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Dinner, Dressing, Lactose Free, Recipes, Salad, Side Dishes, Vegetarian

Green Goddess Dressing

March 25, 2024

Here’s a lactose free green goddess dressing for those of us who are unable to digest lactose. Green Valley lactose free yogurt comes in handy for all sorts of recipes such as bread, cake and even popsicles. If regular dairy products suit you, go ahead and use your favorite brand of yogurt. Using a good mayonnaise is essential in this recipe as is seeking out the freshest herbs you can find.

This is one of the easiest and tastiest dressings you can make. It definitely falls into the rich category of dressings given that its main ingredient is mayonnaise, so I make it for special occasions or when I have a produce drawer full of crispy romaine hearts.

For a stunning salad, arrange steamed diced beets and avocado over green goddess dressing.

A green goddess dressed salad with a side of sourdough bread makes a splendid meal.

Green Goddess Dressing
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Green Goddess Dressing

Recipe by Kiyo
Servings

1 1/2 c

servings

Adapted from NYT Cooking

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons drained capers

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise

  • 1/3 cup full fat plain lactose free yogurt (or regular yogurt)

  • 1 cup coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley

  • 1/2 cup roughly chopped basil

  • 1/8 teaspoon finely grated garlic

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided

  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped tarragon

  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives

  • kosher salt

  • freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  • In a food processor (or use an immersion blender) combine the capers, mayonnaise, yogurt, parsley, basil, grated garlic and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Process until smooth and uniformly green. Transfer to a lidded jar, and stir in the tarragon, chives, a few dashes of kosher salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed with salt, pepper and reserved 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice.

Notes

  • Store dressing in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Dinner, Eggs, Japanese, Kimchi, Korean, Lactose Free, Pork, Recipes, Rice Dishes, Side Dishes

Kimchi Spam Musubi

March 17, 2024

I’ve been on a kimchi kick for a while now. It’s fun to incorporate this Korean staple into all sorts of dishes that not long ago I would have never considered. One of the best accompaniments for kimchi is rice. The soft and chewy grains of white rice show off the spicy and garlicky kimchi perfectly. Add some Spam and you’ve got yourself the best snack ever.

If you don’t make your own kimchi, pick up your favorite brand at the market. I always have a couple of cans of Spam tucked away in the cupboard. Sometimes I use it for Spam musubi, other times I fry pieces until super crispy and eat it with fried eggs and rice. Ono!

Spam straight out of the can is not exactly appetizing. A quick crisping up in a frying pan remedies that. For this recipe the Spam is fried then coated with a mixture of soy sauce and brown sugar. It’s the perfect seasoning for the salty Spam and works great for making kimchi musubi.

The kimchi is cooked with eggs and green onions then cut into pieces to fit the musubi mold.

The first layer is rice and a sprinkling of furikake.

The Spam goes on next, followed by the kimchi omelet.

One more shake of furikake over the kimchi omelet.

A little more rice on the kimchi omelet before pressing together and folding with the nori.

Sriracha mayo is the perfect dip for this snack.

This is one of the best snacks I know of. I made Spam musubi for my grandson to take on the plane when he traveled back to the mainland. He adores Spam musubi and said to his mom “I just want to hug it!”

Kimchi Spam Musubi
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Kimchi Spam Musubi

Recipe by Kiyo
Servings

8

servings

Special equipment: Spam musubi mold

Ingredients

  • 3 rice cooker cups short or medium grain white rice, cooked according to rice cooker directions

  • 1 can original Spam, sliced into 8 pieces

  • 3 tablespoons light brown sugar

  • 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

  • 4 large eggs, whisked

  • 1/2 cup chopped kimchi, drained and roughly chopped

  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced

  • 4 sheets sushi nori cut in half (on the long side) to make 8 pieces

  • nori-sesame furikake

  • Sriracha mayo (optional)

Directions

  • Once rice is done cooking remove to a bowl, cover and cool to room temperature.
  • Mix together the brown sugar and soy sauce. Set aside.
  • Fry Spam slices over medium heat until lightly browned. Turn heat down to low, add brown sugar and soy sauce mixture. Turn Spam pieces over to coat well. Let sauce thicken a bit (turn heat up if needed) before transferring Spam to a plate to cool.
  • Combine whisked eggs, kimchi and green onions in a small bowl. Place tamagoyaki (Japanese omelet pan) or small fry pan over low heat. Coat the pan well with canola or vegetable oil. Pour egg mixture in the pan and cook on low heat, flipping once to cook both sides evenly, trying not to let the egg brown (adjust heat if needed). Transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 8 rectangular pieces.
  • To assemble musubi, place musubi mold over center of nori (shiny side face down). Spoon a little rice in the mold then press firmly with the musubi mold press. Sprinkle furikake over rice. Place 1 piece of Spam over the rice followed by a piece of kimchi egg. Sprinkle a little furikake over the egg. Add more rice then press firmly. Remove musubi mold and wrap nori around rice tightly (be careful not to tear nori). Trim excess nori. Continue making the rest of the musubi. Serve with sriracha mayo.

Notes

  • I use a small piece of plastic wrap to cover the top portion (the press) of the musubi mold so the rice doesn’t stick to it when pressing down.
  • Musubi is best eaten right away or within a few hours. If you have leftovers, wrap each one in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer ziplock bag in the refrigerator for up to a day. To refresh musubi, remove plastic wrap and place musubi on a microwavable plate. Microwave for 15 seconds, flip over and microwave for another 10 seconds or until just warm.
Breakfast, Cheese, Dinner, Eggs, Recipes, Sandwiches

Cheesy Eggs Kejriwal

February 29, 2024

Named after the late Devi Prasad Kejriwal, this iconic egg dish was created in the 1960s at the Royal Willingdon Sports Club in Mumbai. As the legend goes, Mr. Kejriwal’s family did not consume eggs (they were vegetarians but he loved eggs) so he got his egg fix at the club. He asked the waiters to make him eggs on toast with melted cheese and green chiles. Soon, others at the club were asking the waiters to bring them what Kejriwal was having and the rest is history. In 2016 the New York Times called Eggs Kejriwal one of the best dishes of the year. And little wonder: It is so delicious.

There’s nothing fancy about this dish even though it originated at a prestigious sports club. Sometimes just a few humble ingredients can be turned into something truly delightful.

You can switch out the red onion for white, and use jalapeños instead of serranos.

There are many versions of Eggs Kejriwal that exist today. Make it your own by using your favorite cheese (a good melting cheese) such as pepper jack. You can’t go wrong with sharp cheddar cheese which I used here.

Some versions of this dish spread Dijon mustard over the toasted bread before layering on the other ingredients. Now that I’ve made this a few times, I wouldn’t have it any other way. The mustard adds a pleasant zing to the dish that’s most welcome with the rich melted cheese and fried egg.

Ooooh! Melted cheddar with cilantro, serrano peppers and onions on toasted sourdough bread waiting for a perfectly fried egg.

I can’t think of a better breakfast or lunch than Eggs Kejriwal. It is spicy, cheesy and very comforting.

Cheesy Eggs Kejriwal
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Cheesy Eggs Kejriwal

Recipe by Kiyo
Servings

2

servings

Adapted from Food & Wine magazine

Ingredients

  • 2 slices sourdough bread or bread of your choice

  • 2 tablespoons butter, divided

  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

  • 1 cup (2 ounces or 57g) grated sharp cheddar or substitute with your favorite melty cheese

  • 1 serrano chile, finely chopped, plus a few slices for garnish (or jalapeño)

  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

  • 1/4 cup (.05 ounces or 15g) red onion, thinly sliced

  • 2 large eggs

  • Kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  • Toast the bread slices to a light golden brown and spread with 1 tablespoon of butter, or butter bread and brown in a skillet. Add mustard to one side of each bread. Combine cheese, chile, cilantro, and onion in a bowl and toss to blend. Divide cheese mixture between the bread slices and pile on top. Place bread on a baking sheet.
  • Turn toaster oven broiler to high (or heat oven broiler on high) with oven rack 6 inches from heat. Broil the cheese-topped bread until the cheese has melted, about 3 minutes, checking occasionally to avoid burning the toast.
  • Meanwhile, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Crack eggs into skillet and sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper. Cook eggs until the whites are firm and the yolks are runny, about 4 minutes, adjusting heat as needed. Top each piece of bread with the fried egg, reserved chiles and cilantro. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Taste the chile to see how spicy it is before adding all of it to the cheese mixture. Chiles from markets can vary in heat. Use the amount that suits your taste.
Dinner, Lactose Free, Mexican, Recipes, Rice Dishes

Easy Salsa Rice

February 21, 2024

If you happen to have a bit of leftover salsa and are wondering how you might use it (other than finishing off those last corn chips in the bag), give this easy salsa rice recipe a try. It’s similar to my Sopa de Arroz recipe but saves time by incorporating prepared salsa. It is my favorite accompaniment to any Mexican meal.

If the salsa you are using is very chunky, give it a few pulses in a food processor or an immersion blender if you have one.

Any red salsa will work whether mild or spicy. Let your own taste be the guide.

It’s essential to rinse and dry the rice well. This quick step will remove excess starch which can make rice clumpy and overly sticky. You want fluffy, separate grains for this recipe.

Once the oil is hot, stir in the rice and continue stirring until the rice takes on a very light golden color.

The salsa is added to the rice and continuously stirred to coat each grain. Watch the bottom of the pan to avoid burning the salsa.

Finally, the broth, salt, and chile powder are added to the rice.

Left uncovered, the broth is absorbed by the rice until nearly gone. Small holes will appear on the surface of the rice. Now it’s time to put the lid on and cook the rice for 20 minutes. Absolutely no peeking. The lid must stay on for the duration of the cooking time as well as after the timer goes off.

The rice has rested in the covered pot for 20 minutes. Now it is ready to be fluffed and served.

The salsa rice is delicious in a burrito or served with your favorite Mexican dishes. Warm the rice up for breakfast with cheesy scrambled eggs and corn tortillas.

Easy Salsa Rice
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Easy Salsa Rice

Recipe by Kiyo
Servings

6

servings

Ingredients

  • 2 cups long grain rice

  • 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil

  • 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon tomato salsa of your choice (if very chunky give it a few pulses in a food processor)

  • 3 cups chicken broth

  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt or 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

  • 1 teaspoon mild pure chile powder such as Hatch Mild Red Chile Powder from The Chile Shop online store) optional

Directions

  • Rinse rice in a sieve to remove excess starch. Drain very well, tapping the bottom of the sieve to remove any water collected on the bottom. Place the sieve on a clean kitchen towel to drain further while you heat your pan. This step is essential for giving your rice a fluffy texture and grains that remain separate.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil in a large multi-purpose pot with lid or Dutch oven (wider bottom works better than narrow and tall pot) over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, turn heat to medium and add drained rice. Coat rice with oil and stir constantly until rice takes on a very light golden color, about 5 minutes.
  • Turn heat down to low and add salsa. Stir continuously for a minute or two with a wooden spoon, coating the rice and scraping the bottom of the pan to avoid burning the salsa. Mix in 3 cups of chicken broth, salt and chile powder if using. Turn heat to medium-high and allow liquid to evaporate for about 6-7 minutes or until there is barely any liquid covering the rice and small holes appear on the surface of the rice. Turn heat to low and cover pot. Set your timer for 20 minutes. Do not open the lid while the rice is cooking.
  • Once the timer goes off, turn off the heat. Do not open the lid. Allow rice to sit, covered, for 20 minutes. Remove lid (be careful of the condensation on the inside of lid) and fluff rice with a fork before serving.

Notes

  • Leftover rices can be frozen for a few months.
Appetizers, Dinner, Lactose Free, Mexican, Recipes, Sauces, Summertime Meal, Vegan, Vegetarian

Tomatillo Salsa Cruda

February 14, 2024

This beautiful salsa is so refreshing and very easy to put together. It compliments a wide range of dishes: tacos, scrambled eggs, burritos, quesadillas, tortilla chips and grilled chicken. And since you do not need to cook any of the ingredients you can make this in a jiffy.

This recipe comes from Fermin Nunez, voted best new chef in 2021 by Food & Wine magazine. It caught my attention not only because I love Mexican cuisine, but also because it seemed easy to make. I knew it would be delicious served with tacos I planned for dinner. A little tart from the tomatillos and lime juice, a little spicy from the chiles, this salsa cruda (raw sauce) is delightful.

After a little chopping, everything goes into the food processor for a quick whirl. Lime juice, olive oil and salt are stirred in to balance the flavors. That’s it. The salsa is ready to be served.

Tomatillo based salsas go hand in hand with braised pork tacos and any style of tortilla chips.

Tomatillo Salsa Cruda
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Tomatillo Salsa Cruda

Recipe by Kiyo
Servings

8

servings

Adapted from Food & Wine magazine

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces (about 2 1/2 cups) fresh tomatillos, husked, washed and roughly chopped

  • 4 ounces (about 3/4 cup) red onion, roughly chopped

  • 1 cup packed fresh cilantro (from 1 medium bunch)

  • 2 ounces (2 medium) jalapeños, stemmed and roughly chopped

  • 1 ounce (2) scallions, trimmed and roughly chopped

  • 1/8 ounce (1 medium or 1 1/2 tablespoons) serrano chile, stemmed and roughly chopped

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

Directions

  • Pulse tomatillos, onion, cilantro, jalapeños, scallions, and serrano chile in a food processor until finely chopped, 12-16 pulses, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl. Stir in olive oil, lime juice, and salt. Season with additional salt to taste.

Notes

  • For a milder salsa, remove the pith from the chiles. Salsa will keep well for up to 3 days stored in the refrigerator.
Bread, Cheese, Dinner, Japanese, Recipes, Sandwiches

Japanese Ham Rolls

February 6, 2024

While watching YouTube cooking shows one afternoon, my husband and I came upon Japanese Cooking 101 by Noriko and Yuko. We were impressed by their many interesting recipes as well as the relative simplicity of the recipes. The one that instantly intrigued us was their ham roll. Apparently, most Japanese bakeries offer some version of this tasty roll. The rolls are pillowy, tender and just plain delicious. For a video of how to make the rolls, visit Japanese Cooking 101.

You can make the rolls with just ham, or add some cheese (grated or very thin slices) as we chose to do. Just be sure the ham and cheese are not too thick so you can roll them up easily. The topping of thinly sliced onions adds lots of flavor to each bite. Feel free to use a red or white onion. The finishing touches are a combination of Kewpie mayo and mustard which is drizzled over the top and dusted with aonori (dried green seaweed flakes) before the rolls are baked. We have also used a mixed dried herb dusting with good results as well as toasted sesame seeds.

Once the dough has risen it is divided into 8 pieces which are formed into balls. Cover the dough balls and let rest for 20 minutes before rolling out.

When rolling out the dough try to make a rectangular shape (about 4 1/2 by 7-inches) slightly larger than your ham slices. This makes it easier to roll the dough into an even shape.

Place some of the cheese (if using) on the rolled out dough followed by a slice of ham. If the ham is too large cut it to fit the dough. If too small, cut extra pieces to fill in the empty space. Keep the border of the dough free of ingredients.

Once the cheese and ham are layered on the dough, roll up from the short end and pinch the dough together to seal.

Next, bend the dough over and pinch the two edges together.

Push the dough down to flatten slightly.

With a sharp knife, make a vertical cut leaving 1-inch uncut at the side where the dough has been pinched together.

Gently open up the dough and lay cut side up on a parchment lined baking sheet. Continue with the remaining dough balls. Cover the baking sheet with a clean kitchen towel or the lid that sometimes comes with baking sheets. Let dough rise for about 45 minutes and up to 1 hour until doubled in size.

Once the dough has risen, brush an egg or egg white wash (we like to use dried egg white powder) over the rolls. Squeeze a bit of mayo-mustard mixture over the tops of the rolls. Scatter onions over the top along with aonori, dried herbs of your choice or sesame seeds. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

These ham rolls are spectacular just out of the oven. Eat them while they are still warm. In the rare case you have leftovers, freeze them for that rainy day when you’re craving a satisfying snack.

Japanese Ham Rolls
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Japanese Ham Rolls

Recipe by Kiyo
Servings

8

servings

Special equipment: Stand mixer
Recipe adapted from Japanese Cooking 101

Ingredients

  • Japanese Basic Bread Dough

  • 2 cups (240g) bread flour

  • 1/2 cup (60g) cake flour

  • 1 2/3 teaspoons (5g) instant yeast

  • 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon (30g) granulated sugar

  • 1 teaspoon (5g) fine sea salt

  • 1 tablespoon (10g) dried milk powder

  • 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon (200g) warm whole milk (100-110 degrees)

  • 2 tablespoons (30g) butter, room temperature and cut into small pieces

  • Ham Rolls

  • 1 recipe bread dough above

  • 8 thin slices cheddar cheese or grated cheddar cheese

  • 8 thin slices ham

  • Egg wash: 1 egg + pinch of salt mixed well, or egg white powder mixed according to package directions

  • Kewpie mayonnaise mixed with mustard

  • Thinly sliced red or white onion

  • Aonori, dried mixed herbs or toasted sesame seeds

Directions

  • Combine bread flour, cake flour, yeast, sugar, salt and milk powder in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk to combine. Add milk and start the mixer with the dough hook on medium speed. When dough begins to form a ball after about 8 minutes, add the softened butter, increasing speed to medium-high. Continue to mix for another 4-5 minutes until the butter is completely incorporated scraping down sides of bowl if necessary. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or lid. Leave in a warm place for about 1 hour until the dough has doubled in size.
  • Deflate dough and remove from the bowl to a clean work surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 70g each. Form into small balls (dusting work surface with flour if sticking). Place on a parchment or Silpat lined sheet pan. Cover and let rest for about 20 minutes.
  • Roll out dough into a rectangular shape about 4 1/2×7-inches. Place cheese (if using) on dough followed by a slice of ham leaving the border free of ingredients. Roll from the short edge of the dough tightly like a jelly roll and pinch the seam together. Place the dough on a cutting board and pinch the ends of the roll together. Push dough down to make somewhat flat. Make a vertical cut leaving 1-inch uncut at the side where the dough has been pinched together. Gently open the dough and place on baking pan lined with parchment paper swirl side up. Repeat with the rest of the dough balls. You should be able to fit 8 rolls on one half sheet pan leaving space between the rolls (see photo above). Cover with a clean kitchen towel or sheet pan lid and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
  • While dough is rising, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • After the rolls have doubled in size, brush egg wash over the rolls. Squeeze mayo-mustard mixture on top, add a few pieces of sliced onion and sprinkle with aonori, or dried herb mixture of your choice and/or toasted sesame seeds. Bake for 12 minutes or until browned.

Notes

  • The entire process takes approximately 3 to 3 1/2 hours from start to finish. Make the dough in the morning and you’ll have the most delicious meal ready at lunchtime.
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