Grilled Chicken with Kumquat Lemongrass Dressing

Makes 4 servings

An incredibly flavorful version of grilled chicken breast. First, you make a dry rub marinade; this is followed by a
generous spice mix coating, and it is all topped off by a bright, refreshing sauce.

Ingredients:
Kumquat-Lemongrass Dressing:
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 lemongrass stalk, trimmed, smashed, and chopped
4 Kaffir lime leaves, chopped
3 ounces kumquats
1 1/2 teaspoons grape seed, corn, or other neutral oil
1 shallot, minced
1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1/2 teaspoon sliced red finger chile
1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground chile powder

2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 candlenuts, shelled and chopped, or use Brazil or macadamia nuts
2 fresh red chiles, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
4 dried chilies, soaked in hot water until softened and drained
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1 1/2-inch piece fresh galangal, peeled and chopped
2 shallots, chopped
2 lemongrass stalks, trimmed, smashed, and chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons tamarind pulp, soaked in 1/2 cup hot water and drained
2 teaspoons grape seed, corn, or other neutral oil
3/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Method:
1. To make the dressing: put the lime juice, rice vinegar, and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil,
stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, add the lemongrass and lime leaves and steep until the mixture is
cool to the touch. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and set aside.
2. Cut the kumquats crosswise into 1/4-inch slices and pick out the seeds in each of the slices. Put the oil in a
medium skillet and set over medium heat. Add the shallots and ginger and cook, stirring, until almost tender,
30 seconds, then add the kumquat slices and reserved lime juice infusion. Bring the mixture to a steady
simmer and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat, add the chili and salt and cool to room temperature.
Use immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Stir together the chili powder, turmeric, salt, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Rub this mixture all over the chicken,
cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and as long as overnight.

4. Meanwhile, put the candlenuts, chiles, garlic, ginger, galangal, shallots, lemongrass, and tamarind in the
bowl of blender and puree until smooth. Put the oil in a large saucepan and set over medium heat. Add the
spice mix paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute, then add the coconut milk, 1/2 tablespoon sugar,
and 1/2 cup water. Cook, stirring constantly, for 20 minutes, then remove from the heat and cool completely.

5. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Start a charcoal or gas grill or broiler; the fire should be hot, and the grill rack
should be about 4 inches from the heat source.

6. Season the chicken lightly with salt, then brush the spice mix sauce on the smooth side of the meat. Grill
until nicely browned, turning once, then transfer to the oven and cook until the meat is cooked through, 10
minutes. Cut the chicken breasts into 4 pieces each and arrange on serving plates. Spoon the dressing on
top, garnish with cilantro, and serve.
 Steamed Lobster with Garlic-Ginger-Basil Sauce
Makes 4 servings

Here, the classic steamed lobster is completely transformed by a simple condiment of clarified butter with
garlic, basil, and spices. This quite elegant dish can be made in less than an hour, even if you must begin by
clarifying the butter.

Ingredients:
4 1 1/2-pound lobsters, claws separated
8 cups pea shoots and leaves
1/2 cup clarified butter
1/4 cup thinly sliced garlic
1 4-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and julienned
1 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1 cup chopped fresh Thai basil leaves
4 lemon wedges

Method:
1. Fill a large bowl with water and ice and set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.

2. Add the claws and cook for 5 minutes, then transfer to the ice water bath. When cool, remove the meat
completely from the shells and set aside. Add the remaining parts of the lobster to the boiling water and cook
for 1 minute. Transfer to the ice water bath. When cool, remove the heads from the bodies. Split the tails
lengthwise in half, keeping the shells on (you can remove the vein from the tail if you like).

3. Put the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and simmer in the butter, shaking the
skillet occasionally, until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Then, add the ginger, chile, and 1 teaspoon salt and
cook until fragrant, shaking the skillet occasionally. Add the basil and cook, shaking the skillet, just until wilted,
about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat.

4. Meanwhile, put the claws and tails in a large steamer, topped with the pea shoots and a sprinkling of salt.
Cook just until the lobster is heated through and the pea shoots wilted, about 3 minutes.

5. Mound the pea shoots in the middle of your serving plate and top with the lobster claw meat and tails. Spoon
the basil sauce over the lobster and serve immediately, with the lemon wedges.
 Black Pepper Shrimp with “Sun-Dried” Pineapple
Makes 4 servings

The distinctive saltiness of black bean and black pepper stir-fries is given a twist here with the addition of
chewy, sweet pineapples. Dried in the oven until the sweetness is intensified and the texture like that of candy,
the pineapple is an amazing addition here. Don’t skip it.

Ingredients
1/2 pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks
3 tablespoons grape seed, corn, or other neutral oil
3 scallions, trimmed and sliced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 3/4 teaspoons black peppercorns, crushed
1 3/4 teaspoons fermented black beans, rinsed, squeezed dry, and chopped
3 tablespoons sweet soy sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and halved crosswise
1/2 cup diced jicama
1/2 cup baby pea shoots, thinly sliced

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200°F. Put a rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet and line the rack with a Silpat.

2. Put the pineapple pieces on the mat in a single, even layer. Bake until the pineapple is dried, shriveled, and
chewy, about 2 hours. Remove from the Silpat and cool completely on a rack.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the scallions, ginger, and garlic and
cook, stirring, until softened and golden. Add the crushed pepper and cook until fragrant, then add the black
beans, soy sauces, lime juice, sugar, and salt and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. Turn the
heat to medium and simmer for 2 minutes. Transfer to a blender and puree until coarsely blended. Set aside.

4. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. When the oil is just about
smoking, add the shrimp and cook, turning the pieces once, until crisp and browned. Remove the oil from the
wok, then add the black pepper sauce and 2 tablespoons water. Cook, stirring, until the shrimp is well-coated,
then stir in the dried pineapple. Decoratively arrange on your serving plate, garnish with the jicama and pea
shoots, and serve.
 Charred Chili Rubbed Beef Skewers, Thai Basil Dipping Sauce

Beef Skewers
Cut beef sirloin across the grain into thin strips and skewer with sticks that have been soaked overnight in cold
water.

Marinade
6 cloves garlic sliced thin
6 Thai chilies sliced thin

1 tbs. Brown sugar

4 tbs. Orange zest pith removed
3 oz cilantro washed and dried
2 tsp. Oil
1 c. soy sauce
2 tbs. Nam pla

Puree in blender.

Dipping Sauce
2 oz Thai basil picked
8 oz grape seed oil
4 tbs. Lime juice
2 tsp. Nam pla
2 egg yolks
8 tbs. Water
1 tsp. Salt

Blanch and shock basil, squeeze dry and puree with oil and 1 tsp. salt until bright green, then shock in a bowl
over ice. Strain through chinois. Blend eggs in Robo Coupe with lime juice, nam pla and water then make
mayonnaise with basil oil. Adjust salt if necessary.

To Serve

Dip beef skewers in marinade for 1 minute and grill immediately. Cook on a hot grill until charred. Serve 5
sticking on the grill. Serve Thai basil dip alongside skewers.

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