Thanksgiving in Dallas

Heeeeey everybody! So I'm in Texas right now, relaxing and enjoying all that the South has to offer me. Along with that, I've been reaping the benefits of enjoying my mother's home cooking....as they say, there's nothing better than a home cooked meal!


I forget when, but earlier this week, my parents surprised me with WHOLE STEAMED LOBSTERS!!! mmmm, twas delicious! And unlike my normal self, I actually remembered to take pictures! Enjoy....

 * Whole live lobsters! They looked menacing!

 * Because they were menacing, it was time to end their lives....in other words, drown them in boiling water! talk about torture!

 * Diced scallions, seranno peppers, ginger, and garlic. You'll find out what this is for later...gotta keep you on your toes.

 * dead lobsters :). so lifeless and less menacing.

 *My daddy really likes to eat his lobster with "special sauce." Look closer, do you see anything familiar??? That's right, it's the garlic, peppers, ginger, and scallions from earlier! The sauce contains soy sauce and sesame oil, in addition to the herbs! 

 *gobble gobble! I thought this plate was cool. It's got a turkey in the center.


As well, to celebrate Thanksgiving, instead of the usual turkey, we decided to eat duck! Why? Because we're Chinese, and that's what Chinese people do.

 * whole duck on our special rotisserie machine :)

* duck after being put through the rotisserie! Delicious!

Wonderful food for a wonderful break! Stay tuned for my next post

My Super Complicated Shrimp Concoction

As the title states, today's blog will be focused on an extremely complicated shrimp recipe I made up...key word being "extremely." Be prepared to be amazed out of your pants...or dress...or skirt.

Ingredients: 

Left to right: Sriracha hot sauce and 2lbs of frozen shrimp.

* That's right, that is the famous "Sriracha" hot sauce found in every single Vietnamese restaurant. I've yet to find a Vietnamese restaurant that doesn't carry this hot sauce OR a person who hasn't fallen in love with this delicious red viscous liquid....mmmmm :)

1) You want to defrost the frozen shrimp...so place it in a skillet, turn the stove onto a high setting and watch some television for approximately 20 minutes. The shrimp will defrost but don't forget that you have the stove turned on; otherwise, you'll burn the kitchen (and house) down!!! I suggest watching television while sitting in near proximity of the stove...that way you can use your peripherals to keep a constant eye on the shrimp.

2) Once the shrimps have defrosted, squeeze the Sriracha hot sauce onto the shrimp....add as much as you'd like...obviously, those who can handle the heat will add more than those who can't...but the main idea is you want your shrimp to turn from a "pink" color to a "red" color...simple enough. 

 * shrimps in the process of turning color...notice how some are more red than others. Serious cooking going on here.

3) Now, you'll want to evenly stir the Sriracha around the shrimps. Once you've decided that all the Sriracha love has been evenly spread amongst the shrimps, cover up the skillet for about 20 minutes. This forms a nice sauce and allows the Sriracha to soak into the shrimp. That's f()$@n' smart!

* This makes me believe that I am truly a genius.

4) Oops...I forgot to take a picture here...but after those 20 minutes have elapsed...YOU'RE DONE. You'll know the dish is finished when all the shrimps are red, submerged in a red lava, and your nostrils are pentrated with a delicious smell.


Obviously, a very complicated dish....it takes only the most intelligent of people to execute the dish to perfection.....but all that "hard" work is worth it: the dish is delicious and lasts for 3 days...so that's 3 days where you don't have to cook...and 3 days where you get to feast like a king!

Till the kitchen calls me again, peace out!
 

Spaghetti Aglio Olio with Spicy Shrimp

Two posts in one week. I should earn a reward or something.

Well, stupid Hurricane Sandy has, in essence, rendered New York city useless....and by that, I mean transportation is still a mess,  I can't travel downtown via subway...so I can't entertain myself with what the city has to offer. Therefore, my conundrum has become YOUR delight: I'm back in the kitchen, doing what I do best: not burning the house down and making edible meals.

Today's meal is Spaghetti Aglio Olio with Spicy Shrimp!

Ingredients: 

* From left to right: Angel Hair Pasta, Parsley, Lemon, Garlic, and 2lbs of shrimp.

Yeah, I eat seafood. I'm not just a meat guy. Variety is the spice of life.

1) First, toss the shrimp with the juice of 1 lemon, 1/4 cup of parsley, 1 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes, 6 garlic cloves, salt, and 2 tbsp of olive oil. The key to this is to grab a small spoon to mix everything with. Why? Because the small spoon allows you to be dextrous with your wrists and mixing capabilities. That's smart!

* pretty colors. So pretty.

2) Next, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Then, add the shrimp concoction into the skillet and let it cook until its pink and firm....;) Pink and firm is the way to go. Pink and limp...makes for sad people.

 * seeeeexy. notice firm and pink state of the shrimp.

3) After the shrimps are cooked, remove them from the pan and set them aside. This is a genius move on my part.  Yaaay me!

 * shrimptastic!

4) Now, lower the heat to a medium low temperature, and add 1/4 cup of olive oil, 8 cloves of minced garlic, and a shit ton of red pepper and parsley into the skillet. Stir it to allow all the contents to be evenly dispersed.

 * it looks like clam chowder! but delicious clam chowder!

5) Meanwhile, while all this is going on, cook the pasta.

 * this is what the pasta looks like after it's cooked.

6) After you've stirred the olive oil mixture for about 5 minutes, add it to your pasta and toss it around....shake it like you shake your booty. :) yeaaaa buddy! afterwards, sprinkle the parsley on top and add the shrimp!

8) Dance and celebrate! The dish is now complete!!!!

* voila! dunzo! look how pro this looks.

Once again, another masterpiece by chef Evan Lee. I should have my own cooking show.

Till the kitchen beckons me again....