Tofu Mushroom Udon

"We are noodle folk! Broth runs through our veins!" - Mr. Ping, Kung Fu Panda

You'd be amazed at how often this quote pops up at the BMK. We turn to noodles for an answers to all life's ailments: a nasty cold (Phở), a hangover remedy (Ramen), or a healthy weeknight meal (Udon or Soba). Cold noodles, hot noodles, fresh, dried, egg, rice, wheat - we love them all!  We are very fortunate to live within a few miles of several outstanding Asian markets and eateries.

Udon is an extremely adaptable dish and a fantastic way to use up leftover vegetables, herbs, and those two lonely shrimp stuck in the freezer. The Japanese create a base of dashi in lieu of broth from bones or chopped vegetables. Dashi is a simple, clean canvas to showcase toppings and seasonings traditionally made from kombu (seaweed), bonito flakes, and water. I decided to give our dashi a dash of David Chang by adding some smoked ham and chili flakes for a salty-sweet-spicy touch. (Chang makes bacon dashi, but we only had a thick piece of ham on hand.)

However you season the final broth, make it count, because that's the star flavor of your soup bowl. Experiment, adding a little at a time of mirin or sake, soy sauce, and chili oil. Toppings can include all kinds of fungi, vegetables, chicken, meat, tofu, or seafood!

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 1/2 cups water
• 2 - 6" pc kombu (thick kelp), wiped with damp paper towel
• 1/4 lb thick smoked ham (highly suggest using smokey bacon instead!)
• 1/2 cup bonito flakes (optional, if you can't find, don't worry)
• 8 oz dried udon noodles, or a large package of fresh udon
• 4 cups mixed vegetables -we used bunashemiji mushrooms, sliced baby bok choy, and snap peas
• 1 block silken tofu, squeezed dry and cubed
• 2 scallions, sliced on the diagonal
• 1/2 cup light soy sauce
• 1/4 cup mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
• 1 tsp + chili oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large pot, bring the kombu and 6 1/2 cups of water to a boil.
2. Lower to a simmer, and let steep for ten minutes. Remove kombu with tongs, and discard.
3. Add the bacon to the konbu water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat again, and simmer for 30 minutes, skim any foam as necessary. Turn off heat, add bonito flakes. Wait 5 minutes.
4. Strain the mixture through a mesh sieve and put in a pot to keep warm.
5. Steam vegetables until crisp tender about 5-8 minutes. Place vegetables in four serving bowls
6. Add mirin, chili oil and soy sauce to dashi. Bring to a boil. Add noodles and cook until noodles are tender, follow package instructions. Reduce heat and add tofu, simmer 1 minute.
7. Divide broth and noodles between serving bowls.
8. Top with scallions.

Shrimp & Pork Gyoza

If I was limited to 5 foods from here to eternity, these gyoza would definitely make the list. Finely ground pork and diced shrimp mingle with freshly grated carrot, cabbage, and ginger to create these petite piquant pouches of perfection! Crispy bottoms and softly steamed tops lend irresistible texture to each and every bite. The best part is you can make them until your fingers tire then freeze whatever you don't cook and eat!

Or, you can eat them in one sitting. But we wouldn't know anything about that. (0.o)

We found authentic round gyoza wrappers at the Japanese market Mitsuwa, but any kind of wonton wrapper roughly 4" across will do. Experiment with the fillings, change up the meat, the vegetables, and the seasoning! You can really put just about anything in a potsticker. Have at it! 

Makes roughly 60

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 lb ground pork or chicken
• 1/2 lb shrimp, peeled, deveined, steamed and minced finely
• 1 green onion, minced
• 1 carrot, finely shredded
• 2 handfuls finely shredded cabbage
• 1- 1" segment ginger grated
• 2 garlic cloves, minced finely
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• dash of chili flakes
• 1 egg, beaten with 1 Tbsp water
• 6 Tbsp soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp +/- chili oil
• sesame oil for frying
• 1 package gyoza skins (around 40-60)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Begin by steaming shrimp until opaque. Remove from heat and mince finely.
2. Saute ground pork until browned. (A lot of recipes don't pre-cook the meat, but I'm weird like that)
3. In large bowl, combine all ingredients from shrimp to chili flakes, mix gently with hands.
4. In separate small bowl, whisk soy sauce, rice vinegar and chili oil. Set aside.
5. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
6. Lay out 6 gyoza skins. Add 1 large Tbsp to each wrapper's center. Brush half of outside edge with egg wash. Fold skin in half. Pinch center together. Gather and fold remaining edges. (SEE HERE!)
7. Keep finished gyoza under a damp towel. Refrigerate until using (within a few hours) or freeze on baking sheets for future use. (If freezing, freeze separated on sheets, then bag once frozen).
8. Heat 1 Tbsp sesame oil in large frying pan over high heat. Add gyoza to pan in a single layer. Allow to cook 2-3 minutes until bottoms are browned. 
9. Pour 1/4 cup water in pan and cover to steam over low heat about 2 minutes. Remove lid and return heat to medium-high. Allow water to cook off completely. Remove gyoza and serve with sauce!
10. If you're making a bunch and want to keep them warm, you can move cooked gyoza to a baking sheet and keep warm in oven at 200'.

Frittata of Baby Kale, Ham and Aged Gouda

In a perfect world, I'd leave work for some mild exercise involving a dirty vodka martini and half-a-dozen oysters on the half shell. The martinis would leave me feeling well-rested instead of hungover, and I would lose weight while I slept. Ah, wishful thinking...

In the real world, my workouts are of the more traditional oyster-less, vodka-less variety. Delicious zero calorie water quenches my thirst, and wholesome food fuels my body. The upside? I can get up at the crack of dawn to get to work every morning!

One of the simplest meals in my 'healthy weeknight cooking' arsenal is the almighty frittata: eggs, veggies, optional diced meat, a sprinkle of cheese, and you're off and running! I throw it all in a glass pie dish, but you can use almost any dish you want. Dinner is ready in thirty minutes, complete with 2 leftover lunches for the next day! I use egg whites with a few whole eggs added for flavor and texture. Egg yolks, while high in cholesterol, are still a good source of heart-healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. Egg whites are one of the best sources of lean protein on the planet!

This is a great way to use up leftover supplies hiding in the fridge - unwanted beet greens, that leftover deli meat, half an onion, the last of a bag of shredded cheese... Have at it!

Serves 4, generously

INGREDIENTS:

•  10 whole eggs (remove 5 yolks)
• Generous splash of milk (roughly 1/4 cup)
• 4 cups of greens (spinach, kale, chard, baby kale, beet greens...)
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 slice ham, 1/2" thick, diced
• 2 small white rose potatoes, diced
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• 1 Tbsp thyme
• salt and cracked pepper
• 1/2 cup finely grated strong cheese (we used aged gouda)

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 375'.
• Place greens in pot with a splash of water over medium-low heat. Wilt until tender. Drain water and squeeze to remove excess liquid. Chop and set aside.
• Place potatoes in a pot, cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until just tender. Drain and set aside.
• Whisk eggs, milk, herbs, salt and pepper.
• Combine potatoes, ham, onions, garlic and greens. Fill pie pan with mixture.
• Pour egg mixture over the stuff in pie pan.
• Sprinkle with cheese.
• Bake in oven, 30-35 minutes, rotating half way until lightly golden and set.

Shrimp Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

If you like Vietnamese food, chances are you've had these spring rolls before, or something very similar.  They're the perfect sidekick for your phở bowl, or almost any Asian meal! Fresh shrimp, crisp, cool vegetables, and a zingy peanut sauce have made these a longtime BMK favorite. We hope you like them too!

We buy our rice stick noodles and our rice paper wrappers at an Asian market nearby. We've also seen them in some well-stocked supermarkets!!

Makes about 10-12

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 carrot, shredded
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar

• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• 1-2 tbsp sugar
• 3 Tbsp Peanut Butter 
• 1/2 tsp sririacha
• 2 tbsp coconut milk (optional) - we made with fish curry so we had extra!
• 1 tbsp asian fish sauce

• 10-12  8" rice paper wrappers
•  mint and basil leaves, sliced
• 1 large bunch radish sprouts (or butter lettuce)
• 1 lb shrimp, deveined, boiled, peeled and halved lengthwise
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper cut into thin strips
• 1 bag thin rice noodles, boiled until tender (usually about 2 minutes)

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a bowl, toss the carrots, onion, 1/4 cup of the vinegar and 1 tablespoon sugar. Let stand until the vegetables soften, 30 minutes. Drain.
2. In a bowl, mix the remaining vinegar, sugar and garlic. Microwave at high power for about 30 seconds, until the sugar is dissolved. Blend or mash with fork.
3. Add peanut butter, sriracha, coconut milk, and fish sauce and set aside.
4. Meanwhile, soak 1 rice paper at a time in very warm water until pliable, about 10 seconds; transfer to a work surface.
5. Set shrimp halves on the lower third of the rice paper and top with some mint and basil. Top with some of the yellow pepper, sprouts, rice noodles and the pickled vegetables.
6. Fold in the side ends sticking the paper to itself. Roll up tightly.
7. Place the roll on a platter and repeat with the remaining ingredients. Halve the rolls and serve with the sauce for dipping.

Henckels Knives Give-Away Winner Announced!!!

(Video has sound!)

Thank you to everyone who participated in our Henckels knife set giveaway from Cookware.com! It was so much fun to read everyone's favorite dishes and salivate over our favorites as well. We lined up our three judges last night and had them select the winner!

CONGRATULATIONS TO NICO!!!!

Please EMAIL US for details on how to get your prize!

Spring Tart with Rhubarb Compote and Mascarpone Cream

Flaky pastry, tart rhubarb compote, and lightly sweetened citrus mascarpone cream bring this springy dessert to life! The combination is sweet and light, bringing a simple, elegant finish to any meal. We served this for the dessert course in our Eating Local: Orange County dinner for Foodbuzz's 24, 24, 24 event at the end of March. I wanted to emphasize spring's first bounty of rhubarb, strawberries, and citrus without taking a ton of time out of the busy day!

This dessert is easy to make ahead of time and assembles in almost no time at all. I used frozen puff pastry, but if you're an over-achiever, feel free to make your own! Scratch puff pastry terrifies me and I avoid it by having the frozen stuff handy.

Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:

• 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed until pliable
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 2 cups diced rhubarb
• 1/3-1/2 cup sugar
• splash of water
• 1 - 8oz container mascarpone cheese
• 1/2 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 1 basket ripe strawberries
• 1/4 cup local honey

DIRECTIONS:

1. Begin by making compote. Bring rhubarb, 1/3-1/2 cup sugar and water to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until rhubarb is very soft and begins to fall apart, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. 
2. Transfer compote to medium bowl. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, about 3 hours.
3. In mixing bowl, beat mascarpone, cream, powdered sugar, and extracts until stiff. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
4. Preheat oven to 400'. Cut puff pastry into 4 equal squares.
5. Using a knife, score a square in the pastry, leaving a 1/2" border on all sides. Do not cut through entirely. Prick the inside square with a fork thoroughly.
6. Place squares on parchment paper lined baking sheet. 
7. Brush with beaten egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
8. Bake until golden and puffed, about 12-15 minutes.
9. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Can be made up to 4 hours in advance.
10. To assemble, spoon compote on pastry base, top with pastry cream. Garnish with strawberries brushed with honey.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

5 Bar Beef : Local Grass-fed Steak!

If you told me a few months ago that we could get grass-fed beef from an Orange County rancher, we would have laughed you right out of the kitchen. Orange County is known for many things, but cattle-ranching is not among them. Previously celebrated for endless orange groves and wide-open farmland that stretched to the sea, O.C. is now the infamous home of trashy reality television and an absurdly overvalued housing market. The real gems of the O.C. are found (with a little searching) in the most surprising places, and 5 Bar Beef of Silverado Canyon is as rare as they come!

Real beef raised by a real cowboy!

Frank Fitzpatrick doesn't mess around when it comes to raising high-quality beef. From the moment we spotted him at the farmer's market, we knew he was the genuine article. From the brim of his Stetson to the heels of his boots, every part of this dude just screams cowboy. He believes in raising his cattle naturally, holistically and the way they were meant to be raised - on open land with real grass.

A lot of people find the grass vs. grain argument confusing. What's the big deal, right?! WRONG! 

• Cows aren't meant to eat grain, they have complex stomachs that allow them to turn indigestible fiber (cellulose) into energy. The cattle we eat in North America are prairie animals, and are supposed to eat grass.
• Most beef available for purchase comes from cows that are fed a mixture of things no self-respecting cow would ever eat, including corn products, the fat of slaughtered cows, antibiotics, and hormones.
• Commercially-raised cattle are kept in enclosed spaces often knee-deep in their own feces. Diseases thrive in this unsanitary environment and permeate the meat, leading to ever-increasing cases of food-borne illness and beef recalls.
• Grass-fed beef is naturally leaner (and healthier) than grain-fed.

This beautiful pan was made by my soon-to-be Brother-in-law as commissioned by the head chef at Maestro's Steakhouse

Different Technique:

Unlike fatty grain-fed beef, grass-fed beef is best cooked at an extremely low temperature. No searing, no charring, no sizzling high heat! This delicate meat must be treated with care and warmed gently to cook the meat without drying it out. Marinate the meat to keep it moist; we like to blend high-quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Tenderizing the meat also prevents toughness. Check for done-ness by feel, rather than color. Grass-fed beef will stay redder and rawer-looking than grain-fed.

Note the unique texture of the raw filets

Give-away: Henckels 2pc Knife Set!

Who likes knives!? We do! We do! 

Who likes YOU?! We do! We do!

CSN Stores has over 200 online stores specializing in anything you can think of! Need a home bar? Light fixtures? (We have some from there already!) Modern home furniture? How about some COOKWARE!? They have it all! They contacted us this morning to see if we'd be interested in testing a product or having a giveaway for our readers. Lucky you, we chose to do a giveaway!

A good knife is an essential tool to cook a good meal. Without it, you mangle produce, tear meat, and waste a lot of effort. I can't tell you how many times I've been shocked at the poor quality knives people keep in their kitchens, but I do understand! A good knife set can set you back well over $500, which is why I never owned a full set. I saved my money up to buy one knife I really wanted at a time. I pieced together quality knives that felt right to me, rather than hucking a chunk of change (or uh, credit card) at a brand-name knife set.

My first expensive knife purchase? A Henckels Santoku, similar to the one pictured above! We're giving away this set of  one 7" Santoku and one  4" Paring knives! Both knives have the hollow edges that characterize many Asian knives. These magical hollows allow the food you're chopping to slide off the blade instead of sticking to it.


CONTEST RULES:

To Enter: Simply leave a comment below telling us what your favorite meal is! 
Contest Ends: Wednesday, April 7th 4pm!
Available: To all readers in the US and Canada
Selection: We'll post a short video of our cats picking the winner (yes, really, I have lost my mind!)

The winner will be notified April 8th and CSN Stores will ship directly to you! Good luck!