Asian-AmericanProudly Inauthentic Recipes from the Philippines to Brooklyn
The eagerly awaited cookbook from Dale Talde, Top Chef favorite and owner of the acclaimed Brooklyn restaurant Talde.
Born in Chicago to Filipino parents, Dale Talde grew up both steeped in his family’s culinary heritage and infatuated with American fast food–burgers, chicken nuggets, and Hot Pockets. Today, his dual identity is etched on the menu at Talde, his always-packed Brooklyn restaurant. There he reimagines iconic Asian dishes, imbuing them with Americana while doubling down on the culinary fireworks that made them so popular in the first place. His riff on pad thai features bacon and oysters. He gives juicy pork dumplings the salty, springy exterior of soft pretzels. His food isn’t Asian fusion; it’s Asian-American.
Now, in his first cookbook, Dale shares the recipes that have made him famous, all told in his inimitable voice. Some chefs cook food meant to transport you to Northern Thailand or Sichuan province, to Vietnam or Tokyo. Dale’s food is meant to remind you that you’re home.
Dale Talde is the chef/owner of three Brooklyn restaurants: Talde, Pork Slope, and Thistle Hill Tavern, as well as the recently opened Talde Jersey City. He lives in Brooklyn.
JJ Goode has written for the New York Times, Saveur, and Bon Appétit, and has co-authored several cookbooks.
Bao-ed Lobster in Warm Chile Butter
Makes 6 buns
I have no loyalties when it comes to lobster rolls. If you pile sweet chunks of crustacean on a bun, I’m sold. Yet there’s something about the Connecticut style—warm, buttery lobster as opposed to the chilled mayo-coated Maine style—that gets me particularly amped. Purists, look away: I use scallion, cilantro, and Sriracha in my version. For anyone who thinks Sriracha is played out, I dare you to taste what happens when it gets mellowed with butter and brightened with lemon juice. Chinese steamed bao buns provide a slightly sweet, doughy backdrop similar to the classic split-top bun.
Ingredients:
6 fresh or frozen Chinese buns (aka gua bao, folded buns, or steamed sandwiches)
1 stick (¼ pound) unsalted butter, cut into several pieces
¼ cup Sriracha
½ teaspoon red chile flakes
½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
10 ounces cooked lobster meat (from two 1½-pound lobsters), chopped into bite-size chunks (2 cups)
1 generous tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 generous tablespoon thinly sliced scallions
1 generous tablespoon loosely packed cilantro leaves
Method:
- Right before you serve, arrange the buns on a plate, cover them with damp paper towels, and microwave, flipping once, about 1 minute.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and stir in the Sriracha, chile flakes, and ½ teaspoon salt. Reduce the heat to low, add the lobster, and stir occasionally just until the lobster is hot all the way through, 1 to 2 minutes. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the lemon juice, scallions, and cilantro. Season to taste with more salt and lemon juice. Cover to keep it warm.
- Remove the buns from the parchment and put them on a plate. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the lobster meat to the bao buns, spoon on as much of the sauce as you’d like, and eat.
Excerpted from the book ASIAN-AMERICAN by Dale Talde with JJ Goode. Copyright © 2015 by Dale Talde, LLC. Reprinted by permission of Grand Central Life & Style. All rights reserved. Photo: William Hereford
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