Chicken Wings with Momofuku Octo Vinaigrette

Courtesy of Jaden Hair, SteamyKitchen.com

From David Chang’s cookbook Momofuku

The recipe for the Octo Vinaigrette (all of the ingredients minus the wings) is straight from book. Really take the time to chop the garlic and ginger finely and evenly. Don’t buy the jarred, paste or puree ginger and garlic, just go for the real stuff. Also make sure you use a good quality light soy sauce. I like using low-sodium version. If all you can find is regular soy sauce, I’d recommend cutting the soy sauce to 3 tablespoons and adding 1 tablespoon of water. If you love fresh cilantro, you can add 1 tablespoon of minced fresh cilantro to the vinaigrette as well. You can use any type of chili pepper you want (or omit) and I’ve used small, skinny bird’s eye chili with the seeds discarded. Feel free to use jalapeno, serrano or even the big banana chili peppers for less heat.

Instead of frying the wings, I like baking them instead as it’s easier and less messy. I dare not mention “baking is healthier too!” as wings are fattening no matter how you cook ‘em. I buy the chicken wings whole, cut them apart and freeze the tips for stock.

serves 4 as appetizer or snack

3 pounds chicken wings, tips saved for another use
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh chili pepper
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup light soy sauce
2 tablespoons canola, vegetable or grapeseed oil
1/4 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper (or spray the pan with cooking spray). Place the chicken wings on the parchment paper in single layer. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning the chicken wings over halfway during cooking process.

2. While chicken is baking, make the vinaigrette. Combine together the remaining ingredients in a large bowl (large enough to fit all of the wings)

3. Toss the chicken wings in the vinaigrette to coat.

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Seafood and Green Onion Pancakes (Haemul Jeon)

By Taekyung Chung & Debra Samuels, The Korean Table

Makes 2 large pancakes

1 1/4 cups (150 g) white or whole-wheat flour
1/3 cup (50 g) rice flour
1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt or kosher salt
1 3/4 cup (425 ml) water for white flour or 2 cups (500 ml) water for whole wheat flour
5 green onions (scallions), cut into 2-in (5 cm) lengths
8 oz (225 g) any combination of squid, shrimp or scallops, peeled, rinsed and cut into 1-in (2.5-cm) chunks
3 tablespoons canola, safflower or other neutral oil
1/2 cup (125 ml) Soy Scallion Dipping Sauce

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours and salt. Mix well. Add the water and stir until the batter is smooth. Stir in the green onions and seafood.

2. In a medium skillet add 1 tablespoon of the oil and heat over medium-high heat.  To make two large pancakes, with a ladle, spoon half the batter into the skillet, distributing the batter evenly around the skillet. When the batter is set and the bottom is a golden brown, about 3 minutes, turn the pancake over. With the back of the spatula, press down and flatten the surface of the pancake. You will hear sizzling and see little spurts of batter come through. Continue to fry for several minutes until the pancake is a golden brown and the edges are crisp. Repeat the flipping and pressing one or two more times or until there is very little batter coming through the cooked surface.

3. Transfer the pancake to a plate. Cut the pancake into bite-size (about 9) pieces.  Repeat with the remaining batter. Add more oil to the skillet as needed.  Serve with Soy Scallion Dipping Sauce in individual bowls.

Shrimp Jeon with Ginger Soy Vinegar

By Debbie Lee, Chef & Finalist, The Next Food Network Star, Season 5

Shrimp Jeon:
1/2 lb. Shrimp, Peeled, Tail off, Cleaned with Veins Removed
1/2 cup Chopped Scallions
1 Egg
2 tsp Garlic, Minced
2 tbs Chapsal (Sweet Rice Flour)
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp White Pepper
2 tbs Chives, Chopped for Garnish

1. With your chef knife, finely chop the shrimp. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl.
2. Add all other ingredients except Chapsal. Mix well, and then add Chapsal to bind mixture.
3. In a large non-stick skillet, heat with 1 tbs Sesame Oil on medium-high heat. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto skillet, similar to a pancake batter.
4. Cook on each side for 2-3 minutes, or until Golden Brown. Remove from skillet and transfer to a platter. Garnish with Chopped Chives. Serve immediately with Ginger Soy Vinegar.

Ginger Soy Vinegar:
2 tbs Grated Ginger Root, Fresh
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
1/4 cup Rice Vinegar

Combine all ingredients into a small mixing bowl and whisk well. Transfer to a condiment/sauce dish.

Sesame Beef Lettuce Wraps

Recipe by Aimee Wimbush-Bourque, Under the High Chair
Serves 2-3

1 head Boston lettuce
3 cups cooked rice
2 carrots, thinly sliced
bunch of green onions, thinly sliced length wise
1 pound minute steak or flank steak, thinly sliced

Dipping Sauce (of choice or recipe below)

Marinade:
2 small garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon ginger, grated
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
fresh ground pepper

Peel and chop the garlic cloves. Sprinkle with sugar and using the side of your knife blade, crush the garlic to make a paste with the sugar. Place in a bowl and add the remaining marinade ingredients. Coat steaks with marinade and refrigerate for 1-3 hours.

Peel and finely chiffonade or grate carrots. Thinly slice the  green onions, green part only. Toss the green onions and carrots together then set aside until ready to serve.

Pull apart leaves of Boston lettuce and place in a bowl.

Preheat the grill pan or frying pan over high heat. Remove the meat from  the marinade and pat dry with a paper towel. Lightly oil the pan with cooking  oil. Grill quickly to desired doneness. Time will vary depending on the cut of steak. Remove from grill and allow to rest a few minutes.

To Serve:
Place rice, lettuce, and carrot on the table. Slice beef into thin strips and serve with dipping sauce of your choice or the recipe below.
Each person assembles their own wrap.

Korean Barbecue Dipping Sauce

2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon Sriracha chile sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 Tablespoon green onion, minced
1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
1 Tablespoon water

On a cutting board, use the side of the blade of your knife to crush the garlic and the sugar together, forming a paste. Transfer paste to a small bowl and add all remaining ingredients. Mix together well an reserve until ready to use.

Sweet Potato Curry Puffs

By Carol Selva Rajah, Malaysian Cooking: A Master Cook Reveals Her Best Recipes

A twist on the familiar vegetarian curry puffs, this great party dish is a pure vegetarian version with rich mint and onion aromas that are released with each bite into a savoury parcel. Serve the puffs with Mint Chutney if you like.

makes: 27 puffs
preparation time: 20 mins
cooking time: 40 mins

3 sheets frozen puff pastry (24 cm/91/2 in), thawed
1 egg, beaten

sweet potato filling
1 tablespoon oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 small onion, minced
2 sweet potatoes (300 g/10 oz) peeled and diced to yield 2 cups, then blanched until soft
100 g (1 cup) finely sliced green beans or fresh or frozen green peas
1 tablespoon chopped Vietnamese mint
11/2 tablespoons curry powder
1 cup (250 ml) water
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon sugar
11/2 teaspoons salt

Prepare the Sweet Potato Filling first by heating the oil in a wok and stir-frying the garlic and ginger over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the onion and stir-fry until transparent. Stir in the blanched sweet potato, green beans or peas, Vietnamese mint and curry powder. Add the water. Cook the ingredients for about 2 minutes, season with the ground red pepper, sugar and salt. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Preheat the oven to 180˚C (360˚F). On a lightly floured work surface, cut each puff pastry sheet into 9 equal squares. To make the puffs, brush two opposite sides of a pastry square with the beaten egg. Place 11/2 tablespoons of the Sweet Potato Filling in the centre of the pastry square and fold the pastry diagonally over the filling, forming a triangle, and then crimp the edges to seal. Place the puff on a baking pan and brush the top with the beaten egg. Continue to make the puffs in the same manner with the remaining ingredients.

Bake the puffs for about 20 minutes until golden and serve immediately.

Reprinted with the express permission of Tuttle Publishing, a member of the Periplus Publishing Group.