Traditional Prawn and Pea Risotto

April 19, 2016 by Aurel Pop in Main Dish

Aurel here. It’s been a while. Sorry about that. The past few weeks were dedicated to my trip to Chile. I recharged my batteries, cleared my mind, and now I’m back– fresh, happy, and ready to cook. I also have a lot of stories to share with you: stories about my new friends, the beautiful places I visited, and the delicious food I ate.

My stay in Viña del Mar with my new friend Juan Pablo inspired me to make this dish. I talked briefly in my past blog post about how excited I was to meet Juan Pablo and his family. Our mutual friend Camilla introduced us via Facebook, and we exchanged a few messages before my trip. The time I spent at Juan Pablo’s family was special. It was certainly one of the highlights of my trip mostly because it was something I haven’t experienced before: it was made to feel like I was home. I felt welcomed from the moment I entered his house and the connection with Juan Pablo and his family was instant, as if we knew each other forever.

I arrived on a Sunday, just in time for Sunday lunch. Sundays are when Juan Pablo’s family gets together. Every single week, his parents, grandmother, siblings, uncles, and family friends have a big lunch together. The lunch started with Veronika and Lucho, Juan Pablo’s parents, welcoming me with a piscola -- which is pisco (a traditional Chilean booze) with Coca-Cola and a few slices of lemon—followed by Chilean red wine. These much-needed libations helped me feel more confident about my limited Spanish and allowed me to cobble together sentences that everyone somehow understood.

For lunch Veronika prepared fresh cheese empanadas dipped in powdered sugar. I thought it was a bit odd, but once I took my first bite, I couldn’t stop stuffing my face with them. After the empanadas, we had a traditional Chilean corn pie called Pastel de Choclo, which served as our main dish. Then came the dessert: Pavlova. Pavlova is a meringue-based dessert topped with berries. The Pavlova was followed by coffee and yet another dessert: grape pie. The family tradition is to drink whiskey or tequila after finishing all the food, and I was happy to comply. I happened to have a small bottle with me, and we shared that as well. It was amazing; everyone was present and content eating, drinking, and sharing stories. It was one of those moments that reminded me how much I miss my family and our gatherings. Somehow Chilean hospitality suddenly felt so familiar.

The next few days that I spent in the Bahamonde house were as great as the first. We had lunch together almost every day. Veronika prepares home-cooked meals most days of the week. Sometimes it was something simple like fish with a side dish of potatoes, and other times she prepared more complex dishes like risotto. Veronika likes to experiment with ethnic cuisines. Our shared passion for good food served us well. She allowed me to help in her kitchen, and I was able to introduce her to my Hungarian beef stew (marhaporkolt).

Veronika’s risotto was impressive. It was perfect: creamy and flavorful with a nice bite to the rice. When Juan Pablo and I sat down to eat, I realized Veronika served me twice as much food as Juan Pablo. My portion was huge! When I asked Juan Pablo if increased portions for guests was a Chilean tradition, he told me, “No, that’s just my mom. She thinks you eat more because you’re macizo.” After a quick google translate search I found out what macizo meant: meaty or massive. “Not fat,” Veronika said, “but in good shape.” I didn’t complain. I ate the entire plate of risotto, relishing the fact that I am a macizo!

Enjoy!

TRADITIONAL PRAWN AND PEA RISOTTO

Serves 3-4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

Pan-seared prawns

1 lb. fresh prawns (16/20 count size), peeled and deveined
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp chili flakes
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Risotto

3 ½ cups low-sodium broth (vegetable or chicken)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium-sized shallot, finely chopped
2 cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
1 cup fresh green peas
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp white pepper
5-8 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped (about 2 Tbsp.)
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (about ½ medium-sized lemon freshly squeezed)

Instructions

Pan-seared prawns

Using a paper towel, pat the prawns dry. Season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes.
Heat olive oil in a stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil easily slides across the pan, add the prawns and cook for 2 minutes tossing occasionally.
Add lemon juice and cook for another minute. Immediately remove the prawns from the skillet as they will continue cooking if left in. Set them aside on a plate.
When prawns are cool enough to handle, pick 6-7 of the larger ones and dice into small bite-sized pieces. Keep the rest of the prawns whole.

Risotto

In a medium sauce pan, bring broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and keep the broth hot and simmering.
In another sauce pan (medium or large) heat olive oil over medium heat until it starts shimmering. Add shallots and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until they become translucent, stirring constantly.
Add rice and increase heat to high. Toast rice for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Pour in wine. Cook and stir until it evaporates, about 2 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low. Add broth to the rice one ladle at a time. Stir until it is absorbed to make sure the rice releases the creamy starch. Allow each ladle of broth to be absorbed before adding another one.
When the rice is al dente add peas, salt and pepper. Continue cooking for another minute or so.
When the risotto is done, remove pan from the heat and stir in the basil, parmesan cheese, butter and lemon juice. Mix well, taste again and adjust the seasoning.
Stir in chopped prawns and cover the pan with a lid. Let the risotto rest.
Serve hot topped with whole prawns. Sprinkle with freshly grated or shaved parmesan cheese.

Notes

In the world of professional cooking, the expression al dente refers to the degree to which pasta, rice, beans or vegetables are cooked. Al dente translates as "to the tooth” and it indicates that the rice or pasta should be tender but still firm to the bite.
Taste risotto as you go and adjust seasoning to your preference, but be careful with the salt. Remember that the parmesan is salty, too, and isn’t added until the end of cooking.

Baked Cod with Vegetable Matignon

August 28, 2015 by Aurel Pop in Main Dish

Roni and I are currently spending a few days of vacation in Sonoma and San Francisco. This is our first vacation of the year. Although short, we are excited about relaxing, sleeping in, eating and drinking fine wines all day. As a matter of fact, I just woke up from a post-wine tasting nap and am chilling on a lounge chair on the patio of our little rental cottage with a cool breeze soothing my sunburnt face. It's a beautiful thing to be out of Texas in August, especially in a place like northern California where cool summer breezes exist.

Fresh seafood is the ultimate summer dinner food. Nothing can beat fresh fish sprinkled with fresh lemon juice on a hot summer evening. Fish is easy and quick to cook. The worst thing that can happen when cooking fish is to overcook it, but with a little bit of attention, that can be avoided. Whenever you are cooking fish, remove it from the heat a few minutes before you think it's going to be done. For example if you think it will take 10 minutes to cook, just take it off after 8 or 9 minutes and check the middle with a fork. In just a matter of minutes your fish can go from nicely cooked and moist to dry and tasteless.

Another good tip when following a recipe for a fish dish is to check the thickness of the fish. Thicker fish fillets are going to take longer to cook, whereas the thinner ones are going to be done within minutes. As a matter of fact, when I made this recipe I was cooking two fillets of different thickness and it took one about 8-10 minutes to cook and the other one 12-15. If I left the thinner one on the grill for longer it would've turned rubbery and dry.

Thyme is my favorite herb to use when cooking fish. I like rosemary as well, but I find it a bit more overpowering especially for delicate fish like cod, flounder, snapper, haddock or tilapia. The vegetable matignon adds a lot of color, flavor and texture to this dish making it even more appealing for the ones who find cod a bit bland. You can also choose to add a tablespoons of vegetable stock along with the lemon juice to make it extra moist. I served this dish with fondant potatoes (recipe coming soon), but you can serve it with butter sautéed carrots or sweet peas, rice or even grilled vegetables. Enjoy!

BAKED COD WITH VEGETABLE MATIGNON

Serves 2
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10-15 minutes

Ingredients

2 cod fillets (about 1 lb)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
4 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup green bell pepper, finely diced
1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
2 Roma tomatoes, deseeded and finely diced
1 medium lemon, juiced (about 3-4 TBS fresh lemon juice)
2 lemon slices (1/4 inch thick)
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 TBS stock (vegetable or chicken) - optional

Instructions

Preheat oven or grill to 400F (200C) degrees.
Pat fillets dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt and pepper on each side.
Lay out two, one-foot long aluminum foil sheets. Sprinkle the middle of the foil with a bit of olive oil and then place one fish fillet on each sheet. Sprinkle more olive oil on the fish.
Top fillets with diced vegetables, lemon juice, lemon slice and thyme. If you choose to add stock, fold the foil upwards and sprinkle each fillet with a tablespoon of stock.
Fold the edges of the foil to form enclosed packets.
Place the packets in the oven on a baking sheet and cook for 10-15 minutes. If using the grill place the packets straight on the wire rack, close the cover and bake for about 10-15 minutes as well.
After 10 minutes, open the packets carefully to avoid burning yourself with the hot steam that built up inside the packets. If the fish is undone, continue cooking. Serve in open foil packets to avoid spilling the delicious juices. Eat as soon as you cooked it, as fish doesn't reheat well.

Pickled Shrimp

June 15, 2015 by Aurel Pop in Appetizer

I flew in to Hungary a few days ago and I seem to have arrived at the perfect time, because the cherry trees are loaded with gorgeous crisp cherries. Watermelons, raspberries and strawberries are all also in season which makes me even happier.

I’m spending the first couple of days with family at my sister’s home in a small town near Budapest, mostly eating and beating the jet-leg.

I asked my mom and dad to bring my two favorite cheeses, Burduf and Telemea from Romania as well as some Kabanos sausage when they came to pick me up from the airport in Budapest. I've been eating that with fresh tomatoes and peppers from my sister's in-laws' garden for the last couple of days. I love everything about the Eastern European cuisine, even though I can't eat as much as I used to while I lived there. Although delicious, Eastern European food is very heavy and filling. If you're following me on Instagram you've seen what I'm talking about. If you're not yet, now it's the right time to start doing it.

Hungarians and Romanians seem to be on a reverse eating pattern than Americans. Here we eat more for breakfast, less for lunch and even less for dinner. Typical breakfasts consist of amazing cured meats, sausages, liver pâté and boiled eggs served with freshly slices onions, peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers, loafs of fresh crusty bread and lots of cheeses. It's heaven on earth!

One thing that’s missing in our cuisine is seafood, although freshwater fish dishes aren't rare at all. The Hungarian Halászlé (Fisherman's Soup), Harcsapaprikás (Catfish Paprikash) and the Romanian Grilled Trout and Grilled Zander are just a few of the most famous ones. I plan on posting recipes for all these here in the future.

Most saltwater fish are frozen, and not as fresh as in other parts of the world. You can find frozen salmon, cod, and other fish, but shrimps, crabs or lobsters are very difficult to come by. I ate shrimp for the first time when I studied in Virginia during college. I loved its sweet and briny flavor as well as its firm and crisp texture.

I came up with this recipe when I made Cucumber and Avocado Gazpacho for a few friends that we had over for dinner. I wanted to surprise (impress) them with something that they most likely haven't had before and I needed a protein to accompany the creamy and sweet gazpacho. It turned out great and the dinner was a huge success. It also makes for a great appetizer or party snack on its own.

I usually store the pickled shrimp in mason jars in the refrigerator where they will keep for a long time. I love to eat the pickled onions and garlic, too. Enjoy!

PIckled Shrimp

Yields 8 servings
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Inactive time: 1 day

Ingredients

Boiling mixture

1 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3 cups water
3 bay leaves
4 cloves, whole
1 tsp coriander seeds, whole or ground
1 tsp red chili flakes, dried
1 tsp mustard seeds, whole
2 cardamom seeds, whole
1 tsp black peppercorns, whole
2 tsp salt

1 cup ice
2 cups water
1 1/2 pound shrimp (16/20 count size), peeled and deveined

Pickling mixture

1 cup rice vinegar
1 cup apple cider
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic, halved
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp peppercorns, whole
1 tsp red chili flakes, dried
2 tsp salt

Instructions

In a medium sauce pan combine all the boiling mixture ingredients and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Pour hot liquid over shrimps and keep them in the marinade until they turn pink around 3-4 minutes. Remove them with a sieve from the hot liquid and drop them in an ice-bath (1 cup ice, 2 cups water). Make sure you don't keep the shrimp in the hot liquid for more than 4 minutes, because it will overcook.
Remove the shrimp from the iced water. Peel and devein if you didn't do it at the beginning.
In a 24 oz mason jar combine all the ingredients for pickling mixture. Put the lid on the jar and shake vigorously until all the ingredients are well combined. Add shrimp to the mason jar, put the lid on and refrigerate for at least a whole day.

NOTES

Serve with olive oil and smoked paprika sprinkled on top. Pickled shrimp goes really well with the Cucumber and Avocado Gazpacho that I posted not long ago. It keeps for weeks in the fridge sealed in a mason jar.

PEI Mussels with Lemongrass Coconut Curry

June 11, 2015 by Aurel Pop in Appetizer

The next few weeks are going to be crazy. I'm doing a round the world trip within 3 weeks. I'll be leaving Austin later today and will fly to Hungary and Romania for a week, then to Singapore, then to Japan and then finally back home. Usually I prepare ahead of time, but for some reason this time I'm not fully packed yet and my flight is today.

I know I'll miss Roni, Popsi and Austin, but I can't wait to see my family and friends. Last time I was home it was in February 2014. That's almost a year and a half ago. I miss my parents, my sister, my grandma and her amazing food and I miss my grandfather, Bunu, who unfortunately passed away last July. It was the most painful thing that I have ever experienced. He had a mild form of Alzheimer's which within weeks turned into an aggressive one and took him away from us. Seeing him stuck in bed, frustrated that he couldn't control his body and mind any longer, made me cry like never before. It broke my heart that this once handsome and strong man who achieved everything he had on his own was now a skinny old man, waiting to be fed, shaved and taken care of, ravaged by this cruel disease. I could tell from the look in his wise bright blue eyes that it was painful for him, too.

Bunu and I had a special relationship. He was very stubborn, and the only person that he listened to was me. He loved me immensely and always mentioned how proud he was of what I achieved in life. According to him, we shared similar life stories, although I think his is far more impressive than mine. At the age of 14 he left the village he lived in, Dumbrava, Romania, hoping to find a job in Satu Mare so that he could go to high school, which only existed in bigger cities. It was right after WWII and Romania was ravaged by the war and exploited by communist Russia.

He managed to find a job as an apprentice at a grocery store and after a year he returned to his home town to visit his family. He saved all the money he made and then used it to buy himself a set of new clothes and presents for his parents. When my great grandmother saw him, she didn't recognize him at first. "Who are you looking for young man," she asked Bunu when he stopped in front of the house. "It's me, Lotica," he replied. She started crying tears of joy as she was so proud of her son. He left the little village as a poor boy and a year later he returned as a handsome, well-dressed man. My grandpa would later become the store manager at one of the few grocery stores that existed in the city during Ceausescu's communist regime. Everyone loved him because he would always help the poor with obtaining sugar or oil, which were rationed during those days.

This specific recipe has nothing to do with my grandfather. My upcoming trip just made me so nostalgic for the days I spent with him on his maroon bench admiring his beautiful garden.
The inspiration for this recipe actually came from one of my business trips to California earlier this year. I hope that this upcoming trip across two continents will also give me new inspiration for future posts. This dish is refreshing, fragrant, and bursting with flavors. Mussels may seem like an intimidating dish to pursue, but it’s really quite easy and quick once you clean them up. Use fresh baguette to soak up all that tasty curry sauce. Enjoy!

PEI MUSSELS WITH LEMONGRASS COCONUT CURRY

Serves 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 TBS olive oil
2 small shallots, finely minced
2 cloves garlic, crushed and finely chopped
1 1/2 inches ginger root, crushed and finely chopped
1 serrano pepper, sliced
1 stalk (about 8 inches) lemongrass, trimmed and finely chopped
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp dried curry leaves, crumbled
1/2 tsp hot chili powder
1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
1 tsp coriander, ground
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 medium lemon, juiced (about 1-2 TBS fresh lemon juice)
1 cup coconut milk, unsweetened
1 tsp fish sauce
salt, to taste
2 lbs mussels, scrubbed, rinsed and debearded
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
1 French baguette

INSTRUCTIONS

In a deep skillet heat up oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering add the shallots and sauté for 2 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, serrano pepper and lemongrass and cook for another minute or two. Sprinkle with spices (turmeric, curry leaves, chili powder, black pepper and coriander) and pour wine and lemon juice in the skillet. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for 2 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add coconut milk and fish sauce. Cook for about 5-6 minutes. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning to your liking.
Add the mussels, stir well and immediately cover with a well fitting lid. Cook for 5-6 minutes until mussels open. Remove from the heat, add fresh cilantro, gently stir mussels making sure each one gets coated with curry sauce.
Discard the mussels that aren't open. Serve in a bowl with a ladle of curry sauce and fresh cilantro. Use fresh or toasted baguette for dipping the curry sauce.

NOTES

I found this guide for cleaning mussels to be very helpful. When cleaning and debearding the mussels, discard the ones that stay open after you touched them or knocked against another mussel. It means it's dead and you should not eat it.

Blackened Fish Tacos with Pickled Onions and Mango Salsa →

April 23, 2015 by Aurel Pop in Main Dish

The warm weather finally arrived. And if you live in Texas like I do, by warm I mean hot. I am personally not a big fan of torrid weather mostly because here in Austin, summers seem to never end. It's always hot and the cold weather seems to last for 2 weeks max. Back home in Romania, I was used to eating hearty food year-round, but it just doesn't feel right in this heat. My appetite diminishes. I crave simple, refreshing and easy dishes like tacos.

I am a taco fan, but my girlfriend is their number one fan. She's a taco groupie. As a matter of fact, she's fairly convinced that tacos are the ultimate food. She will have them for breakfast, lunch, dinner or as a snack. You know how they say that there are seasonal dishes? Hearty and heavy during the colder months, and light and simple during the warmer ones? Well for Roni the taco season lasts all year long (and most Austinites would agree).

And you know what? She's right. Tacos are awesome! What's great about them is that they can be done with minimal effort and cooking skills. Heck, you can build them based on personal preference! If you're a health freak grill your protein, add veggies and go easy on the cheese and salsas. If you're a filthy animal like me, pan-roast your protein and then load your tacos with cheese instead of veggies and top everything with your favorite salsa (a few recipes to come).

The choices are endless. Next time you plan a trip to Austin, go to Veracruz, TacoDeli, Taco More or Papalote and experience it for yourself. You will find all sorts of tacos from pork or fish to cauliflower or beans. Put eggs in them and call them breakfast tacos. You can't go wrong with tacos.

I consider myself a newbie to the taco scene. I ate them for the first time 4 years ago when I moved to Austin from Hungary. I clearly remember that moment- I had a Baja Shrimp and a Mr. Pink at Torchy's. From that minute I knew that I had to start making them for myself.

My obsession with tacos escalated to the point where I turned my sister into a taco junkie. Two years ago she visited me and stayed for 2 weeks. I took her to different places so she can experience the Austin food scene, but the one thing she kept mentioning (and still does when we Skype) are the tacos. She became addicted to them. She was so desperate that when she returned to Hungary she packed (read: loaded) fresh cilantro and bottles of salsa in her luggage. Ever since I call her the Pablo Escobar of cilantro.

Over the years I have tried several recipes and experimented with non-conventional ingredients only to come to the same conclusion - keep it simple. As I was playing with the different variations and flavors I became more and more interested in breakfast tacos and fish tacos, as they are the two types of tacos that people are most opinionated about. I've tried several spice combinations for blackening the fish and I can confidently say that after 4 years I found the perfect one.

The combination of flavors in this recipe is amazing. The sweetness of the mango will cancel out the tartness of the pickled onions and the heat of the jalapeños, while the warm tortilla and flakey fish chunks will melt in our mouth.

Now enough with the talk, let's get down to business. Ladies and gentlemen, I present you with the perfect Blackened Fish Taco!

BLACKENED FISH TACOS WITH PICKLED ONIONS AND MANGO SALSA

Serves 3-4
Prep time: 35 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Blackened Fish Tacos

2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp Hungarian paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
2 big tilapia fillets (replace with sea bass, flounder, halibut, catfish, cod)
1/2 cup peanut oil (or canola oil, or sunflower seeds oil)
2 TBS unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 sprigs rosemary or thyme
9-12 tortillas (corn, wheat or flour)

Pickled onions

1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
10-15 black peppercorns, whole
3 whole cloves, whole
2 bay leaves
1 tsp salt
1 big red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup carrots, julliened or grated

Mango Salsa

1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted and diced
1/2 bell pepper, diced
3 green onions, sliced
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 jalapeño, deseeded and diced
1/2 poblano pepper, deseeded and diced
1 lime, juiced
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
salt, to taste

Instructions

Blackened Fish Tacos

In a small bowl combine smoked paprika, Hungarian paprika, garlic and onion powder, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper.
Dry the fillets thoroughly with paper towels then coat each fish fillet with plenty of spice mix. Let them rest for 10 minutes at room temperature.
In a large cast iron skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is sizzling, add the fillets and cook for 3 minutes on each side.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter, crushed garlic and the sprigs of aromatic herbs. Continue cooking the fillets turning them over a few times (so that they brown evenly) and basting with the lightly browned butter. Cook for about 3 more minutes until fish is white and opaque.
Transfer the fillets to a serving platter and let it rest for a few minutes.
Break up the fish into chunks and assemble the tacos on a warm tortilla (corn is my personal favorite) by adding pickled onions and mango salsa.

Pickled Onions

In a small saucepan mix vinegar, water, brown sugar, peppercorns, bay leaves, cloves and salt.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Whisk for about 5 minutes until all sugar is dissolved.
Add onions and carrots to the pan and gently stir to combine. Remove from the heat after 1 minute.
Let the mixture cool down to room temperature then transfer it to a mason jar or to a hermetic glass container.
I prefer the way they taste after refrigerated for at least an hour.

Mango Salsa

In a medium bowl mix mango, bell pepper, green and red onions, garlic, cilantro, jalapeño and poblano peppers. Squeeze the lime all over the salsa and season with pepper and salt to your liking. Toss and combine.
Keep refrigerated for an hour before serving. That way the flavors will blend and the salsa (pico) will taste a lot better.