Fish Tacos with Tex Mex Corn on the Cob

The first time I heard someone say "fish taco", all I could think of was ground up fish meat with hot taco sauce and wilted lettuce. But thanks to our local eatery Tricky Fish, I have a new perspective on fish tacos. I LOVE THEM. They are a mixture of fish, fresh veggies drizzled with a good spicy sauce all snuggled up in a warm soft tortilla blanket.

Season the fish and grill it. I mixed lowfat sour cream and Chipotle Tobasco and a little lime juice for the sauce. Grill the soft tortilla (this makes a huge difference...yum). Add lettuce and pico and you've got yourself a fish taco.

Making meals with/in tortillas are easy for one. I always try to buy the resealable packages. I like the tilapia that is packaged in individual portions. Pop one out of the freezer and wah-lah...dinner! Oh, I also made my own jerk seasoning too. This stuff is almost as good as Emeril's Essence. I think it'd be good sprinkled on popcorn.

JERK SEASONING

1 tablespoon onion flakes 2 teaspoons ground thyme 1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon ground allspice 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons salt 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons dried chives

To accompany my tacos last night, I found this recipe for Tex Mex Corn on the Cob. I don't think I will EVER eat corn on the cob just plain again. If I'd had another ear of corn, I would've eaten it. This was without a doubt the best corn I've ever had.

INGREDIENTS 1 ear fresh corn 1 teaspoon minced fresh cilantro 1/8 teaspoon chili powder 1/8 teaspoon grated lime peel 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder Refrigerated butter-flavored spray Melt butter and stir in everything else. Roll your ear of corn in this combination of heavenly flavors!!!!

Instead of the butter spray, I used Fleishman's Olive Oil Spread (this stuff is great because it tastes like butter, but with the health benefits of Olive Oil)

Spicy Chicken Flatbread Pizza

I am beginning to discover that the Spicy Red Pepper Cream Sauce goes well with just about anything. I don't feel so bad eating it either since I use olive oil and Fat Free Half & Half. So I decided to try a thicker version of the sauce and use it on a pizza. Just use a little less Half & Half when cooking the sauce. This is what happened....

1 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Shliced

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Emeril's Essence

Heat your pan to medium high, add the olive oil, then the chicken, then the seasoning. Cook for about 8 minutes or so, until the chicken is done.

1 Pizza Stone*

1 Piece Multigrain FlatOut Bread (you can find these in the bakery section at Krogers)

1/2 Small Vidalia Onion Caramelized

1 Roma Tomato Thinly Sliced

1/2 Cup Spicy Red Pepper Cream Sauce (see link above for recipe)

2 Slices Muenster Cheese cut into strips

Fresh Chopped Cilantro

Low-Fat Sour Cream

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Then put your pizza stone in the oven to get it nice and hot (at least 15 minutes). Put the flatbread on the hot pizza stone and bake for about 10 minutes to get it crispy. If you don't do this before adding the toppings, you will have a limp crust...and let's face it, nobody like a limp anything. If you don't have a pizza stone, a plain metal baking sheet will do. Now layer (in this order) the sauce, chicken, caramelized onions, and sliced tomatoes onto the now crispy "crust".

Put it back in the oven for 12 minutes. Take it out and add the cheese. Bake another two minutes until cheese is melted. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve with a side of low-fat sour cream...YUM

*Do not EVER wash your pizza stone. It's kind of like an iron skillet. The more you cook on it, the better flavor/seasoning your food will have. Just wipe it off with a paper towel once it's cooled down.

Shrimp Risotto Cakes with Spicy Red Pepper Cream Sauce

I had about four cups of leftover Risotto Primavera (see previous blog), and this is what I did with it. Oh...My....God....YUM! Gotta give props to my buddy Chef E for inspiring the cream sauce!

Five Prawns peeled and diced

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil 1 Tablespoon Emeril's Essence (this stuff is good on just about anything)

Heat your pan and olive oil to medium high. Add the prawns and Essence. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Take out the prawn pieces. Don't cook them too long, or you'll have rubber shrimp bites.

Reserve leftover olive oil/spices. This is what you'll cook the cakes in.

Combine in a bowl:

Leftover Risotto Primavera

1 Egg

1/2 Cup Seasoned Breadcrumbs

2 Tablespoons Emeril's Essence

Cooked Prawn Pieces

Mix all of the above ingredients, and form six patties/cakes.

Reheat the pan you cooked the prawn pieces in along with about 1/4 cup olive oil to medium low.

(Preheat your oven to 250 degrees to keep cakes warm while you make the cream sauce)

Cook cakes about 6 minutes on each side. Don't flip them a hundred times. Put them in the pan, and leave them alone. Flip them only once! They are happy sizzling away. After they are done, put cakes on a baking sheet in pre-heated oven to keep warm.

Now...for the sauce!

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1/2 Small Vidalia Onion Minced

1 FRESH Jalapeno Minced

4-5 Pieces of Roasted Red Pepper Chopped(I used the jarred peppers which are nicely sweet)

1 Tablespoon Flour

1 Cup Fat Free Half & Half

2 Tablespoons Emeril's Essence

Heat clean saucepan to medium. Add olive oil and onion. Saute for about 2 minutes. Add jalapeno and red peppers. Cook for another 5 minutes.

Add flour and Essence and stir well. Cook for two minutes, stirring often. Turn down heat to medium low and add the half & half. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, careful not to scorch. Add more half & half if the sauce is too thick.

Place two cakes on warmed plate, cover with sauce and garnish with FRESH CILANTRO!

Give leftovers to your friends!

Risotto Primavera

Sunday I was craving risotto. The trick to risotto is to KEEP STIRRING. It's a lot to ask to commit 30 minutes to just stirring, but trust me, it's so worth it. Lots of fresh veggies and creamy yummy risotto topped off with good parmesean cheese. Any or all of these vegetables make a wonderful combination. Tweek to your liking. I had considered a grilled chicken breast to accompany the risotto, but a nice piece of fresh multi-grain bread and a cold glass of Chardonnay made this a great Sunday meal.

Risotto Primavera

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Cup Risotto (Arborio)

3 Cloves Garlic Chopped Fine

1 Tablespoon Herbs de Provence

4-5 Cups Hot Chicken Broth (keep this warm in a sauce pot on the back burner)

1/4 Cup each diced: onion, red pepper, yellow pepper, zucchini, carrot, frozen peas, mushrooms

1/2 Cup Grated Parmesean

Fresh Parmesean and Cilantro

Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Heat the pan to medium-low and add the olive oil. Add the risotto and saute for 3 mins until coated well in the olive oil, add the garlic and saute another minute or so.

Stir in one cup of chicken broth, and keep stirring. Turn the heat down until simmering. Keep stirring until all the liquid is absorbed. This should take about 5-6 minutes. Add another cup of hot broth and the Herbs de Provence.

Stir some more.

Continue to stir and adding the hot broth about a half cup at a time until you've got about one cup of broth left. Throw in about a half cup of white wine, the rest of the broth and all the veggies. KEEP STIRRING!

Keep stirring until all the liquid is absorbed. Add grated parmesean and stir stir stir! Garnish with freshly grated parmesean and fresh chopped cilantro.

TA DAH!