Trader Vic's recipes and story in December Saveur

The December issue of Saveur magazine has a great story on Trader Vic's and includes their recipes for:

Crab Rangoon
the Suffering Bastard
Cheese Bings
Stir-Fried Baby Bok Choy
Calcutta Chicken Curry
Javanese Sate with Peanut Sauce
Pake Noodles
and Bongo Bongo Soup

Good stuff, well worth picking up next time you're at the bookstore.

"Saayevoia"!? Ain't that sum kinda FRENCH word? Dunno, sounds mighty foreign to me, dunno what good can come of that...some kinda propaganda for sure!

Hey Mike, I am back in this crazy country of yours, and happy...you know, can't love it, can't leave it. -Hic-

Managed to get the mag in London this weekend, good read on the train on the way home. Lots of great recipes waiting to get ruined.

i accept trader vic as my personal Saveur

very interesting article...

i noted that they included the recipe for the suffering bastard instead of for the mai tai:

juice of 1 lime
4 oz tv mai tai mix
1 oz light rum
1 oz gold rum
.5 oz dark rum

shake with crushed ice
garnish with cucumber spear, reserved lime half, and mint sprig

compare to the tv website recipe

PRESENT DAY FORMULA
OF THE MAI TAI

2 ounces fine dark rum
4 ounces Trader Vic's Mai Tai Mix
juice of one large lime

of course, ref this t.c. discussion earlier on:
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic=2750&forum=10&start=0

they coulda just given the stright-up recipe instead of the one with the mix... but i guess the recipes were supplied by trader vic's inc. they probably just decided that the "sb" name sounded more poetic or something.

I'm not finding the recipes from Saveur online, & I haven't had a chance to pick up the magazine, so here's a recipe for Crab Rangoon found on the Food Network website.

From Emeril's Manly Man Snacks show:
**Crab Rangoon Pot Stickers with Hot Mustard Sauce **

4 ounces bacon, chopped
1/4 cup minced yellow onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
6 ounces crawfish tails
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 ounces goat cheese, softened
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro leaves
2 ounces Monterey Jack, grated
1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
1 package egg roll wrappers
Water
Vegetable oil
Essence, for dusting, recipe follows
Hot Mustard Sauce, recipe follows

In a small skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until browned and crispy. Add the onions, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring, until soft, about 1 minute. Add the crawfish, stir, and remove from the heat.
In a bowl, combine the cooked onion mixture, cream cheese, goat cheese soy sauce, hot sauce, green onions, and cilantro, and blend together. Add the Monterey Jack and mix well. Fold in the crabmeat, being careful not to break up the lumps. Adjust the seasoning, to taste.

Working 1 at a time, place the egg roll wrappers on a work surface. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the mixture into the center of the wonton and wet the edges. Fold over the sides to form a triangle and press to seal the edges. Set on a baking sheet and cover with a lightly damp cloth to prevent from drying out while assembling the remaining ingredients.

Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the crab rangoons and brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Once the rangoons are well browned, add a little water and cover. Cook an additional 2 minutes.

Arrange the crab rangoons on a platter. Serve hot with the dipping sauce.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
Yield: 2/3 cup

Hot Mustard Sauce:
1/4 cup Chinese mustard powder
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1/2 lime, juiced
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon grated ginger
3/4 cup peanut oil
Whisk together mustard, vinegar, water, sesame oil, lime juice, honey, and ginger. While whisking, drizzle in the peanut oil.

Rev. Dr. Frederick J. Freelance, Ph.D., D.F.S

[ Edited by: freddiefreelance on 2004-12-17 13:29 ]

From FabulousFoods.com:

Stir Fried Baby Bok-Choy

6 baby bok-choy, separated into leaves
1/8 cup water
1/2 tsp. hot sauce (2 brands I like are Heaven and Earth's Dragon Fire Chili Sauce, which is available in gourmet shops or Tuong To Sriracha, which is available in Asian grocery stores)
1/4 tsp. sesame oil
3 tsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

Add oils, garlic and ginger to a large skillet or wok. As soon as garlic starts to cook and sizzle, add bok choy. Stir fry for a few minutes until bok choy starts to wilt. Pour dressing over bok choy and cook for a minute or two more. Serve immediately.

Note:
This is a quick to prepare side dish with an Asian flavor. Figure1 or 2 baby bok choy per person. This recipe makes enough dressing for about 6. Adjust according to how many you want to make.

From HungryMonster.com:

Calcutta Chicken Curry (Murgi Kari)

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

1 chicken -- (3-4 lb.)

• cut into 8-10 pieces
  3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  2 medium yellow onions; chopped -- -(about 1 cup)
  2 cloves garlic; minced
  1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
  1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  1 cup water
  1 cinnamon; -- (3-inch) stick
  3 cracked green cardamom pods
• or 2-3 whole cloves
  1 teaspoon salt
  ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:
This recipe is an example of Calcutta Jewish cooking with its signature blend of Iraqi and Indian seasonings. Pat chicken dry. Heat oil in large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken. Add onions and sauté until soft and translucent, 5-10 minutes. Add garlic, turmeric and ginger and sauté for 2 minutes. Add water, cinnamon, cardamom or cloves, salt and pepper. Return chicken to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until tender, about 50 minutes. Serve with rice. Original source: THE WORLD OF JEWISH COOKING by Gil Marks Current source: "From Alsace to Yemen, culinary heritage explored" Betty Newman

From Cocktail Times:

Bongo Bongo Soup
Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups half and half
• 10 oz fresh oysters, poached (or 10 oz drained, cammed oysters), whirled in a blender to puree
• 1/4 cup strained creamed spinach (baby food)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon MSG
• 1 teaspoon A-1 sauce
• About 1/2 teaspoon salt
• About 3/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Generous dash of garlic slat
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons cold water
• About 2/3 cup heavy cream, whipped

In a large saucepan, heat half and half just to simmering. Add oyster puree, spinach, butter, MSG, A-1 sauce, salt, pepper, garlic salt, and cayenne. Heat to simmering, whisking until smooth; do not boil. Add cornstarch mixture, and heat and stir with a whisk until soup is slightly thickened. Correct seasoning. Ladle into heatproof serving bowls. Top each with a spoonful of whipped cream. Slip under broiler just until cream is well glazed and slightly brown. Makes about 4 servings.

Mmmmmmmm........MSG!

Here's how the Bongo Bongo soup is served:

The white shell bowl, and its ornate metal stand, are both specific to Trader Vic's and are marked as such. If memory serves, the bowl is also marked "1972" on the bottom. Bongo Bongo soup was initially made with an unusual variety of oyster that was naturally green due to its diet. That oyster supply pretty quickly dried up (that was the fifties! eat 'em 'til they're gone! actually, there might have been another reason), and Vic had to figure out another way to get that eerie green color. So, he added spinach. It must have tasted quite different when they were able to use the original recipe. I think it looks & smells like it was scraped from the underside of a pier, but it tastes divine. Actually, it's on the salty side, so I suppose it maybe also tastes like it was scraped from the underside of a pier, too. Only minus the tar.

Here's a close up of the slimy top:

It's my ultimate tiki comfort food.

On 2004-12-17 13:51, freddiefreelance wrote:
From Cocktail Times:

Bongo Bongo Soup
Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups half and half
• 10 oz fresh oysters, poached (or 10 oz drained, cammed oysters), whirled in a blender to puree
• 1/4 cup strained creamed spinach (baby food)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon MSG
• 1 teaspoon A-1 sauce
• About 1/2 teaspoon salt
• About 3/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Generous dash of garlic slat
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons cold water
• About 2/3 cup heavy cream, whipped

In a large saucepan, heat half and half just to simmering. Add oyster puree, spinach, butter, MSG, A-1 sauce, salt, pepper, garlic salt, and cayenne. Heat to simmering, whisking until smooth; do not boil. Add cornstarch mixture, and heat and stir with a whisk until soup is slightly thickened. Correct seasoning. Ladle into heatproof serving bowls. Top each with a spoonful of whipped cream. Slip under broiler just until cream is well glazed and slightly brown. Makes about 4 servings.

Had to bring this thread back up--Oyster season just started here in SC and I got just enough to whip up a big batch of Bongo Bongo going by this recipe, loosely. I omitted the MSG and used the light (low fat) versions of the half-n-half and whipping cream. (had to use that reeeeal butter, though). I used fresh spinach too--just couldn't bring myself to using processed baby food spinach. Used frsh garlic too--why use anything else?! I also used salt/pepper to taste-local oysters here are salty anyway so I just did what was necessary. End result was maaaaajor YUM.

This soup is also a great way to get peeps who say they would never eat an oyster to give in. They don't have to look at the horrid features of the creature (for the uninitiated) but still get to sample the flavor, without the texture and the visual.
Just my 2 cents.
BH

2004?!? James put me on the comp list for saveur, but i don't think i get reprints...

this thread is older than my baby

A few thoughts on this recipe:

For the green color you could use extracted chlorophyll for parsley and spinach. You would get the right color without the bitterness that spinach can contribute when heated. The "under the pier" flavor could be increased with the addition of powdered nori, or even better, kombu. Kombu is a natural source of MSG and would most likely give it a nice balance. The A-1 could easily be replaced with a small amount of tamarind paste and a drop or two of hot sauce. There is also the possibility of poaching the shell fish directly in the half and half and then use an immersion blender to blend everything together all at once. I would also shuck them over the pot to catch any juice that might otherwise get thrown away.

Just a few ideas for next time.

Chowchow

MAKES HALF CUP

This piquant condiment is served alongside the Calcutta Chicken Curry at Trader Vic's.

2 medium whole dill pickles
6 tbsp. dijon mustard
2 tbsp. prepared yellow mustard
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
Fresh lemon juice

1. Finely dice pickles and transfer to a small bowl. Add mustards and stir until well combined. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and a few drops of lemon juice. Sauce will keep in a well-sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

This recipe was first published in Saveur in Issue #80

Cheese Bings

MAKES ABOUT 40

This Trader Vic's creation is in effect an upscale version of the béchamel-bound ham croquettes popular in Spain and Latin America.

FOR THE CRÊPES:
4 eggs
1 and half cups plus 1 tbsp. flour
1 and a third cups milk
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Salt
half tbsp. butter

FOR THE FILLING:
6 tbsp. butter
6 tbsp. flour
1 and half cups milk
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
1 lb. swiss cheese, finely grated
5 oz. cooked ham, finely chopped
(about 1 and a quarter cups)
5 eggs
Leaves of quarter bunch parsley, chopped
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch cayenne
half tsp. worcestershire sauce
quarter tsp. Tabasco
Vegetable oil
2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

1. For the crêpes: Whisk eggs and flour together in a medium bowl. Add milk and whisk until smooth. Add nutmeg and season to taste with salt. Strain batter through a sieve into a bowl and set aside. Heat a 12" nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Swirl butter in skillet, then pour in 1⁄2 cup of the batter. Working quickly, swirl batter to coat skillet evenly. Cook until edges are golden brown, 1 and a half;2–2 minutes. Turn with a spatula and cook second side until golden, 1–2 minutes more. Transfer crêpe to a plate and repeat with remaining batter.

2. For the filling: Melt butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until pale golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove pot from heat and gradually add milk, whisking constantly until smooth. Return pot to medium-low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until thick, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool slightly. Add cheese, ham, 2 of the eggs, parsley, nutmeg, cayenne, worcestershire, and Tabasco and mix well. Adjust seasonings and set aside.

3. Cut 4 of the crêpes in half (save any remaining crêpes for another use). Lay 1 crêpe half on a work surface with straight edge closest to you. Spread one-quarter of the filling along straight edge, shaping the mixture into a log. Roll crêpe snugly around filling jelly roll style (crêpe will not cover filling entirely). Put crêpe seam side down on a wax paper–lined sheet pan. Repeat process with remaining 3 crêpes and filling. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.

4. Pour oil into a large heavy pot to a depth of 2" and heat over medium-high heat until temperature registers 350° on a candy thermometer. Meanwhile, beat remaining eggs in a wide bowl. Put bread crumbs into another wide bowl. Trim ends of each crêpe, then cut crêpes on the bias into 1"-thick slices. Coat each slice in egg, then dredge in bread crumbs. Working in small batches, deep-fry cheese bings, turning once, until golden all over, 2–3 minutes. Transfer to a rack to let drain, and season to taste with salt, if you like, while still hot. Serve hot.

This recipe was first published in Saveur in Issue #80

On 2008-09-19 17:56, tikiauction wrote:
2004?!?
this thread is older than my baby

It's fairly common to bring up old threads from time to time. It's nice to see old threads revived with new info/input/ideas, etc. Keeps this place alive.

That being said, I think I'll have some cheese bings and chowchow and maybe a little kombu in my next batch of bongobongo--Thanx guys!

http://www.myspace.com/bhowland

The Curse of Howland Island

[ Edited by: Howland 2008-09-22 21:44 ]

[ Edited by: howland 2008-09-23 04:41 ]

Exceptional post!

Kadhai Paneer