I know that we have the Friday American FOod Recipe train on blogs but since I don't blog, I thought we could also start a thread for recipes that we could compile and maybe prink out as an Expat Homefood Cookbook?

So my first recipe:

Cristina's non Chinese Fried Rice

Ingredients: rice, leftover meat (chicken, pork, whatever), eggs, green onions, other veggie (I use cabbage), bacon (pancetta affumicata), regular onions, soy sauce, 5 spice, sesame oil, ginger, garlic.

Cook rice the day before. I use the THaibonet from the COOP and I cook it in a rice steamer. When cooked, take it out and put it in a large flat pan to cool off. Put in the frige until the next day.

When ready to make the rice. Heat a large skillet, add peanut oil, chopped ginger and garlic and cook quickly, add bacon and cook until crunchy, add cabbage and onions and the whites of ther green onions. Cook until the onions are translucent and the cabbage is softened then add the leftover cooked meat and toss a few times. Remove from pan. Add some more oil and add the cold rice. You need to push it down so that it gets a bit crunchy. Stir and push down again. Do this until it is heated through. Do not burn the rice and if need be add more oil. Now add back in the other items that you cooked before and a good spoon full of 5 spice and with two wooden spoons, mix well. Mix a couple of eggs with the green parts of the green onions on the side, add soy sauce to this, mix well and scramble in another pan (you can do it in the same pan if you push everything to the side and are quick). Add the eggs to the mixture, stir stir stir. You can add the sesame oil now or at the table. It should not be cooked long though. You are now ready to serve.

Great idea, Cristina! Where do you buy sesame oil here?

Here are some of my recipes, though I keep all the old US measurements:

Blue Cheese Burgers
* 1 pound ground beef
* 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
* 2 cloves minced garlic
* 2 green onions, chopped
* 1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) crumbled gorgonzola cheese
* 1 egg
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Put ground beef, mustard, garlic, onions, blue cheese, and egg into a large bowl. Use your hands to gently mix the ingredients together until just incorporated. Do not over-mix. Shape into patties, about 1/2 inch thick and larger than your bun. Chill until you are ready to cook.

2 Season patties with salt and pepper. Place the patties on the clean, well-oiled grill grate or in a pan over medium high heat. Grill the burgers for about 5 minutes per side. Do not press down on the burgers while cooking.
Serve on hamburger buns with lettuce and mayonnaise.

Makes 4 burgers.


Shrimp Couscous Salad

PREP TIME 30 Min
COOK TIME 5 Min
READY IN 35 Min

* 2 cups couscous
* 2 cups water
*
* 3/4 cup olive oil
* 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
* 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1 clove garlic, crushed
* salt and pepper to taste
*
* 1 red bell pepper, chopped
* 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
* 1 1/2 pounds cooked frozen shrimp, defrosted
* 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
* 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
* 1 cup crumbled feta cheese


DIRECTIONS

1. Pour water into a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Stir in couscous, cover, and remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes, then immediately fluff with a fork. (otherwise it will clump). Set aside to cool.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. In a large salad bowl, toss together the shrimp, cooled couscous, red and yellow bell peppers, tomatoes, parsley and feta cheese. Whisk vinaigrette to blend, then pour in about half of it over the couscous. Toss to coat, and add more dressing to coat thoroughly without drenching. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.


Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe


Ingredients

* 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (I eyeball this from the Italian bricks of butter, it's about a quarter brick??)
* 1 cup brown sugar (found this at the Coop)
* 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
* 1 egg
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (this I brought from home!)
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder (I used lievito vanigliato)
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1-3/4 cups flour
* 1-1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder, slightly crushed
* 8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips


Directions

1. Cream the butter with the sugars until fluffy.
2. Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract.
3. Combine the dry ingredients and beat into the butter mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips.
4. Drop by large spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees (190 C) for 8 to 10 minutes, or 10 to 12 minutes for a crispier cookie. Makes 12 to 15 large cookies.

I did some of the food blogging on the american food thing with Judith

did you want me to cut and paste to here?