Ingredients

For the chili paste/oil:

• 2 tsp of red Szechuan peppercorn
• 1 tsp of green Szechuan peppercorn
• 3 + 2 tbsp of chili flakes (divided)
• 4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
• 1 small piece of scallion
• 2 star anise
• 1 dry bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp of ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp of ground coriander
• 1/8 tsp of curry powder
• 1 cup of vegetable oil
• 1 grated garlic
• 3 tsp of soy sauce

For the sesame sauce:

• 90 grams (1/4 cup + 1/8 cup) of toasted sesame paste
• 35 grams (1/8 cup) of creamy peanut butter
• 20 grams (1/8 cup) of chili oil (without the “bits”)
• 4-5 tbsp of soy sauce
• 2 tsp of dark Asian vinegar
• 2 tsp of sesame oil
• 1 tsp of sugar
• 1/2 cup of water (more or less depending on the thickness of sesame paste)

For serving:

• 2 servings of ramen noodles, plus more
• sesame oil for rubbing the noodles
• cucumber, cut into thin strips
• radish, cut into thin strips
• 1 egg, beated with a tiny splash of milk
• Crushed salted peanuts and toasted sesame to top

Preparation

To make the chili paste/oil: Finely grind the red/green Szechuan peppercorn in a spice-grinder or stone mortar (but you’ll need to work harder to break them down). Set aside. In a deep sauce pot, add 3 tbsp of chili flakes (reserve the other 2 tbsp), minced garlic, scallion, star anise, bay leaf, ground cumin, ground coriander, curry powder and vegetable oil. Set the pot over medium heat and bring to a sizzle. Stir constantly and let the mixture cook for 1 ~ 2 min until the minced garlic turn JUST LIGHTLY BROWNED. Turn off the heat completely, then add the ground sichuan peppercorns and 2 tbsp of chili flakes (ground sichuan peppercorns will turn bitter if overcooked which is why it’s added at the end). Keep stirring until the oil stops sizzling/bubbling. Then add the grated garlic and soy sauce, and stir to combine. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for AT LEAST 2 hours. After which you can remove the star anise, bay leaf and scallions, then keep the oil and paste in a jar. It will keep in the fridge for… a long long time.

To make the sesame sauce: Add the toasted sesame paste, peanut butter, chili oil from above, soy sauce, dark vinegar, sesame oil and sugar in a blender. Blend on high while slowly adding in 1/2 cup of water. Scrape the sides down a few times to ensure even blending. You can add more soy sauce or water to adjust seasoning and consistency if needed. The sauce should be the consistency of yogurt.

To make the noodle: Heat a flat and wide non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and brush the surface with oil. Pour in 1 beated egg and swirl the pan to evenly distribute it so the egg thinly coats the bottom of the skillet. Cook until both side of the egg-sheet is evenly browned, then thinly cut it into short strips. Set aside.

Cook the ramen noodle according to the package instructions. Once done (DON’T overcook it! It should be still slightly chewy), rinse under cold water until cools down completely. Toss with 2 tsp of sesame oil to prevent sticking, then you can keep it in the fridge until needed. Before serving, toss the ramen noodles, cucumber strips, radish strips, egg strips and enough sesame sauce to generously coat every strand of noodles. Evenly stir the chili paste/oil then add a couple tsp to the noodle (or more…), plus crushed salted peanuts and sesame on top.

Lady and Pups

Ingredients

• 1 whole striped bass or sea bass (about 1 ½ lbs), cleaned (see instructions)
• 3 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely julienned
• 2 scallions, finely julienned with green and white parts separated
• 8 sprigs fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup light soy sauce
• Fresh ground white pepper to taste

Preparation

Preparing the fish:

1. Remove any scales from your fish using a serrated steak knife. The areas to look for are the belly and the edges of the fish including the top, near the dorsal fins, and the head. There is nothing worse than having to pick out scales while you’re having dinner.

2. Cut off any fins with kitchen shears. They are pretty tough, so be careful with this step. Leave the tail and head in tact for presentation.

3. Look at the cavity, and you should see the backbone. You may also see a membrane that you should pierce and cut, revealing a blood line near the bone. Run your finger or a spoon across it to clean it thoroughly.

4. Check the head and gills. You should not see any gills left, and if there are, remove them with the kitchen shears and rinse the area clean. Older Chinese folks who like dining on the fish head will appreciate this step.

5. Give the fish a final rinse, shake off the excess water (no need to pat it dry) and transfer to a heat-proof plate for steaming. No salt, seasoning, or wine should be used on the fish before steaming. Repeat. Nothing on the fresh fish before steaming!

Assembling the dish:

For steaming, I used an elongated heat-proof plate. To accommodate that, I needed to MacGyver a steaming apparatus that would fit said plate. It’s simple enough. I used a wok and metal steam rack. If you need more height to keep the plate above the water in the wok, set a rack on top of a metal can with both ends removed. It’s a handy and cheap addition to your kitchen arsenal!

Steam for 9 minutes and turn off the heat. Use a butter knife to peek at the meat and confirm the fish is cooked through. The meat should be opaque down to the bone, but the bone should be slightly translucent and not fully cooked (remember, you will not be eating the bone. Trust me on this one!).

Next, carefully pour off all of the liquid accumulated on the plate from steaming and spread half of the ginger, the green portions of the scallion, and the cilantro over the fish.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil and the other half of the ginger in a saucepan until the ginger begins to sizzle. Next, add the water, salt, soy sauce, and fresh ground white pepper and heat the mixture until simmering.

Once simmering, add the rest of the oil and white portions of the scallion and stir until the liquid begins to simmer and sizzle once again. Spoon the entire mixture evenly over the fish and serve hot!

The Woks of Life

Ingredients

For the Salad

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into bite-sized strips
• 1 carrot, peeled and grated
• 1 English cucumber, seeded and diced
• 2 scallions, white and green parts, finely sliced
• 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped mint or basil

For the Dressing

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice, from 3-4 limes
• 2 1/2 teaspoons Asian fish sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Preparation

Add quinoa, salt and 1-2/3 cups water to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is cooked. (If necessary add 1-2 tablespoons more water in cooking.) Transfer to a serving bowl and let cool in the refrigerator.

In the meantime, make the dressing by combining the lime juice, fish sauce, vegetable oil, sugar and crushed red pepper flakes in a medium bowl. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved.

Once the quinoa is cool, add the red bell peppers, carrots, cucumbers, scallions, fresh herbs and dressing. Toss well, then taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, sugar and lime juice if necessary. Chill.

Once Upon a Chef

Ingredients

Chile sauce:

• 3 pasilla chiles, seeds removed, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1/4 cup Sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1/2 cup olive oil Kosher salt

Meatballs:

• 1/4 small onion, chopped
• 8 garlic cloves, 7 cloves chopped, 1 clove finely grated
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
• 3/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/4 pounds ground lamb
• 1 tablespoon rice flour or all-purpose flour
• 4–5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/2 English hothouse cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup plain sheep’s-milk or cow’s whole-milk yogurt
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• Crushed red pepper flakes (for serving)

Preparation

Chile sauce: Toast chiles, red pepper flakes, and cumin seeds in a dry small skillet over medium heat, tossing occasionally, until fragrant and cumin seeds are golden, about 3 minutes.

Let cool. Working in batches, finely grind in spice mill, then transfer to a blender. Add vinegar, paprika, and garlic to blender and blend until smooth. With motor running, gradually stream in oil and blend until combined. Transfer to a large bowl; season with salt.

Meatballs and assembly: Pulse onion, chopped garlic, parsley, oregano, sage, fennel seeds, coriander, cumin, and 1 tablespoon salt in a food processor, scraping down sides as needed, until finely chopped. Add egg, lamb, and flour and pulse until evenly combined. Form lamb mixture into 1 1/2" balls.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high. Working in 2 batches and adding another 1 tablespoon oil to skillet if needed, cook meatballs, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides and cooked through, 5–8 minutes. Transfer meatballs to paper towels to drain.

Transfer all meatballs to bowl with chile sauce and toss to coat. Toss cucumber in a medium bowl with lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegar, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper.

Spoon yogurt into bowls. Evenly divide meatballs among bowls; top with dressed cucumber and mint and sprinkle with red pepper flakes.

Bon Appetit, April 2015

Ingredients

• 1 pint oysters (in oyster liquor)
• 4 cups chicken stock or broth
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed and chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Prepration

Strain oysters over a bowl to remove grit and separate them from the oyster liquor; reserve liquor. Chop oysters, cover and refrigerate until needed. Measure oyster liquor and add enough chicken stock to make 4 cups; set aside. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Gradually whisk in flour. Cook, whisking constantly, until a blond roux is achieved. Add onions and green onions; cook, whisking constantly, until tender, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and artichoke hearts; cook an 2 additional minutes. Gradually whisk in reserved oyster liquor and chicken stock. Add Lea & Perrins, thyme and cayenne pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add chopped oysters and simmer until oysters are cooked through and edges curl, about 5 minutes. Stir in heavy cream and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings.

Raised on a Roux

Ingredients

• 24 fresh oysters
• 1/2 c. corn flour
• 2/3 c. plain flour
• Enough ice-cold sparkling water to make a sticky batter to coat the oysters

For the wasabi cream dip:

• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 2 tsp wasabi paste

Preparation

In a bowl, pour whipping cream, add the wasabi and whisk till stiff.

Open the oysters and drain the water. With a sharp knife, cut of the oyster off. In a medium pan, heat 3" of oil until approx. 350F. Place each oyster in a teaspoon, dip in the batter until coated all over. Fry in oil until golden. The fritters will puff up instantly. Fry oysters by batches (5 by batch). Drain on kitchen towel before serving.

Drizzle oyster fritters with coarse salt and black pepper. Serve immediately with wasabi cream dip.

Manger

Ingredients

• 2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 lemon, cut in pieces
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
• 1-2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 2 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
• 1 tsp. corn starch
• 1 c. water
• 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 blade fresh lemon grass, gently crushed
• 3 tbsp. coconut butter or 1 tbsp. coconut oil
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1/2 c. green peas (fresh or frozen)
• 1/2 tsp. thyme
• 1 tbsp. sweet curry power
• 1 tsp. turmeric
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Preparation

Rub the chicken with the lemon pieces. Place the chicken in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt and ginger. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes. In a small bowl, combine the last 9 ingredients and set aside.

Preheat the oven for 300 degrees. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until slightly brown and transparent. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic and cilantro. Mix the cornstarch with the water and tomato sauce. Add to the skillet along with the spice mix. Let simmer for 20 minutes over medium-low heat. Place the chicken in a casserole dish. Add the coconut butter/oil, lemon grass, carrots, and peas. Pour the curry sauce over the chicken. Bake at 300 for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 250 for another 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and very tender. Serve with boiled potatoes or basmati rice.

Penzey’s Spices

Ingredients

• 6 slices white bread, crusts removed
• 4 cups water
• 2 1/2 cups (8 3/4 ounces) plus 1/3 cup sliced blanched almonds
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• Kosher salt and pepper
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 6 ounces seedless green grapes, sliced thin (1 cup)

Preparation

Combine bread and water in bowl and let soak for 5 minutes. Process 2 1/2 cups almonds in blender until finely ground, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of blender jar as needed.

Using your hands, remove bread from water, squeeze it lightly, and transfer to blender with almonds. Measure 3 cups soaking water and set aside; transfer remaining soaking water to blender.

Add garlic, vinegar, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and cayenne to blender and process until mixture has consistency of cake batter, 30 to 45 seconds. With blender running, add olive oil in thin, steady stream, about 30 seconds. Add reserved soaking water and process for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Strain soup through fine-mesh strainer set in bowl, pressing on solids to extract liquid. Discard solids.

Measure 1 tablespoon of soup into second bowl and stir in almond extract. Return 1 teaspoon of extract mixture to soup; discard remainder. Chill for at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.

Heat vegetable oil in 8-inch skillet over medium-high heat until oil begins to shimmer. Add remaining 1/3 cup almonds and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Immediately transfer to bowl and stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Ladle soup into shallow bowls. Mound an equal amount of grapes in center of each bowl. Sprinkle cooled almonds over soup and drizzle with extra olive oil. Serve immediately.

CI

Ingredients

• 3 cups jarred whole artichoke hearts (smaller the better, packed in water, not marinated or oil)
• 2 slices white bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (1/2 cup), plus extra for serving
• Salt and pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 anchovy fillets, rinsed, patted dry, and minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 12 ounces tagliatelle
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Preparation

Cut leaves from artichoke hearts. Cut hearts in half and dry with paper towels. Place leaves in bowl and cover with water. Let leaves stand for 15 minutes. Drain well.

Pulse bread in food processor until finely ground, 10 to 15 pulses. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add bread crumbs and cook, stirring constantly, until crumbs begin to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup Parmesan and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until crumbs are golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer crumbs to bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Wipe out skillet.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add artichoke hearts and 1/8 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring frequently, until hearts are spotty brown, 7 to 9 minutes. Add garlic, anchovies, oregano, and pepper flakes; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in wine and cream and bring to simmer. Remove skillet from heat and stir in artichoke leaves. Set aside.

Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot. Stir in artichoke sauce, remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan, 2/3 cup reserved cooking water, remaining 1/4 cup oil, parsley, and lemon zest. Adjust consistency with remaining reserved cooking water as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing bread-crumb mixture and extra Parmesan separately.

CI

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 12 ounces Spanish chorizo, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups water
• 1 pound collard greens, stemmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

Preparation

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer chorizo to bowl and set aside. Reduce heat to medium and add onion, garlic, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and pepper flakes and season with pepper to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add potatoes, broth, and water; increase heat to high and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are just tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Transfer 3/4 cup solids and 3/4 cup broth to blender jar. Add collard greens to pot and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in chorizo and continue to simmer until greens are tender, 8 to 10 minutes longer.

Add remaining 3 tablespoons oil to soup in blender and process until very smooth and homogeneous, about 1 minute. Remove pot from heat and stir pureed soup mixture and vinegar into soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve. (Soup can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)

CI