March 26, 2013
Five-Spice Tilapia with Broccoli
I know Lent is drawing to an end - but it is always good to have nice fish options in our cookbook. I have enjoyed eating Tilapia done well, but I have not be thrilled with the way that I have been cooking it at home. I have been carrying around this recipe for Five-Spice Tilapia a long time. I have this folder that goes back and forth with me to work - waiting for inspiration or something. Well tonight, I took this recipe and played with it a great deal. I loved the way it came out. It was really a great taste with the Chinese Five-spice and soy sauce based sauce. The other thing I am excited about was using my paella pan. I have had this forever, and have not used it. When I discovered that I needed a big pan for four pieces of fish with the veggies, using the paella pan made great sense. I did not put it in the oven, but it gave me all the surface area I needed. If you do not have a paella pan, you can use a large skillet. This dish came out amazing and I will definitely make these again!
Ingredients (4 servings):
1 lbs Tilapia fillets
1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
6 tbsp Soy sauce
2 tbsp Light brown sugar
1 tsp Garlic, chopped (or one clove)
2 tbsp Peanut oil, divided
2-3 cups Broccoli florets (2 crowns)
1 8oz can, Water chestnuts (sliced)
Directions:
1. Sprinkle one sides of tilapia fillets with half the five-spice powder (reserve the other half tsp).
2. Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, and garlic in a small bowl.
3. Heat one tbsp of peanut oil in a large skillet or paella pan over medium-high heat. Add broccoli and water chestnuts and saute for 5 minutes (stirring often). Push the broccoli and water chestnuts off to the side of the pan and add the other tbsp of oil.
4. Add the tilapia (spice side down) and cook for about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, sprinkle the other half tsp of Chinese five-spice powder on the tilapia while it cooks.
5. Reduce heat to medium, turn the fish over & cover with the soy sauce mixture. Cook for 3 minutes more and remove from heat.
Serve with rice! Enjoy!
Posted by cseeman at 08:04 PM | Comments (0)
January 19, 2013
Roasted Cod with Warm Tapenade
This great fish recipe was adapted from Roasted Cod with Warm Tomato-Olive-Caper Tapenade from the EatingWell site. Loved the way that this came out and it was very easy to prepare. Served it with rice and a vegetable.
Ingredients (Serves 3-4)
1 pound Cod fillet (4 pieces)
1 tbsp Olive oil (plus some olive oil spray)
1/4 tsp Black pepper
1 small Onion, chopped finely
1/2 cup Cherry tomatoes, halved
12 Kalamata olives, chopped
1 tbsp Roasted red peppers, chopped
1 tbsp Capers, rinsed
1/2 tsp Dried oregano
1 tsp Balsamic vinegar
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with sprayed olive oil or cooking spray. Placed the cod on the baking sheet and lightly spray olive oil on the fillets. Sprinkle with pepper. Place the sheet in the oven and cook for around 17 minutes.
2. When the fish is around 6 minutes from being done, prepare the tapenade. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and saute for around 1 minute. Add tomatoes and saute for around 2 minutes. Add olives, roasted red peppers, capers and dried oregano and saute for around 1 minute. Add the balsamic vinegar and remove from the heat.
3. Spoon the tapenade over the cod to serve.
Enjoy!
Posted by cseeman at 07:38 PM | Comments (0)
January 03, 2013
Shrimp Pasta With Red Sauce
Saw this recipe at Prevention Magazine (Shrimp Fra Diavolo II). Seems to be a triple threat - healthy, easy and delicious!
Ingredients
12 oz Pasta (any variety)
1 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
4 tsp (or cloves) Garlic, minced (divided)
1 tbsp Olive oil
1 tsp Red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
1 small Onion, chopped (white or yellow)
8 oz Mushrooms, thinly sliced
4 tsp (or cloves) Garlic, minced (divided)
1/2 tsp Dried oregano
1/2 tsp Dried parsley
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 cup Dry white wine
Directions
1. Cook pasta according to instructions.
2. Season the shrimp with kosher salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat. Add the shrimp and 2 tsp garlic and cook for 2 minutes, until just firm. Remove to a plate.
3. To the pan, add red pepper flakes, onion, mushrooms, remaining garlic, oregano to the pan; cook until the onions are soft. Add the tomatoes and wine and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Fold the cooked shrimp into the sauce and let simmer for 2 additional minutes.
5. Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss.
Enjoy!
Posted by cseeman at 06:43 AM | Comments (0)
September 08, 2012
Smoked Salmon Pasta
I have had this 8 oz package of smoked salmon (Portlock Wild Smoked Salmon) that I bought in Seattle, Washington a LONG time ago. These things have a long shelf life - the expiration date is December 2013....HONESTLY! So I took a few different recipes (though mostly from this recipe from Mehan Dossani for Tomato and Smoked Salmon Pasta) I found and created this.... Really liked it - might try it again the next time I have smoked salmon.
Ingredients (serves 4-5)
1 12-14 oz pound box of pasta (spaghetti or penne - we use whole grain or equivalent)
1 tbsp Olive oil
1 Medium onion, finely chopped
4 oz Mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 tsp Garlic, finely chopped (or 2 cloves)
Kosher salt and black pepper (to taste - no more than 1/4 of a tsp)
1 14.5 oz can Petite diced tomatoes
1/2 cup White wine
1/4 tsp Dill weed
2 tbsp Heavy cream
8 oz Smoked Salmon, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup Basil, shredded
Directions
1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
2. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, mushrooms, garlic and kosher salt and black pepper (to taste - around 1/4 tsp of each at most). Cook, stirring occasionally, for around 3-4 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes, wine, and dill weed to the pan and cook for 4 minutes.
4. Reduce heat to low and add 2 tbsp of heavy cream and stir for around 1 minute.
5. Stir in salmon and then remove from heat. Mix thoroughly and then add basil. When blended, pour on the pasta.
Add Parmesan cheese as desired.
Posted by cseeman at 04:23 PM | Comments (0)
July 24, 2012
Tilapia with Sherry-Mushroom Sauce
This was adapted from a Cooking Light recipe from January 1999). This is a fantastic way to cook Tilapia.
Ingredients (makes 4-5 servings)
1/2 tsp Kosher salt, divided
1 1/2 pounds tilapia fillets (5 or 6 fillets)
3 tbsp Olive oil, divided
1 lbs White and Mini Bela mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp Black pepper
2 tbsp Cooking sherry
1 tbsp Dried parsley
3/4 cup Chicken broth (low sodium if possible)
1/4 cup skim/fat-free milk
1 tsp cornstarch
Directions
1. Sprinkle 1/4 tsp kosher salt over the fillets. Heat around 1 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add three fillets (salt side down - then sprinkle the other side lighthly with kosher salt) and cook for around 4 minutes on each side. Remove fillets from skillet, and keep warm (under foil). Add around 1 tbsp olive oil and then cook the other fillets. Remove those when cooked and keep with other fillets.
2. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in the skillet. Add mushroom slices with 1/4 tsp kosher salt and black pepper. Saute for around 4 minutes. Then add the cooking sherry and parsley. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
3. Combine the broth, milk, and cornstarch, whisk until blended. Add broth mixture to skillet, and bring to a boil. Stirring constantly, reduce heat to medium, and cook 2 minutes. Spoon sauce over fish.
Serve with brown rice or couscous.
Posted by cseeman at 08:39 PM | Comments (0)
April 11, 2012
Christmas Salmon with Rice
This is a wonderful new recipe adapted from Real Simple's One-Pot Salmon With Snap Peas and Rice. I changed this to brown rice, and added red peppers and asparagus. The name for the dish comes from the red and green vegetables served with the Salmon. This dish is really great and is very healthy - it is very low fat - making this great news. Oh...and it is easy!
Ingredients (Serves 4)
1 cup Brown rice
1 lbs Salmon fillet, skin removed
Kosher salt and pepper (to taste - around 1/4 tsp each)
1 bunch Asparagus (trimmed to around 4" from the tip - thinner the better)
1/2 Red Pepper, cut into thin strips
1/3 cup Low-sodium soy sauce
2 Scallions, trimmed and sliced
2 tbsp Rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp Ginger, grated or minced
1 tbsp Light brown sugar
Directions
1. Mix brown rice and 2 1/3 cups water in a medium skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 35 minutes.
2. Prepare the salmon for cooking by removing the skin and cutting into 2" slices.
3. After the rice has cooked for 35 minutes, add the salmon on top of the rice, and then spread the asparagus and red pepper across the pan. Season with kosher salt and pepper and cook for an additional 13-14 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, scallions, rice wine vinegar, ginger, and brown sugar. Spoon sauce over the salmon, rice, and vegetables.
Enjoy!
Posted by cseeman at 07:08 PM | Comments (0)
April 07, 2012
Crispy Baked Cod
Adapted from Cooking Light's Easy & Crispy Baked Fish Fillets that I found at Food.com. I really liked how it turned out and it is really pretty healthy...always a plus. We served this with asparagus and brown rice, a staple in our house these days!
Ingredients
1 lbs Cod or other white fish fillets
Cooking spray
1 tbsp Lemon juice
1 tbsp Mayonnaise (any kind)
1/4 tsp Onion powder
1/4 tsp Black pepper
Pinch of Dill weed (dried)
1/4 cup Breadcrumb
1/4 cup Almonds, finely chopped (used used blanched and sliced almonds)
Directions:
1. Peheat oven to 425°.
2. Place fish in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine lemon juice, mayonnaise, onion powder, pepper and a dash of dill in a small bowl - then spread lightly over fish.
3. Combine the breadcrumbs and the almonds, and then coat the fish fillets on the top only.
4. Bake at 425° for 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
Enjoy!
Posted by cseeman at 07:01 PM | Comments (0)
March 23, 2012
Stuffed Sole
This recipe was adapted from a number of sources, but primarily from the crab cakes recipe found in this great book: Emalee Chapman's Fresh 15-minute meals. This is an easy recipe and it makes a great dish elegant enough to serve company.
Ingredients (Makes 4-6 stuffed sole - serves 3-4):
1 can of Crab meat (around 6oz)
1 tsp Lemon or lime juice
1 Egg (large)
1/4 cup Breadcrumbs
1 tbsp Celery, chopped small
1 tbsp Roasted red pepper - chopped small
1/4 tsp Paprika (plus some extra for topping)
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
4-6 Sole fillets
Cooking Spray
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl, add crab, lemon (or lime) juice, egg, breadcrumbs, celery, roasted red pepper, paprika, kosher salt and pepper. Mix until well blended
3. Coat the bottom of a baking dish with cooking spray.
4. Lay a sole fillet with the prettiest side down. Divide up the crab mixture and put equal parts near the wide end of each fillet. Take the narrow end of the fillet and wrap over and then under the stuffing (see how it looks in the picture).
5. Sprinkle the top with paprika and bake for around 20-23 minutes.
Enjoy!
NOTE: These are dry by design. If you want more moisture, you can drizzle wine or lemon juice over the stuffed sole when they are assembled.
Posted by cseeman at 07:23 PM | Comments (0)
March 11, 2012
Herb-Broiled Ruby Red Trout
I have never cooked Ruby Red Trout before and it was really great. Ruby Red Trout in a farm-rasied trout that is somewhat similar to Salmon - so it can easily be swapped in this recipe. I still want to make Rainbow Trout - another day I guess. This was adapted from recipe I found in a 10 year old Cooking Light publication called What's for Dinner. I loved the way it turned out and will make it again - maybe with Salmon.
Ingredients
1/4 cup Dry white wine
1 tbsp Lemon juice
1 tbsp Olive oil
1 1/2 lbs Ruby red trout fillets (cut into three or four pieces)
1/4 tsp Kosher salt (or more to taste)
1/4 tsp Black pepper (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp Dried tarragon
1/2 tsp Dried basil
1/2 tsp Dried dill weed
Cooking Spray
Directions
1. Turn on broiler.
2. Coat cooking spray on a lipped baking sheet.
3. Combine wine, lemon juice and oil in a container. In a separate bowl, combine salt, pepper, tarragon, basil and dill weed.
4. Place the fish, skin side down, on the baking sheet and brush the wine mixture on top of the fish. Then sprinkle salt mixture on top of the fish.
5. Broil (on high) for 7 minutes. Fish will easily flake when tested with a fork.
Enjoy with vegetables and rice.
Posted by cseeman at 08:44 PM | Comments (0)
February 27, 2012
Asian Grilled Salmon and Broccoli
This was adapted from Helene Siegel's Chinese Cooking for Beginners (1992). Always looking for a good Salmon recipe.
Ingredients for Marinade (for 4 salmon fillets)
1/2 cup Soy sauce
1/2 cup Lemon juice
1/4 cup Plum sauce
2 tbsp Sesame Oil
1/2 tsp Chinese Five Spice
Other Ingredients:
2 Salmon Fillets (around 1 1/2 lbs) cut into 3" slices with skin.
Cooking Spray
2 tbsp Peanut Oil
1 tsp Garlic, chopped
1 can Water chestnuts, sliced
3 Broccoli heads, florets only
1 tbsp Hoisin Sauce
Directions
1. Combine all marinade ingredients and mix with a whisk until blended.
2. Add all but 1/4 cup of the marinade to the fish and let sit for 30 to 60 minutes. Reserve the 1/4 cup marinade for the sauce.
3. On a grill pan, lightly coat with cooking spray and then heat on medium high temperature. Cook salmon around 4-5 minutes each side (flesh side first, skin side second).
4. Meanwhile, in another pan, heat peanut oil over medium high heat.
5. Add Garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the broccoli and cook for around 1-2 minutes. Add the water chestnuts and cook for around 4 more minutes.
6. Add reserved marinade and the Hoisin sauce.
Serve with the Salmon over rice.
Posted by cseeman at 12:09 PM | Comments (0)
February 23, 2012
Warm Tuna Niçoise
Warm Tuna Niçoise
This was adapted from a recipe on the excellent EatingWell site. The recipe first was in Eating Well Magazine in September/October 1991. This is a definite keeper as we both loved it!
Ingredients
5 medium red potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar, divided
3-4 tbsp olive oil, divided
Kosher salt & ground pepper to taste
8 oz green beans, cut to 2-3" long
8 oz tuna steak, cut into 1/4” thick slices
2 tsp chopped garlic (around 2 cloves)
4 anchovy fillets, chopped
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/3 cup roasted red pepper, cut into thin strips (adjust to taste)
2 tbsp capers, rinsed
12 Kalamata Olives (pitted) and cut in half lengthwise
1/2 tsp Lemon juice (adjust to taste)
Directions
1. Place cleaned and cut potatoes in a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover and steam until tender (around 10 to 15 minutes).
2. Transfer potatoes to a serving bowl and then add the green beans to the steamer and cook for around 6 minutes.
3. In the serving bowl, add 1 tbsp red-wine vinegar and 1 tbsp olive oil to the potatoes and toss gently. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
4. When beans are done, add them to the serving bowl (with the potatoes) and gently toss again (adding salt and pepper if wanted).
5. In a saute pan, heat around 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add sliced tuna and cook until browned on each side (around 2-3 minutes per side). Place tuna in bowl with potatoes and green beans.
6. Add remaining 1 1/2 tbsp oil to the pan. Add garlic and anchovies and saute, stirring for less than a minute until garlic starts to brown.
7. Add remaining 3 tbsp red-wine vinegar and broth to the pan, and bringing it to a boil. Stir continually for 1-2 minutes and then remove from heat. Add mustard into the sauce and mix thoroughly.
8. Pour sauce over the potatoes and green beans, gently tossing. Then add red peppers, capers, olives and lemon juice and toss gently.
Enjoy!
Posted by cseeman at 09:21 AM | Comments (0)
