Jung's Weblog

Was just thinking of posting this recipe when Emily asked me for it on FB — I knew I have to share it. This is a recipe that I concocted after reading about 10 or so mushroom sauce recipes for Gnocchi. None of them was exactly what I really wanted, but I learned some crucial technique regarding cooking mushrooms that made this possible, and my god, it was soooo good that even I ate it (I don’t usually eat my non-vegan dishes).

GNOCCHI:
a package of store bought gnocchi or make it fresh

Charlie Trotter’s gnocchi recipe has the fluffiest texture that I adore, it is better than any other recipe I have ever tried:
1 egg yolk
1 large Idaho potato (about 8 ounces) peeled, cooked and riced
1/2 to 3/4 cup flour
Salt and pepper

Mix the egg yolk into the potato and knead in enough flour so that the dough is not sticky, season to taste with salt and pepper. Roll it out into a long cigar shape and cut the roll into small pieces. Use a gnocchi board to shape if you like it pretty, and it holds the sauce better

Nathaniel (Yangco) got mine for me, I miss him, RIP…

MUSHROOM SAUCE:
olive oil
about 2 cups of mixed mushrooms, finely chopped (I used a combination of White Bottom, Portobello, and Porcini Mushrooms)
1/2 medium sized yellow onion, finely chopped
1 garlic, minced
2 cup of chicken broth
handful of sage julienned
1 tablespoon of butter
1 tablespoon of truffle oil
Salt and Pepper
Parmigiano Reggiano

Heat a saute pan over high heat. When hot, add oil, and then sprinkle in the mushrooms. DON’T STIR! Let the mushrooms sizzle and caramelize for 7 to 8 minutes. Stir and season with salt and pepper (watch for the amount of salt if your stock is salty). Add garlic and cook, stirring for about 1 minute to release its fragrance. Add the 1/2 of the julienned sage and onion and cook until they release their fragrance, add broth, reduced it by at least half. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and truffle oil.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil while you are making the sauce. Add a little olive oil to the water and the gnocchi. They are done about 1 minutes after they float to the surface. Lift them out with a skimmer and mix them well with the sauce. Sprinkle with the rest of the sage and grate some fabulous aged Parmigiano Reggiano on top. ENJOY

Haven’t seen Linda for ever, so happy she is here today for brunch. And HuaHua is spoiled rotten with all the new toys from her and Michael

My tradition of roasting two Peking Ducks for the Chinese New Year’s Eve party continues this year, grateful that I have so many friends to celebrate it with

Happy Chinese New Year! It is in soooo many ways, a whole new beginning of my life

Bacon Wrapped Date Stuffed with Smoked Almond

Shrimp Burgers with Mango Avocado Salsa

Raw Vegan Ginger Carrot Soup

Chicken Yakitori

Tuna Tartare with Spicy Mayo

Seafood Paella

Raspberry Creme Brulee

Just some little things I did in the kitchen, and finally put up those little magnets of Magnetic Poetry — need my buddy Arman to make up some twisted lines for me

Quite nice, aren’t they?

(All the art work on the fridge is from my cutest pupil Zoe)

Since Calle Ocho opened in upper west side, I sooooo loved their little cheesy buns served at the table. Bugged chef Alex Garcia for recipe a few years back, he gave me a recipe card using their “flour mix” which he gave me 2 buckets of it (grateful). Felt this yuca flour concoction is so rare to come by that I would not ever use them — so I kept going back to the restaurant for dinner in order to get these buns and always asked to bring a basket home (silly me )

Finally googled for the recipe and found out what that secret flour is made of. Making pan de bono for the first time tonight using recipe I found online combined with the recipe chef Garcia gave me, came out perfectly using an ice cream scoop to shape. I am taking advantage of my new neighborhood where all these ingredients are EVERYWHERE! BTW, this is a gluten free bread. THEY ARE ADDICTIVE!!

1 cup yellow masarepa (precooked cornmeal)
1 cup tapioca (cassava, yuca) flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
3 cups grated queso fresco, (or farmer’s cheese, or any mild white cheese)
1 cup of milk
1 egg
2 teaspoons sugar
salt to taste (1-2 teaspoons depends on the salt content of the cheese you get)

enjoy!

Having lots of fun cooking last Friday

Seafood Red Curry Vermouth Bouillabaisse

Raspberry Créme Brûlée Napoleon with Green Tea Anglaise and Peach Juice Reduction

Slaved all day back and forth from the kitchen to the piano since 5:30 in the morning yesterday throwing a big party after performing at the IKIF last night, and there is not one single picture to show for it… UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! None of my usual girls could make it to the party, so no one was there to remind me to take pictures… hah, I really feel like whining for the rest of the century… Guess I have to throw the same party again… =P

But kisses to new friend R for staying in the 500 degree kitchen with me for all those late night hours helping out and sharing my secret stash of some really fabulous bubbly that is for the “kitchen crew” only

Here is the menu (my attempt in continuing the tradition of serving pizza at the after event receptions at the festival founder Rose’s, just these were not delivery pizza, but my handmade brick oven thin crust pizza ):

White Bean Hummus, Caramelized Onion, Arugula, and Asiago Pizza
(Todd English’s award winning recipe that paid for his son’s summer camp during a financial difficult time — love the story…)

Classic Fresh Mozzarella, Tomato, Basil, and Parmesan Pizza

Red and White Sangria, and Lemongrass Pineapple Saketini for drinks

Made 9 trays of 6 different kinds of pizza, only have empty trays, and dirty glasses to show the head count…

Can’t believe I made Miya grilled porterhouse with ground porcini mushroom dry rub after I had just seen the documentary “Food Inc” at the Film Forum 2 weeks ago… well, this was per request… hah, smelled like very animal-ie flesh and bloody thing-ie to me =P

Miya and her porterhouse.

A pitcher of fruity sangria for her and a very big glass of PLAIN OLD BORING WATER for me

thought this looks a bit MOMA-esque modern-ish strange

another gorgeous night up in the roof garden

Stumbled upon takoyaki making videos on YouTube, couldn’t help myself but ordered an electric takoyaki grill from Japan!

Takoyaki & Okonomiyaki, and Moto’s Guinness

bff Celine’s baby girl is due next month! HAPPY

Moto, a fab composer, Celine’s hubby Robert’s bff since college!

Fun night making lots of Japanese food on the pre-4th of July weekend