BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL

Posted in Celebrate Wednesday, Pasta & Noodles, Seafood by sallybr

A while ago I blogged about a special, romantic dinner for no particular reason other than…. it was Wednesday! This is another example of a meal to brighten up any frantic week, and make the evening feel unique and special. Phil was busy doing some carpentry work while I cooked, so he had no idea what would be on our menu. When I announced (as casually as I could) that dinner was served, he was in complete awe…
SCALLOPS AND BLACK PASTA IN ORANGE CREAM SAUCE
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

10 sea scallops, preferably “dry”
salt and pepper
sugar
black spaghetti (squid ink)
2 Tbs olive oil, divided
1 minced shallot
zest of 1 orange
1 to 2 Tbs orange juice
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
dash of nutmeg
fresh parsley leaves, minced

Put a large pot of salted water to boil. Pat the scallops dry, and place them over paper towels to make sure any excess moisture is blotted out. Reserve.

On a medium size skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and saute the shallots, seasoning lightly with salt and black pepper. When they are soft and getting a light color, add the orange zest. Saute for 1 minute, turn the heat off and close the pan.

Start cooking the black spaghetti, the amount you would normally make for you and your lucky partner. Depending on the thickness of the pasta and the brand, it should take about 8 minutes. While the pasta cooks, heat a skillet on high heat, add a smidgen of olive oil, and once the oil is very hot, pat dry the scallops once more, season them with salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of sugar. Sear the scallops about 2 minutes per side, making sure the pan is not too crowded. Don’t touch them as they cook, they will release from the pan once a nice golden crust is formed. Reserve (or place in a very low oven – 200 F) to keep them warm).

As the scallops cook, finish the sauce. Heat the orange/shallot mixture, add 1/4 cup of heavy cream, season with a dash of nutmeg. Add 1/8 cup of orange juice and warm the sauce swirling the pan gently over medium low heat.

Once the pasta is cooked, remove a small amount of the cooking liquid, add the pasta to the orange-cream sauce, add some of the pasta water if necessary to thin the sauce. Sprinkle fresh parsley over the dish, and serve with the cooked scallops on top.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Black pasta is made by incorporating squid ink in the dough, so I like to serve it with seafood. It can be a bit tricky to pair with a sauce, but I opted for a mild, creamy sauce with a citric component. It worked very well.

This is a quick meal to put together, but it could seem a little rushed, as everything must come to a glorious end at the same time. If you feel insecure about multi-tasking, consider making the orange cream sauce before you do anything else. Start boiling the pasta, and sear the scallops when the pasta is midway through cooking. All you have to do is re-warm the orange sauce quickly, incorporate with the pasta and dinner is served! A salad to round out the meal, and you are ready to celebrate the fact that it’s Wednesday, and you love the person sitting across from you… 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Stir-fried Chicken with Creamed Corn

TWO YEARS AGO: Potato, Cheddar and Chive Torpedo (this bread is a complete winner!)

28Jan2012

CITRUS CRUSTED TILAPIA FILETS

Posted in Seafood by sallybr

Citrus and fish, unbeatable combo! Until now, I accepted the idea that one of my favorite preparations for delicate fish filets came with a small tax to pay for the fat used to fry it. But, when I saw this recipe on How Sweet It Is, I hoped it would be my ticket to a lighter version of the classic. To be completely honest, I had my doubts, because not too long ago I tried a similar method for pork schnitzel (from Everyday Food) and it was a huge disappointment. I am glad to report NO disappointment here, quite the contrary, this recipe is a keeper!

CITRUS CRUSTED TILAPIA
(adapted from How Sweet It Is)

4 fresh (or thawed) tilapia filets
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
zest of 2 oranges, 1 lime and 1 lemon
2 egg whites, lightly beaten with a pinch of salt

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, place a wire rack on top, and spray the wire rack with nonstick spray. In a large bowl, add bread crumbs, flour, citrus zest and a pinch of salt. In another bowl, lightly beat the egg whites, add a teaspoon of water to make it looser.

Season each piece of tilapia with salt and pepper. Dip each piece of fish in the beaten egg whites, allow the excess to drip, then coat with your mixture of breadcrumbs, pressing well to adhere. Place on the wire rack and spray lightly with olive oil spray.

Bake for about 18 minutes, or until breadcrumbs are golden. Depending on how thick your filets are, it could take slightly longer. Test with a knife to see if the fish flakes easily, then it’s done.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Jessica served her fish filets with a beautiful blood orange salsa, perfect complement to the dish, but this time I took a more austere route, went with white rice and stove top blasted broccoli (a favorite side dish of ours).

This recipe was a breeze to put together, the fish turned out moist, perfectly cooked, with the crust delivering a burst of citric flavor. The secret for success is spraying the olive oil over the coating before baking the filets. That ensures just the right amount of fat to moisten the crumb layer and give it a hint of color. Much lighter than the usual method with a frying pan, but without skimping on flavor. I am not at all interested in reducing calories if it will hurt my food. This is a perfect example of a make-over that is worth adding to your repertoire of meals.

I highly recommend you stop by How Sweet It Is to get her full recipe, including the blood orange salsa. It will be on our table next time, all I need is to find that elusive orange for sale. 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Bran Muffins: not just for hippies!

TWO YEARS AGO: Chocolate Flourless Cake

23Nov2011

COD FILETS WITH MUSTARD-TARRAGON CRUST

Posted in Seafood by sallybr

My favorite fish is Chilean Sea Bass, but it’s not at all easy to find. If you are fortunate enough to live in a place that carries this delicacy, use it in this recipe. If you face the same fishy situation we do (sorry, could not resist the pun) cod, or any firm-fleshed white fish will work well here. Including the prep work, this delicious main dish will be ready in 20 minutes tops. My kind of weeknight meal. And, since we are on the subject, here is a link to an article listing the 5 seafood items you should never eat, that I first saw over at Chucrute com Salsicha (thanks, Fer!). Keep that in mind when you go shopping.

COD FILETS WITH MUSTARD-TARRAGON CRUMB CRUST
(from Cooking New American, Martha Holmberg)

1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
2 Tbs chopped fresh tarragon
2 tsp grated lemon zest
1 Tbs melted butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cod fillets (about 1 inch thick)
1 tsp Dijon mustard

Heat the oven to 450°F.

Mix the crumbs, tarragon, lemon zest, melted butter, and a little salt and pepper in a small bowl.

Spread each fillet with 1/4 teaspoon mustard and season with salt and pepper. Carefully pat the crumb topping over the surface of each fillet, pressing lightly so it sticks.

Brush a little oil onto a small baking sheet or shallow baking pan and set the fillets on the oiled spot (or cover the pan with parchment paper). Bake the fish in the hot oven until the topping is golden brown and crisp and the fish is tender (10 to 15 minutes). If the topping seems to be getting too dark before the fish is cooked, turn the heat down to 375°F.

Serve immediately, and… ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: For this recipe, you must use fresh tarragon, the dried version would not deliver the same flavor. We were amazed to find out that our tarragon plant had survived our absence during the last year in Los Angeles, when it was completely ignored outside, enduring a very harsh winter. Maybe it is added proof of our lousy gardening skills: the less we mess with a plant, the better it thrives. Something to consider for next year…

This recipe is a keeper. Other herbs and spices can take it in slightly different directions, so have fun with it, using panko crumbs and melted butter as your white canvas. I imagine olive oil would work just as well, and intend to use it next time in place of butter. The fish is protected by the crumbs from the high heat in the oven, ending up moist and tender. The crumb crust is so delicious I had to resist peeling it off the second piece, leaving the fish naked for my lunch next day. 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Soba Noodles: Light and Healthy

TWO YEARS AGO: Potato-Rosemary Bread

6Oct2011

THIRD TIME IS A CHARM

Posted in Seafood by sallybr

I’ve made this recipe three times in the past 9 months, with the firm intention of blogging about it. The photos never did it justice, and even though I’m still not satisfied with the way the pictures turned out, I must go ahead with the post: this recipe is too good to keep secret! 😉

Cooking scallops can be intimidating, they are expensive and easy to mess up. A few seconds longer in the pan, and their delicate texture is ruined. Dorie Greenspan, in her book “Around my French Table,” offers a great take on scallops, with a sauce that was born to embrace them.

SCALLOPS IN ORANGE-CARAMEL SAUCE
(from Dorie Greenspan)

2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup orange juice
1 lb sea scallops
2 teaspoons olive oil
salt and freshly ground white pepper
1 tablespoon cold butter, cut into 3 pieces

First, make the sauce. Mix the orange juice and white wine in a small bowl and reserve. Sprinkle the sugar into a small saucepan (see my comments on the type of pan I like to use for this). Place the pan over medium-high heat and warm the sugar until it starts to melt and color. As soon as you see the caramel in the pan turning brown, begin to gently swirl the pan. About 3 minutes into the cooking time, when the sugar is deep caramel in color, stand back and add the orange/wine mixture. It will bubble and spatter, just keep stirring with a wooden spoon, and boil until the sauce is reduced by half — you should have about 1/3 cup. Pull the pan from the heat and set it aside. If not using the sauce immediately, you can keep it for a couple of days in the fridge.

Pat the scallops dry between two paper towels. Put the saucepan with the caramel sauce over very low heat so that it can warm while you cook the scallops.

Put a heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat. When the pan is hot, pour in 1 tsp olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom. Add the scallops, season them with salt and pepper, add a little more oil if needed, and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until the scallops are firm on the outside and just barely opaque in the center. Transfer the scallops to a serving platter.

Check that the caramel sauce is hot, remove the pan from the heat and toss in the butter, bit by bit, swirling the pan until the butter is melted and the sauce is glistening. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, then drizzle some over the scallops, serving additional sauce at the table.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

To make the sauce, my favorite pan is this cute little red skillet from Bialetti. I bought it when we were in Los Angeles because our electric cooking stovetop was so tiny, I had no pan that would fit nicely on it. Since the pan is white, it’s very easy to see the caramel color, no need to guess or transfer a small amount to a white plate.

I strongly advise you to make a double batch of the sauce, I never seem to have enough, it’s so delicious! It would go well on shrimp, and even chicken breasts or pork tenderloin. Slightly sweet, slightly sour, feels complex even though it is made with only a few ingredients.

These scallops are elegant enough to serve for company, although depending on the number of guests I would offer it as a small first course. Everything happens pretty quickly with this recipe, I don’t quite picture myself handling too many for a main dish for more than 2 couples. I know my limitations! 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Fire-Roasted Tomato Risotto

TWO YEARS AGO: A Special Dinner for Two

24Sep2011

OVEN-BROILED SALMON OVER SAUCY SPINACH

Posted in Seafood by sallybr

A lightning-fast dinner to prepare, your best friend on a busy weeknight! At first, I wanted to call it “Healthy Salmon Dinner” or something along those lines, but I am a bit tired of the constant labeling of recipes as “healthy” or “good for you.” Anything can be good for you if approached the right way. A slice of apple pie? No problem. A slice of apple pie with two scoops of vanilla ice cream drenched in caramel sauce, after a dinner of fried chicken with biscuits and gravy? Well, not your best option, but if you do it only once in a blue moon, even that is not a crime! Eat sensibly and enjoy your food… 😉

For this dish, I combined two different recipes, one from Fine Cooking, another from Food and Wine. As you may have noticed, I cook often from both publications, love them! Joining salmon, spinach, kalamatas, and raisins might seem like a stretch, but we were both swooning over our plates. Since a little starch never hurt anyone, I made some orzo perfumed with lemon zest as a side dish. Awesome dinner!

FIVE-SPICE GLAZED SALMON WITH WILTED SPINACH
(adapted from Fine Cooking & Food and Wine magazines)

4 salmon filets, skin on
1/4 cup honey
4 tsp soy sauce
1 + 1/2 tsp Chinese five spice powder
3 bunches of spinach (16 to 18 oz)
1 shallot, diced
1/3 cup Kalamata olives, halved or diced
1/4 cup golden raisins
squeeze of lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Combine the honey, soy, and five-spice powder in a small bowl, mixing it all well. Put the pieces of salmon, skin side down, on a plate or baking dish just large enough to hold them side by side. Pour the honey mixture over the salmon, flip them over, so that the skin is now up. Let them sit in this honey glaze for 15 minutes as you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Meanwhile, turn your oven broiler on.

Place a colander over a bowl or plate near your stove top. Pour a little water on a large non-stick skillet set on medium-high heat. When the water is very hot, add half of the spinach leaves, and move them around quickly using tongs until they start to wilt. Transfer them to the colander, and wilt the rest of the spinach leaves the same way. Add them to the colander, and wipe the skillet dry.

Start broiling the salmon. Place the pieces skin side down on a baking dish lined with foil and slightly coated with a spray of olive oil to prevent sticking. Brush the top of the salmon with a little of the honey glaze, saving the rest in a small bowl. Total broiling time will be 5 to 6 minutes, depending on how thick your filets are, and how you like them cooked.

Heat 2 Tbs olive oil in the skillet, when the oil is very hot add the shallots and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the kalamata olives, the raisins, stir them all together for a minute or so. Add the spinach, toss around to warm up, squeeze a little lemon juice all over, and season with salt and pepper. Remove the spinach mixture to a serving platter, add another squeeze of lemon juice to the honey glaze in the small bowl, add to the skillet over medium heat, until it bubbles and heats through. Place the broiled salmon over the bed of spinach, drizzle with the honey marinade, and serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: You know those bags of baby spinach that sell in the grocery store for 4 bucks (or more), and you must cook at least two bags to feed you and your partner? You don’t need those. 😉 Recently, a remark by Rachael Ray in one of her shows perked my interest. She said that those humble looking spinach bundles, tied together with a nasty metal string, will work nicely in many preparations.

I got three of those – each for $1.30 – and was very pleased by how they wilted but kept some structure and a more intense taste than their organic baby cousins. Simply use a large knife and cut them above the string very close to the leaves, to get rid of all the stem part (compost those, if you can). Drop the leaves in a large bowl (or sink) full of water, swirl them around a few times, and dry in a salad spinner. They are ready to use.

The salmon – my first time oven-broiling it, by the way – cooked to perfection, the honey in the marinade giving it that irresistible copper tone, and the spinach combined with the olives and raisins, raised the bar of this meal quite a bit. If you are watching your carbs intake, you can always omit the orzo.

ONE YEAR AGO: Butterscotch Brownies

TWO YEARS AGO: Vegetable Autumn Soup