Double Failure

Sometimes the magic works and sometimes it doesn't. We thought both of these dishes weren't worth the effort. We love Panzanella Salads. The problem with this recipe for me is that the Croutons get soggy. A Crouton without crunch is a sad Crouton. Perhaps if the croutons are added at the end the salad would work. The Gong Bao Chicken With Peanuts Gong Baojiding was OK but we have better similar recipes. Perhaps it is to your taste.
 

Panzanella With Mozzarella and Herbs

New York Times

 

At the height of tomato season, for every perfectly ripe, taut and juicy specimen, there’s an overripe, oozing counterpart not far away. The Tuscan bread salad called panzanella is the perfect place to use those sad, soft tomatoes that are still rich in flavor. Traditional panzanella is made with stale, dried bread that’s rehydrated from a dressing of sweet tomato juices, vinegar and plenty of olive oil. This version also includes some mozzarella for richness and cucumber for crunch. It’s an ideal make-ahead dish; the longer the mixture sits (up to 6 or so hours), the better it tastes. Just make sure your bread thoroughly dries out in the oven so it won’t turn to mush.

 

INGREDIENTS

4      ounces ciabatta or baguette, preferably stale, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups)

6      tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more to taste

¾     teaspoon kosher sea salt, more to taste

2      pounds very ripe tomatoes, preferably a mix of varieties and colors

6      ounces fresh mozzarella, torn or cut into bite-size pieces

½     cup thinly sliced red onion, about half a small onion

2      garlic cloves, grated to a paste

2      tablespoons red wine vinegar, more to taste

1      tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or thyme (or a combination)

 Large pinch red pepper flakes(optional)

½     teaspoon Dijon mustard

 Black pepper, to taste

½     cup thinly sliced Persian or Kirby cucumber, about 1 small cucumber

½     cup torn basil leaves

¼     cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped

1      tablespoon capers, drained

Oil Cured Olives halved

 

Preparation

 

1.   Heat oven to 425 degrees. Spread the bread cubes on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with 2 tablespoons oil and a pinch of salt. Bake until they are dried out and pale golden brown at the edges, about 7 to 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

2.   Cut tomatoes into bite-size pieces and transfer to a large bowl. Add mozzarella, onions, garlic paste, 1 tablespoon vinegar, oregano or thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the red pepper flakes if using. Toss to coat and set aside.

3.   In a medium bowl, combine remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar, the mustard, 1/4 teaspoon salt and some black pepper to taste. While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil until the mixture is thickened. Stir in cucumbers, basil and parsley.

4.   Add bread cubes, cucumber mixture and capers to the tomatoes and toss well. Let sit for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours before serving. Toss with a little more olive oil, vinegar and salt if needed just before serving.

 

Gong Bao Chicken With Peanuts Gong Baojiding

Every Grain of Rice

 

As far as I'm concerned, this is one of the ultimate chicken dishes: quick and easy to make and thrillingly delicious. The cooking method is xiao chao, "small stir-fry." in which all the ingredients are simply added to the wok in succession. With its kick of scorched chilli, tingle of Sichuan pepper and gentle sweet-sour sauce. it's a typically Sichuanese combination of flavors. The crunchy peanuts, juicy spring onions and succulent chicken also give it a delightful mouthfeel. The dish is named after a late Qing Dynasty governor of Sichuan, Ding Baozhen, who is said to have enjoyed eating it. You'll find versions of this dish, often known in English as Kung Po chicken, on virtually every Chinese restaurant menu, but this is the real Chengdu version. This recipe first appeared in my book Land of Plenty. 

 

Ingredients

 

2       boneless chicken breasts, with or without skin (11-12 oz in total)

3       garlic cloves

An equivalent amount of ginger

5       spring onions, white parts only

A handful of dried chillies (about 10)

2       tbsp cooking oil

1       tsp whole Sichuan pepper

3       oz roasted peanuts

 

For The Marinade

 

½      tsp salt

2       tsp light soy sauce

1       tsp Shaoxing wine

1½    tsp potato flour

 

For The Sauce

 

1       tbsp sugar

¾      tsp potato flour

1       tsp dark soy sauce

1       tsp light soy sauce

1       tbsp Chinking vinegar

1       tsp sesame oil

1       tbsp chicken stock or water

 

Cut the chicken as evenly as possible into ½ in (1½cm) strips, then cut these into small cubes. Place in a small bowl. Add the marinade ingredients together with 1 tbsp water, mix well and set aside while you prepare the other ingredients.

Peel and thinly slice the garlic and ginger and chop the spring onions into chunks as long as their diameter (to match the chicken cubes). Snip the chillies in half or into sections. Discard their seeds as far as possible. Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

Heat a seasoned wok over a high flame. Add the oil with the chillies and Sichuan pepper and stir-fry briefly until the chillies are darkening but not burned (remove the wok from the heat if necessary to prevent overheating).

Quickly add the chicken and stir-fry over a high flame, stirring constantly. As soon as the chicken cubes have separated, add the ginger, garlic and spring onions and continue to stir-fry until they are fragrant and the meat just cooked through (test one of the larger pieces to make sure).

Give the sauce a stir and add it to the wok, continuing to stir and toss. As soon as the sauce has become thick and shiny, add the peanuts, stir them in a serve.