2009 is the year of the Ox, according to the traditional Chinese zodiac, a calendar made up of 12-year cycles. People born in the year of the Ox are considered stubborn, loyal, patient, and capable of inspiring great confidence in others. They are also known for having considerable mental and physical stamina, and often make great leaders. President Barack Obama was born in the year of the Ox, as were Richard Nixon, Walt Disney, Charlie Chaplin, George Clooney, and Napoleon Bonaparte. If you were born in any of the following years, you are an Ox, too!
New Year’s celebrations, or Spring Festivals, as they’re known in Chinese, vary from region to region throughout China and the Chinese diaspora. Common elements include fireworks, feasting, and the color red. Some traditional foods include jiaozi (dumplings) and melon seeds, along with a number of fish dishes, often consumed on New Year’s Eve. The word for “fish” in Chinese is yú (鱼), and is a homonym for “surplus” - these kinds of similar-sounding words are considered auspicious in Chinese culture, and so fish is symbolic of plenitude and a successful harvest for the coming year.
This is a tasty version of a traditional Chinese fish dish.
1. Soak the fillets in salt water for half an hour. While they are marinating, move on to step 2.
2. Soak the dried mushrooms in warm water and set aside. Prep the vegetables, and combine them in a small bowl; set aside. Combine the garlic and ginger in a small bowl; set aside. Mix together the rice wine, broth, oyster sauce, salt, sugar, soy sauce, and vinegar; whisk until well blended, and set aside.
3. Drain and rinse the fish, and pat the fillets dry with paper towels. Dip each in beaten egg and then dredge in cornstarch until they are evenly coated. Fry in hot peanut oil until they are golden brown; remove with a slotted spoon, drain briefly, then transfer to a serving dish. Keep warm.
4. Remove the dried mushrooms from the bowl and squeeze out any excess liquid. Trim and discard the stems, and then slice into think strips and add to the bowl of vegetables.
5. Heat a few tablespoons of peanut oil in a wok, swirling it around to coat the sides of the pan. Fry the ginger/garlic mixture until it starts to turn golden, and add the rest of the vegetables, stirring quickly. Saute for a few minutes, then add the liquid mixture. Allow it to come to a simmer, then whisk in the water/cornstarch combination. Bring the whole lot to a boil, and test the vegetables for doneness.
6. Season liberally with sesame oil and white pepper, then pour the vegetable sauce over the fish. Serve immediately.
Okay, so word on the street is that Barack Obama’s favorite foods include pizza, chili, and pumpkin pie - further proof that he is, after all, “a man of the people.” On the healthy side, he’s into trail mix, spinach, and broccoli, which may in part explain the fit physique of the next Commander-in-Chief. So, as a cook and as a person with a thing for dinner parties, I have to ask: what do you serve one of the most eagerly anticipated Presidents-elect on his big day? Wouldn’t you know - the Inaugural Luncheon includes nothing other than seafood stew. Feel like cooking along? We’ve got the recipe, so you can celebrate January 20th in truly Presidential style. Note - this serves 10, so invite your cabinet.
10 5-inch puff pastry rounds (available in most freezer sections)
2-3 egg whites, beaten lightly with a splash of water
10 soup ramekins
1. In a large soup pot, boil one gallon of water. Poach the lobsters, then remove them from the water with tongs. Set aside. Poach the shrimp, and remove. Next, add the cod to the water - do this carefully, to keep it from flaking apart. Finally, remove the cod and poach the scallops.
2. Keep the water boiling, and add the vegetables, cooking them until they are tender but not mushy. The potatoes will be the best judge of doneness; do not overcook. Remove the vegetables, allowing the water to continue to boil until most of it has cooked off, creating a light stock.
3. When only a quart of liquid remains, add the vermouth and heavy cream, and allow the entire broth to reduce by half. Season it with salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. When the sauce will cover the back of a wooden spoon and not drain off completely, the desired thickness has been reached. Set the sauce aside to cool.
4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the seafood into bite-sized pieces, and gently fold them into the cooled sauce. Scoop this resulting mixture into the ramekins, taking care to distribute the seafood evenly and not to allow the pieces to break apart.
5. Cover each ramekin with a piece of puff pastry cut to size. Brush the tops with egg wash, and then set the dishes in the oven to bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the pastry is golden. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Barack Obama’s inaugural menu also includes: molasses whipped sweet potatoes, winter vegetables (including asparagus - a veggie Obama claims not to be crazy about), and a cinnamon apple sponge cake (even though his children say he doesn’t enjoy sweets other than pumpkin pie). The menu was designed, after all, not according to Obama’s tastes, but to those of one of his role models: President Abraham Lincoln, who was fond of seafood, among other things. As reported in the New York Post, ”It’s always good to model yourself after a great president,” said Eric Foner, a professor of American history at Columbia University. “The proof will be in the pudding.”
For those of you who are cooking at home and don’t happen to have the “brace of American birds” on hand to roast with sour-cherry chutney - the Presidential main dish, following the seafood - try something lighter. Steam some broccoli and serve it chilled with lemon juice, a splash of nutty olive oil, and a pinch of salt as a lighter side to your stew.
This hearty stew uses traditional Indian flavors - coriander, cumin, mustard, turmeric, cayenne - to warm the palate, but lacks much of the intense heat of some Indian cuisine. This preparation is relatively delicate, and tastes best on the day it is prepared. Serve it over rice for a complete one-dish meal.
You will need:
1 1/4 lbs. white fish, such as halibut, cod, or rockfish, cut into 2″ cubes
2 medium russet potatoes, cut into the same size as the fish
vegetable oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
1/4 tsp. turmeric
2 small serrano chilies, quartered length-wise
3-4 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 cup water
salt
a 15-oz. can of coconut milk; I find that this is worth paying for - thinner, “low-fat,” or cheap varieties will provide cheap results
1 tsp. rice vinegar (apple cider vinegar will also work)
1. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a soup pot over medium heat, and saute the onion until golden. Add the turmeric and stir to coat the onions.
2. Toss in the potatoes, chilies, garlic, and ginger, and stir until the potatoes are coated in the oil, around 2 or 3 minutes.
3. Add the water and 1/2 tsp. salt and bring the entire mixture to a boil. Cook around 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
4. Add the coconut milk, the fish cubes, and another 1/4 tsp. salt. Let the entire stew simmer, but don’t bring it to a full boil. Cook only until the fish is opaque and springy to the touch - about 5 minutes.
5. Stir in the vinegar and let the stew sit for a few minutes before serving.
Note - if you really want to reduce the heat of this dish, remove the serranos after the potatoes are cooked. However, pepper bellies may want to consider grinding an extra serrano and tossing it in as a paste to boost the heat. Be advised, however, that too much extra zing may overpower the delicate flavor of the fish. The vinegar in this dish creates a lovely balance with the curry flavors that you won’t want to miss.
This is a quick and beautiful presentation for whole, high-quality fish. Serve it with steamed rice and a spicy vegetable stir-fry for a colorful and heart-healthy meal for guests.
2whole fish (about 2 lb each, such as rockfish or wild salmon), scaled, gutted and scored
1/2cupsliced scallions
2tablespoonsfresh ginger, julienned
1/2cupsoy sauce
1/4cuppeanut oil
1teaspoonsesame oil
1/2teaspoon brown sugar
2 T Thai sweet chili sauce
1. Heat oven to 450°. Cover two baking sheets with aluminum foil. Rinse whole fish under cold running water, and season well on both sides with salt and pepper. Place one fish on each sheet.
2. Whisk remaining ingredients in a bowl and spoon the sauce over each fish, making sure some of the sauce gets into the scores on the skin side.
3. Seal the fish inside the foil, making a pouch rather than wrapping it tightly.
4. Bake 10 minutes per inch of thickness of fish at its thickest part (typically 20 to 25 minutes for a 2-inch-thick fish). Remove foil and serve with juices.
Sometimes the most interesting creations are accidents. This recipe is not the one I intended to write, and yet it is now one of my favorites, a discovery I made thanks to the uniform bags I buy bulk goods in, and the remarkable resemblance of flour to powdered sugar. I was in a hurry, things got mixed up, and…voila! A new fish preparation is revealed. The combination of sweet and savory is found in nearly all world cuisines, and yet gives unexpected depth to this dish. If you’re not feeling adventurous, go ahead and use flour like I had originally intended. If you’re up for something new (and wonderful), follow this recipe.
You will need:
1 lb. (fresh or thawed) skinless, boneless white fish - halibut or cod are both excellent
a handful of powdered sugar
2 lemons, one zested
5 cloves of garlic, sliced
2 cups strong vegetable broth
1/2 cup coarsely chopped Greek olives; kalamatas or mixed green olives are good
salt, pepper, and cayenne
olive oil
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Rinse the fish under cold running water. Dust a plate with the powdered sugar, and then dredge the fish, coating it lightly but completely on both sides.
2. Heat the olive oil in a heavy, ovenproof skillet. Add the garlic and sautee until golden. Place the fish over the garlic and sear it well, so the sugar browns on both sides. Season liberally with salt, pepper, and a shake of cayenne (optional).
3. Before the fish is cooked through, remove the skillet from heat and douse the fish with the juice of two lemons. Toss the lemon wedges or halves in with the fish, and pour the broth into the pan until the level of the liquid comes most of the way up the fish.
4. Sprinkle with chopped olives and bake for 5-8 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through and flakes with a fork. Serve immediately.
I served this with rice that I’d steamed with lemon zest, oregano, and pepper; I caramelized an onion and added some cashews at the last minute to warm them, then covered the rice in the onions and nuts. We had a simple salad on the side: coarsely chopped greens with onions and gorgonzola cheese, and a sharp lemon vinaigrette. Warmed coriander pita finished it off, and was perfect for swabbing up the sauce from the fish.
This is one of the easiest, quickest preparations I’ve tried, but don’t let its simplicity fool you - the flavors are complex and well suited to a variety of sides or servings. I used black cod, which has a tender and flaky consistency that responds well to broiling; the heat of the spices balances the flavorful oil of the fish and brings out the roasted quality that comes from high-temperature cooking. Black cod also has even more healthy Omega-3s than salmon! Any dense white fish would work, however - try halibut, mackerel, or even mahi mahi, although the more delicate the flavor of the fish, the more likely it is to be overpowered by the spice.
You will need:
1 lb. black cod or other dense, flaky white fish; a thick fillet works nicely and doesn’t dry out
1-2 T butter (salted)
1 T ground chipotle; chipotles are jalapenos that have been roasted and smoked - you can get them ground to a powder at most stores that sell spices in bulk. For this recipe, a fine powder should be used, but if all you can find is adobo, or canned chipotles in sauce, then try that. The result will likely be hotter and less delicate, but very tasty.
2 limes - one juiced, one wedged
a handful of cilantro, minced
1 vegetable bouillon cube, dissolved in warm water
splash of olive oil
an oven-proof casserole dish
1. If the fish is frozen, force-thaw it, and then rinse it under cold running water. Preheat your broiler.
2. Splash your baking dish with olive oil, and then set your fillet in it, turning it over a couple of times to coat it. Dust the fish liberally with salt, and then set it aside.
3. Melt the butter and add the chipotle powder and half of the lime juice. Mix it all together with a fork, and then pour it over the top of the fish, trying to keep as much on the fillet itself as possible. Rub it in a little with your hands, making sure it’s well-coated.
4. Sprinkle half the cilantro onto the surface of the fish, and then slide the dish under the broiler. I keep the top rack of the oven about 10 inches away from the broiler to prevent burning.
5. Cook the fish until the chipotle becomes fragrant - about 7 minutes. Pour half of the vegetable stock into the baking dish, and spoon some over the top of the fish.
6. Continue to let the fish cook, basting it occasionally, until it is flaky and opaque in its thickest part. Test periodically with a fork. Add broth as needed to keep some liquid in the bottom of the pan, but don’t smother the fish - too much liquid, and it will poach rather than broil. We just want to keep it moist and still let the edges crisp.
Serve in a dish that holds juice, and spoon the butter-broth mixture over each portion. Toss on the remaining cilantro and lime juice, and offer extra wedges of lime at the table. This preparation goes beautifully with Asian-style fried rice, sesame noodles, Cuban rice and beans, and astringent green salads. The leftovers make excellent filling for fish tacos - just add black beans and cabbage slaw!
This is a rich, earthy dish that originates in the Bahia region of Brazil.Any mild white fish can be used: cod is traditional, and has a more distinctive taste due to the natural oils in the fish; halibut is also excellent, as is grouper.The original recipe calls for leaving the skins on the fillets, which creates a fishier-tasting stew.This recipe recommends skinless, boneless fillets; they will break apart during the cooking process.Serves 6 accompanied by rice -a robust and warming meal for autumn or winter evenings.
You will need:
6 six-ounce fillets of halibut, cod or grouper
2 handfuls of fresh cilantro
2 limes, juiced
1 bulb of garlic, peeled (6 or 8 cloves)
3 medium onions, 2 chopped, 1 thinly sliced
1 thirteen-ounce can of coconut milk
olive oil
3 or 4 ripe plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
salt and pepper
fresh chilies, minced or ground (optional)
1.Marinate the fish: chop up 1/3 of the cilantro and mix it with the lime juice, salt, and garlic in a medium-sized bowl.Rinse the fillets in cold water and add them to the marinade, making sure they are all well coated.Set the bowl aside at room temperature for 20-30 minutes while you prepare the stew.
2.Combine the chopped onion and the coconut milk in a blender or food processor, and pulse to a puree.Set this mixture aside.
3.Heat a healthy splash of olive oil in a heavy, deep pan.When the oil is hot, add the tomatoes and half of the remaining cilantro and cook until the tomatoes soften and begin to turn to sauce.
4.Add the coconut-onion puree to the tomatoes, along with salt and pepper to taste.For a spicier, more warming stew, add a few minced chilies.Bring the entire mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it thicken.
5.When the stew has reached a nice consistency, take the fillets out of the marinade one by one and nestle them into the stew.Pour the remaining marinade over the top, along with the rest of the cilantro.Allow the stew to boil again, and then reduce the heat once more and let it thicken.Cook 15-20 minutes, or until the fish is fully cooked through; spoon the sauce over the fish throughout the cooking process.
6.Near the end of the process, add the sliced onion to the top.The stew can be garnished with more fresh cilantro or tomato slices; flavored oils also make a nice touch.Adjust the seasonings and serve.
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