Thai Cucumber Salad

INGREDIENTS
Dressing
1/2 Cup Vinegar
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 tsp Sea Salt
1 Cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
4 Shallots, thinly sliced
5 Thai Bird's Eye Chilies, chopped

PROCEDURE
Mix the dressing ingredients and bring it to a boil. Set aside to room temperature.

Place sliced cucumber, shallots and chilies in a mixing bowl. Mix the dressing over the cucumber mixture. Marinate briefly and serve with deep fried fish cakes, prawns or even fried chicken.


Thanks to http://www.seasaltwithfood.com.

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Homemade Ketchup

INGREDIENTS
4 whole cloves
1/4 teaspoon whole allspice
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon chile flakes
1 cinnamon stick (3-inches long)
One 28-ounce can whole, peeled tomatoes with their juice
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and chopped (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar

Special Equipment: Cheesecloth

PROCEDURE
Using kitchen twine, tie the cloves, allspice, celery seed, chile flakes, and cinnamon stick together in a medium square of doubled-up cheesecloth. (You just made a bouquet garni!)

In a large, heavy pot, add the tomatoes, onion, garlic, optional jalapeno, salt, vinegar, and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions and peppers are very soft, about 1 hour.

Remove and discard the secret spice bundle. Let the mixture cool slightly, then puree in batches in a blender or food processor. (Be careful pureeing hot liquids! Don’t fill the blender too full.)

At this point, if the mixture is too pulpy for your taste, pass the liquid through a sieve, pushing as much of the solids through with a rubber spatula as you can. If you prefer your ketchup a little more rustic and a little less smooth, you can skip this step.

Return to your pot and cook over medium heat, stirring to keep from scorching, until the mixture has thickened and darkened slightly in color, about 30 minutes. (If the mixture starts to scorch, turn down the heat a bit.)

Transfer to a container (a glass jar is preferable) and let cool. Cover and refrigerate for at least a few hours to allow the flavors to meld. Your delicious homemade ketchup will keep in the fridge for up to three weeks.

Thanks to http://www.brooklynfarmhouse.com/

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Broccoli, Hazelnut & Cranberry Salad

INGREDIENTS
4-5 broccoli pieces, chopped
4-5 small cauliflower pieces, chopped
4-5 baby carrots, sliced
1/3 cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons roughly chopped hazelnuts
1 tablespoon chopped onion
¼ cup shredded cheese of your choice
1 Tablespoon real bacon bits
1/3 cup light sour cream 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
1/3 packet ranch dip mix
Sprinkle of red pepper
Sprinkle of kosher salt

PROCEDURE
Mix everything together.
Keep some of the hazelnuts whole to give more crunch.


Recipe from http://kitchenbouquet.blogspot.com

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Lump Crab, Mango, Fennel & Avocado Salad

INGREDIENTS
8 oz fresh lump blue crab meat, picked over for shells
1 tbsp butter
1/2 fennel bulb, cored then very thinly sliced/shaved
1 small ripe mango, peeled, pitted & diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 fresh jalapeno, chopped (optional depending on if you like spicy) juice from
1 lime
1/2 avocado, pitted, peeled and cut into
6 slices then sprinkled with lime juice
kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

PROCEDURE
Add shaved fennel, diced mango, cilantro and jalapeno to a bowl. Squeeze juice from 1/2 a lime over ingredients. Season with kosher salt & freshly cracked black pepper. Stir to combine thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary with more lime juice, kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Set aside and allow flavors to marry while preparing the rest of the dish.

Place a small saute pan over medium-high heat. Add butter to the pan. Once the butter has melted and begun to bubble and foam, add crab meat to the pan. Gently toss the crab meat to coat, trying not to break up the lumps. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Allow crab meat to cook in butter for about 5-7 minutes, gently tossing occasionally.

To serve, places 3 avocado slices on a plate, season with kosher salt and pepper. Pour half of the crab mixture over the avocado. Next, spoon the fennel and mango mixture over the crab and avocado. We suggest serving fresh, hot corn tortillas along side and eating the salad like a taco! Serve immediately and enjoy!

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