Tag Archives: fish

Pan-Seared, Blackened Flounder

Posted on March 20, 2013 by | 2 Comments

Blackened flounder

The secrets to a really tasty piece of blackened fish are 1) a really tasty Creole seasoning, and 2) not overcooking the fish.  I use a slightly modified version of  Emeril’s recipe for Creole Seasoning – because he should know, right?  The seasoning is easy to make fresh with your own spices, and it’s really good on chicken, steaks, pork, or fish.  I have used it with tuna and flounder – both were incredible!  I think most mild fish will work – red snapper, catfish, grouper, cod also come to mind.

In a restaurant setting, blackened fish is cooked in a red-hot skillet, with plenty of accompanying smoke.  Cooking in your home, you might want to avoid this.  Chef Paul Prudhomme recommends “bronzing”, rather than blackening the fish at home.  This still means using a very hot skillet, but not so hot that it produces smoke.  He recommends cooking at 350F.  Although I did not take the temperature of my pan, it’s helpful to realize this is the temperature generally used for deep frying – - still pretty darn hot!

Our blackened flounder, shown here, was served with oven-roasted potatoes and avocado.  The cool and creamy avocado, with a squeeze of lime, really helped cut the heat from the spicy fish.  This is a delicious and simple meal that we will do again!

Note: I’ve provided links to the products that I used from The Spice House.  I like The Spice House because their herbs and spices are really fresh and high quality, plus they have a decent selection of organic products.  I also like that you can buy refills that come in bags, and that saves money.  I do not have any business relationship with The Spice House.

Creole Seasoning (Makes about 2/3 cup – Store in glass jar with lid):

Combine all ingredients for the seasoning, thoroughly.  (You will not need all of it for this recipe; store extra in a sealed jar.)

Rinse the fish fillets and pat dry with towels.  If necessary, cut the fish in portions that will fit in your skillet.  Coat the fish on both sides with seasoning mix, pressing it onto the fish to get a good layer of seasoning.

Heat a large skillet over high heat and add a thin layer of oil to the pan (suitable for high-heat cooking).  When very hot, and without crowding the pan, place seasoned fish in the skillet and cook without moving the fish for 3-4 minutes, until nicely “bronzed”.  Flip the fish over and cook for another 3-4 minutes, until the fish is done (opaque in center).  Repeat for the rest of the fillets – adding oil as necessary and keeping the skillet very hot.

Serve it hot, with a squeeze of lime juice!  Enjoy!

moonYou’ll need something to calm you down after the Blackened Flounder…so let’s try some ballads from two of the giants of jazz! First up, the incomparable Bill Evans with Moon Beams. Evans was one of the greats, performing with everyone from Miles on Kind of Blue to Tony Bennett. His piano is moody, introspective and always interesting here, on such numbers as “If You Could See Me Now” and “I Fall in Love Too Easily”. A classic record.

Nobody is more classic than John Coltrane, and on Ballads he slows the tempo balladsdown, without losing any depth of passion. His interplay with McCoy Tyner’s piano on cuts such as “All or Nothing At All” or my favorite, “Nancy (With The Laughing Face”) is almost telepathic. Sublime stuff!

→ 2 Comments

Posted in Entrees, Seafood

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Zucchini Noodles with Beurre Blanc Sauce

Posted on February 2, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Zucchini beurre blanc

Who’s a fool for sauce?  I don’t know about you, but if there’s a sauce or condiment I can drench my food with, I will do it.  My husband, not so much.  Not too long ago, I made some salmon patties and asparagus – and on a whim, whipped up a quick lemon-butter sauce to drizzle over everything.  Much to my surprise, James really liked the sauce.  While he usually puts a spoonful of the stuff off to the side on his plate (mostly to placate me), he actually added more sauce to his plate – on his food!  I knew sauce would win him over one day.

While there are some crab cakes on that plate in the photo, this post is all about the zucchini and beurre blanc sauce.  Despite the elegant French name (translated as “white butter”), this is a very basic and easy sauce to make.  I have written about the zucchini previously, in this post.  I use a Kuhn Rikon Julienne Peeler to quickly turn whole zucchini into ribbons – it couldn’t be more simple.  If you don’t have a julienne peeler, you can make thicker ribbons with a regular vegetable peeler, or you can cut it into matchsticks with a knife.

I added a little cream to the beurre blanc, because I like cream and it helps to stabilize the sauce, but it can be made without it.

Ingredients (2 servings):

  • 2 or 3 zucchini (depending on size)
  • 1 small shallot, minced (2-3 tablespoons)
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • dash of Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 3-4 tablespoons butter (from pastured cows)

Julienne the zucchini.  Set up a steaming basket over simmering water, and steam the zucchini for about 5 minutes or until just tender.  Drain in a colander and press out as much moisture as possible with paper towels.  Set aside.

In a saute pan over medium to medium-high heat, bring the wine, lemon juice, shallots, Worcestershire sauce, and salt to a low boil.  Boil until the liquid is reduced to almost a syrup, in a thin layer in the pan (approximately 1/4 cup).  Stir in the cream, bring it to a simmer, then remove from heat.  Quickly whisk in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the sauce is emulsified and silky.  (Keeping the sauce over heat after adding butter may cause it to separate.)

At this point, the sauce can be strained, but it is not necessary for this particular recipe since we are mixing it with the zucchini noodles.

Toss in the zucchini noodles and stir until the noodles are well-coated in sauce.  Serve hot – and enjoy!  The buttery-lemon flavor complements seafood and chicken, as well as many vegetables.

You mean there’s other sauce than BBQ? In this case, yes! Great stuff indeed, as is our musical menu. Get Up!  featuring Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite. This is a brand new release, and all ready it’s be dubbed a years best. How could you go wrong, with the songs and wicked slide guitar of Harper with the growling harmonica of Musselwhite adding a saucy (HA!) touch? From Delta getblues to Zepequese stomps, this is a high mark of both men’s careers.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Sauces, Marinades, and Rubs, Side dishes

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Oven Roasted Salmon with Parmesan-Mayo Crust

Posted on May 19, 2012 by | 35 Comments

Recently at the Saturday morning farmers’ market in Decatur, we picked up some fresh eggs from a local farm.  You might ask, “now what does that have to do with salmon?”  Thanks for asking, because I’m having a heck of a time getting this post started!  Well, I’m not a big egg-eater so I needed to come up with some other uses for the eggs.  Also, I have a bottle of great-tasting olive oil from Kasandrino’s …eggs plus olive oil equals mayonnaise!  (I’m getting to the salmon…)  Next thing you know, I have a big jar of homemade, lemony mayonnaise with no real plans for using it.  (As you can see, I was not thinking too far ahead last week.)  Thankfully I ran across a sale on salmon and put the mayo to great use!

Coating the salmon with a mixture of mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese and oven-roasting it resulted in an unbelievably moist, buttery fish with all kinds of good flavors.  I will be making this again…and soon!

This basic mayonnaise recipe does not make a very thick mayonnaise, since I use the whole egg instead of just the yolks.  You can also adjust the taste of the mayonnaise to your preference, by trying different oils and different acids (vinegars, lemon or lime juice, etc.), or adding herbs.  Go crazy with it!

Ingredients for Salmon

  • 16-20 ounces salmon fillet(s), skin on
  • Kosher salt/ freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise, preferably homemade
  • 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • additional Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • a few dashes of sweet paprika

Ingredients for Basic Olive Oil Mayonnaise

  • 2 whole eggs, at room temperature(*See Note below)
  • 1 to 1 1/4 cup oil (I used 1/2 cup olive oil and 1/2 cup almond oil)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • freshly ground black pepper, or pepper blend, to taste (I like Florida Seasoned Pepper…citrusy!)

*Note:  For thicker mayonnaise, use 1 whole egg plus 1 egg yolk

Mayonnaise Instructions:

Place the eggs in a blender or small food processor.  Blend the eggs alone for around a minute, so they will be ready to adsorb the oil.  Add lemon juice, dry mustard and salt, and mix in with the eggs.  With the blender running, SLOWLY start adding the oil, a few drops at a time, until the liquid begins to thicken up some; then you can start adding the oil in a thin, steady stream.  Continue blending until all the oil is incorporated.  Season the mayonnaise with salt and pepper, to taste.

**Raw Egg Warning… to reduce the risk of salmonella or other food-borne illness, use only fresh, clean eggs with intact shells, from a trusted source.  Avoid contact of egg white/egg yolk with outer shell.

Salmon Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425F.  Line a shallow roasting pan with foil.  Rinse the salmon with cold water and dry thoroughly with paper towels, and place in roasting pan.  Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Mix the mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese in a small bowl.  Spread completely over the salmon.  Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese on top, and add a few dashes of sweet paprika.

Roast for 12-14 minutes (depending on thickness of salmon).  Remove from oven; carefully slide a wide spatula between the skin and meat to separate from the skin, and serve!

When you experience as much music as I do, you cultivate a healthy list of artists you need to listen to, but haven’t yet. One of mine was Roberta Flack. Sure, I had heard her for years on the radio, but never actually listened to an album. Boy, that was a mistake! We put on First Take one evening, and we both were completely blown away by it’s brilliance. This was her debut from 1969, and her phrasing, song selection and piano work certainly don’t sound like a beginner! Contains the classic “First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”, her version of Leonard Cohen’s “Hey, That’s No Way To Say Goodbye” and more. With Ron Carter on bass and Bucky Pizzarelli on guitar, this is an understated jewel of a record.

Her newest release, Let It Be Roberta – Roberta Flack Sings The Beatles looks like a winner. That sublime voice coupled with those songs? How can you go wrong?

→ 35 Comments

Posted in Entrees, Sauces, Marinades, and Rubs, Seafood

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Lemon Marmalata

Posted on January 26, 2012 by | 3 Comments

In my hunt for interesting cookbooks at used book stores, I recently picked up The Young Man and the Sea : Recipes and Crispy Fish Tales from Esca, by David Pasternack and Ed Levine.  This book covers a pretty wide range of seafood and cooking techniques, from preparing soups to grilling, roasting, pan-frying, poaching, and baking everything from ordinary cod to cuttlefish and everything in-between.  There are also interesting vegetable pairings, and a section on Italian-style sushi (crudo).  What really grabbed my attention, however, was this uniquely-stated recommendation from Anthony Bourdain on the back cover: “If I were strapped in the electric chair and facing a last meal of sea creature, I would pray that Dave would be cooking it.”  I hope that Mr. Bourdain meant that Dave really knows how to serve up delicious seafood, and not that Dave’s cooking might assist the efforts of the executioner.

The first thing I tried was something simple – fried cod with lemon jam (or marmalata, as it would be referred to in Italy).  The lemon jam is extremely easy to prepare, and adds just the right amount of fresh zing to the fried fish.  I think it would be great served with most seafood as an alternative condiment to the usual tartar sauce.

The fish, unfortunately, did not make it to the photo session.  Sorry!  The cod was simply dipped in buttermilk, rolled in seasoned white rice flour, and fried for around 4 minutes per side in oil and butter, until golden brown.

The marmalata was made using Meyer lemons, which are naturally sweeter than conventional, true lemons. If you don’t have Meyer lemons available, you may want to add a bit of honey, to taste.  I used one lemon for approximately 1.5 pounds of fish.

Ingredients:

  • One lemon, preferably Meyer, washed
  • 1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
  • honey, to taste (optional)

Remove the stem end of the lemon and cut it into chunks.  Remove seeds.  Place the lemon chunks, peel and all, in a small food processor or blender.  Combine with olive oil and red pepper flakes.  Pulse until the texture is similar to relish.  Adjust flavor with honey, if needed to reduce acidity.  Serve with seafood.

Been really blown away with the new Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, Race Riot Suite. To my ears it’s the album of the year, 2011. A work concerned with the Tulsa race riot of 1921, this is a moving and rambunctious record, with swagger and imagination in equal measure. Fans of Charlie Mingus to Primus will found common ground here. This is jazz with a pulse!

→ 3 Comments

Posted in Sauces, Marinades, and Rubs, Side dishes

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Pan-Fried Catfish

Posted on November 12, 2011 by | 2 Comments

Here we are – with “Frying, Revisited”.  As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not much of a fry cook.  The last effort ended with a smoky, greasy mess in the kitchen – and that was just me!  However, I’m glad I made another attempt because this catfish was “right tasty”, as Southerners might say.

We wanted to try something different from the fish counter, and neither of us could remember having catfish before.  Since catfish may be the mostly widely eaten American fish, we may be mistaken.  Regardless, I picked up a few fillets at Whole Foods and decided to fry them up with a light coating of seasoned cornmeal.  I wasn’t sure what to expect, flavor wise, but was pleasantly surprised with how creamy and mild the catfish tasted.  Beyond the salty, crispy crust, the fish was sweet and soft as butter – a delicious contrast.  We enjoyed it so much that a repeat performance was requested and served up this week!

This isn’t something that we’re going to eat every week (sorry, sweetheart), but it’s nice to have as a treat every once in a while!  Be sure to soak the fillets in buttermilk (or whole milk) first, because it really improves the flavor of the fish.  Freshwater fish sometimes have a “muddy” flavor, and the milk will neutralize or wash out that undesired after-taste.  (I’m not sure how it works, but I tried catfish with and without the buttermilk.  The marinated catfish was definitely creamier, moister, and better tasting.)

Ingredients:

  • 4 catfish fillets
  • ~1 cup of buttermilk or whole milk
  • ~1 cup of stone-ground cornmeal
  • kosher salt
  • Florida Seasoned Pepper, or other black pepper blend
  • Old Bay Seasoning
  • cayenne pepper (optional)
  • Olive oil, peanut oil, or other oil suitable for moderately high temperatures
  • lemon or lime, cut into quarters

Rinse and dry catfish fillets, and place in a glass baking dish.  Pour buttermilk over the fish (they don’t need to be completely submerged, but use enough buttermilk to make sure all the fillets have good contact with the milk.)  Marinate for one to two hours in refrigerator, turning the fish once.

To another shallow plate or baking dish, add the cornmeal and generously season with salt and pepper.  If you thought you were generous, go back and add more salt and pepper.  (I didn’t measure, but some recipes suggest 1-2 teaspoons of salt and 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoons of pepper.)  Add several good shakes of Old Bay Seasoning.  If you’d like a little spiciness, add some cayenne pepper.  Mix well.

Remove the catfish fillets, one at a time, from the buttermilk.  Allow the excess buttermilk to drip off the fillet, then roll in the seasoned cornmeal.  Place the cornmeal-coated fillets on a clean plate and allow to dry for about 5 minutes.  (Yes, this recipe dirties up a lot of dishes.  I hope you have a good cleaner-up like “He Cleans”!)

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees (or lowest setting).  Place a heat-proof tray, lined with paper towels, into the oven.  (Do not put paper in the oven if there’s an open flame in there, however.  Safety first!)

Using a large, heavy skillet (cast-iron is best), add enough oil to cover the pan 1/4 to 1/2-inch deep.  Heat until very hot – a morsel of cornbread dropped in the pan will sizzle.  Add two of the fillets and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side or until nicely browned.  Place the cooked fillets in the oven on the paper towels to keep warm.  Repeat for the last 2 fillets.

Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice and creamy cole slaw!  Enjoy!

Like some blues with your catfish? Well of course! First up is a one of my favorite guitar players, Catfish Keith with his 1993 album Cherry Ball. Keith is a delta blues player, and his takes on classics such as Blind Willie Johnson’s “By and By I’m Going To See The King” or the ribald “Rabbits in Your Drawers” show off his fingerstyle guitar picking expertly.

Next is Adventures at Catfish Pond from Bob “Catfish” Hodge. On it the long-time bluesman aims for the little folk with a children’s record, and with songs such as “Pancake Man” or “Dreamy Time Time”, he creates a winning album that won’t have you flinging the disc across the room after your kids play it for the fifth time!

→ 2 Comments

Posted in Entrees, Seafood

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Baked Flounder with Lemon-Pepper Seasoning

Posted on October 6, 2011 by | 3 Comments

I grew up eating a lot of flounder – - fried.  Served with fried shrimp and fried hushpuppies.  (If you don’t know hushpuppies, you surely haven’t eaten at a fish shack or BBQ joint in North Carolina.  I love hushpuppies – and I hope I can figure out some gluten-free way way of making them some day!  I digress…)  I saw some wild-caught flounder at the seafood counter, so I brought some home to try in its un-fried state.

Flounder is a flat fish, with flaky white, mild-tasting meat.  It is also a pretty lean fish, so to keep it from getting dry, it needs to be cooked fairly quickly with added fat for better flavor.  Lemon is a classic flavor enhancer for fish of all kinds, and I didn’t stray from the traditional path here.  Since I make up a big batch of lemon-pepper seasoning for chicken wings, there is usually some left over for sprinkling on pork chops or vegetables – and now fish!  I swear, lemon-pepper seasoning is good on about everything!

This was quick and easy for a weekday supper.  The flounder was served with oven-roasted asparagus (which cooked at the same time as the fish), and shitake mushrooms sauteed in butter and a little white wine.  Delicious!

Ingredients:

  • 1 to 1/4 pounds flounder fillet
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • lemon-pepper seasoning (see below, or link to chicken wing recipe above)
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1/2 lemon, sliced
  • kosher salt

Preheat oven to 400F.  Melt butter in a glass baking dish that will hold the flounder in a single layer.  Place the fillets in the dish with the butter, turning them several times to make sure they are well buttered.  Turn under the thinner edges, so the fillets are more equal in thickness.  Sprinkle with lemon-pepper seasoning and the juice of 1/2 lemon.  Lightly season with salt (remember there is a little salt in the lemon-pepper seasoning).  Place a few slices of lemon over the fillets.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and will flake with a fork.  Serve immediately.

Recipe for lemon-pepper seasoning:

  • 1/4 cup black peppercorns, ground using medium grind with automatic grinder (I used tellicherry peppercorns and a coffee grinder we only use for spices)
  • zest of 2 lemons (2-3 tablespoons)
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons granulated garlic (NOT garlic salt)
  • 3 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

In a medium sized bowl, mix the freshly ground black pepper with the lemon zest.  Press the zest into the pepper while mixing, to release more of the lemon’s oils.  Add the additional ingredients and mix well.  Store in a sealed jar and keep in refrigerator until next time you need it.

I buy a lot of music- to see our house you might say TOO much- but it keeps me young! So when something comes along that makes me me go “wow” you can be assured its a doozy. Accept No Substitute from Delaney and Bonnie is certainly that! One of the most soulful, rocking records I’ve heard recently. Spin it once and you’ll see why Eric Clapton toured with them- and then stole the band to make Derek & the Dominoes. Stellar!

→ 3 Comments

Posted in Entrees, Seafood

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Red Curry Poached Cod

Posted on August 18, 2011 by | 21 Comments

Sometimes dinner is born from what’s on special at the market – and often those dishes turn out to be the most interesting because they are unplanned and must be created from ingredients you have on hand.  We try to have some type of seafood at least once a week, and this week Whole Foods had wild-caught, Alaskan cod on sale.  Cod is a nice, mild, flaky fish that adapts well to different flavors.  I had some coconut milk and limes that I needed to use, so I decided to try to poach the fish in a Thai-style broth.  It was very yummy, but turned out a little spicier than I intended.  However, James thought it was just the right amount of heat.  When we try this again, I think some toasted cashews would be a great addition, and I’d also like to try basil instead of cilantro.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons butter (preferably from grass-fed cows)
  • 1 medium sweet onion, cut into quarters lengthwise, then sliced crosswise
  • 1 small red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks
  • 1 14 ounce can coconut milk (unsweetened), shaken well
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons red curry paste (I make mine from The Spice House Thai Red Curry Powder, mixed with fish sauce to a paste)
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce (nam pla), if not used to prepare curry paste
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1-2 teaspoons coconut palm sugar, to taste (optional)
  • ~ 2 or 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1/4 cup roasted cashews (optional)
  • 1 to 1/2 pounds wild-caught cod fillets
  • kosher salt

Heat butter in a heavy saute pan over medium heat.  Saute the onions and red bell peppers until they are very soft, 5-10 minutes.

Add Thai red curry paste to the onions and peppers and stir well over the heat to mix.  Pour in the coconut milk, lime juice, fish sauce (if not used to make curry paste), and palm sugar (if using).  Simmer over low heat, uncovered, for around 10 minutes so the flavors can blend and the broth can reduce slightly.

In the meantime, rinse the cod with cold water, pat dry, and lightly season with salt.  Fold the thinner parts of the fillets underneath, so the fish is relatively of the same thickness.  Place the cod fillets in the saute pan, and nestle them into the broth as much as possible.  Simmer on low, covered, for 8-10 minutes, until the fish flakes easily.  During the last minute or two of cooking, add chopped cilantro and toasted cashews (if using).  Serve hot, with a spoon to capture all of the broth.  Enjoy!

Very spicy…and wonderful, as are the musical selections! First up, Luiz Bonfa Plays & Sings Bossa Nova. I love bossa nova, and his guy is one of  best. He wrote “Black Orpheus”, and is a legend up there with Jobim and Joao Gilberto.

David Bowie, bossa nova? Yes! The Life Aquatic Studio Sessions with Seu Jorge will make a believer out you- might even pick up some Portuguese!

→ 21 Comments

Posted in Entrees, Seafood

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Salmon with Roasted Peppers and Asparagus

Posted on July 15, 2011 by | 12 Comments

salmon2 Cnm

We don’t go out to eat a lot, especially since we stopped eating grains.  People give you strange looks when you request “no bread, please”, or order Chinese food without the rice.  “Without the rice?”  Incredulously, “Are you sure, no rice?”  It seems beyond comprehension.  However, last weekend we were out doing errands and decided to stop in at Shorty’s Pizza, which might seem to be misguided for people that don’t eat bread.  Shorty’s offers a lot more than wood-fired pizzas (which are delicious).  They have small plates with interesting combinations, such as spaghetti squash salad with aged ricotta and walnuts.  They have large plates of garlicky mussels or blackened sirloin with romaine and bleu cheese.  Check out their menu at the link if you’re in the Decatur or Tucker, Georgia area!

Also on Shorty’s menu is cedar-planked salmon which is normally served with potatoes roasted in their wood oven.  Potatoes – another thing I’m trying to avoid!  I substituted roasted peppers, off their pizza toppings menu, and was just thrilled with the combination.  The sweetness and creamy softness of the peppers complemented the salmon’s delicate flavor….so, I had to try it at home!

Roasting peppers is not difficult, but it is a bit smelly, for lack of a better descriptor.  Use of a good ventilation hood is recommended, or even better, roast them outside on the grill.  You can roast and slice the peppers ahead of time, and keep them in olive oil in the refrigerator until ready to use (for at least a week).

Ingredients:

Wash the peppers and dry thoroughly.  Turn on the hood if you’re roasting on the stove top!  (If you don’t have a gas range, you can also put them under the broiler in the oven, or use a grill outdoors.)

Using tongs, place the pepper over the flames (or under the broiler).  Turn frequently, until the entire pepper is charred.  Place the blackened peppers in a small paper bag (watch out that there are no embers on the peppers!) and roll the top of the bag closed.  This will allow the inside of the peppers to continue to cook.  Put the bag aside (I recommend outside) and allow the peppers to cool.  [If you don't have a bag, you could wrap them in paper towels and place in a glass bowl to cool.]

When cool enough to handle, peel the charred skin from the peppers with your fingers.  It may help to use some running water to get the skin off, but be careful not to get the peppers too wet or you’ll dilute their flavor.  It’s okay if there’s some charred skin left here and there on the pepper.

Slice the peppers open, remove the stem, and scrap out the seeds and white ribs.  Dry the peppers with paper towels, then slice into thin strips.  Place in a bowl with a little olive oil.  Set aside, or refrigerate if you’re saving the peppers for another day.

Preheat the oven to 400F.  Prepare the asparagus for roasting by snapping off the tough ends; use a peeler if necessary to take off other tough parts.  Put the asparagus in a shallow roasting pan, toss with a little olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

Line another roasting pan with foil; lightly oil or spray the foil with non-stick spray.  Place the salmon on the foil and spray with olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper, or your favorite salmon rub.  Put the salmon and the asparagus in the oven and roast until each is done to your liking (around 11-14 minutes depending on the thickness of the salmon and the size of the asparagus).  Shake the pan of asparagus about halfway through cooking.

In the meantime, heat the roasted pepper strips in a small pan and keep warm.  Plate the salmon with the asparagus and roasted peppers, then enjoy!

It’s Friday, right? Let’s get funky up in here then!

First off, one of the greatest pairings ever…BB King and Bobby “Blue” Bland with Together for the First Time Live, one of the best bits of live blues you’ll ever hear. “It’s My Own Fault”, “Three O’Clock Blues” and more, just a stone classic.

What? Still not funky enough? Well, then you need Best of Wilson Pickett. He wasn’t called “Wicked” Wilson Pickett for nothing…”Mustang Sally”, “In The Midnight Hour”, “634-5789″ and more should get ya moving…if not, have your heart checked. Essential soul!

→ 12 Comments

Posted in Entrees, Seafood, Side dishes

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Seared Tuna with Mixed Greens and Lemon-Tahini dressing

Posted on June 16, 2011 by | 8 Comments

Seared Tuna

A week or so ago, I was rushed for time at lunch, so I picked up a little tray of seared tuna from the sushi station at Whole Foods and I ate it at the kitchen counter while unpacking my groceries.  To paraphrase Ulysses Everett McGill in O Brother, Where Art Thou?, that small taste of tuna only managed to arouse my appetite without bedding it down.  The next trip to the grocery, I picked up a nice tuna steak!

Like a lot of people, I grew up eating tuna that came out of a can – and it usually ended up in a nondescript casserole (remember Tuna Helper?) or a mayonnaisey salad.  Who knew that it existed as a deep-red, meaty steak?  A good piece of tuna doesn’t really require anything – in fact, cooking it manages to dry it out and render it tasteless.  I like it quickly seared on both sides and rare in the middle – which adds a little flavor from the toasted coating but allows the meat to retain all the delicious properties of raw tuna.

For this meal, the tuna was coated with a mixture of  seeds before searing it in a hot, hot pan.  I sliced it up and served it with a mixed greens salad with diced cucumber, diced red bell pepper, and lemon-tahini dressing.  Add anything you wish to the salad (avocado and tomatoes sure would be good…), but don’t skip this tasty dressing.  I had to (again) restrain myself from drinking it, it’s so good!

Ingredients:

  • ~1 pound tuna steak, about 1 inch thick (select steaks that are deeply red with no off-color patches)
  • 1 tablespoon toasted pumpkin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon flax seeds
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (or pepper blend)
  • oil suitable for high-heat cooking
  • Mixed salad greens and fixings (red bell pepper, cucumber, avocado, tomatoes, carrots, asparagus, etc.)
  • Lemon-Tahini dressing (see below)

Using a small food processor (such as the bowl attachment that comes with some immersion mixers), briefly pulse the pumpkin seeds and flax seeds to a coarse meal.  (Alternatively, the seeds can be chopped fine by hand with a knife.)  Do not over process or you’ll have seed-butter.  Add the 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds to the mixture and stir together.

Rinse the tuna steak with cold water and dry thoroughly with paper towels.  Season lightly with salt and pepper.  Gently press the sesame seed mixture on both sides of the tuna steak, using your fingers.

Gather the salad ingredients and prepare the lemon-tahini dressing.  Searing the tuna only takes a few minutes and you need to serve it immediately when done.

Heat a cast-iron or other heavy frying pan over high heat until searing hot (the hotter the better).  Drizzle a thin film of oil in the pan and immediately add the tuna to the pan.  Sear undisturbed for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, then flip and sear the other side for 2 minutes.

Remove seared tuna to a cutting board and slice into 1/4 to 1/2 strips.  (It does not need to “rest”.) Plate with the mixed salad greens and vegetables, as desired.  Drizzle with lemon-tahini dressing and enjoy!

Lemon-Tahini Dressing Ingredients:

  • 1 egg
  • Juice of one lemon (about 1/4 cup)
  • 3 tablespoons tahini paste
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 clove garlic, smashed
  • 2 teaspoons ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon tamari sauce, coconut aminos, or soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup almond or macadamia oil
  • kosher salt and lemon pepper, to taste

Add the egg, lemon juice, tahini paste, honey, garlic, ginger, and tamari sauce to a food processor or blender.  Process until smooth.  With the processor running, slowly pour in the oil in a thin stream.  Process for around a minute longer until creamy.  (It will be a relatively light consistency.)  Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper.  Store in refrigerator until ready to use.

Seared Tuna wm

What a tasty treat that meal was! I could eat that every day…!

Don’t know how I missed this early album from Rodney Crowell, but once we started listening, song after song were familiar. “Shame on the Moon” was a big hit for Bob Seger, “Til I Gain Control Again” was a great Emmylou/Willie Nelson moment. This is available along with another good Crowell album on But What Will the Neighbors Think/Rodney Crowell. Highly recommended!

Now here’s a record everyone should have, the first solo album from Leon Russell. What a talent! Great songwriter, piano player and vocalist. The songs on here- “Delta Lady”, “A Song For You” and more are classics, and if you haven’t heard this one in a while, treat yourself!

→ 8 Comments

Posted in Brunch, Entrees, Seafood

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Salmon with Chipotle-Lime Glaze

Posted on May 4, 2011 by | Leave a comment

As we enjoyed this meal, it occurred to us that it might be the healthiest combination of food ever!  Not that it really mattered, because it was quite tasty and we would have eaten every bite even it it was chock full of benzene and trans fats.  Well, not really…we do try to avoid foods that will give you cancer and a heart attack.

We found some farm-raised Norwegian King Salmon at the local Whole Foods, which, although not wild-caught, is “raised in carefully monitored, low-density pens without antibiotics, pesticides or added growth hormones” according to Whole Foods Standards. It is a mild-flavored salmon with a good fat content…yum!  Since we are in Santa Fe, I wanted to give it a bit of Southwestern flair, so I put together a simple chipotle-lime glaze and added some rosemary from the yard (which is the only herb other than sage that has survived the rabbits.)  The glaze has a kick to it, but doesn’t overwhelm the delicate flavor of the salmon. This we roasted and served with Sweet Potatoes and Kale (recipe here).
Continue reading →

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Entrees, Seafood

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,