Some of our favorite seasonal and tasty recipes that say 'I love you.'
Image by Vegetarian Times
Fried Sunchoke Chips with Rosemary Salt
For an easy side dish or appetizer that allows you to get back to entertaining.
You will need:
2 pounds unpeeled sunchokes (also called Jerusalem artichokes), scrubbed
Vegetable oil (for frying)
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
1. Fill large bowl with cold water. Slice sunchokes into thin rounds (about 1/16 inch thick), immediately dropping into bowl of water to prevent browning. Rinse and drain 3 times. Pat very dry with paper towels.
2. Pour enough oil into large deep skillet to reach depth of 1/2 inch. Submerge bulb of deep-fry thermometer into oil; lean top of thermometer against skillet rim. Heat oil to 375°F. Mix 1 tablespoon salt and rosemary in small bowl. Using fingertips, blend well, rubbing salt and rosemary together.
3. Working in batches, fry sunchoke slices until golden brown, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes. Using skimmer, transfer chips to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle chips with some rosemary salt.
4. Mound chips in bowl and serve.
Image by EatLiveRun
Favorite Salad
Titled after being requested as the favorite salad in many households, this dish holds the key to a kale lover's heart. Note: those that do not typically love brussel sprouts or dark leafy greens, tend to fall in love.
You will need:
2 heads of leafy kale (doing a mix of purple and green gives great color)
1 pound brussel sprouts
1 medium shallot
1/2 cup raw almonds, chopped
2 tbsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos (soy sauce can be substitued here)
1 tbsp apple cider vinigar
2 lemons
1/2 grated pecorino cheese
4 tbsp honey mustard
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp salt
4 tsp black pepper
1. Thinly slice brussel sprouts, or use kitchen aid to shred (should have consitency of a slaw). Place into large serving bowl.
2. Remove kale leafs from spine. Tear into 1 inch pieces. Place into bowl with brussel sprouts.
3. Whisk together juice of lemons, honey mustard, olive oil, apple cider vinager, salt and black pepper.
4. Mince shallot and place into dressing. Let sit for 5 minutes.
5. Pour dressing over brussel sprouts and kale. Important: Massage dressing with greens for 5 minutes. By using your hands to work in the oil and seasonings, the toughness of the kale is broken down.
6. Place 1 tbsp olive oil in pan and heat. When hot, toast almonds. Turn heat off once the almonds begin to brown.
7. Remove almonds from heat. While in skillet, drizzle liquid aminos over the nuts.
8. Combine nuts, salad and pecorino in large bowl and serve. Other added toppings: Crisp black pepper bacon
Photo by Hircheimer and Hamilton
Caramel Chicken
Sounds sweet but has great acidity: a delicous main for any meat lover.
You will need:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2½ pounds skin-on, bone-in chicken legs and thighs
Kosher salt
8 garlic cloves, peeled
⅓ cup (packed) light brown sugar
¼ cup (or more) unseasoned rice vinegar
2 slices ¼"-thick slices peeled ginger
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Rice (for serving)
1. Heat oil in a large wide heavy pot over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and, working in 2 batches, cook until golden brown and crisp, 6–8 minutes per side; transfer to a plate. Add garlic to pot and cook, stirring often, until golden, about 2 minutes; transfer to plate with chicken. Pour off fat from pot.
2. Return pot to medium-high heat and add ½ cup water, scraping up browned bits. Add brown sugar; stir to dissolve, then cook, stirring, until mixture thickens and turns a deep amber color, about 4 minutes. Carefully add vinegar (it may bubble up; sugar will crystallize); stir to dissolve sugar.
3. Add ginger, broth, and soy sauce, then add chicken, skin side up, and garlic. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer gently until chicken is cooked through, 20–25 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.
4. Bring cooking liquid to a boil and cook until thick enough to coat a spoon, about 10 minutes. Return chicken to pot; turn to coat. Top with scallions and serve with rice.
Photograph by Todd Coleman
Classic Pork Gyoza
Margot on our product team swears by this recipe. It may look intense but she promises it's easy and fun to get creative with the fillings.
You will need:
3 cups trimmed and finely chopped green cabbage (about 8 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cups nira (Japanese green garlic chives), bottom 2 inches trimmed to remove the hard stem, and finely chopped (about 1/3 pound)
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic (about 2 cloves)
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger (about 1 ounce ginger, peeled)
2/3 pound ground pork
2 teaspoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons katakuriko (potato starch), plus extra for dusting
50 round gyoza skins, 3 to 4 inches in diameter
1 tablespoon katakuriko (potato starch) mixed with 3 tablespoons warm water
Soy sauce
Japanese rice vinegar
Rayu
2/3 cup water
1. To prepare the filling, add the cabbage and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a large bowl and thoroughly mix together. Let the cabbage sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. When it’s ready, transfer the cabbage to a clean kitchen towel or large cheesecloth.
2. Roll up the cloth and wring out the liquid in the cabbage, like you’re wringing dry a wet towel. This is a key step so the gyoza doesn’t become watery.
3. Wring out as much liquid from the cabbage as possible. Do this in batches if it’s easier.Add the wrung-out cabbage, nira, garlic, ginger, pork, soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil, black pepper, salt, sugar, and katakuriko to a large bowl.
4. Use your hands to mix the ingredients together for about 2 minutes.
5. Mash and mush the mixture together, squeezing it through your fingers, so it turns into a sticky filling that will hold together when you spoon it into a dumpling skin.
6. To make the dumplings, prepare a tray by lightly dusting it with katakuriko. Place a gyoza skin in the palm of one hand with the floured side down. (The skins are sold with one side floured.) Dip a finger in the katakuriko mixed with warm water and wet the entire edge of the skin. This water-starch mixture is the “glue” that will hold the skin closed. Add about 1 tablespoon of the filling to the center of the skin. Use the index fingers and thumbs of both hands to fold the skin and pinch it together.
7. Place the completed gyoza on the tray, fold side up. Repeat until you’ve used up all the filling.
8. To prepare the dipping sauce, combine the soy sauce, vinegar, and rayu. A classic proportion is 4 parts soy sauce to 2 parts vinegar to 1 part rayu. Adjust to your own taste. Pour the dipping sauce into individual small bowls and set aside.
9. To cook the gyoza, preheat a nonstick pan or cast-iron skillet over high heat for about 5 minutes. (We like to use a 12-inch-diameter skillet with a cover to prepare gyoza.)
10. When the skillet is hot, add 1 table-spoon of the sesame oil, making sure the entire surface is coated (you can use a wadded-up paper towel to carefully spread the oil). Begin adding the gyoza, one at a time, in neat rows, with the seam side up. A 12-inch skillet will hold about 20 gyoza.
11. Once all the gyoza are added, fry them for about 10 seconds. Now quickly pour in the water over the gyoza and cover the skillet tightly. Cook over high heat for about 4 minutes.
12. Uncover the skillet; there should be little or no water remaining. Cook for 1 minute more. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil over the gyoza and cook for an additional 1 minute, for about 6 minutes total cooking time. The gyoza should look glossy with the skins cooked through.
13. Turn off the heat and use a thin fish spatula to transfer the gyoza to a serving plate, this time with the seam side down (you want to show off the beautifully crispy, browned bottoms of the dumplings).
14. Serve the dumplings steaming hot, with the dipping sauce on the side. Dip in the sauce to eat.Turn off the heat and use a thin fish spatula to transfer the gyoza to a serving plate, this time with the seam side down (you want to show off the beautifully crispy, browned bottoms of the dumplings).
Photo by Ditte Isager
Plum and Mascarpone Pie
Sweet and slightly creamy, this pie is the perfect closure to a meal.
You will need:
1 pie crust, homemade or store-bought (click for homemade crust recipe)
4-5 pounds firm ripe plums (20–25 plums), halved, pitted (with skin)
1 1/2 cups plus 2 Tbsp. sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
8 ounces mascarpone
1/3 cup crème fraîche
2 tablespoons honey
Whipped cream
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line pie dish with crust; crimp edges. Fully bake pie crust according to recipe or box instructions.
2. Place plums in a large bowl; add 1 1/2 cups sugar and lemon juice. Scrape in seeds from half of vanilla bean; toss to coat. Divide plum mixture between two 13x9x2" glass baking dishes, arranging plums cut side down and overlapping slightly. Roast until juices are bubbling and slightly thickened and plums are tender but not falling apart, 40–60 minutes (cooking time will depend on ripeness of plums). Let cool slightly.
3. Using a slotted spatula, transfer plums to a rimmed baking sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap; chill. Pour juices in baking dishes into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer until thickened and reduced to a scant 1/2 cup, 4–5 minutes; set glaze aside.
4. Combine remaining 2 Tbsp. sugar, mascarpone, crème fraîche, and honey in a medium bowl. Scrape in seeds from remaining half vanilla bean. Using an electric mixer, beat on high speed until mixture holds firm peaks (do not overbeat or mascarpone may curdle). DO AHEAD: Plums, glaze, and mascarpone cream can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and chill.
5. Spread mascarpone cream evenly over bottom of crust. Arrange some chilled plum halves tightly (but not overlapping) in a single layer over mascarpone mixture. Starting at edges of pie crust, arrange remaining plum halves on top of base layer, overlapping tightly and forming a spiral to cover. Pie should dome slightly in the center.
6. Using a pastry brush, spread some of glaze over plums (if glaze has firmed up, gently reheat, adding 1 Tbsp. water and whisking to blend).
7. Cut pie into slices. Top with whipped cream and drizzle with more plum syrup.