Wednesday, May 9, 2018

A Dinner Duet - My Mother And I Cooking Together



Song:  Felista

Artist:  Yanni






Last night I decided to cook Bulgogi with fire roasted Shishito...
and I made a couple of days worth of Japanese sweet potato chips.

Japanese sweet potatoes are very healthful...
and very delicious.

I had my mom start with washing the potatoes and cut out any blemishes...
while I prepared the rice.






Any thinly cut beef will do for Bulgogi.


I used this sauce...


and I add 1/3 cup of Korean red pepper to spice it up.



I let it marinate for an hour or so.


Each slice of the potato should be between 1/4 to 1/2 an inch thick.



I use extra virgin olive oil to cook with.


After preparing all of the potatoes...
I set everything to one side for the next step in the dinner.


I fire roasted the shishito next.



I had my mother in charge of picking up any peppers with the extra long hashi...
if they fell into the fire.


However...
she kept trying to turn over the peppers in the basket  :)

I told her that I would just be flipping the whole basket.


After the peppers were done...
I prepared for our side by side cooking.


All kitchens should have an all fire...
fire extinguisher.


And...
this is important...
it should always be kept a safe distance from the most likely fire source.

If you keep it under the stove...
especially in a grease fire...
you might not be able to reach it.


I fried the potatoes just enough to brown the outsides.

You want the insides to be light and fluffy.


I then put my mother in charge of making the bulgogi.



This is the senior citizen way of cooking  :)

Note how I had placed the pan handles pointing 
away from the people cooking.

Especially with oil...
you never want to have the handle out to where it might accidentally grab 
on to clothing and spill on you.


I then took a few pinches of salt for each batch of potatoes...


and dusted the tops of the chips.


As you will notice...
the insides are light and fluffy...
and the outsides are browned.




With the cooking done...
we sat down to our meal.


My mother is holding her glass high to toast our joint meal effort.

After eating our fill...
I came home.

I placed all of the extra potatoes into a pyrex containers...
and placed them in the fridge.

They are excellent cold as well.

My mother will snack on them while watching TV.












Thursday, May 3, 2018

A Two AM Feast


Song:  Mas Que Nada

Group:  Brazil 66




Last night...
I got hungry...
so...
I stopped over at my mother's to see if she wanted to join me for a midnight feast
at a local taqueria.


My mother was still in her pajamas...
but as it was past 2 AM...
I knew not many people would be out...
so I just had her go with me in her PJs  :)


When ever I feel like Mexican food in the middle of the night...
I just drive to downtown Reno...
and eat to my heart's delight.



My mother and I love Tortas (Mexican meat sandwich).

We usually get Carnitas (shredded pork)...
with frijoles (refried beans) and sour cream...
along with lettuce, tomatoes, and onions.

My mother ate one half of her sandwich...
and I had eaten one and a half sandwiches.


Every so often...
my mother and I will go to one of the many nearby 24 hour restaurants...
and just fill up with one of many different dishes.

One of the great simple pleasures in life...
delicious food in the middle of the night.  :)

Sometimes...
you just gotta eat when you feel like a midnight snack.