Who Wants to See a Magic Trick?

I may not have mentioned this, but I am an amateur magician. For my next trick I will transform boring, ordinary foods into a delicious concoction of culinary delights!

Item 1: flaky white fish, such as cod, sole, or halibut

Item 2: brown rice

Item 3: vegetables

Watch very carefully as I marinate the fish in olive oil, minced onion, oregano, paprika, and salt (enough of each to create a light dusting on each side of the fish) for an hour, then grill for approximately 10 minutes, depending upon the thickness of the fish.

All afternoon I have been soaking a cup of brown rice, which has removed the phytic acid that interfere with nutrient absorption and also reduced the rice's cooking time. The longer you soak, the less time you have to cook. I soaked for about four hours, so the rice cooked in about 20-30 minutes.

I've always found brown rice boring, so time for a little magic! Mix in with the rice a little olive oil or butter (pasture butter is best), about a tablespoon of ground coriander seed, a tablespoon of Herbes de Provence, a teaspoon of curry, and a teaspoon of salt.

While the fish is grilling, I chop one shallot and saute it in olive oil on medium heat for two minutes. I thinly slice one carrot diagonally and saute it with the shallots for three minutes, covered, then add one cup sliced summer squash (local from John's Island!) and saute another three minutes. Add more olive oil, water, or a little chicken broth to help the veggies cook and keep them from sticking to the pan. Finally, add kale--I chose both lacinto and red kale--and stir frequently for another 2-3 minutes until lightly cooked. Sprinkle with Herbes de Provence, coriander, and salt.

Voila! A beautiful, healthy, delicious meal!

I'm trying to make recipes downloadable in PDF format, but for now, they are listed below:

Sole with Oregano and Paprika (serves 4)
1 lb sole or other flaky white fish such as code or halibut
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp each paprika, oregano, and salt

Coat fish in olive oil, then dust each side with spices. Turn to coat and marinate at least 1 hour. Grill or bake in oven approx 10-12 minutes or until opaque, turning once.

Not-so-boring Brown Rice (serves 4)
1 cup brown rice
1 Tbsp butter or olive oil
1 Tbsp each ground coriander seed and Herbes de Provence
1 tsp curry
1 tsp salt
kombu seaweed (optional)

Soak rice in water at least one hour, then rinse and bring to boil with two cups fresh water. Add a strip of kombu seaweed for additional nutrients. Cook 20-30 minutes, depending upon how long rice has soaked. Remove seaweed and discard. Add butter, herbs, and salt. Mix and serve.

Multicolored Summer Vegetable Sautee (serves 4)
1 small shallot, diced
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup chicken broth (optional)
2-3 organic carrots, diced diagonally
1 cup summer squash, sliced
2 cups lacinto kale (approx half a bunch)
2 cup red kale (approx half a bunch)
1 Tbsp Herbes de Provence
2 tsp ground coriander seed
1 tsp salt

Saute shallot in olive oil on medium heat for two minutes. Add carrots and saute for three minutes, covered, then add summer squash and saute another three minutes. Add more olive oil or chicken broth or water to help the veggies cook and keep them from sticking to the pan. Finally, add kale and stir frequently for another 2-3 minutes until lightly cooked. Sprinkle with Herbes de Provence, coriander, and salt.

I Cooked! and I Can Prove It

OK, it's not all that strange for me to cook, but this time, I took pictures, as Amy Jo Gengler, acupuncturist at Re-Soul, encouraged me to do, so I could get credit for it.

The whole experience made me wish I had tried harder to get into a basic photography class in college; however, then I tasted it, and I realized that if you can cook, you don't have to be a good photographer.

Everything on the plate to the left other than the fish is locally grown on Rosebank Farms on John's Island, SC. I am a member of their CSA, which has been the most awesome experience--fresh veggies weekly, and you don't have to go grocery shopping! Plus it's a surprise every week. This season we are getting local eggs, Giddy Goat Cheese (which is phenomenal and an absolute must for every Charlestonian), and fresh-cut flowers with our veggies.

The fish was Amberjack filets with paprika and no-salt seasoning (and salt), seared and then baked for fifteen minutes using coconut oil. I cut white and red potatoes in half and roasted them in paprika, cumin, salt, and olive oil for 2o minutes. Steamed some green beans, and chopped banana pepper, tomato, bell pepper, basil, and parsley for a salad, topped with Herbes de Provence dressing from Whole Foods (which uses olive oil--no vegetable oil of any kind!).