Tag: Year-Round

Cumin Lamb

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I already have a cumin beef recipe on my blog, and it’s delicious. The problem is I love all iterations of the famous Xinjiang speciality and I can’t say no to any version, ever since I first tried it at Old Mandarin Islamic Restaurant in San Francisco decades ago.

This version uses celery in place of bell peppers and lamb in place of the beef. Try both and see which version you prefer. (Spoiler alert: I can’t choose.)

Ingredients:

For the lamb:

  • 1 pound boneless lamb leg or shoulder, trimmed and sliced into 1/4-inch thick pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

For the marinade:

  • 3 tablespoons cumin seeds
  • 2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns
  • 12 small dried red Chinese chiles
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce

For the stir-fry:

  • 4 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 1 onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges or slices
  • 3 celery stalks, sliced lengthwise into thirds and crosswise into 2-inch pieces
  • salt
  • 1/4 bunch of cilantro, leaves and thin stems only
  1. Prepare the lamb: Place the lamb in a medium bowl, cover with cold water, and vigorously agitate it. Drain through a fine-mesh strainer set in the sink and press on the lamb with your hands to remove excess water. Return the lamb to the bowl, add the baking soda, and vigorously massage the baking soda into the meat, lifting the meat, throwing it down, and squeezing it for 30 seconds.
  2. Prepare the marinade: Heat the cumin seeds, peppercorns, and chiles in a skillet over medium-high heat, tossing until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a mortar and pestle. Pick out the chiles and set them aside. Grind the cumin and peppercorns until roughly crushed but pieces still remain. Stir. in the soy sauce and scrape the mixture into the bowl with the lamb. Work the marinade into the meat for 30 seconds and set aside.
  3. Prepare the stir-fry: Heat a wok over high heat until lightly smoking. Add 1 tablespoon oil and swirl to coat. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring and tossing occasionally until lightly charred and tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
  4. Wipe out the wok and return it to high heat until lightly smoking. Add 2 more tablespoons of oil and swirl to coat. Add half the lamb and cook without moving for 1 minute. Continue cooking while stirring and tossing until lightly cooked but still pink in spots, about 1 minute. Transfer to the bowl with the onions and celery. Repeat with the remaining oil and lamb, adding the cooked lamb to the same bowl.
  5. Return the wok to high heat until lightly smoking. Add the chiles and immediately return the cooked lamb and vegetables. Cooking, stirring and tossing occasionally until the lamb develops a medium crust, about 2 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt, add the cilantro, and give it another toss to combine. Transfer to a platter and serve with rice.

Dashi Deviled Eggs

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I didn’t realize I love deviled eggs until I was almost thirty but man, have I made up for lost time. Red pepper and gouda deviled eggs? Check. Spanish deviled eggs? Check. These deviled eggs, adapted from The Wok and made with Japanese instant dashi and topped with ethereal katsuobushi, are my new favorite. J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, you’ve done it again.

Ingredients:

  • 6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
  • 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon instant dashi granules
  • Salt
  • Thinly sliced green onions, to garnish
  • Shichimi togarashi, to garnish
  • Katsuobushi shavings, to garnish
  1. Cut the eggs in half lengthwise. Place the yolks in the bowl of a food processor and set the egg white halves aside on a serving platter. Add the vinegar, mustard, mayonnaise, and instant dashi to the food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt to taste.
  2. Transfer the yolk mixture to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip (or a ziplock bag).
  3. Pipe a small dollop of filling into each egg white, distributing evenly. Top with green onions, shichimi togarashi, katsuobushi, and serve.

Antipasto Salad

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Whatever happened to antipasto salad? (Unfortunately) relegated to the ’90s, I think of it as a chopped salad’s long-lost relative. Italian herbs, cheese, and salami may not have made the the healthiest salad a few decades ago, but this updated version features kale, radicchio, and avocado too for a Californian take on an updated classic. Serve this as a side to pasta, as I do, or eat it as a light meal on its own. Either way, it’s delicious.

Ingredients:

  • 1 small or medium garlic clove
  • 1/3 cup good quality olive oil
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, drained and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 4 ounces deli-sliced salami, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 bunch kale, stems and ribs removed, leaves coarsely chopped (about 2 cups)
  • 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 shallot, thinly sliced
  • Black pepper
  • 1 head radicchio, cored and coarsely chopped
  • 1 avocado, halved, peeled, and cut into 1-inch chunks
  • Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
  1. Mince the garlic on a cutting board, then sprinkle with a pinch of salt and chop and scrape the garlic and salt back and forth with the flat side of a knife until it forms a mostly smooth paste.
  2. Scrape the garlic paste into a large serving bowl and whisk in the olive oil, vinegar, thyme, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Add the mozzarella, salami, kale, chickpeas, and shallot and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine, then gently stir in the radicchio and avocado. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.

Cheddar and Jalapeno Cast Iron Cornbread

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I’m not a baker. Despite my best attempts, I can’t seem to produce consistent results when it comes to anything doughy, with rare exception. Thankfully, this cornbread is one of those rare exceptions. Gone are the days of dry, cardboard-y cornbread. This has a moist crumb, a touch of sweetness, and a hint of heat thanks to the jalapeno.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon butter, plus 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 2 cups flour 
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal 
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups milk
  • 8 ounces aged cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups) 
  • 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels (from 2 ears)
  • 1 small jalapeno, chopped
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  1. Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Heat a 10 or 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium. Add butter, and swirl pan until butter is melted and bottom and sides of skillet are coated. Remove from heat and set aside.
  2. Whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Make a well in center of dry ingredients; add milk, cheddar, corn, melted butter, jalapeno, and eggs. Mix until batter is just combined. (Make sure not to overmix.) Pour batter into prepared skillet, and spread evenly. Bake in preheated oven until cornbread is light brown on top and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes.
  3. Cut cornbread into slices and serve with softened butter, if desired.

Thai-Style Spring Rolls

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No two spring rolls are alike but what sets a good spring roll apart from a great one is that it must taste delicious on its own, even without dipping sauce. These fried spring rolls are spectacular with or without sauce, and good luck eating just one. (I like one or ten of these with sweet chile sauce, for what it’s worth.)

Ingredients:

  • 2 ounces glass noodles
  • 6 dried wood ear mushrooms
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil, plus more for shallow-frying
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon minced cilantro stems
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 4 ounces ground chicken
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 8 ounces mung bean sprouts
  • 20-30 spring roll wrappers
  • 3/4 cup sweet chile sauce, for serving
  1. Soak the glass noodles in a bowl of warm water and soak for about 20 minutes, until pliable. Drain and cut into 4-inch lengths with kitchen scissors. Set aside.
  2. Soak the dried wood ear mushrooms in a bowl of hot water for about 20 minutes. Rinse, drain, and squeeze dry. Slice the mushrooms into 1/4-inch wide strips, discarding any hard, knobby ends. Set aside.
  3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, cilantro stems, and pepper, and fry until fragrant, about 1 minute. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the chicken, mushrooms, fish sauce, and oyster sauce, and saute, breaking up the chicken with a wooden cooking spoon, for about 3 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Add the bean sprouts, glass noodles and water and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute, until the noodles are soft and most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove the pan from heat and allow the filling to cool completely.
  4. To assemble the spring rolls, take 1 spring roll wrapper and lay it on the work surface with one corner pointing toward you. Place 2 tablespoons filling along base of wrapper. Fold bottom over filling, then fold in left and right sides. Tightly roll up to completely enclose filling.
  5. Heat oil (enough to be 1-inch deep) in a 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 and serve with chile sauce.