Summer Fish on the Grill

I just got back from a wonderful few days in NYC.  I was one of 5000 bloggers at the #BlogHer12 Conference.  It was humbling, inspiring, exhausting, fun, a learning experience but the best part was that I’ve come away with new friends, contacts and a realization that I have a lot of work to get my blog looking the way I really want it to. 

I didn’t leave my husband with any pre-cooked meals, frozen ready-to-cook meals or instructions.  He’s a chef and I figured the meals were the least of the problem. I did forget to tell him to water the hanging petunias on our front porch but I think they’ll recover.  I was not shocked upon my return that the laundry was undone or the kitchen floor disgusting… hey, I barely ever get the laundry folded and away and I’m not a constant-enough mopper (though I do sweep daily).  It was nice to feel appreciated; my husband said he realized why I hardly ever get the laundry completed.  Though, really is it ever really finished?

So, before I left I did make what I thought was an awesome meal on a sticky humid evening. I’d bought a gorgeous looking cod filet (over 1 pound) and knew that I wanted to grill dinner on the hot and humid night.  Who wants to cook in a hot kitchen in the dog days of summer?  So this is how I grilled it:

Summer “Grilled” Cod

1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground coriander 
juice of one lime
palmful chopped cilantro
handful quartered cherry tomatoes
1 chopped scallion
1 chopped garlic scape (the center stalk of fresh garlic— good pic here
salt and pepper 

I took the filet of Cod and wrapped it in tin foil.  Before closing it up I sprinkled the spices on it, added all other ingredients on top then placed on grill for about 10 minutes. While it was cooking I also grilled some zucchini, squash and eggplant.  I did cook the snap peas inside, but they only take 3 minutes in a small pan of boiling water.  I used my frozen TJ’s Org Brown Rice— 3 minutes in the microwave.  I could have set my rice cooker before we left the house that morning but I didn’t know what I was going to see in the market.  And since I knew not all my kids would eat the grilled vegetables, I made a plain green salad with avocado.  Overall, a delicious and awesomely nutritious dinner. 

Even Rosie thinks it’s hot tonight. 

All three of my kids, weren’t as in love with the fish as I was, but still ate most of it.  It was my middle son who ate the most. He also ate the zucchini but refused the eggplant.  My youngest loves snap peas and salad, so success all round. 

Summer Fish on the Grill

I just got back from a wonderful few days in NYC.  I was one of 5000 bloggers at the #BlogHer12 Conference.  It was humbling, inspiring, exhausting, fun, a learning experience but the best part was that I’ve come away with new friends, contacts and a realization that I have a lot of work to get my blog looking the way I really want it to. 

I didn’t leave my husband with any pre-cooked meals, frozen ready-to-cook meals or instructions.  He’s a chef and I figured the meals were the least of the problem. I did forget to tell him to water the hanging petunias on our front porch but I think they’ll recover.  I was not shocked upon my return that the laundry was undone or the kitchen floor disgusting… hey, I barely ever get the laundry folded and away and I’m not a constant-enough mopper (though I do sweep daily).  It was nice to feel appreciated; my husband said he realized why I hardly ever get the laundry completed.  Though, really is it ever really finished?

So, before I left I did make what I thought was an awesome meal on a sticky humid evening. I’d bought a gorgeous looking cod filet (over 1 pound) and knew that I wanted to grill dinner on the hot and humid night.  Who wants to cook in a hot kitchen in the dog days of summer?  So this is how I grilled it:

Summer “Grilled” Cod

1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground coriander 
juice of one lime
palmful chopped cilantro
handful quartered cherry tomatoes
1 chopped scallion
1 chopped garlic scape (the center stalk of fresh garlic— good pic here
salt and pepper 

I took the filet of Cod and wrapped it in tin foil.  Before closing it up I sprinkled the spices on it, added all other ingredients on top then placed on grill for about 10 minutes. While it was cooking I also grilled some zucchini, squash and eggplant.  I did cook the snap peas inside, but they only take 3 minutes in a small pan of boiling water.  I used my frozen TJ’s Org Brown Rice— 3 minutes in the microwave.  I could have set my rice cooker before we left the house that morning but I didn’t know what I was going to see in the market.  And since I knew not all my kids would eat the grilled vegetables, I made a plain green salad with avocado.  Overall, a delicious and awesomely nutritious dinner. 

Even Rosie thinks it’s hot tonight. 

All three of my kids, weren’t as in love with the fish as I was, but still ate most of it.  It was my middle son who ate the most. He also ate the zucchini but refused the eggplant.  My youngest loves snap peas and salad, so success all round. 

Soup– stealthy vegetable vehicle

A way of sneaking in those pesky vegetables that some picky eaters refuse to eat on their own is to put them in soup.  My kids are pretty good at eating most vegetables so I don’t need to puree the veggies but anyone with ultra picky kids can choose to do that.  Even without pureeing it, since the vegetables get cooked in the broth they’ll get many of the nutrients even if they’re not eating the actual vegetable from the soup.   And with all the wonderful organic stocks and broths readily available to buy, making soups can be fast and painless.  It’s quick, easy, tasty and healthful— what more can you ask for?  And, don’t have enough of something for a full meal or want to use up left-overs; soup is a great medium. 

Here’s one soup I made in less than a half hour last night.  I decided last minute to make it a dinner and movie night, but not with pizza.  I had a little of this and that.  I mixed vegetable and chicken broth to give it a rich flavor.  I had some left over chicken breast (but not enough for much, so I thawed some tenders too). I decided to add some small meatballs (frozen, from IKEA— yes, Ikea, the furniture-in-box place) that made it into a sort of Italian Wedding Soup. I didn’t feel the need to add onions or celery since I used the prepared broths.  The chicken is very tender not only because of the cut, but also since it’s poached in the broth.

 

Chicken, Kale, Bean and Meatball Soup

1 quart organic chicken broth

1 quart organic vegetable broth

4 chicken tenders, cut in 1 inch pieces

1 bunch kale, de-stemmed and roughly chopped

2-3 organic carrots, sliced

3/4 pound mini star-shaped pasta

1 can beans (pinto, cannellini, kidney)

2 tsp dried oregano

10-15 small meatballs

1 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

In a stock pot pour the two broths and bring to a low boil.  Add kale, carrots and chicken.  Stir and cook for 5 minutes before adding pasta, meatballs, oregano and beans.  Cook 10 minutes then add cilantro and cook one more minute. Adjust seasoning (salt and pepper). My two eldest sons loved the soup and my youngest ate it but didn’t want the kale, even though he likes kale on its own.  I didn’t push and just let him try to eat it without (a tough task!).  I loved it too and both my eldest son and I had it for lunch today.

Packing A Punch

Amazing what a handful, or even just a teaspoon, of herbs can do to a dish.  Put a tablespoon of fresh chopped thyme with chicken and it adds such a magnificent dimension of flavor.  Whether that chicken is roasting whole or sautéing pieces with cream and wine; mmm…yum.  Throw some cilantro into Asian or Mexican style chow and it can intensify the already fantastic flavors.

 

I lifted a fairly plain salad to another level by adding chopped mint, parsley, dill and cilantro.  Just a little of each so as not to overpower the other or anything else.  It was so delicious and fresh tasting; so summery. 

One herb that I’ve had wonderful success growing in my garden is basil but unbelievably I’d never made pesto before… someone else has always done it, until now.  We’d gotten some in our CSA bin plus I have some growing outside so I thought I’d give it a try.

I looked up a recipe in The New Elegant But Easy Cookbook and then adapted it for the amount I had on hand and my tastes.  (I had a block of Reggiano Parmesan that I grated from myself but you can find some pre-grated in the cheese section of supermarket or Trader Joe’s.  I can’t recommend enough to not use the canister of powdered Parmesan cheese, it’s not going to give you the quality results.)

 

Pesto

In the Cuisinart I chopped together

  • about 5 cups of basil
  • 1/2 cup of toasted pignoli (pine) nuts
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmegiano Reggiano
  • salt & pepper to taste

Once blended to a choppy paste, while Cuisinart was on, I poured into top opening between 1/2- 3/4 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil until its consistency was right.  You don’t want it too oily. 

 

It was perfect for us.  We had the pesto on Rigatoni pasta. The boys really enjoyed it.  Initially they only wanted plain pasta with butter and salt, until they saw it— they wanted to taste it.  Once they tasted it, they asked for their pasta with it. I had mine with chopped tomatoes, the boys just pesto.  I didn’t put it on too thickly for them, so they could get used to the flavor.  It can be a little intense if it’s heavily sauced. 

 

Pesto is great with chicken and shrimp; in a grilled vegetable sandwich with fresh mozzarella; even on dollop on top of a grilled rib eye steak. 

Supposedly those herbs are healthy too.  Packed full of nutrients.  I know that they make foods taste great and my kids love those foods. 

 

© 2010 mykidsreallyeatthis.com