Bacalao, pronounced [bah-kah-LAH-oh] is Portuguese dried, salted cod fish. Before refrigeration, fish was dried and preserved in salt to keep in the cellar. There are hundreds of variations of bacalao recipes, but my favorite has always been Bacalao con Patatas (bacalao with potatoes) – however I don’t make it much at home because traditional recipes require too many steps and forethought for my bad habits (impatience and spontaneity).

After spying a bag of bacalao at my local market, I decided to create a recipe that that would cut out a major tedious step. Unfortunately, I couldn’t nix the “forethought” part – as bacalao needs to be soaked overnight in water to get rid of some of its salt. It’s a step that can’t be skipped (boo) and there really isn’t a good shortcut.

The “major tedious step” I’m talking about is boiling the potatoes first before adding it to the dish. Okay, so I’m being dramatic, but bringing a large pot of water to boil (and of course, staring at the darn thing waiting for the first bubbles) and then cooking the potatoes until tender is crazy boring and requires another pot on the stove.

Instead, dice the potatoes into 1/2″ dice, briefly brown them in the saute pan along with the rest of the vegetables. Then add the bacalao, a cup of water, cover and let ‘em all simmer quietly and harmoniously for 15 minutes, just enough time to cook the potatoes through. 

Serve over pasta, rice, quinoa….or enjoy with a loaf of bread.

Salt Cod (Bacalao) with Potatoes over Rice  

Step 1: soak the bacalao overnight in cool water. This is a step you cannot skip….the fish will be way to salty.  

The fresh ingredients – bell pepper, garlic, onion, tomatoes, salt cod (bacalao), celery and potatoes. All the veg are diced small – quicker cooking! 

First, brown the potatoes in the saute pan.

Then saute the aromatics – garlic, onion, bell pepper, celery.

and add the rest of the ingredients in:

Including the de-salted (and drained) bacalao. 

Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Serve over rice, pasta, quinoa…or enjoy with a loaf of bread.

©Steamy Kitchen Recipes, 2012. | Permalink | 18 comments

While we were in Mexico for Food Blogger Camp back in February, I got a sneak peek at the photos that my good friends, Todd and Diane of White on Rice Couple shot of Cristina Ferrare’s new cookbook. I’m sure you heard of Cristina – she’s got a cooking show, “Big Bowl of Love” on the Oprah Winfrey Network.

Diane and Todd shot all the recipe photos as well as “lifestyle” shots – i.e. a dinner party with friends – if you have a chance to pick up this book, please do. Not only is it chock full of gorgeous food shots (every recipe has a photo) but the recipes featured are non-fussy — what I call “easy sophistication.”

I’ve got so many recipes bookmarked that this book will keep me busy for a while. Today’s recipe, Flank Steak with Goat Cheese on Toast, is inspired from the book. I had originally planned these for a Spanish Tapas party my friend, Wendy was hosting, but we ended up with an obscene amount of food, so I kept the marinating steak in the refrigerator and made the dish the following day.

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Our Spanish Tapas Party

While Tom’s prepping his dish, Wendy and her sister in law, Kelly are the background with Spanish cookbook in hand reading the recipe.

Tom and his wife, Patty – right here smiley-happy next to the cheese – own the Tae Kwon Do studio that the boys and Scott go to. And yes, the boys can kick mama’s butt.

This was just appetizers….by the time dinner was ready, the entire table was full of food. Most of the dishes were Spanish tapas – we had some wonderful Spanish Tapena wine to go with our dinner party, courtesy of the winery. Tapena wines has recently gotten some amazing reviews and awards – the 2011 Monterey Wine Competition awarded them Import Wine of the Year.

While boys were outside fishing, the gals hung out by the apps and wine.

Tom made these crispy-light rice cakes topped with manchego cheese. I never knew he had this cooking talent!

Even Andrew loved the Manchego Cheese wrapped with Jamon Serrano  — hungry after fishing!

After dinner? A single malt scotch tasting in the ultimate “man cave” – complete with leather chairs, cigars, deer heads (Shawn goes hunting once a year) and bull-horn chandelier.

I encouraged Scott to write a post on Scotch tasting, it would be his first-ever post on Steamy Kitchen. He declined until I told him that if he starts a “Scott’s Scotch Corner” on Steamy Kitchen, all his scotch would be a “business expense”

Look for a post from him soon.

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Flank Steak on Goat Cheese on Toast

The flank steak is marinated in red chili flakes, smoked paprika, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Toppings included goat cheese, roasted red bell peppers and a balsamic fig and onion “jam” that I found at the market.

You can substitute with any sweet-savory jam or chutney. Mango chutney would be wonderful too. I have a list of recipes for jams at the end of the post.

Slice the roasted red bell pepper thinly.
Continue reading Flank Steak with Goat Cheese on Toast...

©Steamy Kitchen Recipes, 2011. | Permalink | 30 comments

I am SO guilty of slacking on my recipe posting duties.

Forgive me.

I’ve come up with several really good excuses:

1) I’m still editing my cookbook. Working on my intro chapter (why is it that the intro chapter is the last chapter I wrote? Shouldn’t it be a “this !(*%&!_#@ cookbook is killin’ me!” chapter? I’m trying to be really peppy and nice in my tone, but my short attention span really doesn’t like it when I pull in something like a 18 month project. So, when you’re reading the Steamy Kitchen Cookbook and it sounds like I’m gritting my teeth while trying to be all light and happy – you know why.

2) Lots of TV segments! Each time I go on television, I have several hours of planning, prepping, shopping, cooking, driving, scripting in addition to the demo on TV. I love it! I think I was born to be on television.

3) Hosting a Food Bloggers Bash in the Bahamas with Club Med! Now that was seriously rockin’ fun.I know you’re all tired of reading about our adventure, but I will never tire of talking about my buddies David, Elise, Matt, Diane, Deb, Adam, Alex and Steve-Anna. Will I host another Bloggers Bash soon? You betcha. Though David is trying to convince us that Cannes in July is the place to be. I don’t care where…just as long as there’s a free bar. There’s even chatter that we may get together and hold a free giveaway for Club Med’s upcoming Food and Wine Festival in September at their Punta Cana (Domincan Republic) resort. And yes, for all you nosy folks, I’m Club Med North America’s freelance food writer, one of the best gigs I’ve ever had.

Enough of excuses. Let’s talk about Stephanie Izard, winner of last season’s Top Chef. Fabulouso woman indeed! Now, in the photos if it looks like I did all the cooking and she just looked pretty for the camera:

Continue reading Stephanie Izard’s Steamed Mussel and Fennel Escabeche...

©Steamy Kitchen Recipes, 2009. | Permalink | 24 comments