Thai Hot and Sour Soup
/This Asian soup is another family favourite. It is full of flavour and texture and features a sublime combination of hot, sour, sweet and spicy.
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Featured Recipes
Passover Chicken Soup with Garlic and Eggs
/During Passover, chicken soup plays a starring role in the festivities. It is usually served with matzo balls, but last year I served this unusual version, which is my friend Marilyn Mandel's family recipe and has its roots in Russia. The taste of the garlic completely mellows in cooking and the soup ultimately has a sharp, sweet quality.
Read MoreBasic Chicken Stock
/For the best stock, use chicken backs and necks and add a few wings for extra flavour. (Remember to save and freeze any uncooked necks or bones from other chicken recipes; they will keep in the freezer for up to six months.) You can also throw in stalks from any kind of mushroom, which enriches the flavour. To keep your stock light in colour, use uncooked chicken on the bone; stock made from cooked chicken (such as a roasted chicken carcass) will be deeper in colour.
Read MorePork Finished with a Shower of Clams
/Pork with clams is a Portuguese staple. This dish is a more upmarket rendering than others. We used pork loin (try to get the end piece as it has a bit more fat). We sautéed it for a few minutes, made a deep, rich sauce and finished everything by steaming pasta clams in the sauce. If pasta clams (small ones) are not easily obtainable substitute the larger ones. They take longer to open.
Read MoreGreek Cheesecake with Poached Figs
/This honey-sweetened cheesecake is a rich but not sweet match with brandy. The figs are a decadent addition. I used a semi-soft cream cheese.
Read MorePan-Seared Thai Beef on a Bed of Fragrant Noodles
/This warm salad is a takeoff on Thai beef salad. It is both spicy and refreshing. Bean paste noodles are also known as bean thread noodles, glass noodles, cellophane noodles or mung bean noodles. They are practically transparent when cooked. Thai curry pastes are available at the supermarket.
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Lettuce Wraps with Hoisin Chicken
/This is a great family appetizer as you can all sit around the table and make your own. Iceberg lettuce leaves make perfect little cups for finger food and I buy a barbecued chicken to make this. Leftovers can be mixed together and served as a chicken salad. You can roll the mixture in leaf lettuce if desired.
Coconut Shrimp
/This is another popular Asian appetizer, which I bake in the oven rather than fry, producing a lighter result. Serve it with the same salad mixture and dressing used for the summer rolls, as a superb appetizer or with the Cantonese Dressing for dipping.
Read MoreCantonese Dressing
/This excellent dressing can also be used as a dip or a seasoning for stir fries, in which case the oil should be used for frying and the rest of the sauce added afterward.
Read MoreSummer Rolls
/I have always found fresh spring rolls to be a bit boring, but this recipe, courtesy of chef Lawrence Eels of the Grand Hyatt Kauai in Hawaii, is full of flavour. It is also light on calories and makes a perfect appetizer or hors d'oeuvre. I buy the teriyaki chicken for this, or I grill a couple of chicken breasts marinated in teriyaki sauce and then shred. Glass noodles are also known as bean thread noodles and look a little like white steel wool.
Read MoreRhubarb Fool
/Rhubarb varies in sweetness depending on whether it is garden-grown or hothouse-forced. Hothouse rhubarb is usually sweeter, but garden rhubarb has more taste. Always sweeten rhubarb to taste. This very simple dessert is ideal after a rich meal.
Read MoreArtichoke and Potato Braise
/Baby artichokes are in season right now, but not for long, so use them while you can.
Read MoreHerb-Roasted Chicken with Wild Leek-Lemon Pesto
/This pesto freezes well, so I make lots and have it for the next couple of months. If Meyer lemons are not available, use tangerines (remove the seeds) with a spritz of lemon juice. If you can't find all the fresh herbs for the rub, cut the quantities by a third and substitute dried.
Macaroni and Potato Salad
/This classic side accompanies many a Hawaiian blue plate special, which typically consists of a protein and this hearty, very simple salad. It is very high in fat and probably not good for you, but tastes like food you remember from childhood.
Shutome Puttanesca with Artichoke Purée
/Shutome is a billfish with a similar texture to swordfish; you can also substitute Pacific halibut. White anchovies in brine are available at specialty foods shops, but you can also omit them if you can't find them. The recipe is from the Ilihani restaurant at Manele Bay.
Read MoreTuna and Avocado Poke
/The Terrace at Koele Lodge, a beautiful Four Seasons resort on the remote island of Lana'i, is an American's dream version of a British hunting lodge, serves this excellent riff on a tuna tartare appetizer that is also easy to make. If you cannot find wasabi tobiko, flying fish roe laced with wasabi, use regular tobiko mixed with a spoonful of wasabi or omit altogether. Ring moulds are often used in professional kitchens, but you can use a tall, round cookie cutter to shape the tuna, too.
Flank Steak
/My grandson Josh, 6, said that he loved this steak so much it changed his life!
Read MoreGrilled Tomato and Mozzarella Pizza
/A few tricks we've learned with pizza on the grill: Go lightly on the toppings to ensure that the crust crisps slightly and doesn't go soggy. Make sure your barbecue is clean and lightly oiled so that crusts don't stick. Use a large baking sheet to transfer rolled dough and finished pizzas to and from the barbecue. For this topping, local hothouse and cherry tomatoes both work well. You can also have several other toppings available and let the people choose their own.
Read MoreStir-fried Shrimp and Asparagus
/Use a wok or a large non-stick skillet to prepare this dish. Always heat your wok before adding oil and stir-fry over high heat. Time is of the essence, so chop and measure everything beforehand.
Read MoreAsparagus with Poached Eggs
/This recipe, with a sort of deconstructed hollandaise, is the ultimate asparagus experience. Dip the stalks into the eggs and the butter and savour the sensation. If you have any truffle salt, this is the place to use it.
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