STUFFED WHOLE FLOUNDER RED COOKED

whole flounders to equal 2 1/2 lbs.

flour for dusting

4 tablespoons oil

1 large clove garlic, lightly smashed and peeled

for the stuffing:

1/4 lb.crab meat, picked and ground fine

2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons dry sherry

1/4 teaspoon sugar

3 minced water chestnuts

2 quarter sized slices peeled ginger, minced

sprinkling of black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 teaspoon water

for the sauce:

4 tablespoons dark soy sauce

2 tablespoons dry sherry

1 1/2 cups water

4 quarter-sized slices peeled ginger

1 large whole scallion, cut into 3 pieces 1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

parsley or coriander for garnish

To prepare and stuff the fish:  Have the fish cleaned and scaled, but leave the head and tail on.  Rinse and dry it inside and outside.  Score the fish on the slant 3 times on thick side, about 1 inch apart.  Dust the entire fish, outside and inside, with the flour.

Put the crab in a bowl, add the soy sauce, sherry, and sugar, and mix well.  Add the minced water chestnuts to the meat.  Add the minced ginger, a sprinkling of black pepper, and the dissolved cornstarch; stir in circular motions until the mixture is smooth.  Spoon the stuffing into the cavities of the fish and press the fish lightly to enclose the stuffing.  Do not skewer.

Heat a wok or large, heavy skillet over high heat until very hot; add the 4 tablespoons oil, swirl, and heat for 30 seconds.Throw in the garlic and press it around in the oil; then lower in the fish and brown each, turning down the heat if the flour coating is browning too fast.  Turn and brown other side of fish.

When the fish is crisp and brown, pour the soy sauce and sherry over them and add the water, ginger, and scallions.  When the sauce boils, stir in the sugar to dissolve it.  Turn heat down to medium, tilt the pan, and baste the fish a few times again, cover, and simmer another 5 to 8 minutes.

Remove the fish carefully to a serving platter.  Add the sesame oil to the sauce and bring it to a boil over high heat.  Pour it immediately over the fish and serve with garnish.

 

PAD THAI

(serves 4)

1 package of rice noodles

1/2 lb. shrimp, pork, chicken or a combination

4 eggs, beaten

4 cloves garlic

1 cup bean sprouts

4 green onions

peanuts for garnish

1/2 cup oil

for the sauce:

1/4 cup fish sauce

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup white vinegar

1 t. paprika

1 1/2 T. hot chili sauce

     Soak noodles for 20 minutes; drain.

    Mix sauce to dissolve sugar.

    Slice onions into 1 1/2 inch lengths.  Put on working platter.  Heat wok.  Add oil and swirl over surface.

     Fry garlic until golden.  Hot peppers may be added at this point.  Stir-fry meat.  Add noodes and stir to coat in oil.  Add sauce, making sure sugar is dissolved. 

     Reduce heat, folding noodles until they absorb the liquid.  Push noodles aside; add eggs.  Lift and fold eggs into mixture when set.  Add onions and bean sprouts; cook until tender. 

     Place on plates and garnish as desired.

CHICKEN SATAY

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into thin strips

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 T. honey

2 T. sake or dry sherry

1 clove garlic minced

2 T. nut oil

 Mix marinade and allow meat to stay in marinade in the refrigerator at least 1 hour but no longer than 8 hours.

 dip in sauce listed below.

PEANUT DIPPING SAUCE

1/2 cup fish sauce

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted peanuts

1 scallion, trimmed, washed, and sliced on the bias very thin

2 T. sugar

2 T. chopped cilantro

2 small fresh jalapeno pepper, cored and diced very fine

Combine all ingredients in a pint jar with a tight fitting lid.  Shake vigorously until the sugar is dissolved.  Let stand at room temperature up to 4 hours or in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.  Bring to room temperature and shake vigorously before serving.

Thai Chicken Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

·        4 chicken breasts (2 whole breasts, split to make 4 pieces)

·        2 cups cloves of garlic, finely chopped

·        2 whole shallots, finely chopped

·        salt & pepper

·        vegetable oil

·        2 cups iceberg lettuce, shredded

·        1 cup cucumber, sliced (not too thin)

·        1/4 cup fresh mint, roughly chopped

·        1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped

·        1/2 cup dry rice vermicelli (from Asian grocery stores)

·        1 cup chili lime vinaigrette (see below)

Chili Lime Vinaigrette:

·        4 oz. water

·        1 oz. lime juice

·        2 oz. Vietnamese fish sauce (Asian grocery store)

·        1 oz. sugar

·        1 t. chopped garlic

·        1 T. chopped red chili pepper

·        2 T. vegetable or olive oil

Preparation

Mix together water, lime juice, fish sauce and sugar. Add garlic, chili pepper and oil, set aside.

Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Add rice vermicelli, remove after 3-4 minutes when almost soft. Strain in colander.

Marinate chicken breasts in the garlic, shallots, salt & pepper and touch

of vegetable oil. When ready to cook, grill chicken on both sides until done. Cut into bite size pieces. In each of four bowls, divide lettuce and cucumbers. Top with the vermicelli. Arrange chicken on top of vermicelli. Pour about 2 ounces of the chili vinaigrette on each salad. Sprinkle with fresh mint and peanuts and serve.

STIR-FRIED RICE

(serves 1 as a main dish or 2 as a side dish)

1 cup of  cold cooked long-grain rice

1 scallion, finely chopped

 1 to 2 eggs beaten well with a pinch of salt

1 to 2 t. soy sauce

chili sauce (optional )

cooking oil

(you may also like to have other things to add to this dish like boiled and peeled shrimp, tiny pieces of cooked chicken,

cooked tiny peas, blanched shredded carrots, cooked mushrooms, etc.)

     Heat a wok or heavy bottomed large skillet.  Add 2 T. oil and pour in eggs which will immediately balloon.  Push the mass with a spatula across to the back of the pan as you tilt the pan toward you; This will allow the liquid eggs to slide down into the hot pan.  When eggs are no longer runny, slide them onto a dish and set aside.

     Using wet fingers, scatter the cold rice on a flat pan to break up any clumps.

Reheat the wok, add 1 T. oil.  Add the finely chopped scallion and stir-fry until soft.  Add the rice and briskly toss it in the pan to heat it thoroughly.  Add soy sauce and chili sauce and toss.  Push rice to one side of the pan.   Add cooked eggs to the other side of the pan and break the mass up before stirring them into the rice.  Remove to a serving dish.