Pepper and Salt Squid

Traditionally, the squid is coated in cornstarch and then fried, yielding an airier crunch, but the mixture of semolina flour, all-purpose flour, and cornmeal makes for an extra hearty crunch with a real depth of flavor.

1 lb. Squid

Cornstarch

Flour

Semolina

Oil

Jalapeños thin slices

Red bell peppers or red hot pepper

Shousongt wine

Marin

Sesame oil

Garlic

Ginger

Black pepper, course

White pepper, fine

Salt

Garnish with parsley and diagonally sliced scallions

Marinate the squid in the shaoxing wine and sesame oil. Toss gently and set aside.

In a medium deep pot, add oil. Heat the oil until the temperature reaches 333F.

While you’re waiting for the oil to heat, prepare your dry mixture. Combine the all-purpose flour, semolina flour, cornmeal, salt, and white pepper , black pepper in a medium bowl. Set aside.

When oil is hot, dredge the squid in the dry mixture. Fry the squid around two minutes, drain. Set on a plate. Salt to taste.

Fry the cut up Jalapeños, Red bell peppers, minced garlic, minced ginger in your wok until cooked. Toss with squid, sprinkle with a bit of Marin.

Garnish with greens.

Beef and Green Pepper with Black Bean Sauce Chow Fun

Wide rice noodles(chow fun)

Bean Sprouts*
Dark soy

Optionally, oyster sauce ( omit, if alergic to shellfish) ***
Red and green bell pepper, cut into bite size pieces
One large sweet onion, cut in pieces
1 lb beef steak, cut into bite size pieces
5 scallions, cut into thirds, diagonally 
Ginger, minced
Garlic, minced

Black beans, fermented

1 Tbls. Shaosing Wine

Marin

1 tsp. Black vinegar

1tsp. Sugar

3 Tbls. Peanut oil

1 Tbls. Corn starch and 1 Tbls. + 1/2 tsp baking soda + Above oil to marinate the meat

Chow fun are wide noodles, normally pre-cooked and kept from sticking with a little oil. Marinate the meat** with corn starch, baking soda,  and oil, a splash of Shaohsing wine. In your wok, add a bit of oil, garlic and ginger, cooking til done about a minute, add beef and it’s marinade, and cook to just done. Set aside. 

Cook scallion, bean sprout, peppers, and onions. Add in chow fun noodles, cooking until noodles take on some color and smoky flavor, add back meat, fermented black beans, Marin, black vinegar, sugar. Heat a couple of minutes more.

Serve hot

Notes:

* As bean sprouts no longer are sold, they’re difficult to find. Substitute either jicama or bamboo shouts.

** To tenderise and treat the meat, soak 1 hour in water, drain, pat dry. Cut the meat against the grain on the slant, exposing more grain. Then smack each piece with the side of your cleaver. This makes the piece thinner ang seperate the fibres in the meat. Consequently, make cuts accordingly.

**** Oyster sauce can be on the table.

Ají de gallina (yellow pepper poached chicken)

Ají de gallina is one of the Peruvian traditional dishes: Poached chicken in a spicy and creamy nut-based sauce is served over white rice and boiled potatoes. Bright yellow—amarillo—in color, thanks to the famous aji Amarillo and rich from the unusual sauce of ground walnuts, this dish is hearty, filling, and delicious.

It's a mild, creamy chicken dish that was delicious over rice and definitely soul-warming, especially on a cold night. You will find aji Amarillo on Amazon as a bright yellow powder. This pepper is 30k-50k scoville units making as hot as the scotch bonnet pepper.

4 yellow potatoes, boiled until fork tender

4 slices white bread

3/4 cup evaporated milk, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons more if needed

1 1/2 pounds chicken breast

4 cups low sodium chicken bone stock, reduced by half

1 tablespoon ají Amarillo ground peppers

1 teaspoon peanut oil

2 Pattie’s sweet butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large sweet onion, finely chopped

3 tablespoons coarsely chopped walnuts

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 

3 cups cooked jasmine white rice

2 large hard boiled eggs, quartered

10 black pitted olives, halved

Soak the bread in milk, add cheese , garlic and puree.  This will be use to thicken the sauce. Set aside

Poach in the stock on simmer chicken and onion til just done, 15 min or more.

Add the onion, chicken stock, oil, walnuts, oil, butter, and the purée and aji Amarillo , blend until smooth. Heat until warm, pour over the rice and chicken.

Garnish with eggs, potatoes quartered, and olives. I like a bit of green so I recommend diagonally cut scallions.