simple can be fancy

I find that taking photos for my blog can be quite trying at times. It's either too dark or I can't be bothered to set up for a good shot or my camera batteries have died. Often times, when I don't have a great photo, I'll just scrap my post and wait for the next recipe and photograph that works. But this time, I just couldn't do that. Sure, it was too dark on Friday night when I snapped this soy/ginger/blood orange trout, but the fish was so delicious and easy that I had to write about it. The photo may be lacklustre, but this recipe isn't. It's simple enough that you can put this dish together within 5 minutes, pop it in the oven and the results will be so delicious and impressive that you can serve it to the fanciest dinner guest and get rave reviews. It's that good.

soy, ginger & blood orange baked trout fillets
2 trout (or salmon) fillets
1 inch piece of ginger, grated
2 T Japanese soy sauce
juice & zest of 1 blood orange
1 clove of garlic, grated or finely minced

Preheat oven to 375. In a small oven proof dish, lay fish fillets skin side down. In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together the soy sauce, orange juice & zest, garlic and ginger. Pour over fish and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until fish is just done. Remove from oven and serve.

simple can be fancy

I find that taking photos for my blog can be quite trying at times. It's either too dark or I can't be bothered to set up for a good shot or my camera batteries have died. Often times, when I don't have a great photo, I'll just scrap my post and wait for the next recipe and photograph that works. But this time, I just couldn't do that. Sure, it was too dark on Friday night when I snapped this soy/ginger/blood orange trout, but the fish was so delicious and easy that I had to write about it. The photo may be lacklustre, but this recipe isn't. It's simple enough that you can put this dish together within 5 minutes, pop it in the oven and the results will be so delicious and impressive that you can serve it to the fanciest dinner guest and get rave reviews. It's that good.

soy, ginger & blood orange baked trout fillets
2 trout (or salmon) fillets
1 inch piece of ginger, grated
2 T Japanese soy sauce
juice & zest of 1 blood orange
1 clove of garlic, grated or finely minced

Preheat oven to 375. In a small oven proof dish, lay fish fillets skin side down. In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together the soy sauce, orange juice & zest, garlic and ginger. Pour over fish and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until fish is just done. Remove from oven and serve.

a fishy feast

Last night we wasted our evening by watching the horrible Woody Allen "thriller" Match Point which we borrowed from the library. We may never get those 2 hours back, but at least we had some delicious dinner settling in our bellies. Dinner was a fish dish so full of savory flavour that throughout the meal was complete and utter silence. Even Cornelius didn't mind digging around the olives because everything was so tasty. Normally, I cook fish either in an Asian style with soy sauce and ginger or panfried with a cornmeal crust, so this was a bit different but it was simple and something I'll definitely try again. Plus, it was a one dish meal with everything baked on a foil-lined tray for super easy clean up. As well, this meal could easily be turned into a vegetarian one dish feast by getting rid of the fish and throwing in some chunks of zucchini, yams and eggplant instead. What's not to love?

roasted fish with rosemary, olives and vegetables
2 large potatoes, scrubbed and cubed
1 small onion, quartered
4 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 t dried rosemary (plus additional sprinkle for fish)
2 T olive oil
1 t coarse salt
pepper to taste
1/4 c green spicy olives
1 T capers
2 filets of fish
juice of half a lemon

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a foil-lined walled cookie sheet, evenly line the pan with the cubed potatoes and large onion chunks. Drizzle with half of the olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper and toss everything around with your hands to coat. Bake in oven for about 25 minutes until starting to brown.

2. On a plate, season the fish and the cherry tomatoes with salt and pepper and a bit of rosemary and coat with the remaining olive oil. Use your hands to make sure everything is covered with the oil and spice.

3. Push the potatoes to one side of the cookie sheet and place the fish and the tomatoes on the other side. Fill in remaining gaps with olives and capers. Squeeze lemon juice onto the fish and tomatoes. Return tray to oven for another 20 minutes or so, until fish is cooked and tomatoes are roasted and wrinkled. Transfer onto plates and serve.

summer living at it's best

Ooooh, I'm pretty excited! I should have my camera back tommorrow, so it will be back to all the photographic food porn you know & love. Did I really promise technicolour cupcakes? Hmmmmm.

The sun has come back and the weather is all nice and warm and it's just the perfect time to relax in a hammock tied between two shade trees and an icy bottle of beer in hand. Unfortunately for me, the hammock and shade trees remains a dream but the bottle of beer is chilling as we speak. Oh the blight of urban living! The good news is that there is a beautiful park outside my front door and picnic season is here (at least for the moment!)

Tonight's dinner was settled in a flash. We had some fresh sole filets that were just waiting to be used and because the weather is so nice, I figured that some fish tacos would be just the ticket. Plus, they'd be sweet with a couple of icy cold beers. Sho' nuff. These babies were yummers!

fish tacos with garlic-cumin yogurt sauce
2 white fish filets (I used sole)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 c cornmeal
1/2 c panko breadcrumbs
1 t chipotle powder
1 t chili powder
1/2 t salt
1 T oil

1 small container of fat free plain yogurt
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 T cumin

flour or corn tortillas

1 large juicy tomato, diced
1 ripe avocado, diced
1/4 head cabbage or lettuce, shredded
1 lime cut into quarters

1. Cut the fish into managable strips. Mix the cornmeal, breadcrumbs, chipotle powder, chili powder and salt together. Dip fish into egg and then dredge in the cornmeal mixture.

2. Heat oil in a large cast iron pan and when hot, add the breaded fish. Turn fish over when golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from pan.

3. Prepare sauce by mixing the crushed garlic, yogurt and cumin together.

4. Heat tortillas over a gas flame until softened and slightly charred. Assemble tacos with the fish, cabbage, tomatoes, avocado and drizzle with the garlic sauce & squeeze a bit of lime juice over top.

simple supper

Two posts in one day? I must be procrastinating! True. This post, however, will not have any photos because my camera's batteries were low and we were just too hungry (and lazy) to wait for anything not food related.

I met Cornelius after work in the older Italian area around East Hastings and Nanaimo today. Our fridge was empty and I figured a walk in the cold, crisp weather would do us both good. The fact that we'd definitely find something for dinner was only par for the course.

red snapper fillets with a cornmeal crust
1 large red snapper fillet (any other fish will do)
1/2 c cornmeal
1 T flour
1 t hot smoked paprika
1 T cumin
salt & pepper
1 egg
1 T olive oil

Combine the cornmeal, flour and all the spices in a shallow bowl. Put the beaten egg in another shallow bowl. Dip the fish fillet in cornmeal mixture, then in egg, and again in cornmeal mixture. Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet, add fillets and cook over high heat, 3 to 4 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Serve on rice with lemon wedges and steamed broccoli.