This, my friends, will have you all begging for more. You can change out the lobster for scallops, but the choice is up to you. Read on and then make it up.
- 1 1/2 lb. firm trout fillets
- 3/4 cup white wine (or water, if you choose)
- 1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- pinch of Saffron
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 stalk celery, ribs removed, sliced
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- pinch of sale and pepper
- 1/3 cup flour
- 3/4 cup whipping cream
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 can frozen lobster, thawed (or here you can put in scallops)
- 1 1/2 cups cubed peeled golden flesh potatoes
- 1/2 recipe of really flaky pastry (recipe follows)
- 1 egg yolk
Whew! Now cut the fish into 1 inch pieces. In a large saucepan bring the wine and 1/2 cup water to a boil, simmer fish until it flakes easily. Using a slotted spoon, remove to a strainer over a bowl.
Add shrimp to the saucepan, simmer until pink and translucent (about 3 minutes). Add to the strainer.
Strain liquid through a fine sieve to measure 1 1/2 cups. Add water if necessary. Stir in the saffron and cover. Set aside.
In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat and fry the onion, garlic, celery, thyme, salt and pepper for about 5 minutes; until the onion is softened.
Sprinkle with flour, cook stirring for 1 minute. Whisk in reserved cooking liquid and cream. Bring to a boil gently until thick enough to coat a spoon (5 minutes). Add the parsley and set aside.
Drain the lobster in a sieve, press out all moisture. Remove cartilage from the claw meat. Cut the lobster into bite size pieces and place in a shallow 10 cup casserole. Add the fish mixture and potatoes. Pour in the sauce and gently stir. Let cool.
Brush rim of dish with water and cover with pastry, pressing overhang around the outside.
Mix egg yolk with 2 tsp. of water. Brush 3/4 over the pastry. Roll out any scraps and cut out fish shapes and small circles for air bubbles. Arrange in a decorative fashion and brush over with the egg wash. Cut air vents in top.
Bake in the bottom third of a 375 degree oven until hot and golden in colour. (about 40 minutes).
This makes 9-10 servings.
Really Flaky Pastry
3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cold butter cubed
1/2 cup lard, cubed
1 egg
2 tsp. vinegar
ice water
In a bowl, whisk the flour with salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter and lard until coarse crumbs with a few larger pieces.
In the liquid measure, beat the egg with the vinegar and add enough water to make 2/3 cup. Drizzle over the flour mixture, tossing with a fork until ragged dough forms.
Press into 2 discs. Wrap and refrigerate until chilled (a good 30 minutes).
Roasted Squash And Artichoke Hearts
We are always looking for either new vegetables we haven’t yet tried or new ways to use ones we love. This is the latter one. You should try it.
- 2 1/2 lbs. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch wedges.
- 2 cans artichoke hearts in water, drained, halved and patted dry
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
- generous pinch of salt and ground pepper
- 3/4 cup grated Asiago cheese
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Gently toss all the ingredients in a large bowl.
On 2 parchment lined cookie sheets, spread out the ingredients. Roast for about 45 minutes, making sure to switch the cookie sheets.
When done, they should be tender and golden on the bottom. Scoop all out into a large bowl and sprinkle half the grated cheese over top. Let it melt a little and add the rest. Serve immediately with your favourite meat/fish dish.
There, I told yu it was simple AND delicious. Yummy.
Back Bacon French Toast Sandwiches
This only takes a few minutes to prepare so is a great morning start to your day breakfast.
- 4 large eggs
- 16 slices back bacon, lightly cooked
- 1 cup whole milk
- pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 8 slices whole grain bread
- 2/3 cup swiss cheese, grated
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated
Whisk together the eggs, milk and salt.
In a frypan, melt 1/2 tsp. butter and after dipping both sides in the egg mixture, fry 2 slices at a time for 1 minute each with remaining bread, adding butter as you may need.
Assemble with 1 slice of bread, 1/4 of the swiss cheese, 2 slices of cooked bacon, 1/4 of the mozzarella cheese and top with the second slice of bread.
Now fry the sandwiches in the remaining butter for 2 minutes per side until the cheese has melted and the bread has turned a golden brown.
Serve with butter and warm maple syrup.
Shrimp Quesadillas
Another quickie lunch or appetizer to serve. It is easy and scrumptious so go for it…..
- 1 lb. medium shrimp, shelled, deveined
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- salt and pepper
- 3 tbsp. melted butter
- 1/3 cup fresh coriander leaves
- 8 corn tortillas
- 1 cup black bean puree
- 1 tomato, seeds and diced
- 1/2 avocado, diced
- 1/4 red onion, finely chopped
- 1 bag of shredded nacho cheese
- 3 tbsp. salsa verde
- 1/4 cup sour cream (not light)
- 1 lime, quartered
Thread the shrimp on wooden skewers (soak the skewers first).
Place on a platter, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with melted butter. Sprinkle with the garlic and turn to coat both sides.
Preheat the barbecue.
Grill the shrimp for 45 seconds. Spread with bean puree, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Add the diced tomato, avocado and onion, then arrange the shrimp pieces over the top. Sprinkle with the cheese and cover with another tortilla. Press lightly.
Place on the grill and reduce heat to medium. Cook about 3 minutes on each side until lightly browned and the cheese has melted. Cut in half and serve with the salsa verde and sour cream.
Yummy….
Chicken Salad With New Attitude
This salad will make a great lunch fare or even better, a full meal deal, served with a warm roll and chilled glass of your favourite……
This is a good meal for 4 people.
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 lime, zested and juiced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 4 chicken breasts, skinless
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 (170g) container of Feta cheese
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 large English Cucumber, diced small
- 3/4 lb. baby new potatoes, cooked and halved
- 1/2 small watermelon, cut in 4 wedges
- 4 dried apricots, thinly sliced
In a small bowl, whisk together the oregano, lime zest and one half of the juice, garlic clove and oil. Set aside.
Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and place in a shallow dish. Pour the vinaigrette over the chicken and turn to coat well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30-45 minutes. Preheat barbecue.
Grill on high heat for 5 minutes per side until cooked through. Slice in 1/4 inch strips and set aside.
In a blender make the dressing by pureeing the Feta cheese, water, remaining lime juice, salt and pepper. Process until smooth. If needed, add more water.
In a bowl, combine the cucumber, potatoes and half of the dressing and toss gently. Place this in a bowl, add the chicken slices on top, sprinkle with the apricot and drizzle with the remaining dressing. On the side of the plate, add the watermelon wedge. Serve immediately.
Breakfast Toasts With Poached Eggs and Avocado
Always looking for something different for breakfast? Tired of the same old, same old?
If you like toast, like eggs and like avocado then try this one. Together they are a refreshing new “love this” dish to serve.
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1 tsp. fresh lime juice
- pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper
- 3 slices sesame bread, lightly toasted (if serving 3 people)
- 1 cup lightly packed fresh pea shoots
- olive oil for drizzling
- 1 tbsp. white vinegar
- 3 large eggs
In a small bowl, scoop the flesh from the avocado, add the lime juice, salt and pepper.
Mash with a fork until mostly smooth, with some chunks still remaining. Divide the avocado among the 3 slices, spreading evenly. Top with the pea shoots and drizzle with oil.
In a deep skillet with about 2 inches of water, simmer and stir in the vinegar. Crack an egg into a small bowl and gingerly let slide into the water. Repeat with the remaining 2 eggs. Poach until the whites are set yet the yolk is still a little runny. For a firmer egg, cook another 2 minutes longer.
Remove the eggs, one at a time with a slotted spoon and place on each slice of toast.
Serve immediately. In a word….YUMMMMMMMY!
Shrimp and Artichoke Soup
When we were in New Orleans this past week, these two foodies(us) took in a cooking class at the New Orleans School of Cooking. What a delight it was. Sondra, our teacher for the morning, is a real treasure and this was one of her recipes. Not only that, we served it Friday night at a dinner we put on for friends and they LOVED it..
It is fabulous, and you should try it at least once…..once this week, once again next month and on and on…you will really like it.
- 24 oz. quartered artichokes (rinse really well)
- 1 qt. strong chicken stock**
- 1 tbsp. chopped parsley (for garnish)
- 1 tb sp. fresh thyme leaves
- 1/4 cup flour, plus 1 tbsp.
- 1 qt. heavy cream (whipping cream)***
- 1 cup chopped green onions
- 1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
Combine the artichokes, chicken stock, 1/2 the green onions, pinch of salt, Joe’s Stuff seasoning and thyme. Bring this to a boil and reduce heat and simmer for 12 minutes.
Combine butter and flour for a light roux and add to the simmering pot. (see note below). Stir in the heavy cream and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add shrimp and simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve with some of the remaining green onions and the parsley.
**The quart of strong chicken stock can be substituted by the liquid from the artichokes.
***No apologies here. Milk or half and half will not work here.
Note: When making the roux, Sondra says “turn off the tv, unplug the phone and with a flat bottom wooden ‘spatula’, continue to stir the roux until it becomes a light colour. Do not stop stirring”.
It makes 6 to 8 servings. Serve with a nicely chilled Viognier from Quinta Ferreira Wineries and Voila! you did it again. Thanks to Sondra.
Apricot Relish for Lamb
Mint is out…..this is a super, duper relish to serve with lamb. Easy to make and best of all, no cooking to do.
- 6-8 fresh apricots, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
- 1 roasted red pepper, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
- 2 tbsp. minced shallot
- 2 tbsp. chopped fresh mint
- 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp. fresh orange juice
- 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp. dark brown sugar
- 3/4 tsp. dried red pepper flakes
- pinch of ground coriander
- pinch of salt
Okay, now the tough part…mix all together, cover and store in the refrigerator until dinner. Slice the lamb, put some relish in a bowl with a spoon and let everyone add as much as they wish.
Yum!
Pears With Figs And Honey In Freeform Pastry
‘Tis the Season for turkey, cranberries and, yes, pears. This is an easier-than-you-thought-it would-be dessert and I hope you will give it a try. After the first time you make this, you will wonder why you didn’t make it sooner.
Fruit Mixture
- 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp. cornstarch
- pinch of ground cardamom
- pinch of ground cloves
- pinch of kosher salt
- 4 Anjou pears, cored, cut into 8 wedges. Do not peel
- 10 dried but moist Calimyrna figs, stemmed and quartered
- whipping cream for brushing
- 2 tbsp. honey
- raw sugar
Pastry
- 1 2/3 cups flour
- 1/4 cup cornmeal
- 2 tbsp. sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, chilled
- 3 tbsp. (or more) cold water
Blend the first 4 items in a processor, and add the butter using a stop-start method until it looks like coarse meal. Spoon the water over the mixture and blend only until it forms a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for no less than 20 minutes. Remove, let it soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.
On parchment paper, roll out pastry to make a 14 inch square or round. Try to make it even and carefully transfer to a cookie sheet.
Mix the sugars, cornstarch, spices, and salt together. Add the fruit and mix together gently.
Mound the pear mixture with the juices in the center, leaving at least 2 inches of border plain. Now, use the parchment paper as your guide and roll the pastry up over the edges of the fruit. If it cracks, try to mend to seal any cracks. Brush the edges with the whipping cream and sprinkle generously with the raw sugar.
Bake for about 50-60 minutes until the pastry is golden and the fruit is bubbling. If it starts browning too quickly, cover with tin foil. Remove from the oven, drizzle the honey over the hot filling. Run a long thin knife around the pastry edges to loosen. Cool on the parchment paper for about 1 hour.
Serve warm. If you really want decadence, serve with best quality vanilla ice ceam.
OMG! My mouth is watering now. Yummy.
Nectarine and Baby Spinach Salad
Sure, it’s cold outside, but a beautiful looking and, better yet, tasting salad will complement any meal you are serving for dinner. This one is a winner!
- 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp. fresh lime juice
- pinch of sea salt
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 4 firm-ripe nectarines
- 24 thin slices of pancetta
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 1/2 oz. crumbled ricotta salata (any Italian store or specialty cheese store
- 6 oz. baby spinach (about 5 1/2 cups)
- coarsely ground black pepper (to taste)
Whisk together vinegar, lime juice and salt. Add the olive oil in a stream, whisking until emulsified.
Cut the nectarines in 6 pieces and wrap each wedge with a slice of pancetta. Heat the remaining oil in a skillet and when hot, but not smoking, cook the fruit in 2 batches until the pancetta is cooked on all sides (about 5 minutes).
Transfer to a plate and cover with tin foil loosely. Divide the spinach on 8 plates, divide the fruit onto the plates and drizzle with the dressing and ricotta sala and pepper,
Serve immediately.