Asian flavors · Fish

Ginger Scallion Fish

A simple fish, flavorful recipe made with flaky white fish with ginger-scallion sauce – ready in 15 minutes.
Recipe from food blog, “Skinny Taste”

Ginger Scallion Sauce (makes 1 3/4 cups)
1 cup finely minced scallions
3 tablespoons finely minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 cup avocado oil

Ginger Scallion Fish Fillets
1/4 cup of the Ginger Scallion Sauce
2 lbs Barramundi (Asian sea bass) fillets or other white fish fillets, (about 1 inch thick)
1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 tablespoons avocado oil

Ginger Scallion Sauce (makes 1 3/4 cups)
Toss the scallions, ginger, salt, and white pepper in a large heat-proof bowl or 2-cup measuring cup.
Stir it all together.
In a small saucepan over high heat, warm the oil until it’s shimmering but not quite smoking.
Add a tiny piece of scallion to test the heat of the oil. If you see lots of little bubbles, the oil’s ready. (Or just check that the oil reaches 375°F on an instant- read thermometer.)
Pour the hot oil into the scallion and ginger mixture a little at a time. It’ll sizzle and boil, so be careful!
Stir well and let the sauce cool to room temperature.
The sauce can be refrigerated in a sealed jar for up to 2 weeks or frozen in an ice cube tray for up to 3 months.

Ginger Scallion Fish Fillets
If you guessed from the title of this recipe that you’ll need some Ginger Scallion Sauce to prepare this dish, you’re correct, so grab or make some.
Turn on the broiler with the top rack positioned 6 inches away from the heating element.
Pat dry the fish fillets with paper towels. Sprinkle the top and bottom with salt and white pepper.
Pour the avocado oil on a rimmed baking sheet, and rub or brush the oil on all sides of the fillets.
Arrange the fish skin-side down on the baking sheet.
Place the fillets under the broiler and cook for 8 to 12 minutes or until the fish reaches 140°F. Use a fork to check that the thickest parts are opaque and flake apart easily.
Take the fish out of the oven and generously spoon 1/4 cup of the Ginger Scallion Sauce on top of the fish. Serve it up!

Asian flavors · Fish · Gluten Free · Whole30 compliant

Oven baked parcels of fish with scallions, mushrooms, ginger and sesame oil

This is one of our most favorite, light and extremely tasty fish dishes, steamed to perfection, snuggled cozily in their own aluminum foil packets. All you need to serve with it is steamed white rice, as the juices from these parcels are divine.

Screen shot 2014-07-18 at 5.37.19 PM

Serves 2
2 x 6oz fillets of Chilean sea bass, cod or halibut
6 scallions, sliced on the diagonal in 1″ pieces
1 large clove of garlic crushed
1 & 1/2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated finely or chopped very finely.
1 tbsp  toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
A pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
6 good sized mushrooms, or shitake mushrooms, sliced
1/2 can baby corn pieces, drained  (optional)
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 F
In a small bowl, add the soy sauce, sesame oil, sliced scallions, ginger, garlic,red pepper flakes, mushrooms, baby corn, if using, and ground pepper.
Mix well and set aside.
Get two large pieces of aluminum foil and in the middle of each piece, place a piece of fish. Bring up all the sides of the foil, so the liquid won’t run out, and tip 1/2 of the mixture in the medium bowl over each piece of fish.
Gather up and seal the packages really well.

Screen shot 2014-07-18 at 6.00.56 PMPlace in a small roasting tin and bake at 400 F for about 15 mins max.
To test, open one of the packages and put a sharp knife into the fish to see if comes away easily.
Place the fish over a pile of simple steamed white rice in a bowl, and pour over all the sauce and vegetables.

 

Asian flavors · Curry · Gluten Free · Meat

Thai pork and peanut curry

This is the last recipe for 2013! Happy New Year to you all and thank you so much for signing up to the blog.

This was the top BBC Good Food recipe for 2013 and is well worth doing.

Serves 4

Use a fragrant hot red curry base (available in Asian markets) as the base to this curry dish with baby sweet corn, cilantro and soy sauce.

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 bunch scallions (spring onions) sliced
a small bunch fresh cilantro, stalks finely chopped, leaves picked
1 lb pork tenderloin, sliced
4 tbsp Thai red curry paste
4 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp soft brown sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
a 14 fl oz can of coconut milk (you can use light coconut milk too)
1/2 a 14 oz tin of  baby corn, drained
juice of 1 lime
steamed Jasmine rice, to serve

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or flameproof Dutch oven.
Add the scallions and cilantro stalks and cook for 1 minute. Add the pork slices and cook for 5 mins until starting to brown.
Stir in the curry paste and peanut butter.
After 30 seconds, add the sugar, soy sauce and coconut milk, plus 1/2 can water.
Mix well, put a lid on and leave to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove the lid, add the baby corn and increase the heat.
Bubble for 3 minutes until the corn is heated through and the sauce has thickened a little.
Stir in the lime juice and check the seasoning.

*  It can now be frozen for up to 2 months at this point

To cook from frozen, thoroughly defrost, then heat in a pan on the hob until the curry is hot all the way through.
Serve scattered with the cilantro leaves and steamy hot Jasmine rice

Pasta · Vegetarian pasta

Lemon, dill and parsley orzo

This is a great and tangy side dish to fish or chicken.     Serves 2 generously and 4 small portions. (I usually double the recipe for 4 people)

1 cup orzo pasta
2 tbsp each of chopped fresh dill and parsley
3 tbsp chopped scallions (green onions)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 heaped tsp grated lemon rind (you may like more)
2 tbsp lemon juice (you may like more)

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the orzo for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender but firm, drain well.
Toss with dill, parsley, onions, oil, lemon rind and lemon juice.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
This is best served immediately. For a make-ahead version, make this with rice instead of orzo.

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Grains · Vegetable-related

Pesto Rice Salad

Another gem from Delia Smith..

Just as homemade pesto does wonders for pasta so it does for rice too. This salad can be served warm as a first course and it’s really good as an accompaniment to fish or chicken main-course dishes. Served cold it makes a lovely addition to a selection of salads for a buffet.

Serves 4 -6

Italian arborio rice measured to the 8fl oz of a glass measuring jug.
1 quantity of pesto sauce, preferably homemade. (See recipe below)
16 fl oz boiling vegetable or chicken stock
5 scallions (spring onions) finely chopped
juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
A good handful of fresh basil leaves
3 oz Parmesan Reggiano cheese shavings (made with the potato peeler)
salt and freshly ground pepper

First of all measure the rice into the glass jug then add about one quarter of the pesto sauce to it and stir it around to coat all the grains.
Tip the mixture into a shallow saucepan or frying pan with a lid and pour the boiling stock into a jug (pitcher) then pour this over the rice.
Now turn on the heat and stir with a wooden spoon adding 1 tsp salt.
Then, when it begins to boil, put a lid on, turn the heat down to low and let the rice cook for exactly 20 minutes.
As soon as it’s ready, tip all the rice into a serving bowl. then simply pour in the lemon juice, olive oil and the remaining pesto sauce.
Combine all the ingredients together stirring and tossing.
At this stage, taste and season with salt and pepper.
Finally, scatter some torn basil leaves, finely chopped scallions and then some of the Parmesan shavings over the surface f the salad as a garnish.
If you want to serve the salad cold, then add the basil, onion and parmesan just before serving.


PESTO SAUCE

2 oz fresh basil leaves
1 large clove garlic, crushed
1 tbsp pine nuts, lightly toasted
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 oz Pecorina Romano cheese, grated
salt and pepper

In a blender, put the basil,pine nuts, garlic and olive oil with some salt and blend until you have a puree.
Then transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the grated Pecorino cheese.

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Easy cheesy zucchini bake

I guess I’m going for some of the easier recipes at the moment. This is simple but very effective and even the children will like this. probably something to do with the cheese!

Makes 4 – 6 servings but can easily be doubled or trebled.

2 medium sized zucchini, cut in slices or half moon slices.
2 medium sized yellow squash, cut in slices or half moon slices.
4 tbsp of fresh chopped basil. (You can use less if you’re not a huge fan of basil)
2 – 4 tbsp thinly sliced fresh scallions (spring onions) depending on taste
1/2 to 3/4 tsp dried thyme
3/4 tsp garlic powder or more according to your taste
3/4 cup plus another 3/4 cup grated sharp cheddar, or any mixture of cheeses as long as there is plenty of flavor in the cheese.
1/2 to 3/4 coarsely grated parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spray an 8 x 8 (or thereabouts) baking dish with oil or non stick spray
Wash the squashes and cut into slices or half moons. Wash the basil and spin dry or dry gently on paper towels and  finely chop.  Slice the scallions (spring onions)
Combine the sliced squashes, chopped basil, sliced green onions, dried thyme, garlic powder, both cheeses (remember to hold back the extra cheese for the topping) and stir with the vegetables until they are well coated with the cheese and herbs and well distributed.
Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Put the mixture in the baking dish and bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes.

When the zucchini dish is nearly cooked through, take the baking dish out of the oven and sprinkle over the remaining grated cheese.
Put the dish back in the oven and bake for 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and lightly browned and the zucchini melted.
Serve hot.

Asian flavors · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Grains · Vegan · Vegetable-related

My brown rice salad with two sesame flavors

This has a wonderful nutty flavor and is very moreish.

1 cup (at least) uncooked long or short grain brown rice
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 cup peeled and coarsely shredded carrots
A good handful of chopped cilantro
1/2 cup thinly sliced trimmed scallions
1/2 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts
2 tsp sesame seeds, toasted in a dry skillet

Cook the rice according to the instructions on the packet. Drain and let stand, uncovered until cooled.

Whisk the oil, lemon  juice and sesame oil in a large bowl. Add the cooked, cooled rice, carrots and scallions and cilantro. Toss to blend and season if necessary.

Sprinkle with the chopped peanuts and sesame seeds, toss once and serve