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Tag: Sichuan pepper

  • Enjoying String Beans: Where to Find Great Recipes

    Yesterday, we told you a bit about string beans. Today, we'll give you some ways to enjoy them once you've brought them home from the market.

    IMG_6665 - Version 22013-07-24-stillman's-city Hall-© 2011 Penny Cherubino copy

    Bean Recipes

    It may also be that French onion soup mix green bean casseroles linger in the minds of some non-bean eaters. But with our exposure to more ethnic food these days, you can discover what other cultures do with beans and then create your own versions. 

    IMG_3708 - Version 22015-09-11vegetable-string-beans-cookbooks-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    Three cookbooks were by my side as I researched this topic: The New James Beard, Vegetable Love by Barbara Kafka, and Salad as a Meal by Patricia Wells.

    James Beard expressed my feelings that beans should be cooked, "… until the raw taste disappears but they still retain a fresh taste and a crispness to the bite."

    Barbara Kafka has a great recipe for long-cooked Romano beans and Patricia Wells took string beans to Salade Nicoise perfection and beyond.

    Romano bean

    The Romano bean is a favorite with Italian cooks and it is one bean that needs a long, slow cooking method to tenderize its tough shell. Yesterday, Russ Parsons explained why you no longer have to sting beans. When it comes to this flat wide bean, Parsons suggests that you, “Simmer freshly chopped tomatoes, onions, garlic and pancetta; add Romano beans and stew until they’re tender, which could take 45 minutes or even longer. The texture is silky and the depth of flavor is amazing.” For a summer cookout, this could be a great slow cooker recipe.

    Spicy Green Beans

    Asian cooks like to add spice to beans. In a traditional Sichuan spicy green bean recipe, the beans are stir-fried in a very hot wok until they are tender, wrinkled, and slightly charred in a few spots. They are sauced with a mixture of rice wine, chili bean sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and salt. Finally, the beans are removed from the pan and chilies. Sichuan pepper, garlic, ginger, and scallions are stir-fried for about 30 seconds and then the beans are returned and mixed.  

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    IMG_3715 - Version 22015-09-11vegetable-string-beans-cookbooks-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    Bean Salad

    In summer, you can add as many types of cooked beans as you like to your favorite vinaigrette and make a 3, 5, or 7 bean salad. This is a healthy side dish that you can bring to a potluck or keep in the refrigerator to make meal planning simpler during a busy week.

    Last year, I reviewed the delightful cookbook, Morning Glory's Farm Food. One of the recipes I loved was for the Green Bean and Pasta Salad shown in the photo above in the book. 

    Now that you are no longer someone who “doesn’t know beans” about beans, I hope you’ll celebrate when you see a bin of beans at the market. I recommend buying a bunch and doing something different with them that will make you “full of beans.”

    What's on your Food Lover's shopping list?

    Details:

    Words: Penny Cherubino  (Adapted for the web from one of her Fresh & Local Newspaper columns.)
    Photos: ©2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

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  • Mary Chung Dun Dun Noodle Craving– Satisfied!

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    All you have to say is Mary Chung and Penny starts craving Dun Dun Noodles. (The noodles are hiding under all that lovely, spicy topping in the photo above.)

    Last week, the crew over on Boston Chowhound began a discussion of Chinese and Chinese-American food, so of course Mary Chung was included. That was enough to put it on our lunch list. We arrived at 12:30 pm and had to wait a few minutes for a table. It's good to see an old favorite still filling the seats on a Thursday afternoon.

    We're convinced that the Sichuan pepper in those Dun Dun noodles is addictive. It numbs your mouth just enough to make you receptive to the chili oil and other heat-makers in the dish. You have to make yourself stop reaching for the noodle bowl so you can try the other dishes on the table. 

    IMG_4673 - Version 22012-02-16-mary-chung-aspargus-pork-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    In our case, this included one of the daily specials, this wonderful, fresh, crisp plate of aspargus and pork. While the printed menu is giant, always check the daily specials taped to the register area up front. 

    IMG_4664 - Version 22012-02-16-mary-chung-stir fry-peking-ravioli-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    And, we did have to take home the leftovers because we couldn't resist starting with the pan fried Peking ravioli.  

    This Central Square, Cambridge institution has been delivering great Chinese food for years. Reviewers mention that it's been around since the early 1980s. And, this is a perfect place to gather a group and fill one of the big round tables with shared food. 

    Do you have a favorite Mary Chung menu item? Please tell us, we want to get out of our ordering rut and work our way through the menu!

    Tips:

    • Check those specials.
    • They do a type of Dim Sum on weekends.
    • You can reserve a table for a group, and if you want it on a weekend, call early.
    • Order rice if you want it.
    • They only take cash so come prepared.
    • They do serve beer and wine, but somehow the pots of tea they put on the table seem perfect with the food.

    Related Posts: Here's more about Food & Drink!

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    Details:

    Mary Chung Restaurant

    464 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139-4132 (map & reviews)

    (617) 864-1991

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

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