Smoky Oyster Chowder with Bacon, Rosemary and Fennel

Ingredients:
4 ounces smoky bacon, such as Benton’s (See Note), cut into 1-by- 1/4- inch matchsticks
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
2 dried red chiles, stemmed and broken
4 small celery ribs, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 fennel bulb, finely chopped
2 quarts fish stock or 1 quart bottled clam broth with 1 quart of water
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 pound fingerling potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 pint freshly shucked oysters with their liquor

Directions:
In a large pot, cook the bacon over moderately high heat, stirring, until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Pour out all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the pot. Add the rosemary and chiles to the pot and cook for 1 minute. Add the celery, onion and fennel and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the fish stock and bring to a simmer.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the roux is the color of peanut butter, about 5 minutes. Scrape the roux into the soup and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes and simmer until tender and the soup has thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cream, season with salt and pepper and return to a simmer.

Add the oysters and bacon to the soup and simmer until the oysters are just cooked, about 3 minutes. Spoon the chowder into deep bowls and serve with Tabasco.

Sesame-Honey Eggplant

Ingredients:

• Eggplant
• Vegetable oil
• Soy sauce
• Honey
• Toasted sesame oil
• Rice vinegar
• Freshly grated ginger
• Toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

Brush 1/4-inch-thick eggplant planks with vegetable oil and broil, turning once, until tender. Drizzle with a dressing made with equal parts soy sauce, honey, toasted sesame oil and rice vinegar seasoned with freshly grated ginger. Top with toasted sesame seeds.

Steak with grilled mushrooms and asparagus

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• Ingredients:
• 8 beef minute steaks
• 350g Swiss brown mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, halved
• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Whisk together olive oil, garlic, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Place mushrooms and asparagus on a large plate and drizzle with oil mixture.
• Set aside for 10 minutes. Heat a stovetop grill or barbecue over high heat. Brush steak with a little extra olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute on each side or until cooked to your liking. Remove, cover with foil and keep warm.
• Add mushrooms and asparagus to the grill and cook, turning occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until tender. To serve, place vegetables on serving plates, top with steak and sprinkle with parsley and pine nuts.

Vietnamese Diced Beef

Ingredients:

• 60ml (1/4 cup) oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 800g beef fillet, cut into 2.5cm pieces
• Olive oil spray
• 2 red onions, halved, cut into thin wedges
• 2 cups watercress sprigs
• Lime dipping sauce
• 60ml (1/4 cup) lime juice
• 2 tablespoons caster sugar
• 1/2 small fresh red chilli, seeded, finely chopped
• Combine sauces, garlic, sugar and sesame oil in a bowl. Season. Add beef. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 4 hours.
• To make lime dipping sauce, combine lime juice, sugar and chilli in a small bowl. Season with salt and white pepper. Stir until sugar dissolves. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until required.
• Heat a non-stick wok on high. Spray with oil. Drain beef, reserving marinade. Stir-fry onion for 3 minutes or until brown. Transfer to a plate. Spray wok with oil. Stir-fry one-third of beef for 2 minutes each side or until cooked to your liking. Transfer to plate. Repeat with oil and remaining beef, in 2 batches. Return onion and beef to wok. Add marinade and combine. Top with watercress. Serve with sauce and rice.

Korean BBQ Spare Ribs Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup soy sauce

1 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

5 cloves garlic, chopped

3 green onions, chopped

2 tablespoons Asian (toasted) sesame oil

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

2 pounds Korean-style short ribs (beef chuck flan ken, cut 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick across bones)

Directions

·         Whisk together the soy sauce and sugar in a bowl until the sugar has dissolved, and stir in the black pepper, garlic, green onions, sesame oil, and sesame seeds.

·         Place the ribs in a large bowl, and pour the marinade over the ribs. Stir to coat the ribs with the marinade, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Stir the ribs and marinade again, and refrigerate for 1 more hour.

·         Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil the grate.

·         Remove the ribs from the marinade, discard the marinade, and grill the ribs until brown and no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes per side. Have a spray bottle of water handy in case the ribs flare up.