Milk Street: Tuesday Nights

In a food processor, combine the peanuts, paprika, ginger, garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, cayenne, ¾ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Process until finely ground, about 20 seconds. Reserve ⅓ cup of the spice mix, then transfer the rest to a medium bowl; add the oil and stir to form a paste.

In a large bowl, combine the beef with 1 teaspoon salt. Toss and massage until evenly coated. Add the paste to the beef, tossing and massaging into the meat. Thread the beef tightly onto four 12-inch metal skewers, fitting multiple pieces of meat on each skewer; they should be tightly packed.

Place the skewers on a wire rack set in a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Heat the broiler with a rack set about 4 inches from the element. Broil until well-browned, about 5 minutes, flipping halfway through. Transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes.

Brush the lime juice on both sides of the skewers, then sprinkle with the reserved spice mix. Serve with lime wedges.

Heat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the middle position. In a small bowl, stir together ⅔ cup water, the chili-garlic sauce, sugar, fish sauce and soy sauce until the sugar dissolves. In another small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water.

In a medium saucepan over medium-high, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil until shimmering. Stir in the ginger and lemon grass and cook until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Pour in the chili-garlic sauce mixture and bring to a boil. Stir the cornstarch mixture to recombine, then stir into the sauce. Reduce to medium-low and simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice and ½ cup basil. Cover to keep warm.

Season the fillets on both sides with salt and pepper. In a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil until barely smoking. Add the fillets flesh side down, reduce to medium and cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook until the thickest parts of the fillets register 115°F to 120°F, or are nearly opaque when cut into, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from the oven.

Using tongs, carefully peel off and discard the skin from each fillet. With a wide metal spatula, transfer the fillets to a platter, turning them browned side up. Pour half of the sauce over the fish and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon julienned basil. Serve the remaining sauce on the side.

If the rice is chilled, use your fingers to break apart any large clumps. Set a mesh strainer over a small heatproof bowl and place near the stovetop.

In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium, cook the bacon until well browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Scraping the pan, pour into the strainer; reserve the bacon fat.

Return 1 tablespoon of the fat to the skillet, add the onion and cook over medium, stirring, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Drizzle the kimchi juice, soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat over the rice and stir. Spread the rice in an even layer, increase heat to high and cook until browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes.

Scrape along the bottom of the pan and flip the rice, then redistribute and cook until again browned on the bottom, another 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the kimchi, bacon, peas, sesame oil and scallions. Cook, stirring, until hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and cover with foil.

Wipe out the skillet with paper towels. Add 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat and heat over medium-high until barely smoking. Swirl to coat the pan, then crack an egg in each quadrant. Immediately reduce to medium-low and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

Serve the fried rice on individual plates, topped with a fried egg and sprinkled with furikake, if using.

In a 12-inch skillet over medium, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the panko and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Let cool for a few minutes, then stir in the parsley, lemon zest and ¾ teaspoon salt. Wipe out the skillet.

In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add the pasta and 2 tablespoons salt; cook until al dente. Drain well, then return the pasta to the pot.

Meanwhile, set the skillet over medium-high and heat the anchovy oil until shimmering. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until the onions are well browned and the garlic is golden, about 4 minutes. Stir in the anchovies, then add the wine, pepper flakes and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a boil over high and cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the butter and swirl until it blends into the sauce.

Add the sauce to the pasta and toss, then mix in ½ cup of the panko mixture. Transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle with the remaining panko mixture and serve with lemon wedges.

Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and place in a large bowl. Use a spice grinder to grind the Sichuan and white peppercorns until medium-fine (about the coarseness of kosher salt). Transfer to a small bowl and stir in 1½ teaspoons salt. In another small bowl, stir together 2 teaspoons of the pepper mixture, the cornstarch and sugar, then sprinkle over the shrimp and toss. Set the remaining pepper mixture aside.

Line a baking sheet with paper towels. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil until barely smoking. Add half of the shrimp in an even layer and cook without stirring until deep golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Using tongs, flip and continue to cook until the second side is opaque, another 20 to 30 seconds. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil and the remaining shrimp. Do not wash the skillet.

In the same skillet over medium-high, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil until shimmering. Add the jalapeño and cook, stirring, until the seeds begin to brown, about 1 minute. Add the garlic, ginger and all but 3 tablespoons of the scallions. Cook, stirring constantly, until the scallions and ginger have softened, about 2 minutes. Return the shrimp to the skillet and toss, then stir in the reserved spice mixture. Transfer to a platter and sprinkle with the remaining scallions.

Heat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the middle position. In a small bowl, stir together 2 teaspoons of the coriander and 1½ teaspoons salt. Season the chicken on both sides with this mixture; set aside.

In a blender, combine the garlic, tomato paste, chilies, 2 tablespoons of the pomegranate molasses, the remaining 2 teaspoons coriander, ½ cup of the cilantro, ¾ cup of the walnuts, ¾ cup of the broth and 1 teaspoon salt. Puree until smooth, 30 to 45 seconds, scraping the sides of the blender as needed.

In an oven-safe 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until barely smoking. Add the chicken skin down in an even layer and cook undisturbed until crisp and golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer, skin up, to a large plate. Pour off and discard any fat left in the pan.

Return the skillet to medium-low and add the remaining ½ cup broth, scraping up any browned bits. Add the walnut puree and bring to a simmer over medium. Return the chicken, skin up, to the pan, nestling the pieces into the sauce without submerging the skin. Cook, uncovered, in the oven until the chicken reaches 175°F, or a skewer inserted into the thickest piece meets no resistance, 12 to 15 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a clean plate and let rest for 5 minutes. Set the skillet over medium and bring the sauce to a simmer. Stir in any accumulated juices from the chicken and cook until the sauce is smooth and thick, about 1 minute. Taste and season with salt.

Spoon the sauce onto a deep serving platter. Nestle the chicken, skin up, in the sauce. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup walnuts and remaining ¼ cup cilantro.