Steamed Fish with Black Bean Sauce – Our Chinese New Year Part 2

January 23, 2012 by · 6 Comments

Do you know what is wrong this picture?

Oh well, I think I am ok because technically we celebrated the Chinese New Year a few days early…..and also I am not Chinese so I think that gets me off the hook. But the problem with this picture is that traditionally you are supposed to serve a whole steamed fish on Chinese New Year (as well as a whole chicken) as opposed to serving fillets. Something about horrible bad luck all year. Oh well…hopefully I at least get partial credit for trying.

We served this with the steamed dumplings on Saturday for our little Chinese New Year Celebration. If you wanted to add some simple noodles (for longevity) you could make these.

This fish was wonderful. We have never really steamed fish and it’s something we will definitely do again. The texture was great and it was cooked perfectly. The flavors in this recipe were spot on. The black bean sauce (or paste if you can find it) and the sake make a great sauce for the fish while the ginger and the chives add some fresh spicy flavors.

When the fish is finished steaming you pour smoking hot oil over top the chives and ginger so that they wilt and sizzle….which makes it kind of fun to serve. You can see the steam coming off the fish as Jim poured the oil over top. The sesame oil added some great flavor.

You will also want to heat up some sake to drink during dinner, too. It will warm your tummy:-)

Enjoy!

Source: Steamy Kitchen

Steamed Fish with Black Bean Sauce – Our Chinese New Year Part 2
 
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Recipe type: Main

Ingredients
  • 4 thick fish fillets (ideally about an inch thick – we used Mahi Mahi but you can also use grouper, salmon, or black sea bass)
  • A pinch of salt and pepper
  • 4 Tablespoons black bean paste (we used sauce because it’s all we could find, but I think the paste would be better because it’s thicker) – mix with a little sake to thin if you are using the paste
  • 8 Tablespoons sake
  • 1 bunch fresh chives, cut into 1½-inch lengths
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil

Instructions
  1. Sprinkle the fish fillets with salt and pepper. Spread the black bean paste on top. Place in a heatproof dish and pour the sake in the dish around the fillets. Steam for about 10 minutes in a steamer.
  2. Meanwhile slice the ginger into thin strips (julienne them.) Heat the oils in a saucepan almost until smoking hot.
  3. Pour the cooking liquids onto a plate that is deep enough for serving.
  4. Top the fish with the chives and ginger and pour the hot oil over top to wilt (they should sizzle.)
  5. Plate the fish on the plate with the reserved cooking liquids.

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Roasted Shrimp Cocktail

January 12, 2012 by · 6 Comments

When I go to or have a party it’s nice to have a few lighter options to eat along with the not so healthy. Don’t get me wrong, I am all about the crab and taco dips, but it’s always nice to have options. One of my favorite healthier options is shrimp cocktail.

Did you know that shrimp is:

  • Very low in calories
  • A great source of healthy fats such as Omega 3′s and very low in saturated fats
  • High in protein (which will help to keep you full), iron and B-12 vitamins
  • Still ok to eat despite being a source of cholesterol.  Apparently the good fats and good cholesterol (HDL) in shrimp combat the bad Cholesterol (LDL.)  You probably just don’t want to eat too many of them.

This recipe by Ina Garten is great because the roasted shrimp takes on a slightly different sweet flavor. You could probably season it however you like, but I really liked Ina’s simplicity with some good olive oil, salt and pepper. I added the garlic because, well, I love garlic, but you could certainly leave it out.  You also will want to serve it alongside some spicy cocktail sauce.

So if you think it’s time to lay off the seven layer dip, try this wonderful twist on shrimp cocktail. It’s delish!

Enjoy!

Roasted Shrimp Cocktail
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Appetizer

Ingredients
  • 2 pounds (12 to 15-count) shrimp (peeled and deveined)
  • 1 tablespoon good olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic – minced

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
  2. Place shrimp on a sheet pan with the remaining ingredients. Toss to coat and spread into one even layer.
  3. Roast for 8-10 minutes until they are fully cooked through and firm. Let cool and serve with cocktail sauce

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Mahi Mahi with Pineapple Jalapeno Salsa

December 7, 2011 by · 6 Comments


 

****Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by Athenos – I just linked up my Htipiti – Feta and Pepperoncini Dip. Lots of yummy stuff!*****

With the holidays coming up I am trying to keep our dinners light and somewhat fresh this month.  We have had grilled chicken, veggie omelets and this mahi mahi. My goal for this month is when I am not eating cookies or cake I am eating something healthy. It’s called balance, people:-).

We also have a birthday.  My oldest, Ella, turns eight today and I just can’t believe it.  Eight is kind of not so little anymore.

Eight means two more years and she is in double digits (and she has reminded me of that a few times.)  Eight means that she wants to redecorate her room with peace signs and glitter and not teddy bears and bows.  Eight means she is almost halfway through elementary school, when it feels like she just started.  It means if I am wearing something that she doesn’t like she will tell me what I should wear instead (and there is a good chance I will take her advice.)  Eight also means sleepovers, which is probably the most scary item in this list…especially when it is SIX girls at my house.  Seriously, I am stressing.

So, you can see why I am posting recipes like this in the middle of December.  I need some lightness in my life.  I also need to make it to the gym at least four days a week, which is tough right now.

The shining star of this recipe is the pineapple salsa.  The Mahi is a great fish, but this salsa is such a great recipe.  If you have never had pineapple salsa change that right now.  Make this.  If you like sweet heat this is probably the best sweet heat you will ever taste.   We had veggie burritos earlier in the day on Sunday and Jim threw some in his burrito and he said the salsa was awesome in it.  You could also just eat it with some chips – cause it’s salsa and that’s what you do with salsa.

If you have read this blog for any period of time, you probably know that I am a huge fan of Trader Joe’s.  Well, they have the best pineapple and they are usually 2.99, which is a great price.  If you have an Aldi’s I think you can usually get them really inexpensively there, too.  Did you know that Aldi’s and Trader Joe’s are owned by the same company? TJ’s also has great and reasonably priced frozen fish which is where this Mahi is from. I think Aldi’s has good frozen fish, too….it’s all making sense now:-).

Pineapple is also great to add to a stir fry.  Amazing, really.

So try this salsa today.  Add a ton of jalapeno and – Enjoy!

Mahi Mahi with Pineapple Jalapeno Salsa
 
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Recipe type: Main

Ingredients
  • 1 lb Mahi Mahi
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 Tablespoon EVOO
  • ½ lemon
  • 2 cups pineapple diced
  • ½ red onion diced
  • 1 good handful cilantro
  • 2-3 jalapenos seeded and diced
  • a good squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon of Teriyaki sauce (optional)
  • Salt to taste
  • Sriracha (optional)

Instructions
  1. Heat butter and EVOO in a skillet over medum high heat. Pat fish dry and salt and pepper on both sides. Place fillets in the skillet and cook about 3 minutes on each side.
  2. Remove fish from pan and squeeze lemon juice in with the butter and cook for one more minute. Spoon butter over fish if desired.
  3. For salsa add pineapple through Teriyaki sauce and mix until combined. Add salt to taste.
  4. Spoon salsa over fish. Drizzle with Sriracha if desired.
  5. Enjoy!

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Mustard Roasted Fish – TGIF!

November 4, 2011 by · 2 Comments

Does Friday make you think about fish? If you are Catholic or someone who grew up in the northeast I bet that it does. I have talked about this before, but in Upstate NY a very popular thing to do on Friday night is a Fish Fry. I remember fondly going down to the American Legion in my little town and having a fish fry almost every Friday night. We would see people that we knew and very often we would meet my extended family down there. They had a juke box that we would play songs on and we would draw on the backs of the placemats. We did this all year long although I am sure that the fish fry tradition started on Fridays because of Lent (there are lot’s of Catholics in Western New York.)

This is kind of coincidental that I am posting two Ina recipes in a row, but I just love and rely on her recipes. This fish was also amazing and so full of flavor. The mustard flavor is very light and the capers add some zing to the dish. The recipe is so easy and I love that it bakes altogether and all you need to do is mix up the sauce and pour it over the fish.

It was a great meal and definitely something that will be added to the rotation. Sole happened to be on sale at Fresh Market so that is what we used. They also had Sea Bass there but I think it was about 29 dollars a pound so we didn’t even think about going there – although I am sure it would be good.

One thing that I have noticed with Ina (and it’s a great lesson in general) is that she ALWAYS slightly under cooks her meats/fish and then lets it rest tented in foil to finish cooking. I was surprised that she does that with this fish. This assures that when you serve the meal it will be perfectly cooked and it allows the juices to be reabsorbed and redistribute into and meat.

To lighten this up you can use greek yogurt instead of the creme and you could even really either half the sauce or put less on an individual portion. My other suggestion is to do what we did and just serve the fish like it is, but pair it with other light options like the spinach and baked potato with some Smart Balance or greek yogurt.

So, if you are looking for a new fish recipe I highly recommend giving this a try. Again, Ina does NOT disappoint!

Enjoy and happy Friday everyone!

Mustard Roasted Fish
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Main

Ingredients
  • 4 (8-ounce) fish fillets such as red snapper
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 ounces creme fraiche (you could use greek yogurt if you don’t have this.)
  • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
  • 2 tablespoons minced shallots
  • 2 teaspoons drained capers

Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. In an oven proof baking dish lay the fish skin side down.
  3. Combine all the remaining ingredients except the capers in a bowl and mix until combined. Spoon the sauce evenly over the fish fillets, making sure the fish is completely covered. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes depending on how thick your fish is. It will be nice and flaky when it is done. Ina says to make sure you don’t overcook your fish (and I echo her statements)
  4. Server with the sauce spooned over top

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Easy Crab Meat Dip

October 5, 2011 by · 4 Comments

This recipe is one of my party staples and one that my mom always made for parties. It is soooo yummy and people gobble it up. You can use canned lump crab meat or you can get the more expensive kind from the seafood counter. I usually just buy the canned, because quite honestly I don’t think this recipe needs anything more and I would hate to spend a whole lot more for the good stuff. I save that for my hot crab meat dip that I will share on here soon.

You can also make this healthier by using fat-free or lower fat cream cheese and you won’t notice a huge difference. For a full-blown celebration I would use the full fat, but for a smaller get together where I want to save some calories I will very often use the lower fat varieties.

I just have one rule with this dip. No skimming off the top! I have seen many people skim the crab off the top and that is a huge no-no. Party foul – big time. You must scoop the dip up with equal portions of crab, cocktail sauce and cream cheese.

Speaking of parties and food – has anyone watched The Chew? I have been taping it and keeping up with the episodes, but so far it’s pretty good. Like any new show, it will definitely grow into it’s own. So far I like it a lot!

Easy Crab Meat Dip
 
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This is a great easy dip for your next party! I serve this with Triscuits or Wheat Thins.
Author:
Recipe type: Appetizer

Ingredients
  • 1 8oz block of cream cheese – softened
  • 2 tablespoons of minced green onion
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
  • ½ tsp lemon juice
  • 1 12 oz jar of cocktail sauce (or you can make your own)
  • 1 can of lump crab meat – drained (I sometimes double this)
  • 1 tsp dried parsley flakes
  • Old Bay Seasoning

Instructions
  1. In a bowl combine the first five ingredients. Spread into a pie plate.
  2. Top the cream cheese mixture with cocktail sauce and then sprinkle the crab meat on top. Sprinkle dried parsley and Old Bay (optional) over top.

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