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Braised Sea Bass

Jul. 13
2016

I knew immediately, upon seeing this unusual recipe, that I just had to make it.

You don’t see many recipes for “braising” fish. Braising is a method of cooking that relies on heat, time and moisture to break down the tough parts of meats or chicken. Most meats or poultry are seared before braising, then finished in the oven in a covered pot with a liquid at a low temperature for an extended period of time.

I have braised many meats and chicken throughout my cooking career, but never fish!

Braising fish is not a current practice, and that is probably why I was drawn to this recipe. I thought it would be a wonderful way to keep the fish tender and moist, while adding a big burst of flavor. It simply is a way preparing the fish without the long cooking time usually associated with meat or chicken. The vegetables in the braising liquid are luscious enough to use as a side dish. It is a one-pot delight!

There really was not a lot of prep time here, so this dish cooked up in no-time. It exceeded my expectations and I was thrilled with the outcome. You can make it as a weeknight dinner, but it is exquisite enough for any holiday or family celebration as well.

This recipe is courtesy of Andrea Branchini. It serves 4 and I guarantee it will leave them wanting more!

Ingredients for Braised Sea Bass

4 (6 ounce) sea bass fillets, skin on and scaled)
2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1 tsp. pepper, divided
2 tbsp. olive oil, plus 2 tsp. more set aside
2 medium red peppers, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
1 large white onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
3-4 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup of dry white wine
2 dried bay leaves
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350.

Brush the fish with 2 tsp. of the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper on both sides.

Heat the remaining 2 tbsp. of olive oil in a 7-8 quart Dutch oven or other heavy-duty pot over medium-high heat.

Add the peppers, onions and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cook until the onions are translucent and the peppers have begun to soften, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Stir in the canned tomatoes with their juice, white wine, bay leaves and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil.

Lower the heat and simmer until the liquid has reduced and the peppers are tender, about 10 minutes.

Add the cherry tomatoes and cook until they have softened slightly, about 2 minutes.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Carefully place the fish fillets in the pot, skin side up, and spoon some of the peppers, onions, and sauce over them.

Transfer to the oven and cook uncovered, for 25 minutes.

Garnish with parsley, if using.

It’s that simple!

Spring Pea Pasta with Ricotta and Herbs

Jul. 11
2016

This dish is outstanding in every way. It is light, with seasonal favorites of sugar snap peas and sweet peas.

The ricotta cheese combines with the pasta water to make a delicate, creamy sauce, which is enhanced by the addition of the herbs.

It is a simple, one-pot side dish that is perfect for any summer dinner. My family loved it and enjoyed the leftovers the next day.

Today’s hint: Reserve extra pasta water and keep it in the refrigerator to heat it up the next day. This will ensure the integrity of the pasta and keep it tasting freshly made.

This recipe is courtesy of Southern Living and says it will serve 4 people. Since I had enough for the next day, I would say it serves 4-6 people.

Make this dish now, you will love it!

Ingredients for the Spring Pea Pasta with Ricotta and Herbs

4 quarts water
1/4 cup kosher salt (for the pasta water)
8 ounces short pasta
2 (8-oz) pkgs. sugar snap peas
1 (13-oz) pkg. frozen sweet peas, thawed
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup firmly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tbsp. (1 oz.) salted butter
2 tbsp. thinly sliced fresh chives
2 tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon

Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a stockpot over high heat.

Add 1/4 cup of salt; return to boil.

Add pasta, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 8 minutes (or 3 minutes less than than package directions).

Stir in sugar snap peas, and cook for 2 minutes.

Add in sweet peas and cook for 1 minute.

Reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water,plus more if you are going to heat it up the next day.

Drain pasta mixture.

Return pasta to pot.

Add ricotta, parsley, butter, chives, tarragon, and reserved cooking water.

Stir to coat.

Serve immediately.

It’s that simple!

Simple Garlic Shrimp

Jul. 8
2016

This recipe is a simple way to get dinner on the table fast. The prep time is short and the outcome translates to a wonderfully prepared shrimp dish that your family will love.

You definitely have to be a garlic lover for this one!

You need to buy a bottle of capers and use the liquid in order to get the caper brine.

I did not add water; the sauce cooked up just fine without it. It was nicely thickened and had just the right amount of garlic and flavor. It was smooth and silky, with a touch of lemon and heat from the red pepper flakes.

Make this tonight! It is delightful and good to the last bite!

This recipe is courtesy of allrecipes.com and serves 3-4 people.

Today’s Hint: You may buy your shrimp deveined, but check the underside of the shrimp. You will see that there is a vein there as well. You should take the time to remove it. Who wants to eat that?

Enjoy!

Ingredients for Garlic Shrimp

1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt to taste
6 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
3 tbsp.lemon juice
1 tbsp. caper brine
1 1/2 tsp. cold butter
1/3 cup flat leaf parsley, divided
1 1/2 tbsp. cold butter
water. as needed

Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet over high heat until it just begins to smoke. Place shrimp in a even layer on the bottom of the pan and cook for 1 minute without stirring.

Season the shrimp with salt; cook and stir until shrimp begin to turn pink, about 1 minute.

Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes; cook and stir 1 minute.

Stir in lemon juice, caper brine, 1 1/2 tsp. cold butter, and half the parsley.

Cook until the butter has melted, about 1 minute, then turn heat to low and stir in remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons cold butter. Stir until all butter has melted to form a thick sauce and shrimp are pink and opaque, about 2-3 minutes.

Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl.

Continue to cook butter sauce, adding water 1 tsp. at a time, if too thick.

Season with salt to taste.

Serve shrimp topped with the pan sauce.

Garnish with remaining parsley.

It that simple!

Gruyere and Spinach Bakes

Jul. 6
2016

These wonderful gruyere and spinach bakes were a delightful surprise for dinner this week.

They are so easy to make and packed with flavor. Initially, I thought they would be difficult to remove from the ramekin (isn’t that always the case?) but these bakes slid right out with no problem!

You can serve them in or out of the ramekin; they make a beautiful presentation either way.

They are perfect for any occasion, from a small dinner party to a holiday festivity. This is a “must try”.

This recipe is courtesy of Giada De Laurentis. It serves 4 people who will think you are the world’s greatest cook!

Ingredients for Gruyere and Spinach Bakes

Vegetable oil cooking spray
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta (optional)
2 shallots, chopped
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Two 1/2-to-3/4-inch-thick slices country-style bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
6 large eggs, beaten, at room temperature
2 packed cups fresh chopped spinach
1 1/2 cups of grated gruyere (6 ounces)
1/4 cup milk, at room temperature
4 (10 ounce) ramekins

Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400.

Spray 4 (10 ounce) ramekins with vegetable oil cooking spray.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a medium skillet.

Add the pancetta (if using) and cook until browned, about 6 minutes. Remove the pancetta using a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to soak up extra oil.

Add the shallots, salt and pepper in the same skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until soft, about 3 minutes.

In a medium bowl, mix together the cooked pancetta, shallots, bread, eggs, spinach gruyere cheese and milk until all the ingredients are moistened.

spinach bake pancetta, spinach cheese and milk

Spoon the mixture into the ramekins.

Place the ramekins on a small baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Cool the ramekins for 20 minutes.

Using a paring knife, loosen the edges of the ramekins and unmold onto serving plates.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

It’s that simple!

Happy 4th of July!

Jul. 4
2016