Black Cod

I bought some sable fish, also known as black cod at a farmer's market this weekend. It was frozen and the price tab hefty. The purveyor told me if I taste it, I'll be back for more. I put it to the test. I paired it with a cabbage stir-fry, Yukon Gold potatoes and a salad. Here's the recipe:

ON THE CUTTING BOARD:



Sable fish, cabbage, carrots, scallions, garlic, butter, tomatoes,
cumin, paprika, parsley, tamarind paste (not pictured), grapeseed oil

STEP ONE:



Preheat oven to 400. Chop half a head of cabbage and throw it
into a hot pan heated with a T. of grapes oil. Peel a couple of
small carrots into the cabbage and top with a a T. of tamarind paste.
Stir until it's well blended and giving off a nice aroma. Turn
heat to medium low.

STEP TWO:



Coarsely chop two scallions with the tops and add to the pan.
Skirt a T. of tamari soy sauce into the mix along with some
ground pepper.

STEP THREE:



At this point, I saw I had some broccoli that needed some
attention, so I added that too. Add whatever you have on hand
to use up what you've got. Stir fry for a couple of minutes and
then turn off the heat and partially cover while you cook the fish.

STEP FOUR:



Prepare the sable (.75 lbs.) with a tsp.
of cumin, a tsp. of paprika, 1/2 tsp. of ground
coriander, a generous grind of black pepper,
1/2 tsp of sea salt and a T. of butter divided
across the fish. Bake for 10 minutes in the
400 degree pre-heated oven, and then increase
the oven temperature to 500 and cook for another
4 minutes.

STEP FIVE:



Plate the fish on top of the cabbage stir-fry and add the salad. Top the fish with minced parsley.

My final analysis: the fish was beautifully silky and very tasty. I might buy it again but will do another blog comparing this sable fish (aka black cod, butter fish) with another buttery fish that is way less expensive. After doing some research, sable fish is not even in the cod family, but I like
the fact that it is responsibly fished in very deep waters. Keep tuned. Also, the stir-fry was covered too long. I'd start it earlier while cooking the fish so that everything is especially fresh and colorful.

Eco details: 

• Sablefish populations are healthy, and the fishing method (bottom longlines) produces little bycatch or harm to bottom habitat. 
• The Alaskan sablefish fishery is operated under an innovative 'catch share' system, which allows fishermen to work under safer conditions and get better prices for their catch while conserving stocks.
• West Coast sablefish are now managed under a similar management plan as well. Bycatch is down 75%, and conservative catch quotas have limited the catch of overfished rockfish. Additionally, an innovation boom in gear design and fishing behavior has helped trawlers avoid bycatch hotspots and keep sensitive species out of nets.

From seafoodedf.org

ALLA VOSTRA SALUTE!

Pepper Mushroom Chicken

A few vegetables needed to be cooked pronto. I had some chicken and combined them for this dish. Here's the recipe:

ON THE CUTTING BOARD:



Chicken, zuchini, green onions,  mushrooms,  red onion,  jalepeno pepper, green pepper, lemon, garlic, chicken broth, black vinegar, olive oil, canned diced tomatoes, white wine, sea salt.

STEP ONE:



Saute four cloves of smashed garlic in 1 T. olive oil until fragrant and then set aside.




STEP TWO:





Add red and green onions to the pan; saute for a few minutes until they start to soften and then add the mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms start to brown.

STEP THREE:



Add the sliced green pepper and finely chopped jalapeño. Cook for a few minutes until they start to soften. Remove vegetables from the pan and set aside.

STEP FOUR:








Chop the zucchini into half-moon slices, add chicken to the pan with another T. of oil, cook until browned and add the zucchini.

STEP FIVE:






Add 16 oz. can of diced tomatoes, 1 cup of chicken broth and 1 cup of dry white wine. Stir and incorporate the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add a splash of black vinegar or red wine vinegar. Cook for about 20 minutes and serve.

ALLA VOSTRA SALUTE!

Feeling Frisky with French Lentils and Some Jasmine Rice

I've had these French green lentils in the cupboard for a while. I also spotted a bag of Jasmine rice that has been there for I'm not sure how long. That means a long time. I usually cook Basmati or short grain brown rice, so I don't even know how it got there.

I cooked some of the lentils last night and had about two cups left. Al dente too, just the way I like them, especially if you're going to use them later. So this evening, I took out the lentils and decided to match them with the Jasmine rice. I looked around and selected a few ingredients to make a side dish: tumeric, garlic, bird eye chilies, sesame oil, butter, grape seed oil and kosher salt. I eventually added spinach to the wok because I thought the dish could use a little more color (green and yellow are pretty together) and I wanted to use up the huge container of spinach I had in the fridge. This dish seems really greasy with butter and two oils in the mix, but I used the butter and oils sparingly.

Since this blog is predicated on using up the ingredients you have on hand in the fridge to create simple and delicious meals, the spinach didn't turn up on the cutting board at first. This often happens when I create these posts. I think of dishes to cook and then improvise some more on the way. So when you read these recipes, please keep in mind that they are meant to be approximations. If you don't have lentils, try beans for instance. Add more flavors to the mix if you'd like more boldness. For this dish, I added a heaping tsp. of chili powder from Penzeys Spices. Their blend is a gorgeous infusion of lemon peel, cocoa, cinnamon, fenugreek, fennel, anise and cardamon along with the usual suspects in a chili powder. Wow. What an aromatic punch! So use your own discretion and craft your own creations. Most of all, have fun when playing in the kitchen, crafting combinations of items you have in the fridge and in the cupboard. Besides using your creative talents, you are using foods that might otherwise be wasted, and we really don't want to do that do we?

Here's the dish:

ON THE CUTTING BOARD:



1 cup Jasmine rice, 1 cup cooked green lentils, tumeric, bird eye chilies, sesame oil, butter, 1 clove garlic (I only had one; the bulb in the basket was a desiccated mess!), grape seed oil, kosher salt.

STEP ONE:






Heat 1 T. of butter and 1 T. of oil (I used grape seed). Add 1 cup of rice, stir and toast in the butter and oil for about 5 minutes on medium heat. The rice has the faint aroma of popcorn as it simmers. When it starts to turn a golden brown turn down the heat to low.

STEP TWO:



Pour in 1 1/2 cups of water, 1/2 tsp. of turmeric, 1/2 tsp. of kosher salt and 3-5 bird eye chilies. Stir and cover the pan (or wok which is what I used). Simmer for 10-12 minutes. Check to see if you might need a little more water as the rice cooks and add a small amount if needed.

STEP THREE:







Open the lid and stir in a cup of lentils and the crushed garlic clove, scattering it about the rice and lentils. Add any other ingredients you'd like to add. It is good as is, but I wanted to bump it up a bit.  That's when I chose the Penzey Spices chili powder. Maybe you'd like to add a bit of tamari or some red or green salsa, fresh basil,  or ......? Allow to simmer for a few minutes and add a generous amount of spinach. Stir and allow to wilt. Stir in 1/8-1/4 tsp. sesame oil. Let the spinach steam for a couple more minutes.

Turn off heat and serve.

ALLA VOSTRA SALUTE!

Savory Seafood Saute

If you've got a variety of seafood, some broth in the cupboard and some vegetables hanging around, this easy, quick seafood medley is for you.

ON THE CUTTING BOARD:

STEP ONE:

Chop 1/2 large onion and saute over medium heat with a 2 tsp. smoked paprika, 1 tsp. of white pepper and 1/2 tsp. of sea salt or seasoned salt (I used a seasoned salt from Penzey's Spices until onions are softened, about 3-4 minutes.

STEP TWO:

Add sliced mushrooms and cook until lightly browned.

STEP THREE:

Throw in the sliced pepper and cherry tomatoes. Cook for another 4 minutes.

STEP FOUR:

Pour 2 cups of chicken or vegetable stock into the wok. Stir. Add 4 finely chopped garlic cloves.

STEP FIVE:

Cut the salmon into 1 1/2 inch pieces and add to the pan. Simmer for 3 minutes.

STEP SIX:

Add the sea scallops and stir. Allow to simmer for 1 minutes.  If you have any saffron, now's the time to sprinkle in a couple of pinches. Stir.

STEP SEVEN:

Nestle shrimp into the wok and simmer for 1 minutes. 

STEP EIGHT:

Lastly, add the clams and cover. Steam until all the clams open, about 4-5 minutes (discard those that don't).

STEP NINE:

Serve in bowls with a crusty bread for dipping.

ALLA VOSTRA SALUTE!

Salmon with Fresh Curry Leaves

Cooking with fresh curry leaves lends a plethora of rich yet subtle flavor.  My friend has a bush on her deck and gave me a large bunch to experiment with. I decided to make a curried salmon dish with some of it and wasn't disappointed.  My curry dishes are usually made with a variety of spices including turmeric, cumin, coriander and cardamon. Using the fresh leaves is a new direction, and it's wonderful! The leaves look and feel sturdy but once touched by the heat, they rapidly turn soft and fragrant. These will definitely to be a staple in my kitchen going forward. They keep in the fridge for about three weeks too. I wrapped mine in waxed paper and inserted them into a plastic bag.

ON THE CUTTING BOARD:









One and a half pounds of wild Atlantic salmon, three Roma and several cherry tomatoes, one medium onion, three-inch piece of ginger (peeled), 3 large cloves of garlic, a bunch of fresh curry leaves, green beans, turmeric, smoked paprika, sea salt and grapeseed oil.



STEP ONE:



Chop the onion, garlic and ginger into a dice.

STEP TWO:



Use a mortar and pestle to grind ginger and garlic.

STEP THREE:



Saute onions in a T. of grapes oil until soft. Add the ginger and garlic and allow to cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes.

STEP FOUR:

Add the tomatoes and curry leaves to the pan along with a tsp. of turmeric, a tsp. of smoked paprika and a 1/4-1/2 tsp. of salt and allow to cook on low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

STEP FIVE:



Add the salmon to the pan skin side down and allow to cook on medium heat for 6 minutes. Turn the fish and cook for another 6 minutes or until it's done. Try not to overcook or it will be dry. If the vegetables are becoming overcooked, remove from pan and keep warm. While the fish is cooking, saute the green beans in a little olive oil with salt and pepper. Can squeeze some lemon juice on them when done.

STEP SIX:



Plate the fish by setting on top of sautéed green beans. Spoon the vegetable mixture on top.  Enjoy!

ALLA VOSTRA SALUTE!

Burmese-Inspired Ginger Salad

I'm claiming this recipe as Burmese inspired since my Burmese friends told me how to make it. I didn't write anything down, and I'm sure it's not throughly authentic. They saw the photo of the finished product though, and told me it looked really good. The next time I'll bring some over to get their feedback. One mistake I made was to put the crunchy beans into the salad instead of sprinkling on top. Lesson learned. This salad is easy and delicious and pairs well with curries. It can really be served with just about anything savory.  It should be made with young ginger that is supposedly lighter in color, milder and softer than the common ginger we find in the grocery store. It can be found in Asian markets in the spring. In fact, it is called spring ginger.

ON THE CUTTING BOARD:



4.5 inch piece of ginger, 3 cloves of garlic, lemon, 3 small tomatoes, red onion (not pictured), half head of Napa cabbage, sea salt, 2 T. fish sauce, pinch of sugar, 2 T. oil (olive or canola), dried cooked beans. The beans were given to me by my Burmese friends. You can use toasted sesame seeds instead. Then it will truly be Burmese-inspired and not an authentic dish. Thin, dried coconut slices can also be sprinkled on top. Try to find the bean mixture in an Asian market (I haven't yet looked). This dish is made in two stages. The ginger needs to marinate in lemon juice overnight.

STEP ONE:

Prep: Cut ginger into very thin slices, squeeze about 2 T. lemon juice and 1/4 tsp. salt onto the ginger and allow to sit overnight in the fridge. The ginger will take on a nice pink color.





STEP TWO:



Cut garlic cloves into thin slices. Chop tomatoes. Cut half a small red onion into thin slices. Cut cabbage into chunks. Place cabbage into a food processor and pulse until the cabbage has been cut into a cold slaw consistency.

STEP THREE:





Put cabbage into a large bowl, squeeze the liquid out of the ginger and place in bowl. Add garlic, chopped tomatoes, sliced onion, 1 T. of fish sauce and a pinch of sugar. Stir in a T. or two of oil. Mix and add more salt to taste. Place in serving bowls and sprinkle the dried bean mixture on top (or toasted sesame seeds).

ALLA VOSTRA SALUTE!