SHISO ABUSE: FINE LINE BETWEEN CLEVER AND STUPID

There is no doubt, none at all,  that I like the Japanese herb shiso more than the next man. 

An unusual variety of mint, I find its flavor indescribable, as I do most mints.  Shiso is mysterious, both earthy and otherworldly, and has a uniquely appealing texture, scent and presence.

But it doesn’t go with everything and its appearance in the two misguided recipes reprinted below proves that.

I always enjoy receiving Food & Wine magazine’s recipe of the day in my email in-box first thing every morning and they're batting close to 1000% circulating excellent dishes in their missives.  These recent recipes are horrid, however.  

I’m not a great hamburger aficionado, but the “Los Angeles-Style” double cheeseburger below, slathered with sesame mayonnaise with a shiso accent is simply disgusting, possibly a sign of insanity, and proof that decadence is alive, well and still a pejorative term, rather than a fashionably transgressive statement of social anomaly.  This recipe's inventor should be shunned or exiled.

I am also fonder of Kimchi and Korean cuisine than the next man -- many next men have told me that.  For example, I enjoy Korean fermented soybean cuisine, which restaurants tend to warn Westerners off, almost to distraction, and I always have Kimchi in my refrigerator and have put people to sleep discussing its merits.  Still, there’s no reason to incorporate Kimchi and the spices and seasonings below into a Bloody Mary, which is a really civilized and rational drink.  

Years ago I remember reading that Fernand Petiot, the barman who invented the Bloody Mary at the New York Bar in Paris in 1921, wanted to develop a cocktail which emphasized the delicious and unique sweetness of tomato juice, at that point an unusual bar ingredient.  Relatively neutral vodka worked well as the undergirding spirit and modest, balanced additions of lemon, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco turned up the color a bit without adding glare.  Unfortunately, these are tawdry, glaring times.  This cocktail recipe, which pumps up the volume, the treble and the bass, should be renamed the Ugly American.

Kimchi Bloody Mary

Fantastic Brunch Cocktail: Don Lee's clever bloody Mary variation gets its heat and flavor from pureed kimchi, along with a dash of Sriracha chile sauce.

Contributed by Don Lee

• ACTIVE: 30 MIN
• TOTAL TIME: 1 HR
• SERVINGS: 8

• •MAKE-AHEAD

This clever bloody Mary variation gets its heat and flavor from pureed kimchi, along with a dash of Sriracha chile sauce.

1.     2 packed cups kimchi (16 ounces)

2.   46 ounces tomato juice, such as Sacramento

3.   1/4 cup Sriracha chile sauce

4.   2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

5.   2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

6.   Salt

7.   Freshly ground pepper

8.   2 cups vodka (16 ounces)

9.   Ice

10. Mint sprigs or shiso leaves, for garnish

Working in batches, puree the kimchi with the tomato juice, Sriracha, Worcestershire and vinegar. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl and strain the kimchi puree, pressing gently on the solids to extract as much juice as possible; you should have 6 cups of kimchi-Mary mix. Discard the solids or reserve them for another use. Chill thoroughly, then season with salt and pepper and stir in the vodka. Serve over ice, garnished with mint sprigs or shiso leaves. 

Double Cheeseburgers, Los Angeles-Style

Staff Favorite: Roy Choi’s burgers look like the American classic, but get an Asian twist with toasted sesame seeds in the mayo and fresh shiso leaves on top of the lettuce.

Contributed by Roy Choi

• ACTIVE:
• TOTAL TIME: 45 MIN
• SERVINGS: 4

• •FAST
• •STAFF-FAVORITE

Roy Choi’s burgers look like the American classic, but get an Asian twist with toasted sesame seeds in the mayo and fresh shiso leaves on top of the lettuce.

1.     1/3 cup mayonnaise

2.   1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

3.   4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

4.   4 brioche hamburger buns, split

5.   2 pounds ground chuck, shaped into eight 1/4-inch-thick patties

6.   Kosher salt

7.   Freshly ground pepper

8.   2 tablespoons olive oil

9.   8 slices of cheddar cheese

10. 4 butter lettuce leaves

11.   4 shiso or sesame (perilla) leaves

12. 4 thin slices of tomato

13. 4 thin slices of red onion

14. In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise with the sesame seeds.

15. Heat a large nonstick griddle or 2 nonstick skillets over moderate heat. Butter the cut sides of the hamburger buns and toast them on the griddle until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a platter.

16. Season the patties with salt and pepper. Brush the griddle with the olive oil, add the patties and cook over high heat for 2 minutes. Flip the patties and cook for 2 minutes longer, then top each one with a slice of cheddar cheese. Cook just until the cheese is melted, about 1 minute.

17. Stack 2 burgers on each bun. Top with the lettuce, shiso leaves, tomato and onion. Spread the top halves of the buns with the sesame mayo, close the burgers and serve. 

Suggested Pairing

Lively, cherry-rich Grenache.