Justin Cox is Tess’ son. He is the General Manager of Heat Advertising in San Francisco, CA. In his spare time he enjoys cooking, collecting wine and sports.
He and his wife Elaine welcomed their first child, Layla in March. Tess is thrilled to be a grandma to Layla. Tess asked Justin to share a favorite recipe and wine pairing to celebrate the beginning of summer.
Of course, she knew Justin would add his wit and humor, as well. A quality we trust you will enjoy!
Quinoa. Asparagus. Oyster Sauce.
Three things, that on their own, generate emotions ranging from sighs of indifference to fake gagging. Bring them together, however, and they meld into a savory dish that engulfs your mouth with flavor but still eats light. Which makes this dish perfect for Summer. The directions below are accurate. The amounts are approximate due to one of three factors: I can’t see clearly, I can't do fractions or I am usually three glasses of Chardonnay deep when preparing the dish. So start here and then experiment.
Prep
1. Chill a well balanced Chardonnay to the perfect temperature about 90 mins before you begin.
2. Nap
3. Pour a glass of Chardonnay while you get everything out of the fridge and cupboard.
4. Top off your glass. Remind yourself there are people waiting on dinner.
Make the Quinoa First
1. Use tri-color quinoa for the best looking dish.
2. Measure out 2 cups of dry quinoa.
3. Make it according to the instructions on the package. Except for one crucial step: Substitute the water for chicken or beef or mushroom broth. You don't have to. You won't go to food jail. But your tongue will thank you if you do.
4. Pour the cooked quinoa on to a baking sheet and place it in the fridge. Sounds odd but you are trying to accelerate the drying process so the quinoa is firm and not mushy. It's the same reason day old rice is better for fried rice. I don't know the specifics but science is involved.
5. Pour your second glass of Chardonnay.
Prep Veggies and Make the Sauce
1. Grab 1 bunch of asparagus and 2 medium carrots. Cut the asparagus in 1" pieces. Medium to large dice on the carrots.
2. (Optional fancy step). Quick 1-minute blanch of the veggies and then into an ice bath.
3. Small dice 1 large onion. Mince 2 garlic cloves. Mince about an 1-inch of ginger (or use 1tbs powdered ginger).
4. Mix together 4tbs soy sauce with 2 teaspoons of oyster sauce (fish sauce will work too).
5. Crush up about 1/3 cup pistachios.
6. Thinly slice some chives (2tbs) OR scallions (1/4 cup) or both if you are feeling really good about yourself.
7. Pull a few leaves of cilantro for garnish
8. Pour your third glass of Chardonnay
Cooking the Dish and Preparing the Soft Poached Egg
1. Bring pot of water to a slow rolling boil.
2. While that happens, heat some canola or vegetable oil in a wok (or large fry pan).
3. Cook the onion and ginger for a couple minutes. Then add the garlic. Cook 30 seconds.
4. Add the veggies. Salt + Pepper. Cooking time will vary depending on how you like your veggies and if you've blanched them. I like them on the crunchier side for this dish. I add my previously blanched vegetables and cook 2-3 minutes. Knowing that they will continue to cook as you finish the dish.
5. Add the quinoa + 1-2 tbs of butter. I add it all. But you can add less if you are living life on the edge.
6. Mix everything around.
7. Add the soy/oyster sauce mixture. Don't smell it.
8. If you're French, throw in another tablespoon of butter. If you're not, a little olive oil will do.
9. Taste it. It might need more salt, more pepper, a bit more oil or even a squeeze of lemon juice. Use your tastebuds.
10. Mix it altogether for a minute on medium heat. Remove from heat. It's okay, the dish is meant to be eaten warm not hot.
11. Open a bottle of full-bodied Pinot Noir. Pour a half glass to make sure it's up to your standards. You are the chef after all.
Making the Eggs and Assembling the Dish
1. Spoon quinoa fried rice into a bowl. The amount will vary depending on who is in your house. For me, I know my wife can take down 2lbs of pasta by mid-day. So it a generous helping.
2. Poach eggs in the boiling water. 1 egg per person. There are a few ways to poach eggs. Use the Internet. Look it up. We soft poach so the egg yolk is still runny.
3. Place freshly poached egg atop the quinoa. Gove it a little poke with a knife so the yolk runs out over the quinoa.
4. Top with the pistachios, scallions or chives, and cilantro. Amounts are up to you.
5. Fresh cracked pepper, some sea salt flakes and a drizzle of sesame oil.
6. Pour a glass of Pinot Noir. I have recently enjoyed 2016 Walt Pinot Noir from Santa Rita Hills.
7. Enjoy.