Kumquats!! Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Special Symbolism of the Chinese New Year Celebration

Why are peach blossoms and kumquat trees such a welcome gift at a Chinese new year celebration? And what is it about fish served whole, duck, spring rolls, noodles, and bamboo shoots that make them abundant features of the traditional new years meal?

From special foods, to particular flowers and lucky numbers, the traditional Chinese new year celebration includes a myriad of auspicious symbols for longevity, prosperity, fertility, and all manner of good fortune. Whether hosting a new years party or attending a celebration, you may want to keep these in mind as you offer your intention and good wishes for the year ahead to family and friends.

Kumquat tree in Cantonese is called Gam Gat Sue. The word Gam rhymes with the Cantonese word for gold, and the word Gat rhymes with the Cantonese word for luck. In Mandarin, kumquat is jin jiu meaning "golden orange" symbolizing gold or wealth.

My Seneca teens tried these little sweet/tart golden nuggets today in a seasonal fruit salad and loved them! Lucia loves them too. Strangely enough "little kids" like sour things so don't be afraid to introduce them into their diet and expand their palates and combat the sweet treat habit.

As the annual Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco approaches this weekend, keep in mind these other foods that can help assure your good fortune and health this year.

Chicken and fish symbolize happiness and prosperity - especially when served whole, symbolizing togetherness of the family

Oranges and tangerines represent wealth and good fortune because they are golden and because they are China's most plentiful fruit. Traditional etiquette includes bringing a bag of these fruits whenever visiting family or friends during the 2-week long new years celebration. Tangerines with leaves intact assure that one's relationship with the other remains secure.

Noodles represent longevity (therefore, they should never be cut!)

Duck symbolizes fidelity, while eggs signify fertility.

Clams and spring rolls both symbolize wealth; clams because of their resemblance to bouillon, and spring rolls because their shape is similar to gold bars.

The word for fish (魚yú) sounds like the word for abundance or surpluses "(餘yú). As a result, on New Year's Eve it is customary to serve a fish at the end of the evening meal, symbolizing a wish for abundance in the coming year. For added symbolism, the fish is served whole, with head and tail attached, symbolizing a good beginning and ending for the coming year.

Turnips are served because their name "cai tou" also means "good omen".

The word for bamboo shoots also sounds like the phrase for "wishing that everything will be well".

Meanwhile...... here is a nice recipe for the new year......

Kumquat Chicken

1 1/2 tsp chili oil

2 tsp fresh ginger, grated

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into 1/2 x 2 inch strips

2 T hoisin 1 T oyster sauce

1 tsp sugar

1 T cornstarch

2 tsp Chinese 5 Spice powder

1/2 C chicken broth

1 T rice wine vinegar

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large wok or skillet, combine the chili oil and grated ginger. Sauté on medium heat for 1 minute until fragrant.

2. Add chicken strips. Cook until chicken becomes opaque.

3. In a separate bowl, combine oyster sauce, cornstarch, sugar , chicken broth and 5 spice powder to taste. Stir until thickened. Add to chicken then immediately add kumquats.

4. Add vinegar, turn down heat, cover pan and simmer 5 minutes until chicken is done and kumquats are limp.

5. If necessary add water by teaspoons to keep mixture from becoming so thick it sticks and burns.

6. Serve over rice or noodles and garnish with thinly sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds.

Fresh Black Mole Enchiladas

My Husband Troy says that he is an Irishman by heritage, but a Latin lover in his heart. He LOVES Mexican food. Typically taco trucks are his weakness, not "chi chi" California style fresh Mexican food. I am constantly working to develop recipes that embrace both. Mexican depth of flavor and California healthy style.

Recently, I went to a "pop up" store in Oakland, organized by my friend Samin Nosrat, http://ciaosamin.blogspot.com who by the way was the catalyst and organizer for the wildly successful Bakesale for Haiti, and Chris Lee of the recently closed Eccolo and purchased some black mole sauce.

After watching Mexican food aficionado and Top Chef Masters winner, Rick Bayless go into eye-rolling ecstasy describing his first taste of black mole and his life-long quest to re-create it, I jumped at the chance to bring some home and source a great way to use it.

Inspired recently by a recipe that I saw in the San Francisco Chronicle, I tweaked this M'Lisa style and came up with a real winner that I tried out tonight for dinner. It was as beautiful to look at as it tasted, and even my taco truck loving, Portuguese Irishman Husband declared it a run away winner. Below is the M'Lisa-ized recipe. For those who are interested about what I changed, I have included at link to the original article as well.

The recipe includes a version of the afor-mentioned black mole, but for this recipe, I used the mole that I purchased from Samin and that was made by personal chef Melissa Fernandez www.figandmiel.com.

Enchiladas Under a Salad

Serves 6 with leftover sauce and picadillo.

You will have sauce and filling leftover for more enchiladas or to freeze. You can make the sauce a day before making the enchiladas.

• Sweet Mole Sauce:
• 
  
• 5 dried ancho chiles
• 6 dried guajillo chiles
• 2 dried California chiles
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt + more later to taste
• 3 garlic cloves - 2 peeled, 1 with husk
• 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed
• 1 small tomato
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 4 whole cloves, crushed
• 1 2-inch piece canela (cinnamon bark), broken up
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 small Knorr chicken bouillon cubes or 1 tablespoon Superior Touch "Better than Bouillon" (optional)
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar or one 3-inch piece piloncillo
• 1 1/2 ounces Mexican chocolate (Abuelita brand or Oaxacan), chopped
• 
  
• Family Picadillo:
• 
  
• 6 peeled carrots, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 tomato, seeded and diced
• 1 pound Prather Ranch ground beef
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon olive oil, as needed
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
• -- Black pepper to taste
• 12 corn tortillas
• 
  
• The Salad:
• 
  
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• -- Pinch of kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• -- About 3 cups crisp romaine lettuce cut into 1/2-inch thick ribbons
• 4 watermelon radishes, washed, and thinly sliced
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

For the Sweet Mole Sauce: Put on a teakettle of water to boil and then use scissors to cut stems off dried chiles and cut chiles in half. Shake out seeds. If I see large white veins (the hottest part of chiles), I cut them out with the scissors. Do this operation over a spread out newspaper or your kitchen will be covered with seeds. Place chiles in a large heat-proof bowl and pour boiling water over them. If the chiles are cut up they tend to float less, but keep pushing the chiles into the water. Add the 2 teaspoons salt and the peeled garlic and soak for 1 hour.

While the chiles are soaking, heat a 10-inch skillet and toast the sesame seeds on medium heat until deeply golden, stirring constantly; remove from pan and set aside. While the pan is still hot, quickly toast the cumin seeds until dark brown and aromatic (be careful - they can burn quickly), then add to the the sesame seeds.

Increase heat to medium high; add the small tomato and remaining garlic clove (with husk). Cook the tomato until charred around the edges along with the garlic, turning the tomatoes over to char the other side. Add the oregano; stir to toast, about 30 seconds. Put aside to cool.

After 45 minutes to 1 hour, the chiles should be rehydrated. Pour off the soaking liquid, which can be bitter. Use a blender to puree the chiles (in batches as needed), adding just enough water to help puree. Pour puree through a wire strainer placed over a large bowl. Discard the skins (they are great in compost). After straining the last batch of chiles, pour the liquid back into the blender jar. Add the charred tomato, toasted garlic, sesame seeds, cumin, oregano, cloves and canela; puree.

Heat the olive oil in a deep, heavy pot and blend in flour until well mixed and smooth. Cook until slightly toasted or golden. Slowly whisk in the chile-spice puree and 3 cups water. Lupe always adds the bouillon because it is traditional. Add the sugar or piloncillo and the Mexican chocolate. Simmer the sweet sauce for 20 minutes over the lowest heat because it can splatter. Stir often to make sure the chocolate and sugar are well-dissolved. Add salt to taste, if needed. This sauce can be made a day in advance and refrigerated. Makes about 1 quart, enough for the enchiladas plus leftovers.

For the Family Picadillo: Sautee the onions and carrots in a spot of olive oil, until caramelized. Add the ground beef, use a potato masher to break up the meat and distribute the vegetables throughout. Pour off the excess fat. Season with oregano, salt and pepper. Add the cooked black beans and diced tomato. Warm though. Set aside, cover and keep warm. Makes about 5 cups, enough for the enchiladas plus leftovers.

To assemble: Preheat the oven to 375°. Oil a 9- by 13-inch baking pan or 3-quart baking dish. Pour enough sauce into the prepared pan (just large enough to hold a tortilla) to fill the pan about 3/4-inch deep - about 2 cups. Heat until warm, if necessary. If the sauce has been refrigerated and has thickened, blend in a bit of water or chicken broth to thin it out.

Meanwhile, heat a griddle to warm tortillas on. Warm two at a time then lay them out on a flat plate. Place 1/4 cup of picadillo along one edge and roll up tightly. Place each rolled enchilada into the baking dish, seam side down. Place baking dish in the oven, and heat through, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the salad. Whisk together lime juice, salt and oil. Add lettuce and radishes, toss together.

To serve: Remove enchiladas from the oven, and place 2 on each plate. Pile a heaping 1/2 cup salad over each serving, top with 2-3 avocado slices and sprinkle with goat cheese. Or, serve family-style on a platter.

Per serving: 484 calories, 18 g protein, 49 g carbohydrate, 25 g fat (7 g saturated), 46 mg cholesterol, 896 mg sodium, 7 g fiber.

Wine pairing: The mole is not overly hot, and it finishes with a sweet edge. A beer, a soft white or lighter-bodied red like Beaujolais will all work.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2010/02/21/FDHU1BTH1C.DTL