Wild Mushroom Salad

Recipe: Wild Mushroom Salad
Page: 78
Date Cooked: February 15, 2012

This recipe somewhat follows a technique I used in a previous recipe, Warm Dandelion, Bacon, and Potato Salad, where you use the hot bacon fat to wilt the greens. In this recipe, you use the warm mushrooms tossed in a vinaigrette to wilt the greens. The fun part of this recipe was looking for wild mushrooms and once I saw them in the store, I knew it was time to pull this recipe out.

Ingredients: Sourdough bread, garlic, rosemary, olive oil, pine nuts, salt, mixed wild mushrooms - shitake and hedgehog, prosciutto, shallot, sherry vinegar, walnut oil, chives, sage leaves, black pepper, mixed torn firm lettuces - endive and romaine, and basil leaves

The first step was to make the garlic croutons. I cut up the sourdough bread into cubes and baked until golden. In the meantime, I minced the garlic. I put the croutons in a bowl and mixed in the rosemary, olive oil, and garlic.

Making garlic croutons

I cleaned the mushrooms and cut them into bite-sized pieces. I put the pine nuts on a baking sheet and toasted them for just a few minutes. Once they were toasted, I poured the pine nuts in a bowl and seasoned with a bit of salt. I also sliced the prosciutto into strips.

1. Cleaned mushrooms 2. Toasted pine nuts with salt 3. Sliced prosciutto 

Then it was on to the vinaigrette...I minced the shallot and put it in a small bowl. I whisked in the sherry vinegar and the walnut oil. The recipe also calls for hazelnut oil - but since I couldn't find any, I simply used double the amount of walnut oil. I then stirred in the chives, sage, and pepper. I also put the lettuces in a large salad bowl and mixed in the basil.

1. Vinaigrette 2. Mixed lettuces with basil

I heated some olive oil in a large skillet until almost smoking. I added the mushrooms and seasoned with salt and pepper. I cooked the mushrooms until they were nice and golden and then quickly added the vinaigrette.

Mushrooms with vinaigrette

I added the mushrooms to the lettuce and tossed. I added the pine nuts, prosciutto, and croutons and mixed it all together. Finally, I seasoned it with some salt and pepper.

Wild Mushroom Salad

This salad was delicious. The crunch of the croutons and pine nuts, the earthiness of the mushrooms, the freshness of the lettuces, and the salt and fat of the prosciutto worked harmoniously. It tasted just as good as it looks. I want to make note of one of the mushrooms I used - the hedgehog mushroom. It smelled amazing. I could not believe the intense amount of flavor that came from this one mushroom. JW mentions really trying to use wild mushrooms for this recipe to get all the flavor of the salad and it makes sense. Overall, a beautiful, delicious salad.

Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Spicy Clams

Recipe: Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Spicy Clams
Page: 133
Date Cooked: February 6, 2012

There is something about a bowl of pasta that just screams comfort to me. Then, with a bit of seafood mixed in, I am definitely on board. JW speaks wonders about Manila clams in the intro to this recipe. He goes on and on about how sweet and wonderful they are. Unfortunately, these clams are from the Pacific and aren't really available in Central PA. Luckily, in the recipe itself he gives the option of using cherrystone clams. The strange part is the two clam varietals couldn't be more different. Manila clams are small and cherrystone clams are among some of the larger clams. Nonetheless, I hoped it wouldn't take away from the dish.

Ingredients: Cherrystone clams, red tomatoes, yellow tomato, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, garlic, dry white wine, red pepper flakes, dried whole wheat spaghetti, brine-cured black olives, unsalted butter, tarragon leaves, salt, and pepper

While I put some salt water on boil, I starting prepping the other ingredients. I scrubbed and cleaned the clams and put them into the fridge. I coarsely chopped the tomatoes, minced the peppers, and peeled some garlic cloves.

1.Cleaned cherrystone clams 2. Minced bell peppers 3. Chopped tomatoes 4. Peeled garlic cloves

I cooked the spaghetti in the boiling water. I also combined the wine and red pepper flakes in a saucepan and set it to simmer.

Simmering white wine with red pepper flakes

In a Dutch oven, I combined the clams, garlic, and white wine mixture and brought it all to a boil. I cooked it until the clams opened.

Cooking clams

Once the clams opened, I added the butter, tomatoes, peppers, olives, and tarragon to the pan. I brought all the ingredients to a boil and seasoned with salt and pepper. Side note: I ended up taking the clam meat out of the shells, just because the clams were so large.

Clams with tomatoes, peppers, olives, and tarragon

Finally, I drained the pasta and tossed it well with the clam sauce....

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Spicy Clams

This recipe was a winner. Beautiful colors in the dish - the red and yellow of the peppers and tomatoes, the olives, and the green tarragon. The clam sauce was super flavorful. It was hearty but not heavy. I really enjoyed the dish. Perhaps if I get a chance to get those Manila clams, I will give this recipe another shot. I'm sure I wouldn't mind eating it again.

Enjoy!

Sautéed Monkfish with Spaghetti Squash

Recipe: Sautéed Monkfish with Spaghetti Squash
Page: 205
Date Cooked: January 30, 2012

I walked up to my grocer's seafood counter and indicated that I wanted some monkfish and my fishmonger replied with, "Monkfish, the poor man's lobster." I guess I would have been more intrigued by this statement had it not been the exact opening line of this recipe in JW's A Great American Cook. Never having cooked monkfish or spaghetti squash before, I was excited to see how this recipe would turn out.

Ingredients: Monkfish fillets, salt, pepper, olive oil, spaghetti squash, unsalted butter, lemon, dry white wine, and sage leaves

I sliced the monkfish fillet into equal portions and flattened each portion slightly with the back of my knife. The fillets were then salted and peppered. I put olive oil on a plate and placed the fish on the plate coating each side with the oil. I covered the plate and put it in the fridge.

1. Monkfish fillet in portions 2. Adding salt and pepper 3. Coating fillets with olive oil

Moving on to the spaghetti squash. I cut the squash in half and removed any seeds. I dotted the halves with butter and added salt and pepper. I roasted the squash until it was tender. I then used a large fork to flick out the stands of the roasted squash. And I finally realized why it was called spaghetti squash - the strands really do look like spaghetti, it was kind of fun.

Strands of spaghetti squash

I melted butter in a large skillet until the butter turned a hazelnut color. I added the fish and cooked it for a few minutes on each side and then placed the fish on a baking sheet.

Cooking monkfish

I added white wine to the skillet and reduced the liquid by about half. I then lowered the heat and added the squash, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sage leaves. I cooked the squash for a few minutes and added some salt and pepper as needed.

Cooking the spaghetti squash in a white wine reduction with lemon zest, lemon juice, and sage leaves

When the squash was close to being done, I reheated the monkfish under the broiler for just a few minutes. I formed a nest of squash on a plate and put the monkfish right on top....

Sautéed Monkfish with Spaghetti Squash

There are 9 "Fish" recipes in A Great American Cook. I have now made 4 of the 9 recipes....this is the best fish recipe I have had thus far. It was amazing. I could not get over how freaking delicious the spaghetti squash was. Perfect amount of acidity. Perfect seasoning. Honestly, I have no words for how amazingly good it was. The meaty texture of the monkfish was the right accompaniment. It was so ridiculously simple but the flavor combination was intensely complex. I have to give this recipe rave reviews and there is not a single doubt in my mind that I will make this again. Heck, I wish I had some right now...

Enjoy!

Roasted Onion, Seared Steak, and Onion Rings

Recipe: Roasted Onion, Seared Steak, and Onion Rings
Page: 44
Date Cooked: January 20, 2012

Let's just say that this recipe isn't for the onion fearing people out there. There is roasted onion, onion in the crème fraîche, and onion rings - a trio of onion flavor. It definitely makes for one pretty looking starter though.

Ingredients: Red onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, all-purpose flour, lager, eggs, white onion, milk, corn oil, sea salt, filet mignon, crème fraîche, and cumin seeds

Roasted onion is the first term in the recipe and so that is what I worked on first. I coated the unpeeled red onions with olive oil, salt, and pepper. I put them in the oven to roast until the onions were tender. Afterward, I set the onions aside to cool.

Roasting whole unpeeled red onions

In the meantime, I began prepping for the optional onion rings. I whisked flour, salt, beer, and egg yolks together to create the batter. I set the batter aside till I was ready to fry. I sliced the white onion into rings, placed them in milk, and put the bowl aside.

Left: Onion ring batter
Right: Onions in milk

I proceeded to slicing the filet mignon and coating each piece of meat in olive oil. I placed the meat between two sheets of plastic wrap and pounded out till thin. I put the meat on a plate and into the fridge it went until cooking time.

Pounded out filet mignon

I peeled the roasted onions and popped out the center. I chopped the center of the onion and combined it with crème fraîche. While I chopped, I had cumin seeds roasting lightly in pan. I ground the cumin seeds and added it to the crème fraîche mixture.

1. Hollowed out roasted onion 2. Toasting cumin seeds 3. Crème fraîche mixture 

I heated a dry cast-iron skillet and seared the beef over medium-high heat for just a few minutes. I also beat the egg whites into the beer batter and proceeded to make the onion rings. With the oil heated, I removed the onions from the milk, coated them in the batter, and deep-fried until golden brown. I salted the onion rings with sea salt.

Searing the beef

Finally, I rolled the slices of beef and placed them into the hollowed out roasted onion. I then spooned the crème fraîche mixture on top of the beef. I then served it alongside a few onion rings.

Roasted Onion, Seared Steak, and Onion Rings

JW's onion rings - flawless. Perfectly crispy, perfect amount of seasoning, and cooking times were on point. And oh my goodness... that crème fraîche mixture - amazing! I love the taste of cumin and it just went so incredibly well with the beef and the roasted onion. I couldn't get enough of that crème fraîche mixture. I will say it was a little more difficult than I though to pop out the center of the roasted onion. Also, I couldn't get the beef into a perfect roll and may have needed to pound it out a little more. But, all in all, a pretty good starter. And it looks pretty cool too.

Enjoy!

Spicy Swordfish Salad Sandwich

Recipe: Spicy Swordfish Salad Sandwich
Page: 107
Date Cooked: January 16, 2012

When you're cooking every recipe in a cookbook, you have to got to be strategic. Seeing if a specialty ingredient is required in multiple recipes or if one builds off another is essential. One thing JW likes to do is create sandwiches with leftovers from other recipes. Previously, I made a Roast Chicken and Scallion Sandwich with Warm Mayonnaise with leftovers from Perfect Roast Chicken with Mashed Potatoes and Spinach. This particular sandwich uses the swordfish leftovers from Spicy Swordfish. Had I not realized this before, it would have been unlikely that there would be any spicy swordfish leftovers to even make this sandwich!

Ingredients: Left-over swordfish, green bell pepper, aioli from page 102 (not shown), capers, dill pickle, chives, iceberg lettuce, olive oil, Hass avocado, sea salt, and rye bread

The aioli that Jonathan Waxman calls for this recipe has actually been utilized in two previous recipes (Warm Squid Salad and Soft Shell Crab and Aioli Sandwich). Those aioli making experiences were without a doubt sub-par. And since I have had mayo making success since then, I had high hopes for myself this time around.

I put egg yolks and garlic into a blender and pureed. I then added some salt. As the blender ran on a medium level speed, I slowly dribbled in the olive oil until the sauce began to emulsify. And you wouldn't believe it......aioli making success!!! I got the perfect consistency! It almost makes me want to re-do the other two recipes just to see if my verdict on those recipes would change at all.

Aioli making
1. Egg yolks and garlic 2. Aioli beginning to emulsify 3. Finished product - check out that consistency!

With the aioli out of the way, I began sandwich prep. I crumbed the fish into flakes and stemmed, seeded, and diced the bell pepper.

Left: Flakes of swordfish 2. Diced green bell pepper

I combined the aioli, capers, pickle, chives, and fish in a bowl. I covered the mixture and let it stand in the fridge.

Spicy Swordfish Salad mixture

In the meantime, I tossed the lettuce with olive oil and salt. I also pitted, peeled, and sliced the avocado.

Left: Slicing avocado Right: Lettuce tossed with olive oil and sea salt

I then toasted the bread and began putting the sandwich together. I spread the swordfish mixture onto one slice and topped it with the lettuce and avocado slices.

Spicy Swordfish Salad Sandwich

Yum! This was one tasty fish sandwich. Note: JW says any mild fish will work here. I really liked the sandwich. The crunch of the bell pepper and pickle was a perfect textural contrast. The avocado provided the right amount of fat. And this sounds so minor, but I think there is something to tossing the lettuce in olive oil and sea salt - you essentially get flavor from every single component of the sandwich. This was a winner in my book. I can't wait to have leftover fish in my future!

Enjoy!

Cod and Calamari Stew

Recipe: Cod and Calamari Stew
Page: 65
Date Cooked: January 15, 2012


It sounds strange saying that cod has an interesting place in my heart, but it does. I went to Portugal a few years ago and went a little cod crazy. Salted cod, or bacalhau, is a staple in Portugal and I ate it in many forms. So whenever I see cod on a menu (or in this case, a recipe), I fondly recall my trip and remember why I like this fish so much.

Ingredients: Fish bones and head, cleaned squid, garlic, red onion, cilantro, orange, olive oil, red pepper flakes, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, dry white wine, tomato, cod fillet, salt, and pepper

I have never gone to the seafood counter and asked for fish bones before. Never really thought about getting them. Well, that just added to another "first" for this project. I even decided to get more than the recipe required to keep in my freezer for later. I rinsed the fish bones and removed any gills. I used kitchen shears to cut the bones and head into smaller pieces. While I would normally put a picture right about here, I'm going to pass. I'm not particularly affected by it, but it isn't the prettiest picture.

With the mess of the fish bones out of the way, I proceeded to mince the garlic, chop the onion, and remove cilantro leaves while keeping the stems. I also zested and juiced the orange.

Left: Minced garlic
Right: Chopped onion

I sauteed the garlic with some olive oil in a pot, until the garlic softened. I added the onion and cooked that for a bit. I stirred in the red pepper flakes, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, white wine, orange zest and juice, and the cilantro stems. Finally I added the fish bones and enough water to cover all the ingredients. I brought the broth to a boil, and reduced the heat to simmer for some time. After said time, I strained the broth.

The makings of fish broth

While the fish broth simmered, I diced the tomato, cut the cod into cubes, and sliced the squid bodies into rings. I want to make note here that JW advises to definitely and only use fresh squid. His exact words are "fresh squid is essential here, so if you can't find it, either leave it out or try another recipe."

1. Diced tomato 2. Squid rings 3. Cubes of cod

I heated some olive oil in a Dutch oven and tossed in the squid and cod. I then added the strained broth, cilantro leaves, and tomato. 

Squid + Cod + Broth + Tomato + Cilantro leaves

The stew simmered gently until the cod was cooked through. I seasoned the stew with some salt and pepper and it was ready to be eaten...

Cod and Calamari Stew

At first I was a bit taken aback. When you hear the word stew you expect something on the heartier side and this definitely was not that. But, it was delicious. The fish broth had an incredibly depth of flavor. I really enjoyed the citrus notes and loved the coriander flavor coming through. I can see why JW makes a big fuss about using fresh squid - the texture and taste were just perfect! In the future, I would just add more seafood - either more cod and squid or even experiment with other seafood in general. It was a pretty simple and straightforward recipe. I'm pretty sure I will be making this one again. And it did make me miss Portugal...

Enjoy!

Spicy Swordfish

Recipe: Spicy Swordfish
Page: 217
Date Cooked: January 14, 2012

There is something really wonderful about a great piece of fish cooked in a simple manner and paired with a great sauce. This recipe calls for a sauce with a crème fraîche base - and in my book, I'm not sure how that can taste bad. Just for some fun background, crème fraîche is pretty much a fancier sour cream. But, it isn't as sour, has higher viscosity, and a higher fat content than sour cream.

Ingredients: Jalapeno chile, red bell pepper, swordfish steaks, olive oil, salt, pepper, basil, parsley, chives, rosemary (I used rosemary instead of thyme - my grocer was out), garlic, and crème fraîche

Step One: Blacken and blister the jalapeno and red bell pepper. At this point in the project, I'm pretty sure I could blacken and blister any kind of chile or pepper with my eyes closed (not sure how safe that is, but you get my point). Once the jalapeno and red bell pepper were significantly blackened and blistered, I put them in a bowl and covered it with plastic wrap for 15 minutes. I then peeled them by hand, stemmed and seeded them, chopped them, and placed them on a side.

1. Blackened and blistered red bell pepper
2. Blackened and blistered jalapeno chile
3. Steaming bell pepper and chile
4. Chopped pepper and chile - post peeling, stemming, and seeding

While the pepper and chile steamed, I rubbed the swordfish steaks with olive oil and seasoned them with salt and pepper. I also chopped the basil leaves.

Left: Swordfish steaks with olive oil, salt, and pepper
Right: Chopped Basil

On to the sauce... I placed the jalapeno, bell pepper, parsley, rosemary, chives, garlic, crème fraîche, and olive oil in a food processor and pureed. Upon tasting, I seasoned the mixture with a bit of salt and pepper.

 Crème fraîche based sauce

Finally, I heated the broiler and placed the swordfish on to a pan to broil for a few minutes on each side. 

Swordfish ready to be broiled

I put the sauce on the plate, topped it with the broiled swordfish and it was ready to serve....

Spicy Swordfish

Incredibly simple and easy with a big flavor payoff. The swordfish steak has a meaty texture which makes it quite filling. And how much easier can it get just sticking it under the broiler for 6 minutes max?! The piece of fish was great, but the texture and flavor you get from the sauce is pretty amazing. I didn't find the sauce to be all that spicy - but I also have a high spice tolerance. Nonetheless, the flavor was all there. Simple, easy, and tasty dish. It worked for me.

Enjoy!