Japanese Apple Salad

Nothing says Fall better than a basket full of apples of any kind.  My favorite type has always been Fuji apples.  They are crisp, juicy and sweet.  I’m indifferent toward starchy food, I guess.  Another favorite fruit of mine in the Fall are pomegranates.  They are sweet, tart and juicy.  I love the way they pop in my mouth.  I say, they’re even better than eating popping candies. Not to mention, they are good for you too.



I’ve been enjoying this salad for many years. Usually, I toss in some cooked shrimps and blenched green beans when I’m serving them as dinner.  But as a light brunch or a meal in between, this is just as delicious and satisfying.  In this recipe, I used the Japanese Mayonnaise and some curry powder.  I found that the Japanese Mayo is more flavorful and creamier than the regular ones; Which fits this recipe much better, especially one without too many ingredients.  The pistachios add a nice crunch and the pomegranate are just fun to eat as they pop in my mouth. 



I’m submitting this recipe to Kitchen PLAY.  The US Apple Association is sponsoring a giveaway at Kitchen PLAY.  Amanda from Amanda's Cookin' created a lovely recipe with her favorite ingredients. This inspired me to share my favorite Apple Salad recipe with you. Simply recreate any one recipe from this month’s Progressive Party, post about the experience on your blog and provide a link to your post on Kitchen PLAY to enter. All qualifying bloggers in each course will be entered to win $100 (6 prizes total). The deadline is September 30, 2011. Please review the complete contest rules before entering. Good luck!








Japanese Apple Salad:  Printable Recipe
Makes 4 Servings

2 Fuji Apples, diced
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 Hass Avocado, diced
1/4 cup Japanese (Kewpie) Mayo, such as this one
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup pistachio, shelled
a handful of pomegranate seeds

Toss apple and avocado in lemon juice right after they’re diced to prevent browning.  Stir in Japanese Mayo and curry powder.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Top salad with pistachio and pomegranate seeds and serve chilled.

This recipe is shared with:

Foodie Friday
Full Plate Thursday
Fat Camp Friday
Friday Potluck

Penne Rigate Pasta Salad with Rib Eyes Steak and Balsamic Herb Dressing

This is definitely one of my favorite summer pasta salad recipes.  I can have this for lunch or dinner a few times a week.  In fact, we do.  NO ONE in my family would complain having the same dish over and over again.  “It’s a keeper” kind of recipe and you will want to make it more often.  Not only it’s super simple to prepare, it’s full of flavor and satisfying.  Pair it with a glass of red, relax and enjoy this at your patio on a summer evening makes you forget the long day you had at work.



It’s a versatile dish that you can substitute with your favorite type of pasta, meat and/or vegetable of choice.  I love to use penne rigate pasta (furrowed) in this recipe.  The dressing just hide in between the ridges on the penne and makes each bite a bit more flavorful. 



If you’re not a big fan for Rib Eyes, you can substitute with veal chops, pork chop or even shrimps for the protein in this recipe.  Since my family loves rib eye, it is what I use most of the time.  For the veggies, you can mix it up with spinach, watercress, or arugula for a peppery kick.  Whatever you substitute, don’t omit the herbs and balsamic vinegar here.  Those are the key ingredients that really make this dish pop.  You’ll love the tartness and sweetness from the balsamic vinegar and the spiciness from the mustard.  The flavors really compliment well with each other.  



Go ahead and enjoy a hot summer evening along with this Rib Eyes Steak Pasta Salad.  Your family will definitely requests you to make this dish again.

Besides, there’s a chance you could win $100 to make this dish!  That’s right, $100 USD.  Dreamfields is sponsoring a wonderful giveaway at Kitchen PLAY. Simply recreate any one recipe from this month’s Progressive Party, post about the experience on your blog and provide a link to your post on Kitchen PLAY to enter. All qualifying bloggers in each course will be entered to win $100 (6 prizes total). The deadline is August 7, 2011. Please review the complete contest rules before entering. Good luck!






Penne Rigate Pasta Salad with Rib Eyes Steak and Balsamic Herb Dressing:
Printable Recipe

1 (1-pound) Boneless Rib Eye steak
Steak seasoning (your favorite brand)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 box of Dreamfields penne pasta
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup plus extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups salad greens/spring mix


Season the steak with steak seasoning.  In a cast iron pan, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium high heat. Cook steak about 5 minutes per side until medium rare (that’s how I like my steaks; you can cook to your own preference). Remove the meat from pan and let it rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the steak. Set aside.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until el dente, follow instructions on package. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of pasta water.
On the chopping board, add the 1/2 teaspoon salt with the garlic.  Smash the garlic into paste with the back of your knife.  In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic paste, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, fresh herbs, and olive oil until well combined. 
In a large mixing bowl toss the pasta, the reserved pasta water, the dressing and the salad greens together.  Taste the pasta and see if it needs more salt and black pepper.  Arrange dressed pasta salad on plates and arrange steaks on top.  (You can also toss the steaks together with the pasta before arranging on plates if you like)

This recipe is shared with:

Traditional Tuesdays
Full Plate Thursday
Fresh Food Friday
Foodie Friday

Thanksgiving Feast

As promised, I took pictures of the Thanksgiving feast and here they are.  If you’re interested in getting the recipe of anything you see below, please leave me a comment and I’ll try to get the recipe for you.

                                   

“Self Serve” California Rolls—These are so much fun to eat, and delicious.  Take a piece of nori (seaweed) and wrap the sushi rice, crab meat, avocado, sesame seed filling to create your own individual roll.  Not to mention, it’s great idea for parties because there’s minimal prep work and the nori stays crispy.



Egg Rolls—Filled with vegetables and glass noodles.  Crispy and delicious!



Mixed Salad—which is, to mix your own vegetable with the store bought dressings next to it!  Hahaha…



Honey Glazed Ham—Nothing represent holiday food better than a leg of honey glazed ham…oh, maybe besides the turkey!  Almost forgot about the turkey :P



Glutinous Rice with Chinese Sausage and Shitake Mushroom—This is one of my favorites!  Sprinkle with a little bit chopped green onions on top and I can eat just that as my Thanksgiving dinner!  :D



Cheesy Penne Pasta with Broccoli and Cauliflower—Cheesy and delicious.



Korean Spicy Stir Fried Pork—This dish demonstrates the well balanced of the sweet and spicy!  I want to get the recipe to make it again at home!



Cream Corn—A holiday staple side-dish.



Orange Juice and Spices Brined Turkey—Juicy, flavorful and delicious.  I believe it looked beautiful too before it was carved.  :P



Creamy Mashed Potato—Smooth and creamy.



Roasted Beef—Great BBQ flavor and beefy.




Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallow—Another holiday staple side-dish in our family.



Garlic Knots—Check out the recipe from my last post here.



Rice Cake with Red Bean Paste and Walnut—Not too sweet, the edges are crunchy and the center is chewy, very yummy.


I bet you don’t believe we only have one type of dessert for the Thanksgiving feast, right?  I need to confess that I totally forgot to take pictures when we started to eat the desserts!  :P  This particular picture was taken before dinner was served.  The rest of the goodness were all in our tummies and memories.  We had custard tarts, pumpkin pies, smoked almond turtles, taro cakes, flan, etc.  They were all sweet and delicious.  Oh well, I’ll make it up to you by posting something sweet on my next blog post.  ;)

Warm Seafood Salad with Meyer Lemon and Herb Vinaigrette

There are signs everywhere that autumn is going to be here soon.  Some tree leaves are turning orange and yellow, along with the temperature getting a bit cooler.  I long for something warmer for dinner, yet, I’m not ready to give up my salads option (as I noted on my previous post, I still have quite a bit of sugar intake I need to offset) .  Such a dilemma that I have to deal with!

Then, I thought of this Warm Seafood Salad I had before.  I used to work and live in the city of Santa Monica.  There’s an Italian restaurant near the 3nd Street Promenade, called Lacanda Del Lago, that my husband and I loved to go for dinner when we were still dating.  They served this scrumptious warm seafood salad that’s perfect for this season.  We haven’t been back to restaurant Lago or Santa Monica for a long time because these day, we rather dine at home (this is especially true when you have the 2 young kids).  So, I’m trying to replicate the warm seafood salad we both loved.  Let me tell you, my version was just as delicious as Lago’s, if not better.  My hubby better agrees with me!  I’m sure my hubby would agree with me. 



The diver’s scallops are to die for.  They are sweet and taste like the ocean.  I didn’t put a lot of seasonings on them because they don’t really need much.  Just a little salt and pepper will do, and you can really enjoy their sweetness and flavor this way.  I purchased the super lump crabmeat (in containers) from Costco.  They are cooked and ready to use/eat.  Of course, you can purchase them from your trusted fishmonger.  I wouldn’t recommended you to crack your own from scratch though, unless you have some a lot of extra time to kill.  The sweetness from the seafood balanced perfectly with the lemony vinaigrette.  It’s light and refreshing.  I can really eat this for dinner every night!   :P 

 






Warm Seafood Salad with Meyer Lemon and Herb Vinaigrette:

Servings: 2

Salad Greens or Mesclun Mix for 2 people
6 Pieces of Shrimps (21 to 24-count)
4 Pieces of Diver's Scallops
1-2 Teaspoons Corn Starch, to drench scallop
1/4 Cup Squid Rings
1/2 Cup of Lump Crab Meat
1/2 Zucchini, thinly sliced
1 Teaspoon of Fresh Oregano, chiffonade
1 Teaspoon of Fresh Thyme
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1/2 Meyer Lemon, zest and juiced
1 Teaspoon Honey
3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil, divided
A Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
1 Tablespoon Butter
Kosher Salt and Freshly ground Black Pepper

Wash and clean salad greens and seafood. Drain vegetable in a salad spinner and pat dry seafood with kitchen paper towel. 

In a small bowl, add the oregano, thyme, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, and red pepper flakes.  While whisking, slowly add 2 tablespoons of olive oil until the vinaigrette is emulsified.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

In a heavy skillet with medium high heat, add butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper on seafood and slightly toss them for even distribution of seasoning. Drench scallops in corn starch and shake off excess. Seared scallop in skillet until golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Remove scallop from skillet and add shrimp, cook until pink and firm. Remove shrimps from heat and add squid rings to same skillet. Do not overcook the squids. Remove them from heat when they start to curl up. Add zucchini sliced and cook until softened, add salt and pepper to taste.

Place the salad greens in a medium bowl and add enough dressing to moisten.  Arrange on plates, top with scallops, shrimps, squid, crab and zucchini.  Serve immediately.

Orange Duck Salad

Yes, another salad for dinner.  This time, it is not just any salad though.  Duck is the star of this dish.  Somehow, I think duck is a very special ingredient to cook with.   Not that we don’t eat ducks often (we get BBQ ducks from the Chinese restaurants all the time).  It’s just that I don’t cook with it a lot.  Maybe because the duck seems too hard to handle?  However, this Orange Duck Salad is quite easy to make and it’s definitely one of my new favorite. 





I love using ingredients that are in season.  Not only they are in their best quality, they are very affordable as well.  These beautiful mini heirloom tomatoes (in assorted colors too) were sitting on the trays in the market that I couldn’t resisted bringing home.  My husband loves the spicy and crisp Belgium Endives, they balance well with the sweetness of the orange vinaigrette.  So, they’re all coming home with me.



I got this Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar from Trader Joe's.  If you don't have one near by, you can purchase the vinegar online from here.



The Orange Duck Salad pairs perfectly with a glass of red.  It was such a perfect meal for summer weekend.  Really look forward to making this salad again, very soon.







Orange Duck Salad: Printable Recipe

Servings: 2

To brine the duck:
2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Cup Pineapple Orange Juice
5 Whole Black Peppercorns
5 Springs of Fresh Thyme
1 Garlic Clove, smashed
1 Shallot, minced
2 Duck Breast, bone in and skin on

For the vinaigrette:
1 Shallot, minced
2 Tablespoons of Orange Champagne Vinegar (or regular champagne vinegar)
2 Tablespoons Good Quality Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Fresh Orange Juice
1 Teaspoon Grated Orange Zest
Salt and Pepper, to taste

For the Salad:
1 Orange, segmented and cut into bite size pieces
3 Belgium Endives, trim the bottom half-inch and cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 Cup Arugula
A handful of Mini Heirloom Tomatoes, split in half
2 Cups of Springs Mix Greens or Mesclun

Clean and dry the duck breasts, lay your knife flat against the skin and make 3 marks in one direction and then in the other, making an X. Make sure that you are cutting through the skin and not the meat.
Combine all brine ingredients and duck breasts in a zip lock bag. Seal the bag, ensuring that all air is removed from the bag. Place the bag in a plastic container and brine the duck over night in the refrigerator.

Heat a heavy duty or cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Sear the duck breasts, skin side down for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for another 2 minutes. Drain out the duck fat from the skillet often. Flip the breast and cook other sides. Total cook time should be around 8 to 10 minutes or until medium-rare, depending on the size. Remove duck from skillet and cover with foil to rest the meat.

For the vinaigrette, combine the shallots, vinegar, orange juice, orange zest, salt and pepper. Whisk in olive oil and set aside.

Remove the duck breast from the rib bones. Slice the duck breasts into 1/4- inch thickness. Toss all vegetables in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle enough vinaigrette to moisten . Place duck breast slices on top and serve.

Roasted Asparagus and Shrimp Salad

Summer is almost coming to an end, almost.  I’m still enjoying the hot weather before I have to re-arrange my closet (and my kids’) again.  Packing up the summer clothes and digging out the sweaters and jackets... the thoughts of them give me headache when thinking about it.  Instead, let me enjoy a plate of refreshing salad and wash it all down with a passion fruit ice tea.  I’ve been having salad for dinner quite often lately, at least 4 time a week, hoping to offset the sugar intake from the first half of the year.  Hahaha….does it work that way?  Probably not, but it makes me feel good, both physically and mentally, when I’m eating healthy.



The Roasted Asparagus and Shrimp Salad is one of my favorite.  It's flavorful and satisfying!  Not to mention that it is also very figure friendly and nutritious.  I always make my own salad dressings so they match perfectly with the ingredients.  Besides, I think the "store shelf" dressings are just too greasy…. with ingredients that are difficult to pronounce!  When it’s super simple to make your own, why pay more for the preservative or whatever they put into that bottle?!

With a salad this yummy, who wants summer to end so soon!?



Roasted Asparagus and Shrimp Salad:

Servings: 2

Salad Greens or Mesclun Mix for 2 people
8 Pieces of Shrimps (21 to 24-count)
1 Small Bunch of thin Asparagus
1 Small Handful of Grape Tomatoes
1 Tablespoon Fresh Basil, chiffonade
1 Tablespoon Oregano, chiffonade
1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
2 Teaspoons Honey
2 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil, plus more for roasting
Kosher Salt and Freshly ground Black Pepper
Parmesan Cheese Shaves for Garnish

Preheat oven 400 degrees F. 

Wash salad greens and tomatoes, drain in a salad spinner.  Wash and pad dry the asparagus and shrimps.  Trim off last 3 inches of asparagus and discard (or use them for soup base in other recipes). Cut asparagus in thirds.  Place them on baking sheets lined with foil.  Use a piece of foil to make a small container (fold up all sides) for the shrimps and place next to the asparagus on the baking sheet.  Drizzle olive oil on asparagus and shrimps, sprinkle kosher salt and pepper evenly on top.  Roast asparagus for 15 minutes and take out the shrimps after 7 minutes.  

In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, honey, vinegar, a pinch of salt and pepper.  While whisking, slowly add the olive oil until the vinaigrette is emulsified. 

Place the salad greens, basil and oregano in a medium bowl and add enough dressing to moisten.  Arrange on plates, top with shrimps, asparagus and a few shaves of parmesan cheese.  Serve immediately.