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Here are the tastingspoons players. I’m in the middle (Carolyn). Daughter Sara on the right, and daughter-in-law Karen on the left. I started the blog in 2007, as a way to share recipes with my family. I’m still doing 99% of the blogging and holding out hope that these two lovely and excellent cooks will participate. They both lead very busy lives, so we’ll see.

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BOOK READING (from Carolyn):

Music of Bees, Eileen Garvin. Absolutely charming book about a woman in midlife, lonely, who raises bees, also makes unlikely friends. Heart-warming and very interesting about beekeeping.

A Postcard from Paris, Alex Brown. Really cute story. Dual time line, 1940s and present day about renovating an old apartment in Paris, things discovered.

Time of the Child, Niall Williams. Oh such a good book. Very small village in Ireland, 1960s. A baby is left on the doorstep. The town all whispers and helps. I listened to an interview of the author, which made me like him and his books even more.

Sipsworth, Simon Van Booy. If you like animals you’ll swoon. An old woman who really wants to die finds a tiny mouse in her house and befriends it and finds a reason to live. Utterly charming book.

The Forger’s Spell, Edward Dolnick. True story. For seven years a no-account painter named Han van Meegeren managed to pass off his paintings as those of Johannes Vermeer.

If You Lived Here, You’d be Home by Now, Christopher Ingraham. Could hardly put it down – about a journalist who takes on a challenge to move to small town in Minnesota and write about it. He expects to hate it and the people and place, but he doesn’t. Absolutely wonderful true story.

The River We Remember, William Kent Kreuger. 1950s, Minnesota. A murder and the aftermath. Could hardly put it down. Kreuger has such a vivid imagination and writing style.

How the Lights Gets In, Joyce Maynard. An older woman returns to New Hampshire to help care for her brain-injured son. Siblings and family, lots of angst and resentments.

The Filling Station, Vanessa Miller. Every American should read this book. A novelized retelling of the Tulsa massacre in 1921. Absolutely riveting.

The Story She Left Behind, Patti Callahan Henry. Love this author. Based on a true story. A famous author simply vanishes, leaving her husband and daughter behind. She had invented a mystical language no one could translate. Present day, someone thinks he’s solved the riddle, contacts the family. Really interesting read.

The Girl from Berlin, Ronald Balson. Love anything about Tuscany. An elderly woman is being evicted from a villa there, with odd deed provenance. Two young folks go there to help unravel the mystery. Loved it.

The Island of the Colorblind, Oliver Sacks, M.D. Nonfiction. The dr is intrigued by a remote Pacific island where most of the inhabitants are colorblind. He also unravels a mystery on Guam of people born with a strange neurological problem. Medical mysteries unveiled. Very interesting.

The Bookbinder, Pip Williams. Post 1914 London. Two sisters work at a bookbindery. They’re told to not read the books. One does and one doesn’t. One has visions beyond her narrow world; the other does not. Eventually the one gets into Oxford. Lovely story.

The Paris Express, Emma Donoghue. 1895 on a train to Paris, a disaster happens. You’ll delve into the lives of many people who survived and died in the crash.

A Race to the Bottom of Crazy, Richard Grant. This is about Arizona. Author, wife and child move back to Arizona where they once lived. Part memoir, research, and reporting in a quest to understand what makes Arizona such a confounding and irresistible place.

The Scarlet Thread, Francine Rivers. A woman’s life turned upside down when she discovers the handcrafted quilt and journal of her ancestor Mary Kathryn McMurray, a young woman who was uprooted from her home only to endure harsh frontier conditions on the Oregon Trail.

A Place to Hide, Ronald Balson. 1939 Amsterdam, an ambassador has the ability to save the lives of many Jewish children. Heartwarming.

Homeseeking, Karissa Chen. Two young Chinese teens are deeply in love, but in China. Then their families are separated. Jump to current day and the two meet again in Los Angeles.

North River, Pete Hammill. He always writes such a good story. A doctor works diligently healing people from all walks of life. His wife and daughter left him years before. One day his 3-yr old grandson arrives on his doorstep.

A Very Typical Family, Sierra Godfrey. A very messed-up family. Three adult children are given a home in Santa Cruz, Calif, but only if the siblings meet up and live in the house together. A very untypical scenario but makes for lots of messes.

Three Days in June, Anne Tyler. The usual Anne Tyler grit. Family angst. This wasn’t one of my favorites, but it was entertaining and very short.

Saved, Benjamin Hall. Author is a veteran war reporter. Ukraine, 2022, he nearly loses his life to a Russian strike. Riveting story – he survives, barely.

Grey Wolf, Louise Penny. Another Inspector Gamache mystery in Quebec. She is such an incredible mystery writer.

All the Colors of the Dark, Chris Whitaker. A missing person mystery, a serial killer thriller, a love story, a unique twist on each. Could hardly put it down.

Orbital, Samantha Harvey. Winner of 2024 Booker Prize. I don’t usually like those, but I heard the author interviewed and she hooked me. This is not a normal book with a beginning, a story and an end. It’s several chapters of the day in the life of various astronauts at the ISS (Int’l Space Station). All fictional. She’s been praised by several real astronauts for “getting it” about space station everyday life.

The Blue Hour, Paula Hawkins. An island off Scotland. Inaccessible except when the tide is out. Weird goings on. An artist. A present day mystery too.

Iron Lake, William Kent Krueger. A judge is murdered and a boy is missing. Riveting mystery.

Tell the Wolves I’m Home, Carol Ricks Brunt. 1980s. A 14-yr old girl loses her beloved uncle. Yet a new friendship arises, someone she never knew about.

Four Treasures of the Sky, Jenny Zhang. 1880s, a young girl is kidnapped in China and brought to the United States. She survives with many hurdles in the path.

The Boy Who Fell out of the Sky, Ken Dornstein. Memoir, 1988. The author’s brother died in the PanAm flight that went down in Lockerbie, Scotland. A decade later he tries to solve “the riddle of his older brother’s life.”

Worse Care Scenario, T.J. Newman. Oh my. Interesting analysis of what could/might happen if a jet crashed into a nuclear plant. Un-put-downable.

Song of the Lark, Willa Cather. Complicated weave of a story about a young woman in about 1900, who has a gifted voice (singing) and about her journey to success, not without its ups and downs.

Crow Talk, Eileen Garvin. Charming story which takes place at a remote lake in Washington State, about a few people who inhabit it, the friendships made, but also revolving around the rescue of a baby crow.

The Story Collector, Evie Woods. Sweet story about some dark secrets from an area in Ireland, a bit magical, faerie life, but solving a mystery too.

A Sea of Unspoken Things, Adrienne Young. A woman investigates her twin brother’s mysterious death. She goes to a small town in California to figure it out, to figure HIM out.

The King’s Messenger, Susanna Kearsley. 1600s England, King James. About one of his trusted “messengers,” and his relationship with a young woman also of “the court.” Lots of intrigue.

In the Shadow of the Greenbrier, Emily Matchar. Interesting mystery in/around the area of the famous resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.

Isola, Allegra Goodman. Hard to describe, survival story on an island in the 1600s.

Save the Date, Allison Raskin. Rom-com, witty, LOL funny. Clever.

The Sirens, Emilia Hart. Numerous time-lines, Australia. Mysteries abound, nightmares, abandoned baby, weird allergies.

Red Clay, Charles Fancher. LOVED this book. Mostly post-Civil War story about the lives of slaves in Alabama during Reconstruction.

Stars in an Italian Sky, Jill Santopolo. Dual time line, 1946 and recent time. Love stories and a mystery.

Battle Mountain, C.J. Box. Another one of Box’s riveting mysteries. Love his descriptions of the land.

Something Beautiful Happened, Yvette Corporon. A memoir of sorts in Greece, tiny island of Erikousa, where the locals hid Jews during WWII. All elusive stories told by the author’s grandmother.

The Jackal’s Mistress, Chris Bohjalian. 1860s Virginia, about a woman who saves the life of a Union soldier. Really good story.

Song of the Magpie, Louise Mayberry. Really interesting story about Australia back in the days when it was mostly a penal colony. Gritty strength of a woman trying to thrive with her farm.

The Boomerang, Robert Bailey. A thriller that will have you gripping the book. About a lot of secrets surrounding the president (fictional novel, remember) and his chief of staff and about cancer. A cure. Such a good story.

Care and Feeding, Laurie Woolever. Really interesting memoir of a woman driven to succeed in the restaurant business. She worked for Mario Batali and then Anthony Bourdain. Gritty stories.

Everything is Tuberculosis, John Green. Maybe not a book for everyone. A real deep dive into the deadly tuberculosis infection, its history. I heard the author interviewed and found the book very interesting.

The Book Lovers Library, Madeline Martin. Fascinating read about Boots’ drug stores’ lending library. And the people who worked in them.

The Arrivals, Meg Mitchell Moore. LOL funny, about a middle-aged couple whose children (and their various family members) return to the family home and the chaos that ensues.

My Life as a Silent Movie, Jesse Lee Kercheval. About grief. A big move to Paris, finding herself a new life with a new set of real blood family.

Escape, Carolyn Jessop. Another memoir about a woman really in bondage in Utah, Mormon plural marriage.

 

Tasting Spoons

My blog's namesake - small, old and some very dented engraved silver plated tea spoons that belonged to my mother-in-law, and I use them to taste my food as I'm cooking.

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Posted in Fish, Grilling, Salads, on April 13th, 2009.

mint-shrimp-tabbouleh

You know how it is about the weather influencing what you decide to cook for dinner? If it’s a rainy day I like to stay in and bake something. Cloudy, cold days often mean soup. A warm balmy night often triggers salads of some kind. Well, my bell weather was working the day before when the temps were in the 70’s and 80’s, but the next day it was cold. But I’d already decided what I wanted to make, so what can a girl do except follow through? So even though it was cool weather, I made salad for dinner.

The recipe came from a Bobby Flay episode I watched on the Food Network several years ago. It reminded me of a favorite recipe – one that won a reader’s recipe contest in Cooking Light for a Crunchy Shrimp on Couscous Salad with a yummy dressing. That’s what I was thinking about as I flipped through my to-try recipes. Mint is in season, I think, and this salad was perfect – hot, grilled marinated shrimp served on a bed of tabbouleh salad.

Since lemon and lemon juice are frequently seen in my recipes, it’s probably no surprise that I’d like tabbouleh, right? I remember exactly when I first had it – it was about 1970, served to me by a friend of my mother’s, Ruth Spilmer. Ruth was a very good cook, and one day she invited a few friends over for a lovely lunch. Remember, back in those days when most women didn’t work, that’s what we did to entertain . . . we invited lady friends over for a nice luncheon – crystal, china, the whole deal. No alcohol though. The other thing I remember about Ruth was her shoes. She always wore spiky high heels. She wore them morning, noon and night. At home, she wore the kinds with feathers around the toes. She said that for so many years she’d worn high heels that her tendons couldn’t stretch to wear flatter shoes, so she just had to wear heels from the moment she stepped out of bed. I can’t imagine! Isn’t it funny sometimes, the things you remember?

So back to this luncheon – what else Ruth served, I don’t remember, but the tabbouleh was a stand-out. I’d never had Bulgar wheat – didn’t really even understand what it was (a parboiled wheat berry that’s been sliced, chunked). But all it takes to make it chewy and edible is a soak in boiling water for an hour or two. And the addition of some key ingredients, namely lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and green onions makes it salad. Ruth always added diced cucumber and diced fresh tomatoes too. I’ve made her recipe off and on for years. So, this Bobby Flay recipe has been changed – only to make the tabbouleh salad like my friend Ruth did. We had it for leftovers a few nights later, and I just added bit more cucumber, tomato and that time I added radishes. And more arugula. So then I had to add a tad bit more lemon juice and olive oil too, but not much.
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Mint Marinated Grilled Shrimp
Tabbouleh Salad

Recipe: Adapted from Bobby Flay, Food Network
Servings: 4
NOTES: I think you could reduce the shrimp marinade to about half – if you just tossed it a couple of times during the 10-minute soak. You throw out the marinade anyway. I prepared the shrimp on my stovetop grill – heated up to a pretty hot temp – and they were done in a flash. Have the tabbouleh salad all ready before you start grilling as you want to whisk it to the table while they’re still hot.

BULGUR WHEAT SALAD:
1/2 cup Bulgar wheat — medium or coarsely cracked
1 1/2 cups boiling water
3/4 cup baby arugula leaves
2 large green onions — thinly sliced
3 tablespoons fresh mint — finely chopped, plus fresh mint leaves for garnish
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice — or lime juice
1 clove garlic — chopped to a paste
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup cucumber — diced
1/4 cup fresh parsley — chopped
1/3 cup fresh tomatoes — diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
GRILLED SHRIMP:
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons fresh mint — chopped
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound large shrimp — (20-24 count)
Salt, to taste

1. Place Bulgar in a bowl and pour the boiling water over. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand until bulgur is tender and most of the water is absorbed, about 1 to 2 hours.
2. Drain off any excess liquid from the Bulgar and allow it to sit in a colander for 15-20 minutes to drain off further water. Place Bulgar in a bowl and stir in the arugula, green onions, cucumber, parsley, tomatoes and mint.
3. Whisk together the lemon juice, garlic and oil and season with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the bulgur and taste again for seasoning.
4. Transfer tabbouleh to a platter and top with the grilled shrimp. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.
5. SHRIMP: Combine juice, mint, oil and pepper in a blender and blend until smooth. Place shrimp in a bowl, pour marinade over and stir to coat evenly in the marinade. Marinate for 10 minutes. Heat grill to high. Season shrimp with salt and grill for 1 to 2 minutes per side or until slightly charred and just cooked through.
Per Serving (assumes you consume the marinade, so this is all wrong): 442 Calories; 29g Fat (59.1% calories from fat); 26g Protein; 20g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 173mg Cholesterol; 183mg Sodium.

A year ago: Salmon Filets with Orange & Leek Cream Sauce

Posted in Fish, Pork, on April 6th, 2009.

andouille-shrimp

Oh, was this dish ever delicious. It was served at the cooking class I went to last week. The class was all about martinis, but Phillis Carey served food along with each of the three martinis. This was my favorite food item of the evening. It’s a sausage (andouille here, although she said you could also use hot Kielbasa instead) and shrimp stir-fry kind of mixture with onions and bell peppers, served over a bed of rice with spinach, garlic and pecans (that recipe tomorrow). What held the andouille shrimp mixture together was a sauce made up of Creole mustard, chicken broth and red wine vinegar.

Cajun seasoning is available most places now, but just in case, Phillis gave us a recipe to make our own without the salt (preferred): combine 5 T paprika, 2 tsp or up to 1 T cayenne pepper (if you like heat you can add more, to a max of 2 T), 1/4 c garlic powder, 2 T onion powder, 2 T black pepper, 3 T dried oregano and 2 T of dried thyme. It will keep for one month (enough for several dishes). Do not add salt to this (most prepared ones contain salt, which would make this dish way too salty).

The shrimp is tossed with the seasoning mixture (above). The sausage is cut diagonally and briefly sauteed. The shrimp is also briefly sauteed. Then you saute the onions and red bell pepper strips, make the sauce in with them, then you add in the sausage and shrimp just to heat through before serving over the rice. If you enjoy spicy stuff, here’s your ticket.
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Andouille Sausage & Shrimp
in Creole Mustard Sauce

Recipe: Phillis Carey, cookbook author and instructor
Servings: 6

1 pound large shrimp — (31-40 count), cleaned, tails removed
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning — (see recipe under Notes)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound Andouille sausage — or hot Kielbasa
1 large onion — thinly sliced lengthwise
1 large red bell pepper — cut in strips
1 tablespoon fresh thyme — chopped
1 cup chicken broth
5 tablespoons Creole mustard
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

1. Toss shrimp with the Cajun seasoning mixture to coat well. Set aside.
2. Heat 1 T. of oil in a large NOT NONSTICK skillet over medium high heat. Add sausage and cook until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes. Remove sausages to a bowl and set aside.
3. Add shrimp to the same skillet and cook until browned and just opaque in the center, about 3 minutes. Remove to same bowl with sausage.
4. Add remaining oil to skillet. Toss in onion, bell pepper and thyme. Cook until the vegetables are beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add broth, mustard and vinegar. Stir until sauce thickens some, about 2 minutes. Return sausage and shrimp to the skillet. Simmer until heated through, stirring occasionally, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve on a bed of seasoned rice.
Per Serving: 334 Calories; 21g Fat (58.6% calories from fat); 27g Protein; 7g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 146mg Cholesterol; 379mg Sodium.

A year ago: Herbed Biscuit Ring

Posted in Fish, Soups, on January 6th, 2009.

cajun-chowder

Over the holidays I’d planned to make this chowder, but just didn’t get around to it. But I had most of the ingredients, so it took little or no time to put it together the other night. We’re trying to eat a bit more healthy – note only 300+ calories a serving and 10 grams of fat. And that’s WITH some heavy cream in it.

If you’re fortunate enough to have a Trader Joe’s near you, they carry a mixed shellfish bag (calamari rings, bay scallops and shrimp). And I augmented it with a bag of already-cooked extra-large shrimp, cut up into chunks. The most amount of time spent was on chopping up the vegetables and cleaning the leeks. So that tells you how rapidly you can make this. The Cajun seasoning adds a zing to it – and I caution you to be careful about how much. Cajun seasonings vary in heat levels, and I don’t think I even added 1/4 teaspoon, and it was on the fence of being too hot for us. I wanted some vegetables in it (mushrooms) but you could use whatever you prefer. And it’s been mentioned here before that I am partial to Penzey’s (concentrated) soup bases– in this case I used the Seafood Soup Base that I’ve had in the refrigerator for about 6-8 months. It’s SO worth buying – rather than having to buy jars and jars of clam juice for this. Maybe you can find Knorr’s little cubes of fish stuff – that would work too. Be careful of the sodium on other products.

Since I had some garlic and saffron rouille on hand (from a chicken bouillabaisse I made a few nights ago) I added a dollop of that on the top of each soup bowl and garnished with the parsley. If we were eating bread I’d serve this with a baguette and butter, and a green salad with a garlicky dressing. Just delicious, and probably even better once it’s sat overnight in the refrigerator.
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Cajun Shellfish Chowder

Servings: 6
Serving Ideas: If you have rouille on hand (as I did the first time I made this) add a dollop of it in the center of the soup bowl. If you’d like a more elegant presentation, save some of the shrimp to decorate the bowl rather than cutting them up.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 whole leeks — chopped
1 whole red bell pepper — diced
4 stalks celery — diced
8 ounces button mushrooms — sliced
1/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning — or to taste
2 large garlic cloves — minced
1 1/2 tablespoons dried thyme — crushed
3 tablespoons flour
4 cups water — or clam juice
1 tablespoon fish concentrate
1 pound mixed shellfish
1 pound shrimp — deveined, chopped
2 cups fat free half-and-half
4 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup heavy cream salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons Italian parsley — minced for garnish

1. Heat the butter in a large pot. Add leeks, celery and red bell pepper. Sweat for about 5 minutes. Add fresh garlic and cook for another two minutes. Add Cajun seasoning and thyme. Stir to combine, then add flour. Stir until all flour has disappeared into the mixture, then add the water and fish concentrate (or cubes). Bring to a simmer and allow to bubble for about 5-10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and simmer for one minute.
2. Add the half and half, tomato paste and heavy cream. Stir to combine, then add all the shellfish. Bring it back to a simmer and cook JUST until the fish is cooked through. Do not overcook. If using cooked shrimp, they should be added at the very last minute and just heated through. Taste for seasonings, then ladle into soup bowl and sprinkle with chopped Italian parsley on top.
Per Serving: 352 Calories; 10g Fat (26.7% calories from fat); 31g Protein; 29g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 164mg Cholesterol; 479mg Sodium.

Posted in easy, Fish, Soups, on December 20th, 2008.

seafood-bisque

Just a few nights ago I attended my book group’s Christmas potluck dinner. We always have such fun at this annual event. Everyone brings something, the hostess provides wine, soft drinks and coffee.  After we’ve stuffed ourselves with all the good food, we sit around in a circle and share something about the holidays – a funny personal story, a poem perhaps, or a very short (published) story.

One of our members, Nancy K, brought a soup this year. Not a very easy thing to take to a potluck, but it survived without spilling in her car. We’re ever so glad she did because it was just wonderful. I couldn’t believe it when she told us what was in it. Canned soups. Amazing. This could be my new fix-and-eat-in-a-hurry dinner, providing I’ve got the ingredients. Notes to self: buy some of those canned soups to keep on hand plus the frozen seafood mixture at Trader Joe’s.  The recipe is below.

This year at my group gathering, I shared a short chapter in Caroline Kennedy’s book A Family Christmas (published in 2007), a compendium of Christmas stories, lore, etc. The one I read was about NORAD. I know, what’s NORAD got to do with Christmas, you ask? Perhaps some of you know about this already, but I’d never heard that NORAD (and the comparable military group in Canada) track Santa on Christmas Eve, and you can read all about it on the internet at NORADSanta. You see, Rudolph’s nose is infrared, so the sensors in NORAD’s high-powered system can track exactly where Rudolph is at all times because of that glowing nose! They carefully monitor when Rudolph leaves the North Pole, and shortly after you can watch Santa’s progress (starting about 3 pm on Christmas Eve) around the world. Sometimes fighter jets get a sighting of Santa, and some planes are equipped with “Santa Cams” that also get occasional shots of Santa in different locations. Those photos are uploaded to the website so you and your children can see them. Anyway, the story I read aloud was all about how NORAD ended up even doing this project (because a newspaper misprinted a phone number for a Santa hotline, and the calls ended up going to a communications chief at NORAD. A quick-thinker that guy was – he decided his staff needed to pitch in and help, and the NORAD Santa project was born.)

Another book club member shared a joke – a very cute one. It’s the story about why Santa is a woman. If you’re interested, you can check it out at Christmas Jokes. There’s also some rebuttals out there about why Santa couldn’t possibly be a woman. All good for a laugh.
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Easy Seafood Bisque

Recipe: Nancy K, a friend in my book group
Servings: 8

1 bunch green onions — chopped
4 ounces unsalted butter
1 can tomato soup, condensed (10 3/4 ounces)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup, condensed (10 3/4 ounces each)
2 cups half and half
1/4 cup cream sherry — doubling to 1/2 cup is even better
1 pound shrimp, bay scallops, crab mixture — or shellfish of your choice

1. Saute onions in butter until softened.
2. Add the two soups, half and half and sherry. Bring up to a boil, then add the mixed fish/seafood. Simmer for 30 minutes and serve.
Per Serving: 357 Calories; 27g Fat (66.1% calories from fat); 15g Protein; 15g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 141mg Cholesterol; 935mg Sodium.

Posted in Fish, on December 4th, 2008.

crunchy shrimp with couscous, mint and ginger-orange sauce

Normally I don’t repeat recipes here on the blog – I’m not certain I ever have. However, this recipe bears a reprise, it’s just so absolutely fabulous. My friend Joan told me recently that she was searching around on my blog one day and came upon this recipe, which she made for her husband. Tom, who usually doesn’t comment much about anything she cooks, raved about this one. It got me to thinking about it, and so I decided I needed to make it again.

The original recipe comes from Cooking Light – the result of a reader’s recipe contest – and this was the winner. Hands down winner. I’ve only made it once, and I blogged about it immediately thereafter. You can read my original blog post, or you can read it here, with last night’s modifications. The winning cook/chef, Karen Tedesco from Webster Grove, Missouri, contacted me after I posted the write-up about it last February– she thanked me. Well, I thank HER for inventing this wonderful combination of shrimp, couscous and orangy dressing/sauce. But I’ll have to apologize to her – I improvised a little bit – I hope she won’t mind. It’s still her recipe! I ended up not making more sauce as I’d suggested in the previous recipe. It actually seemed sufficient this time – maybe because the orange juice concentrate gave it more punch.

How I changed it started with me not finding watercress at the grocery store. As I stood in the produce section scanning the rows, I spotted mint. I thought “Why not?” And since I don’t normally stock orange juice at home, I thought “how about concentrate instead?” That step cut down on the cooking time by about 10 minutes. So here are my improvised steps:

  • I used a boxed mix of Near East brand couscous (which contained pine nuts, so I eliminated the almonds)
  • In the sauce I substituted ¼ cup of defrosted orange juice concentrate for the reduced fresh orange juice
  • I didn’t do the toasting of the couscous, but did add orange juice concentrate to the water
  • I substituted fresh mint for the watercress

The revised recipe is below – almost as good as Karen Tedesco’s original – perhaps just a little shorter and easier to make. I guarantee you’ll be amazed at the flavors rolling around in your mouth with each bite – it’s the orange/ginger sauce that makes it, so don’t skimp on that part if you’re tempted. Joan said she used low-fat mayo – which would be fine – it’s the orange flavor you taste. And even though there are four elements to this dish (shrimp, sauce, mint and couscous) it’s very easy to make. It took me about 25 minutes start to finish. So please, do yourselves a favor and MAKE THIS SOON! I don’t rave this much about all the recipes you’ll find here on my blog, but this one deserved the blue ribbon!

Also, in case you’re interested in such things . . . here’s a photo of the leftovers (I made it to serve 4, so now I have enough for another dinner). Anyway, this is a Tupperware combination – it’s a stack of 3 low, flat containers that hook to themselves and there’s one lid (that works on any of the 3 sections). Bottom: couscous; middle: mint; top: shrimp; cup on top: orange/ginger sauce. I don’t use this container very often, but when it’s right, it’s RIGHT. This was one of those times.
printer-friendly PDF and MasterCook file (click link to open recipe)

Revised Crunchy Shrimp with Couscous and Ginger-Orange Sauce

Recipe: Adapted from a recipe from Karen Tedesco, Webster Groves, MO
Servings: 4

SAUCE:
1/4 cup orange juice, frozen concentrate — defrosted
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon fresh ginger — grated
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
COUSCOUS:
1 1/3 cups couscous — Near East brand box mix, with toasted pine nuts, including spice packet
1 1/8 cups water
1 1/2 tablespoons orange juice, frozen concentrate — defrosted
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
SHRIMP:
20 jumbo shrimp — peeled and deveined (about 3/4 pound)
1 large egg white — lightly beaten
1/2 cup panko
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger — grated
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 bunch fresh mint — washed, trimmed, coarsely chopped

1. To prepare sauce, in a small bowl combine the orange juice concentrate and stir in 1 tablespoon cilantro and next 7 ingredients (through red pepper); set aside.
2. Prepare couscous per package instructions, substituting 3 T. orange juice concentrate for 3 T. of water called for and including butter. Fluff with a fork just before serving.
3. To prepare shrimp, combine shrimp and egg white in a bowl, tossing to coat. Combine panko, 3 tablespoons cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, and black pepper in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add shrimp to bag; seal and shake to coat. Do this JUST before you start to cook the shrimp.
4. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; arrange shrimp in a single layer in pan. Cook 2 minutes on each side or until done. Don’t overcook.
5. Divide hot couscous evenly among 4 plates; top evenly with chopped mint and shrimp; drizzle sauce over shrimp. Dig in!
Per Serving: 434 Calories; 14g Fat (28.1% calories from fat); 18g Protein; 60g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 63mg Cholesterol; 277mg Sodium.

Posted in easy, Fish, Veggies/sides, on November 2nd, 2008.

orzo-shrimp-broccolini.jpg

At the cooking class the other day, I glanced at the list of recipes and certainly didn’t think this one would be the standout of both classes, but it was. It isn’t all that unusual, there isn’t a long list of ingredients and it didn’t take all that long to make. Aren’t those the best kind of recipes to get and make? Easy, quick and yummy delicious to boot!

Although the recipe, by Phillis Carey, is made here for shrimp, it could also be made with scallops (with some bacon added, she suggested). I’ll be making this soon because the flavor was just melt-in-the-mouth. The orzo was smooth and slippery, there was just enough creaminess to make you think you were eating the rice-style risotto, and the broccolini was a perfect side. You can make the orzo ahead, and then it’s just a matter of roasting the veg and combining the rest and you’re done. Definitely make more than needed, as you’ll crave the leftovers.
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Orzo Risotto with Shrimp and Roasted Broccolini

Recipe: Phillis Carey
Servings: 4

ORZO:
12 ounces orzo — about 1 3/4 cups
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
BROCCOLINI:
1 pound broccolini — trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
SHRIMP:
1 pound shrimp — extra large size, if possible, peeled
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon fresh thyme — minced
1/2 cup Parmegiano-Reggiano Cheese — grated
And some additional cheese to sprinkle on top

1. ORZO: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the salt and stir in orzo. Cook until orzo is barely tender (just slightly under-done), about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Toss with a tablespoon of olive oil and set aside. Can be made ahead an hour or two.
2. BROCCOLINI: Preheat oven to 400. Trim stem ends of broccolini and discard. Toss with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes (if broccolini is particularly small, they may be done in 15), or until tender, browned, but still bright green.
3. Melt butter in a medium-large saute pan over medium heat, cooking until butter browns, but do not burn! Add the shrimp (patted dry with paper towels) and saute over low heat until just cooked through. Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon and set aside.
4. Add the drained orzo to the same pan, tossing and stirring it in the browned butter. Add the reserved cooking liquid, chicken broth and heavy cream; stir in the fresh thyme. Cook and stir over medium heat until the orzo is creamy and tender. Stir in Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. SERVE: Arrange 3 broccolini spears on each plate with stems toward the middle of the plate. Spoon the hot orzo over the stems. Top each with 3 or more shrimp, sprinkle a bit more Parmesan cheese on top and serve immediately.

Posted in Fish, Veggies/sides, on October 23rd, 2008.

salmon on a bed of celery root puree and served with parsnips

A few weeks ago I was watching Martha when she had several famous New York chefs on the show. Seems like they all made fish of some kind, and this particular recipe just sounded interesting. Since Fall is in the air, a more hearty meal piqued my curiosity. The recipe is from Chef Daniel Boulud, certainly one of the pre-eminent chefs out there today. His method is more French than anything else. This recipe isn’t for a night when you’re trying to get dinner on the table in a hurry. It would be more appropriate for guests or a special evening at home. I have changed the recipe just a little. Originally it served 6. I cut it down to serve 2 (shown below). I couldn’t find salsify at the market, so I substituted parsnips. I hadn’t fixed celery root in years, but most markets here in California carry it regularly. I love the subtle taste of celery in this root vegetable.

So, here’s the gist of the recipe. First you make the wine and port sauce. It boils down to next to nothing (I actually left the shallot in the sauce, and I forgot to add the peppercorns altogether). Meanwhile, you peel and cube the celery root. Be sure to use a sturdy peeler if you have one. A light-weight one probably couldn’t pull the heavy peel off. Dig out any eyes and remove most of the very dark swirly parts (the part that’s actually the peel) by just peeling an additional layer or two. Cut into cubes and then you poach the root in milk to which you’ve added some seasonings. That takes about 20 minutes. I pureed it in the food processor (the actual recipe has more steps) and didn’t use all the milk, but just about.


The fish is fairly straight forward – you place some fresh sage leaves (from my garden) on the salmon fillets, then top them with one or two slices of bacon. I wanted to use one slice rather than two, but use your own judgment. It will be harder to turn the salmon if you lay the bacon on top (as I did) rather than wrapping two slices around the middle (so the bacon will stick to itself where the ends meet). I actually baked my salmon in the oven, but the done-ness was much harder to judge (it was overcooked, even though I used a thermometer), so I recommend you stick to the recipe below pan sautéing it.

The results: Absolutely delicious. The celery root puree with its moderately subtle celery flavor was a great pairing with the hearty salmon. The SAUCE is what makes it, though. I wish I’d made more. You want to take each bite that includes a bit of the celery root, salmon, bacon and sauce.
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Salmon with Parsnips and Celery Root Puree

Recipe: Chef Daniel Boulud, Bar Boulud, NYC
Servings: 2

WINE SAUCE:
3 whole black peppercorns — crushed
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh savory — or substitute sage
1 small garlic clove — smashed
1/2 cup Syrah wine — or other full-bodied red wine
2 tablespoons port wine
1 small shallots — finely minced
2 cups low-sodium beef stock
PARSNIPS:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound parsnips — trimmed, peeled, rinsed, dried, and cut into equal stick-sized pieces
SALMON:
4 sage leaves
3/4 pound salmon fillets — skinless
2 slices bacon salt and freshly ground black pepper
CELERY ROOT PUREE:
1 whole garlic clove — smashed
1 sprig fresh sage
1 sprig fresh thyme
3/4 pound celery root — peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces (about one large)
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon fresh chives — or minced Italian parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

1. SAUCE: Place peppercorns, thyme, savory, and garlic in a piece of cheesecloth; tie with kitchen twine to enclose. Transfer to a medium saucepan, along with, Syrah, port, and shallots. Bring to a simmer over low heat and cook until liquid has reduced by three-quarters. Add beef stock and continue cooking until liquid has reduced by two-thirds and lightly coats the back of a spoon. Remove cheesecloth bundle from saucepan and discard; set sauce aside and keep warm.
2. PARSNIPS: Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add parsnips, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and tender, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm.
3. SALMON: Place 2 sage leaves across the length of each piece of salmon; wrap each with 1 slices bacon to secure. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Season salmon with salt and pepper and add to skillet. Cook, turning once, until bacon is crisp, fish is golden, and its internal temperature reaches 130 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 4 minutes per side.
4. Divide celery root puree evenly between 6 serving plates. Serve with a few pieces of parsnips and a piece of salmon. Garnish with bacon and crispy sage leaves. Drizzle sauce around plate and serve immediately.
5. CELERY ROOT PUREE: Place garlic, sage, and thyme in a piece of cheesecloth; tie with kitchen twine to enclose. Place in a medium saucepan along with celery root and enough milk to cover (you may not need to use all the milk). Bring to a simmer over medium heat; continue simmering until celery root is tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve set over a medium bowl, reserving 1/2 cup of milk and discarding cheesecloth bundle.
6. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat until nut-brown in color, about 8 minutes. Remove pan from heat and pour butter into a bowl, leaving any burned sediment behind.
7. Transfer one-third of the celery root, reserved milk, and browned butter to the jar of a blender; blend until smooth. Slightly mash remaining celery root with a wooden spoon or a potato masher. Stir in pureed celery root mixture and chives; season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Per Serving (assuming you eat every speck of the celery root and parsnips, which we didn’t): 812 Calories; 43g Fat (50.7% calories from fat); 48g Protein; 45g Carbohydrate; 10g Dietary Fiber; 174mg Cholesterol.

Posted in Fish, on September 30th, 2008.

Bouillabaisse

My DH Dave and I both l-o-v-e- fish stews. They come in a variety of names and styles – fish stew of course, fish soup, or cioppino (Italian) or the French style of Bouillabaisse. They’re all quite similar – a tomato-based stock with a variety of fish contained within. It can be whatever kind of fish you can find from your local purveyors. It’s easy, actually. I don’t know why I don’t make it more often – likely because it’s about 15 miles to our local market that offers really good, fresh fish.

Ann has her own recipe – it’s a combination of about 3 different recipes she’s used over the years. I wanted to take a picture of it that night. But, you see, I was too embarrassed to ask Ann if I could take a photo of the soup before we sat down to dinner. It’s okay to get away with that kind of behavior when I’m at home, in my own kitchen, but not very polite if you’re at somebody else’s house. Plus, I didn’t know if she’s give me the recipe (I thought she would, but one never knows!).

Ann & Harry used to be in a gourmet group we had some years ago. I was the ringleader – the one who tried to set up the dates, decided on the menus (all of them) and mailed out the recipes for everyone to make and bring. We met for a number of years, probably about 5 or so. I finally got weary of doing all of the menu planning by myself, and asked if somebody else would help. There were no takers, so the group kind of fizzled out.

Anyway, Ann made this delicious bouillabaisse for dinner our first night in Coeur d’Alene. It, with a really tasty green salad made with some pumpkin seed oil she’d brought back from a trip to Germany a few months ago (which was really interesting – I liked it a lot), and some warm baguettes, and we were in for a treat. Ann had made the stock the day before, so the flavors had had time to meld. With halibut, cod, scallops and shrimp (oh yes, some clams too), it was good enough to lick the bowl. So the next morning Ann nicely said she’d give me the recipe and let me snap a photo of the leftovers. Here’s to the right is a photo of our friends who have been so gracious to let us stay with them for a couple of nights. Thanks again, Ann & Harry, for the wonderful visit!
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Bouillabaisse a la Ann

Recipe: from my friend Ann H.
Servings: 6

SOFFRITTO:
1 cup sweet onions
1/2 cup celery — chopped
4 whole garlic cloves — chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil — maybe more
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads — or more to taste SOUP:
1 cup dry white wine
1 whole bay leaf
1 tablespoon dried basil — or 2 T. fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 dash white pepper — ground
16 ounces stewed tomatoes — chopped
32 ounces diced tomatoes — canned
10 ounces clams, canned — juice only, reserve the clam, or 8-oz clam juice
FISH:
10 ounces halibut fillet — cut in 1″ cubes
10 ounces cod fillet — cut in 1″ cubes
1/4 pound sea scallops — cut in half
4 large shrimp — peeled, deveined, with tails
ROUILLE:
3 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg yolk — at room temperature
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
3/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons red bell pepper — coarsely chopped
6 small baguette slices

1. SOFFRITTO: Saute onions, celery and garlic in olive oil for about 10 minutes until onions are tender. Then add 1/2 tsp. sugar and saffron.
2. Add the white wine to the pan and the bay leaf, basil,thyme, oregano and pepper. Add tomatoes with juices, clam juice. Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes,stirring frequently. Preferably make this one day ahead of serving. Reheat and taste for seasoning. If desired, you may add about a cup of water
3. SOUP: When ready to serve, heat to a simmer, add the halibut first, allow to simmer for about one minute, then add the cod and cook for another minute. Then add the scallops and shrimp. If you stir, do it gently so you don’t break up the tender fish. Add clams and serve.
4. ROUILLE: Peel garlic and crush in a garlic press or mash and mince with a chef’s knife. Sprinkle garlic with the salt and mash in a mortar and pestle until garlic becomes a puree. Place egg yolk, lemon juice, garlic paste, pepper and saffron in a bowl of the food processor. Process and scrape down sides of bowl. Repeat. With motor running, very slowly pour in olive oil. Process until mixture has thickened. Adjust sauce to taste with additional lemon juice and/or salt. Mix in red bell pepper (or you may substitute pimiento peppers). Spread thickly on toasted crouton slices and place on top of hot soup.
Per Serving: 641 Calories; 36g Fat (52.7% calories from fat); 40g Protein; 34g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 115mg Cholesterol; 517mg Sodium.

Posted in Fish, on May 9th, 2008.

trout fillets with mayonnaise caper topping

My history with trout goes way back. I believe I told the story here before that when I was young (between about age 5-12) my family always went tent camping for our annual summer vacation. We camped in the California Sierras – Virginia Lakes, sometimes on the Sonora (west) side, but most often on the eastern side in a variety of campgrounds. My dad made plans a year ahead as to which campground we’d go to. My mom planned for weeks ahead, thinking about what meals she’d prepare on the kerosene camp stove (two burners) usually three meals a day. Because there wasn’t much to do there, food played a vital role in the entertainment. But for many, many meals we ate the trout my dad (and sometimes my mother or I) caught in the rivers and lakes.

My mom had only one way she prepared the trout – dipped whole (tail and head intact, including the eyes of course, which for me was a big yuk factor) in egg, cornmeal and pan fried in bacon grease (leftover from the bacon and egg breakfasts we ate every morning in the chilly filtered light coming through the pine trees, with a stream gurgling nearby – the stream lulled me to sleep every night, and I’ve never forgotten that sound).

But, we ate trout. And more trout. And more trout. So much trout that after about 3 days of it I couldn’t eat another bite. My mother either. Even my dad tired of eating trout. We even had to eat it for breakfast some mornings. More yuk. But what I disliked the most were the bones. And I’ve never wavered in my aversion to fish bones. I never, ever order fish at a restaurant unless it’s a boneless fillet. And usually I’ll discuss the bones with the waiter/waitress to make sure somebody has paid close attention to the removal of them.

Yet I do enjoy the flavor – the delicate flavor – of trout. So, the other evening we had dinner at a restaurant some miles from our home, and the waitress happened to mention that her son often catches fresh trout near Mammoth Lakes and brings them home to her. But she doesn’t like trout. Won’t eat it. Would we like some, she asked? Free. She wanted to get it out of her freezer. Sure, we said. My DH met her at the restaurant the next day and she happily handed him two freezer bags of trout fillets. I did have to use needle-nosed pliers to remove about another 40-50 pin bones from the 5-7 fillets in the first bag. Even one of those would have ruined the dinner for me.

Because this trout was already filleted, I couldn’t have prepared it in my mother’s tried and true method. So I baked the slim fillets with a mayo based topping. It took but a few minutes to cook them through. The resulting fish was tender and moist from the topping. And the flavor was mostly hidden, actually, from the strong flavors of capers and the Pecorino cheese. I might have liked to taste more of the fish, so if you prefer the fish flavor I’d recommend you eliminate the capers and use a milder cheese. In any case, the preparation takes little time and the mayo sauce is quite forgiving if you lack one thing or another in the recipe. This isn’t a wow recipe. My DH didn’t care for it much, but he thought it was the fish, not the preparation. But I had not one single bone!
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Trout Fillets with Mayo-Caper Topping

Serving Size: 4

3/4 pound trout fillet — skinned, deboned, patted dry
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons capers
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard — with tarragon
1/2 whole onion – finely minced
1/4 cup Pecorino cheese – or Parmigiano-Reggiano

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a small bowl combine the mayo, capers and mustard. Stir to combine. With a spreader knife, spread less than half of the mayo mixture on the bottom of each trout fillet. Place in a Silpat or parchment lined pan, mayo side down. Use remaining mayo mixture to cover the tops of all the fillets. Sprinkle the minced onion on top, then sprinkle each fillet with the grated Pecorino cheese.
3. Bake fillets for 10 minutes. Serve with a colorful vegetable (broccoli, asparagus, zucchini) and a simple vinaigrette-dressed salad.
Per Serving: 281 Calories; 22g Fat (70.1% calories from fat); 19g Protein; 2g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 59mg Cholesterol; 242mg Sodium.

Posted in Fish, on April 13th, 2008.

pan_roasted_salmon_orange_leek_sauce

If you want a really easy but elegant dinner entree, one that’s easy enough to make for family, but also easy enough to make for guests, but also tastes wonderful, look no further.

Attending a cooking class is one of the “fun” activities I do. The part of my life that is totally play and indulgence. I spend about $50 every few weeks, and always come away with at least one must-try recipe plus an idea, or technique I didn’t know. Even after all these years of going to them, I still learn.

This particular cooking class was about “fast and fabulous entertaining,” and the salmon entrée was about as simple as simple can be. Making this for a dinner party would be a great selection. The flavor was delicious. The prep was minimal. I like those combinations. We often think of pairing fish with lemon, but not with orange.

Leeks are cooked thoroughly with a hint of sugar and some thyme (oh yes, and some butter), then you arrange salmon fillets on top of the leeks and sprinkle the top with a bunch of orange zest, some cream and white wine. You cover the pan until the fish is cooked through (about 10 minutes) and you’re DONE. How much easier can that be, I ask you? Add some rice with almonds on top and perhaps some asparagus on the side, and you have a complete dinner. You definitely want some kind of carb to soak up that delicious sauce.

What’s GOOD: this is just a wonderful and easy entree. I’ve served it over and over again, especially to guests, as it comes together quickly. The only variable is how thick the fish is – so the cooking time might be more or less. I always serve this with rice and a bright green vegetable like asparagus or green beans.
What’s NOT: nothing whatsoever.
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Files: MasterCook 5+ and MasterCook 14 (click link to open in MC)

Salmon Fillets with Orange and Leek Sauce

Recipe: Phillis Carey, cooking instructor
Servings: 6

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large leeks — halved, white and pale green parts only, sliced
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
6 pieces salmon fillets
1 teaspoon orange zest
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons fresh chives — cut in 1-inch lengths

1. Melt butter in heavy, large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and sprinkle with sugar and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Saute 4 minutes. Reduce heat, cover, and cook until very soft, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
2. Season salmon with salt and pepper. Arrange atop leeks and sprinkle with orange zest. Add cream and wine. Cover pot again and cook until fish is opaque, about 10-12 minutes. Transfer fish to plates and keep warm.
3. Boil sauce until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over fish. Garnish with chives.
Per Serving: 399 Calories; 23g Fat (52.9% calories from fat); 36g Protein; 10g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 145mg Cholesterol; 139mg Sodium.

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