Ingredients

• 2 c. short-grain brown rice
• Salt
• 10 oz. boneless pork ribs, trimmed
• 1 tbsp. hoisin sauce
• 2 tsp. honey
• ⅛ tsp. five-spice powder
• Small pinch cayenne pepper
• 4 tsp. vegetable oil
• 8 oz large (26-30) shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed, and cut into ½-inch pieces
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
• 6 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin on bias
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1½ tsp. grated fresh ginger
• 2 tbs. soy sauce
• 1 c. frozen peas

Preparation

1. Bring 3 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add rice and 2 teaspoons salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender, about 35 minutes. Drain well and return to pot. Cover and set aside.

2. While rice cooks, cut pork into 1-inch pieces and slice each piece against grain 1/4 inch thick. Combine pork with hoisin, honey, five-spice powder, cayenne, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and toss to coat. Set aside.

3. Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add shrimp in even layer and cook without moving them until bottoms are browned, about 90 seconds. Stir and continue to cook until just cooked through, about 90 seconds longer. Push shrimp to 1 side of skillet. Add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil to cleared side of skillet. Add eggs to clearing and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Using rubber spatula, stir eggs gently until set but still wet, about 30 seconds. Stir eggs into shrimp and continue to cook, breaking up large pieces of egg, until eggs are fully cooked, about 30 seconds longer. Transfer shrimp-egg mixture to clean bowl.

4. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add pork in even layer. Cook pork without moving it until well browned on underside, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip pork and cook without moving it until cooked through and caramelized on second side, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl with shrimp-egg mixture.

5. Heat sesame oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add scallion whites and cook, stirring frequently, until well browned, about 1 minute. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and beginning to brown, 30 to 60 seconds. Add soy sauce and half of rice and stir until all ingredients are fully incorporated, making sure to break up clumps of ginger and garlic. Reduce heat to medium-low and add remaining rice, pork mixture, and peas. Stir until all ingredients are evenly incorporated and heated through, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in scallion greens. Transfer to warmed platter and serve.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp. plus ¾ c. panko bread crumbs
• 2 tbsp. minced parsley
• 2 tbsp. mayonnaise
• 4 tsp. lemon juice
• 1 scallion, sliced thin
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• ¾ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 (1 ¼ pound) skinless salmon fillet, cut into 1-inch pieces
• ½ c. vegetable oil

Preparation

1. Combine 3 tablespoons panko, parsley, mayonnaise, lemon juice, scallion, shallot, mustard, salt, pepper, and cayenne in bowl. Working in 3 batches, pulse salmon in food processor until coarsely chopped into 1/4-inch pieces, about 2 pulses, transferring each batch to bowl with panko mixture. Gently mix until uniformly combined.

2. Place remaining 3/4 cup panko in pie plate. Using 1/3-cup measure, scoop level amount of salmon mixture and transfer to baking sheet; repeat to make 8 cakes. Carefully coat each cake in bread crumbs, gently patting into disk measuring 2 3/4 inches in diameter and 1 inch high. Return coated cakes to baking sheet.

3. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place salmon cakes in skillet and cook without moving until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip cakes and cook until second side is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer cakes to paper towel–lined plate to drain 1 minute. Serve.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on
• 4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp. ouzo (or Pernod)
• 5 cloves garlic, pressed
• zest of one lemon
• 1 sm. onion, diced medium (about ¾ cup)
• ½ medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced medium (about ½ cup)
• ½ medium green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced medium (about ½ cup)
• ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
• 28 oz. can diced tomato, drained, ⅓ cup juices reserved
• ¼ c. dry white wine
• 2 tbsp. coarsely chopped parsley
• 6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled (about 1½ cups)
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh dill

Preparation

1. Toss shrimp, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon ouzo, 1 teaspoon garlic, lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper in small bowl until well combined. Set aside while preparing sauce.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, red and green bell pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and stir to combine. Cover skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables release their moisture, 3 to 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until moisture cooks off and vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes longer. Add remaining 4 teaspoons garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and reserved juice, wine, and remaining 2 tablespoons ouzo; increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until flavors have melded and sauce is slightly thickened (sauce should not be completely dry), 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Reduce heat to medium-low and add shrimp along with any accumulated liquid to pan; stir to coat and distribute evenly. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are opaque throughout, 6 to 9 minutes for extra-large or 7 to 11 minutes for jumbo, adjusting heat as needed to maintain bare simmer. Remove pan from heat and sprinkle evenly with feta. Drizzle remaining tablespoon oil evenly over top and sprinkle with dill. Serve immediately.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 oz. vodka
• 1 oz. heavy cream
• 1 oz. egg white
• 1 oz. honey syrup
• Fresh lavender

Preparation

Shake over ice gently for 30 seconds to make a thick, creamy cocktail. Strain and garnish with lavender.

Adapted from H. Ehrmann, A Guide to Honey Cocktails

Ingredients (per hamburger)

• 3 ounces (86-88 grams) ground beef (<=80% lean)
• 1 1/4 ounces (36-40 grams) grated cheddar cheese (mixture of sharp and mild)
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 hamburger bun or (soft) Kaiser roll
• 4-5 dill pickle slices or “chips”
• Mayo and mustard
• Oil or shortening for frying

Preparation

Get a nice big dutch oven and add enough oil or shortening to be two inches deep. Install your fry/candy thermometer to the side of the pot and crank the heat to medium high. Your thermal destination is 320 degrees F.

Turn on your broiler and position rack in top position. This is a perfect time to use your toaster oven if you have one.

Meanwhile, weigh out the meat portions for however many burgers you want to make. Roll into balls and set aside. Do not refrigerate.

Grate the cheese. If you want 4 burgers, obviously you need 5 ounces total. Six would be 7 1/2, eight would be 10 ounces. Toss this cheese with the spices until all the powder has stuck to the cheese.

Place a thin layer of mayo on the bottom of the buns. Place half the cheese mixture on top of this. Spread mustard on bun tops and place the rest of the cheese on this. You should have half the cheese on the bottoms (on mayo) and half on the tops (on mustard). Place these under the broiler so that the cheese will melt as you cook the burgers.

When the oil hits 320 degrees F, place one of the meat balls on an upside-down sheet pan. Dip a wide metal grill spatula in the hot fat then use it to smash and spread the meat ball out into a 5 to 6-inch-wide disk. It will be irregular around the circumference and that’s good as all those irregularities will become crunchy goodness. The meat will also shrink by a couple of inches. Gently scrape the patty/wafer off the pan with the spatula and gently drop into the fat. Cook one minute, no more, no less. You can cook up to three patties at a time, but watch the oil temp and don’t let it drop to under 300 degrees F.

Remove meat to a paper towel to drain briefly then place it on the bun bottom right away. Place the pickles on top, then the bun top. The goal: bread/mayo/cheese/meat/cheese/pickles/mustard/bread.

Consume or wrap in foil and hold for up to half an hour.

Alton Brown

Ingredients

• Canola oil
• 1 pound ground pork
• 2 ounces chicken liver, chopped
• 1 onion, diced
• 1/2 bell pepper, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup rice
• 1 pint cranberries
• 1 cup bourbon whiskey
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 8 whole quail
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• Cayenne
• Chili powder
• Smoked paprika

Preparation

Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork and chicken liver and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 10 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic, and continue to saute for 5 minutes.

Bring 2 cups water and a pinch of salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Add rice, cover, and bring back to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.

In a small saucepan, combine the cranberries, bourbon and sugar in pan. Bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, over medium heat until the berries are soft and the sugar is dissolved, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool bit, then pour into a blender and puree until smooth.

Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the quail with salt, pepper, cayenne, chili powder and smoked paprika. Swirl some canola oil in the skillet and then add the quail. Cook on one side for about 5 minutes; flip and cook for another 5 minutes-the quail won’t be fully cooked yet, but that’s okay. Set aside.

Mix the cooked rice into the ground pork mixture and season with salt, pepper and cayenne-now you have boudin.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Stuff each quail with boudin and place back in the cast-iron skillet. Roast until cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes.

Jay Ducote, Next Food Network Star

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 5 grams instant dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 ½ cups lukewarm water
• 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling

For the filling:

• 1 cup ground pork
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 3 large carrots, finely grated (about 4 cups)
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 1 cup finely chopped scallion
• 2 teaspoons finely minced or grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon shaoxing wine

For fried buns:

• 2 tablespoons oil
• ¼ cup water
• a small handful of finely chopped scallion (optional)
• 2 teaspoons of toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Preparation

In a large mixing bowl or mixer with a dough hook attachment, completely dissolve yeast and sugar in the lukewarm water. Add the flour and knead for about 15 minutes. The dough should be pretty soft and not too firm. If it seems dry, add a little more water. Cover the mixing bowl with a damp kitchen towel and let it proof one hour.

Combine the first six filling ingredients and mix for a few minutes, until the meat mixture resembles a fine paste, then set aside. Heat a couple tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium heat and cook the grated carrots for a few minutes until they turn color (they shouldn’t be mushy. Cook just until they’re not raw anymore). Let cool completely. Combine the pork mixture, the cooked carrots, and the rest of the filling ingredients. Mix for a couple minutes, until the entire mixture resembles a paste.

After the dough has finished proofing, turn it out on a clean surface dusted with flour. Knead for 2 minutes to get rid of any air pockets. Roll the dough into a long tube and rip off chunks of dough to make individual dough balls. They should be about the size of a golf ball for larger buns, and about half that size for smaller buns.

Take each dough ball, and with a rolling pin, roll from the edge towards the center, without actually rolling the center of the dough too much. The goal is to flatten the dough into a round circle with a thinner edge and thicker center. The difference in thickness should be about 1:2.

Add some filling to the center of each disk (about 1 ½ tablespoons for the larger buns and 2 teaspoons for the smaller ones).

You can start with a smaller amount of filling until you get the hang of the folding. The buns are folded with one hand holding the skin and filling, and the other hand pleating the edges of the dough disk like an accordion. As you fold, the goal is to make it all the way around the circle, until you’ve sealed it at the top. You’ll be making about 10-15 folds. That’s it! Once the top is closed, a bun is born. Lay the buns on a floured surface while you finish assembling them.

Once assembled, let the buns proof under a clean kitchen towel for another 15 minutes before cooking or freezing.

To freeze, lay the buns on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and put the baking sheet in the freezer. Once the buns are frozen, transfer them to a Ziploc bag, press out as much air as you can from the bag, and freeze for up to two months. To cook, just follow the directions below as if you were cooking them fresh. The cooking times will just be a little longer!

To make steamed pork buns:

Boiling water should not directly touch the buns during steaming. Avoid sticking by brushing oil onto the surface the bun sits on or by laying down some kind of natural nonstick surface. In our case, we used corn husks, cut into little squares. Thin napa cabbage leaves will work too. If using a bamboo steamer, brush the sides of the steamer with oil, as the buns expand and might stick to the sides. The surface that the buns sit on should not be solid, like a plate for example. This will trap moisture and make the buns soggy. There should be some cross-ventilation. Make sure the lid is tight so you don’t lose any steam.

Start with cold water, and put your pork buns on the steamer. Turn on the heat to medium. Set the timer for 12-15 minutes for smaller buns and 15-20 minutes for the larger ones. To see if the buns are cooked, press the buns lightly with your finger. If the dough immediately bounces back, they’re done. Keep a close eye on them. Over-steaming will cause the buns to collapse, so cooking time is important.

Once they’re done, turn off the heat, keep the lid on, and let the buns “rest” for about 2 minutes before taking them out. Then eat!

To make pan-fried pork buns:

Pre-heat a flat-bottomed cast-iron or other seasoned pan over medium heat. Add the oil and swirl it around the pan to coat it evenly. Add the buns to the pan. Let them cook for a few minutes until the bottoms turn golden brown.

Once golden, add the water to the pan and immediately cover with a lid. Turn the heat down to medium low and let the buns steam for 7-10 minutes until all the water is evaporated.

Uncover the lid, and toss the buns around with scallion and sesame seeds. Done!

The Woks of Life

Ingredients

For the filling:

• 1/2 cup minced beef or pork
• 1 small section of scallion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• Pinch of fresh ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon water

For the dough:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup hot water (just off the boil)
• 1/4 cup room temperature water
• Vegetable oil for brushing
• Pinch of salt

Preparation

Mix around 2 cups of all-purpose flour with pinch of salt in a large bowl. Swirl the hot water in firstly and then the cold water. Mix with chop stickers during the process until you get floccule texture. Wait for cool.

Grasp all the floccules with hands and then roll into a smoothie dough. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, add water by three batches. After adding the water each time, stir the beef quickly in one direction until all the water is absorbed by the meat. Then mix with salt, soy sauce, sesame oil and herbs firstly and then followed by scallion and grated ginger. Set aside.

Divide the dough into 8 small ones.Brush some oil on surface and roll each one into a round wrapper; place around 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of the wrapper. Press the filling a little bit and seal the wrapper completely.

Press the sealed bun prepared in previous step; turn over. Brush some oil on both sides and saute with slow fire until golden-brown.

China Sichuan Food

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