Breaded or Battered Fish - You Choose

A week or so ago, dear friends from Montreal were in town for the day - a stop on their "Cruise to Nowhere", as they called it, because, due to rough seas, they couldn't stop at Sydney, NS or Charlottetown PE. Fortunately for me, they did get to spend the day in Halifax. And we did the usual tourist tour of Harbour and Historic Properties.

What would a trip to Halifax be without some tasty Fish & Chips. And so the debate...battered or breaded (or as many of my Aussie friends call it "crumbed")? As many a good tourist will do, they asked a local who recommended Fredie's Fantastic Fish House, just outside the city proper in Bayer's Lake. Fantastic it was. Although mostly a take out place, we did sit at tall stools at a counter to munch ours...it was raining, so not the day for sitting at the outdoor table or having a picnic. The verdict...pretty fantastic - crispy crust, juicy fish, not greasy and served with great fries.
And for those of you who like your fish breaded, or crumbed as they say Down Under, then when you visit Halifax you must check out Phil's Fish & Chips, a frequent winner of The Coast's Best Of Awards. It was always our first stop when visiting Joanna and now a frequent stop even when we're not showing tourists around.

The truth is, I like my fish both ways, but when cooking at home, I prefer a healthy baked version like these Pecan Breaded & Baked Haddock fillets.

And because, I'm hosting this week's Presto Pasta Nights, I figured I should do some healthy pasta dish to accompany it. The Risi e Bisi Couscous name comes from one of the magazines I've been culling for our move - SmartCarb Cooking, January 2005, but the recipe is my own. I just couldn't resist the "risi e bisi" that just sings a happy tune (at least it does in my head). I used whole wheat couscous and added lots of fresh mint, lemon juice & zest. It was perfect to accompany the fish and would be equally wonderful as part of a picnic lunch.

So...two questions....1) Are you a batter or breading person? and 2) What pasta dish will you be sharing with Presto Pasta Night this week? Just send your link to ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com by Thursday night so I can include it in Friday's roundup. And if you don't have a blog, just send the recipe in an email, and I'll include it right here.

Almost Time for Presto Pasta Night #169

UPDATE: Presto Pasta Night #169 is up and ready for dinner. Thanks all for sharing and Mansi for hosting.

I do hate to cross post, but for all you eager beavers out there...Presto Pasta Night #169 is not quite ready yet. Mansi of Fun & Food Cafe is this week's host, so keep checking her out for the final roundup.

And thanks once again to all you fantastic pasta makers this week - we couldn't do it without you and your brilliant dishes..

It is hard to believe that another month is behind us, but it is and I'll be hosting next week. You can send your entries to me- ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com. Just mention Presto Pasta Night in your entry.

Old Magazines & New Recipe Choices

We still have a month to moving date, and it really is too early to do too much packing. I hate living in a pile of boxes. But I still have lots of old magazines to sort through. Fortunately, Epicurious.com has this great recipe box feature, that allows you to save most recipes from Bon Appetit and Gourmet magazines. Which means that I won't be keeping more boxes of ripped out pages that I kept before moving from Toronto to Halifax, three years ago and never look at...sitting on the top shelf of my bookcase. As for the rest...well, fingers crossed that I can at least find them on websites and bookmark them.
I have this habit, when I get new magazines (and cookbooks, for that matter), I dog ear the pages that appeal to me. Those of you who like pristine books and magazines...well...I believe in the spattered, crumbled, and bubbled from use method. How else will I know how loved an old recipe is? I also make notes in the margins, so that when I have a vague idea for a dish ...I also have a starting point. Typically, books and magazines fall open to treasures.

Wandering down memory lane, looking at the folded down corners of a bazillion magazines made me think about how my tastes have changed (some of the magazines date back to the mid '90's). Some, just because I'm trying to reduce the amount of fat we consume - not so big on making those unbelievably rich cream sauces or deep frying these days. Others, just because... well, I wonder what I was thinking! Too many pots and pans, too much prep time...bottom line...too much work.

Anyway...in a back issue of Bon Appetit, dated August 1993 I found a few gems and because I do want to get in a pasta dish this week, I used a minty orzo dish as a springboard to this one that I will be making often. It was rich and creamy from just a tablespoon of butter and so flavorful that , little piggies that we are, we ate the entire dish that was supposed to serve four!

Shrimp & Minty Garlic Orzo

Don't forget to send your Presto Pasta Night entry to this week's wonderful host Mansi of Fun & Food Cafe. Email your link to mansibshah (at) gmail (dot) com and cc me - ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com

Hanger Steak - Beauty & The Beast

I can't believe it's a month and a half since I shared Chef Dennis Johnston of fid Resto's hanger steak tutorial with a promise of my own hanger steak making experience.

So I guess my first thought to you is...it's hard to find, after all, there is only one to a cow, so make friends with a butcher. My go-to-guy is Chris de Waal of Getaway Farm and even then I had to wait all this time to finally get one. I could have ordered on line, but I see him every Saturday at the Halifax Farmers Market and just hope. Last week I was lucky.

My second piece of advice...it takes about 20 to 30 minutes (unless you're an expert chef like my friend Dennis), to actually do the butchering - removing the membrane and sinew, before marinating.

My plan was to use one of the recipes I found on line - most of which didn't seem to mention any need to marinate. And the truth is, while Chef Dennis serves a very popular 7 day marinated hanger steak at fid Resto, the kitchen crew and I wolfed down the one he made for my lesson...no marinating involved, just a little salt and pepper before pan grilling. It melted in my mouth.

Lime Curry Marinated Hanger Steak

Somehow the "rub in the marinade and cook within the hour" plan turned into leaving it in the fridge for four days before grilling. The result was spectacular. The particular curry powder I used - Madras Sambar Masala – Mangal brand, plus the lime juice infused the meat with a suprisingly mild flavour that was intriguing. So if you like more heat, use your favorite curry powder. We thought this one made a really interesting dish. The kind where everyone wonders what the ingredients are.

And if you can't find hanger steak, try it with flank steak or skirt steak.

Presto Pasta Night #168

It's going to be a crazy busy day around here. Family stuff will take priority to posting. Joanna gets ready to head off to Camp Kadimah for the summer with the boys. Her sister, Sharron will be playing nanny and arrives tomorrow. And of course, Grandma has a role to play in all this - helping out where I can.

So...lucky me, the fantastic Sweet Kitchen, this week's host for Presto Pasta Night Roundup #168 has posted early. Everything looks scrumptious! Thanks everyone for all those tasty treats. And because today the temperature will hover around 30C/86F...in other words...HOT!, I'll be focusing on the ones that will do well cold first.

Next week Mansi of Fun & Food Cafe will be hosting. You can send your entries to her - mansibshah (at) gmail (dot) com and cc me - ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com.

Two For Tuesday's Real Food Blog Hop

And what, you might be asking is Two for Tuesdays!? My friend Heather, the Girlichef, and a few of her other friends, Alex A Moderate Life and actual genius behind the idea, Michelle, Health Food Lover , and Beth Stedman thought of a great weekly event that starts today. You can check here for all the details on how to join, and explains exactly what they mean by REAL FOOD, but the bottom line... write a post where you share an anecdote, or better still (at least for me) a recipe that focuses on REAL FOOD.

The second question you might be asking is...what exactly is real food? And the term conjures up a number of things to me:

• Lovingly made at home just like my mother and her mother before her did and like I see my girls doing too - the memories alone are worth the effort;
• Using the freshest ingredients you can find because the closer you are to the farm, the fresher the flavor - besides, you'll feel better knowing you're supporting local farmers and artisan cheese and bread makers, I know I do;
• Having the pantry and fridge loaded with ingredients you can "throw together" when those unexpected, but always welcome guests show up;
• That said, having a jar of pasta sauce and other ready made things, are perfectly acceptable in my world, as long as you add a little love while you're whipping it up.

This past Saturday I visited the local Farmers Market - nothing unusual about that...I go every chance I get for the freshest eggs, fish, mussels, free range &/or organic chicken, beef and lamb. And what I realized this weekend...I'm slow, so it never dawned on me before...

I'm always ready for the season ahead...way before the season ahead is actually ready to show up! Just like clothes...come hot, muggy August, I'm craving big bulky sweaters and boots and by February, I'm longingly looking at shorts and skirts and sandals....I'm the same with food. By February I'm yearning for fiddleheads and asparagus and by August I'm aching for the day when I'll be able to make some fragrant slow cooking soups, stews and braises.

When we lived in Toronto, the BBQ was just outside the sliding patio doors off the dining room and we used it all year round. True, it didn't quite get as hot as I wanted in the dead of Winter, but we cooked out there anyway.
For the last three years (You've heard the whine before, I know), no BBQ but that will change at the end of July when we move to an apartment with a large balcony. That said, we still have more than a month and a half to go, so we bribed Joanna & Ezra with homemade lamb burgers if we could come over and have Ezra grill them for us.

To many people, when you say burgers, the image conjures up greasy, skinny fast food offerings, but you'll find some awesome recipes here for any number of things you can do with a pound of ground. This time I wanted to bring a little Mediterranean to the table.

In fact, I woke up that morning with lamb burgers on the brain. So without looking at my favorite recipe until after the fact....I made my Greek style Lamb Burgers with fresh ground lamb from my favorite lamb producer Wood 'n Hart and added some wonderful fresh parsley & oregano from from Hutten Family Farm and some fresh mint from Riverview Herbs. I left out the feta (Joanna doesn't mix dairy and meat at home), but everything else is pretty much the same.
Oh, and Boaz (3 1/2 year old) did inform us that he didn't want a LAMB burger, he wanted a HAMburger. Good thing his mother had a batch in the freezer.

Happy 21st Birthday to Cafe Chianti

One of the first restaurants my daughter took me to when we first moved to Halifax three years ago was Cafe Chianti - and I fell in love with it. It was a perfect "ladies lunch" spot for me -
Their seafood crepes have me drooling every time I think of them. And no matter how often I would go, I'd always make them my choice...tasting everyone else's awesome dishes as well. Joanna always had difficulty choosing between the Transylvanian or the Gypsy Goulash.

Sadly, during this past winter, there was a fire that put an abrupt stop to our visits. But I'm happy to report, that along with a lot of other happy Cafe Chianti patrons, I was invited to a reception announcing their 21st Birthday and the relocation. It's just around the corner at 1241 Barrington - if you're ever in Halifax, this is a must - lunch or dinner stop.

Let me take you on a little tour...but first, how about some wonderful appetizers to whet your appetites?
Italian salami wrapped around stuffed olives
smoked salmon & cream cheese rolls,
jumbo shrimp with a wonderful sweet & spicy chili sauce,
I tried to take a photo of the bacon wrapped scallops - so good that my hands were shaking and they quickly popped into my mouth.
They were part of a wonderful wall of hot delicacies, just a sample of what awaits on the menu...gourmet pizzas, Hungarian smoked sausages.

And now that you're no longer hungry...or rather, now that I've made you really hungry...the tour. Starting with the frescos behind the hot buffet. These, and others around the new restaurant were taken from the old to keep the wonderful European atmosphere Cafe Chianti patrons love.
Today, for the reception, one of the two dining rooms was cleared of chairs and tables for everyone to be able to mingle about, taste the wonderful appetizers, savor the wines and champagnes while listening to some beautiful Spanish guitar. I didn't catch his name (didn't want to interrupt), but I'm told he'll be back every Sunday, so you have many opportunities to hear him play.
As bright and sunny as the front dining room is - with a small open air terrace right on Barrington for Summer dining, the other dining room is rich and decorated in dark brown and burgundy tones, which, even in the early afternoon, gives the feel of a romantic late night dinner.
In between, is a lounge and bar that brings the two worlds together.
It's the perfect place to wait for your friends and have a drink before heading into the dining rooms for that perfect meal.

Welcome back Cafe Chianti! And good wishes for at least the next 21 years.

Finally - A Pasta Dish & No Guilt Required

For all my Presto Pasta Night friends, who, I am sure are fed up with my wimping out and not making or eating pasta for the last umpteen weeks (at least it feels that long), finally, from a new book I just reviewed called The Substitute Yourself Skinny Cookbook(check out the review here) I... Am... Back!

And this version of Hottie Tottie Manicotti (that actually came out lasagna - I ... blush, blush...cut the fresh whole wheat lasagna noodles too short to roll around the filling. The recipes saves 692 calories per serving and tastes awesome! I was sceptical, but all my taste testers - none of whom were dieting ...loved it. From little Dov (18 months), who had a grown up sized portion, to his picky 3 1/2 year old brother Boaz (who only this year decided to be picky), and the rest of us, we wolfed it down and then it was all I could do not to reach for seconds.

What fantastic dish will you be sharing with this week's Presto Pasta Night Host with the Most - The Sweet Kitchen? Send your entries to sweetkitchen (at) rogers (dot) com and cc me ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com by Thursday and check back for the roundup on Friday.

The Latest Deliciousness from Presto Pasta Nights

It's here, it's awesome and you don't need me to tell you about it.
Presto Pasta Night Roundup #167 over at our wonderful host From Kirsten's Kitchen to Yours . Thanks Kirsten for hosting and thanks to all of you for participating. Finally, I'm able to eat some pasta - as long as it's multigrain. South Beach Diet, phase II, here I come!

Next week The Sweet Kitchen is hosting and I'm already looking forward to it. Send your entries to sweetkitchen (at) rogers (dot) com and cc me ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com by next Thursday. I already have mine ready!

South Beach Dieting - Playing Catch Up

If you've been following me lately, you've heard me mention (more than once, in fact), that I'm doing a The South Beach Diet Supercharged regroup. And I have lost more than five pounds, so I shouldn't complain. That said, no pasta and being part of Presto Pasta Night... well suffice to say, that's a lot of temptation. So I might just be moving on to Phase Two - with healthy carbs, including multi-grain pasta in time to submit something to Kirsten, of From Kirsten's Kitchen to Yours, who is this week's PPN host. Even if I don't get it together, you can. Just send your entries to kirstenmlindquist (at) gmail (dot) com and cc me ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com before tomorrow night (midnight wherever you are).

I did make a fantastic Very Veggie Chili, from The South Beach Diet Supercharged and if one added cooked orzo or tiny pasta shapes, it would be great for the roundup. The no pasta photo is at the top of the post.

While I have been avoiding bread, pasta and any other carb this week, I have been eating very well, thanks for asking. Breakfast is always wonderful on SBD. I whip up some frittatas, cut them into quarters and have breakfast for a few days. You can find a ton of my favorite frittata recipes HERE. But the bottom line... saute some of your favorite ingredients (including leftover pasta, as long as you're not doing SBD phase one) in a small ovenproof skillet, whip up some eggs (I use 5 for a small pan), and add them to the pan, along with your favorite cheese & herbs. Let the frittata start to set - the center should still be a bit loose when you shake the pan. Pop it into a hot oven for about 15 - 20 minutes and that's it.

Above, mushrooms with leeks & grated Gruyere with fresh thyme. Below, a Farmers Market Frittata with fresh herbs, Cayenne Garlic Goat Cheese from my favorite - Ran-Cher Acres.
For lunch, I like something like the chili or farmer's market salads. As for dinner, simple grilled or roasted meat or fish with another salad or some sauteed veggies is perfect. Here are a few we've savoured this week.

Lime, Garlic & Chili Marinated Skirt Steak

The skirt steak - my newest favorite cut of meat, is from Getaway Farm and I served it with quick stir fry of Yukina Savoy, from Hutten Family Farm, with some grated fresh ginger, minced garlic and a splash of sherry vinegar.

This Maple Pepper Roasted Salmon is so simple...there is no recipe. Just roast a fillet in a very hot oven or on a grill until it's done the way you like it...about 10 minutes or so in my house. The salmon is fresh and local and from Mike's Fish Store at the market and the salad greens are a mix from Hutten Family Farm that was tossed with a tiny bit of Artisan Maple Dressing "handcrafted in Nova Scotia by Georgette, Angela & Nadia" - sorry no website. The fish was sprinkled with an interesting Chipotle Maple Pepper just before popping it into the hot oven. Both the dressing and the maple pepper were purchased at the Saltscape Expo that I wrote about. And yes, there's a bit of sugar in both, but if you use just a touch, you get the flavor with minimal negative impact to your diet. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!
More goodies, without recipes - Grilled Rosemary, Garlic & Lemon Lamb Chop from Wood 'n Hart, over more greens and a shaving of Parmesan drizzled with some good olive oil and a spritz of lemon juice.
This roasted salmon was drizzled with Blueberry Balsamic Vinegar from Half Island Harvest and served with roasted cherry tomatoes and asparagus, season of which I am sad to report, is already over, as is fiddleheads. That and the black flies mean that summer is soon upon us.
That's too horrible a note to end a food post, so how about my dinners of Seared Scallops with Citrus Balsamic Glaze over sauteed Mustard Greens....
...or these Lemongrass & Ginger Marinated Skirt Steaks from last weekend? All that food is making me hungry....I wonder what I'll whip up for lunch.

Presto Pasta Night Roundup #166

It's that time again, I'm happy to say, Presto Pasta Night Roundup - #166 this week, filled with the best pasta dishes from around the world, is back and it's fantastic. But who wants to hear from me...after all we've been waiting a whole week since the last one.

First in (last Friday before the proverbial ink was dry on PPN #165) was Muneeba of An Edible Symphony (aptly named) with this tasty Cajun Chicken Pasta.
Tigerfish of Teczcape is nominated for the Singapore Blog Awards 2010- and she has my vote. I mean, what's not to love...her photos are beautiful, her recipes very tasty. Not sure if there's still time, but if there is...go vote! In the meantime, check out her Beef & Celery Pasta With Tomatoes.
Abby of Eat The Right Stuff - and we always do after a visit there, made Thousand Layer Lasagna Pots that have me drooling and are definitely on my list of dishes to wolf down once I actually get to eat pasta again. This South Beach Diet phase one is hard on a pasta lover.
Graziana of Erbe in Cucina used a new to me and unique herb for her Farfalle with Onion and Cinnamon Basil - note to self - find some!
Nic, of Lemon & Cheese shares the perfect recipe for those of us who are carbonara-making challenged. Check out her Zucchini Carbonara for delicious details.
Marye of Restless Chipotle whipped up this tasty Ravioli with Peas & Proscuitto, but I bet the eaters did some slow savoring.
Daphne, of More Than Words (I'll say - her recipes are awesome) shares this Creamy Smoked Paprika & Tomato Sauce with Chicken that has me drooling.
Creative Sanyukta (I'll Say!!!) put together this eye-catching dish of Indianized Squash & Veggie Spaghetti with lots of garlic - perfect for me.
KC of Kits Chow really outdid herself this week with her own miniPPN. I counted at least eight of her tried and true favorites - mine too. I had a hard time deciding which wonderful photo to include, but decided on this one for the Cantonese Braised Short Ribs.
Radhika of Soup & Dessert is a first time PPNer - so welcome and I do hope you make it a habit. This Goat Cheese, Pesto & Swiss Chard Pasta has some of my very favorite ingredients. It will be on my table soon.
Joanne, who Eats Well With Others, is back with Homemade Ravioli with Brown Butter, Almonds & Zucchini. I don't know how she finds the time to write her hysterical stories and make all her awesome dishes, and attend Med school. I'm tired just thinking about it, but very glad she does and shares with us so often.
Jean of Lemons & Anchovies is back with a wonderful plate of Penne with Radicchio & Pancetta. It's always fantastic to be able to recreate a dish eaten in a restaurant. A skill I have yet to develop.
Pam of Sidewalk Shoes is back too, with this mouth-watering Fusilli with Shrimp & Arugula - enough said, except "Pass a fork, please".
Claudia of Honey From Rock, another PPNer started out wondering which herbs to use on her pasta. I love the result with this Pasta With Herbs, Sardines & Capers.

I, on the other hand, feel like the biggest of losers - even though it's only 4 pounds, actually. No pasta for me, and next week looks the same. Note to self - much more exercise to help the process speed along. I did share some great pasta resources over here , though. Have fun with it.

Thanks all for your absolutely fabulous entries this week. And don't forget that next week Kirsten of Kirsten's Kitchen will be hosting again - lucky us! Just send your entries to kirstenmlindquist (at) gmail (dot) com and cc me ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com by June 10

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