Friday Recipe: Slow-Cooker Asian Baby-Back Ribs With Udon Salad

I have no idea what Udon Salad is, but I willingly gave it a try.  Pretty good! Found this recipe under the what to cook all week search on Real Simple.

 

Serves 4| Hands-On Time: 20m| Total Time: 7hr 20m

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4 pounds baby-back ribs (2 to 3 racks), cut into 8 pieces
• 1 8.8-ounce package udon noodles
• 1 bunch radishes (about 8), halved and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 4 scallions, sliced

Directions

1. In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, mix together the soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, cornstarch, oil, ginger, and cayenne. Add the ribs and turn to coat.
2. Cover and cook until the ribs are tender, on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours (this will shorten total recipe time).
3. Twenty minutes before serving, heat broiler. Place the ribs, meaty-side up, on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Strain the cooking liquid from the slow cooker into a medium bowl. Brush the meaty side of the ribs with half of the cooking liquid and broil, basting twice with the pan juices, until shiny and glazed, 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain and run under cold water to cool. Add the noodles to the bowl of remaining cooking liquid from the slow cooker and toss with the radishes, cilantro, and scallions. Serve the ribs with the udon salad.

Friday Recipe: Spinach and Frisee Salad

Spinach & Frisée Salad with Tangerines & Coriander-Crusted Scallops

It's not quite summer fare, but this salad sounded so delicious when I searched for spring recipes I had to try it. It's from Eating Well, their March/April 2010 issue. I admit I had to look up coriander seeds and then was surprised that I knew them just not the name of them. Huh. All in all, it made a tasty salad that I would recommend for a (fairly) fast meal.

Photo is theirs.

Ingredients

Tangerine Vinaigrette

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon tangerine or orange zest
• 2 tablespoons tangerine or orange juice
• 4 teaspoons white-wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped spring herbs, such as chervil, chives, tarragon and/or dill (I used tarragon which I had to buy but it was shopping week anyway.)
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Salad

• 6 cups baby spinach
• 6 cups torn frisée
• 2 tangerines or oranges, segmented (see Tip)
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 pound dry sea scallops (see Note), patted dry
• 1 tablespoon canola oil

Preparation

1. To prepare vinaigrette: Whisk olive oil, tangerine (or orange) zest and juice, vinegar, shallot, herbs, mustard, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
2. To prepare salad: Combine spinach, frisée and tangerine (or orange) segments in a large salad bowl. Add the vinaigrette and toss to coat. Divide the salad among 4 plates.
3. Coarsely grind or chop coriander seeds and combine with kosher salt and pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle on both sides of scallops. Heat canola oil in a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the scallops and cook until they develop a golden brown crust and are just opaque all the way through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve the scallops on the salad.

Tips & Notes

• Tip: To segment a tangerine or orange: Remove peel and white pith, then slice off both ends. Use a sharp knife to cut the segments from the surrounding membranes.
• Ingredient Note: Be sure to buy “dry” sea scallops. “Wet” scallops, which have been treated with sodium tripolyphosphate (STP), are mushy and less flavorful. Some scallops will have a small white muscle on the side; remove it before cooking. 

Nutrition

Per serving: 251 calories; 12 g fat ( 1 g sat , 8 g mono ); 37 mg cholesterol; 15 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 22 g protein; 5 g fiber; 518 mg sodium; 949 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (126% daily value), Vitamin C (60% dv), Folate (55% dv), Magnesium (29% dv), Potassium (27% dv).
Carbohydrate Servings: 1/2
Exchanges: 2 vegetable, 3 lean meat, 2 fat 

For this week's recipe, I'd like to thank Amy of Amy's Sensational Summer Salad for this recipe. That and my absolute abhorrence to making anything this week that required thinking and cooking.

Prep Time:20 Min
Cook Time:10 Min
Ready In:1 Hr 30 Min
Yield 6 servings

Ingredients
3 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 cup Italian-style salad dressing
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and diced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
1 avocado, diced
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1 1/2 cups diced fresh strawberries
1 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette, or to taste

Directions

1. Place the chicken breasts and Italian dressing into a resealable plastic bag.


2. Mix together to coat the chicken with the dressing, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.


3. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil grate.


4. Remove the chicken from the marinade, and shake off excess. Discard the remaining marinade.


5. Grill the chicken breasts until no longer pink in the center, or to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 3 minutes per side.


6. Set aside to cool while preparing the ingredients for salad, then dice.


7. Toss the diced apple with the lemon juice in a large mixing bowl until well coated; drain and discard any excess lemon juice.


8. Place the lettuce into the mixing bowl, then sprinkle with the diced chicken, avocado, feta cheese, strawberries, and cranberries.


9. Gently toss the salad with the balsamic vinaigrette, and serve immediately.

Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 496 Total Fat: 31.4g Cholesterol: 65mg