Shrimp Salad

The reason for my addiction

I’m about to admit something that I used to do which was pretty gross. I want to give a little preface first before I tell you. But be warned, either you will be nauseous or proud when you read it. But first the Joyce-ian digression.

Most of my food/technique discovery comes from having access to a full fridge (well, full of Japanese and Taiwanese goods) and a kitchen to myself after school. I mastered the egg drop technique, how to quickly chop scallions, melting cheese in the microwave [sort of], and making pancake from scratch. I also had the opportunity to try playing with ingridients. I figured out that fermented back beans don’t taste good in Kraft Mac and Cheese, rice vinegar is awesome when used in pan frying dumpling wrappers, and stir fried iceberg lettuce with garlic salt isn’t half bad. The best thing about having access to a fridge after school with no one around is exactly that, I got to do things that I would have been judged for by family members based on standards of ethics and health.

So, the thing that I have feared to admit is that I used to eat mayonnaise out of the jar. Gasp!

Mayonnaise is not a popular ingredient in Taiwan. It arrived in Asia through Japan by the military. Eventually it found its way through other Asian regions and now is an important part of a young Taiwanese boy’s discovery of a highly coloric condiment. I still remember how the habit started. Whenever we went to a Chinese seafood restaurant, we would sometimes get boiled abolone. As part of the dish, a small serving of mayonnaise would be provided as dip. I would always limit myself at the table. Well, my mom would always limit me. I later discovered that shrimp could also be dipped in this pillow-y and rich goodness. So, if shrimp was ever cooked at home, I would take out the jar of mayonnaise, which I convinced my parents was necessary to have in an American house hold, and put about a tablespoon of it on the shrimp (yes singular) and enjoy every moment of the fatty, smooth, emulsion. It was when I was spooning the stuff out of the jar and having a little taste after school that I knew I hit rock bottom. I was a ten year old junkie and my drug was mayonnaise.

I’m proud to say that I have quit cold turkey, and I no longer spoon any fatty substance in my mouth in large quantities. I do however keep some mayonnaise in my fridge in case of relapse and as a reminder of my junkie days. I now prefer the japanese version much better than the classic American styles. Instead of white vinegar as the main acid, rice or cider vinegar is used to add a slight sweetness. My favorite brand is Kewpie because it is mostly egg yolk which gives it a creamier texture and the vinegar is a blend of cider and malt which provides a subtle sweet flavor. It goes great with the natural sweetness of shrimp. Especially in this dish.

I love this salad. It allows me to cheat on my “no eating mayonnaise out of jar” rule. It also is a great blend with the tartness of the lemon juice, spice of the chili, and creaminess of the star of the dish: mayonnaise. You can use this base for any other salad (crab, scallop, chicken, tuna) but shrimp and mayonnaise is a combination that will always trigger great memories of my childhood. You can do this with day old shrimp. What I like to do sometimes is double the amount of shrimp I need to make sure I have enough for a salad the next day. So, I bought two pounds. Ok, maybe my problem is not just mayonnaise but also shrimp. Although, I think we established that already.

Whew, I’m glad I got that off my chest. I can now move on with my next 90 posts without fear that my dirty secret would come out. Enjoy.

~stuff

1 lb shrimp, cooked, shelled & cut into pieces
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 medium lemon, zest and 1/2 of the juice
1 tsp togorashi, more if you want it spicy
1/4 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Japanese style)
1 small shallot, minced
salt and pepper to taste

~steps
combine all ingredients in a bowl
serve in a toasted roll as a sandwich or over a bed of lettuce for a primal option

-serves 4-

Pan Seared Skate

-pan roasted skate with soy glaze-

Hurricane Irene hit New York City early Sunday morning.  To prepare, my roommate and housemates cleaned out the trash outside, weighed down our broken grill, moved all electrical things from the windows, and put up towels in areas we knew would leak.  My roommate and I were put in charge of buying the necessary items in case we lost power, gas, or water.  This was the best idea ever.

My roommate and I went to the local Chinese supermarket and came back with the most important things.  We came back with:

this is what my survival kit looks like

Haw Flakes, chocolate wafer sticks, sour cream and onion Pringles, dried pork, dried fish, dried beef, chili sauce, preserved bamboo, preserved vegetables, honey mustard pretzels, shrimp chips, rice crackers, sunflower seed, pig ear, chicken feet, salted duck, beef tendon, and a six pack of beer.  Red Cross, if you are hiring, my roommate and I are available for consulting.

In addition to all of this amazing first aid food stuff, I did also get some things from work because the restaurant had to shut down for the weekend.  This meant that the wonderful people in pastry gave me some equally wonderful zucchini muffins and the chefs gave me some awesome uncooked skate that wouldn’t survive the weekend.  I downed the muffins on my way home, but I pretended that there was no electricity so it didn’t feel premature to dive into them.  The skate however, was a conundrum.  I wasn’t really sure how I would prepare it. I’m not very familiar with skate mainly because the “Seafood Watch” list tells me not to buy it.  So, it’s exciting that I got my hands on skate.  This is especially because it comes from a vendor that I can trust and know gets seafood from fisherman that are sustainable and progressive.

I ended up cooking it in a method that is very common with how my mom cooks fish fillets.  It’s simple and uses aromatics and ingredients that every Asian person should have at home.  All you need to do is pan fry the fish and then quickly create a sauce in the same pan.  Because the skate wings are so thin, you can make this dish in less than ten minutes.  If you don’t have access to sustainable skate, and if you don’t know then don’t get it, you can use some scallops.  The flavor profile is almost exactly the same.  Texture won’t be like fish, but it’s more about the flavor in this dish.

In case you where wondering, our building wasn’t damaged too much by the hurricane.  We had a little water in our basement and the second floor did not have power for the day, but we where lucky.  Now, make some scallops (or skate) and enjoy.

~stuff

2 lbs of skate wing, 4 fillets

salt and black pepper

2 tbs vegetable oil

¼ cup of ginger, julienne

2 medium scallions, sliced in 1 inch pieces

3 medium cloves of garlic, smashed

¼ cup soy sauce

2 tbs Chinese rice wine

1½ tbs sugar

~steps

sprinkle salt and pepper on skate

 

heat oil in a non-stick skillet on high until scorching hot

 

panfry skate on one side for 3-4 minutes until lightly brown and flip to finish cooking, for about another 2 minutes

 

remove cooked skate and return the pan to the heat

 

add garlic, ginger, and scallion to pan and stir fry until fragrant

 

mix the soy sauce, wine, and sugar in another bowl and add to the hot pan

 

stir until sauce is slightly reduced, 1 minute

 

pour sauce over fillet and serve

-serves 4-

Green Curry Salmon En Pappillote

...salmon en papillote...

My knowledge of cooking techniques is actually pretty limited.  I usually only pan fry, stir-fry, bake, or fry my food.  There isn’t much in terms of fancy cooking techniques in my repertoire.  And it is even more evident ever since I started working at Colicchio & Son’s and seeing all the amazing and ingenuous people that work there.  Terms like “Sous Vide”, “Compressed Vegetables”, and “Celery Foam” are known to me, but will never happen in my kitchen.  I’m more scared of blowing things up rather then actually attempting to make fancy foods.  However, when I do come up with the courage to do some new technique, it becomes an all out exciting adventure.  And then when it is successful, you might as well call me the Chinese Wylie Dufresne…or not.  My self esteem is bordering the conceited line.  But, I am humble in life, I promise.  I know not what the blog world does to me.

“En Papillote” was probably the first time that I ever attempted a fancy cooking technique.  Actually, I take that back.  It was probably the second after a Salt Baked Fish.  For those who aren’t versed in the language of love, “En Papillote” is just French for “in parchment”.  When put into cooking context, it’s a dish where the food is cooked inside a package or pouch.  Essentially one is just steaming the food and creating a sauce out of it’s own juices, but it sounds so much more fancy in French, no?   Now, I was scared to attempt this technique in its traditional way.  The first time that I really made this was the fake way.  I used foil.  Although the box that that parchment came in said “safe for oven”, I just couldn’t come to terms with putting paper in an extremely hot oven.  The idea of starting a forest fire in my house didn’t seem like a very good one.

A couple of years ago, I finally built the courage to do an “En Papillote” the right way.  I took out my recyclable/bio-degradable hippy paper [I was living in Oregon], wrapped the salmon with all its goodness and watched it with a careful eye as it baked in my oven.  When 15 minutes was up, I put away the fire extinguisher and opened beautiful packets of creamy and fragrant salmon.  I love when things come together.  I realized through my culinary growth that foil is not a good substitute for this cooking method.  It was way too hot and overcooked the fish way too much.  Now I get why the French are so smart, they picked something that didn’t retain that much heat.

I learned this method of folding/shaping from Alton Brown.  Man, he is awesome.  He’s like Mr. Wizard meets Gordon Ramsey.  If you do the half heart, you won’t have to deal with edges unrolling and letting any of the steam out.  Nor will you have to do what I did the first time I used paper.  Staples.

...image by jessie kanelos...

Seafood tends to be the best thing for this cooking method.  It always comes out perfectly cooked and soaks in the flavor of the aromatics and liquids that are put into the packets.  Plus the awesome broth that comes from the steam is like pure ecstasy.  Enjoy ecstasy.

What was your first complicated cooking technique?  Please share in the comments.  I would love to hear them!

~stuff

1 14oz can coconut milk

1 stalk lemon grass, beaten and sliced in 2 inch pieces

2 thai bird chili, minced [can use Serrano]

1/4 cup cilantro, minced

1/2 cup onion, sliced thin

4 cloves garlic, minced

juice of one lime

zest of one lime

2 tsp fish sauce

1/2 cup fresh Thai basil leaves, lightly packed

1/4 cup of veggie broth, chicken broth, or water

salt and pepper to taste

2 cups of mixed julienne carrots and bamboo

4 8 oz. filet of salmon

4 large heart shaped pieces of parchment paper (you know, like what we used to do for Valentines in grade school where you folded the paper in half)

~steps

pre-heat oven to 375° f

mix all ingredients except carrots, bamboo, salmon, and parchment paper in a large mixing bowl

add salmon to sauce and marinate for at least 3 hours

layer carrots and bamboo in the center of the heart to one side of the fold, next the salmon fillet, and spoon 1 tbs of sauce over the fish

fold over the heart and begin folding the edges of the paper starting at the top of the heart/curve and working your way down to the point.

twist the bottom tip several times to ensure the package is sealed

bake packages for 15 to 20 minutes

open package very carefully and enjoy

~serves 4~

crispy shrimp with wasabi tobiko sauce

 

crispy shrimp with wasabi tobiko sauce

I’ve spent the last five months at an amazing restaurant that shut its doors on Sunday.  Japonais, a Japanese restaurant cooked in French styles, was my place to be creative with drinks as well as allowed me to talk about the thing I love the most: food.  I had a blast there and made amazing friends.  I developed a bond with the staff that I have never had at any workplace.  On top of that, I truly got to learn more about the service industry and truly value the work, friendship, and support of all the players in the restaurant industry.

One of the dishes that I constantly sold and was sure to be a crowd pleaser was the Crispy Shrimp and Salmon.  Now, Japonais had really delicious traditional sushi dishes, but the Crispy Shrimp and Salmon, amongst the three other specialty rolls, where exceptional.  It was a traditional panko fried shrimp inside a sushi roll and topped with soy marinated salmon sashimi and drizzled with a wasabi tobiko sauce.   Yeah.  Sounds decadent huh?  It was.  In a very good way though.

I tried to recreate this dish at home but hit a few obstacles.  The problem with sushi is that it’s not fun to make (or cost affective) unless it is in bulk.  The process of making sushi rice, collecting the ingredients, and marinating sushi grade salmon did not make my wallet happy.  So, I just took the main pieces that I thought I could realistically make and then just hope one day I make it to the Chicago or Vegas location.

So, this is a variation of the dish.  I did a panko fried shrimp and just accompanied it with a wasabi tobiko sauce.  Tobiko is pretty great if you have never tried it.  It’s the caviar of the flying fish.  It creates a crunchy, popping texture when you bite into it and adds VERY subtle briny flavor in the sauce.  If you don’t have access to tobiko, you can use masago.  If you don’t like either, then omit it.  It’s ok.  For this dish, you can make this sauce a couple of days in advance.  The wasabi flavor will be a little stronger, but that’s what makes my sinuses happy.  Also, I used something called Kewpie Mayo.  Kewpie is the brand of a Japanese mayonnaise that’s a little sweeter than the American version.  If you can’t find Kewpie, then the “red, white, and blue” version is fine.

~stuff

[the sauce]

1/4 tsp wasabi paste

2 tsp tobiko or masago (optional)

1/4 cup scallion, minced

1/4 cup mayonnaise (kewpie if you have it)

1/2 tsp soy sauce

1/2  tsp sesame oil

salt and pepper

[the shrimp]

vegetable oil for frying

2 lb of medium shrimp, peeled with tail still on

1 large egg

1 tbs water

1 cup flour

1 cup panko

1 tbs salt

1 tbs pepper

~steps

mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and set aside

pour oil in a deep pot or fryer and heat on high

clean shrimp and de-shell if necessary (freeze shell for broth some other time)

beat egg with water in a shallow dish, set aside

season flour with salt and pepper in a shallow dish, set aside

pour panko in a (surprise, surprise) shallow dish, and set aside

coat shrimp in flour and shake of excess flour, then the egg mixture, and finally the panko bread crumbs.

fry in oil (when you insert a wood chopstick or handle of a wood spoon and bubbles form around it, then it’s ready-Thank you Rachel Ray for that tip-) until golden brown.

remove from oil and let drain on towel for a few minutes

serve with wasabi mayonnaise

-serves 4-

zaru noodles -Japanese cold noodles-

zaru noodles Tom Selleck would be proud of

Hot weather reminds of Mr. Baseball.  You know, that 1992 Tom Selleck movie where a white American moves to Japan and learns the ways of the people.  While at the same time, saving the baseball team from being destroyed.  It’s kind of like The Last Samurai but with baseballs, comedy, and a whole lot of mustache.  There’s one scene in the film that has Tom Selleck’s character eating cold noodles with his Japanese love interest and her family.  They where eating Zaru Soba, or Udon, but none the less it seemed like the family, and Tom Selleck, where wonderfully cooled and refreshed during that meal.  If you’ve never heard or had Zaru noodles, go and watch Mr. Baseball and feel the icy coolness just consume you.  Or warm hotness if you’re into Tom Selleck’s mustache.

My brother and cousin introduced me to this dish.  Both made it for me after their studies in Japan. I was completely sold on it.  Not only was it easier than Kraft Mac and Cheese for after school meals, but it was also healthier.  Because, you know-as a 9 year old, I was really concerned with my health.  It was simple because you could buy the bottle, cook some noodles, cut some scallions and then you had a great meal.  I would make it almost every day when it got really hot outside.

I’ve been trying to challenge myself in my culinary adventures.  Also the heat has made me really nostalgic for cold dishes because, well, I hate heat and humidity.  So, I’ve been really excited to eat this dish.  I went to the local Asian store and grabbed a bottle of the zaru udon/soba dipping sauce.  I read the ingredients and was like “Hey! I can make that!”  So I bought what was listed on the ingredients and went home to try to make the sauce.

It’s easy and requires no oil.  It’s also quick to cook.  The wait is a somewhat painful though.  Because it’s meant as a cold dish, the cooling time to get the dipping sauce to ice cold takes a while.  Unless you have access to the Iron Chef America Kitchen Stadium or have a blast chiller at home, then I would give the sauce some time to cook.  You can actually make it in advanced and it will keep for 4-5 days.

There are a lot of ingredient descriptions and notes.  Click on the ingredients to be directed to the “things to know” section to learn more info about it.

This is perfect for the random heat wave that is hitting the world.  Icy cold noodles in icy cold dipping sauce for icy cold goodness [and Tom Selleck].

~stuff

6 1 inch pieces dried kombu

4 cups water

1 tsp hon dashi

1 tsp mirin

4 tsp soy sauce

¼ cup katsuoboshi

1 tsp rice vinegar

4 servings dried udon noodles

1 tsp grated ginger

4 tsp grated daikon, optional

4 tsp minced scallion

chopped toasted nori, optional

wasabi, optional

~steps

combine the first seven ingredients in a medium sauce pan and bring to simmer on medium heat for 15 – 30 minutes.

remove broth from heat and chill completely for 2 hours

boil a large pot of water for noodles

cook noodles according to package instructions and blanch in ice cold water

strain broth to remove bonito flakes and kombu and discard

serve broth in small container beside strained noodles.

provide ¼ tsp grated ginger, 1 tsp of daikon and scallion, and some wasabi on side to allow person to add as much or little as they like.

-serves 4-

mango salsa

mango salsa

The first time I went to the emergency room was when I was about 10.  I woke up really late in the night with horrible cramps/stomach pains in my abdomen.  I was in major pain and ran to my parents’ room crying out for help.  I must of scared them, because they quickly picked me up and had me lie down in the back of the car as they drove quickly to the emergency room.  I don’t really remember much from the car drive, but I remember lying in the back crying in pain.  I even remember explaining to my parents that it felt like someone was playing ping-pong inside me. [I was picturing a tiny man that looked much like a tiny hamburgular wreaking havoc in my body…] The pain was in what I now know as my lower abdomen.  My mom was reaching back from the front passenger seat and clenching my hand really tight and my dad kept on assuring me that I will be alright and we where almost there.

I don’t remember much after that.  I don’t even remember getting to the emergency room.  The next thing I remember was a curtain surrounding me and I was on a bed in the ER.  There was a nurse taking my blood for tests and through out all the pain and fear, I do remember being proud of myself for not crying when the nurse took my blood.  I felt like a man.  Hey, the crying from the internal ping pong match doesn’t count as a marker of my manlihood or lack there of.  It comes from blood being drawn.  Give me a break, I was 10.

The doctor and my dad talked for a bit and then after what was about 15 minutes in my head, but in reality probably a couple of hours, I went home and had a huge plate of mangos.  Awesome.  Go to emergency room and dad preps you a big plate of mangos.  Turns out I didn’t have enough vitamin C in my system and the doctor told me to take eat some fruit and he will contact my parents with the results from the test.  I assume the results where good, because I never returned to the hospital.  However, I did learn a huge lesson.  Mangos are still good and full of vitamin c.

I always loved mangos.  They are tart and sweet at the same time with a refreshing creamy juiciness to add.  It’s amazing.  Growing up, I only ate it as a fruit on it’s own.  Sometimes it would be dried, but always just on it’s own.  I was never into sweet salsas so when I heard of mango salsa, I was hesitant.  I made some for the first time in DC when I bought some mangos that where quickly about to spoil.  I served it with a simple grilled fish, and was sold then and there.  I’ve since served it with all kinds of seafood.  My favorite is marinating salmon in the harissa/sriracha and tequila lime marinade. The sweetness balances really well with the lime and tequila/rum and cools the heat from the chili.  Perfect for the summer grill.

Come to think of it, my parents could have just poured me a glass of orange juice.  I’m glad that in all the panic and excitement, it slipped their mind.

~stuff

1 cup diced ripe mango, ¼ to ½ inch

¼ cup minced cilantro

¼ cup minced shallots

½ tsp salt

1 minced medium jalapeno or serrano chili pepper (seeded if you don’t want too spicy)

1 medium lime

~steps

mix all ingredients with the juice of the lime

set in refrigerator covered for at least 10 minutes

serve chilled or at room temperature

-serves 4-

sugar snap peas and shrimp

a marriage of beauty: sugar snap peas and shrimp stir fry

I’m really lucky to not only live in the same city as my brother and sister in law.  But I also live in the same building as them.  This calls for shared meals, shared wine, and lots of conversations till late at night.  It’s an amazing set up, especially because I can take a break from cooking and have my brother and sister in law make some of their dishes that are important to them.  One of the dishes that “A” makes is a shrimp and snap pea dish.  It comes from her Grandmother, who I have had the privilege to meet many times and have and will constantly be schooled in a friendly game of Mahjong. [we have been known to play till 3 am with her going strong and me on my third red bull]  This dish is amazing and it contains one of my favorite vegetables out there; a vegetable of pure holy-ness: sugar snap peas.  Fitting that A’s grandmother would make a dish with a vegetable that is so much like her: sweet with a crisp wit.

Sugar snap peas are in season.  I’m officially squealing like a schoolgirl as I type this.  I love these delicious, crisp, mangetout [a fancy French name meaning “eat all”- like snap peas and snow peas].  I’ve seen them constantly in the giant Costco veggie platters before.  I actually think that was my first experience with them.  They are just so unbelievably addictive, cooked or raw.  I’m actually chomping away at these raw snap peas as I type this, not giving a care in the world that I’m slowly depleting my stash for both the cooking, photo, and recipe development for this post.  I must stop chomping.

Sugar snap peas are my favorite of all the pea families.  Well, actually, that’s a pretty heavy statement.  I think my experience with peas growing up has primarily been with frozen peas, peas in fried rice, canned peas, and then sugar snap peas.  Now that I typed that all out, it’s no wonder I really love sugar snap peas.  It’s like the over achieving kid in class who always has his hand up in a sea of students who don’t care.  You can’t help but notice it.  Now that it’s pea season, I may have to add it to my list next time I go to the farmer’s market.  Right now is the perfect time to get the peas.  They are usually planted early in spring because they are hearty plants that can survive frost, so by mid June/ early summer you get to enjoy these scrumptious vegetables.

This dish is simple, easy, and fresh.  It’s so hot and humid in the summer that I rarely want to cook anything that requires standing over a hot stove for a long time.  So a stir fry is probably the best thing in the summer.  Plus the quick cooking over high heat keeps a crisp freshness in the sweet peas, which just scream summer sun [the peas-well I guess the cooking method too].  The sweetness of the shrimp marries well with the sweetness of the peas and the garlic and wine act as the officiant between the two.  You can serve this at room temperature or straight from the wok.  Both are way delicious.  Now, off to the market to buy more snap peas to replenish my stash.

~stuff

1 tbs canola oil

2 medium cloves of garlic, sliced

½ lb shrimp, shelled with head on [head is optional.  I like the extra shrimp flavor]

2 cups of sugar snap peas, stems and tough string running on the top from stem to tip removed

1 tsp salt

5 tsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

~steps

heat oil on high in a wok or large skillet until extremely hot and the surface of the oil looks to be moving

add garlic and shrimp and stir until translucent, about 2 minutes

add peas, wine, and salt and stir until peas are slightly cooked. about another 2 minutes

-serves 4-

shrimp and asparagus risotto

shrimp and asapargus risotto

I did it!  I made risotto.  Well, actually I attempted to make risotto and it came out “okay”.  I stress the “okay”.  It could have tasted a lot better, but 1) I was lazy 2) I don’t think I had enough liquid on hand and 3) I was freakin’ hungry!

Part of this blog is to not just document the recipes that mean something to me, but also to try new things.  Challenge me on techniques that don’t seem easy.  Risotto is one of those.  I remember always foolishly ordering it at restaurants and having to make the rest of the table wait because a chef in the back was furiously stirring away at some rice and broth.  Usually my brother was giving me the evil eye because his paparadelle would have been ready in a few minutes, where as my risotto was still being carefully created.  I think that’s why I have always been scared of making it.  Also, if I was going to make it at home I felt like I should make my own broth too and that’s a whole new level of patience.

Now, I know you all have probably heard about my unhealthy love for shrimp (on top of my love for lard) and how I overly consume/cook it.  So, when I cook shrimp it is usually with the shell on to get the full flavor of it.  But sometimes I have a dish that requires me to shell the suckers-which makes me sad sometimes, but then I remember about the possibility of shrimp broth.

I had some left over Asparagus stalks that where too tough to cook, so I froze them along with a bag of shrimp shells.  So I decided to combine them and create a shrimp and asparagus risotto.  I went out and bought some Arborio rice and started to make my own shrimp broth.  Instead of just water, I also used a can of vegetable broth [woah, quantum leap moment – using broth to make broth].  The broth help to make the shrimp flavor more subtle.  I do love shrimp, but sometimes there can be too much shrimp.

Now, I still have to learn the secrets to risotto, but the one thing that surprises me is the amount of time it takes.  I think I was stirring for like 30 minutes. I felt like it was 7^th grade gym all over again.  Running a mile and having my P.E. Teacher yelling at me.  “Keep stirring…Keep stirring!  I don’t care that your muscles are tired.  It’s good for you!  RUN!!”.   Oye, bad memories.

~stuff

shrimp shells and heads from 1 lb of shrimp

woody ends of 1 bunch of asparagus

1 quarter of an onion

4 cups water

1 can of vegetable broth

1 bay leaf

1 tbs olive oil

1 cup Arborio Rice

1 medium shallot, minced

1 medium clove garlic, minced

1 bunch asparagus cut in 1-inch pieces

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

~steps

combine shells, asparagus, bay leaf, onion, water, and broth in a large pot and simmer on medium heat until flavor is fully incorporated (about 45 min)

lower heat and keep broth on a low heat

brown shallots and garlic in olive oil over medium high heat in a sauce pan

add rice and stir until translucent and releases a nutty aroma (about 2 minutes)

ladle hot broth, about 1 cup, in rice mixture and stir until liquid is completely dissolved

add another ladle of broth and stir until dissolved

repeat until fully rice is fully cooked.

add asparagus and stir until tender

mix in cheese until melted

-serves 3-

braised tilapia over pasta

braised tilapia over pasta

I went to Connecticut with my brother’s partner a couple of weeks ago. We went to go visit a family friend who had just gotten back from the hospital and make sure he was all right. He’s a great man. He has done many great things for HIV research and helped so many people in their fight and struggle against the virus. I respect him a lot and he has touched my heart and has taught me many things about life. He continues to do research at Yale and I commend him for his work and his spirit.

He had been craving some food from an Italian restaurant for some time. Problem was, he was on house rest and couldn’t get in the car to make the drive and they didn’t deliver. So, in the car we went and drove 2 hours to ensure that he got his Italian food. It was worth it. To go and hear his jokes and his stories – it’s completely worth it. The food was good. But, my favorite was a fish dish that my sister in law got. It was a baked fish that was simple and layered with flavor and then just simply served over pasta. It was so simple and complex at the same time, like lots of Italian food I’ve come to enjoy. I decided that I wanted to try making this at home.

I had a great opportunity when I went to a friend’s house to cook for a group of friends. I was running late (20 minutes) so I needed to cook something that would be quick and easy, but worth being late for. So I went to the corner store by her house in the Financial District, shrugged my shoulders and was like, “here we go…”

This dish is actually really simple and quick. I used canned tomato sauce (you can use canned tomatoes and add oregano, basil, and thyme. I got to my friend’s at about 7:20 and had dinner ready by 7:45…ish. The brine from the capers really helps balance the tang of the tomatoes and sweetness of the onions. Really, it’s a nice balance.

And rarely do I see a whole fish fillet just chilling on a bed of cooked pasta, but it works.

Again, remember to use the seafood watch guide. Which reminds me. I need to update it.

~stuff

2 8 oz. filet of tilapia, halved [or any white fish like snapper or cod]

1 15oz. can of tomato sauce

1 medium onion, sliced into rings

1 tbs garlic, minced

2 dried bay leaves

2 tbs capers

2 tsp salt

3 tsp ground black pepper

1 tbs olive oil

1 lb spaghetti

1 tsp red chili flakes, optional

minced parsley for garnish

~steps

boil large pot of salt water for pasta

season both sides of fish with 1 tsp salt and 2 tsp pepper

sear fish on both sides till slightly brown in a large pan on high with olive oil, remove fish

sauté capers in the same pan for a few minutes and turn down heat to medium

layer, over capers, half the onion, one bay leaf, half of the tomato sauce, then fish, then garlic, then onion, and finally the bay leaf [add chili pepper if you want a kick]

pour the rest of the tomato sauce into the pan and shake to ensure sauce goes in all pockets and covers the fish completely

cover and cook on medium low until fish is cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes depending on fillet thickness

cook pasta according to package instruction while fish is cooking

serve over cooked pasta on a large plate and top with chopped parsley, if available

- serves 4 -

steamed fish with ginger, scallion, and cilantro

steamed fish with ginger, scallion, and cilantro

If a couple of days go by without any fish in my diet, I go crazy.  I feel almost incomplete because it was such an important part of my diet growing up.  I am not going to lie though, eating the fish seemed almost like a chore sometime.  It just seemed like I was eating the same thing everyday, over and over again.  But no, I realized when I got older that fish had its different flavors, tenderness, and ways of preparation to make it taste awesome.  My mom usually prepared the fish in one of four ways: pan fried, with sweet and sour sauce, in soup, or steamed.  More commonly was the pan fried and steamed.  Whichever, you could be sure that the head was still on.  Yum.

One of the best things about our family’s weekly trip to the Chinese supermarket (99 Ranch Market all the way baby!) was the fish department in the back.  I love going to the fish department in a Chinese supermarket and seeing all the different types of fish out there.  Well, ok there was one time that the fish department was awkward when my not so Asian 7^th grade math teacher showed up and started asking my Mom for Chinese food cooking advice.  It made the year very awkward.  However, the one thing that my Mom told Ms. Winter is to always keep the head on.

One thing that I love about my communities’ food culture is that they waste not.  Especially when the most worked muscle on the fish, and most tender, are on the head of a fish.  I loved trying to be the first one to get it.  The head of the fish is usually fought after, and when I was growing up it was usually my cousin that got it.  But if it was a fried fish, I didn’t care whose hands I stabbed with my chopsticks.  Don’t touch my fish head!

If anytime you want to have a way to prepare a fish that highlights the freshness of the fish and really elevates the taste through subtle flavors from aromatics.  The steaming process allows the fish to cook in its own juice so you don’t muddle or mask the real thing you are trying to enjoy.  The hot oil just cooks the aromatics just enough to release the fragrance of the herbs.  Plus it’s fun to hear it sizzle and pop.  So perfect.  This is really a dish that exemplifies the importance of subtlety and simplicity to create a delicious and flavorful dish.  And, because of the simplicity, your fish must be nothing but fresh.  And with head on.

~stuff

1 lb whole fish, cleaned

4 coins of ginger, ¼ inch thick and halved

2 tbs Chinese rice wine

1/2 cup scallion, 1 inch wide

1 cup cilantro, loosely cut

1 tsp soy sauce

2 tbs canola or vegetable oil

~steps

cut four slits on each side of the fish and place a ginger half in each

massage 1 tbs wine into cavity of fish, place on a heat proof plate, and pour remaining wine on the fish

stuff the cavity with ¼ cup of the scallion and ½ cup of the cilantro

steam fish in a steamer until fish is completely cooked through, about 15 minutes

discard herbs in cavity and transfer to another place

pour soy sauce over the fish and top with the rest of the cilantro and scallion

heat oil in a skillet until hot and carefully pour oil over fish and herbs

-serves 4-