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.

Bonus Weekender: Eastern Market (Washington, DC)

Last weekend R. and I made the trek down to Eastern Market to shop for fresh produce. Eastern Market is a popular DC establishment in the Capitol Hill area, about seven blocks from the Capitol building. It encompasses the indoor South Hall where one can purchase fresh meats, cheese, produce, deli meats, and flowers every day; a weekend fresh farm market stretching several blocks along 7th Street; and a flea market in the surrounding area. The South Hall was burned down in a 2007 fire, but finally reopened just about a month ago. Needless to say, Eastern Market is a food lover's haven. We mainly bought produce (fresh peaches, grapes, bell peppers, herbs, and zucchinis, among other things), but also ended up with some amazing hummus. I actually ran out of cash before I was done shopping! Luckily, I had the foresight to drive my car there (took about 40 minutes) because it would not have been fun to lug a cantaloupe home on the Metro! Anyway, here are some images from Eastern Market:

People shopping for produce. (Yes, it was VERY crowded!)


The sunflowers are gorgeous!


Inside the South Hall.


The flea market.

Since zucchinis are in season and abundant, I have been stockpiling them and trying out different zucchini recipes. This week's posts will be devoted to the two zucchini dishes I made after my Eastern Market shopping excursion. Enjoy!