Somehow this recipe got stuck in my drafts several weeks ago and never got published. And what a shame! It was delicious!

Shea poached the salmon in this dish perfectly; neither of had ever poached salmon before, and it was actually pretty straight-forward and easy. Give it a try!

Poached Salmon with Corn and White Wine-Butter Sauce

Courtesy of Food and Wine at http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/poached-salmon-with-corn-and-white-wine-butter-sauce?xid=DAILY090513ViewRecipe

1. 4 medium zucchini (1 1/2 pounds), coarsely shredded
2. Salt
3. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4. 3 medium shallots—2 finely chopped, 1 halved
5. Freshly ground pepper
6. 2 3/4 cups dry white wine
7. 1 cup fresh corn kernels
8. 2 lemon thyme sprigs
9. 1 bay leaf
10. Four 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets
11. 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
12. 1/4 cup thinly sliced basil leaves

1. Set a colander over a bowl. Add the zucchini to the colander and toss with 1 teaspoon of salt. Let stand for 20 minutes. Squeeze the zucchini dry.
2. In a large, nonreactive skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the chopped shallots and season with salt and pepper. Cook over moderate heat until softened, about 3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of the wine and cook until evaporated, about 2 minutes. Stir in the corn and 1/2 cup of water. Cover and cook until the corn is tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in the zucchini and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, cover and keep warm.
3. In a large, nonreactive saucepan, combine 2 cups of the wine with the thyme, bay leaf, the halved shallot and 2 cups of water and bring to a simmer. Season the salmon with salt, add the fillets to the saucepan and cook at a bare simmer over low heat, turning once, about 6 minutes. Transfer the salmon to a plate and pat dry with paper towels. Discard the poaching liquid.
4. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of wine to the saucepan and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until thoroughly incorporated. Season with salt. Stir the basil into the vegetables and transfer to plates. Nestle the salmon into the vegetables, top with the butter sauce and serve.

Polenta-Stuffed Poblano Peppers

I love to reminisce about one of the first dishes Seamus ever cooked for me: stuffed peppers. I had never really had stuffed peppers before that, but now whenever I see a recipe of them, I feel inclined to try it. This recipe in particular caught my eye because of the use of polenta and goat cheese, changing this dish that I typically think of as Mexican into sort of an American/Italian fusion.

Instead of using polenta, I used quick cooking grits and they worked perfectly. They didn't have poblano peppers at the grocery store, so we used regular green bell peppers. I would like to try this dish with poblanos to get the extra kick into the dish without having to add tabasco!

Polenta-Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Courtesy of Real Simple at http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/polenta-stuffed-poblano-peppers-00000000012500/index.html

Ingredients

• 4 plum tomatoes, halved
• 1 red onion, cut into wedges
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 poblano peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• kosher salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup instant polenta
• 1 10-ounce package frozen corn
• 1/4 cup soft goat cheese (2 ounces)
• 4 scallions, sliced

Directions

1. Heat broiler. On a rimmed broilerproof baking sheet, toss the tomatoes, onion, and oil; turn the tomatoes cut-side down. Add the peppers, cut-side down.
2. Broil until tender and charred, stirring the onions and turning the tomatoes and peppers halfway through, 5 to 8 minutes.
3. Heat oven to 400° F. In a food processor, puree the tomatoes, onion, cinnamon, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper until smooth. Spread half the sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Arrange the peppers in the dish, cut-side up.
4. In a medium saucepan, bring 2 ¼ cups water to a boil. Add ½ teaspoon salt. Gradually whisk in the polenta. Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the corn, cheese, and all but 2 tablespoons of the scallions.
5. Divide the polenta among peppers. Top with the remaining sauce and bake until heated through, 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining scallions before serving.

Seyal Machi (Fish in Caramelized Onion Sauce)

This is another recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks, Ajanta. Shea and I have started to practice making Indian food using this cookbook and the variety of spices that came with it. This dish seemed simple, so it was one of the first dishes we ever tried and we really liked it.

We have made this dish several times, and this time we tried a couple of new things. We used Cod instead of Halibut, we used coriander seeds instead of powder (we didn't have powder), and deglazed the pan with some white wine that we had left over from my parents visit to DC last week. The dish still turned out well, though so it was worth it!

Seyal Machi (Fish in Caramelized Onion Sauce)

Courtesy of Ajanta by Lachu Moorjani

Ingredients
6 tablespoons oil, divided
4 medium onions, peeled and cut into 1/8 inch dice
4 teaspoons coriander powder
1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons mango powder
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 to 2 teaspoons hot Chile pepper powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 pounds catfish fillets (or other white fish like halibut or snapper) cut into 2 to 3 inches pieces

Directions
1. In a 6-8 quart saucepan, heat about 4 tablespoons of oil. Add onions and saute over high heat, stirring frequently until the onions are deep golden brown, almost caramelized. Heat should be kept high enough so the onions dehydrate and do not become soggy.

2. Add all the spices and salt. Lower the heat a little bit. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes. Reduce to low heat, and leave the sauce on low until the next step is done.

3. In another 10-12 inch saute pan, heat the remaining oil until it becomes very hot, almost to the point of smoking. While the oil is getting hot, pat dry the pieces of fish in a clean towel. Saute the fish in the hot oil about 30 seconds on each side, until it changes color. Transfer the fish to the pot with the sauce. Raise to medium heat and cook until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily, about 3 to 4 minutes. The cooking time will depend on the thickness of the fish pieces. Reduce the cooking time for thinner pieces.

Red Beans and Rice

Seamus and I have have traveled to New Orleans three times since we have been together. I don't think it would be a stretch to say that is our favorite US city to visit. We love the food, the music, and all of the fun that we always find when we are in town.

Recently two good friends of ours that we lived with in Hawaii, Bob and Dorothy, moved to New Orleans. We went down to to visit them last year for New Years Eve. We had a fantastic time, and one of the highlights was when Bob cooked red beans and rice for us at their home.

Shea cooked the beans listed below, and I loved them. They instantly took me back to my memories of New Orleans, a place so fun that even when it is time to go home you just want to turn back for one more bowl of cajun food and an abita ale!

Red Beans and Rice

Courtesy of Allrecipes.com at http://allrecipes.com/recipe/authentic-louisiana-red-beans-and-rice/

Ingredients 

Original recipe makes 8 servings   

• 1 pound dry kidney beans
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 6 cups water
• 2 bay leaves

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
• 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups long grain white rice

1. Rinse beans, and then soak in a large pot of water overnight.
2. In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion, bell pepper, garlic, and celery in olive oil for 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Rinse beans, and transfer to a large pot with 6 cups water. Stir cooked vegetables into beans. Season with bay leaves, cayenne pepper, thyme, sage, parsley, and Cajun seasoning. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 2 1/2 hours.
4. Stir sausage into beans, and continue to simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the rice. In a saucepan, bring water and rice to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve beans over steamed white rice.

I was out at a Korean Karaoke party with my friends from work, so Shea made this dish on his own. According to Shea:

"I was planning on making eggplant meatballs but realized I had to bake the eggplant for an hour before even getting started. Being hungry, I briefly considered grabbing a Jumbo Slice but it was raining and the fridge was stocked so I figured I'd try this recipe instead. I also though Kyna was eating Korean food at karaoke so this would spare her having to eat it twice in a row.

The recipe calls for cooking everything separately so it took me a while to make, but the end product was great. I added a poached egg to the top of mine and a liberal amount of Sriracha. I also forgot to make the sweet soy sauce for the zucchini but it turned out well anyways. I would definitely make it again, good leftovers as well, although tofu never tastes as good cold."

Crispy Tofu Bibimbap with Mustard Greens & Zucchini 

Courtesy of Food and Wine at http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/crispy-tofu-bibimbap-with-mustard-greens-and-zucchini

1.  tablespoon rice vinegar
2. 1 teaspoon sugar
3. 2 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
4. 2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
5. Kosher salt
6. 1 cup sushi rice
7. 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
8. 2 garlic cloves, minced
9. 12 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and caps thickly sliced
10. One 14-ounce box extra-firm tofu, patted dry and cut into 3-by- 1/3-inch sticks
11. One 12-ounce bunch of mustard greens—stems and inner ribs removed, leaves coarsely chopped
12. 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
13. 1 small zucchini, cubed
14. 2 tablespoons kecap manis(Indonesian sweet soy sauce) or 2 tablespoons of soy sauce mixed with 1 teaspoon of molasses
15. 4 scallions, thinly sliced
16. Gochujang (Korean chile paste, see Note) or Sriracha, for serving

1. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar with the sugar, cucumbers, 1 teaspoon of the ginger and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the rice with 1 1/3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over very low heat until tender, 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
3. Meanwhile, in a nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil. Add the garlic and shiitake, season with salt and cook over high heat, stirring, until browned, 6 minutes; scrape onto a platter. Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil and add the tofu. Cook over high heat, turning, until browned, 5 minutes. Scrape the tofu onto the platter, keeping it separate from the mushrooms.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in the skillet. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of ginger and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the mustard greens and sesame oil, season with salt and cook until the greens are wilted and just tender, 4 minutes. Add the greens to the platter. Wipe out the skillet. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in the skillet. Add the zucchini and cook over high heat until softened, 3 minutes. Add the kecap manis and cook until the zucchini is glazed, 1 minute; scrape onto the platter. Keep warm.
5. Mound the rice in bowls and arrange the cooked vegetables in separate piles. Using a slotted spoon, add the pickled cucumbers to the bowls. Garnish with the scallions and a dollop of gochujang and serve.

Smoked Salmon with Watercress and Snap Pea Salad

I'm sure I have written about Shea's love of smoked salmon before; when we saw that smoked salmon was 50% off at the grocery store, we knew that we needed to buy some.

This dish is so simple, yet so delicious. The watercress and snap pea salad took about 10 minutes to make, and was so flavorful and full of texture that it didn't even really need the salmon, although it was a delicious addition. If you are short on time and want a fresh dinner, this is a great option.

Smoked Salmon with Watercress and Snap Pea Salad

Courtesy of Food and Wine at http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/smoked-salmon-with-watercress-and-sugar-snap-salad

1. 1/2 pound sugar snap peas
2. 3/4 pound thin-sliced smoked salmon
3. 1 tablespoon lemon juice
4. 1/2 teaspoon salt
5. 1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
6. 3 tablespoons olive oil
7. 2 bunches watercress (about 5 ounces each), tough stems removed
8. 4 scallions including green tops, cut into thin diagonal slices

1. In a large saucepan of boiling, salted water, cook the snap peas until just barely tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain thoroughly. Pat dry with paper towels.
2. Arrange the salmon on individual plates, overlapping the slices as necessary. In a large bowl, whisk the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add the oil slowly, whisking. Add the snap peas, watercress and scallions and toss. Mound the salad in the center of each plate and serve.

MAKE AHEAD You can cook the snap peas a day ahead and refrigerate. Trim the watercress several hours in advance, cover with damp paper towels and refrigerate. Slice the scallions ahead, too, wrap and refrigerate.

Creamy Squash Macaroni and Cheese

I loved eating my mom's homemade macaroni and cheese when I was growing up. I dabbled in eating boxed macaroni and cheese in college, too. It wasn't really until I realized how bad for you macaroni and cheese is that I stopped eating it on a frequent basis. Since then, I have always been intrigued by recipes that claim to make this decadent dish more healthy (like my earlier post, "carrot macaroni and cheese".

This dish combines another ingredient that I love to eat with pasta (besides cheese), squash. The squash turns out rich and creamy, and even looks like cheese when this dish is finished. I liked this dish a lot, but Shea was definitely on squash overload this week, so I had to eat basically the entire pan by myself!

Creamy Squash Macaroni and Cheese

Courtesy of Cooking Light at http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/creamy-light-macaroni-cheese-50400000115195/

Ingredients

• 3 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 [1-pound] squash)
• 1 1/4 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth $
• 1 1/2 cups fat-free milk $
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled $
• 2 tablespoons plain fat-free Greek yogurt $
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese
• 1 cup (4 ounces) grated pecorino Romano cheese
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) finely grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided $
• 1 pound uncooked cavatappi
• Cooking spray $
• 1 teaspoon olive oil $
• 1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. 2. Combine squash, broth, milk, and garlic in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. 3. Place the hot squash mixture in a blender. Add salt, pepper, and Greek yogurt. Remove the center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Place blended squash mixture in a bowl; stir in Gruyère, pecorino Romano, and 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano. Stir until combined.
4. 4. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well. Add pasta to squash mixture, and stir until combined. Spread mixture evenly into a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray.
5. 5. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add panko, and cook for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Sprinkle evenly over the hot pasta mixture. Lightly coat topping with cooking spray.
6. 6. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately.