Author: Hans Susser

Germany/USA

Pulpo A La Plancha (Griddled Octopus)

If I would be confined to a small island for the rest of my life and given a choice of just 10 food items I could have available for the rest of my life, octopus would definitely be one of them.
Today I was in the mood to have something simple, with no fuzz, little preparation and minimal cleanup. Here is what fit the bill :

” Griddled octopus with iceberg and tomato in raspberry vinaigrette “.

Season water with sea salt, lots of smashed garlic and crashed black pepper corn. Add octopus and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cook for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours (depending on size) until tender but not mushy. Texture is very important for a successful octopus dish, so pay attention! Remove octopus to ice bath. Let cool, remove from water, pat dry. Season with sea salt, granulated garlic and freshly ground black pepper. Brush with olive oil. Cook on hot griddle or cast iron pan until a nice char has developed. In the meantime, mix olive oil, lime juice, garlic paste, fresh ground black pepper and lot’s of chopped cilantro and oregano. Plate the octopus, drizzle with the seasoned olive oil. Serve with a green salad and your choice of potatoes, rice or sour dough bread.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
>
>

Pulpo A La Plancha (Griddled Octopus)

: Pulpo A La Plancha

: Griddled Octopus

>
Dear Friend’s, to help support this blog, please be so kind and click on the video on the bottom of this page. (You don’t have to watch it, just click once) Thank you 🙂
>
>
>
>

Toast “Soupi”

>
>
Simple dinner today after too much food during the past few day’s.
The inspiration to this came from the classic “Toast Hawaii”.
I just thought I’ll kick it up a notch 🙂

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
>
?

Toast “Soupi”

: Peaches, Gorgonzola, Asiago, Swiss, Bagels, Butter, Scallions, Chili Flakes.

: Ham

: Peach

: Gorgonzola

: Swiss

: Asiago, Scallion, Chili

: Gratinate

: Toast “Soupi”

: Toast “Soupi”

: Toast “Soupi”

>
>
>
>

Seafood In Whole Grain Mustard Cream

>
>
After yesterday’s less then stellar lunch experience I needed to get something nice and satisfying for dinner. I still had some seafood from the day before, some button mushroom and small potatoes.
Now this was a dish worth paying for 🙂

Season raw seafood with sea salt and sriracha sauce and saute in whole butter until halfway cooked, add cooked seafood, saute until heated through, remove from pan, set aside. Add
Garlic paste, saute until fragrant. Deglaze pan with white wine, heavy cream and juices from the sautéed seafood. Simmer and reduce until a light sauce has formed. Remove from heat, add mustard and lemon juice, check seasoning and adjust if necessary. Return seafood to the pan, return to heat until heated through. Make sure you don’t let the sauce simmer anymore or your seafood will get tough and dry. Serve with basmati rice or sautéed potatoes. (I did place sautéed parsley potatoes and garlic mushroom on the bottom of the plate but forgot to take the picture before topping them with the seafood. If you look closely, you’ll see a potato peeking out under the crayfish in the last picture) 🙂 >
>
>

Seafood In Whole Grain Mustard Cream

: Lobster, Crayfish, Octopus, Cuttlefish, Mussels, King Crab.

: Seafood In Whole Grain Mustard Cream

>
>
>
>
>

Bonefish Grill – Weston, Florida : Mediocre – At Best

.
.
Today I had the fortune of meeting an old friend again after we hadn’t seen each other for many years. We went to have lunch at the bonefish grill in weston, florida. My friend has been there before but only monday evenings, because like me, she does not like to wait in line at a restaurant and usually there is a long line to get in. After hearing this I expected a first class experience. Weston is a affluent area and folks usually have the means to pay good money for good food. Upon entering and being seated at a nice table, the first thing I noticed was the brown butcher paper covering the tables. Now, while this might be appropriate at a hamburger joint, I find this completely inappropriate at a restaurant in this price category. Next thing, no waiters. Instead, cooks? in their uniform acting as servers. Despite this though, I thought our server / cook did a good job, he was friendly, quick and efficient.
As for the food, it was not bad, but far from being good. Mediocre would be my honest , generous judgement.
The ceviche was generous in portion size, but taste and quality was lacking. It was drenched in oil and all we could taste was old bottled lemon juice. My crab cakes consisted of a good amount of crab meat, but texture and presentation was second rate at best (A five year old must have cut that lemon wedge). The sauce that came with it would probably have been rejected by any mc donald customer, so dismal was the taste. The fish and meat of the main course was of decent quality and the fish was cooked nicely, nice char on the outside, very juicy on the inside. The steak was cooked way too fast, so that the outside just below the char was grey until almost the center, where there was a small strip of medium, as my friend had ordered. There was ample gratinated crab meat but no sauce bernaise (Garniture “Oscar”). The accompanying green asparagus were rather woody and void of any seasoning. The size of my “large Portion” of fish was laughable, I was wondering what the “small portion” would have been like. My garlic mashed potatoes might have waved hello to some garlic located across the kitchen, but the two definitely never met. . . . . . The presentation of all dishes found their highlight in dry chopped parsley sprinkled about all the food and plates.
This, plus two diet coke each and tip came to $100.
I have to say, more power to the people who own and operate this place and find enough gullible customers who come back again and again and pay these prices for second rate food.
>

Ceviche

Crab Cakes

Steak “Oscar”

Grilled Chilean Sea Bass

>
>
>
>
>

Chirashizushi (Scattered Sushi) (ちらし寿司

>
>
I am trying today to continue with my quest for a healthier living. After a substantial, healthy breakfast, I decided that sushi will be light and healthy enough. Usually I would have been right, but there was a problem – I, as usual, was so looking forward to it that I prepared way too much and therefore ate too much, as usual 😦
But boy, was it worth the sin 🙂

The “Chirashizushi” included:

Lobster, crayfish, crab legs, octopus, mussels, shiitake mushrooms, avocado, cucumber, nori, black sesame seeds, egg, scallion, sushi rice.

Sushi Rice Recipe Here (# 3 of the good part)

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
>
>

Chirashizushi (Scattered Sushi) (ちらし寿司

: Scattered Mise En Place 🙂

: In Progress

: Chirashizushi (Scattered Sushi) (ちらし寿司

>
>
>
>

Breakfast Of Champions # 26 – ” Shrimp & Bok Choy Congee “

>
Here is how it’s supposed to be :

You have a big, substantial breakfast, go to your job and work hart, have a quick, light, healthy lunch, keep on working until it is time to go home, have a light, healthy dinner with a small glass of red wine, go to bed early, sleep at least 8 hours, get up and do it all over again 🙂

Here is what’s really happening :

You have a quick, sugary, unhealthy breakfast, go to your job and work hart, have a quick, unhealthy lunch, keep on working until it is time to go home, have a heavy, calorie and fat-laden dinner, with a bottle or two of red wine, go to bed late, don’t sleep enough, get up and do it all over again 😦
>
So, today, after a long and deep sleep, I tried to start the right way, with a healthy, tasty, substantial breakfast.
I will keep you posted how it will develop from here for the rest of the day…………
>

>

>

Ingredients :

Cooked Fan, (steamed chines rice)
Seafood stock, substitute with chicken stock or canned clam juice
Shrimp, peeled and deveined
Bok choy, blanched
Garlic, paste
Garlic, slivered, fried
Onions, finely julienned, fried
Ginger, grated,
Bean sprouts,
Scallions, coarsely sliced
Peanut oil,
Chili oil,
Sesame oil,
Kosher salt,
Cayenne pepper,

Method :

Simmer rice with in stock, salt and pepper until a porridge like texture is achieved. In the meantime, fry onions and garlic separately until golden. Remove to absorbent paper. Reserve. Saute Shrimp, garlic paste and grated ginger until fragrant and shrimp about halfway cooked. When congee has reached the desired texture, add the shrimp, bock choy and scallions, simmer until heated through, about one minute. Adjust seasoning if necessary. To plate, drizzle with sesame oil and chili oil, sprinkle with fried onions, fried garlic, bean sprouts and scallions.

More Congee Recipes Here

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
>
>
>
>

Penne Rigate In Merlot/Vodka/Yoghurt Sauce With Pepperoni & Fresh Basil

>
>

Fresh Basil

>
My neighborhood supermarket charges $ 3.50 for a small twig of maybe 7 basil leaves.
They sell this beautiful basil plant for $ 4.50. Kind of a no-brainer, isn’t it 🙂

Penne Rigate In Merlot/Vodka/Yoghurt Sauce With Pepperoni & Fresh Basil

: Fresh Basil

: Penne Rigate In Merlot/Vodka/Yoghurt Sauce With Pepperoni & Fresh Basil

>

Ingredients :

Penne rigate, al dente, reserve some of the cooking liquid
Pepperoni sausage, julienned
Grape tomatoes, quartered
Greek yoghurt,
Olive oil,
Vodka,
Merlot,
Parmigiano reggiano, grated
Garlic, paste
Basil, fresh
Kosher salt,
Cayenne pepper

Method :

Saute pepperoni until starting to change color, add garlic, saute until fragrant. Add merlot and vodka, simmer until most liquid has evaporated. Add yoghurt, tomatoes, a bit of the grated cheese, salt, pepper and the pasta, mix well. Adjust seasoning if necessary. If too thick, add some of the pasta cooking liquid. If too thin, ad some grated cheese.
To serve, sprinkle with more cheese and basil leaves.

Note :
I am aware that most cooks will chiffonade the basil. However, personally I don’t like the texture this will give me. It reminds me of hair in the food which is not very appealing to me 😦
Therefore I like to add whole leaves which become soft and tender immediately as they touch the hot food and give you a much more pleasant texture / mouthfeel 🙂

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !

>
>
>
>

Sauted Scallops & Shrimp In Whole Grain Mustard Cream

>
>
Tonight I wanted to have something comfortable, belly warming, traditional, for dinner. I realize that seafood in mustard sauce might not sound traditional to some younger folks out there, but when I was a youngster, fish and other seafood in various types of mustard sauce was a commonly found item on many restaurants friday menu. Even at home, “Fish mit Senfsauce” was a typical friday dinner item, usually served with “Salzkartoffeln” (boiled potatoes).

” Jacobsmuscheln und garnelen in senfsauce mit basmati reis ”
( Scallops and shrimp in mustard sauce with basmati rice )
>
Persian Rice (Polo) Recipe Here
>

Sauted Scallops & Shrimp In Whole Grain Mustard Cream

: Sauted Scallops & Shrimp In Whole Grain Mustard Cream

: Jacobsmuscheln und garnelen in senfsauce mit basmati reis

>
>
Ingredients :

Scallops,
Shrimp, shelled & deveined, tail on
White wine,
Heavy cream,
Whole grain mustard, (I prefer Maille)
Butter, clarified
Butter, whole
Sriracha ,
Sea salt,
Lemon juice,

Method :

Season scallops with sea salt and saute in clarified butter until halfway cooked. remove from pan, set aside. Season shrimp with sea salt and sriracha sauce and saute in whole butter until halfway cooked, remove from pan, set aside. deglaze pan with white wine, add heavy cream and juices from the cooked shrimp and scallops and reduce until a light sauce has formed. Remove from heat, add mustard and lemon juice, check seasoning. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Return seafood to the pan, return to heat until heated through. Make sure you don’t let the sauce simmer anymore or your seafood will get tough and dry. Serve with basmati rice.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !

>
>
>
>

Asian Inspired Duck & Udon Soup

>
>
This soup is my “to go to” soup when I have leftover duck or goose (yesterdays roast duck) . It is quick and easy and oh so delicious. The vegetables and noodles are interchangeable with any vegetables and pasta you might have at hand, such as cabbage, bok choy, shiitake or spinach, or egg noodles, rice noodles, mung bean noodles. Use whatever is at hand and tickles your fancy 🙂
>
>
Chop up the carcasse and other leftover bones and bits of meat and simmer with garlic, ginger, salt, lime slices, a bit of sugar and sriracha sauce for 45 minutes. Skim of all foam which rises during this time. Strain stock and discard solids. Adjust seasoning to your liking. Place hot udon noodles and blanched vegetables in a serving bowl, top with sliced duck pieces and cover with broth. Drizzle with some hot chili oil. Serve with a side dish of hoi sin sauce and sriracha sauce to dip the duck.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
>

Asian Inspired Duck & Udon Soup

: Mise En Place

: Simmer Stock

: Strain Stock

: blanch vegetables

: Asian Inspired Duck & Udon Soup

>
>
>
>
>

“Enten Braten” (Roast Duck)

>
>
Yesterday’s lunch reminded me of the sundays of my early youth. It was tradition in our home that my dad prepared sunday lunch at least once a month. Usually this was a “Braten” – a roast, such as a pork but, a fresh duck from the butcher shop or a freshly butchered chicken from the neighbor, who to the horror of all us kid’s to see, chopped off it’s head on a wooden block in front of his house that very morning. My father prepped all the food, then popped the roast into the oven , got himself a chair right next to it and read the sunday paper for the next two hours, all the while basting the roast with beer every 10 minutes or so. The result was a heavenly feast, enjoyed by the whole family on the table in our eat-in kitchen.

These memories came to mind while this beauty was roasting in my oven. It made me happy for the memories and sad for the fact that I could not share both the memories and the duck with my beloved Maria……..
>
Season duck inside and outside with with kosher salt and cayenne pepper. Fill a roasting pan with a half bottle of red wine and the same amount of chicken stock, add a generous amount of chopped garlic and some large diced onions. Top with a roasting rack on which you place the duck. Cook at 325F for 2.5 to 3 hours, depending on the size of the duck. The duck should be cooked through, tender but still very juicy. Remove duck to a carving board. Strain the jus from the roasting pan into a small pot, skim of all the fat, add the orange filets and the jus from the oranges and simmer for one minute. Remove from heat and thicken with fresh butter (mount the butter). To serve, carve the duck into your preferred cuts and nape with the orange sauce.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !

Note: Save the duck fat to use for your next sautéed potatoes !
>