Pineapple Cabbage Slaw

Pineapple Cabbage Slaw

1 head of Napa cabbage
1 can crushed or pineapple bits, drained well

2 tablespoons fresh parsley or mint, chopped fine
2 whole carrots, diced or grated
2 shallots chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 inch fresh ginger, minced
1/2 up olive oil
4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or aminos
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

salt and pepper to taste

Chop cabbage into very thin slices and place in a large bowl. Add drained pineapple and chopped mint or parsley. Grate or chop carrots into fine pieces. If using chopped carrots, sauté those along with the shallots. If using grated carrots add those to the cabbage. Sauté shallots in a bit of the olive oil, then add ginger and minced garlic. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the dressing over the cabbage and there you have it. Makes a large salad and good as a leftover.

Smoked Salmon Risotto

 

Smoked Salmon Risotto

2 shallots chopped fine
1 garlic clove minced
1-1/2 cups arborio rice
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup dry white wine
32 fluid ounces low or no sodium vegetable stock, kept hot
1 teaspoon lemon zest
12 ounces of smoked salmon, room temp. and pulled apart with a fork
1 tablespoon dry or fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste

On medium low heat, melt butter in large frying pan. Add shallots and cook till soft. Then add garlic and cook for a minute longer. Add rice and toast in the butter. Add the wine and let it cook off for a few minutes. Slowly start to add hot stock one ladle at a time and stirring till absorbed. Keep adding a ladle full of stock stirring and letting it absorb into rice slowly. Do this till stock is used up. Add lemon zest and salt and pepper. Risotto should be very creamy and not dry. Remove pan from heat and add smoked salmon and parsley. I grow and dry my own parsley and keep it in larger pieces. Adjust seasoning and serve immediately. So delicious.

Cod Fillets Poached in Sweet Pepper Sauce

Cod Fillets Poached in Sweet Pepper Sauce

4 cod fillets of the same size and thickness, patted dry
10 mini peppers chopped fine or 1 large red bell pepper chopped fine
1 small shallot chopped fine
2 garlic cloves minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Sauté shallot and peppers till soft and set aside briefly. Add the garlic and olive oil to a blender. Blend till creamy. Add the peppers and shallots and blend again. Add the heavy whipping cream and blend till smooth. Add in some vegetable stock if sauce is too thick. Pour sauce into heated saucepan and add cod fillets to poach till fork tender. Serve immediately with rice, pasta, or polenta so all of the tasty sauce can be enjoyed. What a quick and easy meal to prepare. The sauce color will depend on the color of the peppers. I happen to use yellow and orange mini peppers so my sauce turned out a slightly yellow color. Red peppers would be brighter red color. Give it a try, fish cooks in a short amount of time. What could be easier to make.

Pear Sauce

Pear Sauce

8 ripe pears cored, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon anise seed ground up
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon orange liquor

I found a bag of pears for a reasonable price. I decided to make pear sauce. Peel and core, then dice 8 ripe pears. Add pears and remaining ingredients to a sauce pan. Cook till moisture evaporates to desired consistency. Blend pears or mash with a potato masher. Put in glass mason jars. So easy and delicious. Confession of an errant home chef. I taste tested the pears before blending, they were so good I had a bowl of them chunky style before blending. Don't omit the anise seed, really adds to the sauce.