On busy weeknights when I want dinner on the table in less than half an hour, vegetable stir-fries become the default meal. Brussels sprouts, broccoli, eggplants and asparagus are the usual choices but I've added a new vegetable to rotation recently--string beans (also known as Chinese long ... Read More
Steak Salad with Mint-Scallion Dressing
The tart I plan to take to my family's Easter gathering is now setting in the refrigerator. There will be plenty of time in the morning for the finishing touches before Easter service then heading to my aunt's home. Putting the dessert together was easy--the bulk of my time was spent trying ... Read More
Stir-Fried Eggplant with Sambal over Red Rice
This is the kind of meal that I generally don't even consider sharing here, not for its lack of merit but because I wonder if you would be interested in it at all. But somehow when I do share a dish like this that takes mere minutes to put together, you seem to like it and it makes me happy ... Read More
Noodles with Peanut-Lime Vinaigrette (and a Visit to Death Valley)
We've just returned from a quick trip to Death Valley National Park. At 282 feet below sea level, the park has the distinction of having the lowest elevation on the continent and is also widely known for its extreme weather conditions, scorching in the summer with temperatures in the 120's ... Read More
Braised Pork Belly
This season of healthy eating lasted, oh, about 5 minutes? I finally got around to buying a slab of pork belly (I've eaten it but have never cooked with it) so I could roast it and make some pork buns Momofuku-style. There's a noodle shop in Maui that serves them (in fact, a lot of their ... Read More
Homemade Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Guanciale
As I sip the day's first cup of tea from my little spot in the kitchen, I see the cake crumbs that I missed wiping off the table. Rows of wine glasses are drying on the mat next to the sink. The dish towels that should have done that job last night hang askew on the bar stools that doubled as ... Read More
