cook like james

I saw this recipe pop up on Cook’s Country Instagram feed and knew I had to try it. I love recipes that require little advance prep, use just a handful of ingredients and yet manage to deliver impressive and delicious results. As with all of CC’s recipes, they are virtually foolproof. This is an easy weeknight night dinner, and pairs well with a crisp white wine and some warm crusty French bread.

Download Roasted Idaho Rainbow Trout White Bean Parsley Salad recipe

 INGREDIENTS

Serves 4

4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, butterflied whole trout

Salt and pepper

½ cup olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed

2 shallots minced

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

¼ cup lemon juice (2 lemons)

2 tablespoons capers rinsed and chopped

4 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

2 garlic cloves minced

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position, place rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Combine rinsed beans, shallots, parsley, lemon juice, capers, rosemary, garlic, and ¼ cup olive oil in bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside while preparing fish
3. Pat trout dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Add remaining ¼ cup olive oil to hot sheet, tilting to coat evenly, and return to oven for 4 minutes. Carefully place trout skin side down on sheet and cook until opaque and cooked through, 7 to 9 minutes. Transfer trout to platter. Garnish with parsley and rosemary sprigs. Serve bean salad with trout, drizzled with extra oil.

SPANISH-STYLE GARLIC SHRIMP (Gambas al Ajillo)

One of the most common "tapas" of Spain, "gambas al ajillo" requires only a few ingredients, and can be prepared fairly quickly. Be sure to serve shrimp with some good crusty bread for dipping in the delicious garlic flavored olive oil. If you’re planning a trip to Spain, here are a couple of great tapas bars in Madrid near the Prado Museum - Estado Puro  http://www.tapasenestadopuro.com/#info and La Trucha - http://bit.ly/aEFfC4

Download Spanish Style Shrimp Recipe

14 medium garlic cloves, peeled

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

8 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 bay leaf

1 (2-inch) piece mild dried Cascabel chile, roughly broken, seeds included

1 ½ teaspoons sherry vinegar

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

1.    Mince 2 garlic cloves with a garlic press. Toss minced garlic with shrimp, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and salt in medium bowl. Let shrimp marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.

2.    Meanwhile, using flat side of chef's knife, smash 4 garlic cloves. Add remaining 6 tablespoons of olive oil and smashed garlic to 12-inch skillet and heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until garlic is light golden brown, 4 to 7 minutes. Remove pan from heat and allow oil to cool to room temperature. Using slotted spoon, remove smashed garlic from skillet and discard.

3.    Thinly slice remaining 8 cloves garlic. Return skillet to low heat and add sliced garlic, bay leaf, and chile. Cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is tender but not browned, 4 to 7 minutes. (If garlic has not begun to sizzle after 3 minutes, increase heat to medium-low.)

4.    Over medium-low heat, add shrimp with marinade to pan in single layer. Cook shrimp, undisturbed, until oil starts to gently bubble, about 2 minutes. Using tongs, flip shrimp and continue to cook until almost cooked through, about 2 minutes longer. Increase heat to high and add sherry vinegar, lemon and parsley. Cook, stirring constantly, until shrimp are cooked through and oil is bubbling vigorously, 20 to 25 seconds. Serve immediately.

The slightly sweet Cascabel chiles

Adding garlic with aromatics adds intense flavor

There is nothing like ordering fresh fish at a sea side tavern in Greece. It’s one of the quintessential experiences when visiting the Greek Isles. My friend Rich Campbell, who has uncanny knack for finding incredible places to eat, introduced me to a wonderful spot in Oia on Santorini called Taverna Katina in the quaint Ammoudi Port. It’s simple, casual dining at its best. Mrs Katina oversees everything and beams with pride as guests enjoy her authentic Greek dishes. If you visit, be sure to try her tomatokeftedes (tomato balls) – a house specialty. They offer the freshest fish, which you can choose from the display case inside the restaurant. We opted for local snapper - served whole with simple lemon and olive oil dressing on the side - and it was some of the best I’ve ever had.  If a trip to Greece isn’t in your near future, you can grill fresh snapper in your own backyard. Grilling a whole fish (head and all) delivers a richer, deeper flavor than grilling boneless fillets. If your fish are a little larger (between 1 1/2 and 2 pounds), simply grill them a minute or two longer on each side.

Download Grilled Red Snapper recipe

2 whole red snappers (about 1 1/2 pounds each), scaled, gutted, and skin slashed on both sides

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (preferably Greek)

Vegetable oil for cooking grate

Citrus Vinaigrette:

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

¼ cup orange juice

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 medium garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoons sugar

½ teaspoon table salt

Ground black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

1. Whisk oil, juices, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper together in medium bowl. Whisk in oregano and parsley; set aside and serve with fish.

2. Heat grill with all burners set to high and lid down until very hot, about 15 minutes. Use grill brush to scrape cooking grate clean. Leave all burners on high.

3. Rub fish with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper on outside as well as inside of each fish.

4. Lightly dip small wad of paper towels in vegetable oil; holding wad with tongs, wipe grill rack. Place fish on grill. Grill, covered, until side of fish facing charcoal is browned and crisp, 6 to 7 minutes. Gently turn fish over using two spatulas and cook until flesh is no longer translucent at center and skin on both sides of each fish is blistered and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes more. (To check for doneness, peek into slashed flesh or into interior through opened bottom area of each fish to see that flesh is no longer translucent.) Use two metal spatulas to transfer fish to platter and serve with citrus vinaigrette.

Filleting Grilled Whole Fish:

1. Using sharp knife, make vertical cut just behind head from top of fish to belly. Make another cut along top of fish from head to tail.

2. Use spatula to lift meat from bones, starting at head end and running spatula over bones to lift out fillet. Repeat on other side of fish. Discard head and skeleton.

Seared Scallops with Fresh Cilantro Pesto

 These scallops make a great first course, but you can easily serve it as main course by mixing the pesto with pasta. I use cilantro  because it grows so well in the garden, but you can easily substitute your favorite pesto – basil or sun dried tomato would work well.

Download Seared Scallops with Fresh Cilantro Pesto

 1 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves 

¼ cup fresh parsley or baby spinach leaves

1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts 

1-2 medium cloves garlic, chopped coarse

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Pinch of coarse kosher salt 

Pinch of ground black pepper 

1/4 cup olive oil 

 3/4 pound sea scallops, about 16, small side muscles removed

1 tablespoon olive oil 

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1.    Pulse cilantro, pine nuts, garlic, zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in bowl of food processor until minced. With processor running, slowly add oil. Process until smooth; set aside.

2.    Sprinkle scallops on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat large (11-inch) sauté pan over medium-high heat until hot, about 1 minute. Add half the oil; swirl to coat bottom. Add butter and continue to heat pan until butter begins to turn golden brown. Add half the scallops, one at a time, flat side down; cook, adjusting heat as necessary to prevent fat from burning, until scallops are well browned, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.

3.Using tongs, turn scallops, one at a time; cook 1 to 1 1/2 minutes longer, depending on size. Repeat cooking process using remaining half of oil and scallops.

4.    Serve 2-3 scallops on a small dollop of pesto. 

Foil Wrapped Haddock with Fresh Roma Tomatoes and Zucchini

Traditionally this fish would be cooked in parchment paper, and opened at the table (See NY Times article: "The Envelope Please: Cooking En Papillote" )  but I find the task somewhat tedious and prefer the much easier-to-use aluminum foil.  Haddock or Cod work best in this recipe and the few simple ingredients make it easy to throw together – especially in the summer when the zucchini is abundant and the tomatoes are at peak flavor. You can make the fish packets ahead and just bake them when you’re ready for dinner.

Download Foil Wrapped Haddock with Fresh Roma Tomatoes and Zucchini recipe

2 medium zucchini, ends trimmed and sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds

½ pound Roma tomatoes (2 medium), cored, seeded, and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 cup)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)

1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano leaves

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Sea salt and ground black pepper

4 skinless cod fillets, 1 to 1 1/4 inches thick (about 6 ounces each)

¼ cup minced fresh basil leaves

1 lemon, cut into wedges

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Mix olive oil, oregano leaves, red pepper, ¼ teaspoon sea salt and pinch of ground pepper in small bowl; set aside.

2. Place chopped tomatoes in a medium bowl and toss with half the garlic mixture. Toss the zucchini with remaining garlic oil mixture.

3. Cut four 12-inch square sheets of foil; arrange four flat on counter. Shingle the zucchini slices in the center of each piece of foil.

4. Pat fish dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper and place fillets on top of zucchini. Divide tomato mixture over each fillet.

5. Bring the sides of the foil up to meet over the fish. Crimp the edges together in a ¼” fold and the fold over 2-3 times. Fold the open edges at both ends of packets to tightly seal.

6. Place packets on rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes.

7. Carefully open foil, allowing steam to escape away from you. Using thin metal spatula, gently slide fish and vegetables onto plate with any accumulated juices; sprinkle with basil. Serve immediately, passing lemon wedges separately.

 
Quick Easy Balsamic Glazed Seared Salmon

I made this recently for my friend Robert and we both loved it. It’s incredibly easy to do and is perfect with rice or couscous and a nice green summer vegetable like zucchini or asparagus.Sometimes I serve it with Elie Krieger’s Whole Wheat Penne with Fresh Herbs and Zucchini (see recipe here - http://bit.ly/hvTUP0)

Download Quick Easy Balsamic Glazed Seared Salmon recipe

¼ cup high quality balsamic vinegar

¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice

2 tablespoons maple syrup (Grade B) or honey

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 sprig fresh rosemary (5-inch)

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

4 skin-on wild Alaskan salmon fillets, 6 ounces each, 1 to 1 1/4 inches thick

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1. Whisk vinegar, juice, maple syrup or honey, and pepper flakes together in small bowl, then add rosemary. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Season salmon with salt and pepper and cook, skin side up, without moving, until well browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip fish skin side down and cook until all but very center of fish is opaque, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to platter and tent with foil.

2. Wipe out pan with paper towels and lower heat to medium. Carefully pour balsamic mixture into pan (it will splatter). Maintain a strong simmer over medium to medium high heat until thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Remove rosemary sprig. Whisk in butter, season sauce with salt and pepper, and pour over salmon. Serve.

Classic Sole Florentine (Make Ahead)

This is a classic dish adapted from the Best Make Ahead Recipes cookbook – one of my favorite books. It’s perfect for dinner parties because you can pop the pre-prepared dish in the oven 20 minutes before serving.  Frozen chopped spinach works well, but make sure to squeeze out as much of the water as possible. I usually put it in a fine mesh strainer and press it firmly with a wooden spoon; then press it between layers of paper towel to remove most of the moisture (otherwise it waters down the sauce).

Download Classic Make Ahead Sole Florentine recipe

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)

2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves

1 small garlic clove, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1/2 teaspoon)

2 cups heavy cream

4 teaspoons cornstarch

Salt and ground black pepper

2 (10-ounce) packages frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1 teaspoon minced fresh dill

1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (1/2 cup)

8 sole fillets, 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick

15 Ritz crackers, crushed fine (3/4 cup)

1 lemon, cut into wedges (for serving)

1. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the thyme and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in 1 3/4 cups of the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup heavy cream and cornstarch together, then stir into the saucepan. Continue to simmer until the sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to cool.

2. Combine 1 cup of the sauce, spinach, dill, and Parmesan in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pat the fish dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Coat a 13 by 9-inch baking dish with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter.

3. Place the fish on a cutting board, smooth side down. Divide the spinach filling equally among the fish fillets, mounding it in the middle of each fillet. Fold the tapered end of the fish tightly over the filling and then fold the thicker end of the fish over the top to make a tidy bundle.

4. Arrange the fish bundles in the baking dish, seam side down (leaving space between each roll). Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the fish.

5. TO STORE: Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

6. TO SERVE: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 475 degrees. Sprinkle the fish with the Ritz cracker crumbs and bake until all but the very center of the fish turns from translucent to opaque and the filling is hot, about 20 minutes. Serve with the lemon wedges.

Easy Salmon and Leek Pot Pie with Puff Pastry

This is a great comfort food recipe that’s easy to prepare and is a nice change of pace from the traditional chicken pot pie. It reminds me of the recipe for Fish Pie from J. Sheeky’s in London - a great restaurant in the West End. They use a mix of salmon, cod and haddock in a smooth and silky white sauce topped with creamy mashed potatoes (shepherd’s pie style). (click here for -J. Sheeky's recipe) Instead of potatoes, the topping of choice here is puff-pastry cut-outs, which are easy to make and add an elegant touch to the dish.  

Download Easy Salmon and Leek Pot Pie with Puff Pastry

Topping

Flour for the counter

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (9 1/2- by 9-inch), thawed

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Filling

2 pounds salmon fillets, skin removed (or a combo of salmon, boneless cod and haddock fillet)

6 tablespoons unsalted butter (3/4 stick)

3 leeks, white and light green parts only, halved and sliced 1/4 inch thick

2 cloves garlic, minced

7 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 (8-ounce) bottles clam juice

2 cups whole milk

1 cup frozen peas

¼ cup minced fresh dill

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon English mustard (or Dijon)

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Pinch nutmeg

Pinch cayenne pepper

Lemon wedges (for serving)

For the topping:

1. Adjust an oven rack to the lowest position and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Dust the counter lightly with flour and unfold the sheet of puff pastry. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the pastry into 12 rounds or rectangles. Brush the cut outs lightly with egg, then transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake until the rectangles are puffed and lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Allow to cool on the baking sheet until needed.

For the filling:

1. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Remove any pin bones from the salmon and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Season the salmon with salt and pepper, then spread it in a 9 by 13-inch baking dish and set aside.

2. Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the leeks and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Stir in the flour and coat the vegetables. Gradually whisk in the clam juice and milk until smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce is thick, about 1 minute.

3. Off the heat, stir in the peas, dill, lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, nutmeg, and cayenne. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the mixture over the salmon in the baking dish. Use a spoon to redistribute the salmon evenly throughout the dish.

4. Arrange the reserved puff-pastry rectangles attractively over the casserole. Bake until the sauce is bubbly and the salmon is fully cooked, 13 to 15 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving with the lemon wedges.

I've tried crab cakes in most parts of the country, but none taste as good as the ones found in Maryland. They’re known for the large lumps of crab and very little breading, which makes for a spectacular crab cake. Old Bay is a spice staple and key to an authentic recipe. I like to serve them with a spicy chipotle cream sauce, but you can use the more traditional tartar sauce as well.

1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat  

4 scallions, white and green parts, minced (about 1/2 cup)

1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves or cilantro, dill, or basil, chopped

1 1/2   teaspoons Old Bay seasoning

2-4 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs, (pulse 2 slices quality white bread in food processor)

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon grated lemon zest

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 large egg

¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

¼ cup vegetable oil

1. Carefully mix crabmeat, scallions, herb, Old Bay, bread crumbs, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, zest, and Worcestershire sauce in medium bowl, being careful not to break up crab lumps. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Carefully fold in egg with rubber spatula until mixture just clings together. Add a few more bread crumbs if needed to help hold mixture together. 

2.    Divide crab mixture into four rounds, about 3 inches across and 1 1/2-inches high. Arrange on baking sheet lined with waxed paper; cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 30 minutes. (Can refrigerate up to 24 hours.) 

3.    Put flour on plate or in pie tin. Handling crab cakes with care, lightly dredge crab cakes in flour. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Gently lay chilled crab cakes in skillet; pan-fry until outsides are crisp and browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Serve hot, with sauce. 

Creamy Chipotle Chile Sauce:

¼ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup sour cream

1 tablespoon canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce (minced)

½ tsp. chili powder

1 small clove garlic , minced or pressed through a garlic press

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro leaves

1 -2 teaspoons lime juice from 1 lime

For the sauce: Mix all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until the flavors blend, about 30 minutes. (The sauce can be refrigerated for several days.)

On a recent trip to Sao Paulo, I had an excellent lunch with friends at Restaurant Spot. The NY Times described the crowd as “mostly well-dressed office workers or business people… but it's the evening crowd, however, that keeps Spot buzzing when musicians, designers, models, and other trendy types crowd in to this glass-enclosed downtown cocoon to flirt, schmooze, and preen” We had the Grilled Salmon with Balsamic Syrup with a very tasty ginger spaghetti.  I’ve done my best to recreate the recipe below.   http://www.restaurantespot.com.br/menu.shtml.

Grilled Salmon with Balsamic Syrup and Fresh Ginger Spaghetti

Balsamic Syrup:

3 Tablespoons brown sugar

1 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 small sprig fresh rosemary

Combine the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar in a small pan, slowly bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat, add sprig of rosemary and simmer for 14-18 minutes until thickened and syrupy. Remove rosemary and serve syrup with salmon.

Simple Grilled Salmon:

4 skinless salmon fillets (6 ounces each)

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

Coarse salt and ground pepper.

1.    Heat grill to medium-high. Rub 4 skinless salmon fillets (6 ounces each) with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander; season with coarse salt and ground pepper.

2.    Lightly oil grates; place salmon, skinned side up, on grill. Cover grill; cook 5 minutes. Turn fillets; cover, and cook until opaque throughout and flaky, about 4 minutes more. Serve salmon drizzled with Balsamic Syrup

Fresh Ginger and Basil Pasta:

1 T peeled, roughly chopped fresh ginger

1 T cilantro

3 T fresh basil leaves

2 T finely chopped garlic

3 T olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

12 oz Spaghetti or pasta of choice

Put the ginger, cilantro, basil, garlic and olive oil in a food processor, and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Set the sauce aside.

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil, add a generous teaspoon of sea salt, and cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water and then drain in colander. Return the pasta to the saucepan, and add the sauce. Toss well, adding some reserved pasta water if needed to thin sauce.