Month: November 2014

Steamed Cod Filet With Red Beet Risotto And Sugar Peas

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Risotto is such a delicious, easy preparation of rice that I am amazed it does not show up more frequently in homes and restaurants. Maybe because it has a stigma of being difficult to prepare and labor intensive, which is far from being the truth. While it does take time to prep and simmer for ca 25 minutes while stirring constantly, it might be called tedious but hardly labor intensive. It also has the advantage of being the perfect dish for a dinner party if done by the “restaurant method” – cooking the risotto about 2/3’s and then cooling off, later finishing the cooking process for just a few more minutes right before service time. (That’s how you get your risotto served on time in restaurants, otherwise too much time would pass from the time you order to the time you get served). Just remember to have the texture of your risotto slightly more liquid when you remove it from the stove top then you actually prefer the risotto when eating it, since the rice will continue to cook and absorb liquid between the time you stop cooking and the time you’ll have your first spoonful.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Steamed Cod Filet With Red Beet Risotto And Peas

Bella say’s : Let’s dig in…

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Preparation :
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season cod with kosher salt and white pepper, steam covered very slowly in butter and white wine, when cooked about halfway, set aside on a warm plate to slowly cook through

simmer cleaned red beets in salted water until cooked, reserve cooking liquid,peel and dice beets

set diced beets aside, return beet stock to a simmer, season with garlic paste and cayenne pepper

saute onions and garlic paste in butter

add arborio rice and saute another minute

add beet stock to the rice, enough to just cover, stir constantly, keep adding beet stock as it is being absorbed by the rice, constantly stirring

almost……..

when rice is almost al dente, add the diced beets and heavy cream, simmer while stirring until rice is al dente

add blanched green peas to the poaching liquid of the fish, let heat through for another minute

add blanched green peas to the poaching liquid of the fish, cover again, let heat through for another minute

add parmigiano-reggiano, check / adjust seasoning

add parmigiano-reggiano to the risotto, check / adjust seasoning

plate risotto

top risotto with steamed cod

top cod with green peas

Steamed Cod Filet With Red Beet Risotto And Peas

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BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS # 43 – Rib Eye & Mushroom In Cream

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Aaaahhhhhhhh……, the bliss of being able to sleep in on a Sunday morning, amplified by the fact that summer day light saving times ended and we set back our clocks one hour before going to sleep 🙂
But, somehow, Bella was not aware (or maybe she just choose to ignore) of these little facts, so guess who was moaning in front of my bedroom for me to get up at 4.00am this morning, demanding to go for a walk?
So, when we came back at 5.00am, a decent breakfast was called for (by both of us). Steak and mushrooms pacified my shattered nerves and put both me and my lady back on good terms 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Have A Happy, Sunny, Sunday !
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top with mushrooms, sprinkle with scallions

Rib Eye & Mushrooms In Cream

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Preparation :
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soak cepes, shiitake and wood ears in boiling water for 20 minutes

meanwhile, season steaks with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

saute in garlic oil until cooked to your preferred doneness, remove from pan, set aside to rest

in same pan, saute onions until lightly caramelized

add drained mushrooms and garlic paste

add heavy cream, salt and pepper

simmer until cream has reduce to desired texture, add scallions, check / adjust seasoning

plate steaks and rustic bread to mop up the sauce and juices

top with mushrooms, sprinkle with more scallions

Rib Eye & Mushrooms In Cream

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Spicy Octopus And Rice Noodles In Peanut Sauce

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Yesterday, on my way home from work , I told myself that under no circumstance will I cook and clean up the kitchen, I was just too tired and a bit under the weather.
So, while driving along university drive and contemplating where to stop for a bite or some take out, evaluating the choices a I checked out the restaurants along the way, I crossed off one after the other, knowing that none of them would be able to satisfy my craving for real, good, tasty food for a decent price. Eventually, as I drove by my favorite Asian Market, I made a quick stop to buy some octopus sashimi. I was not sure at this point what I would prepare with it, but I usually have enough stuff at home to fix a couple of good meals. When I got home, rice noodles, peanut butter, soy sauce, garlic paste, grated ginger, chili oil, sesame oil, red chilies, green peppers and onions were the usual suspects. Together with the octopus they became a great and perfect dinner.
As usual, more often than not, if I want to eat exactly what I want, I have to prep it myself (and clean up the kitchen afterward 😦 ).
But as always, it was well worth the time and effort and I’ve saved a bunch of good dollars doing it 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Spicy Octopus And Rice Noodles In Peanut Sauce

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Preparation :
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mix soy sauce, water, peanut butter, sriracha, sesame oil, lime juice, chili oil, simmer for one minute, if too thick, add water, if too thin, add peanut butter

season octopus with kosher salt and chili oil, saute in VERY HOT pan with garlic oil for about 3 seconds, remove from pan, set aside

saute onion, green peppers and red chilies in garlic oil

add rice noodles which you had soaked in warm water for 10 minutes then drained, add a small amount of soy sauce and water, cook until liquid has evaporated

add rice noodles which were soaked in warm water for 10 minutes, then drained, add a small amount of soy sauce and water, cook until liquid has evaporated