Green Bean Chicken Stir Fry

Green Bean Chicken Stir Fry

While growing up in the rural Midwest I overheard a number of conversations between grown men boasting about the number of quarts of green beans they had harvested and canned from their garden, as if they were talking about the number of women they had bedded at the local bar.

Snapping and canning green beans were just a normal part of summer when you're raised in Churubusco, Indiana.

I like green beans, but I want them dressed up. Plain, steamed beans really don't do much for me because I don't think they have much flavor. In my experience they are best as a canvas to paint flavors on. Green bean casserole is one of my favorite dishes — what makes it, is the creamy mushroom gravy and french onions — the beans are just filler.

With piles of green beans currently at my finger tips, I decided it was time to do something fun and have them co-star in a stir fry. I precooked the beans in a microwave steam bag first because I wanted to get them 90 percent cooked and could finish  them as they heated through with all the other ingredients.

My stir fry flavors start with ginger, garlic and onion and have a yummy sauce made of hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil and teriyaki. These ingredients could make any garden vegetable delicious, and are my go to ingredients for stir fry. For protein I choose chicken.

All of this is served over a bed of rice.

To my surprise it really went a long way, with just a pound and a half of chicken and a pound of green beans I was able to make enough to easily feed four people.

Green beans aren't the sexiest vegetables to feature in stir fry, but this is a tasty way to enjoy them — weather you buy them on-sale at the store — or you're shoveling buckets of them from the garden. This is a great way to eat green beans.

Eat well, cook often ...

GREEN BEAN CHICKEN STIR FRY
Serves 4, 45 minutes
1 lb green beans, trimmed and snapped
1.5 lbs chicken thighs, boneless chunks
2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 Tbs garlic, minced
1/2 C onion, sliced
1/4 C hoisin sauce
1 Tbs rice vinegar
1 Tbs teriyaki sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 C uncooked rice

Place green beans in a microwave steam bag, season with salt and 1 tablespoon of water. Seal and microwave on high for 3 1/2 minutes. Let rest 1 minute more. Open and set aside until ready to add to stir fry.

In a large pan or wok over medium-high heat, brown chicken in a little oil until cooked through 6 to 8 minutes, stir occasionally. Salt and pepper to taste. Remove chicken and add onion, cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes, season to taste. Add ginger and garlic cook 1 minute more or until fragrant. Add beans and chicken to pan. Stir in hoisin, vinegar, sesame oil and teriyaki. Cook until heated through 5 to 6 minutes more, stirring frequently. Serve over rice.

THE RICE
Over high heat in a pot toss rice in a little oil. Add two cups of water, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer 10 to 12 minutes. Turn off heat, keep lid on tight and let rice steam 10 minutes more. Remove lid and fluff with a fork, then serve.

Asian Meatball Subs

I'm doing something different with this post.

In the past, I wouldn't have posted this recipe. I served it to a group of friends last Sunday and it was a tasty treat that got a lot of compliments. It was an experiment though, with great potential to be a blockbuster party snack, but there are a couple of adjustments that need to be made for me to spend the time it takes to create the visual recipe that would be the centerpiece of the post. I do think this is worth sharing though because it was a tasty snack that can easily feed a group of 8 to 10. So, I'm just going with a few nice pics of the finished product, instead of the full-blown graphic treatment.

I decided to post this because I was going through photos of past recipes and looking at stuff I had never published. What I found was lots of good, original food creations that I would serve to anyone. The reason I didn't create a graphic for them was because they needed an adjustment to be a home run, rather than just a double up the middle. Sometimes I strikeout and those recipes shouldn't be published, but on the flip side it doesn't have to be an Iron Chef quality recipe to make it here - afterall, I'm not gonna run out of paper.

That said, I think this recipe needs an adjustment to the flavor of the meatball, so I really don't want to spend the time it takes to create a photo-driven infographic when I know I'm going to revisit it soon and turn it into something I would publish in a book - where paper does run out!

BEHIND THIS BITE

Asian Meatball Subs

This is a play on my simple meatball sub recipe. I just thought I would twist it around a little and surround it with Asian flavors instead of Italian flavors. It seemed like a simple way to create something new from one of my favorite easy party snacks.

I purchased home-style meatballs from the freezer isle rather than Italian-style meatballs, but that was the fatal flaw of this dish. Even the home-style frozen meatballs were really garlicy and Italian flavored. They over-powered the stir fry sauce and broccoli slaw. I will make these again but I need to make the meatballs from scratch and use authentic Asian flavors that compliment the sauce and slaw. They were still tasty but to make a great Asian meatball sub, I won't be able to take the processed freezer isle route. (Unless Meijer starts carrying Asian-style meatballs of course.)

If I'm going to go all out and make the meatballs from scratch next time, I will also make the stir fry sauce rather than a store bought version. I think to do this right it needs to be more complex.

Overall, I would recommend this simple version for a low maintenance treat to take to a pot luck, they are tasty - just not 15-photo, full work-day information-graphic tasty. That will come later down the road!

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Asian Meatball Subs

Serves 8 to 10, 3 to 4 hours (15 minutes active)
4 lbs Home-style frozen Meatballs
2 bottles Stir fry sauce (12 oz each)
2 bags Broccoli slaw (12 oz each)
1/2 C Rice wine vinegar
2 Tbs Sesame oil

Make Meatballs
Toss meatballs with sauce in a slow cooker. Heat on high for 2 hours, stir pot, and heat another hour or until hot and simmering.

Make slaw
Toss together broccoli slaw, rice vinegar and sesame oil, place in fridge and let marinate for at least two hours. Season with a little salt if necessary.

Make sub
On a hot dog bun layer meatballs and slaw, then serve.

Asian Beef Skewers

Printable version

Ginger was introduced to China by way of India more than two thousand years ago and is believed to have originated in the tropical jungles of Southeast Asia, according to The Practical Encyclopedia of Asian Cooking. It has a very distinct aroma and sharp flavor and is widely used in Eastern cuisine, not just for its flavors, but for its medicinal value also. It’s thought that ginger helps digestion, soothes coughs and eases nausea.

Fresh ginger root is sold in most super markets. It has a light brown skin that is easy to removed and the flesh is diced or grated before being added to a dish. It’s also available in dried, ground and pickled form.

For this recipe, I make an Asian sauce featuring fresh ginger, hoisin sauce and orange. I apply it to the beef at the end of cooking and serve it on the side of the finished plate. It has a sweet, citrus flavor with a ginger and garlic base, perfect for a warm summer night in the backyard with a hot grill to cook on and cold drinks to go around.

BEHIND THIS BITE
I love using ginger. During the first winter I was in Fort Wayne I made a Christmas dish for the family that featured ginger and hoisin sauce, two of the ingredients here. It was a vegetable medley with cauliflower, broccoli and red peppers. I thought it was really tasty and complimented the roasted chicken it was served along side of.

Dad ate a little and he didn’t seem all that happy. I asked him what was wrong, he said very frankly “Vegetables taste like soap!” He obviously wasn’t a fan of the ginger.

I really don’t think the dish had enough in it to really taste like soup, but that’s what Dad thought of the dish. I have since made many recipes that have featured ginger and shared with Mom and Dad and he has either gotten used to the taste or he just doesn’t say anything about it any more.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE
Makes 3 to 4 servings; 40 minutes
1 lb Sirloin, thin sliced
10 to 15 Bamboo skewers
1 Tbs Ginger, minced
1 Tbs Garlic, minced
1/2 C Hoisin sauce
1/4 C Plum sauce
1/4 C Orange juice
1 Tbs Orange zest
1 Tbs Sesame oil

Soak skewers, season beef
Soak skewers for at least 30 minutes. Cut beef into 1-inch strips and place on skewers. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Start coals, make sauce
Start charcoal. In a sauce pan over medium heat sauté ginger and garlic in a little olive oil until soft. 1 to 2 minutes. Add hoisin sauce, plum sauce, orange zest, orange juice and sesame oil. Simmer and remove from heat.

Grill, baste skewers
Place skewers on medium-high charcoal grill, baste with sauce, cook 2 minutes. Flip skewers, baste with more sauce and cook another 2 minutes or to desired doneness. Remove and serve with more sauce if desired.

Asian Style Chicken Tacos

Printable version

Recently I found myself at the family campground on a Saturday afternoon with nothing to do but cook and enjoy a camp fire. This may sound normal for August in Indiana, but this summer has been far from normal indeed.

Drought and record heat has dominated the spring and summer until now. A fire ban for most of June and July virtually took the fun out of camping, not to mention triple digit heat.

With the weather back to normal the family was out in force to enjoy the outdoors. I had picked up some broccoli slaw the day before and thought it would be fun to make a sweet and sour Asian inspired taco, I have a small, but efficient pantry in my camper that allows me to go Mexican, or Asian at any time.

As I was making these up I found myself enjoying the moment, like I hadn’t enjoyed in a long time. I was just cooking, no pictures or pressure to make something worthy of publishing in print or on the web. It has been a while where I have been able to let loose and cook something gourmet, just for the pleasure of it. Most of the gourmet stuff I cook I document for this blog or my print column. Everything is thought through and meticulously planned so that the photography and design or presentation of the dish is top notch - not to mention the flavor. It has to be great or generally I will not use it in print. A lot of work goes into a post like this, which I love doing.

BEHIND THIS BITE
What I realized while making the tacos was it is good to just cook sometimes, no recipes, blogs or pictures. Just me working to make the most tasty thing I can possibly make - then chowing down.

It really took me back to my days in New York during football season. I would have “tailgating” parties in my apartment, complete with indoor grill and cold beer by noon. I knew my cooking was starting to get good when women starting showing up to my football parties and tell me they could care less about the game, they were there for the food.

At the campground, I used mini corn tortillas to get more tacos out of the batch - I churned out somewhere between 20 to 25. I ate 5 myself. The family really enjoyed this one because there was no heat. Most of the time when I’m cooking outside I tend to lean toward spicy flavors, so the ones weary of the spice were pleasantly surprised.

It was such an enjoyable experience, almost therapeutic in a way. It's important to cook just because you love it every once in a while.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE
Makes 8 to 10 tacos; 30 minute
1/2 C Broccoli slaw
1/4 C Rice vinegar
1 Tbs Ginger minced
1 Tbs Garlic minced
1/2 C Hoisin sauce
1/4 C Rice vinegar
1 Tbs Sesame oil
1 Tbs Teriyaki sauce
1 1/2 lbs. Chicken boneless
16 to 20 Corn tortillas
1 C Cilantro chopped
1/2 C Onion diced

Make slaw, sauce 
Mix together broccoli slaw and rice vinegar, season to taste, set aside. Over medium high heat in a sauce pan with a little oil, saute ginger and garlic until fragrant, 2 minutes. Add hoisin, rice vinegar, sesame oil and teriyaki, bring to a simmer and remove from heat.

Grill chicken, heat tortillas
Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Grill over medium heat until cooked through 8 to 10 minutes, turn once during cooking. Let rest at least 5 minutes then slice into chunks. While chicken rests, wrap tortillas in paper towel and microwave 1 minute.

Assemble tacos
On two corn tortillas layer chicken, sauce, cilantro, onion and broccoli slaw. Fold and serve. 

Spicy, Sweet and Sour Chicken

Printable version

I have started a new culinary adventure.

Recently, I was introduced to John Maxwell, a New Orleans Chef who was forced to relocate to Fort Wayne after Hurricane Katrina. He currently cooks at the Shiloh reception hall and is in the process of starting a food truck called “The Ragin’ Cajun.” The truck will deliver the cuisine of New Orleans to Fort Wayne and the surrounding areas.

John was in need of help at the hall and with the truck. After meeting with him at the Shiloh, I was asked to come aboard to assist him with the cooking and to help create an on-line social network for the Ragin' Cajun.

For this recipe, I create my own version of sweet and sour chicken over rice – the first dish I helped John prepare for a reception a couple weeks ago. It was intended for 160 people, so it was created differently at the Shiloh. This is a version for four that contains some heat from sriracha hot sauce. It’s the first of hopefully many creations inspired by this new adventure.

BEHIND THIS BITE
A little over two years ago I left New York City and the world of journalism to create a business for myself. A once in a lifetime opportunity that at the very least would allow me to sit back when I’m an old man and say “This is what I did” instead of “This is what I could have done.”

This blog featuring over 100 original recipes, 20,000 words, 1,500 photographs and a print column that has ran every week for the last two years is what I have built. At the very least I have written a how-to cookbook with a stunning visual presentation of my food and the story behind it.

In Early June, my cousin approached me with a card and an application. He said the Chef at the Shiloh was looking for some help. He wasn’t sure what “help” meant but he gave me assurance that these were solid people and I should at least go talk to them because he felt like I could offer some good services to them.
The card he gave me said “Ragin’ Cajun Food Truck - John Maxwell - Chef/Owner.” I thought what the hell. Cool concept for Fort Wayne. I’ll at least give the guy a call.

The Shiloh Catering and Reception Hall

A few days later I called John, his Bayou accent was clear and authentic, and I agreed to come have a look at the Shiloh and his food truck. He didn’t have a job description, but told me if I would check the place out he could explain it better.

When I went to meet John at the Shiloh, he first showed me the set up inside. Great space for cooking, lots of equipment, very clean and in general, a nice place. He then showed me the truck, which hadn’t been painted yet, and he talked to me about his menu and plans. The truck was a dream kitchen on wheels. char broiler, griddle, fryer, stove ... It’s loaded.

John is a native of New Orleans, and a true character. It was evident right from the get go. He reminded me of my old buddies back in Whitestone, Queens in the borough of New York City. I liked him right away. *1

We went back to the office of the Shiloh and talked for a while, at that time Jeff Parrot, the owner joined us. He had been looking at this blog while me and John were inspecting the truck. The Shiloh is primarily a family run business, at a reception, you’ll find Jeff’s wife pitching in as well as the kids. Jeff is a genuine guy with an entrepreneurial spirit who seems open to new ideas.

Big John's Ragin' Cajun Food Truck

We sat and talked about the possibilities of the food truck and the Shiloh, I told them my story. We agreed that we might be able to help each other business-wise with the different resources we all bring to the table. Since then, I have worked a couple of reception helping John cook and started a website for the Ragin’ Cajun Food Truck. (Which now has an awesome paint job.)

We’ll see where it goes from here. As I said in the introduction, It's a new culinary adventure. Can’t wait to see where it takes me.

Eat well, cook often ...

The picture at right is (from left counter clockwise) my mom holding my sister, great grandma, grandpa, me and my great great grandma. Five generations. Taken in September of 1979 at the Shiloh, during my great grandparents 50th wedding anniversary party. I was 5.

*1 - NOTE
In the Big Apple, as I am sure is the case with New Orleans (The Big Easy), you have to be a character if you want to survive and have any kind of success. In smaller places, it’s much safer to fit in with the crowd rather than to stand out. Not the case in New York - You fit in BY standing out, which brings more of people’s true character to the table, but ironically, makes them appear to have a tougher exterior.

Big John, the Ragin' Cajun, is definitely a character.

Asian Chicken Over Rice

Printable version

There is an old saying that "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach." I believe that saying was coined by women who were projecting their own feelings, because there are few things a man can do that are more powerful than to surprise his love interest by preparing her a home cooked meal.

Don't get me wrong, men appreciate it when the one he loves cooks for him – it just pales in comparison. Woman appreciate the thought and effort that goes into it as much as the actual taste. That thought and effort is pure romance and says "I love you" ten times louder than actually saying it.

Cooking can be the best Valentine's Day present and for this recipe, I create a simple but elegant dish featuring Asian flavors. The chicken is marinated in teriyaki sauce, ginger and garlic and the rice features sautéd onion and red peppers. It takes about an hour for it all to come together and it is well worth the effort. So guys, remember this - one way to a woman’s heart is definitely through her stomach.

BEHIND THIS BITE
There are few things I know about females, but being blessed with good culinary skills has allowed me to discover how much women appreciate great cooking. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been told “I love a man who can cook” by my female acquaintances.

This became evident when I would host football parties at my man cave in New York. There were a number of occasion when the guys interested in the actual games were out numbered by the females who were there because of the food. On the night of Super Bowl XLIV, I was actually told this. I opened the door to let a friend in and she literally said “I could care less about the game, I’m here for the food.” Later that night I found this same friend using tortilla chips to finish off leftover sauce I had made for a pizza! (that sauce can be found here)

While females will remain mostly a mystery to me, one thing is for sure – if your out to impress one, cook up the best dish you can make – and, oh yea, make sure you take a shower!

Eat well, cook often ...