Watermelon Salad With Fried Shallots And Fish Sauce Recipes

ASIAN WATERMELON SALAD

Steps:

• Heat the peanut oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees F. Add the sliced shallot and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels; season with salt.
• Whisk 2 tablespoons of the frying oil, the chopped shallot, lime juice, fish sauce, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and jalapeno in a large bowl. Add the watermelon and toss to combine. Let sit 10 minutes.
• Add the cilantro, basil, mint and 2 tablespoons peanuts to the salad and season with salt; toss to combine. Top with the remaining 1 tablespoon peanuts and the fried shallot.

WATERMELON SALAD WITH FRIED SHALLOTS AND FISH SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare the dressing: Combine garlic, chiles and sugar in the bowl of a large mortar and pestle. Pound into a fine paste. Add fish sauce and stir with the pestle until the sugar is fully dissolved. Add the lime juice and stir with the pestle to incorporate. Alternatively, you can combine the garlic, chiles, palm sugar (chop it into bits with a heavy knife or cleaver if it came in solid chunks), fish sauce and lime juice in a blender. Blend until the garlic and chiles are finely chopped, and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
• Prepare the salad: If using homemade shallots, skip to Step 3. If using store-bought shallots, toast them dry in a large skillet over medium-low heat until deep caramel brown and aromatic, about 3 minutes. (Alternatively, you can toast the shallots on a sheet tray in an oven or toaster oven at 375 degrees until deep caramel brown, about 6 minutes). Season generously with salt and transfer to a bowl.
• Combine watermelon, onion, cucumber, mint, cilantro, peanuts, half of the fried shallots and ¼ cup dressing in a large bowl. Toss to combine. Taste and add more dressing as desired. (Excess dressing can be reserved in a sealed container in the fridge for up to two weeks.) Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with remaining shallots. Serve.

SPAGHETTI AGLIO E OLIO E FRIED SHALLOT

Steps:

• If using homemade shallots, skip to Step 2. If using store-bought shallots, toast them in a dry 12-inch skillet over medium heat until deep caramel brown and aromatic, about 3 minutes. Season generously with salt and transfer to a bowl.
• Smash the garlic cloves with the side of a knife and roughly mince. Set aside. Add a couple of inches of water and a large pinch of salt to the skillet, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until just shy of al dente (about a minute less than the package directions).
• Meanwhile, combine ¼ cup oil, the minced garlic, red-pepper flakes and a large pinch of salt in a large saucepan or skillet. Heat, stirring frequently, over medium-low until the garlic is very aromatic and just starting to turn pale gold in parts, about 5 minutes. It should maintain a very gentle sizzle the whole time it is cooking (adjust heat as necessary). When the garlic is done, shut off the heat, then, using a ladle or spoon, add a large splash of the pasta water to the pan with oil to halt the cooking. Add half the toasted shallots and stir.
• When the pasta is just shy of al dente, using tongs, transfer it to the pan with the garlic oil, allowing any liquid that clings to it to come along; reserve a bit of the pasta water. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Return the pan with the pasta and garlic oil to high heat, and cook, stirring and tossing constantly, until a creamy, emulsified sauce coats the pasta. (If the sauce looks watery, continue tossing and cooking. If it looks broken and oily, add some more pasta water a few tablespoons at a time and continue cooking until it emulsifies.) Stir in the parsley and chives (if using), season to taste with more salt (it can take quite a bit of salt), transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle with reserved toasted fried shallots and serve.

FRIED SHALLOT CAESAR SALAD

Steps:

• Prepare the shallot aioli: Combine shallots, egg, lemon juice, mustard, fish sauce, Worcestershire sauce and garlic in the bottom of a jar just wide enough to fit the head of an immersion blender (see Tip). Add the neutral oil, pouring it in slowly so that it forms a distinct layer on top of the other ingredients. Place the head of an immersion blender all the way at the bottom of the jar. Turn on the blender and slowly pull it up through the jar so that the oil is slowly incorporated and forms a creamy emulsion.
• Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Whisk in the extra-virgin olive oil, then whisk in water as needed until the dressing forms a light, creamy consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Prepare the salad: If using homemade shallots, skip to Step 4. If using store-bought shallots, toast the shallots in a large skillet over medium heat until deep caramel brown and aromatic, about 3 minutes. (Alternatively, you can toast the shallots on a sheet tray in an oven or toaster oven at 375 degrees until deep caramel brown, about 6 minutes.) Season generously with salt and transfer to a bowl.
• In a large bowl, toss the lettuce with a few tablespoons of the dressing, half of the fried shallots and the Parmesan until lightly coated. Taste some of it, then add more dressing and season to taste with salt and pepper as desired. Transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle with remaining fried shallots, grate some more Parmesan on top, garnish with anchovies (if using) and serve. Leftover dressing can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.