Broiled Salmon Fillet with lemon and dill

I really can't eat enough seafood, especially when it's super fresh! One of my favorite things to eat is Atlantic salmon. Here is a quick, super simple way to prepare whole salmon fillets, a recipe that works just as well with smaller fillet portions or steaks, or pretty much any seafood for that matter.

Simple seasoning of kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper, a drizzle of olive oil and some fresh herbs from the garden such as dill or chives, and a good squeeze of fresh lemon once cooked, is all you need to be a master salmon chef. The key is not to overcook it. While salmon is pretty forgiving when it does come to being overcook, because of its fat content (healthy Omega-3 fats), it is exceptionally good when cooked just to the point of doneness.Many people actually prefer a touch of rawness in the center.When I cook my salmon, either by grill, broiler or frying, my goal is to cook it just to the point where the rawness in the center is down to a sliver or has just disappeared. Whatever method, I make sure the heat source is pretty hot. Depending on the thickness, I typically cook it about 4 minutes on side A and 3 minutes or less on side B, starting skin side down. I also love to get the skin crispy as it is quite tasty. Then I let it rest for a couple of minutes and when it hits the plate it is super juicy!

Say hello to my little frineds! SLIDERS

Invented by the American hamburger fast food chain White Castle, and now a restaurant phenomenon everywhere, sliders are quite simply mini-burgers. Smaller buns, smaller patty, smaller amount of toppings equaling huge flavor and huge fun.

Just as with hamburgers/cheeseburgers, the variety of sliders that can be made and enjoyed is endless. The key to making a great slider is simple. Choose small, soft rolls and stuff them with a juicy, well season, non overcooked burger. I have found that I am beginning to find "slider rolls" labeled as such at the grocery store, but if you can not find the, small soft white dinner rolls are a good option. in my neck of the woods, I prefer Martins Potato Rolls "for Sliders".

This past weekend we had company I wanted to make a dinner that was casual, could be made on the grill, and would be tasty! I've been enjoying using my meat grinding attachment on my stand mixer and I had some nice sirloin steaks that I thought would make good slider meat. Sirloin is leaner then chuck (90% as opposed to 80%), so I was conscious to only cook the sirloin sliders to medium/medium well, or pink as they say at some burger joints in order to retain the juiciness I was looking for. Chuck is probably the best meat to use for burgers, especially if you want it to be cooked all the way through and don;t mind the extra calories or fat.

My goal was to make a trio of sliders. For inspiration I drew on a couple of classics, in addition to using some more of my "Newfie screech coffee spice rub". What I came up with was a bacon cheeseburger slider, topped with sharp Vermont cheddar cheese, fried onions, ketchup, yellow mustard and dill pickle; a green chili sliders, topped with canned green chili's (diced and sauteed with fresh jalapeno, garlic and cilantro) and pepper jack cheese; and finally, a Newfie Screech coffee slider equipped with a drop of steak sauce and sauteed mushrooms deglazed with a drop of dark rum

 For my slider meal, I made 12 sliders out of a little more than 2 pounds of freshly ground sirloin. Each patty was about 3 ounces. For burgers I typically do not season the meat until I have formed the pattys, and usually I only add salt and pepper. I like to let the condiments and toppings bring the extra flavors. This is what I did for my sliders, with the exception of the the third slider, which received a liberal coating of the Newfie Screech coffee-spice rub on each side. For cooking the sliders, either pan fry them or cook them on a hot grill until desired doneness. As I said, for a leaner meat like sirloin (or if you are using buffalo or moose, etc) it's best to not cook past medium-well, while the fattier ground chuck will be more forgiving. I usually season the burgers, grill on the first side for about 4 minutes, flip, add the grated cheese and close the lid. By the time the cheese melts I remove the meat so that it can rest for a couple of minutes while I toast by buns. Then I assemble the works and dig in.

The New Newfie Steak!

For me, and for many readers of this blog, the term "Newfie Steak" conjures up images of thickly sliced, fried bologna (with Maple Leaf brand bologna being the fillet of choice for bologna connoisseurs!). I use food as a creative outlet and I'm always thinking of ways to put a new and interesting spin on Newfoundland and New England classics. Recently while looking for a way to cook with Newfoundland Screech Rum, I came across a recipe for a dark rum sauce for steak. I adapted it slightly to make it my own and made it for guests with a seared fillet of beef. It was delicious, and you wouldn't even believe there was a 1/4 cup of rum in the sauce.

The remaining inspiration for this recipe came from watching a television show about steak houses which reminded me of a coffee-rubbed steak I once had. A light bulb went off - what a great way to utilize my Screech flavored coffee beans! I developed a coffee spice blend for the rub and tried it on some locally raised, thick cut rib-eye steaks, and I was in heaven. The spice rub provided a very satisfying crust on the seared meat, and the coffee flavor was both interesting and tasty. If you cannot find Screech coffee beans, I'm sure regular, high quality coffee will be delicious. However you will miss the undertones the rum bring to the rub. I order my Screech coffee from a Newfoundland business...Jumping Bean Coffee Company. Check out their website (http://www.jumpingbean.ca/default.asp).

Screech Coffee Spice Rub

Combine the following and keep stored in an airtight container. The rub will last for a long time and will make many steaks.

• 1/4 cup Screech flavored coffee beans, ground very fine (use regular coffee if you can not get Screech flavored coffee beans.)
• 1 TBSP - ancho chili powder
• 1 TBSP - chili powder
• 2 TBSP - paprika
• 1 TBSP - onion powder
• 1 TBSP - garlic powder
• 2 TBSP - brown sugar
• 1 tsp - salt
• 1 tsp - black pepper
• 1/4 tsp - cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp - summer savory
• 1 tsp - dry mustard
• 1 TBSP - Montreal Steak Spice

Coffee Spice Rubbed Steak (2 servings)

• 2 thick-cut, boneless rib-eye steaks

Pat each side of the steaks with a liberal amount of the spice rub.

In a large stainless steel or cast iron fry pan, heat:

• 2 TBSP of vegetable oil over medium high heat.

Once the oil wofts smoke, gently lay each steak into the pan. Do not touch the steak for at least about 4 minutes as you want a crust to form. The steak will release once it is ready. After 3-4 minutes, it will have a nice crust and then you can flip it with tongs. I cook mine for 4 minutes on the first side 3 minutes on the second side, and then I let in rest, covered loosely with foil in a warm oven for another 5-10 minutes which usually yields a medium rare on a 1 inch thick steak such as this.

Dark Rum and Mushroom Steak Sauce (for 2 servings, but can easily be doubled)

Cook the mushroom sauce in the same pan that your seared the steak in. The browned bits at the bottom of the pan will add tremendous flavor to the sauce. If there is not enough fat/oil in the pan, add a little more so that you have about 2 TBSP worth, and set heat to medium high.


To the pan, add:

• 1/2 pound of mushrooms, sliced (I like baby bella, but any mushroom would be fine)

Spread the mushrooms evenly and toss in the oil. Saute for 2-3 minutes. The mushrooms will absorb the oil, and then they will release their moisture and begin to brown nicely. Once they begin to brown, add:

• 2 TBSP minced shallot
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 chipotle pepper (in adobo sauce), minced (optional, but it will add a smoky heat!)

 Season with a touch of salt and pepper. Cook for a minute and deglaze the pan with:

• 1/4 dark rum (such as Screech) and add:
• 2 TBSP molasses
•  2 cups of beef stock

Simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sauce reduces by half and add a small pat of butter. Add some fresh herbs such as parsley or chives, for a little color and fresh flavor. Spoon the sauce over the cooked steaks.

Penne in the Style of Sorrento with Grilled Peppers, Onions and Italian Sausage

Here is a nice twist on a a popular Italian dish, "sausage and peppers with penne". For this dish, penne pasta is usually tossed or served with sauteed Italian sausage and bell peppers, onions and garlic. What I often do however is grill my Italian sausage links (I prefer hot, but mild or sweet sausage would also work great), as well as my vegetables, which I served along side a penne tossed in a cheesed-up classic marinara sauce, that I call penne, in the style of Sorrento, after a gnocchi dish I had there!

First I'll start with a simple recipe for a basic marinara sauce, the mother of all Italian tomato sauces. With that being said, marinara is actually a "mother" sauce as it can be transformed into many other tomato based sauces with particular additions, such as meat, for a bolognasse, or cream, or into a pizza sauce or a vodka sauce, or as I will do, add fresh mozzarella and ricotta cheese to make a pink and cheesy tomato sauce.

Basic Marinara Sauce

In a sauce pan, heat over medium heat:
- 1/4 cup of olive oil 
Add, and saute until tender:
- 1 large onion, diced fine
- 1 carrot, diced fine
- 1 rib of celery, diced fine

Then add:
- 3-4 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 2 large (28 ounce) of good quality crushed tomatoes
- 2 Tbsp of dried Italian herbs (mix of oregano, thyme, marjoram and basil)
- 1tsp of salt and pepper.

Bring sauce to a low simmer and let cook, uncovered for at least 30 minutes. A little longer wouldn't hurt.


Penne in the Style of Sorrento (serves 4)

Cook 1 pound of penne pasta until it is al dente (still with bite).

While the pasta is cooking, ladle 4 cups of marinara into a deep saute pan. Bring to a low simmer and add:
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup of fresh mozzarella cheese, diced
- 1 tsp hot red pepper flakes (optional)
- 3-4 basil leaves, chopped
- 2 Tbsp of fresh Italian parsley, chopped (reserve some for garnish)

Add the hot pasta to the cheesy marinara sauce and garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and parsley

 
 To complete the meal, grilled Italian sausages and vegetables couldn't be easier...or tastier.
Simply slice:
- 1 large red onion, red bell pepper and green bell pepper. Toss in a little olive oil and grill in a grilling basket over a medium flame until tender and carmalized. Add a pinch of salt and pepper while grilling.
At the same time of cooking the veggies, grill your Italian sausages. Turn frequently so all sides get scorched, and cook until the juices run clear.

Braised Short Ribs

Here is a nice hearty supper, that is simply to prepare and ultra satisfying. While this is more of a winter meal, since its a rich, meaty slow cooked dish, it will be great anytime. Just make sure its not on a hot day as you'll need your stovetop on for 3+ hours. Alternatively this could be done on the counter in a slow cooker. The beef ribs are a very tough and fatty cut of meat (makes great salt meat in Newfoundland) and thus it need a long slow cooking time to break down and become melt in your mouth tender.Whatever method, the key to great beefy flavor is to give the short ribs a good sear on all sides before braising with sauteed vegetables in red wine and beef stock. Here is how I made my 'bistro" style braised short ribs, which I served with some rough mashed red potatoes and steamed artichokes.


Braised Beef Short Ribs (2 servings for a romantic Euro style date night)

In a large heavy bottom pot or preferably an enamel cast iron dutch over, heat over medium high heat:
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil.
Liberally season 4 beef short ribs on all sides with kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper.

When the oil is hot place the ribs in the pot. Brown on all sides, turning with tongs every 1-2 mintues.

Reduce heat to medium, and remove ribs and reserve to the side.
Add:
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 1 large rib of celery, chopped
-6-8 white button or baby bella mushrooms, sliced

Saute the vegetables until translucent.
Toss in 6-8 cherry tomatoes or 1 tomato roughly chopped.
Add 2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped.

Cook for a minute or so and deglaze the pot (scrape with a wooden spoon) with 1 cup of red wine (whatever you have on hand - I had a bottle of Shiraz open from the night before) and 2 cups of beef stock. Return the ribs to the pot and add 2 Tbsp of Worcestershire Sauce and a shake of red pepper flakes (optional and to taste). Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low (maintain the simmer). Cover and simmer for 2 1/2 hours. Partially remove the lid and turn on your overhead fan to reduce the sauce down. Continue to simmer, increase heat a little bit if necessary. When tender, serve on mashed potatoes and pour the vegetables and reduced sauce over the beef.

To make the potatoes, simple quarter 4 red potatoes (skin on) and boil in well salted water until tender. Add 1/2 cup of chicken stock and 2-3 Tbsp of butter, a pinch of salt and pepper and mash. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Braised Chicken Breast and Pasta

About a week ago I was still feeling Italian, and in the mood to create a hearty chicken and pasta meal using ingredients I had on hand in the fridge and pantry. This is what I came up with. I had bone-in skin-on chicken breast, and I thought browning them off, adding some aromatic vegetables and braising it all in white wine and chicken stock would be a good idea.  I served it on farfalle pasta with fresh herbs and grated Parmesan cheese.For a side dish I took advantage of the bounty of asparagus we have right now. I wrapped the blanched asparagus in thin prosciutto, topped with olive oil and breadcrumbs and browned them in a hot oven. Here is how I made the chicken pasta dish. I though it tasted great.

In a large dutch oven, heat on medium-high:
- 2 Tbsp olive oil

Add 4 bone-in skin-on chicken breasts (seasoned with salt and pepper) and brown on all sides.

While chicken is browning, thinly slice
- 1 red onion
- 1 red bell pepper
- 2 cloves of garlic

Once chicken is browned, remove from the pot, and add the sliced onion and peppers (add a little more oil if necessary) and saute until tender. Add garlic, 1 Tbsp of capers (rough chop) and return chicken to the pot. Deglaze the bottom of the pot with 1 cup of dry white wine and scrape all of the browned bits with a wooden spatula. Add 2 cups of chicken stock, 1 tsp of red pepper flakes and 1 Tbsp of dried Italian herbs.

Reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered (or partially covered) until chicken reaches internal temperature of 160 degrees (about 20-25 minutes). Sprinkle with freshly chopped Italian parsley and taste sauce for seasoning. Serve the chicken, vegetables and reduced wine/stock sauce over cooked pasta (I liked farfalle) and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and freshly cracked black pepper.

Broiled Swordfish with Lemon and Olive Oil

While in Italy, I enjoyed some delicious grilled swordfish at a rustic little restaurant in Sorrento. It was after a long day of hiking all over the island of Capri we had worked up quite an appetite. When we left our hotel to go out for supper the skies had opened up, and by the time we time we made it to the main piazza we were soaking wet. We walked up and down some random side streets (actually like narrow alleys, but the locals drive on them, mostly by moped) until we located  what looked like a nice place to eat. This place looked to have a mix of locals and tourists so we felt good about it. We hung our dripping coats on the rack and sat and relaxed over an excellent meal and some nice wine.

Here are my take on two dishes we enjoyed that day...caprese salad and grilled swordfish.

Caprese Salad
For lunch in Capri we shared a much deserved lunch consisting of margarita pizza and a caprese salad over looking the ocean.This salad, which means "salad in the style of Capri" couldn't be simpler to prepare. It consists of three simple ingredients, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil. It's great just like that or seasoned with a little olive oil and vinegar (balsamic or red wine). To make it, simply arrange slices of the cheese and tomato topped with basil however you wish. Common ways to do so are in individual stacks or around a platter. As you can see in the photo, I made mine atop some lettuce as to make it a little more substantial of a first course salad.


Grilled/Broiled/Baked Swordfish

Which ever one of the above methods you choose, the same basis hold true when cooking a firm, "meaty" fish like swordfish...do not overcook it! Swordfish is one of my favorite seafood choices but whenever it is over cooked it becomes very dry. The nice thing this recipe does to overcome that is using a quick marinade/basting sauce, a quick cooking time, and a good squeeze fresh lemon juice at the end.

About 10-15 minutes before cooking, toss: 4  -- 6 ounce swordfish fillets (steaks) with a little olive oil, the zest of one lemon and a little fresh thyme.

Preheat the broiler or your grill on high. Once the grill/broiler is hot, season the fish well with salt and pepper. Cook the fish to a medium-well doneness for about 8 minutes in the oven or 3-4 minutes per side on the grill. About 1 minute brfore removing from the heat squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over the fish.

Remove from heat and serve with lemon slices and fresh chopped parsley. If cooked in the oven, you will be left with a flavorful lemon-fish broth. Spoon the warm lemon sauce over the fish when serving.

Buona appetito!