Recipes From Chef Harold Dieterle

Mar. 8, 2011— -- 'Top Chef' winner and restaurateur Harold Dieterle is known for his ability to blend Asian influences with American cuisine and make creative and delicious dishes.

Here are his recipes for crispy calamari and watercress salad and spicy duck meatballs.

Crispy Calamari and Watercress Salad with Peanuts, Mint and Chili-Lime Vinaigrette

Serves 4

Ingredients for the Mint and Chili-Lime Vinaigrette:

½ cup lime juice

¼ cup soy oil

3 tablespoons fish sauce

2 Thai chilis

1 clove garlic

2 tablespoons palm sugar

Preparing the Vinaigrette:

Add the lime juice, oil, fish sauce, chilis, garlic, and palm sugar to a blender. Puree, till smooth and strain. Set aside in a bowl.

Ingredients for the Salad:

Soy Oil

½ cup flour

1 cup soda water soda water

8 ounces cleaned baby calamari

1 tablespoon shallots, minced

1 tablespoon chives, minced

2 tablespoons mint, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparing the Crispy Calamari and Watercress Salad:

Strain the batter to remove and lumps. In a bowl, coat the watercress and calamari in tempura batter then place in the oil to deep-fry until golden brown in batches, approximately 3 minutes.

Lay on paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Place the crispy watercress and calamari in a bowl and mix with shallots, chives, mint leaves, salt and pepper, coat with mint and chili-lime dressing and serve immediately.

Spicy Duck Meatballs with Mint Cavatelli and Quail Egg

Serves 4

Ingredients for the the Mint Cavatelli:

½ cup flour

1 tablespoon ricotta cheese

1 egg

1 tablespoon chopped mint

1 teaspoon salt

Preparing the Mint Cavatelli:

Mix all ingredients together in a small mixer. Allow the dough to rest 20 minutes. Roll out using a cavatelli maker/board. Cook the cavatelli in salted boiling water for 1 minute, remove and allow to cool.

Ingredients for the Duck Meatballs:

3 teaspoons olive oil

1 onion, very finely chopped

5 cloves garlic, very finely chopped

1 pound ground duck

1 tablespoon coarsely chopped basil

2 tablespoons Asian chili sauce, such as sriracha or sambal

¼ cup panko

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

3 shallots, sliced crosswise

2 plum tomatoes, chopped

½ cup white wine

8 cups duck stock

8 sprigs fresh thyme

1 tablespoon chopped mint

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

4 quail eggs

Preparing the Spicy Duck Meatballs:

Preheat oven to 425 F. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and 3 cloves garlic. Cook, stirring, until translucent, about 5 minutes; remove from heat and let cool in the refrigerator. Place ground duck in a bowl, add cooled onion and garlic mixture, plus basil, chili sauce, egg yolk and panko and form into 1 ½- to 2- inch balls. Place meatballs on a baking sheet and cook in the oven for 10 minutes.

Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add remaining 2 cloves garlic, 1 shallot, and plum tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add wine and cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Add duck stock and thyme and let simmer for 20 minutes. Strain liquid through a fine mesh strainer set over another large saucepan, discarding solids. Place meatballs in the liquid and simmer over medium heat, until cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Preparing the Whole Dish:

Heat remaining teaspoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add remaining 2 shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add meatballs, cavatelli, mint, cooking liquid, and butter; let cook for 2 minutes.

To plate, place 5 meatballs, some broth and cavatelli in a shallow bowl. Top with grated parmesan cheese and a raw quail egg.