Sunday diner, my way

orange fennel salad

Tonight I made fennel and orange salad with shrimp and feta linguini. I love this salad because it is so pretty, refreshing and light. It is also incredibly easy to make:


Top shot of this delish salad and of the new asian bowls I got for $.50 at the thrift store!

Fennel and orange salad:

1 orange (I cut off the peel than either supreme the segments or cut the orange into thin circles as seen here)
1 large fennel bulb
1tbl extra virgin olive oil (really good and fresh!)
salt & peper to taste
*combine all ingredients in a bowl and chill 'till diner is ready (I sometimes add the "franz" from the fennel or fresh basil to make the salad even prettier)

moqueca de peixe

moqueca de peixe

A couple of nights ago, I cooked some of the cobia my husband caught on fly (he is quite the avid and accomplished fisherman :) to make a traditional Brazilian dish called moqueca de peixe. This dish is fish cooked in coconut milk, with peppers, tomatoes, garlic, limes and traditionally, dende (palm oil). Pretty much any kind of protein, veggies or even firm tofu can be used in this dish, but my favorite preparation includes fish and shrimp. I served the moqueca over basmati rice (the floral fragrances really tied the flavors together and made the dish come alive! This is the recipe I improvised with the ingredients I had on hand:





1lb cobia fillet cut into chunks (any firm fish will do, though I prefer white fish in this dish)


1/2 lb peeled and deveined shrimp


1 red pepper, chopped and seeded


1 sweet onion (medium sized) chopped and seeded


1 medium Anaheim pepper seeded and chopped (add seeds, etc if you like it spicyer)


2 roma tomatoes (medium) chopped


1 tbl evoo


1 lime


2tbl parsley chopped (could use cilantro, green onion, chives, etc instead)


1 tbl basil (if you have it, but not necessary)





saute all vegies together over medium to low heat in olive oil and salt to taste until tender and onions have started to caramelize. Once this happens, add in your coconut milk and allow to reduce by aprox 1/2 (about 8 min on medium heat). Nestle in fish fillets and poach until just done (this will depend on the type and thickness of your fish, and will vary, so just keep an eye on it and don't overcook the fish! Mine took about 4 min to poach). If there isn't enough broth to cover the fish, just add a little water or stock to just cover. Once the fish are almost done, add in the shrimp (cook no more than 2 min), the basil and the parsley. Take off of the heat and squeeze in the juice of 1/2 a lime. I reserve the other half for whoever wants more lime juice (usually me!). Serve the moqueca over rice.





Basmati a la Brasilera





in a small pan with a lid, saute one clove of garlic (just crushed) in 1tbl of olive oil. Cook garlic for one minute or so or unitl it just starts to turn brown. Add in your rice and stir it together with the garlic and oil mixture for about 30 sec. Add in the water and salt and cook according the pkg instructions.

Intro

I love food; the smell of it, the taste of it, the look of it, the feel of it. I love the colors and the textures, the way that it can bring back memories, both happy and sad. I love that food is served at all major events and occasions in our lives but is also a part of our daily living. I love how it brings families, cultures and people together, I love how it can deliver pleasure, ease pain and nourish us, body and soul. I love all kinds of food and though my heritage is Brazilian-USA/American, I love food from all corners of the globe. My first cooking memory was when I was 4 years old. My parents bought me a play stove and oven, complete with cupboards, pots, pans and even plastic veggies, fruits and meats. Though I am sure that my culinary creations were quite primitive at the time, these "play" meals instilled a need to cook, prepare and create within me that still thrives today. I hope you like my blog, my take on food and on cooking and that I can learn some new tips and recipes from you. I also hope that I can be a part of your culinary journey and that we can explore the wonderful world of food together!
xo
Julia