Shrimp with "Crunchy Salad"

Writing about fish and seafood comes naturally to Renee Lavallee, aka Feisty Chef. She is executive chef of Five Fisherman, a famed Halifax restaurant strong on, you guessed it, fish and seafood. And that tasty looking dish pictured above is her Crunchy Salad.

We're borrowing this recipe, not only because it tastes as delicious as it looks, but because it's gluten-free. More and more, we're learning that people in our lives have to avoid gluten. This is something we're going to love eating with them. Bonus: it's dead easy.

A few words about shrimp these days, since everyone's wondering how the damage of the gulf oil catastrophe is affecting marine life. Gulf shrimp has always been hard to get here, mostly because of cost and a very short shelf life. Most people are buying frozen shrimp or previously frozen black tiger shrimp, which are great. We also sell organic farmed frozen shrimp from Ecuador, also worth trying.

Crunchy Salad

• 1 english cucumber; diced
• 1 red pepper; julienned
• 4 carrots; julienne
• 1 pkg tofu; diced and fried
• ½ bunch cilantro; roughly chopped
• ½ C. basil; roughly chopped
• 1 C. cashews or peanuts; roughly chopped (optional)
• 4 scallions; julienne
• 2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• ½ pineapple; large dice
• 12 x 16/20 shrimp, sauteed (optional)

Mix all the ingredients together with vinaigrette.

Vinaigrette

• ½ C. canola or grape seed oil
• ¼ C. sesame oil
• ½ C. tamari or soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp white sugar
• ½ inch ginger; peeled and minced
• 2 cloves garlic; minced
• ¼ C. chopped cilantro
• 2 Tbsp fish sauce
• 2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp mirin
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 Tbsp sambal olek (optional)

Whisk together all the ingredients and pour over the salad.

Thanks, Renee.

Glenn, what are we drinking w/this?

With all the Asian flavours and herbs, we need something aromatic and rich. I have in mind a wine that I’ll have on hand very soon, a new wave Italian white called Anima Bianco, made by the Arnaldo Caprai winery in Umbria, with an almost almond hint on the nose. It’s got a creamy rich mouth-feel that will do right by the sesame oil and herbs.

The sea on land

via Tim Lahan for "Lunch League," a new clothing line.

Bistro Mussels à la Français

Some innocent bags of lovely PEI mussels were just sitting there in the display case, waiting to be taken home for dinner. But to Steph, they triggered memories of cooking traditional French food at Bistro 990.

Mussels were always on the menu, as they are in most French bistros worth their salt. And they were always served with fries, which never made sense until to me until I tried them together. And fries are always served with mayo. Once you've had real fries with mayo, you won't have any more time for ketchup.

I'm bringing up these great combinations because mussels are ridiculously easy to cook, so I thought it would be fun to encourage you to make real fries from scratch.

Apart from the perceived nuisance of frying oil -- which is no big deal and it can be recycled -- you're going to want to make them again. But yes, you'll need a thermometer. This double-cooking method is what the pros use, and it's all about temperature.

Here's a great video on how good professional kitchens make brilliant fries -- crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. And don't listen to him about the ketchup. If he knew we're having them with mussels, he would be into the mayo, too.


Some tips on the timing for preparing this meal in general, so that both key elements are hot and ready to serve at the same time:

1. Blanche the fries first. They can sit in the fridge until you need to finish them in the second cooking.
2. While you're cooking the onions for the mussels, prepare the oil at the right temperature for the fries.
3. Ideally, you'll be tipping your mussels into the pot right before you put the fries in for their finish.

A few words about mayo: You want to make your own? Why not? But don't feel you have to. A good "real" store brand is plenty good. Your call.

A few words about cleaning mussels: Give them a generous rinsing with lots of cold water. Remove the "beard" with a paring knife by pulling it down to the hinge.

Another French bistro staple that will come in handy with this meal: Baguette. The mussels' liquor [cooking liquid] is so delicious, you'll want to spoon it up like soup, or sop it up with chunks of baguette.

Bistro Mussels
serves 4

4 lbs mussels
1 medium onion finely diced
1 clove garlic, smashed
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
a few flakes of crushed chiles
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1/3 cup white wine or beer
salt & pepper to taste

• On medium heat, in a tall pot with a tight-fitting lid, heat the olive oil and fry the onions until soft, with the garlic and thyme.
• Deglaze with wine or beer.
• Add mussels and give them a good stir to coat them all with the onions.
• Put the lid on and forget about them for 5 to 7 minutes.
• Check to see how many have opened.
• If a third or so remain closed, give them a little more time.
• Generally 10 - 12 minutes should do it.
• Discard any mussels that haven't opened at this point.
  
• Serve them up in deep bowls, pouring the liquor over the mussels, and lay the table with extra bowls for the shells.

Glenn, would you say we've got a great beer opp here?

There are some great wines that would work well here, too. I'd encourage people to look to a Muscadet from the Loire Valley or a crisp Sancerre. I'm happy to give some specific recommendations. Just ask. As for beers, I think pilsners are best, particularly Urquel from the Czech Republic, where the first golden pilsner [aka lager] was invented in the mid-1800s. If you want a Canadian beer, try King Brewery's pilsner made just north of the city. Right now, I'm carrying a new and very interesting Italian wheat beer made in Tuscany. It's called Bruton Bianco, made in the "white" beer tradition of Belgium, where mussels, fries and mayo are also traditional and popular.

Gather 'round this roaster

Sure. We're supposed to stay out of the kitchen in this crazy heat, and that makes some people think we should be out there on the deck grilling everything, which is fine. No harm in that, but it's not the only way to go.

Look at this beauty, aptly named Summer Tray-Baked Salmon [recipe attached], the work of Jamie Oliver.


I want to be one of the lucky people invited to sit around that table.

A king among crabs

Japanese spider crab, caught in the Pacific, thought to be 40 years old, transported yesterday to Sea Life Holland, near The Hague. Photo: Marcel Antonisse for Agence France-Presse, Getty Images, via WSJ.