where the image is meant to titillate and inspire the cook
Fresh Pacific Swordfish
Braised in Tomato Jalapeño Caper Sauce
Over Cannellini Drizzled with Olive Oil
Chervil Garnish
A recipe in the January issue of Food & Wine caught my eye. They made theirs with penne pasta and flaked the swordfish. Here I serve the intact filet over white beans. The swordfish is braised in a zesty tomato sauce with anchovy, garlic, jalapeño, capers and white wine.
Garden Protein “Fried Chicken” Tenders
Mixed Baby Greens, Corn, Toasted Pecans
Vegan Ranch Dressing
This delightful and heart healthy vegan salad is made with Gardein’s Crispy Tenders, a baked plant-based poultry-like food made from veggies and grains – quinoa, amaranth, millet, and kamut. The delicious no-cholesterol dressing is made with Vegenaise and MimicCream, a cream substitute made from almond and cashew nuts.
Yogurt Panna Cotta
Olive Oil, Sea Salt, Thyme Garnish
Fat-free Yogurt Panna Cotta
Lavender Honey
Lavender Flower Garnish
Fresh Wild-Caught Mahi Mahi
Spicy Citrus Soy Sauce
Served over Crunchy Raw Mung Bean Sprouts with Chopped Peanuts
I am always pleasantly surprised by Mahi Mahi (also known as dorado or dolphinfish). It has a sweet mild flavor similar to swordfish, firm texture with large moist flakes. The name Mahi Mahi means strong-strong in Hawaiian, referring to its swimming ability, not its flavor. This species of fish grows and matures quickly and has a lifespan of 5 years, so its population can probably withstand fishing pressures. Speaking of fish lifespans, I was recently reading about the slow-growing Orange Roughy, and its lifespan of well over 100 years. The article said something like “the Orange Roughy in your freezer is probably older than your grandmother.” (And not a good choice on the sustainability charts either).
Baja-Style Tortilla Vegetable Soup
Garnished with Avocado, Lime, Serrano, Cilantro
Queso Blanco
Baja California, Mexico! Have you been? Unfortuately it’s been a few years since I’ve been down there. We loved Ensenada – a couple decades ago we rode our bicycles 50 miles from Rosarito to Ensenada. That ride is still going strong, in its 31st year. And we always love Los Cabos, with it’s great beaches, restaurants, nightlife and fishing. In Guerrero Negro, where the whales come in the winter to give birth, you can experience them up close in the lagoon.
Fish tacos have been a specialty in Baja, no wonder, as it is a long thin spit of land surrounded by water. Traditionally, the tacos are local fried fish served on a corn tortilla, with shredded cabbage, onion, crema, and lime. That’s the way I remember them sold from street vendors in Ensenada back in the early 80’s. Speaking of Ensenada, have you been to Hussong’s (est. 1892), the oldest cantina in the Californias?
