Oven Roasted Cod with Bok Choy, Cilantro & Lime

I wasn’t planning on blogging again so soon (it being finals and all)- but my current procrastination is a testament to how amazing this is.  You should probably make it for dinner right now.  The recipe is from the latest Bon Appétit, but I’ve made a few minor changes: I added mushrooms and onions and I omitted the sake (didn’t want to make an extra stop at the liquor store- stupid Massachusetts laws).  But I think the sake would be very delicious- will try next time.

This is actually an ideal dinner for finals because it is very quick!  Minimal prep, and then the fish cooks very quickly.  The sauce forms a sort of vinaigrette.  I’m thinking it would probably also be yummy spooned over grilled fish. 

OVEN ROASTED COD WITH BOK CHOY, CILANTRO & LIME
serves 4
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Serve with steamed brown or white rice

1 scallion, thinly sliced
¼ cup coarsely chopped cilantro
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice (I used two limes)
3 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons minced peeled ginger
3 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 cup sliced assorted mushrooms
1 lb baby bok choy, cut in half lengthwise
½ cup sake (I subbed 3 tablespoons mirin)
4 4-ounce fillets of cod, flounder, or other delicate white fish

Arrange a rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 400 degrees.  Combine scallions, cilantro and next 4 ingredients in a small bowl.  Whisk in 1 ½ tablespoon oil.  Set aside.

Heat remaining oil in an oven-proof skillet until shimmering.  Throw in mushrooms and cook for roughly one minute, until browned.  Move mushrooms to side of pan, then add bok choy, cut side down, and sear until golden brown, 2-4 minutes.  Turn bok choy cut side up and remove pan from heat.  Add sake (or mirin).  Arrange the fish over the bok choy and sprinkle with yellow onion.  Roast in oven until fish is just cooked through, 10-12 minutes.

Serve fish with bok choy and mushrooms over the rice.  Spoon some cilantro-lime sauce over the fish, serve with additional sauce for drizzling. 

I'm BACK!

Hello friends.  I’ve returned from my blog sabbatical [not a real thing].  I have missed you all!  Reasons for my absence?  Well, I had some camera problems…all fixed now thanks to Dad’s technical genius.  I also just needed a little break from taking pictures of everything that I cooked.  Things tend to get cold during my photo shoots.  But now I am back and I have so much to tell you!  Plus…finals are here! My favorite season to procrastinate. 

For my first return post, I need some redemption.  Let me tell you a little story about the time last week when we cooked the turkey for two and a half hours on the grill but then discovered it was still completely raw.  Don’t worry- Thanksgiving was not ruined!  We carved off the turkey sashimi and roasted it in the oven for another hour, which gave me lots of time to relax [i.e. drink three glasses of wine].  But the saddest part was that I had been diligently basting the turkey with this rosemary soy glaze every 20 minutes while it was on the grill but glazing ended when it went in the oven.  We didn’t want to risk opening the oven door and losing heat…plus I was mostly focused on my wine…but the glaze smelled so delicious and was so incredibly easy that I just had to try it again.  I went with chicken this time.  It was too soon to dredge up the painful memories by cooking turkey again.  Give me a year and I’ll get over it. 

ROAST CHICKEN WITH ROSEMARY SOY GLAZE 
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serves 4-6
6 tablespoons butter (don’t question it- butter makes things taste good)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon mirin
2 sprigs rosemary
1 whole chicken
Half of an onion
Kitchen twine
Basting brush (or use an extra rosemary sprig if you don’t have one)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Remove chicken from refrigerator 45 minutes before cooking so that it can come to room temperature.  This allows the meat to cook more evenly.
To make the glaze: combine butter, soy sauce, mirin in a small saucepan over medium heat until melted and smooth.  Add rosemary.  Cover and keep warm over lowest heat. 
Set chicken on roasting rack in a roasting pan and pat dry with paper towels.  Pour 1 cup of water in the bottom of the pan.  Put the onion in the cavity and tie legs with kitchen twine.  Brush with glaze.
Roast chicken for 60-70 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers at 165 degrees.  Brush with glaze every 15 minutes while roasting.  Remove from oven, let rest for 20 minutes.  Carve and serve! 

Dungeness Crab and Shrimp Salad with Avocado

Ohh helloooo.  Where have I been??  I promised you posts as soon as finals ended.  And finals ended six weeks ago!  Terribly sorry.  In that time, I moved from Boston to Seattle (just for the summer- stay posted for permanent relocation), got my wisdom teeth out, and started my summer job.  I have been doing plenty of cooking, we’ve just been missing that integral step of actually posting.  But I am jumping back on the bandwagon (I hope). 

One of the benefits of moving to Seattle for the summer is that I moved from my tiny studio apartment kitchen to my parents’ GIANT kitchen.  And their giant beautiful grill.  Did I mention that it is a gas grill?  You just turn on the knobs and it magically heats up.  This eliminates the chance that I will have a repeat of the drama/tragedy I experienced with my charcoal grill last summer.  Plus it has a super-hot burner for searing meat AND a rotisserie attachment.  Endless possibilities.

But tonight’s dinner involved zero cooking.  Another benefit of moving to Seattle for the summer is that mom and I can eat salads for dinner!  If I tried to make this for Addison, he would inhale it and then ask me what I made for the main course.  It would also be a pretty pricey meal because the fresh Dungeness crab that we bought was $38 a pound!  I made this a bit more affordable by incorporating [cheaper] shrimp as well.  Mom and I got a half pound of each and it was more than enough.  Our fishmonger advised us that some duplicitous fish markets will try to sell you Dungeness crab meat that has been pulled from previously frozen legs.  Do not settle for this!  It would break our fishmonger’s heart.  Fresh/never frozen meat is the only way to go.

If you are looking for a wine to accompany this (or any other) summer meal, might I suggest a vihno verde?  I think I’ve mentioned it before- it was my drink of choice at Jazz in the Sculpture Garden in my DC days.  It is a Portuguese white wine that is dry and zingy.  Delicious. 

Mom's lettuce garden

DUNGENESS CRAB AND SHRIMP SALAD WITH AVOCADO
serves 2
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½ lb fresh Dungeness crab meat, cooked
½ lb bay shrimp, cooked
1 avocado
1 head red leaf lettuce, washed and torn
1 head butter lettuce, washed and torn
¼ cup scallions, chopped
1 lemon, quartered
Basil vinaigrette (see below)
Creamy Louis dressing (see below)
Black pepper

In a large bowl, toss the greens with some of the basil vinaigrette.  Arrange the lettuce on plates and top with crab, shrimp, avocado, and scallions.  Serve with the creamy Louis dressing, lemon wedges, and freshly ground black pepper.


BASIL VINAIGRETTE
This makes enough dressing for about 6 salads.  Leftovers are delicious on grilled meats, pasta, etc.
1 shallot, roughly chopped
¾ cup tightly packed basil leaves
1 clove garlic
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons champagne or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and mix until smooth.  Taste and adjust seasoning accordingly.

CREAMY LOUIS DRESSING
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon lemon
¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Add ingredients to a small bowl and stir to combine. 

Broiled Salmon with Ginger Scallion Soba

What if I blog about a recipe that doesn’t completely revolve around carbs and Italian cuisine? (read: my last four posts...)  I guess my finals comfort food habits have taken over.  At least I’m not relying solely on take-out like I do at the end of most semesters.  Instead I am making brain healthy food to supplement my amazing study habits (read: finding new ways to procrastinate productively).  So let’s have some omega-3s and proteins that stimulate brain activity.  Even if you are not in finals mode, you have plenty of reasons to eat salmon.  According to a recent email from Mom (she likes to send health reminders every so often), salmon is particularly good for your skin (in addition to kale, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes) and will help you keep from aging!   Side note- make sure you get wild salmon- farmed doesn’t contain nearly as many nutrients and it has harmful environmental effects. 

In other news, have you thought ahead to Cinco de Mayo plans??  I had an idea to make churros this year but Addison received it with less than stellar excitement.  I will therefore reserve for another time when I can find people who will exhibit the appropriate level of enthusiasm when faced with deep fried dough rolled in cinnamon and sugar.  I have some other yummy recipes I’m hoping to post before the weekend, but in the meantime, might I suggests some of these options?

BROILED SALMON WITH GINGER SCALLION SOBA
serves 2
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1 ½ cups thinly sliced scallions
1 tablespoon minced ginger
¼ cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons sriracha
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin (rice wine vinegar)
2 tablespoons honey
2 Wild Salmon Filets
1 package soba noodles
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, lightly toasted

Preheat the broiler and cover a baking sheet with foil.  Combine first 8 ingredients and stir together.  Place the salmon filets on the baking sheet and spoon some of the ginger scallion sauce over them.  Broil for 10-12 minutes (depending on salmon thickness) until opaque. 

Meanwhile, cook the soba noodles in a large pot of boiling water, drain and rinse with cold water.  Return to the pot and combine with the remaining ginger scallion sauce.  Serve the salmon over the noodles and top with toasted sesame seeds!

Turkey Meatballs with Penne

Nothing like the looming dread of finals to inspire me to throw myself into the kitchen... I made these meatballs in the name of “preparation” but it may have actually been “procrastination.”  We will go with the first scenario for now though.  The Food & Wine recipe makes enough for 8-10 people and I made the WHOLE batch (for just me and Addison).  I admit it was quite a production- but now we have a huge ziplock of frozen turkey meatballs in the freezer!  Meatball subs during finals anyone?  Cooking might be the most productive way to procrastinate.


TURKEY MEATBALLS WITH PENNE
serves 8-10
from Food & Wine
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4 large eggs
3/4 cup whole milk
2 cups panko
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, minced
1 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese, plus more for serving
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 pounds ground turkey
1 pound hot Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
Two 24-ounce jars of tomato sauce (homemade or store bought)
2 pounds dried penne

Preheat the oven to 400°. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk. Stir in the panko, garlic, oregano, 1 cup of the pecorino, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Add the red pepper, ground turkey, and turkey sausage and gently knead to combine.
Form 1 ½ inch meatballs and place them on the baking sheets.  Bake for about 40 minutes, shifting the pans halfway through baking, until the meatballs are cooked through.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water.  Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.  Toss with the tomato sauce and serve with meatballs.  Serve with additional cheese.
 

O'o Farm

My post today is a bit different.  This is kind of like the travel edition of Navy Blue Kitchen.  As I mentioned in my most recent post, I was on vacation in Maui last week and I have to tell you about O’o Farm.  Also, I am back in Boston now and missing warmth so this is my way of continuing to live in fantasy vacation world (also an excellent diversion from the piles of reading I have ALREADY been assigned). 

The owner of Pacific’O and I’O (two gourmet restaurants in Lahaina) started O’o Farm in 2000 in an effort to increase the restaurants’ supply of local produce.  A few years ago, the farm started hosting tours of their eco-friendly, organic, and sustainable setting.  This intrigued me- and when I found out the whole excursion culminated in a farm fresh lunch prepared by a gourmet chef I was completely sold. 

The tour was fascinating and the lunch was incredible.  The chef served roasted root vegetables with seared tofu, Mahi Mahi with sweet Maui onions and spinach, and a mixed greens salad (picked by us!).  Oh and the most amazing part of the meal was her sea salt and rosemary focaccia bread- especially delicious for sopping up olive oil.  Dessert was biscotti and French press coffee (from the farm’s freshly roasted beans!). 

I befriended the chef and she gave me an overview of how she prepared everything.  The recipe below is my best attempt (with a few changes).  I didn’t make the focaccia this time but I promise to take on the endeavor this summer!  The root vegetables are generously seasoned with rosemary and thyme- a truly delicious combo.  I have actually been avoiding rosemary recently because it can be so overpowering, but now it has won me back over.  The other big surprise for me was rutabaga!  It adds a mild sweetness that balances out the earthiness of the beets.  


A portable chicken coop that naturally fertalizes the land.  Just like Polyface Farm in Omnivore's Dilemma!

Now for the most exciting part- I am going back to Maui in March (best part of law school = spring break) and the chef said that I can come shadow her while she prepares lunch for a tour group!  I’m so excited!! Maybe I will stay on permanently as her assistant…I think Maui is a better fit for me than Boston.

ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLES & KALE  WITH ROSEMARY & THYMEmakes 4 servings
Click here to print this recipe

3 beets, peeled and chopped into ¼ inch pieces
2 sweet carrots (preferably multi-colored), peeled and chopped into ¼ inch pieces
1 rutabaga , peeled and chopped into ¼ inch pieces
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced
1 tablespoon sea salt
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 bunch kale, cut into ½ inch pieces
1 bunch rainbow chard, cut into ½ inch pieces
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Toss the beets, carrots, and rutabaga with about a tablespoon of olive oil, sea salt, and half of the thyme and rosemary.  Spread on a large baking sheet and roast for about an hour, tossing every fifteen minutes or so. 

Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.  Add the garlic and stir.  Add the greens and toss until they wilt.  The greens will need to braise for about a half hour- check on it occasionally and water (about a ½ cup at a time) to keep it from burning.  When they soften, add the lemon zest and a quick squeeze of lemon juice. 

Remove the root vegetables from the oven and toss with the greens and the remaining tablespoons of thyme and rosemary.  Season generously with sea salt- don’t skimp. 

Freshly picked salad

MAHI MAHI WITH SPINACH AND MAUI SWEET ONIONSmakes 4 servings
Click here to print this recipe

4 filets of Mahi Mahi (or other white fish)
1 lb spinach
2 sweet onions
Juice from 1 lemon
1 tablespoon lemon zest
½ cup basil, cut in chiffonade

Preheat the oven to 350.  Place the spinach in the bottom of the pan with onions, toss with olive oil, lemon zest, and sea salt.  Place the filets on top of the vegetables and bake for approximately 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and top with lemon juice and basil.

Coffee Beans

Coffee Bean Roaster

Adorable turtle (this was not at the farm, but he is just so cute I had to include it)

Cauliflower with Brown Butter, Pears, Sage & Hazelnuts

Ok I know the combination of pears and cauliflower sounds a bit odd...but I promise this was delicious!!  Cauliflower is not a vegetable that I typically serve at Thanksgiving, but I was very intrigued by the ingredients in this recipe.  The pears added a perfect crisp texture and a slight sweetness that was delectable.  I heard a rumor that my aunt recently picked around all of the pears in a salad so I don’t think this dish will make my Thanksgiving menu, but it would pair perfectly with other Thanksgiving flavors!  

Speaking of Thanksgiving, I promised a few people that I would post a sample of my Thanksgiving itinerary so I’ve included it below.  Some may mock me for this display of compulsive organization, but it helps me visualize all of the steps to avoid complete chaos.  This is especially important for a dinner that includes so many dishes that need oven space.  The cauliflower would actually be a great addition since it can be done at the last minute on the stove and doesn’t require time in the oven.  In order to free up even more oven space this year I will be cooking my turkey on the grill!  I have very high hopes for the outcome.  

As you think about your turkey plans, I would like to make a case for the benefits of brining.  The salt in brine draws out the blood, cleansing the bird and seasoning the meat down to the bone.  Sugar adds depth of flavor and helps the turkey brown to perfection.  Most grocery stores carry brine mixtures and I usually use those.  Just dissolve the brine in boiling water, cool, and add a bottle of dry white wine.  Then submerge the bird in the liquid for 2-4 days.  Using a very large pot works well.  It also helps if you have two refrigerators since it takes up a bit of space.  Make sure you dry it thoroughly before roasting.

CAULIFLOWER WITH BROWN BUTTER, PEARS, SAGE & HAZELNUTS
Recipe from Fine Cooking
makes 8-10 servings
 

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium head cauliflower, cut into small florets about 3/4 inch wide
1/2 cup toasted, skinned, chopped hazelnuts
8 fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced crosswise
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large ripe pears, cored and thinly sliced
2 Tbs. chopped fresh chives (original recipe called for parsley but I think chives add more flavor)

In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter until light brown and bubbly. Add the cauliflower, hazelnuts, and sage. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is browned and crisp-tender, 6 to 7 minutes more.
Remove the pan from the heat. Add the pear slices and chives. Gently toss to combine and warm the pears. Season to taste with more salt. Serve hot or at room temperature.
   
 

 

Thanksgiving Agenda 2009

11:00	Assemble Stuffing Dress Turkey		Emily & Mom
12:30	Mash Potatoes Prepare Butternut Squash, and pine nut mix		Emily & Mom
2:00	Turkey in Oven	325 Bottom	Emily
3:45	Cranberry Sauce		Emily
4:20	Both Stuffings in Oven (1 hour covered, 10 mins uncovered) Make Biscuit Batter	350 Top	Emily Erin, Lizzy, Aunt Suzi
4:30	Caramelize shallots, add green beans		Emily
4:40	Heat Potatoes Drink a glass of wine at the bar and talk to chef		Emily  Aunt Suzi & Mom
4:50	Turkey out of oven Make Gravy Roast butternut squash (35-35 mins)	425 Bottom 450 Bottom	Emily Mom
5:10	Biscuits in Oven (14-16mins) Sauté pine nuts and garlic for squash	425 Bottom	Erin, Lizzy, Aunt Suzi Emily
5:20	Carve Turkeys  Assemble and Dress Salad		Dad Mom & Emily
5:30	Biscuits, Stuffing, Squash out of Oven Add squash to garlic and pine nuts		Everybody Emily

Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Kale

This post is kind of cheating because I actually already wrote about this recipe last year.  However, the lighting in the pictures is horrible because I was still relying on my phone to take pictures at that point and I just don’t think I did the recipe justice.  I have also slightly altered it this time- replacing the Yukon potatoes with sweet potatoes instead (which I highly recommend).  One of the downsides to blogging is that I rarely re-make recipes because then I can’t post them!  But sometimes a recipe is so good it deserves more attention.

I made this on a Sunday night after a long day in the library and it came together so quickly.  I love recipes that only require about four main ingredients.  The only tricky aspect of this recipe is fitting all of the kale into the roasting pan.  Don’t skimp on it though because it will cook down to almost nothing.  This meal was so easy and yummy that I have decided to incorporate a version of this dish into my regular rotation- using other vegetables like Brussels sprouts, parsnips, and carrots.

Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Kale
makes 4 servings
1 lb kale, stems and inner ribs removed
1 lb sweet potatoes, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and fresh pepper
4 whole chicken legs
1 teaspoon paprika
Lemon wedges, for serving

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a very large roasting pan, toss the kale, sweet potatoes, and onion with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and spread in an even layer.
Generously season chicken with salt and pepper. Set them skin side up on the vegetables and sprinkle with paprika.

Cover the pan with foil. Roast in the upper third of the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and roast for 30 minutes longer, until the chicken is cooked and the vegetables are tender. Transfer chicken to plates along with the vegetables. Serve with lemon wedges.