For all the effort I’ve made in the last few years to eat local produce, hormone-free dairy, grass-fed beef, etc., I have been a little slow in switching to sustainable seafood—mostly because I don’t cook seafood that often, and I forget to check out which fish are O.K. until after I leave for the market.

But lately, I’ve felt an extra dose of guilt (probably due to my friendship with Rachel Sohn, an ocean-watchdog extraordinaire) when buying maybe-not-so-responsible seafood. So I’ve started to do my fish homework before I buy and find recipes based on more sustainable choices. Choices like bluefish: an omega-3-ripped, pungently flavored, Atlantic swimmer dubbed a “Good Alternative” by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch.

The only downside to bluefish is its hallmark fishiness—all the recipes and articles I’ve read on the species feature equally strong flavors like bacon and lemon to tame its fishy flesh. I gravitated toward the latter this week, finding a recipe for Broiled Bluefish Filets with Fennel Mayonnaise on Epicurious.com. If you are a fennel lover, compulsive mayonnaise spreader and/or ocean groupie, you’re going to love this dish.

Since I’d never cooked bluefish, I (almost) stuck to the simple recipe that combines mayonnaise, toasted fennel seeds, garlic, salt and lemon juice. Just smear the mayonnaise on top of the filets and broil for eight minutes—the short cooking time will keep the fatty fish moist and tender. My only changes: I made a little extra mayo (which was rich and ably cut through the fish funk), was heavy-handed with the lemon juice and threw in chopped fennel fronds for good measure and beauty.

]]> http://www.occasionalomnivore.com/2010/09/23/one-fish-two-fish-mayo-smeared-bluefish/feed/ 0 http://www.occasionalomnivore.com/2010/06/16/eggplant-two-days-two-ways/ http://www.occasionalomnivore.com/2010/06/16/eggplant-two-days-two-ways/#comments Thu, 17 Jun 2010 01:23:38 +0000 Caroline http://www.occasionalomnivore.com/?p=2095

With eggplant from Redland Organic’s summer sales, William and I went on a two-day eggplant binge, starting with Moroccan Chicken with Eggplant, Tomatoes and Almonds from epicurious.com. We’re not big chicken fans, but the dish’s spice-heavy liquid (tomatoes + paprika, turmeric, coriander, fennel seeds, pepper, cumin and ginger) simmered once-bland chicken thighs in a seductive Middle Eastern bath. In my beautiful but underused tagine, I made a half batch of the recipe with double the eggplant and crunchy, toasted almonds. We had more than enough for four heaping portions.

This meal is low-fat (by my standards, at least) and light. We paired it with simple piles of couscous for dinner and big hunks of bread for sopping the next day at lunch.

On day two, I made a massive pot of Eggplant Pasta with Gorgonzola based on a recipe from thekitchn.com. The velvety sauce is imbued with an unmistakable funk of blue cheese. An Occasional Omnivore first, I  used less cheese than the original recipe called for. A little gorgonzola carries a ton of flavor weight, and I didn’t want the eggplant to get lost in a cheesy mess.

The eggplants in this dish are roasted instead of fried, which cuts prep time and clean up. And the underdog of the meal is a garnish of chopped parsley. It does more than sit pretty for photos. By sprinkling it on at the end, the grassy herb serves as a fresh foil to the rich gorgonzola.

If you’re looking for a quick, quirky alternative to pasta alla norma or eggplant parm, this is it.

Eggplant Pasta with Gorgonzola
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 medium eggplants
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
4 ounces cremini mushrooms, diced
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup packed basil, thinly sliced
1 pound fettucine
Salt and pepper
6 ounces gorgonzola, crumbled
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°. Toss eggplant with 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Spread the eggplant onto a large, rimmed baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast until eggplant are tender and light golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salty water to a boil. Also, heat remaining olive oil in a large pot, add onions, and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until they begin to caramelize. Add garlic, cook 1 minute more. Stir in mushrooms, crushed tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and basil. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add pasta to boiling water, and cook according to package instructions.

Meanwhile, add roasted eggplant to sauce, and continue to simmer, at least five minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. Add water to the sauce, along with pasta and gorgonzola. Toss the pasta to coat it with the sauce. Divide pasta onto plates, and sprinkle with parsley.

Serves 5 to 6

There are few recipes on epicurious.com that I don’t tinker with. This carrot soup is one of them. (Unless you count replacing chicken stock with veggie … ) The flavors are bright and balanced. Acidy lemon and tomatoes complement sweet carrots. Ginger and garlic add a little jazz. 

And if you don’t have sour cream on hand, plain yogurt fills in just fine. Not that I would know.

My first taste of risotto was repulsive. My poor mother was trying to introduce her backwater children to a new food, but she failed, over salting the risotto and cooking it into a gummy mess. It was quite possibly the worst meal my Cindy has ever prepared. Thankfully she tried again with a new recipe and a slighter hand with the sodium.

Cindy has since mastered the dish. And it’s become a weeknight staple for William and me. While the constant stirring gives risotto a reputation for being labor intensive, the prep work really is a snap. Chop an onion, garlic and parsley. Throw them in a pot in good order, along with rice and a few more ingredients, and you have a one-pot meal.

I’ve adapted this risotto recipe from epicurious.com, and it takes on extra vegetables, herbs and flavors readily. Enjoy.

Lemon-parsley Risotto
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups carnaroli* or arborio rice
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated parmesan
4 tablespoons butter 
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
Zest and juice of one lemon
Salt and pepper to taste 

Instructions
Bring stock to a near boil, and turn heat to low. Heat olive oil in a wide, 4- to 6-quart pot over medium, add onion and cook 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add rice to the pot and toast for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir the rice as it toasts, and don’t stop stirring until the risotto is ready to hit the table. Pour in wine and cook until all the liquid has evaporated. Now, add 1/2 cup stock at a time, pouring in the next 1/2 cup only after all of liquid has been absorbed by the rice. (Don’t forget to keep stirring.) Depending on how salty your stock is, I usually add 1 teaspoon kosher salt once 2 cups of stock have been added, so the rice has plenty of time to absorb the flavor. 

Once all of the liquid has been added, the grains should be al dente and the dish creamy (don’t let all of the liquid from you last pour get absorbed). Stir in the parmesan, butter, parsley, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Serves 4 main course or 6 side dish servings

*I prefer carnaroli over arborio rice, because it maintains its shape and firm texture.

I’ve adapted this quick week-night staple from a similar epicurious.com gnocchi recipe. It’s a highly adaptable combination—spinach, asparagus or fresh tomato also would make pleasing editions. Although I’m a fan of dairy fat, I use half and half here instead of heavy cream, but the latter would yield an even more sumptuous result. Let your calorie conscience be your guide. 

Lemony Gnocchi with Peas and Mushrooms
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter 
2 tablespoons diced onion
1 clove garlic, finely diced
3 to 4 ounces cremini or baby bella mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 cup half and half
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup frozen green peas
12 ounces pre-packaged gnocchi
Zest of one lemon
Juice of half a lemon
1/2 cup grated parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste 

Instructions
Bring water to boil in a large stock pot.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high and add olive oil and butter. When butter is melted, add onion and sweat 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add mushrooms and cook until most of the liquid is evaporated. Pour in cream, and add salt to taste, red pepper flakes, and frozen peas. Simmer for 5 minutes. 

Salt the boiling water, and cook gnocchi according to package instructions. Add lemon zest and juice to mushroom-pea mixture. Drain gnocchi and add to sauce. Mix in parmesan and add salt and pepper to taste. 

Serves 2 (hungry) to 3 (normal) people