A Mighty Sword

Soy and Jalapeno Marinated Swordfish with Sesame Roasted Potatoes and Greens
After seemingly endless fish dishes for the past several weeks, what is this temporary pescatarian to do? I really love salmon. I mean, ours is a truly passionate affair - but there are only so many times I can make it for my husband before he opts for Burger King instead. Enter the mighty swordfish - a surprisingly mild and "meaty" fish. It doesn't flake like salmon or cod and instead offers an almost chicken-like bite. I found a couple of lovely steaks at Trader Joe's and decided to make use of my recently invigorated garden greens. This was a good meal for two. Quick to make and light enough for our recently warmer and sunnier evening hours, but still extremely satisfying. Pairs great with a chilled glass of Pinot Gris . . . mmmm!

Ingredients
- 2 5-7 oz. swordfish steaks
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
- salt and fresh ground pepper
- 2 tsp. toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 small sweet potatoes, scrubbed and sliced into 1" chunks
- 1 small Yukon Gold or similar potatoes, quartered
- 1 Tbsp. butter
- a couple of handfuls of fresh garden greens (arugula, baby lettuce, etc.)
- 1 tomato, sliced

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, lemon juice, vinegar, 1 Tbsp. olive oil, and diced jalapeno pepper. Place swordfish steaks in a shallow dish (such as a pie dish) and season both sides with salt and pepper. Pour soy sauce mixture over steaks and cover evenly. Cover dish with plastic wrap and allow fish to marinate in refrigerator for at least one hour. (A great way to plan ahead is to whip up the marinade in the morning before work - when you get home, dinner is only about 25 minutes away!)

To roast the potatoes, preheat the oven to 425˚F and line a baking sheet with foil spritzed with cooking spray. Toss together potato chunks with garlic powder, 1 Tbsp. olive oil, sesame seeds, and salt and pepper. Spread potatoes out evenly on prepared baking sheet. Roast in oven for about 20-25 minutes until the potatoes have become soften and slightly browned on the edges. Remove from oven.

To assemble and complete the meal, divide greens and tomato slices among two plates and top with equal portions of roasted potatoes. To sear the fish, heat butter and remaining Tbsp. of olive oil in a heavy pan over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, arrange fish in pan, reserving marinade. Sear for 2-3 minutes, turn over and sear the other side for 2-3 minutes. The fish should be lightly browned and still opaque in the middle. Remove fish from heat and tent with foil while you prepare the pan sauce.

While fish rests, lower heat to medium and pour reserved marinade into the remaining oils in pan. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. The sauce will bubble and thicken quickly - about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Top each plate of greens, tomatoes, and potatoes with a swordfish steak then divide pan sauce amongst portions and pour over the fish. Eat up! It's good!

Hamming it Up

Ham and Sweet Potato Hash with Caramelized Shallots 

Christmas dinner was a delicious success of scalloped potatoes, gingerbread cake, and ham. Oh so much ham! More ham than five of us could possible eat in a day. More ham than necessary for a huge pot of split pea soup, scrambles, and sandwiches. What to do with an excess of ham? I poked around the fridge and pantry for ingredients and came up with this delicious and easy meal perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Try it out next time you're facing a few slabs of uneaten hog!

Ingredients
- 3 medium sized sweet potatoes, diced into 1" chunks
- 2-3 large shallots, sliced crosswise into disks
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 2 Tbsp. minced parsley
- 2 c. roughly diced leftover smoked ham
- 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 eggs cooked to your liking (I like them poached!)

Preheat the oven to 425˚F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray. Toss diced sweet potato chunks in olive oil and arrange in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes until the potatoes begin to soften and turn brown. Turn potatoes occasionally with a wooden spoon to prevent from sticking to the foil. Remove from oven.

While the potatoes are roasting caramelize the shallots. Melt butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add shallots and break rings from disks with a wooden spoon. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Allow shallots to soften slightly over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and and caramelize shallots until they become very brown and soft. 

Once shallots have caramelized add roasted potatoes, ham, and parsley to pan and cook over medium until ham heats up and begins to brown. Meanwhile, heat broiler and prepare eggs to your liking (fried or poached works best). Once the ham and potato mixture is warmed through, sprinkle with an even layer of cheddar cheese and melt under boiler. Divide potato and ham hash among two plates and top with two eggs each. Serve with ketchup, Sriracha sauce, or your other favorite condiments! Very yummy!

All About Trout

Smoked Trout and Sweet Potato Cheddar Chowder

Josh did not have a lot of luck catching sturgeon this season. For the past few months he would go out to the river with high hopes of bringing home some for dinner, but time after time he came back disappointed and empty-handed. Last week, however, he switched his attention to trout and his luck (and ours) changed completely. He decided to smoke his cooler full of trout after a simple brown-sugar and salt brine bath. It was my job to whip together a tasty dinner. Since Josh never got to taste "Josh Steele's Slammin' Salmon Chowder," I figured a new chowder recipe was the perfect destiny for all of that sweet and smoky fish.

Ingredients
- 3 leeks, trimmed, rinsed and chopped (white and light green parts only)
- 4 stalks of celery, diced
- 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1" pieces
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 red jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 c. dry sherry
- 1 qt. vegetable broth
- salt and pepper
- 1-2 Tbsp. Sriracha or other hot sauce
- 5 c. heavy cream
- 1 bunch parsley trimmed and chopped
- 2 c. grated sharp white cheddar cheese
- 2-3 c. flaked smoked trout or salmon

Melt butter with olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add leeks and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add celery, bell pepper, sherry, and jalapeno pepper and cook until they begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add vegetable broth, sweet potato, bay leaves, and hot sauce. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered for about 20 minutes until potatoes are cooked.

Uncover soup, remove bay leaves and add cream, grated cheese, parsley, and smoked trout. Stir over medium-low heat until cheese is melted and the chowder is heated through. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and serve with bread for dipping!

Leftover Makeover: Day 2

Stuffing and Sweet Potato Bread Pudding
Once again, I surveyed the storage containers in the fridge for some inspiration. So what about all of those leftover rolls? The delicious stuffing? Any extra sweet potatoes? Bread puddings are a great and savory way to make use of . . . well . . . bread. It's also a great item for a family brunch- a spin on those leftovers to feed straggling house guests something new and delicious. It's easy to whip up and (as the "Leftover Makeover" theme indicates) a great use of a variety of Thanksgiving leftovers. Enjoy!

Ingredients
- 4 dinner rolls, torn into small pieces
- 2 lbs. sweet potatoes, cubed into 1 1/2" pieces
- 2 c. leftover stuffing
- 2 bunches rainbow chard, stems removed, torn into small pieces
- 2 large shallots, peeled and minced
- 2 c. half and half
- 2 Tbsp. turkey gravy
- 7 eggs
- 1 c. sherry
- salt and pepper
- olive oil
- 2 c. grated gruyere cheese

Preheat oven to 400˚F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and toss the cubed sweet potatoes with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Make sure cubes are completely covered. Roast sweet potatoes for about 20-25 minutes until they become soft and brown slightly.

While sweet potatoes are roasting, whisk together half and half, eggs, gravy, and sherry. Add torn bread pieces and stuffing. Mix together and season with salt and pepper. Let rest for about 15-20 minutes so the egg mixture can soak into the bread.

Heat 1 Tbsp. of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium. Add shallots and saute until they begin to soften and turn translucent. Add torn chard pieces and mix together. Season with salt and pepper and cook until chard begins to wilt and turns brights green. Remove from heat.

Turn oven down to 375˚ F. Spray a 13x9" baking pan with a cooking spray. Using a slotted spoon, cover the bottom of the pan with a layer of egg-soaked bread pieces using half the mixture. Cover mixture with half the cooked chard and sweet potatoes. Sprinkle with half the cheese. Make a second layer of bread, potatoes, chard, and cheese. Pour remaining egg mixture over everything and cover baking sheet with foil. Bake in oven for about 25-30 minutes until mixture becomes springy and egg is cooked through. Remove foil and cook an additional 5-10 minutes for that cheese on top is brown and bubbly.