The Pelon's Baja Grill Surf & Turf Burrito is amazing, not much more to say than that lol
The Stockpot Virginia Beach Bruch spread
Brunch at Stockpot VB - Aug 6, 2022
Jasper and I met up with my “Sista from Anotha Mista” Gemma for brunch at The Stockpot in Virginia Beach. Been a minute since I’ve had bruch there, but I am normally there on a Monday night for Ramen (as you all know.)
Old Beach Breakfast - 2 Eggs, Bacon, and Hash
Zucchini Salad with Seared Salmon
Ube Waffle
Heather holding Jasper puppy (aka Baby J!)
Grilled Chicken Kofta
Chicken Kofta
Super easy and super delicious! A healthy Chicken Kofta meal that will knock your socks off ;)
Ingredients:
2 lbs Chicken Breast, ground or finely chopped (using this to keep this lean, but most recipes use thighs or a mix)
1 Large Onion (grated or fine chop in a food processor)
3 Garlic cloves, minced
1/2 Cup Parsley, chopped
1/2 Cup Mint Leaves, chopped
2 Tsp Aleppo pepper
1 1/2 Tsp Coriander, ground
1 Tsp Cumin
1/2 Tsp Cardamom, ground
1 Tsp Paprika
2 Tsp Salt
1/4 Tsp Pepper
2 Tbsp EVOO
Directions:
Heat up grill, medium temp.
Prep your chicken, I like to chop mine so I’ll mince it until almost fine texture. If your using ground, you’re ready to go.
Add all the ingredients to a large bowl and mix by hand until everything has been incorporated.
Form football shaped patties, approx. 8, and drizzle with a little more olive oil.
Grill about 5-6 minutes on both sides or until done (about 165 degrees in the center.)
Serve with whatever sides or sauces, baba ghanoush, hummus, or tzatziki go well, and enjoy!
Koco's Soy Garlic Korean Fried Chicken (presented by the lovely Shelby)
National Chicken Wing Day 2022!
Today was National Chicken Wing Day and there was no other option to get other than Koco’s! KOCO Korean Fried Chicken & Croffles open earlier this year and has been gaining popularity quickly. The owners used to run a pizza operation at the location but as with a lot of businesses the pandemic made a mess of things. Luckily, from the ashes, they rebranded and opened up my new favorite wing spot <3
Koco’s Korean style wings are crispy, flavorful, and kinda sounds weird saying it but, very fresh. The garlic soy flavor is our favorite but there is a spicy version too. Make sure you try the Croffles too! I don’t usually eat sweets and pastries but I’ll eat the hell outta the croffles. They’re basically waffled croissants coated in caramelized sugar, reminds me of something like a Liege waffle with the crispy outside and moist, chewy inside.
Check them out, tell them I sent you ;)
Bourbon and Brown Sugar Caramelized Onions
Ingredients:
3 Medium Yellow Onions, chopped
3 Teaspoons Brown Sugar (1 tsp per onion)
1/2 Cup of Bourbon
2 Tablespoons Butter
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons of neutral Cooking Oil
Directions:
Chop the onions into pieces no smaller than 1/4 inch and no larger 1/2 inch. These will reduce in size as they are cooked.
Heat up large pan on medium and add the oil when hot.
Add the onions, salt, and pepper. Stir to mix all the ingredients together.
Let the onions cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10-15 minutes, they’ll become opaque.
Add the butter and brown sugar, cook for another 10-15 minutes, again stir occasionally making sure all components are thoroughly blended.
Add the bourbon last, let it reduce until only the glazed onions are left in the pan.
Remove and enjoy. Store what is leftover in the fridge.
Gising Gising (Vegan)
My version Auntie’s vegan Gising-gising. Please add more vinegar and/or lime juice to your preference. This is just a rough write-out for everyone. Serve with some nice Jasmine or Sticky Rice. I’ll update later if I forgot anything!
Ingredients:
8 oz. Plant-base Protien (Beyond Meat, Impossible Burger, off-brand, etc…)
1 Cup Green Beans, a rough julienne cut
Half Small Red Onion, diced
1 Can Coconut Cream
1 Leek stalk, thinly sliced
1 Garlic Chives, approx. 1/4 cup chopped
4-6 Thai Chilies, sliced (split between the protein and sauce)
2 Small Cloves of Garlic, minced (split between the protein and sauce)
2 Tbsp Mushroom Seasoning (or to taste, split between the protein and sauce)
1 Tbsp Sugar Cane Vinegar, to taste
1 Tbsp Lime
A couple tablespoons of cooking oil
Scallion and cilantro as garnish
Directions:
Heat up half the cooking oil until you see a little bit of smoke in the wok or pan you’re using.
Toss in the garlic, Thai chili, and onion, sauté for about 20 seconds, don’t let it burn.
Add the protein, green beans, half the garlic chives, and half the mushroom seasoning. Cook till browned.
Remove from wok and set aside.
Heat up the rest of the oil as earlier, then add the rest of the garlic, Thai chili, and leeks. Cook till the leeks start to become transparent.
Add the coconut cream and the remainder of the mushroom seasoning.
Simmer down the sauce until it starts to thicken (as much as you like.) At this point add the protein mix set aside earlier and the lime juice and sugar cane vinegar to taste.
Garnish with scallion and cilantro. Done!
Orion's Roof
Really enjoyed my first visit to Orion’s Roof.
Virginia Beach Restaurant Month 2021!
Virginia Beach Restaurant Month 2021!
If you didn’t know, March is Virginia Beach Restaurant Month! Follow this link can take advantage daily and weekly prizes being given out for no cost at all!
The Bentley Burger
Yesterday was National Cheeseburger Day so I made a trip out to Salmichs in Norfolk, VA to celebrate. I’ve heard only good things about the place, I figured my introduction to the shop would be done right grabbing one of their burgers. The one that caught my eye was a 1/2 LB patty topped with cheesesteak - The Bentley Burger.
I don’t normally mix my sandwiches but this one actually worked out deliciously. 10/10 would recommend.
Crushes
We’re lucky that Geordie, our daughter’s fiancé, knows how to make cocktails! He figured out how to make orange and lime crushed after an outing to one of my fav spots.
Thai Curry Shrimp
Shelby recently asked about an old recipe I used to cook when we I was trying to cook healthier (I’m still working on that…kinda.) It was a Thai curry dish that was super easy and delicious. It’s been a while so I kinda mixed it up a bit and maout with something even better!
I’ll quit talking so you can get to the recipe. Give it a shot, feedback is always welcome.
Before you start:
I like slicing my green onion in long, diagonal pieces just because they look pretty and when people see it they think you know what you’re doing.
As for the shrimp when I say prepared I mean however you like them. De-veined is always a good idea because even though shrimp are small, poop is poop. I ain’t going to kill you but the vein can mess with texture because it can be gritty. I’ve eaten plenty of shrimp with the vein in and it wasn’t a deal breaker.
I like coconut milk with the cream in it. That stuff is good and adds to the dish. Use it if you have it.
Buy a wok if you don’t have one, every household should have a wok.
Ingredients:
1 1/2-2 lbs Shrimp, prepared
3-4 Cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tsp Ginger, finely minced
1 Tbsp Thai Red Curry Paste
2 Tbsp Thai Green Curry Paste
4 Green Onion, chop/slice the whole stalk, separating the white and green parts
9 oz Coconut milk/cream (I’ll use the whole can sometimes - crazy life!)
2 Tsp Fish Sauce
1/4-1/2 Cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 Tsp Oil
Instructions:
Mash the ginger and garlic into a rough paste, doesn't have to be worked all the way through, just blended well.
In a bowl or bag, toss in the Red Curry, the Garlic & Ginger paste, and the Shrimp, mix well and set in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
Prepare your Green Onion and Cilantro while waiting for the marinate to work. Go ahead and prep your the remaining ingredients too.
Heat the wok/pan on high with the oil. We want the to toss the Shrimp with all the marinate into the pan when it's really hot. You want to get a nice brown sear on the on outside of the shrimp WITHOUT cooking them all the way through. When the oil starts to smoke you're ready to go.
Add the Shrimp and white part of the onion. Remember, just get some color on the outside of the shrimp.
Add the Fish Sauce and Coconut Milk, let it bubble and thicken up a little bit (your preference and the shrimp will finish cooking at this time.)
Remove from heat, garnish with Cilantro and Green Onion and Done!
Serve with a nice fragrant Jasmine rice and you’re in business.
Goodstock Roasted Mushroom Soup
Put together some Goodstock Roasted Mushroom Soup for lunch and it was delicious! Added some bacon, chive, and croutons too!
Happy New Year!
Photo: Peter Paik
Hope everyone had a great New Year celebration. I did!
Merry Christmas!
My Award Winning Chili
Well, it won at the chili contest at my wife’s work, but a win is a win amiright?
Here’s the recipe. Brown the beef first, season to taste with salt and pepper. Once that’s done it’s everyone in the pool, a crock pot in this case.
Let it simmer over night and BAM! Chili fo enjoy all week long.
2 lbs ground beef
29 ounces tomato sauce
29 ounces kidney beans (Canned with liquid)
29 ounces pinto beans (Canned with liquid)
28 ounces tomatoes chopped (Canned with liquid)
1 yellow onion diced
1 diced jalapeno de-seeded and de-veined
2 Stalks Celery (Chopped)
1 green bell pepper (Chopped)
1 small carrot
1 dried Ancho Chile
1 1/2 tablespoon cumin powder
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
Fish & Chips
Our trip to Scotland the other year allowed me to try authentic Fish & Chips. I was hooked (like a fish…get it? haha!)
Been playing around with a recipe ever since our trip and I like how has turned out.
Ingredients:
1/2 Cup of Flour
1/2 Cup Rice Flour
Dredging Flour (enough to dry coat the fish)
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Turmeric Powder
Dash of Garlic Powder (No more than a dash!)
1 Oz. Vodka
6 Pack of Beer (Enough for the recipe and yourself)
4 Filets of Flaky, White Fish (Haddock, Pollock, Cod, Coley, etc…)
Salt and Pepper to Taste
4 Large Potatoes, cut into thick “chips”
Before You Start:
Heat oil (or beef tallow if you’re lucky) to around 350 degrees. The batter is simple but the consistency matters. If you make it too thick, you'll end up with a bready mess and a lot of it in the frying oil.
If the batter is too thin, it will basically evaporate in the oil as soon as it touches.
The chips are going to be blanched and cooled before they’re fried. Make sure you allot that time into the process.
Chips Directions:
Heat some heavily salted water in a large pot.
Heat fry oil to 250
Cut potatoes in thick chips or wedges.
When boiling, add the potatoes.
Turn the boil down to a simmer and let sit for about 8-10 minutes. If you leave them in too long they’ll become mushy.
Remove from water and let cool.
You’ll need to double fry these, so the first fry will be to the point where you see a light golden color. Remove from oil and cool.
After the chips have gone through the first fry, turn oil up to 365.
After the chips have cooled, toss them in for a finish fry to get a nice, deep golden color.
Salt and done!
Fish Directions:
Sift the 1/2 cup of flour, 1/2 cup of rice flour, and baking powder for the ba, tter into a large bowl.
Add the turmeric, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. W hisk together before adding the wet ingredients.
Open beer, slowly pour into the flour mixture and lightly whisk, the clumps will come out as you add the beer. You want the batter to have the consistency of cake batter you’d see from boxed mix.
Add your shot of vodka and mix.
Drink some beer.
Dredge fish through the flour and then dip into the batter, completely covering the fillet. Shake off excess batter.
Drop into the fryer. Let it swim a few seconds before letting it go, this will help prevent it from sticking to fryer.
Fry till golden brown, remove.
Oyster Stew
My recipe is wholly inspired by Chef Bobby Huber, a very popular chef in my region who has unfortunately passed. I only really remember eating oyster stew from cans previously, so experiencing his for the first time was a real eye opener. Afterwards I would order it whenever I saw it on a menu, but always compared it to Bobby’s.
I don’t serve mine with mashed potatoes as his was, but don’t let that stop you from adding them!
Ingredients:
1 tbsp Butter
1 tsp Shallots, chopped
1 cup Corn (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup Celery, finely chopped
1/8 tsp hot sauce (I use Speedy’s whenever I get a chance)
8 strips Bacon, chopped
1 cup Chicken Stock
A couple splashes of White Vermouth
1/2 to 1 tsp of Salt
2 cups Heavy Cream
1 tbsp fresh chives or green onions, chopped
1/2 tbsp of Celery Leaves, chopped (optional)
24 large oysters, shucked; with liquor
Directions
Add the butter, shallots, celery, hot sauce, and bacon and cook med-high till the corn starts to pop.
Immediately add the chicken stock, vermouth, and salt; let mixture reduce by half.
Add cream and chives (or green onions) and bring to boil for approximately 1 minute.
Add oysters and reserved liquor, let it boil for another minute then remove from heat. Serve when ready!
Oishii Burger
I’ve had Oishii Burger at a couple of pop-ups at Bottlecraft VB, but never actually visited the brick-and-mortar. That was recently remedied when I was invited by owner Paolo Vergara and crew for their Wednesday night ramen.
You all know I loves me some ramen! I met Paolo right as he was getting his ramen and we sat at the bar.
I wanted to try out a few things they had on the menu and started out with the Okonomiyaki - Japanese savory pancake they serve with bacon and crab. These are always fun to get because they’re topped with bonito flakes that move when they’re near hot steam.
They also do Yakitori, I ordered one each, chicken and beef (beef was my favorite.)
Paolo explained the long process of how their ramen broth was made - over 72 hours of simmering around 30 lbs of pork bones and parts, in addition flavor components. You can taste it too, you can’t get the kind of richness and mouth feel from tossing together a quick pot. You need time to break down the nutrients, minerals, and, connective tissues.
Loved how the ramen was presented, in a lidded bowl. You feel like you’re being given a present and I’ll admit there is a tinge of joy unwrapping they bowl getting to the delicious surprise inside.
I enjoyed chatting with the guys there, they are passionate about what they’re doing and the product of that is really something you’d want to experience. So make sure you swing by and try them out…Oh! They have fried Oreos too if you need some convincing.
Aloha (Snacks) To All The Pretty Horses...and Lucas Beaufort Too!
New Crudo Nudo
Finally got to check out the new format Crudo Nudo moved over to and I love it! Tapas style, relaxed, a little more casual than before. Sad to not see Josh behind the bar anymore but Tyler was a good addition.
Eric told me the Blogger Girls were down the street for a meet. I popped in to say Hi.
Hi Angela! I think she had a couple of drinks ;)