This was made to go with steak in lieu of spinach. It has a similar texture, but doesn’t carry that oxalic acid texture that spinach sometimes has that makes the teeth feel furry. Also, mei-quin has a brighter flavor that goes well with hanger or flap steak and grass fed beef, and makes a nice foil to the flavor imbued by grilling.
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This is a sort of modern California riff on the steakhouse classic of steak with maître d’hôtel butter served with spinach. While a baked potato or frites might be what comes to mind as a starch, I’d go for Pommes Anna instead. The recipe calls for a hanger steak- there is one per animal and it has a strip of gristle running down the center that must be cut away (ask the butcher to do it) – which has a wonderful “beefy” flavor. However, if you like meat cooked more well done, this is not the cut for you. Anything past medium and the steak is chewy as wet saddle leather. Other cuts that are flavorful and off the beaten path include flap, chuck eye, and flatiron. The last is a steak that is flavorful like a chuck steak, but has the tenderness of filet, except for a strip of gristle running through the middle. Cut it out after you have cooked it or you end up cutting the steak into tiny bits that cook too fast. Be sure you use a hot flame or pan so the meat chars a bit, as that flavor is part of the overall appeal.
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A quick sauté with lots of earthy green flavors with funky overtones from the onions and garlic chives. Use this as a side for chicken of pork strips, add tofu, or add some cooked Chinese style noodles.
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“Condiment” is used for lack of any better word, but I suppose salsa, jam, or chutney could be used as well. It is, essentially, sweet vegetables cooked until melting, to boost the flavors of earthy late season peppers. This is used as a topping for seared and quickly braised mei quin. Use as a side dish, add ground pork, tofu, or bits of leftover chicken and serve with rice for a main. A mandolin is very helpful with this recipe.
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Since the main components of this dish are large, this is a knife and fork dish. It can serve as a base for something larger like fish, or you can use it as a side. Add some slices of pork and some noodles and it can be a one-pot full meal.
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Not quite a stir-fry, this is a dish where a small amount of liquid is introduced to steam the vegetables and form a bit of sauce. In traditional Chinese cooking this is viewed as a braise. This sort of braising is used on vegetables with a more delicate texture or flavor. For this dish you will need a 10 inch pan or wok that has a tight fitting lid.
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Here is another mei quin and shiitake recipe. This version has a little more depth of flavor that comes from the Ground Bean Paste, and the shiitake flavor is less prominent. Although based on traditional Chinese techniques and ingredients, I doubt you’ll find it in any restaurant. My family loved it, even the kids.
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Although this seems like a lot of ingredients, this recipe utilizes two components that are then combined for the end product. The second set of ingredients is used to flavor the choi and uses the stems that would usually be discarded, which bothered me. When I first did this recipe, I was tossing the stems into a small teapot that “was there” to keep them out of the way-thus the genesis of this idea.
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