My husband and I love sushi night. "Love boats" selected by the sushi chefs, pork gyoza, rolls that are cooked, rolls that are raw, tuna tataki, and more make us swoon and drop $50 or more on sushi. This is not sustainable. Neither is the laughable attempt at sushi my husband and I tried. Our rolls fell apart in our hands!
So...the inspiration of Hawaii with the fusion flavors of Japan it is! The Poke Bowl. I can assemble these at home without destroying the flavors or the ingredients.
Ingredients for 2:
2 fresh tuna steaks (about 6 oz each)
1 avocado, diced (do last so it doesn't brown)
1 cucumber, peeled and julienned
2 radishes, sliced
Mango salsa (recipe below)
fusion ponzu sauce (recipe below)
1 tbsp sesame oil
salt and pepper to taste
6 oz udon noodles, cooked according to package (optional)
wonton crisps (optional-find in the crouton section of the grocery)
sesame seeds (optional)
Directions:
1. Sprinkle tuna with salt and pepper. Allow tuna to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour.
2. Meanwhile, make the fusion ponzu and mango salsa.
3. Chop/dice remaining ingredients.
4. Heat the sesame oil in a medium skillet on high for 1-2 minutes. Add tuna steaks, and sear for 3 minutes. When the tuna comes up easily, flip and sear another 2-3 minutes for rare. Longer if a higher cook is desired.
5. Remove to cutting board and allow to cool for 1-2 minutes. Slice into bite size pieces.
6. Assemble the poke bowls. Place noodles equally in bottom of bowls. Arrange cucumber, radish, avocado, and tuna over noodles. Top with mango salsa, ponzu, sesame seeds, and wonton crisps. Serve at room temperature.
Mango Salsa:
1 mango, diced
1 shallot, minced
3-4 green onions, sliced
1/2 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp lime juice
2 small peppers, such as jalapeno or lunchbox, diced (choose variety based on desired heat level)
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Allow to sit for 30 minutes before serving. Refrigerate leftovers. Use within 3 days.
Fusion Ponzu Sauce:
Traditionally Ponzu sauce is made with mirin and bonito flakes. I like this version better at home, but feel free to make or buy actual ponzu.
I make this using a souvenir shot glass, but feel free to measure! 1 shot equals about 2 tbsp.
1 1/2 shots soy sauce
1 shot rice vinegar
1 shot sesame oil
1 tbsp sugar
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate until use. May be sealed and kept in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Enjoy!
It's egg season again! And by egg season, I mean summertime! For those of you who don't know, local eggs are much harder to find in the winter because chickens will stop laying as the days get shorter. Commercial farmers force their chickens to lay in the winter with grow lights, which is rather cruel to the extent they do it, but small farmers usually just let their chickens be, well, chickens.
Anyway...eggs!
Now a typical Eggs Benedict is a layered creation of an english muffin with Canadian bacon, topped with a poached egg and slathered in Hollandaise. About the only thing my version has in common is the Hollandaise and the egg.
This Eggs Benedict has a buttermilk biscuit with local breakfast sausage, a slice of fresh tomato, and a poached egg, smothered in homemade Hollandaise with herbs.
Now, lets get started.
Eggs Benedict: Suzanne Style, for 4
You will need:
2 biscuits (homemade is the best!), sliced in half.
5 eggs
4 sausage patties (I vote for local, but your choice)
4 slices of tomato
1 stick butter
2 tbsp lemon juice (I would say fresh squeezed, but this is where I always forget to buy lemons and end up using bottled juice. Oh, well, sigh)
1 tsp dried herbs, such as parsley, oregano, and thyme or 1 tbsp chopped fresh herbs
5 cups water
1 tbsp white vinegar
Here's what to do:
1. Cook the sausage patties on a skillet or griddle at med-high heat until cooked through. Flipping once, after about 5 minutes. Cook the 2nd side for 3-5 minutes until done. Place on a plate covered with a paper towel. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, crack 4 of the eggs into 4 separate small bowls. I know this seems excessive, but when poaching eggs, it's important you work quickly and have the eggs separated.
3. Add the water and vinegar to a pot. Whatever you do, don't forget the vinegar. It keeps the whites together! Boil on high until bubbles start to form. Reduce heat to a simmer. For poached eggs, you want the water to be constantly boiling, but not rolling.
4. Gently add the eggs one at a time, and cook for 3-5 minutes. The eggs are done when the whites look like fresh balls of mozzarella. Remove with a slotted spoon.
5. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over med-low heat. Whisk in the lemon juice.
6. Now comes the tricky part. In a small bowl (one used earlier is fine), crack and whisk the 5th egg to combine it. You need to cook the egg into the sauce without scrambling it. A lot of cooks use a double-boiler, it's a little less temperature sensitive, but really, who has the time?
7. Add the egg to the butter and lemon and whisk constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from heat, and continue whisking until a thick (but not scrambled) sauce forms. Add in the fresh herbs.
8. On a plate, layer the biscuit, sausage, tomato, egg, and hollandaise. Serve warm with fresh fruit.
Enjoy!
I know this is a complex recipe. But I know you can do it with patience and practice!
Best,
Suzanne
I recently found an old model George Foreman (new in box) online for $15. Now, while it may be advertised as the mean, lean, grilling machine; what many people fail to realize is that it also works as a panini press. Who needs two gadgets when one will do? So I have been making panini. I am not fond of sandwiches, though my husband loves them. Yet when the word panini is used instead, I suddenly develop a true love and adoration for the grilled sandwiches. So pull out that old George Foreman, or a panini press...or a couple of skillets and a brick...but try that panini!
Panini Basics:
use high quality bread, such as french baguettes or ciabatta
Make sure to stuff the cut side and grill the crust side or use a hearty loaf that can take the heat
Always melt the cheese
Enjoy!
Some combinations to try:
Sliced turkey, cranberry-orange chutney, spinach, and gouda
Sliced ham, apple, spinach, and brie
Sliced turkey, avocado, spinach, spicy mustard, and monterey jack
Cranberry-Orange Chutney (for 2 sandwiches)
1/2 c. fresh cranberries or frozen, thawed
1 tbsp orange zest
about 1 tbsp orange juice
1 tsp sugar
Mix all ingredients in a pot, simmer until cranberries pop. Cool 10 minutes before use. May refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days.
Enjoy!
Last year, when I was first starting my blog, I wrote a post about fish tacos, which you can find here. I have recently discovered a restaurant called Canelo's in Canton, NC that has amazing crunchy fish tacos. Not to be outdone, I adapted a recipe from for the home cook. Crunchy fish tacos, here we go!
Crunchy Fish Tacos (makes 4 tacos)
Ingredients:
4 flour or corn tortillas
1 box Gorton's Fish Sticks (12 count)
1 pkg prepared guacamole
1/2 c. heavy cream
1 c. sour cream
1 pkg taco seasoning
Optional Ingredients:
Spinach
Cheese
Pico de gallo
Directions:
Mix taco seasoning and sour cream, put in refrigerator to chill.
Cook fish sticks according to package directions.
Mix guacamole and heavy cream together, set aside.
Warm tortillas in a skillet or in the microwave.
To serve:
On each tortilla, add 3 fish sticks, 1 tbsp of guacamole sauce, and 1 tbsp of sour cream mix.
Top with spinach, cheese, and pico de gallo as desired.
Serve with rice and fresh fruit.
Enjoy!
It's been a while since I have cooked...I mean really truly cooked. For the last 4 months I have been student teaching...and suddenly all of the things I thought I had time for, like cooking, went out the window. So here I am, back to cooking, and what do I start with...Mother's Day Lunch.
Considering my parents and my in-laws both came over, I think it went well...especially since I had to make a menu with optional cheese only...and no cilantro...and low salt and fat...just so everyone could eat!
And the most amazing thing? Everything was done when it was supposed to be and perfectly cooked.
Here is the menu...sorry no recipes (they are being saved for later).
Antipasto (pancetta, salami, turkey, gouda, port salut, avocado, homemade pickles, katamala olives, and whole wheat french bread)
Followed by Baked Cod with a mango-lime salsa, basmati rice, and sugar snap peas.
Ending with a Strawberry accented Lemon cake.
Hope you enjoy!
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