WORTH SHARING A MILLION TIMES: MISO AND MAPLE SYRUP GLAZE

I think of this blog pretty much every day but I’m a terrible friend to it. I neglect it and don’t really take care of it. But today is a day I decide to make an effort to make it happy… to make it smile!

Be prepared, this terribly simple recipe is super delectable and your entire family will love it, including kids and babies… I’ve tried it and it works. You want a nice fast and healthy dinner? This is the best recipe you’ll have tried in months!! I made mine with nice jasmine rice and garlic spinach. The fish took 12 minutes to make (4 to prepare, 8 to cook), which is less than the rice, which took 20! Try to beat that Jamie Oliver with your 30 minutes meal!!!

Picture taken for Ricardo's website... I didn't have time to take a picture myself!

MISO AND MAPLE SYRUP GLAZE

Makes 2 large fillets or 4 fish steaks

(Good for salmon, trout, pork and chicken)

INGREDIENTS

¼ cup maple syrup

2 tbsp miso paste

2 tbsp grapeseed oil (or olive oil)

2 green onions or 1 shallot, finely chopped

1 tbsp sambal olek (or an asian hot sauce)

1 tsp curry powder

½ tsp Sichuan peppercorns, crushed

PREPARATION

Sauce

Blend together all of the ingredients.

Cooking the fish

Place 4 fish steaks or 2 large fillets of your choice on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (the sauce will caramelized once cooked) and generously brush with the miso and maple syrup glaze. Bake in the center of the oven, under the broiler, for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the type of fish, or until cooked (be careful not to overcook your fish). Serve hot with rice and a nice green vegetable!!

Red Snapper For An Easy Weeknight

I find that I always eat the same kind of fish… and it gets me bored. I absolutely love salmon in all its forms (except when it’s overcooked) but I need a change once in a while. So the other day I was at Adonis, an amazing supermarket here in Montreal (we don’t have Whole Foods yet but we have Adonis!) and was looking at the fish they had… and they had this great looking Red Snapper that got me going! I found a nice looking recipe on the web and modified it a little. It was fantastic! If you try it with my previous quinoa recipe I promise you a great meal!

CREOLE RED SNAPPER FILLETS

Makes 2 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 red snapper fillets (or 1 entire fish if you know how to make your own fillets!)

4 tbsp butter, cut in small dices

1 garlic clove, minced

6 drops of Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp Creole or Cajun seasoning (with salt)

Pepper

PREPARATION

Preheat your oven at 400˚F.

In a small bowl, melt the butter. Add the garlic, Worcestershire, Creole seasoning and pepper. Mix well.

Place your fillets in an ovenproof dish. Evenly spread the butter mixture on top. Cook in the oven for about 10 minutes. 

Rough Night... Nice And Tasty Side: Quinoa

Rough night!! Last night I made food for 125 people. You read that right! Not 12 but 125 hungry, eager eaters. It was absolutely A-M-A-Z-I-N-G (in my own opinion!). Making food for such a great number of people is an obvious challenge, not such in terms of food itself but it terms of planning. Preparing food is not just about putting good ingredients together; it’s also about planning each and every step of the way as well as attaining a perfect timing. Food needs to be fresh and tasty; hot and striking. This kind of an experience is also an incredible rush, a true flood or adrenaline… And one could get hooked to it. I must say I loooove a good challenge and this one, which was given to me by trustful people (thank you, you know who you are!), was one I took on like a bull and ended like a swan (I know, that sounds weird but I felt it ended in such a graceful way that it made me feel like a swan!!).

Anyways, when you go through such a rush of adrenaline, you need a really good break. The glass of wine at the end of the night was absolutely well deserved and the chatting and mingling with the people who devoured the food was a breeze, a relaxing and unwinding moment. Today, I might need more than my usual single cup of coffee and a take out dinner tonight might be what we end up eating. Because spending such great time in your kitchen means hours of pleasure, you still need to get away from it once in a while. It’s like great love: you need a little bit of space here and there to remember how big your love is when you get back to it!

On this note, enjoy some easy quinoa today (or tomorrow!) and enjoy a beautiful day!

QUINOA SIDEDISH

Makes about 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 cup quinoa

2 cups chicken broth

1 dried chipotle

1 tbsp olive oil

½ onion, finely diced

½ red bell pepper, finely diced

1 garlic clove, minced

PREPARATION

In a small pot, put your quinoa, chicken broth and chipotle. Bring the broth to a boil. Bring the heat down and cook for about 20 minutes.

In a small pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and the peppers and cook for a few minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two. Take off the heat.

When the quinoa is ready, add in the cooked onions and peppers. Mix well and serve immediately.

Little Quicky: Scallop Carpaccio

I’m in the mood to share this little recipe with all of you lovely readers. Because it is nice and sunny in Montreal and because I’m having a relaxing moment on this Saturday while my kids are napping (both at the same time is what I call a miracle!). I don’t have much time but I believe I have just enough to share this simple recipe with you. Ok, it’s seafood – AGAIN - I hope you don’t mind too much. I’ll give it a break after this and switch to some meat… and sugar (I’m due for a good desert!). If you’re a seafood lover, then I guess you are well served these days!

FRESH SCALLOP CARPACCIO

Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

6 big scallops

2 green scallions, finely sliced

2 tbsp excellent olive oil

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

1 tbsp poppy seeds

Maldon sea salt flakes

PREPARATION

In a small bowl mix together the olive oil, lime juice and scallions.

In a small skillet, slightly toast the poppy seeds. Be careful not to burn them. Take off the heat and let cool.

With a good knife, delicately slice your scallops. The slices should be no more than 3mm. Place them on small serving plates.

Drizzle the scallops with the olive oil and lime juice mixture. Decorate with a few pinches of roasted poppy seeds. Finish off with a nice pinch of sea salt flakes. Serve and enjoy immediately.

Oyster Season Is Still On So Have Some More

Because it’s still oyster season I’m going to write again about the sea’s gem! Of course, some of you probably hate the damn thing and I kind of understand you. Who wants to eat a raw, slimy and salty mollusk? Not many. But trust me, once you try the slimy beast, you might realize how good and refined it actually is. And you just might get addicted to it, even if it’s against your own good will!

There are easier ways to start eating oysters than to have them naked and raw. Although they’re not my favorite once cooked, they can be easier to gulp on once they’re not raw. Plus, if you add some flavor to them, a taste to which you might not be accustomed to becomes more subtle. But take it to the next level fast; cooked oysters might be good but they’re not the real deal. And if you want to pass as an oyster lover, people won’t believe you if the only way you like yours are cooked with a bunch of unnecessary ingredients on top.

The best way to eat an oyster is still raw with a hint of lemon but hey, if you’re gonna eat a lot of them and often, why not try different variations? Here are some of my favorites!

OYSTER WITH CUCUMBER AND MINT SALSA

INGREDIENTS  

1 small Lebanese cucumber, deseeded and finely diced

½ red onion or shallot, finely chopped

2 tbsp soy sauce

4 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped

PREPARATION

In a bowl, mix of the ingredients. Spoon a little on top of freshly opened oysters. Serve immediately .

Note: Add the mint to the salsa only when ready to serve. If not, the mint will become brown.  

BACON AND GRUYÈRE OYSTERS

INGREDIENTS

¼ cup 35% cream

1 tbsp olive oil

1 shallot, finely chopped

¼ cup grated gruyere cheese

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

4 slices of bacon cut in small pieces

6 oysters

PREPARATION

Open the oysters and put them in a bowl with the juice. Keep the bottom of the shells.

In a skillet, cooked the bacon pieces until they become nice and crispy. Place on an absorbing paper and take off the excess fat. Set aside.

In a saucepan, heat the cream and reduce it by half.

In a skillet, cook the olive oil and the shallot. Add the cream and the oyster juice. Blend well.

When ready to serve, preheat your oven to broil. Place the bottom shells on a cooking sheet and put an oyster back in each shell. Put a small spoonful of the cream mixture on top of the oyster and top off with some gruyere cheese and crispy bacon. Put in the oven and cook until the cheese has melted and is slightly golden.

Note: Be very careful, the shell will be dangerously hot when you take it out of the oven so it’s better to eat with a small fork.

When A Good Surprise Comes On A Plate: Veal Cutlets

Once in a while I try a new recipe I’m not convinced about. We’ve all got our personal taste and while some recipes might inspire you, it might not correspond to my idea of a good one. Still, once in a while, you have to go out of your comfort zone and try something you just don’t know if it’ll work out. I think this is what happened with this recipe.

I won’t hide it; I go to Costco every once in a while… if not every week or so! Hey, I’ve got a lot of diapers to buy so I’d rather do it there than at Walmart, if you know what I mean! Anyways, Costco holds a great selection of excellent meats, surprisingly. The other day, I decided to buy a pack of really really nice veal cutlets, bone on. I don’t know what took me but a simple glance at the pink meat got me straight to the heart; I had to buy it!

But when I got home, I was stuck. I really didn’t feel like simply grilling the damn thing; I felt like making it shine, I just didn’t know how. So I searched the web hoping to find inspiration. It was hard… It was a day my fridge was a little empty so I didn’t have most of the needed ingredients for the recipes. And then I found this recipe. I don’t know, there was something weird about mixing coconut milk with veal… but because I had coconut milk, it was what I was going to make. And OH BOY did I not regret it. This recipe was soooooooo tasty and yummy I literally licked my plate. The meat was amazingly nice and juicy and the sauce was simply delicious.

Which is why I love to go out of my comfort zone. Out of 3 trials, sure, I’ll miss twice but that time I won’t miss, it’ll be a real treat for the mouth and stomach!

MILK FED VEAL CUTLET WITH COCONUT MILK SAUCE

Makes 4 servings

 

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp vegetable oil

4 veal cutlets (about 175g each), with bone

1 can of coconut milk (398ml)

½ cup chicken broth

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 shallot, thinly sliced

4oz fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 tsp Chinese 5-spice

The zest of 1 lemon

Salt & pepper

PREPARATION

In a skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat and cook the cutlets for 1 minute on each side. Take the cutlets off the heat and keep them on a side dish.

Add the coconut milk and the chicken broth in the skillet. Bring to a boil. Add the garlic, shallots, mushrooms, 5-spice and lemon zest. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Put the cutlets back into the skillets and bring the heat down to medium-low heat. Cover and let simmer for about 20-25 minutes or until the sauce thickens and the meat is tender. Serve the cutlets covered in sauce.

Note: Veal is perfectly safe if it’s slightly pink on the inside.

You can serve you veal with lemon pasta or, as I did, a mushroom risotto. 

A Feisty Caribbean Sauce Called ‘Sauce Chien’

A couple of years back I spent a few months in the Caribbean. More precisely, I was on the island of Martinique. I know… I was really lucky! While I was there, I met a chef who was kind enough to teach me the local way of cooking. In exchange, I would spend some time in his restaurant, waitressing. Nothing too stressful (the island way!) and it was all worth it. It was such an amazing experience. On top of learning great recipes, I learned how to make local drinks (yummy!), and learned the true way of cooking when you’re in a tropical country: in a kitchen where flies are all over the place and ants make little trails along the walls. Lets just say the sanitary rules are not the same over there as the ones we have here, in North America!

A great way to give some kick to fish or meat in Martinique is by covering it with a sauce called ‘sauce chien’. It’s basically pickled onions. I love onions and vinegar so this really satisfies my taste and gives my food that special island kick. It’s a feisty, simple yet very effective sauce, one which is perfect to enhance your summer meals. I even use the leftover sauce in my salads. Why not? After all, it’s made of onions and vinegar!

SAUCE CHIEN

 

INGREDIENTS

½ big white onion, diced extremely finely

White vinegar

2 small tomatoes, emptied and cut in very fine dices

2 tbsp vegetable oil

Salt

PREPARATION

Put the finely diced onions in a bowl. Cover completely with white vinegar. Add the tomatoes and the vegetable oil. Add some salt to taste (you need at least 1 tbsp).

Serve on top of a whole grilled fish of fish fillets. In the Caribbean they use Red Snapper. I used Pangasius and it was delicious!

My Version Of A Nasi Goreng (Fried Rice)

On this rainy day, I need to prepare something that’s easy to make, satisfying for the tummy and for which I have all the ingredients at home. Not an easy task, I have to admit. Still, I’m one who’s prepared most of the time and one who always keeps a nice stash of non-perishables in my cupboard!

Today, my creativity has targeted an Asian dish: Nasi Goreng. Nasi Goreng finds its origin in Indonesia and Malaysia and pretty much means fried rice. I call my version of the dish “improved” simply because I gave it my own twist. To make it more fun and colorful, I added a few ingredients. This way, I’m making sure we’re getting a few veggies, protein and some crunchiness which is always fun in the mouth. I’ve indicated optional next to the ingredients I’ve added. You can decide to make the normal version or put your own twist to it, depending on what you’ve got at home. The easy thing about this recipe is that you can make your rice in advance. When you’re ready to cook, it’ll take you about 10 minutes to get the whole thing done. This is fantastic on a weeknight when time is limited!

IMRPOV NASI GORENG

Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp Sambal Olek (2 if you like it hot!)

125g raw shrimps, peeled

125g raw chicken, diced

3 green shallots, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp soya sauce

2 tbsp oisin sauce (optinal)

1 tbsp fish sauce (optional)

4 eggs

3 cups cold cooked rice

1 small can (8 oz) bamboo shoots (optional)

1 small can (8 oz) water chestnut (optional)

½ cup green beans (optional)

1 can (7.4 oz) unpeeled whole straw mushrooms (optional)

PREPARATION

In a small bowl, mix together the green shallots, garlic, soya, oisin and fish sauces. Set aside.

In a wok, heat the oil over high heat and add the Sambal Olek and chicken. Cook the chicken until it is colored.

Add the shrimps, sauce mixture, bamboo shoots, water chestnut, green beans, straw mushrooms, and rice. Cook for another 5 minutes, until the rice is hot.

I a small pan, cook the eggs separately, over easy.

Place the rice in a dome shape on a plate. Cover with and egg and decorate with pieces of tomato and cucumber.  

Can’t get enough of fish? You need ceviche!

A few years back I was in Peru for a couple of months doing humanitarian work (sure makes me feel good to say this!). I had an amazing time and can tell you that Peruvians are more than welcoming and generous. And they most certainly know how to crack a good smile! But, as much as my time there was amazing and fulfilling, there was a downside to the whole thing: I was way up in the mountains, at about 3500 meters up in the air. Way up there, the food is great but pretty much evolves around rice and potatoes (can you believe living on such a diet made me lose 10 pounds?); forget about having a good steak or, even worse, some fresh fish up there... you might regret it.

So when I ended my trip and spent a few days in Lima, right next to the ocean, there was one thing I was dying to do, and that was to eat raw fish. And boy did I eat some amazing fish there. Ceviches are at their best in the capital and I’ve yet to find a place where they serve ceviches that good (if you know of a place in Montreal or the surroundings, can you please let me know?).

But I did bring back a few tricks to make sure I could reproduce some of the good stuff at home. Although never as good, this is close to what you can find over there. The following recipe, if you go ahead and try it, starts as the most bizarre mix of ingredients and can, well, look unappetizing (my husband certainly didn’t think that this dish looked appetizing!). But, don’t judge a book by its cover. This ceviche in rocoto cream is absolutely delicious and different (my husband ended up loving the dish and he's quite a tough critic). It brings a little something to your plate that you don’t often find in this part of the planet. So if you’re feeling adventurous and you love fish, try this one and book your plane ticket to Peru. I guarantee you’ll want to head out there really soon!

CEVICHE EN CREMA DE ROCOTO

Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 ½ pounds fresh firm white flesh fish (like halibut, sea bass or flounder fillets)

1 tbsp olive oil

¼ leeks, white part only, roughly chopped

2 celery branches, roughly chopped

¼ small white onion, roughly chopped

2 large scallops

1 tbsp fish stock

½ cup vegetable oil

3 tbsp rocoto paste

Juice of about 8-10 key limes

salt

1 red onion, cut in very fine slices

1 cup cooked fresh corn kernels

1 cooked yam

PREPARATION

In a skillet, over low heat, blanche the celery, leek and white onion in olive oil (about 5 minutes). Set aside and let cool.

Combine the scallops and fish stock in the jar of a blender or food processor. Blend for about ½ minute at low speed. With the motor running, add the vegetable oil in a slow, steady stream, as you would to make a mayonnaise. The mixture should take the consistency of a light, chunky mayonnaise.

Add in the cooled vegetables. Blend for a minute or two. Add the rocoto paste. Adjust taste to your liking of spiciness. Keep chilled until ready to serve.

Cube the fish in small pieces and sprinkle with salt. Keep chilled until ready to serve. Just before serving add the key lime juice. Adjust taste to your liking.

When ready to serve, display yams and fresh corn kernels. Add the fish ceviche and top with the scallops mayonnaise. Finish off with red onions as decoration.

Note: You can find ready made rocoto paste in specialized or latin markets.