Parmesan - Crusted Halibut in Crazy Water

After what seems like weeks and weeks of heavy, not so healthy eating we decided not to calorie splurge for Sunday dinner this week which we usually do. During the work week we try to keep it relatively healthy, always for breakfast & lunch and mostly for dinners. But on the weekend we have  the time to cook and when we cook all day to make a meal it's usually not focused on being a healthy one. Just being honest.

But this past Sunday we both felt a need to keep it a bit lighter. We looked back in one of our favorite recipe resources, our collection of Cuisine at Home magazines (they are still one of the only cooking magazines we get that doesn't have their recipes available online.) We found a recipe we had marked as one we wanted to cook from a December 2008 issue that we had never got around to actually making. Perfect.

Parmesan-Crusted Halibut in Crazy Water with Zucchini, Tomatoes & Orzo sounded like a long title but absolutely right up our alley. We love halibut and the fact is in the winter we don't eat nearly enough of it. Crazy water sounded a bit interesting, after reading about the recipe we learned the recipe is based on an Italian recipe and it's called crazy water because the broth is made with wine, water, fragrant herbs, and veggies. Didn't sound too crazy for us. 

Luckily our favorite fish market nearby, Metropolitan Market, had some really good looking halibut. It was previously frozen given the time of the year but it looked and smelled about as fresh as we'd be able to find. 

The recipe starts with smearing the halibut with some store bought pesto (I also found some freshly made pesto at Met Market) and then creating a Parmesan and panko crust that goes on top of the pesto. 

Evidently to make the true Italian version of the recipe the halibut would poach in the "crazy water" but in order to keep the Parmesan crust crispy in this recipe we baked the halibut in the oven separately from the broth. And this absolutely was a great call. That crispy crust eaten with the savory, briny broth was fantastic.

It really was a deliciously, flavorful meal. All of the components played perfectly off each other; the kalamata olives, lemon juice, roasted red peppers contrasted with the crispy, pesto flavored sweet halibut. 

We enjoyed our wonderful Parmesan crusted halibut with an oaky  Walla Walla 2013 Waterbrook Reserve Chardonnay.

RECIPE:

Parmesan-Crusted Halibut in Crazy Water with Zucchini, Tomatoes & Orzo 

Makes 2 servings : Total Time about 45 minutes

Halibut:

1/4 C panko crumbs

2 Tblspns grated Parmesan cheese

Minced zest of 1/2 a lemon

Salt & Pepper to taste

4 tspns purchased pesto, divided

2 halibut fillets, 1-inch each (4 0z. each)

For the Crazy Water:

1/4 C minced red onion

1 tspn minced garlic

1/4 tspn red pepper flakes

2 tspns olive oil

1/4 C dry white wine

2 1/2 C water

1/2 C halved grape tomatoes

1/4 C dry orzo pasta

1 tspn sugar

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1/2 C coarsely chopped zucchini

1/2 C jarred roasted red pepper, cut into strips

1/4 C halved kalamata olives

2 Tspns chopped fresh parsley

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Lemon wedges

Preheat oven to 450; coat a baking sheet with nonstick spray.

Combine panko, Parmesan, lemon zest, salt and pepper in a bowl. Spread 1/2 pesto on each piece of halibut and arrange on prepared baking sheet. Press panko mixture onto pesto side of halibut, spritz crumbs with nonstick spray, then refrigerate until ready to roast.

Saute onion, garlic, and pepper flakes in oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat for the 'crazy water.' Cook until soft, about 3 minutes, then deglaze with wine. Simmer until nearly evaporated, then stir in water, tomatoes, pasta, sugar, and thyme. Cook until orzo is tender, about 9 minutes.

Roast fish while orzo simmers. Cook fillets until crumbs are golden and flesh flakes easily with a fork, 10-12 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets.

Add zucchini, red pepper strips, and olives to crazy water; simmer just until heated through. Off heat, stir in parsley, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste. To serve divide broth between 2 shallow bowls, top each with halibut fillet, and garnish with lemon wedges. 

Post Derby Day: Hot Brown Casserole

Yes, we've been incredibly absent from this space of late. Really can't even pin point the reason why. Maybe too busy to cook let alone be inspired, frustrated that my photography is never getting better, when we do have some spare time we try to stay away from the computer.....really there is no specific reason. But for some reason today seems like a good time to give it a try again.

Awhile ago (yes, started this post several weeks ago now...we will get back on this horse slowly) we enjoyed celebrating the Kentucky Derby and we remembered that last year we made this fantastic dish, Hot Brown Casserole that we watched Damaris  Phillips from her Food Network show Southern at Heart make . We knew we had to make it again.Originally it was our collective first exposure to the traditional Kentucky Derby dish and needless to say it made an impression. So we knew we wanted to remake the dish.

And how could you celebrate the Kentucky Derby without also enjoying a classic mint julep. 

This is spring comfort food at it's best and indulged we did.

Recipe:

Hot Brown Casserole (adapted from Southern At Heart)  

1 bone-in turkey breast half (about 2 pounds....we used rotisserie chicken)

4 teaspoons vegetable oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces bacon, cut into lardons
20 grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar
1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers
2 slices stale sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (a heaping 2 cups total)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions
Special equipment: four 6-inch round cast-iron gratin pans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Rub the turkey breast with 2 teaspoons of the oil; sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 160 degrees F, about 55 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest 15 minutes; the turkey will continue to cook and the internal temperature should reach 165 degrees F.

Place the bacon lardons on a baking sheet and bake until crisp, about 20 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate; drain and reserve the fat for another use.

Lower the oven temperature to 250 degrees F. Coat the tomatoes with the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the tomatoes cut-sides up on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake until they start to dehydrate and wrinkle, about 45 minutes.

While the tomatoes are cooking, start the Mornay sauce. Add the butter to a medium saucepan and melt over medium heat. Add the milk to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the flour and stir continuously so the roux doesn't scorch, about 2 minutes. When the milk starts to simmer, slowly add it to the roux, stirring continuously so lumps don't form. Increase the heat and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the Cheddar and red peppers and stir until smooth. Remove the sauce from the heat and season with salt and pepper.

You are now ready to assemble the dish. Heat the broiler. Distribute the bread cubes evenly among four 6-inch round cast-iron gratin pans. Cut the turkey into bite-size pieces, about 1/2 inch each, and divide evenly among the gratin pans. Spoon the Mornay sauce over the pans, and top each with 10 tomato halves. Sprinkle each pan with the Parmesan and bacon and place under the broiler on the bottom rack of the oven until golden and bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Mint Julep 

10 mint leaves, plus a sprig for garnish
1 1/2 teaspoons superfine sugar
Seltzer water
Crushed ice
2 1/2 ounces  bourbon whiskey (we used local Washington State Bourbon)

Place the mint leaves in the bottom of an old-fashioned glass and top with the sugar. Muddle these together until the leaves begin to break down. Add a splash of seltzer water, fill the glass 3/4 full with crushed ice, and add the bourbon. Top with another splash of seltzer, stir, and garnish with a sprig of mint. Serve immediately.

Dungeness Crab Eggs Benedict

Days like New Year's Day call for something just a little extra special. And this recipe for Dungeness Crab Eggs Benedict is exactly one of those extra special recipes deserving of kicking off a whole new year. 

It's so funny up until about 5 years ago you couldn't get me to eat an egg that wasn't either scrambled or fried until the yolks were hard. But now that I've found a profound kind of love for poached eggs breakfast has become somewhat limitless in possibilities. Once I learned how delicious eggs Benedict actually really is I've been playing around with all sorts of versions.

This particular one is combination of holiday extravagance and the beauty of living in the Pacific Northwest where Dungeness crab is definitely king. 

As decadent as it is beyond the hollandaise sauce which can be tricky at times it really isn't that complicated to make. We've started getting fresh eggs from a friend's chickens so poaching these fresh eggs is a treat of sorts. We bought cooked Dungeness crab from our local Metropolitan Market fish monger.

Since becoming an eggs Benedict fan I've been trying to learn how to best poach eggs and make a good hollandaise sauce. To be honest I don't have much advice to offer in regards to poaching the eggs, sometimes they turn out great, sometimes it's a complete disaster so I'm far from an expert at making poached eggs.

Here's a link to the YouTube video that we watched over and over when we first started to learn how to best poach eggs: YouTube Video. 

As far as the hollandaise sauce we've found using the blender version of the recipe from The Joy of Cooking makes a delicious and fresh sauce. Using clarified butter is key we believe in making it taste fantastic. 

Recipe:

Dungeness Crab Eggs Benedict:

Makes 2 servings

For Benedict:

4 fresh eggs poached

2 English muffins, split and toasted

1/4 lb. cooked & prepared Dungeness crab meat

Hollandaise Sauce (adapted from The Joy of Cooking):

3 large egg yolks

1 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Ground black pepper to taste

1 dash hot sauce (optional)

Salt to taste

1/2 Cup warm to hot clarified butter

In blender blend on high speed for 1 minute the egg yolks, lemon juice, pepper, salt & hot sauce. With machine still running slowly add in a steady stream the melted butter-about 1 minute until sauce is thickened.

On toasted English muffins add cooked crab meat, top with poached egg on each half muffin, drizzle warm hollandaise sauce over muffins. Add fresh ground pepper.

Salmon Eggs Benedict with Chipotle Hollandaise Sauce

One of our family favorite breakfasts has become the Avocado Eggs Benedict with Chipotle Hollandaise that I found on the The Foodie Bride's site several years ago. 

July 22, 2012 Photo

I think the first time I posted about it was July 2011. Since then we probably make it 5-6 times a year. 

It's rich. It's decadent. It's special for an occasion or simple enough for any old Sunday. We just love it. I think it's really the chipotle hollandaise that really attracts us to it. It's just almost to die for kinda good. 

Last weekend G had a great day fishing which means we had fresh salmon for dinner and some left over to play with the next day. I decided to give it a try with this eggs Benedict recipe.

When we are trying to stick to Paleo we skip the English muffin. But we go back to Paleo next week so we splurged this last weekend. I started by adding the avocado mashed with some lime, salt & pepper to the English muffins.

Next I added some salmon fillets.

Followed with poached eggs. 

And finally the scrumptious chipotle hollandaise sauce garnished with a little cilantro. 

It was definitely a treat. One that we used to soak in the last few rays of sun eating breakfast on the patio and decadent food. 

RECIPE:

Chipotle Hollandaise Sauce ( adapted from the Foodie Bride)

• 2 egg yolks
• Juice of 1 small lemon
• Pinch of Salt
• 1 chipotle & 1 Tbsp adobo sauce (from canned chipotles in adobo)
• 1 stick of butter, melted
• 2 Tblspns chopped cilantro

1. Place egg yolks, lemon, salt, chipotle and adobo sauce in the blender.
2. Blend for 30 seconds before streaming in the melted butter
3. Serve immediately
4. Sprinkle with cilantro

Basil Parmesan Aioli

Sometimes it's the condiment or the side that makes a dish memorable. Not often but sometimes. And this basil parmesan aioli is definitely one of those "sometimes." 

Now mind you that's saying a lot because this beef tenderloin was about as tender and flavorful as it comes but there was just something about this aioli that made eating the tenderloin with it like eating butter but really good pesto tasting butter. 

It was so scrumptious and it made so much that actually I'm pretty sure I had it on almost every meal I ate that week. Potatoes = fabulous, eggs = fantastic, tomatoes = sublime, fish tacos = a match made it heaven. 

I actually can't wait to make it again and luckily our basil is growing like gangbusters again so it needs a pruning here soon and this aioli is calling my name. 

The aioli emulsion came together just perfectly. I'm not sure sometimes I really struggle getting mayo, aioli and hollandaise to work but for some reason this time it worked perfectly. I highly encourage you make it now and serve it with everything you can think of. 

You won't regret it I'm sure of that.

RECIPE:

Beef Tenderloin with Basil Parmesan Aioli: Adapted from Food Network and Ina Garten  

Beef:

1 whole filet of beef tenderloin, trimmed and tied (4 1/2 pounds)

3 tablespoons good olive oil

4 teaspoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper

10 to 15 branches fresh tarragon

Basil Parmesan Aioli:

2 large egg yolks

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, lightly packed

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup good olive oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.

Place the filet on a sheet pan and pat it dry (all over) with paper towels. Brush the filet all over with the oil, reserving about half a tablespoon. Sprinkle it all over with the salt and pepper. Place the tarragon branches around the beef, tying them in 4 or 5 places with kitchen twine to keep them in place, and then brush the tarragon with the reserved oil.

Roast the filet of beef for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours, until the temperature registers 125 degrees in the center for rare and 135 degrees for medium-rare. Cover the filet with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 20 minutes. Slice thickly and serve warm or at room temperature with aioli.

Basil Parmesan Aioli:

Place the egg yolks, lemon juice, Parmesan, mustard, basil, garlic, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process for 20 seconds, until smooth. Combine the vegetable oil and olive oil in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup. With the processor running, slowly (like drip by drip) pour the oil mixture through the opening to make a thick emulsion. Taste for seasonings -- the mayonnaise is a sauce so it should be highly seasoned. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use; it will keep for up to a week.

Poutine Style Twice Baked Potatoes

OMG...these potatoes may be the most indulgent thing we've ever made. Besides being a big hot mess on the plate they were to die for kind of yummy.

We've been on a bit of a poutine binge lately. Oh it's soooo good. So when I found this recipe for Poutine Style Twice Baked Potatoes in Food & Wine it was a given they needed to be made and soon. Actually the same night I found the recipe. There was a sense of urgency here. 

I mean baked potatoes scooped out and mixed together with milk, butter, sour cream, cheese and scallions. Then baked and topped with gravy, mozzarella melted until oozey and goozey. Then topped with a bit more sour cream, bacon and more scallions.

Oh SO, SO GOOD! is all that I can say. They were amazeballs yummy.

(And obviously far from Paleo but we'll get back on track again.)

RECIPE: 

Poutine-Style Twice Baked Potatoes from Food & Wine

GRAVY

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth

1 tablespoon veal demiglace (optional)

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped sage

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped thyme

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon heavy cream

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

STUFFED POTATOES

6 baked potatoes (about 1/2 pound each)

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and chilled

1 cup milk, warmed

1/2 cup sour cream

3 ounces freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (1 cup)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1/3 cup chopped chives

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

Vegetable oil, for frying

6 ounces thick-sliced bacon, cut crosswise 1/2 inch thick

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Sour cream, thinly sliced scallions, parsley leaves and celery leaves, for garnish

MAKE THE GRAVY In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the stock, demiglace, sage and thyme and cook until thickened to a gravy-like consistency, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and heavy cream and season with salt and black pepper. Keep warm.

PREPARE THE STUFFED POTATOES Cut one 1/2-inch-wide strip off the top of each baked potato and reserve. Scoop the potato flesh into a large bowl. Place the potato shells on a baking sheet. Using a ricer, mash the potato flesh with the butter into another large bowl; add the warm milk and mix until blended. Stir in the sour cream, Parmigiano, mustard, cayenne and chives and season with salt and pepper.

In a small saucepan, heat the vegetable oil to 350º. Scrape the flesh off the reserved 1/2-inch strips of the potato tops. Cut the skins into wedges and fry until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Drain the skins on a paper towel-lined plate.

Preheat the oven to 450º. In a small nonstick skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain the bacon on paper towels.

Spoon about 2/3 cup of the mashed potato mixture into each potato shell and make a well in the center. Bake for about 20 minutes, until heated through and golden on top. Spoon some gravy into the well of each potato, then top with the shredded mozzarella. Bake the potatoes for about 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Transfer the potatoes to a serving platter and top with the bacon. Garnish with sour cream, scallions, parsley and celery leaves and the crispy potato skins.

Chicken and Shrimp Wonton Soup with Lemongrass Broth

Okay, get ready this is the best soup we made all year I'm pretty certain. And I don't mean the only few days of 2014 so far but of all of 2013. 

Yes, it took many steps and some time but the flavor of this lemongrass broth and the delicateness of the homemade chicken and shrimp wontons was absolutely PERFECT! I mean really perfect. It was sooooooo good. We ate it for lunch and dinner (4 meals) two days in a row. That rarely happens. If I had it for lunch usually I don't want it also for dinner but this soup was so amazing it was a no brainer. We ate as much as we could until it was gone.

Actually just writing about it makes me want to make it again as soon as I can. 

A trick I'll share that I've finally learned when making a wonton or noodle soup like this is to cook your wontons or noodles in the broth. But then remove them from the broth. Serve the amount of wontons you want in each bowl then top with the broth. Don't store the wontons in the broth if you have some left over in fridge. The broth will just get soaked up. 

RECIPE:

Chicken & Shrimp Wonton Soup with Lemongrass Broth adapted from Food & Wine

1. Broth:
2. 1 tablespoon peanut or canola oil
3. 1 pound chicken breasts on the bone, skin discarded
4. 1/2 pound spareribs or baby back ribs, cut into single ribs
5. 8 green cardamom pods
6. 3 black cardamom pods (optional; see Note)
7. 1/2 tablespoon black peppercorns
8. 1/2 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns (see Note)
9. 2 whole star anise pods
10. 10 cups water
11. 1 fresh lemongrass stalk, tender white inner bulb only, chopped
12. One 1 1/2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thickly sliced
13. 3 cilantro sprigs
14. 2 scallions, halved
15. 3 tablespoons soy sauce

WONTONS:

1. 3 ounces shelled and deveined shrimp, minced
2. 2 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast, minced
3. 2 garlic cloves, minced
4. 2 tablespoons minced shallot
5. 1 tablespoon soy sauce
6. 1 tablespoon honey
7. 1/2 teaspoon toasted Asian sesame oil, plus 1 tablespoon for garnish
8. 1 red Thai chile, seeded and minced
9. 1 teaspoon minced cilantro, plus 1 tablespoon small leaves, for garnish
10. Pinch of fine sea salt
11. 12 square wonton wrappers
12. 1 scallion, light green and white parts only, thinly sliced, for garnish

1. MAKE THE BROTH In a pot, heat the oil. Add the chicken and spareribs and cook over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until lightly browned, 5 minutes. Add the cardamom pods, peppercorns and star anise and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add all of the remaining broth ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat, skimming off the fat, until the broth is reduced to 6 cups and very fragrant, 40 minutes. Strain the broth through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a large saucepan; skim off any fat.
2. MAKE THE WONTONS In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients except the wrappers and garnishes. Arrange 4 wrappers on a surface; keep the remaining ones covered with a damp paper towel. Brush the wrapper edges with water. Place 2 teaspoons of the filling in the center of each wrapper. Bring all 4 corners of each wrapper together and twist the top gently to form into purses. Press the edges to seal. Transfer the wontons to a plate. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling; cover with plastic wrap.
3. Bring the strained broth to a boil. Add the wontons and simmer over moderate heat until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Spoon the wontons into bowls and ladle the broth over. Garnish the soup with the sesame oil, cilantro leaves and sliced scallion and serve.

MAKE AHEAD The wontons can be refrigerated for 8 hours. The broth can be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for 1 month.

Fresh Salmon Spring Rolls

We were having one of those... we’re really not on the ‘same page’ kind of menu planning days. We both wanted salmon that was the only common denominator. G was thinking more; cedar planked and rubbed with some yummy spices. I was thinking, “let’s trying something different.”

I had just read Diane’s post on White On Rice Couple’s blog post about fresh spring rolls. She had some great tutorials and always has photos that inspire my thinking. She shared her love for all things spring rolls and how she often tries to change it up a bit from the typical pork or shrimp spring rolls, think BLT spring rolls. 

This got my recipe tweaking brain parts thinking. 

"What if we made spring rolls with the grilled salmon. Mmmmm....I thought , I might be on to something here.” I shared my idea with G, he was less than initially tempted but ultimately is starting to understand “Happy Wife = Happy Life” so he said, “Sure, let’s give it a try if you want to.” Meaning he thought they didn’t sound very good but he knew I was pretty solid on wanting to give this idea a try.

Actually we used to make fresh spring rolls a bit more frequently than we have been lately. We’ve been known to even host a make your own fresh spring roll party or two or three in our time together. Which are always an interactive, hands-on way to get everyone involved in the kitchen.

My love for making spring rolls actually started early in my teaching career. One of my fellow teaching colleagues, Jim Warnke, hosted an after school spring roll party in his room. He showed us how to soak the skins and wrap the rolls. Being that was at least 15 or 16 years ago I can’t remember what prompted this after school gathering or any of the details. And it does seem like an odd at school activity but regardless whenever we make spring rolls I think of that experience and it was him who then inspired us to try hosting similar parties on our own. I haven’t seem Mr. Warnke in years but this memory always makes me smile and I remember his personality in general always made me smile and coming to work fun. 

We rubbed and grilled our salmon as we typically do and then let it sit and come to room temperature. 

I then prepped ingredients that I thought would pair well with salmon (grilled asparagus and sliced avocado) to wrap with the more typical spring roll makings (cucumber slices, red leaf lettuce, cilantro, rice stick noodles.) 

I additionally made our favorite chile sauce for dipping our salmon rolls. Once everything was prepped and ready for assembling I started the rice paper soaking and rolling. It was about this time that I thought, “Oh yeah, I forgot how temperamental these wrappers can be, maybe this is why I haven’t done this in awhile.” The good thing is the package of wrappers comes with far more than we would ever need so a few torn test wrappers was no reason to give up. 

Once I kind of got the hang of it again I was able to wrap a good amount of rolls. Mind you not nearly as lovely and sturdy looking as Diane’s appeared to be. But they were edible at least for a bite or two before they sort of just needed to be stuffed in your mouth all at once to not drop all the goodies inside. Definitely not a graceful eating experience.

But G’s was in LOVE. He said, “Babe, these are the sh_ _.” Which around here means they were fantastic. And they were. Especially paired with the chile sauce we typically use for our shrimp & pork spring rolls. I wasn’t convinced at first that this would be a good match but went with it anyway. They were light and fresh and the salmon was the perfect protein with the crisp (cucumber, lettuce & avocado) and the creamy (avocado) ingredients. 

I knew I had come onto something when the first thing G said when he got up the next morning was, “ I want some more of the salmon spring rolls.” Yep, it was one of those times where I felt like gloating and saying, “ I told you so.” But I kept that thought to myself and just smiled and said, “Yep, we’ll need to make those again soon.” And truth be told I’m already plotting making them again next week.

To see a great tutorial on how to best wrap your spring rolls go to White On Rice Couple’s blog and read Diane’s step by step process. 

RECIPE:

Fresh Spring Rolls with Grilled Salmon

1/2 lb fresh salmon filet

2 Tblspn Rub with Love for Salmon 

1/2 Cucumber, seeded and sliced into sticks

1/4 lb aparagus, grilled, blanched and cut into sticks

1 avocado, sliced

8 red leaf lettuce leafs, rinsed

1 bunch clean cilantro

1 bag rice stick noodles (cook as directed by package)

1 package rice paper spring roll wrappers

Rub salmon with seasoning. Grill until done. Remove from grill let sit at room temperature. Once salmon is cool cut into slices to be wrapped in spring rolls. Prep all spring roll ingredients. Try to cut cucumber and asparagus to similar lengths. Have all ingredients organized and laid out for easy assembling. 

Carefully soak wrappers in luke warm water one at a time. Soak them only enough to soften or they will start to tear. (If you tear one throw it out and try again. It might take a few test wrappers until you get the feel for how long to soak them.) Once wrapper is pliable lay it on cutting board. Start layering; lettuce, cilantro, cucumber, asparagus, salmon, rice noodles. Keep ingredients in to one side of the wrapper. Fold bottom third up over ingredients. Then tightly hold ingredients as you wrap wrapper around (think burrito style.) Stack rolls on plate. Best eaten right away with the chile dipping sauce.

Chile Dipping Sauce

1/2 cup white vinegar

1 cup sugar, divided

1 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoon Garlic Chile Sauce

Heat vinegar and half of the sugar in saucepan on stove until sugar dissolves. Add remainder of sugar and salt until full dissolved. Remove from heat, stir in garlic chile sauce. Set aside until ready to serve. 

Grilled Halibut with a Citrus and Caper Beurre Blanc

Each year we look forward to this time of year when fresh halibut directly off the boat from

Alaska is easily available to us. Halibut is usually available to us all year but most of the year it's previously frozen which is fine. But fresh from the sea halibut, really nothing compares.

We have a handful of "go to" halibut recipes that we use, but to be honest we are still always looking for new ways to prepare our favorite fish. I remembered that one of the restaurants that I used to work at made fresh halibut with a beurre blanc sauce that was amazing. So we decided to try to make a version of a beurre blanc made with capers and citrus to go with our grilled halibut. 

It was a fantastic dish that we both really dug. I'm pretty sure we'll be making a beurre blanc sauce again with halibut.

RECIPE:

Grilled Halibut with Citrus and Caper Beurre Blanc

Makes 2 servings

1 lb fresh halibut cut into 2 portions (brushed with olive oil & seasoned w/ salt & pepper)

2 Shallots, finely minced

3/4 cup white wine

1/2 cup + 2 tblspns freshly squeezed lemon & orange juice

4 oz ( 1 stick) cold butter, cut into 8 pieces

Salt & pepper to taste

3 tblspns drained capers

Parsley, minced for garnish

Grill halibut until cooked through with grill marks. Put wine in sauce pan over medium heat. When wine is hot add shallots. Bring wine to boil and reduce until thick and syrupy reduced to 1/4 cup. Reduce heat to fast simmer and add lemon juice, then add butter 2 pieces at a time until melted. Remove sauce from heat add the capers and parsley. Plate halibut and pour sauce over halibut .