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NEW YORK TIMES
The cookbook “From the Oven to the Table: Simple Dishes That Look After Themselves” is part of New York Times’ favorite new books of the season, selected by Food reporters and editors.
PAN-SEARED GYOZA
From “The Gaijin Cookbook: Japanese Recipes From a Chef, Father, Eater, and Lifelong Outsider” by Ivan Orkin and Chris Ying (Rux Martin, $30)
>> 1 pound green cabbage (about 1/2 medium head)
>> 4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
>> 3/4 pound ground pork
>> 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon minced ginger
>> 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon minced garlic
>> 1 cup chopped garlic chives or regular chives
>> 1 tablespoon soy sauce
>> 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
>> Cornstarch or potato starch, for sprinkling
>> 60 gyoza wrappers (about 12 ounces)
>> Neutral oil (such as vegetable or canola oil), for frying
Dipping sauce:
>> 1/2 cup soy sauce
>> 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
>> 1 to 2 teaspoons Japanese chili oil (rayu) or Chinese chili oil (optional), or to taste
Whisk together dipping sauce ingredients; set aside (makes a generous 1/2 cup).
Finely chop cabbage or process in food processor into confetti-size bits; transfer to a sieve set over a large bowl. Toss with 2 teaspoons salt and let sit 20 minutes in sink. Gently press to squeeze out as much water as you can.
Combine drained cabbage, pork, ginger, garlic, chives, soy sauce, sesame oil and remaining 2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl and mix just until everything is evenly distributed. (Don’t overdo it: Too much handling and the fat in the pork will begin to melt.)
Here’s where you want to employ some extra hands: Fill a small bowl with water. Sprinkle a rimmed sheet pan with cornstarch or potato starch to prevent sticking.
For each gyoza, place a wrapper in the palm of your hand and spoon about 1-1/2 teaspoons filling into the center. Use the back of the spoon to smoosh it lightly (it should fill about half the wrapper).
Wet edge one edge of wrapper and fold over to meet the dry edge. Crimp edges together at one corner, then proceed around the dumpling, using your finger to push the dough into little pleats on one side and pressing them against the other side to seal it. (If you need more guidance, there are hundreds of gyoza-folding videos online.) Place the gyoza on the sheet pan as you finish them. If your gyoza seem to be sticking to one another, sprinkle each layer with potato or cornstarch.
To pan-fry you will need a lidded 10-inch nonstick pan or a well-seasoned carbon steel pan. (You could also use whatever skillet you have, but increase the oil and keep a close eye on the gyoza.) Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in pan over medium. Add 10 to 15 gyoza, flat-side down, and cook until browned on the bottoms, 2 to 3 minutes. Add water to come just under a quarter of the way up the gyoza (about 1/2 cup, depending on how many gyoza you have in the pan), cover, and let water cook away until pan is dry and gyoza wrappers have softened completely, 3 to 4 minutes.
Remove lid, increase heat to medium-high, and let gyoza crisp up on the bottoms for another minute or two. Serve immediately with dipping sauce and additional chili oil. Wipe pan clean and cook remaining gyoza. (Alternately, uncooked gyoza can be frozen on a baking sheet in a single layer until firm, then stored in sealed plastic bags for a couple of months. To cook frozen gyoza, add a second batch of water to skillet after the first batch evaporates.) Makes 60 gyoza.
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ONE-POT CHICKEN THIGHS WITH BLACK BEANS, RICE AND CHILIES
From “From the Oven to the Table: Simple Dishes That Look After Themselves” by Diana Henry (Mitchell Beazley, $29.99)
>> 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 5 pounds)
>> Flaky sea salt and black pepper, to taste
>> 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive or peanut oil
>> 1 large yellow or white onion, chopped
>> 2 green or red bell peppers, halved, seeded and sliced
>> 2-1/2 cups chicken stock
>> 2 red Fresno chilies or jalapenos, halved, seeded and chopped
>> 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick, broken in half
>> 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
>> 1 teaspoon ground cumin
>> 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed
>> 1/3 pound cherry tomatoes, halved
>> 1 cup basmati rice, rinsed in a sieve until water runs clear
>> 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
>> Lime wedges, pickled chilies, sliced fresh chilies, sour cream and sliced avocado, for serving
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
Heat oil in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet (pan size is very important) over medium-high. Brown chicken on both sides to give it good color, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken pieces to a plate.
Add onion and bell peppers to pan and saute until just starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
In a small saucepan, bring chicken stock to a boil.
Meanwhile, add chilies or jalapenos to skillet with cinnamon, garlic and cumin; cook about 2 minutes, then add black beans and cherry tomatoes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle rice on top in an even layer. (It’s important that the black beans are beneath the rice and chicken. The rice will burn otherwise.) Add stock and return chicken to pan, skin-side up.
Bake, uncovered, 40 minutes. Chicken should be lovely and golden, stock should be absorbed and rice should be tender. Sprinkle with cilantro. Serve with lime wedges, pickled chilies, sliced fresh chilies, sour cream and avocado (squeeze some lime juice over avocados in a bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper). Serves 4 to 6.
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TAGLIATELLE WITH PROSCIUTTO AND BUTTER
From “American Sfoglino: A Master Class in Handmade Pasta” by Evan Funke (Chronicle, $35)
>> 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
>> 2 ounces prosciutto, torn into pieces
>> Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
>> 3/4 pound tagliatelle
>> 1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for garnish, if desired
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high until frothy and golden, about 1 minute. Add half the prosciutto in a flat layer. Cook until crisp, 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining prosciutto, leaving it in the skillet; remove skillet from heat.
Season boiling water lightly with salt. When salt dissolves, add tagliatelle and cook until toothsome and slightly undercooked, 2 to 4 minutes, or according to package instructions.
Just before pasta is ready, return skillet to heat and warm over medium. Do not drain pasta, but use a slotted pasta fork or tongs to transfer cooked pasta directly to skillet. Working quickly, add Parmigiano-Reggiano and about 1/4 cup of pasta cooking water and swirl vigorously to emulsify, jostling pan at same time; cook just until sauce is silky, about 1 minute.
Serve pasta immediately, sprinkled with pepper and remaining prosciutto, along with additional cheese. Serves 2.
Nutritional information unavailable.
>> READ MORE: Giftworthy cookbooks reflect global range of culinary inspirations
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