Fire Cider

 

Fire Cider is supposed to help strengthen the immune system and ward off cold-weather illness. I have seen recipes with garlic, onion, and hot peppers or cayenne pepper as well, but I didn’t want garlic breath, raw onion does not appeal to me, and I thought I had cayenne but I don’t. 

I really don’t have that much faith in folk remedies, but it tastes good.

• 2 tblsp apple cider vinegar 
• 1 tsp fresh horseradish
• 1/2 tsp ginger paste
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp lime juice
• 1 tblsp honey

In a tall glass, mix everything except ice cubes until the honey is completely dissolved. Add ice cubes.

Poached Wings v2

 

 

I got 6-7 lbs of flats. It was less than $40, tax and tips included, free delivery.

The amount of liquid can be adjusted depending on the size of the pot and the amount of chicken wings being prepared.

• chicken wings (I like flats; drumettes and flats or drumettes only are fine but they should be cut instead of whole wings)
• enough water to cover the wings (note the amount)
• salted water, chicken broth, or chicken/vegetable broth (do not use beef, pork, seafood, fish, shrimp, etc. broth or vegetable broth only), same amount as the blanching liquid

1. Put the wings in a large pot and cover with cold water.
2. Bring the water to just below boiling. Drain and rinse the wings. Dunk the wings in an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain. Clean the pot.
3. Put the same amount of broth as the previous blanching liquid and bring to a boil.
4. Drop in the wings and ensure they are all submerged.
5. Bring to a boil, cover, and turn off the heat.
6. Let the wings cook in the residual heat for 30 minutes.
7. Drain and rinse the wings. Dunk the wings in an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain.
8. Portion out the wings. Fry or deep fry if desired, but they can be served without frying.
9. Sauce or toss in dry rub. Refrigerate or freeze the rest.

Olive oil and Vulcan Fire Salt (salt, chile paste (distilled vinegar, red pepper, salt), garlic, habanero, shallots, lime juice powder (corn syrup, lime juice, lime oil), pepper, paprika, cumin, allspice)

Honey and Marmite

(Japanese) Mayo and Everything but the  Elote Seasoning Blend (Salt, Chile Pepper, Cheese, Chipotle & Cumin)

Liquid Smoke and Venom Sea Salt (natural sea salt, Trinidad Scorpion Pepper)

Jalapeño Ketchup, Curry Powder (Red Chilli, Salt, Paprika, Coriander, Turmeric, Cumin, Cinnamon, Ginger, Garlic, Black Pepper, Green Cardamom, Dehydrated Onion, Fenugreek Seed, Bay Leaf, Black Cumin, Clove, Dried Mango Powder, Dried Tomato, Dried Papaya Powder), Turmeric

Honey, Yellow Mustard, English Mustard

Rocoto Pepper Hot Sauce and Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce

Sambal

Jalapeño Ketchup, Yellow Mustard, Japanese Mayo, and Hamburger Dill Juice

Leftover XXXX and High Output

Seasoned Salt and Ghost Pepper Flakes

Two kings of ghost pepper hot sauce

Mala Seasoning

Jalapeño Ketchup, Curry Powder, Turmeric

Sugar, Light Soy Sauce, Dark Soy Sauce, Cooking wine, Sesame oil

Honey, Worcestershire Sauce

Vegetable Oil, Seasoned Salt, Sugar, Light Soy Sauce, Dark Soy Sauce, Cooking Wine

Chicken Broth, Fresh Ginger, Turmeric, Mimita

Concentrated Saucy Hotpot Soup Base

Pasta Salad v2

 

The only thing that required cooking was the spaghetti. I would have preferred fresh basil, but I couldn’t find any.

• 1 lb dried spaghetti
• 1 vegetable bouillon cube
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 14-16 oz cans of diced tomatoes
• 1 cup jarred marina sauce
• 1/2 oz lightly dried chopped basil
• 1 tblsp red chili flakes

1. Fill a large pot 2/3 with water. Add the bouillon cube. Bring to a boil.
2. Cook the spaghetti according to instructions, drain, then dunk in ice water to stop the cooking, and drain again.
3. In a large bowl, toss the spaghetti with the rest of the ingredients.

Homemade Seitan

 

I was bored, so I decided to make seitan. I haven’t made seitan in a long time. I really like the wheat gluten at Buddhist restaurants, especially the trio of (vegan) oyster sauce, sweet and sour sauce , and curry sauce as an appetizer. You can buy seitan in a can in soy sauce or curry sauce, but I have never seen them in sweet and sour sauce. The texture of homemade seitan is a bit different, but I’ll take it. I underestimated how much they would puff up, but now I’ll have snacks!

• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 1/4 cups vital wheat gluten flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 vegetable bouillon cubes

1. Combine vital wheat gluten and baking powder in a roomy mixing bowl. Stir together thoroughly.
2. Gradually add broth to the dry ingredients to form a stiff dough, stirring with a spoon at first, and then working together with your hands. Drizzle in a little more broth if need be. Once the wet and dry mixtures are combined, knead for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes or so; cover with a clean tea towel.
4. Fill a large pot about 1/2 full with water. Add the bouillon cubes. Bring to a slow boil.
5. Pinch the dough into 1/2” balls.
6. After the water in the soup pot has come to a slow boil, gently drop in dough. Return to a gentle simmer.
7. Cook the dough for 30 minutes.
8. Drain and plunge in ice water to stop the cooking.