Cumin-Coriander Crusted Swordfish

 1 lb swordfish

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 tbsp garlic salt

1 tbsp cracked black pepper 

Salsa:

1 avocado, diced

2 plum tomatoes, diced

2 tbsp cilantro, chopped

juice of 1 lime

 Cut swordfish into 4 pieces. 

Combine cumin through black pepper. Rub all sides of swordfish.

Combine all ingredients of salsa including any left over spice rub.

Grill swordfish until flesh flakes easily with a fork.

Top with avocado-tomato salsa. 

Yields 4 servings 

© Donna Detter, the Guiltless Gourmet, 2009

And, yes, this is on top of my Mexican rice.

Pollo Mole Verde

1 3 lb chicken

Sauce:

12 tbsp pumpkin seeds, toasted

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

dash freshly ground pepper

2-1/2 c chicken broth

4 tomatillos

2 serrano chile

2 garlic cloves

1 small onion, peeled, halved and root intact

2 tbsp fresh cilantro

4 large romaine lettuce leaves

1 tsp vegetable oil

Cilantro for garnish

 

Cook chicken in a large pot. Season with salt, pepper, cumin and oregano. Remove chicken from stock; cool. Save broth for sauce. Remove meat and skin from bones; discard bones and skin. Shred chicken.

Place pumpkin seeds, salt, cumin, cinnamon and pepper in a spice mill. Process until finely ground. Place mixture in a small bowl. Stir 1 cup broth into the spice mixture. 

Remove husks and stem from tomatillos. Heat skillet over medium-high heat; add tomatillos, chile, garlic, and onion. Cook 5 minutes or until browned, turning frequently. Remove from heat; cool. Quarter tomatillos. Trim roof=t from onion and discard. 

Place tomatillos, chile, garlic and onion in a blender. Add 1/2 cup broth, cilantro and lettuce. Process until smooth. 

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add puréed tomatillos mixture; reduce heat to low and cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick. Stir in spice mixture and remaining broth. Add shredded chicken and cook 10 minutes. 

Serves 8

© Donna Detter, May 2009

I serve this over Donna's Mexican Rice

Picnic Under the Stars

Another fabulous find in one of my favorite cookbooks – “Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2004”. I served this menu to my investment club the other evening. While we couldn’t see the stars due to cloud cover, we were at least able to dine al fresco. 

White Bean Dip

Spicy-Sweet Melon Salad

Saffron Shrimp w/Fennel Seeds

Italian Rice Salad

Lemon Cloud with Blackberry-Mint Compote

Serves 6 

There was a small amount of the lemon cloud left over. My husband, who always professes to be less than wild about lemon, loved it. (Of course, this is the same man who for years said he wasn’t a dessert eater. He has finally stopped trying to convince me of that.)

SPICY-SWEET MELON SALAD

The longer this salad sits and the flavors meld, the spicier it gets. 

1/2 c sugar

1/2 c water

1/2 small jalapeño, thinly sliced

2 c cubed honeydew

2 c cubed cantaloupe

Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; add jalapeño slices. Chill.

Combine sugar mixture and cubed melons. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Yields 6 (2/3 cup) servings

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 104    Fat: 0.2 g     Cholesterol: 0 mg   

Sodium: 11 mg    Carbohydrates: 26.5 g  Fiber: 0.8 g

Protein: 0.8 g

This recipe is from the 2004 Cooking Light collection.

Grape Leaves Stuffed w/Rice, Currants & Pine Nuts

This is absolutely the best recipe for stuffed grape leaves. Steaming them in the olive oil-lemon juice mixture adds just the right touch. I use a steam oven, so I can cook them right in the dish I serve them in and do not need to add any additional liquid during the steaming.

1/2 lb grape leaves

2 large onions, finely chopped

2/3 c olive oil, divided

2 tbsp pine nuts

1-1/2 tsp tomato paste

1/2 c short grain or risotto rice

2 tbsp currants

salt & pepper

1 tsp ground allspice

2-3 tbsp chopped mint

2-3 tbsp chopped dill

2 tomatoes, sliced

1 tsp sugar

juice of 1 lemon

To prepare grape leaves, remove from jar and place in shallow pan. Pour bowling water over them and allow to soak 20 minutes or more. Then rinse in cold, fresh water and drain.

For the filling, fry the onions in 3 tbsp olive oil until soft. Add the pine nuts and stir until they are golden. Stir in the tomato paste through chopped dill. Mix well.

Place a grape leaf on a plate, vein side up. Put one heaping teaspoonful of filling in the center of the leaf near the stem. Fold the ends up over the filling. Then fold in the sides toward the middle. Roll up like a small cigar and squeeze the filled roll in the palm of your hand. Repeat with the rest of the leaves.

Line the bottom of a pan with the tomato slices and then pack in the rolled grape leaves so they fit snuggly.

Mix the remaining olive oil, sugar and lemon juice with 2/3 cup water. Pour over grape leaves. Put a small plate on top of the leaves to prevent them from unrolling. Cover the pan and simmer gently for one hour, adding more water as needed. Let the grape leaves cool in the pan before removing.

Serve at room temperature.

Yields about 30 rolls.

SCOFFINS, SCUFFINS?

This comes from one of those cookbooks I listed earlier as a favorite – “Conscious Cuisine”. The recipe is for scones, but the batter was too runny to knead so I ladled it into muffin cups. The top is quite crunchy, like a scone; the center is denser than a muffin. The recipe is as it appears in the cookbook. I used regular whole wheat flour & Kosher salt, omitted the kneading and baked in a muffin tin. 

Cranberry Orange Scones 

1 c unbleached whole wheat pastry flour

1 c unbleached flour

2/3 c + 2 tsp raw sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

3 tbsp chilled butter, cut into small pieces

1/2 c dried cranberries

2 tsp grated orange rind

1 c plain fat-free yogurt

1/4 c fat-free milk

 

Preheat oven to 400°. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a mixing bowl combine flour through salt. Use a pastry blender or two knives to cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the cranberries and orange zest. Toss well to distribute.

In a separate bowl mix together the yogurt and milk. Add the yogurt mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead 4 or 5 times with floured hands.

Pat the dough into an 8 inch circle on the baking sheet. Cut the dough into 12 wedges (do not separate the wedges). Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tsp sugar.

Bake for 12 minutes or until golden. 

Yields 12 scones 

Nutritional Information:   Calories  120, Protein  3 g, Fat 3 g, Carbs 22 g, Fiber 3 g, Sodium 190 mg

 

HONEY GRAHAM CAKE VARIATIONS

Cake

1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs - 126 g

4 large eggs at room temperature, separated

1/2 cup honey - 170 g

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp baking soda - 2 g

1/2 tsp salt - 3 g

Topping

2 tbsp honey - 42 g

Preheat oven to 350° F. Coat a 9" springform pan with

cooking spray. Line with parchment.

Beat 4 egg yolks salt until well thick and lemony yellow. Add the graham cracker crumbs and mix well.

Beat the 4 egg whites until very foamy, white and doubled in volume, but not stiff enough to hold peaks. Using a rubber spatula mix egg whites into nut mixture until just combined.

Spread the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake the cake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool in the pan 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge to loosen from sides. Remove ring and let cool completely.

Drizzle the top of the cake with the honey. 

Yields 10 servings 

NOTE: It is imperative that eggs are at room temperature for the proteins to unwind enough to support the cake's texture.

VARIATIONS 

Strawberry Shortcake

1-1/2 lbs strawberries, hulled and halved

1 tsp grated orange rind

1/8 tsp cardamom

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup whipping cream 

Prepare cake omitting the drizzle of honey.

Combine strawberries through sugar in a saucepan. Heat until sugar has dissolved and the syrup is slightly thickened.

Chill mixing bowl and beaters in freezer. Add cream and beat until stiff peaks form.

Top cake with strawberries and whipped cream. 

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

15 oz crushed pineapple, drained

1/4 cup honey 

Heat the honey and pour it into the bottom of the springform pan. Add the crushed pineapple and spread evenly. Prepare cake batter and pour into the pineapple line pan. Bake at 350° about 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool. Invert the pan, loosen and remove the ring. Carefully remove bottom of pan and parchment paper. 

Plum Upside Down Cake

3 ripe plums, sliced

1/4 cup honey

1 tbsp crystallized ginger 

Prepare as the Pineapple Upside Down Cake, adding the ginger to the topping.