Adventures in Mika's Kitchen
Steak Diane was a popular American dish back in the mid to late 20th century. This was a pan-fried steak (often prepared tableside) served in a sauce made of pan-juices and flambéed with brandy or cognac. These days, you don’t see Steak Diane on many restaurant menus… but it remains a delicious way to prepare [...]
Last week, some friends gave us a bag of guavas from their backyard tree. The guavas were perfectly ripe, and very fragrant… Great timing, as I was planning to make some fall jams and jellies to give away during the holidays! While some guava jam recipes don’t call for added pectin… I think it’s a [...]
Here’s a quick weeknight dinner recipe… spicy chicken corn chowder, which can be made (mostly) with pantry ingredients: canned chicken broth, a can of evaporated milk, and a can of Costco chicken breast. For fresh ingredients, I use 2 ears of corn (you can substitute with frozen corn kernels), an onion, bell pepper, cilantro, and [...]
Cold soba noodles are a Japanese summer staple… when the weather gets really hot, these buckwheat noodles make a very refreshing and light meal (especially when you don’t feel like eating anything too hot or heavy). This type of soba is served with various toppings (usually nori and chopped green onion), along with a side [...]
Last time I went to Costco, I found a new item – frozen (cooked) Langostino tails. What are “langostinos“? Here in the U.S., “langostinos” refer to the Squat lobster (which is not what we think of as a real “lobster” – it’s actually a species related to hermit crabs). Do not confuse “langostino” with “langoustes” [...]
In Italian, “affogato” means “drowned” or “drowned in coffee“…. and refers to an Italian espresso-based beverage (or dessert) in which hot espresso is poured over a scoop of ice cream or gelato. In it’s simplest form, you would just pair a shot of espresso with a scoop of vanilla ice cream to make an Affogato. [...]
Cioppino is a tomato-based seafood stew which is traditionally made from the catch of the day (typically a combination of Dungeness crab, clam, mussels, shrimp, scallops, squid, and fish). While many people think of this dish as being Italian, it actually hails from San Francisco, California! During the late 1800′s, San Francisco fisherman would cook up [...]
Recent Comments