Archive for August 4th, 2007

Today we had dim sum, that venerable ceremony of tea and small foods. At Full Kee, we dip about every last one into a mixture of soy sauce and hot chili oil. My favorite was available today, the fried turnip cake, although it was a bit mushy for my taste.

It is, after all, difficult to make, involving many steps to arrive at the final wedge. But it’s been better before. Especially lackluster were the fried shrimp spring roll; it was so cold and soft that I suspect it hadn’t been cooked since a day before.

The other items, however, held promise, and reminded us of why we return…

I should like to point out what some of the items pictured, are:

Top photo:

• shrimp and crab meat dumpling
• tripe
• shrimp dumpling
• shrimp with pea shoot leaf dumpling

Bottom photo:

• turnip cake
• shrimp-stuffed tofu
• pork-stuffed spring roll (this was new to us at Full Kee)

I should like to return in a few weeks with some folks who are new, yet adventurous to dim sum. It would be fun to experience these flavors together.

Tonight’s menu was XS’s choice, however I was the chef.

Caprese Salad with Hanover Tomatoes

Chicken Marsala with Honey-Cashew Crust

Riso with Sundried Tomato and Asparagus

The salad included small balls of mozzarella cheese, diced hanover tomato, basil, EVOO, salt, pepper, and love. It was fresh tasting; I might have liked the addition of an acid since the tomatoes were so sweet.

The chicken was sautéed first in butter after an egg+flour+honey cashew coating. I thought the snacking nuts, pulsed in the food processor with the flour, might play nice with the sweet marsala wine. Once they chicken was cooked for about 5 minutes per side, I placed them on a plate to rest, while I began the sauce.

Red onion, garlic, and later, mushrooms join butter and olive oil, salt, and pepper. To this, I added some mushroom broth, and finally, sweet marsala wine. I added the chicken back, then covered, to steam/cook for 7-8 minutes.

In a separate pot, I boiled mushroom broth and boiled riso pasta, and added sun-dried tomato. With 5 minutes remaining, I added chopped asparagus and parmesan cheese.

Both the chicken and pasta could have had a fresh squeeze of lemon; I forgot this. But I did add fresh parsley to the chicken upon service.

All three items were tasty.