Category: Uncategorized

Adapted from 101 Cookbooks

Ingredients:
12 pieces wonton wrappers
1 egg
a splash of heavy cream
3 tbsps ginger powder
1/4 cup sugar
a handful of sesame seeds
a handful of mustard seeds
salt
equipment: cookie cutters

1. Preheat oven to 350º and place racks in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, ginger and salt. In a separate bowl whisk the egg and cream together.
3. Cut the wonton wrappers into various shapes using cookie cutters. Place them on the baking sheet and brush with a thin glaze of the egg mixture. Sprinkle each with seeds and then a generous dusting of the sugar and ginger.
4. Bake until the wontons are golden and crisp, about 5 to 8 minutes. Be vigilant and don’t let them burn!

Adapted from a photo found on flickr

Ingredients:
fresh crab meat
1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced
lime zest
orange zest
cayenne pepper
olive oil and salt

1. Plate crab by sandwiching it between two slices of avocado.
2. Sprinkle with the zests, salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil.

Before Alex left for Buenos Aires, she told me that chimichurri always accompany asado, or grilled meats, in Argentina. I actually added the red wine vinegar to this recipe to have some more liquid in it. When I was done, I knew it was missing onions and a sprinkle of lemon juice. Alex’s mom wanted me to play with it and adjust it to my liking–I felt that was good enough permission to mess with this traditional salsa recipe.

I bought a few pieces of beef bottom round, browned and baked them in the oven for a couple of minutes for some medium-rare goodness. I sliced the meat in smaller pieces and served them with crispy lettuce. I had this very satisfying meal with chilled white wine. I’ve never regretted not having wheat beer in my fridge as I did that night.

Ingredients:
1 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced and finely chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp dried hot red-pepper flakes, or more
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
squeeze of fresh lemon juice
salt

1. In a bowl, slowly whisk in red wine vinegar with the olive oil. Add all the other ingredients. Use pepper flakes, salt and lemon juice to taste.

Adapted from a coconut milk rice recipe without all the other ingredients

Ingredients:
3 cups of basmati rice
1 can of coconut milk
4 cloves garlic
2 Thai chilis, seeds removed
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
a small knob of ginger, crushed
a handful of cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1 cinnamon stick
6 whole cloves
a handful of black peppercorns
a handful of pine nuts
some lime juice
salt, pepper, oil

1. In a large skillet with hot oil, sauté garlic until light brown and cook onions until translucent. Toast the pine nuts with the cloves for a minute or two. Add chilis, ginger and peppercorns. Stir until fragrant.
2. Add the coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Add lime juice, salt and pepper to taste.
3. Add rice and cinnamon and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for about 15 minutes, or until rice is cooked and all water has been absorbed. Fluff rice with a fork and sprinkle with cilantro.

Adapted from delicious. Magazine

Ingredients:
4 skinless salmon fillets
6 scallops
1 red chili, seeded and finely chopped
1 garlic clove
lime zest
1 bunch of cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 eggwhite, lightly beaten
the top layer of coconut milk in a can, chilled

For the green papaya salad:
1 green papaya,peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
12 cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped
a handful of cilantro leaves
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp brown sugar

1. Make the sausages. Process salmon and scallops in a food processor until smooth. Add chili, garlic, lime zest, half of the cilantro and fish sauce and process. Slowly add eggwhite and coconut milk and purée. Scoop some mixture on aluminum foil lined with saran wrap. Roll into fat sausages and twist ends until tight and bouncy. Chill overnight.
2. Make the salad. Combine papaya, tomatoes and cilantro in a bowl. In a small screw-top jar, shake fish sauce, lime juice and sugar. Pour over salad before serving.
3. When ready to serve, poach wrapped sausages in simmering water for about 10 minutes. Let stand for another 10. Unwrap and slice and serve on top of the papaya salad.

Note: The green papaya photo above does not include tomatoes.