green onion

I am a Bird Lover I Eat Duck (Breast Satay) and Other Tails (Tales)

03 Aug 2011
duck breast satay with grilled peaches

I am not a vegetarian and that is not a secret.

Still I am not really a carnivore either, though I eat meat (when and if I feel like it). You see it's all the labels people put on themselves that make me crazy... omnivore, pescivore, herbivore... boring-ivor.

Do people know these are labels for creatures that cannot control their biology? Eat what you want and be happy. Humans can control their lives, their environment and what they eat. Take control of your choices or don't, but leave the labels for zoologists.

I felt the need for that little rant because I am sooo bored of the debate. It's kind of like the state of politics. Two extremes swallow up all the discourse and the middle has no recourse. Be it health-nuts or those with the poorest of eating habits– left-wing whores or right-wing whack jobs. The blindly faithful or the arrogantly faithless... they are all just insecure junkies. Convinced that their way is the best way. In other words they have no control over themselves or their environment, because their environment defines them.

Which brings me to duck. You see I love duckies. I'd have a duckie for a pet if I could. But I also eat duckies. I think it fulfills their purpose in life. I made that decision and it doesn't make me a quack-ivore. It makes me a person in control of my choices.

Make the jump and have a look at my recipe for Peach & Ginger Glazed Duck Breast Satay with Grilled Peaches, if I haven't ruined your appetite. There's wine too. My brother brought a Benton-Lane Pinot Noir. It's the perfect pairing for attitude. GREG

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Peach & Ginger Glazed Duck Breast Satay with Grilled Peaches

Peach & Ginger Glazed Duck Breast Satay with Grilled Peaches
By jgreghenry Published August 3, 2011
Prep time: 90
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 1 T garlic, peeled and minced
  • 2 T fresh ginger, peeled and minced, divided
  • 1 c soy sauce
  • 4 boneless, skinless duck breast halves
  • 1 c peach preserves
  • 1 T hoisin sauce
  • 2 T rice vinegar
  • 1 red jalapeni pepper, seeded and minced
  • 2 peaches, cut into 16 wedges
  • 2 green onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 bn cilantro, to taste (optional)

Directions

Marinate the duck: Mix garlic, 1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger and the soy sauce in a medium bowl. Cut each duck breast in half lengthwise and then each piece in half lengthwise once again. Giving you 16 pieces about 5 inches by 1-inch. Toss the duck into the marinade and chill at least 1-hour and up to overnight, stirring occasionally.

Make the glaze: Combine preserves, hoisin, vinegar, jalapeno, and remaining 1 tablespoon fresh ginger in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until bubbling. Remove from heat and set aside.

Grill the duck and peaches: Remove the duck from the marinade, wiping off excess. Spear each piece lengthwise onto a water-soaked bamboo skewer. Then thread 4 peach slices into each of 4 additional skewers. Prepare grill for medium indirect heat (350 to 450 degrees). Grill duck over the direct heat side, turning once, about 6 minutes. Brush the duck generously with the glaze and cook an additional minute or two per side until the glaze is bubbling and the duck in cooked to your liking (125 degrees interior temperature for a rosy pink). Remove the duck to a plate to rest while you grill the peaches.

Grill the peaches: Brush each peach skewer generously with some of the glaze. Then cook the peaches on the indirect side of the grill until they soften some (about 4 minutes). Brush on more glaze and move the skewers to the direct heat side to caramelize to your liking. Remove to a serving plate.

To serve: Remove the peaches from the skewers and lay a few slices on a small plate with a duck satay on top. Garnish with green onion, and cilantro (optional).

Something Simple for Summer- Crab Ravioli in Ginger Broth

26 Jul 2011
Crab Ravioli

Eating light is what summer is all about, and this Crab Ravioli in Ginger Broth seems indulgent without feeling heavy. That's quite a juggling act between 2 seemingly different agendas.

It's also easy to make. It's summer and I don't really want to hang out in the kitchen all day. I have new sandals to wear and they feel like getting outdoors. It's what they were born to do. So to keep my sandals happy I try to spend as little time in the kitchen as possible. But you know me, sandals or no sandals, I need to satisfy my urge for delicious too. Another set of opposing circumstances. What will I do?

Well, to keep my toes in the sand and my head out of the oven I look for shortcuts There are quite a few shortcuts in this recipe. For starters, the vegetable broth comes straight from the can and gets flavored with fresh ginger. That's it. It's done.

Another big time saver comes in the fact that you can stuff these ravioli ahead of time and freeze them for later. I made mine before the sandals were out of the box and making their outdoor demands on my time. When it's time to eat you simply boil water and simmer broth. You can do that in the time it takes to drip-dry from the pool.

I have also used frozen pre-shelled edamame. They don't even take cooking. Thaw them out and then warm broth is all that's needed to keep them delicious and bright green. Shaving the carrots into ribbons with a vegetable peeler is another time saver. You can blanch them in about a minute– in the very same pot of water you use to boil the ravioli.

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Crab Ravioli in Ginger Broth

crab ravioli
By jgreghenry Published July 26, 2011
Prep time: 45
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 4 oz scallops, roughly chopped
  • 1 t kosher salt
  • 1 egg white
  • 12 oz lump crab meat
  • 2 T green onion, minced
  • 2 T cilantro leaves, minced
  • 3 T fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  • 1 egg
  • 1 bn water
  • 48 3-inch round wonton wrappers
  • 5 c vegetable broth
  • 1 carrot, shaved into thin slices using a vegetable peeler
  • 1 c shelled, frozen edamame beans
  • 2 T chives, chopped as garnish

Directions

In a food processor, puree the scallops, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the egg white until a mousselike paste forms, about 1 minute. Refrigerate if not using immediately.

In a medium mixing bowl, place the crab, green onion, cilantro, and 1 tablespoon of the ginger. Gently fold in the scallop mixture. In a small bowl mix the whole egg with the water. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Open the wonton package and peel off 24 wrappers laying them out on the lined baking sheet in 6 rows of 4. Dollop about one rounded tablespoon of filling onto the center of each. Remove 24 more wontons from the package, and working quickly brush each on one side lightly with egg wash. Then lay the wonton, egg wash side down, ontop of one of the wrappers with filling. Line them up as well as you can, then close tightly, pressing along the edges to releases any trapped air. Continue with remaining wrappers to make 24 ravioli.

Pour the vegetable broth into a large saucepan. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of ginger, bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer about 15 minutes. Strain the broth returning it to the clean saucepan and bring it back to a simmer.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add remaining salt. Add the carrots strips and blanch about 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and divide them evenly between 8 serving bowls. Using the same pot of boiling water, add the ravioli and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Do not crowd them, work in batches if necessary. Use a slotted spoon to move them to the serving bowls (3 per person) as they finish cooking. Divide the edamame beans evenly between all the bowls, then ladle about 1/2 cup of the warm broth into each bowl. Garnish with chives and serve.

Notes:

These ravioli can be made in advance and frozen in a single layer before being boiled and served in the broth.

Source: Adapted from David Thater CIA Greystone

Foodie Film Festival: Kimchi-Real Fast Food

13 Nov 2010
kimchi

I am closing my Foodie Film Festival with another classic from my archives. Voting (finally, finally, finally) begins in the Project Food Blog video round on Monday and my entire film festival was designed to keep you interested in food videos during the down time between last challenge and the voting on this challenge.

Today I have the Korean staple kimchi. As this video, hopefully, proves– there is nothing too difficult about making kimchi. It may have an exotic allure, but it comes together quickly and I was really impressed with how well mine turned out!

Like I said this is a re-run. This is not my entry in this competition. Sippity Sup's video entry for Project Food Blog can be seen here. I hope you will watch it and also hope you take the time to view as many of the 47 other video entries as you can. As I am sure the contestants will attest, videos can be a lot of work. A lot of fun, but a lot of work. All that work deserves your support and encouragement. So watch and enjoy every single one. Offer your thoughts. Take the time to vote for ALL the videos you like best. Because, no matter how the voting goes I am hoping some of these bloggers will be excited and empowered to start adding more video to their blogs– making us all winners.

Sippity Sup Continues »
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