Wild Ginger

Growing up in the foothills of the San Gabriel mountains east of Los Angeles, I was close to the primarily Latino areas of Eagle Rock and Highland Park. My sensibilities about Mexican food are shaped by the latinos I grew up with and the small restaurants and food trucks operated by people largely from the Mexican states of Michoacan and Oaxaca. My favorite dish was tacos al pastor - a delicacy from Mexico City with recipes so prized and guarded, its taken a couple of decades to approximate what I've come to expect from carne al pastor.

In Mexico City, you'll find whole taquerias dedicated to al pastor which is cooked and served much like a gyro: A large mass of marinated pork is turned vertically on a rotisserie while it cooks, with pineapple atop the skewered meat. Displayed proudly to call in the customers, the meat is carved right off the rotisserie on to the tortilla, making a small two-bite soft taco served only with white onion, cilantro and a little pineapple to adorn it. Hot sauce, too, of course.

This is a very flavorful dish and worth the trouble of buying and preparing five different types of dried chiles and the achiote paste. If you have trouble finding these in your local market, they're readily available via mail order.

INGREDIENTS
3 California chiles
1 ancho chile
1 guajillo chile
1 cascabel chile
1 chile de árbol
1 bay leaf
¾ cup orange juice
¼ cup pineapple juice
1 tbsp white vingar
1½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 tsp sea salt
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp salt
¾ tsp pepper
¾ tsp garlic salt
¼ tsp Mexican oregano
¼ teaspoon achiote condimentada (seasoned achiote paste - you want rojo not verde)
1 onion, sliced thin, divided
5 pounds boneless pork butt, cut into 8 chunks
½ pineapple, peeled, sliced ½ inch thick,and cut into quarters

PREPARATION

• Combine 5 cups of water, the California, ancho, guajillo and cascabel chiles, the chile de árbol and the bay leaf in a large pot and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain the chiles, discard the bay leaf and remove and discard the stems and seeds of the chiles.
• Place the softened chiles in a food processor with the orange and pineapple juices, vinegar, cinnamon, sea salt, garlic, salt, pepper, garlic salt, oregano, achiote paste and half the onion. Pureé until smooth.
• Pour the marinade into a large resealable plastic bag, add the meat and toss to coat. Refrigerate 24 hours.
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place half the pineapple in an even layer in the bottom of a roasting pan. Place the pork on top, followed by the remaining pineapple and the remaining sliced onion. Cover with foil and roast until meat breaks apart with a fork, about 2 to 2 1/2hours. Remove the meat from the pan, discard the pineapple and set aside the pan juices.
• Put the meat on a rack in a baking pan, baste it with the pan juices and place under the broiler to crisp the edges of the meat, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook for a few more minutes.
• Remove the meat from the oven and let stand until cool enough to handle, then, with a fork, shred and pull it apart and place on a serving platter. Spoon pan juices over to moisten. Serve with corn tortillas and condiments, allowing everyone to make their own tacos.

Ultimate comfort food? French onion soup! This is such a wonderful concoction and the secret is two-fold: first, use the best quality stock you can. Now, this recipe calls for both beef and chicken broth and its a tall order to have home made beef and chicken broth on hand - but do what you can. The second secret is slow cooking the onions. The longer and slower the cooking of the onions, the greater the effect of the carmelization.

This recipe draws largely on Alton Brown's method, starting with his technique of using an electric skillet which allows you to perfectly control the temperature for long, slow cooked onions. Heck, Cherie bought one just for this purpose (though we've found it handy for so many other uses, too). The other surprise addition for some might be the cider which imparts more than just sweetness to the soup - go for the unfiltered if you can.

INGREDIENTS
3 large, sweet onions, preferabley Vidalias or Maui onions
2 large red onions (total weight of all five onions should be about 4 pounds)
3 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
2 cups white wine
10 oz beef broth
10 oz chicken broth
10 oz apple unfiltered apple cider
Bouquet garni: thyme sprigs, bay leaf and parsley tied together with kitchen string
1 loaf crusty french bread
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
Splash of brandy, cognac or amagnac (optional)
1½ cups Gruyere cheese, grated plus two handfuls (or more to taste) of grated Parmesan chees

PREPARATION

• Trim the ends off each onion then halve lengthwise. Remove peel and finely slice into half moon shapes.
• Set electric skillet to 300 degrees and add butter. Once butter has melted add a layer of onions and sprinkle with a little salt. Repeat layering onions and salt until all onions are in the skillet. Do not try stirring until onions have sweated down for 15 to 20 minutes. After that, stir occasionally until onions are dark mahogany and reduced to approximately 2 cups. This should take 45 minutes to 1 hour. Do not worry about burning.
• Add enough wine to cover the onions and turn heat to high, reducing the wine to a syrup consistency.
• Add consume, chicken broth, apple cider and bouquet garni. Reduce heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.
• Place oven rack in top 1/3 of oven and heat broiler.
• Cut French bread in rounds large enough to fit mouth of oven safe soup crocks.
• Place the slices on a baking sheet and place under broiler for 1 minute.
• Season soup mixture with salt, pepper and cognac. Remove bouquet garni and ladle soup into crocks leaving one inch to the lip.
• Place bread round, toasted side down, on top of soup and top with grated cheese. Broil until cheese is bubbly and golden, 1 to 2 minutes.

Cherie found this recipe in Gourmet Magazine six or seven years ago and it instantly became a Christmas staple in our house. Make this with Guiness, not another stout, which mixes with the molasses to make a dark and rich cake. The cinnomon, cloves, nutmeg, cardomom and gingerroot give it a holiday spice that evokes images of Christmases over the last millenium. This is a moist, flavorful and wonderful cake.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup Guinness stout
1 cup molasses
½ tbsp baking soda
3 large eggs
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
¾ cup grapeseed or vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp ground ginger
1½ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cardamom
1 tbsp grated, peeled fresh gingerroot

PREPARATION

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 6-cup Bundt pan.
• In a large saucepan over high heat, combine the stout and molasses and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and add the baking soda. Allow to sit until the foam dissipates.
• Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the eggs and both sugars. Whisk in the oil.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cardamom.
• Combine the stout mixture with the egg mixture, then whisk this liquid into the flour mixture, half at a time. Add the fresh ginger and stir to combine.
• Pour the batter into the Bundt pan and bake for 1 hour, or until the top springs back when gently pressed. Do not open the oven until the gingerbread is almost done, or the center may fall slightly. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Makes 6 servings.

I'm not much of a pasta fan, but how can you not like anything that's got peanut sesame sauce on it?! This is a pretty simple take on a classic.

INGREDIENTS
¼ cup sesame seeds
¼ cup peanut butter
¼ cup toasted sesame oil
1/3 cup roasted peanuts, cashews, or whatever nuts you have
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp mirin
2 medium garlic cloves
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or more if you like it spicy)
1 English cucumber, peeled
1 pound soba noodles (available fresh, frozen or dried and most Asian markets
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 scallions, green parts only, sliced 1/4 inch thick on an angle

PREPARATION

• Bring a large pot of salted water (1 teaspoon salt per quart of water) to a boil.
• Meanwhile, toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until they turn golden brown, about 5 minutes.
• In a food processor, combine the peanut butter, sesame oil, peanuts, soy sauce, vinegar, mirin or sherry, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Process to a purée. Stir in half the toasted sesame seeds.
• Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon; discard the seeds. Slice the cucumber halves crosswise about 1/4 inch thick; set aside.
• When the water comes to a boil, add the noodles and cook until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain very well and dump into a bowl. Add the peanut mixture, cilantro, and black pepper, and toss to coat.
• Turn out onto a large platter and rrange the cucumber slices around the edge of the platter. Sprinkle the scallions on top and sprinkle the remaining sesame seeds on last.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

This is a little more of a southern-fried chicken meets buffalo wings type treatment: an extra coating of flour makes for a more crunchy chicken. Marinating in the hot sauce gives 'em more zing.

INGREDIENTS
For the blue chees dressingg
1 cup sour cream
½ cup mayonnaise
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp white vinegar
¼ cup chopped parsley
1 tsp minced shallots
½ tsp minced garlic
&frac; lb blue cheese, crumbled

For the buffalo wings
30 wings, small wing joint removed
2 cups hot sauce
1 cup Worcestershire
1 ½ cups flour
Kosher salt
Cayenne pepper
2 eggs
¼ cup whole milk

Oil for deep-frying

Celery sticks, for serving

PREPARATION
MAKE THE BLUE CHEESE DRESSING

• In a mixing bowl and using a wire whisk, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, vinegar, parsley, shallots, and garlic, blending until smooth. Gently stir in the crumbled cheese until completely mixed in.

MAKE THE BUFFALO WINGS

• Place the wings in a glass or other non-reactive bowl and add 1 cup of the hot sauce and the Worcestershire sauce. Mix thoroughly, being sure all the wings are coated, then cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes.
• Place the flour in a separate mixing bowl and season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste. In a separate bowl, prepare an egg wash by whisking together the eggs and milk until well blended. Working with all three bowls (wings, flour mixture, and egg wash), first dredge each wing in the flour mixture; then dip the wing into the egg wash; and finally dredge the wing completely in the flour mixture, coating it evenly.
• Deep-fry the wings for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the batter achieves a crisp, uniform texture. When cooked through, set aside to drain on paper towels or the non-printed side of a paper grocery bag.

TO SERVE

• Place the fried wings in a large bowl and drench with the remaining 1 cup hot sauce (or less, to taste). Serve with the blue cheese dipping sauce and celery sticks on the side — and plenty of napkins!

This is Fuchsia Dunlap's recipe and I've shameless appropriated it here because its damn yummy. Fuschia's recipe reflects the Taiwanese approach which, as I've found with a lot of Taiwanese takes on Cantonese or Hunan dishes, far less sweet than the sticky General Tso's Chicken we're used to eating in restaurants, and I rather like it.

INGREDIENTS
Sauce
1 tbsp double-concentrate tomato paste, mixed with 1 tablespoon water
1/2 tsp potato starch (corn starch can be substituted)
1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
11/2 tsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
3 tbsp chicken stock or water

Chicken
12 oz (about 4 to 5) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
2 tsp light soy sauce
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp potato starch (corn starch can be substituted)
1 quart peanut oil, more as needed, for frying
6 to 10 dried red chile peppers
2 tsp finely chopped ginger
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp sesame oil
Scallions, sliced thinly, for garnish.

PREPARATION
1. Make the sauce: Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl, and set aside.

2. Make the chicken: Unfold the chicken thighs; lay on a cutting board. Remove as much of the sinew as possible. (If some parts are very thick, cut in half horizontally.) Slice a few shallow crosshatches into the meat; cut each thigh into roughly 1/4-inch slices, and place in a large bowl. Add the soy sauces and egg yolk; mix well. Stir in the potato starch and 2 teaspoons peanut oil; set aside.

3. Using scissors, snip the chile peppers into 1/4-inch pieces, discarding seeds. Set aside.

4. Pour 3 1/2 cups peanut oil into a large wok or deep saucepan or enough oil to rise 1 1/2 inches from the bottom. Set over high heat until oil reaches 350 to 400 degrees. Add half the chicken; fry until crisp and deep golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken to a plate. Repeat with second batch of chicken. Pour oil into a heatproof container, and wipe the wok or saucepan clean.

5. Place wok or saucepan over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons peanut oil. When hot, add chile peppers and stir-fry for a few seconds, until they just begin to change color. Add the ginger and garlic; stir-fry for a few seconds longer, until fragrant. Add the sauce, stirring as it thickens. Return chicken to wok, and stir vigorously to coat. Remove from heat; stir in the sesame oil, and top with scallions. Serve with rice.

Try these with your dinner or lunch where you might try a biscuit or dinner roll. Most of the liquid in this batter is beer, which adds both flavor and leavening. I'd recommend a medium colored, medium bodied beer such as an amber or ale. Start with the beer at room temperature so it doesn't shock the batter and prevent it from rising. The cheese is folded in gently at the end so it can be seen threading the tops of the muffins after they've baked. Beer makes everything better. Mmm....beer.

INGREDIENTS
Nonstick spray or paper muffin cups
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ tablespoons sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg, at room temperature
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1¼ cups beer, at room temperature
1¼ cups (about 5 ounces) shredded chedder cheese (I prefer extra sharp)

PREPARATION

• Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. To prepare the muffin tins, spray the indentations and the rims around them with nonstick spray, or line the indentations with paper muffin cups. If using silicon muffin tins, spray as directed, then place them on a baking sheet.
• Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl until uniform. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk the egg, melted butter, and mustard until blended. Gently whisk in the beer until the foaming subsides, then add the cheese. Finally, stir in the flour mixture with a wooden spoon until moistened.
• Fill the prepared tins three-quarters full. Use additional greased tins or small, oven-safe, greased ramekins for any leftover batter, or reserve the batter for a second baking. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the muffins have lumpy brown tops and a toothpick inserted in the center of one muffin comes out almost clean.
• Set the pan on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Gently tip each muffin to one side to make sure it's not stuck. If one is, gently rock it back and forth to release it. Remove the muffins from the pan and cool them for 5 minutes more on the rack before serving. If storing or freezing the muffins, cool them completely before sealing in an airtight container or in freezer-safe plastic bags. The muffins will stay fresh for up to 48 hours at room temperature or up to 2 months in the freezer.

This is the original Ben & Jerry's® recipe, lifted right out of their recipe book (go buy it!). This could, quite possibley, be the best ice cream ever.

INGREDIENTS
¼ cup coarsely chopped white chocolate
¼ cup coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate
¼ cup chopped pecan halves
¼ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
¼ cup halved chocolate-covered almonds
4 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup heavy or whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 pinch salt

PREPARATION

• Combine the coarsely chopped chocolates, pecans, walnuts, and chocolate-covered almonds in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate.
• Melt the unsweetened chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot, not boiling, water. Whisk in the milk, a little at a time, and heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, then continue whisking until completely blended, about 1 minute more. Add the cream, vanilla, and salt and whisk to blend.
• Pour the chocolate mixture into the cream mixture and blend. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 1 to 3 hours, depending on your refrigerator.
• Transfer the cream mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze following the manufacturer's instructions.
• After the ice cream stiffens (about 2 minutes before it is done), add the chocolate and nuts, then continue freezing until the ice cream is ready.

This is a classic Moghul recipe for lamb with spinach. The spinach should be cut in small pieces: hold a handful at a time in a tight wad and slice, crosswise, into fine strips. Serve with Indian breads (or rice), and a yogurt dish.

INGREDIENTS
1¼ lbs. boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 tsp peeled and finely grated fresh ginger
7 garlic cloves, crushed to a pulp
2 tbsp ground coriander
5 tbsp corn or peanut oil
1 cup onion, sliced into very fine half-rings
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
¾ to 1½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
4 tbsp plain yogurt
1 lb fresh spinach, washed and cut into fine ribbons (see above)

PREPARATION

• In a bowl, mix the meat, ginger, garlic, and coriander and set aside for 30 minutes.
• Pour the oil into a heavy, lidded, large pan and set over medium heat. When hot, stir in the onions, and fry them, turning the heat down as needed, until they are golden red and crisp. Remove the onions with a slotted spoon and spread them out on a paper towel, leaving as much of the oil behind as possible.
• Reduce the heat to medium, and put in all the meat, together with its marinade. Add the turmeric, cayenne pepper, and salt, and stir for 1 minute. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, removing the lid occasionally to stir the contents.
• Remove the lid and add 1 tablespoon of the yogurt. Cook, stirring, until the yogurt is absorbed. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of the yogurt in this way, 1 tablespoon at a time. Then stir in the spinach.
• Chop the fried onions and add these as well. Continue to stir until the spinach has wilted. Then cover the pan and cook over very low heat for 50 minutes, or until the meat is tender, lifting the lid to stir now and then. If the liquid seems to have dried up completely, add a few tablespoons of water at a time and cover again. The spinach should cling to the meat.

Kung Pao Chicken is a gratifying medley of chicken, golden peanuts, and bright red chiles. The sauce is a light sweet-and-sour base pepped up with a deep chile spiciness and a trace of Sichuan pepper that will make your lips tingle pleasantly. The ingredients are all cut in harmony, the chicken in small cubes and the scallion in short pieces to complement the peanuts. The chicken should be just cooked and wonderfully succulent; the nuts are added at the very last minute so they keep their crispness.

INGREDIENTS
2 (about 2/3 lb)boneless chicken (I actually prefer to use thighs, but suit your own taste!)
3 garlic cloves and an equivalent amount of fresh ginger
5 scallions, white parts only
2 tbsp peanut oil
10 (or so) dried red chilies, preferably Sichuanese but Arbol chilies are perfectly fine
1 tsp whole Sichuan pepper (try to acquire Sichuan pepper if you can, but white pepper will suffice)
2/3 cup roasted unsalted peanuts

MARINADE
½ tsp salt
2 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp Shaoxing rice wine
2¼ teaspoons cornstarch
1 tbsp water

SAUCE
3 tsp sugar
1 1/8 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp light soy sauce
3 tsp black Chinese vinegar (or 2 tsp balsamic vinegar and 1 tsp red wine vinegar)
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp chicken stock or water

PREPARATION

• Cut the chicken as evenly as possible into 1/2-inch strips and then cut these into small cubes. Place in a small bowl and mix in the marinade ingredients.
• Peel and thinly slice the garlic and ginger, and chop the scallions into chunks as long as their diameter (to match the chicken cubes).
• Snip the chiles in half or into 2-inch sections - discard as many seeds as possible.
• Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
• Heat with 2 tbsp of oil and heat over a high flame. When the oil is hot but not yet smoking, add the chiles and Sichuan pepper and stir-fry briefly until they are crisp and the oil is spicy and fragrant. Take care not to burn the spices (you can remove the wok from the heat if necessary to prevent overheating).
• Quickly add the chicken and fry over a high flame, stirring constantly. As soon as the chicken cubes have separated, add the ginger, garlic, and scallions and continue to stir-fry for a few minutes until they are fragrant and the meat is cooked through (test one of the larger pieces to make sure).
• Give the sauce a stir and add it to the wok, continuing to stir and toss. As soon as the sauce has become thick and shiny, add the peanuts, stir them in, and serve.

VARIATIONS
The same dish can be made with cubes of pork, shrimp, or prawns. Cashew nuts can be used instead of peanuts for an elegant touch.

Equally good on a hot summer day as on a cold wintery one, well made Hot and Sour Soup is a perfect example of balance in Chinese food. Heat, sharpness and sweetness should meld in equal harmony.

Preferably, you will use Chinese black vinegar - if you are not able to find some (or are too lazy to get some!), you can use a combination of red wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar: (1 tablespoon red wine vinegar plus 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar ). If not hot enough for your taste, add more white pepper. White pepper is preferred to black pepper in Chinese cooking because it imparts not only heat but fragrance.

Go the extra distance and make with home made chicken stock rather than canned broth. The flavorful reward in this dish will be worth it.

INGREDIENTS
7 oz square firm or extra-firm tofu , drained (½ package, usually)
4 tbsp. soy sauce (Chinese style, preferred)
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
3 tbso, cornstarch , plus an additional 1 1/2 teaspoons
6 oz. pork, trimmed of fat and cut into matchsticks (pork butt or meat from a pork chop are fine)
3 tbsp. cold water , plus 1 additional teaspoon
1 large egg
3 pints chicken stock
1 cup bamboo shoots ( one 5-ounce can), sliced lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick strips
4 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms , stems removed, caps sliced 1/4 inch thick (about 1 cup)
5 tbsp. black Chinese vinegar
2 tsp. chili oil (see note above)
1 tsp. ground white pepper
3 medium scallions , sliced thin

PREPARATION

• To remove excess moisture from tofu, put the square of tofu on a deep plate with a heavy plate on top, weighted down by a coupld of heavy cans. Let it stand for 15 minute or until the tofu has release about 4 ounces of water.
• Whisk 1 tablespoon soy sauce, sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch in a bowl; toss pork with marinade and set aside for at least 10 minutes (but no more than 30 minutes).
• Combine 3 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Set aside.
• Mix remaining 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch with remaining 1 teaspoon water in small bowl; add egg and beat with fork until combined. Set aside.
• Bring broth to boil in large saucepan set over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and add bamboo shoots and mushrooms - simmer until mushrooms are just tender, about 5 minutes. While broth simmers, dice tofu into 1/2-inch cubes.
• Add tofu and pork (including marinade) to soup - give a good stir. Simmer 2 minutes until pork is cooked (2-3 minutes).
• Stir cornstarch mixture again to recombine and add to soup. Increase heat to medium-high; cook, stirring occasionally, until soup thickens and turns translucent, about 1 minute. Stir in vinegar, chili oil, pepper, and remaining 3 tablespoons soy sauce; turn off heat.
• Without stirring soup, use soupspoon to slowly drizzle very thin streams of egg mixture into pot in circular motion. Let soup sit 1 minute, then return saucepan to medium-high heat. Bring soup to gentle boil, then immediately remove from heat. Gently stir soup once to evenly distribute egg; ladle into bowls and top with scallions.

I just love this salad, as does Cherie (provided I don't make it too hot! Technically, its a pickle but the cucumbers are really only so lightly marinated that the cucumber slices are still slightly crisp. This is a refreshing summer salad best made with seedless cucumbers, but regular cucumbers are fine (particularly if you halve them lengthwise and scoop out the sides before slicing). This is ridiculously easy to prepare!

INGREDIENTS
1 hot house (seedless) cucumber, unpeeled
1 tbsp. coarse salt (preferably kosher)
1 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp light brown sugar
2 or 3 dried red chilies (Chinese red or Mexican Arbol chilies are perfect)

PREPARATION

• Halve the cucumber lengthwise and slice into 1/8 inch slices (although I love them paper thin, too). Place cucumber slices in a bowl and toss with salt, letting sit for one hour, tossing once or twice. Drain well and return to bowl.


• While the salt is drawing moisture out of the cucumbers, combine vinegar and sugar in small saucepan. Lightly crush dried chilies (or thinly slice) and discard seeds. Add the chilies to the saucepan. Cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves, 1½ to 2 minutes. Cool to room temperature.


• Add teh vengar mixture to the cucumbers, toss to combine, and let rest for 1 hour or more. Drain and serve, or store covered in the refrigerator. These are best served within 8 hours.

I'm not sure why I don't cook this more often as it's particularly good. Perhaps because it is best prepared using fresh (not frozen) squid which requires a special trip to the right fish monger. But it's a marvelous, simple meal that showcases the subtle clean flavor of Cantonese stir-fry. Cook the squid in small batches because squid releases juices as it cooks and could make the dish soupy if you're not careful. If you score the squid with a sharp knife before stir-frying, it will make for a nicer presentation.

INGREDIENTS
8 small squid, about 12 ounces
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp Shao Hsing rice cooking wine
½ tsp sesame oil
¼ tsp sugar
¼ tsp ground white pepper
2 scallions, white portion only
½ tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp finely shredded ginger

PREPARATION

• Cut off and reserve the tentacles attached to the squid heads. Remove the internal cartilage and heads from squid bodies and discard. Peel off the purple membrane and wash squid in several changes of water, allowing squid to thoroughly drain in colander.


• Cut each body in half lengthwise. Using a very sharp knife, lightly score the inside of the bodies with a criss-cross pattern. Cut squid into 1½ inch squares.


• Place tentacles and squid pieces in a bowl and toss with salt. Add the soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, sugar and pepper and stir to combine. Marinate for 15 minutes


• Remove the squid with a slotted spoon, draining well (reserve the marinade)


• Cut the scallions into 2 inch segments and finely shred


• Combine cornstarch and 1tbsp of cold water in a small bowl - stir in marinade and reserve


• Heat a 14 inch flat-bottomed wok or skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add vegetable oil and squid, and stir-fry 1 minute. Add scallions and ginger, and stir-fry 1 minute.


• Re-stir cornstarch mixture and swirl into the wok and bring to a boil, stirring, about 30 seconds, or until slightly thickened and squid is cooked through. Serve immediately

This is a great, simple marinade that will add lots of flavor to meat that you want to grill. Equally good on a steak or a pork roast.

INGREDIENTS
¾ cup of Red Miso Paste
2 pinches of Cayenne pepper
1 tsp of minced garlic
1 tsp of minced ginger
Mirin..... enough to turn thick paste to a thinner paste

PREPARATION
Coat the meat with paste and let marinate for an hour or more (no more than 24 hours).

This is the classic Mojito recipe, unadorned and perfect.

INGREDIENTS
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
Juice from 1 lime (2 ounces)
4 mint leaves

1 sprig of mint
2 ounces white rum
2 ounces club soda

PREPARATION

• Place the mint leaves into a long mojito glass and squeeze the juice from a cut lime over it. You'll want about two ounces of lime juice, which is probably the juice from a single lime.
• Add the powdered sugar, then gently crush the mint into the lime juice and sugar with a muddler - use the back of a fork or spoon if one isn't available.
• Add ice (preferably crushed) then add the rum and stir, and top off with the club soda
• Garnish with a mint sprig.

This is just poached eggs on toast, except that toast is torn into small pieces and mixed up with the egg. Its how my mom managed to get me to eat eggs as a kid and its still how I like to eat my eggs.

INGREDIENTS
1 pat butter
1 pint boiling water
½ tsp salt
1 tsp vinegar
2 eggs
2 slices toast

PREPARATION

• Rub the butter along the bottom of a frying pan and add pour in about a pint of boiling water. Add salt vinegar.
• Let this stand so the water will keep hot, but not boil.
• Break in two eggs, being careful to strike the shell only enough to crack it without disturbing the yolk.
• Let stand until the eggs are set on the bottom, then loosen the egg from the pan by carefully pushing a spatula or griddle cake turner beneath it to avoid too much cooking on the bottom. Let it stand until delicately cooked throughout.
• Have ready two slices of bread, toasted to a golden brown. Tear toast into small pieces in a bowl
• Remove eggs from simmering water with slotted spoon and add to bowl with toast pieces. Break-up and egg and mix with toast
• Season with salt to taste

Admittedly, Boeuf Bourguignon is a stew. And, as stews go, this one's a lot of work. But Boeuf Bourguignon is decidedly the King of Stew, and well worth the effort. It's not just the unctuous goodness of the meet braised in wine, but that Gallic balance of the holy trinity with a bouquet garni. This is the ultimate comfort food in my book.

Do not skimp on the wine, or at least use a decent one. I don't think you should cook with a wine or spirit that you wouldn't drink on its own and it particularly important here because the wine imparts its flavor so dominantly in this dish. In fact, if you make it your rule to serve a bottle of the same wine with your dish, you'll likely choose well.

Serve over new potatoes with butter and parsley with a side of a simple fresh vegetable - root veggies or a squash are great for Autumn or Winter, greens in the Spring.

INGREDIENTS
½ lb thick-sliced bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 lb boneless beef chuck, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp vegetable oil
4 ½ tbsp unsalted butter
½ cup brandy
1 piece of celery
4 fresh parsley stems (no leaves)
4 fresh thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
2 cloves
2 onions, finely chopped
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 (750-ml) bottle dry red wine - Pinot Noir, Merlot or a nice burgundy (use a bottle that you would enjoy drinking)
1 lb small (1 1/2-inch) boiling onions or pearl onions (frozen is fine)
½ lb mushrooms, quartered if large

Best served over peeled boiled potatoes tosseed with butter and parsley - new potatoes or fingerlings are perfect.

PREPARATION

I'm republishing (or shameless swiping, depending on your view) Rick Bayless' recipe from his "Mexico:One Plate at a Time" television series. It's a wonderful preparation when you want lamb, but a different preparation! Or, if you're looking for a good Mexican dish that is worthy of a dinner party.

We like lamb in our house, and generally eat it prepared in a classic French fashion: with rosemary and thyme, often with garlic. Bayless' recipe is a wonderful Mexican preparation that imparts a lovely honey flavor mixed with the earthy goodness of the mild Pasilla chile. You can hardly go wrong with applying some sort of paste to meat made from dried, mild chilies before grilling it.

INGREDIENTS
6 garlic cloves
6 (about 2 ounces total) dried pasilla chiles, stemmed, seeded and torn into flat pieces
1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
¼ teaspoon black pepper, preferably freshly ground
1/8 teaspoon cumin, preferably freshly ground
¼ cup honey
2 tablespoons vinegar (I prefer balsamic here)
Salt
2 lamb racks (each should have 8 rib bones and weigh about 1 ¾ to 2 pounds)
Olive or vegetable oil to brush or spray on the racks
1 small red onion, finely chopped
About ¼ cup Mexican queso añejo or another garnishing cheese like Romano or Parmesan
Flat-leaf parsley leaves, for garnish

PREPARATION
1. The pasilla marinade. Roast the unpeeled garlic on one side of a large skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until soft and blackened in spots, about 15 minutes; cool and peel. While the garlic is roasting, toast the chile pieces a few at a time on another side of the skillet, pressing them down firmly with a spatula for a few seconds, until they release a toasty aroma, then flipping them, and pressing down the other side. Scoop the chiles into a small bowl, cover with hot water and soak 30 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/3 cup of the soaking water.
In a food processor blender, combine the chiles, 1/3 cup of soaking liquid, garlic, oregano, pepper, cumin, honey, vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt. Blend to a smooth pure, scraping down and stirring frequently. Press through a medium-mesh strainer into a small bowl.

2. Marinating. Lay the meat into a baking dish. Smear both sides of the racks with about 1/3 of the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for several hours, if time permits.

3. The salsa. Stir enough water into the remaining marinade to give it drizzleable consistency—it usually takes at least ¼ cup. Cover and set aside at room temperature (or refrigerate if not using within a couple of hours).

4. Grilling. Light a gas grill, setting the temperature at medium-high on one side, medium-low on the other; or light a charcoal fire, letting the coals burn until they’re covered with white ash but still very hot, then bank them to one side. Using the side of a spoon, scrape the marinade off the meat, reserving it for basting later. Brush or spray the lamb racks with oil and lay them, meaty “cap”-side down, onto the hottest part of the grill, when they are well seared (“marked” with the grill grate pattern, as we say in the restaurant kitchen), about 2 minutes, flip them over and sear on the boney underside. Baste the top with the reserved marinade, then move them to the cooler part of the grill and let them cook until as done as you like, usually about 5 minutes for medium-rare.

5. Serving. It’s best to let the meat rest for a few minutes on a very cool part of the grill or in a very low oven, to reabsorb the meat’s tasty juices. Then slice the chops between the bones. Drizzle a little of the salsa on each of 4 warm dinner plates and sprinkle with the onion. Arrange the meat over the top and sprinkle with the cheese and parsley leaves. Serve right away.

This is another very simple dessert - different and simply elegant. Its a custard with no dairy, just basically eggs and sugar. Classic.

INGREDIENTS
1½ cups sugar
8 egg yolks
grated zest of 2 oranges
1 cup fresh orange juice
orange segments for garnish

PREPARATION

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• In a small heavy sacuepan, melt ½ cup sugar and 2 tbsp water over high heat. Swirl pan to melt the sugar. Cook, without stirring, until caramel-colored and fragrant. Do not let it get too dark, or it will taste bitter. Carefully pour caramel into a flan mold or ramekin. Swirl quickly to coat bottom and sides.
• Whisk eggs with remaining sugar in a bowl; add orange zest and juice. Mix well.
• Pour mixture into prepared mold or cups and place them in a baking pan. Pour hot water into pan to come halfway up the sides of the cups. Cover baking pan with aluminum foil.
• Bake 35-40 minutes (or up to an hour if you use a single mold). A knife inserted into the center should come out clean if not, cook 2-3 more minutes and check again. Let custards cool slightly, and then cover with foil or plastic wrap. Refrigerate until well chilled.
• Run a thin knife blade around the edges of the cups - invert onto individual plates and spoon caramel over the top.
• Top with orange segments.

The Thai take on stir-fry, like the southern Chinese, tends toward the simple and adds the clean, bright taste of fresh ingredients with a little fresh chile heat and flavor.

This dish is best made with the dark meat that comes from the thighs or drumsticks of a chicken, though it is perfectly fine if made from boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Chop the chicken as fine as possible.

INGREDIENTS
3 tbsp vegetable oil (preferabley canola or an oil that has a high smoke point)
2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1½ tsp finely chopped Thai or serrano chile
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
½tsp sugar
2 red Thai chiles, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 cup firmly packed Thai basil leaves

Serve with/over jasmine rice.

PREPARATION

• Heat oil over high heat in a wok or large skillet and stir-fry garlic until fragrant - about 15 seconds
• Add chicken and stir-fry until opaque - about one minute
• Add fish sauce, soy sacue and sugar and stir fry until chicken is opaque throughout - about 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Add sliced chiles and basil and toss just until basil wilts. Turn out onto a platter and serve at once before basil loses its bright green color.

I'm offering up two margarita recipes: Classic and Popular. The difference is that the classic uses no Triple Sec or other orange liqueur. It depends, I think, on how pure you want your lime experience to be.

The key to any good cocktail is the quality of spirits - splurge on a high quality tequila and not only will your margarita taste oh so much better, but you'll suffer less the next day should you over do it!

INGREDIENTS
¾ cup good-quality blanco tequila
½ cup fresh lime juice
½ cup simple syrup (see below)

PREPARATION

• Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker with 6-8 ice cubes. Cover and shake for 15 seconds
• Pour into margarita or martini glasses and garnish with lime.

The popular margarita is based on a 3:2:1 ratio of tequila, triple-sec or other orange liqueur and lime juice. Use high quality tequila (Cazadores, Patron or Herradura - don't blame me for your Jose Cuervo or Sauza induced hangover!). Cointreu or Grand Marnier are good choices for Triple Sec.

INGREDIENTS
6 oz. good-quality blanco tequila
4 oz. triple-sec or orange liqueur
2 oz. fresh lime juice

PREPARATION

• Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker with 6-8 ice cubes. Cover and shake for 15 seconds
• Pour into margarita or martini glasses and garnish with lime.

Who would have thought I'd like beets? Freshness being everything with fruits and veggies, having a fresh, locally produced vegetable simply prepared can often change your mind about that vegetable you thought you hated.

Cherie and I get fresh, organic produce about eight months of the year from two, small local farms. We subscribe to a weekly order (known within our house as "The Big Box of Produce" or BBoP) that is delivered to a local drop-off point. We never know what we're going to get, but it's all fresh, organically produced and marvelous. For a several week run, we'll get beets: red beets, golden beets, veregated beets (look like candy canes inside!). Full credit for this recipe should go to Cherie, who also thought she didn't like beets. This preparation will change your mind!

INGREDIENTS
4 medium red or golden beets (4 ounces each), stems and root ends removed
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp real maple syrup (use the real thing, preferabley from Vermont)

PREPARATION

• Heat oven to 400°F
• Wrap each beet in foil and roast until soft - about 1 hour.
Cool slightly until you can handle them - remove foil
• Rub off skins
• Season lightly with salt and serve
Optional: mix in 1/3 of a cup of choppped walnuts with the butter and syrup