Braised Pork Spare Ribs with Orange Juice

Another braised dish! Yea! I really like this one. The flavors are different and unique. The meat was braised until super tender and fell off the bones. With that sweet and savory orange sauce, every bite was incredible. Bryan and I ate more rice than normal too, because the sauce was too damn amazing!

If you can get some sweet oranges and pork spare ribs today, I urge you to make this dish. Pork spare ribs maybe a bit harder to find. Bristol Farms didn’t have them, but they said that they can order them which may take a week. I got mine from Ralph’s and I had the butcher cut it into individual ribs. Hope you will find them!

Meyer Lemon Souffle

Mother’s Day is next Sunday. If you are thinking about a gift for mom, this Meyer lemon souffle will sure impress her. When it comes to desserts, my mom prefers tangy than sweet or chocolatey. Therefore, I always think about making some kind of lemon desserts for mom on Mother’s Day. This souffle has definitely become one of my favorite lemon desserts. It is warm, fluffy, tangy and fragrant. Even though my mom is in Hong Kong and we are miles away from each other, I will make her this when we see each other next time. Happy Mother’s Day, mom! 

Let’s talk about Meyer lemons. I have heard so much about Meyer lemons, but I never tried it until 2 weeks ago. I found a pack of Meyer lemons in Costco. After a week of exploring, I have tried at least 6 – 7 different recipes with Meyer lemons. When comparing Meyer lemon with lemon, I came to a conclusion that Meyer lemon is less acidic and it is more fragrant than a lemon. They are definitely great for desserts. The only problem is that they are seasonal and they are not easy to find all the time. I know that Meyer lemon season is coming to an end now. If you can find Meyer lemon, buy and try it. If you can’t, lemon will be fine as well.

Braised Chicken Thighs with Button Mushrooms

I like braising dishes. They are always warm and comforting. Even though we are in Spring now, the weather is still slightly cool and the sky is always gloomy in Los Angeles. It sure sounds like a perfect day for some savory tender chicken. No worries. This is not a really heavy dish.

This chicken dish has many different seasonings. I promise you that the chicken will be packed with flavors. And you will be licking your plate clean with that sauce. Don’t forget to cook rice! You will want them.

Baked Pork Chop with Fried Rice

Baked Pork Chop with Fried Rice (焗豬扒飯) is a classic in Hong Kong cafe. Who wouldn’t like pork chop with fried rice in tomato sauce and top with melted cheese? It is everyone’s favorite. It is a all-in-one casserole dish.

If you ask the people who have left Hong Kong for a while, what food they miss the most in Hong Kong, many of them would tell you cafe style food. Many Hong Kong cafe dishes are influenced by the west, like the use of tomato sauce, cream, cheese, and pasta. With the combination of Chinese ingredients and cooking style, these dishes are unique and special. They are definitely not too easy to find in the US, especially with that kind of fusion flavors. Therefore I tried to make them at home. After a few tries, I am very happy with this baked pork chop with fried rice recipe. It was good and it tasted very close to the flavors that I remember.

Give this a try and get a taste of Hong Kong!

P.S. I have to thank my Hong Kong friends, Iris and Tony for giving me this cook book. Without it, I won’t be able to recreate many delicious Hong Kong food at home.

Individual Strawberry Pavlova

Continue with the strawberry theme this week! I have some leftover roasted strawberry puree and strawberries from the Roasted Strawberry and Buttermilk Ice Cream, so I thought what I can do. And yes, pavlova is the winner. I first learned about pavlova from watching Barefoot Contessa on Food Network. Ina made a beautiful mixed berry pavlova. I have been wanting to try it, and finally I did. I made individual ones, so it is easier to serve and Bryan and I do not have to eat the 7-inch cake by ourselves.

As far as I know, Pavlova is from Australia. It is a really popular dish in Australia and New Zealand. No matter where it is from. It is truly an amazing dessert to present and serve at a dinner party. It is light and it has fresh ingredients. It also highlights the berries during the spring season. The meringue is light and crisp on the outside and slightly gooey on the inside. With the fresh strawberry, strawberry puree and whipped cream, every bite is the perfect bite. You may think 3½-inch is a lot, but that is not true. It is a great serving size for one person. If you haven’t tried pavlova before, I urge you to make them today. You will not be disappointed!

Roasted Strawberry and Buttermilk Ice Cream

Two weeks ago, I finally got a copy of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home. I should have got this two years ago. It is a bit late, but better late than never. I am so happy I got it. This is a cookbook for all ice cream lovers. The recipe steps are easy to follow. Not only there are 100 recipes, there are also all kinds of condiments recipes, like cake, brittle, ice cream cone, candy, and sauces. You can really make any ice cream you want with the help of this book. It is a must-have for ice cream fanatics! Buy it if you still haven’t got one!

I read through the whole book once I got it. And the one that screamed to me most was this roasted strawberry and buttermilk recipe. Strawberry season has just arrived. Nothing beat to have sweet and ripe strawberries to cook with. The roasted strawberries smelled and tasted amazing. I thought I would have eaten everything before I added them to the ice cream base. The ice cream came out very thick and creamy. The strawberry can be tasted and I really like the hint of tanginess from the buttermilk. What a perfect scoop of ice cream! I am sure you will like this too!

Shrimp and Guacamole Tostada

I don’t always make Mexican food at home, because Bryan’s families are from El Salvador. We can easily eat those similar tasty food from Bryan’s mom. But when I make “Mexican” food, they are usually not very authentic and very different. This tostada is the perfect example. When I saw this recipe in Bev Cooks, I hesitated for a moment. Tostada traditionally is fried and it definitely does not top with guacamole. Because of the beautiful looking pictures and tasty combination, I decided to give it a try. It turned out to be amazing. The tortilla was crispy and great with melting cheese. The guacamole was creamy. Shrimps were well seasoned and meaty. These tostadas are good as main dish and good to serve with salad or veggies.

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Rosemary

My neighbor has a huge bush of rosemary near his door. It started from a few sprigs to a 3 x 3-feet bush now. My neighbor is nice enough to let me pick use his rosemary. Woo hoo! Free herbs! Ever since then, I am always looking for dishes with rosemary. Roasted potatoes with rosemary is just a classic. And it sounds so much better with the cute and colorful fingerling potatoes. These potatoes go well with the pan seared rib-eye steak that I made last week, or chicken dishes.

Pan Seared Rib-eye Steak with Béarnaise Sauce

A nice fancy dinner at home may just require a good piece of steak. To top it off, Béarnaise sauce will make your steak much more special. It doesn’t require much time to make, but it will sure impressed your loved one or your guests.

When it comes to steak, Bryan is the cook. I guess because he likes steak and he was the one who started to make steak in the house, so that job stays with him. But of course, I can cook it too. There are tons of ways to cook a perfect steak. We cook our steak on the stove. No oven is needed. The steak is seared perfectly every time and it stays juicy. Very simple.

In January, when Bryan and I went to Mon Ami Gabi in Las Vegas, Bryan ordered the steak with Béarnaise sauce. It was a fantastic match. And I decided to make that at home. The sauce was so easy to make that anyone can do it. It was rich and creamy. It paired really well with the steak, but didn’t overpower the steak flavors. A great touch to a perfect steak. Love it!

Roasted Turkey Legs

Turkey legs are definitely not only for Thanksgiving. They can be perfect for a simple weeknight meal too. Don’t worry. These won’t require hours of cooking time. Brine them in the morning and come home to roast them in the oven for about 45 minutes. These legs were juicy and flavorful. No need to worry about the dry and rough turkey meat.