Mustard-Roasted Snapper

I suffer from Goldilocks syndrome whenever I make seafood. It's either underdone or overdone, never just right. That is, until I stumbled upon Ina Garten's Mustard-Roasted Fish Recipe. I've never roasted snapper or any fish before and I was fully prepared to eat a rubber tire but to my surprise, the fish came out just right. The creamy sauce that covered the snapper served as a protective shield to keep the moisture in without overcooking it. The dijon and whole grain mustard combo cut through the rich sauce so nicely. I must caution though, the flavorful sauce is a little intense from the mustard and the creme fraiche so pair it with something that won't fight the flavors or the delicate texture of this dish. I served it with quinoa & roasted broccoli and it made for one quick and easy meal! You could even say it was a snap!

On the flip side, today's seafood dishes landed on the overdone side. I decided to make dinner for my mom, sister & brother-in-law since they've been so busy taking care of the twins. Sous Chef Lough and I made Mussels in White Wine, Garlic Bread, Roasted Asparagus, and  Lemon, Butter, Caper Scallops over a bed of lemon pepper pappardelle (available at Trader Joe's). In my attempt to time all of the dishes to finish at the exact same time, I ended up overcooking the scallops. Even so, the family was appreciative of the break from all the chinese food they've been eating. And it was very gratifying to know that even though I cant change diapers, I can provide a pretty delicious meal.

Avocados & Gardening (week 3)

Avocados
Over the weekend, I found the cutest little avocados. They're called peewee avocados and at 7 for 99 cents, they were too good to pass up!

Since the avocado seed is so tiny, there's still a ton of buttery avocado flesh to be eaten!

Garden Update
Now that i'm going into my 3rd week of gardening, I thought it'd be fun to do a side by side comparison to see how much my plants have grown.

Spinach (left: week 1 / right: week 3)
Tomato Vine & Butter Lettuce (left: week 1 / right: week 3)
Basil (left: week 1 / right: week 3)

Fun with Food
Having fresh herbs in the garden inspires me to add a boost of flavor into otherwise ordinary meals. Those aren't just regular ol' mashed potatoes, there's a double dose of magic in there! Garlic chives from the garden and TRUFFLE OIL!

  Mashed Potatoes with Garlic Chives & Truffle Oil, Sauteed Kale, and Seared Scallops

scallops

i've been eating a lot of meat lately. with my best friend's wedding coming up in 3 days, i should probably eat something light and healthy for dinner so i can fit into my bridesmaid dress. plus my landlord looks like he could lose a few... totally kidding, you need to gain 20!

i decided on an old standby - Orzo with cherry tomatoes & spinach chiffonade (recipe below). takes 10 minutes to make and it's healthy & delish! but what to top it with? not meat. don't want to deal with fish. scallops would be perf! meaty yet light and succulent. ::: drool :::

don't be fooled by my newfound passion for scallops. until very recently, i would let the scallop & vegetable dish pass me by on a lazy susan without a second glance. at that point, i had only tried scallops two ways, dried in jook (see "sook" post for definition) or in aforementioned scallop & vegetable dish most commonly found at cantonese restaurants. then one glorious day, i decided to give non-chinese scallops a whirl at the fabulous bonarda restaurant and my life was forever changed. so now, scallops are probably my favorite seafood to cook. there's hardly any prep time and they cook so quickly! i could go on and on but, i digress...

i decided to do a quick pan sear but this started to look like a weight watchers menu item (not so delish), i needed to give it a little boost...

here's what I ended up with:

Orzo with cherry tomatoes & spinach chiffonade 

topped with seared scallops and a drizzle of lemon caper butter sauce

Orzo with Cherry Tomatoes & Spinach Chiffonade

• start with a pot of boiling water and add a pinch of salt. add the orzo and let it cook for 9 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
• while the pasta is cooking, cut the cherry tomatoes in half and place into a large serving bowl. cut the spinach into long strips by stacking them neatly and rolling the leaves. then cut across to make long strips and place into the same serving bowl. 
• by this time the orzo should be al dente, drain the pasta and pour the hot pasta into the serving bowl, add salt & pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. 
• mix everything together and squeeze a quarter of a lemon over everything. this really brightens up the dish and brings out the flavors or each ingredient.

Seared Scallops with Lemon Caper Butter Sauce

• rinse the scallops under cold water, pat dry with a paper towel and set aside. 
• pour 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil & 1 tbsp into a frying pan and turn the heat on high. while the pan is getting hot, season the scallops with a sprinkle of salt & pepper. 
• once the pan begins to sizzle (don't let it burn), place the scallops into the pan and dont touch it for 1.5 minutes, then flip and sear the other side for 1.5 minutes. set the scallops onto a serving plate and turn the heat to low. 
• to make the sauce, add 1 tbsp of butter, 1 tbsp of capers, and a sprinkle of salt & pepper to the pan. whisk the ingredients in the pan until the sauce slightly thickens. add a squeeze of lemon juice and whisk for a few more seconds. remove the pan from the heat and use a spoon to drizzle the sauce over the scallops.