Cook Like a Pro: Induction Cooking Recipes from Bay Area Chefs

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Time: 90 minutes

Shakshuka

• 2½ cups onion, medium diced (about 1 medium onion)
• 1 tablespoon garlic, finely minced (about 4 cloves)
• 1½–2 pounds red bell peppers (about 4–6)
• 2 pounds tomatoes (about 8 medium-sized tomatoes)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon cumin, ground
• 1 teaspoon coriander, ground
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or red chili flakes
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 3–4 eggs (your preference)

Garnish

• ¼ cup crumbled feta (optional)
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley (optional)
• Olive oil for drizzling

1. Heat a cast iron or magnetic stainless steel sauté pan on an induction range at a medium-high setting until it starts to smoke.
2. Coat peppers in olive oil and char in the pan on all sides.
3. Halve the tomatoes lengthwise, coat in oil, place cut-side down, and keep rotating them on the pan until you get nice chars and the tomato starts to soften. Remove.
4. Once peppers are collapsed, charred, and bubbling, transfer to a bowl and cover. Once cool, peel away the skin and pull out the seeds and veins.
5. In the same pan or a shallow saucepan, over a medium-high setting, sauté the onion until translucent, add the garlic, and cook a minute more. Add the spices, salt, and pepper, and cook for another minute. Transfer the tomatoes with skins and any pan juices along with the peppers into the pan, and lower the heat to a simmer for about 20 minutes stirring frequently. Add up to half a cup of water as needed to keep the sauce from burning.
6. Transfer to a food processor and mix to smooth, or blend with an immersion blender. Add honey. The sauce should be thick.
7. Make wells with a spoon and crack an egg into each well. Sprinkle with salt, cover, and simmer over a medium heat setting for 5–10 minutes until the whites are firm and the eggs are to your liking.

Top with garnish and serve with pita for scooping.

Yield: 4 servings

Time: 20 minutes

• ⅓ cup oyster sauce
• ¼ cup crushed garlic (about 8 garlic cloves)
• 3 tablespoons cooking rice wine
• 2¾ tablespoons raw sugar
• 2 tablespoons soy seasoning sauce (such as Golden Mountain)
• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 2½ teaspoon crushed Kampot
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 pounds flank steak, cut into ¾-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups thinly sliced red onion (from 1 medium onion)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground Kampot or other black peppercorns
• 8 butter lettuce leaves
• 1 unripe red tomato, cut into 8 wedges

1. Stir together oyster sauce, garlic, rice wine, sugar, soy seasoning sauce, dark soy sauce, and crushed Kampot peppercorns in a small bowl.
2. Stir together cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water in a medium bowl until cornstarch is dissolved; add beef, and toss to coat. Add 1/4 cup of the oyster sauce mixture; cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. Cover remaining oyster sauce mixture and set aside.
3. Heat olive oil in an induction wok set on high. Carefully add beef mixture to wok and cook, shaking wok often, until beef has a brown sear, 4–5 minutes. Add red onion and remaining oyster sauce mixture, and cook, shaking wok often, 2 more minutes.
4. Stir together lime juice, sea salt, and coarsely ground Kampot peppercorns. Place beef, lettuce leaves, and tomatoes on a platter, and serve with lime sauce.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Time: 90 minutes

Bieh Sauce

• 4 bunches cilantro
• 2 bunches parsley
• 1 bunch mint
• 1 bunch green onion
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 5 cloves garlic
• 10 ounces pomegranate molasses
• 1 pound walnuts
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 8 ounces vegetable broth
• Canola oil
• Salt and pepper

Roasted Eggplant

• 4–6 Italian eggplants
• olive oil
• sumac
• salt and pepper

1. Wash and dry all the herbs and preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Puree the herbs, garlic, and onion in a food processor.
3. Finely crush walnuts in a food processor.
4. Heat canola oil in a pan. Add herbs mixture and crushed walnuts, stirring continuously for 15 minutes.
5. After half of the water is gone, add turmeric, paprika, salt, and pepper and continue stirring for 5 minutes.
6. Add the pomegranate molasses and vegetable broth and stir well. Let it cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Lower the heat and cook the sauce for 20 more minutes.
7. Cut the eggplants lengthwise and place on a baking sheet, skin side down. Season with olive oil, sumac, salt, and pepper.
8. Roast the eggplant for 20–25 minutes.
9. Keep the eggplant on the baking sheet and scoop 1–2 Tbsp of the bieh on top of the eggplant. Cover the sheet with aluminum foil and put back in the oven for 8–10 minutes. Uncover the sheet for the last 3–5 minutes.
10. Garnish with fresh herbs, sprouts, barberries, and pomegranate seeds.