Janurary 6th- Open Faced Fish n' Fennel Sandwhich

     The Fisherman

     Once, many years ago in Georgia, I had a sandwich of legend. a sandwich which nothing could surpass. It was amazing, I couldn't possibly fathom ever tasting a better sandwich in my life. 

     Today I have surpassed that sandwich, and made something that could rightfully go down in history. (if you ask me anyway :P you've just GOT to try it! )

     It all started this morning when I found myself browsing the blogs I follow. One site had Roasted Fennel, and after one look at it, I knew that it would be the only thing that I'd be hungry for for the rest of the day.

     I went out to breakfast and grabbed my notebook, spending a surprising amount of time for just one recipe. Imagining the proper depth of each flavor and adding in ingredient upon ingredient.

     My hard work was worth it. Hours and hours later when I finally got my chance to cook, what I was left with was a masterpiece.

     

     Orange roughy and Fennel sandwich with feta cheese and Merlot vinaigrette.

Here's what you'll need

 2 Fennel plants

1 lb Orange roughy

1/2 Lemon

1 loaf White Mountain Boule 

2 tbsp Red wine vinegar

2 tbsp Sunflower oil

4 tbsp Red wine (Merlot)

Feta Cheese

Salt

     Why so specific on the bread, you ask?

     Find and try this bread, and then tell me if you ever plan to use another bread again in your LIFE. I was looking for sourdough, but the store was out. I bought this and I think serving my sandwich on anything else would be close to blasphemy.

     As for the wine, could you use any type of red wine? Probably. but you won't be eating my sandwich unless you use 'Robert Mondavi Winery- napa Valley Merlot'  

     If you ask me, wine isn't an interchangeable ingredient. Each and every one has it's own taste and you shouldn't just pick at random when using it. You have to taste and select very very carefully!!

     Now..this is a 22 dollar bottle so I can understand if you don't use it. But please carefully choose the one you do use.

(Makes 6 sandwiches)

Lets Get Cooking!!

     Preparation takes a long time but it isn't very rushed.

     Start by setting your oven to 375. chop your fennel whites into half inch disks and place them on a tray. Drizzle them with sunflower oil and a little salt.

     they will bake on both sides for 25 to 30 minutes each.

    For your vinaigrette, add your wine and vinegar together in a small container, whisk while slowly pouring in the oil. Add a pinch of salt and let sit. You may need to whisk it briefly again before adding it to the sandwiches.

     When there is 15 minutes left for your fennel to cook, it's time to start on your orange roughy. Cut it into six pieces and saute it in a little oil, a little salt, and a little lemon until it's just about done. 

     cut your bread to the proper size and we're ready.

     Get ready to build the sandwhich!

     Bread, then fennel, then your fish. Put that in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes. Now take your fish back off and set it aside. Drizzle on 1 to 2 tsp of your vinaigrette, and crumble on some feta cheese. Now return your fish to its rightful spot and enjoy!

     I would serve this sandwich anywhere. It gets an easy 6 stars in my book.

January 3rd- Crabmeat Dumplings

     After my last recipe, I found myself suddenly unable to cook. I had no idea why and it was starting to bother me a lot. I cooked 2 recipes I thought would be interesting and delicious for all of you, but they turned out horrible.
     The bottom line was, for some reason I just wasn't feeling inspired.
     To be inspired I had to be happy with what I was cooking, and to be happy with what I was cooking, I had to be cooking what I liked.
     Then it hit me. I'd started trying to cook things that looked impressive instead of things that I simply liked to cook.

     That's when I decided today's recipe would be something I really like to do.
     Dumplings.
     It wasn't a hard decision. It's one of my all time favorite things to cook. I love working with dough yet hate waiting for it to rise, and thousands of different fillings can go into dumplings.I see them as a miracle dish.
     The last thing I did with dumplings was Hawaiian. This time I thought doing something closer to Chinese wouldn't be bad. And so I went with crab meat, thinking I'd make it kind of like a non-deep fried crabmeat-ragoon.

     As usual, even if I'm doing a fun and simple dish, I like the flavors to be different. Something to knock old recipes up a notch. I remembered I had an orange left in the fridge from my Orange roughy, and so this recipe was born.

Here's what you'll need!

The skin:
2 cups All purpose flour
3/4th cup Just boiled water
dash of salt
1 Egg yolk

The Filling:
18 oz Crab meat
9 oz Cream cheese
2 tsp Cracked pepper
2 tsp Blood orange zest
2 tsp Sugar

     Ok...So I didn't have any blood oranges in my fridge. I used Tangerines for the roughy. But the tangerine left in my fridge did give me the idea to go out and get the Blood Orange. It adds an interesting mixture of sweetness and tang to the crab.
     Additionally, since I've already given the instruction on dumplings, you can all follow the  directions on this page for the skin. The only real change you need to make is making 24 instead of 18.

     Cut the dough in half three times and then in thirds and you will come up with 24.

Lets get cooking!


     Mix all the ingredients together for the filling, add 1 tbsp of it to each dumplings and close tightly with your fingers, making sure to get out all of the air that you can. Use a fork to seal if your fingers aren't doing the job.
  Steam them for 15 minutes, I did 12 at a time.
  Also pan-fry them in a small bit of oil until crispy and nicely browned on both sides.

3 or 4 of these on the side of your plate make for a great side dish, But the crab meat and cream cheese mixture makes it taste pretty heavy for a main course.

December 31st -Tangerine Orange Roughy

The Orange Crush

     Happy new years eve. This will likely be my last post until the new year. And...wow.
     I couldn't have wished for a better dish to end the year on. It was possibly the best thing I've ever eaten. Definitely a good omen.

      The fish sale at my local store was still going on today, and walking past it I saw Orange Roughy. I'd never actually eaten it before but it's been something Ive wanted to try for a long time.Without hesitation I bought a bunch.
     I decided I wanted to use one of my favorite techniques for fish. it's a marinate with honey, a little salt, and  a fruit that goes well with your chosen fish. It's similar to a swordfish recipe I will post eventually.
     I didn't really know what went well with orange roughy, but stubbornly I picked oranges. the irony was irresistible.
     Technically I used tangerines, and some red pepper flakes. the result was perfect! I really cant describe it. Moist, tender, exploding with flavor.
     I added a asparagus stick...salad? It led well into the main course and looked amazing to boot.

Here's what you'll need!

The Fish:
1 lb Orange roughy (2 fillets if possible)
2 Tangerines Sliced
1/2 cup honey
1/4th tsp salt
a few dashes red pepper flakes (or more depending on how hot you like it.)

The Salad:
3/4ths cup Asparagus (thin and just the middles)
3/4th cup Yellow bell pepper (cut into sticks)
3/4ths cup Red apple (cut into sticks) ( a pineapple may be a better choice )
Splash of Coconut juice
1/3rd lemon

     Remember, this recipe is a marinate. You need to start it several hours before you're planning to serve it.

Lets get cooking!

     Place your orange roughy into a gallon bag, and add to it your tangerines, honey, salt, and pepper flakes. Push all the air from the bag and seal. Put it away in the fridge for at least 6 hours. Overnight would probably be better.
     Once the fish has marinated, there isn't any reason to be fancy. It has absorbed all the flavor it will ever need to. Pan fry it on high or medium-high with a little oil for a few minutes on both sides, and place it in the oven at 350 until a fork slides easily through its thickest part.

     For the salad, put the asparagus into a hot pan and saute it in a little oil for a few seconds. Add your coconut oil, and in 20 seconds add everything else. Saute for a minute and strain.
     Plate them both and serve.

     Orange roughy is definitely one of the best fish I've ever had. second only to swordfish.

     If you get the chance to buy some, don't pass it up. even if its pricey.

December 17th- Calamari Pasta

     To my surprise, there was a big seafood sale at my local grocery store two days ago. They had a lot of things they didn't usually have, and so I felt like I needed to do at least one dish including a sea creature I usually won't be able to find.
     Lobster was to expensive this week, and snow-crab though absolutely delicious, well, I've cooked it before. which I cannot say for Calamari. My first idea was to stuff, then fry, then bake the squid, but in the end I realized it's been forever since I've had pasta.

     As a kid with an italian grandmother, I was practically raised on pasta. If I had to I could eat it 3 times a day for the rest of my life and I doubt I would complain all that much.
     I prepared a piece of Calamari before hand, to taste, and found it doesn't give up much flavor all on its own. Not to say its bland, but rather subtle. I had originally planned to make the pasta to match the Calamari, but in the end I decided instead to make the Calamari to match the pasta.
     Slightly cheesy, hints of garlic in each bite, and the occasional tomato kick made this dish one of my favorites to date. When subtle italian flavors meet the sea, this is what you'll find.

     The first few people that tried this pasta told me it wasn't moist enough, and needed more olive oil. To tell you all the truth, I was stunned. To me this dish is pasta at its very finest, but maybe my tastes are a bit dry compared to average. If that is your taste, please don't let me recipe stop you from adding some extra olive oil to please your pallet.
     But if you would be so kind...Try it my way first.

Here's what you'll need!

3 Cups Calamari
16 oz Spaghetti noodles
3/4ths tsp Cracked pepper
3 cloves Garlic
1/2 cup (plus more for sauteing) extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp Dried Basil (You may want to try it with half of a tsp first. )
1/3rd cup Red onion (small, thin slices)
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (Halved)
1/2 cup Parmesan/Romano (I found a mix containing both.)
1 1/2 tbsp Butter
salt to taste

     No sauce? You are completely correct. instead of sauce I made some garlic oil to drizzle over the pasta. The name of this recipe is great taste with great subtlety. That is very difficult with the heavy zest of tomato sauce.

Lets get cooking!

     First prepare your pasta as your package instructs you. I like to add olive oil and salt to the water. If you've got any decent knife skills you should easily be able to finish the rest of your prep before the spaghetti finishes.

     Cut your Calamari into rings, chop your garlic, your onion, tomatoes, and measure out the rest of your ingredients.
     In a small pan, pour in your 1/2 cup of oil and heat on low. Add 2 of your chopped garlic cloves. 1/2 tbsp of butter, and a dash of salt. let simmer. Stir occasionally and give it a break if you see it begin to boil but you want to keep it on the heat through most of this recipe.

     Strain your pasta and set it aside somewhere it will stay warm. Keep that burner on high and switch your pasta pot for a frying pan. Drizzle the pan lightly with olive oil and  Add your Calamari ( Do not crowd the pan. You can cook it in 2, even 3 batches if you need to. just divide up the ingredients. ) Add your pepper and butter and a tiny sprinkle of salt. saute on high until the Calamari is ready to eat.
     Now it gets easy. Take your pasta and add the Calamari, Cherry Tomatoes, Basil, Red Onion, 1 clove of diced garlic, cheese, salt to taste, and 4 tbsp of your garlic oil. Toss and mix very well, make sure everything is distributed as evenly as you can.
     The Calamari may make this difficult, but keep mixing and it will all come together in a few minutes.
     Plate the pasta and serve with a loaf of Italian bread if you've got it on hand. Just plain is fine to.

 

      But I really suggest the Italian bread. Yum.

December 11th - Parsnip Encrusted Tilapia

     I've had this recipe going on in my head for a few days, though it wasn't until last night that I found the time to make it. The way this dish looks reminds me of a classic meal, and cooking something like that was strange to me.
     I rarely cook whole fillets of steak, fish, or anything really. Even when I buy a delicious Delmonico steak, my first thought is usually slicing it thin and making cheese-steak out of it.
     Whole fillet  dishes have great importance in the culinary world, however. and despite how I think they can be a bit dull at times, doesn't mean I shouldn't learn to cook them and -make- them interesting and delicious.
     The fish when breaded with my parsnip blend tastes almost like its been drizzled with coconut milk. The flavor is very mellow and complimented to its very extremes by a squeeze of lemon. It's only weakness is the pancake factor.

     What is the pancake factor? Have you ever noticed when you eat pancakes that they just soak up the syrup? and somehow as they eat up that syrup, and the flavor doesn't necessarily stay syrupy. And so you have to add more...and more...Well, this fish will do that with lemon.
     Which is why instead of the traditional lemon squeeze over top, I suggest a dipping cup of lemon juice to dip each bite right before eating for maximum flavor.

     This dish makes a large meal for 2. But fish has never filled me up for very long so I'm reluctant to tell you to call over a third guest without changing the proportions.

Here's what you'll need!!

3 Fillets Tilapia ( or 1 lb, depending on the size of the fish. )
4 tbsp Parsnip powder (You will likely need to make this yourself. instructions will follow shortly)
2 tbsp Tapioca flour
1 Dash paprika
1 Dash salt
2 egg whites
1/2 cup baby carrots (halved)
1 stalk of baby Bok Choy
3-5 green onions
Lemon juice to taste

     Before we get cooking, I'll instruct you on making Parsnip Powder.
     Take one large parsnip and peel it, wasting as little of the actual parsnip as possible while getting rid of its peel.
     Now begin to cut thin strips from it as if you were still peeling it. Don't break down the entire thing, the core of the parsnip has a different flavor than its mantle. A bit of the core wont hurt but try for mostly the softer middle ground between crust and center.
     Once you've got that done, spread the strips out in the dehydrator and turn it on. Parsnips are naturally kind of dry so it likely wont take you more than 6 hours to dry it completely.
     Once it cracks instead of bends, you're ready to grind it into powder. Use a spice grinder or if you want a course crust, just use a hammer or blunt object to smash the parsnip into consistency.
     Now that we've got all of our ingredients...

Lets get cooking!

Breading the fish-
     First beat your egg whites with a whisk or fork until they begin to froth slightly.
     On a plate, mix together your parsnip powder, tapioca flour, paprika, and salt.
     Dip your fish into the egg whites and then into the parsnip breading you've just made. coat both sides.
     Turn two burners to high. on one of them place a pot full of water for boiling Bok Choy. On the second place a pan and fill it a 4th inch with the oil of your choice. I used sunflower.

     Cooking the Bok Choy-
     Boil the Bok Choy for several minutes, only until its color becomes slightly more vibrant. then quickly strain it and dump it into a bowl of very cold water to stop the cooking process from going any further.

     Cooking the fish-
     Seer the fish to a dark amber color on both sides, half at a time. Once the fish has achieved that color it will still be somewhat uncooked on the inside. Place it in a toaster oven at 350 degrees for 3 to 5 minutes. when a fork glides easily through it, your fish is finished.

     Putting it all together-
     Gather up all your vegetables and give them a quick stir fry on your highest heat in a fresh pan drizzles with just a bit of sesame oil and lemon juice. Do not exceed 60 seconds with this step. As a matter of fact 40 should be fine. You do not want to lose the fresh crunch of your vegetables.
     Pour the vegetables over the fish and serve. Don't forget your lemon juice to dip!

     As an after thought, you may want to throw in a 4th to 1/2 cup of sliced water chestnuts. But don't forget to stir-fry those as well.