The Best Of Portland

Strawberry Chicken Salad Recipe

Ingredients

• DRESSING:
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 4 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Dash pepper
• SALAD:
• 1 pound broasted chicken breast
  
• 8 cups torn mixed salad greens
• 1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, slivered almonds or dry crumbled Top Ramen Noodles
  
• Additional whole strawberries, optional

Directions

• In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients.
• Place the salad greens in a serving bowl. Top with cooked chicken, sliced strawberries and your choice of walnuts, slivered almonds or crumbled dry top ramen noodles. Garnish with whole strawberries if desired. Serving immediately with remaining dressing. Yield: 4 servings.

 

 

Nutritional Facts 1 serving (1 cup) equals 389 calories, 12 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 65 mg cholesterol, 549 mg sodium, 47 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 28 g protein.

Crab, Grapefruit and Avocado Salad

 

INGREDIENTS
1 grapefruit
1/4 pound jumbo lump crabmeat
1 avocado
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Sea Salt
Ground Pepper
Parsley, watercress, or chives, as a garnish

DIRECTIONS
Cut the grapefruit in half, and section it horizontally.  Peel or cut away the rind.  Reserve 1 tbsp grapefruit juice.  Cut the avocado into thin slices.

Whisk together the grapefruit juice, olive oil, a pinch of salt and some freshly ground pepper.  Arrange the avocado slices on two plates, top with the grapefruit sections, and then the crabmeat.  Drizzle with the dressing, and serve.

Serves two.

Duck with Plum Sauce and Potatoes

Duck with plum sauce is a classic combination - there’s something about the gamey meat with a sweet and tangy sauce. Cook the skin until it’s nice and crispy, while the meat should still be pink on the inside. Duck is best served medium rare as it isn’t as susceptible to bacteria like salmonella as chicken. For a sinful treat, reserve the rendered duck fat for frying potatoes - this makes the most delicious fries ever!

Makes enough for 2

2 duck breasts, skin on
Handful of garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, minced
Half glass of sherry or brandy
2 Tablespoon plum jam or jelly
2 Tablespoon good quality balsamic vinegar
Sugar (to taste)
Salt & pepper 

1kg roasting potatoes, cut into half inch cubes

 

Use a knife to score skin on duck breast in a crisscross pattern, making sure to cut into the fat but not the meat. This will help the fat to render. Season with salt & pepper.

Heat oil in fry pan on medium-high until hot, add garlic and duck skin-side down. Cook for about 5mins until skin is crispy and brown. Turn duck over and sear for 1min.

Transfer duck to oven-proof dish and roast for 8 to 10mins until medium rare. Drain the excess fat from pan and set aside. 

Add shallots to same fry pan and sauté for about 5mins until soft. Add sherry to deglaze the pan, scraping up all the caramelised bits, and cook for about 1min. Add plum, vinegar, sugar and simmer until sauce has reduced and thickened.

Remove duck from oven and rest for at least 5mins before serving with a few spoonfuls of sauce on top.

 

For potatoes, heat duck fat in heavy-bottomed saucepan on medium-high until hot.

Add potatoes in single layer and cook for 10 to 15mins until tender. Turn a few times until crispy and brown on all sides. 

Remove with slotted spoon and set aside to drain on paper towels. Sprinkle generously with sea salt.

Chicken and Giant Dumpling Recipe compliments of The Sultans of Stew!

Ingredients

2 TB Butter
2 TB Olive Oil
1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
1 whole cut up chicken (fryer chicken)
Salt and Pepper
1/2 cup finely diced carrots
1/2 cup finely diced celery
1 whole medium onion, finely diced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
6 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream

Dumplings:
1-1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup Yellow Cornmeal
1 TB (heaping) Baking Powder
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1-1/2 cup Half in Half
Salt as Needed

Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then dredge both  sides in flour.
Melt butter in a pot over medium-high heat. In two batches, brown the chicken on both sides and remove to a clean plate.

In the same pot, add diced carrots, celery, and onion. Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes over medium-low heat. Stir in the ground thyme and turmeric, then pour in the chicken broth and apple cider. Stir to combine, then add the browned chicken. Cover pot and simmer for 20 minutes.

While Chicken is simmering, make the dough for the dumplings: sift together all dry ingredients, then add in half in half, stirring gently to combine. Set aside.

Remove chicken from pot and set aside on a plate. Use two forks and remove the chicken from the bone, shred, and add back into the pot. Pour heavy cream into the pot and stir to combine.

Drop tablespoons of dumpling dough into the simmering pot. Cover pot halfway and continue to simmer for 15 minutes. Check seasonings; add salt if needed.

Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Oliovera's Panfried Scallop Mexicana Recipe

Ingredients:

+ 5 tbsp Oliovera Piquant Jalapeño evoo

+ 3 tbsp Oliovera Blood Orange vinegar

+ 1 1/2 lb. scallops (10-15 pcs.)

+ 4-5 scallions, thinly sliced

+ 4-5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

+ 1/2 fresh green Jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped

+ 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro

+ 1/2 lime

+ salt & pepper

+ lime wedges, to serve

 

Directions:

1. Heat 3 tbsp. evoo in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet.

2. Add scallops and cook until they become opaque.

3. Remove scallops with a slotted spoon.

4. Add the remaining oil + vinegar in the skillet, then toss in the scallions + garlic and cook over low-medium heat.

5. Return the scallops in the skillet.

6. Remove skillet from heat and add the fresh Jalapeño pepper and cilantro.

7. Squeeze in the lime juice.

8. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

9. Serve scallops immediately with lime wedges on side.

- See more at: http://oliovera.com/recipes/pan-fried-scallops-mexicana-recipe

The easiest artichoke recipe......E-V-E-R!

Simply Roasted Artichokes. Olive oil, lemon juice, kosher salt, garlic. Wrap tight in heavy duty foil. Roasted at 425 for 1hr 20min. Click Here or more details.

Heart Melting Dungeness Crab Leg Saute' Recipe This Valentines Day!

•INGREDIENTS:

2 dozen Dungeness crab legs
1/4 cup shallots, minced
1 small clove
garlic, minced
1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 cup dry sherry

3 tablespoons butter, clarified
Salt and pepper to taste

Flour

PREPARATION:

Dry crab legs on a paper towel and dust with flour. Heat the clarified butter
in a large frying pan. Add the crab legs and sauté until both sides are a very
light brown. Add shallots and mushrooms. Sauté until the mushrooms are tender.
Add sherry and cook at a high heat until the wine is reduced to half and the
crab legs are glazed with a very light brown sauce.

Serve with pasta or rice.
Serves 4.

Brussell Sprouts roasted in sea salt and basalmic vinegar

Ingredients:

• Brussels Sprouts
• Olive Oil (don't use the cheap stuff. The tastier the oil, the tastier the dish) 1/4 cup
• Balsamic Vinegar 1/4 cup
• Sea Salt 1 tbls.
• Fresh Cracked Pepper 1/2 tblsp.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to roast at 375°F.

2. Peel the outer, beat-up layers of the brussels sprouts off.  Trim the end, then cut brussels sprouts in half.

3. Toss in a bowl with enough olive oil to coat evenly, then add balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.

4. Lightly oil a sheet pan, then spread out brussels sprouts, cut side down. Roast in oven for 15 min., flip the sprouts to cut side up, then roast for about 10 minutes more or until gently browned.

Best Recipes - Petite Filet Mignon with fresh King Crab and Beauharnais Sauce

Ingredients

1/2 C. rice wine vinegar (unseasoned) or other mild white vinegar

 2 Tbsp. shallot, chopped

4-5 fresh thyme sprigs

1 Tbsp. fresh or 1 tsp. dry tarragon leaves

 4-5 whole black peppercorns

½ bay leaf 1/2 C. heavy cream

 ½ C. (1/4 lb.) butter, cut into 8 pieces

 1/8 -1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (to taste)

16 oz. King Crab Meat, larger pieces sliced

8 4-6 oz. filet mignon steaks (marinated in merlot/ight garlic salt), grilled to desired doneness

Preparation Instructions

1. Bring vinegar to a simmer in a small saucepot. Simmer 1 tsp fresh or 1/2 tsp dry tarragon, thyme, peppercorn and bay leaf 3-5 minutes or until liquid is reduced down to 2 Tbsp. Strain out herbs and seasonings and hold reduction aside.

2. Heat cream in same saucepot to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until cream is reduced down to ¼ c. Add remaining 2 tsp. fresh or 1/2 tsp dry tarragon

3. Whisk butter into thickened cream mixture, one piece at a time, until melted. Add cayenne pepper.

4. Gently fold in crab meat and heat through, stirring, until hot. Serve ¼ c. portion with each prepared steak. *A Beauharnais Sauce is a Bearnaise Sauce that is often made without chervil and that is beaten with tarragon butter. This variation compliments the sweetness and richness of the King Crab, without overwhelming it.

Recipe Notes Serving Suggestion: Delicious with lightly steamed asparagus and sautéed mushrooms.

A fabulous Thanksgiving menu with recipes....

Turkey -

Ingredients:

1 turkey thawed

1 gallon vegetable broth

1 cup sea salt

1 tablespoon crushed dried rosemary

1 tablespoon dried sage

1 tablespoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon dried savory

1 gallon ice water

 

Instructions:

• In a large stock pot, combine the vegetable broth, sea salt, rosemary, sage, thyme, and savory. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently to be sure salt is dissolved. Remove from heat, and let cool to room temperature.
• When the broth mixture is cool, pour it into a clean 5 gallon bucket. Stir in the ice water.
• Wash and dry your turkey.  Make sure you have removed the innards. Place the turkey, breast down, into the brine. Make sure that the cavity gets filled.  Place the bucket in the refrigerator overnight.
• Remove the turkey carefully draining off the excess brine and pat dry.  Discard excess brine.
• Cook the turkey as desired reserving the drippings for gravy.  Keep in mind that brined turkeys cook 20 to 30 minutes faster so watch the temperature gauge.

 

Stuffing -

Ingredients:

1/4 pound butter

1 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 cups chopped celery

9 cups soft bread cubes

1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning

4.5 ounces sliced mushrooms

1 egg beaten

1 cup chicken stock

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Butter one 2 quart casserole dish.
2. In a saute pan, cook onion and celery in butter until soft.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine onion and celery, bread cubes, poultry seasonings, mushrooms, egg and stock. Mix well and add to casserole dish. Bake for 1 hour.

   

   Sweet Potato Souffle with Pralines - you know you've got a good recipe when your sister assigns you to make a simple salad and immediately calls you back to say your neices and nephews want to make sure you were assigned to bring this Sweet Potato Souffle, as well.

   Ingredients:

   • 2 lbs sweet potatoes, scrubbed
   • 1/4 cup butter, melted
   • 3/4 cup sugar
   • 3/4 cup brown sugar
   • 1/2 teaspoon salt
   • 1 teaspoon vanilla
   • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
   • 3 eggs
   • 1/2 cup milk

   Topping

   • 1/2 cup brown sugar
   • 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
   • 1/3 cup flour
   • 1/3 cup butter, melted

    

   Instructions

   1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees
   • 2 Butter a 2 quart baking dish.
   • 3 Set aside.
   • 4 In a large saucepan, boil potatoes in water to cover until
     tender.
   • 5 Drain and cool slightly; peel and quarter potatoes.
   • 6 In a large bowl, combine sweet potatoes, butter, sugars, salt,
     vanilla, cinnamon, eggs and milk.
   • 7 Beat to combine.
   • 8 Pour into prepared baking dish.
   • 9 To make topping, combine brown sugar, pecans, flour and butter in
     a small mixing bowl.
   • 10 Mix until crumbly.
   • 11 Sprinkle mixture over potato mixture.
   • 12 Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and slightly
     firm.

    

   5 cup Salad

   Ingredients:

   1 cup mini marshmellows

   1 cup mandarin oranges

   1 cup cut pineapple

   1 cup coconut flakes

   1 cup sour cream

   Mix all ingredients and refrigerate until serving.