Duck Prosciutto

Because duck is unlike chicken, in that it is red meat, they are frequently used in ways that we would not use chicken. Duck prosciutto is just like ordinary prosciutto that is made with pork. The uncooked breast, with its skin and fat intact, is cured in salt and hung to dry. And that's it! With a distinct duck flavor, it can be used just like ordinary prosciutto. Its saltiness makes it a great accompaniment with something sweet. Like ordinary prosciutto, it can be cut paper thin and eaten on a slice of mellon, or a warmed date, or simply by itself. Wrap it in plastic and it should last several weeks in the refrigerator.

1.  Wash, dry, and completely cover the duck breast in kosher salt. Using a jar or bowl, apply some weight to the breasts. Place in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

2.  Rinse and pat dry. The breast will have darkened in color. Lightly dust with white pepper to deter any insects and wrap in cheesecloth.







3. Hang to dry, ideally in a cool place (50-60 degrees), for 7 days.

Crab Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

This particular recipe caught my eye as an alternative to the traditional crab cake. Crab cakes are traditionally held together with a Japanese style bread crumb called Panko. In the world of bread crumbs, it is very unique and there are no suitable gluten free alternatives. And so when I saw this recipe I hoped that it might satisfy my occasional desire for crab cakes. My hope was not deferred. Of course, it is more like a crab salad than a crab cake, but that is not a complaint. It is wonderfully delicate, light, and refreshing.

The secret ingredient is crème fraîche. Mayonnaise and sour cream are alternatives, but mayonnaise is flavorless and much heavier and sour cream is far less delicate and can easily overpower the crab. Crème fraîche can be a little expense to buy and perhaps difficult to find, but it is cheap and easy to make. Plan ahead, because it will need to be made at least one day in advance.

Servings: 4 two inch round crab towers
Time: 20 minutes

6-8 ounces crab meat, coarsely chopped
1    small seedless cucumber (about 1/2 cup), peeled and finely diced
2    plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/4  teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1    teaspoon cilantro, minced
1/2  teaspoon fresh lime juice
2    tablespoons crème fraîche

Crème Fraîche

  1  cup heavy cream (a non ultra-pasturized brand such as Anderson)
  2  tablespoons buttermilk

Balsamic Vinaigrette

  1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1.  To make the crème fraîche, heat the cream just until warm. Combine the cream and the buttermilk in a jar or a bowl and stir. Lightly cover and let sit on the counter in a warm place for 24 hours. The acidity in the buttermilk prevents the growth of bacteria. The mixture should thicken to the consistency of a lightly whipped cream, enough to coat a spoon. It may even yellow just a little. It should be tangy and a little nutty. Refrigerate before use.

2.  Combine the diced cucumbers, tomatoes, 1/4 teaspoon of olive oil, lime juice, and cilantro, and then toss gently. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let the flavors marinade for at least 10 minutes.

3.  Drain any liquid from the crab meat. In a separate bowl, combine the crab meat and the crème fraîche. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4.  Drain any additional liquid from the cucumber-tomato mixture and then combine with the crab meat. Toss gently. Serve it as a crab tower salad, using a 2-inch ring mold, or with some mixed greens drizzled with some balsamic vinaigrette, or perhaps with some fresh French rolls.

To make the Vinaigrette: Combine the vinegar in a blender and slowly incorporate the oil. Salt to taste.


Recommended Wine

Choose a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with its crisp acidity and touch of minerals to contrast with the richness of the crab and create a zing with the sharpness of the cilantro.

Char Siu

Char siu, pronounced char-swee, is one of those meats that you would normally find hanging in the window at the Chinese market, along with the whole roasted ducks and salt-roasted chickens. However, of the three, char siu, or Chinese barbecue pork, is by far the easiest to make at home. Of course, we cannot duplicate the traditional Chinese technique, and in some cases would not want to. For example, not only are they hung in special ovens, they get their traditional ruby red color by being marinated in curing salt. Curing salt is a special kind of salt with nitrites and nitrates. Oddly, ketchup makes a perfect substitute for these salts, providing the ruby red color without the nitrates. Not only can curing salts be difficult to find, too many nitrates and nitrites can be a harmful thing. Besides, after having tried both methods, the ketchup seems to produce the better result. By far, the best recipe that I've found is from America's Test Kitchen: the Best International Recipe cookbook (p.532), though it still needed to be modified to meet our (FODMAP) dietary needs.

Traditional recipes cut the pork butt into long strips, but smaller and shorter strips seem to work best at home. One option is to buy the precut country-style short ribs (which is cut from the pork butt roast). This may eliminate a few steps and make for easier preparation, but they will be slightly more chewy and more dry than strips cut from a pork butt roast. With the bone removed, cut the roast lengthwise into 2-1/2 inch strips (resembling the precut country-style ribs). If it is any consolation, the "pork butt" is actually taken from the pig's front shoulder, and may even be labeled as such at your supermarket.

Serving: 6
Time: 20 min (prep); 4 hr (marinating); 1-1/4 hr (cooking)

1  (4 pound) boneless pork butt, cut into strips (see above)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce (gluten free)
6  tablespoons hoisin sauce (FODMAP hoisin sauce)
1/4 cup rice wine (Shaohsing wine) or dry sherry
2  tablespoons ginger, grated
2  cloves garlic, minced (non-FODMAP, omit or substitute with minced garlic greens)
1  tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1  teaspoon five-spice powder (FODMAP Five Spice)
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 cup ketchup (no high fructose corn syrup)
1/3 cup honey (non-FODMAP, substitute with maple syrup)

1.  Using a fork, prick the pork strips 10 to 12 times on each side. This will allow the marinade to flavor the meat more thoroughly. American's Test Kitchen states that this enables the marinating time to be reduced to 30 minutes. This may be true if you are in a hurry, but if you have the time plan on still marinating the meat for 4 hours. For now, place the meat in a large zip-lock bag and set aside.

2.  Combine all of the ingredients into a bowl, with the exception of the ketchup and honey (or maple syrup), and mix well. Reserve 1/2 cup of the marinade for basting. Pour the remainder of the marinade over the meat in the zip-lock bag. Remove the air from the bag and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

3.  Meanwhile, combine the ketchup and honey (or maple syrup) in a saucepan, together with the 1/2 cup reserved marinade. Heat until syrupy and well mixed.

4.  Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Place the strips of meat on a baking sheet with a wire rack. Pour 1/2 cup water in the bottom of the pan. Tightly cover the entire pan with foil and roast the pork for 20 minutes.

5.  Remove the foil cover and cook for another 25 minutes.

6.  Turn the oven to broil and broil the pork, still on the medium rack, until evenly browned (7-9 minutes). Then brush the pork with the reserved ketchup-marinade mixture and broil for an additional 3-5 minutes. The pork will look turn to a deep mahogany color and look as though it were burning.

7.  Flip the meat and repeat step 6, broiling for 7-9 minutes, then baste and broil for an additional 3-5 minutes.

8.  Let the meat sit for 10 minutes, then slice and serve.

Ricotta Pie

For me, memories are forged by good food. I'll recall an event or place when reminded of certain flavors or aromas. And I suspect this is true for most people. Our family memories and traditions have as much to do with food as with the people with which we share it. In most cultures, food and holidays go hand in hand. Although the entire family may be gathered together, it doesn't feel like Christmas without the ham and sweet potatoes with gooey marshmallows, or Thanksgiving without the traditional turkey and stuffing.

But what does Easter feel like? For many of us, our traditions, and therefore our memories, don't go much deeper than the chocolate bunny or sickeningly sweet marshmallow peeps that we would rather forget than remember. Not so for the Italians. They might have peeps, I don't really know, but for many ricotta pie is a much more memorable Easter tradition. Who remembers mom giving them peeps? But mom's ricotta pie, that's a memory worth passing down to your kids.

Ricotta pie is a great after dinner treat or even a welcomed addition to the breakfast table. It is simple to make, easily stored, and served cold. While it is usually made with your average store bought ricotta, I cannot express to you how much more creamy and smooth it is with homemade ricotta, resembling the texture of mascarpone or a light and refreshing cheese cake. The homemade ricotta is well worth the additional time and work, especially if this is a treat and memory that only comes around once a year.

Serving: One 9-inch pie

Gluten Free Crust: single crust

   We recommend using Williams-Sonoma's gluten free piecrust mix,
       following the ingredient directions on the box.
   In addition:
     1  teaspoon orange peel
     1  teaspoon lemon peel

Traditional Crust: single crust
 
   1-1/4 cups all purpose flour
   1/3 cup sugar
   3/4 teaspoon orange peel
   3/4 teaspoon lemon peel
   1/3 teaspoon salt
   1/3 teaspoon baking powder
   1/3 cup unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
   1  large egg

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a mixer with a flat beater, combine flour, sugar, orange and lemon peel, salt, and baking powder. Mix for 1 minute.

2.  Slowly add butter and mix on medium-low until coarse meal forms, about the size of peas.

3.  Add the eggs and mix until moist clumps form and dough begins to pull together, about 1 minute.

4.  Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead to combine well, about 1 minute. Roll out into an 11 inch round about 1/8 inch thick. Using the rolling pin, transfer the dough to a 9 inch pie dish and gently press into the dish. Trim the edges.


Filling:

   1  16-ounce container of whole milk ricotta (2 cups)
   3  ounces cream cheese, room temperature
   1  tablespoon cornstarch
   1  teaspoon vanilla
   1/2 cup sugar
   1-1/2 teaspoons orange peel
   1  teaspoon lemon peel
   2  large eggs

1.  Using an electric mixer, beat the ricotta, cream cheese, cornstarch, and vanilla in a large bowl.

2.  Add the sugar, orange peel, lemon peel, and eggs, and beat until well mixed.

3.  Transfer the filling into the dough-lined pie pan. Bake until golden and puffed, about 1 hour. Keep an eye on the edge of the crust, covering it with foil if necessary, so that it does not burn. Cool completely. As it cools, the puffing will go down. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Braciole

Braciola (plural braciole) is an Italian dish made of thinly sliced beef, stuffed and rolled, seared and cooked in its own juices. It is traditionally stuffed with bread crumbs and cheese, but there is no "one way" to do it. Changing the cheese, or adding eggplant or prosciutto, can drastically change the taste. With a little creativity, this dish will never get old.

If you have the time and forethought, purchase your meat in advance and marinade in red wine for up to five days. Not only will this add a nice flavor, the enzymes in the wine will help to tenderize the meat. This was my first attempt at braciole, and if I were to do it all over again (and I will!), I would pound the flank steak quite a bit thinner, providing a greater surface area for the stuffing. Overall, this would have produced a more tender and flavorful dish. Nonetheless, "regrets" aside, you will not regret trying this dish!

This may be served as a side or as a main course. It is often served with salad, boiled potatoes, or as we have done, fresh pasta. Enjoy.

Serving: 4-5
Time: Prep (40 minutes) Cooking (1 hour 45 minutes)

1-1/2 pound flank steak, (NOTE: It is best when pounded
  thin and tenderized in red wine for 5 days)
Butcher's twine
1/2 cup dried Italian bread crumbs (gluten free)
1  garlic clove, minced (non-FODMAP, omit or substitute 1/2 teaspoon ginger)
2/3 cup Pecorino Romano, grated
1/3 cup Provolone, grated
2  tablespoons Italian parsley leaves, chopped
4  tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1  cup dry wine (rec. an Italian Pinot Grigio)
3-1/4 cups simple Marinara sauce (w/o tomato paste, garlic, or onion)

1.  Braciola is usually made with thin cuts of meat. Therefore, depending on the thickness of the flank steak, it may need to be pounded thin with a meat mallet. Try to retain a rollable shape. In order to tenderize the meat, marinade in red wine for up to five days in advance.

2.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

3.  Mix together the bread crumbs, ginger, cheese, parsley, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Set aside.

4.  Lay the flank steak on a flat surface and pat dry with a paper towel. Spread the bread crumb mixture evenly over the top of the steak. Then gently roll the steak like a carpet and tie it with butcher's twine to hold it tightly together.

5.  Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large ovenproof pan. Sear the braciola until all sides are nicely browned, about 10 minutes. After it is nicely seared, add the wine to deglaze the bottom of the pan. Add the marinara and bring to a simmer. Coat the braciola with the marinara sauce.

6.  Lightly cover the pan with foil and continue cooking in the oven. Cook for 1 hour, basting and rotating the braciola every 20 minutes. Then uncover the pan and cook an additional 30 minutes, occasionally basting the meat to prevent it from drying out.

7.  After it is cooked and tender, remove the braciola from the sauce and cut into 1/2 inch thick slices. Cut it crossways and diagonally, the way you would cut slices off a baguette. Serve with its own sauce.

Recommended Wine

Either a nice Pinot Grigio (white) or good Cabernet Sauvignon (red).

Kalbi Beef (Korean BBQ Ribs)

Most authentic Korean, Thai, and Vietnamese restaurants will offer Kalbi beef on their menu. It is a tender and richly flavored beef short rib, often served with rice, a garlic fish sauce or a chile lime sauce, and perhaps a fresh papaya salad (as shown above). In my own experimenting with this recipe, three things have proven to be important. First, the quality of meat, particularly the amount of marbling in the meat, is essential in order to ensure tender ribs. You may request that your butcher cut the ribs from the fattier portion of the chuck end of the beef ribs. Request a 1/2 inch thick "flanken" cut, which will indicate to your butcher that you desire the ribs to be cut into 1/2 inch strips across the bone. On occasion, you may find them already cut and packaged in the meat department of your local market. However, make sure that they are sufficiently marbled and the correct thickness. We have personally had the best luck with black angus beef.

Secondly, it is important to allow the ribs to marinade overnight or for 24 hours. This is important both for flavor and in order to tenderize the meat. The acidity of the Asian pear accelerates the tenderizing compounds found in the the soy sauce, but it requires sufficient time to be effective.

Thirdly, Kalbi beef is the best when it is slightly charred on the outside, caramelizing the sugars in the marinade. Because the ribs are only 1/2 inch thick and tend to cook very quickly, high heat is necessary to quickly sear the beef. This may be done on a very hot grill, on a wire rack under the broiler, or in a cast iron grill pan. The latter two options may require that you open up a few windows to let the smoke escape.

Serving: 6

Ribs

3-1/2 pounds Korean style short ribs (highly marbled)
1-1/2 cup brown sugar
1  cup low sodium soy sauce (gluten free)
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup water (more as needed)
2  tablespoons ginger
3  medium to large limes, squeezed
2  tablespoons sesame oil (preferably dark)
3  tablespoons lemongrass, finely grated
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, ground

Optional Sauces

   Thai Chili Sauce
 
   4  garlic cloves, minced (non-FODMAP)
   8  red or green Thai chili peppers,
       finely chopped (may substitute
       with crushed red pepper flakes)
   1/3 cup fish sauce
   1/2 fresh lime juice
   3  tablespoons sugar
   2  tablespoons green onion, thinly
       sliced (green parts)

   Vietnamese Sauce

   3  garlic cloves, minced (non-FODMAP)
   1/3 cup fish sauce
   1/2 cup water
   1/4 cup carrot, thinly julienned

   FODMAP Sauce


   2 limes, squeezed
   2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce (gluten free)
   1 tablespoon rice vinegar
   1 teaspoon sesame oil
   2 tablespoons maple syrup


1.  Rinse the beef short ribs in cold water in order to remove any small shards of bone, then pat dry with a paper towel.

2.  Place the ribs and the brown sugar in a large zip-lock bag. Shake and shift around the bag until the ribs are evenly coated in the sugar. Set aside for at least 10 minutes.

3.  Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a bowl and pour over the ribs in the zip-lock bag. Add enough water to cover ribs. Remove all of the air from the bag and seal it up. This will pull the liquid upward and allow the marinade to fully cover the ribs. Place a piece of tape over the zip-lock to prevent air from slowly leaking into the bag. Marinade in the refrigerator for 24 hours, occasionally shifting the contents of the bag.

4.  If you are using one of the additional dipping sauces, mix ingredients and let the sauce stand for at least 15 minutes in order to allow the flavors to fully blend. Serve the sauce in a bowl or in small ramekins at the table.

5.  After 24 hours, remove the ribs from the marinade. Place on a very hot grill, turning only once, 3-4 minutes on each side. They are best served immediately, but they can be cooked in advance and warmed on a baking sheet with a rack in the oven. Serve with rice (preferably sticky rice).

Roasted Carrot Purée

What comes to mind when you think of cooked mashed carrots? Me too, but this is nothing like that! This is more like your thanksgiving sweet potatoes with roasted marshmallows, without having to add either the sugar or the marshmallows. By roasting the carrots its natural sugars caramelize, creating a new texture and flavor. This works great with any dish that you would normally pair with mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes. And with the added bonus that carrots are cheap, who can pass up trying it?

Serving: 4 (about 2 cups)
Time: 1 hour

2  pounds whole carrots, peeled
2  tablespoons olive oil
4  tablespoons butter
1  tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar (optional)
Salt

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2.  Make sure to use whole carrots. There is something about the processing that prevents the so-called baby carrots from caramelizing. Cut the thicker carrots in half lengthwise, leaving the skinnier carrots whole. Spread out on a baking sheet and cover with 2 tablespoons olive oil.

3.  Bake for about 1 hour or until the carrots are both tender and slightly blackened on the bottom and edges.

4.  In a food processor, combine the carrots and butter and purée until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon of well aged balsamic vinegar, and taste. Add more, a teaspoon at a time, if necessary. This was suggested to me by a friend. . . a friend that is so humble that she would not want me to give her credit. Nonetheless, it was a great suggestion. Another way to incorporate the vinegar (a good vinegar) is to drizzle a small amount on top. Nonetheless, with or without the vinegar, the carrots have enough merit of their own. Salt to taste and enjoy.