Pepper Halibut (or Turbot) with Salsa Cream

1 red pepper, cut into chunks (next time, we should cut them smaller than the pic above)

1-1.5 pounds Halibut or Turbot

3/4 cup sour cream (we used plain 2% Greek yogurt - note: this does not heat well)

1/3 cup salsa verde (green salsa)

Cumin, cayenne and chili powder to taste

dried parsley for garnish

Steps

Heat broiler.

Spray cookie sheet with oil. Place fish on cookie sheet.

Sprinkle cumin, chili powder and cayenne over fish

Add the red pepper chunks to cookie sheet.

Broil fish and red peppers until done - maybe 5-7 minutes depending on thickness

While fish and peppers cook, combine sour cream (or yogurt substitute) and salsa in a little pot and simmer until heated through (note: do not heat the yogurt too much or it will disintegrate into ugly stuff)

Plate it by putting some pepper mixture on plate, then fish on top and spoon some of the salsa cream over the top

Garnish with a little parsley.

based on:

http://www.thecookingguy.com/cookbook/recipe.php?id=370

Squid with Caramelized Onions

Servings 4

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, unpeeled

1 onion, thinly sliced vertically

sugar to taste

1 bay leaf

salt

3/4 lb fresh squid, cleaned and cut into small triangles or 3/4 lb baby calamari

2 tablespoons dry white wine

1 teaspoon chopped flat leaf parsley

Directions:

Prep Time: 5 mins

Total Time: 20 mins

1 Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over a medium flame. Split open the garlic clove by placing it on a cutting board and pressing down hard with the base of your hand or with the flat side of a knife. Add the garlic to the pan and cook until it starts to brown, about 2 minutes.

2 Add the onions and bay leaf, and cook slowly until the onions are light brown, about 10 minutes. Then reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and tender (caramelized), about 20 minutes. If the onions start to get too dark, add 1/2 tablespoon of water. If onions do not caramelize, add sugar to sweeten onion mixture. Remove them from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the oil in the pan.

3 Raise the heat to high and sprinkle a little salt on the oil and sugar. Add some of the squid, making sure you don't overcrowd the pan--you need to leave plenty of space between them so the heat remains high and the squid is sauteed, not boiled. Saute for 15 to 20 seconds on each side. Remove the squid from the pan and repeat the process with the remaining squid.

4 Return all the squid to the pan, add the caramelized onions and stir together. Pour in the wine and boil for around 20 seconds. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve.

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/squid-with-caramelized-onions-361742#ixzz1FghptGwy

Chicken Etouffee

Ingredients

steamed rice

caramelized onions from squid recipe above

3 celery stalks, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

roughly 6-7 tablespoons butter

1/2 pound chicken, cut into bite sized pieces & marinated in soy sauce & sherry (sherry optional)

3.5 cups chicken stock

1-2 tablespoons corn starch premixed with water for thickening

1-3 tablespoons ketchup

salt and pepper to taste

Cajun seasoning to taste (we mixed chili powder, garlic powder, red pepper, onion powder, thyme & basil)

Directions

Make the steamed rice:

Combine the rice and water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until rice is tender and water has been absorbed.

When making the caramelized onions for the squid recipe, add the celery and green peppers to the hot pan after onions become translucent.

After squid recipe is finished, add butter to the remaining onion mixture in a hot pan.

While onion mixture is cooking with butter, cook the marinated chicken in wok/pan with oil.

Add chicken stock to butter/onion mixture. Add cornstarch mixture. Add cooked chicken. Heat until well thickened.

Add ketchup and spices to taste.

Sweet & Sour Chicken

Sauce Ingredients

(We doubled the sauce recipe!)

• 3 tbsp sugar


• 3 tbsp vinegar


• 3 tbsp water


• 2 tbsp ketchup


• 1 tbsp soy sauce


• 1-1/2 tsp corn starch

Sauce directions
Mix all sauce ingredients over medium heat until sugar is disolved.

Ingredients

• Chicken, cut into chunks


• 2 tsp soy sauce


• 2 tsp sherry (optional)


• 1 egg white


• 1/2 cup cornstarch


• Canola oil


• 1 green pepper, cut into chunks


• 1/2 white onion, cut into chunks


• 2 tsp garlic


• Green onion, chopped

Directions

1. Marinate chicken in soy sauce and sherry for 30-60 minutes.


2. Add egg white to chicken.


3. Put cornstarch in ziploc bag. Add chicken to the bag and shake to coat chicken with the cornstarch.


4. Put oil in cooking pan (enough to submerge chicken chunks about half way) and bring to high heat. Turn down to medium heat and add chicken. Fry chicken on one side, turning over when golden brown. Continue frying until chicken is cooked through.


5. Remove chicken from oil and set aside on paper towel, allowing to drain.


6. Save 2 tbsp of used oil. Add garlic. Allow garlic to brown and then add onion and green pepper. Cook through. Add green onion. Pour in sauce and bring to boil. Add cooked chicken and stir to coat.

Quick Pot Sticker Soup

Ingredients
* 1 tablespoon sesame oil
* 1 onion, chopped
* 2 cloves minced garlic
* 2 (32 ounce) cartons chicken broth
* 2 green onions, chopped
* 1 tablespoon sesame oil
* salt and pepper to taste
* 1 (15 ounce) package frozen pot stickers (any filling)
* 1 (12 ounce) package frozen stir-fry vegetables

*****We used fresh veggies instead of frozen and fresh made pot stickers from the grocery store instead of frozen. Also used hot sesame oil, which gave it a nice kick.

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the chopped onion and garlic; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth, green onions, and remaining sesame oil. Bring to a boil over high heat, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Reduce the heat to medium, and add the frozen pot stickers and stir-fry vegetables. Cook until the pot stickers float, about 8 minutes.

Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls

Ingredients
* 2 ounces bean thread vermicelli
* 8 rice wrappers (8.5 inch diameter)
* cooked chicken, shredded
* 1 1/3 tablespoons chopped fresh Thai basil
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
* mung bean sprouts
* carrots, matchsticks

Instructions
* Prepare vermicelli according to package
* Soak rice wrapper in warm water for 1 second
* Wrap ingredients in wet wrapper. Serve with sauce.

Sauce

Ingredients
* 1/2 cup peanut butter
* 1 tablespoon soy sauce
*2-4 cloves garlic, minced or chopped
* 1/4 cup water or chicken broth and rice wine
* 2 tablespoon brown sugar
* juice from half a lemon (can be less, depending on your tastes)

Instructions
* Combine all ingredients stirring over low to med heat.

Asiany Scallops

Ingredients
* 1/2 cup soy sauce
* Juice of 2 limes
* Juice of 1 lemon
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely chopped
* 1 teaspoon sesame oil
* 1 lb large sea scallops
* peanut oil

Steps
* Place all ingredients except scallops in a glass or ceramic shallow bowl. Mix well and add scallops.
* Marinate 5 minutes each side at room temperature. If you marinate scallops too long, they'll get mushy.
* Transfer scallops to a plate and reserve marinade.
* Heat 1/2 teaspoon oil in a large saute pan over high heat until hot and almost smoking.
* Add scallops (cook in batches if necessary to keep from being too crowded) and saute quickly until seared brown and just cooked through - about 2 minutes a side.
* Remove from pan.
* Add marinade to pan and boil until reduced to about 1/3 cup, about 2 minutes.
* Drizzle scallops with sauce.