Garlic Butter Baked Cod

Adapted from a recipe found in The Washington Post 

I absolutely adore the versatility of cod. In this recipe you will bake this delightful fish in some previously sauteed goodies. :-) In my opinion one can never have too much garlic, but in this dish, despite sporting seven cloves plus powder, the garlic flavor is not as overpowering as one might think because of its balance with all the other ingredients. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter (may substitute extra-virgin olive oil)
• 7 garlic cloves - minced
• 1 pint grape tomatoes - halved lengthwise
• 1/2 cup dry white wine - Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
• 1 tbsp lime juice with 1/4 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp crushed Aleppo pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt, plus more as needed
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving (optional)
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil, plus more for serving (optional)
• 1 to 1.5 lbs cod

Preparation:

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

In a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. When it stops foaming, add the garlic and cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds, stirring occasionally.

Add the tomatoes and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the wine to incorporate, then stir in the lime zest, Cajun seasoning, black pepper, garlic powder, Aleppo pepper and salt to combine.

Stir in the parsley and basil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce has reduced by about one-third, about 5 minutes. Taste, and add more salt as needed.

Meanwhile, pat the fish fillets dry and lightly season both sides with salt and black pepper. Nest the fillets in the sauce and use a spoon to baste the fish. 

Cover the skillet with a lid or aluminum foil, transfer to the oven and bake for 10 minutes, then uncover and bake for 6 to 8 minutes more, until the fish is cooked all the way through and flakes easily with a fork. (Cooking time will vary with the thickness of the fillets.)

Divide the fish among serving plates, spooning the sauce over, sprinkle with chopped fresh basil and parsley and serve with a lime wedge, if desired. Roasted Asparagus & Red Bell Pepper pairs very well with this dish.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Lemon Shrimp & Spinach Pasta - Signature Collection

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 was something lighter. This revised version turned out exactly as envisioned and now holds a place in my Signature Collection. ENJOY!

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

Ingredients:

• 1 lb medium or 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 & leaves
• 8 oz spaghetti
• olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic crushed - leave out 15 min after mince for best flavor
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup vegetable stock
• 1/3 cup good Pinot Grigio
• 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 pot of salted boiling water, cook the linguine 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 with fresh water cook down the spinach with an inch of water. Drain and blend in a little olive oil and salt to taste. Set aside.

In a large skillet 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, vegetable 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 R's Tomato & Olive Topping - Signature Collection

I've seen many dishes feature some combination of tomatoes & olives and have even shared a few from other folks. Finally I decided to create my own blend, and let me tell you... this topping is OMG good! My first use was over a simple baked salmon, which proved to be absolutely delicious, but seriously... I think this topping will also pair well with a white fish or even chicken breast. :-) Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 medium tomato - chopped
• 1/2 yellow onion - minced
• 8-10 black olives - minced or cut into eighths... ;-)
• 1 clove garlic - smash minced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

Heat a skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot add the garlic and onions. Saute until the onion is translucent.

Next add the tomatoes and saute until they just start to fall apart.

Finally fold in the olives and gently toss the mix until heated through.

Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Serve over a simple baked salmon as shown here or get creative with a protein of your choosing.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Sylvan Run Chowder - Signature Collection

This elaborate and very tasty chowder was created at our place upstate New York during the pandemic lockdown in 2020. My kitchen became my safe space once we realized how deadly the virus was becoming. I was very fortunate to be able to escape the insane death toll in the New York metropolitan area, and I kept my sanity during all the madness with help from my forest, my kitchen and my One. This chowder is something good that came out of the 2020 lockdown, and it is my gift to you today. 

Don't freak when you read the ingredients list.... even diabetics have to live a little sometimes! :-)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb sliced bacon
• 1 tbsp salted butter
• 2 yellow onions, chopped
• 2 cups regular chicken stock
• 8 oz clam juice
• 3/4 lb of your favorite potato cut to bite size cubes
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1+1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups frozen corn kernels
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1.5 lbs cod or pollock cut to 1" chunks - the best can be found at Wild Alaskan Company
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1/3 cup chopped basil
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 loaf good Italian bread (optional)

Preparation:

In a large pot, cook the bacon until crisp. Drain the bacon on paper towels and crumble when cooled.

Add the butter and onions to the pot. Cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the stock, clam juice, potatoes, celery, red-pepper flakes, and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

Return the bacon to the pot. Add the corn, tomatoes, basil, milk and cream and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the cod and black pepper. Bring back to a simmer and cook until just done, about 3-4 minutes longer.

The juice from the tomatoes will make this more of a soup than a chowder, so make a little roux to thicken the broth if you like.

For a fun addition to this already great chowder, consider making some crostini!

Crostini:

Cut loaf into 1/4” slices on an angle so they’re larger than loaf diameter and also prettier.

Brush both sides of each slice with olive oil and arrange on baking tray. It’s ok if they touch each other.

Bake at 375 degrees for 6-7 minutes or until tops just start to brown. The bottom side will be more toasted so JUST browned tops is when you want to take them out.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Spicy Shrimp & Veggie Stir Fry - Signature Collection

I have found culinary love in Shirataki noodles. LOL This is only my second dish using them and I am incredibly eager to explore them further. They are quite easy to use, but they do require a process to make them shine. Visit my post Shirataki (Konjac) Noodles - Diabetic Gold :-) for background info as well as a detailed cooking process.

Today's stir fry was originally inspired by my friend Angela who introduced me to Shirataki noodles. In the end I played with ingredients, flavors and process to make this dish my own. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb jumbo shrimp - peeled, deveined, tail off & cut in half
• 3 scallions - cut at an angle into 1 - 1.5" pieces
• 6 oz asparagus - cut to 1.5" sections
• 6 oz broccoli - cut the florets to bite size
• 5 oz carrots - peeled and julienned in 2" lengths
• 1 lge yellow onion - diced or minced - your choice
• 3 lge gloves garlic - smash minced
• olive oil as needed
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp Aleppo pepper
• soy sauce as needed - just a few splashes
• kosher salt to taste
• 16 oz Shirataki noodles

Preparation:

Rinse the Shirataki noodles for 2 minutes. Dry them in a  nonstick pan, tossing frequently. When most liquid is gone, remove from heat and keep in pan, covered, to stay warm. While dry frying them add a touch of salt and a splash of soy sauce for flavor & color.

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 place them on top of the noodles - covered.

Add the garlic & onion to the skillet with another splash of olive oil and saute for 5-6 minutes. Add ginger, toasted sesame oil and Aleppo pepper and blend.

Add all veggies and another bit of oil if needed. Toss gently so everything is well blended. Cover and steam for 3 min on medium heat, toss and repeat. 

Finally add the shrimp and noodles and fold into the mix. Maybe add a splash of soy sauce or salt if needed.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Salmon with Lemon Butter & Dill - Signature Collection

There are versions to this recipe everywhere on the Net. A friend asked me what my version was, and I had to admit I had never put one together... I know, right? :-)

Needless to say... I grabbed some salmon and went to work. The end result made Carolyn smile and say: "Oh my... that's buttery!" Both of us made Yummy Noises as we ate the meal... 

Many similar recipes call for dried dill, but I think going with fresh dill was a better choice all around. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2  6 oz salmon filets
• 3 tbsp salted butter - melted
• 2-3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/8 - 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• salt to taste
• fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 3-4 tbsp fresh dill - coarsely chopped

Preparation:

Preheat toaster oven to 350 F. Line a shallow baking dish or tray with aluminum foil, coat with cooking spray and add the salmon. Mix melted butter, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt & pepper in a small bowl and pour over fish.

Evenly spread the fresh dill on the filets.

Bake for 20-25 minutes depending on filet thickness.

Serve with a green vegetable and a tossed salad.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!