Clam Chowder

IT WAS A COLD AND GLOOMY DAY with freezing rain and I was thinking about food. Looking out the window, it looked magical with the tree branches sheathed in a layer of ice. But there was no way I was going slip sliding to the grocery store.

Fortunately, I keep a well stocked kitchen. Even though I was a little short on fresh foods, I did find a couple of cans of clams and a bottle of clam juice lurking in my pantry. I was well on the way to a creamy and cozy dinner. The recipe I used called for half and half which I did not have, but I always have cans of evaporated milk in the pantry. Evaporated milk makes a fantastic substitute for cream in recipes.

Clam Chowder
4 slices bacon
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 small potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup water
1 (8 oz.) bottle clam juice
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/3 cup flour
2 cups half and half, divided
2 (6 1/2 oz,) chopped clams, undrained

In soup pan, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to drain and set aside. Saute the celery and onion in the drippings in the pan until tender. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the potatoes, water, clam juice, pepper and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 15 - 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

In a small bowl, combine flour and 1 cup half and half until smooth. Gradually stir into the soup. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for about 1 - 2 minutes until thickened.

Stir in clams and remaining half and half. Heat through but do not boil. Crumble the cooked bacon and sprinkle over each serving.

Southern Salmon Croquettes

SALMON CROQUETTES ARE SOUTHERN PATTIES made with canned salmon which is cheap affordable and nutritious. Most of all it is delicious. Salmon croquettes are very popular in soul food cookery where they are generally served for breakfast with grits and scrambled eggs. It is also very popular to serve these croquettes with hot, fluffy, white rice.

I like mine with macaroni and cheese and a fresh vegetable, this time it was ripe summer tomato slices.

I really love these patties and every time I make them I question myself about why I don't do it more often. Kids love them too. They are very easy to make. I use my black iron skillet and very little oil, so there isn't even that "fried food" messiness. The only drawback is that the aroma is very, um, assertive. Pritchard Parker knew what we were having for supper before he even got in the house.

Any brand of canned salmon will work and some people even use canned mackerel, which is even less expensive, yet still has all the great nutrients.

I open the can and pour out all but about 1/2 cup of the liquid, and dump the remaining contents into a bowl. Some people like to remove the bones, but I don't.  They are very fragile, basically disintegrate in the process, and are an excellent source of calcium.

Salmon croquettes are sometimes served with tartar sauce but the child in me likes them with ketchup.

Salmon Croquettes
1 (14 oz.) can salmon
1 egg, lightly beaten
Juice of half a lemon
1 tsp. old bay seasoning. or more to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 to 1/2 cup, as needed, cornmeal mix

Drain all but about 1/2 cup of the juice from the salmon. Pour the remaining contents into a bowl and flake with a fork. Add egg, lemon juice, old bay, and salt and pepper. Stir to combine and add 1/3 cup of cornmeal mix. Mix and add more cornmeal, if needed so patties can be formed.

Pour a coating of oil (I use peanut) into a heavy skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the patties and brown on each side. Remove to paper towels to drain.

Restorative Miso Soup

My husband and I went on a well needed getaway. We drove from beautiful Asheville, North Carolina to Augusta, Georgia without ever getting on an interstate highway. We took U.S. highway 25 through small towns and rural areas of South Carolina. Along the way we saw many not-yet-opened for the season stands promoting peaches and boiled peanuts. We saw dozens of antique stores which made Pritchard Parker very happy. We saw abandoned farmhouses and barns in various states of decrepitude. We saw sprawling McMansions. We drove through several quaint and beautifully maintained small towns.

And we drove through vast expanses of nothing but pine trees and straight, flat roads. (Which make Pritchard Parker nervous because he is so used to driving on the steep and curving roads in the mountains). We saw beautiful sunsets and a full moon rising, which was a special treat for us because we are not used to seeing the horizon.

Once home, after sleeping in a hotel room and eating restaurant food, as much as I enjoyed it, I wanted something simple and easy to cook; nourishing and grounding to eat.

Thus miso soup.

The miso I use is locally produced using ancient methods. The good news is that it is available nationwide through Great Eastern Sun and you can even order it from their website. (Not an affiliated link).

Miso is a high-protein, fermented soy product with a salty flavor which is very health-promoting. Miso is considered a living food, therefore, you never want to boil it. If your soup is not cloudy and moving around, the enzymes have been destroyed. Miso soup begins with a broth called Dashi which is made from Kombu and Bonito flakes.

Kombu is seaweed an edible ocean plant.

Bonito, a mackerel, is steamed, smoked, aged, dried to a wood-like hardness, and shaved into flakes.

Dashi is a very flavorful broth for cooking all kinds of foods. With some added soy sauce, it makes a wonderfully satisfying noodle broth.

For miso soup, I love using Japanese style silken tofu which is unlike the Chinese style tofu, packed in water, and found in produce departments. This tofu really does have a delicate and silken texture without the tangy taste. Find it on the grocery shelf in aseptic boxes.

Restorative Miso Soup
2 quarts dashi
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
4 scallions
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 bunches baby bok choy, sliced
6 Tbsp. traditional red miso
12 oz. silken tofu, cut into cubes

Bring dashi to a simmer. Ladle about 1 cup into a small bowl, add the miso and whisk until smooth. Set aside.

Bring the remaining dashi back to a simmer and add the scallions, carrots, bok choy, letting them cook until barely tender. Add the tofu and the miso being careful not to boil the mixture. Once it is heated through, ladle into soup bowls and garnish with additional sliced scallions and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.

Dashi
2 (4-inch) square pieces of kombu
2 quarts water
1 cup bonito flakes

Place the kombu in a large saucepan, cover with the water and soak for 30 minutes.

Place the pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add the bonito flakes and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the broth and return to the pan. Continue with the recipe.

Fancy Cheese Platter for Dinner

I used to make cheese platters, or whatever you want to call it, for dinner on a fairly regular basis--a couple times a month or so. When my children were young, I would call it "snacks". I would serve it as a meal on Friday night when I was too tired to cook. We would eat in front of the TV and they got to stay up late, since there was no school the next day.

Of course, for the children, I didn't use the fancy cheeses and smoked fish. Their style was celery sticks with peanut butter, popcorn, chips and dip, orange wedges, and peanuts. We would have cheese and crackers, but they were Cracker Barrel and saltines. Fun night and fond memories, gathered around the coffee table to eat.

On a recent evening, I made a fancy platter for just the the two of us, husband and me.  We enjoyed it sitting on the sofa together and eating from the coffee table. We weren't watching TV because we cancelled our cable. We were having conversation!

Fancy Cheese Platter
Extra Sharp Cheddar
Baby Swiss
Saga Blue
Parmigiano Reggiano
Camembert
Smoked Salmon
Fresh Pears
Pimiento Stuffed Olives
Grape Tomatoes
Homemade Mango Chutney
Smoked Almonds
Dates
French Baguette and Assorted Crackers

Arrange as you please and serve.

Grilled Asian Glazed Tuna

Today, I found this unfinished post in my drafts folder. It was dated 4/17/2010. I don't know why I never finished it. And now, two years later, I don't even know how I made it. Too bad, because I sure would like to have this for dinner tonight.

I can see that I used fresh ginger and garlic, olive oil, and it looks like I was quite generous with the freshly ground black pepper. Most likely there was soy sauce involved. I can see that I grilled in on my cast iron grill pan.

And then I served it with rice and these darling baby carrots. As I said, I wish I had that for dinner tonight.

Do you ever start a post, never finish it, then later don't know how you did it?


 

Mini Nicoise Croissants

This heat has really zapped my appetite. All I really want to eat is fruit, and I certainly have! Cantaloupe, blueberries, peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines, cherries. I can't seem to get my fill with no other food really interesting me. Nor have I had much interest in working in the kitchen (Pritchard Parker has even been cutting up my Cantaloupes for me).

I do know, however, that no matter how delicious, juicy, and cooling the summer fruits are, they do not make a balanced diet. Not to mention my husband wants and needs some more substantial foods to eat. So I have been making efforts.

I saw the recipe for Nicoise Toasts in the July, 2012 issue of Bon Appetit Magazine. It really looked pretty and appealing in the photograph. Other than boiling the eggs, no cooking was involved.

The sandwich was made with a combination of tuna salad and egg salad. I used leftover grilled salmon because I had some on hand. I made the sandwiches on mini croissants because that is the size sandwich my puny appetite can enjoy.  I love the "new-school egg salad made with cottage cheese, parsley, and capers".  The two salads layered on the same sandwich  was delicious.

For the Egg Salad:
4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
3/4 cup cottage cheese
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. coarsely chopped capers
1 scallion, thinly sliced

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mash with a fork until a coarse paste forms. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

For the Tuna Salad:
4 oz. tuna packed in olive oil
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup parsley leaves
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 c. pitted, sliced olives
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Toss together the cherry tomatoes, parsley, lemon juice, olives and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and add more lemon juice, if desired. Gently fold in tuna keeping it chunky.

Spread some of the egg salad on bread of choice and top with the tuna salad.

Roasted Cod with Warm Tomato Tapenade

Here's an easy and healthful recipe for you. The Mediterranean flavors of the warm tomato tapenade brightens all kinds of white fish as well as chicken or baked tofu. It is also delicious served over brown rice.  The dish comes together very quickly for a pretty and elegant presentation.

I served it with orzo and freshly grated Parmesan plus braised baby bok choy.

Roasted Cod with Warm Tomato Tapenade
(Eating Well Magazine)
1 pound cod fillet
3 tsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp. minced shallot
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped cured olives
1 Tbsp. capers
1 1/2 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Rub cod with 2 tsp. oil. Sprinkle with pepper. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and roast until the fish flakes easily with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tsp. oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 20 seconds. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring, until softened, about 1 1/2 minutes.  Add olives and capers; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds more. Stir in oregano and vinegar; remove from heat. Spoon the tapenade over the cod to serve.

Patra-Ni-Macchi

Curry-Palooza #6

Camille of Croque-Camille chose the recipe for this month's Curry-Palooza. She picked Patra-Ni-Macha from the lovely blog, Quick Indian Cooking.

We loved this dish! However, I admit I strayed from the given recipe because it called for an entire bunch of cilantro. And I just don't enjoy that herb. I used parsley instead. And because parsley is so much more subtle in flavor, I searched out some other recipes for the same dish. As a result, I added 6 cloves of garlic rather than 3. I also added 1 tablespoon of freshly grated ginger, 1 teaspoon toasted and ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon of brown sugar to the chutney paste. 

I also saw mention of brushing ghee onto the delicate banana leaves to help keep them from splitting.  I thought  that was a good idea, because the banana leaves are very fragile.  And so I did.

Wash the fish and cut into serving sized pieces, as desired. Cut a piece of banana leaf-those things are huge--into a size that will gift wrap your piece of fish.  You don't need to secure them, just place them seam side down onto a steamer pan. 




Banana Leaf Wrapped Fish



The Color Changes After Steaming

Enjoy with rice, lemon wedges, tomato, and cucumber.

I love this monthly Curry-Palooza event. Not only am I learning more about Indian cookery, I am learning more about the varying cultures within India. Last month's dish was a Bengali dish, and this one is a signature dish of the Parsi peoples in Mumbai. I have been taking some time to learn what that means. I think it is important to understand the beliefs and customs of other cultures. Now, more than ever. Do you?

One of the co-founders of our little group, Grapefruit of Needful Things, couldn't cook along with us this month. Here are the other posts:

More Please by Margie

Croque-Camille

I see that Indian Cuisine is gaining in popularity, so I hope you will consider cooking along with us. Just let any of us know and you're in. No cliques here. And you will even get to choose a recipe! 

Radish Sandwiches with Anchovy Butter

I have been intrigued by the concept of serving radishes, which I love, with bread and butter. However, I had never tried it.  When I saw this recipe in the April issue of Bon Appetit, which ups the ante by making the sandwiches with anchovy butter, I made a mental note. 

When I saw these beautiful radishes in the produce department of my regular grocery store, it was time to try the recipe.  We really go for anchovies. Plus the recipe calls for chives, and we happen to have some prime garlic chives growing right outside the kitchen door.

Radish Sandwiches with Anchovy Butter
(Bon Appetit)
1 stick butter, room temperature
2 - 3 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
Baguette slices
Sliced radishes

Mix butter, chopped anchovy fillets, and chives in a small bowl. Season with coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.  Spread anchovy butter over each baguette slice. Top each with radish slices, overlapping slightly to cover the bread. Garnish with additional chopped chives. 



I was delighted with these little sandwiches! They tasted so much better than the sum of their parts and were quite satisfying.  I used some of the leftover anchovy butter on baked potatoes and that was also delicious.

Fish Tacos with Pineapple Mango Salsa

Because I love to cook so much (plus I may be mildly obsessed with knowing exactly what is in the food we eat, as well as sanitary conditions) we rarely eat out.  But every once in a while, I relax and it is very nice to eat out--to not cook or wash dishes.

There is a Mexican restaurant, right down the street, (with an excellent sanitation rating) we always enjoy. It is not the usual style of Tex-Mex featured in most of the Mexican eateries in our area. I don't really know how to describe it, but it seems fresher and their menu features a lot of fish and seafood.

Pritchard Parker loves their fish tacos and almost always orders them. They dress the tacos with a green sauce he just adores. He always wants me to taste it, and I think it is a chimichurri sauce. Because I had both fresh pineapple and mango on hand, I made a salsa with them. But I do have more talapia in the freezer, so will be experimenting with the green sauce next time.

Fish Tacos
1 pound white fish such as talapia
1/2 cup flour
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg
1/2 cup ginger ale
Extra flour for dusting fish
Tortillas
Pineapple Mango Salsa

Cut fish filets into approximately 2 ounce pieces and dry with paper towels.

Make the batter by whisking together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Mix together the egg and ginger ale, then stir into the dry mixture. 

Heat about 1/2 inch oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Preheat the over to 200 degrees. When the oil is hot, briefly fry the tortillas, but don't get them too brown. Drain on paper towels and keep warm in the oven.

Dip the fish pieces into flour then into the batter. Fry in the hot oil until golden brown on each side.

Pineapple Mango Salsa
1/2 of a fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and diced
1 mango, peeled and diced
1 small red onion, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 -2 fresh jalapenos, minced
Juice of 2 limes
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. chili powder
Salt to taste
Honey, optional, if your fruit is too tart

Combine the pineapple, mango, onion, bell pepper, and jalapenos. Add the lime juice, olive oil, and chili powder. Stir well to mix together. Taste and add salt and/or honey, to taste.