>> MING: Hey, Ming Tsai here with Simply Ming.

I have one of Boston's best in the house-- Alex Crabb, James Beard-nominated chef, worked at the famous French Laundry and Noma, where he really got his way of cooking.

He works on vegetable menus primarily.

He's actually making a dandelion gnudi.

A gnudi is kind of like a dumpling, kind of like gnocchi.

Usually no flour in it.

Apparently he's going to bury it in some semolina.

That is crazy, that something that wet... >> Yeah.

>> MING: ...is going to come together, chef.

I'm so impressed.

I'm going to do my own version of a vegetarian dumpling.

It's going to be actually imitation meat made from pea protein.

A lot of people are using it.

And hey, if it tastes good and... if it's better for the environment... >> Yeah.

>> MING: ...why not try?

We are cooking vegetarian, right here, right now, on Simply Ming.

♪ ♪ >> MING: Alex.

>> Good to see you.

>> MING: Thanks for being in my kitchen, man.

All right, tradition has it, I'm going to make a cocktail first, just to get us in the mood, and then we get to cook.

So, if you could do me a favor, that's a, just a little bit of chili and salt and lime juice.

If you could just rim these first and then fill them with ice.

>> You got it.

>> MING: I'm going to fill my thing with ice first.

I'm doing a Thai chili Paloma.

So, a Paloma, traditionally, is, you know, tequila with grapefruit juice, right?

So we're going to start with that.

Obviously, it doesn't matter the brand of tequila, although I certainly have my favorites.

What does matter is it's 100% agave, right?

There's some tequilas out there that use sugar cane, and if you use those tequilas, that's how you end up with a headache, right?

You need to drink 100% agave.

So we do four ounces.

We'll do... for a little bit of sweetener, we'll do just an ounce of triple sec.

And we're going to do just a couple ounces of pink grapefruit juice.

And then, of course, we have to have a little lime.

So, ounce, two ounces of pink grapefruit.

Then... ounce of lime juice.

Then the heat.

The reason this becomes a Thai Paloma, this is a Thai tincture.

We use Thai bird chilies, four drops, incredibly spicy.

>> Oof.

>> MING: And you'll be able to taste it, so.

Let's get this mixed in here.

Nice rim job there, chef.

Well done.

>> I'm a natural.

>> MING: Yeah, I can tell, I can tell.

So, did you used to eat a lot of meat growing up, and you, like, ODed on it, and that's why you're doing more veg?

Or is it the training at Nomo, or what?

>> I just find vegetables more interesting, I don't know.

>> MING: Okay.

>> Anybody can cook a rib-eye up with a little bit of training, but... >> MING: That is so true.

Actually, the person you used to work with, Thomas Keller, said that, he goes, "Make a carrot taste good, that's much harder than making a ribeye taste good."

Cheers.

>> Cheers.

>> MING: Cheers.

See how we did here.

>> Ooh.

>> MING: Good?

>> Yeah.

>> MING: Ready to make some gnudi?

>> Oh, yeah.

>> MING: Awesome.

Come on, this way, gnudi time.

All right, chef, what's your dish?

>> So, we're going to make a dandelion gnudi >> MING: Awesome.

>> Uh, we're going to dice some onion, wilt down some dandelion, and ultimately bury it in semolina.

>> MING: Fantastic, so dice this?

>> Dice that.

>> MING: Okay.

>> I'll start cutting up the dandelions here.

>> MING: So, do you, do you know the history of gnudi?

>> Yeah, I mean, you know, it's, it's basically like a-a dumpling.

>> MING: Right.

>> That's disrobed or nude.

>> MING: There's no flour in it, like in gnocchi, right?

>> Correct, yeah.

>> MING: Although, traditional gnocchi is potato only, in theory, right?

>> Potato and egg, that's how I was taught to make it.

>> MING: Right-- why dandelion?

I like dandelion in this preparation, because it's, uh, really bitter.

>> MING: Right.

>> And you can kind of max it out with cheese, >> MING: So you could use, like, watercress or arugula?

>> Yeah, anything bitter or not even bitter.

You know, you could make a more, like, spinach and, spinach and kale, I think, would be good too.

>> MING: Chef, start the onions first?

>> Yep, sweat those out a little bit >> MING: Olive oil?

>> Olive oil.

Maybe a little butter as well to... >> MING: Okay, cool.

>> Got that... >> MING: Oil first, I like that.

Not too much?

It's good?

All right.

Awesome.

So, no garlic.

>> You know you can add garlic.

I don't add garlic because my girlfriend doesn't like garlic.

So, I learned how to eat without it.

>> MING: Happy girlfriend, happy, uh, girlfriend.

>> There you go, right.

>> MING: I think that's how it goes.

Any salt and pepper, chef?

>> Yeah, let's season it up a little bit.

>> MING: Okay.

Awesome.

>> Whoa, these sharp knives really made fast work of this.

I like this.

(Ming chuckles) >> MING: Maybe the talented chef, I think, has something to do with it.

>> So we'll just let this... >> MING: But thank you.

>> Sweat out a little bit.

>> MING: Okay.

>> And while this is kind of going... >> MING: Yep.

>> We can start the sauce.

>> MING: All right.

>> We can start processing these strawberries.

So, we're going to balance it out.

This is going to be kind of, like, sweet and acidic... >> MING: Okay.

>> To go with our rich and bitter.

So you're going to get all the... it's going to hit everything in the tongue with this.

>> MING: Awesome.

So I just basically prep the strawberry?

>> Yeah, let's get them out.

We're going to just puree it up, so it doesn't have to be super perfect.

>> MING: Okay.

Strawberries are finally looking nice, right?

>> (sighs): Yeah.

>> MING: Takes a while, I know.

New England.

>> I know.

What is it, like, July these days, you eat strawberries.

>> MING: So, this all goes in the blender?

>> Yeah.

>> MING: Okay.

Pop this in.

Obviously you don't need to chop these up, right, guys, because blender's going to do all its work.

How about we add a little liquid, chef?

>> Yeah, some vinegar now, I think.

>> MING: Yeah.

>> Get in there.

>> MING: It will come together.

Just I guess we could have chopped the things a little bit.

But... Ah, there we go.

(blender whirring) High speed?

>> Yeah, blast it.

(blender whirring) >> MING: Good?

>> Yeah, that's good.

Then we can... >> MING: Want to give it a taste?

>> Yeah, we'll taste it up, see what it needs.

A little sugar in, I think that's what it needs.

And a little chili, 'cause you know, chili seems to be the theme today.

>> MING (chuckles): Yes.

That's right, start with the chili cocktail.

All right, give it one more hit.

Good?

>> Yeah.

All right-- give it one more try, chef?

Perfect?

>> Yeah.

>> MING: Good?

>> That's good.

>> MING: All right.

We have our strawberry sauce or coulis >> Okay, we're going to put the dandelions in now.

>> MING: All right, go.

>> Onions are sweat.

>> MING: Right behind you, all right.

Beautiful.

So, how long is that going to take to sweat down?

>> Maybe about five minutes or so.

>> MING: Five or six minutes?

>> If you're in a rush, you could add some water to it.

>> MING: Yeah, pour it in.

>> Just steam it out a little bit.

>> MING: All right, you guys, we're going to take a quick break.

We'll let this stuff sweat down for five minutes, then we come back, we get to make some gnudi with dandelion greens.

That looks awesome.

>> Yeah, it's been about five-and-a-half minutes or so.

>> Perfect.

>> So we're going to tip it into the bowl.

>> MING: Fantastic.

So then what else do you add to this?

>> You want a grate a little parmesan for that?

>> MING: Yep, perfect.

>> I'm going to put the ricotta in, just to start cooling it down... >> MING: Big or small?

>> Small, small.

Just mix that in, cool it down.

You know, so you want this to kind of hold its form.

>> MING: Right.

>> But the moister it is, the juicier it is, the more rewarding your gnudi is going to be at the end.

>> MING: Right-- more, chef?

>> No, that's perfect.

>> MING: Yeah, I mean, a gnudi is like eating a pillow.

>> It's like eating a first kiss.

You know, it's quivering, right on the edge.

>> MING: Interesting.

>> You might... it might go to destruction, you never know.

(Ming laughs) A little parmesan in there.

>> MING: I can tell you something, chef, you and I are never going to know.

(both laughing) Okay, we'll see.

>> So, a little nutmeg went in.

>> MING: Yep.

I'm going to put some more pepper in.

>> MING: Okay.

>> And I've done this a couple times, so... >> MING: I would imagine.

>> I have a feel for it.

>> MING: It's probably like a wonton for me.

You've probably done it a ton.

>> And then we're going to add an egg.

>> MING: Okay.

We might add more than one egg.

>> MING: Right.

We'll see how one goes.

>> MING: Just, just by feel, right?

>> Yeah.

>> MING: It's like, it's like bread.

>> It's a preference thing as well.

If you don't want...

If you want it to be stiffer and cheesier.

>> MING: Right.

>> Not so many eggs.

>> MING: Got it.

But you had to have at least one, right?

>> You have to have one.

>> MING: 'Cause the protein in the egg is what binds it, it's the glue.

>> Yeah, you need that moisture.

>> MING: Yeah.

>> The semolina is going to pull the moisture and kind of gelatinize around it.

>> MING: Awesome.

>> I'm going to go half an egg more.

I know, that's a really... >> MING: I'd like to see how you do that, chef.

>> It's really tedious sort of, like a... it's like a Marco Pierre White thing there I think.

>> MING: So, you literally break... wow, amazing.

Half an egg.

>> All right, so it's almost unruly.

You see how it's like... >> MING: Yeah, it's very moist.

>> Yeah.

>> MING: That's crazy that it could even possibly come together.

But... more cheese too?

>> Just a little.

>> MING: I love it.

>> You're right, you know, we're playing with that edge of destruction here, like, right... >> MING: Like we talked about.

>> Right on the balance, yeah.

>> MING: So, chef, here's your semolina.

You want me to put some in here?

>> Let's put half in there.

>> MING: Okay; any special semolina, or..?

>> Yeah, I mean, it's, you want it coarse.

So you don't... you don't want to...

I like to use semolina because it is a little coarse, >> MING: Okay.

>> And it's got a stiffer protein to it.

Okay, so...

I think this is my secret.

You're going to make little landing spots.

>> MING: Ah.

Oh, it's escargot.

(chuckling) >> Exactly.

Now, I'm going to taste this.

>> MING: All right.

>> But it's got raw egg in it.

>> MING: It's raw egg.

Doesn't matter if it's raw egg or cooked almost all the way.

Either it's hard boiled or it's not, so.

>> Exactly.

>> MING: It's fine, it's fine.

Right, I mean... >> You heard it here first.

>> MING: It's fine, it's eggs.

>> All right.

>> MING: Eggs are so good for you.

>> So, just so barely.

>> MING: That is crazy that something that wet... >> Yeah.

is going to come together, Chef.

I'm so impressed.

Wow.

I've, I've seen lots of techniques in my life, I've not seen this one.

So, give me all the flavors you've done with this.

Have you done basically any type of veg?

Can you, can you do...

I don't know, Could you, would you ever do something, any protein, you know, like, fish?

>> I think what would happen is that you'd just make a fish ball, right?

>> MING: Yeah.

>> Because, so, this is going to kind of stay loosey-goosey.

You know, the ricotta is going to... the egg is going to bind it, but the ricotta and the moisture from the dandelion is really going to keep it moist, even when it's hot.

So that's how you got the, like, exploding-center-type of thing.

Actually... >> MING: You know what would be so interesting, is if you could take... if you like chicken stock or fish stock, but a gelatinous cube, and put it in the middle.

>> Yeah.

>> MING: So it then becomes a soup-dumpling gnudi.

Yeah, there you go >> MING: So.

That I just invented, so there.

(chuckles) So you grew up in Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan?

>> Ann Arbor, Michigan, Go Blue.

>> MING: Awesome.

>> Saturdays, you could hear the roar of the crowd.

>> MING: That's unbelievable.

>> And you're like, "Up, Michigan just scored another touchdown," it's... >> MING: It's like the Masters, the roar, the Tiger roars at the Masters.

Awesome, all right, so then you literally bury it.

>> We're going to bury it, yeah.

So, you know, you want to have that egg shape down there to kind of support it and keep it round.

>> MING: Right.

>> The rounder it is, the more dramatic it is.

>> MING: Wow, this is fascinating.

So, this is really drawing all the moisture?

>> Sure.

>> MING: So, and then it forms, like, a skin?

>> Yeah, and you can leave them in one day, you can use it, but it's going to be, of course, a little thinner.

>> MING: Right.

>> And you... it's cool, we've done it at the restaurant, and you can... you know, we've eaten them every day.

>> MING: Right.

>> And you can see the skin growing and growing >> MING: Interesting.

>> And it does... it will get too firm, so.

I think like five days is a little too long in the flour, but... >> MING: But one day's ideal?

>> One day's... yeah, one day's...

I like it.

>> MING: Perfect.

>> 'Cause it's right on that edge of destruction that we're talking about.

>> MING: I love this edge of destruction, I think.

All right, so we have one.

This one's been going for 24 hours, right, chef?

>> Yeah.

>> MING: All right, let's see.

And you have to... you do it, of course, in the fridge, because of the raw egg.

>> Right.

>> MING: Okay, here we go.

Let's see what we got here.

>> So, we're going to just un-bury these, And you can kind of, uh, you know, they... >> MING: Oh my, that's unbelievable, that they...

I mean, that's crazy.

>> Yeah.

>> MING: That was the loosest thing possible, and then you have gnudi.

>> You want to shake off a little bit of the excess, just so you have, like, the perfect layer of skin.

>> MING: Right.

>> And then we can go in the steamer.

>> MING: Okay.

All right?

>> Yeah.

Straight in, and how long do you steam these for, chef?

>> These are going to go for six minutes.

>> MING: Okay.

>> You want the inside... You know, you want... the-the steam's going to gelatinize the starch on the outside and basically seal it in.

And then, you know, you want the inside to be warm.

>> MING: Awesome.

>> Just melt.

>> MING: All right, six minutes, gnudi time.

All right, chef, it's been seven minutes, right?

>> Yeah.

>> MING: So just give it a quick check, see what it looks like.

>> I'm going to actually poke one.

>> MING: Okay.

>> Therm, see how it is.

Yeah, we're good, okay.

>> MING: What are you looking for, full, like, at least... >> Yeah, like, 130, 140 or so.

>> MING: Okay, cool.

>> So I'm going to get these into that pan.

>> MING: Okay.

>> Let's put a little butter in there.

>> MING: Okay.

Three?

>> Oh, yeah.

>> MING: Four, five?

>> Four-- come on, hey.

>> MING: Five, okay.

>> Just to kind of moisten it up on the outside.

This is probably the trickiest part.

>> MING: Right.

>> Negotiating them out without ripping the delicate veils.

And... >> MING: Yeah, sorry the steamer's so tall.

(Crabb chuckles) >> There we go.

>> MING: I'm just fascinated by this whole process, chef.

It's unbelievable how, how that stayed together.

The thing was, the thing was like a mousse, right?

>> Yeah.

Now we'll just kind of just toss them around, get the... so you can see, there's a little... it's cooked, but it's not, like, fully hydrated.

>> MING: Right >> So, you want to just, uh, kind of spoon the butter over it, or a little bit of the boiling water.

Can you grab me a spoon?

At the restaurant, we make our own ricotta, and, uh, we'll use the whey.

>> MING: Oh, interesting, okay.

>> In the bowl, to kind of... you can see, it just... >> MING: So, butter and water's your whey, basically.

>> Yeah.

There we go.

And then we can go to plate.

>> MING: Awesome.

All right.

>> Just-just... just to make them look alive, you know.

Not... not like zombie gnudis.

Awesome.

>> MING: All right.

Couple bowls, chef.

This is so cool.

I love, I just love this technique, 'cause, I don't know, there...

I don't know about you, chef, but there's not that many taking techniques left, I think, that none of us have seen before.

(Crabb laughs) To see a brand-new technique like that is just... >> Yeah, well, you know, I mean.... >> MING: It's fascinating.

>> And it's, it's not that hard.

>> MING: Let's see it, chef, how do you plate this?

So now we're going to just sauce, a little, our strawberry coulis.

Here, just put it down and around.

Just to kind of give it that... you know, the counter-balance of flavors.

>> MING: So pretty.

>> You know, I think a little parmesan, you... >> MING: Yep.

>> Expertly grated parmesan there.

>> MING: Thank you.

>> Go on top.

>> MING: That's very kind of you.

>> And I'm going to take a little bit of your decorative herb box.

>> MING: That's not decorative, chef, I grow that just for you.

My parsley!

No, I'm just kidding.

>> There we go.

>> MING: Dude.

Looks fantastic.

>> Looks like Chef Boyardee.

(Ming laughs) But so much better.

>> MING: This is not Chef Boyardee.

All right, chef, before we sit down at the table, I'm going to make my version of a vegetarian dumpling.

All right?

>> Awesome, can't wait.

>> MING: I need your help.

Stick around, dumpling time.

♪ ♪ Chef, I can't wait to try that dish.

It's fascinating.

I-I know it tastes good, because I saw you hand-make it, So I'm going to do my own version.

We're using this, it's a meat substitute.

It's made from pea protein.

>> Whoa.

Looks just like meat.

>> MING: It looks just like meat, and we're going to use it instead of beef.

I'm going to make these wontons, and then make kind of a Thai coconut glaçage, if you would, on top.

So, if you don't mind slicing me some shallots.

Just halve him, then give me some half moons.

>> Half moons.

>> MING: And, um, and I'm going to caramelize those shallots.

We have a Thai bird chilies, which are crazy, spicy, right?

So I'm just going to do two.

When you're working with Thai birds-- and this is serious, guys-- do not change your contact lens after work with Thai birds, right, 'cause your eyes will burn for a long time.

So, just really careful with Thai bird.

>> Chilies are no joke.

>> MING: Especially these Thai birds.

And then all these seeds is where there's a lot of heat.

All right, so we're going to go ahead and get... that's going to be plenty of Thai birds.

That could, that literally could stop an elephant.

We're going to be using wonton skins, right?

And then we're going to be adding some Thai basil and cilantro as well.

So, chef, I'll ask you to just rough-chop some cilantro for me.

>> You got it.

>> MING: After those shallots.

>> Yeah.

>> MING: And then we can get our broth going.

I know it's, some people, my Italian chef friend says it's cheating using wonton skins to make, you know, to make dumplings.

I'm like, "It's not cheating, it's smart."

I don't think you can have enough Thai basil in a... any type of broth.

Adds that great kind of anise quality, right?

>> Yeah, yeah... richer.

It's, like, richer than basil.

>> MING: Yeah.

Now this is lime leaf.

You use much of this, chef?

>> A little bit, yeah.

>> MING: So, lime leaf, a special way to break it down-- there's a rib in the middle, right?

So, everybody's seen this before, chef.

But you roll the lime leaf on top of each other, 'cause you... the rib is a little bit too stiff.

So, here you want to get super-thin slices, go right to the rib, then flip it around, and then do this side.

>> Nice, time saver.

>> MING: 'Cause you don't... Yeah, time saver, and-and just the rib itself is just a little bit too... And that's a good amount that's so fragrant.

All right, chef, give me these chilies and we put the... not chilies, shallots.

>> Shallots coming over.

>> MING: Little bit of oil.

Yep, come on in.

Oop, sorry, chef-- nice.

Little salt, little pepper, very nice.

So, these guys we're just going to cook, and I actually want to cook these down.

You want to get them till they're caramelized, which takes... they shrink by, like, half in volume, and they'll end up being nice and golden brown, which is what we have right there, all right?

so, it's amazing how much it shrinks down, but it's amazing how sweeter it gets too, right?

So, in these, I'm going to take half of these out into our "meat," all right?

Okay, exactly.

And then the other half I'm then going to add these extraordinary amounts of Thai bird chilies.

Add this lime leaf, turn that on high.

And then here, we're going to deglaze with...

I'm calling this a vegetarian fish sauce, it's liquid aminos.

>> Yeah.

>> MING: Have you ever used it before?

>> Oh, yeah, yeah.

>> MING: So it's kind of like soy sauce.

There's no gluten in it, but it has a fermented taste, which I like.

>> Yeah.

>> MING: So add a little bit of the liquid aminos, all right.

And they're going to add a little bit of veg stock, store-bought veg stock is fine.

And I just want that to reduce down, all right?

So we're going to get that reducing down.

Then let's go ahead and start on... chop cilantro, please, chef.

>> Yeah.

>> MING: So we're mixing in those caramelized shallots.

I'm just going to take this basil, just rip basil in here.

To me, Thai basil and cilantro seems to be the taste of southeast Asia.

All right, that should be good.

All right.

Yeah, that's perfect, chef.

All right, I'll take half of that.

>> Yeah-- in?

>> MING: In, thank you.

Fantastic.

So now this is our dumpling filling.

Perfect.

And I will take... your... put your cilantro here with my basil.

All right, chef, so here are the wonton skins we talked about.

>> Yeah, >> MING: So, we can use our fingers for the egg wash, But this is how I like to do this.

You take a little dollop like this, okay?

Take your finger, just third base to first base.

Right?

Fold it over.

This... the reason you have to do egg wash... Now, if you are doing vegan, you can just do water.

But it's important to get a good seal.

And an egg wash, being a protein, helps seal it-- then a little on the end.

And then we kind of... some people call them Pope's cap, some people call them, uh, wontons, that's what I call them.

I think the Italians also just call them, I think call them Pope's caps, don't they?

>> I've heard that, yeah.

>> MING: Or tortellino?

Is that, is that handbag or ear lobe?

I can never remember what it means.

>> MING (laughing): I don't know, I don't know.

I'm actually not Italian.

>> Oh?

>> MING: Yeah, surprising.

I know, slì, slì, prego, prego.

All right, let's make about six of these.

>> I think it was a wonton wrappers that gave that away.

(Ming laughing) >> MING: Or the lack of an Italian accent perhaps give it away too.

But I like all these herbs in it.

Um, you know, we tried, we tried the... We tried this... this beef was pretty good.

>> Yeah, yeah.

>> MING: It's pretty full-flavored.

I'm, I'm amazed.

It's, uh, you know, the jury's out.

>> Yeah, it's... >> MING: But a lot of people are, a lot of people using it.

And, hey, if it tastes good, and-and... if it's better for the environment.

>> Yeah.

>> MING: Why not try?

>> At least once a week, you know, I mean... >> MING: Yeah, you know, we have meatless Mondays now, right?

So, maybe this is what you're doing.

Maybe you're using this type of meat on a meatless Monday.

>> I'm, I'm 40% slower than you, I think.

(Ming laughs) All right, well, we only need six.

Three, four, five... >> Perfect.

>> MING: And that one there.

Perfect, come on over with me, chef.

Going to add a big pinch of salt.

Let that come... there we go-- we can go?

>> Yeah.

>> MING: Yeah, go.

>> See you later, wontons.

>> MING: Like that, all right.

Those are going to take, I think, probably four minutes.

So, now, we have our veg stock going down here.

I'm going to let this reduce by about another 50%, and I'm going to add a little bit of coconut milk, and we're going to have a coconut kind of glaçage to go with our wontons.

And that's going to take, I don't know, probably another three minutes.

>> Yeah.

>> MING: Back in three.

Wontons with "beef."

All right, chef, so here, here we're going to add some coconut milk now.

>> Mmm.

>> MING: Nature's... nature's butter, as I call it.

>> Vegan butter.

>> MING: Yeah.

All right, yeah, give me a juice of one lime as well, chef.

Oh, yeah, give this a try.

Oh, yeah, I like that.

I like that.

All right, take our wontons.

How's that, Chef?

>> Yeah, really good.

Really bright.

>> MING: I like that.

All right.

Put them over here.

So, we take these wontons like that.

A little Thai coconut broth.

>> Do you have a favorite spoon?

You know how like, all chefs, they're like... >> MING: Yeah, you know... >> "Where's my spoon?"

>> MING: I-I don't have this, it's a bigger spoon... >> Yeah, you have it, you can't work without it.

Yeah, I know that.

>> MING: It's a big spoon.

So here we have the cilantro, a little bit more cilantro.

And a little bit more.

Just a little bit of Thai basil.

Chef, we are good to go.

>> It looks like my dish, but through a different lens.

>> MING: Exactly.

God, this guy's so smart.

Come on, let's go eat.

>> Yeah.

>> MING: Chef.

>> Cheers.

>> MING: Cheers to you.

A little Carneros pinot noir from California-- cheers.

>> Mmm.

>> MING: Should go well with your gnudi.

>> Yeah.

>> MING: All right, can't wait.

>> Yeah, this looks really good.

I can't wait to try this.

>> MING: Look at that, that looks so good, chef.

Mmm, oh my God.

>> Fresh herbs make it.

>> MING: Dude.

First of all, this technique-- ridiculous.

But the way, there's strawberries, which had that nice sweetness plus the kind of the gastrique-ness of the vinegar, the bitterness of these dandelions greens I love.

'Cause, you said it earlier.

It's so cut through the fat of the ricotta and the parmesan.

>> Mm-hmm.

>> MING: Really good, chef.

Love it.

And I love, you know, you want to not like a strawberry coulis with anything savory, but this is so needed, right?

>> Yeah, it balances out nicely.

I really like the... the shallots and the sauce really make it deep and rich.

>> MING: Did it work?

>> Yeah, oh, yeah.

How is the imitation..?

>> It's there, I mean, it's good.

>> MING: Wow.

>> It does what it needs to do.

>> MING: Yeah, it's pretty good.

>> I mean.

>> MING: Yeah, you killed it, Right, it has a smoky flavor to it too, right?

>> Mm-hmm.

>> MING: I have to be honest, chef... >> Cheers.

>> MING: You've been a chef a long time, as have I, you don't see techniques you've never seen before very often, so today I have.

So thank you for that.

>> Thank you.

>> MING: Really impressed.

And I will come, definitely check you at Asta.

To you all, thank you very much.

Always, thank you for watching, and peace and good eating.

Cheers.

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