Tapenade
2 TBSP chopped black olives (you can use any olives you like, of course)
1/2 TSP balsamic vinegar (optional)
1/2 TSP olive oil (optional)
1 TSP garlic, minced
2 TSP capers
1 TBSP fresh parsley, chopped

Salt and pepper salmon fillets, lightly rub with olive oil and grill over high heat, ~2 minutes per side.

Mix tapenade ingredients together. You can run it through a food processor instead of hand chopping everything.

It’s all very Mediterranean and fresh and summery. The salmon flavor stands up nicely to the relatively strong flavor of the olives and capers.

1 pound medium size raw shrimps (or frozen) (about 16)
¼ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon chili powder
4 tablespoons sunflower (or oil of choice)
½ teaspoon mustard seeds (black or yellow)
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 fresh hot green chile, finely chopped
1 tablespoon torn fresh cilantro leaves
Coarse sea salt (or to taste)

Peel the shrimp, but leave the tail intact (Or defrost frozen shrimp).

Place the shrimp in a bowl. Mix the turmeric and chili powder together, sprinkle over the shrimp, toss well.

Heat oil in a large skillet and, when hot, add the mustard seeds. When the seeds start popping (about a minute or so), add the garlic and saute until golden,  then stir in the chopped green chile.

Add the shrimp and saute over high heat for about three to four minutes until they become opaque.  Remove immediately to a serving plate—do not overcook. Sprinkle with coarse salt and the chopped fresh cilantro.

I use frozen shrimp for this because I’m lazy and they are cheaper. It is still a tasty dish. Also, I skip the cilantro because it is a vile weed and should be scorched from the earth. You can control the heat by your chile choice. Serranos add some pep, jalepenos mostly disappear.

Original recipe.

1 can sardines (packed in oil)
2 tsp sherry vinegar (I used apple cider because it’s what I had on hand)
1/4 tsp lemon zest (reserve lemon wedges for later)
Black pepper
1 Hass avocado
Salt

Drain the oil from the sardines into a small bowl and whisk in the vinegar, lemon zest, and black pepper, to taste. Add the sardines, stir gently to combine and set aside for up to 1 hour.

Halve the avocado and remove the pit. Smash the flesh in each half with a fork.

Without the bread the original recipe calls for you could serve it on a large leaf of lettuce, or just put it in a bowl.

Top avocado evenly with the sardines. Pour any remaining dressing on top and garnish with the remaining parsley.

Season lightly with salt and a squeeze of lemon juice.

The avocado really mellows out the fishiness of the sardines. Not that it won’t taste fishy, but it is surprisingly mild. Not even as fishy as a tuna sandwich. The texture is great too. It’s a rich and surprisingly filling dish.

Combine in blender. Serve chilled.

It has a definite eggnog texture, which is good. The banana hides the almond milk flavor, which is good. It takes a lot of nutmeg to hide the banana flavor, which is less than optimal, unless you really like nutmeg. I might try adding some vanilla in there next time.

We’re going to swap out sweet potatoes for the russets and ditch the cheese.

2 tbsp olive oil (divided)
1 large sweet yellow onion cut in half and sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1-2 sweet potatoes, peeled
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
3 large Roma tomatoes
Sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Dried thyme, to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a baking dish with olive oil cooking spray. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions and saute until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 60 seconds. Spread the onion mixture on the bottom of the greased baking dish.

Slice the potatoes, zucchini, squash and tomatoes in 1/4 inch thick slices. Layer them alternately in the dish on top of the onions, fitting them tightly into a spiral, making only one layer. Season with sea salt, black pepper and dried thyme, to taste. Drizzle the last tablespoon of olive oil over the top.

Cover the dish with tin foil and bake for 35 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Uncover and bake for another 25-30 minutes or until browned.

Basically it’s just roasted veggies presented nicely, but presentation counts!