Perfect Pan Seared Fish...Every Time!

I know so many people that stress out over cooking fish, but I promise you, it is one of the easiest things to cook once you get the hang out it. Here is a step by step guide to perfect fish EVERY TIME!! 

• Preheat the oven to 400°

• Make sure that your fish is at room temperature and completely dry (extract any moisture with a paper towel)

• Take an oven safe frying pan (no rubber handles!) and heat up 2 TBS of olive oil on medium until it is slightly smokey

• Either season (salt & pepper) your fish or go the Julia Child route and season the pan on top of the oil

• Once you see a bit of smoke, place the fish presentation side down in the pan

• After about a minute or two, gently shake the pan - dry fish + smoking hot pan = a sexy sear that should not stick to the pan - I like the shake just to make sure it's not sticking before flipping

• Your nice golden sear should take about 3 min ( I always give it a look) before I flip

• Flip fish with a spatula (if you are cooking cod, tilapia, or any other flakey, delicate fish, I highly recommend buying a fish spatula) It looks like this:

You can buy one here.

• Once you have turned the fish, "finish it off in the oven

• Depending on the thickness of the fish, you should allow it to cook in the oven for about 3-4 minutes 

• Take the fish out of the oven and gently squeeze the sides of the meat to check and see if it's done, if  it feels soggy or too soft, it needs a few more minutes in the oven

• Always, always finish it off with some fresh lemon/lime/grapefruit juice or something acidic! Dig in! 

Baked Zucchini Chips

Healthy chips??? Don't mind if I do!

Ingridients:
1 zucchini
1/8 cup panko bread crumbs
1 egg white
A few pinches of finely grated funky cheese*
5-6 basil leaves chopped
salt and pepper to taste

*I used an aged white cheddar, but parmessean is just as good

Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with canola oil. Set aside.

Slice zucchini into thin medallions, about the thickness of a quarter. I would highly suggest a mandoline for this type of business, but if you don't have one, try to make the slices as uniform as possible.

Toss zucchini in a bowl with remaining ingredients. Lay out slices on prepared baking sheet, and spray tops lightly with additional cooking spray. Season with salt and pepper.  Place in preheated oven and bake 45 minutes. Rotate baking sheet, and bake an additional 30-50 minutes, until chips are sexy. Enjoy a supper healthy crispy treat!

Watermelon Sorbet (without an ice cream maker!)

As we approach the 60 something'th day of over 100 degree heat here in Texas, there are few things left that we can do to cool off. Cooking and cleaning in our underwear, taking cold showers, leaving the house ONLY when necessary, and making sorbet!

I had no intention of making this delicious treat until I learned a very necessary rule in grocery shopping: stick with a store you trust, instead of looking to save a buck. Last week I bought a watermelon at Central Market, it was insanely perfect and we devoured it in about an hour. Two days later I ran into Tom Thumb and saw watermelons on sale (about 30 cents cheaper than CM), so I of course bought one. It was fug nasty. No flavor and grainy texture. I felt so abused!

I decided to turn my anger into something magical. Because my dad grew up in the Great Depression, (well the 1930s but still...) I was raised to NEVER waste food. So began my watermelon disaster journey.

This recipe requires no ice cream maker, no shaking of a plastic bag for a half an hour, or having to stir up your mix in the freezer every 30 minutes. It is so simple and so insanely good.

Ingredients:

1 "personal sized" watermelon or 1/2 of a full melon cubed
1/4 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of agave nectar (you can sub sugar if you like)
Zest and juice of two limes (or lemons, depending on the taste profile you desire)
Pinch of salt

In batches, puree the watermelon in a blender.



Strain.



In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring 1 cup watermelon puree, lime zest/juice and sugar to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Season with salt. Pour in remaining watermelon puree and add agave nectar, whisking until evenly blended.

Pour the mix into a metal cake pan and freeze overnight.



The following day, take your frozen watermelon, puree and blend it one last magical time. This final blend will break up all of the ice crystals to create a smooth consistency. Pour sorbet back into the pan, cover and freeze 3-4 hours. Enjoy the sorbet (clothing optional Texans).

Let's Make Sausage!!

Tools:
Meat Grinder
Stuffer attachment

If you don't have a grinder you can still use this recipe for sausage patties, just sub the pork butt for ground meat.

Ingredients:

4lb Pork Butt (also known as pork shoulder)
3 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 7.5oz can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (peppers chopped)
1/4 cup chopped basil or Italian parsley
4 TBS olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 bag of hog casings


Toast seeds on medium/low heat, keep the pan moving, and cook til fragrant (about 3-5min).



Grind up seeds, add salt and pepper.



Trim fat from pork and cut into 1/2" cubes.

In a large bowl combine pork, spices, peppers (and adobo sauce), basil and olive oil. Toss to coat and refrigerate for 1 hour.



In the meantime, take out 2-3 casings and rinse off salt, soak in warm water for 30 minutes.

After your pork has rested, take it to the grinder.



It is imperative that you taste test at this stage! Make a small patty and cook in a skillet. Adjust seasonings if needed.

Grind the pork a second time to fully incorporate the seasonings, this also gives the meat a better consistency.

After the second grind, attach the stuffer and lube it up with shortening.



Before placing the casing on the attachment, push meat through the grinder to force out excess air. As soon as you spot the meat coming through, turn off the machine and attach casing.

Pull casing all the way up the attachment and tie a knot at the end.



Now you are ready for sausage-making madness!!

Keep the grinder on and slowly form each sausage to your desired size. Make sure to push out air bubbles and keep each the same width. After each link, twist the casing before the next.







Makes about 15 5" links. Total cost? $8!
Sausage will keep in the fridge for 1 week or in the freezer for 3 months.

Peach, Plum, And Blackberry Pie

Ingredients:

5 lbs of fruit (really anything is possible here!)
1/2 cup sugar
3 TBS cornstarch
2 TBS cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 egg (beaten)
Juice of one lemon

Pie Crust Recipe:
3 1/2 cups flour
2 sticks of cold butter (cut into small cubes)
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/2 TBS sugar
1 TBS salt
1/4 cup ice water

There are two ways to make crust, by hand or food processor.

By hand:
Combine all ingredients and break up butter into flour until it resembles tiny pebbles. Slowly add 1/2 the water and mix until incorporated adding more water if needed.

By processor:
Combine all ingredients and pulse until pebbles form (about 25-30 seconds).
Add water.

Form dough into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate.

Let me just say that making the pie crust a day ahead will make your life so much better. You know when the Barefoot Contessa makes her crust and it's ready in 30 minutes???? That's an illusion. Sure it works, but allowing the crust ample time to rest makes the rolling and decorating 100% easier. Just say'n.

If you absolutely must make it the same day, let it rest for at least 2 hours.


If you are making a pie with stone fruit, you need to first get the skin off. For the cleanest results, blanching is key.

Blanching:

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.

Using a paring knife Score the bottom of the fruit (not the stem side) with an X.



Drop each piece into the water for 30 seconds.



Remove and transfer to an ice bath



Skin should peel right off

Take a large bowl and cut your fruit into 1/2" pieces (make sure to cut over the bowl to capture each juicy drop




Toss fruit in sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg



Let stand at room temp for 1 hour, mixing occasionally.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer fruit to a separate bowl. Add cornstarch to the reserved juice and whisk til incorporated. Return fruit to bowl.

Generously flour your work surface and rolling pin.



Cut dough in two equal parts and quickly form into a ball.
*Never overwork your dough. We have warm hands that melt those sweet pieces of butter that are essential to flaky crust.



Roll out first ball and place in your pie dish.



Look at those sexy chunks of butter!



Trim the edge with kitchen shears.



Fill in the goods.



Preheat oven to 400

Roll out the second ball and cover. Gently crimp the sides together.

Score the top of the pie with a paring knife.



Brush the crust with the egg wash and bake for about 40 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake for another 30-45 minutes until golden brown.

Semifreddo

Want to make your own frozen dessert but don't have an ice cream maker? Semifreddo is not only easy to make, it requires very few ingredients. It's consistency falls in between a mousse and ice cream, with the taste of frozen custard. It can be made in pies, used for ice cream cakes, or just the old fashioned way (in a pan).

I have posted two different recipes. The chocolate recipe is meringue based, so it's a bit fluffier. The lemon recipe is custard based, making it a tad bit richer and denser.

You can take either recipe and add any flavoring of your choice. Nutella, berries, any citrus fruit, coffee, and coconut are just a few a options. Both recipes call for 1/2 cup of the flavor base, so take it to town with your creativity. Another option is to fold in nuts or berries for additional texture.

The recipe calls for a 9 x 13-inch pan, but semifreddo can be made in any mold. Whether you are having a dinner party and want individual plates, or just want to scoop it out, I have added a quick plating tutorial at the bottom of the page.

Milk Chocolate Semifreddo:

Ingredients:
8 oz (1/2 cup) milk chocolate*
1 cup heavy cream
2 egg whites
1 cup sugar

* I bought two bars of Lindt (both weighing 4.4 oz each) and took off a few squares for garnish

Preparation:

Whip cream to a soft peak and refrigerate.



Chop or break up chocolate and melt over a double boiler.






Combine egg whites and sugar and whisk over a double boiler til hot to the touch (about 3-4 minutes). If you have a thermometer, the technical temp is 170°.

Beat the egg white-sugar mixture with a handheld electric mixer until stiff peaks form and the egg whites are shiny and glossy ( about 3 to 5 minutes).



Gently fold the cream into the chocolate, then fold the meringue into the chocolate/cream mixture. Fold in nuts/berries if desired.



Pour into prepared pan (chocolate garnish is optional) and freeze at least 4 hours.




Lemon Semifreddo

Ingredients:

1/2 cup pistachios (chopped)
1 3/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/4 cups sugar
7 egg yolks
1/2 lemon juice (Meyer lemons are preferred, but not necessary)
1 TBS grated lemon peel
1/4 tsp salt

Preparation:

Same prep (without the melted chocolate)

Whip cream and refrigerate.

Heat sugar, lemon juice/peel, salt, and yolks over a double boiler to 170°. Beat custard until thick and double in size (about 4-5 minutes).



Fold cream into custard and pour into pan. Freeze.

*See plating below for use with pistachio garnish.

Different plating methods:


Cutting slices




Line a 9 x 13-inch pan with plastic wrap, leaving extended overhang. Sprinkle pistachios on the bottom of the pan and pour in the custard. Freeze.



Once frozen, lift out the semifreddo (using your plastic overhang) and place on a cutting board. Wet your knife in warm water and dry off with a clean towel. Cut.



Ramekins or molds:



Pour custard into molds and freeze for at least 4 hours.

Run the ramekin under warm water (especially the bottom).



Run a paring knife or small offset spatula around the edge of the mold.



Invert onto a cold plate.



Garnish with pistachios.

Scooping:

Do I need to explain this?



Want a layered semifreddo? Cut the recipe in half and make two batches with different flavors. Pour first custard into the pan and refrigerate the other portion. Freeze for 45 minutes and pour second flavor on top. Freeze for at least 4 hours.

Brining Made Simple

When I first started cooking, I was all about the marinade. Once I started working in a kitchen, I quickly learned that it is not only frowned upon by professional chefs, but it is a waste of money. Learning to make a simple brine gives great results for a fraction of the cost. There are a million brining recipes, but salt and sugar is really all you need. This is a short tutorial to show you how a little extra time and about 50 cents can give you perfect chicken every time.

WHAT IS BRINING:

Here is a quick scientific explanation of brining:

Salt and sugar cause the cell proteins to unravel, or denature. As the individual proteins unravel, they become more likely to interact with one another. This interaction results in the formation of a sticky matrix that captures and holds moisture.

In a nutshell:
Your meat takes in the salt and sugar which in turn help break down tough cell walls and fill the meat muscle with more moisture.

What you can brine:
Chicken
Turkey*
Pork
Less fatty seafood (shrimp/oysters)

*If you are brining a turkey and using a large container, weigh the food down with a wide, heavy object such as a dinner plate or soup bowl. This helps keep the food fully immersed in the brine.

THE MOST BASIC BRINING FORMULA:

1 quart of brine per pound

1 pound of meat= 1 quart of water + 1/2 cup kosher salt + 1/2 cup of sugar

1 hour per pound, but not less than 30 minutes and more than 8 hours

Obviously this can be tweaked (if you have 1 1/2 lbs round up or down without repercussions).

HOW TO BRINE:

1. Mix cold water, salt, and sugar in a zip lock bag and stir to dissolve salt and sugar. Tonight I had 2 chicken breasts (a little over 1/2 lb). So I used 1/4 cup of each.



2. Immerse food in brine, seal, and refrigerate.



3. Set your timer.



4. Once your brining is complete, wash your protein throughly and pat dry. If you are looking for a crispy skin, the protein must be air dried in the refrigerator first. For best results, turkeys should airdry overnight.

5. Cook your simply made, delicious moist meat and wow some people.