WGBH - NK Recipes RSS

Bistro 5's Fried Calamari

Mon, 20 May 2013 16:34 PM +0000

Learn how to make Chef Ettore's take on the classic calamari dish, a fried calamari with sweet and spicy tomato chutney.

Watch Neighborhood Kitchens: Recipe Fried Calamari on PBS. See more from Neighborhood Kitchens.

Fried Calamari with Sweet and Spicy Tomato Chutney

Ingredients

Sweet and Spicy Tomato Chutney
1 tbsp diced ginger
2 cloves of diced garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
3 pints grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
1 tsp chili flakes
¼ cup honey
3 tbsp champagne vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Fried Calamari
2 cups flour
2 cups semolina
2 tbsp salt
1 cup Calamari rings and tentacles
Vegetable oil for frying

Directions

Preparing the Sweet and Spicy Tomato Chutney

Chop the garlic in very thin slices. In a pan large enough to hold all the tomatoes, add a tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle in some of the chili flakes. Dice a few thin slices of garlic and add to pan. Cook on low flame for roughly 1 minute. Combine the honey and vinegar in the pan and allow the liquid level to reduce by half. Slice the grape tomatoes in half and add to pan, stirring every few minutes so nothing sticks to the bottom. After 15 minutes the liquid should be flavored nicely and mostly reduced.

Preparing the Calamari

Mix dry ingredients of semolina, flour and salt in a bowl. Drop in the pieces of squid and thoroughly cover with the flour mixture. In a deep pot, heat some vegetable oil to 375 degrees. Drop the calamari in and fry for 1 minute. Remove and let cool.

Serving

Serve the calamari on top of a bed of chutney and enjoy.

Chef Vin Santo shared this recipe with us when he was featured as our guest on Neighborhood Kitchens.

Bistro 5's Meyer Lemon Risotto With Seared Sea Scallops

Mon, 20 May 2013 15:45 PM +0000

Learn how to make Bistro 5's Meyer Lemon Risotto with Scallops and Peas.

Watch Neighborhood Kitchens: Recipe Meyer Lemon Risotto on PBS. See more from Neighborhood Kitchens.

Meyer Lemon Risotto with Peas and Seared Sea Scallops

Ingredients

1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup fresh Peas (blanched)
6 large scallops
2 qts fish or vegetable stock
2 tbsp butter to cook rice
2 Meyer lemons
2 shallots
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup white wine
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Preparing the Risotto

Dice the shallots. Zest and juice one Meyer lemon. Add the shallots, two tablespoons of butter and the rice to a large sauce pan. Cook for 1 minute at low heat until rice is lightly toasted. Add the cup of wine and stir. Allow the wine to be soaked up by the rice. Add a touch of salt and half of the lemon juice. Add fish stock to a level that just covers the rice. Raise the heat to medium, continue to stir and cook for about 12 minutes. During this time, don’t allow the rice to dry out. Add more stock as needed to keep it creamy.

Slice off a piece of the zest (skin) from the other Meyer lemon. Julienne the lemon zest and dice it into very small pieces. Cut the rest of the lemon into small pieces. Try to cut around the membrane and remove the lemon pulp in segments.

When the rice is ready, add the peas, half of the lemon segments, and the lemon zest. Mix together well and taste. Adjust the salt or lemon to taste. Add the two tablespoons of butter and a dash of olive oil and remove from heat. Let the butter melt and stir rapidly to create emulsify and create a creamy sauce.

Searing the Scallops

Lightly salt the scallops before frying. They will cook very quickly. In a frying pan, add a dash of olive oil and sear the scallops for a minute or two until golden brown, then set aside.

Serving

Plate the risotto, place the scallops on top and enjoy. Serves: 2 entrees

Bistro 5's Cantucci and Vin Santo

Mon, 20 May 2013 14:04 PM +0000

Learn how to make Bistro 5's Cantucci with Vin Santo.

Watch Neighborhood Kitchens: Recipe Cantucci and Vin Santo on PBS. See more from Neighborhood Kitchens.

Ingredients

1 cup almonds
¾ cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
white wine (preferably Italian)

Directions

Mix the sugar, flour and baking powder in a large bowl. Add the 2 eggs and vanilla and mix together by hand until the dough is stiff. Mix in the almonds. Form the dough into a ball and let rest for 20 minutes.

Roll the dough out into a log shape. Move to a large baking sheet and flatten with a roller into a rectangle about 3 inches wide and 15 inches long. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

After baking, move to a cutting board and cut into 3/4 inch wide diagonal slices, using a serrated bread knife to keep the dry biscotti from breaking apart.

Place the sliced biscotti back in the oven and decrease the temperature by 200 degrees. Let the dry in the oven for an additional 30 minutes until golden brown.

Serving

Serve the biscotti “vin Santo” (with wine) by dipping the biscotti in a glass of white wine. Soak up the wine, take a bite and enjoy.

Serves: 20 biscotti

Chef Vin Santo shared this recipe with us when he was featured as our guest on Neighborhood Kitchens.

Pho Le's Vietnamese Crepes - Banh Xeo
Mon, 13 May 2013 23:25 PM +0000
Here's a gluten-free take on the ever popular crepe, served at Pho Le as an appetizer. Wrap it up in lettuce and dip in the special sauce that has a lime kick.

Banh Xeo (Vietnamese crepe)

Ingredients

Rice batter
1 egg
1 cup coconut milk
2 cups water
1 tsp Tumeric powder
2 cups rice flour

Filling
¼ lb Pork shoulder or pork belly
¼ lb peeled and deveined shrimp
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups bean sprouts

Dipping Sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp water
1 tsp garlic chili sauce

Garnish
Romaine lettuce
5 Thai basil leaves
5 mint leaves
5 Perilla leaves
Sliced cucumber
Chopped carrot
Chopped Daikon radish

Directions
In a large bowl break 1 egg and add 1 cup of coconut milk, 2 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder and mix. Add 2 cups of rice flour and whisk very well. Refrigerate batter for a few hours.

Slice pork belly into thin slices. Prepare the shrimp by removing the tails, peeling and deveining them. Cut each piece of shrimp in half, lengthwise.

Add vegetable oil to a pan over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, add a few pieces of pork and shrimp. Be sure to keep the two meats separated in the pan, adding the pork to one side and the shrimp to the other. Do not put them all together in the middle of the pan.

Pour enough rice batter in the pan to fill the bottom, as if you were making an omelet. Swirl the pan to make sure the rice batter fills the bottom.

Steam a handful of bean sprouts in boiling water for 10 seconds, just to soften. Add the bean sprouts to one side of the pan. Add vegetable oil around the side of the dish to make the crepe shell crispy. Be sure to add the oil to the side and not directly on top of the crepe. Cover, lower the heat, and let cook for a minute.

After a minute, remove the cover and fold one side of the crepe over on the other. Remove from pan and serve to plate.

Preparing the Dipping Sauce
In a small bowl add two tablespoons of fish sauce, one tablespoon of lime juice, two tablespoons of sugar, two tablespoons of water and one teaspoon of garlic chili sauce and mix thoroughly.

Serving
Garnish a plate with a large leaf of romaine lettuce, 2 leaves of Thai basil, 2 mint leaves and 1 piece of perilla leaf. Cut a single serving slice of the crepe and place it in the middle of the leaf garnish. Add sliced cucumber, chopped carrot and Daikon radish. Roll it all up in the leafy garnish and serve with the dipping sauce.

Chef Duyen Le shared this recipe with us when he was featured as our guest on Neighborhood Kitchens.

Pho Le's Vietnamese Mango Salad - Goi Xoai

Sun, 12 May 2013 07:07 AM +0000
One of the most popular salads sold at Pho Le is made with very firm, green mangoes marinated in a garlicky, pungent fish sauce.

Goi Xoai (Green Mango Aalad)

Ingredients

Salad
1 green mango
¼ lb peeled and deveined shrimp
5 Vietnamese coriander leaves
1 tbsp fried shallots
Chopped peanuts

Fish Sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp garlic chili sauce
1 tsp minced garlic
Thai chili pepper

Directions

Preparing the Fish sauce

Add 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of garlic chili sauce, and 1 teaspoon of minced garlic in a small bowl and mix well.

Cut very small, thin slices of Thai chili pepper (very hot) and add to the fish sauce. Mix well.

Preparing the Salad

Peel the green mango and use a grater to slice into a large bowl. The mango should be very firm and not soft.

Steam the shrimp and remove the tails. Cut the pieces in half, lengthwise and add to bowl with mango. Chop Vietnamese coriander and add to bowl. Add a teaspoon of the fried shallots and 2 tablespoons of the fish sauce and mix together by hand.

Serving

Plate the salad and sprinkle some chopped peanut over top.

Chef Duyen Le shared this recipe with us when he was featured as our guest on Neighborhood Kitchens.

Tres Gatos' Lamb Bocadillo with Chimichurri Sauce on Potato Rolls

Sun, 05 May 2013 00:59 AM +0000
Tres Gatos brings the flavors of Spain's tapas to Jamaica Plain. This recipe is Chef Sanchez's own take on the humble but popular bocadillo.

Lamb Bocadillo with Chimichurri Sauce on Potato Rolls

Make the potato rolls in advance so that when you are ready to grill your meat and shallots, the rolls can be cut open and ready to quickly grill before filling and serving.

Potato Rolls

2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 Tbs. sugar
2 oz. plus 1 Tbs. warm water
1 oz. melted butter
2 eggs
8.5 oz. potato, riced
1 Tbs. kosher salt
22 oz. all-purpose flour
Sea salt and pepper (To taste)

In the bowl of a stand mixer add the yeast, a small pinch of sugar, and a splash of warm water. Whisk together to help the yeast dissolve, then let stand for ten minutes until the mixture is foamy and roughly double in size.

In the same bowl add the potato, 1 egg, and sugar. Use a spoon to incorporate the ingredients together. Add warmed butter and continue to mix.

Add a pinch of salt and all of the flour.

Fit the stand mixer with a dough hook and turn on lowest speed. Add the water slowly down the side of the bowl. Let the machine knead the dough for about 3 minutes, until the dough comes together.

Cover dough with a cloth and let rise in a warm area for two hours or until doubled in size.

Punch the dough down and place on a slightly floured work surface. With a bench scraper, portion your dough evenly into 2 oz. portions for 12 rolls.

Flour your hand and roll the dough for a few seconds to shape into rolls.

Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

Brush with one whole beaten egg and season with coarse sea salt and pepper.

Let sit for 2 hours.

Bake in a preheated oven at 425 degrees for 16 minutes.

Makes 12 rolls

For Lamb Patties
1 lb. ground lamb
Pinch rosemary
2 Tbs. chorizo oil
1/4 c. sherry vinegar

Shape ground lamb into four 4-oz. patties. Season patties on both sides and around edges with rosemary.

Add chorizo oil to hot griddle or frying pan and cook patties for 5-6 minutes (for medium-rare), flipping halfway through.

Chimichurri Sauce
6 white anchovies
1 jalapeno with seeds
2 shallots
1 cup parsley
1 cup cilantro
1 cup fresh chives
1/2 cup fresh oregano
6 garlic cloves
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. water

In a food processor add the 6 anchovies, shallots, jalapeno, herbs, and 6 buds of garlic.

Pour in a drizzle of anchovy oil, then olive oil, and then the water. Start by pulsing, then turn on and blend for one minute.

Season with salt and pepper and blend again to desired consistency.

Fried Shallots
3 shallots
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground ginger

Slice the shallots on a mandolin slicer.

Mix together salt, ground ginger, and flour. Mix in shallots, pulling apart the rings, and coat well with flour.

Shake flour-coated shallots through sifter to remove excess flour.

Fry in 350 degree vegetable oil for 1-2 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oil. Salt to taste immediately after.

To Serve
While lamb is cooking, slice baked potato rolls in half and grill in the chorizo oil.

Place cooked lamb patties on the grilled rolls. Add chimichurri sauce and top with fried shallots.

Chef Marcos Sanchez shared this recipe with us when he was featured as our guest on Neighborhood Kitchens.

Sevan Bakery's Birds Nest Baklava

Thu, 02 May 2013 08:01 AM +0000

Birds Nest Baklava

Baklava is a a world famous, melt-in-your-mouth dessert. Try making this sweet pastry, a mass of layers of phyllo dough filled with chopped nuts, baked and drenched with sugar water.

Ingredients
Phyllo dough
Pistachio nuts
Melted butter

Directions

Roll two sheets of phyllo dough tightly together around the end of a cooking spoon. Push the ends together, remove from spoon and fold in a circle to resemble a bird’s nest.

Butter the rolled phyllo “nests” thoroughly.

Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.

Bring sugar water to slow boil.

Blend pistachio nuts in food processor. Do not blend too fine. Leave some pistachio chunks to add flavor.

Remove baked phyllo from oven. Color should be golden brown.

Spoon sugar water over baked phyllo.

Sprinkle handfuls of chopped pistachios over each phyllo.

Let stand and cool for 3 or 4 minutes.

Serve with coffee or tea.

Sevan Bakery, is one of several different Armenian markets in Coolidge Square. The Chavushian family shared this recipe with us when the bakery was featured on Neighborhood Kitchens.

Sevan Bakery's Karniyarik and Bulgar Pilaf with Vermicelli

Thu, 02 May 2013 07:24 AM +0000

Karniyarik and Bulgar Pilaf with Vermicelli (Baked Eggplant stuffed with ground meat)

Karniyarik is an eggplant that we sautee. We cut it and fill it with ground beef, sautéed onions, a little salt and pepper. Then we throw it in the oven and there you go, you have a dinner.

Ingredients

2 eggplants
ground beef
onion
bulgur wheat
vermicelli
olive oil
Tomato paste
1 tomato
1 green pepper
salt & pepper

Directions

Melt a half stick of butter in large cooking pot.

Crush 3 balls of vermicelli into small pieces and add to pot. Stir until golden brown.

Add 2 cups of bulgur wheat. Add water to cover ingredients.

Add olive oil and a touch of salt.

Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes.

Sauteing

Add grapeseed oil to pan and heat. Stir in onions and sautee until golden brown.

Add ground beef and cook until brown. Cover and keep heating on low flame.

Frying the eggplant
Slice the skin off the eggplants in three strips on and clean the edges

Drop in large pot of grapeseed oil.

Fry for 3-4 minutes on each side and then flip. When the striped area turns golden brown, the eggplant is done.

Cut the eggplant down the middle to split open. The inside should be soft.

Add salt and olive oil to the inside of the eggplant.

Fill eggplants with the beef and onion mixture.

Mix tomato paste and water and pour mixture inside eggplant. Pour excess tomato paste mixture on tray around eggplants.

Add a small slice of tomato and green pepper to top of eggplant.

Cook eggplant at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

To Serve

Place eggplant on plate and add finished bulgur and vermicelli to compliment.

Serves: 2

Sevan Bakery, is one of several different Armenian markets in Coolidge Square. The Chavushian family shared this recipe with us when the bakery was featured on Neighborhood Kitchens.

Sevan Bakery's Boregs (Cheese Turnovers)

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 09:37 AM +0000

Margarita learns to make the traditional Armenian pastry called Boregs.

Boregs (Cheese Turnover)

Chef Nuran Chavusian shows us this recipe for this simple but flavorful Armenian delight that is good for every occasion.

Ingredients

Imported French Feta cheese – 1 bowl
Dill – 1 bowl
1 Egg
Yukfa dough
Grapeseed oil (for frying)

Directions

Crack the egg and add to the bowl of feta.

Add in dill and mix.

Cut yufka dough into 2” strips.

Add a fork-full amount of the feta/dill mixture to the dough and fold side-to-side in small triangles as if folding a flag.

Dab a small amount of water to the tip of the dough and fold over to seal pocket shut. After folding your boregs, place them in a pan and cover with a towel as you prepare the rest of the boregs. It is important to keep the dough moist.

Frying

Frying temp must be just right. If you fry while the oil is too hot, you’ll burn the outside while the inside remains raw and the cheese will come out. To test, take a boreg and slightly dip it in the oil. If the oil starts bubbling around it, then the temperature is right.

Fry until the boregs turn golden brown.

Once fried, remove and place on towel to cool.

Outer shell should be crispy.

Sevan Bakery, is one of several different Armenian markets in Coolidge Square. The Chavushian family shared this recipe with us when the bakery was featured on Neighborhood Kitchens.

Chef Rich Garcia's Trash Fish Minestrone Soup

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 17:16 PM +0000

This minestrone soup is Chef Rich Garcia's take on a classic comfort food. It uses "trash fish," the less marketable or more unusual types of seafood.

Ingredients

8 oz. dried Maine yellow-eyed beans, soaked overnight (any dried white bean will work)
8 oz. Maine lobster
8 oz. dogfish filets, boneless/skinless, cut into 1"x1" chunks
8 oz. Gulf of Maine pollock filets, boneless/skinless, cut into 1"x1" chunks
2 Tbs. olive oil
3 oz. slab bacon, cut into 1/4" pieces
2 stalks celery, diced
2 medium onions, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 quarts lobster stock (or substitute with high quality fish stock)
1/2 cup winter squash, diced (butternut, red kuri, or other)
1 white potato cut into 1/2” cubes
6 oz. kale, rough chopped
1/2 cup shredded Savoy cabbage
Sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and sugar (To taste)
15 oz. canned plum tomatoes drained and chopped
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated

Directions

Cook the soaked beans in water until they are just tender. Set aside.

Cook the Maine lobster and cut the meat into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

Using a large, heavy soup pot, fry the bacon in the olive oil. Add the chopped celery, onion, and carrots, stirring and cooking until the vegetables start to soften. Pour in 1-1/2 quarts of lobster stock and bring the mixture to a boil.

Add the dogfish and pollock. Then add squash, potato, kale, and cabbage. Season to taste with sea salt, fresh pepper, and sugar.

Reduce heat and simmer the mixture for about 45 minutes, adding plum tomatoes about halfway through the cooking time.

When ready to serve, bring the soup to just under a boil and stir in the beans, lobster, and remainder of lobster stock. Transfer to soup bowls and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of fresh Parmesan cheese on top.

Serves: 12

Rich Garcia is executive chef at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel. He shared this recipe with us when he was featured as our guest on Neighborhood Kitchens.

Chef Rich Garcia's Taylor Bay Scallops with Ceviche Sauce

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 15:55 PM +0000

This simple, quick, and sure-to-please appetizer combines fresh local scallops with a refreshing ceviche sauce.

Ingredients

2 tsp. garlic
2 tsp. peeled ginger
4 tsp. chopped jalapeño
1 bunch cilantro
2 tsp. kosher salt
4 tsp. soy sauce
1 cup lemon juice
8 tsp. lime juice
6 raw scallops, shucked & cleaned
2 Tbs. micro celery

Directions

Prepare Ceviche Sauce
With a mortar and pestle, pound garlic until mashed.

Add ginger and continue pounding.

Add jalapeño and continue pounding.

Add cilantro and salt. Keep pounding.

When it is a coarse paste, add some soy sauce and some fresh lemon juice and lime juice.

Prepare Scallops
Remove scallops from shell if necessary. (Optional: Clean the shells, soak them in bleach, and place them in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes to preserve them.)

Slice scallops into thin (approximately quarter-inch wide) pieces and fan them vertically on a plate or the cleaned shell.

Pour approximately three tablespoons of the ceviche sauce over them and add some micro celery for garnish.

Serves: 6

Rich Garcia is executive chef at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel. He shared this recipe with us when he was featured as our guest on Neighborhood Kitchens.

Chef Rich Garcia's Local Pollock with Bacon & Seaweed Consomm�

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 15:34 PM +0000

Chef Rich Garcia first showed us this recipe for a delicious and hearty meal made of local pollock, a versatile white fish that is popular around the world. To complement the fish and the smoky flavor of the bacon and seaweed consommé, he adds sweet pickled mushrooms and a warm turnip purée.

Ingredients

For Bacon & Seaweed Consommé
2 3"x5" pieces konbu seaweed
6 cups spring water
1/2 lb. applewood smoked slab bacon

For Pickled Wild Mushrooms
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 tsp. kosher salt
3 Tbs. sugar
1/2 cup wild mushrooms

For Turnip Purée
1 large turnip
Salt (to taste)
Water (enough to cover turnip in pot)
Butter (to taste)

For Pollock
4 5-oz. pollock filets
Salt and pepper
2 cups Wondra flour
2 Tbs. olive oil

Directions

Prepare Bacon and Seaweed Consommé
Rinse the konbu seaweed in water, then rip it into strips and place it in a pot over medium heat, with enough water to cover it thoroughly.

Cut the bacon into approximately 2" squares and add to the pot.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and let cook. After 5 minutes, remove konbu from the pot. Let the bacon continue to cook for 30-45 minutes.

Remove the bacon from the pot, then put the liquid in the refrigerator for a few hours, or until the fat has solidified. Remove and discard the layer of fat. The remaining liquid is the consommé.

Prepare Pickled Wild Mushrooms
Combine vinegar, water, salt, and sugar in a pot and stir until combined. Bring to a boil. Pour into bowl of mushrooms and let sit for 45 minutes.

Prepare Turnip Purée
Peel and chop the turnip and place in a pot with salt.

Cover with water and bring to a boil, then reduce to a high simmer and cook until the turnips offer little resistance, if any.

Drain and mash the turnip (put into a blender for smoother texture) and season with more salt and butter. Serve warm.

Prepare Pollock
Sprinkle salt and pepper on pollock filets.

Coat skin side of filets with Wondra flour. Add a thin layer of olive oil to hot pan, then place the pollock filet in, flour-side down. Do not touch it; let it sit and cook. Sear the fish for 4-5 minutes in a hot pan, or until it is roughly 80% cooked through.

To Serve
Place a small mound of turnip purée in bowl (or plate with rounded edges that will not let the consommé spill over). Place the cooked fish on top and garnish with the pickled mushrooms. Pour a few tablespoons of warm consommé onto the plate over the fish.

Serves: 4

Rich Garcia is executive chef at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel. He shared this recipe with us when he was featured as our guest on Neighborhood Kitchens.

Flour Bakery's Lemon and Ginger Mousse

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 13:19 PM +0000

This light and tangy lemon and ginger mousse reflects Chef Joanne Chang's Taiwanese heritage, and serves as the perfect complement to her pork and chive dumplings and scallion pancakes.

This is a complicated recipe, so we suggested you read the whole thing before you begin.

Ingredients

For Lemon Curd
1 cup lemon juice (about 6 to 7 lemons)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
4 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. kosher salt

For Ginger Mousse
2-1/2 cups heavy cream
3-inch knob of fresh unpeeled ginger, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp. dried ground ginger
2-1/2 cups lemon curd (recipe above)
1/2 cup candied crystallized ginger, chopped for garnish

Directions

Prepare Lemon Curd
In a medium, nonreactive saucepan, combine the lemon juice and butter, place over medium-high heat, and heat to just under a boil. It should take 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a medium, heatproof bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolks until blended, then slowly whisk in the sugar until combined.

Gradually whisk a little of lemon-juice mixture into the sugar-egg mixture. Continue whisking the hot liquid into the sugar-egg mixture, a little at a time, until all of it has been incorporated. When all of the hot liquid has been incorporated, return the contents of the bowl to the saucepan, and return the saucepan to medium heat.

Cook, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon and making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan frequently to prevent the eggs from scrambling, for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the mixture thickens and coats the spoon thickly. To test, draw your finger along the back of the spoon; the curd should hold the trail for a second or two before it fills.

Remove the curd from the heat, and strain it through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Whisk in the vanilla and salt. You should have about 2 1/2 cups. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours, or until cold. (The curd can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.)

Prepare Ginger Mousse
Place heavy cream, chopped fresh ginger, and ground ginger in a large saucepan and bring to just under a boil. Turn off heat, and let cream sit for about an hour to infuse with the ginger.

Remove from heat and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight (or up to 4 days).

When you are ready to serve the mousse, use a sieve or strainer to strain the cold heavy cream into a large mixing bowl. Whip cream in a medium bowl or in a stand mixer using medium speed until it holds a stiff peak.

Fold in the lemon curd, using a spatula to cut down the middle of mixture and turning the mixing bowl one-quarter rotation. Repeat until evenly folded. Do not over mix. Divide into serving bowls and top with candied ginger.

Serves 6 to 8

Chef Joanne Chang is the chef and owner of Myers + Chang and Flour Bakery. She shared this recipe with us when she was featured as our guest on Neighborhood Kitchens.

Myers + Chang's Scallion Pancakes

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 12:36 PM +0000

Scallion pancakes are a simple, yet popular, Chinese snack. A side of soy dipping sauce adds the perfect finish to these crispy and flaky treats.

Ingredients

For Scallion Pancakes
1 bunch (8 to 9) scallions, washed and minced
1/4 cup sesame oil
1-1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 lb. store-bought pizza dough
All-purpose flour, as needed
1-1/2 cups vegetable oil, for frying

For Soy Dipping Sauce
3 Tbs. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. sriracha chili paste
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1 Tbs. ginger, finely minced
1 tsp. rice wine vinegar
1 Tbs. sugar
1 scallion, washed, trimmed, and minced

Directions

Prepare Scallion Pancakes
In a small bowl, mix the minced scallions with sesame oil and the salt.

Cut the dough in thirds.

On a well-floured work surface, roll out each piece of dough to a thin 10-by-5-inch rectangle.

Spread the scallion mixture over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around the edge. Starting at a long side, roll up each piece of dough jelly-roll style (long side to long side) and pinch to seal. Coil each roll of dough into a circle and tuck the end under the coil.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest for about 2 hours to allow the dough to proof and relax cover. (At this point pancakes may be stored in an airtight container overnight in the fridge. Alternatively, you may store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a week. Remove from freezer and let defrost in fridge overnight before using.)

Generously flour a work surface. Press dough round into a flat circle, deflating any pockets and squishing the scallions gently into the dough. With a rolling pin, slowly and carefully roll out each dough coil into a 10-inch round. It is easier if you start in the center and roll outward. Flour the dough and work surface as needed to prevent the dough from sticking. (It's okay if some of the scallion mixture comes out.)

In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sprinkle a bit of flour onto the oil and when it sizzles it is ready to go. Fry one pancake at a time over medium-high heat, turning once, until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Poke holes to deflate any air pockets that form while cooking.

Drain on paper towels.

Sprinkle a pinch of salt onto each pancake.

Prepare Soy Dipping Sauce
Place all ingredients in a small bowl, and whisk until sugar is dissolved. May be made up to a week in advance and stored in fridge in an airtight container.

Cut the scallion pancakes into sixths and serve with the soy dipping sauce.

Serves: 3

Chef Joanne Chang is the chef and owner of Myers + Chang and Flour Bakery. She shared this recipe with us when she was featured as our guest on Neighborhood Kitchens.

Myers + Chang's Pork and Chive Dumplings

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 17:08 PM +0000

These dumplings are one of the most popular menu items at Myers + Chang. Chef Joanne learned this recipe from her mother, and used to make hundreds of dumplings at a time when she was growing up.

Ingredients

For Dumplings
6-8 large napa cabbage leaves
1-2 Tbs. kosher salt
1/2 bunch garlic chives
2 tsp. sesame oil
3 Tbs. soy sauce
1 lb. ground pork
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh ginger
1 pkg. round dumpling wrappers
2-3 Tbs. cooking oil (Chef Joanne uses canola)
3/4 cup water

For Dumpling Sauce
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp. black Chiangking vinegar
2 tsp. sriracha chili sauce
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. chopped ginger

Directions

Prepare Dumplings
Slice the cabbage thinly, place in a large bowl, and salt generously with about 1-2 tablespoons of kosher salt. Let sit for 10 minutes.

Mince garlic chives.

Mix together pork, ginger, garlic chives, sesame oil, and soy sauce.

Squeeze cabbage to take out all of the water, add to pork mixture, and mix well.

Place the dumpling wrapper on a flat surface. Dip your finger in water and use to dab water all around the edge of the wrapper. Put small spoonful of filling in center of wrapper. Pinch in the middle to create taco-like shape. Make two inward pleats at each end of the dumpling on the side of the wrapper facing away from you. The end result should resemble a small couch. (If you don’t want to cook them immediately, you can freeze them as long as you wrap them tightly.)

To cook dumplings, place oil in a large flat skillet (Chef Joanne recommends cast iron) and heat on high. Add dumplings and immediately turn heat down to medium-low. Cook, checking bottoms of dumplings, until golden brown (about 2-3 minutes).

Add about 1/4 cup water to pan and cover immediately (be careful as the water will can sputtering and steaming). Let cook for a few minutes and add another 1/4 cup of water when the water evaporates. Cover and cook again. Add one final 1/4 cup of water and cover and cook again. Dumplings are done when the water totally evaporates and the bottoms are brown and crispy.

Serve with dumpling sauce.

Prepare Dumpling Sauce
Mix dumpling sauce ingredients together in a medium bowl. (May be made in advance.)

Makes: 50-60 dumplings

Chef Joanne Chang is the chef and owner of Myers + Chang and Flour Bakery. She shared this recipe with us when she was featured as our guest on Neighborhood Kitchens.

Casa Romero's Chilaquiles

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 17:12 PM +0000

Chilaquiles, or tortilla casserole, is a traditional Mexican dish usually served during breakfast or brunch, although it can be eaten at any time of day. Lightly fried corn tortillas are simmered in a green or red salsa and topped with cheese and/or pulled chicken to create a perfectly simple morning meal. Many regional variations of this dish exist so feel free to add your own twist to this delicious Mexican tradition!

Ingredients

12 corn tortillas
2 Tbs. olive oil
Salt
Salsa verde/roja (see separate recipe)
1 cup grated cheese (Chef Leo Romero uses a combination of grated cheddar, grated mozzarella, and grated muenster or Monterey jack to create a taste similar to Mexican cheese.)
1 cup shredded chicken (optional)
1/4 cup water

Directions

Rip the tortillas into small pieces.

Put them into a pan coated in olive oil. Turn them over so they don’t get too toasted.

Add some salt.

Add salsa (verde or roja).

(You can add cheese now or at the very end.)

Add some shredded chicken.

Add some water to the pan to deglaze it and to thin out the sauce. Otherwise, the tortillas will get too dry.

Serves: 4

Chef Leo Romero opened Boston's Casa Romero in 1972. He shared this recipe with us when he was featured as our guest on Neighborhood Kitchens.

Bristol Lounge's Smoked Sablefish Tacos

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 15:20 PM +0000

Prepare these sablefish tacos with guacamole, pickled jicama, and fresh taro root tortillas. Take the fish to the next level by curing it and smoking it with hickory wood chips.

Ingredients

For Curing & Smoking Fish
3 lb. sablefish
1/2 cup salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 oz. fennel seed
1/2 oz. black peppercorns
1 oz. fresh dill, chopped
Hickory wood chips

For Guacamole
2 ripe avacados
2 oz. red onion, finely diced
3 oz. olive oil
2 limes for juicing
1 oz. cumin powder
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Salt

For Pickled Jicama
1 medium jicama
2 cups Champagne vinegar
1 star anise
1/2 tsp. black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs thyme
1 stick cinnamon

For Taro Root Tortillas
1 medium taro root

1 bunch water crescent

Directions

Prepare Cure
Dress the fish to remove skin and all bones.

Mix the salt, sugar, dill, fennel seed, and peppercorns thoroughly (this is the cure).

Apply this cure to the fish and refrigerate for 24 hours.

The next day, rinse the cure off of the fish and pat dry to remove any excess moisture.

Smoke Fish
Place the fish on clean and oil-sprayed racks in the oven or cold smoker with the skin side down.

Place wood chips in a sauté pan and apply heat to the bottom. When the chips start to burn and smoke heavily place them in the oven or smoker.

Cook the fish at 200 degrees for 35-45 minutes.

Repeat the burning of chips several times during cooking until the fish is firm to the touch and cooked thoroughly. Fish should be turned at least once and should also be rotated from the inside to the outside of the rack throughout the smoking process.

Prepare Guacamole
Dice the avocado small and combine with the red onion in a mixing bowl. Mash the ingredients with the back of a spoon, or quickly pulse in a food processor.

Add olive oil, lime juice, cilantro, and cumin.

Season with salt and refrigerate in air-tight container.

Pickle Jicama
Peel jicama as you would peel a melon. Use a knife, Asian mandolin, or grater to cut thin, matchstick-sized lengths of jicama.

Pour 2 cups of Champagne vinegar into small pot and add star anise, black peppercorns, bay leaf, thyme, and cinnamon.

Bring to a boil.

Pour liquid over sliced jicama and let sit in a dish to cool. Drain liquid and refrigerate.

Prepare Taro Root Tortillas
Peel taro root and slice into large chip-sized portions.

Heat canola oil to 300-350 degrees. Form tortilla shell shape by bending before and during frying process. Fry until crisp and golden brown.

Serve
Use taro root chip as tortilla shell. Place sprig of water crescent at bottom of tortilla, then layer smoked sable, guacamole, and pickled jicama on top.

Serves: 6 to 8

Chef José Gamez is executive sous chef at Bristol Lounge. He shared this recipe with us when he was featured as our guest on Neighborhood Kitchens.

Cafe Azteca's Latin American Flan

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 14:48 PM +0000

Flan is a custard dessert popular all over Latin America.

Ingredients

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
5 eggs
2 cans condensed milk
2 Tbs. vanilla
2-3/4 cups whole milk
Whipped cream
6 sprigs mint

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Set up 6 ramekins inside a large rectangular pan.

Pour sugar into a small pan over medium heat. Add water. Stir for 2 minutes until the sugar dissolves completely. Keep stirring as it boils and turn off heat when mixture is medium brown.

Pour two spoonfuls into each ramekin.

Break eggs into a large mixing bowl. Whisk. Add condensed milk, vanilla, and whole milk.

Pour cold water into the pan that the ramekins are resting inside. (The culinary term for this is a bain marie.)

Add a ladle full of the egg and milk mixture into each ramekin.

Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool for 20 minutes.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Take a knife and carefully cut the edges of the flan away from the sides of the ramekin. Then flip the ramekin over onto a plate, and lift it away.

Dot whipped cream at three corners of the flan. Add a sprig of mint to one dot of whipped cream.

Serves: 6

Chef Antonio Guerrero is the chef and owner of Cafe Azteca, an elegant Mexican restaurant located in Lawrence, Mass. He shared this recipe with us when he was featured as our guest on Neighborhood Kitchens.

Extending the Table

Wed, 21 Nov 2012 12:18 PM +0000

Thankgiving Table (michaelwhitney/Flickr)

"There is no joy in eating alone." —The Buddha, 543 B.C.
The history of Thanksgiving is about different cultures coming together. Our national holiday commemorates the First Thanksgiving held by the Pilgrim colonists and members of the Wampanoag people in Plymouth in 1621.

On Thanksgiving Day this week, in neighborhood kitchens around the country, people will come together to prepare traditional foods of the season: roasted turkey, gravy, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and of course pumpkin pie. But according to a published letter of Plymouth Colony leader Edward Winslow, that first meal bears little resemblance to our modern day feast. For example,food historians have shown that potatoes, a staple of today’s Thanksgiving meal, originated in South America and had not made their way into the Wampanoag or colonist diet at the time of the 1621 harvest celebration.

If you think of America as a big salad bowl, filled with many types of colorful foods, then you can see how our cultures can come together on the plate. In millions of US kitchens, the Thanksgiving menu this year will reflect a multicultural touch, such as warm arepas, fried plantains, tamales, sticky rice or pasta with freshly made tomato sauce.

If your want to add something different to your traditional Thankgiving meal, consider one of the following recipes, shared with us from some of the chefs in New England who never cook without adding flavors from around the world:

Oleana’s Chef de Cuisine Cassie Piuma’s cacik, a delicious Turkish dish served family style.

Simply Khmer’s Sam Neang and Denise Ban’s Cambodian fried rolls…perfect to assemble and cook with the family.

Chef José Duarte of Taranta gives a New England spin to the traditional potato dish from Peru, with his Maine lobster causa.

Muqueca Chef Fatima “Fafa” Langa’s Brazilian tapioca cuscuz…an ideal ending for a fabulous meal.

Our menus may evolve, but the Thanksgiving spirit remains the same…coming together, sharing a meal, and giving thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Versatile Avocado

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 16:53 PM +0000

(Patricia Alvarado Nuñez/WGBH)

In the last decade, the buttery and rich avocado has rocketed to superstardom. That’s no surprise, since research has demonstrated its attributes as a nutrient-dense food,offering arich mix of proteins, minerals and healthy fats.

In Latin America, avocados have always been well regarded. This subtropical fruit has been cultivated for thousands of years in Mexico and Central America. Mexicans, who seldom eat a meal without them, are the main consumers of avocados worldwide, eating an average of 20 pounds per person per year.

Growing up in Panama, Central America, I remember the avocado tree in the back of our house, which produced huge avocados, at least three or four times the size of the ones found in supermarkets in the U.S. At home we enjoyed our avocados raw, with a pinch of salt and squirt of lime, or with a spoonful of sugar on top.

The United States is the second largest consumer of avocados in the world, due in part to the growth of the Latino population. In kitchens across the U.S., you will find avocados used in every imaginable way: in smoothies and shakes, diced on top of salads, in soups, inside sandwiches and burgers, next to seafood, in ice cream, in sushi rolls and dips. Of course they are the primary ingredient in guacamole.

Since I have always admired the qualities of the avocado, I am glad to see chefs featured in Neighborhood Kitchens working the fruit into their own delicious recipes. Try some of these at home:

Have you ever heard of avocado fries? Bristol Lounge’s chef José Gamez shares his popular recipe.

Chef Leo Romero, owner of Mexican restaurant Casa Romero, prepares a simple ceviche with slices of avocado.

Scampo head chef, Simon Restrepo, creates a king crab mozzarella salad ... with avocado. It's out of this world.

Cafe Azteca’s Antonio Guerrero prepares sopes, a tasty street snack, with pork, refried beans, sour cream and guacamole.

Taranta’s chef José Duarte prepares a Maine lobster causa with Peruvian potatoes, aji amarillo, botija olives, tomatoes and avocado.

*****
-- Patricia Alvarado Núñez is the Series Producer of Neighborhood Kitchens.

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Casa Romero's Chilaquiles

Bristol Lounge's Smoked Sablefish Tacos

Cafe Azteca's Latin American Flan

Extending the Table

The Versatile Avocado