One of the things about cooking (and I suppose eating in general) is that we’re never happy staying complacent. There is always something better tasting we fancy… This means continually trying new recipes and learning new things.
I promised myself I’d spend some of November learning to cook fish since it was the one glaring gap in my repertoire that I really wanted to improve. Bear with me if it’s not your first choice. There will be plenty of non-fish recipes to follow. I promise!
Man I hated you when we were kids...
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Olive Oil-Poached Halibut with Brussel Sprouts and Mushrooms
Adapted from Men’s Health
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
4 halibut fillets (7 oz each), 1 inch thick
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large lemon, sliced
3 Tbsp capers in salt, rinsed and chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary
2 cups, plus 2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
1 lb brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved
2 cups mixed mushrooms, wiped and sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Chopped parsley for garnish
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 300°F. Season the fillets with salt and pepper and arrange them in a single layer in a glass 8×10 pan with about 1 inch between fillets. Layer the lemon slices on the fish and sprinkle on the chopped capers. Tuck a rosemary sprig amid the fillets. Pour 2 cups of the olive oil into the pan and gently place it in the oven. Cook 25 minutes, depending on your oven, until the fish is medium rare.
- While the fish cooks, heat 2 tablespoons each of oil and butter in a large skillet on medium. Add the brussels sprouts; when they begin to brown, season them with salt and pepper and cook until they’re caramelized and soft, about 15 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute for 5 minutes. Set aside.
- Divide the brussels sprouts mixture among four plates, top them with the poached fish, and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Filed under: Recipe on November 13th, 2009 | Comments Off on Olive Oil-Poached Halibut with Brussel Sprouts and Mushrooms
I’m blessed to work minutes from one of the greatest markets in North America – the St. Lawrence Market. So I’m a little spoiled having fresh ingredients at my doorstep. On one pathway you can stand at the cross-roads of four fantastic fish shops all vying for your attention by asking “what can I get for ya today buddy?”. While some recipes can tolerate less ideal options, you really want to make sure this recipe is done with market fresh, sushi grade tuna.
If you enjoy sushi, this is an interesting twist on some familiar themes. It’s got some subtle Japanese additions for flavour, and a touch of heat that will certainly wake up your taste-buds.
Feel free to experiment with other great flavour options like soy sauce, ginger and sesame oil.
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Japanese Tuna Tartare
Adapted from Men’s Health
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
12 oz sushi quality tuna (Atlantic Yellowtail if possible)
1 Tbsp cilantro, sliced
2 tsp minced jalapeno pepper
2 Tbsp canola oil
1/2 tsp Frank’s Red Hot sauce
1 Tbsp wasabi paste
1 Tbsp minced scallions (white part only)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 lemon, halved
Whole wheat crackers
Preparation:
- Dice the tuna into quarter-inch pieces and combine it with the cilantro, jalapeno, oil, hot sauce, wasabi, and scallions. Mix gently.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Spoon equal parts of the tuna tataki onto the centre of four plates.
- Squeeze lemon over the tuna, and surround with crackers. Serve immediately.
Filed under: Recipe on November 10th, 2009 | 1 Comment »
Hearty and delicious. What more can you ask for?
Nothing is as simple or delicious as a crockpot (slow cooker) soup. You spend a few minutes throwing a bunch of ingredients in the pot and forget about it until hours later.
In my book I had a really basic recipe for one of my favourites: Mushroom Barley Soup. I decided to play around with the recipe a bit and kick it up a notch. It’s still fairly easy to make, but adds another dimension with some minor additions like spinach, and a variety of textured mushrooms.
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Wild Mushroom, Spinach & Barley Soup
Adapted from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Serves: 8-10
Ingredients:
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 pound shitake mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
1/2 pound oyster mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
1/2 pound button mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
1/2 cup cabernet sauvignon
12 cups chicken stock*
2 cups fresh spinach, rinsed and chopped
2 1/2 cups barley
1 beef steak (medium fat, nothing fancy)
Salt and pepper, to taste
* I add the stock last and just fill the pot to the top.
Preparation:
- Add onion, barley, garlic, beef, mushrooms, spinach and wine to the crockpot.
- Fill crockpot to top with chicken stock.
- Cook on Low for 9 hours (this recipe will work overnight if serving for lunch).
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with crusty bread.
Filed under: Recipe on November 7th, 2009 | Comments Off on Wild Mushroom, Spinach & Barley Soup
