bury your head....in some ostrich!

Alright, so I know it's not everyday that people find ostrich...or every day that they eat it.  Unless of course your down under, or maybe in Africa? But clearly, I am not.  Fortunately, we have a friendly guy from Roaming Acres that posts up at the Union Square market quite often that has some pretty solid ostrich offerings! I've never actually cooked ostrich, but figured...what better to get my creative juices flowing? This definitely did.  Fresh, fantastic, beautiful ostrich filet.  What to do? It's a super lean meat, yet still manages to have some great flavor.  A bit of gaminess, but not overwhelmingly so.  Time to play around! That being said, I had to rock out two different preparations of said ostrich. 

In addition, I picked up some other (not so often found) shrubbery.  Claytonia (miner's lettuce), KALE FLOWERS (!), stonecrop, and arugula flowers.  What is all this nonsense you ask? Deliciousness nonsense, that's what.  Claytonia may be my new favorite thing - the leaves look like lily pads, also similar to nasturtium leaves, and makes for beautiful presentation.  It has a flavor that is somewhere between spinach and arugula.  Stonecrop is essentially a succulent, so it has a nice crunch, and a bright green flavor to it.  Arugula flowers? Just beautiful.  And a subtle pepperiness as well! 

Ostrich Carpaccio with Pignoli Dust
Serves 4
2 oz. ostrich filet
1 cup claytonia, or baby arugula
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 T olive oil
Salt
Fresh ground black pepper
3 T pine nuts, toasted
Truffle oil (optional)


To make the carpaccio, thinly slice the filet and place it onto some plastic wrap.   Place another piece of plastic wrap atop, and flatten out the filet the flat side of a meat tenderizer.  If you don't have one, you can use a saute pan as well.  Pound it out as thin as possible.  Remove, and place onto 4 cold, separate plates, divided evenly.  In a small bowl, toss the claytonia (or arugula) with lemon juice and olive oil.  Sprinkle with a little salt and ground pepper to taste. Divide and arrange over the ostrich carpaccio.

For the pignoli dust, crush the pine nuts in a mortar and pestle.  For pine nuts, you won't want to use a food processor - if you over process, it can become a paste (it can also become pasty from the heat of the motor running).  Sprinkle the pignoli dust all over the carpaccio.  Finish with a little sea salt on the meat itself, and drizzle with truffle oil.   Taste, and devour!

So. Good.  I may actually have to start purchasing ostrich often just to make this carpaccio.  The flavors all together - classic carpaccio flavors - were just amped up by the ingredients used.  The claytonia hits the spot - if you ever see it, purchase it immediately!   The slight gaminess of the ostrich paired perfectly with the acidity of the lemon dressing, and the crunch of the sea salt brings it all together.  Grand!

And round two:

Cacao Rubbed Ostrich Filet with Sauteed Kale Flowers & Petit Syrah Reduction
Serves 2
2 6 oz. ostrich filets
2 T. raw cacao powder
Kosher salt
1 C petit syrah (or other red wine)

2 cups kale flowers, roughly chopped
1/4 cup onion, minced
2 T olive oil
1 T red wine vinegar
1/2 t crushed red pepper, more or less depending on your wanted level of spice
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper

For the ostrich, take the filets out of the fridge, salt generously, and allow to sit out for about 15 minutes.  Heat up a cast iron pan over medium heat, swirling in the olive oil and allowing it to come to heat.  Right before cooking, rub one side of each filet with the cacao powder.   Place each filet into the hot pan, cacao side down, and allow to cook until a golden crust has formed, about 4 minutes.  Flip and cook again until seared and golden.  Remove from heat and allow to rest, 8 minutes or so.  Pour in the red wine, scrape up any bits from the pan, and reduce until it has reached a syrupy consistency. Remove from heat.

While the ostrich is resting, start cooking the kale flowers.  If you can't find kale flowers, you can use broccolini, or something similar.  Heat up some olive oil over medium heat in a saute pan, and toss in the onion, allow to sweat and gain a little bit of a golden color, and toss in the kale flowers.  Cook until just al dente and wilted.   Taste for seasoning, and add a bit of sea salt and fresh ground pepper.  Finally, pour the vinegar over the flowers, toss to combine, and get ready to plate! 

Divide the kale flowers (or whichever veg you choose) evenly amongst the plates, and brush on a little red wine reduction.  Thinly slice each filet, arrange over the red wine reduction, and finish with a sprinkle of sea salt.  

Ostrich with cacao? Tasty! When I first tasted the ostrich raw, by itself, I immediately thought of a cocoa flavor - I knew I didn't want something sweet, but just wanted that raw, essence of chocolate flavor.  What better to use than straight up, cacao? It definitely paired beautifully.  It brought out the flavor of the meat, but didn't cover it up at all. The flavor of the cacao also came through a tad in the red wine reduction, pulling all the flavors together.  Since ostrich and the reduction are both "heavier" flavors, the freshness of the kale saute really evened everything out.  The vinegar finish was key.

Altogether, this was a serious ostrich party.  I think people need to reevaluate the delicious-ness of this protein and really give it a shot! 

dabbling in sandwiches

So it's not very often that I make and/or even have sandwiches.  Do I love sandwiches? Absolutely. Can I make a darn good one? Sure! But I guess it's just not my first go to - unless I have leftover pork, some white cheddar, and pickles on hand...then it's Cubano time! But that's beside the point.  Also, very rarely do I fry foods.  Just a personal thing I guess.  I think it's the lingering smell of fryer oil that gets me, or the fact that I assume I'll forget just how hot that oil is and probably injure myself.  Personal cooking biases aside, when the man wants a fried chicken sandwich, he sure as heck is going to get a fried chicken sandwich! And that he did.  Inspired by the most recent cover of Bon Appetit - because really, that sandwich looks so delicious - this sandwich has a little bit of kick, a little sweetness, and is just all around flavorful.  So if you have any anti-frying or anti-sandwich rules, push those aside for the day, and make this sandwich! Everyone will be satisfied!

Fried Chicken Sandwich with Apple, Cabbage, and Jalapeno Slaw
Serves 4
2 large chicken breasts, pounded for even thickness and halved (or 4 small)
2 cups buttermilk
Salt
Fresh ground black pepper
2 cups shredded red cabbage
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 green apple, julienned
1 jalapeno, minced
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup minced bread and butter pickles
2 limes - Juice & zest of 1 lime, the other cut in wedges
1/3 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
~ 2 cups flour
1 tsp hot paprika (or more if you want it extra spicy)
Vegetable or olive oil
4 ciabatta buns, sliced - or any other good crunch roll

To start, place the chicken breasts in a pan or plastic bag with enough buttermilk to coat.  Let sit for at least 30 min., or if you're way ahead of yourself, a couple hours.  Right before cooking, toss together the slaw.  In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt and lime juice (this will thin out the yogurt a bit).  Combine with the cabbage, onion, apple, garlic, pickles, and cilantro, and toss to combine.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside until ready to assemble the sandwich.

When you're ready to cook the chicken, remove it from the bag/pan, and pat dry.  Set up two small pans - one with flour, the other with the remaining buttermilk.  In the flour pan, whisk in about 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, and the paprika.  In a high-sided frying pan, pour in about an inch worth of oil in the pan, and bring it to temperature over medium heat.  You can use olive oil if you really keep a close eye on the oil and not let it start smoking - if you're concerned about it, just go ahead and use regular vegetable oil! While the oil is heating up, you can coat the chicken breasts.  First, dip it in the flour mixture, then the buttermilk, then back into the flour mixture again.  Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.  I always tell when my oil is ready by flicking a little water into it - if it jumps around and sizzles, you're ready to go!  Gently place each chicken breast into the oil, and let cook for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.  Flip and repeat.  When the chicken breasts are down, transfer to a wire rack to drain and rest, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.  Let sit for about 5 minutes.

While the chicken is resting, toast up the rolls.  You can easily just toast those bad boys up, or you can brush the interior with olive oil and toast them in a pan - I suggest the latter! Cook it up until golden brown and warm.  Now you're ready to assemble!

On each bun, place a hefty amount of the coleslaw - top of the bun, bottom, both - whichever you prefer. Finish with the fried chicken, topped with a few cilantro leaves and lime zest, and serve with a wedge of lime.  If you want a little extra kick, you can always make a sriracha mayo and slather it on the bottom. 

Put the bun back together and devour.  So good! I liked this sandwich so much that I actually made it four times...and that's a lot to say about a sandwich....especially when it involves frying!  The chicken was SUPER crispy, and SUPER juicy on the inside - literally, perfect.  This combined with the fresh flavors and zestiness of the cole slaw was a definite home run.  A definite keeper!

technicolor cavolfiori

We are getting SO close to spring time that it hurts...I'm ready to come out of culinary hibernation and get this show on the road.  I'm ready to see some color out there, and we all know I can't wait to over-purchase boatloads of highly perishable baby vegetables and items that are only available for a small window of time.  Seems logical, no? I just get excited.  I've sort of learned how to maintain my enthusiasm and not go overboard, but it generally works out in the end.

That being said, it seems as though we here in New York are still a couple weeks out from breaking free of winter's root vegetable shackles and into the realm of unicorns and rainbows....I mean fiddleheads, ramps, spring garlic, and....rainbows.  Fortunately, I was able to stumble upon a bit of color in my travels today...even though those colors sprung from an oft-rejected vegetable, the cauliflower.  We all know that I have a place in my heart for cauliflower, whether it's plain roasted, made into a soup, or as a puree base for some dish, to name a few examples.  Today's selection: orange, purple and green.  My affinity for the combination of these colors is also a problem, but I suppose everything has to ultimately come full circle.  Sadly, the green was not of the variety of one of my favorite, and probably one of the coolest vegetables ever: the Romanesco cauliflower, which grows in kind of a conical, logarithmic spiral.  Nature showcasing Fibonacci.  What more could you ask for?! But I digress.

I wanted to showcase vegetables instead of making a protein the main event.  We all know I love my meats and fishes, but it's sometimes fun to be able to combine a slew of flavors and textures that equally balance one another out.  And this is exactly what happened with this dish - easy and delicious, and that's all there is to it!

Salad of Roasted Cauliflower, Raw Mushrooms, Fennel, and Parsley with Lemon
2 cups of cauliflower, cut into small florets and thickly sliced (1/4")
A pinch of chili flakes
2 cups of cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 cup fennel, thinly sliced - reserve the fronds
1 lemon, zested and halved for juicing
1 handful Italian parsley, picked
Olive Oil
Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper
Parmesan Cheese
Fennel Pollen (if ya' nasty)

Preheat your oven to 400F.  Toss the cauliflower with a couple tablespoons of olive oil, the chili flakes, a generous pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper in a roasting pan.  Slide the pan into the oven, and let cook for about 20 minutes, until just fork tender, tossing occasionally.  Right before removing the cauliflower from the oven, great about a quarter cup of Parmesan cheese over top, toss together and finish in the oven for just another minute before plating. 

While the cauliflower is roasting, you can prepare the raw, shaved salad.  In a separate bowl, toss the mushrooms, fennel slices, parsley, and lemon zest together.  If you're not a big fan of large chunks of parsley, feel free to chop it up as opposed to leaving the leaves whole.  Squeeze in the juice of your lemon and about 2 T tablespoons of olive oil.  Toss the entire mixture together - the mushrooms will soak up pretty much all of the oil and juice that you've combined it with.  Season with salt and pepper to taste, giving it one final toss to come together.  Set aside and let the flavors come together. 

To plate, divide the raw salad portion equally amongst four plates (this, by the way, can be eaten all by itself and fare very well!).  Divvy up the cauliflower, scattering it on top and around the mushroom salad.  It's all going to be mixed together right before you eat it anyway.  Heck, if you're not a plating obsessor like I am, toss it all together in one bowl and dole it out!

Finish each plate with a quick grind of black pepper, a generous grating of Parmesan cheese, and finally, a scattering of fennel fronds, just for good measure.  If you have fennel pollen on hand, give it a sprinkle for that little....je ne sais quoi.  Get your fork ready, and dig in!

Although this can be done equally as well with standard white cauliflower, the visual aspect of the dish with the multicolored cauliflower takes it to the next level.  The roasting of the cauliflower gives it a bit of sweetness and nuttiness that counteracts the earthiness and freshness of the raw salad.  Being so thinly sliced, the fennel definitely doesn't overpower the dish with an anise-y flavor, but kind of subtly sneaks up on you as your eating it.  Same with those chili flakes! The lemon, as it usually does, brightens up the dish and brings it all together.  And obviously, Parmesan cheese makes everything fabulous.  A bit of saltiness, a bit of earthiness, but also a bit of sharpness to top it all off.  

"brick" chicken!

I've been wanting to cook some version of brick chicken for a long.....yes, long long time.  Why have I not? Good question! Excuses.  I'll just cook chicken breast.  Maybe just roast a whole chicken.  I don't even have a brick! You name the reason, I probably utilized it on more than one occasion.  Maybe I was just scared to cook it and thought it'd be more of a pain in the behind than it actually is? But excuses aside, I finally took my chances with it - and I am so glad that I did!  Not only does this render to be one of the most delicious tasting, juicy versions of chicken (all components!), but it is absurdly easy and dare I say...foolproof? Obviously, the chicken can be cooked in the same manner and served with any assortment of sides and accompaniments - but this combination proved to be wonderful.  Classic French flavors, great textures, and fully satisfying at that. Have a go at it!

Brick Chicken with Pureed Celery Root & Mustard Tarragon Leeks
Serves 4, but could be shared by two.
1 3.5 lb chicken, butterflied, back bone removed (your butcher can do this!)
1/2 cup dry white vermouth
1/4 cup thyme leaves (I used lemon thyme)
2 fresh bay leaves, thinly sliced
1 cup thinly sliced onion
Salt 
Fresh ground pepper
Olive oil
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 lemon

In a strong ziploc bag or large glass pan, combine all of the ingredients and toss to combine. Allow to marinate for 2 hours in the refrigerator, or overnight. When ready to cook, pat the chicken dry and season both sides generously with salt and pepper.  Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, swirling in just 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  Place the chicken pieces skin side down, and place a second skillet atop the chicken.  Here is where the fun starts! If you have a brick...more power to you.  You can wrap that in foil and place it right on top of the chicken.  I, sadly, do not have any bricks in my home...so I had to be resourceful.  Actual weights, large cans, olive oil bottle....you name it.  Try to get about 15-20 pounds of pressure on top of the chicken.  Once you've got enough weight, cook the chicken for about 18 minutes, until the skin is super crispy and golden brown.  The chicken fat will render while cooking, aiding in the cooking and crisping process.  After 18 minutes, remove the "brick" situation and flip the chicken over.  Pour in the chicken stock and squeeze in the juice of 1/2 a lemon, and simmer the chicken in it for another 3-5 minutes.  Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest for about 5 minutes, reducing any remaining stock and scraping up and cooked bits in the pan - you'll use this as a nice pan sauce to pour over the chicken! When you're ready to plate, the full half of the chicken can be placed on the plate, or you can separate the leg/thigh from the breast/wing combo.

Celery Root Puree
1 large celery root, peeled and roughly chopped
Salt
Fresh ground pepper

Bring about 2 cups of water to a boil in a steamer - bamboo, stainless, or otherwise - and lower to a simmer.  Place the celery root pieces in the steaming basket and cook for about 5 minutes, or until fork tender.  Place the cooked celery root in a blender/food processor with about 12 cup of the steaming liquid and puree.  Add more liquid if necessary - the puree should be smooth and velvety, but not too runny.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Mustard & Tarragon Leeks
4 leeks
Olive oil
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 T dijon mustard
3 T tarragon
Salt
Fresh ground pepper

First, clean the leeks.  Cut the root off, as well as the tops just about where the leaves split off in two directions.  Halve the leeks and rinse them of any dirt.  Chop into 1/2 chunks. 

In a large saute pan, heat up about 2 T olive oil over medium heat.  When the oil has heated up, place the leeks in the pan, cut side down.  Allow the leeks to caramelize on that side, not stirring until they've achieved a nice golden color, about 5 minutes.  Toss or stir, and cook a bit longer until tender.  Pour in the chicken stock, bring to a boil, and cook until the sauce has been soaked up by the leeks and reduced - it should not be liquidy.  Remove from heat and toss with the mustard and tarragon to finish.  Season with salt and pepper.

Now onto plating!! Spoon out a nice dollop of the celery root puree on the bottom of the plate, and top it with the mustard leeks.  Place the chicken on top - a whole half if you're serving two, or one of the quarters for four.  Finish with the pan sauce, and get ready to eat!

Seriously. This chicken is so good.  Most people know my obsession and love for chicken, but this takes it to the next level.  So easy! The skin is remarkably crispy, and every part of the chicken is crispy, no matter what portion it is.  The leeks and celery root pair perfectly with the chicken, and add a great variety of textures. 

let the dandelion shine

Sometimes I see an ingredient at the store, and all of a sudden envision myself throwing a lavish dinner party for 24 people.  Seriously, who needs more than one bunch of dandelion greens when she knows fairly confidently that she'll be eating it all herself? I surely don't, but apparently my brain thought otherwise.  That being said, I definitely needed to do SOMETHING with these greens...something epically delicious that I could eat for the next 12 consecutive meals no less.  In tandem, I also picked up a bunch of Meyer lemons that I was planning on preserving, but the ingredient somehow managed to sneak it's way into this salad....we'll see if any make it to the preserving process!

Greens like dandelion are sometimes tricky to deal with, considering the bitterness that they impart, so you have to be pretty careful as to what you pair with them.  Obviously, cooking removes some of the bitterness, but I wanted to stray as far away from cooked greens as possible this time around - I needed a more refreshing take! Brainstorming ensued and the resulting salad came out! I've currently had it for three meals in a row.  It's a winner.

Dandelion Greens in a Bagna Cauda Vinaigrette, Meyer Lemon, Poached Egg
1 bunch dandelion greens, majority of the stem discarded, roughly chopped
1/2 c olive oil
3 T minced garlic
6 anchovy fillets (preferably in oil)
1-2 T butter
4 eggs
1 Meyer lemon - for the record any citrus on hand works here!
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted


Alright, so the most labor intensive part of this recipe is frankly to make the vinaigrette - and that sure as heck isn't all that hard!  Either way, hop to it.  In a small saucepan, heat up the olive oil and garlic over low heat.  When the oil is hot, but not bubbling - don't let it smoke - toss in the anchovies.  They should almost melt in the oil after a few seconds.  Stir and cook until the anchovy fillets have completely broken down and remove from heat.  Whisk in the butter and reserve.

To cook your eggs, you have to figure out some way to poach them! Do you have a an immersion centrifuge that can cook your egg to a perfect 63 degrees like all the fancy restaurants? Make it happen.  I sadly don't and can't recreate that.  So instead, you can use the old vinegar in the water, egg tossed in while vigorously stirring to create a vortex, hope for the best method, OR you can use this super easy method.  Bring water to a boil, and cook the eggs in the shell for 5:40 seconds.  Drain, rinse under cold water (so you don't burn yourself) and remove the shells.  Easy peasy! (Obviously, one of, if not my actual favorite way to cook eggs.) 

To bring it all together, place the walnuts and dandelion greens into a large salad bowl.  Spoon a good amount of dressing (don't forget the garlic and anchovy!) over the greens and toss well.  Do this in increment amounts because you don't want to over dress your greens.   Divide evenly between four plates. Nestle one poached egg amongst the greens, finishing it with a little fresh ground black pepper.   Next, zest the Meyer lemon over each dish, being sure to get on the greens and the egg, and finish with a small squeeze of lemon juice over each.  

Devour. (Sidebar: I also used red watercress and red walnuts in this photographed salad..why not?

This dish is so good, and keeps getting better until the last bite! The flavor of the dandelion greens come through despite all the strong flavors in the dish - leaving them raw allows for this. The bagna cauda vinaigrette adds a nice salinity to it, while balanced out by the greens' bitterness.  All of it is brought together with the poached egg, which creates kind of a satiny sauce, brightened by the sweetness and acidity of the Meyer lemon.  Definite salad for the win! I also found out, post-recipe, while researching bagna cauda (yes that happens) that the OG recipe actually used walnut products for economic reasons:

"The first versions of bagna càuda were most likely made with the region’s rich walnut oil, from the mature walnut groves that used to be found throughout Piedmont and the Val d’Aosta. After vast areas were largely deforested, olive oil too had to be imported from Liguria. Although olive oil and butter now serve as the base of bagna càuda, some families crush a few roasted walnuts into the sauce to remember the ancient flavor of the dish." (Source: Zester Daily)

Like it! So, at first, this dish may seem a little daunting because of all the out-there components, but it is well worth it.  Once you have your first bite, you'll wonder why your portion isn't double the size!

zesting up winter

What better than a little zestiness to brighten up the COLDEST WEEK IN THE HISTORY OF WEEKS EVER!? Okay, so maybe that's not exactly true...but it was definitely close.  We've been blessed with a not-so-cold winter thus far, so a chill was bound to happen.  Hitting the teens and "real-feel" singular/negative temperatures definitely did not bode well on most of the population, to say the least.  Except maybe people that had snow days...or "cold" days.  I didn't even know that was a thing!  

Regardless, it's been a while since I've had scallops...and the scallops at the market were looking mighty fine! Freshly shucked - sadly not in the shell still - but I quickly got over that.  Scallops and a nice head of cauliflower.  What to do?! With me new Vitamix giving me longing looks on the counter, I knew I had to make a cauliflower puree - which is probably one of the simplest sides to make ever - RIDICULOUSLY healthy, and crazily easy.  So why not pair the two together?  The following recipe is a quick change from the usual scallop flavor combination, but definitely does not disappoint.  I served it at a recent dinner party, and everyone raved (and was sad there weren't more scallops!).  As much as it may sound fancy, it's super easy to make.  Give it a try and impress your friends!

Seared Scallops with Lime Gastrique and Cauliflower Textures
Serves 2
6 diver scallops, shucked
1/2 cup cauliflower puree
1/4 cup roasted cauliflower florets
Lime gastrique

Lime Zest 

Cauliflower Puree & Roasted Cauliflower
1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
Olive oil
Salt
White pepper

Before you get to steaming, make your roasted florets. Break up a couple of florets into mini florets for roasting and as a garnish for the final dish.  Preheat the oven to 400F, toss the mini (micro?) florets with an ample amount of olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast until dark brown and crispy.  

Now, onto the puree! This puree recipe is not a lie.  Cauliflower. Fire. Water.  The cauliflower needs to be steamed, so utilize whatever stove top item you have, whether its a bamboo steamer or regular steamer insert.  If you must, the cauliflower can be boiled.  Bring a couple cups worth of water to a boil, making sure that the water isn't touching the bottom of the steamer.  When it has come to a boil, lower the heat to an aggressive simmer, and place the florets into the steamer.  Cook until tender! Time will vary depending on the size of your florets - so taste occasionally, starting after about 5 or 6 minutes.  When tender, remove from heat and toss into a blender or food processor.  Pulse the florets, and slowly pour about 1/4 cup of the steaming liquid into the blender.  Continue to add the water until the puree has a smooth, velvety texture, about the consistency of a vichyssoise.  That's probably a horrible example - the consistency of the best, creamiest mashed potatoes you've ever had!  Add salt and pepper to taste, and set aside.  Don't forget to keep an eye on your roasting cauliflower!

Lime Gastrique
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup sugar

Gastriques are easy, but it sounds fancy and difficult, right? Fortunately, that is not the case! A gastrique is basically a sugar/vinegar reduction that can be flavored any way you like.  Lime was my juice this time around! A gastrique also can be made by caramelizing the sugar first, adding a few more steps, but this process is a lot easier! Place all of your ingredients to a boil, stir, lower the heat to a simmer, and let reduce until it has reached a thick, syrupy consistency, about 10-12 minutes. The sauce should be drizzle-able - not too thin, but not so thick that its globby. Remove from heat, place in another container and set aside.

To finish the dish, get ready to sear your scallops! Warm up the cauliflower puree, and have all of the other components ready to go.  First, make sure that the foot/adductor muscle of the scallop is removed.  It looks like an extra piece of meat about the size of a thick quarter on the side of each scallop - just pull it off with your fingers.  Salt and pepper both sides of your scallop.  Preheat a large saute pan over high heat until super hot! Add olive oil or grapeseed oil (make sure if you use olive oil that it doesn't smoke).  When the oil is shimmering, add in the scallops, being sure not to overcrowd them.  Cook the scallops until golden brown on each side, about a minute and a half.  Remove from heat onto a paper towel.

On a plate, spoon out about 1/4 cup of cauliflower puree as a base.  Place three scallops on each plate, however you like - stacked, in a line, you name it.  Scatter roasted micro florets around each plate, and finish with a solid, hefty drizzle of lime gastrique.  Beware, this lime gastrique is DELICIOUS. Finish by zesting a lime over the scallops.  Dig in!

As I said before, this is a pleaser all around! You get all of the textures and flavor profiles you need in this dish - velvety, crunchy, sweet, sour...it's all there.  The puree is absolutely addicting, and I suggest making it whenever you're bored (naturally).  If you are lucky enough to have a super-powered blender like a Vitamix, you'll get a light, airy, super velvety texture that is hard to beat! It tastes like there's butter and cream in the mix, but alas, there is none.  This combined with the sweetness of the scallops, and the golden crunch action of roasted cauliflower gets the party started.  Honestly, you could stop here and the dish would still be undeniably great - but why stop when you can take it to the next level? The gastrique and fresh lime zest brighten this dish up like a ray of sunshine coming through the clouds on an overcast day.  Seriously.  Not to mention, the aroma given off by the fresh lime zest when the plate is put down gets you ready for the party that is about to occur in your mouth.   My new favorite trifecta: scallops, cauliflower, and lime.  Whip it up!

Pomegranate Party!

How is it already 2013? I don't know about you, but 2012 flew by.  Lots of milestone events, plenty of good times, and a whole lot of excitement, that's for sure! I hope it was the same for all of you! I decided to kick off the New Year with a recipe using one of winter's most beloved (or hated?) fruits.  The pomegranate.  I really forgot how obnoxious it is to get the seeds out of this fruit! Whoever the first man was to eat the seeds from a pomegranate, I commend you.  Pomegranate seeds are great - crunchy because of the seed inside, but with a nice pop like caviar.  The flavor is sweet, but also a bit tart.  Not to mention, it's garnet hue is stunning! So what to do? Obviously it can be used on salads and with various vegetables to play up their sweetness, but I really wanted to play up the tartness within the seeds.  With that, I decided to put it together with a great pickled mustard seed vinaigrette and a light fish.  The combination is fabulous, and only get's better to the last bite! 

Whole Roasted Dorado
Serves 4
2 whole dorado, cleaned
1 red onion, thinly sliced
Olive oil
Salt
Fresh ground black pepper

Preheat your oven to 400F.  While the oven is heating up, prepare your dorado.  You can use branzino, or any other flaky, white fleshed fish for this recipe.  Also, if you can't find whole fish, feel free to use fillets - just adjust the timing! Season the inside and outside of the fish with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil.  On a medium baking sheet or roasting pan, scatter 1/2 of the red onions on the bottom.  Toss with a little bit of olive oil and salt.  Place the fish on top, and scatter the remainder of red onions inside and atop the fish.  Place in the oven and cook for about 30 minutes, depending on the size of your fish. If you're using whole fish, you'll know the fish is ready when you can easily pull the dorsal fin out.

Gently remove the skin of the fish, and filet each side.  Be sure to remove any of the brown flesh (the blood line) as it has a pretty bitter taste.


Green Beans with Pickled Mustard Seed Vinaigrette
1 lb green beans, stem end cut off
Reserved vinaigrette (see recipe below)

While the fish is cooking (near the end of the cooking time) begin working on the green beans.  In a large stockpot, bring enough water to substantially cover the green beans to a boil.  Add in a generous amount of salt, and toss in the green beans.  Allow to cook until JUST tender, about seven minutes or so, and drain.  Toss with the reserved vinaigrette, starting with just half, and adding more as necessary - some people like less, some like more, so it's up to you!

 Pickled Mustard Seeds
1/4 cup mustard seeds
3/4 c rice wine vinegar/champagne vinegar
1/3 c water
1 T sugar
Pinch salt

In a small sauce pan, mix all ingredients and bring to a boil.  Stir, lower to a simmer, and cook over low heat for about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Pomegranate Mustard Seed Vinaigrette
1/3 cup olive oil
2 T pickled mustard seed vinegar
1 T pickled mustard seeds
2 T pomegranate seeds
Salt
Fresh ground pepper

Sidebar: Pomegranate seeds.  My girl Marty Stewart always said the best way to get the seeds out is to half it and smack it against a plate or something, but that is just a mess.  Just let it be know that you will be making a mess no matter what you do with your pomegranate, so be sure to wear all black.  This will stain, whether or not you've scotch guarded your life. I found it easiest to just get in there and pop the seeds of with my fingers, kind of inverting the flesh to make it easier.  Don't get too frustrated, it's worth the work!
 
In a jar, combine all ingredients and shake to emulsify. Season to taste and set aside.

Whole Roasted Dorade with Pomegranate & Pickled Mustard Seed Green Beans
4 dorade filets
Prepared green beans
Flat leaf parsley, picked
Pomegranate seeds
Saba, or aged balsamic

To plate,  divide the green beans evenly among four plates, ensuring that each gets a good amount of pomegranate and mustard seeds from the vinaigrette.  Add a few roasted red onions from the fish roasting pan to the plate.  Place one filet atop each pile of green beans and season with a pinch of salt and a quick grind of pepper.  If there is any leftover vinaigrette, spoon a bit over each fillet.  Finish with a scattering of fresh pomegranate seeds, a few parsley leaves, and a quick drizzle of saba or aged balsamic, if you have it! 

Not only is this a beautiful dish to look at (thank you pomegranate seeds), but the flavors are wonderful as well! Dorade is a very mild fish, but the flavors combined definitely do not overpower it.  Green beans always go well with a nice vinaigrette, but the combination of pickled mustard seeds and pomegranate seeds really make this dish a showstopper.   There's an amazing crunch, a perfect acidity, and a nice sweetness that comes through.  The best bite is definitely the last, when all the flavors have melded together, and the fish has gotten a chance to essentially soak up the vinaigrette.  Lovely!