Welcome to La Cuisine d’une Pêcheuse Californienne

I created La Cuisine d’une Pêcheuse Californienne as a means of handing down my favorite recipes to family and friends. The recipes included herein come from a variety of sources including my mother, cooking classes, favorite cookbooks, friends and my own creations.

When I began this cookbook, I tried to include a photo of what the recipe should look like. When I didn’t have my own photos, I searched for photos from the public domain (non-copyrighted photos). This didn’t prove completely successful so I began including photos from my fishing trips that showed a freshly caught fish like one suggested in the accompanying recipe. From there I began to include photos of family members that either provided the recipe or were enjoying a meal together where the specific recipe was being shared. I enjoyed the family photos so much, the cookbook evolved into a combination recipe book and family scrapbook. Enjoy your taste! 

A cookbook and family scrapbook that gives a glimpse into the life of a female fisherman born in California whose passions are cooking and catching tuna over 200 pounds. Pêcheuse is the French word for femaless fisherman.

General Tao Chicken

Back

Ingredients

1 ¼ lbs chicken thighs, cut into pieces
¼ cup flour
6 tbs canola oil
2 cloves minced garlic
2-inch piece of grated ginger
½ cup honey
½ cup water
6 tbs soy sauce
3 tbs rice wine vinegar
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbs corn starch diluted with a bit of water
1 tbs sesame oil
4 green  onions cut into small rounds
1 tsp sesame seeds
1 red bell pepper, diced, and 1 small onion, diced (optional)

Preparation

Put the chicken into a Ziplock back with the flour, close tightly, and shake until the chicken is coated. Toss any flour left.

Heat the canola oil in a pan at high. Add the chicken and cook until golden with crusty surface, (not necessary to cook fully as there is additional cook time later). Remove to a paper towel lined plate. 

Add a little oil if needed and if using bell pepper and onion, sauté until softened and add the garlic and ginger for a few seconds before adding the water, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, red pepper flakes, sesame oil and corn starch. Bring to a boil and let thicken and add the chicken back to the pan. Cook an additional five minutes. Add the green onions just before serving so they are covered with sauce but still crunchy.  Serve over steamed rice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

This is one of Serge and Richard’s favorite chicken recipes.

• Servings: 4
• Prep: 15 min
• Cook time: 35 min