Spicy Cranberry Ketchup

Spicy Cranberry Ketchup

Serve festive Spicy Cranberry ketchup with chicken, turkey or pork.  A festive cranberry ketchup is amped up with ginger and hot sauce. (The recipe yields extra ketchup; this can be kept in the freezer for up to 1 year. 

Ingredients:
1 bag (12 oz/340 g) fresh or frozen cranberries, about 3 1/2 cups 
2/3 cup (150 mL) honey
1/2 cup (125 mL) cranberry juice

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon sriracha

2 teaspoons finely grated ginger

1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

Large pinch salt

Directions:

Place ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium high heat.  When it comes to a boil, reduce heat to maintain a vigorous simmer.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes - most skin will have split.  Remove from heat.  Cool 5 minutes then puree in blender until smooth.  Pass through a fine-mesh strainer, discarding solids.  Transfer to an airtight container.  Cool completely.  Cover and refrigerate up to 2 weeks.  Serve at room temperature.

 

Ginger Garlic & Fresh Herb Baste

Ginger Garlic & Fresh Herb Baste

Fire Up The Grill

Embarrassingly easy, but why not take advantage of a bottled dressing if pressed for time. Lots of garden-picked fresh herbs, garlic and ginger will lend the air of homemade. If using with chicken or pork, slash meat slightly for baste to penetrate. Or use on fish or vegetable kebobs. Set aside a little of the baste to drizzle overtop grilled food before serving.

Ingredients:
½ cup (125 mL) oil and vinegar dressing
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup (50 mL) chopped basil, parsley, oregano or chives, or a combo or your favorite herbs
2 tsp (10 mL) finely grated ginger
Directions:
Whisk together ingredients until blended.
Makes 2/3 cup (150 mL)

Five-Spice Duck Two Ways With Spicy Cranberry Ketchup

Five-Spice Duck  Two Ways 

With Spicy Cranberry Ketchup

Perfumed with cinnamon and star anise, duck breasts and legs are cooked separately to maximize crisp skin and succulent flesh. They’re served with a festive cranberry ketchup amped up with ginger and hot sauce. (The recipe yields extra ketchup; this can be kept in the freezer for up to 1 year. Serve it with chicken, turkey or pork.) To serve a few more people, you can add two more duck breasts and cook them in a larger pan.
Ingredients:
Cranberry Ketchup
1 bag (12 oz/340 g) fresh or frozen cranberries, about 3 1/2 cups (875 mL)
2/3 cup (150 mL) honey
1/2 cup (125 mL) cranberry juice
2 tbsp (30 mL) rice vinegar
1 tbsp (15 mL) sriracha
2 tsp (10 mL) finely grated ginger
1 tsp (5 mL) finely grated orange zest
Large pinch salt
Duck
2 tbsp (30 mL) Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1 tbsp (15 mL) fine sea salt
1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) Chinese five-spice powder
2 boneless duck breasts, about 10 oz (285 g) each
4 duck legs, about 8 oz (225 g) each
1/4 cup (60 mL) duck fat, melted
1 tbsp (15 mL) honey
1/2 tsp (2 mL) pulp-free orange juice or water
Directions:
Cranberry ketchup, place ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. When it comes to a boil, reduce heat to maintain a vigorous simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes— most skins will have split. Remove from heat. Cool 5 minutes then purée in blender until smooth. Pass through a fine-mesh strainer, discarding solids. Transfer to an airtight container. Cool completely. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 weeks. Serve at room temperature.

Duck, in a small bowl, mix salt and five-spice powder until combined.

Lay out duck breasts and legs on a baking sheet. Pat dry with paper towel. Using a toothpick or the tip of a paring knife, prick skin of each leg a dozen times without hitting meat. Using a sharp knife, lightly score skin of breasts in a crosshatch pattern at 1/2-inch (1-cm) intervals without going through to meat. Season both sides with spiced salt, saving any extra for another use. Place in an airtight container. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

About 2 1/2 hours before serving, place duck legs in a baking pan that fits them snugly. Pour duck fat over and flip a few times to coat, leaving them skin side up. Place on middle rack in a cold oven.

Set oven to 285°F (140°C).

Bake duck legs, basting every 30 minutes, until tip of a paring knife meets with just a little resistance, about 1 3/4 hours. Remove from oven and leave in pan.

Raise oven to 375°F (191°C).

Place duck breasts, skin side down, in medium, oven-proof, nonstick frying pan. Place pan over medium heat. When they start sizzling and rendering fat, about 5 minutes, reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, scooping and saving fat as it renders, until skin is brown and crisp, about 12 minutes more. Flip breasts and place in oven. Cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted sideways into thickest part reads 130°F (54°C) for medium-rare, about 4 minutes, or 140°F (60°C) for medium, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to rest.

While breasts are resting, whisk honey and orange juice or water in a small bowl. Brush duck legs and return to oven. Bake until heated through, basting once, about 5 minutes. Brush again with honey mixture. Drain briefly on paper towel then transfer to a serving platter. With a very sharp knife, cut duck breast into thin slices. Arrange on platter with legs. Serve immediately with spicy cranberry ketchup. Serves 6

Scallops With Citrus-Ginger Sauce

Scallops With Citrus-Ginger Sauce

Scallops that are easy, fresh, pan seared, perfectly golden and topped with a sweet and tangy citrus ginger sauce.  Serves 4 

Ingredients

2 tbsp avocado oil
1 1/2 lb sea scallops
1 orange zested and juiced
1 lemon juiced
1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
2 tbsp butter or ghee
sea salt to taste
fresh thyme for garnish
Instructions
Pat your scallops dry with a paper towel and sprinkle them with sea salt.

Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat. When the oil is nearly smoking, place your scallops in the pan and sear for approximately one and a half to two minutes on each side. Remove scallops to a plate.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the orange and lemon juice, orange zest, grated ginger and butter to the pan. Whisk the sauce together in the pan until it's simmering, then add the scallops back to the pan and spoon the sauce on top.

Plate your scallops, drizzle more sauce on top and garnish with thyme. 

Serving suggestions:  

 Bok Choy, Swiss Chard, Mashed Cauliflower and Green Beans.

Notes
Avocado oil is preferred over olive oil in this recipe as its heated to nearly its smoke point. Avocado oil is more stable at those higher temperatures. 

Scallops are always best slightly undercooked rather than overcooked. Like most meats and fish, they'll continue to cook after they're removed from the stove.

To make the scallops dairy-free and Whole30 compliant you can use ghee or coconut milk instead of the butter. 

Sweet Potato Soup

Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients:

1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)

1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced

2 medium carrots, diced

1/2 tsp cayenne or 1/4 if you don't like too spicy)

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp peeled, grated ginger

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed ( about 2 cup)

6 cups low sodium chicken broth (1 box)

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes

2/3 cup creamy peanut butter

2 Tablespoon honey

Chopped green onions

Directions:

1. In a large soup pot over medium heat saute onions, carrots, and bell pepper till soft, about 5 min. Add cayenne, black pepper, garlic and ginger and saute about 1 min. Stir in sweet potato, broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potato is soft, about 20 min.

2. Puree soup with immersion blender until smooth. Or, using blender, puree soup in batches. Be careful and leave lid loose and cover with a towel. Hot liquid will explode and pop the lid off.

3. Add the peanut butter and stir till melted. Then add 2 Tbls of honey. Serve hot with sprinkle of green onions on top. If you prefer vegetarian you can substitute chicken broth for vegetable broth.

Recipe of Lauri Teeguarden Conley

Curried Broccoli Salad Vegan

Vegan Curried Broccoli Salad

Ingredients:
For the salad:
1 head of broccoli, very finely chopped
1 cup shredded carrots
1 (15 ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds (can also use 

         chopped roasted almonds.) 1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 bunch green onions, chopped
¾ cup chopped fresh cilantro
For the dressing:
1/4 cup tahini
1/2 large lemon, juiced
3-5 tablespoons warm water, to thin dressing
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1-2 teaspoons pure maple syrup, to sweeten
1 teaspoon yellow curry powder
½ tablespoon freshly grated ginger
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

In a large bowl, add finely chopped broccoli, chickpeas, carrot, cranberries, green onion, and cilantro. Set aside.

Make the dressing by whisking together the following ingredients in a small bowl: tahini, lemon juice, water, garlic, maple syrup, curry powder, ginger, turmeric, salt and pepper. Immediately drizzle over salad and toss to combine. Sprinkle almonds on top and toss a few more times. 

Serve immediately with fresh squeeze of lemon or place in the fridge for later. Salad will keep well up to 5 days.