Tips for Today

Well, some of you have expressed interest in the recipe for the Curry Crusted Grouper with Vegetables. I got this recipe out of last week's newspaper and it is definitely a keeper. Here you go with some of my modifications/comments:
RED CURRY-CRUSTED GROUPER WITH RAINBOW VEGETABLE SALAD

Vegetables
1/2 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and julienned
1 small carrot, julienned
1 rib celery, sliced in thin strips
1/4 cup red onion slivers
1/4 cup julienned fennel
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Toss the peppers, carrots, celery, onions, fennel and parsley in a nonreactive large bowl. Set aside. This might be a little bit of work to "sliver" your veggies but it is well worth it. They provide a wonderful amount of crunch alongside the fish.

Dressing
2 teaspoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
Pinch sea salt
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Whisk the shallots, horseradish, garlic, lemon juice, water, salt and mustard until mixed. Pour this dressing over the vegetables; toss. I did this at least45 minutes before serving to allow the veggies to soften and the flavors to meld. You need to like horseradish to enjoy this dressing, you can always cut back on it and add more if you like a little more punch.

Grouper
4 (5-6 ounce) grouper fillets
2 teaspoons red curry paste (I mixed this with a little olive oil to spread easier)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Rub each grouper fillet with curry paste. Lightly coat an ovenproof large sauté pan with canola-oil. Sear the fish 1 minute on each side over medium-high heat.
Transfer to oven and bake 5 to 10 minutes until cooked through. Serve each fish fillet with vegetable salad.

Make sure that you get fresh grouper if at all possible. Just read in the paper where some restaurants and purveyors are substituting catfish and tilapia for grouper and red snapper. Personally I don't know how that's possible, but be sure to inspect before you buy!!

Tip #1
I was speaking to a friend today about cooking and she said "I really don't like to cook, I can only assemble." Well quite honestly that's what cooking is all about. My suggestion would be when using any recipe, begin by preparing all the ingredients beforehand. Have them measured, diced, sliced or cubed and in prep bowls or even on wax paper, then once that's done all you need to do is to "assemble" them according to the directions in the recipe. It's really as simple as that.

Tip #2:
Here's another simple "tip" for dicing an onion. We all know how onions can make your eyes tear, well try this. Peel the onion under running water. This washes all the onion liquid off and I guarantee it will keep you from crying. Now, if your recipe calls for a dice, cut your onion in half insuring that you leave the root in tact at the end. This will allow you to hold onto that root and keep the onion together for the next step. Lay one half (flat side down) on your cutting board. With a sharp knife, slice across the onion horizontally to cut it in half, but only as far as the root. Then make cuts vertically down the onion every 1/2 inch or so. Now when you begin to slice the onion from the outside in, you'll have a ready made dice.

Try it, you'll find after a couple of attempts you too can dice an onion just like the pros!!!

Bon Appetit!