A Subscription Pays Off

Yesterday the December issue of Bon Appetit arrived. Some months I read along and shrug; others I find things that I would like. December was a real gift --and I'm only halfway through it!

My first "Ah-hah!" moment hit early on - page 28 -- where readers write in for favorite dishes from restaurants. Someone wanted the wok-fried edamame with garlic and chilis found at The Pineapple Room by Alan Wong, Honolulu. We first ate edamame at Roy's, Rancho Mirage (you may recall our embarrassment at eating the pod, instead of shelling out the soybean and eating that...) We liked them, but it never occurred to me that one could make them at home -- until page 28.

WOK-FRIED EDAMAME WITH GARLIC AND CHILIS
1 lb. unshelled edamame (soybeans) Trader Joe - freezer section.
2 T soy sauce
2 teas. oyster sauce
1 jalapeno chili, seeded and minced
1 teas. sesame oil
2 teas. peanut oil
2 teas. peeled, minced fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced

Cook the edamame in boiling water until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and put edamame in a bowl of cold water to crisp.

Stir the soy sauce, oyster sauce, jalapeno and sesame oil in a little bowl, set aside

Heat the oil, add the ginger and garlic, saute until beginning to brown, about one minute.

Add the edamame and stir to heat through, about 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce mixure, stir one minute to coat; transfer to a platter and serve as an appetizer.

On page 62, I found gold! Years ago I cut out a color photo of an Italian dessert with dried fruits and chocolate and pasted it in the "Dessert" section of my 3-ring binder of recipes. Since I didn't know the name of it, I couldn't look it up -- until page 62!

CHOCOLATE PANFORTE CANDIES
1/4 cup dried black Mission figs - 3 1/2 oz.
1/4 cup orange juice
2 T honey
1/2 teas. ground nutmeg
1/4 teas. ground cloves
1 1/4 teas. grated orange peel, divided
1/2 teas. ground cinnamon
2/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted (how about pistachios?)
1 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
14 standard paper muffin baking cups

Cook the figs, orange juice, honey nutmeg and cloves and 1 teas. orange peel in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until the liquids coat the figs, stirring occasionally - about 6 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the cinnamon, 1/4 teas. orange peel and the nuts.

Put the muffin cups on a baking sheet for stability. Melt the chocolate and put 1 teas. chocolate into the bottom of each paper cup. Top the chocolate with about 1 teas. of the fig mixture. Chill and peel off the paper cups.