I am indescribably happy. Last night, I made tonkatsu. They were the most amazing, crisp-on-the-outside, moist-on-the-inside, delectible pork cutlets I have ever made. And they were low carb. The only cheatery thing was the Bulldog sauce I put on them (because tonkatsu needs Bulldog sauce), which is a mere 6 carbs per tablespoon. I don't think I used a tablespoon, but I am sad that it has nasty corn syrup in it. And I may make my own tonkatsu or ponzu sauce once I run out.
Anyway, the recipe:
Pork loin chops (you can buy your own pork loin and slice, buy and have the butcher slice, or buy pre-sliced. I found a pound of pork loin chops on sale.) You will want about two half-inch slices per person, unless someone has an unusually big or unusually small appetite.
Almond meal, about 1/3 cup per 4 slices
1 egg, beaten with a splash of water
1/2 6oz bag pork rinds, smashed into tiny pieces
Lawry's seasoned salt, or your favorite seasoning mix
Canola, coconut, or peanut oil (or a combination) for frying
If you're feeling ambitious, put the chops between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound relatively flat. Do not let it get too thin, or it will fall apart or get holes in it. If you are lazy, you will just take your pork chops and begin breading them.
Set up a plate with almond meal, a bowl with the egg, a plate with the pork rinds, and an extra plate to hold your breaded pork. Dredge the pork in almond flour, dip it in the egg, and bread with the pork rinds.
Heat your oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron. A candy thermometer or the like really helps here. I put my tonkatsu in at about 350F. Once they were in, the temperature didn't get higher then 325-ish. Cook them for 5-10 minutes with four to a pan (don't overcrowd), until the color of the coating darkens, flipping every now and then.
Remove your tonkatsu to a rack. Make sure you have paper towels below the rack to catch the dripping oil. Leave them there until they stop making sizzling sounds.
Serve with cauli-rice (I like Cleochatra's recipe, but I do mine from raw cauliflower and just cook it longer), shredded cabbage, and tonkatsu or ponzu sauce! Some people also like lemon and Japanese mustard with their tonkatsu--I haven't tried it yet.
Enjoy!
Friday, July 11, 2008
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Velvety Pumpkin Soup
We had this for dinner tonight, along with ocean perch fillets with seasoned salt, lemon, and butter. I got this recipe from Protein Power.
Velvety Pumpkin Soup
Serves 6
Ingredients
½ stick unsalted butter
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced fine
2 packets Stevia
2 cups chicken broth
½ cup water
½ teaspoon coarse salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 (15-ounce) can solid pack pumpkin or about 2 cups cooked pumpkin, mashed
2 cups half and half
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and when it foams and just begins to turn golden, add the onion and garlic. Cook for a minute or two until soft.
2. Add the chicken broth, water, salt, pepper, and sweetener and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for another 10 to15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in the pumpkin, half and half, and cinnamon and cook another 5 minutes to heat through.
4. Blend with an immersion blender (or transfer soup to a blender or food processor in batches if necessary) and blend until smooth. May be kept a day or two in the refrigerator (once cooled) if desired.
5. Reheat to serve.
We really enjoyed it, but it doesn't seem to be the savory soup that the website indicated. My husband says it would be a good breakfast food, and I totally agree. It's mild and pleasantly seasoned. If you make it and it seems too bland, try just adding some salt. Or garnish with full-fat Greek yogurt for extra tastiness. In the morning, I might try it with goat cheese.
Velvety Pumpkin Soup
Serves 6
Ingredients
½ stick unsalted butter
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced fine
2 packets Stevia
2 cups chicken broth
½ cup water
½ teaspoon coarse salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 (15-ounce) can solid pack pumpkin or about 2 cups cooked pumpkin, mashed
2 cups half and half
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and when it foams and just begins to turn golden, add the onion and garlic. Cook for a minute or two until soft.
2. Add the chicken broth, water, salt, pepper, and sweetener and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for another 10 to15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in the pumpkin, half and half, and cinnamon and cook another 5 minutes to heat through.
4. Blend with an immersion blender (or transfer soup to a blender or food processor in batches if necessary) and blend until smooth. May be kept a day or two in the refrigerator (once cooled) if desired.
5. Reheat to serve.
We really enjoyed it, but it doesn't seem to be the savory soup that the website indicated. My husband says it would be a good breakfast food, and I totally agree. It's mild and pleasantly seasoned. If you make it and it seems too bland, try just adding some salt. Or garnish with full-fat Greek yogurt for extra tastiness. In the morning, I might try it with goat cheese.
Polish Stirfry
This originated as a Rachel Ray recipe off the Food Network website. I have refined it, abandoned the pierogies, and embraced it for the fast, easy low-carb meal that it is. Even if it is from Ms. Ray....who tends to be a food cheerleader. I don't think that woman is allowed to not like anything.
Anyway, here it is:
Polish Stirfry
2 pounds kielbasa or Polish sausage, cut in angled slices (you can cook these straight from frozen, it will just take a little longer)
Olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan
1 tablespoon butter
1 large onion, quartered and sliced
1 package baby spinach (or the chopped greens of your choice)
1 pound sauerkraut, drained (if you don't like sauerkraut or don't want to bother, substitute with thinly sliced cabbage and add about a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar)
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon paprika
Salt
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Brown kielbasa and remove from pan. Add olive oil and butter to pan. Raise heat to high. Add onion to the pan and saute for a few minutes to soften. Add spinach in batches as it wilts into the pan (add cabbage and vinegar before spinachif you are subbing for kraut). When spinach is wilted, add sauerkraut. Season stir-fry with mustard, paprika, and salt. Return kielbasa to pan. Heat through and serve.
Anyway, here it is:
Polish Stirfry
2 pounds kielbasa or Polish sausage, cut in angled slices (you can cook these straight from frozen, it will just take a little longer)
Olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan
1 tablespoon butter
1 large onion, quartered and sliced
1 package baby spinach (or the chopped greens of your choice)
1 pound sauerkraut, drained (if you don't like sauerkraut or don't want to bother, substitute with thinly sliced cabbage and add about a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar)
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon paprika
Salt
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Brown kielbasa and remove from pan. Add olive oil and butter to pan. Raise heat to high. Add onion to the pan and saute for a few minutes to soften. Add spinach in batches as it wilts into the pan (add cabbage and vinegar before spinachif you are subbing for kraut). When spinach is wilted, add sauerkraut. Season stir-fry with mustard, paprika, and salt. Return kielbasa to pan. Heat through and serve.
Gingered Zucchini Ribbons
I think one of the most satisfying things to find on the web are 'normal' recipes that are already low carb. I don't want to have to buy weird ingredients or expensive utensils to cook my food.
Here is a recipe to swallow up some of those dirt-cheap (or free, if your garden or a friend's runneth over) zucchini. I found it at Global Gourmet.
Gingered Zucchini Ribbons
Ingredients
3 large zucchini (if dealing with garden zucchini, use up to medium size. The monster baseball-bat zucchini have skins that are too tough for this recipe)
salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
2 tablespoons butter
Cut the ends off the zucchini. Then cut each large zucchini into quarters, lengthwise. If the zucchini are small or medium in size, cut them in half instead of quarters.
Using a vegetable parer, peel each segment of the zucchini into long, paper thin strips, each with an edge of the green skin attached. They do not have to be uniform in width; in fact, varied widths make the dish more visually playful. (To get a good angle on your zucchini, lay it edge-up on the cutting board and start peeling.)
Lightly sprinkle salt on the strips and toss to mix. Let the zucchini drain in a colander in the sink for 30 minutes.
During this time the zucchini strips will sweat out excess water. Taste a piece of the zucchini. If you have used too much salt, then rinse the zucchini strips. It is not necessary to rinse if the zucchini is salted to your personal taste. Squeeze the strips to further remove moisture and dry them in paper towels, squeezing again.
Heat the butter over a low flame and add the garlic and ginger. sauté until both have released their flavors, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the zucchini strips. Toss gently and heat through until the zucchini has absorbed the butter mixture. The zucchini is done when it is slightly limp, heated through, but still tender. This should take only 3 to 5 minutes. Serve hot.
I love the look of this dish, and its relative simplicity. If you want to be even lazier, see if your local Store of Fru Fru Food carries ginger juice.
I tried a variation of the zucchini ribbons this weekend in a sauce with garlic, lemon, and olives, but it had to be reheated before dinner and turned a muddy color. I was not as fond of it.
Here is a recipe to swallow up some of those dirt-cheap (or free, if your garden or a friend's runneth over) zucchini. I found it at Global Gourmet.
Gingered Zucchini Ribbons
Ingredients
3 large zucchini (if dealing with garden zucchini, use up to medium size. The monster baseball-bat zucchini have skins that are too tough for this recipe)
salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
2 tablespoons butter
Cut the ends off the zucchini. Then cut each large zucchini into quarters, lengthwise. If the zucchini are small or medium in size, cut them in half instead of quarters.
Using a vegetable parer, peel each segment of the zucchini into long, paper thin strips, each with an edge of the green skin attached. They do not have to be uniform in width; in fact, varied widths make the dish more visually playful. (To get a good angle on your zucchini, lay it edge-up on the cutting board and start peeling.)
Lightly sprinkle salt on the strips and toss to mix. Let the zucchini drain in a colander in the sink for 30 minutes.
During this time the zucchini strips will sweat out excess water. Taste a piece of the zucchini. If you have used too much salt, then rinse the zucchini strips. It is not necessary to rinse if the zucchini is salted to your personal taste. Squeeze the strips to further remove moisture and dry them in paper towels, squeezing again.
Heat the butter over a low flame and add the garlic and ginger. sauté until both have released their flavors, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the zucchini strips. Toss gently and heat through until the zucchini has absorbed the butter mixture. The zucchini is done when it is slightly limp, heated through, but still tender. This should take only 3 to 5 minutes. Serve hot.
I love the look of this dish, and its relative simplicity. If you want to be even lazier, see if your local Store of Fru Fru Food carries ginger juice.
I tried a variation of the zucchini ribbons this weekend in a sauce with garlic, lemon, and olives, but it had to be reheated before dinner and turned a muddy color. I was not as fond of it.
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