I was delighted to see the large batch of fresh herbs on her balcony growing in large pots. She picked some lemon thyme, oregano, basil and mint. I had brought a small piece of ginger I needed to use as well as some parsley, kale and swiss chard from my garden.
Here is the simple, fast and delicious meal we made.
ON THE CUTTING BOARD:
Flounder, scallops, small onion, garlic, ginger, kale, swiss chard, parsley, oregano, lemon thyme, basil, mint, a carrot, dried red chilis (found at the bottom of a basket on my kitchen counter -- they used to be fresh), dried coriander, paprika, turmeric, white pepper, cayenne pepper, sea salt.
STEP ONE:
Heat 1 T. of olive oil and 1 T. of butter in a large skillet. When butter is melting, chop half an onion, mince 3 small cloves of garlic, a quarter of one of the dried red chilis and about 1/2-inch piece of ginger. Add to pan when butter is melted and starts to sizzle.
Add 1 tsp. of turmeric, 1/2 tsp. dried coriander, a pinch of cayenne, 1/2 tsp. of paprika and 1/4 tsp. of white pepper. Stir and simmer until the onions and garlic soften.
STEP TWO:
Add flounder and cook for a few minutes on one side. Flip and cook the other side and add the scallops. Poor in a little olive oil if the mixture is too dry.
Add the lemon thyme, oregano and basil to the pan. Stir and let simmer for a minute and then add the kale and swiss chard. Add salt to taste. I added 1/2 tsp. Stir the greens and allow to cook for a couple of minutes.
Plate the fish and add your extras. Amber made some red rice dressed with a little olive oil and lemon and some roasted brussel sprouts mixed with her fresh herbs. We also made a salad with tomato, carrot, cucumber, red onion, fresh basil, mint and parsley dressed with olive oil, lemon juice and a little sea salt. Did I mention I love olive oil?
This event was especially fun because I made the meal with a friend. Try it sometime! And thank you Amber for opening up your wonderful kitchen and making a delicious dinner with me. I want to do it again!
ALLA VOSTRA SALUTE!
