Tonight's dinner...lots of winners....

T

traca

Well-known member
Okay, so I started seeing someone new and I gathered my friends to meet the man....and provide an objective point of view. smileys/smile.gif I tried several new recipes tonight and was plesantly surprised by them all.

Here's the menu-

* Ginger Lemonade with Vodka

* Chicken Lettuce Wraps

* Sake Steamed Mussels in Thai Red Curry Sauce

* Cucumber Salad with Thai Lime Dressing

* Slow-roasted Red Wine Laquered Salmon Fillet

* Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream

* Chocolate Sorbet

* Chunky Ginger Ice Cream

(Obviously I'm still on my ice cream kick!)

If anyone wants recipes...let me know. I'm happy to share.

 
Ginger Lemonade

Traca's Note: This was delicious straight up, with vodka, or bourbon. We tried this with the vanilla rum as the recipe suggested, but I didn't care for it.

Ginger Lemonade

1 cup lemon juice
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
3-4 thumbs of ginger

Peel the ginger and cut it into slices. Put the ginger, water, and sugar over heat to dissolve the sugar (and make yourself a gingery simple syrup). Pour lemon juice into a 64 oz container. Pour syrup in. Make sure all those ginger bits get inside too. You need those to keep steeping. Fill the rest of the bottle with water. Put in the fridge to cool. Too make it as gingery as the Trader Joe's stuff, you'll want to put a few pieces of ginger in a garlic press and really mash them up to get some more juice out.
Serve over ice. And if you're of legal drinking age, I consider it obligatory to add some rum (yes, even if it's 9 am). After some necessary experimentation, I found that vanilla rum works great.

Source:
http://www.toomanychefsdev.com/archives/001812.php

 
Easy Chicken Lettuce Wraps

These were delish... and I'll be making them over and over again. I did bump up the seasioning (more soy sauce and a few grinds of peppper).

Chicken Lettuce Wraps
by Joanne Weir
from Weir Cooking in the City
(Simon & Schuster, 2004)
Serves 6

http://www.leitesculinaria.com/recipes/cookbook/lettuce_wrap.html


This is one of those dishes that I have to order every single time I go to Chinatown and see them on the menu. I love the crunch of the lettuce, the saltiness of the soy sauce and the sweetness of the oyster sauce. You can substitute turkey, pork, or squab with equally delicious results.


Ingredients
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 pound ground dark meat chicken
8 scallions, white and green parts, minced
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2/3 cup water chestnuts, chopped
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 large head butter lettuce, leaves separated




Method
1. Warm the oil in a skillet or wok over medium-high heat.

2. Add the chicken, scallions and cornstarch and cook, stirring constantly the chicken is cooked and broken into pieces, 3 to 4 minutes.

3. Add the water chestnuts, soy sauce, ginger, and oyster sauce and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.

4. To serve, take 1 lettuce leaf at a time and spoon a heaping tablespoon of the chicken mixture into the center. Wrap the lettuce around the filling. Serve.

Wine Suggestion: Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, or Pinot Grigio

 
Sake-Steamed Mussels in Thai Red Curry Sauce

This recipe comes by way of my buddy Marc (you all may remember Marc in Seattle?) His recommendations are always spot on!

Sake-Steamed Mussels in Thai Red-Curry Sauce

From the Tsunami Restaurant Cookbook



1 can unsweetened coconut milk

2 stalks fresh lemongrass, white part only, minced

½ cup fresh basil leaves, lightly packed

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 Tbsp Thai fish sauce

2 Tbsp chopped ginger

2 ½ Tbsp Thai red curry paste

2 lb fresh black mussels in shells

¼ cup sake



Place the coconut milk, lemongrass, basil, brown sugar, fish sauce and ginger in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Place the curry paste in a stainless-steel bowl. Ladle 1 cup hot liquid in the bowl and stir until the curry paste is smooth. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the curry paste back into the saucepan with the coconut milk. Continue cooking at a low simmer for another 15 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve and keep warm while you steam the mussels.
Scrub and de-beard mussels and place in a wide-mouthed pot with a tight-fitting lid. Add the sake, bring to a boil and then cover the pan. Steam the mussels for about 5 minutes or until they are open, Discard any unopened mussels.
Drain off the excess liquid, or remove the mussels using a wire-meshed scoop. Divide the mussels equally among 4 bowls, top with a generous ladle of the curry sauces and serve immediately with lots of bread for sopping.


Serves 4

 
Cucumber Salad with Thai Lime Dressing

The dressing really makes this dish. I love it on any number of greens...but do not skip the mint. It adds a really lovely component to this dish. Also, next time, I'd roast the peanuts just a touch.

Recipe: Cucumber Salad with Thai Lime Dressing


Serves 4
Dressing:
2 ½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 teaspoons sweet chili sauce or chili garlic sauce (see Kitchen Note)
½ teaspoon finely minced garlic
1 to 2 teaspoons brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt

Salad:
2 cups watercress or arugula leaves, washed and dried
2 medium cucumbers, peeled
¼ cup roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

1. Prepare dressing: Combine lime juice, oil, chili sauce, garlic, brown sugar and salt in a small jar. Set aside in refrigerator until 30 minutes before using.
2. Prepare salad: Remove any large stems from watercress or arugula. Wrap in a paper towel and refrigerate until ready to put salad together. Slice cucumbers into 1/8-inch thick slices; wrap in paper towels and refrigerate.
3. Layer half of greens, cucumbers, peanuts and mint on a platter and drizzle with half of the dressing. Repeat layers and serve.

Times Kitchen Note: Look for the sweet chili sauce or chili garlic sauce in the Asian section of major supermarkets.
Adapted from "Raising the Salad Bar: Beyond Leafy Greens — Inventive Salads with Beans, Whole Grains, Pasta, Chicken and More" by Catherine Walthers

 
Slow-Roasted Red Wine Lacqured Salmon

SLOW-ROASTED RED-WINE-LACQUERED SALMON FILLET

Traca's note: I'd recently read about this technique...roasting salmon at a low temperature and how the texture turns out amazing. I can honestly say, it's perfect. I love this method. The sauce was good too...but the recipe says to reduce to 1 cup. Don't. Reduce to about 1 3/4 cup. (My first batch I reduced all the way to 1 cup and ended up throwing it out.)

To save time, I reduced the glaze for about 20 minutes and then did the first application to the fish. As the fish cooked, I let the sauce continue to reduce. It worked out great and I'll do that again next time.

Editor's notes:
Slow-roasting at a very low temperature results in extremely tender salmon. The richness of the fish is accented by a salty-sweet red-wine sauce, which thickens into a syrupy glaze during cooking.

1 (4-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger
1 cup soy sauce
2 cups dry red wine
1 1/3 cups mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (4 1/2-pound) salmon fillet (preferably wild king; about 1 1/2 inches at thickest point), small bones removed

Accompaniment: lime wedges

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 225°F.

Finely grate ginger on small holes of a box grater into a fine-mesh sieve, then set sieve over a bowl and press on ginger to extract 2 teaspoons juice. Bring soy sauce, wine, mirin, brown sugar, and ginger juice to a boil in a 3- to 3 1/2-quart heavy saucepan. Reduce heat to moderate and briskly simmer, stirring occasionally, until syrupy and reduced to about 1 cup, 45 to 55 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, then quick-chill by setting bowl in a larger bowl of ice water and stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Stir in lime juice. Reserve 1/2 cup glaze in a small bowl for brushing after roasting.

Line a 17- by 12-inch heavy shallow baking pan with foil and coat foil with oil (1 tablespoon).

Arrange salmon, skin side down, diagonally in pan, then spoon about 2 tablespoons glaze over salmon, spreading it evenly with back of spoon. Let stand 5 minutes, then spoon and spread another 2 tablespoons glaze over salmon.

Roast 15 minutes. Remove from oven and glaze again (use a clean spoon each time), then roast 10 minutes more. Repeat glazing and continue to roast until fish is just cooked through (opaque), 10 to 20 minutes more (35 to 45 minutes total, depending on thickness of fish; check frequently after 35 minutes). Transfer with 2 wide metal spatulas to a platter, then coat with a final layer of reserved glaze (about 2 tablespoons) using a clean spoon. Serve remaining glaze on the side if desired.

Cooks' note:
Glaze can be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before using.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Gourmet
June 2007

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/238700

 
Chunky Ginger Ice Cream

from The Best of Vietnamese & Thai Cooking by Mai Pham

Editor's note: In this recipe, the fresh ginger gives a sharp bite and the candied ginger gives an interesting texture.

2 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large egg yolks
1/3 cup chopped candied ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Combine the milk, heavy cream, sugar, fresh ginger, and salt and heat to just a simmer. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat.

Beat the egg yolks until fluffy and pale yellow. Stirring constantly, add the egg yolks to the milk mixture and simmer until mixture slightly thickens and coats the back of a spoon, 5-7 minutes. Do not let the mixture boil.

Remove from heat and pour into a clean container. Let cool completely before adding the candied ginger, vanilla, and lemon juice. Stir well. Transfer to an ice cream maker and freeze according to mfg. instructions.

 
Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream

From David Lebovitz, "The Perfect Scoop"

1 1/2 cups sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups brewed espresso or very strongly brewed coffee
1/2 cup half and half
Big pinch of finely ground dark roast coffee

Whisk together the condensed milk, espresso, half and half, and ground coffee. Chill mixture thoroughly, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the mfg. directions.

 
Chocolate Sorbet

Okay, I know this doesn't fit in with my Asian inspired meal here, but one of my guests was a real chocolate nut. And since I've been enjoying the heck out of this...I made a batch. It went surprisingly well with the other ice creams...especially the Vietnamese coffee ice cream.

Chocolate Sorbet
From David Lebovitz, "The Perfect Scoop"

Editor's note:
This is the perfect chocolate sorbet--very rich and full of bittersweet chocolate flavor. Use a top-quality cocoa powder, it will make a huge difference (I've used both Penzey's and Fleschlin with no distinguishable difference). Be sure to use a large saucepan, since the mixture bubbles up as it boils.

2 1/4 cup water (divided use)
1 cup sugar (I use 1 cup less 1-2 tablespoons)
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large saucepan, whisk together 1 1/2 cups of the water with the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Let it boil, continuing to whisk for 45 seconds.

Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate until it's melted, then stir in the vanilla extract and the remaining 3/4 cup of water (I sometimes sub out a little milk or heavy cream.) Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend for 15 seconds. Chill the mixture thoroughly, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the mfg. directions. If the mixture becomes too thick to pour into your machine, whisk it vigorously to thin it out.

 
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