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CookTeaser

“Photos, Recipes & CookTales For Those Who Enjoy Cooking”

Monthly Archives: June 2014

25/06/14 Slow-Roasted Sea Bass With Mustard and Dill


Slow roasted fish

 

RECIPE
By Florence Fabricant of the New York Times

Serves 2

A CookTale

A splendid dish which deserved a better photo.
Having said that, I hope the recipe will whet your appetite. And when it reached the table, it was well worth the effort.

INGREDIENTS
1 Lemon
1 2-inch piece fresh Ginger, peeled and chopped
2 TB minced fresh Dill
3/4 tsp Brown Mustard Seeds
Salt and ground Black Pepper
1 2 lb Black Sea Bass, Ocean Perch, Porgy or similar fish, gutted and scaled
2 TB EVOO
1 Shallot, chopped
1/2 C dry White Wine or Vermouth
1 TB Dijon Mustard
2 TB Crème Fraîche

METHOD

1. Heat oven to 200 degrees. Cut Lemon in half, juice half and set aside. Chop remaining half and mix in a bowl with half the Ginger, half the Dill and 1/2 teaspoon Mustard Seeds. Season with Salt and Pepper. Rub outside of Fish with 1 tablespoon oil. Fill cavity with Ginger, Lemon and Dill mixture.

2. Cut 2 large sheets parchment (or non-stick tinfoil) a good 3 inches bigger, all around, than the Fish. Place the Fish on 1 sheet, cover with second and crimp the sheets together to enclose the fish tightly. Place package, crimped side down, on a baking sheet. Roast for 1 hour.

3. Meanwhile, heat remaining EVOO in a small skillet, add rest of Ginger and the Shallot and sauté on low until Shallot is translucent. Add remaining Mustard Seeds. Stir in reserved Lemon Juice and the Wine. Cook on low 2 to 3 minutes, until slightly reduced. Stir in Mustard and Crème Fraîche and cook another few minutes until sauce has thickened a bit. Season with Salt and Pepper and remove from heat.

4. When Fish is cooked, remove it to a large platter or cutting board, turning the package crimped side up. Remove top sheet of parchment. Use a spatula to lift off top layer of Fish; place on a serving dish. Lift out bones. Place bottom layer of Fish on dish. Gently reheat sauce, fold in remaining Dill, spoon sauce down the center of each Fillet and serve.

18/06/14 Olive-Oil-Poached Squid With Roasted Leeks


Olive-Oil-Poached Squid With Roasted Leeks

RECIPE

Serves 2

A CookTale

Awhile back, Sam Sifton of the New York Times, published an article featuring this recipe. It caught my eye, I prepared it, it tasted great, and we’ve been enjoying it ever since, including last evening. The Extra Virgin Olive Oil gently poaches the Squid to a tender consistency and the oven roasted Leeks add a wonderful sweetness to every bite.

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. cleaned Squid
2 C plus 2 TB EVOO
1 lemon
Dried Chile Flakes
Salt & Pepper
3 Leeks, trimmed, cleaned & each cut in half lengthwise
1 C Parsley Leaves

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 375. Rinse the Squid under cold water. Place in a Dutch oven. Cover with 2 cups of EVOO, add half the Lemon (reserving the other half for juice) and a pinch of Chile Flakes, and season well with Salt and Pepper. Cover tightly, and poach the Squid in the oven until fork-tender, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool with the lid on for at least 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, toss the Leeks in a mixing bowl with 2 tablespoons EVOO and season with Salt and Pepper. Place Leeks in a single layer on a sheet tray, and roast until they are tender and beginning to caramelize, about 20 to 30 minutes.

3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the Squid to a mixing bowl, and combine with the makings of a dressing: 1 tablespoon of the poaching liquid, 2 teaspoons Lemon juice, and a small pinch of Chile Flakes. Toss well, check seasoning, then add the Parsley, tossing again to coat evenly.

4.Arrange the Leeks on 2 plates, and spoon the Squid over them, finishing with a drizzle of the dressing, loosened (if necessary) with reserved poaching liquid..

 

16/06/14 Grilled Swordfish With Blood Orange Balsamic Glaze


Swordfish with Blood Orange Balsamic GlazeRECIP

Serves 2

A CookTale

The next time you prepare Swordfish, try it my way.
My way for a 1″ thick cut, is not to cook it for more than 2 minutes to a side, weighted down with a grill press on a very hot grill pan. The result is a juicy, tender piece of fish. To often Swordfish is overcooked, ending up dried out and tasteless.

INGREDIENTS

1LB of Swordfish, at least 1″ thick (cut into two pieces)
EVOO
Sea Salt & Pepper or
CharCrust (available from charcrust.com)
Balsamic Glaze (available from Amazon)

METHOD

Follow the instructions on CookTale. As a side dish serve with the Avocado and Sweet Onion Salad.

 

 

 

11/06/14 Chicken Thigh Bone-In


 

Chicken Thigh Bone in
A CookTaleA Rub named CharCrust, turned this tasty Chicken Thigh into something special. Its claim is that “it holds in the juices” and sure enough it does. It’s available on-line at, charcrust.com. I’m not touting, rather recommending an interesting product.

 

 

07/06/14 Strip Steak and Portobella Mushrooms


Strip Steak with Portobella'sServes 2

A Cooktale

I oven roasted the Mushrooms for 20 minutes at 425 F, and seared the Steak for two minutes a side on a stovetop grill, then into the hot oven for two minutes more to reach the internal temperature of 120F, the rare finish, that we prefer.

06/06/14 Maple Syrup & Soy Sauce Wild Salmon


Maple & Soy Salmon 2RECIPE

Serves 2

A CookTale

Last evening’s dinner was a lovely piece of wild organic Salmon, marinated for no more than 30 minutes in a simple mixture of Soy Sauce and Maple Syrup, with a side dish of pureed Butternut Squash. With a dinner like that an evening ends with one being satisfied, not satiated.

INGREDIENTS

1 lb of Organic Wild Salmon (skin on, cut into two pieces)
1/3 cup of pure Maple Syrup
2 TB of Soy Sauce
1 Garlic Clove (finely minced)
1 tsp of Sea Salt & 1/2 tsp of Black Pepper
Pickled Ginger (optional)
1/2 TB of EVOO

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the Maple Syrup, Soy Sauce, Garlic, Salt & Pepper. Place the two pieces of Salmon in a shallow baking dish. Coat with the Soy, Maple Syrup mixture. Cover the dish & marinate for 30 minutes.

2. Add the excess Soy Maple mixture to a small sauce pan & reduce it until it coats a spoon. Be careful that it doesn’t boil over. As mine did!

3. Heat a non-stick pan to high, add the EVOO. Brush the reduced sauce onto the Salmon pieces, Then place them in the pan, skin side down & cook for a few minutes. Just long enough to crisp the skin.

4. Move the pan to the oven & bake the Salmon for 10 minutes. Do not overcook or you’ll dry out the Salmon.

 

03/06/14 Crispy Roast Duck


Crispy Roast Duck.

RECIPE

A CookTale

After checking out a number of recipes, I targeted in on Melissa Clark’s New York Times recipe, and it turned out to be the right decision. 
When I add up the preparation time of at least two days, plus the oven time, For us Duck is considered to be an occasional delicacy.

INGREDIENTS

A 5 LB Fresh Duck
1 Orange, Rosemary Branch, Orange Zest
Salt, Pepper, Coriander, Paprika
EVOO
4 Garlic Cloves smashed

METHOD

The day before, make sideways horizontal slits in the Duck, rub with Salt, Pepper, Orange Zest and put in the refrigerator overnight.

Preheat oven to 450.

Let Duck get to room temperature, and stuff the cavity with Herbs, Orange sections and crushed Garlic Cloves. Refrigerator overnight.

Put Duck in the oven breast side down and cook for 30 minutes.

Reduce heat to 350 and flip the Duck to breast side up. Remove some of the fat with a bulb baster. If desired, add some small Potatoes to the pan. Put Duck back in the oven for at least an hour, until internal temperature measures 170 when thermometer is stuck in the thickest part of the thigh. The legs should move easily.

 

02/06/14 Boneless Chicken Thigh


Bonelss Chicken Thigh

RECIPE

Serves 2

A CookTale

Not a great deal to add. The photo speaks for itself.
A simple to prepare quite delicious Sunday evening dinner.

The seasonal Avocado Salad accompany’s the Chicken nicely.

INGREDIENTS

2 Boneless Chicken Thighs
2 TB of EVOO
Kosher Salt & Pepper
A Sprinkle of Paprika
Tomato Cream Sauce, recipe in the method
2 Slices of Mozzarella

METHOD

1. Generously add Kosher Salt, Pepper & a sprinkle of Paprika.

2. Place in mixing bowl & coat with EVOO. Allow to
marinate for about 15 minutes.

3. Heat a pan. (I used an electric frying pan). Add the Thighs, breast side down and saute for about 8 minutes, turn & repeat for another 6 to 8 minutes. Cook for additional time if you prefer them more well done.

4. In a saucepan add 1 c of Tomato Sauce, homemade or Rao’s & 1/4 c of Heavy Cream, a TB
of Vodka is optional. Heat to a simmer. Remove.

5 Add the Sauce to plates, Top each with a Thigh & a slice of the Mozzarella.