amateur food pr0n

[geekchick]

I got inspired to actually get into the kitchen myself (I mean further than the phone and the delivery menus, that is). Dinner tonight:

• a hunk of fol epi cheese for me to nosh on while cooking.
  
• a bottle of Robert Mondavi chardonnay (also for me)
  
• pan-seared Alaskan halibut filets with sauteed green beans and grape tomatoes
  
• spice-lacquered plums for dessert
  

(For the veggies, I pretty much just used what looked right rather than what the recipe specifically called for. This was two servings, increase or decrease as desired.)

• Blanch and shock the green beans and set aside.
  
• Heat 2 tbsp olive oil on medium-high until faintly smoking.
  
• Dust two fish fillets in a flour and spice mixture (I used Wegman's Pan-Searing Flour, which is basically wheat flour, sea salt and white pepper).
  
• Place fish in skillet and brown lightly on both sides (1-2 minutes each side). Reduce heat to medium and cook an additional 3-5 minutes.
  
• The recipe calls for 1 tbsp butter, 1 tsp chopped shallots and 1 tsp chopped thyme; I used 1 tsp butter and 1 tbsp of a basting oil (which was grape seed oil, shallots and thyme). Add to pan (don't let the butter burn), baste the fish and continue cooking another 2-3 minutes. Remove fish from the pan and let sit for 5 minutes or so.
  
• Add green beans and halved grape tomatoes to the pan and sautee for roughly 30 seconds, then serve over the fish.
  

(This is for a single serving, adjust as needed.)

• Preheat broiler.
  
• Halve one firm large black or red plum. Discard pit, then cut each half lengthwise into three wedges.
  
• Heat 1 tbsp mild honey, 1/4 tsp cinnamon and 1/8 tsp finely crushed anise seeds in an 8 to 10 inch ovenproof heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until honey is liquefied (about 1 minute).
  
• Add fruit to honey, tossing to coat, then transfer skillet to broiler. Broil 6 inches from heat, turning fruit over once or twice and basting with pan juices, until fruit begins to soften and is glazed, roughly 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer fruit and pan juices to a dish.
  
• Stir together 2 tbsp sour cream, 1 tsp packed light brown sugar and a pinch each of cinnamon and crushed anise seeds, then spoon over warm fruit.
  

I don't actually have an appropriate skillet, so I just poured the fruit and pan juices into a broiler pan and stuck it under a broiler, it worked just fine. Mmmmm. This one, I'm making again.

Comments

[datagoddess.livejournal.com]

Pr0n queen!!

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

*whimper* Yum!

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

the plums... my mouth waters. Thanks for posting these. :)

[geekchick]

The plums were incredible, although next time I'll start with some that aren't quite as ripe I think. The sour cream/cinnamon/brown sugar topping really makes it, I think, so don't skip that part. =)

[winterbadger]

THat sounds delicious!

[geekchick]

It was, it was. =)

so...

[tenacious-snail.livejournal.com]

If I visit DC, can I get a home-cooked meal? Pretty please?

Re: so...

[geekchick]

Heh, sure thing. =)