Seared Scallop Pasta

Before my affair with food started, I didn't know anything about choosing the right ingredients. I didn't know it mattered what brand of soy sauce I buy and I definitely didn't know anything about buying scallops. I ate bright white frozen scallops, drenching them in sauce, not knowing they could be better. I started reading about scallops and here's what I learned. I learned that scallops that are white are actually treated. Scallops that haven't been treated actually have a pinkish or off-white color. Frozen scallops are sometimes treated with chemicals to make it white. Because they're treated with chemicals, they become awfully watery when you cook them, which only means you're paying a high premium for water!! To make sure you're buying chemically free scallops, look for "dry" scallops or chemical free scallops. I like to buy my scallops from Kokua Market, they're a bit more expensive there, but no water comes out of them and they taste really really good. If for some reason, you're can't find "dry" scallops, try this before you use the scallops. This tip comes from Cook's Illustrated.

Soak them in a solution of 1 quart cold water, 1/4 cup lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons table salt for 30 minutes. Place scallops on a piece of paper towel and microwave on high for 15 seconds. This will exude the water from the scallops allowing for a nice sear.

Armed with these great scallops, I made this scallop pasta. It's my best scallop recipe yet!! This recipe is adapted from a Lemon Ricotta Pasta from Crumb and from Cook's Illustrated. The original recipe calls for ricotta, but I didn't have any on hand, so I substituted with some heavy cream. It was really good, slightly creamy with a bit of tang from the lemon. I love it!! Try it!

Seared Scallop Pastas
adapted from Crumb and Cook's Illustrated

1 lb of pasta of your choice
1 1/2 lbs large sea scallops, 10 to 12
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp good-quality olive oil, divided
1 tbsp butter
Zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 cups green peas
2 tbsp fresh thyme, minced (see note)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup of heavy cream (see note)
1. Cook the pasta per package directions until al dente.

2. Place scallops on rimmed baking sheet lined with a clean kitchen towel. Place a second clean towel on top and gently press to blot liquid. Let scallops sit for 10 minutes at room temperature while the towels absorb excess moisture.

3. Sprinkle scallops on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12 inch, nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add half of the scallops in a single layer and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes without moving until well browned.  Add 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet. Carefully flip scallops and continue to cook. Tilt the skillet so that the butter collects on one side and use a large spoon to baste the scallops with melted butter. Cook 30 to 90 seconds more until the sides of the scallops are firm and the centers are opaque Remove smaller scallops from the pan as they finish cooking, transfer to a
large plate, and tent loosely with foil. Wipe out skillet with a wad of paper towels and repeat cooking with remaining oil, scallops, and butter.

4. Drain pasta and return to the pot over low heat. Stir in lemon zest, juice, remaining 3 tbsp olive oil, peas, and thyme. Toss to coat, then season with salt and lots of pepper. Add the heavy cream and mix gently until pasta is coated evenly.

5. To serve, divide the pasta between four plates, topping each with scallops.

Note:

• Original recipe calls for 4 tbsp fresh thyme.  I only used 2 tbsp.
• Original recipe calls for 1 container (475g) of ricotta, I substituted with heavy cream.  

Shrimp Etouffee

The food scene in Hawaii has improved over the last few years. We have a lot of new restaurants coming up that are really exciting. Having said that though, Hawaii seems to have a problem holding on to a more unique genre of foods. A lot of my favorite restaurants close down within a year, replaced by Steak Outs (or versions of them), or maybe some Pho restaurant.

One of those restaurant is Taste of Bayou (will you ever come back?!!). I can't remember how long it has been since we went there, but I will never forget that meal. It was my first taste of Crawfish Etouffee and it was AMAAAAAAZING!! The etouffee had so many levels of flavor and everything just married together perfectly. It was spicy, but not just hot. It was just incredible. I was so bummed when they closed down, because I only got to eat there twice.

So when my sister sent me a recipe for Crawfish Etouffee from Emeril, I was so excited. I scoured all the grocery stores for crawfish, but it can't be found in Hawaii. I even went to Tamashiro Market and they didn't have them either, not even the frozen variety!! So I found a recipe for Emeril's Shrimp Etouffee. This will have to do until then. I have to say, I was not disappointed!! It was so good!!! I've made this twice now, the first time I used a mixture of clam juice and chicken broth. The second time, I actually took the time to make the shrimp stock. The conclusion is make the shrimp stock. Don't use frozen shrimp shells though, you're not going to get any flavors from that. Use fresh shrimp!!! If you live in Hawaii, Costco has amazing fresh Kauai shrimp. It's so fresh, super sweet and makes a world of difference. Enjoy!! Please leave a comment if you know of an underground crawfish distributor, I know someone must have it, they serve them at those Cajun seafood places.

Shrimp Etouffee
from Emeril

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chopped onions
2 cups chopped green bell peppers
2 cups chopped celery
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons Essence, recipe follows
1 quart (4 cups)shrimp stock, recipe follows
3 pounds medium shrimp (21 to 25 count per pound), peeled and deveined
1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves
Steamed white rice, for serving
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion tops, for garnish

1. Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add the flour and stir continuously to make a roux. Stir the roux over medium heat until the color of peanut butter, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the onions, bell peppers, celery, and garlic to the roux, and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes to the pot and season with the bay leaves, salt, cayenne, and 1 tablespoon of the Essence. Cook the tomatoes for 2 to 3 minutes and then whisk in the shrimp stock.

2. Bring the mixture to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Cook the etouffee, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes. Season the shrimp with the remaining tablespoon of Essence and add them to the pot, stirring to evenly distribute. Cook the shrimp for 5 to 7 minutes, or until they are cooked through. Add the chopped parsley to the pot and stir to combine.

3. Serve immediately over steamed white rice and garnish with sliced green onion tops.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning
from Emeril

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

1. Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Shrimp Stock
from Emeril

1 pound (about 1 quart) shrimp shells and heads
1 cup coarsely chopped yellow onions
1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery
1/2 cup coarsely chopped carrots
3 smashed garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons salt

1. Place the shrimp shells and heads in a large colander and rinse under cold running water for several minutes.

2. Combine the shrimp shells and remaining ingredients in a heavy 6-quart stockpot, add 4 quarts water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Skim to remove any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes, skimming occasionally.

3. Remove the stock from the heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container; let cool completely. Refrigerate the stock for up to 3 days or freeze in airtight containers for up to 2 months.

Gravlax

So Mr. G and I have joined the rest of civilization and got cable! haha. It has made and ruined my life all at the same time. I'm so addicted to the Food Network, I'm especially addicted to Chopped, but I digress. One day while watching the Food Network, I saw Ina Garten make Gravlax!!

To me, Gravlax is like smoked salmon without the smoky taste. It is cold cured salmon with salt, sugar, pepper and dill. I would never think that I could make it at home!! Ina made it seem so easy, so I bought a piece of salmon and gave it a go. It was an absolute hit!! I served it like smoked salmon with a bagel and cream cheese. I think traditionally you're supposed to serve it with mustard and rye bread. It takes three days to make, but not a lot of active time at all. Try it, you'll like it!!  Miss O, this recipe is for you!!

Gravlax from Ina Garten 3 pounds fresh salmon, center cut 1 large bunch of dill, plus 1/4 cup chopped dill for serving 1/2 cup kosher salt 1/2 cup sugar 2 tablespoons white peppercorns, crushed 1 tablespoon whole fennel seeds 

1. Cut the salmon in half crosswise and place half the fish skin side down in a deep dish. Wash and shake dry the dill and place it on the fish. Combine the salt, sugar, crushed peppercorns, and fennel seeds in a small bowl and sprinkle it evenly over the piece of fish. Place the other half of salmon over the dill, skin side up. Cover the dish with aluminum foil. Place a smaller pan on top of the foil and weight it with some heavy cans. Refrigerate the salmon for at least 2 and up to 3 days, turning it every 12 hours and basting it with the liquid that collects.

2. Lay each piece of salmon flat on a cutting board, remove the bunch of dill, and sprinkle the top with chopped dill. With a long thin slicing knife, slice the salmon in long thin slices as you would for smoked salmon. Serve with dark pumpernickel bread and mustard sauce. You can also serve with chopped red onion and capers, if desired.

Notes:

• *Ina served her gravlax with a mustard sauce and pumpernickel bread. 

Pasta with Crab and Sherry Cream Sauce

I love food! I love anything to do with food. Food games, food movies, and recently I discovered a Korean drama called Pasta!! I knew I had to watch it!! It was so cute. As all Korean dramas go, there's a love triangle and I'm pretty sure someone always has cancer. This one wasn't sad though, it was very sweet and lots of footage of chefs preparing pasta (bonus for me!!). I'm telling you this because I finally learned how to properly plate pasta from watching this drama!! You're supposed to take some pasta with your tongs, and have your tongs perpendicular to your plate and twirl your tongs to release the pasta. It creates this cute little cocoon of pasta! so pretty!! Watch it!!

On to this dish, my sister gave me this recipe, but it originally came from the 30 Minute Suppers Special from America's Test Kitchen.  How can I describe this dish? Yum!!! That's really all I need to say about this. It comes together in the time that it takes for your pasta to cook!! It's perfect for a weeknight dinner. My only advice is buy good crab meat!! It's the star of the dish, it really shouldn't be the fake stuff!


Linguine with Crab & Sherry Cream Sauce adapted from America's Test Kitchen's 30 Minute Suppers Special Serves 4  2 tbsp unsalted butter 2 shallots, minced 2 tbsp tomato paste 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (see note) 1/2 cup dry sherry 1 cup heavy cream 2 tsp grated zest and 1 tbsp juice from 1 lemon salt and pepper 1 pound linguine 1 pound lump crab meat parsley (see note) 

1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Melt butter in large skillet over med-high heat. Add shallots and cook until softened, about 2 mins. Add tomoto paste and red pepper flakes and cook until slightly darkened, about 2 mins. Stir in sherry and simmer until thickened, about 2 mins. Add heavy cream and cook until thickened, about 3 mins. Off heat, add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

2. Menawhile, add 1 tbsp salt and pasta to boiling water and cook until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, drain pasta and return to pot. Add sauce, crab meat, and zest and toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Notes:

• *Original recipe calls for 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes.  I wanted a little bit more kick so I used 1/2 tsp. 
• *Original recipe calls for 1/4 cup of chives.  I only used about 1 tbsp of chopped Italian parsley as decoration.

Steamed Mussels in Lemongrass Coconut Curry

Earlier this week, we ordered some live lobsters from Get Maine Lobster. We ordered the Maine Lobster Dinner that came with four live lobsters, four pounds of mussels and four huge crab cakes!!

Now, if you live in Hawaii, there's a bit of a hurdle. Don't be discouraged, it's not that bad! You need to apply for an import permit from the Hawaii Department of Agriculture. The application can be found here. (see note) The form is pretty self explanatory and it took about a week for the permit to come. The permit costs $20 for a one time shipment or $100 for unlimited shipments. Once you get the permit, fax or send a copy to Get Maine Lobster so that they can tape it on the box. That way, there's no delay for your shipment.

I highly recommend getting lobsters from Get Maine Lobster. Mark from Get Maine Lobster was absolutely wonderful!!! He was so helpful through this whole permit issue and really went out of his way to make sure we got the lobsters!! We ordered live lobsters from others before the whole permit issue, and they weren't nearly as good as Get Maine Lobster. We also bought live lobsters locally, but it's just not the same. These were incredibly fresh and the lobster meat was so sweet!!!!

The first night, we had the lobsters...no fancy recipe, we just steamed it and served it with drawn butter (clarified butter). The lobsters were soo fresh and tasty, you really don't need anything else.

The next night, we had the mussels. I was trying to decide what to do with the mussels when I came across this recipe from Kacey's Kitchen.

OH MY GOD!!! This was soooooo good!! Honestly, I have never had mussels so fresh. It didn't have that chewiness that you normally get with mussels and there was no trace of fishiness as well. And the broth..SOOOOOO GOOOOOOD!!! I'm drooling just thinking about it. YOU HAVE TO TRY THIS!!! I know I say that all the time, but this time it's in caps. I really mean it!! The picture doesn't do it justice, it really was amazing!! Here's the recipe.

Steamed Mussels in Lemongrass Coconut Curry
adapted from Steamy Kitchen via Kacey's Kitchen

2 pounds mussels, scrubbed and picked through
4 stalks of lemongrass, white part grated (see note)
2 (8 oz) bottles of clam juice
1/2 cup of white wine
1 can (14oz) of coconut milk
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of Thai curry paste (depends on your spice level)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
3 small skeins of mung bean noodles, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes.
chopped scallions, cilantro, and chili for topping

1. Fry the curry paste: In a wok or large pot, turn heat to medium. When wok is hot but not smoking, add 1/4 cup of curry paste and the lemongrass. Fry for 30 seconds to release its flavors.

2. Add the clam juice, wine, fish sauce, sugar and coconut milk. Simmer for 3 minutes. If you are using lemon peel, discard lemon peel. Taste the broth. If you want more heat, add more curry paste. In meantime, drain your mung bean noodles. The noodles should still be a little stiff.

3. Turn heat to high and add your mussels. Immediately cover with tight fitting lid. Steam on high for 4 minutes. Open lid, scootch the mussels to one side, add mung bean noodles and cook for another minute uncovered. Use a large spoon to redistribute the mussels from the top to the bottom of the broth, cook another 30 seconds and it's done! Top with chopped chilies and scallions.

Notes:

• *The scientific name for lobster is Homarus Americanus
• *The original recipe uses 1 stalk of lemongrass, but I wanted a bit more lemongrass flavor

Seared Furikake Ahi

Mr. G just started his new job last week and to celebrate his first day, I made Furikake seared ahi (tuna) for dinner! Since moving out, I've been terrified of cooking fish...don't ask me why. We both love seafood, but for some reason, I've been too scared to venture in that arena. Thankfully, this is really simple, even I couldn't mess this up!!

I bought two beautiful pieces of fresh ahi from Costco!! Who would've thought Costco would have such fresh fish? I adapted a recipe from Cook's illustrated for pan seared sesame crusted tuna steaks, but really, it's so easy you don't even need a recipe.

The ahi was sooo yummy!! I served it with a simple wasabi soy sauce and it was perfect just as it is. I thought about making a wasabi aioli, but after the fish was cooked, I was too anxious and just wanted to tackle it. =) Here's the recipe.

Seared Furikake Ahi
adapted from Cooks Illustrated February 2003

3/4 cup furikake
4 tuna steaks, 8 oz each and about 1 inch thick
2 tbsp vegetable oil

1. Spread furikake in a shallow baking dish or pie plate. Pat tuna steaks dry with paper towel; use 1 tbsp of oil to rub both sides of steaks. Press both sides of each steak in furikake to coat.

2. Heat remaining 1 tbsp oil in a 12 inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just beginning to smoke; swirl to coat pan. Add tuna steaks and cook 30 seconds without moving steaks. Reduce heat to medium high; continue to cook for about 1 1/2 minutes.

3. Using tongs, carefully flip tuna steaks; cook, without moving steaks for another 1 1/2 minutes for rare, or 3 minutes for medium rare. To serve, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices.

Note:

• *the original recipe calls for 3/4 cup of sesame seeds, they also season the steaks with salt and pepper before adding the sesame seeds. Because the furikake is already seasoned, I omitted the salt and pepper.
  

Chinese steamed fish

Hey everyone, it's been awhile. I've been having too much fun. My family and I just came back from an Alaskan cruise. I had so much fun in the open ocean that I jumped at the chance to go back when my friend's husband asked me if I wanted to go fishing!

This was the first time I went fishing on a boat and it was quite an adventure. I completely expected to come home empty handed and was just looking forward to a boat ride on a beautiful day.

What a pleasant surprise when I came home with four edible fish!!! yipee!! We always steam fresh fish in this household so I decided to share my dad's "recipe". I say "recipe" because he doesn't really have a recipe. I watched him prepare the fish from start to finish and here's what I got. When I try to make it myself, I can update this with more accurate measurements.

The bottom red fish (I forgot the name of the fish) is what it looked like before cooking.

Chinese steamed fish
from Mr. K

for the fish:
1 fresh fish
2 stalks of green onion (scallions)
2 stalks of cilantro (chinese parsley)
1" piece of ginger
2 tbsp oil

for the sauce:
1/4 tsp sugar
bit of water
2 or 3 tbsp of soy sauce

1. Clean fish (don't ask me how, I have no idea!) and dry fish with paper towel.

2. Cut scallions into 2" pieces and then slice lengthwise to get thinner slices. Cut cilantro into 1" pieces. Julienne the ginger until they're very thin pieces.

3. Place a pair of chopsticks under the fish on the plate (see note). Rest the fish on the chopsticks and steam for approximately 8 minutes, depending on the size of your fish.

4. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Combine the sugar, water and soy sauce together in a small bowl. Heat the oil in a small pan. Put ginger into the oil. Then put the scallions and cilantro. Cook for about 30 seconds.

5. After the fish is finished. Remove chopsticks from under the fish and drain the water from the plate. Pour soy sauce mixture on the fish and top with the scallions and cilantro oil. Enjoy!!

Note:

• *My dad said the reason you put the chopsticks under the fish is so that the fish doesn't sit in the water which makes the texture mushy.