Saffron and Sea Bass

"Don't crowd the mushrooms, they won't brown." The string of pearls adorning Julia Child's neck never overshadowed the far more precious pearls of wisdom the legend dispensed on her iconic television show.

I am a bit of a fungi enthusiast.  Shitake, portabella, crimini...i love them all.  Mushrooms are one of the few staples my nearly barren refrigerator is never without and nicely browned mushrooms are a key component of today's dish.

Food funds were really limited this week, as evidenced by my emergence from Whole Foods grasping a solitary shallot and a slender vial of saffron.  And yet this evening's dinner was surprisingly elegant for a meal dictated by the limited contents of my fridge.

Friends caught me a large black sea bass on a recent deep sea fishing expedition off the coast of Hyannis.  I prefer black sea bass to the chilean variety.  Chilean sea bass is really just a euphemism for tooth fish (behold...scary isn't it?)

enjoy!

xx


Pan Seared Sea Bass with Saffron Sauce

1 tbsp shallots, finely chopped
1 tsp garlic
1 large crimini mushroom, sliced thin
a pinch of saffron
a pinch of salt
1/3 tsp tomato powder
1/3 tsp dried parsely
1/3 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup half and half
1 tbsp olive oil
2 medium sea bass filets

Brown mushrooms in olive oil over medium heat.  Add shallots and garlic.  Add liquid when shallots are caramelized.  Add saffron and whisk until the sauce takes on a vivid color.  Add spices and simmer.

Cook sea bass filets in olive oil pan searing over medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side.  Serve with saffron sauce over wilted spinach.  

Red Velvet Cupcakes

My sister bakes the moistest most delectable red velvet cake on the planet.  I am not a cake lover but it is arguably the perfect cake and has the fan base to prove it.  

When someone in my circle perfects a dish I rarely attempt to duplicate it.  Why toil in vain for a poor imitation?  However, the results of this recent experiment were so gratifying that I may alter my view of replicas.  These cupcakes are the diminutive cousins to the perfect cake.

Red Velvet Cupcakes 

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups canola oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons red food coloring (1 ounce)
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup crushed pecans

Cream Cheese Frosting

8oz softened cream cheese
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 cup unsalted butter 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil and flour two cupcake tins.  

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda and cocoa powder. In another large bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar and vanilla.

Combine the dry and wet batter ingredients until smooth.  Combine frosting ingredients and refrigerate while cake is baking.  

Divide the cake batter evenly.  Bake for approximately 20 minutes.  Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool.  Frost and garnish with crushed pecans.

xx
dani

Peanut Butter & Salted Caramel Ice Cream Sandwiches

A generous scoop of salted caramel gelato wedged between two chewy peanut butter cookies- nom, nom.