recipe: mini bahn mi

Directions to make the pickled carrot and daikon:
1 c water
1/4 c white vinegar
1 tblsp sugar
1 tblsp salt
4 whole black peppercorns
1 clove garlic peeled and bruised
1/2 lb carrots cleaned, peeled, and julienned or coursely grated
1/2 lb daikon radish cleaned, peeled and julienned or coursely grated

1. Bring water, vinegar, sugar, and salt to a slow boil over med-high heat to devolve salt and sugar. Add peppercorns and garlic and remove from heat. Let cool slightly.

2. Mix the carrots and daikon together, place into jars and pour pickling liquid over to cover. Refrigerate for a few hours and serve—or it can be kept in the fridge for about a week.

Directions to make the mini bahn mi:
1 baguette
olive oil for toasting
toppings can include:
pate or siracha mayo (1/2 cup mayo and 1 tablespoon sirache hotsauce)
seasoned grilled meats or vegetables sliced thin
pickled carrot and daikon
cilantro sprigs
jalapenos

1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Slice the baguette into 1/2” pieces on the diagonal. Lightly brush each with olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Oven toast for about 10 minutes, then remove and set aside.

2. Take 1 slice of toasted baguette, spread on about a teaspoon of pate or siracha mayo and top with favorite toppings—or try the 5 spice marinated chicken.

Adam’s hints:
—this recipe lends itself to any type of grilled meat or even grilled marinated tofu.
—the baguette can be toasted earlier in the day if you’re in a time crunch. Just pop them back in the oven to warm it before serving.

recipe: 5 spice marinated chicken

2 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cloves garlic, minced and mashed into a paste
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp 5 spice powder
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp lemon juice
a pinch of chili flakes

Directions:
1. Mix all marinade ingredients in a zip-top bag with the chicken. Squeeze out as much air as possible, seal, and squish the mixture around to coat the chicken. Place in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours or overnight.

2. Heat the grill, or a stove-top grill pan, and grill chicken pieces until cooked. Cooking time will depend on thickness of chicken and temperature when placed onto grill.

3. Remove the chicken from grill, let it rest about 10 minutes, then serve.

Adam’s hints:
—USDA recommends an internal temp of 165°F for breasts so a meat thermometer will come in handy.
—If you prefer dark meat, substitute 3 boneless skinless thighs for the breast meat.
—It’s also great sliced thin and served as mini bahn mi sandwiches.

recipe: fried wontons

8oz cream cheese
1 tblsp green onions chopped
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
12 oz package of wonton wrappers
vegetable oil for frying
salt to taste
Makes 40-50 wontons

Directions:
1. In a bowl, mix together cream cheese, green onions, white pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Place the mixture in a zip-top bag, seal the bag removing as much air as possible in the process. Snip one corner of the bag and set aside to pipe cream cheese mixture onto wonton wrappers.

2. Place one wonton wrapper on a clean work surface and pipe 1 teaspoon of cream cheese filling into the middle. Brush the edges of the wrapper with water and fold corners together to make a triangle. Squeeze all air out of the wrapper and make sure to seal the cream cheese filling in the wrapper so it can’t escape while frying.

3. In a dutch oven fitted with a candy thermometer to 350°F, heat 2” of vegetable oil.

4. Fry wontons in batches of 5 or 6 for about 1 minute, until they turn golden brown. Remove to drain on a paper towel lined baking sheet. Continue to fry remaining wontons.

5. Serve hot with sweet chili dipping sauce.

Adam’s hints:
—You can also create the wonton blossom by pinching the wrapper top to bottom and side to side. Picture the 12 and 6 on a clock as top and bottom and then 9 and 3 as the sides.

recipe: leftover pie shake

photo by: rick photo by: Josep Ma. Rosell

If you find yourself with an abundance of pie, why not try a—insert favorite pie name here—milkshake?

Combine ice cream and milk in a blender. Blend until creamy then drop in a slice of pie. Don’t be afraid to spike it—rum or cordials would be a nice compliment.

Like most milkshakes, toppings are key—try freshly whipped cream, sprinkles, fruit chunks, nuts…or, think outside the box and layer mixings for a parfait!

photo by: gemsling photo by: MyLifeStory

Special thanks to adam for this inspiration.

sugar & olives

Sugar & Olives is in its third year of serving ‘farm to family’ style, and its tucked away location draws a steady and curious crowd.

The converted factory space sits on a side street in Norwalk, Connecticut, and without a sign or any evidence that it’s a restaurant, it has become a local favorite for private dining, cooking classes and a swanky spot to sit, eat and enjoy some tasty food.

Want to know where your food is from? Just ask and they’ll tell you—or look it up on the iPad menu. Each guest gets one so they can choose their meal, and search for more information as they wish.

Vegetables, fruit, poultry, shellfish, dairy and eggs are gathered from farms within CT, while grains and other items are sourced regionally from the Hudson Valley to Vermont. Sweet and savory as the name Sugar & Olives implies, with a focus on flavor and simplicity, allowing each item to shine.

The sustainable build-out and best practices of this small shop has earned it three stars with the Green Restaurant Association. The efforts to keep a tiny footprint include waste reduction, pre- and post-consumer composting, recycling, a water filtration system with zero plastic water bottles on the premises, and a rain barrel to boot.

Special thanks to jennifer and cristina, store manager west hollywood, for the inside scoop!