Warm Calamari Salad

This ties into my post about Chilean Sea Bass ... this was the appetizer for the main course! It was a night full of seafood goodness. I randomly got some whole calamari from the fish section while I was at Whole Foods. Figured I can't go wrong with it.

There are so many ways to prepare calamari, other than the classic (and delicious) deep frying. Doing a deep fry with the flour and oil was way too messy for a Friday night - so I went with something light and simple.

Ingredients: For 2

• 3 Whole Calamari, cleaned and cut into rings.
• 3 tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Garlic Glove
• 1/2 Lemon, juiced
• 1 tbs Parsley, chopped
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Clean and cut the calamari into rings. If you have tentacles, just rinse them and pat dry.


Before

After

Toss everything with the olive oil in a bowl. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper - toss again.  Heat a frying pan, and add the calamari so that everything is evenly spread in a single layer. Flip all pieces a couple times, cooking for about 5-7 minutes. The calamari will turn white and the tentacle legs will curl up and shrink. They will cook fast, so make sure not to over cook them or they will be chewy and rubbery.

Once done, plate them, squeeze the lemon on top and toss with the fresh parsley. Garnish with extra parsley and a lemon wedge in case you need more.

Chilean Sea Bass with Garlic Mustard Crust

It was Friday evening after work and I had to stop into Whole Foods on my way home to grab groceries for dinner. I knew I was making seafood, so I headed straight for the fish department. Going back and forth between Halibut, Tuna, and Chilean Sea Bass, I chose the Sea Bass because it looked the freshest...and not to mention it is my favorite. Even though all these steak like fish filets can run up your grocery bill, making these at home will save you about half the price!

So, I have this Chilean Sea Bass and no idea what to do with it. I originally was going to just season it with salt and pepper and sear it in olive oil... but I wanted to add something to it ... something a little more interesting. I made this absolutely delicious crust which included Djion Mustard, Fresh Garlic, and Thyme. It was super simple and tasted like it came from a 5 star restaurant - I swear. Buon Appetito!

Ingredients: for 2

• 2 Chilean Sea Bass Filets, cut 2 inches thick. Skin on.
• Olive Oil
• 2 Lemon Slices (one for each filet)
• 1 1/2 tbs Djion Mustard (I use Grey Poupon)
• 2 tsp Red Wine Vinegar
• 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 4 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme, removed from sprigs and chopped
• Pinch of Salt and Cracked Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread some olive oil on the bottom of your baking pan (about 3 tbs). Put the Sea Bass in the pan, skin side down. Drizzle some Olive Oil on top.

Combine the mustard, minced garlic, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a bowl - mix well.

Spread this evenly on top of each Filet. Drizzle additional olive oil on top (about 1 tbs each). Top off with a slice of lemon on each filet.

Cook for about 25-30 minutes, until Sea Bass is fully cooked through. Remove from oven and let sit for about 1-2 minutes before eating/serving.

The Sea Bass will peal right off the skin when you fork out a piece. My Sea Bass was served with a side of red romaine lettuce, dressed with fresh lemon juice, onion, oregano, salt and pepper. A nice and light side for a hearty, buttery fish.

Parsley Pesto Crusted Salmon

In a conscious effort to eat more seafood, specifically fish filets, I branched out and got salmon. I've had some mixed salmon experiences at restaurants so it's never been my favorite protein. However, if it is seasoned well and cooked properly, it's very tasty.

My salmon is grilled on a cedar plank, but you can just bake it in the oven at 425 degrees for about 15-17 minutes, until it is fully cooked through. The cedar gives it a smokey, outdoorsy flavor - highly recommend trying this! The sweetness from parsley pesto (compliments of my mom - freshly grown in her garden) combined with the smokiness from the cedar and the acidity from the lemon are a great combination. 

I served this with a salad of organic mixed greens, avocado, and shaved parmigiano, dressed with freshly squeezed lemon, olive oil, salt and cracked black pepper.

Ingredients:

• Salmon Filet - 1 per person
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Cracked Pepper
• Sea Salt
• Squeezed Lemon (use about half a lemon for every 2 filets)
• Sliced  Lemon, one slice per filet
• Olive Oil

Parsley Pesto: Makes one cup

• 2 cups fresh parsley leaves, packed
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced

Add the parsley in your food processor and pulse a few times. Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.  Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor. Extra pesto can be frozen.

Squeeze the lemon on each salmon filet. Season with sea salt and cracked pepper. Evenly spread on a spoon full of the pesto on each filet. Drizzle a little additional olive oil on top. Place the sliced lemon in the center of each filet. Grill / Bake until salmon is fully cooked. Squeeze a little extra lemon on top before eating.

Chardonnay Shrimp Scampi

There's just something about seafood and summer weather that I love.

Today's lunch consisted of my shrimp scampi and some chilled white wine on our NYC roof deck. Even though we were not by the sea, it still felt like a summertime vacation, being in the sun, enjoying these shrimp and wine.

We ate them by themselves since they were so good and we weren't that hungry... but you can make them on top of spaghetti or along side rice...If you make them on top of pasta, just make extra sauce (i.e. use more butter, lemon, wine, and garlic).

Ingredients: Serves 2-4
1 1/2 lb Shrimp, cleaned and de-veined
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/2 cup Chardonnay
1 tbs Butter
1 Lemon
1/2 tbs Fresh Italian Parsley, chopped
Salt & Cracked Pepper
Olive Oil drizzle
3/4 tbs All Purpose Flour

Put the shrimp in a large mixing bowl and season with the parsley, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Add the freshly squeezed lemon juice and mix everything together. Set aside.

In a large skillet, warm the butter and add the garlic. Let sizzle for about 1 minute, and add the Chardonnay. Let simmer for a few more minutes... then add about half the lemon juice that is in the bowl with the shrimp. Simmer for another minute.

Sift about a 1/2-3/4 tbs flour into the skillet to thicken the sauce; stir this well.

Add the shrimp into the pan and stir them into the sauce. If the sauce isn't thick enough after adding the additional juice from the shrimp mixture, form a circle in the middle and sift/mix in a little more flour like so.

Let cook for about 7-8 minutes or until shrimp are fully cooked, flipping each shrimp after about 3-4 minutes. Remove from skillet and Enjoy!

Seared Sea Scallops

The scallops at the Whole Foods were so big and beautiful we couldn't pass them up. We decided to  make them as an appetizer to our filet oreganata meal. Success!

Scallops are so sweet and delicate that they don't need much seasoning and fussing, in my opinion.

I decided to use rosemary in this because I actually have a rosemary plant that is flourishing. So, why not!?

Ingredients:

• 4 Sea Scallops
• 1 Garlic Clove, minced
• 1 Fresh Rosemary Sprig
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Sea Salt
• Cracked Black Pepper

Directions:
Season the scallops with some salt and pepper.
Heat the olive oil and garlic in a skillet for about 1-2 minutes.

Add the rosemary sprig. Slowly place the scallops in the pan - they hold some water which will make the oil splash, so be careful. Sear on each side for about 3-4 minutes, until their tops are golden brown.

Shrimp and Pancetta

Here's the deal with this meal - Ryan had picked us up shrimp at Whole Foods after work since we were craving seafood.  Later, on my way home from work, I was thinking about how to cook the shrimp. Go figure, I decided to create something new.  Rice pilaf was also on the menu for dinner... so what kind of shrimp can I make over rice pilaf?  I stopped into the Amish Market on my way home to pick out some additional ingredients and get cooking ideas. I walked out with a chunk of pancetta from the deli station, cut about an inch thick. That's it.  It was the first thing that came to mind so I stuck with it.

Pancetta gives such a great flavor - it is like high class bacon! I've been wanting to use it more in my recipes lately since I always love it.

Anyways, like most of my recipes, this was very, very spur of the moment, and turned out to be fantastic! This is how it goes....

Ingredients: Serves 2

• ~1 lb large shrimp, de-veinded and cleaned
• 4 tbs olive oil
• 1/4 lb pancetta, cut into pieces
• 2 1/2 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 lemon, squeezed
• salt and pepper

Season the shrimp with cracked pepper and a little salt, not too much salt as the pancetta is already salty.

 Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and add the pancetta. Cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and red pepper flakes - cook for about 2 more minutes. Add the wine and let sizzle off for about 1 minute before adding in the shrimp.

Add shrimp and fresh squeezed lemon juice. Cook all together for about 10-12 minutes, until shrimp are fully cooked through. Flip the shrimp a few times while cooking and stir everything together so shrimp are well-coated with the ingredients.

Serve on top of rice pilaf or along side mashed potatoes and veggies. Enjoy with a cool glass of Chardonnay!

Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict

Yes, my Fiance` and I ate these today for brunch. This is his favorite breakfast dish so every once in a blue moon I like to make these as a surprise for him.
I've posted about eggs benedict before but I used prosciutto last time. Our other favorite type eggs benedict is with Smoked Salmon. I'll admit this again - it isn't the easiest thing to make - I did ruin a few egg poachings when I first tried. But practice makes perfect! This dish is probably better suited for an experienced cook, but don't be intimidated - once you get the hang of it, you will feel so proud and want to make these as much as you can.

Hollandaise Sauce:

Separate the yolk from the whites of 2 eggs in a bowl. Whisk the yolks until mixture lightens in color and add in 1 tbs of fresh lemon juice. In a small pan on low heat, lowest possible setting, melt the butter. Add in the yolk/lemon juice mixture and continue whisking quickly so the eggs don't cook. If you can, the better method is to do this with a double boiler - less risky in cooking the eggs. Add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper and continue whisking until the sauce is frothy and thick. Turn off heat and serve right away or set aside on warm stove with a lid.

Eggs:
Poach your eggs.

Prepare:

Slice the English muffins and toast. Layer on 1 slice of salmon on each half. Carefully place a poached egg on top of the salmon. Top off with the hollandaise sauce.

Ingredients: For 2

• 4 poached eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 Hefty tablespoon of melted butter
• 2 whole wheat English muffins
• 4 organic smoked salmon
• Cayenne pepper
• Cracked black pepper on top

Fried Fish Tacos!

I decided to make fish tacos in addition to the beef while hosting a taco party to change things up a bit from the typical chicken or beef I usually resorted to when making Mexican. It also provides variety/options for your guests. This preparation is pretty simple since I use a seasoning packet. It is a good way to cheat - It is nothing but seasoning already put together for you, so why not?!

Ingredients: Makes 5-7 Tacos

• 2 Filets of Tilapia (or another white fish filet)
• 3 tbs All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 Packet of Mexican Taco Seasoning
• Canola Oil
• Flour Taco Tortillas 
• Guacamole, Diced Tomatoes, Grated Cheddar, & Lettuce for Garnish

Directions:

Mix well the flour and taco seasoning together on a plate - taste it and add salt if needed. Add cracked black pepper if you want a little more spice.

Flour+Seasoning

Rinse the fish and Pat Dry. Coat the fish well in the flour/taco seasoning mix. and set aside on a separate plate.

Make sure seasoned flour is patted on well

Heat canola oil in a large skillet and fry the fish for about 3-4 minutes on each side, until fish is fully cooked. Move to separate platter and cut into pieces for taco.

Warm up tortillas and layer with the tilapia, guacamole (my guac recipe can be found here http://little-italian-lady.blogspot.com/2012/02/guacamole-mole-mole-mole.html), lettuce, (add tomatoes and/or cheese - or garnishes you prefer). Squeeze a fresh wedge of lime on top and enjoy

Get my beef taco recipe here! http://little-italian-lady.blogspot.com/2012/02/beef-tacos-americano.html

Shrimp and Asparagus Risotto

So I'll admit it, I successfully made risotto last week and got a little excited to make it for a second time. I changed it up quite a bit and it was delishhhh! Inspired by ingredients Ryan requested, I came up with this.

Now let's get two things straight..."Seafood doesn't go well with cheese" - false. "Red wine doesn't go well with Seafood" - false. I made some damn good Shrimp risotto with loads of parmiggiano cheese and enjoyed a lovely glass of Caymus Cab Sav with it.  So whoever made those rules can go take a hike! Here's how it goes:

Ingredients: For 2 servings

• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, diced
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup White Wine
• 3/4 lb Medium Shrimp, cleaned, de-veined, tail off, cut into halves
• Bunch of Asparagus, cut into 1/2-3/4 inch pieces
• 1 Large or 2 Medium Tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup Parmiggiano cheese, grated
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
The Veggies: Warm the garlic in a skillet with some olive oil. You don't need to use that much oil because the asparagus will sweat out some water while they cook. Add in the chopped asparagus and mix so they get coated in the oil and garlic. After about 5 minutes, add in the chopped tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Let cook covered with a lid  until tomatoes are softened. Set aside.

The Shrimp: Season the cut shrimp with salt, cracked pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Warm olive oil in a skillet and toss in the shrimp. Let them cook HALF WAY - i.e. half grey, half pink. They will continue cooking in the risotto. Set aside.

half way cooked

The Risotto:

In a small saucepan, bring chicken broth to a simmer and keep warm over low heat.

In a separate, large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and add in olive oil. Add in onion and cook until translucent. Add rice and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to coat each grain. When rice begins to make a crackling sound, add the white wine. Stir constantly, letting the the wine cook off and the rice to absorb the wine. After about 90 seconds, add in 1 ladle of the warm chicken broth and stir until the rice has absorbed the liquid. Repeat this adding the remaining broth, one ladle at a time. Continue to stir, allowing the rice to absorb each addition of broth before adding more.

Before you are about to add in your last ladle, add in the grated parmiggiano and mix in well. Now add in the shrimp and stir all together, allowing the shrimp to continue cooking.  Add in salt and cracked black pepper to taste. Add the remaining chicken broth along with the asparagus and tomatoes into the risotto and let cook together until all liquid is absorbed. Test the rice to see if it is done, it should be somewhat al dente but creamy. Add additional salt / pepper as needed.

Let cook until all liquid is absorbed, but make sure to not over cook ! Shrimp will fully cook in the risotto.

Crack some pepper and enjoy!

BlackPepper Shrimp

I don't cook shrimp often.  It's just not one of those foods that I think of buying unless there is a reason or occasion to, if you know what I mean...I like it and all, but I try to limit myself from shellfish since they are high in cholesterol. Well I partially take that back, shrimp are high in both good and bad cholesterol... So technically shrimp is better for you than red meat. Let's just say it is a great food to change things up a bit in the kitchen. That's what I decided to do tonight and it was SO tasty that I jotted down all the ingredients I used. 

Ingredients: Serves 2-3

• 3/4 pound medium fresh shrimp, peeled and de-veined
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 tbs butter / margarine
• 1/2-3/4 tbs garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 lemon or lime, squeezed
• Sea Salt
• Cracked Black Pepper

Directions:

Put shrimp in a medium mixing bowl and coat with olive oil and fresh squeezed lemon. Stir them around so they are all coated well. Season with sea salt and LOTS of fresh cracked pepper. LOTS - when you think you need to stop cracking, keep going a little bit longer - MIX! To make sure each shrimp is perfectly coated with our dry seasoning, we will add each ingredient at a time then mix together - i.e. Add in the garlic powder, mix. Add in the paprika, mix. Add in the onion powder, mix.

Make sure all shrimp are well coated

High heat - Put the 1 tbs of butter on a medium skillet until it melts. Add the shrimp to the skillet and disperse evenly so they cook evenly... Flip a couple times... Cook for ~10 minutes, until shrimp are opaque. The liquid from the ingredients+butter should be all gone by the time it is done cooking.
Serve with a side of your choice - tonight we had this with rice.

Once ready they should be slighlty crispy and golden

PS - Sauvignon Blanc goes perfect with this... the touch of sweetness accompanies the spicy black pepper very well.

Tilapia Filet Oreganata

It feels good to eat something light and healthy, yet so filling. I've been making this filet oreganata for a while now as my staple fish dish. It's pretty darn easy and takes less than 30 minutes from prep to finish. The oreganata preparation is a classic - named as such because of the OREGANO used.

Ingredients:

• 2 Filets of Tilapia/Sole
• 1 lemon
• Breadcrumbs
• Oregano
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Paprika
• Salt
• Pepper
• Cooking Spray

Directions:
Purchase fresh, thick cut filet of either tilapia (this is what I made tonight) or sole, and make sure to cook it within two days so it is nice and fresh. Rinse the fish with cold water and pat dry. Spray the bottom of a baking pan/sheet with cooking spray and place on the fish.

salt, pepper, garlic+onion powder, paprika, garlic pepper grinder

The dry rub: Season with sea salt, cracked pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, garlic pepper grinder (I use this one http://www.mccormick.com/Products/Herbs-and-Spices/Grinders/Garlic-Pepper-Seasoning-Grinder.aspx).



Ready to go in the oven!



Next, sprinkle a generous amount of breadcrumbs on each filet. Top off with oregano.  I just eyeball it - Sorry, don't have measurements, but if you know what you're doing you will know how much to use. If not, I apologize - better luck next time. ;) Squeeze lemon on each filet: For 2 filets =squeeze 1/2 a lemon.  Spray cooking spray on top of breadcrumbs to moisten them a bit.

Broil for ~10 minutes, depending on the thickness. Fish should be white and flaky, breadcrumbs should be nice and toasty.

Serve with a lemon wedge to dress on top before devouring. Pair with a lovely chardonnay.

Fried Baccala`

Fried Baccala` with Roasted Hot and Sweet Peppers

Baccala` is the Italian winter fish! It's a tradition for us Italians to make this around Christmas time and throughout the winter because way back when, they used to preserve the fish with salt before refrigeration. Nowadays we eat this as a delicacy!

Ingredients:

• Filet of Salt Cod
• Flour
• Canola Oil

Make sure to buy a tick, big filet of salt cod  - the whiter, the fresher. The thicker, the better.

Preparing the Baccala` - this takes a few days, so be patient!

Cut the Baccala` into pieces with a scissor, however big you want to serve/eat. Rinse and submerge in a big container with fresh water. Change the water 1-2 times per day, for about 3 days. It depends on the thickness of the fish - usually the center is thicker so those will need longer to dehydrate than the thinner end pieces. It may take you a few tries to get it to taste just right, slightly salty and fluffy.

Carefully place in frying pan

Once the baccala` is hydrated, give each piece a final rinse and pat dry with a paper towel. Coat all sides of the baccala` in flour. In a large skillet, heat canola oil and gently place in the pieces of fish -The baccala` is so tender and delicate that it falls apart easily. Pan fry on each side for a few minutes, until golden. Once ready, place on a plate lined with paper towel to soak up the excess oil.

Flip once golden

Serve immediately with a refreshing salad, vegetables, etc! Tonight we paired the baccala` with a salad of hot and sweet roasted peppers.