Photography by Donovan Roberts Witmer
Hearts are at the top of the mind this time of year, from Valentine’s Day red heart shapes in stores to the more serious topic of National Heart Health Month in February. Lancaster’s chapter of the American Heart Association is presenting its annually anticipated gala, The Heart Ball, on February 5 at the Lancaster Country Club, and we worked with executive chef Greg Myers to present heart smart recipes that will be featured at the upcoming event, The Heart of Dragon, with an Asian theme and menu.
Eating heart healthy can be exotic and flavorful while reducing your risk of heart disease and stroke by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. The key to modifying recipes to be heart smart is to lower sodium by replacing salt with flavorful herbs and spices and using low-sodium products, as well as avoiding trans fats, saturated fats and cholesterol.
Rice Noodle Salad with Thai Chile-Glazed Scallops
Serves 4
4 — U/10 sized (or large) dry Diver sea scallops, or a few small scallops for each serving 2 Tbs Thai sweet chili sauce ½ bundle of 500g. dried rice vermicelli noodles, approximately 7 oz. by weight 1 small red bell pepper, julienned 1 small yellow bell pepper, julienned 1 cup fresh mung bean sprouts ½ small red onion, julienned 1 small bunch of broccoli cut into small florets and blanched 1 cup fresh snow peas cut on a hard bias and blanched 1 cup carrots cut into thin matchsticks 2 cups napa cabbage, chiffonade
For Garnish:
Dried wasabi peas
Sesame seeds
Daikon radish sprouts
Thai Dressing Recipe:
(¾ cup total for 4 servings)
1 Tbs hoisin sauce
3 Tbs lite soy sauce (or low sodium soy sauce)
½ tsp sesame oil
Juice of 2 oranges squeezed (or use 4 Tbs of orange juice)
2 Tbs canola oil
½ tsp of minced fresh garlic
2 Tbs of Thai chili sauce (or 1 Tbs for less heat)
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Place noodles in a large bowl and cover with the boiling water. Allow noodles to soak for 5 minutes, drain, and rinse with cold, running water for 30 seconds. Drain well and set aside. In a bowl mix the noodles with all the prepared vegetables, dressing, a pinch of salt and cracked black pepper. Divide salad into 4 equal portions. Garnish with wasabi peas, sesame seeds and radish sprouts. In a hot skillet with one Tbs of sesame oil, season the scallops with Kosher salt and white pepper and sear till golden brown on both sides, (2 minutes per side should be enough to cook the scallops through to a nice medium). Glaze with Thai chile sauce, place one cooked scallop on each salad and serve immediately.
Sesame Beef with Ponzu, Hibachi Vegetables & Green Bamboo Rice with Toasted Coconut and Pickled Ginger
Serves 4
1 lb cleaned and trimmed beef tenderloin
Mix of toasted white and black sesame seeds
Low sodium soy sauce for brushing
1 small green zucchini, cut in half lengthwise then cut ¼ in thick slices on a bias
1 small yellow squash, cut in half lengthwise then cut ¼ in thick slices on a bias
1 Vidalia sweet onion, cut in half from top to bottom then in half again top to bottom, then cut in half across and petals peeled apart
1 red bell pepper, cleaned, seeded & cut into triangles
8 shiitake mushroom caps, if small leave whole, if large cut in half
1 clove fresh minced garlic
2 Tbs sesame oil
3 Tbs lite (or low sodium) soy sauce
1 cup dry green bamboo rice or be heart smart & use brown Basmati
1 ¾ cup of lightly salted water or low sodium chicken stock
½ cup of toasted shredded coconut
¼ cup of julienne pickled ginger with juice
Ponzu sauce
For the reduction:
Reduce ¼ cup ponzu sauce over heat to about half or ¹/8 cup by heating, stirring and reducing heat slowly over time.
For the tenderloin:
In a hot skillet season the tenderloin with salt and pepper and sear in a little sesame oil blended with canola oil until golden brown on all sides, place on a sheet tray in a 350 degree oven til internal temperature reads 125 degrees for a rare to medium rare, pull from oven, let rest for 5-7 minutes, brush with soy sauce and roll in sesame seeds until fully coated, slice into ¼ –inch slices and serve immediately.
For the green bamboo rice:
Bring lightly salted water or chicken stock to a boil, add rice and stir, cover, return to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 11-12 minutes, let rest covered for 5-7 minutes until rice is tender and most grains are slightly split. Before plating fold in toasted coconut, pickled ginger and juice, dash of salt and white pepper to taste.
For the Hibachi vegetables:
In a hot wok or sauté pan, add sesame oil and vegetables, letting sit for a moment to color then tossing around to cook on all sides, when vegetables are still crisp add garlic, toss again and add soy one minute before removing, drain off any excess liquid, add salt and pepper to taste and plate immediately.
Mandarin Orange Cake with Green Tea Mousse
Serves 4
For the green tea mousse:
2 Tbs cold water
2 ½ tsp powdered unflavored gelatin
1 cup fat free half and half
1 package instant green tea beverage mix
2 large egg whites
¹/8 tsp cream of tartar
3 Tbs granulated sugar
Mix water and gelatin and allow to bloom (it will get very thick and sticky). Place bowl in hot water bath to melt till it is a clear liquid. Warm half and half slightly to about 100 degrees and add green tea beverage powder. Mix well and add gelatin, keep warm. In electric bowl mixer combine egg whites and cream of tartar, begin to beat with a wire whip on high speed, add sugar slowly and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Fold mixture into milk and gelatin until smooth and fully mixed. Pour into desired mold or sheet pan lined with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator or freezer to set up.
For the Mandarin orange cake:
1 recipe or 1 package of your favorite yellow cake mix
1 small can 8 oz of mandarin orange segments
Few drops of orange extract
Drain oranges and reserve liquid. Crush oranges or pulse in food processor until it is a coarse pulp. Prepare cake recipe according to directions replacing required liquid with juice from oranges, if there is not enough liquid add orange juice to required amount. Mix in orange pulp and bake as directed. Add a drop or two of orange food coloring if you desire a brighter colored cake. Cool and cut into desired shape.
For the Blood Orange sauce:
½ cup water
1 cup juice from blood oranges or 1 cup orange juice plus 1 Tbs blood orange extract
Combine and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and cool.
To Assemble:
Cut cake and mousse into matching shapes
Place mousse on top of cake, finish with a rosette of sweet whipped cream and a mandarin orange segment. Drizzle blood orange sauce on plate next to mousse and serve.
