Italian Style Baked White Fish with Flavorful Rice

Posted on May 12, 2010 by kitchenbelle

My husband requested some white fish for dinner and as always, I am happy to oblige his cravings! Baked white fish is one of my favorite meals so I looked forward to making this delicious weeknight dinner.

The basis of this fish recipe is something my mom has been making for years. It’s a favorite dinner of hers and mine and whenever dinner ended up just being the two of us, this is what she would make. I believe it is something my grandmother used to “throw” together when my mom was young. It is almost too simple to call a recipe, but I think it is definitely worth sharing. This is actually the first time I have made it and it came out almost as good as when my mom makes it! 

I decided to serve the fish with rice and roasted broccoli for a satisfying, colorful, healthy and complete meal.  Rather than plain old rice, I pumped up the flavor and nutrients by caramelizing some shallots and onions along with some fresh garlic and then fluffed it in to the cooked rice. (This is explained below.)   

Enjoy!

Italian Style Baked White Fish with Flavorful Rice:

  • 2 white fish filets, approx. 3/4 lb. each
  • 2.5 cups of water, chicken broth, or vegetable broth
  • 1 cup long grain brown rice, rinsed under running water
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 1/2 large onion, finely chopped
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 1 clove fresh garlic, minced
  • 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
  • 1  (14.5) ounce can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, oregano (I like using Del Monte brand)
  • 2 fresh scallions (green onions), chopped

Bring the water or broth to a rolling boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in rice. Reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes (or according to package directions).

Meanwhile, warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small saute pan over low heat. Add the onion, shallot, and garlic and cook over very low heat.  (You can leave this mixture over low heat, stirring occasionally, the entire time the rice is cooking. Doing so will really sweeten the onions and shallots bringing out their wonderful flavors.)

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

In a small mixing bowl combine Italian breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup of olive oil, and fresh chives. Stir well. Rinse fish with cold water and pat until completely dry. Place fish in a glass baking dish.  Spread a thick layer of crumbs over the fish and pat them down.  Spoon the diced tomatoes over the fish.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake fish uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until fish is done.  (How long you cook the fish will depend upon the thickness of the filet.) 

When the rice is done, fluff with a fork and use a wooden spoon to stir the onion mixture into the rice.  Stir in chopped scallions. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve fish with rice.

Here I spread a thick layer of breadcrumbs over the fish.

Here I spooned the diced tomatoes over the breadcrumbs.

A Kitchenbelle.com original!

Filed under: chives, fish, Main Dish, rice, Side, tomato | 11 Comments »

Spring Pasta with Fresh Arugula Walnut Pesto

Posted on April 14, 2010 by kitchenbelle

My husband is running the Boston Marathon on Monday and I could not be more proud! He has worked so hard training over the past several months and as great of a runner he was when he started training he has improved quite a bit and shown serious promise for race day.

I know how important diet is for athletic performance so I was sure to stock up on loads of lean proteins, fresh fruits and fresh vegetables at the grocery store this weekend. For this meal I decided to give him his fill of nutrients (as well as a few carbs!) to keep him healthy for race day.  He loves red peppers, peas, and mushrooms so I created this meal around those. I LOVE arugula and what could be better or more nutritious than combining it with omega-laden walnuts?! 

This meal was very delicious and enjoyable. The freshness of the arugula, vegetables, and chives was what stood out for me. I know it sounds dorky (but I’ll say it anyway): I have been cooking for years, yet still I continue to be amazed by the PUNCH and ZEST of the flavors in fresh vegetables and herbs.  Mother Nature is pretty incredible if you ask me. 🙂

Spring Pasta with Fresh Arugula Walnut Pesto:

  • 12 ounces of fresh pasta (I used Capone Foods Fresh Pasta  Spinach Linguine from the Whole Foods refrigerated section)
  • a few tablespoons of olive oil
  • 6 ounces of sliced portabella mushrooms
  • 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
  • 2 scallions, sliced
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • 2 cups frozen peas
  • 1/2 pint grape tomatoes, sliced in half
  • fresh chives, roughly chopped

Pesto

  • 2-3 cups fresh baby arugula
  • 2 cloves fresh garlic
  • 2/3 cup walnuts
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/3 cup shredded cheese (you could use fresh parmesan for a strong flavor, mozzarella for a mild flavor or anything in between)
  • salt to taste

Make the pesto:

In a food processor combine the arugula, garlic, and walnuts. Pulse until combined. Slowly pour in the oil while continuing to pulse. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula if necessary. Add the cheese and continue to pulse until desired texture is reached.  Add salt to taste.  Set aside.

Prepare vegetables:

Add a few tablespoons of olive oil to a medium pan over medium heat. Add the mushroom and a few pinches of salt. Cook stirring frequently until browned. Add the garlic, scallions, and chopped pepper. Continue to cook until peppers are tender but still crunchy.

Meanwhile boil pasta in salted water according to package directions.

Add peas to sauce pan and cook until warmed through. Then add  tomatoes. Stir to combine and let the heat soften the tomatoes, about 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper.

Drain pasta and return to pot. Add pesto to pasta and toss gently. Then add vegetables and gently toss again to fully disperse vegetables and sauce.  Garnish with fresh chives. Serve immediately.

A Kitchenbelle.com original!

Filed under: arugula, chives, Main Dish, mushroom, pasta, peppers, tomato, VEGETARIAN | 10 Comments »

Mushroom and Wild Rice Casserole

Posted on April 12, 2010 by kitchenbelle

I am crazy about wild rice and I always have my eye out for recipes that incorporate it. I was reading this recipe over at 101 Cookbooks where Heidi suggests trying any of your favorite grains in her mushroom casserole recipe. I saw it as great opportunity to use some wild rice! 

This recipe calls for three cups of cooked rice–I replaced that with two cups of cooked wild rice plus one cup of cooked brown rice. (For added flavor cook your rice in chicken or vegetable broth instead of water.) 

One mistake I made that I will warn you against is this: When I was making the rice to use for this recipe I was not thinking straight and I measured out two cups of DRY wild rice plus one cup of DRY brown rice and then cooked them in two separate pans according to their respective package directions.  Well, DUH.   Rice expands while cooking and nearly triples its volume! So, unless you want to have lots of leftover rice, only prepare enough dry rice to yield a total of three cups cooked!  (I see some new wild rice recipes in my immediate future!)

I intended to serve this as an accompaniment to some flank steaks I purchased from Whole Foods, however, as I was about to put the steak onto the grill pan I realized I wasn’t that hungry. My husband wasn’t that hungry either so we decided to eat this as a main dish.  We both really liked it! It is a very lightened-up version of the old school cream of mushroom soup recipes that we all love so much.  (Don’t expect that canned-soup level of moistness, though.)  The flavors were great and I plan to eat the reheated leftovers for lunch this week!

Mushroom and Wild Rice Casserole:

  • 2 cups of cooked wild rice
  • 1 cup of cooked brown rice
  • 8-10 ounces of mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup cottage cheese
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup of grated cheese (you could use Parmesan, mozzarella, or a combination of the two)
  • a few tablespoons of fresh chives, roughly chopped
  • 2 scallions, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Coat a 9 x 13 glass baking dish or casserole with olive oil and set aside.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat saute the mushrooms in a tablespoon or two of olive oil.  Sprinkle with some salt. Stir every few minutes and cook until the mushrooms have browned a bit and released their liquid. Add the onions and cook for 4-5 minutes or until they are transluscent.  Add the garlic, cook for another minute then remove from the heat.

Add the brown rice and wild rice to the skillet. Stir until combined.

In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream and salt.

Combine in the rice/mushroom mixture with the cottage cheese mixture. Stir until well combined and pour into the prepared 9×13 dish. Sprinkle with 2/3 of the grated cheese. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 20 more minutes or until bubbly and golden around the edges. Sprinkle with chives, scallions, remaining cheese.  (Add some chicken or vegetable broth if you’d like some additional moisture.)

Adapted from 101 Cookbooks.

Filed under: cheese, chives, Main Dish, mushroom, rice, Side, VEGETARIAN | 8 Comments »

Easy and Light Weeknight Corn and Chicken Chowder

Posted on April 8, 2010 by kitchenbelle

I don’t usually make rich meals on weeknights, however, for some reason this recipe caught my eye.  And, as it turns out, it isn’t actually all that rich! It wasn’t super heavy the way chowders typically are. I used 1 % milk and not an ounce of cream and this was still so wonderfully flavorful and filling.  I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this meal!  

The original recipe does not call for potatoes but I decided to add them for some texture and color.  (I am really digging red bliss these days!) And rather than use thyme (a spice I am a little iffy about) I garnished the dish with some fresh chives, which are a little more subtle and add a freshness that I have really been seeking these days.  I also bumped up the amount of corn. 

Because of all of my additions, the actual amount of chowder was less than some might like, which was fine with me because I love all things chunky as opposed to liquidy.  If you would like more actual liquid (soup) I suggest bumping up the amount of milk to 4 cups.

 I meant to make some corn muffins to accompany this, but I forgot.  Plus, baking AND cooking on a school night? I think that would shift this from an easy and light weeknight meal to a plan ahead savory Sunday supper. 😉

P.S. I am in the market for a new camera. I would welcome any and all suggestions!  (I cannot sort out how to get the white balance where I need it to be with this little point and shoot!)

Easy and Light Weeknight Corn and Chicken Chowder:

  • 1 pound small red potatoes (red bliss)
  • about 1 pound chicken breast
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 3 ribs of celery, finely chopped
  • 1/2 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups milk (I used 1%)
  • 2 cups frozen sweet yellow corn kernels
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • a few shakes of red pepper flakes
  • lots of salt and pepper to taste
  • 3-4 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender. When done strain away water and let potatoes cool in a colander.

Meanwhile, cook chicken breast on grill pan or in saute pan.  Once cooked, remove from heat, use two forks to shred and set aside.

In a large Dutch over melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and jalepeno and cook for at least three minutes, or until tender.   Stir frequently. Note: Let these ingredients cook for as much time as you have. This will be the base of the flavor of the chowder so the longer you let these cook the more flavorful the final product will be.  (I try to “melt” the onions and celery as long as possible to hide them from my husband!)

Add flour and cook for one minute, stirring constantly.

Stir in milk, chicken, corn, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.  Cook until thick, about 5-10 minutes. Stir in potatoes and cook until potatoes are heated through. Serve in bowls and garnish with freshly chopped chives.

Adapted from Quick Chicken-Corn Chowder on MyRecipes.com.

Filed under: chicken, chives, corn, Main Dish, soup | 3 Comments »

Butternut Squash with Goat Cheese

Posted on October 2, 2009 by kitchenbelle

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It has been a difficult week in the land of Kitchenbelle.  While enjoying the weekend at BlogHer Food ’09 in beautiful San Francisco (at the fabulous cocktail party hosted by The Mushroom Channel, to be exact) I learned of the unexpected death of a dear friend of ours.  He was a regular visitor to this blog and each time we were together he inquired about it.  Also, he was quite the prankster and his silly comments on this blog (one claimed “I made this meal [tuna noodle casserole] the other night and it was wonderful.  Me and my cat await your next masterpiece.  Meow!”) will be sorely missed.  He will be sorely missed and my words here will not do him  justice. 

Though I try to keep Kitchenbelle.com a place of cheer, happiness, and inspiration I couldn’t not mention this loss.  I am sure you would have sensed it anyway.  For me food is something I can control and something I can look forward to.  So I guess it is natural that in times of despair, I find myself baking and cooking more often.  The methods and rhythms soothe me.  The smells provide comfort.  Sitting across the table from my husband over a warm home-cooked and nutritious meal, on a dark cool night, especially during my favorite season of the year, ground me.  They give me hope and encourage me to be thankful.

My husband has had an especially difficult few days prompting me to want to do nothing more than to take care of him.  The best way I know how to do that is to shower him with love and dinner.  It is a feeble attempt at easing the pain, but it is what I know. 

Our friend was buried yesterday, one of the first beautiful breezy sunny autumn days in the northeast.  I found myself thinking of those verses from Ecclesiastes (I remember being struck by them while studying the Old Testament during ninth grade humanities class) that the Yardbirds spun into that popular song:  “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven…a time to weep, a time to laugh, a time to mourn, a time to dance…a time to get, a time to lose…”  Autumn is already a nostalgic season. 

After all was said and done we took a ride to a pumpkin stand and purchased some gourds and a pumpkin for our stoop.  In hopes of capturing the season as well as offering some respite from a heartbreaking day, I decided to make squash for dinner.  I adjusted this recipe quite a bit and I have noted those changes below. 

Changes and Notes:

*Original recipe called for sage.  My grocery store was out of sage so I used chives.  Sage with squash is a more traditional flavor combination, however, the chives were just fine.

*Original recipe called for blue cheese.  I don’t eat blue cheese so I substituted goat cheese.  Delicious.  I love goat cheese.

*Original recipe was vegetarian. I wanted to add some bulk so I added grilled chicken breasts.

*This is a simple and nutritious (also low calorie, I think) weeknight dinner that could be easily un-healthified (as in, bumped up a notch for company) with the addition of some heavy cream and cheddar.  Email me if you would like to discuss how this could be achieved.

Butternut Squash with Goat Cheese:

  • 5  cups  (3/4-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 2 pounds)
  • 1  (1 1/2-ounce) bread
  • 4  teaspoons  olive oil, divided
  • 2  cups onion, finely chopped
  • 4  tablespoon  chopped fresh chives or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
  • 3 chicken breasts, grilled and torn into pieces
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2  teaspoon  salt
  • 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
  • Cooking spray
  • 1  cup crumbled goats cheese (or 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese)

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Steam squash until tender, about 10 minutes.

Place bread in a food processor, and pulse until coarse crumbs measure 1/2 cup. Transfer to a small bowl and add 2 teaspoons oil, and toss with a fork to combine.

Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; saute 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Transfer the onion mixture to a large bowl. Add butternut squash, chicken (if using), chicken broth, chopped herb, salt, and black pepper to bowl, and toss gently to combine.  Spoon squash mixture into an 11 x 7–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 F for 20 minutes. Sprinkle crumbled cheese evenly over squash mixture, and sprinkle evenly with breadcrumb mixture. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and crumbs are golden brown.

Adapted from MyRecipes.com.

Filed under: cheese, chicken, chives, Fall, Main Dish, Side, squash | 4 Comments »

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