Chilean Sea Bass with Shiitake Mushroom Broth

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This dish is the kind that, with a little experience, many good home cooks could assemble from scratch, without consulting a recipe. The aromatic triumvirate of garlic, ginger and scallions is matched with soy sauce, rice vinegar and fish sauce. Shiitake mushrooms give substance and flavor, cornstarch thickens and sesame oil adds a taste of toasty richness.

You can spoon the sauce over the poached fish, but it will also work just as well with grilled, pan-seared or broiled fish, or on stir-fried strips of chicken breast, slivers of pork or beef, shrimp or scallops. Steamed rice could help soak up the sauce as well.

 

 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1 ⅓ pounds sea bass or gray sole fillets
  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger
  • ½ cup chopped scallions
  • 7 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Vietnamese fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, or snipped chives (Optional)

 

 

 

Directions:

Heat oven to 175 o F. Place chicken stock in a wok or skillet, and bring to a simmer. Cut fish into pieces about 3 inches square, place in stock, and simmer until just cooked, about 5 minutes. Use spatula to transfer to heatproof platter, cover loosely with foil, and place in oven. Drain and strain stock, and reserve. Wipe out pan with a clean paper towel.

 

Heat peanut oil in pan. Add garlic, ginger and scallions. Sauté briefly, and add mushrooms. Sauté until wilted. Add soy sauce, vinegar and fish sauce. Cook 30 seconds, then add reserved stock. Bring to a simmer. Dissolve cornstarch in 2 tablespoons cold water, and add, stirring. Simmer until sauce has thickened. Add sesame oil.

 

To serve, transfer fish to a shallow bowl and spoon mushroom sauce over the fish. Gransih with a scattering of with cilantro or chives. Serve hot.

 

 

 

 

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Ginger Shrimp and Asparagus Stir Fry

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An easy stir fry that you can quickly prep ahead of time for the whole week! Simply add jasmine rice and you’re set! If you don’t have a wok, use a saute pan or even a cast irons skillet. Just make sure you get it nice and hot before starting—stir-fry is a high-heat, quick-cooking operation. And, if you do have a wok, gold star goes to you! Use it!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons water, divided
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon orange juice
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons safflower or other high-heat oil
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
8 shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps sliced into 1/4-inch strips
1 Fresno chile or jalapeño, sliced into thin rings
2 cups asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
Cooked jasmine rice, for serving

 

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, 2 tablespoons water, lemon juice, orange juice, rice vinegar and sugar. Set aside.

In another small bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of water and the cornstarch. Whisk with a fork until the cornstarch has dissolved. Set aside the slurry.

Heat a large wok,  sauté pan or a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat the pan evenly. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the shrimp, garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and chile and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the asparagus and continue to cook for an additional minute. Add reserved soy sauce mixture to the pan and cook for 1 minute.

Stir the slurry to be sure the cornstarch hasn’t settled, then add it to the stir-fry. Toss and cook until the sauce begins to thicken, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Serve immediately with jasmine rice.

Hello Friends!

All photographs and content, excepted where noted, are copyright protected. Please do not use these photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish this photograph and all other contents, then we kindly ask that you link back to this site. We are eternally grateful and we appreciate your support of this blog.

Thank you so much!

Wild Mushrooms and Cheese on Toast Points

Summertime eating is all about fresh and light fare. Here is an easy meal to prepared in less than 20 minutes and is perfect for those “Meatless Monday Meals”. Enjoy!

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PREP TIME:            5 Minutes
COOKING TIME: 10 Minutes
TOTAL TIME:        20 Minutes
Serves 6

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
1 pound button or wild mushrooms (i.e. porcini, cremini,
Shitake and  oyster) stems removed and chopped
1/4 cup  white wine
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon  ground black pepper
24 small (1/2 inch thick) slices country style bread (i.e..
ciabatta, French, Italian, focaccia), cut into triangles, toasted
1/4 pound provolone cheese, thinly sliced into strips
1/4 pound Havarti cheese, thinly sliced into strips
2 Tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon fresh basil, chopped
1/8 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toast the bread until golden brown and remove from the oven and set aside.

2. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.

3. Saute onions, until translucent.

4. Add chopped mushrooms and saute 3-4 minutes.

5. Add wine and increase heat to high and cook stirring until liquid has evaporated (5 minutes).

6. Add thyme, salt and pepper.

7. Add cheese to the skillet and stir until slightly melted.

8. To serve, top each slice of bread with mushroom and cheese mixture. Sprinkle with parsley and basil.

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