Magic Miso-Mayo

From Keepers.

Store it in a squirt bottle (recycle a plastic mayonnaise or ketchup container) and put it on basically everything: burgers, sandwiches, eggs, crudites, rice dishes, grilled steak or fish, directly into your mouth .... You can double or triple the recipe, depending on how much you fall for it.

In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon white miso paste and a squeeze of lime juice until smooth. Check the seasonings. This will keep, covered in the refrigerator, for up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 1/2 cup.

Everyday Pork Meatballs

This is the second recipe I've tried from the Keepers cookbook.

Serves 4.

We call this meatballs "everyday" because they are more versatile than the traditional Italian tomato sauce-coated variety. Lightly flavored with ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil, they can be served with rice or other grains, slaws, over a bowl of udon noodles, or added to broths and soups. 

Here's another idea borrowed from banh mi: Take a her role or a 6-inch piece of baguette and split it in half lengthwise, keeping the bread attached on one side Spread Magic Miso Mayo or plain mayonnaise on both halves then add three meatballs, some shredded carrots, sliced cucumbers, cilantro sprigs, lime juice and if you like heat, Sriracha. Squeeze the halves together and enjoy.

1 large egg
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 scallions (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1-1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Grated zest of 1 lime
Salt and pepper
1 pound (0.454 kilo) ground pork
1/4 cup panko or dried breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 400F with a rack in the upper third position.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg. Add the garlic, scallions, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, lime zest, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and stir together. Add the pork and panko and gently mix together with a fork or your hands. The mixture will be a little wet and soft.

Shape the meat mixture into about 16 ping-pong-size balls (or use ice cream scoop)and put in a baking dish (lined with foil for easier cleanup if  you like). Bake until just cooked through, about 15 minutes. Serve  hot.

Tip: If you happen to have Magic Miso-Mayo (recipe below) in the fridge, try brushing some on top of the meatballs before baking; it transforms into a tasty glaze.

We often double the recipe and freeze half the meatballs either raw or cooked. If you're cooking them first, let them cool before placing in the freezer. To serve, defrost overnight in the refrigerator Cook raw ones as directed above. Heat cooked ones in the oven or microwave.

Magic Miso-Mayo  (makes about 1/2 cup)
In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon white miso paste, and a squeeze of lime juice until smooth. Check the seasonings. The Magic Miso-Mayo will keep, covered in the refrigerator, for up to 2 weeks.

Spicy Pan-Fried Noodles

From New York Times

Garlicky, gingery and as spicy as you dare to make it, this Asian-influenced pan-fried noodle dish comes together in minutes. Most of the ingredients are pantry staples, which means you can make it whenever you need a comforting noodle dish that comes with a bite. If you can’t find the Chinese egg noodles (also called Hong Kong-style noodles), you can make this with rice noodles or soba. The key is to only boil them until they are halfway done. (They should be pliable but still firm in the center.) They will finish cooking when you pan-fry them.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup thinly sliced scallions (about a bunch; use both whites and greens)
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce, more to taste
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons rice wine or sherry vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, more as needed
• 6 ounces Chinese (also called Hong Kong) egg noodles, soba noodles or rice noodles
• 2 ½ tablespoons peanut, grapeseed, safflower or vegetable oil, more as needed
• 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 large eggs, beaten with a fork
• 2 cups washed baby spinach or 1/2 cup thawed edamame (optional)
• 1 to 2 teaspoons sriracha or other hot sauce, or to taste
•  Juice of 1/2 lime, or to taste
• 1 cup cilantro leaves
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds or chopped roasted peanuts, optional

PREPARATION

1. In a small bowl, combine the scallions, soy sauce, ginger, rice wine or vinegar, sesame oil and salt. Let stand while you prepare the noodles.
2. In a large pot of boiling water, cook noodles until they are halfway done according to package instructions. (They should still be quite firm.) Drain well and toss with 1/2 tablespoon of the peanut oil to keep them from sticking, and spread them out on a plate or baking sheet.
3. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 2 tablespoons of peanut oil. Add the garlic and cook until crisp and golden around the edges, 1 to 2 minutes. Add half the scallion mixture and stir-fry until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add noodles; stir-fry until noodles are hot and lightly coated with sauce, about 30 seconds. Add eggs, spinach or edamame if using, sriracha, and remaining scallion mixture and continue to stir-fry until the eggs are cooked, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice. Garnish with cilantro and sesame seeds or peanuts.