Saturday, November 26, 2011

Greek-Style Mahi Mahi

I found this recipe a couple years ago and made it with Halibut.  It turned out really good and rich.  I followed the recipe exactly the first time and made some changes the second time and kept them. 

ingredients
3 medium tomatoes cut into wedges or I used a pint of cherry tomatoes
2 tbls + 2 tspn olive oil
1 tbls red-wine vinegar
4 or how many ever your serving mahi mahi fillets w/ skin on or whatever white fish
1/2 cup mayonnaise, but this is where I substituted the mayo for greek yogurt plain I did put in a couple tablespoons of mayo though
1/4 cup feta cheese this is great with the isreali feta
3 tbls fresh mint
2 tbls fresh dill
1 tsp fresh lemon juice or more
8 slices of lemon

Preheat broiler.
Toss tomatoes with 2 tbls oil, vinegar, and a little salt,  I also threw in a sliced cucumber.

Line broiler pan with foil or parchment paper and lightly oil,  I also put lemon slices on the bottom so the fish wouldn't stick.
Whisk together the mayo, greek yogurt, feta, fresh chopped herbs, and lemon juice.  I did not salt because the feta is salty.  I did sprinle with a little pepper.  Spread on top of fish and then put lemon slices on top and drizzle a little olive oil.
Broil fish about 8 inches from heat and cooked through about 14 to 16 minutes.  If topping browns befor fish is done tent with foil.  Serve fish with tomatoes.  I also made a toasted orzo with saffron and fennel.

Toasted Orzo with Saffron and Fennel

1/2 tsp crumbled saffron threads
1 tbls boiling water + 2 cups water
1/2 cup red onion
2 tbls olive oil
1/2 cup orzo
1 cup chopped fennel (1 sm bulb) and 2 tbls chopped fronds from the top

Soften saffron with the hot water and set aside.
 Cook onion in oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes.  Add orzo and toast, stirring frequently, 2 to 4 minutes.
Stir in saffron, 2 cups water, salt and simmer covered until orzo is just tender and all the liquid is absorbed, about 12 minutes.
Sprinkle fennel bulb over orzo and let stand covered, off heat about 5 minutes.  Stir in fennel and fronds and serve.

This dinner is something that can be made on a week night and is really good! 

Saturday, November 5, 2011

The nicest clam chowder, Essex girl style

  I got this recipe from a Jamie Oliver cookbook.  I can't remember the name of it but he is on the cover.  There is some great recipes out of that and this is one of them.  I actually have made this multiple times but last week was the first time for my son and he loved it too, just like everyone else!

olive oil
4 slices thick cut bacon chopped
1 small onion chopped
4 stocks of celery sliced
4 gloves garlic chopped
1 lb of potatoes chopped, I use Yukon Gold's
2 bay leaves
5 ears sweet corn or You can use 4 cups of frozen  I like whit corn
1 tbls fresh thyme
5 cups chicken stock
2 1/2 lbs fresh clams
2-3 red chillies chopped you can deseed them but I like the seeds
1 bunch fresh Italian parsley chopped
1/2 lemon
3 tbls heavy cream
salt and pepper

  Heat a little olive oil in a soup pot and add the chopped bacon, cook until golden.  Add the onion, celery, garlic, potatoes, and bay leaves.  Cook on low for about 15 minutes.  Cut the corn off the cob and add to the pot, add thyme and stock and cook for 20 more minutes.
  While the soup is cooking, get another pot with a lid on high heat.  When the pot is hot add the clams and a cup of water put the lid back on.  Leave to steam and boil till clams have opened.  Hold a strainer over the soup pot add the remainder water from the clams to the soup.  Discard any clams that remained closed, then add the meat from the clams to the soup, along with the chili, parsley, and the juice from a half a lemon.
  Remove half the soup to puree in a blender, then add back to the soup.  Stir in the cream warm through add salt and pepper and serve.