La Comida Fantastica recipies

Ginger Steamed Crab
The crab legs are so easy to prepare. It only takes a few minutes. In my family, it is a right of passage to spend hours and hours and hours cracking and devouring crab legs. Oh the memories!
To serve 2:

• All the crab you can eat! (we went with a paltry pound and a half)
• Fresh Ginger, about two inches
• Fresh Garlic, two cloves
• Couple Scallions
• Side salad w/ fresh squeezed lemon
• Melted butter (optional)

1. Wash and scrub the crab legs (mine were a frozen managers special, saves money and bought me an extra day).
2. Crack legs with a cleaver (or heavy knife) to create opening for the steam.
3. Boil about an inch and a half of water. Place steamer basket in pot of boiling water (you can also use an aluminum pie plate with holes poked into it resting on a metal cookie cutter... frugal genius, yes I am)
4. Slice up about an inch of fresh ginger ans at least one garlic glove (two of my favorite ingredients I am known to go waaaaay overboard on, so use your own taste preferences). For even more delightfulness, slice up two scallions then drop all into basket.
5. Place your crab on top of this culinary yum-fest. Cover.
6. Steam approximately 5-8 minutes.
7. Serve alongside a light salad of greens, thinly sliced red onion and lemon-juice (Happy Husband added tomatoes for color). You could also melt some butter to dip your crab meat in, but you wont need very much.
8. Crack away!

(Modified) Catalan Fish Stew
I love shellfish, all kinds really. Buying all the different varieties gets quite costly when you live in a landlocked locale like AZ. I make use of great sales and the freezer section of my grocery store. Saves cash and time at the store. Serves 2

• 1/2 Bag of Mariscos Mix (Mixed shellfish, and fish, you can find in the frozen section), defrosted
• Few threads of saffron, infused in water (I used 2 tsp. Tumeric -no water, because saffron is dang pricey, and I love the color of Tumeric)
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• Tsp olive oil
• Clove garlic, chopped
• Tsp. thyme, chopped
• Bay leaf
• Red Bell Pepper, chopped, seeds discarded
• Can No-Salt Added diced tomatoes
• Tsp Paprika (I prefer Hungarian, but use whatever you have)
• 1/2 c. fish stock
• 1/2 c. ground almonds (I chopped then beat them in a plastic bag)
• Thick and crusty bread

1. Cook onion with olive oil until golden, but not browned (about 10 minutes). Stir in garlic, herbs, and bell pepper 5 minutes until pepper is softened. 
2. Add in tomatoes and paprika, simmering 5 minutes. Stir in stock and saffron and a splash of water. Simmer 5-10 minutes until sauce is reduced. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Dump in the shellfish mix. Reduce heat to low, cover and and simmer another 5 minutes. If you have clams and mussels still in the shell, remove any that are cracked or will not open.
4. Serve immediately with the tasty bread (even older bread will soften up a bit).

La Comida Fantastica

We've been eating pretty well in our little house. I have created (well, re-created from my Ethnic Cuisine cookbook) might tasty dishes of the sea as of late.

Garlic-Ginger Steamed Crab Legs

 

Spanish Seafood Stew (w/ yummy saffron)

If you're curious I'll tell you how to make these delicious pescatarian meals.

It is Soy Good

In keeping with my efforts to lose a lil chunk around my middle and eat more ethnic foods, I bought tofu. I have told myself for years that I "love" tofu. I know I like soy sauce, edamame, soy crisps, meatless-though-meatlike burgers and chik'n, and all the processed foods that have soy additives, so "loving" tofu wouldn't be inconceivable, right? Truth be told, I am a texture person. Cottage cheese? Gross! Raw tomato - seeds intact? Gross! One too many chews on a banana? Blech! Jell-o with fluffy creamy stuff? Gag! Tofu might not be the best option for one as squeamish as I.

I have had said tofu (extra firm to prevent squish factor) in the fridge for about a month, now nearing its expiration. Happy Hubby has teased me about it since its initial purchase. Happy Hubby stayed happy knowing that he will not be forced to chow down on this "non-food," even though I assured him it would only taste like whatever you cook with it. (Sometimes I say things so that I am the one needing convincing, his is one of those times.)

Courage, Bravery, Chutzpah! Oh My!

I am delighted to say that my first foray into tofu territory was delightful.It was peanutty, scalliony, sesame-y!

8 oz Extra Firm Tofu, cubed and drained
2 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used pre-cooked)
1 1/2 tsp . Olive Oil
1/2 tsp. Sesame Oil
1/2 c. Spring Onions, chopped
1 tsp. Light Soy Sauce
2 1/2 tsp. Fresh Ginger, grated
1/2 c. Light Chunky Peanut Butter
Splash of Water
1/3 c. shredded coconut
Red Pepper Flakes, to taste

1. Heat olive oil and sesame oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and cook green onions for one minute. Add tofu and pre-cooked shrimp, and continue cooking 4 minutes more, sprinkling with soy sauce halfway through. Gently stir in the peanut butter, ginger, and pepper flakes, being careful not to break the tofu, until well incorporated. Add splash of water to produce a more saucy-sauce.
2. Remove from heat, and toss in coconut. Transfer to a serving dish, and sprinkle with sesame seeds and any extra spring onion.
3. Devour!

(Yields 4 servings)

I adapted this recipe to reduce tofu to what I had in the fridge and add shrimp to entice Hubster into eating some. I also added more ginger and some red pepper flakes for some heat and zing! If you kick out the shimpers, you have a vegetarian delight.


Nom Nom Nom Nom...mmmmmm.... good.

A Feast with a Fez On

Last night I made a super easy fish dish from my cookbook. I adapted the recipe to only make two servings, but it is simple to adjust to fit your needs.

Moroccan  Red Snapper with Chermoula
Ingredients:

• 2 fillets red snapper (I used tilapia, because I always use tilapia)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 scant cup cilantro
• pinch sea salt
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 T. lemon juice
• 2 Lime wedges, for taste

Directions:

1. Using a mortar and pestle (which I would love to have, so I used a bowl and spoon and then a food processor), grind and smash garlic, then add in sea salt and cilantro followed by paprika and cumin.Once that is all nice and smooshy slowly incorporate olive oil and lemon juice. Bang! You have Moroccan Chermoula!
2. Place fillets in non-metallic baking dish. Make a couple slashes in each fillet and marinate with Chermoula for one hour in the refrigerator.
3. Preheat your oven to broil (or heck, use the grill... yum!). Broil fish for 4-5 minutes per side.
4. Garnish with a sprig of cilantro and a lime wedge.

Serving Suggestion:
Serve with side of couscous and green beans. That's what I did and it was a spicy bit o' heaven.

The Joy of Baking!

Let the Season of Sugar officially commence!

Every December, as far back as I could remember, I bake Christmas cookies - a lot of them. I have done the tried and true recipes (the chocolate chip, the oatmeal, and the holiday staples - sugar cookies and snickerdoodles). A few years ago, I dove into Mom's cookbook collection and selected the Betty Crocker Cooky Book from the 60s or 70s. I cannot praise that masterpiece of baker's delight enough!

I have tried to recreate a couple German cookies that I fell for during that year: Zimtsterne and Pffernusse. Hubster and I love spiced cookies and these two have a real zing! Zimtsterne, so heavenly-cinnamony,  are rolled out then cut into star-shapes and basted with an eggwhite-wash before baking. I have also seen them iced.* Pffernusse have a good dose of black pepper in them, but that heat is subdued by the dusting of powder sugar on the outside (after baking). The cloves, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg make this a real warming treat in a white snowball.

*My Zimtsterne were a bit different because I do not own a cookie cutter that is not in a Halloween shape. So I made mine into a drop cookie, making them a softer-pillowy texture unlike the hard and crunchy texture they are "supposed" to be. Also, the photo above is from audrinapatridge.com (I am writing this at a time inconvenient for plugging my camera into computer... tee hee hee)

Vegetarian Delishes

I have resolved to eat Vegetarian dishes a few nights a week. I refuse that mean "salads" so I dove into my favorite website, allrecipes.com, for some inspiration.
Vegetarian Korma! Happy Husband said he missed the chicken, but still fell in love with this dish. I used too much coconut milk (never thought one could ever use too much of this treasure) so I tripled the amount of curry powder. Next time I plan on using the more powerful Madras curry powder for some kick.



2.25 tsp canola oil
1 small onion
1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger I used a full tsp
2 cloves garlic
1 yukon gold potato, peeled and cubed
2 carrots, peeled and cubed
1 1/2 T. crushed cashews
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
4 oz. tomato sauce
1 tsp. salt
2 1/4 tsp curry powder (I used 2 T.)
1/2 c. frozen peas
1/2 red pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 green pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 c. coconut cream (I did a full cup... a very sweet whoops)
1 bunch fresh cilantro for garnish (essential for maximum flavor)

1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and cook until tender. Mix in ginger and garlic, and continue cooking 1 minute. Mix potatoes, carrots, jalapeno, cashews, and tomato sauce. Season with salt and curry powder. Cook and stir 10 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
2. Stir peas, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and cream into the skillet. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Garnish with cilantro to serve.

We have also enjoyed Chunky Summer Tomato Soup (cold and garden fresh) and Meatless Confetti Chili (using leftover peppers from the Korma). Tonight we'll have Zucchini Crab Cakes (use shredded and drained zucchini instead of crab) and bake, not fry.

If I ate like this all the time, I might not miss meat (for long).

Enjoy, my veggie friends!

Reading: "Pride & Prejudice" by Jane Austen
Listening to: "I've Just Seen a Face" by The Beatles

Commencement of Cookery

Today is the first day I pledge commitment to my Calendar of Cookery. I have planned out five meals a week for the remaining three weeks of July. I went with an ethnic theme for July as I truly enjoy multicultural cuisine. I'll post some recipes as I go along, if they are up to par (quick and easy and mighty tasty). Tonight ... Chicken Paprikash {HUNGARIAN}. Later this week we'll have Tandoori Fish {INDIAN} and Shrimp Etouffee {CAJUN} just for a couple samples.

I made sure to leave a (2) day of leftovers/day of takeout/day of dining out per week just in case I don't feel like cooking. I made a weekly shopping list so that we can save on our grocery bills. A major component to my manifesto. Eat groceries, not money. Simple.

Let you know how it goes.

Listening to: "Headlock" by Imogen Heap
Reading: "A Reliable Wife" by Robert Goolrick