Anniversary dinner

A quiet dinner at home for our anniversary this year. The previous two weekends saw us travelling, first to New York with friends, next to San Antonio to see my mother and step-father. A night in was in order, and we enjoyed some very fresh Chilean Sea Bass from my favorite fishmonger in the Strip District.

I seasoned the steaks, then seared them skin-side down for two minutes, then flipped them and place the pan in a 350-degree oven. After ten minutes I topped them with some bread crumbs which I made from a couple of slices of my mother's brown bread, to which I'd added some chopped fresh herbs from the community garden behind our house. Also going in the pan: a couple of sliced cherry tomatoes and some baby beets, likewise from our plot in the garden.

It never ceases to amaze me how much spinach can cook down; a panful becomes a small green mass in mere moments. The spinach made a good bed for the fish. A drizzle of olive oil, a bottle of Geyser Peak Sauvignon Blanc, a beautiful woman across from me, and all was very well in the universe.

Mexican Omelet

Various sundries from the 'fridge produced this tasty combination.

Saute togehter chopped mushrooms, shallot and green onion. Sprinkle a little cumin, smoked paprika and chipotle chili powder over all. Saute til mushroom liquid evaporates and everthing tightens up and shrinkens, like a brave man enduring a cold shower.

Make an omelete and add some shredded cheddar (though queso fresco would be ideal), fresh salsa and then the smoky, caramelized mushrooms. Serve with warm, buttered flour tortillas.

Quick and Easy Fish Tacos

I'm told there are healthy versions of this using grilled swordfish in southern California, but I'm going for the fried version here.

I take tilapia or catfish fillets, dredge them in seasoned flour, dip them in beaten egg, and then dredge them through panko, a large flake Japanese bread crumb (which makes a lighter crust).

Next, I saute the fillets. Bacon fat is really good here, but any oil would work well. For either of the thin fillets allow about 3 minutes per side. Be careful flipping them, they may come apart.

I make a sauce out of adobo (smoked jalapenos in adobo sauce from Reyna's in the Strip District) whizzed together with mayonnaise and ketchup in my little handheld food processor. (A little of this goes a long way.)

I then shred cabbage and mix it with lime juice, a little olive oil, and some S and P.

I spread a little sauce on a heated flour tortilla (place them in a hot ungreased cast iron skillet for 20 seconds/side), top it with fried fish, add some cabbage, some chopped cilantro if you have it... voila.

Simple Spring Meal

Cheese course: roquefort, goat cheese with olive oil, lemon zest and pepper.

Vegetables are becoming bountiful now. Our peas are finished, though the seed packet label says we can replant late in the summer for fall. Our tomatoes are growing, but still light green. We have herbs aplently. Sadly, the spinach never grew beyond thin green whisps.

Our CSA is delivering lots of lettuce and now new potatoes. We also got the first beets of the season. The beet greens joined the spinach in my latest batch of saag.

I recently grilled thick slices of zuchini, dressing each with peas poached quicly in a thyme-infused olive oil, basil and feta. It was delicious:

Pea Pesto

So our peas have matured and we've enjoyed them lightly steamed and also raw in salads.

The pea shoots are edible, and we had lots of them.

The thought occured to me that perhaps they might make a decent pesto.

I hacked away at the plants and brought in a big bowlful. I rinsed them out-- I'm sure there was a bit of dog pee on them (thanks, Django), and pulled the leaves from the tough stems.

I steamed the stems to make a weak pea stock, then blanched the leaves in the hot water for a few seconds.

I scooped out the leaves and squeezed out much of the moisture, then put them in the food processor with a good pinch of salt, some pepper, and some of the stock, and gave it a good whirl. It produced a satisfying green, pea-flavored puree.

Not really a pesto, of course: no garlic, no nuts, no cheese.

But when you take a good tablespoon of it, and slowly blend in some good homemade vinagraitte, it makes a wonderful salad dressing.

The New Summer Salad:

To a bowl of cleaned, mixed greens, add a handful of chopped feta cheese, some shelled, raw peas, and the afforementioned pea vinagraitte. Stir, portion, eat.

Other uses? I bet it'd go well with some sauteed scallops. Pasta is a given. Swirled into vegetable soup. What else? Any ideas? Anyone? Bueller?

More Easy Indian

Lentils (Dal)

1. Make a spice mixture. I used the same one as my previous post on Chicken Saag. In fact, it's pretty much the only curry/garam masala mix I make: pulverize some cardomom seeds, add (in decreasing amounts) cumin, smoked paprika, tumeric, then bits of cayenne, nutmeg, cinnamon: whatever you have in your cupboard.

2. Saute some finely diced vegetables: carrots first, because they take the longest; red pepper, shallots, and the, at last, just til they release their pungent bouquet, lots of garlic and shredded ginger.

3. Add the spice mixture and stir to coat veggies.

4. Add a cup of small lentils and stir.

5. Add some chicken stock (or water) and S and P. Cover and simmer until the lentils are very tender. I used about two cups of stock. If you want it soupier, use more.

6. Serve with basmati rice, with a dollop of yogurt.

This would be greatly improved with the addition of cream and/or butter. Swap out the lentils for garbanzo beans, and add more stock and some cooked chicken and/or lamb and you have the wonderful Moroccan soup Harira.

Chicken Saag

I have an abundance of spinach so I'm going to attempt to make a favorite Indian dish for lunch, saag (which, I imagine, translates as "spinach.") As I have a leftover grilled chicken breast too, that'll go in. However I really prefer saag with lamb or fresh cheese.

Here, after a careful 10 minute on-line review, is what I'll do:

1. Saute some chopped onion til lightly browned in vegetable oil. Add some chopped garlic and minced ginger.

2. Steam lots of spinach til wilted, transer to blender or food processor and puree the hell out of it. Season with S and P.

3. Make a spice blend: cumin, tumeric, crushed cardomom seeds, smoked paprika, cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne. Add to sauteed vegetables and saute 'til fragrant.

4. Add chopped chicken (or cooked lamb, or tofu, or fresh cheese). Saute to coat with spices.

5. Add spinach puree. Check seasonings. Add butter, cream, milk or yogurt.

6. Eat.