When I stop to contemplate what has happened during the last week, I am astounded. I took a little trip to Victoria, British Columbia. No vacation – as I was oft reminded while I was there. This was work. And, now, looking back, it was some of the most rewarding work I have ever done in my life.
I went to visit my friend, Christina. A remarkably gifted woman, she facilitated me through a process called Shift It®, which she developed to help individuals or organizations navigate through the uncertainty of change. For me, the change is significant: Heady Logical Lawyer becomes Creative Culinary Genius. I worked hard and found my way through the quagmire of self-doubt and curiosity. And, managed to cater three (!) parties for her during my 5-day stay.
I could blog about the parties for the next few weeks! The recipes we selected were remarkable, as were the markets. Each filled with the freshest and ripest, and staffed with knowledgeable purveyors who willingly helped you seek out the best for your intended use. I was in heaven.
I knew I would use Victoria’s fish markets. How could I not? I was astonished by the variety and the freshness of the market catch. But more so, I was impressed at how the clean meaty taste of fresh – ocean catch – fish (not the farm raised stuff that is my local market’s standard) was elevated by some fairly straightforward preparations: crab dressed with a wasabi and lime mayonnaise; tuna tossed with soy sauce and fresh grated pepper, then pan seared, and a soy, lime and ginger counterpoint to two gorgeous filets of Pacific Salmon.
Yes, we did beef and chicken, salads and cheeses. Those will arrive here in these pages in the coming days. For now, though, I’ll just remember the rocky beaches filled with all the logs and driftwood, the cool breezes and the warm sun and the magnificent bounty the grand Pacific Ocean offered up.
Wasabi Lime Crab Salad in Cucumber Cups
adapted from Gourmet, June 2003
Makes about 60 appetizers
4 seedless English hothouse cucumbers, peeled
¼ cup mayonnaise
2 ½ teaspoons wasabi paste
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
zest of 1 lime
¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
6 medium radishes, coarsely chopped
¼ cup chopped cilantro
½ pound Dungeness crabmeat (or jumbo, or lump), picked over
Prepare cucumber cups:
Cut cucumbers into generous ½-inch thick slices. Scoop a round from each slice with a tiny spoon, or small melon baller, to create an indentation, but leaving the bottom intact.
Chef’s Note: Can be made 1 day in advance. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Prepare the filling:
Whisk together mayonnaise and wasabi, then whisk in lime juice and salt.
Chef’s Note: Can be made 1 day in advance. Cover and refrigerate.
Combine crab, wasabi lime mayonnaise, radishes and ½ of the cilantro. Spoon a small amount into each cucumber cup, mounding the crab on the cucumber surface. Artfully arrange on a chilled serving platter, and sprinkle with remaining chopped cilantro.
Chef’s Note: All components can be prepared and kept separate up to 1 day in advance. For best results, do not combine until just before serving. If necessary, prepare cups up to 1 hour before serving; cover and refrigerate.
Peppered Tuna Skewers with Three Dipping Sauces
adapted from Bon Appetit, December 2003
Makes 28
1 pound fresh Ahi or Pacific Yellowfin tuna steaks, cut into ¾ inch cubes
2 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
28 slices of pickled ginger
28 8-inch wooden skewers
1 bunch watercress
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Prepare Tuna Skewers:
Combine tuna and soy sauce in a medium bowl; toss to coat. Marinate tuna 30 minutes at room temperature, stirring occasionally.
Thread one piece of pickled ginger onto each skewer, about 2 inches from the tip.
Line a platter with watercress.
Drain tuna; pat dry. Return to medium bowl. Sprinkle with pepper; toss to coat. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high head. Add tuna and sear until brown on all sides but still pink in the middle, about 2 minutes total. Immediately remove from heat, and thread 1 tuna cube onto each prepared skewer next to the ginger. Artfully arrange skewers on the platter of watercress and serve with dipping sauces (recipes follow).
Dipping Sauces:
Wasabi Mayonnaise
adapted from Bon Appetit, December 2003
2 teaspoons wasabi paste
½ cup mayonnaise
Whisk wasabi paste with mayonnaise. Adjust to taste.
Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or until ready to use.
Soy-Lime Dipping Sauce
adapted from Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table, as appeared in Gourmet, August 2001
1 clove garlic
2 ½ tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup soy sauce, preferably a lighter bodied Chinese style
2 ½ tablespoons fresh lime juice with pulp
¼ cup water, or to taste
1 green onion/scallion (for garnish)
Place the ingredients in a food processor and process until well blended. Taste and adjust seasonings. Cover and store refrigerated until ready to use. Just before serving, thinly slice the white and light green parts of a scallion, and mix in sauce.
Apricot Ginger Dipping Sauce
adapted from Gourmet, December 2001
½ cup apricot preserves
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (spicy or hot blend preferred)
1 teaspoon chopped peeled fresh ginger
Puree all ingredients in a food processor (or blender) until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 week.
Pan Seared Salmon with Soy, Lime and Ginger
½ cup light soy sauce
¼ cup water
juice and pulp of 1 lime
zest of 1 lime
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
2 large fresh Salmon filets
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Combine soy, water, lime juice, pulp and zest, and ginger in a large bowl. Place salmon filets in soy, lime and ginger mixture and marinate covered in refrigerator for 1 hour.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Remove filets from marinade and cook in skillet skin side down (lightly cover the skillet with aluminum foil) about 5 to 8 minutes(depending upon size and thickness of filet). Turn filets over and continue cooking until just cooked through, about 5 to 8 minutes more.
Turn filets out onto a platter and allow to rest, tented with aluminum foil for about five minutes. Slice and serve.
10:10:40 PM 
|
