Ponzu Sauce and a yummy Scallop recipe

Excellent Ingredient of the Week
Ponzu is a citrus-based sauce commonly used in Japanese cuisine. It is tart, with a thin, watery consistency and a light yellow color. Ponzu is made by simmering mirin, rice vinegar, katsuobushi flakes, and seaweed (konbu) over medium heat. The liquid is then cooled, strained to remove the katsuobushi flakes, and finally the juice of one or more of the following citrus fruits is added: yuzu, sudachi, daidai, kabosu, or lemon. Commercial ponzu is generally sold in glass bottles, which may have some sediment.

Ponzu is traditionally used as a dressing for tataki (lightly grilled, then chopped meat or fish), and also as a dip for shabu shabu or sashimi. You can buy it any a number of local markets. Commercial Ponzu is not nearly as good as homemade, so here is a recipe from Mark Bittman for a homemade version.

Ponzu Sauce

Ingredients
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice, more to taste
1/3 cup fresh lime juice, more to taste
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 cup good-quality soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin (or 1/4 cup sake and 1 tablespoon sugar)
1 3-inch piece kelp (konbu)
1/2 cup (about 1/4 ounce) dried bonito flakes (fish flakes)
Pinch cayenne

Procedure
In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Let sit for at least 2 hours or overnight. Strain. Just before using, you might add a small squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice. Covered and refrigerated, ponzu will keep for at least several days.

So what can you do with it?

• A few shakes of ponzu in the last few minutes of cooking will punch up the flavors in a stew or a stir-fry sauce.
  
• In a marinade for flank steak or pork.
  
• It's great in salad dressing — a ponzu-based vinaigrette goes particularly well with salads of hearty greens, like raw kale and radicchio salads
  
• As a dipping sauce — Ponzu makes a great variation on our standard dipping sauce for steamed dumplings.
  
• Add it to meatloaf, meatballs, and veggie burgers.

Seared Scallop Salad with Ponzu Sauce

Ingredients
1/2 cup Ponzu sauce
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
 Kernels from 3 ears corn
6 oz. baby tatsoi or baby spinach
6 scallions, trimmed and sliced into thin rounds
1/4 bunch cilantro, leaves only
16 sea scallops
1 tsp. fennel seeds, toasted and ground with a mortar and pestle or a clean coffee grinder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper  

Procedure
Heat 1 tbsp. of the oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn, and sauté until lightly golden, about 5 minutes, then transfer to a large bowl. Add tatsoi, scallions, and cilantro leaves to the bowl, and toss with 8 tbsp. of the ponzu sauce. Divide salad among four plates.

Pat scallops dry with paper towels, then rub with remaining 2 tbsp. oil, and season with ground fennel and salt and pepper to taste. Heat the same medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add scallops, and sear (working in two batches, if necessary, to avoid crowding the skillet) until lightly browned, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Arrange scallops around salad, 4 per plate, then drizzle salad with remaining ponzu sauce.

Great Bar Snack Ideas

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
Bar snacks, those little tidbits you get for free in bars, are put there to make you drink more. Usually salty or spicy, it’s a simple trick — and it works! At home you can get more creative, and I think it's time for some new (and borrowed) ideas.

Wasabi Almonds

Ingredients
1 egg white
1 tablespoon water
1 lb natural almonds (brown skin on)
2 tablespoons wasabi powder
2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Procedure
Preheat the oven to 275°F. Line a baking sheet with Release Foil or lightly greased foil or lightly greased parchment paper. Whisk the egg white and water together until foamy. Add almonds and toss to coat. Place almonds in a sieve to allow excess egg white to drain off and toss lightly as you are draining them. Stir together the wasabi, cornstarch & salt in large bowl or Ziploc plastic bag. Add almonds and toss to coat. Spread the almonds on the baking sheet single layer and bake for 30 minutes. Stir gently lower heat to 200°F and continue baking for a further 20 minutes. Let cool completely. Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Tamari and Maple Roasted Almonds

Ingredients
10 ounces natural almonds (brown skin on)
1/4 cup reduced-sodium tamari
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Nonstick cooking spray

Procedure
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread almonds in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until lightly toasted and fragrant, 7 to 8 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine tamari and maple syrup. Add almonds, and toss until thoroughly coated. Lightly cover the baking sheet with cooking spray, and spread almonds evenly on sheet. Roast in oven until deep brown, stirring once, 15 to 17 minutes. Immediately transfer to a clean baking sheet, and spread out almonds, separating so nuts don't touch. Let cool before serving.

Potato Chips with Nori Salt

Ingredients for nori salt
3 7 by 8-inch sheets of nori seaweed
3 Tablespoons kosher salt

Ingredients for Potato Chips
Vegetable oil, for frying
2 large baking potatoes, peeled, sliced 1/16-inch thick

Procedure
For the Nori Salt: Preheat oven to 325° F. On a baking sheet, toast the nori in the oven until brittle, approximately 10 minutes, and then grind in a mini food processor. Mix the nori powder with the salt.

For the Chips: In a large pot, heat 2 inches of vegetable oil to 350° F over moderately high heat. Rinse the potatoes until water runs clear, and then pat them dry. Working in small batches, fry the potato slices, stirring occasionally, until golden, approximately 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potato chips to paper towels to drain. Generously sprinkle the chips with the nori salt and serve.

Truffle popcorn

Ingredients for popcorn
about 1/3 cup pop corn kernels
about 3 tablespoons corn oil (or other high-smoke-point oil)

Ingredients for topping
truffle oil, to taste
chives, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste

Procedure
Heat the corn oil in a large heavy-bottom pot. Add the popcorn kernels, cover and cook over moderate heat until they start popping. Cook, shaking the pot continuously, until the popping has almost stopped. Carefully pour the popcorn into a very large bowl. Add the truffle oil and toss well. Season with chives, salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Bollywood Popcorn

Ingredients for popcorn
about 1/3 cup pop corn kernels
about 3 tablespoons corn oil (or other high-smoke-point oil)

Ingredients for coconut curry seasoning
1 3/4 cups sweetened, shredded coconut
7 tablespoons madras curry powder
3 1/2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 3/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1 3/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Procedure
Mix all the seasoning spices together. Heat the corn oil in a large heavy-bottom pot. Add the popcorn kernels, cover and cook over moderate heat until they start popping. Cook, shaking the pot continuously, until the popping has almost stopped. Carefully pour the popcorn into a very large bowl. Shake on coconut curry mix and serve immediately. Where's my big musical number?

Lexie's Wakame with Turnips

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
Because Lexie is here, and you know her body is her temple, I am trying to be all healthy and politically correct. So I thought a vegetarian recipe was in order. This recipe for Wakame with Turnips, which is a cold salad, comes from Lexie’s blog at www.gringaproductions.com. She is very specific about her ingredients and tries to eat only local, organic ingredients. I try and eat junk, yet another yin yang twist!

Ingredients
2 handfuls Wakame, soaked in water for 15 minutes, rinsed and strained
4 or 5 small turnips, diced (save the greens for other dishes)
4 or 5 fresh green garlic roots, diced if available, or you can use green onions sliced, separate tops-save for the end of cooking
1 handful sesame seeds, roasted
1 slightly sea salted diced avocado (optional)
1 Tablespoon Umeboshi plum puree
1 Tablespoon miso paste
1/8 cup Bragg’s Liquid Aminos or tamari sauce
1/2 cup Kombucha tea

Procedure
To remove remaining water, sauté wakame (it’s best to use a heavy cast iron pan) for a couple minutes over medium heat, with a couple squirts of olive oil. Sauté turnip and fibrous bulb of garlic for a few minutes. Everything should be just slightly cooked. Add the garlic greens for a minute or two. Turn off the heat and add the Umeboshi and miso, making sure it doesn’t boil. This pulls the nutrients out of the food. Toss and cover for a few minutes.
Serve with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and avocado. Serve warm or cold.

This is great for the thyroid, just about everything really. For more of a well-rounded meal you can serve it over a whole grain such as barley, quinoa, or brown rice. Also nice with a few slices of curried tofu.