Cranberry Sauce with Asian Flavors

It is Thanksgiving here tomorrow in the US and we've started preparing. My son, Stephen has decided that we are going to do an Asian version of all the standard dishes. So, for the main course, we are having Lacquered Roast Duck with Sticky Rice cooked with Chinese Sausage, Green Onions, Water Chestnuts and Ginger (previous post). For the vegetable, we are making Green Beans with King Oyster Mushrooms and fried Shallots. There will also be an Asian Hasselback Potato dish too and we haven't decided on the other vegetable, but it will most likely be a Cucumber Salad (previous post).

I decided today to make an Asian inspired Cranberry Sauce, a bit more savory than the usual and flavored with Five Spice Powder. I use the Dynasty brand and it is made up of the following warming spices:  Cinnamon, Star Anise, Fennel, Cloves, Ginger, Licorice, Szechuan Pepper and White Pepper. There are obviously more than 5, but the first 5 are the most important. These spices aid digestion and are ubiquitous in Chinese cooking. I've always thought of the popularity of Five Spice Powder in Chinese cooking as the equivalent of Pumpkin Spice in the US, only savory!  

To make this Cranberry Sauce, I first sautéed some Shallot, added in some diluted Chicken Broth (or you can use Vegetable Broth), the Five Spice Powder, Rock Sugar and a little Sea Salt too. I used half as much Sugar as is usual and the bit of Salt helps balance it all. The Rock Sugar isn't absolutely necessary, but it is a bit less sweet than either Brown Sugar or White Sugar. I buy the light golden colored Rock Salt and use it for many Asian dishes so it's worth having it around. When using Brown or White Sugar, use just a bit less. I absolutely loved this Sauce and will probably make it every year from now on. Happy Thanksgiving!

Cranberry Sauce with Asian Flavors

 

12 ounces fresh Cranberries

¼ cup minced Shallots

1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil

1 cup diluted Chicken or Vegetable Broth (½ cup Water and ½ cup Broth)

½ cup Rock Sugar 

½ teaspoon Salt

¼ teaspoon Five Spice Powder

 

Rinse the Cranberries in a strainer and pick out any soft ones and rinse. In a small saucepan, heat the Oil and add in the Shallots. Cook, stirring often until you can smell their fragrance and then add in the Cranberries, Broth, Rock Sugar, Salt and Five Spice Powder. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the Cranberries pop and the sauce thickens, about 10 - 15 minutes. Cool and refrigerate until ready to use. 

Five Element Analysis

Cranberries, with their bright red color, belong primarily to the Fire Element. But they are also very tart, which contributes the Wood Element and the Broth adds even more. The Shallots and Five Spice Powder make sure the Metal Element is present and the Rock Sugar makes sure the Earth Element is there too. Only the Water Element is missing, which can easily be found in one of the other dishes on the table and is why this sauce is perfect for Duck!

Spiced Cranberry Sauce

It's almost Thanksgiving and I am going to my daughter-in-law's family Thanksgiving Dinner and I am bringing my Gluten Free Dressing and Gravy. But I also decided to make a Cranberry Sauce because I like mine to be a bit more tart and more like a Chutney. My son Stephen was over today and he commented that he always liked the Cranberry Relish that had the flavor of Orange, except that it didn't keep well and thought we could use those same flavors in a cooked sauce and I wanted to add some spice. So, we zested the outside of one Orange and squeezed the juice out of it along with another Orange and then added in some Cinnamon and Cloves. We were going to add in some grated Ginger, but I had the idea of using candied Ginger instead, as I just bought some. We only used 3/4 of a cup of Brown Sugar, but you can add more if you like it sweeter  We loved this Cranberry Sauce so we are sharing it with you and will happily serve it alongside our Turkey in two days - Happy Thanksgiving!

Spiced Cranberry Sauce

12 ounces fresh Cranberries

1 cup fresh squeezed Orange Juice (from about 2 Navel Oranges)

¾ cup – 1 cup Brown Sugar

¼ cup minced Candied Ginger

1 teaspoon Orange Zest

½ teaspoon ground Cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground Cloves

Use a microplane and zest one of the Oranges. Then squeeze the Juice our of the Oranges and add to a saucepan (If you don't have 1 cup, add in some Water). Rinse the Cranberries in a strainer and pick out any soft ones and place them in the saucepan. Add in the Brown Sugar, Candied Ginger, Orange Zest, Cinnamon and Cloves. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the Cranberries pop and the sauce thickens, about 10 - 15 minutes. Cool and refrigerate until ready to use. 

Five Element Analysis

Cranberries belong primarily to the Fire Element due to their bright red color. But they are very sour so they also bring in some of the Wood Element too. The Orange Zest brings in even more of the Fire Element and the Juice, because it is sweet, adds some Earth. The Brown Sugar adds in even more Earth. The Ginger bridges both Earth and Metal and the Cinnamon and Cloves contributes the Metal Element. So, if you make sure to have a Water food to serve this with, you will already have found some balance. 

Cranberry Relish with Middle Eastern Flavors

It's Thanksgiving tomorrow and I've had a fun day prepping. Several things are best made ahead so that the cooking doesn't get overwhelming the day of the big dinner. And, every year I have to take at least one dish and change it up so that the meal doesn't get too traditional. This year I chose to change the Cranberry Sauce and convert it into a slightly more savory relish. I decided to go with some vaguely Middle Eastern flavors as I decided on using Pomegranate Molasses instead of Vinegar. That led me to adding some chopped Dates and Honey and some Shallots sautéed in Olive Oil. I also added a tiny bit of Cinnamon to give it that special flavor and some Chicken Broth to make it more savory. It reminded me a bit of Fessenjan without the Walnuts and I love it!  I did make a regular, simpler Cranberry Sauce for the purists in my family, but I am very pleased with this new version - it's tart and tangy with a deep sweetness from the Honey and Dates and savory too from the Chicken Broth and Shallots. This may be a regular on my Thanksgiving table!

Cranberrry Relish with Middle Eastern Flavors

1 12 oz bag of fresh Cranberries, washed and picked over (remove soft ones)

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 Shallots, minced

1/4 cup chopped Dates

3 Tablespoons Honey

1/4 cup Pomegranate Molasses (can substitute Lemon Juice)

1 large clove Garlic, Minced
1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1/4 cup Chicken Broth (can also use Vegetable Broth or Water)

In a large frying pan, heat the oil and add the Shallots and Garlic. Cook until softened. Stir in the Dates, Honey, Pomegranate Molasses, Chicken Broth and Salt. Cook until the Cranberries pop stirring frequently and the sauce is thickened. Chill to serve later.

Five Element Analysis

Cranberries belong to the Fire Element as does the Pomegranate Molasses, but they are both so sour that they bring in the Wood Element too. The Chicken Broth adds more of the Wood Element. The Fire Element is represented by the Dates and Honey and the Garlic and Shallots contribute the Metal Element. Only the Water Element is missing so this condiment would also be great with Fish or Pork and is a good Fire Element addition to a multi course meal like Thanksgiving!

Tomato and Date Chutney

I have been in Australia and just finished up teaching. After having eaten out so much, I decided that I desperately needed to cook and luckily, I am staying in a lovely apartment in Melbourne and so I made dinner tonight so I finally have something more to post. 

One of the condiments I have enjoyed most during my Australian lecture tour has been the various Tomato Chutneys I have had with eggs and burgers. Tonight I made my own with the help of my son and it turned out fantastic. We used a large Tomato and some Dates with Shallots as the base note, Dates as the major sweetness and Lemon Juice as the top note.  We ate it with a steak and it was the star of the dinner! I wanted to lick the bowl.... I will definitely be making this again. It had just the right sweetness and bright tartness to make the meal. I encourage you to try this one. It made just enough for three steaks and we didn't have any left over or I definitely would serve it again with some eggs tomorrow morning. Next time I will make a lot more - it's that good!

Tomato and Date Chutney

1 large Tomato, stem end removed and cut into small pieces

2 large Dates, seed removed and cut into small pieces

1 large Shallot, diced

1 Tablespoon Butter

1 Chicken Bouillon Cube, crumbled

1/3 cup or more Hot Water 

2 teaspoons Sugar

In a small frying pan, melt the butter and add in the diced Shallot. Cook until soft. Then add in the Tomato and Dates and stir.  In a small measuring cup, mix together the Chicken Bouillon with the Hot Water and Sugar and stir to combine. Add to the Tomato/Date mixture.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring often or until the Chutney thickens.  If it gets too thick add more Water one Tablespoonful at a time. Serve over Steak, Burgers, Grilled Fish or Eggs.

Five Element Analysis

Tomatoes belong to the Fire Element and the Dates and Sugar bring in the Earth Element.  The Shallot contributes the Metal Element and the Chicken Bouillon adds in the Wood Element.  Only the Water Element is missing, which is why it would be so great with Eggs or Fish to create a Five Element balance.

Black and White Gomasio - Japanese Sesame Salt

For all of you who explored Macrobiotic cooking, you will recognize this condiment as it is one of the mainstays of that diet. It's been a long time since I had it and I recently saw it for sale at a health food store and I was inspired to make it again at home. It is really easy to make and so good with rice, especially brown rice.  It's a mixture of Sesame Seeds and Salt and that's it. The ratio varies between 12 parts Sesame to 1 part Salt up to 15 parts Sesame to 1 part Salt. I like my Gomasio a little less salty so I use the 15 to 1 ratio. To make it, you toast the Sesame Seeds and smash them a bit to give the final product a texture that is both soft and crunchy.  I like to mix both Black and White Sesame Seeds together as I think it is more beautiful, although White Sesame Seeds are more traditional.  It's so simple and oh so good for you. Sesame Seeds are considered one of the best foods for the Kidneys and the Black Sesame Seeds in particular are thought to help you grow hair. I would eat them just for that reason, but luckily this little condiment is also delicious!

Black and White Gomasio

3 Tablespoons White Sesame Seeds

2 Tablespoons Black Sesame Seeds

1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt

Heat the Sesame Seeds in a small frying pan and cook until they smell toasted, pushing down with the back of the spatula to smash some of the Sesame Seeds. Then add in Salt and continue to stir until Salt is mixed in. Remove to a bowl and cool and put into an airtight glass jar. Serve over Rice.

Five Element Analysis

This is purely a Water Element Food as Sesame Seeds and Sea Salt all belong to this element.  Rice is Metallic when White and more Earthy when Brown, but clearly this needs to be part of a bigger meal to create a Five Element balance.

Sharon's Roasted Garlic

I recently had a meal at an Italian restaurant where the flavor of Roasted Garlic stuck with me and I have been craving it ever since! I don't know why I don't make it more often, as it is so good and my friend Sharon once taught me her special way of making Roasted Garlic that I think is the best way out there. She tops the garlic with a big piece of Salted Butter and then surrounds it in Chicken Broth, covering it while it bakes in the oven. I think this is the most flavorful method of roasting garlic. I think the Chicken Broth makes it more savory.  If you don't want to use Chicken Broth, I'm sure Vegetable Broth would be good too. Once the Roasted Garlic is done, there are so many things you can do with it. One of the best is to make it into a garlic spread to eat on top of crackers or toasted baguettes. It's also wonderful in mashed potatoes or other mashed root vegetables or as the base of a pasta sauce. You can use it as a base for a white pizza or as a pizza topping or mixed with mayo for a sandwich spread. It can be mixed with butter for a vegetable sauce or eaten straight out of the oven. Roasted Garlic gives you the flavor of Garlic in a luxurious sweet, smooth and mellow way. The magic is in how it caramelizes in the oven. The longer you cook the Roasted Garlic, the deeper the color and the milder the flavor. I like my Roasted Garlic to just start caramelizing as I think it has the most Garlic flavor at that  point. Roasted Garlic is so easy to make and so delicious, it needs to be something I make much more often!

Sharon's Roasted Garlic

1 large head of Garlic

1 slice of Salted Butter

Chicken Broth - approximately 1/2 cup

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Wash the Garlic under warm running water and pull away most of the outer skin. Make sure to wash the root end thoroughly. Then take a sharp knife and cut off the top 1/4" of the top of the head of Garlic.  Place in a small baking dish and put the slice of Butter on top of the cut side of Garlic. Pour Chicken Broth around the head of garlic until it comes halfway up the side.  Cover and bake in the oven for 40 minutes for a small head of Garlic and 50 - 60 minutes for a large head. Cook until the center garlic clove is soft and the individual cloves start to brown and caramelize.  Cool and use by pulling off each Garlic Clove and squeezing the Roasted Garlic out.  

Five Element Analysis

Garlic belongs to the Metal Element and this cooked Garlic still retains some of it's pungent flavor, but because it cooks so long and gets so soft, it becomes an Earth food. The Butter contributes more of the Metal Element and the Chicken Broth brings in the Wood Element.  Roasted Garlic certainly needs to be served with other foods, but adds a good amount of Metal and Earth when used as a flavoring in a meal.

Fresh Chili Garlic Sauce

I use a lot of Chile Garlic Sauce in my Chinese cooking and today I realized that I was out of it and my local grocery store didn't carry it. But, I did find Red Jalapeños so I decided to make some fresh Chile Garlic Sauce to go with the Hainan Chicken I had already cooked. I've actually never used Red Jalapeños before and when I ate a little piece of it, I was surprised how mild it was and how delicious.There is a subtle sweetness to it, much like a Red Bell Pepper with a little more heat. I fell in love instantly! 

I decided to keep the sauce simple. I tossed the Red Jalapeños into the Cuisinart and added two Garlic Cloves. I then seasoned it with a little salt and added a little oil to make it smoother and just a pinch of sugar and then I pureed it. I was thrilled at how delicious this simple little sauce turned out to be! If you don't have a food processor, I am sure that you could also mince up the ingredients finely and mash them with a mortar and pestle and it would be just as good. If you wanted to make it more of a Southeast Asian Chile Sauce, I would recommend adding a little Fish Sauce instead of the salt. If you want it hotter, you can add some Thai Bird Chiles or a bit of a hot green chili. I only made a little bit as I was testing it and it was the perfect amount for what I needed, but this recipe can easily be doubled or tripled.  Red Jalapeños are going on my grocery list from now on!

Chile Garlic Sauce

4 Red Jalapeño Chiles

2 Garlic Cloves

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 Tablespoon of neutral flavored Oil (I used Safflower)

1/4 teaspoon Sugar

Stem the Red Jalapeños and cut in half to remove the seeds. Place in a food processor and add the Garlic, Salt, Oil and Sugar.  Puree, stopping several times to push the mixture back down the sides. Remove to a serving bowl.

Five Element Analysis

Chiles of any kind belong to the Fire Element and red ones are even more fiery.  The Garlic brings in the Metal Element and there isn't enough of the other ingredients to make an impact. I served this with Chicken, which is Wood food and another sauce made of Tamari and Sesame Oil and some Scallions, which brought in the Water Element and a bit more Metal. I also served a Cucumbers, an Earth food as a salad to create a balanced Five Element meal.

Tomato Spread with Cumin

I often crave dips to go with my extensive collection of Gluten Free Crackers and since I am also not doing dairy, I've gotten somewhat inventive about making tasty spreads and dips to go with them. Today I decided to use several very ripe tomatoes and make something that is halfway between a spread I had in Israel that had roasted red peppers in it and Indian Tomato Chutney.  It was a simple concoction seasoned with cooked onions, garlic and cumin seeds. I added just a hint of sugar and for me it turned out just right.  It's simple to make and wonderful on crackers!  I think it would also be good as a Bruschetta topping and also with goat cheese.  It's tastes even better the next day and my son spread it on his English Muffin before putting his fried egg on top and thought it was delicious. During the winter, I am sure it would be good made with canned San Marzano Tomatoes too but it will likely need more sugar. I'm definitely going to serve this as an appetizer for a dinner party soon.

Tomato Spread with Cumin

3 large Tomatoes, stem removed and chopped

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 large Garlic Cloves, minced

1/2 cup chopped Red Onion

1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds

1/2 teaspoon Sugar

In a large frying pan, heat the oil and add in the onions and cook until they are soft. Then add in the Garlic and the Cumin Seeds. Cook until you can smell the Cumin, then add in the Tomatoes and the Sugar. Cook stirring until the Tomatoes break down and soften - about 5 minutes.  Reduce heat and continue to cook, stirring frequently until the if becomes a paste. Serve warm or cold with Crackers or Grilled Baguette slices.

Five Element Analysis

Tomatoes belong to the Fire Family as they are so beautifully red. The Onions and Garlic Contribute the Metal Element as do the Cumin Seeds and the Rice Crackers, if you are serving these.  The Olive Oil and the Grilled Bread (or Wheat Crackers) contribute the Wood Element. Only the small bit of Sugar brings in the Earth Element and the Water Element is missing completely. So, be sure to serve this before a meal that contributes those elements.

3 Day Homemade Dill Pickles

When I was going to UCLA, I used to stop at this little country store on the way home in the Canyon and buy Dill Pickles. Later I spent a lot of time at Art's Deli and my favorite thing there was the Half Sour Pickles. I would order a lot so I would alway be able to take some home. I once made my own years ago and loved them and kept that recipe, which I just found. So I went and found some small little Kirby cucumbers at my local PCC Market. I grabbed a bunch and made the pickles straight away. The recipe was a newspaper clipping from long ago and I believe it was from the LA Times so I will give them credit. I altered it a bit to make these and was very pleased at the result. They only took 3 days to make and were just like Deli Pickles the first few days after that. Then I left them in the fridge to go on a trip and came back and they were like the barrel pickles I used to buy. I forgot to photograph until this stage, so that's what you are seeing in the photo.  I love them both ways and fermented foods are so good for me that I plan on making my own pickles from now on!

Homemade Dill Pickles

6 – 8 Kirby Cucumbers - the smaller the better, washed

4 cups Water

2 Tablespoons Salt

1 teaspoon Dried Dill Seed

¼ teaspoon Whole Black Peppercorns

1 teaspoon Pickling Spice

4 large Garlic Cloves

Optional:  1 Jalapeno Pepper, sliced

Soak the cucumbers in a bowl of water while making the brine.

Bring water and salt to a boil. Cool down until just warm and add in the Dill Seed, Whole Peppercorns and Pickling Spices. 

Pack a large jar with the cucumbers and wedge them in tightly. Drop in garlic cloves and Jalapeno pieces (if using). Then pour the brine over the pickles.  Cover and leave on the kitchen counter for three days – opening the jar at least once a day. Serve after the third day and refrigerate from that point on. They will still be quite crisp the first few days and then they will get softer and more sour over time.

Five Element Analysis

Pickles by their very nature are sour, so they are considered first and foremost a Wood Food. But because they are pickled in salt water, there is quite a bit of the Water Element present.  Cucumbers in their original state are an Earth food so that Element is present a little as well.  The Fire Element is present if you use the Jalapeno Pepper and the Metal Element is present in the Garlic and the Spices. No one would ever expect Pickles to a balanced food, but they are more balanced little snack or condiment than you think! 

Stephen's Sichuan Chili Oil and Sichuan Chili Oil Wonton Sauce

Whenever I have a recipe that calls for Sichuan Chili Oil, I usually grab a bottle or premade stuff from an Asian market.  That one is made with Sesame Oil and red chiles and it's kind of a one-note heat. For authentic Sichuan food, you need to make the Chili Oil yourself. There are many recipes, but the one my son made with me yesterday was so good, that I have to share it with you.  We only made a small amount as we were experimenting and then we used the oil tonight to make a sauce for Spicy Sichuan Wontons.  However, we also ended up sprinkling it on the fried rice - it was that good!

The recipe is simple.  Heat up some neutral flavored oil and add garlic, green onions, ginger and Sichuan Peppercorns with a bunch of red chili flakes and when it the garlic is cooked, you add salt and let cool.  Then you let it sit overnight so it turns a lovely clear red color, strain it and use as desired. That's all it takes to make a delicious Sichuan Chili Oil that can be used in many ways!

Stephen's Sichuan Chili Oil

1 cup Safflower Oil

2 cloves garlic, smashed

2 green onions, trimmed and cut into 3 inch pieces

2" piece of ginger, peeled and smashed

1 Tablespoon Red Chile flakes

1 Tablespoon Sichuan Peppercorns

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a small frying pan, heat the oil with the garlic, green onion, ginger, Chile flakes and Sichuan Peppercorns.  Cook until the garlic is golden brown - about 15 minutes. Pour into a bowl. When cool, remove the  garlic, ginger and green onion and then put into a jar.  Seal and let sit overnight in the refrigerator.  Then strain and reseal to use for up to several months. 

To make Sichuan Chili Oil Wonton Sauce:

1/4 cup Sichuan Chili Oil

1 Tablespoon Tamari

1 Tablespoon Black Vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons Dried Marinated Mustard Greens reconstituted in small amount of boiling water

Heat the Sichuan Chili Oil in a small frying pan.  Add the Tamari, Black Vinegar, sugar and drained Mustard Greens. Cook until heated thoroughly and pour over boiled wontons (we used Trader Joe's Chicken Wontons cooked for 2 minutes in boiling water).  

Five Element Analysis

This is clearly a Fire food as evidenced by its' lovely red color and the heat of the chiles and Sichuan Peppercorns.  However, the garlic and onion bring in the Metal Element and the Ginger contributes the Earth Element and the salt brings in a bit of the Water Element. Only the Wood Element is missing so this sauce is especially good when combined with Chinese Black Vinegar - a Wood food and Soy Sauce - a Water food and Dried Marinated Mustard Greens - a Fire food because it is dried and a Wood food because its a leafy green vegetable.