Spicy Basil Chicken and Tofu Vietnam
Ingredients:
Basil
4 Corners of the Kitchen
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Basil is not only one of the oldest herbs in the world, but also one of the most romantic. In Italy, it is traditionally a sign of love: when a woman is ready to accept a suitor, she places a pot of basil on the balcony, signifying her intentions. In Thailand, the people believe that basil has particularly extraordinary health benefits. Even America has since caught on to the romantic nature of basil and has added the spice in the list of American palates—and Campbell’s tomato soup, very original to American cuisine, was altered to include the flavorful ingredient.
10 ounces extra firm tofu 1 skinless chicken breast 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch 2 teaspoons soy sauce 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar 1 tablespoon water 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce 3 to 4 tablespoons peanut oil 4 to 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 large shallot, thinly sliced 2 to 3 jalapeños, chopped finely 1 cup lightly packed basil Salt and pepper
Instructions:
1.Cut the tofu into cubes and sprinkle with salt. Set aside to season. 2.Cut the chicken in pieces and transfer to a bowl. Then coat with cornstarch and a teaspoon of soy sauce. 3.In a small bowl, stir together a teaspoon of soy sauce with the sugar, water, and fish sauce. Set aside. 4.Blot excess moisture from the tofu. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Swirl in 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the tofu, and then fry for 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate. 5.Reheat the pan with 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the garlic, shallot, and chicken. Let the chicken sear on both sides. When the chicken is nearly cooked through, add the tofu and cook. 6.Add the jalapeños, then sprinkle the soy and fish sauce mixture in. Stir-fry for a minute. Add the basil. Take the pan off the heat. Enjoy. Yields: 4 servings Ready in 1 hour
2 ▶ summer 2012
Pesto Pasta France
Ingredients
1 large bunch of basil, leaves only, washed and dried 3 medium cloves of garlic 1/2 cup of raw pine nuts 3/4 cup Parmesan, loosely packed and freshly grated 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil 1 pound of pasta
Directions
1. Chop the garlic and the basil leaves into a very fine mince. 2. Then chop the pine nuts and add to the garlic and basil. 3. Add the Parmesan cheese to the mixture and continue to chop. The mixture needs to be very fine. 4. The mixture needs to be extremely fine. Transfer the pesto mixture to a small bowl, pour in the olive oil, and set aside. 5. Cook the noodles according to package directions, and stir in the pesto. Serve. Yield: 4 servings Ready in 1 ½ hours
Tomato Basil Soup with Mozzarella United States
Ingredients
2 cans tomato sauce 2 cans fire roasted tomatoes 3 cups onion, diced 1 1/2 cup chicken broth 6 tablespoons olive oil 3 large cloves of garlic, minced 3 stalks celery, diced 5 carrots, chopped 1 1/2 cups cream 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar 3 tablespoons fresh basil 6 cubes of mozzarella cheese 2 egg whites, whisked 1/3 cup flour 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Directions
1.Cut the mozzarella in chunks and freeze for at least three hours. 2.Sauté chopped onions, celery, and carrots in 2 tablespoons of oil until tender. Add garlic and sauté. 3.Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, cream, broth, salt, fresh basil, and sugar, and simmer for twenty-five minutes. 4.Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. 5.Put the egg whites, the flour and italian seasoning, and the breadcrumbs all in separate bowls. 6.Take mozzarella chunks out of the freezer, and rolls them in the flour, then egg, and then bread crumbs. 7.Place the chunks on a cooling rack on top of a cookie sheet. Cook for 10 minutes. 8.Ladle the soup in a blender and purée until smooth. Serve with the mozzarella chunks. Yield: 6 servings
Fougasse France
Ingredients 1 1/2 cups warm water 1 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast 4 cups 1 teaspoon marjoram 1 teaspoon thyme 1 teaspoons savory 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoons rosemary 1 teaspoon sage 1/8 teaspoon fennel seed 2 teaspoons salt 5 tablespoons olive oil
Directions
1. Add the yeast into the warm water and rest for ten minutes. 2. Add one cup flour, all the herbs, the salt, and three tablespoons of the oil. 3. Slowly fold the rest of the flour in the mixture and knead for ten minutes until you have sticky dough. 4. Cover the dough with a towel. Let it rise until doubled, about one hour. 5. Heat the oven to 450°F. 6. Place dough on a floured surface. Divide in half. 7. Shape each half into 11x8-inch oval and place on a baking sheet. 8. Brush each oval withtablespoon oil. 9. Cut out two-inch-long sections in each oval so that each is evenly apart. 10. Pull dough apart at cuts so that there are gaps between each cut. 11. Cover with a cloth and let rise for about twenty minutes. 12. Put the dough in the oven. 13. Bake the two loaves of bread until golden on top, about eighteen minutes. 14. Cool the bread and serve warm. Yield: 6 servings
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