cup mayonnaise
1 cup heavy cream or ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
METHOD
– Place Roquefort or blue cheese, mayonnaise, cream or yogurt, vinegar or lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl.
– Mash with a fork until relatively smooth. Store in a covered jar in the refrigerator. For chunkier dressing, reserve a third of the cheese, break into small chunks, and add after mixing.
FOOD SOURCE: It is not necessary to purchase expensive Roquefort or blue cheese for this recipe. I often go to Armen Market for their gorgonzola.
A SAMPLING OF MINH’S PANTRY ESSENTIALS
Minh Phan’s beautiful food usually starts with a base, such as her signature porridges, whose subtle taste allows for the addition of more intense flavors that come from personally crafted pantry items. Her judicious and informed use of simple-to-make ingredients yields unique and complex flavors. I have found that these ingredients serve as a kit of parts, interchangeable and applicable to my own food as well.
MINH’S NEGI OIL
Makes approximately 1 cup
INGREDIENTS
1 bunch Negi (Japanese onions) or green onions, finely sliced, green sections separated from white
1 cup grapeseed oil, divided
METHOD
– Place the white sections of the onions in a medium heat-proof bowl.
– In a small pan over a medium flame, heat ¾ cup oil.
– When the oil is hot (around 350°), remove pan from heat and add the remaining ¼ cup oil. The temperature of the oil will reduce to about 250°.
– Pour the oil over the white onion slices; let stand for 1 minute.
– Add the green sections of the onions.
– Cover the bowl and let onions steep at room temperature for 24 hours.
– Strain the oil into a pourable container, discarding the onions.
– Store Negi Oil, covered, in the refrigerator, for use as needed. It will last up to 2 weeks.
MINH’S MAKRUT COMPOUND BUTTER
Makes an 8-ounce roll or a small bowl
INGREDIENTS
⅓ cup cream
Salt to taste (Minh suggests Jacobsen’s salt)
12 to 15 makrut leaves, washed, dried, and sliced into thin strips
Zest of 1 makrut lime (optional, as it is hard to find the limes for purchase)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
METHOD
– Place cream and 1 or 2 pinches of salt in a 3-quart saucepan. Add the makrut leaves and steep over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes.
– Let mixture cool; remove makrut leaves, reserving a few strips if you don’t have zest.
– Mash cream and a pinch more salt into butter. Add zest, if available, or makrut strips.
– Place butter mixture on an 8-inch square of parchment paper, form into a roll, and twist the ends shut, or press mixture into a small bowl.
– Keep makrut butter in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 2 weeks.
Minh Phan’s “mise en place”: shallots, ginger, lemongrass, habanero chiles, fennel fronds, and amaranth, used for dishes such as Vegan Porridge (see page 130) and her other imaginative recipes.
MINH’S GERANIUM PICKLED BABY ONIONS
These are not only delicious, but absolutely beautiful, resembling tiny rose petals on a plate.
Makes 1 cup
INGREDIENTS
1 cup rice vinegar
¼ cup sugar
Pinch salt
½ cup water
½ cup rose geranium leaves, packed
¼ pound baby red pearl onions, outer skin peeled, and cut in half
METHOD
– In a 3-quart saucepan over high heat, stir rice vinegar, sugar, salt, and ½ cup water until sugar and salt are dissolved.
– Place geranium leaves in the bottom of a clean 16-ounce glass jar.
– Add onions, then pour hot vinegar mixture over onions and geranium leaves.
– The onions will become flavorful within 3 to 4 hours. Keep in the refrigerator, covered, up to 4 weeks.
MINH’S HABANERO AND KUMQUAT SALT
When prepping hot chiles such as habaneros, it is necessary to wear gloves.
Makes 1 cup
INGREDIENTS
10 kumquats, peels only
2 habanero chiles, cut in half, stem and seeds removed, cut into ¼-inch strips
1 cup kosher salt (Minh suggests Jacobsen’s salt)
METHOD
– Place kumquat peels and chiles on a rack set onto a half-sheet baking pan for air circulation. Place the pan in a warm oven overnight.
– Grind the kumquat peels, chiles, and salt in a mortar and pestle or pulse in a food processor to combine.
– Pour salt mixture onto a parchment-lined baking pan; place on your
