There’s a new Farmer at the Saturday morning farmers market, Chong’s Farm from Fresno.  He brings exotic Asian produce to our area.  Below are a few recipes that will help introduce some of these vegetables.

Szechuan Braised Eggplant in Garlic Sauce

Super easy recipe that turns out mildly spicy with complexity.

2 medium Chinese or Long Green Eggplant cut the ends, slice lengthwise twice, then dice into 3/4″ cubes

Mix together in a small bowl:

2 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp minced fresh ginger

1 scallion, finely chopped

Mix the sauce together in a small bowl:

1 1/2 Tbsp dark soy sauce (available at Asian markets)

1 1/2 Tbsp light soy sauce (available at Asian markets)

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 Tbs Chinese rice wine, mirin, or dry sherry

1/2 tsp sugar

1/3 Cup chicken broth

Mince 1/4 – 1/2 cup pork shoulder ( or use ground pork)

in a small bowl, mix the pork with:

1/4 tsp cornstarch and season with black pepper

1 Tbsp chili garlic sauce (available at Asian markets)

Heat wok, add 1-2 Tbsp vegetable oil on med/high

Add garlic ginger, scallion mix and stir fry for 10 seconds

Add pork & chili garlic sauce

Stir fry for 1 minute until the pork turns white, break into pieces

Add the eggplant and stir fry for 3 minutes or so

Add the soy sauce mixture and reduce the heat to low/medium and simmer for 10 minutes until the eggplant is tender,

Mix 1 tsp of cornstarch with 1 Tbsp water and pour into the middle of the wok and stir quickly to thicken the sauce.  Serve over rice.

Pork & Noodle Stuffed Mo Qua (fuzzy melon)

Depending on the size, 2 or 3 Mo Qua

2 oz thin rice noodles

Combine 1/2 lb minced pork with:

1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger

2 Tbsp chopped cilantro leaves

1 egg white, slightly beaten

1 1/2 tsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp sesame oil

For the sauce combine:

1 Tbsp oyster sauce

1 cup chicken stock

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 cup sliced shitake or other mushrooms

Reconstitute noodles in hot water for about 10 minutes until softened.  Drain & chop coarsely.

Either peel or rub roughly to remove some of the fuzz  on the squash, depending how prominent it is.

Cut into mo qua 1 1/2 inch slices crosswise, then with a melon scooper, scoop out a bit to create a space for the filling in the “bowl”.

Combine the pork mixture with half of the softened noodles.  Spoon into the “bowls” created by the squash slices and press down. Then dip the mo qua slices meat side down in the remain noodles to coat the squash a bit.

Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add the sauce ingredients.  Add the mo qua slices with the stuffing side up.  Cover and braise for about 15 minutes, spooning sauce over the squash occasionally.

Add sliced mushrooms cook for another 5 minutes.  Remove the squash and reduce the sauce if necessary, then pour over sliced, stuffed mo qua.

Stir Fried Chinese Long Beans

The trick to this recipe is to dry fry the beans until the skin starts to pucker and brown and the beans turn tender

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1 lb Chinese long beans

(trim long beans, cut into 2 – 3 inch pieces)

1 Tbsp chopped fresh garlic

1 Tbsp chopped fresh ginger

2 scallions, finely chopped (not too much green)

1/2 tsp chili paste

1 Tbsp dark soy sauce

1/2 tsp sugar

salt to taste

pepper to taste

2 Tbsp vegetable oil for stir-frying (or as needed)

Heat wok to medium – add 1 Tbsp oil  Add long beans and stir fry for 7 minutes until they brown and pucker

Remove to a colander

Heat remaining oil in wok, stir fry ginger, garlic, scallions and chile paste briefly until flavors are released

Add beans back with dark soy sauce, sugar, salt & pepper.  Stir for a minute and serve.

2 Tblsp olive oil

3 lbs hard winter squash (butternut squash or Kobocha) peeled, seed and cubed

4 medium leeks, sliced up to the tough dark green parts, submerged in water and drained to remove all the sand.

salt & pepper

1 Tblsp fresh sage leaves, chopped

6 oz fresh chevre (soft goat cheese)

1 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped

Preheat the oven to moderate (400)  In this case toss the cubed squash with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread out on a baking sheet and roast for 30 – 40 minutes until starting to brown.

In the mean time, sauté the sliced leeks in olive oil until thoroughly wilted.

Grease a suitable casserole dish and layer the dish with leeks first, squash next, and then crumbled cheese.  Repeat until the ingredients are used up.  You can store this casserole at this point for use later.  Otherwise, pour cream over the whole thing and top with chopped hazelnuts.  Bake until the cream is bubbling and setting up – start checking at 30 minutes.

Transfer to a greased casserole and pour the chicken stock over . Cover and bake for 30 – 45 minutes.  At this point you can put it away to finish later if you wish.  Otherwise, jump the oven up to 400 and sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over it and back uncovered until brown

1/4 stick butter

1/8 cup olive oil

2 – 3 lbs hard winter squash (butternut squash or Kobocha) peeled, seed and cubed

1 tsp sugar

salt & pepper

1 cup chicken stock

topping:

mix together 2 cups bread crumbs

1-2 cups grated sharp cheddar (or sub blue cheese mixed with something milder like mozzarella)

a generous Tblsp fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, oregano, parsley) whatever aromatic, savory fresh herbs you have on hand

Preheat the oven to moderate (350) Sauté the onions in the butter and olive oil until golden, add the diced squash and continue to sauté. After a few minutes season the two with sugar, salt and pepper and continue to sauté until they caramelize.

Transfer to a greased casserole and pour the chicken stock over . Cover and bake for 30 – 45 minutes. At this point you can put it away to finish later if you wish. Otherwise, jump the oven up to 400 and sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over it and back uncovered until browned.