Pan Seared Fish with Gazpacho Sauce and Black Olive Tapenade

Every once in a while, I have a dish that turns out perfectly.  It is a dish that fires on all cylinders and, from start to finish, everything falls into place. It is a dish that, once plated, makes me actually look like a chef. This is one of those dishes ... Pan Seared Fish with Gazpacho Sauce and Black Olive Tapenade.

The recipe comes from a cookbook that I bought several years ago.  My beautiful Angel and I visited the Little Inn of Washington for a brief vacation.  We had dinner there, which was perhaps one of the best meals that I have ever had.  The kitchen, and, indeed, the entire inn, is run by chef Patrick O'Connell.  We had the opportunity to meet the chef and, before the trip was over, I had purchased a book of his recipes.  The book is Refined American Cuisine.

That book sat on my cookbook shelf for a very long time.  I have to admit that many of the recipes seemed daunting.  A kind of culinary intimidation, looking at something that I thought was unattainable given I lacked the skills and experience of a chef, let alone a chef of Patrick O'Connell's stature.

I have come to learn that there are emotions more powerful than fear.  One such emotion is love.  My love for my Angel propelled me to open that cookbook and search for a recipe to make for her.  I decided to make Pan Seared Fish with Gazpacho Sauce and Black Olive Tapanade. This dish combines the simplicity of a pan seared fish with the brightness from a gazpacho.  The crust created by the salt and pepper in the pan provides a flavorful start and an interesting contrast to the silky, smooth gazpacho.  The fresh vegetables provide a second contrast to the gazpacho.  All of which is topped off by the earthy black olive tapenade.

It is amazing what one can accomplish when fueled by their inspiration.  My inspiration is my beautiful Angel and it produced a wonderful dish.  Until next time....

PAN SEARED FISH WITH GAZPACHO SAUCE

AND BLACK OLIVE TAPENADE

Recipe adapted from Patrick O'Connell, Refined American Cuisine

Serves 6

Ingredients (for the gazpacho sauce):

3 1/2 pounds red ripe tomatoes, cored and 

     coarsely chopped

1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 sweet onion, coarsely chopped

2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon Tabasco

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon celery salt

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Ingredients (for the gazpacho salsa):

1 tablespoon peeled, seeded and minced tomato

1 tablespoon  peeled, seeded and minced cucumber

1 tablespoon seeded and minced red bell pepper

1 tablespoon seeded and minced green (or orange) bell pepper

1 tablespoon seeded and minced yellow bell pepper

1 teaspoon seeded and minced jalapeno pepper

1 tablespoon minced red onion

1 teaspoon minced shallot

1 teaspoon very finely chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh tarragon

1/4 teaspoon celery salt

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Ingredients (for the croutons):

2 pieces thinly sliced white bread

2 tablespoons black olive tapenade

Ingredients (for the fish):

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

6 fish fillets, about 3 ounces each, skin on

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Ingredients (for the garnish):

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1.  Prepare the gazpacho sauce.  In a blender or food processor, puree the tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, onion, celery and garlic in batches until smooth.  Strain the mixture.  Add the olive oil, Tabasco, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, cumin, and celery salt.  Mix well and refrigerate.  When the puree is thoroughly chilled, season to taste wtih salt and pepper.  Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve and allow to come to room temperature before serving.  (Note: this makes about 5 cups of sauce but you will only need 1 cup for the recipe.  The rest can be served as soup on the following day.)

2.  Prepare the gazpacho salsa.  In a small mixing bowl, combine the tomato, cucumber, bell peppers, jalapeno pepper, red onion and shallot.  Stir in the parsley, tarragon, celery salt, extra virgin olive oil and sherry vinegar.  Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate.

3.  Prepare the croutons.  Preheat the broiler.  Cut out six rounds of bread, about 2 inches in diameter, and place them on a baking sheet.  Toast the bread rounds under the broiler on both sides.  Spoon the olive tapenade on the toasts and set aside.

4.  Prepare the fish.  In a non-stick skillet, heat the oil over high heat.  Season the fish on both sides with salt and pepper.  Cook the fish, skin side down, for about 2 minutes or until the edges are crisp and golden. Flip the fillets and cook them on the other side for about 30 seconds.  Keep warm.

5.  Finish the dish.  Pour 2 tablespoons of the gazpacho sauce into each of 6 serving bowls.  drizzle a small amount of extra virgin olive oil around the sauce.  Place 1 tablespoon of gazpacho salsa in the center of each bowl.  Place 1 hot fish fillet on top of the salsa and lay 1 crouton of black olive tapenade on each one. 

ENJOY!

Ancho-Cumin Rubbed Ribeye with Roasted Pepper and Potato Salad

Kurt Vonnegut once remarked, "being American is to eat a lot of steak, and boy, we've got a lot more beef steak than any other country."  He added, "and people have started looking at these big hunks of bloody meat on their plates, you know, and wondering what on earth they think they're doing.  Well, every week I have a big hunk of meat and I know exactly what I am doing.  I am having Steak Night.

For this particular occasion, I decided to make a dish with a focus on Mexican flavors.  I focused my attention upon two such flavors ... ancho chile and cumin.  The ancho chile is basically a dried version of the poblano pepper.  The ancho chile (or poblano peppers) were first cultivated in the Puebla state of Mexico.  It is a relatively mild chile, with only about 1,000 to 2,000 Scoville Heat Units.  As for cumin, it is a relative of the parsley family, with its seeds being dried and used to provide a spicy, tangy flavor to dishes.  Whereas the ancho chile is native to the Americas, cumin is definitely an old world spice, dating back to Ancient Egypt and Syria.  The spice made its way to the New World aboard the vessels of Spanish and Portuguese explorers.  It took firm root in the cuisine of Central America, especially in Mexico.

The rub combines the slight heat of the ancho with the spice of cumin, both of which work very well together.  To complement the ribeye, I made an impromptu roasted potato and pepper salad, using some of the same Mexican flavors.  Not only did I use some ancho chile powder, but I also added some oregano, which is used often in Mexican cuisine. 

ANCHO-CUMIN RUBBED RIBEYE WITH 

ROASTED PEPPER AND POTATO SALAD

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 2

Ingredients (for the Ribeyes):

2 grass-fed ribeye steaks

1 teaspoon of ancho chile powder

1 teaspoon of onion powder

1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon of cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme

Ingredients (for the Salad):

2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes

1 red bell pepper

1/2 red onion, diced

1 orange bell pepper

1/2 teaspoon of ancho chile powder

1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano

1/8 cup of vegetable or canola oil

Directions:

1.  Prepare the peppers and potatoes.  If you have a gas stove, turn two elements on high and roast one pepper on each element until the skin turns black.  Rotate the pepper until all sides are black.  Turn off elements and allow the peppers to cool.  While peppers are roasting, cube the potatoes.  In a bowl, combine the vegetable oil, 1/2 teaspoon of ancho chile powder and dried oregano.  Stir the ingredients.  Add the potatoes and onions.  Toss the ingredients until the potatoes and onions are covered by the oil.

2.  Prepare the steak.  Combine the powders and dried thyme and mix well.  Rub the spice mixture on all sides of the steaks.  Preheat the broiler.

3.  Broil the steak and the potato/onion mixture.  Place the steak on one shelf and the potatoes/onions on another shelf in the oven.  The cooking times will vary depending upon the thickness of the steak, but the potato/onions will cook in about 1/2 hour.  About half way through the cooking of the potatoes, add the roasted bell peppers and mix them with the potatoes.  The steak should finish before the potatoes (about eight to ten minutes for each side).  

ENJOY!

Moqueca Baiana

Recently, I was looking for a new fish dish to make for my beautiful wife, Clare.  I wanted a recipe that was easy, but, at the same time, was interesting enough to grab my attention.  More specifically, I was looking for a dish from another country, one which has a little story behind it.  I found that dish ... and it comes out of Brazilian cuisine.

The dish is called Moqueca or Muqueca.  Although generally referred to as a "seafood stew, " many recipes actually produce a fish stew.  The recipes call for the use of white fleshed fish as the principal ingredient and, inevitably, at the end, they suggest that as "variations," one could use or add lobster shrimp, scallops, or other seafood. 

What makes this dish fascinating is that there are two versions -- Moqueca Capixaba and Moqueca Baiana -- and each of the versions is a nod to the different influences upon Brazilian cuisine.  The Capixaba version is made principally in Southern Brazil, in the state of Espirito Santo.  This version features the influences of Brazil's indigenous peoples.  It is the simpler of the two Moquecas, with fish roasted on banana leaves over hot coals.  By contrast, the Moqueca Baiana is the version made in the northern state of Bahia.  This version is heavily influenced by the African populations in Brazil.  It uses palm oil and a base of coconut milk, which create a flavorful broth for the mixture of vegetables (onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, garlic and chiles) and a nice buttery flavor that complements the fish. 

I decided to make Moqueca Baiana, although I changed the recipe in a couple small respects.  First, I did not have any dende oil (or palm oil), so I just omitted that ingredient.  Second, I did not have any the requisite chiles.  The recipe calls for malagueta peppers, which are fiery, red peppers that are widely used in Portuguese-influenced cuisines, which includes the cuisines of Brazil and Mozambique.  The peppers actually go by separate names, depending upon their maturity when they are picked.  If the peppers are a small size when picked, they are known as malaguetinha in Brazil or "piri-piri" in Portugal.  If the peppers are allowed to mature and reach a larger size, they are called malaguetão in Brazil or malagueta in Portugal.  Given the recipe calls for malagueta peppers, I presume that the larger peppers are supposed to be used.  However, I did not have any fresh or dried malagueta peppers, I only had ground piri piri peppers.  I decided that I wanted to use fresh chiles and keep the heat in check since I was making the dish for my wife.  I went with a couple of serrano chiles, which have a lower rating on the Scoville Scale than the malagueta peppers.  I also chose serrano chiles because I thought that the diced chiles would add a nice green fleck to the combination of red tomatoes, orange bell pepper and yellow bell pepper.  For once, I was thinking of the presentation.

Finally, the dish calls for "white fleshed fish."  This general description covers a wide range of fish, including cod, haddock, hake, and pollock.  The local store had limited options for white fish, offering only hake.  Generally speaking, populations of hake in some areas, such as the in the northern Atlantic Ocean, are doing okay, while they are overfished and struggling in other areas, such as in the Atlantic Ocean around the Carolinas.  Of course, the store did not specify where the fish was caught; instead, it just stuck a yellow fish sticker on the sign.  I begrudgingly bought some hake, which worked especially well with this dish. 

MOQUECA BAIANA

Recipe from Whats4Eats

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds of white-fleshed fish, cut into chunks

2 limes, juiced

1 teaspoon of salt

2 tablespoons of oil

2 onions, diced

2 bell peppers, diced

2-3 garlic cloves, diced

1-3 chile (malagueta) peppers

3 cups of tomatoes, peeled and seeded

2 cups of coconut milk

2 tablespoons of dende oil (optional)

Directions:

1.  Marinate the fish.  Toss the fish, lime juice and salt together in a large, non-reactive bowl and set aside to marinate for about 30 minutes.

2.  Saute the onions, peppers and tomatoes.  Heat the oil in a medium sized pot over medium flame.  Add the onions and peppers.  Saute until hte onions are translucent.  Add the garlic and chile peppers, saute for an additional minute.  Add the tomatoes and simmer for about 5 minutes more to cook them down.

3.  Add the coconut milk and fish.   Stir in the coconut milk and the fish with its marinadse.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low.  Simmer gently for about 5 minutes or until the fish is cooked through.  Adjust the seasoning.  Stir in the dende oil.  

PAIRING THIS RECIPE

If you are looking for a good pairing, one website suggests an oaked Chardonnay wine (that is, a Chardonnay that has been aged in oaked barrels) pairs well with dishes that use coconut milk.  I have reviewed one Chardonnay that was aged in oak barrels, which may go with this recipe (although I have to admit that I am not sure):

Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard -- Chardonnay (2010)

100% Chardonnay

Comus, Maryland, USA

Flavors of pear and apple

ENJOY!

Dungie Cakes with a Yellow Pepper Saffron Sauce

Having lived near the Chesapeake Bay for many years, I have a particular fondness for crabcakes.  Every chef in this region has his or her own recipe that, as a general rule, is a closely guarded secret.  I have previously posted a Crabcake Sandwich - Italian Style;. however, that is not my personal recipe for crabcakes.  I have yet to post that recipe and, for now, I do not intend to post it.

Still, I experiment with crabcakes, using different ingredients and, in this case, a different species of crab. Typically, crab cakes are made with blue crabs; however, I recently made crabcakes using dungeness crab meat.  Unlike blue crabs, which are an endangered species (especially in the Chesapeake Bay), dungeness crabs are considered a sustainable choice.  The dungeness crab fishery is well managed, limited to fishing male crabs of six and one quarter inches or larger.  Certain traps are used that allow for undersized crabs to escape and that minimize the bycatch.  Fishing is altogether prohibited during the molting season, thereby ensuring the continued propagation of the crabs.  For these reasons, dungeness crab is considered a "best choice" by Seafood Watch and has been certified as "sustainable" by the Marine Stewardship Council.

This recipe is one that is under development.  I wanted to push these crabcakes beyond a typical crabcake.  There is no Old Bay.  There is no mustard, Worcestershire sauce, or mustard.  The binding used consists simply of a cage free egg and unsalted butter, along with panko bread crumbs and finely diced peppers.  This recipe creates about six medium sized cakes, which can be served as two servings of three cakes or three servings of two cakes.

DUNGIE CAKES WITH A YELLOW PEPPER SAFFRON SAUCE

A Chef Bolek Original
Serves 2-3

Ingredients (for the crab cakes):

2 pounds of dungeness crab clusters, picked

1/3 red bell pepper, diced finely

1/3 orange bell pepper, diced finely

1/3 yellow bell pepper, diced finely

1/2 sweet onion diced finely

2 cloves of garlic, diced finely

4 tablespoons of butter, melted

1 egg

1 cup of panko bread crumbs

Ingredients (for the Yellow Pepper Saffron Sauce)

2/3 yellow pepper

1/2 sweet onion

1 small clove of garlic, diced

1 healthy pinch of crushed red pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme 

1 pinch of saffron

1/4 cup of olive oil

Sea salt to taste

Directions:

1.  Make the crab cakes.  Add the red, yellow and orange peppers to a bowl.  Add the onion and garlic.  Add the bread crumbs and mix well.  Add the crab meat and mix again.  Add the egg and the butter and mix thoroughly.  Make six balls of the crab mixture, working the mixture to ensure that they are compacted well.  Cover and refrigerate for about twenty minutes. 

2.  Make the sauce.   Saute 2/3 of the yellow bell pepper with the 1/2 onion and small clove of garlic.  Add the crushed red pepper and the thyme.  When the vegetables are translucent, which should be about five minutes, then remove from the heat and add to the food processor. Use the "food processor" function and add about 1/4 cup of olive oil by a slow steady stream.  Warm the saffron in hot water and then add to the food processor.  Once fully blended, add to a sauce pot and keep warm.

3.  Saute the crab cakes.  Heat about two to three tablespoons of olive oil in two pans over medium high heat.   Remove the crab cakes from the refrigerator.  Using your hands, press each ball into a cake.  Add the cakes to the oil and saute for about four to five minutes on each side.  

4.  Plate the dish.  Remove and plate two to three cakes on each plate.  Spoon the sauce over the cakes and serve immediately.  

ENJOY!

Smoked Mussel Salad

Recently, both Clare and I were shopping at a relatively new grocery store when we encountered smoked mussels for the first time.  Having worked as a cook in a seafood restaurant, where I steamed many a bucket of mussels, I am quite familiar with this particular species of bivalves.  Yet, neither Clare nor I ever tasted smoked mussels.   There was a little demonstration booth set up in the store where customers could try smoked mussels, along with other smoked seafood, such as smoked salmon and halibut.  Both Clare and I tried a couple and moved on.  However, we found ourselves going back to the booth for me to try some more and to buy a package of smoked mussels to eat at home. 

As we were driving home, my thoughts turned to how could I incorporate smoked mussels into a dish.  I quickly decided to use them in a salad.  Not just any salad, but a salad that also incorporates flavors that complement the smokiness of the mussels.  The salad would include roasted peppers and roasted garlic, both of which provide roasted flavors that work well with the mussels.  I also added fresh Vidalia onions (which can be substituted with sweet onions) to provide a little crunch to what are otherwise soft ingredients.   Add a little cilantro, salt and pepper and the dish is complete. 

SMOKED MUSSEL SALAD

A Chef Bolek Original
Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

1 package of smoked mussels

1 red sweet pepper, roasted, diced

1 orange sweet pepper, roasted, diced

1 yellow sweet pepper, roasted, diced

2 cloves of roasted garlic

1/4 Vidalia onion, diced finely
1 teaspoon of fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Salt, to taste

Ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.  Roast the peppers.  Roast the peppers using the gas elements of your stove.  Blacken all sides of the pepper.  Let it cool and then pull off the blackened skin under running water. 

2.  Roast the garlic.  Roast the garlic by cutting a head of garlic horizontally.  Put it in a sheet of foil, salt and pepper it, and sprinkle some olive oil.  Bake in a 450 degree oven for about fifteen minutes.

3.  Prepare the salad.  Once you have all the roasted components, dice them finely.  Add the diced onion and the mussels.  Mix thoroughly and serve immediately. 

ENJOY!