Pasta, Rice and Bread – Page 4

Sesame Noodles with Cucumber and Nori

September 20, 2023

I’m always finding ways to sneak in nori into my meals. Avocado toast? Sprinkle some nori. Dumpling soup? Stir in some nori. Summery noodles? Nori, of course.

Cold sesame noodles with cucumber and nori — Ingredients:

4 packages dried ramen (about 12 ounces total)
4 Persian cucumbers
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried nori seaweed, torn into small 1-inch pieces
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
2 tablespoons sesame oil
Zest of 1 Meyer lemon
1/2 cup tahini
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

Slice cucumbers into thin rounds, then sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Allow to sit for 10 minutes, then drain and gently squeeze out water.
Soak nori in cold water until reconstituted, about 5 minutes, then drain. Gently combine the cucumber and nori in a medium bowl and set aside.
Boil noodles according to package directions until al dente. In a colander, drain and rinse under cold water. Gently toss noodles with sesame oil to prevent them from sticking.
In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar to achieve the consistency of a creamy salad dressing. If it’s too thick, whisk in a few tablespoons of water.
To serve, place the noodles in a large serving bowl and top with the cucumber nori mixture, green onions, roasted sesame seeds, lemon zest, and a drizzle of sesame oil. Gently mix and serve.

Spicy Tuna Rolls

September 18, 2023September 20, 2023

I don’t make sushi often, but whenever I do, I regret not making it at home more often. Sure, my rolls aren’t beautiful or symmetric, but they’re absolutely delicious. This take on spicy tuna rolls is one of my favorites.

2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teapoon sesame oil
2/3 cup chopped raw sashimi-grade tuna
3 tablespoons finely shredded lettuce
4 teaspoons minced green onion
4 sheets nori
2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted
4 cups cooked and seasoned sushi rice
4 thin strips carrot (each 7 inches long), blanched
4 thin strips cucumber (each 7 inches long)
Soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger, for serving

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, chili garlic sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, and tuna. In another small bowl, combine lettuce and green onion.
Place a piece of nori, shiny side down, on a bamboo mat wrapped in plastic wrap. Spread nori evenly with 1 cup rice, leaving a 1/2-inch border at the top. Sprinkle 1/2 cup sesame seeds over rice. Spread 1/4 of tuna mixture lengthwise down center of nori. Sprinkle 1/4 of lettuce mixture over tuna. Place 1 strip of carrot along one side of tuna mixture and 1 strip of cucumber along the other side.
Using mat to help you, roll sushi into a cylinder. Press mat around rolled sushi to seal the edges. Repeat to make three more rolls.
Place sushi on a cutting board and slice each roll into 6 pieces. Serve with wasabi, soy sauce, and ginger.

Yuzu Kosho Pesto Rice

September 4, 2023

This is a simple dish, but it’s much greater than the sum of its parts. I love anything with pesto, but would have never thought to add spicy, citrusy yuzu kosho to it. Adapted from Donabe, I usually serve this with good-quality tinned sardines.

Ingredients:

2 rice cups (1 1/2 cups) short-grain white rice, rinsed
1 1/2 cups water
3 tablespoons pine nuts
1 clove garlic
2 cups basil leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon yuzu kosho
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Meyer lemon juice
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the rice in a rice cooker according to directions.
Meanwhile, make the pesto: in a small saucepan, toast the pine nuts over medium-low heat, stirring and watching carefully until pine nuts are lightly golden, about five minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. In a food processor, combine 1 tablespoon of the pine nuts with the garlic, basil, olive oil, yuzu kosho, soy sauce, and lemon juice.
Once the rice has finished cooking, uncover and add the pesto, the remaining pine nuts, and the Parmesan cheese. Gently mix to combine and serve.

Classic Spring Rolls

July 27, 2023July 28, 2023

These are my OG, been-making-them-since-I-was-thirteen, classic spring rolls. Adapted from the legend himself (Martin Yan, obv), this is the spring roll recipe I still find myself going back to. They’re a bit of work but oh-so-worth it. I recommend Menlo brand spring roll wrappers for the crunchiest exterior.

Filling:

3 dried shiitake mushrooms
4 ounces dried bean thread noodles
1 carrot, shredded
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced napa cabbage
3 green onions, sliced
3/4 pound boneless chicken

Marinade:

2 tablespoons chicken broth
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder

1 tablespoon avocado oil
20 spring roll wrappers
Avocado oil for shallow-frying

Soak mushrooms in warm water to cover until softened, about 15 minutes; drain. Trim stems and thinly slice caps. Soak bean threads in warm water to cover until softened, about 15 minutes; drain. Cut bean thread noodles into 4-inch lengths. Combine mushrooms and bean thread noodles in a large bowl and add remaining filling ingredients; mix well.
Cut chicken into thin slices, about 2 inches long. Combine marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Add chicken and stir to coat. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Place a wok over high heat until hot. Add 1 tablespoon oil, swirling to coat sides. Add chicken and stir-fry for about 5 minutes or until cooked through. Remove the chicken mixture and add to the bowl with the filling and mix.
To make each spring roll, place a wrapper on work surface with one side facing you. Place 3 tablespoons filling in a band along base of wrapper. Fold bottom over filling, then fold in left and right sides. Tightly roll up to completely enclose filling.
Heat oil (enough to be 1-inch deep) in a wok or frying pan to medium-high. Shallow-fry spring rolls, a few at a time, and cook, turning carefully occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Spaghetti with Eggplant, Piquillo Peppers, and Tomatoes

July 25, 2023

This pasta screams summertime. Tossed in a light salsa rossa made with fresh tomatoes, this garlicky spaghetti is full of buttery eggplant, piquillo peppers, and loads of basil.

Ingredients:

For the salsa rossa:

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound tomatoes, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of hot red pepper flakes
10 basil leaves, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

For the spaghetti:

2 medium eggplants, skins on, cut in 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup olive oil, divided
4 cups diced fresh tomatoes
10 canned piquillo peppers
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into strips
Pinch of hot red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves or 1 tablespoon dried
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 pound spaghetti
Grated Parmesan cheese

Make the salsa rossa: Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add tomatoes, garlic, and red pepper flakes, and saute until tomatoes are soft. Stir in fresh basil, and add salt and pepper to taste. Puree or leave chunky.
Make the spaghetti: Place the eggplant in a colander, sprinkle with salt, and let rest for one hour.
Pat eggplant dry. In a large skillet, heat 1/2 cup oil on high. Add one layer of eggplant and cook until crispy on one side. Do not stir. Turn to crisp the other side. Eggplant will shrink and crisp. Repeat until all the eggplant is crispy.
In a wide pot, heat 1/4 cup olive oil, add diced tomatoes and peppers, and cook on high, stirring, for about 3 minutes. Lower heat, add garlic, and cook for 2 more minutes. Add eggplant and salsa rossa, and cook, stirring gently. Add basil, red pepper flakes, oregano, and parsley.
In a large pot, bring salted water to boil and cook spaghetti until al dente. Drain, reserving 2 cups cooking water. Add pasta to sauce and cook over high heat 2 to 3 minutes, adding a little pasta water if needed. Serve with grated Parmesan.