Ziggy Got A Halloween Costume

...but I don't think he is happy with it.

Yellow Tail Fish Cakes- Two Ways

Recently we visited Baltimore, Maryland known for great Crab Cakes. We had crab cakes cooked a number of ways including baked, grilled and even fried (fluffed). The most dramatic presentations were softball sized crab cakes which were full of large lumps of crab meat. That got me thinking about my favorite recipe for fish cakes. I cook these often and thought a makeover was in order.

Fish Cakes Two Ways- Baked and Skillet Grilled
CryoVac pack of Yellow Tail poached. My husband is an avid deep sea fisherman. A prized catch is Yellow Tail. Most often found in the waters from Mexico to Southern California, this white, flaky meat fish is perfect for making fishcakes.
Poaching in the CryoVac maintains flavor and minimizes the fish drying out.
The fish should be flaked. The idea is to have chunks of flaky white fish similar to lumps of crab meat in crab cakes.
Ingredients include:
1 egg, 1 tsp seafood seasoning, 1 tb fresh parsely, 2 tb diced celery, 1 green onion diced, 1 tsp fresh lemon juice, 1 clove garlic finely minced, 1 tb dijon mustard, 2 tb mayonaise, 2 tsp worcheshire sauce, 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs, dash hot sauce,(melted butter for skillet or cooking spray for baking sheet).



Cooking in cast iron skillet over medium heat til browned on both sides.
Baked in oven for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees

Cool Weather Makes Me Yearn For Oxtails

It does rain in sunny Southern California. This past weekend we got much needed rain and a break from the heat. I even got out my cool weather clothes. While sitting in the nail shop waiting for my nails to dry, a big downpour started with some cool breezes. I suddenly developed a craving for my beloved oxtails which I prepare at least 3-4 times a year.

I hurried home and broke out the frozen pack I had. With a quick microwave thaw, I was in the beginning stages of preparing a Saturday, stick to your bones feast.


I served the stew over polenta.










Oxtail Stew

6 pounds oxtails
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp celery salt
1 cup flour to lightly coat oxtails for browning

3 cups onions, medium dice
1 cup scallions, sliced
2 cups diced canned tomatoes
4 garlic cloves minced
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup green onions

3 cups beef broth
1 cup red wine (I used a Cabernet)
Add more water as needed to cover oxtails.

Wash then season oxtails with salt, pepper, garlic powder and celery salt. Lightly flour oxtails.

In a heavy-bottom braiser over medium-high heat, brown oxtail in batches in olive oil, drain excess oil leaving just enough to saute onions and scallion. After the onion mixture is sauteed return oxtails to braiser and add red wine, enough beef broth plus water to cover the oxtails. Allow the liquid to come to a simmer. Season with salt, cover, and put into a preheated 350 degree oven or continue to slowly simmer on stovetop for 2-3 hours or until oxtails are tender. Check to see if additional water is needed during braising process. Seasoning with more salt is recommended when finished. (note: the red wine adds a nice rich mahogany color to stew)

Sprinkle with green onions, mix and serve

Decorated Sugar Cookies For A Baby Shower

I finally got around to finishing the cookies for my neice's baby shower. I wish I could have spent a little more time on perfecting them but all in all I am pleased with the results.

I used my favorite recipe for the sugar cookies and the royal icing. Both have never failed me.












Thanks to Nancy for a few design ideas and for jump starting my interest in doing this project.

More Photo Links to Moorpark Competition 9-8-07

BBQ By Dan

Survival Gourmet

Results From Moorpark Family Festival BBQ Competition

I know I was supposed to let you all know when Four Q BBQ (4Q) was competing again. Well we did a competition yesterday at the Underrwood Farms, Walnut Grove in Moorpark. It was a small competition (6 teams) with this being the first attempt by the Moorpark Chamber of Commerce at a BBQ cookoff.


Pork butt Presented by fingerling versus shredded and no garnish per IBCA rules

See more pictures from the event on my Flickr site.


Also see photos by my Four Q teamate Luis from his Flickr site.

Next comp will be October 20th at the Viejas Shopping Outlet in Alpine, CA. 50 teams expected at this one. I promise more info later.

We did ok with the highlight being a 1st Place in Brisket. Our good friends Tropical Heal took Grand Championship (yeah!).


Four Q 1st Place Brisket

Results

Tropic Heat and BBQ by Dan Tie
Tie Breaker Tropical Heat

Half Chicken
1 Tropical
2 OU8 BBQ (Todd Eves)
3 BBQ by Dan
4 Pit Stop
5 Papa Smoke House

Spare Ribs
1 Dan
2 Tropical
3 OU8 BBQ
4 Pit Stop
5 4Q

Pork
1 Dan
2 OU8 BBQ
3 4Q
4 Tropical
5 Pit Stop

Brisket
1 4Q
2 Tropical
3 Papas Smoke House
4 Dan
5 OU8

Cookie Designs

Those of you who follow my blog know that one of my passions is cookie designs. That is decorated sugar cookies. I have a new project I'm working on so I took to the internet in search of ideas. I was in the midst of coming up with some creative ideas for my neice's babyshower when I came across a Flickr site that impressed the heck out of me. Much so I had to share it with you all.

Web site is Nancys Fancy Cookies with more photos on her Flickr site. Check out some of her work and sets and you'll see what I mean.

Anyway, stay tuned for my latest cookie decorating endeavor.

Pets of the Month- Mirror Mirror On the Wall

Who is that handsome pooch who is now sporting a new hair cut?

We took Ziggy to get groomed recently. I decided he needed a little trim. Groomer asked me how much to cut off. I swore I said 2 inchces (The skirt of his mane was about 6 inches long). Well, when I picked him up, I was shocked. She left 2 inches. He's still cute and probably more comfortable.



Another month end and Peanut Butter Etouffee is hosting another Food Bloggy Pets of the Month event. Go by their site and see who is spotlighted this month.

I Do Luv Lamb

Too Much time On My Hands? Naw!

I am having the hardest time writing this post. That probably is because I can't seem to organize what it is I want to blog about this subject. I have been cooking and documenting the results photographically but just can't pull it together. How do I attempt to explain to you how I made sushi from "scratch". Scratch is an old time way of saying I made it from raw ingredients and not a store bought kit.

Well here it is. G went fishing for a few days and came back with an some amazing catch. Included was yellowtail, tuna, halibut and bass. Needless to say, the prep of some of this sea food catch will have to be presented at a later date.

We invited some friends over to induldge in very freshly caught treats. J doesn't eat raw fish so the California roll below was the only imitation on the table. That is imitation crab in the California Roll created by me. G, P and I eat raw fish.

Short Grain rice prepred in a rice cooker.
Electric fan on the short grain rice after a little seasoned rice vinegar with some salt
Paddle used to fluff the rice
Ingredients for California roll
1/4 in of prepared rice on dry roasted seaweed

Bamboo sushi roller

Cut sushi roll
Presentation and ready to eat

Yes, that's Soul Fusion cooking.


I took this a few steps further. We had lots of choices for sashmi but chose the yellowtail (was swimming the day before). I previously purchased a "whatcha ma callit" to make perfect sections of rice.





Ice cooled yellow tail (YT)

I forgot to take an individual picture of the sliced yellowtail.

This is a picture of the feast we had with yellowtail sashimi pictured at the right corner and a platter of sushi at the left. Oh yes, I forgot to add that I included all this as a Shabu Shabu meal with fresh vegetables, shrimp, scallops and sliced shabu beef. Sake to drink.

Wasabi and pickled ginger

Lonely rice.

The perfectly sliced Yellowtail was placed on top of the rice and Voila!



Dessert consisted of s variety of red bean paste cakes- strawberry, vanilla and sesame seeds.

Kick the Tires and Light the Fires

Another successful backyard BBQ event was hosted by CRocke this past weekend. This event gave us Southern California BBQ teams a chance to receive feedback from some official KCBS judges and new teams a chance to get a taste of competition. Two of us from Four Q competed and what an experience.



Big Mista prepared the ribs

and chicken while I did the


tri tip

and "anything but" (Korean Short Ribs).


BigMista also prepared pig candy using apple cured bacon with brown sugar and cayenne smoked in the UDS (Ugly Drum Smoker).

A couple of weeks ago I posted about my attempts to perfect lemon squares/tarts for the anything but category. Well after looking at my practice results and considering who were the judges, I decidwd to drop the lemon stuff and go with Korean BBQ short ribs. Those who were there know I really didn't make a choice until the last mninute. I went from lemon sqaures/tarts to rose water creme brulee to lemon sour cream pound cake with marshmallows and lemon curd to the final choice of Korean short ribs. Yes I even had homemade marshmellows in the shape of pigs which I was going to plate with the lemon sour cream pound cake. I forgot to take pictures of the piglts but take my word, they were cute and tasty.

A number of folks took photos of the event. I have listed the links below:

Survival Gourmet
Sylvie's Flickr Photos
Leanza's photobucket

Results: Well, we got 2nd place in Tri Tip. I as well as most of the participants who tasted the chicken agreed that the chicken was also first class. We went out on a limb with presentation which seems to have not been a good thing with the judges.

For complete results see the CBBQA wiki site. Hope you all (non-members)can open this link.

Pet Blogging

Please check out Peanut Butter Etouffee for "Dog, Cat and Bird Days of August" where we once again have the opportunity to showcase our loved pets. Ziggy is excited about the opportunity to be lead in this showcase. There are some real cuties posted.

Thank you ladies for hosting.