POBLANO SHIITACOS

There’s something about this that makes me want to eat about 50 of them.

Makes 5 or 6, but probably 5 delicious fricking tacos

INGREDIENTS

Cilantro Sauce

• 6 ounces nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1 large clove garlic, chopped
• 1 small (or ½ of one large) bunch cilantro, mostly tops but some stems are always ok
• Juice of ½ lime  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

Tacos

• 2 large poblano chiles
• Neutral oil and butter
• 8 ounces shiitake mushroom caps, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• ¼ teaspoon each garlic powder & cumin
• Kosher salt to taste
• 5 corn or flour tortillas, approximately the 5.5 inch size
• Nonfat Greek yogurt
• Finely chopped red onion, for garnish
• Finely crumbled Cotija cheese, for garnish
• Chopped cilantro, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Put all sauce ingredients in a processor and mix until smooth - set aside, and/or put into a squeeze bottle
2. Blacken poblanos - either broil in oven until blackened on all sides, or over an open flame on the stove
3. Then place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave 10 minutes. Peel off the black, remove seeds and slice into thin strips
4. Heat a non stick pan to medium, add a tablespoon each of oil and butter and then the mushrooms
5. Cook until beginning to soften, 3 to 4 minutes then add poblanos - continue to cook
6. Add garlic powder, cumin & Kosher salt - stir well to combine
7. Heat tortillas until just beginning to get a wee bit crispy, add a layer of yogurt, the mushrooms & poblanos, a good squeeze of cilantro sauce, red onion, some cheese and and a final sprinkle of chopped cilantro.

View fullsize

WATCH ME MAKE THIS...

---

YOGURT MARINATED CHICKEN

Cumin, turmeric, garlic...mmm.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces plain non-fat Greek yogurt

• Zest and juice of 1 lemon

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

• 2 tablespoon avocado oil (extra-virgin olive oil works too)

• 1 tablespoon Sriracha

• 1/3cup chopped fresh cilantro, set aside 2 tablespoons for garnish

• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt

• 1 tablespoon cumin

• 1 tablespoon turmeric (if you don’t have you could sub curry)

• 1 pound skinless & boneless chicken thighs (or breasts if you must but it just won’t be as juicy)

Directions

1. Put everything except chicken in a large bowl and whisk well to combine

2. Set aside about ⅓ cup of the marinade, and add chicken to the rest - make sure it’s well coated with the marinade, cover and refrigerate 3 hours up to overnight

3. Remove chicken from fridge about 20 minutes before cooking

4. Pre-heat grill to high

5. Cook chicken until done, approximately 5 minutes a side, serve with extra sauce

Watch how I make it

---

Crispy Asian Fish Banh Mi

FEATURED RECIPE FROM FISH DAY
SAM THE COOKING GUY TV EPISODE

Makes 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound ground Opa
• 6 sprigs green onion, (white and light green parts only) chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Sambal garlic chili paste
• 1-½ cup Panko crumbs
• High heat oil, like avocado oil
• 4 french baguette rolls

Sauce

• ¼ cup Kewpie mayo
• 1 tablespoon Hoisin

BaNH-mi toppings:

• 1 bunch fresh cilantro
• 1 Persian cucumber, thinly sliced
• ½ cup shredded carrots
• 2-3 sprigs green onion, cut thinly lengthwise

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium bowl put fish, green onion, ginger, garlic, soy, chili paste and ½ cup of Panko - mix until until just combined
2. Form all the fish mixture into 10-12 patties, brush each side with a little oil -  then press into remaining panko to coat lightly
3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a non-stick pan on medium-high heat, cook patties each side about 4 minutes or until cooked through
4. While fish patties are cooking, make the sauce - In a separate small bowl mix mayonnaise and hoisin; set aside
5. Cut the baguettes in half lengthwise and toast/grill lightly
6. Now let’s build the banh-mi: spread sauce on the insides of the rolls, add some carrots and green onion, some cucumber, cilantro and the fish
7. Close, cut in half and eat

---

Cold Asian Noodle Salad

A simple and delicious way of eating without cranking up the oven.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 4 ounces soba noodles
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon sesame oil
• ½ teaspoon white granulated sugar
• ½ tablespoon Sriracha
• ½ cup carrots, julienned (matchstick size)
• ½ cup sugar snap peas sliced diagonally
• ¼ cup radish sliced thin in half circles
• 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup English cucumbers sliced thin in half circles
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil (like avocado)
• 10 peeled, deveined tail-on shrimp (I used 16/20’s in this recipe)
• Kosher salt
• Sesame seeds
• Thinly sliced green onions and chopped cilantro for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook noodles according to package directions - do not overcook, drain, rinse well with cold water, drain again and transfer to a bowl
2. While noodles are cooking, in a small bowl combine vinegar, soy, sesame oil, sugar and sriracha - stir well and set aside
3. To the noodles add carrots, peas, radishes, celery and cucumber - mix and add a little sauce (adding more sauce as needed)
4. Heat a pan over medium/high, add oil and justvwhen it’s about to smoke add the shrimp and cook about 1 minute - season with Kosher salt, add splash of ½ tablespoon soy and 1 tablespoon Sriracha; mix well and cook until done, remove shrimp from heat
5. Place the noodles/vegetables on serving plate, top with shrimp and garnish with green onions, cilantro and sesame seeds

WATCH ME MAKE THIS

Air Fried Tofu

As much as I love tofu, I know people who don’t. That being said – they need to get over it cuz tofu is fricking amazing.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 block firm tofu

• ¼ cup sweet chili sauce

• 1 teaspoon soy sauce

• 1 lime wedge

• 2 teaspoons sesame chili oil

• ½ cup cornstarch

• Kosher salt

• Diced green onions for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Drain tofu, place block on a couple sheets of paper towels, top with more paper towels and put a couple plates on top to weight it down, this will help rid the block of excess moisture - let sit about 20 minutes

2. Combine sweet chili sauce, soy & lime wedge – set aside

3. Cut tofu into bite sized pieces, put in a large bowl, drizzle with chili oil and salt - mix well… carefully so you don’t break the pieces

4. Shake cornstarch over the top of tofu and put piece in a colander and shake off excess cornstarch

5. Place tofu into air fryer basket and cook at 370 for 20 minutes, shaking after 10 minutes

6. Serve topped with green onions and with sweet chili dipping sauce.

Salmon with Garlic Cream Sauce

I served this delicious sauce over salmon, but you can use it on chicken, shrimp, scallops, shoes (ok not really) - but seriously pretty much on anything!

Sauce:

1 teaspoon neutral oil, like avocado

2 tablespoons red onion, finely diced

1-2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons dry vermouth

2 tablespoons very cold butter

1/3 cup heavy cream

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

• Warm a small pot over medium heat - add oil, onion, garlic and cook until onion has softened, 2-3 minutes

• Slowly add vermouth and simmer until liquid reduces to about half

• Put in butter, whisking in until melted - then add cream and stir through to heat and until sauce slightly thickens

• Mix in lemon juice and dill - season with salt and pepper to taste - set aside

Salmon:

Four 6 - 8 ounce salmon fillets, skin off and out of the fridge at least 20 minutes

Neutral oil

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

• Lightly oil salmon and season with salt & pepper, be generous

• Heat a non-stick pan really well - until almost smoking

• Turn on the fan and carefully add salmon to pan - top side down first

• Cook until about 1/4 of the way done - and you can see this by watching the sides of the salmon change color

• Carefully turn over, cook the same – remove

• Serve with garlic cream sauce and garnish with a touch more dill

WATCH ME MAKE THIS

---

Grilled Steak Sandwich

Is a simple and delicious thing to make - and the addition of pesto makes it even greater.

Makes 2

INGREDIENTS

• 1 boneless New York steak, at least 1 inch thick & room temperature
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper
• 2 cups baby spinach leaves
• 2 sandwich rolls, sliced in half & buttered
• 2 tablespoons mayo
• 2 tablespoons prepared basil pesto

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat cast iron pan or skillet until smoking hot
2. Lightly rub steak with a little oil and season well on both sides with salt & pepper
3. Cook steak for 3 minutes, flip & continue cooking for 2 minutes (for medium rare), remove from pan and place on a plate to rest
4. In the same pan, add spinach and cook until slightly wilted - about 2 minutes
5. While steak is resting, place buns cut-side down on a flat top or large non-stick pan until lightly toasted
6. Spread mayo and pesto on bottom half of each toasted bun and top with spinach
7. Slice the steak thinly and stack on the spinach - season steak with a little more salt and pepper and top with the other bun.

WATCH ME MAKE THIS

---

Green Onion & Ginger Sauce

A classic Chinese oil based sauce - or more accurately a classic ‘Hainanese’ sauce - and it’s a simple and delicious add to almost any protein.

INGREDIENTS

• 2-3 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1 bunch green onions, white and light green parts only, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
• 1 cup any neutral oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Put ginger, garlic, onions and salt In a heat resistant bowl combine
2. Heat oil in a saucepan until hot but not boiling, and carefully pour on top of gingher combo (It’ll splatter a lot)
3. When it stops splattering, stir a couple times and then let it cool
4. At this point you can store it in a container in your fridge up to a couple weeks
5. Put on eggs, fish, shrimp, chicken, steak - almost anything

WATCH ME MAKE THIS

---

Sous Vide Rack of Lamb with Mint Gremolata

Using sous vide (a constant temperature water bath) is not just simple, but makes for near perfect meat every time. And if I don’t have to worry about overcooking my lamb, I can worry about other things – like making sure my guests are happy.  

---

Rack of Lamb

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 2 hours
Makes: 1 rack of lamb

INGREDIENTS

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Rosemary sprig
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil –
  vegetable, canola etc

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat sous vide cooker to135 degrees
2. Season lamb with salt & pepper, place in a vacuum bag with rosemary, seal and put in the preheated water – let cook 2 hours
3. While it cooks, make the gremolata
4. When the lamb is done, remove from the bag and carefully pat dry with paper towels
5. Add oil to a heavy pan (cast iron is ideal for this) turn on your stove vent and heat until just smoking
6. Start by carefully placing the rack meaty side down, and sear until well browned all over – should be no more than a minute
7. Put on a cutting board, slice into individual ribs and serve with the gremolata. 

Mint Gremolata

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Makes: About 1/3 cup
 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup loosely packed mint leaves
• 2 cloves garlic
• Zest from 1 small lemon
• ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Put the mint, garlic, lemon zest, Kosher salt, red pepper flakes and olive oil in a food processor, and pulse until finely chopped then set aside (you can easily make this the day before).

View fullsize

---

Zucchini Fritters

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups grated zucchini
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons bread crumbs
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• Pinch of Kosher salt
• Vegetable or canola oil
• Sour cream & diced green onions for serving
  
  

DIRECTIONS

• Put zucchini in the center of kitchen towel, fold up sides, twist at the top to make a tight package and then squeeze like crazy removing as much liquid as possible then put in a large bowl
• Add the flour, bread crumbs, egg, cheese, red pepper flakes, garlic powder and alt - mix really well to combine
• Heat pan and add a thin layer of oil
• Scoop a couple tablespoons of batter at a time and put into the pan - flatten out and cook about two minutes on each side until crispy and gorgeous
• Serve with sour cream and green onions to garnish
  

WATCH ME MAKE THIS

---

WAFFLE EGG IN A HOLE

Makes 1 waffle

What better way to celebrate National Waffle Day than with a waffle that has a fried egg in the middle?

INGREDIENTS

• 6 ounces of waffle batter
• 2 tablespoons diced crispy bacon
• Butter
• 1 egg
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat waffle iron
• Spray both sides with non-stick spray, add batter, sprinkle bacon on top and close lid - cook until done
• Remove waffle and cut a circle out of the center - large enough for the egg to go into band enough waffle left around the edges to hold it
• Heat non-stick griddle or pan, and add butter
• When the butter melts, put in the waffle with the cut-out circle beside it
• Crack an egg into the center of the waffle and season with salt and pepper to taste
• Cook until the egg is set on the bottom, carefully flip over (along with the cut out circle) and cooked until yolk side is set - remove to a plate along with the circle
• Cut and eat the egg and waffle together but use pieces of the cut out circle to dip into the yolk

Watch me make this

---

2 Ingredient Biscuits

The Easiest Biscuits EVER

Biscuits are too fussy you say…they take too much time you say.

Not anymore, cuz with only 2 ingredients you’ll be making and eating these all the time.

INGREDIENTS

• 1.5 cups self rising flour
• 3/4 cup heavy cream + a little extra for baking
• 1/4 teaspoon each Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 450
2. Mix all ingredients well in a bowl
3. Scoop 1 ounce portions onto a parchment lined baking sheet, and flatten slightly
4. Brush tops lightly with extra cream and bake about 10 minutes or until done

View fullsize

WATCH ME MAKE THIS RECIPE

---

GRILLED VEGGIE BURGERS

I’ve always been confused why ‘veggie burgers’ are seldom made from vegetables. Nuts, beans, grains, twigs…everything but actual vegetables.

Well, that stops right now. Because here is a magnificent ‘veggie burger’ with pesto and goat cheese that even your carnivore friends will appreciate.It’s awesome off thegrill, off thegrill panor off of whatever you’ve got. Go ahead, just make it.

Makes 4 burgers

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup store-bought pesto
• 1/3 cup softened goat cheese
• 2 large carrots, cut lengthwise into wide 1⁄4 inch thick strips
• 2 red bell peppers, sides cut off and core and seeds discarded
• 2 yellow peppers, sides cut off and core and seeds discarded
• 1 red onion, cut into 1⁄2-inch thick rounds
• 1 large eggplant, cut into 1⁄2-inch thick rounds
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 4 sourdough buns (if you can find them, and if not, whatever works for you)

Directions

1. Preheat the grill to medium-high.
2. Mix together the pesto and goat cheese—set aside.
3. Brush veggies lightly with oil, and season with salt and pepper.
4. Transfer the veggies to the grill and cook on both sides until tender and a little charred all over—this will be 7 to 10 minutes for the peppers and carrots and about 5 minutes for the onion and eggplant.
5. Toast the buns lightly on the grill. Spread the pesto mixture on the bottom of the buns and add the veggies and the top bun.

---

Udon with Shrimp

Yes, I make a lot of Asian food. And so should you cuzit’sway better for you than fast food and certainly much faster.

Serves 1

INGREDIENTS 

• 1/3 cup oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon sesame oil
• ½ pound peeled, deveined shrimp (31-40 size)
• 2 small bunches baby bok choy
• 1 package udon noodles – frozen noodles work too
• 1 tablespoon vegetable/canola oil
• Sesame seeds to garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine oyster sauce, soy and sesame oil in a small bowl – mix well
2. Add half the sauce to the shrimp and let marinate
3. Prepare bok choy-cut the ends to separate individual leaves
4. Cooking noodles according to package directions – adding bokchoy after about a minute
5. Heat a pan or wok over medium/high, add oil and marinated shrimp, cook until done - about 3 minutes
6. Drain noodles & bokchoy, put back in pot and mix with remaining sauce
7. Place the noodles/bok choy in a bowl and top with shrimp, garnish with sesame seeds

WATCH ME MAKE THIS

---

Chili Cheese Omelet

Makes 1

INGREDIENTS

• 15 oz can of chili, heated
• ½ tablespoon butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 slice Kraft American cheese (you can use any kind you like, but this kinda makes it)
• ¼ cup green onions, chopped for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Beat the eggs well in a bowl
2. Melt butter in a non-stick pan over medium heat, and add eggs.
3. If making a true omelet, allow the eggs to set - add chili to one half, cover with cheese and flip side with no chili over making a half moon - cook to desired doneness (which for me is not too dry)
4. Put on a plate, add a little more chili and garnish with green onions

---

Chili Cheese Waffle

Makes 2

INGREDIENTS

• 1 8.5 oz box Jiffy Corn Muffin mix  
• 1 egg, beaten
• ¾ cup milk
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon butter, softened
• 1 15 oz can of chili, heated
• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• ¼ cup sour cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat waffle iron
2. Combine muffin mix, egg, milk, oil and sugar in a large bowl - mix well
3. Spray both sides of waffle iron with non-stick spray, add batter, cook until done
4. Place on plate, spread lightly with butter, add chili, top with cheddar cheese and sour cream

---