Shrimp & Roe Wonton

Shrimp & Fish Roe Wonton

Shrimp & Fish Roe Wonton Noodle Soup

The fish roe adds a savory sweetness to the wontons.

Shrimp & Fish Roe Wonton

24 large shrimps

3 tbsp baking soda

ice water, enough to cover shrimp

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 tbsp grated ginger

1 stalk green onions, finely minced

2 tbsp soy sauce

1/4 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp white pepper

1 tsp cornstarch

wonton wrappers

4 tbsp tobiko (flying fish roe)

1 egg white

Shell and devein the shrimp.  Mix baking soda into ice water.  Soak shrimp in ice water solution for 15 min.

Drain shrimp.  Rinse. Drain shrimp again.

Mix garlic, ginger, green onion, soy sauce, sesame oil white pepper and cornstarch together in a large bowl.  Toss the shrimp into the mixture.  Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Cover unused wonton wrappers with a damp towel while you are working to prevent them from drying out.

Brush egg white on one side of a wonton wrapper. Place 1 shrimp and a pea-sized amount of tobiko in the middle of the egg washed side of the wonton wrapper.  Fold one corner to the opposite corner to form a triangle, carefully pressing out the air before you completely seal the wonton.  If you want, you can also  bring the other two corners together to make a bishop's hat shape.

Unused wrappers can be frozen for future use.

To freeze:

Place wontons on baking sheet, make sure they do not touch.  Freeze for at least 4 hours before placing in a freezer bag or container. Cook from frozen, do not thaw.

To cook:

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  Add wontons one at a time, making sure that water stays boiling.  Stir and let cook for about 5 min.  Remove from water with a slotted spoon.

How to Prepare Live Sea Urchin

I scored a live sea urchin at HMart the other day and decided that it was time for me to rise up to the challenge of preparing live sea urchin.  I have seen the guy at the farmer's market do it, it seemed doable.  Turns out, it's very doable.

Step 1: Pick out a live sea urchin.

Step 2: Don a pair of gloves and find a pair of sturdy kitchen shears with a sharp point.

Step 3: Flip the sea urchin so that the closed opening side is up. That is the mouth.

Step 4: Carefully make a small crack near the mouth.  The shell will be hard, but is just about twice the thickness of an eggshell.  It won't take much to crack.  Cut a circle around the mouth to remove it.  

Step 5: Cut a slit in between each of the sections of golden uni tongues.

Step 6: Carefully peel off/cut away what if left of the top of the shell without nicking the uni tongues.

Step 7: Drain away the liquid inside.

Step 8: Carefully remove as much of the slimy black membrane as you could without nicking the uni tongues.  I tried using chopsticks for this, but it was too slippery.  Bare fingers work better.  Though it stains your fingers, a good scrubbing with some dish soap got most of it off.

Step 9: Use a spoon to carefully remove the uni tongues from the shell and peel away any remaining black membrane still stuck on the tongues. rinse under a gentle stream of cold water.

Step 10: Enjoy immediately.

Stuff this good is best treated with simplicity.

I opted for draping two tongues over sushi rice with strips of nori, a small Uni Don as my appetizer.  

The rest of the tongues, I made a simple Uni Pasta as my main course.

Uni Don

Uni Don

1/4 cup cooked sushi rice, slightly cooled

1 tbsp rice vinegar

pinch of sugar

2 tongues of uni

4 strips of nori

Mix the rice vinegar with the sugar in a bowl until dissolved.  Mix in sushi rice.  Top with uni and nori strips.

Uni Pasta

Uni Pasta

3 tongues of uni

1 tbsp olive oil

1 serving of hot, cooked linguine, fettuccine or spaghetti

1 tbsp of flat leaf parsley

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

sea salt, to taste

Whisk uni and olive oil together in a bowl until liquified and blended.  Toss in pasta, parsley, lemon juice and sea salt.

Shrimp Stuffed Tofu

Shrimp Stuffed Tofu

I seem to be on a tofu kick lately.  Most people say that they don't like tofu because of it's texture and bland flavor.  That always puzzled me because all the tofu dishes I grew up eating, which were home cooked thanks to my mommy, were flavorful and had varied textures depending on the dish.  Tofu acts like a sponge and soaks up any sauce that it is cooked in.  Even the plain ones that are simply deep-fried taste great to me when it is served with dipping sauce.
There are many different types of tofu available (egg tofu, soft, silken, medium, firm, tofu skin, etc.)  Combined with the vast possibilities of cooking method (chilled, steamed, braised, pan-fried, deep-fried, stir-fried, grilled, pressed, frozen-thawed, etc.), the variety of texture grows exponentially.
Maybe I just have weird tastes.  Or maybe most people didn't have the luxury of a cook like my mom to introduce them to tofu and unfortunately came to know poorly prepared tofu.  Even some restaurants do not do their tofu dishes justice.  It sometimes seem like it's just on the menu to be there.
In any case, this one is amongst my favorites.  I love the texture of silky soft tofu with steamed rice.  If you do as well, this is the dish for you.
My mom also sometimes uses ground pork for the stuffing, which I will get into another time.

Shrimp Stuffed Tofu
1 block of soft tofu
fine sea salt
cornstarch for dusting
10-12 large shrimps, shelled
1/3 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tbsp minced green onions
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp soy sauce

Prepare tofu:
Cut tofu into 1 1/2 inch cubes.  Make a well in the center of each cube by scooping out the middle with a metal spoon.  I used the spoon to make 4 cuts on the top of each cube, slightly angling the cut towards the center.  Be careful not to break the sides of the tofu.
Lightly sprinkle sea salt over the hollowed tofu cubes.  Turn each cube upside down.  The salt will soak in and the tofu will drain any excess liquid while you prepare the shrimp filling.

Prepare shrimp filling:
Now you may wonder why I would do this by hand, rather than utilize a food processor to pulse the shrimp into a paste.  For one thing, because my momma said so.
And...I find it difficult to maintain enough control with a food processor to keep the shrimp from ending up being too mushy.
Using a heavy meat cleaver or santoku knife, chop the shrimp up into little pieces. Mince the shrimp until the texture is like a thick paste with bits of shrimp mixed in.
Transfer the shrimp into a bowl.  Stir in a pinch of sea salt, 1/2 tsp cornstarch and white pepper.  Mix well.

Flip the tofu cubes hollow-side up again.  Very lightly dust the wells of the tofu with cornstarch.  Don't over do it, otherwise, you'll end up with glue inside the tofu.  This will help the shrimp stuffing stick to the tofu.
Scoop the shrimp filling into each tofu cube.  Place each shrimp-filled cube onto a heat-proof dish with raised sides.
Fill wok (or a large pot that is at least 1-inch wider in circumference than the dish) with 2-3 inches of water.  Place a steam rack in the wok or pot.  Place the dish on top of the rack.  Make sure the water does not reach the top of the dish.
Cover the wok or pot with lid.  Steam for about 10 minutes or until the shrimp turns pink.
Drizzle with sesame oil and soy sauce.  Sprinkle with green onions.
Photograph and post pictures.  Serve with steamed rice and enjoy!

Bun Rieu Tom with Fried Tofu

Growing up, my mom always had a big pot of jook (rice congee or porridge), bun (round rice noodles) or chicken pho (flat rice noodles) simmering on the stove on the weekends.  The components were always made ready to be on hand for the perfect steaming bowl of breakfast and/or even lunch.  She'd wake up before everyone else to start the broth. 

I always buy whole shell on shrimp so that I can save the heads and shells for shrimp stock.  Once I saved up enough for a nice shrimp stock, I decided to make Bun Rieu Tom with Fried Tofu.

There are many variations of Bun Rieu.  The traditional Bun Rieu Cua is made with blue crab.  Bun Rieu Tom is made with shrimp.  Bun Rieu Cua Tom Oc is made with crab, shrimp and snail meat.

The fried tofu soaks up the savory, tangy flavors of the broth.  The delicious egg mixture has a light, pillowy texture.

Broth for Bun Rieu Tom

5 cups shrimp heads & shells, packed

1 lb pork bones
10 cups water

1 tsp oil
1 cup tomatoes, chopped

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp fermented shrimp paste

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 onion, halved

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spread the onion halves, pork bones, shrimp heads and shells on a baking sheet.  Roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.  Transfer the pork bones, shrimp heads and shells in a stock pot.  Cover with water and bring to a boil.  Place lid on pot, slightly propped up.  Reduce heat to a low simmer.  Simmer for 3-4 hours or overnight.  Remove pork bones, shrimp heads and shells.  Skim broth.
Heat a small frying pan with oil.  Sautee chopped tomatoes for 30 seconds.
Add onion, sauteed tomatoes, tomato paste, shrimp paste and fish sauce to broth.  Stir well and simmer for at 2 hours.  Makes about 9-10 cups broth.

Bun Rieu Tom (per serving)

2 cups broth for Bun Rieu Tom

1 tbsp crab paste

1 egg, slightly beaten

6 pieces fried tofu

4 shrimp

1 cup cooked bun noodles

wedge of lime

2-3 sprigs mint (garnish)
1/4 cup finely shredded cabbage (garnish)

Bring broth to a simmer.  Add fried tofu and shrimp.  Mix crab paste and egg together.  Slowly drizzle the egg mixture into the simmering broth.  Ladle on top of bun noodles in serving bowl.  Add juice from a wedge of lime.  Add more shrimp paste and/or fish sauce to taste.  Mix in mint leaves and shredded cabbage.

Fish Ball with Roe Filling

On one of my recent asian grocery shopping trips, I spent some extra time browsing through the frozen dumplings section.  I discovered these little gems.

I usually buy the regular fish balls, which are fish meatballs made from cod or haddock. They are great additions to asian noodle soups.  They are usually boiled in a spicy curry sauce and sold on skewers in Hong Kong.  In Sweden, they are called fiskbullar and usually sold in cans.

I keep a constant supply of homemade chicken stock in the freezer.  There are always  either egg or rice noodles in my cupboards for those lazy meal days.  Add some green onions, fried shallots, protein and veggies.  Voilà.  Instant meal. 

I cooked the fish ball with roe in the stock for my noodle soup.  The roe imparted a slight sweetness into the soup.  The fish ball had a mild flavor with a firm texture that is nice to bite into.  

I was back at the store the very next day to get more.  That's when I discovered these:

Hot Pot Made Easy

I decided to do a hot pot dinner on Thanksgiving this year.  No turkey, no mashed potatoes, no cranberry sauce and no pumpkin pie.  So it's not the most traditional Thanksgiving meal, but at least it was stress-free.  I just wanted to drink wine and enjoy a great meal with good company without having to spend two days prepping and cooking and fretting over how the bird will turn out.

Hot pot, shabu shabu, lẩu, suki, sukiyaki, steamboat, fondue or huǒ guō is a social event.  Each part of the world has a different version, but it is basically everyone dipping and cooking the pre-sliced ingredients in pot of hot soup base, cheese or chocolate that simmers in the middle of the table.  I have many memories of family meals with everyone spending hours surrounding a pot of simmering broth chatting and eating.

Zion market was our first stop to pick up some ginger, lotus roots, pea sprouts, orange and thinly pre-sliced pork belly, beef tongue, ribeye and brisket.

99 Ranch had the portable camping stoves and cans of butane.  We also got some cuttle fish balls, herbal soup mix, rice noodles, moqua and napa cabbage.   There are lots more items that would be great hot pot additions such as tofu, fish fillets, shrimp, dumplings, any thinly sliced meat, noodles, taro, potatoes, veggies and etc.

At both stores, there were a plethora of induction and electric hot pot sets.  However, I wanted the portable gas version so that I could have the option of doing an outdoor hot pot as well.  Funny how both Zion and 99 Ranch had the portable gas stove, but neither had the pot nor little scoops to go with it.  SF (Thuan Fat) Supermarket had the pot and all the little scoops I needed to complete my hot pot kit.

Thanksgiving day: I spent about an hour or so rinsing and slicing up the veggies and preparing the soup bases.  Depending on the region, the soup bases also vary.  Since I got a half and half hot pot, I did one regular herbal soup base and one spicy herbal soup base,  which didn't take long at all.  To save time, I prepared the soup on my kitchen stove and then transferred to the portable hot pot setup.

Half and Half Herbal Soup Bases:
1 packet of assorted herbs
1 finger of ginger (peeled and chopped into large chunks)
6 cans of chicken broth or homemade broth
6 dried chili peppers
3 dried chrysanthemum flowers (optional)
Pour chicken broth, ginger and half of each herb from the assorted herb packet into a large pot.  Bring to a boil.  Transfer half of the broth to one side of the hot pot.  Add the dried chili peppers to the remaining half of the broth and simmer for about 5 minutes.  Transfer to other half of hot pot.  Put the chrysanthemum flowers in a tea ball and add to the spicy side of the hot pot.  In chinese medicine, chrysanthemum flowers are "cooling" and will balance out the "heatiness" of the spicy hot pot.  The tea ball will help keep the flowers from disintegrating into the hot pot.  Keep hot pot on a low simmer.  

Rinse and strain the pea sprouts and napa cabbage.  Moqua has a texture and taste just like winter melon.  I prefer it to winter melon because it has a much thinner skin and is easier to prep.  It soaks up the flavors of the soup like a sponge.  Peel and slice the moqua into about 1 inch pieces.   Peel and thinly slice the lotus root.  My handy mandolin slicer really made a big difference with the lotus root.  Parboil, rinse and drain the rice noodles.

 Cut half-way into each cuttle fish ball with 3 horizontal slices.  

Turn over to the other side and make one perpendicular slice half-way into each ball.  

That way, there are slices on each side of the cuttle fish ball, while keeping the whole thing intact.  This would help any meat balls cook quickly and evenly in the hot pot.

I laid everything out and we pigged out.  To keep the soup from evaporating away thru out the meal, I add hot water as needed.  The leftovers also made for a delicious noodle soup the next morning.

What about the orange?  That was for my azuki dessert soup.  More on that next time....

Steamed Fish w/ Ginger and Scallions = Next Day Fish Flake Jook

My favorite fish preparation is steamed with ginger and scallions then drizzled with a soy sauce and oil dressing.  The heated oil brings out the essence of the ginger and scallions.  Kwai Fei Gai is also prepared in a somewhat similar fashion.  That is also my favorite way to cook chicken.  I guess I'm just a sucker for anything that is steamed and dressed with the scallion and ginger oil.  It goes so well over steamed rice.  Mmmm, my mouth waters just thinking about it.

Steaming is the best way to enjoy any fresh salt-water fish with a firm flesh.  I don't recommend this recipe for fresh water fish like trout or catfish.  This method highlights the taste and texture of the fish instead of masking it with stronger flavors.  It is best to use the freshest fish possible.  I have always thought that this dish is the reason why most Chinese restaurants have the live fish tanks.  I would not order this dish from a restaurant without those tanks.

My mom used to make this dish with a whole fish that she gets from the market that same day.  Head and tail included.  Since I was cooking for one, I got a single fillet of sushi grade mahi mahi.  

Steamed Fish w/ Ginger and Scallions

8 oz fillet of firm fleshed, salt water fish (mahi mahi, snapper, sheepshead, etc)

1 stalk scallions, minced

4 inches fresh ginger, julienned or grated

4 tbsp vegetable oil

2 drops sesame oil

2 tbsp soy sauce

Place a steam rack in a wok.

If you don't have a steam rack like that one, you can rig one up with two pairs of chopsticks.  Like so:

Add enough water to the wok until it just stops short of where the plate would be placed on your rack.  Heat to simmer.  

Spread half of the ginger and scallions evenly onto a heat proof plate large enough to fit the fish, but smaller than your wok.  Make sure the plate has sides that comes up. 

Place your fish on top of the ginger and scallions.  Spread the rest of the ginger and scallions on top of your fish.

Place the plate on the rack.  Make sure water level is sufficient.  Cover with wok lid and steam for about 10 minutes.

*If you are steaming a whole fish, make sure the fish is cleaned.  Scour both sides of the fish with 3 parallel slashes and stuff with ginger and scallion mixture as well.  Add an additional 5 minutes of steam time for every 8 oz.

Take plate off rack.  Drizzle with soy sauce.  Take rack off wok.  Drain water and dry wok.  Heat oil in wok.  Carefully pour heated oil over fish.

 

If you have any leftovers, you have all the ingredients to make Fish Flake Jook for breakfast the next morning.  

Fish Flake Jook

From Leftovers:

leftover steamed fish, flaked into bite-sized pieces

leftover steamed rice

water or chicken broth

salt

white pepper

Simmer the leftover rice with twice as much water or broth, stirring frequently until rice is broken up.  Add more water or broth if rice becomes too thick.  I like my jook to be more of a soupy consistency.  Turn off heat.  Stir in fish flakes.  Ladle into bowls.  Add salt and white pepper to taste.

From Scratch:

8 oz fillet of firm fleshed, salt water fish (mahi mahi, snapper, sheepshead, etc), slightly frozen

1 stalk scallions, minced

4 inches fresh ginger, julienned

2 drops sesame oil

2 tsp soy sauce

1 cup uncooked rice

3-4 cups water or chicken broth

salt

white pepper

Thinly slice fish against the grain.  Cut fish into bite-sized chunks.  Mix fish together with scallions, ginger, sesame oil and soy sauce.  Marinate for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.  

Bring water or broth to boil.  Add rice.  Lower heat to a simmer.  Partially cover by placing lid over pot, but propping one side of the lid up by placing a chopstick underneath one side of the pot.  Stir occasionally.  Cook for about 30 minutes or until rice is soft and broken.

Turn off heat.  Immediately stir in fish.  The residual heat should cook the fish without overcooking it.  Ladle into bowls.  Add salt and white pepper to taste.  Makes 6 servings.

Living It Up...In National City (The Waterfront Grill)

Great view, right?  That was my lunchtime view.  Was I at a fancy yacht club?  Nope, I was lunching in National City.  Yep, far in the background behind those sparkly yachts is the Navy yard. 

I was actually lunching in front of a place that sells yachts!  Yep, those babies are brand spanking new.  And right next to the sales office is the Waterfront Grill (not to be confused with the Waterfront in Little Italy).  

The Waterfront Grill is in a fairly new building on Pier 32 in the mostly industrial area of National City.  It's yacht club posh without the posh membership fee.  

Walking in, the menus were in a basket that hung on one of the columns underneath a sign that directed me to order at the counter.  I decided on the Blackened Fresh Fish Sandwich with a side salad ($10.50) and iced tea ($2.25).  I was handed real glassware and a number for the server to find my table.  There's indoor and outdoor seating.  Since the weather has been so nice and warm, I decided on the covered patio overlooking the pier full of boats located just outside the sales office.  As I wait for my food, I fantasized about owning one of the yachts and being one of those people who spent the day out on it instead of having to schlep back to the office right after lunch.  How cool would it be to drive up on my shiny new boat and have lunch?  Sighs.

My plate arrived with real flatware wrapped in a linen napkin.  The sandwich was open faced on toasted ciabatta bread with the usual sandwich fixings.  Lettuce, tomatoes and red onions.  My fish was indeed fresh and moist, seasoned with a cajun rub that had just the slightest hint of heat.  I was expecting the side salad to just be lettuce and some tomatoes.  Instead, I got a spring salad mix with tomatoes, sections of mandarin orange, candied walnuts, dried cranberries, carrot shavings and a tangy vinaigrette.  Ahhhh.  So this is how the other side lives....

The Waterfront Grill

3201 Marina Way

Pier 32

National City, CA 91950 

Mitch's Seafood

A couple of months ago, my boss treated me to lunch at Point Loma Seafood.  After lunch, we noticed Mitch's Seafood, located on the 1st floor of a 2-story building sitting by the water.  My boss and unofficial boss decided to treat me to lunch again this past week.  We decided to head over to Mitch's and found a whole lot of construction going on over there.  The building that houses Mitch's was also under construction.  Thankfully, they had a sign up saying that they were open during construction.  We went for an early lunch, so there were only 2 tables taken up when we walked in.  The menu is written on a chalkboard above the counter.  There is a decent selection of local beers on draft.  Too bad it was a work day.  There is a great view of the water and boats.  The girl at the counter was very nice and offered to answer any questions.  They had 3 different types of fishes on special: yellowtail, corvina and something else I can't recall.  I asked what corvina was and the girl said it was a mexican sea bass.  I was very close to ordering a grilled corvina fish taco, but then I spotted the calamari platter on the board.  My boss got the fish and chips and wasn't too impressed with the portion size.  There was 3 or 4 large pieces of fish in his order, which would be okay if you didn't compare his platter and mine.  Unofficial boss got 2 grilled yellowtail fish tacos.  Nice sized fillets that looked grilled to perfection. We ordered and paid at the counter and the girl brought the food to our table.  It looked great.  I love that they gave you a choice of batter fried or grilled fish for your tacos.  I always preferred a grilled fish taco.

My calamari platter was enormous and cooked perfectly.  Underneath all those crispy fried tentacles and tender rings, were crispy golden french fries.  The cocktail and tartar sauce didn't taste like they came out of a jar.  I couldn't decide which I liked more, so I alternated.  The homemade coleslaw was crunchy, not too soggy.  Though I could have used more acidity.  Not bad for $9.50.  I managed to finish off all of the calamari, but couldn't stuff more than a couple of pieces of fries.  This would be good to split with another person.  Oh, how I wish I could have ordered a beer to go along with this.  As it got closer to noon, construction workers and fishermen started drifting in for lunch.  Still, not as crowded as Point Loma Seafood.  The food came out within minutes of ordering and the prices were also great.  I definitely look forward to coming back.
Note: This place does not share the free parking lot with Point Loma Seafood.  There is an ACE parking lot in front (right across the street from Captain's Quarters).  The first 1/2 hour is free and then $1 per hour after that.  We only had to pay $1.  I can't wait to come back an try everything else on their menu board.

1403 Scott St
(between Fenelon St & Garrison St)
San Diego, CA 92106
(619) 222-8787

www.hudsonbayseafood.com

Crab Stuffed Tilapia!

Peohe's

1201 First Street
Coronado, CA 92118

  

A friend of mine had raved to me about the Crab Stuffed Tilapia that she had ordered from Peohe's a couple of months ago. Since it was one of the items on their Restaurant Week menu, I had to try it out for myself.
We had made reservations, so were seated pretty quickly.  Unfortunately, the service was really slow.  Seems that the kitchen wasn't keeping up with the demand.    The servers were very attentive, but it was a long wait in between placing our orders and being served each course.
My first course of Lobster Bisque was extremely flavorful.  The essence of lobster really came through in the stock used for this. However, I would have preferred the bisque to be creamier.  I wonder if they added any cream, other than the little swirl that was drizzled on top.  Lobster meat is generally used as a garnish, if at all, in lobster bisque.  There was a really generous chunks of lobster meat in the bisque. Gotta love that!
Second course: Crab Stuffed Tilapia!  The tilapia was breaded with panko crumbs and, of course, stuff to the max with real crab meat.  The fish was moist and well seasoned.  I would go back just for this.  There was a very generous side of wild rice.  I really enjoyed mixing some of the panko crust with the rice.  It was yummies.
My biggest disappointment was the crème brûlée.  Mainly with the brûlée part.  There was only a bit of the burnt sugar crust near the edge. The custard was nice and I loved the macadamian nuts, too bad I didn't get more of the crunchy, sugary crust that makes custard into crème brûlée.

Costco Wontons

My co-worker introduced me to these frozen wonton soups a couple of weeks ago. She gave me a bowl to try and I've been hooked ever since. Costco sells these for $9.99 for a 6-pack. Each bowl contains frozen broth and 5 individually frozen shrimp wontons. The flavorful broth is seasoned with scallions, ginger and garlic. The wonton wrappers withstood being cooked, frozen and reheated. They did not fall apart, yet were silky soft. There is simply a whole shrimp inside each wonton. I got a wonderfully firm and toothful feeling when I bit into the shrimp. No mushy frozen shrimp for me! The portion size is just perfect for a light breakfast, but when you also want to feel like having something substantial at the same time. Add some ramen noodles for a nice slurpy lunch?
Oh, where were these when I was in college? I really think I could live on these and never get tired of them.
Ghetto Fab Tip: One of my other co-workers whom we've lured into our Wonton Soup Cult has discovered that these containers are the perfect size to be reused as parfait containers. Just make sure to wash it out really well. I like to reuse the containers for freezing individual servings of homemade stock.

Store Bought Potstickers

Got some frozen potstickers at Thuan Phat a couple of weeks ago. Pork, scallop and shrimp are a pretty good combination. I pan fried some of these bad boys for a potluck style dinner party that I went to and they were a big hit. There were a consistent amount of sweet baby scallops in each dumpling. I would get a baby shrimp in every third potsticker or so, but the scallops made up for that shortfall.
I would still prefer homemade, but these are great when I don't feel like spending an entire day making dumplings. I ate an entire bag for dinner one night.

Live Uni - Sushi Lover's Envy

Everyone knows that when it comes to seafood, the fresher the better...
Just alive yesterday: I used to work for a subcontractor and one of the guys there would always go out on fishing trips on the weekends. He would always pack an extra large lunch to share after his fishing excursions. Sometimes, vendors would rent out those big fishing boats and take our project managers out on a day long fishing excursion off the coast of Baja or even Alaska! There would always be a company BBQ when those guys came back with a bounty of fish caught and frozen just the day before (catches from fishing boats are all thrown into the gigantic freezer on the boat as soon as the fish comes out of the water). Besides grilled fish, there would also be the occasional dish of sashimi set aside for the few sushi lovers there.

Iron Chef Michiba once presented the King of Indonesia with the written word "Fresh" ...
Never frozen: At another previous job, I worked with a guy who grew up in Hawaii. He used to tell me about catching fish straight from the ocean and cutting it into sashimi right there on the beach.

Still kickin'
All the above sounds like a sushi lover's paradise, right? How's about uni that is still moving as you're eating it? Last night, discovered a place that offered the option having your sea urchin served live or made into a bisque. Guess which one I went for?

Our server made a comment about how much she loves the fact that it is still moving when she set the bowl down in front of me. I looked down and sure enough, the spikes were moving and continued to do so even as I was spooning the roe into my mouth.
How does it taste? The texture is smooth and light. Similar to custard. The only way I can think of to describe the flavor is for you to close your eyes and picture yourself being out in the middle of the open sea (it has to be the open sea, not the beach). Imagine taking in a deep breath as a cool ocean breeze washes over your senses. That's what it tastes like.
If that's still to vague, well, you're just gonna have to try it for yourself. All I can say is that all the uni that I've ever had at sushi restaurants cannot hold a flame to this one. Where did I go to sample this euphoria for my taste buds? I'll give you a hint: It is NOT a sushi restaurant.
Give up? Here's another hint

Homemade Guacamole is the best...with crabmeat is even better

Since the 2007 Firestorm, avocado prices have climbed. Lucky for me, someone at work has an avocado tree. Beautiful and luscious avocados. Even better looking and bigger than the ones at the grocery store.
I waited patiently for them to ripen...and I made guacamole. As I was going through my kitchen cabinet for spices, I noticed a can of crabmeat. With some blue corn tortilla chips from Henry's, this is what I created...

I didn't take exact measurements, just tasted as I mixed things together (I must be turning into my mother). Here's the list of ingredients:
1 large ripe avocado
1 can crab meat
mayo (just enough to make guac creamy)
cayenne pepper
salt
onion powder
splash of raspberry vinegar (didn't have lime)
dried tarragon

Linguine w/ spicy seafood

Pasta and rice have always been staples in my kitchen. I hate that I can't finish a loaf of bread before it expires, so I rarely buy it. I like my bread to be soft with that slight fluffiness that is lost when kept in the refrigerator. Could anyone tell me where they sell half loaves of bread? Anywho, I love carbs. As much as I like meat, I thought the Atkins diet was absurd. Give up pasta, bread and rice? I'm not saying that you won't lose weight on the Atkins, I've known people who have lost a lot of inches on that diet in a short amount of time. I just never thought it was a particularly healthy option, especially for your colon. Is getting there faster really worth the sacrifice on your health?
I've noticed that most diets that are becoming more popular these days (i.e. Weight Watchers, South Beach diet) are more geared towards eating healthy while losing weight. I commend those of you who are paying more attention to you overall health than the scale, for doing it the right way and not taking short cuts with fad diets.
I may not be on a diet, but I do recognize that healthier alternatives are just as great tasting. This post will also include a healthier version of my Linguine w/ Spicy Seafood recipe.

Healthy version (nutritional info from here):
1 tsp olive oil (44 calories)
1/8 box of Barilla linguine (200 calories)
1 clove garlic, minced (5 calories)
1/2 small onion, chopped (15 calories)
3 tbsp dried parsley (11 calories)
3 cups Fresh Express Organic Baby Spinach (35 calories)
3 oz Surimi or imitation crab meat, chopped (84 calories)
8 oz Organic Low Sodium chicken broth (15 calories)
4 tbsp crushed red peppers (0 calories)
salt & pepper to taste

Boil linguine in chicken broth. If needed, add just enough water to cover pasta. Stir occasionally. While pasta is cooking, saute onions and garlic in olive oil over low heat. When onions are translucent, add crushed red peppers, parsley and spinach. Add a bit of the chicken broth from the pasta water to the spinach mixture. Cook spinach until wilted. Turn off heat. Toss pasta, surimi and spinach mixture together. Add just enough chicken broth/pasta water to coat the linguine. Salt and pepper to taste. Serves 2.


Original version:
2 tsp olive oil (80 calories)
3 tbsp butter (306 calories)
1/8 box of Barilla linguine (200 calories)
Water to boil pasta
1 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped (22 calories)
1 clove garlic, minced (4 calories)
1/2 small onion, chopped (14 calories)
3 cups Fresh Express Organic Baby Spinach (35 calories)
3 oz Surimi or imitation crab meat, chopped (84 calories)
4 tbsp crushed red peppers (0 calories)
4 tbsp grated parmesan (88 calories)

Boil pasta. Stir occasionally. While pasta is cooking, saute onions and garlic in olive oil and butter over low heat. When onions are translucent, add crushed red peppers, parsley and spinach. Cook spinach until wilted. Turn off heat. Toss pasta, surimi and spinach mixture together. Sprinkle parmesan on top. Serves 2.