What's cookin' good lookin'?

fishmonger, artist, mother of dogs, self proclaimed chef, seafood enthusiast and garlic addict

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Heres a small and crappy video of our showcase at work. It was pretty full this day and I had it looking real pretty so I made a little video!

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Been super busy with work and stuff so heres some stuff I've been doing until I can post some more recipes for ya!

I do the chalkboards at my work to keep it looking fresh in there. Here are the ones I did recently for this month.

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All Chicken Dill Everythangg

So, I’ve had people try my family’s chicken dill recipe before and swear it is the best thing they have ever tasted. This recipe is to show you how to make the salad portion which is actually super easy. Once you’ve made the Chicken dill salad you can use it however you wish, It is really good on Croissants or Kings Hawaiian rolls (As Sliders) I mean, I’m sure it’s good on most everything. Lol. You can eat it with tortilla chips for a snack or all by itself. It is good for people on low carb and #Keto diets because it is all fat and protein. You could also make it with cooked Salmon instead of chicken. Whatever floats your boat. 

The ones above, I made tonight for dinner. They contain **this** (meaning the one i’m currently writing about) chicken dill recipe. I also added a piece of provolone cheese underneath and the bun is a toasted Kings Hawaiian bun. It goes great with most sides, I just used a microwave mac and cheese (Bob Evans) from the local grocery store because i didn't have much time for dinner tonight and it’s also my cheat day. Lol. Also, Instead of provolone cheese or with it you can add romaine lettuce for a nice crisp crunch or a tomato for a fresher take on it. Like i said before, if you know the most basic of cooking skills, this recipe is super easy and it is great for diets (esp. Keto or Low carb) or meal prep because you can make a ton of it an once if need be.

This recipe probably makes enough chicken dill to make about 10 of those sliders up there.

Here is what you need: 

2 pounds of uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast

1/2 cup of fresh dill, finely chopped (you can use dried dill as well but i think it tastes much better with fresh stuff)

1/2 cup or 3 stalks of green onion (shallots), finely chopped.

1 cup of REAL mayonnaise (not miracle whip, it has to be mayo) you can also use the Kewpie brand mayonnaise if you’re feelin’ extra. also, if you feel this isn’t enough mayo you obviously can add as much as you like.

This is probably a good time to tell you that if you don’t like mayonnaise you wont like this recipe. scroll down because there are other good posts before this! Lol.

granulated garlic, salt and pepper to taste.

cooking spray or a tablespoon of olive oil.

if you’re following the recipe to make the sliders above you want to get a package of kings Hawaiian Rolls.

You’ll also need a large mixing bowl, a medium sized cooking sheet, a large spoon, a sharp knife(s),cutting board(s) and obviously a towel(s).

Read the whole recipe once through because you’ll see

Preheat your oven to 400 Degrees

Put the towel down underneath your cutting board because it helps it stay in place, you don’t want to lose a digit all for the sake of chicken dill. Get your chicken out (2 lbs) which is normally about two big chicken breasts, Cut the necessary fat off the chicken and then cut them in half length wise. This will help them cook faster otherwise it would take much longer. Were going to cut them again after they’ve been cooked so it doesn’t matter what they look like. 

Spray or oil up the cooking sheet, and place the chicken on the sheet. Put it in the oven for 10-15 Minutes or until the biggest piece of chicken is 165 degrees inside and Obviously not pink at all. 

Whilst you’re waiting for your chicken to cook you’re going to do the rest.

MAKE SURE you wash your hands before you touch anything else with your chicken hands and make sure you get a new cutting board or thoroughly wash the one you used for the chicken, if you’re going to use the same area to finish the recipe I suggest cleaning everything up and wiping down the area with bleach before continuing the recipe because nothing will be cooked from this point on and No one Likes Salmonella.

Place a NEW towel under your Clean/other cutting board. First take the Fresh dill (1/2 cup) to the cutting board, You’re going to want to take all the dill off the stalks, no stalks in my chicken dill, probably not in yours either. Once this is done, With a clean/other knife (I worked in a kitchen for most of my life and I’m so weird about sanitation) you will finely chop the dill.

Next, take the green onion stalks and chop them from the end all the way to where they connect with the other pieces at the bottom of the stalk.

when you’re done chopping you can put both of those in the big mixing bowl. 

Now go to the bathroom,Change the laundry over or let the dogs out, Whatever, you have to wait until the chicken is done. 

Once your chicken is done, with an oven mitt, take it out and very carefully (cus it’s hot) lay them on a clean plate and let them sit there until the chicken has fully cooled off and is no longer warm to the touch.

Once your chicken has chilled out, you’re going to take it over to the cutting board that you still have out because I didn’t say to put it away (gotcha) and cut the chicken into little cubes, as big as you like But you might want to cut them neatly because people will see this chicken and they will judge you (Lol) Put the cut chicken into the mixing bowl with the spices and mix them all together well with your spoon.

Now it’s time to add the mayo, Put the mayo (1 cup) in the bowl with everything else and add your salt and pepper and granulated garlic. (you can literally use whatever spices you want but those are the ones I use) MIX everything together well. Cover and chill in the fridge until you’re ready to eat it (give it at least 10 minutes ya savage)

Now the chicken world is yours to take by storm, you can make chicken dill salad, chicken dill croissants, chicken dill pizza, chicken dill pasta, Chicken dill tacos, Cajun chicken dill, chicken dill sandwiches.. you get the idea...had to have my Bubba moment.

Well. that’s all for now my dears! I hope you enjoy the recipe! If you have questions or requests Email me at [email protected] or message me on my Instagram which is @Jsskkaa.etc

See You Next Time!!

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Lean and yummy dinner. #diverscallops wrapped in #bacon with #rawhoney drizzled on top with a #simplesalad of baked veggies. I mean baked by literally laying a bunch of veggies on a sheet pan and cooking them for like 10 minutes. Makes the kale crunchy and the other stuff just right.👌 Salad contains: #kale #spinach #artichokehearts #redonion #garlic #seasalt #pepper #grapeseedoil and #figinfused #balsamic Topped with #tomatobasil #goatcheese #crumbles Try it sometime! Mom cooked the scallops but I did the rest. #food #foodie #cook #goodeats #love #foodlove #healthyeating #seafood #yum (at Southgate, Michigan) https://www.instagram.com/p/B7z5l-rhoaV/?igshid=1eo425xldzk9x

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The Canadian Rule

Okay, so recently I had the pleasure of reading through an excellent cookbook called "Two if by Sea: Delicious sustainable Seafood"

In regards to any kind of seafood, the rule states that if you take the thickness of the filet and measure it, you will cook that 10 minutes for every inch. It's kind of funny in the fact though that it doesn't state the temperature in which to use. So I just give it my best guess and were gonna say 350° F.

I'll tell you what, I was very impressed. The Author, Barton Seaver gives you everything you need to make a great meal including the tools he has learned that can make or break your dish. Hes very well renowned and I definitely respect his degree of knowledge on the subject of not only seafood, but sustainable, fresh seafood. He did say in his book, and this is not the direct quote but if you go to a seafood market and ask them for their freshest item (even if it's not the one you need for your recipe) get the freshest thing, because 98% of the time you will end up with a great meal no matter what. Check it out if you have a chance. I may use some of his ideas from time to time because I really like that he uses sustainable seafood and he shows you how to make things from scratch rather than buying them from the store. This copy in particular, belonged to my boss so I didn't have a ton of time to check it out. One that stuck with me in particular, and I never knew this was an actual thing until I read it, was "The Canadian Rule"

For example...

The piece of salmon below would probably take about 15 minutes in the oven at 350°

The piece of tuna (lower down) may take about 20 minutes because of the thickness. Plus I like my fish a little well done. Tuna (if it is fresh) like an Ahi or yellow fin can be cooked to a medium rare or medium. But if you wanted to cook it through, you would refer to the rule.

This has worked for me my entire life and without knowing it had a name, I have been using this rule for mostly every kind of fish or poultry I cook. Always remember as well that fish is fully cooked at 145° and chicken at 165° for those of you who didn't already know (believe me, I probably tell my customers this at least once or twice a day) especially if you're new to cooking, a trustworthy thermometer can be your best friend.

If you have any questions, feel free to comment or email me at [email protected]

As far as the canadian rule goes, try It out and I'm sure you will be pleasantly surprised

That's all for today. I will try to keep up posting more as this blog is new to me as well. Let me know if there is anything in particular you would like me to cook so I can get more ideas for future posts.

Thanks for reading! See you next time!

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TGIF

So here's the thing. Friday night I never usually have time to cook dinner. I work from 8am to 7:30pm at the fish market and usually by that time I don't have enough energy to cook my own dinner. However, some of us who have families and spouses don't always have the option for an expensive carry out or drive thru dinner. This is about one product I want to share with you that is especially helpful when you don't have a lot of time to prepare. it's easier already for me because I work at a fish market but some of you might already have some ingredients at home. Zataran's makes this product and I've actually become a big fan of their items. This one in particular is gluten free but it can also feed 5 or 6 people, depending on how many items you add.

Ta-da! This is my go to when I don't have enough time to really prep or do a ton of shopping. It tastes authentic and you can add pretty much anything you want. I've tried several different items in this jambalaya. Including but not limited to chicken, pork, andouille sausage, shrimp, bay scallops, cod, corn, okra, onion, scallions, tomato's, crab meat, clams, mussels, tilapia, walleye, langistinos, lobster, squid...

Literally all you do is get all the stuff you want to put in your jambalaya, get a big pot and with some water, put everything in the pot. If you like it more spicy you can add some red pepper flakes or extra garlic. Try this and I promise you will love it. If you have other questions, your answers will be on the back of the box. You don't even need any sides because you already have rice, veggies and meat. Garlic bread is a good accent as well.

I will post an authentic jambalaya recipe eventually but I thought this was a good tip for those hard working people out there.

Did you know?

Jambalaya is a popular Cajun/Creole dish that originated in New Orleans, or the original sector of the French quarter. It was an attempt by the Spanish to recreate their similar dish called Paella. In the new world, saffron was not readily available due to import costs, tomato became the substitute for saffron which was paella's key ingredient.

Creole cooks make a "red" jambalaya that starts with meat and the "Trinity" of Onion, celery and bell pepper. Seafood and tomatoes are then added along with equal parts of both rice and stock.

The Cajun version which originated in the Louisiana bayous was made a little different. In the bayous, tomatoes were hard to come by at one point so they tweaked it a bit to fit their needs. They started with a smoked meat in a cast iron pot (which gives it a more earthy, brownish hue) the "Trinity", stock, and seasonings are cooked together seperately. Then the meat is added to this mixture and the rice is added in last.

Now that you are a jambalaya master, go on and get you some!

See you next time!

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Steamed Mussels in a garlic, white wine sauce.

This is one of my favorite dishes. It is so easy to make and not to mention, it's very inexpensive. It's also gluten free!

It takes about 30 minutes, and feeds 2 people, it can be an appetizer or an entrée.

Ingredients:

-2 lbs mussels (cleaned) -3 tbsp minced garlic (fresh)

,-1/2 cup chicken stock, or broth -1 whole lemon

-1/4 cup parsley -2 shallots (minced)

-1 tsp kosher salt. - 1 tsp red pepper flakes. -3 tblsp butter

-1 tsp pepper. - 1/4 cup of dry white wine (gluten Free)

Directions

First, get your 2 lbs of mussels, preferably alive still. Put them in a colander and rinse them well and clean them off well. If any don't close, throw them away.

Now, in a medium sauce pan (with a lid) melt the butter on medium heat. Once it's melted, add shallots, garlic, parsley,red pepper, salt & pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes

Add wine and increase heat to a simmer.

Add the mussels and then chicken broth. Cover with a lid and let steam for 5-7 minutes or until all the mussels open

Add the juice of one lemon, stir, let cook for 2 more minutes turning the heat down again to prevent overcooking

Serve the mussels in the broth with garlic bread and enjoy!

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How to shuck oysters 101

I used to not have the slightest clue when it came to oysters. For the past two years I've been a tad bit obsessed. When I didn't know how to shuck my first oysters, I looked it up on YouTube and that's how I taught myself. This is the easiest way I know how to shuck oysters. The best advice I can give you before going in is to take your time and be patient. If you're not careful you could end up stabbing yourself.

The first thing you need is a decent oyster knife. This is what mine looked like:

There are several different kinds but this one is best for beginners.

The next thing you need is some oysters. Usually they are priced per oyster. Get like 6 to start. Since you've never done this before.

If you get them a day or two before you want to use them, make sure the bag is kept open and they get plenty of oxygen. Also, make sure you keep them cold in the fridge, maybe on ice, however, you don't want them to freeze, that will kill them and you must keep them alive until shucking them.

Once you're ready to prepare your oysters, using cold water, rinse them off in a colander, use a bristled brush to get all the mud off and just make sure they are generally clean. Let them sit in the sink for a minute and dry off.

Find a kitchen towel, preferably not a nice or decorative one. Fold it once short ways or "hot dog" style and then once again long ways, place the oyster inside the opening of the fold, with the hinge part of the oyster up and out. Refer to the diagram for help.

With your left hand (if you're righthanded, if not do this opposite) hold the oyster down and hold it tight, like in picture 2. Then like in 3, with your opposite hand, stick the oyster knife in the hinge part of the oyster. Wiggle and jiggle the knife until the knife slides into the oyster like picture 4. Once it goes in, then slide the knife around the opening of the entire opening. Once you get back to the hinge, twist the knife to get the shells apart. If you still cant get the top off make sure you cut the muscle on the inside of the door of the oyster (it's what keeps the oyster closed) then the flat/top should come off with ease and you should have an open oyster cup.

Once you get the door/flat part off, loosen the oyster meat itself from the cup part of the oyster, like picture 5. By running the oyster knife around the bottom part as well. Here's a close up photo of the hinge process that will help you understand more.

Once your done, they are ready to be served!!

Some condiments to use with raw oysters are... Lemon juice, cocktail sauce, hot sauce or horseradish.

Or... You can serve it with Some yummy (but spicy) HOGWASH. For the recipe see my previous post.

Or..... You can empty all the liquid in the oystwe, crinkle a sheet of aluminum foil and place it in a casserole dish/cookie sheet. Then take your six oysters and place them up right in the dish. Now you're ready to make OYSTERS ROCKEFELLER. for the recipe see my first ever post and make the part called "rockefeller sauce" to cook, put them in the oven at 350° for 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown...

However you eat them, they will be delicious. There are so many different recipes to try! The world is your oyster!

Above is another basic instructional sheet. Good luck!

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Hog Island Hogwash - Oysters on the Half shell

OK.. Around the time I started at the fish market, I also started my love affair with oysters. Tons of different kinds exist all around the world and you can eat them raw or cooked. The possibilities are endless. This here is an appetizer for the already oyster lovers, but also the future oyster lovers..

P.s. this dish is pretty spicy.

The first thing you need is 12 fresh, unshucked oysters.

If you don't know how to shuck them, good luck! Lol

I will make an oyster shucking video further down the road but the best way to learn (and the way I taught myself) is by watching how to you tube videos. Just make the search, watch and learn, be patient with yourself!! It takes a long time to get it perfect. The last thing you need is to stab yourself with an oyster knife.

This should take about 20 mins to prepare.

Here are your ingredients:

-12 raw, shucked (by you a second ago) oysters

-1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegad

-1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar

-1/2 of a cucumber, peeled and minced

-1 large jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

-1 large shallot, peeled and minced

-1/2 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped

-the juice of one lime

-1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon pepper

-combine all the ingredients (besides oysters) in medium bowl and mix well.

-serve alongside raw, shucked oysters and enjoy!!

Yep. It's really that easy

Yum!!

Here's some interesting stuff I bet you didn't know about oysters...

-they offer tons of health benefits including: protein, vitamin D, Zinc, Iron, and copper, they also have high levels of Vitamin C, Phosphorus, Niacin and Riboflavin. They also have beneficial antioxidants, healthy cholesterol and Omega 3 fatty acids (like salmon) They are basically a God among superfoods!

-oyster farms have a low impact on the environment and are managed to ensure high sustainability (like Atlantic salmon)

Check out the pics I posted to get some ideas about plating. The one below is my favorite. Oysters are traditionally served with lemons and cocktail sauce, FYI.

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Zinc is pretty important y'all!

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Tuscan style baked asparagus

This is a side dish, the first one I've posted! This one doesn't have a picture of it, butttt it was pictured in the salmon Rockefeller post as a side dish. Next time I cook it this way I will remember to post a few photos.

This side is super easy and if you make with the salmon it takes the SAME EXACT amount of time to cook. Just saying.

Things you will need:

- 1 bushel of asparagus. -1 half of red onion (Julienned)

-1 tablespoon of pine nuts. (Measure first then crush them)

I know pine nuts can be pricy, so if you can't get them or find them, this recipe works just as well without them or even with crushed walnuts or almonds instead.

-1 lemon. - 1 tablespoon minced garlic

-1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil.

-1 tblsp fig infused White balsamic vinaigrette (if you can't find this, it's not necessary but it is amazing to cook with)

-1 baking sheet - 1 teaspoon sea salt or Himalayan salt

-1 teaspoon pepper

Once you have all your ingredients, preheat oven to 400°

Get your best knife and your best cutting board and get them readyy

Rinse the asparagus off well and place on the cutting board, cut about an inch off the end of each one.

Take the baking sheet and lube it up with the olive oil. No sticking in my house. (For less mess line the top of the sheet with foil and put the oil on the foil instead)

Line each asparagus up on the pan, one after another, kind of like this ||||||| going long ways with none overlapping. That's a pretty straightforward diagram if you ask me. Lol

NOW the fun part...

Before you put your cutting board away you're going to take that half of onion and slice it long ways in to skinny slices or "julienne"

Here are some examples of what they should look like, technically you can cut them however you want but I find this way works best

Now that everything is prepped and ready to go you can get all "Jackson Pollack" for a second. Lol

First, scatter the onion pieces all over the asparagus.

Then, in no specific order

-squeeze the lemon all over them.

-scatter the crushed pine nuts all over them.

-drizzle the balsamic vinaigrette on them.

-spread out the minced garlic all over them.

-lastly, sprinkle the sea salt and pepper all over them.

Pop your concoction Into the oven and cook at 400° for 30 minutes on the bottom rack.

When it's done serve 4 to 6 pieces per person.

And enjoy!!

Here are some things you most likely didn't know about asparagus:

-the top asparagus producing states are California, Washington and Michigan.

-Under ideal conditions, they can grow 10 inches in 24 hours

-Asparagus is the only food to contain Asparagusic acid, when digested they break into sulfur containing compounds which is why they make your pee smell funny.

-if you suffer from kidney stones or gout, ask a doctor before eating asparagus because it may make symptoms worse because they contain Uric Acid, high amounts in your body cause those things to begin with.

-asparagus is a natural diuretic, this can help get rid of excess salt and fluid. It also helps flush out toxins in your kidneys.

5 asparagus spears = 20 Calories

If you have any questions or requests, please Ask!!!

Some pictures below!!

Next ones an easy appetizer!

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This is how you Salmon Rockefeller

This is what I would call my signature dish, only because I've made it and tweaked it so many times it has become exclusively mine, however, now I shall share it with the world because everyone deserves the chance to eat well. I also want to take a moment to thank you for checking our my blog. I work at a local fish market and almost every single day someone asks me on directions on how to cook something, I've never had anyone come back with complaints and I've started to realize that I actually know what I'm doing and I love when I'm doing it. I might not always have the time to explain how to make an etouffe from scratch but I will (even if I'm busy) and I will write it down step by step for you so you can feel the way I do, Happy and confident while you're cooking. I decided to do this blog so I don't have to step away from my job and explain things. I will post daily recipes and tips and maybe even videos and absolutely pictures. My "signature dish" has come to be my tweaked version of Salmon Rockefeller (my moms favorite)

-the first thing you have to do is find some salmon, it really doesn't matter what kind. In something like this I prefer just a basic Norwegian or Scottish Salmon. Preferably fresh but if you must buy it frozen please make sure it is fully thawed before you start the cooking process. This recipe is for 2 people, it is easily tweaked to feed more people but to start you need to 8oz portion sizes of Salmon or 1 pound of fresh Salmon.

Next, you will get your ingredients for the Rockefeller. This idea originated for me when I went to a seafood restaurant several years ago, my friend got a dish that was basically a "create your own" seafood dish, he decided on salmon (because it was the only fish he ate) over Angel hair (because duh) with a Rockefeller topping (the most familiar sounding) I made him give me a bite and it was heaven in my mouth, the rest is history. There are many different ways of creating Rockefeller, however, this way is mine and I'm sure you'll love it and like I said, I haven't had any complaints yet.

Rockefeller topping:

- a cup of chopped spinach (preferably fresh not frozen)

-1 1/2 table spoons of minced garlic (fresh if possible)

- 1/2 cup of Italian bread crumbs -1/2 cup of bacon bits (real)

-4 shallots, minced. -3/4 cup of grated and shredded parm

- 2 table spoons of grated Parmesan (set aside for the end)

- tablespoons of butter, melted.

-1 tablespoon of lemon juice (make sure you have some

Leftover lemons so you can use them for garnish at the end.

-A dash of salt and pepper for taste

-One whole Roma tomato, minced (also save for the end)

-1 tablespoon olive oil or cooking spray or butter.

Once you have your salmon and the rest of your ingredients you're ready to create your dish...

Oh, you also need a baking sheet. Find one big enough for both of your salmon portions, for less cleanup, line the sheet with aluminum foil first. Next you're gonna lube that sucker up with whichever you chose, olive oil, butter or cooking spray. Put it on top of the foil or on the bottom of the pan, not too much, no one likes greasy salmon.

Preheat your oven to 400°

Next, cut a slit in the top middle of both of your salmon pieces and place them on the baking sheet.

Next take all of your ingredients besides THE TOMATO, THE EXTRA LEMONS AND THE 2 TABLESPOONS OF GRATED CHEESE and mix them together, pouring the melted butter in as you stir. This works best in a large mixing bowl. Mix well.

Next, spoon the mixture onto the salmon portions, make sure you get some in the slit you created earlier. Make sure the mixture covers the entire piece of salmon. Take the 2 tablespoons of cheese you set aside and sprinkle them on top of the salmon pieces and you're ready to bake!

Once your oven is ready, place your baking sheet with your masterpiece on the top rack in the oven. Cook for 30 minutes or until the salmon reaches 145° on the inside (side note: one of the best investments I ever made was a cooking thermometer, it helps so much when you cant exactly see what you're cooking. Fish should always be 145° or higher and chicken will always be 165° or higher, no matted what. This applies to fish only when not cooking a certain temp (ex. Some tuna is prepared med rare) I will explain more about cook temps in the future but this one should be at least 145° or higher and the topping should be golden brown.)

Once your salmon is ready to come out it is gonna be super hot so be careful plating, make sure your topping doesn't fall off in the process.

Once your salmon has been plated, take the 2 other ingredients you set aside. Place the minced tomato in the top middle of the portion (like the picture) and either put the lemon on top or the side, whichever you prefer. You will find the tomato does a great offsetting the salinity of the Rockefeller topping and it accents it perfect!

So, eat your creation now, you've earned it!

Try this and let the compliments roll in. Stay tuned for the sides in the picture!

This dish goes great with sauteed kale, grilled asparagus or steamed broccoli. Also, mashed potatoes, farro, or even cous cous or quinoa! Yummmm

Below is what it should look like when it comes out of the oven!