Fish and Seafood Archives | Page 2 of 5

White Fish with Tomatoes and Olives Recipe

April 3, 2014

Earlier this year I mentioned that we set a goal of eating more fish. I’m happy to say we’ve kept up with it. Salmon, tilapia, sole, Pacific cod and several types of seafood have been the focus of our dinners a few nights a week.

The best part of this venture has been discovering new types of fish. I’m constantly coming across new options to research. The most recent is swai. It’s imported, but Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch considers it a Good Alternative.

This week, I was craving something with a rich tomato sauce so I decided that would be my first experiment with the swai. It turned out to be the ideal match for this firm white fish!

I’ve seen recipes that call for slipping the raw fish into the sauce to cook, but I felt better about baking the fish and adding it just before serving. Thoroughly cooking the fish helped it hold up better in the sauce.

I was surprised to find swai compared to catfish in my research. I guess the texture is similar, but the flavor isn’t nearly as fishy as what I remember when eating catfish. (My grandpa was the family catfish fisherman and I grew up attending plenty of Catholic Friday fish frys, so I’ve had my fair share of it over the years.)

The simple tomato and olive sauce is versatile. If swai isn’t your thing, this would be equally good with a cod or even tilapia. Although, the tilapia would likely be more delicate. If you want to forgo the fish altogether, chicken cutlets or portobello mushrooms would be a delicious substitute as well.

White Fish with Tomatoes and Olives

Serves: 4

4 white fish filets
1 tbsp + 2 tsp olive oil
¼ cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz. crushed or diced tomatoes (I use Trader Joe’s unsalted, crushed)
½ cup sliced green olives
½ tsp dried basil
¼ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp smoked sweet paprika
¼ tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
¼ to ½ tsp fine ground sea salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Coat the fish filets with the 2 teaspoons of olive oil and place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the fish is barely cooked through and just begins to flake.

In a large skillet*, heat the olive oil over medium high. Add the onion and garlic, cook for about 3 minutes, until the onions begin to soften.

Add the tomatoes, reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the olives, basil, oregano, paprika and red pepper. Let simmer for about 5 minutes, until warmed through. Taste, and then add in the desired amount of salt. (The olives will make it slightly salty so this is based on personal preference. I use about ¼ teaspoon.)

Place the baked fish filets in the tomato sauce and reduce the heat to low. Let cook for about 5 more minutes until the fish is reheated. Serve each filet with ¼ of the tomato sauce.

*Young cast iron can sometimes create an unappealing flavor when it comes into contact with acidic tomato sauce. The older and more seasoned your pans are, the better they hold up to things like tomatoes. I use my cast iron for tomato sauces, but choose a non-cast iron skillet if yours are not seasoned well.

Grilled Rosemary and Garlic Salmon with Smoked Sea Salt Recipe

January 27, 2014

Salmon is one thing that I never order when we go out to eat. It’s not that I don’t like it, but that it is so simple to make at home. I can’t justify paying so much more for it when we are out. (I have similar feelings about pasta.)

I’m perfectly capable of tossing some herbs, citrus, salts or oils on a beautiful piece of salmon and putting it on the grill. Not only is it healthy, it one of the fastest meals I can throw together.

With commitments to both eating more fish and firing up the grill more often in the new year, this salmon has been making the dinner rotation quite a bit. I realize not everyone lives in the mid-60 degree temperatures of the East Bay right now, so grilling may feel out of season. You can easily broil or bake the salmon, it just won’t have the same smoky flavor so be sure to try it again when the temps warm and you pull out the grill.

Grilled Rosemary and Garlic Salmon with Smoked Sea Salt

Makes: 6, 4 oz. Servings

4 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ tbsp olive oil + plus extra to brush on the grill
1 ½ tsp finely chopped rosemary leaves, about 2 small sprigs
½ tsp smoked sea salt (this Bourbon Smoked Sea Salt from Kentucky is my favorite)
1 ½ lb. filet of salmon, skin-on (check Seafood Watch for the best varieties)

Fire up the grill and take it high heat, about 475 to 500 degrees F.

In a small dish, stir together the garlic, olive oil, rosemary and salt. Place the salmon on a baking sheet, skin-side down, and rub the herb and oil mix over the fish.

Brush the grill with olive oil and place the salmon on the grill, skin-side down. Grill for 15 to 17 minutes, until the thickest part is cooked through and begins to flake.

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International Food Bloggers Conference Seattle

September 21, 2013

I realized something today. I’m spoiled.

First, I’m currently in Seattle attending the International Food Bloggers Conference with about 300 other food lovers. If you’ve never attended a food blogging conference it’s basically 48 plus hours of eating, drinking, laughing and discussing those things that bore all your other non-food obsessed friends. Complemented by helpful information for blogging, writing and food photography, of course.

I got a good laugh when Mark Briggs, the instructor of the Entrepreunerial Journalism session, said that we (as food bloggers) are different with all our happy attitudes, eagerness to meet people and introduce others. I’ve mentioned this before. You simply can’t be grumpy when it comes to food. We are a great bunch to be around.

So that’s one reason I’m spoiled. The second has to do with my visit to Pike Place Market today. My husband and I visited Seattle several years ago and the one thing I could not wait for was this market. I absolutely loved it.

Fast forward to my life now. I walked to the market today as soon as I got into downtown. I marveled over the gorgeous flowers, the European shops and the seafood. I stopped by the water, snapped a few photos. Then I sighed, feeling disappointed.

What is wrong with me? I’m at one of the most awesome markets in the world and I feel disappointed? How much of a food snob can I be? It was then I realized what has happened.

I’m becoming a full-fledged California girl and California foodie. At that moment it became even more evident to me just how lucky I am. You really cannot beat California agriculture (big and small).

So here I am at the this conference feeling like the luckiest person in the world both because I have access to amazing food, but also because this food is now my job as a freelance writer, recipe developer and food photographer outside of this blog. Life is good.

As part of attending this conference I made a commitment to blog about it, so I’ll be taking a short break from recipe posts to share some of the amazing food and drink from the weekend. And if you are a blogger, I’ll share any great tips I learn, too.

After my self-reflective trip to the market, the conference got off to a great start. We started with food, of course. Burrito bowls from Chipotle (the pickled onions were a tasty touch) and Red Velvet ice cream from a local sweet shop, Cupcake Royale.

Next came an inspiring keynote from Dorie Greenspan (an honor to hear her speak), then a food tasting of natural products from Amazon.com Grocery, and learning sessions. Then a Taste of Seattle and Gourmet Fair. See, more food.

Not to make you hungry or anything, but here are a few highlights from my day.

Sablefish Ceviche with guajillo chile, lime, onion, cilantro, serrano and black sesame, and Huitlacoche Tamale (you know, that Mexican corn that grows fungus), from Poquitos. Both delicious.

Great sushi from the W hotel.

Baked potato and tofu sushi from Blue C Sushi. Interesting, but so good!

Purple potato gnocchi with pork belly. I had to try this since I’ve played with my own blue potato gnocchi. This version was outstanding!

Sweet Potato Coconut Curry Bisque from Volunteer Park Cafe. One of my favorites!

Asian inspired guacamole with ginger. And my very favorite for the night — smoked scallop from Boka. It was one of the best things I have hand in long time, and I told the chef so. The flavor was amazing. Now I want to experiment with smoking scallops.

Disclosure: I was required to write 3 posts about my experiences at IFBC in order to receive a discounted registration fee. This is email 1 of 3. The weekend will involve many free products and foods from companies and restaurants that I may or may not write about. Thoughts are my own. I am not required to write about these foods or companies and will receive no compensation for doing so.

Petrale Sole with Heirloom Tomatoes and Pesto Recipe

August 15, 2013

After 8 months on the West Coast (and with my struggles for finding farm-direct meat), we decided it was finally time to start exploring local fish. I’ve always said I wanted to live by the water where fresh fish and seafood were plentiful and now, here I am. It’s time to take advantage.

So over the past few weeks, instead of passing by the fish vendors at the Farmers Market, I’ve been stopping, looking and asking questions. Most of the fish I’m finding was caught that morning and filleted soon before it got on ice and to the market.

So far I’ve settled on some beautiful Petrale sole from two different vendors at two different markets. (I’ll branch out soon. I’m slow to take on new fish, apparently.) One pack came from Monterey Bay to the south of us and the other Bodega Bay to the north of us.

I’m not an expert in cooking or eating fish, but I really like this variety. The second set of filets was much thicker which made them ideal for baking so I decided to fancy them up a bit. I scanned some recipes on the web and a found a few that baked the fish over onions. You know I always have plenty of heirloom tomatoes around, and there was also leftover homemade pesto from the minestrone soup. With all that, this super simple recipe came together.

I hope you like it as much as I did! As I continue to explore the markets here, more fish recipes are sure to come in the future. If you have a favorite type of fish or recipe, I’d love to hear about it.

Petrale Sole with Heirloom Tomatoes and Pesto

1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 small onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
10-12 oz Petrale sole filets
¼ cup fresh pesto
1 medium heirloom tomato
4 lemon slices

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a small skillet, heat the butter over medium high. Add the onion slices and the garlic. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 5 minutes, just until the onions start to become tender.

Transfer the onions to a baking dish and spread in a single layer. Top the onions with the sole filets. Spread the pesto evenly over each filet. Top the pesto with tomato slices. Add the lemon slices around the perimeter of the baking dish.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the fish turns white and flakes with a fork. Serves 2 to 3.

Farmers Market Photo Tour

July 3, 2013

One of the best things about moving to California has been the Farmers Markets. Throughout the past six months I have been to many, but I still haven’t scratched the surface of the total number that operate each week within walking, biking and driving distance of where we live.

Life has me pretty busy at the moment, so with no time to make a recipe in honor of the 4^th of July, I thought the next best thing would be to celebrate all the wonderful foods I’ve found at the markets. Here is a photo tour of a few of my favorites.

Over the next few weeks there are fun things to come including more reviews of outstanding cookbooks and a virgin coconut oil giveaway!

Happy Independence Day to all my readers in the States!

Gluten Free Baked Shrimp Etouffée Recipe

June 14, 2013

I laughed out loud.

I’m not talking about chuckling or giggling here. I’m talking about a huge, hearty laugh. Again, and again, and again.

I’m not sure I’ve ever had a book make me laugh like Gluten Is My Bitch, Rants, Recipes and Ridiculousness for the Gluten-Free by April Peveteaux. At first it might seem odd to laugh at such a serious health condition, but laughter is medicine and humor is healing.

Now I should explain that I don’t have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, nor do I opt out of eating gluten for personal reasons. I have had my fair share of stomach issues in the past, but mine were corrected by cutting out all artificial sweeteners and fat replacers. In an indirect way, I can relate.

Keeping up on the various ways of eating and nutritional issues is also part of the deal after you spend your college years studying nutrition. The science, the mechanisms, the nutrients – as much as I love food and eating from a creative standpoint my left brain would never be satisfied without the scientific side.

This book has it all, and a little something extra.

When reading about conditions like celiac disease, what you don’t often get is the personal side. A side explaining what it is really like to be forced to change your diet. To eliminate things you love, not because you want to lose weight or reduce risk of disease, but because if you don’t, you will be in serious discomfort. It’s not a choice. There is no option.

I wouldn’t have thought there was a way to make such a serious issue so completely hilarious, but April figured it out. Along the way there are tips for eating out, feeding kids with gluten intolerances, traveling and substitutes for your old favorite foods.

Along with all this laughter and helpful information, there are also lots of recipes, bringing us to reason I wanted to review the book here. Cocktails, cakes, cookies, pasta dishes and meaty main courses like Fried Chicken and Waffles and Italian Meat Loaf.

I knew that the timing of this post would likely align with prepping for my first marathon (it’s Sunday!), so I wanted to make something filling. Something with plenty of (gluten-free) carbs. I also wanted it to be something I hadn’t tried before.

Enter, the Baked Shrimp Etouffée.

This hit the spot. For a gluten free version, April’s recipe calls for millet flour and gluten-free bread crumbs. The flavors are delicious and I love that this baked version is a one pot meal.

Whether you have a gluten intolerance, want to learn more about it, want some great recipes, or simply want to laugh out loud, add this book to your summer reading list.

Baked Shrimp Etouffée

Cajun food makes an impression. Or maybe that’s all the booze you ingested with your boudin. Which is why I still remember an etouffée that had a little extra somethin’-somethin’ from my very first trip to New Orleans, which was ages ago.

After experimenting, I do believe the crust atop this shrimp etouffée is spot on with the roux, and the stew, and now a little cheesy crunch. Laissez les bons temps rouler.

Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 35 minutes
Makes: 10 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 Spanish onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
¼ cup millet flour
2 cups chicken stock
½ teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon oregano
1½ pounds shrimp, shelled and deveined
5 cups cooked rice
2 tablespoons gluten-free bread crumbs
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan
Parsley, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

In a cast-iron skillet over medium heat, heat the butter and oil. Add the garlic, pepper, onion, and celery, and cook until soft.

Whisk the flour into the onion mixture until well combined. Add ½ cup of the chicken broth and whisk to combine. Gradually add the remaining broth and cook until the mixture has thickened.

Add the salt, pepper, hot sauce, cayenne, paprika, and oregano. Stir, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 6 minutes. After 6 minutes, add the shrimp and continue cooking for about 4 minutes more, until the shrimp are pink. Do not overcook the shrimp.

Remove the mixture from the heat and pour it into a medium bowl. Place the cooked rice in the skillet, and top it with the shrimp mixture.

Sprinkle the gluten-free bread crumbs and Parmesan evenly over the shrimp mixture and place the skillet in the oven. Bake until slightly golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven, top with the parsley, and serve.

Ginger Coconut Soup with Wai San and Shrimp Recipe

March 26, 2013

Wai San is a potato-like root vegetable that I discovered at an Oakland Farmers market several years ago. It turned out to be delicious addition to this ginger coconut soup!

I watched the mass of shoppers hover around the table for at least 10 minutes before I mustered up enough courage to elbow my way in and take a look. I was surprised to see a knobby, speckled, skinny root vegetable staring back at me. I had no idea what it was and given all the hustle around me, I doubted I’d get an answer even if I asked.

I walked away, but it didn’t take long for my curiosity to get the better of me. Finally, on my last lap through the Farmers Market there was a lighter crowd swarming the vendor. I stepped up, analyzed the unfamiliar root, and I caught his eye. I asked what it was. He responded twice with the proper name, and I’m sure my face revealed that not only could I not hear over the people, but that I also couldn’t understand him.

His next response was, “Chinese potato. You cook it like potato in a soup.

Sold. I grabbed up a handful and he nodded in acknowledgement that I only needed a few for soup.

After a bit of research, I think I finally found the name for this new-to-me vegetable. I say – I think – because it wasn’t easy to come by. I have found a couple of blogs which identify it as Wai San.

It’s long and thin, and almost looks like it has dots. Check.

When it’s peeled, its starch is sticky and a little glue-like. Check.

It boils up like a potato, yet it has a blander flavor. Check.

If you happen to know it by another name, please let me know in the comments. I’d love to learn more about it.

This being my first attempt at cooking with Wai San I didn’t want to get too adventurous. I stuck to the recommendation for soup, and I wasn’t let down.

Cut into small pieces, it takes less time to cook than potato. It has a similar texture, but it’s less starchy. It’s almost like a cross between a carrot and a potato, but with little flavor. That is, until you mix it with the ginger, coconut milk, and shrimp in this soup. Then it becomes all kinds of delicious.

Ginger Coconut Soup with Wai San and Shrimp Recipe

2018-04-03 12:36:53

Serves 4

Wai San, a potato-like root veggie, makes a delicious addition to this soup. If you can't find it in your area, any type of potato can be substituted. Adjust the cooking time to cook until the potato you use is tender.

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Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, sliced
½-inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
1 ½ cups peeled and chopped Wai San
1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut milk
3 cups seafood stock
½ pound cooked shrimp, chopped
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2-3 green onions, sliced for garnish

Instructions

Heat the olive oil over medium-high in a large soup pot. Add the onion, garlic and celery. Cook, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the ginger. Add the Wai San and cook 1 more minute.
Pour in the coconut milk and seafood stock. Bring to a low boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow the soup to simmer about 5 minutes or just until the Wai San is tender.
Add the shrimp, salt, and pepper. Cook just until the shrimp are heated through, about 1 minute. Top each bowl of soup with green onions and serve warm.

By Lori Rice

Fake Food Free https://www.fakefoodfree.com/

Hog Island Oyster Farm – Marshall, California

February 26, 2013

I was just about to post an Instagram photo when I noticed two little words at the top of my phone.

No Service.

Not only-one-bar, or the dreaded E, but no service. Zip, zero.

Wait a second. We moved from rural Kentucky to California, right? And you are telling me we don’t have service here.

We were headed to Marshall, California. A small community in Marin County, tucked inside the Tomales Bay. After some twists and turns, carefully passing an entire Tour de France of cyclers, and smiling back at enough happy dairy cows to supply my morning coffee for years, we reached our destination – Hog Island Oyster Farm.

It turns out you don’t need cell service. You don’t need anything at all in this patch of paradise except oysters, lemon, butter, hot sauce and maybe some wine.

A visit to Hog Island was among the many tips we received when we announced – we’re moving to the East Bay. I was introduced to their oysters a few years ago when I visited San Francisco, but this, this is different.

This is the farm. This is rural California in all its glory. And as my husband and I said to each other a few minutes after we arrived – this is why you live here.

There are two options for diners at Hog Island. You can order raw oysters shucked for you at The Boat along with bread, cheese and wine or beer, and take a seat at one of the shared picnic tables (first come, first served).

Your other option is to reserve one of the (5, I think) picnic tables many weeks in advance. With my husband’s birthday in mind, I made a reservation for the end of February back in early January. Here you have a grill and a table to yourself. You bring along your picnic and grilling gear, extra eats, and wine or beer.

Oysters can be purchased near the entrance. You shuck them yourself, and then eat the delicious suckers raw or toss them on the grill. They provide shucking gear, lemon, hot sauce, freshly grated horseradish and Hog Wash (rice vinegar, shallot, jalapeno, cilantro and lime juice.) I’ll add that you are free to order anything from The Boat as well including oysters already shucked for you.

My tip – reserve a picnic table and get the early time slot.

We arrived at 10:30 and were among the first guests there on a Saturday morning. The tranquility of the area set the stage for our entire day. It was absolutely amazing.After soaking it all in, we headed over to buy our oysters.

I’ve never been a huge raw oyster fan. That was before I had a Hog Island oyster straight out of the tank, shucked for me. It tasted like the bay – light, salty, and refreshing. We ordered the Atlantics to eat raw, and the small oysters to put on the grill.

Two things I learned during our trip – 1) I cannot shuck an oyster to save my life, and 2) I love grilled oysters!

Fortunately, my husband was up for the challenge of shucking them all. And a challenge it was. It takes a lot of strength and just the right angle, something I couldn’t master in 3 hours.

If one were to shuck an oyster correctly (from what I understand), you would place oyster cup side down and insert the tip of the shucking knife into the pointed end at the hinge. Once the ligament pops, you slide the knife in along the inside of the top, flat shell and pop it off. Slide the knife under the meat to release it from the shell and remove any pieces of shell that might have broken off.

After gathering a few tips from the staff, we topped our open oysters with a little butter and placed them on the heated charcoal grill. Once the edges of the oyster began to brown we took them off with tongs, topped them with hot sauce and lemon juice, and ate them with a fork. Raw oysters are good, but the grilled are now my favorite.

After filling ourselves with oysters and sourdough bread, we were left with enough time to watch the water (my very favorite pastime), and take in what was around us. The area got crowded by lunchtime, but it was much less so than I was expecting. I’m sure it would be different in the summer. I’m also sure we will find out personally because we will be back a few more times this year. It may be the only time I actually look forward to seeing the words – No Service.

Where to Eat in 2013

January 13, 2013

Hello from California!

The move has been made and I’m working on getting comfortable in my new kitchen. I’m excited to start this new year in a new place and to see where my experiences take me and the blog.

I have to be honest. I can already feel things shifting a bit. I still want to cook with all the amazing ingredients that are now available to me, but I’m also in a place where there is some pretty amazing food (and drink) being made by others.

This year, along with recipes you are probably going to find more places dine and events to attend. I also hope to put the focus back on the global aspect of my blog. I have so much more to learn about the cuisines of other countries and it’s time to start trying more in my own kitchen.

Considering we’re already halfway through January, I really don’t want to look back and recap last year. But in 2012 I took part in 2 cross-country road trips, a trip to Toronto, a visit to New York City, a trip to Vegas, a day in Sonoma and Napa Valley and New Years Eve in Santa Barbara. Not to mention our explorations of Kentucky.

So, yeah. I have a few food recommendations for you.

So let’s not look back at the best eats of last year, but let’s look at it as where you need to eat and drink in 2013! These are my picks so start planning your road trip

Kansas City, KS – Oklahoma Joe’s

We moved my husband out to California last September. That was road trip #1, to the north via I-80. What an amazing drive! I want to do it again already.

We didn’t have our food planned out, but left it to tips from friends and popular TV shows along the way. First up, Oklahoma Joe’s in Kansas City. It turns out Anthony Bourdain kind of likes the place too.

I like barbecue, but I’m not all crazy for it. And I don’t understand all the allegiances to different types. I like all of them for different reasons. But, oh my goodness. This food was amazing! My husband and I are still talking about it months later. The meat, the sauce, the hour-long line, the restaurant-in-a-gas-station atmosphere. It was one of the best meals I had all year.

My favorite was the burnt ends sandwich, and the beans were as perfect as they can get. Slightly meaty, loaded with barbecue flavor. I’m usually not a fan of ribs, but I’d order them again in a second.

Salt Lake City, UT – Red Iguana

We had no plan when we got to Salt Lake, but after checking out the FoodNetwork app we found the Red Iguana which had been on an episode of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. It’s described as pre-Hispanic Mexican, and the big draw? 7 kinds of moles.

I got the Mole Verde. This wasn’t your classic, chocolately mole, but it was delicious. The chicken was so tender and the sauce was full of spicy flavor. My husband got the Mole Negro and this is what I think of when I think of mole – rich, dark, slightly spicy sauce. It was my favorite.

Toronto, Canada – Steam Whistle

In July last year, I made my first trip to Canada. It’s hard to believe I hadn’t been before! And yes, I know. Everyone is telling me that I need to see more places, but I LOVED Toronto. One of our favorite things was the local beer, Steam Whistle. We did the brewery tour, and the bar just happened to be one of the most affordable places to grab a beer so we hung out for a while and enjoyed it.

New York City – Momofuku Noodle Bar

I traveled to New York City in October for the first time since I was in high school. Needless to say, a lot has changed. Mainly that I now have a deep appreciation for good food. I recapped the trip last year, but a round up on where to eat in 2013 wouldn’t be complete without a mention of Momofuku Noodle Bar. It was the first place I went when I got to the city, and I’m already planning to take my husband back this year.

The corn ramen was the special on my visit and it didn’t disappoint. The blackboard lists the farms where a majority of the food is sourced, and with a huge bar for seating it is perfect for dining alone if you are traveling on business like I was.

Sonoma, CA – The Girl and The Fig

Over the Thanksgiving holiday we took our first trip to California wine country. Knowing we would be in Sonoma around lunch time, we did what every food-lover does. We ate at The Girl and The Fig. We made reservations for lunch, as you should too because although the restaurant was only half full when we arrived, every table was taken by the time we left.

We started with a cheese plate and that was good, but the best part of it was the dried fig cake made in house. It was delicious with the cheese.

I had a simple lunch of a tasty grilled cheese, but for me my husband’s meal was the best. The pork belly sandwich with a slightly sweet apple slaw.

Stanford, KY – Bluebird Cafe

If you think a small-town, rural restaurant can’t compete with food-cities around the U.S., I encourage you to go to Bluebird. On a downtown street that barely has one stoplight, this place will amaze you. With locally sourced ingredients and a creative menu that would rival any restaurant in the big city, Bluebird serves Kentucky favorites with a twist.

Our first couple visits were for breakfast where I enjoyed the breakfast fries with smoked gouda sauce. We finally made it for lunch just before we moved – a fried green tomato BLT on a whole wheat sorghum bun. Yes, yum.

Santa Barbara, CA – East Beach Grill

We stayed in Santa Barbara on our final leg of the official move which also happened to be New Years Eve. (This time we took I-40 through the southern US.) Other than the wonderful ocean views, we experienced very little of what this awesome town has to offer. But we did manage to have pancakes on New Years morning. The East Beach Grill was close to our hotel, dog friendly and rumor had it they offered some amazing wheat germ pancakes. The rumors were true. I had a stack of blueberry and my husband a stack of strawberry while we relaxed outside with the pugs and enjoyed the view of the ocean.

Oakland, CA – Bocanova

There will be many more Oakland favorites to come, but I definitely found a place I love with only a few days of being here. Bocanova in Jack London Square has unique cocktails and one fine happy hour. One of my favorite appetizers is the Dungeness Crab Deviled Eggs with Chipotle Aioli.

That about sums it up. Hopefully I’ve shared enough to keep you busy. And full. Recipes will resume soon, but for now I’ll leave you with one of my favorite offerings at our Farmer’s Market. Gorgeous greens with edible flowers. Happy New Year!

P.S. I was having some trouble with formatting on this post. The names of the cities and restaurants are links that will take you to the restaurant website.

Thai Fish Cake Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

April 26, 2012

I buy portabella mushrooms only on occasion, but I think I may be stuck in a rut with how to serve them. When I bought this round I had the thought – why don’t I stuff them with some sort of fish?

Oh wait, I already did that.

But this is different. This time around I couldn’t stop thinking about Thai fish cakes. So I went with cod instead of salmon, grabbed the lemongrass and a Bird’s eye chili out of the freezer, and reached to the back of the pantry for the panko and fish sauce. This one is a keeper, and I’m sold that portabellas are good for so much more than burgers!

Thai Fish Cake Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

Makes 2 servings

Extra virgin olive oil
2 portabella mushroom caps, cleaned
2 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
2 inch piece lemongrass, minced
1 Thai Bird’s eye chili, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground coriander
1 tsp fish sauce
1 large egg
3 oz. fillets cod, cooked, cooled and flaked
½ to ¾ cup panko bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Coat the mushrooms in a thin layer of olive oil, and grease a shallow baking dish. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine the chives, lemongrass, chili, garlic, ginger, salt, coriander and fish sauce. Add the egg and beat the ingredients with a fork until the egg is blended with the herbs and spices. Add the fish breaking it into small pieces.

Stir in ½ cup of the bread crumbs. How much you need will depend on the moisture in your fish. I used a frozen fish that I baked so it held in a lot of water. You want the fish cake to form and hold a patty shape. Add more bread crumbs until you reach this stage. I added all ¾ cup.

Divide the fish cakes and press the stuffing into the mushroom caps, mounding it as you flatten and press it. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the fish cake is browned and the mushroom tender.

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