Nobu’s Miso Glazed Fish

Simple to Make, Amazingly Flavorful!

Serves two

2 half-pound skin-on fillets of black cod, Chilean sea bass, or Atlantic salmon
1/2 cup white miso paste (shiro)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. sake
1 1/2 Tbsp. mirin

1. To make the marinade, set up a double boiler: Fill a saucepan with an inch of water. Find a large, heat-safe mixing bowl that’ll rest over the rim of the saucepan without touching the water. Turn your stove on to a medium setting. Combine the miso paste, sugar, sake, and mirin, and whisk for about three minutes. Don’t allow the sauce to bubble, but get it hot enough to melt the sugar. To test whether it’s done or not, take the back of a spoon and drag it along the side of the bowl. If it feels gritty, it means the sugar hasn’t melted yet. The consistency should be that of paste, not liquid. Place this bowl in the fridge for five minutes and allow it to cool.

Vietnamese Baked Chicken

2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup Asian fish sauce

1/4 cup palm or dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger

2 teaspoons hot chili-garlic paste

1 ½ tablespoons fresh juice from 1 lime

1 teaspoon finely grated zest from 1 lime

3 medium cloves garlic, minced or grated (about 2 teaspoons)

2 packed tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, finely chopped

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

Sliced limes and cilantro leaves, for garnish

1) Place thighs in a large zipper-lock bag. In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, ginger, chili-garlic paste, lime juice, lime zest, garlic, cilantro, and oil. Pour marinade into bag with chicken, seal bag, and toss to coat well. Let chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.

2) Preheat oven to 425°F and set oven rack to middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Remove chicken from bag, allowing marinade to drip off, and set on wire rack skin side up, making sure to leave space between thighs. Discard marinade. Bake until thighs register 155 to 160°F on an instant-read thermometer. If chicken skin is not brown and crisp enough by the time the thighs are cooked through, turn on oven broiler and broil until browned and crisp, about 1 minute, being careful not to burn the skin. . Garnish with lime slices and cilantro, then serve.

Mustard-Parmesan Whole Roasted Cauliflower

2 large heads cauliflower

1 clove garlic, halved

1/4 cup butter

4 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped

1/4 cup Soy Parmesan

Lemon wedges, for serving 

1)  Position an oven rack in the bottom of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil.

2)  Remove the leaves from the cauliflower, then trim the stem flush with the bottom of the head so the cauliflower sits flat on the prepared baking sheet. Rub the outside of each head with the cut garlic.

3)  Whisk together the melted butter, 3 tablespoons mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper in a small bowl.

4)  Put the cauliflower on the prepared baking sheet and brush the entire outside and inside with the mustard-oil mixture. Roast the cauliflower until nicely charred and tender (a long skewer inserted in the center of the cauliflower should pass through easily), 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let rest for a few minutes.

5)  Meanwhile, combine the parsley and Parmesan in a small bowl. Brush the outside of the roasted cauliflower heads all over with the remaining 1 tablespoon mustard and generously sprinkle with the Parmesan mixture.

6)  Cut the cauliflower into thick wedges and serve on plates with a sprinkle of salt, lemon wedges and any extra Parmesan mixture

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Ginger, Garlic & Chili Shrimp

This is one of the most flavorful shrimp dishes I’ve ever had!  I’ll be adding it to the Meal Delivery Service regularly!

For the brine;

• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 2-1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 2-1/2 tablespoons chili powder

• 4 cups water
• 2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined (defrosted)

For Cooking

• 1/4 cup butter
• One 4-inch x 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
• 4 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
• 4 teaspoons sugar

In a medium bowl, combine the salt, sugar, chili powder and water. Whisk until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Drop in the shrimp and let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Heat the oil in a 12-inch sauté pan (preferably nonstick) over medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 1 minute. Add the sugar and continue stirring until the garlic is pale gold, 1-2 minutes more. Do not let the garlic turn dark brown.

Drain the shrimp in a colander, and immediately add to the pan. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring constantly, until the shrimp are pink and barely firm, another 3-4 minutes. Serve immediately.

Lemony Green Beans with Frizzled Leeks

2 1/2    pounds green beans, preferably haricot verts, trimmed

1           teaspoon kosher salt, plus more

3           lemons plus zest

2           large leeks, white and light-green parts only

1 1/2    cups duck or beef fat (available at health food stores)

1/2       teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1.     Cook green beans in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, 5–7 minutes. Drain, then immediately transfer to a large bowl filled with ice water. Drain again and pat dry.

2.     Meanwhile, zest lemons to yield 1 Tbsp. zest. Juice lemons to yield 1/4 cup juice, then slice any remaining lemons into wedges. Cut leeks crosswise into 4″ sections, then thinly slice lengthwise into matchsticks.

3.     Heat fat in a large deep-sided skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Cook half of leeks, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels; season with salt. Repeat with remaining leeks; reserve oil in skillet.

4.     Cook green beans, pepper, lemon zest, and remaining 1 tsp. salt in reserved oil over medium heat, tossing occasionally, just until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Add lemon juice and toss to coat, then transfer to a platter. Drizzle about 1/2 cup oil from pan over; reserve remaining oil for another use. Top with leeks and serve with lemon wedges alongside.

Roasted Red Pepper Baba Ganoush

1     large eggplant

8     ounce jar of roasted red pepper, not in oil

1     cup black olives

1     Tablespoon Roasted or fresh tahini

        Handful of fresh basil

½      teaspoon dried basil

¼      teaspoon dried thyme

1      Tablespoon  Dijon Mustard

1      Tablespoon    balsamic vinegar

1/3   teaspoon garlic granules

         Salt and pepper to taste

Roast eggplant in oven until it implodes, about an hour at 350º. You can microwave it also, but I tend to cook in the oven more. I bake them when I roast a chicken, with whole sweet potatoes, all in the same roasting pan.

Remove meat from eggplant and place in food processor. Buzz briefly. Add all ingredients except olives and peppers. Blend, leaving it chunky. Then add veggies and buzz a few times, leaving the olives and peppers in pieces, NOT Blended.

Then add the basil and barely buzz until it looks chucky and still colorful.

This is great on chips, rice crackers, Ezekiel toast points, carrots, celery.