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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Asparagus Soup

INGREDIENTS
1 lb. asparagus spears, bottoms trimmed
2 tbsps vegetable oil
5 cloves garlic, diced
1 cup yellow onion, diced
salt
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsps flour
1 quart chicken broth
1-2 tsps lemon juice pepper

PROCEDURE
Cut the asparagus spears into 2-inch pieces. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan or pot. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and onions. Sauté until fragrant. Add the asparagus to the pot, season with salt, and stir-fry until the spears turn a deep green. Do not overcook! Remove from heat and empty the vegetables into a food processor or blender or food mill. Purée the asparagus (I added about a cup of the chicken broth). In the same pot, melt the butter. Add the flour and stir until it foams. Pour the chicken broth into the pan a little at a time and stir to incorporate (so you avoid chunks of flour-butter floating around in the broth). Pour in the remaining chicken broth and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the purée. Add lemon juice and pepper to taste. Serve hot.


Thanks to http://userealbutter.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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Lemon-Butter Green Beans with Pine nuts

Cook Time: 3 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 2 servings

INGREDIENTS
1/3 pound fresh green beans, ends trimmed, blanched in boiling salted water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Pinch salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper

PROCEDURE
Drain green beans well and pat dry.

Heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to keep from burning. Add the pine nuts and cook, stirring, for an additional minute. Add the green beans and toss to coat evenly. Cook just enough to warm through, about 1 minute. Add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper and toss to combine. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

Can't get enough of Valentine's Day recipes? Click here for more.

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2006 at foodnetwork.com

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