Roasted Whole Mackerel with Smashed Potatoes and Bok Choy

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Maki looked up at me with her dark brown eyes.  I know this look well. It's the one telling me she desperately wants a nibble, a lick... anything. She came over to me as soon as I'd taken the mackerel out of their paper.  "No.  It's not for you." I told her sternly.

Blank stare. Licks lips.

"No. Now, go away."

Cocked head. Blink, blink. Licks lips.

As I stuffed the mackerel with fresh herbs and lemon, my pal sat patiently beside me.  Shortly after I placed them in the oven, the whole house began to fill with a soothing aroma that only roasted dishes can provide. It's the comfort one feels when they smell wood burning from a fireplace on a crisp winter night.  It was all I could do from sticking my head in there.

The wait was worth it. By the end, the fish was sizzling.  I let it cool for a minute and then carefully pulled back the skin to reveal the meat.  I went in with my fingers, not caring if I burned them.  The first bite reminded me that fish prepared simply is often the best; that uncomplicated meals can be the most flavorful.  A small, but important, revelation.

Fish Triptich

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Roasted Whole Spanish Mackerel with Smashed Potatoes + Bok Choy

Yield 4 servings

Ingredients

2 - medium Spanish mackerel, scaled and gutted Extra virgin olive oil Kosher salt 1 lemon, cut into 5-6 slices Fresh chive 1 bunch parsley 2 lbs baby red potatoes 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped 4 heads of baby bok choy, washed well, and halved lengthwise 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar 

Instructions

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the potatoes and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain in a colander.

2. Place rack in middle of the oven and preheat to 475 degrees.

3. Place the mackerel on a baking sheet.  Drizzle 1/4 cup olive oil over both sides of the fish and rub to coat.  Season both sides, as well as the cavity, with Kosher salt and black pepper.  Stuff the cavities of the fish with lemon slices, chive and parsley.

4. Transfer baking sheet to the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes.  While it is cooking, prepare the potatoes and bok choy.

5. Prepare the potatoes by heating 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the potatoes and, using a metal spatula, press down gently to smash them.  Once they have browned on one side (this should take a couple of minutes), flip the potatoes over and cook to brown the other side.  Season with Kosher salt and black pepper and fresh rosemary.

6. In a separate skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the bok choy, cut side facing down. Season with salt and pepper. After a few minutes, check the bok choy to see if has started to brown.  If so, pour the balsamic vinegar over the bok choy, flip over and cook on the other side for another couple of minutes.  Remove from heat.

7. Once the fish is done (the eyes will turn white and when you touch the body, it should be firm), remove it from the oven and transfer to a serving platter using two metal spatulas.  Decorate the rest of the platter with the potatoes and bok choy.

Chimichurri Shrimp with Lime-Herb Rice

It's taken us a few days to get back into our normal routine.  Maki has finally forgiven us for leaving her for ten days.  When we came home Saturday night, she backed away from us.  I did everything I could to win her over... treats, hugs, rubs, kisses. Nope... skeptical.  But now she seems into us again, happily nuzzling her adorable face into our arms.  Gosh, I missed that pup.

A package awaited me when I came home too.  This book. One that I've been anticipating since Ree mentioned it at The Big Traveling Potluck.  And I'm so excited it's finally here.  It was one of the first pieces of mail I opened and I instantly came to the pages of the recipes I knew I'd be making first.  Shrimp. Herbs. Rice. The foods I enjoyed so much while in Austin. I was now going to try them in my own kitchen.  Eric isn't much into cilantro, but he was a sport and not only tried it, but ate the whole thing. If you knew how much he despises it, you'd be impressed.  So, that's an endorsement right there.

Now, onto the giveaway!!!  Three lucky readers will be receiving a SIGNED copy of Ree’s soon to be released book, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays. That’s right!  There will be THREE WINNERS!  Of course, if you're anxious to get your hands on a copy, you can purchase it here.

To enter this giveaway, leave a comment on this post (something more than "I want to win!!!" is preferred).

This giveaway will end on Friday, November 1, 2013 at 12:00 PM EST.  I’ll pick 3 winners via random.org and those people will be contacted via e-mail.  One entry per person and entrants must have a US mailing address (sorry international friends) and provide a valid email address.  Best of luck!

Chimichurri Shrimp

Yield 4 servings for dinner

Tools
Food processor or blender
Skillet

Ingredients
1 large bunch cilantro, stems removed
1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley, stems removed
3 garlic cloves, minced
Juice of 3 limes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

3 pounds raw jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Lime-herb rice (recipe below)

Instructions

1. Place the cilantro, parsley and garlic into the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse until chopped.  Transfer to a bowl and stir in lime juice, cumin, cayenne pepper, and olive oil.

2. Place the shrimp in a separate bowl and pour half of the chimichurri sauce over them.  Stir to coat the shrimp.  Cover bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours.

3. Remove shrimp from the fridge. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the shrimp to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes or until the shrimp turn pink.  Cut into one to make sure it has cooked all the way through.

4. In a saucepan, combine the remaining chimichurri and heavy cream.  Cook over low-medium heat and stir.  Once the sauce has heated, remove and pour over shrimp. Serve with lime-herb rice

Source: Slightly adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays

Lime-Herb Rice

Yield 8 servings

Tools
Sauce pan
Food processor or blender

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Juice of 2 limes
1/2 cup parsley
1/2 cup cilantro
1/2 cup pine nuts

Instructions

1. Bring 3 cups of water and 1/2 a teaspoon kosher salt to a boil.  Add the rice, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer.  Cook for 18 minutes. Take the lid off and let sit for 5 minutes.

2. While the rice is resting, place the parsley, cilantro, and garlic cloves into the bowl of a food processor. While running the food processor, drizzle in the olive oil and lime juice. Season with the remaining salt.

3. Lightly toast the pine nuts in a pan, making sure not to burn them.

4. Toss the rice with the herb mixture. Stir in the toasted pine nuts.

Source: Inspired by the "Zesty Lime Rice" recipe from The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays

Squid with Burst Cherry Tomatoes

Squid with Burst Cherry Tomatoes

"Clocks slay time... time is dead as long as it is being clicked off by little wheels;

only when the clock stops does time come to life." - William Faulkner

Squid with Burst Cherry Tomatoes

Squid with Burst Cherry Tomatoes

When we arrived to open the Cape house a few months ago, we noticed that the kitchen clock had stopped working.  This wasn't terribly surprising, since it had been around for quite some time.  To fill the empty space, a platter in the shape of a fish was propped up against the wall.  Eric and his brother like to joke about it. "Hey, what time is it?" one asks... to which the other replies "I think it's half past a fish."

It never gets old.

I've grown to really appreciate the absence of the clock.  So much of my day is spent scheduling that to be in a place that doesn't have a visible clock is refreshing. Somehow life slows down in the most miraculous way when you aren't always checking to see what time it is.   Eating when you want to.  Drinking when you want to. Napping when you want to.  It's a wonderful thing.

Squid with Burst Cherry Tomatoes

Squid with Burst Cherry Tomatoes

Squid with Burst Cherry Tomatoes

(mildly adapted from Tom Colicchio's recipe in Food and Wine Magazine, August 2013)

Servings 8-10

Ingredients

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 1/2 pounds mixed cherry tomatoes 2 large garlic cloves, minced 1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 1 1/2 pounds small squid, cleaned, bodies cut into 1/3-inch rings and tentacles halved 1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 1 cup lightly packed small basil leaves

Instructions

1. Add the oil to a skillet and set over medium heat.  Add tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes blister, approximately 4 minutes.

2. Add the squid and cook on low heat for approximately 5 minutes, or until they become opaque.

3. Stir in the rice wine vinegar and basil and season with salt and pepper.