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Tuesday June 30th, 2009

GRILLED TUNA WITH ANCHOVY BUTTER

Makes 2 servings
2 (8-ounce) tuna fillets
2 tablespoons plus ¼ cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 medium-size yellow onions, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
4 anchovy fillets (packed in oil and drained)
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons soy sauce

Prepare the grill.

Rub the tuna with two tablespoons of the olive oil, then season them generously with salt and pepper. Put the onion slices in a bowl with the remaining ¼ cup olive oil and toss to coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Put the anchovies in a small bowl and mash with a fork. Add the butter, lemon juice, and soy, and season with salt and pepper. Blend well.

Grill the tuna fish for about two minutes on each side (don’t overcook), and grill the onions for about a minute on each side.

To serve, separate the onion slices into rings and scatter them over the tuna. Smear the anchovy butter over the fish and onions. Serve warm.

Since garden-grown tomatoes are coming into season, I suggest serving them with the tuna. Thickly slice the tomatoes, sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Season lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.

If you can get fresh corn, here is a delightful summertime recipe.

Tuesday June 23rd, 2009

LOBSTER SALAD

While I LOVE Louisiana crawfish, they will soon be out of season. Not to fret. A great substitution in my book is lobster. Lobsters in Louisiana? Well, it’s not the whole lobster—just the tail—from Maine where lobsters are plentiful. Sometimes I just want to walk on the wild side and try something different and lobster tails are just the thing with which to make a cool treat for casual summer dining. LOBSTER SALAD

Makes 4 servings
2 (10-ounce) lobster tails (thawed if frozen)
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
½ cup finely chopped celery
¼ cup finely chopped green onions
¾ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Creole mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and cayenne pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
Avocado halves (optional)

Fill a medium-size saucepan with 3 cups water and add the Kosher salt. Bring to a gentle boil. Add the lobster tails and cook for 8 minutes. Drain and cool. When cool enough to handle, remove the tail meat from the shell and coarsely chop. Combine the celery, green onions, mayonnaise, mustard and lemon juice is a bowl. Add the lobster meat and toss to coat evenly. Season to taste with salt and cayenne pepper. Cover and chill for 1 hour before using. To serve, spoon the lobster mixture on salad greens or into avocado halves. For another taste treat, try our sashimi grade yellow fin tuna. It’s great for making sushi but I also like it grilled with anchovy butter.

Tuesday June 16th, 2009

STRAWBERRY COBBLER

Strawberry cobbler Makes about 6 servings Cobbler batter:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons frozen butter
4 tablespoons frozen shortening
4 to 5 tablespoons ice water

Filling:

5 to 6 cups fresh strawberries, hulled, rinsed and patted dry
¾ cup sugar
½ stick butter
Fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

To make the batter, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly grease a two-quart baking dish. Combine the flour and salt in a food processor. Add the butter and shortening and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add four tablespoons of the cold water and process until the dough begins to cling together, about 10 seconds. Add more cold water if necessary. Gather the dough into a ball. Wrap it in plastic wrap and chill for at least 15 minutes. Lightly flour a work surface and a rolling pin. Roll out the dough into a large ragged circle and carefully transfer it to the prepared dish to line the bottom and sides, allowing any excess to hang over. Fill the dough with the berries and sprinkle the sugar over them. Dot with the butter and bring the edges of the pastry over the mixture. They do not have to join completely. Bake for about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Tuesday June 16th, 2009

SEAFOOD AND FRESH VEGETABLES

Summer has unofficially arrived and I am so ready for it. After teaching fulltime since January at Nicholls State University in the John Folse Culinary Institute, I (like the students) am looking forward to a few weeks of rest and relaxation. And that to me is chilling out—taking a cruise on Bayou Teche in my party barge in the early evening, grilling something on the patio or enjoying fresh seafood, cooking with local ingredients found at our farmers’ markets, and lounging around the pool with a cold, refreshing beverage in hand.

To take along on the boat, I opt for bite-size crab cakes (check it out on our website) and bring along some Tabasco Spicy Mayonnaise to spread on them. WOW!

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