Kale and Cabbage Gratin

This came from New York Times Provencal Kale and Cabbage Gratin. I followed most part of the recipe except I substituted the herbs with thyme, parlsey and tarragon. I also added sliced Shiitake mushrooms and used cooked quinoa instead of rice.
I made this dish a day ahead and reheated. You can also prepare the vegetables through step 1 a day ahead, and assemble the gratin the next day. It will keep for four or five days in the refrigerator.

Ingredients:
Serves 6

1 pound kale, stemmed, washed and cut in slivers

1 pound cabbage, quartered, cored and cut in slivers

A handful of Shiitake mushroom, sliced

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed

chopped mixed herbs (parsley, thyme, tarragon)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 eggs

1/2 cup cooked Quinoa

3 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (3/4 cup, tightly packed)

3 tablespoons breadcrumbs

1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Oil a two-quart gratin.

2. Sautee the chopped onion with a teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring often, until tender and translucent. Stir in the garlic, thyme, parsley and tarragon, and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add mushroom. Stir in the kale (with just the liquid left clinging on the leaves after washing). Stir often, and when most of the kale has wilted, add the cabbage. (you may need to add some water to simmer the vegetables but not in my case). Cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes until the water has evaporated; the kale and cabbage should be wilted and fragrant but still have some texture and color. Add pepper, taste and adjust salt.

2. Beat the eggs in a bowl, and stir in the cooked vegetables, quinoa and Gruyère. Stir together well, and scrape into the baking dish. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top, and drizzle on with olive oil. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, until firm and browned on the top. Allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Serve hot or warm.

Osaka-style Okonomiyaki

Okonomiyaki is commonly known to be Japanese-style pizza. This recipe makes Osaka-style okonomiyaki with lots of toppings. Instead of using all-purpose flour, I used whole wheat. This may explain the browner than usual color of my okonomiyaki. I found there were too much eggs and had to strain off the excess. I also replaced green onions with leeks. Instead of using pork or beef as the recipe calls for, I added scallops.

Kew Pie mayonnaise has to be one of the best. I once tried to make it and it was absolutely disastrous. I never thought of making mayonnaise again since then. I wish they would translate the many different Kew Pie on the shelf, not just to Thai but to English, or maybe Chinese or Malay....some form that I can comprehend.... I ended up picking one that was sold at the most number of bottles than others. They must have figured higher demand requires higher supply?
I like to watch bonito flakes. They seem so alive, moving in a worm-like motion. I used to think they were live anyway.

Ingredients:

• 2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cup dashi soup stock or water
• 4-6 eggs
• 1 - 1 1/4 lb cabbage
• chopped scallops
  
• 6 tbsps chopped green onion
• 2/3 cup tenkasu (tempura flakes)

• For toppings:
• Ao-nori (green seaweed)
• Okonomiyaki sauce (or tonkatsu sauce)
• Japanese Mayonnaise (Kew Pie)
• Katsuobushi (bonito flakes)
  

1. Put dashi soup stock in a bowl. Mix the flour in the soup stock. Rest the batter for an hour in the refrigerator.
   
2. Chop cabbage finely. Take about 1/2 cup of the batter (to make one sheet of okonimiyaki) in another bowl. Mix chopped cabbage (about 1/4 cup), chopped green onion (about 1 tbsp), and tempura flakes (about 2 tbsps) in the batter. Make a hole in the middle of the batter and add an egg in the hole. Stir the batter.
   
3. Heat pan and oil slightly. Pour the batter over the pan and make a round. Cook 5-7 minutes and place scallops on top of the okonomiyaki. Flip the okonomiyaki and cook for 5-7 more minutes.
   
4. Flip the okonomiyaki again and spread okonomiyaki (tonkatsu) sauce and mayonnaise on top. Sprinkle aonori over the sauce. Sprinkle with katsuobushi.