Egg Preservation: Giam Neng / Salted Duck Eggs

"Giem Neng" basically means 'salted egg'. It is delicious served with congee! Duck eggs are traditionally used for "giam neng" but you can use chicken eggs as well.

Ingredients

Duck (or chicken) eggs
Sea Salt
Water

Method

In a saucepan, boil enough water to cover the number of eggs you have. Add salt until no more dissolves in the water. Allow the water to cool to room temperature. Arrange your eggs in a non-reactive jar. Cover the eggs with the brine. Make sure that all the eggs are totally submerged in the brine solution. Allow the eggs to brine for 30 days.

Hard boil the eggs before serving

Homemade Kim Chi

In effort to increase our nutrient intake, I decided to make some kimchi. Fermented foods are one of the highest nutrient content foods you can consume. However, because a lot of commercially prepared fermented foods are cooked after fermentation, the pro-biotics are often already killed by the time you consume them.

Ingredients

1 large Napa Cabbage or 2 small heads, sliced
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced or 2 Tbsp garlic powder
1" piece of ginger, peeled and minced
6-7 green onion stalks, sliced (I used Egyptian Walking Onions)
2 Stalks Rubarb, sliced (optional)
2-3 Tbsp dried seaweed (optional)
1 c sugar or applesauce
1-2 c water
5 Tbsp chili powder
1/4 c sea salt

Method

Wash the cabbage in a 1/3 vinegar and water solution. Rinse well. Place in a large bowl and add the salt. Mix well and allow it to stand for about 4 hours.

Rinse the cabbage in water well and allow to drain. Add all the other ingredients and mix well. Add the mixture in a non-reactive container. Make sure that all the ingredients are submerged under the liquid. Cover and allow to stand at room temperature for about 24 hours. The longer it sits at room temperature, the faster it will ferment.

Transfer the mixture to the fridge. Refrigerating slows the fermentation process. If you don't want it to be too sour, consume the kimchi more quickly. It will last for about a month in the fridge.

Amazon: Free $2 Instant Video Credit via Facebook

Today only, share your favorite movie on Facebook and get a $2 instant video credit!

Half.com: $25 Worth of Free Shipping With $10 min

Use code FREESHIP at checkout for $25 worth of free shipping at Half.com (min $10 purchase).
The code can be used multiple times!

Amazon: FREE Digital Cook Books

Prices constantly change but this book is currently free. Be sure to make sure the price hasn't changed before buying!

Target: Free Beauty Bag + Samples via Facebook

"LIKE" Target on Facebook and get a free beauty bag filled with samples.

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO PARTICIPATE OR RECEIVE A GIFT. The Target Summer Beauty Bag Giveaway is open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. & D.C., 18 years & older. Void elsewhere and where prohibited. Starts no earlier than 5/22/12 at 12:00 PM ET and ends after 477,500 gifts have been claimed or on 7/5/12, at 11:59:59 PM ET, whichever occurs first. Click here for complete Terms and Conditions, entry requirements and gift description. Limit one (1) Gift per person. Sponsor: Target Corporation, 1000 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55403.

Homemade Worcestershire Sauce

This is some much better than commercial brands. It's not expensive to make, but does require quite a number of ingredients, as well as some time to make. However, I guarantee that it is delicious and gives many dishes the extra taste complexity without high fructose corn syrup and other crap that commerical brands use.

Worcestershire sauce traditionally includes anchovies but I omitted it without any problems with the final flavor.

You can find tamarind concentrate in packets in Asian stores. They are normally from Thailand and are found in the spice aisle. Otherwise you can get it from Amazon as well.

Ingredients

2 cups distilled white vinegar
1⁄2 cup molasses
1⁄2 cup soy sauce
1⁄4 cup Tamarind Concentrate
2 tbsp. mustard powder
3 tbsp. sea salt
1 tsp. whole black peppercorns
1 tsp. whole cloves
1⁄2 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp cardamon powder (or 5-8 pods)
6 dried chilies
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1  1" stick cinnamon
1 anchovy, chopped/ 1 Tbsp fish sauce (optional)
1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1  1⁄2" piece ginger, peeled and crushed
1⁄2 cup sugar

Method

In a saucepan, bring all the ingredients except the sugar to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 min.
In a separate pan, cook the sugar over low heat until it caramelizes and becomes syrupy. Add it to the vinegar mixture. It might clump up. Just keep stirring until the sugar dissolves. Transfer into a clean glass jar with tight fitting lid. Allow to cool before screwing the jar shut.

Refrigerate for about 3 weeks then strain the liquid into a bottle. It will last for about 8 months in the fridge.

Knowing Your Egg Producer

Sometime ago, I wrote a post describing the difference between free-range, organic and conventional eggs. In that post, I talked about how pastured organic eggs were the best choice. In this post, I would like to expand on the topic as to why it's also important to know your farmer. Why?

Eggs should normally be processed within a day after lay. In the US, eggs are often processed as long as 7-30 days after being laid. Processing includes collecting, cleaning, grading and packaging.

Egg shells are porous. That is why the older the egg, the larger the air sack in the egg will be. This is how to tell if an egg is still fresh: if it sinks in water it is fresh. Conversely, an egg that floats is stale. Because of this porousness, an important aspect to take note of is the cleaning process.

The chicken egg is covered by a bloom, a waxy substance that coats the egg. This bloom seals the egg and protects it from the external environment. Once cleaned, the bloom is cleaned off with the egg, leaving the porous shell exposed to the air and therefore faster spoilage.

As a substitute many large egg producers then coat the egg with mineral oil, a petroleum by-product. It is never meant for consumption. However this oil can and will eventually enter the egg. This process explains why egg whites from eggs that have been oiled will not form stiff peaks when beaten (a process that's important for making baked products, including meringues).

While using mineral oil on organic eggs would be unlikely, regulations vary from state to state. Hence the importance of knowing your farmer.

Eversave FREE $10 signup credit!

Join eversave between May 15-31st 2012 and get a $10 credit. If you use my link, I'll get $5 as well. Looks like the credit doesn't expire so sign up quickly! You might be able to get something for free down the road!

Deer Heart with Dandelion in Elk Stock Stew

The deer heat is very good. I liken it to nicely textured beef. It can easily be used in any dish that calls for beef. Unlike my earlier liver cooking attempt, I was sure to remove as much fat I possibly could. Deer fat is NOT good. The fat sticks to the tongue and coats it, giving it a texture of soap - no no!

Ingredients

1 deer (or beef) heart, cubed, with as much fat removed as possible
1/2 lb pork, cubed (optional)
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
5 carrots, peeled and diced
1-2 c lima beans, washed
1-2 c dandelion flowers, blanched then drained to remove the bitterness
Chicken or beef stock (I had some elk stock in the freezer so I used that). If you don't have any, just use water, use the amount of liquid to produce the amount of stew you want.
1 Tbsp butter
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce to taste

Method

In a dutch over, or heavy stock pot, melt butter. Add onions and cook until tender. Add the heart and meat and allow it to brown. Add the carrots and allow to brown slightly on the sides. Add the water or stock. Add beans. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Add the blanched dandelion flowers. Add seasonings to taste. Cover and stew for a few hours. The stew is best if left overnight before serving. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

This is by far the best chicken pot pie recipe I've done! Makes about an 8x8 pan dish.


Ingredients


Filling


1- 1.5 chicken breasts (leftovers work great as well)
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced or 2 tsp garlic powder
1 onion peeled and diced
4-5 carrots, peeled and diced
3 Tbsp butter
4 Tbsp flour
1.5 c chicken stock
1/2 c heavy cream
1-2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp mustard powder
3-4 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese (or to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste


Crust

1 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tbsp. butter
1/8 tsp. salt
1/3 cup milk


Method


If using raw chicken, add the chicken into a pot of water and heat until just before boiling. Simmer for about 20-30 min until just cooked. Dice. If using leftover chicken, you can of course omit this step.
Preheat the oven to 350F. In a pan, melt the butter. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add carrots and garlic and cook until tender. Add flour and mustard and mix well. Reduce heat and add broth, cream and remaining ingredients. Simmer until sauce thickens. Add chicken and mix well.
Transfer into a baking dish.


To make the crust, mix all the ingredients and knead until a dough forms. If it is too dry, add 1-2 Tbsp more water to the dough. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough. 


Place the dough over the pie filling. Bake for 20-30 min. Remove and allow to rest for 5 min before serving.

Amazon: Free Kindle Books

I have to say, I'm enjoying my FREE Kindle Fire from FirstBank. Amazon has some free Kindle books, prices change constantly so double check the price before downloading:

Ace Hardware: Free Quart of Clark + Kensington Paint

Today only (5/5/12), Ace Hardware is offering a free quart of Clark + Kensington Paint with coupon

Terms and Conditions:
Valid May 5, 2012 only. Valid on Flat Enamel only (SKU’s 1485184, 1485226, 1485242). While supplies last. Average availability 40 quarts per store. Most colors available for tinting. Limit 1 per household. Must present coupon to redeem free quart. Value of quart not applicable to another purchase. 

Amazon: FREE Basic Soapmaking & Backpack Gourmet Kindle Book

Prices always change so download it while it's free!

 

Amazon: Crochet Rag Rugs E-Book FREE

Prices constantly change so download your copy before it goes up in price!

Amazon: Kindle Fire (Refurb) for $139 Today only

 Today only, Amazon is offering their Kindle Fire (refurb) for $136
Or, if you're in Co or AZ, sign up for a free checking account through FirstBank and get one for FREE after you initiate 3 billpayments or process at least 1 direct deposit greater than $300.
You can also try your luck at Target. Starting tomorrow, they'll be clearancing out their Kindles. Discounts start at 30% the first week, 50% the next and 75% off at final markdown (if there are any left at that point)