Paiche Recipe and Giveaway

It’s not everyday that you get the chance to try a fish you’ve never even heard of before. Last week I cooked paiche (pie-chay) a fish from the Amazon, also known as arapaima or pirarucu. Freshwater paiche are huge, growing be up to near 500 pounds, and breathe through lungs rather than gills. Considered a prehistoric fish, the flesh is very firm, but also rich and high in omega-3 fatty acids.

Endangered in the wild from overfishing, paiche is now raised commercially in ponds so wild fish remain protected, and free of any antibiotics or mercury. It’s one of the top fish farmed in Peru, and you may find it on restaurant menus or at Whole Foods, the only retailer currently selling it in the US.  It’s easy to cook paiche for a couple of reasons, because it’s dense and firm it won’t easily fall apart and because it’s rich it doesn’t get dry, even if you overcook it. It has a very clean, buttery slightly sweet flavor and is somewhat similar to sea bass or cod in texture.  I prepared the dish simply with a tangy sauce that held up well to the flavor of the fish, and served it with a winter salad of fennel, radishes and lemons with fresh mint.

If you'd like to try paiche, leave a comment telling me how you'd choose to prepare it. I will pick one winner at random who will receive a $50 Whole Foods gift certificate. One entry per person, and you must leave a valid email address (don't worry, only I will see it) and have a US mailing address. I will pick the winner on January 27th, 2014. Whole Foods offers a few recipes to consider such as Lime-Roasted Paiche with Sweet Potatoes and Pan-Seared Paiche with Spicy Avocado Sauce. I think it would be fantastic in this ceviche.

Note: The salad can also be served separately. A tiny pinch of sugar brings out the sweetness in the fennels and lemon. I used California Olive Ranch Limited Reserve olive oil, which is seasonally available only after the harvest. Like the Italian "olio nuovo" it's very fresh and best used while before it mellows. 

Paiche with Miso Butter and Fennel Radish Salad

Serves 4 

Ingredients

4 paiche fillets, about 6 ounces each about 3/4 inch thick 

2 teaspoons oil

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons white miso 

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon sugar

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into about 5 pieces 

1/2 fennel bulb

5 radishes

1/2 lemon

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (olio nuovo recommended)

1/4 teaspoon sugar

20 mint leaves, thinly sliced

Instructions

Using a mandolin if you have one, or a very sharp knife, thinly slice the fennel, radishes and half a lemon, removing any seeds.  Toss the slices with olive oil, salt and mint. 

In a small saucepan combine the lemon juice, miso, mustard and sugar with a whisk. Heat very gently over low heat and whisk in the butter, allowing it to melt and emulsify the sauce. 

Sear the fish in a hot non-stick pan coated with a little oil, and cook about 4 minutes on each side. The fish should be cooked through and white, not pink. 

One each plate serve a fillet of fish, topped with a tablespoon of the sauce and with some salad. 

Enjoy! 

Disclaimer: My thanks to Whole Foods for supply a gift card so I could try the fish and also for one lucky reader. 

New Cookbooks for the New Year

The beginning of the year represents a time for new things and that includes cooking. These cookbooks have the power to inspire you in the kitchen and get you cooking, baking and even fermenting. 

Mary Karlin has written books about wood fired ovens and making cheese and now takes on the broader subject of fermented food in Mastering Fermentation. The book has both recipes for making and using fermented foods—everything from from cheeses, to breads and grains, vegetables and meats as well as beverages. The recipes include some ingredients you’ll have to go out of your way to find, but the instructions are clear as day. Karlin, who is also a cooking instructor, writes clearly and inspires confidence. 

While much of the food faddists are shunning grain, Whole-Grain Mornings embraces it. Beyond just simple bowls of oatmeal or buttermilk pancakes, first time author Megan Gordon tempts readers with Nutty Millet Breakfast Cookies, Triple Coconut Quinoa Porridge, Zucchini Farro Cakes and loads more very original recipes. The book also shares Gordon’s story of finding love, moving to Seattle, her granola company and her beautiful photography. 

I’ve heard it said that if you find one recipe you love in a cookbook, it’s worth the price you paid for it. In my house, “make Japanese food” is a frequent request. I have several excellent Japanese cookbooks, and this year added another to the collection. Japanese Soul Cooking includes recipes for several dishes that are favorites from special restaurants and the streets of Tokyo and beyond. The recipe that won me over here was for Okonomiyaki, but the Mentaiko Spaghetti is a keeper too. There’s background on the dishes, tips on the techniques and ingredients. If you love Japanese food, you will want this book. 

Pok Pok is a game changing Thai restaurant in Portland, that now has an outpost in NYC. Andy Ricker a Thai food fanatic has made it his mission to recreate as authentically as possible the flavors of Thailand. I know, people hate the word authenticity, but Ricker takes it seriously. His respect and knowledge of Thai food is truly something. He even speaks Thai (with a Northern accent or so I’ve been told). If you want to really know what Thai food is all about, short of going to Thailand (or Portland) his book also titled Pok Pok is the next best thing. The recipes are detailed but not “cheffy” they are however the real deal. 

No doubt you’ve heard the news, the Jewish deli is disappearing. If you’ve ever eaten in a real Jewish deli you know what a shame this is. With a mammoth menu and soul food for those of Eastern European descent, the deli is an American original. Given the difficulty of finding good deli food, making your own might be your best bet. The Artisan Jewish Deli at Home has modernized recipes for Bagels, Bialys, Smoked Whitefish Salad, Kreplach, Latkes and more using the best quality ingredients. With this book you can personally save the deli all the while savoring the food and reading profiles of some “artisan” delis as well as interviews with noted Jewish food experts. 

Our lady of chocolate, Alice Medrich has done it again. Her latest book Seriously Bitter Sweet revisits her classic recipes found in Bittersweet in light of the fact that chocolate ain’t what it it used to be. We now have more choices than ever and that’s a good thing. But Medrich has retested many recipes to help you get the most out of them using the best chocolate available. You’ll fall in love all over again with the Queen of Sheba cake, Nibby Espresso Cookies and Chocolate Olive Oil Crostini.




Disclaimer: These books were provided as review copies and this post includes affiliate links. 

Endive Salad with Prosciutto Recipe

Growing up I ate a green salad pretty much every night with dinner. In Italy, we did the same, though it was served at the end of the meal. These days, I find it hard to convince my other half to eat salad. My solution is to make main dish salads. This one uses Belgian endive and is easy to make for one or a group. It has many delicious things added to a base of endive and fennel, namely candied walnuts, fresh mozzarella and prosciutto.

Endive and fennel just seem to have a natural affinity for one another. Both are crisp, but fennel has a chewier  texture and a sweetness, while endive is lighter and juicier and has a slightly bitter edge. You could use them to make a simple side salad but this one has lots of goodies to make it a main dish. Use a Champagne vinaigrette or a Dijon mustard vinaigrette to dress it. Or even just lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil.

One of the tricks to this salad is that one thin slice of prosciutto pulled into shreds adds loads of flavor. If you have jamon de Bellota, by all means use it. That's what I originally used in this salad. Just be sure to add it at the very last minute. Make extra candied walnuts, they are terrific for snacking.

Endive Salad with Prosciutto
One serving

1 Belgian endive, sliced
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh fennel
1/4 cup diced fresh mozzarella
1 slice prosciutto, shredded into about 5 thin strips
2 Tablespoons walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Pinch salt
Vinaigrette

Make the candied walnuts by very gently heating the walnuts, sugar and salt in a non-stick skillet until the sugar melts and the walnuts toast. Swirl the pan so the sugar sticks to the nuts. Set aside and let cool while assembling the salad.

In a salad bowl toss the endive and fennel with a couple tablespoons of dressing. Place the salad on a plate and top with the mozzarella, walnuts and the prosciutto.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: My thanks to California Endive Farms for providing me with a generous sample of endive to use. I also wrote about endive on Recipe.com. 

Healthier Snacks & Treats

Snacks are part of the American way of life. We are a nation of snackers. Because I work from home, I have no "break room" stocked with drinks and snacks, but that doesn't mean I don't help myself to a nibble now and then. I most frequently indulge in snacks when I'm traveling because it's not always easy to find a satisfying meal in between departure and arrival. In general I prefer healthier snacks, they just taste better to me. Stock up on these for the home, office or on to take the road.

G.H. Cretors

When I pass through Chicago O'Hare, I sometimes buy some "Chicago mix" that wacky sounding but utterly delicious combination of caramel corn and cheese corn. Each bite is salty sweet and so crisp and buttery. I've never found anything as good as what they sell in Chicago, until I got a sample of G.H.Cretors. They offer cheese popcorn and caramel corn separately but trust me, you want to try them combined. So truth be told, these are not the healthiest, but healthier than potato chips, so that's something.

Sahale Snacks

I've been crazy about these creative fruit and nut mixes since I tried them at the Fancy Food Show a few years ago. Not your typical trail mix, they come in amazing flavor combinations like Pomegranate, Pistachios with Almonds, Cherries and Black Pepper or Sing Buri Cashews with pineapple, peanuts, Lemongrass and Mild Chinese Chili. The "Crunchers" come in both sweet and savory formulations like Cranberries, Sesame Seeds or Honey Almond Snack with Parmesan Cheese and Herbs. Depending on the flavor, they are recommended for use on salads, yogurt and oatmeal, rice and pasta. I think they would be  great on stir fried vegetables as well. 

Oren's Kitchen

When putting together a gift for a friend, I remembered how good these nut mixes are and added a pack. They come in flavors like Smoked Paprika Pecans and Coconut Chili Macadamias, but my favorite are the Wild Rosemary Almonds, which are perfectly slow roasted. Good as a snack but they could also be chopped and added to salads or served with a cheese plate.

Snapea Crisps

Perhaps you've come across these cute little snacks that look like snap peas, but are made from legumes like dried red lentils, beans and green peas. They taste like junk food, but they are much healthier than potato chips with almost half as much fat and sodium. They come in different flavors like Tomato Basil, Onion Thyme and Wasabi Ranch. I've enjoyed each of them that I've tried, but I warn you, an open bag is moments away from being an empty bag…

Ocean's Halo
It's hard to describe the flavor of seaweed. It's kind of earthy and briny but herbal too. You probably either love it or hate it. I love it. I like those crisp little seaweed snacks that you find all over these days. But now there's a chip made from seaweed that has a much crunchier thicker texture, but the same intense flavor of the sea. I really like the sea salt flavor and look forward to trying the chile lime and Korean BBQ versions too. Halo snacks are available at select Whole Foods markets. As an added plus, the bag they come in is 100% compostable, though not edible! That would be pretty cool though. 

Crunchies

Recently I got a sample of Crunchies latest flavors Sweet Buttered Corn and BBQ Roasted Vegetables. I like the corn because it's light and sweet. Like the dehydrated fruits and vegetables that I reviewed from Sensible Foods I think you could use it on salads or as a topping on soup. The BBQ version which includes a variety of dehydrated vegetables does not taste much like BBQ at all. And I don't really like the peas which are a bit starchy tasting, but the tomatoes and red peppers are very good. If you're interested in trying this, I'd recommend sticking with the corn.

Disclaimer: I received some (but not all) of these products as review samples, however I was not paid to write this or any other post on Cooking with Amy.

Warm Cauliflower Dip Recipe

Tahini is a very rich sesame seed paste used in hummus. But that's not the only thing you can do with tahini. It adds richness and creaminess to a variety of dishes including salads, fish, grilled meats and vegetables. To make an amazing tahini sauce, all you have to do is combine tahini, mashed garlic, water and lemon juice. You can make it to be thick and creamy or thin and saucy. Either way it is delicious.

Recently I needed to make some appetizers that were lactose free. I looked in my fridge and found a head of cauliflower and some tahini (which is a staple ingredient at my house) and those formed the basis of this luscious warm cauliflower dip. No butter, no cheese. No problem! 

Warm cauliflower dip is vegan, vegetarian, gluten free and lactose free. So pretty much anyone should be able to enjoy it. It's surprisingly rich and creamy, considering it doesn't have any cream. I made it the first time in my Vitamix, but I tested it in the food processor and it came out just great that way too. You could add hot sauce or a splash of lemon juice if you want to customize it. You could also use it as a spread for sandwiches or wraps. It's good at room temperature or warm. 

Warm Cauliflower Dip

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower
Head of garlic
Olive oil
2 Tablespoons tahini
2-3 Tablespoons water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Black sesame seeds, optional

Instructions

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice about 1/4 inch off the top of the garlic clove, just enough to expose the cloves. Cut away the core of the cauliflower and break it into small pieces. Place the cauliflower and whole head of garlic on a rimmed baking sheet (I line mine with parchment paper or foil for easy clean up). Drizzle the vegetables with a little oil, about a tablespoon or so. Roast for 45 minutes or until tender and beginning to brown in spots.

Transfer the cauliflower to the food processor. When the garlic is cooled enough to handle, squeeze it from the skins and add as much of it as you'd like into the food processor. I use about 5 cloves (save the rest to add to mashed potatoes). Add the tahini, salt and cumin. Puree, adding as much water as you need to form a  very thick and creamy dip. Taste for seasonings. You may need to add more salt or tahini, it really depends on the size and flavor of the cauliflower. Garnish with black sesame seeds. Serve with crudités, endive leaves or chips. You can keep this in the refrigerator for several days and gently reheat in the microwave (or serve at room temperature). 

Enjoy! 

Nightstand Cookbooks & Giveaway

For a while the memoir with recipes was a very popular genre. These days there are quite a few memoir cookbooks that offer much more than just a recipe per chapter. They are books you may or may not actually cook from, but you will read them and savor every page because their authors are compelling characters with fascinating journeys and stories to tell. 

Top of the list for me is Coi. If Daniel Patterson is equal parts culinary genius and awkward social misfit, this book gets to the root of it, in a very soul baring way. He also just happens to be a fantastic writer. The format of the book is completely unique. Long essays on each page are paired with stunning photos and recipes written “longhand” I’d say, with the pesky details like measurements relegated to the index. Sure, it’s tweezer food that you might never cook, but that's beside the point. Each dish comes with so much background and story, it’s a fascinating ride. I really adore this book. Take a look at this preview of the book from Eater to get a better feel for it. 

Nigel Slater’s Notes from the Larder is described as a kitchen diary. It’s organized chronologically, almost day by day. Each day gets a journal like entry and a recipe. It’s nearly impossible to use in a conventional manner, unless you resort to the index. But it’s well worth reading nonetheless. Perfect bed time reading really, because you can take in little bits at a time and be inspired and entertained by the wit, wisdom and insight of Slater, along with the heavenly photos and mostly easy peasy recipes for things like Lamb and Mushroom Flatbread, Five Spice Chicken and Pea Shoot Salad, Apricot Couscous, and Blackberry and Hazelnut Cakes (only 7 ingredients!). That should make for sweet dreams. 

I met Ivan Orkin, the author of Ivan Ramen and was lucky enough to try his food at the CIA Worlds of Flavor conference in Napa a few years ago. His ramen shops are a sensation in Tokyo, and now he is opening a shop in NYC. But if his ramen is a revelation, so is his story with lots of drama and twists and turns. I don’t want to give away even the tiniest bit of his saga. Just read this book! You can also make his recipes, but honestly, even if you don’t, you won’t be able to put this book down. Enough said. 

Another fascinating character I met at a CIA Worlds of Flavor conference was Roy Choi of Kogi BBQ and Korean taco fame. A classically trained chef, it was when he reconnected with his roots that he went from struggling corporate chef to finding his true calling. His story told in L.A Son: My Life, My City, My Food is about growing up as an immigrant in LA, flirting with drugs and gambling and the roller coaster ride of food trucks and restaurants. The recipes fall into the categories of Mexican, Korean and guilty pleasure. Carne Asada, Korean Carpaccio, Ghetto Pillsbury Fried Donuts, Korean-Style Braised Short-Rib Stew, Perfect Instant Ramen, Coconut Clam Chowder. Really the whole book is a guilty pleasure. 

While Orkin and Choi are very much on trend and of the moment, Anne Willan is old school. The founder of the famed La Varenne cooking school in France, she is an accomplished cooking teacher, food writer and cookbook author. Her latest book, One Souffle at a Time, is a memoir with recipes, fifty of them in all. It’s a book for Francophiles and those who enjoy anecdotes about Julia Child, James Beard, Craig Claiborne, and other American, French and British food writers and luminaries primarily from the 70’s and 80’s. It turns out Willan is not just a great cooking teacher, but a great story teller as well. 

Last but not least is a “not cookbook” 50 Foods, The Essentials of Good Taste by Edward Behr, one of the best food writers around. But don't take my word for it, read an excerpt. Equally authoritative and opinionated, you can’t help but learn something when reading what Behr has to say. In this encyclopedic style reference book he shares his picks for favored ingredients along with how to buy, what complements the ingredient and “notes on wine.” His picks? Things like Asparagus, Cabbage, Chestnuts, Goose, Honey, Lemons, Pears, Potatoes, Strawberries and Sweetbreads. No recipes, but lots of useful information that will make you a better cook. The illustrations are really appealing in this book.

Giveaway! 

I am giving away one copy of 50 Foods, The Essentials of Good Taste by Edward Behr, courtesy of the publisher, Penguin Press. Leave me a comment telling me your favorite nightstand cookbook or culinary memoir. One entry per person and mailing address must be in the US. Winner will be chosen at random on January 10, 2014 noon PST. 

Disclaimer: Some of these books were provided as review copies. This post contains affiliate links. 

More Vegetable Cookbooks

So many wonderful vegetable and vegetarian cookbooks have come out recently, it’s hard to keep track of all of them. I wrote about many of my favorite vegetable cookbooks in April, here are some more perfect for starting the new year. Note: a couple of these are not strictly vegetarian, but have so many great vegetable recipes I included them anyway. 

For a food writer and editor to go vegetarian, means some really serious work had to happen, adapting and creating new bold recipes. That’s exactly what Joe Yonan has done in his latest book, Eat Your Vegetables. It’s the second in a series for the single cook/diner. But if you are not single, don’t let that deter you. First of all there are times when all of us are dining alone, and most of the recipes are easy to multiply or adapt for larger groups. This is vegetarian food for someone who knows how meat tastes, if that makes any sense. Curried Mushroom Bean Burgers, Pomegranate-Glazed Eggplant, Spaghetti with Root-to-Leaf Radish. Good stuff! 

River Cottage Veg is the latest in a series of River Cottage cookbooks on single subjects, everything from fish to preserves to bread. The book has some classics like Eggplant Parmigiana and Poached Egg on Toast, but also very fresh vegetarian recipes, like Warm Salad of Mushrooms and Roasted Squash, Beet and Walnut Hummus, Tahini-dressed Zucchini and Green Bean Salad, Green Onion Galette and Kohlrahbi “carpaccio.” It’s simple but very appealing and approachable vegetarian food for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. 

Le Pain Quotidien is a book that seems to have remained under the radar. I didn’t see it on one “best of” list this year. But with 200 bakery/cafe locations around the world, you know they are doing something right. And they are. Le Pain Quotidien makes delicious, mostly organic, and often healthy food including lots of open face “tartine” sandwiches, soups and salads, breads and more.  The cookbook is an extension of the brand, in the best possible way. There are some very unexpected but enticing recipes like Mocha & Caper Butter with Crostini, Pea, Pancetta & Radish Tartine, Soba, Cauliflower & Blood Orange Salad and Pearl Barley Paella. The photography is beautiful and the recipes are all really straight forward and easy to do. You can create lovely little picture perfect snacks with this book. 

The New Persian Kitchen isn’t a vegetarian cookbook, but the majority of the recipes just happen to be vegetarian. They are also exotic, often healthy and very approachable, though not strictly traditional Persian. The book pleasantly surprises with new-to-me ways to prepare things like Roasted Stuffed Artichokes with Mint Oil, Radish, Rhubarb and Strawberry Salad, No-Bake Persimmon and Goat Cheese Cheesecake and Fig Mustard. I became a big fan of Louisa Shafia after reading her first book, Lucid Food and am happy to add this one to my collection. 

The Heart of the Plate is Mollie Katzen’s latest cookbook. If you loved the Moosewood Cookbook, this is a much more modern book. Though I prefer the illustrations over the somewhat boring photos in this book, the recipes themselves are bound to become classics. Her twists, like adding pomegranate to tabouli in Pomegranate Tabouli, adding to quinoa to pancakes in Tiny Quinoa-Speckled Buttermilk Cornmeal Cakes, Bulgur and Spaghetti and Kale Caesar Salad are genius! Another keeper.

Disclaimer: Some of these books were review copies, and this post includes affiliate links.