Blueberries and Lobster

My first exposure to TV cooking shows wasn’t Julia Child or the Galloping Gourmet. No, for me television cookery will always be epitomized by the manic grin of Martin Yan and his eponymous show, Yan Can Cook. I learned how to chop vegetables from him — the trick where you hold the flat blade of the knife against your knuckles and curl your fingers in. I learned that fast food can also be fresh food. And my favorite part: he’d show every dish to the camera and say in that accent, Look how beautiful!

I think of that whenever I make a particularly beautiful vegetable dish. Look how beautiful!

(A side note: did you know that as of fall 2006, Martin Yan still had a television show? Oh, the nostalgia!)

Skillet Hash
This is like the Western cowboy cousin to stir-fry. And it’s a great way to showcase potatoes.

Small potatoes, about two handfuls, cubed
2 carrots, cut into 1″ matchsticks
Broccoli, 1-2 heads
Spicy chicken sausage
Half an onion, chopped
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
Olive oil
Thyme
Soy sauce
Rice vinegar

Use any vegetables you have on hand, but definitely include the potatoes. Other good things in particular, if you have them, are black beans and sweet potatoes.

Heat up some olive oil in a pan over medium-low, and add the onions and garlic. (Be careful not to burn the garlic.) Add the potatoes, stir around a bit, and sprinkle with a little kosher salt. Cover, and let the potatoes steam for about five minutes.

Add the remaining vegetables and sausage, stirring occasionally, until everything is cooked through. Sprinkle with a generous amount of fresh or dried thyme, a small amount of soy sauce, and a small amount of rice vinegar.

Serve it up, and sprinkle with a little Asiago cheese, if you like.