Kohlrabi, Apple and Shitake Salad

Inspired by Girl and the Goat in Chicago, where Markus and I had dinner on Sunday 5 Jan, 2013 ... I am recreating this from the memory lingering on my tastebuds!

INGREDIENTS:

1 kohlrabi, sliced thinly
red apple, sliced thinly
toasted almond slices
shitake mushrooms (fresh), blanched
salad greens

1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 TBS mayonnaise
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp pure maple syrup
2 TBS minced shallot
2 TBS minced peeled ginger
1 TBS white / light vinegar
1/4 cup grapeseed oil or other light oil
salt & pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the almonds on a pie plate and toast for about 7 minutes, until golden. Let cool.
2. In a food processor or blender, combine the ginger, shallot, vinegar, mayonnaise, mustard, soy sauce and maple syrup and puree. With the blender on, add the grapeseed oil in a thin stream and blend until creamy. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.
3. In a large bowl, toss the kohlrabi with the apple, shitake, toasted almonds and dressing. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Add the salad greens and toss gently. Serve right away.

ALTERNATIVE:
Kohlrabi, Fennel and Blueberry Salad

• 1 bulb kohlrabi, peeled and very thinly sliced on a mandoline
• 1 fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced on a mandoline
• 2 ounces semifirm goat cheese, shaved or sliced thin (1/2 cup)
• 1 cup blueberries
• 2 tablespoons torn mint leaves

Sake-Braised Crispy Pork Belly

A mélange of several recipes, but with a decidedly Japanese base flavor. The inspiration comes from Hiroko’s American Kitchen, Gordon Ramsay’s Crispy Pork Belly (available here: http://www.carnivoreandvegetarian.com/2011/09/crispy-pork-belly-gordon-ramsay-style.html), and this associated recipe for (Japanese?) Crispy Pork Belly, which seems inspired by twice-cooked meats (http://www.carnivoreandvegetarian.com/2010/09/crispy-pork-belly-with-tofu-and.html).

Also, this seems to be the traditional recipe for Japanese braised pork belly: http://www.lafujimama.com/2013/05/japanese-braised-pork-belly/.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pork belly
soy sauce
honey
Worchestershire sauce
red pepper flakes

ginger
green onion
vegetable oil

sake
kelp or vegetable stock
mirin
sugar

Swiss chard or kale, chopped
onion
other vegetables (such as turnip, brussels sprouts)

rice vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, combine 6 TBS soy sauce, 5 TBS honey, 3 TBS Worchestershire sauce, and 1 TBS red pepper flakes. Marinade the pork belly in the fridge for 2 hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 325 Fahrenheit (gas mark 3). Take out the pork belly and pat dry, reserving the marinade. Heat a pan with vegetable oil and fry the pork belly, fat side up at first, till all sides are browned. Put the pork belly in a medium pot of water and bring to boil with a slice of ginger and some green onion. Lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
3. Drain, cool with cold water, and pat dry the pork belly in a colander.
4. Bring 1 cup of sake, 2 cups of stock, and 1/2 cup of mirin to boil in a pot. Pour into the container that will go into the oven. Add 2 TBS sugar, and then the pork belly, in a single layer, fat side up. Cover and cook in the oven for 1 1/2 hours.
5. Meanwhile, blanche the Swiss chard and any other vegetables and set aside.
6. Take out the pork belly from the oven. Add the reserved marinade, onion, and any other hard vegetable to the tray. Return to oven and cook for another 1/2 hour.
7. Remove the pork belly from the oven and place in an airtight container along with the vegetables. Add 1 TBS soy sauce if desired to the cooking liquid. Return the cooking liquid to the pot and add 1 TBS rice vinegar. Cook over medium heat until reduced by 1/3. Separate the fat if necessary.
8. When ready to prepare for serving, heat the vegetables and pork belly in the gravy for about 5 minutes, adding the Swiss chard.
9. Heat the oven to 500 Fahrenheit (gas mark 9+). Cut the pork belly into squares and crisp the skin by roasting in the oven for 15-20 minutes with a drizzle of oil, fat side up ... or on the stove.
10. Serve on rice or similar grain!

Cinnamon-Spiced Swiss Chard Pancakes

2 bunches Swiss chard, stems cut away, leaves rinsed, chopped

4 large eggs, beaten to blend
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup unsalted matzo meal
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

5 tablespoons (about) olive oil
Lemon wedges

Stir chard with any water still clinging to leaves in large pot over medium-high heat until just wilted but still green, about 3 minutes. Place in sieve; press out moisture. Cool completely.
Combine eggs, onion, matzo meal, cinnamon, salt, allspice and pepper in medium bowl; blend well. Mix in chard.
Preheat oven to 300°F. Place baking sheet in oven. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, drop heaping 1 tablespoon Swiss chard mixture for each pancake into skillet; flatten to 1/2-inch thickness. Fry pancakes until golden brown and cooked through, adding more olive oil to skillet as necessary, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer pancakes to baking sheet in oven to keep warm after each batch. Serve pancakes warm with lemon wedges.



Bon Appétit
April 1999

Mom's Shrimp and Avocado Salad + Dressing

DRESSING:

Stir together 1/4 cup Olive Oil or salad oil, 1/4 cup white wine vinegar, 2 tbs lemon juice,1/2 tsp garlic salt,1/8 tsp seasoned pepper, and 1/2 cup minced green onion.

SALAD:

2 lbs medium sized shrimp
1 large avocado
1 large head of iceberg lettuce, shredded

Clam pasta with fresh tomato

Original here!

Ingredients:

fresh clams
olive oil
white wine
fresh tomatoes, chopped
garlic
basil
linguine


Instructions:

Heat oil, and add clams from smallest to largest. Add a splash of wine, and watch the clams open. Lower the heat so as to not evaporate all the liquid. Add garlic and chopped tomatoes, and cook until tomatoes soften just a little bit.

Meanwhile, cook linguine until almost but not quite done. Drain and toss into the sauce. Add some basil. When pasta is fully tender from absorbing the liquid in the pan, serve.

Clam linguine

- adapted from Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything"

1 pound dry linguine or spaghetti
Kosher salt
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup water
36 little neck clams, scrubbed
3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Freshly ground pepper
Directions


Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season generously with salt. Boil the pasta until al dente, tender but still firm.

While the pasta cooks make the clam sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook until softened but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add the pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds more. Add the wine and water and increase the heat to high. Add the clams, cover, and cook, shaking the pan periodically, until all the clams are opened, about 6 minutes.

Drain the pasta and add to the clam sauce. Add the parsley and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide among heated bowls and serve immediately.

Cape Cod Clam Soup

- post-Thanksgiving dinner 2012 at the Kugel/Gips House, courtesy of friends of friends of the Modern Home Trust!

Ingredients:

fresh clams
kale
small beans
clam broth
water
orecchiette pasta


Instructions:

Thinly slice / chop the kale. Cook the pasta and set aside. Bring broth to boil and add all other ingredients. Simmer for about an hour. Add pasta and serve.

Cape Cod pasta sauce

- from post-Thanksgiving dinner in Wellfleet, MA, courtesy of friends of friends in the Modern House Trust!

Ingredients:

chopped parsley (a lot)
olive oil (also a lot)
anchovies
capers
hot pepper flakes
garlic, thinly sliced

Instructions:

Mix everything and put into pan. Heat and cook for about 15 minutes. Toss with pasta.

Sticky Rice / Lo Mai Fan 糯米飯

INGREDIENTS:

8 oz sticky rice: soaked with enough water to just cover the rice, for 5 hours
2 pcs Chinese dark sausage: cubed into bite sizes
2 pcs Chinese light sausage: cubed into bite sizes
8 pcs dried mushrooms: soaked overnight, then cubed into bite sizes
1/2 cups dried shrimp: soaked for 3 hours, chopped finely
2 pieces garlic: chopped finely
2 pcs shallot: chopped finely
2 pcs ginger: chopped finely
Chinese black olives: chopped into bite sizes
10 oz taro root: cubed into bite size

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Heat the wok with oil (1 TBS) and stir fry the dry shrimps. Add 1 tsp light soya sauce, 1/2 tsp sugar, and mix well. Sprinkle with cooking wine and set aside.

2) Fry the mushrooms, add a bit of water, and cook until tender. Add 1/2 tsp light soya sauce, 1/3 tsp sugar, and mix well.

3) Fry sausage, mix 1.5 tsp light soya sauce, 1 tsp sugar, and 1 tsp wine. Set aside.

4) Fry garlic, shallots and ginger until smell comes out. Place taro in the wok, add 1/2 cup water and 1 tsp chicken powder. Sprinkle with wine, cook until taro is 70% cooked.

5) Check the rice to see if all the water is absorbed. Then add just a bit of water to the rice and mix all the ingredients into it. Steam for 20 minutes until the rice turns transparent.

6) Stir fry chopped Chinese olive, adding 1/2 TBS sugar and 1 tsp wine. Mix well.

7) Add the Chinese olives and chopped green onions on top of the rice mixture. Serve hot.

Moules frites!

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