Beetroot Gravlax with Horseradish Sauce

Ok I can't believe I have never done this before.  I've been fantasizing over this for an entire year.. why did I wait this long?  It's so easy!

Inspired by Jamie Oliver

Cure

750g Salmon

200g beets, peeled

100g sea salt

50g sugar

50g horseradish

5 cL vodka

1 bunch fresh dill

zest from 1 lemon

Sauce

3 Tbsp yogurt

2 Tbsp freshly chopped dill

2 Tbsp lemon juice

2 Tbsp mayonaise

3 Tbsp horseradish

black pepper

Directions

1.  Make the cure by blending everything but the salmon and 1/2 bunch dill together.

2.  Rub the cure all over the salmon, then cover with plastic wrap and weight it in the fridge for 48 hours.

3.  Carefully scrape the cure off the salmon and rinse.  Pat dry and lay the rest of the dill over the salmon with some nice and heavy grinds of pepper.  Re-wrap tightly and let sit one more day.  It will keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.. but it seriously won't last that long.

4.  Make the sauce and stir.

Just look at that color!  It looks like steak!

To serve, thinly slice the salmon and arrange on a plate alongside the sauce.

You just won the holidays.

Ahi and Avocado Poke Bowl on Arugula

My first memory of eating Poke was on the beach in Hawaii.. bought at the market and separated into plastic cups for the family.

I had never eaten anything as intriguing and it wasn't a big thing.

Then I had it several times at Roy's, a Hawaiian restaurant, and finally, a homemade version from my Father.

Since then, no poke for me.

Also since then, it seems like Poke has become the new fresh fast food.  There are little poke shops EVERYWHERE!

When you only come back to the US every couple of years, these types of changes really stand out.  It went from "what is poke and how to you pronounce it?" to "omg you don't know what poke is?"

Although it's trendy and delicious, which is a rare combination, I do hope that the fishing regulations will take notice of the diminishing tuna populations in the ocean.  These babies need a break to be able to reproduce in sufficient quantities.

Everyone loves to be able to eat it now but it would be even nicer to be able to eat it in the future.

With that said, when it is available and not too expensive, I'm guilty of indulging on that rare occasion.  When I do, this is how I prepare it:

Serves 4

Ingredients

900g (2lbs) fresh Ahi Tuna, cut into cubes

2 small avocados, cubed

1/2 firm cucumber, diced

1 very ripe tomato, diced

1 jalapeno, diced 

2 tsp dried seaweed, rehydrated (use hijiki or wakame)

1 handful chopped cilantro

1 handful chopped chives

1 green onion, chopped

as much arugula as you want as a bed

some black and white sesame seeds for garnish

Vinaigrette:

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp grated ginger

1 Tbsp sesame oïl
1 Tbsp rice vinegar

freshly cracked black pepper

1/2 tsp white sesame seeds

1/2 tsp black sesame seeds

Directions 

1.  Whisk the vinaigrette ingredients together.

2.  Toss with all the rest.

3.  Serve over a bed of arugula

4.  Ask yourself if you are worthy of eating such a heavenly thing

Fish Tacos on Homemade Tortillas

Fish Tacos.
This made up 75% of my intake in college.  I could eat them everyday and not get sick of them.  I craved them when I was too sick to eat them and will seek out every single fish taco joint in California just to get a sneak peak of the chef's heart.
There are no words...
This being my favorite food for such a large part of my life, the only 2 reasons I had not made them before this year are:
1.  Before living here, I had easy access to them, so never a need to make them
2.  After living here, I had NO access to valid corn tortillas, or masa harina.
  What has changed?
I thought of buying masa on one of my trips back home and decided to try to make tortillas myself.
Major Breakthrough of the Year here!
So, making corn tortillas is actually not so difficult.  You just need to know the ziplock trick.  It's probably even easier with a tortilla press, but hey, it's not a requirement.

Yield 20 6 inch corn tortillas
Ingredients
2 cups masa harina (do not sub corn flour)
1 1/2 cups warm water
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Directions
1.  Mix everything together into a warm ball.
2.  Let rest for 30 minutes, covered with a kitchen towel.  During this time, the masa will absorb more moisture.
3.  Divide the mixture into 20 balls.. or wing it and make small balls that fit into the palm of your hand (I have small hands)
4.  Cut a large ziplock bag so you can open it like a magazine.  Place each ball in between the plastic and press into a tortilla.  Use a rolling pin to help, pressing from the inside toward the outside.

5.  Cook on a flat slightly oiled surface, flipping once.  I don't quite know about the cooking time.. just don't burn them or they will break when you use them as a vessel for your fish tacos.
6.  Place them in a tortilla warmer until ready to use.  If you don't have one, keep them wrapped in a clean kitchen towel.

Sooo easy!
I'll get to my fish taco recipe soon.. with that spicy Chipotle sauce and Guacamole.. mmMMmmMmm!!

Panko Crusted Coalfish Burger with Tartar Sauce

As I drift from the traditional all beef patty, pre-seasoned and char-grilled to perfection, I'm opening up to things I may never have tested before, as long as my OG burger was available.

It is unfortunate to cling to ideas of "The Perfect Burger" because you completely pass by opportunities to taste exceptional things such as Black Bean & Beet Burgers.. or my new best friend, this crusty Coalfish Burger!

So here's the thing with me and fish.  When it's whole, it's either on the BBQ/Plancha or in the oven.. whole.  That is the tastiest way in my opinion.  If I'm going to be cooking it in a pan.. there is no other way for me than crusted.

The crust is where it is all concentrated.  If you can get that right, you can make it any style you want, and be worshipped.  Indian style with curry leaves, mustard seeds, and coconut rice.  American style in a hamburger bun with tartar sauce.

Oh yes.

This crust is perfection in a bun.

Let me explain.

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 thick cut of fish (mine was coal fish, about 350g - 12 oz), cut in half

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp butter

Crust:

3 Tbsp ground almond

1/4 cup panko

2 cloves garlic, grated

1/2 tsp fleur de sel

1/2 tsp freshly grated black pepper

3 Tbsp finely chopped parsley

1 tsp dill

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

3 Tbsp grated parmesan

Tartar sauce:

1 plain yogurt

2 Tbsp dill

1 cloves garlic, grated

juice from 1/2 lime

pinch fleur de sel

1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

1 shallot, diced

4 baby cornichon (tiny French pickles) diced

1 tsp cider vinegar

Directions

1.  Make sure your fish does not have any bones.  Remove them with tweezers if needed.  This is important.  You lose the "fun" of the burger if you don't do this.  Pat dry.

2.  Prepare the crust by mixing all the crust ingredients together.  Make sure to stir well so there are no clumps.  Put this on a small plate.

3.  Press the fish into the crust.  Make sure there is crust all over each piece of fish.  Press with your fingers if you must.

4.  Make the tartar sauce by stirring all the ingredients together.

5.  Cook the fish.  Heat the oil and butter in a stainless steel pan.  Place each piece of fish into this.  Do this on high heat.  Cook for about 2 minutes, then carefully flip, reduce heat, and cook for another 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and cover for about 1 minute (the inside will steam while you get all your burger things ready).  The cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of your fish.  The thinner it is, the quicker it will cook (and possible fall apart so get a thick piece).

Serve by slathering tartar sauce on each side of your toasted burger buns.  I put tomato, lettuce, and a roasted green chile in mine and served with some oven roasted fries.

This was perfection.  Crusty on the outside and tender on the inside.  The tartar sauce was tangy with some fresh crunch.
Look no further, we have found each other...
Welcome to my table, crusty fish burger!

The Seppia of my Life

 Words cannot do this justice.

One must experience this to fully understand the meaning of life.

Cuttlefish, Seiche, or Seppia, however you like to name it, is my all-time favorite living being to enjoy grilled on the plancha.  Whenever I can get my hands on some fresh ones or have it at a restaurant, you can bet it's going to be in my belly.

This is the first time I've cooked such a big one.  The plate shows only half of it (because I unfortunately had to share) but it was a beauty.

The preparation is methodic, but each step gets me more excited until the very first bite where all I can feel is total bliss.  This is powerful stuff.  It pushes my serotonin button and makes my eyes roll back.

The best part is I finally picked my first of 3 beef heart tomatoes to join me in my nirvana-state.

They were perfect.  Just lightly seasoned with Himalayan pink salt, some pepper, and garden parsley.

Oooh!

So how do you prepare Cuttlefish?

Well, you can have your fish monger clean it and remove the skin (which is easier).. or, you can do it yourself... just be careful not to poke your knife into one of the eyes or it will squirt everywhere and might disturb the moment.

The important part is to remove the bone (or plume) and eyes, then pull the skin off and you're done.

For the plancha:

If it is a large one like mine, cut the body in half to make 2 steaks, and score each side diagonally with a knife.

Rub some grated garlic, hot pepper flakes, fleur de sel, and black pepper all over it, then drizzle with olive oil and let it marinate until you're ready to grill (while you're preparing the rest of your sides).

Then, when the plancha or griddle pan is hot, cook it while pressing down (because the sides will curl up) for about 2 minutes on each side.  You should see some nice grill marks.

Then remove and squeeze some lime juice on it and it's ready to go.

Mmmm.. look at that beauty.  I spoke to it at the store before, on the ride home, and while I was preparing it.

It sacrificed itself for me, and I am every so grateful for having experienced this moment...

Squid Grilled on the Plancha

When this happens.. I feel I have fully lived my life..

Griddled Cuttlefish....

Heaven is This.

Almond Crusted Coalfish with Ajvar Quinoa and Pickled Okra

When life hands you Ajvar,  inspiration follows.

Ajvar is a Turkish/Serbian spread made with roasted paprika peppers, garlic, and eggplant.  It's like Turkish caviar.  It can be eaten as a spread for a sandwich or wrap, mixed with yogurt for a madd veggie dip, spread on toast for canapé's, on eggs, as a salsa... well, pretty much anything because once you dip your spoon in to taste it.. your brain starts twirling and singing and you float along the Bosphore..

So here, I had some coalfish (lieu noir) filets and I was about to use my Ajvar as a marinade, but decided to make orange quinoa instead.

Coalfish filets in a coconut almond crust with Ajvar laced quinoa and a pickled okra, beet, and feta salad.. just another weeknight dinner..

OooOooh Coqinaee

Seabass on the BBQ

 Sometimes you just need to BBQ between the rain drops...

Stuffed with sliced shallots, grated garlic, chopped cilantro, a squeeze of lime and a nice dash of sexy black pepper and olive oil.

Grilled for about 10 minutes on the BBQ, until skin was golden and flesh was flakey..

A dream come true..

Roasted Beet Pesto

Let me name all the things I love about beets...
I love the way they feel raw
I love the way they taste cooked
I love the way they penetrate others with their color
I love the way stain my fingers for days
I love the way make me feel closer to Earth
I love the dark red color through my body
I love their natural sweetness
I love the Halwa they give me
.. this list can go on...

Beets are the Fire Element, directly linked to the heart.. it's only natural to love them.
Every time I try something "different" with beets, I fall in love all over again..

Yield 1 1/2 cups (enough for 500g or 1 lb pasta)

Ingredients

2 red beets, unpeeled, cut in halves

4 cloves garlic, peeled

3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup ground almonds

1/4 cup ground cashews

1/3 cup olive oil

freshly cracked pepper

few pinches fleur de sel

Directions

1.  Rub some olive oil all over the beets and place them cut side down in a baking dish.  Bake at 275°F 180°C for 50 minutes or until tender.  Let cool.

2.  Peel the cooled roasted beets.  The skin should come off easily.
3.  Blend the beets with the garlic, vinegar, and ground nuts, adding olive oil as needed.  Blend this into a smooth paste, then add the fleur de sel and cracked pepper.
4.  Use on pasta (as I did) or as a spread as you would any pesto.
For pasta, make sure you reserve some of the cooking water to make it as saucy as you like it toss with the pesto.

I did this and added some roasted pollock to it

Eat Beauty.

Tandoori Endives with Madras Coconut Fish

A Desi Rani's meal with exotic fusions.

The exotic part of this meal is the totally French endives seasoned and grilled the North Indian way... tandoori style, of course!

Caraway, Tuna, and Broadbean Soup

Soup season doesn't mean you have to drink your dinner.  I personally prefer chunky creamy soups to velvety smooth blended soups.  I have different thickening methods, but my all-time favorite is to use beans.  Once they're cooked, I blend some together with the cooking liquid and pour it back into the pot.  The result is similar to cream.. without the cream, but with all the goodness of creaminess!

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp caraway seeds

1/4 tsp turmeric

1 green chile, slit

1 chopped onion

1/2 cup dried split broad beans, soaked for at least 1 hour

water to level

1 cube vegetable bouillon

1 carrot, diced

2 handfuls cauliflower florets

1 can tuna, drained

1/4 cup frozen peas

lots of cracked black pepper

grated parmesan for garnish
Directions
1.  Heat the oil in the soup pot and add the caraway seeds when it is hot.  When the seeds start to crackle, add the turmeric.  It should fizz.
2.  Add the green chile and onions and cook until translucent.
3.  Add the soaked broadbeans, carrot, cube of bouillon, and water to level.  Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the beans are almost tender.  Remove a ladle with the beans and set aside.
4.  Add the cauliflower florets and more water if needed.  Simmer for 5 more minutes.  You don't want to overcook the cauliflower or it will be come mushy.
5.  Add the tuna, peas, and black pepper.  Judge the water level yourself.  Heat through for a few minutes.
6.  While that is happening, blend the beans you set aside in step 3 and pour them back into the soup. This is your thickener.  The liquid should no longer be clear.  Taste and add salt if needed.

Serve garnished with parmesan.  I found some excellent multigrain bread to sop up the last bits with.
Bread and caraway also go hand in hand by the way.

This is is one of those dinners I created as I progressed through the steps and made sure to write each detail down so I could recreate it.  It was everything I love about a soup with a little mix of Indian style technique.  Cauliflower and caraway seeds are a perfect match, but frying them in oil and then adding the turmeric for a fizz is the best way to have them release their flavor.  I love the way the method can be applied to any type of dish.. not only Indian food..
(as I say this, bhangra music is playing in my head)

Fresh Mussels in a Spicy Tomato Sauce

After years and years of trying to either grow basil or keep a basil plant alive for more than 3 days, I finally conquered the challenge.
The secret?  I have absolutely no idea.
Maybe this time I tried to be careful to only pick the big leaves and leave the small leaves on the plant to develop.   Maybe this time I remembered to water it and put it on the window sill during the day and brought it in at night.  Maybe it's because I remembered to bring it in when it was too hot.. or put it on the south or east side of the house instead of full blast west as my previous living space faced.  Whatever the secret, I'm going to make it last as long as I can.  When those leaves start looking at me proudly and the plant is standing up straight, chest puffed out and shoulders back, I need to use them.  This is the type of deep deep inner desire that must be fulfilled quickly.  I'm always afraid to "waste" fresh basil by cooking it into dishes because it's so fragrant when raw and used as a topping that it can transform a dish.  I decided to go Cozze on it.
This is a repost of a Sicilian recipe I made after coming home from Italy,

Cozze alla Posillipo.
I didn't have clams this time.. only mussels, but they were big meaty mussels that perfectly filled my pleasure neurotransmitters to the maximum level.
This time I added 1 grated carrot to the sauce to help it become nice and thick.
I also added some freshly halved cherry tomatoes and chopped basil.
This is the type of dish I like to order when I'm out.  I know it's easy to make, but I never know if the seafood I'm buying is going to be good, so I only make it sparingly.
I'm recharged.. try to deplete me!

Hake in a Spicy Black Vinegar Sauce

When I have run out of ideas and the grocery store doesn't inspire me, I feel helpless.  This helpless feeling is followed by annoyed grunts an rummaging around my kitchen.  What unblocks this feeling is when I realize I can make a single serving of something, just for me.  This means I can eat anything I want as spicy as I want and nobody will be there to complain.  This usually means I'll be eating fish, and since my new neighborhood's grocery store does not have a very nice fish selection (nor a very nice fish monger) I've temporarily reverted to frozen filets.  As much as I love fresh fish and seafood.. I can't just hold out for it.  I don't know when I will start to find my fish monger pleasant or the section mouthwatering as I did in my previous neighborhood, but in the meantime, I can make something crazily amazing with good old frozen filets.  Those may sound boring, but they always get a good makeover in my kitchen..
It's very hot these days so I wanted something light but tangy.
And then.. as I opened my last cupboard, I spotted the holy black vinegar.  This condiment plays a major role in my Chinese recipes.  It's not as sour as normal clear white vinegar and has a rounder fuller taste.  It's the main character in potsticker dipping sauce and makes a great dressing.. especially when mixed with sesame.
I was planning on steaming the fish.. because if I was Chinese, I would probably always steam my fish.  Just as my water was boiling under the steamer basket, the power went out and did so each time I used the boost option on my induction stove.
I should probably look into that.
I ended up baking and it turned out just as I was hoping.. but I still would have steamed if I had the option.

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 very large zucchini, spiralized

1 hake filet
1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp chopped cilantro

2 chopped scallions
some sesame seeds for sprinkling
red pepper flakes for garnish

Sauce:

1 Tbsp sesame oil

1 Tbsp black vinegar

3 cloves garlic, grated

1 tsp doubanjiang (fermented broadbean and chile paste)

1/2 inch ginger, grated

1 tsp black sesame seeds

1 tsp white sesame seeds

1 Tbsp light soy sauce
Directions
1.  Make the sauce by stirring all the ingredients together in a bowl.
2.  Brush your filet of hake with the sauce, then sprinkle with half of the chopped scallions, half the cilantro, and some sesame seeds.  Steam or bake for 7-10 minutes.  If you bake, do this at 200°C 400°F.

3.  While that is happening, heat the sesame oil in a wok and add the spiralized zucchini.  Cook, tossing for only 2-3 minutes.  Do not let it get mushy.
4.  To serve, lay the zucchini noodles in a plate, lay the cooked hake over it, spoon as much of the sauce as you like over it all.  I used a little more than half and then did it again the next day for lunch.  Garnish with the rest of the chopped cilantro and scallions... and don't forget the red pepper flakes!

Scream for joy
Now
No really.. do it.
This is the most wonderful and simple creation I've imagined in a long time.  It literally takes 15 minutes to put together and has a crazy tangy perfect Chinese taste.
I spiralized zucchini but this would work well with rice noodles and other garnishes such as hard boiled egg (which I tried the next day).
The secret is all in the sauce...

Guadalajara Style Ceviche with Blue Ling

I should rather call this Flashback to adolescence Ceviche...
Since I've been recently fiddling with a Tahitian version of ceviche, I've been flashing back to the very first ceviche I've ever had.  I must have been very young, probably a freshman in high school sleeping over at one of my best friends' house whose family is Mexican and where I learned most of the Spanish I still am able to speak today.  There must have been a social event that day or maybe the uncles were coming over, but everybody was cutting or chopping something at the kitchen table around a massive metallic bowl.  Each person had a task, and I happily joined in the fun (being slow at chopping at that age but glad to be participating nonetheless).  When I asked about the final product, I was told it was Ceviche and that I would love it.
Raw fish? No Way!
At that age, I didn't know anything.  I thought I didn't like fish, but oh how wrong I was about that!!
I was told not to worry, that it wasn't really raw because the lime juice would cook it, and that I should at least taste it.  If I didn't like it it wouldn't be a big deal (there were so many other things to eat.)
When the time came, my friend prepared the tostada for me and heavily squirted it with Valentina hot sauce.
I was seduced.
After that, I would order it whenever it was on a menu, and when I moved to France, I never saw it again until I found a Peruvian restaurant that had it (each country or even region has its own version of ceviche).  I found it exhilarating to be eating ceviche again.. especially in France, and made a mental note to myself to give it a shot.
After succeeding with the Tahitian Poisson Cru, and hearing about a wine bar in Lyon that served ceviche.. the time had come to make this myself.  I can't be letting some wine bar give my French friends their first introduction to ceviche!  I have to give them the same debut recipe that started me out on it.
This one.
And it's a perfect debut to the dinner parties I'll be hosting in my new house =)
Serves 5-6
Ingredients
450g (1 lb) blue ling (julienne in French) or other firm white fish
raw shrimp, deveined and cubed (I didn't have this)
1 red onion, chopped
1/2 cucumber, chopped
1 green onion, chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1-2 jalapeños or serrano chiles, diced
few pinches fleur de sel
many grinds black pepper
juice from 3-4 limes
few hefty squirts Tapatio, Valentina, Cholula or equivalent hot sauce (salsa para botana)
1 avocado, sliced
tostadas for serving (I used tortilla chips)
Directions
1.  Remove any bones from the fish and chop into small cubes.  Do not make mincemeat out of it, but keep it only slightly bigger than your cucumber pieces.
2.  In a large bowl, place all the chopped veggies, salt, and pepper and place the chopped fish on top.
3.  Squeeze all the lime juice onto the fish and add some squirts of Tapatio sauce.  Stir well making the mixture homogenous.
4.  Once everything is evenly mixed, refrigerate for 2-4 hours.  This is where the lime juice will "cook" the fish and the cucumbers will release some liquid, making a nice tangy broth.
5.  Serve over tostadas with avocado slices and extra squirts of Tapatio.
If you are like me and live in a land too far away from Mexico for tostadas to be available, no access to masa, and the only corn tortillas available are ridiculously priced, and even if they were reasonably priced, it is too dang hot to be cooking anything in oil....you can in this case (and only in this case) use corn tortilla chips.

The result?
I would have to go back and taste the Madre's version again to be sure, but as far as my brain is concerned, this is exactly how it was (minus the shrimp).  My heart fluttered the same way with the first bite, and the expression on my guests faces satisfied my curiosity as well.
They just didn't have extra Tapatio squirted on theirs.
This is a perfect meal during blistering heat.  I know I shouldn't really complain about the heat.. I do come from the desert where 37°C 99°F is standard and we have even gone up to 53°C 127°F in August.  It's just that I never thought I'd end up missing A/C in France.

I named it Guadalajara Style because the family from which I extracted this recipe (that I based on my memory of that experience 18 years ago but is still vivid in my mind) is originally from that region of Mexico.  After looking around, though, I noticed it's mostly all of Baja that makes it this way.. including San Diego and LA.. and that awesome flea market somewhere near La Puente...
aaah the lovely memories...

Razor Clams and Trout on the Plancha

 Thanks to these little razors marinated in garlic, ginger, lime and olive oil,

 these big boys stuffed with red onion, red bell, and piment d'espelette...

nicely grilled, back to front..

and some heavenly grilled zucchini and asparagus that I was allowed to have a moment of sanity in my head this weekend...

Enough said.

Salmon 'Ota 'Ika with Mango

The last time I made Poisson Cru à la Tahitienne, I was smitten.  Everything about it was perfect, delicate, refreshing, and nourishing.  I couldn't wait to get a chance to make it again with a few tweaks here and there.  The thing is.. I haven't seen fresh white albacore tuna on the stalls at all.  It's as if he just made a cameo appearance to give me a taste of his beauty just to leave me there, lusting for his unattainable passion.  I've been wanting to pair him with a sweet tangy mango and watch the chemistry happen.  Last night I gave in.  With no tuna on the horizon, I let myself be seduced by salmon.  The two have nothing in common in terms of taste, but both make me swoon in different ways.

As it turns out, salmon works wonderfully with coconut milk, avocado, and of course, mango.  It's almost as if it was made to be..

Serves 7-8 as a starter

Ingredients

500g (1lb) fresh salmon, cut into cubes

1 large mango, cut into cubes

1 carrot, grated

1/2 cucumber, diced

2 tomatoes, diced

4 cloves garlic, grated

3 green onions, chopped

1/2 red onion, diced

1 avocado, chopped

1-2 green chiles, diced

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

1/2 can premium coconut milk (about 1 cup)

juice from 3 limes

few grinds black pepper

Directions

Stir everything together and reserve in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Serve cold as an appetizer alone or as a meal along with hot basmati rice.
I served as part of a trio of appetizers alongside some fresh spring rolls and grilled sardines.  It was a very emotional event.

As soon as I move and unpack, I'm buying better a better small dish service.  I don't have many matching small bowls or verrines, so when there is company nobody has the same size or shape.  We all know it's not the plate that makes the meal a hit, but now that I'm a grown woman and a homeowner, I will be upgrading certain things in my kitchen.

Quinoa Spaghetti with Pesto and Baked Pollock

A few weeks ago I bought some quinoa spaghetti hoping it would taste good but not really expecting it to.  I didn't want to "waste" anything spectacular (like my Sicilian clams) on it but I still wanted it to be memorable just in case it was palatable.

Tonight I whipped up some incredible pesto.  You can't really go wrong with pesto can you?

Well it turns out that this was not only palatable, it was incredible and surprisingly light.  The texture was very similar to normal spaghetti and I didn't have any clumping issues while it cooked.

After looking at the ingredients, I understood why..

Yes.. Jardin Bio makes quinoa spaghetti.. but it only has 10% quinoa in it!  The rest is whole wheat.

Aaah marketing...

Of course, I should have looked at the ingredients before buying, but this may have been the rare occasion I actually didn't look, and with "gluten free" being all trendy nowadays, I didn't think they would even mix quinoa with any gluten products.  Lucky for me, none of this really bothers me.  It's actually a great pair because this spaghetti actually has the texture of... well.. spaghetti!  It's got 3% parsley and 0.5% garlic as well, but I'm actually happy I didn't "waste" any of my incredible Italian CoOp olive oil on any fake spaghetti.  I felt so proud and fancy that I even added a bit of balsamic vinegar art.

Serves 6

Ingredients

500g (1lb) dried quinoa spaghetti, cooked al dente

3 filets pollock (or any white fish.. mine was frozen)

2 tomatoes, roasted 15 minutes

1 large zucchini, sliced and griddled or oven roasted until golden

few pinches piment d'espelette

1/4 cup pine nuts

2 Tbsp capers

1 handful sundried tomatoes, chopped

1 cup reserved pasta cooking water

glassy balsamic vinegar for garnish

for pesto:

5 cloves garlic

1 bunch basil

pinch fleur de sel

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup extra special olive oil

3 pickled pepperocinis (fiber from Le Turc)

1 handful grated parmesan

Directions

1.  Cook the pasta in a large amount of salted water according to package instructions until al dente.  Before draining, reserve some of the cooking water.

2.  While this is happening, roast the pollock on an oven tray for about 10 minutes at 200°C 400°F.

3.  While all that is happening, make the pesto by blending it all together.  Add more olive oil if necessary.

4.  Brush a bit of pesto onto each fish filet, then cut each filet in half.

5.  Toss the al dente spaghetti with the roasted tomatoes, zucchini, pine nuts, capers, remaining pesto, sundried tomatoes, and add the pasta cooking water to make it creamy.

Serve in pasta bowls with a half filet of pesto brushed pollock per person.  Drizzle some glassy balsamic vinegar for that last bit of creative inspiration your inner Queen is letting you express.

Ahh I wonder how inspired I'll be by Dusseldorf..

Cozze e Vongole alla Posillipo - Mussels and Clams in a Spicy Tomato Sauce

There is one last part of the Calamari and Sarde meal I had in Milan that I needed to recreate before feeling myself again.  We asked the owner if she had anything spicy to serve us, and since she didn't really have anything officially spicy on the menu, she had her husband cook up a mix of mussels and clams in a spicy tomato sauce that was so out of this world and seemingly simple that I absolutely had to make it at home.  It was so delicious, in fact, that I didn't get enough time to snap a photo of it before all of the hungry tired people started to dig in!  We had walked for over 10 hours that day to their defense.
I cook mussels quite often and clams not as often as I would like to, but I usually just do them simple French style, "Marinière," which does not mean "marinara" but just simply steamed with shallots, parsley, and finished off with some black pepper and served with fries.  I once did them on the plancha.. which was lovely, but I never in my life thought of making them with a spicy tomato sauce.  Why I have no idea...

Serves 4 as an appetizer or over pasta

Ingredients

500g (1lb) fresh mussels, cleaned and bearded

500g (1lb) fresh clams, scrubbed

5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

8 cloves garlic, 6 sliced and 2 grated

2 shallots, sliced (optional)

1 fresh red chile, sliced

1/2 tsp oregano

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 can crushed san marzano tomatoes
juice from 1 lime

1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

handful fresh basil, chopped

chopped flat leafed parsley for garnish

Directions

1.  In a large pot, heat 4 Tbsp of the olive oil on high along with the red pepper flakes.  Add the garlic and onion slices and the red chile slices.  Cook until onions are soft and garlic is fragrant.

2.  Add the white wine to all that lovely heat.  Swish around for 2 minutes, then add the can of tomatoes along with the oregano and lime juice.

3.  Simmer into a thick sauce.  No really, you want that sauce thick.  The mussels and clams release a lot of their inner selves which will make the sauce "saucy" again.

Turn the heat up, add the grated garlic along with the mussels and clams, stir around quickly, then cover and let "steam" for about 5-7 minutes, or until the open.  

4.  Uncover and bring the temperature down.  Stir in the basil and parsley.  Before serving, add the freshly ground black pepper and the last Tbsp olive oil for a nice finish.

Serve as is (as they do in restaurants) as an appetizer to share.. or as I did over some hot al dente linguine for a meal.

This craziness is so tingly I may have to make this spicy tomato sauce every single time I do mussels...

Korean Spicy Baby Squid with Cabbage

I haven't gotten over my desire to eat squid, octopus, and mussels yet and I really don't think that's going to be going away soon.  I had the opportunity to cook for 1.. myself, and when that comes along, I like to put myself through an individual pleasurable experience full of heat and flavor.
This type of meal makes my eyes roll back and my nose run.. but it makes my soul smile..

Similar to the grilled version, Onjingeo Tonggui
Serves 1 as a main, 2-4 as an appetizer

Ingredients

250g (8.8oz) baby squid, cleaned, tentacles separated, and rinsed

1 cup shredded cabbage

Marinade:

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
juice from 1/2 lime
2 small cloves garlic, grated

1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

1 tsp black vinegar

1 Tbsp Sriracha sauce or chile paste

Garnish:

1 Tbsp chopped cilantro

1/4 tsp sesame seeds
Directions
1.  Make the marinade by stirring all the ingredients together.  Put 2 Tbsp of the marinade into the shredded cabbage and stir the rest with the squid tubes.  Let marinate for 10 minutes.
2.  Heat a wok to high heat and cook the marinated cabbage for 2-3 minutes.  Set aside.
3.  In the same wok, add the squid along with the sauce.  Cook for no longer than 4 minutes, stirring.  If you cook longer, it will become rubbery.  You want it tender and nice and juicy.  They will shrivel a bit, but that's cute.

Serve cabbage topped with the squid garnished with chopped cilantro and sesame seeds.
Mine had a lot of sauce, but I like it that way.  You can add hot white rice to sop up that extra spicy sauce.

This level of spiciness takes me gently into a deep Nirvana...