Family Dinner

A few months ago, I moved into a new apartment in the Inner Richmond neighborhood in San Francisco. It's a spacious three bedroom, 2.5 bath, with a huge kitchen, dining room and living room. We also have a nice backyard and a garage. It's the ideal space for entertaining and dinner parties. I forgot how wonderful it is to have a dining room! We've decorated it with various wine-related items (like this awesome poster that my friend gave me and I had framed), as well as a corner bookshelf where we keep glassware and cookbooks. It might be my favorite room in the apartment (other than my private bathroom).


So naturally, we've instigated "family dinners" which we tend to have every other Wednesday. I usually do the cooking, with the help of my roommates, and we invite a few friends over for wining and dining. Last night we made an Asian inspired meal, and all dishes were things that I had never made before! An Asian Virgin, if you will.

Miso Soup
(makes 5 servings)

Ingredients:

• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 sheet of shredded nori (seaweed)
• 1 block of tofu, cubed in 1-inch pieces
• heaping 1/3 cup of white miso paste
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1 teaspoon of low sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon of sesame oil
  

Preparation:

• Simmer vegetable broth and water
• add seaweed and cook for 5 minutes, let simmer
• lower heat and add the rest of the ingredients, letting the miso disolve. Cook for about 5 minutes on lowest heat
• Serve and enjoy!

Broccoli with Anchovy Paste, Garlic, Lemon and Breadcrumbs
(serves 4-5)

Ingredients:

• 2 broccoli heads
• 2 TB anchovy paste
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 TB olive oil
• juice of one lemon
• 1/2 cup of whole wheat breadcrumbs

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 350
• Bring a large pot of water to boil. Once water is boiled, add broccoli florets and cook for 2-3 minutes
  
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet
• Add chopped garlic and anchovy paste, stir
• Drain broccoli and add to skillet
• Stir to coat with olive oil mixture and add lemon juice.
• Cook for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a baking dish
  
• Top with breadcrumbs and bake for 5-10 minutes, or until crumbs have crisped
• Serve and enjoy!

Miso Sriracha Glazed Salmon (from The Sriracha Cookbook)
(serves 6)

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup white miso paste
• 3 Tbsp Sriracha
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 6 6-oz salmon fillets, about 1 inch thick
• Steamed rice, to serve
• Sliced green onions, for garnish (optional)

Preparation:

• Preheat the broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, and set aside.
• In a small nonreactive mixing bowl, combine the oil, brown sugar, soy sauce, miso paste, Sriracha and garlic.
• Place the salmon on the prepared baking sheet, and baste with the Sriracha mixture. Broil 6 inches from the flame, basting the fish once more after 2-3 minutes. Broil for a total of about 10 minutes, depending on the efficiency of your broiler. Watch the fish carefully while you cook. The basting liquid is prone to smoking (or burning) because of the sugar in it.
• Serve over steamed rice, and garnish with green onions.