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The Good Hearted Woman

Home Cooking & Cozy Living

  • SOURDOUGH RECIPES & RESOURCES

Pan-Seared Sturgeon with Chanterelles & Baby Yukons

May 7 By Renée 13 Comments

In which Mr B and I attend a cooking demonstration class with Chef Andrew Garrison, get to be “beta-diners,” and learn how to make dinner-party-worthy Pan-seared Sturgeon.

Menu Tasting with Headland's Chef Garrison {Seared Sturgeon Recipe} | The Good Hearted Woman

Many thanks to the Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa for hosting our stay and for providing our cooking class with Chef Andrew. This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

One of the unique features of the new Headlands Coastal Lodge in Pacific City, Oregon is the culture of adventure they seek to offer guests. Erstwhile concierges, known as “Adventure Coaches,” organize and guide Lodge guests in a large number of activities, including dory boat tours, crabbing, kayaking, and cooking. The day Mr B and I spent with the Headlands Adventures Coaches was wet and blustery, so we chose a cooking class over kayaking. Our instructor for the day was none other than Meridian’s Executive Chef Andrew Garrison.

[Meridian is the Headlands Coastal Lodge in-house restaurant. Read our profile of Meridian here.]

Menu Tasting with Headland's Chef Garrison {Seared Sturgeon Recipe} | The Good Hearted Woman

Chef Andrew, until recently the executive chef of Salishan Lodge & Golf Resort, is a Minnesota native and a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts of Minneapolis/St. Paul. He specializes in wine and food pairings, foraging, whole-beast butchery, charcuterie and gluten-free cooking, and developing seasonal menus; the latter a skill already clearly reflected in Meridian’s constantly changing seasonally-focused menu.

Menu Tasting with Headland's Chef Garrison {Seared Sturgeon Recipe} | The Good Hearted Woman

When we arrived for our class, held in one of the condos-cottages adjacent to Headland’s, Chef Andrew informed our group that he would be preparing a dish he was planning to add to the menu – “Pan-Seared Sturgeon with Sautéed Chanterelles and Baby Yukons” – and we were to be his guinea pigs. (Or, as one of our group quipped, “beta-diners.”)

Menu Tasting with Headland's Chef Garrison {Seared Sturgeon Recipe} | The Good Hearted Woman

Before he started the cooking demonstration, Chef Andrew shared with us a little about his cooking philosophy and approach.

“We don’t really work off any recipes [in our kitchen]. We try to do what we call “intuitive cooking,” where you understand the process and the method behind the recipes, and then expand them to other dishes. It teaches you how to actually cook instead of just following a recipe.”

It is in this spirit that this post is written.

Cook a man a fish: feed him for a day. Teach a man to cook a fish: he can cook himself a fish any time he wants.Tweet & Share!

NOTE: What follows is not a traditional recipe, with weights and measures and exact cooking times. However, if you are a relatively experienced cook, the completed dish should be fairly easy to execute. The following instructions are transcribed almost verbatim from Chef Andrews remarks, and are presented as such.

Menu Tasting with Headland's Chef Garrison {Seared Sturgeon Recipe} | The Good Hearted Woman

Pan-Seared Sturgeon with Chanterelles and Baby Yukons

Sautéed Chanterelles

Add oil to pan and heat pan on stove to the smoke point. Add mushrooms and sear them. Once they are seared, finish by sautéing in a little butter with fresh garlic, thyme sprigs, and rosemary sprigs [GTR] thrown in. Set aside.

  • Always use a neutral oil like canola oil. It has a higher smoke point than olive oil and imparts less flavor.
  • You want the mushrooms to be dry, and you don’t want to move them much once they’re in the pan. You want them to sear.
  • Don’t add salt to the mushrooms until you are done cooking, or you will end up with a pan of soggy mushrooms.

Baby Yukon Gold Potatoes

Put the precooked baby potatoes in a pan and make a little hole in the middle. Throw in a couple knobs* of butter and few cloves of garlic. Bring the butter to a foaming point and then add some GTR. Glaze the potatoes with the garlic-herb-infused butter, then season with a little kosher salt. Set aside.

  • The potatoes were precooked: poached in duck fat. (If you are short on duck fat at home, you can simply parboil them.)
  • When you add the herbs to the foaming butter, you’ll hear the herbs frying and popping, and that’s the sound you want. Then you’re shallow frying, and the aromatic compounds in the herbs infuse into the butter a little better.

* A “knob” of butter is about 1 1/2 – 2 tablespoons – about the size of a knob on a kitchen drawer.

Pan-Seared Sturgeon

Optional step: Brine the sturgeon for ½ hour before cooking.

Just as you did with the mushrooms, add oil to an oven-safe frying pan and heat on stove to the smoke point. Lay the fish in the hot pan, presentation side down. Sear the fish on one side, and then put it in a preheated oven (425° F) until it is done medium well. [An internal temperature of 140°F in fish is medium well.] It will continue to cook after you remove it from the heat, and will be well done by the time you plate it up.

“Proteins, with the exception of steak, I always just cook it on one side. The idea is to keep as much of the flesh as tender as possible.”

Menu Tasting with Headland's Chef Garrison {Seared Sturgeon Recipe} | The Good Hearted Woman

Once the fish is done, take it out of the oven, flip it over, add some butter and GTR to the pan and baste it. You want the butter to be frothing when you do this to really get all those aromatics going well. If it’s just [non-frothing] melted butter, you’re just going to make the fish soggy. You want the basting to be a fairly quick process. You don’t want to cook the fish more; you just want to glaze it.

  • For this demonstration, Chef Andrew used cold-smoked white sturgeon, farmed out of Idaho.
  • Brining seasons the fish all the way through and actually firms the flesh a little bit. It also gets rid of that white albumen that often comes out when you cook it.
  • If you are using fish that has been brined and/or smoked for this dish, don’t salt it before you pan-fry it.
  • Each piece of fish has two sides: the presentation side and the other, non presentation, side. The bloodline side is always the side you want facing down on the plate. In a fillet, the “inside” is always the presentation side. The skin side always goes down. (Unless you are doing skin-on fish.)
  • Chef Andrew likes to cook sturgeon to about medium well and then let it carry over to well. It’s not really a fish you want to eat rare.

“Kosher salt is my primary seasoning. I don’t put pepper on proteins before I cook them. Especially fish, because at high heat, you end up burning the pepper. I’d rather just have a crack of pepper at the end.”

Menu Tasting with Headland's Chef Garrison {Seared Sturgeon Recipe} | The Good Hearted Woman

“My approach to cooking is based on magnifying natural flavors. I use vinegar or citrus in just about everything. Salt… seasoning is really important, but acidity is another thing that really opens up and magnifies the natural flavors.” 

Green Garlic Soup [Sauce]

Pureed soups make good sauces, and the soup used for this dish is basically a variation on vichyssoise, or potato leek soup: Yukon Golds, yellow onion, garlic, leeks, and a bunch of green garlic. (Green garlic looks like a small leek, and appears in the spring, about the same time as garlic scapes.) Then finish the soup with some cream, a whole bunch of kosher salt, and a little bit of cider vinegar to adjust the acidity.

Always try to use Yukon Gold when you make a smooth pureed soup. Avoid using russet potatoes for smooth, pureed soups: the starch in them is far too grainy.

Menu Tasting with Headland's Chef Garrison {Seared Sturgeon Recipe} | The Good Hearted Woman

Pan Sauce

Warm up the potatoes up in the pan with a little chicken stock. Once the stock is warm and potatoes are warm, reduce the stock a bit and throw a couple of nobs of butter in the pan, along with some aromatics [GTR]. As the stock reduces, keep the pan moving; swirl it around for a bit to keep things emulsified and make a pan sauce. Baste the potatoes in the pan sauce just before plating.

Rewarm the sautéed chanterelles at this time, too.

Foraged greens

For this dish, Chef Andrew used miner’s lettuce, which is plentiful all over the Pacific Northwest throughout the spring. (If foraging isn’t your thing, you can usually find it at farmers’ markets this time of year as well.) Alternatively, a handful of any fresh, tender greens will work.

Before I wrap this up, let me just say, Chef Andrew is personable, dedicated to his craft, and he made our cooking class “adventure” a pleasure to attend. Oh, and he is also adorable – I mean, how cute is this:

Menu Tasting with Headland's Chef Garrison {Seared Sturgeon Recipe} | The Good Hearted Woman

Which all goes to show that even the pros get excited when they get it right – and that’s a lesson for us all: Take pride when you put something wonderful on the table!

Meridian, Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa | The Good Hearted Woman

Disclosure: Our thanks to the Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa for hosting our stay and for providing our complimentary cooking class with Chef Andrew. This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Pan-Seared Sturgeon with Sautéed Chanterelles & Baby Yukons {Recipe} | The Good Hearted Woman

Filed Under: Eating Style, Gluten-free, Main Dishes, Pescatarian, Recipes Tagged With: seafood, seasonal

Pacific Northwest Dungeness Crab Cakes {with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce}

May 10 By Renée 6 Comments

Perfect Dungeness Crab Cakes are not much more than a big pile of crab and a few cracker crumbs, with a kicky little sauce on the side. With crab cakes, less is more.

Pacific Northwest Dungeness Crab Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce | The Good Hearted Woman

You can have your lobster and your snow blue king crabs: I’ll take the delicate sweetness of Dungeness crab every time. In fact, it may be a case of regional bias, but if I had to choose one kind of seafood – and only one – for the rest of my life, it would be Dungeness crab.

Pacific Northwest Dungeness Crab Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce | The Good Hearted Woman

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

Found all along the West Coast from Alaska to California, Dungeness is known in scientific circles as Metacarcinus magister, or the “master crab,” and it is a title well-earned. (Culinary nobility agree: Dungeness crab was the favorite of both Julia Child and James Beard.)

One of the best meals you will ever experience consists simply of a fresh Dungeness crab, a container of fresh cocktail sauce, and a box of Ritz crackers – preferably eaten while sitting on the sand watching the Pacific tide roll in and out.

The perfect crab cake is not much more than that – a big pile of crab, few cracker crumbs, and a kicky little sauce on the side. With crab cakes, less is more.

Ironically, my crab cake recipe (as well as the accompanying Roasted Red Pepper Sauce) goes back to a time when I visited Maryland many years ago. Up until then, I’d only eaten “West Coast” crab cakes, which at the time were more cake than crab, so heavy with fillers that the flavor of the crab was nearly lost. (A lot has changed in the Left Coast food scene since the 80’s, thankfully.)

When I took my first bite of my first Maryland crab cake, I was blown away by the clean, clear crab flavor. Those East Coasters definitely know how to make an amazing crab cake! The only thing that could have possibly made it more delicious was our buttery West Coast native crab. (Sorry, Blue Crab.) When we returned home from our trip, one of the first things I did was make a batch of Dungeness crab cakes to test my theory. Then I made another batch. And another.

Eureka! That last batch was so, so good that it is the recipe I’ve used ever since. I hope you enjoy these delicious little crabby patties as much as I do!

Pacific Northwest Dungeness Crab Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce | The Good Hearted Woman

Pacific Northwest Dungeness Crab Cakes

Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Chilling Time1 hr
Total Time1 hr 40 mins
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Pacific Northwest
Keyword: crab, seafood
Servings: 12 crab cakes
Calories: 120kcal
Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 large egg beaten
  • 1/2 teaspoon honey mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce I use Sriracha
  • 3/4 teaspoon seafood seasoning [i.e. Old Bay®]
  • 1 pound fresh cleaned Dungeness crab meat
  • 10 butter crackers [i.e.,Ritz or Keebler Club], finely crushed
  • 1 cup fresh bread crumbs or more
  • 1/4 cup butter for frying
  • Lemon wedges for serving

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, egg, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, seasoning and cracker crumbs.
  • Very gently the crab meat into the wet ingredient mixture, taking care to not break up the crab meat too much.
    Pacific Northwest Dungeness Crab Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce | The Good Hearted Woman
  • Cover and chill for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.
  • Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, shape the crab mixture into 8 lightly packed patties, each about 3/4" thick.
  • Coat each crab cake lightly with fresh bread crumbs. [See Note]
  • In a heavy skillet, melt just enough butter to thoroughly coat the bottom of the pan. (Do not overheat the skillet or you run the risk of burning the butter.)
  • Gently place the crab cakes in the pan and cook over medium heat until golden brown and heated through, 3 - 4 minutes per side. (Do not crowd the pan! It is best to fry the crab cakes in batches, adding more butter to the pan as needed.)
  • Briefly transfer the crab cakes to a cooling rack to drain while you fry the next batch and/or prepare the plates.
  • Sauce plates and arrange crab cakes on top, or serve cakes on a bed of greens with the sauce on the side.

Notes

The patties will be very fragile. I find that, instead of putting the crab cakes into a plate or bowl of bread crumbs to coat them, it works better to hold a crab cake in your hand and pat the bread crumbs on top, then flip it over and do the same on the other side.
FRESH BREAD CRUMBS: I make these using the Chopper Attachment on my immersion blender. It takes 2-3 slices of bread to make enough for one batch of crab cakes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1crab cake | Calories: 120kcal | Carbohydrates: 6.1g | Protein: 9.9g | Fat: 6.1g | Saturated Fat: 2.8g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 254mg | Potassium: 174mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 0.5g | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

Dungeness crab… is sheer, unadulterated crab heaven.
The Theory and Practice of Cooking, James Beard

Pacific Northwest Dungeness Crab Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce | The Good Hearted Woman

Crab Season

Crab season in Oregon runs December through August, during which time you can find fresh, whole crabs cooked and ready to go at just about any supermarket seafood counter or specialty seafood market throughout the Pacific Northwest. For additional information on Oregon crabbing, including more tasty recipes, visit the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission.

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Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course: Sauce
Cuisine: Pacific Northwest
Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

  • 1 large red bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup tomato sauce
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha

Instructions

  • Cut the red pepper in half and remove seeds and stem. Brush both sides with olive oil. Place on a foil lined baking sheet.
  • Place oven rack 4-5" away from heating element. Place baking sheet in the oven and broil the pepper for 8-10 minutes, turning over about half way through. The pepper skin will char.
  • Remove broiled pepper from oven and let set for a few minutes until it is cool enough to handle.
  • Peel away as much of the pepper skin as possible. (Don't worry if some remains, It's all going to get pulverized anyway.)
  • Place pepper along with the remaining ingredients into a small blender cup and process until smooth.
  • Serve hot or cold. Keeps in fridge for about a week.
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

Pacific Northwest Dungeness Crab Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce | The Good Hearted Woman

Pacific Northwest Dungeness Crab Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce | The Good Hearted Woman

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Pacific Northwest Dungeness Crab Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce | The Good Hearted Woman     Pacific Northwest Dungeness Crab Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce | The Good Hearted Woman

Pacific Northwest Dungeness Crab Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce | The Good Hearted Woman

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Filed Under: Appetizers, Main Dishes, Pescatarian, Recipes, Sauces, Dressings & Dips Tagged With: seafood

Sweet Potato Pad Thai with Shrimp

July 6 By Renée 7 Comments

In Sweet Potato Pad Thai with Pan-fried Shrimp, the natural sweetness and robust texture of spiralized sweet potato noodles perfectly complements the flavors and textures of traditional Pad Thai.

Spiralized Sweet Potato Pad Thai with Shrimp | The Good Hearted Woman

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

I’ll admit it – I am just now diving into the Spiralizer pool.

In case you’ve been living in a cave for the last few years, spiral vegetable cutters, or “spiralizers,” are kitchen gadgets that cut fruits and vegetables into long noodles and ribbons, which then can be then be used in place of pasta, and as additions in salads, side dishes, etc.

There is a good reason for my reticence to Spiralize: all of the hand-held and counter-top spiralizers I’ve previously tested/used/experimented with simply don’t deliver: they crack under the strain of hard, dense vegetables; they hurt my hand and wrist to operate; and some models are a huge pain when it comes to clean up.

Then KitchenAid®  came to my rescue – with a carefully engineered, well-thought Spiralizer Attachment. I couldn’t wait to try it out! (Please note: this is not a sponsored post. I just really love this thing!}

One of the first things I tried was a combination of two of my favorite things – Thai food and sweet potatoes. The outcome – Sweet Potato Pad Thai with Pan-fried Shrimp – is a deliciously tasty dish that blends the natural sweetness and robust texture of spiralized sweet potato noodles with the traditional flavors and textures of Pad Thai.

Spiralized Sweet Potato Pad Thai with Shrimp | The Good Hearted Woman

Bonus: It’s loaded with super-healthy stuff, and takes just one pan and 30-minutes to create.

Extra Bonus: Everyone in my household loves it! (Which means that there is a good chance everyone in your house will love it too!!)

Spiralized Sweet Potato Pad Thai with Shrimp | The Good Hearted Woman

Sweet Potato Pad Thai with Shrimp is a pleasure for your senses, hitting all the taste points – sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami; plus it’s gluten-free (just use gluten free soy sauce or tamari), dairy-free, and naturally high in fiber. Bottom line though – it tastes amazing!

Spiralized Sweet Potato Pad Thai with Shrimp | The Good Hearted Woman

Sweet Potato Shrimp Pad Thai

Prep Time30 mins
Total Time30 mins
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course: Main Dish
Servings: 4 -6 servings
Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

Sauce

  • Zest & juice from one lime
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 3 tablespoons Sweet Chili Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons light soy sauce or tamari
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar

Shrimp

  • 1 lb medium shrimp 70-80/lb, shelled and cleaned
  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil or refined coconut oil
  • 1 clove garlic minced

Sweet Potato Noodles

  • 2 large orange-fleshed sweet potatoes aka yams Spiralized
  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil or refined coconut oil
  • 1 large onion peeled & sliced thinly root to end
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 red bell pepper sliced in thin strips
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Garnish

  • Chopped cilantro
  • Chopped peanuts
  • Sliced green onions
  • Crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

Sauce

  • Combine sauce ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. (You can also make the sauce in a small beverage blender.)

Shrimp

  • Pour 1/3 cup sauce in a large ziploc bag. Add cleaned shrimp to the bag and toss around a bit to combine. Set the rest of the sauce aside. Allow the shrimp marinate in the sauce for 15-30 minutes.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high. When a drop of water sizzles in the pan, drop the shrimp in a few at a time.(I do this in 2 batches.) Let the shrimp stay where they are when they hit the hot pan so that they get a little bit browned on one side and then flip them over. This will take just a couple of minutes - don't overcook them! The shrimp are done when they are pinkish all the way through.
  • Immediately remove the cooked shrimp from pan with a spider or slotted spoon and set aside.

Sweet Potato Noodles

  • In a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat, saute the sliced onion in 2 tablespoons of peanut oil until translucent; about 3 minutes.
  • Add garlic and sliced bell pepper and saute about 4 more minutes; until the red pepper begins to soften.
  • Add spiralized sweet potato noodles and cook for 2-3 minutes, gently folding up from the bottom of the pan a few times. Add 1/4 cup water to the pan and cover immediately. Steam for 2 minutes. Check for doneness, and then cover again and cook 2 more minutes. Repeat until noodles are tender but not mushy. (You are not making mashed potatoes!)
  • Add remaining sauce, cooked shrimp, and chopped cilantro and toss gently to combine.

Garnish & Serve

  • Garnish with additional cilantro, chopped peanuts, chopped green onions, and crushed red pepper flakes. Serve warm (although it is delicious cold too!)
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

Spiralized Sweet Potato Pad Thai with Shrimp | The Good Hearted Woman

Recipe Notes

  • What the heck is a Spider? A “spider” is a type of skimmer used in Asian and Dutch cooking. It is a wide shallow wire-mesh basket with a long handle, used for removing hot food from a liquid or skimming foam off when making broths. The name is derived from the wire pattern, which looks like a spider’s web. I use mine all the time.
  • Why is there no tamarind paste in this Pad Thai? Pad Thai usually relies on tamarind paste for its unique flavor profile, but I think that the combination of lime and brown sugar accomplishes this well in this dish, without requiring that you search out and buy difficult-to-find ingredients. That said, if you have tamarind paste available to you, you can definitely use it here – simply reduce the brown sugar in the  sauce by 1 tablespoon and use only 1/2 the lime juice. Dissolve 1 tablespoon tamarind paste in 1/4 cup warm water before adding it to the sauce. Do not add additional water.

Oh my gosh, I love those KitchenAid® people! They know how to do things right!! The KitchenAid Spiralizer lets your stand mixer motor do all the work. Once you figure out how to use the attachment (I found the instructions a little sub-par) it’s a breeze. Clean-up is super easy too. Waste is minimal, and what is made creates these cool little cores that can be sliced or used for garnishing.

Spiralized Sweet Potato Pad Thai with Shrimp | The Good Hearted Woman

For Lefties Only: Unlike almost every counter-top spiralizer out there, this one works equally well for lefties and non-lefties alike! (See, that’s me looking out for you.)

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended.While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they will help us keep this site up and running – and (relatively) ad-free!! Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!


Spiralized Sweet Potato Pad Thai with Shrimp | The Good Hearted Woman

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In Sweet Potato Pad Thai with Pan-fried Shrimp, the natural sweetness and robust texture of spiralized sweet potato noodles perfectly complements the flavors and textures of traditional Pad Thai. | The Good Hearted Woman

Filed Under: 30-Minute Meals, Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Main Dishes, Pescatarian, Recipes Tagged With: seafood, shrimp, spiralizer, sweet potatoes, vegetables

Grilled Halibut over Greens with Verjus White Truffle Vinaigrette

May 6 By Renée 11 Comments

Chef Steve Debaste, of the New Leaf Café on Orcas Island, shares his recipe for “Grilled Halibut over Local Salad Greens with Verjus White Truffle Vinaigrette.“

Chef Steve Debaste, of the New Leaf Café on Orcas Island, generously shares his recipe for "Grilled Halibut and Local Salad Greens with Verjus and White Truffle Vinaigrette" | The Good Hearted Woman

{Images courtesy of Chef Steve Debaste}

In my last post, I share our experience and thoughts about our dining experience at the New Leaf Café on Orcas Island. Today, I’d like to tell you a little about the man behind the food.

Chef Steve Debaste, New Leaf Cafe, Orcas Island | The Good Hearted WomanWhen Seattle native Chef Steve Debaste was hired on in 2010 as Chef at the New Leaf Café, he already had quite an impressive resume. Chef Debaste began his career as the Chef at the Creperie de Touraine in Honolulu. After some years, he returned to Seattle, where his positions included Chef of the nationally recognized 1904 Restaurant and Wine Bar, District and Executive Chef at Microsoft, and Executive Chef for Guckenheimer. He was recognized as the Pacific Northwest Chef of the Year in 2006.

Since his arrival at the New Leaf Café, Chef Debaste has developed a creative menu, inspired by and designed around locally sourced ingredients and products. Today’s recipe – Grilled Halibut over Local Greens with Verjus White Truffle Vinaigrette – is no exception. (Don’t worry – it may sound fancy, but is in reality quite easy to prepare.)

Halibut season begins in early May in the Pacific Northwest. Not only is halibut a delicious fish to eat, but it provides many health benefits as well. A 6-ounce halibut fillet as a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, and is loaded with phosphorus, magnesium, niacin, selenium and vitamins B6 and B12.

Chef Steve Debaste, of the New Leaf Café on Orcas Island, generously shares his recipe for "Grilled Halibut and Local Salad Greens with Verjus and White Truffle Vinaigrette" | The Good Hearted Woman

Grilled Halibut over Greens with Verjus White Truffle Vinaigrette

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Pacific Northwest
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Chef Steve Debaste ~ New Leaf Cafe, Orcas Island

Ingredients

  • 4 6 oz. Fresh Halibut Filets
  • Salt & Pepper
  • 8 oz local salad greens
  • Verjus vinaigrette (see recipe below)
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
  • 4 cups creamy mashed potatoes

Instructions

  • Season the Halibut with Salt and Pepper and Grill until your desired doneness.
  • Gently toss the salad greens in enough vinaigrette to coat the greens.
  • Plate 1 cup of mashed potatoes in the center of your dinner plate.
  • Place the dressed greens on the mashed potatoes.
  • Place the Grilled Halibut on the Salad greens and brush with melted butter.
  • Garnish the plate with a circle of vinaigrette around the potatoes. Garnish the Halibut with pine nuts and chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

What is Verjus?

(I have to admit that until Chef Debaste sent this recipe to me, I had never heard of verjus. In case it is new to you too, here’s what I learned.)

Verjus is a tart, fresh non-alcoholic juice pressed from unripe wine grapes – essentially a very young white wine without the alcohol. Verjus, which takes its name from the French term vert jus, which literally means “green juice,” is a culinary ingredient most often used in sauce making. Verjus is available in gourmet food stores, or directly from producers.

If you don’t happen to have any verjus sitting around your kitchen, try using a very astringent white wine.

Chef Steve Debaste, of the New Leaf Café on Orcas Island, generously shares his recipe for "Grilled Halibut and Local Salad Greens with Verjus and White Truffle Vinaigrette" | The Good Hearted Woman

Verjus White Truffle Vinaigrette

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Author: Chef Steve Debaste

Ingredients

  • 3 shallots
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ¾ cup Mt Baker Vineyards Verjus
  • 4 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoons French Dijon mustard
  • 1.5 cup Canola-Olive oil blend
  • .5 cups white truffle oil
  • 1 bunch chopped flat leaf parsley

Instructions

  • Process in a blender until smooth
  • Salt and pepper to taste ( 1 tsp salt-1/2 tsp pepper)
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!
Chef Steve Debaste, of the New Leaf Café on Orcas Island, generously shares his recipe for "Grilled Halibut and Local Salad Greens with Verjus and White Truffle Vinaigrette" | The Good Hearted Woman

You may be asking, is there a substitute for white truffle oil? Not really, but if you don’t have any and don’t want to pop for a bottle (its expensive!) you can use a fresh and flavorful extra virgin olive oil. To achieve the musty mushroom flavor that truffle oil imparts, you can also use a little truffle salt in place of regular salt when you season the dish. Truffle salt can be made at home by pulsing together a little porcini mushroom powder (or any dried mushroom from the store) and salt.

Planning a trip to Orcas Island? Be sure to check out my Orcas Island Vacation Guide!

Orcas Island Vacation Guide | The Good Hearted Woman

Filed Under: Main Dishes, Orcas Island, Pescatarian, Recipes Tagged With: fish, seafood, Seasonal Eating

Smoked Salmon Crustless Quiche

March 4 By Renée 12 Comments

A new twist on an old standby, this “impossible” Smoked Salmon Crustless Quiche is perfect for any meal of the day. It goes together in less than 15 minutes and is ready to serve – start to finish – in about an hour.

Smoked Salmon Crustless Quiche {AN Impossible Pie} | The Good Hearted Woman

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

Last week, I wrote about our Valentine’s weekend at The Lake House Bed & Breakfast. This is the recipe for the delicious Smoked Salmon Crustless Quiche that we were served for breakfast on our first morning there, generously shared by our hostess, Mary.

“Crustless” may be a slight misnomer: this quiche does have a crust of sorts, albeit quite soft. (If you are familiar with Bisquick’s Impossible Pies, you will know what I mean – this is simply a fancy variation on the old standby.)

Whatever you want to call it, this quiche is perfect for any meal of the day. It goes together in less than 15 minutes, and is ready to serve – start to finish – in about an hour.

As with most quiches, I like a little fruit on the side, and blueberries are a beautiful contrast for this light, lovely meal.

If you like smoked salmon, you’ll love this Smoked Salmon Crustless Quiche! 

Smoked Salmon Crustless Quiche {AN Impossible Pie} | The Good Hearted Woman
5 from 1 vote

Smoked Salmon Crustless Quiche

From The Lake House Bed & Breakfast in Lincoln City, Oregon.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time35 mins
Total Time45 mins
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course: Breakfast, Brunch
Author: Mary - The Lake House, Otis, Oregon

Ingredients

  • 6 ounces smoked salmon chopped
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • 3 ounces cream cheese cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 2 cup milk
  • 1 cup Original Bisquick Try this homemade version!
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400° F.
  • Spray a 10" pie plate (or 8" square pan) with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Mix smoked salmon, chopped onion, and grated cheese together in prepared pie plate. Drop cream cream cubes on top of salmon mixture and set aside.
  • Smoked Salmon Crustless Quiche {AN Impossible Pie} | The Good Hearted Woman
  • Beat eggs in a medium mixing bowl. Add milk, Bisquick, and seasonings and mix thoroughly. (I do this step in a my blender.)
  • Pour egg mixture into pie plate over smoked salmon mixture.
  • Bake 35-40 minutes, or until a knife inserted halfway between the center and the edge comes out clean. Allow to stand at least 10 minutes before serving.
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!
Smoked Salmon Crustless Quiche {AN Impossible Pie} | The Good Hearted Woman

Smoked Salmon Crustless Quiche {AN Impossible Pie} | The Good Hearted Woman

NOTE: If you would prefer that your cream cheese not float to the surface when you bake your quiche, just layer half of the salmon mixture on the bottom of the pan, then add your cream cheese, and then spread the second half of the salmon mixture on top. Personally, I like the cream cheese on top, because I think it makes the quiche visually more interesting.

Smoked Salmon Crustless Quiche {AN Impossible Pie} | The Good Hearted Woman

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Smoked Salmon Crustless Quiche {AN Impossible Pie} | The Good Hearted Woman

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Smoked Salmon Recipes from GHW

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Smoked Salmon Pastry Cups {Appetizer}

These Smoked Salmon Pastry Cups with mascarpone & fresh dill are a breeze to throw together and perfect for any gathering.

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Smoked Salmon Chowder {with Leeks & Fresh Tarragon}

Creamy Smoked Salmon Chowder is a rich bowl of comforting decadence; each ingredient carefully chosen to complement the delicate, smoky salmon and allow it to shine.

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Elegantly Easy: Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict

This beautiful Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict is rich, delicious, and deceptively easy to make.

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Smoked Salmon Crustless Quiche

A new twist on an old standby, this "impossible" quiche is perfect for any meal of the day. It goes together in less than 15 minutes, and is ready to serve – start to finish – in about an hour.

Filed Under: Main Dishes, Pescatarian, Recipes Tagged With: baking, Breakfast, brunch, easy meals, eggs, fish, Lunch, salmon, seafood

Kahuku Shrimp Recipe Roundup

July 29 By Renée 21 Comments

Our top pick for Oahu Cheap Eats, plus a roundup of buttery, velvety, amazing Kahuku Shrimp Recipes so you can relive those North Shore memories at home!

Hawaiian Kahuku-Style Shrimp Truck Recipe Round-up | The Good Hearted Woman

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

Oahu’s North Shore Kahuku Shrimp is easily one of the most succulent, delicious things Mr B and I have ever eaten, and I can’t wait to try to make them at home! I’ve compiled a round-up of the best, most authentic sounding recipes I could find, which you will find at the end of this post. But first, our selection for the Best of the Best Oahu Cheap Eats is…

[drum-roll, please…]

Wait! Before I introduce you to the winner, just take a moment to appreciate these beauties!

I can wait.

Fumi's Shrimp Farm - Oahu Cheap Eats {Plus a Hawaiian Kahuku-Style Shrimp Truck Recipe Round-up}| The Good Hearted Woman

Guess what? They taste even better than they look!!!

So where are they, you ask?

From Honolulu, take a drive up to Oahu’s North Shore, and you will eventually come upon a number of Kahuku-style shrimp vendors – Giovanni’s famous Shrimp Truck at the Kahuku food cart pod being the most notable. (If you can’t see it for all the signatures covering the truck, you may be able to recognize it by the long line of hungry tourists stretching endlessly from it.)

Keep driving.

Farther up the coastline, you will easily spot the red Romy’s Kahuku Prawns and Shrimp shack, with its equally long nightmare of a line.

Keep driving. (Just a couple more minutes, I promise.)

Soon you will see the sea-blue sided shrimp stand of Fumi’s Shrimp Farm – with a short line, plenty of parking, lots of covered picnic table seating, and AMAZING farm-fresh shrimp.

Hoping to relive those North Shore memories and make some buttery, velvety, succulent A-MAZING Kahuku Shrimp at home? Check this out!Tweet & Share!

Check out our countdown of the Best Oahu Cheap Eats!

Wavy Line

Fumi’s Shrimp Farm {Roadside Stand, Kahuku} 

Mr. B and I both agreed that this was probably the best shrimp we’ve ever eaten – and we’ve eaten a lot of shrimp.

Fumi's Shrimp Farm - Oahu Cheap Eats {Plus a Hawaiian Kahuku-Style Shrimp Truck Recipe Round-up}| The Good Hearted Woman

The first time we came here (yes, I said first, as in, we came here more than once), I ordered the Spicy Garlic Shrimp. My plate came with nine clean, fat prawns with the shells attached, and was served with two scoops of rice, a slice of fresh, cold pineapple, and a small tossed salad.  (The pineapple slice and salad provided a nice complement, but felt mostly like a bow to social convention. I mean, you can’t really just serve a big plate of prawns and call it a plate lunch, can you?)

My shrimp was bathed in a buttery garlic sauce that brought out its sweet notes without overpowering them, and the bite was firm and tender.  They were so perfect that I think I may have even teared up a little.

At $13 a plate, this was the best deal on the island, as far as I’m concerned.

Fumi's Shrimp Farm - Oahu Cheap Eats {Plus a Hawaiian Kahuku-Style Shrimp Truck Recipe Round-up}| The Good Hearted Woman

Hot & Spicy Shrimp (left), and Spicy Garlic Shrimp

Mr. B had the Hot & Spicy Shrimp, and in his words, “that buttery texture and the sauce on the outside was so good that I couldn’t help but suck off the juice before I peeled them.” Having tried them myself, I can tell you that they were quite spicy, but not overly so.

Fumi's Shrimp Farm - Oahu Cheap Eats {Plus a Hawaiian Kahuku-Style Shrimp Truck Recipe Round-up}| The Good Hearted Woman

One thing we both noted was that the shrimp had an amazingly fresh flavor that you just can’t get from frozen shrimp. Taken directly from Fumi’s aquaculture farm out back, the shrimp we ate for lunch had been scuttling around just minutes before we arrived. (I have it on relatively good authority that same cannot be said of all the shrimp along the North Shore, as much of it comes from the Costco freezer case in Honolulu.)

Fumi's Shrimp Farm - Oahu Cheap Eats {Plus a Hawaiian Kahuku-Style Shrimp Truck Recipe Round-up}| The Good Hearted Woman

The covered picnic are at Fumi’s offers a lot to see while you eat.

Finally, if you’ve read me for any length of time, you may know that I always check out the restroom at the places I review. If there is nothing to note, I don’t, but in this case, there is.

Powder Room Review: We stopped here after a long day of kayaking, and were very happy to find that Fumi’s had not only a cleaning station where you can wash up after eating those luscious crustaceans, but also a large, clean restroom that is perfect for changing.

The only drawback to eating shrimp at Fumi’s is that it will leave you wanting more. And more. And more.

Hawaiian Kahuku Shrimp Recipe Round-up

You don't need to take a Hawaiian vacation to enjoy Oahu's North Shore Kahuku Shrimp! Here's a collection of buttery, velvety, amazing Kahuku Shrimp Recipes you can make at home!

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Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp

Photo Credit: thegourmandmom.com

For authentic Hawaiian style, use the biggest shrimp you can get your hands on. To serve it up shrimp-truck style, devein the shrimp, but leave the shells on. 

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Kahuku-Style Garlic Shrimp

Photo Credit: www.cookinghawaiianstyle.com

The north shore in Hawaii is famous for its huge waves and huge flavor found in the garlic shrimp at various restaurants and food trucks around town.

3
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Garlic Chili Shrimp

Photo Credit: www.cookinghawaiianstyle.com

Enjoy this recipe as a pupu (appetizer), or as a main dish over pasta or rice.

4
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Hawaiian Style Garlic Shrimp

Photo Credit: therecipecritic.com

Delicious famous Hawaiian shrimp cooked perfectly in a buttery garlic sauce!

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Kahuku Garlic Shrimp 

Photo Credit: www.fixfeastflair.com

Why are Kahuku Garlic Shrimp so good!? It's that amazing garlic butter sauce, spooned over two large scoops of hot, white rice.

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Kahuku Style Garlic Shrimp

Photo Credit: www.cookinghawaiianstyle.com

Raiatea Helm makes her version of Kahuku Style Shrimp, the kind that you find on the North shore shrimp trucks on Oahu.

Let’s make a deal: I haven’t had a chance to try any of these Kahuku Shrimp recipes yet, but when I do, I will be sure to leave an update. Your part of this deal is, if you try one (or find another one that’s better) be sure to come back and let me know about it. OK? Because we all really want to know the very best recipe for making these bad boys at home. Thanks a bunch!

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The Good Hearted Woman. ? Be sure to PIN this post!

 Hawaiian Kahuku Shrimp Recipe Round-up     Hawaiian Kahuku Shrimp Recipe Round-up | The Good Hearted Woman    Hawaiian Kahuku Shrimp Recipe Round-up

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Filed Under: Food & Dining, Oahu, Recipe Round-ups Tagged With: Hawaii, seafood, shrimp, Vacation

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