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Q). This weekend I
took my boyfriend to dinner for his birthday. He chose from the menu of
the rather expensive restaurant to have smoked duck. When it arrived it
tasted disgusting, it was totally burned and completely raw in the
middle. We sent it back and they fobbed us off. In the end, we shared my
meal and left the duck. Please could you help me out? Surely smoked duck
should not taste or look like burnt duck, should it? Suzy Fowler
Via e-mail
A). First, we should always assume that a restaurant is not in
business to serve bad food. To give an accurate call on this one, I
would want to hear both sides of
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the story. While heavily smoked duck can
be beyond a mahogany color, the skin should not be burned. It will smell
very smoky - though it is not burned. The smoke will actually coat the
outside but not burn it. As for being raw, the only thing I could think
of is that the flesh of grilled and / or smoked foods, takes on a pink
color sometimes, though it is not raw. Also, if cooked properly all the
fat should have been rendered out and maybe that is what you saw -
unrendered fat. If you didn't like the dish they probably should have
offered you something else. However, in defense of the restaurant, has
your boyfriend ever had smoked duck before? In my experience, sometimes
someone orders |
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something that they have never ordered
before and that person gets something he thought was going to be
something else. This problem can be specially difficult if the item is
expensive. Case in point: Abalone, which can run from $50 to $80 on a
restaurant menu. If someone orders abalone for the first time and
doesn't like it, we would first see if anything is wrong with it, and
make sure it has been prepared properly. Ask yourself: should the
restaurant automatically accept the return if nothing is wrong with it?
Bottom line: if you order it and nothing's wrong with it, both party's
should just try to reach a reasonable conclusion.
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Q). Dear John,
A few months ago I was in Monterey and picked up a copy of a newspaper
that had your column in it. There was a recipe for chicken lettuce wraps
that I tried and loved. I accidentally threw it away. Can you e-mail it
to me? I would really appreciate it. Thanks for your help.
Jeanne Landingham
Via e-mail |
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A). This one is so good it's worth
repeating - folks! The perfect food for a lunch or dinner that won't
slow you down and one of my favorites from the low-carb days. Notice
that I prefer to use thigh meat rather than breast meat. Try it and you
will find it to be much more moist and flavorful.
Chicken Lettuce Roll-ups Recipe
Dice up 3 skinless chicken thighs (2lbs.) add 1/2 cup finely minced
carrots, 1 cup minced green onion |
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and 2 minced garlic cloves. Sauté in a
non-stick pan with vegetable oil and season with a dash of soy sauce,
some sesame oil, 2 T. of roasted sesame seeds, a little crushed pepper
and finally 3 to 4 T. of hoisin sauce. Add some more uncooked minced
green onions and 1/2 cup crushed peanuts. Get a large head of iceberg
lettuce and carefully peel into large pieces. Scoop some of the filling
into the lettuce cups, roll up and bingo! I hope you like it! |
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Q). Do you have a recipe for pickled
chickens feet? My mom used to fix them years ago but I never learned how
to do it. I would so love to be able to make my own. Can you help me?
Carol, Via e-mailA). Hello
Carol - pickled chicken feet?! Folks, did I ever tell you the story about
when I was in China and the snack food on the street was grilled chicken
feet with a dash of chili. Local buddy Myles Williams was with us and
boy, oh boy does he love "dem feets". Man, he was in Hog-heaven and
couldn't get enough. Pickled feet, huh? Let's give it a try. Chicken
feet are available at most ethnic markets. They are available |
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cleaned and ready to process.
Pickled Chicken Feet Recipe
Make a brine
of 1/2 water and 1/2 distilled vinegar. Add salt & pepper, lots of
garlic, some chopped fresh Serrano or jalapeno, bay leaf, a touch of
sugar and crushed red pepper. Put the feet in the pot, cover and cook
until tender. I'm sure the flavor will be fantastic. Try making a soup
using only the feet, you will be amazed! Eat as a snack while watching
track meets, horse races or Animal Planet.
Q). John, Enjoy your column in Herald each Wednesday. I know you
have talked about sardines and would like some info about where to buy
them, some simple recipes and any other bits of advice. I have an
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Italian friend coming to visit and he
has requested that we cook sardines! Can you help please?
Cathy Doherty
Via e-mail
A). I've got the best advise in the world. Take your Italian
friend to Blue Moon on Cannery Row (375-4155). If that doesn't work for
you, go to Monterey Fish Co. on Wharf #2 (375-3511) and ask for Buster
Crab or Sally-boy. The very best way is to cook sardines is to grill
them after removal of the H&G's (head & guts). Just season with salt and
pepper, coat with some good olive oil and grill well. Serve with a
medium salsa, French bread and some ice cold wine or beer.
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