Roasted Sablefish, Butternut Squash and Bok Choy Curry

Roasted Sablefish, Butternut and Bok Choy Curry

Sustainable Roasted Sablefish
Butternut Squash and Bok Choy in Green Curry
Red Chili, Lime

Roasted simply with olive oil, salt and pepper – the flavor is rich, sweet, and buttery due to its high oil content. It’s texture is velvety smooth with large delicate flakes. Silky sablefish pairs very well with bold Thai flavors, nutty butternut squash, and slightly crisp bok choy stalks and slightly bitter bok choy leaves.

Last weekend I joined chefs, fishermen, local experts and educators at The Cabrillo Marine Aquarium’s Sustainable Seafood Expo 2016 to share sustainable seafood recipes and samples; talk about fisheries, habitats, and species management; and to promote and sustain wild, diverse, and healthy ocean ecosystems that will last long into the future.

Caught of the California coast with bottom longline method, sablefish is rated a “Best Choice” for sustainability by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch.

Roasted Sablefish & Curry Recipe

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A Sweet & Savory Dinner Featuring Truffle Honey

cooking with truffle honey, bacon wrapped pork loin

A Sweet & Savory Dinner ~ Featuring Truffle Honey

Pan-Seared & Roasted Pork Loin Wrapped in Bacon
Demilune of Baked Butternut Squash & Apple with Truffle Honey & Rosemary
Sauteed Purple Cabbage with Truffle Honey, Balsamic Vinegar, Caraway Seeds

My generous friends at Gourmet Attitude in NYC, purveyors of fresh truffles and fine truffle products, sent a gift box called the “Trio Boutique” containing three jars of fancy truffle products ~ truffle honey, truffle carpaccio, and white truffle cream. Merci and Grazie! We thought it would be fun to cook three separate dinners, each featuring one of these preserved truffle goodies.

For the first truffle dinner, lean and mild pork loin was enhanced with thick smoky bacon. Nutty butternut squash was baked with gala apple and laced with truffle honey, rosemary and butter. Then for contrast, purple cabbage was sauteed with onion and butter, flavored with balsamic vinegar and toasted caraway seeds, finished with truffle honey. This rather common combination of pork, apples, and cabbage was elevated by the truffle honey and the pretty demilune squash presentation with a rosette of colorful cabbage. It’s a meal that exemplifies uncomplicated effortless elegance.

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Sweet & Savory Autumn Tarte Tatin

butternut & acorn squash tarte tatin, bacon, goat cheese, hazelnut, sage
Sweet & Savory Autumn Tarte Tatin

Butternut and Acorn Squash
Bacon, Maple, Hazelnut, Goat Cheese, Sage

I have a feeling I’m going to get more requests to make the Sweet & Savory Autumn Tarte Tatin this season. With its nutty, tangy, and sucré flavors, the smoky aromas, rich earthy colors, and crispy, creamy, flaky textures ~ the famous inverted French pie originally made with apples back in the late 1800’s ~ is heart and soul of the inspiration for this recipe.

Butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup are intensified and caramelized at the bottom of the cast iron pan while the pastry on top remains dry, light and crisp. Stephanie Tatin’s inadvertent “mistake” in cooking an apple pie up-side-down has become a part of culinary history and its method copied in various forms over the years. Sometimes sweet, sometimes savory ~ here I present a delightful Autumn tarte that is both…

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Southern Greens Pasta served in a Roasted Squash Bowl

southern greens pasta
Southern Greens & Pasta
Mustard, Turnip, Collards, Spinach

simmered in Chicken Broth
Black Forest Bacon, Onion, Garlic, Red Chile Flakes
Apple Cider Vinegar, Olive Oil
tossed with
Fusillata Casareccia (open s-shape twist pasta)

southern greens fusillata casareccia
Southern Greens & Pasta
served in a
Roasted Butternut Squash Bowl
finished with
Grated Parmesan

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butternut squash lasagna, tomatillo sauce

butternut squash lasagna, gluten-free lasagna, vegetarian lasagna

roasted butternut squash & corn lasagna
layered with corn tortilla, shredded mozzarella, and tomatillo sauce

butternut squash lasagna, lasagna,

Already? The school year is winding to a close. It’s time to thank the parent volunteers for their energy, support, and dedication in helping maintain the library at Rolling Hills Country Day School. As is tradition, our  librarian recognizes all the parent volunteers at a special “Luncheon in the Library” held in their honor. Not only is Mrs. Love an inspiring passionate librarian and mother of three Country Day students, she is also a fabulous cook! I’m thrilled to have her share her recipe here, it was a smashing success (vegetarian & gluten-free too)!

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