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Category: Entrees

My Nicoise Salad

yholmes 4 Comments

This salad was inspired by a classic Nicoise Salad with its fresh anchovies, potatoes and green beans. Since my fish choices in the freezer were salmon or salmon I ended up here.

If you do anything MAKE THE SALMON CAKES. They are perfect on their own and remind me nothing of the old canned salmon patties my mom made (sorry mom).

I am also picturing these on a sandwich with a spicy rémoulade (think po’ boy).

The dressing is compliments of my great friend Laura and is her signature dressing. I make this weekly and store it in the refrigerator so I alwasy have it near and ready for greens.

INGREDIENTS

For the salmon cakes:

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons plain yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons chopped green onions
  • 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1/2 pound skinless salmon fillet, chopped
  • 8 Ritz or Club crackers, coarsely crushed

For the vinaigrette:

  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 2 T balsamic vinegar
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salad:

  • 4 salmon cakes (recipe above)
  • 2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and sliced
  • 6 small new red potatoes, quartered and cooked tender
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 medium heads Boston lettuce or butter lettuce, cut into quarters
  • 1 tomato, sliced
  • 6 ounces green beans, blanched or steamed crisp
  • 2 Tbsp capers, drained

DIRECTIONS

To make the salmon cakes stir together all ingredients (except olive oil) in a medium bowl. Form salmon mixture into 4 (3-inch) patties. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot, then cook salmon cakes, carefully turning once, until golden and salmon is just cooked through, about 6 minutes total.

Mix all ingredients for dressing in a small jar and close lid. Shake until combined.

To assemble the salad, just before serving toss the beans with enough vinaigrette to fully moisten them. Arrange all pieces on a platter and drizzle with vinaigrette.

Serves two.

 

Shrimp Stuffed Zucchini

yholmes 2 Comments

I should have called this “Summer Stuffed Zucchini” as it’s full of sweet summer flavors. I found these cute litte tatuma zucchini at Central Market and thought why not… they remind me of mini pumpkins. You can use regular zucchini as well or anything for that matter. You could stuff a shoe with this filling and find happiness.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 – 4 zucchini zucchini, cut in half
  • Olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 small onion
  • 1/4 Teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 1 ear corn, de-kerneled
  • 2 tablespoons capers
  • 2 tablespoons chopped basil
  • 8 Shrimp, cut into bite size pieces
  • 10 grape tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
  • Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Slice zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out inner flesh leaving a 1/4 inch lip. Chop 1/2 of the flesh and reserve. Place zucchini in a baking dish or sheet pan.

Over medium heat in a non-stick skillet, saute onions and garlic in 1 T olive oil until tender, about 5 minutes. Add crushed red pepper, corn, diced zucchini from above, tomatoes, lemon juice and capers. Saute for an addition 2-3 minutes. Turn off heat and mix in shrimp, breadcrumbs and basil. Season with salt and pepper.

Fill zucchini halves with mixture and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and top each zucchini with parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil. Return to oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Enjoy!

 

Pork Shoulder Pernil with Cilantro-Citrus Adobo

yholmes 3 Comments

My good friend and fellow foodie, Catherine of Fish and Veggies, peaked my interest in this dish. She gave it a try and received rave reviews. So I followed her lead with a few modifications based on her suggestions and made my own Pork Pernil.

“Pernil” is a classic Puerto Rican pork roast that is incredibly easy and equally impressive. The basic method is making the “adobo” which is simply a purée of garlic, herbs and citrus juice. Next time I will add onion and chili powder to the adobo for a little more flavor.

It couldn’t be simpler. Throw the potatoes in the bottom and after 3 hours they are perfectly crispy and flavored with the adobo. I made a quick coleslaw and served with flour tortillas to make tacos.

INGREDIENTS

For the Pork:

  • 1 boneless pork shoulder (about 4 pounds), skin on
  • 5 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 handful fresh oregano
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro, plus chopped cilantro, for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • Kosher salt and fresh coarsely ground black pepper
  • 2 limes, juiced, plus wedges for serving
  • 2 oranges, juiced
  • 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 5-6 large Idaho potatoes, cubed

For the Coleslaw:

  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 3 T apple cider vinegar
  • 1 T honey
  • 1 t cumin
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 head cabbage, shredded
  • 1 small red onion, thinkly sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • shredded carrots

DIRECTIONS

Prepare the adobo: In a food processor, add the garlic, oregano, cilantro, cumin, salt, and pepper. Add lime juice and orange juice. Drizzle in olive oil and pulse until you have a nice puree.

Using a sharp knife, score the surface of the meat with small slits. Place pork in a large plastic bag. Pour the marinade all over the pork and seal plastic bag. Marinade in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Cut potatoes into 1-inch cubes and place in the bottom of a roasting pan.

Remove pork from marinade and place the pork, fat side up, in a roasting pan fitted with a rack insert. Rub leftover marinade on top of pork – being sure to get into the incisions so the salt can penetrate the meat and pull out the moisture – this will help form a crust on the outside when cooked.

Roast the pork and potatoes for 3 hours, uncovered, until the skin is crispy-brown. Let the meat rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before slicing, covered lightly with aluminum foil. Drizzle with lime juice and garnish with cilantro.

Mix all ingredients for the coleslaw dressing and add to coleslaw mix 5 minutes before serving.

Serve with tortillas for taco making!

Steamed Mussels with Spicy Red Pepper Aioli

yholmes 1 Comment

Thank you Anne Burrell… you are brilliant and I love your food.

Steamed mussels have become a favorite of mine. I first had them about 12 years ago at an office party in Ft Lauderdale. They were swimming in butter, wine and parsley – and I loved them…. I was not yet the Foodie I’ve become so it was several years before they came back into my life. They are beautiful little creatures with their glossy black shells and surprisingly very affordable ($5-$6 pound). If serving as the main course I’d suggest a pound per person and lots of bread.

Do not skip the spicy aioli… it is what makes this recipe incredible. It seeps into the wine and salty sea juices… makes a lovely spicy sauce to dip your bread into.

I made a few modifications to the original recipe: I used shallots instead of onion, added parsley and I cut the wine WAY back (recipe calls for an entire bottle). I used Sauvignon Blanc for the wine and there was plenty left for drinking.

INGREDIENTS

For the aioli:

  • 2 roasted red peppers
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons Sriracha
  • Salt
  • 1 cups canola oil

For the mussels:

  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 large shallots, finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 3/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 pounds mussels, debearded and rinsed
  • 2 cups white wine
  • Crusty bread

DIRECTIONS

To make the aioli: Coarsely chop the roasted peppers and place them in the best blender for the money or food processor. Add the yolks, garlic, vinegar, chili paste, and salt to taste. Puree until the mixture is smooth. While the machine is running, slowly drizzle in the oil, until incorporated. Check the aioli for texture and flavor. If it’s too thick, add a few drops of water to thin it down, or on the flip side if it’s too thin add more oil. The desired outcome is a fairly thin aioli. Check the flavor and add more salt or chili paste, if desired. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To cook the mussels: In a pot, large enough to accommodate all the mussels, generously coat with olive oil. Add the shallots and bring to a medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Cook the shallots until they are very soft and aromatic but have no color. Add the garlic, thyme and bay leaf and cook for another 2 to3 minutes. Stir to be sure the garlic doesn’t burn. Add the mussels and stir to coat with the oil. Add the wine and cover the pot. Steam the mussels for 5 to 6 minutes or until all the shells open. If some shells don’t open, cook them for a little longer. Sometimes the freshest mussels are the most stubborn to open. Remove the mussels that don’t open after longer cooking. When in doubt, throw out.

While the mussels are steaming, grill or toast the slices of bread.

Serve the mussels in individual bowls with lots of the juice from the bottom of the pot. Generously drizzle each bowl with the aioli. Serve with lots of crusty bread to soak up the liquid!

 

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