This weeks table was a bit of an adventure. Originally I had not planned to investigate the cuisine of North Africa, but after some research I found the food to be interesting and decided to give it a try. The spice combinations are some I have not worked with thus far. A tagine is a cooking vessel I have seen, but not used. I substituted a cast iron pot and I think all came out as expected. A combination of 7 spices are used in many dishes of the region; sweet paprika, hot paprika (I used cayenne pepper), black pepper, ground ginger, cumin, turmeric and cinnamon. Also lentils, chickpeas and couscous are common. Here is what is on the Table:
Moroccan Seven Spice Vegetable Couscous
Chicken Tagine with Artichoke Hearts and Peas
The chicken pieces (skin on and on the bone) are seasoned with salt and pepper and browned in a heavy pot. Chopped onion and chicken stock are added and brought to a boil. A mixture of saffron threads, ginger, coriander, cumin, paprika and turmeric are added to the broth. The pot is covered and simmered over low heat until the chicken is cooked through and then removed from the pot, the skin is removed and discarded. Minced onion, tomatoes, preserved lemon and artichoke hearts are stirred into the broth. The chicken is returned to the sauce and at the end a bag of frozen baby peas is added. This was a wonderful dish. I expect to repeat it again.
I am a big fan of Israeli couscous. I prepared it per instructions on the box, but substituted chicken broth for part of the water. Set this aside for serving. Onion slices are sauteed in EVOO and a bit of butter. Saffron, crushed red pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger and black pepper are added along with a bundle of parsley, chopped tomatoes and vegetable stock. Carrot coins, butternut squash cubes, sliced zucchini, chickpeas and a bit of sugar are simmered until vegetables are done. The recipe called for raisins, but I used dry cranberries. Season to taste and spoon over the couscous. Toasted slivered almonds are a garnish. The flavors of this dish are lovely as well as very fragrant.
My visit to North Africa was a big success. Next week Spain is on the menu. Stop by!
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
St. Paddy's Day
I have been doing this blog since 2008. This Table is in the top 5 of the ones I have presented. So let's get started.
Corned Beef with Apricot Glaze
Colcannon Potatoes
Buttered Carrots
Irish Soda Bread Scones with Apricot Butter
Coffee Ice Cream with Irish Whiskey Caramel and Coffee Nut Crisp
For years I have prepared corned beef in the same way; boiled in water with the seasoning packet, cabbage, carrots and potatoes. Then it was spooned out, "carved" (as possible when the meat is stringy and fatty) and served. This year, I decided to try something different. I put the corned beef in a pot as usual with water and the seasoning packet. This meat weighed a bit more than 2 pounds so I simmered it for 2 hours. The meat is then removed and placed in a roasting pan. The broth is strained and a couple of inches of the broth is put in the roaster with the meat. Both are cooled, covered and refrigerated overnight.The oven is heated, the fat trimmed off the beef. A mixture of apricot preserves, brown sugar and soy sauce is spread on the meat and put in oven. The glaze is painted on the meat every 10 minutes or so on both sides. Set aside to cool a bit.
Colcannon is an Irish tradition. I have never had it before, but tried it this year. Loved It!! Cabbage is shredded and cooked in salted water until just tender. Remove from water and keep warm. Add peeled quartered potatoes to water and simmer until just tender. Drain and mash potatoes. Heat milk, a bit of butter and chopped green onions. Mash with potatoes and add cabbage, salt an pepper. Serve with chopped parsley.
Carrots are simply cooked until tender and tossed with butter and dill.
Irish Soda Bread Scones are made from a simple soda bread recipe, but there is a cup of cake flour in the mix, I am not a fan of raisins as I have said before, but since I was making apricot butter, I substituted chopped apricots. Perfect. The butter is equal parts soft no salt butter (In use Irish KerryGold butter) and apricot preserves.
Dessert was a Coffee Sundae with Irish Caramel and Coffee Nut crisp. The caramel is made with sugar, water, cream, and Irish Whiskey. It is poured over coffee ice cream and topped with toasted coffee sweetened walnuts
A fabulous Table. The leftovers will be enjoyed all week. Next week I return to my tour of the Mediterranean.
Have a great week and try these recipes.
Corned Beef with Apricot Glaze
Colcannon Potatoes
Buttered Carrots
Irish Soda Bread Scones with Apricot Butter
Coffee Ice Cream with Irish Whiskey Caramel and Coffee Nut Crisp
For years I have prepared corned beef in the same way; boiled in water with the seasoning packet, cabbage, carrots and potatoes. Then it was spooned out, "carved" (as possible when the meat is stringy and fatty) and served. This year, I decided to try something different. I put the corned beef in a pot as usual with water and the seasoning packet. This meat weighed a bit more than 2 pounds so I simmered it for 2 hours. The meat is then removed and placed in a roasting pan. The broth is strained and a couple of inches of the broth is put in the roaster with the meat. Both are cooled, covered and refrigerated overnight.The oven is heated, the fat trimmed off the beef. A mixture of apricot preserves, brown sugar and soy sauce is spread on the meat and put in oven. The glaze is painted on the meat every 10 minutes or so on both sides. Set aside to cool a bit.
Colcannon is an Irish tradition. I have never had it before, but tried it this year. Loved It!! Cabbage is shredded and cooked in salted water until just tender. Remove from water and keep warm. Add peeled quartered potatoes to water and simmer until just tender. Drain and mash potatoes. Heat milk, a bit of butter and chopped green onions. Mash with potatoes and add cabbage, salt an pepper. Serve with chopped parsley.
Carrots are simply cooked until tender and tossed with butter and dill.
Irish Soda Bread Scones are made from a simple soda bread recipe, but there is a cup of cake flour in the mix, I am not a fan of raisins as I have said before, but since I was making apricot butter, I substituted chopped apricots. Perfect. The butter is equal parts soft no salt butter (In use Irish KerryGold butter) and apricot preserves.
Dessert was a Coffee Sundae with Irish Caramel and Coffee Nut crisp. The caramel is made with sugar, water, cream, and Irish Whiskey. It is poured over coffee ice cream and topped with toasted coffee sweetened walnuts
A fabulous Table. The leftovers will be enjoyed all week. Next week I return to my tour of the Mediterranean.
Have a great week and try these recipes.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Stop Two on our Mediterranean Tour
Last week I began the food tour of the countries around the Mediterranean. Most all of the countries share a love for fresh seafood. This week the table features flank steak. The recipe I chose originally was prepared with boneless butterflied leg of lamb. However, a leg of lamb is a large piece of meat and I preferred to prepare a smaller version. I chose a flank steak because is has little fat and is simpler to work with. Here is what is on Marilyn's Table this week:
Mediterranean Stuffed and Rolled Flank Steak
Grilled Vegetable Salad
The stuffing for the steak is prepared in a blender or food processor. Blended until paste like are chopped sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, rosemary, thyme, oregano, Dijon mustard, garlic, EVOO, red wine vinegar and cracked black pepper.
The steak is put between two sheets of plastic, pounded until about 1/3 inch thick and scored on one side. Reserve a tablespoon of the stuffing mixture for the sauce and spread the rest over the surface of the steak. Roll the steak tightly and tie with twine in about 3 or 4 places to hold together. Place steak on a plate and refrigerate UNCOVERED at least two hours, overnight is better. Preheat oven to 375 and bring steak to room temperature. Season steak with salt and pepper and sear in a very hot oiled pan until well browned. The meat is then placed in a roasting pan on a rack. Under the rack mix together the reserved stuffing, water, Dijon mustard, chopped garlic, rosemary and a bit more EVOO. Brush some of the sauce over the meat and roast about 20 minutes. Let the meat rest about 15 minutes and slice. Drizzle with the pan sauce to serve. A very nice presentation and it was delicious.
The vegetable salad was easily assembled. The vegetables are sliced into manageable pieces. They are: Sliced sweet onion, zucchini, red pepper, eggplant and a large parboiled potato. The vinaigrette is: EVOO, garlic, balsamic vinegar, mint, oregano, marjoram and salt and pepper. Shake well in a covered jar and toss carefully with the vegetables. Preheat a grill pan and oil surface lightly. Grill vegetables until they are softened and have nice grill marks. Serve at room temperature with a bit of crumbled Feta cheese. I will use this recipe again perhaps with some different vegetables (but always red pepper for color)
This Table was colorful and full of flavor. A success in every way.
Next week I will take a short break from the Mediterranean tour and prepare my St. Patrick's Day table. The usual corned beef and cabbage, but in slightly different presentations. Stop by and take a look.
Mediterranean Stuffed and Rolled Flank Steak
Grilled Vegetable Salad
The stuffing for the steak is prepared in a blender or food processor. Blended until paste like are chopped sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, rosemary, thyme, oregano, Dijon mustard, garlic, EVOO, red wine vinegar and cracked black pepper.
The steak is put between two sheets of plastic, pounded until about 1/3 inch thick and scored on one side. Reserve a tablespoon of the stuffing mixture for the sauce and spread the rest over the surface of the steak. Roll the steak tightly and tie with twine in about 3 or 4 places to hold together. Place steak on a plate and refrigerate UNCOVERED at least two hours, overnight is better. Preheat oven to 375 and bring steak to room temperature. Season steak with salt and pepper and sear in a very hot oiled pan until well browned. The meat is then placed in a roasting pan on a rack. Under the rack mix together the reserved stuffing, water, Dijon mustard, chopped garlic, rosemary and a bit more EVOO. Brush some of the sauce over the meat and roast about 20 minutes. Let the meat rest about 15 minutes and slice. Drizzle with the pan sauce to serve. A very nice presentation and it was delicious.
The vegetable salad was easily assembled. The vegetables are sliced into manageable pieces. They are: Sliced sweet onion, zucchini, red pepper, eggplant and a large parboiled potato. The vinaigrette is: EVOO, garlic, balsamic vinegar, mint, oregano, marjoram and salt and pepper. Shake well in a covered jar and toss carefully with the vegetables. Preheat a grill pan and oil surface lightly. Grill vegetables until they are softened and have nice grill marks. Serve at room temperature with a bit of crumbled Feta cheese. I will use this recipe again perhaps with some different vegetables (but always red pepper for color)
This Table was colorful and full of flavor. A success in every way.
Next week I will take a short break from the Mediterranean tour and prepare my St. Patrick's Day table. The usual corned beef and cabbage, but in slightly different presentations. Stop by and take a look.
Monday, March 5, 2012
A Mediterranean Tour
Last week I mentioned my interest in the foods of the Mediterranean. Upon further investigation I am rethinking the project. I pulled out a map to see the countries and cuisines which surround the Mediterranean. I'm not sure I am going to research North Africa, Turkey or the Middle East. I think I will have my hands full putting together Tables from Greece, Italy, Spain and the South of France.
This week Marilyn's Table has seafood as the focus. Shellfish and other finned fish are plentiful in the towns along the coastal regions. Here is what is on the table:
Seafood Cioppino
Gratin of Salmon and Spinach
Asparagus-Morel Risotto
The Cioppio is a simple, yet flavorful stew. Onions, garlic and celery are sauteed in EVOO until soft. Canned fire roasted tomatoes, clam juice and tomato paste are added and simmered until heated through. Red wine vinegar, Italian seasoning, bay leaf and a bit of sugar are added.. Fish fillets which have been cut in chunks are folded in (I used haddock) and cooked until they flake. Shrimp which have been cut in half, one can each lump crabmeat and chopped clams complete the seafood mixture. When the shrimp are pink the stew is ready to serve with chopped parsley and garlic cheese bread. It was a cold snowy Saturday and this really hit the spot and I look forward to reheating bowls over the course of the week.
Risotto is an excellent rice dish that is easy to prepare and very versatile. There is no end of what to add to make a filling side dish. This week the recipe called for chopped asparagus and morel mushrooms. Morel mushrooms have a very short season in spring when they are fresh. I keep dried morels so when I want to use this very unique mushroom, I have them at the ready. I reconstituted them in white wine. After they are softened, I drained the wine into chicken broth heating on the back of the stove. Diced onion is sauteed in EVOO and a bit of butter. The chopped asparagus and mushrooms are added to the onion. Arborio rice is mixed in until the grains are coated. The warm stock/wine mixture is added a ladle at a time stirring until absorbed. After all the stock has been added, the pot is removed from the heat and grated Parmesan cheese folded in. The dish is served with minced parsley.
Whole Foods had some very nice Atlantic wild salmon. I found a recipe using a gratin dish. A bag of fresh spinach is wilted in a large saucepan, removed and rough chopped. Onion and garlic are softened in EVOO. A bit of Dijon mustard is stirred in and the spinach added. Most of the mixture is spread over the bottom of an oiled gratin dish. The salmon is laid on top and the rest of the spinach is tucked around the sides. Fresh lemon juice is squeezed over the top along with salt and pepper. A handful of dry bread crumbs is sprinkled over the top. (I used Panko, my favorite) Bake until the fish flakes.
The gratin and the risotto made an excellent meal and I found that mixing the two leftovers together a lunch to look forward to.
Next week I plan a Table from either Spain or the South of France. Stay tuned and have a great week.
This week Marilyn's Table has seafood as the focus. Shellfish and other finned fish are plentiful in the towns along the coastal regions. Here is what is on the table:
Seafood Cioppino
Gratin of Salmon and Spinach
Asparagus-Morel Risotto
The Cioppio is a simple, yet flavorful stew. Onions, garlic and celery are sauteed in EVOO until soft. Canned fire roasted tomatoes, clam juice and tomato paste are added and simmered until heated through. Red wine vinegar, Italian seasoning, bay leaf and a bit of sugar are added.. Fish fillets which have been cut in chunks are folded in (I used haddock) and cooked until they flake. Shrimp which have been cut in half, one can each lump crabmeat and chopped clams complete the seafood mixture. When the shrimp are pink the stew is ready to serve with chopped parsley and garlic cheese bread. It was a cold snowy Saturday and this really hit the spot and I look forward to reheating bowls over the course of the week.
Risotto is an excellent rice dish that is easy to prepare and very versatile. There is no end of what to add to make a filling side dish. This week the recipe called for chopped asparagus and morel mushrooms. Morel mushrooms have a very short season in spring when they are fresh. I keep dried morels so when I want to use this very unique mushroom, I have them at the ready. I reconstituted them in white wine. After they are softened, I drained the wine into chicken broth heating on the back of the stove. Diced onion is sauteed in EVOO and a bit of butter. The chopped asparagus and mushrooms are added to the onion. Arborio rice is mixed in until the grains are coated. The warm stock/wine mixture is added a ladle at a time stirring until absorbed. After all the stock has been added, the pot is removed from the heat and grated Parmesan cheese folded in. The dish is served with minced parsley.
Whole Foods had some very nice Atlantic wild salmon. I found a recipe using a gratin dish. A bag of fresh spinach is wilted in a large saucepan, removed and rough chopped. Onion and garlic are softened in EVOO. A bit of Dijon mustard is stirred in and the spinach added. Most of the mixture is spread over the bottom of an oiled gratin dish. The salmon is laid on top and the rest of the spinach is tucked around the sides. Fresh lemon juice is squeezed over the top along with salt and pepper. A handful of dry bread crumbs is sprinkled over the top. (I used Panko, my favorite) Bake until the fish flakes.
The gratin and the risotto made an excellent meal and I found that mixing the two leftovers together a lunch to look forward to.
Next week I plan a Table from either Spain or the South of France. Stay tuned and have a great week.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Let the Good Times Roll
Mardi Gras ends on Fat Tuesday, so the food that is generally prepared is a bit of a last hurrah before Lent. I decided I would do seafood since I expect to prepare a lot of fish during Lent.
The recipe I chose is a combination of several Jambalaya's and Gumbo's I found. Chicken thighs are sauteed in a large skillet until browned and the skin is rendered. They are then removed and set aside. Onion, celery, red bell pepper and garlic are sauteed in the pan with a bit of vegetable oil. Sliced andouille sausage is added and browned. Thyme leaves are added with a can of diced tomatoes, bay leaves, clam juice and chicken stock The chicken thighs are put back in the pan and simmered until they are cooked through. Remove and cool enough to handle. Shred the chicken and return it to the pan, discarding the skin and bones. Before serving add shrimp and cook until they are pink and cooked. I fixed polenta instead if the usual cheese grits. The polenta is toasted in a dry pan until lightly browned. Chicken broth and clam juice are added and simmered until all the liquid is absorbed. Grated cheese is stirred in. The chicken and shrimp dish is served over the polenta with chopped parsley. Very rich, but very good.
I don't usually have dessert and last year I made a King Cake which I gave away. Not wanting to make another one of them, I chose a variation of Bananas Foster, made famous in New Orleans. Butter, brown sugar, orange juice, cinnamon and nutmeg are simmered in a skillet until slightly thickened. Sliced bananas and toasted pecans are folded in and served over ice cream. An excellent ending to an excellent meal.
In the next weeks I will be delving into the world of Mediterranean food. I found several cookbooks in my collection I have not used and will peruse them for Marilyn's Table. Stay Tuned!!
The recipe I chose is a combination of several Jambalaya's and Gumbo's I found. Chicken thighs are sauteed in a large skillet until browned and the skin is rendered. They are then removed and set aside. Onion, celery, red bell pepper and garlic are sauteed in the pan with a bit of vegetable oil. Sliced andouille sausage is added and browned. Thyme leaves are added with a can of diced tomatoes, bay leaves, clam juice and chicken stock The chicken thighs are put back in the pan and simmered until they are cooked through. Remove and cool enough to handle. Shred the chicken and return it to the pan, discarding the skin and bones. Before serving add shrimp and cook until they are pink and cooked. I fixed polenta instead if the usual cheese grits. The polenta is toasted in a dry pan until lightly browned. Chicken broth and clam juice are added and simmered until all the liquid is absorbed. Grated cheese is stirred in. The chicken and shrimp dish is served over the polenta with chopped parsley. Very rich, but very good.
I don't usually have dessert and last year I made a King Cake which I gave away. Not wanting to make another one of them, I chose a variation of Bananas Foster, made famous in New Orleans. Butter, brown sugar, orange juice, cinnamon and nutmeg are simmered in a skillet until slightly thickened. Sliced bananas and toasted pecans are folded in and served over ice cream. An excellent ending to an excellent meal.
In the next weeks I will be delving into the world of Mediterranean food. I found several cookbooks in my collection I have not used and will peruse them for Marilyn's Table. Stay Tuned!!
Monday, February 20, 2012
Reflections...
This week marks the beginning of Lent on the Christian calendar. First is Fat Tuesday (Shrove Tuesday in the UK) and then Ash Wednesday. During the 46 day period before Easter it is tradition to 'give up' something, usually the eating of meat. and/or a habit. So, Fat Tuesday is a last chance to indulge before the six week abstinence. With that thought in mind here is what is on Marilyn's Table this week:
Grilled Rib Lamb Chop with Fennel Relish
Herbed Yukon Gold Sweet Potato Mash
Fat Tuesday's menu is traditionally pancakes. I'm not much of a fan of pancakes, but these were easy to prepare and there enough left from the weekend to warm on Tuesday.
Blender Pancakes with Lemon and Powder Sugar
Winter Fruit Salad
First, the lamb chop meal. Penzeys makes a very nice no salt lamb seasoning which I used for the grilled chop. However, the two stars of this meal were the fennel relish and the potato mash.
Chop a bulb of fennel and saute with chopped shallot and garlic. When softened, remove from heat and stir in a bit of anchovy paste, chopped parsley, chopped Calamata olives, capers, red pepper flakes and sherry vinegar. Set aside while making the potato mash.
In a pot cook until just tender, cubed, peeled Yukon Gold and sweet potatoes. Remove from heat and drain. Mash with a small bit of butter. While the potatoes are cooking, in another pan put milk, whole peppercorns, a bay leaf and herbs, I used fresh thyme, rosemary and sage. Heat until the milk bubbles around the edges. Remove from the heat and set the mixture aside for 10 minutes while the flavors of the herbs can infuse with the milk. Strain and whip into the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper if you desire.
Can you hear them? I can! Simon and Garfunkel. Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme perked up the flavors of this meal. The relish added a crunch and the herbed potatoes were truly amazing..
On to the practice pancake meal. These pancakes were more like crepes, Eggs, milk, melted butter, sugar vanilla and salt are put into a blender. When completely blended, flour is added a bit at a time. The batter is very thin. Cook one at a time using two tablespoons of the batter. Cover with a paper towel and keep warm in the oven. Fold them over and put on the plate. Drizzle with fresh lemon juice and dust with powder sugar. Along with these I served a winter fruit salad. Fresh orange and grapefruit supremes (segments), sliced fresh pineapple and kiwi. A pretty colorful plate and the citrus cut the sweetness of the pancakes.
Next week I am planning a New Orleans Mardi Gras meal. I hope you check in! Have a great week!
Grilled Rib Lamb Chop with Fennel Relish
Herbed Yukon Gold Sweet Potato Mash
Fat Tuesday's menu is traditionally pancakes. I'm not much of a fan of pancakes, but these were easy to prepare and there enough left from the weekend to warm on Tuesday.
Blender Pancakes with Lemon and Powder Sugar
Winter Fruit Salad
First, the lamb chop meal. Penzeys makes a very nice no salt lamb seasoning which I used for the grilled chop. However, the two stars of this meal were the fennel relish and the potato mash.
Chop a bulb of fennel and saute with chopped shallot and garlic. When softened, remove from heat and stir in a bit of anchovy paste, chopped parsley, chopped Calamata olives, capers, red pepper flakes and sherry vinegar. Set aside while making the potato mash.
In a pot cook until just tender, cubed, peeled Yukon Gold and sweet potatoes. Remove from heat and drain. Mash with a small bit of butter. While the potatoes are cooking, in another pan put milk, whole peppercorns, a bay leaf and herbs, I used fresh thyme, rosemary and sage. Heat until the milk bubbles around the edges. Remove from the heat and set the mixture aside for 10 minutes while the flavors of the herbs can infuse with the milk. Strain and whip into the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper if you desire.
Can you hear them? I can! Simon and Garfunkel. Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme perked up the flavors of this meal. The relish added a crunch and the herbed potatoes were truly amazing..
On to the practice pancake meal. These pancakes were more like crepes, Eggs, milk, melted butter, sugar vanilla and salt are put into a blender. When completely blended, flour is added a bit at a time. The batter is very thin. Cook one at a time using two tablespoons of the batter. Cover with a paper towel and keep warm in the oven. Fold them over and put on the plate. Drizzle with fresh lemon juice and dust with powder sugar. Along with these I served a winter fruit salad. Fresh orange and grapefruit supremes (segments), sliced fresh pineapple and kiwi. A pretty colorful plate and the citrus cut the sweetness of the pancakes.
Next week I am planning a New Orleans Mardi Gras meal. I hope you check in! Have a great week!
Sunday, February 12, 2012
I'M BACK!!
OK so it's time to start my new style of eating and fill you in on it. I've successfully cut down on the heavy holiday foods and begun a healthier menu. Today the menu for Marilyn's Table is:
Sauteed Halibut with Romesco Sauce
Mediterranean Roasted Broccoli & Tomatoes
Broiled Grapefruit with Crystallized Ginger Glaze
With Lent coming in a couple of weeks, I thought it time to pursue more seafood into my menu. Today it is halibut, a mild, firm fleshed fish. I sauteed the steaks in EVOO after I prepared the sauce. Red bell peppers were on sale this week so I bought half a dozen and broiled them. After the skin is blackened they are put into a paper bag to steam. After the steaming the blackened skin slides right off. They are put in a blender with a softened, stemmed and seeded Ancho chili, salt, toasted sliced almonds, red wine vinegar, sugar, red pepper flakes, garlic and some whole grain bread. The sauce is served on top of the sauteed halibut. Excellent and I will need to find ways to use the leftover sauce. Perhaps on a chicken breast or tossed with pasta?
The salad/vegetable is made with roasted broccoli, cherry tomatoes, garlic, EVOO and a bit of salt. After the broccoli is lightly browned and the cherry tomatoes are softened, they are removed from the oven and tossed with grated lemon zest, lemon juice, sliced pitted olives, oregano and rinsed capers. This can be served warm or room temperature. Either way is excellent and very colorful.
I'm not a dessert fan, but sometimes a bit of sweetness is wanted. The glaze for the grapefruit is crystallized ginger with nutmeg and a bit of vanilla. It is ground in my spice grinder and spread over the grapefruit half and put under the broiler. I served Cutie slices and dried cranberries for some color. I have not broiled grapefruit before and will do it again. Very nice ending to the meal.
Next week I will begin Lenten menus. First will be Shrove Tuesday's traditional pancakes and then the following week a Mardi Gras feast straight from New Orleans.
Have a great week and Happy Valentines Day to those of you who celebrate it!!
Sauteed Halibut with Romesco Sauce
Mediterranean Roasted Broccoli & Tomatoes
Broiled Grapefruit with Crystallized Ginger Glaze
With Lent coming in a couple of weeks, I thought it time to pursue more seafood into my menu. Today it is halibut, a mild, firm fleshed fish. I sauteed the steaks in EVOO after I prepared the sauce. Red bell peppers were on sale this week so I bought half a dozen and broiled them. After the skin is blackened they are put into a paper bag to steam. After the steaming the blackened skin slides right off. They are put in a blender with a softened, stemmed and seeded Ancho chili, salt, toasted sliced almonds, red wine vinegar, sugar, red pepper flakes, garlic and some whole grain bread. The sauce is served on top of the sauteed halibut. Excellent and I will need to find ways to use the leftover sauce. Perhaps on a chicken breast or tossed with pasta?
The salad/vegetable is made with roasted broccoli, cherry tomatoes, garlic, EVOO and a bit of salt. After the broccoli is lightly browned and the cherry tomatoes are softened, they are removed from the oven and tossed with grated lemon zest, lemon juice, sliced pitted olives, oregano and rinsed capers. This can be served warm or room temperature. Either way is excellent and very colorful.
I'm not a dessert fan, but sometimes a bit of sweetness is wanted. The glaze for the grapefruit is crystallized ginger with nutmeg and a bit of vanilla. It is ground in my spice grinder and spread over the grapefruit half and put under the broiler. I served Cutie slices and dried cranberries for some color. I have not broiled grapefruit before and will do it again. Very nice ending to the meal.
Next week I will begin Lenten menus. First will be Shrove Tuesday's traditional pancakes and then the following week a Mardi Gras feast straight from New Orleans.
Have a great week and Happy Valentines Day to those of you who celebrate it!!
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