I hold my own Chopped challenge at home. It’s been snowing around here a lot lately (oh, look, there it goes again), and I really don’t want to go to the local store because I don’t happen to have a lemon or six eggs. So I challenge myself: what can I make using only ingredients in my fridge, freezer or pantry?
What do I have now? Frozen mussels and leftover Thanksgiving turkey. A pair of quinces. A celery root. Some parsnips. A number of spices I can’t even identify, and at least a dozen kinds of salt. All the staples, of course—sugar, flour, butter, eggs, milk. Six kinds of rice, and as many kinds of pasta. Surely there’s a dish waiting to be made somewhere in there?
This is a celery root. Ugly, isn't it? |
Remoulade Sauce:
1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup finely chopped sweet red pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow pepper
1 Tblsp capers, drained and chopped
1 Tblsp Dijon mustard
1 Tblsp chopped shallot
1 Tblsp fresh tarragon, chopped
1-1/2 Tblsp fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1-lb celery root (aka celeriac)
Fish filets
Olive oil for sautéeing
Instructions:
Chop whatever needs chopping;
Mix together the sauce ingredients and season with salt and pepper. (The sauce can be made ahead and kept chilled.)
Sorry, it's still ugly |
Peel the celery root (they’re lumpy critters!) and cut into matchsticks (okay, get real—I am not going to slice this thing into 1/8-inch sticks—I’ll settle for maybe 1/4-inch thickness). Add to the sauce and toss (taste for seasoning again and add salt and pepper if needed).
Season the fish lightly with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a skillet and saute the fish filet(s) until they’re cooked through. (I’ll admit, haddock seems to flake apart when you’re cooking it, so it doesn’t look very tidy.)
Serve on a plate with a mound of the remoulade alongside, and some kind of starch—I used pearl or Israeli couscous. Oops, everything on the plate seems to be white. Blame it on the snow.
As you can guess from the cover and the title, Cruel Winter takes place during a snowstorm. Don't worry--snow doesn't hang around in Ireland for very long. In this case, it's just long enough to solve an old murder. Maybe.
Coming March 14. You can pre-order it at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. And after March 14 I hope you can find it everywhere!
www.sheilaconnolly.com
By the way, it's still on sale at a one-third discount today, if you want to pre-order the book!
ReplyDeleteA pre-order discount? Perfect!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it funny how foods can some times color coordinate like this?
I love this instruction:
"Chop whatever needs chopping"
I have to laugh when I read recipes that give detailed instructions for cutting things up. Mince vs. chop? Finely mince? Reduce to microscopic? And I'd like to see anyone reduce a chunk of celery root to actual matchstick size without losing a finger.
DeleteYou could also shred it.
DeleteLosing a finger OR losing their mind!
DeleteI love your creativity, Sheila. I've been doing the same thing. Not because of snow, but because I really do need to use some things that are in the freezer. They only last so long! Seems like my mother used celery root once in a while. It's amazing that anyone uses it given it's attractiveness. BTW, I LOVE your cover. It's perfect!
ReplyDeleteSome of us have been cooking for a looooong time, so it's fun to try something new. Along with the old favorites, of course!
DeleteThe cover is loosely based on the town of Glandore, across the harbor from Leap. But I've only seen snow on mountaintops.
On my first trip to Europe, which included a week in Paris, we had lunch with a French guide, who sat next to me. I was trying to figure out the menu so I asked her what was something a little different for an American to try. She pointed to an item on the menu, and rolled her eyes ecstatically, saying, "This is my favorite!" So I ordered it.
ReplyDeleteIt turned out to be shredded celery root in remoulade, and it was so good I couldn't believe it. Since then it's been one of my favorite vegetables.
I have a wonderful recipe for a chicken casserole from a French chef, a dish he made as comfort food because his own grandmother made it in France. One of the key ingredients is celery root, along with a bunch of other root vegetables. It's a family favorite, too.
That sounds like a great recipe!
Delete