Ginger Apricot Tossed Salad Food

ASIAN SALAD RECIPE

Steps:

• Combine all the sesame dressing ingredients in a small jar and shake it well.
• Add the Asian salad ingredients to a medium-sized bowl.
• Pour the dressing over the top and toss to coat.

GINGER SALAD

Steps:

• In a blender on high speed, combine mustard, lemon juice, vinegar, and ginger for just a few seconds until smooth. Then turn the blender to a lower speed and slowly pour the oil in a continuous stream. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Place shredded lettuce piled high in the center of a bowl with edges. Add dressing to lettuce and toss. Sprinkle parsley around the edges of the bowl and garnish with a lemon slice.

ORZO SALAD WITH FRESH APRICOTS, PISTACHIOS AND GINGER OIL

Steps:

• Bring a medium-size pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add orzo and cook about 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain immediately and rinse with cold water.
• Place the orzo in a bowl and combine with the fresh apricots, fresh and ground coriander, scallions and almonds. Toss with 4 to 5 tablespoons of the ginger oil, until the pasta is just moist. Season with salt and pepper. Squeeze the fresh lemon juice on the salad and mix.

SINGAPOREAN SLAW SALAD WITH SALTED APRICOT DRESSING

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, soak green onions in ice water to keep crisp. In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour enough oil to fill the pan about a third of the way. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 400 degrees F. Add half of the julienned taro root to the oil. Fry about 2 minutes, or until crisp and light gold in color. Remove taro slices from oil, drain on paper towels, and lightly salt. Repeat with remaining taro root.
• Bring oil back up to 400 degrees F. Add half the vermicelli to the oil and fry until the noodles start to curl, about 2 or 3 seconds.. Remove the vermicelli from the oil, drain on paper towel and lightly salt. Fry the remaining vermicelli.
• Remove the julienned green onion from the ice water and drain on paper towels. Divide the vermicelli equally among 4 serving plates. Divide and arrange the julienned green onions, cucumber, carrot, jicama, and diced tomatoes evenly over vermicelli. Top salads with the pickled onions and the fried taro root.
• Sprinkle 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds and 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed peanuts over each salad. In a small bowl, combine the edible flower petals, fennel seedlings, daikon sprouts, and fried shallots. Divide the flower-sprout-shallot mixture evenly among salad plates. Serve the salads with the Salted Apricot Dressing alongside.
• In a small saucepan add the rice wine vinegar and water and over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Add the salt, black peppercorns, fennel seeds, bay leaf, and thyme to the saucepan and boil another 5 minutes. In a medium nonreactive bowl, combine the julienned red onion and the hot vinegar mixture. Toss gently to coat and let sit for at least 1 hour.
• In a blender, add the salted apricot paste, rice wine vinegar, mirin, Dashi, Onion Oil, sugar, ginger, and the salt. Blend until smooth, about 30 seconds.

APRICOT & GINGER HAM

Steps:

• If your ham needs soaking, do this the day before cooking. Put it in a large pan (a preserving pan is great for this). Cover the ham with cold water and leave to soak in the fridge for 24 hrs, changing the water twice.
• Pour away the soaking water and rinse the pan. Return the ham to the pan and add the ginger beer, bay leaves, allspice, peppercorns and 6 of the cloves. Top up the liquid with enough water to cover the ham. If the bone sticks out of the liquid, don't worry - just rotate the ham halfway through cooking. Put over a medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer, then cover with a lid or a piece of foil. Leave to cook for 2½ hrs, topping up with water as it cooks.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. When the ham is cool enough to handle, discard the cooking liquid and pat the ham dry. Use a small, sharp knife to pare the rind away from the ham, leaving a layer of fat attached to the meat. Score the fat in a diamond pattern and stud all over with the remaining cloves. Put the ham in a roasting tin. Mix together the ginger and jam and brush the mixture over the ham. Roast for 1 hr until golden and glistening. Serve hot or cold.

APRICOT AND GINGER JAM

Steps:

• Wash, chop and de-stone apricots. Have jars sterilized in preparation.
• Measure 8 cups of chopped apricots into a large stock pot, along with the 4 cups of sugar, 1/2 cup lemon juice, and grated ginger.
• Bring to a boil over a high heat, stirring occasionally. Once at a rolling boil, turn down the heat to keep it at a controlled boil for 23 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking. Note: It should be bubbling, not simmering. Start your timer when it begins to boil and at this stage add the 1 tablespoon of butter.
• At the end of 23 minutes it should have reduced down to a thick, sticky consistency but will still slide easily off the spoon. Don't worry, it will thicken as it cools.
• Jar while it is still warm and moves easily.

ARUGULA SALAD WITH GRILLED APRICOTS AND PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• Heat a griddle over a hot grill or burner, or preheat an indoor grill.
• Combine arugula, half the pistachios, and basil in a large bowl.
• Whisk together vinegars, salt and pepper, and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil.
• Cut apricots in half and remove pits. Brush cut side with remaining olive oil. Grill for about 2 minutes on the cut side, until seared but intact. Remove from the heat.
• Toss together arugula mixture, dressing and half the apricots. Arrange on a platter. Arrange the remaining apricots, goat cheese or feta and remaining pistachios over the top, and serve.

STEAMED GINGER PUDDING WITH APRICOT JAM

Steps:

• Butter a 5-cup heatproof pudding basin or mixing bowl. Cut a parchment circle to fit top of bowl; butter. Fill a large pot fitted with a steamer or pasta insert with enough water to come halfway up bowl (test this with an empty bowl); set aside.
• Stir together flour, baking powder, and ground ginger in a small bowl. Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in egg. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in 3 batches. Add chopped ginger, honey, and milk; mix until just combined.
• Spoon jam into bottom of prepared bowl. Pour batter on top; smooth with a spatula. Cover bowl with prepared parchment, buttered side down. Place a tea towel on top, and secure with kitchen twine. Knot opposing corners of towel together on top of bowl.
• Bring water in prepared pot to a boil over medium-high heat. Carefully lower pudding bowl into steamer; cover pot. Reduce heat to medium-low. Steam 2 hours, checking occasionally to make sure water doesn't completely evaporate. Transfer to a wire rack; remove towel and parchment. Let cool 10 minutes. Run a small knife around edge of bowl; invert pudding onto a plate. Serve warm.