Continue the Tradition / French Onion Soup with Puffy Pastry 傳承傳統 /法式酥皮洋蔥湯

I was a little princess before I got married, never really did the dishes, neither swiped the floor.  I was raised by my grandma.  She was a clean freak, and well known in our neighborhood.   She liked to take care of things by herself, didn't like others to get involved with her.  It wasn't easy, she would allow me to get closer to the stove.   But, grandma would let me to stand by her side with a little bit distance.  I enjoyed to watch her to prepare all the ingredients so detailed, and watch her cooking so concentratedly.  Grandma was a very cool lady, never talked too much, but I would constantly ask her few questions.  She would always explain clear and nicely to me, but never been annoyed ! 

I remember so vivid for all the food she would make for the special holidays.  Meatballs, "Three silk roles " which was made with pork, onion, carrot, scallions and fish paste, then wrapped in the caul fat, deep  fried it.  Grandma would also make the hot sticky soup with all kinds of vegetables in it, than drizzled on top of fried fish, then placed in the special plate to address it to look festival on the New Year's Eve.  So far, I just recently find out this dish is called " Five Willow Branches "  last year.  

Although I would just set the plates, serve the dishes, but I was very lucky could be the first taster in the family.  Grandma would always call" go, take a shower, dinner is almost ready" every night.  Now, I'm a mom, cook for my own family.  I finally realize if I could take a shower, smells great and just sit down and enjoy the dinner.  That would be the luckiest things ever ! 

This couple years, my kids were getting bigger.  I have been starting my own traditions.  I requested my family had to wait for me to start dinner on the Thanksgiving table.  We would give a toast, and say something thankful first, then eat.  I also asked my family to take showers then dressed up nicely for Christmas dinner.  My husband and kids were complained at first, but they get used to it now.  During the dinner time, my husband would turn on the Christmas songs from the radio.  We would be chatting and fooling around as usual.  Just like the happiest family from the movie or TV show.  Then we would watch few films, wonders and expected what Santa would bring to us the next day morning.

French onion soup with puffy pastry are my kids picks. The round puff pastry always reminds me the looks of the ornaments from the Christmas tree.  It has very simple ingredients and easy to make.  I like to make it ahead, then put on the pastry puff, goes in the oven before the dinner almost ready.  This is also a perfect dish for entertainment ! ~ 

Ingredients: 

1.  7-8 medium to large size yellow or red onions, sliced. 

2.  3 cans of beef broth.

3.  3 tablespoons of butter plus Oliver oil.  

4.   1 pages of puff pastry sheets.

Flavors: 

1.   2 cloves of garlic, smashed. 

2.   1 teaspoon of rosemary finally grounded.  

3.   1 teaspoon of thyme.  

4.   1 cup of red wine. 

5.   Water. 

6. Salt, black pepper and a touch of red pepper.  

Medium heat, use butter and Oliver oil to sauté the onion.  Add fews salt first will speed up the cooking process.   Follow in the garlic and rosemary, and thyme.  Let it released all the aromatic again.  * Do not use high heat, easy to get burns.   Just be patient to cook down all the onions till the color turns caramel dark golden brown, and soft.  * This will be take at least 30 minutes, depends on how much onion you have in the pot.  

Then, adding in red wine, water.  Seasoning with salt, black pepper and red papers if u like.  High heat bring it to boil than use medium to cook other 10-15 minutes, let all the ingredients marry to each other become one ! 

Preheat oven 400。F

Add the Gruyere or mozzarella cheese on top of soup, cover with the puff pastry, seal and secure the rim, brush egg mixture on top.  Bake for 12-15 minutes before serving.  

This is all the expectations and surprising when the spoon get through the puff pastry and try to figure it out what is in the soup.  Crumbling pastry, sticky cheese, soft and the silky onions are just so smoothly in the mouth.  Soup is great perfuming with a hint of butter.

Happiness just as simple as that.   I hope you already start your own tradition, take your grandma, mom, or your own signature dishes to pass to next generation by generations.  Let's build up some more beautiful memories with our kids.  

Happy Holidays !!! ~ 😘😘😘

我在結婚以前是位小公主.  沒洗過碗, 也沒多掃過地.  我是奶奶帶大的孩子, 她是街坊鄰居知了名的潔癖.  平常做事, 她寧願自己來, 不愛別人插手.  我平常要是能靠近火爐是很難的.  但是, 奶奶會讓我站在一旁保持距離.  我很喜歡看著奶奶仔細清洗食材, 和認真烹調食物的模樣.  奶奶是位很有個性的人, 不多話.  我則三不五時的提出一些問題.  她會仔細的交待, 但卻不囉唆.  

記憶中最清楚的是在每個月初一, 十五的拜拜裡.  奶奶喜歡炸肉球, 三絲捲, 裡面包的是豬肉, 洋蔥, 紅蘿蔔, 葱和魚漿.  然後用豬網油捲起再油炸.  過年除夕的時候, 她會把用拜拜時, 那已炸過的魚, 淋上和許多蔬菜一起做的熱騰騰焿湯.  配上獨特的魚盤上桌, 顯的節慶的味道特別濃厚.  一直到去年, 我才知道, 原來那道菜的名字叫做" 五柳枝" . 

雖然我除了擺碗筷, 端盤子之外, 很開心的是當一位全家最先能試吃的人.  每日晚餐前, 奶奶總是會喊著" 先去洗澡, 快吃飯囉" .  現在當了娘, 掌了廚, 才發現, 原來能洗香香, 再坐下來享受一頓美食, 那真是最幸福的一件事了 ..... 

這些年, 家裡的孩子長大了許多以後, 我開始了我家自己的傳統.  感恩節裡, 大家得等當媽的我一起開動.  大家先舉杯, 説完感謝的話後, 才開始享用.  聖誕節晚餐, 我要求全家洗完澡, 換上美美的衣服然後再一起共餐.  剛開始時, 孩子和老公有些許囔囔, 覺得麻煩.  但是幾年下來後, 大家也就習慣了!  用晩餐時, 老公會開上電台播放的聖誕歌曲.  我們一家人像電影或電視情節一樣, 話話家常, 説說鬥鬥的吃頓飯.  然後再看個影片, 接下來期待著隔日的黎明.  不知聖誕老公公會送來什麼禮物.  

法式酥皮洋蔥湯是孩子們在聖誕節指定的一道菜, 圓圓的酥皮總令我聯想到聖誕樹的掛飾.  湯的做法和材料都簡單.  我喜歡先提早做起來.  酥皮在上桌前, 再入烤箱即可, 也是一道很適合宴客的菜色.  

材料： 

1.  7-8顆大中型的洋蔥, 紅白皆可, 切絲.

2. 3 罐牛肉高湯.

3. 3 大匙的奶油和橄欖油.

4. 現成酥皮, 烤前需先從冷凍退冰約40分鐘. 

調味料: 

1.  2顆大蒜拍扁.

2.  1 小匙的迷迭香. 

3.  1 小匙的麝香草

4.  1 杯紅酒. 

5.  水. 

6.  塩巴, 黑楜椒, 和少數的紅辣椒.  

中火, 用橄欖油和奶油先炒香洋蔥.  放點塩, 可以加速洋蔥熟成的速度.  當呈現透明狀時, 再入蒜頭, 迷迭香和麝香草, 再次釋放出所有的香氣.  * 此時不能大火, 易焦.  只能耐住性子慢慢地將所有的洋蔥炒至焦糖般的棕色, 並且軟化.  * 這個步驟約需30分鐘左右, 依照你鍋中有多少洋蔥而定.  

然後再加上紅酒, 水.  用塩, 黑胡椒和少許的紅辣椒調好味. 改大火煮滾, 再換中小火再煮個12-15 分鐘左右.  讓所有的味道融合為一即可. 

預熱烤箱400。F. 

放入些許的古越起司, 或是馬薩瑞拉起司也行, 蓋上已解凍的酥皮, 按住酥皮黏住湯碗的週邊, 刷上蛋液.  烤12-15 分鐘左右, 便可享用.  

當湯匙撥開酥皮, 然後探視著湯裡的內容, 那是份期待與驚喜.  香酥的脆皮, 黏稠的起司, 軟嫩入口的洋蔥.  香氣十足的湯頭還帶著奶油的香氣.  幸福所需的的其實就是簡單的時間培養 !!! 更希望你們家也已經開始了自己的傳統.  將奶奶, 媽媽, 或是自己當娘的拿手菜, 一路傳承下去.  並和孩子們一起為未來建構那份美好的回憶! ~ 

佳節愉快 !!! ~ 😘😘😘

Beer Blue Crabs with Silky Eggs 啤酒滑蛋青蟹

My husband had a few great job promotion chances, but it requires to move away from NJ.  A couple of friends told me, " Just go with where has better future ".  But, we didn't do that, because we, the Yeh's love the beautiful vivid four seasons in Jersey, especially the snowing on a cold winter.  The second reason make us to stay in NJ, is because we got some friends who are as close as family.  

One of couples, Wah and Rong are like big brother and sister to us.  They always show up when we really needed help.  Each time we try to invite them to come over to my house for dinner, they will always bring more stuff to our house.  He brings like our favorite sweet bread and cakes for the next day breakfast or an afternoon snack. They also bring all kinds of fruit that I don't usually see at Jersey, but from the big city of NY.  This Thanksgiving, they also brung some, "crabs" ! ~

I had lots of good memories about crabs when I was a kid with my dad, but never really got to cook them and murder them on my own hands (my little boy say that).  😂. 

Rong told me, her family loves to cook crab with beer, or sauté them with some aromatics, then drizzle on top with beating eggs.  So, here is the Lucy's Beer Blue Crabs with silky eggs after 3 days later stuck in my mind to create this recipe.  

Ingredients: 

 1.  6-8 good sized to of blue crabs, cleaned, shelled, halved.  

2.  A large handful of baby spinach leaves. 

3.  Tapioca flour to sprinkle on the crab meat and another two tablespoons of tapioca flour to mix with same amount of cold water to thicken sauce.

4.  2 beating eggs 

Flavors: 

1. 5 cloves of garlic minced, about 1 tablespoons. 

2. 2 inch ginger skinned, minced, about 1 tablespoon. 

3. I cup of celery diced. 2/3 for sauté, 1/3 for referring finish touching.

4. 1 bottle beer.

5. 1 cup of chicken broth of water. 

6. 2 tablespoons of butter.

7. Sea salt and fresh ground white and black peppers.  

8. 1 red chili, seeded or not, as your own desire.  

Sprinkle tapioca flour on top of crabs meats only, and let it set by the side.   

Place the garlic, ginger in the big skillet, add in the oil, medium heat, sauté to fragrance and lightly golden brown.  Add in the celery dices, then the butter, let it release all the flavor too.  Follow that with a bottle of beer, 1 cup of chicken broth or water.  High heat to bring it to broil.  

Lay down the crabs evenly and crab meat face up in the pan, cover with lid.  When the crabs turn red about 3-5 minutes, push the crabs to one side, keep the juice on the other, then use tapioca with water mixture to thick the juice from the bottom of the pan, but still remains the sauce running.  

Add in add in the top crabs shells, drizzle beating eggs all over, over with lid about one minute, then give you skillet a swirl.  Throw in the spinach, cover the lid again, but kill the heat, last one minutes, open the lid, toss the pan a little.  Finish with that 1/3 of diced celery to refresh all the flavors.  Done !!! 

This is a very quick dish to make.  I just keep adding in the ingredients in the right timing, pretty much that's all, but the flavors from crabs are naturally fresh and sweet, sauce are savor and hanging with that silky eggs.  I love to spoon everything from the plate in one bite with that crabs eggs.  Oh .... Man, I can't tell you how much I love this dish and I don't even mind go though all those troubles and messiness to eat them.  They are damn finger licking good.  More beer to accompany with it will be perfectly awesome.  Cheers!!! my dear friend ! ~ 

I know a better job it will be always very attractive, but fews good friends won't just show up too often in my life, and live in NJ with beautiful four seasons which is really a great gift from God.  What could be even better than all these.  I'm more than glad, and much more appreciated  and touched ..... 

我家老公有幾次工作升遷的機會, 但條件是我們必須搬離紐澤西.  我的一些朋友說, " 哪裡有美好的未來, 就去吧! " 但, 我們並未如此做.  因為葉家喜歡一年四季分明的紐澤西, 特別是在冷冷的冬天裏那下雪的日子.  第二個令我們留下在紐澤西的原因是, 我們認識的一些朋友中, 都像家人一樣.  

其中一對夫妻, 華和蓉對我們就像是大哥和大姐一般.  每次我們需要幫忙時, 他們總是即時出現.  每次邀請他們來家用餐.  他們總是帶著更多的東西來.  我們喜歡的甜麵包和蛋糕, 當隔日幸福的早餐和下午點心.  還有在澤西不常見到的水果只有在紐約才有的.  今年的感恩節他們帶來我最喜歡的"螃蟹". 

在我小時候, 我和父親有許多美好的回憶都是和螃蟹有關的, 但我卻從未真正親自打理過.  更別說是" 謀殺" 這些螃蟹了( 我家小兒説的 ) .  蓉告訴我, 她們家喜歡用啤酒來做, 或是炒香香辛料, 再淋上蛋液.  如是這想法在我腦中環繞了三天, 終於誕生了露西蘇的啤酒滑蛋蟹. 

材料: 

1.  6-8 隻新鮮螃蟹, 洗凈切塊. 

2.  1 大把的嫩菠菜葉.

3.  太白粉用來沾在螃蟹肉上, 和另外2 大匙的太白粉對上同等量的水, 做為勾芡用. 

4. 2顆打散的蛋.

調味料: 

1.  5 顆蒜頭切末約1 大匙左右. 

2. 二吋左右的薑, 去皮切末約1大匙左右. 

3. 1 杯切丁的西洋芹.  2/3杯用於爆香, 另外1/3 杯拿來最後的提鮮. 

4. 1 瓶啤酒. 

5. 1 杯雞高湯或水.

6. 2 大匙的奶油. 

7. 海塩和新鲜研磨的黑白楜椒粉.

8. 1 條紅辣椒去不去籽投其所好.

先將太白粉只灑在螃蟹的肉上, 靜置一旁. 

放入薑蒜, 入油, 中小火, 炒香至淡金黃色, 再加入芹菜丁, 後奶油, 另所有的香氣釋出.  隨之加入1瓶啤酒和1杯雞高湯或水, 大火煮沸.  

均勻放入螃蟹.  蟹肉朝上.  蓋上鍋蓋.  當螃蟹在3-5分鐘變紅之後, 將螃蟹撥於一邊和醬汁居分.然後用太白粉水勾芡, 但保持醬汁滑溜.  

再加入螃蟹大殼, 淋上蛋液, 蓋上鍋蓋約1分鐘, 給予鍋子一些搖晃.  加入菠菜, 再次蓋鍋, 熄火.  最後1分鐘, 略翻炒, 灑入1/3的芹菜丁提鮮. 就這樣!!! 

這是一道很快速的菜, 只要在對的時間裡不斷的放入食材及可的做法.  然而螃蟹味鮮甜, 醬汁掛著滑蛋香鹹多滋味.  我喜歡用湯匙將盤中所有的料配著螃蟹的卵黃一起食用.  天呀! ~ 我無法告訴你我有多喜歡這道菜, 而且我根本不介意吃這個有多麻煩或多沾手.  因為它們該死的好吃而且吮指回味無窮.  配上更多的啤酒就太完美了.  乾杯!!! 我親愛的朋友們 ! ~

我知道更好的工作總是吸引人, 但有些好朋友, 卻不會總是在你的人生中經常出現.  而能住在這四季分明的紐澤西, 則是老天爺給與的最佳禮物.  還有什麼比得上這些更好的呢？我有的不只是開心, 更是知足與感動! ~