Greek Salmon Lettuce Cups

Lettuce Cups or wraps are a common site in Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants around me. One of the first times I ever saw them was in the Asian Fusion restaurant P.F. Changs. Its been years since I have been to one of these and to be honest my Asian inspiration stops there! This dish uses traditional Greek flavors with a little twist. If you are trying to eat low carb, lettuce wraps can be a great invention since a single leaf of lettuce is almost no calories! I love using fresh local ingredients and when I saw this Boston lettuce at my local farmer's market the other day I decided that I had to create something fresh and healthy. I have done a few other versions of this type of dish using shrimp and crab so don't be afraid to make this your own based on the ingredients that you have handy.

What do Lettuce Cups have to do with phylo dough and grape leaves you ask? Well the connection here is in the spices that I used - garlic, parsley, oregano and lemon were my base ingredients. There are two ingredients that always makes me think Greek that I didn't include - Feta Cheese and Olives. My boyfriend only has one real food hate and that is olives so they usually aren't in the house unless I get them on takeout and while I do often use grated cheese on my pasta with seafood I didn't think that the flavors really worked in this situation. This recipe calls for about 1 lb of wild salmon (I used Coho which is a bit thinner than other types) if you can't find wild salmon or don't want to spend the money consider using another type of wild fish versus using a farmed fish. The health benefits of wild fish are greater than the farmed versions so the difference in price is absolutely worth it!

click through for the recipe

A Give Away! with Shrimp Ceviche and a fresh salad dressing

 One of the best parts of being a home cook is not having to buy foods that have lots of additives and artificial ingredients in them. I know that when I cook I am only using fresh vegetables and herbs with high quality ingredients. But even I will admit that sometimes its easy to fall into using convenience foods when you are in a rush or just not in the mood to make everything from scratch. One place where I try to always go fresh but sometimes fail is salad dressing. Its so easy to make and you can work with so many different fresh ingredients to make the perfect mix but grabbing a bottle is just so temptingly easy at times.

This is especially true when it comes to bringing dressing to work for lunch. If you put dressing on the salad in advance it can get soggy and no one wants to eat a limp salad but if you keep it on the side it tends to leak and get all over the place. I was really excited when OXO asked me to try these new mini lock top containers. They make some of my favorite tools and I just knew that these containers would be the perfect solution for storing messy liquids and dips. I even was able to use the medium size one to make a few quick servings of dressing - shaking it up right in the container. What could be easier?

 
I love it when kitchen tools make dinner run smoother. The larger container was the perfect size for marinading my ceviche. Last time, I tried ceviche it was with a salmon filet and I was scared that it wouldn't be done and everyone would get sick! Shrimp turn a tell tale pink when they are done as an easy signal that the citrus fruit has done its job. Just give it a shake every 30 minutes or so to keep all the citrus mixed with the shrimp. Its fast and is perfect for a warm spring day or as a contrast to a barbeque filled with hearty meats.You can also serve it on a bed of greens for a lunchtime treat - just don't leave the shrimp in the citrus too long! After a few hours the fish can start to get overdone so try not to let it sit around more than six hours.

Check out my recipes for Tres Citrus Shrimp Ceviche and Garlic Cilantro dressing below and enter the giveaway to get your own set of OXO Good Grips Lock Top containers!

Vegan Bean and Grain Salad

This winter I decided to take a few days off from meat. I love vegetables and usually have more veggies with my meal than any other type of food but there generally is some meat in there (even if it is only chicken broth or a slice of bacon for flavor.) I wanted to challenge myself for a week to see if I could eat totally vegan (so no dairy or other animal products). Unfortunately I forgot about plans with some friends that involved helping her make a roast beef with all the fixings so I didn't get to go a week but I did have a great time coming up with this delicious lunch option that is easy to make ahead and can be packed up for work.

I really love eating a fresh healthy salad for lunch but most mornings I am not in the mood to start peeling vegetables and cleaning off lettuce so I had to do some advance planning. But a little time on Sunday made the week go by so easily! I was able to pack up individual servings of the bean and grain salad along with a baggie full of lettuce. When I lunch time arrived mixed all of the ingredients together and added a tiny squirt of balsamic dressing. You can also eat this warm as a side dish to almost any dinner!

Tomatoes - two ways!

I love shopping at the Farmer's Market but at times it can be a little expensive so I am always looking for a deal. A few weeks ago, I notice that my normal farmer had bags of about 6 large tomatoes on sale for $3. Normally these tomatoes are close to $3 each (since they are almost a pound each!) but since they were already nice and ripe they had them on "clearance". I was able to find a bunch that wasn't over-ripe and since I was going to use them right away anyways I was happy to buy them ripe and ready to use.

One of my favorite meals in summer time is tomato salads. There is nothing so simple and perfect but dependent on the ingredients. Tomatoes are something that still really only taste right in the summer. One bite of a fresh summer tomato is enough to make me want to swear off all of the super market varieties that range from acceptable to almost orange and mealy! But unfortunately, winter will be back soon enough and there will be 8 months worth of salads that rely on these sad tomato like substances!

The first variation is a traditional Italian tomato salad. This is an easy side that is welcome at my dinner table any night. It is best when you make it in advance and give it some time in the fridge to meld together. This is a simple mix of diced tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, fresh basil and some salt and pepper. If you want to turn it up a little a splash of balsamic can also be added. Or some fresh mozzarella to turn it into a Caprese Salad.

The second is more of a chunky salsa using the fresh flavors of Mexican cooking. For this version, I rough chopped the tomatoes with some red onion, green bell pepper, garlic, lime, cilantro and of course olive oil,  salt and pepper. These flavors are naturals with the sweet ripe tomato and the addition of some hot peppers (I used a jalapeno and a cherry bomb) kicks this up to another level. Make sure you are careful with the hot peppers though and use caution when chopping and with your hands after as the oil from the peppers can remain on hands for some time. 

Corn Salad

After spending July 4th weekend with my family at our lake house I have to admit I am in full fledged summer mode. I feel like I am still on vacation - taking a break from any real meal planning and instead making lots of little dishes and then mix and match. This corn salad is a perfect addition to your BBQ table with a smoky savory flavor that will stand up to any grilled meats.

I love using different seasonings to add lots of flavor to normal recipes and I find that summer picnic food in general can be lacking some flavor. In one of my other posts, I looked at a fun twist on Greek ingredients and potato salad but using the ready made KC Masterpiece® BBQ sauce is even easier and perfect for those day after leftovers. I hate feeling like I am eating leftovers but of course I wouldn't waste food so I try to "recycle" by using the ingredients in a new way. This would be a perfect way to make left over BBQ goodies into an amazing lunch salad (add some tomato, cucumber, lettuce and diced up grilled chicken). You can even mix the BBQ sauce with some herbs and olive oil to make a spicy dressing! 

Tomato Mozz and Basil appetizer

There are a million recipes for this classic Caprese salad. But there is a reason for that, at their best there is nothing more that you need than this perfect bite of fresh mozzarella, tomato and basil. Here in the New York area spring is starting to creep in - I saw my first tree buds and flowers yesterday- but freshly grown tomatoes are still many months away. Luckily, we have been able to maintain our herbs all winter long (well fingers crossed!). I wish that I could take credit for this but my thumb is definitely not green...basic Pothos type plants are really all I can handle. Luckily, my boyfriend is quite good at keeping our little garden alive.

This winter we have shared our basil fresh bites of summer by bringing this dish to a few friends parties - a welcome addition to the usual chips and dips. We dressed them simply with sprinkle of salt and pepper and a swirl of aged balsamic vinegar and good olive oil. Like most others I think I am going a bit spring crazy with the nice temperatures over the weekend.... so here it is my ode to warmer days!

Not Your Mama's Nicoise Salad

This isn't really a Nicoise Salad - the French classic that combines potato, tomato, green beans, olives, boiled egg and tuna but its construction reminds me of it and so I can't help but group them together. Nicoise Salad is more meal than starter and it is the perfect lunch for a lazy afternoon. This is also the perfect dish to bring along to a BBQ because it beautifully balances out plate after plate of meaty bar-b-que goodness. You can include a meat like tuna in the original or grilled chicken in my version or just keep this strictly vegetarian.... there are so many ways to make this meal very complete!

This dish can be served warm (against the rules for the classic) just take care to have all the vegetables ready to go at once or prep in advance and store it chilled for an easier to serve option. Feel free to use my suggestions or you can always customize your salad based on what you have on hand. The only requirement is that it tastes delicious. This version is far from the traditional salad but that is what I love about it!

This salad included: (L to R)
Oven Roasted Beets
Sugar Snap Peas
Oven Roasted Moroccan Spiced Cauliflower
Mini Heirloom Tomatoes
Grilled Chicken Breast
Gorgonzola Cheese Crumbles
Scallion
Mini Baby Potatoes
Roasted Red and Yellow Peppers

and I served it with a Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette...click through for the recipe

Black Bean and Corn Salsa....with Lobster!

Summer time salads are a no-brainer. With all the fresh produce out on the stands, I almost contemplate going raw every year. But I would miss all of my favorite seafood too much! This dish is a summer time staple with a touch of class that brings it up to a whole new level. And its a food recycling project which I love! Say goodbye to days of left overs....recycle them into something brand new. After a girls- night Lobster Boil, I was left with way to many corns to even think about eating but I didn't want them to go to waste... New Jersey Corn is too good to trash! I decided to free up some room in my fridge by taking the corn off the cob and the rest just fell together.

I was so happy to have just received a can of Black Beans from Goya in the mail as I was all out. Thank you to Foodbuzz's Tastemaker program for making this dinner come true! While lobster was the perfect complement to this dish, if you don't have a few extra laying around feel free to use boiled shrimp as it would have a similar taste and texture. While I wouldn't consider this dish very ethnic, I did spice it up a bit with some chipotle pepper powder.

Lobster, Corn & Black Bean Salsa
1 lobster tail - diced
1 can GOYA black beans - drained and rinsed
5 ears of corn - cut of the cob
10 cherry tomatoes - cut in half
2 tbsp good olive oil
juice of 1 lime
4 tbsp fresh parsley diced
2 tbsp fresh basil diced
1 tsp chipotle powder
salt & pepper

1) Season lobster tail with chipotle, salt & pepper
2) Combine all ingredients and toss to mix

8/18/10 - Fish Simply Two Ways

The summer is the best time to eat simply. When its cold, I love spending hours in the kitchen coming up with some exotic combination. But when farms all over the state of New Jersey are working hard to provide me exquisitely ripe and juicy produce, I go with it. In my last post, I took a look at one of my favorite parts of the summer months - fresh tomatoes. Growing up my whole life, I was lucky to have grandfathers who kept amazing gardens. Summer was always filled with zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, arugala (long before I knew anything about rocket or fancy mixed baby greens) and tons of basil - everything a good Italian kitchen could need.

The top dish pictured is a fresh salsa served over pan seared swordfish with a cajun rub. I accompanied the dish with a side of wilted swiss chard and red onion.
The dish below was a one skillet meal. While I usually make this dish in the oven, the temperatures outside had me looking for another option. First, I sauteed the vegetables (peppers, onions, mushrooms, broccoli)  and then removed them from the pan. I added the haddock and once it was ready to flip (3-5 min), I returned the vegetables to the pan. I topped the fish with the tomatoes and covered the pan to allow it to heat through (5 min).

8/17/10 - Fresh Salsa

It's amazing how many uses I have for some nice delicious salsa.... this one bowl ended up in 2 dinners, a lunch and there was still a few nacho's full left over! A friend recently asked me what to do with an overflow of mangoes (she is living in sunny, beautiful Hawaii) and my first thought was SALSA! Dress it up in a wonton cup as a fancy hors'doeuvres or smother it in cheese for the big game...either way its a hit! The biggest secret to fresh salsa is dicing all the ingredients up nice and fine so that there is a lot of surface area for all the flavors to mingle together. Also salsa is always better when it is made in advance and it has time to rest and let all of the juices blend together.

This is a very basic salsa made with nice ripe jersey tomatoes, however you can feel free to add most fruits to a salsa as well - mango, peach, strawberries all work well!

3 plum (or roma) tomatoes - diced
1/2 red onions - diced
1 bunch cilantro - leaves only diced
1/3 green pepper- diced
1 jalapeno - diced (seeds removed) 
juice of 1 lime
salt & pepper
2 garlic cloves - smashed & diced

1) combine all ingredients together and refrigerate overnight

7/24/10 - Another Chopped Caprese Salad

When I saw this salad last summer on Smitten Kitchen's page I knew I would be weak against it. My favorite flavors combined and diced into bite size little cubes for easy consumption? I made a version souped up with some baby arugala and pancetta. This time I kept it simple (and vegetarian friendly) and it still was delicious. The perfect afternoon snack to tide us over from brunch to a late dinner with friend or a great start to a "bruscetta bar" served with garlic bread rounds to entice your guests. 

This easy salad is a combo of fresh mozzarella, drained and rinsed canellini beans, diced fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, diced garlic, salt & pepper, EV olive oil and a small splash of balsamic vinegar.

6/19/10 - Lux Camping: Lobster Salad Roll

Our past few music festival trips have been brief and one of the places where we scale down in our meals. With only two of us needing a day's worth of food its tempting to just rely on vendors and forget about dealing with a grill all of the accessories that go along with cooking. However sometimes, especially at some of the smaller festivals, it can be risky to depend on the vendors alone, since they are not always open and sometimes run out of food. One way to deal with this is by sticking to cold food. From sandwiches to salads, cold dishes are a natural for a picnic.

There are some classic sandwiches that are easy but a little more time and effort can make a simple sandwich into a finer meal. This recipe works not only for lobster meat but also crab, salmon and tuna (which can all easily be found in the canned meats section). Make sure you have a nice roll to put this on since the bread is a big part of this dish. I used a Country White Deli Roll from Nature's Pride which was sent to me from FoodBuzz's Tastemaker program. This roll was the perfect match for my sandwich... especially when it was buttered and toasted a bit to give it a little crisp!

6/17/10 - Amazing Roasted Vegetable Salad

This salad isn't really a salad.... its a buffet! This everything salad was inspired by an excellent lunch I recently had at the Time to Eat Diner in Bridgewater, NJ. For under $15,  I got a plate filled to the brim with Grilled Steak, Chicken and Veggies as well as baby mixed greens. There was so much I actually split it in half for 2 days lunch. Since I was adding so many more veggies I decided to skip the meat and go with seafood as a little twist on the dish.

First I had to take a quick walk to the Farmer's Market to grab some potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers and beets. When I got home, I roasted the veggie then prepared a mixed green salad that was the base of my dish. To top everything off I added some seafood which was the perfect compliment to the filling salad. Since I had different eaters with me I let everyone find their own mix from the ingredients mixed together. This meal was super easy to prep.... the only equipment needed is a sharp knife and a baking sheet (well and an oven!)> I am lucky to have an aunt who went to culinary school and frequently sharpens my knifes... if you aren't so lucky check out the Daily Special on FoodBuzz for a deal on the Chef's Choice Angle Select Knife Sharpener.

Check out our homemade Salad Bar:
Green Salad - Mix of red leaf, romaine and boston lettuce, cucumber, tomato, carrots and scallions
Roasted Potatoes
Roasted Beets
Roasted Veggies - Broccoli, Cauliflower, Red & Green Peppers
King Crab Legs
Tuna Salad - Tuna, mayo, pickles, chipotle mustard
Cheese

3/8/10 - Seared Tuna with Side Salad

The healthy eating continues with today's dinner. I saw the most beautiful tuna steaks in Stew Leonard's the other day and even though they ended up costing me $30 I still feel like I made out on the meal since it was worth much more than $15 each. My favorite part of eating at home is that you can usually afford a much higher quality of food when you are willing to spend the time cooking (and cleaning up!) yourself.

Don't get me wrong I love eating out and get some of my best inspirations come from restaurant meals. But when it comes to a simple seared tuna steak I am glad that this is easily made in my own kitchen.

3/6/10 - Pan Seared Scallops with a side salad

Pan-Seared Scallops are so easy yet many home cooks feel they are out of reach. The true secret is to making sure the food is very dry ( I blotted the scallops on paper towels to absorb any moisture). Other than that all you need is a hot pan and some patience (don't flip prematurely)