Shrimp Delight

Shrimp Salad

I can’t believe tomorrow is already April…Fool me…March left all of a sudden and I am playing catch up game but never can get ahold of the tail ends.
No fuss rule enforced (not really) for weekly meal and the shrimp salad is super quick to fix and refreshingly delightful. The modified recipe and the edible pot idea from Peter Callahan author of bite by bite. If you want to make potted shrimp salad, go to the edible pot instruction first.
Aren’t they Springy and darling? Perhaps great for Easter Sunday Dinner!

Ingredients and Instruction for two servings (Print Recipe here)

• 10-12 shrimp cooked, peeled, deveined and tail removed  Note: I
• used frozen shrimp, cooked in salted (1 teaspoon ) boiling water for 30 seconds or until shrimp turned to bright orange, drain and cool.
• Mango fresh chopped in chunks
• 3 inch length cucumber thinly sliced
• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
• 1-2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh chives
  
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
  
• 1/8 teaspoon of sea salt

Put shrimp, mango and cucumber in medium bowl. Toss with olive oil and white balsamic vinegar, chives, lemon zest and salt. Chill for 30 minutes in refrigerator.
Making edible pot -  enough to make 6 - 2 inch terra cotta pots
Necessary equipment : terracotta pots (I used 2 inch diameter pot and 1 inch pot), dried beans about 1 cup, parchment paper, rolling pin

• 1-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 Tablespoons sweet paprika
• 6 tablespoons(2/3 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1-1/2 Tablespoons solid vegetable shortening
• Non stick pan spray

1. Using a food processor, pulse the flour and paprika together. Add the butter and shortening and pulse until the mixture resemble sand.
2. With the motor running, add 3 Tablespoons water until the the dough comes together. The dough may be crumbly and dry.
   
3. Flatten the dough on a large piece of plastic wrap, make a disk and wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
4. Take dough out of refrigerator, leave on counter for about 10 minutes (to make it easier to roll out dough). Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly coat terra-cotta flower pots with nonstick pan spray.
5. Unwrap the dough and place it between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll until it is 1/8 inch thick, remove top layer of parchment and slice the dough according to your terracotta pots. Use the scraps to make balls.
   
6. Place 1 strip in each pot so it runs around sides of the pot. use your fingers to press the dough flat around the edges. Drop a ball of dough inside the pot and press down to make the bottom. Line pot with small piece of parchment paper (the picture showed I forgot to line and the beans stuck to the sides of the pot) and fill with dried beans and place the pots on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the dough is set, about 25 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and let them cool completely. Take out beans and tap gently on the bottom to release the pastry pot.Cut up salad and fill in pot. Insert edible flower. I used lavender.

This is shrimp salad in 1 inch pot – you need itsy bitsy fingers…just kidding!
I loved this Today’s TAPAS instagram post (#todaystapas) – Agedashi tofu.
My husband and I were on hands and knees to do the weeding on our lawn last Saturday…remembering the quote by Margaret Atwood…
In the Spring, at the end of the day,
you should smell like dirt.

Wishing you a Happy April! (The picture above is our gumi tree)

Bouncy

No Egg Mango Marshmallow

As if my week had sprinted to a new record, I woke up Saturday with a little panic. Until Tuesday…two more days yet I hadn’t made anything fa..bulous to post. Rats! I glanced at my calendar, wow, Easter is next Sunday? I suppose I would like to create something Easter…ly?

Intrigued by Koichi Izumi’s no egg guimauves (French for marshmallows) recipe (yeah, this fits my Happy Easterish theme) however, I was missing a few key ingredients. Where could I get passion fruit puree?  I dunno…the mangos I bought at Wholefoods were on sale for 69 cents each, nice! But not so nice was that, at Winco, they were 59 cents. How in the world? The 10 cents less means a huge dime difference, right?… OK back to my subject, I substituted with these precious mangos I paid the premium for.   

I refer to his recipe but a few compromises were made and perhaps the most ‘I don’t get it’ moment is his method of soaking powdered gelatins. After 2 hours of waiting “supposedly” the gelatin would be macerated in water. But it didn’t. Impossible! I cried. Could it be that Japanese gelatin and American are not same? Nice fellowship by my husband.

Ingredients and Instruction (Print Recipe here)

Necessary equipment: 6x6 pan/mold (I used 7x4 and1/2 inch plastic case), line with parchment paper on bottom, blender or hand held immersion blender, hand held mixer, food thermometer and small sieve

• Water 30g or more
• 2 packets (14.4g) of unflavored gelatin
• 4 mangos (I prefer Madame Francique or Shindhri)
• Sugar #1 -3 Tablespoons If the mango is very sweet, add less sugar.
• Lemon juice 1-2 Tablespoons
• Sugar #2 – 90g, more or less
• Corn starch 25g
• Powdered sugar 25g

1. Prepare gelatin – Pour water in small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin in and wait for it to eventually absorb the water, 2-3 hours. Note: sprinkle a little bit more water if the gelatin is not completely macerated after 2 hours.
2. Making mango purée – Cut mango lengthwise into three sections with the middle section containing the pit. Lay the skin side on your palm, make a grid pattern on the flesh with knife (see photo). Push flesh out from skin side. If you like, scrape the fruit off from the pit to use. Put all the flesh into a sauce pan then add sugar #1 and lemon juice. Cook for 30 minutes on low heat. Stir frequently and crush with a wooden spoon to break down flesh. Turn off heat and puree with immersion blender or put into a blender to puree. Need 150g of this puree in the recipe.Store extra mango puree in airtight container and keep in refrigerator. 
3. Put macerated gelatin and sugar #2 in a large bowl set aside.
4. Prepare 1 size smaller pan than the above bowl filled with 1 cup of hot water to use as double boiler. The water should not touch bottom of the bowl.
5. Put 150g of mango puree into another pan and add 1/4 cup of water.  Frequently whisk the puree and cook to reach the temperature of 200F –230F range*. The laser instant thermometer is very helpful. Careful not to burn puree * The original recipe said must keep at 230F.
   .
6. After reaching the desired temperature, dump the contents from above into the step #3 bowl. Place bowl on the top of the prepared pan in step #4 
7. Double boil the pan on low heat – this keeps the temperature of puree mixture above 108F. Lower than that it will get too hard to pour in the mold. Mix with hand held mixer slowly at first then speed up to max. Mix for 6-8 minutes,scrape off sides mid-way through. The color of the mixture will get lighter and thicken. This photo is misleading, the right texture is when you lift up the mixer, it  drizzles down and makes a spiral pattern at the bottom.
8. Pour mixture into the mold. Cover with paper towel until it has cooled to room temperature then  cover with plastic sheet. Let rest for overnight.
9. Combine powdered sugar and cornstarch then sift once.
10. Dust pallet knife and top of marshmallow with powdered sugar mixture (step #9) through small sieve, insert knife along edges of the mold. Turn onto flat surface then peel off parchment paper, sprinkle with  powdered sugar mixture. Cut in cubes or other fun shapes. Don’t forget to dredge cut sides with sugar mixture too. Peep,peep!

Getting ready for Easter

Left over mango puree is very nice as an ice cream topping.

I shared some marshmallows with my neighbor friends so that we don’t have to consume the entire sugary snack by ourselves.

Happy Easter to you all!

Mango Flan

マンゴプリン

I love flan! Well, I love all sorts of sweets, so flan is no exception. One of my must-do things in Japan is going to the convenience stores there. Japanese call those 24/7 stores konbini（コンビニ）(a Japanese contraction for the word convenience). They have proper names like Family Mart or Lawson and also Seven-Elevens but people just call them konbini  and  they are nothing like in the states. They sell great tasting bentos, onigiris, breads, desserts and a variety of cold drinks. I had oden (おでん）a seasonal  item on cold winter’s night and it was not bad at all. Of course there are other non-food items and services available -  like a home delivery called Takuhai(宅配). Once I sent a suitcase ahead of time to my destination because I didn’t want to be bothered by carrying  it for the side trip for sightseeing. Probably the first thing my husband and I do is visit a konbini when we go to Japan. The flight to Narita Airport from Portland, Oregon is an ordeal of over 10 hours then we take the Shinkansen to the 1st stop, arriving quite exhausted in Nagoya at 9 PM. We are too tired to go to a restaurant so we usually head to a konbini for a cheap yet tasty meal. I almost always look for flan for dessert. My favorite is creamy and light flan torofua purin (とろふあプリン). Incredibly light and creamy just like the name! Some flan tastes eggy (is this a word?) but this one has a more milky flavor that melts in your mouth. Really! This won the 1st prize in a now cancelled Japanese TV competition show called TV Champion some years back. Even if you don’t like custard, you will like this one I’m sure. It tastes like softer version of pots de crème.

I have several flan recipes which are all fabulous, but I incorporated left over mango puree in this one because I didn’t want to waste it.  It needs to be chilled for 6 hours or more so make it in the morning if you want to have it in the evening. Or make it in the evening and have it for breakfast? Just kidding.

Mango flan for 8 individual 6-ounce custard cups

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar and 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 2 and 3/4 cups  pureed mango- 2-3 good size mango skinned, pitted  and pureed in blender or food processer.
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3/4 cups  half and half
• 5 large eggs

1. First  make caramel syrup by combining 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup hot water and corn syrup in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
2. Without stirring, though occasionally swirling the pan, boil the sugar until it turns deep amber in color.  Be careful not to burn the sugar.
3. Pour syrup equally into eight custard cups. Set aside.
4. Now the main part. Whisk mango puree, lime juice, ginger and 1/3 cup sugar in heavy medium sauce pan at medium heat until mixture thickens and large bubbles break surface; about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool mixture by stirring. Preheat oven to 350F now.
5. In a large bowl, whisk the half and half and eggs together.
6. Stir in the mango mixture and then strain the custard.*
7. Pour custard into the prepared custard cups equally.
8. Place custard cups in large 9x13 glass casserole dish.
9. Pour enough hot water into pan to come halfway up sides of custard cups. 
10. Cover pan with foil then bake flan for about 30 minutes. TURN OFF HEAT and leave it there for another 30 minute.
11. Remove from casserole dish, remove foil cover, cover with plastic and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
12. Run a small knife around sides of cup. Place plate atop cup. Invert flan onto plate. Serve (cover) with sweet whipped cream if you like. I had to. Because flan didn’t come out cleanly.

*Do not skip this part for smooth mellow texture.

When we were in Sapporo, Hokkaido in May of last year, we ventured out to get Samurai pudding (侍プリン) we heard about. The ad said that Samurai purin is made for men (男のプリン）Supposedly,the bitter caramel taste and not so sweet custard is suited for men. Hmmm,,,. Nice!  But we still liked torofua purin better.

We brought the Samurai Purin glass home

As for mango flan, my guys (my husband and back home son) like regular flan and voted down this new creation of mango flavored flan. They protested by saying why fix a good thing? I don’t know… because I had left overs?

Today is the 4th of July. We came home from Independence Day celebration at a friends. We really had a fun time having good food, playing in the field and visiting.  They neatly adorned the table with 4th of July theme homemade decorations that were charming!  Then for me, holding a young couple’s few weeks old baby was the icing on the cake, how blessed for him to be born to loving parents and in this great country! I too am blessed to live here, not all perfect yet perfect in a sense. I hear noises of the fire work show my neighbor puts up every year. We pull up lawn chairs to watch them going. “Ohhh”, “Ahhh” then clap our hands in approval. Perfect end to this marvelous day.

A Happy Independence Day to you all. 

This is not me holding the baby

Mango Fromage

Mango cheese cake

I don’t care for mangos except fresh mango harvested from the back yard of where my daughter lives. It is easily the best mangos I’ve ever had. I bet Hawaii’s sunshine is good for the fruits. It’s regrettable that I don’t have a photo of the tree.

At the Asian market the other day, Manila mangos were 10 for $10…you mean 1 for $1? Wow! It sounds so inexpensive doesn’t it? But do Manila mangos have the wow factor in taste like the ones in Hawaii? I would soon find out.

I got a hint from a Japanese cake book for this cake but I didn’t exactly follow the recipe. I was yearning for something sweet yet I was in a so lazy mode. Besides, the author who is Japanese wrote French words in katakana (カタカナ) characters that threw me off like gibberish.  I yelled at my husband to Google quick this word and that. He yelled me back with questions ’how do you spell it?’ Sigh,,,,.

1st. Layer- Genoese pronounce jenowaazu (French sponge cake has fairly firm texture and has buttery flavor).

Use a 13x 9 with deep rim pan; spray with nonstick spray.

• 6 egg whites
• 1 and 1/2 cup cup baker’s fine sugar divided in half
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter softened
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 and 1/2 cup cake flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add half of sugar. Beat until very stiff. Put in another bowl and set aside.
2. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together; set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and add the other half of sugar and mix well.
4. Add egg yolks and beat until thick and fluffy at medium speed.
5. Add flour mixture slowly; mix well at medium speed.
6. Heat oven to 350F.
7. Fold egg white gently to combine with egg yolk mixture.
8. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. When an inserted wooden pick comes out clean then it’s done.
9. Cool in pan on wire rack.

2nd. Layer Cream Cheese

• 2 packages of cream cheese (about 450g) softened
• Baker’s fine sugar 60g
• Whole milk 100ml.
• Heavy cream 55g*

1. Put cream cheese in medium bowl and stir with whisk until smooth.
2. Add sugar stir until sugar dissolved.
3. Add milk gradually to combine well.
4. Add heavy cream and mix well until smooth texture is achieved.
5. Pour over cooled sponge and chill for about 1 hour.

*Amount of heavy cream should adjust to right texture-neither too stiff or too runny.

3rd. Layer Mango Jelly

• About 500g of mango puree or about 2 cups of skinned and pitted mango into the food processer to puree. Or store bought mango nectar (no sugar added) may be used.
• 2 packets of unflavored gelatin
• Sugar or honey (optional)

1. In a double boiler, put pureed mango and cook 2-3 minutes but do not boil.
2. Put gelatin in a small bowl and add 2 tablespoons of water and soak.
3. Add soaked gelatin to the cooked mango and continue cooking  for another 2-3 minutes or until gelatin has dissolved completely.
4. Add sugar or honey if the puree lacks the sweetness you desire one tablespoon at time.
5. Add 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of water if the puree is too thick. Puree should be warmed honey consistency.
6. Cool for 10 minutes or so then pour over the chilled Genoese and cream cheese. Put back in refrigerator until the puree solidifies.
7. Cut all three layers with knife or biscuit cutter and serve. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped heavy cream are also nice.

This is not an photo of the tree in my daughter’s back yard but it looks like this…

My grand daughter got in trouble when she plucked the still green mangos from the tree using long pole-fruits-picker thing. She was just showing off her skill as fruits picker to me. Is it OK to do that ? I asked. ‘Yeah, I can do it’ ‘I know how to do it’ She protested. That’s not what I asked. ‘See, I did it!’ She exclaimed after dropping a couple of mangos on the ground. I see,,,. She is so wanpaku (わんぱく）mischievous kid. Who could tame her?

Manila mangos are not so bad after all. Though not as sweet as in Hawaii, memories associated with the fruits are precious.

I had some leftovers so I made some mango Jell-O