NuM NuM

For 4th of July lobster and I celebrated with a glutinous weekend full of eating. We celebrated with C.G.W.M. and the rug rats fam. C.G.W.M., formerly known as G.W.M. has now been re-named since he fed us a fabulous chili. So now it stands for Chili, Gumbo, White Man :) He made some good Texas grub with all the fixins and we ate like piggies. We had a "healthy" turkey chili, fall off the bone ribs, a delicious no stir cobbler (I'll be stealing the recipe and post about it soon) and sister-in-law made a yummy queso dip. I made some cornbread that I was less then pleased with but it was great when eaten the following way. Warning: this combination is highly addictive and not for the faint hearted. You take the sweet cornbread, smother it with the spicy chili, then dip it in the cool queso to balance out the heat and it is just.....YUMMMM-MAY!! That can't be bad for you, could it? Who knew how good that combo was! I'm surprised none of us bust a gut.

But now starts a new day of eating and it's time to bust out the healthy recipes. This was a quick 30-minute meal that was easy, low in calories and best of all you don't feel heavy in the belly after eating it. All the ingredients are probably things you already have in your pantry so it's relatively inexpensive as well. This is my kind of recipe - light, healthy, fast and full of flavor. From now on I promise, only healthy recipes on the blog.......maybe :P hopefully? :\


Asian-Style Steamed Snapper with Baby Bok Choy
Adapted from Wolfgang Puck
2 servings

Steaming liquid:

* 1 quart water
* 1 (3-inch) piece ginger, sliced
* 1 (1 by 3-inch) piece lime peel
* 1 (1 by 3-inch) piece lemon peel
* 4 sprigs cilantro, plus more for garnish
* 3 scallions
* 1 cup white wine
* 1 jalapeno, cut into large pieces
* 2 tablespoons peanut oil
* Salt
* 4 (4-ounce) pieces red snapper fillet
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 6 baby bok choy, slice in half, then slice each half in half

Sauce:

* 1 tablespoons peanut oil
* 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
* 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
* 1/2 jalapeno, thinly sliced or substitute pinch of red pepper flakes
* 1/4 cup soy sauce
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 2 scallions, thinly sliced on the bias, white and green parts kept separate
* Cooked jasmine rice, accompaniment
* Special Equipment: 2-layer bamboo or regular steamer

Directions

In a shallow pot that a bamboo steamer fits over or in a wok, add the water and bring to a boil. You can also use a traditional steamer that has 2 layers. Add the ginger, citrus zest, cilantro, scallions, white wine, jalapeno, and peanut oil. Season well with salt. Bring back to a boil and cook for 10 minutes for the flavors to combine.

Season the fish with salt and pepper. Place the first layer of the bamboo steamer over the pot. Lay the fish, on the steamer. Cover and steam for 1 minute.

Uncover the steamer and place the bok choy layer on top of the fish. Cover and steam for about 5 minutes, or until the fish is just cooked through and the bok choy is tender, but still has some crispness. Check the fish for doneness by gently inserting a fork into it. If the fork slides easily in, the fish is done. If the fork resists sliding in, it is not quite done. Remove the fish and bok choy and keep warm while you make the sauce.

Heat a medium saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the peanut oil and heat. When the oil is hot, add the ginger, garlic, and jalapeno or red pepper flakes and saute until just translucent, about 3 minutes. Do not allow the vegetables to brown. Add 1/2 cup of the steaming liquid and the soy sauce and boil for 2 minutes. Do not season with salt as the soy sauce is salty. Add the sugar to taste and boil for 1 minute, or until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the scallion whites, stir, and remove from the heat.

Place some jasmine rice on a platter. Top with the steamed bok choy. Top the bok choy with the snapper. Spoon the sauce over the fish. Garnish with the scallion greens and cilantro sprigs.