Seafood

SEAFOOD

SCALLOPS WITH APPLE PAN SAUCE

SPICED SALMON OR STEELHEAD TROUT  KABOBS

I can not even think of words to describe these two meals I made this week. But I can tell you this, I will be serving them all through the summer and sharing these two finds with friends, family and of course all of you. My salad with strawberries and my side dish of jasmine rice sprinkled with finely chopped lightly sauted asparagus went well with both entres and sent me straight to heaven. Enjoy and remember, we only post what we truly love. Click on the name to find recipe.

SCALLOPS WITH APPLE PAN SAUCE
As always, I come up with shortcuts. I totally skipped the blender part. All I did here was chop my apples really small with skin on and saute them slowly with the lemon and a bit of olive oil and butter. It worked for me.

SPICED SALMON OR STEELHEAD TROUT  KABOBS
This calls for salmon but I find steelhead trout more moist and less costly than salmon although I love my sockeye salmon. But next time. The secret here is the blend of these spices. WOW, especially the heat of the crushed red pepper flakes.

Hello Summer- Honey Lavender Ice Cream

Sunset view from our house

It's that time of year again - where I break out the ice cream maker.  We are in what seems to be an endless stretch of warm, sunny days.  There is a lavender plant in our greenhouse, and I really wanted to make a dessert with it.  At first I was thinking lavender shortbread, but don't really like shortbread, so why make it?  Instead, I decided on honey lavender ice cream.  I found a simple, six-ingredient recipe from here, but instead of using dried lavender, went for about a half a cup of the fresh stuff.  I've made it twice and it's great - not too floral but a really nice complex flavor.  I also made hot fudge to serve with it, and while that may sound like an unusual combo, it was quite good.  I read online that not all lavender is appropriate for cooking (I don't think any are toxic but don't take my word for it), but it might not be that tasty.  For the life of me, I couldn't figure out what type of lavender we had but it smelled nice and I went for it.

Also, thanks for all the sweet comments on our cat.  He still hasn't returned and we are pretty sure he won't be coming home:(  Good-bye Bitty Boy.  Isis (our remaining cat) seems very lonely and appears to be trying to kill us - for example, by rubbing up against our feet as we are going down the stairs in the dark.

I also promised that I would share some happier stories of our adventures here.  The most recent highlight for me was seeing Mumford and Sons up in Taos last Thursday.  I've been moderately obsessed with this band for the past year and a half, and seeing them live was awesome.  They are even better live than on their albums - great vocals, phenomenal musicians, and good energy.  There wasn't a lot of dancing and special effects - it just wasn't needed because the music was so tight.  And, we were outside in a park surrounded by a beautiful NM sunset after a glorious thunderstorm.  What could be better?

One of the views from the Santa Fe Opera.

Me and my little buddy at the Farmer's Market.

Another sunset I enjoyed as I mulched the gardens.

Thunderstorm in Taos

Mumford and Sons

Rainier hanging out by the basketball courts near our house.

Good-bye Attila

Well, we landed in New Mexico in the beginning of May and two days later, Noah, his brother, and our two cats arrived.  The cats have really been the stars of this whole adventure.  Not only did they love every moment of packing and unpacking (boxes! paper! lots of things to climb on and in!), they weathered the journey better than we could have hoped for and love having a whole house to roam and explore.  It's like they always knew they were destined for more than a two room apartment, and here is the proof.

I wrote that paragraph last Thursday, right before one of our cats, Attila, disappeared.  We are living right outside Santa Fe in an area known as Canoncito.  It's not kind to cats.  There are coyotes, bobcats, and great horned owls.  One of our neighbors has lost five over the years.   The drought in New Mexico is stressing all the animals, so they are even more desperate for food.  Attila was not an outdoor cat; and he usually didn't like to leave the porch or front walkway whenever he snuck outside.

A door was accidentally left open, and both cats wandered out.  Isis is more adventurous, and she may have led Attila a little farther than he would ordinarily go.  They weren't outside for long - maybe 20 or 30 minutes, but it was enough time for him to get lost or eaten.   (I don't know why I didn't just delete that first paragraph I wrote, except that maybe I wanted to give Attila a posthumous shot-out for being such a brave and adventurous traveler.)

At first I felt only mildly sad that Attila was missing, and thought he may come back.  As the days have gone on though, his absence has become more profoundly painful.  It's unsettling to watch his (adopted) sister walk around by herself and for one food bowl to remain untouched.  I miss seeing him sleeping on the foot of our bed at night, and his easy purr whenever I had a spare moment to hold him or pet him.  He is/was one of those pets that comes along once in a while - a truly strange and unusual creature, who liked to play fetch, loved vegetable stems, and enjoyed eating wool, Smartwool socks being his favorite.

I wanted to give him one week before we say our official good-bye to him, but he chances of him making it back now are so slim I'm already mourning him.  I do have some happier stories to tell, and good recipes to share, but another day.

Chicken Cutlets, Lemon - Caper Sauce, and Chickpea Panelle

Panelle 

Chicken cutlet, roasted asparagus, and lemon-caper sauce

                                       

What a great meal this makes! It all started on Sunday morning when I opened up the New York Times

Magazine to Mark Bittman's article about chickpeas. I like chickpeas but just never knew how to cook with them. Now the possibilities are endless. I went straight to my kitchen and in five minutes whipped up this panelle and as you know that's my kind of summer cooking. Chickpeas are high in protein  and for all you french fry fanatics, this is a healthier substitute. 

Along with the panelle, my dinner that night included chicken cutlets with a lemon caper sauce on the side and fresh roasted garden asparagus. The lemon caper sauce compliments the asparagus as well. I know you all heard of the thirty minute meal, well I cut it back to the twenty minute meal. Check it out.

Panelle or as Mark says, better than french fries.

1 cup chickpea ( Garbanzo Bean) flour

   Salt/Pepper

2 TBS olive oil

1 lemon, cut into wedges

1. Grease an 8x8 baking dish with some oil. Bring 2 Cups of water to a boil. Put chickpea flour in a bowl. Gradually add boiled water, whisking constantly. Scrape the mixture back into the saucepan that the water boiled in and sprinkle with Salt and Pepper. Bring to a boil on med heat and then turn heat down to a simmer, stirring continually. Stir in the 2 TBS of olive oil and cook for one minute. Remove from heat.

2. Scoop the mixture into the baking dish and spread into an even layer. I found my gloved hands worked best to spread it flat. Cover loosely and refrigerate for at least 20 to 30 minutes. When it is chilled cut it into french fry shapes. Blot out extra moisture with paper towel. Heat some oil in a skillet 

( med/high)and drop them gently into the hot oil.  Cook rotating them occasionally until they are golden brown all over. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  

TIP - The panelle can be kept lightly covered in the refrigerator for 24 hours if needed

As the panelle chilled I made the rest of the meal. 

Lemon - Caper Sauce

1      Lemon

1/3   Cup mayonnaise ( I use light but you can try yogurt too)

2      TBS capers rinsed, drained and chopped

1      Tsp chopped fresh thyme

1      garlic clove mashed into a paste

Grate the zest of half of the lemon over a bowl and then squeeze in the juice. Cut the remaining half into wedges for on the side as garnish. Add the mayo, the capers, the thyme, the garlic, and S/P. Mix and chill.

Chicken Cutlets

4    thin cutlets

      Salt and pepper

1   Tsp fresh Thyme

3/4 Cup flour

2    Large eggs, beaten

1    Cup Panko

6    TBS Olive Oil

 Put flour, eggs and panko into separate dishes. Toss the panko with 1tsp thyme and 1/2 tsp salt.  Dip each cutlet into the flour, then the eggs, then the panko to cover them. Transfer them to a plate. Heat the skillet with 3TBS oil over med heat. Add 2 cutlets at a time, flip when one side browns. Make sure they are cooked all the way through and cutting into the thickest part can help determine that time. I usually cook them about four to seven minutes per side but turning them often. 

Rhubarb, Asparagus, and the Blossom Game

What's coming up in the garden? Rhubarb and Asparagus. Try these fast and simple recipes. Then play the blossom game below.

Rhubarb/Asparagus

quick healthy asparagus soup

ASPARAGUS SOUP  
Toss together in a medium pot. 1 pound of asparagus cut into small pieces, 1 medium onion chopped, 1 cup celery, 2 TBS butter, and 4 cups of vegetable broth ( or chicken broth), salt and pepper, add a pinch of ground nutmeg. Let this simmer until asparagus is tender. Use a blender or immersion blender to process smooth. You can add a bit of cream if you like. Now you have one healthy breakfast, lunch or dinner.

RHUBARB PIE 
One thing I love about this pie is that it is fast. When my son came home he whipped up a pie crust in such little time, I had to praise him and then copy him. I found out it was Meg's recipe.
For the yummy inside just cut up rhubarb, add 1/2 cup sugar, 2TBS maple syrup, 2 TBS of quick cook tapioca or 1/4 cup flour. Mix this together and pour into bottom pie crust. Top with 2 TBS butter broken into bits and sprinkled on top. Put on the top crust and say thank you when you get the compliments.

Guess the Blossom Game
Yes, it's a game. Yes it's a learning game. And yes it is one of the most beautiful times of the year on the farm. See how well you do. Answers are on the bottom. What blossom do you like best? Does it connect with how you much you like the fruit?  Have fun..

          

   

left to right.......peach, cherry, pear, and apple

Pineapple shrimp and Sunsets

Did you ever just get in one of the moods where you feel void of all emotion? When nothing seems to spark a smile or inspire an idea?  They don't come often but when they do I have to shake them off. The day seemed to start off okay. I spent most of it correcting exams but because we do it as a team and my colleagues are incredibly fun people to be around, that went well. Then I took a power walk and a quick dip in 50 degree lake water. That, too, was delightful to a cold water creature like me. It was not until I was on my way home that it enveloped me. I turned on the radio. That didn't help. I tried an upbeat  CD. But no luck. I even opened all the car windows for fresh air. That too didn't work. But as I traveled over the mountain I saw the sun setting. The colors and clouds caught my complete attention.  I stopped the car and grabbed a picture. I wanted to just sit but my stomach said no. Instead, I raced home ( only 1/2 mile away) and whipped up a quick meal. Fortunately I had planned on shrimp that night. In fifteen minutes I prepared dinner and returned to the hilltop before the sun disappeared. I sat in the field eating as the sun dropped beneath the horizon.  I took a deep breath grateful I had found the way to lift my mood. I felt like me again ready for a new day. Oh and by the way....... the shrimp was ever so tasty.
Tip: I cut up my pineapple very small and I used white wine instead of rum. I also added a bit of maple syrup. You will also notice I did gluten free noodles with spinach and mushrooms for my veggies. Next time I am trying rice but that would have taken too long this time.

Shrimp and pineapple stir fry 

Tuscan White Beans with Sage

Normally I am not a bean person. It is not that I dislike them, it is more that they rarely spark my appetite. But then came Johanna's birthday party.  The theme was Tuscany and my time was limited. I poured through my best Italian cookbooks and looked at recipe after recipe. Then I spotted sage pesto with Tuscan white beans. I had never thought of pestle, mortar and sage together but the trio intrigued me and I knew I had to try it, even if it was with beans.  In Tuscany white beans are usually served with just chopped sage and olive oil so this was a twist on that meal. The best part - it was a light and healthy dish to bring to the potluck. The anxiety driven part  -  I had no clue how it would taste. I had thirty minutes to make a meal, get dressed, wrap a present, and pick up girlfriends. Making the sage pesto took only five minutes, opening the two cans of organic white beans took a minute, mixing it together took two minutes. Less than ten minutes, I had a meal. And yes it was DELICIOUS!! The only thing I would change when I make it again would be to serve the sage pesto on the side of the beans instead of mixing it all together. Give it a try.  I am now ready to plant a lot more sage in my garden.

Sage Pesto

In a food processor blend together a hardy bunch of sage, 2 cloves garlic, 1/4 cup pine nuts, 1/3 cup grated parmigiana cheese, a hint of salt and pepper. Slowly add olive oil to make a thick paste. Mix this into the beans or leave it on the side when serving. 

And for leftovers.....just toss back in the blender and make a spread for bread.