Cooking for Two (7 page)

1.
Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Swirl in the oil, then stir in the onion and bell pepper and cook for about 3 minutes, or until soft and fragrant, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and cook for just 15 seconds; then crumble in the ground beef and pork. Cook for 2 minutes, just until the meat is lightly browned, stirring often.

2.
Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and oregano; cook for 30 seconds to toast the spices, stirring constantly. (Do not stand over the pot—the volatilized chile oils may burn your eyes.) Stir in the beer and chocolate,
and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3.
Stir in the tomato paste just until melted. Continue simmering for 15 minutes, partially covered, or until the chili is quite thick, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and serve immediately.

S
UKIYAKI
makes
2 servings

T
his version of the Japanese classic is so simple, you can add it to your weekly repertoire. Bring the sauté pan right to the table; then ladle the rich broth, vegetables, and meat into your bowls. Either type of noodle you choose is available in the Asian aisle of most supermarkets. Mung bean noodles are made from ground bean sprouts; yam starch noodles are made from a starchy white tuber grown in the mountains of northern Japan.

1.
Whisk the soy sauce, mirin, water, and sugar in a small saucepan set over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring the mixture to a simmer, turn off the heat, and cover the pan to keep the mixture warm while you prepare the dish.

2.
Heat a 10-inch high-sided sauté pan or cast-iron skillet over high heat until smoking. Swirl in the oil, then lay the tenderloin slices in the pan. Sear them for 10 seconds, turn, then sear for another 10 seconds. Reduce the heat to medium and mound the pieces of beef into one-quarter of the pan. Arrange the tofu, enoki, and noodles in the other
quarters. Pour in the warmed soy sauce mixture, then mound the seal-lions in the center. Cover and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, then serve.

Salads have long been on the short list of our small-batch repertoire. Unfortunately, they can also suffer from, well, a lack of imagination. So here is a set of salad recipes to break the boredom. Main courses all, they’re perfect for summer evenings or weekend lunches, served up in portions for two. Look for medium tomatoes and small heads of lettuce that will allow you to make a fresh salad tonight without waste or leftovers. For the freshest taste, our best advice is to eat produce the day you buy it. That way, it stays out of the refrigerator, which indeed inhibits rot but also masks the flavors of fresh vegetables by causing their sugars and starches to break down. While a cool salad may be refreshing on a hot day, a room-temperature salad will always taste better.

S
ALADE AUX
L
ARDONS
S
ALAD
with
P
OACHED
E
GG
and
W
ARM
B
ACON
D
RESSING
makes
2 servings

I
n this classic bistro salad, torn pieces of frisée (also called curly endive—a feathery, peppery green) are topped with bacon and a poached egg. We’ve spiked the dressing with honey and mustard; otherwise, it’s a quick, simple dinner, ready in minutes. Look for tight, compact frisée heads, with green tips and a pure white base to the leaves. The ratio of green to white indicates the relative bitterness of the frisée: less white means less astringent frisée. Slab bacon is often available shrink-wrapped in the meat section or directly from your butcher.

1.
Spread the bacon pieces evenly in a medium skillet, then place the skillet over low heat. When the bacon begins to sizzle, stir it well, then sauté for about 15 minutes, or until crispy and irresistible. Don’t be tempted to raise the heat: the low cooking temperature will help render the fat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon from the skillet to a plate lined with paper towels, but keep the fat in the pan.

2.
Raise the heat to medium, add the shallot, and cook for 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Remove the skillet from the heat and whisk the 1 ½ tablespoons vinegar, the mustard, honey, and pepper right into the pan, mixing
until the dressing is thick, slightly opaque, and emulsified. Set aside on the stove to keep warm.

3.
Bring a medium saucepan filled halfway with water to a boil over high heat. Crack each of the eggs into two small bowls or teacups. Stir the remaining ¼ teaspoon of vinegar into the boiling water, then slip the eggs from the bowls into the pan. Cover and poach the eggs for about 3 minutes, or just until the yolks are set. Meanwhile, divide the frisée between two dinner plates. Top with the crispy bacon.

4.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer one poached egg to each of the two plates, placing the eggs on top of the salad. Rewhisk the dressing, then drizzle half over each salad. Serve immediately.

P
ORK
S
ATAY
S
ALAD
makes
one large composed salad

S
atay is an everyday street food of Southeast Asia. Technically, it’s marinated strips of meat, skewered and grilled over an open fire. The marinade is sweet, a little sour, peppery with ginger and chiles, and quite irresistible. We’ve turned that classic marinade into a dressing for this light, refreshing salad, topped with marinated pork tenderloin and sprinkled with mint, peanuts, and coconut.

1.
To make the satay marinade, whisk the lime juice, ginger, brown sugar, nam pla, peanut oil, red chili paste, and garlic in a medium bowl until the sugar dissolves.

2.
Place the pork tenderloin slices in a separate medium bowl. Spoon 6 tablespoons of the marinade over the sliced pork, toss well to coat, then cover and set aside at room temperature for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reserve the remaining lime juice marinade as a dressing for the salad.

3.
Place the broiling rack or a lipped baking sheet 4 to 6 inches from the heat source; preheat the broiler. You can line the rack or the baking sheet with aluminum foil to facilitate cleanup later on. Without draining them, lay the marinated pork slices on the rack and broil for 5 minutes, until browned and cooked through, turning once. Discard the marinade they’ve been soaking in.

4.
Gently toss the lettuce, radishes, cilantro, and mint on a serving platter until well combined. Sprinkle with the peanuts and coconut; top with the cooked pork slices. Spoon the reserved lime juice mixture over the platter as the dressing. Serve immediately.

S
OUTHWESTERN
S
ALAD
with
C
HICKEN
, G
RAPEFRUIT
,
and
C
UMIN
V
INAIGRETTE
makes
one large composed salad