I am so tired of hearing Republicans and Democrats bicker over immigration. I bet if Obama and McConnell sat down over plates of Mexican food and a bucket of cold beer they would get over their issues, work things out. I volunteer to act as chef for that day…
Citrus and Beer Marinated Cod Tacos with Fruit Salsa
The Fish:
Juice and zest of a lime
Juice and zest of 1/2 an orange
1/4 cup Corona
2 cloves of garlic, microplaned
Cayenne powder to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1 lb cod or other firm white fish
In a large bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. Marinade the cod for an hour. Grill over medium coals until flaky. Serve with the fish salsa in corn or flour tortillas.
The Salsa:
1 kiwi, peeled, quartered and sliced
1 mango, cubed
1/8 cup thinly sliced cucumber
1 roma tomato, diced
1 jalapeno, seeds and membrane removed, diced
1/8 cup onion, finely diced
Juice and zest of 1 lime
1/2 tsp sugar
Cilantro to taste
In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Allow salsa to chill and the flavors to meld. Serve over the fish.
This is one of my new favorite recipes. I have made it several times and we just love it. The glaze is tasty and compliments the fish without over powering it. I can’t wait to make it on the grill.
Maple-Mustard Grilled Salmon (a version of this recipe)
1/3 cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black peppe
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets, skin on
Preheat oven to 400 degrees or prepare grill for medium heat. Combine all the glaze ingredients in a bowl. On a plate, top the salmon fillets with half of the glaze. Place on grill. Allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Top with the rest of the glaze and finish grilling. Fish should be flaky when done. Serves 4.
Things have been really busy around here. Lots of work and life responsibilities. I am sorry I haven’t been very prompt responding to comments. Regular posts have been difficult to complete and sadly there has been more than one fast food drive through meal. Equally as disturbing is the fact that this trend will probably continue for the next week or so. I long for a long weekend at home. Until then I will continue preparing meals like this one.
Tilapia with Lemon Shallot Sauce
4 tilapia fillets
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 shallot, minced
1/2 of a lemon, juiced
Salt and pepper to taste
Salt and pepper both sides of the tilapia fillets. Heat oil over medium heat in a heavy bottomed skillet (not non-stick). Fry fish until cooked through and flaky (about 2 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the filets). Remove fish and set aside. In same pan, melt better and add shallots. Saute until they are tender. Add lemon juice and allow to simmer another 2 minutes. Taste the sauce and adjust flavors as needed. Spoon over the fish.
Tonight is the Academy Awards ceremony. I confess I rarely watch and I have no plans to tonight. One video short caught my eye – Fresh Guacamole by PES.
I have no idea if it’s Oscar worthy but I think it’s fun. The only thing I would add to the guac is cilantro. I wonder what the illustrator would have chosen to represent it? Lego palm trees? Model train landscaping?
This next video, entitled What If Animals Ate Fast Food, is pretty cool too. I don’t think it’s nominated for anything but it made me laugh.
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I have never been one to eat boring food. Until recently, I didn’t even eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Not even as a kid (though now my palate appreciates the salty/sweet combo). When I am home and it is lunch time, I either eat leftovers or I create something quick and tasty. Pasta with pesto and various veggies. A sandwich on good bread, with quality meats and cheeses, loaded with flavor and veggies.
Food is as much about nourishment as it is about flavor and satisfaction. People overeat because what they eat is not very tasty. They compensate by eating more to fill the void. How many times have you found yourself reaching the bottom of a bowl of microwave popcorn and thinking “Jeez, I ate all that already?” Mindless eating at it’s finest.
These quick tacos take no more than 5 minutes hands on time and about 10 minutes baking time. The result is tasty and healthy. The cost to you is minimal.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Spray the bottom of a small glass baking dish with Pam. Place the fillet in the pan. Sprinkle the desired amount of salt and lemon pepper seasoning on the fish. Spray top of fish with more Pam. Bake until fish is flaky (8 to 10 minutes).
Steam your two corn tortillas between two moistened paper towels for about 20 seconds in the microwave. Place half of the fillet in each tortilla. Top with your avocado and other desired toppings. I used cilantro, onion, and lime juice. Serves 1.
The hubby usually is not a soup fan. “It is not heavy enough,” he says. This chowder, however, did manage to get a stamp of approval.
Fish Chowder (a variation of this recipe from NPR)
4 slices bacon, diced
1/3 cup butter
2 large onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, microplaned
3 bay leaves
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
8 to 10 baby potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices or 1/2-inch dice
3 cups fish or shrimp stock
2 tsp Worchestershire sauce
2 cups heavy cream
3 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless fish fillets
2 tbsp chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook bacon in a heavy soup pot, over low heat, stirring, until beginning to crisp. Add the butter, onions, bay leaves, garlic, and thyme and cook, stirring, until the onions are tender but not browned.
Add the potatoes and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender. Remove the bay leaves and stir in the fish fillets and cream. Simmer (do not boil!) until the fish is cooked through and beginning to flake, 8 to 10 minutes. The fish will come apart in large chunks. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Garnish with the parsley. Serves 6.
Salmon burgers are a great quick meal when you forgot to thaw out meat for dinner. The fish is full of good vitamins and omega-3s. The wasabi and sesame pack a huge punch of flavor. Plus it’s pretty dang cheap too!
Salmon Burgers with Wasabi-Sesame Mayo
Burgers:
1 can salmon, drained
1 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
1 small onion, grated
2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
Salt and pepper
Oil for frying
Mayo:
1/4 cup mayo
2 tbsp prepared wasabi
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
In a bowl, combine the salmon, half the bread crumbs, parsley, egg, onion, salt and pepper; mix well. Place other half on bread crumbs on a small plate. Form the salmon into patties. Press into the bread crumbs on each side of the patty. Fry in heated oil until browned on each side. Drain on paper towels.
In a small bowl, combine the mayo ingredients. Chill for about 2 hours to help flavors meld. Serves 2.
Many people batter their fish with heavy batters. Not our family. This cornmeal crust allows all the wonderful flavors and textures of a good white fish to shine through. No bulky, greasy batters for me.
Pan Fried Tilapia
6 fillets of tilapia or other delicate white fish
1 cup plain white cornmeal (NOT the mix!)
Spices to taste (salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic, etc.)
Oil for frying
Cast Iron Skillet
On a plate, cover each side of the fish with a decent coating of the cornmeal and spices. Fry in hot oil until flaky. Serve with Black Pepper and Caper Tartar Sauce. Serves 4.
I made this salad with the ricotta gnocchi. The gnocchi is more on the light side, requiring a protein rich salad. I really enjoyed the freshness of the mango, the creaminess of the avocado, and the savory shrimp. I plan to make this salad again in the future.
Shrimp, Mango, and Avocado Salad
14 raw shrimp, shells removed and saved to make broth
1 tbsp butter
1 garlic clove, minced
Old Bay Seasoning
1 mango
1 avocado
Salad greens
Salad dressing of your choice (I used a spicy citrus vinaigrette)
In a skillet, melt butter and saute garlic until fragrant. Add shrimp and Old Bay. When shrimp turns pink, flip and cook other side. Do not over cook shrimp. Overcooked shrimp is tough!
While the shrimp is cooking, cube the mango and avocado. Fill two bowls with greens. Top greens with equal portions of mango, avocado, and 7 shrimps per salad. Top with desired dressing.
I spent at least an hour searching the internet looking for a recipe equal to the “wow factor” that I think shark steaks possess. They were not to be found. So in the end I settled for something that I knew would have good results- salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder. A simple but time proven successful blend of flavors that compliment not overwhelm meat and fish.
Prepare charcoal grill as you normally would. Brush each side of the steak with olive oil. Sprinkle each side with the desired amount of spices. Grill 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until flaky. Squeeze lemon juice over steak.
Shark has a dense consistency similar to swordfish. It is hearty and filling just like a beef steak.
This is such a simple recipe. A good weeknight meal because it only takes 15 minutes from start to finish. Pair it with some steamed vegetables or a potato dish and BAM! dinner is on the table. When you tell people you had poached salmon with sorrel cream sauce, it sounds like you have spent hours in the kitchen and hosted a fancy dinner party.
Put wine, water, dill, parsley and onions in a saute pan, and bring to a simmer on medium heat. Place salmon fillets, skin-side down on the pan. Cover. Cook 5 minutes or to desired done-ness. Do not overcook. Serve sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper. Serves 2-4.
Wash sorrel and remove stems and any woody ribs. Roll leaves into cigar shape and thinly slice.
In a large saucepan, melt butter. Add sorrel and cook, stirring, over medium heat until it melts into a puree — 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the cream. Simmer for another 2 to 3 minutes while adding seasonings. Sauce should thicken. The sauce can be used immediately or chilled to use with cold fish or vegetables.
AnnaShortcakes 