(Kind of) Easy Miso Ramen

There is no shortage of amazing Ramen in this city. In my attempt to create a Ramen on par with that of the ones I love, I began my research. I knew developing such flavors would not be simple, but I did not realize (until about 2 minutes into looking) that a traditional Ramen takes about 3 days to make. I decided to break down some of the recipes and create some short cuts that would end in the desired Umami flavor I was looking for. Although this is just my first attempt (of many to come), I think I was able to reach a pretty enjoyable result.

Ingredients:
2 lb boneless pork shoulder
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil, separated
1 bunch scallions, sliced, white and green parts separated
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger
5 cups low sodium chicken stock
4 tbsp white miso paste
2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
4 ounces angel hair or Ramen noodles
1 tbsp olive oil
4 oz sliced mushrooms (i used a mix of Crimini and Shitake
1 poached egg (optional)

1. Heat oven to 500 F degrees. Rub pork shoulder with salt and sugar. 
2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 tbsp oil. Add pork and brown all sides of the meat. Remove pork and place in a baking dish. Roast for 15 min then reduce heat to 350 degrees F and roast for another 1 hour until internal temperature reaches 160 F degrees. Remove from oven and cover with aluminum foil to rest for 10 min. 
3. Drain pot of excess fat and heat final 1 tbsp oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. 
4. Add scallion whites, garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 min. Add chicken stock, miso and soy sauce; bring to a boil. Stir in noodles  allowing them to cook until tender. 
5. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp olive oil to a small pan. Add sliced mushrooms and saute until tender, 5-7 minutes. 
6. Assemble soup with garnishes of sliced pork, mushrooms, scallion greens and (optional) poached egg. 

Birthday Goals and Honey Corn muffins

It's birthday time again which means it is officially a new year of my life, so I’m giving myself some “New Year” resolutions (isn’t this when resolutions should actually be made?). I have promised myself I will write more and I decided to start it off with some delicious honey corn muffins – and what else says 28 like some good ol’ fashioned corn muffins. Since I was out of paper liners I substituted with 5-inch squares of parchment, folded and fitted into the cups. I actually like the rustic look over traditional white paper cups.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup medium cornmeal
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 cups whole milk
1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 extra-large egg

1/4 cup honey

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 6 muffin cups with paper liners. 

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, melted butter, eggs and honey. 

3. With the mixer on low, pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until they are just combined.

4. Spoon batter into the liners, filling each one to the top. Bake for 30 minutes, until the tops are slightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly and remove from the pan.

Warm Kale & Chickpea Salad

Time is going way too fast these days. Wasn't it just December? I miss the days where summer break felt just as long as the school year. Now it feels as though it is gone in the blink of an eye. So with the summer months approaching I try to not only change my body (usually a hopeless cause) but to change my cooking style as well. Healthier options are at the forefront and late-night treks to The Meatball Shop are pushed to the back burner, unless of course I am out in any vicinity of the lower east side. 

This light, warm kale salad satisfies my healthy endeavor as well as being a creamy, delicious meal or side dish during any weekday night. 

Ingredients:
1 tbsp tahini paste
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp honey
1 16oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
4 cups chopped kale

1. In a small bowl whisk together tahini paste, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, salt and honey. Set aside. 2. In a large bowl toss together chickpeas, walnuts and feta.
3. Bring a medium sized saucepan with salted water to a boil. Add kale and simmer until bright green and slightly tender, 2 minutes.
4. Drain kale and add to bowl with chickpea mixture. Add tahini dressing and toss to coat salad

Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze

Spring, my favorite season which usually exists for about 2 weeks in NYC before the insanely hot weather comes, has officially arrived! One thing I love about living in New York City is how excited people get once the weather peaks above 60 degrees. You would think  that it's 80 degrees outside by the way people dress. Skirts and tank tops are on, the flip-flops are broken out and people are outside drinking like its the Fourth of July. But even better than the overzealous fashions, are the beautiful fruits and vegetables of this season. Although it is about a month premature for blueberries, they looked delicious so I went with it.

I adapted this recipe from one of my favorite recipe writers, Tyler Florence. This recipe is not your typical scone, but it is a bit more of a lighter version similar more to a pastry than a normal scone you may think of.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp. sugar

5 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 cup heavy cream plus more for brushing scones

2 tbsp. lemon juice

1 cup confectioners sugar

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Sift together dry ingredients, flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Using 2 forks or a pastry blender, cut in the butter to coat the pieces of flour until the mixture resembles course crumbs.

2. Fold the blueberries into the batter being careful not to mash or bruise them. Make a well in the center and pour in the heavy cream. Fold everything together just to incorporate, do not overwork the dough.

3. Press the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 12x13x1. Cut the rectangle in half, then cut the pieces in half again giving you 4 (3 inch) squares. Cut the squares in half on a diagonal to give you the triangle shape.

4. Place the scones on an ungreased cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and brush the tops lightly with heavy cream. Bake until golden brown, about 15-20 min. Let the scones cool a bit before you apply the glaze.

5. For glaze, mix lemon juice and confectioners' sugar until completely combined. If glaze seems too thick

Green Tea Cupcakes with Honey Buttercream

There is nothing better than sitting down on a cold night with a warm glass of green tea with honey--unless it's in cupcake form. I suggest everything be eaten in cupcake form -- the world would be such a better place! We would probably need to run a few hundred miles a week, but it would totally be worth it. 

This cupcake has a subtle hint of green tea without being too overpowering. The light honey buttercream is the perfect complement.

Cupcake:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick) at room temperature

1/2 cup honey

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 tbsp green tea (or 2 tbsp green tea powder)

1/2 cup almond milk

Frosting:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter at room temperature

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup honey

2 tbsp almond milk

Cupcake:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12 cupcake tins with paper liners.

2. Beat butter and honey in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 min. Add eggs one at a time allowing each egg to blend into the mixture. Mix in vanilla extract.

3. In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Slowly add to butter mixture

4. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 min. Remove cupcakes from tin and cool on a wire rack. Do not frost until cupcakes are completely cooled.

Frosting:

1. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat sugar and butter. Beat on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.

2. Add honey and almond milk and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more.



Steamed Mussels with Chicken Sausage in White Wine Sauce

Having been a cautious eater my whole life, it would surprise many people who knew my younger self that I enjoy a more exotic array of food. Although mussels may be considered a more adventurous food, they are actually a simple ingredient that takes on the flavors of whatever they are cooked in. This simple dish is so easy to make you may think you are doing something wrong. Cooking vegetarian? Swap out the chicken sausage and broth for vegetable broth and an extra veggie like kale.

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound raw chicken sausage
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 pound mussels, remove any mussels that are cracked or open
2 tbsp chopped parsley

1. Heat olive oil in a large rimmed skilled (with a lid). Add onions and garlic and saute until translucent, 5 min. Add tomatoes and saute an additional 3 min.
2. Remove sausage from casing and rumble into skillet, breaking it apart in the pan with a spatula. Saute until browned and cooked through, about 5 to 7 min.
3. Add white wine and simmer until reduced by half. Add chicken stock. Bring to a boil and simmer until liquid has thickened slightly, 7 min.
4. Add mussels and cover with lid until shells have opened, 5 min.
5. Toss all ingredients together to incorporate and sprinkle with chopped parsley