Category Archives: Fish

Ode to a Smoked Trout Lyonnaise

Moving to Philly and being retired means I get to visit Valley Green as often as I want. So, last week I met Susan for lunch at Brunos and a post-prandial walk along Forbidden Drive. There, we encountered a battalion of rubber-booted fisherman standing in the stream and parade of pickups and cars following a small tanker truck along the path.

Yes folks, it was trout-stocking day on the Wissahickon.

Which got me remembering the time Lou caught some gorgeous trout in the Loyalsock River, which we brined and smoked on the Weber in the back yard at our cottage. Gotta’ get Lou back up to the mountains this summer, I thought.

Next day, meeting an old med school friend at Musette (yep, this retirement thing is working out just fine, thank you..), there on the menu was a Lyonnaise salad with green beans, topped with – you guessed it – smoked trout!

OMG – heaven on a plate.

Then yesterday, while arranging and stocking my new pantry, what did I find but a can of smoked trout from Trader Joes!

It was 3 pm and I hadn’t eaten lunch. I remembered the leftover baby kale and lettuce and a small amount of uncooked bacon in the fridge and knew exactly what I was going to do. Make Mark Bittman’s Salad Lyonnaise, topped with smoked trout.

OMG perfect.

I mean, really. A salad tossed in a warm vinagriette made from olive oil, bacon with its rendered fat, Dijon mustard, shallots (or in my case, garlic) and sherry wine vinegar, all topped with a poached egg? Only the French would think of that. And now I was going to gild that lily with smoked trout. Oh yeah, it was delish.

Eating my lunch, I started rooting around my brain for a poem to submit to my poetry workgroup that evening. Last minute poet, that’s me…

Luckily, this poem arose just in time.

Sometimes, the stars (and the trout) align. 

Ode to a Smoked Trout Lyonnaise 

It's a brisk April morning on the old Wissahickon.
Rubber-booted fisherman are tossing their lines
into freshly stocked waters, where the trout are a-kickin',
their rainbow fins shimmer through the shadows of pines.

Which gets me to dreamin' of trout filets swimming
in applewood vapor, still fresh from the brine,
in a black kettle smoker, their plump muscles brimming
with sweet smoky candy-like flavor divine.

Now they greet me at the tabletop tossed with frisee
bathed in bacon-laced sherry and French mustard dressing
flanked by haricot vert, and atop it all lay
a perfect cooked egg like an early spring blessing. 

Margaret Polaneczky
April 20, 2023

La Cagouille’s Sea Scallops with Warm Vinaigrette a.k.a What to do with Those Chives

This potted chive has survived every winter since I first planted it over 20 years ago, and is always the first plant to return in spring to our terrace herb garden. A few years ago, it sent some seed over to another pot, which now joins in its spring awakening. I’m forever amazed at it’s stamina and stability, not to mention those delightful purple flowers.

This evening, looking for a recipe to enjoy this little spring harvest with more than just my eyes and nose, I picked up one of my favorite cookbooks, The Paris Cookbook. by Patricia Wells. I’ve loved Patricia’s books ever since Jeffrey Miller, our wonderful wedding caterer, gave me her Food Lovers Guide to Paris as a gift on our wedding day. It was the perfect gift – our honeymoon was in Paris and Jeffrey knew we were foodies. This past summer, in one of those circle of life moments, Jeffrey happened to cater the wedding of my husband’s cousin’s son – who I had delivered with forceps some 20 odd years ago. (Before you ask, he graduated from MIT – so no harm was done by the forceps…) Anyway, I was hoping Jeffrey would be there for the wedding, but his catering business, which was just getting off the ground when I was married, is now long established and I’m sure he rarely attends the weddings he caters.

But I digress – back to Patricia Wells and The Paris Cookbook. This lovely little cookbook reads like a private tour of Patricia’s Paris – the chefs and restaurants she loves, the food markets and shops she frequents, the regular French folk and the foodie friends she has made over the years. Each recipe has a story and every one of them makes me want to move to Paris.

My chives found their perfect use in La Cagouille’s Sea Scallops with Warm Vinaigrette by chef Gerard Allemandou. Its a simple preparation that perfectly balances the richness of the scallops with a barely acidic sherry vinaigrette. Minced chives mingle with parsley and tarragon as a little show of spring.

Patricia recommends serving the scallops with Noirmoutier Potatoes with Fleur de Sel, and that’s what we did. I’ll post that recipe tomorrow.

La Cagouille’s Sea Scallops with Warm Vinaigrette

This recipe serves 4 as a first course and 2 as a main course, which was how we served it. If you want to serve four as a main course, I would increase the scallops to 16 ounces, but not the herbs or vinaigrette, as there will be plenty of both. Ms Wells uses a non-stick pan to saute’ her sea scallops. Not having such a pan, I used a stainless steel skillet with a little olive oil. Slicing the scallops in half horizontally is a nice trick to ensure that the scallops cook through and brown as well. Not to mention it doubles the amount of browned surface one gets to eat!

INGREDIENTS
6 large sea scallops (about 8 ounces total)
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
About 2 tbsp finely minced fresh chives
About 2 tbsp minced parsley
About 2 tbsp finely minced chervil or tarragon
Fleur de Sel or fine sea salt
Freshly ground white pepper (I only had black pepper)

The vinaigrette
1 tbsp sherry wine vinegar
Fine sea salt
8 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS
Rinse scallops and pat dry. Cut in half horizontally and set aside.

Prepare the vinaigrette: In a small jar, combine the sherry and the sea salt to taste. Cover and shake to dissolve the salt. Add the oil, cover and shake to emulsify. Taste for seasoning and set aside.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saute pan. Add scallops and sear until they are just browned around the edges, about 1 minute each side to cooke them through, less if you like them less cooked. Season with salt and pepper after the first side has cooked.

Spoon 1-2 tbsp of vinaigrette and 1/2 tsp herbs onto each warmed dinner plate (I admit I did not warm our plates, but you’ll do that, won’t you?..). Transfer scallop halves to each of the prepared plates. Sprinkle with the remaining herbs. Season with Fleur de Sel and white pepper, and serve.

Blackened Shrimp with Citrus and Roasted Fennel

It’s been quite a long hiatus from blogging, and I for one am glad it’s over.

Nothing special made me stop blogging, just the overwhelming business of life and work. It’s a good life, but one that for the past year or two has lost the balance between work and private life that I seem to have achieved when I was blogging more frequently.

At any rate, things in general have settled down a bit and I find myself actually having free time again to write. And so the blog is back!

What’s new, you ask?

Well, I am about 30 pounds thinner, that’s one big thing.  Nothing magic or amazing, just a food delivery diet that let someone else do the work for me. I still have at least another 40 pounds to go, but decided to see if I could take myself there without the crutch of a delivery diet. And so, I’m on a mission to find a stable of light and healthy but delicious meals that I can begin to incorporate into our life and my diet. It’s only week two of this new on-my-own diet and I am pleased to tell you I have found one amazing dinner that I know I’ll be making over and over again.

Try it, and I predict you will be too.

Blackened Shrimp with Citrus and Roasted Fennel

This recipe is a modification from a recipe found in Cooking Light, a magazine I highly recommend for anyone, not just dieters, who is looking for great recipes. The recipe written here is with my modifications, mostly made to accommodate my larder, which did not at the time include fresh herbs or more than one shallot. I also made my own rice/grain mix. (The original recipe called for a box mix.).

Next time I will add an additional fennel bulb – found myself wanting more! You could also add a few more shrimp when serving 4, as this only gives about 7 per person. Farro would make a nice alternative to rice.

Ingredients

  • 2 oranges
  • 2 medium fennel bulbs with stalks (about 7 oz. each)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 large shallot, quartered
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1/2 large sweet onion, peeled and cut into quarters

For Shrimp:

  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on

For Rice-Grain mix

  • 1/2 cup basmati rice
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup quinoa (I used a red/white quinoa blend)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup water
  • Reserved orange rind

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit

Grate one orange to equal 1 teaspoon rind; reserve for use in the rice/quinoa mix. Cut oranges crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick rounds. Remove stalks from fennel; chop fronds to equal 2 tablespoons and reserve for garnish. (Save the stalks for future use in a salad, broth, meat braise or fish dish.) Cut fennel bulbs into 1/2-inch-thick wedges. Combine orange slices, 2 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, shallots, garlic, onion and fennel wedges on a rimmed baking sheet, spreading them out in a single layer to cook. Bake at 425°F for 25 minutes or until fennel is tender and lightly charred.

While veggies are cooking, make the rice/quinoa mix.

Cook the rice: Rinse rice well under cold running water; drain. Boil 3/4 cup water in a pyrex measuring cup in the microwave. Heat 1/2 tbsp oil in a small pot till shimmering. Add rice and salt, stirring well while sauteing over medium high heat for about 2 minutes, till slightly toasted. Add the boiling water, cover and simmer over a low heat until done.

Cook the quinoa: Rinse quinoa well under cold running water. Add to saucepan with water and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until done.

While rice and quinoa are cooking, combine 1/2 teaspoon salt, paprika, thyme, garlic powder, oregano, red pepper in a small bowl. Toss with shrimp, being sure it is evenly coated with the spice mixture. Hold in the fridge if veggies and rice mix are not yet done. (You’ll be cooking up the shrimp at the last minute before serving.)

Toss cooked rice and cooked Quinoa in serving bowl with the reserved orange rind. Cover to keep warm while shrimp cooks.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp; cook 3 minutes, tossing frequently, or until done. Arrange fennel orange mix on serving platter. Top with shrimp and garnish with fennel fronds.

Serves 4. Shrimp/fennel/orange mix has 141 cals per serving. Adding 1/2 cup cooked rice/quinoa brings it to 428 cals per serving.

Smoked Trout

smoked trout

It only took us 10 years to get Mr TBTAM’s cousin Lou and his wife Maria up to our little town in the mountains, but it was a visit well worth the wait.  Not only did we have a great time, but Lou and Branch caught two trout in one of the feeders streams to the Loyalsock. A real team effort, and on a warm summer day, when trout are supposed to be nowhere to be found in shallow waters.

Of course, I smoked the trout. I’ve been wanting to make smoked trout since I first tasted it in Austria three years ago. My own attempts at fishing last year had yielded nothing more than a few tasty little perch. Now I had not one, but two 12 inch trout to play with! Not to mention, Lou had scaled and cleaned the fish himself. (Thank you Lou!)

How I Smoked the Trout

I cut off the heads and tails and butterflied the trout, then brined them (recipe below) in the fridge for about an hour. While they were brining, I soaked some mesquite chips and figured out how to light the Weber grill  – Do you believe I’d actually never lit a grill fire myself? But the boys were all off doing some evening fishing before dinner, so I was on my own.

I waited for the coals to turn grey and the fire to really get hot.  Then, I took the filets out of the brine, rinsed them under cold water, patted them dry with a paper towel and brought them out to the grill. Off the fire, I brushed the grill rack with olive oil. I then added a couple of handfuls of drained wet wood chips to the fire, put the grill rack on the grill and placed the filets skin side down on it. Then I put on the lid and watched the fragrant smoke pour out the vent holes while the fish cooked. (Thanks, Janet, for watching the grill!)

When the flesh was flaky but still moist (about an hour), they were done. I pulled out the bones, placed the flaked fish meat into a small bowl, and served it at room temp as an appetizer, along with a bowl of lemon aoli and some small crackers.

OMG – amazing! I don’t think I’ve ever had smoked fish so delicious.

Now that I know the fishing spot to get trout, I am going to head there myself next weekend and see if I can scare up a few more. Next time, though, I’ll be using applewood chips instead of mesquite. And I”ll try drying the brined filets before smoking them – a process that supposedly creates a very pretty surface (called a pellicle) on the smoked fish.

Finally, I’m thinking I should get one of those egg smokers – anyone have one and think it’ll give me even better results than using the Weber?

Brine for Smoked Trout

4 cups water at room temp
1 C. Kosher salt
½ C. brown sugar
3 tbsp lemon juice
8 peppercorns

Whisk ingredients in a glass or ceramic bowl until thoroughly dissolved. Place fish in brine – make sure all pieces are completely covered, if necessary, placing a dinner plates on top of fish to keep them underwater.

Refrigerate for about am hour. Remove fish from brine, quickly rinse in cold water, and pat dry. It’s ready to be smoked.

What I did not do, but will next time –
Place fish skin side down on lightly oiled grill rack (bot not yet on the grill). Season with herbs if you’d like – parsley or dill or cracked pepper. Dry for about an hour till skin is dried to point of being barely sticky – this is called the pellicle. A fan can speed up this process. Now it’s ready to be smoked.

Lemon Aoli to serve with Smoked Trout

  • 1/2 cup mayo
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • Sea salt and large cracked pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl and serve alongside smoked trout.

Additional Reading

I read a bit on how to smoke fish before I tried it myself. Here are some posts I found particularly helpful.

Broiled Salmon with Mushrooms and Farro – Inspired by Lyfe Chef Art Smith

Broiled salmon with mushrooms and Farro TBTAM

One of the highlights of my visit to the Medicine X Conference in Palo Alto in September, in addition to my poster presentation and meeting all the amazing e-patients, docs and tech gurus there, was dinner at Lyfe Kitchen.

Founded by former McDonalds CEO Mike Roberts, Lyfe (which stands for Love Your Food Everyday) is the first of a growing chain of healthy, pretty fast food franchises that “put sustainability, our planet and our employees first”.

As soon as I entered Lyfe, I was hooked.

There was a gorgeous live herb garden forming the centerpiece of the place and lending a deliciously fresh scent to the room.

Lyfe herb garden

The food itself was healthy and varied, with plenty of veggie, vegan, low fat and gluten free options on the menu created by Chef Art Smith, who you may know as Oprahs personal chef.  Smith, who himself lost over 100 pounds after being diagnosed with diabetes, has kept dishes under 600 cals, low in saturated fat and sodium, and high in fiber and protein.

Service was faster than a traditional sit down restaurant – diners line up at the counter and place their orders, then sit down with a pager that alerts the servers where they are and when their food is ready. Prices were moderate,  but not cheap, which is to be expected if local food sources are being used and employees treated like human beings.

On to the food – The edamame hummus was delicious. (I have the recipe and will post it soon)

Lyfe edamame dip

as were the flatbread

Lfye pizza

the grilled fish

Lyfe salmon

the veggie burger and the sweet potato fries.

Lyfe burger

Smith’s cookbook Healthy Comfort was on sale at Lyfe, so I picked up a copy for inspiration and dinner ideas.

I’m excited to see healthy food making it closer to the masses and look forward to the day when Lyfe makes it to NYC. If they do, they’ll find some real competition here in the Belgian chain Le Pain Quotidian, an even faster growing chain that serves delicious, organic and healthy food.

(Recipe after the jump) Continue Reading

Seared Scallops with Mushroom Cream Sauce

Seared Scallops in Mushroom Cream Sauce

An elegant and actually quite easy preparation from Emeril Legasse. The sauce has cream, but lemon used in the scallops lightens the flavor considerably.  (Half and Half would probably work just as well as the cream if you want to lighten it calorie wise as well.)

Mr TBTAM prepared this last week – it was so good,we used the leftover sauce, seared a few more scallops the following night and had it again.  The sauce can be made a bit ahead, making it an easy dish to serve company.

We had it with Farro and brussels sprouts. Made for a real pretty plate.  Recipe here.

Shallots, Farro and Brussels Sprouts

Lemon Grass and Rice Noodle Fish Soup

This soup from David Tanis City Kitchen column in the  NY Times is a revelation.  The noodles, mussels and squid are perfectly cooked and tender, providing contrasting textures with the raw vegetable and herb garnishes. The broth will warm the cockles of your heart, and the flavors will lighten your soul.

Mr TBTAM made this soup for dinner last Thursday, despite my objections that it was too much work for a weeknight on which I had a lot of work to do.  I was so glad he didn’t listen and went ahead and made it without me, even cleaning up the kitchen afterwards himself.

My friend Allen was glad too – he downed a bowl of the soup at 10 pm when he and Jane arrived from Minneapolis for a visit.

And I was even gladder two days later, when Mr TBTAM and I shared what was left of the soup for a quick lunch before heading to a Sunday matinee (The Anarchist – Patti Lupone was  fabulous, unfortunately the script was not.).

So go ahead – Make this soup.

You’ll be glad you did.

(Recipe here. We used chicken rather than fish broth. I left the chiles out of my garnish – it was spicy enough without it.)

My First Curry

I think I’ve just found a new weekly dinner staple for this family.

Curry.

Fast, delicious, comforting and spicy. Adaptable to almost anything you’ve got in your larder without a trip to the store. In this case, we always have a bag of shrimp and a box of peas in the freezer, a few onions and carrots in the drawer and a can of tomatoes on the shelf. (A potato or yam would not have been out of place added to this mix…) And while the coconut milk is delicious, it’s not essential to a great curry.

I do realize that I will have to start keeping cilantro around more routinely. I think I’ll add it to my herb garden in the spring.

Shrimp Coconut Curry

This is not an authentic Indian curry recipe. It started out as this recipe, but I forgot to use the open can of coconut milk in the rice, so I decided to add it to the curry instead. I also added garlic and a few more spices –  it just seemed like the right thing to do.

What I ended up with was not far from authentic. This curry is similar to those originating in the Kerala region of India. It’s pretty mild as curries go, and not bad for my first try at this genre of meals.

Coincidentally, a patient today dropped off a big bag of spices she brought back from the Kerala region of India, so be prepared for even more authentic curries to come.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp canola oil
  • 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 large sweet onion, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 3 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large fresh tomato, diced (or a 14 oz can of diced tomatoes)
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 1/2 tbsp curry powder
  • 1 tbsp coarse grain mustard (or mustard seeds if you have them)
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger (better yet, use fresh ginger if you have it)
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/8 tsp ground red pepper
  • 1 can coconut milk
  • Chopped cilantro for garnish
  • Cooked basmati rice

Directions

Start your rice cooking.

Toss shrimp with some salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add shrimp to pan; cook 2 minutes until just pink. Remove from pan.

Heat remaning tbsp oil in the pan. Add onion and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add spices and cook one more minute, stirring constantly. Add coconut milk, peas, carrots and tomatoes – bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low; simmer till carrots are soft, about 5-10 mins. Return shrimp to pan to heat for a minute.

Serve immediately over rice with cilantro garnish.

Basa Filets with Pine Nut, Parmesan and Basil Pesto Crust

It hasn’t been easy.

I’ve been married for almost a quarter century to a man who eats whatever he wants and is still the same weight he was in high school. That means having to sit next to him at Sunday morning breakfast watching him sop up the yolks of his two sunny-side up eggs with a buttered bagel, while I nibble at an egg white omelet.  On the other hand, it also means feeling like a pig when he refuses to even taste the delicious appetizer I’m eating, because he doesn’t want to “ruin” his dinner.   After said dinner, however, I’ll open the freezer to find that once again, he’s brought home, not one but two half gallons of ice cream (he likes to mix the flavors).  I swear I want to just take those damned ice cream cartons and toss them in the trash. But who am I to tell a guy who rides his bike to work every day and plays tennis at least once a week that he can’t have ice cream?

Not that he purposefully sabotages me or anything.

Because he doesn’t. After all, the poor guy never knows which wife he’s getting when he calls me from work to plan the evening’s meal – the wife who loves Shephard’s Pie as much as he does or the one who’s starting South Beach – again. If I counter with a suggestion for fish for dinner, he may just argue back that he really is in the mood for meat. How could he know that this is not a “what are you in the mood for?” discussion but yet another of many, many make-or-break moments for my diet?  (Unless of course,  I’ve  already broken my diet at lunch and given up for the day, in which case it is a “what are you in the mood for?” discussion…)

Now I’m sure at some point early on, when love was young (and I was much thinner), he must have been a little more clued in to my dietary routine. But now, after so many years of countless diets,  it seems he’s learned to just keep to his own food desires and leave me to handle the weight issues on my own.  It pisses me off sometimes, but mostly I understand.

Why am I telling you this?

I’m telling you all this now so that you can appreciate what it is I am going to tell you next, which is this – His doctor just told him he has 3 months to lower his cholesterol or he has to take a statin.

I won’t say that I’ve been waiting for this moment for 25 years...

But you know, it kind of feels that way. For the first time in our marriage, my husband and I are actually on a shared road diet-wise.

It’s really quite amazing when I think about it. We actually had the same breakfast last weekend – steel cut oatmeal. He called tonight from work to suggest we have tofu for dinner! (Which we did.)   And last night, when I suggested this wonderful fish entree from Kalyn’s Kitchen for dinner, he jumped at the chance to have one of the three fish meals he’s decided to eat a week.  I’ve already lost 5 pounds since his doc gave him the ultimatum – all without feeling at all like I’m dieting.

I finally have a live-in diet buddy. Not a lose weight and starve yourself diet buddy, but a let’s eat healthy and keep eating great food buddy.  Add in the fact that he’s always been my ” Do you wanna’ join me on a bike ride?” buddy, and I have a feeling we’re off on a wonderful journey together.

Oh, and the ice cream in the freezer?

It’s GONE.

Basa Filets with Pine Nut, Parmesan and Basil Pesto Crust

Makes 3-4 servings. Adapted from Kalyn, who adapted it from Cooking New American. I encourage you to check out her recipe, which also has great prep pics. Kalyn chops her pine nuts, giving a more even crust. I think I will do that next time; I was just feeling lazy tonight. I wanted to be sure I had enough topping for three filets, so I increased the pesto and decreased the mayo a tad from the original recipe. I also added more garlic.

3 basa or other white fish fillets, about 6 oz. each (You could use flounder, tilapia or cod to name a few)
3 tbsp pine nuts
2 tbsp grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 tsp finely minced garlic
3 tbsp basil pesto (Made without cheese – see recipe below)
1 tbsp mayonnaise

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Brush casserole dish with olive oil (We used a Le Creuset lasagna pan).  Remove the fish fillets from the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature while the oven heats.

Mix together the pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic, pesto and mayo. Use a rubber scraper to spread the crust mixture evenly over the surface of each fish fillet. Pile it on so all the crust mixture is used.

Bake fish 10-15 minutes, until fish is firm to the touch and crust mixture is starting to lightly brown. If necessary, pop the filets under the broiler for a few minutes to get the crust brown (as we did).

Serve hot. (We served with string beans sauteed in oil and roasted cauliflower, sweet potato and figs.)

Basil Pesto
I decided to make this batch of pesto  without cheese or pine nuts, since I was adding these to the topping later. Turns out it tastes great – my daughter had it on pasta, which she heavily tops with grated parmesan anyway.
  • 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
  • 2 large garlic cloves, peeled
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • (1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese -optional)

Combine the basil, garlic, and salt in the bowl of food processor and grind till the mixture forms a paste.  While running the food processor, slowly drizzle in the olive oil.  Stores well in the fridge or freezer. Before serving beat in 1/4 cup grated Parmesan or pass the Parmesan at the table.

Sandwiches with Goat Cheese, Red Peppers & Anchovies

In Catalan, they say it Entrepans amb Formtatge Fresc, Anxoves i Pebrot.

In Barcelona, one would make these sandwiches on a toasted baguette. Here at the cottage, I was in the mood to make bread, so instead we used Pan Cubano, fresh from the oven.

Nothing like rubbing a fresh tomato on warm bread, then drizzling it with olive oil, sprinkling a bit of salt and putting it together around a few anchovies and slices of goat cheese and warm roast peppers.

Down it with a cold beer, then hit the hammock for an afternoon nap.

Sandwiches with Goat Cheese, Red Peppers and Anchovies

This recipe is from the lovely Williams Sonoma – Barcelona cookbook. The book was a gift from the mother of a Barcelonan exchange student who stayed with us last year, so I figure that’s testimony enough to the recipes’s authenticity. Makes 4 sandwiches.

  • 2 medium or 1 large red pepper
  • 8 olive oil packed anchovy fillets
  • Baguettes, cut into 4- 6 inch lengths
  • 4 large slices goat cheese
  • 4 small ripe tomatoes
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Roast the peppers on a cookie sheet under the broiler, turning them so they char evenly on all 4 sides. Remove to a brown paper bag to cool, then peel them over a large bowl, saving the juices and discarding the stem, seeds and skins. Slice into 1/4 inch strips and set aside.

Slice the baguette into 6 inch slices, then again horizontally into halves. Pop under the broiler for about one minute till lightly toasted.

Slice each tomato in half, then rub the cut sides onto the toasted baguette surfaces until only the skins are left , then discard the skins. Drizzle the baguette halves with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Divide the cheese slices among the bottom halves of the baguette lengths, followed by the red pepper slices and anchovies. Cover each with the top halves, and serve.

 

Linguine with Shrimp and Cilantro Lime Pesto

The weeknight warriors have done it again, this time with a delicious pasta recipe.

My role in the whole operation was limited to finding a recipe after Mr. TBTAM and I agreed over the phone on the ingredients we had in mind – shrimp, lime, pasta. I emailed him the recipe, then went back to work, strolling in the door at 7 to younger daughter having a piano lesson and Mr .TBTAM reading in the den, the table set, salad made, pasta water simmering and the ingredients for the meal prepped and waiting for the final cook after the lesson was over. I quickly made a lemon vinaigrette for the salad and started some applesauce cooking for dessert while Mr. TBTAM cooked and assembled the pasta.

But hey, I did the dishes, so it all comes out even.

Linguine with Shrimp & Cilantro-Lime Pesto
Modified from Bon Appetit, July 2010

This recipe uses Cotijo cheese, or Mexican Parmesan, an artisan cheese made from cow’s milk taken during the rainy season when the grass grows on the mountainside. Coteja is sort of a cross between a mild feta and a parmesan – salty, white, softer than parmesan, but easily crumbled – and does not melt when cooked. We found ours at Fairway, where it was very reasonably priced. You can substitute Feta if you can’t find Cotija.

I was taken aback by the final calorie count on this recipe – for 4 servings, it’s a whopping 830 calories each. Of course, one does not have to have an entire 1/4 pound of pasta per serving, but this stuff is so good it’s like crack. Next time, I’ll portion it to serve 6, cut back the olive oil to 1/4 cup, the tequila to 2 tbsp and up the lime juice to 4 tbsp total to lose some calories – I don’t think it will hurt it at all.  Any other suggestions on lightening this dish without losing its oomph would be most appreciated.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups fresh cilantro leaves, plus 1/4 cup chopped
  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped scallions
  • 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 2 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 1 tbsp chopped, seeded serrano pepper
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb linguine
  • 1 lb medium shrimp, peeled, deveined
  • 3 tbsp tequila
  • 1/4 cup crumbled Cotija cheese

Preparation

Blend 1 1/4 cups cilantro leaves and next 4 ingredients in processor until coarse puree forms. With machine running, gradually add 1/2 cup oil. Season with salt.

Cook linguine in large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain. Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook until almost opaque in center, about 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat; add tequila. Return skillet to heat and stir until sauce is syrupy, about 30 seconds. Add pesto; stir to coat. Remove from heat.

Add pasta to sauce in skillet; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, plate and sprinkle with Cotija cheese and chopped cilantro.
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I’m not the only one making this pasta.

  • Michael Beyer does a gorgeous big plating.
  • Mardi suggests a splash of lime juice at serving. Turns out that’s just what my daughter did.
  • Erin made hers with Parmesan and Feta and added some hot pepper flakes.
  • Sally at Bewitching Kitchen notes that it’s unusual to find fish and cheese paired so well.
  • Shea Evans and his cat takes a pretty pic of this pasta.
  • Eye for a Recipe shows you what the pesto looks like before being added to the pasta. Hmmm!!
  • Jennifer makes the pasta while recovering from a belly dancing lesson. That’s one way to work off the calories.
  • Amanda is as excited as I am to have discovered Cotija cheese.

Soft Shell Crabs on a Bed of Leeks with Warm Herbed Potato Salad

It amazes me to think I spent more than half of my life not knowing that soft shell crabs existed. Seriously, I didn’t taste my first soft shell, cooked to perfection by my future mother-in-law on her stovetop in Philadelphia, until I was almost 30 years old. Today, Irene’s simple method – sauteeing flour-dredged and salt and generously peppered soft shells in butter – remains my favorite way to enjoy these amazing delicacies. Actually, I don’t cook the soft shells – Mr TBTAM does. His mom taught him, after all.

Sauteed Soft Shell Crabs on a Bed of Leeks

Mr. TBTAM may cook the crabs, but I present them. And tonight, it was on a bed of leeks, with a side of warm herbed potato salad and some sliced tomatoes. We got our crabs from Fairway, where they were so fresh, they wriggled ever so slightly if you touched them. I think these may be the last of this season for us – the shells were just starting to head towards the hard side on the edges. This short season is what makes soft shells so special.

For the leeks
4 large leeks
1 tbsp olive oil (If you can handle the calories, add also a tad of butter..)
Salt and pepper to taste
White wine to deglaze (optional)

Trim off bulb and dark green parts of leeks, then slice longways. Wash thoroughly in a bowl of cold water, rinsing and refreshing several times until all the sand and grit are gone. Drain on paper towels and blot dry. Cut in half again across and then slice very thin. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saute pan till hot. Add leeks and saute over medium high heat until softened, about 10 -15 minutes, adding salt and pepper about halfway through.  Remove leeks from pan to a small bowl. If you want, you can deglaze the pan with 1 tbsp of wine and add to the leeks. Cover with foil to keep warm while sauteeing the crabs.

For the crabs
6 soft shell crabs
1/4 cup flour
salt and pepper
3-4 tbsp butter

In the same pan, melt 2 tbsp butter. Lightly dredge the crabs in flour and sprinkle one side with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add to the pan (salted side down) and saute about 2 minutes till brown. Sprinkle a little more more salt and pepper on top before turning, then add another 1-2 tbsp butter to the pan. Cook another 2 minutes or so till done. If you do it right, this is what your soft shells will look like –

To serve, divide the leeks among the plates and place a crab atop the bed of leeks. Serve with a side of potato salad and sliced tomatoes. Split the remaining two crabs for second helpings. Serves 4.

Warm Herbed Potato Salad

12 small red potatoes (Not the teeny-tiny ones)
1/4 cup mayonnaise (Try 1/8 cup first and that may be enough for you..)
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (I used tarragon, parsley, chives and a tiny bit of mint)
salt and pepper to taste

Clean the potatoes but don’t peel them. Slice into quarters and place in a stock pot, cover with water, add a tsp salt and bring to a boil. turn down heat and simmer till just cooked, but not too soft (about 15 minutes). While they are boiling, chop your herbs and mix them in a small bowl with vinegar and mayo. Drain potatoes, place into serving bowl, pour on dressing and toss gently.  Serve warm.

Spring Supper Salad – Scallops, Green Beans & Baby Reds on Lettuce with Miso Dressing

Perfect for a light meal after a warm Saturday afternoon biking the West Side Greenway Trail. Stop at Fairway on the way home for provisions, then eat al fresco with a cold beer. Ahh, spring!

Scallop, Green Bean and Baby Red Spring Salad with Miso Dressing

The dressing is modified from Museum Cafes & Arts, a little gem of a book of recipes from museum cafes illustrated with gorgeous prints of famous works of art.  The rest of the recipe we made up ourselves. Although I’ve listed the weights of the potatoes, scallops and beans we used, you should just buy what you think you need. The dressing will serve at least 6. 

1 lb small red potatoes
salt and pepper to taste (just a tiny bit – the dressing is salty)
3 tbsp canola oil
1 1/2 lbs large scallops
Fresh lettuce
1/2 lb green beans
Miso Dressing (recipe follows)

Wash and dry potatoes well. Don’t peel. Cut into half (or thirds, however you want, to uniform size) Toss with 1 tbsp canola oil and 1/4 tsp salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees, turning halfway, for about 30 minutes, or until browned and cooked. While the potatoes are cooking, make the dressing, wash and dry the lettuce. Steam the green beans over boiling water till warm, bright green and still a bit crisp. Drain and set aside. Remove cooked potatoes to a bowl and set aside while you cook the scallops.

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet until very hot but not smoking. Add the scallops and sauté until nicely browned, about 3-4 mins. Turn to the other side and cook one more minute.

Arrange the greens on a platter. Arrange the scallops, browned side up, on the bed of greens. Scatter some green beans atop the greens and place the potatoes on the side. Drizzle dressing over the scallops, beans and greens and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Miso Dressing

I happen to love this dressing, but if it’s not for you, make my warm tarragon vinaigrette instead.

1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup white miso
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp wasabi paste
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1 teensy-weensy drop sesame oil (optional)
1 1/2 tbsp canola oil

In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients except the canola oil. Gradually whisk in canola oil.

Asian-Marinated Salmon


Irene’s recipe. Simple. Delicious.

Asian Marinated Salmon

salmon filets
Equal parts each soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil and Asian fish sauce (1tbsp each per fillet, adjust accordingly)

Marinate salmon for 20 minutes. Broil (not too close, on 2nd shelf down from the broiler in our oven)10-12 mins till done. (Irene uses Mark Bittman’s broiling method, we just broiled ours up there.) Baste halfway through. Serve.

Chilean Sea Bass with Lentils and Salsa Verde

My bro Joe visited for a few days last week. And that means fun in the kitchen.

I asked him if we could make something healthy, and he came up with this great dinner. For ingredients, I took him to the fish monger and then to Gourmet Garage – he was blown away at the quality, variety and prices. It’s always so much fun to shop for dinner with Joe – everything’s an adventure.

Serve this with a nice crusty baguette, if you have any left after dipping it into the Salsa Verde while cooking the rest of the dinner.

Baked Chilean Sea Bass with Salsa Verde -Serves 4

1.75 lbs Chilean Sea Bass
Salsa Verde (recipe follows)
Lentils with onions and garlic (Recipe follows)

Take Chilean Sea Bass, score and rub with olive oil, salt and pepper, and fresh chopped herbs (basil, mint and parsley). Roast at 400 degrees F till done. To serve, take a bed of lentils put in middle of plate. Put fish on top, then a dallop of salsa verde. Serve with a green salad and more salsa verde on the side.

Salsa Verde
Adapted by Joe from Jamie Oliver

Always make more than you think you need, because everyone will start dipping their bread into it and you won’t have any left. If you do have some leftover, use it the next day as base for pasta. Get a penne or curly ribbed pasta, then take the leftover salsa verde and add some olive oil and tomatoes, toss with the pasta and enjoy!

Big handful of the following – Basil, Mint, Flat Leaf Parsly
12-15 small cornichons
3 or more good size cloves garlic
glug of rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
cracked pepper
4 anchove fillets
8 glugs olive oil
squirt of lemon juice

Lentils
1 lb bag lentils
1 onion chopped small
2 cloves garlic
2 anchovies
2 tbsp olive oil
little pat butter

Heat olive oil and butter is a saucepan. Add 3 anchovies and garlic. As soon as you smell the garlic, add diced onions. Cook till soft. Hit it with 2 cups chicken broth. Stir in lentis, bring to a boil and let simmer on stive tope till done. (about 20 min)