Leite's Culinaria » fish | seafood

Steamed Cod with Ginger and Scallions

Renee Schettler Rossi — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 01:51:12 +0000

Editors of Everyday Food | Everyday Food: Fresh Flavor Fast | Clarkson Potter, 2010 | Serves 4

Steamed fish is a healthful and quick-cooking dinner option. Adding a few aromatics to the steaming liquid enhances the taste of the fish without using any butter or oil. Haddock, halibut, or other firm-fleshed white fish can be used in place of the cod.—Editors of Everyday Food

LC Note: We suggest turning the fish once during cooking to ensure the cod takes on as much flavor as possible from its ginger-and-soy poaching liquid. Discard the liquid before serving; all the flavor will have been absorbed by the cod.

convert Ingredients
3 tablespoons rice vinegar (unseasoned)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger (see peeling ginger tip below)
4 skinless (1 1/2 pounds) Pacific cod fillets
6 scallions

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Method
1. In a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid, combine the vinegar, soy sauce, and ginger. Season both sides of the cod fillets with salt and pepper and place them in the skillet. Bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook until the fish is almost opaque throughout, 6 to 8 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, cut the green parts of the scallions into 3-inch lengths and thinly slice them lengthwise (reserve the white parts for another use). Scatter the scallions over the fish, cover, and cook until the fish is opaque throughout and the scallions are just wilted, about 2 minutes more. Serve immediately.

Tip: Peeling Ginger
When a recipe calls for peeled fresh ginger, reach for a spoon: Holding ginger steady with one hand, scrape the spoon toward you in short strokes. To reach especially tight crevices, you may need to slice off a knobby portion and then continue peeling.

Brazilian Fish Stew

David Leite — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 01:08:49 +0000

Leticia Moreinos Schwartz | The Brazilian Kitchen | Kyle Books, 2010 | Serves 4

This fish stew, called moqueca in Portuguese, couldn’t be more Brazilian, although it has an international appeal that is hard to resist. Moqueca is originally from the state of Bahia, and there are many versions: fish, shrimp, or crab are the most popular. Use this recipe as a guideline and experiment with different types of fish, such as wild striped bass, halibut, and tilapia. Just a little bit of coconut milk makes this colorful fish stew rich, but only in looks and spirit—one spoonful will reveal how unbelievably light it is. Moqueca is commonly served with farofa, a side dish made from cooked manioc flour, but feel free to use white rice.—Leticia Moreinos Schwartz

convert Ingredients
1 scallion (white and green parts), chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 small piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
4 large cloves garlic, minced
5 tablespoons dendê oil (you can use extra-virgin olive oil or peanut oil, but you’ll loose the vibrant Bahian hue)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons chopped cilantro
11/4 pounds sea bass, cut into 2-inch chunks
1/2 cup freshly chopped green bell pepper
1/3 cup freshly chopped yellow bell pepper
1 1/2 cups fish stock (you can substitute clam juice, low-sodium chicken broth, or equal amounts of both)
1 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup canned or jarred hearts of palm, drained and diced
2 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced

Method
1. In a bowl, mix together half of the scallion, half of the onion, half of the ginger, and half of the garlic. Add 2 tablespoons of the dendê oil, all of the olive oil, and half of the cilantro. Place the chunks of fish in a resealable plastic bag and add the marinade, pressing the bag to evenly coat the fish. Remove all of the air from the plastic bag and seal it. Place the bag in a shallow bowl, making sure the chunks of fish are completely covered by the marinade, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

2. Take the fish out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

3. Place the remaining 3 tablespoons of the dendê oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the remaining scallion and onion along with the green and yellow bell peppers, and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.

4. Add the remaining ginger and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring to combine, for another minute or until it’s hot. Add the fish stock and let it come to a full boil. Add the coconut milk and tomato paste and return to a boil. Immediately lower the heat to medium-low or so and simmer the sauce, nice and gently, while you prepare the fish.

5. In the meantime, place the fish and its marinade in a gratin or casserole dish. Pour the lemon juice on top and season lightly with salt and pepper. Bake until the fish is almost but not quite cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.

6. Carefully transfer each chunk of fish to the pan with the gently simmering sauce. Add any juices in the dish from the fish and marinade. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and cook just until the fish is soft and tender, 5 to 8 minutes.

7. Uncover the pan, add the hearts of palm and tomatoes, and just let them get hot, which will take only a minute or two.

8. Taste the moqueca, season it with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with the remaining fresh cilantro.

Seafood Soup Amalfi-Style

Renee Schettler Rossi — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 01:09:37 +0000

David Pasternack and Ed Levine | The Young Man & the Sea | Artisan, 2007 | Serves 4

When you’re making a fish soup, the broth is everything. There’s always good fish soup on the Amalfi Coast, where each town has a slightly different version. This is my own Hell’s Kitchen version, intensely flavorful and complex—this is not zuppa for the faint of heart.

I use the sweeter imported canned tomatoes with the DOC label on them. (In 1955 Italy enacted DOC laws to safeguard the names, characteristics, and origins of certain Italian foods.) Don’t be afraid to use oilier fish in your zuppe, like mackerel and monkfish, which lend tons of flavor. If you use shrimp, leave them in the shell or else they’ll dry out. The anise liqueur adds an interesting licorice flavor. Prepare the broth the day before, to make it easier on yourself, and to allow the broth’s flavor to intensify.—David Pasternack

LC Note: While this recipe is a classic, it’s eminently variable and can accommodate any manner of shellfish, such as mussels or clams, as well as the addition of olives or the substitution—within reason—of various aromatics and spirits.

convert Ingredients
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus high-quality extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
5 garlic cloves
1 fennel bulb, coarsely chopped
1 small leek, washed well and coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 fresh Roma or canned San Marzano tomatoes, halved
3 cups canned San Marzano tomatoes and their juice
1 cup white wine
1 cup Ricard (or other anise liqueur)
2 sprigs parsley
2 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 pounds fish bones, cleaned
1 pound assorted fresh fish fillets (cod, bass, flounder, salmon, grouper, cut into 2-inch pieces)
Chopped parsley, for garnish

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Method
1. Heat the 1/4 cup olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Add the garlic, fennel, leek, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are translucent, 7 to 10 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Add the fresh tomatoes, if using, and continue cooking until they begin to break down, about 10 minutes.

2. Add the canned tomatoes, wine, Ricard, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil over a high flame, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the tomatoes have broken down substantially, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently throughout.

3. Add the fish bones and enough water so that the bones are covered. Stir while the stock simmers for 20 minutes. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve. Let cool, then refrigerate for up to 2 days.

4. Before using, skim the surface of any impurities that rise to the top.

5. Reheat the zuppa in a stockpot over a medium flame until gently simmering. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the fish pieces and cook for about 6 minutes; the fish should be well cooked and flaky. Ladle the soup into serving bowls. Add the chopped parsley just before serving, and drizzle with a high-quality extra-virgin olive oil.

Oysters with Sweet Pepper Relish

Linda Avery — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 06:15:39 +0000

by Caprial and John Pence
from Caprial and John’s Kitchen
(Ten Speed Press, 2003)
Serves 6

Forget the cocktail sauce. Forget the mignonette sauce. Forget any type of concoction you or a well-meaning host has ever topped your oysters with in the past. The combination of peppers, both sweet and hot, make this dish something special — even holiday worthy. (Think New Year’s Eve or Valentine’s Day.)

If you’re unsure how to open oysters properly, a process that can be dangerous if you don’t have the proper equipment, ask your fish monger to open them for you, to save the liquor and shells, and then you can reassemble at home.—Caprial and John Pence

convert Ingredients
For the spicy pepper relish
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/4 red onion, minced
1 Anaheim chile, minced
2 red jalapeño chiles, minced
Juice and finely grated zest of 1 lime
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Salt

For the oysters
30 small oysters, such as yearlings, in the shell
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons water
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup finely ground cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Rock salt, for serving
Cilantro or flat-leaf parsley sprigs, for garnish

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Method
Make the relish
1. Combine the garlic, onion, chiles, lime juice and zest, oil, cilantro, cumin, and cinnamon in a bowl, and mix well. Season to taste with salt; set aside.

Make the oysters
1. Shuck the oysters and refrigerate the meat until you are ready to cook them. Reserve and wash the bottom half of each shell; set aside.

2. Combine the eggs and water in a bowl, and mix well. In another bowl, combine the flour and cornmeal, mix well, add the salt and pepper, and mix well again. Dip each oyster in the egg mixture, then dredge in the flour mixture, and place on a plate.

3. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over high heat until smoking hot. Add as many oysters as will fit in the pan without overcrowding and brown well, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Continue pan-frying the remaining oysters.

4. To serve, place an oyster in each of the reserved shells. Set the shells on a bed of rock salt on a serving platter or tray. Top the oysters with some of the relish, garnish with cilantro sprigs, and serve immediately.

Hunan Hot-and-Spicy Shrimp

David Leite — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:30:29 +0000

—

Eileen Yin-Fei Lo | Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking | Chronicle Books, 2009 | Serves 4 to 6

The chefs of Hunan are fond of hot oils, and use them skillfully. Hot oils and hot peppers not only provide heat, but also season, balance, and complement, which are the criteria I stress when teaching this dish. These spicy-hot ingredients are particularly common in western China because many preparations are preserved, and hot pepper and oils can mask the taste that comes with preservation. The pepper flakes used to make the hot oils are even more intensely flavored than the oils.—Eileen Yin-Fei Lo

convert Ingredients
1 pound large shrimp (40 count per pound)

For the shrimp coating
2 tablespoons lightly beaten egg whites
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
1 tablespoon mung bean starch
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of white pepper

For the sauce
5 tablespoons ketchup (see Note below)
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 teaspoons white rice vinegar
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons pepper flakes from Hot Pepper Oil (below) or 1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground dried Thai chiles
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup peanut oil
1 tablespoon peeled and of minced ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup 1/4-inch-dice shallots
1 1/2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine

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Method
1. Peel the shrimp, leaving the tail segments intact, then devein and clean them.

2. In a bowl, mix together all of the ingredients to make the shrimp coating. Add the shrimp and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3. To make the sauce mix together all of the ingredients in a small bowl and reserve.

4. Heat a wok over high heat for 30 seconds. Add the peanut oil, and, using a spatula, coat the wok with the oil. When a wisp of white smoke appears, add the ginger and stir briefly. Add the garlic and stir briefly. Add the shallots, stir to mix, and lower the heat to medium. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the shallots soften.

5. Raise the heat to high, add the shrimp and their coating, and stir to mix. Spread the shrimp in a single layer and cook for 1 minute, or until the shrimp begin to turn pink. Turn the shrimp over and mix.

6. Drizzle in the wine, adding it along the edge of the wok, and mix well. Stir the sauce, pour it over the shrimp, and mix well. Stir-fry for about 1 1/2 minutes, or until the shrimp are well-coated and the sauce begins to bubble.

7. Turn off the heat, transfer to a heated dish, and serve.

Hot Pepper Oil
Makes about 1 cup oil and pepper flakes

1/2 cup hot pepper flakes
1/3 cup sesame oil
1/2 cup peanut oil

1. For this infused oil to be a success, the pepper flakes must be very hot, which is why I prefer dried Thai chilies for making the flakes. Heat a wok over high heat for 20 seconds. Add the sesame oil, peanut oil, and pepper flakes and stir. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the oil is very hot, but not boiling.

2. Turn off the heat and let cool to room temperature. Pour the oil, including the pepper flakes, into a sterilized glass jar and close tightly. Allow the oil to rest for 10 minutes and then it can be used. The oil will keep at room temperature for up to 1 week or refrigerated for up to 3 months. The longer the oil is stored, the hotter it will become.

Note: Ketchup in China
Once a common import stocked on Asian market shelves in the United States, and now found only on occasion, Chinese ketchup is made from tomatoes, vinegar, and spices, like its popular Western counterpart. Its use differs, however. In China, ketchup is used as a coloring agent, and nowadays some cooks even use tomato paste in its place. Look for Koon Yick Wan Kee brand ketchup, made in Hong Kong.

Some food scholars believe that ketchup originated in China. In southern China, on the island once known as Amoy and today called Xiamen, cooks use a flavoring mixture of fish essence and soy sauce they call keh chap, that could be, as has been suggested, a precursor. It is a piquant thought.

Trenette with Langoustines

Linda Avery — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 06:15:51 +0000

Trenette agli Scampi | Editors of Phaidon Press | The Silver Spoon Pasta | Phaidon, 2009 | Serves 4

Trenette is a dried pasta that’s long, narrow, and flat. It’s popular in Genoa and Liguria and is the pasta of choice for their regional dish with pesto, string beans, and potatoes.—Linda Avery

convert Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 chile
12 ounces langoustines or lobsterettes, thawed if frozen, peeled
12 ounces fresh Trenette
Chopped flat-left parsley, to garnish
Salt

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Method
1. Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the garlic clove and chile and cook, stirring frequently, for a few minutes until lightly browned. Remove the garlic and chile with a slotted spoon and discard.

2. Add the langoustines or lobsterettes to the skillet, season with salt, and cook for 3-5 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, cook the trenette in plenty of salted boiling water for 2-3 minutes until al dente. Drain, tip into the skillet, and toss to mix. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped parsley.

Gravadlax with Sweet Mustard and Dill Mayonnaise

Linda Avery — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 06:30:57 +0000

Darina Allen | Easy Entertaining | Kyle Books, 2006 | Serves 12 to 16 as an appetizer

This is a simply wonderful standby, miles more impressive than smoked salmon. We use it for canapés, appetizer salads, and as a main course for a light lunch accompanied by pickled cucumber, deliciously runny semi-hard-boiled eggs, and salad greens. It keeps for up to 1 week in the fridge, but I have a feeling it won’t be around that long.

Fresh dill is essential but we also have fun with black peppercorns, coriander seeds, whole grain mustard, vodka…—Darina Allen

convert Ingredients
For the sweet mustard and dill mayonnaise
1 large cage-free, organic egg yolk
2 1/2 tablespoons French mustard
4 teaspoons sugar
2/3 cup peanut or sunflower oil
4 teaspoons white wine vinegar
4 teaspoons finely chopped dill
Salt and freshly ground white pepper

For the gravadlax
1 1/2-to-2 pound tail piece of fresh wild salmon
2 tablespoons sea salt (or kosher salt)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped dill, plus whole sprigs for garnishing
Sweet Mustard and Dill Mayonnaise
Brown bread and butter, for serving

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Method
Make the sweet mustard and dill mayonnaise
1. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolk with the mustard and sugar. Add the oil, drop by drop, whisking all the time, then add the vinegar and dill and season to taste.

Make the gravadlax
1. Fillet the salmon and remove all the bones with tweezers.

2. In a bowl, mix together the salt, sugar, pepper, and dill. Place the fish on a piece of plastic wrap and scatter the mixture over the surface of the fish.

3. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 24 hours. If you have 2 pieces of fish, place one on top of the other, flesh side together.

To serve
1. Wipe the dill mixture off the salmon and slice thinly, cutting straight down to the skin. Arrange a few slices on a white plate (square for preference) with a zig-zag of the Sweet Mustard and Dill Mayonnaise over the top. Alternatively, arrange in a rosette shape and fill the center of the rosette with the mayonnaise. Garnish with fresh dill.

2. Serve with brown bread and butter.

Shrimp Paste

Linda Avery — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 06:00:02 +0000

by Damon Lee Fowler
from Classical Southern Cooking
(Gibbs Smith, 2008)
Serves 6 as a first course, or 20 for cocktails or tea.

Modern recipes for this venerable Lowcountry shrimp paste dish can be complicated by up to a dozen ingredients. But the traditional ones, which have withstood the test of time and the canned-soup craze, are simple almost to the point of austerity, containing little more than butter and shrimp. To my way of thinking, those are the best, for their apparent simplicity is deceptive; rich, creamy butter is the perfect background for the delicate taste of the tiny inlet shrimp that inhabit our coast. One needs only the barest trace of onion or pepper to point up and enliven the taste; too much of either throws the entire dish out of balance.

Traditionally, shrimp paste appeared mostly on tea tables, supper-party buffets, and at breakfast, where it might be served sliced and lightly fried. Its richness withstands most cocktails, so it translates nicely to a modern cocktail hour, and makes a handsome first course for a summer luncheon. Still, there is nothing to equal a shrimp paste sandwich cut thin and served with a cup of good, hot tea.

The traditional methods for making this shrimp paste are a mortar and pestle or using a meat grinder, and their texture is perhaps more interesting than the smooth paste made by the processor, but the machine makes such short work of it and produces a paste that is so much easier to mold and spread that, just this once, even I will admit to preferring it.—Damon Lee Fowler

convert Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds cooked shrimp, peeled
1/4 pound unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons grated shallots or yellow onion
Salt and whole white pepper in a peppermill
Ground cayenne pepper
Biscuits, crisp toast points, or Melba toasts

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Method
1. Fit the bowl of the processor with a steel blade and put in the shrimp. Cover and pulse until coarsely ground.

2. Add the butter and shallots and process until the mixture forms a paste. Don’t over-process it to a mousse consistency: there should still be some texture. Season to taste with salt, a liberal grinding of white pepper, and a pinch or so of cayenne. Pulse a few times to mix the seasonings. Taste and adjust the seasoning and pulse until mixed.

3. Lightly butter a 3-cup metal mold, or two smaller molds, or a small loaf pan. Press the paste firmly into it, making sure there are no pockets of trapped air. Cover with a plate or plastic wrap and chill for several hours until firm.

4. To unmold, stand the mold in a basin of hot water for 1 minute. Loosen the edges with a knife, and invert the mold over a serving plate—the shrimp paste should come out with a couple of firm taps on the top of the mold. Smooth any gaps with a spatula and let it stand until it’s soft enough to spread. Serve with biscuits, toast points, or Melba toasts.