Roasted Black Cod with Bok Choy and Soy Caramel Sauce

Fish always seem to be my go-to dish when I'm time constrained. In this case, we needed a quick meal before heading to the airport. This one creates a complete meal with minimal effort and dirty dishes. You can make the soy caramel sauce while the vegetables are roasting (and use the extra time to pack your bags). The book recommends serving with rice which I omitted but would be a good addition.

One year ago: Fennel and Feta with Pomegranate Seeds and Sumac
Two years ago: Pot Roast Studded with Almonds and Bacon
Three years ago: Chocolate Pumpkin Cake
Four years ago: Blue Cheese and Red Potato Tart
Five years ago: Asparagus, Oka, Pine Nuts, and Lemon Pasta

Roasted Black Cod with Bok Choy and Soy Caramel Sauce (from Good Fish)

Ingredients
5 ounces red cabbage, thinly sliced (2 cups)
2 large bulbs boy choy, halved
2 small tomatoes, halved
4 green onions, white and green parts cut into 3" lengths
4 tsp toasted sesame oil
4 tsp rice wine vinegar
4 slices lime
1 serrano chile, sliced
1 lb black cod fillet, cut into 4 equal portions
Soy Caramel Sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup sake
3 tbsp mirin
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup butter, cut into tablespoons

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Line a pan with aluminum foil.
2. Make 4 piles on the foil with each pile having 1/2 cup cabbage, a bok choy half, a tomato half sprinkled with a little salt, and a quarter of the green onions.
3. Drizzle each pile with 1 tsp sesame oil and 1 tsp rice wine vinegar.
4. Top each pile with a lime slice and sprinkle with chile slices.
5. Roast vegetables in the oven for 20 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, make soy caramel sauce. In a small saucepan add everything but butter and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook until reduced by half, 5 - 7 minutes. Turn heat to lowest setting and whisk in butter 1 tbsp at a time.
7. Place one piece of black cod skin side down on each pile and drizzle with 1 tbsp soy caramel sauce. Roast for 8 - 10 more minutes or until fish is cooked.
8. Serve with rice and remaining caramel sauce.

Fish Tacos with Cantaloupe Salsa

This week's seafood box brought rock fish. Rock fish usually arrives skinless and while it's a lovely white fish, I sometimes get a little tired of white fish. The CSA newsletter suggested fish tacos which seemed reasonable, but I didn't want to run to the store to pick up more ingredients for a slaw (red cabbage slaw was recommended with the fish), salsa, or guacamole. Luckily, we had a cantaloupe waiting on the counter and some feta hiding in the fridge. The slightly spicy tequila-lime of the fish paired great with the cantaloupe for a quick, refreshing weeknight dinner (or it would've been quick if I hadn't made my own flour tortillas ...).

Two years ago: Nutty-Tart Bell Peppers with Peanuts
Three years ago: Black and Blue Buckle
Four years ago: Chicken Tikka Masala

Fish Tacos with Cantaloupe Salsa (from Good Fish and Smitten Kitchen)

Ingredients
Fish
1 lime, vested and juiced
2 tbsp tequila
1/2 tsp salt
2 small jalapenos, sliced
1 small red onion, sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb halibut, skinned
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Feta or cojita to taste
flour or corn tortillas
Salsa
1 cups diced (1/4 inch) cantaloupe (from a 2 1/4-lb piece)
1/2 cup diced (1/4 inch) sweet onion (such as Vidalia) or red onion
1 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 (2-inch-long) fresh hot red or green chile, minced
1 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/8 teaspoon salt

1. Combine lime zest, lime juice, tequila, 1/2 tsp salt, sliced jalapenos, sliced red onion, and olive oil in bowl.
2. Place halibut in large bowl and pour marinade over fillet. Set aside for 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, chop the fruit for your salsa and mix together.
4. Heat saute pan over high heat and add vegetable oil.
5. Add halibut to pan, reserving marinade with onion slices and cook 3 - 4 minutes per side until cooked through. Transfer to a platter.
6. Add marinade to pan and cook over high heat until liquid evaporates and onions are lightly charred. Pour over fish.
7. Fill tortillas with fish, cantaloupe salsa, and cheese to taste. Enjoy!

Grilled Arctic Char with Arugula and Cherry Tomato-Anchovy Brown Butter

This dish is a celebration of summer with two types of tomatoes, basil, and peppery arugula. Grilled arctic char is served on top of a tomato and arugula salad and covered with a cherry tomato-anchovy brown butter sauce. Goin's recipes tend to be on the complex side, but this one is relatively simple and comes together fairly quickly.

Two years ago: Cucumber Cooler
Three years ago: Fig, Prosciutto, and Arugula Salad
Four years ago: Egg and Pancetta Stuffed Tomatoes

Grilled Arctic Char with Arugula and Cherry Tomato-Anchovy Brown Butter (from The AOC Cookbook)

Ingredients
1 lemon zested and 4 tsp juice, divided
6 fillets arctic char, skin on
1 tbsp thyme leaves
1/4 cup chopped thyme leaves, divided
1 1/2 lbs heirloom tomatoes
2 tbsp sliced basil
4 ounces arugula
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
8 tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp minced anchovy
3/4 pint small cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1. Season char with lemon zest, thyme, and 2 tbsp parsley. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. (Goin recommends this for all of her fish recipes. I rarely marinate for more than 30 minutes and sometimes not even that much. Don't let time stop you from giving this a shot!)
2. Light the grill and while it's warming up, let the fish come to room temperature.
3. Core the heirloom tomatoes and cut them into 1/4" thick slices. Season with salt and pepper and scatter basil on top.
4. Toss arugula in a large bowl with 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tsp lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
5. Divide half of the sliced tomatoes between 6 dinner plates. Add 2/3 of arugula on top. Place remaining tomatoes on plates and follow with the remaining arugula.
6. Brush char with remaining 2 tbsp olive oil and grill - 3-4 minutes skin-side down and a minute or so flesh side down. Place fish on arugula and tomato salad.
7. Meanwhile, place butter in medium saute pan. Cook over high heat a few minutes until brown and nutty. Add anchovy, cherry tomatoes, 3/4 tsp salt, and a few grindings of pepper. Cook for 30 seconds and add 2 tsp lemon juice. Stir in remaining parsley and spoon over fish and around the salad. Serve.

Catfish with a Chunky Avocado-Tomato Sauce

One of the things I will never grow tired of living in California is the availability of perfect avocados. One of the vendors at the Saturday farmer's market sells bags of small avocados which are the perfect size for snacking on. Occasionally, I realize that I should maybe try to do something with the avocado abundance rather than just eating them. This recipe pairs creamy avocados with Indian spices for a refreshingly different (and spicy!) dinner.

I was using very thin sole for this dish instead of catfish, so I skipped the initial browning step entirely to avoid overcooking the fish and left the fish in filet strips.

Two years ago: Creme Brulee French Toast
Three years ago: Creamy, Lemony Eggs with Prosciutto
Four years ago: Corn and Tomato Gratin

Catfish with a Chunky Avocado-Tomato Sauce (from 660 Curries)

Ingredients
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 lb skinless catfish fillets, cut into 2" pieces
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp black or yellow mustard seeds
1 large ripe Haas avocado, seeded, peeled, and cut into 1" cubes
1/2 cup canned (or fresh) diced tomatoes
12 medium to large curry leaves
4 fresh green chiles, stems removed and cut in half
3 lengthwise slices fresh ginger (1.5"x1"x1/8"), cut into matchsticks
1 tsp coarse salt

1. Sprinkle turmeric over catfish and rub in. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes - overnight.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mustard seeds, cover, and let pop like popcorn, ~ 30 seconds.
3. Add fish and cook until each side is lightly browned, ~ 15 seconds each. Transfer to a plate.
4. Add avocado, tomatoes, curry leaves, chiles, ginger, salt, and 1/2 cup water to skillet. Heat to a boil.
5. Return fish to skillet and spoon sauce over them. Cover and poach until fish is cooked. (You may need to reduce the heat a bit.)
6. Using a slotted spatula, transfer the fish to a serving platter.
7. Simmer sauce uncovered for 1 - 2 minutes until it starts to thicken. Spoon over fish and serve.

Snapper with Creamy Almond-Chipotle Pesto

You may be noticing a theme of quick and easy recipes in these posts. The best thing about having less energy/desire to cook during my time at home in between trips was it pushed me towards quick and easy recipes and reminded me that food doesn't have to be complicated or time-intensive to taste great. This dish is full of flavor with smokey chipotles and tangy cream fraiche, but can be on the table in less than 30 minutes with very little effort.

(Note this recipe is from a relatively new to me cookbook. I managed to pick up an e-book edition for a couple of dollars and the few recipes I've made have made it worth that small investment. If you're looking for something a bit simpler than Rick Bayless, but full of flavor, this may be a good book for you, especially if amazon puts it on sale again.)

Two years ago: Lentil Salad with Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette
Three years ago: Pesto and Proscuitto Stromboli
Four years ago: Pad See Ew

Snapper with Creamy Almond-Chipotle Pesto (from Pati's Mexican Table)

Ingredients
8 red snapper fillets
2 tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Pesto
1 cup Mexican crema or creme fraiche
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan or cotija
1 canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce plus 1 - 2 tbsp adobo sauce
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Garnish
1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted

1. Place fish fillets in container large enough to hold them in a single layer. Sprinkle with lime juice, salt, and pepper. Cover and marinate for 15 minutes - 2 hours in the fridge.
2. To make pesto, combine cream, almonds, cheese, chile, adobo sauce, and salt in a blender and puree.
3. Preheat oven to 375F and butter a large baking dish.
4. Arrange fillets in a single layer in dish. Spread 2 tbsp of pesto on each fillet. Bake 15 - 20 minutes.
5. Garnish with almonds and serve.

Seared Fish with Tangy Habanero

I was pleasantly surprised with the the ease of this recipes, the bright flavors, and the beautiful presentation of a light pink sauce. Don't be afraid of the habanero in this recipe as the cream helps to mute it a bit (we actually made a 1/2 recipe using a whole habanero and found the heat rather mild). If you have a very thin and delicate fish (I was using Dover Sole), skip the initial sear and just poach the fish in the sauce.

One year ago: Stewed Chicken in a Mustard Greens-Spinach Sauce
Two years ago: Cucumber-Sesame Salad
Three years ago: Baked Potato with Barbecued Beef
Four years ago: Cherry Tomato Pizza Margherita

Seared Fish with Tangy Habanero (from Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen)

Ingredients
Salsa
1 small (4 oz) red onion
2 tbsp fresh sour orange or lime juice
10 ounces (2 small round or 4 plum) ripe tomatoes
6 radishes
1/2 - 1 whole habanero chile
12 large sprigs of cilantro
1/2 tsp salt
Fish
4 fish fillets
2 tbsp oil
1/3 cup creme fraiche or heavy cream

1. Very finely chop onion with a knife, scoop into strainer, and rinse under cold water.
2. In a small bowl, stir together onion and juice.
3. Core tomatoes, cut crosswise in half and squeeze out seeds. Finely dice tomatoes and place in medium bowl.
4. Finely dice radishes and add to tomatoes.
5. Deseed habanero (or not) and finely mince. Add to tomatoes.
6. Finely chop cilantro (all of it, including the stems) and add to tomatoes.
7. Stir onion with juice into tomato mixture.
8. Heat heavy skillet filmed with oil over medium-high heat.
9. Sear fish on both sides until brown. Remove from pan.
10. Add salsa to pan and stir until wilted and liquid reduces.
11. Stir in creme fraiche, nestle fish back into pan, cover and simmer over medium-low until fish flakes. Transfer to plates and serve.

Brigante with Tilapia, Shallots, Spring Herbs, and Fusilli

One of my latest cookbook purchases is a book solely devoted to macaroni and cheese. If this recipe is any indication, it was a good, cheesy investment. A few notes on substitutions. She calls for Brigante cheese which I couldn't find and suggests substitutes of San Andreas (from Cowgirl Creamery which should've been easy for me to find, but was not!), Berkswell, Shepherd's Way Friesago, or Young Mahon. I ended up using a firm sheep milk cheese as recommended by the ever helpful cheese people at Bi-Rite. Usually, I just want to ponder the cheeses without being interrupted, but this time their friendliness worked to my advantage! For the tilapia, any white fish would work. I used some sole that we had in the freezer. She also suggests that you could use shrimp. Finally, for the herbs, I forgot that I actually needed tarragon and chevril for this recipe. Instead, I used a mix of mostly dill with a bit of parsley and marjoram. Feel free to mix up the herbs, but definitely make sure you get a bit of anise flavor in there as it works very well with the cheese and fish and cuts the richness a little. I would also consider upping the herbs to about 1/4 cup total, but I've been obsessed with adding more fresh herbs to dishes lately.

One year ago: Mustard Paste Smothered Cod and Mushrooms
Two years ago: Skillet-roasted Potatoes and Turnips
Three years ago: Sesame Chicken
Four years ago: Coconut Red Lentil Soup

Brigante with Tilapia, Shallots, Spring Herbs, and Fusilli (from Melt: The Art of Macaroni and Cheese)
Ingredients
4 tbsp butter, divided
1/4 cup minced shallots
1 tbsp chopped tarragon
4 tsp chopped chervil
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
2 small tilapia fillets, ~1/2 lb
8 ounces fusilli
2 cups milk
2 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
7 ounces Brigante, rind removed, grated
lemon wedges to garnish

1. In a saute pan, melt 1 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until soft.
2. Add tarragon, chevril, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
3. Add wine. Cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has cooked off, 2 minutes.
4. Transfer shallots and herbs to a small bowl and return pan to stove.
5. In same saute pan, add 1 tbsp butter and turn heat to medium. Saute tilapia for 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to bowl, shred with forks, and set aside.
6. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling water until al dente, drain, and set aside.
7. Heat milk in small saucepan over medium heat. When it starts to steam, turn off heat.
8. Place remaining 2 tbsp butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir until roux begins to form light brown color, 3 minutes.
9. Slowly add milk and stir until sauce thickens.
10. Lower heat to medium-low, add salt, pepper, and sauteed shallots and herbs.
11. Remove from heat and add cheese to sauce, stirring until melted.
12. In large bowl, add pasta to cheese sauce and toss to coat. Fold in shredded fish, and serve with lemon wedges.

Sole with Wilted Herbs

While it's been a good couple of weeks for cooking, my motivation for posting recipes lately is rather low, so I'm going to stick with giving you a very quick and easy, but delicious dinner. The sauce on this is rich, but bright. For the herbs, I used a mixture of dill, mint, and just a bit of marjoram.

One year ago: Lamb-Stuffed Quince with Pomegranate and Cilantro
Two years ago: Rabbit with Sichuan Pepper
Three years ago: Sweet Tart Dough
Four years ago: Cranberry Pecan Bread

Sole with Wilted Herbs (from The Herbal Kitchen)

Ingredients
1 1/2 lb skinned sole fillet, such as Dover or petrale
1 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
kosher salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
5 tbsp butter, divided
1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley
1/2 cup very coarsely chopped soft-leafed herbs, such as basil, chervil, chives, dill, mint, or tarragon
2 tbsp lemon juice

1. Pour milk into shallow bowl.
2. Mix flour with 2 tsp of salt and spread on platter.
3. Dip each piece of fish in milk, dredge with flour, and place on parchment paper.
4. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp of butter when skillet is hot enough for butter to sizzle, but not brown.
5. Place fish fillets in pan without overlapping (for the full recipe, you'll need to do two batches). Cook until golden brown, 2 - 3 minutes. Flip to brown the other side. Slide pieces onto warm plates.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 with remaining fish.
7. Add remaining 2 tbsp to hot pan and turn off heat. Add large pinch of salt if butter is unsalted.
8. When butter melts, toss in parsley and other herbs. Stir so herbs absorb butter.
9. Add lemon juice, stir, and spoon herb butter over fish and serve.

Sole Stuffed with Crab

December is always such a busy month that it's hard to find time to cook, let alone find time to post recipes, so that means my bar is a bit higher than normal when determining what makes it up here. Those delicious pork burgers that pair with homemade sun-dried ketchup? A little too much work for most people to make it up to the blog. An incredibly delicious crab dish that's simple enough to make it on the table in less than 30 minutes? Absolutely. These are easy enough for a weeknight, but nice enough for company. You can also assemble these ahead of time to cut down on the last minute work.

One year ago: Galveston Crab Cake
Two years ago: Quick and Easy Chinese Greens
Three years ago: Goat Cheese and Asparagus Risotto
Four years ago: Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes and Pine Nuts

Sole Stuffed with Crab (from Fish Without a Doubt)

Ingredients
8 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup minced shallots
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk, heated
coarse salt
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
freshly ground white pepper
cayenne
1 lb jumbo lump crabmeat
6 (5 ounce) Dove sole fillets
dry breadcrumbs

(If not making in advance, preheat oven to 450F.)
1. Set up a bowl of ice with some water and set a smaller bowl on the ice. Set aside.
2. Melt 3 tbsp butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until softened, 2 minutes.
3. Sprinkle in flour and cook, stirring until roux smells toasty, about 6 minutes. Don't let it brown. (If you're scaling down, this may go quite a bit more quickly!)
4. Take pan off heat and whisk in milk, dissolving the roux. Season with salt and return to heat.
5. Bring sauce to a simmer, stirring, reduce heat to low and simmer until very thick.
6. Stir in mustard, lemon juice, and parsley. Season with pepper, cayenne, and salt.
7. Fold in crab and scrape into iced bowl to cool down quickly.
8. Melt remaining 5 tbsp butter and brush 6 individual gratin dishes with butter. Divide crab among gratins, mounding in center.
9. Cut sole fillets down center and then make a diagonal cut through each half. Drape 4 pieces of fish over stuffing in each gratin, so they cover the crab completely.
10. Brush fish with remaining melted butter. You can now refrigerate for up to a day.
11. Season fish with salt and just a tiny bit of cayenne. Dust lightly with a pinch or two of breadcrumbs for each casserole.
12. Bake until stuffing is bubbling and browning at edges, 10 minutes. Serve.

Sea Bass with Pistachio-Pesto Crust

Another quick and easy fish dish. The cook time is for thick fillets of fish. I made this recipe using a thin fillet of sole and it only needed about 5 minutes to cook.

One year ago: Cod Baked with Tahini Sauce
Two years ago: Crisped Chicken with Chimichurri and Avocado
Three years ago: Spiced Pearsauce Cake
Four years ago: Potato Soup

Sea Bass with Pistachio-Pesto Crust (from Radically Simple)

Ingredients
4 thick sea bass fillets, 7 ounces each
1/2 cup basil pesto
1/2 cup finely ground pistachios
1 lemon

1. Preheat oven to 450F. Season fish with salt and pepper and arrange on baking sheet.
2. Spread each fillet with 2 tbsp pesto to cover completely.
3. Distribute pistachios equally among fillets, patting to form a crust.
4. Roast for 16 minutes, until fish is firm (less if you have a thin fillet).
5. Grate lemon zest on fish and serve.

Pasta Rustica with Sole, Greek Olives, and White Wine

It's been a while since I made pasta, but this quick and easy dish got rid of a bit of fish and made good use of some last of the season tomatoes. I couldn't resist adding a bit of feta to the final dish, but it probably wasn't strictly necessary.

One year ago: Saffron Rice
Two years ago: Hot and Sour Rhubarb and Crispy Pork with Noodles
Three years ago: Brisket
Four years ago: Bread pudding

Pasta Rustica with Sole, Greek Olives, and White Wine (from Radically Simple)

Ingredients
8 ounces penne rigate
3 large ripe plum tomatoes
2 large yellow tomatoes
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley, divided
1/3 cup slivered basil
1 tbsp grated lemon zest
12 ounces lemon sole, cut in 1/2" strips
16 pitted kalamata olives
feta (optional)

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until tender. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, cut all tomatoes into 1/2" pieces.
3. Heat oil in wok or large skillet. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
4. Add tomatoes, wine, half the parsley, basil, lemon zest, and 1 tsp salt. Cook 3 minutes over high heat.
5. Add fish and olives. Cook until fish is just cooked through, 2 minutes.
6. Add cooked pasta to skillet, heat 2 minutes until hot.
7. Divide among 4 bowls. Garnish with remaining parsley. Top with feta if desired.

Silver Packet Flounder with Miso Mayo

I've been trying desperately to get our fish freezer situation under control. It seems to be a losing battle (we got another 1.5 lbs of lemon sole this week!), but it's made for some quick and easy dinners. This one is a full meal in one convenient little packet. Low effort, but the spinach wilts beautifully and the rehydrated sun-dried tomato is excellent. The miso mayo seemed a little out there, but I loved it and it gave the dish a little something extra. I substituted black cod for flounder.

One year ago: Garlicky Sesame-Cured Broccoli Salad
Two years ago: Penne with a Cashew-Dill Sauce
Three years ago: Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake
Four years ago: Tomato and Sausage Risotto

Silver Packet Flounder with Miso Mayo (from Radically Simple)

Ingredients
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp white miso (shiro)
2 tbsp mirin
1/4 tsp ground cumin
4 thick flounder fillets, 7 ounces each
4 ounces baby spinach
4 ounces sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil), 20 total
4 large ramps or scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup slivered basil
1/4 cup olive oil
pinch hot pepper flakes

1. Preheat oven to 500F.
2. Stir together mayo, miso, mirin, and cumin. Set aside.
3. Tear off four 15" pieces of foil. Season fish with salt and pepper.
4. For each, put 1 ounce spinach in center of foil. Top with fillet, 5 tomatoes, 1/4 of ramps, 2 tbsp of basil, 1 tbsp of oil, pepper flakes, and salt.
5. Crimp foil to form a packet. Place on a rimmed baking sheet.
6. Bake for 10 minutes.
7. Serve with miso mayo.

Steamed Fish Curry

Our seafood box seems to be increasing the amount of fish they give us lately. Given that we typically do small portion sizes of meat, getting through 1.25 lbs of fish a week has been increasingly challenging (especially with the freezer back log). This simple creamy curry was a great way to use up 1/3 of our fish from last week. So far, my new Thai book has been a bit intimidating to dive into, but the results have been worth it. This one (along with all of the recipes in the book) calls for making your own red curry paste, but I'm going to assume that you can get by with commercial paste on this one and will skip including that part below.

One year ago: Chicken Fricassee
Two years ago: Chipped Beets and Beet Greens
Three years ago: Cappuccino Fudge Cheesecake
Four years ago: Chocolate Layer Cake

Steamed Fish Curry (from Thai Food)

Ingredients
200g fish fillets - whiting, cod or perch (I used cod)
pinch of salt
a little lime juice
2 tbsp fish sauce
pinch of palm sugar
1/2 cup coconut cream
3 tbsp red curry paste
1 small egg, lightly beaten
6 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
handful of Thai basil leaves
1 tbsp thick coconut cream
a few long red chilies, julienned


1. Wash fish in water with a little salt and a squeeze of lime juice. Drain, pat dry, and slice finely.
2. In a bowl, season fish with fish sauce and sugar, stirring with a spoon.
3. Gradually work in coconut cream. If it separates, add a little ice cold water and stir.
4. Fold in curry paste.
5. Stir in egg and finish with lime leaves.
6. Line a steamer basket with parchment paper, line with basil leaves, and add curry. Steam over moderate heat for 15 - 30 minutes or until curry has set.
7. Garnish with thick coconut cream and red chilies and serve.

Sole Piccata

The only thing better than a delicious dinner? A delicious dinner that cooks in less than 10 minutes start to finish (for 2 fillets). Even better? No crazy ingredients needed.

Two years ago: Raspberry Breakfast Bars
Three years ago: Very Blueberry Muffins

Sole Piccata (from Fish Without a Doubt)

Ingredients
4 (6 - 7 ounce) gray sole fillets (or turbot, sturgeon, or trout)
coarse salt and ground pepper
flour
vegetable oil
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup minced shallots
4 thin lemon slices
1/4 cup dry white wine or vermouth
2 tsp capers

1. Heat large skillet over high heat.
2. Season fish with salt and pepper on both sides. Dredge in flour and pat off excess.
3. Pour slick of vegetable oil in pan. Add 2 fillets and 1 tbsp butter. Cook until golden (~ 1.5 min). Turn and cook for another minute. Transfer to dinner plates, pour out fat, and repeat with remaining 2 fillets.
4. Pour fat out of skillet and return to heat. Add 1 tbsp butter, shallot, and lemon slices. Saute until shallots soften (~1 min).
5. Pour in wine and stir to dissolve brown bits.
6. Put one lemon slice on each piece of fish, add last tbsp of butter to skillet along with capers.
7. Spoon sauce over fish 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.

Sweet-and-Sour Fish Tiles

I'm a little embarrassed to see that we're two weeks into a new month and I haven't posted a single new recipe yet. Between travel for fun, travel for work, wedding planning, and a few not so amazing recipes, there just hasn't been enough time to post! We'll see how far I get into correcting that issue.

This recipe came mostly from needing to do something with our fish box and me not wanting to buy groceries right before we went out of town for the weekend. I was having a very hard time finding inspiration that night, so I had low expectations for this dish. It greatly exceeded my expectations though. The fried fish came out light and the sweet and sour sauce was excellent. This one's on the list for emergency dinners when I lack inspiration.

One year ago: Chili and Basil Scallops
Two years ago: Egg Drop Soup
Three years ago: Rosemary Parmesan Popovers

Sweet-and-Sour Fish Tiles (from Every Grain of Rice)

Ingredients
9 oz/250g white fish fillet, cut into slices 1/8" thick
2 spring onion whites, cut into very fine slivers
pinch of very fine slivers of fresh red chili
2 cups plus 2 tbsp cooking oil
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
2 tbsp finely chopped sliced spring onion greens
Marinade
2 tsp Shaoxing wine
1/8 tsp salt
1 small egg, beaten
4 tbsp potato flour
1/2 tsp cooking oil
Sauce
5 tbsp sugar
1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp Chinkiang vinegar
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 potato flour
5 tbsp chicken stock or water

1. Place fish slices in bowl and add wine and salt to marinate. Mix in egg and flour to evenly coat. Add cooking oil.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together sauce ingredients.
3. Set spring onion whites and chili slivers to soak in cold water (if you want them to curl nicely).
4. Heat 2 cups plus 2 tbsp oil in a wok over high flame to 350F. Use chopsticks to drop half fish slices into oil. Deep-fry until lightly golden. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining slices. Place fish on a serving dish.
5. Drain off all but 2 tbsp oil. Add garlic and ginger and stir-fry until fragrant.
6. Pour sauce into wok, stirring as it thickens.
7. Add spring onion greens to sauce and pour over fish.
8. Sprinkle fish with drained slivered spring onion whites and chili and serve.

Fish Fillets with a Cilantro-Cream Sauce

Cilantro, cream, and spicy chiles are a fantastic combination. This recipe has a 30 minute to an hour marinade, but the time doesn't seem so bad when it cooks up in less than 10 minutes.

One year ago: Stir-Fried Chinese Leaf Cabbage
Two years ago: Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms
Three years ago: Grapefruit Yogurt Cake

Fish Fillets with a Cilantro-Cream Sauce (from 660 Curries)

Ingredients
1 cup firmly packed cilantro
1/4 cup firmly packed curry leaves
6 cloves garlic
4 green chiles, stems removed
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
1 1/2 lbs skinless, firm-fleshed fish fillets
2 tbsp canola oil
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup half-and-half

1. Pack cilantro, curry leaves, garlic cloves, chiles, and salt in food processor. Process until minced.
2. Spread herb blend on both sides of fish fillets. Refrigerate covered for 30 minutes - 1 hour.
3. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish and sear fillets, 1 - 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to plate.
4. Whisk yogurt and half-and-half together in small bowl. Pour into skillet and deglaze.
5. Return fillets to skillet and spoon sauce over them. Simmer, basting, until starting to flake and sauce thickens, 3 - 5 minutes. Serve.