Here’s another outstanding recipe from the AOC cookbook. Not only is this recipe delicious and easy to make, it’s packed with nutrients and very healthy for you. In case you didn't know, pea shoots and carrots are full of carotenes and phytochemicals, which among other things, have important anti-oxidant properties. The flavor of the pea shoots in this dish is my favorite part. If they aren't available at your local supermarket, try finding them in an Asian market.
Cathal Armstrong, chef and owner of Restaurant Eve in Alexandria, VA, makes the best bouillabaisse I've ever had. If you can't make it to Restaurant Eve to try Cathal Armstrong's version, his recipe is below for you to make it yourself.
Step 1: To make the broth: In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the shallots, leeks, fennel and garlic and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 8 minutes.
Step 2: Add the saffron and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the fish bones and heads, 3 quarts of water, the thyme, parsley and bay leaves and bring to a boil.
Step 3: Simmer over moderately low heat for 45 minutes.
Step 4: Strain the broth and discard the solids. Return the broth to the pot and boil over high heat until it is reduced to 6 cups, about 20 minutes. Season the broth with salt and pepper. The broth can be refrigerated overnight.
Step 5: To make the rouille: In a small saucepan of boiling, salted water, cook the potato until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a food processor. With the machine on, add the egg yolks, chopped garlic, red pepper and harissa and process to a puree. With the machine on, add the olive oil and process very briefly until it's just incorporated. Scrape the rouille into a bowl and season with salt. Cover and refrigerate. The rouille can be refrigerated for up to 4 hours.
Step 6: To make the soup: In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic, leek and fennel and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the potato and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.
Step 7: Stir in the broth and bring to a boil. Add the clams and cook over moderate heat until they start to open. Add the mussels, shrimp and fish and simmer until all of the seafood is just cooked, about 4 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and basil; season with salt and pepper.
Step 8: Spread the baguette toasts with some of the rouille. Spoon the bouillabaisse into 4 large, shallow bowls and serve with the toasts and lemon wedges. Pass the remaining rouille at the table.
Step 1: In a deep fryer or deep skillet, heat oil to 375 °F (190 °C).
Step 2: Rinse smelts thoroughly and pat dry.
Step 3: Place the bread crumbs and flour into a large bowl. Whisk egg, water, and milk into a bowl. Dip the smelts into the bread crumb/flour mixture, then into the egg mixture, then back into the flour mixture until the fish are well coated. Shake off excess.
Step 4: Drop smelts into deep fryer or skillet with heated oil and cook until golden. Let stand to drain on paper towel and season with salt.
Step 5: Place smelts in a serving dish, garnish with parsley and lemon wedges.
Makes 4-6 servings
Step 1: Preheat oven to 450
Step 2: To make stock: Peel and de-vein shrimp, reserving shells.
Step 3: Slice chicken away from bone and cut each thigh into 6 to 8 bit size pieces. Set meat aside and reserve bones.
Step 4: In medium saucepan, in 1 tablespoon olive oil, saute half of the chopped onion, add chicken bones and saute until carmelized - about 5 minutes; then add shrimp shells and saute another 2 to 3 minutes until shells are bright pink.
Step 5: Reduce heat and add chicken broth, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, and bay leaf. Simmer gently 10 to 15 minutes. Allow flavors to steep about 10 minutes, then strain. Can be made and refrigerated up to three days ahead.
Step 6: To prepare mussels: Submerge mussels in cold water and soak approximately 30 minutes.
Step 7: On medium high heat, saute sliced shallots, 2 garlic cloves and 1 teaspoon salt in olive oil for 3 to 5 minutes.
Step 8: Add 1 cup of white wine and bring to boil. Add mussels, cover tightly. Steam for 8-10 minutes, shaking pan regularly to prevent burning. Remove from pan and set aside.
Step 9: Meanwhile saute remaining half of onion, 4 cloves of garlic and red pepper in 2 tablespoons olive oil on medium high heat about 5 minutes. Deglaze with water or wine or broth as necessary. Be sure to rotate the pan regularly to prevent burning and ensure even cooking. Push vegetables to one side of pan and add another tbsp of olive oil to the rest of pan if necessary.
Step 10: Generously sprinkle salt over both sides of scallops, shrimp, and chicken. Saute scallops about 45 seconds on each side and remove from pan. Repeat with shrimp and remove from pan. Cover scallops and shrimp and keep warm. Deglaze pan with broth or wine as necessary.
Step 11: When pan is dry of liquid, add chicken and saute 3 to 5 minutes until no longer pink. Add rice and remaining saffron threads and mix all ingredients together. Saute 3 minutes.
Step 12: Add broth, 1/2 cup wine, juice from half lemon, remaining salt and mix thoroughly. Allow to simmer 10 to 12 minutes until liquid is reduced by half and rice is visible even when you don't stir.
Step 13: Add peas, mix thoroughly once more, then flatten out mixture with spatula so chicken, rice, and liquid are evenly distributed. Place pan in oven. At this point you will not stir the paella anymore.
Step 14: Bake paella for 10 to 15 minutes until rice begins to caramelize around the edges. If rice becomes dry, add 1/4 cup liquid around the sides and middle and continue to cook.
Step 15: Carefully remove paella from oven and arrange seafood in an attractive design on top. Sprinkle scallions generously over entire surface.
Step 16: Cover tightly with foil and allow dish to rest 10 minutes. This step ensures the rice fluffs nicely and the seafood finishes cooking. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve family style with crusty bread and aioli.
Adapted from Mario Batali: Molto Italiano: 327 Simple Italian Recipes to Cook at Home
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Step 2: Pour the sea salt into a large bowl, add the egg whites, and mix vigorously until all the grains of sea salt are coated with egg whites. Spread 1/3 of the salt mixture over the bottom of a large rectangular or oval oven dish big enough to hold the whole fish. Place the fish on top.
Step 3: Cover it completely with the rest of the salt. No part of the fish should remain uncovered.
Step 4: Place the dish in the oven, reduce the heat to 400 degrees F, and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish; generally, cook for 10 minutes for every inch of thickness at the widest part of the fish.
Step 5: Remove the fish from the oven. Crack the crust at the table with the handle of a knife or a small hammer.
Step 6: Serve with lemon wedges and drizzled with olive oil.
Adapted from Tyler Florence: Tyler's Ultimate: Brilliant Food to Make Any Time
Step 1: Arrange an oven rack about 4 inches from the broiler and preheat the broiler.
Step 2: Melt the butter in a small saucepan with the grapefruit zest and juice and simmer for a couple of minutes to reduce the juice.
Step 3: Oil a large baking sheet. Sprinkle the fish all over with salt and pepper, including inside the cavities. Put the fish in a single layer on the baking sheet, then use your hands or a spoons to stuff the cavities with some of the couscous.
Step 4: Drizzle the fish with some of the grapefruit butter and broil, without turning until the skin blisters and the fish is cooked through but still translucent at the bone, 12 to 15 minutes.
Step 5: Baste the fish a couple of times with the remaining grapefruit butter as it broils. Serve the fish with the remaining couscous and grapefruit wedges.
Adapted from Bon Appetit, December 1999
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix black and green olives, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, butter, rosemary and thyme in medium bowl.
Step 2: Mix in 1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, then breadcrumbs. If mixture is too dry, you may add some olive oil.
Step 3: Butter large baking sheet. Place salmon fillets on prepared sheet. Spread 1 teaspoon mustard over each fillet. Pack 1/4 of breadcrumb mixture onto each mustard-coated fillet.
Step 4: Bake until fillets are just opaque in center, about 12 minutes.
Adapted from Cooking Light, September 2002
Makes 4 servings
Step 1: Combine first 3 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; add scallops. Seal bag, and shake to coat.
Step 2: Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add scallops; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan; keep warm.
Step 3: Add wine and vinegar to pan; cook 3 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring with a whisk.
Step 4: Stir in scallops; remove from heat. Garnish with parsley sprigs, if desired.
Adapted from Bon Appetit, April 2011
Step 1: Finely grate enough peel from 2 limes to measure 1 1/2 teaspoons. Squeeze enough juice from 2 limes to measure 2 tablespoons. Cut third lime into wedges.
Step 2: Heat vegetable oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chopped shallots, diced red bell pepper, and minced jalapeno and ginger; sautè until shallots are tender and peppers soften, about 5 minutes.
Step 3: Stir in curry paste, coconut milk, fish sauce, 1 1/2 teaspoons lime peel, and 2 tablespoons lime juice. Simmer gently, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle shrimp with salt and pepper. Add shrimp to curry sauce. Return to very gentle simmer and cook just until shrimp are opaque in center, 5 to 6 minutes.
Step 4: Season to taste with salt and pepper. Gently stir in cilantro and basil; serve with lime wedges.
The three different elements of this recipe - the salmon, spinach soubise, and the wilted leeks and Meyer lemon butter - meld together beautifully to give you an impressively delicious salmon dish. While the recipe looks complicated, it’s actually fairly simple to make and a must try if you are looking for something different than your basic fillet of salmon that’s grilled or broiled with salt and pepper.
For the salmon and Meyer lemon butter:
For the Spinach Soubise: