Coconut Milk Poached Monkfish

My mind is always going. Thinking, racing and pondering.

And when it comes to food, I’m always making up new combinations with whatever items I have on hand. This approach provides a decent amount of recipes stockpiled in my arsenal.

Back in the day, I mean 2020BP aka Before Pandemic, when creating proposals for catering gigs I had an ample amount of food items from which to choose.  With a good range from hot to cold, from meat to fish to vegetarian.  Yet even with all those options, I found that each gig offered up opportunities to create new ones.  Before the virus hit and shut down all catering work, I had a client who wanted to add a few more fish options to her menu.  Since it was going to be a cocktail party with pass-around hors d'oeuvres, I needed to devise a small bite that I could easily execute as well as be easily consumed.  I started experimenting with bite sized medallions of cod poached in coconut milk served on a spoon.  It was quite tasty, fit all the prerequisites and was slated to part of the menu. However, I never did get to pull off that idea for the client as the party never took place.

Luckily with me, no idea is ever completely tossed aside. Most often, I just create new ideas but I do try to file through my mind catalog when faced with ‘what do I make with this?’ That’s exactly what happened when I had some leftover coconut milk and monk fish.  Why not try that same codfish recipe using monk fish?  I have poached monk fish before with great success so I felt confident that it would work out.

My hubby, JuanCarlos, wasn’t sure about the coconut milk.  He skews more heavily on garlic, wine and butter sauces. But I just wasn’t feeling the butter.  

I wanted to use shallots because I really like their subtle onion flavor and softer, more delicate texture, but lock down mode had made it difficult to procure certain items vs. others. There’s always an improvise, and this one came in the bigger sister of a shallot: deeper color, larger size and more intense sibling known as the red onion.

Poaching softens everything.  Including my husband’s opinion. Instead of getting a hard sear on the protein, which is his preferred method, poaching gently cooks the protein and provides a luscious finish.  There are times when you just need soft and comforting, and that’s just what this delivers, especially when served with rice.  If you do want to add some crispy elements to this dish, you can fry up some of the shallots or onions or basil to finish the dish.

The aromatics: red onion, garlic and ginger.

White wine adds some acidity as well as a sweet component to then lightly braise the aromatics.

Cut the fish into medallions, a hefty inch thick.

Add the coconut milk and nestle the fish into the liquid.

Over a medium low heat, cover and gently cook until the fish is tender. Then add basil to finish.

Ingredients

⅔ cup shallot or red onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

1 lb monk fish, cut to 1-½” thick slices

2 tbsp of olive oil

¼ cup sliced ginger

1 cup of dry white wine

¼ cup basil, chopped

1 cup of coconut milk

¼ cup of water

2 tbsp basil, chiffonade

Instructions

1. Sauté onions, garlic and ginger in oil over medium low heat to soften
2. Add white wine, and slowly let the alcohol burn off
3. Add the coconut milk and water, and place fish into liquid. Cover and cook over medium low heat.
4. After 10 minutes, turn fish pieces and add cut basil, cook for another 3-4 min.

Serve with rice:
Hopefully you remember when I shared some tips and tricks, with one of them making extra rice and freezing it. Well, here’s a perfect example of when previous work comes in handy. While you are prepping/cooking the monk, just pull out the bag of frozen rice and gently warm it on the stove top or if you have a microwave. Then spoon the poached monk fish and coconut milk sauce over top. Meal complete.

This dish is warm and comforting. The fish is tender swimming in a creamy sauce with only a slight hint of coconut. Besides the rice, I like serving it a side vegetable of bok choy or grilled asparagus.

Sure, there are certain aspects of catering I miss. Mostly, the creating of the menu and culling together foods that will work with the party’s theme, the client’s taste and guests. But, hey, that’s what I have all of you for; catering at home. So, all’s good.

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5 Basic Ingredients - 4 Different Dishes

Being home in shelter in place means so many things to so many people. It conjures up different experiences for each of us. Some people are using the time to get home projects accomplished. Get their yards ready. Some are decluttering. Some are mastering their skill set like solving puzzles. Others are finding hidden talents like painting, dancing or singing. Maybe you are learning a new language. Whatever this time brings, my wish is that we embrace it.

For me, I’ve gone back to my comfort zone which is cooking and baking, using all the food I have, and using it wisely. This has been, and still is, one of my strong suits. It’s how I honed my cooking skills and harkens back to my ‘something from nothing’ style and overall approach to cooking. Which is; check out what you have and figure out what to make, regardless of the ingredients or the quantities.

For those you who aren’t aware of how I began this style, it started when I was in my late teens, just wanting to experiment at home. (You can also click on my About page for more of my back story.) My grandmother, who was both an awesome cook and amazing baker, and one of my strongest influencers, would look on with doubting eyes as I mixed up and cooked up concoctions for the family to try. I often heard her famous line, “What a “mushgononza”. Which is basically the slang version of the Italian word mezcolanza meaning mixture or mash up of several things. I guarantee you that she meant it more as a mixed up mess. However much she may have doubted me during the cooking process, she inevitably would turn to me and say, ‘Not bad, not bad at all.’ Phew, praise from the master.

My Grandma Perri making her famous peaches & cream cake.

However, I would say that this style of cooking truly took form when I used to visit my sister after she first got married. Jill rarely, ok, never had fresh herbs but usually had a pantry full of canned stuff, and a freezer of frozen items. I would look through her stash and try to figure out what can I make from what was seemingly a hodge podge of items. For more on this, you can click the highlighted link for the Zucchini Orzo Pie story.

From that point, I just kept that style in my own kitchen. Not caring too much about recipes, or amounts. Simply buying what looked fresh, and then once at home figuring out how they all would dance together. Which is why I sometimes encourage you to not fuss about recipes so much but try your hand at using however many carrots you have, or to substitute what you. Sure, I give you amounts and recipes. That’s because I want you to cook, and get a feel for how much looks right. Some of you, I know, are pros and already do this, and just use the recipes as guides. My recipes are a jumping off point, and are here for whatever level of cooking you feel comfortable.

And so in that style of use what you have,
I give you 4 super simple dishes using a combination of 3-5 basic ingredients and then adding a protein and a starch, thus turning them into different dishes. Using slightly different cooking methods, you also create different flavors and textures. From sautéing to stir frying, braising or simple soup making. This is like those old Chinese menu ideas; two from column A, one from column B, etc. Feel free to mix and match. That is the beauty of basics, you can create so many variations.

Celery and fennel.

The Basics:

• Onions

• Celery

• Fennel

• Carrot

• Basil

 The Proteins:

• Shrimp

• Cod

• Mushrooms

The Starches:

• Polenta

• Barley

• Rice

Mushroom Barley Soup

4 Basics + 1 Protein + 1 Starch
(Onions, Celery, Carrots, Basil) + (Mushrooms) + (Barley)

Instructions:

1. Cook the barley in a separate pot.

2. In a medium stock pot, sauté onions, celery and carrot in olive oil until softened and season with salt and pepper.

3. Add the mushrooms, over a medium heat cook until softened.

4. Then add chicken or vegetable broth or water to cover and let simmer.

5. Add the barley once cooked. I added basil which I had on hand and it gave it a nice floral note that I enjoyed.

Serve with a salad or crusty bread and lunch is served. And check out the video below. I’m getting all fancy now and inserting moving visuals. Enjoy a steaming hot bowl of comforting soup.

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Simple Shrimp Sauté

3 Basics + 1 Protein + 1 Starch
(Onions, Celery, Basil) + (Shrimp) + (Polenta)

Instructions

1. Cook polenta according to the package. (You can add cream and butter at the end to make it luxurious and extra creamy, but keeping it in the basic mode, use just water.)

2. Sauté the sliced celery and onions until softened, then season with salt and pepper. Keep the celery leave tops and use them along with the basil to finish.

3. Add the shrimp and cook until just pink, then add the freshly chopped basil and celery leaves.

4. Top the polenta with the shrimp mixture. Yum and Yum

Another video for your viewing pleasure.

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One Pot Poached Cod

3 Basics + 1 Protein + 1 Starch
(Onions, Fennel, Celery) + (Cod) + (Rice)

Instructions

1. Wash, dry and cut the cod into chunks (approx. 2” squares) and set aside.

2. Sauté the sliced onions, celery and fennel in olive oil, and slowly cook until softened.

3. Add water and then nestle the cod pieces into the pan. Cover and let poach until the cod is white and cooked through. Depending on how thick the pieces are this should only take 8-12 minutes. A beautifully flakey cod with braised vegetables is soothing and delicious.

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Leftover Rice & Mushroom Stir Fry

2 Basics + 1 Protein + 1 Starch
(Onions, Basil) + (Mushrooms) + (Leftover Cooked Rice)

Instructions

1. Chop the onions into a small dice. Sauté using olive oil until softened, add salt and pepper.

2. Slice the mushrooms and add to the onions and let them cook together until the mushrooms get browned.

3. Add the cooked leftover rice until completely heated through. Add seasonings to taste. (Salt, pepper or even red pepper flakes). Finish with chopped

And there you have it, 5 basic staple ingredients combined with other fairly basic proteins and starches. And just like that you have 4 different meals that are complete, hearty, delicious, and I dare say… EASY.

Send me your mix and match creations. I would love to hear how you are making the most of your basic items.

Baked Cod

How to break the code on cod? My husband has an absolute love for this fish. I, however, teeter on a more love hate relationship. Maybe it’s because for a long time this was his fish of choice, making it often and in the same way. Once or twice he cooked it encased in salt. Which was pretty good, but gosh darn, a mountainous waste of salt. And I mean a colossal waste. Given my ambivalence for this solid white fish, it came as a bit of a surprise when at the fish store I up and purchased cod. When I tell you I have a love hate relationship, it leans less on the love side, so I was seriously concerned about my decision making skills. Yet, as I wandered the store second guessing myself, my reasoning came into full view as I foraged through the vegetable section selecting only the best. That was it. The fact is that when I shop, I shop for the freshest items. Period, end of story. I don’t shop thinking I have to buy this or that. Since nothing seemed as fresh as the cod fish, it was a forgone conclusion that would be my choice. The first part of the cod decoding done.

As I got misted from the produce sprinklers reaching into the vegetable section, I tossed into my basket; carrots, Chinese cabbage, turnips and a variety of mushrooms.

Back home and determined to continue decoding the cod situation, I dreamed up with my own invention. Lucky for me my sister was around so I would have an ally in my cod corner. And JC’s cod the same way would take a rest for the day. Here’s how it went down.

Also, for some of my readers who might feel that my recipes seem easy to only me, I would like use this recipe as an example of an easy one pot meal. It’s chop, sauté, season and bake in the oven simple. I would love to hear your feedback, so comment away!!

The fresh line up; garlic, carrots, celery, Chinese cabbage.

Ingredients

1.5 lbs. Cod Fish
1 large turnip, sliced (approx. 1 c)
4.5 c Chinese or Nappa Cabbage, chopped
1.5 c carrots, sliced
2.5 c celery, sliced
3 garlic cloves. sliced
1 t salt
1/8 t black pepper
1//2 t turmeric (for the cod)
pinch of cumin (for the cod)
Magic 3 - olive oil, salt, pepper

Chop it all up. I decided to go long diagonals keeping everything looking the same and cooking the same.

Instructions

1.In a large sauté pan, add oil, carrots, celery, garlic and season with salt and pepper.

First cook down the heartier vegetables just until they are soft.

2. Sauté the vegetables until softened, then add cabbage. Cook until wilted.

3. Season the cod fillets with turmeric, cumin, salt and pepper.

Make sure that the fish is dry before you season.

4. Then make a spot in the pan by moving the vegetables to create a hole to place the fish. Add a drop of oil to ensure the fish does not stick.

Make a nice resting spot for the fish to reside while they cook in the oven.

5. Cook on the stove top for a few minutes then place in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish. The fish should be soft and fall apart when pressed with a finger.

Delicate, mild and flaky, this lightly spiced fish melts into the softened vegetables perfectly.

A one pot full of flavors that subtly meld together.

I served this dish with a mixture of mushrooms and black rice sautéd with scallions and onions. Cod - decoded and done to perfection. Jill loved this dish and has mentioned wanting to “relive” it again soon. I guess it was a success.

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A Belly Full of Pork

What happens when your Cuban-Spanish hubby abides by your vegetable eating habits day after day?

A darn gone crazy hankering for animal meat is what happens.  That's how he woke up this past Sunday morning.  With meat on the brain and a little piggy whispering in his ear.  Immediate attention needed to be paid. So no time was wasted.  We hopped into the car with a serious plan to calm the urge.  Luckily for us one of the best places 'round these parts to buy good meat is literally down the street at our local Italian market. We love their fresh, top quality products, but truly despise the lines and long wait. Efficiency is not their strong suit. Quality is, so we wait.

With carrots, celery, tomatoes and the all important pork chops in hand, we headed home.  JuanCarlos' plan was to make a pot full of pork goodness to fill his belly aching.  The ingredients might be familiar as this dish employs the same basic premise as Osso Bucco, or stew or any slow cooked one pot meal. The art of cooking it a long time allows all the flavors to melt down into magic.  It is an easy, cut 'em up, cook 'em, one pot wonder. 

In true team sport form, JC and I took turns prepping the dish and taking the pictures. So enjoy both our hands in the shots.  It was a fun way to start our Sunday together.  This recipe makes enough for 6-8, so super good fortune that my sister was coming for a few days.  Tasty pork chops for lunch and dinner.

Ingredients  

2 racks of pork chops
2 large onions, cut in thirds
3-4 carrots, large dice
3-4 celery stalks, thick slices
5-7 Campari tomatoes, cut in half
3 garlic, smashed and chopped
1 c fresh parsley, rough chop
1 c San Marzano whole tomatoes
8 oz water
3/4 bottle wine (Red and/or White)
1/4 c fresh sage, rough chop
Magic 3 (olive oil, salt, pepper)

 

Instructions

Prep all your ingredients. Add oil to the large dutch oven or heavy duty pot and toss all the vegetables in (onions, carrots, celery, garlic, fresh tomatoes).  Sauté all them for 5-7 minutes. 

Season the pork with salt and pepper and sage.

Once the vegetables have softened slightly, add the canned tomatoes, wine and water then nestle the pork in this flavor filled bath. Add the chopped parsley. Raise the heat and let it come to a boil.  Once at a full boil, cover with the lid remove from the stove top and place in a 325 degree oven for 2 - 2.5 hours. 

The vegetables will get soft and almost dissolve to become part of the rich and sweet tasting sauce.

The pork will be fork tender. You can serve it family style in a large platter floating among all the vegetables and juices.

Or plate it up with a side of greens such as broccoli rabe, or broccolini. 

For a starch, go ahead and make some pappardelle or mashed potatoes.  This is a hearty, rich dish and it deserves to be adorned properly.

I sound like a broken record but this is an ideal dish to make for a dinner party as it feeds a hungry group. Can be made ahead and will be loved by all. And if you need an alternative to lamb for Easter meal, maybe give this a go. It will resolve any need for a belly full of pork.

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