Pan Seared Cod with Grilled Summer Veggies

It's been quite a while since my last blog post, and a lot has happened since then: Had a beautiful baby, sleep deprivation set in, sold and bought a house, life got a bit hectic... So how do you go about summarizing the last two years? You don't. Let's get to cooking!

What I love about this dish is how there aren't really any crazy ingredients, just humble, basic stuff, but so very delicious.   I made this on the last day of summer and we really enjoyed it!

For the Cod:
4 cod fillets
2 tbsp. butter
1 garlic clove, grated or minced
salt to taste
1 tbsp capers to garnish

First, salt the cod.  Add the butter into a skillet and grate the garlic.  Turn up to medium heat.  Once the butter is melted, add the fish to the pan.  Cook undisturbed until it browns on one side, then flip and let it get nice and golden on the other side.  Remove from the pan and top with capers and a generous squeeze of lemon juice.

For the Vegetables:
3 medium zucchinis cut into slices lengthwise
1 large red bell pepper
3 lemons cut in half
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, grated
1/2 tsp. freshly chopped rosemary
1 tbsp good balsamic vinegar
3 sprigs of fresh oregano to garnish
salt  and freshly cracked pepper to taste

First, slice the zucchini and red bell peppers and place them on a grill pan or outdoor grill.  Allow the vegetables to cook enough to get the pretty grill marks and then transfer to a platter. Cut the lemons in half and place face down on the grill and allow them to char as well.  In a separate bowl, mix the olive oil, garlic and rosemary.  Once the veggies are on the platter, brush some of the olive oil mixture over them.  Then drizzle the balsamic vinegar over the veggies.  Add salt and pepper and serve.

Simple Roasted Salmon

I have been sort of lazy in my blogging as of late. It might be caused by the extreme heat we've been feeling in Texas this summer.  If you don't live in the Midwest, it's hard to really describe unless you're experiencing it.  It feels like the sun is shooting lasers at your skin if you're outside for more than 5 minutes.  There is no cloud coverage at all.  We had a slight reprieve when the temperatures dropped dramatically to 90 degrees during the day! Needless to say, this heat just zaps any energy you have.  It reminds me of the twilight zone episode called Midnight Sun where people are suffering extreme heat exhaustion because the sun is burning constant all day and night.  So what does this have to do with my blogging you might ask? Well the truth is that I just don't feel like cooking things that are hot, or cooking at all for that matter.  There have been days where I'll have cereal for dinner or crackers and deli meat.  The days that I do cook, I try to make stuff that isn't too heavy, and the last thing I feel like doing is messing with camera equipment, staging the shoot etc.  I am beyond ready for fall.  I have been trying my best to get into the spirit of the fall season but it's really hard to do that when it's still 108 degrees in the late afternoon.  I did manage to make a light roasted salmon which I served with a fresh green salad.  This is fast, easy and not too heavy if you're feeling the heat too.  Plus it doesn't take that long to cook so your oven won't emit heat for that long.  We all know how high the electricity bills are coming in trying to cool off our homes in Texas!

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs. fresh salmon fillets
1 bunch green onions
1 small onion cut into thin rounds
3 garlic cloves
2 tbsp. butter
1-2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
freshly cracked pepper
salt to taste

First, pre-heat your oven to 450 degrees.  Place the salmon in a baking dish and season with salt and pepper.  Cut thin pats of butter and place them on top of the salmon and underneath. Place the onion rounds under the salmon.  If you want to spray your baking sheet with non-stick spray that is probably a good idea to prevent the salmon from sticking.   Place in the oven for about 6 minutes.  Remove from the oven and flip the salmon over.  Season with salt and pepper.  Slice the green onions and grate the garlic.  Rub the grated garlic over the salmon and sprinkle the green onions on top.  Squeeze the lemon juice over the top and cook for another 4 minutes.  Remove from the oven and serve with a nice crisp salad.

Blackened Bass

Last summer my assistant went on a fishing trip and caught a ton of stripped bass.  I had never had stripped bass, but coincidentally, had researched the possibility of going out on fishing excursion for just that.  I grew up in Miami, and my dad was a fisherman for some time.  He did it for sport and was really good at it.  His love for for fishing was passed on to my brothers and I.  But alas, I moved to north Texas where there is nary an ocean in sight.  The closest one is probably Galveston, but that's still a ways away.  I had never done freshwater fishing, but there are several lakes in the area where you can fish for stripped bass, largemouth bass, sunfish, and several varieties of catfish.  I never went on that fishing trip because it was super expensive to hire a guide for half a day, and you could only catch 2 fish per person.  I figured I'd just go and spend the money on a nice piece of fish from whole foods since that was a sure thing.  My assistant went on a fishing trip again this summer, and she brought me back a nice fillet of stripped bass. I had never had it, but it was really good.  The texture was really firm and the fish was mild.  I was so thankful to her for bringing me a piece- I am now reconsidering that fishing trip since I liked it so much!

Ingredients:
1 lb. bass fillet (or any firm white fish)
2 tbsp. Cajun seasoning (I use this one)
2 tbsp. butter
2 garlic cloves, grated
2 tsbp. lemon juice
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 tsp. salt

First pre-heat your oven to broil on the medium setting.  Place the fish in a baking dish.  Grate the garlic and with a butter knife, spread a thin layer of the garlic over each piece of fish.  Next sprinkle the Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper over the fish.  I normally don't use seasoning blends as I find that I like to make them myself, but this is the exception- this is a great spice blend and is very versatile. Cut the butter into thin little slices and place the pats on top of the fish.  Squeeze the lemon juice over the fish and broil for about 9 minutes on the middle rack of your oven.  Garnish with the green onions and add more lemon if desired before serving.

Paella

This is my first attempt at Paella. As I've mentioned before, B. and I follow kosher laws so it's not your traditional Paella.  Traditional Paella has shrimp, fish, mussels, clams, and any other seafood you'd like to add. There are also other varieties that include chicken and even chorizo.  I decided on sticking to a simple fish paella for my first attempt, but if you're feeling more daring, go ahead and add any protein you'd like.  You could also make it a vegetarian Paella if you're not into meat by adding lots of fresh veggies like asparagus and artichokes.

Ingredients:
2 onions, medium
6-8 cloves garlic
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
2 bay leaves
4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3 cups Valencia rice
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tsp. crush saffron threads
1 1/2 lbs. cod
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 tbsp. salt
2 tbsp.  fresh chopped parsley for garnishing
1 lemon cut into wedges for squeezing at the end
red pepper flakes for sprinkling at the end, optional

First finely dice the onion and green pepper and grate the garlic cloves.  Add three tbsp. of olive oil to a non-stick pan with a lid and turn the heat to medium high.  While the oil heats, cut the red pepper into slivers.  Add the onions, garlic, peppers and bay leaf to the oil, reserving about half of the red peppers for later.   Stir everything around and cook bring down the heat to medium.  Cook for about 5 minutes and then transfer to a holding plate.  Wash the rice really well, until the water runs clear and drain it well.  Cut the fish into large chunks and set aside.Turn the heat up to medium high and add the rice into the pan.  Saute, making sure to evenly and lightly toast the rice.  Turn the heat to high,   and add in the onions, garlic, and peppers that were in the holding plate and combine well.  Next add in the chicken stock, wine,  and the saffron threads.  Stir everything around and let everything cook until about half of the liquid has evaporated.  Now add the fish gently into the pan, along with the rest of the red peppers and the peas. Cover the pot with a lid and turn the heat to low.  Let everything cook undisturbed for about 15 minutes.  Let the Paella sit with the heat off  and the lid on for an additional 5 minutes before serving.

When serving, plate the paella into a dish and add a little freshly chopped parsley to the top.  Also, squeeze a little lemon juice and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil.  For those who like it hot, sprinkle a few crushed red pepper flakes.  Voila.... or should I say Ole?

Baja Fish Tacos

This was sooooo good. I can't even think of a proper introduction, other than telling you that you should really go make these.  Serve with an ice cold corona and lime and you'll forget it's the middle of winter.  It's summer somewhere no?

For the fish:
2 lbs firm white fish like grouper ( I used a mix of grouper and cod)
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 bottle of light beer (I used Corona)
1 lime
salt and pepper to taste
canola oil for frying

If you're using frozen fish, thaw it out and take a paper towel to dab off the excess water.  Cut the fish into cubes and season with a little lime juice, salt and pepper.   In a separate bowl, add the dry ingredients.  Dust the fish  in the dry ingredients first to create a coat that the batter will adhere to.  Once the fish is lightly coated with flour set aside.  Add the beer into the dry ingredients along with a little salt and whisk well.  Add the canola oil to a non-stick skillet and turn the heat to medium high. Once the oil is hot, begin dunking the chunks of fish into the batter and transfer to the oil.  Fry until one side is golden brown and then flip.  Transfer the cooked pieces of fish to a plate lined with paper towel.  Repeat until all of the fish is cooked.

For the cabbage pico de gallo slaw:
1/2 cup red cabbage
1/2 cup white cabbage
2 whole tomatoes
1 garlic clove
2 limes (juice and zest)
1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro
Finely shred the cabbage and transfer to a bowl.  Zest the lime into the bowl and then squeeze the juice into the bowl.  Grate the garlic and add to the bowl.  Wash the tomatoes well and chop into chunks, removing the seeds first.   Lastly chop up the cilantro and add to the bowl, season the slaw with salt and  make sure to combine all of the ingredients well.

For the spicy sauce:
1/2 cup low-fat mayo
1/4 cup low fat sour cream
2 tbsp. hot sauce (like tabasco)
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. lime juice
1 garlic clove, grated
salt to taste

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl, whisking well until no lumps are visible.  You can add more or less hot sauce depending on how spicy you like it.

Assembling the tacos and extra ingredients:
2 corn tortillas (two should be enough per person, but for those with a hefty appetite, you may need three)
1 liberal spoonful of the pico de gallo slaw
3 pieces fish
1 tbsp. spicy sauce
1 tbsp. crumbled feta cheese

To assemble the tacos, warm up the tortillas in the microwave for 20 seconds.  Next place three pieces of fish on each tortilla and spoon some of the pico de gallo slaw over the fish.  Spread a little of the spicy sauce and top with some crumbled feta.  Serve with some sliced avocado, a few lime wedges and an ice-cold corona.

Enjoy!

Cod in a Light Coconut Lime Curry Sauce

I was in the mood for a hot comforting meal since it’s been really hectic at work and the temperatures dropped way down today.  These flavors are always so comforting to me, the warming ginger, the mellow coconut milk, this mild but firm fish and the balance of acidity from the lime juice fit together perfectly.

Ingredients:

4 cod fillets
1 small onion
2 tbsp. fresh green pepper
2 tbsp. fresh red pepper
1 tbsp.  fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 garlic cloves
1 can coconut milk
1 ½  tbsp. red curry paste
Juice of one lime
2 tbsp green onions
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
salt

Dice the onion, peppers, and mince the garlic and ginger. Saute in a little olive oil for about 5 minutes on medium heat. Add the curry paste to the pot and blend in.  Add the coconut milk, salt, and cayenne and let it simmer for about 5 minutes and stir well.  Next gently add in the fish fillets.  Let the fish and squeeze the lime into the pot.  Blend the sauce well, making sure not to disturb the fish too much.  Allow everything to cook for about 10 minutes on medium heat.  Serve over fragrant Jasmine rice.

Grilled Salmon, Brown Butter Caper Sauce, and Grilled Mushrooms and Spinach

The thing I really like about this dish is how light it feels.  You won't feel like you ate a ton of bricks after eating this.  Mainly because there are not a lot of carbs to this meal, but really you won't miss them. I promise.  The sauce adds a luxurious touch without overpowering the dish. All in all, it was pretty satisfying.

Salmon:

4 Salmon steaks

1 tsp. butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Make sure to remove the skin and using a paper towel dab off excess water.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add butter to a skillet and allow for it to get hot but not scorching, I set my heat to med-high.  Place the fillets on the pan and allow for them to cook, browning on the outside.  About 3 minutes on each side should do the trick. Remove from the skillet and allow the fish to rest for a minute or two.  Drizzle one or two tablespoons of the brown butter sauce over the fish.  Recipe below.

Sauce:

1 tbsp. flour

2 tbsp. butter

1/3 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup white wine

2 tbsp. cream

2 tbsp. capers with brine

1 pinch grated nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

In a saucepan, begin to melt the butter on medium heat.  Allow the butter to cook , you'll notice that it will bubble and begin to start browning.  Swirl it around when this begins to happen.  The butter should be a light golden color, do not let it burn.  Next add the flour and combine.  Next add the stock and wine and using a whisk, begin vigorusly mixing.  Making sure to break any clumps.   Next season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg and mix again.  Add the cream and capers and blend well. Make sure to add some of the caper brine to the sauce about 1 tsp.   Smooth the sauce out with your whisk and drizzle over the fish.

Mushrooms:

1 pint cremini mushrooms

1 tbsp. butter

salt and pepper to taste

Season the mushrooms.  Add the butter to a non-stick pan and allow it to get hot.  Add the mushrooms and begin sauteing until they're nice and golden brown. You want the heat really high for this, otherwise, they'll begin to stew and not caramelize.

Spinach:

1 large bag of baby spinach leaves

1 small onion finely diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tbsp. olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Finely dice the onions and mince the garlic. Saute in the pan with the olive oil. Once the onions are tender,  turn up the heat and add the spinach.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Cook the spinach just long enough to wilt it, but not so long that it's mushy.  About 3 or 4 minutes should be enough time.  I nice shaved piece of Pecorino over this would have been awesome, but I was out. Parmigiano Reggiano would have worked well too, but I didn't have that either.

Cod with Leeks and Cherry Tomatoes

This meal is perfect for the hotter longer days of summer or late spring. The tomatoes were exquisitely sweet and paired with the tartness of the lemon, plus the tang of the leeks made for a perfect combo.  Did I mention it was super easy to make?

Adapted from Martha Stewart's recipe :
4 Pieces cod (about 6 oz. each)
1 leek (light green and white part only)
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 garlic cloves
2 tbsp. butter
2-3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
6 slices of lemon, seeds removed
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.  Trim the leeks of the dark green parts.  Slice the leek in half and make sure to wash really well.  Lots of dirt gets in between the stalks of leeks so you have to make sure to really get in there and wash it thoroughly.  Dice the leeks and toss into a cast iron skillet or a baking dish. Add one tbsp. of butter, one grated garlic clove, salt, pepper and the juice of half the lemon.  Add the skillet to the oven and cook the leeks for about 15 minutes, stirring once to even out the butter and lemon.  Remove from the heat and set aside.   You should have a nice bed of leeks to lay your fish and tomatoes on. Remove any excess water the cod might have with paper towels and season each side with kosher salt and pepper.  Place the cod steaks on top of the bed of leeks, and then add the cherry tomatoes, and slices of lemon throughout. Grate the other garlic clove and using a butter knife spread a thin layer on top of each piece of cod. Chop the thyme and sprinkle over everything. Put the skillet back in the oven and cook for about 15 minutes.  Serve piping hot.

Salmon Chowder with Gluten-Free Biscuits

This salmon chowder is chunky and holds up to the meatiness of the salmon.  It was a hit at home and the biscuits are perfect for dunking into the creamy soup.

For the chowder:

1 tbsp butter

1 leek

1 white onion

3 cloves garlic

2 tsp arrowroot

1 potato (peeled and cubed)

1 sweet potato (peeled and cubed)

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup cream

4 quarts chicken or vegetable stock

4 tbsp. fresh chopped dill

1 lemon (juice)

2 lbs. salmon fillet

pinch grated nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

First chop up the onions and leeks and saute in a deep pot with butter for about 15 minutes on medium low heat.  Grate one garlic clove and add it to the pot.  Next add the stock and the potatoes and sweet potatoes.  While the potatoes cook, remove the skin from the salmon, season with salt and pepper, and saute with a little olive oil in a non-stick pan, just enough to brown both sides.  Cut the salmon into chunks.  In this soup, I let the potatoes cook to the point that they crumbled, to act as a thickener.  I usually use flour, but since I'm doing the whole gluten free bit,  I decided this would be a good alternative.  I also use a little arrowroot, but too much of this stuff really muddys up the taste.  If you have an immersion blender, now would be a good time to whip that out.  I don't have one so I just did it without it and it turned out fine.    Now begin seasoning your soup by adding the nutmeg, two grated garlic cloves, salt, pepper and chopped dill.  Combine well. Add the cream now and blend well.  Next add the Parmesan cheese and let it melt into the soup.  Whisk well and add the cream.  Lastly add the salmon chunks and lemon juice and allow the soup to simmer.  Do not stir too much after add the salmon, because it will break into little pieces, and the beauty of this soup is that it has nice meaty bits of salmon in this delicate broth.  


I have to say that I know I've featured biscuits here before (the ones with the chili recently) but these are by far the best batch I've made. 


For the biscuits:
3 cups cheddar cheese
4 eggs
1/2 cup flax meal
1/2 cup unflavored whey powder
1/2 cup oat flour

1/2 cup almond meal
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/3 cup plain yogurt
2 tbsp. agave nectar
1 bunch scallions finely chopped
1 tbsp salt
1 pinch garlic powder

First pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Add the cheese to a bowl.  Crack the eggs, add the yogurt and agave nectar and mix in.  Next add the flax meal, blend.  Add the whey powder, blend.  Add the oat flour and blend. Basically add all of the flours and meals and baking powder and incorporate well.  Add the scallions and mix.  lastly, season with salt, and garlic powder and blend one last time.  The mixture will be really sticky.  Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray and scoop the mixture into each slot.  Bake for 22 minutes.  Serve with soup.

Salmon Canapes: My Favorite Dish I've Blogged So Far

 Of all the dishes I've posted... this is my favorite. Unfortunately, when I posted the original recipe, I still had my old camera which took sub-mediocre pictures on a good day. I made the dish again tonight and decided to post the recipe again with new, clearer images. This time I made the canape bread from scratch and topped it with the same ingredients listed in the original recipe. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as Brandon and I have. A chilled glass of Prosecco pairs beautifully with this.

Parmesean Crusted Cod with Whipped Cauliflower & Chive Parmesean Buttermilk Biscuits

On Tuesday night I wanted to surprise Brandon with a romantic candle-lit dinner at home. He's been working late since they're allowing employees to work 4, 10-hour days instead of 5 8-hour days. He mentioned he would be leaving around 7:00 so I knew I had a couple of hours to plan a nice romantic meal. I decided to make Parmesan-herb crusted salmon whipped cauliflower, a salad with home-made dressing and chive, green onion, and Parmesan buttermilk biscuits. I set out the nice china and and glassware and put out a bottle of Prosecco. I lit the candles and turned off all the lights and played classical music in the background. He was very surprised when he got home and found this nice meal waiting for him. Unfortunately, I was too tired to take pictures that evening and we ended up eating all of the salmon, so I made the same thing (since I had the crust mixture left over) but I made it with Cod since it was all I had on hand. We had such a nice meal together with no distractions- no TV or phone or computer- NOTHING. It was a lovely evening.

Herb Crusted Cod:
1 lb cod fillets
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp. dried chives
2 tbsp. dried parsley
3 tbsp. lemon juice
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (not the grated Kraft kind, the kind that comes in a bag in the refrigerated section)
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs plus more for topping the fish
1/2 stick butter
Pepper to taste. I didn't add salt because the Parmesan cheese is salty.

Pat dry the cod fillets. Take a foil-lined cookie sheet and lightly butter the pan to avoid sticking. Place the cod on the pan. In a bowl or Tupperware, mix the mayo, herbs, cheese, bread crumbs and lemon juice until you have a nice paste. Spoon this mix over each piece of fish and spread evenly. Coat the top of the fish with Panko breadcrumbs. Cut small slivers of butter and put several pieces on top of the fish to allow the topping to brown evenly. Bake on a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes. Broil on low heat for 2 minutes watching closely to avoid burning, to allow the top to brown.


For the Cauliflower:
3 heads of cauliflower
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup fat-free half and half
1 cup 2% shredded mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Boil the cauliflower and drain when fork tender. In a food processor, throw all of the ingredients in and blend until the mixture is nice and creamy. Put in a casserole dish and top with Mozzarella. Bake until the cheese is hot and bubbling.

For the biscuits:
1& 1/4 cup chilled buttermilk
1 stick butter
1/2 cup chopped fresh chives
2 cups flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tbsp. dried chives

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray. Combine buttermilk and chives in a bowl. Add all of the dry ingredients to the buttermilk. Next add the cheese and combine well. Add the butter to form a sticky paste. Using an ice cream scoop, add the mixture to the muffin pan. Brush the tops with butter and sprinkle a little coarse salt to the top. Bake until nice and golden brown-about 20 minutes. Make sure to test the center with a toothpick to make sure it comes out clean.

Fish Fry

You can probably tell I've been watching episodes of Tyler Florence's food network show lately... as I was watching this episode my mouth was watering.  This meal is not exactly great for the ol' saddlebags, but definitely delicious!



(Recipe adapted from Tyler Florence)
Ingredients for the fish:
Canola oil, for deep frying
2 cups rice flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 teaspoons salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1 (12-ounce) can soda water
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 (8-ounce) cod fillets cut in 1/2 on an angle
1/2 cup rice flour, for dredging
2 tbsp cornmeal

Heat 3 inches of the oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Combine soda water and egg and pour into the flour mixture. Whisk to a smooth batter. Spread the rice flour on a plate. Dredge the fish pieces in the rice flour and then dip them into the batter, letting the excess drip off. Fry the fish and chips for 4 to 5 minutes until crispy and brown. Remove the basket and drain the fish and chips on paper towels; season lightly with salt.


Ingredients for Hush Puppies:
1 cup yellow cornmeal
¾ cup self-rising flour
1 teaspoon Sea Salt
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon cayenne
½ cup onion 1 bunch chives, finely chopped
1 egg, whisked
1/4 cup shredded Sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup buttermilk Directions:

Preheat deep fryer to 375 degrees F. Mix all of the ingredients together and form into little balls. Fry until golden brown and crunchy.


Ingredients for cole slaw:
1 bag Cole slaw greens
¼ cup finely diced onions
1/3 cup sugar 1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper¼ cup milk
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup buttermilk
1 ½ tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tbsp. poppy seeds
Juice of 1 lemon

Directions:
Mix all of the wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl along with the salt and pepper. Whisk until nice and creamy. Next add onions and the bag of greens and combine with the dressing. Add the poppy seeds and incorporate well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours. I personally think it taste better the next day but that’s just me.

For the tartar sauce mix 1/2 cup mayo and 2 tbsp. dill relish. And for the cocktail sauce mix 1/2 ketchup, 1 tsp. horseradish and 2 tsp. lemon juice.
Phew! That sure was a lot of cooking!

Seared Ahi with Nori Rice Cakes

This dish is a whimsical interpretation of sushi and a little less complicated.  I

For the Tuna Marinade:
3 cloves of Garlic
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup light tasting olive oil
1 lime
3 Tbsp. Sriracha
1/3 cup water
1 1/2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tbsp Mirin

Run the garlic through the micro plane and mix all of the ingredients. Leave the tuna marinating over night or at least 4 hours.





For the Rice Cakes:

1 1/2 cups Sushi Rice
2 cups water
2 green onion stalks
1/2 red onion
3 toasted nori sheets
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 hass avocado

Prepare the rice according to package directions. After the rice has cooked and set a bit, transfer it to a large mixing bowl. Set aside. Next finely slice the red onion and add to the rice. Slice the green onion on the bias (small pieces) and add to the bowl. Next take the sheets of Nori and with a pair of kitchen shears, begin to cut little it into little pieces. Add to the rice. Add the rest of the ingredients and combine well. In a non-stick frying pan, add 1/2 a tsp. of olive oil to the pan and turn the heat to med. high. Take a ring mold and lightly grease the sides so that the rice does not stick. Begin putting the rice mix into the ring mold and press down to make it compact. After it is well formed, add it to the pan. Let the cakes cook until a crisp layer is formed. Gently flip the rice cake over and cook until the other side crisps. Transfer to your serving dish. Slice an avocado and place on top of the rice cake.

Lastly, take a non-stick pan and add 1 tsp. of toasted sesame oil. Take the tuna steaks out of the marinade and sear on either side for about 1-1 1/2 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow it to rest for 3 minutes. Sliced thinly and serve next to the rice cakes.

Whatever you do, do not throw away the marinating liquid. it totally makes the dish so much tastier. After you remove the Tuna from the hot pan, take the marinating liquid and cook it down until it turns to a nice deep glaze. The brown sugar in the sauce will cause it to caramelize beautifully. I served this on the side and it wasgood- really HOT, but good. It made my lips tingle. Lastly, sprinkle some black sesame seeds over the tuna and serve.

Mongolian Beef and Salmon- My Attempt at the PF Chang's Favorite

Lately we have been trying to curb our restaurant visits to save some money  so  I've been trying to recreate my favorite meals from different restaurants. This past Friday, (our usual dinner date night) I made Vegetable fried rice with Mongolian Beef (for me) and Salmon for Brandon.


The rice:
2 1/2 cups short grain brown rice
4 1/2 cups water
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 small onion diced
2 garlic cloves minced
1/2 red bell pepper extra finely diced
1 bunch scallions sliced on a bias
1 box of baby bella mushrooms
6 eggs- scrambled
Soy sauce- to your liking


First wash the rice well and drain it well. In a pot or pressure cooker (I use the pressure cooker because it cuts the cooking time in half but this is totally optional) sauté the uncooked rice until nice and toasty. Next add the water. If you are using a regular pot, top with the lid once the water has evaporated about two thirds of the way and bring the heat to low. If you are using a pressure cooker, put the lid on and cook at medium heat for about 10 to 15 minutes. I then turn off the heat and run the pressure cooker under cold water to release the steam. Next I take a fine mesh colander and dump the rice in there to rinse with water. This removes the excess starch from the rice and helps it to not stick. Fried rice is usually better when made with left over rice, but I didn't have any already made. If the rice is not tender enough I put it back in the pressure cooker and add a bit more water to finish cooking it off. Then I repeat the rinsing process. Phew! Leave the rice in the colander while you make the rest of the dish.

The next thing I did was sauté all of the vegetables on really hot heat with a little canola oil. Make sure to sauté the veggies in batches. You don't want to cook them all at once because then they'll stew and get soggy. First I did the carrots and as they cooked I transfered them over to a large bowl. Next I sautéed the brocoli. then the onions, bell pepper and garlic. I kept adding the newly cooked veggies to the bowl. Next I sliced the mushrooms and sauteed those as well and added to the bowl. Then I scrambled the eggs and cooked them in the pan. With a silicone coated whisk I kept whisking the eggs until they were fully cooked- this eliminated large clumps of eggs. Lastly, removed the eggs and put them into my bowl. I added a little canola oil to the wok and let it get really hot. Then I added all of the veggies, egg and rice and started sautéeing it. Once it was thoroghly combined and hot, I added soy sauce and mixed. And that was that for the rice.

For the Fish and Beef
1 cup cornstarch (for the beef only)
1 cup Tamari or regular soy sauce
1/2 water
2 cloves garlic
1/8 tsp. fresh minced ginger
1 tbsp. canola oil
2 tbsp. dark brown sugar
1 bunch scallions
8 oz. Salmon
8 oz. Skirt Steak

The first thing you do for this dish is you cut up the skirt steak into pieces (against the grain and not too small) and set aside. Coat the beef in cornstarch well and brown in a pan with a little oil. Once the beef is cooked through, set aside. Now you will begin to make the sauce by taking the canola oil and add it to the pan along with the sugar. You combine this mix and let it get very hot. but don't let it scortch. Then you run your garlic through the microplane or press and add to the mix along with the ginger- and folks a little ginger goes a LONG way so go easy on this. You can always add more if you like but I think 1/8 of a teaspoon is sufficient. Next you add the soy sauce (I like Kikoman a lot better than any other brand I've tried. It's a lot richer) water and stir. You bring the temperature down a to medium high heat and let the sauce reduce a bit. Once the sauce is reduced, you add the scallions until cooked through. I like my scallions with a little bit of bite so I don't cook them all the way. Add the beef pieces to the sauce and coat well.

For the fish, you'll basically repeat the same steps except I don't dust with cornstarch first. I make the sauce the same way as listed before. I basically just added the fish to a non-stick pan with a little oil. I let it sear well before adding the sauce to pan. Once cooked through I removed the fish and serve. I did the same thing with the steak- I seared it really well and added the sauce. After cooking it for a little while the sauce turns into a glaze that coats the meat. You can do this with chicken too if you prefer.

Open-Faced Tuna Sandwich with Avocado

Tuna sandwiches can be really boring, but so convenient when you need a fast lunch.  I think adding the avocado to this sandwich dresses it up a bit, but more importantly gives you a dose of healthy fats.

Ingredients:
Whole wheat bread, sliced
1 can tuna- packed in water
2 tbsp.  mayo
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley, and dill
1 green onion chopped
1/2 a lemon's juice
1 hass avocado
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

First toast the bread with a little olive oil. Next take the can of tuna and drain well. Make sure you get rid of all of the excess liquid. Combine the tuna, mayo,  lemon juice, onions, herbs and salt until the mixture is nice and creamy. Top the bread with the tuna salad and then top it with cheese. Next take the avocado and slice thinly. Place on top of the sandwich and drizzle with olive oil. Season the top with a little salt and fresh ground pepper.

Smoked salmon platter with creamy dill spread

I absolutely love smoked salmon.  Usually if there is an item on the menu with this ingredient I will order it. It is one of the reasons I came up with this dish. The saltiness of the capers, combined with the cool touch of the dilled cream cheese spread, and the crunch of the fresh greens and red onion allow for the perfect balance of flavors, not to mention, really stand up to the pungent taste of the salmon. So here's how you make it.


Ingredients:
1 package smoked salmon
1/4 cup freshly chopped dill
1 lemon (juice)
1/4 cup sliced red onion
1 garlic clove, grated
1 tbsp. capers (with brine)
1 1/2 cups spring greens
2 tbsp. light tasting olive oil

For the Spread
4 oz. cream cheese
1 handful of  fresh dill, chopped
3 tbsp. lemon juice


Take the package of salmon and thinly slice it.


Peel the red onion, and grab a large handful of dill and finely chop. Next using your microplane finely grate the garlic clove. Add all of the ingredients to a bowl.


Take the juice of a lemon and squeeze into the mixture. With your microplane, zest a quarter of the lemon and combine with the ingredients


Add two tablespoons of olive oil and mix with the rest of the ingredients.The next thing you do is add the salmon to this mixture and let it marinade while you make the spread.

For the spread:
Add the cream cheese and a handful of dill and run through the food processor. Mix well until the dill is finely chopped and the mixture is nice and creamy. Serve on a platter with the salmon and greens and flatbread. Enjoy!