Getting Ready for Grilling

Greetings! I have been so busy with baby but promise to post more frequently. In anticipation for warmer weather (its coming, right??), I have been making double or triple batches of my favorite marinade. I portion out the marinade in zippered freezer storage bags. Then I add the meat of our choice to the bags in serving sizes we like. So in a bag I may have two chicken breasts and 1/2 cup of marinade. The bag then goes into the freezer. When we are ready to grill, we remove a bag. The meat will marinate as it defrosts (remember to use safe defrost techniques).

Right now in the freezer, we have jerk chicken breasts, jerk pork tenderloin and lime chicken with black bean sauce in the freezer. Next will be doing Thai marinated chicken.

This is one of my favorite time savings tips. Especially when I'm already making a marinade. It only takes a few extra minutes to make a larger batch and portion if out.

Michigan Foods

Last night was the first of my two session class on local cooking. I am learning so much (as I always do prepping for my classes) about Michigan foods. I took local a bit farther than a 100 mile radius to encompass the state of Michigan. We have so many great resources that people overlook.

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Did you know that Michigan is the nation's leader in growing potatoes for potato chips?

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Or that we are the fourth largest grower of grapes and sugar beets?

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Did you know that Okemos was home to the world's first commercially producing indoor shrimp farm?

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Did you know that Michigan produces one third of all the blueberries devoured in the U.S.?

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Did you know that one pound of mint oil, extracted from the fresh leaves, will flavor 135,000 sticks of chewing gum?

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Michigan has so many locally grown items to offer and most are overlooked. Why chose a Washington apple when you can chose a Michigan apple? Why chose an Idaho potato when you can chose a Michigan potato? Asparagus season is right around the corner, think Michigan when you grab for your produce.
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Farmers Markets will be opening shortly. Find one near you at Michigan Famers Market.

Where does your fish come from?

People are becoming much more conscious of where their food is coming from and how it is processed. Organic, free-range, wild-caught are all words you hear almost daily that were virtually absent 10 years ago. Sustainable is a word we hear more and more often, especially in regards to seafood.

I subscribe to several newsletter and one of them recently posted a site I was not familiar with, CleanFish. This helps buyers determine where their fish and seafood is coming from. I wanted to share this resource.

From CleanFish.Com, “We believe in a seafood marketplace that values the extraordinary efforts made by producers who are earnest in their pursuit of sustainable practices that deliver to your table fish you can trust.”

You can follow a particular fish back to its captured body of water, learn about the husbandry and harvest practices of the fishermen.

Unfortunately we do not have any providers here in Michigan, but some of the current purveyors do ship. I am going to ask my favorite fish monger if this is something they provide, so hopefully we will soon see a source in Lansing. I strongly urge you to ask as well.

I am adding the site as one of my links to the right so you can find it in the future if you are looking for it.

Piquillo Peppers

Last night I completed my third cooking class this fall. I introduced my Soups & Stews class to piquillo peppers. I thought since they are a bit of an unusual ingredient, I would post a bit of information on the piquillo (pronounced pee-KEE-oh).

Piquillo translates as little beak and as you can see by the photo, these small, triangle shaped peppers are aptly named. They are sweet and flavorful, not spicy hot. These delicate, Spanish peppers are grown in the mountainous region of Northern Spain. They are hand picked and roasted over an open wood fire. Then they are hand peeled, without being washed or treated with any chemical additives and packed in their own juices in jars or cans. They are truly a delightful addition to any dish.

I think you will start to see these peppers more frequently. On a recent episode of Iron Chef America, Chef Mario Batali opened a can of piquillo peppers. In the February 2007 issue of Bon Appétit Magazine, they printed a recipe for Chicken Salad with Piquillo Peppers, Almonds, and Spicy Greens. In my class last night, we made a Spanish Flavored Fish Stew.

You can find the peppers whole or sliced. Because of their small size, stuffing the whole peppers make a great first course or tapas. You may substitute roasted red peppers for the piquillo peppers if you do not have any. And conversely you could add piquillo peppers to just about any recipe that calls for roasted reds.

As you can see by these recipes, piquillo peppers marries very nicely with fish and seafood:

Piquillo Peppers Stuffed with Spicy Salmon Tartar with Lemon Oil
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_6702,00.html

Warm Piquillo and Crab Dip
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/warm-piquillo-and-crab-dip

Vegetable Paella with Artichokes and Piquillo Peppers
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/vegetablepaellawitha_82928.shtml

I was only able to find the piquillo peppers locally at Williams-Sonoma (Eastwoode Towne Center, ph #517/316-9314). They only offered sliced peppers. There are numerous online stores to purchase them from. Let me know if you need help finding a store.

Halibut with Capers, Olives and Tomatoes

Halibut [HAL-uh-buht] is a great firm white fish which is only available fresh from late April to September. I highly recommend purchasing some if you see it in your local market during these times. It has a great mild taste without being oily. This fish is native to northern Pacific and Atlantic waters, being most abundant from Oregon to Alaska. They are largest fish from the flat fish family and can grow to be over 8 feet long and weigh over 600 pounds.

Since it is a mild, firm fish it really lends itself to many cooking methods. It can be sautéed, braised, poached, steamed, broiled, baked or grilled. And because of its mild flavor, it really marries well to an abundance of other foods. Culinary Artistry (A.Dorenburg and K.Page) lists these complimentary flavors, bolded items being the best: Artichokes; bacon; basil; butter; cabbage; chives; cucumbers; fennel; garlic; horseradish; leeks; lemon; lime; mangos; mushrooms; mustard seeds; onions; parsley; potatoes; rosemary; saffron; scallions; shallots; shrimp; tarragon; thyme; tomatoes; vinegar; white wine; zucchini.

So you can appreciate how thrilled I was recently when walking through the market spotting fresh halibut at the fish counter. At $14.99/pound, it was an indulgence but worth every penny. Scanning epicurious.com I found this recipe and luckily I had all the ingredients at home. I went into the backyard and picked some fresh tomatoes, plucked a handful of fresh basil leaves then set off making a quick, easy and very tasty dinner. I would recommend trying this recipe, it is delish!

Frozen halibut is available year round. If you wanted to substitute a fresh fish, I would recommend either cod or tilapia. Although neither is as firm as halibut, I believe their mild flavor would be nice with the sauce.

Bon Appétit!

HALIBUT WITH CAPERS, OLIVES AND TOMATOES

Makes 4 servings.

Bon Appétit April 2004

4 6- to 7-ounce halibut fillets

All purpose flour

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 large shallots, chopped

1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

4 plum tomatoes, seeded, chopped

1/2 cup chopped pitted Kalamata olives

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil, divided

1 tablespoon drained capers

1/3 cup bottled clam juice

1/4 cup dry white wine

Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish and sauté until lightly browned and just opaque in center, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer fish to platter.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in same skillet. Add shallots and crushed red pepper; sauté 1 minute. Mix in tomatoes, olives, 1/4 cup basil, and capers. Add clam juice and wine. Boil until sauce thickens slightly, about 4 minutes. Mix in 1/4 cup basil. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over fish.

Dog Days of Summer

With a forecasted temperature of 95° today, we are experiencing our hottest day this summer. When the temperature gets this hot, the last thing I want to do is turn on the stove, let alone the oven. I thought I would throw out some suggestions for some easy meals that don't require cooking.

Besides the obvious – going out to eat in a nice, cool restaurant – you could pick up some deli items and have a picnic in your dining room. The market’s deli section carries great easy items, from fried or rotisserie chicken to salads of all kinds. You could pick up cold cuts and cheeses and have a build-your-own-sandwich night.

You could make chicken salad and have it on a bed of greens, sub buns or even just with fruit and crackers. I would use either rotisserie chicken that has been shredded or canned chicken that has been drained. Chop a bit of celery, onion, bell pepper and toss with a scoop of mayonnaise, a dollop of Dijon mustard with salt and pepper to taste.

Buy some pre-cooked shrimp, crab legs or lobster. I found 3 easy, no-cook recipes that any of these seafood options would be tasty with.
Quick and Easy Coconut Shrimp Salad
No Cook Sweet Beet Lime Shrimp Salad
Easy No Cook Calypso Coconut Shrimp Salad
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/66544/three_no_cook_shrimp_salad_recipes.html

Or go nuts and have a build-your-own-ice-cream-sundae dinner. Buy several types of ice cream, chopped nuts, fudge sauce, fresh fruit like bananas and strawberries, and don’t forget the whipped cream and cherries and stay cool by eating a banana split or not-so-hot-fudge sundae. I don’t advocate eating like this all the time, but on days like today I think it is okay.

Whatever you do, stay cool and enjoy your day!

PS Can you fry an egg on the side walk? According to the Library of Congress, it is theoretically possible, but it does not actually work. “An egg needs a temperature of 158°F to become firm. In order to cook, proteins in the egg must denature (modify), then coagulate, and that won’t happen until the temperature rises enough to start and maintain the process.” Even on the hottest of days, the pavement temperature only reaches 145°F.

Shrimp in Spicy Tomato Sauce

Tonight for dinner I threw together a tasty dish and thought I would share it with you. It was very easy and while I know my on-hand stock is not like most, I made it from ingredients I had available to me. It can easily be modified with items you have on-hand.

It started with shrimp that I had picked up on sale. I think the hardest part of cooking with shrimp is peeling and deveining them. If you can find already peeled and deveined shrimp, it is worth the investment. They cost a bit more, but save you so much time. Also, I like to purchase the biggest shrimp I can find. It is less work if you are peeling and deveining and large shrimp feel so much more indulgent!

When buying shrimp, the size of the shrimp is indicated by the number on the bag. The number refers to the amount of shrimp in a pound. For instance 16/20 means that 16 to 20 of that size shrimp will make up a pound (large shrimp). The largest shrimp are U/10 or U/12 meaning under 10 or 12 in a pound. The smallest shrimp are 51/60 and 61/70.

Keys to buying shrimp:

• Always purchase raw shrimp. Pre-cooked shrimp are already overcooked so if you will be heating them they are going to taste like rubber.

• Unless you live where you can buy truly fresh shrimp, buy your shrimp frozen. Keep them frozen until you are ready to use them. Either defrost them in the refrigerator or I like to defrost them in a colander under cool running water. It takes about 1/2 hour or so.

To clean the shrimp, remove the shell. Then run a sharp paring knife down the back of the shrimp and remove the brown/black line (this is deveining). I like to do this under running water, it allows the vein to rinse away easily.

Shrimp in Spicy Tomato Sauce
Serves 4

1 tablespoon oil (canola or olive)
1 small onion, finely diced
3 stalks celery, finely diced
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine (I used Pinot Grigio)
14 ounce diced tomatoes (I love Muir Glen’s Fire Roasted Tomatoes)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon chili sauce (I used Sriracha), or to taste
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined (16/20 sized)
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

Serve over orzo (rice shaped pasta) or other pasta, white or brown rice, barley or steamed vegetables

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the celery and cook them both until the onions are almost translucent. I like to slowly cook my onions to allow the taste to mellow. Many recipes say to cook over medium or high heat and that is acceptable but not how I prefer to cook. And by adding the celery second, it will give the final dish a bit of crunch. The celery can be added at the same time as the onion if you prefer no crunch.

Meanwhile, start preparing the pasta, rice or whatever you will be serving the shrimp over. I used orzo, a rice-shaped pasta. It is sold in the pasta aisle in the market and is great because it cooks in only 5 minutes.

Once the onions and celery have cooked, add the garlic and cook stirring constantly for about 30 seconds. This allows the garlic to cook without burning. Then add the wine and increase heat to high. Allow to boil for about 5 minutes until it has reduced by half.

Add the tomatoes, juice and all, chili sauce, tomato paste and salt. Cook and continue to boil until most of the juice has evaporated, about 3 or 4 more minutes. Once it has reduced to the consistency you like, add the shrimp and cook them for about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir constantly and as soon as they have lost their opaque color and turned pink they have finished cooking.

Stir in heavy cream, sour cream, black pepper and sprinkle with fresh herbs. Stir until warm only about 1 minute more.

Serve over pasta or rice with some roasted asparagus, a nice mixed green salad or steamed green beans.

Modifications: You do not have to add both the celery and onions, you could leave out one or both or substitute shallots if you have that instead. Instead of using white wine, you could omit or substitute chicken or vegetable stock. Adding regular diced tomatoes will do if you do not have fire roasted. Stewed or crushed tomatoes would work well also. The tomato paste just thickens the sauce quickly. You could omit and cook a bit longer. You could use regular milk instead of cream, sour cream only or leave them out for a tomato sauce that isn't creamy. Other herbs to use instead of basil and chives - thyme, parsley, oregano.