Recipes

Salmon en Papillote

Salmon en Papillote

With this traditional method of cooking fish wrapped in parchment paper, the paper fills with steam and puffs up like a balloon. The salmon is cooked relatively quickly while remaining tender, but the best part of preparing something en papillote is when you tear open the paper, release the steam, and take in the aroma. I love the Mediterranean flavors of these vegetables, but feel free to substitute whatever vegetables, herbs, and citrus you have on hand.
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Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 400°F.
  • In a fine-mesh strainer, rinse the capers in cold water, then soak them covered with cold water in a small bowl for 10 minutes to remove their salt.
  • Drain and set aside.
  • Mushrooms absorb water like a sponge.
  • Instead of rinsing, clean them by brushing off any dirt with a damp paper towel.
  • Remove and discard their stems and thinly slice the caps.
  • Divide the vegetables into four portions, one for each piece of fish.
  • Cut four pieces of parchment paper a bit more than double the size of one fish portion and fold each one in half.
  • Unfold one piece of parchment paper and layer two slices of fennel on one-half of the paper as the base.
  • Layer the mushrooms on top of the fennel.
  • Set a piece of fish on top of the mushrooms, then sprinkle on the capers, cherry tomatoes, and olives.
  • Douse with ½ tablespoon of the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the white wine.
  • Top with the basil leaves, lemon slices, and a healthy pinch each of salt and pepper.
  • Refold the parchment paper to cover the fish.
  • Starting on one side, fold the parchment paper up in shallow triangles, working your way around the unfinished edge until you’ve sealed the paper packet on all sides.
  • Fold the final triangle down to force the “pillow” you’ve created to lie flat.
  • Repeat with the remaining three portions of fish.
  • Place the paper pillows on a large baking sheet and bake for 14 minutes.
  • Remove the baking sheet from your oven.
  • Use scissors to carefully open each paper packet and discard the lemon slices.
  • Push the fish and its accoutrements onto plates, sliding the paper out from beneath each one.
  • Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.
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Course; Fish

Oven-Roasted Potatoes with Cod

Oven-Roasted Potatoes with Cod

Baked fish might inspire a boring weeknight feeling, but this slowly baked, tender cod served on top of potatoes flavored with ham fat is anything but—it’s easy enough for a weeknight but tasty enough to share. If you’re having friends over or just want to go the extra mile, serve this with Mother-Sauce Mayo on the side. It’s hard to believe that pork-flavored potatoes could get even better, but wait until you try pork-flavored potatoes with handmade mayonnaise.
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Ingredients

Serves 4

  • 1 ounce jamón Ibérico prosciutto, or bacon, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 white onion thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic crushed
  • 2 russet potatoes peeled and cut into ¼-inch slices
  • Salt
  • 1½ pounds Atlantic cod black cod, or sea bass, cut into 2-inch slices

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 400°F.
  • In a large pan on low heat, cook the ham until it’s crispy, about 6 minutes.
  • Use a slotted spoon to transfer the ham to a paper towel to drain, leaving the fat in the pan.
  • (If you don’t have a slotted spoon, tilt the pan to one side, let the fat pool at the bottom, and scoop out the meat.
  • )
  • With the fat still in the pan, turn the heat to medium-low.
  • Stir in the olive oil, onion, and garlic.
  • Cook until the onion is soft but hasn’t taken on any color, about 10 minutes.
  • Stir in the potatoes, ham, and a pinch of salt.
  • Cook, stirring frequently, until the potatoes sizzle and begin to brown, about 10 minutes.
  • Transfer the potato mixture to a small casserole or baking dish.
  • Bake until the potatoes and onion have browned, stirring a couple of times to prevent any sticking on the bottom of the dish, about 20 minutes.
  • Remove the potatoes from your oven and lower the temperature to 275°F.
  • Leave your oven door open for a few minutes to allow it to cool.
  • Set the fish on top of the potatoes and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
  • Return the potatoes and fish to your oven and bake until the fish is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
  • Serve immediately.
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Course; Fish / Main Course

Cod with Clams in a Green Sauce

Cod with Clams in a Green Sauce

An old Basque recipe I picked up while cooking in Spain nearly thirty years ago, this cod with clams dish is all about slow and low: slowly cooking the fish at a low temperature to create a sauce without overcooking the cod. The clams release their juices and both hydrate and flavor the fish. What’s great is that you only have to use one pot, and the dish requires very few ingredients; the green sauce is made only with parsley.
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Ingredients

Serves 4

Instructions

  • Rinse the clams thoroughly in cold water, then soak them in cold water for 30 minutes.
  • Rinse thoroughly once more to remove any remaining sand, then drain and set aside, discarding any clams that have opened.
  • Coat the fish in flour.
  • Sprinkle both sides of each piece with a pinch each of salt and pepper.
  • Pour the olive oil into a large pan and add the garlic and fish, skin-side down.
  • Set the pan on low heat and cook gently, flipping the fish when the bottom just begins to color, about 2 minutes.
  • Stir 2 teaspoons flour into the oil to form a roux.
  • Turn the heat to medium.
  • When the oil starts to bubble, stir in the wine, clams, parsley, and a pinch of salt.
  • Cover the pan and turn the heat to low.
  • Cook, shaking the pan occasionally to prevent the fish from sticking, until the fish is cooked through and the clams have opened, about 10 minutes.
  • Divide the fish among serving bowls, spooning plenty of cooking liquid over the top.
  • Serve immediately.
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Course; Fish

Sashimi-Style Raw Fish with Sushi Rice

Sashimi-Style Raw Fish with Sushi Rice

This is one of my favorite ways to eat fish: lightly dressed and raw. I make the sushi rice according to my rice cooker’s instructions and suggest that you do the same, but I have included my personalized rice-rinsing ritual here. You can take it or leave it, but I recommend you rinse your rice to remove excess starch and have some fun while doing so.
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Ingredients

  • Serves 2 as a main 4 as a starter
  • ½ cup white soy sauce
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 8 ounces sushi-grade fluke amberjack, or sea bass, skin removed and cut into ½-inch strips
  • 2 small radishes
  • 2 large sheets nori
  • 1 cup sushi rice
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
  • White or black sesame seeds for sprinkling
  • Juice of 1 lime

Instructions

  • Whisk together the white soy sauce and olive oil in a large bowl.
  • Add the fish, cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap, and set in your refrigerator to chill.
  • Trim off the ends of the radishes.
  • Use a sharp knife or mandoline to very thinly slice them.
  • Stack the slices on top of each other and thinly slice the stacks lengthwise so each piece resembles a matchstick.
  • Soak the radishes in ice water for 30 minutes to crisp, then drain and pat dry.
  • Meanwhile, turn the burner of your stove on high.
  • Slowly wave each sheet of nori over the burner until it becomes fragrant and crispy but doesn’t brown.
  • Slice the toasted nori into thin strips, about 2 inches long by ¼ inch wide.
  • Set aside.
  • To rinse the rice, cover it with cold water and rub the grains between your two palms, as if you’re starting a fire with two sticks.
  • Dump out the water (there’s no need to use a strainer—gravity will force the rice to the bottom of the bowl and save you from washing an extra dish).
  • Cover the rice with cold water again.
  • Make your hand into a claw, lower it into the water, and whisk in a circular motion.
  • Dump out the water.
  • Cover the rice with cold water a third time and churn the rice by cupping your hands underneath it and turning your hands over.
  • Dump out the water, which by now should have turned from a milky white to clear.
  • Pour the rice into a rice cooker and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
  • Let the rice cool to just slightly warm or room temperature.
  • To serve, spread the rice on your serving dish with the fish layered on top.
  • Add the radishes, nori, chives, and a generous sprinkling of sesame seeds.
  • Finish with a squeeze of lime.
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Course; Fish / Rice / Sushi

Mackerel in Lemon Broth

Mackerel in Lemon Broth

This is a light, refreshing appetizer that highlights the natural flavors of a piece of fish worthy of being served raw: be sure to only buy the best-quality mackerel you can get your hands on. Use a mandoline to slice the vegetables if you have one. If you don’t, try to slice the vegetables as thinly as possible so their texture and flavor don’t compete with the fish itself. From there get creative making pretty shapes with paper-thin vegetables.
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Ingredients

Serves 4 as a starter

  • 1 leek white and tender green parts only
  • ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup white wine
  • 2 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
  • 4 black peppercorns
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 medium carrot peeled and halved horizontally
  • 1 radish very thinly sliced
  • Salt
  • 1 small zucchini very thinly sliced
  • 8- to 10- ounce sushi-grade mackerel fillet
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 8 to 10 sprigs dill
  • 8 to 10 sprigs chervil or fennel fronds optional

Instructions

  • In a small pot on high heat, combine the leek, vinegar, wine, parsley, peppercorns, lemon juice, a carrot half, and 2½ cups water.
  • Bring to a simmer, then turn the heat to low and let the broth sit, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
  • Strain the lemon broth into a bowl and let it cool to room temperature.
  • Meanwhile, very thinly slice the remaining half carrot.
  • Soak the radish in cold water for 10 minutes to crisp.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil on high heat and set a bowl of ice water next to the pot.
  • Once boiling, add salt to taste.
  • Dunk the sliced carrot and zucchini into the boiling water for 30 seconds to blanch, then transfer immediately to the ice water to stop the cooking process.
  • Set the vegetables aside on a paper towel to drain.
  • Remove the mackerel’s skin using a sharp knife.
  • Lightly sprinkle each side with salt and let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
  • Rinse the fish with cold water and pat dry.
  • Cut the fillet in half horizontally so it’s very thin, then cut the sliced fish vertically to make thin strips.
  • To serve, pour the cooled broth into a small serving bowl.
  • Roll up the strips of fish like a fruit roll up, and set them on their side in the broth so you see a swirl shape from the top.
  • Arrange the vegetables over and around the fish and in the broth.
  • Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and garnish with the dill and chervil.
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Course; Appetizer / Fish

Paëlla from David Kinch

Paëlla from David Kinch

The truth is, this recipe isn’t a result of working in Spain, or any romantic story from my past. I just really, really like rice and shellfish, so I’ve made a lot of paella. The base for this recipe is the same as the sauce for the Spaghetti “Soffritto” (this page), so consider doubling it and having extra pasta sauce to last you throughout the week.
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Equipment

  • paella pan 12-inch or larger

Ingredients

Serves 6 to 8

SOFRITO

RICE AND SHRIMP

  • 1 pound extra jumbo 16/20 shrimp in shells, rinsed well with cold water
  • Salt
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 4 cups fish stock Chicken Stock (this page), or Chickpea Stock (this page)
  • 1 teaspoon saffron threads lightly toasted and crushed
  • 2 cups Bomba rice

Instructions

  • To make the sofrito, cut the tomatoes in half horizontally.
  • Using the large side of a box grater, grate the cut side of each tomato into a large bowl, discarding the skins.
  • In a large pot on low heat, stir together the olive oil, sugar, salt, bay leaf, and onions and sauté until the onions start to lightly brown, about 40 minutes.
  • Add the smoked paprika and garlic and stir to combine.
  • Stir in the tomatoes and simmer until the sauce reduces and the oil separates, about 25 minutes.
  • Set aside.
  • To make the rice and shrimp, in a medium bowl, toss the shrimp with a pinch of salt.
  • Heat the olive oil in your paella pan on medium heat.
  • When the oil is hot, add the shrimp in one layer.
  • Let them sit for 1 minute to give them a little color, then use tongs to flip and cook for 1 minute more.
  • Be careful not to overcook the shrimp here—you’ll need them to remain raw so their juices later season the rice.
  • Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.
  • Pour the sofrito into the paella pan with the heat still on medium.
  • Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until it softens but doesn’t take on any color, about 5 minutes.
  • Stir in the fish stock, 1 tablespoon salt, and the saffron and bring to a simmer.
  • Once simmering, add the rice and stir to combine.
  • Pour in any juices that formed at the bottom of the bowl of shrimp and stir to combine.
  • Add the shrimp in one single layer.
  • Let everything sit without stirring until a crust forms on the bottom and the rice cooks through, 14 to 16 minutes.
  • To serve, scoop the top layer of rice and shrimp into bowls, leaving the blackened crust in the pan.
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Course; Fish / Rice
Cuisine; European / Spain

Jambalaya, New Orleans Style

Jambalaya, New Orleans Style

This is the perfect Pink Palace dish: it’s not fancy or extravagant, it’s not trying to impress anyone, it’s just really, really good. But what I love even more about jambalaya is that there’s no such thing as making it for two people. Gather your friends (and their friends), ask them to bring beer, and eat it at your table together, or while you’re all standing around your kitchen, or sitting out on the porch: there’s really no wrong way to share a jambalaya.
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Ingredients

Serves 8

  • ¼ cup sunflower oil
  • 3 cups diced white onions about 2 large onions
  • 1 cup diced celery about 2 ribs
  • 2 cups diced green bell peppers about 2 large peppers
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder optional
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder optional
  • Salt
  • 1 cup trimmed and thinly sliced green onions white and tender green parts only
  • 2 cups about 1 pound sliced andouille sausage (½-inch rounds)
  • 2 cups long-grain white rice
  • 2½ cups Chicken Stock or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1 pound extra jumbo 16/20 shrimp in shells, rinsed well with cold water
  • 24 shucked oysters in their water

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 375°F.
  • In a large oven-safe pot on high heat, heat the sunflower oil until it’s just starting to smoke.
  • Add the white onions, celery, and bell peppers (“the holy trinity”) and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables start to soften, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the bay leaf, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and a healthy pinch of salt and continue to cook until the vegetables caramelize and turn brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
  • You’ll see brown bits start to stick to the bottom of your pot—this is the fond (see this page), in other words, the best part.
  • Add the green onions and continue to stir until they wilt, about 1 minute.
  • Add the sausage and continue to cook until the fat renders and the sausage gets crispy, about 2 minutes.
  • Stir in the rice and a generous pinch of salt.
  • Add the chicken stock and Worcestershire sauce and scrape up the brown bits that have formed.
  • Turn down the heat to low.
  • Stir in the cayenne and wait as the pot comes to a simmer.
  • Add a pinch of salt, taste, and add more, if necessary.
  • Turn up the heat to high, and when boiling, add the shrimp and the oysters and their water.
  • The shellfish will be slightly overcooked, but it adds tremendous amounts of flavor to the rice—a compromise I can live with.
  • Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and transfer it to your oven for 14 minutes.
  • Remove the pot from your oven and resist the temptation to peek.
  • Let it sit, covered, for 10 minutes.
  • Serve immediately or store in your refrigerator, covered, for up to 12 hours.
  • Simply let it come to room temperature before serving.
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Course; Fish / Main Course
Cuisine; American

Rice Cremoso with Clams

Rice Cremoso with Clams

Clams and sausage infuse rice with tons of assertive flavor in this super Spanish-style rice dish, but what I adore even more than the resulting explosive taste is the unique texture. Somewhere between a porridge and a risotto and a soup, this cremoso (Spanish for “creamy”) is warm and homey and comforting. It’s lucky this dish is so easy to make, as you’ll find yourself craving it on a regular basis, especially on cold winter nights.
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Ingredients

Serves 6 to 8

Instructions

  • Rinse the clams thoroughly in cold water, then soak them in cold water for 30 minutes.
  • Rinse thoroughly once more to remove any remaining sand, then drain and set aside, discarding any clams that have opened.
  • In a medium pot on high heat, bring ½ cup of the stock to a boil.
  • Once boiling, add the clams and cover the pot.
  • Steam the clams, shaking the pot vigorously every 30 seconds with the lid on, until the clams have opened, about 2½ minutes.
  • Remove the pot from the heat and set aside, uncovered.
  • In a large pot on medium heat, bring the remaining 3½ cups stock to a simmer.
  • Meanwhile, in a large pan on low heat, stir together the onion, garlic, and olive oil.
  • Add a pinch of salt and cook until the onion is soft but has no color, about 10 minutes.
  • Add the sausage and cook to medium rare, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the rice and turn the heat to medium.
  • When the rice starts to sizzle, add the wine and stir to combine.
  • Simmer until the wine has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
  • Ladle 1 cup of the simmering fish stock into the rice mixture.
  • Simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add a pinch of salt and another cup of fish stock.
  • Continue adding the stock, 1 cup at a time, every 2 minutes until you’ve added all of the simmering stock.
  • The final result will yield cooked rice with a soupy consistency.
  • Stir in the cooked clams, lemon juice to taste, and the parsley.
  • Serve.
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Course; Fish / Rice

Date-Night Risotto with Crab

Date-Night Risotto with Crab

Nothing says date night like a risotto, and I reserve this one in particular for my favorite guest at the Pink Palace. Why is this my date-night dish, you ask? Because of its rich, creamy texture and it uses only two pots. It requires stirring frequently, but you can also have a glass of wine and engage in charming conversation while you look your best standing by the stove. I especially love this dish in the summertime with blanched fava beans or asparagus. Stir them in just before serving to make this risotto extra special. Before I leave you to it—the mistake everyone makes with risotto, even in restaurant kitchens, is that they overcook the rice. In fact, I would rather eat an undercooked risotto than a bowl of mush. Don’t overcook it and be sure to eat it right away.
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Ingredients

  • Serves 2 to 4
  • 3½ cups Chickpea Stock Chicken Stock or store-bought low-sodium vegetable stock
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium white onion finely chopped
  • 1¾ cups Arborio or Carnaroli short-grain rice I use Carnaroli
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • Salt
  • 8 ounces lump crabmeat
  • 1 heaping tablespoon mascarpone cheese

Instructions

  • In a small pot on low heat, bring the stock to a simmer.
  • Meanwhile, in a large pot on medium-low heat, stir together the butter and olive oil.
  • When the butter has melted and combined with the oil, add the onion and continue stirring until the onion is soft but hasn’t taken on any color, about 7 minutes.
  • Add the rice and turn the heat to medium.
  • Continue stirring to coat the rice in the oil and lightly toast the grains until they begin to crackle but don’t take on any color, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the white wine and continue stirring until the wine has evaporated and the rice begins to crackle again.
  • Add enough of the simmering stock to cover the rice, about ½ cup.
  • Add a healthy pinch of salt and gently stir frequently until the stock has evaporated.
  • Continue adding the stock in ½-cup increments along with a pinch of salt.
  • Gently stir as you add the stock, allowing the rice to absorb the liquid, until you’ve added all the stock and the rice is wet and creamy, 20 to 22 minutes total.
  • Taste the rice and add more salt, if necessary.
  • The final result should be toothsome but not raw and have the texture of a porridge.
  • Stir in the crab and mascarpone and serve immediately.
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Course; Fish / Rice

Ricotta Gnocchi with a Simple Tomato Sauce

Ricotta Gnocchi with a Simple Tomato Sauce

I was helping a friend open his restaurant when he made this tomato sauce for his staff dinner. I loved how fresh it tasted, but more than that, I was impressed by how quickly it came together. While gnocchi may seem time-consuming or laborious, this version, which is made by simply rolling ricotta in flour, is as simple as the sauce. Together, they make an extravagant-feeling meal that gives the illusion of time and effort while secretly being quick and easy to make.
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Equipment

  • blender

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Cut the tomatoes in half and squeeze their seeds over the sink to discard.
  • Put the remaining flesh into your blender, and blend on low speed until a smooth puree forms.
  • In a large pot on low heat, stir together the olive oil and shallots until the shallots have softened without browning, about 4 minutes.
  • Shallots burn easily—be sure to keep the heat low and stir frequently.
  • Add the tomato puree, the bay leaf, and a healthy pinch each of salt and pepper.
  • Turn the heat to medium and bring the sauce to a simmer.
  • Add a small pinch of sugar and stir to combine.
  • Once the sauce begins to simmer, turn the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 12 minutes.
  • Remove the pot from the heat, stir in the basil, and set aside to cool to room temperature.
  • Once cool, remove the basil and discard.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the gnocchi.
  • On a large cutting board, pile the flour next to the ricotta.
  • Top the ricotta with 1 teaspoon black pepper and gently roll it into the flour, pushing the ricotta forward and flipping it until the ricotta and flour combine to form a consistency similar to wet dough.
  • The amount of flour you use will depend on your ricotta, but it should be around 1 cup.
  • Sprinkle a handful of flour across a clean cutting board to prevent the cheese from sticking.
  • With plenty of flour on your hands, form the dough into a ball and use your palm to flatten out the top so the dough is about 1 inch thick.
  • Cut the flattened dough into 1-inch-wide slices that resemble breadsticks.
  • Roll out each slice into a log about ¾ inch in diameter, then cut each log into a ¾-inch “pillow.
  • ”
  • Dip the prongs of a fork into the flour and then onto the top of each gnocchi pillow.
  • Applying gentle pressure, pull the fork toward you until the ball spirals to resemble a seashell, about one half-full turn.
  • Do this one at a time, setting aside the finished gnocchi on a paper towel, spaced without touching to prevent them from sticking to each other.
  • Just before serving, bring a large pot of water to a boil on high heat.
  • Once boiling, add salt to taste.
  • Reheat the tomato sauce over low heat.
  • Taste and adjust the salt level to your liking.
  • Cook the gnocchi for 1 minute in the boiling water.
  • Remove carefully using a slotted spoon and place on your serving dish.
  • Top with the tomato sauce and Pecorino Romano and serve immediately.
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Course; Cheese / Pasta