Love Sushi?Love Salad? The combination of both makes for a very tasty dish – even for a light main course for four, or a starter for six. Make sure to get fresh sushi grade Ahi Tuna.Ahi Tuna – 1 lb.
Two Haas Avocados
A mix of baby lettuces (I used arugula, swiss chard, kale & spinach)
Campari tomatoes (if you can find sweet brown tomatoes, use them)
Green Onion, chopped
Toasted sesame seeds
Sliced ginger in the jar (like they serve at all Japanese restaurants but you can buy at many supermarkets now)
Sweet sesame seaweed topping – optional
Wasabi Mayonnaise (buy it or better still, make it yourself by mixing equal amounts of wasabi + mayo)
Mix some wasabi (to taste) in a small bowl with a bit of lemon juice, reduced sodium soy sauce, sesame chilli oil & a bit of fresh grated ginger (I also put a bit of sake but this is optional). Pat on both sides of tuna. Set aside.
Slice Avocados. Mix up the salad ingredients & make a dressing (your choice as long as it’s light). Mine was canola oil, tahini (made from sesame seeds), apple cider vinegar, light soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic, sea salt, chilli flakes.
You can choose to grill tuna on a barbeque, do it over a very hot stovetop or use a George Foreman grill (spray oil on both sides so it doesn’t stick). For stovetop, make sure to oil your pan with a bit of sesame oil & then sear the tuna on all sides (turning over once). It should be rare in the middle. Then cut it into ¼ in slices.
Arrange each plate with salad in the middle & surround the plate with a slice of avocado, then tuna & a piece of ginger. Sprinkle top of salad with the crunchy seaweed topping.
Drizzle wasabi mayo over tuna slices & serve.
As a side: try smoky sea salted corn on the cob. You can buy the smoked sea salt (very good on buttered corn or steak) at any specialty store.
This “so simple it’s crazy” chicken dish is pure comfort food, baked to perfection if you like it juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside.
I used bone-in chicken thighs but you can use breasts, drumsticks or a mix thereof. Cooking with the bone-in tends to give it more flavour & helps retain moisture. If you like Southern fried, it tastes similar but without the breading & excess fat – a healthy alternative.
Place chicken on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Sprinkle chicken generously with garlic salt, dehydrated chopped onion (or onion salt) + white pepper on both sides. Rub it in, then put bay leaves over top. Pour fresh lemon juice & a little bit of extra-virgin olive oil on top & cover with thinly sliced lemons. Bake at 325 F for about 1 ½ – 2 hrs. or until crispy on the outside. Turn oven off & leave for up to ½ longer.
Inspiration for this delicious recipe came from a renowned urban diner in Chicago, namely the “White Palace Grill.” There are Diners and then there are Diners!
Open since 1939, The White Palace Grill might be the finest example of an urban diner in Chicago or anywhere else for that matter. It has managed to stick around while other businesses have come and gone.
In addition to an extensive lunch and dinner menu, the White Palace Grill serves up eggs practically any way you can think of 24 hours a day. The diner attracts city workers, policemen, firemen, business people, college students, politicians, the after hours club crowd and just about anybody. The mix of people is terrific and diverse. It is an urban oasis.
Just as a picture tells a story (if the walls could describe every patron who has walked into the place they could write a book), the White Palace Grill is a key part of Chicago history. If you need a break from “caramelized onions”, “infused” sauces and names of food you can’t pronounce then go over anytime 24 hours a day 365 days a year.
This recipe originally called for 4 Chilean Sea Bass fillets. Since Sea Bass in on the endangered list I now substitute for the very comparable Sablefish.
First: combine the below ingredients in a small bowl to form a spicy paste to coat fish.
¼ cup olive oil
1 Tbsp. chillipowder
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
½ Tbsp. curry powder
¼ tsp. tumeric
¼ tsp. paprika
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. onion powder
½ tsp. aniseed
½ tsp. mustard seed, toasted in dry sauté pan for one minute.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Season fish with salt and pepper. Coat lightly with flour (not necessary but doing so makes it brown better). Brush a heavy coating of the spicy paste mixture (above) on the skin side of fish and a little on the flesh side if you like more spice. Add about 2 Tbsp. of vegetable or canola oil to a very hot, oven-safe skillet (cast iron is great) and sear the fish-skin side. When the skin is crispy, place fish in oven for approximately 10-15 minutes. Serve with fruit salsa. Serves 4-6.
Spicy Fruit Salsa (worth the extra bit of work)
1 tsp. jalapeño pepper, chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 papaya, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 ripe mango, peeled and diced
½ cup fresh pineapple, chopped
½ lemon, juiced
½ lime, juiced
1 Tbsp. honey
½ tsp. chilli powder
1 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
¼ cup of oliveor vegetable oil
pinch of salt & pepper
Carefully (some wear gloves) remove seeds and membrane of jalapeño and discard. Combine all ingredients and refrigerate. Either top the fish or serve on the side with a nice jasmine rice.
TIP: you’ll most likely have leftover salsa which is delicious next day for fish tacos or chicken salad.
SPICES: I consider all the spices here to be basics for use in so many other dishes. If you must go out to buy them you won’t be wasting your time or money.
Orange juice gives pork that unique flavor combo of sweet and sour. Freshly squeezed is best. I’ve made this Caribbean/Asian inspired recipe on several occasions and it never fails to please the palate.
1 cup fresh orangejuice
1 tsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. peanut oil
¼ cup finely chopped shallots
2 Tbsp. minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ tsp. (or more) red pepper flakes
½ cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 1-pound pork tenderloins, each cut crosswise into 6 slices
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp. butter
In a small bowl, stir together 2 Tbsp. orange juice and cornstarch until smooth. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, heat 1 Tbsp. oil. Add shallots, ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes; cook, stirring frequently, until shallots are light golden, about 3 minutes. Add remaining orange juice, broth and soy sauce. Bring to a boil; boil until reduced to 1 cup, about 6 minutes. Whisk in cornstarch mixture; boil 1 minute. Remove saucepan from heat and set aside.
Place pork slices cut side down on work surface and flatten slightly with the palm of your hand to make medallions. Sprinkle with salt + pepper.
In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter with remaining 1 Tbsp. oil. Add pork and cook in batches until browned and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer pork to a platter.
Add sauce to skillet with drippings; place skillet over medium-high heat. Bring sauce to a boil, stirring to scrape up any brown bits. Stir in juices from pork on platter. Remove skillet from heat and add pork slices to skillet, turning to coat with sauce.
Serves six with brown rice and veggies. Taken from The Oprah MagazineCookbook.
Orange juice’s gentle acid adds sweet-tart flavor notes to cooking. Try orange juice concentrate mixed with maple syrup & a bit of stock for basting a turkey. It’s excellent.
Right now we’re in the heart of summer and while I do have countless other recipes to share with y’all my head is telling me to keep it simple. Usually I’ll post a recipe soon after I make it so that it’s kitchen tested, not only by myself but whoever happens to be my guinea pigs at the time.
For now a couple of quick & simple healthy dressings. Which one to try – it’s a toss-up!
On the Side: tender & creamy:
Try one head of torn butter lettuce, 2 Tbsp. chopped chives, sliced cherry tomatoes + toasted pinenuts with 1/3 cup buttermilk, 1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar & 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise.
OR;
Crisp & Lemony: 1 head romaine, chopped with ¼ dill sprigs, 1 english cucumber, sliced, ¼ cup olive oil and 2 Tbsp. lemon juice. S+P to taste.
Why shouldn’t vegetarians get to enjoy ceviche too?
That’s exactly what I was thinking after sampling a delicious veggie ceviche on an appy menu at the Trio restaurant in Palm Springs. I almost phoned them for the recipe but then it dawned on me – why don’t I just make it my usual way but substitute using tofu instead of white fish? Here’s how:
Cut a block of extra firm tofu (in the package) into half lengthwise and then into 1 cm. cubes. Place in a pyrex dish and add enough fresh lime juice to cover the entire thing – about 6 regular size limes in total. Cover with plastic wrap & leave sit in fridge for about 4 hours, then discard juice and add the following items to same dish:
Getting it together
*Cut up the following into roughly the same size pieces except for the jalapeño which should be seeded & finely chopped :
1 cup of grape or cherry tomatoes
1 small red onion
1 small jalapeño
handful of fresh Cilantro
Kalamata black olives
1 not overly ripe Avocado
1 not overly ripe Mango
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, course salt and black pepper to taste.
Serve with sliced lime for extra tartness & tortillachips.
*I also had a side of tomatillo/avocada salsa. Rave Reviews!
Love Thai Curry? Red, Green & Yellow curry pastes are the base for most of the dishes in Thai cooking and the Red version makes for excellent chicken, beef, vegetarian, fish and other seafood curry.
You’ll never buy packaged curry pastes again once you try this recipe. Homemade curry paste makes for tastier curries, and they’re much healthier too!
This paste is courtesy of Chef Sarnsern Gajaseni at the OrientalHotelin Bangkok. It’s enough for at least two dishes, each serving about four people. I’ve made double this amount and divided it up to freeze it, well labelled in separate containers. It freezes very well and you’ll be able to easily use it with a few extra added ingredients (see recipe) to create a delicious curry. If you like this one I’ll be posting the Green & Yellow versions which are slightly different but equally delicious.
using shrimp
Makes about 10 Tablespoons
10 to 12 hot dried chillies (of the long cayenne variety). I use Thai red bird chillies.
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup chopped shallots
1 Tbsp. fresh lemongrass that has been thinly sliced, crosswise. Fresh lemongrass stalks have a knot at the very bottom. Remove that before finely slicing, crosswise, and at a slight angle, starting at the bottom end and going up about 6 inches. It will not blend unless it has been sliced first.
3 thin slices peeled, fresh or frozen galangal (or ginger). Galangal is fairly tough and needs first to be cut, crosswise, into thin slices, and then chopped before being put into the blender.
1 thin slice of fresh kaffir lime rind or dried rind, first soaked in water for 30 minutes.
6-8 cilantro roots (usually bought from Indian grocers), washed well and coarsely chopped. If you cannot get them, use a small handful of the leaves for the required aroma.
Fresh ground whitepepper
¼ tsp. shrimp paste or use either 2 anchovies from a can, chopped or a bit of anchovy paste.
½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. ground coriander
2 Tbsp. bright red paprika
*most of these ingredients I buy from “South ChinaSeas trading company” at Granville Island Market including the shrimp paste and palm sugar (for recipe).
How to:
Soak the chillies in 5 Tbsp. of hot water for 1-2 hours (or put them in microwave for 2 minutes and then let them sit for about 30 minutes). Put the chillies together with their soaking liquid, into the blender, along with all the remaining ingredients in the order listed. Blend, pushing down with a rubber spatula as many times as necessary, until you have a smooth paste. What you do not use immediately should be refrigerated or frozen.
Fish in Red Curry Sauce
I used fillet of halibut for this one but you can use a variety of firm white fish or even shrimp. The fillets should be cut into roughly 3-inch pieces. Serve with plain aromatic jasmine rice which will be really nice to soak up the sauce.
14-ounce can of coconut milk, left undisturbed for 3 hours of more
3 Tbsp. peanut oil (if not use corn)
5 Tbsp. Red Curry Paste (which I hope you made but if not you can always buy it).
1 Tbsp. Fish sauce (there is no substitute but vegetarians will need to omit this ingredient).
1 tsp. thick tamarind paste (if not substitute with lemon juice). Tamarind paste can be found usually at an Indian market.
1 tsp. palm sugar (if not use brown sugar).
1 pound firm white fish
4 fresh kaffir lime leaves (if not use 1 tsp. julienned lemon rind)
20 fresh sweet Thai basil leaves (if not use regular basil leaves)
Carefully open the can of coconut milk without disturbing it too much and remove 4 Tbsp. of the thick cream that will have accumulated at the top. Stir the remaining contents of the can well and set aside.
Pour the oil and the coconut cream into a large, non-stick, lidded pan or well-seasoned wok and set over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, put in the curry paste. Stir and fry until the oil separates and the paste is lightly browned. Reduce the heat to low and add the fish sauce, tamarind paste, sugar and ¾ cup of water. Stir and taste for a balance of seasonings. Cover and simmer on a very low heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the reserved coconut milk. Lightly dust the fish pieces with salt and then slid them into the sauce in a single layer. Bring to a simmer, spoon the sauce over the fish pieces, cover, and simmer very gently until they just cook through.
Just before serving, either tear up the lime leaves or else remove the central vein and cut them into fine strips, and scatter these and the basil leaves over the top of the fish.
**I have a flavorful recipe for a vegetable curry
thai eggplants
using 4 Thai eggplant, 1 medium chopped onion, 1 cup of bamboo shoots, 6 ounces French cut green beans + 1 red pepper cut into strips. You make it much the same way: Heat 1 Tbsp. of oil in a large wok or fry pan and then cook 2 Tbsp. of red curry paste for 4 minutes over a medium heat, stirring. Then add 2 ½ cups of coconut milk, bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes. Add the chopped eggplants, bamboo shoots, and 6 lime leaves and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the green beans & red pepper and cook for additional 5 minutes or until all vegetables are tender. Add ½ cup basil leaves, 2 Tbsp. fish sauce (if using), 1 Tbsp. lime juice and 2 tsp. palm or brown sugar. Drizzle with coconut milk, garnish with thai basil and sliced red chilli. Serve with rice.
but you can substitute using Japanese eggplant
“from curries to kebabas – recipes from the Indian spice trail” – everything in this enticing cookbook is outstanding. Madhur Jaffrey even traces the origins of curry, explaining how the ingredients & techniques were brought to new lands. It’s unusual for me to make so many recipes from one book but each one turned out better than expected – and it took some of the mystery out of these exotic dishes.
ITALIAN food is all about ingredients. It’s not fussy and it’s not fancy – Wolfgang Puck.
with spinach salad & leftover grilled salmon
Those words were never truer than in this recipe, which is really not even a recipe – which is in itself molto italiano!
I first tasted this very simple dish when a friend made it for us in Tuscany. She made it using fresh gnocchi and freshly crumbled gorgonzola and it tasted divine. Of course any type of fresh pasta & cheese would be amazing in Tuscany. Since then I’ve tried making it the same way and slightly different versions too. I can tell you that none is as good as the original in Tuscany but you can experiment and come up with something almost as good.
Basically all you do is toast the sage leaves in butter until crisp. Fresh is best but if you don’t have that, then buy it in the package from the herb section of your grocery store. I use either the whole package or a big handful of fresh herbs. Use a generous amount of butter – about half a stick. Coat the pasta (try gnocchi or orechiette – something with ridges to coat each piece) right in the pan with the sauce and then crumble either the freshest gorgonzola cheese you can find overtop or roughly grated best quality parmesan cheese which will melt right in. S+P to taste and some red chilli pepper if you like it slightly picante. Serve with a side salad & crusty bread.
TIP: Pasta like this makes a great side for chicken and fish dishes as well.
A tavola non si invecchia – Italian proverb.
Which means: At the table with good friends and family you do not become old.
Ceasar salad has always been a favorite of mine. I’ve done the same dressing (slightly tweaked) for years and put it on my blog a while back – see LINK at bottom.
Then I came across this one on yahoo & decided to try it. The main difference was not only the way the romaine was served, but using two whole (not just the yolk) eggs that were first coddled & the dressing made, non traditionally in a blender.
First the hearts of romaine were cut in half along the length but the bottom was not torn from the base (do not trim). Season the leaves with salt & pepper and drizzle with some olive oil then place cut side down on the grill until done. This will bring your salad to the next level – believe me. You can try this dressing or use the other one. Both are good with this simple and delicious way of preparing the salad – especially for Summer.
Caesar Dressing:
Coddling 2 eggs: rinse and put in boiling water for one minute. Let sit for a few minutes and put them in the blender. **coddling is done to reduce or minimize the risk of bacterial contamination when using raw eggs.
Add: red wine vinegar, grainy mustard, balsamic, Dijon mustard and blend. Add lemon, garlic, anchovy, parmesan, pinch of salt. Put in blender & slowly add olive oil. TIP: I also put a bit of tabasco, worcestershire & caper juice in this one.
For Croutons: Take crusty bread & pour some olive oil over top. S+P. Spread on baking sheet in 350 degree oven until crisp.
Top grilled lettuce with dressing & croutons, sliced fresh tomato (optional), top with parmesan cheese & enjoy! And do give me your feedback.
Green Goddess Dressing – a lovely, creamy dressing
photo – Marcus Nillson
Dressing:
1 ripe Hass avocado, pitted and peeled
1 Tbsp. chopped basil
1 Tbsp. chopped parsley
2 tsp. chopped tarragon
1 tsp. chopped garlic
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. kosher salt
Ground black pepper
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
To make dressing: In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine avocado, basil, parsley, tarragon, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and process until very smooth, scraping down sides. With the motor running, add olive oil. Add enough cold water to make dressing pourable, about 3/4 cup. Refrigerate until ready to serve. For the salad with grilled romaine you can add chopped tomatoes, onion, avocado, etc. You can even grill those too if you like.
I’m more of a coffee drinker first thing in the morning but by late afternoon a hot cup of earl grey is nice & uplifting. That was before I discovered the recipes below to switch things up a bit and realized the health benefits to boot.
The antioxidant compounds found in tea have been shown to reduce risk of breast cancer and heart disease and may help with weight management. When you mix your brew with other beneficial ingredients, you’ll boost its power to tackle health complaints from high blood pressure to an upset stomach. Sweet!
Make these cool brews for a summer twist. Lose the sugar and stir in these extras instead + reap the health benefits while doing so.
SUGAR BUSTER = Black tea + Cinnamon A 2012 study found that countries where people consumed the most black tea had the lowest rates of type 2 diabetes. Antioxidants in the tea leaves may enhance insulin activity. Adding cinnamon can make a good thing even better. According to research in Diabetes Care, consuming just one-third of a teaspoon of cinnamon a day can reduce levels of glucose in people with type 2 diabetes. Brew: Pour 8 ounces boiling water over 2 black tea bags and 1 cinnamon stick (or 2 tsp. powdered). Steep for 4 minutes, let cool. Transfer to an ice filled glass, top with 2 ounces club soda.
IMMUNITY BOOSTER = Green tea + Cranberry Juice Antioxidants called catechins, which have antiviralproperties, are more plentiful in green tea than in black. Adding Vitamin C – which is abundant in Cranberry Juice – can increase absorption of the tea’s catechins. Brew: Steep 2 green tea bags in 8 ounces of hot water for 2 minutes. Stir in 2 ounces unsweetened cranberry juice and agave syrup to taste. Pour over ice.
TENSION TAMER = Chamomile tea + Orange Flavonoids in this calming brew may enhance the activity of relaxing neurotransmitters in the brain. In fact, research suggests that drinking five cups of chamomile tea a day may even help treat anxiety disorders. Team it with Orange: research has found that simply smelling a sweet orange can lower anxiety in moments of stress. Brew: crush 2 strips of orange zest, 1 tsp. dried lemon verbena leaves, 4 mint leaves, and 1 sprig rosemary together in a bowl. Add 3 chamomile tea bags and pour 12 ounces of boiling water over the mixture. Steep 5 minutes. Strain and let cool. Pour over ice and finish with a splash of sparkling water.
STOMACH SOOTHER = Peppermint tea + Ginger The menthol in peppermint can ease gastro-intestinal distress by relaxing the muscles of your digestive tract, while plant phenols in ginger can help speed up the movement of food through your system. Brew: Pour 8 ounces boiling water over 2 peppermint tea bags and 3 slices fresh ginger, smashed. Steep 5 minutes. Let cool. Strain, stir in honey to taste and pour over ice.
PRESSURE RELIEVER = Hibiscus tea + Coconut Water Mildly hypertensive people who drank 3 cups of hibiscus tea daily for six weeks lowered their blood pressure as significantly as they would have by taking some hypertensive meds, according to a study in the Journal of Nutrition. Add coconut water for its potassium – the mineral helps keep blood pressure stable by reducing the negative effects of salt. Brew: Steep 2 hibiscus tea bags in 8 ounces hot unsweetened coconut water for 5 minutes. Let cool. Stir in 2 ounces sparkling water and pour over ice.
I’m feeling good already!
Taken from “Feeling Good” in O Magazine. By Jessica Girdwain.
Ahi Tuna – 1 lb.
Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION. 
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