Super Easy Paprika and Spice Grilled Trout

Huge brook trout awaiting their fate!

As you may notice, I have been on hiatus from blogging, as well as cooking and musing about food because this spring we welcomed Matilda Mae into our lives and have been doing much more eating, feeding, and baby-cooing than cooking. Priorities have been focused on sleeping, drinking water, and just scrounging up something nutritious to eat rather than imagining up clever preparations or guilty pleasures. Raw veggies and store-bought hummus have been a staple in my diet these past few months and the only cooking I have done is using up fresh ingredients before they go bad but only if Daddy is around to care for our sweet precious. Such is the life of a new mother.  Every week I have been learning to accomplish a bit more than the last and I (now we) am(are) up and around NYC once again. Our little dumpling is turning 3 months this week and we are continuing to inch back into a routine of normal functioning (Our "new normal", that is!).

My in-house fisherman and future fisherwoman

My hard-working husband is finished for the semester with his intense MFA program and I am more than relieved to have him around and less stressed out. We have even made our way out of the city a few weekends and he finally got a fishing trip worked in after wishing for free time for months. We joined him, of course, so we could visit with family while we were up there.  Stream fishing is what he does and brook trout makes a regular appearance in my life and my kitchen. For years we just stuffed those suckers with onions and butter and grilled them (my husband's own recipe). We then began to beer-batter and fry them. Of course, that is tasty, but not the healthiest preparation and really greases everything up. Last week, when he and my father-in-law (also now known as PopPop) headed down to the stream, they returned home with 3 big ones and 1 really big one. Of course, I hadn't given any thought whatsoever to preparation and ended up improvising a not-so-basic marinade made of very basic ingredients I dug up in my in-laws' kitchen. This turned out so tasty I just made it again to finish off the rest of the trout for tonight.

Honestly, she seems more interested in the tutu than the fish...

?

This marinade would be great on all types of fin fish and also would perk up chicken breasts nicely. It also works into many different menus. You can serve it with Asian or Latin-inspired sides or with traditional American sides, too.  Happy grilling season!

Super Easy Paprika and Spice Grilled Trout

4-6 Trout fillets (with skin on if grilling, deboned as much as possible)

MARINADE:

1/2 t garlic powder

1 T sweet paprika

1/2 t ground cinnamon

1/2 t sea salt

1/2 t freshly ground black pepper

3 T extra-virgin olive oil

1 T white wine or red wine vinegar

2 T fresh lemon juice

1/4 c orange juice

1 T honey

Crushed red pepper to taste (opt.)

Rinse fillets well and lay out on a plate or platter in a single layer. In a small bowl, whisk together marinade ingredients and evenly pour over fish fillets. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper, if you like. 

Grill skin side down on high heat for 5 minutes and do not turn. Trout is too delicate and you will lose it in the grill. If you need to cook it inside, just broil on high with skin side down on a broiler pan lined with foil for easy cleanup.

Serve with a fresh lemon wedge.

Curried Sweet Potato and Coconut Chowder

Fusion cuisine is something I think about doing often and decide against almost as often, depending on who will be eating the food. Fusing together different cuisines and techniques isn't something everyone loves and definitely requires an open mind and a sense of adventure. For some eaters, it is downright confusing if they are not versed in the inspiration for the new-fangled dish. On the other hand, I love trying favorite ethnic seasonings in unexpected concoctions and some cuisines were just meant to go together, such as French and Moroccan or Peruvian and Chinese. Fusing cuisines and getting super experimental isn't for the beginning cook, but trying it can give a beginner or novice some insight into the creative process used by cooking professionals. Everyone's cooking technique can benefit by pondering what makes nouveau, nouvelle, or fusion foods good.

I love exotic flavors and preparations, but also appreciate classic, reliable American flavors and forms.  When I'm thinking of fusing two techniques or cuisines together, sometimes I consider and reconsider, should I use the technique of recipe A and the seasonings of cuisine B or vice versa or somewhere in between? After much trial and error, I usually find that keeping the technique of the title  (such as chowder, chili, turnover, wrap, etc) is the best way to ground the dish and keep it true to it's name and your intention. Then comes the switching out of seasonings and ingredients to "fuse" an unexpected flavor, cuisine, or dish into the other. Sometimes you are just dying to use an ingredient scavenged from the greenmarket or you are just trying to use up something in the fridge in a creative way before it goes bad. Either way, developing a complete idea around the ingredient is the best way to ensure that things will come out great without going too far "out there" making the food unrecognizable. Using this theory can keep the novice cook from going completely astray and give the experienced cook or chef a clear sense of direction and, so makes the process more enjoyable. Sounds calculated for such a creative concept, doesn't it? It's not. These are just some general observations and rules of thumb to get thinking about creative cooking technique.

There is lots of room for variation in so-called "fusion cuisine". Here my appreciation for all-American chowder  is amped up with my obsession with sweet potatoes and Indian seasonings.  Coconut milk replaces milk and cream. Instead of celery and thyme as dominant seasonings, I used chaat masala, whole mustard and cumin seeds, and ginger.  Minced cilantro replaces parsley. Finish with a little lemon (or lime!).  As this simmered on my stove, I realized it was begging for some seafood (curry, coconut, fish..Yea!) and I had some leftover poached wild salmon hanging around, so in it went! This would be great with protein additions such as fish or shellfish, tofu, red beans, or any other thing you think should be tossed in. My fish was cooked so I added it at the end. For raw fish or meat, add it when you add the sweet potatoes and peppers. The result is technically a chowder, but with pungeant, spicy, and deep flavors of South Indian cuisine. Warm some of this up and enjoy with naan, paratha, rotis, or chapatis and maybe some green chutney and yogurt.

Gather your mise before you begin!

Curried Sweet Potato and Coconut Chowder

9-grain paratha from my Indian market

4 T virgin coconut oil (yes, it is good for you:)
1 t black mustard seeds
1 t whole cumin seeds
1-2 T chaat masala (or substitute garam masala or Sambar)
1 t paprika (I use hot, sweet is okay)
1 t ground turmeric
2 t minced fresh ginger
2 T minced fresh garlic

1 medium onion, diced
2 lb sweet potatoes (Jewel or Garnet yams), peeled and diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 lg carrots, sliced into 1/2" rounds
2 t sea salt
1/2-1 t honey (opt.)
2 cans coconut milk (or 1 can coconut milk, 1 can water for a light consistency)


In the bottom of a soup pot, melt down coconut oil and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Cook for one minute before adding remaining spices, ginger, and garlic. Stir and cook 3-4 minutes over medium until spices are fragrant.

Add diced onion and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring until onion begins to soften. Add sweet potatoes, pepper, and carrots and season with sea salt. Add honey and coconut milk (and water, if using) and stir to incorporate. Turn heat up and bring to almost a boil. Lower heat right away and let simmer for about 25 minutes, uncovered. Stir occasionally and check for tenderness.

When carrots and sweet potatoes are very tender, taste for seasoning and spiciness and adjust. Add about a cup of chopped cilantro and a healthy squirt of lemon juice. Serve immediately or let cool and reheat for later.

Oven-braised Basa in Tomato Coconut Sauce

Still saucy and brilliant colored even in low light!

This hot weather makes me crave fish, tropical fruit, veggies, and all things fresh and even a little bit exotic. Caribbean flavors work great for dining under the blazing sun. Whether it's fruity, curried, sweet and spicy, seafod-inspired, or grilled and glazed, they all just seem to work great after a hot day. Here is a recipe inspired by a traditional Dominican recipe for red snapper.  I have adjusted the ratio of tomatoes and coconut and ditched the mercury-laden snapper for mild and ecological basa fillet.

Basa fillet also known as swai, is a fish listed as a "Best Choice" option by Seafood Watch. The mercury levels are low, the farming methods are ecological, and the price for mine was 7.99/lb, which I consider a fresh seafood steal.

The ingredients are simple and this is a pleasure to make--very little chopping. The tomato-coconut  sauce is balanced and delicious and just may be a recurring theme in my 2011 summer kitchen. I am seriously considering rice and beans in this sauce.

Oven-braised Basa in Tomato-Coconut Sauce

Serves 4

1 1/2 lb-2lb basa fillets, rinsed and patted dry with fillets sliced into thirds or smaller chunks
Juice of 2 limes

2 T extra virgin olive oil
3 t minced fresh garlic
1 med. White onion, sliced into thin sauté slices
1 lg celery stalk, julienne
1 can tomato paste
1 can coconut milk
1 vegetable bouillon cube (get the health food store kind--no msg/additives)
2 bay leaves
1 large tomato, seeded and julienned

2 c cooked long-grain brown rice

½ c chopped cilantro



Squeeze lime juice over fish fillets, using ½ lime per fillet. Set aside.

In a deep skillet, heat oil on medium. Cook garlic, onion, and celery for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in tomato paste and cook 2 minutes, while stirring and mashing paste up.

Add coconut milk, bouillon, and bay leaves. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, and incorporating coconut milk into tomato paste and dissolving bouillion.

Stir in sliced tomatoes, and add fillets, skin side up, gently pushing them into the sauce. Simmer 5 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Transfer fish to a warm plate and cover. 

Turn up heat and reduce sauce about 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened. 

Serve fish and rice with sauce ladled over. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Moo Shu and Pancakes, yes, it's true.

I Moo Shu.  Do you?

I did a trial/tasting day for a new family on Monday.  I had had a long (very long) day before I even showed up to their house, but once I was there, I was sure things would go smoothly.  They are a really nice family with an absolutely gorgeous kitchen, great kids, and cute pets.  What could go wrong?

Like any trial/tasting day, I wanted to show my best work, yet stay relaxed and not be uptight.  For some reason, I always end up planning a menu that is easy in my mind, but something always happens that sends the day in the other direction.  Whether it is a crucial specialty ingredient that is nowhere to be found or some sort of kitchen disaster, an easy trial day is often anything but.  In the last decade I have been bitten by dogs, broken full, expensive bottles of olive oil on marble countertops, been 2 hours late due to NYC traffic, had to re-vamp an entire menu due to Chilean Sea Bass shortage, have been presented with broken stoves, been to homes without saute pans, accidentally de-koshered precisely 2 kitchens,and almost sliced my finger off and so spent the workday holding my right hand up in the air trying to stop the throbbing. Ohhhh, trial meals.

So what happened Monday?  The garbage disposal backed up.  It didn't just clog, it bubbled and gurgled and gross food bits swirled around as the level rose up and down.  It looked as disgusting as a clogged toilet that someone threw up in.

It doesn't sound like a huge deal except it had, apparently, never happened before.  AND the plunger wouldn't budge the clog.    AND they live in an historic building that doesn't technically allow garbage disposals so they didn't want to ask the super to help because he would find out that they had one.  AND they had to call in an outside plumber that made a huge mess that lasted through dinner.  The plumbers were still there and working amidst blackish-blue greasy sludge all throughout dinner and were still busy when I left (almost 2 hours later than planned.).  AND I couldn't properly clean up because I had no sink.  AND she was so nice about it.  When I return, I better make it good, that's all I can say.

So, what, you may wonder, did I make for this kind and appreciative family?  I had planned a menu by request--Moo Shu Chicken and Tofu, Scallion Pancakes, and Steamed Dumplings.  Also, a batch of blueberry muffins just for fun.  Well, the Moo Shu is something I have made a thousand times, the muffins were a new recipe, but straightforward, but the pancakes?  I usually buy them frozen and fry them up, as needed.  Guess what.  Whole Foods no longer carries them.  I learned this the hard way.  In a time crunch.

Good thing my Moo Shu recipe has a Mandarin Pancake recipe adjacent to it.  Never read it.  Never made it before.  Why not try it in a kitchen I have never cooked in before and serve it to a family that I just met?

I made them amidst the disposal debacle and must say that they are delicious.  Not just pretty good, but excellent.  The frozen kind and take-out version (likely one and the same) are greasy and heavy, but still taste good.  At least they did.  Now, I know that flour, boiling water, sesame oil and my addition of scallion is all it takes.  Try these because they will become a family favorite. The Moo Shu is my own simplified version.  The pancakes are based on a Moosewood recipe.  The results are overwhelmingly YUM. 

Make the Moo Shu whatever you like.  It can be chicken, veggie, tofu, shrimp, beef, pork.  I like to do a combo of two or three different things for a deluxe Moo Shu experience.

Moo Shu

Sauce:

1 cup Hoisin Sauce (Kikkoman makes an msg-free version now)
1/2-1 cup rice wine for cooking
a little tamari
a little Sriracha

Canola or Sunflower oil for stir-frying

1 T ginger, grated on a microplane
1-2 T garlic, grated on a microplane
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
5 cups thinly shredded cabbage
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thinly into 2"strips
2 carrots, cut into matchsticks or grated
1 cup mung bean sprouts (opt. only use if you can find them really fresh)
2 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms
1 bunch scallions, washed and thinly sliced at an angle

CHOOSE 1-3 options below to equal about 3-5 cups or omit and just do veggies
(opt.) 1 boneless skinless chicken breast, sliced into 1/2" strips and marinated in a dash of soy sauce & ginger
(opt.) 1 lb cleaned shrimp, marinated like above chicken
(opt.) 1 package baked sesame tofu or plain tofu (marinated like above chicken)
(opt.) 1 lb strip steak, sliced into thin strips and marinated like above chicken
(opt.) 1 lb pork tenderloin, sliced into thin strips and marinated like above chicken


1 recipe Scallion Pancakes (below)

Prep ingredients by chopping as instructed above and transferring ingredients to separate small prep bowls.

Heat a large wok or frying pan.  Add a quick splash of high-heat oil (canola or sunflower) to coat the wok.

Stir fry in batches on high, adding a splash of fresh oil as needed and de-glazing each batch with a little rice wine, a dollop of hoisin, and a little tamari and a little Sriracha sauce to taste.  Cook each batch until veggies are tender and beginning to brown with sauce, mixing combos of veggies with ginger, garlic, and onion.  Make sure batches of chicken have been cooked through and don't come in contact with the veggies or other stuff until cooked.  Try to be conscious of the beef and pork, as well.

As you stir-fry, transfer each batch to a large oven-safe serving dish.  Toss together when all is stir-fried and reheat in an oven, if needed.  Serve wrapped in Scallion Pancakes.

Scallion Pancakes

4 cups unbleached white flour+ extra for rolling
1 1/2 cups boiling water
3 large minced scallions
toasted sesame oil

Beginning to stack the pancakes!

 Measure flour out into a large mixing bowl.  Pour in boiling water gradually and mix with a spatula, adding scallions as well.  Mix the rest of the way with clean hands and knead until uniform.  Continue kneading 4-5 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic.  Cover with a damp towel and rest for about 30 minutes.

On a floured surface, knead dough about 50 times.  Divide dough in half and shape into two cylinders.  Cut each cylinder into 12 equal pieces.  Flatten each piece into a little circle and roll out into a circle about 5-6 inches in diameter.  Repeat with a second piece.  Brush each with a bit of sesame oil and place one circle atop the other with oiled surfaces facing in/facing each other.  Roll them out with a rolling pin together, making sure surface is well-floured--the oil can make things sticky.  When you have roughly a circle about 8-10" in diameter, it is ready to cook.  Set aside.  Repeat with remaining pieces.

Heat a cast iron pan till very hot and turn on an exhaust fan.  Spray a little high-heat oil on the pan.  Cook each pancake about 3 minutes on each side, or until browned and bubbly looking.  Transfer to a plate.  Continue till all are cooked.  These can be covered and reheated or served immediately.

Serve on their own or with Moo Shu like above.

Nantucket-style Smoked Bluefish Pate

My Perfect Summer Appetizer

Well, the dog days of summer are upon us.  As usual, I don't feel like I have accomplished as much as I would like, nor do I feel like I have done all the summer-y fun activities that I had dreamed of for all those long, cold months.  It has been a fun one and a very busy one, too!  Since June, I have made it to Los Angeles, Atlantic City, the Ozark mountains/Tablerock Lake in Missouri, and spent a week on Cape Cod.  Not too shabby, I know. As far as local fun goes,  I have sunbathed on Rockaway Beach, picnic-ed in McCarren Park many times,  tinkered at flea markets, and eaten my way through farmer's markets.   On Thursday, I will have my annual trek to Coney Island.  We have a wedding in the Hudson Valley the following weekend, then Poof!  Summer will be over in the blink of an eye.

Summer Relaxation!

 It has been a season of relaxing, organizing, and regrouping a bit from a very busy few months previous.  In a few weeks I might just start getting bored so maybe the promise of fall isn't necessarily a bad thing.  I'm gathering my wits and brainstorming new menus...but not too much yet, don't worry.  I have a week and a half left of this glorious season and intend to enjoy it.

The family fishermen at work

Last week during our annual week on Cape Cod, the fishermen in our family caught some bluefish on their chartered fishing trip.  I long ago lost interest in trying to make those little buggers palatable with just basic ingredients and a grill, but they brought a few home anyway.  Luckily, a friend of the family offered to fix them up by smoking the fillets in a backyard smoker.  Thank goodness for that!  As far as I am concerned smoked bluefish is the one and only way to eat them.  Here is my recipe for smoked bluefish pate.  It's a Nantucket tradition and everyone has a slightly different variation. Here is mine--simple and elegant.  It doesn't need many ingredients because the oily, rich fish and smoky fragrance stand tall all on their own!

Nantucket-style Smoked Bluefish Pate

If you don't have freshly smoked bluefish available, you could substitute a hearty wood-smoked salmon (the cooked kind, not lox)

1 smoked bluefish, crumbled and carefully picked through for bones, scales, and skin
3 T capers
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 T flavorful mustard (Dijon, Swedish, or grainy)
1/3 cup mayonnaise

In a food processor, combine fish, capers, garlic, and onion.  Pulse until uniform and large chunks have broken down.  Add mustard and mayo to bring it together.  Taste for seasoning.

Spread on a baguette slices with coarsely ground black pepper and maybe some cucumber matchsticks.  Enjoy this hearty New England summer flavor!

Chutney Barbecue Shrimp or Tofu

Here is an easy way to spice things up for the weekend.  With an Indian-inspired marinade, this dish is great for entertaining, but it's simple enough that you may want to keep it all for yourself.  It's a little spicy, a little glaze-y, and finished with lime.  Serve this over cilantro rice as an entree or wrap in strips of warmed naan as an appetizer.

With the sweet chutney base, this marinade makes it easy to char the edges if the shrimp and tofu without burning them.  It's exotic and summer-y and a great way to celebrate the weekend.

Chutney Barbecue Shrimp or  Tofu

2 lb large shrimp or about 25 oz baked tofu, cubed into 1-1 1/2" cubes (I like the Asian-marinated ones for this)

1/3 cup papaya or mango chutney
3 T yellow curry paste
1/3 tsp sea salt
1 tsp Indian hot sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
2 T virgin coconut oil
2 cup fresh or frozen peas
¼ cup chopped cilantro
3 T freshly squeezed lime juice


Clean and de-vein shrimp and rinse.  Let dry.  (Or cube baked tofu)

In a large bowl, whisk together chutney, curry paste, salt, hot sauce, and pepper.  Add shrimp and toss together.  If you have time, marinate for about 20 minutes in the fridge.

Heat grill or sauté pan to high.  Add coconut oil to pan or brush grill basket with oil.  Add shrimp and cook on high for about 2 minutes tossing and stirring, constantly. 

Add peas and cook until shrimp are done and everything is beginning to brown and edges are charring.  If you are grilling and the peas would fall through your basket, just give them a quick saute on the stove and toss together with shrimp or tofu at the end.

Remove from heat and transfer to a serving plate.  Top with chopped cilantro and lime juice.

Serve immediately!

Perfect with cilantro rice or fragrant yellow rice.

Scallops Provencal

Whether you are celebrating Easter, Passover, spring, or nothing at all, this is an elegant and tasty appetizer to enjoy this weekend. It serves about 4-6 as an appetizer. If you are bringing this to a holiday gathering, definitely double (or triple!) the recipe and cook in batches. It is so delicious you will want this one again and again!

I have changed some things from the original and like serving it with fresh lemon wedges.

Scallops Provencal
adapted from foodnetwork.com, Barefoot in Paris, 2004, by Ina Garten

1 lb fresh sea scallops
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
A few tablespoons unbleached white flour
½ stick unsalted butter
½ cup sliced shallots
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 lemon, halved


Rinse scallops and pat dry thoroughly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss with flour in a mixing bowl.

In a very large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter over high heat until sizzling and add the scallops in 1 layer. Lower the heat to medium and allow the scallops to brown lightly on 1 side without moving them, then turn and brown lightly on the other side. This should take 3 to 4 minutes, total. Melt the rest of the butter in the pan with the scallops; then add the shallots, garlic, and parsley and sauté for 2 minutes, tossing the seasonings with the scallops. Add the wine, cook for 1 minute, and taste for seasoning. Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve with fresh lemon wedges.

Sesame Orange Sea Scallops

There are countless varieties of citrus fruit available this time of year!

Okay, right about now I am absolutely dying for spring. We have a long way to go, though, and will have to make due. I guess I can deal with a little more bundling and a little more shivering. What I am sick of dealing with is out of season, mediocre produce. What’s left of the fall harvest is slim pickins and we aren’t anywhere near the first asparagus of the spring. There are really only a handful of fruits and vegetables at their peak in this deadest of dead produce times.

Citrus fruits are at their best right now, so don’t miss out! Right when our bodies need the extra vitamin C, hydration, and bioflavonoids the most, they come in by land and by sea and find their way into our supermarkets. This time of year, take advantage of the gorgeous and uncommon varieties of oranges, lemons, and specialty citrus.

This year I have enjoyed some deep red, jewel-like blood oranges, pink Cara Cara oranges, trusty crates of sweet clementines, and some very ripe and bursting pomelos (gigantic, mild grapefruit-type things). The Meyer lemons are here—they are a delightful hybrid of lemon and orange and offer a sweetness and fragrance that regular lemons don’t. There is ugli fruit and citron/Buddha’s hand, too. Also, kumquats are coming soon! Don’t miss out this year! Pick up something new and give it a try!

Citron or Buddha's Hand is popular in Europe and Asia

Citrus fruit is great on its own for juicing, zesting, and just eating, but here is a creative use of fresh, juicy oranges. It’s easy to make. It’s Friday night. Pick up a bottle of dry Riesling, a baguette, and some scallops. Starting with this sassy dinner, another winter weekend can now begin!

Sesame-Orange Sea Scallops
Serves about 4 (6 scallops each)

3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 T natural soy sauce
2 T dry white wine
1 T toasted sesame oil
½ t minced garlic
½ t minced fresh ginger
1 T sesame seeds
1 T thinly sliced scallions
2 T butter
24 large, fresh sea scallops

Snow pea shoots, Sunflower Sprouts, or other crunchy green, for garnish
Fresh lemon wedges

In a small pot, boil the freshly squeezed juice and reduce it down until it is half the liquid. Add soy sauce, white wine, sesame oil, garlic and ginger and whisk until garlic and ginger are broken up and mixture is uniform. Simmer 15 minutes. Add sesame seeds and scallions. Set aside.

Arrange greens on a serving plate or plates.

Melt butter in a large sauté pan or frying pan and heat until butter begins to bubble. Immediately add 12 scallops to the pan and sear on one side for 5 minutes. Spoon 2 T of orange mixture over, then flip them and cook 3-4 minutes on the next side, spooning another spoonful over them. Transfer to the serving plate and arrange neatly next to the sprouts or greens. Repeat with remaining 12 scallops.

Serve with fresh lemon wedges.

Cape Cod Cuisine

Back from Cape Cod after a hot and humid (thanks, Hurricane Bill), but delicious trip! This year, we all took a side trip to Martha's Vineyard for the day to see the sights, ride the school bus around, and, you guessed it, eat! In fact, as we got off the Island Queen ferry in Oak Bluffs, we headed straight to Fish Bones Grille. There I ate the best damned crab cakes I've had in ages. I'm sure there were some fresh bread crumbs in there somewhere, but the bulk of each patty was tender and delicious crab meat. They were seasoned simply and presented with just some fresh parsley and a spicy mayo coulis. Yum! I'm still thinking about them a week later! The next day, the fishing enthusiasts of the group went out and caught some serious striped bass, as well as bringing back a few bluefish. We grilled the striper with an asian marinade, and also diced some of it into a fresh striped bass ceviche with lime, green pepper, cilantro, and olive oil. The bluefish was just grilled with some garlic, lemon, and tomato. What a fresh dinner!

Of course, we ate cups of clam chowda at every turn and this year they all passed Will's spoon test (when placed on top of the chowder, if the spoon sinks, it isn't thick enough, if it floats,it is a satisfactory thickness). Captain Parker's is still the best, but I believe that Land Ho is a close second. We didn't make it to The Yardarm this year, but they make a good one, too.

Well, after five days of sun, sand, and seafood, we are settled back in Brooklyn and I am still thinking about that delicious, New England-style oceanside cuisine. As a midwesterner, I had never even heard of Quahogs (ko-hogs for the non-New Englanders) until Will took me to the Cape in 2002. Now bluefish, cranberries, Old Bay seasoning, and beach plums are part of my repertoire. Over the last few years, I have grown to love and appreciate Cape Cod food culture. Here are some recipes celebrating my favorite flavors of this fresh, simple, and all-American cuisine.

Cape Cod Crab Cakes
simple and classic
If you plan on making the Chipotle Cocktail Sauce recipe below, it's best to do it first or make it ahead of time so flavors can marry.

1 lb fresh crabmeat
1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 c mayonnaise
1 T dijon mustard
1 T worcestershire sauce
1 T Old Bay seasoning
Sea salt and Black Pepper
2/3 c fresh bread crumbs (or about 1/2 cup dry)
expeller-pressed canola oil for pan-frying

Drain the crabmeat and sort through it for shell and debris.

In a mixing bowl, gently combine crabmeat, lemon juice, mayo, dijon, worcestershire, and Old Bay seasoning with a fork, season with sea salt and a generous of amount of black pepper. Fold in bread crumbs until mixture holds together.

Form into 2" x 3/4" rounds, place on a plate, and chill until ready to finish (up to 12 hours)

In a cast iron frying pan, coat the bottom with canola oil and heat until oil becomes quick.

Over medium-high heat, cook cakes in batches, about 4 minutes on each side, or until nicely browned, adding oil as needed. Serve with classic cocktail sauce or my chipotle cocktail sauce (below) and fresh lemon wedges.


CHIPOTLE COCKTAIL SAUCE

1/2 cup natural ketchup (I always avoid the corn syrup stuff)
1/2 cup freshly diced tomato (diced very small)
2 T prepared horseradish
1/2 t worcestershire sauce
1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 T adobo sauce (from canned chipotles) or 1 T chipotle powder
hot sauce to taste


Whisk together and let rest 30 minutes before serving.

Cajun-Style Grilled Bluefish

This can also be done in the oven in a regular pan, if necessary. Also, if you don't have access to really fresh bluefish, try this with some wild salmon instead.

Bluefish is a hefty and sort of strong-flavored fish with an oily texture, not unlike salmon. It falls apart easily and I like it best smoked and blended into pate, but if you are like me and don't have a smoker, this is a great way to use it when it's right out of the water.


2 lb really fresh bluefish fillets
a few splashes of extra-virgin olive oil
coarse sea salt
3-4 T cajun seasoning
freshly ground black pepper
2 lemons
1-2 large yellow and red tomatoes


Preheat grill to high or 425, depending on type of grill you are using. If you are baking fish in an oven indoors, preheat to 425 degrees.

Wash and pat dry the bluefish fillets. Prepare a grill-safe pan by tossing a splash of olive oil in it and coating the bottom. If you don't have one, use a disposable aluminum pan or make an aluminium foil pan with 3 layers of foil, crimped around the sides to create 2-3" sides. You just want to be able to lay fillets in a single layer with out losing the seasonings, veggies, and juices.

Rub fillets lightly with olive oil and some sea salt. Generously sprinkle fillets with cajun seasoning, black pepper, and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Place in a single layer with the skin-side down in prepared pan.

Thinly slice tomatoes. Sprinkle with cajun seasoning, pepper, lemon, and a bit of olive oil.
Place thin tomato slices over fillets, overlapping like scales, and alternating yellow and red, if you are using both colors of tomato.

Place pan on grill (or in oven) and cook on high for 12 minutes or so. You want the fish to be just cooked, while the tomatoes brown a tiny bit.

Serve with grilled veggies, corn on the cob, and a salad.




Roasted Corn Salad
A great summer side dish or first course to accompany the bluefish or crab cakes!

6 ears corn, husked
2 T + ¼ c extra-virgin olive oil
¼ + ½ c fresh orange juice
2 T + 1/3 c white wine vinegar
Sea salt
Black pepper
1 t + 1 t orange zest

1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 c grape tomatoes, halved
2 scallions, minced
½ t minced or grated garlic

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Line up ears of corn on a baking sheet. In a bowl, whisk together 2 T oil, ¼ c orange juice, 2 T white wine vinegar, sea salt, black pepper, and 1 t orange zest.

Rub mixture generously over corn. Roast, uncovered, about 30-40 minutes, turning once.
Roast until corn in tender and beginning to caramelize. Remove from oven and let cool a
bit.

When cool, slice off kernels and transfer to a bowl. Add remaining ingredients, toss
together, and chill.

VARIATION: Add 1 lb small/medium, cooked shrimp at the end, toss together and chill. Serve
over greens.

A SUMMER DINNER PARTY

Spinach Salad with Black Grapes, Mixed Olives, and Lemon Zest Vinaigrette

Pistachio-encrusted Halibut with Spicy Yogurt

Moroccan Chickpea Stew

White Wine-poached Pears with Creme Patisserie

MAKE AHEAD:

Lemon Zest Vinaigrette
Pistachio Crust
Spicy Yogurt
Moroccan Chickpea Stew
White Wine-Poached Pears
Creme Patisserie

THE DAY OF:

Set up spinach salad
Warm stew
Warm pears
Coat and pan-fry halibut

Spinach Salad:

1 clamshell baby spinach
1 1/2 cups mixed olives, pitted (find a mix with kalamata, nicoise, moroccan, and spanish green)
1 cup seedless black grapes
1 cup seedless champagne grapes

Lemon Zest Vinaigrette:

1 clove garlic, minced
1 t dijon mustard
1/4 c white wine vinegar
1/4 c fresh lemon juice
1 T very fine lemon zest (I use my microplane grater for this)
1 t honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar
1/2 t sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 c extra-virgin olive oil

Whisk together all ingredients, except for olive oil. Drizzle oil in slowly while constantly whisking. Taste for salt, sweetener, and oil. Adjust seasoning.

Toss spinach with about 1/2 of dressing. Add grapes and olives to salad bowl or sprinkle generously on individual salad plates. Serve.

Pistachio-encrusted Halibut with Spicy Yogurt

Spicy Yogurt:

1 c Greek yogurt
1/2 cucumber, diced very small
2 T fresh dill, chopped
1/4 c onion, finely chopped
1 T fresh lemon juice
2 t hot paprika or cayenne pepper
1/2 t ground cumin
1 t sea salt
dash of paprika for garnish

Whisk ingredients together and taste for salt and lemon. Adjust, cover, and chill, if you are making it ahead of time.

For Halibut:
4 6-8 oz pieces halibut
1 c milk

2/3 c shelled pistachios
6 T yellow cornmeal
1/2 t sea salt
1/2 t black pepper
1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil

In a food processor, blend nuts, cornmeal, salt, and pepper. Set aside. Heat olive oil in frying pan over medium heat. Dip fish fillets in milk, then dredge through nut mixture. Pan in 1/4 cup olive oil-- fry 5-7 minutes on each side on medium heat, until cooked through the middle. Top with spicy yogurt and serve. (If the nuts start getting really dark before fish is done, transfer to a baking dish, and finish in a hot oven (375 degrees or so?)

Moroccan Chickpea Stew

1 onion, diced
2 cloves minced garlic
1 zucchini, cut into half moons
1 lg green pepper, seeded and diced
2 lg vine tomatoes, diced
2 cups crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 c diced carrot
1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil

2 T paprika
2 T ground cumin
2 T garam masala
1 t ground cardamom
1/2 t saffron threads
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground cloves
1/2 t ground allspice

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 14 oz cans chickpeas, drained

sea salt and black pepper

Prep veggies and put them all in a large soup/stock pot with olive oil. Cook 10-15 minutes on medium until veggies begin to soften. Stir frequently.

Add spices, canned tomatoes, and chickpeas. Bring to almost a boil, lower heat, and simmer 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. When mixture has thickened a bit and flavors have become uniform, taste, and adjust salt, pepper and spices.

This lasts in the fridge for a few days or freezes well. I like it on it's own as stew or it's a good accompaniment to the halibut. I usually ladle one cup to the center of a plate, place the halibut in the center and garnish with spicy yogurt.

White Wine-Poached Pears with Creme Patisserie

White Wine-Poached Pears
from frenchfood.about.com

2 cups moscato wine (or other sweet white wine)
3 1/2 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
1 vanilla bean
1 lg piece lemon zest
1 T fresh lemon juice
4 ripe pears, carefully peeled with stems intact
2 c sugar

Stir together the white wine, water, cinnamon stick, vanilla bean, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a large saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat and add the prepared pears. Poach the pears, uncovered, for 7 to 9 minutes, until they turn tender, but not mushy.

Use a large slotted spoon to transfer the pears onto a serving plate. Return the poaching liquid to a simmer, add the sugar, and allow the mixture to reduce by half in volume, about 6 to 8 minutes. The syrup is ready when it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove the cinnamon stick and vanilla bean from the syrup.

Arrange the pears on individual serving plates and drizzle with the wine syrup.

This poached pears in white wine recipe makes 4 servings.

Creme Patisserie

from cooksrecipes.com

3 cups milk
Seeds scraped from one vanilla bean (*or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
8 egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons cornstarch, sifted
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1. In a 3 quart saucepan combine the milk and vanilla bean seeds. Heat just below the boiling point (scalding).
2. Using an electric mixer (with whisk attachment if available) beat the egg yolks and sugar in a large mixing bowl until they lighten in color. Stir in the cornstarch.
3. Pour about 1/3 of the hot milk into the egg mixture (this is called tempering), whisking continuously to incorporate. Whisk the tempered egg mixture back into the remaining hot milk, and place the saucepan back on the heat. Cook on medium, stirring constantly with the whisk, until the mixture comes to the boil. Reduce heat and boil for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and gently whisk in the butter.
4. Strain the pastry cream into a bowl, place plastic wrap directly on the surface, and chill completely. Can be made up to 3 days ahead.
   

Makes about 3 1/2 cups.

To serve: place one pear on each serving plate. Spoon reduction syrup over pear, and spoon or pipe 2-3 T creme patisserie next to the pear. Top with a raspberry, if you like, and serve.