sesame oil – Oven Love

Citrus Hoisin Salmon and Sesame Sauteed Kale

Natalie — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 19:07:49 +0000

I just remembered that I like fish. How did I forget this? Reasons why:

1. It’s quick cooking.
2. You can flavor it with anything.

3. My kids eat it!

4. It’s good for you.

5. It’s beautiful to look at.

6. It makes me feel fancy.

Seriously, I’m in love! I started getting these giant slabs (fillets, I think? whatever half-a-fish-without-the-head/bones is called) of wild-caught salmon at my grocery store and it is the most beautiful shade of.. well, salmon. And granted, they are frozen and not fresh (that’s a whole other conversation) and they ain’t cheap, but as far as I know, there aren’t any wild salmon swimming in these Georgia waters, so until we get stationed in Alaska (no thanks!), frozen it is.

On to the story of this dish. My thoughtful husband usually stops by the farmer’s market on Thursdays on his way home from work and brings me all kinds of edible treasures. This week, he showed up with strawberries (it’s spring!!), leeks, sweet potatoes, cabbage, pecans, some teeny tiny carrots and a big bunch of kale. I knew I had a little jar of hoisin sauce to use up and a slab’o’salmon thawing, so I thought it would be nice over a bed of sesame kale. Nice, indeed.

If you aren’t familiar with hoisin sauce, it’s a thick chinese stir-fry sauce. You can find it gluten-free (Wok Mei brand), but I don’t think that brand is widely available. It’s also got sugar and soy and corn starch, and probably “natural flavors”, so I’m not sure it’s the healthiest option out there.. but man, is it tasty. Maybe I’ll create a homemade version soon. You could substitute soy sauce or teriyaki sauce, but the final sauce won’t be as thick (unless you reduce it down on the stove).

If you’re not on the kale bandwagon yet, you can substitute another leafy green- bok choy would be a great choice. Serve with rice if you’re looking for a heartier meal (or leftover mac-and-cheese like the rest of my little family.. you know, do what works.)

I heart salmon!

Citrus Hoisin Salmon

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

15 mins

Author: Oven Love

Recipe type: Main Dish

Serves: 6

Ingredients

1 wild-caught salmon fillet (fresh or thawed from frozen), cut into portions, or about 6 individual portions (Basically I’m saying if you get half a fish, cut it up. If it’s already cut into pieces, that’s fine, too.)
⅓ cup hoisin sauce (If you need gluten-free, try Wok Mei brand)
2 tablespoons fresh citrus juice (orange, clementine, tangerine, etc)
2 tablespoons honey
salt and pepper
sesame seeds, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat your broiler on high.
In a small bowl, mix hoisin sauce, citrus juice and honey until combined.
Place salmon portions in a glass baking dish. Season each piece with salt and pepper and brush with the half of the sauce. Save the other half of the sauce for later.
Broil for 8-10 minutes or until salmon flakes easily and is cooked through.
Serve immediately, drizzled with the remaining sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Sesame Sauteed Kale

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

25 mins

Author: Oven Love

Recipe type: Side Dish

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 bunch kale, rinsed and stems removed
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon soy sauce (gluten-free, if necessary)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1-2 teaspoons citrus juice (orange, clementine, tangerine, lemon, etc)
more sesame seeds, for garnish

Instructions

In a large skillet, heat coconut oil and sesame oil over medium-high heat.
When the skillet is hot, add kale and saute until it begins to wilt.
Add seasonings- salt and pepper, soy sauce, sesame seeds and citrus juice. Mix and continue to cook until wilted and soft.
Garnish with sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Sesame Beef Stir Fry (gluten-free)

Natalie — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 14:35:00 +0000

I have a lot of good cookbooks, and I really don’t pull them out enough. When I do, I usually just find some inspiration and end up making a new recipe instead of following the recipes provided. Typical food blogger, ahem.

This recipe came about after a meal-planning session with a friend this week (and I use the word “session” loosely- I spent most of the time chasing my children and only found one useful recipe). The original recipe is from Robin Miller’s The Newlywed Cookbook, which I love. The front photo is a little cheesy, but don’t let that deter you from gifting it when wedding season rolls back around. It’s a great find and I always regret not pulling it out more often.

Anyways- this recipe is quick and you will probably have most of the ingredients ready in your pantry. You could switch it up with any protein or add veggies, if you like. It’s gluten-free, too. Yay!

Sesame Beef Stir Fry (gluten-free)

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

25 mins

adapted from The Newlywed Cookbook by Robin Miller

Author: Oven Love

Recipe type: Main Dish

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bunch green onions, chopped (set aside some of the green parts for serving)
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tablespoon grated/minced fresh ginger
1- 1½ pounds beef tenderloin or top round steak, sliced into thin strips
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, plus more for serving
3 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon corn starch
½-1 cup beef broth
cooked rice, for serving (I used white rice cooked in beef broth- very flavorful!)

Instructions

In a large skillet or wok, heat the sesame and olive oils over medium heat. Add the green onions, garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant; about 2 minutes. Add the beef and sesame seeds and cook for 5 minutes or until beef is browned, stirring frequently.
When beef is brown, add the soy sauce and black pepper and stir to deglaze the pan.
Dissolve the cornstarch in ½ cup beef broth and add to the pan. Simmer until the sauce thickens, adding more broth if necessary.
Spoon over cooked rice, top with additional green onions and sesame seeds and enjoy.

Thai Chicken Taquitos

Natalie — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 07:00:00 +0000

I felt like a real genius with this one, you guys.

This crazy Thai/Mexican fusion taquito idea just popped into my brain and would not leave until I made it happen. All I could think about was peanut sauce for days. Days! Then another idea called Chicken Satay Lettuce Wraps became best friends with the taquito idea and I had no choice but to go full force with it.

Here’s how it’s gonna go down.

You’re going to put some chicken in a crockpot with some coconut milk and forget it. Then you’re going to remember it, shred it, mix it up with some other goodies and stuff it into some lettuce and then into your face. And you’re going to have to set aside half of the filling before you dig in because you will probably eat it all without thinking about it, then be super-bummed when you remember the whole taquito thing. So set it aside, for the love! Then the next day, remember it again, roll it up in some tortillas and dip those gems into the peanut sauce.

Go visit MPMK for the Lettuce Wraps and Peanut Sauce recipes.

This is a double duty crockpot dinner, people! You don’t want to miss it.

Thai Chicken Taquitos

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

35 mins

These taquitos are part of a double duty dinner! The filling is made with leftovers from my Crockpot Chicken Satay Lettuce Cups.

Author: Oven Love

Recipe type: Main, Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: Thai

Serves: 5-6

Ingredients

½ recipe of Chicken Satay Lettuce Wrap filling*
12-14 corn tortillas
olive oil cooking spray
sea salt
Peanut Sauce, for dipping

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Microwave 2 tortillas at a time for about 15 seconds or until warm and pliable. Fill each tortilla with about 2 tablespoons of filling and roll tightly. Place on the baking sheet with the open seam down, cover with cooking spray and sprinkle with sea salt. Repeat until your filling is gone.
Bake the taquitos for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. If you’d like them to get even crispier, turn on the broiler for a few minutes (but watch them closely so they don’t burn). Remove from the oven and serve hot with peanut sauce for dipping.

Sesame Quinoa with Chicken and Snap Peas

Natalie — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 19:24:00 +0000

I’m not sure what took me so long, but I am on board with this quinoa business.

I’m pretty late to the party, I know.

You might have seen the salmon/spinach/feta/quinoa concoction on MPMK last week?

Since I’m on this quinoa kick, I pulled up Jessica’s recipe (which I’ve had pinned for aaaaages) and had to make it happen.

(My sesame kick is a close second to my quinoa kick.)

The recipe was genius to start- all I did was add some snap peas, a teensy bit more soy sauce and another handful of sesame seeds and I was good. to. go.

I am not ashamed to say I scarfed this down in under five minutes.

Mostly because there was a little baby trying to pull it directly away from me and onto the floor, but also because it tasted amazing. Or as Elliott would say- “Mama, it’s dewishus!”

Sesame Quinoa with Chicken and Snap Peas

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

40 mins

adapted from How Sweet It Is

Author: Oven Love

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ tablespoon toasted sesame oil
½ tablespoon olive oil
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 cup sugar snap peas, rinsed and rough chopped
6 green onions, sliced
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, plus more for serving
3 tablespoons olive oil, for dressing
2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, for dressing
1 Tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce, for dressing (gluten-free if necessary)

Instructions

Heat a saucepan over medium heat and add ½ tablespoon of sesame and olive oil. Add in garlic and quinoa and stir to coat, then toast for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in chicken stock and increase heat to high, bringing the quinoa to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover, cooking for 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed and quinoa can be fluffed with a fork. Whisk together dressing ingredients and set aside.
Add in chicken, snap peas, green onions and dressing, tossing well to coat. Add in sesame seeds and toss once more. Top with more sesame seeds and serve.

Gyoza Pan-Fried Dumplings

Natalie — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:56:00 +0000

I don’t know if you noticed, but I don’t make much Asian food around here (remember Project Food Blog?). That’s not because I don’t like it, I just get a little intimidated by it and don’t know where to get reliable recipes. I’ve made a few Asian items- classic Kung-Pao Chicken, Lighter Sesame Chicken, Beef & Broccoli– but that’s where it ends around here. I need a mentor or something, seriously!

Dumplings are one of my favorite Asian items. I love ordering them as a treat when we go out, but I’m also a big fan of frozen dumplings- Trader Joe’s gyoza dumplings are an old favorite. I guess what intimidated me most about making them at home was the pleating process. When I actually gave it a try, it was easy to get the hang of (after a few initial mess-ups, of course). The only other challenge was making sure they didn’t stick to the pan. I usually try to limit the amount of oil I use in a recipe, but this is one of those instances where I made sure to have a generous amount of oil in the pan.

I also love the fact that these dumplings can be frozen and cooked directly from the freezer- my favorite type of freezer recipe! You can just pull them out and prepare the same way you would if they were fresh. This recipe would be a great addition to your next freezer cooking day. I think I’ll be adding it to my list of freezer favorites.

Learn a lesson from me and don’t be intimidated! Try these out soon.

Gyoza Pan-Fried Dumplings

Prep time

1 hour

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

1 hour 15 mins

via ‘Let’s Cook Japanese Food!’

Author: Amy Kaneko

Recipe type: Appetizer, Main Dish

Serves: 8

Ingredients

½ pound napa or green head cabbage, shredded and then finely chopped and squeezed between paper towels to remove excess moisture
¾ pound ground pork
2 green onions, including green tops, minced
3 fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps minced
½ bunch fresh chives, minced
1 teaspoon peeled and grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon sake
1 teaspoon soy sauce
About 50 round gyoza or other Asian dumpling wrappers, each about 3 inches in diameter (the thinnest ones you can find)
1 tablespoon canola oil or other neutral oil and 1 tablespoon sesame oil for cooking each batch
2 tablespoons water for cooking each batch
soy sauce, rice vinegar and/or hot chili oil for dipping

Instructions

To make the filling- in a large bowl, combine the cabbage, pork, green onions, mushrooms, chives, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, sake, and soy sauce. Using your hands, mix together just until thoroughly combined. Avoid handling the filling to much.
Place the stack of wrappers on a work surface and keep covered with a clean, damp kitchen towel or paper towel to prevent them from drying out. Holding a wrapper on the palm of one hand, place about 1 teaspoon of the filling in the center of the wrapper. With a fingertip, swipe one-half of the edge of the wrapper with a little water, and then fold over the other edge to meet the dampened edge, enclosing the filling and pinching to seal securely. With your fingers, make 3 or 4 evenly spaced pleats along the sealed edge and place the dumpling, flat side down (the opposite of the pleats) on a sheet of waxed paper. Repeat until all the filling has been used up. (At this point, you can freeze them on a rimmed baking sheet, place in the freezer, and then transfer the frozen dumplings to a zippered plastic bag and return to the freezer for up to 1 month. Cook them directly from the freezer, allowing a few minutes longer cooking time when the pan is covered.)
To cook the dumplings, heat a frying pan over high heat. When the pan is hot, add the canola and sesame oils, swirl to coat the bottom of the pan with the oils, and allow them to heat. When a drop of water flicked into the pan sizzles instantly, arrange about 12 dumplings in the pan, lining them up neatly and placing them flat side down and pleated edge up. Cook undisturbed until the bottoms are lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the water, then immediately cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-high, and cook for 5 minutes. Uncover and cook for a few minutes longer until all the water has evaporated and the dumplings are dark brown and a little crusty on the bottom.
To serve, slide a spatula under the dumplings, being careful not to tear the wrappers, and flip them browned-side up onto a large plate or platter, still lined up. For the dipping sauce, set out containers of soy sauce, vinegar and hot chili oil. Provide each diner with a small dipping bowl to assemble a dip to taste.