PAPPARDELLE WITH SCALLOPS AND ROASTED ARTICHOKES

Posted in Pasta & Noodles, Seafood by sallybr

Since I’ve found out you can get a jar of artichokes hearts, drain it and roast the pieces until brown at the edges, I cannot stop using them. As topping for pizza, addition to pasta, even salads. In this recipe, it joins lemons and scallops. A wonderful dinner for a Saturday night…

PAPPARDELLE WITH SCALLOPS AND ROASTED ARTICHOKES
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

1 or 2 bottles of artichoke hearts, in brine, oil or water, drained
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 pound pappardelle
1 large lemon, zested and juiced
¼ cup torn basil leaves
12 large scallops seasoned to taste with salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil + 1 tablespoon butter

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Gently pat the artichoke hearts with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. If they were packed in oil, simply roast them as they are. If they were in brine or water, drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil all over the pieces and proceed to roasting for 20 minutes in a single layer. Flip the pieces and roast for 5 to 10 minutes longer, until edges are turning golden. Reserve. You can do this step in advance.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes or according to package directions. While the pasta cooks, in a serving dish large enough to accommodate it, add the lemon juice, lemon zest, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, whisk to combine.

Cook the scallops. Dry them very well, season with salt and pepper. Add the tablespoon of oil and butter to a skillet, once very hot, cook the scallops, 2 minutes per side, until golden brown. Reserve.

Once the pasta is cooked, remove 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta and add to the bowl with lemon, seasonings and olive oil. Toss well, adjust consistency with the reserved pasta water, add fresh basil and serve with the scallops and the roasted artichokes.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Pappardelle is pretty substantial, so this is by no means a light pasta dish. But everything worked well together. I am pretty addicted to roasting artichoke hearts. If they are packed in brine, the roasted artichokes get almost like a little hint of capers and olives, which of course is just the brine speaking. I love it. But you can also use frozen artichoke hearts and add herbs of your liking.

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18Jul2025

SALMON AND BABY BOK CHOY OVER SUSHI RICE

Posted in Seafood by sallybr

I am often inspired by Molly Yeh and her fun show Girl Meets Farm on FoodTV Network. This is dinner in a single pan, filling and nutritious. I made the salmon in two different ways, as the husband prefers a simpler seasoning for his fish. See the comments for what I would change next time.

SALMON AND BABY BOK CHOY OVER SUSHI RICE
(adapted from Molly Yeh’s recipe)

1 + 1/2 cups sushi rice
4 small heads of baby bok choy, halved
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1 limes, zested and halved
2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more for seasoning the salmon
2 + 3/4 cups water
2 tablespoons light miso paste
2 tablespoons Japanese mayonnaise
4 skinless center cut salmon fillets
Sriracha, for drizzling

Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Put the rice in a fine strainer and rinse until the water runs clear. Drain well and spread in a braiser. Lay the bok choy in an even layer over top. Drizzle with the neutral oil, sesame oil, ginger, lime zest, and salt. Drizzle the water into the braiser. Bring to a boil.

Cover tightly with a lid and bake for 15 minutes.

While the rice and bok choy bakes, stir together the miso and Japanese mayonnaise. Season the salmon lightly with salt and brush with the miso sauce.
After 15 minutes, carefully uncover the braiser and lay the salmon pieces over the rice and bok choy. Cover again and continue to bake until the rice is tender and the salmon is just cooked through, about 15 minutes more.

Uncover the braiser and broil on the top rack just until the top of the salmon is nicely glazed, about 1 minute. Squeeze the halved lime over top. Serve with a drizzle of Sriracha.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: First things first, I really loved the Japanese mayo-based topping for the filets. It is salty, a tad sweet, super flavorful. But the husband was happier with the more austere version I made for him, just olive oil, lemon juice, salt and Herbes de Provence. Do what suits you best. The rice was perfectly cooked using the timing suggested by Molly. Now, comes the full disclosure: the bok-choy disappointed us. It turned mushy and not at all the type of veggie we enjoy as a side dish. It is a nice idea to have everything in a single pan, but next time I will keep just the rice and salmon, and cook whatever veggie separately. Sautéed, air-fried, roasted. Anything to give it better texture.

We enjoyed it with air-fried carrots, so in the end it was a super nice meal for a Saturday night…

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10Jan2025

PASTA WITH SHRIMP IN CASHEW CREAM SAUCE

Posted in Pasta & Noodles, Seafood by sallybr

Alfredo sauce is luscious, absolutely delicious but a real saturated fat bomb, which we tend to avoid when cooking at home. Going to a restaurant is a different thing, sometimes excesses while eating out are part of the equation. Embrace it and move on. But this is a great option for a meal that will have the same type of vibe, but is considerably lighter. If you want to make it vegetarian, omit the shrimp, add another veggie, maybe a little butternut squash or mushrooms.

PASTA WITH SHRIMP IN CASHEW CREAM SAUCE
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

For the sauce:
1 cup raw cashews soaked overnight and drained
¾ cup water
2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

For the pasta:
pasta of your choice
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups broccoli florets (or amount to taste)
1 (12 oz) bag shrimp peeled and deveined
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth. Set aside.

Steam the broccoli in the microwave with just a sprinkle of water for 2 minutes. Reserve. Start cooking the pasta in salted boiling water.

To a skillet, add the olive oil, once hot add the shrimp and sautee until opaque, season with salt and pepper. When the shrimp is almost fully cooked, add the steamed broccoli. Keep covered at a low-simmer. When the pasta is ready, reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, drain the pasta, and add to the skillet with the shrimp and broccoli. Pour most of the reserved water, stir, and add the amount of cashew cream you like, if needed thin the sauce with additional water until you are happy with the consistency. Serve right away.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: For this meal, I chose a pasta shape we had never had before, called “Rustiche”. Phil found it at Marshall’s and it was perfect for this type of cream sauce with the bits of broccoli and the shrimp. I did not use the whole amount of the sauce made but it sits in the fridge for a few days without problem and also freezes quite well. Cashew cream is a definite keeper!

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21Mar2024

INCREDIBLY SIMPLE: AIR-FRIED SALMON BITES

Posted in Air-Frying, Incredibly simple, Seafood by sallybr

Normally, when I share a recipe that uses the air-fryer, I offer alternative ways to make it, in case you do not own one. For this recipe, however, I have to say that the air-fryer method is a must. You simply cannot get the same results without it. Credit for finding the basic method goes to the husband. He often finds things for me to try and his intuition is pretty awesome. All recipes he picks turn out excellent. This was the most recent example.

AIR-FRIED SALMON BITES
(adapted from Wholesome Yum)

24 oz salmon fillets (cut into 1-inch pieces)
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp tamari sauce (or soy sauce, but reduce the salt slightly)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp hot paprika

In a large bowl, whisk together the honey, tamari, paprika, salt, and pepper. Add the salmon pieces to the bowl and mix well to coat. Marinate for 1 hour. When time is up, turn the salmon pieces in the marinade again to coat well.

Turn the fryer to 400 degrees F. Place the salmon bites in the air fryer basket in a single layer, with some space between the pieces. Air fry for about 7 minutes, check the cooking by removing a piece and cutting through it. It should flake easily and the internal temperature should be around 140F.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This was soooo easy and soooo delicious! Plus, contrary to baking in the oven or using the stovetop, there was NO smell. Not sure how that magic works but I am sold. We only cook salmon by grilling it outside, as I have a serious problem with smells that linger in the kitchen. This was a winner in that aspect.

The meat flakes beautifully, and the marinade was perfect with it. A little sweet, a little spicy… I intend to play with different flavors soon, but the basic approach will be unchanged. I urge you to give this a try. If you are into bowls, Oriental style, this would be a great way to deal with the protein component.

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9Jan2024

CRAB CAKES GO LIGHT

Posted in Seafood by sallybr

We love crab cakes but they can be pretty heavy, not only for the components but the fact they are deep fried. This version is substantially lighter and it is baked in the oven. We truly loved them, so don’t let the “light” label turn you off.

CRAB CAKES
(adapted from Recipe Girl)

12 square saltine (soda) crackers, crushed into crumbs
⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons low fat plain yogurt
⅓ cup chopped roasted red pepper (store-bought is fine)
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
2 to 3 dashes Sriracha sauce or more to taste
salt, to taste
1 pound fresh crab meat, picked over for shells and cartilage (I used 3/4 pound)
2 large egg whites

Heat the oven to 425°F, and line a large baking sheet with non-stick aluminum foil or parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the saltine crumbs and parsley. Stir all the ingredients except the egg whites together, mixing them gently but well. Lightly whisk the egg whites in a small bowl, then add to the mixture, incorporating it well.

Form small crab cakes and arrange them 1-inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, turning the crab cakes with a spatula after 6 minutes. The crab cakes are done when they are browned and cooked through.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: We served crab legs for our Christmas dinner, and had a few leftover. After my beloved husband processed it all for me, we had 3/4 pound and I went with that amount, keeping all other ingredients the same. Worked well, no issues forming the cakes or baking them. They were superb! A little arugula salad seasoned with just lemon and olive oil was the perfect match. A light meal that was more than welcome for the two of us, when the guest had left us and the normal routine started to set in.