Sunday, March 22, 2020

Chicken Yakitori Essays - Chinese Cuisine, Japanese Cuisine

: Chicken Yakitori Japanese Skewered Chicken Ingredients 3 green onions, cut into 1" strips lengthwise 8 green peppers, quartered and seeded 2/3 lb. chicken livers 1 clove garlic 1-1/3 lb. boned, skinless chicken breast Barbecue Sauce: 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup mirin 1-2 tablespoons sugar pepper bamboo skewers or sticks Method: 1. Pierce skewer through sides of green onions. Skewer green peppers in the same way. 2. Cut livers into 4-6 pieces. Soak in water to remove odor. 3. Crush garlic, add to 5 cups boiling water; add livers (do not overcook), drain in colander. Skewer livers. 4. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. 5. Thread chicken on skewers. 6. Arrange skewers on platter. 7. Simmer Barbecue Sauce until reduced to half of original quantity. 8. Place gridiron over high heat, arrange two bricks on both sides. Barbecue, brushing with sauce, until cooked as desired. Sprinkle with pepper. Let guests help themselves. Eggplant Miso Soup 1 quart boiling water 2 tablespoons Miso 1 Carrot -- chopped 2 Scallions -- chopped 1/2 cup Tofu -- cubed 1 cup Eggplant -- julienned In boiling water, add miso. Mash to dissolve. Add carrots, scallions, tofu and eggplant. Cook until vegetables are tender. Japanese Potstickers/ Gyoza Nira is a vegetable sold in bunches in oriental groceries, and has a garlic flavor. 4-5 leaves Chinese cabbage, minced 1 bunch Nira, minced 2 large green onions, minced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 small piece ginger, grated 2 tsp salt 1 tsp white pepper Dash of Japanese soy sauce 1 TBS sesame oil 1 TBS peanut oil 1 pound of ground pork 4-5 minced shittake mushrooms Gyoza skins Pour boiling water over cabbage and allow to sit for 1/2 min., then drain and rinse with cold water. Combine with remaining ingredients and mix coarsely with fingers. Place a tablespoon of filling in gyoza skin and crimp edges. Place small amount of oil in frying pan and heat. Place gyoza in pan and fry over med heat until lightly browned on one side. Add 3 tablespoons of water to pan, and cover. Allow gyoza to steam a couple of minutes. Serve with dipping sauce of soy and sesame oil. Japanese-Style Salad Dressings Preparation time: 5 minutes Here are some simple recipes: Oil and Vinegar * 1 tbs rice vinegar * 2 tbs vegetable oil * 1 tsp sesame oil * 1 tsp soy sauce * salt and pepper Ginger Dressing * 1 tbs rice vinegar * 1 tbs vegetable oil * 1 tbs sesame oil * 1 tbs grated fresh ginger * 1 tsp soy sauce Bon Appetit! Pan-Broiled Scallops 8 shelled sea scallops 2 Tbsp soy sauce 1 Tbsp sake or dry sherry 2 Tbsp oil 1. Wash scallops. 2. Mix soy sauce and sake in a bowl. 3. Heat oil in a frying pan and saute the scallops till they change color. Add soy sauce and sake. Shaking the pan to prevent sticking, continue cooking until the scallops are well-seasoned. Serves 4 Shabu Shabu Shabu-shabu means "swish-swish," referring to the swishing action when you cook a very thin slice of beef in hot water. On a portable range, place a medium-sized pot (1/2 gallon should do). Place a couple of slices of kombu (a sort of kelp) and cover with cold water. Gently bring the water to a boil and remove the kombu just before it actually starts to boil. When the water is boiling very, very gently, you're set. On your table you should have: (for 4 people) Ingredients * 1 lb very thinly sliced beef (sirloin), preferably grain-fed. Beer-fed Kobe beef is the best. I MEAN VERY THIN (less than 1/16 inch) * 8 shiitake mushrooms * 1/2 lb enoki mushrooms * 1/2 lb shimeji mushrooms * 1/2 lb shirataki * 1 lb chinese cabbage * 1/2 lb watercress, to substitute for spring chrysanthemum leaves * 1 lb tofu, cut in 1 in. cubes, pressed and drained * any other ingredients you want to use Dipping sauce * In a small bowl, you should have soy sauce and lemon juice 2:1, as a dipping sauce. Simply take one of the items, swish it around in the hot water for from a few seconds for beef to a few minutes for vegetables. Serve with hot steamed rice. Enjoy! Sukiyaki 1 piece beef suet, about 2" x 2" x 1/2" (enough to lightly grease hot pan) 1 Lb. lean beef, sliced paper-thin across the grain, then cut into bite-sized pieces 1 bunch Scallions, cut into 2" lengths, both white and green 1 block of fresh tofu, cut into bite sized squares 1-12 oz. can of shirataki (yam noodles) (This is optional as they are very expensive on the east coast) 1-16 oz. can of bamboo shoots, sliced thin 1/2 Lb. fresh bean sprouts 8 fresh brown mushrooms, sliced about 1/4" thick 1/2 c. Soy Sauce 1/2 c. Sugar 1 c. Water 2

Thursday, March 5, 2020

A Timeline of the War of 1812

A Timeline of the War of 1812 The War of 1812 officially began on June 18, 1812 when America declared war against the British. Known as Mr. Madisons War or The Second American Revolution, the war would last for over two years. It officially ended with the Treaty of Ghent on December 24, 1814. Following is a timeline of the major events that led to declaring war along with the events of the war itself.   Timeline of the War of 1812 1803-1812 - British impress approximately 10,000 Americans, forcing them to work on British ships.July 23, 1805 - British decide in Essex case that American traders who travel between neutral and enemy ports will allow for the seizing many commercial ships.January 25, 1806 - James Madison delivers report concerning British interference and impressment of sailors causing anti-British feelings to arise.August 1806 - American minister James Monroe and envoy William Pinkney are unable to resolve the major problems between the British and Americans concerning commercial shipping and impressment.1806 - The British blockade France; American ships are caught in the middle, and the British seize approximately 1,000 US ships.March 1807 - Thomas Jefferson receives the Monroe-Pinkney treaty but does not submit it to Congress because it represents a dismal failure for the Americans.June 1807 - The American ship Chesapeake is fired on by the British ship Leopard after refusing to be boarded. This creates an international incident. December 1807 - Thomas Jefferson attempts peaceful coercion of the British with his embargo, but it results in economic disaster for merchants.1811 - Battle of Tippecanoe - Tecumsehs brother (the Prophet) leads attack on William Henry Harrisons army of 1,000 men.June 18, 1812 - America declares war against the British. This war is known as Mr. Madisons War or The Second American Revolution.August 16, 1812 - the U.S. loses Ft. Mackinac as the British invade American territory.1812 - Three attempts are made by the U.S. to invade Canada. They all end in failure.1812 - The USS Constitution (Old Ironsides) defeats the HMS Guerriere.January 1813 - Battle of Frenchtown. British and Indian allies repel Kentucky troops in bloody fighting. The American survivors are killed in the Raisin River Massacre.April 1813 - Battle of York (Toronto). US troops take control of Great Lakes and burn York.September 1813 - Battle of Lake Erie. US forces under Captain Perry defeat a British naval attack. October 1813 - Battle of Thames (Ontario, Canada). Tecumseh is killed in a US victory.March 27, 1814 - Battle of Horseshoe Bend (Mississippi Territory). Andrew Jackson defeats the Creek Indians.1814 - The British plan a 3-part invasion of US: Chesapeake Bay, Lake Champlain, the mouth of Mississippi River. The British are eventually turned back at Baltimore harbor.  August 24-25, 1814 - The British burn Washington, D.C. and Madison flees the White House.September 1814 - Battle of Plattsburgh (Lake Champlain). The US secures its northern border with a huge victory over a larger British force.December 15, 1814 - The Hartford Convention occurs. A group of Federalists discuss secession and propose seven amendments to protect the influence of Northeastern states.December 24, 1814 - Treaty of Ghent. The British and American diplomats agree to return to the status quo from before the war.January 1815 - Battle of New Orleans. Andrew Jackson scores a huge victory and paves the way to the Wh ite House. 700 British are killed, 1,400 are wounded. The US only loses 8 soldiers.