Angela Tustins Smoked Duck And Candied Ginger Salad Food

ARUGULA SALAD WITH PICKLED RED ONIONS AND CHAMPAGNE VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• For the salad: Combine the white vinegar, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan with 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and then add the onions. Return the liquid to a simmer, then take off the heat and let stand 15 minutes; drain.
• Put the arugula in a large salad bowl and add a few of the pickled onions and all of the cherry tomatoes; toss to combine. (Reserve the remaining pickled onions for another use.)
• For the vinaigrette: Combine the olive oil, Champagne vinegar, honey, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a mason jar and shake vigorously until emulsified.
• Add just enough vinaigrette to lightly coat the salad and toss well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The remaining vinaigrette can be kept refrigerated up to 1 week.

CANDIED GINGER

Steps:

• Spray a cooling rack with nonstick spray and set it in a half sheet pan lined with parchment.
• Peel the ginger root and slice into 1/8-inch thick slices using a mandoline. Place into a 4-quart saucepan with the water and set over medium-high heat. Cover and cook for 35 minutes or until the ginger is tender.
• Transfer the ginger to a colander to drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Weigh the ginger and measure out an equal amount of sugar. Return the ginger and 1/4 cup water to the pan and add the sugar. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar syrup looks dry, has almost evaporated and begins to recrystallize, approximately 20 minutes. Transfer the ginger immediately to the cooling rack and spread to separate the individual pieces. Once completely cool, store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Save the sugar that drops beneath the cooling rack and use to top ginger snaps, sprinkled over ice cream or to sweeten coffee.

CANDIED GINGER AND SYRUP

Steps:

• Peel ginger and slice into rounds about 1/8 inch thick.
• Mix sugar and water in a large sauce pan and bring to boil.
• When sugar is disolved, add ginger and boil for 45 minutes.
• Ginger should be sweet and tender.
• Drain ginger and reserve liquid.
• Place ginger on rack to dry for 30 minutes.
• Toss with sugar to coat.
• Let dry on wax paper.
• Store in airtight container.
• Boil reserved liquid until reduced to a syrup with consistency between maple syrup and honey. (mine was that way after the 45 minutes with the ginger in it.
• Sugar will crystallize so just add a little water and boil.
• Store in airtight container in refrigerator.
• Syrup can be used for waffles, icecream, tea, Or whereever you use syrup.