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Archive for the ‘Asian’ Category

Thai-Inspired Beef & Tofu Salad

Well, so much for my 40 nonstop days of blogging. I’m getting back on track today, though, with this delicious and healthy salad we had for dinner a few nights ago. Mark Bittman writes a column for Cooking Light about using less meat in main courses, without making the meal completely vegetarian. This salad combines skirt steak (I got ours from Deep Creek, an awesome local, grass-fed ranch) with tofu to top a green salad dressed with a tangy Thai-style dressing.

We try to keep the meat to a minimum in our house—we do love it, but to eat mostly organic (or grass-fed, free-range, responsibly raised, etc.) it can get really expensive. And, of course, it’s just better for you to eat more veg than meat. So I love recipes like this one that call for only 4 ounces of steak, total (a mere quarter-pound). It’s just enough for the flavor and satiety that comes from a bite of juicy beef, but not so much your stomach feels like a brick afterward.

If you don’t dig tofu, you could go the surf-and-turf route, and toss in some wild-caught shrimp. Or, just do the steak. The recipe is technically for 4 people, but because it’s all we had for dinner, we ate two servings each, and I only cooked about 5 or 6 ounces of tofu. Another note: I left the oil out completely when cooking the steak, because my pieces were nicely marbled, and the rendered fat from the beef was enough to cook the tofu. You be the judge of whether you need the whole tablespoon, or, really, any at all. I also cooked the beef and tofu separately, because we like tofu nice and brown, and I didn’t want the meat to overcook.

Thai-Inspired Beef & Tofu Salad
adapted, ever so slightly, from Mark Bittman’s recipe in Cooking Light
serves 2 as a main course

6 ounces firm tofu, cubed
6 cups fresh salad greens, such as romaine, Bibb, arugula, baby spinach, or a mix
1/2 cup fresh mint, roughly chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
1  cucumber, peeled, seeded, and sliced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1  tablespoon fish sauce or low-sodium soy sauce
2  teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon mirin or brown sugar
1 serrano pepper, minced (optional)
1 tablespoon peanut oil (optional, depending on the marbling on your steak)
4 ounces skirt steak, trimmed of excess fat and cut across the grain into thin strips
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Place tofu cubes on several layers of paper towels on a cutting board or countertop. Cover with additional paper towels, and top with a baking sheet and weigh down with a coffee mug or can of soup. Let stand 30 minutes.

Combine lettuce, herbs and cucumber in a large bowl. Combine lime juice, fish sauce, sesame oil, mirin and serrano pepper in a small bowl, and stir to combine. Drizzle half of the dressing over lettuce mixture; toss to coat.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook 3 minutes or until the beef is browned, stirring only once or twice. Remove the beef with a slotted spoon, and add tofu to the pan. Cook until browned on all sides, about 4 minutes.

Add beef and tofu to the bowl with the dressing, tossing to coat. Pour tofu mixture over lettuce mixture; toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Are you in Orlando? Need plans this weekend? Come see edible Orlando publisher Kendra Lott and me at the Edible Orlando Cooking Stage at the Orlando Home Show! We’ll be doing cooking demos of Thanksgiving dishes from the current issue. Lots of other great local chefs and food personalities will be there as well, making delicious local food. Click here for tickets! See you there!

Posted by on October 21st, 2010 1 Comment

Sushi Rice Risotto

In an effort to eat more cleanly, more locally, more healthfully, Jason and I have cut meat out of most of the meals we eat at home. I was a vegetarian for about a year in high school (and even flirted with veganism until I remembered how much I love cheese), and even though I do enjoy eating meat—hello, did you read my last post about bacon?—I am usually completely satisfied with meals created without it.

Perusing the recipes at vegetariantimes.com, I stumbled upon this brilliant idea to cook sushi rice like risotto (it’s short-grained and high-starch, after all, just like arborio or carnaroli), using miso broth instead of stock. I didn’t follow their recipe exactly…I just took the method and tailored it to the vegetables I had on hand. Even if you don’t love miso soup—Jason doesn’t—the nutty, salty flavor adds a perfect something extra to the flavor. And of course, I used copious amounts of garlic and ginger for even more flavor.

Totally satiating, a bowlful of this vegetarian risotto is a perfect dinner paired with sliced cucumbers simply dressed with soy sauce, rice vinegar, and toasted sesame oil.

Sushi Rice Risotto
Serves 4

3 tablespoons white miso paste
2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
3 or 4 large cloves garlic, minced
6 green onions, sliced (about 1 cup)
1  1/2 cups short-grain sushi rice
2/3 cup sake or dry white wine
1 pound baby bok choy, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Combine miso with 6 cups water in a saucepan, whisking to combine. Bring broth to a simmer, and adjust heat to keep at a simmer.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add pepper, and cook until just tender. Transfer to a plate, and set aside. Heat remaining tablespoon oil in the stockpot over medium heat. Add ginger, garlic, and green onions. Cook, stirring constantly, until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add sushi rice, and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add sake, and cook 1 or 2 minutes, until liquid is almost completely absorbed.

Ladle in 1/2 cup miso broth; cook and stir until broth is almost absorbed. Continue adding broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring often and allowing rice to absorb most of liquid before adding more. When rice is mostly done, stir in bok choy, stirring until wilted. Keep adding broth until rice is tender and cooked through. Add red pepper back to pot, stirring to combine. Taste for seasoning, and add salt and pepper, as needed. Add sesame oil, and serve immediately.

Posted by on August 19th, 2010 2 Comments

Miso-Edamame Dip

I remember the first time I had edamame…I was at Fuji Sushi in Winter Park with my best friend Lainie and her mom, Becky. Becky ordered edamame for the table, and I after one bite, I was hooked. The fuzzy little pods covered in flakes of sea salt gave way to smooth, chewy, chartreuse-colored beans, and they seemed so exotic and interesting. These days, I see edamame all over the place, not just in sushi restaurants, but also on menus in upscale bars and cafes.

Nutty-tasting and healthful, edamame is such a versatile vegetable. It’s great tossed into stir fries, cooked into succotash, or just eaten from the pod as a snack. Lately, my favorite way to eat the little green soybeans is in this simple, six-ingredient dip. It’s great with corn chips, pita bread, cucumber slices, or slathered onto a hunk of crusty bread as a sort of East-meets-West bruschetta. It requires no cooking, and comes together in a snap, which is practically a requirement in my kitchen during these steamy August days.

Miso-Edamame Dip
Makes about 2 cups

If you’ve never used miso (fermented soy bean paste) before, it’s a versatile and delicious ingredient to have on hand. I get it at an Asian-foods market, but I’ve seen it at Whole Foods and other health food stores. It keeps for a long time in the fridge, and it adds a subtle salty-nuttiness to everything it touches, which I just love. Cilantro-haters, take note: you can sub mint or parsley. It will change the flavor slightly, but it’ll still be delicious.

2 cups frozen shelled edamame, completely thawed (almost 1 full 16-ounce bag)
4 green onions, sliced
1/4 to 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1/4 cup lime juice
2 heaping tablespoons white miso paste
1/4 cup peanut or vegetable oil

Combine all ingredients except oil in a food processor. Pulse until very finely chopped, scraping down the sides of the bowl every few pulses. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in oil, processing until the dip is well combined and creamy-looking, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.

Posted by on August 3rd, 2010 10 Comments

Pork and Shrimp Fried Rice

Fried rice is comfort food at its best—carbs, fat, and salt. I’ve eaten and loved it since I can remember. When I was little, there was Jum-Bo, our go-to Chinese takeout place. Their pork fried rice is among the best I’ve ever tasted…and even though I haven’t had it in years, I still remember that perfect balance of salty-greasy-chewy-sweet of the pork and rice.

When I was in high school, there was Miss Le, a lovely Vietnamese lady and a teacher at my brother’s elementary school. To thank my parents for helping out at the school, she lovingly made us dinner several times. Each of those dinners included a heaping plateful of fragrant Vietnamese fried rice. Different from the Chinese version, hers was softer, and flavored with fish sauce and rice vinegar. A memorable and truly special treat.

In college, there was Steamers, a tiny shack of a place that served sloppy joe sandwiches on onion bread, spicy coconut curry, and cheesesteaks. Oh, and fried rice. Huge, overflowing plates of freshly made fried rice. The cooks sweat over bright, hot orange flames that lick the bottoms of the perfectly seasoned woks. Not particularly Asian, the rice includes veggies, eggs, and meat, and is simply seasoned with salt, pepper, and the burnished copper-hued seasoning of the well-loved wok. That’s it, and it’s wonderful.

Is your mouth watering yet?

My version swaps brown rice for white, and isn’t too heavy on the oil. The trick is to cook everything separately and to use day-old rice. You can cheat by making the rice about 3 hours in advance, spreading it out on a cookie sheet, and refrigerating it.

I always add in some locally grown broccoli when it’s in season for the sake of having something green…and because it’s delicious. You can use your favorite veggie—baby bok choy and mustard greens both make tasty (and healthful) additions.

Shrimp and Pork Fried Rice
Serves 2 big appetites as a main dish, with leftovers

5 to 6 teaspoons peanut oil, divided
1 small head broccoli (about the size of a man’s fist), cut into tiny pieces
1/2 medium or 1 small yellow onion, diced
2 eggs, whisked
1/4 pound lean pork (tenderloin or boneless center-cut chops work well), cut into bite-size pieces
1/4 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 cups brown rice, cooked, cooled, and refrigerated for at least 6 hours
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Heat a large wok or skillet over almost-high heat. (*See note, below.) Add 1 teaspoon of oil, and heat until it shimmers. Add broccoli and onion; toss in oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender but still slightly crisp. Remove from skillet onto a plate, and set aside.

Return pan to heat, and add 1 teaspoon oil. Heat until it shimmers, then add eggs. Cook eggs until firm, breaking into bite-size pieces. Transfer to plate with veggies. Wipe pan carefully with a paper towel to remove any egg remnants.

Return pan to heat. Add another teaspoon or 2 of oil; add pork in a single layer. Don’t stir for at least 1 minute, to get a nice sear on the meat. Cook until mostly cooked through, then transfer to plate with eggs and veggies. Repeat process with shrimp, keeping in mind that shrimp cooks very quickly, and will cook further when tossed with the rice.Ttransfer cooked shrimp to the plate with everything else.

Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the pan. Add rice, in a single layer, and let cook without stirring for about 2 minutes. Toss rice, and continue cooking for another few minutes until rice is coated in oil and golden in color. Add veggies, eggs, pork, and shrimp, tossing to combine. Drizzle with soy sauce and sesame oil, tossing to coat. Taste, and add salt or additional soy, if desired. Serve immediately.

*I put my stove on an 8 out of 10. You know your stove best, so adjust accordingly—you want the pan nice and hot, but you also want to give food a chance to cook through without burning.

Posted by on July 27th, 2010 5 Comments

Sesame Noodles with Greens and Crispy Pan-Fried Tofu

noodles_webIn the love-hate spectrum of tofu, I am most definitely on the love side. Like cilantro or licorice, tofu is one of those great dividers in the food world. I’m certain more Americans hate it than love it, but probably 90 percent of those people have never even tasted it. It just looks weird, mushy, and strange, and that’s enough for them thankyouverymuch.

At first glance, I don’t blame those skeptics. It’s a jiggly block of creamy white stuff that resembles solid cottage cheese or wet styrofoam. But here’s the thing—and I’m seriously not making this up—tofu really doesn’t taste like anything. This is a big advantage of the stuff, because you can flavor it with just about anything you want.

Growing up, we ate it with a cornmeal crust, fried in the wok…and we ordered it as part of Buddha’s Delight whenever we got Chinese takeout. Due to my adventurous little palate and my parents who also love tofu, it’s always been something I enjoy. Jason, on the other hand, was a tougher sell.

Tonight, I finally tipped the scales in tofu’s favor. Cooked in a hot, lightly oiled skillet until golden, the tofu gets super crisp on the outside, but stays tender and creamy on the inside. Tell me that doesn’t sound delicious. Served alongside a ridiculously easy stir fry of whole-wheat lo mein noodles (or, really, whatever noodle you have on hand) and some greens (I used the beautiful organic Swiss chard I got at Whole Foods today), the tofu soaks up the sauce and adds a nice crispness and meatiness to the whole dish.

Try it, just once, and see if you don’t agree.

Sesame Noodles with Greens and Crispy Pan-Fried Tofu
serves 2

1 package extra-firm tofu
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons sriracha
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 large bunch dark leafy greens, roughly chopped
1/2 pound lo mein, udon, or soba noodles, cooked, drained and rinsed

Cut the tofu in half widthwise (through the middle) and place the 2 halves on 2 layers of paper towels. Top with another layer of paper towels, and then top with a clean dish towel. Place a cookie sheet on top of the tofu, and place a big can or 3 small cans on top of the cookie sheet, and press lightly. Set aside for 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, sriracha, rice vinegar, and 2 tablespoons oil. Taste, and add more of whatever you think it needs. Set aside.

Cut the tofu into fourths, then again corner to corner to make 8 triangles. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, and add 1 tablespoon oil. Heat until oil shimmers, then add the tofu in one layer. Cook for 8 minutes or so on each side, sprinkling lightly with salt after flipping. When tofu is very crisp and golden, transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Keep the plate near the stove to keep the tofu warm.

Heat a large saute pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and add the greens. Toss until they are mostly wilted. Add the noodles and the sauce, and toss to combine. Cook until everything is hot and the greens are cooked.

Top the noodles and greens with the tofu, and serve immediately.

Posted by on September 28th, 2009 6 Comments

Do-Re-Miso

I’m feeling bit under the weather, which is unfortunate, mostly because I feel I’ve lost the bragging rights to my super immune system. I managed to avoid all the pre-Christmas illness that was going around, so I was quite proud of my immune system’s capability. I guess it couldn’t last forever.

I’d been wanting to make something with miso for a while, so when I came home from work with a scratchy throat and feeling yucky all over, I knew it would be the perfect night for it. I started with leftover rice and some fresh spinach, topped it with roasted miso-marinated chicken, then ladled nourishing, steamy miso broth over everything. I’m feeling better already…

Miso Chicken Bowls
serves 2

3 1/2 to 4 tablespons white miso paste, divided
1 (1 1/2-inch) piece ginger, peeled, 1 inch grated, 1/2 inch sliced, divided
1 large garlic clove, grated
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons water, divided
2 meaty bone-in chicken thighs, skin and as much fat as possible removed
4 green onions, root and top ends trimmed, very thinly sliced
1/2 (10-oz) bag baby spinach
1 cup cooked rice, reheated if needed
Garnish: chopped cilantro

In a small bowl, whisk together the miso paste, ginger, garlic, vinegar, and 2 tablespoons water. Place chicken thighs in a large shallow dish. Pour marinade over chicken, and turn to thoroughly coat. Cover refrigerate for at least 40 minutes and up to 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 400º. Shake off excess marinade from chicken. On a foil-lined baking sheet, place the chicken in a single layer, and bake for 25 minutes, or until juices run clear when pierced with a knife. Set chicken aside to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, bring 2 cups water to a boil over high heat. Whisk in remaining 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons miso paste (taste as you go to determine if you need more miso). Add sliced green onions and sliced ginger. Let simmer, covered, for 10 to 20 minutes.

Separate cooked chicken from bones. Remove ginger from broth, and discard. Place spinach in broth, stir, and cover for 2 minutes.

In each of 2 shallow bowls, spoon 1/2 cup rice. Use tongs to strain spinach from broth, and top each bowl with an even amount of spinach. Evenly top each with chicken, then whisk the mis broth, and ladle about 1 cup over the dish. Garnish with chopped cilantro, if desired. Serve immediately.

Posted by on February 11th, 2009 1 Comment

How Keen

Have you tried quinoa? It’s this fantastic, crunchy little grain that’s native to the Andean region of South America (largely Bolivia and Peru). It’s light and fluffy, and each tiny grain pops just so in your mouth. It’s very mild tasting, so it’s perfect with nearly any flavor you want to give it.

Sometimes I make it, plain, cooked in chicken broth, as an alternative to rice. It cooks in a flash (just 20 minutes) and it contains more protein than any other grain. It’s also great as the base to salads. In short, it’s a really great pantry staple. You can find it in bulk bins, some grocery stores, and health food stores. Whole Foods sells a big bag of it for around $3.


For a healthy Friday afternoon lunch, I made a pot of quinoa, tossed it in a gingery vinaigrette, and loaded it with veggies for a colorful, healthy, and filling one-bowl meal.

Asian Quinoa-Vegetable Salad
Makes about 3 lunch servings or 2 dinner servings

1 cup quinoa
1 small bag frozen shelled edamame, corn, and red pepper mix
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 teaspoon sriracha (Asian chile-garlic sauce)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 handfuls washed baby spinach

Wash quinoa in a fine-mesh seive until water runs clear. In a large saucepan of boiling, salted water, cook quinoa for 10 minutes. Drain in the fine-mesh seive, and fill the saucepan with 2 inches water; bring to a boil. Set the seive with quinoa over the saucepan (don’t let seive touch water). Cover with a clean kitchen towel, and the pan lid, and steam for 10 minutes, or until quinoa is dry and fluffy.

Meanwhile, cook edamame mix according to package directions.

Combine vinegar and grated ginger in a large bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes. Add sriracha and soy sauce, and whisk in oil until dressing is uniform in consistency. Add cooked quinoa and spinach, and toss well. Add the cooked edamame mix, and toss again. Add extra soy sauce and sriracha to taste.

Posted by on February 7th, 2009 1 Comment

Close…but no CPK

Have you ever had the miso salad at California Pizza Kitchen? I have to admit, I have had some pretty terrible experiences at the chain restaurant, but the past few times I’ve gone, I’ve ordered the miso salad and been more than happy with my selection. The veggies are crunchy and the dressing is really yummy.

So I decided I should try my hand at this salad…I mean, why pay $7 for something I could make for less? Well…I tried to find one of those “restaurant secrets” web sites…the ones where they share recipes from restaurants, or at least close-enough knockoffs. But this dressing recipe was nowhere! Those sneaky CPK people, trying to keep me coming back.

Well, anyway, I made a miso dressing. It’s not the same as the one at CPK, but it is delicious. And something tells me it’s healthier because it doesn’t have the creaminess of the aforementioned dressing. And I also didn’t include the deadly-good but dangerous fried wonton strips. This is fairly low-carb, too, especially if you eliminate the edamame (which apparently contains quite a bit of carbs). Oh, and a side note: my camera battery died right when I went to take a photo. Sorry for the picture-less post!

Chopped Asian Salad with Miso Vinaigrette

serves 2 with leftovers for lunch
Depending on how much you like miso, start with 2 tablespoons of miso paste, taste, and add more if desired.

1 medium-large head napa cabbage, sliced thinly
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and sliced into matchsticks
1/2 small bag frozen edamame, shelled
1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin matchsticks
2 to 3 tablespoons white miso
2 to 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil, or to taste
1 to 2 chicken breasts, grilled

Combine the vegetables in a large bowl. In a separate small bowl, combine the miso, vinegar, sesame oil, and soy sauce. Whisk well, and then slowly whisk in the vegetable oil, adding more if you think it tastes too tangy. Taste, and adjust seasoning; add soy sauce, vinegar, or oil if needed. Toss veggies with dressing, and top with grilled chicken.

Posted by on October 3rd, 2008 1 Comment

A Solo Birthday Meal

This year on my birthday, I was alone for dinner. Before you think I’m complaining, I must say, I was really tired from a crazy weekend, so the solo time was actually appreciated. Plus I’d had a totally indulgent Belgian waffle and a side of sausage-cheese grits. (Yes, that’s right. And it was amazing.)

However, it was my birthday, so I did want to treat myself to something delicious for dinner. I chose some beautiful salmon from Whole Foods, a bundle of soba noodles, a package of nori, some veggies, and a bottle of Asian-style dressing. (I was feeling indulgent, but also too lazy to make my own dressing.) The salmon seared quickly, the veggies didn’t require much besides a little bit of chopping, and the noodles cooked in a lightning-fast dunk in boiling water—this is my kind of fast, easy, but totally delicious birthday dinner. I call it a sushi bowl because all the sushi flavors are represented. You could definitely substitute sticky white rice for the noodles for an even more sushi-like concoction.

Sushi Bowls with Soba Noodles
serves 1 birthday girl with leftovers for lunch (though it would easily double)

This was great the night of, and actually even better the following day, cold. You could make this ahead, chill it, and serve it cold for an easy, satisfying summer dinner when it’s just too hot to cook.

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 (8- to 10-ounce) salmon fillet (make sure you ask for the thickest piece available)
Pinch of salt
6 ounces soba noodles
3 to 4 tablespoons store-bought Asian soy ginger sauce*
1/2 cucumber, peeled, and chopped into matchstick pieces
1 ripe avocado, peeled, and chopped into bite-size pieces
2 green onions, cut thinly on the bias
3 sheets nori (look for it in the Asian section of the grocery store)
1 to 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted

Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Rinse and pat dry salmon fillet, and sprinkle with salt. When oil is very hot and shimmering, carefully place salmon in pan. Sear for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden brown. Turn and continue cooking until salmon is just cooked through, about 3 minutes more.**

Meanwhile, add soba noodles to a medium saucepan of boiling, salted water, stir gently, and cook for 4 minutes, or until al dente. Drain noodles, and rinse well with lukewarm water.***

In a small dry skillet, toast nori sheets until they are warm and crisp to the touch, about 2 minutes.

In a wide serving bowl, toss together the cooked noodles and the dressing, to taste. Toss in the veggies, then top with the salmon. Crumble the toasted nori on top, sprinkle on sesame seeds, and drizzle with additional dressing, if desired.

*I used 365 Organic Soy Ginger Sauce
**I like my salmon on the just-barely-cooked side. If you like yours more done, cook 1 to 2 minutes longer, but don’t let it go too long or it will be dry.
***Rinsing the noodles is very important; otherwise they will stick together and lose their delicious texture.

Posted by on July 16th, 2008 No Comments

FeBRRRary

It’s cold and I want soup. This one is really easy to make, and inexpensive to boot. Light, healthy, and full of bright flavors, it’s a perfect cure to the late-February blahs that seem to be creeping in.

[This recipe is especially for Lainie whose pre-wedding eating plan requires low-carb, dairy-free meals (and occasional Red Robin splurges). Stir-fries are boring her, but maybe this soup will hit the spot. It’s Asian—kind of like wonton soup without the wrappers—but it’s still a change of pace.]

Ginger Broth with Sesame-Ginger Meatballs
serves 2
Ground chicken or pork would work equally well here. Bok choy would be a great substitute for the spinach—just add it in 3 to 4 minutes before the meatballs.

1 (3-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, half grated, half cut into thin matchsticks, divided
2 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
1/2 tablespoon minced cilantro
1 garlic clove, grated
1 teaspoon lime zest
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 scallions, finely chopped
½ lb ground turkey
1 quart chicken stock
½ pound spinach, washed, stems removed, and roughly chopped

In a large bowl, combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce, the grated ginger, and the next 7 ingredients (through scallions). Mix thoroughly. Add the turkey and mix lightly with hands to combine. In a soup pot, combine sliced ginger and chicken stock; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Let simmer, covered, 5 minutes.

Uncover pot and with a tablespoon, drop spoonfuls of turkey mixture into simmering stock to make freeform meatballs. Stir very gently to fully submerge meatballs. Add spinach; cook, uncovered, 3 minutes or until meatballs are firm and no pink remains inside (cut one open to check). Add remaining soy sauce.

Posted by on February 28th, 2008 1 Comment