Ciopino Pasta

Have you ever just wanted seafood?  This dish will fill any seafood lovers appetite.  This is a take on an old San Francisco dish that we made a few changes too and made it a pasta.  I hope you enjoy.

Ingredients:
1 fillet of favorite white fish (Tilapia, Cod, Etc.) cut into 1 inch pieces
1 lb large shrimp
1/2 pound of muscles and/or clams
1 cup chopped hard salami
1/2 cup celery chopped
1/2 large onion chopped
2 large garlic cloves minced
1 12 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried basil
2 cups white wine
2 cups fish or seafood stalk (chicken stalk if you don't have it)
2 tbsp butter
1 package fettucini


Start by chopping the onion, garlic and celery and sauteing in a large sauce pot with the butter. Once the onions begin to become translucent, add the tomatoes, wine, stalk, and dried herbs.  Let cook for 20-30 minutes over medium high heat with the lid off.  If it is too thin, add a cup or so of water.  Add the seafood and salami and give one or two quick stirs.  Place the lid on and let cook for 15-20 more minutes or until the shrimp is a solid pink.

Cook the pasta in a pot of boiling water, 1-2 minutes shy of the directed cooking time.  Place the pasta into the stew, and let finish cooking.  If it seems that the pasta absorbed too much of the sauce, add a ladle or two of the pasta water to the sauce.

Serve in a bowl, with some parmesan cheese and huge chunk of sour dough to sop up the goodness.  You will not be disappointed.

Broiled Tilapia Parmesan

If you would have asked me a year ago to try this...there is no way. But I have come a long way...and I am really learning to love seafood. This recipe comes from my friend Catherine. She scored with this recipe. I absolutely love the sauce on this fish. Also, if you don't like tilapia, use cod!

Serves 5
Ingredients:

2 pounds tilapia fillets
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup butter
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon celery salt

Preheat broiler to low. Line pan with aluminum foil. Arrange fillets in a single layer on pan. Broil for 2-3 minutes. Then flip the fish over and broil for another 2-3 minutes. While fish is under the broiler, in a bowl, mix together all ingredients.  Remove fish from heat, and cover with parmesan cheese mixture. Broil for another 2 minutes, or until topping is lightly browned, and fish flakes easily with fork. Enjoy.

Fish and Grits Part 2 (Fish)

This is the part of my childhood that I have just started to revisit.  Lindsay is finally getting on board with fish as an actual protein you eat....not just watching it swim in a tank.

Ingredients:

4 fillets of fish (A light fish like Cod)
2 tsp butter
2 green onions chopped
1/4 cup of chopped brown mushrooms
Salt and pepper

In large cast iron or oven safe skillet, heat up butter over high heat.  Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees. Season well all sides of the fish with salt and pepper. Place the fish on the very hot skillet and let sit for 2 minutes until you touch it again.  Let the fish sear on the side until it flips easily (doesn't stick).  Flip the fish and top with the mushrooms and green onion.

Place the pan in the oven and let cook for another 5-7 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish.  You can check the done-ness by touching your finger to the middle of the fish.  If there is no give, and feels firm then it is done. 

Remove from oven and let stand for 1-2 minutes.  Serve over the grits recipe from yesterday.  You can top the whole thing with some hot sauce.  I hope you enjoy this taste of my upbringing.

Rubio's Fish Tacos

Remember back in May when we had lunch at Rubio's with the founder, Ralph Rubio? That was our first time ever eating at Rubio's and since then we have been frequent visitors. We fell in love with their fish tacos. We learned many secrets about Rubio's from the man himself, so we were able duplicate his fish taco recipe! It was so darn good. I am still thinking about it! Yum!

Ingredients:

4 fish fillets (we used Cod), sliced into sticks

12 corn tortillas

Oil

Batter:

1 1/4 cups flour

1 bottle beer (we used non-alcoholic)

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon oregano

salt and pepper

Heat oil to 350 in deep pan. Whisk together flour, beer and seasonings. Dip fish into beer batter. Then drop into oil. Fry until golden brown. Remove from oil.

cabbage, shredded

cilantro

limes, cut into wedges (one wedge per taco)

White sauce:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/2 chipotle pepper, chopped

1/2 teaspoon adobo sauce

Mix well.

Now begin to layer. Start with tortilla, then add sauce, fish, cabbage, cilantro and lime (we always top with a little extra sauce). Enjoy! 

Black Cod with Hollandaise sauce

This looks fancy, but it was really easy.  You can impress even the meanest of critics with this dish.  

Ingredients:

2 large filets of cod (or any white fish)

salt and pepper

Hollandaise Sauce:

4 tbsp clarified butter

2 large egg yolks

pinch of salt

pinch of pepper

1 tsp lemon juice

  Heat a cast iron or oven safe skillet over high heat.  Season the fish on both sides of the fillet with the salt and pepper.  Put the fish into the hot skillet and let sear.  Don't touch for 2 minutes.  Flip the fish and place the skillet into a 375 degree oven for 6-8 min depending on the thickness of the fish.  You can tell if it is done if it feels firm all the way through to the touch.  

Sauce:

Start a pot of boiling water.  In a different skillet clarify your butter.  You do this by heating up the butter until melted, and removing all the impurities off the top. 

Over a pot of boiling water, and in a steel bowl, add the egg yolks, clarified butter, lemon juice and salt and pepper.  Whisk vigorously until thickened.  

Serve the sauce over the fish, with some asparagus or your choice of vegetable on the side.  Enjoy.

Beer Battered Catfish

Fish Fry's were a classic summer event growing up.  We used to catch all the fresh catfish, and mullet we could.  Spear some flounder and catch some crab.  Then we would fry them up and have a huge party.  This is a take on my classic summer fun.  Tasty, crispy and flaky.    

Ingredients:
4-5 fillets of Catfish or your favorite kind of fish
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1 bottle of a dark beer
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp salt and pepper
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp paprika
Oil for frying

Start by seasoning the fillets with salt and pepper on each side.  Let sit out for a few minutes to bring up to room temperature.  In a separate bowl, mix the seasonings, flour, cornmeal, and beer and whisk together till thick like a cake batter. Once the oil is 375 degrees, dip the fish into the batter and immediately into the oil.  Rotate so all sides are golden, should take about 7 minutes to cook all the way through.  Strain on a paper towel, and put into a 275 degrees until you are ready to serve.  That's it.  Simple, and easy, and I hope you get to enjoy a sweet summer fish fry.

Crab and Shrimp Boil

This is the best activity for a family to gather around together over some good food and good conversation.  Growing up on the Gulf Coast allowed us to enjoy delicious shrimp, and fresh blue crab.... all we could catch.  This recipe is a tribute to all of you who are suffering with the horrific oil spill that has effected the most beautiful place I have ever been.  I love you Pensacola, and I patiently await when you and all other Gulf Coast cities will be able to offer us such abundance again....

Ingredients:
Feeds 10-12 people

2-5 lbs of medium shrimp (depends on your shrimp eaters as I can eat a pound myself)
2 lbs crab legs and claws (frozen or fresh if you can catch em, and any kind of crab you want)
10 ears of corn peeled and cut in half
5 lbs red potatoes cut in half
4 lbs smoked sausage cut into 1 inch pieces
creole seasoning

In a large steam pot, put about 1 inch of water in the bottom. Then layer each ingredient in the following order, being sure to liberally season each layer with the creole seasoning.  Potatoes, corn, sausage, shrimp and crab.  Then on a large burner (outside if you can on a propane burner) boil on high for 20-25 minutes.  Once the shrimp are all pink, you are good to eat.  Pour out on a table with some newspaper or plastic down and dig in.  Serve this with some melted butter, and cocktail sauce on each corner of the table, and you'll have a party that you'll never want to be over.  

Fish Marinade

I have never been a fish kind of girl. Maybe it was  because growing up we always ate trout. Who knows. But until our last trip to Whistler, I never knew what I was missing. I have been converted.  This marinade is perfect for any fish or even chicken. So grab your favorite type, and get ready. You will love this!

Ingredients:

Fish of choice

3/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon cajun seasoning

Marinate fish (or chicken) for at least 4 hours. Remove from marinade and grill! Enjoy. 

Bacon Wrapped Scallops

Part Three:

  To begin any good meal, an appetizer of sweet and savory is ideal.  While waiting for the shrimp to be counted out for this meal, a classic came to mind.  The sweetness of the scallops and the saltiness of the bacon make these so delicious, you can't eat just one.

Ingredients:

6-8 large Scallops

6-8 slices of bacon

salt and pepper

1 tblsp vegetable or canola oil

Start by seasoning the scallops with salt and pepper on each side.  Wrap the scallops in bacon, cutting off as much excess as to not have too much overlap. This will help the bacon to crisp up completely.  Turn your skillet on high heat.  Place the scallop on the it's side, seam side down into the pan and let sit for 1-2 minutes.  Turn the scallop onto the larger sides and let cook for 4 minutes per side.  Once the scallop carmelizes it should turn without sticking, so don't mess with it until it turns easily.  Once browned on all sides place in a 400 degree oven for 8 minutes.  You can check the doneness by pressing on the scallop.  If it is firm and has no give, it is done.  So sweet, and so salty, and so tasty. Enjoy!          

Pan Seared Blackcod

Last week we had the opportunity of spending the week in Whistler, Canada. We had such an amazing time. We were able to take a cooking class at "Bearfoot Bistro" from the executive chef, Melissa Craig. It was so much fun...and to learn from a pro! Now, before this trip, I was not a fish fan. However, I guess I had never experienced cod. Oh my goodness, it is divine!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 portions of Cod (or Sablefish)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon butter

8 oz shemiji mushrooms

3 ounces enoki mushrooms

2 green onions sliced

1/2 cup edamame

Micro radish sprout for garnish

Miso Palm Sugar Glaze

4 tablespoons sake

1 tablespoon sweet rice wine

1/3 cup palm sugar

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon English mustard powder

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds

1/2 cup miso paste

Start by making the sauce. The sauce actually can be refrigerated for a few weeks. Bring sake, mirin and palm sugar to a boil-until the sugar dissolves. In a separate bowl make a paste with the vinegar and mustard powder. Then add to sake mixture. Remove from heat and whisk in all other ingredients.   

In  an oven safe pan, heat up your vegetable oil. Place fish flesh side down. When golden brown, turn onto other side, and butter to the fish and place in the oven at 200 for about 5-6 minutes.

While cod is in the oven, saute up the mushrooms. Now I am pretty sure you won't have these particular mushrooms, but any will work! Add a little salt and pepper, green onions and edamame. 

Plate the mushrooms and the edamame, and then top with the fish and a little bit of the sauce. 

Oh yum....it is making me want to cook this right now!!

Halibut Spinach Salad

Fish was a very integral part of my diet growing up. Growing up I had access to all the fresh fish from the Gulf of Mexico all the time, and as I settled north, I found fish made its way out of my diet.  Well, this was the first time in 8 years of marriage, I put my foot down and made one. This is for all of our followers who don't each red meat, and like fish.  Enjoy!



Ingredients:
Halibut Fillets (Frozen or fresh)
1 package of baby spinach
1 cup chopped red cabbage
1 tblsp lemon zest
1 lemon cut in half.
2 tblsp flour
3 tblsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt and pepper

Heat up a grill pan or skillet on medium high heat.  In a shallow bowl, dust the fish on both sides by dipping it in the flour.  Season the fish with the 1/2 tsp of the salt and pepper on both sides.  To the grill pan or skillet add 1 of the tblsp olive oil.  Once oil is hot, place the fish on the pan. Grill for about 5-7 minutes per side. On each side while on the heat, squeeze 1/2 of the lemon onto each side of the fillet.  You can test if it's done with a thermometer or you press the fish with your finger and it will feel real firm when done.  Remove fish from heat.

In a bowl, put the cabbage, spinach and lemon zest and toss until fully incorporated.  Add the rest of the salt and pepper, and the olive oil.  Squeeze the rest of the lemon juice into the salad and toss until all coated with oil and juice.

Serve the salad with one of the fillets on top. Serves about 4.  Simple, light, and fantastic.

Tonno Rossa (Tuna Pink Sauce)

When in the city of Ascoli Piceno there was a surfer kid who served this to me for the first time.  I have added a few things to perfect it. Satley, this is for you buddy.

This is a good pasta dish that is easy, and very tasty.  Trick is, it only takes about as long to make as it takes to boil water and your pasta.  

Ingredients:

1 5oz can of Tuna

1 12 oz can of whole peeled tomatoes (pour into a bowl, and your hands to squish them up, it's fun!)

1/2 cup cream

1 tblsp capers

1 clove garlic chopped

1 tblsp olive oil

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1 box of penne pasta 

Start your water boiling (don't forget to salt the water, in fact it was in Ascoli that I learned both to salt the water, and that I didn't speak Italian as well as I thought. Ask me sometime that's a funny story).  In a saucepan, start the oil on medium heat.  Brown the garlic and the red pepper, being sure not to burn it.  Add the capers and tuna and simmer for about 2 minutes. When your water begins to boil add the pasta. To your sauce, add the tomatoes and cream.  Let cook on low heat for 8-10 minutes.  Take the pasta out of the water about 2 minutes shy of the suggested cook-time strain, then add to the saucepan with the sauce for the remaining 2 minutes.  (Hint: if the sauce looks to have fully or mostly absorbed into the pasta, you can add a ladle or two of the starchy pasta water into the sauce)

Serve it with some grated parmeggiano and eat up.  Buon Appetito, ci vorebbe!