Trying Momma's Sunday Dinner - Episode 4

Wow! Once you miss, it’s hard to get back isn’t it. We’ve been doing our Sunday Dinners religiously and we haven’t missed a week. Week 4 I was sick and Steve stepped in to cook phở with the kids. It was very authentic and very complicated but yummy. The following week (Week 5) was Easter and we enjoyed our traditional meal of Glazed Ham, Black Beans and Rice.

Week 6 was amazing! We made this whole fish dish with striped bass that was very strange to cook. You stuff the fish with seasoning, coat it in tons of coarse sea salt and bake it. The sea salt forms a hard outer shell that you rap with a knife to take off as one piece, very high tech! It was, in my opinion, the best meal we’ve made to date. We served it with Crisp Rosemary Potatoes, Three bean salad and deviled eggs. The only glitch was that I dropped almost half the fish on the floor as I was serving it. What a tragedy it was.

Week 7 was Mother’s Day and Steve and the kids cooked homemade pizza for me.

This brings me to this week (week 8). It was not the most successful week we’ve had in terms of cooking. We made Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Mustard-Dill Sauce & Quinoa and Spring Vegetable Pilaf. The pork was not extraordinary and though the flavor of the Quinoa was great, we overcooked it and it was mushy. I’d like to try the Quinoa again someday, I think it could be a real treat. The mint creates a very subtle flavor and really complements the vegetables.

As we realized the meal was not going to be very good, we ended up talking about the energy you bring to making food. There was a lot of conflict yesterday as we cooked. The kids were both in awful moods and pecked at each other and me throughout the entire process. There was no fixing their attitudes but I told them both that this is what happens when meals aren’t cooked with love. Anger sours the dishes. I really believe that all the negative energy we had ruined the meal.

The good news is that dinner time was perfect. Somehow, their moods turned around and we visited and told stories and played a guessing game way into the evening. It was everything a trying momma could have hoped for.

Next week: Chicken Fried Rice

Signed,

Trying Momma

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Recipes and Cooking Notes Below

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Whole Fish Baked in Sea Salt 

Source: www.epicurious.com

Trying Momma's Notes: Have the fish monger prepare the whole fish for you. It is mush easier. They will ask you about removing the gills. Leave them on, it prevents the salt from leaching into the fish meat.

Yield: Makes 6 servings

2 tablespoons coriander seeds

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 3-pound cleaned scaled whole fish (such as whitefish or salmon), fins removed

1 cup thinly sliced leek (white and pale green parts only)

1 lemon, thinly sliced into rounds

2 large egg whites

1/4 cup water

2 26.5-ounce boxes coarse sea salt (6 cups)

Extra-virgin olive oil

Lemon wedges

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 450°F. Line large rimmed baking sheet with foil, leaving generous overhang. Combine first 3 ingredients in small skillet. Toast spices over medium heat until beginning to pop, stirring frequently, about 9 minutes. Cool spices. Coarsely crush in mortar with pestle or in heavy resealable plastic bag with mallet.

Rinse fish inside and out; pat dry. Sprinkle all of spice mixture in fish cavity. Stuff with leek and lemon slices.

Whisk egg whites and water in large bowl to blend. Add salt. Stir until salt is evenly moistened. Spread 2 cups salt mixture in 4-inch-wide, 12-inch-long strip (or use more to equal length of fish) on prepared sheet. Place fish on salt. Cover fish completely with remaining salt mixture, pressing to seal.

Bake fish 25 minutes. Let stand in crust 10 minutes.

Using large knife, rap crust sharply to crack. Brush salt from fish. Cut into portions and serve, passing extra-virgin olive oil and lemon wedges alongside.

TEST-KITCHEN TIP:

For 8 to 10 servings, cook a 4 1/2-pound fish instead (you'll need to use 3 egg whites, 6 tablespoons water, and 3 boxes of salt). Bake the fish for 35 minutes. Whatever size fish you use, be sure to preheat the oven for 30 minutes, using an oven thermometer for accuracy.

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Quinoa and Spring Vegetable Pilaf

Source: www.epicurious.com

Trying Momma's Notes: Don't make the mistake I did. It is crucial that you not overcook the grain. We made the vegetables perfectly and the whole dish was ruined by mushy quinoa.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes 

1 1/2 cups quinoa, well rinsed

1 cup vegetable broth

2 cups frozen petite peas, thawed, divided

5 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves, divided

1 garlic clove, peeled

3 tablespoons butter 

1 large leek (white and pale green parts only), halved, thinly sliced (about 1 cup) 

3/4 cup sliced shallots

8 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, thickly sliced

1 14-ounce bunch asparagus, trimmed, cut on diagonal into 1-inch pieces

Bring 2 1/2 cups water to boil in small saucepan. Add quinoa and 1 teaspoon salt; return to boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender and water is absorbed, 15 to 17 minutes. Drain if necessary.

Puree broth, 1 cup peas, 4 tablespoons mint, and garlic in blender until smooth

Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add leek and shallots; sauté until soft and light brown, about 4 minutes. Stir in mushrooms, then asparagus; sauté until mushrooms are tender and asparagus is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Mix in puree and 1 cup peas; stir until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add quinoa; stir to coat.

Divide pilaf among bowls; sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon mint and serve.