Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Fava Beans, They're Back!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Fish Curry on my Boat
Cooking on the boat stove
Thai Style Coconut Fish Curry with Rice
It's not what most people would eat on Easter Sunday, but it's a good quick lunch while cleaning and getting the boat ready for sailing this Summer. I changed the compressed natural gas tank on the boat thats fuel for its two burner stove and oven, so after a quick trip to the store to get some ingredients, I was ready to cook. A cold beer was also very important to drink while I prepped and cooked. 20 minutes later lunch was ready.
Thai Fish Curry with Rice
Ingredients:
6 oz red snapper fillet, large dice
1 small can coconut milk
1 T Thai curry paste
3 Keffir lime leaves
1/2 bunch asparagus
2 cloves garlic
1 t ginger
1/4 onion
1/2 cup rice
Method:
1. Simmer the rice in water slowly 'till done.
2. Saute onion, garlic, ginger and curry paste.
3. Add fish, lime leafs, asparagus and coconut milk.
4. Simmer 'till fish is cooked, spoon curry over rice.
Serve with cold beer on boat hopefully anchored in a amazing location.
Farro, Old Grain with New Interest
The food world is rediscovering older foods and making them trendy, one of those is Farro. Its a wheat grain that has different names depending on where its from, in Italy its called Farro, in Germany it might be known as Spelt, in the US its often called Wheatberries or maybe Barley. I like it because it has a dense nutty and meaty texture. I have noticed that it has a flavor like Bulger so I made a Tabbouleh with it. The famous Syrian salad made with Bulger, parsley, tomato, lemon juice and olive oil. I had a nice peice of Feta cheese so I crumbled it and added to the salad.
Farro Tabbouleh
Ingredients:
1 cup Farro, cooked
1 bunch Flat leaf Parsley, chopped
1 Tomato, diced
2 T Lemon juice
3 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher salt, to taste
Fresh Pepper
Feta cheese (Optional)
Method:
1. Mix all ingredients together, serve at room temperture.
I served my salad along with a lemon and oregano infused roast chicken.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Brussel Sprouts and Pasta
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Best of Spring Asparagus Risotto
Asparagus is at its peak right now and the markets are flooded with huge quantities of this amazing vegetable. I am even getting some nice spears from my garden after only being planted last year. Tonight I chose to make a risotto with asparagus, yellow onion and pancetta. A trick I have for intense flavor and color is to blanch the asparagus first and rapid cool with ice water. Cut the tender tips off for adding to the risotto later in the final cooking stage, for the rest of the stalks combine with a dash of water or stock in a blender and puree till smooth, use this bright green liquid at the very end for a boost of flavor and color.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Arborio rice
1 T Yellow onion, diced
1 Garlic clove
1-2 oz Pancetta
1 bunch asparagus
2 cups water or stock
Pat of Butter
Dash olive oil
Method:
1. Blanch asparagus till tender, shock in ice water*.
2. Cut tips off, reserve.
3. Blend the rest of the stalks with water or stock.
4. Gently cook the pancetta, onion, garlic and rice in olive oil till translucent.
5. Add simmering seasoned water or stock little by little till rice is almost tender.
6. Add reserved asparagus tips and puree to rice, continue cooking till done and creamy.
7. Off the heat add a pat of butter and stir in, Parmesan cheese can be added if desired.
* If you jumped in ice water, you would be in shock too, it stops the cooking rapidly and retains the bright green color
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Saturday Morning Breakfast
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Poached Sable Fish with Haddock Baccala
Monday, April 11, 2011
Rock Snapper
Wharf Style Dungeness Cocktail
Wednesday, April 06, 2011
Choice Rib Eye Steak
What on a Wednesday night? OK its a payday and I deserve a rare treat of a choice steak. Its not often that I eat red meat like this, due to working many long days of butchering endless cuts of lamb racks, squab and venison at Fleur de Ly's restaurant in San Francisco. But I do get a craving once every six months or so and I go for a big rib eye beef steak, it has the right ratio of fat to meat which keeps it moist with all that good flavor. Just kosher salt and fresh pepper with a splash of Extra virgin olive oil, next it goes on a smoking grill pan placed in waiting 5ooF oven for about five minutes then flipped over for another five, done! To balance out the fatty meat I chose tonight a side of simple saute of rainbow chard. With the flavorful meat a memory now its sometime in the summer before the craving comes back.
Sunday, April 03, 2011
Beet Greens
My Best Marinated Baby Beets
These amazing baby beets were sold at stalls all over the local market this week and with the season ending soon I had to buy a bunch of each variety. My best way to cook these small beets are to trim them and season, then place in aluminum foil with a dash of extra virgin olive oil to roast. After about an hour in a hot oven they are done and the skin will peel right off, then they can be cut into any shape you want, sliced or quartered. My favorite dressing for beets is a ginger-infused orange vinaigrette, sweet and sour with good citrus flavors. Note: be sure to save the beet greens, these are awesome sauteed with olive oil and a splash of good vinegar.
Ginger-Orange Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
orange juice, from one orange
orange zest, from one orange
ginger root, small knob
Rice wine vinegar, 2 T
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1/2 cup
Kosher salt, to taste
Fresh cracked pepper
Shallots, fine diced, 1 t
Method:
1. Simmer the orange juice, shallot and ginger till reduces and becomes thick like a syrup.
2. Add the zest, vinegar, pinch of salt and pepper (the salt will dissolve better without the oil)
3. Whisk in olive oil and taste for correct seasoning, maybe mild herbs can be added for color.
Kitchen Trick: The best way to dress beets is when they are still hot or warm, the vinaigrette flavors will absorb into the beets better.
Dungeness Crab Noodles
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)