Nut Crusted Halibut with Vegetable Curry

Nut Crusted Halibut with Vegetable Curry
serves 6

Ingredients:
FOR CURRY BASE
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup minced chopped peeled ginger
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons Thai yellow curry paste
3 cups carrot juice
3 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
15 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
4 cups 1 inch pieces of mixed vegetables, such as zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, red pepper, shitake (or other) mushrooms
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
FOR NUT CRUSTED HALIBUT
3/4 cup gound nuts such as macadamia or almond (process in food processor, until crumbly, not paste)
6  5-ounce pieces of Halibut or other thick mild white fleshed fish filets (skinless)
sea salt
1-2 large egg whites
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chiffonade basil, mint and cilantro (your choice here)

Directions:
Heat oil in a large pot over medium low heat. Add carrots, celery, onion, ginger, and garlic. Cook, stirirng occasionally, until veges are soft, 10-12 minutes.
Increase heat to medium high and add the curry paste. Cook constantly until paste is incorporated, 2-3 minutes. Add carrot juice and broth, bring to boil on high heat and then reduce heat to medium low. Simmer until juice is reduced by half about 15-20 minutes.
Strain curry through a sieve into a large bowl, discard solids from sieve. Return the liquid to the same pot, add the coconut milk and mixed vegetables.  Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until veges are just tender, about 8 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and turn off heat.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place ground nuts in a wide shallow dish.  Season both sides of fish with salt.  Whisk egg white(s) in  another wide shallow bowl until frothy.  Dip top of fish in the egg white and then dredge in ground nuts, pressing to adhere.  Transfer to a plate, crust side up.
Heat oil in a large oven proof skillet, over medium high heat.
Place fish, crust side down, in pan.  Cook until nuts are golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Turn over fillets and transfer skillet to oven.  Bake until fish is just opaque in center, 4-6 minutes.
Reheat curry, do not boil.
Divide curry among wide soup bowls, or soup plates.  Top with fish, crust side up.

Garnish with the fresh herbs.  Serve with cooked white or brown basmati rice on the side if you like.
I grilled some of the eggplant just to give the dish extra appeal, totally optional.

Quinoa Cakes with Kale and Goat Cheese

Quinoa Cakes w/ Kale and Goat Cheese

By chef Diana Temple

This is a gluten free recipe !

Makes approx. 15-18 cakes (2 ½ inches)

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups quinoa, rinsed well in strainer and drained

2 ¾ cups water

2 cups (lightly packed) kale, stem and center vein removed, thinly sliced in one inch strips

5 ounces goat cheese (soft type)

1 onion, chopped

½ cup sundried tomato (preferably oil packed but drained) chopped

1 tablespoon fresh thyme or oregano or both (or 1 teaspoon dried)

2 extra large eggs, lightly beaten

½ cup rice crumbs (not flour)

Salt and pepper to taste

Bring the quinoa and water to boil, reduce heat to low and cook, covered about one half hour or until the grain looks “opened up” and top is dry. Could take a little longer.

Saute onion until soft over medium heat, add the kale, sundried tomato, and herbs.  Continue to cook until kale is very soft about 3 minutes only.

In a large bowl, mix quinoa, kale mixture, eggs, goat cheese and mix by hand or with a wooden spoon into nicely incorporated.

Add the rice crumbs and mix well, then salt and pepper.

Shape into patties about ¾ of an inch thick by 2 ½ inches and dredge lightly in rice crumbs (on a plate is easy).

Saute in an olive/vegetable oil mix, about 4 tablespoons in a large heavy skillet over medium heat until golden brown, turn and cook other side, about 3-4 minutes on each side.  Place on paper toweling.  You can do this in batches, replenishing the oil and place all in the oven to heat up before serving.

Serve with a mayo dip with lemon juice, lemon zest, curry powder, pesto if you like on the side.