Serves 6-8

This recipe requires a few hours of unattended cooking. It also requires advance preparation. After cooking, the brisket must stand overnight in the braising liquid that later becomes the sauce; this helps to keep the brisket moist and flavorful. Defatting the sauce is essential. If the fat has congealed into a layer on top of the sauce, it can be easily removed while cold. Sometimes, however, fragments of solid fat are dispersed throughout the sauce; in this case, the sauce should be skimmed of fat after reheating. If you prefer a spicy sauce, increase the amount of cayenne to 1/4 teaspoon. You will need 18-inch-wide heavy-duty foil for this recipe. If you own an electric knife, it will make easy work of slicing the cold brisket. Good accompaniments to braised brisket include mashed potatoes and egg noodles. For a Passover menu, substitute matzo meal or potato starch for the flour.

INGREDIENTS
1 beef brisket , 4 to 5 pounds, flat cut preferred
Vegetable oil
3 large onions (about 2 1/2 pounds), halved and sliced 1/2 inch thick
1tablespoon brown sugar
3medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1tablespoon tomato paste
1tablespoon paprika
1/8teaspoon cayenne pepper
2tablespoons all-purpose flour
1cup low-sodium chicken broth
1cup dry red wine
3 bay leaves
3sprigs fresh thyme
2teaspoons cider vinegar (to season sauce before serving)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 300 degrees. Line 13 by 9-inch baking dish with two 24-inch-long sheets of 18-inch-wide heavy-duty foil, positioning sheets perpendicular to each other and allowing excess foil to extend beyond edges of pan. Pat brisket dry with paper towels. Place brisket fat side up on cutting board; using dinner fork, poke holes in meat through fat layer about 1 inch apart. Season both sides of brisket liberally with salt and pepper.

2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until oil just begins to smoke. Place brisket fat side up in skillet (brisket may climb up sides of skillet); weight brisket with heavy Dutch oven or cast-iron skillet and cook until well browned, about 7 minutes. Remove Dutch oven; using tongs, flip brisket and cook on second side without weight until well browned, about 7 minutes longer. Transfer brisket to platter.

3. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pan (or, if brisket was lean, add enough oil to fat in skillet to equal 1 tablespoon); stir in onions, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened and golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute; add tomato paste and cook, stirring to combine, until paste darkens, about 2 minutes. Add paprika and cayenne and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Sprinkle flour over onions and cook, stirring constantly, until well combined, about 2 minutes. Add broth, wine, bay, and thyme, stirring to scrape up browned bits from pan; bring to simmer and simmer about 5 minutes to fully thicken.

4. Pour sauce and onions into foil-lined baking dish. Nestle brisket, fat side up, in sauce and onions. Fold foil extensions over and seal (do not tightly crimp foil because foil must later be opened to test for doneness). Place in oven and cook until fork can be inserted into and removed from center of brisket with no resistance, 3 1/2 to 4 hours (when testing for doneness, open foil with caution as contents will be steaming). Carefully open foil and let brisket cool at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes.

5. Transfer brisket to large bowl; set mesh strainer over bowl and strain sauce over brisket. Discard bay and thyme from onions and transfer onions to small bowl. Cover both bowls with plastic wrap, cut vents in plastic with paring knife, and refrigerate overnight.

6. About 45 minutes before serving, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. While oven heats, transfer cold brisket to cutting board. Scrape off and discard any congealed fat from sauce, then transfer sauce to medium saucepan and heat over medium heat until warm, skimming any fat on surface with wide shallow spoon (you should have about 2 cups sauce without onions; if necessary, simmer sauce over medium-high heat until reduced to 2 cups). While sauce heats, use chef's or carving knife to slice brisket against grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices, trimming and discarding any excess fat, if desired; place slices in 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Stir reserved onions and vinegar into warmed sauce and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over brisket slices, cover baking dish with foil, and bake until heated through, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

To Make and Serve the Brisket on the Same Day
If you would like to make and serve the brisket on the same day, after removing the brisket from the oven in step 4, reseal the foil and let the brisket stand at room temperature for an hour. Then transfer the brisket to a cutting board and continue with the recipe to strain, defat, and reheat the sauce and slice the meat; because the brisket will still be hot, there will be no need to put it back into the oven once the reheated sauce is poured over it.

INGREDIENTS
CAKE
1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple
2 cups whole-wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk, (I use yogurt)
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups grated carrots, (4-6 medium)
1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
FROSTING
12 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, (Neufchâtel), softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons flaked coconut, toasted

PREPARATION
To prepare cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
Drain pineapple in a sieve set over a bowl, pressing on the solids. Reserve the drained pineapple and 1/4 cup of the juice.
Whisk flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Whisk eggs, sugar, buttermilk, oil, vanilla and the 1/4 cup pineapple juice in a large bowl until blended. Stir in pineapple, carrots and 1/4 cup coconut. Add the dry ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula just until blended. Stir in the nuts. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly.
Bake the cake until the top springs back when touched lightly and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
To prepare frosting and finish cake: Beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. Sprinkle with toasted coconut.

NUTRITION
Per serving: 342 calories; 17 g fat ( 5 g sat , 7 g mono ); 56 mg cholesterol; 43 g carbohydrates; 6 g protein; 3 g fiber; 349 mg sodium; 150 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (40% daily value), Fiber (12% dv).

Carbohydrate Servings: 3

Exchanges: 2 1/2 other carbohydrate, 1/2 vegetable, 3 fat

SERVES 6 TO 8
If half of the soup fills your blender by more than two-thirds, process the soup in three batches. You can also use an immersion blender to process the soup directly in the pot. For an even smoother soup, pass the pureed mixture through a fine-mesh strainer before stirring in the chicken broth in step 2. Serve this soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwiches for a Crowd or topped with Butter Croutons.

INGREDIENTS
1/4cup extra virgin olive oil , plus more for drizzling
1medium onion , chopped medium (about 1 cup)
3medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
pinch hot red pepper flakes (optional)
1 bay leaf
2(28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes packed in juice
1tablespoon brown sugar
3large slices good-quality sandwich bread , crusts removed, torn into 1-inch pieces
2cups low-sodium chicken broth
2tablespoons brandy (optional)
1/4cup chopped fresh chives
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, garlic, red pepper flakes (if using), and bay leaf. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and their juice. Using potato masher, mash until no pieces bigger than 2 inches remain. Stir in sugar and bread; bring soup to boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until bread is completely saturated and starts to break down, about 5 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf.
2. Transfer half of soup to blender. Add 1 tablespoon oil and process until soup is smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to large bowl and repeat with remaining soup and oil. Rinse out Dutch oven and return soup to pot. Stir in chicken broth and brandy (if using). Return soup to boil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve soup in individual bowls. Sprinkle each portion with pepper and chives and drizzle with olive oil.

Serves 4.

Steak tips, also known as flap meat, are sold as whole steak, cubes, and strips. To ensure uniform pieces that cook evenly, we prefer to purchase whole steak tips and cut them ourselves. One and a half pounds of blade steak can be substituted for the steak tips; if using, cut each steak in half lengthwise and remove the gristle that runs down the center before cooking. Since blade steak yields smaller strips of meat, reduce the cooking time in step 3 by several minutes. Our preferred brands of beef broth are Redi-Base Beef Base and Pacific. If the mushrooms are larger than 1 inch, cut them into 6 even wedges. Serve the stroganoff over egg noodles.

INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 pounds sirloin steak tips , trimmed of excess fat and cut lengthwise (with grain) into 4 equal pieces (see note)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 pound white mushrooms , wiped clean and quartered (see note)
2 teaspoons hot water
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
Ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion , chopped fine (about 1 cup)
Table salt
2 teaspoons tomato paste
4 teaspoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon white wine or dry vermouth
1 1/2 cups beef broth (see note)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves or dill
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Using fork, poke each piece of steak 10 to 12 times. Place in baking dish; rub both sides evenly with soy sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour.

2. While meat marinates, place mushrooms in medium microwave-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high power until mushrooms have decreased in volume by half, 4 to 5 minutes (there should be as much as ¼ cup liquid in bowl). Drain mushrooms and set aside; discard liquid. Combine water, dry mustard, sugar, and ½ teaspoon pepper in small bowl until smooth paste forms; set aside

3. Pat steak pieces dry with paper towels and season with pepper. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Place steak pieces in skillet and cook until browned on all sides and internal temperature registers 125 to 130 degrees, 6 to 9 minutes, reducing heat if fond begins to burn. Transfer meat to large plate and set aside while cooking sauce.

4. Add mushrooms, onion, and ½ teaspoon salt to skillet and cook until vegetables begin to brown and dark bits form on bottom of pan, 6 to 8 minutes. Add tomato paste and flour and cook, stirring constantly, until onions and mushrooms are coated, about 1 minute. Stir in 1/3 cup wine, beef broth, and mustard paste and bring to simmer, scraping ¬bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat to medium and cook until sauce has reduced slightly and begun to thicken, 4 to 6 minutes.

5. While sauce is reducing, cut steak pieces across grain into ¼-inch-thick slices. Stir meat and any accumulated juices into thickened sauce and cook until beef has warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let any bubbles subside. Stir in sour cream and remaining tablespoon wine; season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley or dill and serve.

Serves 6 to 8.

If half of the soup fills your blender by more than two-thirds, process the soup in three batches. You can also use an immersion blender to process the soup directly in the pot. For an even smoother soup, pass the pureed mixture through a fine-mesh strainer before stirring in the chicken broth in step 2. Serve this soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwiches for a Crowd or topped with Butter Croutons (see related recipes).

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil , plus more for drizzling
1 medium onion , chopped medium (about 1 cup)
3 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
pinch hot red pepper flakes (optional)
1 bay leaf
2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes packed in juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 large slices good-quality sandwich bread , crusts removed, torn into 1-inch pieces
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons brandy (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, garlic, red pepper flakes (if using), and bay leaf. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and their juice. Using potato masher, mash until no pieces bigger than 2 inches remain. Stir in sugar and bread; bring soup to boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until bread is completely saturated and starts to break down, about 5 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf.

2. Transfer half of soup to blender. Add 1 tablespoon oil and process until soup is smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to large bowl and repeat with remaining soup and oil. Rinse out Dutch oven and return soup to pot. Stir in chicken broth and brandy (if using). Return soup to boil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve soup in individual bowls. Sprinkle each portion with pepper and chives and drizzle with olive oil.

bring above to simmer for 15 mins
change heat to high for 2 mins to reduce the liquid

strain the potatoes and save the liquid (should be 1/2-1 c)

1/2 c liquid
1/4 c vege oil
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp mustard
add 1/2 c potatoes to this and mash it up and whisk the dressing together.

Add the rest of potatoes,
3/4 c diced red onion
2 tbsp diced cornichon
2 tbsp chopped chives

mix above, season with s & p and serve

Serves 6. Published January 1, 2009. From Cook's Illustrated.

Make sure that the ribs are at least 4 inches long and 1 inch thick. If boneless ribs are unavailable, substitute 7 pounds of bone-in beef short ribs at least 4 inches long with 1 inch of meat above the bone. To remove the meat from the bone, see the illustrations below. We recommend a bold red wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Côtes du Rhône. The test kitchen’s preferred brand of beef broth is Pacific. Serve with egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or roasted potatoes.

INGREDIENTS
3 1/2 pounds boneless short ribs , trimmed of excess fat (see note and technique below)
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large onions , peeled and sliced thin from pole to pole (about 4 cups)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
6 medium garlic cloves , peeled
2 cups red wine (see note)
1 cup beef broth
4 large carrots , peeled and cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup cold water
1/2 teaspoon unflavored powdered gelatin
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Pat beef dry with paper towels and season with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat until smoking. Add half of beef and cook, without moving, until well browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Turn beef and continue to cook on second side until well browned, 4 to 6 minutes longer, reducing heat if fat begins to smoke. Transfer beef to medium bowl. Repeat with remaining tablespoon oil and meat.

2. Reduce heat to medium, add onions, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. (If onions begin to darken too quickly, add 1 to 2 tablespoons water to pan.) Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until it browns on sides and bottom of pan, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Increase heat to medium-high, add wine and simmer, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits, until reduced by half, 8 to 10 minutes. Add broth, carrots, thyme, and bay leaf. Add beef and any accumulated juices to pot; cover and bring to simmer. Transfer pot to oven and cook, using tongs to turn meat twice during cooking, until fork slips easily in and out of meat, 2 to 2½ hours.

3. Place water in small bowl and sprinkle gelatin on top; let stand at least 5 minutes. Using tongs, transfer meat and carrots to serving platter and tent with foil. Strain cooking liquid through fine-mesh strainer into fat separator or bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids. Allow liquid to settle about 5 minutes and strain off fat. Return cooking liquid to Dutch oven and cook over medium heat until reduced to 1 cup, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in gelatin mixture; season with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over meat and serve.

Crush the onion with sumac and salt with your hands. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Put aside for at least an hour (tastes better this way), then serve with any kind of Kebab.

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup of whole wheat flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup of vanilla low fat yogurt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (divided)
1 tbsp sugar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spoon 2 cups of flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, 1/3 cup of sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. In a separate bowl, combine lemon juice, oil, vanilla, yogurt and egg; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moist. Gently fold in 1 cup of blueberries.

Spoon the batter into a muffin tray that has been coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle the remaining berries and a tbsp of sugar over the top of the batter.

Bake for 17-19 minutes or until tester inserted in center comes out clean. Remove muffins from the pan immediately and place on a wire rack to cool.

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons Aleppo pepper or 2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper plus 2 teaspoons Hungarian sweet paprika, plus additional Aleppo pepper or paprika for sprinkling
1 cup plain yogurt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 garlic cloves, peeled, flattened
2 unpeeled lemons; 1 thinly sliced into rounds, 1 cut into wedges for serving
2 1/4 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast, cut into 1 1/4-inch cubes

preparation

If using Aleppo pepper, place in large bowl and mix in 1 tablespoon warm water. Let stand until thick paste forms, about 5 minutes. If using dried crushed red pepper and paprika combination, place in large bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons warm water and let stand until paste forms, about 5 minutes. Add yogurt, olive oil, red wine vinegar, tomato paste, 2 teaspoons coarse salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper to spice mixture in bowl; whisk to blend. Stir in garlic and lemon slices, then chicken. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Do ahead Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Thread chicken pieces on metal skewers, dividing equally. Discard marinade in bowl. Sprinkle each skewer with salt, pepper, and additional Aleppo pepper or paprika. Brush grill rack with oil. Grill chicken until golden brown and cooked through, turning skewers occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes total. Transfer skewers to platter. Surround with lemon wedges and serve.

About 2 1/2 dozen cookies
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup rolled oats
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup canola oil
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips

PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.
Grind oats in a blender or food processor. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in flour, baking soda and salt. Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg and vanilla; beat until smooth and creamy. With the mixer running, add the dry ingredients, beating on low speed until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
Drop the dough by heaping teaspoonfuls, at least 1 inch apart, onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until firm around the edges and golden on top, about 15 minutes. Cool the cookies for 2 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
TIPS & NOTES
Make Ahead Tip: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
NUTRITION
Per cookie: 99 calories; 5 g fat (2 g sat, 2 g mono); 11 mg cholesterol; 12 g carbohydrates; 1 g protein; 1 g fiber; 64 mg sodium; 55 mg potassium.

1 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1/3 starch, 1/3 other carbohydrate, 1 fat

INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 pounds boneless lamb leg, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups dry red wine
1 cup reduced-sodium beef broth
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup pearl onions, peeled (see Tip), or frozen small onions, rinsed under warm water to thaw
1 cup baby turnips, peeled (1/4 inch of green left on) and halved, or regular turnips cut into 1/2-inch wedges
1 1/2 cups baby carrots
1 1/2 cups peas, fresh or frozen
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

PREPARATION
Season lamb with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven. Add the lamb and cook, turning from time to time, until browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Add carrot and onion to the pan; cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables; stir to coat. Add wine and scrape up any browned bits. Simmer until reduced slightly, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add broth, tomatoes, garlic and rosemary; bring to a simmer. Return the lamb to the pan. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 1/4 hours, checking from time to time to make sure it does not boil too rapidly.
Stir in pearl onions, turnips and carrots. Simmer, covered, until the lamb and vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
Add peas and heat through. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
TIPS & NOTES
Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 4. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat on stovetop, in microwave or oven.
Tip: To peel pearl onions:
Cook in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain. Peel when cool enough to handle.
NUTRITION
Per serving: 384 calories; 11 g fat (4 g sat, 5 g mono); 119 mg cholesterol; 22 g carbohydrates; 37 g protein; 5 g fiber; 395 mg sodium; 592 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (120% daily value), Vitamin C (50% dv), Potassium (29% dv), Iron (25% dv), Fiber (20% dv).

1 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 3 vegetable, 4 lean protein, 1/2 fat

Salt
ounces dried Chinese egg noodles, or 10 to 12 ounces fresh
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons peanut oil
2 tablespoons minced ginger
2 pork chops, thinly sliced
1 small head Napa or savoy cabbage, shredded (about 4 cups)
2 carrots, shredded
2 tablespoons ketchup
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons mirin, or a bit of sugar
Few drops Tabasco sauce, or to taste
1 bunch scallions, chopped, white parts only.

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt it and add noodles. Cook until just done, about 3 minutes. Drain in a colander and run under cold water. Toss noodles with sesame oil to keep them from sticking together, and set aside.

2. Put peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add ginger and cook, stirring, until just fragrant, about 1 minute. Add pork and cook for about 5 minutes or until it is no longer pink and starts to brown around the edges.

3. Add cabbage and carrots to skillet and stir; sprinkle with salt. Continue to cook until vegetables soften, adding a bit of water as needed to keep them from sticking.

4. Meanwhile, stir together in a small bowl ketchup, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mirin and Tabasco. When vegetables are soft and any liquid has evaporated, add noodles and sauce to skillet. Toss to coat everything well and cook until noodles are warmed through. Serve, topped with chopped scallions.

Yield: 4 servings.

Directions
1Cut off the dry end and a few top leaves of the lemongrass stem.
2Bruise the stem with the handle of a knife and cut into 1-inch long pieces.
3Reserve.
4Bruise the chilies, cut them in half, scoop out and discard the seeds.
5Reserve the chilies.
6Bring the water to boil.
7Add lemongrass and ginger, and squeeze out half the lime into the water.
8Boil 2-3 minutes.
9Add fish sauce and chili-garlic paste.
10Cook for another minute.
11Add tomatoes and mushrooms.
12Cook for 2-3 minutes (or longer, until it boils and the tomatoes start to fall apart).
13Squeeze the other half of the lime into the soup.
14Take off the heat.
15Add the chilies and let stand a few seconds, then add the shrimp.
16Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately.
17Leave lemongrass, ginger and chilies in the soup and warn your guests not to eat these.

· Sauce: 4 Tablespoons butter, 3 fresh red chili peppers, chopped (seeded if you don't like it too spicy), 2 cloves garlic, chopped, 1 large shallot, chopped, Grated rind of 1 lemon, 1-1/2 cups coconut milk (fresh if possible), 1/2 cup white wine, 1/2 cup evaporated milk, 1/2 cup grated coconut (fresh if -possible), 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, 1 teaspoon paprika, Salt and pepper to taste, One whole chicken, cut up into pieces.
· For sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the chili peppers, garlic, and shallot. Sauté until softened. Stir in lemon rind, coconut milk, wine, evaporated milk, coconut, tarragon, and paprika. Bring to a boil; then turn down heat and simmer for about 30-45 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and other seasonings; let cool.
· Place the cut-up chicken in a container and pour on some of the sauce to marinate. Marinate for at least 1-2 hours. To cook, place marinated chicken pieces on a broiler pan, spread with more sauce and broil until cooked, turning and basting often. (You could probably also bake the chicken at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes, or even grill it). Serve chicken with extra sauce, a big salad, and French-fries.