Cookingrecipes

Dashi-maki tamago (home-style Japanese omelet) Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes Servings: 4 Note: Konbu (dried seaweed), dried bonito flakes and light soy sauce can be found at Japanese markets. Tamago frying pans are available at Japanese markets, but you can use a round 10-inch nonstick frying pan. This recipe calls for a bamboo sushi mat, available at Japanese stores. Dashi 1 piece konbu (6 to 8 inches long) 4 cups water 2 cups dried bonito flakes (katsuo-bushi)

  Total time: 25 minutes Servings: 4 appetizer portions Note: If you can't find fried tofu, use the firmest fresh tofu you can get. Press the tofu down, leaving something heavy (such as a cutting board stacked with your heaviest cookbooks) on top to squeeze out as much moisture as you can. Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes and dust lightly with cornstarch before frying. 3 tablespoons soy sauce 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar 1 teaspoon sugar 1 stalk green onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon red chile, finely chopped 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 5-7 ounces fried tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes Vegetable oil 1. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, vinegar and sugar, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.

  Thai peanut chicken wings Total time: About 1 hour, plus marinating and cooling times Servings: 8 to 10 Marinade Zest of 3 Key limes 1/2 cup Key lime juice 1/4 cup water 1 small onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon grated ginger 2 teaspoons chipotle powder 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce ...

  Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes Servings: 6 to 8 Note: Adapted from "Rustic Fruit Desserts" by Cory Schreiber and Julie Richardson. Crumb topping 1/2 cup flour 1/3 cup sugar 1/8 teaspoon salt Zest of 1 lemon 1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick) butter, cubed, at room temperature In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and lemon zest. Add the butter, using a fork or your fingers to cut in the butter until it is reduced to the size of peas.

  Total time: 1 1/2 hours, plus braising and chilling time for the pork. Servings: 4 Note: Adapted from Chef Judy Han of Mendocino Farms Sandwiches & Marketplace in Los Angeles. The restaurant uses Kurobuta pork belly, also known as Berkshire or black pork; Kurobuta pork is generally available at Asian markets, Vicente Foods in Los Angeles and can be found online at www.berkshiremeats.com . Start this recipe two days before making the sandwiches to allow sufficient time to prepare the pork.

Dear SOS: My husband and I recently ate at Opal Restaurant in Santa Barbara and had a cilantro and jalapeño sauce served over mahi-mahi that we are still dreaming about. We tried looking online but couldn't find anything we thought was similar. Can you help get this recipe? Barbara Davilman Studio City Dear Barbara: We loved the pairing of fresh cilantro and jalapeño in this very rich, bright and gently spiced cream sauce, which works well served with the simply seasoned and grilled mahi-mahi.

  White-chocolate bread pudding with whiskey caramel sauce Total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes, plus baking time (about 1 1/2 hours on high, 3 hours on low) Servings: 8 to 10 Note: From Noelle Carter. This recipe calls for finishing the bread pudding in the oven so the topping is lightly toasted and colored, as with oven-made bread pudding. If possible, cut the bread the night before making the pudding to allow the cubes to dry out. For the bread pudding Our recipes, your kitchen: If you try any of the L.A. Times Test Kitchen recipes from this week's Food section, please share it with us: Click here to upload pictures of the finished dish.

DARIO CECCHINI is in the beef aging room at Harvey Gussman's tiny mid-Wilshire butcher shop. With a connoisseur's eye he inspects the stacks of short loins suspended from the ceiling, carefully examining the color, stroking the surfaces, sniffing. Then a photographer starts taking pictures. Cecchini flashes a maniacal grin, grabs a loin and cradles it like a baby. Then he plants a big kiss on it. If one can be said to ham it up with a piece of beef, Cecchini is doing it.

Kale salad with cranberries and walnuts Total time: About 30 minutes Servings: Serves 4 to 6 Note: Adapted from "Love Soup" by Anna Thomas. Dinosaur kale is also known as black, Tuscan or lacinato kale. 1/2 cup dried cranberries 1/2 pound (1 large bunch) dinosaur kale or any young kale 3 ounces (about 4 cups) arugula or baby mizuna 1/3 cup Kalamata or other cured olives 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, or pine nuts 1 small sweet red bell pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon walnut oil 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar, plus more to taste 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1/4 pound blue cheese, feta cheese or sharp cheddar cheese, crumbled, to garnish (optional)

  Wild mushroom, spinach and ricotta pie Total time: 1 hour, 35 minutes Servings: 8 to 10; this makes 1 (9-inch) pie. 1 pound fresh spinach or 1 (9-ounce) package frozen spinach 2 tablespoons butter, divided 4 leeks, pale green and white parts only, sliced into thin rounds, about 4 cups 20 ounces assorted fresh wild mushrooms, sliced (about 3 cups) 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1/4 cup white wine 3 eggs, divided 8 ounces ricotta cheese 6 ounces soft goat cheese 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, divided 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 cup grated Parmesan Salt and pepper 1 recipe basic savory pie dough (No. 1 or 2)