ABC Cocina restaurant in NYC blew me away, from the Tequila in my lime- and basil-rimmed margarita to my patatas bravas infused with vinegar and salt and topped with an addictive sweet chili sauce to the tamarind-glazed fish. But everyone at our table agreed on the best dish: the … [Read more...] about Shrimp with Bananas, Almonds and Agua Diabla: Recreating ABC Cocina Restaurant at Home
Fish and Seafood
7th Annual Volk/Watson Extravaganza: The Pictures
My family's annual Christmas party happened yesterday. As usual, it was ridiculous: There were the beef tacos. And the chicken tacos. And the shredded chicken with Mexican rice, black beans and aioli crema. Since the party was tex-mex themed, there was a table with … [Read more...] about 7th Annual Volk/Watson Extravaganza: The Pictures
Spicy Sichuan Bitter Melon Stir-Fry with Shrimp
I really thought this was a bitter melon. It started growing in my garden. Actually, it just appeared mysteriously on a vine one morning, after presumably spending at least a couple days hiding under some leafy vines on my trellis. I had planted bitter melon, but I'd also planted … [Read more...] about Spicy Sichuan Bitter Melon Stir-Fry with Shrimp
Dry-Brined Fish with Roasted Tomatoes
What do you do with the leftover salt and sugar cure from your homemade gravlax? Why, make dinner, of course. If you add it to other fish or meat and let it sit about 30 minutes it soaks into the flesh and does a mini-cure. Then you rinse off the cure and roast the fish fillets … [Read more...] about Dry-Brined Fish with Roasted Tomatoes
How to Cure Salmon – The Cheap and Easy Way
You're supposed to drown the fish in vodka. Most recipes think so, anyway. Or gin. Or any high-proof alcohol that can seek into the fish's flesh and denature it. Denature: to cook without heat. Like what happens when you ferment cabbage into sauerkraut. But in this case there's … [Read more...] about How to Cure Salmon – The Cheap and Easy Way
Simple Fish Soup with Quebec Turbot
This is so simple. You can either make a fish broth by boiling the head of a fish with a bay leaf and some peppercorns (celery and carrots if you've got time to burn), or boil Nordic shrimp and save the cooking water. OR buy a carton or bottle of fish broth. Chicken broth or … [Read more...] about Simple Fish Soup with Quebec Turbot
How to Cook Whole Fish
When I buy a fish and the fishmonger fillets it for me and tries to throw out the head and bones, I almost cry. What a waste! You're paying $20 for two slivers of flesh. But if you keep that head and vertebrae, you have two more meals worth of quality protein. No, you're not … [Read more...] about How to Cook Whole Fish
Seared Mackerel with Peaches (or Figs) and Ratatouille
I saw chef Becky Selengut make this at the Queen Anne Farmers Market in Seattle with peaches instead of figs last year. You can make it with either. Right now the Greek and California figs are in Montreal groceries. but so are Ontario peaches. The California peaches taste better, … [Read more...] about Seared Mackerel with Peaches (or Figs) and Ratatouille
Seared Sustainable Arctic Char with a Garden Salad
I really wish my image uploader was working and you could see this fish and salad meal. Instead, I'm going to describe it to you: Think of light green spinach leaves, peppery arugula, and rippled sacred green basil, freshly pulled from the garden. Add the first tomatoes of the … [Read more...] about Seared Sustainable Arctic Char with a Garden Salad
Roasted Sustainable Arctic Char with Simple Risotto-Style Rice
If you have one large, beautiful fillet of fish you just have to roast it—skin-side up, of course, so the fat bastes the flesh as it cooks. Coat it in crushed almonds, salt, pepper, ground fennel, and seal the moisture in (and make the coating stick) with a thin layer of Dijon, … [Read more...] about Roasted Sustainable Arctic Char with Simple Risotto-Style Rice