Philly-Style Mushroom Cheesesteak

Melt the cheese right over the warm mushrooms, onions, and sliced steak in the pan by covering the skillet with a lid or foil. If you like the cheese to be browned, run the whole open-faced sandwich under the broiler.Serve a little carrot salad or coleslaw on the side, if you like.

Yield:

Serves two.

Ingredients

1. 1 Tbs. canola oil; more if needed
2. 9 oz. New York strip steak, 1 inch thick
3. 1/2 tsp. coarse salt; more to taste
4. Scant 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper; more to taste
5. 8 medium cremini or button mushrooms (5 to 6 oz. total), thinly sliced
6. 1/2 medium yellow onion (2 to 3 oz.), thinly sliced
7. 2 medium scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced on a sharp angle (about 1/4-cup)
8. 1 tsp. minced garlic
9. 6 small cherry tomatoes (or grape tomatoes), quartered
10. 2 thin slices provolone or fontina cheese (about 1 oz. each)
11. 2 slices bread (about 1/2-inch thick), cut from a round country loaf or other rustic loaf, lightly toasted

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Season the steak on both sides with the salt-and pepper. Put the steak in the hot oil and sear for 3 minutes. Turn the steak and cook for another 2 minutes (it will be very rare but will cook more later). Take the skillet off the heat, transfer the steak to a cutting board, and cover loosely with foil.
2. Return the skillet to medium heat. Add the mushrooms and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until they’re tender and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add another 1 Tbs. canola oil if the pan seems dry. Add the scallions and garlic and cook until the scallions are limp, about 1 more minute. Loosely cover the skillet and slide it off the heat.
3. Trim the fat from the side of the steak and cut the steak into thin (1/8- to 1/4-inch) slices. Add the steak slices, any accumulated juices, and the tomatoes to the mushrooms in the pan; season with salt and pepper and toss well. Divide into two loose piles in the skillet. Lay a cheese slice over each pile; cover the skillet to melt the cheese (briefly set the skillet over low heat, if necessary). Slide a large metal spatula under one pile of steak, mushrooms, and cheese and drape it over the toasted bread; repeat with the other pile. Serve immediately.

Notes

Vietnamese Chicken with Ginger

This dish uses the classic Vietnamese braising method that uses caramelized sugar as the base for the braising liquid. If you can find Chinese brown sugar, it will give the braise a deep, complex flavor.Serve with jasmine rice and sautéed broccoli.

Yield:

Serves six.

Ingredients

1. 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs. water
2. 2-1/2 oz. Chinese brown sugar (about 1 plank) or 1/3 cup granulated white sugar
3. 3 Tbs. olive oil
4. 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced into rings (a scant 1/4-cup)
5. 1-1/2 oz. fresh ginger, unpeeled and cut into matchsticks (about 1/2 cup)
6. 3 lb. skin-on chicken thighs, excess fat trimmed, cut in halves crosswise with a cleaver or by your butcher, and seasoned generously with kosher salt
7. 3 Tbs. fish sauce
8. 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
9. 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
10. 1/2 tsp. dried red chile flakes
11. 3 scallions (whites and greens), thinly sliced into rings, for garnish

Directions

1. Have ready 1/2 cup water. If using Chinese brown sugar, put it and 2 Tbs. water in a 10-inch straight-sided skillet over medium heat. Stir frequently with a wooden spoon, chopping up the sugar with the spoon until it dissolves completely, 4 to 5 minutes. (If using white sugar, put it—without the water—in a 10-inch straight-sided skillet over medium. Cook until it starts to melt at the edges and turn golden brown, about 5 minutes.) Reduce the heat to medium low and continue cooking, stirring constantly if using brown sugar or gently swirling the pan if using white sugar, until the bubbling caramel darkens to a reddish brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and, with your face averted to avoid steam and spatters, carefully pour the 1/2 cup water into the pan. The caramel may harden; if it does, set the pan over medium-high heat and stir until it dissolves. Stir the liquid to blend in the caramel and pour it into a heatproof measuring cup or bowl.
2. Wipe out the pan and heat the olive oil over medium high. Add the shallot and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until they’re softened and starting to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
3. Set the skillet back over high heat. Add the seasoned chicken pieces and cook until they lose their raw color on the outside, about 2 minutes per side; the pan will be crowded and the chicken needn’t brown. Stir in the fish sauce, salt, pepper, chile flakes, and reserved caramel. Reduce the heat to medium and cook at a vigorous simmer, turning the chicken every few minutes, until the chicken is cooked through (cut into a piece to check), about 20 minutes. Stir in the reserved ginger and shallot and cook for 3 to 4 minutes to blend the flavors. Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with the scallion rings.

Notes

Arroz Verde - Green Rice

Rich and refined, arroz verde is one of the most popular dishes I present to cooking classes.

Yield:

Serves six to eight.

Ingredients

1. 1/2 cup tightly packed fresh cilantro sprigs (about 1/2 oz.)
2. 1 cup tightly packed fresh stemmed spinach leaves (about 1-1/2 oz.)
3. 1-1/4 cups homemade or low-salt chicken broth
4. 1-1/4 cups milk
5. 1 tsp. kosher salt
6. 1 Tbs. olive oil
7. 3 Tbs. unsalted butter
8. 1-1/2 cups long-grain rice
9. 1/4 cup finely minced onion
10. 1 clove garlic, minced

Directions

1. Put the cilantro, spinach, and broth in a blender and blend until the vegetables are puréed. Add the milk and salt and blend a bit more until well combined.
2. In a medium (3-qt.) heavy-based saucepan (with a good lid) over medium heat, heat the olive oil and butter. When the butter is melted, add the rice and sauté, stirring about every 30 seconds, until it just begins to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the contents of the blender, stir well, turn the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Cover the pan, turn the heat to very low, and cook for 20 minutes. Stir the rice carefully to avoid crushing it, cover, and cook another 5 minutes.
3. Take the pan off the heat and let the rice steam in the covered pot for 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Notes

Black & Blueberry Pie with Lemon-Cornmeal Crust

Blackberries paired with blueberries make a classic American pie, but I go easy on the blackberries; their more assertive flavor and seedy texture can easily overwhelm the blueberries.

Yield:

Serves eight.

Ingredients

1. For the dough:
2. ===============
3. 9 oz. (2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour; more as needed
4. 1/3 cup fine yellow cornmeal
5. 1 Tbs. granulated sugar
6. 2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
7. 1 tsp. table salt
8. 6 oz. (12 Tbs.) cold unsalted butter, cut into 10 pieces
9. 2 oz. (4 Tbs.) cold vegetable shortening
10. 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice combined with 1/4 cup ice-cold water
11. .
12. For the filling:
13. ===============
14. 2/3 cup plus 1 Tbs. granulated sugar
15. 1/3 cup cornstarch
16. 1/8 tsp. ground allspice
17. 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
18. 1/8 tsp. table salt
19. 5 cups room-temperature blueberries (1 lb., 10 oz.), washed and drained on paper towels
20. 2 cups room-temperature blackberries (10-1/2 oz.), washed and drained on paper towels
21. 1/2 oz. (1 Tbs.) cold unsalted butter
22. 1 oz. (2 Tbs.) melted unsalted butter

Directions

1. Make the dough: In a large bowl, stir the flour, cornmeal, sugar, lemon zest, and salt. Using a pastry blender or two knives, begin to cut the butter into the flour. While the butter is still in large pieces, add the shortening to the bowl and continue to cut the fat into the flour until most pieces are the size of large peas.
2. With a big fork, stir in the lemon water, 1 to 2 Tbs. at a time, until the mixture looks shaggy but is moist enough to hold together when pressed. With well-floured hands, gently gather and press the dough into two equal disks, handling it only enough to make the edges of the disks reasonably smooth. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for at least 60 minutes, but preferably 2 to 4 hours, before rolling.
3. Roll the bottom crust: Roll one disk of the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a 13-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Gently transfer the dough to a 9-inch metal, glass, or ceramic pie plate (I like to fold the dough in half and unfold it into the pan). Don't stretch the dough as you line the pan, or it will spring back when baked. If necessary, trim the overhanging dough to 1 inch from the edge of the pan. Refrigerate until needed.
4. Make the filling: In a large bowl, whisk 2/3 cup of the sugar with the cornstarch, allspice, cinnamon, and salt. Add the blueberries and blackberries and toss gently until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
5. Fill and top the pie: Roll the second disk of dough out on a lightly floured surface into a 13-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into 3/4-inchwide strips. Pour the fruit filling into the pastry-lined pie plate, being sure to include any dry ingredients remaining in the bowl. Lay five of the dough strips over the pie, parallel to each other and spaced evenly (use longer strips in the center of the pie and shorter strips near the edges).
6. Carefully fold back the second and fourth strips a little past the center of the pie and lay a long strip of dough across the center of the pie, perpendicular to the other strips. Unfold the second and fourth strips over the perpendicular strip.
7. Next, fold back the first, third, and fifth strips and lay a new strip across the pie, perpendicular to the folded strips. Unfold the three strips over the new strip.
8. Use this alternating technique to weave in three more strips (two go on the other side of the pie), completing the lattice top and evenly covering the pie. Trim the strips to overhang the pie by 3/4 inch.
9. Roll the overhanging bottom dough and the strips together into a cylinder that rests on the edge of the pie pan.
10. Crimp the edge. Cut the cold 1 Tbs. butter into small pieces and dot over the open areas of the lattice. Freeze the assembled pie for about 15 minutes to relax the dough.
11. Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and set a foil-lined heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet on the rack. Heat the oven to 425°F. Just before baking, brush the lattice top with the melted butter and sprinkle with the remaining 1 Tbs. sugar. Put the pie on the heated baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and bake until the fruit is bubbling consistently at the center of the pie, 60 to 80 minutes more. This is important—if it isn’t bubbling near the center, it hasn’t thickened yet. If the crust starts to get too brown, cover it loosely with foil during the last few minutes of the baking time.
12. Let the pie cool to just warm before serving.

Notes

Tip: Be sure to use room-temperature berries. Cold fruit straight from the refrigerator will prevent your dessert from baking evenly.