Caldo de Camaron Seco

Caldo de Camaron Seco

what a fabulous soup i have found!

it was pretty much be accident...as are many of the "out of the ordinary" things i come across. last week i was shopping at my favorite Mexican market, Northgate in Santa Ana, to get the correct/authentic caramel sauce for my Flan Cake.  i needed Cajeta de Leche as the recipe called for.  just in case you missed the post on "The Flailed Flan Cake" here's the link...so sad...so very sad...
anyway.....as i entered the market the impulse buys caught my eye (i'm a sucker).  they had a large display with these packaged up dried shrimp.  i had seen them many times before here and Asian markets.  "i wonder what the heck you do with these?" i asked myself.  i thought they must be some Mexican treat or for some fabulous special occasion recipe if they have them all out on display...
they're ugly salty dried up old shrimp...i HAVE to buy them...i'll find out what to do with them later.

well, as far as i'm concerned...I HIT PAY DIRT!

these ugly pale shriveled up little critters make the most incredible broth for this soup.  i can't describe the flavor, but it's FABULOUS.  the shrimp add a whole new layer that makes it taste rich and deep and totally authentic Mexican.  a friend said she was transported back to her vacation in Puerto Vallarta.  i'll take that as a compliment...thank you very much.

the recipe is fairly easy, but just a little time consuming.  the shrimp need a pre-soak, a little broth time and then you have to remove the head, legs and tails off of EVERY single little shrimp that goes in the pot, but it's well worth it.  you also have to make a real Mexican Red Sauce that requires steeping, pureeing, straining and sauteing the chills...again...well worth it.  i make red sauce all the time...it's not that big of a deal.  it's great for so many things...pork, chicken, turkey, beef etc...the Red Sauce recipe and instructions i use are found HERE, but i always add a few extras like cumin, oregano, 2-3 adobo chiles and adobo sauce.

i found this delicious soup recipe by googling "what to do with dried shrimp, Mexican".  i thought about going with an Asian recipe, but i was in the Mexican mood...you know the Flan Cake and all...it was going to be a Fiesta!...

the soup?...incredible !  

the flan cake?...don't ask...

CALDO de CAMARON

adapted from Pati's Mexican Table

i made a few changes, so please check the link for the original and her comments...she has loads of great Mexican goodies

1/2 pound of Mexican dried shrimp

2-3 oz dried Guaillo chiles...i also used a few New Mexico Chilies

1 Tbsp Mexican oregano

1 ripe tomato, diced

3 garlic cloves

2 bay leaves

1/2 small onion, roughly chopped

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp cayenne...optional

3 carrots, sliced

1-2 diced potatoes are supposed to be added, but i chose other veggies...

2 celery stalks sliced

a handful of green beans

1/2 head small cauliflower

1 more tomato, diced

1/2 onion, sauteed...(this was a good addition)

1 jalapeno, sliced or diced...optional

2 Tbsp oil

limes and cilantro for garnish

FOR THE SHRIMP

cover the shrimp with cold water and let them sit for 10-15 minutes.  drain the shrimp, rinse them and place them in a medium pot.  cover the shrimp with 5 cups of water and bring to a simmer over med. high heat, then turn down to a slow simmer for 10 minutes.  strain the broth reserving both the broth and the shrimp.  allow to cool.

once the shrimp have cooled remove the heads, tails and legs.  Pati (original recipe blogger) suggests you keep the body shell on to add a little crunch to the soup, so that's what i did.  

FOR THE RED SAUCE...

remove the stems and seeds from the chiles and place them on a hot "comal".  i do not own a "comal" so a hot skillet works just fine.   toast lightly until they change color a bit...jus about 10-15 seconds per side.

place the chiles, tomatoes, garlic, onion, oregano, cumin, cayenne in a saucepan and cover with water.  bring to almost  boil and turn down to a slow simmer for 15 minutes.  get your stick blender out and puree until smooth...or use your regular blender or processor...i highly recommend getting a stick blender!

over medium heat add 2 Tbsp oil (olive is good) to a large soup pot.  strain the chili puree over the oil.

NOTE...use a regular strainer and push all the goodness through.  you should have just the tough bits left in the strainer.

add your cumin and cayenne if using.  simmer the sauce for 10 minutes over medium heat allowing the sauce to season and thicken.

FOR THE FINISHED SOUP

add the shrimp, broth, carrots, green beans, jalapeno, 1/2  sauteed onion to the chili puree and let simmer for 10-15 minutes until carrots are tender...also add in the cauliflower towards the end because you don't want it to fall apart.

serve the soup with wedges of lime, chopped cilantro and some fresh diced jalapeno.

this is great as is, but also fabulous over rice...or add a few more veggies of your choice.  i like my soups thick with goodies.  the original only called for carrots and potatoes, but i wanted to add a bit more...maybe not as authentic, but good and good for ya.

   

Grilled Whole Red Tilapia and Striped Bass

RED TILAPIA

this is a beautiful fish. once again i have found another reason to drive all the way to my favorite Chinese market, 99 Ranch. the fish selection is so outstanding, always fresh, whole, live and/or filleted..and when you buy it whole they will clean it for you while you wait. i never even knew there was a RED Tilapia. grilled whole and stuffed with lemon, tarragon and garlic i found this unbelievably meaty, moist and so clean..beautiful white flesh. alas, i have no photo of the finished product because i am new to grilling whole fish and sorry to say this one didn't turn out so pretty in the looks department, but the flavors well made up for the loss in visual. next time i will be a little more generous with oiling the grill...woops...my bad...it's called GRILLING 101.

STRIPED BASS

i guess this is a typical grilling fish. as i googled around for ideas on whole fish, this is the one that most often came up. not sure why being that there are so many others to chose from. the bass was quite good and did hold up well to the grill. it's a little slimmer than the Tilapia and makes for a nice presentation. nothing really WOW about this fish...just a nice white fish that takes on flavors well. i stuffed this one with lemon, thyme and garlic.

don't be afraid of the whole fish...

NO, THEY DO NOT BITE.

the presentation can be excellent if your game. the bummer i find hard to deal with is the tiny little "no-see-um" bones. just when you think you've got the prefect bite...fish bone!... i know there is a skill to eating whole fish, but i have yet to conquer this seemingly difficult technique, although it won't keep me from trying. the flavor and moisture from cooking whole with all it's fatty omegas and those pesky bones really seems to make a difference.

Grilling Whole Fish

chose your fish wisely. trust your fish monger. i have found a few important things to look for when buying whole fish...
VISUAL...should look like it just flopped out of the water onto the ice.
the eyes should be clear not cloudy or marred.
the gills should be a nice fresh dark red and separate easily.
SMELL...if you question it at all, ask to inspect the fish and give it a good smell...if you smell ANYTHING don't buy it.
when you get your fish home inspect the inside and wash/cut out any bits that got left behind and dry it completely.
i found a great tutorial at ABOUT.com for the next few steps found here
follow these easy step by step instructions or at least read through it for some good info.
choose some good flavors for your stuffing. there are so many possibilities. some nice fresh herbs and a few lemon slices is always quick and simple. i chose to sew my fish closed with a needle and cooking string, but it's not necessary if you handle your fish with care.

in conclusion...
oiling the grill is most important
don't forget to salt and pepper the inside
AND slash the fattest part of the fish on the outside for even cooking
learning how to serve the whole fish is equally important.
here are a few helpful sites to check out.
How to eat a whole fish #1
How to eat a whole fish #2

HOMEMADE GRAVLAX

HOMEMADE GRAVLAX

who knew it was so easy to make your own...the hardest part is waiting the few days for it to cure...patiently waiting and flipping it over every 12 hours wondering "is it done yet?"

if you're a fan of LOX, need more fish in your life or just want to save some $ money you should really try this at home. i must say i was quite impressed with myself. i've always paid big bucks for this salmon that i considered a Sunday brunch delicacy. it was only around for the special occasion. well, i have now rid myself of that silly myth. this is too easy. salt, sugar, dill and a few days is all you need. i've made it twice in the last 2 weeks. as a matter of fact, i might just make it again this week. it may very well become a staple in my fridge. i've been so wrapped up in all this PORK stuff lately that it's been a nice change to open the fridge, grab a sharp knife and slice off a lovely pink slab of fresh cured salmon. i need a kind of a Yin Yang effect. i have to have something to balance out all the meat, pork, frog legs and turkey tails i've been consuming. i've even tried TOFU ! (i'll be posting about that soon.)

there are a few ways to prepare Gavlax, but i found a common thread in all the recipes i looked at. fresh salmon, salt, sugar, dill(optional),sandwich them together and cure for 48-72 hours.


HOMEMADE GRAVLAX

adapted from Modern Beet and quite a few others i will list for you to check out.
2 lbs. of fresh salmon

a note about the salmon...buy 2 pieces equal in size, or one large to cut in half so you can sandwich them...ALSO, upon further investigation i found a few sites that suggest freezing the salmon for 72 hrs to be sure to rid any bacteria if not buying sushi grade salmon. sushi grade is very expensive. i did not do this the 1st two times and i'm not dead yet, but i DO have my next batch in the freezer right now. i'm curious to see if the freezing effects the texture.



1/4 cup kosher salt

1/8 cup white sugar

1/8 cup brown sugar

1-3 tsp fresh ground pepper

5-6 sprigs fresh dill



Remove all of the pin bones from the two salmon filets using a pair of tweezers. Trim the filets so they are the same size when stacked on top of each other. Place both filets skin side down on a cutting board.

Mix sugar and salt together in a small bowl. Generously sprinkle about 2/3 the mixture over the filets and gently rub in. Flip the filets over and sprinkle skins with the remaining mixture and rub in. Flip the filets again so the skin side is down. Let stand for about 5-8 minutes. Brush off any cure that seems excessive to you.

Trim dill so that it is roughly the same length as the filets. Mound dill on top of one filet in an even layer, then top with other filet so that the flesh is in contact with the dill (think filet & dill sandwich). Wrap the stacked filets tightly in a double or triple layer of plastic wrap. Place in a dish (to catch any juices that should leak out). i used a tupperware...alot of juices will come out and leakage would NOT be a good thing. ALSO, alot of recipes call for a weighted object placed over the filets. i used a tinfoil/plastic wrapped brick. ..anything semi heavy and flat. most recipes call for this. then refrigerate for 2-3 days, flipping occasionally, and pouring off any juices that might have accumulated.

Once the 2-3 days have passed, unwrap salmon, discard the dill, and rinse the filets with cold water. Remove the skin to make cutting easier, if desired. Slice the gravlax thinly with a sharp knife across the grain to serve. Enjoy!

*Note: though it may seem counter-intuitive, choose fish that has been previously frozen, sushi grade or other. If using fresh fish, you should freeze it for at least 1 week in order kill off bacteria, etc.

a few other sites i checked out might be of interest....

this 1st one is on youtube...funny and super EASY, but i don't know about leaving it on the kitchen counter for 18hrs. and NOT in the fridge?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMOMurjAFug

http://www.foodmayhem.com/2009/01/homemade-lox.html

http://www.myjewishlearning.com/culture/2/Food/american_jewish_cooking/making-lox.shtml

http://chewingonaviancranium.blogspot.com/2006/07/homemade-lox.html

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH, GARLIC, SAGE PUREE

i know we'll probably see a zillion recipes for butternut squash soup in the next few months, but this one isn't really a soup, although you can just add a little more stock and a splash of cream to make it a warm, fall-ish bowl of gold. actually i found it in a health magazine and it was presented as a healthy alternative pasta sauce teamed up with some whole wheat pasta. yum!

i opted for a thick rich puree used under large pan seared scallops. not only was in tasty, but the color was so vivid and visually appealing.

so easy..it's just the darn prep work that takes a bit of time. of course, after the fact, i realize i could have bought already peeled garlic and ready skinned and diced butternut, but where's the fun in that?...sometimes the dish tastes just a bit better with a hint of sweat in the mix...right?
one of my least fav savory chores is peeling garlic AND skinning and cutting up those butternuts is not pleasant either. i know you can roast the butternut in halves, but i think the diced lends itself to the flavor more. more roasting area equals more roasty flavors.



this thick puree also is great for plate decor. i made these three quick swipes with a spoon and they stayed nicely for maybe 20mins or so. i say this because if you were serving quite a few people the plate would hold up well for service. didn't run or get watery like some do. maybe it's due to the trace oil and controlled chicken stock addition.

RECIPE...
well, as i often find...some of the best things have the fewest ingredients.

peel and cube a med. size butternut squash
peel a whole head of garlic (i love garlic, really LOVE roasted garlic)
lightly toss with some good olive oil, salt and pepper to your liking.
now, if i were making it for myself alone, i would have put some heat in there. a little sprinkle of cayenne or chili arbor would do the trick.
put this in a large baking pan or cookie sheet. best if they are all out flat and not piled up.
400 degrees. get in there and toss it all around about every 10 mins 'till it all looks nice and roasty and the squash is fork tender. remove it from the oven and while it's still warm toss it with approx 1/4 finely chopped FRESH sage. i say approx because butternuts come in a wide variety of sizes, so just use a little more than you might think, i did, and was pleased with the flavor of the sage singing throughout.
now put this all in a nice tall sauce pan (you'll want to use a wand blender so chose your pan accordingly) add a little chicken stock. just a minimum at first untill you get the desired consistancy. season to taste and
VOILA...done...could that be any easier?
IMPORTANT...i think a hand/wand blender is manditory for this type of stuff. in fact, i think they should be manditory for every kitchen. i use mine all the time. so much easier than a stand up blender (which would not work for this thick of a puree) and a heck of alot cleaner and easier than the big ol' cuisinart.

the rest of the family had it as soup the next night and i enjoyed as a side a few times after that...so it holds up really well, again, it didn't get watery.
the following week i did the same thing with a sweet pumpkin...you want to talk difficult peeling and cutting?...but well worth it. so well worth it i bought another and need to go down staires and get started right now.
maybe i should stop by the garage and get the chain saw...?

PS...update...the sweet pumpkin i just had was unbelievably good. i did the same as above, BUT sprinkled just a hint of pumpkin spice on before roasting. still couldn't add the cayenne (wimpy palettes in this house), but the pumkin spice is a must try. by the way, i like to make my own pumpkin spice by mixing

1/2 t. ginger, 1/2 t. ground clove, 1/2 t. allspice, 1/2 t. nutmeg and 1 t. cinnamon...much better than that already made store bought stuff.

OCTOPUS SASHIMI WITH CHILI SESAME OIL

easy sashimi?
well, of coarse it's easy. what is it? sliced raw fish made pretty on a plate. how hard can that be? so, i have no real secrets for ya, but i can tell you a real quick cheater way to have some dee-lish octopus sashimi at home and you can impress your friends with this as a starter or a side to a great meal.

so what's my big secret?...

1st. don't try to deal with this eight legged bugger and think you're going to cook it to proper sashimi texture yourself..unless your an octopologist of some sort.

2nd..."you're only as good as your tools"...in this case, i let my fingers do the walkin'. i googled all the Japanese markets in the area and chose the best one.

i found this beautiful octopus at Mitstuwa. funny thing is...i was on the hunt for chicken feet!!!...my octopus obsession was last month, hence the reasoning for my suggestion of not trying to cook this yourself. cleaning the thing alone, i mean with a BEAK and all, didn't sound fun, let alone the fact that i couldn't find a whole, fresh octopus anywhere. they were all frozen. then there's the fact that cooking it so that it's buttery tender enough for sashimi, might be a different cooking technique than just the normal instructions i found.

so long story short, go to a Japanese market and pick out a perfectly cooked octopus tentacled leg. i bought one that was a little less than 1/2 lb and it would have been great for 4-5 people to enjoy a few slices (kinda all you need for an app.). while you're there look at the dressings...good luck!...it's really hard to pick out something when you can't read the lable. instead i went to Bristol Farms and asked how they make thier yummy chili oil they use on thier spicy poki.

sesame oil, chili oil, cayenne, sea salt, seaweed, white and black sesame seeds and ground pepper. you could, of course just go traditional and serve with soy, ginger and wasabi.

so that's it...go and have fun investigating your local Japanese/Asian market. some of the stuff you'll find is definitely and eye-opening experience. i wouldn't do my shopping there, but i will go back for sushi grade goods.

basa (swai) pan seared with toasted almonds

sunday night dinner....pan seared BASA aka SWAI...with sauteed/toasted almonds and fresh cilantro

...this fish is excelent...very clean, light, white fish. i'd say a cross between orange roughy and talapia. easy to cook, easy to thaw (i believe it's from Vietnam, so usually frozen)

my quick & easy method is...spray olive oil in a non stick pan...high heat...slightly spray filet with butter spray....sear the pretty side first, when you see it is a nice golden brown, flip fish, cover and turn off heat...should be done in just a couple mins.