Oden, a Japanese Dish

This is a typical and traditional dish from the . It is like a stew with all kind of fish cake, , (dry seeweed) in a a kombu and dry fish .

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving with your loved ones…I made it back from Chicago and survived the freezing temperature just a few days in Chicago made me realize how good I have it here in California… This week I am sharing with you something very different…a traditional Japanese dish…Yes, you might be asking, how and why I made this very traditional Japanese dish…first of all it is delicious, especially when it is cold out there, and second, believe it or not, my parents, mainly my dad grew up when Taiwan was occupied by , therefore both my parents read and speak Japanese…no need to mention that Japanese food was very common when I was growing up, even after we moved to Brazil.

My mom is a great cook, and many of the dishes that I treasured I learned from her…she can make anything taste good…in spite of her age, she is always looking and sharing new recipes with us. Anyway, to make the very long story short…which I did not…I learned this dish from my mom.

Oden is a traditional Japanese dish and it is based on the broth made with fish (mainly bonito) and kombu (seaweed). All the other ingredients are cooked in this light broth and you can add almost whatever you want. I just picked a few ingredients from the local Japanese store and made this very tasty dish. The trick is to cook ingredients by adding them according to their cooking time, so at the end you have all the ingredients with the right texture, not over cooked or underdone.

Ingredients:

Dashi for the oden

2 liters water Dried bonito fish Kombu (about 15 inches) 50 ml of ⅓ cup 1½ tablespoons sugar

Oden ingredients of your choice 2 daikon radish, peeled and cut into approximately 1 ½ inch Tied konnyaku Plate of various fish paste stick and patties

Method:

Clean the kombu, by rinsing quickly and cut into small strip and tie a knot

Boil water in a large pot, add the dried bonito and kombu to extract the flavor. Strain the soup with a clean cloth.

Add the daikon radish in the dashi soup base and cook until slightly soft. In the meantime, prepare the konnyaku by slicing and making a slit in the middle. Insert on end through the slit. Set aside.

In another big pot, boil water and quickly blanch all the ingredients before adding to the main pot. Once all the ingredients are place into the main pot, cover and let it simmer for one hour.

Serve hot and if desired, dip them in hot mustard. If you enjoy this Japanese inspired recipe, you want to take a look at the Asian Inspired Recipes from Color Your Recipes.

Did you know that similar dishes like Oden are made in Taiwan and South Korea? This dishes are very commonly sold in small carts as a street food. In Taiwan, oden version is offered in convenience store as well.

Thank you for stopping by Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week! Shrimp with Red Quinoa

This is a very simple and easy recipe with red quinoa and vegetables topped with saute shrimp. The combination of nutty quinoa and shrimp is just amazing.

This is a very simple recipe packed with protein…delicious nutty quinoa loaded with veggies, topped with a gingery, lemony shrimp. It is gluten free and very healthy!

I used frozen ginger and frozen lemon…I just find it very easy to store and use. Just grate the frozen ginger or lemon (whole) using a microplane grater/zester on the shrimp…it is clean and totally trouble free. No need to use any chopping board…

Oh! Apparently there is no difference between the red and the white quinoa in terms of nutritional values…but you might need to cook the red one a little longer than the white one and it seems a little more crunchy than the white one. So be my guest and use whatever color of quinoa you wish…white, red or black.

Ingredients:

½ cup red quinoa 1 tablespoon butter ½ tablespoon chicken bouillon, skip is using chicken broth 1 cup water or substitute with chicken broth 1 cup frozen vegetables of your choice

½ lb shrimp, shell removed and deveined 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger 1 teaspoon grated lemon (frozen lemon) Salt and pepper to taste 1 tablespoon olive oil Cilantro to taste, chopped Method:

Rinse the quinoa and set aside. In a small bowl place the shrimp, ginger, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Mix gently and place in the refrigerator while preparing the quinoa.

Boil the frozen vegetable according to the instruction in the package, make sure to not overcook it. Drain well and set aside.

Place the water with chicken bouillon in a medium pan with butter (skip the chicken bouillon if using chicken broth). Add the quinoa and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to simmer. Cover and cook until all the water is absorbed, it takes approximately 15 minutes.

Add the vegetables to the cooked quinoa and mix.

In a fry pan, medium to high heat add the olive oil wait until smoking Add the shrimps in a single layer and cook until all the edges turn pink. Flip each shrimp, making sure that they turn pink. Once cooked toss the chopped cilantro and remove the pan from the heat.

Place the quinoa with vegetables in a bowl and top with the shrimp…serve hot…enjoy! If you enjoy this simple recipe using quinoa, you might want to check Steel Cut Oatmeal with Quinoa (for breakfast), Citrus Kale Salad with Quinoa (for lunch) andMeatloaf with Quinoa (for dinner).

Did you know that quinoa has a higher content in fat as compared to the other cereal grasses? These fats are monounsaturated fat and small amounts of omega-3 fatty acid, which are heart friendly fats. Moreover, quinoa contains all nine essential amino acids needed in your diet and is high in fiber as well. Thank you for stopping by Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!

Miso Glazed Fish

If you like the flavor of you will definitely enjoy this simple and easy recipe for this Asian inspired miso salmon. I love miso, its saltiness with an added touch of sweet to it…it is just a nice symphony to your palate, creating umami flavor. Miso is very versatile and can be used in salad dressing, dips, base for soup and marinating chicken, beef, fish…you name it…even sweet dishes…which I will share with you in the future. This is a very simple and flavorful recipe for an everyday dinner or a lazy weekend meal. I especially like this simple miso glazed with salmon, but my husband refuses to eat salmon, therefore I used tilapia as well, but feel free to use any fish.

Ingredients:

1 ½ tablespoon miso (red) 1 tablespoon cooking wine 1 ½ tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoon water 1 pinch red chili pepper ½ teaspoon grated ginger 2 pieces of fish (salmon and tilapia) 1 teaspoon white sesame Cilantro, chopped for garnish Method:

Mix the miso, cooking wine and water until a smooth paste. Add sugar, ginger and chilli to the miso mix. Coat the fish with miso sauce. Let it marinate in the fridge for a couple of hours or overnight.

Line a baking pan with aluminum foil. Lightly brush the foil with vegetable oil and gently place the fish on it. Broil the fish for 10 to 12 minutes until it’s just cooked (opaque) depending on how thick is the fish and a golden brown crust has formed.

In the meantime, place the sesame seeds on a fry pan on a low heat and pan roast them by stirring constantly. Remove when the seed are slightly brown.

Remove the fish from the oven, transfer to a serving plate, sprinkle the sesame seeds and the freshly chopped cilantro.

Serve hot with veggies and rice.

If you enjoy this simple recipe using miso, you might want to check on Miso Caramel Sauce or Miso Glazed Delicata Squash recipes.

Did you know that miso is a paste from fermented soybean? Miso has been essential in Chinese and Japanese diets for more than 2500 years. Because miso is a fermented product, it is rich in enzymes which might help digestion. The color of miso can vary from light yellow to a deep dark brown and the flavor from slightly sweet to hearty flavor.

Thank you for stopping by Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!

Poached Fish with Wheatberry

This is a simple and easy way to cook any fish…poaching. The fish is moist, tender and very flavorful and super healthy. I served this poached salmon with wheatberry and green beans. I first learned about poaching fish when readingKitchen Riffs, Poached Salmon…the simple recipe of poaching salmon sure got me intrigued and I went on to try…and boy it is simple and so good…the fish comes out nice and moist.

I don’t know how come I have never thought in poaching fish before as many of Chinese dishes that my mom makes use poaching…well, now I sure use this technique quite often.

Since my husband does not like salmon and I do, when poaching fish, I place in the same pan one salmon and one white fish filet, so we all eat what we enjoy.

If you have never tried poaching fish I urge you to try…no fuss and no mess…

I paired the poached fish with wheat berry, which has a slightly chewy texture and is a good source of dietary fiber and the Green Onion and Ginger Sauce.

Ingredients:

Poached Fish

Fish of your choice (skinless and boneless) Slices of lemon 2 to 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crashed 2 bay leaves Approximately 10 whole peppercorns 2 cups water Salt to taste

Wheat Berry with Green Bean

2/3 cup winter berry 2 ½ to 3 cups water Pinch salt 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 ½ cup cooked green bean Salt and pepper to taste

Method: Poached Fish

Place all the ingredients in a medium pan except the fish. Bring the water to boil and turn to simmer.

Gently add the fish filet and simmer for approximately 7 to 8 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Turn the heat off and leave the fish for another 1 or 2 minutes.

Remove the fish from the water and serve. Wheatberry with Green Bean

Wash and soak the wheat berries overnight. Bring the water to boil in a medium pan and add a pinch of salt. Once the water starts to boils, add the wheat berries.

Bring to boil and reduce the heat to simmer, cover and let it cook for 30 minutes. Check for doneness, it should be chewy, not hardy…if not done, continue cooking until the desire texture, make sure that there is enough water in the pan.

Drain the wheat berries. In a medium pan add olive oil and the wheat berries, sauté in medium heat and add the green beans. Add salt and pepper to taste, serve warm. If you enjoy this simple recipe of poaching fish, you might want to check Butter Lemon Swai recipe using sous vide method.

Did you know that wheatberries are unprocessed wheat kernels? They are very nutritious and rich in vitamins B1 and B3.

Have a wonderful week and thank you so much for visiting Color Your Recipes! Strawberry Salsa I always like fruits in savory dishes…back in Brazil during festive time like Christmas and New Year we always have turkey or ham with fruits, therefore serving savory dishes with fruits always remind me of my childhood.

Strawberries are everywhere…and they are at its freshest season. After making all kind of drinks with strawberries and eating them fresh or topped with condensed milk, I decide to make this simple and easy strawberry salsa, served with a simple flour coated hake and scallops. It was divide…so refreshing and so summery.

Ingredients:

Strawberry Salsa

8oz fresh strawberry clean, hulled and cut in small pieces 2 tablespoons sweet onion, finely chopped ¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped Salt and pepper to taste Fresh lemon juice to taste Jalapeno to taste, (optional, if you like it spicy, I did not add…this time)

Seafood

1 hake, filet 4 scallops, large

¼ cup all-purpose flour Salt and pepper to taste 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil

Method:

Strawberry Salsa

Mix all the ingredients in a medium bowl and chill for 1 hour before serving.

Seafood

In a deep plate, mix the flour with fresh ground pepper and salt. Coat the fish and or scallop with the flour mix.

In a fry pan add the olive oil and pan fry the fish filet and the scallops. Make sure that you have both sides of the fish filet browned and fully cooked. Sear the scallops both side to your likeness.

Remove from the heat and top with the fresh strawberry salsa.

Serve immediately. If you enjoyed this simple recipe of strawberry salsa you might want to check on Strawberry Frozen Yogurt or Soft Cheesecake with Strawberry Sauce.

Did you know that 1 cup of strawberries contains all the vitamin C that you need for the day? Moreover, strawberries contain a combination of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients, therefore many research support the benefit of strawberry in regards to prevention of cardiovascular disease, regulating blood sugar in type 2 diabetes and prevention of certain cancers.

Thank you for stopping by Simple Recipes [dot] Me and have a great week! Salt Brined Cod Fish

In Brazil, where I grew up it is very common to find “bacalhau”, which is a salted dried cod fish. So in order to mimic the saltiness of bacalhau, which needs to be soaked in water in order to remove the salt before cooking, I decided to “play” with fresh cod fish. Why not brine cod? So I brined the cod and then use it like some of the dishes that I used to make back in Brazil…it turned out delicious, moist and very flavorful. The potatoes are tender and loaded of flavor.

Ingredients:

Approximately 1 lb cod fish 1 tablespoon rock salt 2 ½ to 3 cups of cold water

3 to 4 Roma tomatoes, sliced 1 large onion, sliced 3 to 4 potatoes, peeled and sliced, ¼ cup of olives, cut into half Fresh ground pepper 2 to 3 tablespoon of olive oil

Method:

Dissolve the salt in the cold water, cut the cod in approximately 1 ½ to 2 inch and place them in the salty water. Make sure that all the pieces of the cod fish are covered with the salty water. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator overnight.

Remove the cod fish from the salty water, rinse under cold water and drain thoroughly.

In a casserole pan place the olive oil, and alternate layers of potato, onion, olives, cod fish, and tomatoes, sprinkle in between layers fresh ground pepper to taste. Make as many layers as necessary until all the ingredients are used up.

Cover the pot and turn the heat to medium low. Cook for approximately 40 to 45 minutes. Uncover and cook under medium for another 5 minutes, until most of the liquid has been evaporated. Serve hot.

Bacalhau or salted dried cod was produced in order to preserve the cod before the refrigeration was available. Moreover, the process of salting and drying like in many foods, makes the cod tastier.

Thank you for stopping by Simple Recipes [dot] Me and have a great week!

Baked Shrimps

We are going to a family “get together” cruise. After many years trying to get everyone’s schedules we finally settle down for this Mexican cruise…We will be on the cruise for 7 days , stopping at 3 cities: Cabo San Lucas, Porto Vallarta and Mazatlan. Since the internet service is very limited and extremely expensive at the ship I probably will not be reading your blog, sorry about that, but will definitely catch up once back in land.

Before we leave, I’d like to leave a very and simple way to serve shrimp. This dish is really easy and simple to prepare…and it is delicious. Serve the shrimps with salad or as an appetizer. By the way, Happy Easter!

Ingredients:

½ lb shrimp 2 clove garlic minced ¼ cup green onion finely chopped 1 tablespoon olive oil Pinch of paprika Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Turn the oven to 450F

In a bowl, place the shrimp, garlic, green onion, the spices and the olive oil. Mix gently and place the shrimp in a oven safe dish.

Bake for 5~7 minutes. Serve hot. Do not over cook otherwise the shrimp will have a rubbery texture. As I mention, could not be easier and simpler than this

Did you know that shrimp have a high resistance to toxins? Since shrimp are an important source of food for large animals, their high resistance to toxins may contribute to high toxin levels in their predators. Shrimps are high in calcium, iodine and protein. Shrimps have significant levels of cholesterol, but do not contain saturated fat, it is considered healthy for the circulatory system. Moreover, shrimp is considered a low caloric food.

Thank you for stopping by Simple Recipes and have a great week!

Panko Crusted Crab Cakes

Crab Cakes…with Panko, and Some Pictures…

I am baaaack…and want to share with you a simple recipe for crab cakes and some of my vacation pictures.

I love crab cakes, every time when in restaurants that serve crab cakes I am ordering…so I decided to make myself. After searching for recipes throughout the internet I opted out to come out with my own version, which I must confess that I kind of mix and match what I thought I would like in my crab cake…and yes I used panko for the crust. After making these crab cakes I realized that they are so simple to make…

The good thing about making your own crab cakes, is that you can store them in the freezer and bake or pan fry anytime when you feel like having it. Just freeze on a flat tray until frozen so the cakes stay nicely shaped, then you can place them in a Ziploc bag.

When it is time to serve, just defrost for approximately half an hour (do not have to be totally defrosted) and you can either bake or pan fry with a little oil. I can guarantee you that you will not be able to tell that they were frozen. It is very good to have it handy in the freezer.

Ingredients:

1 lb. crab meat in can 2 small potatoes, cooked and slightly mashed 1 red bell pepper, chopped 2 green onions finely chopped 1 egg 1 teaspoon dry parsley (I’d rather use fresh one, but did not have at the time) 1 tablespoon lemon juice ½ teaspoon lemon zest 1 teaspoon bay seasoning Salt and pepper to taste.

Panko

Canola oil, spray

Method:

In a big bowl, add the crab meat, green onion, bell pepper, parsley, bay seasoning, salt and pepper and mix gently. Add to the crab mixture the lemon juice, lemon zest and the egg. Again very gently because I like my crab cakes with lumps of crab meat and not all smashed.

In a deep dish place the panko, make

Make small patties and coat with panko.

Spray the patties with the canola oil and bake in a 400F pre heated oven for approximately 20 minutes.

Serve hot. I hope you enjoy this simple recipe for crab cakes and as I mention, great to have them in the freezer for an elegant appetizer of even as a meal with a side of salad.

Now the pictures…lots of pampering and relaxation. Can you guess where did we go? and yes…those are my toes

If you still wondering where we were…it was Cancun, Mexico!

Thank you for stopping by Simple Recipes!

Smoked Salmon in Wonton Cups

This is a very simple recipe for a great appetizer. Once you have the wonton cups ready, which can be baked days ahead and stored in an airtight container, the filling is almost infinite…sweet or savory, whatever is your preference. It is great filled with party cream and topped with fresh fruit or any creamy salad, like potato salad, chicken salad, hummus, you name it… This time I made them with cream cheese filling, topped with smoked salmon and decorated with capers. The trick here is to avoid the wonton cups from getting soggy, so I placed a layer of iceberg lettuce and then placed the other “wet” layers. This way there is none or very little contact of the “sauce” with the wonton skin.

Anyway, I hope you try this recipe, it is pretty and tastes great. Again, it is perfect to serve as an appetizer at home or when going to a potluck party.

Ingredients:

Wonton Cups

1 package of wonton wrappers (can be found in the refrigerator section, most of the Asian grocery) Olive oil

Few iceberg lettuce leaves, cut into small piece to cover the wonton cups.

Smoked Salmon Filling

8 oz cream cheese 2 tablespoon horseradish sauce Salt and pepper to taste 2 teaspoon dry dill 12 oz smoked salmon Capers, drained Method:

Wonton Cup

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Cut the wonton wrappers, into a circle, by removing mainly the four corners. I stack a few wonton wrappers together and cut all together with the scissor.

On a plate separate the wonton wrappers and brush lightly with the olive oil. Place another wonton wrapper on top of the brushed one and brush the top, place another wrapper on top of the brushed one and so on, until you have a stack. Separate the wonton wrapper and gently press over into the mini muffin tin.

Bake until the wonton wrappers are slightly golden brown, for approximately 7 minutes. Keep your eyes on the oven as it may burn easily. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. Use immediately or store in an airtight container for a couple of days.

Smoked Salmon Filling

Cut the smoked salmon into small strips and roll them, like a little rose. Set them aside.

In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese with the horseradish, dill, salt and pepper until creamy. If using a piping bag, place the cream cheese mix into a piping bag.

Assemble the Smoked Salmon Cups

Gently place a small piece of the iceberg lettuce inside the wonton cup.

Pipe the cream cheese mix into the cup, on top of the lettuce. If not using a piping bag, use two teaspoons to place the cream cheese mix. Place a rolled piece of smoked salmon on top of the cream cheese mix, and add a couple of capers on it. Ready to serve.

Did you know that wonton wrappers are used to make a type of dumpling called wonton, often found in Chinese cuisine? Wontons wrappers are made of flour, egg, water and salt and compressed into a very thin square. In Chinese cuisine wonton dumpling are filled with ground pork, shrimp and seasoned with all kind of spices.

Thank you for stopping by Simple Recipes and have a great week!

Sauté Shrimp and Fish

Okay, this is one of the dishes that I am almost embarrassed to share. It is so ridiculously easy and simple that it may insult you…but I could not leave behind because it is delicious and can be made in a few minutes. It is great with a side green salad. Please feel free to add more or less of the ginger, green onion and paprika according to your taste. The combination of caramelized green onion and ginger with the seafood is just perfect!

Ingredients:

½ lb of large shrimp ½ lb of white fish cut into approximately 1 to 1 ½ in Green onion finely chopped Ginger finely chopped Paprika to taste Salt and pepper to taste Cooking wine Olive oil

Method: Mix all the ingredients above, except for the olive oil. Let it set for 5 minutes.

In a wok or fry pan heat the olive oil in medium to high temperature.

Carefully layer the shrimps and the fish so they do not overlap.

Cook until one side is golden brown then turn one piece at the time and cook the other side. Do not overcook. Serve hot. If you enjoy this simple recipe you might want to check on Shrimp with Cilantro and Lemon.

Yes, we just came back from a long vacation…still adjusting to the time and thought that it would be nice to share with you a glance of what we experienced

And yes, I will post more pictures as soon as I have all the thousands of pictures sorted…yes, thousands…but do not worry, I will not make you see them all

Did you know that shrimp is low in fat and calorie but contains high amount of cholesterol?

Thank you for stopping by Simple Recipes and have a great week!