Fresh Tart

I'm a salty girl, always, but I think my cravings are even more intense in the winter.  Lately I've been plucking little balls of fresh mozzarella cheese from their whey bath, sprinkling them with salt, and popping them in my mouth like cherries.  Good Lord they're good that way - who needs tomatoes and basil?

Sort of my way of saying screw you to winter.

Another way (other than devouring a multi-course feast, below)?  Have a party!  Nothing tastes better with salt than wine and chat with a room full of girls, especially foodie girls who blog:

Food For My Family/Shaina
I Had A Delicious Time/Kelli
I Am Baker/Amanda
The Snyder 5/Molly
A Farm Girl's Dabble/Brenda
Cafe Cyan/Crystal

All made their way through the cold and into my kitchen where we ate, drank, gossiped, and laughed our butts off because Molly Snyder and Amanda Rettke are two of the funniest people on the planet.

Yes, I served them plenty of salt - salami, egg salad, ricotta cheese, roasted tomatoes, bacon-wrapped dates, crostini, almonds, olives, and...bagna cauda.  Have you had it before?  It means "hot bath" in Italian and is a salt-lover's dream come true.  Bagna cauda is really nothing more than anchovies, butter, garlic, and olive oil, warmed together and served with raw vegetables for dipping.

I set out radishes, peppers, carrots, and cauliflower, but it was the cauliflower I hit the hardest, after everyone left, when the bagna cauda had been sitting in a warm fondue pot long enough for the butter solids, garlic, and anchovies to have toasted into an insanely delicious sludge at the bottom of the pot.  It turns out that cauliflower, with its lovely bumps, is a perfect sludge-delivery vehicle.

I might pay later for eating almost an entire head of raw cauliflower dipped in anchovy butter...

...but so far I'm feeling pretty good.

Bagna Cauda
From Bon Apetit, December 1992, via Epicurious.com
Serves 6

From the website: Literally translated as "hot bath," this dipping sauce for vegetables often appears in many Italian homes as part of the Christmas Eve buffet. Although cardoons (an edible thistle related to the artichoke but resembling celery) are traditional, celery makes a fine substitute and any combination of vegetables will do. In Italy, the routine goes like this: Vegetable pieces are dipped into the sauce (a fondue-style fork will help) and then eaten, with a slice of bread held underneath to catch the drippings. Once the bread is soaked with sauce, it's eaten, too. Then everyone starts over. It's fun for a party appetizer no matter where you live.

3/4 c. olive oil
6 Tbsp. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
12 anchovy fillets
6 large garlic cloves, chopped

Assorted fresh, raw vegetables, cut into bite-size pieces
1 1-lb. loaf crusty Italian or French bread, cut into 2-inch pieces

Blend oil, butter, anchovies, and garlic in processor until smooth.  Transfer oil mixture to heavy medium saucepan.  Cook over low heat 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  (Sauce will separate.)  Season with salt and pepper.

Pour sauce into fondue pot or other flameproof casserole to keep warm.  Serve with vegetables and bread.

Yes, that is fried cheese.

It is every bit as delicious as you'd think it would be - crunchy and melty, a little salty and sweet, pretty much to die for. Thank you Melissa Clark - I asked for her new cookbook for Christmas, In the Kitchen With A Good Appetite, and I've been consistently thrilled since I opened it.

Peppery arugula is a lovely foil for the creamy cheese, as is the citrus dressing, which offers nothing less than a bite of sunshine on a cold, winter's day.  Somehow this salad manages to be at once comforting and yet refreshing, no easy feat.

I used almond flour to make it gluten-free.  You could instead use gluten-free breadcrumbs (and just skip the flour).  Have the greens ready to go so that you can serve the salad as soon as the crispy-molten cheese emerges from the oil.

An oh, tuck the dressing recipe in the back of your mind because you're going to want to eat it on pretty much everything.

Pan-Fried Cheese with Anchovy-Date Salad
From In the Kitchen With A Good Appetite by Melissa Clark
Serves 4-6

1 medium orange
1 large lemon
4 large diced dates (about 1/4 c.)
6 anchovy fillets, minced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c. plus 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 c. all-purpose flour (I used almond flour)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 c. plain bread crumbs (I skipped these)
8 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds
Extra-virgin olive oil or safflower oil, for frying (about 3/4 c.)
Bitter leafy greens, such as arugula, watercress, and/or radicchio, for serving

To make the anchovy-date dressing, zest and juice the orange and lemon, reserving 1 Tbsp. of the lemon juice and 2 tsp. of the orange juice.  Place the zest and reserved juice in a medium bowl and stir in the dates, anchovies, and garlic.  Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking until the dressing comes together.

To make the cheese, place the flour on a plate, the egg in a bowl, and the bread crumbs on a separate plate.  Coat each slice of cheese in the flour, dip in the egg, and then coat in the bread crumbs.  (Note: I just dipped the cheese in the egg and then coated with almond flour.)

Heat about 1/2 inch oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Using tongs, dip 1 cheese slice into the oil.  If the oil sizzles slightly, it is ready.  Working with 2-3 cheese slices at a time, fry the cheese until golden brown, 15-20 seconds per side.  Transfer the slices to a plate and dab off the excess oil with a paper towel.  Repeat with the remaining cheese slices.

Serve the fried cheese hot on a bed of greens topped with the anchovy-date dressing.

Swedish meatballs make a scrumptious main dish or festive party appetizer - your call.  Tender, fragrant with allspice and nutmeg, and bathed in a lightly creamy sauce, everyone goes wild for them.  Only you need to know that they're not complicated to make, and as a bonus, they're pretty cheap eats, too.

If you serve the meatballs for dinner, make sure to offer a mountain of fluffy mashed potatoes alongside.  (I offer a gluten-free adaptation below - and pictured!)

If you serve the meatballs as an appetizer, make them no more than 1-inch in diameter.  I like them even a bit smaller so they can be neatly skewered with a toothpick.

For another New Year's Eve appetizer idea, see the gougeres (aka cheese puff pastry) recipe I posted at Dara & Co./Minnesota Monthly magazine this week.  Easy, do-ahead, and utterly addictive!  Serve them hot and cheesy from the oven, or cool to room temperature - lovely with a glass of wine.

Swedish Meatballs
Adapted from a recipe by Alton Brown for Food Network
Serves 4 as a main course, or makes 30 1-inch meatballs

Stephanie's note: The original recipes calls for 1/4 tsp. of allspice, but I find 1/8 tsp. much more to my liking. I have also prepared the recipe with all beef, very tasty.

2 slices fresh white bread
1/4 cup milk
4 tablespoons clarified butter, divided
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
A pinch plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 pound ground chuck
3/4 pound ground pork
2 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups beef broth
1/4 cup heavy cream

To me, it's not Christmas without my mom's fabulous 1970s appetizer platter.  I use it all the time, this time for fondue vegetables.

The smooth, tangy cheese...

...and rich beef tenderloin fondue were both amazing.  Fried beef.  Yes.

But I think my very favorite were the crispy cauliflower fritters - ridiculously good.

I used two fondue pots - one for the cheese, the other for the oil.  We dipped bread and vegetables in the cheese fondue, then fried the beef and cauliflower in the oil and dipped them in tomato-truffle and horseradish sauces as we went along.  If you were feeling really decadent, you could dip the cauliflower fritters in the cheese.  We missed that marvelous little move.

Next time.

Any of these would be delicious fun for New Year's Eve!

Cheese Fondue
From The Book of Fondues by Lorna Rhodes
Serves 6

1 Tbsp. butter
1 large shallot, minced
1 c. light ale (I used gluten-free beer)
4 tsp. cornstarch
5 Tbsp. half & half
4 c. (1 lb.) freshly shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Serve with any combination of:
baguette cubes
small pickles
radishes
red bell pepper
mushrooms

Melt butter in a large saucepan and cook shallot until soft.  Whisk together the ale, cornstarch, and half & half.  Whisk ale mixture into the shallot butter until hot and thickened (do not boil).  Turn heat to low and gradually stir in the cheese.  Continue to stir and heat until mixture is hot and smooth (but again, do not boil).  Transfer to a warm fondue pot and serve with bread and vegetables.

Cauliflower Fritters
From The Book of Fondues by Lorna Rhodes
Serves 6

1 lb. cauliflower, cut into florets
1 c. water
2 1/2 tsp. salt, divided
3/4 c. fresh bread crumbs (I used gluten-free bread)
1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs
peanut oil or other high heat oil

Serve with one or more dipping sauces:
Tomato-Truffle Sauce
Cheese Fondue

Combine water and 1/2 tsp. salt in a large saucepan.  Bring to a boil, add cauliflower, and cook for 3-4 minutes (tender-crisp).  Drain well and spread on a baking sheet to cool.  (Can be done up to 3 hours ahead.  Cover and chill.)

Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, 1 tsp. salt, and several grinds of black pepper in a medium bowl.  In a pie plate or shallow bowl, lightly beat the eggs with the remaining 1 tsp. of salt.  Dip cauliflower florets in beaten egg, coat in bread crumb mixture, placing on a serving platter as you go.  (Can be done up to 1 hour ahead.  Cover and chill.)

Heat oil in fondue pot (amount varies according to your individual pot and instructions; I use an electric Rival fondue pot, half-filled with oil) to 350 degrees F.  Spear cauliflower florets and fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes.  Serve with dipping sauces.

Beef Tenderloin Fondue
Serves 6

2-3 lbs. of beef tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
salt
peanut oil or other high heat oil

Up to two hours before serving, lay the beef cubes out on a large baking sheet.  Sprinkle with coarse salt and let sit at room temperature.  Before transferring to a serving platter, blot any moisture from the cubes with paper towels.

Heat oil in fondue pot (amount varies according to your individual pot and instructions; I use an electric Rival fondue pot, half-filled with oil) to 350 degrees F.  Spear tenderloin cubes and fry to desired doneness.  Serve with warm tomato-truffle sauce, horseradish sauce, or other dipping sauces.

Tomato-Truffle Sauce
Makes about 1 1/2 cups

3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 14-oz. can imported Italian tomatoes
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. Thai fish sauce or anchovy paste (optional)
salt & freshly ground black pepper
truffle oil or truffle salt

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add oil and when it's hot, stir in garlic and oregano.  Saute for a minute or two, then one tomato at a time, crush tomatoes with your fingers into the pan, adding all of the juices from the can as well.  Stir in sugar and fish sauce (if using) and bring sauce to a simmer, turn heat to low, and cook gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until nicely thick and rich-tasting.

Remove from heat and stir in truffle oil or salt to taste (intensity varies widely, so you'll have to taste to decide, depending on the type of oil or salt you're using).  Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.  Sauce should have a nice amount of saltiness to it since you're using it as a condiment.  (Can be prepared 2 days ahead; cover and chill.  Reheat before serving.)

Horseradish Sauce
Makes about 1 cup

1/2 c. whipping cream
1/2 c. creme fraiche
1/4 c. grated fresh horseradish (or more, to taste)
2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1/2 tsp. salt

Whip cream to soft peaks.  With mixer on low, add creme fraiche, horseradish, parsley, and salt.  Adjust seasoning to taste.  (Can be made 1 day ahead; cover and chill.)

Ooh, here's another quick crowd-pleaser from the lovely blog Jenn Cuisine: Pan-Roasted Almonds with Thyme & Truffle Oil.  They take mere minutes to make and whoamygoodness, they are insanely delicious.  I'm putting these away now so there are at least a few left for my guests.

Yikes.

The skaters arrived!

And both sauces are now done: Softly whipped cream with freshly grated horseradish, minced scallions, and a generous pinch of salt folded in, as well as the tomato sauce from below.  (Recipes for sauce and fondues are here.)

I'm having fun - I hope you are too!  More to come...

I asked my son what he would like for Christmas Eve dinner, something out of our ordinary, something that would feel special.

He requested...escargot!

How fabulous, right?  I immediately jumped online, ordered the snails, and decided I'd rather not deal with the shells.  The dish that inspired Nathan's request is Cave Vin's shelless version anyhow, napped in a garlic cream sauce, topped with fried parsley.  Mon Dieu, it is every bit as delicious as it sounds.

For him, I'm going to stick to just snails and garlicky herb butter, served sizzling from the oven, with plenty of crusty baguette slices.

For the rest of us, who love mushrooms as well as escargot, I'm going to place an escargot inside a mushroom cap with garlicky herb butter, ditto the sizzling, crusty deliciousness.

Recipe forthcoming, once I (s)nail it exactly down...

(Oh look, there just happened to be one extra mushroom cap, which found itself stuffed with cheese, and then in the toaster oven, and then in my stomach.  Cook's treat - I'm a big fan.)

OK, con queso addicts, it's time for treatment.  This here's a real-deal, spicy-melty, creamy-dreamy chili con queso made without 1) gluten, or 2) processed cheese.  And oh, it's easy and foolproof too.

Get out your tortilla chips, it's a helluva dip.

This recipe hails from one of the most delicious blogs on the planet, aka The Homesick Texan.  I can hardly read her posts they incite such powerful cravings!  The only change I made to her fabulous recipe was to use cornstarch instead of flour to thicken the base.

While I avoid grains in general, I made an exception for this beauty, tossing back more than a few tortilla chips in a spicy-cheese trance before snapping back to reality (aka shoving the dish into my son's hands and running from the room).

Merry, Merry!

Chile Con Queso
Adapted from The Homesick Texan
Serves 4

2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 onion, diced (about 1/2 c.)
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 Serrano peppers, diced
3 jalapeno peppers, diced
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 c. milk
6 c. shredded cheese (any combination of Longhorn cheddar & Monterey Jack)
1/2 chopped cilantro
2 plum tomatoes, diced (about 1 c., can use canned if tomatoes aren't in season)
1/2 c. sour cream
salt to taste

Melt the butter in a saucepan on medium-low heat, add onions and peppers, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring a few times, until onions are translucent.  Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Meanwhile, whisk the cornstarch into the milk.  Whisk the milk mixture into the vegetables and cook until thick, about 2-3 minutes.  Stir in the cilantro and tomatoes.

Turn heat to low and 1/4-cup at a time, slowly add the shredded cheese, stirring until completely melted before adding more.  When all the cheese is added, stir in the sour cream.  Add salt to taste.  Serve hot with tortilla chips.

I posted this recipe a few weeks ago at Dara & Co./Minnesota Monthly Magazine. I thought it was worth another look in this week before Christmas.  As delicious as cranberries are for Thanksgiving, I think they're even more perfect - red! - on the Christmas table.  Delicious with turkey, of course, but also pork or chicken. Or with tortilla chips as a festive appetizer.  Or spooned over cream cheese as a pretty spread for crackers.  You get the tasty idea... 

Cranberry sauce often gets short shrift during Thanksgiving meal-planning, but it shouldn't.  Relish serves an important purpose, namely giving your palate a break during a rich and multi-dish meal, elevating your appreciation of the whole.

A bit of heat is a welcome surprise on the holiday table, at least in Minnesota.  My mom has been surprising guests for years with the bite of horseradish in her well-loved cranberry mold.  I riffed on that idea by poking around for a fresh cranberry salsa recipe and found a beauty.  Jalapenos?  Yes.  Raw cranberries?  Yes, yes.  With cilantro and a hint of sweet, the salsa is at once utterly familiar and completely new and refreshing.

It's also a snap to put together, better if made ahead, beautiful on the plate, and after serving with Herb-Roasted Turkey and Warm Brussels Salad...the leftovers are delicious with tortilla chips.  Pretty perfect in my book.

Fresh Cranberry Salsa
Adapted from All Recipes

1 (12 ounce) bag cranberries, fresh or frozen
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 bunch green onions, cut into 3-inch lengths
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 limes, juiced
3/4 cup white sugar
1 pinch salt

Combine cranberries, cilantro, green onions, jalapeno pepper, lime juice, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a medium blade. Chop to medium consistency. Refrigerate overnight. Serve at room temperature.

These homemade crackers couldn't be easier or faster to make.  Who knew that nothing but seeds, water, and salt could make such a lovely, crisp cracker?  These have an intense and rich sesame taste, which I love, and which is particularly delicious with savory and cheese spreads.

I'm particularly enjoying them with cottage cheese for a late-afternoon snack.

I found the recipe on Mark's Daily Apple via Girl Gone Primal, who also provides a recipe for shrimp pâté to serve with the crackers, mmm.  I'll be bringing these around for various upcoming holiday parties, oh yes.

Sunflower Sesame Crackers
From Mark's Daily Apple via Girl Gone Primal

Note: Girl Gone Primal provides directions for soaking the seeds first if you're so inclined.

1 c. raw sunflower seeds
1 c. raw sesame seeds
1 tsp. coarse salt plus more for sprinkling
3-4 Tbsp. water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a food processor, process the sunflower seeds for 2-4 minutes or until very finely ground and flour-like.

Add the sesame seeds and pulse a few times, then slowly add the water (note: start with 3 Tbsp. of water, add more if necessary) until seed flour comes together in a thick dough.

Between two pieces of parchment paper, roll out the dough to 1/8" thick (cracker thickness).  Remove the upper piece of parchment.  Lightly score the dough into desired cracker shapes.  Sprinkle lightly with coarse salt (and/or other herbs/seasonings).

Bake until golden and crisp, about 15-20 minutes.  Allow to cool thoroughly before gently breaking into pieces along score lines.  Store in an air-tight container.

Gorgeous, hip, fun, smart, and famously delicious - San Francisco is my dream town.  I regret that I was so busy with the BlogHer Food blogging conference I attended that I didn't get to do much sightseeing.  But I did enjoy several fantastic, not-Minnesota meals, and of course incredible California wine.

Here's the overview in case you're heading to Cali any time soon (and if you are, I am deeply jealous)...

Our first night, John and I hit Incanto, in the Noe Valley, on Andrew Zimmern's recommendation.  Chef Chris Cosentino tweets as @offalchris, a nod to the fact that, as their website notes, Incanto "almost always includes one or two dishes featuring 'odd cuts' and offal because serving these parts of the animal honors the whole animal and helps preserve an important, yet increasingly overlooked, part of our culinary heritage."

And also - because the parts are delicious!  Especially in Chef Cosentino's talented, adventurous hands.  John and I enjoyed heavenly crispy pork liver, tender and rich.  The "best bits" chicken risotto with gizzards & crispy skin is the essence of chicken, pure and intense, melting into creamy rice.  It's serious risotto, not to be missed, so leave room for it.  We also fit in slabs of silky-sweet foie gras (so rich, so full, so lucky), washed down with one of the best series of wines I have ever - ever - enjoyed.  Big credit to our our fantastic waiter for an unforgettable meal.  If you're interested in cooking the "odd cuts," and you can handle the visuals, check out Chef Cosentino's blog Offal Good.

Saturday night we headed to Namu, a Korean-fusion spot recommended to us by Andrew, as well as my friend Danielle from Bon Vivant.  Let me back up and say...San Francisco is not a cab town.  But John and I got lucky with a ride to Namu with the coolest, smartest guy - Felix - who gave us his card and told us to give him a call after dinner.

John and I walked into Namu and dug the vibe immediately: relaxed, comfortable, with a fascinating menu.  From the pickled vegetables to fried tofu (dream about, crave, inspired the recipe below) to the grilled okra to the braised beef short ribs - Eat. Here.  And then if you're lucky, call Felix for a ride, because that is the only way you're going to get home.

Sunday we were free!  Conference over, we rented a car and planned a scenic drive.  While John picked up the car, I had brunch with my friend Denise of Chez Us.  I first met Denise last spring at the Penny de los Santos food photography workshop I attended in San Francisco.  It was a blast to see her again and catch up!  She suggested we meet at Cafe de la Presse, a lovely spot for a delicious French brunch.  As fun as it was to be in San Francisco with John, he couldn't really talk shop with me.  After two days of the conference, I was ready to gossip and put it all in perspective.

After brunch, we said good-bye to Denise, and John and I set off to drive most of the famous 49-Mile Scenic Drive.  That's our thing, taking great drives together, and as you might imagine, touring San Francisco is seriously stunning.  We put an iPad to good use - Google maps are knockout on an iPad, especially with the ease of zooming in and out.

We broke away for a drive over the Golden Gate Bridge (see previous post) and a mid-afternoon bite at Fish in Sausalito.  Fish tacos and a catfish po-boy with slaw tasted mighty fine along the water front, in that glorious California sunshine, oh yeah...

And then Sunday night, the biggest treat of all.  It turned out that our friend Maud was going to be in San Francisco visiting her brother Arthur, his wife Heidi, and their daughters Sadie and Sophia.  When we figured out that we were overlapping each other, Arthur and Heidi graciously offered to host John and me for dinner.

Yes!

I've "known" Arthur online (Facebook, Onsugar) for years but never actually met him.  Needless to say, it was a huge treat for John and me to relax with the whole group in Arthur and Heidi's lovely home, especially after several days of eating in restaurants.  Arthur is a total foodie and a great cook - he made a beautiful dinner for us.

Before we arrived, Arthur had already marinated a butterflied leg of lamb with garlic and herbs, ready to grill until crusty and pink.

My pic doesn't do the Lacinato kale salad justice, which is too bad, it was an intense and vibrant green.  To make the salad, Arthur stemmed and chopped the kale into a fine chiffonade.  He whisked together lemon juice, olive oil, and red wine vinegar and tossed it into the kale a couple of hours before we ate, allowing the acid in the dressing to "cook" the kale.  Right before serving, he tossed in crumbed feta cheese and toasted walnuts, and salt and pepper to taste.

He also made a delicious saute of rainbow chard.  He separated the stalks from the leaves, chopping both.  He sauteed the stalk with chopped onion for 30 minutes or until deeply caramelized.  Just before serving he stirred in the leaves, tossing until the leaves wilted.  He finished with a vinaigrette of honey, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and toasted sesame seed oil, as well as a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.

Needless to say, both dishes were out of this world, a little salty, a little sweet, the perfect sides for the tender lamb.

He also shared a big pot of beans that he makes on Sundays for the week.  I hope we left him some, they were fabulous with rice, exactly what you'd want to take to work for a filling lunch or to warm up for a quick dinner.  Pure comfort.

For dessert, we gouged bites of chocolate off of a hunk of bittersweet Scharffenberger, alongside slices of ripe pear.  A feast!  A colorful, healthy, unforgettable feast!  With great wine, top-notch advice for my blog, and the best possible company, it was just a perfect way to end our trip.

So there it is.  Man, I am still wiped!  And yet still able to make fried tofu for lunch today, in honor of the delicious tofu we had at Namu.

I'll just declare that fried tofu is one of my favorite dishes, I think even Top 10.  There's something about the hot crispy coating around the silky interior and the way it all soaks up the garlicky, salty sauce it's often served with.  As a bonus, it's really easy to prepare - pan-fried vs. deep-fried, with a coating that's just a quick dusting of rice flour.  You could be swooning over it in less than 20 minutes, no problem.

Crispy Fried Tofu
Serves 2-3

1 block firm tofu
rice flour
oil suitable for high heat frying (refined almond, safflower, peanut, etc.)
2 cloves garlic, minced
pinch of red pepper flakes
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 Tbsp. mirin
1 Tbsp. water
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. rice wine vinegar
2 scallions, sliced thin

Drain liquid from tofu container, then wrap tofu in paper towels.  Press down on the tofu to remove as much liquid as you can.  Cut tofu into 1-inch cubes.  Dredge cubes in rice flour.

Pour oil 1/2-inch deep in a large skillet.  Heat over medium-high heat.  While oil heats, put garlic, red pepper flakes, soy sauce, mirin, water, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, and scallions in a small sauce pan.  Simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes, then set aside.

When oil is hot, fry cubes until golden brown on one side.  Using tongs, turn and brown on the other side.  Drain on paper towels.  Serve cubes with warm sauce for dipping.