Hoisin sauce, also called Chinese barbeque sauce is a fragrant, pungent sauce used frequently in Asian stir-fries and marinades. The sauce is made from a combination of fermented soy, garlic, vinegar, and usually chilis and sweetener.  Hoisin is dark in color and thick in consistency. It has a very strong salty and slightly sweet flavor which is probably why I like it so much.  Hoisin became one of the staples in our fridge when we discovered mu shu many, many years ago at the original Mandarin restaurant when it was located on Sargent Ave.  We found a great substitute for the pancakes by using small flour tortillas and the dish became a family favourite when the kids were still quite young.

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Fixings for Mu Shu

We now enjoy hoisin stir fries, on dumplings, noodles, salads and even meat loaf!  Here’s a unique version of a family favourite:

Hoisin-Glazed Meatloaf

Whisk 2 eggs in a large bowl, mix in 2 c fresh bread crumbs, 2 c grated carrots, 4 cloves of minced garlic, 1 t ground ginger and salt, 1/2 t pepper and 3/4 c thinly sliced green onions.  Mix in 2 lbs of lean ground pork (or 1/2 pork & 1/2 beef or even all beef).   Pack into a loaf pan, mounding the top.  Spred  1/4 c hoisin sauce over the top  and roast in a 400 degree oven for approx. 1 hour.  Upon serving, sprinkle with another 1/4 green onions.

Our picks for Hoisin dishes: The Plaza Restaurant in EK and The Spicy Noodle House on Osborne.  Our fav place to buy Hoisin Sauce: Oriental Market on King St.  Where are your favourite places for Hoisin dishes?

Kath’s quote: “It is the Americans who have managed to crown minced beef as hamburger, and to send it round the world so that even the fussy French have taken to le boeuf hache, le hambourgaire.”-Julia Child

I have written before that my family is sushi crazy.  I would say that the kids are more savvy than my husband and I about selecting the perfect sushi taste combinations.  Daughter # 2 had to work on the eve and day of her birthday and I was feeling a bit sorry for her (but we are so glad that she has such a wonderful job!) so I took her out for a feed of sushi.  Our son happened to drop in and so came along and it was a lovely impromptu time.

We ordered California Roll with Crunch, Boston Roll

Dynamite Roll, Avocado Cucumber Roll,

Shrimp Tempura Roll, Yam Tempura Roll and Tuna Tempura Roll.

Sushi Ya (I feel like I should give a Miss Piggy karate chop when I say this restuarants’ name) is in our neighbourhood and very affordable and is our first choice for sushi.  In River Heights there is almost a sushi place on every block of Academy, Corydon and Grant so there are many, many places to choose from.  Where’s your fav place for sushi?

Kath’s quote: “I don’t eat anything that a dog won’t eat. Like sushi. Ever see a dog eat sushi? He just sniffs it and says, ‘I don’t think so.’ ”-Billiam Coronel

This past Saturday night my husband and I did something that we rarely do-we ordered Chinese food from Kai Ping on our corner and got a couple of episodes viewed of our “Lost” collection.  As Daughter #2 headed out the door-her message was a plea: “Order lots and please save me some”.  First mistake: we only ordered 3 dishes and second: since we had not eaten a meal since breakfast and the food was delicious and piping hot, there was only one measly portion or curried vermicelli noodles left over.  We often discuss what we are going to cook up for Sunday brunch on our way home from church and it was abundantly clear that Daughter #2 had her heart set on Chinese food leftovers.  My husband and I are consistent in our displays of affection with food-so he leapt into action.

In minutes we were sitting down to honey garlic veal and what little was left from the night before.  Daughter #2 was thrilled with the effort and thinks her Daddy is the greatest-and he is.

He tossed veal scallops in flour and shallow fried them in oil in the wok.  Next he mixed sauteed garlic, honey, water and soya together to a slow boil and then added cornstarch to thicken.  The portions are really to taste-some liking saltier, sweeter, garlickier…..

Perhaps you were thinking I was going to list some of our favourite Sunday breakfast/brunch spots.  Well not to disappoint, they are: The Falefel House, The Garwood Grill or any of the Original Pancake House locations and for those very special occasions The Hotel Fort Garry!  Please leave a comment indicating your fav place for Sunday breakfast/brunch.

Kath’s quote: “The sweetest honey is loathsome in his own deliciousness
and in the taste confounds the appetite.” –William Shakespeare (Romeo and Juliette).

There was a time in Winnipeg when my favourite restaurant was the Pasta la Vista downtown location.  Whenever I had to meet a client or had a special work-related celebration, I would suggest it.  In addition, it was the place where we had our last family restaurant celebration before my Dad passed away, so it holds particularly sweet memories.

The title above was my favourite menu item.  When WOW Hospitality put out a cookbook through Studio Publications a number of years ago, I could not wait to get my hands on this recipe. 

2 T canola oil

1.2 roasted red pepper, julienned

2 lbs. Mussels, cleaned and debearded

1 line, quartered

1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped

1 T minced garlic

1 T sambal olek

1 t salt

½ t pepper

½ c fish sauce

40 pieces 41/50 count shrimp, peeled & deveined

1.2 c white wine

4 T butter

2 ½ lbs. Cooled squid ink fettuccine (or other if cannot be obtained)

Frazzled leeks (recipe below) OR in a pinch French’s Fried Onions

In a large sauté pan, heat the oil & add the peppers, mussels, lime, jalapeño, garlic & samba olek.  Sauté for one minute before adding the salt, pepper and fish stock.  Cover & simmer for 2 minutes.  Add shrimp and wine and cook until the mussels are open.  Add the butter & pasta & simmer for 2 minutes until the pasta is heated through.  Remove from heat.  Place in a serving dish and garnished with frazzled leeks.

4 c canola

¼ lb. leeks, julienned & soaked in cold water

¼ lb flour

½ t salt

¼ t ground black pepper

In a large pot or wok, preheat oil to 360 degrees.  Drain water off leeks and shake off all moisture.  In a large bowl, toss the leeks in flour until evenly coated.  Shake off excess flour.  Carefully place small handfuls of leeks into the oil.  Be careful not to overfill as the oil will bubble up when the leeks are added.  Stir the leeks with metal tongs until they are golden brown and crispy.  Lift the leeks out of the oil and place onto a cloth or paper towel to absorb the oil.  Repeat with remaining leeks.  Season with salt & pepper & store in a dry place.

Kath’s quote:“Well loved he garleek, oynons, and eek lekes. And for to drinken strong wyn, reed as blood.”Geoffrey Chaucer (1340 – 1400) ‘Canterbury Tales’

There are many excellent Vietnamese restaurants in Winnipeg: Viva and Thanh Huong (both on Sargent) and Pho 1 (on Isabel) are a few of our favourites.  KG Saigon (also on Sargent) was recommended just recently.  But it is Little Saigon on William Ave. where we’ve been going to for years.    When my office was on the same street,  I enjoyed it frequently with colleagues for lunch.  More recently, it is a place that the three sisters take our Mom for a night out.  We really enjoy their Salt and Pepper Shrimp.  This is the place that I first tasted Vietnamese rice rolls.  I am allured by the fresh taste of the herbs and veggies and of course by my favourite taste combination of salty/sweet. 

Tonight we are having a guest for dinner that I thought might enjoy them.  I did most of the preparations before I left for my baby hugging shift.  Then when I got home, I just had to soak the noodles and the rice wrappers.

These are the ingredients that you assemble for do-it-yourself rolls:  romaine lettuce leaves, sliced cucumber,  fresh mint leaves, fresh cilantro leaves (optional) and bean sprouts (which I did not have on hand).  Saute thinly sliced pork or chicken that has been marinated in a sauce such as hoisin.  Cover with peanuts that have been crushed with brown sugar.  Put out additional sauces like peanut and sweet chili. 

Here is the recipe for a Vietnamese dipping sauce which is always a hit:  Dissolve 3 T of sugar in 2 T lime or lemon juice, add ¼ c rice vinegar, ¼ c fish sauce , 1 clove garlic and some chili flakes to taste.  Zap them together in a blender.

Kath’s quote: “To see cucumbers in a dream denotes that you will speedily fall in love. Or, if you are in love, then you will marry the object of your affection.”-Richard Folkard in ‘Plant Lore’