Salmon, a great source of heart-healthy Omega-3, is a staple out here in the Pacific Northwest. I love the stuff! This easy recipe for the pink-fleshed fish calls for searing then finishing the salmon fillets in the oven. The fillets are then plated and topped with a dollop of lemon-ginger butter, which adds a citrusy zing to the dish without overpowering the salmon. It’s delicious!

I didn’t have chives so I substituted finely diced green onions (the green part only). Serve the salmon with sauteed spinach (or mixed greens with Ginger Dressing) and Triple-Sesame Jasmine Rice.

Sear-Roasted Salmon Fillets with Lemon-Ginger Butter
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine 

Searing the salmon gives it a golden crust; high-temperature roasting finishes the cooking and keeps the fish moist. Warming the lemon juice makes it easier to mix it into the softened butter. Wrapped well, the compound butter keeps for weeks in the freezer.
Serves four.
 
6 Tbs. butter, well softened at room temperature
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice, warmed slightly
2 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
2 Tbs. snipped fresh chives
Olive oil for the pan
4 salmon fillets (5 oz. each), skinned if you like, patted dry
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a bowl, blend the butter, lemon juice, ginger, and chives well. Set aside at room temperature.

Heat the oven to 500°F. Set a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat and add just enough oil to make a light film. Sprinkle the salmon lightly with salt and pepper. When the oil is very hot, add the salmon, skin side up, and cook until nicely browned, about 1 minute. Flip the fish over and put the skillet in the oven. Roast for 2 minutes for medium rare; 4 minutes for medium well. Check for doneness with the tip of a knife. Remove the pan from the oven, transfer the fish to serving plates, and immediately top the salmon with a dab of the lemon-ginger butter.

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Tags: Fine Cooking Magazine, fish, ginger, lemon, lemon-ginger butter, roasted salmon, salmon, salmon fillets, Seafood

I woke up with a scratchy throat today (poor me!) so I’m doing everything in my power to fight off the crud: doses of Vitamin C, drinking a honey and cider vinegar elixer (my friend Amy swears by it), and this tasty chicken soup for lunch. 

The recipe calls for smashing 3 whole scallions and slicing the ginger then simmering it in the broth. This helps extract as much flavor as possible from the pieces of scallion and ginger. Next time I may also add a smashed clove of garlic to the simmering mixture for a little extra flavor and to take advantage of garlic’s natural healing  properties. Drizzle each bowl of soup with some sesame oil (a little goes a long way). Enjoy!

Ginger Scallion Egg-Drop Soup
-recipe from Gourmet Magazine

Steeping ginger and scallion greens in the stock and then poaching the chicken in it is a quick way to achieve a depth of flavor. The final soup is enriched with silky ribbons of just–cooked eggs, shreds of tender chicken, and fresh rings of scallion. Best of all, this satisfying soup is easy enough to pull together after work.

Yield: Makes 2 servings (light main course) or 4 servings (first course)
 
6 scallions, divided
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 (2-inch) piece peeled ginger, sliced
1 skinless boneless chicken breast half (6 to 8 ounces)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon white pepper (optional)
Accompaniment: Asian sesame oil

Smash 3 scallions and cut into 2-inch pieces, then put in a 2-quart saucepan with water, broth, ginger, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer, then poach chicken at a bare simmer, uncovered, until just cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let broth steep, covered, 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, chop remaining 3 scallions and shred chicken.

Discard scallions and ginger from broth and bring to a brisk simmer. Add beaten eggs in a slow stream, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in scallions, chicken, and white pepper (if using). Serve drizzled with sesame oil.

Tags: Asian soup, chicken soup, egg drop soup, ginger, scallion, sesame oil, soup

Sure, take-out is great but recipes like this one for Spicy Green Beans with Pork make it a cinch to whip up at home: tender pieces of stir-fried pork and green beans in a tasty Asian-flavored sauce. It’s a perfect weeknight meal!

As with any stirfry, it’s important to have all the ingredients prepped, measured out and ready to go when you start cooking. You could even cut the pork and trim the green beans the day before so that when it’s dinner time the next day, all you have to do is heat up the pan and start cooking. The tip on freezing the pork for 30 minutes does make it easier to slice but don’t sweat it if you want to skip that step (just cut the pork as thinly as you can).

For the sauce, I skipped the chicken stock and substituted water because I didn’t want to open a can of chicken broth for only 1/4 cup. Also, I used Lee Kum Kee brand Black Bean Garlic Sauce for the spicy bean sauce. If you don’t have any sake on hand or don’t feel like buying it, dry sherry would be a good substitute. Serve the stir fry with steamed rice. Enjoy!

Spicy Green Beans with Pork
-recipe from Family Fun Magazine (October 2008)

The green beans in this classic Chinese dish take on the flavors of ginger, chili, and garlic. And the spice is just right — not too hot for most kids but a bit of a kick for Mom and Dad. Makes about 5 cups.

1 pound pork tenderloin
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine (sake)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup chicken stock (or water)
1 tablespoon spicy bean sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 cup peanut or vegetable oil
1 pound green beans, trimmed and snapped in half
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (1-inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup toasted white sesame seeds

Shave the pork into thin strips. (Tip: first partially freeze it for 30 to 90 minutes.) In a small bowl, toss the shaved pork with 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of rice wine, and the pepper. Marinate the pork at room temperature while assembling the rest of the ingredients.

In a separate bowl, combine the remaining tablespoon of soy sauce, the remaining tablespoon of rice wine, the stock, spicy bean sauce, hoisin, chili garlic sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and cornstarch, and set aside.

Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the beans and stir-fry them until they begin to brown or blister, about 10 minutes. Remove the beans from the pan using a slotted spoon and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the oil.

Return the pan to the heat and add the pork, garlic, and ginger. Stir-fry the mixture until the pork is no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Add the green onions and cook for 1 minute.

Add the reserved sauce and green beans, mix well, and cook until the sauce begins to thicken, about one minute. Finally, sprinkle with the sesame seeds before serving. 
 

Tags: Asian, black bean sauce, chili-garlic sauce, ginger, hoisin sauce, pork tenderloin, Quick Cooking, sake, soy sauce, spicy green beans with pork, stir-fry, stirfry, take-out

Here’s a great side dish of crunchy snow peas and earthy mushrooms in a light, sesame-soy dressing. It’s quick, delicious and perfect for your next Asian-themed meal!

Stir-Fried Snow Peas with Shiitakes and Ginger
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine

Tip: Choose dark green, dense-looking peas with no signs of drying or cracking. Trim them by breaking off the stem end and pulling the string away from the pod. Serves four as a side dish.

Tags: Asian, ginger, sesame oil, sesame seeds, shiitake mushrooms, Side Dish, snow peas, soy sauce, stir-fried, Vegetable

We love fried rice in our house. Not only do you get all the food groups in one dish (protein, carbs, veggies), it’s also super quick and easy to make.

I used ground turkey instead of ground pork and it worked great! It’s important to use cold leftover rice because freshly-made rice will turn into a mushy mess…and nobody wants to eat that! Serve with your favorite Asian hot sauce. Enjoy!

Pork (or Turkey) Fried Rice
-recipe from Martha Stewart Everyday Food

Keep leftover rice on hand to whip up this one-pot dish. It’s an economical, tasty supper that’s faster than takeout. Leftover cooked rice is perfect in this dish because it won’t stick together in the skillet. For a lighter version, substitute ground turkey for the pork. Serves 4.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons plus 1/4 teaspoon soy sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 bunch scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced
1/2 pound ground pork
2 carrots, shredded
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 cups cooked white rice (about 3/4 cup uncooked rice)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar

In a wok or large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over high. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, lightly beat eggs with 1/4 teaspoon soy sauce to combine. Add eggs to wok and swirl to coat bottom of pan. Cook, without stirring, until almost set, 1 minute, then fold in thirds with a spatula. Transfer cooked eggs to a work surface and cut into 1/2-inch pieces.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to wok and swirl to coat. Add garlic, ginger, and scallion whites and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add pork and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add carrots, peas, and rice and stir to combine. Add cooked egg, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and vinegar and cook, stirring constantly, until rice is coated, about 1 minute. Let cook, undisturbed, until warm, about 1 minute. Top with scallion greens and serve.

Tags: carrots, egg, fried rice, ginger, green onions, ground pork, Martha Stewart Everyday Food, peas, pork, scallions, soy sauce, turkey

Make your friends happy by bringing these delicious Asian Lettuce Wraps to the next gathering. They’ve got loads of flavor and are super easy to make. I guarantee you won’t have any leftovers, which is kind of a bad thing since they’re so good.

I substituted ground turkey (93% lean) for the ground beef, and used Romaine lettuce leaves since the store I was at didn’t have Boston lettuce. I had some ginger in the fridge that was already minced so I used that instead of grated ginger. For something a bit heartier, serve the cooked meat mixture over rice. Enjoy!

Asian Lettuce Wraps
-recipe from Sunny Anderson, Food Network

Makes 4 servings.

1 head Boston lettuce, leaves separated, cleaned and dried
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 pound ground beef (I used ground turkey)
2-inch piece ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 scallions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a skillet over medium-high heat, add the vegetable oil and saute beef until brown. Stir in ginger, scallions, garlic, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, and hoisin and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the peanuts. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm wrapped in lettuce cups.

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Tags: Appetizer, Asian, Boston lettuce, ginger, green onions, ground beef, ground turkey, hoisin sauce, peanuts, red pepper flakes, scallions, soy sauce

If you like the flavors of wasabi and ginger (which I do!), you’re going to love this recipe! You get a little zip from the wasabi without it knocking your head off, plus a little zing from the ginger and lime. This is a great summer recipe, and tastes like something you’d order in a restaurant!

The salmon cooks quickly on the grill so don’t wander off or you might end up with blackened, over-cooked salmon (not tasty!). For the mayonnaise mixture, add the wasabi paste last, tasting as you add it until you get the flavor/zip factor that you like. Enjoy!

Grilled Salmon with Wasabi-Ginger Mayonnaise
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine

You can find wasabi paste and powder at Asian groceries, or try the Asian section of your supermarket. Serves four.

1-1/2 limes
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1-1/2 Tbs. wasabi paste; more to taste
2 tsp. finely grated fresh ginger
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 6-oz. skinless salmon fillets
Vegetable oil for the grill

Prepare a medium-hot grill fire (be sure the grill grate has been scrubbed clean with a wire brush).

Cut the half lime into four wedges and set aside. Finely grate the zest from the whole lime. Cut the zested lime in half and squeeze the juice from one half into a small bowl (save the other half for another use). In a medium bowl, combine 1 tsp. of the lime juice with the lime zest, mayonnaise, wasabi paste, ginger, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Stir to combine. Taste and add more wasabi paste if you’d like a zippier flavor.

Run your finger along each salmon fillet to feel for tiny bones; use tweezers or needlenose pliers to pull out any that you find. Season the fillets lightly with salt and pepper. Spoon about 2 Tbs. of the mayonnaise mixture onto the salmon fillets and refrigerate the rest. With your hands, spread the mayonnaise in a thin layer over all sides of the fillets.

When the grill is ready, oil the grill grate using tongs and a paper towel dipped in oil. Grill the salmon until crisp and slightly charred on one side, about 4 minutes. Turn and continue to grill until the salmon is just cooked through, another 3 to 6 minutes. Serve the salmon topped with a dollop of the mayonnaise and a lime wedge on the side. Pass the remaining mayonnaise at the table.

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Tags: ginger, Grilling/BBQ, lime, mayonnaise, Quick Cooking, salmon, wasabi paste

Here’s a great salad dressing that will go perfectly with your next Asian-inspired meal. I got the recipe out of Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2by Todd Wilbur. This recipe is his version of the dressing served at Benihana restaurants. I’ve been to Benihana and several other hibachi grill restaurants, and they all serve salads with a similar ginger dressing. The dressing is tangy, refreshing and super easy to make.  Yumm!

I didn’t have peanut oil so I substituted 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/4 cup canola oil. The dressing also makes a great marinade for chicken or pork. This recipe really is a no-brainer…you need to try it!

Top Secret Version of Benihana Ginger Salad Dressing
-recipe from Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2 by Todd Wilbur

Before your meal at the Benihana chain of hibachi grill restaurants you are served a side salad doused in this tangy, slightly sweet, fresh ginger dressing. When spooned over a simple iceberg lettuce salad this easy clone transforms your bowl of greens into a great start for any meal. Making the dressing is as simple as dumping the ingredients into a blender, whizzing it up, and popping it into the cooler to chill. Ive seen many attempts to duplicate this coveted formula, but I think the original clone recipe presented here comes closer to the real thing than any other recipe floating around cyberspace.

1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 cup peanut oil
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons minced celery
2 tablespoons ketchup
4 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend on high speed for about 30 seconds or until all of the ginger is pureed. Chill. Makes 1 3/4 cups.

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Tags: celery, garlic, ginger, ketchup, lemon juice, oil, onion, rice vinegar, soy suace, sugar

This salad is soooo good! I love the mixture of citrus, soy sauce and sesame oil for the dressing, and the combination of moist chicken, crunchy vegetables and tender greens…delicious! I made it for my Mom’s birthday luncheon recently and everybody loved it (especially Mom)!

I substituted fresh spinach for the watercress, and added some Sriracha Hot Chile Sauce to the dressing for a little kick. To make the salad a meal, I served it with a variety of spring rolls that I got at Trader Joe’s. Yumm!

For other recipe ideas, check out: Friday Favorites, Foodie Friday, Finer Things Friday, Friday Food, It’s a Hodgepodge Friday.

Chicken Salad with Crunchy Vegetables and Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette
-recipe from Fresh Every Day: More Great Recipes From Foster’s Market by Sara Foster

I’m always looking for new ways to satisfy my customers’ insatiable appetites for chicken salad. This one can be made several hours in advance, so it’s the perfect thing to take to the office for lunch or on a picnic. If you like to eat lots of vegetables, toss in a handful of shredded savoy or napa cabbage, snow peas, or julienned carrots for more crunch.

Serves 4 to 6.

4 cups shredded cooked chicken (one 3 1/2 to 4-pound roasted chicken)
2 ribs bok choy or celery stalks, sliced on the diagonal into 1/4″ pieces
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 scallions, minced (white and green parts)
Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
2 cups watercress, washed and trimmed of tough stems
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine the chicken, bok choy or celery, red pepper, cilantro, scallions, and 1/2 cup of the vinaigrette in a large bowl and toss to mix. Add the watercress and more vinaigrette to taste. Season with salt and pepper and toss again gently. Divide the salad evenly among individual plates or place on a large platter and serve immediately.

Note: If you make this salad to serve later, add the watercress and toss with the dressing just before serving.

Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette

Makes about 1 cup

Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
2 tablespoons light soy sauce or tamari
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger (about 1 2″ piece)
2 scallions, minced (white and green parts)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup canola or safflower oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Stir the orange zest and juice, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, ginger, scallions, and garlic together in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the sesame and canola oils until they are incorporated. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the sesame seeds just before serving. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to serve for up to 1 week.

Tags: bok choy, Chicken, cilantro, ginger, honey, orange juice, rice wine vinegar, Salad, sesame oil, sesame seeds, sesame vinaigrette, soy sauce

Since my folks are galavanting around London right now on holiday and enjoying the delicious Indian food that the city has to offer, I thought I’d make my own Indian food in honor of their trip. This recipe for Chicken Tikka Masala, noted as being Britain’s new national dish, is a great way to recreate this British favorite at home. Chunks of chicken are marinated in yogurt and spices, broiled in the oven then quickly simmered in a fragrant sauce of tomatoes, spices and cream. If you like Indian food, you’re going to love this recipe!

While at Whole Foods recently, I found organic bulk spices so I bought small quantities of several of the spices needed for this recipe. Usually I just buy spices in jars but these bulk spices were so fragrant that I couldn’t pass them up. The fresher spices made a huge difference in the overall dish!

For the spice paste, I only used 6 drops of red food coloring instead of 1 teaspoon. If you don’t want to use it at all, the dish will still be great…just not as red.

To make the sauce, the recipe calls for cumin and coriander seeds but I substituted ground cumin and coriander instead. I also skipped the step of straining the pureed tomatoes through a sieve. Even with the changes, the sauce was silky and delicious! Serve with steamed basmati rice and enjoy the excellent meal you’ve just created.

For other recipe ideas, check out Foodie Friday.

Chicken Tikka Masala
-recipe from Saveur.com

Serves 6.

1 tbsp. ground turmeric
4 tsp. garam masala
1 tsp. red food coloring (optional)
6 cloves garlic, crushed
1  2 1⁄2″ piece ginger, peeled and chopped, plus julienned strips for garnish
1 jalapeño, stemmed and chopped
1  28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained
2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1⁄2″ cubes
1⁄4 cup Greek yogurt, such as Fage
Kosher salt, to taste
6 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tsp. coriander seeds
1⁄2 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tbsp. paprika
2 small yellow onions, finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
Cilantro leaves, for garnish
Cooked basmati rice, for serving

In a blender, purée turmeric, 2 tsp. garam masala, coloring, garlic, ginger, jalapeños, and 1⁄2 cup water. Put paste into a bowl. In the same blender, purée tomatoes and strain through a sieve. In a bowl, mix 2 tbsp. paste, chicken, yogurt, and salt; marinate for 30 minutes. Place oven rack 4″ from heating element; heat to broil. Transfer chicken to a foil-lined sheet tray; broil until cooked, 5–6 minutes; set aside.

Heat butter in 6-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add coriander and cumin; toast 4–6 minutes. Add paprika and onions; cook until soft, 6–8 minutes. Add remaining paste; brown for 5–6 minutes. Add tomatoes; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in cream and 1 cup water; boil. Reduce heat; simmer until thickened, 6–8 minutes. Stir in remaining masala and chicken; season with salt. Serve with garnishes and rice.

Tags: chicken tikka masala, coriander, cream, cumin, garam masala, garlic, ginger, jalepeno, tomato, turmeric, yogurt