Author: creativeculinarytherapy

(Serves 8)

Ingredients:

• 1 small yellow onion
• 2 – 15.5 oz cans of garbanzo beans
• 2- 15.25 oz cans of whole kernel sweet corn
• 1 fennel bulb
• 2 Tbsp’s of chopped flat leaf parsley
• 2 Tbsp’s of chopped fresh Cilantro
• 1 Tbsp of chopped fresh mint leaves
• Good quality Olive Oil (about 1/4th of a cup)
• 1 tsp of Dijon Mustard
• Several Tbsp’s of fresh squeezed Lemon Juice
• 1 tsp of white vinegar
• Salt and Black pepper to taste

How to re-create this recipe:

1. Rinse your garbanzo beans with cold water in a colander, draining as much water from them as possible. Add them to a medium sized bowl.
2. Rinse your corn under cold water in a colander and drain out excess water. Add them to the bowl.
3. Finely dice your onion and add to the bowl.
4. Using a mandolin, shave your fennel bulb (thinly)into the bowl (after you removed the outermost fibrous layer and cut your fennel bulb in half).
5. Chop all your herbs and add them to the bowl. To the bowl add your Olive Oil, Dijon Mustard, Lemon Juice, Vinegar, salt and black pepper to taste.
6. Using large spoons, mix all ingredients together well until everything seems to be coated evenly.
7. ENJOY!

Nourishment for your body: Chickpeas are an excellent source of protein! They are also packed with nutrients and vitamins. They are inexpensive and can be added to so many different dishes ; from soups to stews and even desserts. Aquafaba is the liquid in cans of chickpeas. You can use it instead of egg whites to whip it up and make it frothy (like in a meringue). Roasted chickpeas are a delicious snack and you can use whatever spice mix you prefer to make them crunchy and delicious.

Tips when cooking: This salad is simple and easy to make. The flavors are bright and refreshing. You can replace your yellow onion for shallots if you prefer a more mild onion flavor. This salad is a great side dish for any meal . It holds up well in the fridge and doesn’t get mushy as most salads would if coated in a dressing and sitting in the fridge overnight. In fact, it holds up well for a few days !

(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

• 1/4th cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 2- 5 oz fillets of Sablefish
• 2 tsp’s of Furikake Seasoning
• 1/16th tsp of salt
• 1/16th tsp of ground ginger
• 1/16th tsp of ground garlic
• A little coconut oil as needed
• 1 Nectarine
• 1/2 cup unsweetened Coconut Milk (from a can)
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1/2 cup black rice (rinse and drained)
• 1 garlic clove (minced)
• pinch of salt

How to re-create this recipe:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a sheet tray with parchment paper.
2. In a small saucepan bring the coconut milk to a boil, then add a pinch of salt , your minced garlic and your rice. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
3. While that is cooking you can prep your panko topping by simply combining the panko breadcrumbs, Furikake seasoning, salt , ginger and garlic in a small bowl. Set aside.
4. When the rice has about 15 minutes left to cook, add your fish to your sheet tray and spread some coconut oil over the top of them. Afterwards, coat each fillet with an even and generous amount of panko breadcrumbs, making sure to cover the entire fillet. Cook the fish for 15 minutes uncovered.
5. When both the fish and rice are cooked, cut slivers out of your nectarine.
6. Cool the rice off just a bit so its not scorching hot and add it to the center of a nice plate. Add your nectarines around the rice and place the fish on top. Enjoy!

Nourishment for your body: Sablefish (Black Cod) is one of my absolute favorite fish to buy. The flavor to me is reminiscent of a milder version of Chilean Sea Bass. It is low in mercury, high in Omega 3 fatty acids, and rich in Vitamin B-12.  Black rice has a slightly nutty flavor because the bran is left on. Compared to other types of rice, black rice is one of the highest in protein and antioxidants. It gets its deep blackish/purple color from a pigment called Anthocyanin. Research shows that anthocyanins have strong anti-inflammatory properties. Cooking the rice in coconut milk adds a more luxurious mouthfeel and taste then cooking it in water.

Tips when cooking: Panko breadcrumbs are used in traditional Japanese cooking.They add a fantastic crunchy texture to anything from baked casseroles to fried foods. You can use them to make chicken cutlets. If you don’t prefer sablefish or can’t find it, this breadcrumb mixture would taste great on almost any fish you use! If you have leftover coconut milk you can use it to make smoothies, chia seed pudding, a coconut curry sauce , soup, etc.

(Serves 6)

Ingredients:

• 1 Lb of Spot Prawns
• 16 Fluid Ounces Clam Juice (I used Bar Harbor brand)
• 2 1/4 cups of Seafood Stock
• 1/4th of a cup of Spot Prawn Roe Liquid (see steps below)
• 1/2 a cup of Mascarpone Cheese
• 1/2 a cup of dry white wine ( I used Pinot Grigio)
• 5 Shallots (finely chopped)
• 2 Tbsp’s unsalted butter
• Zest of 1 Lemon
• 1/8th of a tsp of Saffron Threads
• 2 Tbsp’s of snipped chives (plus a little more for garnish)
• 2 Tbsp’s of Olive Oil
• Salt and black pepper to taste

How to re-create this recipe:

1. De-frost your Prawns by placing them in cold water for about 40 minutes to 1 hour. Place a colander in your sink and next to it place a fine mesh sieve over the top of a small sturdy container.
2. After 40 minutes, remove the shells and place them directly in the colander. It’s ok if your prawns are still semi-frozen (they defrost pretty quickly). If you find prawns with roe in them, very carefully remove the roe and place it in your sieve.
3. After your done shelling your prawns, take the back of a small spoon and press the roe into the sieve, catching as much of the roe liquid as possible. Reserve this liquid.
4. Finely chop your shallots, then de-vein the prawns. Afterwards, slice the prawns in half so your pieces are bite sized.
5. In a small stock pot, combine the seafood stock, clam juice and roe liquid and bring up to a simmer. Afterwards turn down heat but make sure this mixture remains hot throughout the cooking process. Have a ladle handy.
6. In a large, heavy bottomed sauce pan, heat the olive oil. Add the shallots, season them with some salt and pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally and until they are softened and slightly translucent (about 5 minutes).
7. Add the rice and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring to thoroughly coat it. Be careful not to scorch the rice.
8. Add the saffron and the wine and cook, stirring occasionally until all the wine has been absorbed.
9. Add 1 cup of the combined stock/clam juice and stir constantly on low/medium heat until all the stock has been absorbed. Continue adding the stock about 1/2 a cup at a time, frequently stirring, making sure it is absorbed between adding additional cups of stock.
10. When you are down to about 1 cup left of stock to add, preheat a large saute pan, add your butter and saute your prawns in it on medium high heat for about a minute on each side. They will be done and turn opaque quickly.
11. When all your stock has been added, your risotto is al dente and the sauce is thick and creamy, add your snipped chives, lemon zest, sautéed prawns and mascarpone cheese. Give that a good stir and cook for a minute longer. Adjust your seasoning with salt.
12. Serve in bowls and add some more snipped chives on top. Enjoy!

Nourishment for your body: Spot Prawns are a fantastic source of protein, omega 3 fatty acids, contain iron, zinc and vitamin E. They taste rich, buttery and super sweet and are also a highly sustainable species! They are sustainable because they are caught using deepwater traps which reduce by catch.

Tips when cooking: To de-vein your prawns, hold one between your thumb and your middle and pointer finger. Take a sharp pairing knife and run it down the middle, on the backside of the prawn. When the inside flesh is exposed, place your knife under the vein and pull it out, placing on a wet paper towel. Cooking the dish will take about 25 minutes and using the liquid from the roe is completely optional. It definitely adds more depth of flavor and added a beautiful coral color while cooking. Other options for dry white wines are Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Gris. You can discard your prawn shells or rinse them in the colander and save them to make a stock for future cooking.

(Serves 6-8)

Ingredients:

• 2 Lbs of Coulotte Steaks
• 1 Lb of Campari Tomatoes
• 3.5 fluid ounces of Sherry Vinegar
• 5.5 ounces of brown sugar
• 1/2 a teaspoon of ground fennel seeds
• 1/2 a teaspoon of ground coriander seeds
• 1/2 a teaspoon of black pepper
• 1/2 a teaspoon of smoked paprika
• 2.5 Tbsp’s of Worchestershire sauce
• 2 Star Anise Pods
• Vegetable Oil as needed
• Maldon Sea Salt (for garnish, optional)
• A 1 Steak Sauce for serving (optional)

How to re-create this recipe:

To make the barbecue marinade:

1. Slice your tomatoes in half, drizzle vegetable oil on them and blister them in a hot cast iron skillet. 
2. Add your tomatoes, sherry vinegar, brown sugar, ground fennel, coriander, black pepper, paprika and worcestershire to a blender or a food processor and blitz all the ingredients to a puree consistency. 
3. Pour the puree into a saucepan, add your Star Anise Pods and cook over medium heat for about 35-40 minutes until the sauce reduces and becomes thick and fragrant. Remove your Star Anise pods and pour the puree back into your blender. Puree on high until completely smooth and afterwards cool to room temperature.
4. While your puree cools down, clean out your cast iron pan and remove any extra silver skin on the steaks. Don’t trim all the fat off the steaks because that will give it more flavor while they cook.
5. When your puree has cooled off, pour half the mixture in a deep pan, place the steaks on top of the puree and pour the other half over the steaks, making sure they are coated evenly. Cover with plastic wrap, place in fridge and marinade for up to 4 hours. (Prior to cooking the steaks, let them sit out at room temperature for about an hour).
6. Pre-heat your cast iron pan on medium high heat, remove some of the excess BBQ marinade off your steaks and sear the steaks for about 2-3 minutes on each side so a nice crust forms. Afterwards place them in a oven set to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and roast for 30 minutes for a medium rare doneness. You can crank up the heat to 350 degrees and cook for another 15 minutes for a medium well doneness.
7. Make sure you let the meat rest for about 10-15 minutes before carving it. Season the meat with some Maldon sea salt and enjoy!

Nourishment for your body: This is considered to be a more leaner cut of meat then many other cuts. 1 – 3oz portion yields just 79 calories (excluding any extra flavorings such as sauces, etc). It’s a great cut of meat to incorporate protein into your diet, as it has 15 grams of protein for a 3 oz portion.

Tips when cooking: The Coulotte is a cut of steak from the top sirloin (a.k.a top sirloin cap). It is popular in Brazilian-style steakhouses (known as picanha). It’s a juicy, tender cut of meat with a good amount of marbling. This roast can also be used for kabobs, steak sandwiches, stews and stir-fries. A Chimichurri sauce would also work great with it. I love this BBQ sauce because it is so versatile and the flavor is intense, zesty and acidic. I used it in a previous recipe when I marinated Porgies in it and then broiled them.

Ingredients:

(Serves 6)

• 20 Brussel Sprouts
• 1 Head of Romaine Lettuce (sliced into strips)
• 3 Oz crumpled goat cheese
• 3/4th cup of cranberries
• 1/3rd cup of toasted Hazelnuts
• 8 strips of bacon (cooked well done)

For the dressing:

• 1 garlic clove (finely minced)
• 1 tsp honey
• 2 tsp’s fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tsp’s red wine vinager
• 1 Tbsp Pomegranate Molasses
• 1 cup Olive Oil and 1.5 tsp, divided

Putting it together:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit, line a sheet tray and toast your hazelnuts for about 8 minutes until toasty and fragrant. Afterwards crank up the heat to 400 degrees, place 8 bacon strips on a sheet tray and bake until crispy (about 18-20 minutes). Afterwards, place the bacon in between some paper towels to absorb the oil.
2. Wash your lettuce, dry it well, and cut it into strips. Remove the outermost layers of your Brussel sprouts and using a mandolin or food processor, slice all your sprouts and place them on a long parchment lined sheet tray , drizzle the 1.5 tsp of olive oil on them, season with salt and pepper, toss all the sprouts together until evenly coated and cook for up to 15-20 minutes (tossing occasionally) until the sprouts look cooked and charred.
3. While that’s cooking, you can make your dressing by putting your minced garlic in a small bowl, add your honey, lemon juice, red vinegar, pomegranate molasses and then whisk in your olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add your sprouts to a medium sized serving bowl along with your lettuce, hazelnuts, cranberries and goat cheese. Crumple your bacon into the bowl add your dressing and give that a good toss. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Enjoy!

Nourishment for your body: Brussel Sprouts are rich in vitamins and minerals. They contain vitamins C and K as well as have folate, calcium, iron and potassium. Having a diet that is high in cruciferous veggies such as Brussel sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower is said to reduce certain types of cancers.

Tips when cooking: I recently purchased this trio of Olive Oils at Trader Joe’s. They made for fantastic dipping and salad dressings. I used the one from Spain to make this salad dressing. I loved it’s fruity, smooth and buttery finish. They’re fun to use as an olive oil tasting at home! I think this salad would also work beautifully with blue cheese crumples.