Football Playoffs, Worst Cooks, A 3 Day Weekend....Life is good!

Picking a menu and recipes for this week was a bit of a challenge given the events I wanted to watch and still get things done at home. However I think the selections were good ones. On the table:

Pan-Grilled Halibut with Chimichuri
Warm Lentil Salad with Roasted Beets and Goat Cheese


Moqueca (Moo-KAY-Ka)


Some great seafood at Whole Foods this week and I think the table shows them off. The halibut was a large piece so half is in the freezer for another time. The Chimichuri is made first so it can sit and the flavors can come together. It is a mixture of Cilantro (parsley is a good substitute) basil, shallots, horseradish, EVOO and lemon juice. The herbs and onion are chopped fine and mixed with the horseradish, oil and lemon juice. Set aside while the halibut is grilled. Spray a grill pan with EVOO and pre-heat. Season the fish and grill about 4 minutes each side. Serve with Chimichuri spooned over the top.

The salad could have been a meal in itself. Roast beets with EVOO wrapped in foil until done. Set aside to cool. Peel and cut in quarters. Prepare vinaigrette with sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard, chopped fresh thyme, EVOO, salt and pepper. Lentils are cooked in chicken broth with onion, celery, carrot, bay leaf and sprigs of fresh thyme. (Sorry Chris, the lentils are in the salad, not the soup, But you would not be disappointed with this.) Remove the vegetables and drain off any broth not absorbed. Set aside the lentils and keep warm. In a large skillet saute 1/4 pound diced Canadian bacon, garlic, and diced carrot. Stir in chopped fresh thyme leaves and some sherry vinegar. Add the lentils and combine. Toss some of the vinaigrette with mixed greens. Spoon warm lentil salad on top. Add the beets and bits of goat cheese and drizzle with more dressing. For those who don't care for thyme, any fragrant herb can be substituted.

Growing up, my Mom was mostly stay at home, so she did the majority of the cooking. However, my Dad had a couple of 'speciality' things he liked to prepare. One of them was fish chowder. He never recorded the recipe because each time it was a bit different from the last. When I came across the soup recipe, I thought about his fish chowder. Moqueca is a Brazilian Seafood Stew that goes back 300 years. Cod is cut in cubes and marinated in lime juice and garlic and chilled while the rest of the soup is constructed. Diced onions, red and yellow pepper and tomatoes are sauteed in oil with paprika and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Half a bunch of chopped cilantro is stirred in and cooked until the vegetables are softened. Half of the mixture is removed, the cod pieces and a pound of peeled, deveined shrimp are spread on top. The vegetables are then used to cover the fish. A can of coconut milk is poured over all. The soup is brought to a simmer, covered and cooked until the seafood is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Seasonings are adjusted and the soup is served over cooked brown rice. This is an incredible soup, however, coconut milk has a very high fat content and veers from my healthy eating challenge for the new year. When I prepare this again, I will find a suitable substitute for coconut milk.

I have not only been able to enjoy football (GO BEARS) and will be able to watch the new episode of Worst Cooks, I have great food. Tomorrow will be devoted to catching up with some other things. Tuesday it's back to school for spring semester!!

Have a great semester everyone!