Grilled Red Fish and Shrimp Ceviche

My very first professional cooking job was at one of the top French restaurants in Tucson, Arizona.  It took me over two weeks and hundreds of applications before I was finally able to convince one of the head chefs to consider me for the position of Chef de Partie.  He was weary of taking me under his wing –

“You?  Girl?  You want to work in the kitchen?  This is no joke, it’s very hard work, are you sure you can handle it?”

“Yes Chef, I will not disappoint.”

Mind you, after 95% of the restaurants I applied to turned me down, having a top restaurant to even consider me for a position with absolutely no professional kitchen experience is what I call pure luck. He did not say yes right away however, but I was determined. That day, I went out and purchased the Jacque Pepin’s Complete Techniques and made the best damn Tarte Tartin my little heart could put out, sent him a slice attached with a note.  He finally considered my plea.

“Ok. Be here tomorrow morning at 6 am.”

So begins my journey through a real professional kitchen.

I show up bright and early and stepped foot into the small 10’ x 12’ kitchen, it was literally big (small) enough to fit 4 people snugly.  At the end of the table I see Chef kneading the dough for the fresh baguettes they make for dinner service, without even looking up from the task he points to the walk-in cooler –

“Grab 10 heads of lettuce and start prepping the salad station.”

It took me an hour and half to prep that station that day, Chef later informed me it needs to be done in 30.  Every single morning for 6 months (except Mondays) I met with the Chef and worked closely by his side – chopping, filleting, frying, sautéing.  I learned everything I had ever dreamed of and more: how to make the perfect pastry cream, pate chox, and the most beautifully risen soufflés.  I even learned how to properly fillet, tie and wrap a beef wellington, tips on how to never over cook fish, and how to keep your béarnaise sauce from breaking.

But my favorite recipes I remember to this day weren’t really so much the Classical French recipes I had learned (Don’t get me wrong, I loved every minute of it) but the traditional Mexican salsas and breakfasts Chef would make for me each morning.  Oh, did I forget to mention the head chef wasn’t French?  Yes, about that, everyone that worked in the kitchen was from Spanish speaking origins except me — Chinita Loca was my nickname: the Crazy Chinese Girl.

By the end of my stint in the restaurant kitchen my Spanish was superb, I was able to work 14 hour shifts without crying afterwards from being so damn tired, and I had enough burns and cuts all over my arms to be considered a “bad ass.”  Okay not really, but it was intense – by far the most vigorous working experience of my life both physically and mentally.  I wouldn’t have made it through those hard days without Chef by my side egging me on, pushing me to achieve my best.

One weekend I had worked two 14-hour shifts in a row, I was near exhaustion to the point where I felt delirious.  The kitchen was a blistering 114F during the summer and I was convinced I was going to die, every single muscle in my body hurt not to mention the idiotic two 2^nd degree burns I had on my arms because I dropped the pan of baguettes that morning.  I slumped over the counter and rested my head on my arms, hoping to take a short break before the dinner rush.

“CHINITA LOCA!  WAKE UP!”  Chef shook my arm and popped me across the head with a dish rag – he slid me a heaping plate of freshly fried tortilla chips and some ceviche he had whipped up out of the blue.  “Here, eat.”  I sluggishly scooted towards the plate as he shoved a heaping chipful of ceviche into my mouth.  My eyes widened: it was glorious – the sweetness of the shrimp paired with the tangy brightness of fresh lime and cilantro, instantly I felt my mood elevated.  It was like a punch in the mouth, but in a good way, a happy way, a reenergizing way.  I smiled warmly – “Thanks Chef, this was awesome.” “Of course Chinita! I made it!  Now go prep your salad station.”

I prepped my station in 30 minutes that day, the first time since working there.  I’m convinced it was Chef’s ceviche that made it happen. He taught me speed, accuracy, timing.  He taught me the importance of planning, execution and presentation. He taught me no matter how different we may be from each other, at the end of the day we’re all the same: we cook because we connect, we cook because we love, we cook because we inspire. Thank you Chef for inspiring me and I hope this recipe will inspire you.  You can use just about any combination of seafood for ceviche: shrimp, various fish, scallop, lobster.  For this recipe I chose shrimp and grilled red fish and paired it with an avocado mango salsa– a nice contrast between textures and flavors this would be a great appetizer for a dinner party or bbq that’s quick, healthy, easy and delicious.

 

Ingredients for Grilled Red Fish and Shrimp Ceviche (serves 6-8):

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Cooking Time: 60 minutes

 

• 1 red fish fillet (about 1 pound)
• 2 teaspoons Seasoned Salt
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 to 2 tablespoons Tabasco
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus several sprigs for garnish
• 1 cup diced mango
• ½ cup red cherry tomatoes
• ½ cup yellow cherry tomatoes
• 1 large avocado, peeled, pitted and cubed
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Several limes for garnish
• Tortilla chips

Prep the grill.

 

Pat fillet dry with paper towel and evenly coat with seasoned salt.  Place red fish fillet in a wire fish basket or a buttered foil packet.  Place in the center of grill for 15 minutes then flip and cook for an additional 10 minutes.  Set aside and allow to cool.  To make sure fish is fully cooked, the meat will be white and easily pierced with a fork.

 

While fish is cooking on grill bring a quart of water to a boil.  Place shrimp in the hot water, cover and let the water return to boil.  Immediately remove from heat and strain and run under cold water until cooled.  In a large bowl mix ½ the lime juice, honey and Tabasco and mix with shrimp.  Refrigerate for about an hour.

 

Meanwhile prep the salsa.  Mix chopped cilantro, mango, tomatoes, avocado and remainder of the lime juice in a medium bowl.  Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to serve.

 

You can either serve ceviche in small glass cups or martini glasses for an extra touch of elegance.  Layer with salsa, shrimp and grilled red fish and garnish with cilantro, shrimp or lime wedge and immediately serve with tortilla chips.

Strawberry Lassi

Growing up, my relationship with my mother was far from harmonious.  We seemed to clash about everything: anything from curfew, clothes to taking summer school, piano – and oh yes, food.  From a young age I’d remember my mother telling me “You cannot eat candy or potato chips, they are bad for you and make you fat.”  So what would I do?  That’s right.  Eat candy and potato chips behind her back.

She was always nervous about my weight – I am a rather big-boned girl for an Asian but while I learned to embrace it, it completely geeked my mom out.  “You must watch what you eat, you big bone you get fat.” As she would scoot the fried dish away from me and smoothly replaced it with something steamed or boiled – “See, you mostly eat this and not that.”

I’d hate her for it.  I wanted to eat what I wanted, when I wanted without the pestering voice over my shoulder asking “SHOULD YOU EAT THIS XIN-XIN?”  Damn it, yes I should!  So from as early as I can remember until I was 18, my mom controlled nearly every meal I ate except for the occasional outing with friends and family.  She made sure I ate mostly vegetables that were both low in oil and flavor, we never had juices or sodas, and pizza night?  Forget about it, I never even experienced “delivery food” until my first sleepover in 3^rd grade.  It drove me crazy and as I reached adolescence I started to take her pestering personally and began the downhill cycle of an eating disorder.

A lot of things were going on back then; my parents were fighting, I was still trying to figure out where I fit in at school, oh and the whole awkward puberty thing didn’t make matters any better.  My mother’s pestering soon became hurtful and her once “suggestions” became “attacks” to me – the only words I heard were “You’re fat.”   Combine that with the influx of magazines I’d read with the gorgeous leggy models and soon enough it became true: I’m fat.

I obsessed over every little thing I ate, or lack thereof.  I desperately wanted to be a size where my mom wouldn’t give me suggestions anymore – week after week, pound after pound, and before I knew it I was struggling to keep a pair of size 0 jeans on.  It’s the lightest I’ve ever weighed: 103.5 pounds yet it had to be one of the lowest points in my life.  I didn’t feel good, look good and was constantly tired.

I couldn’t take it anymore.  I went into my mom’s room one night and screamed “I’ll never be good enough for you! No matter what I do it’s never good enough.  You think I’m stupid, you think I’m fat! WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?”  She looked so confused – “When I say you stupid?  When I say you fat?”  I didn’t realize it at the time but she really didn’t say those things, or mean them rather.  But her reaction made me angry; I couldn’t believe she didn’t know what I was talking about.  I left it at that.  I eventually got over trying to please her and with the help of friends I eventually maintained a weight of 130 pounds by the end of my senior year in high school.

Going to college away from home was a huge milestone for me.  It forced me to make my own decisions without the constant watchful eyes of my parents.  Most importantly I was free to eat what I wanted, when I wanted, wherever I wanted.  Think of it like a kid and his very first time at a candy store – I didn’t even know how to handle it.  Late night snacks at 2 am, breakfast and lunch buffets at the cafeteria, deliveries to your dorm room, my mother would’ve been appalled.

By sophomore year, I had gained a whopping 35 pounds — my mother’s worst nightmare had come true.  I was officially fat.  What the hell?  How did it happen so fast?  Just yesterday I was fitting into my size 4 jeans and looking fabulous and suddenly I find myself trying to hide my muffin top as best as I could under the fold of my size 10 pants.  Freaking lame, all the pesky suggestions I use to hate hearing from my mother were suddenly ringing in my head again – “Do not eat those fried things!  Oh tsk tsk, fast food Sooooo bad for you.”  Okay mother, you win.

It wasn’t until I went back home to visit her a couple years ago when I finally understood why she always pestered me.  By then, I’ve reached a comfortable weight of 135, worked out 4-5 times a week and ate a healthy balanced diet with the occasional treat.  For the first time in my life she said “Xin-xin, you look good.  Mommy no worry about you anymore, you take care of yourself.”  I lifted my shirt to show her my abs – “What do you think of those apples ma?”  She shook her head and laughed.  She sat down next to a box of pictures she was organizing “Sit down, I show you something.”

She handed me a thin, worn down tiny album – I opened it and gasped: there I saw my mom, FAT.  Mind you, my mom has maintained her weight of 130-133 pounds from age 30 to 55.  She has never fluctuated outside of that range in 25 years.  THAT my friend is called magic.

“You see why mommy always worry about you now?”

I couldn’t help it, I had to laugh “Mom, you can’t even see your eyes.”

“I KNOW!  I so fat back then, I embarrassing. I don’t even like to show these pictures, soooo ugly.”

I smiled and kissed her – “You’re not ugly mom, you’re beautiful.”

“NOOOooo…” She giggled as she playfully pushed me away – “But seriously!  You see why I tell you you cannot get fat???”

It all made sense now.  She just didn’t want her daughter to be her old chubby shadow, why didn’t she just say so?  In every dark cloud there’s a silver lining, without this experience I would’ve never learned to be creative when it came to cooking healthy.  I would’ve never learned to allow myself to eat what I wanted in moderation.  I would’ve never learned the negative effects of being underweight and overweight.  Most importantly I would’ve never learned to just love my body for what it is: big boned, curvy, beautiful.  So what if I’m not “petite” like the other Asian girls?  So what if my arms are kinda big?  I can still strut my stuff like Beyonce in some 4-inch heels any night and feel just as sexy as Adriana Lima (of course with the help of my Victoria’s Secret Miracle Bra!).

Embrace your body for what it is, love yourself because you’re fabulous, and if you want a piece of chocolate cake at the end of a long hard work day, treat yourself — but to a small piece instead of the whole dang cake.  I love this Strawberry Lassi because it’s not as decadent as a strawberry milkshake, but just as satisfying.  The tartness of the yogurt immersed with the floral cardamom notes and fresh strawberries, makes this the perfect, healthy drink to welcome the simply beautiful Spring weather we’ve been having here in Texas.  So enjoy this recipe, sit back and relax and think about the importance of living a healthy life through food, exercise and spirit.   You only have one life to live, let’s make it a good one.

Ingredients for Strawberry Lassi (serves 4-6):

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Cooking Time: 10 Minutes

• 1 lb fresh strawberries, trimmed and halved (3 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 2 cups plain yogurt (whole-milk or low-fat)
• 1 1/4 cup ice cubes

Purée strawberries with honey, cardamom, and a pinch of salt in a blender or hand held immersion blender until smooth. Add yogurt and ice, then purée until smooth again.  Serve immediately.  Feel free to garnish with honey, cardamom seeds or fresh strawberries. 

Ending Child Hunger Pt. 2

We finished the day by having dinner at Stephan Pyles Restaurant and what a delight that was.  Stephan Pyles is a life board member at North Texas Food Bank and received the Humanitarian of the Year Award from Share Our Strength and was also a founding board member.  In 1988 he founded Taste of the Nation and has raised over $2 million for hunger relief with an emphasis on childhood initiatives.⁷ But the most incredible thing I discovered about Pyles was not only his endless list of humanitarian efforts, but how his gentle heart and giving spirit shines through his daringly bold, yet comforting dishes.

The meal started with a Texas-sized Tamale Tart with Roasted Garlic Custard, Peekytoe Crab and Smoked Tomato Sauce.  The moist tamale-like tart shell was made from a blend of masa harina, ancho chiles and a sweet red bell pepper puree and then steamed with an ever so tender custard that embodied this wondrous garlicky nirvana.  Generously topped with sautéed crab meat, red and yellow bell peppers, cilantro and basil, the flavors together brought a sense of familiarity that made you feel right at home. The slight sweetness from the Peekytoe Crab was heightened through the earthy smoked tomato sauce – that Pyles, he’s such a genius.

Next up was the soup or salad course: Poblano-Asiago Soup with Yellow Tomato Foam and Stephan’s Original Southwestern Caesar Salad with Jalapeno Polenta Croutons.  Yes it is indeed as amazing as it sounds; the Jalapeno Polenta Croutons have just made it to the top of the list of “My Last Meal” items.  The Caesar dressing was equally amazing with hints of tamarind, chile powder and chipotle.  It screamed Texas soul with a little Viva la Mexico on the side: playful, deep, and cultured.  The soup had a wonderful, silky consistency that coated your tongue with a coziness that instantly made your eyes heavy with pleasure— falling into a smoky poblano trance you hope to never wake up from.  The liberal size of these portions illustrates that Pyles has no intention of sending anyone home hungry tonight.  But hold on, there are two more courses.

The main course was Braised “On-the-Bone” Short Rib with Oxtail-Creamer Pea Marmalade, Frittered Okra and Goat Cheese Chimichurri.  The short rib melted off the bone and swimming beneath the perfectly cooked rib was the oxtail creamer pea marmalade.  My God. This marmalade.  How do words even begin to describe the grandeur, the magic, the decadence of this glorious marmalade?  Let’s just leave it at just that, perfectly cooked creamer peas mixed with the best damn oxtail you will ever lay your mouth on.  How does he come up with this stuff?  Bite after bite, your mouth is left salivating – the bright goat cheese chimichurri, with the crunch of the fried okra made this short rib absolutely freaking irresistible.  It makes you want to fist punch the air because the flavors make you so happy that frankly you’re just having trouble containing yourself.  Don’t worry, punch away, no one will judge you, everyone knows that fist pumps make everything taste even better.

The grand finale was (drum roll please)… Stephan’s Coffee and Doughnuts – Freshly Fried “Beignet-Style” Doughnuts with Espresso Crème Brulee and Cajeta.  Cajeta, a deep-bodied caramel made from goat’s milk, emanates a delicate tartness that pairs impeccably with the soft, warm, doughy doughnuts.  Oh yes, and the espresso crème brulee that made your heart ache with passion – is it possible to fall in love with a dessert? Yes. I believe so.

The best part of the night was when the ConAgra Foods Foundation surprised all of the bloggers with $1000 donation in their names to their local participating Cooking Matters food bank, mine being The North Texas Food Bank. Along with our personal donations, the ConAgra Foods Foundation donated an additional $10,000 to The North Texas Food Bank as their way of saying “Thank You for Hosting”. It was an amazing feeling and one of the many steps I plan on taking to help end Child Hunger. This year I’ve made a personal goal to raise an additional $1000 – through bake sales, fundraisers and who knows what other whacky ideas I may have up my sleeve! Won’t you take the No Kid Hungry Pledge with me today? Together, we can end child hunger – one family at a time.

Ending Child Hunger

My alarm blares the latest hit from Justin Bieber as I clumsily (desperately) search for the snooze button.  Just five more minutes, I tell myself, I hate waking up to bad adolescent music.  I zombie my way to the bathroom, brush my teeth, pull my hair back in a ponytail and continue to zombie my way to the kitchen.  My stomach is growling – oatmeal with bananas and honey or grapefruit with buttered toast?  I finally settle on a bowl of cereal because the other two options take too much effort.  I wash it all down with a big mug of coffee and finally my day can begin.

How many of us take this daily routine for granted?  The daily routine of picking out what we want to eat for breakfast, lunch or dinner – Blueberry pancakes? Jimmy John’s? Rib-eye Steak?  Now imagine all of those options being taken away – you wake up each morning praying that you’ll have something in your stomach, not knowing when your next meal might be.  Picture going to work and school every day: hungry, unable to concentrate and irritable.  Being in a constant state of hunger can make anyone miserable, nonetheless a child.

Dallas has a child poverty rate that exceeds both the Texas average and the national average – nearly one fourth of Dallas county children live in poverty and hunger.¹ We live in one of the richest nations in the world yet parts of this country, especially Texas, is struggling with Child Hunger.  What can we do to help end this problem?

I along with 12 other bloggers around the country was selected to participate in a “Share Our Strength’s” Cooking Matters Boot Camp sponsored by The ConAgra Foods Foundation. The 2-day excursion was filled with activities, education and even celebration but most importantly, fully understanding the reality of the dire situation of Child Hunger in America. We started off the day with a quick overview of the Share Our Strength’s Program, a national nonprofit that is ending child hunger in America.  Last year, they raised $24.8 million dollars through fundraising platforms, donations and corporate sponsorships and have set a goal of ending childhood hunger in America by 2015.  Though a challenging feat, together they are determined to make sure that every child in America gets the nutritious food he or she needs to learn, grow and thrive.² One of the main ways Share Our Strength are reaching their goals is through a groundbreaking nutrition education program called Cooking Matters that teaches more than 7,000 low-income families a year how to plan, prepare, and purchase nutritious and satisfying meals at home, with limited resources. ³

The North Texas Food Bank graciously volunteered to host the Cooking Matters Boot Camp here in Dallas.  NTFB is a nonprofit hunger relief program that is responsible for feeding the hungry in 13 North Texas Counties.  Close the Gap is the NTFB’s current project: a 3-year initiative to unite the community to narrow the food gap by providing access to 50 million meals annually by 2011.  Last year NTFB provided access to almost 45 million meals to hungry families across Dallas.  You can help end hunger by giving your voice and becoming an advocate for a hunger-free world, give your time and become a volunteer, give a pound of food at your local Tom Thumb or give a little money — $1 provides 3 meals^{. 4}

After we toured through The North Texas Food Bank warehouse, we were off to visit the Trinity River Mission, a volunteer-based community learning center dedicated to supporting the development of educational success in the children, youth and families of West Dallas.⁵ We participated in a service project involving a cooking demo at the Kid’s Café, where we taught kids how to make quesadillas along with a fun activity puzzle learning the different names of fruits and vegetables.  Four days a week the Kid’s Café at the Trinity River Mission serves hot meals and snacks in collaboration with the North Texas Food Bank and Capital One.⁶

It’s important to take part in our communities — whether it’s through donating your time or money, there are always people who need your help.  Teamwork is key when it comes to tackling major social problems like Child Hunger and together we can make a difference.  To find out more about ways you can help in Dallas contact The North Texas Food Bank or The Tarrant Area Food Bank.  For those who are interested in finding a Food Bank in their area, find more info at Share Our Strength.

(The stunning Robin Plotkin a long-time volunteer for Share Our Strength and North Texas Food Bank and also a renown Culinary and Nutrition Consultant and Registered and Licensed Dietician in Dallas)

Stay tuned for the second installment, where we end our day at one of Dallas’ finest restaurants: Stephan Pyles and a surprise from ConAgra Foods Foundation and Share Our Strength!

Candied Ginger Cookies with Dark Chocolate Ganache

A few months an excerpt from the Wallstreet Journal caught my eye: “Why Chinese Mothers are Superior” which was written about Amy Chua, a Chinese-American mother/lawyer/author about her controversial parenting guide titled “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother”.

While the general population took great offense to what her book had to say, in many ways I completely related to her experiences and even further, the excerpts lead me to a moment of clarity about the constant conflicting relationship with my father.    I was that girl who practiced piano an hour a day, attended summer school every year since I was 4 and when homework was done, there was more assigned work — ranging from advanced math problems to memorizing new vocabulary words.

While my mom was mostly in charge of teaching me manners, how to maintain a household and how to cook, my dad was in charge of school work, piano and art.  I’d remember he’d be so intense about grades – “Straight As or nothing!”  Any time I knew I had a possible B coming up on a report card I’d cry on the way home, my stomach would be wrangled with anxiety. I remember one time I even tried to smudge my B with an eraser – “Joy what does this say?  Why can’t I see this letter??” I never got away with anything.

And that’s what it’d always felt like — I was a constant disappointment and everything I ever did always felt like it was never good enough.  It was always “You know, Nancy’s son Michael, he’s going to Duke and making $70,000 a year from stock, how come you don’t do this?” or “You hear about Jenny?  She won 4 piano contests.  FOUR how come you do not win?” For the longest time I held that grudge against my father, I couldn’t wrap my mind around why he couldn’t be a positive parent like all my non-Chinese friends’ parents were.  It seemed as if my friends could do no wrong, if they made a B they never got grounded or yelled at – some even got money for Bs.  At school recitals the parents would always congratulate them on what a good job they did while my dad would point out “I heard that mistake towards the middle.”  They even didn’t have to practice, like ever – while I had to be stuck at home on weekends playing endless hours of scales, chords, and Bach.

But then that moment of clarity hit me like a ton of bricks: it was never about him being disappointed in me, it was his hope that his daughter could exceed what he felt were her own limitations.  He pushed me because he wanted me to reach my personal best and I was just too afraid.  Afraid of failure, afraid of disappointment, whatever it was, I often regret for not trying harder.  My parents came to the states at the end of the Cultural Revolution with one goal in mind: to succeed in this new country and provide a promising future for their child.  There was no time for fancy family vacations, birthday parties at Chuck E Cheese, or new outfits every season; instead the money was saved for my piano lessons, summer school and all the books I could possibly want.

Sure there were problems with some of my parents’ parenting styles, but what parent is perfect? They try with their best intentions with all the hope that their children will have a good future.  When Collin and I settle down to have kids, I hope to combine the best of our two cultures, The Eastern and the Western, into something beautiful.

I wished for my parents to adopt Western parenting so much as a child and I realized it was mostly for the constant open affection: the I Love Yous, the hugs, the kisses.  Whereas Eastern parenting mostly lacks such affection – for my dad to utter I love you would be like pulling teeth.  I remembered my mom being almost embarrassed when I’d give her hugs and kisses but after years of my constant coaxing she now hugs me so hard sometimes it hurts (she has ungodly strong arms).

With Eastern parenting it’s the constant push and discipline with just the right amount of negativity, enough to drive the child’s need to be the best and dedicate themselves fully to any tasks they commit themselves to.  I wanted to quit piano so many times as a child but my parents never let me until I left the house, I didn’t understand why until now.  My god do I thank them for it.  Dad might’ve been tough on me but now I understand why he’d accept nothing less, because his daughter has half his brain and anything with half his genes has to be damn smart because he is by far the most intense and studious man EVER (he really is).  But what I learned from him is to never settle for mediocrity and to commit every ounce of yourself to a task you’ve committed your heart to and excel at it.

This cookie recipe made me think of dad: a soft, crumbly ginger spiced cookie with a bold dark chocolate ganache.   Though during my childhood (especially during adolescence) we often butted heads, what started off bitter ended up sweet.  The heart mends itself when you allow it to feel compassion towards others and being able to relate to other perspectives besides your own.

Ingredients for Ginger Shortbread Cookies with Dark Chocolate Ganache (about 18 sandwich cookies)

Prep time: 15 minutes; Total cooking time: 1 hour

• 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon cardamom
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped crystallized ginger, plus ¼ cup for garnish
• 1 tablespoon raw sugar

Combine flour, sugar, spices and salt in medium bowl. Combine crystallized ginger and 1 tablespoon sugar on work surface; chop finely.

Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until light. Add orange zest and vanilla. Beat in crystallized ginger mixture. Beat dry ingredients into butter mixture in 4 additions. Transfer dough to floured work surface and divide it in half into two 6-inch logs. Shape each log into 2x1x6-inch-long rectangular log. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for an hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter 2 large baking sheets and cut 1/3-inch-thick pieces from each dough log.  Transfer the cookies to prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart (cookies will spread slightly during baking). Mix raw sugar and reserved ¼ cup of chopped crystallized ginger in small bowl, set aside. Place cookies in oven and after 10 minutes sprinkle sugared ginger mixture on top of cookies and bake until golden brown on edges, about 8-10 minutes longer. Cool cookies on baking sheets, about 3 minutes. Using a spatula, transfer cookies to racks. Cool completely and sandwich with Dark Chocolate Ganache.

Chocolate Ganache

• 8 ounces of high quality dark chocolate, cut into small pieces
• ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized bowl and set aside.  Heat the cream and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until almost boiling, about 3-4 minutes.  Immediately pour hot cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes.  Stir until smooth and allow to cool for 10 minutes before spreading.

Roasted Tomato Soup