Half the fun of doing this blog is the research I do about the various dishes, so I can give you all a little bit of extra info in the posts. Even after so many years of cooking and eating, I’m still amazed at the new things I learn. Of course, most of it comes from wikipedia, so it may be complete BS, but what the hell, most of it sounds like it could be right. Today’s clip is a wonderfully easy wonton soup. So, I thought I better find out what exactly a “wonton” is and where the term came from. I found two translations, and boy, are they different!
The term "wonton" is mostly commonly translated as meaning "irregularly shaped pasta." But, the second translation I found is apparently from a popular Cantonese homonym that literally means "swallowing clouds." So, if given the choice between eating "irregularly shaped pasta," or "swallowing clouds," I’m going with the clouds every time!
Before I get into this recipe, and how it came to be, we have to talk about a somewhat shocking ingredient choice I made. Yes, in the middle of summer, I filmed an amazingly delicious sweet corn recipe…and used frozen corn! I already had the shiitake mushrooms and arugula for this dish, and was just about to go out and get some delicious fresh, just picked, sweet corn at the local produce market when I made the mistake of opening the freezer.
There it was, a bag a sweet corn. It had been in there for a while, so I was sure it was freezer-burned and I would just chuck it out and go. Unfortunately, I checked it and it was fine. Damn. I thought I better taste it; it’s probably not sweet. It was really sweet. Damn. So I decided to be a good, frugal Chef and use it for this recipe. The good news for you is this was so delicious with frozen corn, I can only imagine how incredible it’s going to be with freshly shucked corn!
I had this combo as a side vegetable recently and found it a very interesting combination of flavors. The earthy mushrooms, sweet corn, and slightly bitter Arugula mixed wonderfully together. In fact, as I enjoyed it with some grilled chicken, I kept smelling and tasting truffles. There was something about these three ingredients that combined to produce a truffle like flavor profile. Maybe my molecular gastronomy friends can explain why this was.
I realize that shiitake and truffles are both fungi, but it was more than that. In any case, it was really good, and I’m sure you are going to enjoy this simple and tasty vegetable dish. You vegetarians can add vegetable stock instead of chicken of course. On the other end of the spectrum, you omnivores may want to think about starting this with a little bit of bacon, before adding the mushrooms. Either way, enjoy!
Ingredients: 2 cups fresh corn 2 cups sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms large handful of arugula 1 clove garlic 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock 1 tbl olive oil 1/2 tsp butter salt and pepper to taste
Bok Choy is becoming very easy to find in grocery stores these days as the trend to eat green veggies continues to grow (for good reason). This is great vegetable for many reasons; it’s cheap, it takes about 3 minutes to cook, it has a beautiful subtle sweet flavor, and of course it’s packed with nutritional goodness. As you’ll see, the best tip for great Bok Choy is how to trim the tops and bottoms separately so they both can cook perfectly.
One quick anecdote before you watch the clip. I was taking roll call on Day 1 in one of my first classes as an instructor at the Culinary Academy, and was going down the list calling out the names and listening for the traditional call back, “here Chef,” when I saw on my roster “Bok Choy.” Well, that’s an interesting name, so I called out the name and heard in a very deep voice, “here Chef.” I looked up to make eye contact, as I did with all the students as I called roll for the first time, and sitting there was this very tall, Scandinavian-looking gentleman with blond curly hair. I asked him if that was his nickname and he said no, that was his real name. Now, the classes at the school were 3 weeks long, and as much as I wanted to, I resisted the temptation to go up and ask this man how he came to get the name Bok Choy. So, Bok Choy, if you are reading this post, please email or comment and tell me how you got the name! It’s been 5 years and I’m still wondering.
Ingredients: 3-4 Heads Of Baby Bok Choy 1/2 Cup Sliced Red Peppers 2 Clove Garlic 1 Tbl Ginger 1/2 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes 1 Tbl Vegetable Oil 1 Tbl Soy Sauce 8 Drops Sesame Oil
When I first got to San Francisco, having come from a very small town in Western New York, it was like arriving on another planet. I was fascinated by the amazing variety of foods and cultures, and began exploring them all. Growing up, my family and I had made the occasional trip to the local Americanized Chinese restaurant which was always an exotic treat, but now I was getting the real stuff; Thai, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese, I couldn’t get enough! At the same time I also became interested in the eastern religious philosophies, Buddhism, Zen, etc., which for a former alter boy was quite the experience. This was also when I learned about the Zen “koan.”
For those of you not familiar, a koan is basically a question, riddle, or story that has no obvious answer. It is used by Zen masters to teach or enlighten their students. Most of you have heard the most famous koan, “Two hands clap and there is a sound; but what is the sound of one hand?” What a great idea… teach students by making them even more confused! Well, since I’m doing Teriyaki today I decided to have a little fun at the end of the demo with a koan or two of my own.
A viewer to our site, Connie, had asked for a teriyaki recipe. So I did some research. I had enjoyed teriyaki many times, but always at Japanese restaurants. If I had made it at home, I probably just bought a bottle of teriyaki sauce and brushed it on some chicken. So, today’s clip is the true authentic version (which, of course, there are several sources giving different versions of what the “original” recipe is). I’m very glad I did it, but I’m not sure why. By the way, the term teriyaki comes from of two Japanese words "teri" and "yaki." Teri refers to the shine or luster of the glazed sauce, and yaki means to broil or grill the meat. Prepare to be enlightened… you’ve been warned.
Ingredients: 10 Boneless-Skinless Chicken Thighs 1 Cup Sake 1 Cup Soy Sauce 1/2 Cup Mirin 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar 2 tsp finely grated ginger or paste
I almost called this “Cream of Endorphin-releasing” soup, but it didn’t quite have the same ring to it. Endorphins are those mysterious pain-relieving, pleasure-giving chemicals released by your brain when the body comes under some type of trauma. While intended as a support mechanism when the body is seriously injured, two groups of people have figured out how to intentionally induce the release of these precious substances; athletes and spicy-food aficionados (actually there is a third group that we really can’t discuss here). The “natural high” that you hear athletes talk about is a result of these endorphins. Today’s clip is in honor of the second group. Most fans of spicy foods know exactly what I’m talking about, that post-meal euphoria that makes it worth every tear and bead of sweat. If you’ve never experienced these feelings, today’s recipe is a great one for you to try. By controlling the amount of red curry paste you add, you can tailor this to your own threshold of pain. I used 2 full teaspoons of this explosive paste. But, you can start slow, and add a bit more each time you make it until you reach that perfect, beautiful, burning bliss. The only exotic ingredient would be the fresh lemongrass. I’ve found most large grocery stores do carry it, but if not, you can substitute a few tablespoons of lemon zest, or even some lemon verbena.
IIngredients: 2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 10) 12 oz white mushrooms 1 red onion 3 tbl fish sauce 1/2 bunch cilantro 2 limes 2 14-oz cans coconut milk 2 tsp red curry paste (you’ve been warned) 4 clove garlic 4 inch piece ginger 3 stalks lemongrass (or lemon zest) 1 tbl vegetable oil
1 quart chicken stock
note: traditionally this soup is served with a side plate of sliced jalapenos, cilantro leaves, and lime wedges
Half the fun of doing this blog is the research I do about the various dishes, so I can give you all a little bit of extra info in the posts. Even after so many years of cooking and eating, I’m still amazed at the new things I learn. Of course, most of it comes from wikipedia, so it may be complete BS, but what the hell, most of it sounds like it could be right. Today’s clip is a wonderfully easy wonton soup. So, I thought I better find out what exactly a “wonton” is and where the term came from. I found two translations, and boy, are they different!
