Easy Sides to Accompany FishPeople Coconut Yellow Curry Tuna

These sides are a great way to dress up a prepared entree. In Portland we are lucky to have FishPeople seafood entrees-ready to go, all you need to do is to heat them up! Look for high quality, locally made "shortcuts" wherever you are. FishPeople entrees are great on the road, when you're camping and especially on those occasional nights when you want a delicious restaurant type meal, but want to eat in the comfort of your own home (and for a lot less money)!

Coconut Rice

1 cup long grain rice (jasmine rice is my favorite for this dish)
1 14 ounce can coconut milk
1/2 cup water
slice of ginger or piece of lemongrass (optional)

Combine rice, coconut milk and water in a 2 quart pan. Add ginger or lemongrass (if using) and place on high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low (simmer), place lid on pan and cook for 20 minutes. Remove lid, turn off heat and fluff rice. Serve as a bed for curry dishes.

Asian Style Slaw

Slaw
1/2 head cabbage, thinly sliced
1 carrot, peeled and grated
10 mint leaves, sliced or chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 nectarine or peach diced or 1/2 mango, peeled and diced
1/4 cup chopped basil (optional)
2 green onions, sliced (optional)

Place all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix to combine. Add dressing and serve.

Dressing
1-2 small limes, juiced
1 Tbls. fish sauce
1-2 Tbls. brown sugar

Add all ingredients to a small jar or bowl and combine. Taste and adjust seasoning. It should be a little intense as the cabbage will soak up the flavors. Pour on the slaw, toss, taste and adjust. Serve with additional cilantro or mint for garnish.

Frittata di Maccheroni Amalfi Coast Style with Guest Chef Renato Solpietro

Frittata di Maccheroni Amalfi Coast Style

Pasta stuffed with Basil Cream and Mozzarella

Serves 4-6

Frittata Base

1/2 # cooked spaghetti, cooled and tossed in olive oil

3 eggs, cracked and whisked with a dash of salt and pepper

1-2 Tbs each finely grated Pecorino Romano and Parmignano Reggiano cheese

Basil Cream

2 handfuls of basil leaves

1 handful of Italian parsley leaves

1-2 cloves of garlic
1-2 Tbs each finely grated Pecorino Romano and Parmignano Reggiano cheeses

1/2 tsp. Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

2 Tbs white wine

2-4 Tbs olive oil

Small glug of heavy cream

Stuffing

5 basil leaves

5 parsley leaves

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Preparation

Set out all ingredients before you begin cooking. You will also need a 10 inch non-stick sauté pan, a heat resistant rubber spatula and a flat plate that is slightly larger than the sauté pan.
Place pasta in a bowl with eggs and cheese and mix to coat the noodles. Let rest for 20-30 minutes. Renato says, thirty is best. 

Basil Cream
In a small blender or food processor make the Basil Cream. Place all ingredients in the blender and process until you get a nice smooth consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings.  Remove from blender jar and set aside. 

Frittata
Heat sauté pan on medium heat with a little olive oil. Add half of spaghetti mixture and arrange so that it is evenly placed in the pan.  Carefully spread the Basil Cream in the middle of the spaghetti nest, leaving a one inch border around the edges.  Place basil and parsley leaves over the top and then arrange the grated mozzarella cheese evenly across the top of the herbs. Place the remaining pasta on top and tuck in the edges to "accommodate" the cooking of the frittata. Let the frittata cook about 5-10 minutes. You will need to gently lift the edge with a spatula to check for doneness. When there is a nice golden brown crust on the bottom, you are ready to flip it! Turn off the heat. Place a plate, serving side down over the pan and using both hands, one to hold the pan handle and one placed firmly over the plate, flip the pan. Be confident and do it all in one steady move. Place the pan on the stove and gently slide the frittata back in, using the spatula to guide the placement. Tuck the pasta under around the edges and turn the heat back on to medium. Continue cooking about 10 more minutes or until the bottom is nice and golden brown. If it is browning too quickly, lower the heat. When it is done, place a clean plate on top and using the same technique, invert the frittata. Cut into wedges and serve! 

Sweet Oregon Strawberry Tarts

Nothing is sweeter or more delicious than Oregon ruby red strawberries. The only downside to these little gems is their season is so short. When they come on, DON'T DILLY DALLY!

So that you will be ready for them, my friend and guest Gretchen from Portland's Woodlawn Coffee and Pastry, and I created a wonderfully simple tart recipe to wet your appetite for the fast approaching strawberry season.

Fresh Oregon Strawberry Tarts

Individual Strawberry Ricotta Tarts

Prep Time: 20 minutes 

Cooking Time: less than 10 minutes

Tart Shell Dough
1 ½ cups Bob’s Red Mill all purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
¼ tsp Diamond Kosher salt
4 ounces (1/2 stick) cold unsalted Tillamook butter cut into cubes
2 Tbls heavy cream
1 egg yolk

 

Place dry ingredients in a medium bowl. With fingers, pastry blender or mixer, work the butter into the dry mixture until it resembles coarse cornmeal. In a small bowl, whisk cream and yolk together and add to dry mixture. Work gently until just comes together and then form it into a disk. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Roll dough out to 1/8 inch thickness and cut into desired shape for tart shells.  We made circles about 3 inches in diameter and then froze them. When you are ready to bake the shells, preheat the oven to 350’ degrees. Place a muffin pan upside down on a baking sheet and place a circle of frozen dough on the top of each muffin mold. As it bakes it will hang over the edge to form a cup. Place in the preheated oven and bake 4 minutes. Check for doneness and bake approximately 4 to 6 more minutes. The shells are done when crisp, golden brown and shaped into a cup. Remove from oven and let cool a few minutes before carefully removing them and letting fully cool. Store in an airtight container until you are ready to fill them.  

Filling:
2 cups whole milk Sargento ricotta cheese
1 tsp. orange zest
2 Tbls. honey or sugar

In a small bowl, mix until combined. Taste and adjust with sweetener.  You can make this ahead and store covered in the refrigerator.

 

Strawberries:
Just before serving hull and halve 2 pints strawberries and toss with
1 Tbls. orange juice
2-4 Tbls. honey
about 15 torn leaves of mint (or basil)

To assemble: Place tart shells on a plate, fill halfway with ricotta mixture and top with berries. Serve and enjoy!

Combinations to experiment with:

• Sweetened whipped cream and berries or halved cherries
• Honey Greek yogurt and peaches, nectarines or apricots with honey and toasted nuts
• Lemon curd and blueberries
• Ice cream and fruit
• Coconut pudding, sliced banana, chocolate or caramel sauce

Blue Cheese Stuffed Dates Wrapped in Bacon

Think you can't entertain in a tiny kitchen? 

Check out Chef Sam Reed from Portland's Hop & Vine as he shows me how he makes his addictive Bacon Wrapped Blue Cheese Stuffed Dates in his VERY tiny kitchen.

When in Portland Oregon be sure and stop in at  The Hop & Vine and say "hi" to Sam!

 Ingredients: 

12 Dates Pitted and Scored

1/2 Cup Rogue Oregon Blue Cheese

12 Slices Pepper Bacon

Method:

Instructions: Preheat oven to 375F, lay the bacon out on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. While bacon is cooking fill each date with blue cheese, pinching edges closed to seal. Wrap each date individually with one slice bacon, securing with a toothpick or skewer. The dates can then be grilled, baked, or pan roasted till the bacon is hot and crispy and the cheese is melted. Serve with balsamic vinaigrette. (1 part vinegar, 3 parts oil, salt and pepper to taste)

 Pairing: Delicious with Cardamaro Amaro

Note:  These can be made ahead of time and reheated in the oven or on a grill.