Sandwiches

Merlot Poached Asian Pear and Blue Cheese Panini

Like any other kid, it was an absolute pain to get me to eat my fruits (unless they were in cereal or bubblegum form) yet I never had a problem noshing up Asian pears (xá lị). Maybe it was because they were fun to say in Vietnamese (kind of sounds like Sally or silly) and maybe it was because I adored watching my great-grandmother gracefully slicing them up while sneaking in a few nibbles. Needless to say, I still love Asian pears as an adult. They are incredibly juicy but slightly less grittier than your traditional pear, making them a light and crispy treat. Today, however, instead of slicing them up raw like I usually do, I decided to poach them in leftover New Year’s wine for lunch and was pleasantly surprised. While these may not be as delicately prepared as they would be in a Harry & David gift basket, they added a marvelous touch of gourmet to my sandwich (along with some mint and blue cheese) with hardly any effort at all.

Merlot Poached Asian Pear and Blue Cheese Panini (Serves 4)
• 2 Asian pears
• 1 cup red wine
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 4 tbsp honey
• 1 loaf Artisan bread
• 4 oz blue cheese
• butter or olive oil
• fresh mint, chopped

1. Chop pears into quarters and slice into 1/4 inch wedges. The skins become really soft when poached so peeling them is completely optional. Remove seeds as you find them.

sliced asian pears

2. In a shallow pan, bring red wine, balsamic vinegar and honey to a boil. I used Merlot for its moderate flavor which won’t overpower the natural sweetness of the pears but will still add a distinct wine flavor. Reduce heat and add pear slices. Simmer on low to medium heat for 8-10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove pears from the pan and turn up the heat to reduce the red wine sauce into a glaze. This can take anywhere from 3 to 8 minutes depending on how shallow or wide your pan is. After red wine is reduced, remove from heat, pour glaze over poached pears and set aside.

3. Brush bread with olive oil or melted butter and lay on panini press. Add a layer of blue cheese (any kind will do, though I used a Roquefort for its strong tangy flavor to complement the sweet pears), a layer of poached pears, and another light layer of cheese. Sandwiching the pears between layers of cheese prevents the pears from making the bread too soggy. Press for 5-8 minutes. I like my paninis on the crunchy side so I leave them in for longer.

4. Garnish with fresh chopped mint, which complements the sweet pears and tangy cheese beautifully. It’s not a conventional sandwich, but it is so so divine. Plus you can experiment with infinite combinations of red wines, breads, and blue cheeses to your taste bud’s desire.

 

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Soups

Curried Roasted Red Pepper Soup

I hate snow days. I hate the feeling of being stuck inside, even though I’m a complete homebody at heart. As soon as I saw the first few flurries fall this morning, I zipped over to the grocery store to find inspiration for a warm and cozy meal. I knew I wanted soup (perhaps because this old 90’s soup commercial convinced me that hot soup is the answer to a chilly snow day) but I also wanted to use the oven to warm up my apartment. The answer: curried roasted red pepper soup. Roasted red peppers are not only incredibly easy to make at home, but the roasting process also makes your house smell divine. I added a little curry to spice it up but overall a really simple and elegant soup. I hope it warms up your day, even if it isn’t snowing!

Curried Roasted Red Pepper Soup (Serves 6)
• 6 red bell peppers
• 1 bulb garlic, about 12 cloves
• 1 large onion, chopped thinly
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1 tbsp curry
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• sesame oil
• Thai basil, chopped, for garnish
• coconut milk, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Wash peppers thoroughly, slice lengthwise and remove stem and seeds.

2. Place 1-2 garlic cloves inside peppers. Flip over peppers and lay down flat on a foil-lined baking sheet.

3. Bake for 40 minutes and then broil for an additional 5 minutes.

4. Remove peppers from oven and immediately place in an airtight container, along with the roasted garlic, for 10-15 minutes. The steam will make it easier to peel the skins. Once the peppers are cool enough to handle, the skins should easily pinch off.

peeled roasted red peppers

5. In a pot, saute onions in a few tablespoons of sesame oil until onions are soft and translucent.

6. Add in chicken broth, roasted peppers and garlic, curry and salt. Let simmer, while covered, for 10 minutes.

7. Remove from heat and use an immersion blender to puree peppers and onions. After soup is thoroughly pureed, stir in coconut milk.

9. Garnish with additional coconut milk and some fresh chopped Thai basil.

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Appetizers

Spicy Beef and Peanut Endive Boats

Happy New Year! I’ve just returned from a much needed holiday vacation back in New Jersey with my family where I spent the entirety of my break being fed nonstop by Mama Bui. (Don’t worry, these yummy recipes will all make it on the blog eventually!) Now that I’m back home, I, like many others, hope to start the new year off by eating healthier and leading a more active lifestyle. I wasted no time acting on my resolution with these spicy beef and peanut endive boats I made for my New Year’s Eve party. Not only do they make a beautiful and unique spread, but they’re also a much leaner alternative to traditional holiday hors d’oeuvres. Now if only I didn’t eat so many of them…:)

Spicy Beef and Peanut Endive Boats (Yields 40)
• 5 Belgian endives
• 1 lb ground beef
• 3 tbsp sesame oil
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped
• 2 tbsp chili paste
• 1 1/2 tbsp lime juice
• 2 tsp fish sauce
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• pickled carrots

1. In a frying pan, heat minced garlic and sesame oil until golden in color.

2. Add in beef, peanuts, chili paste, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, salt and black pepper.

3. Saute on medium heat until liquid evaporates for 10-12 minutes. The beef should be slightly charred but still moist.

4. Wash endives thoroughly and chop the ends off. Spread leaves out on a platter.

5. Use a slotted spoon to scoop beef stirfry on the endive boats. About 1 tablespoon should be enough so that the boats don’t become soggy or tip over.

6. Garnish with pickled carrots (carrots soaked in vinegar). Feel free to experiment with different shapes and sizes of carrots. Look at these pretty handcut ones my mom made!

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Desserts

Green Tea and Mint Oreo Cheesecake

I’ve noticed I tend to gravitate towards “green” flavors, both sweet and savory – lime, wasabi, green apple, mint, avocado, pesto, matcha etc. With Christmas quickly approaching, a touch of green seems quite appropriate, especially in classic holiday desserts. Sneak in some mint and green tea flavor into this easy cheesecake recipe to surprise your friends and family this holiday.

green tea cheesecake

Green Tea and Mint Oreo Cheesecake (Serves 8)
• 30 mint Oreo cookies (1 15.25 oz package)
• 2 packages cream cheese, softened
• 2 tbsp matcha powder
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• vegetable oil or spray

1. Preheat oven to 235 degrees. Remove cream frosting from Oreo cookies and put aside. Place cookies in a food processor and grind to a coarse powder. If you don’t have a food processor, you can also put cookies into a ziploc bag and smash with a pan.

2. Stir in melted butter and mix evenly.

3. Press Oreo crust down tightly onto a greased springform pan.

4. Mix cream cheese, remaining mint oreo filling, and matcha powder.

5. Slowly whisk in eggs, one at a time. Pour into springform pan.

6. Bake for 55 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours before removing springform pan.Garnish with powdered sugar, whipped cream and additional Oreoes. (The powdered sugar is a great way to hide some of the bubbles on the surface.)

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