Will It All Fit?

Maybe not. So much jostles in this week’s soup, it’s unlikely one stockpot will hold everything. What…in one bowl? Come on, you’ve got to be joking. Yet somehow, Tom Kha manages it. Here’s a Thai prawn and scallop soup which contains not only the titular seafood – two kinds at that – but power hitters…

Again with the Peaches?

Of course. It’s late summer, after all, and the stonefruit is gloriously in season. Time for the produce, which is fantastic most of the time, to attain perfection. Sweet and tangy, juicy and lush, peaches are precisely why we spend the rest of the year dreaming about August. This week, peaches make up a vibrant…

Strong Influence

Special occasions call for memorable meals, and for many North Americans, “Japanese” steakhouses such as Benihana or Shogun stir fond recollections.  These places value entertainment, and they feature flashy, wisecracking chefs preparing meals, teppanyaki-style, on an iron griddle immediately in front of guests.  The freshest ingredients served alongside puns (some cringe-worthy, some not), knife gymnastics…

There Once Was a Chef on Nantucket…

Who used oysters and clams by the bucket Until one day the market ran dry So the chef asked, “Why not give lobsters a try?” To those who think chowder means clams, I say…” The rest has been lost, but you might speculate. Point is, summer often includes a trip to the beach, and shore…

We Need Heat, Stat!

Today’s entry supplies it too, with a pair of warmers.  Indonesia’s cooks contribute the sambal, while Korea’s kitchens produce gochujang, a fermented bean-pepper paste served alongside the main course.  While the flavors span different parts of the continent, both impart a vigor that gently stimulates the palate and satisfies the spirit.  They definitely give this…

It’s Quick

That’s the whole concept of tempura – once the oil is hot enough to begin bubbling, lightly battered food is dipped in it just long enough to flash cook it and to seal in the flavors.  The batter actually protects the food from the oil and ensures the edibles are steamed, not fried, and that…

From Scratch, All of It

Not only was today’s recipe assembled from original ingredients, but even the curry paste was concocted in the kitchen.  That freshness adds depth to the dish and gives Scallops with Thai Green Curry an especially expressive taste profile.  With fresh lemongrass, lime zest, chiles and ginger, among many, many other elements, the curry sauce has…

They’re So…Yellow!

Lemons will add that to what they adorn, particularly if it’s the Lemony Salsa Verde crowning the lightly-grilled scallops in today’s entry.  Even more so when they are coarsely chopped with the skins intact.  As you may guess, this gives the salsa a fresh, beautifully vibrant character.  Then there’s that gorgeous, bright color. Of course,…

Cool Heat

It’s a pleasure that will become will become ever-more-frequent as summer unfolds in the months ahead – sliding into a glistening pool on a hot day, or the first sip of a cold drink dripping condensation in the sweltering humidity.  Today’s offering takes full advantage of this perfect contrast and brings heat, and then douses…

Along Italy’s Pacific Coast

Wait, what?  There’s the Adriatic and the Mediterranean, but when did this whole Pacific thing happen?  About 150 years ago, actually, when Italian immigrants to the U.S. made their way westward and those of a more nautical disposition found work is San Francisco’s fishing industry.  While many in the Bay Area discovered wealth inland extracting…