Mahi Mahi Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

This Salad Monday's selection was chosen by my hubby who was a fan of the Caribbean Salad from Chili's.  They took it off the menu a while back but to keep the flavor alive I created a copycat version of the honey lime dressing that gives the salad its signature sweet and tangy taste. I like to pan sear my fish but go ahead and grill the mahi and even the pineapple if you'd like.  Enjoy!

Honey Lime Dressing
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
Juice of 1/2 lime
Salt & Pepper

Whisk all ingredients together about an hour before serving to allow flavors to blend.

Pan Seared Mahi Mahi


2 mahi mahi filets, skin removed
2 tablespoons canola oil
Salt and pepper
Cajun seasoning (use your favorite seasoning blend if you don't want to add heat)
Juice of 1/2 a lime

Season both sides of the fish with salt, pepper and cajun seasoning.

For a perfectly seared piece of fish, using a stainless steel saute pan will give the best results. To ensure there is no sticking follow these steps:

1.  Heat the pan over medium high heat until very hot, then add oil.
2.  Add mahi to pan.  Do not touch for at least 4 minutes!
3.  Flip fish after 4-5 minutes. If it seems to be sticking let cook another minute and check again.  Once a crust forms the fish will self release.
4.  Repeat on other side until filet is cooked through, about another 4 minutes depending on thickness.  Before removing from the pan squeeze 1/2 a lime over the top.

For the Salad:

Mix butter and red leaf lettuce with pineapple chunks, diced avocado and chopped green onion.  Other possible ingredients could be bacon pieces, garbanzo beans, walnuts or sunflower seeds!  Drizzle with dressing.  Garnish with toasted pita chips.

Fried Rice

This fried rice is an easy one skillet dish that can either be a side or main course depending on what you have on hand.  I make it when I want to use leftover rice, rotisserie chicken or toward the end of the week when I need to make room in the veggie crisper.  In this instance I used leftover tri-tip and frozen veggies but it can be as versatile as you want to make it.  Because I don't own a wok, I like a cast iron pan for cooking fried rice because it's heavy bottomed and conducts heat very well...mimicking the effect of using a flat top grill.  It takes less time to get the rice fried and crusty, like the texture of the fried rice served at a Teppan restaurant, than if a nonstick skillet is used.  The rice should be crispy and caramelized on the outside but moist inside with each grain of rice its own separate entity.  To let each person control the heat of their own dish, I usually serve with sriracha or garlic chili paste on the side but you can add a shot of either sauce at the end for an extra kick!  Enjoy!

2 slices bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons canola oil
A few drops of sesame oil (optional)
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cups cooked and cooled rice
2-3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger or 1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup leftover or frozen and thawed vegetables (examples: peas, carrots, shelled edamame, peppers, celery, bean sprouts, zucchini, etc.)
1-2 green onions, chopped
Sesame seeds
Sriracha or Garlic Chili Sauce (optional)
Pat of butter (optional)

Start by cooking the bacon in a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium heat until browned and crispy.  Remove and drain on a paper towel lined plate.  Reduce heat to low, remove all but 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings and add the beaten eggs to the pan.  Tilt the skillet around to spread out the eggs, creating a thin omelet.  Let the eggs sit quietly until they start to firm up at the bottom, then flip.  When omelet is set, use a spatula to chop the eggs into big dice, set aside.  Increase heat to medium/medium high add canola oil and sesame oil.  Add onion and saute until translucent.  Add any meat (if using) and rice.  Stir-fry for a few minutes then add soy sauce, ginger, pepper, veggies, eggs and bacon...keeping rice moving constantly, especially scraping from the bottom of the pan for another 3-4 minutes.  I usually finish most rice dishes with a pat of butter to make the grains look really glossy but you can skip this step if you're so inclined. Add sriracha or garlic chili sauce, if desired.  Garnish with sesame seeds and green onion.

Ice Cream Making with The Fletchers

Last week I went on a field trip to my dear friend Laura's house.  She recently told me she's had an ice cream maker stashed in a cabinet for years so naturally my wheels started spinning.  The Gravy seemed like a terrific excuse to break it out and attempt to make ice cream from scratch.  I've never made ice cream before but I remember from childhood it seemed to take hours...first blending a custard over the stove then massive amounts of churning.  Would we need rock salt?  Or to crank until our arms gave out?  Luckily things have changed in ice cream technology since I was a kid.  Instead, we used this nifty contraption by Cuisinart:

Because it had two, one quart bowls it was double the fun...we could make twice the flavors!  I chose my favorite, Dulce de Leche (recipe to follow) and Laura chose chocolate chip.  No hand mixing required, no salt needed.  In fact the only preparation was the day before...Laura popped the ice cream maker's tubs in the freezer and I made the Dulce de Leche.

We used the easiest recipe we could find (only four ingredients for exactly two quarts!) from Cuisinart's own website, appropriately titled: Simple Vanilla Ice Cream.  No eggs were called for so we got to skip the stove. The beauty here was we would use the same base mixture for both flavors, adding in the caramel and chocolate chips at the end for two kinds of scream! 

Mix these ingredients in a large pitcher:

3 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1 1/8 cups granulated sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons pure vanilla

Blend with a hand mixer or immersion blender until all the sugar is dissolved.  Pour into ice cream maker!

After 25-30 minutes it starts to come together

Time to add the mix ins!  We added the chips to one tub...

and about 1/4 cup of the Dulce de Leche to the other. 

Churn for another 5-10 minutes to incorporate, then transfer ice cream to containers.  To create a ribbon of caramel throughout the Dulce De Leche flavor, simply drizzle spoonfuls of  sauce over the top and fold lightly making little railroads of sticky, golden goodness.  Freeze 1-2 hours for soft serve or overnight for a firmer set.  We weren't able to wait very long considering Laura's nearly four year old twins were clamoring for a taste!  

Now, we expected the ice cream to be delicious but the luscious texture of this frozen treat was marvelous!  Sweet but not cloyingly so, creamy but not overly rich with just the right amount of vanilla.  I hope you try it!

 Dulce De Leche Recipe

 

Dulce De Leche is a sweet caramel-like spread from South America, particularly from Argentina and Brazil.  The Spanish translation is literally "milk candy." Traditionally, the basic recipe is milk and sugar boiled down for several hours but you can easily make your own with this common pantry ingredient:  Sweetened Condensed Milk.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees, position rack in the middle.  Pour 1 can of sweetened condensed milk into a glass or metal pie tin, sprinkle with kosher salt.  Put inside a large roasting pan.

Cover pie tin with foil then pour enough water into the roasting pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the pie plate.  Bake for 2 - 2 1/2 hours, stirring halfway through and replacing the water bath if needed.  It's ready when it turns the color of peanut butter.

Whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes, cool, then transfer to a airtight container.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Shrimp and Grits

If you love shrimp and are looking for a new way to eat them, I have the recipe for you.  Grits aren't that popular in California but people familiar with Southern cooking know they make a versatile side dish, going equally well with breakfast or dinner.  Here the grits serve as a velvety base for sauteed shrimp smothered with a spicy gravy.  Serves 4.

Grits:
3 1/2 cups water
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup quick cooking grits (the brand I use is Albers)
1 tablespoon butter

Bring 3 cups of the water and salt to a boil.  While stirring, mix in the grits and adjust heat to low.  Keep stirring until grits come together, cover and let sit for 5-6 minutes.  After this point, alternate stirring and adding the rest of the water a little at a time.  This step should take another 5-6 minutes. Finish with butter. The grits should be glossy, creamy and be the texture of risotto or loose mashed potatoes. 

Shrimp:
1 lb medium-large shrimp (26-30 count), peeled and cleaned
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons bacon fat (substitute butter or olive oil, if desired)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup wine or chicken stock

Combine Cajun seasoning, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper and sprinkle over both sides of the shrimp.  Heat fat over medium heat in a 12" skillet (preferably cast iron).  Add the shrimp and garlic and cook about 1 1/2 minutes per side.  Add the wine or stock to plump the shrimp and help de-glaze the pan.  Remove the shrimp and keep warm.

Gravy:
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup half and half
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco
Salt and pepper

Mix the butter and flour together in a small bowl until all the flour grains are covered by the butter.  Over medium heat, add this mixture to the pan drippings, stirring with a whisk or wooden spoon.  Keep stirring until you have a thick paste the color of peanut butter.  This step cooks the flour and ensures the gravy will be smooth.  Don't rush it, it will take around 4-6 minutes.  Raise heat to medium and slowly whisk in stock and half and half.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook until thick and bubbly.  Mix in Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco.  Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.


To serve, place heaping spoonfuls of grits into large bowls, top with shrimp and gravy.  You can easily round this out by serving with a vibrant green vegetable like broccoli, asparagus or even swiss chard.  Enjoy!

Stuffed Zucchini Boats

That's a BIG one!

An old friend gave me this colossal zucchini (thanks Tammy!)  At over a foot and a half long and weighing in slightly over four pounds, I had a tough time deciding what to do with it.  Usually when I cook squash, I slice them into planks or rounds and saute in a little olive oil, salt and pepper.  Simple, but I wanted to use this one in a way  that would show off its incredible size and besides, it seemed a shame to cut it up.  Stuffing seemed like an obvious choice!


Don't be discouraged by all the steps involved, you'll be making each component one at a time, then combining them together when it's ready to pop in the oven.  Oh yeah, you don't need a zucchini the size of Texas to make this dish, normal sized zukes will work fine or you can use the stuffing mixture for bell peppers, acorn squash or even tomatoes!   Here's the recipe which serves about 4.

Turn this...

Into this!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Start by making the sauce:

29 oz can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon each:  marjoram, oregano, rosemary, thyme*
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Add all herbs to tomato sauce and set aside.

*Don't get hung up if your spice rack is missing some of these, you can replace the marjoram with basil or all the herbs by using your favorite Italian seasoning.  Put in what you like or have on hand. :)

Now make the filling:


1 lb hamburger
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup rice, cooked and cooled (or leftover)
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped

Brown ground beef over medium heat in a large skillet, season with salt and pepper, drain.**  Set aside meat in a bowl lined with a paper towel then saute onion and peppers in the olive oil over medium heat, adding the garlic last so it doesn't burn, this step should take around 5 minutes.  Re-season with salt and pepper.  Add meat, rice and about 1/2 the sauce, stir.  Add parsley and adjust seasonings to taste.  Now you're ready to prepare and stuff your zucchini!

**A helpful tip for draining ground beef:  Use a turkey baster to suck up the drippings and squirt into a jar reserved for this purpose.  (If you don't keep a grease jar under the kitchen sink, like I do, you can always line a coffee mug with foil, squirt in the fat and throw it out when it solidifies.)  It's much easier than awkwardly tipping the pan and pouring the grease off which can be dangerous or make a huge mess.

Ready to Stuff

Slice your zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the middle to make a shallow boat.  Salt and pepper, and drizzle olive oil over the cut sides and make sure to rub the olive oil over the skin sides as well.  Put your zukes in a casserole dish and mound the filling into the boats, as much as they will hold.  Drizzle more sauce over the top and put on the middle rack of your oven, preheated to 375 degrees.  Bake until fork tender, about 35-45 minutes depending on the size. If the filling seems to be getting overly brown cover with tin foil.

While it's baking, prepare the cheese crumble:

1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon parsley

Combine cheese, panko and parsley.  Sprinkle over top of the stuffing during the last 10 minutes of cooking and bake until topping is melty and golden!

Out of the oven

Serve any remaining sauce with the meal in case anyone wants extra.  To bulk up dinner...a green salad and/or garlic bread would go really well.  And don't forget the red wine!  Thanks for reading, I'll be back next week.

Santa Barbara Getaway aka What I Ate on Summer Vacation

In honor of our 17th wedding anniversary, Bob and I headed to Santa Barbara for a weekend getaway.  We pulled into town around lunchtime and were surprised to discover the City was celebrating Old Spanish Fiesta Days!  This event is in it's 87th year and is a celebration of community and cultural diversity.  Featuring dancing, Mariachis, feats of strength as well as a rodeo, the colorful Viva La Fiesta! parade had the streets surrounding our hotel closed off so we ditched the car and headed toward the beach in search of our first meal.

Dungeness Crab Cocktail

Our first stop was Moby Dick's.  Located on the famous Stearn's Warf, Moby Dick's features fresh seafood and oyster bar set in an apropo nautical theme.  We managed to snag a table by the plate glass window and watched as pelicans divebombed the water for their lunch.  Since dinner was hours away, we decided to forgo a full meal and ordered appetizers and soup.  The crab cocktail was made with one of my favorite things in the world: Dungeness crab! 

Oyster's Rockefeller

We also ate cups of clam chowder and inhaled these Oyster's Rockefeller.  If you aren't familiar with this type of oyster, they're made with spinach and a rich hollandaise sauce.  The oysters are hidden underneath this creamy mixture...like little pillows under a spinach blanket. :)  Moby Dick's version also had bacon pieces in it which always makes everything taste better.

 Our Inn was within walking distance of a cluster of local wine rooms located in what's known as the Industrial part of downtown, also called Funk Zone by the locals.  We visited Santa Barbara Winery's production and tasting room which had a delicious Nebbiolo.  Oreana, which used to be an old tire shop but now doubles as a wine tasting room and art gallery, had a crisp Sauvingnon Blanc that Bob and I absolutely loved, it was clean and drier than what I expected.  The Cotton Wood tasting room specialized in Pinot Noir and we sampled a few including their estate version which tasted like Port...sweet, cinnamon-y and a little like raisins!  All and all we sampled over twenty different wines and had to take a pedicab back to the hotel! ;) 

For dinner we picked the Harbor Restaurant, known for the freshest seafood in the bay.  Hubby and I split a mouthwatering ten ounce lobster tail. The lobster was fluffy, decadent and disappeared in about 60 seconds!  The evening was spectacular, we overlooked the ocean while seals played, then watched as the sun set behind the Santa Ynez mountains. Beautiful.

Morning Tightener

Lobster Roll

Fried Ipswitch Clams

After a leisurely morning walk down the beach taking in the Arts & Craft show it was time for lunch again!  We decided on The Arch Rock Fish Company.  Tagged as the newest "neighborhood joint," Arch Rock is owned by Celebrity Chef Scott Leibfried...better known as Chef Ramsay's sous chef on Hell's Kitchen. His point of view takes regional and international seafood dishes and gives them more of a beach vibe.  Considering that the lobster roll and fried clams we ordered were the creme de la creme of these New England style favorites I think Chef Scott's definitely on to something!  The herbaceous Green Goddess dressing served with the field greens was especially notable.

Bacon Wrapped Prawns

Our last stop was Holdren's, a classic steak place with the dark clubby atmosphere I like in a chop house.  If I'm going to eat lamb I prefer to do so in the dark! ;) We looked at the menu back at our B&B and had already decided to order the bacon wrapped prawns as our appetizer.  The shrimps were stuffed with feta cheese and fresh jalapeno then encircled with rashers of applewood smoked bacon. Served with a hothouse cucumber/ginger salad and a sweet chili sauce, they were melty, spicy, smokey perfection on a plate!  For our entree, we shared the mesquite grilled lamb chops served with an ancho chile gravy.  My favorite thing about ordering lamb is watching my hubby nibble away on the bones, he has to get the last of that salty fat and it cracks me up, even after 23 years.  Everything here was finger licking good, the photos don't do this food justice...like I said it was dark in there!

Having to head home is always the worst part about vacation but getting to relive our getaway in words and pictures for this blog was really special.  Thanks for reading, I'll be back next week. :)