Category: Quick & Easy

Easy Dishes

Orange You Gonna Try Persimmons? They’re Delicious

Orange You Gonna Try Persimmons? They’re Delicious

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It’s persimmon season!

About this time every year, my friend & co-worker, Trang, comes to work with bags of homegrown persimmons.  I am not ashamed to admit I am Johnny on the spot when she is doling them out.  I adore persimmons.  The thought has crossed my mind that I should plant my own persimmon tree but I think I will just depend on the generosity of friends that have persimmon trees. (HINT HINT)

How to enjoy persimmons.  Eaten out of hand, diced and tossed in salads, and baked in bread, cookies, and puddings.  How about stirred into a risotto for a sweet counterpunch to the cheese and rice?  Or dried, a wonderful way to enjoy them throughout the year.

I have been especially waiting for this persimmon season.  Way back at the beginning of this year from HELL, we celebrated our birthdays with dinner at State Bird Provisions in The City. (Dining in a restaurant-remember that?).  State Bird adopted the Chinese tea house concept, little plates of deliciousness brought out on trays for you to pick and choose from, just like dim sum.  Their signature fried quail, dumplings, risotto, house ribs…plate after plate of tasty tidbits that dazzled us.

The kicker for me was a beautiful dish consisting of bite-size pieces of crisp, sweet persimmons bathed in a dressing of sesame, Kinako powder, and ginger finished with a sprinkling of toasted black sesame seeds and flaky salt.  Simple and absolutely delish, I made a mental note to try this at home.  I found the recipe in my copy of the State Bird Provisions Cookbook.  The dish is incredibly easy to make. I spent more time getting the ingredients than putting the dish together.  The cookbook runs the gamut from this simple, elegant dish to complex dishes better left to enjoy at their restaurant.  I think of it as a coffee table cookbook, beautiful photos, an interesting read.

A Persimmon Primer

There are two kinds of persimmons, Hachiya and Fuyu.  They are NOT interchangeable.  Hachiya is an oblong, acorn-shaped fruit and pretty astringent.  They cannot be eaten until they are super soft and very ripe.  If eaten before they are soft, they will make your mouth pucker.  I use Hachiyas for baking (soft gushy fruit is not my thing).  Fuyu’s are flat, round, more tomato shape. They are non-astringent and can be eaten while they are still firm. For this salad, select ripe, firm fruit.

The recipe calls for grapeseed oil but you could use canola oil instead.  We bought Kinako Powder at H-Mart but it can be found in most Asian stores. Made of soybean, it has a nutty flavor, kind of like roasted peanuts.  If you have munched on manju or mochi covered with a fine light brown powder that’s Kinako.  Toasted sesame oil and black sesame seeds can also be found in Asian markets.

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Persimmons with Kinako Dressing and Black Sesame Salt

A simple and delicious tapas dish of sweet persimmons served with a savory sesame soybean powder dressing from State Bird Provisions
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American, Asian
Keyword Persimmons with Kinako Dressing and Black Sesame Salt
Prep Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 6 ripe Fuyu persimmons peeled and cut into chunks

Dressing

  • 1/2 cup kinako roasted soybean flour, plus more for sprinkling
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil or substitute canola oil
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil found in most Asian stores
  • 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons Black Sesame Salt

Black Sesame Salt

  • Makes about 1/4 cup
  • 1/4 cup pre-toasted black sesame seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt

Instructions

Dressing

  • Combine the kinako, kosher salt, and ground ginger in a medium bowl and stir well. Slowly pour in the oil, sesame oil, and vinegar, whisking constantly until the dressing is well combined. It helps to let it sit just a bit for the powder to absorb liquid.
  • Pour the dressing in shallow serving bowls, arranging the persimmons on top, and sprinkle on the black sesame salt and a generous pinch of kinako. Serve immediately.

Black Sesame Salt

  • Combine the sesame seeds and salt in a mortar and pound until the mixture resembles coarsely ground black pepper.
  • Transfer to an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place for up to 2 weeks.
Tomato Egg Soup (Souper Easy, Soul Food)

Tomato Egg Soup (Souper Easy, Soul Food)

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My favorite category for foods is not dessert.  Nope, its soup. I LOVE soup. To the age-old question if you were stranded on a desert island and could only have three things…soup would most definitely be on my list.

Growing up, my dad almost always made soup with dinner.  Weeknight dinners meant a quick soup like Corn Soup or Egg Drop Soup.  This is a twist on egg drop soup. With tomato season in full swing, this is the perfect time to make Tomato Egg Drop Soup.

I adapted a recipe I found on The Woks of Life, a fabulous blog/website for Asian recipes and stories.  My version includes a bit of ground meat for flavor and texture because that’s the way my Dad made it.  The cornstarch slurry gives the soup a bit of body, you can leave it out if you wish.  This is great as a noodle soup also.  Delicious with rice noodles, hand-pulled noodles.

The Key

The key to this recipe is not just great tomatoes, but how to create the ribbons of egg in the soup. The direct translation of the name is actually Egg Flower Soup as the egg resembles a flower.  When adding the egg, make sure the soup is on low heat so that the soup is at a gentle simmer.  Add the egg in a slow steady stream as you swirl the soup in ONE DIRECTION with either chopsticks or a spoon. If you move your utensil in different directions you will not get the ribbons of egg.  You can hold the soup at a gentle simmer, do not boil the soup as that can curdle the egg. Garnish with green onions or cilantro, I like both.

Try this quick and easy homey soup, I think you’ll like it.

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Tomato Egg Drop Soup

A delicious quick and easy soup, Tomato Egg Drop Soup is a rift on the classic Egg Drop Soup
Course Soup
Cuisine Asian
Keyword Tomato Egg Drop Soup
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 10 ounces tomatoes, peeled 1 large or 3-4 small, about 280g; cut into small chunks
  • 2 cups chicken stock 480 ml
  • 2 cups water or more chicken stock; 480 ml, low-sodium if using canned
  • 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
  • salt to taste
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water or broth
  • 1 scallion finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped, optional

Protein Option

  • 1 Tbsp Vegetable oil
  • 1/2 Cup Ground beef preferably can substitute ground pork or chicken

Marinade

  • 1 Tsp Soy sauce regular or light
  • 1 Tsp Oyster sauce
  • 1 Tsp Rice wine
  • 1 slice fresh ginger smash to release flavor
  • 1/4 Tsp Granulated sugar
  • 1/4 Tsp Salt
  • dash White pepper

Instructions

  • Combine seasonings for meat mixture, mix with ground meat Let sit for 10 minutes. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 3-4 qt pot over medium heat. Add ground beef and sauté’ just until meat loses pinkness. Remove from pot and reserve.
  • In the same pot, heat 2 T oil over medium low heat. Add the tomato chunks and stir-fry for 5 minutes until the tomatoes are softened and start to fall apart. Add meat mixture back to pot.
  • Add in 1 cup chicken stock, 2 cups water, 2 teaspoons light soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper and salt to taste. Add the meat back to soup. Bring to a boil, and then lower the heat so that the soup is simmering with the lid on. Allow soup to simmer for 10-15 minutes.
  • Beat the egg in a small bowl and prepare the cornstarch slurry in a separate bowl.
  • Use chopsticks or a spoon to slowly swirl the soup in a whirlpool motion in one direction only. Keep swirling as you pour in the cornstarch slurry until well incorporated. Pour a thin stream of egg into the middle of the whirlpool as you swirl the soup with your chopsticks. This will create the ribbons of egg characteristic of egg drop soup.
  • Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with green onions and cilantro. Serve immediately

Notes

Blanch tomatoes in boiling water to remove the skin before cutting into quarters.  Once added to soup the skin separates from the rest and you are left with fibrous skin in your soup. It's better to remove the skin despite being more work.
Cool Dad, Cool Summer Cooler, Sangria

Cool Dad, Cool Summer Cooler, Sangria

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Father’s Day this past Sunday meant Hubby’s Choice.  We did whatever he wanted to do, eat, and play. Here is my Haiku for Father’s Day

He walked in the morn

Ate fried chicken Played Fortnite

She drank Sangria

Yep,  the Sangria was for me.  Sangria was the perfect complement to our Dad Driven Dinner of fried chicken, potato salad, fresh corn on the cob grilled, served as Elote (my latest obsession), and a berry melange with oranges.  AmIRite?

So I pulled out a bottle of red wine, not the pricey stuff, and made a large pitcher of Sangria. It’s light, it’s festive, it’s refreshing and delicious, one of my favorite drinks.  Perfect for hot summer days and alfresco dining.

Over the years I have tweaked a recipe I first found in Cooking Light magazine.  The tweaks entail adding more alcohol, imagine that.  Feel free to add your favorite fruits, the sky’s the limit.  I added blueberries and lime slices to this batch.  Apples would also be great, or other berries.  To bring out the flavors of the fruit, when you add the fruit to the wine mixture, muddle them lightly.  Totally optional.  Get fancy by garnishing the glass with a wedge of citrus or a strawberry.  If you’re in party mode, hit it with a splash of Brandy.

Did I mention we finished with homemade apple pie?  Happy Father’s Day!

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Sangria

Take red wine, add a little bit of sugar, oranges, lemons, cinnamon, and cloves. Then take it over the top with a splash of Triple Sec, Brandy and Club Soda, that’s Sangria!
Course Drinks
Cuisine Spanish
Keyword Red Wine, Sangria, Summer Cooler
Prep Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 750 ml bottle of red wine, inexpensive but drinkable Riojas would be lovely, low tannin, younger wine
  • 1 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1/4 cup Triple Sec or Brandy
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 strip orange peel 4” long
  • 4 cloves
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 lemon thinly sliced & seeded
  • 1 orange thinly sliced & seeded
  • Splash brandy
  • 2 cups Club Soda or Sparkling Water

Garnish

  • any fresh fruit

Instructions

  • Combine the first 4 ingredients in a large pitcher, stirring mixture until the sugar dissolves.
  • Press cloves into the rind strip.  Add strip, cinnamon, and fruit to wine mixture. 
  • Chill for at least 30 minutes.  Stir in club soda just before serving.  Serve over ice.
  • Garnish with additional fruit.
CORNfirmation, Summer is Here! (Elote-Grilled Mexican Street Corn)

CORNfirmation, Summer is Here! (Elote-Grilled Mexican Street Corn)

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I consider my weekly trip to our local Farmer’s Market as my sanity break from COVID-19.  As the weather warms not only are more folks coming out but the variety of fruits and vegetables at the market has also blossomed.  As the apples and pears bid us goodbye-cherries, stone fruits, and berries have slid into those same spots without missing a beat.

My usual routine on Sundays is to head over to our local farmers market.  I line up around 8:30, before the market opens at 9:00, to grab my half flat of strawberries.  All my “ducks” are in a row so I then hop over to the next kiosk for microgreens and mushrooms, veggies at Live Earth Farm, and then cherries on the corner along with my Asian veggie fix.  I wrap up my shopping at the fresh blueberries stand and then sit on a bench with my buds to catch up.

This past Sunday, I added a stop.

Fresh Corn is Back Baby!

There I was, waiting in the strawberry line when I noticed a new stall next to the strawberries, FRESH CORN.  This signals the beginning of summer.  Everybody have corn tonight, uh-huh, uh-huh.

The Paint

Most of the time we boil or steam the corn and happily munch on them unadorned, a sprinkle of salt perhaps.  My new favorite way to serve fresh corn is as Grilled Mexican Street Corn called Elote.  Shuck the corn and throw them on a hot grill until they are nicely charred.  Remove and slather corn with mayonnaise or a 50:50 blend of mayonnaise and sour cream or Mexican Crema.   If you have an aversion to mayo, you could use just sour cream or melted butter.  I use a brush to “fine-tune” how much mayo I spread on each cob to appease my guilt about the calories.

The Sprinkles

The essential ingredient for corn sprinkles (cute, eh) is chili powder.  A purist will get specific chili powders like ancho or guajillo, which can be purchased online or at any Hispanic market.  These are specifically dried chilis ground into powder.  Chili Powder found in most supermarkets is actually a blend of chilis and other spices like cumin, oregano, garlic powder, and cayenne.  ANY of these work for Elote.

AND THEN…You can try commercial products made to mimic the flavors of Elote and enhance your “street food” dish.  I like Tajin, a blend of chilis, lime, and salt.  Think of it as the granddaddy of the Mexican spice blend.  Lately, TJ’s has jumped on the bandwagon and has a Chili Lime seasoning blend and in their Everything But The…line, an Elote blend that contains Parmesan, Chipotle, cumin, and cilantro, which sounds pretty darn delicious.

The Fixins’

The finishing trifecta for your Elote.  Sprinkle fresh chopped cilantro and crumbled Cotija Cheese or in a pinch, Parmesan cheese, and finally a squeeze of lime all over the corn.

Done, so good.

For those of you who just can’t stand corn between your teeth, after grilling, scrape the corn off the cob. Put the corn in a bowl and add the sprinkles and fixins’ on top, voila, a delicious, colorful Corn Salad, and no flossing.  Check out Serious Eats’s Esquites-Mexican Street Corn Salad.

Enjoy

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Elote (Mexican Street Corn)

Fresh corn on the cob marks the summer season. Elote or Mexican Street Corn, a delicious way to highlight fresh corn, grill and top with mayo, chili, cheese and lime.
Course Side Dish, Vegetable
Cuisine Hispanic, Mexican
Keyword Corn on the cob, Elote, Fresh corn
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 6 ears corn shucked and cleaned
  • 1/3-1/2 cup mayonnaise or use a blend of Mayo and sour cream or Crema
  • Chili powder See post for variations
  • 1/3 c. crumbled cotija cheese or Parmesan in a pinch
  • Freshly chopped cilantro
  • Lime wedges for serving

Instructions

  • Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high. Grill corn, turning often, until slightly charred all over, about 10 minutes.
  • Brush corn with a layer of mayonnaise and sprinkle with chili powder, cotija, and cilantro. Serve warm with lime wedges.
Roasted Tomato & White Bean Stew (Bean Craving a Good Stew)

Roasted Tomato & White Bean Stew (Bean Craving a Good Stew)

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Friday night…my mind was thinking about the upcoming Memorial Day weekend.

The plan, grilling on Monday.  Something classic, burgers, potato salad, strawberry shortcake, the “Summer is finally here” meal.  Saturday’s dinner was taken care of, take-out and delivery from one of the legacy restaurants in SF Chinatown, Kam Po.  A fundraiser for Chinatown Community Development Center combined with helping a Chinatown mom and pop business.  A win-win, I ordered roast duck, crispy skinned pork and bbq pork plates…can’t wait.

What’s for Dinner Tonight?

But it was Friday and I still hadn’t started dinner.  I cooked quite a bit during the week and was admittedly ready for an easy cook meal.   I peered into the pantry hunting for inspiration…hmmm, a couple of cans of white beans. Further rummaging around the kitchen produced cherry tomatoes, a couple of Italian sausages, one lonely onion. Jamie had recently tried a recipe from the NYTimes, Roasted Tomato and White Bean Stew that she gave a hearty thumbs up to on all counts-ease of prep and deliciousness.

I Was In Business

Winner winner beanie dinner.  This dish is simple, quick and so satisfying.  Roast tomatoes in olive oil and thyme which intensifies their flavor and sweetness.  I used a medley of gold and red cherry tomatoes, use whatever you like. While they are roasting, saute’ the onions, garlic, and pepper flakes. Add beans-reserve the liquid from the cans just in case to adjust the consistency of the sauce.  Give the stew a couple of stirs and mash some of the beans with a big spoon to thicken it.  Make sure to scrape all the tasty bits from roasting the tomatoes and add them to the beans along with the tomatoes and their liquid.

Home Stretch

Simmer a couple of minutes and voila’, dinner is served.  This stew is really, really good, the sweetness of the tomatoes and onions, the nice mouthfeel from the beans, yummy, YUMMY, yummy.  I love the garlic and thyme, but I’m wondering if rosemary would work too.  We grilled a couple of Italian sausages, sliced, and added them to the pot right before serving.  You could also just serve them on the side. Grilled shrimp or cod would be a lovely match too.  OR, keep it vegetarian, this stew is so flavorful and satisfying you won’t even miss the protein.  Top it with the parsley and lemon gremolata which adds a herby-citrus zing and you are in business. The Hubs and Jorge don’t like beans but they both admitted that this was delicious.  Now that’s a strong recommendation!

Make this stew the next time you need a quick, easy, hearty meal.  It’s just so tasty!

Looking for other meatless recipes?  This Red Lentil Soup from NYTimes is delicious~~

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5 from 2 votes

Roasted Tomato and White Bean Stew

Course Main Course
Cuisine European
Keyword easy, roasted tomato, stew, vegan, White Bean, white bean stew
Prep Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

Garnish

  • ½ cup roughly chopped Italian parsley leaves and tender stems
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest from 1 large lemon

Stew

  • 2 10-ounce containers cherry or grape tomatoes
  • ¼ cup olive oil plus 2 tablespoons and more for drizzling (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1 medium yellow onion thinly sliced
  • 3-4 large garlic cloves thinly sliced
  • ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
  • 2 15-ounce cans white beans (such as butter or cannellini), rinsed
  • 1 ½ cups vegetable or chicken broth or water
  • 2 Italian sausage optional mild or spicy, your choice

Serve with

  • Flaky salt for serving (optional)
  • Toasted bread for serving

Instructions

  • Heat the oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, gently toss together the parsley and lemon zest with your hands until well combined; set aside.
  • In a large baking dish or on a sheet pan, toss the tomatoes with 1/4 cup oil and thyme; season well with salt and pepper. Roast tomatoes until they have collapsed and begin to turn golden around the edges, 20 to 25 minutes.
  • When the tomatoes are almost done roasting, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large (12-inch), deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium. Add the onion, garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook until the onion is softened and the garlic is fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the rinsed beans and broth and bring to a simmer. With the back of a spoon or spatula, gently smash about ½ cup of the beans so they slightly thicken the broth. If you want a thicker stew, crush some more of the beans. Season with salt and pepper.
  • When the tomatoes are finished roasting, add them directly to the stew along with any juices that have been released. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes more so the flavors meld; season to taste with salt.
  • Ladle into shallow bowls. Top each serving with some of the lemon-parsley mixture and drizzle with some more olive oil, and season with flaky salt, if you like. Serve with toasted bread.
World Peace Cookies-Let’s Do the Cookie Wrap Now

World Peace Cookies-Let’s Do the Cookie Wrap Now

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Christmas is over, but that doesn’t mean the cookie baking has stopped.

After all, we still need to ring in the new year and what better way than with delicious sweet or salty nibbles? Need a savory bite to go with cocktails, try Parmesan Shortbread or Bouchon’s Gourgeres.  Didn’t finish that bottle of bubbly Rose’, the perfect answer, Christina Tosi’s Champagne Shortbread.

To usher in 2020, I looked for the perfect bite-sized treat when you have a cocktail or a glass of the bubbly in your grasp.  I kept in mind my slice and bake theme and decided the perfect cookie to have for New Year’s Eve or Day, DRUM ROLL PLEASE…

Dorie Greenspan’s World Peace Cookies

A fitting cookie to celebrate the end of a decade and bring in a new one.

This cookie, a Pierre Herme creation,  was originally called the Korova cookie and was published in Dorie’s Paris Sweets. It was the first book of Dorie’s I purchased. This cookie “made me buy it”.  My reaction the first time I popped one in my mouth was, “WOW, this is REALLY, I mean REALLY, GOOD.”

I’m not a big fan of chocolate cookies so it took me by surprise.  So delicious, Dorie’s friend renamed this chocolate wonder, World Peace Cookie.  If everyone shared these we could achieve global peace.  The cookies are chocolatey and sweet with bits of Fleur de Sel providing a surprising hit of saltiness.   The chunks of bittersweet chocolate temper the sweetness and give the cookies a 1-2 chocolate punch. Yep, like a champ.

Ok.  This cookie does pop up on a zillion feeds.  So why am I re-posting?  Well, you can never post the perfect chocolate cookie too many times and more importantly, on the off chance YOU haven’t made these, how could I not?  I would be remiss if I didn’t, a dereliction of blogger duty.

There is another reason. I came across Dorie’s updated version of the World Peace Cookie in her book,  Dorie’s Cookies (of course I own a copy, silly).  Bakers often commented on the original recipe about the crumbly dough and how difficult it was to form a log.  Her updated version has a little more butter, a little more sugar, and a smidge less flour.  I noticed the updated dough was softer than the original recipe and came together easily.  Perhaps her changes came about from baking them in ring molds for their cookie pop-up or maybe to address the crumble rumble.

I think the original recipe is much more like a sable’, a little drier and shortbread-like while the updated version is softer and a tad moister (wow, this was an auto-correct).  I fully intend to bake the original soon for comparison.  The bottom line is both versions are DELICIOUS.

The dough comes together in a snap.  Butter is beaten with sugar, flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.  Then chopped dark chocolate is folded into the dough.  Natural or Dutch-process cocoa can be used.  I used King Arthur’s Triple Cocoa Blend (all-purpose cocoa) but use your favorite.  For the chocolate, I like Trader Joe’s Pound Plus Dark Chocolate that comes in a big honking bar. You can use fancy designer chocolate to up the wow factor or you can use chips when you are in a hurry.  I like the jagged, rough pieces you get chopping the chocolate.  Use bittersweet chocolate, especially with the updated version which is a little sweeter than the original.

Roll the dough into logs, wrap in parchment or wax paper and chill.  Use a serrated or sharp knife to cut 1/2 inch pieces.  The dough will crumble but it is an easy fix, just smoosh it back together.  No sweat.  See?

Bake the cookies for twelve minutes.  Don’t check them and don’t open the oven door.  Just relax until the buzzer goes off.  “Bake and take” them out-Dorie’s rules.  Let them cool to set. They’re delicious slightly warm or at room temperature.  Get out the milk or get out the bubbly and ENJOY.

Happy New Year!  Wishing for World Peace in 2020!

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Dorie Greenspan's World Peace Cookies

These chocolate cookies will satisfy any chocoholic. Similar to a sable' these cookies are from Dorie Greenspan's Cookie book and are absolutely addicting.
Course cookies
Cuisine American, French
Keyword chocolate cookies, Dorie Greenspan, korova cookies, world peace cookies
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 170gm
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder Dutch-processed or natural 30gm
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 8 tablespoons plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, (1 stick + 3 T) at room temperature
  • 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar 134gm
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar 50gm
  • 1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel or 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small bits 142gm or 5 ounces
  • Fleur de Sel optional, to sprinkle on cookies before baking

Instructions

  • Sift the flour, cocoa, and baking soda together and keep the bowl close. Put the butter in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until the butter is soft and creamy. Add both sugars, the salt, and vanilla extract and beat for another minute or two. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the sifted dry ingredients. Mix only until the dry ingredients are incorporated — the dough will look crumbly, and that’s just right. For the best texture, work the dough as little as possible once the flour is added. Toss in the chocolate pieces and mix only to incorporate.
  • Turn the dough out onto a smooth work surface and squeeze it so that it sticks together in large clumps, don't be afraid to smoosh it together. Gather the dough into a ball, divide it in half, and working with one half at a time, shape the dough into logs that are 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) in diameter. (Cookie-dough logs can end up with hollow centers, so as you’re shaping each log, flatten it once or twice and roll it up from one long side to the other to get the air out)
  • Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and chill them for at least 1 hour. (Wrapped airtight, the logs can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for 1 month.)
  • Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Working with a sharp thin-bladed knife, slice the logs into rounds that are 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) thick. (Don’t worry if the rounds break; just squeeze the broken-off bit back onto the cookie.) Place the cookies on the parchment-lined sheets, leaving about 1 inch (2.5 cm) spread space between them.
  • If you want to up your salt game, sprinkle a tiny bit of Fleur de Sel on each cookie before baking. It adds a tiny wow factor to the look of the cookie too.
  • Bake one sheet of cookies at a time, and bake each sheet for 12 minutes. The cookies will not look done, nor will they be firm, but that’s just the way they should be. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let the cookies stand until they are only just warm or until they reach room temperature.
Cheesy Corn, Are You Ready for Some Football Food?

Cheesy Corn, Are You Ready for Some Football Food?

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I love the fall season. Aside from all things pumpkin and apples, I start thinking about foods that go hand in hand with watching football.  My dad was a sport’s junkie and he definitely passed the sports-watching gene to my brother and me.  He also liked to cook.  Every Sunday he would have a big pot of Rice Soup or Congee simmering just for the 49er game. I’m not sure what I looked forward to more, the Rice Soup (Instant Pot) filled with bits of chicken, potatoes, tiny pork meatballs, topped with green onions and cilantro, or the football game.  

Football Food

In addition to the soup, football watching requires yummy totally bad for you snack food and I just discovered one that would fit in perfectly with a sport-watching spread.  One of my favorite cookbooks this year, A Common Table, has a popular Korean snack that must have been created to go with beer and fried chicken and therefore football.  Korean Cheesy Corn. Yep, the best thing since sliced bread. Okay, I’m kidding but it is good and stupid easy.

Start with fresh corn from the Farmer’s Market.  It is so good right now.  Frozen corn or canned corn (lots of Korean recipes start with canned corn) would work, but, come on, go fresh and support your local farms.

And now a public service announcement, a video on how to take corn off the cob from Saveur using a bundt pan! It works like a charm!

From here on in it’s a downhill slide.  Stir-fry corn in oil or butter until it is soft.  Combine corn with mayonnaise and place in an ovenproof dish. I use Kewpie Mayo which is slightly sweet but use whatever mayo (better be Best Foods) you have in the fridge.  Sprinkle a crap ton of Mozarella cheese on the corn and bake at 500 until the cheese is browned, gooey and melty. So delicious.  Versions of Korean Cheesy Corn add sugar.  If your corn is sweet you won’t need to, but if you like it sweeter add 1-2 teaspoons of sugar.  If you use Best Foods or Hellman’s add 1 tsp of sugar.

The corn, mozzarella, mayo, green onions, and cilantro are the basic ingredients for this yummy super easy dish.  Of course, you can go CRAZY and add extra fixings to bring it to a whole new level.  A bucket list of add-ons includes bell pepper, red onion, jalapeno peppers, or crumble in bacon (cuz everything is better with bacon).   You can also add cut-up rice cakes cause what’s a few more calories in a totally not-on-your diet dish.

Ready set, dig in!

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Korean Cheesy Corn

Delicious, decadent and easy. Korean Cheesy Corn a popular Korean dish. Perfect as a side dish or snack.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Asian
Keyword cheese, Corn, Korean, Korean Cheesy Corn, snack
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 cups fresh corn about 2 ears, canned or frozen can be used
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise, preferably Kewpie add 1-2 teaspoons sugar if using regular mayo
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter or vegetable oil
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella or more if you are a cheese freak. Additional 1/4 cup stirred into corn with mayo.
  • 1/4 cup sliced green onions
  • 1/4 cup cilantro coarsely chopped
  • 1/8-1/4 cup additions ie. bell pepper, diced red onions, bacon, optional

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 500 degrees
  • In a large non-stick skillet, heat butter or oil. Over medium heat, add corn and if using bell peppers, jalapeno or onions. Cook, stirring frequently until soft about 4-5 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper.
  • Transfer corn to an ovenproof dish, stir in mayo and sugar if using.
  • Sprinkle cheese evenly over the surface and bake for 5-7 minutes until cheese is melted, bubbling and starts to brown. Like a pizza!
  • Garnish with green onions and cilantro and serve immediately.
Summer Madness #1: Too Hot (Miso Sesame Chicken Salad to Keep the Gang Kool)

Summer Madness #1: Too Hot (Miso Sesame Chicken Salad to Keep the Gang Kool)

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The weather has been pretty darn warm.  Actually, I’d say damn hot lately.  I grew up in San Francisco, a warm day meant temps in the ’70s. Growing up we spent most of July and August in a blanket of fog.  My first car had an all-black interior and NO AIR CONDITIONING.  NBD.

But now I live in Silicon Valley, 50 miles south of San Francisco.  My cars have AC, my house has AC (a non-negotiable requirement of the Hubster who grew up in Sacramento).  I once scoffed at folks who succumbed to installing air conditioning.  No more.

I will say we do try to keep usage to a minimum, preferring to leave windows and doors open so the evening breeze cools down the house.  We keep oven baking and cooking on the stove to a minimum by eating lots of sushi, salads, and bbq.  We fire up the grill in the backyard and enjoy our meals outside. Summer alfresco dining, what could be better?

I subscribe to NYT Cooking and each week Sam Sifton pops up with a What to Cook This Week column.  This week’s newsletter included a Miso Sesame Chicken Salad from David Tanis.  That caught my eye.

MIso Sesame Chicken Salad

Silky poached chicken, crunchy cucumbers, scallions on a bed of Bibb lettuce topped with a creamy Miso-Sesame dressing.  Karma, I had chicken in the fridge, cucumbers from a friend’s garden and Aedan Miso I had just bought at the Ferry Building Farmer’s Market.

The only cooking required is poaching the chicken.  I decided to make half the recipe so  I opted to poach chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken which took less time and works perfectly for this dish.

No brainer method for the best damn poached chicken.

Like Whole Poached Chicken, this cooking method results in juicy, tender, delicious poached chicken breasts, perfect for salads, sandwiches, or morsels for your favorite doggy…

Fill a saucepan large enough to hold 1 whole chicken breast (split in half) with water. You don’t need to add much to the water except for a good pinch salt.  I cheat and add a tablespoon of Better Than Bouillion Chicken Base just to intensify the flavor, totally optional.  Bring the water to a boil and add the chicken.  Bring it back to a boil, lower the heat so that it is barely simmering.  Cover the pot and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the chicken to sit for 15-20 minutes (do this by size, smaller breasts-15 minutes, larger-20 minutes).  Remove chicken from pot and allow to cool until it is easy to handle.  Ta-da, perfect chicken for salads, sandwiches, or Hainanese Chicken and Rice.

Back to the salad.  I love the textures in this salad.  Tender, silky chicken and crisp cold cucumbers.  You can use romaine or iceberg but I like using Bibb.  Instead of slicing the cucumbers I rolled-cut them and lightly smashed them. The Miso and Sesame Sauce has a touch of lemon zest which adds a hint of citrus.  I used Gochugaro, a Korean chili powder instead of cayenne to add some spice.

This is a tasty addition to the summer salad rotation.  Enjoy!

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Miso Sesame Chicken Salad

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons Asian sesame paste or tahini
  • 4 tablespoons white shiro miso I used Aedan Mild White Miso
  • 3 tablespoons rice-wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon mirin
  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • ½ teaspoon roasted sesame oil
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • Small pinch of cayenne optional, I used Gochugaro Powder instead
  • 1 3-poundchicken, cooked poach chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken as directed in post
  • 2 heads small Bibb or Boston lettuce can use Little Gems or romaine hearts
  • 2 medium cucumbers, peeled and sliced 1/8-inch thick, lightly salted I prefer Persian or English cucumbers
  • 3 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions or chives
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon toasted black sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

  • Put sesame paste, miso, vinegar, mirin, ginger, sugar and lemon zest in a small mixing bowl. Whisk together until well combined. Whisk in sesame and vegetable oils. Check seasoning and adjust with salt, pepper and cayenne, if using. You should have about 2/3 cup dressing. If it seems too thick, thin with a tablespoon or 2 of water.
  • Remove skin from chicken and pull all the meat from the carcass. Shred chicken meat into 1-inch strips and put in a medium mixing bowl. (Refrigerate or freeze any remaining skin, fat, bones and cartilage for making broth.) You should have about 4 cups shredded chicken.
  • Separate the lettuce leaves and arrange on a large platter, leaving space for the chicken at the center, then scatter with cucumber slices.
  • Gently toss the shredded chicken with salt and pepper. Pour all but a few tablespoons of dressing over the chicken and gently toss to coat. Transfer dressed chicken to center of platter and nap with remaining dressing. Sprinkle scallions and sesame seeds on top and serve.

Notes

I made a half recipe which was plenty for the two of us.  
A Zinger of an Appetizer: Charred Tomatoes and Cold Yogurt

A Zinger of an Appetizer: Charred Tomatoes and Cold Yogurt

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I have a couple of go-to appetizer dips that I use ALOT (a certain Artichoke Dip comes to mind).  Every time I make one of them there is this nagging little voice in my brain whispering, “pssst…Deb, I know this is good but try something new, this is getting boring”.  Well, I finally listened to that voice.  I pulled out Ottolenghi’s newest book, Simple, and landed on his recipe for Charred Tomates and Cold Yogurt.  It was a no-brainer, the dish is featured on the cover of the book.

I’m so glad I did.

Right up my alley, easy to make and DELICIOUS.  The recipe calls for cherry tomatoes (hello all you tomato growers), Greek yogurt, fresh thyme, oregano, garlic, and lemon.  Oops, and olive oil.  Toss the tomatoes with the spices and oil, roast and then broil to char the tomatoes.  Spoon charred, hot tomatoes on top of the cold yogurt and serve with pita wedges or baguette slices. HOW EASY IS THAT?

Run out to the store and get cherry tomatoes right now.  If you are growing tomatoes, go check for ripe ones and pull them off the vine.  I was blown away by how flavorful and simple this dish is.  The spices enhance the tomatoes and the lemon adds a nice citrusy zing.  The contrast of the hot tomatoes and the cold yogurt adds yet another note.  Serve with toasted baguette slices or pita wedges.

Luckily I have a little herb box right outside my kitchen, I picked a couple of stems of oregano and thyme for the dish, slivered some garlic, zested a lemon (yippee, I have a lemon tree too) and sprinkled on the cumin seeds. While the tomatoes were roasting, I pulled out the carton of Labneh I had picked up at the International Bazaar and seasoned it with salt and lemon peel.  Labneh is the Middle Eastern version of thick yogurt.  You can use this or a Greek full-fat yogurt, both will work.  I plopped it into a good size shallow bowl, swirled a groove in the center to hold the tomatoes and then placed the bowl in the fridge to keep the yogurt cold while the tomatoes were roasting.

Yum, yum, yum.

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Charred Tomatoes with Cold Yogurt

A delicious dip from Ottolenghi! Serve with pita wedges or crostini.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Mediterranean
Keyword appetizer, cherry tomatoes, greek yogurt
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 12 ¼ oz/350g cherry tomatoes
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • ¾ tsp cumin seeds
  • ½ tsp light brown sugar
  • 3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
  • 3 thyme sprigs
  • 6 oregano sprigs: 3 sprigs left whole and the rest stemmed to serve
  • 1 lemon: finely shave the skin of ½ to get 3 strips then finely grate the other ½ to get 1 tsp zest
  • Flaked sea salt and black pepper
  • 1 2 ∕3 cups/350g extra-thick Greek-style yogurt or Labneh fridge-cold
  • ½ tsp other crushed red pepper flakes
  • pita wedges or baguette slices

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  • Place the tomatoes in a mixing bowl with the olive oil, cumin, sugar, garlic, thyme, oregano sprigs, lemon strips, ½ teaspoon of flaked salt and a good grind of pepper. Mix to combine, then transfer to a baking sheet just large enough—about 6 x 8 inches/15 x 20 centimeters— to fit all the tomatoes together snugly.
  • Place the sheet about 2 inches/5 centimeters beneath the broiler and roast for 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are beginning to blister and the liquid is bubbling. Turn the oven to the broil setting and broil for 6 to 8 minutes, until the tomatoes start to blacken on top.
  • While the tomatoes are roasting, combine the yogurt with the grated lemon zest and ¼ tsp of flaked salt. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
  • Once the tomatoes are ready, spread the chilled yogurt on a platter (or in a wide, shallow bowl, creating a dip in it with the back of a spoon. Spoon the hot tomatoes on top, along with their juices, lemon strips, garlic, and herbs, and finish with the oregano leaves and chile flakes. Serve at once.