Spicy Yemen Fish Stew
½ cup celery, chopped thin
½ cup red pepper, cut in thin strips
½ cup yellow pepper, cut thin strips
1 onion, chopped
½ cup thinly sliced carrots
½ cup of garlic-infused coconut oil
¼ cup olive oil
2 shallots, cut in thin rings
½ can (15 ounces) Great Northern white beans
½ cup vegetable broth
½ cup skhug sauce
¼ cup butter
8 ounces monkfish filet
Salt and pepper
½ lemon, squeezed over dish
In a large saucepan, sauté the first five vegetable ingredients in coconut oil, cover. In a separate pan, heat olive oil and sauté shallots. Cover and remove to paper towels when golden brown. When the vegetables are tender, add beans, broth, and skhug sauce. Simmer. In a frying pan, heat butter and the rest of the coconut oil; cut monkfish into 2-inch cubes. Saute fish in pan, add salt and pepper; turn chunks after three minutes. Ladle stew into bowls, add chunks of monkfish and garnish with shallots and lemon.
Serves four.
Yemen Salad
½ cup walnuts
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper
3 cups mixed greens
For dressing
¾ cup of reconstituted dried apricots, diced and divided (½ cup for dressing and ¼ cup for salad)
¼ cup Great Northern white beans
2 tablespoons pear juice
2 tablespoons vegetable broth
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Juice of ½ a lemon
Saute walnuts in butter and salt and pepper.
For the dressing: In a mixer, blend apricots, beans, pear juice, broth, lemon and vinegar. Drizzle in olive oil. Assemble greens, apricots and walnuts, mix with salad dressing.
Serves four.
Pearly Couscous Risotto
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small shallot chopped fine
2 cloves garlic chopped fine
1½ cups tri-colored pearl (aka Israeli) couscous
1¼ cup white wine (I used Chardonnay)
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup fresh baby spinach
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat olive oil in shallow pan. Add shallots and garlic and cook for about 2 minutes stirring constantly to keep from burning the garlic. Add the couscous and stir for 2-3 minutes. Add the wine and stir until liquid is just about absorbed then add the chicken stock and do the same. Once the chicken stock is just about absorbed add the spinach. Remove from heat and cover for 5 minutes. Mix the wilted spinach into the couscous mixture and add the cream. Salt and pepper to taste.
Serves 4
- Kim Bradley