I’m a big fan of meatballs, and a really big fan of really big meatballs, so you can imagine my excitement when I heard about something called Lion’s Head Meatballs, which were described as not only extra large in size, but also supposedly looked like the head of a lion. As it turned out, only half those claims were true, but they were so tender, and so tasty I quickly forgave any visual exaggerations.
And, as always, enjoy! If you want more information about why the blog format has changed, and why we're now offering complete written recipes, please read all about that here.
When people think comfort food, they generally think of
classic, iconic recipes that are made the exact same way every time. No one
likes change, and it’s this timeless consistency that in large part makes these
dishes so comforting. However, as much as I love a traditional beef stew, or
braised beef short ribs, once in a while, I enjoy using these same techniques
with a few non-traditional ingredients, just to shake things up.
Speaking of which, if you’re not familiar with miso, it's a fermented soybean and rice paste, and it just
makes everything taste better. It’s
relatively easy to find in your larger grocery stores, and a few spoonfuls will add
an extra element of savoriness to these already savory dishes. To balance that,
among other things, we’re also adding a touch of maple syrup, which helps give this even more of an autumnal feel.
I kept things pretty simple with the vegetable additions,
going with just mushrooms and onions, but the classic beef stew array of carrots,
celery, onions, and potatoes would also work as well. And I wasn’t kidding
about the King Trumpet mushrooms being as good as the beef. They really were
amazing, and this would make for a fantastic meatless meal using those alone.
Either way, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 4 portions Miso Braised Beef:
2 tablespoons peanut, or vegetable oil
2 1/2 pounds beef chuck, or boneless beef short ribs, cut
into 2-inch thick strips or chunks, seasoned with salt, freshly ground black
pepper, cayenne
1 tablespoon butter
3 or 4 King Trumpet mushrooms, halved, or any mushrooms
I’m not exactly sure how much pork satay they eat in Penang,
or if they flavor it like I do here, but I’m fairly confident that if I handed
one of these skewers to your average pork-loving Malaysian, they would enjoy
it. By the way, I did a search, and there’s actually a restaurant in Penang
called, “Penang Pork Satay.” It doesn’t get great reviews, but if you’ve
happened to try it, please let me know how this compares.
Like I said in the video, a satay marinade usually gets a
splash of coconut milk, but I think it’s perfectly fine without. Besides adding
a little sweetness, it also apparently helps tenderize the meat, but we have
both those things covered here, with the sugar, ginger, and turmeric. Of
course, by opening a can, you’ll force yourself to make curry with the rest, so
either way is a win.
As far as the grilling time goes, we simply want to cook it
through, and then stop, which is going to happen in a relatively short amount
of time. That’s what I like a fairly large size chuck of pork, so we have enough
time to get that beautifully brown, crusty exterior. If you don’t have, or can’t
use a grill, you should definitely make this anyway. It would work just about
the same under a broiler set on high, or roasted in a 500-degree oven. Regardless
of how you cook it, or whether you tweak the ingredients, I really do hope you
give this a try soon. Enjoy!
2 1/2 to 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1.5-inch
cubes
1 tablespoon kosher salt
For the marinade:
2 to 3 inch piece of fresh turmeric root, peeled, sliced or 2
teaspoons ground turmeric
2-inch piece ginger root, sliced
1 large or 2 small shallots
8 to 10 garlic cloves
1/4 cup light brown sugar
3 tablespoons ancho or other ground chili powder
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon chipotle
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon tamarind paste
1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves and stems
- Mix and marinate for 4 to 18 hours, then grill until
cooked through.
I would not have guessed this bacon-studded “cheese corn” is
a popular bar snack in Korea, although it does make sense, since this really would
be amazing with a cold beer. I’m guessing that American soldiers might have had
something to do with the creation of this amazing amalgamation, but
nevertheless, this stuff is pure bacon-y, creamy, cheesy, corny decadence…and
this is the light version.
The original recipe uses a combination of mayonnaise and
sweetened condensed milk (which I still can’t fully wrap my head around), but
we’re going with heavy cream here, for a less sweet, less oily approach. This
may be the first time in my career that I’ve “lightened up” a recipe by adding a
cup of heavy cream.
I used frozen corn with great success, but if you did want
to use fresh corn, be sure to blanch it, or panfry it first, to take off the
raw edge. The broiling step really doesn’t cook the casserole, but rather just
browns the cheese on top, and so we want everything nicely cooked by that
point. Either way, I really do hope you give this delicious, and apparently
Korean twist on creamed corn a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for one 10-inch skillet:
8 ounces bacon
2 pounds sweet corn, very well drained
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch green onion, sliced
2 or 3 jalapeno peppers, diced
salt, freshly ground black pepper, and cayenne to taste
I believe this ping gai chicken is the first Laotian recipe
we’ve ever posted on the blog, but based on how incredibly delicious this was,
it won’t be the last! Having said that, based on my several minutes of exhaustive
research, this particular recipe seems to have originated from the Queen Mother Cafe in Toronto, so I’m not sure how much North Americanization has occurred,
but it’s only a matter of time before someone lets me know.
Besides all the freshly ground black pepper, the other key
element here is the equally generous amount of chopped cilantro, which
unfortunately not everyone is able to enjoy. For roughly 10% of the population,
the herb tastes like soap, so below I’m going to provide you with a substitute
herb blend that will get you pretty close.
You can use this same marinade with chicken breasts, but I
really think the darker, richer meat makes for a much better match with the
herbaceous, black pepper flavor profile. By the way, some recipes call for
garlic in the marinade, and some don’t, but since my dipping sauce was going to
be very garlicky, I didn’t add any to mine. As usual, suit yourself, but either
way I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 4 Large Portions Ping Gai Chicken:
The great American philosopher, Homer Simpson, once said,
“You don’t make friends with salad.” This cold, spicy, and addictively
delicious chicken noodle salad might be the exception. You bring a big bowl of
this to the next big cookout, and you’re going to make all sorts of friends. The
only people who might not be huge fans are the folks who brought regular pasta
salads, in which case the best you can hope for is frenemies.
While I also love more traditional pasta salads, there’s
just something extra special about this combination of tastes, and textures, as
well as the always exciting aspect of spicy food served cold. Besides that,
this recipe is a perfect catchall for all those summer vegetables we're supposed
to be eating more of. No matter what you add, if you can make this ahead, it
will always come out a little better, since the noodles and chicken will have
time to soak up all that flavorful dressing.
As I mentioned, this salad usually gets made because you
have some possibly dry leftover grilled chicken around, or other meat for that
matter, but if you do want to poach some like I did here, I would watch this video for the proper technique. Or, in a pinch, just pick up a rotisserie
chicken from the store. Regardless of what you use, I really do hope you give
this a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 4 large portions:
8 ounces dry spaghetti, cooked al dente, rinsed in cold
water, and drained
1 large cooked chicken breast, shredded
1 cup thinly grated carrots
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped roasted salted peanuts
1 cup packed mixture of chopped basil, mint, and cilantro
For the dressing (all amounts here are to taste, so add more if you want): 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon fish sauce 1 tablespoon sriracha 1 tablespoon hoisin 1 teaspoon sesame oil
I’ve wanted to film a skewered version of our chicken teriyaki
recipe for a while, but it was actually a karaage I recently enjoyed that
pushed me into action. Michele and I were at Ramen Gaijin in
Sebastopol, where they serve an amazing chicken karaage that comes with
a miso ranch dipping sauce. The cool, tangy sauce is just perfect with the
fried nuggets of chicken, and I assumed (correctly so, as it turns out) that it
would be just as effective with these skewers.
None of the ingredients below are very hard to find, and any
large grocery store should have Sake, and Mirin, as well as probably several
kinds of miso. I used a “white miso,” which is actually gold in color, but
apparently the “white” refers to the rice content, which is the other main
ingredient besides soybeans. Feel free to make the dressing without it, but its
fermented savoriness is such a great addition, I’d at least make some effort to
track it down.
As far as the chicken goes, there’s not a lot that can go
wrong, but I’d caution against an extra long marination. Especially if you’re
skewering small chunks like we did here. The meat will “cure” in the sweet,
salty mixture, which can make for an odd texture once cooked, as well as the
meat is more likely to start falling apart. Personally, I think about four
hours is ideal, which is perfect, since you can marinade in the morning, and
then grill in the afternoon. Regardless of these variables, I really do hope
you give both these incredible recipes a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients to make about 12 small skewers:
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 3 or 4
chunks each
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup sake
1/3 cup mirin (Japanese sweet wine)
2 tablespoons finely minced green onions
2 teaspoons finely grated ginger
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
For the Miso Ranch:
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup sour cream or crème fraiche
1 generous tablespoon white miso paste, or to taste
If you have a bunch of cold, leftover rice around, you
should probably just use the classic method, but if you don’t, this easy oven
method for making fried rice will not only produce something very similar in
taste, but the texture of your rice comes out perfectly every time.
That’s because we’re using the same method as we do for rice pilaf, where the grains of rice get coated in fat before absorbing the cooking
liquid. This ensures plump, tender, separate grains, and never sticky clumps of
rice. By the way, this technique will work no matter what you include in your
mixture, as long as you’re using long-grain rice, and cooking it in a similarly
sized pan.
That’s not to say you can’t use other types of rice, or
other size pans, but that will change the cooking time, so just something to
keep in mind. Also, as I warned in the video, some sesame oils can be very
strongly flavored, and if that’s the kind you have, the amount I poured over
the top of my egg could overpower the dish, so be careful. Okay, that’s it for the
warnings. I really do hope you give this baked “fried” rice a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 4 large portions:
(I used a 11.5” x 8” x 2.5” pan, but your standard 9” x 12”
casserole dish will work the same)
2 cups white long grain rice
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil (mine was mild, so you may need to
adjust this down)
optional 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt, depending on the saltiness
of your broth and ham.
These deceptively simple, yet devastatingly delicious garlic
noodles were invented in San
Francisco, at a restaurant called, Thanh Long, back in the 70’s. Usually served with roasted
Dungeness crab, the actual recipe is a very closely guarded family secret, but
after lots of investigation, and even more experimentation, I think this is
very close, at least for a non-MSG laced version.
Apparently,
one of their “secret” ingredients is something called, Maggi Seasoning Sauce,
which I decided not to use, since I’m not sure how easy it is for the average
person to find. Besides, I think my assortment of savory, umami-rich
substitutes did the job quite nicely, and everything in the ingredient list can
be found at any large grocery store.
The
most exotic thing here would be the oyster sauce, which is sort of a very
savory, slightly sweet, thick, soy sauce-like condiment. And yes, it does have oyster
extracts in it, in case that matters. If you can’t find it, just add a touch
more fish sauce, soy, and Worcestershire, as well as little brown sugar.
Most
garlic noodles actually call for sugar in the recipe, but I think that makes it
too sweet for my taste, since the oyster sauce is fairly sweet, as is all that sautéed
garlic. Regardless, whether you enjoy this with some roasted garlic crab, or as
is, I really do hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 2 small portions Garlic Noodles: PLEASE NOTE: The saltiness of the following ingredients can vary, as can how sensitive people are to the taste of salt, so you may need to increase or decrease the amounts below.
Don’t think of this amazing Indonesian beef curry as not
having a sauce, think of it as not needing a sauce. By the way, it has a sauce
– you just can’t see it. Flavorless water evaporates when you reduce a pan
sauce, like we’re doing here, but fat doesn’t, nor does flavor, which is what
makes this such a unique, and deliciously addictive dish.
Originally the recipe was developed as a way to preserve meat
in hot and humid Indonesia, which is why it was cooked until dry. The lack of
moisture, along with all these naturally antimicrobial ingredients meant you
could keep this around for weeks without it spoiling, and apparently people
enjoyed the taste and texture so much, they continued making it this way long
after refrigeration was available.
Having said that, if you do want some sauce to serve with
it, simply add more water during the cooking, or cover for part of the time,
and you’ll be all set. Which reminds me, if you do cook this the day before, as
recommended, you’ll want to add a big splash the water to the pan when you
reheat it. Add some water, cover it, and when you think it’s heated through,
uncover, crank the heat, and cook until it reaches your desired degree of
dryness.
The ingredient list below does contain a few semi-exotic
items, so I’ve added what to substitute with in parentheses, but all in all
most of these things should not be that hard to find, especially online. But
whether you make a few substitutions or not, I really do hope you give this intensely
flavorful, and invisibly-sauced beef rendang a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 4 large portions Beef Rendang:
4 shallots, sliced (or red onion)
6 garlic cloves
1.5 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled, sliced
1.5 inch piece galangal (or ginger)
1 Fresno red chili pepper
2 Serrano chili pepper
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 or 2 tablespoons red chili flakes, depending on desired
heat
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8
teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 1/2 pounds beef chuck, cut in 2-inch pieces
1/2 stalk lemongrass, lighter part, bruised with back of knife
1 can coconut milk
1 generous tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons tamarind paste (or zest from a lime and lemon,
plus juice from 1 lime)
steamed rice for service, garnished with cilantro and lime
if desired
I thought I’d seen all there was to see
when it came to pan-fried pork cutlets, but then I saw something called Katsu
“Mille-Feuille,” and I realized I hadn’t seen anything yet. Okay, I’m being a
little dramatic, but I really loved the unusual look and feel, as well as the
internal flavoring opportunities the multi-layer technique provides.
Besides figuring out what to flavor yours with, the other main
challenge is deciding how long to cook them. The 4 to 5 minute time I gave is just
a guess, since it depends on the thickness of, and fillings in, your cutlet. Although
the folding and cheese inside will help keep things moist, pork tenderloin can
dry out, so I don’t recommend going past 145 F. internal temp.
However, the problem with testing by poking it with a
thermometer is that you’ll have hot juices spurting out, which would be a
shame. This is why I like to go with the poke test, and when it springs back
enthusiastically, it’s usually done. Also, a few minutes of resting time will
help even out the heat, and moisture, but by the time you add your sides, and
get to the table, you should be fine.
As I mentioned in the video, this method screams for
personalization, and I look forward to seeing what you come up with. Whatever that
may be, I really do hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 2 Portions:
1 trimmed pork tenderloin, split in half lengthwise
salt, freshly ground black pepper, and cayenne to taste
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 ounces grated cheese, or as needed
2 tablespoons freshly chopped Italian parsley
For the breading:
enough all-purpose flour to coat
beaten egg
panko, or regular plain breadcrumbs
olive oil for frying (at least 1/4 inch of oil in the pan is
recommended)
I remember getting a request for kimchi pancakes many years
ago, and while I recall being intrigued, apparently not enough to actually
research the recipe, and do a video for it. That all changed after seeing it on
a local bar menu, where Michele and I enjoyed not one, but two orders of these incredibly tasty, and visually thrilling, savory pancakes.
I loved the taste and texture, but what really got my
attention were the dancing bonito flakes on top. I’d never seen anything quite
like that, and found it as mesmerizing, as I did delicious.As I mentioned in the video, those kimchi
pancakes came with a little drizzle of spicy mayonnaise, which depending on how
decadent of an experience you’re going for, isn’t a bad idea, especially if you
plan on frying these up, and cutting them in wedges to serve as a snack at a
party.
If you want a thicker, and more substantial kimchi pancake,
you want to use less liquid, or more flour, so that your batter isn't quite as
runny as mine. Personally, I enjoy this style a little more, since you end
up with a thinner pancake that’s crispy around the edges, but still moist and
tender inside. Having said that, you should definitely experiment with different
textures to see what you like best.
These are also a perfect
catchall for leftover meat and vegetables. Just chop it up, toss it in, and see
what happens. Speaking of seeing what happens, if you want to watch fish flakes
dance, you’ll have to find some bonito, which means finding an Asian
market, or buying them online, and I highly recommend you do just that. Either
way, I really do hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 4 Appetizer Size Kimchi Pancakes:
1 1/2 cup chopped drained kimchi (12 ounce jar)
1 large egg
3 tablespoons kimchi juice
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
about 3/4 cup all purpose flour, or as needed 4 tablespoons bonito flakes for the top, optional
This might look like I was trying to make a version of a
famous Chinese dish called mapo tofu, but that's not the case, and in fact, I'm
pretty sure I was making this before I knew what mapo tofu was. And now that
I’ve addressed the people that were going to complain this isn’t authentic, we
can continue.
I'm assuming that whatever I did get this idea from was most
likely a version of mapo, but that's as far as it goes. Which reminds me, this
is a great recipe to adapt to your own tastes, not only with the sauce ingredients,
but also in regards to what vegetables you include.
Zucchini is our favorite, especially if you take the extra
15 minutes to salt it, but pretty much any dice-able seasonal vegetables will
shine. So, please keep this one in mind as you browse the farmers market, but
no matter what you put in, I really do hope you a give this delicious tofu dish a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 4 Portions:
1 1/4 pounds ground pork
1 pound firm tofu, cubed (my package was 14 ounces)
handful of sliced green onions
minced hot chili peppers, as much as you like
3 small zucchini, cubed, toss with 1 tablespoon kosher salt
(rinse after 15 minutes)
