>  Article: Miso Makes a Good Fish Better

   >  Wine Appreciation: Budini Chardonnay 2009

   >  Food Funnies: Signs It’s Time to Clean Out the Refrigerator

       S E L E C T E D    R E C I P E S :

    * Homemade Fiddle Faddle
        
    * Baked Chicken with Rosemary and Lemon
        
    * Pork Chops with Pineapple Relish
        
    * Korean Marinated Beef
        
    * Rhode Island Hot Dogs
        
    * Pizza Pockets
        
    * Pea Salad with Radishes and Feta Cheese
        
    * Apple Rhubarb Crisp

      Healthy Eating:

    Low Carb: Spinach and Egg Scramble

    Diabetic: Diabetic Fruit Cookies

    Low Fat: Sun-Dried Tomato Sticks

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  This Week's Cooking Tips

 * Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef. It will help
   pull the grease away from the meat while cooking. 

 * To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of
   spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream in and
   then beat them up. 

 * For a cool brownie treat, make brownies as directed. Melt Andes
   mints in double broiler and pour over warm brownies. Let set for
   a wonderful minty frosting. 

 * Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste of
   garlic and at the end of the recipe if you want a stronger taste
   of garlic. More Cooking Tips

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    This Week's Culinary Quiz (Answer at the bottom of page)

  A staple of the Mexican diet in many areas are nopales, also called
 nopalitos. They can be served as a vegetable, in a salad, or with
 egg or meat dishes. What are nopales?  

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   Personalized Chef Coats

    Kick it up a notch with a touch of class! Create a
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   Quote of the Week:

     "I went to a restaurant that serves "breakfast at any time".
      So I ordered French Toast during the Renaissance."

      - Steven Wright

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     Subscribe to the VJJE Recipe Weekly - It's fun and it's free!

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    UPCOMING FOOD HOLIDAYS:

          April is: National Food Month 
                    Fresh Florida Tomato Month 
                    National Pecan Month

         March 27 - National Spanish Paella Day
         March 28 - National Black Forest Day
         March 29 - National Lemon Chiffon Cake Day 
         March 30 - National Hot Dog Day
         March 31 - National Clams on the Half Shell Day
         April 1 - National Sourdough Bread Day
         April 2 - National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day
         April 3 - National Chocolate Mousse Day

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    Miso Makes a Good Fish Better
     By MARK BITTMAN

  Black cod with miso was not invented by Nobu Matsuhisa, the chef at
 Nobu in TriBeCa, but he certainly popularized it. His time-consuming
 recipe, which calls for soaking the fish in a sweet miso marinade for
 a couple of days, is a variation on a traditional Japanese process
 that uses sake lees, the sweet solids that remain after making sake,
 to marinate fish.

  Black cod, also known as sablefish, is a North Pacific fish that has
 long been smoked. When I was growing up, it was thought of as the
 rich person's equivalent of lox, and purchased an eighth of a pound
 at a time. It is perhaps the richest tasting finfish, not unlike
 swordfish in density but meltingly tender, almost buttery.

  If you broil black cod with nothing but salt, you already have a
 winning dish. If you broil it with miso - the intensely salty paste
 made from fermented soybeans - along with some mirin and quite a bit
 of sugar, you create something stunningly delicious. And no long
 marination is necessary.

  Black cod is in season now, but you might still need to order it in
 advance from a good fish counter; standard supermarkets are not
 likely to carry it. This recipe will also work well with regular cod.

  Two things to note: any miso will do here, but I prefer the darker,
 more full-flavored varieties, which produce a more attractive result.
 And do not overcook the fish: the instant a thin-bladed knife passes
 through its thickest part with little resistance, it's done. 

  Black Cod Broiled With Miso

    1/2 cup sugar 
    1 cup miso, preferably dark 
    1/2 cup mirin, sake or white wine 
    1 1/2 to 2 pounds black cod fillets (skin may be on or off).

 1. Heat broiler; set rack 3 to 4 inches from heat source. Combine
    first three ingredients in a small saucepan and, over low heat,
    bring almost to a boil, stirring occasionally just until blended;
    mixture will be fairly thin. Turn off heat.

 2. Put fillets in an ovenproof baking dish or skillet, preferably
    nonstick, and spoon half the sauce on top. Broil until sauce
    bubbles and begins to brown, then spoon remaining amount over
    fish. Continue to broil, adjusting heat or rack position if sauce
    or fish is browning too quickly, until fish is just cooked
    through. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.

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  Mousepads Make Great Gift Ideas!

   We offer hundreds of designs geared to food lovers!

         Click Here For Mousepads

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  This Week's Wine Selection

    Budini Chardonnay 2009        Price: $12

  Crisp lemon aromas combine with gentle oak notes to provide an
 alluring complexity. It is medium-bodied and has vibrant acidity
 with hints of lemon and green apple that lead to a dry, crisp finish.
 There is just the lightest kiss of oak flavor that frames the fresh
 fruit flavors.

   Serve With:

  Roasted Mustard Tarragon Chicken
  ===========================
    1 chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds)
    1 bunch tarragon, divided
    1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, divided
    1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    1 1/4 cups water
    1/4 cup heavy cream

  Preheat oven to 425F with rack in middle. Pull off excess fat around
 cavities of chicken and discard, then rinse chicken and pat dry. Mix
 together 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and rub inside
 cavity. Chop enough tarragon to measure 1 1/2 tablespoons and set
 aside, then add remainder of bunch to cavity. Put chicken in a
 flameproof shallow roasting pan or gratin dish and rub all over with
 1/3 cup mustard. Tie legs together with string and roast until an
 instant-read thermometer inserted into fleshy part of a thigh (do
 not touch bone) registers 170F, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

  Carefully tilt chicken so juices from cavity run into roasting pan,
 then transfer chicken to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes.

  Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from pan. Whisk in flour, then
 cook over medium heat, whisking, 1 minute. Add water, whisking
 constantly and scraping up brown bits, and bring to a boil. Simmer
 sauce until slightly thickened, then whisk in cream, remaining
 tablespoon mustard, and salt and pepper to taste.

  Strain sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding
 solids, then stir in reserved chopped tarragon. Serve chicken with
 sauce.

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  Food Funnies: Signs It’s Time to Clean Out the Refrigerator

 9. Labels say "As advertised on the new Tele-vision!"

 8. Whatever you eat, every meal grows back before the next one. 

 7. Your obese teens refuse to open the door. 

 6. You open the fridge door and SOMETHING pulls it shut. 

 5. The penicillin from the mold on some of the items can
    cure diseases caused by other items. 

 4. Though the Jell-O still holds its shape, the bowl no longer does. 

 3. When you open the door, the whispering suddenly stops. 

 2. The door magnets are molding. 

 ... and the #1 Sign It’s Time to Clean Out the Refrigerator ... 

 1. When you can’t tell if it’s a really new kiwi fruit or a
    really old peach.

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  Homemade Fiddle Faddle
  =====================
    2 cups brown sugar
    2 sticks (1 cup) margarine
    1/2 cup corn syrup
    1 teaspoon salt
    1 teaspoon butter flavoring
    1 teaspoon maple flavoring
    1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
    1 teaspoon baking soda
    7 quarts popped corn
    2 cups mixed nuts

  In saucepan, combine brown sugar, margarine, corn syrup, and salt.
 Boil for 6 minutes, stirring constantly. Add flavorings, cream of
 tartar, and baking soda.

  Pour sugar mixture over popped corn and nuts, mixing thoroughly.
 Spread the mixture in shallow baking pans. Bake at 200F for one hour.

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  Baked Chicken with Rosemary and Lemon
  =================================
    2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into
      large chunks 
    6 cloves garlic, crushed 
    3 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves stripped from stems 
    3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    1 lemon, zested and juiced 
    coarse salt and black pepper, to taste
    1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth 

  Preheat oven to 450F. Arrange chicken in a 9 X 13 baking dish.
 Add garlic, rosemary, extra-virgin olive oil, lemon zest, and salt
 and pepper to the dish. Toss and coat the chicken with all
 ingredients, then place in oven. Roast 20 minutes. Add wine and
 lemon juice to the dish and combine with pan juices. Return to
 oven and turn oven off. Let stand 5 minutes longer then remove
 chicken from the oven. Place baking dish on trivet and serve,
 spooning pan juices over the chicken pieces.

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  Pork Chops with Pineapple Relish
  ==========================
    1 1/2 cups chopped fresh pineapple 
    1/2 cup chopped sweet onion 
    2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh serrano chile, including seeds 
    1 teaspoon chopped thyme 
    1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar 
    1 teaspoon coriander seeds 
    2 (1-inch-thick) boneless pork loin chops 
    2 tablespoons olive oil 
    2 tablespoons dark rum 

  Toss together pineapple, onion, chile, thyme, vinegar, and 1/4
 teaspoon salt. 

  Grind coriander seeds in an electric coffee/spice grinder (or
 crush with flat side of a knife). Pat pork dry; sprinkle all over
 with coriander, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. 

  Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it
 shimmers, then saute pork, turning once, until well browned and
 just cooked through but still juicy, 6 to 10 minutes. 

  Transfer pork to plates. Add pineapple mixture and rum to skillet
 and saute, scraping up brown bits, 1 minute. Serve pork with relish.

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  Korean Marinated Beef
  ==================
    1/4 cup soy sauce 
    1 tablespoon sugar 
    2 teaspoons sesame oil 
    1 bunch scallions (white and pale green parts separated from
      greens), minced (1/2 cup) 
    1 tablespoon minced garlic 
    1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger 
    3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted 
    1 lb. flank steak, cut across the grain into very thin slices
    1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  Stir together soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, white and pale green
 scallions, garlic, ginger, and 2 tablespoons sesame seeds in a bowl
 until sugar is dissolved. Add steak and toss to coat, then marinate
 15 minutes. 

  Heat vegetable oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until
 just smoking, then add steak in 1 layer and saute, turning over
 occasionally, until browned and just cooked through, about 5 minutes
 total. Transfer to a platter and sprinkle with scallion greens and
 remaining 1 tablespoon sesame seeds. Serve with white rice.

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  Rhode Island Hot Dogs
  ==================
    4 tablespoons margarine 
    2 yellow onions, minced, divided 
    2 tablespoons chili powder 
    2 tablespoons paprika 
    1/2 teaspoon allspice 
    1/2 teaspoon curry 
    1 teaspoon dry mustard 
    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
    1 pound ground beef, 80/20 
    1/4 cup water 
    20 hot dogs 
    1 teaspoon salt 
    20 hot dog buns 
    Yellow mustard 
    2 tablespoons celery salt

  In a medium saute pan over medium heat add, margarine and 1 minced
 onion. Saute till translucent, but do not brown. Next add chili
 powder, paprika, allspice, curry, dry mustard and cinnamon. Then
 add beef, stir thoroughly and cook for 5 minutes, add water and
 simmer over medium to low heat for 30 minutes. 

  In a medium sauce pot boil hot dogs with salt and steam buns. 

  When meat is done simmering, add meat mixture to the hot dog in the
 bun, top evenly with minced onion, yellow mustard, and a sprinkle of
 celery salt.

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  Pizza Pockets
  ===========
    1 tablespoon olive oil 
    8 ounces Italian turkey sausage 
    1 cup tightly-packed arugula (about 1 ounce) 
    4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature 
    1/3 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/4 cup 
    1/2 teaspoon salt 
    1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
    1 (13.5-ounce) package of store-bought pizza crust 
    All-purpose flour, for rolling out pizza dough 
    1 egg, beaten (for egg wash) 
    1 1/2 cups marinara sauce, store-bought or homemade 

  Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a medium-sized, heavy
 skillet. Add the sausage and cook until crumbled and golden, about
 5 minutes. Add the arugula and cook until wilted. Turn off the heat
 and let cool about 10 minutes. Add the cream cheese, 1/3 cup Parmesan,
 salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Set aside. 

  Preheat the oven to 400F. Roll out the pizza dough on a lightly
 floured surface to a thin 20 by 12-inch rectangle. Cut the rectangle
 in half lengthwise. Then cut each half into 8 equal rectangles. 

  Spoon topping onto 1 side of each of the rectangles. Using a pastry
 brush, brush the edges of the rectangle with egg wash. Close the
 rectangle of pizza dough over the topping. Use a fork to seal and
 crimp the edges. Place the pizza pockets onto a parchment paper-lined
 baking sheet. Brush the top of each pizza pocket with egg wash.
 Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Bake until golden, about 15 to
 17 minutes. 

  Meanwhile, heat the marinara sauce over low heat in a medium
 saucepan. Serve the hot pizza pockets with the marinara sauce
 alongside for dipping.

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  Pea Salad with Radishes and Feta Cheese
  ==================================
    2 teaspoons cumin seeds 
    2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 
    2 teaspoons honey 
    1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 
    3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill 
    4 cups fresh shelled peas (from about 4 pounds peas in pods)
      or 1 pound frozen petite peas 
    1 bunch radishes, trimmed, halved, thinly sliced 
    1 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 4 ounces)

  Heat small skillet over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and toast until
 aromatic and slightly darker, about 2 minutes. Cool; grind finely in
 spice mill. Whisk lime juice, honey, and cumin in small bowl.
 Gradually whisk in oil; stir in dill. Season dressing with salt and
 pepper.

  Cook peas in pot of boiling salted water until almost tender, about
 5 minutes for fresh (or about 2 minutes for frozen). Drain; rinse
 under cold water, then drain well. Transfer to large bowl. Add
 radishes, feta, and dressing; toss. Season with salt and pepper.
 Divide salad among bowls. Serve.

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  Apple Rhubarb Crisp
  ================
  Topping:
    3/4 cup all purpose flour 
    3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar 
    1/2 cup old-fashion oats 
    1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
    1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 
    6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 
    1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts 

  Filling:
    1/2 pounds Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, cut into
      1/2-inch pieces (about 4 cups) 
    3/4 pound rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3 cups) 
    3 tablespoons sugar 
    2 teaspoons all purpose flour 
    1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 
    Vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt 

  Mix first 5 topping ingredients in medium bowl. Rub in butter until
 mixture begins to clump together. Mix in walnuts.

  Preheat oven to 400F. Combine apples, rhubarb, sugar, flour and
 vanilla extract in large bowl and toss to coat. Transfer apple
 mixture to 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish. Sprinkle topping evenly
 over fruit. Bake until fruit is tender when pierced with knife and
 topping is crisp, covering with foil if topping is browning too
 quickly, about 45 minutes. Cool 20 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla
 ice cream or frozen yogurt.

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   This Week's Culinary Quiz Answer: Cactus

  Nopales (or nopalitos, same thing) come from the prickly pear
 cactus plant and are delicious, with a slightly tart flavor. In
 preparing nopales there is the issue of the spines, which should
 be removed (carefully!) with a vegetable peeler or small sharp
 knife. Gloves should be worn for this procedure if you're a novice.
 The most common method of preparing nopales is to boil until they're
 just barely tender, and then chop them coarsely. Nopales can also
 be grilled, and when tossed with diced tomato, onion and cilantro,
 they make an easy and nutritious vegetable dish. 

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