Wok Star Eleanor Hoh

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Eleanor Hoh

Chow Down Grill Wok Star Christmas Lunch

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Josh Marcus explains his concept of Chow Down Grill and gave the inside scoop about his South Beach restaurant slated to open February 2011 right on Alton Road/9th right opposite The Miami Ad School. Everyone enjoyed today’s Chinese Family Style Lunch and just getting together. Some I hadn’t seen in years, many were Wok Stars, but there were also some new people (some I didn’t get photos of, boo.) Thanks everyone for celebrating with me.
If you want to join me in future HOH WOK CLUB gatherings in South Florida, sign up for my FREE newsletter  in right side bar, so you’ll get first dibs to these gatherings.

Starter: Himachi sashimi, an extra surprise Josh presented

Starter: Chow Down Chop Salad

Chinese Style Family Lunch with Mongolian Beef, broccoli and steamed chicken dumpling.

Dessert: pumpkin bread pudding and rice pudding

Why do I have a photo of Renee with jars of jams? She came bringing 3 Freakin’ Flamingo handcrafted jams and I didn’t get a photo of her, boo! I love supporting entrepeneurs like Josh (chef) and Renee especially when she makes jams this good, slurp. I got 2 Blueberry Mojitos and a Caribbean Cranberry. Once you’ve had it, you cannot eat store bought. She only does small batches, so get yours quickly before they go. Great gift idea, woo hoo!

Left to right: Ro-ann, Rick, Polita, Duba, Andrea

Front to back: Chris, Yumi, Mary, Alan at the bar


Left to right: Mary, Nina, Linda, Myriam, Alan, Jorge

Left to right: Jen, John and kids


Josh (chef, co-owner of Chow Down Grill), Wok Star Eleanor Hoh

Left to right: Linda, Jorge, Myriam


Mary (Wok Star who comes to all my events!) and Wok Star Eleanor Hoh

Gorgeous weather so some of us sat outside!
UPDATE: Chow Down Grill Surfside has been converted into Josh’s Deli in Surfside in 2012!  However, Chow Down Grill & Lounge has moved to South Beach.  Read my restaurant review.
 

5 Lunch Tips

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Today’s Lunch, all from leftovers: chick pea curry, stir fried toufu, Sakaya’s Kitchen’s coconut rice; field green salad (see tip 2 below); orange segments for dessert.

Trick is to balance your protein/carb to keep your energy UP! I’m not a nutritionist but on the cusp of diabetes (inherited from my mom), so I have to be vigilant! But this applies to anyone.

Tip one: shop for seasonal veggies so you get the freshest & best quality

Tip two: buy a variety of salad fixings like field greens, baby spinach leaves, grape tomatoes, radishes, red onions, hothouse cucumbers(American ones have lots of tough seeds, after scooping out there’s no flesh left!)

Tip three: texture can be pumpkin seeds, cashews, sunflower seeds, pine nuts

Tip four: Always bring home leftovers from restaurants no matter how teeny they are! I hate wasting food (I can hear my mom)

Tip Five: make a jar of salad dressing which lasts a whole week! (simple: good mustard, olive oil, balsamic or rice vinegar or fresh lime juice, salt, fresh cracked black pepper, thwack a garlic clove) Put lid on, shake, Done!!!

Satisfying with variety, color, texture, spice – Easy, Enjoy, YUM!

Sent from my iPhone

Easy Holiday Cooking (Updated)

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5 spice pork, wok fried veggies & soba noodles

When it’s busy Holiday season and I’m juggling with sending out Christmas orders, organizing new venues and schedules for my cooking classes, I need to make it EASY on myself…

I roast a pork joint so there’s enough for several meals. It’s so simple, helps save time and most important, it’s delicious! Also helps with cooking a batch of soba noodles, so all that’s left to do is a side of stir fried veggies.I serve the pork in different ways so it’s not boring. On the first day, slice and eat, fresh out of the oven. Stir fried the veggies, tossed a little juice from pork joint on the soba noodles to give them some oompf! DONE.

I always cook more veggies, so there was enough of the whole meal for my husband’s lunch box for the next day!

Only 3 seasonings for marinade paste:
Huy Fong Chili Garlic Sauce: 3 tblsp,
San-J Intl. tamari: 3 tblsp,
MySpiceSage Chinese 5 Spice powder: 3 tblsp
Pork butt was about 2 1/2 lbs.

Take out joint from the fridge an hour prior to roasting, use a fork and stab all over so marinade will infiltrate into joint. Slather marinade all over joint(that’s why you want the marinade to be thick like a paste. If it’s too watery, it just falls off) and let sit for 15 minutes. I didn’t have 15 mins. to spare so I just threw it in the oven and still came out beautiful. While pork joint is roasting, I had plenty of time to prep my veg stir fry…

I found in my fridge: bok choy, yu choy, asparagus, zucchini and red bell peppers leftover from a cooking class. Added pumpkin, scallions. See how I lay them all out on my chopping board? Saves cleanup, go from board to wok. Also had my handy caddy with my Asian seasonings, everything I need to make my dinner go FAST!
Started off with heating my cast iron wok, add oil (started using Tea Seed Oil from Earthy Delight), add garlic and ginger, add firm veggies in one batch. When veggies are nearly done, add dash of tamari and sherry, squeeze of lime, EASY!

Plate the firm veggies.Fry leafy veg on its own.
Recombine firm and leafy veg in wok.

On the following day, I’ll serve up pork cold with an interesting salad and red quinoa. Another day, I’ll warm up the pork in my wok and eat with whole wheat pasta and different veggies to change it up. Add a side dish like my Easy Kimchi which is crunchy, light, refreshing and gives your dinner a little kick. My mom always says pickles ‘open up your appetite’ and helps you to digest your food. In Asia, some restaurants serve this as an appetizer, I always look forward to these, restaurants make their own so they’re different.

Here are lots more ideas for your Holiday meals, all cooked in my cast iron wok…

Stir Fry without recipes

Wok Up your Own Creations

One Dish Wok Meals

Organic and Farmers’ Market
It’s lovely to visit farmer’s markets because you never know from one week to another what produce or new ingredients they have to offer. I keep updating this growing list. I added many new links, here are 4 new ones:
Take a look at Hong Kong Market where people like to shop right before they cook their dinner!
A new virtual friend, Carolyn who’s starting a ‘Wok Garden’ with seeds I sent her for Asian veggies! Very exciting to see their progress, scroll to bottom of page.

Peter’s (Jungle Walls) new hydroponic, stand-alone plant towers enables ANYONE to grow fresh herbs or veggies! Even if you don’t have a garden or green thumb, cause it’s got all the nutrients and timer to water and feed them at the bottom.

Lastly, a new South Miami Green Market just launched last weekend offering up some wonderful produce.
Go check it out.

Happy Holidays, how do you save time when cooking for your holidays?