#mrjingjong

[lausagi-blog]

Thai inspired poutine by The Aimless Cook aka MrJingJong on Youtube.

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[the-munching-rabbit-blog]

Yum! The Aimless cook doesn't always post healthy recipes, but when he does, I want to make them! Go subscribe to him on youtube for great video recipes :D!

[theaimlesscook]

Goat Cheese Frittata

With Mother's Day coming up, it's the perfect opportunity to impress with this simple recipe. Thanks to our friends at Noble Meadows Farms at the Kingsland Farmers Market for these spectacular Heritage chicken eggs and fresh goat's feta cheese. This is a frittata that I know you will enjoy!

8 large eggs, beaten

½ yellow onion, diced

½ cup bacon, chopped

½ cup red bell pepper, diced

½ cup potatoes, boiled and diced

½ cup feta cheese, crumbled

salt and pepper to taste

 Start with a hot cast iron skillet and add about a Tablespoon of butter. On medium heat, toss in the onion and bacon and cook until the bacon is cooked through. Add the red bell pepper and continue cooking for about one minute.   Next, add the eggs and cook on medium heat until the bottom is cooked. You will know by looking at the edges. As the eggs cook, add the feta and distribute evenly. Place the skillet under a high broiler on the middle rack and cook until the top is finished.   When your frittata is finished cooking, let stand for a few minutes before serving.

[theaimlesscook]

Fun with Picadillo

Picadillo is a Latin American staple with many versions, depending on where you're from. I love the addition of apple and raisins in this recipe and I hope you enjoy it too!

1 lb ground beef

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tomato, seeded and diced

1 chipotle

1 med apple, cored, peeled and diced

1/2 cup raisins

1/4 cup almonds, toasted and chopped

1T vinegar

1t sugar

1t salt

1/4 t cinnamon

1/4 t cumin

pinch pepper

a handful of sliced black olives

This is very simple. Start with a large skillet and brown the beef, garlic and onions. Toast the almonds by chopping them coarsely on a cutting board or bashing them in a bag, then dry roasting them in a pan over medium high heat. Reconstitute the chipotle by soaking in boiling water until soft, then chopping finely.

Once your beef is browned, add the seasonings and the rest of the ingredients and cook until the apples are tender. If you want a saucier picadillo, just keep the seeds in the tomatoes. Serve with freshly steamed rice or warm tortillas and enjoy!

[theaimlesscook]

Beef & Guinness Stew

With St. Patrick’s Day coming up, what better way to celebrate than with a hearty bowl of this classic comfort food. A dish like this is well worth the effort and with the freshest ingredients, you can be sure that this stew will be a winner.  

2 lbs beef chuck, cubed

some flour, for dredging

1 shallot, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 bottle Guinness

500ml beef stock

3 sprigs each, fresh rosemary and thyme

1 bay leaf

1 strip orange zest

1 cup each of parsnips, carrots, pearl onions & potato (cut to bite-sized pieces)

salt & pepper

  Dredge the beef in flour, shaking off the excess. Heat up a couple Tablespoons of oil in a heavy pot or dutch oven and brown the beef on all sides. Work in small batches as not to overcrowd the pot. When the beef is browned, set aside.   Add the shallots and garlic to the pot and lightly sweat them out. You want them translucent. Once that’s done, de-glaze the bottom of the pot with a little bit of the Guinness. Stir with a wooden spoon to pick up all the flavourful fond.   Once you have de-glazed, re-add the beef, the rest of the Guinness, the beef stock, the herbs and the orange zest. Bring to a boil, set the heat to low, cover and simmer for about 2 - 2.5 hrs until the beef is tender.   15 minutes before the beef is done, add the parsnips, carrots, pearl onions and potatoes, cover and continue cooking until tender.   Salt and pepper to season, then enjoy.   Take this recipe, make it yours and most importantly... have fun in the kitchen!

[theaimlesscook]

Test Kitchen: Chinese/Filipino Rustic Fusion

Tonight I made this super simple soup with a few ingredients I had lying around. It's basically made up of cabbage, sweet corn, carrot, ginger, onion, pork ribs and tamarind paste. I also seasoned with fish sauce and S&P. So kind of a sinigang thing going on with this one. Took about half an hour or so to cook up and it tasted great. 

I always call these improv adventures, 'test kitchen'. It gives me the opportunity to explore and concoct new creations. Sometimes I even come up with some happy accidents! 

[theaimlesscook]

Making do

I am often moved whenever I get to be part of a family gathering, whether it be a holiday or something as simple as an Saturday afternoon meal. This past weekend, I visited a friend's place in the country for some farm fresh chicken and a meal I wouldn't soon forget. It started with a one hour drive north of Calgary. My friend, Jenny has a wonderful place out in the middle of some of the most serene and beautiful countryside in Southern Alberta. Our first stop was her sister, Patsy's place. As we pulled up, the family was hard at work getting the birds ready for processing. We immediately changed into our overalls and pitched in to help. I always say it's a good idea to see where our food comes from. We are often disconnected from the process that brings it to us, whether it be the lettuce for our salad or the grilled chicken in the yakitori. It's easy to pick up a pre-portioned, neatly wrapped polystyrene tray of whatever at the supermarket without a second thought. I love talking to local food producers at the farmer's market and hearing the stories behind their food and in turn, they love to talk about it. There's a real pride that people still have in being able to provide something good for others. I felt that getting involved in the chicken processing would give me a little insight into the work that goes into producing our food. That morning, the family each played their part, Dad feeding the fire, sisters Patsy and Van getting the birds ready for Mom, who was standing ready with the knife. Jenny and I were on plucking duty. Throughout the process, I would switch and try some of the other tasks, including Mom's task of dispatching the birds. As we were nearing the completion of our jobs, Van announced she was taking one of the finished birds to the house to make lunch. I grabbed the camera to follow. The recipe that followed was one of the most simple, unpretentious meals I have eaten in a long time. Using what was on hand, Van made a great soup with the chicken meat, gizzards, eggs, ginger, tomatoes and a bit of salt. And with that one chicken, we fed the entire house. It was a good day. Mom talked about making do with what they had, remembering times when people would be lucky if they had one chicken in a month. We talked about how we would use parts of the animal that westerners normally throw away. I listened to great stories about sustainability, old traditions and family. Family time can be something truly priceless, even when it's not your own. J

[theaimlesscook]

Nilaga

I have been so busy with my traveling and writing that I have so much to tell you about. If you have been watching my YouTube channel, you will know that I recently returned from a trip to Australia. It was a wonderful journey, taking me to the cities of Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney. It was fascinating to see the influence of culture on the local food scene. You can be assured that I have been taking a lot of notes and working on ideas for new and unique recipes. But for now, let's take a look at a recipe that I have had online for some time. I want to share with you a great Filipino recipe from my mom. It's the perfect comfort food for when the weather is getting colder and a very hearty dinner that can be enjoyed as a soup or with steamed rice. It is called Nilaga and requires very few ingredients. The thing I love about Nilaga is that it's flavor is dependent on the few ingredients it has. Simple food is often the most complex in terms of creating a flavor profile that's pure. The key is to use high quality, fresh ingredients. That's it. Take your time with this dish and you will be rewarded. You will need:

1/2 kg beef, cubed

2 large carrots, cut into bite-sized chunks

1 large yellow onion

2 large potatoes, cut into bite-sized chunks

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 head cabbage, wedged

1 handful of long beans, cut into 3-4 inch lengths

S & P to season

10 whole peppercorns

3-4 Tbsp fish sauce (patis)

Start with a couple tablespoons of oil in a large pot or pressure cooker and saute your onions and garlic. Once you have sweated the onions and garlic, add the beef and brown lightly. Once the beef is ready, add 1 liter of water, the peppercorns and the patis. Give the mixture a quick stir, cover and simmer til the beef is tender. This will take about an hour or so. If you're using a pressure cooker, it should take about 35-40 minutes. When the beef is tender, add the potatoes and carrots and cook until tender. Once that is done, just finish off by adding the cabbage and long bean. These will only take a couple minutes to quickly steam. Grab a spoon and give your broth a taste. Season with S&P and more patis if you so desire. Serve as a soup or with freshly steamed rice. Enjoy!