Monday, February 18, 2008
Matha Stewart in Training
OK, not really. But I did finally make one of her recipes. Each Christmas my mother-in-law gets me a subsciption to Martha Stewart Living magazine. I look through the magazine each month, and occasionally tear out a recipe or a crafty idea. Usually these tear-outs end up in the garbage after sitting on my desk for a couple of weeks. I have to admit, I've never made a recipe or done a crafty thing from this magazine. This month however, I saw a recipe that I knew I wanted to make immediately. It was Scallops with Edamame salad and puree.
The part that really appealed to me was the puree of edamame. I had a dish some time ago at Cowboy Ciao, that came with an edamame puree. I enjoyed it so much, that I knew I would eventually want to recreate something similar at home. Of course, I never did. Until now.
When I got to the store, the scallops weren't as fresh looking as I had hoped. I decided to get the fresh tilapia and substitute that for the scallops. I also decreased the amount of lime juice in the puree so that it wouldn't be overpowering lime. I'm glad I did, as the puree had a fresh taste with a hint of lime that was perfect. Here is the recipe with my substitutions.
Tilapia with Edamame Salad and Puree
Adapted from Martha Stewart Living
For the Salad:
1/2 cup frozen edamame, cooked according to package instructions
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 Tbsp toasted black sesame seeds
1 tsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp. seasoned rice vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp coarse salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
Combine all of the above together and set aside.
For the Puree:
2 1/2 cups frozed shelled edamame, cooked according to package instructions
2 Tbsp lime juice
1/3- 1/2 cup water
2 tbsp cilantro leaves
1 Tbsp garlic, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
Process edamame, lime juice, water, garlic, cilantro, salt and pepper in food processor until smooth.
For the tilapia:
2, 5 oz fillets of fresh tilapia (or scallops or other mild white fish)
1 tsp. course salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Season both sides of the fish fillets with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish, and cook until golden brown, 3-5 mintues per side.
Top warmed edamame puree with fish, and top the fish with a few tablespoons of the edamame salad. Serve with lime wedges. (I also topped with a few halved cherry and pear tomatoes.)
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Weekend at Don's
Last weekend we took a much needed break and headed to St. Pete's Beach, FL to help Scott's dad celebrate his 60th birthday. Four days with nothing on the agenda except which direction the lounge chair should face to catch the best rays, and walks on the beach. The photo above is one we captured the first night we walked along the gulf in front of our resort, the Don Cesar. Of course, on my daily agenda was searching out great seafood and wine. Ahhh...the perfect vacation.
Our first stop was in Tampa. After the 4 hour plane ride, we arrived Thursday evening famished. I've always had great luck with sushi in and around the coasts of FL, and dining at Waters Sushi, did not disappoint. Sashimi that was like butter, rolls that took on the chef's creative thought for the night (including some locally caught grouper,) and a good glass of wine. My only regret was not having the camera handy to photograph the spendid assortment of fresh fishy.
Luckily, we caught a couple of photos one of the evenings, that reminded me how much more fun a meal can be when presentation is well executed. Everything from the bread basket with roasted garlic, to the white asparagus and lobster salad starter salad were done with such precision and care, that we almost felt guilty digging in and demolishing it all.
We returned relaxed, rested, and ready to get back in the kitchen!
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