Well the Olympics are over and it is time to say goodbye to Beijing. From Michael Phelps to the Redeem Team, these past Olympics have been exciting from start-to-finish.  Besides for the entertaining athletic performances, we enjoyed viewing the beatuful images of China.  Therefore, we wanted to share one of favorite Chinese recipes from the 86 Recipes San Francisco Edition.  This authentic recipe is courtesy of Yuet Lee, a local favorite situated in the middle of San Francisco’s Chinatown:

Stir-Fried Clams with Spicy Black Bean Sauce

4 Servings
Time: 15 Mins

INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp fermented black beans
2 tsp sugar - divided
2 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup cold water
Large pot boiling water
2 lb littleneck clams, scrubbed to remove sand
4 Tbsp peanut oil
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1 serrano pepper, sliced
1 Tbsp hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp dark soy sauce
1 Tbsp light soy sauce
1 cup chicken broth

INSTRUCTIONS

1 Soak black beans in hot water  for 10 mins to soften. Drain most of water  and stir in 1 tsp sugar.
2 Mix cornstarch with cold water. Set aside.
3 Put clams in a large pot of boiling water  until they just open. Remove, drain.
4 Heat wok, add oil. Stir-fry black beans, ginger, garlic, green onion and chiles quickly.
5 Add clams, hoisin sauce, both soy sauces, 1 tsp sugar and chicken broth. Stir quickly.  Remix cornstarch mixture and add to wok, stirring vigorously.

PRESENTATION
Mound on serving platter. Serve with rice.

Has the New Orleans restaurant industry fully recovered? There was a nice profile in the New York Times that examined the current state of the dining scene in the Crescent City. It sagely points out that a significant turning point has transpired: for the first time since Hurrican Katrina ocurred in 2005, the New Orleans Times-Picayune has given a formal restaurant review to Mr B’s Bistro.

The Times article also describes the central role that food played in the hurricane recovery effort, most notable how some chefs rode into town in pickup trucks filled with red beans and rice. The local restaurant industry is clearly on the rise since there are are 105 more restaurants than before the storm. However, owners are facing problems in finding qualified workers to staff their new eateries due to the city’s diminished population.

We at 86 Recipes applaud the rebuilding efforts of the restaurants in New Orleans and encourage all readers to pay them a visit.

As the summer weather shines on, we want to share a recipe of one of our favorite summer vegetables, the beet. If you are at the produce section or your local farmer’s market, look for beets that are firm and have smooth roots without splits. Try to find beets with the greens still attached, they are the freshest. This easy-to-make recipe is courtesy of Inoteca and found in the 86 Recipes New York Edition.

Salt-Roasted Beets with Orange, Mint, Pecorino and Hazelnuts

4 Servings

Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:
4 large red beets, tops cut off and washed
Salt
1 cup hazelnuts
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 large navel oranges, peeled and segmented
Mint leaves
Pecorino cheese (preferably a young one), shaved
Hazelnut oil (for garnish)

Instructions:
1. Place beets top side down in a bed of salt on a baking sheet and roast at 400° F until a knife will go in and out easily (approx 40 mins).
2. Place the hazelnuts in a sauté pan and cover with olive oil. Sauté on low heat until nuts are golden brown.
Set aside and cool.
3. Peel beets and cut into segments (6-8 apiece depending on size).

Presentation:
1. Arrange beets on bottom of plate. Top with orange segments, mint leaves and pecorino cheese.
2. Finish with roasted hazelnuts and as much of the hazelnut oil as desired.

Now that summer is heating up, here is a very refreshing recipe to cool you down. Courtesy of Betelnut Pejiu Wu restaurant in San Francisco, this recipe for Chilled Watermelon Salad with Watermelon Granité is prefect for lazy afternoons in the backyard or patio during the upcoming summer months. Enjoy!

6 to 8 Servings

Time: 30 Minutes

INGREDIENTS:

DRESSING:
2 cups orange juice
2 limes, zested and juiced
10 mint leaves, roughly chopped
2 oranges, peeled and cubed

WATERMELON:
1 seedless watermelon (about 8-10 lb)

GRANITÉ:
Remaining watermelon
Sugar - only if needed

GARNISH:
Sea salt
Zest of lime
Zest of orange

INSTRUCTIONS:

DRESSING:
Blend the dressing until the mint is finely chopped.

WATERMELON:
1. Peel 1/2 seedless watermelon, cut into 3/4-inch cubes and chill.
2. Toss the watermelon cubes with the dressing and place it in a glass bowl.

GRANITÉ:
1. Peel and and place the remaining watermelon in a blender. Process until smooth.
2. Add sugar if needed.
3. Place in a bowl and freeze. Check every 15 mins and scrape with a fork. Granité is ready when it turns into an icy slush.

PRESENTATION:
1. Scoop the granité on top of the watermelon cubes.
2. Sprinkle with sea salt and garnish with the lime and orange zests.
3. Serve immediately.

T-2 days until the weekend…and in most parts of the country, the weather will be spectacular! Here is another great Memorial Day recipe to help you BBQ in style. This healthy recipe for Grilled Margarita-Marinated Chicken Breast can work in a lot of ways. You can serve the chicken breast whole in a sandwich, cube it for a kebab, or slice it and add to a salad (think avacado and jicama). Also, it is a fantastic pairing to another Memorial Day classic: the margarita… Enjoy!

Recipe from the New York Edition courtesy of Citrus Bar and Grill

Grilled Margarita-Marinated Chicken Breast

4 Servings
Time: 20 Mins (6 Hrs to marinate)

INGREDIENTS:
4 chicken breasts, pounded
1 cup fresh lime juice
1 cup tequila blanco
1 cup triple sec
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 jalapeño pepper, sliced
(remove the seeds for a milder marinade)
1 bunch fresh cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Mix all marinade ingredients in large nonmetal bowl.
2. Place pounded chicken breasts in the bowl and marinate for 6 hrs in the refrigerator.
3. Remove the chicken breasts from marinade and place on grill pan at medium heat.
4. Turn the breasts over when half cooked (about 4 mins each side).
5. Remove from pan and slice or cube.

We can’t wait for the weekend! Why?…Because Memorial Day Weekend is the official start to the BBQ season. So, if you will be in the backyard, at the beach, or on a rooftop, get ready to breakout your grills. 86 Recipes will provide some great recipe ideas for your weekend BBQs throughout the week, so be sure to check in…. The first recipe is from the New York Edition courtesy of Rain:

Thai-Style Grilled Steak with Lime Dipping Sauce

6 Servings

Time:
20 mins
3 hrs (to refrigerate)

INGREDIENTS:
Steak:
1 cup oyster sauce
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup minced garlic
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup coarse ground pepper
1 cup canola oil
(6) 10-oz sirloin steaks

Lime Dipping Sauce:
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup fish sauce
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp chili flakes
1 Tbsp minced shallots
1 tsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp chopped mint

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Mix all of the marinade ingredients together. Pour over steaks and let marinade at least 3 hrs in refrigerator. Drain.
2. Grill steaks to desired doneness.
3. Combine dipping sauce ingredients.

PRESENTATION:
Serve grilled steaks with Lime Dipping Sauce. Also serve with grilled vegetables and fresh market green salad.

We are looking forward to tonight’s NBA playoffs as the defending champs, San Antonio Spurs visit the Bayou and take on the upstart New Orleans Hornets in an enticing sudden-death Game 7. This is a classic matchup of Old vs. New as the veteran squad of Tim Duncan & Co. bring their 4 championship rings to Chris Paul and his team of young gunners…should be must-see TV. Inspired by this game, we at 86 Recipes take a look at both of these fantastic food towns. The Alamo City may boast some of the best Tex-Mex in world, but it also offers some delicous options in Barbeque and Soul Food. However, Tex-Mex is still the king, and, when you visit the Riverwalk, you definitely should sample some queso flameado, carne asada, chili relleno, menudo, enchiladas, and chalupas. Now, we all know that the Crescent City is the epicenter of creole standards such as gumbo, jambalaya, shrimp remoulade, beignets and the ever-so-tasty mufuletta. However, you can also find some other interesting offferenings in the Big Easy (yeah, we are going all out with city nicknames)…so, when you are exploring the French Quarter and its surroundings, try some Italian, Asian or Latin American. Do you have an opinion in the the San Antonio vs. New Orleans food debate? By the way, we are pulling for the Hornets tonight just because the Spurs need to share the wealth.

Inspired by this week’s episode of “Top Chef“, we have been obsessing over healthy and hearty lunch options. For all of you who have the epsiode on TiVo, DVR or even, old-school VHS tape, we won’t spoil the results…so you can keep reading. The elimination challenge dared the competitors to make “box lunches” for Chicago’s finest. From bison to faux “sushi”, the chefs’ lunches were diverse. Here at 86 Recipes, we feel that Westville’s Cast-Iron Turkey Burger from the New York Edition would blow away the competiton. However, unlike in the show, we recommend that you cook it fresh…avoid the microwave.

Cast-Iron Turkey Burger

4 Servings
Time: 30 Mins

INGREDIENTS:
2 lbs freshly ground turkey breast
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 large egg
Salt and pepper apply liberally
Olive oil
4 Portuguese or English muffins, halved
Cheese of your choice

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Put turkey, garlic, egg, salt and pepper in bowl, mix together lightly with your hands. Form 4 patties.
2. Heat pan or cast-iron skillet. Add 2 Tbsp of olive oil and be sure it covers all round.
3. When the oil is about smoking, place the burgers in pan, cook about 4 mins, flip the burgers for another 4 mins.
The burgers should have a browned crispy, crust when flipped.
4. Preheat oven to 450° F. Place the muffins on the top shelf of the oven, just on the rack.
5. Put in pan with burgers. Let cook for about 5 mins.
6. Place cheese on top of each burger, melt cheese. Put burgers on muffins.

It is Spring! The weather is warmer, the flowers are blooming and the farmer’s markets & gardens are filled with spring vegetables. Here is a wonderful recipe from the 86 Recipes San Francisco Editon that includes one of our favorite spring vegetables, the cauliflower.

Recipe courtesy of Executive Chef Roland Passot of La Folie

Chilled Cauliflower Soup

4 Servings

30: Mins

INGREDIENTS

1/2 stick unsalted butter
5-7 shallots
1 head cauliflower, in
small pieces
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 cup chicken stock
(preferred) or vegetable
stock
1-1/2 cups cream

CAULIFLOWER SOUP

1. In medium pot, melt butter and
cook shallots on low, not letting
them brown.
2. When shallots are translucent,
add the cauliflower, salt, and
pepper.
3. Heat through and then add the
chicken stock.
4. When the cauliflower becomes
soft, add the cream and bring
to a boil.
5. Remove the soup from the
heat.
6. Blend, strain, and immediately
cool the soup in an ice bath.
Serve chilled.

Here is a fantastic recipe for Corned Beef Hash…perfect for a Mother’s Day brunch! This recipe is courtesy of LeRoy & Aurora Bautista at Refuel Cafe in Carrollton from the 86 Recipes New Orleans Editon.

Corned Beef Hash

4 Servings
Time: 30 Mins

INGREDIENTS

HASH AND EGGS
1 lb medium red potatoes, skin on, cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 lb cooked corned beef, sliced into thin strips
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
8 large eggs (optional)

HASH AND EGGS
1 Preheat oven to 350°F.
2 Sauté potatoes in butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 mins. 3 Add onion, bell pepper, tarragon and parsley and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, about 3 mins.
4 Stir in corned beef. Add salt and pepper to taste and place into oven while preparing eggs.
5 In a separate nonstick skillet, prepare eggs to your desired doneness; sunny side up is recommended.

PRESENTATION
Remove hash from oven, distribute evenly on 4 plates, place two eggs atop each portion.