The Cooking Adventures of Chef Paz: February 2007

Bluefish Fajitas

In a bluefish fajitas-eating mood, I’ve made them twice in a row recently. Each and every time, they tasted good and hit the spot. What made the fajitas special were the bluefish, guacamole, tomatillo salsa verde and Greek yogurt (You can find the recipe for guacamole here and tomatillo salsa verde here.). Mmm, Mmm good! The ingredients came together very well to make a delicious meal.

The recipe comes from Beyond Salmon. Helen first cooks the fish on the stove and then puts it in the oven. I’ve done that a couple of times but no longer do so. I simply cook everything on the stovetop.

One thing I like about all of Helen’s recipes is that she offers fish substitutions, in case you can’t find one particular type of fish. It’s very helpful and, for me, always makes the recipe taste slightly different, never boring. Thanks, Helen!

Paz

Bluefish Fajitas
Beyond Salmon

The result of this inspiration were bluefish fajitas -- probably completely unauthentic, but terribly good. I sprinkled skin-on bluefish fillet with salt, pepper, cumin, and coriander and seared it on the skin side in a cast iron pan with a little oil until crispy. Then flipped it, spread sliced peppers and onions around it and finished it in the oven until done (about 5 minutes at 400F). The bluefish then went onto a plate to rest, while I finished cooking peppers and onions on the stovetop over high heat. In went a little minced garlic, a good squirt of lime juice, a large handful of minced cilantro, and flaked bluefish (yes, I do eat the skin, but you don't have to ;)

I served it with warm tortillas, guacamole, chopped tomatoes, "Total" Greek yogurt (instead of sour cream), and of course tomatillo salsa verde. Yum!

Fish substitutions: red snapper, grouper, striped bass, cod, haddock, halibut, tilapia, barramundi, mahi-mahi, swordfish, tuna (seared rare), or any fish leftovers.

Just about to fold the fajita

New York Monday #62: On the Hudson

Despite the freezing weather, it's been busy on the Hudson river. They're doing some kind of work on this part of the river's edge and have big machinery set up. There are two tugboats (blue and red) that have a job to do as well.

Also interesting to see on the river is the melting ice floating up and down the river.

New York greetings,
Paz

Mischief Mari Cookies

I ordered some cookies from Mischief Mari and received a delightful treat when they arrived. Her cookies are not only visually pleasing but delicious as well. If you're not familiar with Mari's cookies, you can check out her creative site here. You can also find her fun blog here.

I'm off to get some more cookies before they all disappear. Thanks, Mari!

Happy weekend, everyone!

Paz

Cookies in honor of the Chinese New Year of the Pig

Lime Pistachio cookies

Happy New Year! Chinese New Year: The Year of the Pig (Boar)

Stir-Fried Clams in Black Bean Sauce

The Chinese New Year has given me the opportunity to make my very first Chinese dish – a very simple recipe of Stir-Fried Clams in Black Bean Sauce. From what I’ve read, clams are a popular dish to serve for the Chinese New Year because its shells look like Chinese coins and that represents prosperity. The idea of a prosperous recipe reminds me of an Italian dish I once made for New Year’s. It involved lentils because its shape is also reminiscent of coins and represents prosperity.

For my New Year’s prosperity dish, I had to buy three ingredients – clams, Shao Hsing rice cooking wine, and Chinese dried black beans. I’d never heard of the last two ingredients before. I planned on going to Chinatown to grocery shop but I was too tired and didn’t feel like getting on the subway to go there. Instead I stopped by a neighborhood store that sells various Asian products.

I found the rice cooking wine, easily, but had more of an adventurous time finding the Chinese dried black beans. It turned out that the store only carried Korean dried black beans, not Chinese. I wasn’t sure of the difference and the store employees couldn’t help me. I bought the bag of Korean beans because I figured that they couldn’t be very different from the Chinese beans.

I stopped at another Asian grocery store and all they had was some kind of soy dried black beans. The staff couldn’t help me. Just in case, I bought that bag of soybeans, too.

I went home and used the first bag of beans I bought. Guess what? They were the wrong type of beans, I discovered belatedly. Everything cooked, except for the beans. They were still hard. Hard as a rock.

One of my favorite parts while cooking was when I put the ginger and garlic into the pot. So aromatic, it prompted me to do my happy dance. The dish tasted pretty good – except for those hard beans.

Despite that little glitch in my meal, preparing the Stir-Fried Clams in Black Bean Sauce was a fun way to welcome the Chinese New Year of 4705. I plan on making this dish again and my co worker is going to bring me the real Chinese dried black beans, so my next attempt should be more successful.

And what am I going to do with the wrong type of beans, I bought? I have no recipes for which to use them. However, I plan on making a pie soon, and I think they'd make good weights for when I make a pie crust -- the docking method, I believe it's called. I'm glad everything has worked out. That's a good start to the New Year. ;-)))))

Happy New Year!

Paz

Ed. Note: My co-worker brought me the real Chinese dried black beans. Thank you, L! Boy, what a big difference from the ones I bought. As many of you have pointed out, the Chinese dried black beans are fermented and softer. I definitely plan on making this meal again with the proper beans. Thanks, everyone for your comments. I truly appreciate your input! It's a lot of help.

Stir-Fried Clams in Black Bean Sauce
The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen: Classic Family Recipes for Celebration and Healing – Grace Young

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:
2 dozen littleneck or cherrystone clams
2 tbsp. Chinese dried black beans
2 tbsp. finely shredded ginger
1 tbsp. finely minced garlic
½ cup homemade chicken broth
2 tbsp. Shao Hsing rice cooking wine
1 scallion, finely shredded

Directions:
1. Thoroughly wash the clams in several changes of cold water, discarding any open clams. Scrub the shells with a vegetable brush to remove grit and rinse well. Drain the clams in a colander. Rinse the black beans in several changes of cold water and drain. In a small bowl, coarsely mash the black bean with the back of a wooden spoon.

2. Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, ginger and garlic, and stir-fry 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the remaining tablespoons vegetable oil, beans and clams, and stir-fry 3 to 4 minutes, or until the shells just begin to open. Add the broth and rice wine and cover 2 to 3 minutes, or until some of the shells have opened.

3. Transfer the opened clams to a platter and continue stirring, uncovered, on high heat until all the clams have opened and broth is reduced slightly, about 3 to 4 minutes. Discard any unopened clams.

4. Garnish with the scallion. No need to add salt; clams are naturally salty, as are the black beans. Serve immediately.

Correct beans for this recipe -- Chinese Dried Black Beans
It's fermented and much softer than the beans pictured below.

Wrong beans for this recipe #1 -- Korean black beans, instead of Chinese.

Wrong beans for this recipe #2 -- Soy Black Beans

Shao Hsing Rice Cooking Wine

New York Monday # 61: First Snow and Ice Storm of 2007

We had the first snow and ice storm of the season on Wednesday, 14 February 2007. I'm not too crazy about snow in the city. It looks beautiful when you're inside watching the first fresh snow fall. But a few hours later, the snow turns dirty and black. You have to start jumping over puddles and finding ways to cross the snow piles to get to the sidewalk. If the snow freezes, then you have to worry about slipping on ice. *sigh* Oh well, I've survived the snow so far, so I know I'll live through the after effects of this storm.

In the sixth photo below, notice the two men wearing shorts -- in this extra cold weather! Hmm...

The poor black dog below was tied up in front of the post office and he anxiously waited for his owner to return. He kept barking and looking out for his owner. I felt sorry for him. It's not safe to leave your pets behind (tied up) and then disappear for a time. It's so easy to steal dogs when they are left that way. I've heard some very sad stories of that happening. Also, it's very stressful for the dog.

That's it for now.

New York greetings!
Paz

Tomatillo Salsa Verde

It's Valentine's day but I didn't make anything in romantic heart-shaped pink or red. Instead I made something green, which is just as romantic in my book.

Salsa verde!

Oh, how salsa verde brings out the love in me, when I taste it. I love the tangy, piquant, green, fresh taste. What a wonderful combination of the tomatillos (those small green husk-covered fruits that are also known as Mexican tomatoes), garlic, cilantro (oh, yeah!), jalapeño, lime juice and olive oil! Oh, yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah! And it's so easy to make. So easy to fall in love with this. It's so easy to get that lovey feeling.

The salsa verde is actually a part of one of my favorite meals -- Bluefish fajitas -- a recipe from Beyond Salmon. Very delicious! I'll have to post the Bluefish fajitas recipe at a later time. Each time I make it, I'm too tired and hungry to take a photo of it.

I did manage to take a picture of my salsa verde, which was lots of fun to make. It made the Bluefish fajitas taste extra special. I love to take my bluefish-filled fajita and sop it up with the salsa verde (in addition to the guacamole and Greek yougurt).

Yeah, I'm so loving my salsa verde.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

Ed. Note: A few of you cannot find tomatillos and have asked whether there's a substitute for it. After checking with Helen, the answer is not really. This is a recipe for tomatillo salsa. Without the tomatillos, it will be a different type of salsa. However, Helen mentions that you can use regular tomatoes. Finely chop the tomatoes, instead of pureeing them (as you would do for the tomatillos). Have fun!

Tomatillos
iStockphoto.com

Tomatillo Salsa Verde:
Beyond Salmon

8 medium tomatillos, with paper-like husks removed
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 jalapeño, seeded and minced (use less if you prefer it less spicy)
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
3 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Quarter tomatillos. In a bowl of a food processor, combine tomatillos, garlic, cilantro, jalapeño, and lime juice. Process until chopped into tiny pieces. With the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil. Move to a bowl and season with salt and pepper.

New York Monday #60: Mrs. Fields Cookies

After spending a day out in the cold, my sister and I decided to treat ourselves to some Mrs. Fields Cookies. I remember these cookies being really popular in the 1990s. I don't know how popular they are now, but the cookie store was packed with customers when we walked inside. I guess that means they're still popular, huh?

With a wide variety of cookies and brownies from which to choose, my sister and I always buy the oatmeal raisin cookies (it also has walnuts in it -- yum!). The cookies were a real treat.

Have a great week, everyone!

New York greetings,
Paz

Five Things People Don't Know About Me Meme

Hi all!

Melting Wok recently tagged me for this MemeMe. I've done a few memes similar to it, so I think you know everything about me at this point.

Let me see if I can think up five more things that you don't know about me. Hmmm....

1- I like the 1990s Batman & Superman cartoon series.

2- I don't drive (don't know how).

3- I enjoy Brazilian novelas and movies (some Spanish-language ones, too)!

4- Since I can't think of anything else to write, at the moment, see my Culinary Confessions meme response.

5- See also my Too Much Information meme & 10 Things You Never Knew About Me meme response.

If you're a glutton for punishment, you can find a list of my other meme responses here.

I tag anyone interested in participating. Thanks, Melting Wok!

Paz