Salmon Piccata

Here is my interpretation of Salmon Piccata. It differs in that the shallots, red pepper flakes and lemon zest along with the Italian Seasonings add a nice zip to this dish.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Salmon fillets, 1-inch thick (6 to 8 oz)
2 tsp capers, drained
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (divided)
1 large shallot
1 large garlic clove
1/2 tsp dried Italian seasonings
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 zest of one lemon
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
cracked black pepper

PREPARATION:

Salmon from the Columbia River is excellent for this recipe. Wash salmon fillets checking for bones, remove any loose scales, pat dry. Peel the garlic and shallot and thinly slice breaking into ringlets. Crush the Italian seasonings in a mortar and pestle. Zest 1/2 the lemon, then squeeze 1 Tbsp of lemon juice. Prepare the red pepper by cutting about 4 dried hot peppers in quarters, scrape off the loosened seeds and discard. Finely chop the remaining pepper flakes. Measure out the remaining ingredients.

Lightly pepper both sides of salmon with cracked pepper.

COOKING:

Heat a non stick sauté pan over med-high heat. When the rim is warm to the touch, add 1 tbsp olive oil and continue heating. Put salmon in the pan flesh side down. Sear the fish for 2 min. then flip it over. Continue cooking for about 7 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fillets or how you like your salmon prepared. When the internal temperature registers 135-140 degrees F. Remove the fillets to a serving dish and loosely tent with aluminum foil while the sauce finishes up.

Sauce:

At the same time, in a separate skillet, melt the butter and add one Tbsp of olive oil over med heat. When the butter is melted, add the shallot and then the Garlic, cook until shallots are soft and garlic starts to lightly brown. Add white wine, red pepper and simmer for 5 minutes. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, capers, and seasoning and simmer another minute.

Ladle sauce over salmon and garnish with lemon slices.

Baked Sole with Asparsagus

This is a very easy meal to prepare. The longest is peeling the asparagus. And no the asparagus does not taste fishy.

INGREDIENTS:

2 large or 4 small sole or flounder fillets, 3/4 lb.

1 lb. asparagus, smaller-size stalks

freshly ground pepper

1 Tbs. unsalted butter

Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 Tbs. all-purpose flour

1/2 cup chicken broth

PREPARATION:

Wash the Asparagus and cut I” off the bottom. Peel the stem below the leaf buds. Wash the fish, removing any fat and check for bones. Butter a shallow 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

Preheat an oven to 425°F

Arrange the asparagus spears in a single layer in the prepared dish and season lightly with salt. Season the fish fillets on both sides with pepper and place them on top of the asparagus. If smaller, overlap pairs of fillets to make single thicker portions

COOKING:

Bake until the fillets are beginning to flake at the tail ends and the asparagus is tender-crisp, about 10 to 12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets.

PREPARE THE SAUCE:

Meanwhile, in a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter with the lemon zest. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, until the mixture just begins to color, about 3 minutes. Add the broth and lemon juice and whisk vigorously to break up any lumps. Cook the sauce, whisking occasionally, until thick, about 7 minutes. Season with pepper.

Spoon the sauce over the fillets garnish with lemon slices or parsley and serve immediately.

Grilling Combination

A couple of nights ago it was just beautiful. So I started up the grill and toasted up some Spiced Grilled Onion Slices along with Mesquite Grilled Shrimp. An Ideal combination to grill as the shrimp take about 6 to 8 min. and the onions take about 12 to 14 min.


After getting the grill nice and hot, sprinkled some soaked Mesquite chips on the charcoal and put on the onions, closed the cover and let them cook for about 6 min. Opened the cover and added the shrimp skewers. After they were on, I carefully turned the onions over and drizzled the remainder of the marinade on them. Closed the cover and let them cook for about 3 min, then turned the shrimp over. Another 3 min and everything was done.

Served up with some wild rice, we had a feast. It's nice to revisit recipes that we thoroughly enjoy.

Pan Seared Haddock with Shallots

Haddock is a wonderful salt water fish, very mild in flavor and much less (fishy) then Cod. The searing forms a wonderful crust that adds so much to the enjoyment of this dish.

INGREDIENTS:

2 haddock fillet, 6-8 ounces
2-3 tsp fresh thyme
2 shallot (medium)
2 Tbsp butter
2 tsp Extra virgin olive oil
4 Tbsp pancake mix Aunt Jemima)
1/2 tsp fresh ground white pepper
1/4 cup dry white wine

PREPARATION:

Wash the fillets, remove any bones and cut off any waste; pat dry Grind a little pepper on the fillets. Then grind the 1/2 tsp white pepper on a medium dish and add the pancake mix. Dredge the haddock to evenly coat all sides. Gently shake off any excess. Wash the thyme, shaking off the water. Strip the leaves from the stalks and chop finely. Peel and thinly slice the shallots through the diameter.

SEARING:

Set a small skillet over medium heat, when just warm to the touch of the rim, add the butter. Allow the butter to melt, then add the shallots and thyme to the pan and stir, but don't let the butter burn.

At the same time, set a large non-stick skillet on Medium-High. When the rim of the pan is warm to the touch, add 2 tsp olive oil to coat the skillet. Wait for a faint smoke from the oil: then add the haddock flesh side down.

When sides turn white about 1/3 to 1/2 of way up (1 to 2 minutes); carefully turn them over. Lower the heat and add the shallot/butter/thyme mixture to the skillet. Baste the fillet and continue cooking until temperature of 130 is reached (another 1 to 2 min). DO NOT overcook as the fish toughens quickly.

Remove the fillets to a serving platter. Deglaze the pan with the wine scraping up the bits from the pan bottom as it reduces. Pour over fillets and garnish with thyme sprigs.

Szechuan Broccoli (Szechwan) (Chow Jai Lucai)

Some time ago when I published the Prawns with Walnuts recipe I promised to give my recipe for Szechwan Broccoli fashioned after the same restaurant presentation of this dish. I will caution that it is intense in HEAT- be forewarned, but enjoy.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Pound Broccoli
2/3 cup chicken stock (reduced Salt)
1 clove garlic
½ tsp. salt
1 Tbsp Soy sauce (reduced sodium)
1 Tbsp cornstarch
¼ cup chicken stock or water

SPICES

1 slice ginger, large slice
5 each red chili peppers dried (or 3 Fresh)

PREPARATION:

Wash the broccoli, cut the florets off the stems into pieces about 2" long. Peel the outer husk of the stem and cut into pieces 2" long, about 1/2" across. Place in a colander to drain.

Cut the red chili peppers into 3 to 4 pieces, removing the seeds that fall out. Peel the ginger and garlic and mince. Combine the ginger and chili peppers in a small bowl (Spices).

Mix the cornstarch with 1/4 cup of broth in a small bowl.

COOKING:

Heat a 14” wok over high heat 20 sec. and add 4 Tbsp of peanut oil. Continue heating until a slight bit of smoke appears from the oil. Add the Spices and S/F* 10 sec. Followed by the garlic. Do not let the garlic brown. Add the broccoli and S/F vigorously for about 1-1/2 min., making sure that all of it comes in contact with the hot oil. If there doesn't seem to be enough to coat all the broccoli add another Tbsp. or 2 of oil. Don’t let the broccoli sit as it will scorch!

Add 1 tsp. of salt to set the green color and S/F for an additional min. Pour in the 2/3 cup of broth and allow it to come to a slow boil. Reduce the heat and COVER. Allow it to simmer and steam for about 6 min. NO MORE! Remove the cover and add 1 Tbs. Soy Sauce and S/F 1 min.

Re-stir the cornstarch /broth mix and add to the wok. Raise the heat to high and S/F to thicken the sauce (about 1 min.).Scoop out to a serving dish and arrange neatly.

Just a note of caution, this recipe is VERY HOT, if you are not used to your food being hot, reduce to 3 chili peppers. Looks like a lot of juice, but it's OK! It absorbs.

*  S/F is short for stir frying - Using a wok hok and wok chuan to rapidly move the wok contents about without letting them sit in one place.

Lemon Meringue Pie (from scratch)

Happy Thanksgiving!

To celebrate the day, “from scratch” Lemon Meringue pie. Our lemons are just starting to ripen, so what better way to enjoy the holiday. No mixes, no pre-made crust. Everything fresh.

INGREDIENTS:

4 egg yolks
1½ cups sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1-1/2 Cups water
3 tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon grated lemon peel
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 baked 9-inch pie crust, cooled (see recipe over)

PREPARATION:

Filling:

Grate the lemon peal and juice the lemon. In a 2 cup measuring cup, beat egg yolks slightly with fork; set aside.

In medium saucepan add the 1½ cups of sugar and 1/3 cup of cornstarch. Stir in gradually 1½ cups water to the mixture, stirring constantly. Cook and stir over medium heat till the mixture thickens and comes to boiling. Reduce the heat; boil for 1 minute more, stirring constantly.

Slowly stir half of hot mixture into beaten egg yolks, then immediately return to remaining hot mixture in saucepan. Bring to boiling and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, continue stirring until smooth. Blend in butter letting it melt followed by grated lemon peel. Slowly add lemon juice while stirring constantly. Pour hot filling into cooled pie crust.

Meringue:

4 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
6 tablespoons sugar

In a mixing bowl combine the first 2 ingredients and beat with electric mixer till frothy. Gradually add 6 tablespoons sugar, beating the meringue till stiff and glossy peaks form and all the sugar is dissolved.

Spread the meringue over the hot lemon pie filling; carefully seal all around the edge of the pastry so there will be no shrinking.

BAKING:

Bake the pie at 400° till peaks are golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool on a rack.

Pie Crust

INGREDIENTS:

1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup salad (cooking) oil
3 tablespoons cold milk

Stir flour and salt together; measure in the oil from measuring cup and add milk to oil. Do not mix. Gently pour into flour mixture mix until well moistened. (Do not over-work the dough as it will toughen). Then form it into a ball.

Spread a large sheet of wax paper on to counter, placing the ball in center. Cover with a second sheet of wax paper and roll out larger then pie plate.

Peel off the top paper and pick up the dough with the bottom sheet of wax paper and turn it into the pie plate. Peel off the wax paper as the crust falls into the plate. Work to release entrapped air. Prick the entire bottom of the crust with a fork releasing any air; and flute edge

BAKING THE CRUST:

Bake at 475deg. until golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Check often while baking pricking the bottom if it starts to rise.