Asian

Asian Spiced Sugar Snap Pea Salad with Lemon

Asian Spiced Sugar Snap Pea Salad with Lemon
By jgreghenry Published February 5, 2012
Prep time: 10
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 1 T rice vinegar
  • 2 t low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 t dark sesame oil
  • 1 t dark brown sugar
  • 1 t hot chile sauce (such as sriracha)
  • 8 oz sugar snap peas, strings removed, thinly sliced on the bias
  • 1 pn coarse sea salt, to taste
  • 1 pn shichimi-togarashi, or standard chile powder, to taste
  • 1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges

Directions

In a small jar mix the rice vinegar, soy sauce, dark sesame oil, brown sugar and hot chile sauce. Put on the lid and shake well. Place the sliced peas in a serving bowl, pour the dressing over them. Toss well. Season with salt and shichimi-togarashi, to taste. Serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing.

I've Got a Cold Only Tom Kha Gai Can Cure

03 Feb 2012
Tom Kah Gai

If you are seeing a picture of tom kha gai then it is safe to assume that I feel like crap. 

Sometimes you just don't need a recipe to know what your body craves. This is one of those days, because I have a bad cold. One of those I don't want to do anything at all kind of colds.

I have been battling it for 5 days. It started typically enough with a scratchy throat. By the next day I had a stuffy nose, but no fever. In fact if it weren't for the stuffy nose I would have said I felt just fine. I had just about convinced myself that it was not a cold at all, just a mild allergy flair up.

But, alas sometime in the night these sniffles moved into my chest and sat down with a great heavy thud! My chest is so congested that it actually feels as if a great big bear is sitting on it while sticking a long feather down my throat. Tickling away for his own amusement. The tickle leads to a cough, the cough leads to hack and the hack brings up some of the nastiest stuff you'd ever want to see.

I used to think that the only thing for a cold was hot tea and toast. But I have learned there is another sort of relief and I have come to swear by it. If you live in Los Angeles long enough, you find that you shed your old skin and develop all sorts of new habits. The simple, comforting and spicy Thai soup known as Tom kha gai or Tom kha kai is one of those skins you develop. One of those adopted experiences that become completely your own. So now whenever I have a cold, it's this soup and this soup alone that makes me feel better.

God Bless the thriving Thai community in Los Angeles.

Sippity Sup Continues »
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Tom Kha Gai- Thai Chicken Soup in Coconut Milk Broth

Tom Kha Gai
By jgreghenry Published December 12, 2011
Prep time: 20
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 1 q chicken stock
  • 2 stalks lemongrass, white & pale green parts only, cut on the diagonol into 1-inch pieces
  • 3 thai chilies, thinly sliced
  • 2 clv garlic, crushed
  • 3 fresh or dried kaffir lime leaves
  • 1 3-inch pieces ginger, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
  • 1 (13-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
  • 3 T asian fish sauce
  • 1 t sugar
  • 1 (8-ounce) can straw mushrooms, rinsed
  • 5 limes, juice only
  • 2 c boneless, skinless chciken thighs, cut into 1-inch chuncks
  • 3 long beans, chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 pn each salt and pepper
  • 1 t thai curry paste
  • 0.25 c thai basil, leaves only optional
  • 0.25 c cilantro, leaves only optional

Directions

In a large stock pot or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat bring the chicken stock to the boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and add the lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, ginger, chilies, and garlic. Simmer for 10 minutes to let the spices infuse the broth.

Uncover and stir in the coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar, mushrooms, lime juice, long bean pieces, and chicken pieces. Simmer for 8 minutes to cook the chicken through; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the thai curry paste and add basil and cilantro leaves if using. Ladle the soup into a large soup bowl or individual serving bowls.

Brussels Sprouts and Chorizo

Brussels Sprouts and Chorizo
By jgreghenry Published October 23, 2011
Prep time: 20
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 2 T vegetable oil
  • 3 T unsalted butter
  • 1.5 lb brussels sprouts, peeled then quartered
  • 0.333333 lb mexican chorizo
  • 1 lime, juice only
  • 0.25 c brown sugar
  • 0.25 c asian fish sauce
  • 0.5 T sambal oelek
  • 0.25 c fresh cilantro leaves
  • 0.25 c crushed tortilla chips

Directions

In a wok or large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil and 1 table spoon of the butter. saute the sprouts in batches over medium-high heat until tender and caramelized. Cool and set aside.

In a small pan, saute the chorizo until cooked through. Strain off the excess oil and cool.

In a small bowl, pour the limejuice over the brown sugar and mix to dissolve. Add the fish sauce and sambal. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water as needed to balance.

Prior to serving, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large saute pan. Add the chorizo and saute for 1 minute. Add the Brussels sprouts and heat until warm. Add half the lime-sugar mixture, adding more as needed to taste. To finish, stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter until melted.

Divide among 6 bowls and garnish with cilantro leaves and tortilla chips.

Source: From Bill Kim- Made In America by Lucy Lean

A Creative Take on Duck: Sliders with Fig Ketchup

19 Oct 2011
duck sliders with fig ketchup

Today's journey to Duck Sliders with Fig Ketchup was a group effort. Part of that group includes my brother Grant who paired this recipe with Trimbach Gewurztraminer 2009.

But there is more to the story than that. You see, I have had duck burgers in restaurants. Both times I found fault with the preparation. Let’s face it; duck can be fatty, and rich. I love fatty… and rich too. But a 1/2-pound of fatty and rich on huge buttery brioche bun makes me a little queasy.

The other version of a duck burger I shunned was closer to duck confit on a bun. More like a Sloppy Joe than a proper burger. Had they called it a Dirty Donald or something similar and served it open-faced with poached duck egg I might have dubbed it genius. But alas, they served it with lettuce and tomato. I ended up just feeling sorry for that once proud confit.

So I set off to invent my own. The lessons I learned are two-fold. One: less is more, and Two: burgers have rules, and evidently I can be a fanatic about those rules. One of the rules I fanaticize about is simple. I like burgers to have the proper condiments. Burgers like ketchup. People like burgers with ketchup. My ground duck concoction would have ketchup.

But not just any ole Heinz will do. Duck is a fairly complex flavor, to avoid getting tagged with the "gamey" moniker it's best to augment its assets. I think duck pairs nicely with fruit and spice and sweet. It can stand up to bold acidity too. Ketchup is all those things– fig ketchup is all those things and more.

Sippity Sup Continues »
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