It wasn't until the last minute that I discovered that I still had lavender in my cupboard, but boy am I glad that I did! The aroma of lavender really tied this dish together. The fresh florets pop between your teeth and produce a burst of refreshing flavor that almost resets the palate for the next bite. These little purple flowers add a nice color to the plate as well. I love summertime!
INGREDIENTS
1/2 lb. Fusili or Rotini Pasta
1 Medium Red Onion, shaved
1/4 lb. Snow Peas, blanched, cut on a bias
1/4 lb. Pastrami Smoked Salmon*
1/4 C. Olive Oil**
TT Salt & Pepper
Fresh Lavender, for garnish (optional)
*There are two mainstream methods for smoking; hot-smoking and cold-smoking. When hot-smoking, fish is smoked for shorter periods of time, usually between 6 and 12 hours. The smoking times are determined mostly by the kind of fish and the size of the fish involved. The hot-smoking process uses temperatures ranging from 120 degrees to as much as 180 degrees. The cold-smoking process requires temperatures that are half that of hot-smoking processes. Because of the lower smoking temperatures, the length of time required for smoking is drastically increased. A quick cold-smoking process can last as little as 24 hours where as a more intense cold-smoke may last as much as 21 days. The intensities of the smoke flavor vary depending on how close the fish is to the source of the smoke.
For this dish, I was fortunate enough to get my hands on some Pastrami Smoked Salmon from The Wine Shop located in the Rivergate shopping center here in Charlotte, NC (www.thewineshopatrivergate.com). Pastrami Smoked Salmon uses a cold-smoked process. The fish is cold-smoked with the herbs and spices most closely associated with pastrami and then cut into paper-thin slices. It is far and beyond the best smoked salmon I've ever eaten. I much prefer the cold-smoke process as it lends itself to a more sushi-like texture versus the hot-smoke process which can result in fish-jerky.
**Extra Virgin Olive Oil works perfectly well for this dish. I love making infused oil, so for this dish, I used a rosemary-oil that I've been aging since March of 2009. Although infused oils are wonderful to cook with, I really enjoy when I get a chance to use them raw. The infusing flavors are so intense that it's basically like adding the ingredient itself. The rosemary lightens the overall flavors from this dish and almost removes some of the starchy texture from the pasta.
The secret to cooking fish is mastering "cuisson" - the point at which it is ready, but not overcooked. Fish firms up during cooking and, when it has reached "cuisson", it will feel firm but give slightly when pressed. The juices leeching from foods can often tell you when they're ready to eat without having to poke or cut them and release all of their flavor.
INGREDIENTS
1 Large Shallot, unpeeled
1 C. Red Wine
1/4 lb. Bacon, diced
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Garlic, minced
1/4 lb. Baby Button Mushrooms
2 Tbsp. Butter
1 Halibut Steak
1 Bunch Spinach
Coarse Sea Salt
Blanch the shallots for 2 minutes before peeling. Meanwhile, reduce the red wine by half. Saute the bacon until crisp. Remove and set aside.
Heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil. Add the shallots, garlic, and mushrooms. Saute until softened and lightly caramelized. Add the bacon and hold them warm.
Heat the butter and remaining oil in a pan until the butter is foaming. Pan-fry the halibut for a couple of minutes on each side, then remove and let rest.
Heat a pan with oil until very hot. Remove the pan from the heat and add the spinach; season to taste. The residual heat from the pan will wilt the spinach.
Arrange the spinach in the center of the plate and place the halibut on top. Spoon the mushroom mixture over the fish. Add the reduced wine to the original shallot pan, and stir to deglaze. Drizzle the fish with the pan liquid.
Risotto is an amazingly delicious rice dish. It is very labor-intensive, but since learning how to make it a few years back, I've never made traditional rice again. It is so versatile. Simply add your favorite vegetables to a batch of arborio rice for a fantastic risotto primavera. Add chorizo and create a wonderful Italian-Mexican fusion. The possibilities are endless. I have one secret when making risotto... turmeric! I add a dash of turmeric (1/4 tsp. or so for 1 C. of rice) to the rice to give it a bright yellow color. This yellow coloration on the rice really lets the colors of the vegetables and other ingredients pop off the plate. Each individual ingredient has a chance to stand out visually. Give it a try next time you make risotto.
INGREDIENTS
1/4 C. Olive Oil
1 Small Onion, diced
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 lb. Asparagus
1/2 lb. Shiitake Mushrooms
1 Pt. Cherry Tomatoes, halved
1 C. Arborio Rice
1 Qt. Vegetable Stock
2 lb. Cod Fish Fillet
2 oz wt. Fresh Dill
Blanche the asparagus for 90 seconds, shock in ice water, and hold in the fridge. Bring the vegetable stock to a simmer in a separate sauce pan. Heat the oil in a saute pan and saute the onion, garlic, and rice over medium high heat. When the rice has browned, add a ladle of stock to the pan and stir. Cook until all the liquid has been absorbed, then add another ladle of stock. [Risotto should be stirred constantly, adding small batches of stock will release starch and cause the rice to thicken.] Continue adding stock, in small batches, until the rice takes on a creamy consistency and binds together. Add the asparagus to the risotto and heat, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms
In a separate pan, season and sear the Cod fish on each side until cooked.
Once the fish is ready, cut it into small pieces and toss it into the risotto while plating the dish.Sprinkle with a fresh dill
A compound butter is made by incorporating various seasonings into softened whole butter. These butters, also called "beurre compose" [BURR com-poh-ZAY] in French, give flavor and color to small sauces or may even be served as sauces themselves. Just as an example, a slice of parsley butter, or "maitre d'hotel butter", is often placed on a grilled steak or piece of fish just before serving. The butter melts, creating a sauce for the beef or fish.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 lb. Butter
1 tsp. Lime Zest
2 tsp. Lime Juice
1 Tbsp. Sage, minced
1/4 tsp. Salt
1 lb. Tuna
Butter and flavoring ingredients can be combined with a blender, food processor, or mixer. Using plastic wrap, the butter is rolled into a cylinder, chilled and sliced as needed. It's as simple as that!
The zesty citrus from the lime counters the smooth flavor of the butter, while the sage lends a nice aroma to each bite. The craziest butter I ever made was a Pico de Gallo Compound Butter. I actually made salsa and blended it right into the butter.
Rather than blending this butter, I softened it over very very low heat so the herbs could steep. Once it was softened, I incorporated the ingredients with a whisk and allowed it to cool. Once cool, I formed it into a cylinder using the method from above.
I seared the tuna on each side and served it over sticky rice with broccoli. You can let the butter melt from the heat of the fish or help it along by sticking it briefly under the broil setting of your oven.
Beurre blanc [burr BLAHNGK] Meaning "white butter," is a classic French sauce composed of a wine, vinegar, and shallot reduction into which chunks of cold butter are whisked until the sauce is thick and smooth. There are countless variations of this classic sauce. Perhaps every time I make a beurre blanc, I come up with a new variation to best fit the dish I'm working with. Sauces like this are the most fun to work with because they're not completely constrained to step by step instruction. This sauce is one of my favorites for fish, especially salmon or whitefish.
INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Garlic, minced
1 C. Onion, minced
TT Salt
TT White Pepper
1/3 C. White Wine
2 C. Heavy Cream
1/4 lb. Butter, small dice
1/4 C. Basil, chiffonade
1 C. Cherry Tomatoes, quartered
2 lb. Salmon (8oz. portions)
Too often people fiddle with their food while it's cooking. They like to flip and swirl the pan. For crispy salmon, and fish in general, simply leave it alone and let it settle. I feel that salmon shouldn't be flipped more than once. Heat a touch of olive oil over medium high heat. Season the fish with salt and pepper and place it in the pan for about 7 minutes. The color on the sides of the fish should slowly change as the fish cooks. When the color has crept 2/3 of the way up the fish, flip it over to finish on the other side for about 3-4 minutes.
To simplify this sauce, there are four main steps. Caramelize, reduce wine, reduce cream, finish with butter. Saute the garlic and onion in oil over medium high heat until fragrant and light brown, season with salt and white pepper. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and reduce until almost dry. The wine will really intensify the flavors in the pan. When the wine is almost dry, add the cream and reduce by half. When the cream has turned from white to a pale yellow and reduced by half, remove the sauce from the heat and slowly add a small amount of the cold butter.
It is important that the butter is added in small amounts so as not to cool down the sauce too quickly. Once a small portion of the butter has been whisked into the sauce until it is melted, add another small batch until all the butter is gone. The basil and tomato can be added to the sauce and, if desired, put on low heat. The heat from the sauce will steep the basil and cause the tomatoes to begin to break down.
Kegeree [kehj-uh-REE], made from rice, lentils, and onions, comes from East Indian cooking. In the United Kingdom, they add fish and hard-boiled eggs, creating one of the most popular English breakfasts of all time. This dish is prepared similarly to risotto. We're using salmon which has a nice subtle flavor allowing the Indian spices to really be prominent. Don't be tempted to over-spice this dish. The natural ingredients have so much flavor you really want them to be in the forefront.
INGREDIENTS
1 lb. Salmon
1 tsp. Turmeric
1-1/8 C. Basmati Rice
1 Pinch of Saffron
4 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1/4 lb. Cherry Tomatoes, halved
4 Large Eggs
2 C. Vegetable Stock
2 Shallots, chopped
5 Tbsp. Butter
3 Tbsp. Parsley
Salt & Pepper
Cut the salmon into chunks, sprinkle with turmeric, then set aside. Put the rice in a pan with 2 cups of cold water. Bring the rice to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 7 minutes. We don't want to fully cook the rice. We just want to blanch it. Once the liquid is absorbed, put the rice in a bowl and sprinkle with saffron, and set aside.
Heat 2 Tbsp. of olive oil in a pan and sear the salmon for 1 minute on each side. Remove the fish and set aside to drain on a paper towel. Add 1 Tbsp. of olive oil and the tomatoes to the same pan and cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove the tomatoes and set aside.
Boil the eggs for 7 minutes, shell, halve, and set aside. Bring the vegetable stock to a boil and keep the liquid at a low simmer. Heat the remaining oil, using the same pan as before, and cook the shallots for 2-3 minutes to soften them. Add half of the butter, then the blanched rice, and cook. Stir the rice often to coat with the butter.
Add a ladle of hot vegetable stock and stir until the liquid is absorbed. Continue to add the stock in this manner until the rice is fully cooked. Add the remaining butter and stir until melted. Add the salmon, tomatoes, parsley, and salt, gently heat through. Serve the kedgeree with the halved eggs and freshly cracked pepper.
This recipe is a lot of fun to make. Once the heavy prep is out of the way, this dish can be made in under 10 minutes. In this blog you'll find the steps to make everything from scratch, but you'll also find shortcuts (in parenthesis) along the way to help keep everything simple.INGREDIENTS
Wild Rice
1/2 lb. Chilean Salmon Fillet
6 Each (26/30) Shrimp
1 Roma Tomato, diced
1 Bunch Green Onions, chopped
For The Alfredo
2 Tbsp. Butter
1 Tbsp. Garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. Salt
1/2 Tbsp. White Pepper
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
2 C. Heavy Cream
1/2 C. Parmesan Cheese
1 Tbsp. Blackening Seasoning
FOR THE RICE (Skip This Step? Buy an "Uncle Ben's" boxed rice.)
Start by making the rice because it can take as much as 25 minutes. Rice cookers are fine, but I find that they always burn the bottom portion of my rice. I suggest putting your favorite kind of rice into a small pan with about double the amount of water, 2 Tbsp. of butter, and your favorite herbs and spices. Cover and simmer on medium heat for 20-30 minutes while you do the rest of your prep.
FOR THE ALFREDO (Skip This Step? Buy Alfredo and add blackening seasoning to it.)
In a stock pot over medium high heat, combine your butter, garlic, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Once the garlic has browned slightly add your heavy cream and bring to a simmer for 7 minutes. Add your parmesan cheese and whisk to prevent the cheese from clumping. The sauce will thicken as the cheese melts. Finish with blackening seasoning.
For this dish, I was able to use one of my favorite kitchen gadgets. I have a Flat-Top made out of Solid Marble. Essentially it's a slab of rock that heats up to 450 degrees. I only get to use it about twice a year, so I was excited that this recipe could utilize my Marble Flat-Top. You can use a fry pan or a saute pan just as easily.
Heat your pan over medium high heat. Season the fish with salt, pepper, and blackening seasoning.
Sear one side of the fish while you season the other side. When the fish has cooked halfway through (about 3-4 minutes) flip it over and sear the other side.
At this point you can either add the shrimp to the same pan or heat a second pan. If you're using the same pan, then oil from the salmon will flavor your shrimp
*I use 26/30 shrimp because they're pretty small. "26/30" means that there are an average of 26-30 shrimp in a pound. "16/20" shrimp are larger and more commonly used in shrimp cocktails. These are the two most commonly found sizes in super-markets. There are also "41/50" shrimp and "90/110" shrimp also known as "popcorn" shrimp.
Serve the salmon over a bed of rice alongside the shrimp. Circle the rice with the cajun alfredo and top it all with diced tomatoes and green onions.
This is the simplest blog yet. You can make this dish in under five minutes. This Ponzu incorporates two very common ingredients when it comes to oriental cuisine; Soy Sauce and Wasabi! I absolutely love wasabi. Despite its sinus-cleansing heat, I find wasabi to have very intriguing layers of flavor. In this recipe the wasabi really takes the Ponzu to a new level by adding that little something extra.
INGREDIENTS
8oz. Tuna Fillets
1/4 C. Soy Sauce
1/4 C. Chicken Stock
1/4 C. Olive Oil
1/4 C. Lemon Juice
2 Tbsp. Wasabi Powder
2 Tbsp. Water
Olive Oil (for sauteing)
2 C. Rice
For the Ponzu, you'll want to start out by bringing the soy sauce, chicken stock, olive oil, and lemon juice to a simmer in a saucepan. Combine wasabi and water to make a paste, then add it to the Ponzu.
Heat a small amount of olive oil in a saute pan. When the oil is about to smoke, add your tuna and sear briefly on all sides. I like my tuna "blue" which requires about 6 seconds per side. Your time will vary depending on the size of the fish; just use your best judgement.
After the fish has rested, slice the tuna much like Tataki. I serve my tuna with Jasmine rice, ginger, and lemon zest, and the Ponzu on the side for dipping.
This is one of my signature dishes, but I've never finalized the recipe. It seems that every time I make this dish, something changes. I've tried it with more Kahlua, less Kahlua, cooked shallot, raw shallot, garlic, no garlic. It's a dish that haunts me to no end. The flavors are subtle and have always made me smile after the first bite. They've made others say, "wow" and go back for a second taste. But I have yet to take a bite, stand up, and yell - "Eureka!" Consider this a work in progress. A delicious, but unfinished none the less, work in progress.
INGREDIENTS
8 oz. Mahi Mahi Steaks
1/4 lb. Macadamia Nuts
1/4 lb. Panko (Japanese Bread Crumbs)
1 tsp. Paprika
4 Eggs
1 oz. Cilantro
TT Salt & Pepper
1/2 C. Shallot, minced
1/2 C. Kahlua
1 Tbsp. Ginger, minced, pickled
1 C. Heavy Cream
1/4 C. Lime Juice, freshly squeezed (2 limes)
1/4 lb. Butter, cubed
Our first step is to making the crust for the fish. I tend to make a lot of crust and save some for later use. First you'll pulse your macadamias in a food processor until they're fairly coarse.
Once that's done, simply place them on a sheet tray and sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper and toast in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes. Shake them every 3 minutes or so, not only to evenly toast the nuts, but also to keep an eye on them so they don't burn. Once they become aromatic, they're ready. In a bowl, you'll combine your panko, paprika, macadamia nuts, cilantro, salt and pepper and toss.
Whisk your eggs in a bowl to create an egg wash. Season your Mahi Mahi with salt and pepper. Dampen each side of the fish in the egg wash and dredge it through your panko mixture. In a saute pan with olive oil, over medium heat, you'll want to sear the fish on each side for about 2-3 minutes, until it's golden brown. Transfer the fish to a sheet tray and finish in a 350 degree oven.
While the Mahi Mahi is in the oven, you'll want to make your sauce. This sauce is a loose interpretation of a Beurre Blanc because we're replacing one acid component (wine and vinegar) with another (lime juice and Kahlua).
Start by sweating your shallots. Deglaze your pan with lime juice and Kahlua and reduce. Add your heavy cream and reduce by half. Then, remove from heat and slowly, in small batches, whisk in your butter.
I like to strain my sauce to remove all the bits of minced ginger and shallot. I think a nice smooth sauce goes well with the coarse crunch of our macadamia crust.
To serve, simply drizzle your sauce over the fish and maybe add a light dusting of sesame seeds.
If you want to impress your friends, garnish your Mahi Mahi with a quenelle of ginger puree and wasabi.
I hope you enjoy this recipe. It's one of my favorites. If you get a chance to make some changes of your own, I'd love to hear about them. You can contact me through the blog or via E-Mail: ediblemenu@hotmail.com
