To pan-sear branzino: Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Dry your branzino fillets. With a sharp knife, score each fillet’s skin with three shallow diagonal slits—season with salt (and pepper) on both sides.Add oil to your hot pan, then add the fillets, skin side down. Press gently on...
1 bunch curly kale 1/2 c seasoned rice wine vinegar (Mel liked Marukan brand rice vinegar) 1 Tbs. sugar 3 Tbs. sesame oil 2 cloves minced garlic pinch salt 2 Tbs. toasted sesame seeds Destem and quickly blanch kale in salted water. Rinse in cold water. Drain and squeeze dry....
I grew up helping my mom blanch and peel tomatoes for her gazpacho. I moved on to do the same thing in restaurant kitchens. But these days I simply chop everything up, toss it in a bowl to marinate for an hour or so, and then blend it in a...
You'll need: green tomatoes flour eggs cornmeal salt and pepper high heat oil and/or bacon fat Prepare your tomatoes:Cut 3 tomatoes into 1/4 inch slices.Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set up your dredge: Put 1 cup flour in a shallow bowl, put 3 scrambled eggs in another bow, put 1...
To cook corn on the cob: strip the husks and silks off your ear of corn. Bring a pot of water to a boil and carefully drop your corn into the pot. How long you let the corn cook is a matter of personal preference. It should only take a...
Shishito peppers are great simply blistered and softened in a hot pan with a little oil and salt. They are mild and thin skinned and fabulous finger food. But be warned, once in a while you'll come across a spicy one. In a large bowl, toss 1/2 pound of peppers...
Yuzu kosho is relatively new to me. I got my first bottle of it a couple of weeks ago, and I made some spicy tuna maki with a bit of yuzu kosho in the tuna mix. Delicious. I also seared a tuna steak the next day and dressed it with...
I love to make a somewhat composed nicoise salad on a generous platter when entertaining in the heat of summer. The only things that need to be cooked are the eggs, potatoes and green beans and the vegetables can be done in the same pot. Start with potatoes in cold...
This works best with denser heads of radicchio. Cut the radicchio into 4-6 wedges, each with a bit of core to keep the wedge intact. Arrange in a baking dish so that they all fit in a snug single layer. Drizzle with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil1 teaspoon of balsamic...
I love to make a quick potato salad to use up odds and ends in fridge: I often make a quick warm potato salad to go with dinner. Wash potatoes, add them to a pot of cold water with bay, salt, and whole peppercorns, bring to a boil and cook...
Rinse 1 cup forbidden rice. Add it to a pot with 3 cups water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cooked, covered for 45 minutes. Test the rice. It should be tender, but still have some bite. Drain the excess water. (I...
10-12 oz shrimp (washed, peeled and deveined) 3 cups water 2 stalks lemongrass, lower third only, cut into 1 inch slices on the bias 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn 1 shallot, thinly sliced 3 cloves of garlic, crushed cherry tomatoes, halved galangal, 5 thin slices (peel first) 10 Thai chilis,...
