A few years ago, I ordered the cookbook “Chef Supreme” online in the hopes of exploring some of the recipes of Marty Ginsburg, spouse to Ruth Bader-Ginsburg. Deeply saddened by the recent passing of Ruth, I decided now was the time to crack open the book and make my way to the kitchen. I wanted to honor the Notorious RBG in every way I can, so here we go!
The first recipe I will be trying is the Spicy Chinese Chicken Shreds, mostly because I already happened to have all the ingredients in my house. I have to say, reading through “Chef Supreme” is quite entertaining. Marty had a sense of humor and it is all over the pages of this book. Why plainly give you directions to a recipe when it can be done with a dose of comedy? My favorite quote is, “…or simply put the whole mess in a screw top jar and shake like mad.”
So, let’s talk about making this recipe. It’s quite simple – make a sauce, shred some chicken, combine, put it on your choice of food. The recipe recommended cucumbers and I decided it would work for my purposes. The recipe didn’t call for a slice of jalapeno and cilantro for garnish, but the internet likes pretty photos and I like jalapenos. Win-win.
What’s wonderful about this recipe is that savory and not super sweet. My household tends to like more food options that aren’t sugary and this hit the mark. While the recipe calls for a specific amount of salt, I’d recommend salt to taste since we all have our own salt level preferences. Also, the recipe is flexible in terms of spiciness. I went light on the spicy, expecting it to be medium-hot, but it ended up being tame. Hence, it was another reason I added the jalapenos on top.
If you are interested in a light and refreshing appetizer recipe, this is a good option. I purchased this book on the Supreme Court’s gift shop website found here.
My focus has been on Ruth as someone I admire, but it’s good to remember that Marty was also someone to appreciate. My impression of Marty is that he was a supportive spouse to Ruth when she decided to pursue a career in law with many hardships stacked against her as a woman and mother. Their relationship echoes RBG’s pursuit of equality. Well done, Chef Marty.
