0 STIR-FRIED DUCK & MANGETOUT PEAS IN BLACK BEAN SAUCE

In life nothing is ever black or white. Like with monochromatic photography, there are multiple shades of greys, some darker, some lighter than others. Most events are not utterly sensational or completely disastrous. They generally contain elements of both good and bad, in various percentages. The same can be said about blogging. Although it is a very enriching and satisfying occupation, it is far from being always a relaxing or fun adventure. It is no storm-free cruise...

Of course, being the author and creator of a blog brings a lot of joy. You get the opportunity to develop your talents, to cultivate yourself by acquiring new knowledge, to improve your personality, to ameliorate your social skills and above all to meet many interesting as well as like minded "colleagues" who are as passionate and nuts about food as you are. A blessed few can make a living out of it and even see their lives totally change from one day to another when they are offered exciting jobs or book contracts thanks to their hard work, but also because they have been lucky to be in the right place at the right moment. Unfortunately, that happens to a minority of us, so we should be very careful not to fantasize too much about becoming a celebrity and making a successful career in the gastronomy business.

Regretably, blogging is a double-sided coin. The virtual world is not as glamorous and beautiful as you think. Most of the people who have a blog rarely see their efforts payoff and stay forever in anonymousity. Not forgetting that it has its share of ugly and gloomy territories populated with evil trolls, slimey creatures, badass spirits, blood-thirsty vampires, hostile savages, tyrannical emperors and self-proclaimed crowned heads too (if you need a concrete example, read this hair-raising article by Shauna at "The Gluten-Free Girl And The Chef", it is terrifying!).

Sometimes, this enterprise can be compared to a battle as you are forced to be armed well and fight in order not to get eaten alive by the armies of shameless barbarians who's aim is to afflict and destroy you as well as make you disappear for eternity. One has to be very strong, confident and protect himself/herself with a shield of integrity, kindness and indifference if you want to survive in this ruthless jungle.

It is also a hobby that can be highly time-comsuming, painful, a real millstone around your neck, a medium for enslavement, a money pit, generate stress, anger, misery and disquiet, make you weak and annihilate your determination as well as faith in your capacities. As it is a public activity, you are exposed to the merciless judgement, criticism and endless dissatisfaction of know-it-all people who think that they have the right to yammer, insult you or bring you down. In such an environment, you can easily get reduced to turn into the punching ball for execrable, unscrupulous, frustrated, jealous and complexed individuals who dump their doubts, hate, anger, meanness and instability on you, with much intensity.

Anyway, I try to never get influenced by the negativity of those poor souls or dirtied by the foulness of such despisable human beings. Without embracing denial, I choose to positivize and direct my attention to what is beneficial to me. I guess that my immense and undeniable passion for everything that is directly or indirectly linked to the vast culinary universe is the driving force behind my creativity and helps me stay focused on what's important. If this fervor had not been running through my veins, then Rosa's Yummy Yums might have died of a sad death long ago (I have been around since more than 6 years)!

I am a free-spirit so no matter what people say or do, I follow my own path and don't take notice of those whose pastime is to annoy others. I have more important things to do than let myself get affected morally by such naysayers. This is why I have complete freedom in my writing and choose the subjects I am going to talk about as well as the recipes I am going to expose according to my will.

So, following this philosophy, I decided that considering the success of my "Cold Soba Noodle Salad" (1,512 views) and "Chinese Lemon Chicken" (17,652 views) recipes, my readers might be happy if I come up with another Asian-oriented speciality.

Today, I am presenting a recipe for a duck stir-fry that I invented myself after craving black bean-garlic sauce seasoned food. This oomphy and pungent paste made with soy sauce, fermented beans, garlic, sugar, water, salt, soybean oil, rice wine and cornstarch is amazing, addictive and transforms any dish into something sumptuous and lipsmackingly delicious that it is impossible to resist it.

In order to counterbalance and enhance the strong flavor of that magical condiment and create a well-balanced piece de resistance, I added some sweet Hoisin sauce, Thai thin soy sauce, Thai hot chili sauce, garlic, onion and fresh ginger. Both the duck and mangetout peas paired perfectly with all the seasonings, thus resulting in an extremely palatable combination. My spicy "Stir-Fry Duck & Mangetout Peas In Black Bean Sauce" is just drop dead gorgeous!

~ Stir-Fried Duck And Mangetout Peas In Black Bean Sauce ~
Recipes by Rosa Mayland, September 2011.

Serves 2-3.

Ingredients:
2 Duck breasts (skin on or not), cut into strips
200g Mangetout peas (fresh or frozen) 2 Onions, sliced in half-moons
1 Clove garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbs Finely chopped ginger
3 Tbs Black bean-garlic sauce
2 Tbs Hoisin sauce
2-3 Tbs Thai thin soy sauce (or to taste)
1 1/2 Tsp Thai hot chili sauce
1 Tbs Cornstarch
Pepper, to taste
A pinch fine sea salt
1/2 Tsp garlic powder
2 Tbs Peanut oil (+ 2 Tbs for stir-fying)

Directions:
1. Combine the duck, salt, garlic powder and 2 Tbs oil in a bowl and set aside to marinade for about 1 hour.
2. In a small bowl, combine the black bean-garlic sauce, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, chili sauce and cornstarch. Stir to dissolve the cornstarch and set aside.
3. Heat 1 tbs of oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat.
4. Add the marinaded duck, in batches and stir-fry until the meat is just browned, then transfer it to a plate.
5. Wipe the pan, add the remaining oil and place over high heat.

6. Add the onions. Stir-fry until translucent and slightly golden, add the garlic as well as ginger and continue stir-frying for 1 minute.
7. Add the peas. Stir-fry for another 2 minutes.
8. Stir in the stir-fried duck and the black bean sauce mixture. Pepper to taste and cook for 1 extra minute.
9. Serve.

Comments:
Adjust the seasoning by adding a little more soy sauce, to taste.

Serving suggestions:
Serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Directions For The Steamed Rice:
You'll need 2 quantities rice for 3 1/2 quantities water (ex. 2 teacups rice & 3 1/2 teacups water).
Put together the rinced rice and water in a pan.
Bring to the boil over high heat.
Lower the heat, close the lid cook for 12 minutes without opening the lid.
Remove from the heat and let stand for another 12 minutes without opening the lid.
Voilà it's ready!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~ Wok De Canard Et Pois Mangetouts A La Sauce Aux Haricots Noirs ~
Recettes par Rosa Mayland, Septembre 2011.

Pour 2-3 personnes.

Ingrédients:
2 Magrets de canard (avec ou sans peau), coupés en tranches pas trop épaisses
200g de Pois mangetout (frais ou congelés)
2 Oignons, coupés en demi-lunes
1 Gousse d'ail, finement hachée
1 CS Gingembre, finement haché
3 CS de Sauce de haricots noirs à l'ail
2 CS de Sauce hoisin
2-3 CS de Sauce soya thaïe (ou selon goût)
1 1/2 CC de Sauce piquante aux piments (thaïe)
1 CS de Maizena
Poivre noir moulu, selon goût
1 Pincée de sel de mer fin
1/2 CC d'Ail en poudre
2 + 2 CS d'Huile d'arachide

Méthode:
1. Dans un bol moyen, mélanger ensemble le canard, le sel, l'ail en poudre et 2 CS d'huile. Laisser mariner pendant 1 heure.
2. Dans un petit bol, mélanger ensemble les sauces et la maizena. Réserver.
3. Faire chauffer (à haute température) 1 Cs d'huile dans une grande poêle ou un wok.
4. Ajouter le canard marinée par petites portions et faire sauter la viande jusqu'à ce qu'elle soit dorée. La transférer dans un assiette, réserver et continuer avec le reste de la viande.
5. Essuyer la poêle/le wok, ajouter le reste de l'huile et chauffer à haute température.

6. Ajouter les oignons et faire sauter jusqu'à ce qu'ils soient translucides et légèrement dorés. Ajouter l'ail et le gingembre, puis faire sauter pendant 1 minute supplémentaire.
7. Ajouter les pois. Faire sauter encore pendant 2 minutes.
8. Ajouter le canard et le mélange de sauces. Poivrer et cuire encore une petite minute.
9. Servir.

Remarques:
Corriger l'assaisonement en rajoutant de la sauce soya, si nécessaire.

Idées de présentation:
Servir avec du riz thaï.

Méthode Pour La Cuisson Du Riz:
Il vous faut 2 quantités de riz pour 3 1/2 quantités d'eau (ex. 2 tasses de riz et 3 1/2 tasses d'eau).
Réunir le riz avec l'eau dans une casserole et porter à ébullition.
Couvrir, baisser le feu et faire cuire pendant 12 minutes - sans ouvrir le couvercle.
Eteindre le feu et laisser reposer - sans jamais ouvrir le couvercle - pendant encore 12 minutes.
Voilà, le riz est prêt!

0 BAKED KIBBEH - KIBBEH AU FOUR

Lebanon. This name sounds very poetic, don't you think? Pronounce this unique, bewitching word and you'll get me phantasizing about refined and dreamlike dishes with exhalirating aromas and fragrant perfumes, antique temples still standing triumphantly even when in ruin, glorious ancient empires full of mystique (Phoenician, Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Macedonian, Roman & Byzantine), busy markets with stalls exploding with fresh veggies, fruits, spices, dried fruits and exquisite desserts, gorgeous sunny landscapes, snowy mountain tops, flat desertic plains, luscious pine tree forests and postcard-like coastlines, small coffee shops and restaurants crowded with men and women casually enjoying a delightful meals and sipping on their coffees or arak, and hospitable as well as frindly people who open the doors of their homes to visitors and happily share their meal with you. All of that might not be very accurate or the same in reality, but it is nonetheless what this complex country inspires me...

One thing I am sure of though is that the Lebanese rich gastronomic traditions have a lot to offer for gourmets like me and there is no doubt about the reasons why this place's cuisine is venerated all around the world. It's deliciousness is incomparable. Absolutely no myth here. If you already know the century-old Lebanese cuisine, then you know that I'm not lying and if you have never tasted it, well I can only assure you that you must immediately remedy this situation as you most likely have missed out on a fabulous experience.

Every time I plan to prepare a yummy dish for the weekend, I invariably pick up one of my Middle Eastern cookooks and leaf through it's page while drooling. For me, that kind of is synonymous of culinary enlightment and extreme epicurian pleasure. I am constantly amazed by the recipes hailing from that region of the globe. But there is no mystery to why I am attracted to such wonderful exotic eats. I am crazy about spices, lamb, poultry, pilafs, mezze, dips, sticky and nutty desserts, flat breads and bulghur. Such goodies have a drug-like effect on me.

Being a really well-organized foodie who behaves like a squirrel (a stock freak) I always make sure that my cupboards and freezer are garnished with a vast array of ingredients (tons of spices, grains, legumes, pastes, sauces, herbs, cans, meat, etc..). In that way, it leaves me the opportnity to cook or bake more or less anything I want without having to run out to the supermarket.

As my pantry is a treasure trove just like Ali-Baba's cave and it hides many gems, I had no problem putting together one of Lebanon's national dishes, a "Kibbeh" that I had spotted in Claudia Roden's excellent book "Arabesque: A Taste of Morocco, Turkey, and Lebanon". Thanks to my tendency to accumulate goods I had everything at hand. The ground lamb meat was in the freezer, a bag of pine nuts that needed to get used was sitting on my dried fruit shelf, a bottle of pomegranate molasses was carefully kept in the sauce section of the counter next to the oven, a packet of bulghur was stocked in my IKEA cart and both the cinnamon as well as the allspice were waiting for me in the spice cabinet. Perfect!

The name "Kibbeh" derives from the Arabic word "kubbah" meaning "ball". This delicacy is one of the Levantine cuisine's most widespread dishes and can be found in Syria, the Palestinian territories, Jordan, Iraq, Turkey, Iran, Egypt, the Arabian Penninsula, Armenia, Israel, Latin America (Brazil,Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Honduras or Mexico - imported by the Syrian & Lebanese dispora) and Cyprus. This course is made with bulghur (sometimes even with rice), meat (also fish, pumpkin or potatoes) and spices. There are different varieties (vegetarian, balls, oval-shaped, patties that are either baked, cooked in broth, yoghurt, bitter orange juice or fried and there's even one version that is very similar to tartare and consists of raw meat), but the most common of them is the torpedo-shaped croquettes that are stuffed with minced beef or lamb and are deep-fried.

Making "Baked Kibbeh" for the first time was no big deal for me, thanks to my food processor and my years of experimenting with cooking. The preparation required no particular skill and was not messy, long nor complex. It was quite straightforward and idiotproof, but what came out of the oven was far from being plain or simple.

With it's complex and refined flavors, this Middle-Eastern meatloaf is extremely palatable. The meat base is soft, moist and meatilicious, and is crowned a sweet, sour, savory onion and pinenut topping. This "Baked Kibbeh" can be served hot or at room temperature as a mezze (cut in small pieces) or main dish, and makes a grandiose potluck or picnic dish that will be wolfed by adults and kids alike. With the leftovers you can even create a scrummy sandwich (use pita, fattoush breads or baguette Parisienne and add the spread of your choice - yoghurt, "Tarrator Sauce", "Baba Ganoush" or "Hummus").

~ Kibbeh Saniyeh ~
Recipe adapted from "Arabesque: A Taste of Morocco, Turkey, and Lebanon" by Claudia Roden.

Serves 4.

Ingredients For The "Baked Kibbeh" Base:
2/3 Cup (160g) Fine-ground bulgur
1 Medium white onion, cut into quarters
1 Pound (500g) Lean ground lamb (lean & boneless cubed leg of lamb)
1 Tsp Sea salt
Ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 Tsp Ground cinnamon
1+1 Tbs Vegetable oil (to grease the pan and the top of the kibbeh)
Ingredients For The "Onion & Pine Nut Topping":
1 Pound (500g) White onions, sliced (half-moon)
3 Tbs Extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 Cup (50g) Pine nuts
Sea salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 Tsp Ground cinnamon
1/3 Tsp Ground allspice
3 Tbs Pomegranate molasses
Method For The "Baked Kibbeh" Base:
1. Cover the bulgur with water and let rest 10 minutes. Drain well.
2. In a food processor, purée the onion, then add the meat, salt, pepper, and cinnamon. Blend to a fine paste.
3. Add the drained bulgur and blend again in order to get a smooth, homogenous and soft paste.
4. Preheat the oven to 190° C (375° F). Oil a 26cm (10inch) diameter tart pan/dish and then press the paste into the bottom of the pan/dish with your hands.
5. Flatten and smooth the top. Rub with 1 tablespoons oil.
6. With a pointed knife, cut the kibbeh into 6 wedges through the center, and run the knife around the edges of the dish to release them.
7. Bake the kibbeh in the preheated oven for about 30-40 minutes, until browned.

Method For The "Topping":
8. Meanwhile, fry the onions in the olive oil until they are golden brown, stirring often.
9. Add the pine nuts. Stir-fry until lightly golden.
10. Salt and pepper to taste, then add the cinnamon, allspice and the pomegranate molasses.
11. Continue cooking and stirring for about 1 minute.
12. Spread the onion mixture over the top of the kibbeh and serve.

Remarks:
You can replace the pinenuts by 2/3 cup (90g) shelled walnuts, broken into pieces.
If you wish, you can also add 2 tablespoons raisins that have been previously soaked in water for 15 minutes and drained (in case you are using the raisins, ommit the pomegranate molasses) or add 1 tablespoon sumac to the onion topping (then ommit the pomegranate molasses).

Serving suggestions:
Serve hot or at room temperature, alone or with a salad, a dollop thick yoghurt, "Tarrator Sauce", "Baba Ganoush" or "Hummus".

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~ Kibbeh Au Four ~
Recette tirée et adaptée du livre "Arabesque: A Taste of Morocco, Turkey, and Lebanon" de Claudia Roden.

Pour 4 personnes.

Ingrédients Pour le "Kibbeh":
160g de Boulghour fin
1 Onion blanc (moyen), coupé en quatre
500g de Viande d'agneau hachée maigre (ou du gigot d'agneau désossé et coupé en cubes)
1 CC de Sel de mer
Poivre noir moulu, selon goût
1 1/2 CC de Cannelle en poudre
1+1 Cs d'Huile végétale
Ingrédients Pour La "Garniture Aux Oingons":
500g d'Oignons blancs, coupés en demi-lune
3 CS d'Huile d'olive extra vierge
50g de Pignons de pin
Sel de mer, selon goût
Poivre noir moulu, selon goût
1/2 CC de Cannelle en poudre
1/3 de Tout-épice en poudre
3 CS de Mélasse de grenade

Méthode Pour le "Kibbeh":
1. Recouvrir le boulghour avec de l'eau et mettre de côté pendant 10 minutes. Bien égoutter.
2. Dans un mixer, réduire l'oignon en purrée, puis ajouter la viande, le sel, le poivre et la cannelle. Mixer afin d'obtenir une sorte de pâte.
3. Ajouter le boulghour égoutté et mixer à nouveau afin d'obtenir une pâte collante, homogène et fine.
4. Préchauffer le four à 190° C. Huiler un moule à tarte de 26cm et presser (avec les mains) la pâte dans le moule.
5. Bien applatir et lisser le dessus. Peindre avec 1 CS d'huile.
6. A l'aide d'un couteau pointu, couper le kibbeh en 6 tranches égales (comme pour une tarte) et passer le couteau dans les bords afin de les libérer.
7. Cuire le kibbeh dans le four préchauffé pendant 30-40 minutes, jusqu'à ce qu'il soir doré.

Méthode Pour La "Garniture Aux Oingons":
8. Pendant ce temps, faire frire les oignons dans l'huile d'olive tout en remuant de temps à autre,
9. Ajouter les pignons de pin. Continuer à cuire jusqu'à ce que les pignons soient dorés.
10. Saler et poivrer, puis ajouter la cannelle, le tout-épice et la mélasse.
11. Cuire encore penadant 1 minute tout en remuant.
12. Etaler la garniture sur le dessus du kibbeh et servir.

Remarques:
Au lieu d'utiliser des pignons de pins, vous pouvez préparer ce plat avec 90g de noix , grossièrement concassées.
La garniture peut aussi être faite avec 2 CS de raisins secs qui ont été trempés pendant 15 minutes et égouttés avant utilisation (dans ce cas, omettez la mélasse) ou bien il vous est aussi possible d'ajouter 1 CS de sumac (dans ce cas aussi, omettez aussi la mélasse).

Idées de présentation:
Servir chaud ou à température ambiante et accompagner avec une salade ou du yaourt à la grecque, du "Baba Ganoush" ou du "Hummus"..

0 PULLED PORK - PORC TIRÉ

I have always been very intrigued by that southern US delicacy called "Pulled Pork". Every time I saw a recipe on the net or in a magazine, I could not stop from drooling over the pictures and fantasizing about this particularly scrumptious dish which is generally served together with "Burger Buns" "or "Hot Dog Rolls" and a viciously titillating barbecue sauce...

Since I don't own a BBQ, I believed that I would never be able to make "Pulled Pork" at home, but then I stumbled upon a crockpot recipe on Bridget's great blog "The Way The Cookie Crumbles" and realized that I would finally be able to taste that irresistible speciality.

The next day, I went hunting for real BBQ sauce and to my astonishment I found a bottle of Stubb's legendary Texas "Smokey Mesquite Bar-B-Q Sauce" in my local Coop supermarket. As you can imagine, the gourmet in love with US food that I am was so excited that I could have performed the raindance through the aisles of the store!

I had all the necessary ingredients and was going to prepare that dish without using any substitutes. What great news! My "Pulled Pork" would be a 100% genuine and have the true Dixie flavor. And, boy, it tasted ever so good that you'd sell your soul to the Devil in order to get a morsel of that succulent treat!

I served my "Pulled Pork" wrapped in lusciously smooth homemade "Tortilla Sheets" and added some refreshing "Tomato Salsa" and thinly-sliced onion rings for more flavor. The meat was so tender, delightfully moist and mouth-smackingly flavorful that it felt as if I had entered food heaven after having died due to reaching summits of intense gustatory pleasure!

So, if you want a damn mean and dirty dish from the deep and mystical South, then you've found the right place. The combination of the flatbreads, salsa and onions was incredibly wicked. I could not stop from frantically scarfing down those malicious wraps like some starved and underfed beast!

That dish would be perfect for your summer potlucks, picnics, BBQs or for your 4th of July (Independance Day) celebration.

~ Slow Cooker Pulled Pork ~
Adapted from "Cook's Illustrated".

Ingredients:
1 Tbs ground black pepper
1-2 Tsp Cayenne pepper
2 Tbs Chili powder
2 Tbs Ground cumin
2 Tbs Dark brown sugar
1 Tbs Dried oregano
4 Tbs Paprika
2 Tbs Table salt
1 Tbs Granulated sugar
1 Tbs Ground white pepper
1 (3-4 kgs/6-8 pound) Bone-in pork shoulder (see remarks)
1/2 Tsp Liquid smoke (optional)
2 Cups BBQ sauce

Method:
1. Mix all spice rub ingredients (1-10) in a small bowl.
2. Massage spice rub into meat. Wrap tightly in double layer of plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
3. Unwrap roast and place it in slow cooker liner. Add liquid smoke, if using, and 1/4 cup water. Turn slow cooker to low and cook for 8-10 hours, until meat is fork-tender.
4. Transfer roast to cutting board; discard liquid in liner. “Pull” by tearing meat into thin shreds with two forks or your fingers. Discard fat.
5. Place shredded meat back in slow cooker liner; toss with 1 cup barbecue sauce, and heat on low for 30-60 minutes, until hot.
6. Serve with additional barbecue sauce (if needed).

Remarks:
I used boneless pork neck for this recipe and it was perfect, but you can also use pork butt.
For stronger flavor, the roast can be refrigerated and left to marinade for up to 3 days.
While the meat isslowly cooking, if necessary, add more water 1/3 cup at a time (the meat should not cook without liquid).

Serving suggestions:
Serve with "Tortillas", "Tomato Salsa" and onion rings or with "Hamburger Buns" as well as with "Hot Dog Rolls".

***************

~ SPorc Tiré Cuit A l'Étouffée ~
Recette adaptée du magazine "Cook's Illustrated".

Ingrédients:
1 CS de Poivre noir, fraîchement moulu
1-2 CC de Poivre de Cayenne
2 CS de Piment en poudre
2 CS de Cumin en poudre
2 CS de Sucre brun foncé
1 CS d'Origan séché
4 CS de Paprika
2 CS de Sel
1 CS de Sucre cristallisé
1 CS de Poivre blanc, fraîchement moulu
3-4 kgs d'Epaule de porc sur l'os (voir remarques)
1/2 CC de Liquid smoke (en option)
2 Tasses de Sauce pour barbecue

Méthode:
1. Mélanger toutes les épices (1-10) dans un bol.
2. Masser la viande avec ce mélange et l'emballer avec du film plastique, puis la mettre au frigo pendant au moins 3 heures.
3. Enlever le film plastique et mettre la viande dans une casserole en fonte (type Le Creuset). Ajouter le "liquid smoke" et 1/2 tasse d'eau. Cuire à feu doux pendant 8-10 heures, jusqu'à ce que la viande soit tendre et se défasse.
4. Mettre la viande sur une planche à découper et l'émietter/la défaire à l'aide de 2 fourchettes ou de vos doigts.
5. Retourner la vainde dans la casserole, ajouter 1 tasse de sauce pour BBQ, bien mélanger et cuire à feu doux pendant 30-60 minutes, jusqu'à ce qu'elle soit chaude.
6. Servir avec le restant de sauce pour BBQ (si nécessaire).

Remarques:
J'ai utilisé du cou de porc (sans os) et c'était parfait.
Pour plus de saveur, la viande peut être laissée à mariner pendant 3 jours.
Durant la cuisson, rajouter de l'eau - 1/3 de tasse à la fois - si nécessaire (il faut que la viande ait assez de liquide pour cuire).

Idées de présentation:
Servir avec des "Tortillas", de la "Salsa Aux Tomates" et des rondelles d'oignons ou des "Pains A Hamburgers" ou des "Pains A Hot Dog".