Pasta with Pancetta and Corn

For 2-4

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound dried or fresh wide pasta
• 1/2 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, plus some to garnish
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 pound pancetta
• 1/2 can of corn, drained or 2 ears of corn
• 4 dried red chilies, finely chopped or red chili flakes
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmigiana Reggiano
• 1/4 pound burrata

Recipe:

1. Cook pasta in 3-4 quarts of boiling salted water until al dente (firm but not hard), stirring often. Drain (Follow instruction on package)
2. For the breadcrumbs, place the panko, basil, and salt in a food processor and grind until small. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and pulse until thoroughly mixed
3. In a non-stick skillet, toast the breadcrumbs till slightly browned and dry, set aside
4. For the sauce, heat up a large skillet and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Cook the pancetta until slightly caramelized, roughly 2 minutes. Add corn and chilies, cook for 5-7 minutes on medium heat, stir a little
5. Turn off the heat and add pasta and cheese to the skillet. Combine well using tongs. Top with a generous dusting of breadcrumbs and several hunks of the burrata cheese
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with basil leaves
7. Bon appétit!

Serving suggestions: wine, salad, melon  …

NOTES: I used pappardelle from Trader Joe’s which was exactly 1/2 lb, this recipe was designed for 2, but the size is truly generous, I think with a small salad, it’s plentiful for 3. With bread and other sides, it would be good for 4. Notice how much corn I had in the plate! Yes, I used one whole can of corn which is equivalent to 3-4 ears of corn. I love corn and also without a salad, I thought I’d gain some fiber from there 😉 The combination of corn, pancetta, red chilies, basil-infused panko and burrata is quite amazing, each mouthful is decisively exciting. Try it! 🙂

Eggplant Linguine

For 4

Ingredients:

• 1 lb linguine
• 1 large or 3 small eggplants
• 2 – 3 medium-sized tomatoes, chopped
• 2 dried chilies
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 – 1 cup olive oil
• sea salt and freshly grounded black pepper
• thinly sliced sweet basil leaves
• 10 shrimp (optional)

Recipe:

1. Slice eggplants to about 1/2 inch thick, cook them in abundant olive oil on low heat till browned and soft on both sides. Sprinkle a little sea salt while cooking and add more oil as necessary. When finished, leave them in a plate to cool
2. Boil 4 quarts of water in a large pot, salt it when it reach rolling boil (about 4 tsp of salt for 4 quarts of water). Add in the linguine, stir a little and wait for it to reach another rolling boil, cook for additional ~ 7 minutes from there on. Add 1 cup cold water to stop the cooking process and pour into a colander to carefully drain the pasta
3. In a lightly oiled pan, add in dried chilies and smashed garlic, cook the smashed garlic until brown then discard
4. Add chopped tomatoes and a little salt, stir occasionally, cook until it becomes sauce-like but not dry, add in slightly cooled pasta
5. Cut the cooled eggplants into narrow strips, bring them into the saucepan with tomatoes and pasta, add salt, freshly grinded black pepper  and basil, (shrimp, too, prepared separately) toss well
6. Bon appétit!

Serving suggestions: white wine, bread, salad …

 

NOTES: READ manufacturer’s instruction on how to cook the pasta, time might vary. I don’t know if it was the Trader Joe’s linguine, or I followed instruction this time :P, but the linguine came out just perfect, with the right amount of chewiness. Be extra careful when cooking the eggplant in hot oil, I burned one of my fingertips… 😦 If you decide to add some shrimps, stir fry them  separately with some garlic and sea salt, then mix them with the pasta at the very end. Watch out for the color of the shrimp, when it loses its transparency, turn off the heat right away, it will continue to cook a little longer in the pan, you do not want your shrimps to be overdone. It was a very good meal …. 🙂 O and yeah… I forgot to add basil leaves… after going through the trouble of getting a basil plant, next time!!!!

Thai Basil Clams

For 2-3

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lb live Manila Clams
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1 small bunch of Thai Basil
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 4 Thai chilies (thinly sliced)
• 2.5 tsp fish sauce
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 3/4 tbsp nam prig pow (optional)

Clean the clams:

1. Select undamaged clams that are unopened, keep them in a cool place, unwrapped, so they can breathe
2. Right before cooking, soak the clams in rice water or water with added salt or water with added cornmeal for 30 minutes to 1 hour
3. Take the clams out and thoroughly scrub the shells of the clam
4. Rinse lightly underneath the running water

Recipe:

1. Heat up the oil in a wok on high, add in thin strips of Thai peppers and smashed or coarsely chopped garlic
2. Add cleaned clams in right away and stir until all clams are opened
3. Add in fish sauce, sugar and nam prig pow (if available), mix them well with the clams
4. Add Thai basil leaves, stir quickly and remove from heat
5. Bon appétit!

Serving suggestions: rice, spirits, buns …

NOTES: I didn’t find nam prig pow at 99 Ranch, but perhaps it was just under the name “roasted chili paste”… and I was single-mindedly looking for “nam prig pow” only… It was nevertheless very delicious!! I should have bought at least 2 lb of the clams… The Thai chilies were pretty powerful, my lips are still ‘hot’ because of them, and I only used four small ones!! Don’t stir the clams for too long after adding the Thai basil leaves, and eat  them while they are hot…. :), so good!!

Miso Cod with Spinach Banchan

For 3-4

Ingredients:

Miso Cod

• 1 lb Black Cod fillets (3-4 pieces)
• 1/4 cup sake
• 1/4 cup mirin
• 4 tbsp miso paste
• 3 tbsp honey

Recipe:

1. Make marinade inside a glass container using all ingredients but the fish
2. Pat the fish fillets dry and put them inside the marinade container, refrigerate for 24 hr
3. Preheat oven to 400F
4. Lightly Grill fish fillets till brown on both sides
5. Bake for ~ 15 mins
6. Bon appétit!

Spinach Banchan

• 1 bunch spinach
• 3 cups of water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp toasted white sesame
• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
• a pinch of salt

Recipe:

1. Boil the water with 1tsp salt
2. When it starts to boil, put the clean spinach in there immediately and turn off the heat, let it sauna for 2-3 mins
3. Take the spinach out, drain water and wash under cold water for about 1-2 mins, gently squeeze out the excess water
4. Chop the spinach a few times and put it in a mixing bowl
5. Mix with sesame oil, sesame seed, finely chopped garlic and a pinch of salt to taste
6. Bon appétit!

Serving suggestions:  bread, rice, sake …

NOTES: Very easy to make and very taste-buds pleasing! 😀 Can be pricey if you choose to get quality black cod, but you may use regular cod fillets. White miso paste was recommended, but I only had the dark one at home, so that was used instead. Additionally, I chose honey over sugar, so feel free to use sugar if honey is not available at hand. Baking time depends on the thickness of the fish fillets, thus, it can range from 10 to 15 mins. Also, remember to remove dead leaves and roots before making the spinach side dish, it’s important to toast the sesame and pay attention to how much salt you add in there. Finely chopped scallions can also be added … ENJOY!!

Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan Cheese

For 4-6

Ingredients:

• 15 brussels sprouts
• 1/2 medium-sized sweet onion, chopped
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1.5 tsp grounded black pepper

Recipe:

1. Preheat to 325 F
2. Thoroughly wash the brussels sprouts, trim stem bottom and cut into halves
3. Microwave the cream cheese for about 30 seconds till almost melted
4. Combine well with mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, onion and black pepper in a large mixing bowl
5. Add brussels sprout halves into the mixing bowl, evenly coat with the creamy mixture
6. Place the well mixed brussels sprouts onto a baking pan, cover with aluminum foil, bake for 25 mins
7. Remove foil, give it a good stir, bake for another 25 mins or until the cheese topping form a charred crust
8. Bon appétit!

Serving suggestions: rice, potatoes, steak …

NOTES: Peel off the outer, loose yellow leaves if you care about tenderness. “Ewwwww” is what I normally associate with brussels sprouts, but this recipe made me a liker of these tiny cabbage balls. Plus they are packed with various disease-fighting nutrients, you’d be doing your body a huge favor if you can learn to love brussels sprouts!! Perhaps you’d be brave enough to serve them at dinner parties around Christmas time? 😉

Seared Scallops with Heirloom Tomatoes

For 2-4

Ingredients:

• 8 scallops
• 1 lb heirloom tomatoes (3-4 medium sized ones)
• 1/5 cup olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 tbsp fresh, finely chopped tarragon
• 3 tbsp brown butter
• canola oil to sear scallops
• salt & black pepper to taste

Recipe:

Make brown butter

1. Use a non-dark interior/bottom pan and heat butter on medium till the butter is completely melted into liquid and turn slightly brown
2. Be careful not to overheat and strain out the specks when ready

Main part

1. Mix olive oil, tarragon and garlic in a small bowl
2. Sprinkle both sides of scallops with sea salt, sear scallops for about 2 minutes on each side over medium-high heat in a lightly oiled pan, till golden crust form
3. Dice tomatoes to desired chunks, place on serving plate and drizzle with the olive oil mixture and some salt
4. Place scallops on the bed of tomatoes, drizzle with brown butter and some black pepper
5. Bon appétit!

Serving suggestions: white wine, bread, pasta, rice pilaf …

NOTES: Did you know that scallop come in dry and wet!? Well, I didn’t. But you’d better make sure you start with dry scallop or if only wet scallop is available in your neighborhood, rinse the scallops REALLY well and pat them dry!! Apparently most scallops we see in markets are wet scallops that had been soaked in phosphates, which acts as a preservative and also makes the scallop white and plump. If you don’t take care of the chemical and start searing.. well… you’d be poisoning yourself. Since the dry scallops are all natural, they’d be sweeter and vanilla colored. 🙂 Um… time to run to Whole Foods or local specialty seafood market and indulge? Don’t sear the scallops for too long, unless you like them rubbery and bouncy 😀 You can make a lot of the brown butter at once, they will last max 6 months refrigerated and they are very seafood and salad friendly! 😉

Crabcake with Cranberry and Sage

For ~ 2 -4

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb lump crabmeat
• 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
• 1/8 cup finely chopped pearl onion
• 1 <= medium egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp fresh, extra finely chopped sage
• 1/8 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/8 tsp salt

Recipe:

1. In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, cranberries, sage, salt and pepper
2. Melt 1 tbsp butter on medium heat in a small skillet, cook onion and celery until tender
3. Gently mix crabmeat and bread crumb in a large bowl, add in egg and mixture from steps 1 & 2, toss to coat well
4. Shape into about 8 crabcakes and refrigerate for 15 mins
5. Melt remaining butter in skillet on medium heat, cook crabcakes till golden brown, turning once
6. Bon appétit!

Serving suggestions:  Salad, melons, white wine …

NOTES: You may use dried/rubbed thyme and any types of onions. I think I would prefer adding just slightly more finely chopped celery and onion next time, but it’s up to you. Dried cranberries can probably be substituted with dried cherries. Make sure you squeeze the crabcakes tightly enough when shaping them, otherwise they’d fall apart during the cooking process. There, I think I am done with crabmeat for a while  😉

Crab Salad with Avocado and Tomato

For 4

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb lump crabmeat
• 1 1/2 diced Hass avocados
• 1/3 cup very finely chopped onion
• 1 large heirloom tomato, sliced
• 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 5 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1 tbsp finely chopped jalapeño
• 1/2 tbsp honey
• 2/3 tsp minced garlic
• salt and pepper to taste

Recipe:

1. Create the dressing by combining olive oil, lime juice, cilantro, jalapeño, honey and garlic together in a small bowl,  season with salt and pepper
2. Toss the picked over crabmeat with 3/5 of the dressing
3. Gently toss the diced avocado and finely chopped onion with 2/5 of the dressing, lightly season with salt and pepper
4. Place sliced heirloom tomato on serving plate, sprinkle with some sea salt, top with avocado/onion & crabmeat
5. Garnish with cilantro leaves
6. Bon appétit!

Serving suggestions:  bread, crackers/chips, white wine …

NOTES: Using good avocado, fresh lime juice, REAL crabmeat and quality honey will make a huge difference. Also for aesthetic purpose, you might want to use red onion, I only had yellow ones on hand. Drizzle over more or less of the dressing to your own liking. There is not much mistake to make here, really light and delicious! 🙂

Roasted Mini Potatoes

For ~ 6

Ingredients:

• 1 lb mini-potatoes
• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tsp thyme leaves
• 3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• salt and/or pepper to season

Recipe:

1. Line the roasting/baking pan with foil paper and grease using 1/2 tbsp olive oil
2. Lay the cleaned & dried mini-potatoes evenly across the roasting/baking pan
3. Drizzle the remaining oil and toss to coat all the mini-potatoes
4. Sprinkle on coarse sea salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese and thyme leaves
5. Roast for 35-40 minutes
6. Bon appétit!

Serving suggestions: meat, salad, soup …

Notes: You may substitute thyme with any other preferred herb, I just happened to have some fresh thyme in the fridge. If you are crazy about cheese, you may opt out of using salt and go with 4  or even 5 tbsp of grated Parmesan cheese! Also, once a small knife can easily cut through the mini-potatoes, it’s ready, if worried, you can cut them in half before roasting. Quite addictive little potato balls 🙂

Fresh Lemonade

For ~ 1 🙂

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3 cups cold water to dilute
• slices of lemon (optional)

Recipe:

1. Heat sugar and 1 cup of water in a small saucepan till sugar dissolves completely
2. Add in a couple slices of lemon while the sugar is dissolving
3. Extract 1 cup of lemon juice (4-6 lemons)
4. Bring out a glass pitcher/jar/container, add in the cup of lemon juice, 3 cups of cold water and the syrup from step 1+2
5. Refrigerate for 40 minutes – 1 hour before serving
6. Serve with ice and sliced lemon
7. Bon appétit!

Serving suggestions:  summer …

NOTES: I used slightly less than 3/4 cup of sugar, but use up to 1 cup if you are feeling sweet. Heating up a couple slices of lemon along with the sugar syrup adds depth to the flavor.  Don’t forget to drain out the seeds but leave the pulp alone ;). I heart my lemonade!