Chocolate Cherry Sorbet with Cherry Compote

Fish and Vegetables Baked in Parchment

9/29/2014

A healthy and tasty way to prepare fish and vegetables in their own juices --
flavored with spices.

This is one of my favorite ways of cooking fish, especially when I'm looking for a healthy alternative. Don't get me wrong, I love deep-fried fish. You know, those greasy fish sticks with French fries and tartar sauce. But I know I'll have some serious indigestion after that meal and swear never to eat it again—until the next time I can't resist.
The fish cooked in parchment is equally good tasting, just without all the fat and frying. Not to mention the smell and messy pans. When you bake fish and vegetables in parchment, you are steaming them in their own juices, preserving all the nutrients and requiring little added fat. This kind of cooking creates maximum flavor as all the aromas are sealed in with the moisture. The natural juices of the fish and vegetables do the actual cooking by creating steam. Within minutes you have a scrumptious, fantastic tasting meal. You can use any white fish and vegetables of your choice. Thin filets like sole cook in 15 minutes. For thicker cuts, add 5 minutes for every ½ inch of thickness. I'm going to try jumbo shrimp the next time. Aluminum foil may be used in place of parchment, but parchment creates an elegant presentation and puffs up while cooking. I promise, once you get comfortable cooking this way, you will do it over and over again.

I used swordfish for this recipe because it had been caught that day and looked fantastic. Most of the time, I use snapper. You can vary the vegetables and spices to your liking. Remember to spray the inside of the parchment (where the food goes) with oil spray. I always put some of the veggies on the bottom for the fish to rest on. In this recipe, I used green beans. I used tomatoes from Robert's garden, but cherry tomatoes would be better.

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Ingredients :

For 2 persons ( 1 package per person )

2 pieces of swordfish (7 ounces each)
1/2 cup of roughly chopped olives
1-2 TBS chopped garlic
1-2 TBS chopped parsley
1 cup chopped tomatoes
A handful of green beans (about ½ lb.)
4-6 anchovy fillets
1 lemon, zest and juice
1TBS capers (rinsed)
3-4 TBS olive oil
Salt and pepper
Coarse salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Preheat the baking sheet in the oven.

Cut 2 sheets of parchment paper 14 x 15 inches each.
Spray the center of the paper with cooking oil. Place ½ of the green beans in the center, then top with 2-3 anchovy filets. Season the fish with salt and pepper and put it on top of the anchovies. Sprinkle with lemon juice. In a bowl, mix the tomatoes, olives, capers, parsley, lemon zest, garlic and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Nestle the veggies around the fish. To close, fold the parchment paper over each serving and make small overlapping pleats to seal the packages above and fold the open sides. Arrange the packages on the preheated baking sheet and place in the center of the hot oven. Bake for 20 minutes more or less, until the fish is opaque and flakes easily in the center. I cooked my swordfish for 25 minutes and it was perfect. My fish was very thick and had a bone. Serve a packet per dinner plate and cut open at the table, removing the paper. Serve with rice or crusty bread.

Guten Appetit!
recipe by©sunnycovechef

2 Comments

Apple Strudel Cake

9/20/2014

6 Comments

Apple strudel cake or Apfelkuchen as we call it in Germany is a delicious mouth-watering treat to celebrate the change of season or any other occasion.

The French have their apple tart, in the United States we have our apple pie, and in Germany there is Apfelstrudel (apple strudel) or Apfelkuchen (apple cake).
I combine the two and make apple strudel cake. This is the closest thing to an apple strudel without a tremendous amount of work, expertise, and the time it takes to make an apple strudel. The filling has cinnamon, apples, almonds, and raisins, just like an apple strudel. The crust is flaky and buttery and complements the filling nicely. This cake is an old friend of mine, as I have baked it for many years. It is a treat that my family and friends always enjoy. My hubby loves eating it with vanilla ice cream. I prefer Schlag (whipped cream). The cake improves with age and is a great party or dinner pleaser.

My friend, Robert, has beautiful apples in his garden that I used for this cake. Any firm, tart, not-too-juicy apple will do. I used Gravensteins.

I enjoy making this cake by hand. It is like playing in the sand box, but if you don't want to get your hands dirty, you can make the dough in a food processor. Just make sure you don't over mix the dough. Mix the dry ingredients first, add the butter and egg, and use the on/off control on the food processor to mix. Flatten the dough by hand into two disks, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.

The rolled out dough

The filling

The cake is ready to be baked

Putting the ingredients on a slab

Mixing the dough

The dough

Print Recipe

Ingredients:
9-inch tart form with a removable bottom

The dough:
1 3/4 cup (250g) flour
½ cup (125g) sugar
9 TBS (125g) cold butter
1 egg at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 TBS lemon zest
a pinch of salt

The filling:
1½-2 pounds of apples
juice of one lemon
3 TBS bread crumbs
3 TBS sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
½ cup (100 g) golden raisins
¼ cup (50 g) toasted & slivered almonds

For the glaze:
½ cup powdered sugar
3 TBS lemon juice

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375º Fahrenheit ( 200 degree Celsius).

To make the dough by hand, put the flour on a flat surface and make a bowl in the middle for the egg, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, and salt. Cut the butter into ½ inch small pieces and place on top of the mound of flour. Think of a volcano with some butter on the ridge and a hole in the middle. Starting from the outside, mix the ingredients into a ball. Use the palm of your hand to smear some of the butter. DO NOT OVER MIX. It is OK to have some pieces of butter left in the dough. Flatten the dough and make two disks, one a little bit larger than the other, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for ½ hour or overnight. The bottom piece needs more dough to build up the sides of the pan.

In the meantime, peel and core the apples and thinly slice them. Sprinkle lemon juice over the apples.

To roll out the dough, cut out four 14-inch square pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Put two pieces of plastic wrap on baking surface, sprinkle flour on the plastic wrap . Put the dough in the center and cover with the two other plastic wrap pieces and roll the disk into a 9-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick. Roll from the center. If the dough starts to stick, peel off the plastic wrap and put it back on, continuing to roll out the disk. Roll from both sides by flipping the dough over. This will prevent the dough from sticking to the wrap. Remove one sheet of plastic wrap and invert the dough into the tart pan. Then remove the remaining plastic wrap. Press the dough into the pan and up on the sides, cutting off any dough overhang. Use the dough scraps to patch any cracks.

Mix the sugar and the cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.
Sprinkle the bottom of the dough with breadcrumbs, mix the apples with the raisins and the almonds, add to the cake and sprinkle with the sugar cinnamon mixture. Roll out the second disk of dough and cover the apple filling with it. Make a cross slit in the center of the cake and put the cake on a cookie sheet (to catch any drippings).

Bake in the middle of the oven for about 45 minutes until the dough is lightly colored.

To make the glaze, mix the powdered sugar and lemon juice to make a smooth glaze. Add some more powdered sugar if the glaze is too thin.

As soon as you take the cake out of the oven, remove the outer ring of the tart form. Cool slightly and spread the glaze evenly over the cake.

Guten Appetit!
recipe by © Sunnycovechef

6 Comments

Broiled Shiitake Mushrooms

9/4/2014

0 Comments

My folders, my cookbooks, and my drawers are full of recipes that are dear to me. They help me find and create dishes for my family and friends. They are the backbone of my cooking — my memory. My blog is an attempt to somewhat organize and compile my favorite recipes.

Food is nourishment, it sustains our body and gives us energy. Many of us have made decisions about which foods are best for us. I always love any kind of mushrooms—chanterelles are my favorite, but I think shiitake mushrooms are healthier for me.

Broiled shiitake salad with baked tofu, mixed greens , and feta cheese.

Years ago, I saved this recipe for broiling shiitake mushrooms which was printed in our local newspaper. I have made them many times because I love the meaty, chewy flavor of the broiled mushrooms. They are great to use on salads, especially with arugula. Put the grilled mushrooms on a bed of arugula or mixed greens and use the warm juice as a dressing and you have a delicious salad! When I don't use the mushrooms right away, I keep them in the refrigerator as a healthy snack. Once you make these, trust me, they will be a staple of your diet, if you like mushrooms.

The original recipe calls for roasted sesame seeds as a garnish.

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Ingredients:

2 TBS tamari or soy sauce
2 TBS Oriental sesame oil
2 TBS olive oil
2 tsp. sugar
12 shiitake mushrooms

Directions:

Combine the tamari sauce, sesame oil, olive oil and sugar.

Preheat the broiler.

Clean the mushrooms and remove the stems. Place them cap side up on a baking dish. Brush dressing on the mushroom caps. Position the dish 4-6 inches from the heat. Broil until the mushrooms look brown and crusty, 2-3 minutes. They cook very quickly so keep an eye on them. Keep the mushrooms with all the juices in a glass container or use them right away in a salad. I made a salad with mixed greens, baked tofu, and some feta cheese. I used the warm juice from the mushrooms as salad dressing and I squirted some balsamic vinegar reduction over the salad.

Guten Appetit!
by©sunnycovechef

0 Comments

Fish and Vegetables Baked in Parchment

Apple Strudel Cake

Broiled Shiitake Mushrooms

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Fish and Vegetables Baked in Parchment

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