Here’s a restaurant-quality meal for a special occasion that’s easily prepared at home. Sweet sea scallops encrusted with a pistachio-lemon zest combination are served atop a simple baked Champagne risotto accompanied by roasted asparagus. Since giving you a recipe for an American-inspired risotto some months ago, I’ve discovered a method for making risotto that is easy and foolproof — and I may never make risotto any other way again. Instead of painstakingly stirring risotto on the stovetop, the method I’ve discovered is to simply bake it.
seafood
Seared Spice-Rubbed Salmon with Curried Red Lentils
After all the standard holiday fare, I’m always ready for something vastly different. This Indian-inspired spice-rubbed salmon with curried red lentils is certainly that, but it also fits with my desire to get back to a healthier diet.
If possible, choose wild salmon over farmed. Overall, it has higher nutritional value with less environmental impact.
Crab-Stuffed Flounder
Whenever I return from a trip, I come back inspired to cook something from that area’s cuisine. October was a hectic month for me that included business travel to Baltimore and personal travel to Austin, Texas, and the spectacular wine country of Northern California. Here’s the Baltimore-inspired dish — crab-stuffed flounder.