The Best Homemade Black Cod

You can spend a lot of money at Nobu for their delicious cod - or you can make this simple & quick version at home, and spend the rest on wine, beer, cocktails and a mini vacation...

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup soy sauce

• 1/3 cup sugar

• 1/4 cup sake

• 1 glove garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced

• Juice of 1 whole lemon

• 1 whole cod fillet - about 2 pounds

• Green onion and sesame seeds to garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients except the cod in a saucepan and bring to a boil

2. Turn down heat and simmer until slightly thickened and a bit syrupy - about 10 minutes

3. Preheat oven to broil and cover a baking sheet with foil, it's messy

4. Place cod on the foil and baste well with the sauce

5. Broil the cod about 6 inches away from the glowing coils until done - approximately 7 minutes for every inch of thickness, and If it starts to get crispy and a little bit black in spots, that's good

6. Remove from oven, baste with extra sauce and garnish with green onion and sesame seeds

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MISO & GINGER SALAD DRESSING

Making your own dressing is the best – and I love this one. 

INGREDIENTS

• ¼ cup light miso paste
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• ½ cup neutral oil (I used avocado oil for this one, canola or vegetable works well too)
• 2-3 tablespoons of water
• Honey (optional)
• Fresh ground pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl, mix into a thick paste
2. Slowly whisk in oil until the dressing is emulsified
3. Add 1 tablespoon water at a time to thin dressing to your liking - at this point you can add a little honey if you want on the sweeter side
4. Add pepper to taste
5. Use the dressing on your favorite salad, grilled vegetables or even fish.

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Bangers and Mash with Guinness Onion Gravy

Serves 2-4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb pork sausages (preferably British bangers, though a good pork sausage would do)
• 1 tablespoon salted butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 8 ounces beef broth
• 1-12 ounce bottle Guinness (only using 8 ounces, but you drink the rest)
• 1 teaspoon each of Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1-2 cups cooked mashed potatoes

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring one medium-size pot of water to barely a simmer; add the sausages and cook for 20 minutes
2. Meanwhile in a large non-stick pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter and add onions; cook until nicely caramelized,  5-7 minutes
3. Add flour to onions, stir well and cook for another minute or so
4. Slowly add beef broth and 8 ounces of Guinness, letting the sauce come to a low simmer, stirring occasionally until thickened - season with salt and pepper to taste and keep warm
5. Heat a medium non-stick pan over medium, and a little oil and sear on all sides until nicely golden brown
6. To serve, place a small scoop of mashed potatoes onto a plate, top with sausages and spoon the Guinness gravy over the top
7. Boom!

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Shiitake Spinach Egg Thing

And by thing I mean stupidly delicious.  Don't ask - just make it.

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 bacon strips, sliced widthwise
• 2 cups shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• ¼ cup chicken broth
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach
• Pinch each Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• 2 poached eggs, see recipe

Directions

1. In a large pan on medium heat, cook bacon until about halfway done, then add mushrooms and cook until softened - 3 to 4 minutes
2. Add chicken broth - continue to cook another minute
3. Next add spinach - sauté until wilted then season with salt and pepper; remove from heat
4. Serve spinach mixture on serving plate and top with poached egg.

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WATCH ME MAKE THIS...

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Sopa De Fideo

A super delicious Mexican tomato soup with toasted thin noodles. Oh my...

INGREDIENTS

• 1-2 tablespoons neutral oil
• 8 ounces of uncooked Fideo Cortado, fine dry noodles (can use broken spaghetti)
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 medium size onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• One 28 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
• 3-4 cups chicken broth
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

For serving

• Hot sauce
• Fresh chopped green onions
• Diced avocado

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium-size skillet and add the dry noodles. Cook until noodles are almost brown in color - mix in cumin and chili powder; continue to cook until noodles are toasty, remove from heat and set aside
2. In a stock pot, heat 1 tablespoon oil and cook onion until translucent
3. Add garlic, cook until fragrant about 30 seconds - then add tomatoes and use a hand blender until tomatoes are pureed (if you have one-can transfer tomato mixture in a regular blender at this time and return back to the pot)
4. Next add 3 cups of broth and the toasted noodles to the tomato mixture (add more broth if you like it thinner)  season with salt and pepper -  let simmer about 20 minutes or until noodles have softened
5. Ladle soup in a serving bowl and garnish with hot sauce, green onions and/or avocado if you want, and I highly recommend you do

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Baked Chipotle Chicken Taquitos

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 1/3 cup salsa verde (green salsa)
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese - Monterey Jack, cheddar or even a mix…it’s up to you
• 1-2 tablespoons finely minced chipotle peppers
• 10 flour tortillas, approximately 6 inches in diameter

Toppings for serving

• sour cream
• shredded lettuce
• guacamole (my recipe)
• diced tomatoes

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven to 425
• Combine chicken, salsa, cheese and chipotles in a bowl - mix well to combine
• Heat tortillas slightly to make them pliable, add some filling and roll up tightly
• Place seem-side down on a greased baking sheet and brush or spray with neutral oil
• Bake approximately 25 minutes or until golden and crispy
• Plate, add toppings and serve - yum.

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PICKLED RED ONIONS

Whether for a taco, a sandwich or even on top of a few slices of brisket for a little acidic crunch - these are tremendous. And they make an easy, great gift when going to someone’s for dinner.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 1   1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
• 6-10 black peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 medium red onion, sliced into thin semi circles

 DIRECTIONS

1. Combine everything except onion in a small bowl and stir well to dissolve the sugar & salt
2. Put sliced onions in a large bowl and cover with boiling water - let sit about a minute then drain well
3. When the onions are cool enough to handle, put as many as you can into a sterilized pint mason jar, and cover with the brine liquid
4. Screw on the lid and when it’s cool, refrigerate
5. They’ll start being good tomorrow, but great after 3 days or so days 

Double Wrapped Shrimp & Bacon Tacos

Makes about 6

I like the idea of putting everything out in bowls, and letting my guests make their own.  I mean come on – why do I have to do all the work?  

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 3/4 lb peeled, uncooked shrimp cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
• 1 lime cut in half, then one half into wedges
• 6 soft corn tortillas
• 3/4 cup refried beans, warmed
• 6 hard taco shells, warmed according to package directions
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• Lettuce, shredded
• 6 slices bacon, cooked, crispy and crumbled
• 3 green onions, finely diced
• Cholula hot sauce

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat pan well then add oil and shrimp - stir-fry quickly as the shrimp will cook fast 
2. When almost done (about 2 minutes) sprinkle shrimp with Old Bay then squeeze juice from the lime half on top 
3. Give them one quick mix and remove to a bowl alongside the tortillas, beans, sour cream and lettuce, bacon and green onions 
4. Now simply let people make their own: put some beans on one side of a soft tortilla, the wrap that around a hard shell tortilla
5. Add some sour cream, some lettuce, the shrimp, some bacon, some green onions and finally a few shakes of hot sauce
6. Eat – as if that wasn’t fricking obvious

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