Recipe': Fish Burrito

I am always looking for new ways to cook fish and seafood. It is so easy to fall into the traditional, standardized types of meals centered around fish. I've only eaten fish or seafood taco's twice before: once with whitefish in corn shells, and once with sauteed shrimp in a flour shell.So, I got to thinking about what I could do with a flour tortilla and came up with the idea of a fish burrito. I headed down to Whole Foods Market last weekend, and talked with my favorite fishmonger- Marcy- and decided to get get some Turbot fillets. Also known as the poor man's Swordfish, Turbot is a meaty, mild tasting whitefish. It is especially good for those folks who like fish without the heavy "fishy" bite that some varieties have. One of the great things about shopping at a market like Whole Foods, is that you can get your meat and fish cut the way you want. I had already decided before going that I wanted to get thin, angular cuts of the fillet in order to make it easier to build the burrito. I knew I wanted cheese, green pepper and onion in there as well. But, I knew there was a missing ingredient I had yet to discover. The other nice thing about having a market that you visit on a regular basis, is getting to know the good folks that work there. Marcy was kind enough to suggest goat cheese, as she had tried something akin to that herself. So, credit for the goat cheese ingredient goes to her. In the end, it was a perfect choice, and the burrito I made was tasty, and filling. Unfortunately, it did not occur to me at the time to snap a picture of the dish. But I share with you instead, a picture of the mighty Turbot. And of course, the recipe'....

The ingredients in this dish are not measured, since the amount you may want on your burrito may differ.

Ingredients:

Flour Tortilla

2 ½-inch wide strips of Turbo Fillet (or other whitefish)

Goat Cheese crumbles

Shredded Mexican-Blend Cheese

Onion and Green Pepper sliced “Fajita” style.

Sour Cream

Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 405 degrees. Heat up a tortilla in microwave or skillet to soften.  Lay tortilla flat on a plate, then spread some shredded cheese in the middle. Place 2 of the fish strips across the cheese, creating a “valley” between them. Fill the valley between the fish strips with goat cheese crumbles. Place “Fajita”-style slices of onions and green peppers on top of the fish and cheese at an angle. To make the burrito a little spicy, add some salsa, hot sauce, or other condiment drizzled on top of the fish and cheese mixture. Carefully roll the tortilla up into a burrito, folding all sides in. Then place the burrito in a greased baking pan. Bake for 25 minutes. After baking, remove from oven, place on a plate, and top with more shredded cheese and dollops of sour cream. Enjoy!

Episode 13: Back in Black Stuffed Pork Chop

Happy New Year to all!. Celebrating our 2nd Anniversary of bringing the culinary rants of a wolfman to you all, we have published the latest episode of The Lupine Epicurean Cooking Web-show. This time around we attempt a tried and true recipe of Stuffed Pork Chops with both a traditional and an experimental take. Hope you all enjoy.

Ingredients:

1 Center Cut Loin Pork Chop, bone-in or butterfly
1 wedge of Gorganzola Dulce cheese
Loose-leaf Baby Spinach
1 tsp. Ground Marjoram or 2 tsp. Garlic/Basil mix
Optional: 1/2 Tbl. Olive Oil

Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Using a knife, cut a pocket into the side of the bone-in chop, or cut a top-down spiral in the butterfly cut. Stuff length appropriate slice of Gorganzola into pocket or along spiral cut. Then stuff adequate amount of spinach next. Stuff a couple of pinches of garlic/basil mix into pocket cut and then rub remaining mix into top of chop. If using the butterfly cut, rub ground marjoram into top of chop, then drizzle olive oil over the chop. Place the pork chop into a greased baking pan. Cook butterfly "Roulade" for 30 minutes. If using bone-in pocket, cook for 40 minutes. Serve with rice or side pasta.

Restaurant Review: Shiraz Mediterranean Grill (Louisville)

A few years ago- at my doctor's recommendation- I started transitioning over to a Mediterranean Food Plan. There are a lot of great things about "The Mediterranean Diet." First of all, it's more of a food and health plan than anything. As with any "diet", don't look to it as a miracle way to lose weight. Lifestyle is always key to losing weight. But Mediterranean food has a lot of healthy advantages. Olive oil is a great source of good cholesterol. Fish, nuts and fresh vegetables include vitamins, Omega-3, and other nutrients that really helps your body do what it needs to do. So, it will come as no surprise, that I am a big fan of Mediterranean style restaurants.

I just happened to stumble upon the gem that is the Shiraz Mediterranean Grill, one afternoon after visiting my Insurance Agent on Poplar Level Rd., here in Louisville, KY. Set up on a hill not far from the Louisville Zoo and the Bellarmine Campus, The Shiraz is not the fancy place you might envision like...say, The Grape Leaf. In fact, you might even call it a bit of Medi Fast Food, but with positive connotations. The Shiraz maintains a "bar" of simple Medi delights up front, and then short-cooks to order many wonderful, traditional Medi fare. And they do it all at a fairly reasonable price considering the portions they serve and the care in which they prepare your food.

That particular afternoon, I indulged in one of my favorites: a Shwarma Wrap. Stuffed in a spinach tortilla, with Tzatziki sauce and roasted Habanero, were thick, succulent pieces of grilled chicken, and Fatoosh salad. Absolutely delicious! Truly a great lunch at only 670 calories and lots of flavor. And of course, I can not eat at a Medi place without trying the hummus. According to who I assumed was the owner, this particular chickpea dip they serve is from a recipe handed down by his grandmother. And it really was some of the best hummus I have ever tried; creamy with just the right amount of tahini and seasoning.

The menu at Shiraz is fairly full with appetizers, sandwiches, Kabobs, and tasty sides and combos. Portions are consistent with the price. Definintely a great spot for a healthy, flavorful lunch, early evening stop or snack. And even better, they have four locations around the Louisville area. Great food, great price, and a healthy choice; make it a point to try Shiraz if you are in the Louisville, KY area.

To see the menu and more at Shiraz, including catering, check out their website:

http://shirazmg.net/menu.htm


Wolf's Rating: * * * *