by zan@zeliciousrecipes.com | Meats, TOP Five
As you all know Instagram is “the go to” for all teenagers. My 17-year-old-foodie found this recipe for Bahn-Mi Puffy Tacos from Tastemade on Instagram, and of course wanted to make it. I jumped at the opportunity to spend “quality time” with my son. It was actually a super simple recipe, and didn’t take that long to prep or cook! Thanks, Tastemade, and thank you, Lucas! These tacos were amazing! (Video link below).
For the pork:
- 1/2 pound boneless pork chop cut into 1/4 inch pieces
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp honey
- 2 tsp dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon garlic finely minced and ground black pepper to taste
For the pickled vegetables:
- 1 carrot peeled and shredded
- 4-5 few radishes thinly sliced
- 1/2 medium cucumber thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Taco Shells and Garnishes:
- 4-6 corn tortillas
- 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
- cilantro, to taste
- spicy mayo (equal parts Sriracha and mayonnaise)
- oil for frying
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Combine pork and marinade ingredients. Allow to marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Make the pickles: in a bowl or sealable container, mix vinegar, sugar, and salt. Then mix in the vegetables and let sit for at least 1 hour.
- Drain off the pork marinade. Heat a little bit of oil in a pan, and cook the pork until caramelized. Should take about 5 minutes.
- In a shallow pot, heat oil to 375°F – Carefully lower one tortilla at a time into the oil. Once the tortilla begins to puff up and rise to the top, gently push the edge of a metal spatula into the center, bending it in half like a taco shape. Hold in place and cook until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and repeat the process.
- To assemble: Fill the puffy taco shells with the caramelized pork, and top with the pickled vegetables, jalapeño, cilantro, and a drizzle of spicy mayo.
Here is the instructional video from Tastemade Pork Tacos
by zan@zeliciousrecipes.com | Favorite Recipes, Vegetables
This recipe is just as simple, and slightly more elegant, than your typical “baked potato with sour cream” and chives. I used small red potatoes, cutting them into ½” pieces. The cream topper makes a perfect side along side any meat-based dish. Round reds are often referred to as “new potatoes,” but the term “new” technically refers to any type of potato that is harvested before reaching maturity. I roasted these till the outside was crispy and the inside perfect soft texture.
Ingredients:
- 20 red potatoes (sliced into ½” pieces)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste for potatoes
- ½ cup Crème Fraîshe
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped dill
- salt and pepper to taste (for sauce)
Toss the potatoes with olive oil and add salt and pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Bake until tender inside and crispy exterior. Combine the Crème Fraîshe, sour cream, mayo, chives, dill, salt and pepper. Serve potatoes and add on 2 dollops of cream sauce on top. Pairs nicely with grilled meat.
by zan@zeliciousrecipes.com | Appetizers, Fish
I love being in the kitchen with my son! He is able to identify missing ingredients, textures and even color in a dish. We made this Spicy Tuna Poke together, taking inspiration from several recipes on the internet, and made our own alterations in order to improve taste and texture, customizing it to our (his) liking. 😉
Tuna Poke Ingredients:
- ½ lb diced ahi or maguro
- 3 tb minced red or sweet onion
- 2 tb tobiko (flying fish roe) plus more for use as a topping
- ⅓ cup mayo (Hellmans or Best Foods)
- 1 tb sugar or honey (for paleo)
- 2 tb shoyu
- 3 tb Sriracha (or more to taste)
- 1 diced red chili-pepper (optional)
- 1 tb sesame oil
- 2 stalks scallions minced – green parts only
- 1 large pealed and julienned cucumber
Directions for tuna:
– Combine mayo, sugar shoyu, and Sriracha
– Gently mix together tuna, onions, chillies and green onions
– Add mayo mixture and tobiko, mix gently
– Add sesame oil, taste an adjust flavoring
As you can tell, I had some fun with my food and plated on a bed of finely diced cucumber. I used a Spam musubi mold to get the shape.
Sushi rice cakes
- 1 cup cooked sushi rice
- 1 cup organic canola oil
Use round or square mold to create 1-½” thick layer of rice. Place oil in small sauce pan heat on high. Place molded cooked rice, into oil with a slotted spoon. Cook approximately 2 minutes, then turn over to cook other side. Should be a little browned on both sides, and crunchy. Place cucumber on a plate, add the crunchy rice patty and add the Spicy Tuna Poke. Top with 1 tsp of tobiko. Add a few slices of green onion and Voilá. Some other options are to add some diced avocado and cucumber into the tuna mixture. Be sure to mix gently as you do not want to squish the avocados. 
by zan@zeliciousrecipes.com | Salads, Sauces
Here is a simple recipe I found for homemade Caesar dressing. It’s really easy to make and this batch can last in the fridge for a few days. It’s not too fishy or garlicky.
Ingredients:
- 4 Cloves of minced Garlic
- 1 tsp of Anchovy Paste
- 2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp of dijon mustard
- 1 tsp of Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup of mayonnaise (favorite is Hellmann’s Real)
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (Parmigiano-Reggiano)
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together garlic, anchovy paste, lemon juice, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Add in the mayonnaise, cheese, salt and pepper and whisk until well combined. I normally add the croutons to the lettuce before adding the dressing, as it softens them up a bit. When adding dressing to your romaine lettuce, start with a small quantity. A little goes a long way, and you want to make sure your salad does not get too soggy or over dressed. You can then add thin slices of parmesan, and your sliced chicken to each plate. (I’ll be sure to include my favorite breaded chicken milanese recipe for you to try next).
