Crab Cakes Drizzled with Spicy Cream

This past Saturday night I had a few girl friends over for a dinner party and this was the main course. These crab cakes are surprisingly easy to make and taste delicious. One of the guests commented that she has never tasted a crab cake that she has liked until now. In my book that is considered a success! :) This recipe serves 6.

Ingredients

1/2 cup mayo

4 green onions, finely chopped

2 eggs, lightly beaten 

2 tbsp course ground mustard

4 tsp lemon juice

3 tsp old bay seasoning

1 jalepeno finely chopped, deseeded

2 lb crab meat

2 1/2 cups panko

2 tbsp finely chopped chives

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

4 tbsp vegetable oil

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

 2 tbsp sour cream

 2 tbsp or preferred amount Siracha hot chili sauce

In a large bowl wisk together mayo, green onions, eggs, mustard, lemon juice, old bay seasoning, and jalapeno. Add in 1 1/2 cups panko, chives, salt and pepper. Mix all ingredients together. Form 12 crab cakes on a platter. Chill for 15 minutes. While cakes are chilling whisk together whipping cream, sour cream and desired level of chili sauce. Set bowl aside. Pour 1 cup panko in a side bowl. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Coat both sides of crab cakes with panko. Fry crab cakes for 3 minutes each side or until golden brown. Drizzle cream over crab cakes. Serve with a salad and lemon wedges. Enjoy!

Recipe for Salmon with Lentils and Mustard Herb Butter

Good Afternoon Readers,

In a week from tomorrow, B and I will be traveling to California. In light of this we have both been trying to eat a little healthier than usual. (Although you might not have been able to tell from some of my recent blog posts). Additionally, being that Thursday is my favorite week night, I am in the mood to try out a new recipe in our kitchen this evening. I have located this delightful French recipe from again one of my favorite cooking websites: Epicurious. If all goes to plan, on the menu tonight will be Salmon with Lentils and Mustard Herb Butter. I am also going to serve Roasted Asparagus on the side. Cook Alongside with me this evening and be sure to let me know how it goes! Enjoy!

Ingredients
For mustard-herb butter
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 teaspoon chopped tarragon
2 teaspoons grainy mustard
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

For lentils
1 cup French green lentils
4 cups water
2 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 to 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

For salmon
4 (6-ounce) pieces skinless salmon fillet
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Make mustard-herb butter:
Stir together all ingredients with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.

Cook lentils:
Bring lentils, water, and 3/4 teaspoon salt to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until lentils are just tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid, then drain lentils.
While lentils cook, chop leeks, then wash . Cook leeks in butter in a heavy medium skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes.

Add lentils with reserved cooking liquid to leeks along with 3 tablespoons mustard-herb butter and cook, stirring, until lentils are heated through and butter is melted. Add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and keep warm, covered.

Sauté salmon while leeks cook:
Pat salmon dry and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper (total).

Heat butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until foam subsides, then sauté salmon, turning once, until golden and just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes total.

Serve salmon, topped with remaining mustard-herb butter, over lentils. Enjoy!

*Recipe taken from Epicurious.

Pan Seared Tuna Steaks & Nutty Vinaigrette Salad

It’s Friday Night. You might have a movie to catch or a drink date with friends. Even if your plan consists of curling up on the couch with a good book, you probably do not want to spend the entire night cooking and cleaning after the long workweek that just ended. With this simple recipe you can cook, eat, and clean up in under an hour and a half. Make this meal in a flash and head out to the theater or whatever else your night might bring.

Sidebar: This meal is perfect for “Date Night” and serves 2. If you are cooking for more people just increase the recipe as desired. If desired the strawberries, goat cheese, and hazelnuts can be increased or decreased depending on your preference. Additionally, they can be substituted for other ingredients of your choice.

Serving Size 2
Special Cooking Equipment: Food Processor (If you do not have a food processor the following will work: blender, magic bullet, etc.)

Ingredients for Nutty Vinaigrette Salad
3 cups Spinach Leaves
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

1 cup sliced strawberries
1 garlic clove
3 tablespoons balsamic
¼ cup hazelnuts
½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Place the garlic clove, balsamic, hazelnuts, and extra virgin olive oil in the food processor. Blend until mixed through. Place spinach leaves on small plates. Top with goat cheese and strawberries. Drizzle nutty vinaigrette over salads. The salads can be prepared before the Tuna Steaks.

Ingredients for Seared Tuna Steaks
2 -3.5-5-oz. boneless, skinless tuna steaks (If tuna steaks seems thick you can slice in half down the middle to cut down on cooking time)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
½ medium shallot, finely chopped
½ cup yellow tomatoes, halved
½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/8 cup sliced pitted green olives
1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh basil
1/4 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
Season the tuna with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Place the tuna in the skillet and cook, turning once. Total cooking time will be around 3 to 4 minutes total for medium rare. Transfer the tuna to a large plate and cover with aluminum foil.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the shallot to the skillet. (Helpful Hint: A great way to test to see if the oil is ready is by placing just a few pieces of shallot into the pan. If it sizzles then it is ready to go).Cook the shallot for about one minute. Add the tomatoes, olives, basil, 1/4 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper; cook until warmed through and the tomatoes are just softened, about 2 minutes more. Remove the skillet from the heat and gently stir in the lemon juice.

Transfer the tuna to plates, top with the tomato mixture and serve. Enjoy!

*Seared Tuna retrieved in part from Fine Cooking Magazine.