Chinese Take-out: Basil Chicken

I love Chinese food. We get take-out once and a while but it's so expensive...I'm ALWAYS shocked at the price of it when I order. So I try to make stuff at home as much as I can..and then I also know what's in it. I adapted this from America's Test Kitchen (I know, I know - haven't they already perfected it?).

1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup rice wine
1 tbsp brown sugar
1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs in bite sized pieces
6 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin on bias
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 2-in. piece of ginger, sliced thinly
6-8 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 tbsp water
1 tsp cornstarch
1 cup Thai basil leaves, sliced lengthwise
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

1. Put the chicken in a medium sized bowl with the soy sauce and rice wine and marinate for an hour or while you do step 2.

2. Add oil to skillet with ginger and garlic and heat over medium low heat for about 10 minutes or until they're softened - don't burn them!

3. Pour the chicken and marinade into the pan. Turn heat up to medium high and bring to a simmer. Then turn down to medium low and simmer for about 10 minutes, turning the chicken occasionally.

4. Combine the cornstarch and water and turn the heat back up on the skillet to medium high. Let sauce thicken.

5. Add the basil and celery and cook for another couple of minutes until the celery is just tender. Drizzle the toasted sesame oil and serve over rice. I like this with a side of steamed broccoli with a little soy and sesame and red pepper flakes ;)

Potstickers

We had a deep fryer when I was little and as far as I can remember, my parents only used it for making fried wontons. And when it was pulled out, it was a major production. But I was raised on dumplings and I absolutely love them. I don't have a fryer and I can't be bothered with all of that hot oil on the stove so potstickers are the best alternative. I make these with ground chicken instead of pork but you could use either.

12 oz ground chicken
1/3 finely chopped green onions - white and light green parts only
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tbsp dry sherry or rice wine
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp pepper
Package of wonton/gyoza wrappers

Sauce:
3 tbsp rice vinegar or balsamic
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sambal or sriracha
1 tsp minced ginger

1. Combine all of the filling ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper and dust with flour or corn starch.

3. On a large work surface or dry cutting board, line up 5 or 6 wrappers and wet half of the edge with water. Drop a tsp of meat into each and fold in half. I pleat the edges to seal them better. Set aside on the baking sheet until they're all stuffed.

4. At this point you could steam them in a steamer. Or for potstickers: heat a large skillet (that has a tight fitting lid) and a couple tbsp of canola oil. Add the dumplings and fry until golden or light brown. Add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan and quickly cover. Let cook until the water is gone. Uncover and cook another couple of mins to crisp the bottoms.

Chicken and Lemongrass Noodle Stir Fry

This is modified from Fine Cooking. You can sub the chicken for pork or chicken breasts, or anything really...

1/4 cup soy sauce
3 stalks lemongrass - soft bits from the inside minced (shuck the tough, outer layers)
3 tbsp ginger, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp lime juice
1 lb ground chicken, turkey, or pork or any kind of meat
1 package of vermicelli rice noodles
2 tbsp canola oil
1 cup chicken stock
2 tsp sugar
Handful of chopped kale or spinach
3 tbsp chopped mint
3 tbsp chopped cilantro
Sambal oelek or Sriracha to taste

1 In a small bowl, combine soy, lemongrass, ginger, garlic, and lime.

2. In a medium bowl. combine ground meat with half of the soy mixture and let sit for at least 10 min.

3. Prepare noodles according to package. Drain and pat dry. Transfer to a large bowl with 1 tbsp oil.

4. In a large skillet or wok, heat remaining oil over high heat. Add remaining soy mixture and fry until fragrant. Add meat and fry, breaking into small pieces until browned. Add stock and sugar. Stir in kale/greens and cook until wilted.

5. Transfer to noodle bowl, add herbs and mix well.

Vietnamese Style Pork Chops with Kale and Cabbage Salad

I don't usually get excited about pork chops. Tenderloin - yes. Chops? Not so much. And Paddy [usually] tries to hide his disappointment when I make pork in general. But we eat A LOT of chicken and sometimes you gotta change up the routine a little. I made this a few weeks ago and we were both blown away. I used boneless chops and marinated the hell out of them. The sugar caramelized when these were on the grill and they were incredibly tasty over this salad. Adapted from Food and Wine.

1 large shallot or a small onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup fish sauce

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tsp black pepper

4 pork chops - bone in or out

2 scallions, thinly sliced

Salad greens (I preferred kale for this)

1/2 English cucumber, sliced

1 cup cabbage or cole slaw mix
Fresh basil and mint if you have it (or either)

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tsp lime juice

1/2 tsp honey

Salt & pepper

1. Mix the ingredients through the black pepper (blend or put in food processor if you can). Transfer to a ziplock, add pork, and marinate for 1 - 12 hrs. I highly recommend doing this first thing in the morning for dinner.

2. Heat grill to medium high. Remove chops from marinade and season with salt and pepper. Grill the chops turning once until lightly charred, about two mins per side.

3. Combine your greens and cabbage with the scallions and cucumber. Make the dressing by mixing the olive oil, lime juice, honey and S&P. Toss salad with dressing and serve the pork, sliced, on top.

Crunchy Vegetable Salad with Warm Peanut Dressing and 7-Minute Egg

Jack's been on a peanut butter and toast breakfast kick lately so peanut butter's back on my radar. It's some pretty messy stuff when you mix it with a 1.5 year old. No matter how well I wash his face and hands after breakfast, I swear I still smell peanut butter on him at the end of the day. Where is he saving it??  In his hair and behind his ears. Anyway, the weather's warming up and my dutch oven is going into summer hibernation. It's time for salads and the grill! This is from Bon Appetit. There are a lot of peanut sauce recipes out there but this is the best one I've had in a long time. The salad is delicious and can keep for days - it's also really filling and makes a great dinner. You could easily add chicken or shrimp to this.

Sauce

2 green Thai chilis or jalapenos, seeded, cored, minced
1 clove of garlic
1 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp fish sauce

Salad

4 eggs (or as many people you're serving)
1/4 head of Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
1 seedless cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup fresh mint, chopped
1/3 cup peanuts, chopped
4 cups cooked brown rice

1. Add all sauce ingredients to a small sauce pan with 1/4 cup of water. Heat over medium-low, whisking often until hot, about 5 minutes. If it gets to thick, add a little more water.

2. Add eggs to a pot of boiling water and cook for 7 minutes. Transfer eggs to bowl of ice water until cooled. Gently peel and set aside.

3. Toss the cabbage, scallions celery, cucumber, cilantro, mint in a large bowl. Serve over warm or chilled brown rice with peanut sauce on top and halved eggs on the side.

Spicy Eggy Fried Rice

Not sure if this is an egg dish or a rice dish, but it's YUMMY. This is adapted from a Food and Wine recipe called "Breakfast Fried Rice" - unless I was in Asia, not sure I'd have this for breakfast, but it makes a perfect lunch or dinner. I made this last week one night for a cheap and easy dinner and we'll probably have this a lot more in the future.

2 tbsp sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 green onions, sliced
1 cup or so of leftover rice (use as much as you want to balance it out, make the meal bigger)
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 cups chopped kale
3 eggs, beaten
Salt & pepper
Sriracha or hot sauce

1. Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tbsp oil and garlic. When hot, add the kale and saute until just wilted. Push to one side of the pan.

2. Add the rice, vinegar and soy sauce and heat through. Push to the side with the kale.

3. Add the remaining oil and green onions. Then add the eggs and scramble. When eggs are cooked, mix in the kale and rice until well combined. Serve with Sriracha.

Spicy Pork with Asparagus

Have I mentioned that we have a Thai restaurant around the corner from our house? It's like a ski lodge in the way that it pumps out delicious smells from its fan in the back - luring in people off the street who weren't even hungry in the first place. It blows directly at our house. On summer nights while we sit on the balcony having a beer, our mouths water and inevitably conversation turns to spring rolls and pad thai. In the winter, if the wind's blowing the right direction, I catch a whiff just before I turn the key in the door. But we don't order in too often, and usually because making it at home is more delicious, much cheaper...and we know what's in it (healthier and less scary). This is not a Thai recipe but the next time you get a hankering for Chinese take-out or something of the sort, make this instead. Your taste buds (and bowels) will thank you.

3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice wine
2 tsp cornstarch
~12 oz ground pork (you can use varied amounts, this week I happened to have 1/2 lb in the freezer which worked just fine)
3 tsp sesame oil
1 handful of asparagus (whatever is rubberbanded together at the store), trimmed and cut on diagonal into 1/2 pieces
1 jalapeno, minced with seeds (if you're afraid of spicy, go easy on the seeds)
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp honey
2 green onions, thinly sliced
salt
Soft boiled or poached eggs (optional)

1. Whisk 1 tbsp soy, rice wine, and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Add pork, toss to blend.

2. Heat 2 tsp oil in a wok or large/deep skillet over high heat (yes - HIGH. Don't be shy, this is why they call it stir fry. If you go for less, you'll end up with smushy veggies and pork without the brown caramel bits). Add asparagus, jalapeno and ginger. Toss until crisp-tender (about 3 mins). Boil water and add your eggs. Cook for 6-7 mins.

3. Remove the asparagus and place in a bowl, leaving the oil/ginger in the pan. Add the remaining oil and add the pork. Stir fry until browned and cooked through, breaking up the chunks.

4. Return the asparagus to the pan, add the remaining soy, oyster sauce, honey and green onions and stir until well combined.

Serve over white jasmine rice. I happened to have some leftover white rice in the fridge which I just threw in at the end and mixed with everything else.

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

Wow...June since my last post?! I've been slacking. But actually I've been a little busy with work and lots of travel across the country: AZ, VI (yes, VIRGIN ISLANDS), CT, WV, IN, CA, NE, NC, DC, CO, and NY!)

It's summer! And you all know that we generally stick to simple, easy grilling in the summer. Lots of chicken, corn, and salad. My creative juices haven't been flowing...

So, Paddy's playing a gig up in NH tonight and I'm watching the Sox kill the Yankees again (GO SOX!). It's a good night to hit you with a bunch of new ideas. This beef and broccoli recipe came from a blog called appetiteforchina.com. I looked it up a looooong time ago and made it this summer when we had extra steak tips. This is a good one.

1 lb flank steak, thinly sliced (or leftover grilled tips, like I used)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp rice wine
1 tsp cornstarch
2 tbsp canola oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tsp grated ginger
2 large shallots, finely chopped
2 cups broccolini
Jasmine rice (as much as needed)

The Sauce
 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp chili paste (optional)

1. In a medium sized bowl, combine the soy, sesame, rice wine and cornstarch and stir until the cornstarch is dissolved. Add the beef and marinate at room temperature for 10-30 minutes.

2. In a small bowl, combine all of the sauce ingredients and stir until the cornstarch is dissolved. Set aside.

3. Heat a large pan over high heat. Add a tablespoon of oil and coat the pan. Add the beef and spread so that it's cooking in a single layer. Allow it to sear for just a minute or two, untouched. Give it a quick stir and sear for another minute. Transfer to plate and set aside. (If you're using leftovers, marinate if needed or just throw in at the end to heat through)

4. Put another tablespoon of oil in the pan. Add the garlic, ginger, and shallots and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the broccoli and cook for another minute. Pour in the sauce and continue to cook while stirring for another minute.

5. Return the beef to the pan. Give it a stir.

Serve with rice.

Fried Rice with Chinese Sausage

I love fried rice. I don't know whether it's the MSG or some other kind of supernatural ingredient or drug that Chinese restaurants put in it but it's like crack. Right? Just when you think you can't have any more...you always go back. Even the next morning, when it's cold in the fridge - it's there and you have to have it. Problem is, it usually leaves me with a serious stomach ache and too much guilt to handle. So I've been searching for a recipe to recreate that crackness at home. It's hard to achieve. But - Chinese sausage really helps. I'd never bought it or cooked it until last week and it's actually pretty easy to find in most grocery stores. I'm 100% hooked. You gotta try this recipe.

Here's the kicker - I adapted this recipe is from Brian Boitano. Yes, you heard me. The skater. Go figure ;)

1/4 cup canola oil, divided
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 shallot, finely diced
1 tbsp chopped ginger
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 cups bok chok, finely diced
1/3 cup peas, still frozen or just thawed
2 links Chinese sausage, sliced or diced
3 green onions, chopped 
2 cups cooked white rice
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp rice wine vinegar

*There are a couple ways to do this - use leftover rice, or cook the rice and sausage when you make this. A technique that I found popular is to cook the rice and when it's got about 5-10 minutes left to steam, put the sausage slices (uncooked) on top of the rice and let them steam together. This cooks the sausage and allows the flavors to infuse the rice. It's yummy.

1. Heat 2 tbsp of canola oil in a wok or large pan over high heat. Add the beaten eggs and fry until just cooked. Transfer them to a plate.

2. Add the remaining oil, shallot, ginger, garlic, and bok choy and stir fry for a couple minutes.

3. Add the sausage (if not cooking over rice), the peas and green onions. And cook until sausage is cooked through.

4.  Add the rice, soy sauce, and rice wine vinegar. Stir fry until rice is hot (if using leftover rice).

5. Stir in the egg and serve.

Thai Drunken Noodles

We have a Thai restaurant across the street from our house and I think their kitchen vent is aimed directly at our balcony. We sit out there on summer evenings and smell the most delicious, enticing yumness. It makes me want to have Thai every night for dinner (is this why 80% of my posts are Thai??). This is one of my favorite Thai dishes and I almost always order it when we get Thai out, which actually isn't that often - especially since I can make this at home.Anyway, I have a lot of Thai favorites but this one I like if we order out. This is modified from Cooks Illustrated, i's extremely flavorful and will taste just like take-out...although you know what's in it! Gotta warn you, not the healthiest but definitely worth it once and a while...

2 boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 tsp baking soda
8 oz rice noodles
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup oyster sauce
1 tbsp plus 2 tsp soy sauce
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp molasses
1 tsp fish sauce
3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
3 large eggs
10 oz broccolini, cut into 1 inch pieces
Handful chopped fresh basil

1. Combine chicken and baking soda with 2 tbsp water and let sit at room temp for about 15 minutes. Rinse in cold water and drain well.

2. Bring 6 cups of water to a boil and pour over noodles in a large bowl. Stir, then soak until noodles are almost tender (about 8 minutes). Drain and rinse with cold water. Toss with 2 tsp of oil.

3.Whisk oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, molasses, and fish sauce in a bowl.

4. Heat 2 tsp oil and garlic in a large skilled over high heat, stirring occasionally until garlic is golden brown.

5. Add chicken, 2 tbsp sauce mixture and spread in an even layer. Flip once so that both sides are browned.

6. Push chicken to one side. Add 2 tsp of oil and add eggs. Stir gently to scramble and break up large pieces. Stir together with chicken and put in a bowl.

7. Heat 2 tsp oil to now empty skillet until very hot - almost smoking. Add broccolini and 2 tbsp of sauce and toss to coat. Cover and cook until browned and crisp. Transfer to bowl with chicken and eggs.

8. Heat 2 tsp oil in pan and add half of the noodles and 2 tbsp of sauce and toss to coat. Cook until noodles start to brown in spots, stirring halfway through cooking. Remove and add to the other ingredients and repeat with the rest of the noodles, adding the rest of the sauce.

9. When noodles are done, add the contents of the bowl (noodles, broccolini, chicken, eggs) and stir together. Add the basil and stir together.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

You all know I love dumplings! Well, these are dumplings without the wontons and chicken instead of pork - likely a healthier option. I got this recipe from Bon Appetit and really liked it.

4 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp sugar
1 Thai chile or a tsp of chili paste
1 lb ground chicken
1/2 cup minced shallots
1/4 cup oyster sauce
1 tbsp flour
1 glarlic clove, minced
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 head of Boston lettuce

1. Combine 2 tbsp of fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, half of the chile, and 2 tbsp of water in a small bowl. Set aside.

2. Combine remaining 2 tbsp of fish sauce, chile, chicken, shallots, oyster sauce, flour, and garlic in medium bowl and mix until ingredients are incorporated.

3. With damp hands, shape the chicken into small patties - like sliders. Cover and chill for about a half hour.

4. Heat oil in a medium pan at medium high heat. Cook the patties until they're lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes per side, depending on thickness.

5. Wrap each patty with a lettuce leaf and drizzle with or dip into the the dipping sauce.

**This meat mix could be used with wonton wrappers for yummy dumplings!

Sichuan Pork Stir Fry

The hotter the better right? Well, this one's five-alarm. Modify this recipe according to your heat threshold and be careful when making this for guests...I have come to realize that not everyone finds sweat the sign of a good meal. Personally, once the beads form under my eyes and on my forehead, I know I've reached optimal spice. Just make sure you have a bottle of Zantac close-by for later. This one's from Cooks Illustrated and what surprised me was how tender the pork was! Is it the baking soda soak? Who knew?? I highly recommend this one - Paddy gave this a higher rating than Wang's. All you Somerville folks know that that's a blue ribbon!

Sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 TB sugar
2 TB soy sauce
4 tsp Chinese black vinegar (you can sub with a little less balsamic or worcestershire sauce)
1 TB toasted sesame oil
1 TB rice wine or dry sherry
2 tsp ketchup
2 tsp fish sauce
2 tsp cornstarch

Pork
12 oz boneless country style pork ribs, trimmed
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup cold water
2 tsp rice wine or sherry
2 tsp cornstarch

Stir Fry
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onion, whites minced, greens sliced thin
2 TB chili paste
I added 1 tsp fermented black beans and chili for extra kick!!
6 oz shitakes, sliced thin
2 celery ribs or bok choy
Broccoli, matchstick carrots also good!

1. Whisk all sauce ingredients together and set aside.

2. Cut pork into 2 in. lengths and then each length into 1/4 in. matchsticks. Combine with baking soda and water and let sit at room temp for 15 mins or while you chop your veggies.

3. Rinse pork in cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Whisk rice wine and cornstarch and add pork. Toss to coat.

4. Heat 1 TB oil in pan to medium high. Add mushrooms and stir frequently until tender. Add celery and any other veggies and cook until still crisp but tender - 2-4 mins. Transfer veggies to bowl and set aside.

5. Add remaining oil to the pan and reduce to medium low heat. Add garlic, green onion, and chilli and stir for about 30 seconds. Add pork, stir frequently until cooked. Add sauce mixture and increase heat to high. Stir constantly until sauce thickens. Add in the veggies and you're done!

Serve with jasmine rice.

Pork Dumplings

So there's not much to these. I'm throwing this in because it's a great way to use extra Banh Mi meat. All you need are some wonton wrappers - square or round. And an egg.

1. Beat your egg and set aside.

2. Spoon a teaspoon of the meat mixture into the wonton wrapper. Use your beaten egg to wet two of the edges or one half of a round wonton wrapper. Fold over and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

You can cook these several ways:
- If you have a steamer, these are great and light steamed.
- Fry 'em.
- Make them into potstickers by heating a couple TBs of canola oil in a pan that has a lid that fits tightly. Fry the dumplings in the oil until they're brown and crispy on each side and then add 2-3 TBs of water to the pan, put the lid on and let them steam until the water has evaporated. They'll be nice and chewy when they're done.
- Use them in wonton soup. Heat a TB of oil in a pot, add some garlic and ginger, chopped green onions and a dash of soy sauce. Add enough chicken broth for your soup and bring to a boil. Add the uncooked dumplings and cook until the pork is done, a couple of minutes. Throw in some bok choy, basil, and or cilantro and/or a squeeze of lime when you serve.

FREEZE them! Layer them in a large tupperware container with parchment in between each layer. Pull out as many as you want whenever you're in the mood for any of the above meals. Soooo good to have these on hand!!

Banh Mi (Vietnamese Meatball Sandwiches)

YUUUUUM. One of the best things about traveling is street food. While a lot of the places I go for work aren't exactly culinary paradises, from time to time I hit the jackpot. And southeast Asia has the best street food and some of the best food in the world...haven't you noticed a bit of a pattern in the recipes post on this blog? Banh mi is a delicious marriage of Vietnam and France. They're a wonderful use of ground pork (cheap eats), they're flavorful, addictive and if you can find yourself a really good loaf of crusty French bread (not the supermarket stuff) then this becomes one of the best meals on earth...

Not only are these meatballs great in a sandwich, but they're really good with some chicken broth, ginger and some noodles in a soup. I like to make a double batch, freeze extras and use the rest for dumplings.

Meatballs:
1 lb ground pork
1/4 cup finely chopped basil
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 green onions finely chopped
1 TB fish sauce
1 TB sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
salt and pepper
Dark sesame oil

Fixins:
2/3 cup mayo
1 TB chili garlic sauce or another hot sauce
1/3 cucumber, thinly sliced in long strips
Bunch of cilantro
1 large carrot, peeled in ribbons
2 TB sugar
2 TB rice vinegar
Lettuce

1. Start with the fixins, the pickled veggies to go on top. I cheat here and make my own version to soak as I make the meatballs. Combine the sugar and rice vinegar until dissolved. Add a TB of water. Throw in the carrots and mix well. Mix every few minutes as you work on the meatballs.

2. Combine all of the meatball ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well with your hands.

3. Form them into balls - not too big, slightly smaller than a golf ball. They'll be a bit gooey. Put them on a foil lined baking sheet as you go.

4. Heat about 2 TB of sesame oil in a large frying pan. Once it's nice and hot, put your meatballs in and fry away. Turn them every 30 seconds or so to get them nice and brown and caramelized.

5. Do them in batches if you need to. Put them on a plate with paper towels as you go to get rid of the excess oil.

6. Slice your baguette in half. Combine the mayo and chili sauce and put a good coat on both sides of the sandwich.

7. Lay a piece of lettuce. Then a bunch of the pickled carrots. Then some cucumber. Add a few sprigs of cilantro. Then put one layer of meatballs - usually about 3 fit on a good sized sandwich (depending on how hungry you are!!)

You'll never know how you lived without these!!!

Orange and Soy Baby Back Ribs

I had never made ribs before. We used to eat them a lot when I was younger and for a few years I remember picking them as my birthday dinner when I was little. I had a hankering for ribs recently and decided to give them a shot. This Bon Appetit recipe is quite different because it doesn't involve a long day of baking or grilling. You just have to give them a long simmer - and then a quick broil. I was afraid they'd end up dry but they were fall off the bone delicious. One of the best dinners in a while - and VERY easy!!!

3 lbs of baby back ribs, cut between bones into individual ribs
1 cup soy sauce, divided
8 cloves garlic, minced, divided
4 tsp cumin, divided
3 tsp red pepper flakes
3 TB vegetable oil
6 scallions, chopped - only the white and light green
1.5 cups orange juice
Zest from 1 orange, lime and lemon
3 TB honey

1. Place the ribs, 1/2 cup soy sauce, 3 minced garlic cloves, 2 tsp cumin, and 1 tsp red pepper flakes in a large dutch oven. Add enough water to completely cover the ribs.

2. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce to a simmer. Cover leaving the lid ajar and and simmer for about 2 hrs.

3. Drain the ribs and set on a cookie sheet with tin foil (you MUST use tin foil or you'll have a very bad clean-up!)

4. Heat oil in a small saucepan and add the remaining cumin, red pepper flakes, garlic, and green onion. Saute until soft and then add the remaining soy sauce, orange juice, and honey. Bring to a boil and cook until sauce is thick, about 15 minutes.

5. Preheat the broiler and brush the ribs generously with the sauce. Place the ribs under the broiler and cook until the sauce bubbles, about 3 minutes. Turn over and re-glaze, cook for another couple of minutes.

6. Take the rubs out of the oven and drizzle with more sauce and top with the zest.

YUM!!!!

Asian Pesto Chicken Salad

For my mom's 60th birthday this year, I got us tickets to go see Ming Tsai cook an elaborate meal. We sat right in front of him, we were his guests for dinner, complete with yummy cocktails, great wine and unbelievable food. He showed us how to do it all and it was undoubtedly one of the most exciting event my mom and I have attended in a very long time. We love this guy! I bought one of his cookbooks and I've been quickly making my way through it. Most of the recent recipes are his and are definitely worth trying -they're easy and great for summer eating...

Asian Pesto
1 jalapeno
2 garlic cloves
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 TB minced ginger
1/2 cup peanuts
Zest of 1 lemon
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup packed basil leaves
1/2 cup packed mint leaves
1/4 cup packed cilantro leaves
salt and pepper

Chicken and Orzo
1 cup uncooked orzo
2 boneless chicken breasts
3/4 cups Asian Pesto
1 pt cherry tomatoes, halved
Juice of 1 lemon
1 package of baby spinach

1. Salt and pepper the chicken breasts and either grill (this is highly recommended) or broil in the oven until cooked. When done, cut into small cubes

2. Bring a large saucepan of water to boil and cook the orzo until just tender (about 10 minutes). When done, drain and rinse with cold water.

3. Combine the first 6 ingredients and half of the olive oil in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add the basil, mint and cilantro and blend while slowly adding the rest of the oil. Blend until a thick puree is formed and add salt and pepper.

4. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, orzo, tomatoes and pesto. Add the lemon juice and mix well.

5. Serve on a bed of baby spinach.

Bibimbap

When I lived in Senegal, the most common rice dish was cooked so that the rice crisped and hardened at the bottom of the pot. Those chewy bits were the best and you were given a little as an added bonus, especially if you're a guest at someone's house. Well, Bibimbap isn't a West African dish, it's Korean. But it known for its brown, chewy, crispy cooked rice that forms a layer on the bottom of the pan. I love it. When you order it in a Korean restaurant, it's served in a red hot pot at the table. Need an excuse to eat veggies? You can substitute almost any veggies - bean sprouts, zucchini, mushrooms, etc. Here it is...

Ingredients:

1/4 cup soy sauce
4 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp grated ginger
2 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1/4 lb thinly sliced pork tenderloin or beef - sliced as thinly as possible (note, this is a great use of leftover roast pork or beef that's been in the freezer - half frozen meat is a LOT easier to thinly slice)
2 green onions, chopped into thirds and thinly sliced, vertically
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 carrot sliced into matchsticks
1 bunch of kale, stems removed and leaves chopped/shredded
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 cups cooked sushi rice (substitute jasmine rice if needed)

1. Mix 1/4 cup of soy sauce, 2 tbsp garlic, the ginger, and brown sugar in a medium sized bowl. Add the meat and mix well. Marinate for about 1/2 hour (or while you're preparing everything else).

2. In  a small bowl, combine the vinegar, 1 tbsp sesame oil, and green onions. Add salt and pepper, mix and set aside.

3. Heat a large cast iron pan on medium high heat. Add the vegetable oil and when hot, add all of the rice and press down firmly with a spatula. Turn heat to medium and let cook for 15 minutes, until it gets brown and crispy on the bottom.

4. In a medium skillet, heat 1 tbsp sesame oil. Add the carrots and cook until slightly softened. Remove from pan and set aside, covered to stay warm.

5. In same pan, add 1 tbsp sesame oil, 2 tbsp garlic, and the kale. Saute until just soft. Remove from pan and set aside with the carrots.

6. In same pan, add the meat and meat and cook until heated through. Remove from pan and set aside with the carrots.

7. Finally, in same pan, fry the two eggs, keeping the yolks runny.

8. While the eggs cook, spoon the rice into bowls. Add some carrots, kale, green onions, and meat. Put the fried eggs on top.

Sweet & Spicy Asian Chicken Wings

Paddy & I recently had over our good friends Reba & Andy for dinner. They love Asian cuisine and Andy makes fried dumplings that are out of this world! I need to get that recipe... Anyway, I went a little overboard with the food and made a ridiculous spread of Asian delights. I tried this recipe for sweet and spicy chicken and it was delicious. You can use either small drumsticks or chicken wings and this dish makes a great appetizer or part of a dinner buffet. Also good with full sized drumsticks.

2 cups orange juice
1 cup pineapple juice
2 tbsp orange zest
2 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp minced ginger
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup mirin
1 cup sugar
2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 dozen small chicken wings or drumsticks
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp cilantro

1. Place the first 11 ingredients (through the red pepper) in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Bring down to medium and stir occasionally until sugar is dissolved and liquid has reduced to a thick syrup (about 20 minutes).

2. Take the marinade off the heat and let cool almost completely.

3. Put the chicken in a large ziplock bag. Sprinkle with salt and pour all but about 1/4 cup of the cooled marinade into the bag with the chicken. Let the chicken marinate at least an hour but no more than a day. Put the unused marinade aside or in the fridge if you're not going to use it for more than an hour or so...you'll need it later.

4. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with tin foil. Pull the chicken out of the bag with tongs and place the wings on the baking sheet. Discard the rest of the marinade from the bag.

5. Bake about 40-45 minutes or until the chicken is done. When done, remove from oven and drizzle the chicken lightly with the marinade that you had set aside earlier (not the marinade that was in the bag with the chicken!).

6. Sprinkle the chicken with the chopped cilantro and sesame seeds if you have them.

Salmon Burgers

I like salmon, kind of. It's not my favorite fish, I find it a bit strong in taste. But if it has enough marinade or other flavors, I love it. I had a large chunk of salmon in the freezer and didn't feel like another filet so I mashed it up into these burgers and they were great! This recipe isn't exact - it's another attempt to replicate an item from Zola's menu, the restaurant where I worked in Ann Arbor. So if you're craving a burger but you're guilted into a healthy protein, try this!! It's great served with rice and veggies, a cold noodle salad or just on it's own...

1/2 lb fresh salmon (or less - depends on # of people and how big you want your burgers!)
(this should give you 2-3 large burgers)
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg beaten
1 green onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp soy sauce
1-2 tsp of chili garlic paste if you've got it
1/2 tsp rice vinegar
3-4 tbsp canola oil
Burger buns
Mayonnaise & more chili garlic paste to spread on the bun
Lettuce

1. Put the salmon in a food processor for a few pulses or chop the salmon finely and then mash a bit with a fork (this is how I do it). You don't want it pastey, be sure to see it a little chunky but mashed enough that it will stick together.

2. Put the salmon in a bowl and mix in the next 6 ingredients. If a little runny, add more breadcrumbs.

3. In a large skillet (cast iron works well but any pan will do), heat the oil on medium high. There should be enough oil in the pan to cover the bottom and a little more.

4. As the oil heats up, with your hands, make your patties and set aside. Be sure to make them like discs, not balls - you want them to cook evenly and all the way through without getting tough on the outside. As far as size - aim for the size of your buns!

5. Place the patties in the hot oil and cook a couple of minutes on each side and then flip. BE CAREFUL flipping - these things are fragile and will fall apart. You need to use your hands & spatula.

6. Dress your bun with mayonnaise and a little chili garlic paste or hot sauce if you've got it. Throw on a little lettuce.

7. Once the outside of the patties are golden brown on each side (flip only once!), remove from heat and place in your buns.

Singapore (Curry) Noodles

Paddy gave me a noodle cookbook for my bday (perhaps more of a present to himself than vice versa?!) so it's been noodles all the time... Be prepared to see oodles more noodles in the next few months as I make my way through the book. This one I love - incredibly easy and very tasty! I prefer to use very thin egg noodles but you're supposed to use rice noodles. It's up to you...

8oz thin egg noodles, rice vermicelli, or angel hair pasta (only if you have to!)
1/2 lb shrimp, or cubed or shredded chicken or pork
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 small onion cut into thin wedges or rough chunks
1/2 cup peas
Handful of snow peas if you've got 'em, mushrooms also nice to add
2 tsp curry powder (or more depending on taste)
1 1/2 tsp fish sauce
1/4 cup cilantro
Salt & pepper

1. Boil a pot of water and cook the noodles until tender but firm. Once done, take them out and rinse in cold water.

2. In a large skillet or wok, heat the oil and cook the shrimp, chicken or pork.

3. When done, remove and set aside.

4. In same pan, add onion. Once tender, add the peas and any other vegetable you decide to use.

5. Add the noodles and the curry powder. Toss well until all noodles are yellow (you may decide to add more curry - I like mine fairly potent!). Add the shrimp/chicken/pork and stir with the noodles (tongs are handy for this).

6. Season with salt and pepper and serve once the noodles are nice and hot.