Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese Recipe

By Gina Greco, Senior Brand Marketing Specialist, SEMCA

**NOTE:   The Sharp Superheated Steam Countertop Oven (SSC0586DS) is not sold in Canada, however this recipe will work in the SuperSteam+ Superheated Steam Built-In Wall Oven (SSC2489DS) on the Convection Bake function, or a conventional oven. Temperatures and baking times are stated in the baking instructions as an option.


Sunkissed Kitchen thought it was time to bring you some real comfort food this winter in a sea of salads! Baked mac and cheese with a surprise layer of buffalo chicken — now that is a meal that we can totally get behind any day of the week. The combo of spicy and creamy is truly out of this world! This recipe is kept gluten-free using gluten-free pasta and then blended brown rice crackers for a crunchy, golden brown topping.

However, if you do not wish to have the gluten-free element in the recipe, feel free to use traditional pasta and flower instead of arrowroot. Our Sharp Chef Michelle used a combination of Sharp appliances to create this tasty dish.  The Sharp Induction Cooktop (sorry, this cooktop is not available in Canada) was a great tool when making the delicate cheese sauces, and the Superheated Steam Countertop Oven was an excellent tool to bake the casserole in only 12 minutes! This recipe is a creamy comfort food classic elevated with a spicy buffalo chicken base! If you’re a mac and cheese lover like we are,  this is not to be missed!

Ingredients

Baked Whole Chicken

  • 4-pound chicken* whole
  • 1 teaspoon of sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon sage
  • 1/2 teaspoon thyme
  • black pepper to taste

Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

  • 1 pound macaroni noodles gluten-free, if necessary
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/2 cup buffalo wing hot sauce
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs gluten-free (brown rice crackers, blended into a flour)

White Cheddar Cheese Sauce

  • 2/3 cup chicken broth
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 4 cups aged white cheddar cheese shredded
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons arrowroot

Instructions

Baked Chicken

  1. Rub chicken with salt and spices, and place in a shallow baking dish.
  2. Bake in the Sharp Superheated Steam Countertop Oven on 425º F for  50 minutes on the BAKE/REHEAT setting.
  3. If using the Superheated Steam Oven, preheat oven to 425º F on SUPERSTEAM ROAST setting, and bake for 50-60 minutes.
  4. If baking in a conventional oven, preheat the oven to 425º F. Cover the chicken and baking dish with foil tightly and bake for 1 hour. Uncover, and bake for another 30 minutes to brown.
  5. Once the chicken has cooled some, remove the chicken from the bones and shred it into bite-sized pieces.

Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

  1. Boil water and cook pasta per package instructions.
  2. Prepare the buffalo chicken by melting butter in a frying pan and then adding the hot sauce. Add the shredded chicken and mix to coat.
  3. Add the buffalo chicken to the base of a 9×9 baking dish.
  4. Prepare cheese sauce by adding the broth to a saucepan over low heat. Set the Sharp Induction Cooktop to level 1 for the simmer enhancer feature. If using a standard cooktop, turn on the lowest setting.
  5. Add mustard powder and garlic to the broth, and stir until the broth has warmed.
  6. Sprinkle the cheese with arrowroot, and stir to coat gently.
  7. Add the cheese to the broth, and use a fork to mix it well. “Whisk” the cheese until a very smooth and slightly thin cheese sauce is formed. If the sauce seems too thick, add a little more broth to thin it out, so it easily coats the pasta.
  8. Pour the cheese sauce over the drained pasta, and mix to combine.
  9. Add the pasta to the baking dish in a layer over the buffalo chicken.
  10. Top the macaroni with a dusting of breadcrumbs.
  11. Bake in the Sharp Superheated Steam Countertop Oven for 15 minutes on the Broil/Grill function at 450º F until the breadcrumbs are toasted and the casserole is heated throughout.
  12. If using the Superheated Steam Oven, preheat oven to 450º F on CONVECTION BAKE setting, and bake for about 15 minutes until the breadcrumbs are toasted and the casserole is heated throughout.
  13. If baking in a conventional oven, preheat the oven to bake at 425º F, then bake for 20 minutes until the breadcrumbs are golden brown.
  14. Serve with carrots and celery, or sprinkle on blue cheese.

Recipe Notes

*Save time by using a precooked chicken.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 8 people

Calories: 484kcal

Nutrition 

Calories: 484kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 488mg | Potassium: 210mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 12.2% | Vitamin C: 1.8% | Calcium: 43.2% | Iron: 8.3%

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Ramen Recipes Around the World

By Daniel Troise, Marketing Intern, SEMCA

**NOTE:   The Sharp 30″ Drop-In Radiant Cooktop (SDH3042DB) or the 24″ Drop-In Radiant Cooktop (SCR2442FB) are not sold in Canada, however these recipes will work on any stovetop.


Last year at this time, I was on a plane coming back from Montreal, logging into my email to see if the travel company to see if they got the last payment for my 2-week excursion through China. Flash forward 12 months later (you can see where this is going), I am laying in my bed under a blanket going through virtual tours of the Great Wall of China online. The bottom line is this; we have seen many changes over the past year, and those who love to travel have had to put their plans on hold while the world heals. While I can’t be eating a pasta dish in Italy or zip-lining through Costa Rica, there is no reason that we can’t tap into our cultural side through fine cuisine by one of the best chefs I know (yes, that is you!)

One of my resolutions for the new year is to try new foods and get a bit more innovative in the kitchen. Looking through Pinterest boards and reading numerous food blogs, I have found a new uplifting trend of transforming basic Ramen into a culturally appetizing meal. While I viewed Ramen as a quick and simple meal in the past to avoid a lot of meal prep and time, it makes sense to take a guilty pleasure of mine to the next level.

Throughout this Ramen recipe roundup, I plan to showcase some of my most favored recipes containing Ramen derived from countries around the world. From stops in Europe, Asia, and Africa, we will travel to these exotic and breathtaking destinations through these amazing cuisines and creations.


East Asian Ramen Noodles

Ramen noodles being drained

The first time I was introduced to ramen noodles was my freshman year of college when I had $4 to my name, and they were one of the most affordable things on the shelves. While that chapter has ended in my life, they continue to be a guilty pleasure of mine and something I enjoy whipping up in the kitchen when my stomach begins to growl. Between the amazing taste and the simplicity behind the preparation, I am looking forward to sharing with you some interesting takes on ramen to take it up a notch.

To start our journey worldwide, I want to share this amazing recipe from “Self-Proclaimed Foodie” calling for Asian Ramen Noodles. I decided to start with more of a traditional (but tasty) option to ease into this roundup.

So, what do you say, want to create a flavorful dish in under 20 minutes? Rummage through your kitchen cabinets and head on over to the grocery store to find the obvious ramen noodles (8 oz.), toasted sesame oil (2 teaspoons), minced garlic (2 cloves), grated ginger (1 teaspoon), soy sauce (3 tablespoons). You will also want to have a tablespoon of each of the following: fish sauce, sesame seeds, brown sugar, and a ½ teaspoon of chili paste.

I know all those ingredients sound tasty, and in a span of 10 minutes, you are going to go from a countertop spread out to a delicious meal on the table. Don’t believe me? Set the timer and go!

ramen

  1. Grab a pot from your kitchen and boil the Ramen noodles in water. If you follow the packaging directions (without the seasoning), it should take approximately 4 minutes. Once it is good to go, drain it and set it aside.
  2. Take the sesame oil and heat it using a saucepan or a small skillet (either one will work). Over medium heat will be ideal.
  3. Next, you are going to want to cook the ginger and garlic. This will take about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
  4. Head over to the counter and gather the soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame seeds, brown sugar, and chili paste. Take the pan off from the heat and whisk it together.
  5. Finally, take the drained noodles and mix them with the newfound (and yummy) sauce. If you feel a little gourmet, feel free to garnish the topping with green onion and additional sesame seeds.

Spicy Korean (Ramen) Noodles

While I know we have already traveled to Eastern Asia through this ramen recipe roundup, I decided that it may be the best thing to take a layover in Korea before heading to other international hotspots. Personally, I have always had a strong interest in South Korean culture, and included in their culture is the food. When I was 5 years old, two of my best friends were twins born in South Korea, and throughout our friendships, I was slowly introduced to the Korean way of life.

Given this background and as a tribute to my friends, I have decided that it would be perfect to showcase the Spicy Korean Beach Ramen Noodles recipe from “Crème de la Crumb.” After you are done putting this masterpiece together, you will probably wonder why it isn’t photographed and on a major food television network. This under 30-minute recipe from start to finish has already been proven to be a tasty option for many, with people quoting it as an “easy and flavorful dish recipe” and “I went back for seconds.” If that isn’t enough for you to already be non your way to the kitchen, someone even rated it “20 stars”.

Spicy Ramen Noodles

You know the drill, put on a mask and head on over to the grocery market or place your order on your phone and pick up a flank steak (1 lb.), gochujang (4 tablespoons), and two tablespoons of the following: thinly sliced green onions, oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar. Also, make sure you add ground ginger (1 teaspoon), sesame oil (1 tablespoon), beef ramen with seasoning (2 packages), a ½ thinly sliced white onion, and a ½ of sliced mushrooms to your cart. Lastly, make sure you have 4 tablespoons of each, minced garlic, and sugar.

  1. Grab a small bowl and gather the gochujang, green onions, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and sugar to whisk it together.
  2. Go in your drawer and grab a large Ziploc bag, pouring half of the whisked mixture into it, adding the in the steak. Seal it and place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or overnight. Cover up the remaining sauce and place it in the refrigerator. Keep it nearby as we will use it soon.
  3. Next, take the oil and drizzle it onto a large pan over medium heat. Take the steak and the Ziploc bag out of the fridge and use tongs to place the steak (keep everything else in the bag) in the pan. Cook it on each side for approximately 5-8 minutes until it looks brown on the outside.
  4. Once the steak is good to go, place it on a large cutting board. Now, remember that bag I said to keep nearby. Place the remaining marinade and the onions, mushrooms, ramen noodles, and ramen seasoning into the pan with water until it simmers. Allow it to cook for about 5-7 minutes.
  5. Head on back to the steak and slice it thinly across the grain. Take the steak strip and place it in the remaining sauce you placed in the fridge, stirring everything together. Cook it until the steak is hot throughout the garnish for a few minutes. Serve it (add green onions for extra taste) and enjoy!

Italian Style Chicken Ramen

Italian style Ramen

It was set up perfectly, a family vacation to Italy set for the summer. Between my parent’s milestone wedding anniversary and birthdays within a short amount of time, we decided that it was finally time to do something we have always talked about. That was a family vacation to Italy. Between my parent and all my grandparents being born in the US, my great grandparents immigrated to this country from Italy; therefore, my roots have been a bit distant. While I was all set and began planning for one of the best trips ever, you know what happened (yes, a global pandemic), and the trip was put on hiatus.

While I may not be jetting off for a fun-filled week at the Amalfi Coast, I figured I would do the next best thing and visit the boot-shaped country through this recipe roundup. If you have followed my work and recipe highlights on Simply Better Living, you probably find no surprise that I included an Italian-style dish within it. Dubbed as a “classic chicken ramen bowl with an Italian twist,” it is surely a win in the kitchen. Join me in the journey on how to make

Between the broth and the topping, we will need quite a few items, so let’s jump into it. To start with the broth, we will want to make sure we grab a shopping cart and put in extra virgin olive oil (2 tablespoons), a ½ cup of the following: diced celery, diced carrots, diced onions, and then salt (2 teaspoons). You are also going to want to add fresh ground pepper (1 teaspoon), red pepper flakes (1 tablespoon), chopped garlic in water (1 tablespoon), 2 anchovy fillets, 4 thyme sprigs, 2 basil springs, chicken stock (64 oz.), and a pound of noodles.

Italian style ramen

This is already sounding yummy, and I haven’t even gotten to the toppings yet. For this, you are going to need 4 large eggs, a shredded rotisserie chicken blanches broccolini (1 lb.), thinly sliced radishes (1/2 lb.), and diced white and green onions.

Let’s begin!

  1. Grab a large saucepan and heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Then cook the celery, carrots, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper until they are soft. This should take approximately 8 minutes. Once ready, add the red pepper flakes, anchovies, thyme, and basil and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
  2. Make sure to reduce the heat and add in the chicken stock, simmering it for approximately 20 minutes. After that, make sure to remove the basil and thyme before you add in the noodles.
  3. Next, grab an additional large pot and boil up some water (add some salt to make it boil a bit faster). Once boiling, add in the eggs and cook them for about 5 minutes. Additionally, while the eggs cook, grabs a large bowl and fills it with cold water; once the 5 minutes is up, place the eggs in the bowl carefully and give it about 2 minutes to cool down. Peel the eggs and halve them the long way.
  4. Finally, place the noodles and broth into bowls, topping each of them with chicken, broccolini, radishes, green onions, and egg halves.

Nigerian Beef and Ramen Noodle Pepper Soup

Nigerian beef

For many years, one of my dream vacation destinations has been to spend some time and travel throughout the entire continent of Africa. Between swimming with Great White Sharks in Cape Town, feeding giraffes at dinner in Kenya, the countless safaris, and everything in between. While all these are amazing landscapes, I believe that our next destination will be Nigeria’s green jungles. While we can’t hop on a truck and view these beautiful gifts from Mother Nature, we can imagine ourselves there through the amazing cuisine (while getting to cure our spice tooth).

One of my new year’s resolutions is to venture around the globe (virtually, of course) and research and taste some amazing recipes and dishes from continents around the world. So, when I thought of an around the world concept for this recipe roundup, I ran with it and was able to find this taste worthy Nigerian Beef and Ramen Noodle Pepper Soup from “Foods From Africa.” This flavorful and low-calorie creation is perfect for any occasion. Hey, the occasion could be right now, right?

ramen

Head on over to your local market and get some ingredients for the bone broth and pepper soup. For the broth, make sure to pick up grass-fed beef bones (2 kg.), 2 tablespoons of each alligator pepper, Jamaican nutmeg, and African negro pepper. 3 carrots, 2 onions, and garlic clove (yum!).

For the pepper soup, ensure that you have a bone broth (1.5 liters), grass-fed beef fillet (400 g.), Thai basil (50 g.), and ramen noodles (240 g.). Also, be sure to pick up another onion, garlic clove, a beef stock cube, and de-seeded scotch bonnet pepper. Are you ready?

Bone Broth

bone broth

  1. First, take out a Dutch oven and place the beef bones within it, covering it with cold water. Set it on high heat for approximately 20 minutes allowing for the bone to simmer. Once ready, remove the heat and drain the liquid.
  2. Next, you are going to preheat your oven to 350°C, placing all the bones you have blanched on a baking sheet, and roast them until they are brown. This should take about 40-50 minutes.
  3. Take the bones and place them into the Dutch Oven, adding about 4 liters of water and all of the spices, including alligator pepper, negro pepper, and Jamaican nutmeg. Set it to bring a low boil and take away any scum that may rise to the top. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for approximately 6-12 hours, ensuring enough water to keep the bones covered. Trust me; it will be worth the wait.
  4. Approximately 3 hours towards the simmering end, add in the onions, garlic, and carrots, letting it simmer for 3-4 hours.
  5. Finally, you are going to discard the bones and strain them through a sieve. Let it cool, then take out a mason jar or a large secure bowl, placing it in the freezer. The coolest part? If you plan on using it beyond a week later, you can place it in s secure freezer bag and use it up to 6 months later if unopened!

Peppercorn soup

Peppercorn Soup

  1. First, you can prepare your fillet of beef to cook by rubbing a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil over the meat. For a little kick, add some salt and black pepper (I know I would, but it is totally up to you).
  2. Grab a skillet and place it on your Sharp 30″ Drop-In Radiant Cooktop. In there, you will want to add a teaspoon of olive oil, giving it a few minutes to warm up.
  3. When ready, transfer the beef into the pan and let it fry for approximately 5 minutes, constantly turning the meat. This will make sure each side is properly browned (and each bite is tasty). Once the 5 minutes is up, please remove it from the cooktop and cover it, setting it aside.
  4. Next, you will want to preheat your oven to about 375 degrees and add the chopped onions and garlic into a skillet for about 2-3 minutes. To help make the pan a bit less sticky, throw in a tiny bit of bone broth and place everything from the skillet to the Dutch oven.
  5. Add in the bone broth, stock cube, scotch bonnet pepper, and salt, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer cover for 15 – 20 minutes. After that, place the browned fillet in the oven, allowing it to roast for approximately 10 minutes.
  6. While everything is getting all roasted and tasty, now would be a great time to prepare the Ramen noodles. Utilize the package instructions and follow them accordingly, not overcooking them (slightly al-dente is key). Remove the beef from the oven and slice into about half-inch-thick slices. It should be rare (and delicious).
  7. Finally, take the beef slices, chopped basil, and ramen noodles and place them in the Dutch oven. Let it simmer for about 3-5 minutes and enjoy!

Tahini Miso Ramen with Crispy Tofu

ramen

We have one last travel voucher left in our pack and one place for a stamp left on our passport. Can you guess where we will visit next? I’ll give you a hint; it has beautiful hills and sands, as well as a rich culture. We are going to the Middle East! While I have never been personally, I have heard nothing but great things about the beautiful and innovative villages and cities through close friends of mine. Therefore, it will be the perfect place to end our trip. The next dish and the final dish we will introduce contain Tahini, a Middle Eastern condiment.

This tasteful Tahini Miso Ramen with Crispy Tofu from “Soom Foods.” I usually try to include a vegan option to cater to all my readers, and this one is interchangeable. If you take out the egg ingredient, BAM, you have a vegan dish! And speaking of ingredients, let’s grab a few.

For the crispy tofu, we are going to want to pick up a block of extra firm tofu (14 oz.), a tablespoon of each, including olive oil, soy sauce, and cornstarch, salt (1/4 tsp), and pepper (1/4 pepper). For the yummy mushrooms, we will want to grab some additional olive oil (2 tsp), a package of cremini mushrooms, and salt and pepper.

Tahini

Don’t worry, we need one more round of groceries, and then we are off to whip it up in the kitchen. For the ramen, make sure to grab ramen noodle (2 packages), olive oil (2 tsp), toasted sesame oil (2 tsp), minced cloves garlic (2), a tablespoon of both freshly grated ginger and white miso paste, vegetable broth (5 cups), and some salt (1/2 tsp). Also, find room in the cart for Tahini (1/4 cup), toasted sesame oil (1 tsp), soy sauce (2 tbsp), rice wine vinegar (2 tsp), soft boiled eggs (2), thinly sliced scallions, chopped cilantro, and sesame seeds.

Now that you have rummaged through all your cabinets, let’s get started!

tofu

  1. First, we are going to start by making the crispy tofu by preheating the oven at 425 degrees F. Press the block of extra firm tofu using a dish towel to remove the water, and cut it into 1/2”-3/4” cubes placing them on a baking sheet tossed with tofu, olive oil, and soy sauce until coated. Add in cornstarch, salt, and pepper and toss that in as well until the whole thing is covered and coated. Bake it for approximately 30-35 minutes, tossing it while cooking (only once) until it is crispy and brown.
  2. Heat a non-stick skillet and place it over medium heat for the mushrooms. Once it is hot, add cremini mushrooms and sauté it for about 8-10 minutes. Make sure that you stir it occasionally until the edges are golden brown. If you want to add a bit of taste, season it with salt and pepper.
  3. Next, take a soup pot and place it on your Drop-In Radiant Cooktop over medium-high heat, adding some olive and sesame oil. Once it begins to heat up, add in garlic and ginger, sautéing it until fragrant (for approximately 30 minutes)—Cook for an additional 1 minute adding in white miso paste, and stir it constantly.
  4. Add and combine in vegetable broth, tahini, salt. Then raise the heat to a high, and once brought to a boil, utilize the package instructions to add in the ramen noodles. Once cooked, add in and stir the sesame oil, soy sauce, and rice wine vinegar. Feel free to add salt for an extra kick (totally up to you).
  5. Finally, place the ramen into bowls, top it off with the crispy tofu, sautéed mushrooms, 2 soft boiled eggs, thinly sliced scallions, chopped cilantro, and sesame seeds. Enjoy!

10 Ooey Gooey Baked Brie Recipes

By Jena Branco, Marketing Coordinator, Brand & Marketing Communications, SECL

Unfortunately these days during the pandemic, entertaining friends and families have been non-existent. But that doesn’t stop me from preparing a beautiful charcuterie board on Saturday nights for my little family of three to enjoy during family night of watching movies or playing board games.

So what is my quintessential item on my charcuterie board? Baked brie is the answer to that question!!! My boys love the gooey, melty, velvety texture and flavour of brie when it’s baked. The flavour is not pungent — very mild-flavoured cheese even for my picky 13 year-old — and can be paired with either a sweet or savoury topping.

How to Bake Brie

  1. Remove your brie wheel out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for approx 30 – 45 mins before baking.
  2. When ready to bake, preheat your Superheated Steam Oven to 325°F on the Convection Bake function (or a conventional oven to 350°F).
  3. Place the wheel of brie on a piece of parchment paper and place the parchment paper in an oven-proof baking dish that’s just slightly larger than the wheel of brie (this is for easy transfer to a serving dish). If you’re lucky enough to have a brie baking dish, you can bake and serve directly in this beautiful dish.
  4. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake. Every oven is different, but generally for an 8-ounce wheel, bake for approx 12 – 15 minutes, and 18-22 minutes for a 16-ounce wheel.
  5. Remove from the brie from oven and gently press with a butter knife to check if the brie has melted. If it hasn’t, place back in the oven for an additional 2 – 3 minutes.
  6. Serve with crackers and fresh fruit

Tips to Make the Best Baked Brie

  1. If you are buying a wheel of brie, make sure you consider the thickness of the brie. Most wheels of brie are sold in 1-inch thickness, so if they are thicker than that, keep in mind they will require a longer baking time.
  2. Don’t skimp on the brie. Try to purchase one that is labelled “triple-cream brie”. This one melts beautifully and will give you the best gooey, velvety texture.
  3. Don’t forget to score the top rind of the brie to ensure even melting.
  4. Leave the rind on the brie. It’s totally edible and will hold the cheese together.
  5. Allow the wheel of brie to sit at room temperature for at least 30-45 minutes prior to baking it, as this ensures the brie melts evenly in the oven. Cold brie in a hot oven will definitely require additional baking time, and can risk you over baking it.
  6. Most importantly — don’t over cook! If the brie is over baked, it often becomes hard as it cools. This is not appealing or appetizing at the very least.

Some baked brie I’ve prepared were on the sweeter side. It’s easy to grab a jar of your favourite preserve (such as fig, apricot, orange marmalade, blueberry or raspberry) and pile it high on top of a wheel of baked brie. But I’ve compiled a few of my favourite toppings below — a mix of sweet and savoury ideas — for you to try and enjoy!


1. Baked Brie with Roasted Garlic and Cherries

Baked brie with roasted garlic and cherries

My favourite baked brie of all time is served with roasted garlic and cherries. The garlic is roasted in olive oil and it’s so soft that it spreads like butter. Add fresh cherries and sliced almonds while it’s baking, will give another dimension to this savoury but delicious dish.

Ingredients

  • 3 Heads of Garlic
  • 6 teaspoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (2 teaspoons for each garlic head)
  • 1 Large Brie Wheel 13-14 ounces
  • 1/2 cup of fresh cherries
  • 1/4 cup of blanched sliced almonds
  • 4 tablespoons of honey
  • 1 Large Loaf of Baguette Bread

Instructions

Roasting the garlic

  1. Preheat your Superheated Steam Oven to 375°F on the Convection Bake function (or a conventional oven to 400°F).
  2. Remove any loose papery outer layers from the garlic, but leave the tight fitting peel intact.
  3. Slice about ¼ inch off the top of the garlic head – the side that doesn’t sit flat.
  4. Cut 3 pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil, roughly 12”. Set one garlic head in the middle. Add 2 teaspoons of olive oil carefully, making sure it sinks into the individual cloves.
  5. Bring up all four sides of the aluminum foil and wrap tightly on top. Repeat with the remaining garlic.
  6. Place the foil wrapped garlic heads on a baking sheet and roast for 40-50 minutes.
  7. Remove the garlic from the oven. When you remove the foil, the garlic heads should be golden, and have a spreadable consistency.
  8. Let your oven cool down for a bit, before you start baking the brie.

Serve the baked brie and roasted garlic

  1. Preheat your Superheated Steam Oven to 325°F on the Convection Bake function (or a conventional oven to 350°F).
  2. Cut the baguette into ½ inch rounds. Arrange the bread on a baking sheet and set aside.
  3. Place the brie wheel in the middle of a cast-iron skillet. Add cherries and sliced almonds over top. Sprinkle honey and bake the brie for 15-20 minutes, or until the inside is melted. The brie should give when pressed lightly.
  4. When the brie is almost done, place the bread in the oven for the last 5-6 minutes to toast it just a little bit.
  5. Serve the brie wheel in the cast-iron skillet. Add the roasted garlic heads in the skillet and serve.
  6. Spread a clove of roasted garlic on a piece of bread and top with a generous amount of brie cheese.

2. Baked Brie with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

This savoury but show-stopping appetizer from Taste and Tell only takes minutes to prepare!

Ingredients

  • 4 oz sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (13.2 oz) wheel brie cheese
  • 1–2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • bagel chips or crackers, for serving

Instructions

  1. Preheat your Superheated Steam Oven to 325°F on the Convection Bake function (or a conventional oven to 350°F).
  2. Combine the sun-dried tomatoes and garlic in a bowl with some of the oil from the tomatoes. Place the wheel of brie on a baking sheet (you can place it on a piece of parchment paper to make it easy to transfer to a serving plate). Place the sun-dried tomatoes and garlic on top of the cheese.
  3. Bake in the oven until the cheese is soft and starts to ooze out the sides, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle on the parsley before serving.

3. Baked Brie with Cranberry and Walnuts

Baked brie with cranberry sauce and walnuts.

Warm, melty brie with a savoury & sweet cranberry and walnut topping – a quick and easy crowd pleasing creation!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
  • ¼ cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp fresh lime juice
  • 8 or 9 ounce brie
  • ¼ cup toasted walnuts, chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat your Superheated Steam Oven to 325°F degrees in the Convection Bake function (or 350°F in a conventional oven).
  2. Place cranberries, maple syrup, butter, rosemary and salt and pepper in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 3-5 minutes or until syrupy. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice.
  3. Place brie in a parchment paper lined oven-proof dish, cover with foil, and bake brie for 15 minutes or until soft.
  4. Carefully transfer brie to serving dish or a charcuterie board. Pour cranberry mixture over brie and garnish with chopped walnuts.
  5. Serve immediately with crackers or baguette slices.

4. Baked Brie with Sweet Red Pepper Jam

Adapted from PinkWhen, this recipe is a touch of sweetness and tang — the perfect complement to your appetizer table.

Ingredients – Red Pepper Jam

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 red bell peppers (stemmed, seeded, and finely diced)
  • salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds

Ingredients – Baked Brie

  • 8 ounce wheel of brie cheese
  • 1/4 cup red pepper jam
  • 1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the red bell peppers and season with salt and black pepper. Cook until the peppers are tender, about 6 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, sugar, honey and mustard seeds. Bring to a slight boil and then reduce the heat to simmer. Simmer for 20-25 minutes or until thickened and most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and let stand at room temperature until you are ready to serve, or place it in a tightly sealed jar. Place in the refrigerator, will keep for about 2 weeks.
  2. Preheat your Superheated Steam Oven to 350°F degrees in the Convection Bake function (or 375°F in a conventional oven) and spray a baking dish or small cast iron pan with nonstick spray. Place the brie in the pan, and then place the pan in the oven.
  3. Bake the brie for about 15 minutes or until softened.
  4. Remove from heat and immediately dollop with red pepper jam. Garnish with toasted pine nuts and fresh parsley.
  5. Enjoy immediately with crostini, crackers or pita bread.

5. Blueberry Pecan Baked Brie

Soft whole baked brie cheese with pecan, blueberries and honey

You’ll only need four ingredients: wheel of brie, fresh blueberries, pecans, and honey … plus whatever you choose to serve the baked brie with. Enjoy!

Ingredients

  • 8 ounce wheel of brie cheese
  • 1/2 cup of fresh blueberries
  • 1/2 cup of pecans, toasted and halved
  • 4 tbsp of honey

Instructions

  1. Preheat your Superheated Steam Oven to 325°F degrees in the Convection Bake function (or 350°F in a conventional oven)
  2. Place brie round on parchment lined baking sheet. Thinly cut top off of brie round. Cover top of brie round with fresh blueberries and pecans. Drizzle with honey.
  3. Bake for 7-10 minutes until melty.
  4. Serve warm with sliced pears, apples, bread or crackers.

6. Baked Brie with Red Wine Jelly and Sliced Almonds

Baked Brie with Red Wine Jelly, Sliced Almonds and Warm Ciabatta.

Your friends and family will feel like royalty when you serve them this baked brie with red wine jelly. The preserve is rich and delicious — made for a queen (or king)!

Ingredients & Instructions- Red Wine Jelly

  • 1 (750 ml) bottle red wine (Cabernet, Pinot Noir, Merlot or Red Blends are good)
  • 3 1/4 cups sugar
  • 1 (3-ounce) envelope liquid pectin
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon butter
  1. Bring 1¼ cups wine to boil in small saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook until reduced to 1/3 cup; approximately15 to 20 minutes. Set aside.
  2. Add remaining wine and sugar to a large saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Stir in pectin, lemon juice, and butter, and return to a vigorous boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
  3. Remove from heat and stir in the reduced wine.
  4. Using hot, sterilized jelly jars, fill jars just to rim; add lid until just tight and let cool to room temperature before refrigerating.
  5. To be fully set, put in refrigerator to cool overnight. Jelly can be refrigerated for up to 1 month.

Ingredients – Baked Brie

  • 10 ounce wheel of brie cheese
  • 3/4 cup of red wine jelly
  • 1 cup of toasted almonds, sliced

Instructions

  1. Preheat your Superheated Steam Oven to 325°F degrees in the Convection Bake function (or 350°F in a conventional oven)
  2. Place brie round on parchment lined baking sheet. Cover top of brie round with the red wine jelly and toasted sliced almonds.
  3. Bake for 7-10 minutes until melty.
  4. Enjoy immediately with ciabatta bread.

7. Baked Brie with Fig Jam

This recipe from Entertaining with Beth is one I use often. As she suggested, I use a cast-iron skillet to bake and serve the baked brie … love that I only have one dish to wash! Serve with sliced and toasted baguettes and fresh grapes.

Ingredients

  • 8 oz (230g) wheel of brie
  • 2 tbsp. (30ml) fig jam
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) fresh rosemary, minced
  • 2 dried figs, sliced
  • 1 tbsp. (15 ml) of pecans, chopped
  • 1 baguette, sliced and Toasted
  • 2 bunches grapes

Instructions

  1. Preheat your Superheated Steam Oven to 350°F degrees in the Convection Bake function (or 375°F in a conventional oven)
  2. Place brie in an oven-safe dish, a 6” (15cm) cast iron skillet works perfectly!
  3. Spread jam on top, add rosemary, dried figs, and pecans.
  4. Bake for approximately 15 minutes.
  5. Place on a wooden charger or charcuterie board, add grapes and toasted baguette!

8. Baked Brie with Caramelized Onion, Bacon & Balsamic Jam

My mouth waters every time I make this. I love the flavour of caramelized onion and balsamic vinegar rendered in bacon. Thank you to Everyday Gourmet with Blakely for sharing this piece of savoury explosion in your mouth.

Ingredients

  • 3 slices bacon, diced small
  • 1 large sweet onion
  • 5 sprigs thyme, leaves removed 
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 round brie
  • Crackers & sliced baguette for serving

Instructions

  1. Preheat your Superheated Steam Oven to 325°F degrees in the Convection Bake function (or 350°F in a conventional oven)
  2. In a pan over medium heat add the sliced bacon. Cook until you see the fat rendering, about a minute or two. Add in the sliced onions in the pan.
  3. Cook the onions, stirring often, for about 10 minutes or until they turn a beautiful caramel colour. Keep to medium heat so the onions do not burn!
  4. Once the onions have caramelized nicely add in the thyme leaves, pinch of salt, brown sugar, and balsamic vinegar.
  5. Stir to combine and let it cook until thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Set aside while the brie cooks
  6. Put the brie in an oven proof serving dish and into the preheated oven. Bake until it starts to bubble and melt, about 15 minutes.
  7. Remove from oven, and top with the caramelized onion jam. Serve with crackers and sliced baguette.

9. Baked Brie in Phyllo Pastry

Adapted from A Family Feast, this light and flaky baked brie, topped with your favourite jam is gorgeous and delicious — what else can you ask for? I’ve always used puff pastry in the past, but this phyllo version is much more delicate.

Ingredients

  • 6 sheets phyllo dough 14×18-inch size
  • 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, melted
  • 10 ounce wheel of brie
  • 4–6 tablespoons of your favourite preserves or jam (i.e., fig, apricot, or strawberry)
  • Crackers for serving

Instructions

  1. Preheat your Superheated Steam Oven to 400°F degrees in the Convection Bake function (or 425°F in a conventional oven)
  2. When handling phyllo pastry, make sure you have a clean and dry dishtowel on hand. Use the dishtowel to cover the phyllo sheets you are not using to prevent from drying out.
  3. Using one sheet at a time, brush butter all over the top side of the the phyllo sheet, place the brie on top and wrap the brie wheel. Turn the cheese over each time so that the folds are on the bottom, when you start your next sheet. Repeat steps 3 until you have wrapped 5 sheets of phyllo around the cheese.
  4. Generously spread your favourite jam across the top of the brie wheel.
  5. Spread a generous amount of butter on your last phyllo sheet and gently place the phyllo over the top of the jam, butter side down, being very careful not to tear the phyllo dough.
  6. Finish wrapping the brie with the dough, folding the edges underneath the brie and using additional butter as needed to smooth the phyllo folds around the cheese. Brush additional butter over the top.
  7. Place brie round on parchment lined baking sheet, and into the preheated oven. Bake about 15 minutes until lightly brown.
  8. Let brie sit for 5 minutes before serving with crackers.

10. Baked Brie in Puff Pastry with Honey and Almonds

One of my first baked brie using puff pastry is from Taste and See. A definite winner every time I made it! I’m so excited to include this amazing recipe and share it with you all.

Ingredients

  • 12-13 ounce wheel of brie
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1/3 cup sliced almonds
  • 1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted, rolled out to 11 x 11 inches
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon water

Instructions

  1. Roll the puff pastry into 11-inch square.  Check to make sure this provides enough room to fold over your brie and seal up… if not then roll your pastry out a little wider.  Place brie in center and top with 2 tablespoons of honey and half the almonds.
  2. Fold up the corners of puff pastry one at a time, brushing all the dough with the egg wash as you go, using it like glue to hold the pastry together. Continue to brush the egg wash over the top and sides of the dough after formed.
  3. Preheat your Superheated Steam Oven to 375°F degrees in the Convection Bake function (or 400°F in a conventional oven). When ready, bake brie for 10 minutes, then carefully pull the oven rack out without removing the brie from the oven. Quickly drizzle with a tablespoon of honey and sprinkle with the remaining almond slices. Slide the Brie back in the oven and continue baking for another 10 minutes.
  4. Be careful to not let the almonds burn.

Fajita Shrimp Sheet Pan Dinner Recipe

By Gina Greco, Senior Brand Marketing Specialist, SEMCA

**NOTE:   The Sharp Superheated Steam Countertop Oven (SSC0586DS) is not sold in Canada, however this recipe will work in the Superheated Steam Oven (SSC2489DS) on the Conv Bake function, or in a Conventional Oven. Use the temperatures and baking times are stated in the baking instructions below.


Isn’t Fajita Friday coming up? If you did not already think that, it is time you start a new tradition with these delicious shrimp fajitas! This recipe is simple to make, with very little mess to clean. This entire dish can be prepared and cooked with ONLY a sheet pan and can feed up to four guests. This means no pots or pans to clean after dinner, a massive plus for me personally.

I cannot get enough of this recipe; I always make it when I invite friends over for a movie night on the weekend. I make it almost every Friday, and it never gets old!

Ingredients:

  • 3 Bell Peppers (green, red, yellow)
  • ½ a medium yellow onion
  • 1 ½  lbs. of peeled and deveined shrimp (I only used one pound, but I would recommend more; defrosted or fresh work)
  • 1 ½ tbsp of olive oil

Spice Mix:

  • 1 ½ tsp of oregano
  • 1 ½ tsp of cumin
  • 1 tsp of salt
  • 1 tsp of onion powder
  • 1 tsp of garlic powder
  • 1 tsp of chili powder
  • 1 tsp of fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 ½ tsp of coriander

Extras:

  • Corn tortillas
  • Shredded cheese
  • Sour cream
  • Guacamole
  • Spanish Rice

To start, I like to combine all of the required spices into a bowl. In a small bowl, add all the dry spices together and mix well. Set the blend of spices aside; you will need to prepare your vegetables next. Rinse and slice the three bell peppers and half of a medium yellow onion. I usually like to slice these vegetables in strips, but you can chop them if you prefer. After your veggies are sliced and ready to go, place them into a large bowl and combine half of the dry spice mixture.

Then, add ½ tbs of olive oil and mix everything around until the vegetables are thoroughly coated with the oil and seasoning. I usually do this by tossing the ingredients in the bowl using a circular motion.

Make sure to lightly grease your Sharp Broiling Pan with ½ tbsp of olive oil before spreading the seasoned vegetables evenly across the tray. Try to make sure that the vegetables are not on top of each other to cooks evenly. Once evenly spread out, set the Sharp Superheated Steam Oven on the cooking mode Bake/ Reheat at 450 degrees for twelve minutes.

While the vegetables cook in your Sharp Superheated Countertop Steam Oven or Sharp Superheated Steam Oven, you want to make sure to prepare the shrimp. Take 1 ½ lb. of peeled and deveined shrimp and place them in the empty bowl you used to season the vegetables. Then add the remaining dry spice mixture and ½ tsp of olive oil into the bowl and toss just as you did for the vegetables. Continue stirring the ingredients until the shrimp is thoroughly coated with oil and seasoning.

After your vegetables are done cooking, remove the broiling pan from the Superheated Steam Countertop Oven (or Superheated Steam Oven) and place the shrimp evenly across the top of the vegetables. Fair warning, there should be some juices from the vegetables, so be careful when handling the pan to avoid hot sauces going overboard.

After the shrimp is added, place the broiler pan back in the oven and set it to Bake/Reheat at 450 degrees for seven minutes. At this point, you should be smelling the delicious scents of this dish cooking in your steam oven. In the meantime, prepare the extra toppings so that you can serve it immediately.

I often like to put the corn tortillas on the crisper tray and select the Toast setting on mode 2. This helps to make the tortilla warm and crispy. I then prepare little bowls of shredded cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and Spanish rice. You can adjust all the fajitas yourself when the shrimp and vegetables are done cooking, or you can place the bowls on the table and let your guests put their desired amount of toppings. I usually serve them this way.

When the shrimp and vegetables are done cooking, fill the corn tortillas with even portions of the fajita mixture and allow guests to add even more delicious toppings.

Fajita shrimp on a dish with toppings.

Print

Fajita Shrimp Sheet Pan Dinner

This simple and delicious fajita shrimp sheet pan dinner can be made mess-free in less than 1 hour and serves up-to 4 people.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword fajita
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • Sharp Superheated Steam Countertop Oven

Ingredients

Fajita Ingredients

  • 1 Red Bell Pepper
  • 1 Green Bell Pepper
  • 1 Yellow Bell Pepper
  • 1/2 Medium Yellow Onion
  • 1 1/2 lb Peeled and Deveined Shrimp
  • 1 1/2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 6 Corn Tortillas
  • 1 Bag Shredded Cheese
  • 1 Box Spanish Rice

Spice Mix Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 tsp Oregano
  • 1 1/2 tsp Cumin
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Chili Powder
  • 1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 1/2 tsp Coriander

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, mix together the dry spices and set aside
  • Rinse and slice bell peppers and yellow onion into long strips
  • In a bowl toss half of spice mixture with the sliced vegetables and ½ tbs of olive oil until evenly coated
  • Lightly grease broiling pan with ½ of olive oil and spread out seasoned vegetables evenly across the tray
  • Place broiling pan in Superheated Steam Countertop Oven on Bake Reheat at 450 degrees for 12 minutes (or in your Superheated Steam Oven on Conv Bake at 450 degrees for 12 minutes).
  • While vegetables are cooking take the 1 ½ lbs. of peeled and deveined shrimp and combine with remaining seasoning mix and ½ tsp of olive oil in large bowl
  • After 12 minutes, remove vegetables from oven and spread shrimp evenly across the vegetable tray
  • Place the broiler tray in the oven and preset oven to Bake/Reheat mode at 450 degrees for 7 minutes (or in your Superheated Steam Oven on Supersteam Roast at 450 degrees for 7 minutes).
  • To warm your corn tortillas, place them on crisper tray and select Toast mode on setting 2 (or in your Superheated Steam Oven on Conv Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes).

Mini Greek Yogurt Chocolate Cheesecakes

By Gina Greco, Senior Brand Marketing Specialist, SEMCA

**NOTE:   The Sharp Superheated Steam Countertop Oven (SSC0586DS) is not sold in Canada, however this recipe will work in the SuperSteam+ Built-In Wall Oven (SSC2489DS) on the Steam Bake / Water Bath function, or a conventional oven. Temperatures and baking times are stated in the baking instructions as an option.


Cute dessert alert! Your party guests will love these individual-sized Chocolate Cheesecakes. I use gluten-free graham crackers and lighten up a classic cheesecake recipe with Greek yogurt.

A Perfect Party Dessert

Parties and gatherings might look different for you and your family this year. Still, despite continued social distancing, I am sure we are all getting ready for some small but meaningful gatherings! This holiday season, baking multiple holiday pies may be out of the question, so why not make individually sized treats that the whole family can enjoy? My impulse baking has been unmatched these last few months and I have been yearning to find a new recipe to try.

These mini chocolate cheesecakes are a great individually portioned dessert for any chocolate cheesecake fan. They look stunning on a platter and are just so delicious I cannot get enough of them!

You’ll LOVE this recipe because:

  • The rich chocolate cheesecake has a light, but ultra-creamy texture, thanks to Greek yogurt. This also brightens up the typical sweetness of cheesecake, making it a great summery dessert option.
  • It’s naturally sweetened with maple syrup – just enough without going overboard on added sugars!
  • The base is just 2 ingredients — gluten-free graham crackers and butter. It takes minutes to put together!
  • They are stunning served with fresh berries and mint. I went with raspberries, but strawberries, blackberries, or banana slices would be equally as good!

How to Make Mini Chocolate Cheesecake

This silicone mold will allow you to make 12 perfect sized cheesecakes in your Superheated Steam Countertop Oven or Sharp SuperSteam+ Built-In Wall Oven. The mold can also be used for homemade nut/seed butter cups, so it’s one you’ll likely get a lot of use out of! If you don’t have this pan, use a muffin tin lined with parchment paper liners.

Step 1: Prep the crust by adding gluten-free graham crackers to a food processor and forming a crumb. Then, add melted butter and pulse to combine into a crumbly mixture.

Step 2: Scoop 1 heaping tablespoon of the graham cracker crust into each cavity.

Step 3: Use slightly wet fingers to press the crust down into each hole. I find this easier to do using the bottom of a glass ramekin about this size. Maybe the bottom of a pint glass would work too?

Step 4: Prepare the chocolate cheesecake mixture by first softening the cream cheese in the food processor, scraping down the sides as necessary, to lighten up the cream cheese, so it mixes well into the other ingredients. Add the rest of the ingredients and process to combine, stopping to scrape a few times. Try not to let it process for too long because you don’t want air bubbles on the tops of your cheesecakes!

Step 5: Divide the chocolate cheesecake batter equally between the 12 mini cheesecakes. Loosely cover the pan with foil.

Step 6: I used my Sharp Superheated Steam Countertop Oven and my Sharp SuperSteam+ Built-In Wall Oven to bake these cheesecakes, meaning this step was super easy — no water bath required! If you do not have a steam oven, you need to fill a baking dish with hot water and place the pan semi-submerged in the water. I use ramekins to hold it up off the bottom of the pan and pour water in until it’s just touching the pan’s bottoms. Just be really careful not to splash the water into the cheesecakes when putting them in the oven!

I use my Sharp Superheated Steam Countertop Oven and my Sharp SuperSteam+ Built-In Wall Oven all of the time! Both ovens are truly such a time saver and the effects of cooking with superheated steam are really remarkable. The Water Bath feature on my built-in wall oven is a virtual Bain-Marie for slow-baking custards, cheesecakes, and puddings, making it the perfect tool in my kitchen for this recipe.

There’s no preheating required on my countertop steam oven, meaning I can reheat leftovers or make a pizza in no time. It really is the ultimate tool for anyone that has hectic schedules or are working from home during these tough times and are looking for a convenient way to cook. I love that this countertop oven features count-down cooking, meaning that when the cooking time is over, the oven turns off. It helps prevent me from overcooking my dishes if I run into another room for a few minutes.

For those of you wondering, what makes a steam wall oven so unique is that uses a Hybrid Convection System that circulates the hot air, steam, and super steam through a damper duct system. Unlike conventional radiant ovens, convection ovens have a fan that continuously circulates air through the oven cavity. When hot air is blown onto food, as opposed to merely surrounding it, the food tends to cook more quickly.

Getting to use it for special desserts like this is a bonus — especially in the summer, baking the cheesecakes in that oven means I don’t have to turn on my big oven. It is such a relief and saves me time and money on my air conditioning bill.

How to Top Off Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes

These cheesecakes are a gorgeous dessert all on their own. Definitely try them with raspberries on top!

If you want to get a little more creative, I suggest:

  • A dollop of whipped cream or coconut whipped cream.
  • A spoonful of Raspberry Chia Jam
  • Mixed berries — add blackberries, blueberries, and sliced strawberries.
  • Chopped and toasted pecans
  • Toasted coconut flakes

Print

Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes

A fun individual sized cheesecake recipe, with a gluten free crust. These rich dark chocolate cheesecakes are perfect served with berries.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword cheesecake, chocolate, chocolate cheesecake, chocolate dessert, steam cooking
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 12 cheesecakes
Calories 286kcal

Equipment

  • Superheated Steam Countertop Oven
  • SuperSteam+ Built-In Wall Oven

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

  • 240 grams gluten free graham crackers or sub regular graham crackers
  • 5 tbsp melted butter

Chocolate Greek Yogurt Cheesecake

  • 8 ounces cream cheese full fat
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt full fat
  • 3 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate melted
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 egg

Instructions

Graham Cracker Crust

  • Prepare the crust by adding the graham crackers into a food processor, and processing until crumbs form. Add the melted butter, and pulse a few times until combined. Press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.

Chocolate Greek Yogurt Cheesecake

  • Rinse out the food processor bowl, and add the cream cheese. Process to soften the cream cheese, stopping to scrape down the sides if necessary.
  • Add the Greek yogurt, melted chocolate, maple syrup, and vanilla. Process until mixed very well. Scrape down the sides as necessary to completely mix into the cream cheese.
  • Add the egg, and process again to mix well.
  • Pour the cheesecake batter into the springform pan on top of the crust.
  • Cover the pan with foil, and then bake in the Sharp Superheated Steam Countertop Oven by setting it to WARM on 275º F for 45 minutes. If baking in a conventional oven, cover the cheesecakes with foil, and bake on 275º for 1 hour.  If using the Sharp SuperSteam+ Built-in Wall Oven, cover with foil and set it to Steam Bake –> Water Bath on 270º for 45 minutes.
  • Once the cheesecakes are finished baking, allow to cool, and then allow to set for at least 3 hours in the refrigerator.
  • Serve the cheesecake with berries or whipped cream.
  • Store the cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This cheesecake recipe also freezes well. Wrap tightly, and then store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Mile-High Crab Cakes

By Matthew Vecera, Senior Manager, Brand & Digital Marketing, SEMCA

**NOTE:   The Sharp Superheated Steam Countertop Oven (SSC0586DS) is not sold in Canada, however this recipe will work in the Superheated Steam Oven (SSC2489DS) on the Conv Bake function, or in a Convection Oven. Use the temperatures and baking times are stated in the baking instructions below.


You see them on the brunch menu all the time. Delightful little patties of delicate crab meat. They are the rare seafood treat that isn’t very in-your-face fishy and doesn’t require any special effort to eat. As a matter of fact, considering how challenging it is to eat crab from the shell, a crab cake is downright luxurious.

Making crab cakes at home… that is not quite as pleasant. Crab cakes are a great example of cooking as an art. A successful crab cake depends on a very specific, light, but firm texture. It must hold its shape while flipping in a frying pan when you cook it but remain delicate and flaky when you eat it. The ingredients are a predictable list of the usual suspects, but the measurements are a moving target. You should only have enough moisture to hold the crab cake together barely. And since moisture will come from all of the ingredients in unpredictable amounts, you have to use your judgment. Do I need more bread crumbs? Do I really bread crumbs at all? Choose wisely!

The Sharp Superheated Steam Countertop Oven is going to help us out in a couple of ways. First, we are going to bake our crab cakes. That will give us the chance to make a more delicate mixture since we won’t have to flip it. Second, the 485oF superheated steam will sear all sides of the crab cake at once, so we can create a better structure for taller and fluffier results.

The first choice that I am making is the aromatics, and I will use the Trinity instead of Mirepoix. Mirepoix is 2-parts onion, one-part carrot, and one-part celery. That is fine and traditional, but I don’t feel that carrots and crab do much for each other. They match, but they don’t complement. Since crab cakes are typically mild in flavor, I want to make every ingredient count.

Trinity is equal parts onion, celery, and bell pepper. Not only is the balance better, but diced red bell pepper will accentuate the sweetness of the crab meat and add a pop of color… A nice red color that is not only appetizing but is commonly associated with cooked shellfish. Red bell pepper also compliments the paprika better than carrot, and it cooks at the same time as the onion.

I sautéed the diced red bell pepper, onion, and celery together over medium-low heat with a scant pat of butter. You want the butter flavor, but too much fat or oil will make the patty fall apart when it should be holding together. After the onions became translucent, I added lemony seasonings – a pinch of fresh thyme and chopped basil. You could also add some fresh lemon zest and fold everything together.

Now stop and take a look. Have the vegetables released most of their liquid? Did you cook-off the remaining liquid? Everything should be nice and dry, not saucy or soupy in any way. IF YOU CAN, a tablespoon of lemon juice or white wine would be great, but you will have to cook it off completely. You want the tangy zip in the Trinity but no liquid in the pan. Maybe you can do it; maybe you can’t. Use your judgment; it will be fine either way. Take the pan off the heat to cool.

The crab meat should be lump crab meat, like claw meat – but not the most expensive jumbo lump. That is reserved for a crab cocktail where you want to see the substantial pieces of meat. There is no reason to pay for a jumbo lump since the mixture will break everything up anyway.

Sixteen ounces of crabmeat in a can is normally quite packed, but there will be liquid. Press and drain as much liquid out as you can. The canning liquid doesn’t taste that great, and rinsing is not an option, so drain thoroughly and add to a mixing bowl. This will also make it a little easier to look for shells. Honestly, you’re going to find one or two shells every time, but it isn’t that bad. Some people say that it is easier to feel shell pieces on your fingertips. Some say you should drag a fork through the meat, and you will see, feel, and hear a shell hit the metal. Just give it a once-over and remove any bits that you wouldn’t want to bite down on.

Add the sautéed Trinity to the crabmeat and toss lightly to distribute evenly. We already added thyme and basil to the sauté, but take a moment. Normally, this would be where some people would add a quarter-cup of Old Bay Seasoning. I think that is criminal. I have no idea who decided that the delicate, sweet flavors of crab meat needed to be pummeled by a pungent, dusty spice mix that we treat more like curry than seasoning. For that matter, make the cakes out of tuna fish or canned salmon. In my opinion, if you paid for crab meat, you should be able to taste crab meat.

My most radical choices for dry seasonings include course ground black pepper, a touch of freshly grated nutmeg, and a sprinkle of powdered chicken bullion.

I can hear the screams. Hear me out.

While French and Asian chefs would never use black pepper in a predominately white dish (opting for ground white pepper instead), I feel white pepper makes white food turn grey. And the flavor is so subtle that you need a lot of it to make a difference. I’d rather lean into it and go big. Of course, the speckled appearance, ground pepper, is more engaging to see and more flavorful to eat.

A sprinkle of chicken bullion makes a lot of sense to me. Crab cakes are a lot of things, but they aren’t rich. Bouillon adds a little richness, a little seasoning, and a little salt. It is like training wheels for people that need to kick the Old Bay Seasoning habit. In the end, we are probably not going to need an egg – and egg yolk was the only other source of richness, so do yourself a flavor favor and try the bouillon. A sprinkle of paprika will also work here.

And nutmeg. Look. You’re not going to know that you’re tasting nutmeg. Your crab cakes won’t suddenly taste like a Pumpkin Spice Latte. A small grate of fresh nutmeg will combine with the thyme, onion, and red pepper and pull them all together. If you could taste “mellow,” this would be it. Naturally, it is optional, but you will be missing out on a dimension of flavor that really contributes to the dish.

Stop and take a look. It would be best if you had a flaky, loose, “salad” of seasoned crab meat and aromatic vegetables. Does it appear wet? You may want to add unflavored, plain breadcrumbs and toss to combine – then check again? Maybe a sprinkle of potato starch? You may lose some tenderness in the final product, but it is a gluten-free way around bread crumbs. If you don’t need any “dry” elements to restore the texture, then move on. Don’t add breadcrumbs for no reason. These aren’t meatballs.

If you are ready to add the wet ingredients, remember that we are aiming for just-barely-holds-together. We will fold in the wet ingredients with a rubber spatula a little at a time. When you first get the impression that you could use an ice-cream scoop and create a not-so-neat ball – stop and skip any remaining wet ingredients.

Yellow or Dijon mustard is popular. The flavor goes well, and it is in a vinegar base to get a little zip of acid. It is optional. If you added wine or lemon juice to the trinity, you already have acid to skip the mustard altogether.

Mayonnaise is non-negotiable. You will need it. Not only does it add the um-ami, but it is made from eggs, and it will hold the cakes together as it cooks. In one pound of crab meat, you are going to need at least four tablespoons. Add and fold. Check the mix. Need more? Add and fold. Could you make a scoop with an ice-cream scooper? When the answer is “yes,” stop.

If you need to reduce the fat or don’t like mayonnaise that much, you can use less mayo and make up the difference will a well-beaten egg. You won’t need more than one. An egg adds a lot of moisture and binds up tightly when cooked, so you don’t want to make the crab cake tough by adding more than one.

Mile-High Crab Cakes on Baking Tray

The real secret to mile-high crab cakes is packing them. I keep a tin-can on hand. I think it used to be the home of some diced tomatoes. I have since used the can opener to remove the top and the bottom of the metal tube. I use it a lot! Some days it’s a biscuit cutter. Sometimes I use it to lift a cake from a removable bottom cake pan. Sometimes I use it to suspend a dish in my steaming wok. Today, I used it as a mold.

With a greased baking liner underneath, I packed the crab meat mixture into the can at least three inches high and lifted the can away to reveal perfect stacks! I kept making stacks until I was out of this mixture. It is important that the crab cakes not touch each other. They will fall a little, and they will plump a little, but a half-inch between them will be more than enough room.

I set the Sharp Superheated Steam Countertop Oven to 485oF and set the timer to 60 minutes, KNOWING that I wasn’t going to leave them in for 60 minutes. I didn’t know how long it would take to cook, so I wanted to cover my bases.

Mile-High Crab Cakes PreparationSteam Cooking Mile-High Crab Cakes

After 18 minutes, they looked pretty good. They were probably what a lot of people would consider “done.” For me, I like to see a lot more color on my food. I want more caramelization and browning.

Steam Oven Baked Mile-High Crab Cakes

After a total of 35 minutes, this is my idea of crab cake perfection—the color and crispiness of a pan-fried crab cake without all the fuss. Also, my mixture made nine crab cakes at the same time. You can’t do that in a frying pan.

Properly Browned Mile-High Crab Cakes

The crab cake may not be the brunch menu’s queen, but it is certainly a member of the royal family. When I run out of self-esteem and put on “the sweat pants,” I would serve the crab cake on an English muffin with a slice of Taylor ham (or pork roll!), a poached egg, and some hollandaise sauce for a mind-blowing Crab Cake Benni (Benedict) with a mimosa on the side.

Plated Mile-High Crab Cakes

Today, good taste prevails, and my sweat pants lay in wait for another day. A sprinkle of sesame seeds and a lemon wedge is a perfect, mindful brunch. Remember, these are big. I’m not saying that I couldn’t eat three of them, but they are bigger than any other crab cake that I have ever seen. The way it worked out for me (half-mayo, half-egg, no bread crumbs), these crab cakes get most of their calories from protein, then fat, and then almost no carbs. So if you are watching your macros, that is a pretty good balance.

I totally had the mimosa, though.

Mile-High Crab Cakes on a tray on a countertop.

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Mile-High Crab Cakes

Indulgent for brunch or a light dinner entree, these Mile High Crab Cakes don’t need to be fried in a pan and can be made in batches. Mindful preparation is the key!
Course Breakfast, lunch
Cuisine American
Keyword brunch, crab, seafood
Cook Time 35 minutes
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • Sharp Superheated Steam Countertop Oven

Ingredients

  • 16 oz lump (claw) crab meat
  • 1/2 cup red bell pepper chopped
  • 1/2 cup celery chopped
  • 1/2 cup onion chopped
  • 1 pat butter or a teaspoon of oil
  • 1 tsp thyme fresh, chopped
  • 1 tsp basil fresh, chopped
  • 1 pinch nutmeg optional
  • 1 tbsp black pepper course ground
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice or white wine optional
  • 1 tsp paprika to taste, optional
  • 1 tsp chicken bullion powdered, optional
  • 1 tbsp mustard optional
  • 4 tbsp mayonnaise or more if necessary
  • 1 large whole egg optional, if necessary, well beaten
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs optional, if necessary
  • 1 pinch sesame seeds optional, garnish
  • 2 whole lemons cut into wedges to serve

Instructions

  • Sautee over medium heat, the Trinity (red bell pepper, onion, and celery) with a pat of butter or oil. Add the thyme, basil, and black pepper. Cook until the vegetables have given up all of their water. Optional addition of lemon juice or white wine, but the liquid must be cooked off. Set aside to cool.
  • Drain the crab meat well and remove any shells. Add the cooled Trinity sautee and toss to distribute. Add the optional chicken bouillon and nutmeg. Toss to combine.
  • Decide if the dry breadcrumbs are needed. Do not add them if you don’t have to.
  • Add the wet ingredients. Yellow or Dijon mustard is optional. Add 4 tablespoons of mayo and fold to combine. Continue to add mayo OR a well-beaten egg until the mixture can form a loose ball.
  • Pack the mixture 3 inches high into the food molds. Continue with the rest of the mixture leaving a half-inch of space between the crab cakes.
  • Bake at 485°F for at least 18 minutes, or longer to achieve your desired level of doneness.
  • Serve with sesame seeds and lemon wedges.
    Three mile-high crab cakes on a tray next to a lemon.

No Bake Energy Bites

By Jena Branco, Marketing Coordinator, Brand & Marketing Communications, SECL

With only a few ingredients, these no-bake energy bites are delicious, super easy to make, portable when you’re on the go, and loaded with nutrients!

So what are Energy Bites? Energy bites are sweet, no bake treats, usually made with nuts and other healthy ingredients mixed in a food processor, formed into a ball, chilled, and enjoyed. Energy bites go by a variety of names; energy balls, protein balls, bliss balls, date balls and vegan truffles, to name a few.

Energy bites are really good for you too. They are full with nutrients made with super and whole foods, high in plant protein, healthy carbs, good fats, and fiber. Basically, they are the guilt-free, energy hit and the perfect snack!

Try them soon, once you do, you’ll be making these all the time!

How to Make Energy Balls

  • In a food processor, mix all ingredients together. Pulse until it forms into a sticky dough.
  • Roll into bite-sized balls, make sure your hands are clean, or use a mini-scoop
  • Decorate the energy balls (if you want). Roll in coconut, finely chopped nuts, cocoa powder, or even drizzle melted chocolate on top.
  • Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper and chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator
  • Store in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to 5 days (if it lasts that long)

Notes:

  • Remove pits from the medjool dates. Be sure your dates are pit-free before adding to the food processor.
  • Use fresh medjool dates. If possible, soft/fresh medjool dates are ideal for this recipe. However, if you only have access to dry/hard dates, no worries. Soak the dates in hot water for 10 minutes, then drain the water completely. Pat the dates dry with a paper towel and use.
  • Use shredded coconut. Make sure you are using shredded coconut, otherwise known as desiccated coconut, instead of coconut flakes.

Below I have provided a few of my favourite Energy bite recipes for you to try and enjoy.


Salted Caramel Coconut Bliss Balls

This recipe was adapted from Choosing Chia. These bliss balls are healthy, easy, and are refine sugar-free! This recipe are suitable for raw, vegan, and gluten-free diets. Despite the sweet flavour, no refine sugar is added, instead, it’s naturally sweetened with the medjool dates.

Ingredients

  • 12 Medjool dates, pits removed
  • 1 cup Almonds, raw
  • ¼ cup Shredded Coconut, unsweetened (plus extra for rolling)
  • ¼ tsp Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

Makes approximately 15 – 17 energy balls (129 kcal per ball).


Coconut Walnut Energy Balls

These coconut walnut energy balls require no baking. I like to double the recipe, as these don’t last too long around my family.

Ingredients

  • 15 Medjool dates, pits removed
  • 1½ cups Walnuts, raw
  • ½ cup Shredded Coconut, unsweetened
  • 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
  • ¼ tsp Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt
  • ¼ cup Shredded Coconut, unsweetened, for rolling

Makes approximately 15 – 20 energy balls (136 kcal per ball).


Pistachio & Cranberry Energy Balls

These pistachio and cranberry energy balls are sweet, yet healthy! With only 3 ingredients, this makes for an easy paleo and vegan snack.

Ingredients

  • 14 Medjool dates, pits removed
  • 2 cups Pistachio, raw
  • ½ cup Cranberries, dried and unsweetened
  • 2 tsp of Hot Water
  • ¼ cup Finely Chopped Pistachio, raw, for rolling (optional)

Makes approximately 15 – 20 energy balls (132 kcal per ball).


Pistachio Matcha Date Balls

Enjoy the health benefits of matcha green tea in this date ball recipe. Although matcha is an acquired taste, they are packed full of nutrients and antioxidants!

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup Cashews, raw
  • ¼ cup Pistachios, raw
  • 12 Medjool dates, pits removed
  • ¼ cup Shredded Coconut, unsweetened
  • 2 tsp Green Tea Matcha Powder
  • 1 tbsp Coconut Oil
  • ¼ cup Finely Chopped Pistachio, raw, for rolling (optional)

Makes approximately 15 – 20 energy balls (125 kcal per ball).


Coconut Lemon Chia Energy Balls

This gluten-free treat is sweet, refreshing, and of course, nutritious! If you are vegan, substitute the raw honey with maple syrup.

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons Lemon Juice (about 2 lemons)
  • 2 tablespoons Chia Seeds
  • 1½ cups Gluten-Free Rolled Oats
  • ½ cup Flaked Coconut, unsweetened (plus extra for rolling)
  • 4 tablespoons Raw Honey or Maple Syrup

Makes approximately 20 – 24 balls (41 kcal per ball).



Chinese Egg Rolls Recipe

By Gina Greco, Senior Brand Marketing Specialist, SEMCA

**NOTE:   The Sharp Superheated Steam Countertop Oven (SSC0586DS) is not sold in Canada, however this recipe will work in the Superheated Steam Oven (SSC2489DS) on the Conv Bake function, or a convection oven. Temperatures and baking times are stated in the baking instructions as an option.


When you go to your favorite local Chinese restaurant, choosing your meal or combo is usually no brainier. Everyone knows their favorite meal when it comes to Chinese; whether it is chicken and broccoli with pork fried rice or boneless spare ribs with white rice, everyone has an idea of what they will get.

For me, an essential part of the combo meal is the egg roll! Without an egg roll, there might as well be no combo. I enjoy egg rolls so much that I even started to make them myself. It turns out, making egg rolls the right way tends to be a bit tricky. You need to follow directions carefully for them to come out the right way. I have come across instructions and ingredients online in the past but never found the right recipe until a few days ago when Steamy Kitchen inspired me.

Today I will share the full recipe for Chinese Egg Rolls, and not only will I share it with you, but I will also walk you through it step by step so your Egg Rolls don’t come out soggy and falling apart. The first step is getting a big bowl to mix up the soy sauce, cornstarch, and pork; let marinate for at least 10 minutes. In the meantime, shred carrots and cabbage by hand, and slice mushrooms into fragile pieces. This is getting the insides of the egg roll ready.

You’ll then want to grab a large pan and place on medium-low heat. Toss your pork and vegetables in with a little bit of oil and stir for about 3-4 minutes until the pork isn’t pink anymore. Once the pork is no longer pink, add garlic, cabbage, carrots, ginger, sugar, sesame oil, and black pepper, then continue to stir for another minute or so.

Finally, scoop out all filling and place on a cooking sheet, spread out, and wait for it to cool. While waiting for it to cool, prop up and tilt one side of the sheet so you can drain any extra moisture in the filling (about 15 minutes). These are the instructions on making the filling, now comes to the hard part: wrapping the egg rolls.

Wrapping the egg rolls can be very difficult; you must think of it like folding origami, neat tucks, and folds to accomplish the right wrap. Here are the steps to take you to success, first, lay your wrapper/dough on a clean, flat, and dry surface, then put the filling in the bottom corner and resist over-stuffing the egg roll!

     

Next, lift the bottom corner and roll up until you reach halfway. Next, you will fold over the left side + the right side towards the center until it looks like an open envelope.

Lastly, keep folding with a tuck-roll-tuck-roll motion while dipping fingers into cornstarch and rub over the final top corner, finish the roll, seal, and place seam side down. It seems like a difficult challenge, but it’s just like any other thing you are new at; it requires practice and repetition to finesse it nice and tight everything. It needs to be sealed without any holes or air pockets because it will leak out oil and grease, and you will end up with a soggy egg roll!

Once you have successfully put together your egg rolls, the next step is to bake them to crispy perfection in your Superheated Steam Countertop Oven. Set your oven to cooking mode Bake/Reheat at 425° for 10-15 minutes, or until the egg rolls reach your desired level (medium to well done).

Making and rolling egg rolls is quite a process but very convenient if able to master; it’s great for a quick snack, appetizer, or even a side with your meal. Egg rolls can be excellent finger food for big games such as a super bowl or the NBA playoffs, so when reading this blog, I hope it helps you learn something new and valuable, and you put the egg rolls to good use!

             

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Egg Rolls

 
This crispy and delicious egg roll recipe is the perfect make-ahead appetizer for your next gathering with friends and family. While the art of wrapping an egg roll can be intimidating, we take you step-by-step through the process.
 
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Chinese
Keyword appetizer, Asian Food, Chinese Food, Egg Roll
 
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
 
Servings 8 People

Ingredients

  • 50 Spring/Egg Roll Wrappers This is about 2 packages, defrosted unopened at room temperature for 45 minutes or in the refrigerator over night
  • 1 tbsp Cornstarch The cornstarch will be mixed with ¼ cup of cool water to seal the egg rolls
  • 1/4 cup Water
  • 1 cup Cooking Oil For Frying
  • 3 tbsp Soy Sauce
  • 1 lb Ground Pork
  • 1/2 head Cabbage About 11 ounces
  • 6 Shiitake Mushrooms Make sure stems are discarded
  • 1 cup Julienned Carrots
  • 2 cloves Garlic very finely minced
  • 1 tsp Grated Fresh Ginger
  • 1 tbsp Chinese Rice Wine You could also use dry sherry
  • 1/4 tsp Sugar
  • 1 tsp Sesame Oil
  • 1 tbsp Ground Black Pepper

Instructions

Egg Roll Filling Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine soy sauce, cornstarch, and pork. Allow this mixture to marinate for at least 10 minutes.
  • While the ingredients above are marinating, shred carrots and cabbage by hand, and slice mushrooms into very thin pieces.
  • Heat large pan over stovetop on medium-low, toss in both pork mixture and vegetables with oil. Stir mixture for about 3-4 minutes or until the pork isn’t pink anymore.
  • Once the pork and vegetable mixture is no longer pink, add garlic, cabbage, carrots, ginger, sugar, sesame oil, and black pepper, then continue to stir for another minute or so.
  • Remove mixture from the stove top and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
  • Scoop all filling out of the frying pan and place on a cooking sheet, spread out, and allow for it to cool for 5 additional minutes.
  • While waiting for it to cool, prop up and tilt one side of the sheet so you can drain any extra moisture in the filling. (do for 15 minutes).

Egg Roll Wrapping Instructions

  • Lay your wrapper/dough on a clean, flat, and dry surface, then put the filling in the bottom corner.
  • Lift the bottom corner and roll up until you reach halfway.
  • Fold over the left side + the right side towards the center until it looks like an open envelope.
  • Continue folding with a tuck-roll-tuck-roll motion while dipping fingers into cornstarch and rub over the final top corner, finish the roll, seal, and place seam side down.

Baking Egg Rolls

  • Place egg rolls on crisper tray.
  • Set your oven to cooking mode Bake/Reheat at 425° for 10-15 minutes, or until the egg rolls reach your desired doneness.


Easy Potato Latkes

Written by Jena Branco, Marketing Coordinator, Brand & Marketing Communications, Sharp Electronics of Canada

The beauty of this traditional Hanukkah dish is how easy it is to make, and only using staple ingredients, it’ll be a hit with the whole family.

A traditional Hanukkah dish, these easy potato latkes are crunchy on the outside and reveals creamy savoury goodness on the inside. Although mostly served during Hanukkah, this dish is so tasty, that in my opinion, you can make and serve them anytime.

Hanukkah (or Chanukah) is an eight day Jewish celebration (also referred to as the Festival of Lights) where it is told, Jews rose up against their Greek-Syrian oppressors in the Maccabean Revolt. A lamp in the temple that was supposed to have only enough oil to last the Maccabees one night, but lasted for eight instead (this is considered a miracle in Jewish faith), hence the celebration for eight nights. The holiday celebrates the miracle of the oil, so fried foods like latkes are often featured at Hanukkah feasts. 

So what is a latke? Latkes are pan-fried mini potato pancakes, made from grated potatoes and onion, eggs, and bread crumbs. They boast a crispy exterior and a light, creamy inside – which makes them absolutely irresistible!

Made from simple pantry items:

  • Russet potatoes (coarsely shredded)
  • Small onion (finely shredded)
  • Eggs, lightly beaten
  • Bread crumbs, matzah meal, flour, or panko
  • Salt & white pepper
  • Canola or any vegetable oil for frying

The steps are easy too:

  1. Place a cheesecloth or clean kitchen towel or 5 layers of paper towels in a medium bowl
  2. Grate your potatoes on the large holes of a box grater and put into the bowl.
  3. Finely grate the onion and add into the bowl.
  4. Gather the corners of the towel up and squeeze the liquid out of the potatoes and onion, as much as possible.
  5. Transfer the potatoes and onions to another bowl. Add egg, bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Mix well!
  6. Add the oil to a large skillet and heat it over medium-high heat. Using a large spoon, measure out about 1/4 cup of the potato mixture and drop into the oil, pressing slightly to flatten.
  7. Repeat until the skillet is full, but don’t overcrowd (around 4 -5 latkes). Putting them too close together will make them soggy.
  8. Cook about 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Adjust heat if necessary. Repeat with remaining latkes.
  9. Put the hot latkes to a paper-towel lined plate, to blot out all excess oil, and sprinkle lightly with sea salt.
  10. Serve warm with your desired topping.

Hints & Tips:

  • In my opinion, cast iron skillets are the best for frying because they distribute heat more evenly and retain heat! This means that your oil will remain at an ideal temperature after each batch of latke, keeping them crispy. Non-stick skillets work too, but make sure they are the heavy bottom ones.
  • If the oil is at the correct temperature (fry over moderate heat), your latkes should be golden and crisp on both sides, about 7 minutes (turning once). You want them to retain the savoury flavour of the oil, but not the greasiness.
  • Make sure you use the right type of potato. Russets are ideal since they are high in starch and have more of a dry, grainy texture. This aids in the latkes becoming crispy because the dryness of the potato is partially responsible for creating that crispy texture.
  • The fried latkes can be MADE AHEAD and kept at room temperature for up to 4 hours. Reheat them on a baking sheet in a 375°F oven for about 5 minutes, or until warmed through and crisp.

What to serve with your latkes

Latkes are traditionally served with sour cream and applesauce. A savoury latke plus a cool, tangy sour cream combined with the subtle sweetness of applesauce, is a flavour combination like no other. To elevate it even further, try topping it off with smoked salmon, Israeli salad, salmon roe and dill, cream cheese and smoked salmon, or even pastrami and mustard.

Why not make these easy potato latkes tonight? Top it anyway you like and enjoy!


EASY POTATO LATKES

  • Prep time: 15 mins
  • Cook time: 45 mins
  • Serves: 12

Ingredients:

  • 5 Large Russet potatoes
  • 1 small onion
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/4 cup bread crumbs, matzah meal or all-purpose flour, or panko
  • 1 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt (1 tsp if using kosher salt)
  • Freshly ground white pepper

Method:

  1. Place a cheesecloth or clean kitchen towel or 5 layers of paper towels in a medium bowl
  2. Grate your potatoes on the large holes of a box grater and put into the bowl.
  3. Finely grate the onion and add into the bowl.
  4. Gather the corners of the towel up and squeeze the liquid out of the potatoes and onion, as much as possible.
  5. Transfer the potatoes and onions to another bowl. Add egg, bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Mix well!
  6. Add the oil to a large skillet and heat it over medium-high heat. Using a large spoon, measure out about 1/4 cup of the potato mixture and drop into the oil, pressing slightly to flatten.
  7. Repeat until the skillet is full, but don’t overcrowd (around 4 -5 latkes). Putting them too close together will make them soggy.
  8. Cook about 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Adjust heat if necessary. Repeat with remaining latkes.
  9. Put the hot latkes to a paper-towel lined plate, to blot out all excess oil, and sprinkle lightly with sea salt.
  10. Serve warm with your desired topping.

Learn how to make the perfect potato latkes for Hanukkah or anytime from The Nosher!


Memphis-Inspired Brussels Sprouts

  • Contribution and Recipe by Kevin Lee, AVP, Office Solutions Sales & Marketing, Sharp Electronics of Canada
  • Written by Jena Branco, Marketing Coordinator, Brand & Marketing Communications, Sharp Electronics of Canada

This dish was inspired while on a business trip that took Kevin and his colleagues to our Sharp Manufacturing Company of America (SMCA) factory in Memphis, Tennessee. After spending much of the day at the plant, the team ended up going to a Memphis restaurant for dinner. This dish was ordered as an appetizer by his colleague Rolland, but was coaxed into trying it. After the first bite, Kevin’s taste-buds were awakened to the flavours of that Brussels sprout dish that he will never soon forget. He loved it so much, that when he came home, he had to recreate this dish! After a few tries, Kevin finally got the flavour and texture he desired (and remembered) … and we are so pleased that he is sharing this dish with all of us.

There are many debates on which way is best to prepare Brussels sprouts. You have the older generation that will attest that over-cooked, boiled Brussels sprouts is how it should be served, this is how I recall it as a child. Because of this childhood trauma, I never touched these lovely little green mini-cabbages again until I was in my thirties.

Up until a couple of days ago, Brussels sprouts were always prepared on a roasting pan, mixed with balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper, and popped into the oven at least a couple times a week as a side dish.

I decided to finally give Kevin’s recipe a try (on the stovetop) with my cast iron skillet this weekend, and SHOCKING to me … but I’m hooked on this entirely new (and faster) preparation method. Charred and crispy on the outside, lightly caramelized and tender on the inside, these Brussels sprouts taste amazingly good, even addictive!

If I haven’t convinced you to try Brussels sprouts yet, then perhaps telling you that they are so good for you, will! They contain vitamins (such as A, B6, C and K) and minerals (like manganese, folate, iron, magnesium and potassium). These vitamins and minerals are good for your immune system, heart and bones. They are also low-calorie, fat-free (when not prepared with added oil), and full of fibre, which is great for keeping your digestive system running smoothly.

So which is better? Oven-roasted or pan-roasted? To be honest, I enjoy them both. I love the fact that you can toss the sprouts in the oven and let it cook while I’m busy preparing other meal items versus standing guard over the stove-top ensuring they don’t burn. I think, the most distinct difference is texture. Oven-roasted Brussels sprouts tend to be tender all the way through the interior, allowing it to truly melt in your mouth. While pan-roasted Brussels sprouts tend to be firmer, cooked more on the outside and slightly tender in the interior. I enjoy them both for different reasons and appreciate the variation. You’ll have to try both methods and see what you think.

So if you’re looking for a new way to enjoy these beautiful little bulbs, you’re going to be happy you’re reading this recipe. We hope you enjoy it!

How to Trim Brussels Sprouts

Before trimming the Brussels sprouts, make sure you wash them in a colander, ensuring all the dirt is removed.

Dry them on a kitchen towel for a bit before cutting.

Use a knife to cut the tough stem, remove any yellow or damaged leaves.

Cut each Brussels sprout in half lengthwise, from tip to trimmed end.

If you come across one of those “monster” sprouts, feel free to quarter it.

Ingredients

All you need to make these Memphis-Inspired Brussels sprouts are olive oil, red wine vinegar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, ground pepper, and soft cheese for the finishing touch.

  • Brussels sprouts, washed, trimmed and halved (3 cups)
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil (2 tablespoons)
  • Red Wine Vinegar (1 tablespoon)
  • Soy Sauce (1 tablespoon)
  • Oyster Sauce or Hoisin Sauce (1 teaspoon)
  • Freshly ground black pepper (pinch)
  • Handful of Soft Cheese (Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs / Feta Cheese / Parmesan / Goat Cheese / or any other crumbly cheese)

Preparation

  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cooking Time: 15 mins
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet for approximately 2 minutes over medium heat.
  2. Add the Brussels sprouts and toss to coat. Flip the sprouts so they are facing down (cut-side down) and let sit undisturbed for approx 5-7 minutes, until they develop a dark, caramelized sear (as if you are charring).
  3. Add red wine vinegar, soy sauce and oyster sauce in a 2:2:1 ratio (Kevin suggests applying 1 teaspoon at a time, and apply based on your liking)
    • Hint: I didn’t have oyster sauce on hand, so I substitute it with Hoisin sauce. It added a sweeter flavour, so I added a bit more red wine vinegar to counter balance the sweetness.
  4. Add the pepper, and stir.
  5. Continue cooking, stirring every few minutes, until the Brussels sprouts are all browned and starting to tenderize in the centre (about 5 to 7 additional minutes).
  6. Transfer to plate and sprinkle with a handful of crumbled soft cheese
    • Hint: I also sprinkled this dish with a handful of pomegranate seeds for colour and additional nutritional value
  7. Serve immediately!
    • Hint: This dish can be served as an appetizer and goes really well with a glass of white wine (Pinot Grigio perhaps)