Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Asian Noodle Slurp Up (also from Parenting Magazine)

Ingredients: 
3 green onions
2# chicken drumsticks (skins removed)
4 cups chicken broth
1 2" piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
1/2 of a head of napa cabbage (bok choy)
8 oz. brown-rice pad thai noodles
8 oz. fresh snow peas sliced into 3rds
2 T. soy sauce

1.  Trim onions and thinly slice the green parts at an angle:  reserve for garnish.  Place onion whites into a dutch oven along with chicken, broth, 5 cups water, and ginger.  Bring to a boil over high heat, cover and reduce heat to low.  Simmer until chicken pulls away from the bones, about 15 minutes.  Trim and thinly slice cabbage.
2.  Remove onion whites and giner from soup and discard.  Transfer chicken to a plate.  Let cool a bit then pull meat off of the bones in chunks.  Discard bones, strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve.
3.  Return meat and broth to pot, bring to a boil and add cabbage, noodles and snow peas.  Cook stirring once in a while until noodles are tender, about 5 minutes.  Stir in soy sauce, season with salt and pepper and top with green onion greens.

Yummy.

I didn't have chicken drumsticks, just chicken breasts, so I chopped the chicken breasts into bite sized pieces and boiled it instead.  It turned out really yummy.
This was one my favorite dishes that my family used to make.  I had never been successful recreating my mom's recipe (she's a little bit of this and a little bit of that kinda cook) but when I found this one in Parent's Magazine, I tried it out on my 21 month old granddaughter.  She and I loved it.



Salmon Patties
MAKES: 6
1 can (7 1/2 oz) boneless, skinless pink or red salmon
2 Tbsp finely diced shallot or onion
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp panko (Japanese bread crumbs) or regular bread crumbs
2 Tbsp canola oil
Unsweetened applesauce or plain yogurt for dipping
1. In a large mixing bowl, flake the salmon, breaking it up with a fork and double-checking it for any bones. If you see any, just remove them.
2. Add the shallot, egg, and 1/4 cup bread crumbs, and mix well. (Note: Panko, or Japanese bread crumbs, can be found in well-stocked supermarkets, Asian groceries, or online. They'll give your patties such a light crunchiness, it's worth seeking them out.) Using your hands, roll the mixture into 6 little balls and flatten slightly to make the patties. Dust lightly with additional bread crumbs.
3. In a frying pan over medium heat, warm the oil. When it's hot, add the salmon patties and cook until golden on the underside, about 2 minutes. Turn the patties and cook until the second side is golden, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to paper towels to drain briefly, cut into halves or quarters, check the temperature, then serve with applesauce or yogurt for dipping.
4. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 2 days (or freeze for up to 3 months). To reheat, microwave 20 to 30 seconds; check temperature before serving.