Lobster Pad Thai

This fabulous entree was shared with us by Chef Noelle Barille of Oceania Cruise Lines at our Red Ginger cooking class.

                                                      Lobster Pad Thai

(Serves 2)

If pasta is your comfort food, this noodle dish is easy to make and fun to serve as an alternative to Italian pasta. It’s comfort food extraordinaire! We make it in a wok in class, but if you have a large saucepan, that will work just fine.

Ingredients

8 ounces rice noodles
1 tablespoon dried shrimp
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons nam prik pao (Thai chili paste)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1/2 ounce palm sugar (or brown sugar)
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons peanut oil
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon finely minced ginger
2 scallions plus 1 scallion, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 Thai bird chili, minced
1 small leek, thinly sliced
1 cup lobster pieces
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 lime wedges
1 tablespoon chopped roasted peanuts

Directions

Soak the rice noodles in warm water for 20 minutes and drain well. Soak the dried shrimp in cool water for 30 minutes. Drain and finely chop.

Whisk together the fish sauce, chili paste, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and palm sugar. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and 2 of the scallions and heat for 30 seconds to release their aromas. Push the garlic, ginger, and scallions to one side of the wok, off the direct heat of the bottom. Quickly add the shrimp, Thai bird chili, leek, and lobster pieces and cook until the lobster turns opaque, about 1 to 2 minutes. Mix in the garlic, ginger, and scallions.

Working quickly, add the noodles and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Push the mixture to the edge of the wok. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of peanut oil to the wok and add the eggs. Cook the eggs for 15 seconds and then stir them in with the other ingredients.

Add the fish sauce mixture. Stir-fry to incorporate, adding water if needed to moisten the noodles.

Fold in the bean sprouts and cilantro. Adjust seasoning with more chili paste and fish sauce as needed. Finish with the toasted sesame oil.

Garnish with the lime wedges, peanuts, and the remaining scallion. Serve immediately.

Bon Appetit!!

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Watermelon & Duck Confit Salad

                                            Watermelon & Duck Confit Salad

This salad has become one of the true favorites of Oceania’s Red Ginger restaurant and Chef Instructor Noelle Barille’s directions made this so easy. Duck confit can be purchased at Whole Foods and even Costco at times. The watermelon is the perfect texture and sweetness to balance the chewy duck confit.

Ingredients (serves 6)

Sweet Fish Sauce:
3/4 cup palm sugar, coarsely chopped (or brown sugar)
1/4 cup water
1/2 large shallot, coarsely chopped
1 lemongrass stalk, bulb portion only, coarsely chopped
1 kaffir lime leaf
1/2 inch piece galangal, peeled and coarsely chopped (or substitute ginger)
1 to 2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 to 2 tablespoons tamarind concentrate

Duck & Watermelon Salad
Canola oil, for frying
1/2 cup raw cashew nuts
Kosher salt
6 confit duck legs
2 to 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce
6 cups 1 inch cube seedless watermelon
1/2 cup Thai basil or sweet basil leaves
1/2 cup mint leaves
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1/3 cup thinly sliced shallot

Directions
For the Sauce: In a medium saucepan, combine the palm sugar and water, place over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is melted, about 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat, stir in the shallot, lemongrass, lime leaf, and galangal and let sit at room temperature to cool and to infuse the flavors for at least 1 hour, or preferably overnight.

Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a small bowl. Discard the solids. Add 1 tablespoon each of the fish sauce and tamarind, mixing well. Taste and adjust with more fish sauce and tamarind, if needed. Set the sauce aside at room temperature.

For the Salad: Pour 4 inches of canola oil into a large, deep saucepan and heat to 325°F on a deep-frying thermometer. Line a small plate with paper towels for draining the cashews and line a larger plate for draining the duck.

Add the cashews to the hot oil and fry until crisp, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with salt while hot.

Increase the temperature of the oil to 350°F. Add 2 duck legs to the hot oil and fry, turning to brown on all sides, until crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Using tongs, transfer to the towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining duck legs in two batches.

When the duck legs are cool enough to handle, peel off the skin from each leg in as large a piece as possible.  Bone the legs and shred the meat into a bowl. Season to taste with the hoisin sauce.

In a separate bowl, combine the watermelon, basil, mint, and cilantro. Add the duck meat,  cashews, and shallot. Toss with enough of the sweet fish sauce to coat lightly. You may not need all of the sauce.

To Serve: Divide the salad among individual serving plates or martini glasses.

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Bon Appetit!!!!