Long beans are traditionally used in this recipe, but green beans work as well. Feel free to omit the ground chicken as well for a vegetarian version. Last but not least, make sure your beans are completely dry before frying them — this will ensure a blistered texture.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 pound ground chicken
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce or chili bean sauce
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1 cup vegetable oil
3/4 pound green beans or long beans, ends trimmed and cut into 3-inch lengths

1. Marinate the chicken: stir 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce and cornstarch together in a medium bowl until the cornstarch is dissolved. Mix the chicken in the marinade until incorporated. Let stand for 10 minutes.

2. Prepare the sauce: stir the chicken stock, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, chili garlic sauce, and sesame oil together in a small bowl until the sugar is dissolved.

3 Pour the oil into a 2-quart saucepan and heat over medium-high heat. Carefully slip the green beans into the oil and cook, stirring continuously, until they are wrinkled, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the beans to paper towels to drain. Reserve the oil.

4. Heat a wok over high heat until hot. Pour in 2 teaspoons of the reserved oil and swirl to coat the sides. Slide the chicken into the wok and stir-fry until the meat is crumbly and changes color, about 2 minutes. Add the green beans and sauce and stir until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Scoop the contents of the wok onto a serving plate and serve warm.

Adapted from Anthony Bourdain’s Les Halles Cookbook, this wintery dish is a snap to create and makes a great side. The original recipe uses slab bacon but if you’re cutting down on the fat, use a mixture of turkey bacon and butter, as I did.

Ingredients:

4 slices turkey bacon, chopped into a 1/4-inch dice
2 tablespoons butter
2 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut in half, then chopped into 1/4-inch thick slices
1 garlic clove, minced
4 sprigs of flat parsley, chopped
salt and pepper

1. Heat a saute pan over medium heat and add the butter until melted. Add the bacon and cook until the fat is rendered and the meat is crispy, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add the potatoes and cook for 15 minutes, stirring and tossing frequently. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, then season with parsley, salt, and pepper. Serve warm.

It’s eggplant season! Eggplant is ubiquitous in Iranian cuisine, and luckily for me, it’s in season in the Bay Area right now. I’ve been buying pounds and pounds of it to cook kashk-e bademjaan. A favorite at Persian gatherings, this dip is garlicy, minty, and slightly piquant, thanks to kashk, a thick condiment similar to whey that’s used in Persian cooking. Served with naan or a similar flatbread, kashk-e bademjaan is the perfect way to make use of the eggplant bounty.

This recipe is adapted from two sources: my mom’s guidance over the phone as I hurriedly cooked this the first time for a dinner party, and Najmieh Batmanglij’s definitive English-language cookbook on Iranian cuisine: Food of Life. (Sidenote: Batmanglij’s son, Rostam, is a member of Vampire Weekend and Discovery. Guess what I listen to when I’m cooking from Najmieh’s cookbook?)

Ingredients:

2 medium eggplants
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup liquid whey (kashk)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

For the garnish:
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons dried mint
2 tablespoons liquid whey (kashk)
1/4 teaspoon ground saffron, dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water

1. Peel eggplants and cut into 4 slices lengthwise. Place in a colander and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt to remove bitterness and excess moisture. Let stand for 30 minutes, then pat dry.

2. Brown the eggplants in a non-stick skillet with 1/4 cup of oil. Add onions and garlic and brown for an additional two minutes, adding another tablespoon of oil if needed. Add 1 cup of water, cover, and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and mash in a food processor. Add 1/2 cup of whey, salt, and pepper, and mix well.

3. Just before serving, saute minced garlic in remaining 2 tablespoons oil at low heat, until golden. Remove skillet from heat, add dried mint, and mix well.

4. Place the eggplant in a serving bowl and garnish with 2 tablespoons whey, the garlic and mint mixture, and a few drops of saffron water. Serve with flatbread and fresh herbs.

Ingredients:

1 inch piece konbu (dried kelp)
1 handful katsuo-bushi (dried bonito flakes)
1/2 cake silken tofu, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 teaspoon dried wakame seaweed, reconstituted and roughly chopped
1 green onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons miso

1. To make the dashi, soak konbu in a pot, in 1/2 cup of of cold water for 30 minutes. Heat up slowly until bubbles form in water. Remove konbu just before the water boils. Add in 1 more cup of water to bring down the overall temperature. Throw in the handful of katsuo-bushi and bring to boil for just a moment. Take pot off heat, and let the katsuo-bushi sit for 1 more minute, then filter through a sieve.

2. Pour the dashi stock into a medium cooking pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the tofu and wakame seaweed, and remove from the heat before coming to a boil. Add the miso gradually into the soup while softening with some stock and dissolving with the back of a spoon. Add the green onions and ladle into individual serving bowls.

A word of advice: Don’t bother making this dish unless you have really good quality tomatoes on hand. The ingredients are so simple that skimping on the main ingredient will affect the overall taste. In a pinch, you could substitute with reconstituted sun-dried tomatoes.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds heirloom tomatoes, cored and sliced 1/2 inch thick
2 teaspoons sugar
salt
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tablespoon dried basil
1 package (1/2 pound) chilled puff pastry
flour, for dusting

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In the meantime, sprinkle the tomatoes on both sides with the sugar and season with salt; set aside.

2. Line a large baking sheet with foil and coat with a thin layer of olive oil or cooking spray. On a lightly-floured working surface, roll out the puff pastry to 1/4 inch thick. Cut out four 6-inch squares. Transfer the rounds to the prepared baking sheet and freeze for 5 minutes. Bake the rounds for 20 minutes, until golden brown and puffed.

3. Pat the tomato slices dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the pastry puffs with half of the grated cheese and arrange the sliced tomatoes on each pastry square, leaving a 1/2-inch boarder. Dot the tomatoes evenly with the butter and sprinkle with the basil and remaining cheese.

4. Bake the tarts for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 20 minutes longer, until the pastry is golden brown and the tomatoes have shrunken slightly. Serve warm.