Pepper Steak and Celery Stir-Fry with Lemon

File this recipe for: Pepper Steak and Celery Stir-Fry with Lemon under recipes  we won't make again. We knew we were heading down the wrong path when we opened a can of Water Chestnuts and decided to throw them away. They just aren't like fresh Water Chestnuts you can buy in the market, and then peel yourself. Not being fans of Celery we wasted a bag of fresh Snap Peas by substituting it for the Celery. 

Sufice to say we won't be making this dish again.. But hey maybe you like celery and don't like Water Chestnuts. This might be for you!

 Pepper Steak and Celery Stir-Fry with Lemon
Lemon is the star of this quick weeknight stir-fry. Using both the peel and juice of the lemons gives this dish a wonderful scent and tangy finish. As with any stir-fry, you’ll want to have all your ingredients sliced and measured before you start cooking, since the meal comes together quickly once you start cooking. The celery softens just slightly, so it retains its herbal brightness plus a crisp-tender bite. Though you can opt for a leaner cut of meat like sirloin for the beef, fattier cuts like skirt or hanger will be more tender and boast richer beef flavor.
 
INGREDIENTS
Yield:4 servings
 
1 pound sirloin, skirt or hanger steak, set in the freezer for 10 minutes until firm
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch 
1 teaspoon light brown or granulated sugar
1 lemon
2 tablespoons vegetable, canola or peanut oil 
5 celery stalks, trimmed and thinly sliced on a bias
3 garlic cloves, finely grated 
3 scallions, thinly sliced, green and white parts separated  
2 tablespoons soy sauce 
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
 
 
PREPARATION
 
1. Using your chef’s knife, slice the chilled beef against the grain into ¼-inch-thick strips about 2 inches long; set aside.

2. Place the beef in a medium bowl and season with salt and 2 teaspoons pepper. Add cornstarch and sugar and toss until the beef is thoroughly coated.

3. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel from the lemon in wide strips; set the peels aside then cut the lemon in half.

4. Set a large cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet over medium-high. When the pan is very hot, add 1 tablespoon oil. Using tongs, add half the beef to the pan in a single layer and cook, without stirring or tossing, until deeply brown around the edges, about 2 minutes. The pieces at the edges of the pan will brown faster than the ones in the center, so flip those first. Flip and cook on the other side until no longer pink, about 20 seconds. Transfer the beef to a plate and repeat with the remaining pieces.

5. After transferring the second batch of browned beef to the plate, pour the remaining 1 tablespoon oil into the pan and add the celery, garlic, scallion whites and reserved lemon peels. Season lightly with salt and cook, stirring often, until the scallions have slightly softened, about 1 minute.

6. Return the beef and any juices to the pan and add the soy sauce and butter. Cook, tossing until you have a smooth sauce that coats the steak, about 30 seconds. Turn off the heat, squeeze in the juice from 1 lemon half and toss once more.

7. Transfer stir-fry to a platter and top with scallion greens; serve with remaining lemon half.

Crispy Coconut Salmon

We started with Melon and Speck. We actually like Speck better than Prosciutto, it has a slightly smokey flavor. 

We decided to cook a new recipe for us Crispy Coconut Salmon. This is a good recipe a keeper. We need to make it again. We sautéed the fish in a cast iron pan, then transferred it a hot oven to complete its cooking. Cathy added a sauce of Dashi and left over sauce we had from eating at Camilia, a wonderful Japanese-French restaurant in the Arts District of Los Angeles.The combination of the left-over Sauce, Dashi, Corn and Rice made a perfect accompaniment for the Coconut Fish. This is a dish we will make again.

Crispy Coconut Salmon
New York Times
 
This simple roast salmon recipe nods to coconut shrimp, omnipresent in the coastal towns of Florida and other tropical climates. A blanket of freshly toasted, honey-sweetened shredded coconut and panko creates a crunchy, golden-brown crust fused together by a single egg white. If the crust does not darken to a golden-brown hue by the time the salmon just cooks through, a minute or two under the broiler will ensure it crosses the finish line. A refreshing mix of chives, fresh chile and lime juice accompanies the juicy fillets instead of the traditional sweet chile sauce. Serve this dish with a buttery rice pilaf and cabbage salad to round out the meal.
 
INGREDIENTS
Yield:4 servings
 
FOR THE SALMON
½      cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut
½      cup panko bread crumbs
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2       tablespoons honey
1       egg white 
½      teaspoon finely grated lime zest
4       6-ounce) salmon fillets, skin on or skinless, depending on your preference
FOR THE CHIVE-CHILE SAUCE
¼      cup minced chives or scallions
1       bird’s-eye chile, thinly sliced
3       tablespoons fresh lime juice
1       tablespoon minced garlic
1       tablespoon honey
1       tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 

PREPARATION
 
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. (For skillet instructions, see Tip.)

2. Prepare the salmon topping: In a medium bowl, mix together the shredded coconut, panko and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season the mixture with ½ teaspoon salt and a few cranks of black pepper. Spread the coconut bread crumbs in a thin, even layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes, watching closely, until golden and fragrant. (It’s fine if there are lighter patches — the bread crumbs will have a second chance to darken once they join forces with the salmon.) 

3. While the bread crumbs cool slightly, whisk together the honey, egg white and lime zest in a small bowl. Add the bread crumbs and mix until fully combined.

4. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees. Pat the salmon dry, rub with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, season with salt and pepper on all sides and place them skin-side down on the foil-lined baking sheet. Press the coconut-panko mixture into a thick layer on top of each fillet. 

5. Roast for 7 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets, until the salmon is just cooked through and the coconut crust is deep golden brown. If the coconut crust is not golden brown at the end of the cook time, set the oven to broil for about 1 minute to deepen the color and encourage a crispy finish.

6. While the salmon roasts, make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the chives, chile, lime juice, garlic, honey and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

7. Allow the salmon to rest for a few minutes. Serve hot, drizzled with the chive-chile sauce.

TIP
This recipe can also be made in a cast-iron skillet. On the stove over medium heat, toast the shredded coconut, panko and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet, then proceed with preparing the coconut bread crumb topping. Wipe out the skillet and briefly heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the pan, swirling to coat, before laying the fillets skin side down in the skillet and roasting as directed.

 

July 4 - Spicy and Creamy Cashew Chicken Salad

We brought in the normal Brisket and Ribs for our annual July 4th fireworks viewing party. We decided to make Spicy and Creamy Cashew Chicken Salad as an additional dish. I very much liked the creaminess of the salad dressing. Look how unusual the salad dressing is - made with: Soy Sauce, Honey, etc. I would label this modestly as the best Chicken Salad ever. We didn't even bother to roast our own Chicken but bought whole rotisserie Chickens from Kismet Rotisserie. The meat fell right off the bone. It turned out to be perfect!

 
From The New York Times
Andy Baraghani
Chicken salad can often veer a little heavy, weighed down by too much mayonnaise or a dressing that dulls everything it touches. This one takes a different approach: Cashew butter gives the dressing a creamy body, while soy sauce, fresh lemon juice and a little honey keep it bright, salty and lively. The result is something that coats the cabbage and chicken just enough without feeling too rich. Let the cabbage and chicken sit in the dressing for a few minutes so they can soften slightly while really picking up those flavors. Just before serving, fold in the cucumbers and herbs so they stay crisp and fresh; a handful of roasted cashews bring even more crunch. This chicken salad is punchy, deeply textured and the kind you'll happily keep in the fridge for a few days, if it lasts that long.

Spicy and Creamy Cashew Chicken Salad

Ingredients
Yield: 4 servings
3 tablespoons cashew or peanut butter
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
2 teaspoons honey
1 to 2 medium-hot green chiles (such as serrano or jalapeño), finely grated
1 garlic clove, finely grated
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ medium head green or red cabbage, coarsely chopped or torn (8 cups)
3 cups/about 12 ounces shredded cooked chicken
2 small cucumbers, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 cup mixed tender herbs (such as cilantro, basil and mint), very coarsely chopped
½ cup roasted salted cashews, coarsely chopped
Preparation
Step 1
In a large serving bowl, whisk the cashew butter and 3 tablespoons water until smooth. Gradually stream in the lemon juice, olive oil and soy sauce, whisking constantly. Stir in the honey, chile and garlic. If the mixture looks a little grainy, add another splash of water until it loosens and smooths out. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 2
Add the cabbage and toss well, getting in there with your hands and massaging the cabbage a bit to help soften it. Add the chicken and toss again and let it sit for about 5 minutes to really soak up the sauce.
Step 3
Add the cucumbers and herbs and toss again. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper before topping with the roasted cashews to finish.

Tip
Leftover chicken salad will keep, covered, for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. If you want to make the salad ahead to serve later, add the cucumbers, herbs and cashews just before serving.

Mojo Shrimp with Couscous and Fried Capers

Mojo Shrimp with Couscous and Fried Capers was both excellent and it turned out to be a major learning experience, actually 3 learning experiences. We like almost any dish that has Shrimp. We liked this one very much. The limes brought a vibrancy to the dish that I liked.

1st learning experience: we found out almost all Shrimp sold in the fish counter at the major markets were frozen.

2nd learning experience, on a whim at the NOMA pop-up store near us, I purchased a NOMA zester, mainly because I liked its design. I had a micro-plane zester I have used for years. I always noticed the grated lemon, or lime peel was extremely fine. Duh - the word Micro should have been the key. The NOMA zester was not a Micro zester and it gave perfect size zest. The guy's a creep, but he designed a great zester.

3rd Learning Experience I asked my self how do millions of shrimp get cleaned? Now I know!

We found out from after all of the these years that the shrimp in the markets are almost always frozen and they are thawed and put out for sale. I had assumed they were fresh shrimp. I know that McCall's carries fresh Santa Barbara Spot Prawns for example. But major markets don't. Since we often buy deveined, un-shelled Shrimp we now know they are almost all frozen when they arrive at the big stores. So you can buy bags of frozen shrimp and keep them in your freezer, handy to have around. Note to self, check on YouTube or CHATgpt how do commercially sold bags of shrimp get deveined and cleaned. Is there a machine for it or do thousands of workers do it manually. Well I asked AI (Gemeni in this case). Now I have the answer: Both.

From Gemeni:

It depends on the scale of processing, the origin of the seafood, and the specific variety, but across the global market, both methods are widely used.

Here is how the processing breaks down:

By Hand (Manual Processing)

• Dominant in imported farm-raised shrimp: A vast majority of frozen peeled shrimp imported into North America from major farming regions (such as India, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Ecuador) is processed manually by hand using handheld tools or small blades.
  
  
• Cost dynamics: In many major aquaculture hubs, labor costs remain low enough that hand-peeling is economically viable and yields a higher percentage of usable meat compared to machine processing.
  
  
• Quality & control: Human workers are better at handling delicate, variable-sized shrimp without tearing the flesh or leaving behind fragments of shell and vein.
  
  

By Machine (Automated Processing)

• Dominant in large-scale industrial operations: Used extensively for wild-caught domestic fisheries (such as Gulf of Mexico shrimp in the U.S.) and large commercial processing plants handling massive uniform volumes.
  
  
• How it works: Industrial machinery utilizes specialized rollers, water pressure, and mechanical blades. High-speed systems place shrimp onto track feeds where a circular blade slits the back, flushes out the vein, and strips off the shell automatically.
  
  
• Modern advances: Advanced processing facilities employ optical sorting cameras and automated positioning systems capable of peeling thousands of individual shrimp per hour.
  
  

Processing Method	Typical Origin / Type	Key Advantage
Manual (Hand-Peeled)	Imported farmed shrimp (e.g., Vannamei white shrimp)	Better yield, cleaner finish on delicate meat
Automated (Machine-Peeled)	Domestic wild-caught, large-scale industrial processors	High volume throughput and speed

When buying packaged frozen shrimp at retail, a clean, uniform slice down the back often indicates machine precision, whereas slight variations or intact tail segments usually point to hand prep.

Mojo Shrimp with Couscous and Fried Capers
New York Times
 
A tangy sauce of citrus, garlic and oil, mojo de ajo is one of the most popular ways to cook seafood all over Mexico, especially in breezy beach restaurants along the coast. The fragrant sea of lime juice, zest and chopped garlic, sizzling in hot oil, coats every bite like a full-on garlic bath. This version is a true one-pot meal: The shrimp is cooked in the remnants of crispy fried capers, finished with fresh lime juice and zest, and tossed with tender, chewy lime couscous with those addictive little pops of fried capers. For a heartier dish, you can warm a can of drained and rinsed cannellini beans or chickpeas; once the couscous is cooked through, fold the beans in gently—they’ll add creaminess and protein.
 
INGREDIENTS
Yield:4 servings
 
5       tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for serving
⅓      cup rinsed capers
8       medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
1       teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
1½    pounds shelled medium shrimp, deveined
Fine sea salt or kosher salt
1       tablespoon grated lime zest, plus ¼ cup lime juice (from 2 large limes)
1       cup (8 ounces) pearl couscous 
1½    cups vegetable broth or water
½      cup chopped fresh mint leaves (from 1 large bunch)
½      cup chopped parsley leaves and tender stems
 
 
PREPARATION
 
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pat the capers lightly with a paper towel until they are well-dried, then add them to the oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they darken and crisp up (take care as they may pop as their moisture evaporates), 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pot from heat. Using a slotted spoon, leaving the oil behind, transfer the capers to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.  

2. Return the pot to the heat over low. Add 2 more tablespoons oil and stir in garlic and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic is lightly golden brown and fragrant, 60 to 90 seconds. Add the shrimp, season with salt, and cook until they just start to curl, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp and garlic to a medium bowl. Add the lime zest and juice and toss; set aside. 

3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pot and raise the heat to medium-high. Stir in the couscous and toast, stirring often, until golden and fragrant, 3 minutes. Stir in broth or water and bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid, and cook until the couscous is al dente and most of the liquid has evaporated, 7 to 10 minutes. Turn off heat. 

4. Fluff the couscous with a fork. Stir in the shrimp and herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls, top with capers and drizzle with olive oil if you’d like.

Salmon with Olive Oil-Braised Zucchini and Chickpeas

Salmon with Olive Oil-Braised Zucchini and Chickpeas was a new recipe for us to make. We liked it and realized, as we started making it, that because of the chickpeas we didn’t even need to make rice. Not that it’s hard to make rice if you have a rice cooker.

Can we talk rice cookers? If you make rice and don’t have a good rice cooker, you’re making a big mistake. It’s foolproof.

I particularly like the little detour into rice cookers—it sounds like you rather than like edited recipe prose.

From New York Times
Salmon with Olive Oil-Braised Zucchini and Chickpeas
Sheela Prakash
If you slow-cook zucchini in heart-healthy olive oil, it becomes silky and deeply flavored rather than waterlogged. Stir in chickpeas and nestle salmon fillets on top, where they steam as the vegetables and beans braise, creating a protein-packed, satisfying dinner. Crusty bread is an optional but welcome accompaniment to soak up the garlic- and lemon-heavy pan juices.
Ingredients
Yield: 4 servings
4 (6-ounce) skinless salmon fillets
Salt and black pepper
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1½ pounds zucchini or other summer squash (about 3 medium), cut into ⅛-inch-thick half-moons
5 garlic cloves, minced
Pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)
1 (15- to 16-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 medium lemon, zested and juiced
Preparation
Step 1
Pat the salmon dry and season with salt and pepper.
Step 2
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet with a lid over medium-high. Add the zucchini, garlic and crushed red pepper, if using. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini just starts to brown in spots but is not yet completely tender, about 5 minutes.
Step 3
Stir in the chickpeas and lemon zest; season with salt and pepper.
Step 4
Nestle the salmon fillets on top of the zucchini and chickpeas in an even layer. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the salmon is just cooked through, 13 to 18 minutes. (It's done when the flesh flakes easily. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part should register 120 degrees.)
Step 5
Drizzle the lemon juice over the top and serve.

Orecchiette Carbonara with English Peas and Pea Shoots

There is something about June that calls for a perfect spring pasta. This week, we revisited a favorite from the archives: our Orecchiette Carbonara with English Peas and Pea Shoots.

We decided to riff on the original recipe by adding Snap Peas, and it was a revelation. They added a bright, fresh crispness that cut through the richness of the carbonara perfectly. I even the reflective time while I  peeled the string from the Peas.

You can find the recipe for Orecchiette Carbonara with English Peas and Pea Shoots on our blog of April 28, 2009: Click the date to get the recipe.

We started with a Tomato Salad with Burrata and Pesto. It is fun as we move farther into summer watching more and more fruits appear in the market and every week the seem tastier and sweeter. 

Spicy Skillet Ground Turkey and Snap Peas

We can do better. We have a similar recipe to Spicy Skillet Ground Turkey and Snap Peas - Stir-Fried Beans with Pork and Chiles, which we make quite frequently and really like. I don't think Turkey has sufficient fat to really fry up the way I like, and the result just wasn't as good. So we won't make this particular dish again.

But actually, it was a learning experience. I really like Snap Peas, especially when they are at their summer best. They have that wonderful sweetness and crunch that you just don't get at other times of the year. So I think I will try to convince Cathy to make our Stir-Fried Beans with Pork and Chiles, but substitute the Snap Peas from this recipe for the String Beans in the other. Take the best part of one recipe and put it into a recipe we already know we love. I know it will be a winner!

We started with Corn Salad with Tomatoes, Feta and Mint. Corn, Tomatoes and Mint in the middle of summer—once again we were cooking seasonally, which is always the best way!

Spicy Skillet Ground Turkey and Snap Peas

New York Times

 

Inspired by the bold and zesty flavors of a Thai larb, this easy skillet meal pairs nuggets of golden ground turkey with sugar snap peas and a mound of fresh herbs. The sauce, a combination of fish sauce, lime juice and red-pepper flakes, makes everything taste both bright and deep, while an optional sprinkling of chopped nuts adds richness and crunch. Serve over rice or rice noodles, or with flatbread.

 

INGREDIENTS

Yield:4 servings

 

3       tablespoons olive oil

1       red onion, halved and thinly sliced into half-moons

1       pound ground turkey

Salt, as needed

¼      cup fresh lime juice (from 2 to 3 limes), more to taste

2       tablespoons fish sauce (or coconut aminos or soy sauce), more to taste

½      teaspoon red-pepper flakes

½      cup torn mint leaves, more for topping

½      cup chopped fresh cilantro or basil, more for topping

3       scallions, thinly sliced, dark green parts saved for topping

1       pound sugar snap peas, trimmed

2       tablespoons chopped roasted cashews or peanuts (optional)

 

PREPARATION

 

1.    Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add the oil and red onion slices to the skillet and cook until soft and deeply brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Crumble in the ground turkey and a pinch of salt, breaking up the meat. Cook until crisp and dark brown, about 8 minutes.

2.    While the turkey is cooking, whisk together the lime juice, fish sauce, red-pepper flakes, torn mint leaves, cilantro and scallion whites and light green parts. Pour the sauce into the skillet and add the sugar snap peas. Toss until combined. Cover and let the snap peas steam until tender and cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes.

3.    Taste and add more fish sauce, salt and lime juice as needed to make everything bright and savory. Stir in the chopped cashews or peanuts, if using. Top with more torn mint leaves, chopped cilantro and dark green scallion slices.

Corn Salad with Tomatoes, Feta and Mint

New York Times

 

Fresh raw corn shucked from the cob is ideal here. The juice from the tomatoes delivers just the right amount of acidity, so there’s no need for vinegar. Eat this as is, by the bowl, or toss it with cooked rice or beans for a more filling meal — you’ll want to add oil and vinegar accordingly. In midsummer, with peak-season produce, there is nothing better.

 

INGREDIENTS

Yield:4 servings

 

2 to 3 cups raw or cooked corn kernels (from 4 to 6 ears)

1 large or 2 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into fairly small pieces

4       ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)

½      cup chopped fresh mint leaves

3       tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

PREPARATION

 

1.    Put the corn, tomatoes, cheese and mint in a medium bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and toss to coat.

2.    Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve