Food goodness

J's birthday dinner this year, based on this recipe . Fish: 1 pound flaky white fish fillets, such as haddock, halibut or cod 1 lime, zested and juiced 2 cloves garlic, smashed 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil sprinkle of cumin Kosher salt   Slaw: 1 bag broccoli slaw (recipe calls for 1/2 head savoy cabbage, shredded) 3 scallions, sliced thinly on the bias 1 jalapeno, minced, optional 1/4 to 1/2 cup rice vinegar (recipe calls for white) 2 tablespoons honey 1/4 cup canola oil Kosher salt   8 flour tortillas   Fish: Cut the fish into strips. Combine the fish with the lime zest and juice, garlic, oil, cumin and salt, to taste, in a medium bowl. This can be done a day ahead, covered and refrigerated. Slaw: In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, honey and oil. Add to the broccoli, scallions and jalapeno and toss until well dressed. Season with salt, to taste. If using within a couple of hours, let it sit at room t...

Below is Alton Brown's recipe. I wimped out of full execution of the recipe by substituting a little saucepan of our long-faithful Molly Katzen peanut sauce , but as soon as I get my hands on tamarind paste, I'll try this recipe again Alton's way. Even with my transgressions, it was so good. I added shrimp that I steamed in the chicken stock leftover from the Pho recipe. I made a stupid error when reading the recipe that resulted in me chopping and salting an entire HEAD of cabbage (also left over from Pho ). I just made it into a big batch of sweet and tangy slaw by adding 2T of sugar and about 1/4 C rice vinegar and shaking it all together to combine. It was great as a crunchy condiment and my daughter said it tasted like butter. 1-ounce tamarind paste 3/4 cup boiling water 2 tablespoons fish sauce 2 tablespoons palm sugar 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar 4 ounces rice stick noodles 6 ounces Marinated Tofu, recipe follows 1 to 2 tablespoons peanut oil 1 cup chopped scall...

I doubled this recipe, so that it would fill the slow cooker I've got. Also, Ernie said he would suggest adding some potato to it the next time, so bear that in mind. I didn't try it (I was eating clam chowder), but Gaby devoured hers. from A Year of Slow Cooking 1 quart chicken broth (4 cups!) 1 tablespoon butter 1 cup finely chopped onion, or 1 tablespoon dried minced onion flakes 1 (32-ounce) package of frozen corn 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1 (6-ounce) can lump crabmeat, drained and picked throug 1 cup half and half or heavy cream (to add later) Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Pour the broth into your crockpot, and add butter and onion. Stir in frozen corn, garlic, butter, and the crabmeat (make sure you pick through canned crab---shells often occur!) Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, high for 4 hours, or until the onion is cooked through and translucent. If you'd like a thicker broth, pulse a few times with an immersible blender, or scoop out a cup or so and blend in a tradi...

I was craving clam chowder the other day after watching a food show where they were making clam chowder. So I went looking for recipes, and found this one, which wasn't hard at all. So, so good. If you don't like clams, though, go ahead and skip this because it's got lots of clam flavor. Adapted from Epicurious 3 8-ounce bottles clam juice 1 pound russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter 3 slices bacon, finely chopped 2 cups chopped onions 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1 bay leaf 1/4 cup all purpose flour 7 6 1/2-ounce cans chopped clams, drained, juices reserved from 6 of the cans 1 1/2 cups half and half Bring bottled clam juice and potatoes to boil in heavy large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until bacon begins to brown, about 8 minutes. Add onions, g...

I'm working all kinds of whacky, stressful hours at The Job right now, preparing for a presentation that will hopefully earn me the promotion they've been talking about and a nice hefty raise to go along with it. At night, when I get home, I'm mush. Total mush. Which makes it especially nice that Ernie cooks dinner and it's waiting for me when I get home, to shovel in my face so I can go play with the girls for a few minutes. He tells me this was super easy and took no time at all. The hardest part, he said, was boiling the pasta. And you know how easy that is. All I can verify is that it was darn tasty and I had seconds, and those delicious carbs propelled me to a tickle war with both girls (which I won, thanks very much). from Annie's Eats 12 oz. linguine pasta 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 2 tbsp. unsalted butter 2-3 cloves garlic, minced 2 (6.5 oz) cans minced clams, juices reserved ½ cup heavy cream (or half-and-half) -- We used half and half Salt and pepper G...

I doubled this recipe, because 2 pounds of mussels did not look like enough for two people. It was. So now we have a bunch of extra mussels. Which isn't a bad thing, necessarily, because we pulled them all out of the shells and Ernie is going to eat them for lunch this week. What I would do differently next time (and there will be a next time): I omitted the heat, and I would add it back. I think it really needs a little heat. Also, I eat this dish at our favorite Thai restaurant that is similar to this, and it's got egg in the curry sauce. Next time I'll add an egg to the sauce, before I add the mussels. We ate this with rice, to soak up all the tasty sauce. Adapted slightly from Simply Recipes 2 lbs of mussels, cleaned and debearded 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil 1 yellow onion, chopped (I used red, it's all I had in the house) 1 thai chili, finely chopped (can substitute good pinch of chili flakes) 3 teaspoons of ginger, minced 1 1/2 tablespoons of c...

From: Alton Brown Hey, you can microwave-steam crab legs! Kelly told me about this, and I was totally skeptical and didn't want to ruin my expensive king crab legs. But, she convinced me to try it, and it totally worked. I really did not think microwaving seafood was a good idea - I thought it was going to turn out rubbery. It didn't! I put ours in for 1:45, because our microwave is really powerful and we always have to cut down on times in recipes. They were perfect. 6 Alaskan king crab claws, thawed 2 sprigs dill Directions If necessary in order to fit in microwave, cut claws at joints. Wrap 3 claws at a time in a damp paper towel, along with 1 sprig of dill, and then wrap in plastic wrap. Place wrapped claws in microwave 1 package at a time and cook on high for 2 minutes. Remove and unwrap carefully. Serve immediately.

I wanted fish stew last weekend, so I could play with a lot of the different seafoods I see at our Asian market. Unfortunately, this is the East Coast, and it's sometimes hard to get the ingredients that go into traditional cioppino. So, I improvised. If you want the original/traditional recipe, go to Simply Recipes . Seafood 3 pounds firm white fish -- I used rockfish, which was caught wild -- cut into inch-long cubes 1 package imitation crab meat (this was for Gaby, and also because they didn't have a Dungeness crab in the store) 1 pound (or more) of large shrimp 2 pounds (or more) little neck clams and mussels Sauce 1/2 cup olive oil 1 1/2 cups chopped onion (1 large onion) 1 cup chopped green bell pepper (1 large green bell pepper) 3 coves garlic, minced 1 28 ounce can tomatoes Broth from the mollusks 2 cups red wine 2 cups V-8 (the original recipe calls for tomato juice) 2 cups fish or shellfish stock (You can buy this in the store. Or m...

From: Simply Recipes Ok, I admit that I tried to cheat and use frozen pre-cooked shrimp in this dish. I wouldn't recommend going that route- go get yourself some fresh shrimp, or even some frozen uncooked shrimp. Still, even with that less-than-great substitution (hey, that's what I had in the house and wanted to make this at the last minute), this dish was tasty. Using the pre-cooked frozen shrimp just left me with a lot more liquid in the final dish than I think you would otherwise have. The flavors were really good, though, and it was quick to throw together. Ingredients 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 14.5-ounce cans of diced tomatoes 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley 1 Tbsp minced fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill 1 to 1 1/4 pounds medium sized raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (can leave tails on), thaw if frozen Pinch of salt, more to taste Pinch black pepper, more to taste 3 ounces feta cheese (about 2/3 cup, crumbled) Method 1 Preheat ...

Ceviche is a raw fish salad, but can also be made with shrimp or scallops. I prefer shrimp (which is cooked), but I also very much like it with white fish. Tonight we're having shrimp, because I had 2 pounds of frozen, cooked shrimp in the freezer. Recipe from my parents. My father's very funny notes in parenthesis. White fish or shrimp Lemon juice to cover fish overnight Drain lemon juice Add: 1/2 cup red wine vinegar 1/2 cup white wine (no whining) 1 tbs olive oil Salt & Pepper to taste 1 red onion diced 1 fresh tomato (check expiration date) Coriander to taste 3 or 4 jalapeño slices (or whole jalapeño diced if you’re not a wimp) and some jalapeño juice to taste (if you don’t use whole jalapeño) Hot sauce to taste Mix it all together, serve with tortillas or tortilla chips

Adapted from epicurious.com . Serves 4. * 1/4 cup fresh lime juice * 2 tablespoons finely grated lime peel * 2 tablespoons honey * 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro plus additional for sprinkling * 4 teaspoons soy sauce * 1 tablespoon olive oil * 3/4 cup sliced shallots (about 3 large) * 1 1/2 cups basmati rice (9 to 10 ounces) * 3 1/4 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth (I used water since I didn't have broth but I added a clove of garlic for a bit more flavor) * 4 5-to 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets * 1 bunch broccoli, bottom inch trimmed, stalks separated if necessary Whisk to combine lime juice through soy sauce in a small bowl and set aside. In a brazier or other vessel with a tight fitting lid, heat oil over medium high heat and add shallots (onions are fine, too). Cook for about5 minutes or until onion is soft. Stir in rice and cook for a minute or two before added stock/water and bring to a boil. Cover tightly with lid...

Um yeah. You know how I'm supposed to be good now and limit carbs and salt and cholesterol? Sometimes that's just fine, and sometimes I need a big bowl of pasta. Tonight I needed a big bowl of pasta. Although, I did eat oatmeal for breakfast and a veggie burger on a low-carb bread for lunch, so I guess I had the carbs to spare. adapted from Giada 1 pound spaghetti pasta 1/4 cup olive oil 3 shallots, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 3/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes 1 1/2 cup Pinot Grigio (or other white wine) 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined 2 pounds clams, washed 2 cups arugula Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and the garlic and cook for 3 minutes, until tender but not brown. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another m...

We had dinner with Heidi Friday night and she served this really flavorful salmon. It originally came from a 1950's neighborhood cookbook, but I didn't write down the name of it. As the name says, this was a little sweet, a little spicy. Great flavor. 1/2 C. water 6 Tbsp maple syrup 2 Tbsp minced gingerroot 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 to 1 tsp red pepper flakes 4 (6 oz) salmon filets, 1-inch thick 1/4 tsp kosher salt Combine water, maple syrup, gingerroot, garlic and red pepper flakes in saucepan and mix well. Simmer until reduced by half, stirring frequently. Let stand until cool. Arrange salmon skin-side down on an oiled broiler rack in a broiler pan. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Broil 4 inches from heat source for 5 minutes. Brush with maple syrup mixture. Broil for 6-10 minutes longer or until salmon flakes easily, basting with remaining maple syrup mixture occasionally.

This is from the v. funny Cook to Bang (and the recipe has a much more amusing name than the one I just posted). Anyway, we made this last night and it was delicious. Not quite as good as the curry sauce at the awesome mussels place in D.C., but a passable substitute. Definitely find some good crusty bread to serve at the same time. Ingredients (serves 2): 1. 1 tablespoon of olive oil 2. 1 cup of white wine 3. 1 tablespoon of brown sugar 4. 1 tablespoon of fish sauce (I omitted) 5. 1 can of coconut milk 6. 2 tablespoons of curry paste 7. 2-3 pounds of mussels 8. 1 tomato diced 9. 1 leek chopped coarsely (we used 2 small onions) 10. 2 garlic cloves minced 11. 2 handfuls of chopped cilantro 12. 1 lime worth of juice Step 1 Warm up the olive oil in a stockpot on medium heat. Throw in the garlic, leeks, half the cilantro and tomatoes and sauté (approx 4 minutes). Add the curry paste, fish sauce, and brown sugar, mixing and cooking thoroughly (approx 2 minutes). Step 2 Dump in the cocon...

This is adapted from a Gourmet recipe 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 onions, chopped 6 garlic cloves, peeled, smashed 2 medium tomatoes, cored, chopped (from my garden!) 3 cups dry white wine 1 cup water 3-4 dozen small littleneck clams, scrubbed 1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves (from my garden!) 1/4 cup chopped fresh thyme (from my garden!) 1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano (from my garden!) 2 pinches of dried crushed red pepper Melt butter with olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes and cook until beginning to soften, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Add white wine and 1 cup water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes to blend flavors. Bring broth to boil. Stir basil, parsley, oregano, and crushed red pepper into broth in pot. Add clams, cover, and cook until clams open, 5-7 minutes minutes (discard any clams that ...

I picked up a few fresh tomatoes at a farm market this weekend, and six ears of corn. So I knew it was time to make this salad. Gaby tested it for me, and then whined for 20 minutes that she wanted more, before dinner. I think that deems the recipe a success. from Cooking Light, June 2008 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind 5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon honey 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears) I used 3 ears, and also blanched them before putting in the salad 1/4 cup thinly sliced basil leaves 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion I left this out, but I bet it's good with 1 pound lump crabmeat, shell pieces removed 8 (1/4-inch-thick) slices ripe beefsteak tomato 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved Combine rind, 3 tablespoons juice, and next 5 ingredients (through black pepper) in a large bowl, stirring well with a...

I found this on another recipe blog (http://juliatylerfoodblog.wordpress.com/, though she got it from betterrecipes.com), and figured I'd post it over here. We made it tonight, and it was delicious and easy. Ingredients: 2 salmon fillets 1/4 c. honey 1/4 c. dijon mustard 1/8 c. olive oil, or as needed to thin glaze 1 T lemon juice 1 1/2 cup shelled pecans, finely ground* salt and pepper to taste Directions: In small bowl combine honey, mustard, oil, lemon juice for glaze using just enough oil to keep glaze from getting too thick. Coat salmon lightly with glaze, then cover with ground pecans. Salt and pepper to taste. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Bake salmon on a baking sheet lined with foil for 12-15 minutes or until salmon flakes. Serve at once, top with more glaze if so desired. * We definitely used less pecans than this, probably closer to a cup, including some that we put on our baked sweet potatoes.

This a recipe I copied from Isaac's soup recipe book before I quit working there many years ago and it has always been a favorite. Truly, the best soups I ever had were made there and I have yet to find a restaurant that makes such a great variety of tasty homemade soups. This recipe has been adapted from the original 10 gallon version (that's right: 10 gallons) 1 large red pepper, medium chop 1 large green pepper, medium chop 2 medium onions, small chop 1 T olive oil 2 lbs. red fingerling potatoes 3 6 oz. cans of lump crab meat (if you can get it fresh, all the better, but if not, this works well) 3 large cloves garlic 1/2 C Old Bay seasoning scant 1/4 C. crab base (if you can't find crab base and are using canned crab meat, reserve the juice from the crab and add to soup) 2 cans tomato sauce Scrub potatoes and cut into 1 inch pieces. Cover with water and cook until almost done. Drain into a colander and reserve for later. In a large pot, add olive oil, onions and pep...

Geoff sent me the link to an article from the NY Times (registration required, but it's free) entitled "Summer Express: 101 Simple Meals Ready in 10 Minutes or Less." Enjoy! http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/18/dining/18mini.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

I got this from a slow cooker listserv I'm on. It was really good. I'm putting my notes in parenthesis. INGREDIENTS: a.. 1 large can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes with juice b.. 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce c.. 1/2 cup chopped onion d.. 1 cup dry white wine e.. 1/3 cup olive oil f.. 3 cloves garlic, minced g.. 1/2 cup parsley, chopped (frankly, I use the dehydrated stuff on occasion) h.. 1 green pepper, chopped i.. 1 hot pepper (optional), chopped (we left this out) j.. salt and pepper, to taste k.. 1 teaspoon thyme l.. 2 teaspoons basil m.. 1 teaspoon oregano n.. 1/2 teaspoon paprika o.. 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I used some crushed red pepper flakes instead) p.. water, if desired* (I didn't use any) q.. r.. Seafood** s.. 1 deboned (important) and cubed fillet of seabass, cod or other whitefish (I used halibut) t.. 1 doz. prawns u.. 1 doz. scallops v.. 1 doz. mussels (omitted) w.. 1 doz. clams (can use canned--I would recommend this, because I used the ones in the shell...