Ingredients

• Iceberg, red or romaine lettuce leaves, washed and chilled
• Fried rice [Mom: I’ve been making Yangzhou Fried Rice (Epicurious, 7/08)]
• Bamboo shoots
• Snow peas
• One large pork chop
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. mirin, rice wine, sherry, etc.
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 6 oz. mushrooms, sliced thinly

Preparation

Julienne bamboo shoots and snow peas. Thinly slice pork and marinate in soy, wine, and sugar. Stirfry all together with bamboo shoots and mushrooms. Serve in wraps with fried rice.

Ingredients for Dolmades

• 2 lbs. ground lamb
• 2 large onions, grated
• 1/2 cup minced parsley
• 1/2 cup long grain rice
• 2 egg whites (save yolks for sauce)
• 2 TBSP minced fresh mint
• s & p
• 1 jar grape leaves
• chicken broth

Preparation for Dolmades

Combine all filling ingredients and mix well. Rinse, drain, and separate grape leaves. Cover the bottom of a 4-quart saucepan with 4-5 leaves. Roll 1 TBSP filling in each grape leaf. Place close together in even layers in saucepan. Add enough chicken broth to cover rolls. Place a small plate directly on top of rolls to weigh down. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Ingredients for Sauce

• 2 to 3 cups broth from pot
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 TBSP cornstarch

Preparation for Sauce

In small saucepan, boil broth. Combine eggs, yolks, juice, and cornstarch in blender. With blender running, slowly add hot broth. Return to saucepan and stir over low heat until thickened. Pour sauce over rolls. Eat.

Grandmommy

Ingredients

• 1 mango, peeled and diced small
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced small
• 1 c. thinly sliced scallions
• 1 c. chopped cilantro
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp. wine or balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 2 c. cooked quinoa, cooled (~3/4 c. raw)
• 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1-2 finely diced jalapeño peppers (optional)

Preparation

Mix everything together and serve over greens.

Penzey’s Spices

Ingredients

• 1 medium eggplant, peeled, cut into thick chunks
• 1 head fresh garlic, peeled
• 5-6 tomatoes (smaller, vine-ripe), quartered and seeds removed
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1/2-1 tsp. salt (optional)
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 2 tbsp. Penzey’s Tuscan Sunset or other spice blend
• 1 16-oz. can white beans
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. oregano (pref. Mexican)
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375. Place the vegetables in a shallow baking dish. Add the oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and spice blend. Toss well to coat. Carefully spread into a single layer and place the pan in the oven. Roast for 45 minutes. Note: Vegetables can also be roasted on a pan in a gas grill. Cool vegetable mixture, or let rest overnight in the fridge.

Rinse and drain the white beans and place in a blender with 2 c. of the vegetable mixture. The vegetables should have exuded quite a bit of liquid so make sure to include some of this in the 2 cups. Blend the beans and vegetables. Add the chili powder and oregano and the lemon juice. Blend well and pour into a bowl. Serve with any firm cracker.

Penzey’s Spices

Ingredients

• 8 parts brandy/Cognac
• 2 parts Cointreau
• 1 part lemon juice

Preparation

Shake with ice, strain, serve in martini glass.

Ingredients

• 2 parts gin
• 1 part Cointreau
• 1 part lemon juice

Preparation

Shake with ice, strain, serve in martini glass.

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound fettuccine
• 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausages, casings removed
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper (optional)
• 1 cup grated Asiago cheese (about 3 ounces)

Preparation

Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter with oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic slices and sauté until light golden, about 45 seconds. Using slotted spoon, transfer garlic to bowl.

Increase heat to medium-high; add sage to same skillet and stir until beginning to crisp, about 10 seconds. Add sausage and sauté until browned and crisp in spots, breaking up with fork, about 8 minutes.

Drain pasta; add pasta and remaining 1 tablespoon butter to skillet. Using tongs, toss pasta with sausage mixture. Add crushed red pepper, if desired; season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer pasta to large bowl. Top with crispy garlic and grated Asiago cheese.

Bon Appetit, March 2008

Ingredients

• 2 bunches medium radishes (such as red, pink, and purple; about 20)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• Coarse kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450°F. Brush large heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Cut off all but 1/2 inch of green radish tops; reserve trimmed tops and rinse them well, checking for grit. Coarsely chop radish tops and set aside. Cut radishes lengthwise in half and place in medium bowl. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and toss thoroughly to coat. Place radishes, cut side down, on prepared baking sheet; sprinkle lightly with coarse salt. Roast until radishes are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally, about 18 minutes. Season to taste with more coarse kosher salt, if desired.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add pinch of coarse kosher salt to skillet and cook until butter browns, swirling skillet frequently to keep butter solids from burning, about 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir in fresh lemon juice.

Transfer roasted radishes to warmed shallow serving bowl and drizzle brown butter over. Sprinkle with chopped radish tops and serve.

Bon Appetit, April 2011

Ingredients

• 1 3-ounce package pancetta (Italian bacon), chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 large red jalapeño chiles, seeded, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
• 2 large fennel bulbs, stalks trimmed, cut into thin wedges with some core attached
• 1 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley, divided
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed fennel seeds
• 1 pound spaghetti
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups finely grated Pecorino Romano or Pecorino Toscano cheese, divided

Preparation

Sauté pancetta in large skillet over medium heat until pancetta is golden. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towels. Add 1 tablespoon oil to drippings in skillet. Add garlic and chiles; sauté over medium heat 1 minute. Add fennel; cook until beginning to soften, 5 minutes. Mix in broth, 2 tablespoons parsley, lemon juice, and fennel seeds. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until fennel is very tender, 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook pasta until tender; drain. Reserve 1 cup cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot.

Uncover skillet with fennel mixture and return to high heat. Cook until almost all liquid is absorbed, about 4 minutes. Add fennel to pasta. Stir in 2 tablespoons oil, 1/2 cup cheese, and pancetta. Add cooking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls if dry. Toss pasta; transfer to serving bowl. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons parsley over. Serve with cheese.

Bon Appetit, January 2010

Ingredients

• 1 3 1/2-lb. chicken
• 1/2 cup sesame oil
• 6 tablespoons peanut, vegetable, or corn oil
• 1/4 cup finely shredded fresh ginger
• 3 scallions, green part included, trimmed and cut into fine strips, 4 inches long
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry or shao shing wine
• 1/2 teaspoon monosodium glutamate (optional)

Preparation

1. Place the chicken in a covered stock pot filled with enough water to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil and simmer about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the chicken stand in the cooking liquid until just warm. Drain, reserving the broth for another use. Rinse the chicken under cold water, pat dry, and rub lightly with sesame oil.

2. Cut the chicken into pieces. Arrange neatly on a platter.

3. Heat the peanut, vegetable, or corn oil in a small saucepan, and when it is hot add the ginger and scallions. Cook about 30 seconds; remove ginger and scallions with a slotted spoon, leaving the oil in the pan.

4. Scatter the ginger and scallions over the chicken.

5. Add the remain ingredients to the oil, bring to a boil and pour over the chicken. Serve at room temperature.

Epicurious, January 2001