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CookTeaser

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

July 17, 2014 Sweetbreads with a Vermouth and Caper Sauce


Sweetbreads with Vermouth Caper Sauce

RECIPE
Serves 2

A Cooktale

The week prior to July 14th, Cathie announced, “for my birthday week I want Sweetbreads”. Sweetbreads it shall be. and last evening they were! She was a happy person & I received kudos for a dinner well done, Not “well done”, she requires, her Sweetbreads “never well done”.

INGREDIENTS

3/4 Pounds of Veal Sweetbreads
Milk to cover
4 cups Water
Kosher or Sea Salt
Fresh Black Pepper
Juice of half a Lemon plus 1 TB of Lemon Juice
1/4 to 3/8 C of drained Capers
4 TB of Clarified Butter

METHOD

1. The day before cooking, place the Sweetbreads in a bowl or small container, cover them with Milk, and allow them to soak in the refrigerator overnight. Remove the sweetbreads, discarding the Milk, and trim any veins or dark bits. Rinse them well and set aside.

2. Place the Sweetbreads in a small pot, cover with water, and add a big pinch of salt and the juice of half a Lemon. Add the Sweetbreads, bring the water to a boil, and blanch them for about 5 minutes. Remove the sweetbreads and plunge them into an ice bath.

3. Line a small sheet pan with a kitchen towel and place the Sweetbreads on the towel in a single layer. Fold the towel over them to cover, place another sheet pan on top, and weigh it down – a heavy pot or a few cans of tomatoes work well. Place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

4. If your Sweetbreads are large, slice them into medallions. season with lots of Salt and Pepper.

5. Melt the Clarified Butter in a heavy bottomed skillet and cook the Sweetbreads over medium heat until golden brown, about 1-1/2 minutes to a side. Do not overcook them. Place the browned Sweetbreads on a paper towel-lined plate and set aside, tenting loosely with foil to keep warm. Add the Capers to the sauce.

6. Plate and serve. Our side dish was Butternut Squash lightly mashed and combined with Maple Syrup, Butter and Heavy Cream.

July 10, 2014 The Old Man And The Seafood Salad


Seafood Salad

RECIPE

Serves 2

A CookTale

Please excuse the erroneous title, it’s me being clever. Actually this delicious salad was Cathie’s handwork from concept to plating. My contribution was the lip smacking approval and the provocative title.

INGREDIENTS

Zest of a Lemon and 1 TB Lemon Juice
1 TB Sea Salt
4 large Sea Scallops, each sliced into 4 pieces
1/3 lb. Calamari (optional)
3/4 lb. extra large Shrimp, shelled and deveined
(you can also use large cooked Shrimp)
1/4 cup EVOO
2 large Garlic Cloves, thinly sliced
1 TB White Wine Vinegar
1 really small Red Onion, cut into fine dice
1/4 cup flat leaf Parsley, minced
1/4 cup Mint leaves, minced
1 tp Red Pepper Flakes
Freshly ground Black Pepper to finish

METHOD

1. Heat 4 quarts of water. Add 1/2 of the Lemon Zest and 1 TB Sea Salt.
2. If using Calamari, add to simmering water and cook for 5 minutes.. Remove with slotted spoon,
drain and set aside in large mixing bowl. When cool enough to handle, thinly slice.
3. Add Scallops to simmering water and cook for 1 minute. Drain, add to mixing bowl.
4. Cook Shrimp for 2 minutes, remove, drain, cut in half lengthwise and add to bowl.
5. In a small skillet, gently heat 2 TB of the EVOO. Add Garlic and cook until softened but now browned.
6. Pour contents of the skillet over the cooked seafood. Add remaining EVOO,
Lemon Zest, Lemon Juice, Balsamic Vinegar, Onion, Parsley, Mint, and Red Pepper Flakes.
Thoroughly combine, cover with tinfoil and let set at least an hour at room temperature.
7. When you’re ready to serve, toss the ingredients and add Salt and Pepper to taste.

 

 

July 5, 2014 Black Cod with Miso Sauce


Black Cod with Miso Sauce

 

RECIPE

Serves 2

A CookTale

In the U.S.A. we call it Black Cod! Common names worldwide for this Pacific Ocean fish include Sablefish, Blue Cod, Bluefish, Candlefish, Coal Cod, Coalfish, Beshow, and Skilfish. Call it what you will. it’s a wonderful tasty fish made even tastier, when marinated in an Asian White Miso Sauce for a few days.

INGREDIENTS
2- 6 oz Black Cod fillets, about 2″ thick, skin on
3/8 cup of Mirin
3/8 cup of Sake
3/8 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.

June 25, 2014 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.

June 18, 2014 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..

 

June 16, 2014 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.

 

 

 

June 11, 2014 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.

 

 

June 7, 2014 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.

June 6, 2014 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.

 

June 3, 2014 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.