Archive for the 'Side' Category

Tuna Poke (pronounced poke-ay)

Published
by
marc
on April 27, 2008
in Appetizer, Asian, Japanese, Salad, Seafood and Side
. 15 Comments

So here’s a recipe that draws its heritage from the the tropical islands of Hawaii. It’s been decades since my last visit and I wasn’t even introduced to Hawaiian cuisine till I lived in San Jose, but I’ve become quite a fan of the regional food that quite possibly started the “asian fusion” movement.

For those of you that are from other parts of the world, Hawaii is a blend of people from just about everywhere, including such disparate groups as the Native Americans, Japanese, Germans, and the native Hawaiian population. It then stands to reason that the food reflects a melding of the different ancestries combined with the abundant bounties of the rain forests and surrounding sea.

This dish is my take on on this island classic, combining the asian flavors with some local springtime ramps. The sweet soy sauce, nutty sesame oil and sweet garlicy ramps work harmoniously with the satiny tuna to create something refreshing, exotic and comforting all at the same time.

Best of all, there’s not much work involved beyond a bit of chopping and stirring, perfect for a hot summer’s day. Because shape doesn’t really matter I usually go for the cheaper “kiriotoshi” cuts of the tuna, These are the bits that get cut off when the store shapes the tuna into perfect blocks to sell as sashimi.

Continue for full recipe

Similar posts

Ratatouille

Published
by
marc
on March 25, 2008
in Dinner, Side and Vegetable
. 0 Comments

Ratatouille

I know I’m about a year late to the party, but I have a new found love for this dish after seeing the movie. I even serve this with my bright and sunny lemon linguine.

Movie references aside, this is a relatively simple dish that does a great job showcasing the flavors of the fresh vegetables. When tomatoes aren’t in season I like using cherry tomatoes as they are pretty sweet no matter what time of year. In a pinch a can of good stewed tomatoes (like Pomi) will do just fine.

Just make sure the squash and eggplant are fresh as both tend to get bitter when they’ve been sitting around for a while. I’ve also been thinking this should work with winter squashes like butternut and acorn.

Traditionally this dish is supposed to be a stew, but I’ve come somewhere between the original and Thomas Keller’s Confit Byaldi with my own interpretation. Basically I put tomato confit between layers of veggies and throw it in the oven.

1 Tbs + 1 tsp olive oil
1 large spring onion sliced thin
3 cloves garlic crushed
1 Tbs tomato paste
3-4 ripe tomatoes peeled, seeded & chopped (or 1 pint of cherry tomatoes sliced in half)
kosher salt & pepper to taste

1 tsp kosher salt
2 Japanese or 1 Italian eggplant sliced thin (1/8″)
1 medium zucchini’s sliced thin (1/8″)
1 medium yellow squash sliced thin (1/8″)
leaves from a couple sprigs of thyme
freshly ground black pepper
olive oil

Sprinkle the sliced eggplant with 1 tsp of salt and toss to coat. Let stand for about 20 minutes to release some of the water in the eggplant.

Saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil until the onions are nice and caramelized. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and cook until the tomatoes are soft.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Stack a few pieces of eggplant on paper towels and squeeze out excess water. Repeat with the rest of the eggplant.

Toss the eggplant, squash, thyme and pepper with enough olive oil to lightly coat each slice (should be shiny but not greasy).

Layering veggies for ratatouilleIn a baking dish (about 8″ x 8″) put down an even layer of sliced vegetables then cover with tomato confit. Repeat twice more, ending with the tomato confit.

Cover with parchment paper and bake for about 45 minutes or until the vegetables are soft but not mushy.

Similar posts

Bright and sunny lemon linguine

Published
by
marc
on March 25, 2008
in Pasta and Side
. 0 Comments

Bright and sunny lemon linguine

This simple dish was inspired by Mario Batali’s Bavette Cacio & Pepe. The list of ingredients may make it sound like a boring side, but try a bite and you’ll want to turn it into a meal.

I go for a slightly healthier take on Batali’s dish replacing some butter for olive oil and adding some lemon zest for a little bit of sunshine.

This goes nicely with some Ratatouille.

8 oz linguine
1 Tbs olive oil
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 C freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 Tbs unsalted butter (optional)

Boil the linguine according to package directions and drain well.

Toss with the rest of the ingredients and serve immediately

Similar posts

Tofu with crab sauce (Kani ankake doufu)

Published
by
marc
on March 20, 2008
in Japanese, Seafood, Side and Tofu
. 0 Comments

Tofu with crab sauce (Kani ankake doufu)

Of all places, the inspiration for this dish came 30,000 feet above the Midwest. What does tofu and crab have to do with flying over the Midwest?

I was flying back to New York from San Francisco on a Virgin America flight which has an awesome in-flight entertainment system with video-on-demand in the seat back screens. Flipping through the many options, I noticed they had some Japanese programing. One of the shows (something between a celebrity quiz show and a Discovery channel topical documentary), was featuring crab going into great scientific detail about the best ways to prepare, frozen, fresh, and canned crab.

While the program didn’t say how to actually make any of the dishes, this one seemed simple enough to reproduce at home. Simmered silken tofu takes on the texture of a luscious egg custard, and the lightly thickened sauce adds briny flavor without overpowering the delicate tofu.

Canned crab meatI usually get little cans of crab meat at the Japanese grocery store, but you might be able to find something similar at regular grocery stores. Otherwise I’m sure fresh crab meat would work just as well.

water to simmer tofu
7 oz tofu cut into 2 pieces

1/2 C dashi (or some kind of stock)
1 tsp corn starch
1/4 C canned crab with juice, crumbled
Salt to taste

Shredded ginger for garnish

Put enough water in a large put to submerge the tofu. Bring to light simmer over low heat.

In a small saucepan, combine the dashi, corn starch, and canned crab and bring to boil. Add salt to make it about as salty as a cup of chicken soup, or to taste.

Use a spatula to carefully (it’s delicate and slippery) lift out the tofu from the water. Cover with the sauce and garnish with ginger.

Similar posts

Sauteed kale with garlic

Published
by
marc
on March 13, 2008
in Side, Vegetable and Winter
. 0 Comments

Sauteed kale with garlic

Most recipes call for cooking kale 30+ minutes, but unlike collard greens, Lacinato isn’t as fibrous and doesn’t need to be cooked that long (you can even eat it raw). A quick saute followed by a 10 minute steam is enough to preserve the green color, flavor and firm texture without turning it into a smelly brown mess boiled in liquid. I also like to use a minimal amount of liquid so all the nutrients don’t leech out into the water.

You can turn this into a meal by frying some pancetta with it then dropping a soft poached egg on top and serving it with a thick slice of crusty bread. Or experiment with different spices and aromatics such as sage, chili peppers, or shallots for a different take. If you want to go asian, replace the salt with a splash of soy sauce and the wine with Mirin.

1 bunch Lacinato kale roughly chopped
4 cloves of garlic sliced thin
Splash of good olive oil

Splash of white wine or water
Salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste

Squeeze of lemon

Heat a large pot with a lid over high heat until very hot. Add a splash of good quality olive oil and then the garlic.

Saute the garlic for a few minutes until lightly browned and fragrant.

Add the kale, a small splash of white wine and the salt and pepper and stir. Lower the heat to medium low, cover and cook for another 10 minutes.

Adjust seasoning if needed and serve with some lemon juice squeezed on top.

Similar posts