Well, the new microphone is hooked up and I think the sound is better. The intros and endings of these test clips still need a lot of work, and I just realized that I need to go out and pick up a digital camera for the still shots. Other than that, I think I’m starting to figure this new stuff out.
This has always been one of my favorite summer side-veggie dishes. Any summer squash you can cut in half will work. Anyone that has, or knows someone that has, a vegetable garden really needs to try this dish! I mean, what the hell are you going to do with all those squash? The completely irregular green starburst squash you see in this video were not the best choice to do a demo with since they are hard to slice in half evenly, but hey, if it works with these, it will work with any squash as I said.
The deep, rich flavor of the romesco mingling with the sweet blandness of the squash combined with the creamy tang of the warm goat cheese makes this dish a summer classic. Don’t serve too hot! This dish shines best served warm or at room temp. If you’ve never tried romesco, this is the dish to taste it in. It’s a medium-spicy, “pesto-like” sauce made from roasted red peppers, garlic, almonds, anchovy and other spices. We use it a lot in summer, as it is the perfect instant sauce for any grilled meat, fish or vegetables. One of these days I’ll show you how to make your own romesco, but for now you should be able find it at most high-end grocery stores. If you can’t find or make it, any flavorful sauce will work; salsa, roasted red pepper relish, olive tapenade, etc. Enjoy!
Ingredients: 3 small summer squash 6 tbl goat cheese 3 tbl romesco sauce 3 tbl olive oil 2 tbl plain bread crumbs salt and pepper to taste
Alright, you watched us prep our Smoked Salmon “Gravlox” in Part 1, which was basically a simple salt/sugar curing mixture. We turned it over after 1 day and it stayed in the fridge for a total of 48 hours (that’s 2 days if you’re a contestant on “Are You Smarter than a Fifth-Grader). Also, remember, we added some smoked spice to the salt mixture so the final product would have a slight “smoked salmon” taste.
I really hope you give this a try. It may seem a bit scary curing your own fish, but it's been done for centuries and besides, like I said in Part 1, smoked salmon and Gravlox in the gourmet stores are really expensive. I didn’t give any serving suggestions. Did you need any? However you currently consume your smoked salmon will work for this house-made version. Ladies and Gentlemen, start your bagels. Enjoy!
So, we all know we need to eat a lot more salmon. And not only that, but we have to find “wild” salmon. Well, depending on where you live this may not be so easy. And, even if you do find it, maybe you don’t have the confidence to cook it properly. Today, I solve all those problems. Tomorrow I may start working on gas prices, but right now it’s all about the salmon cakes.
I’m using canned salmon for this delicious recipe. Why? Well, first of all, every grocery store carries it. Secondly, caned salmon is almost always wild salmon. And lastly, it’s cheap! I’m not going to go into the wild vs. farmed salmon debate here (you can Google it), but wild is not only more eco-friendly, but it tastes better, and is more nutritious. You could use fresh cooked salmon for this recipe if you have leftovers, but since we are mixing this up with eggs and cracker crumbs, fresh salmon just is'nt necessary, so why spend the extra cash? (you could save it and buy a t-shirt on my site! In fact, I’m thinking of a new t-shirt slogan “I like my salmon, like I like my women…wild! OK, maybe not)
Yes, maybe it is. You saw a quick “raw” version of this pictured in the Dolores Park picnic post a few days ago. This is the “gourmet” version served on toasted walnut bread and made even more delicious with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. In this video recipe you’ll see why I am nominating this for “best summer hors d’oeuvre ever.”
Here’s my case. You don’t have to turn on the oven. You get to use up those amazingly sweet, middle of summer peaches. Anything served on toasted walnut bread is great. The combination of the sweet fruit, the nutty, crisp bread, the creamy, tangy cheese; all brought together with a drizzle of olive oil and a light sprinkling of black pepper and flaky kosher salt is perfection. You just have to try it and then you can be the judge.
They are also very easy to eat in two quick bites, without making a mess, which makes them ideal for that summer patio party. Another advantage is that they can sit out for a while without deteriorating. Now, if you are turned off by the idea of putting salt and black pepper on peaches, you have to get over it. You are missing out on an incredible combination of flavors. Besides, this video recipe is just a warm up for the upcoming Watermelon and Feta salad. Enjoy!
Ingredients: fresh peaches (make sure you are buying “free-stone” peaches!) mozzarella fresca walnut bread olive oil kosher salt black pepper
Most culinary scholars, myself included, credit Peru with giving us ceviche. Although, there are many, very similar recipes all around the Pacific Rim. In fact, I’ve done a Tuna Poke clip which is really the same thing. Basically what happens with ceviche is the protein in the scallops (or any fish for that matter) is “cooked” with the acid in the marinade. Lemons, limes and other acidic ingredients can be combined in countless ways according to your tastes, but the chemical process is the same. So, yes, you are technically eating “raw” seafood (sushi anyone?) but it’s not really “raw.” The acid causes the proteins in the scallops to become what’s called “denatured.” What is “denatured?” This sounds like a job for Wikipedia!
Here is the official Wikipedia definition (which means it could be completely wrong): “Denaturation is the alteration of a protein shape through some form of external stress (for example, by applying heat, acid or alkali), in such a way that it will no longer be able to carry out its cellular function. Denatured proteins can exhibit a wide range of characteristics, from loss of solubility to communal aggregation.” Aren’t you glad I cleared that up? Bottom line; it looks great, it tastes great, you can do a million different combinations, …and you cook stuff without heat! As Rachael Ray would say, “How cool is that?” Enjoy!
Ingredients: 2 lbs Bay scallops (or other diced fish in similar size pieces) 1 ripe mango 1 red bell pepper 1 jalepeno 1/2 bunch cilantro 1/3 cup lemon juice 3/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar 1 tsp schezchan pepper 1/2 tbl cumin *Note: since I used seasoned rice vinegar (which has salt in it) I didn’t add any to the recipe. You, of course, will taste and adjust. Also, many ceviche recipes call for diced onions which I don’t like since I feel they tend to over-power the seafood.
Well, the new microphone is hooked up and I think the sound is better. The intros and endings of these test clips still need a lot of work, and I just realized that I need to go out and pick up a digital camera for the still shots. Other than that, I think I’m starting to figure this new stuff out.
