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Foodbuzz Tastemaker Product Review:Kikkoman Lime Ponzu Seasoned Sauce and Dressing – Mexican Stir Fry

6 Feb

 
So, a few weeks ago, I got a little email from Foodbuzz asking if I wanted to try out a new product from Kikkoman for free. Being a huge fan of free, I naturally said yes. Now, just to be clear, I probably would not have said yes if it was for free tofu or duck liver, because we don’t really eat that stuff. But soy sauce is one of my favorite ingredients and I buy a lot of it. 
So, I got my free sample in the mail the other day. It was a large bottle of Kikkoman Ponzu Lime Seasoned Dressing and Sauce.  So first thing I did was crack the seal and take a whiff. Definitely soy sauce in there but it also has a healthy dose of lime in there too. It seemed an odd combo, but I was liking it. 

So what do you do with soy sauce? You make stir fry ,of course, but it also had this Latin flavor going on with the lime. It was then that it hit me. Kikkoman has solved the eternal dinner question: Do I make stir fry or do I make tacos? Mexican or Chinese? ( well, it’s an eternal question in my house)
So I did a little fiddling with a recipe I had for stir fried beef and came up with this. The best damn beef and bean taco that has EVER come out of my kitchen. I really recommend you grab some of this Ponzu stuff the next time you are at the store. It will have a worthy space on your condiment shelf. ( and I’m not just saying that).
Mexican Stir Fry
3 T vegetable oil
1/2 cup Kikkoman Ponzu Lime Sauce
1 lb steak ( sirloin, skirt, strip, etc.) cut into 1/2″ strips
1 t. cumin
1t. coriander seeds, crushed
1 red onion peeled and diced
2 bell peppers, finely diced
2 garlic cloved, peeled and crushed
1/2 t. oregano
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 t. chili powder
1 can diced tomatoes
1 T tomato paste
handful cilantro, chopped
To serve:
Tortillas ( this would also be good on rice)
1 avocado peeled, pitted and sliced
juice of 1 lime
Sour cream
Mix together Ponzu sauce, cumin, and coriander. Let marinate while you get the rest of the ingredients ready.

By the way, these are coriander seeds and they are lovely. Crush them in that handy mortar and pestle back there.


Heat half your oil in a wok over high heat until it starts to smoke( yes, you can use a big skillet, but a wok is much better). Add beef and saute briefly until brown. Do Not Overcook! It should only take 3-4 minutes. Keep the marinade.

 
Move beef to a plate and set aside. Then add in the onion, pepper and garlic. Saute over medium heat until onions are translucent and a little soft.

Add in the oregano, beans, chili powder, tomatoes, tomato paste and the leftover marinade and stir well.

 

Bring to a boil and let simmer for 15 minutes. Add beef back in along with juices.

 

Simmer for a couple more minutes and sprinkle with cilantro. 
Serve the mixture up on some warm tortillas and top with avocado, sour cream and a squeeze of lime!
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Much Ado about Leftovers – Pork Fried Rice

30 Jul

Busy has been the name of the game this summer and I have been finding it very difficult to get anything done, nevermind dinner. I’m sure you have all had very similar experiences.

I will say that I have accomplished one major milestone this summer…my daughter is finally potty trained. It took all summer, but she is now one independent potty-go-er. I couldn’t be happier, my bank account thanks me. One down one to go. I’m not sure if the boy will ever be ready though.

Lucky for me I have a wonderful husband who loves to cook. He has been cooking up some fabulous entrees lately. A few days ago he smoked a Boston butt. A 7 pound beast that took most of the day and had to be finished in the oven because we ran out of propane. It was probably one of his best, but even after taking 3 pounds to work and a couple days of BBQ sandwiches here, we had plenty left. So, I tried out this Robin Miller recipe and was pleased with the results. I substituted leftover rice for the quick cooking rice and omitted the broth.


Pork Fried Rice

a Robin Miller recipe

4 teaspoons peanut oil, divided

2 large eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup shredded carrots

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup quick-cooking white rice

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 cups diced leftover pork tenderloin

1/2 cup frozen green peas

Salt and freshly ground black pepper



Directions

Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the eggs and cook, stirring frequently, until cooked through and scrambled, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the eggs to a plate and keep warm.

To the same skillet, still over medium heat, heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil. Add the onion, carrots, and garlic and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to coat with the oil. Add the hoisin and stir to coat the rice. Add the broth, pork, and peas and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand until the liquid is absorbed and the rice tender, about 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer the fried rice to individual plates. Chop the cooked egg into small pieces and sprinkle over the rice just before serving.




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Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry

12 Apr


Ahhh, stir-fry. Possibly the world’s quickest cooked dish and one of my favorite things to eat. This is a simple dish with lots of flavor and lots of veggies. I know this is a keeper not because I loved it so much, but because my 2 year olds ate every bite. Even the broccoli.

1 pound chicken breast (about 2 breasts), cubed
3 scallions, whites only, thinly sliced on an angle
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch piece peeled fresh ginger, minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
About 1/3 cup water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 to 6 cups broccoli, trimmed sliced stalks and medium florets (keep the 2 cuts separate)
3/4 to 1 teaspoon red chili flakes, optional
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce

Garnish: toasted sesame seeds, optional
Serving suggestion: steamed rice

In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with the scallion whites, about half the garlic and ginger, the soy sauce, sugar, 1 teaspoon of the cornstarch, 1 teaspoon of the salt, the sherry, and the sesame oil. Marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes. Mix the remaining cornstarch with 1/3 cup water.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and heat. Add the broccoli stems, and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the florets and the remaining garlic, ginger, 2 tablespoons of water, and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Stir-fry until the broccoli is bright green but still crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Get the skillet good and hot again, and then heat 2 more tablespoons oil. Add the chicken and chili flakes if using. Stir-fry until the chicken loses its raw color and gets a little brown, about 3 minutes. Add the hoisin sauce, return the broccoli to the pan and toss to heat through. Stir in the reserved cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil to thicken. Add more water if need to thin the sauce, if necessary. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if you like. Mound the stir-fry on a serving platter or divide among 4 plates and garnish

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