Fish | Simple By Cindy

Fusilli with Salmon and Roasted Garlic

Oct. 21
2015

This is another delicious, light pasta from Giada DeLaurentis. I chose it because the ingredients are simple and I thought they would blend together wonderfully. Turns out, I was right!

I have made this dish many times, often for my friends and family. It always got rave reviews. So now I am sharing it and hoping you will try this recipe.

As Giada mentions, “it may seem like a lot of garlic, but because it is roasted, it contributes a mellow, nutty flavor that goes beautifully with the salmon”. I promise the garlic is mellow, and you will be able to kiss whomever you want afterward!

Send me your comments and let me know how you liked it. I would love to hear from you!

I will be going on vacation until October 31, so I will not be posting until I return. There will be many interesting experiences to share with you when I get back. Looking forward to it!

Ingredients for the Fusilli

2 whole heads of garlic (roasted)
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 pound of fusilli pasta
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup of chicken broth
1 pound of salmon (skinless), cut into 1 inch cubes
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp. fresh rosemary (or 1/2 tbsp. dried)
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. drained capers
1/2 tsp. kosher salt (plus 1/2 tsp. set aside)
1/2 tsp. pepper (plus 1/2 tsp. set aside)

Preheat the oven to 400.

Cut the heads of the garlic in half crosswise and place on a sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Fold the foil up and around the garlic, making sure it stays flat. Fold the edges to seal in a tight packet. Place in the oven and roast until soft, around 60 minutes. Let the garlic cool slightly, then squeeze the cloves out of the skin. Mash half off the roasted garlic into a paste with the back of a fork. Set aside the other half.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water generously and add the pasta. Cook until tender but firm to the bite, stirring occasionally about 8-10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Combine the wine and the chicken broth in a large, heavy skillet and bring to a simmer. Add the mashed roasted garlic and stir to dissolve. Simmer uncovered for 4 minutes. Add the salmon, cover and simmer for 4 more minutes.

Remove from the heat and add the remaining whole roasted garlic, the lemon zest and juice, rosemary and the cooked pasta. Stir to combine.

Add the extra-virgin olive oil, capers 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper and stir once more.

It’s that Simple!

Pan Roasted Cod and Farfalle Pasta

Sep. 30
2015

Fish, particularly cold water fish like cod, has been shown to be very healthy and an excellent source of protein. Cod is a hearty firm white fish. It has a meaty flesh, flaky texture and mild flavor. This delicate, sweet fish is versatile and easy to prepare. Remember, you can use this recipe with any fish of your choice. I hope you try the Atlantic cod fish. It is simply delicious!

This farfalle pasta recipe is courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis. I have been making it for years! It is easy and flavorful. Giada writes that the secret ingredient is anchovies! She is right! This is the dish that turned my son into an anchovy lover! It turned my entire family onto this delicate treat as well. Now you can understand how I became enamored (or obsessed) with anchovies! Thanks Giada!

Ingredients for the Cod

3 1/2 pound pieces of Atlantic Cod
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 eggs, beaten
3 cups of panko bread crumbs
2 tbsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup fresh parsley (or 3 tbsp. dried)
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Mix panko crumbs, garlic powder, parsley, salt and pepper into a bowl. Dip cod into egg, and then into panko mixture. Set aside.

Heat olive oil on medium heat in pan on stove.

When heated, place cod into pan. Set timer for 4 minutes. Turn cod over and cook for 4 more minutes. Crust should look lightly browned.

Ingredients for the Pasta

1 pound Farfalle (bow-tie) Pasta
2 heads of broccoli, trimmed to florets (about 4 cups)
1/4 cup olive oil
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
6 anchovies, chopped
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally.

After 5 minutes, add the broccoli florets to the pasta, stir, and cook for another 4 minutes. Drain the pasta and broccoli, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.

Meanwhile in a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-low heat. Add the anchovies and cook until they melt down. Add the red pepper flakes and garlic, cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the pasta and broccoli, salt and pepper and toss. To make the sauce thicken, add some of the reserved pasta water a little at a time (you do not have to use the entire cup).

Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

It’s that simple!

Red Snapper

Sep. 21
2015

I am excited to share with you another great recipe from my sister-in-law, Shelley. My brother had brought home some fresh red snapper he caught while fishing. Shelley got this recipe from a friend; she made some changes to it as did I.

Shelley was lucky enough to use this recipe with freshly caught fish! I was not so lucky and went to my grocery store and asked them to fillet the red snapper for me!

As it turns out, this is a recipe worth trying! The prep time is fast, and the fish cooks in just 15 minutes! It was delicious, and just as Shelley had told me, “blog worthy”.

Try this one, it is a “keeper”!

Ingredients for the Red Snapper

2 red snapper fish, fillet
3 tbsp. mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. lemon-pepper
1 tbsp. fresh dill
Juice of 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 350.

Whisk all the ingredients together. Place red snapper in a pan, flat, so all of the dressing can cover the fish.

Pour dressing over fish.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Any side dish would be a great accompaniment with this dish. I had some leftovers I served with it. What side dish did you use?

Let me know! I would love to hear from you!

It’s that simple!

Honey-Mustard Swordfish and Asparagus

Sep. 4
2015

Today was a hectic day. So much to do and it flew by! At 5:00, I was still busy and I knew that dinner had to be something I could prepare fast.

Luckily, I had prepared this meal the week before and knew I wanted to share it. This is a great meal that is fast and on the table in minutes. You probably have all the ingredients in your pantry so just pick up the fish and asparagus and you are good to go!

I used swordfish tonight although the week before I had prepared it with salmon. Any fish would be great with this sauce, so don’t feel limited. The honey-mustard sauce is what really makes the dish amazing.

Ingredients for the Swordfish

1 (6oz.) piece of swordfish for each person
3 tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 tbsp. whole grain Dijon mustard
2 tsp. Honey
1/2 tsp. Soy sauce
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. pepper (plus a little more to sprinkle on fish)

Set oven to 350.

Sprinkle both sides of fish with salt and pepper.

Place in oven for 25 minutes. Set your timer! You do not want overcooked fish!

Mix all of the ingredients together (with the exception of the salt). Let it set together while fish is baking.

When the fish is finished, spread the honey-mustard mixture over the top.

Ingredients for the Asparagus

1 bunch of asparagus
2 tbsp. olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp. Kosher salt
1 tsp. pepper

Today’s hint: To make asparagus correctly, you should peel them. This will get rid of all those thick nubs and your asparagus will taste sweet. You have to be very careful with very thin asparagus. Peel it very gently. I know this takes some extra time, but it is the right way to prepare it and it is worth it in the end!

Set your oven to 500.

Mix the asparagus with all of the ingredients above.

Place in pan and put it in the oven for 10 minutes.

Dinner is done! How fast was that?

It’s that simple!

Shrimp Scampi My Way

Aug. 10
2015

There are so many different ways to make Shrimp Scampi: in a red sauce, in a white sauce, without pasta, over rice…There are endless possibilities!

I tried many different recipes until I came up with this dish which has since become a staple in my house. I finally mastered it and now have it to share with you. You can always shorten the time it takes to make by using dry herb ingredients instead of fresh ones.

Todays Hint: Read ingredients before starting recipe. Prepare each ingredient first and set aside. This will making cooking time less effortful and much faster.

Ingredients for Shrimp Scampi
2 pounds of shrimp peeled and deveined and cut into pieces
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
8 anchovies
½ tsp red pepper flakes
8 cloves garlic minced
4 stems fresh oregano leaves, chopped (or 2 tbsp dried)
4 stems thyme, chopped (or 2 tbsp dried)
½ fresh lemon juice
½ cup basil leaves, chopped (or 1/4 cup dried)
1 cup of good white wine
¾ cup chicken broth or stock
½ cup of breadcrumbs
1 pound of linguini
1 tbsp. Kosher salt (1/4 reserved)
1 1/4 tsp. pepper ( 1/4 reserved)

Cook linguini for 4 minutes less than the directions tell you to.

SAVE 1 cup of the pasta water for the sauce.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shrimp to the pot with a ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Cook until shrimp turns bright orange about 2-3 minutes. Take the shrimp off and set it aside.

Add 1 tsp more olive oil to the pan. Take chopped anchovies and crushed red pepper and put into the pan.

Cook until anchovies melt, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for only one minute. Watch carefully so garlic does not burn.

Add breadcrumbs to the pot, cook for 2-3 minutes until you see them start to brown. Keep mixing so it does not stick to pan.

Place wine in pan and reduce for 2-3 minutes.

Add chicken broth and lemon juice and bring the sauce to a boil. Place chopped herbs into pot and let it cook for about 5-7 minutes.

Now it is time to put pasta into pot. If it is sticking don’t worry, it will start to come apart as it absorbs the sauce.

Add remaining salt and pepper. Add shrimp back to the pot. Stir in a little bit of pasta water at a time, until the sauce reaches desired thickness (you may not need all of the pasta water). Keep cooking for about another 3-4 minutes.

SOOO good! You have to try this!

It’s that simple!