Wild mussels in spicy tomato sauce

"You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces. Just good food from fresh ingredients" ~Julia Child

There was a time when I thought cooking fish or any kind of seafood for that matter was some complicated business, unless it came in a form of frozen fish fingers. That was quite a while ago though. The more I cooked and the more I learned about food, the more comfortable I became with ingredients that came from water. As long as you keep it simple and limit yourself to a number of ingredients, it is nothing but easy and satisfying. With one remark here to make it sound a bit more complicated - as long as you don't overcook it! So a few very simple rules - find a reliable fishmonger and learn to trust your sense of smell and very few simple tricks. Mussels are very easy to prepare. They only need to swim in a bit of sauce, which in my case usually tends to involve a glass of wine and a few other simple ingredients, such as garlic, herbs, tomatoes, salt and pepper. 

Cream of carrot ginger soup

"Soup is just a way of screwing you out of a meal!" -Jay Leno

Banana & oat pancakes

"If I call you "Darling", will you make me pancakes?"

Pancakes are the first thing I learned to cook in this life. Maybe she doesn't even remember, but my Mom taught me. I was so confused when she'd tell me to look at consistency and not count tablespoons. At that early time in my culinary discoveries, I wanted precise measures of everything. But please give some credit - I think I was 4 or 5 at the time. 

Juicy and moist slow cooked duck breast with red cabbage puree

"Like pornography, junk [food] might be tough to define but you know it when you see it" ~Mark Bittman, Food Journalist

To me personally fast food doesn't have a direct correlation with junk food. Fast can be healthy. Depending on what you eat and where you eat it. However I do agree with Mr Mark Bittman - you know it when you see it. Now slow cooked food is a different story. Especially if we talk "sous vide" - food sealed in vacuum is cooked in a water bath for way longer than normal cooking times at a very accurate temperature, with food cooking through evenly and retaining its moisture. I've already written a few posts about my sous vide experiments this summer. It remains one of those kitchen appliances I absolutely want to have in my pantry!

Spinach fettuccine with black olives, capers, tomatoes and goat cheese

"The trouble with eating Italian food is that five or six days later, you are hungry again. " - George Miller

Once upon a time, a few months ago to be exact, I went on a business trip to Mykonos, Greece. Yeah, I know it sounds like business! Gorgeous island with beautiful beaches, friendly people and amazing food. Since I was there with a lot of other people, we had pre-booked dinners at different restaurants. Another upside to this short story - having a colleague, from Greece, who is proud to be Greek and is always going an extra mile to make other people fall in love with the country - well he was the one, who organized everything. He knows food and definitely knows how to showcase the best of what the country has to offer. Referring to him, Greeks treat food as love. 

Barley soup with dried mushrooms

It's not a diet! It's called eating healthy!

'Tis the season! Days are getting shorter and the air crispier. It is the beginning of November and I can't help but notice how commercial Christmas is becoming - lights and decorations are already out in some of the stores. I guess it is human nature to do the opposite from what you are pushed towards to. They wanna make me buy more stuff? Well I get in the mood of spending less on everything. How about that? My wallet tends to go on a "no spend" diet, while my body starts craving comfort food with the weather getting colder. Those dark long nights make you want to crawl under a blanket with something warm to eat and read a book, watch a movie or just cuddle with the loved one.

Egg noodles with forest mushrooms and soy

"Fast food is popular because it's convenient, it's cheap, and it tastes good. But the real cost of eating fast food never appears on the menu."

I think a lot of people over complicate things. In many aspects of life - and since food is one of the most important ones - in eating too. Lately mankind succumbs to the influence of fast paced days. Everyone is in a hurry, trying to accomplish too many things simultaneously. And although in the end of the day the result maybe is not what we aimed for, but we sure did feel busy. Rush to work in the morning, early meetings before lunch, a quick bite on the way somewhere paying less attention towards content versus time getting on your plate and down your throat or lunch with someone important when you don't even taste what's on your plate, because the "deal" is more important. The perception is wrong! We need to slow down - allow ourselves to sit, relax and actually enjoy every single bite of what we're eating.

Fish soup over wood burning open fire

Even if you've been fishing for three hours and haven't gotten anything except poison ivy and sunburn, you're still better off than the worm! #FishingStory

One of my top favorite things to do in summer is cooking over open fire on warm nights. There is something so magical about it! Starry nights, nightingales, good company... Had quite a bit of those this year as well. Also finally managed to find a big pot for cooking over open fire. Turned out it wasn't as easy as I thought it would be in the beginning. With many summer nights spent around the fire, the aim to turn it into a more involving social culinary experience proved to be so worth it!
Fish soup - salmon, shrimp and other goodies with all mandatory traditions - a sup of vodka and immersion of roasting charcoal.

Cod wrapped in brined grape vine leaves grilled with baby carrots

 "Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and he'll sit in a boat with a fishing pole and drink beer all day." Lorena McCourtney, 'Invisible'

It was Friday - a day when most of the groceries stores in town get fresh fish. A few friends recommended a new fishmonger - selling frozen goodies as well as fresh fish once a week. For those that live somewhere close by the sea it may sound unbelievable, but yes - we do need to plan our meals in accordance to fishmongers' schedules. 

And then what happens - I go there on a Friday, when the fish comes in (luckily for the first time not in the morning, when everything arrived) and seeing the whole assortment, I want everything! Octopus, crab, lobster, scallops, cod, mackerel, muscles... Luckily I wasn't hungry and managed to control myself - ended up "just" with halibut, cod and octopus.

Perfect steak

"Becoming a vegetarian is a huge missed steak!"

What can I say? Those days are long gone for me, but I understand that love for the steak. I was in that relationship. I still cook meat for family and friends, but rely solely on their opinion and feedback. I have one golden rule related to my cooking - better be open and honest and tell what you really think about the food, otherwise you may end up getting exactly the same thing next time if you praise it for the sake of being polite. There's no space for "polite" where I'm cooking!  Besides - learning what can be done better is a way to development.

Curry crepes with mushrooms and veggies

“Love is like breakfast with Mildred. Who’s Mildred? How the heck should I know? I don’t eat breakfast.” Jarod Kintz

Spending a weekend over at friends' cabin with a huge and well equiped kitchen, it was beyond a pleasure to do all the cooking. Well, not all - my friend prepared the octopus (braised in Cava, with sun dried tomatoes, garlic and herbs - seriously, to die for and on my to do list for Raspberry-Flavor!) and eggplant lasagne with mushroom ragu (as good!). 

Pearl couscous with shrimp, fresh tomatoes and chives

"Couscous - the food so nice they named it twice!"

Today I am celebrating a little birthday! 4 years ago today I wrote my first blogpost. That was for the sake of sharing a recipe with some friends. That's when my little journey began and it got more and more intense along the way. Today I decided to treat myself to a dessert - something bright and colorful on the plate. Usually a birthday would call for a dessert. To me - seafood is the best dessert ever. I could have it for a starter, main course and dessert all at once.

Roasted stuffed peppers

We are all dietetic sinners; only a small percent of what we eat nourishes us; the balance goes to waste and loss of energy. ~William Osler

I cleaned my fridge a few days ago. Decided it is time to use all of the frozen goodies since the new season is fast approaching. Kept up to my promise for 2 days... Stopped by a store to pick up one thing and saw some gorgeous tomatoes and red bell peppers. So... Having a bright yet very light red dinner tonight!

Egg fettuccine with shrimp, fresh tomatoes, spinach and garlic

Shipping is a terrible thing to do to vegetables.  They probably get jet-lagged, just like people.  ~Elizabeth Berry

I am on vacation now with friends - visiting Mediterranean coast in Spain. And there are no such things as jet-lagged vegetables! They are simply grown here - always fresh and actually tasting like the real ones - just how they are supposed to be! To some people it may look funny, but when buying my tomatoes I love to smell them! To me that's how a perfect dish is born - starting with getting quality ingredients. Unfortunately today the weather wasn't treating us too well - a bit chilly and raining.

Lunch time asked for something light, but warm and comforting - like pasta with fresh local ingredients - tomatoes, spinach and of course seafood. With such a large selection it took me a while at the fishmonger's. There you can find almost anything your heart desires! Needless to say, I am looking at the Mediterranean sea as I am writing this - the source where most of that seafood came from. The rest came from the Atlantic ocean, which is also close by… 

Avocado stuffed with shrimp and sweet corn, topped with arugula

Vegetables are interesting, but lack a sense of purpose when accompanied by a good cut of meat. ~Fran Lebowitz

Come to think of it - this quote is off. Avocado is a fruit, but nevertheless, it definitely doesn't lack its purpose when accompanied with shrimp and sweet corn. One of the easiest snacks to make and in no time. Sounds dreamy - healthy, tasty, colorful and fast!

Omlette with smoked mackerel, broccoli and mushrooms

“When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?" "What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"

"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet. Pooh nodded thoughtfully. "It's the same thing," he said.”

― A.A. Milne

My favorite meal of the day! And I think I can claim that this is my favorite omlette - or rather one of the favorites - plus or minus broccoli, spinach or some other greens. The first time I ever tried an omlette with smoked mackerel was at a restaurant. With such amazing ingredients couldn't figure out how it could be that plain and bland. 

And what a treat on a day when you can sleep in, wake up when you're done with sleep and not when the alarm tells you to and then enjoy a long leisurely breakfast with a cup of coffee! 

Spinach, kiwi and banana breakfast smoothie with fresh mint

"Don't start a diet that has an expiration date. Focus on a lifestyle that will last forever!"

Good morning, Sunshine! And welcome Sunday! This morning was a long lazy morning before hitting a craftsmen (couldn't think of how else to call it) fair. A first super warm and sunny day of the year! 

No better way to start the morning with a super tasty and healthy smoothie!

Scallops with smoked paprika fried potatoes and green beans

High-tech tomatoes. Mysterious milk. Supersquash. Are we supposed to eat this stuff? Or is it going to eat us? ~Annita Manning

Khinkali with a juicy cod filling

"Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious." Ruth Reichl

Khinkali is a very popular Georgian dumpling made of twisted knobs of dough. Originally - stuffed with meat and spices. It is considered to be one of the national dishes of Georgia. Different regions of Georgia make khinkali with different fillings. The most popular filling is pork/beef mix. In the mountains khinkali is often made with lamb filling. 

This was my first time making this dish. The most time consuming part was preparation of dough - kneeding, rolling out and shaping the khinkalis. But practice makes it perfect - I'm confident next time would be much easier and faster.

Spicy beet soup with salmon balls

"Women belong in the kitchen. Men belong in the kitchen. Everyone belongs in the kitchen. The kitchen has food!"

Last weekend was mostly about food - reading, googling, grocery shopping and - in fact - cooking. When preparing for a dinner party if anyone becomes concerned that it would be too much work for one person to prepare, what is the best way to say that it actually serves me personally as relaxation or meditation? Sometimes I get those moments though when I really want to cook something, but all those ideas I had when I was busy with something else are gone and it's like a blank piece of paper. I actually have a note book with me at all times, where I write down all ideas that come across - whether it is a whole dish or a part of it, maybe a combination of ingredients I have not tried before.