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Overview
Make Delicious, Awe-Inspiring Dishes With Easy Gourmet
Sometimes you just want to make something simple, but you don't want to skimp on taste. Stephanie Le, creator of the popular site, I am a Food Blog, has recipes that are a cinch to make, yet bursting with flavor. So, whether you are a new cook, suddenly cooking for a hungry family, or you've just always been intimidated by what goes on in the kitchen and are ready to take a stab at it, you'll make dishes that'll impress your family and friends.
Stephanie will guide you through even the most complex techniques. In no time you'll be breezing through dishes like Maple-Glazed Duck, Miso Cod and Quinoa, Braised Beef Brisket and Raspberry Pistachio Pavlova. Her must-have recipes cover every meal and everything in-between, all paired with her signature stunning photography.
No matter how little you know in the kitchen, you'll be able to produce amazing dishes that'll surprise your family and friends and have them wondering if you secretly ordered from their favorite restaurant.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781624140686 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Page Street Publishing |
| Publication date: | 09/02/2014 |
| Sold by: | Macmillan |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 240 |
| File size: | 47 MB |
| Note: | This product may take a few minutes to download. |
About the Author
Stephanie Le is the creator of I am a Food Blog, a food blog dedicated to dishes inspired by her favorite restaurants. Stephanie's blog was named Top Cooking Blog by Saveur magazine and her recipes have been featured on BonAppetit.com, FoodandWine.com, TheKitchn.com and Food52.com, to name a few. She lives in Vancouver, Canada.
Read an Excerpt
Easy Gourmet
Awesome Recipes Anyone Can Cook from the Creator of I am a Food Blog Named Top Cooking Blog by Saveur Magazine
By Stephanie Le
Page Street Publishing Co.
Copyright © 2014 Stephanie LeAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-62414-068-6
CHAPTER 1
BREAKFAST
Breakfast holds a special place in my heart. I have fond memories of sitting around my family's old marble laminate table, waiting anxiously for my mom to finish frying eggs to have with bacon and toast. Hot breakfasts were reserved for the weekends, when my mom actually had time to make all the good stuff. During the week, my mom worked the graveyard shift and we made do with cereal and milk, so weekends were the best thing ever.
As I grew up, I became obsessed with cooking breakfast, no matter what the time of day. I'd whip up plates of pancakes for dinner or omelettes for lunch. There's probably nothing easier or more rewarding than learning how to cook breakfast. Typical breakfast foods can and should be anytime foods, especially if they're Blueberry Waffles, Pulled Pork Pancakes or Chicken & Waffles.
CHICKEN & WAFFLES
SERVES: 4-6
A CLASSIC SOUTHERN BREAKFAST COMBINATION
Chicken and Waffles are one of those dishes I always order if I see it on the menu. I love the contrast of sweet and savory, fluffy and crispy. Some might call it blasphemy, but I think it's even better when the chicken is boneless so I don't have to slow down when eating. Using chicken breast strips in this recipe doubles the goodness: the strips cook up fast and you can roll everything up into a handheld waffle taco.
INGREDIENTS
3 large chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) strips
1 ½ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
2 tsp (6 g) garlic powder
2 tsp (6 g) onion powder
1 tsp (2 g) paprika
1 tsp (4 g) cayenne
1 tsp (8 g) salt
1 tsp (2 g) freshly ground pepper
2 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
2 tbsp (30 g) sugar
2 tsp (8 g) baking powder
1 tsp (8 g) baking soda
pinch salt
2 cups (480 ml) buttermilk
6 tbsp (170 g) butter, melted
2 large eggs
to serve syrup, if desired
METHOD
Soak chicken strips in the buttermilk, salt and pepper for 15-20 minutes. Combine the flour, garlic and onion powder, paprika and cayenne in a large bowl.
Heat up 1-inch (2.5-cm) of oil to 350°F (180°C) in a deep skillet over medium heat. While the oil is heating, take a strip of chicken from the buttermilk and place it in the coating, turning to coat completely. Coat the chicken right before you add it to the hot oil.
Cook the strips a few at a time until golden brown and crispy, about 1 ½-2 minutes per side. When cooked, remove and drain on paper towels. Keep strips warm in the oven while making the waffles.
Preheat your waffle iron. In a bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. In another bowl, whisk together the melted butter, milk and eggs. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, stirring until just combined.
Grease your waffle iron if needed and cook waffles according to waffle iron instructions or until the waffles are golden brown and crispy. Keep waffles warm in the oven in a single layer on a cooling rack placed inside a baking tray. Continuing waffling until you finish the batter.
Serve fried chicken on top of waffles with your favorite syrup.
CARROT CAKE PANCAKES
SERVES: 4
CARROT-FILLED PANCAKES WITH VANILLA MASCARPONE
Did you know that eating too many carrots will make your skin literally turn orange? When I was four, I was in danger of just that, as I spent months consuming massive amounts of carrots. I was convinced that I was a bona fide bunny and eating carrots would give me better night vision. I was wrong on both counts, but to this day I still hold carrots near and dear to my heart. These fluffy pancakes taste just like carrot cake, and incorporate three of my favorite things: carrots, breakfast and dessert.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup (140 g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (4 g) baking powder
1 tsp (8 g) baking soda
1 tbsp (15 g) sugar
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1 cup (120 g) finely grated carrots
1 large egg
1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk
½ cup (110 g) mascarpone, room temp
2 tbsp (30 g) sugar
½ cup (120 ml) heavy whipping cream
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla
¼ cup (30 g) walnut pieces, if desired
as needed butter or oil for pan
METHOD
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and carrots. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and buttermilk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined. Let batter sit for 10 minutes while making the vanilla mascarpone.
In a bowl, cream together the mascarpone and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. In a separate bowl, whip up the whipping cream until it thickens and holds medium peaks (when you lift the whisk from the cream, the tip of the peak will curl over on itself). Gently fold together the mascarpone-sugar mixture with the whipping cream and mix in the vanilla. Set aside in the fridge.
Toast the walnuts in a dry, heavy skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes while stirring constantly. Set aside while making the pancakes.
Heat a nonstick frying pan over medium-low heat. Brush a thin layer of butter or oil on your pan. Drop the batter 2 tablespoons (30 ml) at a time into the pan. Cook until tiny bubbles appear on the surface, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes. Keep the pancakes in the warm oven until you're done with the batter.
Top the pancakes with vanilla mascarpone and toasted walnuts, if desired.
SPICY SHRIMP OMELETTE
SERVES: 2
A SOUTHEAST ASIAN TAKE ON A CLASSIC OMELETTE
I never used to like spicy food, so when my parents hoarded their chili sauce, it wasn't a big deal. Now that I've turned into a spice fiend though, going over to my parents' house for breakfast is a more interesting affair. My mom will hide her specialty sambals way in the back of the fridge, in hopes that I won't find them — but I always do. Spice just makes breakfast so much more nice and this shrimp omelette with lime and cilantro will wake up your taste buds in the best way possible.
INGREDIENTS
12 large shrimp, peeled & deveined
1 tsp (5 ml) sambal oelek (chili garlic sauce)
juice of ½ lime
1 tsp (5 g) sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) fish sauce
1 green onion, sliced
2 tbsp (2.5 g) chopped cilantro
1 ½ tbsp (23 ml) oil, divided
4 large eggs
2 tsp (10 ml) sambal oelek (chili garlic sauce)
¼ tsp salt
1 green onion, sliced
½ cup (20 g) chopped cilantro
to serve lime wedges
METHOD
In a bowl, marinate the shrimp for 15 minutes in the sambal, lime juice, sugar, fish sauce, green onions and cilantro. Set aside.
In another bowl, beat together the eggs, samal oelek and salt.
Heat up ½ tablespoon (8 ml) of oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until pink and slightly charred, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Heat up ½ tablespoon (8 ml) of oil in the pan over medium heat and add half of the eggs. Swirl the eggs in the pan, and with a rubber spatula, gently move cooked eggs to the center of the pan, swirling to move uncooked eggs to replace. When the eggs look about 60% cooked, add 6 shrimp, a sprinkle of green onions and cilantro leaves. Use the spatula to fold the omelette in half. Serve immediately for ultimate deliciousness or keep warm in a 200°F (93°C) oven while making the second omelette. To serve, top with more green onions, cilantro and a lime wedge.
PEACHES & CREAM FRENCH TOAST
SERVES: 2
CINNAMON TOAST, PEACH BOURBON SYRUP & VANILLA MASCARPONE
French toast is super easy to make and one of the first things I learned how to cook. I started out with your basic day-old bread dipped into eggs, but it wasn't long before I started experimenting with all sorts of fruits and flavors. One of my favorite combinations is peaches and cream. Warm peaches and cool mascarpone on top of crisp and creamy toast is supremely addictive. Top it all off with a bourbon sauce, and you have yourself a definite winner.
INGREDIENTS
½ cup (112 g) mascarpone, room temp
2 tbsp (30 g) sugar
½ cup (120 ml) heavy whipping cream
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla
2 large eggs
1/3 cup (80 ml) milk
1 tsp (2 g) cinnamon
4 thick slices day old French bread
1 tbsp (15 g) butter
¼ cup (55 g) brown sugar
2 tbsp (30 g) white sugar
¼ cup (60 ml) bourbon
½ cup (120 ml) water
2 peaches, sliced
METHOD
In a bowl, cream together the mascarpone and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Whip the whipping cream until it thickens and holds medium peaks. (When you lift the whisk from the cream, the tip of the peak will curl over on itself.) Gently fold together the mascarpone-sugar mixture, cream and vanilla. Set aside in the fridge.
Beat eggs, milk and cinnamon together in a shallow bowl. Dip slices of bread into egg mix, flipping once. Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the soaked slices of bread and fry until golden brown on both sides, flipping once, 2-3 minutes per side.
While the toast is cooking, make the peach bourbon syrup. In a small saucepan, bring the sugars, bourbon and water to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat down to medium-low, add the peaches and let the syrup bubble gently. Reduce to a syrup-like consistency, about 5-6 minutes.
Top toast with the bourbon peaches and vanilla mascarpone.
POTATOES & EGGS
SERVES: 4-6
SPANISH EGG OMELETTE WITH POTATOES AND ONIONS
I spent one summer in Spain consuming entirely too many eggs and potatoes. It was all because I started every day with a slice of Spanish tortilla. Although Spanish and Mexican tortillas share the same name, the similarities end there. Spanish tortillas are delicious, massive omelettes filled with potatoes and onions. They're eaten hot or cold, day or night, with or without bread. I like them at room temperature with a little hot sauce.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup (240 ml) olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 cups (360 g) Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
5 large eggs
¼ tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
METHOD
In an 8-inch (20-cm) nonstick frying pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add the onions and potatoes. Cook over medium heat until the potatoes are cooked through and soft, about 12-15 minutes. The oil should never be hot enough to fry the potatoes or turn them brown; the goal is gentle bubbles. When the potatoes are tender, turn off the heat and let potatoes and onions cool for 10 minutes. While cooling, beat eggs in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Use a slotted spoon to remove the potatoes and onions from oil, placing them in a bowl with the eggs. (Be sure to save the oil.) Let the potatoes sit for up to an hour in the eggs for an extra-creamy tortilla.
Heat up 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the reserved oil over low heat. Add the potato-egg mixture and cook for 10-12 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to check if the bottom is slightly browned; the top will be still be runny. Invert the tortilla onto a rimless plate and slide back into the pan to cook for 3-5 more minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.
PULLED PORK PANCAKES
SERVES: 4
PULLED PORK, BUTTERMILK PANCAKES & BOURBON SYRUP
There's a supremely popular restaurant in Vancouver that specializes in brunch. I generally don't mind a bit of a wait for good food, but lines out the door and wait times of over an hour and a half are a bit much, even for me. Sometimes, though, waiting is worth it when you come across that genius restaurant dish that seems easy enough to make at home. After tasting pulled pork pancakes myself, I tried my hand at making my own, and once I figured out the recipe, there was no looking back.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup (140 g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (4 g) baking powder
1 tsp (8 g) baking soda
1 tsp (5 g) sugar
1 large egg
1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk
as needed oil or butter for pan
2 cups (400 g) pulled pork (here), warmed
½ cup (110 g) brown sugar
¼ cup (50 g) white sugar
¼ cup (60 ml) bourbon
½ cup (120 ml) water
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 225°F (110°C). Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and sugar in a large bowl. In a small bowl, beat the egg and then mix with the buttermilk. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Let batter sit for 10 minutes.
Heat up a nonstick frying pan over medium-low heat. Brush a thin layer of butter or oil on the pan. Drop the batter 2 tablespoons (30 ml) at a time into the pan. Cook until tiny bubbles appear on the surface, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes. Keep the pancakes in the warm oven until you're done with the batter.
To make the bourbon syrup, bring the sugars, bourbon and water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Turn the heat to medium-low and let the syrup bubble gently and reduce until it reaches a syrup-like consistency, about 5-6 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.
To serve, top pancakes with pulled pork. Serve with warm bourbon syrup.
POTATO WAFFLES
SERVES: 4-6
POTATO WAFFLES WITH BACON, CHEDDAR & GREEN ONIONS
I generally overestimate how much I think people will eat, so I always end up making massive amounts of food. Thankfully, I love leftovers. They're perfect for when you're too hungry to cook. Even better, though, is taking leftovers and making them into something else entirely. Leftover mashed potatoes can be the base for so many delicious new things. Take these mashed potato waffles — they're even more delicious because they're so easy to make. Leftover mashed potatoes always lead to good things.
INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp (30 ml) oil
¼ cup (60 ml) buttermilk
2 large eggs
2 ½ cups (525 g) mashed potatoes
½ cup (40 g) sliced green onions
1 cup (275 g) cooked bacon, chopped into ½-inch (1.3-cm) pieces
1 cup (110 g) grated cheddar cheese
½ cup (70 g) all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground pepper
METHOD
Preheat your waffle maker. Preheat the oven to 225°F (110°C).
In a large bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: oil, buttermilk and eggs. Add the mashed potatoes, green onions, bacon and cheddar cheese. Mix well.
In a small bowl, mix together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix gently until just combined.
Grease your waffle iron if needed and cook waffles according to waffle iron instructions or until the waffles are golden brown and crispy. Keep waffles warm in the oven in a single layer on a cooling rack placed inside a baking tray. Continuing waffling until you finish the batter. Enjoy the waffles warm with syrup, if desired.
CODDLED EGGS
SERVES: 2
SOFTLY STEAMED EGGS, MASHED POTATOES & SAUTÉED SPINACH
Did you ever have toast and soldiers when you were a kid? Growing up, crunchy buttered toast dipped into a soft-boiled egg was a special treat for me. I know now that it was also a treat for my busy mom: eggs and toast were simple to make, easy to eat and delicious. This is my grown-up version of that classic childhood breakfast. It's perfect for customization, so forget what your parents told you and play with your food!
INGREDIENTS
1 cup (30 g) raw spinach
as needed oil
to taste salt & freshly ground pepper
1 tsp (5 g) butter for the ramekins
½ cup (105 g) mashed potatoes
2 large eggs, room temp
1 tsp (1 g) chopped flat-leaf parsley
METHOD
In a kettle or pot, bring a generous amount of water to a boil.
While the water is boiling, sauté the spinach in a touch of oil over medium heat until just wilted, 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the pan.
Grease two ramekins with the butter. Divide the potatoes between them. Top the potatoes with the wilted spinach. Gently place the raw eggs onto the spinach.
Place the ramekins in a deep roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come up halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
Carefully put the tray on the center rack of the oven. Bake until the whites are gently set and the yolks are still runny, about 17-20 minutes. Carefully remove ramekins, sprinkle with flat-leaf parsley and serve with plenty of buttered toast.
QUINOA PEA CAKES
SERVES: 2-4
CRISPY QUINOA PEA CILANTRO CAKES
Quinoa is a superfood and super healthy for you, but I mostly like it because it just tastes good. The nuttiness and texture of fluffy quinoa is great on its own, but even better when made into a little cake and pan fried. I like making tiny versions of these cakes and dipping sriracha as a snack, but if you want to be a bit fancier you can make the cakes bigger and top them off with a fried egg yolk for a special brunch treat.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Easy Gourmet by Stephanie Le. Copyright © 2014 Stephanie Le. Excerpted by permission of Page Street Publishing Co..
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
INTRO HELLO,BREAKFAST THE BEST PART OF WAKING UP,
PASTA & RICE CARBOLICIOUS,
MEATS CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT THEM,
SEAFOOD SEE FOOD, EAT FOOD,
VEGETABLES EAT THEM,
SOUPS & STEWS LIQUID GOLD,
SANDWICHES LOOK MA, JUST HANDS,
SNACKS NOT JUST FOR MIDNIGHT,
DESSERT ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA,
About Stephanie Le,
Acknowledgements,
Index,
Copyright,