Filet of Sole a la Joe

Last night, I made breaded filet of sole. Since my dad came up with this recipe, we refer to any preparation that involves breading fish or meat as "a-la-Joe". It's such a simple recipe that I make this on weeknights after work.

My daughter requested a gluten-full version, so I made it two ways. My gluten-free version was made by using Glutino brand bread crumbs, which are mostly corn. For this recipe, I don't love the corn, but they work really well for chicken and shrimp. Since I didn't have time to make my own crumbs from leftover rice bread, I used the Glutino ones, which turned out well.

There is an ongoing battle between Gran Fran and Joe as to whether or not you really need to soak the fish in oil before breading it. I think Joe is for the oil, Gran Fran is against. In my book, the more olive oil flavor you can get, the better, so I do soak mine. I'll let them weigh in here with their own opinions on the issue.

I have access to both Dover and Petrale sole out here on the West Coast. I'm not sure if there are other names for this kind of sole elsewhere in the country, but you can use this preparation for any kind of filet that is light in texture, I've used it on tilapia and red snapper before, too.  My daughter prefers the Petrale sole (fancy!), so that's usually what I go with.

This will be a great post-Thanksgiving light dish to serve, to fend off all those extra calories from those turkey legs you all ate.

Breaded Sole a-la-Joe

serves 4 as a main dish

 Ingredients:

• 2 pounds Petrale Sole (or Dover, or whatever filet you'd like to use)
• 1 cup bread crumbs (I use gluten-free for my portion)
• Olive Oil to cover the fish in a shallow pan
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup Dijon Mustard
• 1 tsp Capers, drained

Method:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees, with a baking pan placed in the oven to heat up.
• Place fish filets into a shallow dish and cover with Olive Oil. Set aside for ten minutes.
• While the fish soaks, mix the mustard with the capers and some pepper.
• Place the breadcrumbs on a board or plate and dredge the fish filets through them to coat.
• Working quickly, remove the hot pan from the oven, take some of the fish soaking oil and coat the pan.
• Place filets on the pan and sprinkle some salt and pepper on them.
• Put the pan back in the oven and bake for about 8 minutes, until you see the crumbs start to brown.
• Serve with the mustard caper sauce.

Enjoy!

Pizza In Five

Remember when I told you all about the Foodbuzz Festival? Well, while I was there, I was lucky enough to receive a copy of the book Pizza in Five by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois. I made their gluten free pizza crust dough and I certainly was pleased with the results.

It has been really challenging adhering to a gluten-free (and dairy-free) diet this past year, so when I saw their recipe I was excited to try it. There are a lot of ingredients, some of which you just won't have in your pantry, but all of which were well worth purchasing. I found most everything I needed between Whole Foods and Safeway. I also know our local organic co-op sells all of the ingredients in bulk. At the bulk stores you have the option of buying smaller quantities.

The crust had a great chewy quality to it, but it was also crisp, which is something I've been missing with other gluten-free doughs I've experimented with.

Oh, and there are tons of other people cooking from this fantastic book and posting their results to #PizzaPartyIn5 today, so go and check it out!

Herewith, are the step-by-step photos of what I did to make this delicious pizza.  I'll post the recipe and the instructions soon, but was excited to get this up for everyone to enjoy.

Gluten-Free Pizza Dough

from Artisan Pizza and Flatbread in Five Minutes a Day, by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Brown Rice Flour
• 2 cups White Rice Flour
• 2 cups Tapioca Flour (aka Starch)
• 1 1/2 cups Cornmeal
• 2 tbsps Granulated Yeast
• 1-1 1/2 tbsps Kosher Salt (I used Fleur de Sel)
• 2 tbsps Xantham Gum
• 3 1/4 cups Lukewarm Water
• 1/2 cup Olive Oil
• 2 large Eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tbsps Sugar, Honey, Malt Powder or Agave Syrup (I used Honey)

Method:

• Mixing and Storing the dough: Whisk together the flours, cornmeal, yeast, salt, and xantahn gum in a 5 quart bowl, or a lidded, (not airtight) food container.
• Combine all the liquid ingredients with the sweetener and add the mixture to the dry ingredients, using a spoon, 14 cup food processor (with dough attachment), or a heavy-duty stand mixer (with paddle), until all of the dry ingredients are well incorporated. You may have to  use wet hands to get the last bit of flour to incorporate if you're not using a machine.
• Cover (not airtight), and allow it to rest at room temperature until the dough rises, approximately 2 hours.
• The dough can be used immediately after its initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate it in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 5 days.  Or store the dough for up to 3 weeks in the freezer in 1/2 pound portions.  When using frozen dough, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before use.
• On pizza day, break off a piece of the dough. It will not have any stretchiness like wheat doughs.
• Roll out the dough directly on a pizza peel, (I rolled mine right onto my stainless countertop with flour on it) covered generously with flour and cover the dough with plastic wrap.
• Roll into a 1 1/8 inch thick round.
• As you roll out the dough, use a dough scraper to make sure the dough isn't sticking to the peel (or whatever surface you're using); add more flour if needed.
• Gently pull off the plastic wrap, and top.

Put the Pizza Together and Bake It:

my own interpretation of the method from the book

• Turn oven up to highest setting (mine was 500 degrees).
• Put your pan in the oven to get it as hot as possible.
• Prepare all your ingredients: I used bacon, chanterelle mushrooms, potatoes, tomatoes, pesto,  and egg.
• Roll out the dough as described above.
• Remove the pan from the oven (must do this quickly so the pan doesn't cool down too much). Add some olive oil.
• Using a flat stainless scraper to pick it up and put it on the super hot pan.
• Working quickly, add all your toppings (see photos below, I have them in order of ingredient application).
• Finish with the cracked egg on top, and add a bit of olive oil and spices.

Bake in the hot oven for about 10 minutes, or until the edges are browned and the egg has set.

Enjoy!

Salt and Pepper Chicken

Salt and pepper chicken. Yum.

I was watching the Cooking Channel and saw a piece on salt and pepper chicken. It never occurred to me that I could actually make anything salt and pepper related in my own kitchen. My sister always orders pork prepared this way from her local Chinese restaurant and I love it.

The idea of having a crispy skin covered in salt made me very happy to think about. So, I took notes on the recipe and gathered my ingredients. It looked pretty easy and fell well into my gluten-free and dairy-free preferences.

Up until this point, I had never deep fried anything. The fear of consuming all of the properly prepared donuts and other deep fried goodness I might be able to make gave me pause. It kept the vats of boiling oil at bay. Until now.

Most of the appeal was in the challenge to see if I could make chicken that tasted as good as some of the fantastic wings that are available in many of SF's excellent Chinese restaurants. I was also intrigued by the ingredients and the act of deep frying itself.

And so, on a Tuesday night, we got started. At first, I didn't believe it could be as simple as the following recipe (from Ching He-Huang of the Cooking Channel's Easy Chinese: San Francisco) suggested. Boy, was it ever. The hardest part was crushing up the peppercorns , which I was hoping would be bigger than your traditional grinder could supply.

The best part was the moment the coated chicken hit the hot oil. It was so cool to see how the skin immediately crunched up. I will say, though, I was raised by a woman (you know, Gran Fran) who lived in mortal fear of pans and ingredients catching on fire.

I recall at some point, I think it was Junior High, there was duck being roasted at our house. Gran Fran was convinced that a fire was going to break out, due to the high fat content of the duck skin, so the fire department was called. To be honest, not sure I saw any fire coming from the oven, but I remember the neighbors coming out to see what the heck was going on in the Claro household.

Needless to say, I am cautious with flames and deep frying. I had my phone at the ready, in case I inadvertently set the house on fire. Next time Gran Fran comes to town, I'll make her this fantastic recipe and maybe put her mind at ease that her youngest has the sense to proceed with care, while stepping out a bit.

Salt and Pepper Chicken

recipe and method reposted from: Easy Chinese: San Francisco, Ching He-Huang

Ingredients

• 6 chicken thighs, each piece chopped in half across the bone
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 heaping tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder
• 2 teaspoons sea salt, plus more for seasoning
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

• 2 to 3 heaping tablespoons cornstarch, for dusting
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 heaping tablespoon ground black pepper
• 4 to 6 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped

Method:

• Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl. Cover the chicken with the light soy sauce, Chinese five-spice powder, salt and garlic, and stir to coat.
• Toss the chicken with the toasted sesame oil.
• Let marinate for as much time as you have; for best results, leave the chicken in the refrigerator overnight.
• When ready to fry, toss the chicken pieces in the cornstarch.
• Heat a large wok or pan over high heat and add the vegetable oil.
• Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, add the chicken and fry lightly until the thighs are golden brown on all sides and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Drain the chicken on paper towels and season them with salt, pepper and cilantro as they come out of the oil.

Thanks, Ching He-Huang! This recipe will be in regular rotation at our house from here on out.

Candied Salmon and Poached Egg

Candied salmon makes me happy.

I first discovered this Whole Foods wonder about four years ago. Back then, I ate is as a very tasty sweet snack. Nowadays, as I'm trying to watch my girlish figure, I eat just a little of this golden treat alongside greens and a poached egg.

There are other brands of this lovely delicacy, so try and find some and make yourself a special breakfast.

Poached Eggs ala Gran Fran

Ingredients:

• small saucepan for boiling water
• 2 tsps red or white wine vinegar
• 1 egg

Method:

• Fill saucepan 3/4 of the way full with water
• Add vinegar.
• Set the pan on the stove to boil.
• Crack the egg onto a small plate or saucer, being careful not to break the yolk.
• Once the water is boiling, spin the water around in the center of the pan using a fork to create a whirlpool.
• Quickly and carefully pour the egg into the center of the whirlpool.
• At this point, I use a large metal spoon to help the whites congeal together around the yolk. Just keep on gently pushing the whites toward the yolk and eventually, they attach to each other.
• Remove the egg from the boiling water once the white seems set (it takes a bit of trial and error).
• If the spoon is big enough, keep the egg on there and pour off any extra water onto a paper towel.
• Serve it up with the candied salmon and some greens.

Enjoy!