Title: The Care and Feeding of Woks
Categories: Information, Ceideburg 2
Yield: 2 servings

1 Wok Information

This should answer all your questions about the care and feeding of
woks.

A Wok That Can Rust Is a Wok Worth Cleaning by Joyce Jue

Recently, a reader wrote asking if he should throw out his rusty wok
and start with a new one. Keep it! An old wok that can rust is a
wok worth owning.

Unless the cooking surface has deep pits from rust, a wok can be
cleaned and reseasoned. It should stir-fry better than when it was
new.

Wok Talk:

Why an I writing about woks again? Because the “rusty wok” question
is the one I’m most frequently asked, followed by: How do you season
a—-wok??

If you want to feel like a Chinese cook and produce dishes that taste
authentically Chinese, I highly recommend using a carbon spun-steel
or thin iron wok for stir-frying. Both require initial seasoning,
but regular use will maintain the seasoning and eventually produce a
shiny black patina finish.

Chinese cooks are persnickety about their woks. It takes time, care
and lots of cooking before a wok develops a patina that almost
impervious black coating found on well-used woks. The ultimate goal
is for the wok to impart wok hay, an elusive pan flavor and aroma
that is associated with Chinese restaurant dishes.

Actually, wok hay comes from cooking over extremely high heat in a
well-seasoned pan.

Finely Tuned Implement:

Once a wok imparts wok hay, it is respected like a finely-tuned
instrument.

A well-seasoned wok is almost non-stick. I often stir-fry vegetables
using just a thin film of surface oil.

As the patina builds up, less cooking oil is required.

A wok is quite sturdy. It stands up to high heat better than any
other cooking pan. It seems impervious to being banged or battered –
I have accidentally dropped mine down four flights of concrete stairs
and it came through intact with patina unscratched.

A wok’s worst enemies are soap and scouring pads – they’ll remove any
seasoning the wok has acquired.

Until a wok takes on a shiny, smooth, black patina, the initial
seasoning must be strengthened by frequent use of the pan, and
fortified by an occasional light re-seasoning.

There is no shortcut to achieving a perfectly seasoned wok. It comes
from use.

Seasoning: To season a new carbon spun-steel wok or to re-season an
old rusty wok, thoroughly scrub it inside and out with soap and a
steel wool scouring pad to remove the manufacturer’s protective
coating on a new wok, or the rust on an old one. Rinse thoroughly
with hot water. Some manufacturers apply a coating that is hard to
remove, so set the wok on the stove, fill it with water and boil it
for several minutes until the coating dissolves. Pour out the water
and scrub the surface clean with steel wool and soap.

Set the clean wok over high heat. Heat until a few drops of water
sprinkled into the wok immediately turn into dancing beads. While
the pan is heating, it will change from shiny steel gray to blue,
purple, red and, finally, black.

Dip several sheets of wadded-up paper towel into peanut or corn oil
and wipe the oil on the entire inside surface of the wok (you may
want to use long-handled tongs to hold the towels). Reduce heat to
low and let the wok sit over the heat for 15 minutes to absorb the
oil – the color changes will continue and, hopefully, the bottom of
the wok will darken. In time and with frequent use the entire wok
will turn black. if the surface looks dry, wipe with another thin
film of oil. Remove wok from the burner and let it cool.

Reheat the wok and repeat the oiling and heating process once more
before using it for stir-frying.

S.F. Chronicle, 9/18/91.

Posted by Stephen Ceideberg; December 13 1991.

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Title: Mango Yogurt Parfait
Categories: Mangoes, Desserts, Yogurt
Yield: 2 servings

1 c Cubed mango pieces
1 c Vanilla low-fat yogurt
-(or peach-flavored without
-the fruit)

Layer mango cubes and yogurt into parfait glasses. Serve with a long
spoon and garnish with a mango cube and a sprig of mint.

Nutritional analaysis per serving: 158.9 calories; 1.6 grams total
fat; (1.0 grams saturated fat); 0.7 grams protein; 22.1 grams
carbohydrates; 6.5 milligrams cholesterol; 82.6 milligrams sodium.

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Jicama-Black Bean Salsa

Recipe By : Stephan Pyles via The Dallas Morning News
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Beans and Legumes Salsas
Southwestern Texas

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
1 cup black beans — cooked
1/2 cup jicama (peeled) — cut in 1/4″ dice
4 tablespoons mango — diced
2 tomatillos (husked) — rinsed and diced
1 small clove garlic — minced
1 medium red bell pepper — seed finely dice
1 medium yellow bell pepper — seed finely dice
2 scallions (white part only) — thinly sliced
2 serrano chilies — seeded and minced
2 teaspoons fresh cilantro — chopped
1/4 cup fresh corn kernels — roasted
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons vinaigrette dressig
salt — to taste

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl; mix well. Let sit for at least an
hour. Makes 4 servings.

Chef’s Notes: This recipe appeared in a recent Dallas Morning News column in
the Food Section. Chef Stephan Pyles is the chef/proprietor of Star Canyon
restaurant in Dallas and the author of the cookbook __The New Texas Cuisine__.

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TWINKIE PIE

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Pies Desserts
Chocolate

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
Butter
9 Twinkies
3 Eggs; large — seperated
1 Dash of Cream of tartar
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
6 ounces Chocolate chips — semisweet
1 cup Pecans — chopped
1 cup Heavy cream — whipped

Grease pyrex square or rectangular casserole with butter. Cut 8 Twinkies in
thirds, LENGTHWISE, and put one layer on the bottom of the casserole. Beat egg
whites, with the cream of tartar and sugar, adding vanilla. Melt chocolate
chips in the top of a double boiler. Add egg yolks to chocolate, slowly,
continuing to stir over boiling water. Fold chocolate into egg whites. Spread
over Twinkies, then sprinkle with about half of the nuts. Layer on more
twinkies, more chocolate, more nuts. Continue layering. Top with whipped cream
and a single whole Twinkie. Chill and serve.

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Title: Boston Baked Beans
Categories: Side dish
Yield: 4 servings

3 tb Teriyaki Marinade Sauce
— (Lite, Kikkoman)
3 tb Molasses
2 tb Brown sugar; packed
1/2 ts Instant minced onion
1/4 ts Dry mustard
1 cn Pork and beans (31 oz.)
— rinsed and drained
1/8 ts Liquid smoke

Combine first 5 ingredients in medium saucepan. Carefully stir in beans.
Bring to boil; simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes, gently stirring once. Blend
in liquid smoke; simmer 30 seconds longer.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Source: An American Cooking Tour Featuring Kikkoman Low-Salt Sauces
Reprinted with the permission of Kikkoman International Inc.
Electronic format courtesy of Karen Mintzias

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Peach Or Apricot Butter – Crock-Pot

Recipe By : Rival Crock-Pot Book
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Crockpot Peaches

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
4 Cans Peaches — 28 oz. cans, drained
3 C Sugar — or 4 to taste
2 Tsp Cinnamon
1 Tsp Cloves
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice

Drain fruit and de-pit. Puree using blender or food processor. Pour in to
the crock-pot. Add remaining ingredients. Cover; cook on High 8 to 10 hours.
Remove cover during last half of cooking. Stir occasionally. Store in
refrigerator.

Variation: Fresh Peach or Apricot Butter – Wash, peel, pit and cook fruit til
soft. Add sugar when cooked [using /2 to 3/4 c sugar to each cup of fruit].
Add spices and cook as directed in recipes.

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Title: CHINESE PINEAPPLE CHICKEN (BOW LUO GAI)
Categories: Chinese, Chicken
Yield: 4 servings

1 lb Chicken parts
1 Stalk celery
1 cn 8-oz. chunk style pineapple
1/2 c Water
1/2 tb Catsup
1 tb Rice vinegar
1 1/4 tb Sugar
Dash of salt
1 ts Cornstarch for thickening
2 ts Cold water for thickening
2 c Oil for deep frying

————————-MARINADE————————-
1/2 ts Salt
1/2 ts Sugar
1 ts Thin soy sauce
Dash of pepper
1 Thin slice ginger, chopped

————————–BATTER————————–
1 lg Egg
1 tb Water
2 1/2 tb Flour
3 tb Cornstarch

1. Skin and bone chicken. Cut intl 1 1/2″ cubes.

2. Sprinkle chicken with each of the ingredients
listed under “marinade,” mix well and marinate for 1/2
hour.

3. Cut celery into 1 1/2″ pieces; then, cut each piece
lengthwise into strips, juilenne style.

4. Drain pineapple, saving the juice.

5. Prepare batter by beating the egg, adding the
water, flour and cornstarch. Mix thoroughly.

6. Heat oil to 350 degrees in a small saucepan.

7. Dip chicken in batter and drop into the hot oil.
Deep-fry for 10 minutes. Remove and drain off excess
oil.

8. In wok, combine pineapple juice, water, catsup,
vinegar, sugar and dash of salt. Bring to a boil.

9. Add celery, chicken and pineapple. Cook for 1
minute over high heat.

10. Add thickening made by combining cornstarch and
cold water. Cook for 1 minute and serve.

SOURCE: Chopsticks, Clever, and Wok.

—–

1 unbaked pie shell
1 c. sugar (partly brown, more white
than brown)
1/4 c. or little less flour
Dash of salt
1/2 c. cream
Milk

Mix sugar, flour and salt in pie shell with your finger. Add the
cream (1/2 and 1/2 is fine). Finish filling crust with milk.
Sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, then 350
degrees for 40 minutes.

Title: English Muffin Pizza
Categories: Italian, Syd’s book, Pizza
Servings: 3

6 English Muffins
4 oz Sliced Pepperoni
6 oz Monterey Jack Cheese
6 oz Pizza Sauce
Sliced Olives
Chopped Onion
Diced Green Pepper

Place English muffin halves on a cookie sheet. Spread each half with
enough pizza sauce to cover generously. Put 3-4 slices of pepperoni on
each half and then place a generous portion of shredded cheese on top of
each pizza. Place in a 350øF oven for approximately 15 minutes. Serve
hot. From: Syd’s Cookbook.

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Mission Inn Tortilla Soup

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Southwester

Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
1 1/2 ts Butter
1 1/2 ts Olive oil
1 lg Yellow onion — diced
28 oz Tomatoes — diced, canned
1 Whole jalapeno pepper (or
Serrano) — diced
6 oz Vegetable-juice cocktail
(V-8)
2 tb Chicken stock
2 c Hot water
3/4 ts Ground cumin
3/4 ts Paprika
1 pn Chili powder
1/2 ts White pepper
1 Clove garlic (or more) —
Minced
1 1/2 tb Tomato paste
1/2 c Fresh cilantro — chopped
1 tb Cornstarch
1 tb Water
6 Corn tortillas — 6-inch
Size
Vegetable oil — for frying
1 c Avocado — diced
2 c Grilled chicken breast —
Diced
1/4 c Fresh cilantro — chopped
1 c Cheddar cheese — grated

Heat butter and olive oil in heavy saucepan until
butter melts. Add onion and cook until translucent.
Add tomatoes and continue to cook until soft. Add
jalapeno and mixed vegetable juice. Bring to boil and
add stock and hot water. Bring to simmer. Add cumin,
paprika, chili powder, white pepper and garlic, and
cook, stirring occasionally. Add tomato paste and 1/4
cup cilantro and cook, stirring occasionally.

Mix cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water, then stir into
tomato mixture and simmer until liquid is shiny, about
10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut tortillas into 1 1/2-inch strips or
cubes and deep-fry in hot oil. Remove and drain.

To serve, distribute 1/2 cup avocado, 1 cup chicken
breast, 1/8 cup chopped cilantro and half tortilla
strips among 6 bowls. Pour hot soup over garnish and
top with remaining avocado, chicken breast, chopped
cilantro and tortilla strips. Pass grated Cheddar on
the side.

Makes 6 servings.

Chef’s Notes: This recipe was shared by Joe D.
Cochran, Jr., the executive chef at the Mission Inn in
Riverside, California.

Recipe By : Mission Inn, Riverside, CA via LA
Times 10/26/95

From: Caitlin Davis Carlson, Seaview,wa

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