Season's 52 - Part 2 (Recipes)

I hope I took good enough notes.  Now please note, it is a restaurant so I am sure they didn't share all of their goodies (sauces and spices), but you can experiment.  Please let me know if you try them.  Here are the basics:

Duck Salad

Ingredients:

                -Cranberries (dried or fresh)

                -Butternut squash

                -minced ginger

                -Jicama (good thing I looked it up…I was spelling it Hickama...this is a vegetable)

                -toasted pecans

                -lettuce (they weren’t specific about the type but I think a spring mix was used)

                -duck

                -Sesame dressing

How to cut the Jicama (I have asked around and if you live in the northeast you may be able to find it at Giant and/or Wegmans)

                *Cut off the bottom so that you have a flat surface and it doesn’t wobble

                *Cut it in half and then make small slices.  You can peel it first or cut the skin off that way

                *Cut in long thin strips or dice it

                *eat raw

How to prepare the butternut squash

*Cut the “bowl” off.  That part has the seeds.  Scoop out the seeds (they can be toasted like   pumpkin seeds)

*Slice off the skin and dice into small pieces.  You can do this with both sides.

                *Spray with olive oil, minced ginger, and salt and pepper

                *Bake at 350degrees for ten minutes

               

All things Duck

                *Duck is a very healthy choice if the fat is cut off

                *Cook in the pan or the grill 3-4 minutes on both sides

                *Marinate in Char Siu (Asian dressing)

                *Good to use within two days of cooking.  Otherwise it gets gummy

                *Cook until it is medium rare and then cool in the fridge

Dressing:

                I’m not sure I got this all…you can use a sesame dressing or try this:

                                Olive oil

                                Sesame seeds

                                Miso paste (found in the frozen section)

                I would just buy a dressing.  Sorry.

Mix the lettuce, cranberries, pecans, jicama, and butternut squash together.  Add the duck to the top and then add the dressing around the side of the bowl.

Voila!  An awesome salad.

******************************************************************

Cucumber Salad – Asian style

Ingredients:

                -Kosher Salt

                -Cucumbers

                -Sweet Chili Sauce

                -Red chili flakes

                -Rice Wine Vinegar

It’s going to sound weird, but you use 8oz of salt for 4lbs of cucumbers. Remember, this is a restaurant recipe.  I sure as heck don’t have 4lbs of cucumbers laying around.

Slice the cucumber very thin.  Sprinkle the salt all over it and let it sit for 10 minutes.  This will pull the excess water out of the cucumber.  Then rinse them.  Let them dry and then mix with the chili sauce, chili flakes, and rice wine vinegar.  Not large portions of each.  It’s just to flavor the cucumbers.

And serve.

Scallops with Pearl Pasta

Ingredients

                -Asparagus

                -Lemon

                -Scallops

                -Olive Oil

                -Pearl Pasta (cous cous)

                -cooked mushrooms/tomatoes (optional)

All things Scallops

                *If you buy it frozen then let them sit out a couple of days on paper towels to dry out

                *Season with salt and pepper right before you cook

                *Use a spray bottle with your olive oil and spray the pan

                *wait until it starts to smoke before putting the Scallops in the pan

                *do not overcrowd the pan

                *cook until both sides are brown

***I have a note about wine sauce, but I don’t have full information on it.  I am not a scallop person so I zoned out just a little.

Pearl Pasta (Cous Cous)

*This is a larger style of cous cous.  I believe she said it’s Israeli style and can be found in pasta     or International aisle.

                *cook with mushrooms/tomatoes sparingly

                *spices (looked like basil or rosemary)

Asparagus

                *the Skinnier –medium size

                *Blanche first (inboiling water with salt for 3 minutes)

                *Sear in the pan with olive oil and salt/pepper

Broiled Lemon

                *Cut the lemon in half and broil for 2 minute

Prepare the plate:

*Arrange the Asparagus

*Place the Pearl Pasta on top

*Place the Scallops on top of the Pasta

*Put the lemon on the side

I hope you enjoy :-)


***************************************************************************
Check out my Facebook Page for  Confessions:

facebook.com/ConfessionsOfAFormerFatGir

yeah, sorry, I messed up and the "l" is missing....I need an assistant :-)

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter: @hugsnsmile