Hurrah for my first recipe from the Food and Wine Festival! 

I was pretty on the fence about doing this recipe.  It calls for peanut butter and with two peanut allergies in the house, plus the fact that I can't remember the last time I've even had any peanut butter, I just didn't know how it'd work out.  I came this close to shelving the recipe all together.  But then I happened upon the history of dan dan noodles, and knowing how big of a sucker I am for recipes with a story, I had to make it.

Apparently dan dan noodles (or dandanmian) is a classic Sichuan dish that is sold by street vendors.  Because the dish is so easy and cheap to make, even the poorest of people could afford to make and sell the dish at a profit.  They'd carry in baskets, carried by a stick, or dandan, with the soup in one basket and the noodles in the other.  Literally translated, it means beggar's noodles. 

The dish has changed a lot and can vary wildly depending on where it's served.  In China, the noodles are frequently served in a very spicy broth with shaved pork on top.  In the US interpretation of the dish, it's traditionally served with no sauce, sometimes with curry paste instead of sesame paste, and is a lot less spicy.  It's also served either hot or cold.

The Food and Wine recipe is an interesting mix of American and Chinese influenced.  They prepare it with spice, so it has a zip, and sesame paste instead of curry paste.  However, they also serve it cool, with no sauce, and adding peanut butter or paste, which is very much the American interpretation of the dish.  I personally thought it was quite interesting to taste...  It certainly had quite unexpected flavors, not at all what I'm used to in a noodle dish.  Not being a fan of peanut butter, next time I'd leave it out and again double the amount of sauce used (I love my sauce), and I think that would make the dish perfect.  And, surprisingly, it wasn't bad at all served cold!  Maybe it's just me though, I still preferred it slightly while warmed.  And, again, I forgot to top it with green onions...  Which is probably for the best since my green onions were looking a little sad.  Believe it or not, the ingredients for this dish look exotic, but I was actually able to find all of them in a regular grocery store and can be purchased in relatively inexpensive sizes.

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Dan Dan Noodles

As is served at The Food and Wine Festival, China, EPCOT

 

°o°  8 ounces dan dan (lo mein) noodles
°o°  green onions, for garnish, optional

Sauce

°o°  1 teaspoon smooth peanut butter

°o°  1/2 teaspoon sesame paste

°o°  1/4 teaspoon sesame oil 

°o°  1 teaspoon soy sauce

°o°  1 teaspoon rice vinegar

°o°  sugar, to taste (about 1-2 teaspoons)

°o°  fresh ginger juice (or grated ginger), to taste (about 2 teaspoons)
°o°  1/4 teaspoon minced garlic

°o°  1/2 cube chicken bouillon

°o°  1 teaspoon chili oil

°o°  1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorn oil

Cook the pasta in lightly salted water.  When done, drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the water.  Set aside (using a small amount of sesame oil to toss the pasta, to prevent it from sticking, if desired...  Though I strongly suggest this).

Combine all ingredients for the sauce in the saucepan used for the noodles, adding the broth from the pasta.  Cook over medium heat until the sauce darkens and reduces, the chicken bouillon dissolves, and the peanut butter breaks up and both full incorporate into the sauce.  Pour over chilled noodles and toss until sauce coats all of the noodles evenly.

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I know that Nine Dragons isn't always listed on people's "to eat" list, but I can't help but have a soft spot for it.  The first and only time I ate there was in 2008, and while I keep meaning to go back, I've only managed to dine at the adjacent counter service since then.  I've always loved how they've managed to turn what most people think of as fast food cuisine and elevate it to something a little more special.

This is one of the dishes that was ordered when I dined there, and I can't believe I haven't made it before...  It is criminally easy to make, and it tastes outstanding.  While it is a little easier to make with a wok, you really don't need one.  Just be sure, if you're using a frying pan, that when it comes to the stir-frying, just keep everything moving.  The longest part of the recipe is cooking the meat and once that's done, the rest of it comes together very quickly.  So the goal is to cook it all quickly, evenly, and completely, without burning anything.  Also, be sure when you cook the meat to drain the excess marinade, otherwise the mixture will look very grainy and unappealing (though still taste fine).

The only real change I'd make to this recipe is, since I love a lot of sauce, I'd double the amount of sauce used.  While it did make enough sauce to cover everything, I really just love my food to swim in sauce!

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Canton Beef

As is served at Nine Dragons, China Pavilion, EPCOT

 

Marinade- 
°o°  8 tablespoons water 

°o°  1/2 teaspoon salt

°o°  1/2 teaspoon chicken base

°o°  1/2 teaspoon sugar

°o°  2 egg whites

°o°  2 teaspoons cornstarch

Sauce-

°o°  2 tablespoons soy sauce

°o°  2 teaspoons oyster sauce (optional)
°o°  2 teaspoons mirin (or wine)

°o°  2 teaspoons chicken stock

°o°  1 teaspoon chicken base

°o°  1 teaspoon sugar

°o°  white pepper, to taste

°o°  2 teaspoons cornstarch

°o°  1/4 teaspoon sesame oil

Beef Mixture-
°o°  1 pound beef flank steak, sliced
°o°  1 green pepper, cut into chunks 

°o°  1 red pepper, cut into chunks

°o°  1 small onion, cut into chunks

°o°  2 cups cooking oil

Combine all marinade ingredients and mix well.  Add beef and allow to marinated for at least 30 minutes or overnight.  Mix all sauce ingredients and set aside, allowing ingredients to infuse for 30 minutes or overnight.

Add cooking oil to warm wok or large frying pan.  Drain marinade from the beef, and add beef and cook on medium-high until almost cooked through.  Remove beef from heat, strain, and set aside.  Return about 1 teaspoon of oil to the wok, stir fry onions and peppers for about 30 seconds.  Pour sauce over vegetables and allow to cook, stirring occasionally with a spatula.  

When the sauce mixture begins to darken, put beef back in the mixture and stir fry quickly, until the beef is warmed, cooked through, and peppers are softened.  

Serve immediately with white rice.

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I know it may seem odd to start off the week with a sauce, or even really mention a sauce as a Disney recipe, but for me, I couldn't start off the week without sharing this specific recipe.

Back when I went to Disney last September, I was introduced to my new passion in Japanese culture.  Despite being to Disney numerous times before, the Japan Pavilion was a place I just really didn't stop at, but because I had a reservation at Teppan Edo, I poked around in Mitsukoshi, the huge, sprawling store, before it was time to be seated.  I fell in love with it and all the various gadgets, gizmos, and tidbits from around Japan.  Watching the cast members is always a blast too...  Most Disney employees seem to love their job, but at the Japan Pavilion, they bring Disney excitement to a whole new level.

That whole magical shopping experience fresh in my mind made Teppan Edo an even more fantastic dinner.  The ambiance was so amazing and gorgeous, right down to the bathrooms.  The chef was hypnotic to watch...  Unlike most hibachi chefs, who rely on showmanship and fun little tricks, our chef was meticulous, exact, and had a technique that was mesmerizing.  Every cut, precise and exact, his method was perfect, it was more like watching a meal prepared from the chef's table, as opposed to an exhibition.  Yes, the many other chefs there did the tricks everybody expects to see, the food flipped into a hat, onion volcanoes (though, granted, our chef did that too), and attempts to bounce food into people's mouths...  But I think it was fate that gave me the chef more fun to watch for technique and showmanship, because I walked out of that restaurant ready to learn all that there was to learn about Japanese cooking.

The food at Teppan Edo is prepared right and front of you and is surprisingly simple despite the amazing tastes and flavors, there meaning when I got home, there was very little in the way of recipes to recreate at home.  The only one that I could find was for the amazing ginger sauce that they serve as part of the sauce plate with the dinner.  I felt like I'd discovered gold when I found this recipe.  When I made it and served it with simple chicken and udon, I was in heaven.  It tastes exactly like as it's served there.

I will say, when it's served at Teppan Edo, it's strained so that the bits of onion and ginger that are used to season it don't float on the top of the sauce.  I personally prefer to leave it in.  The extremely strong flavors taste wonderful, and as the sauce ages, the flavor that infuses into it becomes only more and more rich.

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Ginger Sauce

As is served at Teppan Edo, Japan Pavilion, EPCOT

 

°o°  6 ounce onion, chopped
°o°  1 ounce ginger root, peeled and chopped

°o°  6 fluid ounce water

°o°  dash of parsley flakes

°o°  juice of 1/2 lemon
°o°  3 fluid ounces Soy Sauce 

°o°  1 fl ounce water

Combine all ingredients in a blender.  Puree at high speed until well blended.  Refrigerate overnight.

Strain sauce before serving.  Serve as a marinade or dressing for seafood or beef, or as a dipping sauce.

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Japanese and Chinese cuisine, believe it or not, is something that will forever be tied to my favorite food memories at Disney.  It was actually places like Teppan Edo, and the Mitsukoshi department store that fueled my fascination of Japanese culture and cooking, and it was places like Nine Dragons that showed me that Chinese food doesn't have to come in a white box. 

I know I've said it before, but my favorite pavilion along EPCOT's World Showcase is, in fact, the Japan Pavilion.  It was there, I discovered things like Pocky, Panda Cookies, Ramune, yuzu sake, bento-style cooking (more on that at the end of the month), and even took the plunge on sushi for the first time.  I've gotten everything from cookbooks to hair combs to chopsticks, sake, and lucky owls in my beloved Japan Pavilion.  Believe it or not, it was the Japan Pavilion that introduced me to Pokemon.  After all, it must be the work of magic to get a 30-something woman to invest more hours then she'd care to admit to into a children's video game franchise. 

So this week, I've decided to recreate some of Disney's most popular Japanese and Chinese dishes.  I honestly think Disney's Asian-style cusine is highly underrated, and I'm super excited to not only pay tribute to some of my absolute favorite places in all of Disney World, but to also share foods that I think most people largely overlook while at Disney.  In fact, it was a struggle to narrow down what recipes I was going to feature this week...  There is so much to choose from!

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Can you see it?

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Here it is, the first recipe in the "They Should Serve This at Disney" series.  Woo hoo!  Though it very nearly ended up in recipe bloopers...  When making it, I accidentally forgot to add 6 ounces of chocolate...  I don't know what I was thinking, obviously math just isn't my strong suit.  It was still entirely edible, just a little goopier than I'd have liked.  When I remade it correctly, it came out perfectly, though I forgot to take pictures.  Again.

Anyway, this week, I picked a somewhat unique and unconventional candy...  Coconut and lime icebox fudge.  The recipe is loosely based off of a recipe that was shared with me by a friend which I tweaked here and there.  The final product ended up being just about the most amazing fudge I've ever had.  

Now, icebox fudge is kind of a regional thing, so for those who're not quite familiar with what it is, allow me to explain.  Unlike most fudge, which is solid and sets up to a harder, though slightly creamy, melt-in-your-mouth candy that will not melt if left at room temperature, icebox fudge is best kept, and served, chilled.  The texture is much more creamy, without being runny, but if left at room temperature it will not keep its shape.  In the 30 seconds of research I did on the subject, I found that icebox fudge really became the in vogue treat back in the era when electric refrigerators that didn't require defrosting were becoming a common household appliance.  The American housewife would use icebox fudge as a treat during the ever-so-popular cocktail, appetizer, or "finger food" parties as a subtle way to show off to her guests that she owned one of these fantastic new devices, as traditional iceboxes that required defrosting were too moist and would not allow icebox fudge to set properly.  The original recipe for icebox fudge actually came from a recipe book devoted to cooking using only your fridge and because finger foods were all the rage, this chilled chocolate was the very modern finger food-friendly substitute to ice cream and was quite popular for awhile in the south.

Now, I think this sweet fudge is a wonderful addition to the dessert menu of the more tropical bakeries and candy shops at Disney, maybe even dressed up as a full dessert (or as part of a dessert sampler) at places like Shutters and Coral Reef.  I can see it being served somewhere on the Boardwalk as its really sweet and refreshing taste just screams summertime at someplace tropical and relaxing.  It really is quite addicting.

I did fully intend on preparing this fudge in a 8x8 square baking dish, but as you can see, I used a rather large loaf pan.  I actually forgot that my only square baking dish met with an unfortunate, gravity-related accident and this was the best substitute I could find.  I fully suggest that, for best results, a 8x8 pan should be used, though keep in mind that the fudge will not be as thick as what I'm showing.  I actually think that thinner fudge bites actually tastes a little better as the big bites has a sweetness factor that is somewhat overwhelming for some.  For those who end up using the loaf pan, as I did, just be aware you won't use all of the graham cracker crumbs.  I should also say, I really like the crust super thick, first of all because it's delicious, but also because it provides an interesting texture and contrast to the sweet fudge.    

So what do we think?  Good enough to be served at Disney, or is it best left back in the 50's?

And for those who're still scratching their heads as to how fudge made in the fridge could have possibly been a poshy-posh treat to impress people with your fantastic fridge...  I actually have a cookbook from the 80's that shared recipes that highlighted another increasingly popular appliance...  The microwave.  Included is a recipe for cooking a Thanksgiving turkey.  Not how to reheat a cooked turkey, but how to clean, stuff, tie, and microwave a small, raw bird until it is cooked through.  Other gems include cooking a ham, hamburgers, roaster chickens, meatloaf, and pork chops, even a cake, all using just the microwave.  Apparently the need to impress people with our appliances has spanned decades, though I have to say if somebody presents me with a microwave-cooked turkey, I'll pass.

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Coconut and Lime Icebox Fudge

Original recipe by The Disney Chef

 

°o°  1/3 cup butter

°o°  1/4 cup sugar

°o°  1/4 cup shredded coconut

°o°  1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

°o°  18 oz white chocolate

°o°  1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

°o°  1/8 cup coconut milk

°o°  1 tablespoon lime zest

°o°  1/4 cup lime juice
°o°  1/8 cup shredded coconut, roughly chopped

Line a 8x8-inc pan with foil or parchment, leaving an overhang off of the edges (to help remove fudge later).  Butter sides and bottom of the pan well.  Set aside.

Melt the butter and add sugar, and pour into the graham cracker crumbs and 1/4 cup shredded coconut.  Toss to mix all ingredients well.  Spread thickly, but evenly, into pan and cook 7-10 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned and the crust has dried.

Melt the white chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, and coconut milk over a double boiler until chocolate has melted completely.  Remove from heat and add zest, lime juice, and coconut.  Spread mixture evenly over the graham cracker crust.  Cover and chill overnight.

To serve, lift fudge from the pan using the foil/parchment overhang and cut into small, 1-inch squares.  Serve chilled and store in the fridge.

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I have a really, really warm place in my heart for this pie.  When I was a teenager, I was very active in 4-H, especially foods group.  As I think I mentioned before, my mother was actually our foods group leader.  Anyway, every late January or early/mid February there was a food show, where the various foods group participants from around the county would bring a food that they'd made to be judged.  You'd have to set your table the "4-H way," be able to recite information about the food groups (later the food pyramid), and tell the judge how you completed your dish from start to finish.  I participated every year, and I even remember my first recipe...  Canned pear halves that, thanks to a carrot peel, some marshmallows and a raisin, I'd made to look like two little mice.  Sounds silly, but when you're like 7, I was as proud of those mice as I would have been if it'd been Thanksgiving dinner.

As I got older and canned pear mice were no longer really an acceptable display of my culinary knowledge, I entered the seniors division where you were expected to create a whole menu.  I still remember setting up my two place settings on a rickety card table, carefully serving the food, all while mentally rehearsing how many servings of what fit into which part of the food pyramid.  It was a really, really big deal.

The very first year I participated in the seniors division, this was the exact pie recipe (and perhaps the first pie I ever actually made) I used for my dessert.  I'd never had key lime pie before, but from the first bite, I was hooked.  Even my dad, who wasn't really a fan of key lime pie, thought it was awesome which I remember was the biggest compliment I thought I could have gotten in the world.  To this day, key lime pie is I think my favorite pie.

The recipe for this pie came originally from a restaurant that is now long gone back when Downtown Disney was still called Disney Village Marketplace.  However, this is the recipe still used for most of the key lime pies served on property.  In fact, when I went to Coral Reef in 2008, this was the recipe used for the key lime pie served there at the time...  And this is still the recipe used for the current Chef Mickey when key lime pie is on the menu.

What I love about this recipe is that it's a very traditional way to make key lime pie.  No food coloring, no whipped topping in the filling, no lime Jello, no green food dye...  Just sweetened condensed milk, eggs, lime juice.  It's amazing something so simple and uncomplicated could taste so deliciously good.  This can be served with whipped cream or whipped topping on top, which a lot of people do to cut the sweetness, but I personally love it as-is.

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Key Lime Pie

As was served at Chef Mickey's Village Restaurant, Disney Village Marketplace (now Downtown Disney)
Currently served at various restaurants across Disney World

 

°o°  1 3/4 cups sweetened condensed milk (about two cans)
°o°  4 egg yolks

°o°  7 tablespoons key lime juice

°o°  1 9-inch prepared graham cracker pie shell

°o°  Whipped cream for garnish, if desired

Preheat oven to 350.  Beat sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks and beat on low until completely combined.  With mixer still on lowest setting (never higher so as to prevent air bubbles), add key lime juice and mix until well blended.  Pour into pie shell and bake for 20 minutes, or until set (the middle of the pie will be firm with no wiggle).  Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until serving.

Top with whipped cream and lime as a garnish, if desired.

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I wasn't sure about this recipe.  It was certainly unique, but I was worried it wouldn't taste very coco-nutty (is that even a word?), and I thought there was no way on earth that the breading would stick.  Was I happily surprised to find out that this is an amazing recipe that came together almost perfectly.  The taste was so different, but crunchy and delicious that I wish I'd made more.  I will say that my big flub with the dish is that I forgot to serve it with the mango puree when I made it and took the pictures...  Which is funny, because when I was eating it I thought that the crust was a little dry and would have done really well with a fruit sauce or squeeze of lemon...  I did have the puree with the leftovers, however, and while it certainly wasn't photogenic, it did bump up the level of tastiness a lot and resolved any issues of dryness in the crust.  Truthfully, I felt kind of dumb forgetting it the first time.  This is my week for dumb mistakes, apparently.

Other then the accidental omission above, I did do everything exactly according to the recipe and the tips and tricks to this are fairly simple.  I used sliced almonds and crushed them, giving me both a fine powder, and some rather large bits.  Had it to do over, I may have crushed the almonds a bit more, though the crunchiness that the larger pieces definitely added a wonderful touch to the dish.  I just found that the larger bits of almond didn't stick as well and tended to fall off during the pan frying.  They also tended to brown faster, though even the ones that looked a tad, well, burned on my sample chicken didn't taste burned in the slightest (though it did make a little less photogenic).  As for the coconut, doing the recipe over, I'd chop them a bit finer then I did for the same burning reason as the almonds.  I also used the thin-cut chicken available at my grocery store as opposed to pounding out a breast.  That allowed me to really have complete control of how long I needed to cook everything without having to worry about the chicken being unable to hold up to a heavy bread coating, a fry, then a bake.  And since we're on the subject of frying, I found that frying it until it was just slightly golden, enough to make sure the coating was really stuck to the chicken, then putting it in the oven yielded the most wonderful results.

I have to say, though, that this will go down as one of my favorite chicken dishes.  I just love the crunchiness and the unique flavor.  The pop of the mango chutney really set it all apart...  Just make sure you don't forget to use it.

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Coconut Almond Chicken

As is served at Kona,Polynesian Resort

 

°o°  4 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
°o°  mango puree (one mango pureed with sugar to taste), for garnish
°o°  Coco Lopez, for garnish
°o°  lime wedge, for garnish

Coconut Marinade
°o°  1/2 cup eggs, very well beaten
°o°  1/2 cup coconut milk

°o°  1/2 cup curry paste (Pataks brand, if possible)

°o°  1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt


Almond Breading

°o°  1/2 cup flour

°o°  1 cup sliced almonds, coarsely chopped

°o°  1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

°o°  1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

If needed, trim and pound chicken breast halves, making sure the chicken is as close to uniform thickness as possible.

Mix all ingredients for the coconut marinade together.  Place chicken in the marinade, covering completely and allowing to marinate for 1-2 hours or overnight.

Combine all ingredients for almond coating.  Dredge marinated chicken through mixture, patting on additional coating if needed.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a hot pan, place a small amount of canola oil.  Fry until lightly golden, turn and do the same on the opposite side, then place in warmed oven and cook until very golden and cooked through.  Chicken will be firm.  Season with additional salt, if needed.

Drizzle chicken with mango puree and Coco Lopez and garnish with a lime wedge.

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