Garlic Flavored Peanuts

I am not usually a big fan of cracking peanut shells and eating peanuts unless I am at the ballpark but these garlic flavored ones are delicious! The garlic flavors are not that pronounced but the peanuts are tasty. There are several different brands but this one is the Farmer Brand. You can find them at most Asian markets.

I am eating them as I type! You really can't just eat a few.

http://www.farmerpeanuts.com/ They even have a 5 spiced flavored one. I haven't seen or tasted that one yet. 

Prosciutto and Mushroom Ravioli with a Browned Butter Sage Sauce

Prosciutto and Mushroom Ravioli with a Browned Butter Sage Sauce
Originally uploaded by bokchoyboy.

Well, I have been wanting to make raviolis for over a year and I finally got around to buying my pasta roller and making raviolis!

The first time, it took a while to get the pasta down, right texture, right size, thickness, etc... The fettucine came out all clumpy and pretty much unusable (although we did eat it!)

The second time around worked much better. The biggest problem this time around was figuring out what was a good amount of filling to use and the spacing of the filling. instead of fettucine, I made angel hair pasta and it came out much better. Adding more flour during the rolling process did the trick. This time I made a roasted eggplant/garlic ravioli and a roasted bell pepper/zuchini ravioli. Not too bad considering I am much more of a meat eater. I know, you must be proud of me Moc Moc!

Next up? A fusion ravioli! Stay tuned!

Jackson Market's Beef Jerky

Ever since I was a little kid, I ate beef jerky from Jackson Market. Still one of my favorites, I can't help but stop by every once in a while to pick up one of their 1/2 lb bags.

The beef jerky is slightly moist and sticky sweet. I believe it is marinated in a soy based liquid. The beef has just enough fat running through it to make it oh so tasty.

If you ever go here, once you walk through the doors, the first thing you'll noticed is how bare the market is. There is hardly anything on the shelves. If you want beef jerky you ask the lady behind the counter and she will get it for you. I think 95% of their sales is beef jerky.

You'll find this place in San Francisco on Jackson St, cross street is Jones St. 

Grilled Salmon with a Kabocha Risotto

Grilled Salmon with a Kabocha Risotto
Originally uploaded by bokchoyboy.

I made this last night as an experiment. It started with a kabocha risotto that I wanted to make. It was my first attempt at risotto. The risotto came out okay. Flavors were nice but the texture wasn't right, a little too pasty. I topped the risotto with some grilled zuchinis and grilled salmon and finished it off with micro greens and a miso glaze.

I actually made a mixture of sage, cubed pancetta and pumpkin seeds that was roasted crispy in olive oil and the pancetta fat (bottom right picture). Problem was I forgot to add it to the final dish until we started eating, doh! The pancetta and sage went very well with the risotto but the seeds didn't get crunchy enough no matter how much I roasted them. They had a weird texture.

Overall a decent dish that I wouldn't mind trying again.