Smoked Duck, Tangerine, and Pecan Salad with Pinot Noir and Pomegranate Dressing

Ingredients

3 tangerines or small sweet oranges
4 oz lettuce or watercress
8 oz sliced smoked duck breast
1/3 cup candied pecans or walnuts

Pinot Noir and Pomegranate Dressing

1 cup Chilean or other inexpensive Pinot Noir, or another fruity red wine
1-1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 cup light olive oil
1 medium pomegranate
1/2 to 1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses or balsamic vinegar
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Peel and slice the tangerines horizontally, reserving any juice. Cut the larger slices in half to make half-moon shapes.
2. To make the dressing, put the wine in a small saucepan, bring it to a boil, then lower the heat. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until the wine has reduced by two-thirds (leaving about 6 tablespoons). Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the sugar, and let cool.
3. Once cool, whisk in the olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Cut the pomegranate in half and scoop the seeds into a bowl, catching any juice. Discard the pith and tip the seeds and juice, along with any juice from the tangerines, into the dressing.
5. Add the pomegranate molasses or balsamic vinegar, to taste. Stir well.
6. Divide the lettuce or watercress between 6 plates and arrange the duck breast and tangerine slices on top.
7. Scatter the candied pecans or walnuts over.
8. Give the dressing a quick whisk, then spoon it over the salad. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.

Source: Cooking with Wine

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Today’s Comic

Hot Lobster Salad

Ingredients

2 (1-lb) cooked lobsters
2 celery ribs, cut into julienne strips
1 medium red onion, halved and finely shredded
4 cobs baby corn, halved lengthwise
1 medium carrot, cut into julienne strips
1/4 cup snow peas, sliced
mixed salad greens
lime quarters, to garnish

Dressing

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp garlic wine vinegar
1 tsp prepared Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped

Method

1. Halve the lobsters and remove the meat. Cut into 1-inchmcubes.
2. Lay a sheet of dampened wax paper in the base of the steamer top and arrange the lobster and vegetables inside.
3. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and steam over boiling water for 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the lobster is hot.
4. Arrange the salad greens in a shallow serving bowl. Mix the dressing ingredients in a small saucepan and heat gently until hot.
5. Spoon the lobster and vegetables onto the salad leaves and pour the dressing over the top. Garnish with dill and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Steam Cuisine

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Today’s Comic

Tofu in Hot Curry Sauce with Thai Basil and Baby Corn

Ingredients

16 red cherry tomatoes on the vine
4 yellow cherry tomatoes on the vine
1 pound tofu
1/2 bunch fresh Thai basil leaves
10-12 baby corn
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon red curry paste
2-1/2 cups coconut milk
3 tablespoons soy sauce

Method

1. Remove the tomatoes from the vine. Cut the tofu into 1-1/4-inch cubes. Strip the Thai basil leaves from the stalks and set aside. Cut the baby corn in half lengthwise.
2. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the sugar and curry paste and heat until caramelized, then add the coconut milk. Add the soy sauce and simmer for an additional 3 minutes.
3. Add the tofu, tomatoes, and corn and simmer for an additional 3 minutes, stirring continuously.
4. Add the Thai basil leaves, reserving a few to garnish.
5. Serve the curry in bowls, garnished with the reserved Thai basil leaves.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Vegetables

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Today’s Comic

Pig Head with Hazelnut Salad

Ingredients

1 pig’s head, including tongue, split in half
4 pig cheeks
1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 celery rib, roughly chopped
1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
1 sprig of thyme
salt
black pepper

Garnish

4 shallots
1/2 tbsp clear honey
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
1/2 tbsp whole-grain mustard
4 tbsp hazelnut oil
mixed baby salad leaves
6 tbsp toasted hazelnuts, crushed
1 green apple, cut into matchsticks
salt
black pepper
bread, for serving
garlic clove, for rubbing

Method

1. Place the cleaned pig’s head and cheeks in a large pan with the onion, celery, carrot, and herbs. Cover with cold water, add salt, and bring to a very gentle simmer. Continue to simmer until the meat is tender, 2 hours. Leave to cool in the liquid.
2. When the head is cool enough to handle, take it out of the pan, keeping the cooking liquid.
3. Bring the cooking liquid to a boil again and cook until reduced.
4. Carefully remove the bones from the head and lay one half, skin-side down, on a tray lined with plastic wrap. Pick the meat off the skin from both halves of the head and shred, then shred the cheek and tongue meat. Add the sliced ears, then season well with salt and pepper and moisten with a little of the reduced cooking liquor.
5. Spread this mixture on top of the skin and place the other half, skin-side up, on top. Cover with plastic wrap, place some weights on top, and leave in the fridge to set.
6. To make the garnish, roast the shallots in their skins at 400°F for 30 minutes.
7. Discard the skins and puree the flesh in a food processor until smooth.
8. Whisk the honey, vinegar, and mustard with the oil to make the dressing, then season lightly with salt and pepper.
9. Mix the leaves with the hazelnuts and apple sticks and drizzle with the dressing.
10. Cut the pig’s head into slices and serve with the salad, shallot puree, and some bread or toasted baguette rubbed with a cut clove of garlic.

Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Source: The French Kitchen

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Today’s Comic

Hong Kong-style Lobster Orange Salad

Ingredients

1 (1-1/2 lb) lobster
1-1/2 to 2 cups Lemony Mayonnaise (recipe below)

Salad Ingredients

1 large orange, sectioned, peeled and diced
1 large potato, boiled and diced
1 small carrot, cooked and diced
1/3 cup canned green peas
2 hard cooked eggs, diced
orange slices and lettuce leaves to garnish

Method

1. Steam lobster for about 20 minutes or just until cooked. Separate head from tail. Remove tail meat and cut meat into thin slices.
2. Mix all salad ingredients with half the amount of Lemony Mayonnaise. Arrange salad on lettuce leaves and top salad with lobster meat.
3. Place lobster head and tail shell on each end of the salad. Arrange orange slices around salad. Pipe remaining Mayonaise on lobster meat top. Serve cold.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

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Lemony Mayonnaise

Ingredients

4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2-1/4 tsp salt
1-1/4 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp mustard
dash ground white pepper
2 egg yolks
1-1/2 cups olive oil

Method

1. Mix well together all ingredients except olive oil in a small electric mixer.
2. Gradually add in by 1 tbsp oil to yolk mixture, and beat vigorously after each addition.
3. Add and beat thoroughly until all oil is used up.

Makes 1-1/2 cup Mayonnaise

Source: Famina Cookbook

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