CookTeaser

RECIPE

Serves 2

A CookTale

This sweet and silky fish dish, which had its beginnings at the Nobu restaurant in NYC and many years later is still one of their premier dishes, is fairly simple to make. Nobu Matsuhisa, of his restaurant empire, recommends marinating the black cod in a good deal of the sake-miso marinade overnight or longer if possible (though I have had good results in a food vacuum marinator for an hour or two.

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup of Mirin
1/4 cup of Sake
1/4 cup of white Miso paste
3 TB of Sugar
2- 6 oz Black Cod fillets, about 2″ thick, skin on
1TB of Peanut Oil for the pan
Pickled Ginger, for serving (optional)

METHOD

1. In a small saucepan, bring the Mirin & Sake to a boil. Whisk in the Miso until dissolved. Add the Sugar & cook over moderate heat, whisking, just until dissolved. Transfer the marinade to a large baking dish & let cool. Add the fish skin side up. Cover and refrigerate overnight or vacuum marinate.

2. Preheat the oven to 400°. Heat a grill pan & oil it. Scrape the marinade off the fish. Add the fish skin side down & cook over high heat until crisp. Flip the fish onto a heavy rimmed baking sheet & roast for 10 minutes, or until flaky.

3. Transfer to plates & serve with pickled Ginger & additional Miso sauce.

RECIPE

Serves 2

A CookTale

I’ve been away from the postings for a few days, and that’s all it seems to take to get out of the swing. But today is a new day, with a perfected redux of Maple Soy Salmon. Cathie stated that it was “it was even superior to the original”. Once again it took wild, organic Salmon from a top-notch fishmonger to make it so. In this case it’s the Woodstock Meat market in the village. They receive a daily delivery of the freshest fish one can enjoy.
The history behind the noodles are another story. There a memory of childhood days that never entered my mind to prepare until last evening. Was quite tasty for an old dish!

INGREDIENTS For the Salmon

1 lb of Salmon (wild organic)
1/4 cup of Maple Syrup
2 TB of Soy Sauce
1 Garlic clove (minced
1 tsp of Sea Salt (divided)
1/4 tsp of Black Pepper (divided)

METHOD

1. In a small bowl, mix the Maple Syrup, Soy Sauce, Garlic, Salt & Pepper.

2. Place the Salmon in a shallow glass baking dish, & coat with the Maple syrup mixture. Cover the dish, & marinate the Salmon in the refrigerator 30 minutes, turning once.

3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place the baking dish in the preheated oven,& bake uncovered 20 minutes, or until easily flaked with a fork.

INGREDIENTS For the Noodle Dish

4 oz Egg Noodles
1/2 cup of Sour Cream
1 cup of Cottage Cheese (small curd)
1/8 cup of Milk
1 Garlic clove (smashed)
1 tsp of Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 tsp of White Pepper
1/4 cup of Parmesan Cheese (shredded)
3/4 TB of Poppy Seeds

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly spray a 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray.

2. Prepare the Egg Noodles per package directions, about six minutes. Drain well.

3. While the Noodles are cooking, in a large bowl stir together the Sour Cream, Cottage Cheese, Milk, Garlic, Worcestershire, & Pepper.

4. Stir in the cooked Noodles & spoon into the casserole dish. Bake uncovered, for 15 minutes.

5. Sprinkle with the Parmesan & Poppy seeds & bake for 5 minutes more.

RECIPE

Serves 2

A CookTale

The focus of this blog is the Red Pepper Sauce. Though the Wild Char was so good it actually was the highlight of the dinner. In my continuing search for compatible combinations, the Char and the Red Pepper Sauce took high honors. And the spicy salty Capers offset the sweetness of the Sauce. I love to experiment, especially when it turns out to be a pleasant surprise.

INGREDIENTS

2 TB of EVOO
2 Garlic cloves (minced)
1 TB of Onion (minced)
1 large sweet Red Pepper (roasted, seeded & diced)
1 TB of Tomato Paste
1/2 tsp of dried Thyme
1/2 cup Vermouth or White Wine
1 cup Chicken Broth
1 cup of Heavy Cream
Salt to taste

METHOD

1. Heat the EVOO in a large saucepan. Add Garlic & Onion. Sauté until tender. Add the diced roasted Red Pepper, Tomato Paste & Thyme. Cook mixture for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add Vermouth or White Wine, bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Add the Chicken Broth, bring it to a boil. Boil until sauce is reduced by almost half. Add Heavy Cream, simmer until reduced again by about half. Remove from heat; pour into blender container. Puree until smooth. Season with Salt to taste & put through a sieve to strain (only if desired).

2 To serve, spoon the Red Pepper Sauce on the plate, top with the Char & surround with the Capers.

INGREDIENTS For Wild Organic Char

12 oz of Char (skin on, cut into two equal pieces)
Sea or Kosher Salt & Pepper
2 tsp of Lemon Juice
2 slices of Lemon (optional)

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Season the Char. Heat a cast iron pan to high. Add the 2 pieces of fish, weighed down with a grill press for 2-1/2 minutes on the skin side.

3. Place in the oven & bake for 5 to 7 minutes, (depending how well done you prefer).

4. Plate with the Red Pepper Sauce, Capers & serve.

RECIPE

Serves 2

A CookTale

Regardless what the books tell you, we have found that the way I prepare Swordfish results in an outstanding result. Of course you must start with a perfectly fresh piece of fish, if possible cut to order by a top-notch fishmonger, not picked from a plastic-wrapped supermarket case. The only way that you will agree with my way is to try it once, and I assure you it will be your way to prepare this wonderful fish.

INGREDIENTS

Sea or Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
1 tsp of Lemon Pepper
1 TB of EVOO
Juice of half a Lemon
12 oz of Swordfish (cut into 2 equal pieces)
Balsamic Glaze (optional)

METHOD

1. Season the Swordfish with the first five ingredients.

2. Heat a cast iron grill pan to smoking hot. Add the two pieces of Swordfish, weighted down with a grill
press. Grill for 1-1/2 minutes a side. No longer for a juicy tender result.

3. Plate with a squirt of a Balsamic Glaze. With what ever flavor you’d like. I used a Mushroom based glaze.