I’m officially declaring this SQUID SUMMER!! Join me for a grilled seafood medley and spicy potato salad (no mayo!) that is bright with citrus and spice – perfect if you’re cooking outside and craving a truly breathtaking entertaining moment for all your fellow mermaid friends.
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Mermaid Fideua! The first time I tried this dish — thin broken noodles, toasted until golden brown, then cooked to perfection in a redolent stock fortified with shellfish, onions, and garlic and tossed together with rich, salty pork (optional!) and fresh seafood — was in Barcelona with my husband. Our skin still salty from the sea, we raced over hot sand into one of the many beachside cafes where these wonderfully varied and personal paella-style (sub noodles for rice) dishes come flying from the kitchens, beckoning you to order a stinging cold bottle of white wine or equally well-iced beers and tuck into a gloriously savory, sumptuous, over the top mermaid meal. File this recipe away under summertime entertaining with a side of wanderlust, no passport needed.
PS. I always feel the need to qualify that my recreated travel recipes are taste memories!! I claim no authenticity, but I do claim epic deliciousness, so do with that what you will.
Were there to be a hall of fame for best savory toppings, this might have to be my entry…
The colorful combination of shallots, garlic, chiles, walnuts, and a fresh squeeze of lemon is rich and nutty with a zing of heat, and is fit to bless just about anything (A toasty cheese sandwich! Roasted veg! Leftover chicken!) but especially a light but filling filet of fish.
Scatter a few juicy sweet pops of pomegranate seeds overtop, and serve alongside golden brown roasted potatoes with coriander and oregano for a meal that elevates weeknight to fancy fun… go for it!
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Learn how to butterfly shrimp and then dig into this delectable seafood feast glazed in a spicy white wine and garlic butter sauce — YUM!
I love to serve a pile of shrimp on its own or tossed together with spaghetti for a simple but celebratory meal, perfect to savor our fleeting final days of summer!
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This Pistachio Crusted Sheet Pan Salmon is unforgettably delicious: juicy, rich, perfectly cooked salmon under a crunchy, golden-brown topping of pistachios, breadcrumbs, and fresh herbs. I’ve been dreaming about recreating this ever since Gail Simmons made it for me and Jamika Pessoa on The Good Dish!
I am also making some garlicky Coriander-Butter Potatoes with lemon to round out the meal, but a nice side salad would be lovely and fresh, too. You know I love any sheet pan dish — easy cleanup, maximum flavor, minimal effort, and feeds a crowd! Plus, she plates up very pretty…perfect for summer lunch or supper!
Enjoy!
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I spent a college summer in London where I discovered the comforting joy that is excellent fish cakes! These salmon burgers are inspired by the many I tried that summer — though I took some liberties — and sing with a healthy dose of fresh herbs, scallions, and cajun-style seasoning.
They cook up fast and full of flavor and are the perfect bbq staple or protein-packed topper to Frisée salad with Lemon Anchovy Vinaigrette. I highly recommend giving your salmon burger a seductive swish of Caper Aioli — homemade mayo bedazzled with garlic, capers, and lemons! Or put all three together and my oh my, brunch, lunch, or dinner is served!
Find this and 150 other craveably clean recipes free from gluten and refined sugar in my new cookbook, Eat Your Heart Out!
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Cajun Salmon Burger
Caper Aioli
Frisée with Lemon Anchovy Vinaigrette
Healthy and light, phenomenally flavorful, and fancy without trying!! We’re making mild, white, flaky flounder en papillote (aka in a parchment packet) with miso, leeks and lemon!!
Miso seems to be the most popular condiment around these days and no surprise — it’s rich and savory, faintly sweet, and adds so much tantalizing umami flavor with just a quick slick over this fish. I add some broccolini, spinach, and fresh dill, then wrap the whole bundle in parchment paper to create a pretty pouch that steams everything to juicy perfection.
Bonus: this is as easy to prep as it is to clean up — and even more fun to eat when you have a delicious little present to unwrap at mealtime!
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John and I took a very special trip to Italy last fall for some amazing pasta (and other things… but mostly pasta). The bite I ate and still can’t stop thinking about was this perfectly al dente spaghetti, lovingly coated with garlic, olive oil, chile, white wine, and the briny burst of tiny, fresh clams.
It’s simple but sultry and totally spectacular, a dish to transport you to the sun-soaked coast of the Mediterranean and make a mermaid out of all of us yet.
And since it’s my birthday today, this is what we’re eating — couldn’t think of anything more delicious!!
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Last NYE, we started a new tradition and rang in 2021 with some glorious Publix fried chicken (if you know, you know!).
Their version has this just-peppery-enough, ultra-crispy coating with juicy, perfectly seasoned chicken hidden below… and sinking your teeth into it has to be one of the most fun ways to close out the year and usher in a new one!
Since I plan to stick with the tradition, I thought we should try to replicate those crisply shattering shards on perfectly poppable chicken nuggets that you can make at home in case you don’t have a Publix nearby!
Extra credit: If you have the time, soak your chicken overnight in a mix of buttermilk spiked with hot sauce for an extra boost of flavor. And then, in the spirit of making sure we stuff this next year full to the brim of good memories and even better bites, let’s go ahead and add some crisp and tender Coconut & Panko Fried Popcorn Shrimp and a bomb little sweet and spicy sauce!
Here’s to a 2022 full of flavor and fun!
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Why yes, this is a giant side of fresh salmon! And yes, I am about to chop half of it up and use it to make my yummy fresh salmon burgers (salmon cakes, really) with Fresno chiles, mint, and red onion and devour it over salad for a filling, healthy, protein-packed, and ultra-delicious mermaid lunch.
I first fell in love with fishcakes when I spent a college summer living in London, and though very little about this recipe is reminiscent of the cozy pub dinners I enjoyed there, I still feel the same comfort tucking into this richly flavorful — and juicy! — fish medallion.
Pops of capers and fresh herbs keep your taste buds guessing, while a bit of heat from the chiles is tempered nicely by the richness of the salmon. I love getting my fish big format like this and then I’ll save the rest to make my Sticky Chili Glazed Airfryer Salmon or simply pan seared filets with extra crispy, salty skin that my kids love! Or just portion out and save in my freezer for a quick dinner down the road.
But for now — fishcakes, baby!
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