A quick fish dinner

I think it is quite acceptable for me to post a 'quick' meal after such a long break. I have been trying to get to the computer all week but I keep getting caught up with work stuff! (which reminds me I need to put on my dough for pita bread, as I need to knock out 60 before tomorrow......welcome to a caterers life!).

My MIL was up in Sydney this week and popped over for dinner on Tuesday. We hadn't had fish for what seems like forever, so when we were discussing dinner at breakfast, it was arranged Nic would pick some up on his way home from work this evening. It is at this point where the dinner plans went by the way side and nothing else was planned until 30 minutes before we needed to be eating. As I opened the fridge door, I was holding my breath and praying I had enough veggies in the crisper to get us through this meal.
Now because my MIL was over, I didn't want to have an argument with the boys on eating veggies (thought I'd save that for another day), so I was a little worried when my eye first fell upon the swede I brought (a vegetable I love roasted but the rest of the family thinks disgusting!). As luck would have it I managed to find some beans and corn and then knew exactly what I'd do with the fish.
Whenever I get fish I immediately think of salsas. Not sure why but I do love the fresh, vinegary flavour of diced tomatoes mixed with vinegar, oil and herbs. Any salsa compliments fish brilliantly and is also something the whole family loves- which is a bonus when guests come for dinner!

While my potatoes were roasting in the oven, I diced up the salsa, popped the corn and beans on to cook and then finished the salsa. Nic walked in the door with the fish and we were eating a delicious meal within ten minutes. The only problem was, we all wanted seconds!
I used dill for the herb as I has quite a bit of it in the fridge but basil, thyme or coriander would work just as well.

Bean and corn salsa
2 whole fresh tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 red onion, diced finely
2 corn cobs, cut all kernels off before cooking
1 cup beans, cut into 5cm pieces
2 tablespoons chopped dill
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Pre-cook your corn and beans until colour brightens and then refresh in cold water, drain and set aside.
In a medium bowl add chopped tomato, onion, dill, vinegar and oil.
Mix, add vegetables, season with salt and pepper and leave for 5 minutes for flavours to meld.
Serve with pan seared fillets of fish and roasted potatoes.

Re visiting fish tacos

I have been retrying a lot of my recipes these past few weeks and on Friday night (last night) we reconnected with fish tacos. I looked up the original recipe I had written when I was writing recipes for kidspot and put it into action once again but with a few slight changes.
Instead for putting the marinade ingredients into the blender, I decided to use the mortar and pestle as I was after a recipe with big flavour, not just quick preparation. I was not disappointed. It is like everything in life, if you're after a quick fix by all means use the fastest approach, BUT if you have a few extra minutes pound away in your stone mortar and you will be justly rewarded. The colour was sensational, not to mention the smells of coriander, garlic and lime juice wafting around the kitchen.

I proceeded to follow the recipe but remembered I used corn the last time I made it but couldn't find it in the recipe and I didn't want to dirty another pot (I really hate dishes!) so I shredded my cobs of corn, scattered the kernels around the fish just before popping it in the oven to cook. Fresh corn is wonderful raw, so a little roasting with the fish would only bring out a great fresh flavour.

Popping the fish fillets into a hot oven for about 7 minutes is a very healthy way to prepare these tacos, the marinade really opens up and flavours the fish and corn, while the fillets remain flaky and juicy. Once they are cooked I remove them (along with the taco shells) from the oven, cut into a rough dice, then serve hot with diced cucumber, quartered cherry tomatoes, shredded lettuce and some lime mayo that I whipped up while the fish was marinating.
Yet again this was a big hit with everyone. The crisp taco shell pares beautifully with the fresh condiments, flavour packed fish not to mention the tangy lime mayo.

For the recipe click here.

Fish kebabs with polenta chips

I don't know if you remember, but last week I was suppose to serve fish kebabs with my lemon and pea risotto, however I kinda forgot to buy the polenta!
This week I was on top of the shopping and decided to pair the kebabs with chips. Usually I would never have served these two together, seeing as they are both long, and, well long. It doesn't seem right to serve kebobs with chips, but, I got over my hangup and began cooking the polenta so I could get on with it.
Polenta doesn't really take that long to cool so I was able to start from scratch, BUT, if I was a more organised person (when I wrote this recipe I was hoping I'd become this way), I would of made the polenta base the day before and had it ready, then all I should of done was cut and shallow fry. Alas, that didn't happen and yet I managed to get all the preparation ready for when Nic came home and pulled it all together.

It was late in the evening, kids were tired, hungry and I had lots of paper work to catch up on, so Nic came to the rescue. Once the polenta chips were cut, he threaded the fish on sticks, sprinkled with thyme and then whipped up a tomato and basil salsa drizzled in balsamic oil. I always think if you are making dinner and you know one part takes a little time (chips) then do yourself a favour and make the rest really easy.
So, as the last batch of polenta chips hit the oil, Nic cooked the kebabs while Alex set the table.

Such a simple yet novel idea threading fish onto a stick! The thyme really gave the fish (he used ling) a beautiful aroma, especially when char grilled and then biting into hot, crunchy, yet soft polenta was so, so good- especially if you managed to fit a dob of salsa on your fork.

Flathead

So you know we started the evening meal with oysters.......next in line was simply grilled flathead fillets. I didn't want to do anything elaborate with the fish because it was super fresh and I wanted to taste the flavour of the fish. For those of you who don't know flathead, it is a very flaky white fish with a hint of sweetness.

To compliment the fish I served it with a creamy guacamole (meaning I mushed 3/4 of the avocado and left the remaining in chunks) and fresh green beans that I tossed through some garlic butter I found in the freezer (from the grilled steak I did a few weeks back). The buttery garlic flavour complimented the fish and guacamole beautifully. Of course I needed some grains so I served it on top of couscous. The whole meal took about 20minutes to make and serve- right up my alley!

The boys are not a big fan of avocado so I served them a salad of carrot sticks and cucumber tossed through lemon and extra virgin olive oil (one of their favorites), serving beans and salad was a bit odd but no complaints so there you have it. A delicious fish dinner made in 20 minutes and everyone was happy!

Scramble eggs for dinner?

Have you ever thought- crap, I have to have dinner on the table in ten minutes before all hell breaks loose and you are still in the car trying to find a parking spot close to home with the kids in the back seat 'dying' of hunger? Well I have on more than one occasion! It is usually the day I know Nic won't be home for dinner and I have pushed the 'leaving time' to the red zone. Every time the melt down in the back seat happens I tell myself it isn't worth it (yet I'll have the same conversation with myself a month later- go figure?)

Nic would have a fit if I served him eggs for dinner. He isn't a big fan of the scramble variety so when it is just the boys and I, I try to have it for breakfast/lunch or dinner. The thing I love about eggs is it is a protein packed meal, super fast (especially if you scramble) and they go with just about everything. I can fit the 5 food groups into a 7 minute meal- what more could you ask for!

Pouring through the fridge I found the salsa I had made a week or so ago (and yes it still tastes great). The kids wont eat it but I will. Grate up some cheese, cut a few slabs of bread and toast it while putting the eggs on. Once the eggs are almost cooked but still look a little sloppy, I remove them from the heat, add the grated cheese and then fold onto the toast. I top Max and mine with tomato and leave Alex's plan- due to one less argument that I know I won't win. On the side of the plate I serve a little calamata olive and cucumber salad they devour in seconds. We are all fed within 7 minutes of stepping in the house, food groups are covered and no one died of starvation despite the cries for the last 30 minutes.

Scramble eggs for dinner- absolutely!

Salsa Verde #1

Sorry it has been a few days since my last post. Life has moved on and I am playing catch up, some weeks are more unorganized than others so that is all I am going to say on the matter!

It has been a middle of the range week for food in our house, I have been out most nights cooking for half of Evanston while my family have been living on take out from work (don't feel sorry for them- tonight they have a fabulous veal, pork and panchetta lasagna to devour). 

I was home a few nights ago and found some tomatilla tomatoes ( actually don't know if this is the right spelling but it will take me another week to find out so you'll have to live with it or drop me a line and correct me) in the fridge I bought last week. Terrible I know, but they last really well and the salsa tasted awesome as usual which brings me to this blog entry.

While working in the Chicago area for the past 6 years on and off (minus the 10 months we spent in Italy and the past year in Virginia) I have learn't quite a lot about Mexican food from the various Mexican guys I have worked with. Sometimes it is what I observe when they cook comida (family meal) or what they tell me they had for lunch before work.  I try to duplicate it from random notes I wrote. One of my favorite recipes I was taught is the salsa verde.

Salsa verde can come in many different shapes, flavors and forms. Today I am talking about the stove top variety, I'll save the others for another day.

Depending on the jalapenos hotness the kids will try it, otherwise Nic and I store it in the fridge and pour it on anything from eggs in the morning (actually that is just me), tacos, grilled fish, chicken- anything that needs a little flavor kick. The night I made it, I served it with pork marinated in cumin, paprika and cinnamon (wanted to see what it tasted like and I was suitably impressed, however use less cinnamon than cumin for a balanced savory, sweet flavor if you'd like to try). We wrapped it all up in a flour tortilla with smashed pinto beans, topped with the salsa verde and there you have it a tasty, fast family meal- perfect for a hot night.

Salsa

Tomatillas 3-4

jalapenos 2-3

yellow onion 1, medium

garlic clove 1

cilantro 1/2 bunch leaves

Juice of one lime

salt and pepper to taste

When making the salsa you simply pop tomatillas (or green tomatoes, you can use red ones also but the flavor will be a little different), jalapenos, and yellow onion-quartered into a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Once boiling simmer for 2-3 minutes to soften the tomatillas and jalapenos.

Drain off all the water and pick off stems if any- set to one side.

Meanwhile, pull out your trusty Cuisinart- add garlic clove and pulse for 10 seconds to chop it up. Add HOT tomatilla mix and process until combined well. 

Remove lid add half a bunch of cilantro leaves, juice of 1 juicy lime and salt and pepper to taste. Return lid, blend until well processed then pour into a jar and store in the fridge until needed.

It last for two weeks.

NOTE:

Now you are probably thinking the photos don't add up to the recipe- You are correct! I didn't have any cilantro in the fridge on the night so I decided fresh corn would be good (?) it was very yummy. I put the corn in the water after I shut off the heat- 1 minute before I drained it. These are the things you have to do when your living in the real world and not on telly- ha,ha. It was very yummy but I did miss the cilantro.

There are many different varieties of this salsa as I said, but this is the one I use over and over again. I hope you can get Mexican ingredients in Australia otherwise I'll have to start up an importing business!

Once again, sorry for the delay......

Salsa for families

I have talked about chilies before- sweet chili being a great side for a meal or jalapenos to top off a delicious dish. Now I want to draw your attention to the chilies with NO heat yet plenty of flavor. I have really become excited about Mexican cuisine and admire the simple process of extracting a deeper flavor when cooking the correct way with the right ingredient. I ask the guys at work questions all the time and they feed me with their childhood memories of mamma cooking in the kitchen. After putting some of their advise to the test I can understand why they still remember.

Yesterday I was playing around with the New Mexican Chile. It is a long deep red chili you buy in dried form just about anywhere in the States- for those of you in other countries, have a look and see if you can find it, it is well worth the search.

 The New Mexican Chili has a very deep yet slightly smoky flavor with no heat. When I was making the salsa above, I heated the chilies in a small fry pan without oil to blister the skin. When the skin was an off black color and it swelled with the heat I then soaked them in boiling water to soften. Discarding the seeds and stem I blended it with fresh tomato, garlic and lime juice. The taste- fresh yet earthy. Wondering the best way to enjoy eating the salsa, I decided to make a beef stew with tomato paste, beef, veggies and stock. I popped it in the oven to cook, then for the last 30 minutes I folded the salsa through, left it uncovered and waited to see what happened. 

WOW- The beef was as tender as can be, the flavor was rich with a hint of smoke, yet a touch of  citrus from the lime juice- it was like a power house of flavor and to finish it off I added fresh cilantro and mashed avocado....The sad part about the whole meals was, I didn't even get to eat it!  I had to work so I left it in the hands of Nic who happily informed me 'we all loved it' and ' Max hadn't eaten a meal this fast in ages'.  Granted I was very happy to hear the 3 year old, 6 year old and the 30 something all enjoyed dinner, but a sample taste would of been nice!