Under the Sea

 Ceasar Salad with Homemade Ceasar Dressing

Eggplant Parmigiana (see Main Dishes for recipe)

Making of the Ceasar dressing...  Swim fishies!

Homemade Ceasar Dressing (from The Illustrated Kitchen Bible)

For the dressing

2 galric cloves, minced into a puree

2 anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained and finely chopped

1/4 cup extra virgin oilive oil

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

freshly ground black pepper

For the salad

2 small heads of romaine lettuce

1 cup croutons

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Anchovies

We tried some anchovies plain just for the experience.  So, so salty!  Sterling said it tasted like SeaWorld and I concur.  Who knew that Ceasar dressing is made with real anchovies?!

Happy Salad

Carrot, Orange, and Fennel Watercress Salad

Sterling's  Tilapia with Dark Chocolate and Saffron Sauce (see Fish for recipe)

Our dear friends Nate and Sachi got engaged last week (woot, woot!)  so we decided to have them over to tell us their engagement story.  The last time we saw them, we were saying how chocolate goes with everything.  I challenged this statement by saying that chocolate doesn't go with fish.  Sterling took on the challenge to serve chocolate and fish.  Today he successfully met the seemingly impossible task!  We (happily) ate fish with a rich, dark sauce made from Ghiradelli's chocolate, saffron, and a pinch of cinnamon.  This recipe was not part of the cookbook, but I consider it extremely important to this blog because it demonstrates how awesome Sterling is: creative, innovative, determined, and extremely handsome.  :)

Carrot, Orange, and Fennel Watercress Salad (from The Illustrated Kitchen Bible)

2 large carrots (use a vegetable peeler to make long, super thin strips)

2 large navel oranges

1 fennel bulb

1 bunch watercress

For the dressing

3 tbsp fresh orange juice

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (I added more)

1 tsp honey

 3 tbsp olive oil (maybe a little more)

salt and freshly gound black pepper

2 tsp sesame seeds, lightly toasted

red onion (We haven't tried it yet, but we think it might be good...)

1.  You know how to make a salad.

2.  You know how to make a dressing, too.  I have full confidence that you don't need step-by-step instructions for this!

Beefy Salad

Balsamic Beef Salad

Balsamic Beef Salad (from The Illustrated Kitchen Bible)

For the dressing

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 garlic clove, pressed

2 tbsp chopped basil

2 tsp chopped oregano or marjoram

1 1/2 tsp brown sugar

1 tsp whole grain mustard (I just used Dijon)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salad

2 small red bell peppers

4 tbsp olive oil

2 small red onions, cut into wedges

6 oz cherry tomatoes

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 lb 5 oz beef tenderloin, trimmed and tied (I just sauteed mine with garlic and pepper to save time.  If you do it this way you can ignore the roasting directions below.)

6 oz arugula or mesclun (a mix of greens)

1.  To prepare the dressing, process the ingredients in a blender.  Season with salt and pepper.  

2.  Preheat the broiler.  Broil the peppers, turning from time to time, until blackened on all sides.  Let cool until handleable.  Remove the blackened skin, seeds, and ribs.  Cup the peppers into thick strips.

3.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Place the onions on a rimmed baking sheet, toss with 1 tbsp of the oil, and season with salt and pepper.  Roast for 20 minutes.  Add the cherry tomatoes, drizzle with 1 tbsp more oil, and the vinegar.  Roast for 10 minutes more, until the onions are tender.  Let cool.

4.  Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees.  Heat remaining 4 tbsp oil in a large frying pan over high heat.  Add the beef and cook, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes, until browned on all sides.  Transfer to a roasting pan.  Roast about 20 minutes until a meat thermometer reads 130 degrees for medium-rare meat.  Transfer to a carving board.  Let cool, and thinly slice the beef. 

5.  Toss the arugula or mesclun with 1/4 cup of dressing.  Add the beef, red pepper, onions, and cherry tomatoes.