Archive for the ‘Recipes’ Category

Recipe: Miso-sake chilean sea bass

Monday, February 15th, 2010

Back by popular demand, here’s the miso-sake marinated chilean sea bass recipe that is a true winner. It’s a nice balance of sweet and salty that complements the flaky fatty sea bass. Can also be made with black cod. You’ll find this on the menu in Japanese izakaya restaurants!

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup filtered sake (Sho Chiku Bai)
  • 1/3 cup mirin
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup white miso (Cold Mountain Kyoto white miso)
  • Grated ginger (optional)

Instructions

  • Bring the saké and the mirin to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Boil for a few seconds to evaporate the alcohol.
  • Turn the heat down to low and add the miso paste, mixing with a wooden spoon.
  • When the miso has dissolved completely, turn the heat up to high again and add the sugar, stirring constantly with the wooden spoon.
  • Remove from heat once the sugar is fully dissolved. Cool to room temperature.
  • Reserve some sauce for dressing later.
  • Wash fish and pat dry with paper towels.
  • Slather the fish with miso-sake sauce, place in a non-reactive bowl, and cover tightly with plastic wrap.
  • Marinate for 2 to 3 days.

To cook:

  • Preheat a broiler. Lightly wipe off any excess miso clinging to the fillets but don’t rinse it off.
  • Place the fish in broiler, broil until the surface of the fish turns brown. Takes appx 4-5 minutes each side
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Then bake for 6-7 minutes. Fish should flake easily.
  • Add a few drops of miso sake sauce to each plate.
  • Garnish w/ scallions.

Eggs benedict with hollendaise sauce

Saturday, January 30th, 2010

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This recipe was modified from allrecipes.com. It takes some time to make (the sauce is what takes the longest). So, not “Power Cooking” per se, but you’ll be happy with the results.

Makes enough for 4 people.

Ingredients

  • 3 egg yolks from extra large eggs
  • 2.5 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 pinch ground white pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 stick butter, melted
  • 8 eggs, extra large
  • 8 strips Canadian-style bacon
  • 4 English muffins, split
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

Instructions

  1. Hollandaise sauce: (also see shortcut down below) Fill the bottom of a double boiler part-way with water. Make sure that water does not touch the top pan. Bring water to a gentle simmer. Put a heat-proof glass bowl on top of the double boiler. Whisk together egg yolks, lemon juice, white pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and 1 tablespoon water.
  2. Melt butter in a small saucepan, then add the melted butter to egg yolk mixture slowly while whisking yolks constantly. If hollandaise begins to get too thick, add a teaspoon or two of hot water. This will make it smooth out a bit.
  3. Continue whisking until all butter is incorporated. Whisk in salt, then remove from heat. Place a lid on pan to keep sauce warm.
  4. Preheat oven on broiler setting.
  5. Poach Eggs: Fill a large saucepan with 2-3 inches of water. Bring water to a gentle simmer, then add white vinegar.
  6. Break each egg into a 1-cup measuring cup, then slowly pour it in to the boiling water. Allow the egg to cook for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Yolks should still be soft in center.
  7. Remove eggs from water with a slotted spoon and set on a warm plate.
  8. Brown the bacon in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.
  9. Toast the English muffins on a baking sheet under the broiler; make sure they aren’t too crisp. Probably 2 minutes is enough or even less.
  10. Top each muffin slice with bacon, followed by one poached egg.
  11. Place 2 muffins on each plate and drizzle with hollandaise sauce.
  12. Sprinkle with chopped chives and cayenne pepper and serve immediately.

Shortcut way to make Hollendaise:

This was a reader tip on allrecipes.com. Tried this on 3/1/08 but it ended up too watery. I think it’s probably because the egg doesn’t cook enough with just the hot butter alone. Maybe try adding a couple of teaspoons of boiling water next time while blending?

“An easier way to make Hollandaise is in the blender. Place egg yolks in blender with the lemon juice (1 tablespoon is what I use) and other seasonings, turn blender on high speed for 5 seconds to blend. Melt butter in microwave until completely melted and hot. Turn blender back on high speed and gradually pour in butter. It will thicken into a beautiful yellow hollandaise in 20-40 seconds.”

Pan-fried mahi-mahi with roasted tomato, garlic, and fresh basil

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
Pan-fried Mahi Mahi

Pan-fried Mahi Mahi

This recipe was adapted from one found on Food.com. Used mahi-mahi because that’s what the supermarket had, more garlic, and the next time we make this, we’ll toss the tomatoes in dry, white wine as well.

Take note, mahi-mahi has a firm, meaty texture – kind of like tender chicken meat.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1-2 tablespoons, dry, white wine
  • Pinch red pepper flakes
  • Kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn or chopped
  • a mahi-mahi fillet, with skin – 0.75lbs serves 2
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Instructions

  • Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
  • Toss the tomatoes with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, garlic, vinegar, pepper flakes, dry white wine, and salt, to taste.
  • Spread out on a baking sheet and roast until the tomatoes get juicy, about 15 minutes. Transfer tomatoes to a bowl and toss with the basil.
  • Wash and pat dry the fish very well all over. Brush the rounded flesh side of the fish with the remaining olive oil.
  • Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Place the fish, seasoned side down, in the oil, and cook undisturbed over high heat, until the fish turns both opaque along the edges and golden on the bottom, about 5 minutes.
  • Lightly salt the skin side of the fish. Flip the fish and cook for about 3 minutes longer until cooked through
  • Plate the fish, top with the tomatoes and serve.
  • Pan-fried Sole with leek, garlic, and breadcrumbs in a white wine reduction sauce

    Monday, January 25th, 2010
    Pan-fried Sole

    Pan-fried Sole

    This recipe was adapted from The Santa Monica Farmer’s Market Cookbook.

    Ingredients

    • 3 leeks, white part, chopped (tastes like green onions)
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • salt, pepper
    • 1 cup, bread crumbs or crushed Ritz crackers
    • 1/3 cup white wine
    • 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
    • Zest of 1 lemon
    • flour
    • 1 lb. sole fillets
    • canola or olive oil

    Instructions

    • Heat 1 tbsp. canola oil in a skillet.
    • Brown breadcrumbs (3-5 mins) making sure you flip them and prevent them from burning.
    • Reserve breadcrumbs in a bowl
    • Prepare parsley and lemon zest
    • Wipe skillet clean, add 1 tblsp. canola oil.
    • Heat oil at medium heat, add garlic and leeks
    • Sautee until garlic starts browning
    • Add white wine and reduce
    • Add parsley and zest, then remove from heat, mix with breadcrumbs
    • Wash sole fillets and pat dry
    • Season fillets with salt and pepper
    • Pat fillets with flour
    • Add 1 tbsp canola oil to skillet and cook fillets for 3 mins each side
    • Remove from heat and on to a platter
    • Squeeze lemon juice over fillets
    • Spoon breadcrumb mixture on to fillets

    Recipe: Braised Leeks w/ shallots and lemon

    Tuesday, December 29th, 2009

    These braised leeks go very well with a filet mignon. :-)

    Ingredients

    • 6 large leeks, rinsed and quartered
    • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
    • About 1/2 – 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 cup sliced shallots
    • 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
    • 1/2 cup dry cooking sherry or dry white wine (wine that you’d drink!)
    • 1.5 to 2 cups chicken stock (or 1/2 bouillon cube dissolved in water)

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
    2. With cut sides up, season with sea salt black pepper.
    3. Heat pan (or dutch oven) over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes. Pour in 2 tbsps olive oil and wait 1 minute. Place cut side of leeks down in pan without crowding them. (Make in batches, and use more oil, if necessary.) Sear them 4 to 5 minutes, until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper, and turn over. Add shallots, thyme, lemon juice, lemon zest and cook 3 to 4 minutes more.
    4. Add wine and stock, almost covering leeks
    5. Braise in oven 30 minutes, until tender.