Back from Blogging Hiatus with Salmon Broccoli Chowder and Veg-uary!

Dear Recipe Blog:
I'm sorry I left. Please take me back.
sincerely, the Anti-Chef.

I've been away for so long....that was never my intention, but that pesky thing called Life (outside the kitchen) demanded my undivided attention for quite awhile. I've been keeping chicken-scratch notes of my cooking adventures that I hope to share with my corner of the internet, but that will take some time. More immediate is....

Veg-uary.

Let me explain. My oldest spawn mentioned wanting to try a vegetarian diet. I haven't done the vegetarian thing in awhile, so I decided we could do it together. We picked February to be vegetarians (hence "Veg-uary"). Several people expressed an interest in doing this with us, so I made a Facebook group for everyone to join for support and ideas. The group is open to anyone, so if you feel this is something you'd like to partake in, feel free! I'm excited to revisit some of my favorite non-meat recipes, as well as create a few more along the way.

On the not-so-vegetarian side of things, I made salmon chowder today. The weather has turned (finally!), and nothing says winter comfort food like a nice, thick, hearty soup. My original inspiration is a salmon corn chowder from Door to Door Organics (my organic co-op of choice). I've done a considerable amount of editing as I'm not a big corn fan, nor did I have vegetable stock on hand. I hope you enjoy my debut recipe of 2012!

Salmon Broccoli Chowder

Ingredients:
4 tbs light olive oil
1 small head of broccoli
1 lb salmon filets
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbs oil of choice (I use coconut oil)
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp anchovie paste
1 bunch fresh thyme
1 stalk oregano
2 cups milk
6 cups water
3 russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 large bay leaves
1 dash hot sauce of choice
parsley to garnish, if desired

Directions:

Coat broccoli and salmon with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place broccoli on one side of a baking sheet and put in the oven. With the broccoli in the oven, preheat oven to 375F. Once the oven is preheated, add the salmon filets to the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes per inch of the salmon's thickness. Remove from oven and set aside.

In a large soup pot, heat oil of choice over medium-high heat. Saute onions and carrots until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add celery, garlic, anchovie paste, thyme, and oregano; saute another minute.

Add milk, water, potatoes, bay leaves, a teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and lightly boil until potatoes are very soft--about 20 minutes.

Once the potatoes are tender, remove the bay leaves and herb stems (if not previously removed). Blend soup until smooth, then return to pot over medium-low heat.

Flake the salmon, discarding the skin. Cut the broccoli into florets. Stir salmon, broccoli, and hot sauce into the soup and heat another 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste, garnish with parsley (if desired), and serve.

Makes 8 1-1/2 cup servings, Roughly 290kcal, 12.5g fat (half of which is monounsaturated), 1100mg potassium, 24g total carbs, 5g fiber, and 20g protein.

Crispy Tilapia, Lemon-Thyme Quinoa, Sauteéd Bok Choy

This is a leftover from last month that I just got around to typing up. This fish stick is a little fancier than your average minced and frozen variety. By blending the seasonings into the buttermilk-egg bath, you avoid the loss of flavor caused by heat. Instead the subtle garlicky, lemony flavor cozies right up into the fish. You won't even miss the tartar sauce!

The side dishes we flavored to compliment the fish. I used red quinoa, because that's what I happened to have on hand; however, an variety will do. The bok choy is super quick and provides a leafy green to balance out the meal.

Crispy Tilapia Fish Sticks

Ingredients:

1 egg

1/4 cup buttermilk

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

1/2 tsp lemon zest

12 oz tilapia, cut into 1" wide strips

salt and pepper to taste

1 c coarse bread crumbs (panko, for example)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425F.

In a blender, blend egg, buttermilk, garlic, thyme, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt and pepper; transfer to a shallow bowl. Place the bread crumbs in a separate shallow bowl.

Season the tilapia strips with salt and pepper. Dip each strip into the buttermilk mixture, allowing excess liquid to drain off, then coat in bread crumb mixture. Lay on a baking sheet and repeat with remaining fish sticks. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Makes 4 servings (about 2 fish sticks per person).

Lemon-Thyme Quinoa

Ingredients:

2 c fish or vegetable stock (or amount required per your quinoa package directions)

1 c quinoa

juice of 1 large lemon

2 tbsp olive oil

1 small shallot, minced

1 tbs fresh thyme leaves

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Prepare quinoa according to package directions using stock of choice.

Meanwhile, whisk together the remaining ingredients to form the dressing. Toss the dressing with the prepared quinoa until it is well mixed. Serves 4.

Herb Sauteéd Bok Choy

Ingredients:

2 tbs light olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tsp lemon zest

1 head bok choy, rinsed, and sliced into 1/4" inch ribbons (including stems)

1 tbs fresh thyme leaves

1/4 c fresh basil leaves, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and zest; cook an additional minute. Add the bok choy and oregano into the pan; stir to combine with the onions. Cook it for a couple more minutes, or until cabbage just begins to wilt. Remove from heat.

Toss cabbage with the fresh basil and season to taste. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Fiesta Lime Tilapia Tacos, Zesty Corn and Rice, and Kid-Friendly Coconut Mojitos

I don't typically go for spice blends (save the curry and masala blends I love so much!), but once in awhile one ends up in my possession. My sister dropped off a bunch of spices at my place. She travels for her job, and when her lease ended she didn't bother finding a new place since she lives out of hotels almost exclusively this time of year. This is how I came to know Mrs. Dash's Fiesta Lime seasoning blend.

I took the easy route and made tacos with the blend. I'm happy to say that they turned out quite flavorful with smoky lime tones. I've included a link to the ingredient list should you prefer to come up with your own blend.

I served the tacos with an old stand-by corn and rice dish that I use fairly often. It's a great use for leftover rice (this is where most of my Chinese take-out rice ends up). The beverage came about after I spent an evening watching baseball at a local hole-in-the-wall. The bartender and I were speculating what to do with the UV Coconut that had been sitting on the shelf untouched for several weeks. We decided that a coconut vodka mojito was the way to go. The next week I brought in some mint leaves and we tested the theory out. I worked, so I decided to make a non-alcoholic version that the spawn and I could both enjoy.

Sadly, my kids were less than thrilled with the "mojito" as it is presented here. For those that prefer a sweeter version, use half coconut water and half limeade.

Fiesta Lime Tilapia Tacos

Ingredients:

1 tbs tamari

1 tbs fresh lime juice

12 oz tiliapia filets

2 tbs Mrs. Dash Fiesta Lime seasoning (ingredients here)

1 tbs peanut oil

8 whole wheat tortillas, warmed

1/2 c salsa

avocado, sliced

1 stalk green onion, finely sliced

2 tbs cilantro, finely chopped

1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions:

Whisk together tamari and lime juice. Brush tilapia with the tamari blend, then season well with the Fiesta Lime seasoning. Heat peanut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the fish and cook about 3 minutes each side, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove from heat and allow to rest a few minutes. Cut fish into bite size pieces.

Divide fish among the warmed tortillas and top as desired with salsa, avocado, green onion, and/or cilantro. Finish with a squeeze of lime and serve. Serves 4 (2 tacos per person).

Zesty Corn and Rice

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon oil

2 tbs onion, finely diced

1 15oz can unsalted corn, drained

1 small can of roasted green chiles, finely diced

1 tsp lime zest

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chile powder

2 tbs red bell pepper, diced

1 teaspoon serrano chile, finely diced (optional)

2 c prepared rice

juice of half a lime

salt to taste

fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions:

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion until just turning translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add corn and let it heat for 5 minutes. Add chilis, zest, and seasonings and cook an additional 5 minutes. Stir in bell pepper, serrano (if desired), prepared rice, and lime juice. Heat through and salt to taste. Serve with cilantro, if desired. Makes 8 servings.

Coconut Mojito (non-alcoholic)

Ingredients:

1/4 c mint leaves, tightly packed

juice of 1 lime (about 2 tbs)

1 tbs sugar

2 c coconut water

16 oz club soda

ice

additional mint leaves and lime wedges for garnish

Directions:

Muddle the mint leaves with the sugar and lime juice. Place in a pitcher and pour in the coconut water. Allow to steep in the refridgerator at least an hour.

When ready to serve, fill 4 glasses with ice and divide the minty liquid among the glasses. Top with soda water and garnish with mint leaves and lime wedge. Makes 4 16oz servings.

Seared Swordfish with Vegetables and Wasabi Dressing

Can you guess what my grocer had on sale this week? I'll give you three guesses....

Sashimi grade swordfish! So happy!

Here's what I came up with for dinner tonight. Swordfish is a very finicky protein, and the only way I can properly cook it is very little (or not at all). For this dish, you need high-quality swordfish so you can enjoy the raw portions of the steak. This meal is super-quick and super-simple....Enjoy!

Seared Swordfish with Vegetables and Wasabi Dressing

Ingredients:

2 tbs peanut oil

1 lb sashimi grade swordfish steak, trimmed and bloodline removed

8 oz fresh shitake mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed

2 small red chilis, very finely chopped

1 lb fresh asparagus, trimmed

4 stalks green onion, trimmed and thinly sliced

2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges

2 tsp wasabi paste

juice of 1 lime

1 1/2 tbs tamari

1 tbs cilantro leaves, finely chopped

salt and pepper

Directions:

Prepare a large bowl of ice water and set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of peanut oil in grill pan over medium-high heat. Season the swordfish steaks with salt and pepper, then sear the swordfish for about a minute and a half each side. Remove from pan and plunge into the ice water bath to stop the cooking process. After a couple of minutes in the ice water, remove the steaks, pat dry, and place in the refrigerator.

Reduce pan heat to medium heat and add remaining oil. Sauté mushrooms with the chili pepper until mushrooms are soft, about 3 minutes. Season the mushrooms with a little salt and pepper; add asparagus and green onion to the pan and sauté until asparagus is bright green, another 3-4 minutes. Remove vegetables to a serving dish. Season tomato wedges and grill about 2 minutes per side, then remove to serving dish.

Remove the swordfish from the fridge and thinly slice. Arrange on top of grilled vegetables.

Whisk together the wasabi, lime juice, and tamari. Drizzle the dressing over the fish and vegetables, and garnish with cilantro. Makes 4 servings.

Vodka Ginger Mahi Mahi with Asian-Inspired Quinoa

Is it bad that I just ate this meal, and my mouth is still watering over the picture? This meal came about after seeing a recipe for Tequila Lime Mahi Mahi that, naturally, called for tequila. Now, I don't know about you, but I am entirely too old to have tequila in my possession. What I do have is a lovely bottle of Skyy Ginger-Infused Vodka that is my current martini-making favorite. To make the martini, I simply shake two shots of the ginger vodka with a splash each of pineapple and lime juice. Rub the inside of the glass with fresh ginger, and you have yourself a perfectly lovely cocktail.

As it turns out, the spirit (ha!) of the martini also makes a pretty nice mahi mahi steak. I served the fish as you see in the photo--over a bed of quinoa and topped with the red pepper puree. I feel the flavors compliment each other very well, and the puree adds a little kick of acid and heat. Enjoy--with or without an accompanying martini!

Ginger Vodka Mahi Mahi

Ingredients:

3 tbs ginger-infused vodka

1 tbs grated fresh ginger

1 tbs sugar

juice of 1 lime

12 oz mahi mahi (generally 2 steaks)

1 tbs peanut oil

salt and pepper

Directions:

Combine vodka, ginger, sugar, and lime juice in a shallow bowl. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Marinate mahi mahi, skin side up, in vodka mixture for 15 minutes.

Heat grill pan over medium heat and add oil. Season mahi mahi steaks and place skin side up in pan; cover. Grill each side 3-4 minutes, depending on thickness of steaks (if the steak is over and inch thick, I'll also flip it on each edge for a minute or two). Remove from heat and allow to rest 5 minutes before serving. Serves 2-4.

Asian-Inspired Quinoa

Ingredients:

1 c quinoa

1 tbs peanut oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 c pineapple, chopped

1/2 c bell pepper, diced

1/4 c onion, diced

1 tsp fresh grated ginger

1/2 c roasted cashews

handful of fresh basil leaved, torn

1 tbs tamari

salt and pepper

Directions:

Prepare quinoa according to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Stir-fry garlic and pineapple for 2 minutes. Add pepper, onion, and ginger; stir-fry another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add to the prepared quinoa. Stir in cashews, basil, and tamari until combined. Season to taste and serve. Makes about 3 cups.

Ginger Red Pepper Puree

Ingredients:

1 tbs chili-infused oil (or add cayenne to taste if un-flavored oil is used)

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tbs onion, diced

1/2 c red bell, chopped

1 lime wedge, skin removed

several fresh basil leaves

1 tsp ginger root

1 tbs vodka

1 tbs sugar

1 tsp salt, or to taste

Directions:

Heat oil over medium heat in small skillet. Sauté garlic, onion, and pepper for 2 minutes and remove from heat.

Puree sautéed components in a blender with remaining ingredients. Season to taste. Makes about 1/2 cup of puree.

Sole Florentine with Lemon Pepper Pilaf and Lemon-Dill Sauce

On a whim, I had purchased sole from the grocery store. It was on sale, so I figured what the hell? Having never prepared sole before, I did a fair amount of handling it before making up my mind.

Here's what I discovered: Sole is a very firm fish. I use tilapia so much that I've become accustomed to fish falling apart on me. These filets didn't do that, however, so I though I'd use this to my advantage. I still had a bunch of spinach left from my farmers market trip, so I decided it belonged rolled in my new (to me) fish.

When I originally prepared this meal, I used double the ingredients I have listed below. My plan was to have leftovers to take to work. Unfortunately (for me), the offspring had other plans. There were no leftovers!

Sole Florentine

Ingredients:

3 tbs olive oil

juice of 1 lemon (about 4 tsp)

1 tsp lemon zest

1 tsp salt

1 tsp fresh cracked pepper

1 lb sole filets

1/4 yellow onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 1/2 c fresh spinach, chopped

1/2 red pepper, chopped

3 tbs fresh dill, chopped

Directions:

Whisk together 1 tbs of the oil, lemon juice, zest, 1/2 tsp of the salt, and 1/2 tsp of the pepper. Pour over sole filets and marinate 30 minutes at room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a medium skillet, heat remaining 2 tbs olive oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional minute. Stir in spinach, red pepper, and dill. Cook and stir 2 minute; allow to cool. Evenly spoon spinach mixture onto each filet at the tapered end (if there is one). Roll fish around spinach mixture and place seam side down in greased glass baking pan. Sprinkle rolled fillets with remaining salt and pepper.

Bake in preheateed oven about 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve with lemon dill sauce spooned over top (recipe below). Makes 4 servings.

Lemon Dill Sauce

Ingredients:

3/4 c dry white wine

1 shallot, finely chopped

juice of 2 lemons (about 2 tbs)

1/2 c unsalted butter

1 1/2 tbs fresh dill, finely chopped

2 tbs heavy cream

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine wine, shallot, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to boil, and allow to boil until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 7 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Whisk in butter, 1 tbs at a time, making sure each tbs is melted before adding the next. Drizzle cream in slowly while whisking until all is combined. Remove pan from heat and stir in dill. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes about 3/4 c of sauce.

Lemon Pepper Rice Pilaf

Ingredients:

1 tbs unsalted butter

1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chipped

3/4 c long grain rice

1/4 c dry white wine

3/4 c water

1/2 c lemon juice (because this dish is cooked quite a bit, I cheated and used bottled)

1 tsp lemon zest

2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

salt to taste

2 tbs fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350F.

In a medium oven-proof skillet (I used my cast-iron pan), melt butter over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Add rice and stir to coat evenly with butter. Cook 3-5 minutes.

Add wine, water, lemon juice, zest, and pepper; increase heat to high and bring to boil. As soon as the water starts to boil, cover pan. Place in the oven and bake 18 minutes.

Remove rice from oven, sprinkle with salt and parsley, and fluff with fork. Makes 4 servings.

Broiled Tilapia with Garlic Aioli and Carrot Puree

This is a light meal that doesn't skimp on flavor. Garlic aioli is one of my favorite condiments, and I like to make a batch and keep it on hand in the fridge. It's great on bread, as a topping for baked potatoes, or simply as a dipping sauce for your favorite veggies. Don't forget to make it ahead of time! It needs at least 3 hours to allow the flavors to blend.

I served this with the rest of the asparagus from my recent farmers market venture. The asparagus I broiled with some of my Tuscan herb olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. For color and a bit of sweetness to counter act all the garlicky goodness, I also made a simple carrot puree (recipe below). When making the puree, feel free to adjust the salt and brown sugar to your taste. Depending on the carrots, you may need a little more!

Broiled Tilapia with Garlic Aioli

Ingredients:

1/2 c mayonnaise (I prefer the olive oil based mayo)

1/2 lemon, juiced (approx. 1/4 c lemon juice)

1/2 tbs stone-ground mustard

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tbs lemon zest

3 tbs finely chopped tarragon

12 oz tilapia, deboned and fileted

olive oil

fresh cracked pepper

parsley and chives for garnish, if desired

Directions:

Whisk together mayo, lemon zuice, mustard, garlic, zest, and tarragon in a small bowl. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours.

Place the top rack in the oven about 8 inches below the broiler. Set the (empty) broiler tray on the rack, and preheat the broiler to high.

Rinse and pat dry the tilapia filets. Brush each side of the filets with olive oil. Once the oven is preheated, place the tilapia in a single layer on the broiler pan and allow to cook for 4 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Flip filets over and broil another 2 minutes.

Spread the mayo mixture evenly on the top of each filet, using 1/2-1 tbs per filet. Return to oven and broil another 2 minutes. Remove from oven and serve with fresh cracked pepper. Garnish, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

Carrot Puree

Ingredients:

3 medium carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 small garlic clove

1/2 c water

1 tsp salt

1 tsp brown sugar

2 tbs heavy cream

1 tbs unsalted butter

Directions:

Place carrots, garlic, water, and salt in a 1-quart saucepan. Cover and simmer until carrots are very tender, about 15 minutes. Purée mixture with sugar, cream, and butter in a food processor until smooth. Add additional salt and/or sugar to taste. Makes about 3/4 cup of puree.

Mahi Mahi with Mango Salsa

This is probably one of the most common dishes prepared at my house. My kids have been fans of mango salsa their entire lives and will eat it on pretty much anything. Fish is quick to prepare, so it lends itself to a weeknight dinner easily. In theory this meal should serve 4, but there are rarely leftovers between myself and the two girls. I'd suggest doubling it if you intend to feed 4 hungry mouths!

Mahi Mahi with Mango Salsa

1 cup rice

12oz mahi mahi

fresh cracked pepper

2 tbs tamari

1 tbs peanut oil

1 lime, cut into quarters

Prepare rice according to package directions. While it is simmering (or in the rice cooker, should you be so lucky!), prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Crack pepper over mahi mahi and place in bowl. Drizzle with tamari, peanut oil, and juice from THREE QUARTERS of the lime. Allow to rest at room temperature while preparing the salsa (recipe below).

Heat grill pan to med-high heat. Remove fish from marinade and place in pan skin side up and cook 3 minutes. Flip fish, pour marinade over, and cook an additional 3-4 minutes.

Place fish on bed of rice and pour marinade from pan over fish. Top with mango salsa and serve.

Mango Salsa

1 c mango, diced

1/2 c red onion, diced

1/4 c red bell pepper, diced

2 green onions, finely chopped

1/2 c cilantro leaves, finely chopped

zest of 1 lime

dash salt

pinch cumin

salt and pepper to taste

Combine above ingredients with juice from the remaining 1/4 lime and allow to rest at room temperature while cooking the fish.

Notes:

• The mango is best when fresh. If you don't like the way the mangos in your grocery store look, I've subbed in the jarred version (usually available in the refrigerated produce section) with success. Because it's jarred in light syrup, I rinse the slices with water first. If you prefer a sweeter salsa, then you may opt to keep them as is.
• My rice of choice with fish is jasmine rice. It has a more delicate flavor that compliments seafood very well.