Sesame Noodles
Don’t forget to include oriental-style noodles in your pantry, whether they are made from wheat or rice. You can either buy them fresh in oriental markets and keep them in the freezer, or you can buy them dried at most grocery stores. Chinese lo mein noodles or Japanese yaki soba noodles both work well in this dish. From Gigia Kolouch, serves 4.
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Ingredients
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Drop noodles into the water and stir. When the water comes to a second boil, pour in 1/2 cup cold water. When the water comes to a third boil, pour in another half cup of cold water. When water comes to a fourth boil, drain noodles into a colander and rinse them with cold water. Let them drain while you prepare the rest of the dish.
Put cornstarch in a small bowl. Slowly add the stock, mixing as you do. Add bean sauce, salt, sugar and sesame oil. Mix well.
Slice red pepper into thin strips.
Heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in a wok. When hot, add noodles, cook 3-4 minutes, until they are crispy on the bottom before turning them over. Cook another few minutes and then lay them onto a platter.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to wok. When hot, stir in ginger, garlic and black sesame seeds. Stir a couple of times. Add red peppers and stir again. Add cornstarch mixture and cook until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Stir in green onions and pour mixture over noodles. Serve at once.
Wine ideas: A crisp, spicy, fruity flavors of a gewürztraminer will go well with the sweet-savory flavors of these noodles. Alsace makes the most exalted examples, but Jekel makes a darn good version from Monterey, Calif., for $13.
-Tara Q. Thomas
Chicken Asparagus Stir-Fry
Enjoy this simple stir-fry with sesame noodles. Chinese soy sauce is lighter in color and saltier than Japanese. Use it in a stir-fry to keep vegetables from turning dark brown. You can find chili bean paste in the Asian section of many grocery stores. From Gigia Kolouch, serves 4.
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Directions
Cut the chicken into 1-inch squares. Toss it with cornstarch, soy sauce, rice vinegar and sugar.
Peel ginger and cut it into thin sticks. Peel and slice the garlic cloves. Wash asparagus and snap off ends. Peel bottom 2 inches of asparagus, and cut them diagonally into 2-inch pieces. Mix together sauce ingredients.
Heat 4 tablespoons oil in a wok. When hot, add chicken and stir-fry 3-4 minutes, until chicken is almost cooked. Remove chicken onto paper towels to drain.
If necessary, add a few more tablespoons oil to wok. Add ginger and garlic, and stir. Add asparagus and put the lid on for 1 minute, until asparagus is bright green.
Add sauce and bring it to a boil. Add chicken back into wok and cover briefly, to warm it. Stir to coat chicken with sauce. Serve immediately.
Wine ideas: If you started your meal with the Sesame Noodles, finish the gewürztraminer here. Or, check out a $10 to $15 German riesling from a reliable producer, such as Selbach or von Kesselstatt.
-Tara Q. Thomas
Chickpea and Tomato Soup
Cooking teacher Gigia Kolouch says her children love this simple, quick Tuscan soup. It is a meal in itself with vegetables, beans and bread all in one dish. If you have leftovers, it can be turned into a pasta sauce with the addition of some fresh, chopped parsley and a bit of grated Romano cheese. Serves 4.
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Directions
Peel garlic and onion. Chop into large pieces. Sauté onion and garlic along with 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 5-quart pan until soft. Add bay leaf, sage, rosemary, tomatoes and chickpeas. Cook 15 minutes. Cool slightly and purée in a food processor or with a hand blender. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you like, add a cup or two of water to achieve desired thickness. Keep warm.
Toast bread. Rub remaining whole clove of garlic over them. Cut each slice in half. Ladle soup into bowls. Top each with two pieces of toast. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.
Wine ideas: The Mediterranean flavors of this stewy soup call out for a rosé. Le Jaja de Jau has the right attitude: jaja means something like “good plonk” in French, and at $8 for its generous, juicy flavors, it lives up to the name.-Tara Q. Thomas
Lala Dea’s Risotto Milanese
Gigia Kolouch says: Lala Dea, my great aunt, taught me how to make this dish when I was 10 years old. I’m not sure she would approve of the dried mushrooms (she liked the white button ones), but I like them better. Make sure the chicken stock is heated before you add it to the rice. It will cook much more quickly. Serves 6.
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Directions
Drain mushrooms and add liquid to chicken stock. Mince mushrooms and onion. Sauté in olive oil and butter in a large saucepan. When soft, add rice and sauté 2 minutes. Add saffron, 1/2 cup wine and 1 cup broth and let simmer uncovered, stirring frequently. As the liquid is absorbed, add more broth, a cup at a time until the rice is cooked, about 20 minutes. The rice should still be slightly chewy in the center and thick like porridge.
Add the rest of the wine and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Cook until liquid is incorporated, stirring constantly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve AT ONCE with more Parmesan cheese. Risotto waits for no man (or woman)!
Wine ideas: This dish could match well with either a rich white wine or a light red, and Lombardy, the province that holds Milan, produces both. In whites, look for trebbiano di Lugana wines from producers like Zenato or Ca dei Frati. In reds, check out wines from Valtellina. These are made from nebbiolo, the same grape responsible for the revered, tannic wines of Barolo, but in Valtellina’s warmer climate, they grow softer, more gentle. Rainoldi, Triacca and Nino Negri are names to check out. -Tara Q. Thomas
Fennel Red Pepper Sauce
While cleaning out the refrigerator, we noticed Heather had some great-tasting Italian sausage, which happens to be the important ingredient in this hearty red sauce. Enjoy it with a pound of penne pasta. From Gigia Kolouch, serves 4.
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Directions
Cut the peppers into large strips. Cut the onion in half and slice them into 1/4-inch rings. Mince garlic and parsley. Remove casing from sausages.
Sauté onions, peppers and garlic in olive oil 10 minutes, until vegetables are soft and tender. Crumble sausage and add to pan. Sauté until sausage is done. Add wine and tomatoes. Let sauce simmer 15-30 minutes, so that the flavors can meld together. Add salt, pepper and parsley. Stir, and serve tossed with pasta.
Black Bean Soup
It takes about 45 minutes to make this hearty soup (using cooked beans). From Heather Gregg, makes about 8 servings.
Ingredients
Directions
In a small bowl, cover sundried tomatoes with boiling water. Set aside. In a soup pot, sauté onions, garlic, jalapeño or cayenne in oil 5 minutes, until onions are translucent. Add cumin and 1/3 cup water. Cover, boil, lower heat, simmer (covered) 5 minutes. Add black beans with their liquid, continue to simmer and stir to prevent sticking.
Drain and chop softened tomatoes, add to soup, cook 5-10 minutes. Stir in cilantro, remove from heat. Purée half the soup in food processor or blender; return to pot. If soup is too thick, add water or tomato juice.
Serve with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream, or over rice with grated parmesan cheese and cilantro.
Wine ideas: Angeline, a plummy $12 merlot from the Martin Ray winery, or Beringer’s Founders’ Estate. -Tara Q. Thomas
Somewhat Healthy, Absolutely Delicious Oatmeal Cookies
This recipe is an adaptation to the classic from the back of the Quaker Oats box. The great amount of fiber added in the form of whole wheat flour and bran makes the cookies easier to digest and not as rich. In Gigia Kolouch’s family, that is a good excuse to eat more of them. Makes 90 cookies.
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Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter and sugars until they are fluffy. Add eggs, water and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Add remaining ingredients, one at a time until everything is well mixed.
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes.
