What’s Will B. Cooking ?
Dinner is always, or mostly, more than just food on a plate. It’s a time for the family to gather around, break bread and discuss the day’s activities. There may be the occasional Dad joke or heated debate on what is going on in the news.
With over 16 years of restaurant experience and a lifetime of cooking experience, there is just one weak link in my cooking armor. Making, creating, and knowing which sauce goes with which dish. I decided to remedy the situation by purchasing what some call the Chef ’s bible for making sauces intitled “Sauces” fourth addition. A nearly 700-hundred-page book written by James Peterson. At a cost of nearly 60 dollars I thought it to be a bargain and promptly made the purchase from Amazon and waited anxiously for its arrival.
After receiving the book, I glanced over the book casually over the next few days deciding on which sauce to try first. The book also includes proteins and how to cook them for some of the recipes. With nearly 700 pages to look through I decided to go with an Asian sauce being that it coincides with what I am currently adding to my arsenal of recipes. I have been lately learning and perfecting some Korean and Asian dishes which was another weakness as a cook. I hope you will follow along with me on this journey of culinary growth. The following is the first sauce I shall attempt to master. I use baby back ribs because they are easily available. I have made a couple substitutions for some of the ingredients that are like the ingredients called for in the recipe I found in the book to make obtaining the ingredients easier to find. Tip: I have discovered (while making sauces and marinades) is to double the recipe. Reserve one half for basting meats during the cooking process and the other half should be used to marinade over night on the meat. Marinades should have at least two hours to rest on meats. The longer the better. I strive for overnight when time allows. This recipe is simply labeled “Korean Dipping Sauce” which I use as my marinade.
Two tablespoons of sesame seeds toasted (toasting seeds will help bring out the oil of seeds), 12 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 cup rice wine vinegar, one half cup of dark brown sugar, four teaspoons of fresh grated ginger, 2 tablespoons of minced garlic, teaspoons of sesame oil, 2 to 4 finely chopped serrano chili (may substitute different chilis and amount to taste and level of heat), 1 bundle of finely chopped cilantro and one bundle of finely chopped green onions (tops only no white). Mix all ingredients briskly with a whisk and pour over baby back ribs that have been cut into 3 or 4 pieces each inside a gallon size freezer bag and let sit overnight or at least 2 hours. While grilling, baste ribs 2 or 3 times over the cook time with the reserved marinade. Find out in later articles how things turn out. Until then Bon appetite! Or as the Koreans say “mas-issge deuseyo!”