Ain't It Funny How Time Slips Away {Asian Greens en Papillote}

"Well, hello there. My it's been a long, long time..." Willie Nelson was right, it is funny how time slips away. I took a bit of a hiatus from writing about cooking, and really, from cooking anything fun for the past month or so. I hate how "I'm so busy" has become the excuse du jour, but sometimes it is really true. Starting with Thanksgiving, it seems as though every moment has been jam-packed with time commitments. Couple that with the change of time and lack of late afternoon/early evening light and, I dunno, I just wasn't in the mood to chronicle cooking - it isn't as much fun when you've finished the dish and there's no good light to get a good photo. But, enough of that - I'm easing back into cooking some new things and trying to brighten and lighten the dishes away from the heavy decadence that seems to be the hallmark, albeit a delicious one, of the holiday season.

For the past few weeks, I've been serving up some dishes that either include Asian-influenced flavors or Asian vegetables. On the plate today is a dish that features Tatsoi. Tatsoi is an Asian salad green with very dark green, spoon-shaped leaves and can have a thickish white stem. Because of its appearance, it is also known as Spinach Mustard, Spoon Mustard or Chinese Spinach. A member of the Brassica family (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, etc) it has that distinctive mustardy flavor which is similar to bok choi and is very subtle and mild. It can be lightly sauteed in olive oil as you might spinach, but because it is a bit more fibrous, it holds up better than a true spinach. Having served it sauteed a la spinach a number of times, I wanted to find something a bit different to do with it. This preparation provides a fantastic result and best of all it is super easy, quick and once in the oven, a hands-off dish.

Tatsoi en Papillote

makes 4 servings

adapted from Dorie Greenspan

• 1 bag of tatsoi (can be found at the Farmers' Market or Asian market; otherwise sub bok choi)
• 40 sugar snap peas
• 1/4 small onion, thinly sliced
• zest of one orange
• olive oil, for drizzling

1. Preheat oven to 400F; have baking pan handy.
2. On a 12in square of aluminum foil, place 2 moderate handfuls of tatsoi greens, add 10 sugar snap peas randomly around on the greens, sprinkle 1/4 of the onion slices on the bed of greens, top with a sprinkle of orange zest and drizzle with a bit of olive oil.
3. Pull up sides of foil to meet in the middle to seal and make a packet. Be sure to leave some air space in the packet so that the contents will steam in the oven. Place packets on a baking sheet and place on the middle rack in the oven
4. Bake for about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to sit a minute or two. Take care when opening the packet as steam will escape and you want to avoid being scalded! Place packet on plate with your protein dish of choice and enjoy!

I served this with a Soy-Glazed Salmon Filet and it was delectable. It would also make a great side to grilled chicken or pork. The greens are remarkably creamy and mild and the slight mustardy flavor is a great contrast to the sweetness found in the peas and onions. The orange zest adds such a nice brightness as well - just what we needed to get 2015 off to a light and bright start, as well.

Happy Cooking!

sld

Best Laid Plans {Pork Fried Rice & Sauteed Napa Cabbage}

Yesterday, the kids both had Saturday activities in the morning and then we went, as a family, and did some Christmas shopping. I had been up ridiculously late the night before and was sort of a zombie by the time 4 pm rolled around. I told El Syd that I was going to "rest my eyes" but for him to wake me up at 5 pm so I could get started on dinner - Pork Ribs: Oven Roasted and then topped with delicious sweet & sour Sauerkraut. This is one of those dishes that reminds me of my childhood that I love to make when it is cold outside. It is delicious. However, after a quick phone call to Mama to review the procedure, I was reminded that this would take longer than one hour and would probably be best if I postponed until the next day. 

Well, shoot! What would we have for dinner then? A quick review of the fridge contents suggested that Pork Fried Rice would be an ideal, quick throw together. Add a side of sauteed Napa Cabbage and the dinner would be complete.

Here's what I did:

Pork Fried Rice (adapted (from all places) Martha Stewart)

• 2 Tbsp oil (your choice)
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 Tbsp plus a smidge soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (or thru the press, as I prefer)
• 1/4 Tsp ground ginger
• 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 lb ground pork (could also use chicken or small peeled and deveined shrimp)
• 1/2 C shredded (or matchstick) carrot
• 1/2 C frozen(gasp!) peas
• 2 C steamed white rice (great way to use leftovers from chinese take-out or if you don't have any on hand this would be about 3/4 C uncooked rice steamed for this purpose)
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar

1. Beat 2 eggs with the smidge of soy sauce. In a non-stick skillet, heat 1 Tbsp oil over high. Add eggs and swirl to coat bottom of the pan. Cook until almost set, then fold into thirds. Transfer cooked egg to a cutting board and cut into 1/2 inch pieces or so. Keep for adding back into dish in a bit.
2. In a wok (or large skillet), add 1 Tbsp of oil and swirl to coat. Add garlic, ginger and green onions and cook stirring constantly about 30 seconds. (At this point, it will be extremely fabulous smelling and your family will begin to ask "what's for dinner?")
3. Add pork and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until just cooked through (about 3 minutes). Add carrots, peas and rice and stir to combine. Add cooked egg back in and sprinkle mixture with soy sauce and vinegar. 
4. Cook, stirring constantly, until the rice is coated about one minute. Let cook (w/o stirring) until warm about 1 minute. Serve and enjoy.

Quick Sauteed Napa Cabbage

• 6-8 leaves from a large Napa Cabbage, cut crossways in 2 in sections
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1/4 Cup of water

1. Heat oil in large skillet (with lid). Add cabbage and stir around a bit until it begins to wilt and sizzle. 
2. Add garlic, soy, vinegar and water. Cover reduce heat to low and steam until cabbage leaves are soft and tender.
3. Serve and enjoy along side the fried rice or any other Asian inspired dish.

This was a super quick and satisfying meal. The whole thing took about 45 minutes but had I been more organized, it would have only been 30. (I cooked the rice and cabbage one at a time; had I had them both on at the same time, I'd have shaved some time there.)  This is a delicious way to use up that left over steamed rice and can be faster than takeout.

Happy Cooking!

sld

Sauteed String Beans & Chicken

I tend to have quite a few Asian-inspired dishes in my repertoire and Chinese food is one of our go-to cuisines when cooking at home is just not going to happen. I've tried for so many years to recreate authentic versions of our favorite Chinese dishes at home, and while the results are tasty, rarely do they mirror what we get from our favorite local takeout place. Years ago, my mother and I took a Chinese cooking class in San Antonio. We watched carefully, took notes and went home with our packets of recipes. We tried to replicate (my all time favorite) Hot & Sour soup. Hours of time were spend and all manner of unusual ingredients were purchased. And, again, while it was tasty, it just wasn't that satisfyingly wonderful bowl of soup. The return on investment was nil.

Tonight, I decided to try my hand at one of our faves - Sauteed String Beans and Chicken - there is just something about those charred and blistered string beans, the garlic and the tender chicken with the savory, salty sauce - a seemingly light choice in what can sometimes be a sea of fried and sauced options.

Here's what I did...

Sauteed String Beans and Chicken

• 11/2 lbs of string beans
• 1/4 C peanut oil
• 1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic minced or pushed through a garlic press
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 in. cubes (place in bowl with 3-4 Tbsp of soy sauce and 3-4 Tbsp of sake or rice wine to marinate for about 30 minutes but as little as 10 minutes is good, too.)

sauce

1½ teaspoons light sake

1½ teaspoons black bean sauce

½ teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon sugar

1. Rinse green beans; trim ends and cut into 2 in. pieces. Allow beans to dry thoroughly (even to the extent of patting dry) as any bits of water will cause the hot oil to sputter.
2. Mix sauce. Stir together sake, black bean sauce, sesame oil and sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves and then, set aside.
3. Heat a large skillet (preferrably a wok, if you have it) over high heat until a drop of water sputters and evaporates. Add the peanut oil and swirl the pan to coat the bottom. Add the green beans and stir-fry for about 5-6 minutes. Keep beans moving in the pan to get a good char without scorching completely. When beans are blistered and wilted, turn off heat and remove beans to a paper towel lined plate.
4. Replace wok or skillet over high heat(my wok was still well oiled, but if needed, add a little oil) and toss in chicken. Keep chicken pieces moving to cook completely and get a good sear/browning.Cook for 5-6 minutes. Remove chicken to a bowl.
5. Add shallot and garlic to the wok and saute until soft and caramelized. Return beans and chicken to the wok. Stir in sauce and cook over med-hi heat until all of the items are well coated and the sauce reduces a bit. Serve with steamed white rice and enjoy!

This dish ended up to be a pretty faithful copy of takeout. Next time, I might add some red chili flakes to the shallots and garlic portion of the saute for a little extra kick. Family rating was "pretty good... pretty, pretty good." and there were no leftovers which is always a good sign.

Maybe I need to give that hot and sour soup another whirl...

Happy Cooking!

sld

Egg Foo Yung

Last weekend, I decided to give a couple of recipes (that have been circulating for a while in my "to-do" folder) a whirl. Both items are from El Syd's childhood growing up as a Jewish lad in Brooklyn, bialys and egg foo yung.

First up, the bialys (short for Bialystocker kucken) are a small roll of Polish Ashkenazi origin. Grandma Selma (El Syd's mother) always has bialys at the ready for breakfast when we've visited and as a Texas gal, I'd not ever encountered them before. They are round, and slightly chewy like a bagel, but rather than a hole in the center, they have a deep indentation that has a smattering of cooked onions and, on some occasions, poppy seeds. Even though they are chewy, they are not as dense as a bagel and are dotted with quite a few big air pockets from the yeast action.  Split, toasted and served with a layer of melting butter, they are quite the breakfast treat. 

I followed the recipe, which is quite similar to pizza crust dough in its make-up, but noticed that the dough seemed rather tough at the get go. Not knowing what to expect, I forged ahead and followed the rest of the instructions. Let's just say, this was not a shining moment of glory in the kitchen. While they tasted fine, the yeast didn't seem to have the pep that it should and rather than puffy air pockets, we ended up with some oniony puck-like rolls.  Upon review, I think I made a fatal error in adding the salt by itself to the yeast mixture (in essence stunting it) rather than with the flour as should be the case. I will definitely be giving these another test in the kitchen and if the results are as they should be, I'll share the recipe then. 

Following that kitchen fail, I needed a success. Not that I was necessarily trying to be thematic in any way, but the second recipe is also an old favorite of many Jewish Gastronauts - Egg Foo Yung. Many of the first Chinese restaurants in the US were of Cantonese origin. The dishes served there, such as moo goo gai pan, chop suey and egg foo yung, which were once viewed as exotic offerings, lost some of their luster over the years. As immigrants from Hunan and Sichuan made their way to the US, their cuisines became au courant and those old Cantonese dishes were pushed to side and deemed passé  However, Egg Foo Yung is making a come-back and after making it myself at home, I say deservedly so. Golden, lacy omelettes filled with an elaborate mixture: bean sprouts and minced water chestnuts; bits of ground pork and fresh shrimp; chopped scallions. These pillowy delights are served with a sauce (many times referred to as gravy) that is savory and salty with a hint of sweetness to be drizzled over top of dish. 

Here's how you, too, can make these at home: 

Egg Foo Yung (makes approx 8 pancakes)

(adapted from Mei Chin)

For the sauce: 

• 1 C chicken stock
• 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. oyster sauce
• 1 Tbsp dry sherry ( I used light sake)
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

 For the egg foo yung:

• ½ lb. ground pork
• 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 ½ tsp. rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. dry sherry( i used light sake)
• 1 tsp. plus 1 tbsp. sesame oil
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper
• 1/2 lb. raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and finely chopped
• ½ cup water chestnuts, finely chopped, drained and squeezed dry
• ⅓ cup bean sprouts
• ⅓ cup sliced scallions, plus more for serving
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp canola oil plus enough for frying

1. Make the sauce: Bring stock, 3 Tbsp. soy sauce, the oyster sauce, 1 tbsp. sherry or sake, 1 tbsp. cornstarch, the garlic, to a boil in a 1-qt. saucepan over high heat. Cook, whisking, until thickened, 2-3 minutes; strain sauce and keep warm. Keep an eye on the sauce as if left alone, it can cook down and get too thick rather quickly.
2.  Make the Egg Foo Yung: Mix the ground pork, 2 tbsp. soy sauce, 1 tbsp. cornstarch, the vinegar, 1 tsp. sake, 1 tsp. sesame oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl; set aside for 10 minutes. Heat 1 tsp. canola oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork mixture; cook, stirring and breaking up meat, until it is no longer pink, 3-4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon to separate the cooked meat from the fat, transfer pork to a bowl; set aside.
3. Pour canola oil into a 6-quart saucepan to a depth of 2". Heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 350°. (You need the oil to be at this temp because if you put the batter into oil that is not ready, the pancake will absorb a ton of oil rather than fry quickly and putt appropriately. You'll be left with a oil-logged pancake.) Combine remaining soy sauce, cornstarch, and sesame oil, plus reserved pork, the shrimp, water chestnuts, bean sprouts, scallions, eggs, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Using a ladle and working in batches, gently lower ½-cup amounts of egg mixture into oil; cook, flipping once, until pancakes are puffed and brown, 1½-2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pancakes to paper towels. 
4. Serve drizzled with reserved sauce; top with sliced scallions.

The results were light, pillowy pancakes filled with savory pork and tender shrimp, accented with the crispness of water chestnuts and bean sprouts. All of this set off with the salty, slightly sweet, garlicky sauce drizzled on top. El Syd (who obviously doesn't follow Jewish dietary restrictions as this recipe had not only pork, but also shrimp.) raved that it was the best egg foo yung he's had and since it was the first time I've ever had it, I'll have to agree with him.

Happy Cooking!

sld

Thai Chicken Pizza

So, this week I held my first Cook with Me class for kids and parents. I've created lesson plans for a series of about 5 to 6 classes that cover some fundamental topics. This first class started off with the fun and magic of yeast. Our plan was to cover the following: 

Leftovers {Udon Noodle Salad with Mango-Sesame Grilled Chicken}

While I love to cook - a lot- I do appreciate a good leftover. I especially love when the leftovers are used as a component in a totally new dish. This is a way to use things up without "leftover" becoming a dirty word.

My cooking club met the other night and the menu focused on Asian-inspired flavors. We made the pork dumplings discussed previously here, and featured two entrees: Hoisin Glazed Skirt Steak with Red Pepper Slaw and Mango Marinated Grilled Chicken and Vegetables. These are two dishes that my family loves and are rather quick to prepare and as the cooking portion of each dish takes place on the grill, they are perfect Summer dishes - keeping the kitchen cool and keeping El Syd busy as Grill Man. 

In addition to the good company, conversation, meal and wine, cooking class provides some tasty leftovers. So, for lunch the following day, my dear daughter and I whipped up this noodle salad using some of the grilled chicken and the marinade/dressing.  What resulted is a light, summery, cold salad that is a perfect lunch selection.


Udon Noodle Salad with Mango-Sesame Grilled Chicken(adapted from Bon Appetit)

Mango-Sesame Dressing 

• 3/4 cup canola oil
• 3/4 cup Mango-Jalapeno sauce (see here for recipe)
• 6 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
• 6 3/4 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons roasted sesame oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1. Combine all ingredients in a deep jar, or bowl. Blend well with immersion blender until smooth. (Alternately, you can use a standard blender if you like to deal with all that mess - or don't have an immersion blender - but if you don't, you really should.)

Note- This can be made ahead and kept refrigerated for one week. Also, if you haven't made the Mango-Jalapeno sauce (you should) you can use 3/4 of a cup of Major Grey's Mango Chutney and add 3 cloves of garlic, peeled & 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes.

Grilled Chicken 

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (pounded to even out thickness, but not pounded super thin)
• 4 Tbsp Mango-Sesame Dressing

1. Brush chicken breasts with dressing and allow to marinate at least 30 minutes (at room temp) or overnight (in the fridge)
2. Prepare grill to a med-high heat. Grill chicken until cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to cutting board. Let chicken rest 5 to 10 minutes so that the juices can redistribute. (Chicken can be wrapped and chilled at this point for use in the salad later.) 

Udon Noodle Salad with Mango-Sesame Grilled Chicken

• 12 ounces snow peas, strings removed 
• 1 8- to 9-ounce package fresh udon noodles
• 1 tablespoon roasted sesame oil
• 2 grilled chicken breast halves, cubed
• 6 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 cup Mango-Sesame Dressing
• Toasted sesame seeds (optional)

1. Cook snap peas in boiling  water until crisp-tender about 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl.
2. Return water to boil. Add noodles. Cook until tender but firm,  as directed on package. Drain; rinse under cold water until cool. Transfer to large bowl.
3. Toss the noodles with the sesame oil to keep them from sticking together. Cut noodles with kitchen shears to shorten. Add peas, chicken, and green onions; toss with enough dressing to coat (You won't need the whole cup of dressing - I actually did more of a drizzle over the individual servings, but you can choose depending upon the particulars of how you're serving.)  Top with toasted sesame seeds, if desired.

This would be a great way to use any leftover grilled chicken or even store-made rotisserie chicken and if you don't have any leftover, go ahead and grill some up  - it only takes a few short minutes to make it happen.

Happy Cooking!

sld

Pork & Chicken Dumplings

On occasion, I get these urges - a wild hare, if you will - to make something that I've never, ever endeavored to do before. Usually, when these strike, I am able to squelch them until the weekend or some other time when it would be more "appropriate" to jump into a possibly big project.But not yesterday. It was a very lovely weather day here in Texas. The sun was bright, the air was breezy and I launched into cleaning my kitchen. (No, that's not the urge.) I moved things from my counters that I hadn't moved in a very long time. Evidently, unbeknownst to me, I have become a dust bunny rancher as I discovered herds of them behind the knife block and my cookbook stand which stand watch in the corners of my counters. I even cleaned the oven. It was long overdue. 
Once everything was clean and tidy, and I opened a window to keep me and Freckles (my daughter's bionic parakeet) from being overcome by the mélange of fumes, I sat down at my computer, only to find the most delicious looking photo and recipe in my inbox. Take a look at these beauties:  Chao Shou (Sichuan Pork Wontons). I was a goner. That had to happen and it had to happen right then and there. Trouble was, I didn't have any wonton wrappers. Why, oh, why, hadn't I had wonton wrappers on my freezer essentials inventory?! There were a few other ingredients that I didn't have, but I knew, from my pantry list, that I had enough items that I could substitute and make as close of an approximation to the original as possible without leaving the house. So, I searched around my cookbooks and the internet and found some commonalities in recipes/ratios of ingredients for making your own wrappers at home. Turns out, it is easier than you might imagine.

Homemade Wonton Wrappers

• 2 C All-purpose flour
• 1 egg
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 - 1/2 C water (like with all pasta/noodle dough,  this amount is going to vary depending up the amount of moisture in your flour and the environment when you make your dough)

1. Sift flour into a large bowl and make a well in the center. Whisk together egg, salt and 1/4 cup water. Pour into flour well. Mix together (using a fork or your hands) adding additional water until the mixture will stay together in a ball. (You may need more or less than 1/2 cup, use your discretion. Keep in mind that you do not want it to be sticky.) 
2. Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and pliable. If you have pasta rollers/attachments, you can use them to fully knead. If not, you'll need to knead it by hand until it becomes quite smooth. Don't worry, it will happen.
3. Let rest for 30-60 min. (This is so the gluten can relax. The longer it sits the easier it will be to roll out)
4. Divide dough in half. Keep one half in the bowl covered (a damp towel works well) while you roll out the other one on a surface lightly coated with cornstarch (if you use flour the dough may toughen up). Roll out as thin as you possibly can using a rolling pin. If you are using pasta machine/attachments, roll dough on several passes starting at setting 1 and continue until you reach setting 5 or 6. You want these things as thin as you can get them while still allowing them to stay together since you will be filling them.
5. Cut into 3.5 inch squares (You should be able to get approx. 18 wonton wrappers out of each half). At this point, you can stack them as long as they are well dusted with corn starch between each one. Wrap them in plastic wrap and place into the fridge while you prepare the filling

.

Chicken and Pork Filling (inspired by Saveur)

• ½ lb ground chicken
• ½ lb ground pork
• 3 tbsp. cornstarch
• 3 tbsp. rice wine (I used Light Gekkeikan Sake from the pantry)
• 2 tbsp. light soy sauce
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• ~40 3½"-square wonton wrappers
• 1 egg, beaten
• Kosher salt, to taste
• ½ cup Sichuan red chile oil, recipe to follow, or use store-bought) 
• 2 tbsp. dark soy (or light soy)

1. Mix pork, cornstarch, rice wine, soy, garlic, and ginger in a bowl. Lay out 3 or four wrappers and place about ½ tablespoon of filling in the center. Brush edges with beaten egg to act as a glue to seal the wrappers. Fold wrapper into a triangle, press edges closed. Overlap opposite points into a little bag/purse shape; set aside. (At this point, the filled dumplings can be stored on a parchment paper lined tray, covered with plastic wrap in the fridge for a few hours until you’re ready to cook them.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat; working in batches of about 12 (depending on the size of your pot) cook wontons until firm and cooked through, approximately 5-7min.. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the dumplings to paper towels to drain, then place in a bowl; season with salt and toss with red chile oil and soy. Serve additional red chile oil and vinegar on the side, if you like.

Note: if you'd like these to be pan-fried, boil first, then heat some oil in a skillet and saute the cooked dumplings until their wrappers begin to bubble and crisp up. Another great way to  serve these, for sure.

Red Chili Oil

• 2 Tbsp red pepper flakes
• ½ c canola oil
• 1 tbsp sesame oil (optional)

1. Place pepper flakes in glass jar. Heat oil over medium high heat until it reaches about 225F. (Use candy thermometer to measure temp.) 
2. Carefully pour hot oil over flakes. You will hear sizzling and immediate peppery fragrance as the flakes get flash fried in the oil. (I put my jar in the kitchen sink for safety while pouring.)
3. When cool, cap and keep in the fridge.

Believe me, even if you forego making your own wrappers (which I hope you won’t), these are fabulous. The chili oil is a taste sensation. It is the perfect addition to the tender wrappers and the garlicky pork and chicken filling. Topped with a splash of soy for a salty note, these are just so outstanding! So tasty!

Happy Cooking!
sld

Asian Inspired Sloppy Joe Sliders

Along with the usual dips and snacks, we always have wings for Super Bowl. The Husband (clever blog-worthy moniker is still being fleshed-out) gets the ingredients and I make 3-4 different flavors from a base recipe. This year, however, Food & Wine magazine temptingly sent out a recipe for Asian Sloppy Joe Sliders.  After glancing over the recipe, I really wanted to add that to our slate of goodies.

Asian Sloppy Joe Sliders adapted from Food & Wine Magazine


(Makes about 10 sliders-depending on the size of your rolls)

• 1 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 small red onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce or other chili garlic sauce
• 1 tablespoons minced garlic
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 pound ground chicken (when I make again, I will cut the chicken and double the pork)
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
• 1/2 cup drained canned diced tomatoes (when I make again, I will use crushed tomatoes)
• 1/8 cup fresh lime juice
• 10 dinner rolls (I used the sweet King's Hawaiian rolls)
• Shredded iceberg lettuce and spicy pickles (optional), for serving

1. In a large, deep skillet, heat the canola oil until shimmering. Add the onions, celery, Sriracha, garlic, and a salt and pepper to taste. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are wilted, about 8 minutes. Add the ground chicken and pork and cook, stirring occasionally to break up the meat, until no pink remains, about 5 minutes. Stir in the hoisin, tomatoes and lime juice and bring to a boil. Simmer over med-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. 
2. Split and toast rolls.
3. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the sloppy joe filling on the bottom half of each roll. Top with shredded lettuce and pickles (if using) and serve.

These were so very tasty. What's great, too, is that the meat filling can be made in advance (up to 3 days) and kept in the fridge until needed. We ate them with the rolls and then the next day, my daughter used some of the iceberg lettuce to make a lettuce wrap with the filling. In addition to the ingredient notes above, the next time I make these, I am going to try the addition of some shiitake mushrooms and chopped water chestnuts to the veggie mix.

Try these for yourself. I think you'll like them as much as we did.

Happy Cooking!

sld