Ep 23. Jodi Adams

In Simply Ming season 17 episode 23, celebrity chef Jodi Adams joins Ming in the kitchen for a delicious and fun-filled cooking session. Jodi, who is a James Beard award-winning chef and co-owner of the Rialto Restaurant in Cambridge, Massachusetts, shares her culinary expertise with Ming as they create a variety of flavorful dishes.

The episode starts off with Jodi and Ming discussing their shared passion for Asian cuisine and how they integrate Asian flavors into their own cooking styles. Jodi then shows Ming how to make a classic Italian dish, cioppino, with a twist by incorporating Japanese flavors such as miso and dashi broth. This seafood stew is made with fresh clams, mussels, and shrimp, and is served over a bed of creamy polenta.

Next, the duo moves on to making a spicy Korean pork belly dish that is sure to tantalize taste buds. Ming and Jodi coat the pork belly with a homemade gochujang sauce, a paste made with Korean chili flakes, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. The pork belly is then seared to perfection and served with a side of kimchi fried rice, made with crispy bacon, green onion, and cooked rice.

In the third dish, Ming and Jodi showcase their creativity by making a unique lobster BLT sandwich with wasabi aioli. The lobster is lightly poached and tossed in a flavorful dressing made with lemon, garlic, and herbs. The sandwich is then layered with crispy bacon, heirloom tomatoes, and lettuce, and served on a toasted brioche bun with a side of refreshing cucumber salad.

The episode concludes with a dessert that is both sweet and savory – grilled figs with a Gorgonzola cream sauce. Ming and Jodi take fresh figs and grill them on a stovetop grill pan until they are caramelized. They then mix Gorgonzola cheese, heavy cream, and honey to create a delicious sauce that complements the sweetness of the figs. The dish is finished off with a drizzle of balsamic reduction and a sprinkling of candied pecans.

Throughout the episode, Jodi and Ming share tips and tricks for cooking with different ingredients and techniques, while also having fun in the kitchen. Their chemistry and mutual respect for each other's cooking skills make this episode a joy to watch. Viewers will surely be inspired to try these delicious recipes at home and experiment with their own Asian-fusion creations.