Oyster Po'Boy

Ingredients:
16 oz raw, shucked oysters
1-2 cups matzo meal
1 cup superfine flour (like Wondra)
1-2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
hot sauce*
2 eggs, beaten

hot sauce romulade
2 pickle spears, diced
1 shallot, minced
1/4 cup mayo
1/2 teaspoon worchesetershire sauce
1/2-1 teaspoon hot sauce*
salt
pepper

4 hoagie rolls
1 tomato, sliced
1 leaves Romaine lettuce

canola oil (for frying)

*I used my favorite classic style red hot sauce

Directions:

Whisk together the sauce ingredients. Set aside. Heat about 1/2 to 1 inch of oil in a large, shallow skillet, enough to cover the oysters. Meanwhile pour the egg, flour and matzo meal into separate shallow bowls. Stir the hot sauce into the eggs. Stir the the spices to the matzo meal. Stir a few drops of hot sauce into the egg. Dredge each oyster in the flour, then in the egg then the matzo meal. Drop the oysters into the hot oil, taking care that they do not overlap or they will stick together. Cook until golden on all sides, about 1-2 minutes. They should float to the top when ready and may not need to be flipped. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Place on a split hoagie roll that has been lined with lettuce and tomato and spread with sauce.

My thoughts:

Is there a better sandwich than the oyster po'boy? I am not sure. I like them with a bit of a pickle-y sauce. This time I added hot sauce to the sauce vs. drizzling it on top and I really liked it because the oysters seemed to stay crisper.

Matzo meal is slightly untradtional but makes for super crispy oysters and is easily found at grocery stores, especially as we move closer to Passover. Cornmeal is pretty good too but depending on the brand, it can taste too corn-y and overwhelm the oysters. Regular bread crumbs would work too.

Ham Salad

Ingredients:
3/4 lb ham, finely chopped
3 tablespoons-1/4 cup chopped jarred cornichons and the onions
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons very grainy mustard
1/8 teaspoon celery seed
1/8 teaspoon allspice
freshly ground pepper

My thoughts:

I brought back a jar of Maille cornichons from the Caribbean (I love buying European goods on the islands, they are so much cheaper than what they are here in the US. Of course, I also brought back a ton of Caribbean and East Indies ingredients as well). I like using them and the little pickled onions that are included in salads when I can. Normally I am more of a dill pickle girl but they go great with salt and savory ingredients like ham.

Honestly, I did not grow up eating ham salad, although I hear it is an East Coast thing. I had it for the first time from a local German deli and I noticed it changed from week to week or at least, visit to visit. It is an awesome way to use up leftover ham and makes a spread that can be dressed up or down as the occasion requires.

Turkey Ruebens

Ingredients:
sliced leftover roasted turkey
4 slices Swiss Cheese
8 slices rye bread
1 cup sauerkraut
butter

Russian dressing:
2 slices dill pickle, minced
1 shallot, minced
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 tablespoon prepared horseradish
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
white pepper


Directions:
Stir together the dressing ingredients. Spread on 4 slices of bread. Top each with a layer of turkey then sauerkraut then Swiss. Top with the remaining slices of bread. Melt the butter in a skillet and cook each side until golden brown, covering briefly if needed to warm the sandwich through. Slice and serve.

My thoughts:

When I had faux Thanksgiving last month, we ended up with a lot turkey leftover. I like the traditional cranberry sauce + turkey sandwich but I wanted to try something different. Since I live in Baltimore, I had plenty of sauerkraut leftover so reubens sprung to mind. I normally don't like them at restaurants because they are invariably made with Thousand Island dressing (both incorrect and yucky) and/or too big and greasy. Making them at home was awesome. The Russian dressing was quick to put together and only involved ingredients I always have on hand. It added a zippy flavor that sort of tied into sauerkraut much better than the cloying, bland bottled dressing you often get in delis.

Quick tip: let the turkey and sauerkraut sit out a few minutes before making the sandwiches. It helps them cook through more quickly.

Grilled Cheesesteak Subs

Ingredients:
16 slices provolone cheese
8-12 very thin steaks*
8 sub rolls
1 large onion, halved and sliced
8 oz sliced crimini mushrooms
1 tablespoon oregano
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Prep grill according to manufactuers' instructions. Lightly oil the grates of your grill and a grilling pan. Arrange the onions and mushrooms on the grilling pan and cook, tossing occasionally, until soft. Towards the end of the cooking time, grill the rolls directly on the rack. Set aside. Push the onions and mushrooms to one side. Sprinkle the meat with salt, pepper and oregano on both sides. Arrange the steaks on the grill.




Cook until very nearly cooked through. Stack 2-3 steaks on the the grilling pan. Top with cheese and allow it to melt. Place on rolls and top with onions and mushrooms.



*1/8-1/4 inch thick. Our local store sells them 3-4 to a tray labeled as "rolling steaks".

My thoughts:

This is a fun and fairly easy recipe to help ease us towards the end of the summer grilling season. The only tricky part is that since the steaks are thin, they can go from delicious to overcooked pretty quickly. The same is true of the rolls so stick by the grill for this one! The whole meal takes on a lovely smokey flavor and who doesn't enjoy a cheesesteak now and again? I know in Philadelphia there is much debate about Cheez Wiz vs real cheese and what toppings are acceptable but at home you can be your own mini food truck and make them as you see fit. I am a fan of the onions, mushrooms and provolone combination and luckily mushrooms and onions grill very nicely. The onions caramelize quickly and with little effort. I do find that slices of steak are much easier to grill at home so resist the urge to do the shredding/chopped style that many cheesesteak shops sell, the meat cooks too quickly and tends to fall into the flames.

Grilled Mexican Hot Dogs

Ingredients:
1 large white onion, sliced
6-8 jalapenos, halved and seeded
4 hot dogs
4 strips thick cut bacon
1/2 avocado, sliced

mayo or salsa (optional)

Directions:
Prepare grill. Lightly oil a grilling pan and arrange the peppers and onions in a single layer. Wrap the hot dogs in bacon. Secure with toothpicks if needed. Place on grill. Grill the hot dogs until the bacon is fully cooked. Grill the onions and peppers until softened flipping occasionally. Place the hot dogs in buns or rolls and top with toppings.

My thoughts:

As soon as I heard about Mexican hot dogs (also called Tijuana hot dogs or Sonoran hot dogs_ I knew I had to make them. I read dozens of menus and reviews of hot dog joints online and anything else I could find out about these dogs. The base is always a hot dog wrapped in bacon and the toppings can vary (no ketchup, please!) from avocado to spicy mayo to guacamole to pickles to cheese to raw onions to pineapple salsas to pickled pepper and are served either on a hot dog bun or a bolillo.


The ones that appealed me the the most were the spicier versions. I thought the spice of the peppers would help cut the heaviness of the bacon wrapped hot dog. Since I love the smoky flavor that grilling gives jalapenos, I decided to grill the peppers along side the dogs. I grilled the onion too which not only made it easier to keep on the bun than raw but it added a sweet-smoky flavor that went so well with the bacon. YUM!

Spicy Mango-Pineapple Hot Dogs

Ingredients:
8 hot dogs
8 buns

for the mango-pineapple salsa:
1 mango, cubed
1 cup cubed pineapple
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons minced jalapeno
juice of 1/2 lime

for the jalapeno sauce:
5 jalapenos, seeded
3 tablespoons white vinegar
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 shallot
juice of 1/2 lime
salt
freshly ground black pepper


Directions:
Place all of the sauce ingredients in a blender (I used my Vita-Mix) and pulse until very smooth. Set aside. In a medium bowl, stir together the salsa ingredients. Set aside. Broil or grill the hot dogs. Place in buns, top with the fruit salsa and drizzle with sauce.

My thoughts:

I am obsessed with reading about regional hot dog varieties. It is amazing that so many cities all over the world do so many different things to hot dogs! I've never been to Hawaii but I am already making a list of Hawaiian hot dog joints to visit when I finally get there. A common theme on the menu are fruit topped hot dogs which intrigued me. I figure if I can't go to Hawaii, at least I can have a fun hot dog. And really, these are some of the tastiest dogs around!

Rachel's Famous Chili Dogs

Ingredients:
1 lb 94% lean ground beef
15 oz tomato sauce*
15 oz canned dark red kidney beans, drained
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon hot paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon cumin
hot sauce
salt
pepper

to serve:
8 hot dog buns
8 hot dogs
chopped onion (optional)
shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
mustard (optional)

Directions:
Slow cooker instructions:
Brown the beef in a nonstick skillet, breaking it up into fine bits. Drain off any excess fat. Add the beef and the remaining ingredients to a 2 or 4 quart slow cooker. Stir. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. If it is too wet, remove the lid and cook on high for 30 minutes.

Stove top instructions:
Brown the beef in a nonstick skillet, breaking it up into fine chunks. Drain off any excess fat. Add the remaining ingredients. Stir occasionally until most of the liquid has evaporated and everything is cooked through.

Cook the hot dogs according to your preference. Nestle into buns and top with chili and other desired toppings.


*Not chunky pasta sauce. Look for it in the canned tomato aisle.

My thoughts:

Every once in a while I am hit with an overwhelming urge for a chili dog. Unfortunately Baltimore has a severe lack of quality hot dog houses. There are some truly delicious yet deadly dogs from Ann's Dari-Creme out on Ritchie Hwy but that is quite a hike. There are a few in the city but none that I can say that I love. When I was a child, we'd make chili dogs with chili from the soup counter at the grocery store. I have to say, homemade chili is much better. And after developing an entire chapter of chili for my slow cooker cookbook, I am the self proclaimed slow cooker chili queen. I wish I had thought to put a recipe in for chili for hot dogs in the book (although it is a healthy slow cooker cookbook)but I didn't so the book's loss is your (free recipe) gain. Slow cooking the chili means that all you have to do to have from scratch chili dogs is to pop some stuff in the slow cooker in the morning, go about your day, come home, broil or grill some dogs for 10 minutes and you are ready to go.

There is a lot of contention on what makes the best chili for hot dogs (everything from a bean only mixture to the various versions of a "Coney" to a thin sauce) but this is what I like the most on my dogs. Not too spicy or chunky and with kidney beans. I think it is best made in the slow cooker where the flavors develop throughout the day but the stove top version is tasty too.

The leftover chili is great on baked potatoes.

Drunken Noodles

Ingredients:

10 oz dried wide flat rice noodles
10 oz gai lan
10 oz shrimp
6 cloves garlic, minced
3-5 Thai bird peppers, minced
3/4 cup torn holy or Thai basil leaves

for the sauce:
3 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons black soy sauce
3 tablespoons golden mountain sauce or dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon palm sugar


Directions:
Prep the dry noodles according to package instructions. Set aside. Whisk together sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside. Heat a small amount of oil in a wok. Stir fry the garlic and chiles until fragrant. Add the shrimp, gai lan and sauce and stir fry, until it is nearly fully cooked. Add the noodles. Stir fry until the shrimp is fully cooked then stir in the basil. Serve immediately.

My thoughts:

Drunken noodles are a Thai restuarant staple. The origins of the name is somewhat cloaked in mystery but the most popular seems to be that these noodles are so spicy that you'll want to drink a lot. I've also heard that they are a good dish after you've had too much to drink. Frankly, I don't think you need an excuse to eat these noodles. My favorite version, which I reproduced here, has gai lan (Chinese broccoli) in it to make it more of a full meal; some versions are basically just sauce, protein and noodles. The trick to drunken noodles is using the correct sauce and if you can find it, holy basil or at least Thai basil. You can swap out the shrimp with an equal amount of chicken, pork or tofu. Ground meats work well too.

Steamburgers

Ingredients:
1 lb very lean ground beef
2 cups beef stock
1 onion, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 teaspoon paprika
salt
pepper

to serve:
mustard
minced onion
soft rolls

Directions:
Heat oil in a large, shallow skillet. Saute the onion and shallot until just beginning to soften. Add the beef until the fat starts to render, breaking the meat into small bits. Drain off the fat. Add the Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, paprika and stock. Simmer until the stock has totally evaporated. Serve sprinkled with onion on buns with a smear of mustard.

My thoughts:

Steamburgers are the signature dish at Stewart's Root Beer out on Pulaski Highway just outside of Baltimore. My grandpop used to tell me about getting them long before I or even my mother was born. If that doesn't make a family tradition what does? They are basically a loose meat sandwich, sort of like a sloppy joe but without the sauce. Served on a soft bun with onions and a smear of mustard or with cheese melted on, they are a bit of retro heaven. I've heard of similar sandwiches sold in other parts of the country but I've never encountered them outside of Stewart's which not only has been serving steamburgers since 1945 but draft root beers, regular burgers, chili dogs, fries and summery side dishes like coleslaw and potato salad. Stewart's is only open 6 months of the year (the warmer months) so I've long wanted to develop a recipe so I can eat a steamburger whenever the mood strikes. It took some experimenting but I think I've come as very close to the taste of the original as I could but like many homemade versions of fast food is a lot less greasy. (Sorry, Stewarts!) It is very meaty and juicy but fresh tasting. If you are still not convinced, steamburgers taste very much like a traditional hamburger but in a more rustic, crumbly form.

Sesame Shrimp Toast

Ingredients:
10 slices white thinly sliced sandwich bread
5 oz drained canned water chestnuts
3/4 lb peeled, raw shrimp
1 egg white
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons shaoxing
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger OR minced fresh ginger
1 green onion, minced
sesame seeds
white pepper
salt

canola oil

Directions:
Cut the bottom crust off the bread. Place the water chestnuts in a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the spices, shrimp, sesame oil and egg white. Pulse until it forms a chunky paste. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in green onion. Spread each piece of bread with the shrimp mixture. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Cut into 2 or 4 triangles or leave whole.

Heat 1/4 inch oil in a skillet or wok to to 350. Fry the triangles shrimp side down until pink and golden, about 1-2 minutes. Flip and fry the other side until golden, 1-2 minutes. Drain on paper towel lined plates. Eat immediately or keep warm for up to 30 minutes in an unpreheated 200 oven.

My thoughts:

When I was child, we would only on the rarest of occasions get takeout of any kind and Chinese was always my favorite. The place closest to us was one that my mom had been going to since she was a teenager and had good entrees but great egg rolls and shrimp toast. The shrimp toast was a whole smallish slice of bread with minced shrimp spread on top and then deep fried. It was seldom greasy and as an occasional treat, quite exciting. I live too far from that place to get takeout from there now so whenever I feel nostalgic, I try an order from whatever joint we're trying out at the time (if only we could find a place we like with consistent food!). There is one place fairly close by that makes a good, chunky shrimp toast cut into small triangles and dotted with sesame seeds. I hadn't had it with sesame seeds before but quick googling told me that this is apparently a common way to make it in UK. For all I know, it is common in the US as well, but I've only encountered it at this one place. Anyway, as I am wont to do, I got to thinking about making shrimp toast at home so the next time we got takeout, I got an order to see if I could figure out what went into it. While I really hate the texture of water chestnuts, the slight crunch I'd encounter in an occasional bite made them think they might be present as, perhaps unsung, secret ingredient in shrimp toast. I thought I detected some shaoxing and ginger but beyond that, I was uncertain.

I still wasn't sure how the mixture stayed together but when I saw shrimp for a great price, I bought some, picked up some water chestnuts and thought I would just wing it. As it turns out, all you really need are some shrimp, water chestnuts, a bit of flavoring (shaoxing, a touch of ginger), a quick pulse in the food processor and you have a shrimp paste that is thick and sturdy enough that it would stick to the bread and not flake off into the oil when it was fried. I had thought I'd have to add something to make it all stick together but apparently not. I was glad I didn't have to add more egg or cornstarch than I did, I didn't want it to taste eggy or powdery. Since I was making it at home, there was no need to deep fry, a shallow pan of oil is well enough. I made a couple whole slices, a couple cut into 2 triangles and some in 4 triangles and like the 2 triangles the best. A satisfying amount and a good ration of insides to crispy edges. I added the sesame seeds mostly so it was more interesting looking than a flat, brown triangle but it did add a pleasant note of sesame I think went well with the other flavors. So, impress your friends and make shrimp toast at home. It is surprisingly easy and delicious.


Note: Leftovers are best stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator. The next day they reheat pretty well on a paper towel lined baking sheet @ 350 for about 8 minutes.

Also, if you happen to have some shrimp paste leftover (you shouldn't but bread slice sizes vary) I bet it would make a great dumpling filling. Presuming you have or want to make dumpling wrappers.

Barbecue Chicken Pizza

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken cut into bite sized pieces
pizza dough (with or without the garlic/pepper)
1 red onion, thinly sliced
8 oz smoked Gouda, shredded
3 oz mozzarella, shredded


for the barbecue sauce:
1 large shallot
12 ounces tomato paste
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons mustard powder
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground chipotle
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon hickory liquid smoke
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
salt

Directions:
For the barbecue sauce: Pulse all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into a small saucepan and simmer on the lowest setting until heated through. Allow to cool.

For the pizza: Place the chicken in a resealable bag with about 1/4 cup of the sauce. Refrigerate for 15-30 minutes. Heat oil in a skillet. Saute the chicken until just cooked through. Mix the two cheeses together in a small bowl. Spread about 1/4 cup of sauce on each pizza. Top with the cheeses then onion and chicken. Follow the pizza directions for baking. Sprinkle with cilantro prior to serving if desired.


Yield: 2 pizzas

My thoughts:

When I was in college I loved this barbecue chicken pita this one locally owned restaurant served. It had a not too sweet sauce, red onions, Gouda and a sprinkle of cilantro in a homemade pita. I must have eaten that at least once a month (and often more) for a year or two. The place also sold a lot unusual pizzas (and oddly, Egyptian food) and had a similar pizza version on the menu but I didn't like it as much as the sandwich. I think their ratios were slightly off. I stopped ordering the sandwich after a there was some staff turnover and it just wasn't as good any more. But I've sort of missed it. I was going to try and recreate the sandwich (but better!) but I thought I'd try to make the pizza instead. That really stuck out as something I thought would be amazing but was kind of sub-par. I knew I could do a better job! I started with homemade barbecue sauce that was slightly thicker than what I might want to use on say, ribs, as both a sauce and marinade for the chicken. I also used smoked Gouda instead of regular for extra depth of flavor. Gouda isn't the meltyest cheese so I mixed with with a bit of mozzarella to ensure maximum pizza coverage. The perfect barbecue chicken pizza.

Lobster Roll

Ingredients:
2 lobsters' worth of meat (3 cups, chopped)
1 stalk celery, diced
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tablespoon tarragon vinegar
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
salt
pepper

butter
New England style rolls (split top)

Direction:
Toss the celery and lobster, together in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk mayo, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pour over the lobster and celery and stir until the lobster is lightly coated. Refrigerate 20-30 minutes. Melt a bit of butter in a skillet and lightly toast the rolls on either side. Generously fill with lobster.

Yield: 6 lobster rolls

My thoughts:

Unfortunately our trips this year do not include a visit to the lobster roll epicenter, Maine. But that doesn't mean I can't enjoy a lobster roll. We bought a couple of lobsters (and since the store offered, let them steam them since we knew we'd be eating them cold anyway) and I tried to get as much meat out of them as possible, my years of crab practice really paid off. Lobsters are so much easier! I was sort of tempted to buy the (cheaper) lobster tail but I am glad I went for the whole lobster, the meat was juicy and claw meat was super sweet. A welcome addition to the mix. The trick to the lobster roll is not overwhelming the lobster. I wanted to add some zip so I decided on using the subtle tarragon vinegar and a splash of lemon juice to thin out the mayo without being overpowering. I was excited to find the "New England style rolls" at Wegmans last week, while technically you could use hot dog rolls, these rolls were perfect. The sides toasted up wonderfully and they weren't as deeply split as hot dog rolls are so they really support the lobster. I hate when you bite into a sandwich and the filling falls out. Not a problem with these lobster rolls. They are crisp and slightly buttery and warm and super lobster-y. The perfect sandwich to ease you into spring.



Note: Since lobsters are pretty pricey I decided to stretch them even further by making lobster stock. I added the shells, any juices I could save, a sliced lemon, 2 onions (cut up), 3 carrots, a bunch of limp celery, parsley stems and a couple of shallots (cut up) to a big (lobster) pot of water and cooked it until a bunch evaporated. Then I divided up in 2 and 4 cup portions and froze it for future use. It will be great in risotto or any sort of seafood dish.

Stromboli with Capicola, Soppressata, Proscuitto & Salami

Ingredients:

raw, ready to use pizza dough
12 oz (canned or jarred but not marinated) artichoke hearts, sliced thinly
2 oz olive spread*
2 oz grated Parmesan
1/4 lb shredded mozzarella
1/4 lb lean capicola
1/4 lb soppressata
1/4 lb Genoa salami
1/4 lb prosciutto
1/4 lb provolone


1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water
ice cubes

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. In a small bowl, beat together the egg yolk and water. Set aside. Divide the dough in two equal halves. On a clean, floured surface roll one out to 1/4 inch thick rectangle. Place the long side in front of you. Spread a thin layer of olive spread, leaving a 1/2 inch margin. Top with a single layer of artichoke. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Top with a layer of capicola, then soppressata, Genoa salami, and prosciutto and finally provolone taking care not to infringe on that 1/2 inch margin. Roll in to a tight spiral, rolling away from you. Pinch edges close. Brush with the egg wash. Slash the top. Bake, seam side down, on a parchment paper lined pizza stone or baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining ingredients*. Toss some ice cubes into the bottom of the oven. Bake until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes then cool on a wire rack until just barely warm, about 10-15 minutes. Slice.

Note: Store leftovers wrapped in waxed paper and then again in foil. Serve leftovers warmed or at room temperature.

*A mixture of various green minced olives and olive oil. Look for it at Italian groceries.

**Depending on the thickness of the slices, you might end up with some meats and cheese leftover.

My thoughts:

Stomboli is an Italian-American creation with hotly debated origins. My favorite origin story is on the Ramono's website so I am going with them. They are pretty hardcore as to what constitutes a stromboli (it is NOT "flopped over" pizza!) but they do call for American cheese which I cannot condone under any circumstances. For my version I used my favorite pizza dough recipe (you could use an Italian bread dough but elastic pizza dough is easier to roll) and some lovely Italian meats from our local Italian deli. Granted, the meats and cheese were slightly pricey but the flavor was amazing and two strombolis were more than enough for 2 meals for 2 people. I haven't really had much in the way of stromboli actually, they are not a popular Baltimore menu item but the idea of a stuffed, rolled sandwich with all of my favorite meats sounded wonderful. I enjoyed it both warm from the oven and then at room temperature the next day. It was a great alternative to a regular sandwich, which truth be told I am not terribly fond of, but really not much work at all.

Chicken & Broccoli

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into bite sized pieces
3 cups broccoli florets
8 oz button mushrooms, thinly sliced
canola oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 teaspoon water
cooked rice to serve (I made ours in my rice cooker and added a drop of sesame oil, some sesame seeds and chives prior to cooking)

for the marinade:
1 tablespoon shaoxing
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 clove garlic, minced

for the sauce:
1/4 cup chicken stock
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon shaoxing
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon hoisin


Directions:
Place the chicken and marinade ingredients in a resealable bag. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together the sauce ingredients. Set aside. Steam the broccoli until just crisp. Heat some oil in a wok. Add the chicken and cook until nearly cooked through. Add the sauce, mushrooms and broccoli. Bring to a boil. Stir in the cornstarch and cook until it thickens, just a minute or two. Serve over rice.

My thoughts:

While chicken & broccoli is a pretty popular Chinese takeout choice, I really wasn't too interested in (it seemed too plain) but once a friend ordered it and had them add mushrooms that I tried it and got slightly hooked. I haven't had it in years but when I found myself in possession of chicken, broccoli and a bunch of button mushrooms on the verge of spoiling I thought I'd try my hand at making it myself. It was super easy and so much lighter and fresher tasting than I remember. I personally like it a lot more with the mushrooms than without but the mycophobic could leave them out and it would be just fine. You could also sub in an equal amount of firm or fried tofu, beef or pork for the chicken.

Carolina Shrimp Burgers

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb peeled steamed shrimp, chopped
1 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs (I used some slightly stale artisan white)
1/4 cup diced green onion
1/4 cup diced celery
3 tablespoons minced Italian parsley
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon malt vinegar
2 eggs, beaten
zest of one lemon

canola oil

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a large bowl. Stir to evenly combine. Form into six flat patties. Refrigerate (line a plate with waxed paper to prevent sticking) for about 30 minutes or until ready to use, up to one day. Heat a tablespoon or so of oil in a large skillet. Cook the burgers for about 3 minutes on each side (flip carefully, burgers made with cooked shrimp are somewhat fragile) or until golden. Serve on soft buns with tarter sauce (and tomato & lettuce if tomatoes are in season).

My thoughts:

Maryland is all about the crab cake so when I heard people mentioning how much they were looking forward to having shrimp burgers this summer, I wasn't familiar but I was intrigued. Apparently they are the crab cakes (or lobster roll) of the coastal area of the Carolinas. That's all I needed to hear! We're already planning two trips this year but neither is down South so I figured I'd better make my own. I am not sure these are 100% authentic-I've heard the way they are served varies wildly depending on the restaurant-but they are 100% delicious. They have a bright, fresh shrimp flavor that is accented, not overpowered by the ingredients. They are a bit rustic so don't be surprised if they crumble a bit once you put them in the bun and bite down. A great, easy alternative to the typical burger.



Quick note:
Try and use fresh (never frozen) shrimp, they are a bit moister and will stick together easier than the drier frozen shrimp do. If using previously frozen, you might need at add more mayo. Of course, if your fresh shrimp is very moist, you might need more bread crumbs. The idea is to bind the burger just enough so it doesn't fall apart in the pan.

Pork & Shrimp Eggrolls

Ingredients:
4 cups shredded napa cabbage
2/3 cup diced char siu
1/2 cup diced, peeled & cooked shrimp (or 1/2 cup cooked tiny "salad" shrimp)
6 (fresh) shiitake mushrooms, minced
1 carrot, julienned
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger or ginger juice

for the sauce:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon black vinegar
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1/2 tablespoon water



1 lb package refrigerated or defrosted frozen egg roll wrappers*
1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water

Directions:
Whisk together the sauce ingredients. Heat in a small pan, whisking until the cornstarch has dissolved. Set aside. Quickly saute the vegetables, ginger, garlic, shrimp and pork until the cabbage is just starting to wilt. Remove from heat. Add sauces and toss to evenly distribute. Allow to cool slightly. Heat canola oil to 350. Place a small amount of filling (about 1/4 cup) in the center of the egg roll in sort of a log shape on each wrapper. Place the wrapper so it like a diamond in front of you then fold each side towards the middle and roll towards the top. Seal each seam with the egg wash. Paint the seams again with egg wash. If you find that your egg rolls leak, try using less filling, the size of egg roll wrappers vary slightly by brand. Fry until golden, flipping occasionally, drain on paper towel lined plates.

Yield: about 10 egg rolls

*Not spring roll wrappers, not lumpia wrappers or rice paper wrappers. Look for them in the refrigerated section (normally near tofu or fresh noodles) or in the freezer section of a well stocked supermarket or Asian market. Try to find an Asian brand for best results.

My thoughts:

One of my favorite food related books is about Chinese food and more specifically, American Chinese food. It is a great look into the difference between traditional Chinese food and the evolution of Chinese food in the country. It doesn't have any recipes but every time I pick it up, I am once again inspired to make some homemade versions of takeout. I mean, I love takeout Chinese food but we just don't have a consistently good place to get it. One place will have good won ton soup but the dumplings are bad. Another place has great appetizers and soups but their entrees are uniformly greasy. It has become easier just to make my favorites at home.

A good egg roll is a thing of beauty. A bad egg roll is a soggy, oily, bland mess. Luckily it isn't terribly difficult to make egg rolls at home. Even the frying adverse can handle it, they float and do not need to be deep fried. Plus you get to put whatever you want in it! I like shrimp and pork and lots of cabbage in mine and of course, I prefer the slightly chewy skin of an egg roll verses the splintery crisper wrapper of the spring rolls some restaurants try to pass off as egg rolls. They really aren't difficult to make at all, it just involves a lot of chopping. I actually like make them the same day I make lo mein because they use a lot of the same ingredients which makes the prep for both go easier. These egg rolls have a lot of flavor from the various flavors and well, people are always impressed when you make something as ubiquitous in the takeout world as egg rolls at home. The fact that they are more flavorful and fresher tasting than their carry out compatriots is almost icing on the cake.

Now, I hear egg rolls freeze well and I froze one to give to friend to test this theory out but even living in a two person household we can easily blow through the whole batch in a couple of days. If you do want to freeze them, place them (fully cooked)in a air tight container in the freezer. Then when ready to eat place them (frozen) in the oven on a paper towel lined pan at 325 until heated through.

Pork Lo Mein

Ingredients:
1 lb char siu, cut into 1/4 inch thick, 2 inch long slices*
2 carrots, julienned
2 stalks celery greens included, diagonally sliced to 1/4 inch pieces
2 cups shredded napa cabbage
4 oz sliced bamboo shoots
10 (fresh) shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 small shallot, sliced
1 bunch green onion, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch knob ginger, minced
2 tablespoons canola oil

for the omelet:
2 eggs
1 bunch green onion, sliced
drizzle sesame oil

for the sauce:
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon shaoxing

to serve:
1 lb (fresh if possible) lo mein noodles
1 small bunch green onion, chopped (for garnish)

Directions:
Cook noodles according to package directions. In a small bowl, mix together all of the sauce ingredients, set aside. In another small bowl, mix together all of the omelet ingredients. Pour into a small hot nonstick skillet or crepe pan. Allow to cook through in a single layer to form a sort of egg pancake. Remove to a plate and slice. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the pork, ginger and garlic and stir-fry until the pork is just about heated through then push meat to the side and add all of the vegetables and the omelet. Stir-fry until the pork and vegetables are warmed through. Add the sauce and cook 1 minute. Toss with the noodles, garnish with green onion. Serve hot.

*We followed this recipe with the addition of a bit of red fermented bean curd mashed into the marinade. To make dinner a little quicker, we marinated the pork overnight on a Thursday, roasted it on Friday then refrigerated it overnight and used it to make lo mein on Saturday. This made the meal come together very quickly, there was no "downtime" on Saturday while the pork was roasting. The pork does not have to be hot when you add it to the wok.

My thoughts:

I don't think I have ever been in a American Chinese takeout joint where at least one customer wasn't eating or ordering lo mein. And why wouldn't they? You can't get more comforting or familiar than a heaping mound of noodles, vegetables and meat. Unfortunately, the lo mein found in most restaurants is a either a. very salty, b. very greasy, c. lacking many vegetables or d. all of the above. Luckily, lo mein is one of the easiest things to make at home. The most difficult thing to part is finding the fresh lo mein noodles but just about any Asian (we have the most luck at the Chinese and Korean stores) grocery or even a very well stocked "regular" supermarket will have them in the refrigerated section. Dried lo mein noodles are an acceptable substitution but the texture won't be quite the same and frankly, I don't find them any easier to find than the fresh variety. Anyway, making lo mein at home is a revelation if you've only had the takeout variety, it is fresh tasting and while the sauce tastes pretty much the same, it is grease-free.

Rachel's French Onion Soup

Ingredients:
4 lbs yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
2 quarts beef stock
1/3 cup vermouth
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
6 sprigs thyme (tied together)
2 bay leaves

to serve:
bread rounds (day old slices of a baguette or artisan white does well)
shredded Gruy�re (I used cave aged Gruy�re)

Directions:
Heat the olive oil and butter in large skillet or saucepan. Add the onions. It is okay if they are mounded high in the pan, they will cook down quickly. Cover and cook the onions until just beginning to soften, stirring occasionally so they cook evenly. Stir in the balsamic and remove the lid. Cook until the onions are caramelized, stirring very occasionally, about 40 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the vermouth. Add the stock, salt, pepper, bay leaves and thyme. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and thyme. Bake the bread and cheese on a baking sheet for 5 minutes at 350 and transfer them to the top of the soup. Alternatively, divide the soup among oven safe bowls. Top with a slice or two of bread and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 10 minutes at 350. If you have broiler safe bowls and a roomy broiler, top with bread and cheese and broil until the cheese melts.


Note: I wanted to speed up the dinner process so I caramelized the onions and deglazed the pan in the morning and then refrigerated them until I was ready to make dinner. You could do this the night before if desired. Follow the rest of the directions as written about.

My thoughts:

I don't see French onion soup on menus very often anymore (too '60s?) which is shame because it is one of the few soups that can pull off being elegant and rustic at the same time. Luckily, it is easy to make at home. It is slightly time consuming, there is nothing difficult about the recipe. Caramelizing onions is a hands off activity for the most part and you barely need to stir the soup as it cooks. There are a lot of variations in recipes for the soup: everything from using sweet onions (not needed, yellow onions a quite sweet once caramelized, no need to make candy) to including apple cider (ew!) and a lot of different cheeses. I created this recipe to make my own ultimate French onion soup, one that is very flavorful but not too rich. I dispense with the sugar many recipes call for and use balsamic vinegar to help along the caramelization process while adding to the depth of flavor. I am also fond of floating a slice of bread on the top of the soup rather than broiling the whole thing. Same flavor, maybe slightly less cheese and no need to buy broiler safe bowls.

Moo Shu Duck

Ingredients:

for the duck:
1 6 lb duck
zest of one lemon
2 tablespoons five spice powder
1 1/2 tablespoons ginger powder
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

for the filling:
1/3 cup dried tiger lily buds
6 dried cloud ear mushrooms
5 dried black or shiitake mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
1 bunch green onions, cut into 1 inch chunks
4 cups shredded napa cabbage
1/2 cup chicken or duck stock
2 tablespoons shaoxing wine
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with an equal amount of water
1 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

for the omelet:
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 cup diced green onion

for the pancakes:
2 cups flour
3/4 cup boiling water
sesame oil


Directions:
Preheat oven to 325. In a small bowl, whisk together the zest, ginger, sugar, salt, pepper and five spice powder. Rub the dry rub into the skin of the duck. Place the duck on a roasting rack on a roasting pan and roast for 2 hours or until cooked though*. Allow to cool slightly then shred the meat and set aside.

Add the flour and boiling water to a boil. Whisk together. Flour a clean, flat surface. Knead the dough until smooth, 3-5 minutes. Cover in plastic wrap and let sit for 30-40 minutes. Roll the dough into a tube about 1 1/2 inches thick. Cut into 16 equal pieces. Use the palm of your hand to flatten each one slightly. Brush the top of half the rounds with sesame oil. Top with a second pancake. Roll them together until they are 5-6 inches wide. Stack, covered with a damped cloth until ready to heat. Heat a nonstick pan and cook each pair for about 2 minutes on each side. Separate them into individual pancakes. Wrap the stack in foil until ready to serve. If needed, steam in a bamboo steamer or microwave them for a few seconds to reheat.


Meanwhile, rehydrate the mushrooms and lily buds in hot water. Cut off any hard bits on the lily buds and tie them in a knot. Thinly slice the mushrooms. Set aside. Whisk the omelet ingredients together. Cook the eggs in a flat layer in a nonstick skillet or work. Slice into strips. Set aside. Heat the oil in a wok. Add the vegetables, lily buds, mushrooms and broth. Stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil and shaoxing. Stir fry for 1 minute then add the cornstarch mixture. Cook until the mixture boils. Add the egg and duck. Stir fry for 2 minutes. Serve in pancakes with hoisin sauce.



*If you would like to reserve the duck fat for another recipe, drain it off the bottom of pan every 1/2 hour to 45 minutes and pour into a heat safe container. Duck fat is amazingly tasty to cook with.

My thoughts:

This is a bit of a time consuming recipe, I admit, but it is worth it. The pancakes are super simple to make (who knew?) and the duck is so flavorful that when you sit down to eat, you won't remember that it took the better part of an evening. If you are a planner, make the duck ahead of time and just toss it in with everything else when you actually want to eat. Normally moo shu is made with pork (or occasionally chicken) but we found a duck for a good price and thought it would make an excellent variation. We were right, the meat is succulent and adds a richness to the mixture that is similar to what you would get from pork but slightly more complex. Not to slight pork, you know how deep my love for pork runs, but it is a wonderful, delicious change. Some of the ingredients are a bit exotic but any Chinese (or even Korean in our experience) store will have them and since they are dried they keep for ages, possibly even years. I really would try to find them all, they add the perfect textures and flavors to the dish and are sorely missed if absent.

Leftovers hold up surprisingly well. Just refrigerate the pancakes and filling (separately)in air tight containers and reheat them over low heat the next day. What a treat it is to have homemade moo shu pancakes for lunch!

Pad See Ew

Ingredients:
3/4 lb thin cut boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into bit sized pieces
8-10 oz dried or fresh wide flat rice noodles
1 bunch gai lan (Chinese broccoli), sliced diagonally
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons black soy sauce
1 tablespoon mushroom flavored soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 egg, beaten

marinade
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons black soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 Thai bird pepper, minced
1/2 teaspoon palm sugar
salt
white pepper

Directions:
Place the chicken and marinade in a resealable bag. Marinate 30 minutes. Prep the dry noodles according to package instructions. Set aside. Whisk together the sauces. Set aside. Cook the egg in a single layer in a nonstick skillet. Break into strips. Set aside. Heat a small amount of oil in a wok. Stir fry the gai lan until fragrant until bright green. Remove to a bowl. Add the garlic and stir fry until fragrant. Add the chicken (discard the marinade)and stir fry until almost cooked through and slightly charred on both sides. Add the fresh or prepped dried noodles and half of the sauce. Stir fry 1 minute, the noodles should char slightly around the edges. Add the egg and gai lan. Stir fry and toss with remaining sauce. Serve immediately.

My thoughts:

Pad see ew is a staple at many Thai restaurants. It has a balance of sweet-savory that is really appealing even if you are, like me, a spicy food lover. I had a lot of fun developing a recipe that mirrors what I've had at my favorite restuarant. Cooking each bit individually is key to this recipe's success. Marinating the chicken infuses it with flavor and helps the chicken stay juicy. Take care not to let too much of the actual marinade into the wok or the final dish will be too saucy. The bit of sugar in the marinade helps achieve the "wok char" on the noodles and chicken that adds a smoky flavor and complexity to the dish. It tasted fresher and better than what I've had out and I made it in less time than it takes to get to the restuarant and park.


Note: The really wide fresh (or dried) rice noodles needed for this dish can be difficult to find. Substitute the widest noodles available.