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Thai Cucumber Cups INGREDIENTS 8 oz. thin spaghetti noodles 1/3 cup smooth peanut butter 1/3 cup water 2 tbs. ketchup 2 tbs. hoisin sauce 2 tbs. light brown sugar 2 tbs. rice vinegar 1 tsp. sesame oil 2 scallions, chopped 2 English Cucumbers (sold with plastic wrapper) Carrot slivers and ribbons for garnish PREPARATION Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain, rinse and set aside to cool. In a small saucepan, combine the peanut butter, water, ketchup, hoisin sauce, sugar, rice, vinegar and sesame oil. Heat to a boil over a medium setting, and stir until smooth. Allow to cool, then mix in scallions and noodles. Toss until the noodles are well coated with the sauce. Trim the ends off the cucumbers. Cut each cucumber in half, and score the sides. Set aside the extra peel. Cut each half at a diagonal in the middle to create a spear. Trim two half-inch slices off the bottom of each spear, and set the slices aside. If you prefer shorter spears, trim even more. Working from the top of the spear, clean out the seeds with a melon baller, but don’t break through the bottom. Scoop out an indention in the slices, but don’t break through the bottom of these, either. Fill the spears and slices with the noodles, and top with carrot slivers. Arrange a spear and slices on each plate. Garnish with carrot ribbons and cucumber peel. —DeAnna Cameron, novelist, Trabuco Canyon New Mexico green chili salsa INGREDIENTS 16 New Mexico green chilies 2-3 tbs. safflower, canola or vegetable oil 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped and crushed 1 medium white onion, peeled and chopped 3 medium tomatoes, chopped Water Sea salt PREPARATION Rinse and dry the chilies. Prick them with a fork. Place them on a grill or oven broiler, and cook until blistered and partially brown, turning frequently. Cool slightly, and then place the chilies in a large plastic bag to steam. Once they’ve cooled completely, remove the stems, and peel and seed them. Chop into medium-size strips. In a large sauté pan, heat the oil. Add garlic and onion, and cook until soft. Do not brown. Add chopped chilies, and sauté 5 minutes, gently stirring from time to time. Add tomatoes and stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and pour in just enough water to barely cover the ingredients. Bring to a gentle boil, stir and cover. Simmer 20 to 25 minutes. Don’t allow liquid to cook away; add more water, if necessary. The consistency of the salsa should be slightly soupy. Serve hot. —Lee Healy, restaurant publicist, Newport Beach California cioppino INGREDIENTS 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 3 anchovy fillets, drained 1 tsp. red pepper flakes 6 garlic clove, crushed 1 bay leaf 2 celery ribs, roughly minced 1 medium onion, roughly minced 1 cup Sauvignon Blanc 14 oz. chicken stock 32 oz. tomatoes, crushed 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves 1 handful fresh Italian parsley, chopped 1 1/2 lb. Pacific long line cod or white sea bass, cut into chunks 10 large pink Oregon shrimp, peeled and deveined 10 farmed bay scallops 12 raw farmed mussels, cleaned PREPARATION Clean, chop and prepare all ingredients. In a large, deep pot, combine olive oil, anchovies (they’ll melt into the oil and infuse a nutty, salty flavor), red pepper flakes and crushed garlic, and heat over a moderate setting. Add the chopped celery, onion and bay leaf to the pot. Sauté the vegetables a few minutes, then add the wine and stir. Add the chicken stock, crushed tomatoes and herbs, and heat until mixture bubbles. Adjust heat to medium low, and gently mix in the fish. Cover and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, without stirring. Then add the shrimp, scallops and mussels. Cover again and cook 10 minutes. Meanwhile, slice a loaf of French or sourdough bread into thick chunks for dipping. Ladle cioppino into shallow soup bowls. Remove and discard any mussels that do not open. Garnish with a pinch of fresh chopped parsley or freshly grated orange zest on top. Serve with Sauvignon Blanc. Cook’s note: This is a basic cioppino recipe that I adapted to include some of my favorite “best choices” for sustainable seafood on the seafoodwatch.org list. Add your favorites or the catch of the day. It’s a simple but beautiful “company dish,” and your home will smell wonderful. —Mary Adams Urashima, consultant and foodie, Huntington Beach Chicken Delightful INGREDIENTS 8 skinless breasts of chicken 8 oz. teriyaki sauce 8 oz. orange marmalade PREPARATION Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine teriyaki sauce and marmalade in a small bowl until well blended. Pour teriyaki sauce and marmalade mixture over chicken breasts and cook for 30 minutes. Turn breasts over and cook for another 20 minutes. To serve, place chicken breasts on a platter and pour the remaining sauce from the baking pan into a bowl. Plate with rice, a green vegetable and Hawaiian bread for dipping into the sauce. —Deborah Paul, writer, Rancho Palos Verdes |
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