Happy Valentine’s Day Sweet Smoky Cookies!!!
And here’s to this special day’s romance and all that that entails!!!
I opted for a "Surf & Turf" bit of fare and fun – with two finds that just begged to be sampled - and from the FROZEN bin at Trader Joe’s even! Who knew?
And so, please enjoy!
And give every single person you meet today a hug! (I do this every day mind you, but Valentine’s Day is a great day for such too).
Cheers!!!!!! – Leah
I thawed the two items last night in my fridge...
I coated a perforated grill pan with grapeseed oil, and coated the barramundi fish with such too, and put a dozen strawberries - stems removed, around the fish....
I coated the New Zealand Grass Fed NY Strip Steak with grapeseed oil...
And got both the grill (for the steak) and the smoker (for the fish) ready, on high heat - old fashioned charcoal (grill) and hickory chips (smoker)...
And the fish and berries smoked for 20 minutes...
The view while out there smoking & grilling was, well, "winter."
Meanwhile, I got a raw spinach salad together...
Used a scissors to chop up some fresh chives... (I have a crush on chives by the way)...
And made a super simple but healthful, whisked "apple cider vinegar and Greek olive oil" dressing...
Black pepper and grey sea salt were standing by to go on at the table before eating...
The steak was grilled 2 minutes a side and 2 minutes on the fat rim, which, to me, ended up being two minutes too many, (as I love my steak COLD in the middle - not "medium rare," which this turned out to be, and not "rare" even, but I actually need it to be "raw/cold" in the middle, but with the fat all crisped up!
Next time therefore, I would cook it for two minutes on the fat side only, and then just let those flames sear the meat while it rests in that position, and take it right off...but we learn, right? How fun! It still was delicious!!!
I assembled it all (coating the spinach with dressing while the meat "rested") and then put olive oil over everything, and the grey salt and black pepper....
Now the first time I SMOKED strawberries, it was for my "Black Tip Shark Carpaccio" (as seen in the above 3 photos, which I therefore snuck in) and since I do that dish with RAW shark, and since it was my first time "smoking strawberries," I only smoked the strawberries for a few minutes, and they did SMELL so very wonderful but didn't change in texture much, as I feared they'd melt apart or something...
BUT, what I learned THEN, was that whenever "smoked strawberries" are involved, a Rosé wine is really needed! The match just accents one another and it's BEYOND-BEYOND amazing!
And so...
EndFragment
This time around, I smoked the strawberries with the fish and for 20 minutes which was PERFECT, but also paired today's Valentine's meal with a fantastic Rosé, by Regis Bouvier in France.
This is BONE DRY and lovely (for anyone who enjoys dry wines, as I do) but if you prefer sweet wine, then this isn't the one for you.
The name is easy to remember, as in "BOUVIER" like the breed of dog! Smiles. (I had a Bouvier, and so perhaps I think fondly by drinking this)??? But it's dry, and perfect for this meal! Beautiful stuff!
EndFragment
Now these 20 minute smoked strawberries are AMAZING!!! I now will do that to put with cheese and olives for company and snacks! A real sultry treat - almost balsamic-esque and just sensational! I adore these now!
The fish melted apart and was out of this world! That it had been frozen did not in any way ruin it! DELICIOUS!
The steak was pretty fabulous too - especially with the aroma of chives (have I said yet how much I love chives) and the smoked strawberries and savory grey sea salt, olive oil and pepper and SIMPLICITY and healthfulness of it all.
The meat was just WAY WAY WAYYYYYYYYY overcooked for my taste, and so there is a fine excuse to "do this meal again" you see, as to get it right!
However, this was the best "surf & turf" healthy combo I've had yet, and it was terrific!
Happy Valentine's Day To You All! Go hug everyone whom you do meet!
Cheers!!!!!!!!!!! - Leah
EndFragment
And here’s to this special day’s romance and all that that entails!!!
I opted for a "Surf & Turf" bit of fare and fun – with two finds that just begged to be sampled - and from the FROZEN bin at Trader Joe’s even! Who knew?
And so, please enjoy!
And give every single person you meet today a hug! (I do this every day mind you, but Valentine’s Day is a great day for such too).
Cheers!!!!!! – Leah
I thawed the two items last night in my fridge...
I coated a perforated grill pan with grapeseed oil, and coated the barramundi fish with such too, and put a dozen strawberries - stems removed, around the fish....
I coated the New Zealand Grass Fed NY Strip Steak with grapeseed oil...
And got both the grill (for the steak) and the smoker (for the fish) ready, on high heat - old fashioned charcoal (grill) and hickory chips (smoker)...
And the fish and berries smoked for 20 minutes...
The view while out there smoking & grilling was, well, "winter."
Meanwhile, I got a raw spinach salad together...
Used a scissors to chop up some fresh chives... (I have a crush on chives by the way)...
And made a super simple but healthful, whisked "apple cider vinegar and Greek olive oil" dressing...
Black pepper and grey sea salt were standing by to go on at the table before eating...
The steak was grilled 2 minutes a side and 2 minutes on the fat rim, which, to me, ended up being two minutes too many, (as I love my steak COLD in the middle - not "medium rare," which this turned out to be, and not "rare" even, but I actually need it to be "raw/cold" in the middle, but with the fat all crisped up!
Next time therefore, I would cook it for two minutes on the fat side only, and then just let those flames sear the meat while it rests in that position, and take it right off...but we learn, right? How fun! It still was delicious!!!
I assembled it all (coating the spinach with dressing while the meat "rested") and then put olive oil over everything, and the grey salt and black pepper....
Now the first time I SMOKED strawberries, it was for my "Black Tip Shark Carpaccio" (as seen in the above 3 photos, which I therefore snuck in) and since I do that dish with RAW shark, and since it was my first time "smoking strawberries," I only smoked the strawberries for a few minutes, and they did SMELL so very wonderful but didn't change in texture much, as I feared they'd melt apart or something...
BUT, what I learned THEN, was that whenever "smoked strawberries" are involved, a Rosé wine is really needed! The match just accents one another and it's BEYOND-BEYOND amazing!
And so...
EndFragment
This time around, I smoked the strawberries with the fish and for 20 minutes which was PERFECT, but also paired today's Valentine's meal with a fantastic Rosé, by Regis Bouvier in France.
This is BONE DRY and lovely (for anyone who enjoys dry wines, as I do) but if you prefer sweet wine, then this isn't the one for you.
The name is easy to remember, as in "BOUVIER" like the breed of dog! Smiles. (I had a Bouvier, and so perhaps I think fondly by drinking this)??? But it's dry, and perfect for this meal! Beautiful stuff!
EndFragment
Now these 20 minute smoked strawberries are AMAZING!!! I now will do that to put with cheese and olives for company and snacks! A real sultry treat - almost balsamic-esque and just sensational! I adore these now!
The fish melted apart and was out of this world! That it had been frozen did not in any way ruin it! DELICIOUS!
The steak was pretty fabulous too - especially with the aroma of chives (have I said yet how much I love chives) and the smoked strawberries and savory grey sea salt, olive oil and pepper and SIMPLICITY and healthfulness of it all.
The meat was just WAY WAY WAYYYYYYYYY overcooked for my taste, and so there is a fine excuse to "do this meal again" you see, as to get it right!
However, this was the best "surf & turf" healthy combo I've had yet, and it was terrific!
Happy Valentine's Day To You All! Go hug everyone whom you do meet!
Cheers!!!!!!!!!!! - Leah
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