Some Simple Dishes

One of the things I learned early on when starting to cook was the use of some simple flavor combinations that can serve as the base for a number of different preparations and improvisations as well.

I was grilling this weekend and wanted to make a number of dishes but not have to do any research. I started with a couple of preparations that used a standard Asian flavor base of oil, sherry, soy sauce, and brown sugar.

Pork Marinade - I was making country ribs (more of a roast than like spare ribs). To the base I added ginger, garlic, Thai basil and miso (a fermented soy bean paste with a sweet salty flavor). The meat was marinated for 5 hours, browned over the grill and cooked over indirect heat with the grill closed for and additional 25 minutes.

Spicy Jicama Salad - The dressing used the Asian flavor base with the substitution of rice wine vinegar for the sherry. I added some Chinese chili garlic paste (you can find this in most grocery stores) for the heat. To the dressing I put shredded jicama (a Mexican vegetable that is quite crispy and sweet) and let it rest for an hour to let the flavors meld.

I also had a simple tomato salad with just good olive oil, basil from the garden, salt and pepper. When you have great tomatoes from your garden or a farm stand, you don't need any more.

Corn is also in season here. I made a simple side dish by grilling some previously steamed corn, and some red bell peppers while I grilled the meat. I then cut the corn off the cob, chopped up the peppers and mixed them up. Incredible how good such a simple dish was.

Bon Apetit