Happy Wondercade Wednesday! 

(I keep starting each newsletter that way. Surely there’s a better salutation, something that rolls off the tongue. Alliteration, perhaps? Welcome Wednesday Wondercaderers! Eh. Hipster speak? Wondercade Wednesday, What Whaaat?? Not sure, I’ll keep working on it. Stay tuned…)

Anyhooo. Today, I’ve got food on my mind. I’m a foodie, it happens a lot. (Same? Scroll to the “P.S.” end of this editor’s note for a super special food-centric and travel giveaway.) Food can be a touchy topic this time of year, though: Maybe you made a resolution to eat healthier. Maybe you already broke said resolution. Either way, good. This week, we’re diving into the main course. And you’re gonna eat, well, good. And, well, well. Good, because we’ve cooked up something delicious, and well, because, well, we’re serving up veggie-forward, meat-free sensations.

Our very special guest today, taking us through this fresh, flavorful feast, is chef Roy Choi! You know him from his countless TV appearances — with Jon Favreau on The Chef Show, or with the late, great Anthony Bourdain. Or perhaps you know him as one of the godfathers of the gourmet food truck scene with his Korean-Mexican cuisine. Yeah. This dude’s resume = stacked. And today, my boy Roy has got two (yes, two…boom) recipes bursting with flavor…deliciousness!

In Act 2, we have a culinary curveball for ya: cooking outside over an open flame. And not just your grill, but a proper fire. Summer gets all the glory for outdoor feasts, what with its cookouts and campouts, but barring a blizzard, a wintertime firepit feast is the perfect cure for the meh of this time of year. Grab your wood (yeah, I did and always do), gather some friends and family, pour some piping-hot cups of cocoa and take to the great outdoors for a new experience. 

Then, in today’s edition of The Emporium, it’s kitchen goods that’ll help you be healthy, and we put a puzzling cherry on top with Last Call.

Bon appetit-ly,

P.S. Sticking with foodie vibes, I’ve got yet another treat for you…. Click here to win a FREE trip to the South Beach Wine & Food Festival in Miami! So tasty. You’re welcome.

A DELICIOUS DOUBLE DIP…

2 AMAZING VEGETARIAN RECIPES FROM ROY CHOI

Hi there, Neil fans and Wondercade readers. It’s Roy Choi here! Great to be with you. Neil asked me to share a couple of recipes that really highlight healthy veggies and bold flavors — two of my favorite things! — and these two dishes do just that. I hope you like them as much as I do. For more recipes like this, check out my class on MasterClass.

SAVORY MUNG BEAN PANCAKE

Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

SCALLION DIPPING SAUCE:

• 2 Tbsp. crushed toasted sesame seeds
• 2 cups soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp. gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
• ½ cup toasted sesame oil
• ¾ cup rice vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 bunch scallions (about 8 scallions), trimmed and thinly sliced

PANCAKE:

• ½ cup split yellow mung beans, soaked overnight in 1½ cups water (soaking water reserved)
• ½ cup thinly sliced chives
• 1 cup tempura flour mix or self-rising flour
• 1 tsp. kosher salt or coarse sea salt, plus more to taste
• ½ white onion, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup water
• 1 large russet potato, peeled and submerged in cold water (to keep it crisp)
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• Neutral oil (canola, grapeseed, vegetable, etc.), to coat the cooking surface
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare the Scallion Dipping Sauce: Combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Whisk or stir them until they’re well mixed. Adjust the seasoning to taste, and add a little water if you want the sauce to be mellower in flavor. Pour the sauce into a sealable jar or container, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
2. For the pancake: Add the soaked mung beans, soaking liquid, chives, tempura flour or self-rising flour, salt, onion and water to a clean blender jar.
3. Purée the ingredients on high until a smooth pancake batter forms, about 5 seconds.
4. Finely grate the potato into a large mixing bowl, then add the scallions. Pour in the pancake batter, and stir until everything is combined.
5. In a large skillet or on a nonstick griddle set over medium heat, drizzle in enough oil to evenly coat the cooking surface (a few large spoonfuls). When the oil is shimmering, add a small dollop of batter: This is your test pancake. Cook the test pancake until it’s browned on both sides, then taste it. Season the batter with more salt and pepper as needed.
6. Pour about ⅓ cup of batter into the hot pan or onto the hot griddle, fitting as many pancakes as possible. They should sizzle immediately. Cook the pancakes for a few minutes, or until tiny bubbles appear along the edges. Flip the pancakes with a spatula, and continue cooking for 1 or 2 minutes more until they are crisp and golden brown on both sides. Transfer the pancakes to a plate or tray lined with paper towels. Repeat the cooking process with the remaining batter, adjusting the heat if the pancakes are cooking too slowly or too quickly.
7. Serve the pancakes with a side of Scallion Dipping Sauce, and eat them immediately.

3 P.M. DUMPLINGS WITH MUSHROOM FILLING

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

MUSHROOM (VEGGIES DUXELLES) FILLING:

• Scallion Dipping Sauce (optional, see above)
• 8 oz. button mushrooms
• 5 oz. shiitake mushrooms
• ¼ cup neutral oil (canola, grapeseed, vegetable, etc.)
• 1 large shallot (about 3 oz.), finely chopped
• ½ cup dry white wine
• Kosher salt or coarse sea salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 Tbsp. thinly sliced chives
• ½ cup finely chopped napa cabbage or green cabbage
• 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
• 2 Tbsp. minced ginger (from about a 2-inch knob)
• 2 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 tsp. gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
• 1 Tbsp. crushed toasted sesame seeds
• 2 Tbsp. oyster sauce
• 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar (unseasoned) 
• 1 egg
• Chili oil (optional), for serving

FOR WRAPPING THE DUMPLINGS:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour, for dusting
• 50 to 60 round dumpling wrappers, about 3-inches wide
• 1 beaten egg or a small dish of water

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare the Scallion Dipping Sauce (if using); set the sauce aside.
2. Finely chop the mushrooms with a knife or in a food processor. 
3. Add the oil to a medium skillet or sauté pan set over medium heat. When shimmering, add the shallot. Cook the shallot for less than 1 minute, stirring, until it becomes fragrant and translucent. Add the mushrooms to the pan, and cook everything for 2 to 3 minutes more, stirring, until most of the moisture has cooked out of the mushrooms and their edges are slightly browned. 
4. After 2 to 3 minutes, add the white wine and deglaze the pan, using a spatula to scrape up any browned bits. Season the shallot and mushrooms with salt and pepper. Once the wine has been absorbed by the mushrooms, add the chives, toss to combine, then remove the pan from the heat. Cool to room temperature.
5. In a medium mixing bowl, add the cabbage, scallions, ginger, garlic, gochugaru, sesame seeds, oyster sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar and egg. Season with salt and pepper, and mix well. Add cooled mushroom mixture to the cabbage mixture and combine.
6. Wrap the dumplings. Dust a clean work surface with a few small handfuls of flour, then spread out the dumpling wrappers in a single layer. Spoon a heaping teaspoon (or about ½ tablespoon) of filling into the center of each wrapper, then use a finger to dab the edges of the wrapper with egg wash or water. Close the dumplings by gently folding them in half like a taco, then use your fingertips to press out any air pockets and pinch-seal the edges, working to keep the filling in the center.
7. Fill a large pot about ⅔ of the way with salted water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
8. Carefully add the dumplings to the pot, in batches of 10 or so, and cook, without stirring, until the dumplings rise to the surface and the skins become translucent and tighten around the filling, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the dumplings from the pot using a spider or slotted spoon, and drain.
9. Top with a handful of sliced scallions, and serve immediately.

HOT STUFF

HOW TO COOK OVER AN OPEN FLAME!

Neil here, your hungry host back with you. With something hot. Not that, you minx! Something literal. Fire up the…fire! I chatted with two prominent pitmasters — chef Rodney Scott, a South Carolina-based barbecue aficionado who’s only the second pitmaster to win a James Beard Award, and chef Melissa Cookston, 7-time world barbecue champion and the only American woman to be one! They’ll teach some tips that will make your open-flame cooking a sure-fire hit (see what I did there?). Because there’s a lot more to outdoor cheffery than s’mores.

First! Plan your menu. (Disclaimer: I’m married to a chef; I didn’t need Melissa and Rodney to teach me that tip!) Rodney says his favorite healthy foods to cook over a fire include chicken, fish and vegetables — carrots, onions and more. “You get that little char that brings out a natural sweetness,” he explains. Same for Melissa, who likes to use a low-calorie piri-piri sauce as a marinade for red snapper or dip for grilled vegetables.

Then, plan your fire…. Don’t just grab a heap of logs, some lighter fluid and a match…fire fails are no joke (though, let’s be honest, sometimes fun to watch on social media). “Start small and safe,” Rodney explains. “Don’t cook too close to your house, and make sure a fire extinguisher is nearby just in case.” Smart.

Now it’s time to start the fire! Pro tip from Rodney: “Take some rolled-up paper and use some leftover bacon fat as an accelerator. You don’t get the harsh chemicals of lighter fluids, and it smells great before it’s lit.” Once you’ve got the fire going, he says to wait about 15 minutes before you start cooking — that’s enough time for any soot to burn off, and it won’t flare up and tarnish your precious meal. Melissa says when the coals turn white, you’re good to start cooking.

Next, it’s time to cook…. Rodney recommends positioning the food 5 to 6 inches from the flame. That goes for anything, whether it’s a weenie on a stick or roasting a whole hog. “That way, your food doesn’t burn before it starts to cook,” he adds. 

Melissa says that anyone can get started cooking over fire using a grate, and for the more adventurous, a rotisserie. Both methods are great because all the oils and fats drip off the meat, into the fire and then precipitate back up to the meat. Yum. Rotisserie cooks the meat more evenly, but she notes to be careful not to let your fire get too close to the product, or flare-ups may arise.

Like your meat rare? I gotchu, Boo. Just move it closer to the fire. “The closer to the fire, the higher the temperature, which will char the outside while the inside is still a very low temperature,” explains Melissa. She adds an important final note familiar to any carnivore: be sure to use a thermometer to ensure the dish is done. “140 degrees for fish, 165 for chicken,” she says. “Thermometers are a must-have.”

Finally, one last tip: have fun. “There’s nothing more mesmerizing than cooking with fire,” says Melissa.

When tackling a new recipe, it’s not enough to know what to make or how to make it, though. You need stuff to actually make it! Even though the delicious finished meal gets all the dinnertime attention, the tools that created the meal are the worker bees of the kitchen. Here are a few unsung heroes to add to your arsenal that will make all kinds of radiant repasts possible.

OXO 2-in-1 Citrus Juicer

All things citrus are welcome in my kitchen. I’m sure they are in yours, too. Especially this time of year. Whether I’m using an orange to juice up a glass of, well…orange juice, or a lemon or lime to brighten up a salad dressing or marinade (like one you might use while menu-planning for your next open-fire cooking adventure), a gadget like this one is super handy. Even grapefruits can be reamed (yeah I did) on this baby.

Microplane Rasp Grater

Before you go juicing that lemon, though, you may want to consider zesting it, too. Those brightly flavored flakes of rind are crucial in so many delicious dishes, making a Microplane like this one a must-have for your cooking conquests and baking badassery.

Super Benriner Mandoline

See, I always get this gizmo confused with the light bulb-shaped stringed instruments you see at Renaissance fairs. (For the record, if you’re a HIMYM fan, I use the conventional pronunciation, not the Mosby affectation.) While a mandoline won’t make lovely music, it will make your cooking sing, with perfectly consistent slices of varying thickness. This Japanese number will help you whip up tons of healthy dishes, from salad to stir-fry.

Thermapen One

As chef Melissa pointed out earlier, a good thermometer is a lifesaver not only in the kitchen, but by the firepit, or any other place you’re cooking up a storm. Make sure your meats are perfectly prepared with this one that comes with a big backlight, making it easy to read. And it lives up to its name: It gives temperature readings in 1 second.

Just as with a delicious (and healthy! Or open-fire cooked!) meal, all good things must come to an end. Wondercade Wednesday is no exception. But don’t fret: we do have a smart dessert course readied for you — our Last Call puzzle. Here’s the answer to last week’s:

Each of the words below contains a smaller word that’s tied to a theme. Find those smaller words, then look at the letter that directly follows each of them. Arrange those letters to form a word related to the theme. What’s the word?

REORGANIZATION
SOLEMNLY
LARYNX
MINNESOTA
DOCUMENTARY
TITANIUM
FACSIMILE

The Reveal: Each word begins with one of the notes of the solfege scale (Do, Re, Mi…). The letters after each of them are OERNCTC, which anagrams to CONCERT.

So, did your brain hit the high notes and solve that puzzle for ya? If so, hooray! If no, boo. But maybe you’re more of a numbers person than a words person. If that’s the case, you might like what we have next up our sleeves:

Replace the letters in the equation below with 6 of the digits from 0-9 to make the smallest number. You may not repeat any digits.

If you think you know the answer, hit the giant button below or send it to contest@wondercade.com. One winner will get to choose any of these sets of teas (each a $94 value) from Brook37. Full rules here. Plus, get 10% off your order with promo code LOVE10. Enjoy!