Recipe: Agedashi Tofu

This is simple Japanese comfort food. The tofu stays soft and silky on the inside while the outside gets a nice coating that holds up to the very flavorful broth. This is one of my favorite Japanese recipes and my version is replicated from memories of very good versions I’ve had in Japan and elsewhere. The garnishes are very important to the overall flavor of this dish - so don’t leave them out! Normally served as an appetizer in Japanese restaurants, this can also be a main course by increasing the portion size or part of a light lunch with a few pieces of fresh sashimi or small portion of cooked fish.

Agedashi Tofu

Ingredients

Sauce

1 lb. (16 oz.) of soft tofu

1 1/2 cup of dashi stock
1/4 cup mirin
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup of water
1 tbsp rice vinegar

Tofu

1 egg
1 cup rice flour
3 - 4 cups of rice bran oil or vegetable oil (for frying)

Garnish

1/2 cup diced scallions
2 tbsp katsuobushi (bonito flakes)
1 1/2 tbsp grated daikon radish
1 4” square sheet of nori (dried seaweed) cut into thin strips
1 tsp togarashi powder (Japanese hot pepper powder) or crushed red pepper

Directions

Wrap tofu in two dishcloths. Place a heavy weight on top of the tofu (like a cast iron skillet) and leave to drain for approximately 30 minutes. Cut tofu into 1 1/2 inch cubes.

Beat the 1 egg thoroughly in one bowl. Place the rice flour in another bowl. Heat the oil over high heat until the oil temperature reaches 350 degrees. Coat each piece of tofu thoroughly in the rice flour, then coat in egg allowing any excess to drip off, then coat again in rice flour. Place immediately into the hot oil and fry until medium brown, turning as necessary. Place on a paper towel lined plate to drain off excess oil when done. 

Whisk dashi stock, mirin, soy sauce, water, and rice vinegar together in a non-reactive (glass/plastic) bowl. Place in microwave and heat for 45 seconds. Whisk again for a few seconds.

Pour equal amounts of the stock mixture into each serving bowl. Evenly divide tofu pieces among the bowls and place on top of the broth. Garnish each bowl with the scallions, bonito flakes, daikon, nori, and shigarashi. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 appetizer servings or 2 light meal servings.

Recipe: Shrimp, Potato, and Scallion Quiche

This quiche was absolutely freakin' amazing. This totally made my Sunday morning!

Ingredients:

5 eggs

1 cup of milk

1 tbsp unsalted butter

1 large potato, diced

1 habanero pepper, minced

1 1/2 tbsp minced garlic

2/3 lb of large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed, diced

1 bunch of scallions, finely chopped (approximately 2/3 cup)

2/3 cup of lean ham, diced

1 1/2 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped (or 1 1/2 tsp dried)

2 tsp Herbs de Provence

2 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

3 oz Gruyere cheese, shredded (approximately 1 cup)

1 pre-made pie crust (suitable for 9" Pyrex pie dish)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced potato, habanero pepper, and garlic. Cook, covered, stirring frequently until the potatoes soften and begin to brown. Add the shrimp and cook until the shrimp turns pink. Add the ham, scallions, Herbs de Provence, salt, pepper, and fresh dill. Mix thoroughly and cook for another 2 - 3 minutes. Roll pie crust out into a 9" Pyrex dish that's been coated lightly with cooking spray. Add ingredients from the saute pan into the crust and spread out evenly. Cover evenly with the shredded Gruyere. Whip the milk into the eggs in a mixing bowl. Pour the egg mixture into the crust over the other ingredients. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes until the top browns and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Makes 8 servings.

Recipe: Pad Kee Mao

Ingredients:

2/3 lb. boneless/skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
2/3 lb. boneless/skinless chicken thigh, thinly sliced
1 leek, finely chopped
1 bunch of scallions, finely chopped
1 large habanero, finely chopped
3 tbsp. minced garlic
3/4 cup loosely packed holy basil (Thai basil is OK if you can't find holy basil)
1 large red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 large yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
Juice of 2 limes
1/4 cup oyster sauce
1/4 cup fish sauce
3 tbsp. dark soy sauce
3 tbsp. white wine
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 package (500 g/18 oz) of wide rice noodles, cooked
2 tbsp. canola oil

Directions:

Cook noodles according to package directions, chilling immediately with cold water after cooking.  Heat canola oil in the wok over high heat.  Add leek, scallion, habanero, and garlic.  Cover, cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.  Add chicken, mix vigorously.  Re-cover for about 3 minutes.  Remove cover and continue cooking until chicken is about 2/3 cooked.  Add bell pepper and holy basil.  Cover and cook for about 3 minutes more until the bell pepper is tender and the holy basil wilts.  Once chicken is fully cooked, push all ingredients to one side in the wok.  Add the beaten eggs to the other side.  Once the egg is close to set, vigorously mix all of the ingredients together.  Whisk lime juice, oyster sauce, fish sauce, dark soy, and white wine together.  Add to the wok and mix vigorously.  Add the cooked noodles and cilantro and turn off heat.  Mix all ingredients together completely, coating noodles completely in the mixture.  Serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings.

Recipe: Spicy and Quick Pho Lon (Pork Pho)

Making traditional pho broth can take days... so I cheat mightily to get this recipe down to a more manageable time frame AND add more veggies than would be traditional because, well, it's healthier.  Oh, and I pull the Japanese trick of adding a whisked egg to the soup at the end to add some richness :)

Ingredients:
4 cups low-salt chicken broth
3 cups water
1 cup dry sherry
1 package bonito flake, approx. 4 oz. (available in bulk in Asian markets)
2 tbsp. fish sauce
2 tbsp. chili/garlic paste
1 tbsp. minced ginger
2 tsp. ground corinader
2 star anise cloves
2 tsp. ground white pepper
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. sea salt
1 1/2 lbs. of pork butt, VERY thinly sliced (have your butcher do it)
1 1/2 cups of chopped spring onion or leeks
2 cups of fresh carrots, thinly sliced
1 whole Napa cabbage, cored and shredded
2 cups of chopped rapini (i.e. broccoli rabe)
1 cup chopped shitake mushrooms
1 cup chopped Tokyo turnips or other soft turnip
1 large package (20 - 24oz.) of thin rice noodles (Vietnamese vermicelli)
10 large eggs

Directions:
Prepare the rice noodles according to package directions, shocking with water at the end to chill.

In a large stock pot, combine chicken broth, water, sherry, and all spices and condiments.  Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes to allow the flavors to fully combine.  Remove the star anise cloves with a slotted spoon before continuing.

Add the pork butt and onion.  Simmer covered for 15 minutes.  Add the carrots, mushrooms, and turnips.  Raise heat to return to boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 15 minutes.  Add the cabbage and rapini, return to boil, then reduce heat to simmer again covered for 10 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Place approx. 1 cup of cooked noodles into the bottom of a bowl.  Ladle in 1 1/2 cups of the soup mixture.  Crack an egg into a separate small bowl and whisk with chopsticks then pour into the hot soup bowl.  Mix the egg into the soup with chopsticks thoroughly before eating (this will cook the egg).

Makes approx. 10 servings.

Recipe: Tokyo Turnip and Potato Hash

I have not posted in a while, I know, but real work has kept me way too busy to be as creative as I generally am. But, today, I got more inspired. So here goes... it was excellent and the picture is of the finished product.

Ingredients:

6 small Tokyo turnips, diced, greens separated and cut in thirds (yes, you will use the greens in this recipe, too :))

1 large russet potato, diced

1 small sweet pepper, diced (I used a Flamingo pepper)

1 bunch of scallions, diced, green and white parts

4 strips of bacon, diced

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

1/2 tsp. cracked red pepper

1 tsp. celery salt

1/2 tsp. dried tarragon

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

2 tbsp. minced garlic

3 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

Boil a medium pot of water. Generously salt the water. Place the potatoes into the boiling water for about 5 - 6 minutes to blanch and soften. Drain, set aside.

Heat the bacon and butter over medium heat until the bacon is almost crisp, stirring frequently. Add the minced garlic and saute until the bacon is fully crisp. Add the turnips, sweet pepper, potato, scallions, and spices. Continue sauteing for about 8 - 10 minutes until the turnips soften. Place the turnip greens into the pan, cover, and allow the greens to wilt for about 3 - 4 minutes. Stir all the ingredients together fully, top with the parmesan cheese and mix together again, serve immediately.

Makes 2 entree or 4 side dish servings.

Recipe: Spicy Vegetable Curry

Ingredients:

1 lb. of okra, stems cut off

2 large carrots, cut into 1/2 inch chunks

2 cups of shitake mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 bunch scallions, cut into 1 inch chunks

4 medium tomatoes, chunked into 1 inch cubes

10 garlic cloves, cut into 1/8 inch slivers

1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped

6 tbsp. of Thai red curry paste (4 - 5 tbsp. if heat is a problem for you :))

3 tbsp. of fish sauce (to make this truly vegetarian, substitute 2 1/2 tbsp. of rice vinegar mixed with 1/2 tbsp. of sea salt for the fish sauce)

2 tbsp. minced lemongrass

1 tbsp. minced ginger

1 1/2 cups of coconut milk

1 1/2 cups of vegetable broth

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

Directions:

In a large wok or stir-fry pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, scallions, ginger, and lemongrass and saute until fragrant. Add the mushrooms, okra, and carrots and saute until the mushrooms begin to soften. Add the tomatoes, coconut milk, vegetable broth, fish sauce, and curry paste. Stir to combine all ingredients. Turn the heat to high and heat until the mixture is boiling vigorously. Then reduce heat to a steady simmer, cover, and cook for 40 - 45 minutes. Remove the lid and check the consistency of the curry. It should be of medium thickness, akin to a gravy. If the curry is really thin, whisk 1 tbsp. of corn starch with 2 tsp. of warm water and add to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in the fresh cilantro as a final step. Serve immediately over jasmine rice.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe: Asian Slaw Burger

I had a major craving for a burger tonight, but I still had more cabbage to get rid of, so, on to creativity...

Ingredients:

1 1/3 lb. of lean (90-10) ground beef
8 slices of applewood smoked bacon
2 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. coriander
3 tsp. salt
3 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup of mayonnaise
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. mirin
2 tsp. wasabi paste
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 1/2 tsp. rice vinegar
1/2 cup shredded red cabbage
1/2 cup shredded green cabbage
1/4 cup of scallions, finely diced
4 thick slices of sharp cheddar cheese
4 onion rolls

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine the mayo, wasabi paste, soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, rice vinegar, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. of black pepper. Whisk to combine thoroughly. Add the cabbage and scallions. Stir to coat the vegetables in the sauce. Cover the slaw and set in the refrigerator.

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, minced garlic, onion powder, cayenne, coriander, and the remaining salt and pepper. Using your clean hands, mix the spices thoroughly into the meat. Form 4 equal flat patties out of the meat mixture. Heat a well-oiled grill to medium high and put the burgers down on the grill. Close the lid. Cook the burgers for about 4 minutes on each side for medium-well. Add a cheese slide to the top of the burgers for the last 30 seconds of cooking to melt.

Using a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, heat the bacon slices for about 8 - 9 minutes, turning frequently, until brown and crispy. To build the burgers, place a cooked cheddar covered beef patty onto the bottom of the onion roll, top with two folded over slices of the bacon, and then top with 1/4 of the slaw mixture. Place the roll top on and press down. It's a messy burger, but man is it good!

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe: Spicy Cabbage and Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

3/4 cup shredded red cabbage
3/4 cup shredded green cabbage
3/4 cup julienne cucumbers
1/2 cup finely chopped scallions, green and white parts
3 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. freshly grated lemon zest
1 1/4 cup of sour cream
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast

Directions:

Place the chicken in a large pot and cover with cold water until the chicken is fully submerged plus 1 1/2 inches. Add 2 tsp. of the salt to the pot. Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat. Poach the chicken for 20 minutes until it can be easily shredded with a fork. Shred it thinly and set aside.

In a bowl, combine the reamining 1 tsp. salt, pepper, chili powder, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, lime juice, lime zest, and sour cream. Using a whisk, whip the mixture until all ingredients are fully combined and it thins out a bit. In a large bowl, add the cabbages, cucumber, and scallion. Add the shredded chicken. Pour the sour cream dressing over the mixture and use a large wooden spoon to fully combine with all the ingredients. Place into the refrigerator for about an hour before serving.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe: Gyuuniku Somen (Beef Noodle)

OK... so I'm not quite recovered from my Japanese venture last week, so I decided to dip again into their wonderful culinary pool and pull out this recipe for beef noodles...

Ingredients:

1 lb. of thinly sliced flank steak
3/4 cup of diced scallions, green and white parts (about 1/2 bunch)
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp. mirin (Japanese cooking sake)
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. olive oil
3 cups of cooked somen noodles (thin wheat noodles), cooking water reserved

Directions:

Cook somen noodles according to package directions, usually for about 3 - 4 minutes in boiling water removed from direct heat. Put the cooked noodles into deep bowls.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the flank steak and cook for about 4 - 5 minutes, turning frequently, until cooked to medium-rare. Add the scallions, cayenne, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar and mix well. Add the whole mixture to the noodles and then add 1 cup of the reserved noodle cooking liquid to each bowl. Serve immediately - the beef will cook through to medium well/well in the hot broth.

Serves 2.

Recipe: Spiced Sea Scallops with Soy/Scallion Reduction

It's been a while since my last post, so I thought I'd come back with a recipe that was just outstanding. I made this tonight, although I have made this exact same recipe before.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. of sea scallops

2 1/2 tsp. of Chinese Five Spice powder (contains ground cinnamon, anise seed, cloves, ginger, and fennel seed)

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 cup chopped scallions

3 tbsp. olive oil

Directions:

Mix all of the dry spice ingredients together to make a spice rub. Coat the scallops with the spice rub. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Place the scallops in the pan and sear for approximately 2 minutes on each side. Remove the scallops from the pan. Drain off all but about 1 tsp. of the oil in the pan. Add the scallions. Saute the scallions for about 2 minutes then add the soy sauce. Stir vigorously for about 3 - 4 minutes as the sauce reduces. Poor the sauce over the scallops. Serve immediately with sticky jasmine rice.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe: My Ultimate Burger

Ingredients:

Burger
3/4 lb. lean ground beef (< 7% fat)
3/4 lb. ground veal
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp. nuoc cham (Vietnamese fish sauce)
1 tsp. onion powder
1 1/2 tsp. dried chives
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. sweet paprika
1 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. bread crumbs

Sauce
1 bunch scallions, loosely chopped
3 jalapeno peppers, loosely chopped
2 medium heirloom tomatoes, loosely chopped
2 tbsp. minced garlic

6 brioche buns
6 thick slices of sharp cheddar
12 thick slices of applewood smoked bacon

Directions:

Place sauce ingredients into a food processor and pulse until fully chopped and blended together. Set aside.

Place 12 slices of bacon on a baking sheet and place into a 450 degree pre-heated oven for 12 minutes or until crispy.

Heat grill to medium-high heat. Mix all ingredients for the burger together with your hands and form 6 equal patties. Place on the hot grill and grill for 4-5 minutes on each side for medium-well, the lid closed for each period. Add the cheese slices to each burger and continue on the heat with the lid closed for about 2 minutes. Remove the burgers from the grill. Cut the brioche buns in half and place white side down on the grill. Close the lid for about 2 minutes to toast. Remove the buns from the grill. Place the burgers on the buns. Top with 2 bacon slices each. Top with 2 - 3 tbsp. each of the sauce mixture. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe: Killer Fried Rice

WARNING: there is no way I'm going to call this "authentic" - but damn is it good... and easy to cook, too! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. of ground beef, pork, or chicken (your choice :))
3 eggs
5 cups of cold cooked brown rice (cook with about 1/8 less water than package recommends)
2/3 cup of diced carrots
2/3 cup of cooked English peas
1/4 cup of diced water chestnuts
2/3 cup of diced fresh pineapple
1 1/2 cup of diced scallions, green and white parts
2 tbsp. of chili garlic sauce
3 tbsp. of oyster sauce
1 1/2 tbsp. of soy sauce
2 tbsp. minced ginger
2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. cumin
3 tbsp. of canola or other neutral oil

Directions:

Cook ground meat until fully browned, removing all of the fat from the meat, set aside.

Soft scramble the three eggs and set aside.

In a large wok, heat the oil over high heat. Add all of the other ingredients except for the scallions and pineapple to the hot wok. Stir constantly for about 90 seconds. Add the ground meat and the cold cooked rice to the wok and blend all of the ingredients thoroughly. Cook, stirring like once every minute, for about 6 - 8 minutes. Add the eggs, pineapple, and scallions, blend together thoroughly, and continue cooking for another 60 seconds. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings.

Recipe: Roasted Eggplant, Scallion, and Poached Chicken Pizza

I'm sure you can find a recipe online for pizza dough if you really want to make your own dough... but, I didn't have the patience to make my own dough this evening, so I used a great refrigerated pre-made pizza dough I picked up at Whole Foods. Makes this recipe come together a LOT quicker ;)

Ingredients:

14 oz. can of tomato sauce
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried sage
2 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. cracked red pepper
1 bunch of scallions, finely chopped
1 large eggplant, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast filets
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
Kosher salt
Olive oil
1 lb. refrigerated pizza dough

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Place sliced eggplant slices flat onto a olive oil coated baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with kosher salt and drizzle olive oil over the top of all slices. Place into oven for about 30 minutes until the slices have browned.

In a large pot, place the chicken breasts and and fill with water until the breasts are fully covered plus 1 inch. Sprinkle kosher salt generally into the pot. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high and continue simmering for approximately 25 minutes. Remove the chicken from the water and using forks shred the chicken finely. Set aside.

In a bowl, mix the tomato sauce, oregano, basil, sage, and garlic together. Roll out the pizza dough on a floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a 12-13 inch diameter. Place the dough on a lightly oiled pizza pan and press the dough out to cover the diameter of the pan. Pour the tomato sauce mixture out onto the dough and using the bottom of a ladle, spread the sauce out evenly across the full surface of the dough. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella cheese out evenly across the surface. Top with an evenly distributed layer of the roasted eggplant, poached shredded chicken, and the chopped scallions. Top with the remaining shredded cheese. Sprinkle the cracked red pepper evenly across the top.

Raise oven temperature to 450. Place the pizza in the oven and bake for 15 - 16 minutes until the crust browns and the cheese is melted.

Makes 8 servings/slices.

Recipe: Spicy Yakisoba

Ingredients:

1 bunch scallions, green and white parts loosely chopped
1 tbsp. chili sauce
1 tbsp. sesame oil
2 tbsp. mirin
2 tbsp. rice vinegar
3 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. minced ginger
1 tbsp. minced garlic
6 oz. soba noodles
2 tbsp. canola oil
1 lb. extra firm tofu, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 tbsp. katsuo mirin furikake (seasoned dried bonito and sesame seeds)

Directions:

Place 5 quarts of water on a boil. Add 1 tbsp. of salt to the water. Once water boils, add the soba noodles. Boil for 6 minutes, drain, then run under cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside.

Heat the canola oil in a wok over high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the cubed tofu. Cook the tofu until browned, turning constantly, for about 10 minutes. Remove tofu from the oil and sprinkle the katsuo mirin furikake over it. Set aside.

In the food processor, pulse all remaining ingredients until pureed. In a large bowl, place soba noodles, tofu, and sauce mixture. Mix thoroughly. Serve at room temperature.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe: Petrale Sole with Ginger-Soy-Garlic-Scallion Sauce

Ingredients:

1/2 cup(s) panko
1 1/4 pound(s) petrale sole fillet(s)
1 egg
1/2 cup(s) soy sauce
1 cup(s) scallion(s), finely chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp ginger root, minced
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp miso paste
Cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450. Line the bottom of a baking sheet with tin foil. Coat the tin foil lightly with cooking spray.

In a small saucepan, heat the soy sauce, scallions, garlic, ginger, and miso paste together over low heat, stirring occasionally.

Coat the fish with the salt and pepper. Whisk the egg thoroughly in one bowl to make an egg wash. In another bowl, put in the panko. Coat thoroughly first in the egg wash then coat with the panko. Fish does not need to be fully covered with the panko - just a light crusting. Place the coated fish onto the baking sheet. Spray the top of the filets with a bit of the cooking spray. Bake in the oven about 6 minutes until the fish is cooked through.

Plate the fish and top with the sauce.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe: Pepper Steak over Rice Noodles

Ingredients:

1 3/4 lb. of lean flank steak, cut into 6 equal portions
8 oz. of uncooked rice noodles
1 cup chopped scallions, green and white parts
2 red jalapenos, thinly sliced
1 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 cup mirin (Japanese cooking sake)
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
3 tbsp. rice vinegar
4 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. wasabi paste
1 tsp. salt
3 tsp. black pepper
1 tbsp. canola oil

Directions:

Whisk soy sauce, mirin, lime juice, rice vinegar, 3 tbsp. of the garlic, wasabi, salt, and pepper together into a large bowl. Submerge steak filets into the mixture, cover, and allow to marinate overnight.

Oil and then heat the grill to medium-high heat. Remove steaks from marinade and place on the grill and grill for about 6 - 8 minutes on each side for medium rare. Reserve 2 tbsp. of the marinade. Once done, thinly slice the steak and set aside.

Cook the rice noodles according to package directions. Heat the canola oil over medium high heat in a large wok. Add the scallions, the remaining garlic, and the red jalapenos to the wok, moving them about quickly to prevent sticking. Cook until the oil becomes fragrant, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Add the steak, the rice noodles, and the reserved marinade to the wok. Continue cooking for another minute or two and then remove. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe: Thai Spiced Tri-Tip

Ingredients:

2 lbs. of beef tri-tip roast
3 tbsp. of minced garlic
1 cup of soy sauce
1 cup of dry sherry
3 tbsp. of olive oil
4 Thai chili peppers, diced (yes - them really hot little red things - wear gloves!!!)
1 bunch of scallions, coarsely chopped
1/2 bunch of parsley, coarsely chopped

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together and put into a large plastic bag. Put the tri-tip roast into the bag, seal, and refrigerate overnight to allow to marinate.

Heat the grill to high heat. Put the tri-tip on the grill and sear for about 90 seconds on each side. Reduce the heat to medium, close the grill lid, and continue cooking for about 12 - 14 more minutes for medium-rare to medium, turning every couple of minutes. Once done, cover in foil for about 2 - 3 minutes to allow it to rest. Cut across the grain into one inch pieces. Serve!

Makes about 4 servings.

Recipe: Smoked Salmon and Egg Salad

I make this to put on toasted bagels in the morning. It's so easy and refrigerated, it lasts about a week. It's so darn tasty!!!

Ingredients:

4 - 6 oz. of smoked salmon (I prefer smoked sockeye for this recipe)
4 hard boiled eggs
8 slices of slab bacon, cooked to crispy and crumbled
1 1/2 cups of sour cream
1 cup of scallions, green and white parts, diced
1 large cucumber, diced
1 1/2 tbsp. of minced garlic
1/2 tsp. of white pepper
1/2 tsp. of black pepper
1 tsp. of lemon juice

Directions:

Dice up the smoked salmon and hard boiled eggs. In a bowl, mix all ingredients together thoroughly. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to thicken. Serve on toasted bagels or English muffins.

Makes 4 - 6 servings.

Recipe: Zen Pepper Steak

This turned out so well it became steak sandwiches for lunch today... last night it was served with creamed spinach instead. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 3/4 lb. of lean flank steak, cut into 6 equal portions
3/4 cup of soy sauce
1/2 cup of mirin (Japanese cooking sake)
4 tbsp. of minced garlic
2 tbsp. of minced ginger
1 1/2 tbsp. of rice vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. of sesame oil
1 tsp. of chili oil
2 tsp. of hot sauce (I prefer Sriracha, and I up it to 3 tsp. 'cause I like the heat)
2 1/2 tsp. of yuzu juice (Japanese citrus... no yuzu? Use lime juice)
1 1/2 cup of chopped scallions (green and white parts - about 1 bunch)
1 red bell pepper, diced

Directions:

Whisk together all ingredients but the steak into a bowl. In another large bowl, place the steak cuts. Pour the mixture over the steak cuts, cover in plastic wrap, place in refrigerator, and let marinate for at least 8 hours or overnight.

Heat the grill to medium-high heat. Put the steak on the grill and grill for 7 - 8 minutes on each side (for medium-rare), basting the steak in the marinade constantly to keep it moist. Serve either as is or slice into thinner pieces and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe: Eggplant in Spicy Garlic Sauce

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pound eggplant, cut into thick strips
1 bell pepper, red, diced
6 tbsp. sugar
4 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
3 tbsp. white vinegar
3 tbsp. rice vinegar
2 tbsp. dry sherry
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. chili oil
2 tbsp. Sriracha (Vietnamese garlic/chili sauce)
2 tbsp. dark sesame oil
3 tbsp. canola oil
12 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup scallions, finely chopped, white and green parts

Directions:

In a colander, toss eggplant strips with the cornstarch to coat evenly. In a bowl, combine sugar, soy sauce, white vinegar, rice vinegar, dry sherry, chili oil, Sriracha, dark sesame oil, and minced garlic together. Whisk to combine. Heat the canola oil in a wok over high heat. Once oil is hot, add the eggplant strips. Saute them, turning frequently, until they are lightly browned - about 6 - 7 minutes. Add the sauce mixture, reduce the heat to medium, and continue stirring. The sauce will begin to thicken (feel free to add an additional 1 tsp. of cornstarch if it does not thicken to your liking). Once the sauce is thickened, add the bell pepper and scallions and mix together to combine. Remove from heat and serve.

Variation:

Add 8 - 12 oz. of cubed firm tofu to the oil in the wok first. Once it starts to brown, then add the eggplant and follow the directions above.

Makes about 4 servings.