A Recipe for Scrap Chili Oil and an Eat-The-Whole-Herb Tempura with Herby Ranch
From Margaret & Irene Li's "Perfectly Good Food"
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Last week was a Q&A with Irene and Margaret (“Mei”) Li on their new book, “Perfectly Good Food: A Totally Achievable Zero Waste Approach to Home Cooking,” and all the clever tricks up their sleeve for cooking more efficiently and reducing food waste in the home. As promised, today I’m sharing a couple recipes from said book.
The first, a scrap chili oil that enlists the allium odds and ends (garlic skins, onion peels, scallion ends, etc.) that would normally end up in the trash. Everybody already knows how versatile chili oil is, of course, and how it can add a delicious, spicy kick to your dishes. Allium scraps will only deepen that flavor. Margaret and Irene say that they love spooning this stuff over scrambled eggs, avocado toast, and microwaved pizza. The recipe itself is just as well-rounded, too. “Feel free to toss in other odds and ends,” the Li sisters write, “like pepper cores and seeds, herb stems, and ginger peels.”
Finally, an eat-the-whole-herb tempura that … well, actually, it’s pretty self-explanatory. Margaret and Irene write that this recipe is inspired both by the salvia fritta con acciughe at an Italian restaurant where Irene used to work and Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipe for Tempura Stems, Leaves, and Herbs from his book Flavor. As the name suggests, this inventive recipe employs the entire herb—leaves, stems, and all—for a salty, crunchy, and crispy snack. Serve with an herby ranch (recipe also below) that’s not only easy to make, but also makes great use of the various herbs in your refrigerator that may be on their last leg.
Enjoy! And have a great rest of the week. ❤️
Makes about 1 cup
1 cup allium scraps, such as garlic skins, onion peels and ends, and scallion ends
2 star anise pods
2 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns
1 cup neutral oil, or more if needed
½ to 1 cup chili flakes
Kosher salt
Put the allium scraps, anise pods, and peppercorns in a small pot and cover with the oil, adding more if needed to submerge everything.
Heat over medium-high heat until the oil starts to sizzle. Turn the heat down slightly and let it simmer at a lazy bubble for 10 to 15 minutes. Put the chili flakes in a large heatproof bowl, then carefully strain the hot oil over the flakes.
Compost the scraps and spices in the strainer and let the oil cool. Season to taste with salt and any other sauces of your choice, then transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for a few months.
Serves 2 to 4 as a snack
Neutral oil, for frying
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
¾ cup cold beer (nothing too dark or heavy) or sparkling water
1 bunch mixed herb leaves and tender stems cut into 2-inch pieces
Herby Ranch (recipe below) or another creamy sauce, for dipping
Pour 2 to 3 inches of oil into a Dutch oven, aiming to fill it no more than one-third of the way. Heat the oil to 350 degrees, or until a drop of batter sizzles and floats but doesn’t immediately darken.
Meanwhile, make the batter by whisking together the flour, cornstarch, and salt in a large bowl, then pouring in the beer or sparkling water. Stir so that it just comes together; lumps are fine. Line a plate or wire rack with paper towels to get ready for frying.
Make sure your herb stems and leaves are dry. Place a few pieces at a time into the batter and use your hands to coat each piece. Lift the herbs out of the batter, letting any excess drip back into the bowl, then slip the pieces into the hot oil, holding your fingers close to the surface to reduce splashing. Using a slotted spoon or spider, separate any stuck pieces and add herbs until the pot can’t comfortably fit any more. Cook for about 1 minute, until the batter turns a pale golden blond and the pieces are crisp and don’t wilt when lifted out. Lift the tempura, transfer to the paper towels, and sprinkle with salt right away.
Repeat until everything has been fried and eat immediately with the ranch.
Whizz ½ cup mayonnaise, ½ cup sour cream, ½ cup packed fresh herbs and/or chopped alliums, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a food processor or blender. Thin with buttermilk, milk, or half-and-half, season with salt and pepper, and basically tinker with it until it’s so good you kind of want to drink it.
Recipes excerpted from “Perfectly Good Food: A Totally Achievable Zero Waste Approach to Home Cooking” by Margaret Li and Irene Li. Copyright © 2023. Used with permission of the publisher, W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. All rights reserved.