Flour, Too: Mama Chang's Hot and Sour Soup

Joanne Chang's followup to her critically acclaimed first cookbook, Flour, is set for release June 4th (unless you swing by the bakery which has early copies for sale). I luckily got my hands on an advance review copy, thanks to the wonderful folks at Chronicle Books. Flour, too picks up where Flour left off, sharing many highly coveted savory recipes from Flour Bakery + Cafe in Boston, along with a sprinkling of a few more sweet treats for good measure.

The book starts, like many others, with an elaborate introduction discussing the history of the bakery, cooking vocabulary used throughout the book, pantry and refrigerator ingredient suggestions as well as a look at useful cooking tools. The chapters continue on from there with offerings from Breakfast (Sweets and Savories), Lunch (Soups and Sandwiches), Dinner (Salads and Mains), Party Time (Snacks and Desserts), Drinks, and finally Basics.

Although the book covers a lot of bases, it doesn't skimp at all on material. Each chapter offers a nice selection of recipes and photos. Although each recipe does not necessarily have a photo to match, the photos that are included are fantastic and drool-worthy. Some even cover two full pages to get the point across. Yes, we're hungry.

There are so many recipes to try in this book! Starting with breakfast and then heading into lunch, dinner, etc, here are some that look particularly appetizing to me: Cinnamon-Cream Brioche, Flour's Famous Egg Sandwich, Ham and Vermont Cheddar Hot Pockets (and these won't make you call in sick!), Eggplant Parmesan Soup, Autumn Vegetable Soup with Sausage and Green Lentils, Roast Beef Sandwich with Horseradish Mayo, Crispy Onions, and Tomato, Roast Lamb Sandwich with Tomato Chutney and Rosemary Goat Cheese, Heirloom Tomato Salad with Feta, Pistachios, Watermelon, and Nigella Seeds, Blood Orange and Beet Salad with Toasted Walnuts, Goat Cheese, and Blood Orange Vinaigrette, Roasted Pork Loin with Chive Spaetzle, Slow-Roasted Balsamic Onions, and Oregano Mojo, Boneless Beef Short Ribs with Parmesan Polenta, Best Boston Cream Pie, and several fruity seltzer-based drinks! Trust me, I'm holding back. There are so many more I could mention, but I will let you explore the book and see for yourselves.

I plan on making lots of recipes from this book (perhaps when I feel an overwhelming desire to cheat on my diet), but first thing's first. The recipe that required immediate action was Mama Chang's Hot and Sour Soup.  I have been a big fan of hot and sour soup for years. I order it regularly at Asian restaurants and find the combination of spicy and sour flavors along with a variety of textures to be a comforting balance.

Apparently, Chinese barbecue pork is a common ingredient in hot and sour soup. I've only had pork in my soup on a couple occasions. Honestly, most of the hot and sour soups I have tried were pork-free, and that's what I've grown accustomed to.

For Chang's version of the soup, she does include pork, but a shortcut version to the traditional. She uses ground pork. If I was looking for a meatier and more filling soup, I would definitely include the pork in the future, but this time around I decided to skip the pork and just double the mushrooms for added umph.

Also, Chang's soup is not thickened with cornstarch, as is typical. I was very uncertain how I would feel about this because, once again, I'm used to hot and sour soup being a certain way, and in this case, having a certain thicker viscosity. Well, when it came down to it, I was very impressed by this soup. The flavor was so perfect and delicious that I had no regrets about the lack of cornstarch in this case. I'm completely on board with a cornstarch-free version!

I held back a bit on the tofu (not my favorite thing in the world) and cut it into smaller pieces. This was just perfect for me and my family, and I would stick with that in the future, but if you're a fan of tofu definitely follow Chang's instructions for using bigger pieces.

This soup was so comforting and easy that I actually have made it twice before publishing this review! Adding some additional crunch from thinly sliced bamboo shoots wouldn't be a bad idea either if you're into that. I'm pretty sure I will include some in my next batch.

All in all, I am very impressed with Flour, too. Whether you are from the Boston area and already familiar with the bakery or a fan of good food living on the other side of the world, this is a book I can definitely recommend.

Mama Chang's Hot and Sour Soup
Makes about 1 3/4 quarts; Serves 4
(From Flour, too)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I used only 1/2 teaspoon because I omitted the pork/wanted it lighter)
1 garlic clove, smashed and minced
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
4 scallions, white and green parts, minced, plus 2 tablespoons chopped for garnish
8 ounces ground pork (I omitted this)
4 cups chicken stock or broth
1 pound block soft or firm tofu (not silken or extra-firm), cut into 1/2-inch cubes (I used 12 ounces and cut it into 1/4-inch cubes)
4 or 5 medium button mushrooms, wiped clean and thinly sliced (I doubled this)
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2/3 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon sesame oil, plus 2 teaspoons for garnish
1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
2 large eggs
White pepper for garnish

In a saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add the garlic, ginger, scallions, and ground pork and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1 minute. Break up the pork into smaller pieces but don't worry about breaking it down completely. Add the stock and bring to a simmer.

Add the tofu, mushrooms, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, black pepper, sesame oil, and Sriracha sauce and bring the soup back to a simmer over medium-high heat. (Taste the soup. If you want it hotter, add more Sriracha sauce; if you want it more sour, add more vinegar.)

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until blended. With the soup at a steady simmer, slowly whisk in the eggs so they form long strands. Bring the soup back to a simmer. Divide the soup among four bowls and garnish each with a little sesame oil, scallion, and white pepper. Serve immediately. The soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Crema, Grape Tomato-Jicama Salsa, and Red Cabbage

I know some people don't really "get" seafood tacos. I think they're just used to the tried-and-true beef or chicken ones and can't really picture seafood in a dish that is often topped with shredded cheese. I can understand why it might seem strange. The first time I had fish tacos was definitely an eye-opening experience. And then I realized that people around the world (obviously in more coastal areas like California, Hawaii, and Australia) thrive on fish taco love!

Whether the seafood is fried or grilled depends very much on personal preference, and sometimes even location. Over recent years, seafood has become much more common and accepted to taco lovers. It's a food trend that has taken off from beach-side taquerias and absorbed into the rest of the taco-loving universe.

I have previously shared the recipe for my favorite panko-crusted fried fish tacos, but recently decided to make some lighter tacos using shrimp. The plan was to either grill or quickly saute them without added fat until just cooked through and serve the shrimp on homemade corn tortillas with a variety of colorful and flavorful accoutrements.

For a nice creamy topping, I skipped the guacamole and instead turned my avocados into a luscious avocado crema. This married the guac and sour cream components into one. For some crunch and color, I included a great standby for seafood tacos: cabbage. In this case, red cabbage. I also included a bit of additional crunch and much-needed acid from a very simple grape tomato-jicama salsa. The tacos should definitely be served with wedges of lime because even with the salsa, they will crave additional acid. They are made with seafood after all.

Full disclosure, I created these tacos with ingredients that were already in my pantry and fridge (with the exception of the red cabbage which I bought for the occasion). The salsa and crema were all inspired by creative observations into my fridge. I thought the jicama added a really great crunch to the salsa, but you can omit or replace it with something else if you can't find it. Some fresh corn would actually be a great alternative to add a sweet summery layer of flavor.

Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Crema, Grape Tomato-Jicama Salsa, and Red Cabbage
Makes 16 tacos

Chili Shrimp:
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, completely peeled and de-veined (thawed frozen EZ-peel shrimp work great)
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Kosher salt

Avocado Crema:
2 ripe Hass avocados, peeled and pitted
2 tablespoons sour cream (light is fine)
Juice of 1/2 a lime
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
Kosher salt

Grape Tomato-Jicama Salsa:
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
1/2 cup finely diced jicama
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

For serving:
16 warm corn tortillas, preferably homemade
1 1/2 to 2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
Lime wedges

For the shrimp: In a bowl mix together the shrimp with the seasonings. Cover and refrigerate for up to a few hours until ready to cook.

For the avocado crema: Add the avocados, sour cream, and lime juice to the bowl of a small food processor and puree until smooth. Season with the coriander and salt to taste and mix again until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and press plastic wrap against the surface to help prevent oxidization (the lime juice will help too). Refrigerate until ready to assemble tacos.

For the salsa: In a bowl combine the grape tomatoes, jicama, lime juice, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to develop.

To cook the shrimp, either grill them or saute them in a non-stick pan (I sauteed them without any additional oil and they were perfect). They will only require a couple minutes of cooking on either side until they are pink throughout. Remove cooked shrimp from the heat and begin assembling tacos while the shrimp are still hot.

To assemble tacos, place a few shrimp on each corn tortilla along with a schmear of avocado crema, a spoonful or two of grape tomato-jicama salsa, and a small pile of red cabbage. Squeeze a little lime over the top of each taco right before enjoying.

Pork Lo Mein

I recently swooned over a new cookbook from America's Test Kitchen entitled Comfort Food Makeovers. The chicken enchiladas I tried were delicious and a great lightened up version of the classic. As I mentioned in that review, I was very much looking forward to trying more recipes from this book (especially now that I'm trying to crack down and lose some weight).

In a game of poker, if the chicken enchiladas were a full house, this pork lo mein was a royal flush! It was probably the best lo mein I've ever had! It was so full of flavor, with incredibly tender slices of pork tenderloin. And, unlike the local take-out, I actually knew everything that went into making it! No mystery ingredients here.

Each serving is full of lean meat and vegetables, with less of a focus on the noodles (this makes it healthier than if it was completely carb-centered). There were still plenty of noodles to go around, and a single serving was definitely filling enough not to require seconds (although it was so delicious I wouldn't blame you if you did). I will never need another lo mein recipe. Ever. This was incredibly straightforward and easy to make.

Even if you don't have a local Asian market to shop at (as I do), you can easily find all of these ingredients in a well-stocked supermarket. In the case of the shiitakes I used, my Asian market was out, and the supermarket only had pre-sliced ones. This worked just fine so if you can't find whole shiitakes to work with, don't fret! I'm also sure you could swap the pork tenderloin for chicken breast if you'd like. The flavors in the sauce would work great with either protein.

Pork Lo Mein
Serves 6 (1 2/3 cups each)
(From Comfort Food Makeovers)

4 1/2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1 (1 1/2-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed of all visible fat, halved lengthwise, and sliced crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick pieces
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
12 ounces spaghetti
Kosher salt
4 1/2 teaspoons canola oil
6 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
12 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and halved if small or quartered if large (mine came pre-sliced)
1/2 head napa cabbage, cored and sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick pieces (6 cups)
8 scallions, white parts sliced thin, green parts cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce

Combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin, sesame oil, and five-spice powder together in a bowl. Measure 1/4 cup sauce mixture into separate bowl and stir in pork; cover and refrigerate, 30 to 60 minutes. Whisk broth and cornstarch into remaining sauce mixture.

Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Drain pasta and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil in Dutch oven over high heat until just smoking. Add half the pork, breaking up any clumps, and cook until lightly browned but not fulled cooked, about 3 minutes. Stir in 3 tablespoons wine and cook until liquid is nearly evaporated, about 1 minute. Transfer to clean bowl. Repeat with 1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil, remaining pork, and remaining 3 tablespoons wine.

Wipe now-empty pot clean, add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil, and place over high heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms and cook until lightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in cabbage and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in scallions, ginger, and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Whisk sauce to recombine and add to pot. Stir in cooked pork and any accumulated juices and simmer until sauce has thickened slightly and pork is heated through, about 1 minute. Stir in cooked pasta and Sriracha. Serve.

*Nutritional information per serving*

BEFORE (Based on PF Chang's Pork Lo Mein): 760 calories, 25 g fat, 5 g saturated fat

AFTER: 500 calories, 11 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 75 mg cholesterol, 62 g carbohydrates, 35 g protein, 5 g fiber, 1050 mg sodium

Creative Cooking Crew: Armenian Grilled Vegetable Salad

"We're going on a picnic and I'm bringing..." This is the theme for this month's Creative Cooking Crew challenge. It's only fitting considering the month ends with the long weekend that represents the unofficial beginning of summer: Memorial Day. There are so many ideas that come to mind when I think about going on a picnic. I see wicker picnic baskets filled with parchment-wrapped sandwiches, plastic tubs of potato salad, cookies of all different colors, perhaps even a bottle of Champagne and glasses for a truly special occasion.

I see fields of flowers, sandy beaches, and the sets of some of my favorite picnic-inspired entertainment. One of my favorites is entitled Picnic at Hanging Rock and tells the mysterious story of a group of girls in 1900 who go on a picnic to the incredible Hanging Rock rock formation in Victoria, Australia where some of them disappear without a trace. It's an amazing film that I highly recommend.

Alternatively, I also think of one of my favorite Disney cartoons entitled Tea for Two Hundred, which entails Donald Duck going on a picnic and then falling asleep. A swarm of ants attend the picnic and the rest is history...

My personal experience with picnics is far different from those tales. While I've had my fair share of picnics atop beach blankets, the ones I remember most fondly take place at Colt State Park in Bristol, RI. Ever since before I was born my family has been going there during the summer months.

My big sister and I at Colt State Park. Years later these barriers along the water would be renovated. We loved climbing down to the water at low tide and collecting snails :)

For many years we would attend the annual Armenian picnic there on Father's Day. Dozens of Armenian families would collect and take turns visiting each others' picnic tables, snacking, drinking (it wasn't allowed, but they always found a way, haha!), playing backgammon, and even organizing soccer games in the fields nearby as well as fun obstacle courses for the kids. I have very fond memories from those picnics.

A group of the men at the Armenian picnics were responsible for grilling everything. Here they are grilling tomatoes!

In addition to those large organized picnics, my family would go (and still goes) to Colt State Park occasionally throughout the summer for picnics. Armenian picnics don't exactly feature run-of-the-mill picnic fare. While I personally would love the convenience of showing up with nothing more than a few simple sandwiches, I can attest to the fact that a single sandwich has never been eaten at any of my family's picnics.

Meanwhile, a group of the women at the Armenian picnics would fill the plates of the food. I just love this old-fashioned gender separation, don't you? Haha

The menu usually goes like this. We arrive in the morning with a full cooler and plans to spend the entire day there. Breakfast is hard boiled eggs (boiled at home), herbs, and pita bread. We usually stop at Dunkin' Donuts and my grandmother (formerly my grandparents when my grandfather was still alive) will pick up a box or two of munchkins, and coffees all around. Later we would snack on sunflower seeds, cracking them between our teeth as we walk the path along the water. We've done this hundreds of times.

My sister and I playing with Barbies and My Little Ponies at one of our many picnics at Colt State Park :)

We get started early on dinner. "Khorovatz," or Armenian barbecue, is perpetually on the menu. It's usually pieces of pork loin, which have been marinated in sliced onions and seasonings. They're arranged on long metal skewers and the portable grill heats up in anticipation. Meanwhile my mom gets started on the grilled vegetable salad. It's a fixture on our picnic menus. Occasionally, this salad will get prepped in advance at home to save trouble in making it on site, but there have been many occasions where we would be wrist-deep in grilled eggplant while listening to the sounds of the ocean. It's pretty fantastic either way.

Me and my aunt! I can't believe I was once that teeny!!

This salad has not only graced our picnic table dozens of times, but it's also a popular dish when we are making "khorovatz" at home. Honestly, regardless of the main attraction on your menu, this salad is an outstanding side dish which will be loved by all. It captures the smoky flavor of a variety of grilled vegetables including eggplant and bell peppers. You can definitely use different colors for your bell peppers, but this is what we usually stick with. Also, in the long history of this salad, we used to grill the tomatoes as well, but have now found that adding them raw allows them to keep their integrity much better.

I hope you enjoy this stand-out grilled vegetable salad. It's truly one of my favorite things to eat regardless of what it shares a plate with (and it's healthy!). I have wonderful memories of family picnics ever since I was a little girl, and this salad was always part of it (even when I was too picky to actually eat it!). I hope perhaps it can become a fixture on your picnic menu, and undoubtedly become a favorite for your family as well.

Armenian Grilled Vegetable Salad
Serves about 8 to 10 as a side

2 medium eggplants
2 green bell peppers
2 red bell peppers
2 tomatoes, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 large onion, peeled, cut into thirds lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
3/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper or other hot pepper, if desired

Grill the eggplants and bell peppers, turning occasionally and piercing the eggplants as needed to let steam escape, until all of the skin is blackened. The vegetables should be cooked through and tender.

Place the hot grilled vegetables in a large plastic bag and twist it closed. Let them sit for a few minutes in the plastic bag to steam. This will help the skin peel off much more easily. Peel the eggplants and peppers (it helps to have a small bowl of cold water nearby to rinse off your fingers as necessary).

Remove the stems from the eggplants and the stems and seeds from the peppers and chop everything into a 1/4-to-1/2-inch dice. Transfer all the chopped grilled vegetables to a large bowl.

To the bowl, add the remaining ingredients and stir well. Adjust seasoning as needed and then serve at room temperature or cold.