BOSTON — When Lisa Li moved in with her sister’s family in Boston 4 years ago, the job prospects were dismal, especially for someone who didn’t speak English. What she did have was 15 years of experience running Chinese restaurants in Colombia.
 
“When we watched the news or read the paper, we saw that so many Americans didn’t have jobs. So we said, ‘Let’s work together to open a restaurant!'” she said.
 
She and her family set out to buy the perfect takeout. One in Somerville was too small; another in Walpole was too far away from the home they share in Malden. In March, they found something promising in the Savin Hill section of Dorchester, called Hong Kong Chef.
 
“We were here scouting the place for a good week and we saw that it does have really good business,” said Li's niece Mei Chen. “So we came and we were training with the owner for about a month, just seeing how things work and his interactions with his customers. And we kind of fell in love with this place because it’s spacious, there’s room to grow. It’s a packed neighborhood, so we figured that, why not? Give it a try.”
 
A neighborhood institution
 
By April the Dorchester takeout was theirs. After 5 years, the previous owner had become tired of the long hours and was moving on to run a laundry.
 
And even before him, Hong Kong Chef had been a neighborhood institution. Crystal Stanish, 28, remembered it well.
 
“It’s been a neighborhood place," she said. "It’s been here since I’ve grown up, since I was a kid. We always have it. I don’t live around here anymore so we make a habit, when we come to visit the parents, we come in and get it and have it for dinner. It’s just good, and it’s home.”
 
What really makes it home is the deliveryman.
 
“He knows my mom, he knows the family, he knows our address and it’s always right there really fast. And he’s so funny and he comes in," Stanish said. "It’s neighborhood, it’s the same people. There’s not a high turnover. You recognize people. I like that about it — and I like the food.”
 
Turning a customer into a regular
 
What the Li family has been finding out is that food quality can sometimes be secondary to the relationships with customers.
 
Chen said that since they’ve taken over, the flow of customers has slowed. She suspected it was because people miss the old owner and don’t trust the new owners yet. It couldn’t be the food, since the chefs are the same, as is the menu, for the most part. They’ve even added a few new dishes — like fried plantains, which some customers had asked for — and tweaked the recipe for others like chicken wings and crab Rangoon.
 
Chen had paid attention to the previous owner’s interactions with his customers.
 
“The customers would come in or even call and he would recognize their voice and he would say, ‘Oh do you want a D25 or a D2? Oh, no onion in your fried rice.' Something like that. He would just know from looking at them or just hearing their voice. That’s great. That’s something that we want to accomplish as well, because it seems like it’s one of the things that really brings customers back into the restaurant,” she said.
 
Ted, who declined to give his last name, has lived in the neighborhood his whole life and remembered the old owner fondly. “He was just genuine and kind and the whole family seems to be — the whole group just seemed to work together so well,” he said.
 
For Li, running the takeout has become a family affair too: Her nephew runs the counter several days a week and Chen works there when she’s not working as a nurse at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Her mom helps out after her job at a dollar store. And they both pick up produce by hand several times a week.
 
While Ted isn’t quite sure about the new staff, he said he was willing to give them a chance: “Let’s see how the food is, how the comfortability factor is, and go from there.”
 
When I told regular customer Crystal Stanish that the takeout had changed hands, she said she'd noticed having a harder time ordering on the phone. But she said the food hadn’t changed and most importantly, neither had the deliveryman.
 
“He’s a great, fun guy and he literally has been delivering since I can remember. He’s been here forever, so hopefully they keep him,” she said.
 
Can the takeout evolve?
 
But is it any easier to start a takeout from scratch? I went to Wok N Talk on the border of Mission Hill and Jamaica Plain to find out. It doesn’t look like a traditional takeout: The walls are painted a cheerful lime green and orange, and udon noodles and pad Thai sit alongside lo mein on the menu.
 
Owner Nathan Long and his business partner borrowed $300,000 from relatives 2 years ago to set it up. They didn’t want to open just another run-of-the-mill Chinese takeout.
 
“You go to a traditional one, and you usually see hundreds and hundreds of items. I go to there and I have a headache ordering,” Long said.
 
So Long and his partner stripped down the menu. Only five appetizers. The main dish was stir-fried noodles: Customers could choose their noodle, their sauce and their meat, and it would be cooked up right in front of them.
 
But customers found the menu too sparse and business suffered. So crab Rangoon, chicken wings, boneless spareribs and around 20 other takeout standbys reluctantly went back onto the menu.
 
Still, Long didn't include any "very traditional" dishes like egg foo young. "Because I think the way people are eating, they’re already slowly, slowly changing,” he said.
 
A new generation with old tastes
 
Long hopes Wok N Talk is welcoming to busy young professionals in the neighborhood. He's hired non-Chinese waitstaff and installed a comments box, which overflows with tiny pieces of paper.
 
Some the comments affirm that Wok N Talk is fulfilling one of the basic functions of the traditional Chinese takeout: supplying the neighborhood with greasy food until 3 a.m. One customer wrote, “Late-night food is essential to the functioning of a proper society and you, you provide this — be proud!”
 
Wok N Talk has also found itself part of the gentrification of the neighborhood.
 
“Some people tell us, before, at nighttime, [the neighborhood] was quite scary. So I think that as we come in, as more and more businesses come in, and the community does more work at this, to keep the place clean, it will change the neighborhood. It will change the neighborhood,” said Long.

Where are you a regular?
 
We want to hear your side of the story. What’s your relationship with your local takeout? Do they know your order when you walk in the door? Do you know your deliveryman? Is Chinese food a late-night indulgence for you?
 
To tell your story, call 617-477-8688, or go to the Planet Takeout website to leave a story or upload photos. And stay tuned for the next installment of Planet Takeout, where we’ll explore more deeply the tensions between takeouts and the neighborhoods they’re in.

These tacos are the perfect destination for leftover chicken. Set up a taco bar and let your family assemble their own tacos with their favorite fillings and toppings. You can find chipotles en adobo in the Mexican food section of the grocery store.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients.

2 large ripe avocados, pitted
2 limes, 1 juiced and 1 cut into wedges
1-1/2 tsp. kosher salt; more as needed
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper; more as needed
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
1 tsp. chili powder
Scant 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 14-1/2oz. can petite-diced tomatoes, drained
1 medium chipotle chile, finely diced, plus 1 to 2 Tbs. adobo sauce (from a can of chipotles en adobo)
2-1/2 to 3 cups leftover roast chicken, shredded or cut into thin strips
12 small corn tortillas, warmed
6 oz. queso fresco or feta, crumbled (1-1/3 cups)
3 cups thinly sliced red cabbage (about 6 oz.)
2/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves, washed and patted dry

Directions:

Mash the avocados with the lime juice in a medium bowl. Season with about 1 tsp. of the salt and the pepper, or to taste.

Set a large, heavy-based skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and onion, sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 tsp. salt, and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the chili powder and cinnamon and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, chipotle, and adobo sauce and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, mashing the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Stir in the chicken, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the chicken heats through, about 10 minutes. Taste, and season with salt and pepper if needed.

Let diners assemble their own tacos by spreading the warm tortillas with the avocado and then topping with the chicken, cheese, cabbage, cilantro, and a squeeze of juice from the lime wedges.

Serving suggestions

Nutrition information (per serving):

Susie Middleton is editor at large for Fine Cooking magazine.

BOSTON — There is still time to take advantage of Restaurant Week in Boston. The city's best restaurants are offering patrons great dishes and prix fixe selections until March 30th.

Search the event website for restaurant listings by neighborhood, time of day or cuisine and fine special offers, like the free glass of wine with dinner or a tasting menu, or "lamb swag" from Clink to promote their Red Cooked Lamb Sandwich.(You can vote here for your favorite lamb dish.) Thanks to the great weather, several places have thrown open their patios, so rush to your fave outdoor spot!

While Restaurant Week could be a boon for the industry and a bargain for patrons, it's not all about savings. The Spoonful of Ginger event on March 26th is organized to raise money for the Joslin Asian American Diabetes Initiative and is hosted at the Museum of Fine Art.

Dave Andleman, CEO of Phantom Gourmet, Inc., and President of the Restaurant and Business Alliance in Boston, said Restaurant Week is a good time to take advantage of getting out to a restaurant you may not otherwise try because of the price, but it's good for restaurants, too, as they have been hit hard by the economic downturn and an increase in the Meal Tax in 2009.
 

Who says you can’t have indulgent comfort food on a weeknight? Be sure to use a broiler-safe skillet, such as a cast-iron one.

Serves: 4

Ingredients
Kosher salt
12 oz. dried spiral pasta, such as cavatappi, rotini, or double elbows
3 Tbs. unsalted butter
3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
2 cups low-fat (2%) milk
4 oz. grated Emmentaler (1-1/4 cups)
4 oz. grated Gruyère (1-1/4 cups)
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
Freshly ground black pepper
3 oz. finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (3 cups)

Directions

Position a rack about 4 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler on high.

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until just tender. Drain well and set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and continue whisking until well combined, about 15 seconds. Whisk in the milk and continue to cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the Emmentaler, Gruyère, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme and whisk until the cheese is melted and the mixture is smooth, 2 minutes. Stir in the pasta to coat with the sauce. Off the heat, season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the Parmigiano-Reggiano evenly over the pasta.

Broil until the top is browned, 3 to 4 minutes, and serve.

Serving suggestions:

To get your veggies in, serve with sweet, salty, and tangy Balsamic-Bacon Vinaigrette Sauce over steamed broccoli, Brussels sprouts, or broccolini.

Susie Middleton is editor at large for Fine Cooking magazine.

The addition of the coffee, for which the recipe is named, deepens the other flavors in the beans.

Serves eight to ten.

Yields about 2 quarts.

1 lb. dried pinto beans
3 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tbs. ancho chile powder
1 tsp. chipotle chile powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
Freshly ground black pepper
6 cups lower-salt beef broth
1 meaty smoked ham hock
1 cup brewed coffee
1/3 cup mild molasses, such as Grandma's Original.
1/3 cup ketchup
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
2 sprigs fresh oregano
1 Tbs. bourbon (optional)
Kosher salt

Tip:

Don't have time to soak the beans overnight? Put them in a 4-quart saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover by 2 inches and bring just to a boil. Remove from the heat and soak for 2 hours. Drain the beans and continue with the recipe.

Directions

Sort through the beans to make sure there are no little stones and then put them in a large bowl or pot. Add enough cold water to cover the beans by 2 inches and let soak overnight. Drain the beans well, tilting the colander instead of shaking it to gently extract the water and protect the beans' skins.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 300°F.

Melt the butter in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add the chile powders, cumin, allspice, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Cook, stirring, until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the broth and ham hock. Stir to combine. Add the beans and bring just to a simmer. Cover and bake until the beans are easy to bite into but still a little mealy in texture, 45 to 60 minutes.

Stir in the coffee, molasses, ketchup, Worcestershire, and oregano. Bake, uncovered, until the beans are fully tender, 30 to 60 minutes more. Cool to room temperature. Discard the oregano stems and the skin from the ham hock. Cut the meat off the bone and chop. Add the meat to the beans and discard the bone. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

To finish, bring to a simmer, uncovered, over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer until the sauce is reduced to the consistency of thin gravy, stirring occasionally so the bottom doesn't burn, 40 to 60 minutes. Stir in the bourbon (if using) and season the beans to taste with salt and pepper.

Nutrition information (per serving):

This healthful, brightly flavored side dish is perfect for a weeknight—it cooks in less than 10 minutes.

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients

1/2 lb. haricots verts or thin green beans, trimmed
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 medium shallots, halved and thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1 medium yellow bell pepper, cored and sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 Tbs. fresh orange juice
1/2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. finely grated orange zest
3 cups lightly packed fresh baby spinach leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a pot fitted with a steamer basket, bring 1 to 2 inches of water to a boil. Put the haricots verts in the steamer basket, cover, and steam until bright green and just beginning to soften, 2 minutes. Transfer the haricots verts to a bowl and set aside.

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and rosemary and cook, stirring, until the shallots begin to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, add the haricots verts and bell pepper and cook, stirring, until the pepper begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Stir in the orange juice, balsamic vinegar, and orange zest. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, until just wilted, about 20 seconds. Remove from the heat, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.

Nutrition information (per serving):

Calories (kcal): 100; Fat (g): 7; Fat Calories (kcal): 60; Saturated Fat (g): 1; Protein (g): 2; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 5; Carbohydrates (g): 10; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 1; Sodium (mg): 170; Cholesterol (mg): 0; Fiber (g): 3;

Ingredients
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 red onion, minced
1 minced jalapeno
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 pound ground lamb
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon sriracha
1 cup plain, non-fat Greek yogurt
6 mint leaves, fine ribbon
1 cup 1/4-inch diced cucumbers
1/2 head iceberg, finely shredded
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 package small corn tortillas, heated up on grill
extra virgin olive oil for cooking

Directions
In a large skillet or saute pan coated lightly with oil, sautee the garlic, onion, jalapeno and cumin until lightly caramelized.

Add in the lamb, season and cook through, about 5 minutes.

Fold in lemon juice and check for flavor.

Meanwhile, mix the sriracha, yogurt, mint, cukes and lemon zest, season.

Warm tortillas, make tacos.
__________________________________________________________
Ming Tsai is the host and executive producer of public television series Simply Ming and chef/owner of Blue Ginger restaurant in Wellesley, Mass.

Ingredients
1 pound spaghetti (or your favorite pasta shape)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, sliced (about 2 cups)
2 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
2 pounds beets, peeled and grated
10 ounces soft goat cheese (about 1-1/3 cups), crumbled
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Transfer spaghetti to a large bowl.

In a medium-size saute pan over medium heat, add oil and cook onion and garlic until softened, about 5 minutes. Add beets and cook another 8 minutes, until softened.

Add reserved cooking liquid and goat cheese; cook, stirring, until cheese softens into a sauce.

Add lemon juice; then add salt and pepper to taste.

Add sauce to spaghetti and toss well. Divide among 6 bowls and top each serving with toasted walnuts.

Adapted from Sara's Secrets for Weeknight Meals (Broadway Books, 2005), by Sara Moulton
 

I am crazy for chili and make it in a variety of ways, but this recipe comes from a prize-winning chili maker and it'll be a winner for you, too. At Yankee magazine we come across a lot of great home cooks and we write about them in the column "best cook in town." This recipe is from Jerry Bouma, a home cook who competes and wins in chili competitions—it's a tamed down version of the competition recipe, which is too hot for us mortals and of course he'd never part with his prize-winning secret.

Ingredients
3 pounds lean ground beef
1-1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium red pepper, diced
1 medium onion, diced
4 large garlic cloves, minced
3 serrano (medium spicy) chiles, minced
1 10-1/2-ounce can double-strength beef stock (or 2-1/2 cups beef stock boiled down to 1-1/4 cups)
6 tablespoons chili powder
3 tablespoons cumin
1/4 teaspoon dry oregano
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1 28-ounce can petite diced tomatoes
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 19-ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained (optional)

Directions
In a large (7-quart) heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat, cook ground beef, breaking it up with a potato masher until it's fully cooked. Then drain and discard most of the rendered fat.

In a separate medium-size saute pan over medium heat, add oil and cook red pepper, onion, garlic, and chiles just until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

Add cooked vegetable mixture, beef stock, spices, sugar, and diced tomatoes to the big pot and simmer 1 hour.

Add tomato paste; stir well and cook another half-hour, stirring occasionally. If you're using beans, stir them in 10 minutes before serving.

(Courtesy: Yankee Magazine)

___________________________________________________________
Annie B. Copps is a senior editor at Yankee Magazine. Annie oversees the magazine's food coverage, both as an editor and as a contributor of feature stories and columns.