Cajun Jambalaya

I thought it only fitting to make something Cajun for dinner on Fat Tuesday.  Well, that was my original intention.  I thought I'd get a jump on things and make part of it last night, and finish it off tonight when I got home from work.  I had some leftover soup in the fridge for last night's dinner anyway.  Like I said, that was my original intention.  Once I got started with this Jambalaya there was no going back.  I got caught up in the moment.  Once that spicy aroma filled the air, I decided that soup could wait another day, and... who cares if we celebrated Fat Tuesday on Monday!  So Monday night was Jambalaya night.  I figured heck, this recipe serves four people anyway, we can have leftovers tomorrow.  Again, that was my intention, but Paul sort of fell in love with this Jambalaya.  He truly got into the spirit of Fat Tuesday and overindulged.  At the end of the night there was only one serving left.  I tucked it in the fridge and promised him that he could finish it off tonight.  Guess who's having soup?

Hurricanes, Earthquakes and Avocado Shrimp Salad

It's been a crazy week here in NY.  Last week started out with an earthquake and ended with a hurricane.  By the grace of God, my immediate neighborhood escaped the hurricane unscathed.  When I ventured out after the storm, I was shocked to see the damage just a few blocks away; fallen trees and branches that crushed roofs of houses and cars, sidewalks damaged by uprooted trees and downed wires leaving homes and businesses without electricity.  Closer to the water, people were pumping out their basements, and in some cases,  main floors of their homes.  But in the grand scheme of things, it could have been a lot worse, a whole lot worse, and I am thankful for having escaped the wrath of Mother Nature.

The earthquake was a real shocker.  It had been many years since I'd felt the earth move like that.  When I lived in Santa Cruz I experienced my share of quakes, so I immediately recognized that familiar "wave-like" motion of my office chair.  I felt that quick rush of adrenaline that only an earthquake brings.  The earthquake was the topic of conversation for the next few days (until we learned that a hurricane was headed our way) and made me think a lot about Santa Cruz.  I was long gone from Santa Cruz when the Loma Prieta earthquake hit in 1989.  That earthquake destroyed several buildings downtown in the Pacific Garden Mall, one of which was The Cooper House.  It broke my heart to learn that the beautiful old building that was once a courthouse and withstood the 1901 earthquake was damaged beyond repair.  The Cooper House was the heart of downtown.  In the 1960's it was converted to house shops and eateries, my favorite was the Cooper House Cafe.  I spent many days basking in the sun at this outdoor cafe, sipping wine, listening the sounds of  Warmth, the jazz band that played there for years, and watching the pajama people.  Pajama people is the name we affectionately gave to the regulars who danced on the sidewalk, swaying to the jazzy sounds of Warmth, oblivious to the world around them.  They were one with the music.  They would occasionally ensnare an unsuspecting tourist into their web of dance.  Some people got into it, others would squirm away in disgust.  It was my favorite place to people watch.  And yes, they looked like they were wearing their pajamas.  They dressed like colorfully mismatched Hare Krishnas.

So you are probably wondering what this has to do with avocado shrimp salad.  When I had some extra money, (I was young and poor back then, except on payday) and I wanted to be extra nice to myself,  I would splurge and get an avocado stuffed with shrimp to go along with my wine.  I think that was the only thing I ever ordered at Cooper House, but it was all I needed.  Shrimp and avocado are such a natural combination.  Now my favorite way to make shrimp salad is with diced avocado.  I add citrus and a relatively small amount of mayo.   A ripe Haas avocado seems to melt when combined with the citrus and makes a creamy dressing that is so much better than the run of the mill mayo shrimp salad.

Cedar Planked Salmon with Dill Sauce, Heaven on a Plank

Have you ever tried cedar planked salmon?  For that matter, have you ever tried cedar planked anything?  Well if you haven't, it's time you did.  You can cook almost anything on a cedar plank, but my favorite is salmon.  The cedar imparts a wonderful flavor to the fish.  I have converted non-salmon loving people into salmon-eating monsters.  As salmon recipes go, I think this one is my favorite.


Until recent years, I didn't have a whole lot of experience with salmon.  Having grown up in New York,  salmon conjured up visions of lox served with cream cheese and bagels.....not the kind of salmon I'm talking about.  I'm talking about fresh wild caught salmon.  I remember when my mother returned from a trip to Ireland, how she raved about the wonderful poached salmon served with dill sauce that she had eaten several times on her journey.  She said the salmon and fresh dill were the perfect combination and worth a trip to Ireland just to experience it!

I've experimented preparing salmon with glazes and breadcrumbs and sauces and different cooking techniques over the years, and then last weekend I came to the realization,  this is the one!  I made this recipe for a small gathering last winter and everyone asked how the salmon stayed so moist.  Sure I could poach the salmon to keep it moist and juicy, but once again I have to remind you that I hate the smell of fish cooking in the house.  If a fish dish can be prepared outdoors, I'm a happy camper.  I think by basting and planking the salmon,  keeping the fish off of the direct flame, the salmon cooks up moist, flakey and delicious.   The dill sauce is the perfect accompaniment.  Serve it with a seasonal green vegetable and some garlic-dill roast potatoes.  Add a nice glass of Pinot Noir, and I am in heaven!

Spicy Shrimp on the Barbie

Some inspiration is not born from a long story.  Some inspiration comes from a simple idea.  Paul wanted shrimp for Father's Day dinner.  We headed to the farmer's market.

Paul eyeing Casey's Catch at the farmer's market

I was content to make the usual scampi.  Matt called his dad for Father's Day and said, "why don't you make them on the BBQ?"  (We gave Matt a grill for his birthday and he's been in BBQ mode)  Why not indeed?  I could do that.  Such an easy clean-up, and since the big guy wouldn't be doing the clean-up (it was Father's Day after all) I liked the idea.  I'm flexible.  I started scouring the pantry and fridge, then headed out to the garden in search of marinade fixins.  I didn't want boring shrimp; I wanted spice. Some Asian ingredients called to me and some fresh herbs screamed to be picked.

Maybe it was the gnomes screaming!

I started mixing and tasting, and before I knew it I had a Thai-ish tasting marinade ready to bathe some shrimp.

It was sort of evil looking

I marinated the shrimp for a little more than an hour and made a HUGE salad.  Thank you garden.  We picked up a heavenly loaf of bread at the farmer's market from Orwasher's .

Only 9:00AM and almost sold out

It was a light dinner followed by a hearty dessert.   Oh, and maybe just a little of this....

Grilled Spicy Shrimp

Click for Printable Page

Serves 2-3

• 1 pound of jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

Marinade:

• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 cloves of minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons Thai red curry sauce (I used Trader Joe's)
• 1 teaspoon sriracha
• 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard

Directions:

1. Whisk all marinade ingredients in a small bowl.  
2. Place cleaned shrimp in a zip lock bag.  Pour marinade over shrimp.  Seal bag. Refrigerate for an hour.
3. Heat gas grill to medium high heat.
4. Be sure to oil the cooking surface of grill (olive oil)
5. Thread shrimp onto skewers.
6. Grill shrimp for 3 minutes over medium high flame.  Brush with marinade, flip, and grill another 3 minutes.
7. Serve immediately.

It's that simple.

Just an afterthought....these shrimp would be outstanding with coconut rice and stir fried vegetables.
Oh I feel I must confess, the big guy did the dishes anyway!

Hoisin Glazed Salmon with Wasabi Cream

I'm always looking for new ways to prepare salmon.  Several years ago I had a memorable salmon dish at Blue Stone in Ithaca, New York.  It lingered in my mind for a long time.  The salmon was roasted with a hoisin glaze, and had a kick of heat to offset the sweetness of the hoisin.   A while back, when I was visiting Matthew in Florida, he requested that I make salmon for dinner one evening.  I decided to recreate that memorable salmon I had eaten in Ithaca.  At the time, it never occurred to me to check the restaurant's website to see if they had a menu where I could gather more clues and figure out what was in that great dish.  I was flying by the seat of my pants and I was at the mercy of my memory.  As it turned out, my final product was a hit, not exactly the same as the Blue Stone, but what the heck, why does it have to be the same?  I guess you could say it was Blue Stone inspired, but definitely my own creation.

Hoisin Glazed Salmon with Wasabi Cream

Click here for printable version

Serves 2

Preheat broiler to high 

• 2 Salmon fillets (skin removed) figure 4 - 6 ounces per person
• salt
• pepper

Glaze:

• 2 heaping tablespoons hoisin sauce - don't level
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoon of fresh orange juice
• 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh ginger
• 1 clove finely mined garlic
• a pinch red pepper flakes

Wasabi cream:

• 2 teaspoons wasabi powder mixed with a few drops water or 2 teaspoons wasabi paste
• 1 tablespoon sour cream
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise

Directions:
Preheat oven to broil. Line baking sheet with foil.
Mix glaze ingredients in a microwavable mixing bowl or cup.

Mix wasabi cream ingredients together in small dish and set aside.

Season the salmon with salt and pepper both sides. Place on baking sheet. With a spoon*, drizzle glaze onto the salmon and using a brush, cover the surface with glaze.

Broil for 3-4 minutes.
Take out of oven and gently turn over. Again, drizzle glaze onto the other side of salmon, brush glaze to cover.
Return to broiler for approximately 4-5 minutes, depending on thickness of the fillets.
Microwave remaining glaze about 30 seconds until hot and gooey.
Place salmon on a bed of rice. Drizzle glaze over top and drizzle with wasabi cream. Serve with stir fried vegetables.

* Do not put brush directly into the glaze. Use a clean spoon because any leftover glaze will be added after the salmon has finished cooking.

Scallops Provencal, a Perfect Dish for a Monday Night Valentine

I've been really busy lately.  I haven't had much time to devote to my blog and I'm a little surprised to say, that I've missed it.  It's not that I haven't been cooking, I have.  But cooking with the intent to blog and photograph, takes time and patience, neither of which I've had much of lately.  On my way home from work yesterday I realized I had not given dinner a thought, and decided to stop at Kings Market, where I had not been for quite some time.   Kings carries quality products.  You may pay a little more, but it is well worth it.  Their fish is always fresh, and they display where it caught or harvested.  I was excited to see that they had "dry" sea scallops yesterday, and they were on sale to boot!  I purchased 3/4 of a pound then headed over to the produce department.  As soon as I saw fresh baby spinach, I knew what I  was making.  I also knew that I would have to get this blog out in a hurry, because this is an impressive, quick, knock your socks off, delicious meal, perfect for a Monday night Valentine.

I can't stress enough, if you want to make this dish, you need to find "dry" scallops.  Scallops are either wet or dry.  Wet scallops are treated with phosphates.  They are soaked in water that is treated with phosphates.  The scallop absorbs the water, increasing their weight. When you purchase them wet, you get fewer scallops per pound than dry scallops.  Cooking the scallops causes the water to release, and the scallops are left dry and tasteless.  They will not brown.  Dry scallops are natural.  They do not release liquid when cooked and caramelize nicely.  They are sweet and have a superior flavor.  If your fish monger can't tell you if they scallops are wet or dry, go somewhere else to buy your fish!

Dreaming of Sunshine, Grilled Tuna Steaks with Pineapple Salsa

This weekend the Food Network featured shows that were healthy and on the lighter side for the New Year.  I tuned in for a few minutes and saw Paula Dean making smoothies, a fruit crisp and grilled fish.  Really???  No mayonnaise, no butter?  I couldn't believe my eyes.  At the very last minute, she broke down.  She couldn't do it.  She had to put a scoop ice cream on top of her fruit crisp...shame, shame.

Just because summer is a faded memory, doesn't mean that we've abandoned our grill either.  We grill all year long.  There are some things that I refuse to cook indoors.  Fish, with the exception of shellfish, is something that I prefer to grill outdoors, no smell and easy clean-up.  Just dig your grill out of the snow and remember to let it heat up a little longer.  After a "Season of Eating" it feels good to serve something fresh and simple.  It's something healthy, a reminder of summer or maybe a trip to someplace tropical?  Yes, it's January in New York.  I've spent a good part of the day reading about cruises and trips to the Bahamas....not to mention gardening blogs.  I think the mention of an impending "big" snow storm has me a little crazy.  Hurry and make this while you can still find the grill!

Mussels in Spicy Wine Sauce

If you like mussels, I guarantee that you will love these!  They are simple to make, and pack a lot of flavor. I'm a little crazy about this recipe.  They are a fantastic appetizer, double or triple the recipe and they would be an impressive addition to a holiday buffet or, if you are like me, you'll eat them as a main course with a salad and a crispy baguette to sop up the sauce. 

I've played with this recipe for quite a while.  I've learned a few things that I'd like to share before we start cooking.  First, buy the freshest mussels you can find.  If fresh local mussels aren't in season, I buy Prince Edward Island mussels from someplace like Whole Foods, where they label the bag of mussels with a harvest date.  This recipe calls for a lot of shallots.  I've substituted onion when I forgot to buy shallots. I have to say, the flavor that the shallots give the sauce is superior; go for the shallots and only use fresh flat-leaf parsley.   If I have fresh homemade tomato sauce or frozen sauce, I use that.  If I don't have any homemade sauce on hand, I use a good jarred sauce.  You only need a little so I like to use something like "Vincent's Original Sauce".  Lastly, use a dry white wine like a pinot grigio.  Even a semi- sweet wine will ruin this dish.  Oh, and if you are not mollusk savvy, you can refer to my note about clams in this post.  The same goes for mussels.  Be sure to discard any that do not open during the cooking process as well.

Manhattan Clam Chowder Rules!

It has been my experience that one either thinks of oneself as a Manhattan clam chowder person or a New England clam chowder person.  It is rare to meet someone with equal admiration for both.  Sure, a curious mind may be drawn to "taste the other side", but one's allegiance usually brings them right back.
But how is it determined?   I was thinking it is much like the nature vs. nurture debate.  Are we born  "tabula rasa" and our experiences determine what we become?  Or are we genetically predisposed, a product of our ancestors?  Or....is taste, just a matter of taste....????
I grew up on Long Island, 20 miles from Manhattan.  Both my parents were raised in NYC.   My mom always made Manhattan clam chowder. I don't know of anything else.   My mom did not always write her recipes down.  This is pretty darn close to her recipe. 

I'm Diggin' Those Baked Clams

This past Wednesday, Paul and I drove down to the beach to meet our friends, Lorraine and Al, for Wine Night at Lola's.  We sat outdoors enjoying the warm breeze, feasted on some wonderful food, drank some good wine, shared a bunch of laughs and, overall, experienced a truly pleasant, relaxing, midweek summer evening.  After dinner, we walked back to Lorraine's place where Al opened a cooler filled with clams sitting atop ice, waiting to be transformed. They sent us home with a bagful of those beauties.  I knew what I would be doing Thursday night.

After some deliberation I decided to make some baked stuffed clams and a pot of my mother's Manhattan clam chowder. Did it matter that it was 86 humid degrees outside and we had 4, count 'em, 4 air conditioners running?   Not at all....some things are worth wasting energy over....Did I just say that?