Baked Perch

INGREDIENTS:
fresh perch
butter
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper
old bay seasoning
fresh chopped parsley

METHOD:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Place the fish on sheetpan and slather with butter and squeeze on the lemon juice.
Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and old bay seasoning.
Bake for approximately 10-15 minutes until flakes. Don't overcook them or they will dry out.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve with a couple slices of lemon.

Asian Noodles

Well it is good Friday and no meat!  This is a meatless dish that is great as a side or a whole meal.  On any other day, I would enjoy this with grilled shrimp, beef, pork or chicken, or all of the above. Happy Easter folks! 

14 oz spaghetti 

Dressing:
1 tablespoon of Balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar (optional)
½ tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Juice of ½ lemon
julienned carrot
broccoli florets
fresh cilantro

Toasted Sesame seeds for sprinkling.

Method:
Cook the noodles in a large pot according to the package instructions. Meanwhile, mix all the dressing ingredients in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
Blanch carrots and broccoli in boiling water for 2 minutes only. Remove and set aside.
Drain the noodles and place them in a large mixing bowl together with the dressing, veggies and cilantro. Mix thoroughly.
Serve the noodles sprinkled with the toasted sesame seeds.

Cod Filets with Baby Clams and Calamari

Cod was looking really good today at Fortino's, so I decided that we would have a celebration of seafood this evening. Black Kalamata olives, fresh basil, yummy Roma tomatoes and the freshest fish and seafood. Enjoy this dish with a healthy green salad and a crusty baguette to sop up all of the broth. Mmmmmmmm!

*Soak calamari in milk for at least an hour in the refrigerator.
*Soak clams for a couple minutes.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 - 2 lbs of fresh cod (sliced into portions, as big as you want seasoned with salt and pepper)
2 1/2 lbs fresh baby clams (soaked in a bit of flour and COLD water, (rinse)
1/2 lb fresh calamari (sliced and soaked in milk), (rinse)
1tbsp good olive oil
handful black olives, (sliced)
5 Roma tomatoes (diced)
1/4 cup good white wine
1/2 small red onion, (diced small)
3 cloves garlic, (sliced thin)
handful fresh basil (ripped by hand)
handful fresh parsley (chopped)
1tbsp butter
pinch salt and pepper
pinch red hot chili peppers
pinch Italian Seasoning
pinch sugar

Method:

Sear cod filets in olive oil for 2 minutes a side and place in a 200 degree oven for 2 more mins . Turn off the oven and leave inside covered, (to stay warm without drying out).
In a skillet, saute the onions for 1 minute until translucent, and add garlic.  Cook for another minute add the tomatoes, olives, and white wine.  Cook off the alcohol (approx. 2 minutes).
Add all the other ingredients (including calamari, clams and butter), and cover.
Simmer for 5 minutes.
Turn off the burner and keep lid on until ready to serve.
Add a little more fresh basil and parsley on top, divide into serving bowls and top off with cod filets.
Drizzle with a bit of really good olive oil and sprinkle with some shaved parmesean cheese (optional).

***BTW...The butter make it rich.
***The milk in the calamari makes the calamari tender.
***The flour in the clams...well they will suck in the flour water and spit it back out with any sand inside their shells.
Pretty cool, huh?

Profiteroles

Just finished making what is my second favourite dessert.  French chocolate mousse is always number one in my books but these babies are a very close second! Surprisingly easy to make, and very delicious. Starting with a simple Pate a choux, the best vanilla ice cream you can buy, and a really good quality semi sweet chocolate.  These take no time to prepare and no time to devour either. These just came out of the freezer so the chocolate looks funny but they were yummo!  You can serve them a.s.a.p, or stick them in the freezer, and pop one in your mouth every once in a while (everytime I walked by the refrigerator, actually)!

 

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
• pinch salt (I used kosher)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 extra-large eggs
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate (chopped)
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons prepared coffee
• Good vanilla ice cream (recommended Haagen-Dazs)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Heat the milk, butter, and salt over medium heat until scalded. When the butter is melted, add the flour all at once and beat it with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together and forms a dough. Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat for 2 minutes. The flour will begin to coat the bottom of the pan. Dump the hot mixture into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the eggs and pulse until the eggs are incorporated into the dough and the mixture is thick.
Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip. Pipe in mounds 1 1/2 inches wide and 1-inch high onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You should have about 18 puffs. With a wet finger, lightly press down the swirl at the top of each puff. (You can also use 2 spoons to scoop out the mixture and shape the puffs with damp fingers.) Bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned, then turn off the oven and allow them to sit for another 10 minutes, until they sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Make a small slit in the side of each puff to allow the steam to escape. Set aside to cool.

For the chocolate sauce, place the cream and chocolate in a bowl set over simmering water and stir just until the chocolate melts. Add the honey and coffee and stir until smooth. Set aside.

For serving, cut each profiterole in half crosswise, fill with a small scoop of ice cream, replace the top, and drizzle with slightly warm chocolate sauce.

Eat right away or store in freezer for up to 2 weeks.

Asian Beef and Spicy Shrimp Skewers on the Barbi!

Spring time and it is about time.  Asian beef and spicy shrimps are easy, and out of this world. We enjoyed this barbecue with an icy cold Canadians.  Accompanied with  two side dishes, a caesar salad and a yummy potatoe and egg salad with real bacon bits. I hope that everyone has a wonderful season...and get grilling people!

You will need to soak a handful of skewers in the sink

For the beef:

• 2-3 lbs beef tenderloin
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 3 scallions (green onions), chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons water
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 1/2 cup hoisin sauce

Wrap beef in plastic wrap and freeze until firm (but not rock hard). Once firm, slice beef thinly across the grain. Place in baking dish. In a small skillet toast sesame seeds. To create marinade, in small bowl combine scallions, garlic, vinegar, water, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, hoisin sauce, vegetable oil, and pepper. Stir well. Pour marinade over the beef. Let sit for 2-4 hours, or over night is even better.  String the beef onto the skewers and grill for 5-6 minutes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

For the Spicy shrimp:

• 35-45 medium black tiger shrimp (shelled and veined)
• 1 tablespoon grape seed oil or vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic (minced)
• salt and pepper

Marinade the shrimp in all the above ingredients for 20 minutes (any longer and the citrus will start to cook the shrimps). Thread shrimp on soaked skewers and place on grill for 2 minutes per side. Serve with a mango chutney dipping sauce.

Macaroni and Cheese

Creamy and zesty macaroni and cheese.  This is a delicious and super simple main dish or side dish. Better than that stuff from the box!

Ingredients

• 6 strips bacon
• vegetable oil
• salt
• 2 cups your favourite pasta
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
• 5 ounces cheddar, grated
• Pinch nutmeg
• pinch ground mustard
• pinch cayenne pepper
• pinch salt and pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in 1 layer on the baking rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is bendable. Remove the pan carefully from the oven. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and crumble when it is cool enough to handle. Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt the butter in a medium pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or 2 more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere and Cheddar, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cayenne. Add the cooked macaroni and crumbled bacon and stir well. Pour into 4 individual size ramekin dishes.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Spring has sprung! Chocolate covered strawberries.... how sweet and romantic!  The combination of chocolate and strawberry are the perfect relationship. Enjoy these with ice wine and those you love.

Ingredients
Approximately 1 dozen fresh strawberries (washed and dried well)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate (chopped roughly) or chips
1/4 cup white chocolate (chopped roughly) or chips
1 tsp prepared instant coffee

Method
In a medium sized sauce pot add a 1/2 cup of water and place a heatproof glass bowl (I used a pyrex bowl), on top and melt semi-sweet chocolate until smooth, add coffee. (Do not get steam inside of bowl or chocolate goes hairy). Remove from pot and dip in your berries. Set the berries on a piece of parchment or waxed paper. Place in the refrigerator until ready for next step. In the same way as the semi-sweet chocolate, you will continue with the white chocolate. Place the melted white chocolate in a sandwich baggie and let cool a bit, but don't wait too long! Snip a teeny-tiny hole in the corner of the baggie. Drizzle the strawberries with the white chocolate, in  any design you wish. Place back into the refrigerator for a couple hours.
When they are hardened up, place each strawberry in a decorative cupcake cup and serve.