Red Cod with Xec (Maya Citrus Salsa)

I find fish for dinner to be sort of a funny middle ground in terms of effort - you've really got to hit the grocery that day if you want it to be fresh, but then actual preparation time is often minimal.  The grocery bit is probably why I don't end up making fish as often as I'd like to, but this recipe is absolutely good incentive.  The fish itself is prepared super simply - just cooked on the stovetop with salt and pepper.  You could use any flaky white fish here - snapper, cod, etc. and cook it up any way you prefer - it would also be tasty baked in the oven if you happen to be making a roasted veggie side dish.

The star of this dish is the citrus salsa - I used orange, lemon, and grapefruit, but the original Mark Bittman article says that any combo you have on hand will be tasty.  It's spiced up with some seriously spicy habanero - be careful here, and use more or less depending on your spice tolerance.  The tart citrus and herby cilantro goes perfectly with the fish - a super easy and tasty dinner.  Definitely serve this with a big scoop of white rice.

Red Cod with Xec (Maya Citrus Salsa) (adapted from the New York Times)
Serves 4

1 orange
1 grapefruit
1 lemon
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 to 1/2 habanero chili, seeded and minced
Salt
Oil
4 red cod fillets (or sub in snapper, regular cod, etc.)
Pepper

1. Supreme the orange, grapefruit, and lemon, catching the juice in a bowl.  Add the sections of fruit to the bowl with the fruit.  Add the cilantro, chili, and generous pinch of salt.  Use more or less habanero depending on your tolerance for spicy food.  Mix to combine and let sit while you prepare the fish.
2. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat (you may need two skillets or you may need to work in batches).  Season the fish with salt and pepper.  Add enough oil to coat the bottom of the skillet.  Once the oil is shimmering, add the cod.  Cook it 3-4 minutes per side, flipping once, or until the fish flakes easily and is opaque in the center.
3. Serve the fish with the citrus salsa.

Plum Spice Cake

Today is my birthday!  And although this isn't a birthday cake - it's one a made a week or so ago - I still thought it would be appropriate to celebrate with a cake post!  This cake is absolutely fantastic - moist and spicy with a sweet-tart layer of juicy plums on the bottom.  We got some sort of weird plums in our CSA - they never really got soft enough to eat raw, but the skin was clearly starting to get a little wrinkly and old-looking.  This recipe is the perfect use for imperfect fruit - after baking, the plums were so delicious and it was impossible to tell that they weren't in their prime.

If you have access to golden syrup, you can use it in place of the dark corn syrup, as that's what the recipe originally called for.  I know everywhere online says golden syrup is supposedly impossible to substitute for, but don't let a lack of access stop you from making this cake!  It works perfectly well with dark corn syrup, which should be easily available in American grocery stores.  Whatever you can get, definitely make this cake sometime before plums go out of season.  It's like autumn in cake form, and it lasts really well if you have leftovers.

Plum Spice Cake (adapted from Ripe by Nigel Slater)
Makes one cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 heaping tsp baking powder
1 heaping tsp cinnamon
1 level tsp baking soda
2/3 cup dark corn syrup
2 heaping T honey
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup skim milk
2 large eggs
4 large plums, pitted and quartered

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment.  Spray the parchment with oil.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl.
3. Combine the dark corn syrup, honey, and butter in a small saucepan.  Heat over medium-low heat until the butter is melted.  Add the brown sugar and stir to combine over the heat for a minute or two.
4. Using a two cup liquid measuring cup, measure out the milk.  Add the eggs, and then whisk to combine.
5. Pour the golden syrup mixture into the flour and mix together until almost blended.  Add the egg-milk mixture and whisk until well combined.
6. Lay the plums in the cake pan, each with one cut side down.  Pour the batter over the plums.  Bake about 35 minutes, until a tester comes out clean.

SRC: M. Jacques' (Brandy) Chicken

My Secret Recipe Club partner for this month was Margaret of Tea and Scones.  At first I was really tempted to try one of the fantastic bread recipes she has on her blog, but then I spotted this super tasty recipe for chicken roasted with lots of veggies and a sauce made of Armagnac. It turns out that Armagnac is a type of brandy, and luckily I had just exactly the right amount of brandy in my cupboard, even if it wasn't exactly the right kind (coincidentally, just like Margaret when she made this recipe!).  Margaret's tips on this recipe were invaluable - she thought the breast was a bit bland, so I went with my usual technique of rubbing salt under the chicken skin before baking.  This always makes for really flavorful chicken, although it's sort of gross (but worth it!).  My chicken also needed some extra time to brown up, like Margaret's.

The end result was amazingly delicious.  The vegetables were perfectly cooked: super creamy fingerlings, carrots from our CSA, and soft melted onions.  The chicken was moist and flavorful; I think this cooking method which essentially steams the chicken keeps it from drying out.And finally, the sauce was totally divine and perfect for dipping veggies and chicken in.  The only thing this meal   could have used was some crusty bread - I will definitely keep that in mind for next time!  Thank you Margaret!

I also want to send out a huge thank you to Biz of My Bizzy Kitchen - I won an awesome portable lightbox in a giveaway on her blog for taking dinner photos after dark...pretty much a necessity except in the middle of summer! I have been wanting one of these for a while, and it is totally awesome! I'm still learning how best to use it, but I definitely think it makes those nighttime photos way better!

M. Jacques' (Brandy) Chicken (adapted from Dorie Greenspan, via Tea and Scones)
Serves 4

Olive oil
8 fingerling potatoes, scrubbed and cut into bite-sized pieces
3 medium onions, thinly sliced
5 small carrots, peeled and thickly sliced on the diagonal
Salt and pepper
1 sprig of rosemary
1 sprig of oregano
1 bay leaf
1 chicken, about 3-1/2 pounds, patted dry
1/2 cup brandy
1 cup water

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Find a large Dutch oven or casserole dish that's large enough to hold the chicken and the veggies.
2. Put the Dutch oven over medium heat and pour in enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan.  When it's warm, add the potatoes, onions, and carrots all together.  Stir for a couple of minutes until the vegetables are coated in oil.  Season generously with salt and pepper.  Stir in the herbs.  Turn heat down to low.
3. Prep the chicken.  Using your fingers, separate the skin from the meat of the breast and drumsticks.  Rub a teaspoon or so of salt into the meat (under the skin).  Then sprinkle a bit more salt and a generous amount of pepper all over the bird and rub into the skin gently.  Working with the chicken breast-side-up, tuck the wings under the bird and tie the legs together with chicken twine.
4. Wash your hands carefully, and then give the pot of veggies a good stir.  Push them towards the sides of the pot, leaving some space in the middle.  Plop in the chicken, breast side up.  Wash your hands again.
5. Pour the brandy over the chicken and let it heat up for a minute or so over medium heat. Then cover the pot with either a tight-fitting lid or a double layer of aluminum foil.
6. Place the pot in the pre-heated oven and let the chicken roast undisturbed for one hour.
7. Carefully remove the lid - there will be lots of steam!  Take a look at the chicken - if it needs to brown a bit more, return it to the oven for 15 minutes or so.  When the chicken is cooked through, transfer the Dutch oven to the stovetop.
6. Carefully transfer the chicken to a serving platter and cover with foil.  Using a spoon, skim the fat off the cooking liquid and discard.  Pick out the bay leaf and discard it as well.  Turn the heat to medium and gently stir the vegetables.  Add the water, stirring to blend it with the pan juices.  Simmer about  minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly.  Taste for salt and pepper.
7. Serve the chicken with the vegetables and sauce.

Blueberry-Almond Muffins

I was recently asked to make muffins for a cafe at my church on Sunday morning, and after a lot of indecision, I eventually decided on these blueberry-almond beauties.  I figured that coming from a bakery cookbook, they'd have good 'hanger appeal,' and they did - I made a double recipe and they sold out!  These muffins don't just look good - they're super tasty and definitely have that 'bakery' feeling (although in a more reasonable size than most bakery muffins).  The almond meal  in the batter makes the muffins extra tender, and orange zest and orange juice add an excellent background citrus flavor.  Of course, the blueberries are really the star here, juicy and tart - I think you could even do more if you like.  Overall, definitely a winning muffin and one I would make again.

Blueberry-Almond Muffins (adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking)
Makes 1 dozen muffins

Grated zest of one orange
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup whole milk
2 large egg whites
4 T butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup almond meal
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup sliced almonds
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup blueberries

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and spray a 12-cup muffin tin with oil.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the orange zest, orange juice, milk, egg whites, and butter.
3. In another medium bowl, whisk together the almond meal, flour, sugar, sliced almonds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add the wet ingredients to the bowl and stir until just combined.  Fold in the berries.
4. Fill each muffin cup about 3/4 full.  Bake about 15 minutes, until a tester comes out clean.  Cool on a rack.

Sage and Honey Pork Chops

Another easy Jamie Oliver dinner - and this one created a totally reasonable amount of dishes, unlike the last one I cooked!  Unfortunately, I didn't think the flavor of these pork chops was as good as it could have been.  The ingredients sound fantastic - fennel, honey, sage, and garlic - but the chops somehow weren't a knockout.  If I make these again, I think I'd probably use twice as much of all the seasonings so their flavor would come through better, because I do think this flavor combo has the potential to be amazing.  I'd also look for the recommended bone-in pork chops, which I have a feeling would be moister and more flavorful.  Still, you can't complain too much when you get dinner on the table in 20 minutes or so - this is definitely one of those recipes that needs some tweaking, but that has real potential.

Sage and Honey Pork Chops (adapted from Jamie Oliver)
Serves 4

Oil
8 cloves of garlic, peeled but not chopped
4 6-ounce pork chops
1 tsp fennel seeds
Small bunch of fresh sage, leaves picked off the stems
Honey, to drizzle

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Set a frying pan on the stove over medium high heat and add enough oil to just cover the bottom of the pan.  Lightly smash the garlic  and add to the pan.  Give it a minute or so, and then stand the pork up in the pan, fat side down (on their edges).
3. Transfer the garlic to a roasting pan, and scatter the fennel seeds over.  Place the roasting pan in the hot oven on the top shelf.
4. Once the fat on the pork chops is golden brown, use tongs to lay them flat in the pan.  Cook about 4 minutes total, flipping them halfway.  Remove the roasting pan from the oven and add the pork chops.  Top each chop with a few sage leaves.  Drizzle with honey, and then return the pan to the oven for about 10 minutes, until the pork is golden and cooked through.

Sweet Potato-Pulled Pork Hash

This dish is a great way to use up leftover pulled pork.  I love cooking up a big piece of pork shoulder in the slow cooker, but I don't want to eat it plain for too many meals in a row.  This hash is the perfect solution.  It comes together quickly, although there's a fair amount of chopping.  Lots of veggies get added to the pork to make this a relatively healthy dish, and smoked paprika and cumin seeds add a fantastic smoky flavor to the whole dish. I'd recommend this hash for brunch, possibly with a fried egg on top or some buttered toast on the side.  The most important part, though, is leaving the pork in the skillet long enough to crisp up on the edges - to me, this is what really transforms it into a new dish.  You could also easily make this hash with leftover chicken or steak if that's what you've got on hand.

Sweet Potato-Pulled Pork Hash (adapted from Food Network Magazine)
Serves 2

1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
Oil
Smoked paprika
Salt and pepper
1 medium onion, diced
1 small bell pepper, diced
1 tsp cumin seeds
Big hunk of cooked pork shoulder, in bite-sized chunks

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Toss the sweet potatoes with oil, and then sprinkle generously with paprika, salt, and pepper.  Spread on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast, tossing occasionally, until tender.
2. Heat oil in the largest nonstick skillet you've got over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and saute until it starts to get soft, and then add the bell pepper.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Saute until the vegetables start to brown, and then push them to the edges of the pan.  In the open space in the middle, add the cumin seeds.  Let toast for about 30 seconds, and then stir everything to combine.  Push the veggies to the edges of the skillet again, and add the pork in the middle.  Let cook undisturbed for a few minutes until the pork starts to crisp up.
3. Stir the hash a few times, and then add the cooked potatoes.  Saute everything together for a few minutes, until everything gets a little crispy.  Serve right away.

Taco Quesadilla Pizzas

I have to admit...I kinda love Taco Bell!  Sure, it's objectively horrible, but there's something comforting about my favorite orders (bean burritos with no onions and tostadas with no lettuce...I don't like my Taco Bell to be too crunchy for whatever reason).  But, it can also be fun to make Taco Bell-style food at home (when you don't need your food in 30 seconds).  These taco quesadilla pizzas remind me of their Mexican pizza, but not too crunchy, just like I like it!  Of course you could also use tostada shells if you want a crunchier pizza.  The assembly is really simple: cheese, refried beans, and ground beef with taco seasoning are layered between flour tortillas and then heated up.  Then the quesadillas are topped with salsa and more cheese, and popped under the broiler until the cheese is bubbly.  The pizzas are cut into wedges and ready to devour! Of course, you can also make these fancier if you like, but I prefer them super simple.

Taco Quesadilla Pizzas (adapted from Closet Cooking, original recipe here)
Serves 2

1/2 pound ground beef
Scant 1/2 packet Trader Joe's taco seasoning
2 large flour tortillas
Refried beans
Grated cheddar cheese
Salsa

1. Brown the ground beef in a large non-stick skillet and sprinkle in the taco seasoning.  Once the beef is cooked through, remove from heat.
2.  Cover one tortilla with the ground beef and drizzle with salsa.  Scatter some grated cheese over the salsa.  Spread the other tortilla with refried beans, and then place on top of the other tortilla.
3. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Carefully transfer the assembled quesadilla to the pan and cook 2-4 minutes per side, until the tortillas are browned and the cheese is melted.
4. Preheat the broiler and line a baking sheet with foil.  Place the quesadilla on the baking sheet.  Spread with an even layer of salsa, and then sprinkle on more cheddar cheese.  Broil for just a minute or two, until the cheese is melted.  Cut into wedges and enjoy!