Appetizers 1
The Kitchen Your college-friendly cookbook.
Featured Chefs Kyle Branch, Michelle Cao, Nikolina Cargonja, Caitlin Chan, Betty Che, Amanda Chevere, Amber Chiang, David Del Pilar, Emma Hoban, Erica Kemp, Alexandra Koplan, Calista Lam, Aitana Martinez Huerta, Jessica May, Allison McClain, Isabela Presedo-Floyd, Sam Rogers, Joshua Ronda, Charlotte Rubel, Mariana Silverman, and Spencer White
Designed by Betty Che in 2019 The book is typeset in: Roboto, Roboto Slab, and Source Han Sans TW.
The Kitchen Your college-friendly cookbook.
4 The Kitchen
Table of Contents Appetizers Holiday Ranch Crackers
9
Sweet Homemade Granola
11
Turnip Cake (蘿蔔糕)
13
Baked Goods Banana Muffins
19
Madeleines
21
Marble Bundt Cake
23
Molletes
25
Zucchini Bread
27
Table of Contents 5
Main Dishes Carne en su Jugo – Jalisco Style
31
Chicken Pozole (Hominy)
35
Croatian Sarma
37
Homestyle Mac and Cheese
41
Mango and Sticky Rice
45
Meatloaf
49
Pasta with Homemade Marinara Sauce
51
Phở Gà (Vietnamese Chicken Pho)
53
Pollo a la Brasa
57
Sichuan Dry-Pot Cauliflower (干鍋菜花)
61
Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup (紅臊牛肉麵)
63
Tofu Tacos
67
Savory Steamed Cabbage
69
6 The Kitchen
APPETIZERS Holiday Ranch Crackers
9
Sweet Homemade Granola
11
Turnip Cake (蘿蔔糕)
13
8 The Kitchen
Appetizers 9
Holiday Ranch Crackers by Kyle Branch
Ingredients
Directions
• One package 1.0 oz. Hidden Valley Ranch Milk Recipe Original Ranch Salad Dressing Mix
Pour over crackers, stir to coat.
Combine Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing Mix with dill weed and oil. Place in warm oven (250 °F) for 15–20 minutes. Stir gently halfway through baking.
• ½ teaspoon dill weed • ¾ cup salad oil
Serves 8
• 5 cups (11 ounces) plain oyster crackers
This recipe was a random clipping from a magazine that I ended up helping my mom make for Christmas one year. Since then, it has become a tradition for me to prepare this simple snack for every family get-together.
Optional • ¼ teaspoon lemon pepper • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
10 The Kitchen
Appetizers 11
Sweet Homemade Granola by Mariana Silverman
Ingredients
Directions
• 3 cups of rolled oats
Preheat oven to 250 °F.
• 1½ cups of smashed raw almonds
Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl (includes the oats, almonds, coconut, and fruit.) Whisk together the coconut oil and maple syrup and then heat in a microwave for 30 seconds. Add the wet mixture directly to the oats mixture, mix well. Combine all (if you haven’t already) in a large bowl. Spread it evenly on a (or several) parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let cool. Sprinkle salt on finished product.
• 1 cup shredded coconut • 2 cups dried fruit • ¾ cup coconut oil • ½ cup maple syrup
Store in an air-tight container — will NEVER expire. Money back guarantee. This recipe is significant to me because it is one of the first dishes my family started making every week after we moved houses. It has a consistently sweet and delicately fruity taste and instantly makes you feel at home. Best served with plain or vanilla yogurt and a fruit of your choice!
12 The Kitchen
蘿 蔔 糕
Appetizers 13
Turnip Cake by Michelle Cao
Ingredients
Directions
• 1¼ cups of rice flour
Let the dried mushroom and dried shrimp sit in cold water for 30 minutes. Chop the scallion and dice the sausage and mushroom.
• 1–1½ cups of water • 2 pieces of Chinese style sausage • 1 fresh daikon radish • 1 ounce dried shrimp • 1 scallion • 5 pieces of dried Chinese black mushroom • 1 tsp salt/pepper • Cooking oil • Optional Soy sauce or oyster sauce
Grate the radish. Add grated radish and 1 cup water to large pan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so the radish does not brown. Scoop the cooked radish into a large mixing bowl to cool. Next, pour the remaining liquid into a measuring cup and fill the rest with water until you have 1 cup of liquid and pour it back in with the cooked radish. Heat your pan over medium heat and add a two tablespoons oil. Add the dried shrimp, mushrooms, and sausage and cook for about 5 minutes. Then stir in the chopped scallion and remove from the heat to cool. Add rice flour, salt, sugar, and white pepper to the mixing bowl with the radish and cooking liquid. Mix until all the dry ingredients are wellincorporated. Add in the cooked scallion, shrimp, mushrooms and sausage into the mixture. Pour the mixture into a well-oiled pan. Place the pan into a steamer and steam on medium-high heat for half an hour. Once finished, let it cool completely before cutting into ½ inch thick pieces. Then fry the pieces on a well-oiled pan with medium low heat.
14 The Kitchen
Serves 3–4 Enjoy by dipping into soy sauce or oyster sauce! I chose this recipe because it is one of my favorite meals that my mom would make for me. She would usually make it during Chinese New Years and cook them for breakfast. It is also a main dish in dim sum, that is usually accompanied by hot tea. I also just miss Chinese food. (disclaimer: does not include any turnip, it is just the more well-known name when ordering).
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I chose this recipe because it is one of my favorite meals that my mom would make for me.
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16 The Kitchen
BAKED GOODS Banana Muffins
19
Madeleines
21
Marble Bundt Cake
23
Molletes
25
Zucchini Bread
27
18 The Kitchen
Baked Goods 19
Banana Muffins by Calista Lam
Ingredients
Directions
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. In another bowl, mash the bananas. Add egg, oil and vanilla; mix well. Stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups half full.
• 1 cup sugar • 1 teaspoon baking soda
Bake at 375 °F for 18–22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. • ½ teaspoon salt Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pan to a wire • 3 medium ripe bananas rack to cool completely. • 1 large egg, room temperature • ⅓ cup vegetable oil • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Serves 12 I chose this recipe because it makes me feel good about myself. Sometimes I say that they’re healthy to justify making them. But actually, these muffins have, like, zero nutritional value. I also chose this recipe because I often buy bananas and then forget I bought them until they get hecka ripe. Then I’m like “Oh, I should probably eat those.” So this is a good recipe for non-overlyripe-banana-wasters. This recipe is significant to me because once I ate a lot of these muffins instead of buying normal food. These banana muffins sustained me for almost a week. I would not be here today if not for this basic banana muffin recipe.
20 The Kitchen
Baked Goods 21
Madeleines by Joshua Ronda
Ingredients
Directions
• 1¼ c sifted flour
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and melt the butter
• ¼ lb of butter
Use mixer at high speed to mix eggs and sugar until creamy. Add flour and melted butter. Add vanilla
• ¾ c white sugar • 2 eggs • 1 tsp. vanilla
Wipe the molds with butter. Pour dough into prepared molds and bake for 10 minutes in 400 degree oven.
• Powdered sugar (to sift Remove from mold. When cool, sprinkle with over madeleines) powdered sugar. Serves 5–10 (depending on how many cookies each person can eat… if you’re like me: the serving size is 1). This is a recipe my great-grandmother passed down to my grandmother who passed it to my mom. I always remember the delicious madeleines and how hard it was to “just have one”. My great grandmother made a note on the recipe that said: “This is from a French Cookbook. It’s the easiest of all the Madeleine recipes I have. I always kept frozen butter on hand so I could fix these in a hurry.”
22 The Kitchen
Baked Goods 23
Marble Bundt Cake by Charlotte Rubel
Ingredients
Directions
• 1 pkg yellow cake mix
Add first seven ingredients, one at a time, mixing slowly after each addition. Beat for 2 minutes at medium speed.
• 1 pkg (3 oz) instant lemon pudding • ¾ cup water • ¾ cup oil • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 1 tsp almond extract (optional) • 4 large eggs • 5 oz chocolate syrup • Powdered sugar for dusting on top of cake
Place ¾ of the batter in a well-greased bundt pan. Mix remaining batter with chocolate syrup. Pour chocolate mixture on plain batter and cut through with a knife. Using a large cooking spoon, fold the batter over once around the pan to to achieve the marble effect. Bake at 350 °F for 45–60 minutes, or until cake pulls away from the sides of the pan when gently touched or a long wooden toothpick comes out clean when stuck in the cake. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes and invert the cake over a plate. Allow to cool completely before dusting the cake with powdered sugar. From since I can remember, my grandma has always made the best desserts. This recipe is my favorite. Every year I would look forward to go to my grandma’s house during the holidays because I knew after dinner I was going to get a slice of marble cake. She put so much time, precision, and love into this recipe that when you make this cake it is bound to be delicious.
24 The Kitchen
Appetizers 25
Molletes by Aitana Martinez Huerta
Ingredients
Directions
• Bolillos (4 loaves, a Cut the bolillos/bread in half lengthwise sectioned baguette is Spread the beans evenly on all the bread pieces also a good alternative) Sprinkle cheese on each bread piece. • Cheese (Mozzarella or Toast pieces in the toaster oven for about 4–5 Monterey Jack work minutes until the cheese is melted. just fine) To make the pico, dice the tomato, onion and • 1 can of refried beans chiles, and roughly chop cilantro. Mix in a bowl with a squeeze of lime and salt.
For the pico de gallo
Serve molletes with pico de gallo on the side.
• 1 large tomato or 2 small tomatoes
Serves 4
• ⅓ of an onion • 2 serrano chiles • 1 lime • ⅓ cup cilantro • Salt
This is a classic Mexican dish, typically eaten at breakfast (or even as a snack). Ever since I was little, my parents would always make this dish for our family that we would then eat together at the table. I would also always eat this with my grandparents, uncles, aunts, or cousins whenever I visited my family in Mexico.
26 The Kitchen
Baked Goods 27
Zucchini Bread by Erica Kemp
Ingredients
Directions
• 3 eggs
In a large bowl, mix together eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla extract. In another bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and baking powder. Slowly add flour mixture to egg mixture until well blended. Stir in zucchini and carrots.
• 1 cup vegetable oil • 2 cups sugar • 1 tsp vanilla extract • • • •
Bake in 2 greased and lightly floured loaf pans. 3 cups all purpose flour Bake 350 °F for 60 minutes or until wooden pick comes out clean. Cool on rack for 15 1 tsp salt minutes. Loosen sides and remove from pan. 1 tsp cinnamon Cool completely before slicing. Can be frozendouble wrap. ¼ tsp baking powder
• 2 cups grated zucchini • 1 cup grated carrots
Makes one loaf of bread This recipe has always been a special dessert, snack, or breakfast treat in my family’s household. It is something that I’m always excited for when my grandma sends us homemade treats for the winter holidays. It has the perfect amount of sweetness and crunch!
28 The Kitchen
MAIN DISHES Carne en su Jugo — Jalisco Style
31
Chicken Pozole (Hominy)
35
Croatian Sarma
37
Homestyle Mac and Cheese
41
Mango and Sticky Rice
45
Meatloaf
49
Pasta with Homemade Marinara Sauce
51
Phở Gà (Vietnamese Chicken Pho)
53
Pollo a la Brasa
57
Sichuan Dry-Pot Cauliflower (干鍋菜花)
61
Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup (紅臊牛肉麵)
63
Tofu Tacos
67
Savory Steamed Cabbage
69
30 The Kitchen
Main Dishes 31
Carne en su Jugo – Jalisco Style by Amanda Chevere
Ingredients
Directions
• 1 lbs. Texas wagyu sirloin tip, thinly sliced
In a large enameled pot, saute the bacon until crunchy. Remove the bacon bits, place them over a paper napkin and remove some of the bacon fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons on the pot.
• 4 slices applewood bacon • 4 cups of freshly cooked beans, • 1½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce • 1 cup of bean broth from the beans you cooked. • 4–6 cups of water • ½ white onion • 1 garlic clove • 3–4 small-medium green tomatillos
Add the thinly cut meat, season with salt, pepper and a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce. As soon you see juices coming out of the meat, start removing them with a ladle and set them aside in a little ramekin, to be used later on the dish. Keep removing the juices as the meat cooks, toss every now and then, until the meat starts browning. Meant time, into the blender, in goes the tomatillos, garlic, onion, Serrano, cilantro, and 2 cups of water, blend well until liquid, then add another 2 cups of water, blend. Set aside.
• ½ bunch of fresh cilantro
At this point your meat should be a little brown and the bottom of the pot has built some delicious fond. Add to the pot, the bean broth, the tomatillo cilantro, onion garlic, serrano blend, and the reserved meat juices that you where reserving all along.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Cover with a lid and low simmer for 20–25 minutes.
• 1 chile serrano fresco
Main Dishes 33
Garnish with • ½ white onion small diced • ½ cup finely chopped cilantro • 2–3 limes cut in quarters
Check on the meat the broth should be lose but with enough body, taste the meat for tenderness. If meat still a bit tough, simmer for another 10 minutes, add a bit more water if necessary. Usually this will depend on the type of meat you buy. Since the meat is cut into thin slices, there is no biggie.
Once the meat is tender, and the broth is on point, add the cooked beans, adjust if it needs • The reserve crunchy more liquid. Bring the broth to a rapid simmer bacon pieces. until the beans warm up. Turn off the heat, and • corn tortillas is a must! ready to serve!
For the charred onions Makes 4 Tapatios • 8–10 round green onions
This dish was first introduced to me at my family’s ranch in Guadalajara, Mexico and has become a • 1 tablespoon bacon fat staple at my family get togethers ever since. This is traditionally served on a cold day and/or night, • Place onions on a and to be served in good company. I chose this small cast iron pan, or dish because it reminds me of home. a baking sheet lined with foil paper, roast slowly until charred. Rotate them every so often, until they have char blisters all around
34 The Kitchen
Main Dishes 35
Chicken Pozole (Hominy) by David Del Pilar
Ingredients
Directions
• 100 oz can of hominy (any brand)
In a pot, boil the water together with the hominy for approximately 20 minutes
• 1 gallon of water • 1 whole chicken
Add the chicken, garlic, thime, marjoram, bay leaf, salt to taste, cilantro and an onion, let it boil for 30 more minutes or until the chicken is well cooked
• ½ of a cabbage
Cut the lemons into 4 pieces each and reserve
• 2 cloves garlic
Cut the onions into small dices of approximately ½ cm and reserve.
• 2 branches of thyme
Cut the avocados into small slices and reserve
• 5 branches of cilantro
Shred the cabbage into small pieces and reserve.
• 1 oz of marjoram
When the hominy is ready, serve in bowls and add lemon, onions, oregano, shredded lettuce and avocado to one’s own pleasure.
• 2 bay leaves • 3 avocados • 2 medium whole onions • 3 lemons • 2 oz oregano • Salt
I chose this recipe because it’s not just a family recipe, it’s a traditional soup or stew in Mexico. Every family has their own way of making it, some add Chile peppers or other minor ingredients, but it’s essentially the same, this is just how my family makes it in special events like Christmas or New Years.
36 The Kitchen
Main Dishes 37
Croatian Sarma by Nikolina Cargonja
Ingredients
Pickled Cabbage Preparation
• 1–2 large heads of sour cabbage (sauerkraut)
Core the cabbage heads and add a handful of rock salt or coarse salt into core head of cabbage(s) and place into a clean/sterile bucket. Fill bucket with water until covered. Place heavy covering on top so cabbage stays fully submerged. Let pickle (sour) for 6 weeks.
• 1 rack of smoked pork ribs • 1 lb ground pork • 1 lb ground beef or veal • 1 cup uncooked longgrain white rice • 1 onion finely chopped • 2–3 cloves minced garlic • 1 Tbsp Vegeta • 1 Tbsp paprika • 1 tsp ground black pepper
Directions Mix all ingredients together in large bowl (except cabbage and ribs). Separate the cabbage leaves making sure to keep each leaf in tact. Form small oblong rolls of meat mixture (about ½ cup) and wrap/roll each one into an individual cabbage leaf, tucking sides in, creating Sarma rolls. Layer bottom of a large pot with leftover cabbage leaves or sauerkraut. Add a layers of Sarma rolls followed by a layer of pork ribs. Continue layers until you run out of rolls or room in your pot.
Finish off with a little more sauerkraut or cabbage leaves. Fill pot with water to just cover, or you can • ½ cup of beer (for use brine from your cabbage if you like it a little binding) *classic recipes use eggs (1–2) more sour. but it makes the meat Bring to boil then simmer for on low for 3 hours, harder add water if necessary. • Jar of chopped sauerkraut (optional)
Optional, add a little tomato sauce. Serve by itself or with mashed potatoes.
38 The Kitchen
Makes 20 Sarma (Serves about 10, 2 per person) Sarma is a traditional Croatian dish that begins its preparation as early as six weeks before the time it will be served, on Christmas day. This recipe is made across many Croatian households and is always the main dish we serve during Christmas dinner, but continues to feed us well beyond Christmas day (as it is often made in large quantities and always has leftovers). While it is long process, it is an important tradition that we enjoy keeping alive for the holiday despite the terrible smell the pickled cabbage has on its own, another reminder to always store the pickling bucket outside and away from any windows. Not joking.
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While it is long process, it is an important tradition that we enjoy keeping alive for the holiday...
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40 The Kitchen
Main Dishes 41
Homestyle Mac and Cheese by Spencer White
Ingredients
Directions
• 1 box elbow or similar macaroni pasta.
Have a casserole dish ready by rubbing the sides and bottom with butter for taste and easier cleanup.
• 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese. • 1½–2 cups whole milk • 2 tablespoons flour • 2 tablespoons butter • 1 package sausage. Cut into bite-size circles. • Salt/ Pepper
Make pasta per package directions. It takes a while for a large pot of water to boil so start that early. While pasta is cooking (usually 7–9 minutes) make the sauce. Keep an eye on your pasta it will probably be ready before your sauce is done.
White sauce directions Melt 2 T butter in a saucepan. Add 2 T flour to form a paste. This next step is IMPORTANT! Add the milk SLOWLY, stirring constantly as you add the milk. It should be an everthickening process. A small amount of milk, stir, a small amount of milk, stir etc. This part takes patience and time or it ends up lumpy and overly thick. After the milk is fully added (remember this may not need all 2 cups) add in about 1 cup of cheese. Salt and pepper to taste. The sauce should be super creamy and thick. Add more milk or cheese if necessary. The pasta should be drained. Put it back in its pot and set it aside with a little bit of butter stirred in.
42 The Kitchen
Once the white sauce is done add it to the cooked pasta and stir it all together. If it’s too thick add a bit of milk. Preheat your oven to 350 °F. Now layer the pasta. Add about half to the baking/ casserole dish. Make a layer of the bitesize sausage. Salt and pepper. About ¼ cup cheese. Repeat. Bake at 350 °F for 25 minutes. Serves 6–8 There is a single dish that I always have to eat during a visit to my parents. It is the classic family recipe that is our homestyle Mac and Cheese. Originally made by my grandmother, the recipe has been a centerpiece of family gatherings for generations. Simple as it is, there is a certain way it tastes that will just remind you of home.
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Simple as it is, there is a certain way it tastes that will just remind you of home.
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44 The Kitchen
Main Dishes 45
Mango and Sticky Rice by Jessica May
Ingredients
Directions
• 1 cup white glutinous rice or sweet rice
Wash rice; place in a bowl. Cover with cold water; soak 4–6 hours. Drain well.
• 1 (14 oz) can coconut milk (1¾ cups)
Place in a colander or sieve with fine holes.
• ⅓ cup sugar • ¾ teaspoon salt • 2 medium to large mangos • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Set colander on a rack over water in a large pot; water must not touch rice. Cover pot; bring water to a boil. Reduce heat slightly; steam rice 25 minutes. Meanwhile, open can of coconut milk carefully without shaking. Spoon off ¼ cup of thick milk that has risen to the top. Place in a small bowl, cover, and refrigerate. Stir remaining coconut milk to blend. Measure ½ cup; reserve remainder for another use. Stir coconut milk, sugar, and salt in a bowl until sugar is dissolved. Remove rice from steamer. Spoon into one ½ quart baking dish. Stir sugar mixture into rice. Cover, return to steamer and steam 10 more minutes. Remove baking dish to a rack. Let rice cool, covered, to room temperature. Peel mangoes; slice pulp. Divide rice among dessert plates. Top with 1 tablespoon reserved thick coconut milk. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Garnish with mango slices.
46 The Kitchen
Serves 4 My mom only makes mango and sticky rice for special events, such as birthdays and Lunar New Year. The coconut milk adds both its flavour and creaminess, it can be eaten hot or cold — if eaten cold add a bit more coconut milk to the rice. It is sometimes topped with crunchy toasted mung beans.
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My mom only makes mango and sticky rice for special events, such as birthdays and Lunar New Year.
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48 The Kitchen
Main Dishes 49
Meatloaf by Allison McClain
Ingredients
Directions
• 2 eggs, beaten
In a medium bowl combine eggs and milk; stir in bread crumbs, onion, parsley, salt, sage, and pepper. Add ground meat; mix lightly. Lightly pat mixture into an 8x4x2-inch loaf pan.
• ¾ cup milk • ⅔ cup fine dry bread crumbs or 2 cups soft bread crumbs • ¼ cup finely chopped onion • 2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley • 1 teaspoon salt • ½ teaspoon dried leaf sage, basil, or oregano, crushed • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Bake in a 350 °F oven for 1 to 1¼ hours. Spoon off fat. In a bowl combine ketchup, sugar, and mustard; spread over meat. Bake for 10 minutes more. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting into eight slices. Enjoy! Alternative Ham Loaf: Prepare as above, except use soft bread crumbs. Substitute ½ teaspoon dry mustard for the sage, basil, or oregano and omit the salt. Substitute 12 ounces lean ground beef or pork and 12 ounces ground cooked ham for the 1½ pounds ground beef, lamb, or pork. Bake and let stand as above. Serves 8
• 1½ pounds lean ground This meatloaf recipe is only served once a year, beef, lamb, or pork on my birthday. The savory ground beef paired • ¼ cup ketchup with the deliciously sweet sauce fills your belly • 2 tablespoons packed with warmth and the comfort of home. Best paired with mashed potatoes and peas, and the brown sugar leftovers make great sandwiches. • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
50 The Kitchen
Main Dishes 51
Pasta with Homemade Marinara Sauce by Sam Rogers
Ingredients
Directions
• 1 medium onion, chopped
While waiting for the water to boil, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium saucepan.
• 6 garlic cloves, pressed • 1 28oz can of San Marzano tomatoes, undrained • 1 can of tomato paste • 3 tablespoons of olive oil • 1 teaspoon of salt • ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper • 1 teaspoon of garlic powder • 1 tablespoon of dry basil • ¼ cup of white wine • 1 box of penne pasta
Add the garlic cloves and cook for 3 minutes Add the onions and saute until they become transparent Add the San Marzano tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir until evenly mixed. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, basil, and white wine and let it simmer on low for 15 minutes. Bring 4 quarts of water to boil. Then add a large pinch of salt, a drizzle of olive oil, the box of penne pasta. Let it boil for about 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain the pasta, pour the sauce over it and enjoy! Serves 5–6 When I was growing up, my mom always made pasta with marinara sauce for my brother and I. She learned the recipe from visiting her grandmother in Italy and watching her in the kitchen. Although this dish has been made countless times across generations, this is the first time the recipe as ever been written down.
52 The Kitchen
Main Dishes 53
Phở Gà (Vietnamese Chicken Pho) by Caitlin Chan
Ingredients
Directions
• 3 liters of water
Toast the cinnamon and star anise in a dry pan over medium-high heat for about 2–3 minutes to get the flavor and aroma out.
• 4lb whole chicken • 1 onion, cut in half • 30g ginger • 2–3 star anise • ¼ Saigon cinnamon • 1 big tsp/80g rock sugar • 2 tbsp fish sauce • 1 tbsp salt (or to taste) • ¼ cup cooking oil • 1 shallot, very thinly sliced • fresh or dry rice noodles • 2 scallions and cilantro, sliced thinly • garnishes, ex. Thai chili, lime, bean sprouts, mint, basil
Use the same pan and roast the onion and ginger for about 10–15 minutes, until they get black on the outside and leak juice. Remove them from the pan. Slice the ginger and peel the onion by removing the tip and root but retaining its shape. Clean out the chicken and rinse it under cold water. Place the chicken in a large pot and pour 3 liters of water, adding the salt, sugar, and roasted onion and ginger after it. Cover the pot and bring it to a hard boil for 15 minutes. Check once in a while and remove the scum that’ll accumulate on the surface of the soup (pro tip: don’t stir the soup at this point to keep it clear). Cover and reduce the heat to low, letting simmer for 1 hour and continuing to skim as needed. Remove the chicken from the soup into a large bowl of ice water to make the texture of the meat nice. Shred or slice the chicken meat to prepare for serving. Add the toasted spices into the soup along with 2–3 tsp fish sauce, or to taste. Simmer for another half an hour without the lid on.
54 The Kitchen
For the fried shallots, heat over a large pan over medium heat. Add the cooking oil and spread the shallots into oil evenly and cook until a light golden brown. This should take about 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and place on a paper towel to remove extra oil. Serve the soup over a bowl of cooked pho noodles and chicken, adding in what garnishes (and fried shallots) you have, to taste. Serves 7–8 I chose this recipe because I eat it at least once a week at home, and never at school. Even though it’s one of my favorites, I never order it at a restaurant, partly because I think my parents make it best, and partly because I can’t pronounce the Vietnamese word for chicken (gà)
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I think my parents make it best, and partly because I can’t pronounce the Vietnamese word for chicken (gà).
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56 The Kitchen
Main Dishes 57
Pollo a la Brasa by Alexandra Koplan
Ingredients
Directions
• 1 whole chicken (2–3 pounds)
Combine all the marinade ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
For the marinade • 2 tablespoons soy sauce • Juice of 2 limes • 5 cloves garlic • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced • ¼ cup dark beer • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar • 1 tablespoon huacatay paste • 1 tablespoon aji panca paste • 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
Loosen the skin on the chicken and rub some marinade under the skin. Place the chicken or chicken pieces in a large bag and pour the marinade over. Swish around to evenly coat the pieces. Marinate for at least 6 hours or overnight. Preheat a convection oven to 475 °F and roast the chicken pieces for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 °F and roast the chicken for another 15–20 minutes. • ¾ teaspoon ground annatto, for the red color • 1 teaspoon dried oregano • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary • 1 teaspoon salt • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper • cayenne pepper to taste
58 The Kitchen
For the Sauce • 2 green jalapeno peppers • 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves • 1 small clove garlic • 1 green onion, chopped • 2 teaspoons huacatay paste • 1 tablespoon aji amarillo paste • 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice • 1 tablespoon olive oil • 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese • ¼ teaspoon salt • ¼ teaspoon black pepper • ½ cup mayonnaise
Preheat conventional oven to 425 °F and roast the chicken pieces on the middle rack of the oven until the internal temperature of the chicken reads 160 °F, about 45 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven. Tent the chicken with foil for 10–15 minutes before serving. Serve the chicken with sauce and thick cut french fries Serves 3 people I chose this recipe because my host family would make me this while I was studying abroad in Peru.
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My host family would make me this while I was studying abroad in Peru.
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60 The Kitchen
干 鍋 菜 花
Main Dishes 61
Sichuan Dry-Pot Cauliflower by Betty Che
Ingredients
Directions
• ½ head cauliflower, cut into florets
Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger, and cook for about 1 minute while stirring them. Make sure they don’t burn.
• 1 link of Chinese sausage (Lap Cheong), Turn up the heat to high, add the Lap Cheong and cut into small cubes cook until browned. Add the cauliflower (keep the • 5 cloves garlic, crushed heat on high), and cook for 8–10 minutes. and chopped Add the green onions and the Chinese dried red chili peppers. Season with salt if needed. • 6 slices of ginger, cut into thin strips Cover the lid and bring everything to a simmer. • 4 green onions, chopped • 6 Chinese dried red chili peppers, chopped • 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil • ¼ tablespoon salt • Water
Add a little bit of water if pan gets too dry. Uncover, give everything another stir, and serve over rice! Serves 1–2 people
My favorite dish during my trip to Sichuan, China was their Sichuan Spicy Dry-Pot Cauliflower. It was super tasty and I absolutely love cauliflower, so I wanted to recreate it. It took me multiple tries to figure out the recipe since all I had to remember it was the taste. This dish is my favorite because it is super tasty, ingredients are cheap and easy to find, it is super simple to make, and it brings me back memories.
62 The Kitchen
紅 臊 牛 肉 麵
Main Dishes 63
Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup by Amber Chiang
Ingredients
Directions
Braised Beef • 1 kg well-marbled beef chuck
Braised Beef Cut the beef into cubes and boil it until there is no blood. (The meat should be cut to ⅓ more than • 2 tomatoes, peeled and the size you want after cooking because it will shrink during cooking). diced • 1 onion, thinly sliced • 8 tbsp. soy sauce • 2 tbsp. spicy bean paste • 1 tbsp. (Shacha) Sand tea sauce • A little white pepper powder • A tsp. sesame oil • 1 tbsp. rock sugar • 4 tbsp. rice wine • Fresh white noodles • 2 to 2.5 liters of beef bone soup
Bake the spices in a dry pan and placed them in a cloth bag or tea bag.
Put the oil in the pan, first simmer the ginger, then add the onion and stir fry until golden. Continue to put a little sesame oil and put the garlic and pepper to the scent (The onion is thinly sliced and is easy to melt into the soup when stewed). Pour the sauce into the pot and continue to put spicy bean paste, sand tea sauce, rock sugar, and white pepper to bring out the fragrance. Put the boiled beef and stir fry for a few minutes. Put in the tomato and fry until it is soft. Add beef bone broth, rice wine, and the spice bag. The stewing time is as follows: More fat, beef ribs / boneless short ribs — within 1 hour or less Moderately oily parts, brisket or flank - 2 hours No fat, but delicate meat - 2 hours If you use a pressure cooker, it can be done in 1 hour in 20 minutes (refers to the traditional
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Ingredients
pressure cooker, not electronic)
Beef Bone Soup • 2 kg of big bones of cattle
Skim the oil floating on top of the soup.
• 1 broiler chicken
Put in a bowl, add the beef and soup, fried sauerkraut, parsley, and chopped green onion.
• 1 large slice of onion • 1 large carrot • 8 cloves of garlic • 3 star anise • 2 tsp. peppercorns • 3 pieces of nutmeg, cracked • 2 pieces of cardamom, cracked • 10 slices of ginger • 2 sticks of cinnamon • 2 bay leaves • ¼ bottle of rice wine • A little bit of Chenpi (sun-dried tangerine peel)
Boil the noodles and two pieces of Taiwanese cabbage.
Beef Bone Soup Place 2 kg of big bones of cattle, 1 broiler chicken, 1 large slice of onion, 1 large piece of carrot, 8 cloves of garlic, and put them in a baking pan. Apply a little oil. Put it in a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven and bake for about half an hour (turn it halfway) until the surface is browned. If you find that the bones and meat are starting to burn in the middle, turn the temperature down a bit. Put the baked ingredients in a large stockpot (at least 12 liters) and add 10 liters of water. Pour hot water into the baking pan and pour the juices at the bottom of the pan into the stockpot. Put in 2 pieces of bay leaf, 3 pieces of nutmeg, 10 pieces of ginger, 1 piece of celery, ¼ bottle of rice wine, a few pieces of black pepper. Boil and then turn to low heat, cover, and cook for at least three hours. It is best to cook for more than five hours. Skim in the middle, but do not stir. After cooking and cooling, pick up the oil on the surface and filter out the stock. If you only need the broth for the beef noodle recipe above, use about ½ kilogram of beef bone, add about 3 liters of water, and cook 2.5 liters of broth. The whole recipe makes about four or five bowls of beef noodles, each bowl requiring about 500 mL of soup.
Main Dishes 65
Ingredients Sauerkraut Topping • 8 tbsp of sauerkraut • 4 cloves of garlic, minced • 2 red peppers, thinly sliced • green onions, chopped • 1 tsp. sugar
Topping Soak the sauerkraut in water to remove excess salt. Squeeze out the water and chop. Put a little oil in a pot and sauté the minced garlic and pepper. Add the sauerkraut, add a little sugar, stir-fry over the medium heat. Chop the green onion and add toppings to the beef noodle soup. Makes 4–5 bowls I chose this recipe because it reminds me of when my mom would make it during the winter to keep us warm. My whole family would eat it together and I associate it with warm, happy feelings. Although I don’t visit Taiwan often, at least I have this recipe to remind me of my roots.
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Main Dishes 67
Tofu Tacos by Emma Hoban
Ingredients
Directions
• 1 tablespoon oil
Sauté onion, garlic and bell pepper in oil for 2 to 3 minutes, then add tofu, chili powder, yeast, cumin, oregano, and so I sauce. Cook three minutes then add tomato sauce and simmer over low heat until mixture is fairly dry.
• Half onion, chopped or 1 tablespoon onion powder • Two cloves garlic, crushed or 1 teaspoon garlic powder • One small bell pepper, diced princess optional
Place a small amount of the tofu mixture on a tortilla and fry and 1 tablespoon oil on both sides until crisp. garnish with lettuce, onions, tomatoes, avocado, and salsa.
Serving size: 4 tacos • ½ pound firm tofu, crumbled (about 1 cup) My mom always made this for us as kids, great spicy mexican-type vegetarian food that literally • 1 tablespoon chili everyone loves. powder It is a quick dinner, and makes great leftovers • 1 tablespoon nutritional (good hot or cold) and also is good with whatever yeast veggies you have around the house that you wanna get rid of. • ¼ teaspoon each: Cumin and oregano • 1 tablespoon soy sauce • Lettuce, washed and torn • ¼ cup tomato sauce
• Tomatoes, diced
• Corn tortillas
• Avocado, diced
• Green onions, chopped • Salsa
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Main Dishes 69
Savory Steamed Cabbage by Isabela Presedo-Floyd
Ingredients
Directions
• 2 tablespoons of cooking oil (I recommend avocado oil for its high smoking point)
Cut the head of cabbage in half, then chop it into large pieces. Remove any bruised or wilted leaves. Chop green onions or scallions. Peel and mince garlic.
• 3 green onions or scallions, chopped (can also be substituted by 2 tablespoons of chopped onion, if necessary) • 1 tablespoon of minced garlic • ½ head of cabbage • ½ cup of water • 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
In a large, lidded pot, mix the cooking oil, green onions or scallions, and garlic. Cook on medium to high until the green onions or scallions become slightly translucent and the garlic starts to brown. Turn the heat down to medium. Add the chopped cabbage and stir so that the oil, green onions or scallions, and garlic are evenly mixed. Then add a ¼ cup of water and cover the pot, letting the cabbage steam for about a minute and a half or until bright green. Stir again, add another ¼ cup of water and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce. Cover and let steam for about a minute and a half. This time the cabbage will be a little less bright green, but it should be more tender. Add more soy sauce to taste. Turn off the stove and stir until the cabbage reaches desired tenderness. Originally, this cabbage was to be served over noodles (My family always says spaghetti, though they admit that is because spaghetti was the only type of noodle they could easily find in the U.S. at the time.), though we often serve it with other dishes (like black eyed peas) or own its own.
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Serves 4 I chose this recipe because I love its story. When my mother and her family moved from Uruguay to the United States, my grandfather was going to college in South Carolina. Because of this, they lived in student housing near other immigrant families. My grandmother often traded recipes with their neighbors, this recipe originally belonging to a Chinese immigrant family who lived next door. This recipe blended cultures once more when my mother moved to Louisiana years later and adopted the tradition of preparing black eyed peas and cabbage as a New Year’s Day meal. While her black eyed peas recipe was drawn from Louisiana, she has always prepared the cabbage in this style.
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My grandmother often traded recipes with their neighbors, this recipe originally belonging to a Chinese immigrant family who lived next door.
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