SANDRA'S AUTHENTIC PORK ADOBO

Believe me, you can never make enough of this Pork Adobo recipe
as it seems disappear in a flash...

Prep: 5 mins. 

Cook: 1 Hr.
Servings: (6 to 8)

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs. pork sirloin tip roast, trimmed, and cut into 1-1/2" cubes (Purchased in a 2-pk @ Costco; used 2/3's of a 3lb. roast)
2 tablespoons light olive oil
4 cups hot water
½ cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
½ teaspoon organic black peppercorns
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon organic pickling spice
1 teaspoon organic chili powder
1 teaspoon organic ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon organic ground paprika
4 tablespoons organic arrowroot powder [or cornstarch] (mixed w/1/4 cup cold water to dissolve and form slurry)

--Prepared steamed rice

Garnish:
--Toasted sesame seeds

METHOD

Begin preparing steamed rice.

Heat dutch oven to medium-high heat. When hot, add olive oil, then pork and sear for 5 minutes; turning and doing so on other side for an additional 5 minutes (try not to disturb chicken while browning). Add all other ingredients, except cornstarch and water for slurry, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover setting lid slightly ajar, and simmer for 50 minutes. Remove lid, re-whisk the cornstarch and water slurry, and while gently stirring with a spoon add to pot and bring to boil to thicken.

Serve Pork Adobo over steamed rice and garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

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Tip: Japanese Salad with Restaurant-Style Dressing (links provided below) pairs well as a side.  Also, if you do not like the pickling spice loose, simply tie in cheesecloth and toss in dutch oven.

Sandra's Restaurant-Style Japanese Salad Dressing
(Click for recipe)...

Sandra's Japanese Restaurant-Style Salad
(Click for recipe)...

SANDRA'S RESTAURANT-STYLE JAPANESE SALAD DRESSING

For a fast and easy Japanese dressing recipe tasting super similar
to those found in top-notch Japanese restaurants ~ This one's for you!

Yields: (1-1/2 cups)
Prep: 5 Mins.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup finely chopped sweet white onion
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons ground ginger (or 2 tablespoons freshly grated)
2 tablespoons minced celery
3 tablespoons ketchup
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

METHOD:

Add all ingredients in order listed in blender.  Place lid on top, and blend on high speed for a minimum of 30 seconds, until dressing is smooth. Let dressing stand a minimum of 4 hours in refrigerator for flavors to meld before serving. ~ Enjoy!

Sandra's Japanese Restaurant-Style Salad
(Click for recipe)...

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Tip: Store dressing in refrigerator in a tightly covered glass container for up to 1 week. It's also fab as a condiment on hoagie roll and grilled sandwiches...or, as a dip for veggies (quite a thin dressing, but I like it that way as it's not supposed to be thick: FYI)

SANDRA'S TRANSLUCENT ASIAN NOODLES and PORK over RICE

Traditionally this spectacular recipe is served
to a ratio of 3 parts Asian noodle mixture on top
over 1 part steamed rice underneath, as I do as well...

Servings: (2)
Prep: 10 mins. |
Cook: 6 to 8 mins.
(+ 15 mins. to soak bean threads)

Posted: by Sandra

INGREDIENTS:

***Noodles:
¼ lb. dried bean thread noodles (found in the asian section)

***Meat
2 tablespoons peanut oil
½ pound pork, thinly sliced

***Sauce:
3 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
3 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon asian chili sauce
1 teaspoon honey (link to Homemade Alaska Fireweed-Clover Honey)
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 green onions, finely chopped diagonally
1 jarred roasted bell pepper, finely chopped
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock

Garnish:
1 tablespoons fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

--1 cup prepared steamed basmati rice

METHOD:

Prepare steamed basmati rice.

Cut the dried bean threads with kitchen scissors, and soak a ¼ lb. in a large bowl of hot water for 10 to 12 minutes, just until soft. Drain in colander, discarding the water.

Meanwhile, prepare all the sauce ingredients, stirring to combine in a medium-size bowl, and set aside.

Drizzle peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet and heat to medium-high. Add the sliced pork, and stir-fry until brown and slightly crispy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Pour the sauce ingredients into skillet to deglaze, and scrape the bottom to loosen any meat drippings. Add the noodles to the sauce in the skillet and heat just until the sauce simmers and the noodles are warmed through.

Place steamed basmati rice in two pasta bowls, and ladle the pork and noodles and sauce equally over the top, then garnish with cilantro. – Enjoy!

SANDRA'S AUTHENTIC CHICKEN ADOBO (Thanks via a former Juneau restaurant owner)...

When I requested this recipe 25 years ago at a local eatery, 
the owner said he didn't measure 
and allowed me watch him prepare this 
Juneauite favorite...

Prep: 5 mins. 

Cook: 30 mins.
Servings: (6 =
2 pieces of chicken ea.)

INGREDIENTS:

12 chicken pieces (6 thighs, 6 drums)
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups hot water
½ cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
½ teaspoon black pepper corns
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon pickling spice
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
4 tablespoons cornstarch (mixed 1/4 cup cold water to dissolve)

--Prepared steamed rice

METHOD

Begin preparing steamed rice.

Heat dutch oven to medium-high heat. When hot, add olive oil, then chicken and sear for 5 minutes; turning and doing so on other side for an additional 5 minutes (try not to disturb chicken while browning). Add all other ingredients, except cornstarch and water for slurry, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover setting lid slightly ajar, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove lid, re-whisk the cornstarch and water slurry, and while gently stirring with a spoon add to pot and bring to boil to thicken.

Serve chicken adobo over steamed rice.

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

Tip: Japanese Salad and Restaurant-Style Dressing pairs well as a side.  Also, if you do not like the pickling spice loose, simply tie in cheesecloth and toss in dutch oven.

SANDRA'S BEER BATTER HALIBUT and CHIPS

This is a go-to recipe of all time
that is a comfort food in our house
when we're lucky enough to have fresh halibut,
or frozen for that matter...

Servings: (4)
Prep: 10 mins. |
Bake/Fry: 30 mins.

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

***Baked Fries:
4 large russet potatoes, peeled
Kosher salt

***Beer Batter:
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon old bay seasoning
1 bottle dark beer, cold (go with Alaskan Beer ;-)
--1-1/2 pounds halibut, cut into 1”x2” pieces

Cornstarch, for dredging
Peanut oil, for frying

--Serving options:
Malt vinegar
Lemon wedges
Tartar sauce (View recipe here: Tartar Sauce (Sweet or Dill) - Homemade)

METHOD

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Slice the peeled potatoes into thin ½” wide fries (so they cook faster). Dry the fries thoroughly with paper towel.

Through a sieve over a medium sized bowl sift the flour, baking powder, salt, cayenne pepper, and old bay seasoning. Gently whisk in the beer just until the batter no longer has lumps.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (important as fries tend to stick otherwise). Place the dry, sliced uncooked fries into a large ziploc bag and coat with a couple teaspoons peanut oil, sprinkle with kosher salt, and close bag and toss to coat. Spread the coated fries on the prepared baking sheet, not touching. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy; halfway through the cooking time, turn the fries over.

Meanwhile, (10 minutes before fries are done), heat the peanut oil in an electric skillet to 350 degrees (or a dutch oven, using a thermometer). Don’t over crowd the pan, and begin by ‘lightly’ dredging fish strips in cornstarch (shaking off any excess), and dip into batter, then carefully immerse into hot oil. When golden brown (about 2 to 3 minutes), turn fish over and cook until golden on other side, about 2 to 3 minutes longer. Drain the fish on a paper-towel lined plate, sprinkle with kosher salt while hot.

Remove fries from oven, sprinkle with kosher salt while hot. Add to large platter with the deep-fried halibut, and serve with a slight drizzle of malt vinegar, squeezed lemon wedges, tartar sauce for dipping, and coleslaw as a side.