Crab cake sandwiches

Whitney loves the State Farmers Market with its wide variety of cheap produce and other local businesses, so much so that she seems to forget that we are already subscribed to receive a box of produce every week from our CSA. One day she came home with ingredients for crab cake sandwiches and we got to work making use of our large stock of perishable foods.

Everything except condiments in this meal is from local farms and businesses. We used sweet potato from our Brinkley Farms CSA to make fries; crab from Locals Seafood; cabbage (for slaw), lettuce, and tomato from various NC Farmers Market vendors; and rolls from La Farm Bakery in Cary (sourced at the NC Farmers Market).

Maryland Crab cake Sandwich Inspiration from Bryan Voltaggio & Esquire
   For 2 sandwiches
Ingredients
3 Tbsp mayonnaise, preferably Duke's 
1 tsp Old Bay
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 ½ tsp lemon juice  
1 egg
2 scallions, minced  
2 drops Tabasco sauce
pinch of fine sea salt  
1/2 lb jumbo lump crabmeat, picked of fragments
1/3 cup cracker meal for breading  
1/3 cup clarified butter*
2 buns, toasted and buttered

Directions
   In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, Old Bay, Worcestershire, mustard, lemon juice, eggs, scallions, Tabasco, and sea salt. Using a wire whisk, mix the ingredients together to incorporate evenly. Add the crabmeat by thirds and fold gently with a spatula to be sure the crab does not get broken up.
   Evenly coat the bottom of a baking dish with a generous dusting of the cracker meal, about ½ cup. Use an ice-cream scoop or a similar tool to divide crabmeat mixture into six or eight individual cakes. Place each crab cake in the cracker meal and dust with the remaining cracker meal, coating all sides. In a large frying pan, slowly heat the clarified butter. Use a candy thermometer to get it to 325 degrees, or stick the end of a chopstick into the butter — when it gives off a steady stream of bubbles, you're at 325.
   Using a slotted metal or other high-heat-resistant spatula and working one at a time, place each cake into the butter, leaving a half inch between them so the crab cakes brown evenly. Cook crab cakes on both sides in the clarified butter, about 6 full minutes per side, until golden brown. (If you need to cook in multiple batches, set your oven at the lowest temperature and insert a cooling rack over a baking sheet, to rest the crab cakes on.) Let cakes sit for a minute, and then transfer them to the buns. Top with tartar sauce.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries from Paula Deen
Ingredients
Olive Oil, for tossing
1 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced in 1/4-wide inch strips
1 tablespoon House Seasoning (salt, black pepper, garlic powder)
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Line a sheet tray with parchment. In a large bowl toss sweet potatoes with just enough oil to coat. Sprinkle with House Seasoning and paprika. Spread sweet potatoes in single layer on prepared baking sheet, being sure not to overcrowd. Bake until sweet potatoes are tender and golden brown, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Tartar Sauce
Combine dab of mayo, some chopped pickle relish, dash of white vinegar, dijon mustard, salt and pepper.

Serve crab cake on sandwich with tartar sauce, baked sweet potato fries, and slaw.

Salmon and dijon potatoes

These roasted potatoes were really good. Most of the time we do roasted potatoes they're a bit ho-hum, but the mustard in this preparation really gave them the kick they needed to be extra delicious. We had them with salmon and an arugula salad.

Dijon-roasted potatoes

Inspired by Ina Garten's Mustard-Roasted Potatoes

Chop potatoes into bite-size pieces. Toss with dijon mustard, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast at 425 until cooked through and lightly browned.

Fish tacos with citrus-avocado salsa

Here's an easy take on fish tacos! This recipe caught my eye while flipping through the "Clean Slate" cookbook from Martha Stewart Living. Patrick and I both really loved it! It's fresh and simple and the perfect way to brighten up a gloomy winter evening. The fish is lightly fried in the pan but it's not breaded and topped with a citrus-avocado salsa that has a bit of kick from red onions and jalapenos. We served on whole wheat tortillas for extra fiber.

Fish tacos with citrus-avocado salsa inspiration from Martha Stewart's "Clean Slate"
   Serves 4

Ingredients
1 orange, segmented and cut into 1-inch pieces (may substitute grapefruit)
1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and cubed
2 tbsp red onion, diced
1/2 jalapeño chile, finely chopped (remove some ribs and seeds)
juice of 1 lime (~1 tbsp fresh lime juice)
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
4 skinless cod fillets (about 4 ounces each - may substitute halibut)
8 6-inch whole wheat tortillas
1 cup shredded napa cabbage
1 small roma tomato, diced
sour cream, for serving if desired
salt and pepper

Directions
   Combine grapefruit, avocado, red onion, cilantro, jalapeño, and lime juice in a bowl. Season with salt. Set aside.
   Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Season halibut generously with salt and pepper. Cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until golden and flaky, 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove and let cool slightly, then flake with a fork.
   Warm tortillas. Top with cabbage, roma tomato, fish, and salsa, dividing evenly. Finish with a dollop of sour cream. Serve immediately.

Salmon in parchment with asparagus and shiitake

Baking fish in parchment is a great way to prepare fish and make it flavorful. The fish really takes on whatever else you nestle it in parchment with (so don't make it bland). We've done fish in parchment just once before and that used lemon, fresh herbs, a bay leaf, and wine as the flavoring components. This recipe not only includes the flavoring components for the fish but also some veggies to serve with it! This fish in parchment was definitely a winner! We will be making it again. Hope you try it.

Martha Stewart's Salmon in parchment with asparagus and shiitake
   Serves 4
Ingredients
8 oz shiitake mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
8 oz medium asparagus (about 1/2 bunch), trimmed and halved lengthwise
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Zest of 1 lemon, plus lemon wedges for serving
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup water (may substitute white wine)
4 skinless wild-salmon fillets (5 ounces and 1 inch thick each)

Directions
   Preheat oven to 400 degrees with racks in upper and lower thirds. Cut four 12-by-17-inch pieces of parchment. Fold each in half crosswise to make a crease, then unfold and lay flat. Toss mushrooms, asparagus, and scallions with oil in a large bowl. Sprinkle with lemon zest and season with salt and pepper.
   Remove asparagus from mixture and divide evenly among parchment pieces, creating a bed of spears on 1 side of crease. Top each with 1 piece of fish, then with mushroom mixture. Drizzle each serving with 1 tablespoon water. To close, fold parchment pieces over each serving; make small overlapping pleats to seal the open sides and create 4 half-moon-shaped packets.

Completed packet on the left; veggie bed and salmon on the right

   Bake packets on 2 baking sheets 9 minutes. Carefully cut open packets with kitchen shears (steam will be released). Serve fish, asparagus, and mushrooms with lemon wedges for squeezing.

We served with a side of sun-dried tomato couscous.

Halibut with Cashews, Tatsoi, and Oranges

One of the reasons Patrick and I chose our CSA farm was because they offered the option to customize your CSA box. We are able to login to the "farm store" each week and select what produce we'd like in our box. Some CSAs don't offer this flexibility and you get a surprise box each week. We like this option for two reasons - 1) we're less likely to waste produce since we know how to cook everything we select and 2) we can meal plan with the selected produce and buy accompanying ingredients for recipes before we receive the box.

With all of that said we still like to try something new and exotic every now and then. We've been supporting the same CSA and farm for over five years now so I think we've just about tried everything they offer. Well this year they offered something new - something I'd never heard of before! It was tatsoi. They described it as "a mild Asian green. It is sort of a mix between spinach and mustard greens." I selected tatsoi for our box and off I went to find a recipe that featured this new green.

The Internet wasn't too familiar with tatsoi recipes so I really had to dig around to find something to make with it. The recipe I landed on pairs the tatsoi with fish and citrus. We really liked it! The recipe was featured in a farm CSA subscription newsletter. They had a neat introduction of the leafy green so I'm including it below and then the recipe.

From Denison Farm: “Before we start: you've almost certainly eaten tatsoi before. The mild, mustardy leaves often show up in mixed salad greens, so -- surprise! -- you're probably already acquainted. What's so great about this green? Once you track it down, (aliases include tat soy, tat soi, broadbeak mustard, spoon mustard, spinach mustard, and rosette bok choy), it'll quickly become one of the most versatile green vegetables you know. It's friendly with a number of cuisines and preparations, much like the rest of its brassica siblings. Tatsoi is a very versatile green, equally suited to being served raw or lightly cooked. To make it easy, just use tatsoi anywhere you’d use spinach. Lightly steam or sauté it, wilt the leaves with a warm dressing, or add them to a soup at the end of cooking."

Halibut with Cashews, Tat Soi, and Oranges from Denison Farm and Chef Maya
Ingredients
2 - 4-6 ounce halibut fillets (we substituted cod)
2 cups tatsoi, cleaned and chopped
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
1/2 cup fresh orange juice (and slices of fresh oranges for garnish)
1/4 cup chopped cashews
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp fresh ginger, chopped

Directions
   Season halibut with salt and pepper. In a large non stick skillet over medium high heat add sesame oil and halibut. Cook for about 3 minutes until well browned on one side and then flip over and lower heat to medium low.
   Add cashews, ginger, orange juice and tamari and allow juices to reduce for about a minute or two until halibut is cooked through. (depending on the thickness of your halibut it shouldn’t be more than another 2 minutes).
   Remove halibut from pan and add tatsoi. If the sauce reduces too much, add a little more orange juice, just enough to help the tatsoi wilt about 2 minutes more. Add orange juice to deglaze when necessary.
   Remove from heat. Place tatsoi on the bottom of the plate and top with halibut. Spoon sauce and cashews over the halibut and garnish with fresh orange slices.

Quick salmon with broccoli

Looking for a quick meal? Something healthy? Something with vegetables?

This dish answers "yes" to all of those questions! It's super quick, features salmon as the protein, and represents the Choose My Plate recommendations fairly well (it needs some fruit).

How do I know this is a quick meal? Patrick came home from work while I was pulling out a bottle of marinade for the salmon and said "I'm hungry". I retracted my hand with the marinade, put it back into the fridge, and scanned around to see how I could prep the filet to make it quick. I replaced the marinade with an open bottle of white wine and a lemon. After the salmon was quickly prepared for the oven to roast, the rest of the meal came together by the time the bell went off on the oven. Read on to see what I did!

For the salmon
   Preheat toaster convection oven to 400F. Place aluminum foil on the toaster tray. Center the salmon on the foil (our filet was slightly under 1/2 lb) and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and rub into the filet. Top with 4 lemon slices. Next bring the aluminum foil sides up in preparation to pinch together the corners and create a packet. Before you do this though pour in 1/4 - 1/3 cup white wine (until it covers the bottom of the packet). Be careful not to wash all the seasoning off the filet so pour to the side. Finally loosely fold together the corners; leave a little opening for steam to escape. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes.

For the broccoli
   After the salmon goes into the oven, slice one head of broccoli into florets. Set a steamer basket into a saucepan and bring water to a boil. Once boiling add in broccoli and steam for 5-7 minutes or until broccoli is a bright green. Remove from the steamer basket and toss with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper; top with parmesan cheese.

For the rice
   Since Patrick was super hungry we used one of our microwave ready-to-heat rice bags. (We like this Seeds of Change brand - we keep them on hand for quick dinners.) They microwave in 90 seconds and are portioned for two.

By the time the broccoli was steamed and the microwave dinged for the rice the salmon was ready! Patrick was impressed with how quickly dinner was on the table and jokingly commented that dinner should be like this every night!

Cornmeal fried tilapia and marinated bean salad

Everything in this dish of substance came from the freezer! It was a great meal to pull together rather quickly. I actually prepared this on a night we had a show at DPAC that started at 7:30pm. I worked on prepping and fixing the marinated bean salad before moving on to the fish. The tilapia filets fried up quickly and the two recipes made for a complete dish.

Marinated bean salad by Martha Stewart

   Serves 10; we halved

Ingredients

2 pounds fresh green beans, ends snapped

Salt and pepper

1 pound butter beans, or small fresh or frozen lima beans

1/4 cup tarragon or white-wine vinegar we used white wine vinegar

3 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 shallot, minced

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon, plus more for garnish we omitted and substituted an herb spice blend

2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish see above

Directions

   Prepare an ice-water bath. Cook green beans in boiling salted water, just until bright green and tender, about 5 minutes. Reserving the cooking liquid, remove beans with a large slotted spoon; transfer to ice-water bath to stop the cooking. Transfer beans to a colander. Cook butter beans in the boiling cooking liquid, just until tender, 5 minutes if frozen. Strain; place under cold, running water to stop cooking. Set aside. We used frozen green beans and butter beans so cooked them both at the same time.

   Make vinaigrette: In a medium bowl, combine vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper to taste, and minced shallot. Whisk in olive oil until vinaigrette is creamy. Whisk in tarragon and parsley.

In a large bowl, toss green beans until well coated with about three-quarters of the vinaigrette. In a large bowl or on a platter, arrange the green beans in an even layer. Sprinkle the reserved butter beans over the top. Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over the beans. Garnish with tarragon and parsley. Serve at room temperature.

For the tilapia
   We set up a breading station to fry two tilapia filets. The first bowl was flour with a bit of salt and pepper, then a egg beaten with a tablespoon or two of water, and finally cornmeal. The fish was fried in a pan with hot oil for 3-4 minutes on each side.

Snapper and Corn fritters

Patrick and I made this right at end of the summer produce season. We took advantage of some late corn for these corn and cheddar fritters. They were quite savory and a wonderful side to snapper. After reading through the corn and cheddar fritters recipe I wanted to pair it with something that wouldn't compete with its flavor (there are jalapenos in the fritters!) and thought a white fish would work really well. This snapper and corn fritters meal was great! The fritters are served with sauteed cherry tomatoes and really give the dish a lot of flavor.

The fritter recipe says it makes 8 fritters and serves 2. If you make this recipe and follow that then the fritters can be your entree otherwise I would recommend serving it as a side dish. We served the fritters on a bed of spinach and split a snapper filet.

Corn and Cheddar Fritters with Sauteed Tomatoes from Williams-Sonoma Weeknight Fresh & Fast

   Makes about 8 fritters; serves 2

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil, plus more if needed

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped

Corn kernels, cut from one large ear

salt and pepper, to taste

2/3 cup cornmeal

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp plus 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/8 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 large egg

1 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

2 Tbs. fresh basil, finely minced

10-12 oz. grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions

   In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add 1/2 of the onion and all of the bell pepper and sauté until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the corn and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until the corn begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.

   In a medium bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, 1/8 teaspoon of the cayenne, baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt; stir to blend. In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk and egg; beat with a fork to blend. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir until just combined. Fold in the sautéed vegetables, cheese, and the 2 tablespoons basil.

   In a clean frying pan over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of onion and sauté until it begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until starting to soften, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl. Stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, and then cover to keep warm.

   In a clean large frying pan over medium heat, warm a thin film of olive oil. Working in batches and adding more oil as needed, use a 1/4-cup measure to add the batter to the pan. Cook until golden, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a warmed platter, and cover to keep warm. Divide the fritters between 2 warmed plates. Spoon the tomato mixture over the fritters, garnish with small basil leaves, and serve right away. 

Grilled shrimp and squash with green beans

This dish completely blew our taste buds out of the water! It surpassed all expectations for deliciousness. I chose this recipe out of our Weeknight Fresh & Fast cookbook (one of my favorites, by the way) because it seemed like a clean, simple dish that utilized fresh veggies and a seafood protein. The Dijon vinaigrette is wonderful, ties the whole dish together and makes it a show stopper.

The original recipe is just the shrimp and squash. I was planning to serve the green beans as a side but as I was finishing the shrimp and summer squash I decided to toss everything together for a one-dish meal!

Grilled Shrimp and Summer Squash with Green Beans inspiration from Williams-Sonoma Weeknight Fresh & Fast

   Serves 4 | Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

2 tsp Dijon mustard  

Grated zest of 1 lemon 

2 tbsp . fresh lemon juice  

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing 

1 small serrano chili, seeded and minced or jalapeno

1 tsp minced fresh marjoram we subbed oregano

1 tbsp minced fresh basil 

salt and pepper, to taste 

1 1/4 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails intact 

8 summer squash, cut lengthwise into 3 pieces each 

Directions

   Soak bamboo skewers in water to cover for 30 minutes if using a gril. Prepare a medium-hot fire in a grill. We used our grill pan.

   Put the mustard in a small bowl. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice and mix well. Gradually whisk in the 1/3 cup olive oil, then mix in the pepper, marjoram and basil. I used a small food processor. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Set aside. 

   Drain the skewers. Thread about 4 of the shrimp on a skewer and then thread a second skewer through the shrimp, parallel to the first, to prevent the shrimp from spinning around on the skewers. Repeat with the remaining shrimp. Place the squash and shrimp on a large baking sheet. Brush the shrimp and squash with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. 

   Arrange the squash on the grill, cover the grill and cook, turning once, until tender and lightly charred, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Place the shrimp on the grill and cook, uncovered, turning once, until just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Remove the shrimp from the skewers and cut the squash crosswise. 

   Meanwhile prepare a medium pot with boiling water and a steamer basket. Steam green beans until crisp-tender and bright green, about 8 minutes.

   Transfer the shrimp and squash and green beans to a bowl and toss with the lemon-herb sauce. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately. 

Roasted red pepper salad

If you love a salty, tangy bite to your salads then this is just for you! The vinaigrette has anchovy paste, red wine vinegar, and capers to deliver the savoriness you desire. I loved this salad!

Know what else I loved about it?! It was ready in under 30 minutes! As soon as I got home from running errands one evening I immediately put the red peppers under the broiler. This will char the skins allowing you to peel them. After the peppers came out from under the broiler we put in the fish. While the fish baked everything else came together - making the vinaigrette, tossing the salad, and peeling the peppers. Enjoy!

Roasted red pepper salad inspiration from Martha Stewart

Ingredients

2 small red bell peppers

salt and pepper

1 tbsp anchovy paste

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tsp red wine vinegar

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 tbsp capers

1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano

1 can (15 ounces) small white beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup argula

Directions

   Char bell peppers over the flames of a gas burner, turning with tongs until blackened and blistered, about 10 minutes. (Alternatively, broil them 2 or 3 inches from heat source. - this is what we did) Transfer peppers to a bowl, cover with a plate, and let stand until cool. Scrape off skins with a paring knife and wipe flesh clean with a paper towel. Keeping stems intact, cut peppers in half lengthwise, then remove and discard seeds. Slice the peppers and reserve for topping the salad.

   Whisk together anchovy paste, garlic, vinegar, oil, and oregano in a medium bowl. Add beans, capers, and arugula and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon peppers over salad.

We served the salad topped with baked cod and enjoyed dinner outside!

It's Always Caturday

Dupree hanging out on his kitchen stool

Green bean salad with cherry tomatoes

Green beans are one of my least disliked vegetables, as they have a decent texture when cooked properly and have a fresh "green" flavor without being too bitter. This recipe takes green beans from "ok" to "actually good". The acidity of the lemon dressing and cherry tomatoes complement the green beans really well and make for a delicious salad.

Green bean and cherry tomato salad from chow.com
   Serves 6-8 (we halved)
Ingredients
2 tbsp finely chopped shallot (from about 1 medium shallot)
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest (from about 2 medium lemons)
2 tsp kosher salt, plus more as needed
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
6 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 3 medium lemons)
1/2 c extra-virgin olive oil
2 lb green beans, ends trimmed
2 pints (1 pound) cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves and stems

Directions
   Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil and prepare an ice water bath by filling a bowl halfway with ice and water; set aside.
   Meanwhile, make the dressing. Place the shallot, lemon zest, and measured salt and pepper in a medium, nonreactive bowl and add the lemon juice. While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the oil and whisk until evenly combined. Set the dressing aside.
   Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and transfer to the prepared ice water bath. When the beans are chilled, drain again and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels.
   Place the beans, tomatoes, and parsley in a large bowl, pour in the dressing, and toss to coat thoroughly. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.

Tomato Panzanella

Heirloom tomatoes were a staple on the CSA list. We got them a few times and really enjoyed the flavorful tomato. After a couple of times of receiving them I thought the next time we got the heirloom tomatoes we should have an exciting recipe to make that really features them! This tomato panzanella does exactly that. This is basically summer on a plate. The freshness of the tomatoes and cucumbers combined with the bite of the mustard-anchovy vinaigrette make for a perfect light, crisp dinner on hot summer nights. I wanted to keep the dish overall on the lighter side so we served with a baked salmon filet. 

Heirloom Tomato Panzanella inspiration from Food Network
   Total Time 50 min | Prep 20 min | Cook 15 min | Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
3 c French bread, diced into 1" pieces
1/2 c olive oil
salt and pepper
1/2 c cucumbers, sliced
1/2 c red onions, thin slice
1/4 c fresh oregano
2 tbsp capers, rinsed
2 tbsp olives, rough chop
1/2 tsp finely minced garlic
6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
4 heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
   For the vinaigrette
1/4 c red wine vinegar
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp chopped garlic
1/2 tsp chopped shallots
4 salt-packed anchovies, rinsed [may substitute anchovy paste]
1 1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions
   Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
   In a medium mixing bowl, combine the bread and olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 12 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
   For the vinaigrette: puree the vinegar, mustard, garlic, shallots and anchovies in a blender. With the motor running, emulsify the oil into the mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
   Combine the cucumbers, onions, oregano, capers, olives, garlic, basil, tomatoes and cooled bread cubes in a bowl and dress with the Mustard-Anchovy Vinaigrette (about 3/4 cup). You may use more or less vinaigrette depending on your preference. Season with salt and pepper.

It's Always Caturday

... and they're always taking naps

Corn chowder with scallops

It's corn time! Fresh corn straight out of the fields is quite the luxury ... after you've shucked it, fended off all the hungry caterpillars, and gotten all the silks off the corn, that is. I had about 15 ears in the kitchen a few weeks ago and decided that I couldn't get it all into the meal plan so I put this corn chowder on the meal plan and put the rest in the freezer so I could save the corn bounty.

I used this Pioneer Woman Corn Chowder with Chiles as inspiration but kind of winged it as I went along. I snapped phone pics throughout the prep and will share them too. Everything I did was approximate so keep that in mind as you read through.

Corn Chowder with Seared Scallops

1. Begin by sauteing (about 3 strips) diced bacon. Once fat has rendered add in (1) diced onion and (1) diced and seeded jalapeno.

2. After the onions and jalapeno have softened add in (about 1/4 cup) chopped sun-dried tomatoes and (about 2 cups, blanched) corn.

3. Next add in (1 cup) chicken stock and (1.5 cups) whole milk plus salt and pepper. Mix (1 tbsp) cornmeal with a small amount of water and add to the chowder. This will thicken it.

4. Finally, top with seared scallops.

Crab cakes

These crab cakes were a spur of the minute decision. The meal plan designated "fish" for supper which meant I could make any selection I wanted to at the seafood counter. I know Patrick loves crab cakes and we don't make them a whole lot so I thought it was the perfect evening for them. Patrick was pleasantly surprised when he got from work and learned what we were having for dinner!

For the crab cakes
   (Amounts estimated, do what looks right and adjust as needed to get a cake that holds together without being really wet and sloppy.) Combine 8 oz. crab meat, 1/3 cup breadcrumbs, 2 tsp. mustard, 3 tbsp. mayo, an egg, and a sprinkle of old bay. Form into cakes and coat in breadcrumbs for an extra crispy exterior before pan frying in vegetable oil on both sides until golden. Would have been really good with tartar sauce, but didn't have it on hand or make any.

For the green beans
   Boiled in chicken stock and water (1:1 ratio) until crisp tender - probably about 10 minutes.

For the squash
   Diced squash and an onion and sauteed in olive oil over medium heat - probably for about 15 minutes. The longer you saute the softer the squash becomes. Sometimes we'll do it shorter for a more crisp squash but on this particular evening the longer cook time was wanted.

Cod with sauteed zucchini and couscous

Recently Patrick divulged to me that he wished more than salmon made up our "fish" nights. Well I'm certainly a wife that wants to keep my husband pleased so off I went determined to add more variety to our fish rotation in the meal plan. Enter this recipe - pan-fried cod with mustard-caper sauce. We served the fish on a bed of couscous with sauteed zucchini and onion. He approved but by the time I finally made this meal he had forgotten about his request! Silly Patrick!

Pan-Fried Cod With Mustard-Caper Sauce from Real Simple
   Serves 4 (we halved)

Ingredients
2 tbsp whole-grain mustard
1 tbsp capers, drained
4 tbsp plus 1 tsp olive oil
4 6-oz pieces skinless cod, halibut, or striped bass fillet
kosher salt and black pepper

Directions
   In a small bowl, stir together the mustard, capers, 2 tablespoons of the oil, and 2 tablespoons water. (If necessary, adjust the consistency with more water until the sauce is spoonable.)
   Heat 1 teaspoon of the remaining oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season the cod with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook until opaque throughout, 4 to 7 minutes per side.

   We hope you've enjoyed this double post Friday! This post was originally scheduled for last Friday but didn't make it up - our apologies!

Scallops and Grits

I had never heard of grits until I moved to North Carolina, and once I had, the name and appearance suggested that it might just be wet sand and I did not try to eat any for many years. For any other Yankees out there, grits are ground corn cooked into a porridge, traditionally eaten at breakfast. It can be served plain, with cheese, or dressed up, most often as shrimp and grits.

Ultimately I did come around to grits and have enjoyed keeping a box in the pantry. Whitney will prepare a grits dish for breakfast every now and then, most often with a fried egg and whatever assortment of vegetables we have on hand (especially avocado, tomato, green onion), cheese, and for a special treat, bacon (like this one). Sometimes though we will feature grits in a dinner entree, such as with this shrimp and grits recipe, or the scallops and grits featured today.

There's no real surprises here; it's pretty much shrimp and grits, with the shrimp replaced with seared scallops that we love so much. We followed a recipe from The Chew that included parmesan, mascarpone, and yellow onions, and it turned out great! We served it with a kale salad.

Scallops and Grits from ABC's The Chew
Ingredients
   For Grits
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups polenta (we substituted quick cooking grits)
1/4 cup Mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt
   For Scallops
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided)
1/2 yellow onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds nantucket bay scallops (cleaned) (we substituted sea scallops)
1/2 lemon, juiced

Directions
To make the Polenta: In a 4-quart saucepan add the stock and bring to a simmer. Season the stock with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Slowly add the polenta while whisking and reduce the heat to low. Cook over low heat for 2 hours, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and whisk in the mascarpone, Parmesan and 4 tablespoons butter. Season to taste with salt.

When Ready to Serve: Place a large sauté pan over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic with a pinch of salt and sweat until translucent and aromatic, 5 minutes. Blot the scallops dry on paper towels then season with salt. Add the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter to the pan and cook it until it starts to become brown, bubbly and nutty smelling. Add the seasoned scallops and cook until just barely cooked through and light golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and squeeze in the lemon juice. Stir in the parsley.

To Serve: Spoon some polenta into a bowl, top with some bay scallops and a drizzle of brown butter.

Throw together crab pasta

This throw together recipe is almost too easy to share but I think it's a great way to showcase how you can really make "throw together pasta" with random things in the pantry / freezer slightly more glamorous than it sounds.

I love imitation crab meat and I am fully aware that this is a bit odd (and I'll be honest - this is probably the real reason I didn't want to put this post together because you'll think I'm weird). If you're not familiar with the stuff, I buy something that looks similar to this:

Anyway it's something I pick up every now and then to have on hand which is what happened on this particular occasion. There was a bit of a transitional period for meal planning when the CSA started back. This was throwing me off my weekly meal planning a bit and I knew when I was at the grocery store one day that I had a few days at the end of the week I wasn't sure what we'd have yet. So I picked up the crab meat and then a few days later realized we could make a homemade alfredo sauce, there were peas in the freezer, and then were onions and garlic in the pantry waiting to be sauteed and all served with some whole wheat spaghetti!

Skinny Fettucine Alfredo from gimme some oven
Serves 4

Ingredients
12 ounces fettuccine (or any pasta shape)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
3 Tbsp. flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup low-fat milk (I used 1%)
3/4 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Directions
Cook pasta al dente according to package directions, in generously salted water.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute one minute, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Sprinkle with flour, and stir to combine. Saute for an additional minute to cook the flour, stirring occasionally.
Slowly add chicken broth, whisking to combine until smooth. Whisk in milk, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Let cook for an additional minute until thickened, then stir in Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper until the cheese melted. Reduce heat to medium-low until pasta reaches al dente.
Drain pasta, then immediately add pasta to the saute pan with alfredo sauce. Toss to combine. Serve topped with chopped fresh parsley if desired.

While the sauce was being made, water was being boiled for the pasta. Then in a saute pan over medium heat with a little extra virgin olive oil, we sauteed a diced onion and added garlic after the onion had softened. When the pasta had 2-3 minutes left we added in the peas. Finally everything was tossed together with the sauce!

20th Month Anniversary Dinner

Popping in with an extra blog post today! Today Patrick and I celebrate our 21st month anniversary. We haven't been celebrating every month after we passed the one year mark but we are still trying to honor the special day and, if it's not a crazy week, we'll have dinner on our fine china.

Last month we decided it would be appropriate for a fine china dinner, put the kitties in the room with their litter box so they wouldn't break anything, and fixed a delicious salmon dish with a mini carrot cake for dessert. We toasted at our new dining room table with our last bottle of honeymoon wine!

We served a salmon with apple and kale salad that was a Food Network recipe and the mini carrot cake from the Dessert for Two blog. The Viognier wine was from the Veritas Vineyard & Winery outside Charlottesville. I put the recipes into a google document and you can view it here.

Pan-Seared Salmon with Kale Apple Salad from Food Network
Ingredients
2 salmon fillets (about 1” thick)
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt
1 bunch kale, ribs removed, leaves very thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
2 tbsp dates
½ of a Honeycrisp apple
2 tbsp finely grated pecorino
2 tbsp toasted slivered almonds
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Bring the salmon to room temperature 10 minutes before cooking.
Meanwhile, whisk together the lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add the kale, toss to coat and let stand 10 minutes.
While the kale stands, cut the dates into thin slivers and the apple into matchsticks. Add the dates, apples, cheese and almonds to the kale. Season with pepper, toss well and set aside.
Sprinkle the salmon all over with 1/2 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Raise the heat to medium-high. Place the salmon, skin-side up in the pan. Cook until golden brown on one side, about 4 minutes. Turn the fish over with a spatula, and cook until it feels firm to the touch, about 3 minutes more.
Divide the salmon and salad evenly among four plates.

Carrot Cake from Dessert for Two Yields 1 6" cake
IngredientsFor the Cake
¼ cup canola oil
½ cup sugar
1 large egg
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup packed grated carrot (from 1 small carrot)
½ cup flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ cup chopped walnuts

For the Frosting
3 ounce block of cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla

Directions
Grease a 6” round cake pan with shortening or cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350°.
In a medium bowl, beat together with an electric mixer the canola oil and sugar. Beat very well, about 1 minute.
Add the egg, cinnamon and vanilla and beat another 30 seconds. Beat in the carrot for about 15 seconds--you want it to break up a bit so it stains the batter orange. Sprinkle the flour and baking powder on top and beat until just combined. Do not overmix. You may stir in the walnuts at this point or save them for the frosting, your choice.
Pour the batter into the pan, place it on a baking sheet, and bake for 24-26 minutes. Test for doneness with a toothpick before removing from the oven--moist crumbs clinging to the toothpick is ideal.
Allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack before attempting to frost it.
To make the frosting, ensure all ingredients are room temperature or you will end up with lumps. Beat together everything with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Tip the cake out of the pan, place it on a serving plate upside down (so that you have a flat surface on top) and spread the frosting on the cake. Garnish with walnuts. This cake tastes even better if allowed to sit one day (in the fridge) before serving.

Shrimp and Grits

We've had shrimp and grits a few times since our initial attempt and it is always a delicious success. It's pretty hard to go wrong when there's bacon involved, but the creamy grits and assortment of complementary vegetables all come together to make a hearty comfort food. I especially liked the fresh tomatoes that we added this time around; the light acidity nicely balances the savoriness of the bacon, mushrooms, and grits.

Here's what we did!
Cook quick grits in chicken stock.
Cook bacon and remove from pan. Saute mushrooms and onions in bacon grease until close to done. Add garlic and shrimp and cook until shrimp is done.
Serve grits in bowl and top with cooked ingredients, fresh tomatoes, and green onions.

Mustard-glazed cod with fingerlings

   You may recall that Patrick and I celebrated our wedding anniversary throughout the first year every month with dinner on our fine china. Months thirteen through seventeen were a bit hectic and Patrick wasn't particularly keen to continue our monthly anniversary dinners for the rest of his life. After taking this little break I thought it would be appropriate to break out the china and celebrate our 18th month - one year and a half - anniversary! which was in February

   We also had a celebratory bottle of champagne in the refrigerator that had been chilling for the past six months! My parents celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary at Biltmore Estate in June. Patrick and I had room service send them a bottle of champagne and strawberries. They thought it would be fitting to then bring us back a bottle of champagne from Biltmore (where Patrick happened to propose) for our first anniversary. Well we were caught up with hosting a housewarming to pop open the champagne... which brings us to our 18th month anniversary dinner! The perfect evening to pop it open. I googled around to find a good seafood dish to pair with champagne and sharing it below.

Mustard-Glazed Black Cod with Fingerlings and Chive Puree from Food & Wine
   Prep time 25 min | Total time 45 min | Serves 4 [we halved]

Ingredients
1 cup snipped chives
1 cup baby spinach
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
1 pound fingerling potatoes
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pitted green or brown olives
3/4 cup pure olive oil
Four 6-ounce skinless black cod fillets
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Freshly ground pepper

Directions
   Preheat the broiler and position a rack 8 inches from the heat. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the chives and spinach and blanch for 30 seconds, just until bright green. Drain and rinse under cold water; squeeze dry. Transfer the chives and spinach to a blender. Add the extra-virgin olive oil and puree until smooth. Season with salt.
   Rinse out the saucepan and fill it with cold water. Add the potatoes and bring to a boil. Simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes and cut them into thin coins.
Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe bowl, combine the olives with the pure olive oil. Microwave at high power in 2-minute bursts until the olives are golden and crisp, 5 to 6 minutes depending on the microwave. Drain the olives and transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to cool. Reserve the oil for another use.
   Place the cod on a foil-lined baking sheet, brush with the mustard and season with salt and pepper. Broil for about 10 minutes, until the fish is cooked through and lightly browned on top; transfer to plates and spoon the potatoes alongside. Sprinkle with the olives, drizzle the chive puree all around and serve.

It's Always Caturday

Snuggly naps on the entry bench

Thanks for the champagne Mom and Jimmy!