Lemon Caper Swordfish; Swiss chard with carmelized onions

Tonight I decided to make something light, fast, and tasty. I saw a nice piece of swordfish, so I decided to make a piccata sauce for the fish. Piccata is used on chicken, veal or seafood, and is a quick way to add flavor to your protein.

Swiss chard is not the most well known vegetable, but it is one of my favorites. It is a member of the beet family, but tastes nothing like beets. It comes in different colors, but I've only seen red and white at my produce stand. All varieties are very good for you and are loaded with calcium, folic acid, and vitamins A, C and E. I eat it because it tastes good. The onions become sweeter the longer you carmelize them, and the bitterness of the greens are balanced by the sweet raisins and the syrypy balsamic.

1 lb swordfish steak
4 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
juice and zest from 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 Tbsp capers

Brush swordfish with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Broil on rack in oven, 4 minutes per side, or cook on grill about 5 minutes per side
Meanwhile, mix rest of oil, lemon juice, garlic, capers, zest in pan. Cook on low 3 to 4 minutes.
You can add a pat of butter and heat until melted, if you want your sauce to be even better.
Serve with swordfish.

Swiss Chard and Carmelized Onions
1 bunch swiss chard, washed, leaves and stalks separated
2 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 sweet onion, sliced
2 Tbsp golden raisins
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

In large skillet, heat oil and add onions. Cook over med-low heat, stirring until golden and very soft, 10 min
Tear Swiss chard leaves into 2 inch pieces and cut stalks into 2 inch pieces.
Add stalks and raisins to onions and cook until stalks are tender, about 10 minutes
Add leaves and vinegar, cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Top with toasted pine nuts, parmesan cheese, and crushed red pepper, if desired

Farro with Mushrooms and Black Beans

During my last visit to Mazzaro's, which is my most favorite Italian store in the world, I picked up a bag of farro. I had no idea what it was. I thought it must be good, since they had it at Mazzaro's. I had to find out what it was and how to cook it. It looked like steel cut oats, which I love, so I thought I might like it.
When I arrived home, the first thing I did was turn on my laptop and Googled farro.  I learned it is the mother of all grains, and is the grain from which all other grains are derived from. It was the mainstay for the Roman legions! If it was good enough for Augustus, it was good enough for me. I had to find out how to prepare it. After much surfing, I settled on my usual combination of several recipes and added my own flair at the end. I added some black beans only because I had a half can leftover from yesterday, but I thought it would add some protein and make this a complete meal. In the end, it all turned out delicious, and I will be cooking farro again.

1 cup farro
1 3/4 cups water, which will make 3 cups cooked farro
pinch of salt

Heat saucepan to med high heat, then add farro to dry pan
Toast farro for about 3 minutes, until farro starts to toast
Turn off heat, and add water and salt, stir
Turn heat to med-low, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes, until farro is soft, but still chewy

In saute pan, add 3 Tbsp olive oil
Add 2 cloves chopped garlic and 1 chopped shallot, saute until soft, about 3 minutes
Add an 8 oz package of sliced crimini (baby portabello) mushrooms, add salt and pepper
Saute over med-high heat until water is released from mushrooms and are well browned, about 5 minutes
Add 1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar and 1/4 cup of either Marsala or Madera wine (any sweet wine)
Cook until liquid is almost evaporated; about 5 minutes
Add cooked farro, 3 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme, and water if needed
Add salt and pepper, your 1/2 can of leftover black beans, 1/2 sliced red bell pepper, and 3 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Christmas Eve Appetizers

For some reason, the holidays are a time for me to go back to my tried and true recipes. I never like to experiment with my Thanksgiving sides, or my Christmas apps. Once I find something that works, I stick with it. I think it's because of all the emotions and family rituals that are tied up into the holidays. For me, Christmas Eve means crab stuffed mushrooms and marinated shrimp. The mushroom recipe is from a Dom DeLuise cookbook, with a crabmeat stuffing and topped with melted cheese. The shrimp recipe is from LeRuth's Restaurant in Gretna, LA. It's more like a salad, with carrots, celery, onions all marinating in oil and vinegar, which you can make the day before.  Merry Christmas!!

Marinade for Boiled Shrimp

2 lbs large or jumbo shrimp, deveined, but unpeeled
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/4 cup thinly sliced onions
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
4 Bay leaves
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
4 lemons, thinly sliced
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups canola oil
Tabasco sauce to taste  (I used 5 or 6 shakes)

Boil shrimp with shell on for only 2-3 minutes, until just turned pink. Drain, and put in ice water to stop cooking.

Marinade:

Whisk oil, vinegar and Tabasco in bowl. Pour over shrimp. Add rest of ingredients and mix. Refrigerate at least 6 hours before serving in a glass bowl.


Dom DeLuise Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

2 lb large mushrooms (about 40)
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, minced
1 1/2 cups seasoned breadcrumbs ( I used Vigo)
2 cups crab meat (I used 3 cans)
fresh ground black pepper (I also used some crushed red pepper)
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Wash mushrooms gently with damp paper towel. Remove and mince stems
Heat oil in skillet and saute garlic, onion, 1 cup bread crumbs, and minced stems.
Remove from heat, then add crab meat, black pepper and crushed red pepper, mixing well.
I needed to add a bit more olive oil because the stuffing was too dry.

Stuff each cap with mixture. It's OK if it's over stuffed, don't be stingy. Place on cookie sheet. Top each with more bread crumbs. Bake at 350 for 5 minutes. Pile on the shredded cheese, then continue baking 15 more minutes. Santa says, "These are better than milk and cookies!"

Beef and Gorganzola Toasts with Herb Garlic Cream

Sorry I have not been making updates to my blog lately. I've been too busy cooking! Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Last weekend the house was filled with food, fun, and friends. Jamie and his son, Henry, were here, as well as my son, Brett. We cooked everything from gingersnap French toast for breakfast to pizzas for dinner. I've been wanting to make a beef tenderloin ever since I saw my latest Cuisine at Home magazine. When I mentioned it to the boys, it reminded Henry of something he ate this summer at his uncle's house. It was a beef tenderloin appetizer served with an herb-garlic spread, spinach, and gorganzola cheese. At first, I was skeptical. Who wants to eat beef on toast?  I eventually gave in and decided to give it a chance. We went to the store, bought our "fresh ingredients", and proceeded to the kitchen. Henry was in charge of picking the herbs from my front yard "garden", and Brett was in charge of making the spread. With Slap Chop in hand, the boys make quick work of the chopping duties. By the time the filets had rested and the bread was toasted, we were ready for our assembly line. After eating my first one, I had to eat my words as well. It was delicious. As usual, I've made some adjustments to the recipe, which you'll see below. This is a great appetizer that can be made ahead.  Instead of a whole tenderloin, we used filets. To mix it up, we made half with spinach and half with arugula.

Adopted from Cooking Light

1 beef tenderloin, 1 1/4 lbs (we used two huge filets)
Cooking spray
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
30 French bread toasts, 1/4 inches thick (we used Cuban bread)
30 baby spinach leaves (we made half with arugula)
5 Tbsp gorganzola cheese

Herb Garlic Cream - Mix all together
2/3 cup fat free sour cream
2 Tbsp low fat mayonaise
2 Tbsp chopped chives
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh thyme
1 1/2 tsp Worchestershire sauce
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 clove minced garlic

Preheat oven to 475. Spray cooking sheet with cooking spray. Salt and pepper tenderloin. Bake at 475 for 10 minutes, then turn heat down to 425. Continue cooking until meat thermometer reads 145 for medium rare, approximately 20 minutes. (If using filets, time will be shorter). Remove from oven, cover, and let rest 10 minutes. Cut very thin slices across the grain.

To assemble: Toast, herb-garlic cream, spinach or arugula leaf, beef, gorganzola cheese

Arugula with roasted beets, walnuts and goat cheese

My favorite green to use in salads is arugula. I know it has a strong taste for some people, but I love it. I can't get enough of it's peppery flavor. I also have discovered the unique taste of roasted fresh beets. There is no comparison to the canned version. The true flavor of this root vegetable really comes out when you eat it fresh.  The only thing fresh beets have in common with the canned version is they both will stain your fingers! Today I decided to make a salad with both these ingredients. I made a simple balsamic vinaigrette to dress the salad and added dried cranberries, toasted walnuts and crumbled goat cheese. If using 100% arugula scares you, you can substitute spinach, baby mixed greens, or a combination of whatever you like.  If you don't like cranberries, substitute blueberries or cherries. That's the beauty of a salad; take out what you don't like and add what you like to make it your own creation.

4 fresh beets
olive oil
salt and pepper

1 bag arugula (or any combination of your favorite salad green)
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
3 oz soft goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup dried cranberries

2 large shallots, thinly sliced
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
2/3 cup olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Roast beets:
Preheat oven to 450. Clean beets with brush, cut tops and bottoms off beets, then cut in half.
Place beets on sheet of foil, then sprinkle with salt, pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap beets up in foil to form a pouch, and place on cookie sheet. Roast in oven for 35 - 45 minutes, until beets are soft when pierced with a fork. Open foil pouch and let beets cool. Peel off skin, then slice beets. Can make a day ahead or let cool completely.

Dressing:
Thinly slice shallots. Add vinegar, honey and mix in bowl. Slowly add oil while whisking. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Salad:
Whisk vinaigrette, then pour over greens and toss. Divide greens onto 4 plates. Garnish with cooled roasted beets, cooled toasted walnuts, dried cranberries, and crumbled goat cheese.

Chilean Sea Bass

I love a controversy. My friend, Bonnie, said Chilean Sea Bass is really some cheap, ugly fish that was given a fancy name just so it could be sold for a higher price. Well, it turns out, she's right. Chilean sea bass is really called the Patagonian toothfish, and it really is ugly. The Chileans were the first to market the toothfish commercially in the United States, earning it the name Chilean sea bass, although it is really not a bass and it is not always caught in Chilean waters. I don't care what they call it. I call it dinner. It's delicious. It's a white, buttery fish that reminds me of the taste, but not the texture, of lobster. About a year ago, my boyfriend, Jamie, and I made it for my friends, the Bryants. They said it was better than any dinner they were ever served in a restaurant. Well, fast forward to 2010. The Bryants called and said they'd like to have some sea bass again. Jamie and I never follow a recipe, and I didn't bother to write down what we did, but I can't disappoint the Bryants. So I decided to do a test run and use Brett as my testor. He said, "This is good, really good." Good enough for me. Now I have the famous recipe written down for all time. I have no clue if it's anything like what Jamie made the first time, but I know this version is still delicious. The wine I chose to serve with the fish was a Leidersburg 2009 Sauvignon Blanc Sur Lie Vintner's Reserve, from South Africa,. I used it to deglaze the pan before it went in the oven, and there was still some left for a glass, or two, for me.

1 lb Chilean sea bass, seasoned with salt and pepper
olive oil1 shallot, sliced thin
1 fennel bulb, shaved thin, reserve fennel fronds
Salt, pepper to taste
1 lemon, juice and zest, plus one extra lemon cut into chunks
1/4 cup dry white wine
fresh thyme sprigs, leaves removed and minced, reserve some whole sprigs
flat leaf parsley, chopped

Heat oil in skillet (cast iron, or something that can go into the oven)
Add sliced shallots and saute until soft.
Add shaved fennel, salt and pepper to taste.
When fennel becomes soft, add sea bass to pan, adding oil if needed and cook on medium heat about 5 minutes. Fish should have a nice, brown sear on it before flipping. Cook other side about 5 minutes, until nice, brown color is achieved.
Deglaze pan with wine, and add zest and juice of one lemon, plus chopped herbs. Add whole thyme sprigs, fennel fronds, and whole lemon, cut into chunks. Increase heat to med-high and cook until starting to boil.

If you want to make this with an Italian flair, add rosemary, oregano, 2 chopped plum tomatoes and serve with roasted potatoes.
If you want to make this with an Asian flair, add Thai basil, ginger and cilantro and serve with Jasmine rice.

Transfer pan to 350 degree oven and cook for about 10 minutes. Fish should flake easily when done.
Remove fennel fronds before serving with either the roasted potatoes or Jasmine rice.

Moroccan-spiced Spaghetti Squash

This weekend, I attended the Food and Wine Festival at Epcot. It was a whirlwind tour of culture through cuisine. It inspired me to try my hand at cooking foods from other countries, instead of just making my usual Italian fare. Today when I went to the market, they had several varieties of squash to choose from. There were acorn, butternut, buttercup, and spaghetti squash. I usually cook spaghetti squash as the name suggests, with tomato sauce and parmesan cheese. Today, I decided to learn what spices constitute Moroccan flavors. Moroccan cooking uses lots of the same spices I love and already had in my spice rack: cumin, allspice, cayenne, ginger, and coriander. I applied my usual method of making a recipe by finding a few I liked and combining ingredients to make it my own version. Not only is this side dish loaded with flavor, but it's also a good source of fiber and vitamin C. I added the chick peas and almonds for some protein, substance, and crunch.

1 spaghetti squash, 3 to 4 lbs
Pierce skin with knife in several places. Bake squash whole in 375 degree oven for one hour until soft.
Let cool before slicing in half. Scoop out and remove seeds. Scrape pulp of squash into bowl with fork to make strands.

In skillet on medium heat, add:
1/2 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter (I used 1 Tbsp and it was fine for me)
Saute onion and garlic in oil and butter until soft. Season with salt and pepper

1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp cayenne

Mix onion/garlic with squash, then add spices and stir well.

Add:
1/2 can chick peas, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup almonds, sliced and toasted
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro, or flat-leaf parsely
zest of orange, just before serving