I feel very fortunate that there is a fabulous farmer’s market in town that has some of the best local foods available, all from within a 30-mile radius. As the school year has been winding down, it is even a greater pleasure to be able to enjoy a sun-filled afternoon at the outdoor market with good friends, good wine, and good food. I love stumbling upon unique finds and meeting local farmers who are truly engaged in their products and customers.

Coniglio alla Ligure Recipe

Preparation Time: 2 hours
Serves 6

Ingredients

Tools

• Large dutch oven
• Chef knife (meat carving knife preferred)
• Cooking twine
• Wooden spoon
• Measuring cup
• Tongs

Selina’s Tips

• The olives are very important and should not be substituted with another variety
• Rossese di Dolceacqua is the best wine for cooking and pairing this dish and is what makes it truly Ligurian
• The rabbit pieces should be browned on a single layer; do not overcrowd! Make a half portion of the recipe if needed.

Buon cibo, buon vino, buoni amici – Unknown

When there’s a blizzard outside, having warmth, good food, wine, and company is priceless. A fireplace adds a nice touch as well. There are many foods that comfort the soul, but today’s choice is heavily influenced by my favorite person in the world who happens to come from Italy and knows a thing or two about pasta. Bucatini all’Amatriciana is a Roman dish that is very rich, but in a sensible and savory way that doesn’t weigh you down.  The Romans are well known for their conviviality and time well spent with friends and family, and these attributes are inherently well reflected in this dish.

Be prepared to indulge in a cornucopia of intense flavors: the underlying depth of onion and garlic, smoked aroma of pancetta, sweet and concentrated tomatoes, and boldness of the red wine…all lightly topped with aged and briny cheese. In the midst of this complexity, there is surprisingly an element of simplicity that is almost indefinable, but trust me, it exists. Perhaps this simplicity comes from the utmost importance of having quality ingredients – reputable pasta, San Marzano tomatoes, pure extra virgin olive oil, and the like. While ingredients are easy to swap and substitute, the final product is compensated as such. In other words, don’t skimp!

Bucatini all’Amatriciana Recipe

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Serves 2

Ingredients

• 8 ounces dried bucatini pasta (preferably Divella brand)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, slightly crushed
• 1/2 medium onion, finely diced
• 4 ounces pancetta affumicata (smoked), chopped
• 14 ounces canned whole San Marzano tomatoes
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup full body red wine (optional, but recommended)
• Grated Parmigiano Reggiano, to taste

Preparation

1. Bring large pot of water to boil for bucatini and cook according to package, approximately 6-7 minutes for al dente.  Salt water right before adding pasta. Meanwhile, begin to prepare garlic, onion, and pancetta.
2. Heat olive oil in saucepan to medium high heat. Add onions, garlic, and pancetta and sauté until onions are translucent and pancetta is lightly browned, about 4 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes to the pan and crush tomatoes with fork and wooden spoon. Add bouillon cubes, salt & pepper, and dried basil. Let sauce simmer over medium heat and reduce until nicely thickened, about 10 minutes. Add red wine and red pepper flakes and simmer for another 5 minutes.
4. Add pasta to sauce evenly toss to coat. Serve with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano to taste.

[Crushing tomatoes with fork and spoon...]

Tools

• Large stock pot
• Chef knife
• Sauté pan
• Wooden spoon
• Fork
• Colander
• Grater

Selina’s Notes

• During the summer, seasonal fresh chopped basil is preferred
• Red wine options can include full bodied wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon,  Zinfandel, Chianti, etc. The added benefit is that you can enjoy it during your meal!

Buon Appetito

You may be wondering, what exactly is Chinese broccoli? It is kind of a cross between the common broccoli and kale — it has dark leafy greens and thick stems that are tender and crisp when cooked. If the broccoli is not as fresh or has aged, the stems become somewhat bitter, my least favorite part as a kid (actually even now). My mother tells me that Chinese broccoli is best and ‘sweetest’ in the winter because that is when it gets the most rainfall.

For nostalgic purposes, I have a clear childhood memory of eating at a local Chinese restaurant, Seafood House (that was the name at the time…it no longer exists), at 25th and El Camino Real in San Mateo, CA. My family would go to this place at least once a month because the food was decent and we were familiar with the wait staff there. It was kind of safe haven on any given weekend day that we didn’t feel like cooking. One time, a table near us wanted to order beef broccoli, but only with the regular type of broccoli, not gai-lan. To their astonishment, the restaurant didn’t have regular broccoli, so they ended up leaving. As a kid, I was utterly confused by the entire scene, but I moved on (yet I still remember it to this day).

Back to the matter at hand — preparing Chinese beef broccoli is very similar to its American counterpart. The beef stir-fry process is essentially the same, and the only small differences are in the broccoli preparation. To get the broccoli ready for cooking, it is important to trim the ends to rid any chewiness in the stems. I typically use a paring knife to individually trim each stem, because sometimes not all stems are created equal If you’re in a hurry, though, feel free to trim by the bunch. Also, it’s important to wash gai-lan thoroughly in a water bath as there could be dirt or little critters hidden in the leaves (let’s hope not). Sometimes my mother would add a little salt to the water bath to aid the process.

Perfect Chinese Beef Broccoli  Recipe

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 pound Chinese broccoli (about 1 bunch), washed thoroughly, ends trimmed, roughly cut into 2-3 inch pieces
• 1/2 pound flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain (about 1 inch long should be bite-sized)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1 teaspoon corn starch
• Salt and pepper
• Dash of baking soda
• 3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger, grated
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, plus more as necessary
• 1 tablespoon rice wine (Chia Fan brand)

Tools

• Medium mixing bowl
• Chef knife and cutting board
• Paring knife
• Medium stock pot
• Colander
• Skillet or wok
• Tongs or wooden spoon

Preparation

1. Pre-work: Before handling the meat, bring a medium stock pot of water to a boil. Divide the flank steak into 1-inch sections along the lengthy fibers (see below). Thinly slice each section against the grain, about ¼ inches each slice, and place into mixing bowl. Toss beef together with soy sauce, sugar, 1 teaspoon oil, and corn starch. Let it marinate until broccoli prep is done.
2. Prepare the Chinese broccoli as described above.
3. Blanch ‘n fry: Add a dash of baking soda to the water bath (for tenderness). Place Chinese broccoli in boiling water and blanch until water comes to a light boil again. Promptly drain in colander (no need to rinse with cold water here). It’s a very quick dip in the hot tub here. Heat skillet on high heat with 1 tablespoon oil and a pinch of salt. When oil comes to a smoking point (it should be fragrant at this point), toss in broccoli and stir constantly for about 20-30 seconds. Add a scant dash of oyster sauce and toss. Transfer to a serving plate and reserve.
4. Beef time: In the same heated skillet, add remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Add garlic and ginger and vigorously stir for 5 seconds to avoid burning. Immediately add in marinated beef, followed by oyster sauce as soon as beef changes color (semi pink, semi brown at this point). Stir fry until beef is almost all browned. Lightly season with course black pepper. Finish the beef with rice wine; sauce should thicken at this point. Remove from heat and pour over cooked broccoli. Serve with hot steamed rice.

Selina’s Notes

• You will notice that this is virtually the same recipe as Perfect Beef Broccoli, only with a few modifications to accommodate Chinese broccoli.
• Be careful not to overcook the beef because carry over cooking is quite common after food is removed from the heat source. However, I generally have a preference for medium-rare to medium cooked beef…

For me, beef broccoli is one of my staple comfort foods that I have shared with family, friends, and coworkers over the last several years. It has been a big hit at potlucks, dinner parties, date night, bring-to-work lunch, and dinner-for-one. It seems to be well liked by most (except for vegetarians – sorry my friends!), even those who aren’t so fond of (or familiar with) Chinese food.

The recipe here is my very own, and I cannot find anything else closely similar to it on the Internet. I have typically seen recipes that combine both beef and broccoli in the wok to incorporate the sauce. Some recipes even call for an entire cup of oil using ingredient quantities just slightly above mine – no wonder Chinese food is often plagued by the image of being greasy. My version separates the beef and broccoli until the very last minute, and it is also lighter on the oil. The end result: crisp, vibrant, green broccoli topped with perfectly tender, flavorful slices of beef steak, all without being drowned in gloppy sauce. There is definitely sauce, of course, but just not in an excessive amount. If you’re a fan of *gulp* Panda Express or PF Chang’s, you will boycott their versions.

It was a challenge writing this recipe because it is definitely one that I eyeball and go off my memory, as if I can do this in my sleep. You know, a little dabble of this, and a couple splashes of that kind of thing. Fear not, though – the process is very simple once you get used to it.

Beef Broccoli Recipe

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain (about 1 inch long should be bite-sized)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1 teaspoon corn starch
• Salt and pepper
• 2 heads of broccoli (florets and trimmed stems), about 4 cups
• 3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger, grated
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice wine (Chia Fan brand)

Tools

• Medium mixing bowl
• Chef knife and cutting board
• Paring knife
• Medium stock pot
• Colander
• Skillet or wok
• Tongs or wooden spoon

Preparation

1. Pre-work: Before handling the meat, bring a medium stock pot of water to a boil. Divide the flank steak into 1-inch sections along the lengthy fibers (see below). Thinly slice each section against the grain, about ¼ inches each slice, and place into mixing bowl. Toss beef together with soy sauce, sugar, 1 teaspoon oil, and corn starch. Let it marinate until broccoli prep is done.

   

   

2. Prep the broccoli by cutting about an inch off the tough part of the stem. Using a paring knife, peel away the tough layer off the stems and florets. The florets should be bite size, and the trimmed stems should be thin for even cooking.
   
3. Blanch ‘n fry: Place broccoli in boiling water and blanch until water comes to a light boil again. Promptly drain in colander (no need to rinse with cold water here). It’s a very quick dip in the hot tub here.



Heat the skillet on high heat with 1 tablespoon oil and a pinch of salt. When oil comes to a smoking point (it should be fragrant at this point), toss in broccoli and stir constantly for about 15-20 seconds. Transfer to a serving plate and reserve.

In the same heated skillet, add remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Add garlic and ginger and vigorously stir for 5 seconds to avoid burning. Immediately add in marinated beef, followed by oyster sauce as soon as beef changes color (semi pink, semi brown at this point). Stir fry until beef is almost all browned. Lightly season with course black pepper. Finish the beef with rice wine; sauce should thicken at this point. Remove from heat and pour over cooked broccoli.

The final product:

A meal like this cannot be complete without steamed white or brown rice to go with it, right?

Now that’s more like it. Enjoy!

Selina’s Notes

• Once the ingredients are all prepared, this is a very quick cooking dish. To prep in advance, you may wash and cut broccoli beforehand. The beef can also be marinated overnight, but without the corn starch until ready to cook. If the corn starch is left in overnight, it will harden.
• If you’re doubling the recipe, the broccoli can be cooked in a double batch during the blanch ‘n fry step. However, I’d suggest cooking the beef in two batches.
• Most people will not peel the tough portion off the florets, especially in restaurants because it takes  longer to prep. However, my mother taught me to cut broccoli this way because the outer layer is chewy and takes longer to cook otherwise.