Fish -o -Filet



Fish-o-Filet

Lent began this past Wednesday and so begins a yearly Catholic tradition of abstaining from meat on Fridays. I usually don't crave a juicy burger draped in melted cheddar with sauteed onions except for on the Fridays of Lent. I could give into my craving, but my Catholic guilt would set in.

Growing up in a large family with 5 siblings, we rarely had fresh seafood at dinner time. One exception was our yearly outing to Parks Restaurant in St. Augustine, Florida while on the family Spring Break trip. After the 22 hour car ride through Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida all the while eating Oreos, ham and cheese sandwiches, and those little individual boxes of sweet cereal, my parents splurged on a "fancy" seafood dinner for our family of 8. I always ordered the basket of deep fried shrimp.

During my college days, my Lenten Friday night dinner was many times a McDonald's Filet-O-Fish with fries and a Coke. Not the most nutritious meal, but it fulfilled my Catholic eating restrictions during the Easter season and hardly dented on already limited money supply.

I created a somewhat healthier baked version of the Filet-O-Fish including a sweet pickle relish and mayonnaise based special sauce and melted American cheese. I originally was not going to include the American cheese in my recipe, but was pleasantly surprised that the memories of the Mickey D's Filet-O-Fish Fridays came flooding back when I took my first bite.

Bake up a few Fish-o-Filets tonight. You won't be disappointed.


Fish-o-Filet

serves 4

1 1/2 pounds of fish fillets. Good choices are halibut, cod, pollock or blue snapper
Old Bay seasoning
1/2 cup flour
1 egg, beaten
1 cup panko
olive oil

for special sauce -
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
squeeze of lemon juice

4 sandwich buns, sliced
4 slices of American cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place a baking sheet in the oven to heat up.

Cut the fish into 4 pieces and generously sprinkle with Old Bay seasoning. Set aside. Place flour, egg , and panko in three separate shallow dishes. Dip each piece of fish first in the flour, then the egg, and lastly the panko. Place the coated fish on a tray to let the coating set for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, drizzle about 1 tablespoon of olive oil on the heated baking sheet. Place the panko-coated fish on the sheet and drizzle with a little olive oil. Bake for 16 - 20 minutes or until the fish is cooked through and are lightly browned. Place the bun halves on another baking sheet and put a slice of American cheese on each of the bottom bun halves. During the last minute or 2 of baking time, place the buns in the oven to warm and just melt the cheese. Remove fish and buns from oven.

To make special sauce, combine mayonnaise, pickle relish and lemon juice in a small bowl; set aside.

To assemble sandwiches, place a piece of the fish on top of the bottom bun with the melted cheese. Slather the top of each bun half with the special sauce and place on top of the fish. Enjoy!

Korean Barbecue at Home

The Husband works for a Japanese company and occasionally travels to Japan for business. He is an adventurous eater and will eat almost anything. On his last trip he ate raw chicken which is considered a delicacy in Japan.

On weekends, he loves eating the leftovers out the refrigerator. Even those containers hiding in the great depths that don't look remotely familiar to me. He has found a few dinners that look like science experiments. When I tell him that the pork tenderloin is beyond its expiration date, he replies, "I'll just scrape the green stuff off and nuke it in the microwave. The microwave will kill anything. I like to think that a little aging adds more flavor." He rarely gets sick so all that penicillin in the bacteria he is digesting must be keeping him healthy.

During his trips to Japan, The Husband's favorite type of restaurant is a Korean barbecue. I am glad that he wanted to recreate a Korean barbecue in our kitchen instead of us having to dine on raw chicken.

At Korean barbecue restaurants, marinated beef, chicken and other meats are cooked on grills built into the center of the diners' table. Served with either a spicy chile paste based dipping sauce
or

a soy sauce and rice wine vinegar based option, this do-it-yourself dinner is a hands-on experience.

Thin slices of flank steak, chicken breast and beef short ribs were marinated in a sweet and salty sauce of soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar and rice wine for about an hour before grilling time. I picked up the thinly sliced short ribs and chile paste from an Asian market that is chalk full of foods I don't recognize. I typically use a combination of sign language, English words spoken with my best Chinese accent, and lots of pointing to find the items on my shopping list. I also tried my first bubble tea on my Asian market trip. The cold drink is a unique blend of tea, milk, and sugar with gelatinous tapioca pearls. A little on the odd side, but it is always exciting to try new things.


Having not retrofitted our kitchen island with a built-in grill, we have opted for a electric indoor barbecue grill purchased online from Amazon. I highly recommend this grill for (1) large grilling area, (2) quick heat up time, (3) nonstick surface for easy cleaning, and (4) metal tray under grate that is filled with water which makes clean up of any drippings even easier. A grill pan will also work, but will not be as much fun.

Armed with bamboo tongs and chop sticks, we enjoyed grilling our own meal. The slightly larger than bite-sized chicken pieces were a favorite as they were extremely tender. The interactive dining experience was so much fun, we had the Korean barbecue 2 out of the last 3 nights for dinner.

I see many more Korean barbecue meals in our future.



Korean Barbecue

serves about 5

1 1/2 pounds flank steak, sliced very thin against the grain
2 boneless chicken breasts, sliced very thin
8 beef short ribs, have the butcher slice them thinly or plank them

for the marinade -
3/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1/4 cup rice wine
2 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup brown sugar

for the soy dipping sauce -
1 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon ginger root, grated
1 green onion, sliced thinly

for the garlic chili dipping sauce -
1/2 cup chile paste, also called hot pepper or chile pepper paste in Asian markets
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup canola oil
1 garlic clove, chopped

In a small bowl, combine the marinade ingredients. Place the steak, chicken and ribs each in a separate resealable bag and divide marinade equally. Seal and let meats marinate for about 1 hour. Because the meat is thinly sliced, it does not require a long marinating time.

Meanwhile, prepare the dipping sauces. For the soy dipping sauce, combine the ingredients in a small bowl; set aside. For the garlic chili dipping sauce, combine the ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Let cool.

Heat grill to high (about 400 degrees). Remove the meats from the bags and place in separate bowls. Now it is time to barbecue. Grill meats until browned, but be careful not to overcook. Remove from grill and serve with dipping sauces.

Print recipe

Spicy Roasted Chicken and Gravy

Need an excuse for spending an afternoon in your kitchen? Other than waiting for the repair guy to show up to fix your dishwasher? A long, slow roast for a couple spicy-rubbed chickens is reason enough for me to camp out for the afternoon at home.

My birds were looking naked when I brought them home from the grocery store. I did my usual web surfing to locate a way to roast up the poultry in a new way. Over one gazillion recipes, by my count, are available on the internet for roasting my chickens. I was working on recreating a roasted chicken similar to the ones constantly going around in circles on the rotisserie at Costco. I combined a few recipes and came up with a version of my own. All rubbed with seasonings and ready for the oven, the chickens roasted for 4 hours at 250 degrees.



I'll rate this recipe as a ****1/2 out of a possible *****. The chicken was moist and the seasonings were divine. The drips made a gravy with a little zip; a nice change from my usual sage gravy. An added bonus is I have enough chicken for several meals over the next few days.



Spicy Slow Roasted Chicken and Gravy

for chickens -
2 (7 pound) whole chickens
4 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder

for gravy -
1/4 cup of pan drippings from chickens
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup milk
salt and lots of pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place chickens in a large roasting pan or two small roasting pans. Set aside.

Combine all the spices in a small bowl. Remove the giblets from chickens and rub the spice mixture on the chickens, both inside and out.

Roast the chickens, uncovered, at 250°F for 4 - 4 1/2 hours or until the internal temperature is about 170 degrees. After the second hour, baste the chicken occasionally (about every 30 minutes or so) with pan juices. The pan juices will start to caramelize on the bottom of the pan and the chicken will turn golden brown. remove the chickens from the oven and cover with foil. Let the chickens rest about 10 minutes while you make the gravy.

Meanwhile, for the gravy, add the drippings to a saucepan over medium high heat. When heated, whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Gradually add the stock and milk and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until gravy thickens. Season to taste with salt if necessary.

To serve, carve chicken and place on a large platter. Pass gravy with chicken.

Pardon the Interruption

I have just decided on our Valentine's Day menu for tomorrow, and I'm preparing to hit the grocery store before it is besieged with shoppers loading up on shrimp cocktails, lobster tails, and chocolate dipped strawberries. I always debate on whether I want to go to a restaurant for dinner or stay at home and cook for myself and family. Cooking at home usually wins out.

When you have 3 Kids, Valentine's Day turns into a group event. The Husband and I have been married for 18 years; we have old love. I remember our first few Valentine's Days together. Red roses, heart shaped boxes of candy, dinners out on the town. Those are still all good things.

Then our family started to grow. During my early motherhood days, I would cut giant hearts out of red and pink construction paper for my Kids Valentine's Day cards. That tradition has fallen by the wayside. This year I made big sugar cookies dipped in chocolate and piled with jimmies and sprinkles for the Kids to share with their lunch tables. With 2 middle schoolers and a high schooler, there are no longer any Valentine's Day class parties to bake for. No Thank You Boy asked why I was making cookies for him to share with his friends because no other mom does anything like that. I said it is just what I do. Some people must exercise or keep their homes immaculately clean or have a fulfilling job to be happy. I, on the other hand, NEED to bake a pound cake, chocolate chip cookies or brownies to have a satisfying day. There is just something about mixing up butter and sugar in my Kitchen Aid mixer that makes me happy. If my cake stand is empty, it is not a good day. Today it is filled with chow mein noodle haysacks. It's a good day.


Haystacks

2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup peanut butter
4 - 5 cups chow mein noodles
sprinkles

Melt chocolate chips and peanut butter in a heat proof bowl over simmering water. Add chow mein noodles and stir. The noodles should be coated thoroughly. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto parchment paper and sprinkle with sprinkles. Let harden.

Tomorrow evening, The Husband has said he wants us to prepare dinner together. He is your basic Grill Man during the summer months so cooking dinner together will be a somewhat new experience. Our menu will consist of Seared Beef Tenderloin with Mushroom Au Jus, Fettuccine Alfredo, Roasted Asparagus, and Creme Brulee and Chocolate Mousse. Yes, we will be having 2 desserts. I love them both. There will be some wine and champagne too I imagine. I am expecting a few interruptions as My Oldest goes off to the movies with friends or My Middle One needs a ride to her BFF's house for a sleepover or No Thank You Boy heads to the neighbor's to play Wii.

Interruptions are the norm in our lives at this time. I have been thinking about the day when The Husband and I will no longer spend Friday nights watching No Thank You Boy play lacrosse, or pack a day's worth of food for a softball tournament early on a Sunday morning, or make countless trips to the movie theater, mall, and friends' houses all over town. Our lives will be more quiet then. But on the other hand, I'm sure we will find some interesting adventures to fill our days. I think we will get away on one of those adventures this weekend.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Fish in Foil

Fish in foil

When I served dinner tonight, I asked The Kids what I should name this entree that included fish and vegetables with Asian seasoning wrapped up in a foil pouch.

"Fish in Foil," said My Middle One. "You know kinda like Soap on a Rope," she said.

I must clarify that dinner did not taste like Soap on a Rope. Not that I have tasted Soap on a Rope.

I tried a new type of fish tonight called Corvina or White Seabass. It is found off the coast of southern California and both coasts of Mexico and included on the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Best Choice List for sustainable fish. The "Best Choice" fish are abundant, well managed and fished or farmed in environmentally friendly ways. I have been trying to serve and eat the fish on the Best Choice list lately. When I saw Corvina at the fish market, I decided to give it a try.

I have seen many recipes for fish en papillotte - cooking in parchment - and decided to give this technique a try. Corvina is a mild fish that tastes similar to cod or pollock. It lends itself well to many seasonings. For each serving, I used about a 2 - 3 foot piece of foil instead of parchment. I buttered the middle of the foil and topped it with shredded cole slaw mix, a little sesame oil, a piece of Corvina spread with hoisin sauce, sliced mushrooms and sugar snap peas and drizzled with soy sauce. One short end of the foil was folded onto the other short end and the edges were crimped tightly. The foil packets were baked in the oven melding all the flavors as the fish and vegetables steamed.

Here is my packet before it went into the oven.


With Asian flavors being a favorite in our house, this dish was enjoyed with a side of rice. I liked that the clean up was minimal; just ball up the foil and throw it out.

I can see substituting many different fish in this recipe such as salmon, tilapia, halibut, or pollock. The possibilities are endless. Try Fish in Foil with your favorite fish tonight.

Fish in Foil

The recipe serves one. Just make as many packets as you have dinner guests.

1 teaspoon butter
1 cup shredded cole slaw mix (a combination of shredded cabbage and carrots)
sesame oil
salt
pepper
1 6-ounce fish fillet such as corvina, halibut, salmon, pollock or tilapia
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
2 button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup sugar snap peas
soy sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Tear off a 2 - 3 foot long piece of foil. Position the short end facing you and butter the center of the foil. Place the cole slaw mix on top of the foil and drizzle with sesame oil and season with a little salt and pepper. Top with fish fillet and spread hoisin sauce on fish. Add mushrooms and sugar snap peas and a drizzle of soy sauce.

Fold the short end that is farthest from you over to meet the other short end of the foil. Crimp the edges tightly to seal the packet, but leave enough room for the fish and vegetables. Place packet on a large baking sheet. For thin fillets such as tilapia, bake for 12 - 15 minutes. For thicker fillets such as salmon, corvina, pollock, and halibut bake for 20 - 22 minutes.

Remove from oven and cut a slit in the top being careful of the steam. Either remove the fish and vegetables from the packet and serve on a plate or serve in the foil.

Grilled Pineapple Chicken

Grilled Pineapple Chicken

Dinner in 20 minutes.

Enough said.

Grilled Pineapple Chicken

Serves 4

1 tablespoon butter
olive oil
1/2 cup flour
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts sliced in thin cutlets
salt
pepper
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/3 cup soy sauce
juice of 1 lime
1/3 cup crushed pineapple
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 pineapple, cut in spears
3 cups cooked white or brown rice

Heat a large saute pan to medium high and add butter and a swirl of olive oil. Place flour in a shallow dish. Season chicken chicken cutlets with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. Add to saute pan and cook for about 3 - 4 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm.

While the chicken is cooking, heat a grill pan to high. Add the pineapple spears and grill for a minute or two on each side. Remove to the platter with the chicken.

In the same saute pan as the chicken was cooked, add the pineapple juice, soy sauce, lime juice, crushed pineapple, honey, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil and reduce sauce for about 2 - 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the the chicken and pineapple and serve with the rice.

Note - this recipe can be made ahead of time. Prepare the entree, cool and package for the refrigerator. When ready to serve, gently reheat in a saute pan. Alternatively, the chicken and pineapples can be reheated in the microwave on 70% power for 2 - 3 minutes. Heat for additional 30 second intervals until heated through.

Maple Glazed Pork Tenderloin

When I first start personal cheffing for a client, they want to chose the meals I prepare. They pour over the menu I provided them at our initial consultation and pick and chose the meals for the week. After a few weeks, they realize that one of the advantages of having a personal chef is not having to decide on a weekly menu. I have basically learned what they like and do not like to eat therefore, I email or text them a suggested menu for their approval. With their dinner meals planned for them, it is one less thing for my client to do. Also, they have no more extended trips to the grocery store, no messy kitchen to clean up after dinner, and their healthy dinner only needs to be heated up when they arrive home.

Today I cooked for one of my clients. They used to chose the meals I made for them on a weekly basis. Now they like to be surprised by the dinners I plan for them. They are an ideal client. One of the entrees I made was Maple Glazed Pork Tenderloin. A family favorite at my own home, it has become an often requested entree by my clients.

Seared pork tenderloins finish roasting in the oven while a quick pan sauce is made. I also prepared Mashed Parmesan Potatoes and Sauteed Zucchini and Yellow Squash with Thyme to go with the dinner.

I will have to be making this menu for my own family very soon.

Maple Glazed Pork Tenderloin

adapted from this recipe Bon Appetit, October, 2000

serves 4

2 pork tenderloins, about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds total
dried sage
salt
pepper
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Rub tenderloins with sage and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat an ovenproof saute pan to medium high and add 1 tablespoon of butter. Add tenderloins and sear on all sides, about 5 - 6 minutes total searing time. Place saute pan with seared tenderloins in the oven and roast for 10 - 15 minutes. A thermometer should register between 135 - 140 degrees. Remove from oven to a cutting board and cover with foil for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in the same saute pan, whisk the maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and Dijon mustard. Bring to a boil and let reduce for 2 - 3 minutes. Whisk in 1 tablespoon of butter and season with salt and pepper.

To serve, carve tenderloins in 1/2 inch slices and place on a warmed platter. Ladle sauce over the top. Serve immediately.

Chocolate Buttermilk Pound Cake

Pound cake is an old fashioned dessert with recipes handed down from mothers, grandmothers, great aunts, and great grandmothers. A dense, butter-laden cake with a golden brown crust that stays moist and fresh on your counter for days, if it lasts that long. We finish our family favorite pound cake from my Great Aunt Rose's recipe in about 24 hours.

The pound cake acquired its name because the original recipes used a pound of butter, a pound of flour, and a pound of sugar, and a pound of eggs. There have been many variations made to the traditional recipe, and it is still one of the most beloved cakes around. My Chocolate Buttermilk Pound Cake is a rich chocolate version of pound cake that is perfect with a cup of coffee or tea. This not-too-sweet cake can be served with ice cream, whipped cream, a dusting of powdered sugar, or just plain.


Slice off a few wedges and hide them in the freezer. No one will be the wiser.

Chocolate Buttermilk Pound Cake


makes 1 cake, serves 10 - 12

3 cups of flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 sticks of butter, softened
3 cups of sugar
5 extra large eggs, at room temperature
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup strong coffee, cooled
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
powdered sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan. Set aside.

Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.

With a standing mixer (it is the best to use this type of mixer for this stiff batter) or an electric hand mixer, cream butter and sugar until creamy. Add eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition.

In a small bowl, combine buttermilk, coffee, and vanilla extract. Add flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl several times. Mix until just smooth and do not over beat the batter.

Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 to 1 and 1/4 hours or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.

Let cool in pan for about 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges to loosen then invert on a cooling rack. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.