The Great Catfish Debate-4/20/10

Catfish is not a topic upon which I have a great
wealth of knowledge. It was by complete accident that I walked into the Great Catfish Debate. I had intended to make the Slow-Roasted Halibut with Shaved Asparagus and Fennel on page 84 of this month's Bon Appetit.
Super H Mart, my local Asian market, did not have halibut but I did remember that another recipe I planned to make later in the week called for bass. I saw a nice looking white fish labeled "basa". Rather naively, I assumed this was Spanish for bass. Many of the employees speak Spanish so that was a plausible explanation. A quick Google search proved I was wrong. Basa is a type of catfish, native to the Mekong River in Vietnam. Realising I had purchased a completely different type of fish, I began to look up recipes to see how best to cook this fish. Almost immediately, I began to read warnings about the safety of basa. Several websites spoke of the filth in the Mekong River where these fish grow and the likelihood of this fish to carry toxic chemicals as a result. See http://randomsay.wordpress.com/ I got a little freaked out. Was I going to poison my family by cooking this fish? I decided to do a bit more research. What I found was quite interesting. Several American catfish producing states had banned basa (or its cheaper cousin, tra) because of health concerns but nowhere could I find actual health infractions. I could find no evidence from FDA testing of high chemical content, no news stories of food borne illness. In fact, I found several recipes from high-end chefs that raved about the mild flavor and smooth texture of this fish. In fact, in a blind taste test preformed by the University of Mississippi, people preferred the taste of basa. Maybe this all a bit of brouhaha for nothing. I found the following musings rather entertaining so I'll link them here. http://mises.org/daily/1890 The question is...Did we eat the fish? We did. Will I eat it every week? No.
I ended up using the basa to replace the halibut in the Slow-Roasted Halibut with Shaved Asparagus and Fennel Salad. This substitution was a bit of a stretch but we are leaving for Texas tomorrow and I didn't want to head out to the second grocery store of the day to find halibut. Basa is as advertised. It is a very mild tasting white fish that had firm smooth flakes. Probably the best thing was that my kitchen did not smell the least bit fishy after cooking. The breading for the fish was baked, eliminating the oily results of fried fish breading. The asparagus and fennel salad was very lemony, almost masking the flavors of the vegetables.
In a slightly ironic twist, I also made the Leek and Ginger Matzo Balls in Lemongrass Consomme. Why is this ironic, you ask. Because basa is a catfish, making it very NON-kosher. Whoops! Thankfully, I hadn't invited anyone to dinner who followed kosher regulations but it was a bit strange to serve a classic Passover dish, matzo ball soup, with a non-kosher main dish. This soup was more traditional than you would think. The lemongrass and ginger flavors were almost undetectable. I liked the soup but would not say it was much better than a Manischewitz soup in a box.

Leek and Ginger Matzo Balls in Lemongrass Consomme-B

Slow-Roasted Halibut with Shaved Asparagus and Fennel Salad-B+

Moroccan Mole with Maple-4/19/10

I really can't imagine what a Moroccan mole with maple would taste like and to be honest, I doubt it would taste good. But tonight, I pulled off a combination of flavors that would put the fusion restaurant fad to shame. I combined 3 recipes from this month's Bon Appetit that in the logical world had no business being served together. But I think I pulled it off!

My mom and dad have stopped back by on their way home from visiting friends in Florida. I had a doctor's appointment today and didn't get home until 4:00. I didn't feel like hiking back out to the grocery store so I looked through the fridge and matched stuff I had with recipes. Here it is; Carrots, Moroccan Carrot Soup. Steak, Steak Mole with Cilantro. Maple syrup, Maple Cake with Maple Syrup Frosting.

Mom had mentioned when she was here last week that the recipe for Moroccan Carrot Soup on page 53 looked excellent. My mom loves healthy vegetarian or near vegetarian recipes and often makes meals for us in New Hampshire that have no main meat dish. She was not disappointed. I left out the yogurt drizzle at the end and it was not missed. This is a fresh pleasantly spiced soup that starts any meal well.

In a nice touch of continuity, the Steak Mole with Cilantro was rubbed before grilling with cumin, the key spice in the carrot soup. The steak was then served with a side of quick homemade mole, made with canned crushed tomatoes and chocolate chips. This quick version of mole doesn't have the same complexity of authentic Mexican mole but it had some of the same flavor components. I probably wouldn't make this sauce again though because of the prevalence of excellent jarred moles, even at our local grocery store.

With Mom and Dad here, I wanted to take advantage of the extra people to eat cake. Richard, Eyrleigh, and I would not be able to walk if we ate the 6 cakes in "The Great American Cake" article all by ourselves. Mom and Dad bring us maple syrup from a friend's sugar house in Vermont every time they come to visit so we have no shortage of real maple syrup. The cake portion of this recipe used no sugar, just 2 cups of maple syrup. The batter seemed pretty runny but it baked up beautifully. The maple flavor was pretty mellow and I thought the chopped nuts added a nice touch. I had worried that I chopped the nuts too fine but they baked in well and added flavor without too much texture. The frosting was good too. I was a little shy on powdered sugar, had only 2 cups not 3, so my icing went on a bit thin as you can see in the picture. The flavor didn't appear to be affected though and using less powdered sugar even allowed the maple flavor to shine through. I wouldn't recommend this combination for everyone but for us, for tonight, this meal was a great combination.

Moroccan Carrot Soup-A-

Steak Mole with Cilantro-B

Maple Cake with Maple Syrup Frosting-A

Paying the Man-4/15/10

Richard and I got our tax return in early February. I've never waited until April to do my tax return, never mind the 15th. I wouldn't be completely honest if I said I never procrastinated on anything. A few college papers were slipped under a professor's door just a few minutes before 5:00. It's just that I've almost always gotten a tax return so I look forward getting a few extra dollars, the sooner, the better. So tonight's dinner had nothing to do with taxes or running to the mail. Thank goodness for that!

Tonight, I made another recipe from Bon Appetit's "Spring's Big 3" article, a collection of recipes using asparagus, peas, and artichokes. The Lasagna with Asparagus, Leeks, and Morels was a vegetarian lasagna with a cream sauce base. I've not always been happy with cooking magazines non-traditional variations on lasagna but this recipe passed the test. The cream sauce was thick and the meaty mushrooms gave depth to the dish. I really like this lasagna. My only frustration was trying to find little dishes to make "individual" portions as the recipe called for. I would have appreciated a note at the bottom of the recipe that adapted cook times for a one-pan version of this lasagna. I have very little use for 2-cup baking dishes so I don't have a set of 4 and had to adapt with 2 small dishes and 1 other a bit larger.

I'd made several rather large cakes lately so I choose a lighter dessert to accompany tonight's dinner. The Coffee Granita with Cardamom Whipped Cream on page 53 was a simple, light dessert with great flavor. I love coffee ice cream so I was excited about this recipe. Just sugar, water, and some espresso powder! How easy is that! It tasted just like you would expect, frozen coffee with whipped cream. That's how Starbucks has made their millions and I paid way less than $4.25. This is a great simple dessert for a night with friends. I wouldn't recommend it for the under 10 set, unless you are planning an all-nighter.

Lasagna with Asparagus, Leeks, and Morels-A-

Coffee Granita with Cardamom Whipped Cream-A

You Can't Eat Just One-4/14/10

"Have you ever had just one pistachio?" If you recognize this line, you've watched the popular "NCIS" show a few times too. I'm not a big t.v. watcher. I watch sports and the "crime drama" shows and that's pretty much it. With the crime dramas, I have a pretty quick trigger. If things get too graphic or involve crimes against women or children, I turn them off. I don't want nightmares from my t.v. I didn't have a television growing up and I have trouble remembering that the events on a show are not real. I'm good enough at creeping myself out in a dark house at night, I don't need someone else to help me.

You may be wondering what the television tangent has to do with tonight's meal but it does relate, sort of. I've been charging through this month's Bon Appetit article "The Great American Cake". We are not even to Tax Day and I have just one cake of the six left to make. Tonight I made the Lime Angel Food Cake with Lime Glaze and Pistachios. I was quite intimidated reading the recipe with all the sifting, folding, and 10 egg whites. (No clue what I'm going to do with the 10 yolks now!) But really, this was a pretty easy cake. A stand mixer and the battery powered sifter I totally laughed at when I got it saved me a ton of time and babysitting. Looking at the cake in the magazine against mine, I think I could have chopped my pistachios even smaller, to almost dust, but other than that, mine was a pretty good replica. It tasted fantastic. I've always found angel food good but a bit dull for all the work but the lime glaze and crunchy pistachios really worked on this dessert and it stood up to my spicy dinner dish well.

For dinner, I made the Paneer Curry with Peas on page 89. I haven't found a local grocer, Asian or otherwise, that reliably carries Indian products so I took the suggestion of the article and replaced the paneer with chicken. I could have also used tofu to keep the meal vegetarian. This dish was an excellent introduction to curry. The flavor was mild but distinctive and almost any meat could be used in place of the paneer. The addition of peas is very common to curry and added a fresh flavor and texture. Served over rice, this was a simple meal that didn't use many dishes or take much time. And yes, you got more than one pistachio in every serving!

Paneer Curry with Peas-A

Lime Angel Food Cake with Lime Glaze and Pistachios-A

Take A Deep Breath-4/13/10

I've mentioned before that one of my favorite things about doing a blog that attempts to make each month's recipes from a cooking magazine is sitting down at the beginning of each month and writing the "menu". I use the term "menu" loosely because I often change the menu as I go along to fit in with the day, what I have planned, and if I get to the grocery store. Today I had a rather ambitious plan that included half the recipes from the Passover menu I didn't get to during Passover. I didn't get to the Asian market to get lemongrass and I didn't make the soup ahead so I could chill it and skim the fat for the matzo balls. So needless to say, that menu wasn't happening. I also flat out didn't feel like racing around, spending several hours finding and making unfamiliar recipes. Today was the kind of day I needed something familiar. The last few months have taken a lot out of me emotionally and I notice some days I'm just sad. Not inconsolable or overwhelmed by any one event in particular, just sad. Sad about the things I can't control, sad about the things I'll miss, sad about that any of this even happened. I realize I'm not the only one who has had bad things happen or even close to the worst things happen but some days life just gets a little heavy and this was one of those days. Cooking makes me feel better but too much just wears me out. So I made a switch to the menu and made the super easy cover recipe and called it a day. I still had four panna cottas from yesterday so dessert was done.
The cover recipe of Bon Appetit this month, the Salmon with Sweet Chili Glaze, Sugar Snap Peas, and Pea Tendrils, was very easy. Unfortunately, I don't have a garden right now, beyond a few potted herbs, so pea tendrils were not available. I guess I could have checked the Asian market but again, I was going for super easy tonight. The glaze was a snap to put together and the peas were simply sauteed with some ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and wine. Even I can remember this recipe for a quick weeknight meal with a side of white rice. Ahhhh, easy is good!

Salmon with Sweet Chili Glaze, Sugar Snap Peas, and Pea Tendrils-A-

Venting About Artichokes-4/12/10

I find artichokes insanely frustrating. You start with this fist size vegetable and by the time you are done trimming them, you have barely a finger worth of edible food. Don't get me wrong, I like artichokes but I feel like I'm wasting something every time I prepare one. With three recipes this month calling for fresh artichokes, I'll be getting some practice trimming them and filling up my kitchen trash with lots of leaves.

Tonight's artichoke dish, Sauteed Chicken Paillards with Artichoke Hearts on page 91 of this month's Bon Appetit, was a good recipe to start off. The artichokes were simply trimmed and sliced and used as a sauce for chicken breast. The sauce had a mixture of wine, chicken broth, and butter. These traditional flavors complimented the artichokes and blended nicely with the pan-fried chicken.

I decide to make the Grilled Calamari with White Bean Stew as a side dish/salad for the chicken. The name of this dish was bit deceiving. There was a salad accompanying the beans and since they were drained of almost all liquid, it wasn't really stew at all. I found the recipe a bit more work than necessary for the result. The salad was almost an afterthough with a oil and lemon dressing. The calamari and beans were good but not outstanding and I didn't fell the herb oil added much of anything. I may use the bean alone as a simple side in the future. The clam juice and onion added a nice simple flavor to the canned beans that would make a nice side for a steak or chicken dish.

The dessert I made for tonight, Bay Laurel Panna Cotta, was excellent but I wasn't sure how much the extra step of steeping bay leaves added to the dish. I wish I could have compared traditional panna cotta to this version. I didn't notice a distinct flavor of bay leaves. The dish was wonderfully creamy and perfectly sweetened, however. I think next time I'll just leave out the bay leaves. The suggested cashews and candied orange peel didn't add much either. Just stick with the basics on this recipe and you'll be very happy.

Sauteed Chicken Paillards with Artichoke Hearts-B+

Grilled Calamari with White Bean Stew-C+

Bay Laurel Panna Cotta-A-

Do They Make a Cake Level?-4/10/10

Google can tell you just about anything you want to know. No, I don't think anyones invented a cake level to help straighten crooked cakes. The links that connected to my Google query offered up a portable clothes washer and a chainsaw, neither of which would have helped the Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake I made today from this month's Bon Appetit. There were a few suggestions I will remember for next time to keep my cake from resembling the "Leaning Tower of Pisa". I left each of the three layers as they had baked in the cake pans, with a higher point in the center. The web suggested that flattening each layer in a uniform manner keeps your cake from leaning to the side. Another suggestion was to avoid touching the cake. I guess your hands make it more likely to crumble. I can proudly say that I didn't touch this cake. I actually made this cake for a couple in our church small group who just had a little boy on Easter Sunday. I thought making a completely new recipe for other people was a bit cruel on the off-chance it wasn't good but how can you go wrong with chocolate cake? I did cut off a bit of one layer so I could evaluate the flavor of the cake... and make sure I didn't poison anyone. This cake was super-chocolaty and very moist, a perfect cake for the chocolate purist. The frosting was also a purist's dream. It used 3 sticks of butter, powdered sugar, and melted baking chocolate. This was a cake for the chocolate lover. I'm kinda wishing I'd had a bigger piece right now!

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake-A

Daddy Shout Out!-4/5/10

We miss you, Daddy! Richard is on a business trip in Louisville, Kentucky and we miss him. My parents are still here and the time is going pretty quickly but it's always a bit weird when Daddy is not at home. I almost feel guilty about making tonight's dinner while he is gone. It was really good and I wish he could have enjoyed it with us.

Bon Appetit added a new column this month called "Sunday Suppers". I actually think this is just the "Family Style" column renamed but the concept is the same. A meal should bring family together and be a time of conversation and togetherness. That's what we did tonight. Eyrleigh and I enjoyed a wonderful meal outside on the deck with Grammy and Dada. The Chipotle Roast Chicken Tacos began with the real deal, a wonderfully moist roast chicken. I forget how easy it is to roast a chicken and how wonderful they taste. This chicken was rubbed with chipotle butter and roasted with onions and garlic. This chicken was easy to shred and simply was put on tacos with avocado and a bit of sauce. The tacos were wonderful and other than taking some time, this was easy to do.

The side dish of Poblano, Potato, and Corn Gratin was good but need a bit of tweaking. The recipe called for a quick saute of the poblano peppers. They needed much longer to soften and should

not have been left in long strips. The peppers were still too chewy and the pieces too big to be easily eaten in the dish. The rest of the dish was very good but was a bit unnecessary with the one dish tacos. This dish would have been a great match for a Mexican spiced chicken or steak

dish. We can try that when Richard gets home!

Chipotle Roast Chicken Tacos-A

Poblano, Potato, and Corn Gratin-B

Bunny Joy-4/4/10

I go a little crazy with Eyrleigh's Easter basket. When I was a kid, my parents felt it was important to focus on the more religious side of Easter. I remember going to church early in the morning to celebrate the sunrise and Jesus' resurrection. I don't remember getting an Easter basket, except one year when we spent the Easter weekend at my aunt's in Alexandria, Virginia. Now, as an adult, I see my parent's intent as a noble one but I can't deny that I always felt a bit left out. The baskets are just fun! They are fun to make, fun to get, and help to celebrate the joy of the day and the spirit of the season. The year Eyrleigh was born I had her name embroidered on a basket and we fill it to the brim each year. One of her favorite surprises in this year's basket was the little magnetized bunnies she holds in the picture.

There was an Easter menu in this month's Bon Appetit but because of the arrival of my parents and a busy weekend, I just made a few recipes and used Honey Baked Ham to fill in the gaps for Easter dinner. My first recipe was not for Easter dinner at all but for the rush before we all headed off to church. My dad and uncle were the only two who rose early for the sunrise service. The rest of us slept in and needed as much time as possible to get ready. The New York Style Crumb Cake was a perfect answer to breakfast on the run. The cake was yummy, though a bit dry but the strangest thing happened. The crumb topping sunk to the bottom. I can't explain why. I put it on top, I swear, but when I took the cake out, the crumb topping was on the bottom of the pan and was incredibly difficult to cut through. Any thoughts as to why this happened would be greatly appreciated because I am completely at a loss.

The two recipes I made to go along with Easter dinner were a great match to the Honey Baked Ham my mom and dad bought. The Sisi's Corn Pudding in the Easter menu was simple to make and tasted wonderful. This recipe is a real keeper. The corn was creamy and baked up beautifully in the time called for. I loved this dish.

For dessert, I made the Vanilla Bean Bundt Cake with Vanilla Glaze and Strawberries instead of the recommended Cream Puffs. This was a decision based on time and ingredients more than preference. I found the bundt cake a bit bland. I dressed it up a little for the holiday with pink coloring in the glaze and some pastel peanut M&M's but this was not a real showstopper of a dessert. The strawberries helped a bit but I still felt the cake was a bit dense and dry. I liked my little eggs around the top though. How very festive of me!

New York Style Crumb Cake -C

Sisi's Corn Pudding -A

Vanilla Bundt Cake with Vanilla Frosting and Strawberries-B-

Elvis Sighting-4/3/10

To the chagrin of many a Southerner, I don't know much about "The King". I couldn't name more than a song or two he sang and aside from knowing he had a daughter who married the other King of Pop, I am very unclear of the details of Elvis' life. But even I knew he loved peanut butter and banana sandwiches. I had a birthday party to attend tonight and didn't want to arrive empty-handed. I whipped up a quick batch of the Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting on page 110 of this month's Bon Appetit. Unfortunately, my culinary connection was lost on the birthday boy, who like me was too young to remember Elvis in his heyday. The cupcakes were really good and the combination worked. They felt a bit healthier than traditional cupcakes, though I doubt they were. The peanut butter flavor and the complexity of the banana muffin were a great twist on the often cloying cupcake. There was a bit more frosting than necessary but if you like peanut butter and frosting, this was a good thing.

Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting-A

No Fooling!-4/1/10

In some cruel April Fool joke, I let my subscription to Bon Appetit run out. I remember several years ago getting hounded by Conde Nast Publications almost daily to renew my subscription. For some reason, they didn't even send me a renewal offer this time. I had to go out today and buy my Bon Appetit at the store so I could begin my April recipes. Since I was a bit late getting my April issue, I didn't have time to plan out this month's recipes. Tonight I picked a quick one dish meal that could feed my parents, Richard, Eyrleigh, and I.

I've loved paella since I spent the summer of 1992 in Barcelona. The quick version on page 89 of this month's Bon Appetit did not have the same complexity as the classic Spanish version filled with shellfish and sausage but it was good for a weeknight. The chicken thighs were flavorful baked in the rice and the chorizo added a spicy component without overpowering. My only complaint was the size of the peas. They were just too big and sat awkwardly in the rice mixture. I didn't find the mild flavor a good compliment either. Diced green and red peppers may have been a better match.

I tried to make the quickest dessert in the whole issue,, the White-Chocolate Dipped Strawberries with Citrus Sugar on page 50, and was pretty unsuccessful. Word to the wise: Don't use white chocolate chips in place of white baking chocolate. Whatever quality makes the chips hold their shape while baking also prevents the chips from melting well. You see the results above. I compensated by simply putting the citrus sugar on the strawberries and then whipping some cream to put on top. I crumbled the smashed white chocolate over the whipped cream and strawberries. If I do say so, this joke of a dessert was pretty good.

Quick Chicken Paella with Sugar Snap Peas-B

White-Chocolate Dipped Stawberries with Citrus Sugar-B+

Out With a Fizzle-3/31/10

If the saying goes "March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb", my blog would be more like "March came in like a whisper and went out like a fizzle". Not really a memorable quote but sure true of my month. I missed the first week of the month because I was mourning my brother and finished the month with a bout of sickness and minor surgery that made cooking less than attractive. I'm glad when I began my blog again in February I assured myself that I would not stress out about not finishing every recipe for the month. I fell way short in March. I made only 21 of 53 recipes in this month's Bon Appetit. That's not exactly representative of the issue. My final recipe to review was the Chicken Parmesan Burgers on page 48. As you can see from my picture, I was losing steam as the events of the last few month and their aftermath caught up with my immune system. These burgers were a good use of the traditionally bland ground chicken. This was a great simple weeknight recipe using things found most days in anyone's kitchen. Beyond that I don't feel quite right reviewing the month as a whole when I didn't make even half of the recipes in Bon Appetit but in this case, just trying was a success.

Chicken Parmesan Burgers-B+