Rainbow Trout with Pine Nuts, Butter Stuffing, and Sage Butter

In the middle of Ohio you can't plan ahead for something like rainbow trout. You can't run to the store one day to buy trout for dinner that night because it's hit or miss. I switched gears with my menu for the week and asked for two trouts instead of the salmon. Here is what I did with it, taken from a recipe from an old Gourmet magazine.

Serves 4

Sage Butter
3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3 scallions, finely chopped

Stuffing:
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 fresh jalapeño peppers, seeded and diced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Fish:
4 butterflied rainbow trout, whole, skin on, bones removed (ask your fish dealer to do this for you)
Vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Butter: Well in advance of cooking the fish, prepare the Sage Butter by placing all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse to combine well. Using a rubber spatula, heap the mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap and roll to form a sausage shape. Twist the ends to enclose the butter. Refrigerate at least 1 hour to harden enough so that it can be sliced.

The stuffing: Meanwhile, prepare the stuffing combining the bread crumbs, pine nuts, jalapeños, garlic, chili powder and salt and pepper in a bowl. Drizzle the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil into this mixture and blend together lightly with a fork.

The fish: Preheat the broiler. Brush both sides of the trout with vegetable oil. Season with salt and pepper and broil skin-side up to crisp the skin, a maximum of 2 to 3 minutes. Don't cook the heads—I just showed you what they looked like after you hack them off with a cleaver. Remove the fish from the broiler. Place the fish, skin-side down, in a roasting pan that has been lightly rubbed with vegetable oil. Sprinkle the stuffing mixture over the fish. Place the fish in a 375 degree oven 6 to 7 minutes to finish cooking. When the fish have nearly finished baking, crumble several pieces of the reserved Sage Butter on each fillet so that, in the last moment of cooking, the butter will melt, seasoning the fish.

Roasted Salmon with Yam, Swiss Chard, Cabbage, and Red Wine Sauce

This is a little complicated, so it probably won't due for a weeknight, but if you prepare ahead and have all the stuff measured and chopped before you start cooking, it goes smoothly and really doesn't take more than 30 or 35 minutes. Yum.

Serves 4

Sauce
2 cups dry red wine (I used Marsala instead and used less. I made the difference up with the broth)
2 cups vegetable broth
2 medium shallots, chopped
3 garlic gloves, roughly chopped
2 fresh parsley sprigs
1 fresh rosemary sprig
2 fresh thyme sprigs
12 black peppercorns
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon flour

Vegetables
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 3-oz package pancetta, chopped
2 cups yams, peeled and diced into 1/3-inch cubes
2 cups thinly sliced Swiss chard with center ribs removed
2 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup dry vermouth or white wine
1 cup vegetable broth

Fish
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 6- to 8-oz. salmon fillets

For sauce: combine all but the butter and flour in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 35 minutes. While it's simmering, cook the vegetables.

For vegetables: in a large sauce pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add pancetta and cook until browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Stir in yams, chard, and cabbage and stir until softened, about 5 minutes. This would be a good time to start cooking the salmon so everything finishes at the same time. Stir in the butter and vermouth and simmer until almost all liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

For fish: In a heavy skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper and cook skin side up until browned, about 4 minutes per side.

Back to the sauce: whisk the flour in with the softened butter and whisk in the reduced sauce.

To serve: divide the vegetable mixture and the salmon between four plates and drizzle with the sauce.

From Bon Appétit, December 2008

Pasta with Baby Squash and Caramelized Onions

I can't find baby squash in my usual grocery store, but my town has a farm market every Wednesday with local Amish growers selling incredible produce. They sell baby squash by the quart basket, and it was perfect in this dish. Full-sized squash would work just as well, though. It's just not as cute.

1/2 to 1 pound fettuccine
six slices bacon, diced
1/2 large onion, sliced thin
5 small or two large yellow squash, sliced thin
2 -3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 ounces feta, crumbled
1/2 cup chiffonade of fresh basil
salt and pepper
Parmesan, shaved

• Sauté bacon until crisp and drain on paper towels. Cook onions in 1-2 tablespoons bacon fat on medium to low heat until caramelized, about 10 minutes.

• While onions are caramelizing, cook pasta according to package directions and drain, reserving 1 cup of cooking water.

•Add sliced squash and garlic to the onions and cook five minutes or until just cooked through. Stir in cream and simmer until thick, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

• Return drained pasta to cooking pot off the heat and stir in feta, basil and salt and pepper and enough hot cooking water to make a creamy sauce.

• Serve vegetable sauce over pasta and garnish with bacon and shaved Parmesan.

Scarborough Fair Shortbread

Makes 16 cookies

1 cup flour
1/4 cup plus 1/2 tablespoon superfine sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon each finely chopped fresh sage, rosemary, and thyme*
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 egg white, lightly beaten
16 small parsley leaves
16 small sage leaves
16 rosemary leaves
16 1-inch thyme sprigs

Preheat oven to 375˚ F. Stir together flour, 1/4 cup sugar, salt, and chopped herbs in a bowl. Add butter and stir with a fork until mixture forms a dough (I mixed the ingredients in a food processor instead). Divide dough in half and pat each half into a 6 1/2 to 7-inch round on an ungreased baking sheet. Crimp edges of rounds and cut each into 8 wedges with a sharp knife. Lightly brush with egg white and arrange 1 leaf of each herb on each wedge. Brush herbs lightly with egg white and sprinkle with 1/2 tablespoon sugar. Prick each wedge with a fork.

Bake until golden, 15 to 17 minutes. Recut wedges while shortbread is hot, then cool completely on sheet on a rack.

Cookies will keep in an airtight container for five days. *You can opt for only two herbs, if you prefer.

Yum! Gourmet, the September 2005 issue.

Lemon Cornmeal Cake with Lemon Glaze and Blueberry Sauce

This is a simple cake for any occasion or no occasion at all. And best of all—it tastes like spring. One large lemon should be enough for both the glaze and the blueberry sauce.

Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients
Glaze
1 1/2 cups (packed) powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons (or more) fresh lemon juice

Cake
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled
Crushed-Blueberry Sauce

Preparation
glaze
Combine powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice in small bowl. Stir with spoon until smooth and paste-like, adding more lemon juice by 1/2 teaspoonfuls if glaze is too thick to spread. Set aside.

cake
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides; line bottom with parchment. Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in large bowl; whisk to blend. Whisk buttermilk, eggs, lemon peel, and vanilla in small bowl. Pour buttermilk mixture and melted butter into flour mixture. Using rubber spatula, gently fold liquids into flour mixture until just blended (do not stir). Scrape batter into pan; spread evenly.

Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean and cake pulls away from sides of pan, about 30 minutes.

Immediately run knife around sides of cake. Place rack atop cake in pan. Using oven mitts, hold pan and rack firmly together and invert cake onto rack. Remove pan from cake. Place another rack on bottom of cake; invert 1 more time so that cake is top side up. Stir glaze until blended. While cake is still very hot, drop glaze by tablespoonfuls onto cake; spread to within 1/2 inch of edge (some glaze may drip down sides of cake). Cool completely. Serve with Crushed-Blueberry Sauce (recipe follows).

Crushed Blueberry Sauce

Ingredients
3 cups fresh blueberries or frozen, thawed (13 to 14 ounces), divided
2/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
Pinch of salt

Preparation
Combine 1 1/2 cups blueberries and all remaining ingredients in medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to simmer, about 7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until berries are very soft and liquid is syrupy, stirring often, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat; add remaining blueberries. Using back of spoon, gently press fresh blueberries against side of pan until lightly crushed. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Serve chilled or rewarm before serving, if desired.



from Bon Appétit April 2009

Veggie Burgers

2 ounces olive oil
3 tablespoons diced red onion
2 tablespoons diced black olives
2 tablespoons diced red bell peppers
1 teaspoon diced jalapeno
1 1/2 tablespoons diced garlic
1 tablespoon diced artichoke
4 ounces black beans, drained
4 ounces chickpeas, drained
4 ounces white beans, drained
6 ounces rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon Hungarian paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon ground sage
2 tablespoons seasoned bread crumbs
1 egg

In a medium saute pan over medium heat, add 1-ounce olive oil and all raw vegetables except beans. Saute until translucent. Remove and cool.

Add veggies to beans and mix thoroughly. Add all dry ingredients along with the egg. Thoroughly mix all ingredients and form into 4 patties, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

In saute pan add 1-ounce olive oil, and cook patties 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Recipe from Guy Fieri, Food Network

Pumpkin Chipotle Soup

1 small dried chipotle chile or one canned chipotle chile
1 cup boiling water (if using dried chile)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 white onion, chopped
1 apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 1/2 cups pumpkin or a 29-oz. can pumpkin
4 cups vegetable stock
1 teaspoon nutmeg
juice of 1 lime
salt to taste
sour cream
cilantro leaves

If using dried chile: place chile in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand 30 minutes.

In a heavy stockpot, heat canola oil on medium-low heat. Add onion and cook until translucent. Dice chile, reserving some sauce from can. Add chile and apple to the pot and continue cooking about 3 minutes. Add chipotle sauce to taste. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

Add pumpkin, stock, and nutmeg and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook another 35 minutes. Using a hand blender, puree soup until smooth. Squeeze in juice of one lime and salt to taste. Ladle soup into bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream and a few cilantro leaves.

Note: Recipe slightly adapted from Maria at Just Eat Your Cupcake