rice vinegar

Asian Spiced Sugar Snap Pea Salad with Lemon

Asian Spiced Sugar Snap Pea Salad with Lemon
By jgreghenry Published February 5, 2012
Prep time: 10
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 1 T rice vinegar
  • 2 t low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 t dark sesame oil
  • 1 t dark brown sugar
  • 1 t hot chile sauce (such as sriracha)
  • 8 oz sugar snap peas, strings removed, thinly sliced on the bias
  • 1 pn coarse sea salt, to taste
  • 1 pn shichimi-togarashi, or standard chile powder, to taste
  • 1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges

Directions

In a small jar mix the rice vinegar, soy sauce, dark sesame oil, brown sugar and hot chile sauce. Put on the lid and shake well. Place the sliced peas in a serving bowl, pour the dressing over them. Toss well. Season with salt and shichimi-togarashi, to taste. Serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing.

Summer Salads Some Aren't- Chilled Sweet Potato Salad

27 Aug 2011
sweet potato salad

I'm on day five of a week long series dedicated to the summer salad. So far all of my salads have been a bit special. Salads that could work as a main course– or salads that feature a special ingredient. But today I have a salad that is a side dish. Meaning it's supposed to play second fiddle to whatever else is served on the plate.

Which doesn't mean it's not special in it's own simple (quiet) way. Besides, how can a discussion of summer salads go by without a proper nod to potato salad? Today's salad fills that void. But it ain't no plain ole potato salad. It's a Chilled Sweet Potato Salad with Lime and Chili Oil.

Who says sweet potatoes (or even yams) need to be cold weather food? Not me. Why not shake up your ideas about potato salad. So leave the mayo in the fridge and have a look at what I can do with the humble (sweet) potato. My version is a little sweet, a little sour and even a little spicy. It's so me. So of course I love it. But as much as I love it I gotta say it's very second fiddle. Which isn't a bad thing. Except I just got through cooking with Linda of Salty Seattle, right here in my own kitchen. She was giving me a little lesson in molecular gastronomy (is that the right term?).

We were using chemicals like calcium chloride and sodium alginate to create little bouncy balls of pea and mint. They were pretty damn spectacular, but not at all second fiddle.

So as I sit here pecking away at this keyboard trying to explain how or why my simple potato salad deserves your attention I feel a little like the kid whose bird's nest show and tell flopped when Johnny SoAndSo brought a moon rock to class. It almost made me feel sorry for my simple little salad.

But you know what? Just look at the color of my salad. It might not bounce and squirt. But man oh man, does it taste good on the plate with grilled chicken on a hot summer's day.

Sippity Sup Continues »
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Chilled Sweet Potato Salad with Lime and Chili Oil

sweet potato salad
By jgreghenry Published August 27, 2011
Prep time: 20
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 3 lb medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
  • 3 T rice vinegar
  • 1 t finely grated lime zest
  • 3 T fresh lime juice
  • 1 scallion, trimmed, thinly sliced diagonally
  • 0 coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 0.5 t chili oil
  • 0.25 c grapeseed oil
  • 0.5 scallion (dark-green part only), thinly sliced diagonally for garnish

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add sweet potatoes, and return to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain. Whisk vinegar, lime zest and juice, 1 scallion sliced, 1 teaspoon salt and chili oil in a small bowl. Add grapeseed oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking until emulsified. Season with pepper. Toss dressing with warm sweet potatoes in a large bowl, and garnish with remaining 1/2 scallion. Let come to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled. Serve cold.

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

Sippity Sup Continues »
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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).