July 12 - Summertime Potato Salad

This potato salad is very light to the pallet and perfect side dish to any grilled meat or fish.

I used Yukon potatoes so they do not get mushy when boiled. The boiled eggs gave the creamy consistency when added with mayonnaise.

Then adding chopped fresh onions, celery stalks, carrots and green bell pepper give the crunchy and summery texture to the salad.

Summertime Potato Salad

Ingredients

8 Yukon potatoes, boiled with skin on

4 boiled eggs

11 fl. oz mayonnaise (preferably smoked bacon mayonnaise)

dash of salt and pepper

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 cup chopped fresh celery stalks

1 cup chopped fresh carrots

1/2 cup minced Vidalia onion

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

Preparation Time (15 minutes)

Peel the boiled potatoes and cut them into small cubes.

Place the potatoes is a big bowl.

Chop the boiled eggs and add them to the potatoes.

Add the mayonnaise, salt, pepper and brown sugar.

Add the onions, carrots, celery and green bell pepper.

Mix together.

Serve with any grilled meat or fish.

July 11 - Corn and Black Bean Salad

The bad thing about summer holidays would be the tempting servings of hot dogs, funnel cakes, curly fries, ice cream, and more ice cream.

So when it's time to mellow down, this corn and black bean salad takes the guilt away. Serve it on top of fresh greens and any grilled meat.

Corn and Black Bean Salad

Ingredients

5 ears of fresh corn

19 oz can of black beans

1 large Vidalia onion, minced

1 red bell pepper, minced

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

any fresh greens (lettuce, arugula, spinach)

olive oil

Preparation/Cooking Time (1 hour)

Boil the fresh corn for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a wok.

Saute the onions for 3 minutes.

Add the beans, salt and pepper and cook for another 3 minutes.

Transfer the beans in a big bowl.

Add the minced red bell pepper.

Add some chopped fresh basil.

Once the corn are cooked, heat the grill and grill the corn for 15 minutes.

Shuck the corn kernels and add it to the bean mixture.

When ready to serve, serve it on top of fresh greens.

Serve it with any grilled meat.

July 9 - Honey Glazed Grilled Shrimp

You know that summer is here when I grill most of the time for our dinner. Here is another instant hit for my family, honey glazed grilled shrimps.


Even when serving it with grilled vegetables like asparagus, Portobello mushroom and onions, there is still enough tummy space for dessert.

Honey Glazed Grilled Shrimp

Ingredients
25 counts jumbo Gulf shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 fresh lemon, squeezed
salt and pepper
olive oil
2 tbsp creamed honey
5 bamboo sticks
For the grilled vegetables:
25 fresh asparagus stalks
2 large Portobello mushrooms, sliced
1 large Vidalia onion, cut in half horizontally

Preparation/Cooking Time (30 minutes)
Arrange the shrimps in a plate in a single layer.
Drizzle with lemon juice.
Dash some salt and pepper.
Spread 2 tbsp creamed honey.
Then drizzle some olive oil.
Let it stand for 15 minutes.
On another large plate, arrange the vegetables.
Dash some salt and pepper.
Then drizzle some olive oil, as well.
Heat the grill.
Place 5 shrimps on each bamboo stick.
Arrange the shrimps and vegetables on the grill.
Grill for 5 minutes on each side.

July 8 - Brioche Crusted Halibut

I noticed that if I only serve fish as the main dish (meaning not serving any meat dish with it), the kids will most likely finish their fish serving.

Tonight, I decided to prepare Brioche Crusted Halibut. It was an alternative to brioche crusted loup de mer which I had the pleasure of eating at Cafe Boulud. Loup de mer is Mediterranean sea bass or Branzino. I have learned to love Branzino. The meat is so tender and sweet. But rarely do I see Branzino fillets being sold in the market.

I tried using my new Cuisinart griddler for faster cooking, but I discovered that the bread burnt easily. So my advice is to go the regular way which is roasting the brioche crusted fish in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.


Brioche Crusted Halibut


Ingredients
1.5 lb Halibut fillet, cut in 4 servings
French Bread Baguette, cut in the same size as the fish fillet
1 fresh lemon, squeezed
salt and pepper
olive oil
For the grilled vegetables:
red and green peppers
zucchini
yellow squash
1 large onion
For the rice and red beans:
8 cups cooked Basmati rice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Spanish onion, minced
1 can small red beans
1 tsp turmeric
salt and pepper




Preparation/Cooking Time (40 minutes)
Season the fish fillets with lemon, salt and pepper.
Let it marinate for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the rice with red beans.
Heat 5 tbsp olive oil in a wok.
Saute the garlic, then the onion.
Add the red beans and the rice.
Season with turmeric, salt and pepper.
Let it warm in low setting while grilling the vegetables and fish.
Heat the grill.
Toss some olive oil on the vegetables.
Grill the vegetables, 5 minutes on each side.
If you are cooking the fish in the oven, heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a shallow pan, pour some olive oil.
Arrange the fish fillets in a single layer.
Drizzle some olive oil on the bread slices.
Neatly place slice on each fish fillet.
Cook the fish for 10 minutes or until the bread is browned.
If you are cooking the fish in a contact grill (i.e. Cuisinart), arrange the fish in a single layer, topped with a bread slice on top of each fish fillet.
Close the griddler.
Bake for 10 minutes until the bread is browned and crispy.
Serve the fish immediately with grilled vegetables and rice.

July 6 - Beef Picadillo

It's heatwave week once again in the East Coast. Kids just started their summer camps and the ACs were not working in the gyms. There were no kids in the park. My kids opted to hang out in the public library where they have the comfort of air-conditioned rooms.

S0 it's time for another comfort food, beef picadillo. It's one of my favorites growing up, and a specialty of my Papa. But this following recipe is more Cuban-style. Seasonings include the classic oregano, parsley and basil. Zap it with minced Spanish olives and a dash of cumin.

My kids ate it with tortilla wrap while I had mine with white rice.

Beef Picadillo

Ingredients

2 lbs ground beef sirloin

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Spanish red onion, minced

3 large Yukon potatoes, small cubes

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

4 colossal Spanish olives, minced

3 tbsp salt

1 tsp parsley flakes

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

1 tsp cumin

12 oz tomato paste

5 tbsp olive oil

Cooking Time (45 minutes)

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven pan.

Add the garlic.

Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes.

Mix the ground beef with the garlic and onion and let it cook for 10 minutes.

Add the salt.

Add the potatoes and cook for 10 minutes.

Add the peppers.

Add the tomato paste.

If you prefer to make a thinner sauce, you may 1/2 cup of water.

Season with oregano, parsley, basil and cumin.

Before serving, add the minced olives.

Serve with white rice or warm tortilla wraps.

July 3 - Glaze It For Dinner

Still trying to persuade my kids to eat more fish (besides fish sticks and fish and chips).

This glazed salmon dish fared well on the dining table. Served with glazed nectarines, the salmon was a welcomed treat.

I also tried the same glazed recipe with hangar steak and served it on top of sauteed green beans with onions.

Glazed Salmon, Hangar Steak and Nectarines

Ingredients
2 lbs salmon fillet

3 pcs beef hangar steak

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup olive oil

2 lemons, freshly squeezed

1 tbsp dill weed

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

For the glazed nectarines:

4 nectarines (cored and sliced)

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp olive oil

For the sauteed green beans:

3 tbsp olive oil

2 lbs green beans

1 large onion minced

Preparation Time (30 mins)

Mix the brown sugar, olive oil, lemon juice, dill weed, salt, pepper.

Set aside half of the mixture.

Pour the sugar mixture on the salmon and hangar steaks.

Let it marinate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, saute the green beans.

In a wok, heat 3 tbsp olive oil.

Saute the minced onions.

Add the green beans and cook for 15 minutes, covered.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve it on big, shallow platter.

For the next 10 minutes, grill the glazed nectarines.

Turn the nectarines once.

Arrange them on a big, shallow platter, too.

On the same grill, place the hangar steaks and salmon, with skin side down.

Turn the hangar steaks once in a while.

Grill them for 10 minutes.

Serve the salmon with the nectarines.

Slice the steaks and arrange them on top of the beans.

As for the remaining sugar mixture, heat it in the microwave for two minutes.

Pour it over the steaks and salmon.