This dish, with its subtly spicy flavor, is very popular in Hong Kong, one of the leading capitals of Chinese food. The prawns are left with their shells on because this protects the meat from the intense heat of deep-frying, thereby making it succulent when cooked.
When condiments are needed to enhance the flavor of a fish, it is often steamed with fermented black beans and garlic and then garnished with scallions. Rainbow trout and gray mullet, among others, are delicious steamed this way.
The species of lobster found along the Chinese coast is the spiny lobster or crayfish and, significantly, the Chinese name for it is dragon prawn. The meat, compared to that of the true lobster, is slightly coarser, but cooking methods and recipes are the same for both. Only fresh lobsters are fit for consumption; they can be kept alive up to 3 days in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator.
This economical and healthy everyday dish is easy to make. It is as popular in Canton as in Shanghai, but the Cantonese use scallions, ginger and shrimp to heighten the flavor; in Shanghai they prefer just dried shrimp.
Black bean sauce and clams go together for the Chinese the way horseradish and roast beef do in the West.
Shrimp paste has a strong, almost unpleasant, odor, and squid is very bland. However, when stir-fried together, with garlic, this peasant dish, although an acquired taste, can delight even the most sophisticated palate.
I first tasted this dish in 1980 in one of the famous restaurants of my hometown, Hong Kong, and thought it tasted heavenly. There was no question of their letting me into their cookery secret, so I experimented and came up with this concoction. I think you will enjoy it, too.
A Cantonese fire pot reflects what’s easily available in the region, and it therefore consists of seafood as well as meat and vegetables. If you don’t have a traditional charcoal-burning fire pot for cooking at the table, use a fondue set or heatproof bowl and burner or an electric pot.
The tender wonton wrappers, deep-fried to a crisp before being dunked in the soup, lend special character to this dish. The color of the ingredients, suspended in the clear soup, is especially attractive.
This salad chapter would not be complete without a salad with hearts of palm—one of my favorite foods. Hearts of palm grow mostly in Brazil and Costa Rica, but can also be found in Florida, where they have the far less appealing name of swamp cabbage. Outside of the tropics, they are usually sold in jars or cans. Each pale green stalk is 1/2 to 1 inch in diameter and resembles a cheese stick. They taste like a cross between artichoke hearts and asparagus, with a slightly crunchy, delicate texture. The tropical ingredients in this salad—avocado, macadamia nuts, and lime marinade for the shrimp—complement the hearts of palm well.
This soup really captures the essence of autumn in New England. It has become a signature on our Thanksgiving menu because it makes such a distinctive first course. Sweet and creamy pumpkin simmered in lobster stock gives the soup its strength and body. Fresh ginger and crème fraîche spark it up. Sweet nuggets of fresh lobster—a treat in any season—are dispersed throughout. I first served this soup at a luncheon for 300 at a national Women Chefs and Restaurateurs conference held in Boston.We garnished each little bowl with toasted pumpkin seeds, fresh chives, and a drizzle of crème fraîche and received rave reviews from a highly critical audience!
This one is thick and hearty, filled with chunks of pumpkin, shrimp, and cubes of potatoes. The unusual taste comes from the pumpkin base and seafood stock. Putting these two ingredients together is kind of like a mixed marriage between sweet pumpkin and astringent stock, but it works. It gives you a new way to prepare pumpkin instead of pie.
What I like most about Manhattan clam chowder is its zesty broth, loaded with bits of chewy clams. I like to make my version spicy and serve it with a side of garlic bread. Rhode Islanders serve a similar dish called Rhode Island red chowder. It is basically the same chowder as Manhattan with a different name.
New Englanders have been making fish chowder ever since the 1700s, though the recipe has evolved over time. Some early versions called for red wine or ketchup before preferences changed to a creamy, white combination of fish, potatoes, salt pork, and seasonings.My version doesn’t stray far from tradition. I like to use haddock, but you can use any other white fish (such as cod or mackerel), as long as it has a bit of firmness to it. Fish chowder is a rather rustic soup. It is best served in large mugs with plenty of salty oyster crackers on top. I especially like it on a cool, rainy day.
New England clam chowder can be found on almost every menu from Connecticut to Maine. It is even sold at Boston Red Sox games at Fenway Park. Locally-caught clams, chunks of white potatoes, and cream are just a few of the ingredients that give this dish its personality. The chowder is one of our most popular soups, as it’s true New England soul food. It warms you up all winter, but I also think it’s a perfect summer treat. Take a thermos to the beach, wait for the sun to go down, then pour it into mugs. The little bit of sand that sneaks onto your spoon only enhances the texture.
Crab gumbo is somewhat of a novelty in chowder-crazed New England. That is exactly why I make it. I like giving people a sample of food from other places. A specialty in Louisiana, gumbo combines influences from the French, Spanish, and Africans who settled the area. Recipes vary, but usually contain okra and a combination of meats and seafood. Crabmeat, okra, rice, and filé powder (made from ground sassafras leaves) give the soup its body. Every bite contains a jazzy mix of vegetables, seafood, and spices.
This recipe calls for a long list of ingredients, but its fragrance is worth all of the shopping and prepping. Curry powder makes the broth a golden hue, while the ginger, coriander, and cayenne pepper deepen the flavor. The shrimp absorb all of these spices, adding a burst of flavor to each bite. The addition of coconut, ginger, and okra makes it feel as though you have just traveled to some exotic spot to enjoy a steaming bowl of bliss. Each spoonful is like a mini adventure, even when you never leave your kitchen chair.
I thrive on the mouth-tingling jolt of chile peppers, curry powder, and other vivid spices. As a result, our customers know they can count on at least one spicy soup on our menu each day. Some people automatically order whatever it is. This soup starts out mildly enough with fish stock and tomatoes. Then it gets a dose of scorching Scotch bonnet chile peppers, one of the hottest in the chile pepper family. As the soup simmers, its fragrance makes me feel like I am already taking a sip. My face gets very pink, my chest opens up, and I start to giggle as if someone is tickling me. All this before I’ve even lifted the spoon to my mouth!
If you’re tempted to walk up to a seafood counter and pick out one thing from each display, try this stew. A take-off on French bouillabaisse, it combines six kinds of seafood in a tomato and saffron-enhanced broth. There’s not any racy story behind its name. I was just trying to emphasize its robustness.
I didn’t start eating mussels until I was in my twenties, but I soon made up for lost time, especially during the three years that I lived on Cape Cod. What is most fun about this soup is being able to sip the saffron-colored broth out of a mussel shell instead of a spoon. Its complex flavor comes from the combination of tomatoes, white wine, and fish stock, with curry powder and ginger spicing it up. The mussels open during cooking, and the tender meat can be nudged out with a fork.