Seafood Fried Rice (+ A Fun Giveaway!!!)

Fried rice always reminds me of my father. It's one of a handful of dishes he'd make when we were kids. He'd take over dinner duty if my mom was too sick or tired to cook. As I did with her almost every evening, when my dad was in the kitchen, I was there by his side, watching intently as he'd gather ingredients from the fridge and distribute them on the counter. I'd stand next to him as he'd heat up a giant wok and crisp up the rice in oil. Towards the end, frozen vegetables, typically peas and carrots, were added, followed by an egg, which was scrambled and then dispersed. There may have been some chicken put on top, but I just remember the fried rice. It remains one of my ultimate comfort foods.

This Thursday not only happens to be my birthday, but it's also the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, a holiday where family members celebrate all that the season has to offer by gathering for a big feast. If like me and a fan of Chinese food, I suggest you get your hands on Kian Lam Kho's gorgeous book, Phoenix Claws and Jade Trees: Essential Techniques of Authentic Chinese Cooking. If you don't know his blog, Red Cook, go check it out because it's a great resource for those looking to get into Chinese cooking.  But, again, his book is absolutely stunning (I want to make every recipe), so definitely pick up a copy. The recipe featured here is very slightly adapted from his shrimp fried rice. 

And now, for a big, awesome GIVEAWAY... I have not just one but TWO items to share with one lucky reader. The first is one (1) copy of Phoenix Claws and Jade Trees, which was graciously provided by its publisher Clarkson Potter. And to get you going with all your stir-frying, I'm also giving away one (1) 14-Inch Covered Wok in Advanced Bronze from Anolon!

To enter, leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite Chinese dish is. Only one entry per person. Eligible to US residents only (sorry international friends)! Giveaway ends at 12PM EST on Sunday, October 9, 2016. The winner will be notified via e-mail. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, another name will be drawn. (Note: Be sure to fill out the e-mail field in the comment form) 

Seafood Fried Rice

Source
Slightly adapted from Phoenix Claws and Jade Trees by Kian Lam Kho

Yield
Serves 2 as a main course, 4 as a side dish

Ingredients
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 lb medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/4 lb jumbo scallops, sliced into rounds
1/4 lb salmon, skin and bones removed, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 cups leftover cooked rice
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 scallions, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Directions
Heat a wok over high heat until a droplet of water sizzles and evaporates immediately upon contact. Swirl 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil around the bottom and sides of the wok to coat it evenly. Put the fresh shrimp in the wok and stir-fry until they turn slightly pink and are partially cooked, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl.

Swirl 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the scallops and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Add the salmon and cook for another 1 minute. Transfer to the bowl with the shrimp. 

Swirl the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil evenly around the sides of the wok. Add the garlic and carrots. Cook for about 2 minutes. Add the leftover rice. Break up any lumps of rice and stir-fry for another 3 minutes. Return the seafood to the wok, along with the frozen peas, and add the salt and pepper. Continue to stir-fry for another minute. 

Push the rice toward one side of the wok to expose about a quarter of the bottom surface. Pour the egg into the open space in the wok and scramble it slightly. Then push the rice over the egg and let the egg continue to cook. At this stage, you want to let the rice sit without stirring so that the bottom of the rice browns slightly. This should take about 1 minute. Then stir the rice around and once again let the rice on the bottom brown. Stir the rice once again and repeat this browning for a third time.

Turn the heat off, add the chopped scallions and cilantro to the rice, and mix well.  

Dairy-Free Clam and Corn Chowder

There's something in the air. Not a chill, exactly (though it has gotten a little cooler, which I love). No, there's a sweet, dank aroma that's arrived. I noticed it when we took the dog out for a walk in the woods. Nature telling us that we're approaching the end of summer. As soon as it hit me, I immediately craved soup and, so, I made a pot of clam chowder. It's not your typical clam chowder and I know there are purists out there who might make a fuss about this being too fancy. But it really isn't. The major difference is that I used coconut milk instead of cream. I actually prefer it this way. It's rich in flavor, but doesn't feel heavy. Also, there's no bacon in it. Now, I have nothing against bacon and I totally see why folks love it so much, but I am baffled as to why every chowder recipe contains some. Let's ask ourselves... Does it really need it? In my opinion, it doesn't (note the smoked paprika, which provides a hint of that bacony flavor).

The funny thing is that I made this chowder last week and again over the weekend. On the Cape, my brother-in-law will often go out clamming in the morning. When he does, he'll return with buckets of beautiful, fresh, briny clams (sometimes there are snails and mussels thrown into the mix). Last Sunday, I suggested that I make a batch of this soup for his birthday dinner that evening, which he was totally on board with. So, clam chowder twice in one week. Not bad at all. 

Dairy-Free Clam and Corn Chowder

Note
To cut down on the cooking time, I've suggested using canned clams instead of preparing fresh clams, which is what I initially did when I made this dish. 

Yield
4-6 servings

Ingredients
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 celery stalks, sliced into thick 1/4 inch thick pieces
3 ears corn kernels
Salt
Black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 10 oz cans chopped clams, in clam juice
1 15 oz can full-fat coconut milk
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Fresh dill

Directions
In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped yellow onion and cook for 30 seconds. Add the sweet potato and celery. Season with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the corn kernels, chopped clams, clam juice and coconut milk and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the sweet potato is cooked. Season with salt, to taste. Before serving, stir in lime juice. Ladle soup into bowls and top with fresh dill and freshly ground black pepper

Lemon-Cured Sardine Crostini

One thing I had not planned on doing this week was gutting and filleting a bunch of sardines. Nope... wasn't on my agenda. But yesterday I found myself hovering over the kitchen sink, removing all those fun bits and very carefully running a paring knife through each one. I struggled at first. They're fragile little dudes and because my filleting skills aren't the best, they definitely didn't look pretty. By the end, though, I started to get the hang of it. And, really, that's the hardest part of this recipe (maybe if you ask nicely you can get someone at the fish counter to clean and fillet them for you). The rest of it comes together quickly. Just some seasoning and lemon and then they head for the refrigerator to chill and get their cure on. 

We head off to the Berkshires later this week where we'll be spending time with my parents, sister and her family. It'll be nice to get away for a little bit. I plan to leave my camera at home... as much as I love what I do, a break is needed. Of course, I'll still have my phone with me to capture all the cute things my nieces do and I'm sure there'll be a few posts on Instagram of places Eric and I stop off to eat. 

Lemon-Cured Sardine Crostini with Ricotta and Fennel

Ingredients
8 sardines, cleaned and filleted
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced (white and light green sections only)
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt
Pepper

1 baguette, sliced on a bias and toasted
Whole-milk ricotta
Capers, drained
Fresh parsley, finely chopped

Directions
Place the sardine fillets in a single layer in a glass baking dish. Season with 1 tablespoon salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Sprinkle with some of the fennel and a few lemon slices. Repeat with remaining sardines, fennel and lemon. Pour the lemon juice over the sardines and cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, making sure to press down so it touches the fish. Weigh down with glass jars and refrigerate for 24 hours. 

To assemble the crostini, spread 1 tablespoon of ricotta on each slice of bread. Top with 1 sardine fillet, fennel, capers and chopped parsley.