Flashback Friday - Sugar Snap Pea Salad

This post originally appeared on Minxeats.com on August 23, 2013.
----------------------------------

I love sugar snap peas, especially raw. I've been known to buy a bag of them to snack on during the long train ride to New York - they take care of both the urges for crunchy things and sweet things, and are full of folate, Vitamin C, and fiber. Win-win!

I tossed a bag of sugar snap peas into the grocery cart one week with no plans for them. Eventually, I opened it up and started snacking. Before I got too far, however, I thought I should share their goodness with my loving husband.

After checking the Internet, I found a number of snap pea salad recipes that involved radishes. That made sense to me, because both vegetables have that horseradish-y bite (it's very subtle in the peas, but it's there). I didn't like any of the dressing ideas, and most of them had cheese of some sort, which did not photograph well at all. Then I found one that was Asian-y, with soy and sesame oil. It used fruit preserves too, which I thought was overkill. The peas are sweet already! Instead, I put in the tiniest bit of peanut butter, which helped emulsify the dressing.

The end result was delicious, and we polished off all of it in one sitting.

Sugar Snap Pea Salad

1/2 teaspoon peanut butter
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons superfine sugar
1 teaspoon sriracha
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper
3 cups fresh raw sugar snap peas
1 cup radishes, trimmed
1/4 cup chopped roasted unsalted peanuts

Put the peanut butter in a small bowl with the soy sauce. Beat with a fork until incorporated. Add the vinegar, ginger, sugar, sriracha, and oils and beat until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper. The dressing should be boldly flavored, as the vegetables will water it down.

Julienne the sugar snaps and slice the radishes. Place in a large bowl and toss with the vinaigrette. Just before serving, stir in the peanuts. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, if necessary.

Serves 2-4



Posted on Minxeats.com.

Spicy Korean Tofu

One day not long ago, I ate mostly carbs. A sugary yogurt for breakfast, leftover noodle casserole for lunch. Waffles with maple bacon syrup for dinner. The next day, I craved protein big time. Breakfast was eggs, and dinner involved tofu.

There were any number of proteins in the freezer: a skirt steak; sausages; chicken thighs. But I wanted something easy. You may be thinking, "How is tofu easy? It takes some work to make that stuff taste like anything!" Hey--some of us like tofu in its original bland state. It's soft and soothing. But yeah, I wanted something a bit more flavorful for dinner. And since tofu soaks up flavor like a sponge, it is indeed easy to make delicious.

I made a simple glaze with the spicy Korean condiment, gochujang, and brushed it onto thinly-sliced tofu that I blasted in a hot oven. The heat evaporated some of the tofu's moisture and even gave it a slightly chewy texture. The sauce gave it a flavorful kick. And a pile of roasted broccoli--cooked at the same time--added a necessary bit of green and garlic.

Baked Korean Tofu

1 package of extra firm tofu
2 tablespoons gochujang
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
4 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
Sesame seeds
Chopped scallions

Cut the tofu crosswise into ten slices. Arrange them in one layer on a paper towel-lined plate or baking pan. Cover with another piece of paper and press down lightly to absorb some of the liquid in the tofu. Replace both layers of towels and refrigerate tofu until ready to use.

Combine gochujang, sesame oil, soy, honey, and vinegar in a bowl. Set aside until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Place tofu in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet sprayed lightly with release spray. Brush some of the sauce onto the top side of the tofu and place the tray in the oven. Bake for 7-8 minutes, remove tray from oven, and turn tofu pieces with tongs. Brush other side with the sauce and replace in the oven for another 8 minutes or so. Remove tray from oven and turn pieces again. Turn oven up to broil and broil tofu for 3-4 minutes per side, until edges start to get crusty.

Serve with garnished with sesame seeds and scallions, and a bit of sauce on the side.



Posted on Minxeats.com.

Sugar Snap Pea Salad

I love sugar snap peas, especially raw. I've been known to buy a bag of them to snack on during the long train ride to New York - they take care of both the urges for crunchy things and sweet things, and are full of folate, Vitamin C, and fiber. Win-win!

I tossed a bag of sugar snap peas into the grocery cart one week with no plans for them. Eventually, I opened it up and started snacking. Before I got too far, however, I thought I should share their goodness with my loving husband.

After checking the Internet, I found a number of snap pea salad recipes that involved radishes. That made sense to me, because both vegetables have that horseradish-y bite (it's very subtle in the peas, but it's there). I didn't like any of the dressing ideas, and most of them had cheese of some sort, which did not photograph well at all. Then I found one that was Asian-y, with soy and sesame oil. It used fruit preserves too, which I thought was overkill. The peas are sweet already! Instead, I put in the tiniest bit of peanut butter, which helped emulsify the dressing.

The end result was delicious, and we polished off all of it in one sitting.

Sugar Snap Pea Salad

1/2 teaspoon peanut butter
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons superfine sugar
1 teaspoon sriracha
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper
3 cups fresh raw sugar snap peas
1 cup radishes, trimmed
1/4 cup chopped roasted unsalted peanuts

Put the peanut butter in a small bowl with the soy sauce. Beat with a fork until incorporated. Add the vinegar, ginger, sugar, sriracha, and oils and beat until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper. The dressing should be boldly flavored, as the vegetables will water it down.

Julienne the sugar snaps and slice the radishes. Place in a large bowl and toss with the vinaigrette. Just before serving, stir in the peanuts. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, if necessary.

Serves 2-4



Posted on Minxeats.com.

Japanesque Eggplant

I've been on an eggplant kick recently. Mr Minx had always claimed to hate eggplant, but I find if I puree it with various seasonings, he'll eat it. I usually lean toward Mediterranean flavors, like a babaganoush or something with tomatoes, but recently I decided I would do something with a Japanese feel. We have a tub of miso in the fridge that I don't get to use very often, so I blended a few spoonfuls with eggplant that I nuked into submission. The dish was a pureed riff on a Japanese broiled eggplant dish, and I think the flavors were spot on.

Miso Eggplant Dip

1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 medium eggplant (to produce about 2 cups of cooked flesh)
3 tablespoons white miso
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
pinch cayenne
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Place sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, and cook, shaking the pan regularly, until the seeds are fragrant and have turned a slightly darker shade of brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

Remove stem end and cut the eggplant in half from stem to base. Place halves cut side-down on a microwave-safe plate. Cover with plastic wrap and nuke for 8-10 minutes until deflated and soft. Set aside and allow to cool.

When cool enough to handle, scrape the flesh from the eggplant into the bowl of a food processor. Add the miso, mirin, and rice wine vinegar. Stir in the cayenne and add salt and pepper to taste. Scoop into a serving bowl.

When ready to serve, combine olive and sesame oils and drizzle over the eggplant mixture. Sprinkle on the toasted sesame seeds.

Serve on crackers or French bread.

Posted on Minxeats.com.

Sesame Butter

We're big fans of nut butters. I couldn't tell you how many giant tubs of peanut butter we (Mr Minx) goes through during the course of a year. Not only do we eat it straight out of the jar, either on bread or right off the spoon, but we also use it in cooking.

Unfortunately, my brother is severely allergic to peanuts and I always have to remember to skip those yummy Asian peanut noodle salads when I'm making party or pot-luck food. Anaphylactic shock is not a good thing. Sometimes I use almond butter, but then I'm disappointed that the flavor isn't quite as rich and nutty as when I use peanut butter. But I found a perfect substitution: sesame butter. Most folks know it as tahini, an essential ingredient in Middle Eastern food, particularly hummus.

Golden Millstone Sesame Butter is made from organic sesame seeds grown in Ethiopia, crushed using a 90-year-old millstone. It's free of additives and other nuts, and is both delicious and healthy.

If you'd like to try GM Sesame Butter for yourself, I have an exclusive 40% off discount code for Minxeats readers. Just go to http://sesamebutter.com and enter MINXEATS at checkout to receive your discount. And while you're at the site, check out the recipe section, including this one for Cold Chinese Sesame Noodles.

Posted on Minxeats.com.

Tacos with Korean Flavors

The third of three recipe contests that I entered (and did not win) this past September involved creating a family supper that could be prepared in 30 minutes or less, not including marinating time, using one Newman's Own pasta sauce, salsa, or salad dressing product. I chose to make a Korean-style taco with low fat Sesame Ginger Dressing.

Yes, I said "Korean taco." Apparently this SoCal treat is making its way East, according to the NY Times, and honestly, I don't see any problems with putting Asian flavors in a tortilla. Why the hell not? And I'm here to say that they taste terrific, even if one uses bottled salad dressing as a marinade. <g>

I included directions for soft corn tortillas, but you can use flour if you prefer.

Tacos with Korean Flavors

Steak:
1.5 lb flank steak
1 large clove of garlic, crushed
1 cup Newman's Own Lighten Up Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing
½ cup Newman's Own Lighten Up Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing

Cabbage salad:
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 Tablespoon lime juice
½ teaspoon Korean red pepper flakes or 1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
Salt to taste

Sesame Drizzle:
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 tablespoons Newman's Own Lighten Up Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

12 Taco-sized soft corn tortillas
Shredded cheese – cheddar, taco blend, mozzarella are all good

Place meat, garlic, and 1 cup of dressing into a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag and marinate overnight until ready to use.

Preheat broiler. Place flank steak on a foil covered, rimmed sheet pan. Cook 3" away from heat source for about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove steak to a cutting board and allow to rest for about 10 minutes. Place any juices that came out of the steak while cooking into a large bowl.

While meat is cooking, prepare Cabbage Salad and Sesame Drizzle.

Cabbage salad:
Place cabbage in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine rice wine vinegar, sugar, lime juice and pepper flakes. Pour over cabbage. Toss and set aside.

Sesame Drizzle:
Combine mayonnaise, salad dressing, and sesame oil in a small bowl. The consistency should be drizzle-able. If not, thin it with a bit more dressing.

After meat has rested, cut it on the diagonal into thin slices. Place sliced meat into bowl of cooking juices; add remaining 1/2 cup of dressing.

To serve:

Toast tortillas by using tongs to place them directly over a gas flame for about 30 seconds per side until toasty-smelling and flexible. As they are toasted, stack them on a plate and keep warm with a piece of aluminum foil. It’s best to toast only 4 or so at a time so they don’t get hard.

On each tortilla, place a tablespoonful or so of cabbage, 2 or 3 strips of meat, a sprinkling of cheese. Drizzle on a teaspoonful of sesame sauce. Feel free to add any other of your favorite taco accompaniments - guacamole, salsa, sour cream.

Makes 12 tacos.

Gochujang Burgers

In September, I entered three recipe contests...and I didn't win three recipe contests. One was the Breyer's sundae thing, and another was a burger contest sponsored by Annie Chun's Go-Chu-Jang sauce. The grand prize was a trip to Korea, and while I've always wanted to visit Asia, Korea might not be my first choice. So no harm done.

So here's my losing recipe. It was absolutely delicious; the judges don't know what they're missing. And...I couldn't find that damn Annie Chun brand in my supermarket, so I used real Korean gochujang that I purchased from H Mart.

Korean-style Pork Burgers with Sweet and Sour Cabbage Salad

Burgers:
1.5 lb ground pork
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 Tablespoons gochujang sauce

Salad:
2 cups green cabbage, cut into 1/2" - 1" pieces
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
2 Tablespoons gochujang sauce
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons lime juice
2 Tablespoons chopped scallions

Sesame Mayo:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons minced scallions
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Hamburger buns

Combine pork, garlic and gochujang. Form into 6 patties. Refrigerate an hour or until ready to serve.

Make salad:
Place cabbage in a colander set over a bowl. Toss with salt and allow to rest for about 15 minutes. Rinse cabbage well and place into a large bowl. Add gochujang, sesame oil, sugar, lime juice, and scallions and toss well. Refrigerate 1 hour or until ready to serve.

Make mayo:
Combine mayo, scallions, sesame oil, and sesame seeds in a small bowl. Stir until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Cook burgers:
Pan fry or grill about 4 minutes per side until cooked through.

To assemble:
On bottom half of hamburger bun, place a tablespoon or so of cabbage salad. Top with burger, then top with a tablespoon of mayo, and top half of bun.