Recipe Review from 6/3/13

We hit the ground running this week with me coming off a four and a half day yoga workshop over the weekend.  Groceries didn't happen until Tuesday so lunches and meals were pretty simple and involved a bit of scrounging and creativity  Which is okay because I hate wasting food and this was a good way to clean out the fridge a bit.
 
The week ended on a positive - it STOPPED RAINING!  After nearly two weeks of intermittent rain we were finally able to get out into the yard on Saturday.  We mowed (hayed?), moved rocks around the man-barn, tilled the garden beds again, planted flour corn, sweet corn, winter squash plants and seeds, kale, and swiss chard; applied some grass and weed control in my flower beds, planted some marigold, zinna and bachelor button seeds; and then called it a day. 

North side of the barn, the rock reallocation program

Garden 2013; fore-bed is perennials; two green beds behind are perennials and weeds.

Grilled Shrimp with Quinoa (Ckng Lght June 2013)
I had half a package of shrimp in the freezer, feta in the fridge, and quinoa in the cupboard.  I only needed to pick up some chickpeas and avocado.  You will note a fair number of ingredients crossed out on the recipe.  That is for the "Spicy" shrimp, which I didn't feel like making (it was probably raining and I also didn't want to grill).  I simplified greatly and just sauted the shrimp in some garlic and oil on the stove.

This is a fairly quick dish to pull together.  The only thing I wished I had done differently was to keep the avocado separate.  If you have leftovers it turns...bleh, in typical avocado fashion.  Otherwise, flavors are nice and bright, and the dish is perfect for a hot summer day. 

photo by cookinglight.com

• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, divided
• 10 teaspoon olive oil, divided
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 1/8 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped and divided
• 24 large shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 1 pound)
• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup canned organic chickpeas, rinsed and drained (I used the whole can)
• 1/2 cup diced peeled avocado
• 1 ounce feta cheese, crumbled
• Cooking spray
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Preheat grill to high heat.
2. Combine 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, black pepper, hot sauce, paprika, and 2 garlic cloves in a medium bowl. Add shrimp; toss well. Marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes.  (I just sauted the shrimp on the stove).
3. Rinse and drain quinoa. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Add remaining 2 garlic cloves and quinoa; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 13 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Cool. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and honey in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Add quinoa mixture, tomatoes, chickpeas, avocado, and cheese; toss gently.
4. Remove shrimp from bowl; discard marinade. Sprinkle shrimp with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Thread 3 shrimp onto each of 8 (6-inch) skewers. Place skewers on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 2 minutes on each side or until done.
5. Divide quinoa mixture evenly among 4 plates. Top each serving with 2 skewers shrimp. Garnish with cilantro.

SPICED SALMON KEBABS, Bon Appetit, June 2013
The recipe calls for making kebabs, but I greatly simplified:  I sprayed some olive oil over the fish, rubbed the topping on, and then sprayed with a bit more olive oil.  We grilled at 350* for about 20-25 minutes.  Lemon on the side for spritzing.  YUM!

photo by scifiwithpaprika.blogspot.com

2 Tbs chopped fresh oregano
2 tsp. sesame seeds
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 1/2 lb skinless salmon fillet (preferably wild) cut into 1" pieces  (I used Lake Trout)
2 lemons very thinly sliced into rounds
2 Tbs olive oil

Special equipment: 16 bamboo skewers soaked in water 1 hour (I used metal skewers)

Prepare grill for medium heat. Mix oregano, sesame seeds, cumin, salt and red pepper flakes in small bowl to combine, set spice mixture aside.

Beginning and ending with salmon, thread salmon and folded lemon lemon slices onto 8 pairs of parallel skewers to make 8 kebabs total. Brush with oil and season with reserved spice mixture.

Grill, turning occasionally, until fish is opaque throughout, 5-8 minutes.

Serves 4