Chinese New Year

Kris and Baldur were both speeding down this hill on the cross country trail.

Chinese New Year was celebrated all over the world last week. We decided to mark the occasion of the beginning of the year of the Ram with a weekend long Chinese feast. Our other weekend plans involved taking advantage of the deep snow surrounding Ellicottville, NY., and spending as much time as we could on our cross-country skis in the magical forest behind Holimont.  In order to accomplish both, Andrea pulled out a beautiful cookbook,  Beyond the Great Wall, 2008.Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid,  which inspired us to adapt a number of their simpler recipes for our grilling menu. The ingredients were easy to find, the recipes  simple and the flavours were outstanding. Here are some of the recipes that we enjoyed this weekend (between ski outings!).

These golden trout were sweet and tender.

Dai Grilled Fish

Ted was very patient about filleting these fish more or less according to the directions.  We put them on soaked maple planks to stabilize them on the grill. 

2 small whole freshwater fish, about 1 pound each, filleted, but leaving the heads and tails intact

For the filling:

¼ cup chopped fresh coriander leaves

1 cup finely chopped scallions, white and tender green parts

1 small hot red chili pepper, finely minced

 2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

4 wedges of lime

Soak 4 pairs of long chopsticks or bamboo skewers and some kitchen string in water for 10 minutes, and 2 maple planks for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, clean and gut fish if they haven’t already been prepared to this point.  The instructions for filleting the fish are as follows:

One at a time, lay each fish down on a cutting board with the head end toward you, the tail pointing away, the spine of the fish to the right, and the open belly to the left.  With a very sharp knife, starting at the base of the tail, on the belly side, cut across the base of the tail, slicing into the fish just down to the bone.  Slice almost all the way over to the spine.  Now cut toward you along the length of the backbone, again cutting through the flesh just down to the bone.  Stop before you reach the gills and then slice toward the belly side, stopping before you reach the edge, so the rectangle you have cut stays attached.  Lay your knife almost horizontally into the backbone cut and slice along the ribs to detach the flesh from them, as if filleting the fish, but do not cut all the way through to the belly edge. 

Tie one end of two chopsticks together. Open the flap of one of the fish, and pull it back to keep it open.  Place the fish diagonally into the moth of the chopstick holder so the flap is held open, and secure the other end of the chopsticks.  Repeat at the other end with the second set of chopsticks. 

Combine all the filling ingredients, cutting in the coconut oil with 2 knives or a pastry blend to incorporate evenly.  Spread the filling over the surface of both fish, and set the fish on top of the soaked planks.  Place them on a preheated barbecue set to LOW and cook for 20 minutes before testing for doneness.  Serve with wedges of lime. 

If cooking directly over the flame instead of on a plank, cook for 10 minutes only on MEDIUM LOW.

Silk Road Tomato-Bell Pepper Salad

1 medium-large orange bell pepper,

2 medium ripe tomatoes

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup chopped coriander and mint, combined

Remove the core, seeds and ribs from the pepper, and cut it into ¼” x 1” strips.  Place in a medium shallow bowl.  Cut the tomatoes into small chunks and add to the bowl.  Toss with the salt and chopped herbs, and serve at room temperature. 

Pea Tendril Salad

½  pound pea tendrils or pea shoots

½ pound mixed sprouts, such as radish and broccoli

For the dressing:

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

¾ tsp salt

1 small red cayenne chili pepper

2 tbsp peanut oil

½ cup thinly sliced shallots

Combine the rice vinegar, sesame oil and salt in a small bowl and set aside. Strip and discard the seeds from the red cayenne chili pepper and thinly slice it. Set aside.

Place the pea tendrils/shoots and mixed sprouts in a large shallow serving bowl. Stir the dressing and pour it over the pea tendril/sprouts mixture and toss gently.

Meanwhile, place a wok or heavy skillet over high heat. Add the peanut oil, then the sliced shallots. Using long chop sticks or a spatula, keep the shallots moving so that they do not burn. Fry for approximately 2 minutes, until they are golden-brown. Spread the shallots and oil over the pea tendrils, sprinkle on the sliced red cayenne chili pepper and serve.

Uighur Lamb Kebabs

These succulent,  marinated lamb kebabs have a tart, garlicky flavour, thanks to the pomegranate juice.

1 pound boneless lamb leg or shoulder, cut into 1” square pieces

For the marinade:

1 medium onion, quartered

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

¼ cup pomegranate juice

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Place the onion chunks into a food processor and whir into a paste. Transfer onion paste to a medium size bowl and combine with the other marinade ingredients.  Add lamb pieces and coat thoroughly with the marinade. Cover and let rest for 2 hours.

Preheat the barbecue on HIGH for 10 minutes, then reduce to MEDIUM. Thread the lamb onto metal skewers(or bamboo skewers that have been soaked in water for 30 minutes).

Place the skewers on the grids and grill 2 minutes on the first side, then turn and cook for 2 additional minutes on each of the other 3 sides, for a total of 8 minutes. They should still be pink in the middle!

Yuanyang Grilled Potatoes

4 large Yukon Gold Potatoes, scrubbed, skin-on
2 tablespoons canola oil

Sea salt and freshly ground Ground Sichuan Pepper

Place the potatoes in a large pot of salted boiling water. Boil for approximately 15 minutes, until the potatoes are barely cooked through. Drain and let cool.

Preheat barbecue on HIGH for 5 minutes, the reduce to MEDIUM. Meanwhile, cut the potatoes into 1 ½- inch chunks. Toss them lightly in the canola oil and place them on the grill, turning occasionally until all sides are golden and crispy. Serve plain, accompanied by the sea salt and freshly ground Sichuan Pepper.

Serve with Soy-Vinegar Dipping Sauce

 Soy-Vinegar Dipping Sauce
We also served this sauce pork and leek dumplings.
 

¼ cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon fine fresh ginger threads.

Combine in a small bowl and stir.
 

Leek and Pork Dumplings

1 large leek, white part only

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

½ pound ground pork

½  small red chili pepper finely minced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves and stems

1 teaspoon soy sauce

½ teaspoon roasted sesame oil

1 package wonton wrappers

corn starch

Trim the leek of roots and dark green leaves. Slice it in half lengthwise, and soak it in water to remove any debris.  Drain well, then cut it into ¼” slices. Heat the vegetable oil in a small pan and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

Combine the cooled leeks, pork, chili pepper, soy sauce and sesame oil in a medium bowl.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle it with corn starch.  Have a small bowl of water on hand.

Place a teaspoon of the prepared filling in the middle of one wonton wrapper.   Dip your finger in water and trace the outside of the wonton to just moisten it.  Gather up the edges of the wrapper and pinch it just above the filling while twisting slightly to secure.  Set it on the baking sheet and repeat.  The dumplings can be frozen at this point, then stored in the freezer in an airtight container, or cooked immediately.

To cook, heat a small amount of oil in a nonstick pan fitted with a lid.  Lay some dumplings spaced 1 inch apart in the bottom of the pan.  Let cook for a few minutes without disturbing to allow the bottoms to brown slightly.  Pour in about ½ cup water, then cover with the lid to allow the dumplings to steam.  Cook for about 5 minutes until the meat is cooked (slightly longer if cooked from frozen).  Serve hot with Soy-Vinegar Dipping Sauce, or any other sauce of your choice.