Cheesesteak Sandwich

中文菜谱： Cheesesteak 三明治

During our last trip to Philadelphia, we had some really awesome Philly cheesesteak sandwiches.  I decide to create my own version of Philly cheesesteak at home.  Although they are are not done in the authentic way, they surely taste as good as I expected! O(∩_∩)O~

Ok, it is a little bit embarrassing.  I forgot to buy steaks and I didn’t notice that until I was about to slice the meat.  So I substituted with chuckeye roast beef.  Not bad at all!

Ingredients：

1 to 1 1/2 pounds steak (I substitute with chuckeye roast beef)
4 oz cheddar cheese, sliced
1/2onion， thinly sliced
oil for grilling
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
2 bread rolls (authentic Philly cheesesteak calls for hoagie or torpedo rolls.  I can’t find it in local grocery store and I substitute with Italian rolls)
1 to 2 teaspoons of softened butter

sauce： (well, I develop the sauce according to our own preference)

Chicken stock
soy sauce
sugar
oyster sauce
sesame oil

Directions：

Thaw the frozen beef overnight in fridge. Thinly slice it with a meat slicer .

Preheat the grill with a thick cast iron griddle in the center to 425F/218C

Add some oil and then add thinly sliced beef.

Scramble and brown the beef on the griddle with a spatula or tong.

Add thinly sliced onion.

Sauté together

Add sauce and spread the cheese slices on top

Cut the bread open and spread with butter.  Toast on the grill for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Cover the grill with its lid.  The cheese will melt faster and more evenly.

The grill is really hot.  So we have to use a spatula to stuff the bread

Stuff as much meat as you like O(∩_∩)O~

It is not authentic cheese steak, but it is definitely a great sandwich! O(∩_∩)O~

Rice Dumplings Wrapped in Bamboo Leaves (Zongzi)

中文菜谱: 五花肉碗豆粽子

Today is the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival.  According to tradition, we eat rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves!

Rice dumplings come in many different shapes with all kinds of different fillings.  The one thing remains the same is the key ingredient: sweet rice.  Maybe it is more appropriate to call it sweet rice dumplings? O(∩_∩)O~

I use sweet rice, split peas and pork belly; simple but they bring tons of flavors.

Ingredients：

2 to 2 1/2 pounds sweet rice
1 1/2 pounds yellow split peas
dried bamboo leaves
2 to 3 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1/4 to 1/2 cup soy sauce
salt to taste
water
 

For the pork filling：

3 pounds pork belly
1 to 2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1/4 to 1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 to 2 teaspoons sugar
3 to 4 tablespoon rice cooking wine
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4  to 1/2 teaspoon five spice powder
salt to taste

Directions：

Cut the pork belly into 1 by 2 inches cubes.  Add dark soy sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, rice cooking wine, ground white pepper, five spice powder and salt.  Mix well and cover with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours.

Bamboos leaves are available in most Asian grocery stores.

Soak them for 4 to 5 hours; rinse well under running water and then blanch them in boiling water.  and now they are ready to wrap!

Add sweet rice along with seasonings to a large bowl.  Add water just to cover the rice.  Let them sit for a couple hours.

Soak the peas for a couple hours too

Fold every two bamboo leaves into a cone shape; add a tablespoon sweet rice.

Add one piece of pork belly

Add a tablespoon of peas

Add another couple tablespoons of sweet rice

Wrap it up

Tie up

Cook the dumplings in simmering boiling water for two hours before serving.

The listed ingredients here shall yield between 55 to 65 dumplings

They will be one of the most unique dumplings you have ever tried.  After two hours simmering, the sweet rice and pea will just melt in your mouth.  The pork inside is very tender and juicy. 

Mission accomplished! O(∩_∩)O~

Boiled Fava Beans with Five Spices Powder

中文菜谱：五香水煮蚕豆

Last weekend we went shopping in a Mexican grocery store and found out they had fresh fava beans!  Wow, we don’t usually find fresh fava beans on the market.   

We boil them with five spices powder and some other spices.  It is simple but the taste and flavor are really great.

Ingredients：

2 pounds fresh fava beans in the pods
1 teaspoon five spice powder
2 to 3 star annises
3 to 4 cloves
1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon sugar
salt to taste
water for boiling

Directions：

Remove fava beans from pods.  It would be really fun to do it with young kids in the house if you have one or some.

In a small pot, add fava beans, five spice powder, star anises, clovers, Sichuan peppercorns, sugar and salt.  Add water to about 1 inch above the beans.

Heat over high heat.  When it comes to boil, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

After turning off the heat, leave the beans soaking in the pot for another 10 minutes.

Drain well and serve either hot or cold.  

Cooked fresh young fava beans have similar texture as cooked potato but they are more on therefreshing side.

Fire Grilled Sizzling T-bone Steak

中文菜谱： 铁板T-bone牛排

The weather in Michigan is finally nice and sunny.  You know what that means?  Of course it is BBQ time! O(∩_∩)O~ 

We do fire grilled sizzling T-bone this time.  The steak is tender and juicy, just the way I like it.

Ingredients：

2 pieces fresh T-bone steaks
sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

I usually season my steaks with sea salt and pepper only, because I think it is the best way to taste the great beef steak flavors.

Take the T-bone steaks out of the refrigiator 20 minutes ahead of time to allow them warm up a little bit to room temperature.  

Actually after I take them out of the fridge, I decide they are too big for a dinner for two people.  So I grill one piece at a time.

Season both sides with generous amount of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper using a pepper grinder.

Preheat the grill to 500F / 260 C.  Preheat the cast iron sizzling platters together in the grill.

Grill for 2 to 3 minutes.

It sears really fast under high temperature.  That is how we get these pretty grill marks.

Flip the steaks and grill the other side for 2 to 3 minutes depending how you like your steaks.

Ahhhh, fire grilled steaks!  That is what I am talking about! O(∩_∩)O~

I don’t know about you, but I start drooling at this point.

Transfer the steaks to cast iron sizzling platters.

Serve immediately.  The sizzling sound is one of the most beautiful sounds in the world!

Because the sizzling plate is super hot too.  It will continue to cook the steak in front of you.  So be careful not to overcook your steak on the grill.  Otherwise, the medium rare you are hoping for may turn into well-done. 

Fire Grilled Sizzling Ribeye Steaks

中文菜谱： 铁板牛排

Ribeye steak is one of our favorite meats.  When the weather is warm and nice, we love to make our own fire grilled sizzling ribeye steaks in the backyard.

Ingredients：

2 pieces fresh ribeye steaks
sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

I usually season my steaks with sea salt and pepper only, because I think it is the best way to taste the great beef steak flavors.

Take the ribeye steaks out of the refrigiator 20 minutes ahead of time to allow them warm up a little bit to room temperature.

Season both sides with generous amount of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper using a pepper grinder.

Preheat the grill to 500F / 260 C.  Preheat the cast iron sizzling platters together in the grill.

Grill for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.

It sears really fast under high temperature.  That is how we get these pretty grill marks.

Flip the steaks and grill the other side for 1 to 2 minutes depending how you like your steaks.

Ahhhh, fire grilled steaks!  That is what I am talking about! O(∩_∩)O~

I don’t know about you, but I start drooling at this point.

Transfer the steaks to cast iron sizzling platters.

Serve immediately.  The sizzling sound is one of the most beautiful sounds in the world!

 After the wonderful steaks and wine, I serve homemade dark chocolate ice cream with caramel sauce which is also made from scratch too! O(∩_∩)O~

Now the meal is the complete! O(∩_∩)O~