Fish Tacos - again!

It's been about a year since my first venture into fish tacos. I decided though, that it needed some updating, so I did a fish-and-chips type of thing, the "chips" being my previous post, carrot fries. Last time I used tilapia, but this time I used wild cod and I was able to find great thin filets, so I was able to cut it into small pieces, and it cooked in absolutely no time. FYI, I love yellow cornmeal.

Lime & Cornmeal Crusted Cod
-3 filets wild cod, cut into chunks/small pieces
-Zest of a lime
-Juice of a lime
-salt & pepper
-1 beaten egg
-Cornmeal
-Finely chopped fresh basil, parsley, & dill
-Canola oil, for frying

-Last time I dredged the fish in flour then egg then cornmeal. I left out the flour part for laziness but also to make them feel and taste lighter. Especially since I decided to (lightly) fry them instead of baking.
-Place the pieces of fish on a plate, sprinkle salt pepper, and the zest of half the lime. Sprinkle some of the juice of the lime, but save the bulk of the juice for the salsa
-I let the fish marinate for a few hours with the lime but you don't have to if short on time.
-Beat the egg in a large glass bowl, and pour cornmeal onto a big plate
-To the egg add: 1/4 of the remaining lime zest, salt and pepper
-To the cornmeal add: salt, pepper, garlic powder, and the chopped herbs (whichever you decide to use)
-Add all the fish to the egg and toss with a spoon.
-Heat a thin layer of canola oil in a large saute pan, and begin to dredge the fish pieces in the cornmeal mixture. I like to dredge them all before adding them to the pan because otherwise pieces will be done cooking by the time you add subsequent ones. Add the fish to the pan and it only needs 3-4 or so minutes per side. A little longer if it's thicker.

-Alternatively, you can bake them on a baking rack fitted over a baking sheet on 425 for 10/15 minutes.
-Transfer to a paper towel lined plate, and sprinkle with more lime juice

-Serve with all or some of the following: mango black bean salsa, coleslaw, tartar sauce, shredded lettuce hard or soft wheat or corn tortillas for building your own taco. There are endless options for toppings- salsa, guacamole, etc.

-Serve with a wedge of lime. [See last year's post for mango black bean salsa recipe. This time I took the easy route & only used black beans, avocado, and mango. The dressing is always fresh parsley, lime or lemon juice, salt & pepper. Important to let it sit in the fridge so the flavors meld].

The finished plate :

E

Carrot Fries

This side I made next to fish tacos (post to follow), I figured I'd make it a separate post since it's essentially THE perfect side to any protein at all. They really come out tasting like fresh fries but they are- CARROTS! I've made roasted carrots many times before, but these are dressed up with cornmeal to give them a more fried feel. I got the idea from one of my favorite restaurants in the village (Kosher Vegan), Sacred Chow. I follow their Facebook page and they constantly have specials. Last week they posted a picture of their cornmeal crusted carrot fries with all these funky spices which I don't have because I simply don't like them (i.e. cumin, cayenne). Anyway, I decided to put my own fresh spin on these carrot fries. I know that they're good because my mom made them the next day and she said Rosie practically ate half! But, she did try to eat chalk today so.. :-)

Cornmeal Coated Carrot "Fries"
-1 lb. bag carrots, peeled, & cut into fries (I cut each carrot in half the short way, and then cut the 2 halves twice in half the long way). They should all pretty much be the same size. Alternatively, you can half baby carrots (shout out to M who did them this way the next day! Total convenience tip..)
-Salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika
-1-2 tbsp. fresh chopped dill
-Olive oil
-1/2 cup cornmeal (can add more if you feel)

-Preheat the oven to 425. Spray a baking rack and place atop a foil-lined baking sheet (easy clean-up)
-You will need 2 large bowls. In the first, add the carrots, drizzle with olive oil, just enough so that they are lightly coated so that everything can stick. Add the spices and dill.
-Pour the cornmeal in another large bowl (I did this in a large saute pan, no heat, because of more surface area to toss), and transfer the carrots to coat.
-In a single layer, spread the carrots on the baking rack (utilizing the baking rack just makes an all around crispy fry, and no need for flipping anything). Spray a LIGHT layer of Pam over the top, and bake for 20-25 minutes.

They are totally foolproof, and much easier than making potato fries. Plus, you can eat a whole plate of these without feeling too guilty about it! Don't they look like sweet potato fries? I've made breaded baked zucchini before (with Panko), but I think I'll try that with cornmeal too for a lighter feel... I'd think these are great tricks for kids who don't like vegis. 

Look for the next post coming soon...
E

Quinoa Stuffed Mushrooms

Hope everyone is enjoying Pesach, lets face it- it's all about the food!

I made this last night as a side dish to some (rather delicious) leftovers of duck sauce-glazed corned beef (post for another time!). We had a Costco size box of mushrooms, and I figured why not just do stuffed mushrooms. Stuffed mushrooms are such an easy side dish or even an appetizer as they are perfect one-bite finger foods. Normally I'd use Panko or cornflake crumbs as the binding agent (I know they have Pesach versions, we just didn't have), but being that it is Pesach, and we are Non-Gebrokts, I opted to add in some quinoa, which we had made already as another side, so it was easy too. I'm not quinoa's biggest fan, but when it's there, I'll eat it. I personally prefer white quinoa far more than the red version. I sauteed extra vegetables and added them to the quinoa, seasoned well with salt and pepper, lemon juice, olive oil, and fresh dill- just to put it simply. Now back to the stuffed mushrooms... It ended up being the perfect thing to add in to the stuffing, and I can imagine that some whole wheat couscous would do the job perfectly for a non-Pesach dish if you are looking for something heartier than Panko.

Quinoa Stuffed Mushrooms

-1 onion, finely chopped 

-3 cloves of garlic, minced

-2 carrots, peeled, and finely chopped

-3 stalks of celery, finely chopped 

-2-3 pounds stem-in baby bella mushrooms, wiped clean with a damp paper towel, stems removed (save and wash those)

-1/2 cup cooked white quinoa

-1 tbsp. light mayonnaise (or a beaten egg white)

-Some chopped flat-leaf parsley, chopped

-salt & pepper

-Preheat the oven to 375 and spray a tin cookie sheet with cooking spray.

-Finely chop the mushroom stems. Keep all the chopped vegis separate because you will be sauteeing them in stages. All the vegis should be cut relatively finely, and uniformly, so that there aren't some chunky pieces. Remember, you will be filling small mushroom caps.

-In a saute pan over medium high heat, add the chopped onion with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Let the onions saute a few minutes until slightly browned and translucent.

-Add the carrots and saute another minute, followed by the celery. When all three are sauteeing together for a minute or 2, add in the garlic, and mushroom stems. Saute another few minutes, adding some more oil if necessary. Season again to taste.

-Transfer to a bowl and let cool a few minutes. Add the quinoa, mayo, and parsley and mix until all incorporated.

-Arrange the mushroom caps on the cookie sheet, and place a small amount of the mixture into each mushroom using a small spoon. Fill each one with a little bit, and then after all are filled you can go back and add more. It's okay if they seem "overstuffed"- they will set in the oven.

-Bake for about 15-20 minutes until the mushrooms themselves soften and cook through. 

Thank you, Instagram, for yet another beautiful food picture :-)

Have an enjoyable rest of the week, and a Chag Sameach!

E

Coconut Citrus Crusted Salmon

Though I'm not posting this recipe specifically for Pesach, it can be made on Pesach! I am posting it because it's on my mind since I made it tonight at my parents, in an effort to use up a bag of unsweetened coconut. Now, I am not the world's biggest coconut fan- well, that's being nice... I HATE coconut. The only time I ate and liked coconut was in Hawaii, fresh coconut flesh it was delicious and did NOT taste like the coconut I am used to (see pics below)

Anyway, my mom had no ideas for her salmon, and I saw the bag of coconut & decided that I could figure something out with this ingredient which I so despise. Don't worry, it was actually very delicious- coconut success! One thing to note, it's very important to use UNSWEETENED coconut, because sweetened should only be used for dessert (I also think sweetened coconut makes the coconut flavor far more potent). This particular one (I can't remember the brand) was very finely shredded, so with the addition of a few ingredients, it assumed the role of a perfect crust for the salmon... You can also combine Panko in with the coconut, but for a lighter dish (& because we didn't have any), I didn't use.

Coconut Citrus Crusted Salmon
-4 filets of wild salmon (or you can obviously do this on one large salmon)
-1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
-pinch of salt & freshly cracked lemon pepper
-Zest of a lemon & an orange
-Juice of a lemon, divided
-Juice of half an orange
-Garlic powder
-Paprika
-Sprinkle of dried dill and dried parsley (or can use fresh)
-Olive oil

-In a large bowl, add the salmon filets and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and fresh or dried dill and/or parsley. Pour in half the lemon juice and let the salmon sit for half hour, or while you make the coconut mixture.
-In a bowl, add the coconut, salt, pepper, some garlic powder & paprika, dill, parsley (all these are seasonings so you can add as little or as much as you want, or mix it up depending on your spice preferences)
-Zest half the lemon & orange into the coconut & mix together.
-Pour half the lemon juice and the juice of the orange into the coconut, and mix around with a fork or your fingers. Drizzle in olive oil while mixing in, a little at a time (about 1/4 cup or so) until the mixture resembles sand thats been slightly wet. If it gets too wet, just add some more coconut. You don't want it too dry orelse it will just fall apart on the salmon, but you don't want it to be too gloppy/wet. Find the happy medium by feeling it with your hands.
-Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the salmon filets on a sprayed baking sheet or a sprayed baking rack fitted atop a baking sheet. Carefully spoon the coconut mixture onto the salmon, a tbsp. at a time, pressing it together on top of the salmon.
-Bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden & salmon just flakes off.
-Optional glaze to serve alongside: cook down pineapple puree (canned or fresh) in a small saucepan with a bit of balsamic vinegar uncovered on medium-high heat, until it reduces and resembles a glaze. This is a perfect accompaniment to the tropical coconut theme of the salmon, and wont weigh the light dish down.
(This picture is pre-baking, so the crust is obviously not yet golden!)

I recommend this recipe even for coconut skeptics like myself!

E

Pesach Cake Delight!!!

Unfortunately I can not take credit for the following cake recipe (nor can I take credit for pretty much any baking I do), it is from Vegetarian Times & it.. is.. heavenly. It was not written as a "Passover" recipe (sadly no mention of Passover in the April issue like many of my other foodie magazines), but it totally should have. Rather, it's a traditional gluten-free (shout out to D my love!) flourless chocolate cake, and the good thing, especially for Pesach is that this cake will not weigh you down like the traditional potato starch cakes/brownies (& I can imagine the matzah meal cakes will do the same!)... Obviously I'm not saying to sit down with a whole cake but hey, whatever.. The coulis (fancy name for sauce) is a perfect complement..

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Coulis
-8.5 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped or chips
-3/4 cup margarine (1.5 sticks), or half margarine half unsweetened applesauce
-4 large eggs, separated, and divided
-2 egg whites
-1/2 cup sugar

-Melt chocolate in a glass bowl over a double boiler with the margarine (or melt the chocolate in the microwave on 30 second intervals, stirring in between- this method usually can overmelt the chocolate until it seizes up though so I'd recommend double boiler which is just a small saucepan with a few inches of water simmering, place the glass bowl on top and make sure the water isn't touching the bottom of the bowl. Keep stirring)
-Whisk egg yolks, then stir into the chocolate
-Beat all 6 egg whites with a mixer on high 1-2 min, until foamy. Add sugar, beat 4 minutes, until stiff peaks form. Fold egg white mixture into chocolate mixture until combined. Pour into a greased pan and bake 40 minutes.
-To make the strawberry coulis: combine 1.5 cups sliced fresh strawberries, 1 tbsp. sugar, and 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice in a bowl of food processor. Add 2 tbsp. water and puree until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Drizzle on top of cooled cake.

(yes this is a picture from the magazine)

This cake I'm sure will be a welcome addition to your Pesach or "anytime" recipes!

Have a happy & a healthy Pesach! Eat cake!

E

Polenta & Vegetable Cheese Bake

Since the last few polenta recipes (check them out here & here), people have been asking me what polenta is... well here is another recipe utilizing my favorite non-pasta friend.

Here is a short background on WHAT polenta is. Originally Italian, polenta is basically cornmeal, traditionally made into a grits-like dish with water or stock (read: gloppy maize mess). Despite its baby food texture, it does have the versatility and "blank canvas" quality that rice & couscous have. Now for the good part, the polenta gods have brought us the more updated, modern, and more pleasurable version of polenta which is packed into a log/tube form (I get it at Trader Joes for $1.99-bargain! But I've seen it also at Aron's next to the meat). See picture:

I've used it to make mini pizza rounds (note: gluten free!), topping them with a bit of sauce, a spinach leaf, and cheese; they are perfect grilled atop a salad or sauteed with greens and mushrooms (my previous recipes, linked above). I've also grilled polenta rounds and served them aside steak! Totally works...

My recipe today using polenta is an alternative option to a heavy baked ziti. It's packed with sauteed vegetables, marinara sauce, cheese, & of course- polenta. You won't miss the pasta... I can guarantee it.

Polenta & Vegetable Cheese Bake
-1 tube polenta
-1 medium onion, chopped
-1 zucchini, chopped
-1/2-1 cup finely chopped eggplant
-A handful of loosely packed fresh spinach
-Marinara sauce
-Shredded mozzarella cheese
-Chopped parsley
-3 tbsp. Panko breadcrumbs


-Preheat oven to 400 degrees
-Heat some olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion, a pinch of salt & pepper, and let saute a few minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon.
-Add the zucchini & eggplant, and saute for a few minutes more.
-In the meantime, cut the polenta into 12 thin slices. Sometimes I use 2 tubes, but 1 is enough for 2-4 people, it just might not be even layering, but who cares.
-Spray a baking dish with Pam, and spread the bottom with some marinara & then layer the polenta (you don't have to fill the whole thing, just make sure they're spread out)
-Top with some more marinara sauce (I don't use very much as not to drown it in sauce), and then a layer of the fresh spinach, then top with the sauteed vegis (you don't have to cook the spinach first because the hot vegetables + cooking will do the trick)
-Sprinkle just a bit of cheese to hold it together, then layer the rest of the polenta. Top with more shredded cheese (I use Natural & Kosher Mexican or Chefs blend), & then sprinkle the panko & parsley on top.
-Bake 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown & bubbly!

Now you have enough polenta recipes to fill your repertoire, so go try!

E

Tofu 2 Ways

So, this post is a long time coming. I probably make tofu once a week or every other week, & it's one of our favorite dinners (if I may speak for both me and Avi). Tofu has a bad rep among people who have never had it, or have never had it made well/right! So don't be a hater & if you don't like tofu kindly leave your opinions to yourself ... & those of you know who I'm talking about!  ;-) I owe these recipes to a bunchhh of people, so here it is.

The main thing about tofu is that there are a few different kinds. Silken tofu is a good substitute for yogurt in a smoothie, or mayonnaise in a creamy dressing. The best tofu for sauteeing or baking is EXTRA FIRM (Nasoya, or Trader Joe's, among other brands- I don't see a difference between brands, but TJ is usually the cheapest). You must prep the tofu at least 1 hour before you plan on cooking with it. It's imperative to drain the tofu because there's a lot of extra water in it and that makes it mushy, which is probably why people think it's.. mushy! Well, it doesn't have to be. Open the package and put the tofu on a (real) plate, and put 2 plates on top of it. I have ceramic dishes so they're quite heavy. You can also put a measuring cup in a small pot and put that on top of the plate. After about 20 minutes, pour the water out and put the plates back. I usually let it sit on the counter like this for an hour, draining a few times in between. My first tofu recipe is super simple, & I use my favorite Teriyaki Sauce, Soyaki from Trader Joe's. The second is a lighter tofu option, dredged in cornmeal and baked until crisp.

Teriyaki Tofu with Steamed Vegetables & Rice
-1 Extra Firm (or firm) block of tofu, drained, and cut into cubes (cut the block in half crosswise [like opening a book], then cut into 20 cubes)
-2 tbsp. flour
-1 tbsp. sesame seeds
-salt, pepper, garlic powder, dried parsley
-Canola oil
-Mixed vegetables, steamed or blanched (I just pour boiling water over them)
-2 frozen garlic cubes (i.e. Dorot)
-1/4-1/2 cup Trader Joe's Soyaki
-Chopped scallions, honey roasted peanuts, & chopped mango, for topping

-In a large Ziploc bag, add the flour, sesame seeds, some dried parsley, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Shake to mix.
-Season the tofu with salt and pepper.
-Heat a bit of canola oil in a large saute pan over medium-high, & place all the cubes (separate them) in the bag and shake to coat each cube.
-When the oil is hot, add all the pieces slowly, and let saute (don't move them) for a few minutes & then turn them all (I find it's easiest to use to 2 spoons to flip each one). Even though it can take a while, I like to do each side so that they all get crispy.
-Transfer the tofu to a plate, & add the garlic cubes to the pan with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil. Add the vegetables, and stir until the garlic defrosts and coats all the vegetables. Transfer vegis to the bowl and add the tofu back into the pan, & add the Soyaki. Bring the heat up to high and swish the pan so that all the cubes get covered with the sauce & it slightly thickens. Obviously you can leave the vegetables in the pan and add the tofu into that and put the sauce on everything, but I happen to like everything separately.
-Top with some more sesame seeds, mango, scallions, & chopped peanuts (these are my go to garnishes for anything chinese I make). Serve with brown rice, or cellophane noodles.

This one is from a few months back, I used fresh string beans and snow peas...

Tonight's I made without rice, & frozen vegetables...

I find that even if you aren't "vegetarian friendly" you would probably still like this dish, the Soyaki and the toppings are delicious, whereas the next recipe is more plain, but equally good in my opinion.

Cornmeal Crusted Baked Tofu with Mango Black Bean Salsa

-1 block of extra firm tofu, drained

-3 tbsp. flour, on a plate, seasoned with salt pepper & garlic powder

-1 beaten egg, pour on a plate

-Cornmeal

-Chopped parsley & dill

-salt & pepper

-Cooking spray

-Cut the tofu in half (again, like opening a book), and then cut each half diagonally to form 4 triangles

-Season each triangle on both sides with salt & pepper

-Add chopped herbs to about 1/4-1/2 cup of yellow cornmeal

-Preheat the oven to 450 (or even 500) degrees, and spray a baking rack and set over a baking sheet

-Dredge the tofu in the flour, then egg, then cornmeal and place directly on the rack

-Spray each triangle with cooking spray & bake for 15 minutes. Flip the tofu and spray lightly, and put back in the oven for another 10 minutes. Alternatively you can low broil it. 

-Serve with steamed or sauteed kale or spinach, & 

Mango black bean salsa:

-Chopped mango, parsley, black beans, lime juice, salt & pepper to taste- it's that simple! Sometimes I add avocado to it.

Take on "Meatless Monday!" (or any other day of the week) 

E

Whether you are new to tofu/meat substitutes, and feeling adventurous, try out this delicious Kosher pan-asian vegetarian restaurant, Wild Ginger in Brooklyn (there's also a location in the city)- it's amazing (I could probably eat there everyday)... No it's not grass on a plate, it's filling entrees, excellent appetizers, drinks, and the best cake I ever had! Let's just say there was a lot of peanut butter in it...!