Honey Ginger Glazed Salmon

Honey-Ginger Glazed Salmon
Basic Risotto

For the salmon:
2/3 c. sage honey (I used basic clover honey)
2 TBS. fresh lemon juice
2 TBS. warm water
1 1/2 tsp. grated, peeled ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
4 (6 oz.) skinless salmon fillets (1 inch thick)
1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350º F.

In a small bowl, combine honey, juice, water, ginger and garlic.

Pour honey mixture into a 9" x 13" x 2" Pyrex baking dish, arrange fish in pan, skinned side up. Let stand 20 minutes. Turn fish over, sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. salt and bake for 7 minutes.

Remove from oven and preheat broiler.

Brush fish with honey mixture and broil for 7 minutes, (As you can see, the honey mixture started to burn a bit after about 5 minutes, so I took the fish out and it was perfectly done.) or until fish is browned and flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.

I cut both of these recipes in half.

For the risotto:
4 c. reduced-sodium chicken broth (I used a good chicken stock)
3 TBS. butter
3/4 c. finely chopped onion
1 1/2 c. Arborio rice or medium-grain white rice
1/2 c. dry white wine
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresly ground black pepper
2 TBS. fresh, chopped basil (Recipe didn't call for this, so optional)

In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer. Cover the broth and keep hot over low heat.

In a large, heavy saucepan, melt 2 TBS. of the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until tender but not brown, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the butter. Add the wine and simmer, until the wine has almost completely evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 c. of the simmering broth and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking the rice, adding the broth 1/2 c. at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of broth to absorb before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes total. Remove from heat. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, the remaining TBS. of butter, salt & pepper and the basil (if so desired). Transfer the risotto to a serving bowl and serve immediately.

Shrimp Alfredo

1/2 c. butter
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 c. heavy cream (or milk)
6 to 8 oz. grated Italian Fontina cheese
6 oz. grated Gruyere cheese
1/2 c. grated Parmiagiano Reggiano
1/4 tsp. white pepper
pinch of salt
1 lb. Pappardelle or Fettucini pasta, cooked al dente
1 lb. medium to large raw shrimp, shelled and deveined

In a medium sized, heavy sauce pan melt butter. Add cream cheese and whisk with melted butter until melted and smooth (it will be hard to incorporate the cheese with the butter at this point and that's okay). Slowly add the heavy cream whisking to combine. Add the garlic powder, Fontina, Gruyere and Parmigiano stirring often until melted and incorporated. Add the pepper and salt. This sauce will thicken quickly, so keep an eye on it and stir often.

After my pasta had been boiling in salted water for about 5 minutes, I simply dumped the raw shrimp in with it. They took about 4 minutes to cook perfectly, which was just enough time for the pasta to be al dente. I drained the pasta and shrimp, placed it back in the pan and added 1/2 of the sauce to coat it. Served it family style, in a large bowl, with the remaining sauce on the side.

MASHED POTATOES & CARROTS
Active time: 8 minutes prep, 5 minutes to drain and mash
Time to table: 45 minutes
Makes 6 : half-cup servings

Water to cover (see ALANNA’s TIPS)
1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed, skins on
1 pound carrots, scrubbed
2 teaspoons table salt
1 tablespoon butter
Kosher salt
Black pepper

Bring water to boil in a large kettle or Dutch oven (see TIPS) over MEDIUM HIGH. While water boils, dice the potatoes in about one-inch pieces. Peel the carrots with a carrot peeler and cut cross-wise in half-inch lengths. (If the carrots are quite thick, cut them in half or in quarters lengthwise first.) Add table salt, potatoes and carrots to water and return to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to MEDIUM and let simmer until cooked, about 30 minutes. Drain potatoes in collander, saving about a cup of the hot water. Return potatoes and carrots to hot pan. Add butter and mash with a hand mixer or potato smasher, adding reserved water as needed. (It’s possible none will be needed.) Season to taste with kosher salt and black pepper.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Serving: 119 Cal (16% from Fat, 7% from Protein, 77% from Carb); 2 g Tot Fat

Chilli jam: hot stuff!

You need:

Chillis. Choose them with care. You'll also need onions, salt, sugar, water and some lemon juice.

• 200g (7oz approx) large red chillies
• 200g (7oz approx) chopped onions
• 250g (8 oz) sugar
• 125ml (¼ pint water
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Method:
Chop or slice the chillis, removing the seeds if desired. Place in a pot with all the other ingredients.

Bring to the boil and boil slowly for half an hour or until the desired consistency. Pour into sterilised bottles and seal.

NOTE: I hope in the very near future to receive from Cairo a South African Chilli Jam recipe. I'll send it in as soon as I receive it.

Homemade Fried Shrimp

1 lb. medium-large raw, cleaned & deveined shrimp
3/4 c. cornstarch
2 c. water
1 egg
2 c. Panko or regular bread crumbs
2 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
Oil for frying

Set the deep fryer or heat a skillet with oil to 350ºF.

In a medium bowl, whisk together cornstarch, water and egg. In another bowl, combine Panko, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper and salt.

Dip the shrimp in the cornstarch mixture and then dredge through the bread crumbs. Then dip the shrimp once again in the cornstarch mixture and dredge again through the bread crumbs. Fry in small batches of 5-7 shrimp until goldeny brown and delicious.

Honey-Dijon Curry Chicken with Israeli Couscous

For the Chicken
4 chicken thighs, skin on and bone in
1/2 c. butter, melted
1/2 c. honey
1/4 c. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. salt
2 TBS. curry powder
Preheat oven to 350º F.

Place chicken thighs in a shallow baking pan, skin side up.

Combine melted butter, honey, Dijon, salt & curry powder in medium bowl. Pour over chicken thighs. Bake for 75 minutes, basting chicken every 15-20 minutes. This will give your chicken crispy skin.

Asian-style Egg Custard

4 eggs
1/4 lb ground pork
3 scallions, minced
2 T water
2 T rice wine
1-1/2 T soy sauce

Mix all ingredients well. Divide into 4 greased cups. Place cups on rack in large pot. Pour boiling water into pot, to cover 1/4 of the custard cups. Cover pot, steam on medium heat for 15 minutes. Remove cups, allow to rest for 5 minutes, then unmold (see To Serve, below).

Crispy Rice Patties

1-1/2 C steamed short grain rice
1 T wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
4 T minced scallions
4 T canola or other vegetable oil for frying

With wet hands, mix rice, flour, salt and scallions. Form into 4 patties. Pour oil into sauté pan and heat until hot but not smoking. Sauté patties until browned on both sides. Drain.

Mushrooms

8 oz crimini mushrooms, rough chop
1/8 red bell pepper, julienne sliced
1 med onion, cut verically into shreds
1" ginger root, peeled, minced
2 T cilantro, minced
1 clove garlic, peeled, minced
2 T tomato paste
2 T rice wine
2 tsp corn starch, dissolved in the rice wine
1 tsp hot sauce
2 T soy sauce

Mix rice wine, corn starch, tomato pase, hot sauce and soy sauce and set aside. Sauté onion slowly in 1 T canola or other oil, stirring occasioally, about 1o minutes. When almost done, add red pepper, garlic, cilantro and ginger. Sauté, stirring, one minute more. Remove to side plate. Sauté mushrooms in the same pan, stirring, over medium-high heat, adding a little oil if necessary, until they give up their moisture, then dry out and start to squeak as they are stirred around the pan. Dump in the onion mixture, add the rice wine/cornstarch mixture and sir for 1 minute more over medium heat. Remove from heat and set aside.

Spinach

1/2 lb spinach, trimmed and washed
1 T butter

Chop spinach. Sauté in butter 'til tender over medium heat, about 4 minutes.

To Serve

Place spinach on rice patty and top with unmolded egg custard, with mushrooms on the side. Place the optional nice cheesy herby omelet on a separate plate.

Shanghai Beef/Mushroom Burger

Shanghai Beefburger

6 burgers

Marinade:
1 T sugar
1 tsp five-fragrance powder
2 cloves garlic, peeled, minced
1/4 C soy sauce
1/4 C chinese cooking wine
1/2 C hoisin sauce
1 T Chinese bean paste
1 whole star anise, crushed to powder

Patties
1 1/4 lb lean beef chuck, cubes
6 oz beef fat trimmings
4 oz dried chinese mushrooms
2 C hot water
1 T vegetable oil
1/2 C chinese cooking wine
1 egg
1/2 C panko flakes
2 small fresh hot red peppers, seeds, stem and membranes removed, minced
2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons salt

Sauce
1/2 C of the reserved, strained marinade
1/2 C unsalted chicken stock
1 T molasses
2 T minced cilantro
3 scallions, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 T tomato paste
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp hot sauce to taste

Slaw topping
1 C green cabbage, very thinly sliced
1 small fresh hot red pepper, seeds, stem and membranes removed, cut in shreds
1/4 medium red onion, very thinly sliced, slices halved
1 T fresh ginger, peeled, minced
1/4 C cilantro, minced
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/3 C Chinese red wine vinegar
6" rib celery
1 T mayonnaise
1/2 tsp dry hot Chinese mustard

Marinade
Make marinade by combining all marinade ingredients in a bowl.

Patties
Marinate beef chuck and beef trimmings in marinade 30 minutes, refrigerated. Drain marinade from meat, straining and reserving marinade. Grind meat, first through 1/2' disk, then through 1/4" disk. Refrigerate until needed.

Soak the mushrooms 15 minutes in the hot water. Carefully lift the mushrooms from the liquid with a slotted spoon, reserving the soaking liquid. Strain the mushroom-soaking liquid, being careful not to use the last half-teaspoonful, to avoid grit. Trim and discard the stems from the mushrooms and chop mushrooms coarsely. Place the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan, add the mushrooms, 1/2 cup of the reserved mushroom-soaking liquid, and the chinese cooking wine and simmer, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes. If any liquid remains, raise heat and quickly reduce to a syrup, stirring constantly.

Mix the ground meat with the egg, panko flakes, hot peppers, cilantro, and salt. Mix in the mushrooms. Divide into six equal portions and form into patties. Set aside for at least 15 minutes, refrigerated.

Sauce
Sauté the scallions and shallots in a tablespoon of oil slowly for about five minutes in a small saucepan, stirring. Add 1/2 cup of the strained reserved marinade, the chicken stock, molasses, cilantro, tomato paste and sesame oil. Simmer uncovered 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the hot sauce to taste, stirring well. Remove from heat and set aside.

Steak Diane
Courtesy of Cooking Light's Annual Recipes 2006

1 tsp. butter
1/2 c. finely chopped shallots
1/3 c. water
2 TBS. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 TBS. fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 TBS. dry sherry
1/4 tsp. salt
2 TBS. chopped fresh parsley

2 steaks of your choice - I went with 2 6 oz. tenderloin steaks.
seasoning of your choice - Recipe suggested salt & pepper, I went with garlic salt & pepper.

Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Season the steaks and add them to the pan (or grill them on the grill, as I did), cook 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from pan, cover and keep warm.

Melt the butter over medium heat. Add shallots and cook 2 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add water and next 3 ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute. Stir in 1/4 tsp. salt. Spoon sauce over steaks and sprinkle with parsley.

*Note: The yield on this sauce is 6 servings (serving size 1 1/2 TBS. sauce). I did cook the sauce a little longer than called for so mine reduced a bit - but even so, there is just no way this recipe will yield 9 TBS. of sauce. So if you are cooking more than 2 steaks, double (at least!) the recipe.