Steamed Cod with Tomato & Broccoli - A Chef Favorite

This recipe was my very first introduction to Chef Jacques Pepin, and I am absolutely enthralled with this man's cooking. He takes the simplest of dishes and elevates them with ease. His methods are not hard at all and will make even the most average of cooks shine. :-) Chef Pepin's method of steaming fish found in this recipe has become one of my favorite ways to cook any of the white fishes.

Ingredients:

• 2 six ounce cod filets
• 2 medium tomatoes, cut up
• 2 tbsp Muffuletta (olive salad) or chives/scallions (room temperature)
• 2 tbsp butter
• extra virgin olive oil
• S & P

Preparation:

Salt and pepper the filets on both sides and coat with extra virgin olive oil. Heat a non-stick pan with medium heat and then place cod in pan. Cover and steam for 4 minutes.

Put diced tomato and some extra virgin olive oil in blender with salt-to-taste and puree. Pour into microwave safe measuring cup and warm for about a minute.

Melt the butter separately and add to the warm tomato puree.

Chef Pepin encourages us to tweak his work to make the dish our own, so I did. I like to make fresh broccoli florets with this dish and plate them in a ring around the fish in the sauce. I’ve found that the florets end up getting dipped anyway so this method saves an extra plate and keeps the broccoli warm.

Plating:

Pour half of sauce as a base into each shallow bowl type plate. Place cod in center of sauce and top with Muffaletta. You can also top with chives, scallions, or even chopped parsley, but I enjoy the rich contrast of the olive salad to the mild cod. Gently place broccoli florets in a circle around the fish. ENJOY!

Here is Jacques Pepin’s video: Scrod with Tomato

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Lemon Shrimp & Spinach Pasta - A Chef Favorite

Shrimp and spinach are an amazing combination I have used in quite a few different recipes. This one features a very light white wine cream sauce with hints of lemon. There is also some pasta, but before anyone shouts OMGs please remember that pasta actually has a low glycemic index. It's usually the portion control where most people fall short of optimal, causing the glycemic load to go high. This recipe mitigates the pasta carbohydrates both in quantity (~2 oz per serving) as well as the pairings of protein and vegetables in the dish. 

My original version of this dish, Creamy Shrimp & Spinach with Pasta, turned out to be more of an Alfredo sauce and quite heavy. Really good, mind you, but my goal here was something lighter. This revised version turned out exactly as envisioned and now holds a place in my Chef's Favorites collection. ENJOY!

This dish is designed to serve FOUR, NOT TWO! :-) Exercise portion control!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb large shrimp raw - peeled and deveined - tail off
• 16oz fresh baby spinach (a little olive oil & salt for prep)
• 1-2 medium leeks sliced cross ways finely sliced - stem & some leaves
• 8 oz spaghetti or linguine
• olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic crushed - leave out 15 min after mince for best flavor
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup chicken stock
• 1/3 cup good Pinot Grigio (or your favorite white)
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese - grated
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 cup freshly chopped parsley
• 2 tbsp butter
• salt to taste

Preparation:

In a large Dutch oven with salted boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente by tasting. Drain, transfer to a bowl and toss with a bit of oil to prevent sticking, and set aside. 

Using same pot cook down the spinach with about an inch of water. Drain and blend in a little olive oil and salt to taste. Set aside.

Using the same pot again, set over medium heat, add the olive oil and garlic. Give a good stir for about 30 seconds and add the leeks. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for ~5 minutes stirring occasionally.

Increase heat to medium high, add the shrimp to the skillet with the leeks and cook for about 3 - 4 minutes until the shrimp are cooked and turn a pink white color. Do not overcook!

Add the cooked spaghetti and the spinach to the skillet and toss well to combine. Reduce heat to medium and add butter to melt.

Pour in the cream, chicken broth & wine. Add the lemon juice and salt to taste. Stir well to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring/tossing gently to heat everything through. 

Finally add parmesan cheese and fresh parsley and stir until well blended. Serve immediately in your favorite pasta bowl.

Please remember the dish has FOUR servings. :-)

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Chef Michael's Eggplant Moussaka with Venison - A Chef Favorite

As much as I appreciate good vegetarian dishes... I do like my venison... a lot! My Moussaka can, of course, be made with beef or lamb, but if you know me at all you'll know my go-to red meat is the venison harvested on my own land.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs ground venison
• 2.5 lbs eggplant - peeled and 1" cubed
• good quality olive oil as needed (for eggplant and sautéing the onions)
• 2 onions - chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic - smash minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 cups fresh tomatoes - chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp crushed Aleppo pepper
• 1.5 tsp cumin - more if you remember Adam from Northern Exposure
• 15 oz chickpeas - drained
• ~1 cup water
• handful minced parsley - add last 10 minutes of simmer

Preparation:

Fry the venison chop meat in the Dutch oven you'll use for the whole dish. Remove meat and set aside. Drain the chickpeas at this time as well.

Preparing the Eggplant

Preheat the oven to 390 F and line one or two baking trays with parchment paper. Peel the eggplants and cut them into 1" cubes.  Place cubes in a large bowl and toss with olive oil and some kosher salt. Place them on the baking sheet in one even layer. 

Bake them for 25 - 30 minutes or until they are slightly softened and brown. Remove the eggplant cubes from the oven and set them aside until the tomato/chickpea mix is ready. 

Preparing the Tomato Sauce

While roasting the eggplants, start making the tomato & chickpea mixture. 

Place a large Dutch oven on medium heat and add some olive oil. When the pan is hot, add the onions and garlic and sauté for a few minutes until soft.

Stir in the tomato paste, cumin, salt, and pepper, and give it a good mix. Add the chopped tomatoes, along with the Aleppo pepper and stir well. 

Add water to the sauce, depending on the juiciness of your tomatoes, ranging from ½ cup to 1 ½ cups. Give the sauce a stir. Next, add the chickpeas and roasted eggplants to the tomato sauce, give them a good stir. 

Finally, return venison to the pot, stir and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the eggplants are tender to your liking. Add minced parsley with 10 minutes remaining.

Remove the pan from the heat and serve immediately. If so inclined, shredded parmesan adds to the overall delight. :-)

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Garlic Shrimp & Shirataki Noodles - A Chef Favorite

Shirataki noodles... Quite an intriguing pasta substitute because it has a glycemic index and load of zero and very little else as well, making them a really nice "pasta" option for us diabetics. They require a little prep work before going into the dish, and said prep work may or may not take some practice to get the texture right. The following recipe adapted from Craving Something Healthy will walk you through the process. 

One thing to remember is that these noodles are indeed flavorless but have an amazing ability to take on any flavors they are tossed with. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 16 oz shirataki noodles
• a splash of soy sauce for the noodles
• 16 oz large shrimp - peeled, deveined & tail off
• salt and pepper to taste
• olive oil as needed
• 4 cloves garlic - minced
• 1 small - medium yellow onion - minced
• 12 oz grape or cherry tomatoes - pierced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley - minced
• 1 tbsp fresh basil - minced

Preparation:

Drain both packages of shirataki noodles into a colander and rinse the noodles well for about 2 minutes under cool running water. They are packaged in a liquid that smells a tad fishy.

Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the rinsed noodles to the boiling water, and let them boil/simmer for 2-3 minutes. Drain the noodles and pat them somewhat dry with paper towel.

Transfer the noodles back to the pot and heat them on medium heat for 4-6 minutes, tossing them frequently as they heat. Add a pinch of salt. Let them cook until they are completely dry. Set the noodles aside.

Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Heat 2+ tbsp of olive oil in a saute pan on medium-high heat, and saute the shrimp for ~1 minute on each side, or until they just turn pink. Remove them from the pan and set them aside - covered.

Add the garlic & onion to the skillet with another splash of olive oil and saute for 5-6 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and let them cook for 6-8 minutes with occasional tossing, or until they start to break down. I usually pierce them with a sharp knife so they give off their juice and don't pop.

When the tomatoes are just about finished, add the basil, parsley and a bit more oil if dry. Saute for 1 more minute.

Add the shrimp and shirataki noodles to the pan with the tomatoes and garlic. Toss everything well to combine.

Green veggie option: A cup of 1" pieces of asparagus added when the onion & garlic hit the pan.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!