Yuzu-Thyme Calamari

Calamari is so good, if you don't overcook it and the great thing is raw squid freezes amazingly so don't stress about trying to get fresh; in fact, unless you live by an ocean that has squid, the stuff that looks fresh is most likely just frozen that they thawed.  I saw the bread crumb trick at Krescendo in Brooklyn. It's a great way to keep the crispy texture of deep frying without all the hassle.

1 lb squid tubes, cut into 1/2 inch rings
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried sliced chiles (yuki wagiri tougarashi)
1 1/2 tsp chopped thyme (no stems)
1 tbsp yuzu juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 tbsp butter
salt and pepper

1. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium/ medium low heat. Add in the panko and toss. Continue to toast the panko on medium heat until it's golden brown.
2. Heat a large skillet on high heat. Make sure you have everything ready to go by the stove because things are going to go pretty fast from here on out.  Add in the olive oil and follow it immediately with the garlic, chiles, and thyme; stir fry for a few moments until fragrant.
3. Add in the squid still on high heat.  Stir fry for about 1-2 minutes, until cooked through. Make sure to not overcook it, there is a very fine line between cooked and overcooked squid.  Typically I cook it until it turns opaque, and then cook it just a few moments longer.
4. Right before you remove it from the pan, hit it with the yuzu juice, a bit of salt and pepper if you think it needs it. Once on the plate, sprinkle with the panko.

Miso Mustard Chicken Wings

The basic procedure for these wings I got from Alton Brown but the sauce is original.  Since you can steam them in advance, and roast them later, these are great for entertaining.  If you are gonna steam them in advance though, keep them wrapped in the fridge and then unwrap them and put them on the cooling rack to dry off an hour before roasting, don't store them unwrapped or they'll get too dry.

1 dozen chicken wings
2 tbsp dijon mustard
3 tbsp white (shiro) miso paste
1 1/2 tbsp honey
4 tbsp butter, melted
juice of 1/2 lemon
white pepper
kosher salt

1.  Cut off the tips of the wings, discard, and separate the wings at the joint. Lightly sprinkle the wings with salt.
2. Place the wings in a steamer basket in a single layer and place the basket over an inch of boiling water.  Steam the wings for 10 minutes.
3. Place on a cooling rack on a baking sheet. Move to the fridge for at least an hour to dry off the skin.
4. Preheat oven to 450. Roast the wings on the cooling rack on the baking sheet for 40 minutes or until the wings are golden brown and crispy, turning them halfway.
5. While the wings are roasting, whisk the mustard, miso, honey, and lemon juice together. drizzle in the melted butter while whisking. season with white pepper to taste.
6. As soon as the wings are done, toss in the sauce and serve immediately.

Anchovy Bread with Cherry Tomatoes

Keith first discovered the anchovy bread from a restaurant in manhattan called Calliope and so we tried to recreate it. We came up with the idea of adding the tomato dip to help balance off this yummy hor d'oeuvre.

Cherry Tomato Dip
10 cherry tomatoes diced
1 clove garlic chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp chopped parsley
pinch of salt and pepper

Anchovy Bread
focaccia or any type of preferred white bread
tube of anchovy paste
extra virgin olive oil
chopped parsley

For the Anchovy Bread:
1. cut the bread into small pieces
2. smear a tiny bit of the anchovy paste on each piece of bread. (the paste is extremely salty so a very small amount will do, enough to very lightly cover one side of the bread)
3. sprinkle some chopped parsley on the bread
4. heat some extra virgin olive oil in a pan over medium heat
5. fry the pieces of bread on both sides in the oil till golden brown and crispy

serve with the cherry tomato dip.