Grilled tuna with watermelon-feta salad

As watermelon season ends, grab the chance to include one last ripe slice or two into your meal.  The tuna was grilled to medium rare, and then I proceeded to butcher it while slicing.  It tasted great, but I'd like to do a better cutting job next time...

The recipe for both can be found in Hannaford's Fresh magazine.

Lobster Mac and Cheese

With lots of black pepper...just the way I like it!

If there's anything better than ooey gooey macaroni and cheese, it's mac and cheese with lobster meat!  I found this lovely recipe in the Hannaford Fresh magazine this summer, and we've had it twice.  I made two changes.  First, I couldn't find a brick of provolone cheese, so I used an Italian cheese mixture that was mostly mozzarella.  And second, we like a crusty top, so I stuck it under the broiler for a few minutes before removing from the oven.

I just checked the website and noticed that half of the recipe directions are missing, so here is my slightly rewritten version for you:

Lobster Mac and Cheese

1 lb. penne

Salt

1 c dry white wine, such as chardonnay

2 medium shallots, diced

1 1/2 T flour

1 pint cream

6 oz. smoked gouda, shredded

6 oz. aged provolone or mozzarella, shredded

4 oz. Asiago cheese, shredded

4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 lb. cooked lobster meat, chopped (from about 4 lbs. of lobsters)

The recipe can easily be halved . Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Sprinkle with a rounded tablespoonful of salt and add pasta. Cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes, drain, and set aside to cool in the colander.

While waiting for water to boil, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch pan with vegetable cooking spray. In a large saucepan, bring wine to a simmer, then add shallots. Simmer over medium-low heat until shallots are tender and wine has reduced by two-thirds, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle flour over shallots and cook, stirring, until liquid is absorbed and flour just begins to color, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add cream and heat over low heat until hot to the touch, stirring frequently to avoid scorching; be very careful not to let it boil, as the mixture may then separate.

Gradually stir cheeses into hot cream in four or five additions, stirring constantly with a slotted spoon and allowing each addition to melt before adding the next. Continue until all the cheese has been incorporated and the mixture forms a smooth, thick sauce.

Place the pasta in the prepared baking dish. Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and stir well. Stir in the lobster meat, and spread it out, making sure the lobster is covered by sauce and pasta. Cover with foil and bake about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes. Broil to crisp the top if desired. Set aside to firm up for 5 minutes before serving.

 

Delicious tuna sandwiches with no mayo!

I can't eat mayonnaise at all, so I'm always on the lookout for sandwiches and salads that use my favorite ingredients, like tuna, without necessitating a trip to the hospital afterwards!  Hannaford came up with a Lemon-Pistachio Tuna Sandwich that is moist and delicious without a drop of the dreaded stuff.

Salmon rub

This should be my last post about the food we enjoyed in Alaska.  It really shouldn't be the last, because the food on the ship was amazing, but that just wasn't the focus of our trip.  I know...shocking, isn't it?  You can read more about our Alaskan adventures on Mixed Media Artist, which often serves as my travel blog.

I bought a package of dry rub for Salmon which really shouldn't be anything special, just kind of gimmicky, but that turned out to be really quite good.  It is Sweet, Hot and Smokey Salmon Seasoning Rub from Alaska Botanicals Herbs and Teas in Homer, Alaska.  Unfortunately, they do not seem to have a website, but the rub contains the following: sugar, salt, orange peel, juniper, onion, and chipotle peppers.

Frittata with salmon two ways

Fresh magazine from Hannaford came up with another spring or summer winner...a fabulous frittata that uses both fresh and smoked salmon.  The flavor is amazing, and it's super simple to make!

Herb-crusted salmon

We made a two-part crusted salmon that just didn't end up thrilling us all that much.  The idea was to keep the tender herbs close to the fish flesh, and surrounded by moisture, but to allow the crust to dry out and crisp.  To that end, we added some beaten egg to panko crumbs with some additional tougher herbs.

Our response?  Meh.

It was ok, but a bit too fiddly for the results.

Spicy shrimp

Delicious and easy!  I really like starting with raw shrimp, but I'm thrilled that our grocery store gets a brand that has already been slit and deveined!  Love the shells...don't like cutting the vein out.  Ick.

We had these shrimp with jasmine rice and roasted sliced Brussels sprouts.


Spicy Shrimp

1 lb jumbo shrimp
Salt
Vegetable oil
2 T butter, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 c white wine
1/3 c clam juice or seafood stock
1 T hot sauce (I used sriracha)

Dry the shrimp off with paper towels and season them with salt.  Heat a bit of oil in a non-stick skillet over medium high heat.  Cook the shrimp on one side for about a minute; aim for brown spots.  Remove to a plate.

Cook garlic in 1 T butter over medium heat, just until fragrant.  Stir in liquids and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits.  Cook until sauce is reduced by half, about 5 minutes.  Return shrimp to skillet, hit with hot sauce and allow to simmer for about 2 minutes.  Off heat, stir in 1 T butter and serve. 

Quick fish chowder

Pack a lot of taste into a bowl of Fish Chowder without spending all day at the stove!

Quick Fish Chowder

Butter
2 onions, chopped
3 - 4 slices of bacon, cut into big pieces
2 t fresh thyme
Bay leaf
Salt and pepper
4 - 5 c water
2 lbs whitefish fillets (we used haddock), skins removed
1 1/2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, chopped
2 c milk (whole preferred)
1 T cornstarch

Cook the onions and bacon in a bit of butter in a Dutch oven.  Do not brown the onions.  Add the thyme, bay leaf and salt and pepper.  Add water and bring to a boil.  Remove from the heat and place the fish in the water.  Cover and let stand for 5 minutes.  Remove the fish and set aside.  Strain out the bacon and discard.

Return the pot to a simmer and add the potatoes, cooking until they are fully cooked and even are beginning to break apart.  Mash them in the pot a bit.  Whisk the cornstarch into the milk and add to the pot, returning to a simmer.  Add the fish, broken up into bite-sized pieces.  Let the pot stand on low heat for a few minutes.  Serve immediately.

Ahi Poke - a guest post by Tom Lee

Tom Lee is a business development associate for  the Santa Barbara Fish Market where you can support local fishermen and buy fresh seafood online or buy fresh fish online

As a college student that is health and budget conscience, I am always looking for something that meets these requirements. The best way to do so, is to make something yourself. One of my favorite dishes is Ahi Poke. Ahi Poke is a dish that is enjoyed by many, but made by few. It consists of fresh raw tuna mixed with a few seasonings.

Besides being so tasty for how simple it is, it also is very healthy. 4 ounces of tuna (Yellowfin tuna) itself yields about 27 grams of protein in just 123 calories. It’s a great source of lean protein. While the ingredients are simple, some people are a bit scared of handling raw fish, but it’s really no different then another other meat. In fact, most fishmongers at any fish market or fish department will clean the fish and hand you a perfect fillet that is ready to be used for a meal. The only real important requirement for this dish is to have the freshest tuna possible.

Ahi Poke 

Ingredients: 
8oz Fresh Tuna
1 Tablespoon Shallots
½ Tablespoon Green Onions
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
1/8 Teaspoon Sesame Oil
 ¼ Teaspoon Sesame Seeds
¼ Teaspoon Siracha Garlic Chili Sauce
¼ Whole Avocado
 ½ Whole Cucumber

Instructions: 
1. Mix sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic chili sauce, shallots, and green onions into a small bowl
2. Take the ¼’d avocado and take the seed out and peel the skin off. Cut into to small ¼ inch pieces.
3. Cut the cucumber in slices. You want them thin, but still thick enough to carry the weight of the Ahi Poke that will be served on it.
4. Make sure to keep the tuna cold until being handled. Cut the tuna into ¼ inch cubes.
5. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and let sit for about 10-15 minutes. It can be served immediately, but a few extra minutes will let the sauce penetrate a bit better.
6. Top each cucumber slice with about a spoonful of Ahi Poke, serve, and enjoy!

Tips: 
What’s great about this recipe is that all the ingredients can be easily adjusted to taste. If you prefer a spicier sauce, just add more of the garlic chili sauce. Big fan of avocado? Add more! Cucumber is suggested hear as a lower-calorie alternative, but Ahi Poke is also great served on top of your favorite crackers or toasted bread.

A New Year's resolution for Cook's Illustrated?

I would be so happy if Cook's Illustrated came to their senses and made their amazing recipes available online without requiring a credit card.  So many other people are posting them anyway that it is usually pretty easy to find them online somewhere.  And really, I'm not going to stop my subscription just because I might read it online...I love having the magazine in my hands and on my counter top while I cook!!

In progress...

So here is a double winner from CI: Garlicky Roasted Shrimp and Citrus Salad.  In fact, they are back to back in the issue.  You know that I won't violate their copyright, but I'll tell you that both have been posted elsewhere if you want to look them up. 

I made slight amendments to the salad, using only blood oranges and no grapefruit. And I totally grossed out Mikey by eating the shrimp shells and tails!  Loved the two recipes together...we're doing this again. 

Lemon-kale pesto on pasta with...fish of some sort!

The recipe that I found for this delicious Lemon-Kale Pesto dinner used linguine and scallops.  I used penne and salmon.  But all the rest was the same...more or less!  It was really good.  Don't let the poisonous green color fool you.  I used baby kale instead of adult that needed de-stemming, and I think that upped the color-quotient!

Pecan-crusted whitefish

Along with my obsession butternut squash has come an equal obsession with all things healthy.  I love having the chance to shake off the winter pounds before spring has fully arrived.  No last-minute marathon sessions at the gym for me.  Well, I do go every day, but I no longer marathon!

Hannaford's Fresh magazine had a great recipe for Butternut Squash with Rosemary, and they suggested pairing it with this great pecan crusted fish.  While they called for tilapia, I chose a slightly thicker fillet.  You can chose whatever you'd like...this would also be good with salmon, I bet. 

Pecan-Crusted Whitefish
 1/2 c pecans, finely chopped
1/2 c panko
1/2 t paprika
Black pepper
2 egg whites
Canola oil
4 whitefish portions, each about 6 oz

Get two shallow dishes.  In one, mix the pecans through the pepper.  In the other, lightly beat the egg whites.  Dip each fish portion into the egg and then press both sides into the pecan mixture.  Cook in a bit of oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. 

Baked white fish with crab topping

You can barely even tell there's any white fish under there!  That's because you won't want to waste one spoonful of this crab topping, even if you have to pile it on the fish to the point of being ridiculous!  I found the recipe in Hannaford's Fresh magazine and only modified it slightly.  I can't eat mayonnaise, so I subbed in Greek yogurt, and I left off the parsley...which would have made it prettier.

Baked fish "sticks" worth eating

I love the crunchy covering on deep fried fish sticks, but I hate how greasy they are, all the extra fat calories, and those pathetic pieces of pressed white fish under all that crispy coating. The trick to making fish sticks that are worth eating is to start with good quality strips of real fish and to triple-coat them before baking.  I served them with a mound of Greek yogurt spiced with pickle relish.

Baked Fish Sticks

1 1/2 - 3 lbs firm white fish like cod
1 c milk
1 c  flour
Old Bay seasoning
1 egg plus 2 egg whites
4 c cornflakes

1/2 c nonfat plain Greek yogurt
Pickle relish to taste

Preheat oven to 450.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cut fish into 8 sticks. Place fish sticks in a shallow dish and pour milk over them.  Let the fish soak while you prepare the dips.

In a zip loc bag, mix the flour and 1 t of Old Bay.  In a shallow bowl, whisk together the egg and egg whites.  In another zip loc bag, crush the cornflakes using a rolling pin.  Add another 1 t of Old Bay to the cornflakes and mix.  Remove the fish sticks from the milk and shake off excess.  A few at a time, coat them with flour, then eggs, then the crushed cornflakes.

Place fish sticks on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until cooked through, golden brown, and crunchy, about 10 minutes. While the fish bakes, mix the yogurt and relish together in a small bowl.

Salmon and edamame stir fry

Here's a tasty and pretty stir fry for either spring or fall, when you want something warm and spicy, but not too warm and spicy!  I found the recipe for Salmon and Edamame Stir Fry in Fresh magazine, and I think next time I might sub in some red peppers instead of the green ones for a bit more color.

Tuna with Bajan seasoning

The mixture of aromatic herbs and vegetables in this seasoning really appealed to me, but the reality left us a little flat.  I'm going to have to experiment with a few more renditions of Bajan seasoning before settling.  Please feel free to recommend a mix that you like!

Pecan crusted salmon

Salmon is probably my favorite fish.  That or trout anyway.  And since I don't get trout unless I go catch it, we have a lot more salmon ;-)

I found this recipe for a pecan crust in the May-June issue of Fresh magazine.  I used a steamer instead of the microwave to cook the fish and pressed on the coating when it was finished.  I also left out the lemon pepper and substituted fresh lemon juice for the water.  Mike and I both agreed that even as easy as this dish is, it is worthy to be served to guests.   

Mussels

It's always great to have mussels in the spring, and even though they are perfectly fine simply steamed open and served with butter, lemon, or some sort of seafood sauce, with just a bit extra effort they can end up being the centerpiece of an absolutely magnificent meal.  And they don't even take very long!

Beverly Dowdy won a prize from Hannaford markets for her recipe for Marvelous Mussels.

Shrimp, cod, and fennel soup

Another delicious soup recipe from Martha Stewart magazine: Shrimp, Cod, and Fennel Soup with Tomatoes.  If you're really in a hurry, you could substitute canned tomatoes for the fresh ones, but it really doesn't take much time to blanch and chop.

Chorizo, rice, and whitefish

Any type of whitefish will do just fine for this close cousin to Paella.  No tomatoes and no peas in this dish, so you'll need to serve some veggies on the side.

Chorizo, Rice, and Whitefish

Olive oil
4 oz chorizo, sliced thin
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1-1/4 c Arborio rice
1/2 c dry white wine
2 1/4 c chicken or vegetable stock
Whitefish fillets, chopped into bite-sized pieces or left whole

Heat olive oil a large skillet (with a cover) and cook the chorizo for a few minutes.  Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft.  Add the rice and stir to coat with oils.  Add wine to deglaze the pan and bring to a boil.  Let the wine absorb and add the stock.  Bring it to a boil and place skillet, covered, in a 400 oven for 10 to 15 minutes.  Uncover the skillet and add the fish to the top, stirring down in slightly.  Continue cooking uncovered for another 10 to 15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed.