Sensational Sides Archives - Page 3 of 4

Crispy Thai Tamarind Fish with Brown Rice Noodles

Crispy Thai Tamarind Fish

Panko Crusted Fillet of Fresh Sole
Bell Pepper, Onion, Ginger, Carrot, Chile
Sweet & Sour Tamarind Sauce
Thai Brown Rice Vermicelli Noodles

Panko-crusted petrale sole sits atop Thai brown rice vermicelli noodles in a brothy, sweet & sour tamarind sauce loaded with fresh vegetables. Traditionally served with white rice, this fish dish is especially great paired with these noodles which are made in Thailand.

Sweet, delicately flavored, slightly nutty petrale sole is wonderful when sautéed with a panko crust. The fillets are just the right thickness – the exterior gets divinely crisp while the fish is cooked to a fine-textured moist perfection. Crispy crust, tangy broth, slippery noodles, zippy ginger, fiery chiles, licorice-y Thai basil – it’s an irresistible combination of texture and flavor.

Thai Tamarind Fish Recipe

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Savory Matzo Brei with Asparagus and Smoked Salmon

Savory Matzo Brei
Asparagus, Smoked Salmon, Onion, Fennel
Sour Cream and Fresh Dill

We eat matzo (unleavened bread) on Passover to remind us of our ancestors’ Exodus from Egypt. Leaving in such a haste, they could not wait for bread to rise. Additionally, matzo is the “bread of affliction” – the food of slavery, it reminds us to be humble and to appreciate our freedoms.

Jett is 10 years old. The morning after our Seder for the first night of Passover, he had Matzo Brei for breakfast. Matzo, butter, eggs with a pinch of salt…and sugar! My cute nephew proclaimed it to be “awesome.” I simply sautéed the water-softened matzo in butter, then added eggs and scrambled it together. I served him the sugar on the side, so he could sprinkle his Matzo Brei with just the right amount. Turns out he likes it pretty sweet, no surprise.

This had me thinking about an adult version of Matzo Brei, a savory rendition celebrating springtime. No vegetable screams spring more than asparagus, and paired with smoked salmon, onion, fennel, dill, and sour cream – the adult version turned out “awesome” as well!

Matzo Brei Recipe

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La Purée de Pommes de Terre de Joël Robuchon

La Purée de Pommes de Terre de Joël Robuchon

Can mashed potatoes be forever memorable? Oui! Especially if the recipe comes from “Chef of the Century” Joël Robuchon. With just four ingredients – potato, butter, milk, salt – his legendary Purée de Pommes de Terre recipe takes the humble potato and turns it into something impossibly elegant and silky and oh so rich. A potato dish of dreams that we were fortunate to enjoy at a “dinner of small tasting portions” at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in Las Vegas here.

While Robuchon’s pommes de terre are typically served sans garnish, it is Spring, and my garden chives are in bloom. I don’t think he would mind my fresh addition to this signature dish… Joyeux Printemps, Chef!

French Mashed Potato Recipe

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THIN IS IN: Fennel, Mushroom, Watercress, Parmesan, Walnut

Fennel, Mushroom, Watercress, Parmesan, Walnut
Fruity Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Balsamic Syrup

It’s almost summer and thin is in! Thin vegetables, that is. A mandoline slicer can help turn a fennel bulb and common white mushrooms into a graceful salad or side dish. Pretty paper-thin watercress leaves add a bold peppery flavor. Their deep green color contrasts the pale fennel, mushroom, and cheese. Walnuts bring nutty, earthy flavors and a crunchy texture. Dressed with fruity olive oil and balsamic syrup, the final dish has a synergistic elegance beyond its everyday components.

THIN IS IN SALAD/SIDE DISH RECIPE

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Scallop, Farro, Micro Greens, Lemon Basil Sauce

Scallop, Farro, Micro Greens, Tomato, Borage, Lemon Basil Sauce

I simply could not resist those U-10 scallops at the fish market. U-10 (under 10 scallops per pound) are the largest available. These dry pack, wild caught Atlantic sea scallops have a sweet, rich buttery taste. They contain no preservatives or additives and do not ooze liquid during the cooking process, unlike wet scallops that have been soaked in a phosphate solution.

The dilemma was how to showcase the (not inexpensive) scallops, yet keep the dish simple and simultaneously interesting? Lemon and basil naturally pair well with scallops, so that became the sauce. I mingle tomato, nasturtium, and mache for a light salad-y effect. And then add the unexpected farro, an Italian grain with nutty, chewy, earthy flavors and textures. This unique dish has an irresistible appeal of land and sea. Bright blue borage flowers add that contrasting splash of color.

Scallop, Farro, Micro Greens, Lemon Basil Sauce Recipe

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