Pad Thai for a Crowd

This Sunday at the Fairmount Neighborhood Farmers Market, held between 10 am - 2 pm on the corner of Agate and 19th Ave., you'll find plenty of summer produce from Camas Swale Farm and pastured meat and poultry from Fair Valley Farm and Fog Hollow Farm. Along with summer favorites of tomatoes and eggplants, you can pick up all your ingredients for a big batch of pad Thai, including scallions, leeks, carrots, and cabbage.

Here is our market haul before chopping (fortunately our cat is not easily scared by vegetables) and below is the resulting tasty plate of stir fried noodles, based loosely on this Bon Appetite recipe but with fried tofu and many more vegetables. I started with a whole head of chopped cabbage that filled a huge serving bowl, which miraculously as it always does cooked down to be contained in a wok. With all the noodles and additional vegetables, the resulting pad Thai filled back up the serving bowl, but miraculously as it always does, was mostly gone by the end of the meal.

Pad Thai for a Crowd

serves eight

vegetables
1 head cabbage
4 small leeks
4 large carrots
1 bunch scallions
2 Tbsp neutral oil like canola

tofu
14 ounce package of firm tofu
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp Sriracha
2 Tbsp neutral oil like canola

noodles 
12 ounces wide rice noodles
3 Tbsp tamarind paste
3 Tbsp brown sugar
3 Tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp chili garlic sauce such as sambal oelek (or more to taste)
4 eggs
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
lime wedges

1. Prepare the vegetables and soak the noodles. Core and chop the cabbage. Halve the leeks lengthwise, cut into 1/2 inch slices, and rinse. Cut the carrots into thin ovals. Cut the scallions into thin rounds. Soak the noodles submerged in boiling water until they are soft, about 20 minutes. Drain and reserve the noodles.

2. Prepare the tofu. Cut the tofu block into 8 1/2 inch thick slabs. In a large skillet, combine the soy sauce and Sriracha and mix well. Add the tofu and turn several times, then arrange flat in the skillet. Set the skillet over medium heat and when the sauce starts to bubble, in about two minutes, use a spatula to flip the tofu. Continue cooking to allow the seasonings to concentrate and stick to the tofu. When little liquid remains in the pan, drizzle 1 Tbsp oil over the tofu, shake the pan and flip the tofu again. Let the tofu sizzle for 3 to 4 minutes to dry out and brown.  Drizzle on the remaining 1 Tbsp oil and flip again. The finished tofu will have be orange-brown with some dark brown spots. Remove the pan from the heat and let the sizzling subside. Cut into 1/2 inch cubes.

3. Prepare the sauce. Mix together the tamarind paste, brown sugar, fish sauce, and sambal oelek.

4. Heat a large wok or skillet over high heat. Add 1 Tbsp oil and stir fry the carrots until they start to soften. Add the leeks and a pinch of salt and continue to cook until charred in parts. Transfer to a large serving bowl. Add another Tbsp oil to the pan and stir fry the cabbage until most pieces have acquired some charred edges and it has reduce in volume by about half. Add the scallions and the return the carrots and leeks to the pan. Add 1/3 of the pad Thai sauce and toss to coat the vegetables. Transfer back to the serving bowl. 

5. Turn the temperature of the pan to medium. Whisk the eggs together with a pinch of salt. Add the remaining 1 Tbp oil to the pan and pour in the eggs. Use a fork or spatula to mix and scramble them. When they are still a bit runny, add the strained noodles to the pan and toss. Add the remaining pad Thai sauce to the pan and toss the noodles until well coated. Add the cubed tofu and toss to heat. Transfer the noodle mixture to the serving bowl and toss well to mix with the vegetables. Serve with roasted peanuts and lime wedges. 

Bibim Guksu with Summer Squash and Sesame Turnips

This Sunday at the Fairmount Neighborhood Farmers Market, you will find fresh cut flower arrangements from Tiger Lily Art Company and lots of fresh produce from Camas Swale Farm including:

beets (cook in a hash with spinach or pack into foil bundles for the grill)

turnips (delicious cooked in brown butter or in the bibim gusko below)

radishes (try smashed in chili oil) 

carrots

potatoes

summer squash and zucchini (make a gratin or stir fry for bibim gusko below)

cucumbers

sugar snap peas

kale (try kale Florentine for brunch)

lettuce

cabbage (make some homemade kimchi for bibim guksu below)

Since recovering from a bout of food poisoning while traveling in Asia, I've had a strong craving for kimchi. Perhaps it's nostalgia for all the delicious Asian food we'd sampled, or a subliminal need for probiotic bacteria, but when I read this description of a cold Korean noodle dish bibim gusku (literally "mixed noodles") I immediately wanted to try it. One of my favorite dishes to cook for the family is bibim bap ("mixed rice"), and here was a summery version with similar flavors and formulation.

A little internet searching revealed that a more traditional version of bibim gusku would use thin white wheat noodles (Somyeon) and incorporate chopped kimchi into the sauce. I love the flavor of buckwheat soba noodles, so I used these, and I kept the kimchi separate to maintain one of the virtues of bibim family meals: everyone is happy when they can customize the spicing and toppings to their preference.

This dish lends itself to improvising with your Farmers Market finds. In a pan Asian mash up, I made a quick side of Fuchsia Dunlop's Chinese sweet and sour summer squash and gave julienned hot pink turnips a Japanese-inspired treatment after the kinpira gobo (stir fried burdock) from Elin England's Eating Close to Home. Served along with some crunchy sliced cucumbers and Gryffindor carrots, a boiled egg, and some briny kimchi, this was a perfect summer meal that will be a regular on our dinner rotation. 

Bibim Guksu

serves four

noodles
300 g (3 circular packets) of soba noodles
Cook in salted boiling water until barely cooked through (about 5 minutes), then immediately rinse under cold water until entirely cooled. Toss with a drizzle of sesame oil to help prevent the strands from congealing. 

sauce
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp rice vinegar
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp honey
1 tsp Korean gochujang paste for a mild, kid-friendly sauce, or more as desired 
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
Mix together all the ingredients. Taste and adjust flavorings as desired.

sweet and sour summer squash
2 zucchini
salt
2 Tbsp cooking oil
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp Chinkiang vinegar
Quarter the summer squash lengthwise, and slice thinly. Toss with 1/2 tsp salt, mix well and set aside for 30 minutes or so to sweat. When you are ready to cook, squeeze the slices to get rid of excess water. Heat a wok over a high flame. Add the oil, then the garlic, and stir-fry for a few seconds until you smell its fragrance. Add the squash and stir-fry until they are hot and just cooked, but still a little crisp. Add the sugar and vinegar, with salt to taste, stir a couple of times, then tip on to a dish and serve.

julienned sesame turnips with edamame beans
3 large or 4 small turnips, washed, topped, and tailed
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sweet mirin or rice wine plus a pinch of sugar
1/2 cup fresh or frozen edamame beans
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp sesame seeds
red pepper flakes to taste

Slice the turnips and cut the slices into matchsticks. Mix together the soy sauce and mirin. Heat a skillet or wok over high heat and add the oil. When it is hot, add the julienned turnips. Stir fry for a couple minutes until a few start to brown. Add the soy sauce mixture and the edamame beans and continue cooking over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has completely reduced to a glaze. Remove from heat, drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds and red pepper flakes.

additional toppings
4 eggs cooked for six minutes in boiling water and immediately cooled for jammy yokes
julienned carrots and cucumbers
kimchi

Before serving, toss the noodles with the sauce (or leave the noodles undressed for very picky eaters), adding sauce a little at a time until the noodles seem lightly coated. Let people serve themselves their preferred toppings and mix the noodles with the toppings on their plates. 

Roasted Rice Cakes with Scallion Oil

 

Last November my husband and I visited Shanghai, the fastest growing city in the world. In the midst of this mind bogglingly immensity, we nibbled a bowl of noodle that had an arresting, deep flavor that I thought must have come from with some exotic mushrooms, but was merely caramelized green onions.  

Back home, the taste of those noodles lingered with me. I consulted Fuchsia Dunlap's Every Grain of Rice: Simple Chinese Home Cooking, and found her Shanghai Noodles with Dried Shrimp and Spring Onion Oil, which she describes as "a southern Chinese equivalent of the Italian spaghetti all'aglio, olio e peperoncino." As I read more, I realized that caramelized onions of all types are an integral condiment in many Asian cuisines, adding a deep umami layer of flavor. Thus started my obsession with crispy fried alliums. 

These spring onions and their fragrant oil make a wonderful topping for a bowl of noodles, but they can also transform Korean rice cakes, which I recently found fresh, rather than frozen, at the Sunrise Asian Market in Eugene. 

I'd read about fried, rather than braised rice cake in David Chang's recipe from Momofuku, and indeed this method of cooking them makes the cakes puff up into delectable treats with a toasty exterior and soft, chewy inside. These are delicious as a snack (perfect for an Oscars party) topped with sriracha sauce and the fried scallions.

These roasted rice cakes also make a wonderful base for a riff on kimichi fried rice, tossed with kimchi (my latest batch was made with red cabbage) and topped with a fried egg. And of course, sprinkled with the fried scallions.

Roasted Rice Cakes with Scallion Oil

1 bunch scallions
1/4 cup canola oil
1 lb fresh rice cakes

serving suggestions
sriracha sauce
kimchi
fried egg

1. Trim the scallions. With the flat side of a chef's knife, smash the white parts of the onions and then cut them into 2 inch sections. 

2. Heat the oil in a wok over medium high heat. Add the scallions, lower the heat slightly, and cook, stirring off and on, until they turn a deep golden brown, but be careful not to burn them. When they are done, remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon and reserve in a bowl.

3. Return the wok with the oil to a medium high heat and add the rice cakes. Cook, stirring off and on, until they become browned and puff up in size. You can eat them like this, sprinkled with a pinch of salt, a drizzle of sriracha sauce, and the crispy scallions. Or, stir in a couple of spoonfuls of kimchi into the wok and cook until heated through. Serve with a fried egg on top, along with the fried scallions.

Peanut Sauce Noodles with Kale Rabe

The Lane County Farmers Market is now in full swing. Today I found the tenderest baby radishes and carrots and this vibrant green kale rabe. The name is inspired by broccoli rabe, but really just refers to bolting kale. One of my husband's specialties is peanut sauce noodles, which we usually serve with broccoli rabe and crunchy cucumber sticks. For this evening's version we used blanched kale rabe (cooked in a separate pot from the noodles to accommodate picky eaters) with spring radishes and carrots for crunch. A delicious spring meal.

Peanut Sauce Noodles

(serves four)

for the sauce
1 inch ginger
1 shallot
2 garlic cloves
2 Tbsp canola oil
drizzle of hot chili oil
1/4 cup peanut butter (preferably from ground peanuts)
1/4 cup tahini
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp Chinese black vinegar
2 Tbsp rice wine
2 tsp soy sauce
~1 cup water to thin the sauce
a drizzle of sesame oil
Sichuan pepper corns, freshly ground

1 package udon noodles
1 bunch broccoli rabe or kale rabe

for garnish
cilantro
bean sprouts
lime wedges
cucumber sticks
other crunchy vegetables such as radishes or carrots
peanuts
Sriracha sauce

1. Set a pot of salted water to boil for the noodles. If cooking separately, also set a pot of salted water to boil for the greens. Rinse the greens, trim off the thickest part of the stems and cut the rest of the stems into 1 inch sticks and rough chop the leaves.

2. Peel and finely mince the ginger, shallots, and garlic. You can do this quickly in a mini food processor. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the canola oil and chili oil and saute the minced aromatics until soft. Add the peanut butter and tahini, sugar, black vinegar, rice wine, and soy sauce. Mix and simmer over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes. Add water as needed to thin to the desired consistency. Taste and add more soy, sugar, or vinegar as needed. When the sauce is ready, add a drizzle of sesame oil and freshly ground Sichuan pepper corns to taste, and remove from heat. 

3. When the water is boiling, add the noodles and cook according to the package directions. You can add the greens to the pot when there are five minutes remaining for the noodles. Or blanch the greens in a separate pot for about five minutes. 

4. Toss the cooked noodles (and greens if combining) with the peanut sauce. Serve the noodles with all the garnishes for people to add to their plates as they like.

Market Start and Fresh Spring Rolls

The much anticipated start of the Fairmount Neighborhood Farmers Market's third season is almost here. Plan to visit the corner of 19th and Agate on Sunday July 8th between 10 AM and 2:30 PM. 

You can look forward to delicious food from SLO Farm and Sweetwater Farm. Both farms' produce is grown in our immediate community and their offerings include diverse and thoughtfully curated varietals of fruits and vegetables as well as homemade fermented foods. SLO Farm grows a wide array of specialty organic fruits and this year will offer pastured meats. They accept WIC and Farm Direct Nutrition Program Checks.

This Sunday you can expect to find:

• cherries (try in a salsa for salmon)
• snap peas (add crunch to a wheatberry salad)
• many varieties of greens (for salads)
• squash (for salad toppings)
• cabbage (try Pad Thai)
• carrots (make veggie sushi or spring rolls)
• potatoes (whip up a frittata)
• turnips (try these with browned butter)
• onions, garlic greens and garlic scapes
• apple sauce (perfect for latkes)
• tomato sauce and pesto (make pizza)
• pickles and sauerkraut
• kimchi (make this addictive fried rice)
• jams (great dessert crepe fillings)

For an abundance of fresh spring vegetables, here's a recipe for fresh spring rolls. All you need are spring roll rice paper wrappers available at any Asian market (I used square ones like these), narrow rice stick noodles, and a selection of fresh vegetables. 

We made lemongrass-marinated fried tofu for a filling. The kids loved assembling the rolls, while sneaking nibbles of chopped vegetables and fresh herbs. We can't wait to make them again with our fresh, local ingredients from our favorite farmers.

Fresh Spring Rolls

makes about 12 spring rolls

lemongrass tofu
1 package (12 ounce) extra firm tofu
1 stalk lemongrass
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
~1/4 cup canola oil

1. Remove the rough outer leaves of the lemon grass, trim off the base, and chop finely. Combine with the soy sauce and sugar. Slice the tofu into 8 half inch thick slices, arrange in a shallow pan, and pour over marinate. Cover and let refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight. 

2. Heat a large skillet over medium high and when hot, coat the bottom generously with canola oil. When the oil glistens with heat, carefully place the tofu slices, from which you've wiped the lemongrass pieces, into the oil (they will spatter). Let them cook undisturbed at least five minutes until they are very crispy. Then flip them with conviction and cook the second side until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel. When cooled, cut each slab into 8 pieces. As an alternative to frying, one could bake the tofu.

black bean dipping sauce
2 Tbsp minced ginger
1 Tbsp canola oil
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup boiled water
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
crushed peanuts

Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil and saute the minced ginger for a couple of minutes. Add the hoisin and water and let simmer and thicken for about 5 minutes. If the consistency is not thick enough for your liking, add a 1/4 tsp corn starch. Stir in the vinegar and remove from heat. Pour into a bowl and top with crushed peanuts.

spring rolls
1 package spring roll rice paper wrappers
~3 ounces thin rice stick noodles
a selection of the following fillings or whatever looks good at the farmers market:
lettuce leaves
shredded carrots
julienned cucumbers
sliced radishes
bean sprouts
mint leaves
cilantro leaves

1. Soak the rice stick noodles in boiled water for about five minutes, until they are soft, and then drain and reserve. Prepare all of the other fillings and arrange in easy access. 

2. Fill a shallow pan with boiled water and submerge a rice paper wrapper in it. Let soak for about 5 seconds (or longer as the water cools down) until the wrapper is transparent and pliable. Drape the softened wrapper over a clean cutting board. Fill a strip in the center with desired fillings, starting with lettuce and rice stick noodles, and then roll it up like a small burrito. Repeat until the fillings are used or nibbled up. Enjoy the spring rolls with the dipping sauce and sriracha.

Rutabaga Dduk Bokki

It's a little difficult to love a rutabaga. Compared to a genial, mild mannered potato, a rutabaga can come across as sharp and bitter. I like to temper its impact by roasting it together with a variety of root vegetables; mixed in with mellow, earthy parsnips and sweet beets, it brings complexity and depth to the discussion. 

But maybe the rutabaga is just a bit misunderstood, and we should stop thinking of it as a bitter potato and embrace it as a big, lovable radish. In this way it can play a staring role in Asian dishes, standing in for sharp, crisp daikon. 

During my first pregnancy I had strong cravings for sweet and spicy Korean stir fries that more than once sent my husband to Cafe Seuol for late night take out orders. Recently I've been experimenting with making a Korean street food, dduk bokki, that features these fun rod-shaped rice cakes. I started with this recipe, but wanted to include more vegetables, and it turned out that rutabaga was the perfect fit, adding bulk and a sharpness that balanced the sweet carrots and leeks.

This dish worked well for dinner because the kids enjoyed it deconstructed, having developed a taste for teriyaki beef from Ume Grill, and the grown ups enjoy a flavorful and satisfying one pot meal. And I think the rutabaga enjoyed being appreciated for its unique and special qualities. 

Dduk Bokki

Note: this recipe includes teriyaki style beef, but for a vegetarian version, you could simply omit the beef or substitute in baked tofu.

Marinated beef
1/3 lb beef, such as tri tip
1 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
4 Tbsp rice wine
plenty of black pepper
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 tsp corn starch

Rice stick stir fry
1/2 lb rice cakes (available at Asian markets in the freezer section)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp gochujang (Korean red pepper paste, in a box like this)
1  Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp sesame oil
1 rutabaga
2 carrots
1 leek (or 1 bunch of green onions)
2 medium bok choy or 1/2 small cabbage
1 Tbsp canola oil
sesame seeds for garnish

1. Set a large pot of water to boil. Slice the beef into thin slices. Stir together the sugar, soy sauce, rice wine, and black pepper, and marinate the meat in this while you prep the vegetables and rice cakes.

2. When the water is boiling, add the frozen rice sticks and cook for about 5 minutes until they are cooked through (taste to make sure). Then drain them in a colander and drizzle over a little canola oil to prevent them from sticking.

3. Peel the rutabaga and carrots and cut them into small matchsticks. Trim the root and green ends from the leek, slice lengthwise, and wash thoroughly. Then cut into 1/2 inch slices widthwise. Chop the bok choy or cabbage into thin strips.

4. Mix together the minced garlic, sugar, gochujang, soy sauce, and sesame oil and set aside.

5. Heat a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add the oil and when it is hot, add the sliced meat. Cook for a couple of minutes and then flip with tongs to cook the second side. Mix the cornstarch into the marinade, and when the beef is cooked through pour over the corn starch mixture and cook for another minute, stirring. Remove the beef to a plate, scraping off as much of the sauce as possible.

6. Return the pan to the heat and add a little more oil. When it is hot, add the rutabaga and carrot matchsticks and cook for a couple of minutes. Once they start to soften slightly, add the leeks, cook for a minute, and then add the bok choy or cabbage. Keep cooking and stirring until the vegetables are cooked through but still slightly crispy. Add the rice cakes and toss with the vegetables. Then add back the cooked beef and stir in the gochujang sauce. If the sauce seems too thick, you can add a little water. Cook everything together until it is warmed through and then remove from the heat and serve garnished with sesame seeds.

Crunchy Rice Noodle Salad

Next Sunday, July 17, SLO Farm will have the following offerings at the Fairmount Neighborhood Farmers Market:


Cherries
Green Cabbage
Snap Peas
Bietola
Lettuce
Flat Leaf Parsley
Potatoes
Zucchini
Cucumbers
Fresh garlic
Eggs
Honey

Crunchy snap peas and cucumber are the perfect accompaniment to an Asian rice noodle salad. We had barbecued a flank steak over the weekend and the leftovers made a delicious second appearance seared in a sweet chile paste and layered on dressed rice noodles, in a loose adaptation of a recipe from Cooking Light magazine. Then we passed around vegetables, herbs, and peanuts, and everyone composed their salad as desired. I recommend a 1:1 ratio of greens to noodles.

Rice Noodle Salad with Seared Beef, Snap Peas, Cucumbers, and Herbs

Dressed noodles
8 ounces dried rice stick noodles
1/2 cup water 

3 Tbsp granulated sugar 

3 Tbsp rice vinegar 

2 Tbsps fresh lime juice 

1 1/2 Tbsp fish sauce 


3/4 tsp Sriracha hot chile sauce

3 garlic cloves, minced
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced

Beef and toppings
3/4 lb flank steak
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp Sriracha hot chile sauce

1 tsp fish sauce
1 cucumber, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch match sticks
1/2 lb snap peas, stemmed

1 large handful basil leaves
1 bunch cilantro leaves
peanuts

1. Put the rice noodles in bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soften for about 20 minutes, drain, and set aside.

2. Prepare the dressing by combining all of the remaining ingredients in a small sauce pan. Heat until the sugar is dissolved. Pour over the softened rice noodles.

3. Prepare the flank steak. Sprinkle both sides with a pinch of salt. Mix the brown sugar, chile sauce, and fish sauce into a paste and reserve. Heat a skillet, such as cast iron over medium high heat. Sear the steak on one side for about 6 minutes, then flip and sear on the second side for about 4 minutes, until cooked to about medium. Remove to a cutting board, coat with the chile paste on both sides, let rest for 10 minutes. Slice thinly against the grain, top the dressed rice noodles with beef slices and drizzle over juices from the carving. You can also use left over flank steak. In this case, slice the cooked flank steak, coat the slices with the brown sugar and chile paste, and sear them quickly in a hot skillet.

4. Serve the noodles and seared beef. Garnish with heaps of cucumber sticks, snap peas, and fresh herbs, and sprinkle with peanuts. Serves three to four.

Purple Stir Fry

SLO Farm's shades of purple at their market stand last Sunday were the inspiration for a quick stir fry.

To accompany the eggplant, I prepared some baked tofu, brushing slices of extra firm tofu with hoisin sauce and baking them in a toaster oven.

Then I chopped up eggplant, beans, some Hungarian peppers from Lonesome Whistle Farm, ginger and garlic. I also added some diced ham, because I like the combination of tofu and pork, and we had some in the refrigerator.

I stir fried these, starting with the eggplant, along with some spicy black bean paste and rice wine.

Meanwhile I cooked some soba noodles, which I stirred in at the end. I served the dish on plates of fresh mixed greens from the market, which I like even better than adding greens to the stir fry. The beans and eggplant didn't retain their brilliant shades of purple, but they came together in a satisfying meal.

Eggplant soba noodle stir fry

4 small Asian eggplants, chopped into chunks

A generous handful of beans, chopped

4 Hungarian peppers, chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 inch ginger, peeled and minced

1 small block firm tofu

some diced ham (if you like)

hoisin sauce

3 Tbsp canola or grape seed oil

1 teaspoon spicy black bean paste, or to taste

~1/4 cup rice wine

8 ounces buckwheat soba noodles

1. Prepare the tofu: slice into slabs, brush with hoisin sauce, and bake in a toaster oven at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes until cooked through. Chop into cubes.

2. Boil water and cook soba noodles according to instructions. Drain and rinse in cold water and reserve.

3. Heat a large pan until it's very hot. Add oil and stir fry eggplants until they are cooked through. Add the following ingredients, cooking for a minute in between each new addition: beans, peppers, tofu, ham, ginger and garlic, black bean paste, rice wine. Then stir in reserved soba noodles and cook until heated through. 

4. Serve on top of fresh greens.