German Style Sausage and New Potato Salad

We had a barbecue the other night and cooked way too much for the number of people there.  There were a lot of grilled sausages left over  And, here in Denmark, people are crazy about their new potatoes. They eat them very simply - they boil them and add butter and salt.  Anyway, we ended up with a lot of those left over too.  So, the next day, I decided to pull up my German ancestry and created a Sausage and Potato Salad that I brought for lunch to the class I was teaching. It was a big hit!  It's a simple salad that tastes strongly of mustard, which works so well with the sausages.  It's also such a great hearty salad for a filling lunch. I served mine with a baby lettuce salad with lots of fresh tomatoes and a light vinaigrette. I love finding ways to use leftovers, but if you like this salad, you can also make it from scratch by boiling the potatoes first and cutting up sausages and browning them in a frying pan before mixing them into a salad.  It tastes better after sitting for a few hours as it brings the flavors together and I think it is even better the next day.

German Style Sausage and New Potato Salad

1 pound already boiled new potatoes, cut into half or quarters depending on the size

1 pound sausages already cooked and sliced ¼ inch thick – mixed (Polish Sausages, German Bratwurst, German Veal Sausages)

4 – 6 green onions (if large, use two)

3/4 cup Mayonnaise (Best Foods or Hellmans if possible)

2 heaping Tablespoons German Lowensenf Mustard or Dijon Mustard

2 teaspoons White Vinegar

2 teaspoons Sugar

½ teaspoon salt

Sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper.  Adjust seasonings to taste - it should taste strongly of mustard.

In a large bowl, place the potatoes, green onion and sausages.  Pour over the sauce and toss to coat.  Refrigerate to let the flavors meld for several hours or overnight for the best flavor.

Five Element Analysis

Potatoes are an Earthy Food so that element is fully represented. The sausages, being made of pork, contribute the Water Element. The Mayonnaise, Mustard and Green Onions contribute the Metal Element and also the Wood Element because the Mustard and Green Onions also have Wood food properties.  The vinegar adds even more wood.  Only the Fire Element is missing so serve this with a big lettuce salad with tomatoes like I did to create a Five Element balance.

Danish Strawberry Rhubarb Trifle

I am learning to make Danish classic recipes since I am spending so much time in Copenhagen and also due to my desire to cook Martin's favorite foods. Tonight I made Danish Rhubarb Trifle but I added in strawberries to make it more like one of my favorite American dessert classics - Strawberry Rhubarb Pie.  Rhubarb is one of those wonderful signs of spring and has a lovely tart taste. 

Rhubarb has a long history in Chinese Medicine and has been used to support the kidneys, the heart and the lungs.  It is considered cathartic, laxative and has been shown to lower blood glucose and cholesterol. More recently, studies have found that it may be effective for some types of cancer as well. But, the studies used powdered rhubarb and the ancient Chinese were most fond of treating with rhubarb root. I prefer to eat my medicine and for me, it's only good for me if it tastes good and rhubarb tastes great!  In America, it has long been known as the pie plant.

The Rhubarb I bought was very tart and even though the strawberries were very sweet, I ended up using more sugar than I expected. I know that some of you like your desserts a little sweeter, so taste as you go.   also only lightly sweeten the whipped cream as the Macaroon Cookies are quite sweet too.  Most parts of this dessert can be made ahead and then the dessert can be assembled quickly before serving. That makes this the perfect dessert for a dinner party!

Danish Strawberry Rhubarb Trifle

Strawberry Rhubarb Compote:

5 cups Rhubarb, cut into small pieces - all leaves completely cut off

3 cups Strawberries, stemmed and cut into pieces

1 cup sugar (or more to taste)

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon Vanilla Sugar or 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Place water and sugar in a  medium saucepan and heat to boiling. Add in fruit and return to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium - low and cook for 20 minutes.  Take off heat and add the vanilla. Cool and then refrigerate. Can be made up to 2 days ahead.

Serve with:

2 cups lightly whipped cream (2 cups heavy cream with 2 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar)

Almond Macaroons (recipe below) or store bought, broken into small pieces

Almond Macaroons

2 large egg whites

1/2 cup Sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup ground almonds

pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Slowly add sugar a little at a time until incorporated.  Drop Tablespoonfuls onto a baking sheet covered with a Silpat baking sheet or parchment paper.  Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool and break into small pieces.

To assemble:

Put 2 Tablespoons of the crumbled Almond Macaroons in the bottom of a glass serving cup. Then put in 3 Tablespoons of the Strawberry Rhubarb Compote. On top of that, spoon in 2 heaping Tablespoons of Whipped Cream. Repeat the layers and dust the top with some Macaroon Crumbs.  

Five Element Analysis

Rhubarb belongs to both the Wood Element as it grows in stalks and is ready to eat in the spring and also the Fire Element because it is red.  So both those elements are naturally present and the strawberries add even more Fire.  As this is a dessert and sweetened with sugar and Almond Macaroons, the Earth Element is also fully represented. The Whipped Cream and Vanilla contribute the Metal Element. The egg whites in the Macaroons bring in just a bit of the Water Element, but not much.  So this dessert would be really good served after a dinner featuring a Water Element main dish. 

Roasted Eggplant Salad with Moroccan Flavors

I've been traveling so much that I haven't had time to cook hardly at all, which for me is nearly a tragedy!  And, when I have been cooking, it's been a bit rushed so I make my old standbys - most of which are already posted on this blog.  Tonight I had a lovely time creating something new and it was so much fun.  It was one of those cases where I had several things in the fridge that really needed using and I was in the mood for some spice. So, I cooked up a semi-Moroccan meal with beef meatballs in a spicy tomato sauce, some rice pilaf and this lovely roasted Eggplant Salad.  It is full of caramelized chunks of eggplant, red pepper, red onions and garlic cloves tossed in olive oil, cumin, turmeric and coriander. After it has finished cooking in the oven, you drizzle lemon juice on top and that's it - you have a delicious salad with minimal fuss full of those exotic spices that take you far away from your own kitchen!

Roasted Eggplant Salad with Moroccan Flavors

2 Small Eggplants, top and bottom cut off and cut into big chunks

2 Red Peppers, stems removed, deseeded and cut into big pieces

2 small Red Onions, ends removed, peeled and cut into big wedges

6 garlic cloves peeled (cut in half if large)

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 teaspoon Cumin Seed

1/2 teaspoon Turmeric

1/2 teaspoon Ground Coriander

1 teaspoon Salt

Juice of one small Lemon or 1/2 of a big Lemon

Heat oven to 400 degrees,  In a large bow, mix together the Olive Oil, Cumin Seed, Turmeric, Ground Coriander and Salt.  Toss in Eggplant, Peppers, Onions and Garlic to coat evenly with the spiced oil.  Pour onto a baking sheet and cook for 40 minutes, turning about every 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and put into a serving bowl. Drizzle with lemon juice, toss and serve warm.  Can also be served cold.

Five Element Analysis

Eggplants belong to the Water Element and they are also a mucilaginous food so they are very good for your intestines.  The Red Pepper adds the Fire Element. The Red Onions bring in the Metal Element and so do the spices. The Cumin and Turmeric also reduce inflammation in the body. The Olive Oil and Lemon Juice contribute the Wood Element. Only the Earth Element is missing, which is why I served this salad with some beef meatballs but a sweet dessert is also a good idea to create a Five Element balance.

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.  

Japanese Fried Chicken - Chicken Karage

I spent my early years in Japan and like all children, I loved finger foods. One of my favorites was Chicken Karage or basically Japanese Chicken Nuggets.  When my kids were growing up, it was a snack I made for them too. Yesterday, for Mother's Day, my son and I made them again for the first time in a long time and we still think it is a great treat!  Basically, it involves marinating cut up boneless, skinless thigh pieces of chicken in a marinade of Soy Sauce, Mirin and ginger.  I use chicken thighs because they are more juicy and if you want to reheat them, they don't dry out as easily, but you can certainly substitute chicken breasts instead. Then there are two ways of making them.  The first is to drain off the excess marinade and then add egg white and cornstarch to the mixture and deep fry the pieces.  The other way is to remove each piece and dip into cornstarch or rice flour before frying. The second way makes the chicken more crispy, but the first way is more traditional.  Either way, these little fried chicken bites taste great - I don't fry food very often, but in this case it is worth it! Just make sure that the oil is very hot so they cook quickly. I served them with a drizzle of Katsu Sauce and sprinkled with Sesame Seeds and Green Onion.  You can also serve them with a dipping sauce like a thick Terriyaki Sauce.  However, if you want to keep this dish Gluten Free, make your own sauce using Tamari.  Chicken Karage is a dish you could make ahead for a party and just reheat in the oven before garnishing them. Believe me, they will go fast!

Japanese Fried Chicken - Chicken Karage

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 6 equal sized pieces

¼ cup Tamari (or Soy Sauce)

¼ cup Mirin (can also Shaoshing Rice Wine)

1 1/2 inch chunk of fresh ginger, sliced (no need to peel)

1/3 cup Cornstarch + 1 egg white

or 1 cup of cornstarch to dip and coat pieces in (can also use Rice Flour)

High Heat Safflower Oil for Frying - enough to fill pot about 2 inches deep

For Serving:

2 -3 green cut green onion tops

1/4 cup Katsu or Terriyaki Sauce (make your own with Tamari if need a gluten free sauce)

1 Tablespoon Sesame Seeds

Marinate chicken in Tamari, Mirin, Ginger mixture for at least 20 minutes up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.  When ready to fry, heat the oil in a deep pot (I used a cast iron one) until it starts smoking. Turn oven on to 250 degrees. Meanwhile, pull out Ginger Pieces and add Cornstarch and egg white and mix in thoroughly.  Test one piece and cook until golden brown and remove with a wire mesh or slotted spoon. Then cut open to see if it is no longer pink.  If not, cook some more and check to see what color the crust is to continue cooking the rest of the pieces in batches.  When each batch is done, place on paper towel lined cookie tray in the oven and keep warm until all are done. 

Or, put cornstarch (or rice flour) into a large Ziploc bag. When ready to cook the chicken, remove it from the marinade and put it into the cornstarch.  Seal bag and toss to coat.  Put into hot oil and cook until golden brown.  Drain on a paper-towel covered tray and place in a warm oven (250 degrees) until all are done.

Put on a plate and drizzle with Katsu or Terriyaki Sauce.  Sprinkle with green onion tops and Sesame Seeds.

Five Element Analysis

Chicken belongs to the Wood Element and frying is a Fire Method of Cooking so those elements are covered.  More fire is added by the Mirin. The Metal Element is represented by the Cornstarch and green onion garnish and the Water Element is brought in by the Tamari, Sesame Seeds, Katsu Sauce or Terriyaki Sauce along with the Earth Element as these sauces are sweet and the ginger brings in even more.  Guess what?  This is a balanced little snack!

Kale Salad with Verjus Vinaigrette

Since Martin loves Kale Salads, I am always searching for new ways to serve it.  My latest version is this one - Lacinato (Dinosaur) Kale, Green Apples slices, Green Grapes, Red Quinoa and Pumpkin Seeds (Pepitas), which was inspired by one I had at a restaurant in La Jolla called Georges.  I loved the combination of ingredients, but they served theirs with a Yogurt Dressing and I wanted a dressing without dairy. So, I made a Verjus and Shallot Vinaigrette instead. For those of you who haven't tried Verjus - it is unfermented grape juice and it's lovely. It can be used in place of vinegar but I find it lighter and more delicate.  Because the flavor is so subtle, it is important to use a lighter olive oil or another light oil, like safflower or the Verjus will be overpowered. Of course, you can also use lemon (with a bit of honey) or vinegar instead too, but because of the fruit, be sure to use a fruity vinegar like Apple Cider, Raspberry vinegar or Champagne vinegar. This salad is a simple one, the only thing that needs to be done ahead is to cook the quinoa, which adds a lot of protein so it makes a great Vegetarian lunch.  Then it is easy to assemble the salad.  The sweetness of the grapes contrasts wonderfully with the bitterness of the Kale and the tartness of the apple and the soft and chewy Quinoa contrasts with the crunch of the Pumpkin Seeds. It's a wonderful salad and tastes like it's almost summer! 

Kale Salad with Verjus Vinaigrette

1 bunch Lacinato (Dinosaur) Kale, pulled off center stalk and cut into bite size pieces
1 Green Apple, cored, sliced thinly and peeled - placed in lightly salted water
1 cup Green Grapes, cut in half
1/2 cup cooked Red Quinoa (see below)
1/4 cup Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Put the Kale in a salad bowl and cover with salad dressing and toss. Let sit for 10 minutes and add the Green Apple, the Green Grape halves and the Quinoa. Toss again. Sprinkle with Pumpkin Seeds when ready to serve.

Verjus Vinaigrette

½ cup white Verjus (can also use Apple Cider, Raspberry or Champagne Vinegar but add a bit of honey)

1 clove Shallot, minced (about 1 Tablespoon)

4 Tablespoons Light Olive Oil or Safflower Oil

Salt and Pepper

Mix together in a small bowl and reserve until ready to use

To Cook Quinoa:

1/4 cup Red Quinoa (pre-rinsed)*
1/2 cup Water
Pinch of Salt

Put Quinoa and Water in a small pot and add salt. Bring to a boil and cover, turning heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes. Fluff and cool before adding to the salad. Can be made ahead.

*Note: Unless you are using a boxed Quinoa that is pre-rinsed, it is necessary to rinse it in a fine meshed strainer.  

Five Element Analysis

Kale belongs to the Wood Element and the Olive Oil and Apple add even more. Quinoa, being a seed contributes the Water Element and the Pumpkin Seeds bring in additional Water.  The Verjus which is really not very sweet grape juice belongs to the Earth Element as do the grapes. The Shallots bring in the Metal Element.  Only the Fire Element is missing, which can be easily remedied by serving it with a glass of ice tea.

Coconut Banana Chia Pudding

I went to a restaurant called True Foods in Santa Monica the other day with my friend Kim and was blown away by their Chia Pudding made with Coconut Milk, Bananas and of course those strange little seeds.  For those of you who don't know about Chia Seeds, yes they are the seeds that make Chia pets have that grassy fur, but in their dormant state, they are incredibly good for your intestines. They are one of the members of the Mucilaginous food group because they absorb a lot of liquid and become somewhat gelatinous. They are also full of Omega 3s.  I have used them before soaked in fruit juice, but I do have a love of creamy pudding desserts and it's hard to make them without dairy. Chia Pudding is a raw dessert as well as being vegan, gluten free and lactose free.  That makes this the perfect dessert to serve with all your friends with food intolerances.... Besides that, this dessert was wonderful and healthy too! I did find the restaurant recipe and they used brown sugar so I substituted honey as I wanted to make it a little less sweet. And, I changed the proportions of the ingredients a bit and the way it was made as I like chunky bits of banana in it.  It turned out beautifully and was so simple to make.  It was creamy, crunchy and luscious and absolutely delicious!

Coconut Banana Chia Pudding - adapted from True Foods

1 13.5oz can of Coconut Milk

3 Tablespoons Honey (or Agave or Maple Syrup) 

1 large or 2 small ripe bananas

Pinch of Salt

Optional:  1/4 teaspoon Vanilla Extract if desired

1/4  cup Chia Seeds

For Garnish:  1/2 cup of Unsweetened Coconut Flakes toasted in a frying pan until lightly browned and/or fresh banana slices sprinkled with lemon juice so they don't brown

In a large bowl, mash the banana with a fork.  Stir in the Coconut Milk and Honey and whisk to combine.  Add in the pinch of salt and vanilla (if using) and the Chia Seeds.  Stir to combine and chill for 4 hours.  Serve with sliced bananas and Coconut Flakes on top.

Five Element Analysis

As a sweet dessert, this pudding is considered Earthy and the honey, banana and coconut do make it mostly an Earth dish. However, the Chia Seeds add quite a bit of the Water Element and the Vanilla Extract contributes just a bit of the Metal Element.  It would be a great addition to a meal containing mostly Wood and Fire Foods to create balance.