Asian Seafood Stew

A hearty stew with a coconut based broth, rich with the umami of mushrooms, shrimp and scallops.
10 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 shallot, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2-inch fresh ginger, minced
1 red chili pepper, thinly sliced
1 dozen small fingerling potatoes halved
1 can coconut milk
2 cups chicken or turkey broth
1 bottle clam juice
2 Tbsp asian fish sauce
3 cups collard greens (or other hearty green like kale)

1 lb haddock or other white fish, cut into bit-sized pieces
1/2 lb sea scallops
1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and de-veined
palmful cilantro, chopped
1 lime, cut into wedges

Sauté the mushrooms and shallot in a dash of olive oil in a medium pot. Cook until the mushrooms have released what water they will, and have browned up a bit - about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, red pepper and the potatoes to the pot and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Add the coconut milk, broth, clam juice, fish sauce and collard greens and bring to a gentle boil.

Reduce to a simmer and cook about 10 minutes, to soften the greens.

Add the fish, shellfish and cilantro and return to a gentle boil. 

Reduce heat and simmer 2-3 minutes. Serve stew in bowls garnished with cilantro and lime wedges.

Serves four.

Egg Foo Young

If you are interested in fusion cuisine, examine the world between the pre-Christ to 21st centuries.  To be honest, we have all been trading cooking secrets since we could communicate.  One of the very best life secrets to trade!

At my work all year we debate the design and competency of analytical laboratory instruments (ho hum).  But at our Christmas holiday party each year, we cook omelets (ho ho), for each other.  It's a great pleasure. You should see the lines.

In this, we realize and relish that everyone makes an omelet differently, so we take turns. And we share the diversity of flavors and approaches. For me, it is an expression of tolerance, across geographies and ages, which is paramount.

Actually, if you look internationally, you will find an incredible array of egg preparations, that are, really, an omelet as a preparation or another.  Enjoy and let tolerance guide you.
Gravy:
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp sherry
1 Tbsp Sagyejeol Ssamjang Korean bean paste, or Gochujang Korean bean paste, or miso
1-1/2 Tbsp corn starch dissolved in 3 Tbsp water

5 oz fresh skiitake mushrooms, sliced
1/2 red pepper, finely diced

6 eggs
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar

2 cups very finely sliced cabbage
12 shrimp, peeled, de-veined and cut into thirds

Thai basil leaves for garnish (optional)
2 green onions, sliced, for garnish

Mix all the ingredients for the gravy except the corn starch and water together in a medium pot. Whisk together well as you bring to a gentle boil. Whisk together the cornstarch and the water in a small bowl, and pour into the gently boiling gravy. Whisk together to thicken for about 1-2 minutes. Turn heat to very low, and cover.

Meanwhile, sauté the mushrooms and the red pepper in a dash of canola oil. Here I used the long skillet I will use to cook the egg foo young, and cooked them separately.

While the veggies are cooking, mix together the eggs, cornstarch, soy sauce, and rice vinegar together in a medium bowl. Add the cabbage, shrimp and tip in the mushrooms and red peppers. Stir.

Heat a long or large non-stick skillet with some canola oil. Tip in about 2 ladle spoons of foo young mixture, enough to make about a 5-inch cake.

You could do these in two medium non-stick skillets as well. Allow foo young to brown over medium heat.

When the first side is nicely browned, flip and cook the other side another minute or two. Set aside and keep warm under aluminum foil as you cook the remaining pieces.

Serve drizzled with thickened gravy and garnished with Thai basil if you have it, and/or sliced green onions. Serves 4.

Baked Carnival Squash with Chorizo Brown Rice and Black Bean Pilaf

Stuffed acorn squash is such a warming fall and winter dish - every time I have it I wonder why we don't eat more of it.  There are myriad ways to stuff acorn squash, and you can call one your own.  As a start, try this.
1/3 cup short grain brown rice
1 Tbsp rainbow quinoa
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 cups water
1/4 tsp salt

2 Carnival acorn squash, sliced in half through stem and seeded
1 Tbsp brown sugar

1/3 lb ground pork
1/3 lb raw chorizo
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic
palmful cilantro
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 Tbsp whole grain mustard

1/2 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400F. Sauté the rice and quinoa in the oil for about 5 minutes until fragrant.

Add the water and salt and bring to a gentle boil. Place acorn squash halves in an oiled casserole with 2 tablespoons water on the bottom.

Season evenly with brown sugar, salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the pork, chorizo, shallot, garlic, cilantro coriander, cumin and mustard in a medium bowl.

Mix gently with your hands or two forks. Sauté mixture in a large skillet until the meat is well browned. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Then add the black beans, and the rice when it is cooked. Mix well.

Stuff the squash halves with the rice mixture.

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake in oven covered for 15 minutes, and then uncovered for 15 minutes.

Serves 4.

Navy Bean and Leek Soup

A simple vegetarian bean soup to balance the indulgences of the holidays.
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 leeks, trimmed, cleaned and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can Navy or Great Northern Beans
1 quart vegetable (or chicken) broth
1 dozen grape tomatoes, halved
1 tsp herbes de Provence, or Italian herbs
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
generous palmful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Sauté the carrot and onion in a soup pot in a dash of olive oil for about 10 minutes.

Add the leek along with 2 tablespoons water. Cook the leak, allowing the water to evaporate.

Continue sautéing until the leek is just wilted and aromatic. Add the garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Add the beans, broth and parsley and bring to a gentle boil.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to a simmer, stir and allow to cook about 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, sauté the tomatoes in a skillet over high heat in a dash of olive oil.

Let the tomatoes sizzle and caramelize as they break apart and deepen their flavor. Add the potatoes and the tomatoes to the soup and bring to a simmer. Cook for another 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes are just cooked through.

Serves 4-6.

Thrice-cooked BBQ Pork Spare Ribs

You can cook ribs over a low slow grill for hours and hours, or more quickly you can cook them consecutively in the microwave, oven and then finish on the grill.

The first method is classic and arguably the best.  The second is fast and arguably still delicious.  This faster method cooks them through and through, and maintains moisture, so they are fork tender.  It also allows for good marination for that deep flavor you cherish with ribs. If you only have about an hour - not six, to cook ribs, try this.
2 racks of pork spare ribs
2 cups favorite BBQ sauce

Preheat oven to 350F. Place ribs in a microwaveable dish, meat side down. It's OK if you have to cut the racks in half to fit a casserole that fits your microwave. And it's OK if some of the ribs overlap. Microwave for 10 minutes. Flip racks and microwave another 10 minutes. Remove dish from oven.

Pour about half the sauce evenly on the ribs, spreading well with a brush. Cover casserole with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile heat grill to medium. Now finish the ribs on the grill, placing meat-side down for about 7-8 minutes, Flip ribs, baste with sauce and finish them over very low heat for another 7-8 minutes.

These puppies will melt in your mouth!

 Serves 2.

Tilapia in a Lemon Caper Mushroom Dill Sauce

Any white fish fillet will work well baked in a lemony béchamel sauce.
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
12 oz mushrooms, sliced thickly

2 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 Tbsp flour
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp capers
1 Tbsp fresh dill weed, or 1 tsp dried
1 lemon, one half sliced, other half quartered

3-4 tilapia fillets, enough for four people

Heat oven to 400F. Melt first bit of butter and olive oil in a large skillet, until butter is melted and froth subsides a bit. Add the mushrooms and cook over high heat until they brown a bit, about 5 minutes. Set mushrooms aside.

Toss remaining butter into pan and melt. Add flour and stir into butter. Cook this roux for about 2-3 minutes. Add the wine an broth and bring to a boil., whisking constantly. Add the dill and capers and remove from heat.

Place the fish in an oiled 13x9 inch baking dish. Pour caper dill sauce evenly over fish. Top with mushrooms and sliced lemon. Bake 10-15 minutes, until sauce bubbles and fish is just cooked through.

Serve with remaining lemon.

Serves 4.

Asian Fish Cakes

When I see a bread deal on grouper or haddock, sometimes I buy extra and freeze some to have on hand to make fish cakes.  I kick it up a notch with Thai flavors, serving on a bed rice noodle salad and greens.
1 bundle fine rice noodles (I used whole wheat)
3-4 dried shiitake mushrooms
1 carrot, peeled into ribbons
1 small red chili, sliced

Fish cake mix:
2 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
1/2 inch fresh ginger, peeled and quarterd
1 shallot, peeled and quartered

2 lb haddock, cubed
8 shrimp

1 Tbsp corn starch
palmful fresh cilantro leaves
1 tsp (or to taste) favorite hot sauce
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1 egg
1/4 cup panko crumbs

Noodle dressing:
2 Tbsp sweet Thai chili sauce
1 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp canola oil

5 oz baby arugula leaves or other favorite greens

Bring a small pot with 2 cups water to a boil. Add the dried mushrooms and the rice noodles. Remove from heat and allow to steep about 15 minutes, turning the mushrooms a few times.

If the mushrooms need more hydration time, remove the noodles with tongs and drain well. Allow noodles to cool while mushrooms finish hydrating. When soft, drain mushrooms, cool and slice.

Toss the garlic, ginger and shallot in a food processor and pulse to mince well. Add the haddock and shrimp and pulse a few times to begin to shred. Allow a few chunks to remain as you will pulse more.

Then add the corn starch, cilantro, hot and fish sauces, egg and panko crumbs.

Now pulse again to mix well, but do not puree. You want a coarse mixture with pea-sized pieces remaining.

Form into 6 patties and place on wax paper on a platter. Cool in refrigerator for 20 minutes.

While the cakes cool, whisk together the chili sauce, vinegar and oils in a medium bowl. Toss in the noodles, mushrooms and carrot threads. Toss to mix well.

Heat a dash of canola oil on a griddle or large skillet. Brown the fish cakes over medium heat about 4-5 minutes. When nicely browned, flip cakes and cook other side until nicely browned, about another 4-5 minutes.

Lay a bed of greens on each of four plates top with a serving of the noodle salad. Place a fish cake on top. Garnish with sliced red chili. Serve with lemons or limes.

Serves 4-6.

Sherried Pan Seared Salmon Tarragon over Spinach

This is fast for a weeknight meal and way less expensive than takeout or those fancy boxed meal kits through the mail.
1-1/2 lb salmon fillet (thick cut) cut into four portions
1 50-oz bad fresh baby spinach leaves
2 Tbsp butter plus 1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp dried tarragon leaves
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp oil preserved sun-dried tomatoes, minced
1/4 cup cream sherry
3 Tbsp butter plus 1 Tbsp olive oil

Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper. 

Melt the butter and the olive oil in a non-stick skillet.

Here I used leftover herb butter, but plain butter is just fine. Sprinkle the eluted butter with the tarragon, garlic and sun-dried tomatoes.

In a separate pan, sauté the spinach leaves in a dash of oil until wilted and all their water released.

Once the butter has bubbled all the water off, lay salmon fillets quarters skin-side up in the skillet. Cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes until the salmon flesh browns up nicely.

Turn the fillets - skin-side down - and continue cooking about 3-5 more minutes, until medium rare, or however you like salmon. Remove to a plate and keep warm.

Add the sherry to the pan and bring to a boil. Divide spinach as a bed among four plates. Top each with a salmon fillet. Pour sauce evenly over each fillet.

Serves 4.

Cook's Note:  If you are cutting down on butter or olive oil, you can pour half of it out before you add the sherry.  But I'd reserve it for another use if you need it and can use it soon - its full of flavor.

Balsamic Glazed Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Ham

Gelson's Market in Pacific Grove, California, pulls through with the best Brussels sprouts I found in town for Thanksgiving - and I'm picky about my sprouts.  If fresh and not overcooked, these tasty treats are sweet and crunchy.

Here I pair with a mild ham and some Balsamic glaze - inspired by Ina Garten, one of my go-to cooking heroes.
4 cups Brussels sprouts, halved or quartered to a uniform 1-inch size
1 cup sliced purple Bermuda onion
1/2 lb ham steak, 1/4-3/8 inch thick, cubed
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp crushed dried red chili flakes, or to taste
about 1 Tbsp Balsamic glaze (see note)

Heat oven to 425F. Mix the Brussels sprouts and onion in a large bowl.

Brown the ham in a skillet with a dash of oil for about 5 minutes, until fragrant and slightly caramelized.

Tip into the veggie mix. Add the oil, salt and chili flakes, and mix well. Tip onto a rimmed baking sheet and spread to an even, single layer.

Roast in the oven for about 10 minutes and then stir. Continue roasting another 5 or so minutes until the veggies begin to brown well.

Now remove to the stovetop and sprinkle balsamic glaze all over the veggies generously - about one tablespoon, or to taste. Return the veggies to the oven and continue roasting for about another 5-10 minutes, until the veggies are nicely browned and slightly crispy at the edges. The sprouts should only be crisp-tender, not mushy, so judge cooking time by tasting a few.

Serves 4.

Pacific Thanksgiving Table

Cook's Note:  I've seen Ina use a wonderful syrupy Balsamic vinegar and pancetta.  But I don't know that I can find as good (syrupy) a vinegar as she.  So, I always have Trader Joe's Balsamic glaze on hand which I think works perfectly well here.  I also use great local ham steaks, though pancetta is fantastic as well.  I like the moist/crunch aspect of ham cubes, though the thin salty-crispy of Ina's pancetta is a delight as well.

Don't sweat it if the sprouts shed a bunch of leaves when you cut them - that's actually a good thing - they will brown and crisp up really well.   Even if the bulk sprout doesn't brown as much by the time it is crisp tender, you will get that crispy roasted effect for the overall dish nicely.

Moroccan Lamb Burgers with Harissa Cream

Everyone seems so friendly in southern California.  You walk into the grocery store and get multiple warm smiles and hellos, even from nasty chihuahuas is ladies' purses .  What a lot of sun won't do.

I discovered Gelson's Grocery in Pacific Beach and smiled my way to their meat section.  They were well stocked with ground lamb which was score number two for them (the hellos were number one).  They also ground and mixed their own bulk sausage that looked so good I couldn't resist - score number three.

Now the real test to the store manager: "I'm looking for a rather exotic spice paste from Morocco called Harissa.  I haven't been able to find it anywhere and I realize it is not mainstream.  The last store had no idea what I was asking about, so I won't be surprised if you don't carry it."

His response, "Red or green?"  Score four, I smiled. Game over.
1 lb ground lamb
1/2 lb best sweet bulk Italian sausage, uncased
2 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp fresh mint
1 green onion
2 Tbsp fresh parsley
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp crushed red chili flakes
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp salt

Harissa Cream:
palmful fresh parsley
1 clove garlic
1 green onion
2 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup plain Greek Yogurt
1-2 Tbsp Harissa (Moroccan chili paste) or other favorite hot sauce/paste

Fresh baby spinach leaves
4-6 favorite buns
1 lime, cut into wedges

Heat grill to high. Mince the garlic, mint, onion and parsley in a small food processor. Transfer to a bowl with the ground meats.

Add the cumin, red chili flakes, smoked paprika and salt. Mix together gently with clean hands only just to mix. Do not mangle the meats together as this can lead to tight dense, dry patties.

Mince the parsley, garlic and onion in a small food processor. Tip into a small bowl.

Add the remaining sauce ingredients and whisk together well.

Salt to taste if necessary.

Grill the burgers on both sides to taste, about 10 minutes total for medium rare (more or less, depending on your grill). Grill buns if desired.

Dress buns with a dash Harissa cream and lay a light bed of spinach leaves on each. Top with a burger. If desired, dollop more Harissa cream on each burger.

Serves 4-6.

Cook's Note:  Harissa is an aromatic chili paste from Morocco made from roasted red chills and a variety of spices and herbs.  Hot as anything, usually, and very flavorful, it should be used cautiously. If you don't have a Gelson's-like grocer around, use your favorite hot chili paste like Sriracha, or Asian chili paste with garlic. There are lots of great alternatives.