Asparagus, when Company’s Coming

By Sandy Hu

I love vegetables but I’m not big on preparing them. Usually I steam them and dress with good-quality butter, salt and pepper, and I’m done. Or I blanch them, then sauté quickly. Or I toss them in olive oil and roast. I’m happy with such simple treatments because the natural vegetable flavors shine through and besides, it’s almost no work.

But when company is coming, I feel the need to do a little more. Not much, but a little something extra to make the vegetables seem company-worthy. In the spring, when asparagus is in season, I turn to Baked Asparagus with Goat Cheese and Breadcrumbs. It’s hardly more effort than simple roasting, but the topping looks just a bit fancier. Also, I happen to have a colorful, rectangular asparagus-patterned platter that’s the perfect size and shape for this recipe.

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A Simple, yet Sophisticated First Course

By Sandy Hu

I love to start a diner party with a first course already set at each place when my guests come to the table. Of course, it has to be something easy to make, since there’s the rest of the meal to tend to.

This fennel salad is a lovely starter for a romantic dinner for two; you can double or triple the recipe for a larger group.

If you don’t have a mandoline to slice the fennel bulb, try using a sharp potato peeler or a sharp knife to create thin, almost-transparent ribbons.

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Soup in a Hurry

By David Hu

There’s nothing quite like a nice, comforting bowl of soup when it’s cold outside. While many soups are time consuming, today’s Mexican-inspired chicken potato soup is not. From start to finish this recipe should take about 30 minutes.

If you have the time, let the soup sit for a day to allow the flavors to develop. But if you’re like me, you simply won’t be able to wait that long because it smells so good. I particularly love serving this soup with baked tortilla strips, which I like to add a little at a time to enjoy a nice crunch before it goes soggy.

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Mad for Mayo

By Sandy Hu

I was making tartar sauce the other day for a Special Fork Video Friday shoot on catfish when, rummaging through the fridge, the parsley eluded me. So I chopped up some cilantro instead.

While mixing the cilantro into mayonnaise, I realized that capers, while adding distinction to a good tartar sauce, would clash with the assertive cilantro. So I eliminated the capers and added some sriracha sauce, minced onion and finely diced sweet pickles. I liked the outcome – a Southeast Asian flavor profile that added zest to the fish.

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Couscous Makes an Easy, Go-To Meal

By Sandy Hu

I’m on Twitter every weekday afternoon as @specialforksndy trying to help people with their most pressing need of the evening: what to cook for dinner. One of my favorite ideas for cooks in a hurry is couscous salad.

Here’s the couscous recipe in a tweet, under the 140 character limit: “Boil 1 ½ c broth; add 1c couscous. Off heat, cover & stand 5 mins. Fluff w/fork; add chick peas+g onions+feta cheese+olives+Ital dressing.”

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