Archive for the 'seafood' Category
I’m starting to feel guilty now when I repeat myself in the kitchen. But on Friday, when I made a vat of ceviche for the party, the thrifty part of me threw the halibut bones and shrimp shells into a pot of water and made stock. Which wouldn’t fit in the fridge, so today I had to come up with some use for it. I wasn’t in the mood for seafood chowder, and one of the best uses of great quantities of stock is risotto. (My parents are under the impression that risotto is made with plenty of cream, which is understandable considering it’s so creamy, but this creaminess comes from the starch in the rice coming out to meet the stock, and of course the Parmesan cheese you stir in at the end. You could also add a dab of butter at this point, but I generally don’t bother.)
This batch was better than the last time I made it – I cut back the lemon to just a small squeeze from a bottle, since I really don’t like too much lemon with my seafood (weird, I know, but I think it tends to overpower it), and when I rummaged through my freezer to find some shrimp, I found a bag of small scallops as well, so threw a handful of them in too. Had anyone told me that risotto would become a regular in my kitchen a year ago, I would have said they were crazy. But really, it’s as easy as making oatmeal.
I even winged it this time (recipes, I think, can be far too rigid; unless you’re baking, there generally isn’t a need to adhere to strict ingredient measurements): a small onion, finely chopped and sauteed in a bit of oil and butter until soft; a handful of short-grain arborio rice (about a cup?) and between 3 and 4 cups of stock; then a handful of grated Parmesan, the aforementioned squirt of lemon juice, and about 8 shrimp and 10 scallops. (But who’s counting?) If you want a recipe, follow the one for lemon-Parmesan risotto and at the end, stir in as many raw shrimp and/or scallops as you like, which will cook in about 3 minutes, and then tear in a couple handfuls of fresh spinach or chard. As soon as it wilts, serve it in shallow bowls to eat on the couch with extra Parm to sprinkle on top.
I went to the farmers’ market (Crossroads) late this afternoon, late enough that the vendors started slashing produce prices to avoid trucking it back home, and bought a bunch of slightly bruised but beautifully red tomatoes for 49 cents a pound (!!). Earlier, I was at my parents’ house helping them pack for their move, and left with a giant can of crushed tomatoes – so big you could use it as a bench – to do something with. I froze a bunch in ziploc bags, and the rest went into my largest pot with an onion sauteed in olive oil. I hacked the tomatoes in halves or quarters and put them on a rimmed baking sheet with a head of garlic, separated into cloves, and drizzled the lot with olive oil, then roasted them at 400F until they were soft and slightly charred on the edges. That got scraped into the pot, particularly the caramel goo stuck to the pan (add a little water or stock to loosen it if need be), and whizzed it with my hand-held immersion blender with a bit of salt and Italian seasoning. (Add some stock and you have a great roasted tomato soup.)
So now I have a good stash of tomato sauce to take me into fall. Fall! How could this be?
August 24 2008 | grains and one dish and seafood and vegetarian | 5 Comments »
OK everyone, listen up. If you are at all a shrimp lover, or run with shrimp lovers, you will want to take particular note of this. This is food of the best kind – it requires about 5 minutes, is brain-numbingly good, doesn’t heat up the house, is perfect for company, and is really more an idea than a recipe per se.
Tonight the dinnertime decision-making process went something like this: we rolled in from Edmonton at about 5, and since there was little in the fridge and neither of us felt like cooking, Mike had the pizza menu in his hand. Then I noticed a lone avocado in the fruit bowl – it had been rock hard when we left on Friday, but was now perfectly ripe. I told Mike to put down the phone and make guacamole - his one (and only, unless you count Kraft Dinner) specialty. There were still some corn tortillas in the depths of the freezer, so I pulled those out, chipped a few off and cooked in them in a little canola oil in a skillet.
But wait, here’s the good part. I was pondering how to turn this into an actual meal, rather than another snack, and thought I’d quickly sauté a few shrimp from the freezer to round it out a bit. (Frozen shrimp thaw almost instantly in a bowl of warm water.) I figured I’d do them in a little oil with a sprinkle of chili powder in an attempt to stay with the Mexican theme. That reminded me of a Mark Bittman quickie I had read about that involved sautéeing shrimp in butter with garlic and chili powder, then finishing it with beer. That reminded me of the unbelievably awesome barbecue shrimp in spicy, buttery sauce that we used to eat at Memphis Blues in Vancouver. Which in turn reminded me of the fact that they just released a cookbook, and that said book was upstairs on my shelf.
And yes, the shrimp recipe was in there! I thought it would be more complex, but it’s nothing more than shrimp sautéed in butter and a sprinkle of their spice rub – the same blend they use on ribs and other meat. Brilliant. There was even a recipe for their rub, but I didn’t have garlic powder, onion powder or Lawry’s Seasoning Salt, so I quickly made up a batch of the stuff I usually use on ribs. (Chili powder, paprika, brown sugar, cumin, oregano – doubling the brown sugar, since there seems to be an awfully lot of sugar in their rub.) But really, any spice rub would do. Then this is all it takes: you throw in a generous pat of butter, cut it with olive or canola oil if you like, into a hot pan, and when the foam subsides, throw in your shrimp (as many as you want to make) and a generous spoonful of the rub. (I threw in a crushed clove of garlic too, since my rub was garlic-free.) Toss them about in the pan for a couple minutes, just until they turn opaque – don’t overcook them, or they will curl up tight and end up tough – and pour out into a serving dish. That’s it.
I have never so badly wanted a warm pan of corn bread - to mop up the buttery, spicy, shrimpy sauce. That’s how they serve it at Memphis Blues – with a thick yellow wedge. Crusty bread would suit as well – anything that keeps you from pawing at the buttery sludge with your fingers and licking it off like a kitten. I am so making this again. Maybe for my birthday. Some things are so worth an hour on the elliptical trainer.
Memphis Blues All-Purpose Dry Rub
1 cup dried parsley
1 cup sugar
1 cup Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
2 Tbsp. ground black pepper
3 Tbsp. garlic powder
3 Tbsp. onion powder
3 Tbsp. oregano
3 Tbsp. sweet paprika
1 Tbsp. mustard powder
1 Tbsp. celery salt
a pinch of cayenne pepper
Mix all; store in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Use on pork, chicken, turkey or fish. (Or shrimp!)
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July 27 2008 | appetizers and seafood and vegetarian | 4 Comments »
OK, what we really had for dinner was the last pickings of bison rotini, but I already told you about that. And W ate most of it, because we were still full from lunch; A came over and we sat out in folding chairs in the yard and drank cold pink fizzy wine and ate pad Thai, and that’s far more interesting.
I had promised to make it, and then when I went to soak my rice noodles I discovered I didn’t have any. I suppose my mission to deplete a seemingly bottomless stash of assorted pasta and noodles has been successful. We had fresh Asian noodles though, so I figured that was close enough.
Pad Thai is fast (if you get everything ready to go before you start), and a perfect way to use up leftover roasted chicken, tofu, or even pork, and if you keep a bag of shrimp in the freezer it’s easy to add a handful to dishes such as this. Tamarind concentrate and chili sauce can be found in the ethnic foods section of grocery stores or in Asian markets, and although not necessary are well worth seeking out – both will keep in the fridge for a long time, so don’t worry about buying a whole jar just to use a few spoonfuls.
Pad Thai
1/2 – 1 lb. (250-500 g) package rice noodles, thin or thick
Sesame, peanut or canola oil, for cooking
1/4 cup tomato sauce or ketchup
1/4 cup fish sauce (nam pla)
1/4 cup lime juice or 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
2-4 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. chili sauce or sambal oelek (optional)
1 tsp. tamarind concentrate (optional)
1 cup chopped cooked chicken (optional)
1/2 lb. cooked or uncooked shrimp, shelled and deveined (optional)
1 pkg. firm tofu, drained and diced (optional)
1-3 small red chilies (optional)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cloves garlic, crushed (optional)
3 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups bean sprouts
1/4 cup chopped peanuts or cashews, salted or unsalted
Lime wedges (optional)
Soak the rice noodles according to the package directions. Rinse them with cold water and drain well. Drizzle the noodles with a little oil to keep them from sticking, and toss to coat.
In a small bowl, stir together the tomato sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, chili sauce, and tamarind concentrate (if using).
Heat a good drizzle of oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the meat or shrimp if they’re uncooked (if your meat is cooked, set it aside for now), along with the tofu and the chilies if you’re using them. Cook for a few minutes, until the meat is cooked through or the tofu is golden. Push the mixture aside or remove it from the pan. If you are using shrimp, remove them from the pan so that they don’t overcook and become tough. Add the eggs and cook them as if you were making scrambled eggs, breaking them up with a spatula. Push them aside.
Add a little more oil if you need it and stir fry the garlic and green onions for about a minute. Add the noodles and cook, tossing them with tongs, for another minute. Return any reserved cooked meat to the pan, pour as much of the sauce as you want over it all, and cook for 2-3 minutes, tossing the mixture with tongs or a spatula to coat everything with sauce and heat it through. Add the bean sprouts at the very end as you toss everything together.
Serve immediately in large shallow bowls. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and serve with lime wedges to squeeze over top. Serves 4.
Yesterday we finished off Vij’s chicken curry and rice, but still had rice left over. When this happens and I’m not in the mood to make fried rice, I pour milk over it and bring it to a simmer with a bit of honey; the rice soaks up the milk and the starch thickens it and eventually I have a simple rice pudding. I was about to add some raw short grain rice to the pot, thinking that it could then be called risotto – so much fancier-sounding than rice pudding – and the thought reminded me of the barley risotto I made with mushrooms. Why not add some barley and make a rice and barley pudding? Which would sort of be a risotto? Hey wait, isn’t there a barley cereal with cream on the menu at Diner Deluxe? And isn’t it fabulous?
So I dumped, without measuring, some barley into the pot. Probably about half a cup, and then poured enough milk over to generously cover it. Rice puddings are easy to make this way – just cook until it soaks up the milk, add more, and so on. Sweeten with a little sugar, honey or maple syrup, and once it’s as thick as you want it to be, stir in a splash of vanilla.
The compote was my first jab at using up some of this rhubarb. A few stalks, chopped into a pot with a couple handfuls of strawberries, about a half cup of sugar (or to suit your taste) and a spoonful of orange juice concentrate straight from the freezer. Bring to a simmer and cook until it breaks down and resembles a sort of runny jam that isn’t as jammy-sweet as jam, but stands in for it just as well on bagels and toast, making either reminiscent of strawberry-rhubarb pie.
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July 23 2008 | one dish and preserves and seafood and sweet stuff and vegetarian | 4 Comments »
It’s funny how throw-together dinners can end up sounding fancier than something you might have made an effort to plan. Tonight I had the dregs of the SoBo fruit salsa I made for CBC this morning, and a chunk of leftover salmon, and so looked up a quick chili rub, thinking that a) it was something I hadn’t done before, and b) it would give the cool, sweet fruit something to calm down. To be truthful I’m not really a fan of fruit salsa; I don’t know why, but it never really did it for me. But it went well with the salmon, and ended up getting right in there with the salad.
I sort of morphed a couple recipes I found and ended up with a paste made with 1 teaspoon each: canned chipotle chiles en adobo, chili powder, dried oregano, sugar, lime juice and olive or canola oil, a sprinkle of coarse salt and a crushed clove of garlic. (If you don’t like things spicy, leave out the chipotle or cut it back a bit – the smoky adobo sauce adds a great flavour, but I dig that most people don’t have canned chipotles on hand. I find that a can will last ages – I use a bit, then seal the rest in a ziplock baggie, freeze and chop off bits here and there when I need it.)
The paste was smeared on a salmon filet and roasted at 400F for 10 minutes – just enough time to toss a quick salad of boxed spring greens, tomato, ribbons of yellow carrot stripped off with a vegetable peeler and crumbled feta. (The what-I-had-in-the-fridge special.) There was leftover chili paste, so I froze it; I think next time I’ll smear it on a pork tenderloin.
July 22 2008 | seafood | 4 Comments »
You may have heard of SoBo, the eatery in Tofino everyone talks about, and likely the only little purple catering truck to make EnRoute’s Top Ten Best Restaurants (in 2003). We used to visit the truck when it was parked behind the surf shop for “killer” fish tacos, polenta fries (which I have since recreated myself with great success, and which was one of W’s favorite finger foods as a toddler) and the best Key lime pie that could possibly exist. They have since moved into an actual building without wheels, across the street from the liquor store.
When we stopped in this morning for corn bread (again, the Best Ever), they were busy squeezing row after row of golf ball-sized Key limes (named for the Florida Keys, they have a far different flavour than the Persian limes you’re probably used to seeing at the grocery store) for the Key lime pies, and I could hardly wait to go back for a late lunch, which turned out to be so massive that even now at 11 pm I’m still stuffed. But in the best possible way.
So really, it was dinner. The smoked fish chowder was possibly the best soup I’ve ever eaten – I worried that it might be too smoky. It wasn’t. It was so full of thick slabs of fish that I could have finished the bowl and called it dinner. But I had heard about the ceviche (fish finely chopped so as to almost be a salsa, and marinated in citrus juices that “cook” the fish without heat) and couldn’t leave without trying it, and if you go to SoBo it’s just a given that you get a fish taco. On the way in we spied a spectacular salad – one with soba noodles, one without, both piled with sunflower sprouts, and so we added that on too.
Lisa Ahier’s Ceviche
(pictured above – luckily this was printed in the July issue of Tofino Time)
16 oz. halibut fillet, finely diced
8 oz. spot prawns, finely diced
6 oz. scallops, finely diced
3 cups key lime juice
1 cup roma tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
1 cup red and yellow bell peppers, finely diced
1/2 cup chives, finely chopped
4 serrano chiles, finely diced
2 avocadoes, finely diced
1/2 cup cilantro, finely minced
3 tsp. salt
1/4 cup good quality extra-virgin olive oil
In a large glass bowl, combine the halibut, prawns, scallops and lime juice and let marinate for 2-3 hours. Drain and gently fold in the remaining ingredients. Serve with lettuce leaves and fresh corn chips, drizzled with a little more olive oil.
Killer Fish Tacos
(also from Tofino Time)
16 taco shells
1 lb halibut fillet,
medium diced
1 lb wild salmon fillet, medium diced
1/2 cup chipotle chiles
canned in adobo, pureed
1 cup red onion
small diced
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tbsp kosher salt
Dice the red onion and puree or finely chop the chipotles.
Dice the fish into 1-inch pieces.
Pat fish dry and season with kosher salt. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over moderate-high heat. Add the onions and saute them for 1 minute; add the fish and fry for about 3 minutes until just cooked. Add the chipotle chiles, stir for 1 more minute and remove from heat.
Fill taco shells halfway with fish mixture, then top with fruit salsa. Serve immediately.
Fresh Fruit Salsa
1 cup kiwi fruit, small diced
1 cup pineapple,
small diced
1 cup mango, small diced
1 cup papaya, small diced
2 avocados,
small diced
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
2 limes
Prepare the fruit salsa by dicing the ingredients small enough to fit into a prepared taco shell — smaller than a fruit salad, but not so small that the fruit turns to mush. Combine the fruit, avocado and cilantro. Refrigerate until ready to use. The holding time is about 24 hours as the fruit starts to break down. Also note that if you intend to prepare the salsa in advance, don’t add the avocado until immediately before serving, as avocado turns brown quickly.
But the Key lime pie. There are no words. Look at that cream. If only I could find love this pure and uncomplicated with a human being. I’ve finally discovered the secret to a strong and lasting relationship: make sure one of you is a slice of SoBo Key lime pie.
I know a SoBo cookbook is in the works, so I’m going to try to coerce Lisa to share her recipe in the meantime. Check back to see if I’m successful…
July 17 2008 | appetizers and eating out and seafood and snacks | 16 Comments »
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