House Special Fried Rice, Roche style

 Another fast, easy, and delicious fried rice creation from Nick’s kitchen, you must try this. It’s full of nutrients, low on fat and calories, and oh, did I mention full of flavors?

Ingredients

Brown rice 6 cups cooked

Scallops, 8 oz., small

Shrimp, 8 oz. bay size

Shallots, 4 tbsp chopped

Scallions, .75 cup, chopped

*Peppers, 1 large, chopped

Garlic, 10 cloves

*Kikoman Stir Fry Sauce, 1.25 tbsp

*Eden Mirin (rice cooking wine), 3 tbsp

*Kikkoman Lite Soy Sauce, .35 tbsp

Egg, fresh, whole, raw, 2 large

*Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 4 tbsp

Salt, .5 tsp

Chicken Breast (cooked), no skin, 4 ounces chopped

fresh ginger, 3 teaspoons chopped

Tips

You can also use 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce for added flavor. When doing so, add it to the cooked vegetables and seafood before you add it to the rice.

Pre-cook your rice as per package directions.

While rice is cooking, saute ginger, garlic, bell pepper, and shallots in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat for approximately 6 minutes. Add half the Mirin, stir.

Remove ingredients from pan into a bowl. Set aside.

In same fry pan, saute shrimp and scallops in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat for 5 minutes, frequently stirring. Salt and pepper with half the salt. Remove seafood from pan and add to cooked vegetable bowl.

Clean fry pan, spray with cooking spray. Lightly scramble raw eggs and saute over medium high heat, stirring so as to make scrambled eggs. DO        NOT OVERCOOK. Remove eggs to a small bowl.

When rice is cooked, stir fry in large fry pan with remaining olive oil

over medium high heat, stirring frequently.

To the bowl with seafood and vegetables, add the remaining Mirin, stir fry sauce, salt, lite soy sauce, pepper, chicken breast (chopped), and stir well.

Add ingredients to the rice, stirring well and making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan. Add the chopped scallions (green onions) and cooked eggs and stir well.

Turn heat off, remove pan and taste for proper seasonings. If you want more salt, add another teaspoon of lite soy sauce. Serve hot.

Serving Size: makes 8 servings approx. 1 1/2 cups each

Number of Servings: 8

Now THIS is the real Happy Meal

So you think McDonald's is the only place that serves a Happy Meal? Think again. This IS the Happy Meal. If you have Diabetes, this is your Happy Meal. If you are watching your weight, this IS your Happy Meal. If you have high blood pressure, this is your Happy Meal. If you are watching your cholesterol or sodium, this is your Happy Meal! Let's face it, if you want good all around health, what you see pictured is your Happy Meal.

Flavor is not a sacrifice here. The halibut is delicious and moist, the Yukon Gold potato is sweet and creamy, the roasted garlic is savory and adds depth to the flavors, and the vegetables provide a wonderful compliment to the fish. Everything about this dish is happy and it will certainly satisfy your appetite. Are you ready for the numbers? You won't believe this. Here we go:

Total calories   325

Total fat   6 grams

Total cholesterol   43 mg.

Total protein   35

Total carbs   40

Total sodium   513 (less than 25% of daily allowance)

Compare this happy meal with all the other happy meals out there and you'll agree, this is the REAL one!

In addition to the above, this dish provides a good percentage of your daily vitamin C, A, and B6, as well as iron, potassium, magnesium (super good for the heart), and a good source of dietary fiber.

The incredible thing about this dish is that it was all prepared by either poaching or steaming! And it only took about 30 minutes to make.

Here's what you need per serving:

3 oz. fresh halibut
1 cup of Savoy cabbage, chopped
1/2 cup of fresh green beans
1 small to medium Yukon Gold potato (4 oz.), sliced 1/8 inch thick
6 cloves of roasted garlic
5 garlic spears, slice in 1 inch lengths
1/3 tablespoon of unsalted butter
2 dashes of salt
2 dashes of black pepper
cooking spray
1/2 cup of white wine (or water with 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar

Place the vegetables and potato slices in a steamer, cabbage on the bottom, green beans and garlic spears above that, and potato slices on top. Cover and steam over medium heat (once water begins to boil) for about 7 minutes.

In a saute pan, spray the surface liberally to well coat. Heat pan over high heat. Once the pan is hot and the cooking spray has turned clear, add 3 ounces of halibut fillet or halibut steak and allow to "sizzle" for a minute or so, then add the liquid and capers. Cover and reduce heat to medium low and poach for about 6 minutes. Do not peak!

Once everything is cooked, arrange each item on your dinner dish as you see fit and place the fish over the cabbage. Sprinkle the 2 dashes of salt and pepper evenly over the entire presentation, cut the pad of butter in several chunks, placing one on top of the fish and the others over the potatoes and vegetables. With a spoon, scoop up the capers from the pan and sprinkle over the fish. Finally, place the roasted garlic cloves around the dish. Serve hot and enjoy!

Avocado all dressed up for the New Year!

Well, it's finally 2013 and we're still here. December 21st came and went just like any other day, ticking minute by minute, hour by hour, until it reached its destination, December 22nd. Like all doomsday predictions of the past, this one proved its doom as well. The proof is in the pudding, we're still standing, this January 1st, 2013!

Yes, we have survived 2012, the holidays, and the countless recipes thrown at us from all corners of the Internet. Along the way, many of us picked up new ideas and applied them to our everyday food preparation. From simple to complex, you may have tried your hand at something new. It doesn't matter if you succeeded or failed; the success was that you tried. You may have spent days planning or been spontaneous, but the result was yours and yours alone. Because of that, you are a better cook today than at this time last year. Congratulations! You have achieved another year of learning and become a better Steward of your kitchen!

And now, it's time to continue the voyage we started three years ago at the inception of this blog, to create new recipes and present new dishes that will entertain and impress our dinner guests. This first creation of 2013 marries a climacteric fruit (like the banana) with a creature from the sea, the Avocado and the White Prawn. With first bite, you will realize this has to be a marriage made in Heaven! Served as a first course for the New Year's Eve dinner, it was a total hit with guests. The ingredients are simple and preparation even more so. Here is what you need for a party of six:

2 Large Avocados, ripe
2/3 lb. of medium White Prawns (around 40 c), peeled, deveined, and chopped
5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 large shallots, finely chopped
2 green onions, finely chopped
3 tablespoons of finely chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon of white pepper
1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
1/4 cup of white rice wine
3 tablespoons of olive oil
salt to taste (use sparingly)
Juice from one medium squeezed lemon

Prepare all your ingredients (called mise en place). In a medium bowl, roughly crush the Avocados with a fork and squeeze 1/2 of the lemon. Stir until lemon juice has been well incorporated with the Avocado to prevent browning. Place in the fridge.

In a medium size saute pan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Begin by sauteing the shallots until translucent. Next, add the garlic and continue to saute for a minute or so. Now add the chopped White Prawns and saute for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Lower heat to medium and add all other ingredients, including the juice from the other half of the lemon. Continue to saute and stir for another couple of minutes, remove from heat, and let cool for about 15 minutes.

Add the cooked ingredients to the Avocado and mix all ingredients well. You may cool the dish in the fridge for about 30 minutes, if you wish, or serve at room temperature. Serve on individual plates, along with a side of butter lettuce leaves and sliced tomato. Use a small ring mold if you want to shape each serving, or you can simply add a couple of small scoops to each dish. Serve with a side of crusty baguette bread. You will be amazed at the reaction of your guests. They will absolutely love this first course and you will be on your way to another great year of presenting impressive dishes to your dinner guests!

Keep it simple Shrimp & Chicken

With Summer nearing its end in the Northern Hemisphere (you lucky Aussies down south!), it seems fitting to enjoy one of the last outdoor lunch activities with a simple and colorful saute, finished off with a refreshing salad of fresh Spinach in a lemon and orange dressing. Certainly this will seem out of place in the dead of Winter, so while we still can, set that patio table up for you and your favorite friends and enjoy the last days of those warm rays dining the afternoon away!

This lunch menu keeps your time in the kitchen to a minimum, allowing you more time in the sun. For the main course let's get the following ingredients together:

Sturgeon in Puff Pastry brings out delicate side of this fish

After a longer than should have been hiatus, I am back. There was no reason for my absence other than simple neglect. There is no excuse; however, once you have had the chance to review and try my latest creation, I hope you will find it easier to forgive.

It has been such a long time since I worked with Sturgeon, years in fact. I remember simply frying it with salt, pepper, and lemon and serving it with a side of fried potatoes or stir fried rice. It's a pretty solid fish with the flesh similar to shark. Undercooked it tends to be tough and overcooked, too dry. It's probably why most people try to stay away from fish as a rule. But it doesn't have to be rocket science. Just saute a few minutes per side and press down on the flesh with your finger. If it gives and bounces back, it's probably ready.

So anyway, that's the way I used to do Sturgeon (and Shark); however, this time around, I decided to fancy it up and bring out the delicate features of this fish. It can be flaky and very moist, with a flavor that doesn't overpower, thus favoring additives such as dill and tarragon as well as capers. For this recipe, I have decided to robe this fish in a sheet of flaky puff pastry, along with spinach and thinly sliced oyster mushrooms. To finish it off, a simple bechamel sauce over the top or on the side will add a wonderful touch. This dish is relatively simple to prepare, so elegant to present, and oh so pleasing to the taste buds.

1 pound of fresh Sturgeon
1 cup of frozen spinach, drained and tightly strained of all liquid
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons of fresh Tarragon, finely chopped
2 tablespoons of fresh Dill, finely chopped
2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of butter
3 tablespoons of capers
1/2 cup of chopped oyster mushrooms
2 medium shallots, finely chopped
1 cup of Parmesan cheese (grated)
2 cups of Bechamel sauce (click on link)
1 egg + 2 tablespoons of water (for egg wash)
1 thawed puff pastry sheet
2 tablespoons of flour
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup of wine wine

Preheat the oven to 425 (210c)

1. To begin, start by heating the olive oil in a frying pan over medium high heat.
2. Saute the Sturgeon for approximately 2 minutes per side. Remove and set aside to cool (10 minutes).
3. In the same frying pan, heat a bit of olive oil over medium heat.
4. Saute the shallots, garlic, and mushrooms for a few minutes.
5. Add the capers, salt and pepper, and wine. Continue to cook for a couple more minutes.
6. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl.
7. With your hands, flake the Sturgeon once cooled. Please flake to small 1/2 inch flakes. Add to the bowl.
8. Add the Tarragon, Dill, and fresh parsley to the bowl. Stir fish and ingredients together.
9. Prepare the Bechamel sauce according to recipe in the link. Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the cheese to the sauce
10. Stir well until cheese has blended into sauce.
11. Add 1/2 of the sauce to the bowl with the fish and other ingredients. Stir until all is well coated. Set aside.
12. Now prepare the puff pastry sheet. After it has thawed, spread the flour on a cutting board and rolling pin so that pastry won't stick to board or pin.
13. Roll out the pastry sheet until it is approximately 12 by 14 inches.
14. Making sure the spinach has been completely drained and strained of liquid, lay it out evenly on the sheet. Be sure to leave a 1 inch edge all the way around the sheet.
15. Now sprinkle the rest of the Parmesan cheese over the spinach and spread pieces of butter across length.
16. Using a slotted spoon ( to allow excess sauce out), spoon the fish mixture down the center of the pastry sheet.
17. Wish a brush, brush the egg wash (the egg and water) along the 1 inch edge.
18. Carefully roll up the pastry and with a fork seal each edge and the seam along the length of the roll. Turn the roll seam down. Cut slits on the top (to allow steam to escape. Brush egg wash over the pastry.  See picture below.

19. Carefully transfer it to a non stick baking dish. Bake at 425 for approximately 25 minutes or until pastry is a golden color.
20. Once finished, remove from oven and allow to sit for about 10 minutes before serving.
21. Reheat the remaining Bechamel Sauce and spoon it over each slice of your entree. Sprinkle a bit more Dill for garnish. Serve a side dish of boiled baby Yukon Gold potatoes tossed in butter and parsley, salt and pepper. Enjoy :)

True Cod and Clam Stew presents a bounty of flavors

I've got to admit, seafood is one of my favorite of the food categories. There is such an incredible variety to choose from and endless ways of preparing the dishes. As far as nutrition is concerned, you don't get any better than the fruits of the sea.

Today I chose to combine True Cod and Clams in a dish that is so incredibly savory and colorful, yet so easy to prepare. Both items were found on sale this past week and I couldn't resist picking up some of each. Oh, I threw in a bit of Chorizo for a bit of a kick and it worked out great. Here's what we need:

2 lbs of Fresh Clams
1 lb of Fresh True Cod
1/2 lb of Chorizo
4 strips of bacon
1 medium onion (yellow or white)
2 cups of chicken stock
3 Roma tomatoes
1/2 cup of chopped celery
3 cloves of chopped garlic
1 teaspoon of Anchovy paste
1/2 teaspoon of Saffron threads
2 tablespoons of Pernod (anise lacquer)
4 tablespoons of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Start by preparing your ingredients for cooking. Wash and scrub the clams, cut the True Cod in 2 inch chunks, slice the Chorizo in 1 inch slices, cut up the bacon strips, chop the onion, and slice the tomatoes in 1/2 inch slices.

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions, bacon, and Chorizo and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Next add the celery and garlic. Stir and continue to saute for another couple of minutes. Finally, add the tomatoes.

Add the Pernod and chicken stock, along with the Anchovy paste, increase the heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Add the Saffron threads, evenly spread the Clams in the pan, and add the True Cod in the same manner. Taste the broth and salt if needed. Add the black pepper, reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for about 6 more minutes until clams have opened up.

Serve this wonderful dish, along with the broth over steamed rice or boiled yellow potatoes (Yukon Gold) and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley if desired. In addition to the fork, you better have a spoon as well. The broth is absolutely to die for! Enjoy :)

Sizzling summer temperatures is no time to cook... unless we're talking scallops

OK, it's been a week since the last post, a week of hot sizzling weather in the Pacific Northwest. This is no time to cook with the highs reaching 98 (38c) during the day. The last thing one wants to do is crank up the oven or set the burners on high; however, exceptions and sacrifices can be made when the urge for fresh sea scallops set in. That's exactly what happened today. It was just the small burner for just a few minutes it must be said and in the end, any small amount of discomfort was well worth it. Scallops in a seafood rub, pan fried, and served over a bed of baby greens was pure delight.

Start with a seafood rub. You can find prepared seafood rub in your local store or you can make it from scratch. Making it from scratch will save you money and you'll have total control over the sodium level being used. A little of this and a little of that and you'll be amazed as to how it enhances flavors. For this home made rub, the following ingredients were used:

1 tablespoon of fine bread crumbs
1 teaspoon of flour
1/4 teaspoon of fine white pepper
a couple of pinches of lemon pepper (if available)
a couple of pinches of salt
a couple of pinches of garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon of brown sugar
zest from one lemon
1/2 teaspoon of Wasabi powder
a couple of pinches of red pepper flakes

In a jar or container with a lid, add all the ingredients and shake well so that everything gets well blended. Then prepare your scallops. You will need 10 large sea scallops for 2 servings. Rinse scallops well and then slice them in halves. Set them in a bowl and squeeze the juice from the lemon over them. Allow to sit for a few minutes and then drain the excess lemon juice out.

Add the scallops to the container with the rub, tightly seal and shake well so that all the scallops will be well coated with the rub. Now heat a tablespoon of olive oil and tablespoon of butter in a saute pan over medium high heat. When oil is hot, add the scallops and saute for about a minute on each side until lightly browned. Don't over cook these jewels or you will get nothing but chewy texture and you don't want that. When ready, remove them from the pan and set them on a towel and allow to cool a bit.

While scallops are cooling, prepare your salad dressing. You will need:

1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 teaspoon of sesame oil
juice from 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon of sesame seeds
a couple tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley
1 clove of garlic well minced

Add all the ingredients to a salad bowl and mix thoroughly. Add the baby green lettuce of your choice, 1/2 tomato diced, and toss well so that all is well coated. Finally, add the scallops and toss one final time lightly. Serve on a chilled plate and enjoy.

Stuffed Tenderloin of Pork with crab presents flavors you'll never forget

Here's another twist on Pork Tenderloin. Open this baby up and stuff it with fresh Dungeness crab. You will be amazed as to how well the flavors go hand in hand. Let's not waste time and get our ingredients together. This recipe is not difficult to prepare so don't be intimidated whastsoever.

1 Tenderloin of Pork (about 1.5 lbs)
1/4 lb of fresh Dungeness Crab
1 medium shallot, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of cream cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons of butter, room temperature
1/4 cup of capers
1/4 cup of fresh chopped parsley
1/4 cup of roasted bread crumbs
1/4 cup of grated Gruyere or Parm cheese
salt and pepper (as we go along)
Cooking string
1/4 cup of cream
1/4 cup of water
3 tablespoons of olive oil

Let's first start by preparing our crab stuffing. In a saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium high heat. Saute the garlic and shallots for a few minutes. Add a few pinches of salt and pepper and stir in the bread crumbs. Finally, add the water, stir so that everything is well blended, and transfer all to a small mixing bowl.

In the mixing bowl, add the cream cheese and butter. Mix very well until a nice paste is formed. Add 1/2 of the capers, the parsley, and stir thoroughly. Now add the cheese and crab and stir gently so as not to break down the crab too much. You want to be able to have some chunks of crab stay whole. Set the mixture aside and prepare your tenderloin for stuffing.

Begin by cutting 6 pieces of cooking string, each about 10 inches long. Now, lay your tenderloin on a cutting board and using a sharp knife make a cut down the center of the entire length but don't cut all the way through. Leave about 1/4 inch between the knife and the cutting board. You'll now have 2 halves that are still connected at the bottom. About 1/4 inch from the bottom, cut into the meat down the entire length on each half, making sure not to cut all the way through the side. You got me so far? Your knife should be cutting horizontally. Now you have 4 quarters, still connected together. Do this one more time and open your tenderloin so that it becomes a flat sheet of meat. You may at this time use a mallet and very gently pound it so that it has a smooth surface.

You are now ready to stuff your roast. Start by sprinkling salt and pepper on the meat. Next, using a soup spoon, place your stuffing in a line down the length of the center of the meat, leaving about an inch on each end bare. Take those two ends and fold them in like you would a burrito and fold the length of the meat together so that one side overlaps the other. Now begin to tie your roast up by sliding each string under the meat and tying each string to keep the roast from opening up. You don't need to tie it too tight, just enough to keep it from splitting apart and having the stuffing squeeze out.

Set your oven to 400 (200c). Heat the remaining olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium high heat. When oil just begins to smoke, add the roast carefully and saute for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side to nicely brown the meat. Transfer the pan into the oven and bake at 400 for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 and bake for another 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, set the roast on a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. REMEMBER THE HANDLE WILL BE EXTREMELY NOT, so use mitts. While resting, heat up the pan drippings and add the remaining capers and the cream. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low, salt and pepper to taste, then shut heat off.

Carve your roast into 1 1/2 inch slices and pour a bit of the sauce over each slice. You may serve this with steamed rice, baby white potatoes, or your favorite green vegetable. Add a bit of the sauce over your side dish as well. Enjoy. This whole dish from start to finish does not take more than an hour to prepare so don't fear that you'll be stuck in the kitchen (although your guests will think so). You will love the flavors !!!

Spice it up a bit with Mexican Paella

By now, if you have been following this blog, you are familiar with the Spanish Paella that has been presented and well reviewed. The dish is a wonderful and delicate flavor of what Spain has to offer, the abundance of seafoods, fresh vegetables, its famous Bomba rice, and of course one must not forget the great Spanish pork used for chorizo. All that's well and good and over time it has become an all time favorite on the request list of dishes to make at my dinner parties. But it's time to spice it up a bit and bring it closer to home with a flavor from south of the border, Mexico!

Bringing in the taste of Mexico is a perfect marriage for Paella. Mexican chorizo, tomatillos, and spicy green chilies simply sets sail the Paella that made culinary Spain famous across the Atlantic to become Mexican Paella that everyone is sure to embrace every bit as much as its famous cousin. So without further dissertation, let's begin with our shopping list.

Enough to feed 6 people:

2 lbs of chicken wings
1 pound of shelled and cleaned medium shrimp
1 pound of Mexican chorizo, medium heat, sliced in 1/2 inch thickness
2 pounds of fresh Manila clams in shell
1 1/2 cups of short grain rice (Bomba is best)
2 medium sized tomatillos, diced
1 large yellow onion, diced
6 cloves of garlic, diced
1 small green chili, finely diced (2 if you're brave)
2 medium shallots, diced
1 1/2 cup of frozen baby peas
2 cups of fresh green beans, cut in 1 inch sizes
1/4 cup of olive oil
4 1/2 cups of chicken stock
1/4 cup of Tequila
1 teaspoon of paprika (smoked if possible)
1 cup of diced tomato
1/4 teaspoon of red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon of Saffron threads
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon of salt (to taste, so taste before)

The best way not to make this dish labor intensive or complicated, let alone intimidating, it is best, as always, to do all your prep work ahead of time so that all you have to concentrate on is the cooking. Trust me, it works very well that way. So start gathering all your ingredients in their proper amounts, wash, soak, slice, chop, and dice. You're now halfway there. In a very large pan (either paella pan 14" or large oval dutch oven ) heat the olive oil over medium heat. The oil should completely cover the pan. If it doesn't, just add a bit more.

Start by sauteing the chorizo until they are slightly browned and the oil has taken on a shade of the color of the chorizo. Remove the chorizo and now brown your chicken wings for a few minutes. Remove and set alongside the chorizo. If the oil gets too hot, simply turn down the heat slightly.

Next, saute in the same pan, the onion, garlic, diced chili,, and shallots until they become translucent and begin to slightly brown. Once this occurs, add the Tequila and scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Stir well so that Tequila gets absorbed completely by the onions. Now, add the tomatillos and the rice. Stir well so that rice gets well coated. Allow the rice to saute for no more than a minute or so. Now you can add the chicken stock but save 1/2 cup to heat up separately for the saffron threads. Stir well and add the green beans, paprika, diced tomato, black pepper, salt, and chili powder.

While you await the stock to come to a slow boil, heat the chicken stock you set aside in the microwave and add the saffron threads. Allow them to completely bleed into the stock. Add to the rest of your stock. When chicken stock begins to boil, add the chorizo and chicken back into the pot, bring back to a aboil, and then reduce heat to low and cover for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, add the peas, clams, and shrimp, carefully immersing the clams into the rice and broth. Cover again and allow to cook for an additional 10 minutes. When finished, there should possibly be a small amount of liquid left, which is totally fine. Remove from heat and allow to rest semi covered for about 10 minutes. This will allow the rice to complete its absorption of the liquid and you will have a perfectly moist but firm rice.

Present the Mexican Paella in the dish it was cooked in so that it will remain hot. Your guests will be impressed with your culinary prowess and melt in their seats when they savour the first bite. And you won't have to tell them how easy it was to make. Enjoy!

Ginger Sea Scallops provides easy gourmet in little time

There are so many jewels that come from the sea. Near the top of the list has got to be Sea Scallops. Nearly every culinary powerhouse nation includes them in their basket of recipes, as they are so versitle in ways they can be prepared. Delicate and yet distinct in their flavor, Sea Scallops can be poached, stir fried, sauteed, and even baked.

This preparation calls for simple ingredients and takes only minutes from start to finish. The secret in preparing scallops to make sure not to over cook them. Doing so will render them rubbery and rob you of the subtle flavors they present. So, high and quick heat is best. They are ready in just a few quick minutes. If you would like to try this preparation, here's what you'll need:

1 pound of fresh Sea Scallops, rinsed with cold water
1 teaspoon of powdered ginger
1 teaspoon of flour
1/2 tspn of cracked black pepper and sea salt to taste
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 teaspoon of crushed garlic
1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (for mild heat)
1 tablespoon of butter
1 tablespoon of minced fresh parsley
1 fresh lemon, quartered

Once you have rinsed your scallops, pat them dry with paper towels. Place them in a medium bowl and add the sesame oil. With your hands, stir the oil into the scallops so they are well coated. If you need to add a bit more sesame oil, you may do so, but don't over saturate them.

In a separate small bowl, add the ginger, flour, pepper and salt, and mix ingredients well. Once well blended, transfer the mixture to the scallops and stir well so that all the scallops are coated. Set aside.

In a saute pan, add the olive oil and heat over medium high. When oil is just beginning to smoke, add the scallops, crushed garlic, and pepper flakes. Stir frequently and saute for a couple of minutes. The scallops should begin to turn somewhat milky white and translucent. At this time, add the butter and continue to stir. The scallops will create a bit of liquid which is fine. Continue to saute for another 2 minutes.

Once cooking is complete, remove them from the heat and pour into a serving dish. You may sprinkle some diced fresh parsley and add some fresh lemon quarters for garnish. Serve hot with a side of jasmine steamed rice or quick sauteed baby green beans. This entree will serve a dinner party of four.

A NOTE ON COOKING: If you see that sauteeing the scallops is not producing enough liquid during the cooking process, you may add 1/4 cup of fish or chicken stock, but use this sparingly as you want the liquid to slightly thicken from the flour and butter you used.

Curry Poached Swai Filets guaranteed to become a favorite dish

The last time we talked about Swai Fish, it was Panko breaded and pan fried. There were rave reviews on its preparation and those that tried it wrote back to comment on how delicious and moist it was. Indeed, Swai is a wonderful fish that holds very well pan fried.

Well, if you enjoyed it pan fried, you will love it poached. Curry Poached Swai Fish will even convert those of you that may not be keen on fish that isn't fried, guaranteed. This preparation was started the day before with an overnight marination with coconut milk and curry powder. We first start out with the recipe for the marinade:

Prepare the night before:

1 can of coconut milk
1 teaspoon of sesame oil
2 teaspoons of good quality curry powder
1/4 teaspoon of tabasco sauce (no more than that!)
1 teaspoon of dried basil
1 teaspoon of dried tarragon
2 teaspoons of whole peppercorns (preferably red and green)
1 teaspoon of crushed garlic paste
3 teaspoons of capers
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of crushed pepper

You will notice there is a melange of East and West flavors in this marinade. One might think the mix of these ingredients might not work. You will be very delighted as to how well they work. Prepare this the night before. Add all ingredients together in a bowl and blend thoroughly until everything is well mixed. Now add 2 large Swai filets making sure they are well coated and marinade completely covers the fish. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, transfer to the fridge and forget about it (until the next day).

This dish will take only 15 to 20 minutes to cook, so be sure that any starch you prepare is pretty much ready by the time the fish goes in the oven. Preheat your oven to 400. Spray or coat a shallow large baking dish with either cooking spray or sesame oil rubbed with a paper towel. Place each Swai filet side by side in the dish. You will notice the marinade will have solidified a great deal, which is normal. Now restir the remaining marinade until it is smooth and pour a tablespoon over each filet, paying special attention to include as much of the peppercorns and capers that were in the marinade.

Place the dish in the oven, uncovered, and reduce the heat slightly (to 380), bake for 20 minutes. When ready, serve each filet on a heated dinner plate with a side of asparagus and boiled baby red potatoes. At your liking, you may sprinkle some chopped parsley for garnish. Enjoy this wonderful way of serving not only Swai, but also Halibut filets, Snapper, and Cod. You may also bring the left over marinade to a slow boil, adding a few tablespoons of water or chicken stock and serve over the potatoes.

Pan Fried Rex Sole; so easy, so how can it taste so good?

One of my favorite fish of the sea, Rex Sole is often overlooked in favor of the more popular species of what is considered "flat fish". Don't make this mistake, this flat fish is absolutely delicious and so easy to prepare. If that weren't enough, it's very inexpensive. It's almost always available fresh at your local supermarket. For those of you residing in Europe, you're going to have to look it up online as to what it is called in your country. In the U.S., I simply call it good!

The easiest and and lip smacking way to prepare Rex Sole is to simply dredge it in flour and pan fry it over medium high heat until it is rendered to a golden crisp color. No need for a list of ingredients here, just add salt and pepper, 1/4 cup of olive oil and pan fry away. Finish it off with a lemon wedge at plating.

There is another wonderful thing to remember about Rex Sole (and most other flat fish), very few bones except for the backbone down the center of the fish. When ready to eat, simply take your knife and cut right down the length in the center of the fish and carefully separate the flesh with that knife. Once one side is complete, turn the fish over and repeat the process.

Serve this fish with steamed or boiled baby red potatoes, cut in wedges, and drizzle with a bit of melted butter. Garnish with chopped parsley. Doesn't that sound wonderful? And rather healthy, I might add. Butter isn't that bad for you in moderation. This is the time to moderate. As a finishing touch, serve a chilled plate of frisee lettuce with a lite vinegrette. There you go, I've just planned your dinner menu and I'm sure you won't regret it.

Skate Wing will have you flying to a new taste sensation

Most of you have probably never heard of Skate fish. I, for one, had never heard of it until I visited the local Asian supermarket. In the fresh seafood aisle, I saw these packages of seafood that looked like fans, so fresh and clean in color, and very reasonably priced. So, as is common with me, I decided to try something new and report back to you. I can tell you I was not a bit disappointed.

Skates are cartilaginous fish belonging to the family Rajidae in the superorder Batoidea of rays. There are more than 200 described species in 27 genera. There are two subfamilies, Rajinae (hardnose skates) and Arhynchobatinae (softnose skates). (information provided by Wikipedia)

The Skate wings are totally edible, as there are no bones, only cartilage. If you don't like cartilage, you can easily remove the meat by sliding your knife dull side down and running it the length of the wing. Turn the wing to the other side and repeat the process. This seafood meat is very delicate in flavor, very much like sole. This recipe provides for a quick preparation by dredging it in flour and quick pan frying it to a golden brown, lightly seasoning it with salt and pepper with a final drizzle of Meyer lemon juice, chopped scallions, and parsley for garnish. Pair it with a tossed salad of mixed greens and you've got yourself a very healthy, low calorie, and low fat lunch or dinner. Here's what you'll need for two servings,

2 medium fresh Skate wings
1/4 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
2 chopped scallions
1/2 Meyer lemon, squeezed
2 tablespoons of flour (for dredging)
Salt and pepper to taste
Bouquet of fresh parsley for garnish

Start by heating the oil in a large saute or fry pan over medium high heat. While oil is heating, use a plastic bag to dredge the wings in the flour. Add the flour to the bag and then add the wings and shake until well coated. You may add the pepper and salt during this process or wait until the wings are frying. It's your choice.

When oil is hot, saute the wings about 3 minutes on each side or until fried to a nice golden brown. Once finished to your liking, remove them and set them on paper towels and pat them to remove any excess surface oil. If you haven't already done so, salt and pepper to your taste. Place them on your serving plates, drizzle some of the Meyer lemon juice and a scattering of the scallions. Garnish with a small bouquet of fresh parsley and enjoy.

(drawing of Skate provided by Wikipedia.com)

Don't get puffy with me, pizza! Wow, with these flavors, get as puffy as you want.

Lighter and less filling, puff pastry makes a wonderful alternative to regular pizza dough when you're in the mood for a change, I kid you not! Puff pastry is such a wonderful discovery, what would a nonchef do without it? This pizza (I hate calling it a pizza because it really isn't) offers a very flaky crust and a very nice mix of flavors. I think I'll call it Puff Pastry Seafood Tart. And as always in keeping with the theme of our blog, it's so easy to make and takes less than an hour from prep to eat. Here's what we need to get going:

1 puff pastry sheet, thawed
1/2 lb of fresh bay scallops
2 cups of your 2 favorite cheeses, grated
1/2 white onion, chopped
2 scallions, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, minced
5 button mushroom, sliced
1/2 green pepper (Italian), chopped
1/4 cup of parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons of flour
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of pepper and 2 pinches of salt

Preheat your oven to 400. Next, do all your prep work, slicing, dicing, chopping, and measuring. Put all aside. About 2 hours before preparing this recipe, be sure to remove and thaw 1 pastry sheet.

Once thawed, spread the flour over a cutting board so that it well coated. Rub some of the flour on your rolling pin as well. Lay your pastry sheet out and begin to roll it out so that you can cut a 12 inch circle. Don't roll it out too thin or your bottom (of the sheet) will become soggy when cooked. Using your best Geometry, cut out a perfect (or close to) and set it on a large round pizza pan.

In a bowl, add all the vegetables, scallops, olive oil, salt and pepper, along with a couple of small handfuls of the cheese. Mix very well with your hands. Begin by sprinkling some grated cheese on the surface of the pastry dough, careful to leave about an inch around the edges free of any ingredients.

Next, begin to add the mixture of vegetables and scallops evenly over the dough, leaving that 1 inch edge clear. Once done, add the remainder of the cheese on top.

With a brush and some cold water, moisten the 1 inch edge and then begin to fold the edges at a slight angle so that the fold goes right to the edge of the ingredients but not over it. When folded, you will have about 1/2 to 3/4 inch edge that will be elevated a bit and will have a nice design. Check the picture carefully so that you can see exactly how to fold.

Place on the middle rack of your oven and bake approximately 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to sit for about 15 minutes. This will serve 4 people comfortably; a wonderful and simple tossed green salad will compliment this dish very well. This dish will also work very well for brunch alongside a nice glass of champagne. Enjoy!

Ginger Prawns highlights what marinating can do for flavors

One of the wonderful things that we can do in the kitchen that always enhances the flavors of various foods is to marinate. You can take meats for instance and marinating will take a lesser cut to a whole new level, thus saving you money. Indeed it's a very inexpensive way of elevating the taste barometer. What's so wonderful about this is the sky's the limit when it comes to ingredients to use for your marinating.

In addition to cheaper cuts of meat, marinating works wonders for even the higher end foods such as seafood. Prawns are a perfect candidate for this process and this article will introduce you to the effects that ginger has on bringing out the rich and savory flavors that come from the sea.  Ginger Prawns are the end result of the infusing of the ginger root's flavor into the flesh of the prawn through several hours of marinating in a bath of several ingredients both liquid and dry, for several hours. This is what you will need to do before completing the dish that we will create today. Let's start by getting the following ingredients into a container that you can snap shut:

2 tablespoons of fresh ginger, minced and crushed
1 clove of garlic, minced and crushed
1 small shallots, diced
2 tablespoons of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
2 tablespoons of rice vinegar
Juice from 1 lemon (love the Meyer lemons)
1/4 cup of cold water
dash of salt and pepper

Mix all these ingredients thoroughly and with a fork, mash the ingredients more. Once well mixed, let it set for about 15 minutes to allow all the flavors to infuse. During this time, you can work on deveining and butterflying your prawns.

What does it mean to "butterfly" ?

You have probably heard this term time and time again if you've ever spent time on the internet and surfing the various food sites. Whether it is for beef, chicken, fish, or whatever protein you are preparing, butterflying is simply the process of opening and fanning out. Indulge me for a moment and put the palms of your hands together. Now imagine the line that is made where the two palms connect is a cut made by your knife. Now slowly start opening your palms while keeping the end where your little fingers are, tightly connected. This is called butterflying. This is what you need to do with your prawns.

Let's start out by talking about the prawns to use. Don't go with the smaller ones. Stick to the ones that are 16 count or less. The number 16 indicates how many it takes to make a pound. Ideally, if you can find some with a count of 12 it would work great. It's a bit more expensive per pound; however, you also need fewer prawns that way. Next you want to devein which means to cut into the shell at the top (or the back) of the prawn. There is a dark colored string like vein that you want to remove. Easily done with a sharp knife, be sure to run cold water afterwards. Do not remove the shells at all for this recipe. Once you have made a cut on the back, continue to cut into the flesh until you can fan out or butterfly each half, while still connected. Set each prawn shell side up on a board and with your hands, flatten each one nicely. Once done, add them to the ingredients you used for marinating. Mix all the ingredients and prawns well and cover tightly, set in the refrigerator and leave it for about 3 hours. You should count on 4 prawns per person for a 12 count or 6 prawns for a 16 count.

What has been found to compliment very well with Ginger Prawns is a nice Chinese noodle dish, tossed with sauteed mushrooms, shallots, and other ingredients of your choice. There are a variety of Chinese and Asian noodles out there so it is a matter of personal taste as to which ones you will want to use. For this dish, the popular Chow Mein style is being used. These noodles cook very rapidly, so don't start them until you have completed the marinating process. To accompany your prawns, here's what you'll need:

16 oz package of Chinese noodles
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup of oyster mushrooms, roughly cut with your hands
1/2 cup of either Shitake or Enoki mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, very finely sliced or slivered
1 shallot, chopped
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
Pepper, dash of salt

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Remember the marinating ingredients you put together? Remove the prawns and set them aside. Now add the remaining liquid to the pot of water. This will add a very nice flavor to the noodles.

In a large fry pan, add the olive oil and sesame oil and heat over medium high heat. Quickly saute your prawns once oil gets real hot. Saute skin down first for about one minute, then turn them over and saute for another minute or so. Remove them and set aside, covered with foil. Now add the noodles to the boiling water and occasionally stir with a large fork. Now saute your bell pepper, mushrooms, shallot and garlic over medium heat and stir for about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 ladle of the pasta water to the frying pan and stir with a spatula. Remove pan from heat. Continue to boil noodles for about 2 more minutes until they are cooked al dente. Now add the frying pan back to the medium heat and with prongs, add the noodles to the pan and stir for about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer noodles and mushrooms to a serving platter and garnish with the prawns. Serve while still hot. You will love the combination of flavors and the ginger very mildly comes through both the prawns and the noodles. This dish is definitely worth a try.

Swai fish provides great value for the nutrition that it packs

Have you heard of Swai fish? Well, if you haven't, you eventually will. It is beginning to show up in many of the national grocery chains including Kroger's. This is a fresh water fish that produces a wonderful mild flavored flaky, white meat. It is primarily raised in S.E. Asia (Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand). A versatile fish, you can bake, bread and fry, and poach it. Because of its mild flavor, it lends well to sauces and various spices. And if that hasn't sold you on it, how about $3.50 to $4.50 per pound? This is an unbelievable low price when you consider Halibut, Salmon, or Sole running 3 to 4 times that amount. To top it off, it is very nutritious as well, with only 100 calories per 4 ounces, 2 to 3 grams of fat, and about 50 mg. of cholesterol. These figures are even lower than chicken.

Poaching or baking of course will keep the fat and cholesterol amounts low; however, breading and sauteeing produces an incredible entree that is crunchy, moist, and very savory. I have chosen to do just that. Before I do however, I marinated this fish with olive oil, juices from 1 Meyer lemon, garlic, a dash of rice vinegar, salt and pepper, for about 4 hours in the fridge. Then I dredged each piece in flour, followed by a bath in an eggwash, and finally rolled it in a dish of Panko bread crumbs. I heated up about 2 cups of vegetable oil to 350 degrees and fried each side for about 2 minutes, and finally transferred the fish to a 350 oven for about 15 minutes. It turned out so incredible!

This recipe is perfect for fish and chips and a nice replacement for the much more expensive Halibut. It turned out every bit as good or better than that which you can find in some of the dinner restaurants around town. Squeeze a half lemon over the top, or make a sauce of mayonnaise and wasabi paste, or simply a sauce of sesame oil mixed with rice vinegar and soy sauce. This fish is truly one that you must try before the grocers and resellers decide to jack the price up like they do with everything else that becomes popular. Most of the Swai fish you can find has already been flash frozen, so the freshness is well retained. Buy a pound of it and if you like it, go back and buy another 5 pounds and stick it in the freezer. It will easily keep 6 months. You won't regret it and neither will your pocket book!

Imagine candlelight dinner for two in under 30 minutes ... and less than $3.50 per person!

OK, so now you're intrigued. Is it Burger King or McDonalds. Buzz! Wrong on both accounts. Let's face it, McDonalds and Burger King - and for all you Europeans out there, I include Wimpy's in this list, won't serve you dinner for less than $4.99 per person. Forget about all those fancy restaurants, multiply that by 10. You're probably at home right now, the place where $3.50 will get you an entree and a salad in less than 30 minutes (and you'll even have extra time to light the candles).

It doesn't get much more romantic than to serve your special someone Rock Shrimp Linguine in a light cream sauce and a nice tossed salad of greens, all under candlelight. This is such a simple dish to make and there are probably dozens of versions out there, but this one's my favorite. Needing few ingredients, this dish marries the wonderful textures of fresh linguine with the savory flavors of rock shrimp and garlic, tying it all with a delicate cream sauce that will have you coming back for more. As in France, renew the palate with a refreshing crisp bed of green lettuce drizzled with olive oil. Depending on where you live, this really can be had for between $3.50 and $4.00 per person. The West Coast of the U.S. offers these prices for two:

8 oz. of fresh rock shrimp = $3.50 ($6.99 per pound)
12 oz. of fresh linguine = $1.99
1 medium shallot = $0.20
3 cloves of garlic = $0.15
1/4 cup of parsley = $0.08
1/3 cup of half n half = $0.30
2 tablespoons of olive oil = $0.15
2 tablespoons of butter = $0.30
Salt and pepper to taste = (you've got to be kidding, right?)

Total for the Entree = $6.67 (for two)

3 cups of lettuce = $0.45
2 tablespoons of olive oil = $0.15

TOTAL Cost = $7.27 for two

OK, so I'm over budget by 27 cents, but aren't both of you worth it? Let's get started before we're no long "in the mood". Thinly slice your garlic  and finely chop the shallot and the parsley. Three cups of lettuce is probably equal to about 10 leaves roughly cut by hand. Get all those things prepared.

In a small pot, get about 8 cups of water to a slow boil. In a medium sauce pan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Saute the shallots and garlic for about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the rock shrimp, turning the heat to medium, stir and saute for about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add the butter; when butter is melted, add the half n half and stir well. While this is happening, add the fresh linguine to the boiling water and turn that heat to high. Back to the rock shrimp, now add the parsley and salt and pepper to taste. After 90 seconds has passed, your pasta is ready. With a set of tongs, take the pasta out of the water and add it to the saute pan. Stir well so that the ingredients are perfectly incorporated. The extra water that was left on the pasta will also help to keep sauce moist and from drying or getting too thick.

Portion out 2 equal parts on dinner plates, light the candles and enjoy this savory dish. If you want, you may sprinkle a bit of grated Parm or Gruyere, but not too much, you want the flavors not to be drowned out.  When finished, soak the lettuce leaves in cold water for a couple of minutes, drain and place in a bowl. Add your salt and pepper as well as the olive oil and toss lightly. Enjoy your romantic evening.

Save The Turkey Leftovers For The Weekend - Make Something Simple Today... Seafood Stir Fried Rice

After a day of stuffing our bellies with turkey, dressing, and all the gravy we could eat, it's nice to give it a rest on Friday and eat something on the lighter side. I love Chinese Food and adore seafood. I am always trying to come up with new variations of the two, but I always come back to my favorite, stir frying shrimp and scallops along with savory vegetables and ... oh, need I say more? This dish is so flavorful and a perfect dish when home alone and you want to cook for nobody else but yourself.


Serves 2 but you'll want to eat it all yourself

1 cup short grain rice
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 pound bay shrimp
1/4 pound bay scallops (small ones)
2 medium shallots, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 green onions, finely sliced
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons pimientos
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon course ground black pepper
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped

1.In a pot, bring chicken stock and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to a boil, add rice, and cook covered, reducing heat to low. Cook according to directions (about 18 to 20 minutes. When cooked, gently stir using a fork. Set aside.

2.In a saute pan, saute onions, shallots, celery, and garlic in the 2 remaining tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat. Saute for about 3 minutes.

3.Now add the shrimp and scallops and saute, stirring for about 30 seconds, then add pimientos and green onions, stirring for another 30 seconds. Add the water.

4.Now add the sesame oil and the cooked rice, stir well so all ingredients are incorporated and rice is well coated. Add the salt and pepper, along with the sesame seeds. Stir for about 20 seconds and transfer to a serving platter. Serve hot.
 
Now how easy was that? If you want to feed a group of 4, just double the quantities of the ingredients. If you want, you may also add some shredded bbq pork, which can be found pre cooked in your grocery store. After a long day of tedious cooking for Thanksgiving, it's nice to give it a rest and make something simple. Save the turkey leftovers for the weekend!!

An Absolute Explosion of Flavor - Crab Orzo "Risotto"

You're going to want this. You're going to want this bad! I had no idea that what I was creating at Noon was going to have such full flavors. I mean let's face it, crab is mild, orzo itself is bland; however, when I combined it all with the other ingredients, flavors exploded. I took my time making this, making sure that I stirred and stirred and watched it every step of the way. I've had requests to create recipes for Dungeness Crab and I wanted to make sure this recipe turned out right. All the while I wanted to make sure that it was also going to be easy for everyone to make. Easy ingredients are also included. Check them out:

1cup of Orzo
8 ounces of Dungeness Crab meat, I prefer the legs and claws
4 cups of fish stock
1/4 cup of dry white wine
1/4 cup of sweet Marsala wine
1/2 cup of cream
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup grated Parm
1/4 cup large capers
2 green onions, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
4 tablespoons of olive oil

In a 10 inch pan, spray bottom with cooking spray, add the olive oil and heat over medium high heat. I should mention at this point that I assume you have done your prep work and everything is chopped, minced, and grated. OK, now saute the shallots and garlic, lowering heat to medium. Saute for a couple of minutes and then add the orzo. Stir well so that orzo is well coated with the oil. Continue cooking for another minute or two, constantly stirring. Once you sense that the orzo is just beginning to stick to the pan, add the Marsala and the white wine and stir well.

Next you want to start adding the fish stock one cup at a time. Add the first cup, stir, and bring to a slow boil. Turn heat down a bit so that liquid doesn't boil too hard. Continue to stir for about 3 minutes and then add the second cup of fish stock. Reduce heat to medium low and bring back to a slow boil. Let it slow boil for about 6 to 8 more minutes. The orzo should begin to soften and liquid turning creamy. This is what you want to happen. Cooking orzo is a slow process and you want to constantly stir and keep adding moisture because in the end, you want the orzo to be cooked al dente with a creamy liquid.

Go ahead and add 1/2 cup more of the fish stock, continually stirring, this time stir like you are folding whipped cream into a batter, you know what I mean? Keep an eye on the liquid. As it reduces, keep adding a little more until you have used all 4 cups of the stock. Once all the stock is added, the orzo should have been cooking for about 12 to 15 minutes. Taste test the orzo for doneness. It should be very close to al dente but not quite.

Once you have reached that almost al dente finish, begin to add the cheese a little at a time, all the while stirring so that cheese melts nicely into the sauce. Begin to add the cream and ...... yes, continue to stir. When the rest of the cream has been added, lower heat to low or simmer. Add the capers and green onions and blend well. Add the pepper and the crab and carefully stir so that crab doesn't break apart too badly. You want to have some nice chunks. Remove from heat and let sit for a few minutes before you plate it. You may grate some additional cheese once plated, maybe even a pinch of parsley for garnis. A nice finishing touch to this meal is a nice tossed salad of mixed greens. I had this for lunch and guess what? I"m going to have it for dinner too. This is crazy tasty! And did you notice you didn't even have to add salt?? How cool is that?

AT LAST THE PAELLA HAS ARRIVED !!

 Well, it has been a long time coming, but I finally am able to post the long awaited Paella article. There is so much to say about Paella that it's impossible to know where to begin. I will start by saying the Paella pictured above, is the one I made in Arizona for Felicia Sorensen. The one below is one I made a year ago for Labor Day.

 Today, Paella is found on the menus of the higher priced restaurants and a serving can command a price tag of $18 to $30. What is ironic is that it was traditionally a peasant dish that consisted of various ingredients that were available in the area and could even include left over items. In Spain the variations of the dish were and still are influenced by where it's made. The regions where there is pork and chicken will feature those meats prominently. If there is an abundance of lamb or rabbit, those items will be included. They all have 3 things in common however, they all include rice, saffron, and some type of seafood or meat.

The original Paella is known as the Valencian Paella. Valencians hold their recipe dear to their heart and have insisted that only the ingredients called for in their recipe can be used for the authentic Valencian rice dish. Among these are chicken, rice, duck, snails, butter beans, artichoke, various other beans, and spices including of course saffron. It is in the region of Valencia that Paella was born during the 18th Century. Over time, the entire Iberian Penninsula adopted it as an uncrowned national dish; however, this dish most traditionally identifies Valencia.

Although there are Paellas that contain only meats or just seafood, the more well known throughout the world is that which is called a mixed Paella, which includes various meats and seafood. One can go crazy with the various ingredients and sometimes too many is too much for a good conclusion. Remember, each ingredient is competing with one another in the flavor category, so it's smart to limit your choices and allow the saffron aroma to be the King. Everything else will fall into place and you will enjoy what is considered by many as one of the great rice dishes of the world.

The Paella that I will make with you today is of the "mixed" variety. We will use pork and chicken in the meat category and shrimp, scallops, fresh clams, and mussels in the seafood category. To tie it all together, we will use the Spanish saussage called Chorizo. Two things you cannot substitute are Chorizo and Saffron, no exceptions! Do not use Italian saussage or it will not be Paella. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about. The only problem that I tend to run up against when making this wonderful dish, is that I tend to call for larger quantities of the ingredients that can fit in my pan. So please keep this in mind when making yours. I will try to give you approximate quantities for a party of 6 people which is a good average. You can adjust things accordingly to your number of guests.

Before we start, I want to talk about rice for a minute. Rice and getting it right is extremely important. If you screw up the rice, you will most likely screw up your Paella. Certain things you want to know are stay away from quick cook rice (the 5 minute Uncle Bens stuff), stay away from long grain rice which will absorb the moisture too quickly and thereby become soggy, and finally, don't let your rice get soggy ! With all that in mind, you want to look for a short and hearty grain rice. Those are the best to use when making Paella. Among the best choices is Bomba rice. It can be found in most supermarkets or specialty food stores. Whole Foods has a great selection of grains and I am sure they probably have several rice varieties that work well with Paella. But please, don't try to short cut through this one, it just isn't worth it and since you really want to make this a hit in your family the first time around, get the right rice.

I am going to assume that you have purchased a Paella pan as I discussed last week. I gave each of you plently of time to shop for them. If you ordered them online, they should be arriving by week's end. Otherwise, there were some available I believe at Target or Walmart in the $30 range for a decent 14 inch one. There's something else that I want to talk about at this time. This dish may appear very difficult to make, but I assure you that it's not the difficulty, but the time consumption and the attention to detail that is necessary. There are no special measurements or wierd baking instructions and no need for foreign dictionaries. In that respect, this is a very simple dish to make. But I"m not kidding when I say if you want to serve this by 6 PM, shop for your fresh ingredients early in the morning around 9 AM, do your prep work by 1 PM, and start cooking by 3 PM. I may be stretching this a bit, but I just want to convey to you that it's not a one hour meal. So fall in love with everything about it, the ingredients, the smells and aromas, and put on some Spanish music. Here is our shopping list for this version of Paella:

MEATS

5 Boneless and skinless chicken thighs, cut in quarters

1 lb of pork, cut in 1 inch pieces (does not have to be an expensive cut)

3 links of Chorizo saussage, cut in 1/2 inch slices (ask your butcher)

SEAFOOD

24 fresh clams in their shells

18 fresh mussels in their shells

1/2 lb of sea scallops, cut in half

1/2 lb of unshelled medium sized shrimp

Optional - 6 crab legs or claws or 6 to 8 jumbo prawns unshelled and heads on

VEGETABLES

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

2 medium red tomatoes, seeded and chopped

2 medium yellow onions, chopped

6 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/2 cup of pitted green olives (ok they're fruit) cut in halves

1/2 cup of pitted black olives cut in halves

1 cup of thawed frozen baby peas (or green beans, cut and parboiled)

1 cup of garbanzo beans (this is unique to my recipe and have found that it works)

1/4 cup of chopped parsley

OTHER INGREDIENTS

3 cups of rice (either Bomba or Calasparra)

6 cups of chicken broth

1/2 cup of dry white wine

1/4 cup of olive oil

3 tablespoons of anise liquor (Pernod, Ricard, or Uozo)

1/4 teaspoon of Spanish smoked paprika

1 teaspoon of saffron threads

3 tablespoons of pimientos

6 to 8 lemon wedges (for garnish)

Before you start cooking, make sure that all your prep work is done. This includes chopping, slicing, and the following. Shell the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Put the shells in a medium size pot and add the chicken broth. Bring broth to a boil, lower heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the shells and discard. Add the saffron and paprika to the broth, cover pot, and keep on warm heat, but do not boil or simmer, just keep it warm. Preheat your oven to 325.

Pour the olive oil in your paella pan and heat oil on high. Saute your chicken and pork until golden brown. Remove from heat and set on a platter. Cover to keep warm. Now saute your chorizo on medium high for about 5  minutes. Add your onions, peppers, and garlic, and saute until onions get translucent. Now add your shrimp and saute for about 2 minutes. Remove the shrimp and put them in the platter with the chicken and pork. Stir the onions and peppers and add the anise liquor, then the white wine to deglaze. Now add the rice and stir well so rice is nicely coated. Next, add the chicken broth to the rice and stir well. Add the parsley, garbanzo beans, peas, olives, tomato, and pimientos and stir well. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered for 10 minutes over medium high heat. Stir on occasion so rice doesn't stick to bottom of pan.

Now add the chicken and pork back to the pan, bury the scallops and shrimp in the rice, place the mussels and clams into the rice face up,  and place in the oven uncovered. Cook in the oven for about 20 minutes, checking after about 15 minutes to make sure rice is nearly done. You want it to be al dente at that point, not crunchy.  If you feel you need a little moisture, you may add 1/4 cup of stock, but it's doubtful you will need to. After 20 minutes, remove from oven and let set on stove top loosely covered with foil for about 15 minutes.

You have just made your first Paella! This recipe should serve about 6 of you with some left over for seconds. Garnish the edges of the pan with the lemon wedges and a bit more parsley sprinkled over the top. This dish is well accompanied with a nice pitcher of chilled red Sangria. To prepare the Sangria, add 3 parts red wine, 1 part 7 UP, 1 part orange juice, 2 oranges cut in eighths, 2 lemons cut in eighths. Stir, refridgerate for about an hour. Finish dinner with some sliced pineapple and a shot of 43 served in a brandy snifter. Enjoy your fabulous dinner !!