Crispy Snapper with Spicy Basil Sauce

There is no such thing of a couple that does not fight. Even the best, most stable relationships, go through tough times and rough conversations. Pride can get in the way of our relationships thriving. We don't want to back down, until the other person knows we mean business. But is it worth the relationship? Take time to think about that the next time you are so mad steam is coming out your ears. If it is worth ending the relationship over, then by all means, hold our ground. But if it is the regular run of the mill fight. How about swallowing your pride, asking for forgiveness, and then move on to a wonderful evening together. 

Romantic Tip: Be the first to say "I'm sorry" and kiss and make up.

Now on to today's food...I have been cooking a lot o f Red Snapper lately. I love wild caught snapper, and my local organic market has been keeping me very happy with their stock of this gem. I love it because it adapts to any flavors.  

Because my husband absolutely loves all things spice, this dish was perfect. If you are not a big spice fan, you can always use just bell peppers instead of thai chile peppers. We thought it was perfect with the thai chile peppers. Enjoy!

Crispy Snapper with Spicy Basil Sauce

adapted from sel et sucre

2 Snapper fillets  (approx. 8 ounces each)

1/3 cup flour 

3/4 cup panko bread crumbs 

1 Tbsp + 3 Tbsp canola

6 shallots, minced 

4 cloves garlic, minced 

6 thai chile peppers, diced 

1 bell pepper, chopped 

1/4 cup chicken stock 

1/4 cup fish sauce 

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp agave nectar

juice of 1/2 lime 

1 cup Thai basil leaves 

1 egg, beaten with 1 Tbsp water

Pat dry snapper fillets with a paper towel. 

Set up a plate with  flour, a bowl with 1 egg, beaten with 1 Tbsp water, and a plate with 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs. Dredge each fillet in the flour, followed by the egg wash, followed by the panko breadcrumbs, and set aside. 

In a sautee pan or medium pot, heat 1 Tbsp canola oil over medium-high heat, then sautee  shallots, minced, cloves garlic, minced, chile peppers, sliced, and 1 bell pepper, chopped until the shallots start to darken and the bell pepper is softened, about 5 minutes. 

Add 1/4 cup stock, 1/4 cup fish sauce, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 Tbsp agave nectar, and juice of 1/2 lime, and stir together thoroughly. Bring to a boil, and let simmer until slightly reduced, about 3 – 5 minutes. 

Stir in 1 tsp cornstarch, mixed with 1 tsp cold water, if using, and let simmer until thickened, about 1 – 2 minutes. 

Stir in 1 cup Thai basil leaves, and cook until fragrant, about 1 – 2 minutes, then lower heat to lowest setting to keep warm until ready to serve. 

In a large sautee pan, heat 3 Tbsp canola oil over high heat, then add the coated fish fillets, being careful not to crowd the pan (you will probably need to do a couple of batches). 

Cook the fish until the bottom is crispy and browned, about 3 – 5 minutes. 

Flip the fish, and continue cooking until the other side is crispy and browned, and the fish can be easily flaked with a fork, another 3 – 5 minutes. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels. 

Serve the crispy fish fillets topped with the Thai basil sauce.

5 Minute Teriyaki Snapper & Rice

Today I am sharing you a very fast 5 minute meal. I am not usually a big "fast meal" maker. But this week is Thanksgiving, I am in the middle of about 6 jobs and I am very pressed for time. Thanks to Rice n Simple, I got to try out their all-natural, premium cooked rice that raises the standards for instant microwaveable meals. It cooks in just one minute and the various sauces that come with each bowl are exceptionally delicious and can make it look like you have been slaving away in the kitchen all day! 

Rice n Simple is a young company that is dedicated to providing its customers with an option for enhanced energy, flexibility and creativity by offering the highest quality rice in addition to the most deliciously flavored sauces for a healthy lifestyle. Rice n Simple was established on the philosophy that being healthy and eating healthy is essential to living a balanced, simple and harmonious life. The company strives to connect with its customers through one of the simplest things life has to offer, quality food; and with the simplest nutrient rich food in the world, rice.

Available in both white jasmine rice and brown rice, Rice n Simple has created super healthy rice meals with incredible sauces that add mouthwatering taste to its already flavorful rice. And at a very affordable price, Rice n Simple provides quick & easy, yet super healthy rice bowls. The rice itself is of the highest quality, imported from Thailand and selected for its delicious flavor, unique texture and naturally distinctive aroma.

Rice n Simple is available for purchase at select Kroger locations in the US as well as at www.amazon.com for just MSRP $2.49 per 7oz meal. With delicious sauces including naturally brewed Soy Sauce, lush Shiitake Mushroom Glaze and a yummy flavored Teriyaki Glaze, the rice can also be utilized in any recipe, including those listed at www.RicenSimple.com.

For this recipe you only need a few simple ingredients. 

5 Minute Teriyaki Snapper & Rice

serves 2

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

2 Rice n Simple jasmine rice with teriyaki glaze

2 6 ounce fillets of wild caught red snapper

Sea Salt and freshly grated pepper to taste. 

Start out with a non stick pan or cast iron skillet, and heat it over medium high heat.

Salt and pepper the snapper on both sides to taste.

Add 1 Tbsp. Olive oil to the hot pan and swirl to coat. 

Add your snapper. Cook for 2 minutes, then flip. 

Cut the Teriyaki glaze sachet and squirt it on the cooked side of the fish, being careful not to get it in the pan. Cook for another 2 minutes. 

While finishing up cooking open your rice containers. 

Remove the film completely and cook on high for 1 minute for each container. 

Serve the fish over rice with your favorite sauteed vegetables. 

Scallops with Leek Grenobloise

For those of you just tuning in, I have exciting news! I was just offered a book deal. I am writing Gourmet Cooking for two, the cookbook! 

So things are getting a little hectic for me. I write for a lot of publications, have just finished up writing my other book "Gluten-free made easy" that will be available June of 2014, and now this book that will be available to purchase at costco, barnes and noble, amazon and so many more places August of 2014! Exciting!

Bear with me during this time. Since I plan on bringing you 100 recipes that you have not seen before, I will be busy busy busy and not able to post here as often as I would like. 

Now on to today's food. 

My husband absolutely loves seared scallops. I am not a big fan. I can handle one. After that it is just far to rich for me. I still try to make them for him often. This version was nice and light and full of citrus flavor. 

Scallops with Leek Grenobloise

slightly adapted from Food and Wine

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound sea scallops

sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium leek—trimmed, halved and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons drained capers

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil. Season the scallops with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat until golden brown on the bottom 4 minutes. 

Now you are going to do what I like to call the "flip and tap". Turn the scallops over and cook for about 30 seconds just enough to make the scallops opaque throughout. Transfer to a platter and keep warm.

Melt the butter in the skillet. Add the sliced leek and capers and cook over high heat, stirring, until the leek is crisp-tender, 2 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the leek around the scallops and garnish with lemon.

New England Clam Chowder from scratch

There is something powerful about the moonlight. I think Kenny Chesney got it right in the song "When the sun goes down". Everything truly does get hotter. Most of the time, we snuggle in and don't bother going out in the moonlight. Occasionaly, we get out there and it is almost always magical. Especially along the water. Seeing the moon reflect off the water is a peaceful romantic thing. I highly recommend you get out there and experience it with your love. 

Romantic Tip: Take a moonlit walk on the beach, bay, lake, or any other romantic place.

Getting on the water for us, almost always means we will stop at the Brig for our favorite New England Clam Chowder. I have yet to find a better chowder here in San Diego. So I decided to learn how to make it from scratch like them at home. That's right. I mean completely from scratch. No canned clams here. It is actually easy, so don't be intimidated. 

New England Clam Chowder from scratch

adapted from http://norecipes.com

2 pounds fresh clams 

1/2 cup fresh water

1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 ounces bacon cut into 1/8 in. slices

1/2 medium onion minced

1 tablespoon flour

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2 lb. potatoes of your choice cut into small cubes

1/2 teaspoon fresh marjoram minced

1 bay leaf

2 Tbsp butter

The day before: As soon as you bring your clams home from the store wash the clams with cold water and then put the clams in a bowl with enough salt water to cover the clams ( it should taste like the sea). 

Put the bowl in your refrigerator. Over the next 24 hours your clams will do their thing and siphon in the clean water expelling most of the grit they hold between their shells. If your clams are really dirty, you may need to change the water periodically.

In a wide pot or sauté pan with a lid, add the clams along with 1/2 cup fresh water. Cover and steam over medium high heat until all the clams have opened. 5 - 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and uncover. 

Remove the clam meat from the shells and transfer to a bowl. Discard any unopened clams. Once all the clams have been shelled, slowly pour the clam stock over the clams, leaving the last tablespoon or so of stock along with any grit in the pot. Wash the pot out. 

Agitate the clam mixture to allow any sand to settle to the bottom of the bowl, then let it sit for a minute to allow all the sand to settle to the bottom. Use your fingers or a slotted spoon to scoop the clams off the top of the liquid being careful not to disturb the sand at the bottom. Once you have all the meat separated, give the stock a few minutes to settle, then slowly pour the clam stock into a 2 cup liquid measuring cup, leaving the last bit of stock and any grit behind. You should have 2 cups clam juice, if you have less, add water to make 2 cups. 

Add the olive oil and bacon to the clean pot and fry until most of the fat has rendered from the bacon and it is starting to brown ( but not until its crisp). 

Add the onions and sauté until the are tender and browned. Add the flour and continue frying for 1 minute. 

Turn off the heat, then add the clam stock and milk. Whisk together to dissolve the roux, and then add the potatoes, marjoram and bay leaf. Put the pot over medium heat and bring the pot to a low simmer. Do not let the soup boil. 

When the potatoes are tender, remove the bay leaf and return the clams to the pot. Once the clams have reheated the soup is done.

Asian Fish Sandwich

 
Sometimes it is hard to stay away from all the fast processed food out there. My husband and I have not eaten out, unless it is an organic farm to table restaurant, in a long time. Because I am so in love with my man, I want him around. I make sure he gets "real food" to eat. Not the chemically laden, genetically modified, processed food you get at most restaurants. 

So I have been recreating our comfort foods at home. I have been missing a good crispy fish sandwich for some time. It was time for me to create one, and this one did the trick. Way better than anything I have been served in a restaurant, and because it was made from scratch with wholesome ingredients, I didn't feel gross after I ate it.  I made them into sliders for easier eating. They are divine, I hope you try them!

Asian Fish Sandwich

For the slaw

1 1/2 Tablespoons Rice wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon Low Sodium Soy Sauce

1 Tablespoon Peanut Oil

1/4 Tablespoon Sesame oil

1/4 Tablespoon Honey

1/4 Tablespoon Fresh lime juice

1 pinch Cayenne pepper

1 pinch Red Pepper Flakes

1 pinch Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup Shredded Cabbage

flour dredge: 1/4 cup flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper

2 eggs

Breading:

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/2 pound fish fillets. I used snapper, but mahi, halibut, or any whitefish will work

2 Tablespoons butter 

1 Tablespoon olive oil

For the Yogurt Sauce:

1/4 cup kefir cheese (spreadable greek yogurt)

1 Tablespoon dill pickle juice

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

6 dinner rolls of your choice

Directions:

Toss the panko crumbs with ginger, salt, paprika, and pepper.

Cut the fish filets to fit on your dinner rolls. 

Prepare a dipping station.  One bowl with the flour dredge mixed together. One bowl with your eggs whipped. One larger bowl with the breading. 

Start by dipping your fish in the flour and coat on each side.

Next dip in the eggs.

Lastly, coat the fish in the breading mixture. 

Melt 2 Tablespoons butter and one tbsp olive oil in a skillet and add fish, cooking each side until browned, turning once.

Meanwhile, prepare sauce. Mix together all yogurt sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. 

When fish is almost done, prepare your buns.  Spread each bun with yogurt sauce mixture. Place cabbage slaw on each bun. Top with fish fillet. 

Dabble a little more of the sauce on the top bun and top the fish. 

Enjoy!

Leftover Turkey and Seafood Paella

 

I hope everyone had a spectacular Turkey day. I was too busy eating so I unfortunately don't have any photos of the spread. *sadface* And I'm still recovering from my food coma. As for the actual turkey, I've never been too crazy about it the day of but I do love the leftovers. Aside from the always glorious post-Thanksgiving sandwich, the possibilities for the turkey are endless: soups, chilies, stir fries, casseroles, etc.

A paella is a little like a casserole in the sense that it is often served in the same vessel it's cooked in. I've adapted this paella recipe for leftover turkey but leftover roast chicken would work just as well. This recipe is made in a 6 quart Dutch oven because I don't have a paella pan nor do I have a open fire of orange branches and pine cones so I did the cooking in the oven.

Leftover Turkey and Seafood Paella
1 cup chicken or turkey stock
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
1 pound seafood of choice or a mixture of shrimp, peeled and deveined, scallops, or squid
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch wide strips
Olive oil
8 or 9 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (2 generous tablespoons)
3 to 4 cups leftover turkey, coarsely shredded or chopped
8 ounces Spanish chorizo (can sub fresh chorizo or Portugese linguiça), sliced in half lengthwise then cut into 1/2 inch thick crescents on the bias
1 medium onion, diced
2 cups Valencia or Arborio rice or another short grain rice
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 cup dry white wine
2 dried bay leaf
Salt and ground black pepper
1 dozen or so mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 C chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving

Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat the turkey broth in a small saucepan or in the microwave until hot and steaming but not boiling. Add the crumbled saffron to bloom and set aside.

Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering but not smoking. Add the pepper strips, stirring occasionally, and cook about 3 to 4 minutes or until the skin starts to blister and turn spotty black. Transfer the pepper to a small plate and set aside.

Turn the heat down to medium. Add 2 teaspoons of oil in the now empty Dutch oven and cook the chorizo until it starts to brown and fat begins to render, about 4 - 5 minutes. Add the onions and cook until the onions are soft, 3 - 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Then add the rice and stir until the Dutch oven contents are evenly mixed. Add the drained and chopped tomatoes, white wine, turkey stock and saffron mixture, bay leaf, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper and bring to boil stirring occasionally.

Cover the pot and transfer the pot to the oven and cook until the rice has absorbed almost all the liquid, about 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, remove the pot from the oven, mix in the cooked leftover shredded turkey and shrimp. Arrange the mussels hinged-side down into the rice, arrange the bell peppers in a pinwheel pattern. Cover and return the pot to the oven and cook until shrimp are opaque and mussels are opened, about 10 minutes.

Scatter the peas on top, cover, and let the paella stand for 5 minutes. Discard any mussels that haven't opened. Sprinkle with parsley and arrange lemon slices on top or serve them separately.