Cardamom Fennel Scallops

You know you're behind on updating, when you log in and see a post that's 6 months old, still in draft form, and that begins "Gosh, it's been a long time." Umm, yeah, it has. I suppose I'll keep that post intact below and add further updates in the next few.

Gosh it's been a long time. I may've nearly forgotten how to cook in between foot surgery and work travels. Ok, maybe not entirely. I did somehow manage to buy new cookbooks while in bed recovering from surgery. As anyone who has spent any amount of time talking to me about cooking knows, I'm a little obsessed with Raghavan Iyer's cookbook 660 Curries. The only problem with that tome is that it's a little intimidating with a LOT of (delicious!) recipes but few pictures. Also, nearly everything calls for its own curry blend. Great for me, but not so great for recommending to others. When he came out with an "easy" cookbook with 10 ingredients or less in 2013, I was intrigued but decided I probably didn't need another Indian cookbook. While recovering from surgery though, it popped up on my Kindle list for $2.50 and of course I caved. If I couldn't cook, at least I could read about cooking?

A few weeks later, I managed to convince August (who was stuck on cooking duties) that he needed to make some Indian food. The result was a complete success. Quick and easy, but full of flavour. The original recipe calls for scallops, but Iyer also recommends cod which we used to great success. Three months later, I'm still thinking about this delicious dinner. Since then, we've managed to make a few recipes from this book (turmeric hash browns, kale and salmon).

One year ago: Pizza Bianca with Roasted Mushrooms and Fontina Well, one year ago when I first started this post. One year ago, now: Spiced Maple Pecan Pie with Star Anise
Two years ago: Saffron Scented Lamb with an Almond Sauce
Three years ago: Buffalo, Mushrooms, and Feta Meatballs
Four years ago: Indian Cooking Building Blocks
Five years ago: Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Six years ago: Blueberry Boy Bait

Cardamom Fennel Scallops (from Indian Cooking Unfolded)

Ingredients
1 tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp black or yellow mustard seeds
¼ tsp cardamom seeds
1 lb large sea scallops (12 to 15)
4 medium-size cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 dried red cayenne chiles (like chile de árbol), stems discarded, coarsely chopped
1 tsp coarse kosher or sea salt
2 tbsp canola oil
½ cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems

1. Grind fennel, mustard, and cardamom seeds to consistency of finely ground black pepper. Transfer to medium bowl.
2. Add scallops, garlic, chiles, and salt to spice blend and stir to coat. Refrigerate covered until ready to cook.
3. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add scallops and sear 2 to 3 minutes per side.
4. Pour coconut milk into skillet and reduce to medium. Scrape to deglaze.
5. Cover skillet and simmer 2 to 3 minutes until scallops are cooked through. Transfer scallops to a serving platter.
6. Let sauce simmer uncovered until thickened, 2 minutes. Pour over scallops.
7. Sprinkle scallops with cilantro and serve.

Sauteed Cod with Chorizo, Orange and Wild Arugula, Sherry Vinaigrette

While I love our seafood box, sometimes it becomes a bit overwhelming. Each drop is supposed to give us one meal, but we usually find it's enough fish for two meals, so half of the bounty gets placed in the freezer. Black cod was threatening to overtake the freezer, so I decided to take back control of it. Luckily, someone had also brought home a dried spicy sausage that week, so I decided to appropriate it. The fantastic thing about this recipe is it gives you a complete meal in less than 15 minutes.

Sauteed Cod with Chorizo, Orange and Wild Arugula, Sherry Vinaigrette (from Radically Simple)

Ingredients
2 oranges
8 tbsp olive oil, divided (I used a bit less)
3 ounces dried chorizo, sliced 1/4" thick
2 tbsp sherry vinegar, divided
3 ounces mixed wild arugula and mesculin
4 thick code fillets, 6 ounces each

1. Cut rind and pith from oranges. Cut between membranes to release segments. Save 2 tbsp of juice.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in large skillet. Add chorizo and cook over high heat for 2 minutes until crispy.
3. Whisk together 6 tbsp oil (I used less), 1 tbsp of vinegar, and salt and pepper.
4. Toss greens with dressing and divide among 4 plates.
5. Top greens with orange segments, chorizo, and pan drippings.
6. Add remaining 1 tbsp oil to skillet. Season fish with salt and pepper. Cook over high heat until firm, 3 minutes per side.
7. Add remaining 1 tbsp vinegar and orange juice and cook for 30 seconds.
8. Place fish on greens, drizzle with pan juices, and serve.

Mustard Paste-Smothered Cod and Mushrooms Wrapped in Leaves

This dish is a hit of spicy mustard that cooks up simply and beautifully on the grill. We forgot to sprinkle with cilantro on top before diving in. I recommend that you remember.

One year ago: Skillet Roasted Potatoes and Turnips
Two years ago: Sesame Chicken
Three years ago: Coconut Red Lentil Soup

Mustard Paste-Smothered Cod and Mushrooms Wrapped in Leaves (from 660 Curries)

Ingredients
2 tbsp black or yellow mustard seeds, ground
1/4 cup boiling water
1 lb skinless fillet of code, cut into 2" pieces (or halibut, swordfish, bass, or pollock; we left the skin on one side)
2 tbsp mustard oil or canola oil
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 medium tomato, cored and cut into 2" cubes
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 or 3 green chiles, stems removed and finely chopped
1 piece banana leaf or a handful of collard greens
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro

1. Combine mustard and boiling water in a large bowl and stir to make a thick paste. Add cod and all remaining ingredients except banana leaf and cilantro. Toss to coat.
2. Preheat a grill to high.
3. Tear off a sheet of aluminum foil large enough to cover the grill grate. Pierce in numerous places with a knife.
4. Spread banana leaf or collard leaves over foil.
5. Spread fish and vegetables over greens. Cover and cook until fish is cooked through, 15 - 20 minutes.
6. Transfer curry to serving bowl. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Yellow-Cooked Salt Cod in Chili Sauce

I have a problem with most fish dishes in that I get bored with them mid-way through eating. With a weekly seafood box, that's not really a good habit to have. Luckily, this richly flavored fish had me eager to finish the entire thing ... even if I had managed to cut off a good portion of my thumb during dinner prep. I can't comment on the level of difficulty for this dish very thoroughly, because I was instructed to remain seated so I wouldn't black out, but I assume it couldn't be that bad, because August had very few questions other than if we had ingredients and where they were hiding.

One year ago: Beef Slivers with Cilantro
Two years ago: Buttermilk Biscuits
Three years ago: Orzo with Roasted Vegetables

Yellow-Cooked Salt Cod in Chili Sauce (from Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook)

Ingredients
2 code fillets with skin (1 lb total)
2 1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1/2 tbsp dried chili flakes
2 tsp Shaoxing rice wine
1 cup stock
1/4 tsp dark soy sauce
1 red chili, thinly sliced
4 scallions, green parts, thinly sliced
1 tsp Chinkiang vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 cup peanut oil

1. A couple of hours before cooking, run salt into cod fillets and place in fridge.
2. Before cooking, rinse cod and pat dry.
3. Heat peanut oil in wok over high flame. Add fish and fry on both sides until golden. Set aside.
4. Heat wok over high flame and add 3 tbsp peanut oil. Add ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant.
5. Add chili flakes and sizzle until fragrant.
6. Splash Shaoxing wine in wok and add stock.
7. Bring liquid to boil. Add soy sauce and immerse fish fillets. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for a few minutes, spooning sauce on fillets.
8. Transfer fish to serving dish.
9. Add chili to sauce in wok, stir.
10. Add scallions and vinegar to wok. Stir.
11. Remove wok from heat, stir in sesame oil, and drizzle liquid on fish.

Cod Cakes in Tomato Sauce

We were supposed to get crab this week, but at the last minute, it was changed to cod instead. Luckily, I've been wanting to try this recipe since I first received the cookbook and was not disappointed. This recipe is a bit chopping intensive, but the results are worth it. The cakes are mild and the sauce has just the right about of sweetness and spice. Serve with a side of grains and some fresh greens. Don't forget the mint garnish. The only thing I might change about this recipe is cutting back the amount of onion slightly.

One year ago: Bulgur and Walnut Salad
Two years ago: Espresso Black Bean Stew
Three years ago: Cranberry Winter Stew

Cod Cakes in Tomato Sauce (from Jerusalem)
Ingredients
Tomato Sauce
2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp ground coriander
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine (or vermouth)
1 14oz can chopped tomatoes
1 red chile, seeded and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp sugar
Meatballs
3 slices white bread, crusts removed (60g)
600g cod, halibut, hake, or pollock fillet, skinned and bones removed
1 medium onion, finely chopped (150g)
4 cloves garlic, minced
30g parsley, finely chopped
30g cilantro, finely chopped
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 extra large eggs, beaten
Assembly
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp mint leaves, coarsely chopped

1. Make the tomato sauce. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large frying pan that has a lid. Add spices and onion and cook for 8 - 10 minutes.
2. Add wine and simmer for 3 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes, chile, garlic, sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, and black pepper. Simmer 15 minutes until thick. Set aside.
4. Meanwhile, make fish cakes. Place bread in food processor and blitz. Chop fish very finely and place in bowl along with remaining meatball ingredients. Mix together with hands and form into 8 cakes.
5. Heat half the olive oil in a separate frying pan over medium-high heat. Add half of cakes and sear for 3 minutes on each side. Repeat.
6. Place seared cakes in tomato sauce. Add 1 cup water. Cover pan with lid and simmer over low heat for 15 - 20 minutes.
7. Turn off heat and leave to settle uncovered for 10 minutes.
8. Sprinkle with mint and serve warm or at room temperature.

Cod Baked with Tahini Sauce

My greatest failing as a cook is that I rarely cook seafood dishes. We never had much in our house growing up, so I never find myself drawn to it. I've branched out a bit to shrimp and scallops, but still seem to remain afraid of fish. In an attempt to solve this, we recently signed up for a seafood CSA box that will give us one serving of seafood per week that's freshly caught. This past week was our first trial and I was incredibly happy with both the quality of the fish and the outcome of our dinner. The tahini sauce complimented the black cod nicely without overwhelming the fish. The original recipe suggests pomegranate seeds or nigella seeds as a garnish. I went with pomegranate because we had some in the fridge, but I don't think I'd go out of my way to get them for this dish.

One year ago: Crisped Chicken with Chimichurri and Avocado
Two years ago: Spiced Pearsauce Cake
Three years ago: Potato Soup

Cod Baked with Tahini Sauce (from Moro)
Ingredients
4 thick cod fillets, skin on, 200g each
3 tbsp olive oil
sea salt and black pepper
2 tbsp pomegranate seeds or 2 tsp nigella seeds, optional for garnish
Tahini Sauce
2 garlic cloves
3 tbsp tahini paste
juice of 1 lemon
5 tbsp water
sea salt and black pepper

1. Prepare sauce. Crush garlic cloves to a paste with a pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle. Transfer to a mixing bowl and whisk in tahini and thin with lemon juice. Add water until the consistency of heavy cream.
2. Preheat oven to 425F.
3. Place an oven-safe frying pan over high heat. Add olive oil. Season code with salt and pepper.
4. Place cod skin-side up in hot pan and sear for 1 - 2 minutes.
5. Turn fish over and place in oven for 5 - 8 minutes until cooked through.
6. Pour tahini sauce into pan with fish to warm for 30 seconds.
7. Transfer fish to plates, spooning sauce over fish, and garnishing with seeds.