Moules Frites
The key to success for a dish that has several moving parts is to take it one step at a time. To avoid any last-minute panic trying to serve the finished dish, set out bowls for the mussels and plates for the fries before you start cooking.
For the pommes frites
(French-fried potatoes)
2 pounds large russet potatoes
Oil for frying
Kosher salt, to taste
For the mussels and the sauce
2 pounds live Mediterranean mussels in the shell
1/2 cup Pernod or other fennel-flavored aperitif
1 pint (2 cups) whipping cream, preferably organic
3 or 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced thin
1 bulb of fresh fennel
1. Scrub the potatoes, peel them if desired, then slice them lengthwise into slabs, 3/8 inch thick. (It's best to use a mandoline-type slicer for this, but a good chef's knife and a steady hand will suffice.) Cut the slabs lengthwise into 3/8-inch batons. Hold the cut potatoes in cold water to rinse off some of the excess starch and prevent discoloration. Potatoes may be cut up to a day in advance if they are held in the refrigerator.
2. To prepare the mussels for cooking, rinse them under cold running water and snap off any dangling "beards" or hairy fibers; keep the mussels in a colander in the refrigerator until it's time to cook them. Mussels can be cleaned up to an hour before cooking.
3. To make the sauce, pour the Pernod into a deep, 4-quart, nonreactive saucepan over high heat and boil until the liquid is almost completely evaporated; add the cream and boil the liquid again until it is reduced to about half its original volume. The cream will expand as it boils, so stir it down if necessary to prevent it from boiling over. Meanwhile, split the fennel bulb in half lengthwise, trim off the leafy end and reserve a few of the prettier fronds to garnish the finished dish. Slice the bulb into 1/4-inch slices. Add the sliced fennel and garlic to the reduced cream and, after it returns to a boil, take it off the heat and keep it near the stove, ready for cooking the mussels.
4. To give the potatoes their first fry, preheat a countertop deep fryer to 325 degrees, or heat 8 cups of oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven until an instant-read thermometer registers 325. Line one sheet pan with a cooling rack to catch the cooked potatoes, and line a second sheet pan with a lint-free towel or a generous layer of paper toweling. Drain the potatoes and pat them completely dry with the paper towels. Fry the potatoes in several batches to avoid crowding the oil, stirring them to distribute evenly in the oil until they just begin to turn golden, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain the par-cooked potatoes on the cooling rack and let them cool to room temperature, at least 10 minutes and up to an hour before serving time. To ready for the potatoes' second fry, raise the temperature of the oil to 375 degrees.
5. To cook the mussels, bring the sauce to a boil over high heat; add the mussels, cover the pan and cook until they are cooked through, about 7 minutes.
6. While the mussels are cooking, give the potatoes their second fry, about half the potatoes at a time, until golden brown and crisp, about 4 minutes. Drain, toss with kosher salt.
7. Serve the fries on plates and the mussels in bowls with their cooking liquid distributed evenly between them.
© Greg Atkinson, 2012
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Red Corn with Cilantro and Cotija Anejo Cheese
Serves 2
2 ears of red corn, kernels removed from the cob
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon lime juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons crumbled cotija anejo cheese**
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
Cut off the corn kernels. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt olive oil. Add corn and sprinkle evenly with sugar. Saute for 2-3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add lime juice and salt & pepper. Cook an additional 1-2 minutes and remove from heat. The corn should be cooked through yet still firm. Sprinkle with cotija anejo cheese and cilantro and toss gently until well combined and serve immediately.
** Cotija anejo, a mild-flavored Mexican cheese with a crumbly texture, can be found in Mexican markets or in the refrigerator section of most major supermarkets. Queso fresco, another mild Mexican cheese, is a good substitute and also can be found in most major supermarkets.
Note: This dish can be made with traditional white, yellow, or bi-color corn, though you many want to omit the sugar.
2 ears of red corn, kernels removed from the cob
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon lime juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons crumbled cotija anejo cheese**
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
Cut off the corn kernels. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt olive oil. Add corn and sprinkle evenly with sugar. Saute for 2-3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add lime juice and salt & pepper. Cook an additional 1-2 minutes and remove from heat. The corn should be cooked through yet still firm. Sprinkle with cotija anejo cheese and cilantro and toss gently until well combined and serve immediately.
** Cotija anejo, a mild-flavored Mexican cheese with a crumbly texture, can be found in Mexican markets or in the refrigerator section of most major supermarkets. Queso fresco, another mild Mexican cheese, is a good substitute and also can be found in most major supermarkets.
Note: This dish can be made with traditional white, yellow, or bi-color corn, though you many want to omit the sugar.
Experimenting with Red Corn
Basic Cooking Instructions: Combine 3 cups of water and 1 cup of dry corn. Bring to boiling. Simmer uncovered 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover, let stand 3 hours. Return to boiling, simmer covered 3 hours or until done. Season to taste.
+ cilantro
+ tomatoes
+ lime
+ nuts, toasted
+ quinoa
= QUINOA SALAD!!!
+ cilantro
+ tomatoes
+ lime
+ nuts, toasted
+ quinoa
= QUINOA SALAD!!!
Red Corn Posole with Smoked Pasilla
2 cups dried Red Corn Posole
1 1/2 lb pork shoulder
2 medium diced white onions
5 cloves garlic
Red Corn Posole has a wonderful flavor- at once corny, nutty and earthy. It retains its red color when cooked and stays more Al Dente than conventional yellow posole.
Soak the posole overnight; two nights are better. Drain. In a large, heavy- bottomed pot, brown the salted pork in olive oil taking care to get it quite brown and caramelized. Remove the pork; sauté the onions and garlic slowly until translucent. Return the pork to the pot. Add the drained posole, oregano and bay leaf. Remove from heat. Toast the smoked chiles for 2 minutes in a 400 degree oven. Don't burn them or they will be bitter. Pound the chiles or pulverize in a spice grinder to a fine powder. Add to pot and sauté everything together for five minutes or so. Add water to about 2 inches above posole. Bring to a boil and skim off scum. Lower to simmer and cook for at least 4 hours, adding water as necessary. Salt to taste during last 20 minutes of cooking. The pork should be falling from the bone. Serve in large bowls with plenty of broth. Garnish with diced red or green onion, avocadoes, toasted oregano, lime juice, cilantro and /or finely shredded cabbage. In late summer, add tomatoes, sweet corn and green chile and forget the pork. With less broth, it can be a side dish for roasted meat, poultry or grilled fish.
Tip: It will taste even better if served the next day.
1 1/2 lb pork shoulder
2 medium diced white onions
5 cloves garlic
Red Corn Posole has a wonderful flavor- at once corny, nutty and earthy. It retains its red color when cooked and stays more Al Dente than conventional yellow posole.
Soak the posole overnight; two nights are better. Drain. In a large, heavy- bottomed pot, brown the salted pork in olive oil taking care to get it quite brown and caramelized. Remove the pork; sauté the onions and garlic slowly until translucent. Return the pork to the pot. Add the drained posole, oregano and bay leaf. Remove from heat. Toast the smoked chiles for 2 minutes in a 400 degree oven. Don't burn them or they will be bitter. Pound the chiles or pulverize in a spice grinder to a fine powder. Add to pot and sauté everything together for five minutes or so. Add water to about 2 inches above posole. Bring to a boil and skim off scum. Lower to simmer and cook for at least 4 hours, adding water as necessary. Salt to taste during last 20 minutes of cooking. The pork should be falling from the bone. Serve in large bowls with plenty of broth. Garnish with diced red or green onion, avocadoes, toasted oregano, lime juice, cilantro and /or finely shredded cabbage. In late summer, add tomatoes, sweet corn and green chile and forget the pork. With less broth, it can be a side dish for roasted meat, poultry or grilled fish.
Tip: It will taste even better if served the next day.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Fresh Tofu with Bonito Flakes, Scallions and Sesame Oil
Yet another delicious variant on the fresh-tofu-topped-with-stuff genre!
Drain and cut fresh soft tofu into chopstick-friendly slices.
Sprinkle some salt onto it.
Drizzle with sesame oil.
Top with chopped scallions, then bonito flakes.
That's it!
Monday, August 15, 2011
Cucumber Wakame Salad
courtesy of Susie!
Ingredients:
small cucumbers, the really cute ones
wakame (seaweed)
sesame seeds
rice vinegar
salt
sugar
sesame oil
Instructions:
1. Very thinly slice the cucumbers.
2. Soak the wakame until floppy.
3. Combine the cucumber and wakame. Add salt, sugar, rice vinegar as dressing. Top with toasted sesame seeds (can crush beforehand) and a drizzle of sesame oil. Serve!
Ingredients:
small cucumbers, the really cute ones
wakame (seaweed)
sesame seeds
rice vinegar
salt
sugar
sesame oil
Instructions:
1. Very thinly slice the cucumbers.
2. Soak the wakame until floppy.
3. Combine the cucumber and wakame. Add salt, sugar, rice vinegar as dressing. Top with toasted sesame seeds (can crush beforehand) and a drizzle of sesame oil. Serve!
Quick Daikon Kimchee
courtesy of Susie!
Ingredients:
daikon
Korean pepper flakes for kimchee
salt
sugar
sesame seeds
scallions
garlic
Instructions:
1. Grate daikon.
2. Toast sesame seeds and crush.
3. Sprinkle the daikon with some pepper flakes, and add salt and sugar to taste (a lot more salt than sugar). Add sesame seeds, chopped garlic, and chopped scallions. Let sit for a while to ferment. Serve!
Alternative:
+ add fish sauce
+ add ginger
** And for the real deal, with fermenting, jarring and all that, see this recipe HERE!
Ingredients:
daikon
Korean pepper flakes for kimchee
salt
sugar
sesame seeds
scallions
garlic
Instructions:
1. Grate daikon.
2. Toast sesame seeds and crush.
3. Sprinkle the daikon with some pepper flakes, and add salt and sugar to taste (a lot more salt than sugar). Add sesame seeds, chopped garlic, and chopped scallions. Let sit for a while to ferment. Serve!
Alternative:
+ add fish sauce
+ add ginger
** And for the real deal, with fermenting, jarring and all that, see this recipe HERE!
Green Beans with Miso Sauce
courtesy of Susie Suh!
Ingredients:
green beans
miso paste
soya sauce
sesame seeds
sugar
Instructions:
1. Cut the beans into 1-1.5 inch long pieces. Blanche and set aside.
2. Toast the sesame seeds in a pan; crush somehow.
3. Combine miso paste, soya sauce (shoyu), some sugar, and the sesame seeds. The sauce should be thick-ish.
4. Toss the green beans in the sauce until evenly covered. Eat!
Ingredients:
green beans
miso paste
soya sauce
sesame seeds
sugar
Instructions:
1. Cut the beans into 1-1.5 inch long pieces. Blanche and set aside.
2. Toast the sesame seeds in a pan; crush somehow.
3. Combine miso paste, soya sauce (shoyu), some sugar, and the sesame seeds. The sauce should be thick-ish.
4. Toss the green beans in the sauce until evenly covered. Eat!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Daikon Mania!
Ways to use the wonderful(ly large) and delicious radish, Daikon.
NOODLES
1. Grate and add to cold udon with lots of green onions, grated ginger, and soya sauce to taste.
[alternative: + wakame, cilantro, lemon juice]
2. Karasumi and Daikon Pasta
2-3 servings
8 ounces dried pasta such as spagetti or linguine
3 tablespoons olive oil
leaves of 1 small daikon radish chopped
1/3 cup grated daikon radish with extra juice strained out
1 sac of Karasumi or Bottarga grated on a Microplane (reserve a little to top the pasta with)
Boil the pasta in well salted water for slightly less than the package recommends (my pasta said 11 minutes, I cooked it for 10).
After draining the pasta, put the hot pot back on the stove and add the olive oil. Add the daikon leaves and quickly saute. Add the pasta, then stir fry to coat with oil. Add the grated daikon and Karasumi and toss to distribute evenly, then plate immediately. Top with the reserved grated karasumi and serve immediately.
3. Houtou: Prepare miso soup like normal and add to it diced kabocha (or pumpkin or acorn squash), potato, carrot, leeks, abura-age, and daikon. Serve with udon.
SALAD
4. Cut into thin strips about 3 cm in length, mix with diced tomatoes, and add lemon juice, salt and pepper, and a bit of olive oil.
STEW
5. Rice Stew with Daikon (Daikon Zosui)
Serves 5
2 ½ cups cooked short-grain rice*
¾ cup shiitake mushrooms*
1 ½ cups daikon (about a four-inch-long chunk), sliced as directed*
¼ cup carrots, sliced as directed*
½ cup Wakame, soaked five minutes in cold water to cover, then chopped into one-inch long pieces (discard soaking water)
5 cups fish stock (if unavailable, use chicken or vegetable stock)*
1 teaspoon salt*
2 ½ tablespoons soy sauce*
Peel the daikon and carrot, and slice into two-inch-long by one-half-inch wide ribbons that are no more than one-eighth-inch thick. Thinly slice the shiitake mushrooms also. Heat the stock in a soup pan with the daikon and carrot, and cook until the vegetables have softened, around 10 minutes. Add the cooked rice, mushrooms and wakame, and bring to the boil again, stirring occasionally. Stir in salt and soy sauce. Eat hot. Partners well with Daikon Pickles. (Note: Be careful not to cook the rice too long; otherwise, it will end up the unappetizing consistency of glue.)
SIDE DISH
6. Quick Daikon Pickles
1 ½ cups daikon, sliced into match-like strips*
½ cup hothouse cucumber, seeds removed, sliced into match-like strips
½ teaspoon freshly minced lemon peel*
Piece of kombu, around 4 inches long and 1 inch wide*
1 teaspoon salt*
Soy sauce, to taste*
Put the daikon and cucumber into a plastic bag. Break the kombu into one-to-two-inch slivers, and add to the plastic bag. Sprinkle with salt and lemon peel. Close plastic bag. Work salt into vegetables by squeezing them in the plastic bag. Lay the bag flat and place two 16-ounce cans on top of the closed bag, spreading the weight over the vegetables inside. Let stand two hours. Remove vegetables from bag. Gently squeeze out water. Sprinkle with a little soy sauce. Enjoy with rice.
7. Daikon Fritters: Shred roots on grater. Mix with beaten egg, flour, salt and pepper. Drop and flatten out a dollop into hot oil and turn once while browning both sides.
+ dipping sauce: 1/2 cup soya sauce with juice of 1/2 a lemon, plus some lemon zest and chopped scallions.
8. Shred medium coarse across the diameter (about 1/8" thick), cook in dashi (japanese-style broth, available as granules) until tender (about 20 minutes). Add aka (red) miso to taste, as for any other miso soup. Garnish with chopped scallion if desired.
9. Cut daikon in 1" thick disks, peel, and simmer in dashi until tender. Make a sauce with miso and a little water and sugar, simmer until blended, serve over daikon (with rice, of course).
10. Japanese Guacamole:
* ¾ cup shredded daikon (Japanese radish)
* ½ tsp salt
* 2 California avocados, about 1 pound
* ⅓ cups finely sliced green onion
* ¼ cup fresh salmon caviar
* 2 tbsp rice vinegar (plain)
* 1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce
* ½ tbsp wasabi paste
1. Toss daikon with salt; drain in a colander for half an hour.
2. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible; reserve.
3. Coarsely mash (do not purée) avocados.
4. Fold in remaining ingredients and reserved daikon.
5. Guacamole is best made as close to serving as possible. For short-term storage, seal in an airtight container with a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the guacamole.
SPECIAL OCCASIONS
11. "Loh Bak Goh": Steamed Daikon Cake
Cake base
* 1½ lbs daikon
* ½ lbs rice flour
* 1 can chicken broth
* ¼ tbsp msg
* 4 tbsp sugar
* 1 tbsp white pepper
Filling
* 1 cup of Chinese sausage
* ½ cup of Chinese dried shrimp
* 1 cup of Chinese mushroom
* 2 scallion
* 2 tbsp soy sauce
* 1 tbsp sugar
* 1 tbsp cooking wine
* 1 tbsp sesame seed (optional)
Directions
1. First remove the daikon skin and slice into thin pieces.
2. Place the sliced daikon, the chicken broth and the "cake base" seasonings into a pot.
3. Cook until the diakon is soft (about 40 minutes).
4. If the daikon tastes bitter, you'll need to add more sugar.
5. Also, if the daikon releases too much water, you may have to drain some water out.
6. While the daikon is cooking, dice the "filling" ingredients.
7. Stir fry the "filling" ingredients and seasonings until cooked (note: save ½ the scallion for later use).
8. Place the fillings aside.
9. When the daikon is soft, slowly stir in the rice flour.
10. Mix well. You'll feel the cake base thicken.
11. After the daikon and rice flour are mixed, stir in the "fillings" (note: save some of the filling for the topping).
12. When everything is mixed, grease the steaming pan with corn oil, so the daikon cake won't stick to the pan.
13. Pour the daikon cake mix into the pan, and place the rest of the scallion and fillings on top.
14. Steam the daikon cake under high heat for about 40 minutes.
15. To check the cake is well cooked, poke a chopstick into the center of the cake, if the cake does not stick to the chopstick, the cake is cooked.
16. Allow the daikon cake to cool.
17. You can pan fry the sliced cake before serving.
NOODLES
1. Grate and add to cold udon with lots of green onions, grated ginger, and soya sauce to taste.
[alternative: + wakame, cilantro, lemon juice]
2. Karasumi and Daikon Pasta
2-3 servings
8 ounces dried pasta such as spagetti or linguine
3 tablespoons olive oil
leaves of 1 small daikon radish chopped
1/3 cup grated daikon radish with extra juice strained out
1 sac of Karasumi or Bottarga grated on a Microplane (reserve a little to top the pasta with)
Boil the pasta in well salted water for slightly less than the package recommends (my pasta said 11 minutes, I cooked it for 10).
After draining the pasta, put the hot pot back on the stove and add the olive oil. Add the daikon leaves and quickly saute. Add the pasta, then stir fry to coat with oil. Add the grated daikon and Karasumi and toss to distribute evenly, then plate immediately. Top with the reserved grated karasumi and serve immediately.
3. Houtou: Prepare miso soup like normal and add to it diced kabocha (or pumpkin or acorn squash), potato, carrot, leeks, abura-age, and daikon. Serve with udon.
SALAD
4. Cut into thin strips about 3 cm in length, mix with diced tomatoes, and add lemon juice, salt and pepper, and a bit of olive oil.
STEW
5. Rice Stew with Daikon (Daikon Zosui)
Serves 5
2 ½ cups cooked short-grain rice*
¾ cup shiitake mushrooms*
1 ½ cups daikon (about a four-inch-long chunk), sliced as directed*
¼ cup carrots, sliced as directed*
½ cup Wakame, soaked five minutes in cold water to cover, then chopped into one-inch long pieces (discard soaking water)
5 cups fish stock (if unavailable, use chicken or vegetable stock)*
1 teaspoon salt*
2 ½ tablespoons soy sauce*
Peel the daikon and carrot, and slice into two-inch-long by one-half-inch wide ribbons that are no more than one-eighth-inch thick. Thinly slice the shiitake mushrooms also. Heat the stock in a soup pan with the daikon and carrot, and cook until the vegetables have softened, around 10 minutes. Add the cooked rice, mushrooms and wakame, and bring to the boil again, stirring occasionally. Stir in salt and soy sauce. Eat hot. Partners well with Daikon Pickles. (Note: Be careful not to cook the rice too long; otherwise, it will end up the unappetizing consistency of glue.)
SIDE DISH
6. Quick Daikon Pickles
1 ½ cups daikon, sliced into match-like strips*
½ cup hothouse cucumber, seeds removed, sliced into match-like strips
½ teaspoon freshly minced lemon peel*
Piece of kombu, around 4 inches long and 1 inch wide*
1 teaspoon salt*
Soy sauce, to taste*
Put the daikon and cucumber into a plastic bag. Break the kombu into one-to-two-inch slivers, and add to the plastic bag. Sprinkle with salt and lemon peel. Close plastic bag. Work salt into vegetables by squeezing them in the plastic bag. Lay the bag flat and place two 16-ounce cans on top of the closed bag, spreading the weight over the vegetables inside. Let stand two hours. Remove vegetables from bag. Gently squeeze out water. Sprinkle with a little soy sauce. Enjoy with rice.
7. Daikon Fritters: Shred roots on grater. Mix with beaten egg, flour, salt and pepper. Drop and flatten out a dollop into hot oil and turn once while browning both sides.
+ dipping sauce: 1/2 cup soya sauce with juice of 1/2 a lemon, plus some lemon zest and chopped scallions.
8. Shred medium coarse across the diameter (about 1/8" thick), cook in dashi (japanese-style broth, available as granules) until tender (about 20 minutes). Add aka (red) miso to taste, as for any other miso soup. Garnish with chopped scallion if desired.
9. Cut daikon in 1" thick disks, peel, and simmer in dashi until tender. Make a sauce with miso and a little water and sugar, simmer until blended, serve over daikon (with rice, of course).
10. Japanese Guacamole:
* ¾ cup shredded daikon (Japanese radish)
* ½ tsp salt
* 2 California avocados, about 1 pound
* ⅓ cups finely sliced green onion
* ¼ cup fresh salmon caviar
* 2 tbsp rice vinegar (plain)
* 1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce
* ½ tbsp wasabi paste
1. Toss daikon with salt; drain in a colander for half an hour.
2. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible; reserve.
3. Coarsely mash (do not purée) avocados.
4. Fold in remaining ingredients and reserved daikon.
5. Guacamole is best made as close to serving as possible. For short-term storage, seal in an airtight container with a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the guacamole.
SPECIAL OCCASIONS
11. "Loh Bak Goh": Steamed Daikon Cake
Cake base
* 1½ lbs daikon
* ½ lbs rice flour
* 1 can chicken broth
* ¼ tbsp msg
* 4 tbsp sugar
* 1 tbsp white pepper
Filling
* 1 cup of Chinese sausage
* ½ cup of Chinese dried shrimp
* 1 cup of Chinese mushroom
* 2 scallion
* 2 tbsp soy sauce
* 1 tbsp sugar
* 1 tbsp cooking wine
* 1 tbsp sesame seed (optional)
Directions
1. First remove the daikon skin and slice into thin pieces.
2. Place the sliced daikon, the chicken broth and the "cake base" seasonings into a pot.
3. Cook until the diakon is soft (about 40 minutes).
4. If the daikon tastes bitter, you'll need to add more sugar.
5. Also, if the daikon releases too much water, you may have to drain some water out.
6. While the daikon is cooking, dice the "filling" ingredients.
7. Stir fry the "filling" ingredients and seasonings until cooked (note: save ½ the scallion for later use).
8. Place the fillings aside.
9. When the daikon is soft, slowly stir in the rice flour.
10. Mix well. You'll feel the cake base thicken.
11. After the daikon and rice flour are mixed, stir in the "fillings" (note: save some of the filling for the topping).
12. When everything is mixed, grease the steaming pan with corn oil, so the daikon cake won't stick to the pan.
13. Pour the daikon cake mix into the pan, and place the rest of the scallion and fillings on top.
14. Steam the daikon cake under high heat for about 40 minutes.
15. To check the cake is well cooked, poke a chopstick into the center of the cake, if the cake does not stick to the chopstick, the cake is cooked.
16. Allow the daikon cake to cool.
17. You can pan fry the sliced cake before serving.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Shrimp Salad with Arugula and Mint
Douse shelled shrimp with olive oil, some salt and pepper, a small pinch of cayenne, paprika, chopped garlic, and stir.
Heat pan for a few minutes till very hot.
Fry shrimp in one layer. Brown the shrimp (will be quick—30 seconds!). Total cooking time is 2 minutes.
Mix arugula (6 cups) with a bunch of mint, roughly torn. Could also mix with cilantro, basil ... Add shrimp and pan juices. Then add the juice of 1-2 lemon. Add olive oil if necessary.
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