As much as I would love to start out each day with a couple of cheesy scrambled eggs, salty bacon and a nice big piece of toast, the reality is that I wait until the absolute last minute to get out of bed and shower each morning, thus leaving me with no time to ever really cook anything of substance.  Sadly, my late-to-rise routine usually results in me dashing out the door each morning with a hastily toasted bagel in one hand and my computer in the other.  Of course, I love a good cream cheese slathered bagel, but sometimes I’m looking for something a bit sweeter to start my day with that still fits within the hand-held morning model.  While donuts and pancakes can be far too sweet for a quick breakfast and since cereal isn’t meant to be taken on the go, I’ve found that a nice thick slice of moist quick bread is the best compromise.

The mix of spices and ginger make this quick bread exceptionally delicious and the perfect way to use leftover carrots you probably have wilting away in your crisper. With a small, even crumb and dark, caramelized exterior, this bread is best with a pad of butter and your morning coffee. It may not satisfy the urge for a savory, cheese and egg-laden breakfast, but I doubt anyone will be complaining.

SPICED BROWN SUGAR CARROT BREAD

Adapted from from Beth Hensperger, Food & Wine Magazine

Don’t be afraid to play around with the spices and the ginger; I’ve included what I like best, but if you’d rather use dry ginger or more cinnamon don’t hesitate to give it try. If I’m looking for extra fiber, I sometimes swap out a bit of the flour with ground flax seed — it adds texture and a slight nutty flavor. As the method states, make sure to take your time when pouring in the oil. Also, the bread will get moister and more flavorful as it sits. I like to make it a day in advance. Of course, feel free to freeze the second loaf; it should thaw beautifully.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon crushed ground cardamom
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  
• Grated zest of 1 orange
  
• 2 1/2 cups shredded carrots (about 14 ounces)

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Coat two 8-by-4-inch loaf pans with cooking spray or grease and lightly flour the pans.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom and salt.
3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the light brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth. Add the oil in a thin stream, beating at high speed until the batter has doubled in volume, about 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla, orange zest and ginger. Fold in the shredded carrots. Beat in the dry ingredients at low speed in 3 batches, mixing well between additions.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pans, filling them two-thirds full. Bake in the middle of the oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the loaves comes out clean. Let the loaves cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a rack to cool completely.

Makes 2 8-by-4-inch loaves

I should start by saying that this dish is rich — certainly not for those still trying to stick to their New Years resolution.  While cream sauced pasta might always be an off-limit item for calorie counters, it’s the Gorgonzola, ricotta and Parmesan cheese that makes this dish especially decadent and delicious.  It’s this same indulgent quality that has people lined up around the block at Gayle’s Bakery & Rosticceria, a neighborhood fixture in a small beach town called Capitola, a few miles south of Santa Cruz in Northern California.

I visited Gayle’s for the first time in college on an adventure to find a solid, quality meal and a break from the less-than inspiring food of the dining hall.  Craving something comforting more than anything, I felt right at home in front of their massive rotisserie and deli case packed with roasted chickens, slow barbecued ribs, potato salad and sandwiches.  The place was bustling with business and food was flying out the door but nothing seemed to be selling faster than the humble looking spinach-gorgonzola pasta.  As I remember it, not one customer left without ordering some.  So, like any smart food explorer, I did as the locals did and took some to-go.  After a few bites, it was obvious what all fuss was about.

Having moved away from Santa Cruz, I’m no longer able to take part in what became a near-weekly trip to Gayle’s for some of their signature pasta.  So feeling especially deprived of late, I searched for the restaurant online and was lucky enough to find that they’ve been giving out the recipe to their customers for years.  After making the dish at home this past weekend, I’m happy to report that it’s as soul-satisfying as I remember it.

SPINACH-GORGONZOLA PASTA

From Gayle’s Bakery & Rosticceria, Capitola, California

This pasta gets its rich flavor from a thick and creamy Gorgonzola cream sauce.  Making the béchamel sauce is simple, but make sure you taste the sauce for seasoning before you cool it to ensure that the tangy flavor of the cheese really shines.  Seasoning is also important when it comes to boiling the pasta.  Make sure to do so in a very large pot of highly salted water to ensure that the shells end up well-seasoned.  It is of the utmost importance that you only cook the pasta to the point of being very al dente.  I like to err on the side of underdone to ensure the pasta doesn’t fall apart after baking.  If shells aren’t your thing, bow tie pasta would be a great substitute in this recipe.  For an outstanding and authentic Italian twist, try substituting grilled or sauteed radicchio in place of the spinach for a pleasantly bitter accent to the cheesy sauce.  When it comes time to bake the pasta, it’s best to do so in a vessel that will allow the pasta to be fairly well covered with sauce as this will prevent it from drying out.  Finally, use as much or as little of the grated Parmesan as you would like to top the dish and give it a crusty brown top.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups of milk
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 10 ounces Gorgonzola cheese
• 4 pinches nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 pound large pasta shells
• 2 bunches fresh spinach, cleaned and dried, or 1 package frozen
• 3/4 cup ricotta cheese, well-drained
  
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, heat the milk until hot but not boiling.
2. Meanwhile, combine flour and butter in another heavy saucepan. Stir over medium heat with a wooden spoon or whisk until the mixture has gently bubbled for 2 minutes, being careful not to brown the flour.
3. Begin to add the hot milk to the flour mixture a little at a time while whisking vigorously. Continue to add the milk until it is fully incorporated. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 6 to 8 minutes. it will look like heavy cream. Crumble the cheese and add it to the hot béchamel sauce, whisking continuously until smooth. Add the nutmeg and pepper and stir. Remove form heat and let cool.
4. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente. Drain and set aside.
5. If using fresh spinach, blanch it 1 to 2 minutes in a little boiling water. Drain it, let it cool, and squeeze all of the water out several times. if you are using frozen spinach, let it defrost in a sieve over a bowl for at least 3 hours. Squeeze all the water out by hand.
6. Toss the pasta, Gorgonzola sauce, spinach, ricotta, and garlic in a large bowl until well combined. Taste and correct for salt and pepper.
7. Place in a 12 X 17-inch casserole dish and top with the Parmesan. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the cheese browns a little. you may make this a day ahead, and before baking, refrigerate well covered.

Makes 6-8 Servings

Like baked barbecue pork buns, bagel dogs held a special place in my heart growing up. When hunger pangs struck after a long day at school, these bagel wrapped beauties were one of my favorite go-to snacks.  I was lucky enough to grow up in a town with a small bagel shop that was making them from scratch each morning.  More than anything, I was lucky enough to have a father who enjoyed them as much as I did, so there were always a few in the fridge.  In college, I’d take a dozen back to school with me and they’d easily disappear in a couple days time.  I only had three roommates!

It wasn’t until recently, when I learned of that same bagel shop’s demise that I finally felt motivated to try making them myself at home.  After a couple of so-so attempts and oddly shaped dogs, I finally found a recipe and technique that yields outstanding results – better in many ways than the ones of my youth.  Sure, the process of making bagel dogs from scratch might seem a little daunting and unnecessary considering the availability of frozen varieties at almost every grocery store, but believe me when I say, there is no substitute for the real thing.

BAGEL DOGS

Dough adapted from The Complete International Sandwich Book, by Sonia Uvezian

If you’re going through all the trouble of making bagel dogs from scratch, make sure to pick up some good quality hot dogs for the project.  Skinless, Ball Park franks don’t really cut it in this type of preparation — I like to use Nathan’s or Kasper’s with natural casings here.  When it comes time to roll out the dough, be patient as it can be quite elastic and take a bit of elbow grease to get it to the right thickness.  Don’t be afraid to add more flour to keep everything from sticking.  Rolling the dough around the hot dogs can be a bit tricky at first, but it gets much easier with a bit of practice.  Pinch the dough to one end of the hot dog with one hand while you wrap it tightly in an overlapping spiral motion with the other.  Be sure to rest the wrapped hot dogs seam side down to prevent them from unrolling during the second rising period.  Boiling the bagel dogs will produce the chewy crust that we all love in bagels.  When it comes time to do so, handle the dogs very carefully to avoid tearing or unrolling the dough.  Dry the boiled dogs thoroughly on a dry kitchen towel to ensure that your egg glaze and toppings will adhere to the dough.  Even if they aren’t pretty, they’ll still taste delicious.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups water (110° F)
• 2 packages, active dry yeast
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 teaspoons table salt
• 5 1/2 cups unsifted all-purpose flower (approximately)
• 12 quality all-beef hot dogs
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 egg yolk plus 1 tablespoon water, lightly beaten
• Sesame seeds, poppy seeds and/or coarse salt for garnish

METHOD:

1. Pour the water into the bowl of an electric stand mixer and sprinkle with the yeast.  Let the mixture stand about five minutes or until foamy, then stir in 3 tablespoons of sugar and the salt. Using the paddle attachment and with the mixer on medium speed, gradually add flour, beating until well-blended and smooth, until you have a stiff dough. Replace the paddle attachment with the dough hook and knead thoroughly until smooth and elastic in texture. Form the dough into a lump and place it into a lightly greased bowl. Turn the dough over to grease the top. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for about an hour or until doubled in size.
2. Once the dough has risen, punch it down and knead briefly to eliminate any air bubbles and turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a 12×9 inch rectangle or until it’s about a 1/4-inch thick, adding flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking to the rolling pin or the board. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut 12 1-inch pieces of dough.
3. Dry the hot dogs thoroughly. Starting at one end of a hot dog, wrap the dough around overlapping slightly as you make your way to the other end. Place seam side down on a parchment lined baking sheet and repeat with remaining hot dogs and strips of dough. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let stand in a warm place for about 30 to 45 minutes.
4. Preheat the over to 400°. Fill a deep, heavy pot with water and add the baking soda. Bring to a gentle boil. Working 2 to 3 bagels at a time, carefully drop the bagel dogs into the boiling water, turning frequently with a slotted spoon or spatula, for about a minute. Lift out of the water and gently dry each bagel well on a kitchen towel and arrange about 2-inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet, seam side down. Repeat with remaining bagel dogs.
5. Brush the bagels with the egg glaze and sprinkle on your garnish of choice. Bake for about 35 minutes or until nicely browned and crusty, turning the pan about halfway through. Serve warm or let cool on a wire rack.
   

Makes 12 Bagel Dogs

Listen, there’s nothing wrong with sour cream out of a tub, but man can that stuff ever be thick.  That’s why I love crema — the rich, delicately sour, slightly thickened cream used in Mexican cooking.  Just look at how that stuff drizzles!  I like to think of it as a thinner version of crème fraîche. Unlike sour cream, crema Mexicana won’t break or separate when heated, making it ideal for stirring into warm sauces.  Sure there are a few good brands out there, but making it yourself at home couldn’t be any simpler.  All you need is some heavy cream, a cultured dairy product like buttermilk or yogurt and some culinary cajónes.  That’s right, in order to get this stuff to the right consistency you’re gonna have to leave it out on your counter overnight…unrefrigerated.  But don’t worry, considering the resilience of the ultra-pasteurized heavy whipping cream sold in most supermarkets, it’s gonna take a lot more than a night on your counter to spoil.  I too was a bit worried the first time I made it, but trust me, this recipe works like a charm.  The finished crema is complex, nutty and has a beautiful pourable texture, perfect for spooning on tacos, enchiladas or even a simple baked potato.  Or, do what I do and drizzle it on a plate of loaded, cheesy nachos — it certainly beats a thick glob of cold sour cream.

CREMA MEXICANA

from Rick Bayless’s Mexican Kitchen

Many crema recipes call for a bit more of the active culture to be added to the cream in order to encourage rapid thickening.  Using a mere two teaspoons will still thicken the cream considerably and the 24 hour slow culturing process will encourage more complex flavor development.  Using buttermilk will lend the finished crema a slightly nutty flavor and a beautiful texture that is perfect for drizzling on just about anything.  Using more than 2 teaspoons of the active culture will simply produce a thicker final product.  Once the cream has thickened, feel free to add any flavor components that interest you.  I will sometimes add a bit of lime juice, salt, chile or even ground cumin depending upon its eventual application. Covered and refrigerated, the crema will keep for about 10 days or so.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  
• 2 teaspoons buttermilk, crème fraîche, sour cream or plain yogurt
  

METHOD:

1. Pour the cream into a small saucepan set over low heat and stir just until the chill is off.  Do not heat the cream above 100° (lukewarm).
   
2. Remove the saucepan from the heat, stir in the buttermilk and pour into a clean glass jar.
3. Place the lid on the jar but don’t tighten it, and put in a warm spot.  Allow the cream to develop for 12 to 24 hours, until noticeably thicker.  Stir gently and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to chill and complete the thickening process.

Makes 1 Cup

Having grown up in the Bay Area, I’m pretty accustomed to eating some damn good Mexican food.  As a true fan of the cuisine, I consider myself blessed to live within minutes of the birthplace of the original Mission-style burrito.  So, with some of the best taquerías in the entire state literally moments from my apartment, it’s with great embarrassment that I am here to say I enjoy eating at Chipotle Mexican Grill every once in a while.  Don’t get me wrong, I would NEVER pass up a burrito from one of my favorite joints here in town, but when I find myself craving some good barbacoa, I always know where I can find some.

Even though we have a taquería on every corner here in San Francisco serving mounds of carnitas, al pastor, chile verde and carne asada, very few in fact offer a version of this dish.  Good barbacoa is succulent beef that is slow-simmered in a spicy broth flavored with tangy lime juice, smoky chipotle chiles and plenty of garlic until it’s practically falling apart.  Seasoned with just the right amount of herbs, vinegar and salt, Chipotle’s come pretty darn close to some of the best I’ve ever eaten.  So, cobbled together from a few imposter recipes and knock-offs floating around the internet, along with some good, old-fashioned cooking know-how, I am here to offer my rendition of the barbacoa I’ve come to love from this massive chain restaurant .  I typically have them throw the stuff in a burrito at the restaurant, but here I serve it in authentic Mexican fashion, mounded up on a griddled tortilla and topped with diced white onion, plenty of cilantro and a lime wedge for squeezing over the top.  Pass some good bottled hot sauce or some avocado-tomatillo salsa for another great accompaniment or whip up a batch of cochinita pibil or chile-braised pork and throw a taco party.

TACOS DE BARBACOA

Slow-braising the beef is the essence of this simple recipe.  After you’ve made the adobo sauce in a food processor or blender,  make sure you dry all sides of the beef chuck before adding them to the oil in the pot.  I like to take my time when searing beef like chuck or short-ribs for braises.  Take care to brown the beef evenly without scorching or burning the fond at the bottom of the pot as this will contribute bitterness to the dish while it is simmering.  If necessary, I’ll brown the beef in two batches if I don’t have enough room to accommodate high heat searing without running the risk of steaming the meat its own juices.  Before placing the lid on the pot, cover it tightly with tin foil to create a nice seal — this will aid in the loss of moisture and liquid reduction over the long braising process.  Check the meat after a few hours or so to make sure there is sufficient moisture in the pot and add more stock if necessary to come about 1/3 of the way up the side of the beef. This dish can be completed through step 4 and refrigerated overnight.  If you decide to go down that route, store the meat separately  from any leftover braising liquid and reheat them together over low heat before serving.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/3 cup  cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 3-4 canned chipotle chiles, no adobo
  
• 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  
• 3 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt or 3 teaspoons Kosher
  
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 pounds boneless chuck roast, excess fat removed
  
• 3/4 cup chicken broth, plus more as needed
  
• 3 bay leaves
• 20 warm corn tortillas
• Diced white onion, chopped cilantro and lime wedges for garnish
  

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 275°.
2. Combine the cider vinegar, lime juice, chipotle chiles, garlic cloves, cumin, oregano, clove, black pepper and salt in the bowl of a food processor or blender and puree until completely smooth — about a minute or so.  Transfer the spice paste to a bowl and set aside.
3. Dry the roast all over with paper towels, cut away any excess fat and slice the meat into 4 evenly sized pieces.  Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a very large pot set over high heat until it begins to shimmer.  Working in batches if necessary, sear the beef on all sides until deeply browned, about 10 minutes.
4. Add the chile puree to the pot and stir until the beef is well-coated.  Add the chicken stock and bay leaves and bring the liquid to a boil.  Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the lid with tin foil and add the lid to create a very tight seal.  Braise the meat for 5-6 hours, removing the lid during the last hour or so to allow the simmering liquid to reduce slightly. Allow the beef to cool slightly, spoon off any easily removable fat from the braising liquid and then use two forks to pull/shred the beef into bite size pieces.
5. Taste and adjust as necessary for seasonings.  Serve spooned onto warm corn tortillas topped with diced white onion, chopped cilantro and lime wedges for garnish.

Makes about 20 tacos

I saved this unabashedley Chinese-American dish for the final post in my week of Chinese take-out meals at home because, well . . . it’s pretty damn sweet, like sweet enough to be a dessert. But don’t fear, the savory addition of prawns, mayonnaise and a nice sprinkling of salt make it worthy of your dinner plate.

It only dawned on me when I was making it that this particular dish may not be everyone’s favorite — certainly not in the same way chow mein tends to be. The inclusion of sweetened condensed milk and mayo might sound a bit off-putting, but if you’ve ever enjoyed fried calamari or shrimp dipped in a pleasantly sweet, thick sauce, then you’ll understand the appeal. When the crispy prawns and crunchy walnuts are tossed in the sweet, creamy sauce it creates a succulent combination of textures and flavors – a perfect compliment to salty pot stickers and broccoli beef.

HONEY WALNUT SHRIMP

Adapted from Bee Yinn Low’s, Rasa Malaysia

Sure, there is a bit of frying involved in this recipe and making the walnut glaze can be a bit scary if you’ve never made caramel before, but in the end, this is a fairly simple dish to prepare and one that comes together quite quickly once all your prep work is out of the way.  Make sure the shrimp are well-coated in corn starch before frying.  If your oil is between 350°-375° when you throw the shrimp in they should end up cooking quickly, forming a crispy golden crust while remaining juicy throughout.  I recommend making this dish with Kewpie mayonnaise if you have it for its savory flavor and rich texture. If you don’t have any on hand, don’t worry, Best Food’s or Hellman’s will produce just as delicious results.  Toss the hot shrimp in the room temperature sauce and serve immediately — they are best within a few minutes of cooking.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup walnut halves
• Pinch of Kosher salt
• 1 pound 31/40 count shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 egg white, very lightly beaten
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise (preferably Kewpie brand)
• 1/2 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 tablespoon condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup corn starch
• Canola, grapeseed, peanut or vegetable oil for frying
• Leaf lettuce for garnish

METHOD:

1. Make the candied walnuts: Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a small sauce pan set over medium-high heat.  Stir frequently, until sugar is dissolved and mixture turns to a golden brown and thickens.  Add the walnuts and a pinch of kosher salt and stir until coated in a thin caramel glaze, about 1 to 2 minutes.  With a slotted spoon, transfer the walnut halves to a parchment lined baking sheet until cool enough to handle.
2. Prepare the Shrimp: Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and place them in a medium bowl along with the egg white.  Mix gently until the shrimp are well coated.
3. Make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk to combine the mayonnaise, honey and condensed milk, lemon juice and another pinch of kosher salt until thoroughly incorporated. Set aside.
4. Fry the Shrimp: Pour oil into a large, heavy-bottomed pot to a depth of at least 1 1/2 inches and heat over medium-high heat until a candy thermometer reaches a temperature of 350°.  Place the corn starch in a shallow bowl (a pie plate works well for this) and add in the shrimp, gently tossing until each one is thoroughly coated. Shake off any excess corn starch and fry the shrimp (in batches if necessary) until crispy and just golden, about 2-3 minutes.  Using a wire skimmer, transfer the shrimp to a paper towel lined plate and allow excess oil to be absorbed.
5. In a large bowl, combine the shrimp with the mayo/condensed milk mixture and toss gently until they are well-coated.  Transfer the shrimp to a lettuce lined serving bowl or plate and garnish with the candied walnuts. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 when served along with other dishes

My girlfriend (and her entire family) is nuts for broccoli beef.  In fact, she’s down with almost all of the classic Chinese-American dishes — chow mein, wonton soup, cashew chicken, etc.  When I told her I was planning on pulling together a few recipes for Chinese New Year to post on the blog, she insisted that this dish had to be on the menu.  As she put it, “this is the type of Chinese food that everybody loves.”  As hard as it is to admit, I too am fairly partial to a good take-out box of broccoli beef every once in a while.  Sure, I have a few Chinese friends that scoff at the very notion of this dish as a truly “authentic” Chinese dish, but the fact of the matter is, this is good, simple comfort food at its best.

Making good broccoli beef at home is way easier than most people think.  In fact, with a few Asian ingredients that all home chefs should have in their pantry and about a pound of good flank steak, the average home cook can have an outstanding dish on their table in less than a half hour.  Simply follow the principles of good stir-frying technique and you are pretty much guaranteed solid results.  Make this dish. After you see how easy it is to put together you might just reconsider paying $9-$10 for it at a restaurant the next time you get that craving.

BROCCOLI BEEF

Adapted from Jaden Hair’s Recipe at Simply Recipes

Blanching the broccoli before adding it to the pan ensures that each floret will be perfectly cooked in your final dish as it would never have the chance to fully cook given the brief frying period in this recipe.  As with all blanching of vegetables, do so in a very large pot of well-salted water and have your ice bath ready and waiting.  When it comes time to stir-fry the beef, make sure your pan is ripping hot.  Once the beef has been added, don’t touch it.  I like there to be a good amount of caramelization taking place on the meat during this initial sear and you will not be able to induce much browning if you are constantly stirring the contents of the pan.  Considering how drastic the difference in salt levels can be among certain brands of soy sauce and oyster sauce, taste the sauce before adding it to the pan and adjust accordingly.  If you find the sauce a bit too salty, try adding a few pinches of sugar to balance out the flavor.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 pound flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain
• 3/4 pound broccoli florets
• 2 tablespoons peanut, grapeseed or vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon water

For the Marinade:

• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• Sugar to taste

METHOD:

1. Marinate the Beef: Stir together the beef marinade ingredients in a medium bowl.  Add in the slices of beef and stir until well coated.  Set aside at room temperature for at least 10 minutes.
   
2. Make the Sauce: Stir together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl until well combined. Set aside.
   
3. Blanch the Broccoli: Cook the broccoli florets in a large pot of well-salted boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes or until crisp-tender.  Using a slotted spoon, remove the broccoli from the boiling water and ’shock’ the florets immediately in ice water to stop the cooking process.  Drain well, dry and set aside.
   
4. Make the Broccoli Beef: Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet or wok over set over high heat until shimmering and just starting to smoke.  Add the marinated beef to the pan in a single layer, making sure that each pieces lays flat against the bottom for maximum surface contact.  Let the beef fry for 1 minutes without turning or flipping.  Turn the beef over, add the garlic to the pan and allow to fry for another 30 seconds or until no longer pink.
   
5. Stir the contents of the pan and pour in the sauce, add the blanched broccoli and bring to a boil.  Add the dissolved cornstarch liquid and simmer until slightly thickened, about 30 more seconds.  Take the pan off the heat, swirl in the sesame oil and serve immediately.

Serves 4

I absolutely loved eating pot stickers growing up.  In fact, no night of Chinese take-out was complete without them in my house.  And what’s not to like about them?  Crispy on one side, tender on the other and bursting with a flavorful, juicy pork and shrimp filling.  Yup, give me a bowl of soy or some sweet and sour dipping sauce and I was good.  Then…I went away to college and simply lost all interest in these delicious dumplings.

You see, there is a brand of frozen pot stickers on the market that seems to be stocked in every grocery store on the planet. It’s highly likey that you might have eaten them yourself at one point in time.  And why wouldn’t you have?  They aren’t half bad when you prepare them correctly.  But it was the constant consumption of these store-bought wonders by my roommates that really put me off them for a while.  Do you know what it’s like to come home from a long day of classes to a house steamed up with the funky stench of industrialized cabbage wontons?  Not good! Sure they were good the first couple of times, but after a while it’s just not the same as the genuine, handmade article.

So, smack-dab in the heart of Chinese New Year, I present to you a killer recipe from this month’s Fine Cooking Magazine for authentic, pork and shrimp jiao zi.  Simple enough to assemble and sheer gold sitting in your freezer, this recipe has single-handedly renewed my interest in these classic Chinese dumplings.  Loaded with a myriad of traditional Chinese ingredients like ginger, rice wine, napa cabbage, scallions and sesame oil, these pot stickers are leagues above your average supermarket variety and far better than the restaurant versions I’ve had in recent years. Serve them with the accompanying recipe for scallion-soy dipping sauce and you have a knockout appetizer.

POT STICKERS

Adapted from Thy Tran’s recipe in Fine Cooking Magazine

Outside of filling and shaping the dumplings, this recipe is pretty damn easy and well worth the effort considering how perfectly the finished dumplings freeze for future cooking.  If you have an Asian market in your town, go there and try to purchase coarsely ground, fatty pork for dumplings with superior juiciness and texture.  Thy’s original recipe calls for you to make your own wrappers and I am certain that such an endevor would be well worth the effort.  However, this recipe already takes a bit of time to put together, so do what I did and go grab yourself some pre-made, gyoza or pot sticker wrappers at the market.  Look for wrapper thin — you want your pot stickers to be delicate, not chewy.  If you decide you want to freeze some of the finished dumplings, place them on a cookie sheet in an even layer and freeze them overnight.  When you want to cook them again, simply take them out and proceed with the same cooking method, adding 3-4 minutes onto the total cooking time.  I didn’t believe it myself, but the come out perfectly. Trust me.

INGREDIENTS:

METHOD:

1. Make the Filling: In a medium bowl, toss the cabbage with 2 teaspoons salt and set aside for 30 minutes to shed moisture. Wring out in a clean kitchen towel to extract as much liquid as possible.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cabbage with the pork, shrimp, scallions, garlic, Shaoxing, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir until well mixed. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
3. Fill the Dumplings: Spoon 1 to 2 teaspoons of the filling onto a dough wrapper, fold it in half, and make your first pinch at the center of the curved edge and then pleat toward the center on both sides to create a rounded belly. This wider shape allows the dumplings to sit upright in the pan and form a flat surface for browning.
4. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling. As you work, arrange the filled dumplings in a single layer without touching on large plates, so they don’t stick together.
5. Pan-Fry the Dumplings: Heat 2 Tbs. vegetable oil in a heavy-duty 10- or 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working quickly and in batches if necessary (adding more oil for the second batch if needed), arrange the dumplings belly side down in concentric circles starting from the outer edge. Cook until golden brown on the bottom, 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Pour in about 1/2 cup water or enough to come about a third of the way up the sides of the dumplings, bring to a boil, cover, and cook until all of the water has been absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the lid, reduce the heat to medium, and continue cooking just until the dumplings are dry and crisp on the bottom, 1 to 2 minutes. Loosen the dumplings from the pan with a spatula.
7. Invert the pan over a plate to flip the dumplings, browned side up, onto the plate (or transfer with a spatula). Serve immediately with your choice of dipping sauce.

Makes 36 Dumplings

SCALLION-SOY DIPPING SAUCE

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon hot chile oil or toasted Asian sesame oil
• 1 small scallion, thinly sliced

METHOD:

1. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved and then stir in the oil and scallion.

You know that smell you catch a whiff of during those warm summertime evenings when everybody and their uncle is out in the backyard barbecuing?  I’m not talking about that run-of-the-mill grilled hamburger smell that wafts over your neighbors fence every weekend, I’m talking about that intoxicating, exotic aroma of soy and garlic marinated beef mixing with the sweet smell of wood smoke.  Haven’t smelled it?  Well, odds are you don’t have a large Korean population in your neighborhood, so let me frame this scenario a little differently.  You know the Korean spot in your local mall’s food court?  You know that ridiculously enticing aroma you smell each time you walk by?  That’s probably kalbi, or marinated and grilled beef short ribs.

While beef short ribs have grown in popularity over the past few years, I’m surprised to learn that many people have never had them prepared in this style.  They are a notoriously tough cut of meat that benefits from long periods of slow, low-heat cooking, but when cut in the flanken style (perpendicular to the bone), marinated in a sweet and salty aromatic mixture for a couple of days and cooked quickly on a hot grill, you have a whole different experience at hand.  This is the type of eating that is perfectly suited for the backyard.  In fact, this is the type of dish that allows one to get in touch with their primordial ancestry.  This isn’t filet mignon were talking about, in fact, it’s quite the opposite.  Kalbi requires a good set of chompers and a willingness to get your hands (and face) dirty pulling the sweet, succulent meat from the three tiny bones that run the length of the rib.  In my mind, a little messiness is well worth the experience of eating these sweet and savory morsels.  Not only do they pack an incredibly beefy flavor, but the perfect amount of charring on the grill will bring out the soy, garlic, sesame oil and sugars in the marinade, perfuming the air with a mix of aromas that are certain to get your salivary glands flowing.

Next time you’re looking to grill something a little bit out of the ordinary or spot some beautiful flanken-style beef ribs at the grocery store, do yourself a favor and try out this recipe.  Your neighbors are guaranteed to be jealous.

KALBI (GRILLED KOREAN SHORT RIBS)

Adapted from David Chang’s, Momofuku

When shopping for the flanken-style short ribs in this recipe, look for those with a thickness between 1/3 and 1/2-inch in thickness.  Short ribs that are cut too thinly will cook far too quickly over the heat of a hot grill, leaving you with dry, overcooked jerky-like ribs.  David Chang’s mother used Mott’s apple juice in her family recipe for kalbi –  a brilliant addition to this marinade considering its unique sweet and slightly sour flavor.  After you’ve made the marinade and before you’ve added it to the ribs, give it a try and adjust the flavor to fit your own taste.  It shouldn’t need more salt, but adjust for sweetness by adding a few pinches of brown sugar if you’d like it on the sweeter side, and increase the acidity by adding a splash of rice vinegar. The short ribs will taste best if you allow them to sit in the marinade overnight, and will further intensify in flavor if left for a couple of days, turning the bag every so often to distribute the liquid.  For maximum flavor and authenticity, I recommend grilling these guys over charcoal.  Gas grilling will still yield outstanding results, but the ribs won’t have the same smoky character that comes from grilling over live embers.  I like to grill the ribs over fairly high heat to promote quick caramelization and retention of as much juice as possible. The goal is grill/color them quickly to prevent them from overcooking by drying out the flesh. Keep in mind that the marinade is high in sugar and will have the tendency to burn quickly if you are not careful.  Keep and eye on these — they go fast.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups apple juice, preferably Motts
• 1/2 cup soy sauce, preferably usukuchi (light soy sauce)
• 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 5 to 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Brown sugar and rice vinegar to taste
  
• 2 1/2 – 3 pounds flanken-style cut beef short ribs
• Leaf lettuces for garnish
  
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, lightly toasted
• 1/3 cup scallions, thinly sliced

METHOD:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the apple juice, soy sauce, onion, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes, stirring until well incorporated.
   
2. Place the short ribs in a large, heavy-duty zip top bag and pour in the marinade over the top.  Remove as much air as possible from the bag and massage the meat to distribute the marinade evenly.  Allow the ribs to marinate overnight in the refrigerator, or as long as two days, turning the bag over and redistributing the marinade every so often.
   
3. Remove the ribs from the refrigerator and allow them to come to room temperature.  Prepare a charcoal grill for direct grilling over high heat or preheat a gas grill on high until hot.  Drain off as much marinade as possible from the short ribs before laying them across the grill grate.  Grill over high heat until well-caramelized and just beginning to char in spots, about 2-3 minutes.  Flip the ribs and repeat on the second side, moving the ribs occasionally to avoid any flareups, until just cooked to medium.
4. Remove the ribs from the grill and allow them to rest.  When you are ready to serve, line a platter with leaf lettuce, pile on the short ribs and garnish with scallions and sesame seeds.  Serve at once.
   

Serves 4

Growing up it was this salad that my mom served to guests at dinner. Even after the main course was done and the dessert, too, it was this salad that guests talked about. Nearly two decades later when I serve it to my own group of friends — at sit-down dinners and potlucks alike — it is still subject to the same “oohs” and “aahs.” In a time when entire salads come in a bag — fruits, nuts, dressing and cheese included — this salad seems simultaneously ordinary and luxurious. But, in fact, it’s neither. Yes, fruit has become rather ubiquitous in mass-market salads — proved by a quick trip to the supermarket or a ride through the drive-thru — and yes, this salad requires a wee bit more effort, but with tender leaf lettuces, homemade candied walnuts, pungent blue cheese and juicy pieces of ripe, fresh pear gently tossed in sweet poppy seed dressing, it is certainly more than the sum of its parts.

I like to think of this salad as a reflection of the seasons. In winter it brims with pear and also citrus segments, but in summer I’ll glaze slivered almonds and toss in sliced strawberries and feta.  In fall, I serve it with tart apple slivers and spiced pecans. No matter what you use, there’s no wrong combination — this salad is timeless.

PEAR SALAD WITH BLUE CHEESE & CANDIED WALNUTS

When making the candied walnuts in this recipe, be sure to keep a close eye on them while they’re baking and stir them occasionally to prevent uneven browning and potential burning.  They are a cinch to make and last for about three days in a tightly sealed container if you have the foresight to make them ahead of time.  The recipe will make a full cup, but you may only feel the salad needs about a half cup, leaving you plenty to munch on.  If you already have some spiced walnuts on-hand or a favorite recipe of your own, feel free to use it here too.  The blue cheese used in this recipe can make a huge difference in it’s final overall flavor.  Look for varieties in the same vein as gorgonzola that pair especially well with sweet flavors like honey. When it comes time to assemble the salad, make your life easier by doing so in a very large bowl.  Coat the lettuces with the poppy seed dressing by gently tossing the leaves until everything is suitably dressed.  I like to use my hands for this crucial step as I am better able to turn the leaves in the dressing and I can feel how much they need.  Serve the salad on chilled plates to keep the leaves cool and serve to your guests immediately for optimal flavor and texture.

INGREDIENTS:

For the Pecans:

• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 1 cup walnuts
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Large pinch, cayenne pepper

For the Salad:

• 1 head of leaf lettuce, core removed, washed and dried thoroughly
• 1/2 cup candied pecans
  
• 1/2 cup coarsely crumbled blue cheese
• 1/2 of a red onion, sliced thinly and soaked in ice cold water
• 1 large or 2 small ripe pears, cored and thinly sliced
  
• Poppy seed dressing, to coat

METHOD:

1. Make the Walnuts: Preheat the oven to 375°.  In a small bowl, combine the walnuts, corn syrup, sugar, salt, black pepper and cayenne and mix until the nuts are evenly coated.
2. Spread the walnuts in an even layer onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven, stirring and flipping occasionally, until the nuts are deep golden and the sugar mixture is bubbling, about 15-20 minutes.  Remove the baking sheet from oven and allow to cool completely.
3. Assemble the Salad: Tear or cut the lettuce into manageable, bite-size pieces and place them in a bowl large enough to toss the leaves with dressing.
4. Add the candied pecans, blue cheese, red onion, pear slices along with enough poppy seed dressing to just coat the lettuce. Toss everything until well dressed and divide the salad among four chilled plates, drizzling a little extra dressing over each, right before service. Served garnished with freshly cracked black pepper.
   

Serves 4 as a first course