Taking a hiatus

It's been tons of fun sharing my cooking and eating adventures on this blog, but I've just been too busy with work lately to keep it up on a regular basis, so I'm taking a brief hiatus. I still have plenty of pictures and recipes to share though, including my newfound obsession with ice cream making (mmm...yum!), and I'll be sure to post whenever I can. :)

Marrakesh Vegetable Curry

I made this for dinner a few weeks ago and boy, was it good! The original recipe called for eggplant, which I can't stand for the life of me, so instead I used an extra sweet potato (yum!) and zucchini. This recipe yielded about 8 servings, so took me a while to finish up :P, but I actually didn't mind eating all those leftovers for an entire week!

MARRAKESH VEGETABLE CURRY

Ingredients:

• 2 sweet potatos, peeled and cubed
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped (I used about 1/2 pound of baby carrots)
  
• 1 onion, chopped
• 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tablespoon sea salt
• 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
• 1/4 cup blanched almonds
• 2 zucchinis, sliced
• 2 tablespoons raisins
• 1 cup orange juice
• 10 ounces spinach

Directions:

1. In a large Dutch oven place sweet potato, peppers, carrots, onion, and three tablespoons oil. Saute over medium heat for 5 minutes.
2. In a medium saucepan place 3 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, turmeric, curry powder, cinnamon, salt and pepper and saute over medium heat for 3 minutes.
3. Pour garlic and spice mixture into the Dutch oven with vegetables in it. Add the garbanzo beans, almonds, zucchini, raisins, and orange juice. Simmer 20 minutes, covered.
4. Add spinach to pot and cook for 5 more minutes. Serve with rice.
   

Yields: 6-8 servings

Links:
Original recipe

Cherry Tomato Salad

This is one of my favorite salads that's super easy to make. Lord knows I need recipes like this when life gets real busy!

CHERRY TOMATO SALAD

Ingredients

• 40 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup pitted and sliced green olives
• 1 (6 ounce) can black olives, drained and sliced
• 2 green onions, minced
• 3 ounces pine nuts
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a big bowl, combine cherry tomatoes, green olives, back olives, and spring onion.
2. In a dry skillet, toast pine nuts over medium heat until golden brown, turning frequently. Stir into tomato mixture.
3. In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, and oregano. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over salad, and gently stir to coat. Chill for 1 hour.

Links:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cherry-Tomato-Salad/Detail.aspx

Shrimp Paulista

I've been super busy lately, so I've been attracted to dishes that are relatively quick and easy to make. Here is one I quite enjoyed. I paired it with some rice and veggies and made an easy meal out of it.

SHRIMP PAULISTA

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
• 8 cloves garlic, minced, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, divided
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Place shrimp in a medium nonreactive bowl and toss with lime juice, 1/4 cup cilantro, half the garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, marinade and remaining garlic; cook until the shrimp are just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; add the remaining 1/4 cup cilantro, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper. Toss to combine.

Yields: 6 servings

Links:
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/shrimp_paulista.html

Casa Oaxaca (Washington, DC)

Last week I met up with a couple of friends at Casa Oaxaca in Adams Morgan for dinner. I had never been there before, but suggested that we try it out since it was featured in my eat.shop guide and sounded interesting. Once again, eat.shop didn't let me down. :) Casa Oaxaca doesn't have a big menu, but everything looked so good it took me a long time before I finally decided on the Mole Coloradito:

Light red mole served over grilled beef.

My buddies both got the De Vegetales (which I had also considered):

Squash blossom, zucchini and fresh corn Sauteed in Hierba Santa oil.

I loved the Mole Coloradito, and though I didn't try the De Vegetales, it looked awesome and my friends both thought it was delicious. We had also gotten some guacamole which was great as well. Casa Oaxaca is definitely worth a repeat visit!

Pertinent info:
Address: 2106 18th St NW, Washington, DC 20009
Phone: (202)387-2272
Nearest Metro: Dupont Circle (Red line)

Rosemary Chicken Thigh

This recipe is an old favorite of mine that appeared in the 1998 Milk Calendar. The outside of the chicken thigh is a little crunchy, while the inside is moist and tender. I've always found Milk Calendar recipes to require minor adjustments to bring out the taste, so the recipe below reflects the adjustments I've made.

ROSEMARY CHICKEN THIGHS

Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) cornstarch
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) minced fresh rosemary or 1 tsp (5 mL) dried
  
• 1 cup (250 mL) milk
• 3 cups (750 mL) fresh bread crumbs
• 3/4 cup (125 mL) grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) minced fresh parsley or 2 tsp (10 mL) dried
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) butter, melted
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) all-purpose flour
• 8 skinless chicken thighs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. In a small saucepan, whisk together egg, cornstarch, mustard and rosemary. Add milk and whisk over medium-high heat until mixture thickens. Remove from heat; set aside.
3. In a bowl, toss together bread crumbs, cheese, parsley and melted butter. Mix well.
4. Scoop flour into a pie plate. Coat each chicken thigh with flour, then dip into the milk mixture covering completely and finally roll well in the crumb mixture. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet.
5. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until crispy and golden. Serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, if desired.

Yields: 4 servings

Link:
Original recipe

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Sage Corn Bread Crust

This was the first time I had cooked pork tenderloin, and may even have been my first time eating it, and it turned out delicious so I'm glad I tried it out!

ROASTED PORK TENDERLOIN WITH SAGE CORN BREAD CRUST

Ingredients:

• 1 (1-lb) pork tenderloin
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 corn toaster cakes, crumbled, or 1 cup crumbled corn muffin
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Pat pork dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Heat oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown pork, turning, about 4 minutes. Transfer to an oiled shallow baking pan.
4. Add butter to skillet and cook garlic over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove pan from heat and stir in crumbs, sage, and salt and pepper to taste.
5. Spread mustard over pork and pat half of seasoned crumbs onto mustard, then sprinkle with remaining seasoned crumbs. Roast in middle of oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted diagonally 2 inches into meat registers 155°F, 20 to 25 minutes. (Check after 15 minutes to see if crumbs are getting too dark; if they are, tent loosely with foil.) Transfer to a cutting board, then tent loosely with foil and let stand 10 minutes before slicing (temperature will rise to 160°F).

Yields: 4 servings

Link:
Original recipe

Zucchini Slaw

I may have mentioned that I have been eating a lot of salads since the summer so I've been doing a lot of online searches for salad recipes. This is one I came across a couple of months ago that's super easy to make, which is perfect when things get too busy and I don't have much time to cook! (Which is pretty much all the time!)


ZUCCHINI SLAW

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 medium zucchini, finely chopped
• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons Italian salad dressing
• 1 bunch chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat, and cook the zucchini and onion until onion is very tender. Mix in the Italian salad dressing and parsley, and continue cooking until heated through. Serve warm.

Yields: 4 servings

Links:
Original recipe

Sweet Potato Curry Rice

While visiting R.'s mom last winter, she made a sweet potato curry couscous that was really fantastic. I wanted to semi-replicate her dish with similar ingredients but using rice instead. Add in some ideas borrowed from other online sources, and this recipe was born! Two caveats to bear in mind: 1. I have a rice cooker so my directions for the rice are specific to rice cookers; 2. I get lazy and cook the sweet potatoes in the microwave. I'm sure any other method works too.

SWEET POTATO CURRY RICE

Ingredients:

• Sweet potatoes (3)
• Kale leaves, chopped or ripped into bite size pieces (2 cups)
• Jasmine or any long grain rice (1½ cups)
• Powdered chicken bouillon (1 tbsp) - can skip or substitute with vegetable bouillon for a vegan dish
  
• Raisins (1½ tbsp)
• Curry powder (1 tsp) – I prefer Madras curry powder
• Salt (to taste)
• Bay leaf (1 leaf)
• Oil (1 tsp)
• Onion, finely chopped (½ cup)
• Garlic, peeled and finely minced (3 cloves, divided)
• Ginger, minced (1 tsp)
• Red wine or vegetable broth (just a splash)
• Tamari or soy sauce (2 tbsp)
• Pine nuts (¼ cup)

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, sauté onion and one clove of minced garlic in oil on moderate heat until onions are translucent.
2. Wash rice well and drain. Place rice in rice cooker pan and fill with equal parts water.
3. Add precooked onion and garlic, chicken bouillon, raisins, curry powder, salt (to taste), bay leaf, and pine nuts. Cook rice in rice cooker.
4. Wash sweet potatoes. Puncture a few times with a fork. Place on paper towel on a microwave-safe dish and cook in microwave on high for 4-5 minutes for the first potato, plus about 2-3 minutes for each additional potato (about 8-11 mins for 3 potatoes, depending on the size of the potatoes). Turn over potatoes halfway through cooking. When done, let cool for a few minutes and then scoop out the sweet potatoes and mash coarsely.
5. In a frying pan, sauté two cloves of minced garlic and 1 tsp of minced ginger in a little red wine or vegetable broth. Add kale that has been chopped or ripped into bite size pieces. Add 2 tbsp of tamari or soy sauce and continue cooking for a few minutes, until done.
6. When rice is done, remove the bay leaf and mix all ingredients in the rice well. Mix rice, kale, and sweet potatoes in large skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes. Add salt to taste (though this may not be necessary if you are using Madras curry because Madras curry already has a fairly strong taste).

Yield: 4-5 servings

Links:
How to cook kale
Cooking sweet potatoes in the microwave

Cafe Bonaparte (Washington, DC)

Thanks to Groupon, I got an awesome deal to Café Bonaparte, a cute little Parisian place in Georgetown that's known for its crepes. R. and I love crepes, so this really was the perfect place to dine out for us! We went on a Thursday night and were surprised how packed it was. Like an authentic French cafe, it is fairly small and crammed, but not uncomfortable. The decor is beautiful. We each ordered a "savory crepe" for dinner and a "sweet crepe" for dessert.

For dinner, R. got the Petersburg, with "black forest ham, shallots, parsley & mushroom topped with a dijon mustard cream sauce." What a great combination of ingredients! It was beyond delicious!


I got the Marseille, with "diced marinated chicken, sour cream, onions, and red bell peppers, topped with a red pepper sauce." R. liked the Petersburg better, and although I had agreed with him at first (I do love dijon mustard!), the Marseille really grew on me, and by the end I'd have to say I preferred the Marseille! The sauce was great on the chicken. Mmm...I could go back for more!


For dessert, R. ordered the Montpelier, which consisted of "caramelized apples, topped with creme anglais & whip cream." Need I say more? Yum!


While the Montpelier was good, we both liked mine better, the Last Tango. How could you not? It's "Nutella chocolate, strawberries [warm, I must add], whip cream, & berry melba sauce." The Nutella-strawberry combo was divine.


Great dinner! I'm scheming to go back already! The only downside is that Georgetown being Georgetown, there's no subway stop, and Georgetown being Georgetown, parking is a royal you-know-what. We took the bus there during the tail end of rush hour, which was not fun at all. But Café Bonaparte is worth revisiting even if it's not easy to get to!

Pertinent info:

Address: 1522 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20007
Phone: (202)333-8830
Website: http://www.cafebonaparte.com/
Nearest Metro station: None. Bus from Farragut North or Dupont Circle.

Seared Curried Sea Scallops with Zucchini

I love seafood, and scallops is one of my favorites. I was drawn to this recipe because I'm a huge curry fan, so this seems like curry + scallops would simply be a heavenly combo. :)

SEARED CURRIED SEA SCALLOPS WITH ZUCCHINI

Ingredients:

• 1 pound sea scallops
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• Fresh cilantro sprigs
• Lime wedges

Directions:

1. Remove tough muscle from side of each scallop if necessary. Pat scallops dry and sprinkle with curry powder and salt and pepper to taste.
2. Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sear scallops in 2 batches, adding another 1/2 tablespoon oil if necessary, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes on each side.
3. Transfer scallops to a plate. Add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet, then cook ginger and garlic over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add zucchini and salt and pepper to taste, then cook, stirring frequently, until crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Return scallops to skillet with any juices accumulated on plate and toss with zucchini just until heated through, about 1 minute.
5. Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.
   

Yield: 2 servings

Eat Pink for a Good Cause

In support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, my absolute favorite ice cream place, Jeni's Ice Creams, has created a unique flavor and will be selling it at their stores and online throughout the month of October. For every pint of Rose Petal with Vanilla Bean and Pink Peppercorns they sell, $1 will be donated to the Young Survival Coalition, and for every order of their "Pink Collection," which contains several of their other delicious flavors, YSC will get $5!

My order that included a pint of the Rose Petal with Vanilla Bean and Pink Peppercorns arrived last week and I finally had a taste of it the other night. Mmm...mmm...good! The rose flavor is perfectly subtle, the vanilla flavor pleasing, while the peppercorns make the ice cream pop! Such a neat flavor, and such a great idea for a great cause! Go order some, or read more here!

Sweet and Sour Zucchini Salad

This is one of the salads I've made many times this past summer. It's tasty and easy to make.

SWEET AND SOUR ZUCCHINI SALAD

Ingredients:

• 1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 7 small zucchinis, thinly sliced

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, soak onion soup mix in wine vinegar. Let stand 5 minutes.
2. Combine the onion soup mixture with the sugar, salt, pepper, oil, cider vinegar, bell pepper, celery and zucchini. Chill 4 to 6 hours, stirring occasionally. Drain off any extra liquid before serving.

Yields: 7 servings

Grandma's Chiu Chow (Teochew) Style Deep Fried Shrimp Balls

My paternal grandparents are from the Chiu Chow province of China and my grandma makes these really amazing deep fried shrimp balls from her local cuisine that I (and everybody in the family) have loved all our lives. They are always such a special treat! The last time she made her signature shrimp balls for a family feast, I watched and took notes so I could replicate the dish myself. Since Grandma doesn't measure anything, it took a couple of tries to get the proportions right, but I think I have this baby down now. :) I should add that I made a couple of very minor modifications but they do taste just like Grandma's creation. I brought some to work for my buddy Maria and she claimed - twice - that it's one of the best things I've made! Thanks, Grandma!

GRANDMA'S CHIU CHOW (TEOCHEW) STYLE DEEP FRIED SHRIMP BALLS

Ingredients:

• 1 lb uncooked shrimp, peeled
• 8 water chestnuts, chopped (the larger the chopped pieces, the crunchier the shrimp balls will be)
• ¼ lbs ground pork
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 egg
• Salt, white pepper, and Chicken broth mix to taste
• Corn oil or vegetable oil
• ½ cup flour
• A small bowl of water

Directions:

1. Mash shrimp using the flat part of a cleaver.
2. In a large bowl, combine shrimp, water chestnuts, ground pork, shallot, eggs, salt, pepper, and chicken broth mix. Mix well. (My grandma said to stir only in one direcon - i.e., if you started stirring counterclockwise, do not reverse and stir clockwise - but I honestly don't think it makes a difference).
3. Add flour and mix to combine. Do not overmix. (This is how Grandma does it. See an alternative version described in Step 5.)
   
4. Heat oil on high in a wok or a deep skillet. The amount of oil used depends on the size of your wok/skillet and the size of the shrimp balls. In general, use enough oil to cover half the diameter of the shrimp balls – for example, if your shrimp balls are 1” in diameter, then fill wok ½” deep with oil. Once the oil is boiling, reduce heat to medium.
5. Mold the shrimp mixture into rounded tablespoons. Dip a spoon into the bowl/glass of water before scooping the shrimp balls (this prevents the shrimp balls from sticking to the spoon). Optional step: Prepare a small bowl of flour and dip each shrimp ball in flour (this is one thing I do that's different from Grandma).
   
6. Place each shrimp ball into the oil-filled wok. Roll the shrimp balls around so they fry evenly on all sides. Fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
7. Drain shrimp balls before serving.
8. Shrimp balls are traditionally served with a tangerine sauce that is not available in North America. The closest store-bought sauce I have found is a golden plum sauce, though a sweet and sour sauce would work as well.

Yields: About 20-25 shrimp balls, depending on size

Mashed shrimp

Shrimp balls!

Here's a video of my grandma shaping the shrimp mixture into balls and scooping them into the wok. Note that she's been making these for decades so she's quite the pro at it, making the process seem so easy and elegant. Me, on the other hand, can't quite get her technique down, so I cheat and use a melon baller instead. :P

G&M Restaurant and Lounge (Linthicum Heights, MD)

I had struggled with whether to list this post under "Eating out in Washington DC" since G&M Restaurant and Lounge is actually a bit out of the way and definitely closer to Baltimore than DC. However, it is only a couple miles from the Baltimore Washington International Airport, and the fact that it has been voted by listeners of WTOP (an all-news radio station in the Greater Washington area) as serving best crab cakes in the area means that my claiming it as being in DC is absolutely justified. :)

I was introduced to G&M two years ago by a friend, who had sworn they had the best crab cakes. Located in a not-particularly-affluent neighborhood (as far as I can tell), G&M looks unassuming enough on the outside, and the inside atmosphere is relatively casual though very comfortable and cozy, but ay, never judge a book by its cover! Their crab cakes are huge, reasonably priced, and most importantly, TASTY. These golden brown beauties are full of lumps of crab meat and the crab-to-filler proportion is just right in my opinion and does a great job of bringing out the crab taste. The restaurant is fairly large, with a main restaurant area as well as a bar area, but my favorite tables are the ones on the "balcony" looking down onto the bar. I have visited G&M several times now, usually with R. when he is flying in/out of BWI, and the crab cakes have been perfect every time. We both love this place! It is really no coincidence that in addition to being a favorite among Washingtonians, G&M has also been deemed Baltimore's best crab cakes by Baltimore Magazine five years in a row! If you love crab cakes, I highly recommend G&M. What, you don't live in the Baltimore-Washington area? Not a problem - they ship!

Photo of crab cake sandwich. You may also order a crab cake platter with one or two crab cakes, though unless you're a big eater, you might just wanna get one. Those babies are huge!

Pertinent info:
Address: 804 Hammonds Ferry Road, Linthicum Heights, MD
Phone: 410-636-1777 877 5543723

Wasabi Salmon Burgers

I think we've gone over this before...I love salmon! I also love wasabi. And oh, do I love the combination of salmon and wasabi! So my jaw just about dropped onto the floor when I stumbled across this recipe for wasabi salmon burgers, which I'm happy to report turned out really great! The combination of Asian-inspired ingredients - soy sauce, wasabi, and ginger - really give the salmon an exquisite taste. If you are wasabi-phobic and fear that this might shoot fireworks through your nose, there is really no need to worry. The powder gives just a hint of the wasabi taste and it is not at all like the stuff you put on your sushi. And to top it off, the salmon patties are extremely low-calorie and healthy, too!

WASABI SALMON BURGERS

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons wasabi powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• 1 pound salmon fillet, skinned
• 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Directions:

1. Whisk soy sauce, wasabi powder and honey in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside.
2. With a large chef's knife, chop salmon using quick, even, straight-up-and-down motions (do not rock the knife through the fish or it will turn mushy). Continue chopping, rotating the knife, until you have a mass of roughly 1/4-inch pieces. Transfer to a large bowl. Add scallions, egg, ginger and oil; stir to combine. Form the mixture into 4 patties. The mixture will be moist and loose, but holds together nicely once the first side is cooked.
3. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the patties and cook for 4 minutes. Turn and continue to cook until firm and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Spoon the reserved wasabi glaze evenly over the burgers and cook for 15 seconds more. Serve immediately.

Yields: 4 servings

Links:
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/wasabi_salmon_burger.html

Would you like some E. coli with that?

I came across this New York Times article yesterday that revolves around a young dance instructor whose life was ruined by lower-body paralysis as a result of an infection. The source of the infection? Tainted ground beef. The article goes on to detail the dangers of ground beef and exposes the lack of oversight on E. coli O157:H7 inspections. Part of the problem is that ground beef is made up of not just actual meat, but also trimmings and other scrap from different parts of the cow, including the areas that are likely to come into contact with feces. And the process for getting rid of the feces is far from thorough. Add to that the unwillingness of suppliers and corporations to adequately test their products for E. coi O157:H7 and the lack of government regulation. The story is truly chilling. As much as I love beef, I had pretty much sworn off burgers since watching Food, Inc. (see my post on this here), and this article only strengthened my convictions about ground beef. I find these large corporations' greed and negligence beyond maddening.

According to the article, there is a potentially safer way of enjoying beef burgers - buy a piece of steak and have your grocer ground it for you. That way, you'll know that your ground beef comes from 100% muscle and not some random, possibly E. coli-laden, feces-smeared parts of the cow. Of course, cow muscles can be unsafe, too, if prepared improperly, so this isn't a hard-and-fast fix. The BUBBA Burger brand supposedly "boasts on its labeling, '100% whole muscle means no trimmings,'" which seems promising, but I can't seem to find any information online confirming that BUBBA Burgers are safer than other brands. In fact, what I found was a recall notice of BUBBA Burgers in 2000 due to potential contamination of E. coli O157:H7 (check it out here). Food, Inc. also talks about grass-fed beef being generally safer than corn-fed beef, because a corn-fed diet greatly promotes E. coli breeding.

In the meantime, I don't know if I will ever be able to shake the image of millions of E. coli O157:H7 bacteria crawling all over my beef patty every time I think about getting a burger. Maybe it's time to cultivate a taste for veggie burgers.

Indian Style Salmon Fry

I was looking for something different and easy to make and found this Indian Style Salmon Fry recipe that looked interesting, so I thought I'd give it a try. Instead of curry leaves, I added a tablespoon of Madras curry powder. I also didn't bother picking out the bones from the canned salmon because 1) it's a losing battle, 2) the bones are not only edible but also nutritious (great source of calcium), and 3) I don't get why people find them so disgusting anyway. And I used grape tomatoes just because I had some leftover from another recipe. Finally I served it with curry rice.

INDIAN STYLE SALMON FRY

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
• 1 small onion, sliced into thin half-circles
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
• 1 green chile pepper, chopped
• 10 fresh curry leaves, chopped (optional)
• 1 tomato, diced
• 2 (14.75 ounce) cans salmon, drained and bones removed
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; place the cumin and mustard seeds in the hot oil and cook until the seeds begin to pop.
2. Cook and stir the onions in the spice mixture until they brown.
3. Mix in the garlic, ginger, chile pepper, and curry leaves; cook and stir until the garlic becomes golden.
4. Add the tomatoes and stir for a few seconds before adding the salmon, using the back of your stirring spoon to break the salmon into small pieces in the pan; cook until the salmon is heated through, 5 to 10 minutes; remove from heat.
5. Garnish with cilantro to serve.

Yields: 4 servings

Indian Style Salmon Fry with Curry Rice

Links:
Original recipe

Chicken Stir-Fry Wraps

I found this Martha Stewart recipe while browsing through Yahoo! Foods, and it turned out quite well. This recipe is the kind that is so easy to modify without messing up. Try it with carrots, water chestnuts, chopped celery, asparagus, portabello mushrooms, you name it! Instead of wrapping it with lettuce, try serving the chicken with jasmine rice. For a spicier taste, add hot pepper sauce. Here is the recipe:

CHICKEN STIR-FRY WRAPS

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved horizontally and thinly sliced
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 large red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1/4 tablespoon red-pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, mixed with 1 tablespoon water
• 12 Boston lettuce leaves

Directions:

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over high heat. Add half the chicken; cook, stirring constantly, until opaque throughout, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken.
2. Add remaining tablespoon oil to pan, along with the onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until onion is tender and golden, about 4 minutes (reduce heat if browning too quickly).
3. Reduce heat to medium; add garlic, ginger, and red-pepper flakes; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds.
4. Stir in soy sauce, vinegar, and cornstarch mixture; remove from heat. Add chicken and any accumulated juices; toss to coat. Serve in lettuce cups.

Yield: 4 servings

Boston lettuce didn't look so good when I went to the store, so I got some green cabbage instead (sure beats iceberg lettuce, nutrition-wise!).

Links:
http://food.yahoo.com/recipes/martha-stewart/recipe1120044/chicken-stir-fry-wraps

Baked Tilapia with Dill Sauce

I came across this highly rated tilapia recipe and just had to try it! And it was great, especially for a real simple and quick dish! I didn't make any adjustments to the recipe; it was great as is, although some people suggested pan frying the fillets which sounded good too (though I'm sure not as healthy as baking). And the dill sauce really makes the dish!

BAKED TILAPIA WITH DILL SAUCE

Ingredients:

• 4 (4 ounce) fillets tilapia
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, or to taste
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Season the tilapia fillets with salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning on both sides. Arrange the seasoned fillets in a single layer in the baking dish. Place a layer of lemon slices over the fish fillets. The original submitter of the recipe suggests using about 2 slices on each piece so that it covers most of the surface of the fish.
3. Bake uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
   
4. While the fish is baking, mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic powder, lemon juice and dill in a small bowl. Serve with tilapia. (Clara's note: I also squeezed a little lemon juice onto the fillets before serving.)
   

Yields: 4 servings

Links:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Hudsons-Baked-Tilapia-with-Dill-Sauce/Detail.aspx

Gluttony in Missouri

So last week's diet was quite effective - at least for the first few days, I truly felt like I was losing weight. But then I got sick and had to skip my work outs. Ah well. Anyway, after a week of healthy food posts, I thought I'd follow up today with a post on all the great stuff I ate in Missouri that made me, um, increase in girth. ;)

One of my favorite places to eat in St. Joseph, about an hour north of Kansas City, is Bandana's BBQ. They offer five different BBQ sauces but my favorite is the Sweet & Smoky. Whenever I go to Bandanas I order the combo platter where I get to pick two meats and two sides. Pictured here are the ribs and turkey, plus a baked potato, their famous roasted corn, and two slices of delicious garlic bread. I have to say that they overcooked the corn this time, which was such a shame, because the corn is usually my favorite part of the meal! But the meat is always done very well, and the portions are huge. I typically eat half the platter and save the rest for lunch the next day.

This time in St. Joseph, R. and I also visited the Tap Room, which is a new bar in town. I had ordered a salad there only because I was really craving veggies, but alas, it was not good. However, the thing that I thought was worth mentioning is their 31 different varieties of chicken wings, which all sound superb. We ordered the Thai Peanut and the Curry wings. Deeelicious! I'd love to go back and try some of their other varieties!

In Kansas City, we hung out one afternoon at Tea Drops in the Westport area. Tea Drops is a really neat tea place where they sell a variety of loose leaf teas. I can attest to the quality of their teas as I had previously gotten "Summer Fruits" and "Strawberry Fields" from them (very fruity and tasty herbal teas) and they are some of the best teas I've ever had. And, of course they serve cool tea drinks in their cafe. I got a frozen taro soy bubble tea (which actually doesn't contain any tea) and OH MY. Tastes similar to purple yam ice cream which, as anyone who knows me knows, is my absolute favorite ice cream flavor that is hard to find in the US.

(Coincidentally, the only restaurant in the US where I have been served purple yam ice cream is right across the street from Tea Drops, at Thai Place. I guess I might as well post a picture of the dessert I had there when I visited in January, which consisted of a coconut tower, purple yam ice cream, and baked coconut custard. YA-UM.)

Anyway, here's a picture of the inside of Tea Drops. Sorry for the crappy phone camera picture.

Well, we got hungry after a while and walked around the block to Jerusalem Cafe. I had been there once before, and thought it was the best Mediterranean food I've tasted. This time around was maybe not quite the best I've had, but still, I was satisfied with my meal and so was R. (He loved his, actually.)

We both ordered pretty much the same thing - a "pastry plate" which was basically food stuffed in phyllo dough. I got the vegetable one while R. got the chicken. It came with veggies and rice. It was a huge plate of food actually - the stuffed phyllo pastry itself took two meals to finish. I didn't care for the rice myself (not a fan of basmati rice) but R. liked it so much he ate all of his - and mine.

We capped off the evening with a trip to the Melting Pot in the Plaza neighborhood. In case you didn't know, Melting Pot is a fondue chain. We went there originally to get a drink 'cause we both loooove their Yin & Yang martini, with "Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur, Stoli Vanil vodka and ice cream topped with chocolate shavings." It doesn't even taste at all like alcohol...super delicious and super dangerous!

Then, against our better judgment, we decided to order a chocolate fondue to share. We got the plain dark chocolate one, and it came with, strawberries, bananas, brownies, marshmallows, Oreo covered marshmallows, rice krispie squares, and a slice of cheesecake.

Our trip to Melting Pot alone probably cost us at least 1500 calories...but well worth it. :)

Zucchini Herb Casserole

Today, I continue to chronicle this week's effort to lose the few pounds I gained while in Missouri. For my dinners this week, I made a Zucchini Herb Casserole, which contains just under 400 calories per dinner-sized serving. I also went light on the cheese, using only about 1.5 cups instead of 2. The other changes I made was using about 1/2 cup of rice and cooking it in a rice cooker instead and using more salt and herbs. I was very happy with the end result, though next time I might add a little mushroom!

ZUCCHINI HERB CASSEROLE

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup uncooked long grain white rice
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 pounds zucchini, cubed
• 1 cup sliced green onions
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 1/2 cups seeded, chopped tomatoes
• 1.5 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided

Directions:

1. Cook rice in rice cooker.
   
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a shallow 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.
3. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, and cook the zucchini, green onions, and garlic 5 minutes, or until tender. Season with garlic salt, basil, paprika, and oregano. Mix in the cooked rice, tomatoes, and half of the cheese. Continue to cook and stir until heated through. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.
4. Bake uncovered 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Yields: 6 side dish servings (4 dinner-size servings)

Links:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Zucchini-Herb-Casserole/Detail.aspx

Tomato Asparagus Salad

So last week I spent five days in the Kansas City, Missouri area, and all the drinking and eating out and lack of consistent exercise really did a number on my waistline. :( It is unbelievable - 10 days in Toronto in August (where weight gain is normally pretty much inevitable) without adding a pound. Five days in Missouri, and BOOM! I feel obese! And unfortunately, what they say is true: When you hit a certain age, it's just so easy to gain weight but so hard to lose it!

So right now I'm in diet mode...at least for the week. :) I'm actually usually pretty good about watching what I eat, and I'm nowhere near overweight, but it would be nice to be able to fit in my clothes. ;) So, I'm stepping up the effort this week to try and swing back to my pre-Missouri weight. For lunch this week, I've prepared this low-fat and easy-to-make salad, which tastes really good, too!

TOMATO ASPARAGUS SALAD

Ingredients:

• 3/4 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
• 3 plum tomatoes, halved and sliced
• 3/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette

Directions:

1. Place asparagus in a steamer basket; place in a saucepan over 1 in. of water. Bring to a boil; cover and steam for 5-7 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and immediately place asparagus in ice water. Drain and pat dry.
2. In a large bowl, combine the asparagus, tomatoes and onion. Drizzle with vinaigrette and gently toss to coat. Serve with a slotted spoon.

Yields: 4 servings (for me, 2 lunch portions)

Links:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Tomato-Asparagus-Salad/Detail.aspx

Quick and Easy Shrimp Primavera

For a quick and easy meal, I love this Shrimp Primavera recipe from Kraft. The salad dressing and lemon zest gives the pasta a nice tang, and the Parmesan cheese truly completes the dish. I used cooked shrimp, so I added it after I had already let the veggies cook a little. I also added a little salt and pepper to taste. Otherwise, it's a good recipe as is!

QUICK AND EASY SHRIMP PRIMAVERA

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (1/2 lb or 8 oz) rotini pasta, uncooked
• 1/2 cup KRAFT Light Zesty Italian Dressing
• 1 lb uncooked deveined peeled shrimp
• 1 large red pepper, chopped
• 1 cup packaged matchstick carrots
• 1 cup sugar snap peas
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 tsp grated lemon zest
• salt & pepper to taste
  

Directions:

1. Cook pasta as directed on package.
2. Meanwhile, heat dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add shrimp, vegetables and garlic; cook and stir 3 to 4 min. or until shrimp turn pink and vegetables are crisp-tender.
3. Drain pasta. Add to shrimp mixture; toss to coat. Sprinkle with cheese and lemon peel.

Yields: 4 servings

Quick, easy, and delicious!

Links:
http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/quick-easy-shrimp-primavera-90603.aspx

Big Daddy's Crabshack and Oyster Bar (Toronto, ON, Canada)

Continuing on with my Toronto restaurant excursions, during my trip there I had also visited the Cajun-inspired Big Daddy's Crab Shack and Oyster Bar in the entertainment district in downtown Toronto. I had been to Big Daddy's on a number of occasions and have always been impressed with their food. When I was in Toronto last December, I had planned on hitting Big Daddy's with a couple of friends before seeing the Messiah at the Roy Thomson Hall right across the street, but those plans fell through. So when a colleague of mine who was in town for a conference suggested getting dinner somewhere near the convention centre, I jumped on the chance to suggest Big Daddy's, even though I didn't know if he likes seafood or not. (turns out he does - phew!) And of course, I was motivated to take him someplace that would represent Toronto well, and I was confident that Big Daddy's would do the job quite well.

The interior part of the restaurant itself is actually located in the basement level, and while it's nothing fancy, it feels quite cozy. We managed to get a patio seat on the street level, which was perfect as the weather was gorgeous. Once again, the food was fantastic. Seeing that we were at an oyster bar, we naturally had to order some for an appetizer. We got two varieties, the Kumamoto and another kind that was a special and not on the menu (forget the name now), and the oysters came with three different dipping sauces. For our entrees, I got the scallops, and my colleague ordered the seafood platter. Everything was delicious and cooked to perfection (OK, except the oyster which were just perfect without cooking)! Once again, Big Daddy's didn't disappoint, and I think my colleagues enjoyed his meal as well. Here are some pictures of our meal:

Oysters


Seafood Platter


Sea Scallops

Pertinent info:
Address: 212 King St W, Toronto, ON
Phone: (416)599-5200
Nearest subway station: St. Andrew

Smoke's Poutinerie (Toronto, ON, Canada)

So I spent about 10 days in Toronto in August and had some fantastic meals, and thought I'd blog about them. This one is a fairly new restaurant I discovered recently - Smoke's Poutinerie - which serves a variety of poutine.

If you're not Canadian, at this point you're probably wondering, what the heck is "poutine"? Wait, wait, wait...isn't he a former Prime Minister of Canada? Actually, poutine is a French Canadian comfort food consisting of French fries, gravy, and fresh cheese curds. Sounds gross, but trust me, it is delicious. I find myself craving this artery-clogger once in a while, since you can't get real poutine anywhere in the States (as far as I know).

Anyway, I had been meaning to try Smoke's Poutinerie since my previous trip to Toronto. Tucked right behind the main drag of the entertainment district on Adelaide Street, this seemingly unassuming restaurant glams up a roadside diner dish by inventing some creative varieties of poutine. My brother and I decided to split three different flavors. Of course, we absolutely had to have the traditional, just because that's how poutine should be:

We also tried the Curry Chicken Poutine, with tender roasted chicken breast and curry sauce. This was probably my favorite, which I'm sure has something to do with the fact that I think anything with curry is pure awesomeness:

Brother's choice was the very meaty Hogtown Poutine, with bacon, Italian sausage, mushrooms, and caramelized onions. I personally would have preferred a little less salt, but brother quite enjoyed it:

All in all, Smokes was a really cool place. Being a somewhat health-conscious person, I don't recommend going all the time, but it is worth a try once in a while. I wouldn't mind making a repeat trip next time to try their Montreal Poutine (shaved Montreal smoked meat, Kosher full dill pickle slice, French mustard...mmmm....).

Pertinent info:
Address: 218 Adelaide St W, Toronto, ON
Phone: (416) 599-2873
Nearest subway station: St. Andrew

Blackened Catfish with Tropical Salsa

This is actually a hybrid of two recipes. I was intrigued by this grilled seabass with tropical salsa recipe (OK, I'll admit, it's the mangoes that caught my eye), but my supermarket doesn't carry seabass and apparently they should be avoided anyway for those who are sustainability-minded. And because catfish was on sale, I thought I'd pair the salsa with some blackened catfish. I really like how it turned out though the catfish is pretty spicy and there was a whole lot of smoke while preparing it. I had to open all my windows to get the smoke out!

BLACKENED CATFISH WITH TROPICAL SALSA

Ingredients:

Salsa:

• 1 cup 1/4-inch pieces peeled cored pineapple
• 3/4 cup 1/4-inch pieces peeled pitted mango
• 2/3 cup 1/4-inch pieces red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup 1/4-inch pieces seeded tomato
• 1/3 cup 1/4-inch pieces seeded English hothouse cucumber
• 1/3 cup 1/4-inch pieces red onion
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh mint
• 2 tablespoons minced seeded jalapeno chili
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Catfish:

• 1 lb boneless catfish fillet
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon parsley flakes
• 1 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• butter or oil for cooking (NOT margarine)

Directions (Salsa):

1. Combine first 10 ingredients in medium bowl; toss to blend. Season salsa with salt. Chill to blend flavors, at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours, tossing occasionally.

Directions (Catfish):

1. Mix all dry ingredients together. Coat fillets evenly with mixture.
2. Heat a small amount of butter or oil in a large cast-iron skillet or a large non-stick skillet. Place fillets in skillet and cook 3-5 minutes on each side.

Yield: 4 servings

Links:
Original catfish recipe
Original tropical salsa recipe

Caramel Apple Pork Chops

Pork chops are super easy to make and delicious (if done right). I found this intriguing pork chop recipe recently and just had to try it. It was delicious, although I made some adjustments to the way I cooked the pork - namely, by first drenching it in flour and cooking it in a bit of butter to give it more flavor than simply brushing the chops with oil, as the original recipe suggested. The apples and the pork chops go amazingly well together!

As an aside, don't buy into the National Pork Board's marketing scam. Pork is a red meat, and is classified as such by the USDA.

CARAMEL APPLE PORK CHOPS

Ingredients

• 4 (3/4 inch) thick pork chops
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 2 tart apples - peeled, cored and sliced
• 3 tablespoons pecans (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees F (80 degrees C). Place a medium dish in the oven to warm.
2. In a shallow dish, mix flour with salt and pepper to taste. Dip pork chops in the flour mixture, making sure that both sides are covered.
   
3. Heat 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook pork chops, turning occasionally, a few minutes on each side until brown. Transfer to the warm dish, and keep warm in the preheated oven.
4. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, salt and pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the remaining 2 tbsp butter to skillet, and stir in brown sugar mixture and apples. Cover and cook until apples are just tender. Remove apples with a slotted spoon and arrange on top of chops. Keep warm in the preheated oven.
5. Continue cooking sauce uncovered in skillet, until thickened slightly. Spoon sauce over apples and chops. Sprinkle with pecans.

Yields: 4 servings

Links:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Caramel-Apple-Pork-Chops/Detail.aspx

Green Pepper and Tomato Salad

This summer I have been trying to increase my veggie intake by having salads for lunch, but baby lettuce and spinach start to get boring after a while. So I started scouring the web for different salad recipes to mix things up a bit. This one I found got rave reviews, is super easy to make, and tastes great! The only downside is that it is very low in calories so it's not very filling for a meal, though it works great as a side or a snack.

GREEN PEPPER AND TOMATO SALAD

Ingredients:

• 3 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 medium green pepper, chopped
• 1 celery rib, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, green pepper, celery and onion. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir into tomato mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, stirring several times. Serve with a slotted spoon.

Yields: 6 servings

Links:
Original recipe

Curry Mango Salad Dressing

Despite the photo, this post is actually all about the salad dressing. I had some leftover chicken the other day and decided to use it to make this delicious curried chicken and throw it in some baby lettuce for an easy entree salad. Great idea, but I needed the right salad dressing to go with it. I used this mango salad dressing recipe as a base and added various ingredients to it so it would better match the flavor in my curried chicken. I would have preferred to use champagne mangoes, but alas, they are no longer in season, so I was stuck with green mangoes and added some sugar to it for extra sweetness.

CURRY MANGO SALAD DRESSING

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mango, peeled, pitted, and chopped (about 1 large mango)
  
• 6 tbsp rice vinegar
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp plain yogurt
  
• 2 tsp salad seasoning
• 1/2 tsp hot chili sauce
• 1 tsp Madras curry powder
• sugar, salt, and fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.

Bonus: Jeni's Spendid Ice Creams Giveaway!

Andrea Roberts Photography is giving away nine pints of Jeni's to one lucky winner! Click here for details. But you must be quick, as the entry deadline is in less than 14 hours (midnight EST on August 19). Contest open to residents of the continental US only.

Good luck!

Salmon Cakes

On a whim, I decided to look up gluten-free recipes on Allrecipes.com and this is one I found that is good and easy to make. This recipe apparently has a long history as submitter "JESS4UANDME" notes that "it is a family recipe that has been passed down through generations." Reviewers on the site has made various suggestions to the recipe, but I wanted to try it as is (except I left the bones in the salmon) because I wanted to be sure that it would be good as a gluten-free recipe (so no bread crumbs, etc.) And it sure was good, and goes really well with a salad, too (no commercial dressing, of course)!

Ingredients:

• 1 (14.75 ounce) can salmon, drained and flaked (read the nutritional label carefully to ensure there are no hidden sources of gluten)
  
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and add the diced onion, salmon and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
2. Shape into 2 ounce patties; about 7 or 8 patties. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Fry each patty for 5 minutes on each side or until crispy and golden brown.

Yields: 4 servings

Links:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Grandmas-Famous-Salmon-Cakes/Detail.aspx

Zucchini Miso Salad

Yes, I know, another zucchini recipe! I apparently have zucchini fever these days, but they are in season and look fantastic at the markets. Anyway, when I first came across this recipe I thought it looked great, but I have to admit, as I was preparing it, I got a bit skeptical because there was a massive heap of julienned zucchini and not much else. But after I added the dressing, almonds, sesame seeds, and nori to the zucchini, it was transformed into a wonderfully tasty salad. I love the combination of the miso dressing and the almonds with the zucchini. The salad is actually so good that I find myself craving it sometimes! The other day my family in Toronto was having a feast at home and my aunt requested a salad, so I made this. It was quite a hit. I should note that I had reduced the amount of chicken broth to about 1/8 cups because I didn't want it to get watery and gross. I've found that you don't want to use too much dressing or the salad gets salty and watery. Less really is more in this case. Also, I have found that if you can get a hold of some miso salad dressing (I found some at H Mart), you can replace the miso paste/broth combo with it. To save some time, I toasted the sesame seeds in a toaster. But overall, this is a pretty simple recipe.

ZUCCHINI MISO SALAD

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1/8 cup chicken broth (or use vegatable broth for vegan version)
  
• 3 tablespoons miso paste (or use 4 tbsp miso dressing instead of the miso paste/broth combo)
  
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Thai chile sauce
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 6 medium zucchini, julienned
• 2 sheets nori (seaweed), cut into thin slices (Tip: use scissors)
  
• 2 tablespoons slivered almonds

Directions

1. Place sesame seeds in a skillet over medium heat. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly toasted. (Alternatively, toast sesame seeds in toaster.)
   
2. In a large bowl, mix the chicken broth, miso paste, soy sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, chile sauce, brown sugar, green onions, and cilantro. Toss dressing into the zucchini to coat just before serving (but be careful not to use too much dressing), and top with toasted sesame seeds, nori, and almonds.

Yields: 6 servings

Links:
Original recipe

Cantaloupe Soup

Last week I blogged about the zucchini dishes I made after my Eastern Market shopping trip. Well, I also bought a large cantaloupe on that trip, and it was so big that I decided to use about 2/3 of it for a chilled soup. I had tried making cantaloupe soup the previous week with mint, lemon juice, orange juice, and milk, but while it was good, something just wasn't quite right. (Or maybe it was just the cantaloupe I bought last week, who knows...) So this week I decided to look up tried and true recipes online, and found one (a Gale Gand recipe on the Food Network) that had similar ingredients but with the addition of dark rum. I blended the mint leaves right along with the rest of the ingredients just because I had done it that way previously and liked it, and I didn't strain the soup because I had used a food processor so my soup was too thick to strain, I think. I liked it thick though, and the soup turned out great!

Ingredients:

• 1 cantaloupe, peeled, seeded, and cubed
• 1/4 cup dark rum
• 1/4 cup cream
• 1 lemon, zested
• 2 tablespoon orange juice concentrate
• 4 mint leaves

Directions:

1. Place everything in a blender or food processor and puree. Chill and serve.

Links:
Original recipe

Zucchini Salad

The second thing I made with all my zucchini was a salad I found on allrecipes.com. The dressing is tangy without being overly so, and peanuts added a nice touch of crunchiness. I refrigerated it overnight and it was fantastic!

ZUCCHINI SALAD

Ingredients:

• 2 medium zucchini, diced
• 1 cup chopped red onion
• 1 cup chopped sweet red pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 3 small sweet pickles, chopped
• 1/4 cup peanuts, chopped

Ingredients for salad dressing:

• 3/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, toss together the first six ingredients. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the salad dressing ingredients; shake well. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serve with a slotted spoon.

Yields: 6 servings

Zucchini salad

Links:
Original recipe

Zucchini Pappardelle with Fresh Herbs and Tomato

The first thing I made with all the zucchini I bought at the Eastern Market was a Zucchini Pappardelle with Fresh Herbs and Tomato, an Emeril recipe, and it definitely served the five stars it has garnished on the Food Network website! The only gripe I have is that the fresh tomato sauce was a bit high maintenance, although it was very good so perhaps I shouldn't complain... This is something I'll definitely try again!

ZUCCHINI PAPPERDELLE WITH FRESH HERBS AND TOMATO

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds medium zucchini (about 4)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions
• 2 tablespoons dry white vermouth
• 1 1/2 cups fresh tomato sauce, recipe follows
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1/4 cup fines herbs-equal parts minced fresh tarragon, sliced chives, pickled chervil, and chopped parsley leaves
• Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions:

• Trim the blossom off the zucchini. Use a mandolin and slice the zucchini lengthwise into very thin strips. Discard the center seedy pieces and separate the slices. (Clara's note: I didn't bother discarding the seedy pieces.)
  
• Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and green onions and cook until fragrant. Add the zucchini and toss until just barley wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the vermouth and bring to a boil. Add the tomato sauce and bring to simmer while tossing. Add cherry tomatoes and remove from heat. Add fines herbs and toss again. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Divide the pappardelle onto plates and shower with the cheese. Serve immediately.

Yields: 4 servings

Fresh Tomato Sauce:

• 2 pounds plum tomatoes (about 10), peeled, seeded and diced
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 sprig fresh basil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put the tomatoes along with the olive oil, garlic, and basil in a saucepan. Season with salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer. Cook until saucey, about 15 minutes. Discard the basil leaf and transfer the sauce to a blender* and puree. Put the sauce in a bowl and set aside.

*When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.