Roasted Cobia, Orzo with Caramelized Brussel Sprouts, and Artisan Style Bread

It's always nice when the visitor that arrives is the one who taught you what you know and is the inspiration for your love of culinary delights!  At $5.99/lb it was hard to pass up Cobia, known as the "black salmon", made popular as the secret ingredient in Battle Cobia on Iron Chef America between chefs Jamie Oliver and Mario Batali.


Cobia is an amazingly rich, moist, and meaty fish with a taste quite akin to a cross between halibut and swordfish, and challenges the substantial texture of swordfish as well.  I can envision its use in stews, kabobs, and on the grill too - substituted for meat in many of your favorite recipes.

The Cobia was prepared very simply to compliment my co-chef's side dish and allow the natural flavors of the fish to stand out.  Place the filet of fish on a sprayed (oiled) foil-lined cookie sheet and brush with olive oil.

Lemon Garlic Mustard Marinade/Topping
Either by hand or in a small chopper, blend together the following:
3 cloves garlic
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
3-4 TBS olive oil
1 1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
1 TBS dijon mustard
1 tsp finely ground black pepper

Spread the blended mixture evenly over the fish and zest the 1/2 lemon used for juice over top.  I opted to use a can of stewed tomatoes, and distributed  some of the tomatoes on top of the fish, the rest on the foil-lined sheet to roast with the fish.  Optional is the dotting of butter along the filet.

Bake the fish for about 15-20 min at 400F, turning up to broil for 5 min at the end.   *Note: Prior to broiling, remove the stewed tomatoes from the sheet as they will burn.


Caramelized Brussel Sprout, Almond, and Breadcrumb Pasta
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pkg brussel sprouts, washed, and halved
1/4 C toasted slivered/sliced almonds chopped finely
1/3 C Italian seasoned bread crumbs
2-3 TBS freshly chopped parsely
1/2 lb pasta cooked al dente, reserve some pasta water (about 1/2-1 C)
Freshly grated parmesan (or reggiano) cheese
Hot pepper flakes
Salt to taste
Olive oil

1.  Liberally coat a non-stick saute pan with olive oil and heat.
2.  Place halved brussel sprouts cut-side down into heated pan and caramelize on med-high heat about 3-4 min.
3.  Turn the brussel sprouts after caramelized, adding 1/2 C reserved pasta water and cover pan with lid to steam brussel sprouts for about 5 min.
4.  Add minced garlic, about 1/4 C olive oil, 1/4 tsp hot pepper flakes (or to taste), bread crumbs, and almonds, saute for about 5 min.
5.  Add pasta and toss with all ingredients adding more reserved pasta liquid until pasta is coated.
6.  Freshly grate parmesan cheese and salt to taste.

Artisan Inspired Bread
I can never get that full crust all the way around my bread, and then I read this article on America's Test Kitchen about baking bread in a pre-heated Dutch Oven.  I didn't follow this recipe, but used the "no knead" and cooking method.  However, next time I definitely plan to try out this recipe.

I tried to make a Ciabatta bread using this recipe; but I'm not too sure if the air pockets and texture resembled Ciabatta too much.  Regardless, the bread tasted great!

Make the day before - Sponge:

• 1/8 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons warm water (not too warm or the yeast will die!)
• 1/3 cup room-temperature water
• 1 cup flour

Cover the sponge with plastic wrap and allow to sit at room temperature for 12 hours up to a day.

Make the day of, but allow 3-4 hours
Bread:

• 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons warm milk
• 2/3 cup room-temperature water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Add the above bread mixture to the sponge and mix until flour is incorporated.  Allow to rise in a slightly warm dark place for 1-2 hours until doubled in size.  Dough will be sticky.



Get a piece of parchment paper ready.  This will be the "sling" used to pick up dough and transfer into the Dutch Oven.  Turn out dough onto a well-floured surface and gently knead 15 times...that's it!  Form into a round loaf.  Transfer to lighly floured parchment, sling into a frying pan, cover with dampened tea towel, and allow to rise about 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Pre-heat Dutch Oven by placing in a 500 degree oven for about 10-15 min.  Carefully remove pre-heated Dutch Oven.  Picking up the dough placed on parchment, lower into the pre-heated Dutch Oven, dust top with flour, cover with lid, and bake for 30 min at 425F.  Remove lid, and bake for another 20-30 min longer until golden brown.  Remove bread from Dutch Oven and cool on wire rack for at least 30 min prior to slicing.

Serve Cobia with some of the roasted stewed tomatoes, the Caramelized Brussel Sprout Pasta, and a slice of freshly baked Artisan inspired bread!

Salmon Part II: Sesame Lime Salmon

Someone I know *REALLY* likes salmon and could eat it everyday. I discovered at the local grocery, that farm-raised Atlantic salmon was $5.99/lb if the purchase was over 2 lbs. Well, another 2.4 lbs of salmon later, a new recipe beckoned. This time, I had some leftover cabbage and scallion from a recent household delicious creation of Okonomiyaki, a savory layered Japanese crepe-like dish.

This time, the salmon was skin-on, which I think makes a huge difference in the buttery flavors imparted into the fish during the cooking process. Perhaps, compared to the previous salmon recipe, which was wild-caught, this one being farm-raised made a significant difference in texture and rich flavor?

Regardless of the salmon source, try the following recipe!

In a bowl mix the following for a large ~2-3 lb salmon filet:

4 TBS sweet-spicy Asian chili sauce (kind of like the kind you find packed with spring rolls from the grocery store sushi section)
1 TBS Hoisin sauce
1 TBS Oyster sauce
2 TBS Sriracha sauce
1 clove grated garlic (microplane into the bowl)
2 TBS freshly grated ginger (microplane again)
4 TBS Saki or Rice Wine (not rice wine vinegar)
Zest and juice of 1/2 a lime

Pre-heat oven to 375 F, and place the salmon filet on a well-oiled (sprayed) foil-lined baking sheet:

1. Brush the salmon filet with sesame oil
2. Brush the above mixture evenly onto the filet
3. Sprinkle filet with sesame seeds
4. Toss 1/2 head cabbage and a handful of baby carrots sliced lengthwise in any sauce remaining in the bowl
5. Distribute the coated cabbage*** and carrots on the baking sheet around the salmon and sprinkle with more sesame seeds
6. Bake at 375 F for 15 min, then broil for 5 min or until golden brown

***If you've never had roasted cabbage...I HIGHLY recommend it. Not only is a head of green cabbage typically something like $0.69/lb and therefore super inexpensive, but if you've ever had roasted brussel sprouts and fell in love with them but not the price of them, then you will find roasted cabbage a wonderfully delicious and less expensive alternative!

Using the convenience of a microwave rice cooker, I made 2 C rice adding 1/2 tsp freshly ground ginger, 1/2 bunch (about 3-4) sliced scallions including greens, a small squeeze of sriracha sauce, and a splash of sesame oil all in 4 C water.

Voila! Dinner was literally ready start to finish in about 30 minutes total! It was super yummy, buttery, and full of flavor. The lime, although not as tangy as one might think it would be, was definitely a stand-out, and potentially key ingredient in this one!

Parsley, Panko & Lemon Crusted Salmon & Low-fat Vermouth Cream Sauce

Admittedly, this is not the most original creation to date. However, I wanted to keep it simple, fresh, and limited to what I had in the house...besides 2.42 lbs of delicious Norwegian salmon. Yes, we've all had those cravings for a nice piece of salmon, and believe it or not, I find that the local wholesale club is one of the best sources for the freshest salmon out there. Even the salmon at the local fish market here in D.C. doesn't always look as nice. At $7.99/lb, the wholesale club is also really reasonable. However, I just discovered (after purchasing my salmon from the wholesale club) that I will likely try purchasing my salmon from the largest Korean-operated grocery chain in this area, H-Mart, because their fish looked beautifully pink, firm, and was situated right next to the sushi grade salmon on the shelf at $6.99/lb!

Salmon is an amazing fish. Born in freshwater, the salmon migrate to the ocean for adult life, whereupon they return to freshwater (their natal stream!) to breed and procreate, whereupon the female typically dies from exhaustion. As a source of protein, salmon is a deliciously buttery, supple and oily--high in Omega-3 and Vitamin D, it's pink color simply due to the carotenoids in the muscle tissue (just like carrots!). Salmon is quite possibly one of my favorite fishes.

All right, I know they say to stay away from dairy and fish; but this creation was not only served over a Vermouth cream sauce, but the crust contained parmesan cheese; but such rule-breaking tasted quite good.

The 2.42 lb skinless, boneless salmon filet was placed on a well sprayed foil-lined baking sheet, then brushed with olive oil and some dry vermouth, and liberally seasoned with salt and pepper.

Into the food processor went 2 cloves garlic, about half a bunch of fresh parsley (enough to yield 1/4 C chopped), 1/2 tsp fresh lemon zest, 1 TBS olive oil, and about 1 1/2 C panko bread crumbs. This was pulsed until nicely combined, and spread to cover the entire salmon filet. After a moderate sprinkling of grated parmesan cheese, the filet was dusted with paprika and dotted with butter. In an attempt to make this as low-fat as possible, about 1/2 TBS butter was cut very small to distribute over the entire fish:

Bake at 375F for 15 min, broiled for 5, and allow to rest for about 3-4 min.

While baking, about 1/2 TBS of butter, 2 TBS olive oil were heated in a saucepan. To this was added 1 1/2 TBS flour. Whisking briskly, over medium-low heat, about 1/4 C dry vermouth, 1 C low-fat (1%) milk, 1/4 C fish stock (chicken or vegetable may be substituted), 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp onion powder, and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, were added and incorporated thoroughly to produce a silky and smooth low-fat Vermouth cream sauce. Vermouth, of course, being a fortified wine typically aromatized with various herbs and spices.

The salmon was served on a bed of organic mixed greens with a slow-baked potato and low-fat Vermouth cream sauce.

Cauliflower Cheese Soup (Vegetarian)

This is one of the very few "recipes" I actually "follow"...AND...repeat. It's a classic from the Moosewood Restaurant's original cookbook. This recipe is wonderfully warming, SIMPLE, and deceptively creamy. With only 2 cups of cheese for about 8 cups of final liquid (I cheated today and made about 12 C of liquid with 3 C cheese--even better), it's not terribly fattening (well, maybe a little, but hey - at least it doesn't call for cream!).

Of course I didn't follow the recipe precisely--how could I?

Again, just like my other soup recipes one will need an immersion blender (best kitchen tool!) for this blended soup, otherwise a blender will work but you have to be careful and wait for it to cool to prevent burning yourself with hot liquid.

In a pot, place the following ingredients all roughly chopped:

1 large onion

3 cloves garlic

1 large potato

2 carrots

1 large head cauliflower - reserve about 1-1 1/2 C small florets

Cover the above ingredients with water (about 4 cups) and add about 1 tsp kosher or sea salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp dried dill, 1/4 tsp celery seed, about about 1/4 tsp caraway seed (optional).

Bring all of this to a boil and allow to simmer until all of the vegetables are soft and tender.

While simmering, take reserved cauliflower florets and place on a lined cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 425F for about 10 min, then broil until golden brown. Set aside.

Once vegetables are soft, turn heat off, and blend the soup with the immersion blender until pureed and smooth. To this, add about 1 C skim or low-fat milk, and continue to blend.

Finally, add about 2 C shredded extra sharp or sharp cheddar cheese and stir into soup. Salt and pepper to taste--serve garnished with some additional shredded cheese, roasted cauliflower florets, and parsely!

Whole Wheat Bread(s): Almost-Everything Spiral Rolls & Cinnamon-Raisin Swirl

After yet another day of cold and dreary weather, and yet MORE snow, I decided to break into the whole wheat flour I purchased a few weeks ago. Of course I had to use my sourdough starter in this recipe because any bread I've made thus far has included it (see other bread posts). I'm not so sure I can taste the sourness of it in there, but I always use it because I'm not sure if the bread would have such a nice texture without it!

I really, and I mean really made this one up this time:

1 pkg yeast - proofed

( about 1/4 C warm

water + 1 tsp sugar for 5-10 min)

~3-4 C whole wheat flour

1.5 C sourdough starter

4 TBS olive oil (or regular vegetable oil)

1/2 tsp kosher salt

After the yeast is proofed, place it in the mixing bowl with the sourdough starter (room temp) -- I used about 1 1/2 C this time I think. Gradually add about 2 C whole wheat flour and mix using dough hook attachment, adding the 4 TBS oil and abut 1 tsp kosher salt to incorporate. Add more whole wheat flour until a soft yet moist dough forms.

Allow dough to double in size about 1 hour in an oiled bowl with a moistened tea towel over the bowl. I typically pre-warm the oven a bit to "warm", turn it off, and allow the dough to rise in there.

I couldn't decide whether to go savory or sweet so I divided the dough and made both types:

"Almost Everything Spiral Rolls":

With half of the dough, divide into 6 small balls. Take one ball, and roll into a 1 inch thick rope always starting from the center of the rope and working your way out toward the ends:

Once the rope is about 1 inch thick, wind into a coil or spiral:

After placing the rolls on a SILPAT (you could use a sprayed cookie sheet), I used 1 egg + 1/4 tsp water to make an egg wash and brushed each coil with the egg wash, prior to coating with a mixture of pretzel salt, sesame seeds, and minced dried onion:

The rolls rested in a dark, warm place for 30 min prior to baking for 10-15 min at 350F. Enjoy!

Cinnamon-Raisin Swirl Loaf:

With the other half of the dough, simply roll to about 18" long by 7" wide. Sprinkle with some brown sugar, cinnamon and raisins - roll into a log and place in a greased loaf pan:

Allow the loaf to rise 30 min in a warm, dark place, brush with egg wash prior to baking for about 12-15 min at 350F. Resist the temptation! Allow bread to cool completely prior to slicing, enjoy by itself or as toast with butter or peanutbutter!

Bouillabaisse-inspired Soup

Well, everyone knows by now the secret of the mega-wholesale-club seafood. That is, I should hope everyone does. Just like their cuts of meat, their salmon is usually some of the most fresh and delicious around town...unfortunately, this also accounts for the local seafood markets.

After battling the crazy parking lot for nearly 30 min, we went straight back to the seafood section to pick up the one and only item needed for tonight's craving: Salmon. Sadly, mega-wholesale-club disappointed, thus forcing creativity upon me while perusing the aisles of Harris Teeter.

Succulent sea scallops, cherry-stone clams, and catfish nuggets were all on sale, and that's when it hit me: Bouillabaisse! (well, okay, let's face it, I neither had time, money, or patience for a full-blown Bouillabaisse, but an April-ized version would work juuuust fine).

In a Dutch oven coated with EVOO and 2-3 TBS butter: 2 med sized onions roughly chopped, 3 cloves smashed garlic, ground with a mortar and pestle: celery seed, dried thyme, dried oregano; 1/2 tsp whole black peppercorn, pinch of saffron, and about 1/2 tsp Chinese 5-spice (I didn't have any star anise or fresh fennel!) - until onions are translucent. I added the shells of about 1/2 lb shrimp and cooked this briefly until they turned pink. This was followed by a deglaze with 2 C white wine, 1 C clam juice (reserved from 2 cans minced clams--save the clams for later) and 3 C water. To this was added 5 bay leaves, a handful of fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, and the juice from one can of diced tomatoes (reserve the tomatoes for later). Lastly, I used an ingredient I just happened to have around the house, but I'm sure fish bouillon could be subbed: I used about 3 TBS Dashi (MSG-free) which is essentially a Japanese form of dried fish-stock. This all simmered nicely for about 45 minutes.

The "stock" was strained into a large bowl, and returned to the pot along with about 3/4 lb baby yellow Yukon potatoes cut into 1/8ths (skins on) and the reserved diced tomatoes. After allowing the potatoes to cook until firm yet tender, about 25 min, all of the seafood was added: 1 bag small cherry-stone clams (scrubbed/cleaned well). These were cooked until they began to open, about 7-8 min. This was followed by the addition of 1/2 lb peeled and deveined shrimp, 6-10 large sea scallops, the reserved minced clams, and about 1/3 lb catfish nuggets cut into bite-size pieces. All of this simmered until the scallops and fish cooked through, about 5-6 more min.

Serve with a nice piece of crusty French bread to soak up all of the goodness!