Life gets busy—super busy, at times. That’s why it’s always good to have a few no-fuss recipes :: ricette up your sleeve for evenings where you need to get a healthy dinner on the table but don’t have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen. This wild caught sesame salmon recipe is perfect for these occasions.
Mr. Italicano and I have had a super intense couple weeks. He’s busy studying for his sailing license examination and I am taking two interesting evening courses—one on natural cooking :: cucina naturale and the other to become a sommelier.
Thrown into our busy schedules are biweekly tennis lessons and other appointments, leaving me little time in the evenings to prepare dinner. In moments like these, it would be quite practical to buy some ready-made dinners, but I don’t. Ever. Prepackaged food :: cibo preconfezionato is horrible for you and is full of preservatives, sweeteners, and artificial coloring.
Farmed salmon :: salmone di allevamento is also full of artificial coloring due to the colored fish food pellets that they are given to eat, not to mention these salmon contain toxins like PCBs that are carcinogenic (cancer causing) and antibiotics. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to put that junk in my body let alone feed Mr. Italicano with it. No, thanks. Certainly, wild caught fish is more expensive, however, I would rather eat less, but better quality food.
Reducing the ingredient list :: elenco di ingredienti is an easy way to make a quick meal. Fewer ingredients mean less preparation time. There is a word of delicious recipes that you can try out that have just 5 ingredients or less like: roasted kabocha squash fries, millet stuffed tomatoes, or John Dory with capers and tomatoes. Recipes like these allow you to cook delicious healthy food in no time at all.
Wild caught sesame salmon is a perfect recipe for a quick and healthy weeknight dinner when you don’t have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen.
Serves: 2
Ingredients
2 wild caught salmon steaks, rinsed and dried
Salt and black pepper, to taste
3 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper then top both sides with the sesame seeds. Put the salmon steaks in a baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork. Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Anchovies get a bad rap. Many people instantly think of anchovy pizza and how peculiar it is to have salty fish :: pesce on their beloved thin crust bread. You may be among them; you may be quick to snub this recipe after reading the title, or maybe you already have and will never read these words. It’s quite a shame, however, as anchovies are the secret punch of flavor in a lot of Mediterranean dishes :: piatti and even tucked away in commonly used American sauces, ahem, Worcestershire sauce or ceasar salad dressing, just to name two.
Italy’s gastronomy often incorporates this salty little fish into a variety of different recipes. From appetizers to pastas, main dishes to pizzas, anchovies, or acciughe in italian, are quite common. I, like many of you, was quite skeptical to try them; yet, now I find myself craving for this salty flavor much like I do soy sauce.
What I truly love about traveling is immersing myself in the local traditions and food is a big and important part of every culture :: cultura. Fresh anchovies aren’t nearly as salty as those conserved in oil. Anchovies also boast numerous health benefits like being rich in omega-3 fatty acids, high in protein and iron, and are beneficial for heart, skin and eye health. I implore you to let your daring side take action before joining in on the naysaying about this tiny little scrumptious fish, this really is a recipe to try!
Marinated anchovies are a typical Italian dish and are delicious alone or served with this arugula pesto. They an be eaten as an appetizer, side or main dish.
Serves: 2
Ingredients
For the marinated anchovies:
8 ounces (250g) fresh anchovies, cleaned, scaled and opened
White wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
½ lemon, juiced
Handful of basil, chopped
1-2 teaspoons red pepper corns (optional)
Pinch of ground chili pepper (optional)
Extra virgin olive oil
For the arugula pesto:
3 ounces (85g) arugula
¼ cup (23g) walnuts
½ tablespoon (7.5g) capers
¼ cup freshly shelled peas, boiled in unsalted water for 2-3 minutes
7 large basil leaves
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼-1/2 lemon, juiced (adjust to taste)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
For the marinated anchovies:
Layer the anchovies in a rectangular casserole dish. Pour enough white wine vinegar to completely cover the anchovies. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Store in the refrigerator for a few hours. The anchovies are ready when they change from transparent to a whitish color.
Drain the marinade and layer the anchovies in a clean rectangular casserole dish or rimmed serving plate. Squeeze lemon on top of each layer of anchovies and top with basil, red pepper corns and ground chili pepper. Pour extra virgin olive oil on top until the anchovies are completely covered. Refrigerate until cold. Consume within 1 day.
For the arugula pesto:
Put all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until well blended. Refrigerate. Serve on top or alongside the marinated anchovies.
I don’t know about you, but I think fish baked in parchment paper just looks uber fancy. Who would of thought that something so elegant could be so easy? I think you’ll be surprised to know how uncomplicated and effortless this parchment baked striped red mullet with wasabi and yellow curry sauce recipe is to make.
You can really let your creativity :: creatività fly when cooking fish in parchment paper. Toss in a variety of chopped fresh vegetables, drizzle some extra virgin olive oil on top, pop it in oven for 20 minutes and you’ve got yourself a quick and healthy meal.
In this recipe, I decided to use leeks ::porri, radishes, tomatoes and oregano all drizzled with a spicy wasabi and yellow curry vinaigrette. It was a perfect pair and gave a little zing to an otherwise delicate flavor.
The first time I used striped red mullet, I had it filleted and deboned and slowly cooked it in a savory red sauce. This time, I decided to cook it whole and I have to admit that due to the amount of bones the striped red mullet :: la triglia has, it takes a lot of patience and work to eat. Therefore, instead of baking the fish whole you could just as easily bake the fillets in the parchment paper. It is definitely what I will be doing next time!
I had been dying to try out my yellow curry paste that my friend Wes from Hong Kong brought over for me. You would be surprised at how hard it is to find ethnic spices and foods here in Italy unless you go to big cities like Milan or Rome. When I visit the States, I usually bring back bottles of Sriracha, seasonings, and of course, peanut butter :: burro di arachidi, not that you can’t find jars of it here, but it is so expensive!
If you don’t have wasabi or yellow curry :: curry giallo paste, you could easily substitute these ingredients with a few pinches of dried red chili flakes or skip the heat altogether for a milder flavor.
I hope you enjoy this recipe, let me know what you think in the comment section below!
Parchment Baked Striped Red Mullet with Wasabi and Yellow Curry Sauce
This mouthwatering recipe for parchment baked striped red mullet with wasabi and yellow curry sauce is uncomplicated and effortless to prepare.
Serves: 2-4
Ingredients
For the fish:
6 red mullets, whole or filleted
6 small twigs fresh oregano
¼ leek, sliced
3 radishes, chopped
10 datterini tomatoes, chopped
For the sauce:
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 handful parsley, finely chopped
1 lime wedge, squeezed
½ teaspoon wasabi paste
1 teaspoon yellow curry paste
½ teaspoon red peppercorns
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C).
Cut six pieces of parchment paper large enough for each fish to lie inside. Wash and dry the fish then set them on their individual sheets of parchment paper.
Stuff the insides of each fish with 1 small twig of oregano.
Divide the leeks, radishes and datterini tomatoes and layer on top of the fish.
In a small bowl, combine the garlic, extra virgin olive oil, parsley, lime juice, wasabi paste, yellow curry paste, red peppercorns, salt and freshly ground pepper. Stir well then drizzle the sauce on top of each fish.
Pinch the end of the parchment paper and tie it with a baking string, so the paper looks like a small canoe. Repeat for all the fish.
Bake for 20 minutes. Serve warm.
Inspired by [apron and sneakers|http://www.apronandsneakers.com/2013/05/parchment-baked-red-mullet-fish-with.html}
Although you pay in gold for John Dory, known in Italian as pesce San Pietro or “St. Peter’s fish”, it is worth every penny. With a firm texture and a buttery flavor that is superb on its own, it’s best cooked with just a few simple ingredients that won’t steal the show.
The John Dory boasts long spines :: spine on its dorsal fin and a large dot on both its sides that according to the legend that my fishmonger recounted to me, corresponds to the fingerprints left by Saint Peter when he picked up the fish with his hand, took pity on it and threw it back into the sea. Lucky little guy.
Not only is John Dory prized among chefs for it taste and texture, but the meat also separates into four boneless fillets :: filetti, perfect for kids or for who (*cough* me*) doesn’t have the patience to pick apart the white from the bone and wants to dig into the meal right away.
For many years I thought that cooking a fish whole was a daunting process. I mean it’s what fine dining restaurants do, so it had to be right? I worked on the Italian Adriatic coast for a month each summer :: estate during the first four years that I lived here, and I clearly remember the penguin dressed waiter at my hotel’s restaurant that would waddle to my table pushing a cart topped with a long skinny platter. He would stand in front of me carefully peeling back the fish’s skin as he sectioned off the fillets of white meat and positioned them carefully on a white plate before topping them with an aromatic herb or sauce; what elegant presentation.
To my surprise baking a fish whole requires very little work; in less than 5 minutes you have it prepped and then the oven does the rest of the work. My Italian friend Isabella shared this mouthwatering recipe with me that simply calls for four ingredients: fresh datterini or grape tomatoes, garlic, capers and an aromatic extra virgin olive oil. If you are not a fan of capers :: capperi, just add more tomatoes instead.
With a firm texture and a buttery flavor that is superb on its own, John Dory is best cooked with just a few simple ingredients that won’t steal the show.
Serves: 2-4
Ingredients
1 John Dory, whole with insides removed
2 garlic cloves, smashed
¼ cup capers
¼ cup quartered datterini or grape tomatoes
Extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Preheat oven to 356°F (180°C)
Rinse and dry the San Pietro thoroughly, then stuff with the garlic, capers and tomatoes. Set on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until the skin easily peels away and the meat flakes when pricked with a fork.
To serve: peel the skin off and discard. Section off four fillets and set on a serving platter then top with the capers and tomatoes. Discard the garlic. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and eat immediately.
Want to put together an easy, yet elegant looking meal for Valentine’s Day? Try out this recipe for striped red mullet, a delicate white fish that is stewed with juicy red tomatoes, tangy capers and salty black olives; it’s an Italian specialty.
Striped red mullet :: triglia di scoglio is found in the Mediterranean and Black Seas as well as the eastern North Atlantic Ocean. It has been considered a delicacy since antiquity, especially among the ancient Romans. If you are not able to find striped red mullet in your local grocery store you can also substitute it with red snapper.
I have never cooked with striped red mullet and the vibrant :: vibrante red and yellowish scales enticed me to try something new. The fish monger was all too kind to supply me with a typical Italian recipe called “Triglia alla livornese.” Triglia, as you can imagine, means striped red mullet; “alla Livornese”, on the other hand, basically means Livorno style. (Livorno is a port city on the Ligurian sea.)
While the fish monger scaled the striped red mullet, he quickly told me the ingredients for this beloved dish. Unfortunately, he was extremely quick at his job and finished before I could ask him the quantities :: le dosi. Seeing a long line behind me, I didn’t want to bother him so the recipe you find below may not be true Livorno style, but dare I say the presentation is more beautiful following my recipe while the taste is equally delicious.
While doing a little researchon the traditional recipe, it appears that this dish is mostly served with the whole fish (instead of fillets), topped with green olives (not black) and covered with purèed tomatoes (not whole). Feel free to try out the more traditional method, although I usually prefer eating fillets of fish since it’s much less work to eat and I liked the presentation :: presentazione with the tomato pieces as you can still see the fish underneath.
Capers :: capperi are commonly used in Mediterranean dishes as they are native to the area. In this recipe they add a nice tangy burst of flavor.
When making seafood dishes, I like to use few ingredients :: ingredienti to keep it healthier and quicker to prepare. Just like my Italian baked sardine and easy blood orange sole recipes, this dish was on the tablein under 30 minutes.
I hope you enjoy this recipe:: ricetta, and I look forward to hearing what you think!
Want to put together a easy yet fancy looking meal for Valentine’s Day or any special occasion? Try out this recipe for striped red mullet, a delicate white fish that is stewed with juicy red tomatoes, tangy capers and salty black olives; it’s an Italian specialty.
Serves: 2
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion
1 glove garlic
2 cups datterini or grape tomatoes
6 fillets of Striped Red mullet, deboned (or Snapper if you aren’t able to find striped red mullet)
2 tablespoons capers
½ cup black olives, finely chopped
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat then add the onions and garlic. Sautè them until they’ve softened and have turned slightly brown.
Add the tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the striped red mullet fillets and cook until the meat is white and flakes away, about 5-10 minutes.
Add the capers and black olives, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Serve warm.
Mr. Italicano and I have had a super intense couple weeks. He’s busy studying for his sailing license examination and I am taking two interesting evening courses—one on natural cooking :: cucina naturale and the other to become a sommelier.
Thrown into our busy schedules are biweekly tennis lessons and other appointments, leaving me little time in the evenings to prepare dinner. In moments like these, it would be quite practical to buy some ready-made dinners, but I don’t. Ever. Prepackaged food :: cibo preconfezionato is horrible for you and is full of preservatives, sweeteners, and artificial coloring.
Farmed salmon :: salmone di allevamento is also full of artificial coloring due to the colored fish food pellets that they are given to eat, not to mention these salmon contain toxins like PCBs that are carcinogenic (cancer causing) and antibiotics. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to put that junk in my body let alone feed Mr. Italicano with it. No, thanks. Certainly, wild caught fish is more expensive, however, I would rather eat less, but better quality food.
Reducing the ingredient list :: elenco di ingredienti is an easy way to make a quick meal. Fewer ingredients mean less preparation time. There is a word of delicious recipes that you can try out that have just 5 ingredients or less like: roasted kabocha squash fries, millet stuffed tomatoes, or John Dory with capers and tomatoes. Recipes like these allow you to cook delicious healthy food in no time at all.
