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Category: Side Dish

Bok Choy Namul (Korean-style Bok Choy)

Here is a delicious side dish from Korea that really shines. I had some baby bok choy available and found this recipe from KimchiChick, which really intrigued me. It seems so simple and it looks incredible. So, I made it and enjoyed it with glass noodles and stir-fried chicken breast. I let this dish be the primary flavor and wow, what flavor! I will definitely make this again… and soon! Save Print Bok Choy Namul Prep time:  10 mins Cook time:  5 mins Total time:  15 mins Serves: 1   Ingredients 2 – 3 baby bok choy heads 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tbsp gochujang (more or less to suit your tastes) 1 tbsp peanut oil (or other neutral oil) 2 tsp soy…

Mangú

Today’s recipe is a delicious Dominican staple made from mashed green plantains, served with cooked onions, fried cheese, and/or a fried egg or fried salami. My wife makes this amazing dish for me, but today I made it for myself since she is away visiting family in the Dominican Republic. I was missing her and craving her cooking so I took matters into my own hands. This dish is simple to prepare – a real treat for a busy weeknight dinner or a relaxing weekend breakfast. Now I know some of you that have never enjoyed plantains may think mashed ‘bananas’ sounds gross, but plantains are a magical ingredient. Whether enjoyed fried and mashed as mofongo or twice fried as tostones, these tropical…

Beans for One

Here is the second post in a group of sous vide cooked side dishes – beans for one. Again, I ask you to trust me on this side dish as well. While you could always open a can of beans for whatever meal you are making, 1 can contains approximately 3 servings so it leaves you with leftovers to use before they spoil. Cooking just the amount of beans you need, flavored the way you want, without leftovers or waste is a good thing. Yes, cooking beans takes time. Typically it requires overnight preparation with a soak before cooking. What if I told you that soaking is not necessary when cooking beans sous vide? That is correct – cooking beans sous vide allows you to control the amount…

Sous Vide Corn on the Cob

With beautiful Summer weather in full swing and a plethora of fresh produce available, I figured it was high time I showcased cooking corn on the cob sous vide. I skeptical when a friend first introduced me to sous vide cooking, especially when he stated corn on the cob cooked this way is beyond compare. Well, I have to say he was correct. I have been enjoying sous vide corn on the cob in many variations ever since. The corn cooks in the butter and its own natural juice coming out vibrant, tender crisp (without being waterlogged or soggy), and full of flavor. The beauty of this recipe is in its simplicity – just husk and clean the ear of corn, season with salt and pepper, place in…

Take-out Fried Rice

Today’s dish is one that many people enjoy when ordering take-out or delivery Chinese food. This simple fried rice, usually with diced Chinese BBQ pork, scrambled egg, and peas and carrots, just satisfies a hunger like many other comfort foods. And that is a good way to look at this dish – a satisfying comfort food that you can make at home faster than your nearest joint can deliver! Using leftover rice insures it fries nicely without turning into a ‘stuck to the bottom of the pan’ mess. With just a few ingredients alongside the leftover rice, this dish comes together almost on its own. Are you ready to give your belly something you both will enjoy?  If so, read on! Save Print…

Experiment: Hashweh

Lebanese loaded rice? Well, thanks to Suzy at The Mediterranean Dish, I am made this Middle Eastern cousin to Dirty Rice directly from her recipe. I wanted to experience the flavors for myself before I engaged in paring the recipe down for one person. This dish is downright delicious. Suzy is so right when she mentions it is typically a side dish but can be used as a main dish just as easy. The rich and warm spices used are typical of Middle Eastern cuisine and wonderfully augment the ground beef/lamb mixture I used. The hearty ratio of meat to rice means it is filling and coupled with toasted almonds, pine nuts, and dried fruit, you can just imagine the spectrum of flavors going on. The only…

Sous Vide Braised Red Cabbage

One of the first posts I wrote for Cooking-4-One was a recipe for Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage, a delicious side that I enjoy regularly. Given my recent sous vide experiments with vegetables and grains, I searched to see what it would take to make this dish using my immersion circulator. Well, I found the information I desired and the results I saw looked delicious. The one recipe that I based mine on comes from Kate Williams. Of course, I tweaked it slightly for my own tastes tonight. I substituted apple cider vinegar and bacon for the balsamic vinegar and currants. The results were amazing. The cabbage and carrots were bright and tender crisp with a hint of smoky bacon flavor, a subtle sweet and saltiness…

Almost Dirty Rice

I think it is time I post the down and dirty rice recipe that I teased everyone with last November in a picture post. When doing this dish for one, I skip using chicken livers because I will never use the remainder. I know, I hear the catcalls and boos from the readers informing me quite forcefully that this is not dirty rice. Maybe so… but I just cannot bring myself to waste the leftover chicken livers, so it is an impasse. Regardless of the name, this dish is quick to prepare and super delicious with the Creole/Cajun flavors shining through from the ‘Trinity’ to the Creole Seasoning from Tony Chachere. In this dish, I am using precooked rice like I recently saw Chef…

Glazed Carrots

Recently I had a discussion with a subscriber that asked if I could create more vegan dishes or at least add a few more side dishes to the collection of recipes. It just so happens that I also had a conversation with a co-worker about cooking carrots sous vide – so naturally this dish fits the bill for both requests!  Cooking root vegetables like carrots sous vide is really simple and the results are deeply flavorful. Like cooking proteins such as steak or chicken, vegetables like carrots can also be tossed in a hot pan to glaze and create those delicious slightly caramelized edges. In researching this dish, I found many maple glazed carrot sous vide recipes, which I am sure are all very tasty. Nearly all…

Farro for One

Farro is an ancient grain – a variety of wheat that consists of spelt, emmer, and einkorn. As can be imagined by being ancient, there is a twisted history of ‘farro’ and what defines ‘farro’. If you wish to enjoy this confusing taxonomical mess, just jump over to Wikipedia and read on. Be sure to come back because this post will demonstrate how to cook farro sous vide and do it for a single diner. Much like the recent rice and lentil posts that relied on sous vide to cook these ingredients gently and perfectly in their small portions, farro is ripe for the same treatment. The real difference is in the method – using ice in the vacuum bag and draining the remaining…