Grilled Halibut with Zucchini served with Arugula and Fig Salad

Another in the series of simply grilled fish complemented by fresh vegetables and a salad.  Hopefully this isn't boring.....I sometimes worry that my daily dinners are the same song, different melody.  However, when Dave doesn't get home until 7:30 or 8:00 I'm less than inclined to be presenting a complicated, multi-course meal that has taken hours to prepare only to be consumed in mere minutes or, abstractedly while some drivel (or in many cases dribble....as in basketball) is playing out on the TV.  So, here we go again.  I try to mix up the fish and the sides so as not to seem like a broken record, hopefully I succeed.

Grilled Halibut with Zucchini, serves 2, Total time: 30 mins

8-10 oz. halibut steak
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, for brushing
2 small zucchini, cut on a sharp angle into 1/2-inch ovals
Coarse Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Lemon for serving

Prepare grill to medium-high.  Lightly brush zucchini ovals with the olive oil, both sides, season with salt and pepper.  Lightly brush the halibut with olive oil, both sides, season with salt and pepper.

Grill halibut 4-5 mins per side, depending on the thickness of your steaks.  The general rule is 5 mins per side, per inch of thickness.  Remove to plates and squeeze lemon juice over.

Grill zucchini ovals 3 mins per side.  Remove to plates and squeeze lemon juice over.

Arugula and Fig Salad

Arugula
Fresh Figs, quartered
Goat cheese, optional
1 tbsp (scant) extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp aged balsamic vinegar

Place arugula on plate, top with figs and cheese.  Lightly drizzle with oil and vinegar.  Season with salt and pepper.

Bottom Line:  Any fish will do.  I try to buy something that will NOT fall apart on the grill and looks super fresh.  You can certainly doll this up with some fresh herbs, a marinade or a grilling rub, but this simple preparation really allows the freshness of your fish to be the star here.  As for the salad, the nuttiness of the arugula and the sweetness of the figs are a great complement to each other.  I used a little brie cheese instead of the goat cheese as that's what I had, and it was delicious.  

Summer Panzanella (Italian Bread Salad)

Years ago, my mother-in-law gave me Michael Chiarello's Tra Vigne Cookbook.  She chose it because it was beautiful and she knew I liked to cook.  She doesn't love to cook and I was dreading yet another "restaurant cookbook."  You know the type, recipes so complicated, using ingredients you don't usually have on hand and so laborious that  you would never make them at home.  This one is different and it is one of my favorite cookbooks.  The recipes set up the basics and then give you several options.  Also, the dishes are unique, but straightforward to prepare (for the most part).  I liked that cookbook so much, I bought his second one, Casual Cooking, which is where you'll find the Panzanella recipe.  As is his tendency, he not only gives you a recipe for Summer Panzanella, but also versions for Autumn, Winter and Spring.  The Summer version is perfect for tonight's dinner:  Dave's travelling and I have a plateful of ripe tomatoes staring me in the face and what better way to put a dent in that plate!

Summer Panzanella, serves 2, Total time:  30 mins

1 # ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced (I didn't peel and seed my tomatoes)
2 tbsp minced red onion (I used a sweet Vidalia as that is what I had on hand)
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (I used only a little more than 2 tbsp)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1/2 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 tsp sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
stale French bread, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 cup arugula
Parmesan cheese

Place tomatoes in a colander to drain excess liquid while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, basil, tarragon, salt and pepper to tasted.  Add the croutons and toss well.

Divide between 2 plates.  Top each serving with an equal amount of the arugula.  With a vegetable peeler, shave the Parmesan over the salad.  Serve immediately.

Note:  Michael's recipe calls for making the croutons by melting butter in a skillet; adding the bread cubes, tossing to coat, spreading on a baking sheet, sprinkling with finely grated Parmesan and baking in a 350 degree oven until crisp and lightly browned, about 15 minutes.  I skipped the butter and cheese step and lightly baked my bread to crisp up.  His way is delicious, but figured I didn't need the calories.

Also, you can prepare the salad in advance, just don't add the croutons, arugula and cheese until right before serving.

Bottom line:  I usually make this for myself as a main course.  I know many of you are thinking....no way am I only eating tomatoes and arugula for dinner.  That's ok, I'm a little weird....so grill up some fish, a piece of chicken, or even a steak and serve this as your side.  It's as delicious as your tomatoes are and if you love tomatoes like I do, you'll love it.

Corn Chowder

Corn again?  Enough already!  I know, but all too soon, corn season will be over and I'll have to wait until next July to get any decent fresh corn so I buy it while I can ....also, I have a bit of a cold and this way I can justify soup in the middle of a heat wave, so humor me.  I know there are lots of recipes out there that add crab or fish to the chowder, we had one last weekend and it was quite tasty, but I like this simple, unadulterated recipe from Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins, The New Basic Cookbook.  Enjoy!

Corn Chowder, serves 2+, Total time: 1 hour
  
2 oz. sliced bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup chopped onions
1 tbsp flour
2 cups chicken stock or broth
1 large potato, peeled (unless you are using smaller, thin skinned such as new or fingerling), 1/4 inch dice
1/2 cup half and half (I use milk and it seems to work just fine)
2 ears fresh corn, kernels cut from the cob
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch dice
1-2 scallions, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/2 tbsp chopped cilantro (optional for all of you who think cilantro tastes like soap.....and you know who you are!)

Wilt the bacon in a soup pot over low heat until fat is rendered, about 5 minutes.  Add the butter and allow it to melt.

Add the onion and wilt over low heat for 10 minutes.  Add the flour and cook, stirring, another 3-5 minutes.

Add the stock and potatoes.  Continue cooking over med-low heat until the potatoes are just tender, 10 mins. or so.

Add the half and half (milk), corn, salt and pepper to taste.  Cook 7 mins.

Add the bell pepper and scallions, adjust the seasonings, and cook an additional 5 mins.  Serve, garnished with cilantro.

Bottom Line:  This is one of my favorite end of summer soups....although Dave could have used some air conditioning!  My potatoes did not take the full 10 minutes, so watch carefully as you don't want to overcook them.  

Grilled Chicken Breasts, Raw Corn & Radish Salad, Sliced Tomatoes

It's the middle of summer, a gazillion degrees outside and you cannot imagine standing next to an indoor cooking appliance, much less firing it up and cooking dinner......let's all call for take out.  BUT, hold on,  you can make a fabulous dinner as long as you have some super fresh corn and a grill.  I noticed this corn and radish salad recipe in the no-cook section of Food and Wine's website (check it out, there are 107 recipes!).   I was off to the farmers' market this morning where I could pick up some aforementioned FRESH corn and this salad would be a great complement to the grilled chicken recipe I saw in today's NY Times (kudos to Mark Bittman, one of my favorite chefs, a minimalist just like me!).  If you don't have a source for fresh picked corn (those ears in the grocery store are NOT fresh picked), all is not lost.  You can easily grill the corn.  Remove the husks, rub all over with olive oil and grill, turning often.  There will be some browned kernels, but that's ok, it's still yummy!

Raw Corn & Radish Salad with Spicy Lime Dressing, serves 2, total time:  25 mins.

1 tbsp fresh lime juice

1/2 small jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped

3/4 tsp honey

1/8 tsp ground cumin

2 tbsp olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 ears fresh corn, shucked and kernels cut off the cob

3 medium radishes, thinly sliced

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 tbsp red onion, chopped

Combine the lime juice, jalapeno, honey and cumin.  Drizzle olive oil while whisking to incorporate.  Season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, toss the corn, radishes, parsley, red onion and dressing.  Season with salt and pepper.

Grilled Chicken Breasts Stuffed With Herb Butter, serves 2, total time:  45 mins

2 tbsp butter, softened

1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon, basil, chives or other herb

2 bone-in chicken breasts (I used boneless with skin)

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Extra virgin olive oil as needed

Lemon wedges for serving

Prepare the grill, heat should be medium high, but one area of the grill should be cool for indirect cooking.  In a small bowl, using a fork, combine butter and herbs.  

With a sharp-bladed knife, cut a 2-3-inch slit in the deepest part of the chicken.  Fill with as much herb butter as possible; rub some under the skin as well.  Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and brush with oil.

When the grill is ready, put chicken skin-side up on the cool side of the grill.  After some fat has been rendered, turn chicken; if it flares up, move to an even cooler part of the grill or turn skin side up again.  When skin has lost its raw look and most of the fat has been rendered, after 20 mins or so, move chicken directly over fire.  Cook, turning now and then, until both sides are browned and flesh is firm and cooked through, 5-10 minutes longer.  Serve hot, warm or at room temperature, with lemon wedges.

Bottom Line:  Nice combination.  The chicken was very moist and although we didn't eat the skin, it was nice and crispy.  Also, the cooking method really paid off.  So many times our chicken has looked like we dragged it through the coals, but as you can see, this way of indirect cooking saved us.  My chicken took the full 30 mins to cook, even though it was boneless.  The breasts were large (there are no small chickens out there....) and, as I've said, our grill is not a mega BTU job (one day), so you may have to adjust the cooking time depending on whether your chicken is boned as well as the grill you are working with.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Green Salad

Grilled Pork Tenderloin, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Green Salad, serves 2, Total time:  1 hour

I know, I know, this sounds more like an October dinner than an August dinner, but I had a pork tenderloin in the freezer and the sweet potatoes at my market were so fresh  I couldn't imagine not buying them.  You know the type:  thin skinned, a gorgeous shade of orange peeking through, no scars, no shriveling (is that a word??).  And, even though it is a blistering 80 degrees in Santa Monica, I'm going to turn the oven on to 450 and roast them.  It's my favorite way to eat sweet potatoes, just slice, toss them in a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast away (for about 35 minutes until tender and golden).  Very healthy, I might add.  You could also sprinkle with a bit of balsamic vinegar as they come out of the oven if you wish.  So that's the 411 on the sweet potatoes.


Grilled Pork Tenderloin

1 pork tenderloin
2 tbsp soy sauce
Coarse Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Place pork in a shallow bowl, add soy sauce and turn to coat.  Prepare grill, medium hot to hot (depending on your grill).  Season pork with salt and pepper (don't go overboard on the salt, as the soy sauce is salty).  Grill tenderloin for 15-20 minutes, turning often, until internal temperature has reached 160 degrees.  Remove from grill and let stand for 10 minutes before slicing (this keeps all the good juices in the meat and not on your cutting board).  If you like, you can brush with barbecue sauce during the last 5 minutes or so of grilling, being careful not to let the meat char.


Green Salad tonight is watercress and heirloom tomatoes dressed in olive oil and balsamic vinegar.


Bottom Line:  This meal gets a thumbs up from Dave as there are few dishes to clean up.  It's easy, tasty, very satisfying and I have leftovers!  If you didn't want to heat the house up at all, you could probably do the potatoes on the grill, but I might parboil them first. 

Grilled Salmon with Heirloom Tomato and Grilled Corn Salad

Ok, back from Carmel and I'm finally warm!  Note to future Carmel vacationers.....bring more layers than you think you need.  Seriously, it's a beautiful, quite charming AND there are some great restaurants for your enjoyment.  A few dishes worth noting: Basil's Caprese Salad (heirloom tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella, drizzled in olive oil and balsamic vinegar, sprinkled with basil)......this very popular salad was differentiated by stuffing the round of mozzarella with a tablespoon of marscapone...to die for!  La Bicyclette's Piquillo Pepper Soup with just a touch of cream....amazing.  If I find any recipes for the above, I'll post later.  Meanwhile, knock yourself out making up your own, but please share.

So, back to reality.  Tonight's dinner will be simple, fresh and not too caloric....we way overate last week and not nearly enough exercise to compensate.  This is one of our normal week night dinners, fish and salad. The salad is easy and delicious, I have edited it down from the recipe in Bon Appetit, July 2010, as their recipe serves 10-12.

Heirloom Tomato and Grilled Corn Salad, serves 2 (with some left over!), Total time:  1.5 hours*
*If you don't have 2 hours to prepare this (because of the soaking time) you can cut the corn off the cob and saute for 3 minutes in a skillet in olive oil or butter.  Still delicious!

1 tbsp Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil
2 ears fresh corn, in the husk
1 small heirloom tomato cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/3 cup heirloom cherry tomatoes
Coarse Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Cover corn in water for one hour.  While corn is soaking, mix vinegar and garlic in bowl.  Whisk in oil, then basil,  season with salt and pepper.  Prepare barbecue grill.  Grill corn in the husk for 15-20 minutes, turning often.  Husks will be charred. Cool corn.  Remove husk and silk, cut corn off the cob into a bowl, add tomatoes and toss with enough vinaigrette to coat.  Season with salt and pepper.


Grilled Salmon, serves 2, total time:  10 minutes

8-10 oz. fresh salmon

Olive oil for rubbing

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Lemon, sliced thinly

While corn is cooking, prepare salmon by rubbing both sides with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place on grill, skin side up.   Grill 4 minutes a side, placing lemon slices on top when fish is flipped.  Salmon should be slightly dark in the center, so if your fish is thin, you might need to cook only 3 minutes per side.  Squeeze lemon juice over fish before serving if desired.

Bottom Line:  This is a great, simple, healthy dinner.  I loaded up on the salad, so I have one serving left over for tomorrow lunch.  You could easily serve four with this recipe.  If you're pressed for time, you can cook the corn in advance and refrigerate, but I would prefer to cut the corn off the cob and saute in a skillet for 3-4 minutes instead. If you're wanting a little more for dinner, add a green salad.  

Off to Carmel

We're off for a week to Carmel as Dave has a big race next weekend in his 1959 Cooper T-52.....I'm sure you are all up to speed on just what that means....he races against other "gentlemen" on a very cool, historic track in Central California.  Meanwhile I will be planning our dinners out!  I'll keep you abreast of anything that is particularly inspiring.    In case you were wondering, we had takeout tonight.....Manhattan clam chowder.  It was a chock full day and I just couldn't squeeze in time to prepare myself.

Bottom line:  the soup was tasty, but a little too much salt.

Martha's Chocolate Cake

Actually I'm eating leftovers for dinner tonight, not cake.  Dave's got a dinner meeting and there is chicken left from last night as well as fresh tomatoes from the market, so that's my menu.  Not really worthy of a recipe, so I thought I'd share a bit of humility instead. 

There are days when you should just leave well enough alone.  We were having a friend for dinner the other night.  He is solo this summer as his family is in Europe and it happened to be his birthday, so I thought I should make him a cake.  I could have bought a couple of slices of his favorite Ganache cake, but nooooo, I wanted to actually bake something for him.  Like the superb dinner that I had planned wasn't enough. Trust me, he wouldn't have known the difference, in fact, he might have appreciated my buying his dessert. 

My dear friend Martha's chocolate cake seemed to be the perfect choice.  It is practically flourless, so similar to the Ganache cake our friend adored, and everyone raves about how delicious it is.  It seemed simple enough and my mom has made it countless times....what could go wrong?   I don't make a habit of baking.....  yeast and I don't get along, cookies are too fattening, I have no talent in icing a cake.  As far as I'm concerned, one of the best desserts is fresh berries and a scoop of really good ice cream, or... truffles.  I'm not the one volunteering to bring the dessert to the party.  I used to have a fruit tart that was my signature, but now I think it's waaay to much trouble. 

But, again, Martha's cake looked like a breeze and it really was, I just didn't bake it quite long enough.  When I removed it from the oven after the designated 20 minutes, it did have a pudding feel, and it crossed my mind to leave it in for another 5 minutes or so, but no, I was following directions and this must be right.  As it cooled, I noticed through the center cracks that it looked a bit moist, runny even.  I started to wonder just how I was going to "turn it out" onto the plate.....does it flip over, do I try to slide it onto the plate....what was going to happen to that soft center when I did manage to get it onto the plate?????  I called my mom, she couldn't remember if I should flip it or try to get it out right side up.  Martha wasn't home.  I was on my own.  So, I flipped it.  Turned out fine, but now I could see that it was really moist.....the powdered sugar topping would have to go on right before serving or it would turn to glue.  It looked pretty ridiculous under my nice glass cake dome.

But, not to worry, the powdered sugar made it look much better right before serving.  It was the fact that as soon as I cut the cake, the center started to ooze.  I managed to get Dave and Mark's pieces on their plates while they still looked like a slice of cake.  Mine, not so much....It was delicious, and I would highly recommend it to all of you bakers out there.  I have to admit I don't have a photo as I was trying to get the cake to the table before all hell broke loose.  You can have the recipe and please don't take my failure as the norm.....the cake is a winner in better hands.

Martha's Chocolate Cake, serves 4-6, Total time:  45 mins

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
4.5 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, cut into 1" pieces
3 eggs, separated
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
3 tbsp cake and pastry flour
1 tbsp ground almonds
powdered sugar for dusting
creme fraiche or whipped cream for serving

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Line the bottom of a 7-8" springform pan with parchment paper.  Butter the pan and paper , then dust with sugar, then flour. 

Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler, stirring occasionally.  Set aside.

Beat the sugar and the egg yolks until well mixed.  While the chocolate is still warm, stir it into the egg-sugar mixture.  Stir in the flour and ground almonds.

Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks and add to the chocolate mixture, folding in with a spatula, gently but quickly.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 20 minutes.  Cake should be slightly soft and have a pudding feel to the touch.  Cool completely in the pan.  The center will sink.  To remove, run a knife carefully around the edge and release the sides of the springform pan.  Turn out onto a cake plate (I put the plate on top of the cake and flipped, then removed the bottom and the parchment paper).

To serve, dust with powdered sugar, cut into wedges and top with the creme fraiche or whipped cream.

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Potato Salad and Greens

Does this sound like I've thrown in the kitchen sink?  Tomorrow is Farmer's Market Wednesday, but I have a self imposed rule that I can't go if I don't really need anything, soooo, let's get some of that stuff out of the produce bin so I can treat myself tomorrow!  That means we'll have 2 salads tonight, although does potato salad really count as salad?  To me it's the side veg of the evening.  This is truly a simple meal.  I'm using the vinaigrette from the Nicoise Salad to dress the potatoes as well as to marinate the chicken breasts.  You could also use if to dress the greens (in this case wild arugula and tomatoes), but I think I'll just drizzle with a good olive oil and some balsamic vinegar to cut the tartness of the arugula.

Potato Salad, serves 2, total time:  30 mins.

6 fingerling potatoes
1 stalk celery, diced
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp Italian parsley, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Place potatoes in saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil and cook until just tender, about 8-10 minutes after they come to a boil.  Drain and quarter.  Add celery, onion and parsley to cooled potatoes and lightly dress with vinaigrette.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Vinaigrette

1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp granulated sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

minced parsley and/or chives, to taste

1/4 extra virgin olive oil

Combine mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper and herbs.  Drizzle oil into mixture, whisking to incorporate.

Grilled Chicken Breasts, serves 2, total time:  35 mins

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Vinaigrette

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Marinate chicken breasts in vinaigrette.  Prepare grill.  When hot, cook chicken breast 15-20 minutes, turning often, until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.  Serve hot or room temperature.

Bottom line:  I love dinners like these.  It's all so simple and fresh.  You could always add red peppers or green beans or hard boiled eggs to your potato salad.  Also, mustard seeds are a nice touch.  YUM!!

Fish Tacos with Creamy Lime Guacamole

When I opened the Food and Wine email this morning, I was greeted with 7 fish taco recipes and I thought, why not?  I love Mexican food, but we don't eat it often because it's really not all that healthy.  Taco salad used to be a favorite, but seems like once you start dipping those tortilla chips into the salsa, you don't stop until the bag is empty!  But, fish tacos made with grilled fresh fish on corn tortillas is healthy and you're getting some fiber (from the tortillas), the servings are small (you can't stuff all that much into a dinky corn tortilla), but more importantly it's a delicious and satisfying meal.  Add some black beans (more fiber) as a side, slice some market fresh tomatoes and dinner is on!  This recipe is from the 6/2008 edition of Food and Wine and I have reduced the portions to prepare for 2.

Fish Tacos with Creamy Lime Guacamole and Cabbage Slaw, serves 2, Total time:  45 mins

1 avocado, halved, pitted and peeled
1-2 tbsp Greek yogurt
1/2 small jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1 tbsp minced red onion
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup cabbage (preferably napa)
3 tsp vegetable oil, plus more for brushing
1/2 # red snapper fillet, cut crosswise into 2-inch wide strips
Corn tortillas, warmed
1 medium tomato, diced
Hot sauce, for serving
Lime wedges, for serving

Prepare the grill.  In a medium bowl, mash the avocado, yogurt, jalapeno, red onion, cilantro and 1.5 tbsp of the lime juice.  Season the guacamole with salt and pepper and press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface.

In a bowl, toss the cabbage with the vegetable oil and the remaining 1.5 tbsp of lime juice.  Season with salt and pepper.

Brush the fish with oil and season with salt and pepper.  Grill over moderately high heat until lightly charred and cooked through, about 8 minutes for a thicker fish, but less for a thinner fish (mine was thin).  Transfer the fish to a platter.

To assemble each taco, spread a dollop of guacamole on a tortilla.  Top with a piece of fish, a sprinkle of chopped tomato and a large spoonful of the cabbage slaw.  Serve with hot sauce and lime wedges.


Black Beans, serves 2, Total time:  20 minutes

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 jalapeno, diced
1 tbsp red onion, diced
1 tsp cumin
Kosher salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp water
Crumbled feta cheese
Squeeze of lime

Saute the jalapeno and onion in the olive oil until tender.  Add the black beans, cumin and water and simmer until flavors are blended, adding more water if necessary.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Ideally the beans should be moist, not wet and not dry. Serve warm and sprinkled with feta cheese and a squeeze of lime juice.

Bottom Line:  I saved a little time by purchasing some shredded cabbage from the salad bar, since it hardly makes sense to buy a whole head of napa cabbage for the two of us.  You could also purchase your guacamole instead of making it and add some yogurt or sour cream to make it creamier if you wish, but this guacamole is killer....Our fish was about 3/4 of an inch thick and took about 3 mins a side.  I don't think you would want it much thicker if you are using corn tortillas as fat fish will take up all the room in your tortilla!  The flavors were symphonic!