Weekly Menu Planning

GAH. Menu planning. I might plan one, but it doesn't mean that it happens.

Like last week. I wanted shrimp scampi. Did I ever make it? NO.

So this week I want Shrimp Arrabbiata

We'll see if that happens this week.

Simple Salmon

Yum!

My favorite fish is probably salmon. Yep, more than likely! When its cooked correctly, it just flakes apart and melts in your mouth.

For this, I just a large pat of butter, some olive oil and heated it up over medium-high heat. Then I drizzled the salmon with olive oil, salt, pepper and some lemon juice (save the other half for AFTER it's cooked to drizzle over the fish).

Cook approximately 5 - 8 minutes on each side, until the fish flakes easily.

Salmon with Mushrooms

I love fish. If I lived near the ocean or near a freshwater lake, I think I'd be catching my own dinner several times per week.

I know that several people are afraid of cooking fish, but don't be. It's so easy and simple once you recognize when your fish is done cooking (when it flakes easily with a fork).
Simple seasoning - salt, pepper, olive oil and just a smidge of paprika.
Same for the sauteed mushrooms (salt, pepper, olive oil). But, add the salt in to the mushrooms after the mushrooms have browned a bit. You don't want to drain the mushrooms of their moisture.
Then saute or pan fry the fish or whatever on the stovetop. The pan should be at medium-high, then when flipped, drop it down to medium. In the picture above, the fish only needs about 1 more minute - just enough to be cooked through and still nice and flakey.

Start cooking skin side first, you want that side the crispiest (It's not that you eat the skin, it's just that you need the skin to hold the fish together so it doesn't fall apart when you take it out of the pan and put it on your plate).
Yum. You could even top with dill. That's a fabulous compliment to salmon.
Oh, fish... I love fish. I could be a pescatarian too.

Just try it. It's good, I promise, you'll love salmon!

Herbed Salmon With Couscous

Fish. Generally I love it. And I love it fresh. But remember, I'm in Indiana so I can't really get fresh fish, I mean what am I going to do? Dig my own lake?

Instead I got a bag of freshly frozen salmon. The easiest way to cook = baking.

Herbed Salmon

(This for only one serving)

Drizzle olive oil over the salmon, both sides

Sprinkle the following herbs on both sides of the salmon:

Thyme

Salt & pepper

Marjoram

A teensy bit of dried basil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees farenheit

Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until salmon flakes.

I serve over couscous with peas, but wild rice or mashed potatoes or asparagus would be good too.

Enjoy!

Lessons With McTatty: Weekly Menu Planning

I'm so NOT great at menu planning. I try and try and try... then something comes along to screw it all up and I'm left with unusable veggies thanks to Bimmer Man. He'll make plans and then not tell me. I should just cook anyway, right?

Here's my list of what to cook this week (thanks to my addiction to Real Simple):

Quick & Easy Samosas (with plain jane cous cous OR some sort of rice)

Chicken Curry

Salmon with Fennel & Roasted Garlic Lemon Viniagrette

Mediterranean Chicken Soup

Luckily I already have quite a few things - frozen salmon, garlic, curry, etc... I just need a few things. Menu planning is hard when you're married to a law student...

I can't wait until May!!!

PSH

Food Policies and the Election

By now you've probably deduced that I'm very liberal. I'm a tree hugging, cooking, photo-taking, Kiss-My-Face soap using (soon to be Sappo Hill soap using with no packaging), true-to-form Democrat.

And I buy grain fed chicken. And Bio Bags for my Bimmer Dog's poo.

But as an environmentalist, even hearing energy policies, I still want to know more. And so I've done some research.

Here's a summary of McCain's and Obama's proposed policies within this lovely American economy today for food. For human energy. Yep, that's right, something that they haven't discussed within the debates yet. And probably won't be.

Direct link to Obama's "Real Leadership for Rural America"

Direct link to McCain's "Prosperity for Rural America"

BTW - I actually poached chicken for the very first time last night. I popped my poaching chicken cherry and it tasted fantastic! That's to come later this week...

PSH

Shrimp... Scampi....

So some comments before I get to the recipe and whatnot - use FRESH shrimp, I did not because I'm a broke-ass wifey of a law student. But, if you use frozen, defrost the shrimp BEFORE you start - bring them to room temp. Dry them off - get most of the excess liquid off of them. That makes them keep their so-called "crunch."
Don't forget red pepper flakes. They give it a kick!
Chop the onions & garlic.
Melt butter in olive oil - it's SO pretty (seriously, I am EASILY amused!)
Toss your onions in to sweat them a little bit - about one minute.
Then put the garlic on top so it doesn't burn, sweat another 2 - 3 minutes.
Throw your shrimp in to warm them through (especially if you're using frozen shrimp, they don't have to be in the pan for very long at all).

Cut your lemon (oh, another pretty lemon...).
Take the shrimp out once warmed through. Do not overcook otherwise they'll be gross and chewy. We don't like chewy shrimp.
Put in about 1/2 cup chicken broth, lemon, red pepper flakes and let reduce until there's about half the liquid left. You can use white wine too, but I'm a cheapskate.
Once reduced, toss in your shrimp, and cooked pasta.
And voila!

I KINDA followed Tyler Florence's recipe - but when you look at scampi recipes, they're pretty similar!

1 pound linguini

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

2 shallots, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

Pinch red pepper flakes, optional

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup dry white wine

Juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley leaves

For the pasta, put a large pot of water on the stove to boil. When it has come to the boil, add a couple of tablespoons of salt and the linguini. Stir to make sure the pasta separates; cover. When the water returns to a boil, cook for about 6 to 8 minutes or until the pasta is not quite done. Drain the pasta.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute the shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes (if using) until the shallots are translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper; add them to the pan and cook until they have turned pink, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the pan; set aside and keep warm. Add wine and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons oil. When the butter has melted, return the shrimp to the pan along with the parsley and cooked pasta. Stir well and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over a bit more olive oil and serve immediately.

PSH

Citrus Fish with Bell Pepper Couscous

So while I was cooking the power went out. Thank goodness for gas stoves. At first I was like, crap, how the heck am I going to cook my fish thoroughly? Then I realized I had a gas stove. Go figure, I'm a blond. In the pic above, I'm not sure if you can see the steam rising from the ground or not - it was 90 degrees and after it rained, well, it's not even 70.
Secret ingredient: Tabasco. It makes your fish not smell like fish. Seriously.

You can use any kind of fish, they had a special on salmon, so that's what I got. Really you should use halibut, but I'm not picky in Indiana. In Minnesota, yes, I'm picky. So gather your ingredients, but don't forget salt & pepper.
Juice & jest your lemons & limes into a small dish (just large enough for your fish, tonight I cook for me only.)

Some people drink wine whilst they cook. I drink Beer.
Limes are hard to juice every once in awhile. Take your frustrations out on it, the lime will comes to its senses sooner or later.
Mmm... limes....
Then add the fresh thyme to the bowl, about 2 tbsp. Add approximately 2 tbsp olive oil to the mixture and then toss in the fish. Let marinate about 15 minutes.
Chop your cucumber. Trim around all the sides like above. One can't cut and photograph at the same time you know.

Cut your bell pepper the same way. Aren't the insides kinda pretty? I only used 3/4 of a bell pepper because I had 1/4 of it in a salad yesterday.
I wish I had a yard to grow bell peppers. Oh, well.
Chop them - but not too small. You want good size chunks in your couscous. Chop 4 green onions too. Then put into pretty dishes. Or not. Actually, next time I won't. Now heat up a medium size sauce pan on the stove, add 2 tbsp olive oil and heat over medium. As soon as the oil smokes throw the green onions and bell pepper into the pan. Cook for 4 minutes.
Don't add the cucumber yet. Add 1 1/4 cup chicken broth, heat to boiling.

As soon as it boils, turn off the heat, add 1 cup couscous and your cucumber. Cover and let sit while the fish cooks.
Put your fish into a medium skillet - over medium heat. You can add olive oil if you want to, but remember its been marinating in it, so you don't really need too much more. Saute skin side down first for 3 minutes.

I'm messy, I'll have much cleaning up to do.
Ta da! Not anymore! My mother-in-law bought us one of these things from Ikea, works wonders when you're a messy cook like me.

During the last three minutes of your fish cooking, grab a fork and fluff your couscous. I ate some of it out of the pan. When the husband's away... the wifey will play... in the kitchen that is...

This is adapted from Rachael Ray's May 2008 magazine. Yum!

Citrus Fish with Bell Pepper Couscous

3 tbsp evoo

1/3 cup chopped flat leaf parsley (didn't have, didn't use)

Juice & peel of one lemon and one lime

Segments of orange, chopped plus the grated peel (eh, don't like oranges, didn't use)

1 tbsp tabasco sauce

1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme

4 pieces mahi-mahi, halibut or roughy

1 red bell pepper, chopped

4 scallions, chopped

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups couscous

1. In a shallow dish combine 2 tbsp evoo, parsley, lemon juice, orange juice, lime juice & peels, hot sauce and thyme. Season with salt & pepper. Add the fish and marinate for 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, preheat a grill pan to medium. In a medium sauce pan add 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the bell pepper and scallions ( I also used cucumbers) season with salt & pepper and cooked until softened, 3 - 4 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the couscous, turn off the heat, cover to keep warm.

3. Grill the fish until cooked through, 3 - 4 minutes on each side.

4. Fluff the couscous, add the orange sections and mix.

Enjoy!

PSH