Concord grape granita
Total time: About 12 minutes
Servings: 6 to 8
Note: From Campanile chef-owner Mark Peel. He recommends using
2 pounds
2 cups
1/4 tsp. cracked black pepper
5 whole cloves
1/2 cup sugar
1. In a medium saucepan, combine the grapes, 1 cup of the wine, the black pepper, cloves and sugar and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining wine. Strain through a cheesecloth-lined fine-mesh strainer, pressing the grapes with the back of a wooden spoon to extract any juice. Discard grapes.
2. Place the mixture in a wide, shallow glass baking dish and cover loosely with foil. Place the dish in the freezer, and leave it 2 to 3 hours until the granita freezes solid. Before serving, place the frozen granita in the refrigerator to soften slightly. To achieve a slushy texture, scrape the granita with a fork into serving bowls. Serve immediately.
Each serving: 135 calories; 1 gram protein; 25 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 0 fat; 0 cholesterol; 4 mg. sodium.
Fresh beet-ginger raita
Total time: 1 hour
Servings: 6
2 medium beets, cleaned and trimmed
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 hot green pepper, serrano or Thai, seeded and finely minced
1 1/2 tsps. grated fresh ginger
Salt to taste
1/8 tsp. whole cumin seeds
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (save a pinch for garnish)
1 cup plain, whole milk yogurt
1 cup sour cream
1. Place the beets in a small saucepan of boiling water so they are completely immersed. Cover and cook until they are tender, about 45 minutes. Drain the beets and cool them in a bowl of ice water until cool enough to handle. Peel the beets and dice them into about one-eighth-inch pieces. Place the diced beets in a fine mesh strainer and run them under cool water until the water draining is a pale pink. Drain the beets well.
2. In a medium bowl, gently mix the beets with the onion, hot green pepper, ginger, salt, cumin, black pepper, cilantro, yogurt and sour cream. Sprinkle a pinch of cilantro on top. Chill and serve.
Each serving: 60 calories; 2 grams protein; 3 grams carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 5 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 11 mg. cholesterol; 26 mg. sodium.
~
from the baltimore sun
Three-tomato salad
Servings: 4
1 pound tomatoes, mixture of currant, cherry and larger tomatoes
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. good red-wine vinegar
1/4 cup basil leaves, green or purple
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half; slice larger tomatoes into quarters or eighths. Leave tiny currant tomatoes whole. Arrange the larger sliced tomatoes on 4 plates, alternating colors. Scatter the currant and sliced cherry tomatoes over them.
2. Whisk the olive oil and vinegar in a small bowl. Sprinkle the salads with basil leaves and salt and pepper to taste. Spoon on a little of the vinaigrette at the last possible moment.
3. Serve at room temperature; never chilled.
From "A Great American Cook" by Jonathan Waxman
Per serving: 139 calories, 1 gram protein, 14 grams fat, 2 grams saturated fat, 4 grams carbohydrate, 1 gram fiber, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 6 milligrams sodium.
~
from the chicago tribune
Pomegranate-braised duck legs
Total time: 1 hour, 35 minutes, plus salting time
Servings: 2 to 4
Note: For pomegranate juice, break open pomegranates and carefully remove the seeds. Using either an immersion or regular blender, liquefy the seeds and strain the juice through a sieve. Or you can use bottled Pom juice.
4 duck legs (thighs attached)
2 Tsps. kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tsps. herbes de Provence
3 cups pomegranate juice (from 9 to 12 pomegranates)
1 tsp. chipotle or other hot red pepper flakes
2 shallots, thinly sliced
Seeds from 1 small pomegranate
1 small head frisée or lolla rossa lettuce
1. Season the duck legs on both sides with salt and pepper along with the herbes de Provence. Arrange skin-side up on a rack on a baking sheet and let stand, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
2. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Transfer the duck legs to a shallow baking dish just large enough to hold all of them in one layer. Roast 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, in a small pan, bring the pomegranate juice and chipotle flakes just to a simmer. Remove from the heat and set aside.
4. After the duck legs have roasted for 1 hour, carefully drain off the fat from the baking dish and pour the warm pomegranate juice over the legs. Arrange the shallots around the legs. Return to the oven and bake 30 minutes longer, until the meat is tender and the skin is crispy.
5. Carefully pour the pan juices through a sieve into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced by two-thirds. Arrange the greens on a platter or individual serving plates and top with the duck legs. Spoon a little sauce around them and garnish with a good handful of pomegranate seeds.
Each serving: 343 calories; 26 grams protein; 36 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 11 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 105 mg. cholesterol; 686 mg. sodium.
~
Mung bean and vegetable pancakes
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 3 minutes
Yield: 14 pancakes
These savory little pancakes from Bill Kim, executive chef at Le Lan, are delightful for appetizers or snacks. Eat with some additional kimchi on the side, and serve with your favorite dipping sauce. Mung beans are available at Asian markets.
1/4 cup skinned mung beans, soaked 4 hours, drained, or 1 cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed
3 eggs
1 cup bean sprouts
1 bunch green onions, cut into 1-inch lengths
1/4 cup kimchi, chopped
1 Tbsp. finely diced yellow onion
1 tsp. each: finely grated ginger root, sesame oil, salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp. each: all-purpose flour, rice flour
2 Tbsps. vegetable oil
1. Put the beans in a food processor; blend until ground, adding up to 3 Tbsps. water to make a coarse paste.
2. Beat the eggs lightly in a medium bowl; stir in the bean paste, mixing well. Add the sprouts, green onions, kimchi, yellow onion, ginger, sesame oil, salt and pepper to taste, stirring well. Mix in both of the flours, stirring just until mixed together.
3. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Spoon the batter in batches into the skillet, making 3-inch pancakes. Cook until browned on one side, about 2-3 minutes. Turn; cook until browned, 1-2 minutes. Keep warm on a platter.
Each serving: 62 calories, 50% of calories from fat, 3 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 45 mg cholesterol, 5 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 237 mg sodium, 1 g fiber.
~
Wakame and bean salad
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Mari Fujii, author of "The Enlightened Kitchen: Fresh Vegetable Dishes from the Temples of Japan," notes that other beans can be used instead of cannellini in this adapted recipe.
Salad
1 cup each, canned, drained: red kidney beans, cannellini beans
2 Tbsps. lemon juice
1/3 cup dried wakame seaweed
Lemon dressing
1/4 cup each: lemon juice, grapeseed oil
2 Tbsps. rice vinegar or any white vinegar
2 Tbsps. white wine
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1. Mix the beans in a medium bowl. Sprinkle beans with lemon juice; set aside. Cover wakame in cold water in a small bowl; let stand 10 minutes.
2. Heat a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Drain the wakame. Cook in the boiling water 1 minute; drain. Cut seaweed into bite-size pieces.
3. For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, oil, rice vinegar, wine, salt and pepper in a medium bowl; mix well. Add the beans and wakame; toss.
Each serving: 243 calories, 53% of calories from fat, 14 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 22 g carbohydrates, 7 g protein, 876 mg sodium, 6 g fiber.
~
Sea greens salad
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Chef Carol Wallack of Sola restaurant serves this as her house salad. Hijiki salad is sold at specialty and ethnic markets. Otherwise, reconstitute dried hijiki with water.
Salad
2 cups Asian or other mixed field greens, preferably with tatsoi included
1 cup prepared hijiki salad
1/ 2 cup each: shelled edamame, diced cucumber, julienned carrots, sliced water chestnuts, macadamia nuts
Vinaigrette
1 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 piece (1/2-inch long) ginger root, chopped
1 1/2 tsps. soy sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
1/2 cup canola oil
1. For the salad, place all the salad ingredients in a bowl; set aside. For the vinaigrette, whisk together all the ingredients in a small bowl. Pour 1/4 cup of the dressing over the salad; toss lightly. Add more to taste, if desired. Refrigerate remaining dressing for future use.
Each serving: 264 calories, 75% of calories from fat, 22 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 14 g carbohydrates, 4 g protein, 217 mg sodium, 7 g fiber.
~
Pan-seared salmon with seaweed
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
This recipe is adapted from Crystal June Maderia's new book, "The New Seaweed Cookbook: A Complete Guide to Discovering the Deep Flavors of the Sea." The original recipe calls for 2 cups sea palm, a seaweed found on the California coast. Substituted here is the more widely available arame, a dried Japanese seaweed that comes in long narrow strands. Pair this dish with seared zucchini and quinoa or rice.
1 lemon, halved lengthwise
2 Tbsps. oil
1 pound salmon fillet
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, sliced
1/2 cup arame, soaked
1 cup water
1. Slice one of the lemon halves into thin half-rounds; reserve the other half. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add salmon, skin side down; sear 5 minutes. Turn salmon. Add the reserved lemon slices, garlic and shallot to the pan; cover, cook 4 minutes. Turn salmon again.
3. Add arame around the salmon. Add the water; heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring arame and lemon slices, until water is absorbed, salmon is just cooked through and the arame is softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer salmon and arame to a platter; squeeze remaining lemon half over salmon.
Each serving: 256 calories, 54% of calories from fat, 15 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 72 mg cholesterol, 3 g carbohydrates, 26 g protein, 101 mg sodium, 0 g fiber.
~
from real simple
Halibut with Tomato, Orange and Dill
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the olives, orange segments, and tomatoes. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, and halibut to the pan. Spoon the sauce over the halibut. Cover and simmer until cooked through, about 7 minutes. Divide the halibut and sauce among individual plates and sprinkle with the dill.
Yield: Makes 4 servings
Each Serving: CALORIES 339(32% from fat); FAT 12g (sat 1g); SUGAR 13g; PROTEIN 38g; CHOLESTEROL 54mg; SODIUM 1038mg; FIBER 5g; CARBOHYDRATE 23g