Showing posts with label Seafood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Seafood. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Rippin' Another Blog: SesameTuna & Pea Shoot Salad

The Lowdown:

First of all, I'm just going to say how amazed I am with google translator. Kristy decided (I'm not sure how) that our next Rippin' Another Blog session was going to be from Mattias Jeppsson's Min ugn ar min TV.

The first thing you may notice is that it makes absolutely no sense. That is unless you speak Swedish(?). I think it's Swedish at least. Actually, it was kind of fun. It was like shopping in a specialty food store where you have no idea what any of the ingredients are, or what they are used for. There were pictures and there was jibberish. That is all.

Luckily for all of us, google translator is mind-blowingly amazing. In approximately three seconds I had already understood the recipe. Understood as in I read the English translation. Interesting choice Kristy, interesting choice.

I'm not much of a salad kind of guy. I generally find them boring and dull. I understand their importance for healthy eating and all that jazz. Still, I just can't get over how bland they can be. That is of course, unless you lie and call something that isn't a salad, a salad. This recipe is really just a glorified, albeit delicious, tuna recipe. I simply added red cabbage, a few more pea shoots, and put salad in the name to make myself feel good about my life decisions. In all honesty, who doesn't love a salad that really isn't a salad?

What's even better about this "salad," is the fact that I went to the grocery store, cooked the tuna, made the dressing, and plated the meal in under thirty minutes. The only thing keeping this meal from being uber healthy is the ridiculous amounts of heavy metals in the fish. Heavy metal as in mercury, not Metallica or Slayer. Healthy, quick, easy, and done.



The Playlist:

1 Ahi tuna steak
1/2 Lime, juiced
1/2 cup Olive oil
1 tbsp Sesame seeds
1 package Pea Shoots
Red Cabbage, to garnish
Cilantro, to garnish
Sea salt & Pepper, to taste


The Skinny:

  1.  In seasoned cast iron pan: heat on medium-high until pan is hot.
  2. Seer tuna on each side for 20-30 seconds.
  3. Sprinkle sesame seeds onto tuna and slice.
  4. Mix the olive oil, salt, pepper, and lime juice.
  5. Place tuna on a bed of cabbage and pea shoots. Add cilantro and dressing.


Stay Rad -h
Featured on: Premeditated Leftovers, 33 Shades of Green, Chef in Training, Food Renegade, Foodie Friday,  

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Thai Green Curry (Gaeng Kiaw Wan)

The Lowdown:

I'm not sure that I've ever gone out for Thai food and not ordered a variation of this dish. It always manages to catch my attention, despite my best efforts to explore the remainder of the menu. In the end, what does it matter? Get a doggy bag and take it all home for later. However, this post isn't an meant to be an ode to my favourite Thai restaurants in town. Nor is it meant to praise one of my favourite "poor me, poor me, I'm sick and need a cure" recipes (although seriously, all that garlic, ginger, and shallots is a wonderful preventative medicine). No, this post is intended for something far more devious -- playful revenge.

I feel that over this holiday season, a bit of public payback is in order. Being the perfect son that I am, I decided that my parents would probably love a break from cooking while I was in their neck of the [urban] woods. Given that I love cooking, and they were paying for the groceries, it seemed perfect. Oh god how much I miss them paying for groceries.

Winters in Toronto can be quite brisk, making a spicy Thai green curry the perfect dish to make. After braving the cold, then fighting tooth and nail in the grocery store (December 23 in a grocery store is near suicide) I came home to the question, "why didn't you just buy the packaged green curry paste?" Oh, the humility! If this wasn't enough, it was soon followed by, "if it's not good, you still have time to go to the store and buy the packaged stuff." Oh lord, please help me restrain myself. And now everyone knows the antics I must deal with.




The Playlist:

Curry Paste:
4 Serrano peppers, chopped
1 large piece Ginger, chopped
2 Shallots, chopped
3 cloves Garlic, chopped
1 bunch Cilantro, stems only
1 Lime, zest and juice
1 Lemongrass stalk, outer layer removed then chopped
1 tbsp Oyster sauce
1 tbsp Fish sauce
1 tsp Coriander, ground
1 tsp Cumin, ground
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp White pepper, ground

Ingredients:
1 lb Mussels, fresh
1/2 lb Prawns
2 cups Shitake mushrooms, coursely chopped (optional)
Vegetables, julienne (optional)
3 cups Sui choy, chopped
3 tbsp Vegetable oil
1 can Coconut milk
2 cups Chicken broth (optional)
5 Kaffir lime leaves
Thai basil leaves, to taste
Thai chili peppers, to taste
Coriander, to taste

The Skinny:

  
After trial and error, along with a helpful tip, I found that an immersion blender is the easiest way with the best results. Apparently it releases the fragrance and oils of each of the curry paste ingredients. Optimally, a stone mortar and pestle works best, but it takes much longer and I don't own one.


  1. In immersion blender measuring cup (tall and thin): add lemongrass, ginger, and serrano peppers. Using immersion blender mince until a grainy paste forms. Then add shallots, garlic, and lime peels and repeat the blending process. Finally add the remaining curry paste ingredients and repeat the blending process.
  2. The curry paste makes a dish for 5-7 people. Or it can be separated into two dishes for 2-3 people. The remainder of the instructions are for the smaller portion. For the larger portion you can double the ingredients or add them as you please. The paste can be refrigerated for two weeks or frozen.
  3. In large wok: heat oil on medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add curry paste and cook until fragrant (about 5 minutes). This requires constant stirring so that the paste doesn't burn. Add 1/4 of the coconut milk and continue mixing until it becomes the same consistency as a thin guacamole. Reduce heat to medium-low, add the remaining coconut milk and bring back to a gentle boil. Add chicken broth and simmer for 30 - 45 minutes. 
  4. Remove 2 cups of liquid and set aside.
  5. To wok: If bell peppers and celery are desired add them now and cook for 5 minutes. Add Thai basil, Thai chili peppers, mushrooms, and kaffir lime leaves and remove from heat.
  6. Remove curry from the wok and place in a serving dish and set aside.
  7. In wok: on high heat add the liquid that was set aside and bring to a boil. Add mussels and prawns and cover. Cook until mussel shells open (about 2-3 minutes). Remove all mussels that remained shut. 
  8. Add mussels, broth, and prawns to the serving dish.
  9. Serve with rice and the chopped sui choy. Pouring the broth over the sui choy in individual bowls cooks it just enough so that it remains firm.


Stay Rad -h
Featured on: Premeditated Leftovers, 33 Shades of Green, Chef in Training, Food Renegade, Foodie Friday,  

 

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Spot Prawns on Toast... Just Doin' Some Good

There is just so much good in the world. 

Like when you are waiting to cross the street at an unmarked intersection and someone slows down to let you cross.

Or when you're sitting outside a cafe on your day off, sippin' back a london fog and a puppy comes up and starts jumping all over your feet wanting to play.... I might have known this particular puppy. But even if I didn't, I'd say that'd make for a pretty darn good evening.


And when a total stranger goes out of their way to do something nice for you and doesn't ask anything in return. Even refuses something in return. Just to be nice and helpful.

Or when someone simply smiles and says hello for no reason at all. It always catches us off guard but why should it? Say hello people!

And when you totally black out from too much gin, lose your wallet on the way home - which somehow still contains 50 bucks even though you were buying rounds of shots for all your friends - gets returned by a good Samaritan....with the money still in it.

Of course there's the crap. But why focus on the crap? It's easy to. Contagious, even. But it doesn't feel good. Not really. Oh, it might for a moment or two - but in the end the anger, frustration, sadness, alienation, poopy-pants feelings take over. I'm not saying don't vent if you feel upset - do it. Let it out. But then move on. Silver lining and all that bullshit, right? Right.


Something good right now? Spot prawns. 

Wild B.C. spot prawns come into season but for a couple of months a year, May - June. If you think you've had prawns before, you ain't seen nothing yet. These little babies are usually bought live, quickly prepared/cooked, and their meat is as succulent, tender and rich as lobster. They can also pinch your wallet like lobster but it's a seasonal treat that's well worth the pennies. Seriously. I am not joking. You want these prawns.

When buying spot prawns, look for nice pink crustaceans, with firm heads and tails that curl up under it. If you're lucky, they'll still be wiggling in the case. Watch your fingers after you get them home, they have a good poker at the end of their nose, and put them and their packaging in a bowl of ice in the refrigerator until ready to cook - preferably that day. They deteriorate rapidly and if their heads start to go black - it's a sign the meat is deteriorating. So cook em and eat em quick! If you aren't using them that day, immediately remove the heads - which can be frozen to make a future stock - and keep wrapped over ice for up to 3 days. Do NOT soak in water to clean them. These little babies are live shellfish and if you do that, you will kill them = not good to eat. You also don't have to worry about de-veining them either because they aren't the same category of fish as your ordinary prawns. Holla!

For more information on the spot prawn fishery as well as preparation information, click here. 

For succulent, simple, easy spot prawns on toast... Continue reading.

Spot Prawns on Toast


Ingredients:
Serves 2 as an appetizer or 1 as a main protein.

12 Live Spot Prawns, (heads removed if desired)
2 Thick Slices Sourdough Bread (or carb of your choice).
1/4 C Dry White Wine.
1/4 C Butter, unsalted.
2 Cloves Garlic, thinly sliced.
Small Handful Flat Leaf Italian Parsley, finely chopped.
Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.
Lemon Wedge for garnish.

What to Do:

Turn your BBQ or Broiler to high. 

As that heats, place a large frying pan over medium heat with half the butter. Meanwhile season the prawns with salt and pepper. Once the butter starts to sizzle and brown slightly, toss in the garlic and prawns. Cover and cook about 30 seconds, flip, re-cover and cook another 30 seconds or so.

Remove the lid and and gently add the wine. Allow it to reduce for about a minute or so to allow the alcohol to cook off.

Add the parsley and other half of the butter, remove from the heat and toss well. Set aside until just cool enough to handle.

As those cool, place your bread on the grill and toast one side. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Remove the cooked prawns from the shells (and snap off heads if not eating) and place on prepared toast. Spoon the butter, garlic and parsley business that's left in the pan over the plated prawns, sprinkle lightly with salt and serve with a little lemon wedge if desired.

Eat. 

What kind of good do you see in the world? What kind of good do you give to the world? Do you try to focus on the positive? Or is that kind of thinking just annoying as crap?


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This post is linked up with Whole Foods Wednesday; Cast Party Wednesday; Frugal Days & Sustainable Ways; Showcase Your Talent Thursday; Full Plate Thursday; Tastetastic Thursday; The Hearth & Soul Blog Hop; Tasty Tuesdays; Slightly Indulgent Tuesday; Tuesday Talent Show;

Thursday, April 12, 2012

RPI: Mission Fava Beans - Habas Con Jamon & seared ahi tuna

 Imagine.....


....the smell of hot, humid pavement, salty ocean air, and the waft of fresh baked bread and simmering kitchens...


....hear the rustling of trees high up above the old world buildings, scooters honking, and the gentle klinking of spoons in coffee cups....


...look at the rows and rows of patio canopies, tiny winding cobble stone streets, little old men with bottles of wine for breakfast with their little pastries...


...feel those cobble stones and bricks beneath your feet, the warmth from the Summer sun, beads of perspiration tickling down your back, the breeze coming off the Mediterranean, and the hunger in your belly because your internal time clock is all fucked up...

...now taste all of it...

That was how I first experienced fava beans. In a dish called Habas con Jamon (Spanish for broad beans* with Jamon**). And that's how I'm presenting it to you. 


While in Barcelona we stumbled into a cafe for lunch one day and I found myself in absolute awe of a brilliant green dish that was placed in front of me. No where had I ever tasted anything so rich, so fresh, so buttery, and so perfect. Hello, fava beans. 

I've been in love with them ever since and while they're only available briefly in the Spring here on Vancouver Island - and they're a bitch to prepare - I definitely get my fill. You can find them at The Market on Yates right now, or make a trip to your local farmer's market (i.e. The Moss Street Market). You won't be sorry.

* You will need many more beans than you think. Once the casings are gone, there is significantly less volume than when you bought them. I recommend 1 and a half to 2 Lb per person with casings on. 
** Jamon is a very special cured meat from Spain made from Iberian pigs which is carefully produced with very stringent guidelines. If you can't find it you could substitute prosciutto but as I've discovered, it won't have the same flavor as the good stuff. Try your local artisan meat shop or Italian deli. You can get it in Victoria at Ottavio's Italian Bakery and Delicatessen.

Habas con Jamon 
(with seared ahi tuna)


Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Butter.
1 Brown Onion, diced.
175 g Jamon or Prosciutto, roughly chopped.
2 Garlic Cloves, minced.
4 Lb Fresh Broad (Fava) Beans.
2/3 C Dry White Wine.
3/4 C Chicken Stock. 
2 Yellowfin Ahi Tuna "Steaks" - for more information on the right tuna to buy click here.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

What to Do:

First, prepare the fava beans. This does take a bit of time but it's very easy. Snap off the top end of the bean and gently peel off the seam (like peas). Then gently wiggle your fingers inside to open the pod. Pop out the beans and discard the shells to the compost.

Now here's the time consuming part: the beans are tricky and have a second shell. You'll need to bring a large pot of water to a boil, dump the beans in, boil for about 30 seconds to loosen the second casing and then immediately drain and run cold water over the beans to stop the cooking process and maintain the brilliant green color. Now you can carefully made a tear in the outer coating near the "bum" of the bean (when you see them you'll know what I mean) and just gently pinch the bean out of it's casing. Tada! Bright green broad beans! Again, discard the shell.

Once shelled you can begin the cooking process (much faster than shelling):

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and add the onion, Jamon and garlic. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until onion softens.

Add the broad beans and wine and cook over high heat until the liquid is reduced by half.

Add the stock, reduce heat to low-medium, cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Uncover and cook for another 10, or until the beans are tender, and most of the liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally, season well with black pepper.

Meanwhile, heat a pan over high heat. Add a touch of olive oil once hot, place very cold, sushi-grade, line caught, ahi yellow fin tuna into the pan. Sear for about 20 seconds on both sides. Remove from the pan. Slice into 1/4" slices. And sprinkle lightly with salt.

Serve beans hot, top with the tuna and saddle up with some crusty bread.

Eat.

What's your fondest (or least fondest) food memory?


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This post is linked up with the Hearth & Soul Blog Hop via The 21st Century Housewife; Tasty Tuesdays; Slightly Indulgent Tuesday;