I‘ve always loved Vietnamese Salad rolls (gỏi cuốn), and I’ve been making them off and on for decades, so I don’t know why I haven’t shared them with you guys before. If you haven’t had them, they are cool and refreshing, with a tender but slightly chewy rice paper wrapper surrounding thin rice noodles, lettuce, …
Hungry Ghost Moroccan Carrot Salad – Recipe
Before we get into Ellen Kanner’s lovely book, a quick note about the James Beard awards. My book didn’t win. While it would have been great, it also would have been a pretty huge surprise as a first time author. To be a finalist was an entirely sufficient thrill. My wife, Sarina, and I had …
The Joy of a Proper Spatula
Most spatulas suck.
This spatula, from LamsonSharp, emphatically does not suck.
It has a thin leading edge, so it slips right under your food without mauling it or ruining the crust. It is strong and flexible. It has nice, wide slots that allow oil or sauces to remain behind in the pan. It has a nice curve …
Khao Soi – Thai Curry Noodles from Chiang Mai
Khao soi is an iconic dish from the Chiang Mai region of northern Thailand, though its roots are thought to be Burmese or Chinese Muslim. It inspires cultlike devotion among initiates.
You don’t find khao soi often enough at Thai restaurants in America, which is why I think it is well worth making at home. Fresh, …
Roasted Asparagus with Pistachio Puree – Recipe
At Sitka and Spruce and Bar Sajor, Matt Dillon serves quite a few salads and small plates with a base of various ridiculously good nut purees. Though really, puree isn’t quite the right word. They eat more like a sort of nut-based hummus: rich, creamy, slightly fluffy, but packed full of the flavor of roasted …
Roasted Maitake Mushrooms In Smoky Tea Broth - Recipe
Maitakes, also known as hen-of-the-woods (not to be confused with chicken-of-the-woods, which is completely different!), are a wild mushroom well worth seeking out at farmers’ markets or gourmet grocers. Maitakes are rather expensive, and their dramatic ruffled appearance and rich flavor are unusual, so when I use them, I like to make them the focus …
Gorditas with Roasted Mushrooms – Recipe
Gorditas: thick, delicious homemade corn tortillas that are shallow fried then split and topped with whatever moves you. Close cousins to the arepa and the pupusa.
I’m not going to kid you, gorditas are a bit of a project. You have to make and shape the dough, then toast them on a dry skillet first, then …
