. For a long time, as in my life prior to last Thursday, I've been turned off my the idea of getting a lobster because of the outrageous $24/lb price tag I've had in my head. Thinking those lobsters are dense and thick, each one could probably be anywhere between 2-5 lbs, right?

Despite considering myself a logical person, my ability to apply it escapes me when it comes to lobsters and estimating medical costs.

Turns out, lobsters at the grocery store are all about 1 - 1.5lbs, and they're only $13/lb.

I've also been obsessed with the dish Lobster Newberg ever since it was mentioned in the Stepford Wives. Yes, I'm one of those types that can get obsessed easily. Anyway, after concluding that I was going to get an A in my class, I decided to celebrate by making Lobster Newberg. If I didn't make it then, I'd still always have the thought lingering.

My main issue came about while I was removing the meat from the lobster. I've de-meated blue crabs before, no biggie, but one thing lobster has that crab doesn't is really large front claws. It's only happen once before that I run into the dilemma of not having a claw cracker and this time, I really had issues trying to crack the claws by hand.

Solution:

Giant 4 cup Pyrex glass measuring cup.

- wrap the claws in butcher paper
- pound the claws with enough force to crack them, obviously without damaging the measuring cup.

And I still don't have to buy a claw cracker. :)

Texas Summer Readiness: Thai Iced Tea and Cold Brew Coffee

Getting ready for Texas Summer generally means that prepping access to cold drinks and plan things you can do inside since 100 degree weather isn't exactly the best play weather.

I've found that I thoroughly enjoy iced toddy coffee. The beauty of the brewing process is that it is impossible to burn the coffee and burnt coffee is really a flavor that no one should get used to. It also keeps in the refrigerator well. I can wake up in the morning, warm my coffee, add half & half and be out the door with a cup better than anything I've paid for. I got the recipe off of Thug Kitchen: Cold Brew Coffee

Another thing I've been working on is my Thai iced tea. I like it. My boyfriend likes it. I happen to have some of the tea in my closet, so I may as well make it so I have some nice variety in my cold caffeinated drinks. One thing I've been having issues with is the separation. It's what my boyfriend looks for. It's the mark of a good Thai ice tea - at least in restaurants. It's pretty hard to achieve. It is also the point where it causes me a great deal of confusion.

Cheese Diary: Caveman

"I'm looking for a blue that is less sharp than the Roquefort and creamier."

That request describes the Caveman. The Roquefort was so strong that I couldn't eat excessive quantities at once so I toned down the cheese and settled on the Caveman which is currently my favorite blue cheese. It has just the right amount of saltiness, fewer veins of mold, but what also sticks out to me is how it has a kind of fruity aftertaste - a lot like strawberries. I hope they get it back in stock.

Chinese Dumplings for Dummies

I know that dumplings are time consuming, but I feel I've made dumplings enough to where I find the process mildly therapeutic. It's really relaxing and a good activity for when I don't feel like thinking.

Here's the recipe I've gotten good at: Fu Qing Sweet Potato Dumplings

(UPDATE: The blog of the OP for the recipe is messing up - I copied the recipe after having to disable JS and reposted. Sorry for the lack of pretty pictures :(  )

The first time I made them...I think only about 12-15 survived the dumpling formation process. The second time, I made so many I was able to perfect my dumpling making process. 3rd time I made them, they came out really good, but the 4th time I made them I perfected my steaming technique. The key to getting the dough right is making sure you have a good sweet potato, the flesh under the skin is really bright orange and after you boil the sweet potato, the flesh is really sweet on it's own.

Most of the recipes I've seen for dumplings involve flattening the dough wrapper and forming it in your hands. I have to say, that's what causes my casualties when forming the dumplings. I do use the dusting flour, but it doesn't help me too much. The flour sticks to my hands and the dumpling rips apart. So here are my deviations from the recipe above.

Soybean Paste Chicken

I made this recipe a long time ago. I posted it on a blog that was suppose to be an effort between all of my sisters, but no, they suck and I was the main contributor for a while before I just stopped caring. I was about to delete the blog, but my sister told me not to. Good thing too or else I wouldn't have remembered the recipe. Now I can add my edits.

Paste Recipe:

2 medium sized garlic cloves (pressed - as in garlic press, you can chop it finely or crush it in a mortar, that works too. )
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons red miso paste
1 teaspoon water (as needed to thin out paste)
1 teaspoon canola oil

Prior to seeing my original recipe, I was adding soy sauce and now I see why it came out saltier than usual. Anyway, the red miso provides adequate saltiness and flavor compared to the shiro miso I use to use. 

This is a good amount of paste for two (2) palm sized chicken thighs. Given that my palms are not like everyone elses, we'll just go with the deck of cards descriptor sizing. After an adequate coating of bean paste, I placed my chicken thighs on a griddle like pan. I slathered a little bit of bacon fat from this morning on the pan (can't let it go to waste you know.) The garlic still will burn to some degree, but I turned the thighs frequently enough to avoid too much charring on one side. When one of the thighs looks done (cooked all around), I'd place it on a chopping board and cut through to ensure doneness because the thighs are not the same width throughout, place any undercooked pieces on the griddle until done. 

While I was grilling the chicken, I had broccoli and asparagus steaming on top of the rice cooker where the rice was cooking. That's some good efficiency there. 

Cheese Diary: Roquefort

Have you ever seen mold look this good?

I read about Roquefort in a book about microbes that help us in our daily lives. At that point I decided I had to try this cheese. The first hit was a flavor bomb. For me, it was like a concentrated bleu cheese flavor that had a musty, salty after taste. It crumbles nicely. It's good in small doses, but I can't eat too much of it. This is definitely worth a try if you like bleu cheese on the strong side.

Fast Food: Tofu Broccoli Saute

Fortunes have changed for me, but all good things must come to an end. Over the past year, I've come to appreciate the bad that comes with good, but even moreso, the good that comes with the bad. I've grown a fair degree over the past year and I'll welcome the lack of stability and consistency as a way of keeping things interesting.

Anyway, given that at some point in my life, I was a poor college student I have this natural switch I can move to when I feel the need to save more money:

more cooking - less eating out
more tofu - less meat

more vegetables
more rice
more oatmeal

Following this example after realizing that I was spending a lot of money eating out, planning out my meals and cooking at home more opened up funds to allow me move into the percentage of Americans who don't have credit card debt. Yay!

Anyway, here is the base:

1/2 block medium firm tofu
1.5 cups broccoli florets
3 tbsp soy sauce mixed with 1/2 cup water
1 tsp mustard
kimchi

Directions:

Cube the block of tofu and toss into a pan of hot canola oil. Toss occasionally until the tofu is a light yellow.

Add all the broccoli florets, soy sauce water mix and cover. Steam until the broccoli is tender.

Add the mustard. Mix. remove heat. Enjoy with rice and a small side of kimchi.