Cioppino Experiment

Cioppino is such a treat, but rarely seen on restaurant menus around here. I plunged ahead with an experimental recipe and....I liked it better than the last restaurant cioppino I had. Details:

Saute 1/2 onion and 1/2 shallot in olive oil. Add garlic and cook briefly. Then...I cheated a little. I had a jar of cioppino sauce I found at World Market. I added that and about a 1/2 cup of dry, white wine and brought it to a simmer. Added a jar of clam juice and a tablespoon of red pepper flakes. Added 1 tsp of sea salt. Simmered for 20 minutes. Add in whatever fish you like. Clams are usually in this fish stew, but I couldn't find any live clams in Boise, and canned wouldn't be right - so I skipped them. I added bay scallops, chopped tilapia and raw shrimp and cooked until they were opaque. Stirred in about 2 tablespoons of butter and served topped with snow crab.

Strawberry Smoothies

Strawberry yogurt smoothies with berries from the garden. Macerate the prepared berries with about a 1/2 cup of sugar. Add 1 cup of vanilla yogurt and a bit of milk. Add ice cubes. Blend until desired thickness. Add more ice, if needed.

We had leftovers, so tomorrow, we'll have frozen strawberry treats.

Vegetable Tian

Can't wait for a repeat of this dish. Yum. Saute chopped onions with garlic. Brush baking dish with a little olive oil, and spread onions on the bottom. Layer summer squash, zucchini, potatoes, bell peppers and tomatoes. Sprinkle with sea salt and thyme. Cover with foil and bake at 325 for about 30 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese. Bake another 30 minutes or so.

Mexican Rice

I thought I had a special recipe for Mexican rice that I had clipped from Cook's Illustrated a few years ago, but my husband discovered the recipe was about the same wherever he looked. I won't post the details since we mashed up several versions and I don't remember the details, but I don't think you can go wrong once you have the basics. The rice is finished in a Dutch oven. Two cups of rice is an awful lot for my family, and I will note that this rice doesn't hold very well as a leftover.

Fish Tacos

Homemade version. Apologies for the lack of measurements, but I really do just throw this together to taste.

Breaded cod, or other white fish, pieces (I like Schwan's)
Green cabbage
1 lime
Pico de gallo (I prefer the fresh kind in the refrigerated case)
Mayonnaise
Garlic powder
White vinegar
Chili Powder
Ketchup
Small white corn tortillas

Shred green cabbage and squeeze a lime over the shreds. Toss with sea salt and let sit for at least 10 minutes. Bake fish. Whisk up the sauce: mayo, white vinegar, chili powder, garlic powder, ketchup. Warm tortillas a few at a time in the microwave between damp paper towels. Place a couple of pieces of fish in tortilla, dribble the sauce on top, top with shredded cabbage and pico de gallo.

Dreaming of Cioppino

So, know any restuarants serving it this weekend?