Mango Tilapia with Shrimp, Zuchini & Arugula Cous Cous

Ingredients
For the Fish & Shrimp

2 tilapia fillets
1/2 pound raw jumbo shrimp peeled and deveined (about 6)

1 cup EVOO

juice from half a lemon

salt
pepper
1 skewer

For the sauce
3/4 cup Mango Juice (I use this)
1/2 cup white wine
2 tbs heavy cream
1 shallot chopped
3 tbs butter

For the cous cous
1 zucchini, chunked
2 handfuls baby arugula
1 box of instant plain cous cous
3 tbs EVOO
1 cup EVOO
juice from half a lemon
salt
pepper
1 skewer

Directions
For the Fish and Shrimp

1. Beat the lemon juice into the EVOO until it emulsifies into a thicker yellowish consistency. Salt mixture liberally.
2. Salt and pepper fish and shrimp then toss into EVOO mixture
3. Add shrimp to skewers
4. Grill fish and shrimp on medium/high until fish is firm and shrimp are cooked through
5. Set aside

For the Sauce

1. Add juice, wine, and shallots to sauce pan and simmer on medium/medium high until reduced by half
2. Add cream and whisk until reduces and thickens (about 5 minutes)
3. Turn on low and whisk in butter 1 tbs at a time.

For the Cous Cous

1. Cook cous cous according to package instructions
2. Beat lemon juice into the cup of EVOO until emulsifies then add salt and toss zucchini into mixture coating it. RESERVE the mixture for the arugula.
3. Skewer the Zucchini chunks and grill until slightly tender and charred (you should do this with the fish and shrimp to save time)
4. Toss the remaining EVOO mixture into the arugula and coat the leaves
5. Add grilled zucchini and arugula to finished cous cous and toss with the 3 tbs of EVOO and salt and pepper

Plating
One fillet for each plate (serves 2) top with about 3 shrimp - drizzle sauce over and place cous cous to the side.

Monthly Menu - June/July 2011

Remember to post a comment requesting any recipes you want and I will post them!

shoe string potatoes, grilled Tilapia, poached egg, and white wine guava sauce

Chicken fat fried onions and cabbage over buttered bowties

Greek Rotini (Char grilled pork)

Mango Tilapia with Shrimp, Zuchini & Arugula Cous Cous

Scallop & Salmon Ceviche

Chicken Fricassee

mini gnocchis with mushroom sauce and grilled veal strips

Pork milanese, basic risotto

Tuna salad

Chicken cutlet, arugula salad, risotto with zuchini puree

Monthly Menu - May 2011

Remember to post a comment requesting any recipes you want and I will post them!

Mushroom ravioli and arugula salad with warm shallot and vidalia onion dressing, shaved pecorino

Shrimp  ceviche with avacado and lime

Italian bread salad

Wine and butter poached salmon, potato pancake, lemon dill creme

Lemon Asparagus Quinoa

Beer grilled veggies

Grilled salmon, chimmichuri dipping sauce

Organic Blueberry Pie

Panko breaded chicken, mango sauce, sauteed spinach

Grilled veal rolls (stuffed with scallion, parsley, parmesan, lemon zest)

Mushroom Pasta, Zesty Green Beans, Avacado

Fig & shallot marinated grilled top sirloin, boursin dollop, parmesan sesame rice

Monthly Menu - April 2011

Remember to post a comment requesting any recipes you want and I will post them!

Spring mix & Strawberry Salad with roasted Duck

Chicken Cutlet with Mushroom Pan Gravy, Truffle Mashed, Strawberry Salad

Shrimp, Bacon, & Spinach Salad with Warm Mango Dressing

Mushroom Pasta with Anchovy Breadcrumb

Breakfast creation: Egg, Shrimp & Spinach with beurre blanc sauce

Quinoa with Lemon, Parsley, Artichokes, and Asparagus

Simple Poached Salmon with Quinoa 

5 minute Potato Latkes

Foodie Friends on the Farm

This past Sunday, one of my most favorite foodie friends, Nicole, invited me to her new house located on a farm in Hammonton, NJ for a cooking date. Nicole and I have been long time friends that began when we became coworkers at Underwood Engineering five years ago.

Nicole is a spunky Italian mother of three who loves to eat and cook. She and I have tried so many delicious restaurants all over the tri-state area and one day hope to start an endeavor together that will incorporate our love of food. We were once dubbed by a table neighbor we met at a cozy BYOB as "Partners in Dine" and I must agree that title describes our relationship to a tee.

We spent all week emailing back and forth specific menu ideas for our Sunday feast. We decided on:

Shrimp ceviche with grilled romaine

Homemade cannelloni pasta rolls filled with artichokes, leeks, and mushrooms topped with a truffle cream sauce

Roasted asparagus with lemon and herbs

Banana cream pie and blueberry pie with homemade crust

Nicole also surprised me with a delicious antipasto and homemade rice balls. She spent the night before making the risotto from scratch.  All of the ingredients we used to make our dishes were from Bagliani's, a small family owned Italian market. Even the breadcrumbs we used, which were sold by the bag, were literally made in the back by Grandma Bagliani.

One of our favorite restaurants to lunch at is Sang-kee Peking Duck House in Chinatown. One of the many reasons why we love it there so much is becuase of the Iced Tea. Surprisingly, they make the best Iced Tea we have ever had. It's a sweetened, freshly brewed tea with lots of lemon. The ice - so perfectly crushed - is what really makes the tea sing. Well, leave it to Nicole to try and duplicate it for our special Sunday dinner feast. She came very close, and had she gotten crushed ice, it woudlve been exact!

Needless to say, the meal was absolutely delicious. Thanks again to my devoted foodie friend for allowing me to mess up her kitchen and create another fantastic food memory!

Delicious Antipasto



FFN prepping the pasta dough



Busy at work

Pasta rolling pro





Homemade Pie Crust



Pasta dough all rolled out



Rice balls cooling off



Veggies cooking and sauce simmering



Pasta cooked and rolled

Rice Balls

Truffle Cream Sauce

The feast

The veggies /salad

Veal cutlets and leftover antipasto

Cannelonni



The almost Sang-kee Ice Tea

Monthly Menu - February/March 2011

Remember to post a comment requesting any recipes you want and I will post them!

1. Teppanyaki style filet mignon & Shrimp Ceviche

2. Shrimp & Mushroom Fettucini Alfredo & Lemon Truffle Artichoke Spinach salad

2.1. Lemon Truffle Artichoke Spinach salad



3. Panko & Pistachio crusted Tilapia

3.1. Panko & Pistachio crusted Tilapia over Jasmine Rice & Zesty Green Beans 



4. Not-Your-Grandmom's-Chicken Parm & Pink Spaghetti

 



6. five minute almost - huevos rancheros

7. Pan poached salmon with lemon wine sauce