Category Archives: Recipes (Savory)

Korean Spicy Braised Tofu — In Minutes

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A quick and easy tofu banchan that explodes with punchy flavors.
A quick and easy tofu banchan that explodes with punchy flavors.

Like many people, I often have a love-hate relationship with ingredients new to me — and the recipes that require them.

The loathing comes, albeit halfheartedly, when I realize that getting my hands on them requires an extra trip to a specialty grocery store or a search online to find a source.

The adoration comes when I unexpectedly discover a product that not only delights, but opens up a whole new world of new possibilities to me.

That was the case with maesil cheong or Korean plum extract syrup.

Made by fermenting unripe green plums with sugar, it’s used in Korean marinades, sauces and drinks. It’s even thought to aid digestion and combat fatigue.

Korean plum extract syrup.
Korean plum extract syrup.

It’s slightly viscous, sweet, floral, and a little tart. It reminds me of Japanese ume plum, of which I already can’t get enough. I’m already thinking how fantastic a splash would be in a cocktail or iced tea or a glass of club soda.

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Eva Longoria’s Comforting Tex-Mex Chili Enchiladas

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Cheesy, beefy, soul-satisfying enchiladas.
Cheesy, beefy, soul-satisfying enchiladas.

It would be impossible to completely fill the void that the late-great Anthony Bourdain left, but I will say that I am a huge fan of Eva Longoria’s CNN series, “Searching for Mexico” and “Searching for Spain.”

She may lack his unbridled snark and bravado, but she brings warmth, compassion, and enthusiasm in spades. And no shade to Stanley Tucci in his Italy series on CNN and National Geographic, but Longoria does a far better job of actually describing the food on her shows that she’s lucky enough to enjoy.

It’s that same type of exuberance and down-to-earth charm that permeates her cookbook, “My Mexican Kitchen” (Clarkson Potter, 2024), of which I received a review copy.

The actor, director, and producer of Mexican heritage grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas. In fact, she often identifies herself as “Texican.” She now splits her time between Mexico and Spain.

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Welcome Fall With Cornish Game Hen Dijonnaise

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Turn on the oven to warm up the house -- and to enjoy this fantastic Cornish game hen dish.
Turn on the oven to warm up the house — and to enjoy this fantastic Cornish game hen dish.

Summer has turned to fall as fast as the click of an on-off switch.

That means retiring the A/C, and turning on the oven instead without guilt to warm things up.

“Cornish Game Hen Dijonnaise” is a worthy dish to mark that transition.

A succulent dish that roasts in the oven and creates its own lusty sauce in the process, this recipe is from “Feasts on the Farm” (Chronicle Books), of which I received a review copy.

It was written by Tamara Jo Hicks, owner of Toluma Farms in west Marin County, and Jessica Lynn MacLeod, a longtime volunteer there who developed the recipes.

Hicks and her husband bought the 160-acre farm in 2003, restoring the land to raise goats and sheep. In 2013, they began making their own farmstead cheeses under the label of Tomales Farmstead Creamery.

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Zeroing In On the Last Days of Local Zucchini

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Chewy, hearty bulgur is the foundation for this zucchini and pea pilaf.
Chewy, hearty bulgur is the foundation for this zucchini and pea pilaf.

Have a few zucchini still languishing in your fridge or lingering in your backyard garden?

Then, the time is now to enjoy “Zucchini, Pea, and Bulgur Pilaf.”

Because it makes use of frozen peas, and can be served at room temperature or chilled, it’s versatile enough to make most any time.

The recipe is from “Sabzi” (W.W. Norton), of which I received a review copy.

This collection of vegetarian recipes is by Yasmin Khan, a British food and travel writer, and human rights activist.

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Get to Know Egg Tofu

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Crispy and custardy egg tofu with chili and honey.
Crispy and custardy egg tofu with chili and honey.

Kristina Cho says that she loves introducing people to egg tofu. Count me in as a new convert who is ever grateful to her now that I’ve made the acquaintance.

While tofu is made by coagulating soy milk, egg tofu is made with a blend of soy milk and eggs that gets steamed. Because of the eggs, it has a more yellow color. What I really fell for is the texture. It is slightly firmer than silken tofu and possesses a wonderful custardy quality. In fact, it reminds me very much of Japanese chawanmushi.

Find it in tube shape like slice-and-bake cookie dough in the refrigerator case of Chinese or Asian markets, beside the usual blocks of tofu.

Cho’s “Seared Egg Tofu with Honey and Soy” is an ideal way to try it, too.

The recipe is from her cookbook, “Chinese Enough” (Artisan, 2024), of which I received a review copy.

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