April 14, 2011

Daring Cooks: Edible Containers

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Mac and Cheese on Cheese
Mac 'N' Cheese on a crispy cheddar cheese bowl


Potato Cups
baked hash potato cups with assorted fillings:
egg salad topped with caviar, poached salmon, goat cheese

vegetarian bibimbap with tofu, baby carrots, baby zucchini, soybean sprouts,
fresh shiitake, and egg yolk in a seasoned rice bowl


Renata of Testado, Provado & Aprovado! was our Daring Cooks’ April 2011 hostess. Renata challenged us to think “outside the plate” and create our own edible containers! Prizes are being awarded to the most creative edible container and filling, so vote on your favorite from April 17th to May 16th at http://thedaringkitchen.com!

This is one of the most fun Daring Cooks challenges and most delicious too. Thank you Renata for coming up with this brilliant challenge allowing us DC members to be as creative as much as we want.

THE RECIPES

Mac 'N' Cheese
I love the crunch and saltiness of the cheese bowls and what could be better than a double dose of cheese.

coarsely grated extra sharp Cheddar cheese
prepared macaroni and cheese, keep hot
1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
1 cup panko bread crumbs
medium-size bowls
cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil (for easy clean-up)
  • Heat a non-stick skillet over medium fire and place 3 tablespoons of grated cheese. Cook until golden brown and a little fat has been rendered. Remove fat by dabbing with paper towel. Remove cheese with a large spatula and place immediately onto the bottom of upside-down bowl. Place on the cookie sheet and let set while cooking the rest of the cheese. Once set, remove cheese cups carefully from bowl and set on a serving dish. Add butter or olive oil to the skillet and toast panko until golden brown. Spoon macaroni and cheese into cups and sprinkle with toasted panko. Serve immediately
Hash Potato Cups
I love these for breakfast.

1 pound waxy potatoes
¼ cup finely chopped sweet onion
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon sea salt
egg salad
caviar
poached or shallow-fried salmon steak
goat cheese, cream cheese, or mascarpone
regular or mini muffin pan
  • Boil potatoes, whole and unpeeled, for 10 minutes. Let potatoes cool in the freezer for 15 minutes. Peel potatoes and coarsely grate. In a non-stick skillet, heat butter, saute onions until cooked, add to the grated potatoes with the salt, mix gently. Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease muffin cups. Spoon and press the potato mixture on the bottom and sides of muffin cups. Bake until darkish brown and edges are crispy. Remove from pans and fill.

Vegetarian Bibimbap
Korean cuisine has been a long-time favorite specially bibimbap I decided to make it vegetarian with tofu instead of beef strips for a change.

rice

2 cups cooked Japanese short grain rice
1 egg white
2 tablespoon sauce
2 medium-size microwavable bowls

sauce
6 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons gochu jang sauce, or to taste
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon ginger juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1 tablespoon Korean sesame oil

vegetable and tofu
light olive oil
baby carrots, julienned
baby zucchini, sliced into coins
fresh shiitake, julienned or halved if small
kale or spinach
soybean sprouts
1 block firm tofu, cut into 1 x 1 x 2 inch pieces

optional topping
2 egg yolks
  • Mix all sauce ingredients and let simmer in a small saucepan for 3 minutes. Remove 2 tablespoons and mix with the rice together with egg white. Line the bowls with plastic wrap and spoon 1 cup rice in each bowl pressing up the sides. Microwave, uncovered for 1½ minutes. Leave to set.
  • In a non-stick skillet, add half tablespoon of oil and saute carrots until tender, transfer into a large plate and set aside. Saute the next 4 ingredients, one at a time, adding oil as needed and transfer into the plate separating each vegetable. Keep vegetables warm. Stir fry tofu with 2 tablespoons of sauce until sauce is absorbed and has thickened. Transfer into the platter; keep warm. Fry the egg yolks until the bottom is set and the edges begin to cook.
  • Reheat rice bowl in the microwave for 1 minute. Remove the plastic wrap carefully and transfer the rice bowls into plates. Arrange the still warm vegetables and tofu in the bowls. Drizzle sauce all over. Top each with an egg yolk. Serve immediately with extra sauce on the side.

16 comments:

Audax said...

WOW three containers I love the vegetarian bibimbap that is so unusual and it looks so delicious well done! Also I admire your photographs so clear and professional great job on this challenge.

Cheers from Audax in Sydney Australia.

Mirage said...

Look at the rice bowl, so awesome! These are not just palate-yummy, there are eye-candies too!

shelley c. said...

YUM - all three of your containers look great! The mac'n'cheese has my name all over it (well, you know, figuratively...), and the hash brown cups look scrumptious. And the bibimbop looks so refreshing! Really, really wonderful job on all three!!

Melanie said...

The mac 'n' cheese must have magical powers because it is calling my name, too! It looks splendid!

Rochelle said...

Such a great job on all three! I love the mac 'n cheese with the cheese cup around it (get double the cheesy goodness that way :D) and the Potato cups sound great for breakfast, I'll have to give them a try.

I like your idea of using the microwave to heat the rice and then let it set up that way. Did it stay together well?

Chantel Beauregard said...

Love the Hash Potato Cups!

Claudia said...

I can't wait to try those potato cups. I almost did taro cups for my Lomilomi salmon, but thought they would get soggy.

Anonymous said...

I would eat them all. Especially the mac and cheese. However that bibimbap is absolutely beautiful. Great work on this month's challenge.

Ruth H. said...

As a cheese fan, the mac and cheese in cheese cups looks amazing! And the potato cups worked beautifully! Thank you so much for sharing your creativity. Your creations are always so much fun to see, I only wish I could taste them, too!

Janine said...

ooh the bibimbap is a great idea! I love bibimbap and this will be perfect for me to pop into my mouth when i'm on the go :)

TaGa_Luto said...

Love all your edible containers. I have your mac n cheese in my to do list. I'm thinking of making them soon! That bibimbap is genius because you actually do get the "tutong" w/c i love. Thanks for visiting my blog!

Lisa said...

OMG!! Totally blown away by your creativity! Love them all..the down home side of me the mac n' cheese bowls, the exotic side, the bipimibap! It's gorgeous! Beautiful, beautiful job! OH, loving your matcha adzuki bean swirl bread above..bookmarking that for sure!

Renata said...

I thank YOU for being so enthusiastic at the forum and making such amazing dishes with edible containers. I specially love the bibimbap rice bowl, now that I'm living in Korea and have become familiar with this delicious dish I think it was very thoughtful! Thanks for participating!

Anonymous said...

That rice bowl is mouth watering good ..everything you did is wonderful..great job

Jenni said...

Great great job! I love all your bowls, but I am particularly fond of your mac and cheese bowls! They looks amazing!!

Unknown said...

OMG you went above and beyond. I love what you did with the potato one

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