Salmon Cakes from the splendid table

Salmon Cakes

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 small red onion, diced
  • 4 stalks celery, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
  • 2 (14-ounce) cans salmon, drained
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
  • 2 tablespoons capers
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon crab boil seasoning (e.g., Old Bay Seasoning)
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Melt the butter in a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper and cook until the veggies are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. In a large mixing bowl, mash the salmon, using a fork, until no large pieces remain. Add the onion mixture, parsley, capers, Worcestershire sauce, crab boil seasoning, mustard, eggs, and panko. Mix together until well combined. Form into 12 patties. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the cakes and cook until browned and crisp, about 5 minutes, then flip and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Serve these with fresh lemon wedges!

Steamed Shrimp with Glass Noodles – Two Ways from the woks of life

steamed-shrimp-noodles
For the garlic version:
12 oz. shrimp, cleaned
1 bundle of glass noodles
1 tablespoon minced or grated garlic
1/4 cup water, plus more, to soak the garlic
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons light soy
1/2 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
For the cilantro and green chili version:
12 oz. shrimp, cleaned
1 bundle of glass noodles
1 tablespoon minced green chilies
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons light soy
1/2 tablespoon Shaoxing wine

Split the shrimp in half to the tail, leaving the tail whole. Soak the glass noodles in warm water for 20 minutes and drain.

For the garlic version, put the minced garlic into a bowl of hot water for a minute and strain. This takes some of the edge off of the garlic, and makes it sweeter once steamed. Combine the strained garlic with another 1/4 cup fresh water, sugar, light soy, and shaoxing wine.

For the cilantro green chili version, pound the minced green chilies and 1/4 teaspoon salt together in a mortar and pestle. Set aside for 30 minutes. Then mix in the cilantro, sugar, water, light soy, and shaoxing wine.

Spread out the glass noodles in two shallow, heat-safe bowls. Fan out equal amounts of shrimp on each plate. Spoon the prepared sauces evenly over each of the shrimp dishes.

Boil water in a steamer with a steamer rack and place the dishes inside. Cover immediately and steam for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. The shrimp should be opaque and but not over-cooked. Keep a close eye on it, and adjust the steaming time according to the size of your shrimp.

Once you take the shrimp out, spoon the liquid over the shrimp and serve immediately.

 

Crab Louie Salad – A West Coast Classic for 100 Years

Dungeness-Crab-Louie-Salad-1-1024x681
Crab Louie Salad may have been born in San Francisco, Portland, or even in Spokane. Written history informs us that it was being served at Solari’s in The Golden Gate City as early as 1914. A cookbook by Victor Hetzler, chef at the St. Francis Hotel, included a similar salad he called “Crabmeat a la Louise” in 1910. Some attribute its creation to Louis Davenport who built the Davenport Hotel in Spokane. An amusingly unorthodox source is The Neighborhood Cook Book, compiled by The Portland Council of Jewish Women in 1912.

Today, in-the-know diners flock to The Swan Oyster Depot in San Francisco for this famous salad, and it’s their dressing recipe I use here. It’s a simple version of Thousand Island Dressing.
Like most salads, Crab Louie is constructed from a few basic ingredients: Dungeness crabmeat (use blue crab if you cannot find fresh Dungeness), iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, asparagus, and avocado served with a creamy dressing like Thousand Island or Russian. I added curly topped scallions, hard boiled eggs and crisply fried bacon.

I’ve seen it presented neatly constructed with the ingredients side by side à la Cobb Salad. I prefer the Jackson Pollock method, scattering them pell mell over the lettuce while allowing the star ingredient to assume center stage. Because the crab has a delicate and sweet flavor, I prefer to serve the dressing on the side.

Speaking of dressings, many have a way of maturing and developing deeper flavors if allowed to rest in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight, so make ahead of time if you can.

For the dressing:
2 cups (480 ml) of mayonnaise
1 cup (240 ml) tomato catsup or chili sauce
½ cup (120 ml) sweet pickle relish
½ cup (120 ml) black olives, chopped
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped or grated
Method:

Mix all ingredients until combined and let rest in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

Note: I can see many subtle ways to adjust the flavor of this dressing: a dash or even a wallop of Sriracha in the catsup could provide a surprising kick. Let your imagination do its magic here.

For the salad:
1 head of iceberg lettuce, chopped (I firmly believe that iceberg lettuce is a must for the cool, crisp texture)
½ to ¾ pound (227-340 g) of fresh crabmeat, picked over to remove any shell or cartilage
½ pound (227 g) fresh asparagus, cooked and chilled
3 tomatoes, sliced into wedges
1 avocado, peeled and sliced
8 scallions, trimmed with 3 inches (7½ cm) of the greens remaining (to make the green ends curl, slice them with a sharp knife or scissors from the beginning of the dark green color to the cut ends and place in an ice water bath)
4 hard-boiled eggs, halved or quartered
4 slices of bacon cooked until crisp and chopped do not use
8 peppadew pickled peppers (Peppadew – a brand name of sweet piquanté peppers: look in the olive bar of your supermarket or on the shelves for jarred peppers)

Place some of the lettuce on a plate as a bed for the remainder.
Artfully place the remaining ingredients and serve with the dressing on the side. For 4 servings

Scallop Crudo Bon Appétit (August 2011)

6a00e55015ee528833014e8a4c5fad970d

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1/4 cup fresh orange juice
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce, preferably organic
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons sunflower oil
1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 red Thai chile, thinly sliced
3/4 teaspoon Sherry vinegar
1/2 pound large sea scallops, side muscle removed, thinly sliced crosswise
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, torn if large
2 tablespoons thinly sliced chives
Sea salt

Whisk orange juice, lemon juice, soy sauce, oil, ginger, chile, and vinegar in a small bowl. Pour dressing onto 4 large rimmed plates. Arrange scallops over. Garnish with mint and chives. Season lightly with salt.

Lettuce, Avocado, Salmon and Tomato Burgers with Sriracha Aioli, Rachel Ray

1 1/2 pounds salmon (or substitute fresh tuna), cut into chunks
1 medium egg yolk
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh herbs, a combination of chives, parsley and dill
1 large clove garlic, grated or finely chopped
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
3/4 cup homemade aioli* or store-bought mayo

3 tablespoons Sriracha hot sauce
avocado, sliced everything bagels, toasted
For topping:
Leaf lettuce
Thinly sliced red onion
Sliced ripe beefsteak tomato

Place fish in a food processor and pulse chop. Remove to a bowl and combine with egg yolk, herbs,garlic, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon lemon juice Form 4 patties.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with a drizzle of canola oil. Add patties and cook fish 6 minutes for pink center, turning once or 8-10 minutes for patties that are cooked through/opaque.
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with a drizzle of canola oil. Add patties and cook fish 6 minutes for pink center, turning once or 8-10 minutes for patties that are cooked through/opaque.
Combine mayo with Sriracha sauce. Dress the avocado with lemon juice.
Place burgers on bun or bagel bottoms, top with siracha oil.
* For homemade aioli, whisk 1 medium egg yolk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard. Stream in 2/3 cup grapeseed oil, season with salt to taste

Lettuce-wrapped Halibut with Dill Cream – Laura Calder

Radishes and peas

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 bunches radishes, about 1-1/4 pounds/460 g, quartered or sliced
  • 2 cups freshly shelled peas
  • 1 pinch Salt and pepper
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • handful of chopped fresh dill

Fish and Sauce

  • 8 large Boston lettuce leaves
  • Salt and pepper
  • 4 fillets halibut, about 4 ounces/110 g each
  • 3 stalks dill, chopped
  • 1 shallot
  • 1/2 clove garlic
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1 1/4 cups chicken stock
  • 1 1/4 cups cream
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • Salt and pepper
  • Lemon juice, to taste
  • pinch dill sprigs for garnish

Radishes and peas

  1. Melt the butter in a sauté pan and gently cook the radishes until half cooked. Add the peas with 1/4 cup/60 ml water. Continue cooking until the peas and radishes are tender Season, and scatter over the green onions and dill.

Fish and Sauce

  1. For the fish bundles: Lay the lettuce leaves in a sauté pan of boiling salted water for a few seconds. Remove, and immediately plunge in an ice bath. Lay flat on tea towels to drain, gently patting them dry. Remove the ribs, so you have strips of lettuce. Lay a few leaves on a board, slightly overlapping. Lay a fish fillet on top. Season, and neatly fold the lettuce leaves over to make a neat package, with the end of the fish visible out the ends. Make the other three bundles. If you’re not cooking until much later, wrap and refrigerate. Otherwise, just set them aside.
  2. For the sauce: Put the dill stalks, shallot, garlic, wine, and stock in a saucepan. Boil to reduce by three-quarters. Strain, and return to a clean saucepan. Add the cream and simmer to sauce consistency, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Whisk in the butter a piece at a time. Taste, and season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice, if needed.
  3. Lay the fish bundles in a bamboo steamer over a saucepan of 2-inches/5 cm boiling water. Steam until the fish is just cooked, about 10 minutes. Serve with the sauce (passed in a sauceboat). A bed of radishes and peas is the perfect accompaniment.
  4. For the plate: Enjoy a piece of fish and a tumble of radishes and peas side by side on a plate.

Linguine with Shrimp Scampi — Ina

  • Vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt plus 1 1/2 teaspoons
  • 3/4 pound linguine
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
  • 1 pound large shrimp (about 16 shrimp), peeled and deveined
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • 1/2 lemon, zest grated
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
  • 1/4 lemon, thinly sliced in half-rounds
  • 1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

Drizzle some oil in a large pot of boiling salted water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the linguine, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or according to the directions on the package.

Meanwhile, in another large (12-inch), heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic. Saute for 1 minute. Be careful, the garlic burns easily! Add the shrimp, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and the pepper and saute until the shrimp have just turned pink, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat, add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices, and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine.

When the pasta is done, drain the cooked linguine and then put it back in the pot. Immediately add the shrimp and sauce, toss well, and serve.

Coquilles Saint Jacques–Laura Calder, French Food at Home

photo from article

Scallops
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound/450 g scallops
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Duxelles
2 tablespoons butter
8 ounces/250 g mushrooms
2 shallots, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Sauce
2 tablespoons butter
1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup125 ml white wine
1/2 cup/125 ml fish stock
2 tablespoons creme fraiche
Lemon juice, to taste

Topping
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
6 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Prepare the scallops: Heat the butter and oil in a large saute pan. Season the scallops with salt and pepper and sear 1 minute per side, to brown. Do not cook completely. Set aside.

To make the duxelles: Melt the butter in a large saute pan until foaming. Add the shallot and saute until soft. Add the mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms have released all their liquid and the pan is dry, about 10 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl and stir through the parsley.

To make the sauce: Melt the butter in the saute pan until foaming. Add the shallot and cook until soft. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Whisk in the wine and boil down by half. Add the stock and cook, stirring, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and stir in the creme fraiche. Check the seasonings, adding salt, pepper, and lemon juice, if needed.

To assemble the dish: Heat the oven to broil with the oven rack at the top. Lay 6 large scallop shells or individual gratin dishes on a baking sheet. Divide the mushroom mixture among the shells. Arrange six scallops on each, then spoon over the sauce. For the topping, scatter over the parsley and breadcrumbs, drizzle over the melted butter, and broil until golden and bubbly, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

Chipotle Shrimp With Tomato Corn Salsa

Top Tomato 2012

Barbara Brynelson invented this recipe after coming home from the Rockville farmers market with tomatoes, corn, onions and chili peppers. She also had a bottle of chipotle powder she had been wanting to use. A winner was born.
Because she’s usually pressed for time, Brynelson says, she uses frozen (uncooked) shrimp that has been peeled and deveined; if you prefer, you can buy 24 ounces of shell-on shrimp to peel and clean yourself. She also doesn’t peel or seed the tomatoes but wouldn’t object if you choose to.

If you like your food spicy, go with the jalapeno pepper; if not, you can use a poblano instead. And if you don’t like cilantro, she gives you the option of not adding it.

This can be eaten on its own, served over rice or pasta, or wrapped in a soft tortilla.

  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
  • 1/2 medium sweet onion, sliced lengthwise into strips (not rings; 1/2 cup)
  • Kernels from 1 or 2 ears of fresh corn (1 cup)
  • 1/2 jalapeno or poblano pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped (see headnote)
  • 3 large Roma tomatoes, chopped (peeled and seeded if desired)
  • Finely grated zest and freshly squeezed juice from 1 lime (1 teaspoon zest and 2 teaspoons juice)
  • 2 large cloves garlic, minced or crushed
  • 1 1/2 cups peeled and deveined raw shrimp (12 ounces, 31 to 40 count), fresh or frozen, defrosted if frozen
  • 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder, preferably Penzeys brand
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves (optional)

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large saute pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the corn, jalapeno or poblano pepper, the tomatoes and lime juice. Once the mixture starts to bubble, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 4 or 5 minutes, until the tomato has softened. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the same saute pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds, then add the shrimp, lime zest and chipotle powder (to taste). Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the shrimp are just turning pink and opaque. Return the tomato-corn mixture to the pan or skillet and cook for a few minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through.

4 servings

Salmon with Brown Sugar and Mustard Glaze Bobby Flay

Salmon:
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
Vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 salmon fillets, 6 ounces each

On the side burner, melt the brown sugar, honey and butter in a small saute pan over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat and whisk in the mustard, soy sauce, olive oil and ginger. Let cool.

Preheat grill to medium heat. Brush salmon with vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the salmon skin side down on the grill. Coat the flesh of the salmon fillets with the brown sugar mixture. Grill for 6 to 8 minutes to medium doneness, turning once after 5 to 6 minutes