June 9, 2008
Recipes, Vegetarian
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I love asparagus. Love it. Need I say more? Usually I just steam it and eat it straight-up with no salt or butter, but I also love it doused with lemon, grilled, and then rolled in Parmesan cheese.
Ingredients
1 pound fresh asparagus, washed and stems trimmed
Juice of one lemon
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Method
Grill asparagus over medium flame. Roll the spears occasionally to ensure even cooking. Periodically squeeze fresh lemon juice over the spears.
If you don’t have a grill, you can do this under an oven broiler, as well. Just lay the asparagus spears across a flat baking sheet and heat about 6″ under a broiler. Turn the asparagus every 2 minutes or so.
When tender and cooked through, remove from grill and roll in Parmesan to coat. Serve immediately.
Variation
Steam asparagus for 3-5 minutes, then immerse in an ice bath to stop cooking. Saute for 2-3 minutes over medium heat with olive oil and 2 tbsp lemon juice. As you turn off the heat, add the Parmesan and roll the spears to coat. Serve immediately.
June 9, 2008
Fish and Seafood, Kid-Friendly, Recipes
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I’ve only been to San Diego twice, but the most vivid food memory I have from there is of tangy fish tacos. Restaurant versions are the only ones I have tried, but these were similar in their limy flavor, creamy sauce, a hint of spice, and the crunch of fresh cabbage.
After several iterations, I like the below combination best. My kids scarf these up unlike any other fish dish I’ve served them.
In place of the ancho chili powder, you can substitute a mix of regular chili powder and cayenne in a 3:1 ratio. Or, if you don’t want it spicy, just use regular chili powder.
Ingredients
Marinade
12oz mahi mahi fillet
1 tbsp canola oil (you can skip this, but it helps keep fish from sticking to the grill)
Juice of one lemon
1/4 tsp ancho chili powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Sauce
2 tbsp canoloa mayonnaise
2 tbsp sour cream (I prefer low-fat here)
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/8 tsp ancho chili powder
Garnish
6-8 small yellow or white corn tortillas
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
Fresh lime wedges
1/2 cup fresh green cabbage, finely shredded
Method
1-4 hours ahead, marinate the mahi mahi fillets in the lemon juice, salt, oil, and chili powder. A resealable zip-top bag works great.
Cook the fillets whole on a preheated grill at medium flame. Cook 6-8 minutes on each side, flipping once, until the fish is slightly flaky but not dry. Generally this takes 6-8 minutes per side, depending on how thick your fillets are. Adjust your time as appropriate. Cut the cooked fish into 1-inch slices and set aside.
Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, and chili powder with a whisk. Set aside.
Heat canola oil in a skillet over medium flame. Well-seasoned cast iron works best, as stainless steel tends to stick and require more oil. Heat tortillas in canola oil for about 30 seconds on each side, or just until the tortilla forms air bubbles inside. Set aside on a paper towel to catch any oil.
Assemble tacos with about 2 tbsp fish, 1 tsp sauce, a pinch of cilantro and a pinch of cabbage. Garnish with fresh lime wedges.
Makes 6-8 small tacos.
