A world without tomatoes is like a string quartet without violins. – Laurie Colwin

The days of fall and summer have been rapidly fading away in Ithaca, yet I was able to hang onto the last bits of warmth through a few fortunate days of sunshine plus the last batches of tomatoes from our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) share at Early Morning Farm. We savored tomatoes in abundance throughout the season, and being part of the CSA really allowed us to enjoy as many of the amazing red fruit as we could possibly consume through sandwiches, soups, and salads.  Speaking of salads, tomato salad is something so simple and refreshing that it has summer labeled all over it. I can only long for the days of next year when I can enjoy it again without having to buy non-seasonal tomatoes from somewhere halfway around the world.

Dressed in quintessential Italian flavor, the ingredients are rather few yet effective. Sweet basil, crunchy red onions, savory tuna chunks, and intense, tart olives  all complement the ripeness of the tomatoes, especially after being tossed with an ever so simple balsamic vinaigrette. I think one of the best parts about tomato salad is that precision is not a big emphasis — in fact, roughly chopping the ingredients and eyeballing the amounts are really okay and only adds to the rustic aspect of the salad. It is best served with crusty Italian bread (pane)  to soak up the juices. A glass of crisp and light-bodied Pinot Grigio can’t hurt either.

Tomato Salad Recipe

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 large, ripe beefsteak tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 can (5 ounces) Albacore Tuna in extra virgin olive oil, drained and flaked with a fork*
• 1/2 cup Niçoise olives
• 1/4 red onion, diced
• Handful basil leaves, roughly torn or chopped
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Preparation

1. Gently toss together all ingredients in large bowl. Let marinate for 5 minutes.
2. Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately.

Tools

• Chef knife & cutting board
• Fork
• Large mixing bowl
• Large spoons or tongs for tossing

Selina’s Notes

• *I really prefer to use tuna that was caught by trolling or pole and line methods whenever possible. Learn more about global tuna issues via Seafood Watch and Wild Planet Foods.
• Use taggiasche olives if possible, but Niçoise olives are much easier to find

We are indeed much more than what we eat; but what we eat can nevertheless help us be much more than what we are. — Adele Davis

.

Tasting Notes & Recipes
.

Feeding people graciously and lovingly is one of life’s simplest pleasures: a most basic way of making life better for someone at least for awhile. — Anna Thomas

Black bean sauce reminds me of traditional Cantonese home-style cooking. I grew up having a variety of dishes made with black beans and black bean sauce, including fish, clams, chicken, spare ribs; it’s a simple go-to ingredient for a quick stir-fry or a steam. If you’ve never had it before, it’s very pungent, briny, and aromatic.  The black beans are really fermented soy beans, giving the sauce a unique intense flavor that kind of jumps in your mouth.

I’ve been experimenting with using black bean sauce in a chicken and bell pepper combination for a few years. You may or may not find this in a restaurant, but to me, it’s an easy and quick comfort food dish that reminds me of home. It’s also best served with freshly steamed rice on the side, which perfectly complements and lightens the intensity of the sauce.

Black Bean Chicken and Peppers Recipe

Preparation Time: Approximately 20 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken thigh, trimmed of fat and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon oil, divided
• 3 teaspoons corn starch, divided
• 2 teaspoons water
• 2 tablespoons black bean garlic sauce (e.g., Lee Kum Kee brand)
• 1 stalk scallion, thinly sliced
• Handful of cilantro, coarsely chopped

Preparation

1. Marinate chicken: In a mixing bowl, add soy sauce, sugar, 1 teaspoon oil, and 1 teaspoon corn starch into chicken. Stir to combine.
2. Prepare quick gravy: Mix remaining corn starch and water; set aside.
3. Stir-fry: Heat oil over medium-high to high heat in a pan until oil is nearly steamy. Gently add black bean garlic sauce and quickly stir for 5-10 seconds. Add chicken and stir-fry (chow!) for 2 minutes or until halfway cooked. Add peppers and stir until chicken is fully cooked and peppers are crisp tender, about 4 minutes. Add corn starch gravy mixture and cook for an additional minute.
4. Garnish with scallions and cilantro. Serve immediately with steamed rice.

Tools

• Mixing bowl
• Small bowl
• Wok or sauté pan
• Spatula or wooden spoon

Selina’s Notes

• Wear an apron or something that you don’t mind getting splattered on! The sauce tends to splatter during the stir-fry step.
• You may substitute and/or supplement bell peppers with onions and white button mushrooms.
• I don’t recommend using more than the 3/4 pounds of chicken in one batch. The more chicken in the wok, the less smoky wok flavor it gives off. The same concept applies when pan-searing meats; overcrowding is never a good thing!

I grew up eating asparagus mainly one way, which was steamed. I was okay with this method, though I had few to compare it to. Roasting came later in my life it has added a whole new dimension to my cooking discoveries, as you may have seen in my roasted carrots. Roasting truly makes any vegetable shine – even if you’re not particularly fond of vegetables!

The beauty about roasted asparagus is that goes well with so many things – chicken, pasta, red meats, chopped in salad, frittatas, and the list can go on. The toppings can be swapped with other goodies, such as roasted nuts (almonds, hazelnuts), too. Lemon zest and juice brings out a fresh and zippy flavor to roasted asparagus, which was why I opted for that this time around. After all, it’s summer.

The recipe below is more like a guideline rather than a recipe. There are really no exact measurements – it all depends on how much asparagus you pick up. Some general tips are to not over-salt or over-oil the asparagus. You’ll only want a thin coating of oil – and use olive oil because the flavor is fruity and fragrant. The result will be crisp and tender spears that will be a great addition to almost any meal.

Roasted Asparagus Recipe

Preparation Time: 15-20 minutes
Serves 3-4 side portions

Ingredients

• 1 bunch asparagus (approximately half a pound to one pound)
• Olive oil, to drizzle (about a heaping tablespoon, plus more as needed)
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Lemon zest and juice from half a lemon

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. While oven is heating, prepare the asparagus by washing and snapping off the course ends. No knife is needed – simply bend and snap the spear ends and the course sections will naturally break where they should.
2. Lay asparagus spears in a single layer on a foil-lined or unlined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil at a perpendicular angle from the spears. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roll spears on the baking sheet until evenly coated with seasonings.
3. Roast asparagus in the oven for approximately 10 minutes (give or take 2 minutes). Halfway through, toss the spears with a spatula so that they are evenly roasted. The spears should be slightly browned and fragrant.
4. Transfer asparagus to a serving platter. Using a grater, zest half a lemon and sprinkle over roasted asparagus. Squeeze lemon juice to finish (may not need the entire half lemon – just a teaspoon or so will do wonders).

Tools

• Baking sheet
• Spatula
• Microplane grater

Selina’s Notes

• Do not overcrowd the baking sheet — if the spears do not all fit on a single layer, divide them into two baking sheets. This may apply if you have more than one pound of asparagus.
• After washing and prior to roasting, make sure the spears are dry. Damp spears will not result in a crispy roast!
• Feel free to supplement the recipe with minced garlic prior to roasting, or different types of roasted nuts as a topping upon finishing.

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.

Now onto the main topic – carrots. I actually never used to be a big fan of them. In the past, they were just one the many ingredients in my soup, skinny sticks in my salad greens, or crunchy snacks that practically required peanut butter or ranch dressing to swallow down. Plain carrot sticks? Blah. After this period of non-excitement about carrots, these special root veggies have made a comeback.

And it’s all thanks to the miraculous oven! Roasting carrots amazingly brings out all these wonderful characteristics that simply cannot be achieved by steaming, boiling, stir frying, or any other cooking method. When roasted, carrots get nicely crisp and caramelized, adding to its lovely golden orange color. The flavor also becomes richly sweet and savory, a combination that is really fascinating to me. It almost reminds me of oven sweet potato fries. It is intensely good.

My recipe features Chinese five spice, a unique blend of spices that usually include star anise, fennel seeds, cassia (cinnamon varietal), Szechuan peppercorns, and cloves. This blend is highly aromatic, bringing great flavors to meats and vegetables. Sometimes it is also combined with table salt and is served along with steamed chicken at Chinese banquets. It captures the essence of sweet, salty, and tartness. Five spice can be found in most large supermarkets these days. Chez Pim provides a great method for making it, too. I paired five spice and carrots together because I have tried it with cinnamon alone, and they turned out to be a happy couple, so why not try five spice to make things more interesting? As it turns out, they were a great complex match.

Five Spice Roasted Carrots Recipe

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Serves 2 as side dishes (can easily be doubled, tripled, etc.)

Ingredients

• 1 bunch carrots (about 8 small to medium carrots), cut into thick matchsticks, shown above
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder

Tools

• Chef knife and cutting board
• Vegetable peeler
• Baking tray, lined with aluminum foil

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare carrots by washing, peeling, and chopping. Transfer carrots to lined baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil, five spice powder, salt, and pepper. Toss with hands to coat evenly. Make sure all carrots are flat on the baking tray to ensure even roasting.
2. Roast for 20 minutes until golden brown. Serve immediately with your favorite pasta, meat, or fish.

Selina’s Notes

• If five spice powder is impossible to find, it’s okay to omit; plain roasted carrots are phenomenal as well
• If you’re running short on time, peeled, ready-to-eat bagged carrot sticks work just fine. The cooking time may take an extra few minutes since the thickness is greater than the ones I cut. Also, bagged carrots tend to have extra water in the package, so it’s important to pat dry with a towel before roasting.
• Make extra because people are going to fight over these!

Having finally gotten a true appreciation for this vegetable, carrots are one of the many gifts from the Earth. They are widely available year-round and super inexpensive. Plus, there is no need to feel guilty for eating them – carrots are full of vitamin A and other great benefits.

Zucchini is a great vegetable because of its versatility. Not too many other vegetables can be a star ingredient in both entirely sweet and savory creations. Yes, that’s right – zucchini can be in baked goods such as muffins and breads, as well as a plethora of other things. From frittatas to salads, casseroles, patties, pasta, and soups, it can basically conquer them all. It’s an ingredient that has a higher chance of likability because the flavor is mild, not overly pungent, yet hearty. It healthily moistens baked goods, and it is chock-full of fiber and nutrients.

I hastily picked up this soup recipe from Chef Mark Sparacino at Prosecco in Chicago. It is really fabulous to have a chance to speak with the very chef that prepares your meal because you get the inside scoop on the preparation process and all sorts of information (if you are interested). Plus, you can always provide them with your own feedback on their fruits of labor. They certainly appreciate that! At a group dinner several months ago, the first course I chose was Zuppa Di Zucchini. When I go out to eat, I am always trying to figure out all of the ingredients I taste, mainly because it’s a fun game, and also because it gives me hints on how to make it at home. The soup was so good that I asked him about the general how-to of this simple and classy soup. He had to get back in the kitchen, so I got the 15-second rundown of what to do: “It’s super easy – you just saute some onions, carrots, and zucchini, then add the water or stock and simmer it.” Oh, really, that easy?

It turned out to be almost as easy as he made it out to be. My countless hours of watching Food Network gave me some background knowledge on the general soup-making process, which definitely helped as well.  In my recipe, I added a few personal touches such as potatoes, Herbes De Provence, and cream.

Zuppa Di Zucchine Recipe

Inspired by Chef Mark Sparacino at Prosecco Ristorante
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 small white potatoes (or 1 medium russet potato), diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 2 teaspoons Herbes De Provence or Italian Seasoning blend
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 3 cups reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
• ¼ cup half and half or heavy cream
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• ¼ cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• Several dollops of Greek yogurt or sour cream, optional

Tools

• Medium soup pot (at least 4 quarts)
• Wooden spoon
• Chef knife and cutting board
• Immersion hand blender (example)
• Ladle

Preparation

1. In the soup pot over medium heat, warm olive oil and butter until the butter melts. Add onion and saute until tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, potatoes, carrots, zucchini, and herbs; lightly season with salt and pepper to add a layer of flavor. Saute for an additional 4 minutes until vegetables are all softened and fragrant.
2. Add stock and bring the soup mixture to a gentle boil at medium-high to high heat. Immediately turn the heat down to low and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
3. Remove from heat source and remove bay leaf. Puree the soup with an immersion blender until smooth. Add in cream. Season generously with salt and pepper as desired.
4. Ladle into bowls and garnish with parsley and yogurt/sour cream. Serve immediately.

Selina’s Notes

• If you don’t have an immersion hand blender, a regular blender or food processor works fine. However, I am an immersion blender fanatic because it eliminates the potentially messy step of transferring the soup back and forth.
• Since the soup is blended, do not worry about dicing the vegetables to perfection. It’s also good to keep in mind that the smaller your dices are, the quicker the soup cooks
• The soup goes great with crostini, Parmesan croutons, or crusty Italian peasant bread