Tribute to Ye'

Anyone know who ye is? She taught me everything I know about cooking. I am not a 5 star chef, by any means. I am a homey, yummy, feel good, light and semi healthy chef with a serious obsession with lemon and all types of oils.

So here are some of my recipes/tricks:

Eggs ~ to get your eggs just right (whether you like them well done or over easy), make sure to cover them with a lid when they are on the pan. Some of you say duh!! Not so obvious to everyone..
Steak ~ the simplest marinade makes a mean steak: olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic (lots of it) - you can even cheat by buying already chopped garlic
Fish ~ a simple sauté is all it takes. Marinade your fish (i like tilapia) with garlic, mustard, olive oil, and salt/pepper. Never marinade fish for too long before cooking, especially with lemon, because the lemon cooks the fish (i.e.: ceviche)

~Hamburger /Lamb Burger /or Turkey Burgers
1. Mix all these ingredients together:
Ground chuck meat
1 Egg
Chopped parsely
Finely chopped onion
Cornmeal (to keep them sticky)
Salt and Pepper
Garlic powder or fresh garlic (my preference)
Ketchup
2. Pan fry on medium; Turn over a few times

~Any pasta Bolognese (I like spaghetti or shells):
1. Let simmer for a while (15mins):
Diced Tomatoes- Use San Marzano canned/diced tomatoes (purple can;not available at all markets)
tad of olive oil
Finely chopped fresh onion
Finely chopped fresh garlic
Sea Salt and Pepper
A "cubito" (seasoning cube)
If sauce seems thick, add 1 cup of water
2. In another dish, mix chuck ground meat with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and some cornmeal (so meatballs dont fall apart). You can make meat balls, or simply throw in small peices of meat into the simmer. Let cook in simmering sauce for about 10-15 mins(try as you go to make sure meat isn't raw, but also make sure it doesn't dry out). Use a large pot so things do not overflow and the meat has its space.
3. Add Paprika or ketchup @ end to the stew
4. Place on pasta. Make sure to cook your pasta al dente! Top off with parmesan.
You can skip the carbs and just make meatballs.
~Mikey's coconut Thai chick dish:
Ingredients:
Chicken breasts (about 1 breast per person) cut into bite size strips
Scallions, sliced into thin strips, a bunch, half to use while cooking, and half to use for garnish
Cilantro, a handful chopped, save some for garnish (i dont use stems)
Green chilies, about 1-2 deseeded. Don’t fool around afterwards, it stings anything you touch (oucchhhh where the sun don't shine)

Veggies (Broccoli, Mushrooms, Bean Sprouts, Bok Choy all add a nice textural crunch)
Thai fish sauce, about 1-2 table spoons
Osem chicken consommé powder, about 1-2 heaping tablespoons, to taste (check before you add all of amount, its salty)
Coconut milk
Zest of 2 limes (you need to buy a proper lemon zester for this, look for a "microplane" available at your grocery store)

1. In a bowl, add chicken with lime juice and lime zest and try to marinade for an hour, but not necessary

2. Heat up olive or sesame oil (my preference) in a wok , about 2 tablespoons, and add the meat pieces and brown. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until toasty

3. Add green chilies and cook for another minute-on medium -high heat

4. Add any veggies you like (Broccoli, Bok Shoy, Bean Sprouts, Mushrooms). I like to pre-marinade the veggies with salt, pepper, chilli, lemon, garlic salt, and garlic powder)
5. Add coconut milk, fish sauce, consomme cube, half of scallions, half of cilantro and cook until chicken is cooked and tender being careful not to overcook it and not to make the veggies soggie. (About 5 minutes on low heat)

Serve over fragrant Thai rice and garnish with fresh cilantro and scallions.
I have tried this recipe with chicken and veal, and both have been delicious. I have also included broccoli (step3). Feel free to add any veggies to this dish (spinach, bok choy)

~Broiled Veggies:
1. Steam or sauté your veggies adding salt, pepper, garlic, and chilies (just a hint to give it a kick).. Then place them in a pyrex with olive oil or sesame oil (depends on the veggies) and broil them in the oven for about 10 mins til they seem BBQ'd

~Quinoa
1. Heat coconut oil or olive oil in a bowl on high heat
2. Toss in some chopped onions til brown
3. When onion are almost brown, throw in some fresh garlic
4. Add 2 cups of water + cubito
5. When water boils, add 1 cup of quinoa
6. Lower heat to medium, cover the pan. Let simmer for about 10 mins until water is evaporated
*ratio of water to quinoa is 2:1

~Smoothies:
- Easy breezy. Add fresh fruit and coconut water plus ice+ maybe honey. Any fruit goes. Add some rum, for a daiquiri kick.

~Chimichurri
this is a major mish mosh of ingredients and I can't give you exact amounts. Use a food processor to crush up parsley (leave the stems out).. then in a bowl, mix the chopped up parsley, add finely chopped garlic,oil,lemon,white vinegar,salt/pepper. Vuala!! you have now fresh chimmi- makes for great topping over skirt steak,fish,and i love it with quinoa too,.

Oils to experiment with: sesame oil, coconut oil (only with starches, very oily for meat), hemp oil, almond oil, avocado oil (only for salad)..

These are nothing fancy. Simply homey, delicious, quick, and easy.. Bon appétit. Fellow readers, please post your recipes below!