Spicy Kimchi Ramen

This soup is really easy, quick, tasty, and inexpensive. It's my attempt at recreating an amazing bowl of ramen I had at a little Japanese restaurant in San Jose, CA called Tanto, and my version came surprisingly close, though it's lighter and not as parchingly salty.

For each bowl you will need:

2 1/2 cups Chicken Stock
1 package dried instant ramen noodles (They come in a block wrapped in cellophane, officially 2 servings per block, but I use the whole thing. Make sure the noodles themselves are unflavored, and the seasoning is wrapped separately. Discard the seasoning packet.)
2 ounces protein (roast chicken, poached or hard-boiled egg, shrimp, tofu, pulled pork...)
Chopped green onions
Fresh napa cabbage kimchi (look for one with no MSG)

Directions:

Bring broth to a boil. Add block of ramen noodles and cook until soft, 3-5 minutes.  Add protein, green onions, and several pieces of kimchi until the broth turns light red from the hot peppers in the kimchi brine. Taste and add more kimchi if desired. The more you add, the spicier your soup will be.

Green Lentil Salad

 

I grew up on meat and potatoes, with vegetables definitely putting the "side" in side dish. While my mom thankfully knew not to cook them to death, vegetables weren't prepared with much inspiration; the green beans, peas, and Brussels sprouts were invariably steamed and served with butter. I'm trying to eat more vegetable-based dishes these days, both for health reasons and because organic, humanely raised meat and dairy is beyond my budget. Inspired by a classic recipe from the southern Italian region of Basilicata,  I picked up some dried French green lentils the other day and wanted to turn them into a salad that would be as flavorful, savory, and satisfying as a meat dish. While it may not win any beauty contests, this dish is really tasty and perfect for a potluck or picnic because it keeps well, and tastes best, at room temperature. This recipe makes a lot of salad - about 8-9 cups depending on how may veggies you add. It can serve 10 people as a meal and 15-20 as a side dish.

You will need:

2 cups French green lentils (these hold their shape and texture better than regular brown lentils - those risk turning to mush when used in a salad and are better for soups)

3 cups water

2 whole cloves of garlic, crushed with the side of a chef’s knife and peeled

black pepper to taste

2 small Turkish bay leaves (See the chicken stock recipe for info on different kinds of bay leaves.)

1/2 teaspoon each dried thyme and oregano, or other herbs (Fresh is great too, just double the dried measurements and chop finely)

2 ribs of celery, peeled and finely diced

1 carrot, peeled and finely diced

1/2 red onion, diced

2 to 3 scallions, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste, plus a pinch
3/4 of a cup chopped flat leaf parsley

1-2 tablespoons sherry or red wine vinegar

4-5 tablespoons good extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Spread the lentils out on a plate or cookie sheet and remove any pebbles, grains, or other debris. Rinse thoroughly in a colander. Put the water, lentils, garlic, black pepper, bay leaves, and other herbs in a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed sauce pan. Bring to boil, cooking uncovered for 3 minutes, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for about 40 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure the bottom doesn't scorch, and add a bit more water (a tablespoon at a time) if all the water is absorbed and the pan is dry. Start checking for doneness after 30 minutes. The lentils are ready when they are al dente – still firm but no longer crunchy in the center. Remove from heat, pick out the bay leaves and garlic, and set aside to cool.

While the lentils cool, finely dice the celery, carrots, and green and red onions, and mix together with a pinch of salt. When the lentils are cooled to lukewarm, season with the 1/2 teaspoon of salt and mix together with the vegetables, vinegar, and olive oil. Cool in the fridge for several hours to allow the flavors to meld, then bring to room temperature and stir in the chopped parsley. Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving - you may need another splash of vinegar or pinch of salt to brighten the flavor.

Spaghetti with Lemon, Pecorino Romano, Black Pepper, and Olive Oil

Easy tasty, tangy, savory dinner for 1 (or 20) with 5 vegetarian ingredients in classic Italian style....

You will need:

Spaghetti, spaghettini, angel hair, or the like

Good extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Wedge of pecorino romano, parmigiano-reggiano, grana padano, or other hard, Italian-style cheese
Whole lemon

Directions:

Cook the pasta in salted water, about 1/4 lb per serving. Drain, but don't rinse, and put in serving platter while piping hot. Toss with olive oil, about 1 tablespoon per serving. Add black pepper to taste. Using a Microplane (such a handy kitchen tool!) grate zest of lemon over pasta, about 1/2 a lemon's zest per serving. Add lemon juice, about 1/4 lemon's juice per serving. Again using the microplane, grate LOTS of cheese over the hot pasta, tossing immediately to distribute the cheese throughout, so you don't end up with one big lump of melted cheese. Grate more cheese over everything. Dinner's ready!

While it's delicious as is, consider adding:

toasted pine nuts or walnuts
crushed red pepper flakes
chopped anchovies, sauteed in the olive oil first
chopped italian parsley
fresh oregano leaves

Homemade Chicken Stock

I'm into real, homemade food, food that heals and comforts. I've chosen my basic chicken stock recipe as my first posting because it's a base for so many of the dishes I like to cook. I used to buy canned broth (Swanson's is pretty good, though other brands, especially the ones in cartons, can taste like salty water) but I've taken to making my own. The flavor is so much better, it's less expensive, and you can really control the salt content, which is very high even in low sodium canned versions. It's an easy recipe, but there are a few things to keep in mind, and it takes awhile to cook. I make a big batch and freeze it in small containers (those 32 oz yogurt containers are perfect), then put them in the fridge to defrost the day before I plan to use them.

stock vs. broth: Sometimes people use the terms interchangeably, and most of the time you can use either/or in recipes. Stock is made by simmering bones, meat and vegetables. Gelatin (and lots of flavor) is released from the bones into the liquid, creating a richly colored and flavored liquid that has a lot of body, and, like Jello, turns to jelly when chilled. Broth is lighter in flavor and texture, and is made with meat and vegetables, but no bones. It remains liquid when chilled.

HOMEMADE CHICKEN STOCK

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 3 hours
Yield: About 10-12 cups

You will need:

8 quart stock pot with lid

5-6 lbs of bone in chicken parts (I like what's called "whole chicken legs with backs." They're inexpensive -I found them for 69 cents a pound yesterday- and they lie nicely in the pot. However, you can use any cut of bone-in, skin-on chicken, or a whole chicken cut into pieces. Just be sure to rinse the raw chicken and scrape away any organ meat that the butcher didn't remove. If you don't do this, your stock will have an "off" taste.)

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered. (Some people say that you can leave the skin on, but I remove it in case it's hiding any dirt or mold.  Also, the skin can change the color of the stock.)

2 ribs of celery, plus leafy parts of the celery bunch, well washed and broken in half. (Celery can be pretty dirty. The leaves have lots of flavor.)

1 large carrot, peeled

1-2 dried bay leaves (Use Turkish bay - the flavor is lighter and more delicate. I'm from California, and I like to use California bay leaves that I pick myself, but the flavor can be stronger and even medicinal, so you have to taste the stock regularly and remove the leaves if it becomes too strong. Whichever you choose, make sure the leaves are fresh and fragrant and haven't been sitting in your cupboard for years.)

Small black peppercorns, one heaping teaspoon

Tablespoon of dried herbs: thyme, sage, oregano, rosemary, alone or in combination. You can use fresh as well, just thrown in stems and all, no need to chop or tie up.

Water

Salt

Juice and zest of 1 lemon (optional)

Directions:

Put the chicken, onion, celery, carrot, bay leaves, pepper, and herbs in the pot. Fill with water until the chicken is just covered. Put on the stove on high heat, and bring to a boil with the cover off. Then bring the temperature down to low, cover the pot, and let simmer for about 3 hours. I like to stir the pot occasionally, ever half hour or so, just to make sure things are cooking evenly.

You'll know the stock is done when the meat falls completely off the bones, and all the flavor has leached from the bones and meat into the golden yellow liquid.


Let cool until the liquid is warm but not hot, then strain out the liquid from the solids into another large pot or bowl, using a fine mesh strainer or a colander with very small holes. Then, fish out the bones from the solids, and squeeze what's left of the meat over the strainer to get as much of the liquid as you can.

Now salt the stock for the first time. The meat has natural salts in it, so it's best to wait until all those have cooked into the stock. Taste first before you add extra salt. I use gray sea salt or kosher salt, adding a half teaspoon at a time until it's just right. Use less if you're using regular table salt with a fine grain. You can also add the zest and juice of one lemon at this point. I find this gives the stock a bright, fresh flavor.


You'll notice that the stock has a layer of fat floating on the top. You can skim this off now with a large spoon, or store the stock as is in the fridge - the fat is easier to remove once it cools and becomes a solid. However, if you intend to freeze your stock, I suggest leaving the fat on. It creates a barrier from the cold air, protecting the stock from freezer burn.

You can throw away the fat, but I save it in a small container in the freezer. There's so much flavor in there, and if you're not watching saturated fats, you can fry potatoes in it, make matzo balls with it, sauté chicken in it. Delicious!