Eva's Kitchen - Eva Longoria Parker [17]
2. In a small skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the zucchini and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the zucchini to the bowl with the corn.
3. Add to the bowl the red onion, vinegar, oil, remaining salt, and pepper. Just before serving, toss in the herbs. Taste, adjust the seasoning as needed, and serve cold or at room temperature.
FROM AUNT ELSA’S KITCHEN To quickly and easily get the silk off an ear of corn, use a dry paper towel to brush downward on the cob.
asparagus with grey moss inn white french dressing
Reading through this book, you may pick up on a theme: I hide nutritious vegetables under generous amounts of sauce or cheese so everyone will eat them. Here is an example of my fun cat-and-mouse game played to perfection: creamy, oniony dressing is lapped over crisp-tender asparagus—and everyone’s happy!
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed
¼ cup Grey Moss Inn White French Dressing, or to taste
1. Prepare a bowl of ice water and set aside. In a sauté pan with a tight-fitting lid, add water to about ½ inch deep. Bring to a boil. Add the asparagus and simmer until bright green and just tender when pierced with a thin, sharp knife, 2 to 4 minutes.
2. Drain the asparagus and immediately plunge into the ice water to stop the cooking. When cool, drain the asparagus and lay them out on a clean kitchen towel. Transfer to a large serving platter. Drizzle the dressing over the asparagus and serve.
fish main courses
A childhood spent on the water meant that by the time I was seven years old, I could catch, gut, and fillet a fish. This is an undeniably useful skill, although I’m no longer frequently called upon to use it in my day job, and it instilled in me a deep and abiding respect for all sea life. Today when I buy and prepare fish, I seek out the highest quality, most sustainably caught fish I can find. I love a culinary challenge, and over the years I’ve developed a few foolproof cooking methods for fish. I’ve also discovered that adding favorite ingredients, such as honey and citrus, is a surefire way to make any fish taste great.
When buying fish, choose fresh, not frozen. To choose the most sustainably caught fish and shellfish, check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch (see Resources) for a user-friendly, regularly updated list of how fish and shellfish are being caught or raised. You can consult the online database, download a smartphone application, or carry the really useful pocket guides that indicate which are “best choices” and “good alternatives,” and which you should avoid. They believe, as I do, that the choices we make as individuals absolutely make a difference in our world.
crispy and spicy catfish fillets
lemon dover sole
honey-glazed salmon
tilapia with citrus-garlic sauce
herbed sea bass in parchment
crispy and spicy catfish fillets
When I went fishing with my dad, more often than not we caught buckets of catfish. I loved every moment of those days, right up until he’d cook the catfish by just tossing it on the grill with nothing more than some salt and pepper—then I wasn’t so happy. I loved just about anything breaded—still do!—so I took matters into my own hands and came up with this recipe (see photograph). The breading keeps the fish tender and moist. The only thing I’ve changed about this dish since I was a kid is the bread crumbs. Ever since fluffy Japanese panko has become widely available, I use it instead of regular dried bread crumbs for almost all my breaded dishes. Try this with Spicy Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Lemon Fettuccine.
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Vegetable oil spray
1 large egg
½ cup buttermilk
2 to 3 cups panko
8 5- to 6-ounce catfish fillets
1 tablespoon Old Bay or Season-All seasoning
1 to 2 lemons, sliced, for serving
1. Position a rack in the top third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Coat a large baking sheet with vegetable oil spray.
2. In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together the egg and buttermilk. Place the panko in another wide, shallow