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. 

Tandoori Chicken

The recent discovery of lactose free Greek yogurt has opened up a whole new world in our household.  Thank you Liberté!  This Tandoori Chicken is so delicious on the smoker, and it is very good the next day too. It would be wonderful to pack up for a picnic lunch this summer!

Tandoori Chicken

6 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken

for the marinade:

1/2 cup plain Greek (lactose free) yogurt

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

1 tablespoon ginger root, peeled and grated

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon turmeric

¼ teaspoon hot smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Fresh cilantro sprigs for garnish

Combine all marinade ingredients in a small bowl.  Arrange the chicken pieces in a shallow glass dish, and spoon the marinade over top.  Turn the chicken and coat the other side as well.  Cover and refrigerate 6 hours or overnight. 

Light the smoker, and set to 2 and 2 for a constant temperature of 275°F.  Fill the diffuser pan with hot water.  Replace the grids, and place the chicken on the grids.  Smoke for 2-3 hours.  Remove the water pan, and smoke for another hour, or until the skin is crispy.

Chandani Style Potatoes, Green Peas, Spinach and Tomatoes

My cousin Janacca’s friend Kristin Jarden wrote the original Vegetarian version of this recipe. We used chicken stock and added a few handfuls of baby spinach, but to keep it vegetarian, simply substitute water or vegetable stock.

4 medium potatoes

3 medium tomatoes

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

1 ½ teaspoons cumin seeds

2 teaspoons ginger, minced

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 jalapeno pepper, minced

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups chicken stock

2 cups baby green peas (frozen)

3 cups baby spinach

2 tablespoons fresh coriander, minced

Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1 inch cubes.  Peel and coarsely chop the tomatoes.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet and drop in the cumin seeds.  When they sizzle, add the ginger and sauté for 20 seconds.  Stir in the coriander, turmeric and jalapeno.  Add the tomatoes and salt, and sauté until the sauce is quite smooth, about 5 minutes.  Add the potatoes and chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Loosely cover the pan, reduce heat, and keep at a lively simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.  Add the peas, and cook for 3 minutes, or until heated through.  Add the spinach and turn with tongs in the sauce until wilted.  Remove from heat and garnish with cilantro. 

Father's Day Favourites

Father’s Day was action packed, starting with breakfast in Toronto, golf at home, cocktails with Mary Anne and her friend Francis, who was visiting from Taiwan, and finally a delicious Father’s Day Dinner cooked by Eric and Samantha.  They are an excellent pair in the kitchen and on the grill, and they designed and executed a delicious menu in honour of the Big Guy.

Chicken and Roasted Red Pepper Quesadillas

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 red peppers, roasted and peeled

1 onion, peeled and chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, minced

2 green onions, minced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 ½ cup grated extra old cheddar cheese

12 corn tortillas

Preheat barbecue on HIGH.  Set the peppers on one side of the grill and cook until the skins are charred and blackened on all sides.  Reduce the temperature on the other side to MEDIUM LOW.  Brush the chicken lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Grill the chicken for a total of about 10 minutes, turning every 2 ½ minutes and following the directions for perfect grill marks.  Once cooked, remove to a cutting board for 15-20 minutes, tented with foil, before chopping.  Meanwhile, heat some olive oil in a large skillet, and add the onions.  Stir occasionally over MEDIUM LOW heat, until golden, about ½ hour. 

Slip the skins off the cooled red peppers, remove the seeds and ribs, and chop.

In a large bowl, combine the jalapeno pepper, onions, cilantro, cheese, chicken, onions and peppers. 

Brush a small amount of olive oil on one side of each corn or flour tortilla.  Turn it over, and spoon some filling into the middle.  Spread the filling over the bottom, leaving about a ½ -1 inch border.   Top with another tortilla, with the oiled side out. 

Place on a grill set to MEDIUM LOW.  Grill for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until the cheese has melted.

Honey Garlic Ribs

4 racks pork back ribs

¾ cup honey

¼ cup fish sauce

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons sherry

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon sambal olek

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic

½ teaspoon five spice powder

Remove the membrane from the back of each rack of ribs.

In a small pot combine the remaining ingredients.  Heat until the honey has just melted.  Brush the ribs lightly with a few tablespoons of the sauce, and wrap them tightly in heavy duty foil.   Place on the smoker or gas grill and maintain a temperature of about 275° F.  If using the gas grill, place them on the top warming rack.  You may want to turn off the middle burners to maintain this low temperature.  Cook for about 3 hours, or until very tender.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining sauce, and simmer until just thickened, about 15 minutes.  Set aside off the heat.

About ½ hour before serving, carefully remove the ribs from the foil, using tongs and oven mitts to avoid steam burns.  Set the ribs on the cooking grids and brush them liberally with the sauce, applying every ten minutes.

Samantha also made these delicious potatoes with all her father’s favorite additions:  mushroom, bacon and garlic….yum!  The recipe comes from a wonderful Bonnie Sterne book, The Essentials of Home Cooking. 

Mashed Potatoes with Bacon and Mushrooms

6 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered

2 slices bacon, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, coarsely chopped

1 cup milk or cream

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

3 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons salt

Place the potatoes in a large pot of salted water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to MEDIUM LOW and gently cook for about 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are very tender.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the bacon over MEDIUM heat until crisp.  Remove the bacon and drain on paper towels.  Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the fat.  Add the garlic to the skillet, and cook for about a minute or until fragrant but not brown.  Add the mushrooms and cook until all the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are beginning to brown.  Add the milk and parsley and cook until hot.

Drain the potatoes thoroughly, then return them to the hot pot and mash them with the butter and salt.  Stir in the mushroom mixture and the bacon.   Serve hot.