Big Chop, Big Flavor

When making salmon cakes, particularly when using only a few key ingredients, the secret is to dice the fish in a variety of sizes.   A relatively fine chop will bind the cake and will ensure the patty shape survives cooking and flipping, while broader cubes, pictured below, delight the palate with pure salmon richness:…

Paella’s Long-Lost Cousin

So to speak. When the Spanish Empire was in full swing, the mother country influenced much more than just political affairs. She kept matters culinary within her orbit too. Local ingredients and techniques offered countless varieties, but they all flowered from a common inspiration. Such is the case with Caracas-Style Rice with Shrimp. Sure, it…

Master of Disguise

Before you is risotto.  Looks about right, especially with the shrimp.  Smells good too, as there’s a faint trace of lemony freshness.  Risotto is made with rice, right?  Maybe it is, usually, but in this case, the grain of choice is a pasta, orzo.  The pasta even looks like rice, it’s cooked al dente, just…

It’s Quick

That’s the whole concept of tempura – once the oil is hot enough to begin bubbling, lightly battered food is dipped in it just long enough to flash cook it and to seal in the flavors.  The batter actually protects the food from the oil and ensures the edibles are steamed, not fried, and that…

Malabar Coast

On India’s southwestern coast, the sun bejewels a sea washing tropical shores fragrant with flowering spices.  Can somewhere as lavishly endowed with vibrant vistas, aromas and colors produce anything other than an exuberant cuisine?  Definitely, the state of Kerala does, and one of its favorite creations, Chemmeen Moilee, Curried Shrimp and Coconut Soup, headlines today.…

Same City, Different Shrimp

Once before we visited New Orleans for shrimp (remember the Shrimp Creole from a couple autumns ago?), but today’s offering takes the shellfish in an entirely different direction. Specifically, Southern American Low Country (Charleston, Savannah, etc.), as done up in Louisiana and served as Shrimp and Grits with Mustard Seed Chowchow. This is a recipe…

Sushi in Paradise

Naturally, many places with Pacific beaches take advantage of the abundant seafood and offer countless varieties of fresh fish.  How fresh?  Right off the boat in most cases, and  sometimes even raw.  From Japan’s sushi, to the ceviche enjoyed all along coastal Latin America to poke in Hawaii,  fish often is celebrated in its purest,…

From Scratch, All of It

Not only was today’s recipe assembled from original ingredients, but even the curry paste was concocted in the kitchen.  That freshness adds depth to the dish and gives Scallops with Thai Green Curry an especially expressive taste profile.  With fresh lemongrass, lime zest, chiles and ginger, among many, many other elements, the curry sauce has…

The Trip Home

Just as the summer beach vacation is an annual East Coast tradition, so too is the journey back home again.  A somewhat somber moment, perhaps, realizing it’ll be nearly a year before the next time, but a delicious extravagance like Lobster Newburg helps make the return trip something to anticipate, even to savor.  A proper…

Shells in the Garden

If you’re off to the beach for summer vacation anywhere along the US East Coast, chances are there’s a clam bake in your future.  For those unfamiliar with the idea, a clam bake consists of a variety of shellfish baked together in a vast pot with compatible denizens of a mid-to-late summer garden, including potatoes…