The Other Woman Cooks

Cook? Are you kidding me? In 90-something degree weather?  If only my family would settle for a bowl of cornflakes ... I'd happily toss in a few berries or even cut up a banana. But noooo ... they were hungry for real food. And as much as I wanted to avoid the dreaded evening meal, the very thought of take-out Chinese in this heat just had no appeal. Solution: a nice hunk of fish lightly marinated. Fingerling potatoes cut in half and tossed in olive oil then thrown on the backyard grill. Took less than twenty minutes. And dinner was served. Bellies full. Edy's frozen lime fruit pops for dessert. A pitcher of iced tea in the refridgerator. All is well. But I'm still sweltering.  So, I'm headed out with a couple of friends to happily shiver through a midnight movie. Nothing better than hot buttered popcorn,  a comfy seat in a theater with the AC cranked up to winter storm warning levels and the latest movie release. EASY GRILLED FISH Juice of 1/2 lemon, freshly squ...

Every year, Frank the Rototiller Guy makes his late-April appearance in our garden space. I'm guessing in his younger years he wowed the ladies with his coiffed head of still thick hair complete with long sideburns eerily reminiscent of The King. He causes quite a stir in our neighborhood while he does a great job getting our soil ready for early plantings. Farmer Paul wasted little time in putting down what plants flourish in the cooler spring days and nights. Yesterday, the cabbage patch went in. Not to mention the perennial bed and our herb border boasted the first harvest of the new season with ready parsley and ripe rhubarb. And so it begins ... PARSLEY PANKO HADDOCK 4 six ounce pieces of boneless haddock fillets 1 cup panko Japanese style plain breadcrumbs 1/4 cup fresh finely chopped parsley (dried just won't do) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 cup plain yogurt 1/2 teaspoon citrus zest (I used lemon this time but lime, orange and even grapefruit wo...

So it's not snowing here ... yet. But today's blustery wind and an annoying case of the sniffles kept me huddled on the couch sipping hot lemon tea from my favorite mug and watching old flicks on television. It wasn't long before I nodded off. Next thing I knew it was four in the afternoon and Fisherman Paul came rolling in after a day on the river, hoping for a stick to his ribs hot meal. Lucky for him, I had the ingredients on hand for this creamy veggie stew and a few chunks of cooked lobster to make it extra yummy! VEGGIE SEAFOOD CHOWDER POT 1 small shallot, finely grated 1 cup cauliflower, chunky chopped 1 cup broccoli, chunky chopped 1/2 cup carrot, large grated 1/2 cup Gruyere or cheddar cheese, grated 1 cup 1% milk 1/2 cup light cream 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 1/2 cups chicken broth 1 tablespoon arrowroot, dissolved in 1/4 cup water or semi-dry white wine Dash of salt Fresh ground pepper to taste 1 pound mild white fish, cut into one inch chunks (flounder works...

Most Friday mornings, I head to the market for a pound of fresh haddock or sole. I prefer wild caught to farm raised but pretty much settle for whatever's on sale. Last week, a firm white filet caught my eye. I asked about it and was told that it was basa fish, a Vietnamese import, a mild cousin to catfish and a popular choice on the west coast that more recently made its way east. I'm a strong advocate of supporting local producers and that includes fishery but I was too curious not to give this strange new item a try. The delicate, white basa is a perfect fish for baking in a spicy tomato sauce. A word to the wise: much of what's advertised as basa is really tra, a cheaper, inferior import. If you're going to live with the guilt of purchasing an import, don't settle for less than the real thing. Ask before you buy. I've used this recipe for years with homegrown catfish. It also works with any mild white fish. For the optimum result, make sure it's a filet ...

Arriving last night in Austin, Texas I was too late for making a dinner meeting on my schedule. Alternate route to a quick bite: the Renaissance Austin Hotel cocktail lounge to settle for a glass of wine and a selection off the bar menu to tide me over. What I found were the friendly faces of three women I know from the far away places of Washington, DC, Nebraska and California sipping wine and munching on two dollar (yup, two bucks) mini-fish tacos. Great company, decent wine and delish snacks that didn't cost a fortune - is there a better way to start three days of meetings? MINI-FISH TACOS 1 small soft corn tortilla 1/8 cup finely shredded cabbage 2 ounce "finger" slice cod loin 1 tablespoon creme fraiche - The Silver Palate Cookbook, page 339 2 tablespoons salsa (or chopped fresh tomatoes) dusting of any good cajun fish spices Spoon creme fraiche and shredded cabbage in center of corn tortilla. Set aside. Lightly dust fish "finger" with store bo...