Artichokes are intimidating; and being prickly and green, they have no obvious edibility. My friend and former Sauce writer, S.C. Truckey, had a run-in with this reptile of a vegetable. Her story makes me laugh every time I read it.

Despite the fear factor surrounding artichokes, if you’re willing to do just a little extra work with a decently sharp knife, there are great reasons to bring these babies home. The heart is both sweet and vegetal; it tastes like green would taste (if colors had flavors). Sure, you can steam the whole thing, mix a little garlic butter and tear it apart – there’s much to be said about that method. But this dish asks you to do to the heavy lifting for your dinners.

Braised Artichoke Hearts
Adapted by Dee Ryan from a recipe courtesy of Saveur

4 to 6 artichokes
2 cups white wine
2 cups water
2 lemons
¼ cup mint
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 tsp. salt and freshly ground black pepper blend

• Cut the top 2 inches off of each artichoke. Using a melon baller or grapefruit spoon, scoop out the inedible fuzzy “choke.”
• For each artichoke, peel off the rest of the artichoke leaves, and using a paring knife, trim down to the heart.
• Place the hearts into a 2 to 3 quart saucepan with the wine, water, the juice from 1 lemon, mint, garlic and the salt and pepper mix.
• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, or until tender.
• Slice the remaining lemon into rings, and spread the rings on a plate. Remove the hearts from the saucepan and slice. Serve over the plated lemons and drizzle with cooking liquid.

My 15-year-old recently announced that she’s become a vegetarian. This isn’t the most uncommon thing for a teenager to do and is far less upsetting than multiple piercings or tattoos, but, nevertheless, this does mean I have to tweak my day-to-day cooking. Back in college, when I was a vegetarian, I mostly subsisted on boxes of macaroni and cheese along with the occasional falafel wrap and salad. I tried eating tofu frequently but never really loved it, except when it was fried. Fried anything is good! A friend told me that the secret to great fried tofu was to drain out as much moisture as humanly possible, and then dredge it in cornstarch, which gives the tofu a nice crispiness.

Making an Asian-style sauce with only three ingredients is no small feat. I knew hoisin and peanut butter would make for a good base. I then tried adding fish sauce, teriyaki, soy sauce and, finally, seasoned rice vinegar. The first three just added saltiness that the sauce didn’t need, but the vinegar added just enough of a sweet and acidic note to give the sauce more depth. If I had more ingredients to play with, I would have added chopped cilantro and Sriracha, but my daughter happily ate it as it was.

Fried Tofu with Dipping Sauce

1 block extra-firm tofu
Oil (vegetable, peanut or canola)
1 cup cornstarch
¼ cup hoisin sauce
¼ cup chunky peanut butter
1 Tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar

• Drain the tofu on paper towels for 30 minutes, changing the towels regularly to make the tofu as dry as possible. Cut the tofu in half and then into ½-inch slices.
• Fill a large skillet with a ½-inch layer of oil.
• Cook the oil over medium-high heat until it’s shimmering.
• Working in batches, dredge each piece of tofu in the cornstarch, shaking off excess. Carefully place pieces in the skillet. After about 2 minutes, turn each piece over and fry for 1 to 2 more minutes. Each should be lightly browned. Remove to a paper towel-covered plate.
• Mix hoisin sauce, peanut butter and rice vinegar together in a small bowl. Serve alongside the tofu.

Recently, at Baileys’ Range, my husband and I fought over split a warm kale salad. And while forks collided, he did his best to distract me. “Soooo … Just Five, you think?” he said. His suggestion caused me to momentarily pause my fork and do a little math, leaving just enough time for him to grab the last roasted tomato covered in garlicky chopped kale. The roasted tomatoes are the secret; slow-roasting winter tomatoes (Roma or cherry) brings out their sugars and gives them a delightful chewiness. Range’s salad comes with some really delicious basil croutons, so, if you’re inclined, serve this with some toast and pesto or store-bought croutons.

Warm Kale Salad
Inspired by Baileys’ Range
Serves 2

10 cherry tomatoes or 4 Roma tomatoes
Olive oil
Salt
6 to 8 cloves freshly minced garlic
3 to 4 cups kale, stems removed, coarsely chopped (about 6 to 8 leaves)
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 oz. shaved Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
• If using Roma tomatoes, cut in half, lengthwise. If using cherry tomatoes, leave whole.
• Toss the tomatoes in a little olive oil and a pinch of salt. Place tomatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet. Roast for 2 hours, shaking the baking sheet every 20 to 30 minutes. Remove tomatoes from the baking sheet to cool. Set aside.
• In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and kale, and toss for 1 minute, making sure that all leaves are coated.
• Remove from heat. Toss in the roasted tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. Divide evenly between two dishes, and shave Parmesan cheese over the salads. Add pepper to taste.

This winter has been interminable, and my family has bravely fought stress, illness and endless gray skies. But still, a feeling of ennui has overcome us. There are few things more comforting than roasted chicken; it is “mama food”: The way I tell my tribe that we will all get through these rough times with a full belly. Roasting the chicken on top of fresh rosemary and lemon makes the house smell amazing, while the sour-sweet combination of the lemon and honey parallels our lives right now. The spicy shallots cook down into a mellow sweetness, which serves as a little reminder that with time difficult days can turn to fond memories. Serve this dish with mashed sweet potatoes (The pan juices work perfectly with the potatoes.), or whatever vegetable pleases your family. For us, it’s green beans boiled in super salty water for three minutes, served with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Honey Rosemary Chicken
Adapted by Dee Ryan from a recipe originally published on Bon Appétit.
Serves 4

1/3 cup olive oil
¼ cup honey
2 small lemons
5 to 6 sprigs fresh rosemary, washed and dried
1 whole chicken, cut into serving-size pieces
8 shallots, peeled and halved

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, honey and the juice from 1 lemon (about ¼ cup).
• Lay the rosemary in the bottom of a roasting pan or Dutch oven. Lay the chicken pieces on top of the rosemary.
• Gently lift the skin from the meat and drizzle the lemon-honey mixture directly onto each piece of chicken. Brush the remaining lemon-honey mixture over the chicken.
• Cut the remaining lemon into 6 round slices and place the rounds on top of the chicken pieces.
• Scatter the shallots around the chicken pieces and place the pan or Dutch oven, uncovered, in the oven for 30 minutes, basting every 15 minutes. Then, increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees, and roast the chicken for 10 more minutes.
• Check the temperature in one of the breast pieces. When it has reached 160 degrees, it is safe to remove from the oven.
• Let sit for 10 minutes and serve with the pan juices.

Southwest Diner is receiving no shortage of attention these days. Jonathan Jones and Anna Sidel’s little diner, located at 6803 Southwest Ave., is taking St. Louis by storm with their Southwestern-influenced breakfast and lunch items. I can be found there a few times a month for Jonathan’s Famous Fiery Scramble or a stack of the eatery’s amazing buttermilk cornmeal pancakes, and I don’t even like pancakes (true story). But my favorite item on the menu is calabacitas. Calabacitas is a traditional Southwestern side dish made from deceptively simple ingredients (Bookmark this recipe for July and August when your garden is throwing more squash and zucchini at you than you can handle.). The first time I ordered calabacitas was when I wanted some fruit as a side. The server suggested that I try the calabacitas instead. Never one to turn down a server’s suggestion (especially when she’s the owner’s mom), I accepted. While delicately sweet from the sauteed red onions, squash and corn, the real hero in this dish is green chiles, which pack a spicy punch – enough to take you by surprise but not make you weep. Jonathan was kind enough to share his recipe with me, which is, sadly, more than five ingredients, but it certainly gave me inspiration to create my own “abridged” version.

Abridged Calabacitas
Inspired by Jonathan Jones and Anna Sidel
Serves 4 (as a side dish)

1/3 cup chopped shallots
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups chopped yellow squash or zucchini (or a combination of both – but that would be cheating!)
1/3 cup roasted New Mexican green chiles, diced*
1/3 cup canned or frozen corn (or fresh, if in season)
1 tsp. dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• Saute the shallots in 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat for 1 minute.
• Add the pieces of squash or zucchini, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes until they start to soften.
• Add the chiles, corn and oregano, and saute for 1 to 2 more minutes.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.

The dish can be served both immediately or at room temperature.

* If you wish for a milder dish, you can use canned green chiles instead of fresh. Roasted poblano or Anaheim peppers can also be used if green chiles are unavailable.

I search constantly for Asian-inspired recipes that will work with just five ingredients, yet they are practically impossible to find; the foundation of any decent Asian recipe calls for a minimum of five to seven ingredients. Sure, I could do a just five marinade, but that’s not really a full dish, is it? The serendipity of these searches, though, is that I have stumbled across really interesting recipes that WILL work with just five ingredients.

For many years, I’ve had a love affair with molasses; I love its sultry flavor that’s both dark and sweet with just a whisper of bitterness. It works well with all kinds of meat, fish and poultry.

This dish mixes sweet molasses with whole-grain mustard. The mustard adds a wonderful bite to the sauce, as well as just a hint of texture. After the marinade is reduced to a glaze, it’s rich and complex. And, if one were to add sauteed ginger, garlic, soy sauce, a bit of cilantro and chopped green onions … well, the recipe still wouldn’t really be Asian, but it would be incredibly delicious.

Almost-Asian Flank Steak with Molasses Glaze
Adapted by Dee Ryan from a recipe originally published in Cooking Light magazine.
Serves 4 to 6

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup molasses
1/3 cup sodium-free beef stock
2 Tbsp. whole-grain mustard
1½ to 2 lbs. flank steak
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. butter

• Whisk the balsamic vinegar, molasses, beef stock and mustard together to make the marinade. Place the flank steak in a resealable bag with the marinade. Marinate for about 1 hour.
• Prepare the grill or broiler. Remove the steak from the bag, reserving the marinade. Lightly salt and pepper the steak and cook it to your desired doneness (For medium doneness, cook for about 6 minutes per side in an oven broiler, or about 4 to 5 minutes per side on a grill.).
• Remove the steak to a cutting board and cover with foil to rest, about 5 minutes.
• Place the reserved marinade in a small skillet over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until it has reduced to about 1/3 cup. Stir in the butter.
• Slice the steak against the grain with your knife at about a 45-degree angle. Serve the steak drizzled with the sauce.

Dear spring,

I’m so excited for your upcoming visit! It’s been a challenging winter. Sure, the weather has been marginally mild, but I’m still in desperate need of seeing the bright green and yellow of daffodils … which reminds me of a favorite early spring dish, one I make for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It represents new beginnings for me; it’s comforting yet healthy. The softly poached egg with its gorgeous, yellowish-orange yolk pours over the verdant, tender asparagus. With the added slight crunch of the cheesy breadcrumbs, to me, this is a perfect dish, which is fitting, for you are the perfect season.

See you soon,
Dee

Asparagus and Poached Egg
Serves 1 to 2

Salt to taste
8 to 12 stalks asparagus, washed and trimmed
¼ cup plain or seasoned breadcrumbs
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 egg
1 tsp. white vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Bring a medium-size pot of salted water to a boil. Put the asparagus in the pot and cook for about 2 minutes. Remove and place in a small oven-safe dish.
• In a small bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and olive oil. Pat this mixture over the asparagus, then place the asparagus in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes.
• Crack the egg into a shallow bowl.
• Bring a small pot of salted water to just under a boil. Add the vinegar, then stir the water with a spoon to create a vortex or funnel.*
• Carefully slide the egg into the center of the vortex. Using the spoon, nudge the whites toward the yolk – don’t worry, it will come together!
• Cover the pot and turn off the heat. In 4 minutes, carefully remove the egg with a slotted spoon and set on a paper towel to drain.
• Remove the asparagus from the oven (the breadcrumbs should be lightly browned), and place the egg on top of the breadcrumbs.
• Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

*There are many ways to poach an egg; here’s an instructional video.

In case you haven’t heard, salmon is very good for you. It’s high in “good fats,” protein, vitamin D and selenium. Salmon is also easy to find and reasonably priced; there’s no reason you shouldn’t be eating it a few times a week! For a while my household ate salmon pretty regularly, but then we fell into a bit of a rut where we were only preparing it with teriyaki sauce, maple syrup and some garlic. Of course, we were growing smarter and healthier, but boy, did I get sick of salmon.

Enter my secret crush, Mark Bittman. This man knows how to make everything better. This recipe comes from his cookbook The Mini Minimalist and is one of the greatest things I’ve ever made. The pinot noir syrup is based on a very basic caramel sauce. Caramel plus wine? Brilliant. Due to the slightly tart pinot noir, the syrup is sweet without becoming saccharine, and the rosemary gives it just enough of an herbal note to be interesting (It might be fun to experiment with other herbs like tarragon or a bay leaf.). This syrup would work equally well on chicken or pork, and I don’t think you’d be nuts to put it on berries with mascarpone cheese. My twelve-year-old called it “candied salmon,” and that’s not far off the mark. I dare you to resist licking your plate.

Salmon with Pinot Noir Syrup
Inspired by Mark Bittman
Serves 4

¾ cup white sugar
3 cups pinot noir
1 rosemary sprig, plus 2 Tbsp. chopped for garnish
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. olive oil
4 skinless salmon fillets
Salt and freshly ground black pepper for seasoning

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Put the sugar in a heavy non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Do not stir; just shake the pan occasionally to redistribute the sugar. The sugar will begin to carmelize and turn light brown within about 10 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat, stand back and carefully add the wine (It will sputter and spit a bit.).
• Bring the pan to high heat and stir with a wooden spoon, until the caramel dissolves again.
• Add the rosemary sprig and allow the mixture to reduce over high heat, stirring occasionally, until it has thickened to a syrup, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in the balsamic vinegar and butter, and reduce the heat to medium-low until the butter melts. Remove the rosemary sprig from the pan, and then remove the pan from the heat.
• Heat an ovenproof, nonstick skillet over high heat, and add the oil.
• Season the salmon fillets on both sides with salt and pepper, and place them in the heated skillet so they sizzle. Immediately put the skillet into the oven for 3 minutes. Turn the fillets and cook for another 3 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven and let the fillets rest for 5 minutes.
• Place the fillets on a plate, and serve the syrup over the fish. Garnish with chopped rosemary.

I recently came across an article about shiitake powder and how it transforms food, due to the umami it imparts. Umami is a big deal. It’s sort of the bacon of the current food trends. In a nutshell, it’s one of the five basic tastes in Japanese cooking which also include sweet, sour, salty and bitter. Umami can be translated to mean “pleasant savory taste,” but it’s somewhat of a shadow flavor and not at all easily defined or broken down into a simple ingredient. I know when a dish is missing it, but I’m never entirely certain how I’m going to add it. Soy sauce? Fish sauce? Tomato paste? A-1? (Don’t scoff; I have long considered it umami in a bottle!) Well, now I have a container of ground shiitake mushrooms that I throw onto eggs, into soups and broths, and on top of cooked greens. I don’t even care that much for mushrooms in general, mainly due to their texture, but I do enjoy them with beef. The crust that the powdered mushrooms give the steak is excellent. By adding shallots, ginger and sherry, suddenly it’s a delicious Japanese steakhouse dinner. You can thank umami for that!

Shiitake Encrusted Beef Medallions
Adapted by Dee Ryan from a recipe by Eric Gower originally published in the San Francisco Chronicle
Serves 2

2 beef medallions, boneless ribeye steaks or filet mignons
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
½ cup shiitake mushroom powder (grind 6 to 8 dried shiitake mushrooms in a clean coffee or spice grinder)
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 shallots, sliced thinly
1-inch piece fresh ginger, chopped coarsely (about 1 Tbsp.)
½ cup dry sherry

• Let the steaks sit out for about 15 minutes in order to come to room temperature.
• Lightly salt and pepper both sides of the steaks and then dredge them in the dried shiitake mushroom powder.
• Place a cast-iron skillet or other heavy skillet over high heat, and add the oil.
• When the oil is shimmering, add the steaks to the skillet and cook for 4 to 5 minutes (Do not fuss with the steaks while they are cooking!), then flip them and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until desired doneness.
• Remove the steaks to a plate and cover them with foil.
• Reduce the heat to medium, add a few drops of oil if needed, and saute the shallots and ginger for 2 to 3 minutes. Deglaze the pan by adding the sherry and scraping up any caramelized bits from the bottom of the skillet.
• Add any of the juices from the steaks to the skillet, and then pour over the steaks and serve.

These pancakes are fun as a side dish or as an appetizer (served with a little crème fraîche, perhaps?). The green color is a bit shocking; I immediately wanted to serve them with a corn salad of some kind. The smokiness of the trout mixed with the sharpness of the scallions is really a lovely combination. If you have trouble finding smoked trout, it’s fairly easy to smoke it yourself. If you prefer not to use smoked trout, plain cooked trout, seasoned with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon, will still work wonderfully in this dish.

Scallion Pancakes with Smoked Trout
Inspired by Mark Bittmann
Makes: about 10 3 to 4-inch pancakes

4 bunches scallions (green onions)
1 egg
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
½ cup all purpose flour
5 to 6 oz. smoked trout (about 1 filet)
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
• Take 3 of the bunches of scallions and coarsely chop them, discarding the white ends. Place these in the boiling water for 4 to 5 minutes and then drain, reserving ½ cup of the cooking liquid.
• Place the cooked scallions in a blender with about ¼ cup of the reserved liquid and purée, scraping down the sides as needed. If necessary, add a bit more of the liquid.
• Mince the remaining bunch of scallions and set aside.
• In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the egg and soy sauce together and then add the puréed scallions, salt and pepper. Then, stir in the flour and minced scallions.
• Break the smoked trout into bite-sized pieces and gently fold them into the batter.
• Place a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat until shimmering. Drop the batter by about ¼ cupfuls into the skillet and cook for 2 minutes per side, or until nicely browned, as you would cook a pancake. Serve immediately, or place in a 200 degree oven until ready to serve.