Spicy Shrimp Quesadillas

These are SO good! And the best part is they are made from all leftovers! The December, 2011 issue of Bon Appetit magazine had a feature where you'd make one dinner and then specifically have enough leftover to use for a second meal in a different recipe. I thought that was so neat I just had to try it.

These Spicy Shrimp Quesadillas are made using the leftover Shrimp and Coconut Curry with Green Beans and Fresh Orange-Apple Chutney. And honestly, they are even better than the original dinner. But maybe that's because of all the cheese :)

Spicy Shrimp Quesadillas Makes 4 2 cups reserved Shrimp and Coconut with Green Beans (see recipe) 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro plus additional (for garnish) 3 jalapeno chiles, seeded, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons chopped shallot 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 2 cups coarsely grated Jack cheese 8 7- to 8-inch diameter flour tortillas 8 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Drain sauce from curry; place 2 tablespoons in bowl. Chop shrimp and beans; add to bowl. Mix in 2 tablespoons cilantro, chiles, shallot, and lime juice. Spread filling, then cheese over 4 tortillas. Top each with another tortilla.

Heat 2 large nonstick skillets over medium-high heat; add 2 teaspoons oil to each. Place 1 quesadilla in each pan. Cover; cook until bottom is golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn; cook uncovered 2 to 3 minutes longer. Repeat with remaining quesadillas and oil. Top quesadillas with additional cilantro and Fresh Orange-Apple Chutney.

Shrimp and Coconut Curry with Green Beans

Yum! This recipe for Shrimp and Coconut Curry with Green Beans is one of those recipes that you won't believe you can actually make something that tastes this good. It's nice and rich and the green beans are a fun ingredient to have in curry.

Shrimp and Coconut Curry with Green Beans 4 Servings 3/4 pound green beans, trimmed, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces 3 lemongrass stalks 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro 2/3 cup coarsely chopped shallots 1/4 cup coarsely chopped seeded jalapeno chiles 2 tablespoons Indian curry powder (such as Madras) 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped peeled fresh ginger 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil plus sliced leaves (for garnish) 1/4 cup water 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 cups canned unsweetened coconut milk 2 1/2 pounds uncooked medium shrimp, peeled, deveined Lime wedges

Cook beans in large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain. Cut 2 inches from bottom of each lemongrass stalk; discard tops. Thinly slice bottom pieces; place in processor. Add next 5 ingredients, chopped basil, and 1/4 cup water. Blend until paste forms.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add curry paste; cook, stirring often, until dry, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in coconut milk; bring to simmer. Add shrimp; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until shrimp are just opaque in center, about 5 minutes. Add green beans; stir to heat through. Season curry with salt and pepper. Transfer 2 cups curry to bowl; cover, chill and reserve for quesadillas. Transfer remaining curry to serving bowl; garnish with basil. Serve with lime wedges and Fresh Orange-Apple Chutney.

Greek Salad with Sardines

I've never been a fan of sardines, but honestly, it's because I made my judgement based on how it looked in a tin - ick! I have never eaten them as part of a recipe before. But for the past year or so I've been hearing about how sardines are a healthy way to get omega-3-fatty acids. That and they are cheap. So I am on a quest to try, and learn to like, sardines.

This recipe for Greek Salad with Sardines which I found in the May/June 2010 issue of Eating Well magazine seemed like a good place to start. Greek salads themselves being one of my favorites, topping them with this fish seemed like a good idea. I used sardines packed in water which I purchased from Whole Foods. They looked really fresh when I opened the tin so I was kind of exicted to give them a try.

The dressing is super simple and healthy which was great. And the whole salad was made by things I already had in the house (except the sardines). I halved this recipe because I was eating by myself and didn't think the salad would preserve well for leftovers. It ended up being a super filling lunch! And I didn't really even notice the sardines too much - they added kind of a richness and nice balance. I will definitely make this one again.

Greek Salad with Sardines Makes 4 servings, about 2 cups each 3 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 2 teaspoons dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 3 medium tomatoes, cut into large chunks 1 large English cucumber, cut into large chunks 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion 2 tablespoons sliced kalamata olives 2 4-ounce cans sardines with bones, packed in olive oil or water, drained

Whisk lemon juice, oil, garlic, oregano and pepper in a large bowl until well combined. Add tomatoes, cucumber, chickpeas, feta, onion and olives; gently toss to combine. Divide the salad among 4 plates and top with sardines.

Pan Roasted Line Caught Halibut with Soy-Lemon Sauce

I guess I'm into a bit of a Ming Tsai mood lately. Again, I saw a recipe that he prepared on Simply Ming which I needed to try. This time I was compelled by the browning then roasting of the fish and cherry tomatoes together. I like starting off in a pan and then finishing up in the oven.

However I has put off from making this because it called for preserved lemons. And of course Ming had a huge jar or preserved lemons with some jalapenos and lemongrass in there... but I was on my own. I couldn't find them at any of the three specialty stores I went to, but read how easy they were to make online. The problem is, they take about a month. It did seem that you could eat them after about a week so I decided to give them a try. I used Claudia Roden's recipe that I found online with Meyer lemons as a basis for mine:

Preserved Lemons
2 meyer lemons
1/3 cup sea salt
1/2 cup lemon juice

Scrub lemons very well and then cut up the long way into 8 wedges each (you eat the rind so make sure to clean them good). Cover them with 1/3 cup Coarse Sea Salt and 1/2 cup juice of a regular lemon. Stir well. Covered them up nice and air tight and let them sit out on the counter for a week. Stir them and re-cover every night for one week. On the 8th day add 1/2 cup of olive oil, stif and recover. Store in refrigerator for up to six months.

But after the first week I was ready to try this recipe. The rinds were soft so I figured they were ready. I was unsure about the lemons because they tasted so salty, but after a bit of research, I decided to give them a rinse and then trim that so that I was only using the peel. I used almost all of the lemons in this recipe, but the few that were left sat it the fridge for a few more weeks and I can confirm they get better with age. In fact, I'm getting ready to make another batch.

Pan Roasted Line Caught Halibut with Soy-Lemon Sauce
Serves 4

4 6-ounce center-cut halibut fillets, skin off
2 large minced shallots
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 Tablespoons white wine
2 Tablespoons low sodium organic soy sauce
1/3 cup chopped preserved lemons
1/4 cup chopped chives
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Extra virgin olive oil

Pre-heat over to 400 degrees. In an large saute pan or cast iron skillet, coated lightly with olive oil, season the halibut with salt and pepper and sear until brown on top side, about 2 minutes. Flip halibut and add shallots and tomatoes in between the pieces of fish, drizzle some extra virgin olive oil on top and place in oven. Roast for about 12-14 minutes until cooked through. Transfer fish to a plate and place pan on high heat. De glaze pan with win and add preserved lemons. Reduce by half and add soy sauce. Check for seasoning. Plate fish and encircle with sauce. Garnish with chives.

Panko and Dijon-Crusted Trout on Cucumber-Quinoa Salad

I saw Ming Tsai making this recently on an episode of Simply Ming. I love how he instructs to pre-heat the cookie sheet in the oven before placing the fish on it. The fish cooks nice and evenly with this technique. I am a big fan of fish but don't always have success in cooking it. This was easy and very impressive. The crust on top made it turn out like a restaurant quality dish.

Also fun is that he serves it over a quinoa salad. This is becoming a popular grain and this salad is the first time I have prepared it. It is light and a great compliment to the fish.

The recipe on his site doesn't instruct you how to actually cook the fish so I have added that inline below.

Panko and Dijon-Crusted Trout on Cucumber-Quinoa Salad
Serves 4

¼ cup Dijon mustard plus 1 tablespoon for vinaigrette

1 cup panko on a plate

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 scallions, sliced thinly, white and green separated

4 skinless rainbow trout fillets

juice and zest of 1 lemon

3 tablespoons Wanjashan ponzu

¼ cup grapeseed oil

1 English cucumber, washed, mostly diced, a portion thinly sliced into coins for plating

1½ cup blanched quinoa

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pre-heat oven to high broil and place oven-proof plate or cookie sheet in middle of oven.

In a bowl, combine 1/4 cup Dijon mustard with panko, olive oil and scallion whites. Season trout and spread seasoned panko mixture on top of trout. Place trout on heated cooking dish skin side down (it should be hot enough that the fish sears when placed). Broil about 8 minutes, or until topping is golden brown.

Meanwhile, make vinaigrette by mixing lemon juice with ponzu and 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard. Whisk in the grapeseed oil. Season and check for flavor. Add diced cucumbers and quinoa. Check for flavor and season.

To plate, arrange overlapping circle of cucumber coins, then spoon quinoa salad in center. Top with trout, drizzle extra vinaigrette around plate and garnish with reserved scallion greens.

Cod with Chickpeas and Artichokes

This is one of those restaurant recipes that Food & Wine re-does to make affordable. And I'm glad they did because it is really great! The mix of carrots and shiitake with chickpeas is really amazing and would be a good meal - or side - on its own.

There were a couple of things I don't like about this recipe: the heavy use of oil and butter and frying the fish in oil. I'm terrified of frying fish and chicken and things in a pan... I have never mastered it and there's always a bunch of oil popping up in my face when I'm trying to get the stuff in the pan. But I figured it out and it came out edible so I was happy.

Cod with Artichokes and Chickpeas Serves 4 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 small white onion, sliced 1/2 inch thick One 9-ounce box frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and pressed dry 1/4 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps quartered 2 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained 1 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth Salt and freshly ground pepper 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley 2 tablespoons snipped chives Four 6-ounce skinless cod fillets Lemon wedges, for serving

In a large, deep skillet, melt the butter in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the onion, artichoke hearts, shiitake caps, carrots and garlic and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 7 minutes. Add the chickpeas and stock, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat until the vegetables are tender and the liquid is nearly evaporated, 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley and chives and keep warm.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil until almost smoking. Season the cod fillets with salt and pepper, add to the skillet and cook over high heat until well browned on the bottom, about 6 minutes. Carefully flip the fillets and cook until they’re white throughout, about 3 minutes longer.

Spoon the vegetables into shallow bowls and top with the seared cod fillets. Serve with lemon wedges.

Cod with Tomato Cream Sauce

Finally, a fool proof way to make fish! I have been missing the mark the last twenty or so times I made fish. I usually bake it or broil it and I either over or under do it. But this recipe calls for poaching in a savory sauce and the fish came out perfectly cooked and incredibly tasty! And what's nice about this is that it's really quick to put together - except for pulling off the fresh thyme leaves from the stems.

I serve this with farro, due to the suggestion in the magazine. And I'm so glad I tried it because it is now my favorite grain and I make it quite often.

Cod with Tomato Cream Sauce Serves 4 1-1¼ pounds Pacific cod or tilapia fillets, cut into 4 pieces 3 tsp. chopped fresh thyme, divided ½ tsp. salt, divided ¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1 shallot, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced ¾ cup white wine 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes ¼ cup heavy cream or half and half ½ tsp. cornstarch

Season fish with 1 teaspoon thyme, ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot, garlic and 1 teaspoon thyme; cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 1 minute. Add wine, tomatoes and the fish to the pan; bring to a simmer. Cover and cook until the fish is cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfre the fish to a large plate; keep warm.

Whisk cream and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add to the pan, along with the remaining 1 teaspoon thyme and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Divide the fish and sauce among 4 shallow bowls.

Sea Scallops Alla Caprese

In my quest for learning how to grill, I was excited to try something from Mario Batali's Italian Grill cookbook. I decided to start with Sea Scallops Alla Caprese because, well, I love scallops!

His technique calls for a "piastra". But a piastra is like a griddle so if you have a flat-surface grill pan that is cast iron and can go on the grill, go ahead and use that. In all the drama I've had attempting to roast veggies before, I never thought to whip out the "indoor grill" and use it on the outdoor grill. But now I'm glad I know because it was really easy to manage the roasting of the vegetables this way.

As for the use of heirloom tomatoes, I don't understand what the big fuss is, espeically since you are grilling them. I thought were an unnecessary expense, however the did make the meal more colorful.

Sea Scallops Alla Caprese Serves 6 2 pounds mixed great heirloom tomatoes 24 fresh basil leaves 3 medium red onions, cut into 1-inch-thick slices Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 5 to 6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 12 giant diver scallops (about 2 ounces each) Maldon salt or other coarse sea sale 1 lemon, cut in half

Preheat a gas grill or prepare fire in a charcoal grill. Place a piastra on the gill to preheat.

Slice the tomatoes creatively (leave very small ones whole, or halve them) and lay out on a platter. Tear the basil leaves over the tomatoes, strewing them about. Set aside.

Season the onion slices on both sides with salt and pepper. Place them on the hot dry piastra and cook, unmoved, for 7 to 10 minuntes, until well charred on the first side. Using tongs, carefully turn the slices over and cook for 7 to 10 minutes on the second side, until well charred and softened. Transfer to a plate and let cool slightly, then separate the onion slices into smaller rings and scatter them over the tomatoes. Drizzle the whole mess with 3 to 4 tablespoons of the olive oil.

While the onions cook, carve a checkerboard pattern about 1/4 inch deep into one side of each scallop. Season the scallops all over with salt and pepper, toss them in a bowl with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and stir gently to coat.

Place the scallops on the dry clean piastra, design side down, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, unmoved, until almost cooked-they should be opaque almost all the way through. Flip them over and sear for just 30 seconds, them remove and arrange on the tomato salad.

Sprinkle the scallops and tomatoes with Maldon salt, squeeze the lemon halves over them, and serve.

Tilapia over Italian Asparagus

I love tilapia and since it's such a light fish, I always like to serve it with something healthy. It seems like a waste to smother it with some type of fatty sauce. Usually I'll just top it with salsa, but tonight, I decided to use the fish as the topper on top of some Italian-style asparagus.

Tilapia over Italian Asparagus
serves 4

8 tilipia filets
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound fresh asparagus
1 cup finely chopped plum tomato
¼ cup fat-free Italian dressing
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

Snap off tough ends of asparagus spears. Arrange asparagus in a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover and steam 4 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender.

Meanwhile, pre-heat the broiler. Season tilapia fillets with salt and pepper on both sides. Place tilapia on a broiling pan and broil 3-4 minutes per side or until fish gets brown around the edges and flakes when you touch it with a fork.

Remove asparagus from steamer and place in a shallow dish; add tomato and remaining ingredients, and toss gently.

Place asparagus on dish and top with two tilapia fillets. Garnish with parsley.

Shrimp Veracruzana

Shrimp Veracruz is a standard at most Mexican restaurants. Of course there are so many other cheesy options, I rarely order it. I do like it though because it is light yet flavorful. I made this big batch and we just ate it with our forks, but it also is great to wrap up in tortillas if you have any on hand.

Shrimp Verzcruzana Serves 4, about 1 cup each 2 tsp. canola oil 1 bay leaf 1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and very thinly sliced 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 pound peeled and deveined raw shrimp (16-20 per pound) 3 medium tomatoes, diced ¼ cup thinly sliced pitted green olived 1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add bay leaf and cook for 1 minute. Add onion, jalapenos and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in shrimp, cover and cook until pink and just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and olives. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-ow, replace cover and cook until the tomatoes are almost broken down, 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove the bay leaf. Serve with lime wedges.

Poached Shrimp (in a slow-cooked onion sauce)

This recipe is sick! And I mean that in the "urban dictionary" way: crazy, cool, insane. It all revolves around this amazing sauce which has the consistency of a thick pasta sauce (which is possibly why they suggest serving it over pasta) with some really creative flavors. The core come from the fried onion paste which is made from caramelized onions. Add to that a bunch of other spices and slow cook it until everything blends together and then serve it with some shrimp... heaven!

Poached Shrimp in a Slow-Cooked Onion Sauce bhuna hua jhinga serves 6 2 Tablespoons canola oil 4 lengthwise slices fresh ginger (each 2 inches long, 1 inch wide, and 1/8 inch thick), coarsely chopped 1 cup Fried Onion Paste 2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 teaspoons mango powder or fresh lime juice 2 teaspoons coriander seeds, ground 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, ground 1 teaspoon fine black salt 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/2 teaspoon cayenne (ground red pepper) 1 pound large shrimp (16 to 20 per pound), peeled and deveined but tails left on 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems for garnishing

Heat the oil in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic, and stir-fry until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic and ginger to a blender jar. Pour in 3/4 cup water, followed by the onion paste and tomato paste. Puree, scraping the inside of the jar as needed, to form a thick, reddish-brown paste. Transfer the paste to the same saucepan. Pour 1/4 cup water into the blender jar and swish it around to wash it out. Add this to the pan.

Stir in the mango powder, coriander, cumin, black salt, turmeric, and cayenne. Cover the pan and simmer the sauce over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the oil starts to form a few shiny drops around the edges, 5 to 8 minutes.

Stir in 1/2 cup water, cover the pan, and simmer, stiffing occasionally, until there is a thin film of oil on the surface, 8 to 10 minutes.

Pour in 1/2 cup water and repeat one last time: cover the pan and simmer, stirring occasionally, until there is a thin film of oil on the surface, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the shrimp and stir once or twice. Cover the pan and poach, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are salmon-orange, curled, and tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Grilled Salmon with Cellophane Noodles

My first attempt and cooking fish on the grill didn't turn out so well. The recipe is great and the fish ended up tasting very flavorful, but I didn't realize how flaky the fish would become and it fell apart on the grill. Note to self: do not put fish directly on the grates, use something in between which will be easier to pick up the fish from.

Besides the fact that my fish came off the grill in large chunks, this dinner is great for a weeknight. You get all the flavor and presentation as if you have been preparing a complicated meal, but it all comes together in less than a half an hour.

The noodles on their own are pretty boring. But they add a wonderful texture and it changes up the honey-soy salmon that you may have tasted before.

Honey-Soy Lacquered Salmon with Cilantro Noodles Serves 4 3 packages (2 ounces each) bean thread noodles 4 center-cut salmon fillets (about 6 ounces each), skin on and scaled, pin bones removed Extra-virgin olive oil Kosher or sea salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more for sprinkling 5 tablespoons soy sauce 3 tablespoons honey 3 tablespoons Asian sesame oil 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped 2 tablespoons black sesame seeds

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill on medium-high.

In a large bowl, soak the noodles in hot water to cover until softened, about 20 minutes.

Generously brush the salmon fillets on both sides with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. To make the glaze, in a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of the honey, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and mix thoroughly. Set aside.

To make the dressing, in a small bowl, combine the remaining 4 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon honey, the sesame oil, and the lemon juice mixing well.

Drain the noodles will in a colander, shaking the colander a few times to make sure all the water is removed. pat the noodles dry with paper towels. Toss the noodles with the dressing, cilantro, and sesame seeds. Set aside.

Oil the grill grate. Use tongs to arrange the salmon fillets, flesh side down, directly over the medium-hot fire. Grill the salmon until grill marks are etched across the fillets, about 3 minutes. Turn the fillets, skin side down, and brush the salmon flesh generously with the glaze. cover the grill and continue grilling the salmon until it is almost opaque throughout but still very moist when tested with a knife, or an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 125 to 130 degrees, 3 to 4 minutes longer.

Divide the noodles among dinner plates. Using a wide spatula, place a salmon fillet in the center of each plate, on top of the noodles. Serve immediately.

Lemon-Garlic Shrimp and Vegetables

What is fresher this time of year than shrimp and veggies? Especially asparagus! When I saw this recipe for Lemon-Garlic Shrimp & Vegetables in the April, 2008 issue of Eating Well Magazine I went out and got all the ingredients to have for dinner that same night.

At first I was thinking about cutting the recipe in half because I didn't want to spend that much money on two pounds of asparagus. I'm glad I didn't though because two of us were able to eat very well for dinner and both have a good sized-portion of leftover the next day. In fact, I didn't even bother to heat up my leftovers because it was kind of like having a salad.

I'm usually hesitant about making things with lemon in the title because I am not a big lemon fan. However this recipe was not too heavy on the lemon and you can always sprinkle on some additional lemon to the finished product if someone wants more flavor. This recipe is a perfect weeknight meal for when you want something both quick and healthy.

Lemon-Garlic Shrimp & Vegetables 4 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided 2 large red bell peppers, diced 2 lbs. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths 2 tsp. freshly grated lemon zest 1/2 tsp. salt, divided 5 cloves garlic, minced 1 lb. raw shrimp (26-30 per pound), peeled and deveined 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth 1 tsp. cornstarch 2 Tbsp. lemon juice 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers, asparagus, lemon zest and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to soften, about 6 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl; cover to keep warm.

Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add shrimp and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk broth and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth and add to the pan along with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until the sauce has thickened slightly and the shrimp are pink and just cooked through, about 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat. Stir in lemon juice and parsley. Serve the shrimp and sauce over the vegetables.

Salmon, Cucumber and Tomato Snack

Tonight was a lazy dinner. Actually it was a snack. But a snack with some of my favorite things: smoked salmon, cucumber, tomato and sea salt. That's it. I cut up a large English cucumber and used it as the "cracker". I salted those well with my good sea salt. I used an entire 4 oz. package of smoked salmon and broke up the pieces to layer on top. Then I sliced up a tomato. Since it was round it wouldn't sit on top and I just placed the tomato pieces around the plate. It actually ended up more like a salad than anything else because I cut the salmon and cucumber pieces in half and ate it with a fork. Oh well, it was easy and I'm still full a few hours later so it was the perfect dinner after getting home late from work.

Tilapia with Prosciutto and Sage

I wanted to make fish for dinner and I wanted an easy recipe. While searching online I found this recipe for Tilapia with Prosciutto and Sage at Epicurious. I knew I wanted to make it as soon as I read the simple ingredients because it was made of three of my favorite things: tilapia, prosciutto and sage!

The recipe takes a bit of time to prepare because after cutting the fish into pieces you then have to wrap them with prosciutto. Even though the recipe specifies using "not paper-thin" prosciutto that was all they had at the store. It worked fine for me. I really enjoyed the saltiness of the prosciutto with the flavor of the sage. You couldn't taste the fish all that much because tilapia is so mild and prosciutto has such a strong flavor, but the tilapia added a butteriness to it all.

I made the for my mom and I and while I really enjoyed she was not a fan. She picked off the prosciutto and said that she didn't like the way that the prosciutto tasted when fried. The fatty parts of the prosciutto crisp up a bit like bacon. However, the recipe was interesting to make and I like that it uses so few ingredients and yields such robust flavor.

Pan-Seared Tuna with Avocado, Soy, Ginger and Lime

I got some fresh fish over the internet! Yup, fish over the internet. The sucker was caught on Monday or Tuesday and at my house on Thursday. How cool is that? I'm a big fan of tuna so when I heard about Kona Kampachi from Kona Blue I knew I wanted to try it. Within a few days I had the most amazing sushi-grade Hawaiian yellowtail sitting right in my fridge. Now, what to do with it . . .

I sliced a few pieces and made up a dipping sauce. MMMmmmmm, good. But I had three pounds of the sucker so I also decided to make Pan-Seared Tuna with Avocado, Soy, Ginger and Lime. I found this Tyler Florence recipe online at Food Network. Pan-searing is a perfect way to cook this high quality fish because it just gets seared for a bit on the outside and the inside is still pretty raw. I doubled the recipe since it is only for a single serving. We served it over a few handfuls of fresh baby spinach. The avocado and the yellowtail played off of each other so well. It was a really simple and tasty meal. And very healthy too!

The recipe was really good but it was the fish that stood out. I wish I had some more time this week so that I could play around with some sushi rolls. I'll have to order some more and try that next time.

Baby Arugula, Orange and Fennel Salad with Grilled Shrimp and White Balsamic Vinaigrette

I'm not a big fennel person, but this recipe for Baby Arugula, Orange & Fennel Salad with Grilled Shrimp and White Balsamic Vinaigrette sounded so good I overlooked the heavy use of fennel ingredients. I'm glad I did too because all of the orange flavors really balanced the fennel out and the fennel tasted amazing! And there are so many different uses of fennel in this recipe I decided to use it as my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging. The main fennel bulb is sliced up and used in a salad. I thought it was interesting that the recipe advised chilling the fennel in a bowl of ice water to crisp it up before adding it to the salad. Fennel fronds (I had to look up online) are the grassy parts at the top of the fennel stalk and they are used in the marinade and the vinaigrette. Toasting the fennel seeds in a pan on the stove smelled really great too. I didn't really grind them up before I added them to the vinaigrette. I just pounded them a bit with a wooden meat mallet. But I think it released some of the flavors and it added a bit of a crunch to the salad.

Overall, this recipe was amazing. I like dinners where I prepare on part the night before and then marinade overnight as I did with the shrimp. There is quite a bit of chopping both for the marinade and the vinaigrette so if I were to make this again I'd make the marinade and the vinaigrette at the same time. The vinaigrette can be stored for up to two weeks. So if I did all that prep work the night ahead all I would have to do is grill the shrimp and chop the veggies for the salad. I didn't grill the shrimp on a grill, I used a grill pan on the stove and cooked it in batches.

I have to admit that I only made half of the veggies for the salad but I made all the shrimp. So I had salad for 3-4 servings and shrimp for 6-8 servings. There were only two of us and we ate almost all of the shrimp because it was so good!

Baby Arugula, Orange & Fennel Salad with Grilled Shrimp and White Balsamic Vinaigrette Makes 6 to 8 servings Shrimp 1 tablespoon undiluted orange juice concentrate Pinch of red pepper flakes 2 tablespoons minced orange zest 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons minced shallots 1/2 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons minced fennel fronds 1 tablespoon fennel seed, toasted and crushed 2 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 2 pounds large raw shrimp (32 to 40) Salad 1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs, trimmed 6 oranges or tangerines 6 cups baby arugula 2 heads baby frisee, torn, rinsed, and spun dry White Balsamic Vinaigrette (see below)

To marinate the shrimp, whisk all the ingredients, except the shrimp, in a large bowl. Peel, devein, and remove tails, then add the shrimp to marinade and toss to coat. Refrigerate and marinate for at least 1 hour to overnight.

To prepare the salad, finely shave the fennel bulbs with a sharp knife or a mandoline and crisp in ice water for 10 minutes. Spin dry before using. Cut the peel off the oranges, trim away all the white pith, then cut the fruit into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Flick out any seeds. (If prepared ahead, refrigerate the fennel and orange slices separately, for up to 2 hours.)

Prepare a hot fire in a charcoal grill, or preheat a gas grill to high. Grill the shrimp until just pink and done, about 1 to 2 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, toss the arugula, frisee, fennel, and oranges with enough of the vinaigrette to coat nicely - taste for flavor, adding more dressing if needed.

Server the salad on a large platter or divide among individual plates, arrange the shrimp on top, and drizzle with a little extra dressing if desired.

White Balsamic Vinaigrette Makes 2 cups 1/2 cup while balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoon minced shallots 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1/4 cup undiluted orange juice concentrate Pinch of red pepper flakes, or 1 tablespoon harissa paste 2 teaspoons kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon fennel seed, toasted and ground 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon chopped fennel fronds

In a large bowl, whisk the vinegar, shallots, mustard, and juice concentrate. Whisk in the pepper flakes, salt, pepper to taste, and fennel seed. Slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking constantly to emulsify. Stir in the fennel fronds. If made ahead, refrigerate until shortly before needed, then re-whisk before using. The vinaigrette keeps, refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks.


Checkout the Weekend Herb Blogging roundup hosted by Vani from Batasari sometime next week.

Hot and Sweet Grilled Tilapia

I had a taste for tilapia tonight and lucky for me my local Whole Foods had some really fresh fish available for me. I saw this recipe for Hot and Sweet Grilled Tilapia in Padma's book Tangy Tart Hot and Sweet, when I was making veal the other day. It seemed so simple though I went searching for different recipes in my other cookbooks. I couldn't believe how few recipes there are for tilapia - I only found one other version I'd consider but I decided to stick to Padma's and give her cookbook another try.

This recipe calls for grilling but I did not want to deal with the outdoor grill so I just broiled the fish 3 minutes each side. I can't believe how good this tasted! So light and fresh. The sauce wasn't over-powering gave the fish a "lip-smacking" taste. We couldn't get enough of it. It's very healthy too (especially if you substitute the sugar in the sauce) so I recommend anyone on a diet to give this a try.

Hot and Sweet Grilled Tilapia Serves 4 4 6-ounce tilapia fillets olive oil salt freshly ground black pepper 2 Tbsp. fresh-squeezed lime juice 2 tsp. sugar 1 tsp. minced fresh ginger 1 tsp. minces fresh green chili (optional)

Take the fillets out of the fridge 1/2 hour prior to grilling. Brush them on both sides with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Brush the grill with olive oil as well, and heat until very hot. The grill should be 2 inches from the heat source.

Combine the lime juice, sugar, ginger, and a pinch of salt, and chili (optional) in a bowl.

Place the fish on the grill and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or just until the fish begins to flake. Place the fillets on a plate, and pour the lime and sugar mixture over them. Serve immediately.

#23: Maple Flakes

Maple Flakes are listed as #23 on Food and Wine's 100 Tastes to Try this year. They were hard for me to get a hold of. When I first started searching in the beginning of the year, they were only available in Canada! I did have a trip planned to Vancouver and was going to try and figure out how to order them and have them delivered to my hotel. But thankfully I didn't have to go to that extreme to get a hold of these. iGourmet.com started selling them around the middle of the year.

So what are maple flakes anyways? They are similar to sugar. Except they are made from maple syrup. You can get regular or cranberry flavored. I got both. Food & Wine suggested that you spread them on cereal or over ice cream. I went to the company website decacer.com and found some recipes there. When I saw the recipe for Red Tuna Tartare I was intrigued. Tuna and sugar? But the cranberry maple flakes just added some crunch. I suppose you could add some more if you really want to taste the sweetness.


Red Tuna Tartare
1/2 lb. sushi-grade ahi tuna
drizzle of olive oil
few drops of lemon juice
2 Tbsp. finely chopped chives
Fleur del Sel (to taste)
Freshly ground pepper (to taste)
1 Tbsp Cranberry Organic Maple Flakes

All the ingredients can be prepared in advance, but do not mix until right before serving so the flakes stay nice and crunchy.

Cut the tuna into small cubes, then season with a drizzle of olive oil, a few drops of lemon juice, finely chopped chives, fleur de sel, a little freshly ground pepper, and maple flakes. Blend quickly and serve. The texture of the fresh tuna cubes with a sprinkling of maple flakes is sensational.

Baked Shrimp and Feta

I know I just made something from the October issue of Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine, but when I saw this recipe for Baked Shrimp with Feta I just HAD to make it. And I'm so glad I did. I served it tonight to my mother and sister and their guys - all gave it rave reviews. It was even suggested as a dish to prepare for our next dinner party . . .

Baked Shrimp and Feta 6 to 8 servings 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined Juice of 1 lemon, plus wedges for serving 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 onions, finely chopped 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 cup tomato puree 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves, chopped 1 bay leaf Salt and pepper 1/2 pound feta cheese, crumbled

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the shrimp with the lemon juice and arrange in a single layer. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato puree, oregano, bay leaf and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Discard the bay leaf and pour the sauce over the shrimp; sprinkle the feta on top. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, then place under the broiler until the feta is lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve with the lemon wedges.