kosher salt

Baked Atlantic Cod Fillet, Cauliflower, Sweet Cherry Peppers And Capers In Lemon & EVO

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When I was growing up in the Black Forest in Germany, there were only two species of fish I experienced – the native Trout ( Bach Forelle ), which was available fresh in nearly every single restaurant, and Cod , which was the most affordable ocean fish, available fresh at most fish shops in the bigger towns and cities. Since trout was local and inexpensive, it was not really a treat for the kids, also, because it was usually served whole, head, skin and bones, it was something the parents ate, while the kids sticked to fish fingers made of cod fillet, served with plenty of sauce remoulade. 🙂
Once I became an apprentice and then during my many years of cooking (and eating) around the world, fish and seafood in it’s endless varieties became some of my favorite food.
For years, Turbot and Chilean Sea Bass (“Pacific Sea Bass” / “South American Sea Bass” / Merluza Negra / Patagonian Toothfish) , topped the list of my most beloved fish species. Then, surprise surprise, slowly but surely my preference wandered back to the simple Cod, where is stayed until today. Sadly, because it has lost it’s “inferior” reputation, the once very reasonably priced cod now costs the same prohibitive $-amount as any other good quality fish on the market.
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Baked Atlantic Cod Fillet, Cauliflower, Sweet Cherry Peppers And Capers In Lemon & EVO

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Preparation :
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: blanche and drain one cleaned, quartered head of cauliflower

: season 1 ea 20 oz fillet of cod with sriracha, lemon juice and kosher salt to taste, dip both sides in panko crumbs

: place the fish and the cauliflower on a rack, brush cauliflower with melted butter, sprinkle with kosher salt and grated parmesan to taste, bake in a pre-heated oven (400 F) until fish is cooked through (turn fish once), ca 15 – 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet

: meanwhile, saute 8 ea peppers, 2 tblsp capers, 1/2 tsp garlic paste, 4 oz whole butter and kosher salt until heated through

: plate the fish and the cauliflower

: top with a few sprigs of fresh cilantro, top with the hot peppers, capers and butter (serves 2)

: Baked Atlantic Cod Filet, Cauliflower, Sweet Cherry Peppers And Capers In Lemon & EVO

: Baked Atlantic Cod Filet, Cauliflower, Sweet Cherry Peppers And Capers In Lemon & EVO

: Baked Atlantic Cod Filet, Cauliflower, Sweet Cherry Peppers And Capers In Lemon & EVO

: Baked Atlantic Cod Filet, Cauliflower, Sweet Cherry Peppers And Capers In Lemon & EVO

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P.S.
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This dish is part of my upcoming meal plan # 2 –
“HANS’ LIGHTER, HEALTHIER COMFORT FOOD” – MONTH TWO
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Click here for
“HANS’ LIGHTER, HEALTHIER COMFORT FOOD” – MONTH ONE

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Seafood Indulgence

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In that perfect world we’re all longing for, we would all have neverending access to fresh-caught, properly handled and expertly prepared seafood, plentiful and for a reasonable price……….. 🙂
Yet, for most of us, this is but a dream.
However, thanks for modern technology improvements in transport, handling and distribution, there is abundant flash-frozen seafood available in specialty markets, top-tier seafood suppliers and even the internet.
But, in order to get the most out of this seafood, it has to be properly defrosted, cooked (if raw) and seasoned. While I want to keep my seafood chilled at all times, at the very last moment before consumption, I like to submerge my seafood in hot cooking liquid from the just cooked shrimp (and crawfish and crab if applicable), just for a minute or two.
This treatment will bring the flavor and texture of the seafood to a whole new level, far improved from chilled seafood fresh out of the fridge.
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !

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Seafood Indulgence

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add the shrimp and the simmering stock with a tongue carefully mix all together,

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Preparation :
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: simmer 2 lbs peeled, deveined, tail-on 21/24 shrimp in 2 tqt salted water, with 1 whole lemon sliced thin, 4 oz whole butter, 1 tblspn garlic paste and 1 tsp sriracha until half-way cooked (the shrimp will finish cooking while steeping with the other seafood)

: to a deep bowl add 2 lbs fresh, cooked crawfish

: add 3 lbs crab legs

: add the shrimp and the simmering stock with a tongue carefully mix all together,

: plate seafood on a serving platter, drizzle with 4 oz melted butter and 2 cups of the seafood stock, serve with horseradish or Thai sweet chili sauce serves 4 appetizer or 1 generous main course

: Seafood Indulgence

: Seafood Indulgence

: Seafood Indulgence

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Sautéed Chicken Thighs

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Sometimes when I think long enough about a certain dish, I can hardly wait to have it in front of me and to dig in.
Many times, my craving is so strong that I just want to have that particular item, with no “distraction” from side dishes, sauce or condiments. Such was the case with these chicken thighs, which madam and I nearly finished in one sitting.
Aaahhhh, gluttony…………. 😦 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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season chicken with sriracha, granulated garlic, dried oregano, soy sauce and kosher salt for at least 6 hours, better yet, overnight

pat the chicken dry, saute in peanut oil on both sides until golden and crisp (about 12 minutes on each side, depending on the size of the thighs); the temperature on the bone, at the thickest part of the meat should reach 162 F; remove from pan to absorbent paper, the carry-over heat will take the chicken to a safe and juicy 165F (any more and the chicken will be dry) !!!!!

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Sautéed Chicken Thighs

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P.S.
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This dish is part of my upcoming meal plan # 2 –
“HANS’ LIGHTER, HEALTHIER COMFORT FOOD” – MONTH TWO
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Click here for
“HANS’ LIGHTER, HEALTHIER COMFORT FOOD” – MONTH ONE
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: Season Chicken with sriracha, granulated garlic, dried oregano, soy sauce and kosher salt for at least 6 hours, better yet overnight

: pat the chicken dry, saute in peanut oil on both sides until golden and crisp (about 12 minutes on each side, depending on the size of the thighs); the temperature on the bone, at the thickest part of the meat should reach 162 F; remove from pan to absorbent paper, the carry-over heat will take the chicken to a safe and juicy 165F (any more and the chicken will be dry) !!!!!

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: Sautéed Chicken Thighs

: Sautéed Chicken Thighs

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Zuppa Di Pesce

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Zuppa Di Pesce (Fish Soup). It doesn’t sound very exciting, does it? But in many parts of Italy, fish soup rules, and rightfully so.
Since Italy is bordered by water on three sides, it’s not surprising that there are thousands of variations of zuppa di pesce throughout the country, especially in the towns that dot the coastline. Families in the same village often have utterly distinct, yet equally delicious, preparations.
In Genoa, fish soup is called burrida, a name residents got from their neighbors in France from the Provencal dialect bourrido (“to boil”). There, it’s a soup made of cuttlefish, angler and anchovies. In Tuscany, it’s called caciucco, and on the opposite side of Italy, along the Adriatic, it’s referred to as brodetto. Many Americans are familiar with the term “cioppino,” which is not an Italian word. It comes from the Ligurian immigrants in San Francisco and is based on their dialects name for the dish, ciuppin.
While this recipe calls for some specific species, feel free to use any firm, light-fleshed fish. There’s a delicate balance to a good zuppa di pesce, so strong-flavored fish like salmon or snapper don’t work. No sole or flounder either–they’re too flaky. Use an ample supply of shellfish, whatever’s freshest is best. Finally, make sure you have a good loaf of bread to serve with the zuppa.
Some traditional preparations from Liguria do not add tomato,, as the original recipe calls for the full flavor of the sea to be maintained in the fish soup.
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Cioppino is considered San Francisco’s signature dish, and no trip to this West Coast city would be complete without a bowlful of this delicious seafood stew. Because of the versatility of the ingredients, there are numerous recipes for it. Cioppino can be prepared with a dozen different kinds of fish and shellfish. It all depends on the day’s catch and/or your personal choice.
You will not believe how easy it is to make this Cioppino. The key to this recipe is experimentation. Be creative with this fish stew: Leave something out, or substitute something new. Serve cioppino with a glass of your favorite wine and warm sourdough bread.
History of Cioppino: This fish stew first became popular on the docks of San Francisco (now known as Fisherman’s wharf) in the 1930s. Cioppino is thought to be the result of Italian immigrant fishermen adding something from the day’s catch to the communal stew kettle on the wharf.
The origin of the word “cioppino” is something of a mystery, but many historians believe that it is Italian-American for “chip in.” It is also believed that the name comes from a Genoese fish stew called cioppin.

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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Zuppa Di Pesce

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Preparation :
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: trim 1 lb fish fillet of your choice, chop 2 very rip, large tomatoes, set the trimmings aside

: cut the fish into large pieces, peel and devein 12 oc of medium sized shrimp, remove tails

: in 1/2 cup EVO saute 1 ea large, diced onion, the fish trimmings, shrimp shells, chopped tomatoes and 3 sprigs fresh thyme, add 1 qt of fish stock (or substitute with good quality canned clam juice), 1 cup sweet white wine, simmer for 20 minutes or until liquid has reduced to about 3/4 qt

: season with salt, cayenne pepper and garlic paste to taste, simmer another 2 minutes

: strain the solids from the stock, squeeze to extract all the stock/flavor

: fish stock

: add 1 cup peeled, diced tomatoes and 1 cup cooked, small potatoes (optional), simmer 3 minutes

: to the fish and shrimp addd 2 oz capers and 2 tblsp chopped parsley

: add to the fish soup, simmer 3 more minutes, remove from heat, check / adjust seasoning

: Zuppa Di Pesce

: Zuppa Di Pesce

: Zuppa Di Pesce

: Zuppa Di Pesce

: Zuppa Di Pesce

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P.S.
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This dish is part of my upcoming meal plan # 2 –
“HANS’ LIGHTER, HEALTHIER COMFORT FOOD” – MONTH TWO
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Click here for
“HANS’ LIGHTER, HEALTHIER COMFORT FOOD” – MONTH ONE

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Parmesan Crusted Sautéed Pork Medallions, With Potatoes, Bell Peppers And Crimini

Parmesan Crusted sautéed Pork Medallions, With Potatoes, Bell Peppers And Crimini

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Pork tenderloin – so versatile, tasty and wonderfully textured. What’s not to love about this “other white meat” 🙂
However, make sure you cook it to a safe temperature without overcooking it. Frankly, I don’t understand the trend to cook pork medium or even medium rare.
Besides the obvious health risk, medium or rare-cooked pork has a horrible texture. But then, maybe that’s just old-fashioned me ?
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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(The National Pork Board recommends cooking pork chops, roasts, and tenderloin to an internal temperature between 145° F. (medium rare) and 160° F. (medium), followed by a 3 minute rest.
Since large cuts increase approximately 10° F. while resting, remove them from the heat at 150° F. followed by a 10 minute rest).
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Click here for Tomato Sauce Recipe on ChefsOpinion
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top the potatoes with the medallions

add 2 tblsp of tomato sauce to each medallion, top with the sautéed veggies

Parmesan Crusted sautéed Pork Medallions, With Potatoes, Bell Peppers And Crimini

Parmesan Crusted Sautéed Pork Medallions, With Potatoes, Bell Peppers And Crimini

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: cut the head and the tip off of 2 ea porktenderloin. (Reserve the heads and tips for another dish), flatten the remaining 4 pieces into madaillons

: mix 1/2 cup shredded parmesan and 1/4 cup of corn starch, season with cayenne pepper and granulated garlic to taste

: dip and press both sides of the medaillons into the mixture

: saute the medaillons together with 16 ea small, blanched potatoes in EVO until the pork is cooked to your liking and the potatoes are golden and crisp

: plate the potatoes on a serving dish, reserve the pork on a warm plate

: saute 1/4 red/green/ and red pepper julienne together with 1/2 medium sliced onion and 6 ea small crimini in 1 tblsp EVO, season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper to taste

: top the potatoes with the medallions

: add 2 tblsp of tomato sauce to each medallion, top with the sauteed veggies

: Parmesan Crusted Sautéed Pork Medallions, With Potatoes, Bell Peppers And Crimini

: Parmesan Crusted Sautéed Pork Medallions, With Potatoes, Bell Peppers And Crimini

: Parmesan Crusted Sautéed Pork Medallions With Potatoes, Bell Peppers And Crimini

: Parmesan Crusted Sautéed Pork Medallions, With Potatoes, Bell Peppers And Crimini

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Baked Wild Sockeye Salmon With Baby Arugula

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Once in a while, when you don’t have the time, urge or patience to cook a complicated dish, but still want to dine like a king/queen – this is for you 🙂
Total prep time – 5 minutes
Total time from start to end – 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the filet and your preference of doneness of the fish (internal temperature).
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Baked Wild Sockeye Salmon With Baby Arugula

Bella’s Baked Wild Sockeye Salmon

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Preparation :
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: trim 1.5 lbs salmon filet, remove all pin bones with tweezers, remove skin

: season salmon filet on both sides with EVO, kosher salt, garlic paste, sriracha and lemon juice to taste, place on a wire rack

: I cut up the un-seasoned skin for Bella; put the rack into a 420F pre-heated oven

: cook until salmon is done to your liking ( I prefer to cook mine to med-well- the carry-over heat will cook it to a perfect, juicy doneness); meanwhile, dress 8 oz baby arugula with 2 tblsp dressing of your choice; serves 2

: Baked Wild Sockeye Salmon With Baby Arugula

: Baked Wild Sockeye Salmon With Baby Arugula

: Baked Wild Sockeye Salmon With Baby Arugula

: Baked Wild Sockeye Salmon With Baby Arugula

: Baked Wild Sockeye Salmon With Baby Arugula

: Bella’s Baked Wild Sockeye Salmon

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P.S.
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This dish is part of my upcoming meal plan # 2 –
“HANS’ LIGHTER, HEALTHIER COMFORT FOOD” – MONTH TWO
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Click here for
“HANS’ LIGHTER, HEALTHIER COMFORT FOOD” – MONTH ONE
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SPAGHETTI AL CAVIALE (Spaghetti With Caviar)

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There are three pasta dishes I absolutely love for their simplicity and, if prepared with love and care, for their impeccable pure taste of just a few simple ingredients:
“PASTA CACIO E PEPE”, ”SPAGHETTI AGLIO E OLIO“, and today’s feature, “PASTA AL CAVIALE”.
As always, use the best ingredients you can afford to achieve the best result. Also, although many Italian recipes call for olive oil to toss the pasta with, as a caviar lover, I believe butter is the more appropriate ingredient to use for this dish.
And there you have it, all you need for this culinary wonder is good quality spaghetti, good quality butter, kosher salt, cayenne pepper and caviar of your choice.

Bon Appétit ! Life is Good

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Click here for more Caviar on ChefsOpinionThere

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SPAGHETTI AL CAVIALE (Spaghetti With Caviar)

Chicken Noodle Soup (Chicken Soup With Carrot-Noodles & Green Beans)

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Thanks to its ease of preparation and its wonderful taste and texture, chicken noodle soup in its never-ending varieties is one of the dishes I prepare at least once every week. 🙂
I remember the noodle soups from my youth, which had the same flaw as all other pasta dishes at the time in the “old country” – the pasta was nearly always overcooked. Not just in the home I grew up in, but in all homes and restaurants.
To cook pasta al dente became only common after the influx of Italian Immigrants and the explosion of Italian restaurants in Germany in the late 60’s and early 70’s.
Unfortunately, nowadays, the original Italian patrons of these restaurants have mostly retired. Their (German-educated) kid’s, and more often than not, new immigrants from countries such as Turkey, Albania, Rumania, etc have taken over these restaurants and unfortunately, the cuisine has been watered down to an unfortunate mix of second-class Italian and third-class German cooking style, including in many cases, overcooked pasta. Sadly, when I visited Germany last September, it was nearly impossible for me to find decent pasta, pizza, and other traditional Italian food of good quality ( see also “My trip to Germany and Spain“)

However, let’s get back to the “Chicken Noodle Soup” at hand.
No danger of overcooked pasta to be found here, although, there is the (slight?) possibility to overcook the carrot noodles and/or the beans, so if you decide to prep this dish, please keep the veggies bright in color and of proper texture. 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Chicken Noodle Soup (Chicken Soup With Carrot-Noodles & Green Beans)

Bella’s Chicken Noodle Soup (She still ate half my wings and carrots) 🙂

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: cut the tendon’s of 1 doz wings and tips to keep them straight during cooking (optional)

: simmer the wings in 2 qt of water, seasoned with kosher salt, cayenne pepper, sliced fresh ginger and garlic paste to taste, cook until the wings are tender but NOT falling apart, remove wings, check/adjust the flavor of the soup (there should be 1 qt of soup left at this point), let 2 ea medium size diced tomatoes steep in the soup for a couple of minutes before serving

: wash and peel 1,5 lbs young carrots

: cut with a potato peeler or a mandoline into thin, long “noodles”

: blanch the carrots briefly, drain, shock in ice water

: trim and blanch 1 lbs green beans briefly, drain, shock in ice water

: carrot noodles and green beans

: place the wings and veggies / “noodles” in a deep serving bowl, cover with the chicken soup

: Chicken Noodle Soup (Chicken Soup With Carrot-Noodles & Green Beans)

: Chicken Noodle Soup (Chicken Soup With Carrot-Noodles & Green Beans)

: Chicken Noodle Soup (Chicken Soup With Carrot-Noodles & Green Beans)

: Bella’s Chicken Noodle Soup (She still ate half my wings and carrots) 🙂

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P.S.
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This dish is part of my upcoming meal plan # 2 –
“HANS’ LIGHTER, HEALTHIER COMFORT FOOD” – MONTH TWO
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Click here for
“HANS’ LIGHTER, HEALTHIER COMFORT FOOD” – MONTH ONE<
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Arugula & Crab Salad In Yogurt Dressing

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Arugula & Crab Salad In Honey-Mustard Dressing

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Lately, I eat a lot of salad as a main course, any time of the day, even for breakfast if I have leftovers from the previous day.
The key to a great leftover salad to enjoy the following day is to look at the total quantity of all ingredients BEFORE you add the green leaves and dressing, then set them aside separately, cover airtight and store in the fridge overnight, so that the leaves will not wilt and the salad does not get soggy. Only mix and add the finishing touches to the salad you can actually eat for the one meal you’re about to have.
Seems logical enough, but sometimes when everything looks so tempting and delicious, the eyes are bigger than the stomach and we are stuck with a beautiful salad that will turn messy in just a short while 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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P.S.
Use any type of crabmeat that suits your taste buds and wallet, or substitute crabmeat with lobster, crayfish, shrimp or scallops.
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Yogurt Dressing Recipe :

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon garlic paste
1/2 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
1/4 cup EVO
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon chopped oregano (or 1 pinch dried oregano)

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Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and whisk ’til smooth.

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Arugula & Crab Salad In Honey-Mustard Dressing

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Arugula & Crab Salad In Honey-Mustard Dressing

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Arugula & Crab Salad In Honey-Mustard Dressing

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures

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: baby arugula, kani kama, sliced chilies (use chilies which are suited to the heatlevel you can tolerate)

: add finely sliced red cabbage and Greek yogurt dressing, mix, serve with toasted bread and sliced carambola

: Arugula & Crab Salad In Honey-Mustard Dressing

: Arugula & Crab Salad In Honey-Mustard Dressing

: Arugula & Crab Salad In Honey-Mustard Dressing

: Arugula & Crab Salad In Honey-Mustard Dressing

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Black Pepper & Soy Chicken Wings

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If you think one more post about chicken wings is redundant, I do understand you 🙂
Just move on, don’t get upset, bored or annoyed. I will see you at my next post…….
However, realize this: You’ll miss a chance to look at one of the prettiest, tastiest, no-fuss to prepare chicken wings you will ever come across 🙂
So, if you decided to read on and look on – enjoy, take the time to replicate these babes and be the master of your own future-favorite chicken wings 🙂 Cheers !
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Bon Appétit !   Life is Good !
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Click here for more  Chicken  on ChefsOpinion
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P.S.
If you can not obtain anatto powder (Annatto/Achiote/Roucou ), you can substitute red food coloring (In my humble opinion, this is more of a “pride-issue”, rather than a quality-issue) 🙂
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P.P.S.
I did no include measurements in this recipe because I believe they are not necessary.
If you want to add any more or any less of any seasoning, just do so according to your own taste.
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Black Pepper & Soy Chicken Wings

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: season chicken wings with peanut oil, freshly-cracked black pepper, soy sauce, kosher salt, lemon juice, chili oil, granulated garilc, hoisin sauce and annatto powder to taste, cook on a rack in a pre-heated oven at 400F until cooked through, about 45 minutes, depending on the size of the wings

: Black Pepper & Soy Chicken Wings

: Black Pepper & Soy Chicken Wings

: Black Pepper & Soy Chicken Wings

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P.S.
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This dish is part of my upcoming meal plan # 2 –
“HANS’ LIGHTER, HEALTHIER COMFORT FOOD” – MONTH TWO
.
Click here for
“HANS’ LIGHTER, HEALTHIER COMFORT FOOD” – MONTH ONE
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