How To Make Scallion Brushes Food

SCALLION PANCAKES

Steps:

• Make the dipping sauce: Combine the vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil in a small bowl and whisk until the sugar dissolves; set aside.
• Make the scallion pancakes: Put the flour in a large bowl, then add the boiling water and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough forms a ball.
• Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, elastic and no longer sticky, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer the dough to a large bowl, cover and let rest 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 200˚ F. Divide the dough into 8 pieces, then roll each into a thin 8-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Brush each circle of dough with 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil and sprinkle with 1 heaping tablespoon scallions; season with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Roll up each circle of dough into a cigar; then, working from one side, roll each into a coil, tucking the ends underneath. Lightly flour the surface again and roll each coil to a 7-inch pancake (1/8 inch thick).
• Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 pancake and cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining pancakes, adding 1 more tablespoon vegetable oil to the skillet each time and reducing the heat to medium if the pancakes are browning too quickly. Slice the pancakes into wedges. Serve with the dipping sauce.

CHINESE SCALLION PANCAKES

Steps:

• Place flour in a large bowl; stir in boiling water until dough forms a ball. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 4-6 minutes. Place in a large bowl; cover and let rest for 30 minutes., Divide dough into 8 portions; roll each portion into an 8-in. circle. Brush with 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil; sprinkle with 1 heaping tablespoon of green onion and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Roll into a thin cylinder (jelly-roll style); starting at one end, twist cylinder onto itself forming a coil, pinching to seal. Flatten slightly. Roll each coil to 1/8-in. thickness., In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon canola oil. Over medium-high heat, cook 1 pancake at a time until golden brown, 2-3 minutes on each side., Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients. Serve with pancakes.

HOW TO MAKE SCALLION BRUSHES

Steps:

• How to Make Scallion BrushesCut the roots and green tops off 16 scallions, reserving the latter for crêpes. You want to wind up with 3-inch pieces of scallion white. Make a series of 1-inch lengthwise cuts in each end, gradually rotating the scallion, to form the individual "bristles" of the brush. Soak the scallions in a bowl of ice water for a couple of hours to curl the ends of the brushes.

GRILLED HOISIN-MARINATED BUTTERFLIED LEG OF LAMB

Steps:

• In a bowl whisk together hoisin sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, minces scallion, honey, and salt.
• Trim as much remaining fat as possible from lamb and in a shallow dish large enough to hold lamb flat spread marinade over both sides of it. Marinate lamb, covered and chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Prepare grill.
• Bring lamb to room temperature and grill on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals 12 to 15 minutes on each side, or until meat thermometer registers 140°F. for medium-rate meat. (Alternatively, lamb may be broiled under preheated broiler about 4 inches from heat for approximately the same time on each side as for grilling.) Transfer lamb to a cutting board and let stand 20 minutes before carving.
• Holding a sharp knife at a 45° angle, cut lamb across grain into thin slices. (If planning to make lamb salad, reserve one-third unsliced lamb, covered and chilled.)
• To make scallion brushes:
• Trim roots and green parts from scallions, leaving about 2 1/2-inch stalks. Make 1/2-inch lengthwise cuts at both ends of stalks and spread fringed ends gently. Put scallions in a bowl of ice and cold water and chill 2 hours, or until fringed ends have curled. Drain scallions well.
• Garnish lamb with scallion brushes and serve with eggplant.

CRISP-SKINNED DUCK WITH MOCK MANDARIN PANCAKES

Steps:

• Rinse ducks inside and out and pat dry. Remove excess fat from cavities and truss ducks. On a metal rack set in a large roasting pan arrange ducks, breast sides up and several inches apart. Let ducks dry, uncovered and chilled, 3 days.
• In a small bowl stir together boiling water, honey, and vinegar and cool to room temperature. Brush ducks with some honey mixture, keeping them chilled, and brush again every 20 minutes for 1 hour. Let ducks dry at room temperature 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Pierce skin of ducks all over with a fork to allow fat to drain and help skin get crisp. Roast duck in middle of oven until mahogany brown and a meat thermometer inserted into fleshy part of a thigh registers 180°F., about 1 hour 15 minutes. Let ducks stand 10 minutes. Discard string and carefully pour out juices from cavities.
• Cut around entire breast of each duck with a sharp paring knife and carefully peel off crisp skin in large pieces. Cut skin into 2 1/2- by 1-inch strips. Cut away and discard any fat on breast meat and remove breast meat from bone. Slice breast meat diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices and arrange on a platter with crisp skin. Remove legs from duck and arrange on another platter. Duck meat may be reheated and skin recrisped in a 350°F. oven until just hot.
• To make scallion brushes:
• If serving mock pancakes halved, 48 scallion brushes (one for each half) will be necessary for rolling inside the pancakes. If leaving the pancakes whole, 24 scallion brushes will be needed.
• Trim roots and green parts from scallions, leaving about 2 1/2 inches of stalk. Fringe ends of scallions by cutting slits about 1/2 inch deep all around both ends of each stalk, leaving about 1 inch of solid scallion in center, and spread fringed ends gently. Put scallions in bowl of ice and cold water. Chill scallions 2 hours, or until fringed ends have curled
• Drain scallions well.
• To assemble pancakes:
• Using a scallion brush spread some hoisin sauce on a pancake (whole or half) and top with the scallion brush, some breast meat, and some crisp skin. Roll up pancake to enclosed filling. Make more pancakes with remaining scallion brushes, hoisin sauce, breast meat, and crisp skin in same manner.
• Serve duck legs on the side.