A New Year brings the promise of diverse culinary adventures. I thought before we move forward it would be fun to look back. Borrowing from a late night host, here are the Top Ten. I hope one of these is your new favorite recipe.
It comes as no surprise to me what this was the most view post of 2012. The Moroccan Snake Pastry is bursting with WOW factor. I mean, who doesn’t want to look like a pastry princess? This recipe is time consuming and worth every second it takes to create it.
This was the shocker! I think this made it to the top because of an irresistible title of “Pork Butts and Pig Tales“ featuring a humorous, yet informative post. Something about cooking with “prunes and butt” must have kept everyone’s inner adolescent boy laughing all the way through this blog. I would love to know if anyone actually made this! Funny thing is, this is a really good recipe.
I have made so many variations of this recipe I lost count. It is one of those recipes you can’t afford not to have in your recipe box.
Quote of the Day
“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” - Walt Disney
My goal this year is to stay curious, be experimental, and never stop learning.I intend to seek out new culinary delights such as bugs… particularly from Moreton Bay or Balmain. I tried them on my recent trip to Australia and they are much better than the “bugs” I had in Cambodia, but that is another post. …and then, she paused for thought.
What a huge learning curve I had this week with shellfish. If you read last week’s blog, you know that I am a Midwest farm girl who had no experience with fins, scales, and particularly things that carry a house on their back! After this week’s class however, I am shocked at how easy most shellfish are to cook.
Shellfish are categorized according their skeletal structure:
Univalves – Single-shelled mollusks
e.g. abalone, sea urchins, conch, escargot
Bivalves – Mollusks with two shells joined by a hinge
e.g. clams, mussels, oysters, scallops
Crustaceans – Jointed exterior skeletons or shells
e.g. lobster, crawfish, shrimp, crab
Cephalopods – Mollusks with tentacles attached directly to the head
e.g. octopus, squid/calamari, cuttlefish
Buying Shellfish
When buying live crab or lobsters, look for movement. If you buy them frozen or pre-packaged and they are still moving—run.
I grew up on a farm in Iowa. We raised cows, pigs and chickens, but no fish. Even though there are 25,000 identified species of fish, the only ones that made it to Iowa were frozen, breaded and slapped on a plastic tray in the lunch line. Sadly, that was my sole culinary fish experience as a child.
Hook, Line and Sinker
Fishing was a different story. I learned that from my Grandmother. She said all you need to fish is a tree branch (rod), fishing line, a safety pin (hook), freshly caught grasshoppers (bait) and the patience of Job. I am not sure if it was catching the grasshoppers or just listening to Grandmother’s stories that I loved most. I was always grateful that we didn’t catch any fish for fear of having to cut and clean them.
Fish Fears
Today’s class confirmed those fish filleting fears. I was floundering at the sight of the dead fish in front of me. Filleting is a messy job best left to a fishmonger. But for the brave of heart, or culinary student… it is possible.
For a video on how to fillet a whole salmon click here.
Rona successfully skinned her fish in class to make “Black Cod with a Miso Glaze served with Ginger Stir Fried Bok Choy”. Click here for that recipe.
Why Fish?
Fish is high in protein, vitamins, minerals, and omega 3 fatty acids. Eating fish can reduce problems associated with PMS, memory loss, cardiovascular functions, colon cancer, and stroke.
Types of Fin Fish
Round— has a middle backbone with one fillet on either side, and one eye on each side of its head.
Flat—has a backbone running through the center of fish, both eyes are on the same side of the head.
Non-Boney—has cartilage rather than bones.
Fish are also categorized by their activity levels of low, medium and high. The more a fish swims the flesh will be darker, the oil content higher, and the flavor stronger.
Identifying Fish
Flat—halibut, turbot, sole, flounder
Low Activity Round—haddock, pollock, cod
Medium Activity Round—pike, grouper, yellowtail, snapper, sea bass
High Activity Round—salmon, trout, arctic char, tuna
Non-Boney—sturgeon, monkfish, sword fish
Other fish—eel, catfish, anchovy, sardine, tilapia
Best Cooking Techniques
Active fish have firm flesh, and are oilier with a stronger taste. They are good for grilling, sautéing, poaching, steaming, roasting—not good for deep-frying.
Low Active fish are mild, lean, flaky and have a delicate flavor. They are great for sautéing, deep-frying, broiling, grilling, poaching, steaming and baking—not good for grilling.
Sustainable Fish
If you want to know how to select a sustainable fish click here to read my blog titled
“The Seafood Saga… 6 things to know before you buy”.
How to buy Fish - Use Your Senses
Look. It should have shiny and taught skin with no discolored patches. If you are buying a whole fish, eyes should be clear and full, fins should not be torn. If there is any liquid on the meat it should be clear, not milky. Milky liquid on a fillet is the first stage of rot.
Smell. A fresh fish should smell like the ocean or seaweed. Don’t buy a nasty smelling fish. Cooking won’t improve it and your cats won’t eat it either… don’t ask.
Touch. If you can touch the fish, it should have a dense quality. If it is full of moisture it should spring back when you touch it. If my fingerprint remains, I move on to the beef department.
Class Assignment
I was assigned grilled tuna. It was super easy to make. This would also be great served over spicy greens.
Dry Rubbed Grilled Tuna with Orzo Salad
From New School of Cooking
Serves 6-8
Orzo Salad Ingredients
1/2 lb. orzo, cooked and cooled
¼ cup olive oil
1 tsp. lime zest
1 T. mint, roughly chopped
1 T. dill, roughly chopped
¼ cup toasted pine nuts
3 oz. feta cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Cook the orzo in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain. Once orzo has cooled, toss with remaining ingredients and serve.
Dry Rubbed Grilled Tuna
Ingredients
1 tsp. cayenne
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. finely minced thyme
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 lbs albacore fillet
Directions:
Distribute the rub over the fish fillets. Grill 8-10 minutes per inch. Drizzle with a little olive oil and serve with the orzo.
Did you know?
There are more species of fish than all the species of amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals combined. And guess what… they all eat fish.
Fish and Fisheries cited over 500 research papers on fish intelligence, proving that fish are smart, and have impressive long-term memories and sophisticated social structures.
Fish appear to be smarter than cats, or at least this one.
Now that you’ve been entertained, I’m off to fry other fish. …and then she paused for thought
Hope you have enjoyed our adventure in the culinary classroom. Join us each week as we continue learning new culinary skills.
You can also read about Rona’s experience on her blog or What’s Cookin online magazine.
If I told you we are learning about plants, grasses and seeds in school this week, you might think I took a wrong turn and ended up at a gardening class… not so. We learned about nutritious foods that our ancestors ate. Today’s recipe is a contemporary twist on an old classic.
Loveable Legumes
Legumes are plants with seedpods. The seeds are released by splitting open along two seams. Edible seeds in the legume family include beans, peas, lentils, soybeans, and peanuts. Some seeds are eaten fresh, canned, frozen, dried or as flour.
Legumes are rich in protein, fiber, B vitamins, minerals and disease-fighting phytochemicals, low in sodium as well as gluten free. They are inexpensive, versatile, and have a long shelf life. What more could one want?
To prepare dried legumes
Remove stones or shriveled beans.
Put in pot with cold water — remove any that float to the top as they are too dry for culinary or nutritional value.
Drain and rinse well.
To soak or not to soak
The culinary jury is still out on this one, but my research says soak.
Benefits
Softens skin for more rapid and even cooking
Creamier texture
Activates enzymes that break down indigestible starches and sugars which are responsible for flatulence as they ferment in your gut producing gas.
Two methods of Soaking
Long Soak — Place in pot, add water to cover by 2 inches. Soak in refrigerator four hours or overnight.
Short Soak — Place in pot, add water to cover by 2 inches. Bring water to simmer. Remove pot from heat and cover. Let steep for one hour.
Proper cooking techniques would include simmering or steaming.
TIP: Don’t boil legumes, as high heat will make them tough, as will adding salt to your beans while cooking.
RECIPES WE MADE IN CLASS: BLACK BEANS & GREEN LENTIL SALAD
Gratifying Grains
Grains are a staple in the diets of cultures around the world and have made an important contribution to daily nutrition since cultivation began around 10,000 B.C.
In their natural state growing in the fields, whole grains are the entire seed of a plant. This seed is made up of three key parts: the bran, the germ and the endosperm.
Whole grains may reduce the risks associated with heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and obesity. Whole grains may be eaten whole, cracked, split or ground. They can be milled into flour or used to make breads, cereals and other foods.
Fun Fact: One of the most popular whole grain foods is popcorn.
RECIPES WE MADE IN CLASS: QUINOA SALAD W/DRIED FRUITS & NUTS & TABOULI
Cereals and Meals
Cereals are grasses whose seeds are used as food grains. Cereal grains are excellent sources of complex carbohydrates, low in fat, and good sources of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Meals are whole grains that are ground until they have the consistency of sand.
Meals — grits, polenta, semolina, and cream of rice
Renowned Rice
Rice has fed more people over a longer period of time than any other crop dating back as far as 2500 B.C. Worldwide there are more than 40,000 varieties of rice.
Rice is classified mostly by the size of the grain.
Long-grain rice is long and slender. The grains stay separate and fluffy after cooking, so this is the best choice if you want to serve rice as a side dish, or as a bed for sauces.
Medium-grain rice is shorter and plumper, and works well in paella and risotto.
Short-grain rice is almost round with moist grains that stick together when cooked. It is very starchy and the best choice for rice pudding and sushi.
Most varieties are sold as either brown or white rice, depending upon how they are milled.
Brown rice retains the bran that surrounds the kernel, making it chewier, nuttier, and richer in nutrients. Brown rice takes about twice as long to cook as white rice.
White rice is more tender and delicate, but lacks the bran and germ, hence it’s less nutritious than brown rice.
Wild rice is not really rice at all. Wild rice is a remote relative of white rice, actually a long-grain, aquatic grass. It is richer in protein and other nutrients, and it has a more distinctive and nutty flavor.
Rona covers cooking rice in her blog, click here to check it out.
We also learned about pasta which I have included in a part two of this post. Click here to read about pasta and a recipe for Potato Gnoochi with Brown Butter Sauce that I made in class. Rona made Basil Pesto on Linguine and Bucatini all’Amatriciana.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a shallow 1½ quart casserole dish.
Heat the oil in a large skillet, and sauté the almonds over medium heat until they are browned and fragrant, 3 minutes. Stir in the onion, carrot, cinnamon and salt. Cook 3 minutes.
Add the rice and cook, stirring, until translucent.
Stir in the stock, cherries, orange zest and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
Transfer mixture to the prepared casserole and bake, uncovered until the liquid has been absorbed and rice is tender, about 45 minutes. Sprinkle with chives and serve.
“Legumes offer a host of health benefits that make them a highly sought after, non-animal source of protein.” - Terry Walters, Clean Food
I am not ready to give up my carnivore nature, but I am willing to participate in the international campaign called Meatless Mondays. Eating more legumes and grains will make the process easier. …and then she paused for thought
Hope you have enjoyed our adventure in the culinary classroom. Join us each week as we continue learning new culinary skills.
You can also read about Rona’s experience on her blog or What’s Cookin online magazine.
Welcome to She Paused 4 Thought, a place to learn, laugh and have fun. I just finished culinary school at New School of Cooking. I love learning new things and passing them on to you. Enjoy!
For a video on how to fillet a whole salmon 
