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Gorgeous salmon sushi bowls are a symphony of colors, flavors, and textures.
Make mine spicy, please
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Jack Bishop
Author, editor, and avid home cook
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Chile-based condiments are an easy way to build flavor. They last in the fridge for a long, long time. And because they are made with other ingredients, these condiments bring more than just heat to the party. This week’s recipes are not set-your-mouth-on-fire hot. They are, however, very well seasoned.
Three-ingredient sriracha mayo comes to the table, so everyone can control the heat in these eye-catching salmon sushi bowls. Seasoned rice vinegar (which contains sugar and salt) adds just the right amount of pucker and makes the spicy mayo more fluid. Pan-seared salmon and sticky sushi rice drizzled with more seasoned rice vinegar are your anchors here, but otherwise feel free to choose your own adventure when designing these bowls. Cucumber, radishes, avocado, edamame, carrot ribbons, mesclun, watercress, store-bought fried shallots, cubes of ripe mango, crumbled roasted seaweed snacks, pickled ginger, sesame seeds, and chopped pistachios are all possibilities. Be creative!
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Ground turkey is an overlooked stir-fry option. I think cooks worry it will be dry. But if you buy regular ground turkey (93 percent lean) rather than ground turkey breast (99 percent lean), you’re off to a good start. This smart turkey and celery stir-fry relies on a little baking soda in an otherwise classic oyster sauce and sesame oil marinade to keep the turkey tender, even when it’s cooked in a very hot pan. Equally overlooked celery is a revelation when sliced on the bias into dramatic pieces. Sambal oelek (an Indonesian staple with chiles, vinegar, and salt) punches up the stir-fry sauce. If you don’t have sambal oelek, use chili-garlic sauce or sriracha instead.
I cook with a lot of jarred crushed (sometimes labeled “chopped”) Calabrian chiles. In addition to fruity and funky chiles, this coarse paste from southern Italy is typically made with oil, garlic, and basil. A spoonful adds zip to pasta sauces, dips, soups, scrambled eggs, rice, and pizzas. Crushed Calabrian chiles really shine in this saucy shrimp dish that reminds me of scampi but minus the butter and with bolder flavors. There’s white wine, garlic, fennel seeds, anchovies, Sambuca (or any anise-flavored spirit), basil, olive oil, and chiles. Wow! Enjoy every drop by serving with bread (my preference) or tossing with a pound of pasta.
A simple gochujang glaze is the key element in seared chicken tenderloins with Korean flavors. Gochujang is actually more savory and sweet than spicy. And because it’s fermented, gochujang really amps up the umami in what otherwise is a plain cut of meat. Store-bought kimchi, mayo, and a touch of sugar transform bagged coleslaw mix into an exciting sweet-and-sour-and-spicy side.
Chile-based condiments effortlessly provide complex flavor, but sometimes I want the pure taste of fresh chiles. Jalapeños shine in a blender cilantro chutney paired with samosa-inspired crispy potato cakes. Dress mesclun with some of the same spicy cilantro sauce and you’ve got a complete vegetarian supper. That said, a dollop of yogurt and warm naan would be lovely additions.
Shake up your dinner routine this week. And remind any skeptics in your home that “spicy” is just another way of saying “well seasoned.”
P.S. Have comments or suggestions? Drop me a line at [email protected].
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