2011, Recipe 92: Indian-Style Salmon Fry

Recipe courtesy of Fran on Allrecipes.com

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
• 1 small onion, sliced into thin half-circles
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
• 1 green chile pepper, chopped
• 10 fresh curry leaves, chopped (optional)
• 1 tomato, diced
• 2 (14.75 ounce) cans salmon, drained and bones removed
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; place the cumin and mustard seeds in the hot oil and cook until the seeds begin to pop. Cook and stir the onions in the spice mixture until they brown. Mix in the garlic, ginger, chile pepper, and curry leaves; cook and stir until the garlic becomes golden. Add the tomatoes and stir for a few seconds before adding the salmon, using the back of your stirring spoon to break the salmon into small pieces in the pan; cook until the salmon is heated through, 5 to 10 minutes; remove from heat. Garnish with cilantro to serve.

Results: Yummy! Rashan didn't like it but I love Indian spices so I was all over it. No matter how gross it may look in the picture. LOL I used curry powder and ground mustard. If using ground mustard, just add with the onion and stir. I halved the recipe and there was plenty for 2 people with some leftover for one the next day. I didn't have cilantro so I didn't use that but it was still great!

2011, Recipe 90: Coconut Shrimp with Apricot Lime Basmati Rice

This Tyler Florence Thai curry-style recipe did not send any shivers through Rashan.  He hates coconut and therefore coconut milk.  Actually, the more I cook, the more things I find out he doesn't like.  Sometimes they're things he had cooked poorly as a child (greens, cabbage) or that just sounds gross to him (my husband's five) and sometimes he just genuinely doesn't like them.

If I think this hate is theoretical, I cook around it.  Turns out his dislike of coconut milk is actual.  But the recipe is tasty with 2 adjustments.  If I made this again I would just beat up the lemongrass with a knife and put it in in large pieces instead of cutting it.  Lemongrass does not soften upon cooking.  I would also quarter or dice the apricots so they wouldn't be SO obtrusive in the rice.   Very interesting dish from Tyler's Ultimate Cookbook.

2011, Recipe 76: Spicy Shrimp Burgers

I'd never had a shrimp burger before... honestly, I don't like shrimp that much.  It is too often overcooked and I just like other seafood much better.  I'll eat shrimp (most often mixed with meat or other seafood) but if there are other choices, I'll go with those first.  The seafood I don't eat?  Scallops.  I haaaaate scallops.  No matter how many times I try them, I just don't like scallops.


Back to burgers!  I decided to make shrimp burgers and they were... well... I'll tell you later.  To the recipe!


Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray

• 1 pound raw peeled and deveined small shrimp
• 1 celery stalk with green, leafy tops, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 small to medium yellow skinned onion, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 1 clove garlic
• A handful parsley leaves
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose seafood seasoning, found near fish department (recommended: Old Bay)
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1 teaspoon hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
• 1 lemon, zested
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
• 4 English muffins, sandwich size plain or sour dough flavor
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise or reduced fat mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup chili sauce or salsa or taco sauce
• Butter or Boston lettuce leaves

Divide the shrimp in half. Put half the shrimp into a food processor and grind it up. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl using a rubber spatula. Add the whole shrimp to the bowl. Add celery, onion, bell pepper, garlic and parsley to the processor and pulse-grind it into a fine chop. Add the vegetable mixture to the shrimp. Add half a palm full of crab boil seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, lemon zest, salt and pepper to the bowl, to season. Stir the shrimp mixture to combine. 

Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium to medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan in a slow stream. Use a large metal scoop to scoop 4 mounds of shrimp burger mixture into the pan. Gently pat down to form patties. Fry patties 3 to 5 minutes on each side, until they firm up and the shrimp turn whitish-pink.


Split and toast the sandwich size English muffins. Mix mayonnaise and chili sauce, salsa or taco sauce. Place burgers on muffin bottoms and top with lettuce. Slather the top of the muffins with sauce and set in place.

Results: Y'all know I don't like mayo.  This is turning into a what Jameil doesn't like post.  Sorry!  Anyway, I used sour cream instead of mayo and it was delightful! You could also use yogurt.  I used regular buns as you see and romaine lettuce.  Now the shrimp are gummy when you bring them out of the processor.  I took the advice of a reviewer and added an egg which I think was unnecessary.  The panko suggestion from another reviewer was helpful.  These were delicious!!  I loved them!!  Great call, Jameil!

Bonus Recipe: Old Bay Seasoning
Recipe courtesy of Food.com

• 1 tablespoon celery seed (I used celery salt)
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorn
• 6 bay leaves (I just used 3)
• 1/2 teaspoon whole cardamom pod
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds (I used ground)
• 4 whole cloves (I used ground)
• 1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon mace (or allspice)

1) Place ingredients in a spice grinder or small food processor-grind well.

2) Store in a small glass. 

Results: Great!  I used it in my shrimp burger recipe because amazingly I had allll of these spices (and more), but no Old Bay. LOL  And I got to use my coffee grinder as a spice grinder for the first time.  The spices got EVERYWHERE.  Well all over the grinder.  I should definitely use it for coffee... except I don't use coffee.

Oy, vey! Oysters!

Hey, y'all! Sorry this post took so long, I lost the paper I wrote my list and descriptions on! While packing for my next trip to DMV (and possibly NYC), I found it in between jeans. Weird.

Anyway, when I went to Grand Central's Oyster Bar, I was presented with a menu and time. I read over the menu and decided I wanted 6 from each coast. I was once told west coast oysters are smaller and sweeter whereas east coast are bigger and saltier. I wanted to put that to the test by choosing 2 oysters from each location. I'll start with West Coast oysters.

Emerald Cove from Washington: the first one was very milky and basic tasting (alkaline). Almost like eating liquid soap. The second one was better b/c the mignonette sauce (MS) cut thru the basic taste.

Hama Hama from Washington: very salty at first, goes down good! The second one was too intense with MS. Salt + Acid doesn't taste too good.

I tried to order Snow Creek, Yaquina, and Totem Inlet but they were out. It looked like my west coast oyster tour has ended. I didn't want to eat anymore from Washington but the other states like Oregon and Cali were perkin. Now for East Coast.

Martha's Vineyard from Massachusetts: first one was salty! But unlike the HamaHama's, the second one tasted much better with MS!

North Haven from Maine: this was a bitter oyster. I remember making a medicine face. It became sweet when paired with MS.

Beaver Tail from Rhode Island: the first one was bland, the second one was AWESOME with MS! It was my fave of the bunch! Note to self, get RI oysters whenever possible and have plenty of mignonette sauce available.

Cape Breton from Nova Scotia: this one was recommended to me by a Russian couple seated next to me. The man overheard my trouble with various west coast oysters and suggested I try this one. He looked like he eats people who don't follow directions (think the typical russian goon bad guy in movies) so i didn't want to tell him I was trying to get an equal number of oysters from each coast... anyway, it was a nice oyster and better with MS. I was still in love with the RI oyster.

I thought about ordering some more Beaver Tails and trying different ones but I was kind of full. Remember, I had a hotdog, shackburg, and fro-yo! No worries, I walked EVERYTHING off freakin around in NYC!

So that was my oyster adventure! I can't wait to go back and try some more!

*my notes are cracking me up. You should see the exclamation points and capital letters I used to emphasize each oyster*

Recipes 49 & 50: Grilled Wahoo in Tomato Sauce & Yukon Gold Potatoes Jacques Pepin-Style

Grilled Wahoo in Tomato Sauce
Recipe courtesy of Bobby Flay 

• 4 wahoo fillets, 6 ounces each (or whatever a good size is)
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing dish
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 anchovies in oil, patted dry and chopped (I used anchovy paste)
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 tablespoon capers, drained
• 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Heat the grill to high. Brush both sides of the fillets with canola oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Grill until slightly charred and almost cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes per side, (it will continue cooking in the sauce).

While the fish is grilling, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, anchovies and tomatoes and cook until slightly soft, about 4 minutes. Add the capers, olives, lemon juice, oregano and parsley and cook for 30 seconds. Transfer the fish to the sauce and let cook for 1 minute. Transfer to a serving platter and serve.

Results: Delicious!!  I'd never had wahoo b/c it is ordinarily at least $12.99/lb. but was on sale for $6.99/lb so we got 2 filets and it was what?  WORTH IT!!  Y'all know I don't believe in cherry tomatoes so I used diced fire roasted tomatoes.  This sauce belongs on everything God has ever made!!! AWESOME.

Yukon Gold Potatoes Jacques Pepin-Style
Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray 

• 3 pounds baby Yukon gold potatoes
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 to 3 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves

Place the potatoes in a deep skillet and add salt and pepper, to taste. Cover potatoes halfway with chicken stock, about 3 cups, add the butter and cover skillet with a lid. Cook the potatoes in the stock until almost tender, about 5 to 8 minutes, depending upon the size of the potatoes. Remove the lid and allow the stock to evaporate, about another 5 minutes. Once the stock has evaporated pop each potato using a ladle or large spoon, creating a small crack in each, but do not smash. Allow the potatoes to brown on each side, another 5 minutes, and re-season with salt and pepper, if necessary or desired. Remove the browned potatoes from the skillet and place onto a serving platter, garnished with the parsley.

Results: Takes forever but worth it! You probably don't even need the butter. Extra delicious!  This meal was every single thing!  You can really never have too many potato recipes, nah mean? Also, go light on the salt b/c there's a good bit of salt in chicken stock.

Altogether?  A GREAT MEAL!!

Feed My Face!

So as you may or may not know, Z a g a t has a list of the 30 must-have foods in NYC this summer. Of that list, I chose 20 I'd like to try. Here are the ones I eliminated:

I crossed off 'a bucket of Corona's at the Frying Pan' b/c

1. I don't drink beer and

2. really? i'ma come to NY to drink something I can get ANYWHERE else?

I don't need to try the DitchPlains's mussels b/c I realize i'm not the biggest fan of them. I always get them rubbery. Send me oysters instead.

I don't want Gray's papaya drink b/c papaya may be the fruit I hate more than cantaloupe (but not more than guava).

I've decided to pass on a tiki drink from a place called Hurricane... if tiki drinks weren't invented in So.Fla, they were definitely perfected there.

I don't want ribs from anywhere above the Mason-Dixon, sorry Hill Country.

I'm not going to pay upwards of $12 for a yerbabuena ensalata which is nothing more than a dressed up caprese but instead of basil, they use mint (yech in food).

Starbux iced anything didn't make my list and neither did rosa mexicano's overpriced pom margarita (Which I happened to already have tasted whilst in DC).

I didn't add gownusyacht's 'beer and a burger' cause i already have a burger joint on my list and i'm kind of burgered out.

So what does that leave?

Black Forty's Crab Boil

The Bedford's Sangria

Big Gay Ice Cream Truck's Salty Pimp

Brookyln Farmacy's Egg Cream

Cafe Habana's Grilled Corn

CoolHaus' Ice Cream Sandwich

El Faro's Gazpacho

Grand Central Station's Oyster Bar's Oysters

Grimaldi's Pizza

Grom's Gelato

Luke's Lobster Roll

Mermaid Oyster Bar's Oyster Po Boy

Mr. Softee Ice Cream

Nathan's Hotdog

Nuela's Ceviche

People's Pops

Red Hook Ball Field's Huarache

Rouge et Blan's Soft Shell Crab Banh Mi

Shake Shack's Burger

Tacombi's Fish Taco

Zengo's Tequila Snow Cone

Also on my list is the requisite NY stuff. A hotdog from a vendor on the street and maybe a pretzel. I can live my life w/o eating pretzels so I'm not too pressed abt that one...

Stay tuned for the next episode of Feed My Face!

2011, Recipe 20: Fat Noodles with Crab, Buttered Artichokes, and Mint

• Kosher salt
• 1 pound pappardelle
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter)
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 can (about 16 ounces) artichokes, drained, rinsed and halved
• Finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 pint (8 ounces) lump crabmeat
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Handful of fresh mint leaves, chopped
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus extra for serving

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pappardelle, stir to separate, and cook for 8 to 9 minutes, until al dente. Drain and dump the pasta into a serving bowl. (You'll need to use 1 cup of the pasta cooking water for the sauce.)

While the pasta is cooking, combine the butter and olive oil in a medium skillet and put it over medium heat. Scoop out 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, add it to the skillet, and reduce the whole thing for 5 minutes to thicken. Then add the artichoke halves, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, crabmeat, and salt and pepper and toss to warm everything through. Add that to the bowl with the cooked drained pasta. Add the mint and Parmigiano and season with salt and lots of black pepper. Toss and serve with extra Parmigiano.

Results: YUM with yum pasta!  I really liked this and so did Rashan!  The artichokes?  The BEST!  You should quarter them instead of halving them so they go throughout the pasta.  I served it with sourdough garlic bread!  Yummy!!  Also, the only reason I made this is because there was a great sale on crab.  I have enough leftover to make another Ty recipe.  Can't wait!

2011, Recipe 12: Seviche

I used a seviche recipe in my newest Rick Bayless acquisition that's very close to this one.

• 1 pound fresh, skinless snapper, bass, halibut, or other ocean fish fillets, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 1/2 cups fresh lime juice
• 1 medium white onion, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• Fresh hot green chiles (2 to 3 serranos or 1 to 2 jalapeños), stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro, plus a few leaves for garnish
• Salt
• 1 large or 2 small ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and diced
• Tostadas, tortilla chips or saltine crackers, for serving 

1. In a 1 1/2-quart glass or stainless steel bowl, combine the fish, lime juice and onion. Use enough juice to cover the fish and allow it to float freely; too little juice means unevenly "cooked" fish. Cover and refrigerate for about 4 hours, until a cube of fish no longer looks raw when broken open. Drain in a colander.
2. In a large bowl, mix the cilantro and chiles. Stir in the fish and season with salt, usually about 1/2 teaspoon. Cover and refrigerate if not serving immediately. Just before serving, gently stir in the diced avocado.

 Results: AWESOME!!  And so easy!  I'm never paying $10 for seviche again!!!!  I used tilapia and took this to a brunch.  It was a hit!  I did a duo of seviche.  One had roasted jalapeno, roasted tomatillo & roasted poblano.  The other followed this recipe.  The recipe one was a bigger hit at the party (who can resist avocado?) but Rashan & I loved both.  The 4 hour time is not necessary.  You can really serve it immediately if you like Peruvian-style seviche but an hour is plenty for your fish to have a bit of a bite and still be tasty.  I served this with tortilla chips.

2011, Recipe 2: Tyler's Ultimate Grilled Shrimp

Recipe courtesy of Tyler Florence

• Oil
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 bunch fresh basil leaves
• 2 lemons, divided
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 16 large head-on jumbo shrimp in the shell, shells split down the back

Put a large grill pan on 2 burners over medium-high heat or preheat an outdoor gas or charcoal grill and get it very hot. If you're using an outdoor grill, take a few paper towels and fold them over several times to make a thick square. Blot a small amount of oil on the paper towel, then carefully and quickly wipe the hot grates of the grill to make a nonstick grilling surface.


Meanwhile, add the butter into a food processor with the basil leaves (reserve a few for garnish), the juice of 1 of the lemons, and salt and pepper. Puree. Stuff about half of the butter under the shells of the shrimp (about 1/2 tablespoon per shrimp). Lay the shrimp on the hot grill and cook for 3 minutes on each side, brushing with the remaining basil butter a few times as they cook.


To serve, put the shrimp on plates and dot with the remaining basil butter. Squeeze the remaining lemon over the shrimp and garnish the plates with basil leaves.

Results: Beautiful!  (Rashan disagreed. He found them scary.)  Head-on shrimp were $2.99/lb. at my grocery store so YEP! I'll be using those!  I liked it but I could've used more salt and pepper.  Rashan wasn't impressed.  His response?  Basil-y.  Um.. gee... thanks.

You should definitely split these pretty deep, almost butterflied for them to be able to hold the butter like you need them to.  I might sprinkle them with salt and pepper.

I served this with polenta sprinkled with pancetta (also on sale).  So... fancy shrimp and grits.  I mixed basil butter into the pancetta and I'll mix the leftover basil butter into some orzo later in the week.  It's about to be on!