Bernardo's Romesco

Friday, September 24th, 2010 | posted by wendy

4 ripe medium tomatoes
1 head garlic + 1 clove
8 T extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c almonds
1/4 c macadamia nuts
1 poblano pepper
1 t kosher salt
2-3 T red wine vinegar
bread to thicken

Heat oven to 375° and roast tomatoes and the entire head of garlic (drizzled with 1 T of the olive oil) for approximately 90 minutes, then remove from oven to cool. (Roast the poblano too, but you may need to take it out of the oven sooner than the tomatoes & garlic.) Peel and core the poblano and set aside.

Heat 1 T of the olive oil in a pan and toast the nuts until golden brown, then set aside to cool.

Place roasted tomatoes, garlic, the clove of fresh (unroasted) garlic, nuts, poblano, salt and remaining olive oil in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add vinegar and pulse a few more times. Add some bread until slightly thick. Taste for seasoning.

Serve over pan-seared, broiled or grilled bluefish, swordfish or other full-flavored fish.

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Chef Bernie's Grilled Sea Scallops with Cilantro Macadamia Nut Pesto

Friday, June 11th, 2010 | posted by wendy

This is a great condiment for grilled, baked or pan-fried fish. Here, we paired it up with big dry-pack sea scallops and scallions on a stick.

10-12 sea scallops
3-4 scallions cut into 2 inch pieces
2 bamboo skewers (soaked in water)

1 bunch cilantro (chopped)
1/4 c roasted macadamia nuts
1 T lime juice
1/2 t chipotle peppers (chopped)
1 t cumin
2 cloves garlic
3 t Tiger sauce
2 T parmesan
1/4 c olive oil (or so)

Thread sea scallops onto soaked bamboo skewers, placing a piece of scallion between each scallop.

Toast the macadamia nuts  in a 350° oven for a few minutes until golden. Set out to cool then combine with the remaining ingredients in the bowl of a food processor, streaming in olive oil last and blending until smooth. You can always skip this step and purchase the pesto at the market when it’s available.

Grill scallops for a few minutes per side on a hot grill, and serve on a puddle of the cilantro macadamia nut pesto and an additional wedge of lime.

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Grilled Narragansett Squid Satay with Thai Peanut Sauce

Friday, June 4th, 2010 | posted by wendy

Right now we are experiencing the season for FRESH Narragansett Rhode Island Squid. Sweeter and more tender than frozen, it’s the best you’ll find in the U.S. We’ll have it all summer, but it’s best to call ahead to make sure we have it in the case.

This recipe serves 2
3/4 lbs. cleaned squid (mantles & tentacles)
bamboo skewers soaked in water for 10-20 minutes
4 oz. smooth peanut butter
4 T soy sauce
4 T rice vinegar
3 T peanut oil
1.5 T brown sugar
1 clove garlic
pinch of red pepper flake (to taste)

Cut squid bodies (mantles) in half lengthwise. Weave soaked skewer at 1 inch lengths through squid in segments with tentacles in the center.

Place skewers on a hot grill (white coals, no flame) and baste with peanut sauce…grilling 2–3 minutes per side. Serve with peanut oil dipping sauce on the side.

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Pico de Gallo

Tuesday, April 20th, 2010 | posted by wendy

•    3 tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/4 inch dice
•    1/4 c finely finely chopped onion
•    2 T fresh cilantro leaves
•    2 T fresh lime juice
•    Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
•    1 T finely chopped jalapeño pepper

Toss all ingredients into a bowl and let rest up to 1 hour. the fresher, the better.

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Pineapple Salsa

Tuesday, April 20th, 2010 | posted by wendy

•    1 cup finely chopped pineapple
•    1/4 cup minced red onion
•    1 T minced seeded jalapeño pepper

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir well. Cover and chill.
Yield 1 cup (serving size 1/4 cup).

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Pan-roasted Atlantic Mackerel with Swedish Mustard-Dill Sauce

Friday, April 2nd, 2010 | posted by wendy

3/4#-1# Atlantic Mackerel fillet
Salt and pepper
Olive Oil

Mustard Dill Sauce

5 T coarse grainy mustard
1T rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
3 t sugar
3 T chopped fresh dill (save a sprig for garnish)
2 T olive oil

Preheat oven to 375. Heat an ovenproof pan or iron skillet over medium high heat and add enough olive oil to just cover the bottom of the pan. Place fillets skin side up in pan and let caramelize for 2 minutes or so. Flip and pop in oven for another 3-5 minutes (until fillet is just opaque in center). Plate the fillets and brush with mustard sauce (garnish with sprig of dill).

This dish is great with build redskin or fingerling potatoes so double the sauce recipe if you want extra. (Serves 2).

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Sweet Pepper Sauce

Sunday, March 21st, 2010 | posted by wendy

This sweet pepper sauce is a wonderful addition to Cioppino.

2 T olive oil
1 medium red bell pepper (stemmed seeded and chopped)
1 medium green bell pepper (stemmed seeded and chopped)
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 T minced fresh basil leaves
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 can (28 oz.) whole tomatoes in juice (coarsely chopped)
1 bottle (8 oz.) clam juice or Monahan’s fish stock
1 T tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine (such as Merlot)

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Add peppers, onion and garlic and sauté until soft, about 10 minutes.  Add herbs, tomatoes and their liquid, tomato paste, clam/fish stock and the wine.  Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.  Keep warm.

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Salpicon Sauce

Sunday, March 21st, 2010 | posted by wendy

This relish is a wonderful accompaniment for any baked or grilled fish (or even chicken). Recipe by Penelope Cassas.

• 1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
• 2 1/2 T sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
• 5 T chopped cornichon pickles
• 2 T small whole capers
• 2 T minced videlia onions
• 2 T pimento or roasted red pepper, chopped
• 1 T chopped parsley
• salt & fresh ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients together and let it set for at least an hour to meld flavors.

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Halibut, Bluefish or Mahi-Mahi with Macadamia Nut-Cilantro Pesto

Sunday, March 21st, 2010 | posted by wendy

A wonderfully innovative deviation from traditional pesto. Perfect with grilled, broiled or baked fillets.

• Fresh fillets (about 1/2 lb. per person)
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1/2 c olive oil
• 2 T garlic
• 1 t cumin
• 2 T parmesan cheese
• 1 T tiger sauce
• 1/2 chipotle pepper
• 2 oz. macadamia nuts (toasted)
• 3 T freshly squeezed lime juice
• salt & pepper to taste

Preparing the Pesto: To make the pesto, process or grind in a mortar & pestle the following—1 bunch of cilantro, 1 tsp. cumin, 2 T garlic, 2 T grated parmesan, 1 T tiger sauce, 1/2 t chipotle pepper (canned or a reconstituted dry chile), and 2 oz. of toasted macadamia nuts.  Then slowly add:  3 T lime juice and 1/2 c olive oil.  Add salt & pepper to taste.

Cooking the Fish: For grilling or broiling, the trick is to brush the fish with oil and salt & pepper, then cook 5 minutes per side per inch of thickness.  Serve with a dollop of pesto and a wedge of lime.

If you bake the fish, smear fillets with the pesto, and check after about 13 minutes in a 400° oven.  Fish fillet should be opaque and cooked through.  Serve with additional pesto and a wedge of lime.

Substitutes:  Snapper, Grouper, Amberjack or other firm-fleshed sea fish

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