soy sauce

Crispy Asian Fish Sandwiches

March 31, 2014

Since having Autumn Price and I have really been making a point to have dinners together at the table. No more eating in front of the TV. She has no idea what is going on but it’s just nice to feel more settled at dinner with all 3 of us involved. When she was younger we would put her in her bouncy seat and put that on the table. Now that she is a whole 4 1/2 months (ha!) she sits in her high chair and ‘eats’ her hands.

I really try to plan out dinner for the week so that it’s quick prep time for us to make or finish assembling the meal. Some days it’s salad. Some days it’s soup. Some days it’s tacos. The best meals are quick to prepare and make enough food for leftovers. But leftovers get played out and boring. So then you have to turn to trying something new so that it makes dinner together so much fun.

These Crispy Asian Fish Sandwiches are just the perfect solution for changing things up for dinner.

And that is why I love participating in Secret Recipe Club so much since I get to learn about other people’s blogs and get to try new to me recipes. So much fun!

This month I had another Nicole’s blog called Hapa-Tite. She has such a fun blog with great recipes that highlight her diverse background that include Chinese, Cherokee, German, and American, all while being culturally Hawai’ian. Plus it was fun to get a blog from a fellow Nicole!!

We picked these sandwiches out because we realized that we hadn’t had fish in awhile so it would be good to try something new when incorporating more fish into our dinner routines. This sandwich has great flavors and textures so it really elevates things from your standard fish sandwich.

I made some minor changes to the recipe that Nicole shared because of what I could get at the grocery store and some preferences. I was on my 2nd trip to the grocery store and I couldn’t find chives so I grabbed some green onions instead to still have that onion-y flavor in the sandwich. Then instead of the wasabi mayo, I made a sauce with some mayonnaise, wasabi and a few other things I grabbed from the fridge since I knew we wouldn’t actually eat wasabi mayo so it wouldn’t get used so there was no sense in buying it.

We loved this recipe because of the flavors, textures, and ease of putting together. We’ve already been talking about when we would make this again. This would be a great dinner option for you if you are in the middle of lent as well!

This Crispy Asian Fish Sandwich is a real winner for lunch or dinner. I swear that you will be hooked. whomp whomp!

Crispy Asian Fish Sandwiches

Makes 2 sandwiches

Ingredients

2 white fish fillets, preferably tiliapia, 6-8 ounces total
1/2 Cup flour
1 eggs
¾ cup panko bread crumbs
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon garlic powder
canola oil
2 sesame seed buns
1 lemon, sliced into 4 long wedges
Toppings: thinly sliced English cucumbers, lettuce, cilantro

For the sauce

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon wasabi
1 teaspoon ponzo sauce or soy sauce
1/2 of a scallion thinly sliced

Process

Prepare the sauce by combining all of the ingredients. Set aside.
Liberally season both sides of the fish fillets with salt and pepper.
Place the flour in a medium dish; beat the eggs with a splash of water in a second medium dish; and combine the panko with the ginger and garlic powder in a third medium dish.
Coat the fish fillets evenly in the flour, then beaten egg, and then panko mixture.
In a large skillet, heat the oil, about 1/4 inch, over medium to medium-high heat. Fry the fish until golden, about 3 minutes on each side.
While the fish is cooking, lightly toast the buns.
Transfer the cooked fish to a paper towel-lined plate to drain off excess oil. Squeeze 2 wedges of lemon over the fish.
Serve on the sandwich buns with the sauce, toppings of your choice, and a wedge of lemon.

Inspired by Hapa-tite

_____________________

Check out all the other great Secret Recipe Club posts this month!

Check out my 2 years of Secret Recipe Club posts!!!!

____________________

Thanks for visiting. Please leave me a comment to provide some feedback. I appreciate all the comments I receive.

Tropical Pork Pineapple Kebabs- SRC

July 30, 2012

Another month is wrapping up so it means it is Secret Recipe Club time! How is this summer flying by?!?! It is crazy! At least it has been jam packed with great food, lots of fun with family and friends, and some awesome adventures. It just makes me wish summer was so much longer.

This time I had the blog called Without Adornment by Bean. The blog is packed full of gluten free recipes, as well as other allergen free recipes. This is perfect for someone with allergies, as well as anyone who just likes great food. I immediately saw her Tropical Pork Pineapple Kebabs and knew they would be perfect for a satisfying summertime dinner.

The original recipe was just a guide with the ingredients, and not the amounts used. I generally cook that way so I liked that there was freedom to have my own stamp on this recipe. I added some soy sauce to the marinade just so it would not be too sweet for my liking. I also had zucchini in the fridge so I added that to the kebabs too. I served this with some rice that I prepared while Price grilled up the kebabs. Totally loving our new grill, this summer, and this recipe!

Beans recipe was gluten free which I respect because for a while last year I ate gluten free and enjoyed the process and felt better from it. Anyway, I did add the soy sauce for flavor but it does wheat so if you want this to be gluten free just be sure to use a gluten free soy sauce. Or you can use Worcestershire Sauce which is naturally gluten free instead of the soy sauce and has 80% less sodium than soy sauce.

Tropical Pork Pineapple Kebabs

Serves 4

Ingredients

For Kebabs

1 pound of pork tenderloin cut into 1″ cubes
pineapple cut into 1″ cube pieces, approximately half a pineapple
1 red pepper, cut into 1″ x 1″ pieces
1 zucchini, sliced into 1/4″ thick pieces
8 oz whole white button mushrooms

For Marinade

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup pineapple juice
2 gloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce, known as sambal
1 cup of diced pineapple
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon of white pepper

Process

Soak 10 wooden skewers for at least an hour before using them.
Prepare the marinade first by combine all of the marinade in a bowl or large plastic bag. Mix thoroughly and then add the pork pieces to the marinade. Store in the refrigerator while the meat marinates for at least 1 hour minutes.
Once skewers are soaked and the meat is marinated, thread the pork, pineapple, pepper, zucchini, and mushrooms. Repeat the series twice and end with a piece of pork.
Grill the kebabs over medium-high heat. Using a basting brush, brush the kebabs with the marinade each time you turn the kebabs grilling each side.
Cook the kebabs until done with an internal temperature of the pork is 145 degrees. Let rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

____________________

Check out my previous Secret Recipe Club Posts:

June: Cheesy Garlic Knots

May: Berry Brownie Torte

April: Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream

March: Sauteed Green Beans with Lemon and Almonds

February: Fried Pickles

Jan: No SRC postings

December: Shrimp Sriracha Stir Fry

November: Vegetable Enchiladas

October: Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Check out the rest of the reveal day posts!

____________________

Thanks for visiting. Please leave me a comment to provide some feedback. I appreciate all the comments I receive.

Garlic Butter Noodles with Scallions and Sambal

June 18, 2012

When the cat’s away the mice will play. Or in this case, when Price is away, Nicole will eat garlic noodles. And Price was just in Vegas for a guys trip so I obviously made these!

Years ago I saw a post on White on Rice Couple for Garlic Butter Noodles. They were sharing a recipe they adapted from Jaden’s new The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook. Umm, big whoop! I’m Italian so I grew up on pasta with butter and a bit of garlic. Well, shutthefrontdoor this is totally different and amazing. I knew I would have to immediately make this recipe. The noodles, garlic, butter, some sugar, and fish sauce were all calling out to me.

I was hooked from the start. Price, not so much. So this is now a dish that I make when he is working late or away. When he works late the second he opens the door he exclaims ‘YOU MADE GARLIC NOODLES!!! NOOOOO!!!” Why does he protest so much? Because no matter how many times I brush my teeth I still stink of garlic. I don’t mind but I’m not on other end of it. So you have been warned, but I swear it is worth it.

The combination of the butter, garlic, and brown sugar is out of this world. The garlic is slowly cooked in the butter just enough to bring out the flavors. (Don’t burn it! If you do, start over!) Then when you add the brown sugar it becomes caramel-y with the butter. That alone is great but then you add the fish sauce and soy sauce and the whole thing get a 1-2 punch with umami flavors. The scallions are a nice touch for flavor and texture. I add the sambal bajak for some some heat and spice, which I can’t get enough of in this. The recipe is quick, addicting, and will be a favorite in no time!

Garlic Butter Noodles with Scallions and Sambal

serves 1

Ingredients

4-6 oz spaghetti pasta
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1-2 tablespoons of sambal bajak

Process

Bring water to a boil in a medium size pot. Cook the pasta until al dente. Before straining set aside a 1/4 cup of pasta water.
In the empty pot that you cooked the pasta in, melt the butter over medium- low heat. Add the garlic. Stir constantly to prevent the garlic from burning. Once the garlic is golden brown add the brown sugar in. Constantly mix the sugar until is starts to bubble. Add the fish sauce, soy sauce, and pasta water. Turn up the heat to cook until it just comes to a boil. Remove from the heat.
Add the pasta back to the pot with the scallions and mix until all the noodles are evenly coated. Enjoy with some sambal bajak (and a breath mint!)

What do you make when your significant other is away? Seafood? Wine and cereal? Dinner becomes eating cake while standing over the sink.

____________________

Thanks for visiting. Please leave me a comment to provide some feedback. I appreciate all the comments I receive.

Fried Rice

December 6, 2009

Making Chinese food with my Dad has become one of those experiences that leads to great food, dirty dishes, lots of laughs, and full stomaches. One year our bird, Studley, ‘got hungry’ and flew into the bowl of fried rice- no one was happy then. Or we always seem to bring up the time when my brother, Dad, and I made chinese food and the kitchen looked like a nuclear holocaust. Food on the floor, sauces dripping down the cabinets, spills in the fridge, and a sink full of bowls. Of course everything was worth it since the food is always amazing. We have made shrimp with lobster sauce, chicken with cashews, chicken and shrimp chow mien, and, as always, fried rice.

When my Dad came to visit a few weeks ago we planned on making chinese food so he brought up some of the ingredients and his wok. This excited me to no end. It had been so long since I had the fried rice. Sure, you can get fried rice at your local chinese food restaurant, but I have to say that it’s not the same. I find the fried rice from most chinese food places has too much soy sauce for my preference. So that is why it is worth it to take the time to make amazing fried rice.

Fried Rice

3 C. rice

1 C. diced chicken or shrimp or pork

Marinating sauce

1 TBS. cooking Sherry
1 ½ tsp. sugar
1 ½ TBS. Cornstarch
1 ½ TBS. Soy sauce

1 chopped onion (small)

3 eggs

½ tsp. black pepper (optional)

½ C. diced celery

4 Tbs. oil (wok oil is prefered)

diced scallion

soy sauce as much as desired

Marinate the meat in the sauce for 30 minutes to an hour.

Cook 3 cups of rice accordingly.

Add 1 TBS. of oil to a wok on medium heat. Add the eggs into the oil and break them into bite size chunks while scrambling them. Cook until they begin to set. It is very important not to cook them entirely as there will be carry-over cooking. Put the eggs to the side until ready to use them again.Add the rest of the oil to the wok. Add the onions and stir-fry for a minute. Push to one side of the wok when done. Then put the meat and celery in the wok; stir-fry until the meat is beginning to brown. Add the rice, soy sauce, and pepper; Mix that for about 2 minutes/until everything is coated. Then add the diced scallion and the reserved scrambled egg and stir-fry until everything is well mixed.** If you use shrimp add the celery a minute prior to the shrimp because of cooking time.