THAI MANGO AVOCADO SALAD

Dressing;

1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup olive  oil
2 tablespoons sesame oil
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

Salad;

1 large mango, julienned

1 red pepper, julienned

1 avocado, diced

1/4 cup diced cashews, roasted and unsalted

1/4 cup diced fresh cilantro

1. In a small bowl, add lime juice, sesame oil, maple syrup, tamari, and sriracha. Using a whisk, stir until combined and oil no longer separates. Set aside.

2. To a medium bowl, add mango, red pepper, avocado, cashews, and fresh cilantro. Pour the sauce over the mango salad and gently toss using two spoons.

Serve immediately.

Crab Tabouli with Quinoa

I demonstrated this dish in cooking class one night and my students took one look at the recipe and said they would never make it; too many ingredients!. But after tasting it they agreed that this dish was REALLY worth the effort!!

Serves 4

1 cup quinoa
3 cup boiling water
1 tart apple2 Roma tomatoes-  diced small
1 medium cucumber-  diced small
3 whole scallions-  sliced thin on diagonal
1 yellow tomato- small diced
2 Tablespoons chopped spearmint
2 Tablespoons chopped basil
1/3 cup sliced black olives
1/2 cup fresh mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 pound lump crabmeat
salt and pepper

1)  Toast quinoa on stovetop, in heavy skillet, shaking pan, until lightly browned. transfer to a bowl, pour in boiling water, cover tightly and let sit for about and hour. Or you can simmer on low until liquid is completely absorbed.  Drain and cool.

2)  Combine all ingredients except crab. fold in crab and season to taste. Cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours.

Salmon Soba Noodle Bowl with Asparagus, Shiitakes, and Egg

On the menu, for delivery tomorrow!

Soba Noodle Bowl with Asparagus, Shiitakes, Egg and Kimchi

Serves 4

For the soba noodles:

4- 6 ounce salmon filets

1 1/2 cups tahini

6 Tbs. fresh lime juice

4 Tbs. Coconut Aminos- (soy-free soy sauce)

4 Tbs. honey

2 Tbs. toasted sesame oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

10 oz. dried soba noodles

For the vegetables:

6 Tbs. Sesame oil

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces

2 Tbs. Coconut Aminos- (soy-free soy sauce)

2 heads Bok choy, leaves separated, cut into 3-inch pieces

1 1/2 lb. shiitake mushrooms, brushed clean, stemmed and sliced

Kosher salt

For serving:

4 hard- or soft-cooked eggs

1 cup (4 oz./125 g) kimchi

1/2 cup (1 1/2 oz./45 g) sliced green onions

3 Tbs. sesame seeds (I used Gamasio)

1. To make the soba noodles, in a bowl, whisk together the tahini, lime juice, soy sauce, honey, oil, garlic and 3 Tbs. water. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Cook the soba noodles according to the package instructions. Drain, transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

2. To make the vegetables, in a large fry pan over medium-high heat, warm 2 Tbs. of the oil. Add the asparagus and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 7 minutes. Add 1 Tbs. of the soy sauce and cook for 1 minute longer. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with aluminum foil.

3. In the same pan over medium-high heat, warm another 2 Tbs. of the oil. Add the Bok Choy and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 1 Tbs. soy sauce and cook for 1 minute longer. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil.

4. In the same pan over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 2 Tbs. oil. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. Season with salt. Set aside.

5.   In the same pan, sear salmon (salt and pepper on on both sides) in butter and sesame oil about 4 minutes on each side.

5. Peel and halve the eggs lengthwise.

6. Add the tahini dressing to the noodles, thinning the dressing with 1 to 2 Tbs. of water if needed. Toss the noodles to coat, and divide among 4 bowls. Top with the vegetables, salmon, eggs, and kimchi. Garnish with the green onions and sesame seeds and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Roasted Bananas with Poached Red Grapefruit

This simple dish is very elegant and is one of my all time favorite desserts.  Great for breakfast also!         

Serving Size : 4

2 large red grapefruit — sectioned

1 large red grapefruit — juice only

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 lemons — zested

4 large bananas — ripe

1 tablespoon honey

1) Peel grapefruit over bowl to retain juice. Carefully section grapefruit so as not to break the sections.

2) Pour all the juice into a saucepan with the lemon juice, honey and lemon zest. simmer until it is reduced in half.

3) Turn off heat, allow to cool for 5 minutes. place grapefruit sections in pan with warm juice and toss.

4) Preheat oven to 500°. Peel bananas and slice once lengthwise. Place in glass baking dish. roast approximately 3-4 minutes, until bananas are fairly soft.

5) to serve, place bananas with some of the juice that cooked out of them into a shallow bowl and spoon grapefruit sections with juice over the bananas.

Shrimp and Fall Greens Gumbo

I have been making this soup for about 20 years and it remains one of my all time favorite recipes! 

Serving Size  : 4      

12            ounces  clam juice
1              pound  shrimp — small, reserve shells
1             tablespoon  butter
1             cup  onion — chopped
1             cup  green pepper — diced
1             Tablespoon  garlic — chopped
1             cup  tomatoes — seeded, diced
2             large  bay leaf
1             tablespoon  dried thyme
1/2         teaspoon  Tabasco sauce
1/2         bunch  kale — chopped coarsely
1/2         bunch  scallions — dia. slices
1 1/2    tablespoons  file powder

1)   Boil water, reserved shrimp shells and clam juice for 15 minutes. strain and reserve stock.

2)   Sauté onions, peppers and garlic in butter for 2 until tender, add tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme, tabasco and reserved stock. bring to a boil. reduce heat, simmer 15 minutes.

3)   Add greens to soup, simmer until greens are bright green, about 3 minutes. add shrimp, simmer 1 more minute. turn off heat, add file powder, season with salt and pepper and Tabasco.

4)   Garnish with diagonal cut scallions.