Tag: appetizer
Honey-Glazed Duck Bacon
Honey-Glazed Duck Bacon
This might be the most luxurious bacon you will ever eat. I purchased 4 duck breasts, about 8 oz each, and cured them the exact same way as regular pork belly bacon. In addition, I brushed honey across the skin side of the breasts right before smoking them; giving the bacon a slight sweetness. The entire process took 8 days before I could eat it, so patience is key. You can eat the duck bacon as is or use as a replacement for pork bacon in numerous recipes.
Equipment
- Electric Smoker
- ziplock bag
Ingredients
- 4 duck breasts about 8 oz each
- 2 tbsp sea salt
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp black pepper
- 2 tsp paprika
- 3/4 tsp pink curing salts
- honey
Wood Chips
- hickory wood chips
Instructions
- Mix together the dry rub ingredients.
- Place the duck breasts in a large ziplock bag. Pour in the dry rub ingredients and massage into the duck breast. Squeeze out as much air as possible and seal. Cure for 5-6 days; flipping the bag everyday.
- Remove the duck breasts from the bag. Rinse off any excess dry rub. Pat dry with paper towels and allow to dry out in the refrigerator for 1 day.
- Let your duck breasts rest at room temperature for 2 hours before smoking. Brush on a thin layer of honey on the skin side of the breasts.
- Preheat your smoker to 225°. Place the duck breasts in the smoker. Add in your wood chips to the tray and smoke for 2 hours.
- Pull the duck breasts from the smoker and let cool at room temp. Refrigerate for 1 day before slicing and cooking.
- Using a sharp knife, slice the duck breasts no more than 1/8” thick.
- Warm up a griddle or sauté pan over medium heat. Add in slices of the duck bacon.
- Cook for 4-5 minutes a side until crispy.
Chili Clams
Chili Clams
Clams are very popular in Malaysian cuisine and are harvested along the beaches. Cooking them in a spicy chili/bean sauce is a great way to prepare them; taking very little time and preparation. The clams get sautéed in the sauce and are removed once opened. Any clams that don’t open are usually dead and should be discarded. Serve the chili clams with steamed rice.
Equipment
- food processor or mortar and pestle
Ingredients
- 20 littleneck clams washed
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 3 green onions chopped
Spice Paste
- 1/2” ginger
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp soybean paste
- 5 dried chilies
Instructions
- Add the spice paste ingredients into a food processor and pulse until its relatively smooth.
- Heat up the cooking oil in a wok over medium heat. Sauté the spice paste for 1 minute.
- Toss the clams into the spice paste and coat. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add in the water, sugar, and green onions. Cook for 4-5 minutes. As the clams start to open, remove each one. They will all cook at different amounts of time.
Green Buffalo Wings
Green Buffalo Wings
I was making different marinated wings at work for the stuperbowl at the crack of dawn and I asked myself, “why not green buffalo wings?” So I made it happen. The sauce is just like the orange buffalo sauce made with a cayenne pepper base, but now with green tabasco. I added a bunch of minced garlic and a serrano pepper to give it an extra kick.
Equipment
- immersion blender
Ingredients
Wings
- 3 lbs chicken wings
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp dried cilantro
- 2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp paprika
Green Buffalo Sauce
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 serrano pepper chopped
- 1/2 cup jalapeño tabasco sauce
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Mix the spices together and season the chicken wings. Place on a wire rack over a baking sheet lined in foil.
- Bake in a preheated 400° oven for 30 minutes. Flip the wings.
- Bake for another 30 minutes until crispy.
- Melt the butter in a small pot on low heat. Add in the garlic and serrano. Sauté for 3-4 minutes.
- Add in the jalapeño tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, and cilantro. Purée with an immersion blender and turn off the heat.
- Toss the wings in the sauce.
