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Foodies fell silent last week when the reports trickled in about Gourmet magazine’s closing. I was one of them. In the middle of a photo shoot, it came as a quick text from my husband. I went online wondering if he was misinformed, and then it was confirmed. While I’m immensely saddened at the end of an era, Gourmet’s legacy started taking shape a few years ago. Going to Blogher Food in San Francisco a few weeks ago is proof there’s a revival going on in kitchens across the country—in fact, around the world. And while Gourmet’s last official issue will be November 2009, it will live on in the blogosphere indefinitely.

I met some amazing people at the conference, people making real change in putting cooking on the front burner. Like Jaden Hair. She’s got The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook coming out next week. One read of her blog, and you’ll fall in love with her style in and out of the kitchen. And you know why she’s so popular and adored? Because she’s showing her readers that good food doesn’t have to be complicated or take hours to make. It’s all about having a well-stocked pantry and a few key tools. I’ve been browsing through an advance copy of her book, and fell in love with her Sweet and Sour Lychee Meatballs. Pears are in season now too, so the Asian Pear Frozen Yogurt is on my “to-make” list—I’ve had my Cuisinart ice cream maker long before I started writing this blog, and excited to give this fruity frozen yogurt combination a try. Luckily, Jaden’s sharing both of these recipes, so all of you can enjoy them too.


Sweet and Sour Lychee Meatballs
Serves 4 as part of a multicourse meal

Recipe adapted from The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook by Jaden Hair, courtesy of Tuttle Publishing (2009) (Photo Courtesy of Tuttle Publishing)

Use the meat grinding attachment on the Cuisinart Stand Mixer to make fresh-ground pork for these kid and party friendly meatballs.

One 14-oz can lychees, drained (reserve the juice for the sauce)
1 to 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable cooking oil
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch chunks

SWEET-AND-SOUR SAUCE
1/4 cup juice from canned lychees
1/4 cup white vinegar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 teaspoon salt

MEATBALLS
1 lb ground pork
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon flour

1. Bring the Sweet-and-Sour Sauce ingredients to a boil in a saucepan, then let simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Cut each lychee in half, lengthwise.
2. Using a big spoon, combine the Meatballs ingredients in a bowl. The mixture should be thick and very sticky. If not, add 1 teaspoon of flour. To form the Meatballs, put a good handful of the meat onto the palm of your hand and squeeze a ball of meat through your index finger and thumb. You may have to repeat this motion two or three times to shape the ball into a tight, compact and round meatball. Use a small spoon to scrape the Meatball off your hand and place on a plate. Try to keep all the Meatballs 1 1/2 inches in diameter to make sure they cook evenly.
3. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, add just enough cooking oil to thinly coat the pan. When hot, add the Meatballs, making sure they do not touch each other. Fry 2 to 3 minutes, rotating the balls so that they become evenly browned. The middle of the Meatballs should still be uncooked, as we will finish cooking them in the sauce. Add the red and green bell peppers and sliced lychees to the pan. Pour in the Sweet-and-Sour Sauce and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Let simmer over low heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until the Meatballs are cooked through. You may want to cut into one of the Meatballs to check for doneness.

Asian Pear Frozen Yogurt

Makes1 1/2 pint

Recipe adapted from The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook by Jaden Hair, courtesy of Tuttle Publishing (2009)
This yogurt is so refreshing and made with such healthy ingredients, I’m almost thinking of serving it for breakfast.

2 large Asian pears
1/4 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 1/2 cups (375 g) Greek-style plain yogurt,
1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
Generous pinch of fine sea salt
1 tablespoon pink peppercorns, crushed

1. Peel and chop the pears into small 1 /2-inch chunks. Toss with the lemon juice to prevent browning. In your Cuisinart blender, combine the pears and ginger and puree until smooth. You may have to use a tablespoon of water to get the pears moving.
2. In a large bowl, combine the pear-ginger puree with the yogurt, sugar and salt. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Churn according to your Cuisinart ice cream maker’s instructions.
3. Top the frozen yogurt with the crushed pink peppercorns before serving.