Spring Garlic Oil Poached Tuna with Cannellini and Fava Beans

 Certain Someone and I just spent an amazing long weekend in San Francisco. My head is still reeling from all the sensational tastes, sights, and sounds of our trip. San Francisco and the whole Bay Area is truly a culinary inspiration, and no wonder so many great chefs gravitate to the region. Can you really be  a bad cook in San Francisico with all the great offerings? It's insane. I have so much to write about this short little visit, but that will come later. One thing I was itching to do was get back to my kitchen and experiment with some of the goodies I brought back.One item being the famous heirloom cult like Rancho Gordo Beans, of which I have heard about , but have never seen. I also stuffed some fantastic bulbous Spring Garlic I purchased from the Farmers Market at the Ferry Plaza. Resembling a red onion, I have been using these babies all week, thinly sliced like scallions from the bulb to the tops.  I decided to make an oil poached tuna as a riff on Cannellini beans and tuna as a salad. Instead I decided to make a warm dish and throw in a few seasonal Fava beans for color. While at Cafe de la Presse , which my new buddy Denise from Chez Us recommended and you can see below, I noticed they made their own tuna confit for the Salade Nicoise.That little nugget of information served as even more inspiration for me.

Spring Garlic Oil Poached Tuna with Cannellini and Fava Beans

The Beans

2 cups  Dry Rancho Gordo  Runner Cannellini Beans

1 Shallot sliced in half

1/2  Spring Garlic Sliced Thin

1 cup chicken stock

olive oil

sea salt

Ground Black Pepper

Bay Leaf

The Oil Poach

 1/2 Spring Garlic sliced thin

2 cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tsp  dried Thyme or a few sprigs of fresh

A few slices of organic lemon

2  red tuna fillets

sea salt

 fresh ground black pepper

Fava Beans ( shelled and par boiled)

Soak your dried Cannellini Beans in cold water for 6 hours. Rancho Gordo says soaking isn't always necessary but cooking time will be longer. However I was advised at purchase, not to soak overnight  or for longer periods. Place beans and water in a pot with the shallot sliced in half, spring garlic, bay leaf, and chicken stock. Simmer for a few hours until done( 2-3 hours). Season with salt and pepper towards the end of cooking.

Shell and parboil your Fava Beans, removing the second waxy casing after the par boil. Set aside.

Season your tuna steak with sea salt and pepper. Set aside and keep cool in the refrigerator.

In a small sauce pan layer the slices of spring onion, thyme , salt and pepper ,and pour in 2 cups of the olive oil. Heat up the oil to 130 F until hot. Take off heat and add the lemon slices. Allow the garlic and lemon to infuse the oil for at least 15 minutes. Gradually heat oil again and keep on a very low heat. Add the tuna steak and carefully spoon the oil over the tuna. Slowly poach for 10 minutes on a very low heat.Turn tuna over half way. Do not allow the oil to bubble on high. The tuna will be slightly pink, but more to the done side, not rare.

With a slotted spoon , dish the Cannellini Beans, and some Fava Beans onto your plate. Place  the tuna,and drizzle the infused olive oil over the tuna and the beans. Garnish with the  Spring Garlic within the poaching oil.
Serve with an additional squeeze of lemon juice

Baked Cheesy Cauliflower and Baked Grouper Steaks in Parchment Paper...Low Calorie and Tasty Recipes

I hope everyone is settling into the New Year. This week was action packed with some of the goals I mentioned in the last post for the Ten in Ten Challenge.Staring last Sunday I have successfully maintained a 1200 a day calorie intake using My Fitness Pal as a Guide. Counting calories is a drag but this application on my phone makes its easier and I can save foods and info to use again. So it does get easier. I'm not for deprivation at all,and have incorporated going out and social functions in the mix. So yes I have a had a glass or two of wine, just knowing that goes against my calorie intake. I joined a gym and worked out 3 days in a row. Entering the workouts of course increased my calorie allotment because of what was burned. All this activity had me loosing 1 pound by Fridays weigh in. Not bad and totally in syncs with my goals.So that's my brief week and I don't want to bore you any more , for Ten in Ten.
I was craving a good fish, so I went to a fish wholesaler and settled on Grouper for the price and size. I love Isaacson and Stein .
Its a gritty place and any sort of fish you want is there fresh or frozen. Once you pay, they can clean it and gut it. I had mine cut up in steaks. I had him give the head and tail for stock later.Big mistake as Certain Someone is funny about bones and such. He like his fish totally filleted and devoid of skin and bones. While he liked this dish , he wasn't a happy camper with the bones.But the big firm chunks of white fleshed Grouper are so satisfying and pretty mild in flavor. As for me, I love a good fish steak. You can make this recipe in either form. Another cool time saving fact is that you can bake them at the same time on a lipped baking sheet. They finish in about 15 minutes.

I found another site to give you an idea of how many calories are in each recipe. The information comes courtesy of Calorie Count. I have used other sites before to calculate, so its great when you want to create but also need a idea of what the nutritional value is. This whole dinner comes in at 499 calories . Not bad at all.Click on the detailed links at the end of each recipe for a complete analysis.

Baked Cheesy Cauliflower

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 124.5g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 123 Calories from Fat 68

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 7.5g 12%

Saturated Fat 4.7g 23%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 21mg 7%

Sodium 166mg 7%

Total Carbohydrates 6.9g 2%

Dietary Fiber 1.7g 7%

Sugars 3.3g

Protein 8.1g

Vitamin A 5% • Vitamin C 53% Calcium 21% • Iron 2%

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet Nutritional details are an estimate and should only be used as a guide for approximation.

Serves 4
Ingredients

1	head Cauliflower
4	cloves Garlic
1/2	cup Low fat milk
1	tbsp unsalted butter
3/4	cup low moisture mozzarella cheese
	salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Steam head of cauliflower and garlic cloves until soft. Drain, add milk. Mash with immersion blender. Add cheese and butter and mix until blended. Spoon in ramekins and bake at 450 F until golden.
More info here.

Baked Grouper Steaks in Parchment Paper

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 262.3g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 376

Calories from Fat 139

% Daily Value^*

Total Fat 15.4g 24%

Saturated Fat 2.4g 12%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 95mg 12%

Sodium 158mg 7%

Total Carbohydrates 6.2 g 2%

Dietary Fiber 1.5g 6%

Protein 1.3g

Sugars 1.1g

Vitamin A 10 %	•	Vitamin C 39%
Calcium 1%	•	Iron 4%

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Nutritional details are an estimate and should only be used as a guide for approximation.

Serves 2
Ingredients

2	grouper steaks
1	tomato chopped
1/3	cup chopped sun dried tomatoes
1	dried onion flakes
1	tsp balsamic
1 1/2	tbsp olive oil
	salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Wash and dry Grouper steaks.Place in the middle of a piece of parchment paper. Mix chopped tomato, sun dried tomato, salt, pepper, dried onion flaked, balsamic, and some olive oil in a bowl. Spoon tomato mixture on top of fish . Drizzle remaining oil on top. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Fold and seal grouper in the parchment paper. Bake at 450 f for approx 10-15 minutes or until paper starts to brown.
More Info here.

Fried Smelts , A Meme, and A Request

Over the next months most of us will be eating out fair share of Turkeys, Geese,duckings, and other game to celebrate the holidays depending on our cultures and regions. Some people like the Italians even manage to create seafood feats around the holidays.
A fish that has always captured my attention and liking has been the lowly smelt. I'm not sure of its popularity in other areas of the world, but in the this salt water fish found at the mouths of rivers,can be found Midwest, and even east and west coasts. Tiny and and sardine like that are eaten by salmon and lake trout and are often served fried or eaten whole and live. Used as bait, they are relatively cheap and very good for you. The roe is used as a garnish for many sushi.
Michele of Big Black Dogs turned me onto a great fish fry batter from Tyler Florence for fish and chips that I wanted to try out with my bag of flash frozen smelts. Rice flour, seltzer water, baking powder,egg, salt and pepper make a crunchy light delightful batter that cant be beat. Try it. These fried smelts even tasted good the following day in a sandwhich with some sauce and squeezed lemon

My new blogger friend Jamie at Life's A Feast( where has this sensation been hiding in my world, I'm so out of it!) awarded me The Over the Top Award. Never has that been so true. Now you all know I'm awful with sort of thing but I will answer this One Word Meme because its' my Birthday and I'm just fooling around today.

1. Where is your cell phone? Hand
2. Your hair? Nappy
3. Your mother? Heart
4. Your father? Peace
5. Your favorite food? Asian
6. Your dream last night? None
7. Your favorite drink? Wine
8. Your dream/goal? Success
9. What room are you in? Main
10. Your hobby? Cakes
11. Your fear? Poverty
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Europe
13. Where were you last night? Home
14. Something you aren’t? Unsure
15. Muffins? Meh
16. Wish list item? Weightloss
17. Where did you grow up? D.C
18. Last thing you did? Email
19. What are you wearing? PJ's
20. Your TV? On
21. Your pets? None
22. Friends? Many
23. Your life? Fascinating
24. Your mood? Wishful
25. Missing someone? Marc
26. Vehicle? Audi
27. Something you’re not wearing? Cosmetics
28. Your favorite store? Pete's
29.Your favorite color? Burgundy
30. When was the last time you laughed? Night
31. Last time you cried? Friday
32. Your best friend? Mommy
33. One place you go to over and over again? Store
34. One person who e-mails you regularly? Marc
35. Favorite place to eat? Home

Now I have to choose 6 bloggers to follow suite.

Jeanne Cooksister
Louise Month of Edible Celebrations
Michele Big Black Dogs
RJ Flamingo Flamingo Musings
The Duo Dishes
Marye Baking Delights

I know a lot of the over the Top People because birds of a feather flock together, just Im not so sure many actually do Memes. So it's hard to choose.



I'm awful at promoting myself. I guess that's something I need to work on more this year. I created this wonderful recipe ( Chestnut Stuffed Sesame Pork Chops with PAMA Balsamic Reduction) for the PAMA contest. I need you to make this Birthday Girl happy and vote for me. Vote every day if you like, because I really want to go to Aspen for the Food and Wine Classic. I think this recipe is worthy of that. Vote Here.

How to Cook Skate Wing Two Ways...Tea Smoked and Parmesan Crusted

I fell in love with Skate wing about 7 years ago. While shopping at Fox and Obel, the fish monger showed me this fan shaped wing and told me how to cook it for a dinner I was giving.A simple coat of flour and fry it up in lots of butter. I wowed my guests with the exception of one bitchy comment , who said I cook with to much butter and should watch it. Like I always cooked like that. She was the type of person who ordered plain poached salmon wherever she went. Not a daring food adventurer at all. I digress...

Years went by and skate wing barely bliped on my radar. Then one afternoon I had a hankering for a mackerel. Certain Someone had just come back from a weekend in the Pacific Northwest and I had the most incredible pan seared mackerel at Palace Kitchen . Unfortunately not a piece of fresh mackerel was to be found, but I did go back to Fox and Obel and saw the Skate Wing o display. I purchased two wings to cook up.I made this last month and cant seem to find a my notes. However looking at the pictures I can give you these quick recipes.

Parmesan Crusted Skate Wing Mediterranean Style

I didn't want to fry this up in tons of butter but wanted flavor. A simple dusting of Parmesan cheese and rice flour did the trick with a topping of diced heirloom tomatoes , minced, onion, balsamic, and capers.

1 part Parmesan Cheese

1 part Rice Flour

Skate Wing

Olive Oil to coat pan and fry

1Tomato

1/4 small minced onion

2 tbsp balsamic

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp capers

oregano

Dredge your skate wings in the parm/ rice flour mixture. Heat pan with olive oil. Add skate wings and brown on each side a few minutes until golden and crisp. Remove form pan.

In a glass bowl add your chopped tomato, onion, Balsamic vinegar, olive oil,capers, and oregano.Toss and serve atop skate wing.

Tea Smoked Skate Wings

I borrowed this technique from a book I reviewed a while back , 50 Great Appetizers by Pamela Sheldon Johns. Rather than use her chicken wings, I figured Skate wings would be amazing smoked with tea.

Aromatics for smoker

1/4 cup uncooked rice

1/4 cup brown sugar

Peel of 1 orange

1/4 cup black tea leaves

a few star anise pods

Sauce

1/4 cup Ponzu soy sauce

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1- 2 cloves minced garlic to taste

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1/8 tsp chili oil

Line a wok type pan with heavy aluminum foil. Leave several inches of foil as a excess collar. Line foil with rice, sugar, orange peel, tea, and star anise. Take a rack or bamboo steamer that fits within wok, and place atop the wok and tea mixture with foil collar on the outside of steamer. Brush steamer or rack with oil and place skate wings. I chopped mine up into manageable pieces.. Place cover on steamer and seal the gap between wok and steamer with the foil.Foil should seal in the whole side of steamer .

Turn on heat to midway and start smoking for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and remove. Let the wok stand for another 15 minutes undisturbed. Carefully open the steamer and remove fish.

In a glass bowl mix all ingredients for dipping sauce and serve with Skate wing.

The Scandinavian Cookbook Review and Salmon Burgers with Rye Focaccia

Those of you that know me , know that Scandinavia is no stranger to me. In a way through Certain Someone its like a second home. But even prior to meeting Certain Someone , I have relatives there in which I got to visit. My first visit to Stockholm , I feel in love. So how fitting my love has a beautiful summer home, by the sea, which I cant wait to go back and visit. I have yet to explore the other Scandinavian countries. I'm eager to see Denmark and Norway.One day.

I was so so happy to get a copy of The Scandinavian Cookbook by Trina Hahnemann (Andrews McMeel Publishing,LLC), through the The Library Thing Early Reviewer Program. If you don't know about this ,please check it out. As all my books on Library Thing are cookbooks, that's what I normally snag based on my profile. But they have all types of genres available, and the competition is tough. This is my second review for them.

The Scandinavian Cookbook is a big gorgeous book by the Danish chef Trina Hahnemann.In her first English cookbook, she breaks the book down into seasons and months so the reader truly understands the cycle of life in Scandinavia.Winter is long with little light and summer leads into those White Nights with the sun not going down until midnight or after. Its a beautiful corner of the world with a simple straightforward and delicious approach to cooking. Flipping through the gorgeous photographs by Lars Ranek one gets a visual Smorgasbord of fishes, pastries, vegetables, breads drinks, and just about anything else you can think of. I long to go back and make the Kartoffelkage (a choux pastry with marzipan, cocoa, and filled with cream). Of course she shows you how to make smoked salmon. With the seasonal approach all the dishes presented look so healthy, wholesome and appetizing.A nice balance.

I chose to make a simple Rye Focaccia and Salmon Burgers form the month of April because I had most of the ingredients on hand. I confess,I was out of capers, and really regretted it. Nevertheless the burger was fantastic. And the Rye Focaccia was outstanding and very simple to put together. The burger was basically fresh salmon chopped into a mince with green onion , capers, eggs, and breadcrumbs. I garnished mine with sprouts , rather the chives and capers. And I cheated with mayo out of jar rather than her homemade dressing with homemade mayonnaise,and creme fraiche.The focaccia which was to make 4 burgers, could have been stretched to six or even eight in my opinion. I was really hearty and I couldn't stop nibbing throughout the day. What I love about this book is that there are basic recipes and components I can carry over into other seasons and dishes. Naturally I am submitting this into BYOB.

.

Rethinking Salmon...Crusted & Seared In Onion Seeds and Spicy Salmon Cannellini Cakes

I'm sure most posts you are reading this week are about healthy foods, and mine is no exception. I have a rare negative opportunity with Certain Someone away for a while, to turn it into a positive.While my love is away, I can indulge in some healthier foods that aren't necessarily to his liking and experiment more. Certain Someone is not a fish person, but I love it. However Salmon is one of those fishes I can tire of easily. I purchased a pound and salmon and cut three fillets for this week. Here are two dishes I came up this week: I loved this piece of salmon I dipped in Onion seeds, otherwise known as Nigella seeds or Black Cumin. You can can find these in an Indian market. Lightly heated or toasted a nice light flavor emanates. I was more interested in visual contrast.

Heat a pan than can go into into oven with a bit of vegetable oil on the stove top. Place your salmon (Skin on and side down) dipped with onion seeds on top, in the pan.Lightly season with sea salt.Broil in oven for a few minutes until desired doneness.Turn salmon over carefully once and broil for an additional moment to cook the top. The underside of the skin should be nice and crispy. Serve atop a bed of greens dressed with lemon and olive oil.

*****************************************************************************************************

I was craving something else a bit more substantial but light. I toyed with a can of Cannellini Beans which go excellent with salmon and came up with this spicy cakes.Not fried but still crispy, they are lighter , exotic version of salmon croquettes. You can omit the spice but that adds the punch:

Spicy Salmon Cannellini Cakes

makes 6 patties

15 oz can of Cannelini Beans rinsed and drained

6-7 ounce fillet of salmon poached (skin off)

1 egg beaten

1/4 cup Rice Flour

1 small ear fresh corn( kernels scrapped off) or 1/2 cup can. Fresh works best.

1-2 red chilies

2 cloves garlic

salt and pepper to taste

1-2 cups Panko Bread Crumbs

vegetable oil for greasing the baking sheet

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a bowl add the can of cannelini beans. and chopped red chili's. Take an immersion blender and mash. Add egg, rice flour, garlic, flaked salmon,corn,salt, and mix. Mixture will be goopy( for lack of better word). In a separate dish pour in your Panko Bread Crumbs. Grease baking sheet.

With well oiled hands take a scoop of mixture and drop in Panko. Turn over. Its not a firm mixture so you will need to shape it carefully. Drop well coated patties onto baking sheet. Bake for approx 10 minutes and then turn. Bake for another 10 minutes. Patties should be firm and slightly golden.

I served these atop wilted rainbow chard wilted in olive oil and lime wedges.

Cooking With Salt Cod... Flamenco Stew

A few weeks ago I saw a show with Andrew Zimmerman. He was in Iceland and profiling a chef who was re known with he could do with salt cod, a valuable commodity in Scandinavia. I then got to thinking of a delicious Brandade de Morue I had and was determined to make it. Until I saw all the cups of olive oil involved in making this heavenly codfish paste like dish. So then I took I out my books on Spain. The Spanish should thank a fish merchant named Gurtubay from Bilbao whose order was mistaken for 30-40 bundles of salt cod/Bacalao to 30,040. Stuck with this excess inventory he thought he was screwed. But a Carlist War broke out, food ran low, and the population turned to the merchant for his dried salt cod.Needless to say he racked up! I read this fact in my Culinaria Spain. The Spanish had used salt cod before going back to the 16th century. It was well preserved , could travel, and adapted for dishes during Lent. I remember my Nigerian father incorporating stock fish, or salt cod in his stews and soups. As a child I didn't get it, but know see that flavor that the adults relished.

The trick to using salt cod is to soak it for at least 24- 48 hours and change the water frequently. Its not so widely used in the US, but one can find it in Hispanic or Italian stores. I found mine in the local Treasure Island. For a poor mans fish, it can be awfully expensive. More so than fresh fish. It normally comes in a wooden crate.Don't let the initial smell deter you.

I decided to make a dish I got from Spain and The World Table by the Culinary Institute of America. I won this book a while back from Andrea, and this is the first recipe I made. Flamenco stew is based on the classic Lenten Soups and stews of Spain. I figured I had most of the ingredients. There is a a lot of prep involved but what I got was one of the best fish based stews/ soups I have ever tasted! The house had a fragrant, yet non fishy aroma. What I loved were the salt cod balls that reminded me of matzo balls. Perfect as this weather turns to fall for us here in Chicago.

Flamenco Stew adapted from a recipe from Kisko Garcia, Spain And The World Table, the Culinary Institute of America

serves 8

12 oz salt cod

2 cups dried chickpeas

For the Stew

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cups chopped onion

2 1/2 tablespoons chopped garlic

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

Pinch of Saffron

1 bay leaf

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 lbs potatoes

1 lb fresh spinach( stemmed ,washed, and chopped)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt Cod Balls

2 eggs

2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

2 teaspoons minced garlic

shredded salt cod from above

4 cups breadcrumbs

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Desalt the salt cod. Soak in water, refrigerated for 24-48 hours. Change water at least 5 times. Drain well. Soak chickpeas overnight.

Place salt cod in medium sauce pan with 10 3/4 cups of water. Bring to a simmer. Remove the fish and save the water! Allow fish to cool and pick out any bones if any.Do not throw out the water!

Heat oil in a Dutch Oven. Cook until tender for 5 minutes and then add garlic, and paprika. Stir and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the chickpeas and reserved water from the salt cod. Bring to boil. Add saffron and bay leaf. . Reduce to medium heat m cover, and simmer 1 hour. Add salt and cook for another 30 min- 1 hour until chickpeas are tender. Add potatoes and simmer for 30 min. Stir in spinach and pepper and remove from heat. Let stand while you make the salt cod balls.

Beat eggs in a bowl. Add parsley, garlic, shredded salt cod, and breadcrumbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Shape into 1 1/2 inch balls and set aside.

Taste the stew and adjust seasonings to your tastes. Bring back to simmer on a low heat . Add the salt cod balls and poach gently for 5 minutes or until cooked.

Nouvelle Soul....Oven Fried Catfish Nuggets and Spaghetti Squash

Currently in Chicago its that time of year for food festivals like Taste of Chicago, and family picnics/cookouts. In the Black(or to be politically correct African American) community one will find the usual standard fare of rib tips,burgers, hot dogs,potato salad,macaroni salad, some fried chicken or catfish served alongside with a spaghetti dish . It s good eating and tradition . The younger generations may try to infuse some healthier alternatives. I remember when I introduced my family to grilled salmon with a brown sugar teriakye sauce. Its a staple now at every Fourth of July.

I got to thinking about health today, OK ,I always think of it. But when my doctor was concerned with the weight increase in just a year I started reviewing. All in all its work, inactivity, and the food blogging doesn't help. But I love it. I like to think I eat healthier or at least a more diversified diet than my parents. They were successful professionals who had genetic time bombs ticking away.African Americans have higher rates of heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, and diabetes . My mother passed away from ovarian cancer at the age of 54 and my father was a diabetic who in the last decade went downhill with strokes, heart attacks, and eventually ended up on dialysis.He developed adult onset diabetes when he moved from Nigeria to the West. Natural diet and sugars to refined processed foods. I was the sole care giver of both parents . Did I mention my step father had Parkinson's? Lets just say illness has hovered around like a bad penny all my life. Then I read Giz's story and got to thinking some more.If you haven't thought about Organ Donation, start.Its a personal subject, but one we can't ignore.This will impact you one way or another in your lifetime. So here is my entry for Tried ,Tested and True Two.Its my healthier lower fat version of a fried catfish and spaghetti dish. Call it Nouvelle Soul. There is a lot going here with flavors and influences. Certain Someone said it was OK for healthy. He would have preferred the real spaghetti, but he liked it.That's just him . I thought it was great and full of spice.Of course I added hot sauce to my fish.Enjoy.

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 3
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 292.6
Total Fat: 10.8 g
Cholesterol: 67.5 mg
Sodium: 299.0 mg
Total Carbs: 23.9 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.1 g
Protein: 24.3 g

Oven Fried Catfish

1-2 lbs catfish nuggets

1 cup reduced fat milk

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup Panko

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Sichuan pepper ground

1 teaspoon chili flakes

Maldon Salt

1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika

1 teaspoon Lemon Pepper

Cooking Spray

Soak catfish for 1/2 -1 hour. In a zip lock bag mix all dry ingredients and spices. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.Take fish and drop in bag. Shake until evenly coated. Place on a baking sheet which has been pre sprayed with the the non stick cooking spray. Bake for approx 30 -45 minutes.

Spaghetti Squash

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 96.0
Total Fat: 2.6 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 312.6 mg
Total Carbs: 15.3 g
Dietary Fiber: 4.5 g
Protein: 2.3 g

1 Spaghetti Squash

1 can plum tomatoes

1 bell pepper chopped

1 half cup chopped onion

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt

pepper

Italian Seasonings

Pierce the rind of Spaghetti Squash and Microwave 5-6 minutes per pound.Let stand for 5 minutes when complete. Spilt ope length wise and scoop out seeds. Take a fork and scoop out pulp which resembles spaghetti.

In a sauce Pan heat the olive oil. Brown onions and bell pepper, Italian seasonings, and salt/pepper Add crushed plum tomatoes and their juices and lower heat. Cook for approx 20 min.

Toss in spaghetti squash.

If your looking for a nice salad to add your cookout inspired dinner try this.

Basically I took my leftover lean pork loin and tossed with spinach leaves and and cubed sweet potato. The dressing is Rice vinegar, honey, and olive oil.

Something New...The Turnip

It's My 100th Post!But not a terribly exciting one.

After all that sugary goodness this week,my Certain Someone actually requested fish and some nice veggies for dinner. I still had a bit form the vegetable box. I wanted to use some large turnips but wasn't sure sure how to incorporate with fish. I also had zucchini and a assortment of different types of tomatoes.My sudden inspiration was to mash my turnips with some butter and throw in some crumbled Feta to go with the Mediterranean style zucchini and tomatoes.I roasted my Tilapia with a brush of olive oil and smoked Paprika. Sauteed my zucchini with tomatoes,Shitakes, sun dried tomatoes and garlic and served both on a bed of Turnip Puree. Verdict: Certain Someone licked his pasta bowl clean and ate every bite. I liked my turnip puree but I felt the flavor was very strong. Maybe the Feta addition would have been more suitable with red meat.He thought it was fine.The turnips made a beautiful puree that needed no additional liquids.Turnips are a pretty underused vegetable. All in all a pretty good experiment and I will not fear the Turnip any longer.I was surprised at how filling this dish was.


Turnip Puree with Feta
1 large turnip peeled and cut into quarters
salt
3 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of Feta

Boil turnips until soft. Drain water. Add butter. Add salt,pepper, and Feta. Take Immersion Blender and puree. Serve alongside roasted meat of fish.

Figuring It Out Myself...Bok Choy and Squid Soup

This weekend I totally hibernated. I had some events projects to work on.In my perusal of blogs I noticed one of my favorites Jen had a link to recipe calculator. I always wondered how people calculated the nutritional information especially if they made up the recipe themselves, like I always do.Most of us has seen thinner days and watch what we eat. However in shunning packaged processed foods, I have only a vague idea of what I'm really getting.So I decided to play around. On Sundays I like to a make a big pot of something to eat off all day. But I wasn't really hungry. I had some leftover frozen squid defrosting in the fridge . I immediately though of a light soup to go with some Bok Choy I purchases. My veggie box is postponed until tomorrow due to my travelling. Squid was cheap and low fat, so why not? Plus Certain Someone doesn't return until tomorrow.Here is a link to this great site called Sparks Recipes. You can share or keep your recipes private. But the Nutritional tool is invaluable.

Ingredients
2 cups shredded Bok Choy

Squid( cleaned and sliced) and its tentacles

1 tsp olive oil

1 cup chicken broth( homemade preferably but if not a low sodium one)

2 tbsp white vinegar

Chili Pepper Flakes

3 cloves minced garlic

1 can whole Tomatoes

1 tsp salt

3 cups of water

Wilt Bok Choy in a pot with olive oil. Add garlic.Add tomatoes with juice and chicken broth.Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Add squid which has been sliced into rings,spices( chili pepper flakes, cayenne pepper,) salt.Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.Number of Servings: 6

Nutrition Facts
Bok Choy and Squid Soup
Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories
85.7
Total Fat
3.0 g

Saturated Fat
0.5 g

Polyunsaturated Fat
0.5 g

Monounsaturated Fat
1.7 g
Cholesterol
110.1 mg
Sodium
623.9 mg
Potassium
336.5 mg
Total Carbohydrate
6.2 g

Dietary Fiber
0.8 g

Sugars
2.5 g
Protein
9.3 g
Vitamin A
22.5 %
Vitamin B-12
10.2 %
Vitamin B-6
5.9 %
Vitamin C
27.2 %
Vitamin D
0.0 %
Vitamin E
5.5 %
Calcium
4.6 %
Copper
48.2 %
Folate
2.2 %
Iron
6.5 %
Magnesium
6.8 %
Manganese
5.8 %
Niacin
8.1 %
Pantothenic Acid
3.8 %
Phosphorus
12.2 %
Riboflavin
13.8 %
Selenium
30.7 %
Thiamin
3.2 %
Zinc
5.7 %
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

I'm Back..Tomato Stuffed with Tilapia with Roasted Cauliflower

I had a very busy and productive time in Ft.Lauderdale. The trade show I attended was devoted to 'The Americas' and had a strong Latin feel. Everyone looked so sleek and polished and spoke Spanish, French, Italian , and English.I was fortunate to get upgraded to a suite ( my absent bosses influence).Check out what was parked outside my balcony.

Our Distributor for the Caribbean took a group of us to a great restaurant called Michaels in the Design District of Miami. Outstanding! I took bad picks that I wont even post. But the menu was divided by small, medium, large, and extra large plates to share. I had a yellowtail tartar to start, a slow cooked pork shoulder with cheese grits,and tangerine pot de creme served with baklava on the side.This was a very popular place worthy of the fine reviews. My only beef was the slow service. But my dinner companions were animated and fun ,so it was no biggie. I love great conversation with people from other countries.We then wrapped up the evening at the club set up for the show attendees. Many a deal is done with a drink on the dance floor.I finally got away and made it to bed well past midnight to begin round two of meetings.

So arriving to a chilly wet Chicago made me long for warmer climes. Certain Someone wont move to the islands, so I can only dream. I see he had ate the 'smokey' butterscotch puddings he protested about. I decided to make fish for dinner as he was at work. At Michael's I had a side of roasted cauliflower in this wonderful sauce of oil and basil I think. The market was out of basil so I purchased mint and parsley. I had a head of cauliflower and tomatoes from the box last week begging to be used. I just pureed a bunch of parsley with some cloves of garlic,lemon juice,olive oil, sea salt,oregano, black pepper,and a few leaves of mint. It wasn't the one at Michael's but it was pretty good and packed with flavor. I seasoned and rolled my Tilapia fillets in hollowed out tomatoes. Oiled the pan . Then I added the cauliflowers florets and baked on a high temp of 450 degrees until finished. I also took the tomato pulp and lightly cooked it down with a squirt or two of tomato paste. The parsley sauce was artfully squirted through a bottle.

This was great light dinner loaded with flavor.

Horseradish Pecan Crusted Tilapia

I hope those of you who celebrated Easter had a good one. I cooked a big meal which I didn't photograph. Nothing new just some roasted leg of lamb,potatoes,red cabbage, a patty pan squash casserole I concocted with ricotta cheese and pecan crunch, and a Cointreau souffle. We were so tired I didn't have the energy to write or photograph. Certain Someone really liked the souffle. It wasn't picture perfect but was tasty. We devoured 2 servings!I was depressed because I tried to make him Potato dumplings from scratch and failed miserably. That's one my 'Things to Master' list. I look forward to getting a actual tutorial this summer from his mother perhaps.
Anyway, Certain Someone has been burning the midnight oil all week. So its dinner for one. After last weeks flare up about the fish he admitted he would like me to buy more white fishes like Tilapia and Halibut. Sold! So I stocked up at Costco and put them away in the freezer. Two of the ingredients I played with over Easter were Horseradish Root and Pecans. I mixed grated Horseradish root into my sour cream. Wow! So I decided to play with it as a crust. Its actually milder than you would think compared to the prepared ones you buy in the store. But if your adverse to spice this wont be for you. Here is the recipe in a simple elementary form. This was for 3 pieces of Tilapia,so adjust to your servings using my ratios as a guide.

Grate 1/4 cup fresh Horseradish root(cleaned and peeled).Take 1/4 cup pecans and crush in spice blender. Be careful as you don't want Pecan Butter!
Add some of this flavored Old Bay(if you can get it).If not add Maldon Sea Salt, and any other spice of your choosing. Be careful with pepper as the Horseradish doesn't need it.Toss the crumb together.

Butter or oil the baking pan (go lightly as the pecans are a oily nut). Pat crumb coating on both sides of fish. As its a moist crumb it wont adhere easily. Pat it into the fish.Bake at 450 until done(approx 15 min). Coating should be golden.

I found the flavor almost crab like. It wasn't to peppery from the horseradish.I will try this on salmon and perhaps a cut a beef.

Royal Foodie Joust...Banana Leaf Steamed Salmon with Chili Coconut Rice

I realized with a call out from Dharm that a dish I made before would almost be suitable for this months Royal Foodie Joust.Dharm is hosting the event this month as Jen takes care of business and gets hitched! As much as I love contests I have never entered this competition. Go figure! Bellini Valli called for this months ingredients to be fish from the sea, lime, and coconut. No problem as I want to Incorporated more fish in my diet.Certain Someone came home and immediately sneered at my side of salmon. We got into it. I was more determined than ever to get back control of my kitchen and what I eat after seeing my wide backside on this weeks Top Chef. No close up of me , just a view of my wide Issey Miyake clad ass and his Big Head waiting in line at the Zoo's cocktail party.So with some left over rice, pantry ingredients, and some frozen Banana leaves this is what I came up with, a Pan Asian Hot pocket type of meal. Certain Someone ate it in that quiet way without complaint. He admitted it was edible for fish.

Banana Leaf Steamed Salmon with Coconut Chili Rice

Salmon fillets cut to individual portions

Pieces of Banana Leaf cut to large squares to accommodate salmon and rice( available frozen in Hispanic Groceries)

1 cup or more leftover cooked rice ( about a 1/2 cup mound on each piece of fish)

1/2 cup of lite coconut milk( may use more of less depending on rice)

Sambal Oelek to taste

Juice of lime

grated lime zest

Fish Sauce( Asian specialty stores)

1/8 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon curry powder

fresh cilantro

olive oil

Equipment needed ( bamboo steamer)

Oil lightly each piece of banana leaf. Set aside. Place salmon in dish. Squeeze lime juice and add grated zest of lime. Allow to sit for a few minutes. In a separate bowl mix coconut milk and rice until a thick paste like consistency. Add cumin, curry,fish sauce, and Sambal Oelek. Mix until thoroughly incorporated. Place fish fillet on oiled banana leaf. Add a mound of rice.Top with cilantro sprigs. Fold ends of leaved into a square to encase the fish. Turn over and slightly oil the outside. Place in Bamboo Steamer and steam for approx 20-30 minutes( depends on size of fish and servings). Serve with more Sambal Oelek as a condiment.

A Craving For Fish

When Certain Someone is away, as he is now,I tend to eat things that I don't when he's home.For a man who spent some major time in Sweden , he doesn't care for fish. He does like shellfish however.Anyway I haven't been eating as much fish as I would like while shacking up with him.That could explain the enormous weight gain. Today I craved fish. The weather was spectacular,and as I drove home,with the roof open, from a meeting in the suburb,I decided to get some fish from store I like. This supermarket caters to Mexican, Asian, and Arab communities . I love their meats, produce, and seafood.If I wasn't concerned about time and traffic on the highway, I would have stayed a long time. I picked a whole Red Snapper. I love Red Snapper and remembered the many ways I had it in Costa Rica a few summers back.
My Aussie friend Gabi had given me some Donna Hay cookbooks, and I decided to use them to find a way to cook up fish. Donna uses a lot of Asian influences in the The Instant Cook. I had purchased some Key Limes, Habeneros, and cilantro as well. So with that in mind I chose her Crispy Fried Fish with Soy and Ginger. She calls dredging the snapper in rice flour(which I had on hand) and frying it up. Then topped off with a soy and ginger sauce. I decided to forgo the fried route , took her ingredients, added leeks for scallions, a diced Habenero, and roasted the snapper.

Sorry for the bad picture, but Certain Someone took his camera which I use for the blog. He needs to photograph some future real estate he's trying to acquire in Sweden. I don't complain because I can't wait to spend my summer vacations there.So I make due with my old HP digital demom camera.

The sauce caramelized and leeks were crispy. It was good balanced with rice.However next time I will cook the sauce on the side and then add to roasted fish and leeks. But the flavor came through the fish well.

Coco's Red Snapper (influenced by Donna Hays Crispy Fried Fish with Soy and Ginger)

1/2 oz grated ginger

2/3 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 whole Red Snapper( gutted and scaled)

vegetable oil

1 whole leek cleaned and sliced

1 Habenero pepper diced

fresh cilantro sprigs

Put cleaned fish in a slightly oiled baking dish . Place sliced leeks over or inside the fish. Mix all the remaining ingredients together and pour over the fish. Bake on higher temp ( around 400 degrees ) for 20-30 minutes depending on the size of the fish. Serve with rice and fresh cilantro sprigs.