JenOni

Archives for Apr 12, 2015

I would love to see more of Europe…Amalfi, Italy is calling me…..

 

In September 2011, I took my first international flight.   My company sent me to France for a meeting in Annecy, France(southern France).   I had no idea what to expect on a 6 hour flight.  My first thoughts: what will I do for all those hours? besides sleep.  Typically,  I can’t sleep on a plane but I was thinking based on the distance traveled I would have to rest a little.    A novice international traveler I purchased a blanket and travel pillow(not needed).  US Airways provides a travel pillow and blanket.    I was lucky enough to sit with a lady from the MidWest who was traveling with a girlfriend(sitting in first class) on a girls trip throughout the French countryside.   It was an evening flight so the airline served dinner and there were movies, tv series and other forms of entertainment during the flight.  My seat mate and I covered everything from marriage, divorce, kids, grandkids, careers and travel.  It was her first trip to France so she was pretty excited as well.   When we arrived in Paris, it was early morning so we had a surprisingly delicious pastry.     I have to admit there was a lot of anxiety with traveling such a long distance  but a wonderful opportunity to discover another culture.    In order to experience two cities in France, I elected to fly into Paris and take a train (4-hour train ride) to Annecy.   I figured on my return trip I would be able to spend two nights in Paris which was a great idea.

When I arrived at the train station it was overwhelming with all the people, the languages in the background and felt like I had no clue.    Unfortunately, I wasted time looking for a terminal,  which we call a kiosk to print my tickets so I missed the early train.   I was forced to wait a few hours for the next train and hoped my taxi at the Annecy station would still be able to pick me up.    Annecy, at last, is how I felt, next task was to find someone at the train station who spoke English so I was able to call the taxi driver since I arrived late.  Whew, there was someone after a French passenger helped me find a railway employee who was able to call my driver.

The driver arrived with my company sign and I identified myself.   Wow, was I in shock to learn that a French taxi is an S class Mercedes(my Carrie Bradshaw moment).   I finally exhaled on my way over to my hotel, which was the Palace de Menthon.  When I looked at the pictures online I was in awe with anticipation.   The ride to the hotel gave us a beautiful view of Lake Annecy which was the most beautiful body of water I ever witnessed.   The drive up to the entrance of the hotel was like a scene from a movie.   The hotel was amazingly something off the pages of a travel magazine.  I proceeded to take everything in with my Ipad.   The only thing I wanted to do was crash however I was advised to stay up to beat the jetlag.    Dinner was scheduled in town so when I arrived it was time to get ready for dinner.

https://cocoamommy.com/2015/04/12/france-food-wine-and-culture/

Recipe: Cooking DIY Meals – Baja Fish Tacos

Recipe : Baja Fish Tacos

 

RecipeIngredients

In the past few days, I have been craving fish tacos, empanadas and pico de gallo.  On my visit to Iron Hill Brewery, I tried the Baja Fish Tacos and they were absolutely delicious.

Where do I go for a great recipe?  Pinterest, of course!!!  Now I must include a disclaimer for my version of this recipe.   For some reason, Wegmans was all out of the 10oz shredded red cabbage so I had to improvise.   I had the produce department cut a head of red cabbage in half and I decided to purchase the Hellman’s Chipotle mayonnaise.   Per the recipe I added 2 TBSP of lime juice and a 1/4 tsp of minced garlic.  The best part was doing a beer batter for the first time.    I believe the holiday season wiped out the seafood department of all the fresh cod.   Unfortunately, I had to buy frozen cod and to my surprise, it was not bad.  My craving was truly satisfied.

Cabbage Slaw, the color was absolutely beautiful and the fragrance of fresh cilantro and red onion, awwww

RecipeBajaFishTacosSlaw

 

1 cup of Hellmann’s Chipotle Mayonnaise, added 2 TBSP of lime juice and 1/4 tsp of minced garlic 

 

Dredge fish slices in beer batter

RecipeBeerBatterFishTacos

 

 

Cooked about 5 minutes on each side until golden brown………

 

RecipeBajaFishTacosFish

 

 

My final dish, I added  pico de gallo.  This recipe was totally delicious and I expect to make it again and again.

 

This is the recipe for Baja Fish Tacos  I used as my inspiration and craving for fish tacos.   In addition to this recipe, there are other amazing recipes on this site.    I hope you enjoy as much as I did.   The joy of cooking is making a recipe all your own.  I love to save time in the kitchen so if I can decrease prep time I am all for it.

RecipeBajaFishTacos

By Jennifer Segal (slaw and chipotle sauce adapted from Cook’s Illustrated)
Servings: 4
Total Time: 40 Minutes

Ingredients

For the Cabbage Slaw

  • 5 cups (or one 10-ounce bag) shredded red cabbage
  • 3 tablespoons minced red onion
  • 1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro
  • 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Chipotle Sauce

  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann’s
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice, from one lime
  • 2-3 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (canned), roughly chopped, plus 1-2 teaspoons sauce (see note below)
  • 1 large garlic clove, roughly chopped

For the Beer Batter

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 cup beer

For the Fish and Tortillas

  • 1-1/2 pounds skinless cod, cut into 1-inch wide x 4-inch long strips
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • 12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas, warmed
  • Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

  1. Toss the cabbage, red onion, cilantro, vinegar, oil and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
  2. Combine the mayonnaise, lime juice, chipotle chiles with sauce and garlic in a blender or mini food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.
  3. Mix the flour, salt and pepper together in a medium bowl. Gradually add the beer, whisking until the batter is smooth with no lumps. Set aside.
  4. In a medium skillet, over medium heat, add enough oil to reach a depth of 1/2-inch. Heat the oil until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees F, or when the end of a wooden spoon sizzles when dipped into the oil.
  5. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, dip the fish strips in the beer batter and coat on both sides. Let the excess batter drip off, then fry the fish in the hot oil until golden brown and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
  6. Smear each tortilla with a generous amount of the chipotle sauce, then top with the cabbage slaw. Lay one piece of fish inside each tortilla and serve with lime wedges.
  7. Note: 3 chipotle peppers and 2 teaspoons sauce will give you a spicy sauce. Use less for a milder sauce. You can freeze any leftover chipotle peppers from the can.

 

Do you have a favorite taco recipe?