Fish Tacos with Cabbage Slaw and Chili-Cilantro Aioli

I would eat fish tacos year round, no doubt. But summertime seems like an extra appropriate time of year. Break open the barbie, enjoy a margarita or beer and invite some friends over for a perfect warm summer's evening.

We had such a good time with our friends at this dinner, I hope we can do it again soon. I love being back in Seattle and getting reacquainted with my girlfriends, their husbands AND the kids (oh my gosh... turn your back for a couple of years and everyone's babies are 'big kids', starting kindergarten and what not - crazy!). And all of my friends have such beautiful families. I probably don't say this enough (I'm not very gushy or sentimental normally), but I feel very lucky to have wonderful people in my life.


I used corn tortillas, delicious. I forgot to put out the cilantro and avocado, didn't matter. And I made a yummy aioli sauce, don't skip the aioli! The tacos were a hit.

I served the fish tacos with sweet potato fries.

Thanks for coming over, friends. It's good to be home.

Fish Tacos with Cabbage Slaw and Chili-Cilantro Aioli
adapted from Cooking Light

4 cups very thinly pre-sliced green cabbage
1 cup chopped plum tomatoes
1 serrano or jalapeno chile, seeded and minced (leave seeds in for more fire!)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided (depends on which cooking method used, see below)
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 pound tilapia fillets (we used the frozen mahi-mahi fillets from Costco- 1 fillet per person)
1 teaspoon chili powder
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 15 ounce can black beans
1 ripe avocado, sliced
Salsa (optional)

Aioli:
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise
1 serrano chile, seeded and minced (jalapeno OK)
1 garlic clove, minced

Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Add juice, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; toss well to combine. Set aside.

To make the aioli: Combine all ingredients and mix well. Can be made up to 1 hour before, keep in refrigerator.

Heat beans on the stove or in the microwave, and put in a serving bowl. Peel and slice avocado, place on a serving plate.

Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle fish evenly with chili powder and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add fish to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from heat, and place fish on a serving platter.
OR
Heat grill. Rub/Brush fish with enough oil to keep it from sticking to your grill pan. Sprinkle fish evenly with chili powder and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Grill fish direct or in a grill pan, according to thickness of the fish (ours took 4-5 minutes on each side), and your desired degree of doneness. Remove from heat, and place fish on a serving platter.

Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon about 1/4 cup cabbage mixture down the center of each tortilla. Divide fish evenly among tortillas; fold in half. Serve tacos with remaining cabbage mixture, extra jarred salsa (or my cousin Skye's homemade salsa), aioli, avocado and black beans.

More side dishes that go well with fish tacos:
- Lime Quinoa Salad with Fresh Mint, from Karina's Kitchen
- Summer Green Bean Salad, from 101 Cookbooks
- Grilled Potatoes with Garlic and Herbs, from Andrea Meyers

Guten appetit!

Maryland Crab Cakes

I am so discombobulated. I missed my Tuesday recipe posting, sorry. I also haven't posted on our baby blog in about 3 weeks. Why does it seem like my to-do list never gets any shorter?

We're moved into our lovely new house, but clothes are on the floor, dishes are haphazardly put away (I want to get drawer liner before I truly put them away and organize, another to-do!), and we keep missing the basics when we go to the grocery store (like dishwasher pellets, grrr).

The recipe today is fitting, because I forgot to take a picture of the final product. But rest assured, they were de-licious. I wish I could show you how pretty they were too. Everyone raved about them and they were very, very easy. The perfect food to make after moving. You probably have most items on hand (despite having unpacked only half your boxes), minimal ingredients to get at the store, and not a lot of time required.

This was my second recipe attempt from my sister's food blog. You picked another winner C!

Lump crab meat... I'm drooling.

Mama Gs Crab Cakes
from Pennies on a Platter

2 pounds lump crab meat

1/2 stack of crackers (about 10 Ritz crackers)
2 eggs

1/2 cup Mayonnaise

Several drops of Tabasco sauce

2 tablespoons ground Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Dash of pepper

1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning (plus more for sprinkling)

Makin' the cakes

Mix the crab meat (after making sure there are no shells) with the crackers

Mix the remaining ingredients then pour over the crab mixture and mix together

Drop about 2 tbsp. worth of mixture on a baking sheet for each crab cake and flatten (leave about a 2 in. space between each crab cake)

Broil on low for 15 - 20 minutes (or until golden brown) - mine were done around 13 minutes and if left in longer would have burned - so make sure to watch! **You only broil on one side. No need to flip them.

Guten appetit!

Roasted White Fish with Onions, Peppers, Olives and Feta

Whew! That recipe title is a mouthful. As is this recipe.

I served this last month (yes, I know. I'm cheating again with 'timely' posts) while staying at Tim's parent's house. But, it gave me 4 taste testers to sample the cuisine and tell me what they thought.

The finished product

3 gave it a thumbs up, while I gave it a 'thumbs up, if there's a fish change'. I used tilapia, as the recipe called for, and didn't like it AS MUCH as I would halibut. I thought it was ok, but not great. Halibut would have made this a great dish. I loved, loved, loved the olive/feta topping. Could have eaten that directly out of the pan (ok, you caught me. I DID eat some out of the pan!!).

The topping

The dish went really well with some red potatoes I zapped in the microwave. Although I originally had brown rice planned as the side dish. I'm sure both would be tasty.

So, overall review: Definitely a recipe for the rotation, with halibut.

Using tilapia filets - good, but not great

OH, I almost forgot to mention how easy it was! Dinner in 30 minutes. Doesn't get much better than that, when you're making something fresh and delicious.

Roasted White Fish with Onions, Peppers, Olives and Feta
from Kalyn's Kitchen

2 or 3 medium-sized Tilapia or Halibut filets (for best results, use fish that is uniformly thick)
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced red pepper
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1/4 cup chopped green olives
1/3 cup crumbled feta
1-2 tablespoons mayonnaise (light mayo is OK, but do not use fat free)

Preheat oven to 425. Spray small glass or ceramic casserole dish with nonstick spray.

Heat olive oil in nonstick frying pan and saute red pepper and onion about 3 minutes. Add olives and saute about 2 minutes more. Turn off heat.

Put fish in casserole dish and season with salt and pepper. Spread a small amount of mayo evenly over the surface of each piece of fish. Stir feta into red pepper/onion/olive mixture and spread that over the top of fish. (Pile it on so all the mixture is used. It doesn't matter if some falls off while it's cooking.)

Bake until fish is opaque and white throughout and topping is barely starting to brown, 10-15 minutes. The mayo and the topping will keep the fish moist. Serve hot. (Serves 2-3 people)

Guten appetit!

Garlic Brandy Prawns

There are so many things I liked about this recipe - quick and easy, tasty, very healthy... but, I don't think it turned out quite right. Or maybe it did?

When you look at the picture, the prawns look dry. They weren't dry, they had a yummy flavor and were quite tender. But they had no sauce. Based on the original recipe picture, I expected at least a small amount of sticky, brandy sauce. Not so.

But again, it is really good recipe and the prawns tasted great. So I'm torn. I usually like a bit of sauce, to go with the rice (which due to no sauce, did seem dry).

Perhaps the answer to this recipe is to not serve the prawns over rice. Other options I am going to try in the future: Serve them along side some wok fried vegetables, in a mandarine orange/spinach leaf salad with the soy ginger salad dressing, or on skewers as an appetizer. Delicious!

Either way, this is a solid prawn recipe. I just think you need to give some thought on how to best serve them.

Yikes, what a dark photo! But, no time for photoshop...

Garlic Brandy Prawns
from Steamy Kitchen

1 pound tail-on shrimp/prawns, deveined
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons butter
2 stalks green onion, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 tablespoon brandy
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons cooking oil


Rinse prawns, pat completely dry and marinate in cornstarch and 1/2 tsp kosher salt for 5 minutes. Heat your wok or large skillet over high heat. When wok is hot, add 2 tablespoons cooking oil. When oil is hot and just starting to smoke, add prawns. Fry until they are half-done, approximately 1-2 minutes. Remove from wok, leaving the oil in the wok.

Turn heat to medium-high. Add the garlic, fry for 10 seconds. Add the brandy, salt, sugar, butter. Cook sauce for 1 minute to thicken slightly. Add the half-cooked prawns and green onion. Fry until prawns are cooked through, about 2 minutes (depends on size of your prawns).

Plenty of prawns to go around, more recipes:
- Sweet Chili Prawn Skewers, from Fig & Cherry
- Pan-fried Soy & Honey Prawns, from Greedy Gourmet
- Creamy Butter Prawns, from Food 4 Tots

Guten appetit!

Pasta with Halibut and Oven-Roasted Ratatouille

This should be a guest post, as I'm stealing the real chef's hard work. While Jamie & Chria visited us in December, they made this delicious Ratatouille. I simply sat back and snapped the pictures, then savored the meal. Lucky me!

The dish idea came about because of a discussion with Jamie over Tim's and my dislike of eggplant. I don't understand why so many vegetarian dishes include eggplant, and the general public assumes a vegetarian loves two things: portabella mushrooms and eggplant. I'm sure some people do, but not me. Don't like either.

However, Jamie promised me that I would like eggplant when made in one of her favorite recipes: Pasta with Halibut and Oven-Roasted Ratatouille.

If she's cooking, I'm game to try it! I get lots of yummy recipes from her, so the trust is there. And who knows, maybe my eggplant aversion could be turned around (Jamie, when are you going to start eating tomatoes?).

I must say, she was right. Cut up small, and roasted to soft goodness, I didn't mind the eggplant. I even think I liked it! I preferred the zucchini and other veggies, but there were so many flavors mixing in this dish, I didn't really notice the eggplant. Next time someone asks if I like eggplant, I can say 'yes, when made in pasta with halibut and oven-roasted ratatouille'. This is a major step (pat, pat on my back).


This dish was delicious, filling and very healthy. Looked easy to prepare too, just a bit of prep and waiting for the roasting process to happen (I think our oven is slower than most though). For a vacation day, or weekend evening, this is a great recipe to try.

Thanks Jamie & Chria!

Ratatouille
from Epicurious, and graciously cooked for us by Jamie & Chria

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 1-pound eggplant, unpeeled, trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 pound plum tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 small zucchini, trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, flattened
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons herbes de Provence*
1 12-ounce halibut fillet
2 cups medium-size pasta shells


Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Spread next 5 ingredients on sheet. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper. Roast vegetables until tender, stirring occasionally, about 35 minutes. Push vegetables to sides of sheet. Place fish in center of sheet; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until just opaque in center, about 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water. Return pasta to pot. Add roasted vegetables and enough reserved pasta cooking water to pasta to moisten; toss. Cut fish into 1/2-inch pieces; add to pasta and toss gently. Season with salt and pepper.

*A dried herb mixture available at specialty foods stores and some supermarkets.

More rat-a-tat-touille:
- Ratatouille Tart, from Smitten Kitchen
- Ratatouille on Polenta with Baby Greens, from Karina's Kitchen
- Seasonal Ratatouille, from Serious Eats
- The movie!

Guten appetit!

Coconut Prawns

Seems to be seafood week, I know. But this recipe was another favorite pick for Valentines Day. I like the idea of 'breaking out the big guns' for a special occasion and your special person. Makes me all giddy and excited to celebrate and do something extra wonderful. I guarantee this recipe will elicit: "I can't believe you love me THIS much". Or if you're not at that stage yet, "I never knew you cared like this!"

I have already made this recipe twice - once at my dad's birthday, and then an encore performance at my sister's house warming (after she begged). Both times, not a shrimp was left. My family had no qualms woofing them down, and hovering over me as I fried each batch. At the house warming, people were a little more polite and took only a couple shrimp at a time. However, they never strayed far from the platter, and returned almost immediately after their current allotment was gone. It's a good feeling when people noticeably enjoy and appreciate your food. Yay.


If these don't make your Valentines menu, make them just because. Just because you are worth it! Just because, on a random day, you want to do something special for someone! Just because coconut is on sale! But definitely make these.

Coconut Shrimp
from Ray's Boathouse Cookbook

2-3 quarts canola oil for frying

Seasoned Flour:
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Batter:
1/2 cup milk
1 cup flour
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon curry powder

Coating:
2 cups unsweetened flaked coconut (I used sweetened, and was great)
2 cups panko bread crumbs

24 prawns (16-20 per pound), tail on


Set up a deep fryer and heat oil to 300 degrees farenheit.

Set up 3 bowls. In the first bowl, combine four and salt. In the second bowl, combine milk, flour, eggs, salt and curry powder to make a batter. In the third bowl, combine flaked coconut and panko.

Holding the tail, dredge each prawn in the seasoned flour and gently shake off excess. Then, dip prawn in batter. Third, toss prawn in coconut mixture to coat completely and pat gently to press mixture into batter.

Deep-fry immediately until golden, about 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer prawns to a plate lined with a papet towel to drain. Serve warm with Sesame Plum Sauce.

Serve with a sweet thai chili sauce. Serves 6-8, as an appetizer.

More prawn recipes:
- Garlicky Shrimp and Spinach Bake, from Karina's Kitchen
- Shrimp with Snow Peas, from Rasa Malaysia
- Arugula Shrimp Salad, from Cooking with Amy
- Firecracker Shrimp with Sweet Chili Sauce, from Steamy Kitchen

Guten appetit!

Pesto-Marinated Sea Scallops

It's hard to live in Seattle and not love seafood. I can't claim to be a true vegetarian because I eat seafood, but that's OK with me. It's a great source of protein, tastes delicious and can be bought very, very fresh (or take a boat out and catch your own!).

Needless to say, Seattle has numerous fantastic seafood restaurants. Some of the most well known: Anthony's, Flying Fish, Matts in the Market, Palisades and Ray's Boathouse. Anthony's Cafe might be my ultimate favorite, due to their fish tacos. What can I say, I'm a girl with simple tastes. But Anthony's main restaurant has a crab and corn chowder to die for. De-licious!

I'm not sure how my mom acquired the Ray's Boathouse Cookbook, although my brother worked there for a summer. Possible previous Christmas present? However she came by it, I feel so lucky! I know, it's not my book. But it's my moms. That gives me visitation rights, right?

I devoured this book during my last visit to my mom's house. I must have copied ten recipes, and made three within a few days time. I couldn't resist.

This scallop recipe, and I'm not even a big fan of scallops, looked beyond normal taste bud goodness. I decided to try it out for my grandmother's 94th birthday, as the appetizer. My sister decided to save the four leftovers and eat them as her main dinner. They were good. Really good.


Just thought they could provide one option for you, as you begin to plan your Valentines dinner menu. xoxo

Pesto-Marinated Sea Scallops
from Ray's Boathouse Cookbook

1/2 cup fresh basil
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch of black pepper
1 pound sea scallops (approx. 10-20 per pound, depending on size)


In a blender or processor, combine basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth, scraping sides with a spatula. Pesto can be made a day in advance and refrigerated.

In a bowl, combine pesto and scallops. Toss to coat evenly. Cover and marinate scallops in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

Heat a grill or nonstick pan to medium-high. Remove scallops from the marinade and place on the grill or in the pan. Cook until the centers just lose their translucency, about 1 minute on each side (mine took longer, probably because they were so large). Serve warm or chilled.

Serves 4 as a main course, or up to 8 as appetizers.

Other scallop recipes:
- Sun Gold Tomatoes with Tarragon, Seared Scallops and Brown Butter, from White on Rice Couple
- Bourbon-Maple Seared Scallops, from Redacted Recipes
- Baked Sea Scallops and Linguine in Roasted Pepper Sauce, from La Mia Cucina
- Sauteed Scallops with Garlic, from Kalyn's Kitchen

Guten appetit!

Shrimp Étouffée

It's Christmas Eve (as I write this). Wow. Naturally, I'm not quite ready for the end of 2008. While I've seen and done a lot this year, I always feel like I've left opportunities on the table. New hobbies, a few personal to-dos, house organization, and naturally, some travel. On the other hand, we did manage to grab life by the kohonas and do some pretty cool things! Skied a world famous glacier in France, started a food blog, got some great biking in (Tour de France style - Tim, not me), visited with old friends and got to know some new friends, and finally made it to Berlin. We also had one very important, life changing accomplishment this year... our baby due in January. For that, and many more wonderful experiences, I will always appreciate and cherish 2008.

Since we are far away from family this year and are enjoying a very leisure and relaxing Christmas Eve, I have time to blog for Friday's post (after this, I will be wrapping Tim's presents). On such a special day, I feel like I should provide a special recipe.

Shrimp Étouffée is a recent discovery, and one that will be cooked for years to come! It's a powerhouse of flavors, and has nothing but goodness in it. Shrimp, vegetables, and rice. It sounds so simple, but is so wonderful.

Don't be deterred by the long list of ingredients (it's just a lot of spices, and you likely have almost everything in your kitchen), or the multi-step process. The prep and cooking go by very quickly, and every bit of effort is rewarded.

Wishing you and your family a glorious holiday!


Shrimp Étouffée
from Cooking Light

4 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 bay leaf
1/3 cup butter, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (about 2 1/4 ounces)
Cooking spray
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
2/3 cup diced celery
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper (I used 1 red bell pepper only, to avoid waste)
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon salt-free Cajun seasoning (Very important that it's salt-free, or you risk over-salting. You can always add more, but you can't take it back)
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup chopped green onions (I did not use any green onions, and turned out great)
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided (I also didn't have parsley)
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 30 shrimp)
4 cups hot cooked long-grain rice


Combine first 4 ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat; bring to a simmer. Cover and remove from heat.

Melt 1/4 cup butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Add flour to pan; cook 8 minutes or until very brown, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat. Add 1 cup broth mixture to pan; stir with a whisk until smooth. Add remaining 3 cups broth mixture, stirring with a whisk until smooth; set aside.

Melt remaining 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon butter in a large Dutch oven (I used a large regular pot) coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 cups onion, celery, and bell peppers to pan; cook 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender and onion is golden brown, stirring occasionally. Stir in 3/4 cup water, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add tomato paste, Cajun seasoning, garlic, salt, black pepper, and red pepper to onion mixture; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add reserved broth-flour mixture and Worcestershire sauce to pan, stirring well to combine; bring to a simmer. Cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add green onions, 1/4 cup parsley, and shrimp; cook 3 minutes or until shrimp are done. Discard bay leaf. Serve over rice. Sprinkle each serving with 2 teaspoons remaining parsley, if desired.

More cajun inspired dishes:
- Shrimp Po'Boy Sandwich, from Nola Cuisine (this is definitely on my list to-make!)
- Fried Catfish and Hushpuppies, from Nola Cuisine
- Chickpea Gumbo, from FatFree Vegan Recipes
- Cajun Quiche in a Rice Crust, from Cooking Light (omit the sausage, or use a veggie substitute)

Guten appetit!

Garlicky Peppers and Shrimp

Remember vegetarians, I'm a pescetarian (technically). This recipe is all about shrimp!

We hadn't made shrimp for a long time, as I'm almost as picky with seafood as I used to be with meat. However, I was in the mood for seafood. Shrimp were the perfect answer and I was really excited when I found this recipe - it's so easy. One of those recipes you almost doubt being any good because it's too easy. But, it was good. Oh yes, quite good!

While the recipe called for spinach linguini noodles, I made it with whole wheat spaghetti. Would be great with any pasta, and also corn tortillas.


I would say... This is definitely a solid recipe, and worth putting into regular rotation. Great weeknight meal. I'd also make it for informal family gatherings or guests that come visit us. Tim liked it so much, he ate all the leftovers in a second helping and asked that it be made again. Always a good sign. The recipe was also very easy to half for a 2 person dinner.

Was easy, light, flavorful, protein rich and delicious!

Garlicky Peppers and Shrimp
from Better Homes & Gardens

1 9-oz. pkg. refrigerated spinach fettuccine
4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 small red, green, yellow, or orange sweet peppers, seeded and cut in strips
2 medium onions, cut in thin wedges
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 lb. peeled and deveined medium shrimp
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper


Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and return to pan. Toss with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Keep warm.

Meanwhile, in skillet heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Stir in peppers, onions, and garlic; stir-fry 4 to 6 minutes or until crisp-tender.

Add shrimp and cayenne pepper. Cook 2 to 3 minutes more or until shrimp are opaque, stirring occasionally. Serve over pasta. Serves 4.

Additional shrimp and pasta/rice recipes:
- Shrimp and Okra Gumbo, from Allrecipes
- Penne a la Betsy, from The Pioneer Woman
- Arugula-Almond Pesto with Pasta and Grilled Shrimp, from Just a Bite

Guten appetit!