Quinoa Salad with Asian-Style Dressing

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is the second of the two quinoa recipes I've been working on for Meatless Monday. It has a vaguely Asian flair and it is ideal for families who are trying to cut back on animal protein consumption. It also helps solve the problem of cooks who still have committed carnivores sitting at their tables. This recipe can be enhanced with shrimp for those who feel the need to consume more than seeds or grain with their meals. It is a lovely recipe that originally appeared in The New York Times. It is really easy to assemble and the Asian-style dressing appeals to a broad range of diners. I would caution that the recipe, as written, makes an awful lot of dressing for the quantity of ingredients actually used in the salad. The first time I made this dish I thought the ingredients were drowning in salad dressing. I've since cut way back on the amount of dressing I use when making this. The bitterness that many associate with quinoa can be avoided by a thorough rinsing of the seeds before they are boiled. I actually toast and rinse mine before using them. This salad is packed with flavor and I think you'll enjoy it for lunch or a light supper. Here's the recipe.

Quinoa Salad with Asian-Style Dressing...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of The New York Times

Ingredients:
Dressing
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger or fresh ginger to taste (more to taste)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Salt to taste
Pinch of cayenne
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil or walnut oil
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons buttermilk
Salad
3 cups cooked quinoa (3/4 cup uncooked)
4 scallions, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
1 small cucumber, halved, seeded and thinly sliced on the diagonal
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Optional: 12 to 16 cooked medium shrimp, peeled

Directions:
1) In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together lime juice, rice wine vinegar, ginger, garlic, salt, cayenne, sesame oil, canola oil, and buttermilk.
2) In a salad bowl, combine the quinoa, scallions, cucumber, and cilantro. Toss with dressing and divide among salad plates. Top each portion with 3 or 4 shrimp if desired, and serve. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Quinoa Salad with Arugula, Asparagus and Avocado - Cooking with Amy
Beet and Quinoa Salad - Nami-Nami
Lemon Scented Quinoa Salad - 101 Cookbooks
Mushroom Quinoa Stew - Bread and Honey
Quinoa Salad - mmm-yoso!!!
Lemon Garlic Quinoa Salad - Julie Jams
Warm Quinoa Salad with Edamame and Lemon-Tarragon Dressing - One Perfect Bite

Thai-Style Steamed Salmon with Tamarind-Ginger Sauce - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is one of those recipes I stumbled on and pondered for a ridiculous amount of time before actually making it. I hope you occasionally do the same thing and understand how that can happen. I kept this recipe on the back burner for several years before taking down my steamer and having a go at it. I regret not making it sooner. I found the original recipe on the Dean and DeLuca Web site, which you can find here. I have no affiliation with them, but I greatly admire their site and the recipes I've found there. The dish requires some chopping and access to a source for tamarind pulp or concentrate, but it is really simple to do. The finished dish is a delightful blend of flavors resembling those used in the best of Thai cooking. It is a wonderful alternative to teriyaki glazed salmon. I prefer salmon fillets to salmon steaks so I've altered the recipe to reflect my preference. If you decide to use tamarind concentrate, dilute it as you would orange juice, using three parts water or stock to one part of concentrate. I serve this with jasmine rice which I find has a unique and distinctive flavor that pairs well with the flavors in this dish. Those of you who try this will become instant fans. It's a wonderful way to prepare good salmon. I know you'll like it. Here's the recipe.

Thai-Style Steamed Salmon with Tamarind-Ginger Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by from Dean and DeLuca

Ingredients:
1 ounce dried tamarind pulp or 2 tablespoons of tamarind concentrate
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 shallots, slivered lengthwise
2 tablespoons julienne strips peeled fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves, slivered lengthwise
1/4 cup palm sugar or light brown sugar
3 tablespoons nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
4 salmon fillets (each about 1 1/4 inches thick)
Fresh cilantro for garnish

Directions:
1) If using tamarind pulp: Place pulp in a small bowl and cover with 1/2 cup boiling water. Let sit for 30 minutes. Break up tamarind with fingers. Add tamarind and soaking water to a small saucepan. Simmer for 30 minutes. Strain through a sieve into a bowl, pressing on tamarind solids wit a wooden spoon. Strain liquid through a sieve into a bowl, pressing on the tamarind solids with a wooden spoon. Reserve liquid.
2) If using tamarind concentrate: Dilute with 6 tablespoons water. Set aside.n
3) Heat oil in a medium skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Stir in shallots, ginger, and garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute, or until very aromatic. Stir in palm sugar, 3 tablespoons nam pla, and 1/2 cup of tamarind liquid, and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Reserve.
4) Lay salmon fillets on a lightly oiled plate that will fit into a steamer basket. Spread about 1 tablespoon of reserved ginger-tamarind sauce on each side of each filet, and let marinate for 20 minutes.
5) Bring enough water to sit just below (but not touch) steamer basket in a wok or deep skillet. Bring to a simmer. Place plate in basket, cover with a lid, and steam salmon just until opaque, about 10 minutes for medium-rare. Remove basket from the wok and plate from basket. With a spatula carefully remove salmon to serving plates. Pour enough liquid from steaming plate into reserved sauce to reach the desired consistency.
6) Quickly reheat sauce and spoon over salmon. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Almond Crusted Salmon Fillets with Lemon Leek Cream Sauce - Good Things Catered
Wasabi Glazed Salmon - One Perfect Bite
Slow Roasted Salmon - One Perfect Bite
Poached Salmon - Simply Recipes
Red Grape Salmon Fillets - A Food Year
Salmon Fillet on Leek and Fennel Sauce - The Passionate Cook

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Asian-Style Carrot Salad

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Most of us have a recipe for the ubiquitous carrot-raisin slaw tucked somewhere in our kitchen files. I haven't used my copy of the salad in over thirty years. I was never especially fond of it and, as we began to travel, I found other recipes that I thought were far more satisfying. This Asian-style carrot salad is one of my current favorites. There is a tartness to it that plays nicely against sweet barbecued meats and it is a wonderful, easy addition to an Asian-style meal. We had a salad that was quite similar to this while we were in Thailand. This salad, developed by Laurent Tourondel for Food and Wine magazine, is zen-like in its simplicity. Its only ingredients are carrots and cilantro. The dressing, however, takes the salad to another plane. Carrot and ginger juice are teamed with vinegar and a mixture of oils to produce a vibrant dressing that is unique and plays nicely with the sweet and crunchy carrots it is used to dress. I do have a few cautions should you choose to make it. If you can't resist the temptation to use pre-shredded carrots, test to make sure you can get a forkful that doesn't resemble porcupine quills into your mouth. That is a lesson learned from bitter and embarrassing experience of the "we grow too soon old and too late smart" variety. You should also know that the dressing will slightly dull the vibrant color of the carrots. The carrot juice can't quite overcome the mayonnaise in the dressing and the carrots will take on a slightly milky hue. Lastly, don't add the final measure of cilantro until you are ready to serve the salad. Its brilliant green is gorgeous against the orange of the carrots, but if it sits too long it will blacken and add nothing to the finished salad. If I haven't scared you away, here's the recipe for a unique salad that I think you'll enjoy.

Asian-Style Carrot Salad...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Laurent Tourondel

Ingredients:
1 pound carrots, peeled and shredded
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
1/2 cup canola oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup carrot juice
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1-1/2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
3/4 teaspoon fresh ginger juice, squeezed from 2 teaspoons finely minced ginger

Directions:
1) Combine carrots, garlic, vinegar, 1/2 cup cilantro and 1/4 cup canola oil in a medium bowl. Toss well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let carrots stand for 15 minutes. Drain well.
2) Boil carrot juice in a small saucepan set over medium heat until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Cool slightly. Add mayonnaise, sesame oil, ginger juice and reserved 1/4 cup canola oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3) Add dressing and remaining 1/2 cup cilantro to carrots and toss well. Transfer to serving bowl. Serve immediately. Yield: 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:

Asian Bean Sprout Salad - One Perfect Bite
Thai Cucumber Salad - One Perfect Bite
Khmer Green Papaya Salad - One Perfect Bite

Kris Kringle Ginger Cakes and Baby Jesus Birthday Cake - Foodie Friday

Kris Kringle Ginger Cakes with Green Cardamom Icing



Baby Jesus Birthday Cake and the Christmas Pageant Link

All families develop Christmas traditions that are passed from one generation to the next. I suspect that any of us expecting a visit from Santa, set out a "little something" to help ease the burden of that heavy sack and sustain him through the journey of the night. Our Santa, spoiled rotten, looked forward to hot buttered rum and a Scandinavian or German treasure. I happen to adore ginger bread, so Santa, too, learned to love it. These ginger cakes are lovely. My only caution is not to get carried away with the lemon zest. Too much will bury the wonderful flavors of ginger and cardamom that set these cupcakes apart from others like them. They are really easy to do, as you'll see when peruse the recipe. If there are small children in the house use multi-colored sprinkles to decorate the cake. Adults, who don't seem to know how to have fun, prefer crystallized ginger. Pity, that!

I've also decide to resurrect the story of the Christmas pageant and our family's Baby Jesus Cake. Of all we wrote and published last year, this proved to be our most popular entry. I hope those of you who were with us last year will revisit it and those of you who joined us after the holidays will follow the link above to the recipe and the stories that accompany it.

Kris Kringle Ginger Cakes with Green Cardamom Icing...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cardamom Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
1 teaspoon ground green cardamom

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 12 standard-size muffin cups or line them with paper cups.
2) Cream butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses, egg, and vanilla.
3) In a small bowl, stir together boiling water and baking soda until dissolved. Stir baking soda water into molasses mixture.
4) Sift flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, lemon zest, and salt into a small bowl.
5) Whisk flour mixture into the molasses mixture until batter is combined.
6) Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake cupcakes until a toothpick inserted in center of one or two of them comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
7) While cupcakes are baking, make frosting. Cream together cream cheese and sugar in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, and cardamom and beat until fluffy and smooth. Chill frosting until ready to use.
8) Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan. Place cupcakes on a rack to cool for 30 minutes. Spread cream cheese frosting generously over cooled cupcakes. Yield: 12 servings.

This recipe is being linked to:
Designs By Gollum - Foodie Friday

Recipe adapted from The Spice Kitchen by Sara Engram and Katie Luber

Ginger Tea - The Yangtze - Outdoor Wednesday

Lesser Three Gorges - Daning Tributary to the Yangtze River


Thai-Style Ginger Tea

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I think we've all experienced an instant connect with a stranger at one time or another in our lives. This photo, captured at a bend in the Yangtze river, was taken beneath the parasol of such a friend. She called Singapore home but was Thai by birth. A career and several marriages had, quite literally, taken her around the world and she knew a thing or two about comfort on the road. Her purse was a veritable magician's hat and on this particular day, unhappy with the flavorless tea being served on board our small excursion ship, she pulled two packets from her bottomless "hat" and proceeded to make two cups of the best tea I had ever had. The tea was actually a Thai Ginger Drink that is very popular in Asia. While ginger is used in cooking throughout the world, you may be surprised to learn that it has health benefits as well. Many, especially in Asia, consider it to be a cure-all. Health benefits aside, my main interest in using fresh ginger is to make tea. While I haven't been able to create an exact duplicate of the ginger drink, I've come very close and have been serving it, hot or cold, ever since. This is how it's done.

Ginger Tea...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
8 cups water
1/2 cup peeled and thinly sliced fresh ginger
1 lemon or lime thinly sliced
1/4 to 1/2 cup dark honey

Directions:
Bring water to a rolling boil. Remove from heat. Add ginger and lemon. Cover pot and let sit for 20 to 40 minutes. The tea becomes stronger the longer it steeps. Strain. Stir in honey. Serve hot or cold. Yield: 8 cups.

This recipe is being linked to Outdoor Wednesday, an event sponsored by Susan at A Southern Daydreamer.

Double Ginger Crackles and Pepparkakor

I grew up calling these cookies Swedish Ginger Crisps. I've only recently learned that they should be called Ginger Crackles.I have a weakness for all things ginger and collect recipes that use it in whatever form. These cookies are intensely flavored due to a double dose of ginger. The first hit comes from ground ginger; the second from crystallized ginger. The cookies are easy to do and they store beautifully. A word of caution - resist the temptation to overcrowd the cookie sheet. These cookies spread. I bake them a dozen at a time so they'll retain their shape. This recipe was developed by Abigail Johnson Dodge for Fine Cooking magazine. The second recipe comes from the kitchens of my childhood. It's a classic pepparkakor and it, too, is delicious.

Double Ginger Crackles

Ingredients:
2-1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2-3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1-1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/4 cup molasses
3 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger

Directions:
1) Position racks in upper and lower thirds of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment or nonstick baking liners.
2) Whisk flour, ground ginger, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Place butter and 1 cup sugar in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until well blended. Add egg, molasses, and crystallized ginger; beat well. Add dry ingredients and mix on low speed until well blended.
3) Pour remaining 1/3 cup sugar into a shallow bowl. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in sugar to coat. Set balls 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.
4) Bake, rotating sheets halfway through baking, until the cookies are puffed and bottoms are lightly browned, about 12 to 14 minutes. The surface cracks will look a bit wet. Remove from oven. Let cookies sit on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Store in airtight containers. Yield: 4 dozen cookies.

Pepparkakor

Ingredients:
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, well beaten
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:
1) Heat molasses in small saucepan to boiling point. Add butter and sugar; stir until butter is melted. Scrape into a medium bowl. Cool. Add egg and beat to mix.
2) In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and black pepper. Add to molasses mixture and mix to combine. Cover bowl and chill overnight.
3) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
4) Thinly roll out a portion of dough on a floured board. Cut into desired shapes.
4) Bake for 6 to 8 minutes. Watch to make sure they don't burn. Cool on wire rack.
Yield: 2 to 3 dozen cookies.