Bree Hester of BakedBree.com has her special recipe for Mexican Chicken, along with her photos of the preparation and assembly of the meal, on her site. Click on the image below or the link above to get her recipe and see her wonderful images.
Photo of finished Mexican Chicken dish by Bree Hester of BakedBree.com
Light, warming, hearty and full of the flavors of the sea…this is my soba bowl with a light miso broth, plenty of ginger and green onion, wakame seaweed, shitake mushroom and Maine Shrimp. great for a chilly Maine evening during shrimp season.
Who doesn’t love slurping noodles, especially when they are whole grain, buckwheat in this case, and enhanced by a soy infused gingery broth. I like the wholesomeness that hints of wakame seaweed, miso and fresh ginger lend to the broth. Something to know is that while the seaweed needs long cooking and must be started early on, the ginger, miso and scallion are added at the last moment to retain their medicinal properties. Oh yes, food as medicine. Not a new thought. If I am celebrating Maine’s winter shrimping season, it suffices to throw those tasty little nuggets in at the last moment as well, like on the way to the dinner table, since they cook in an instant as well.
Image of Shrimp Soba Noodle Bowl by Amanda of Fake Ginger
INGREDIENTS (serves four as a main dish)
Miso Paste, 1/2 cup, softened in some pure water (choose a lighter one like white or chickpea)
A few dried fish flakes, which can be found in a health store.
Wakame Seaweed
Shitake Mushrooms, 1 cup sliced
Scallions, 1/2 cup sliced on an angle
2 Baby Bok Choy, sliced lengthwise, then cut into bite sizes
1 package Soba Noodles
1 inch piece of fresh, peeled, and grated Ginger Root
1 pound of fresh Maine Shrimp meat
Cubed Tofu, if desired
MAKE A BROTH
Set a soup pot of spring water on to boil, about 3 quarts
Add a four inch length of dried wakame seaweed to the pot and a little dried bonita or fish flakes and one small star anise. Let this simmer for a couple hours. Remove anise and chop the seaweed into manageable bite sizes.
Add a cup of fresh shitake mushrooms to the broth, sliced thin.
Begin to boil the soba noodles, only until firm, in a seperate pot of salted water.
Add the boy choy and let it cook through in the broth. Take the broth off the flame and stir in the miso paste, ginger, shrimp and scallions once the noodles are cooked
Create your noodle bowls by dividing the soba noodles into four good sized bowls and ladle on the shrimp and seasoned broth.
Top with cubes of tofu, if desired, more scallion and a bit of toasted sesame oil. Enjoy with chopsticks and feel good about yourself! This meal is full of protein, low in fat and a power house of flavor. Seize the short Maine Shrimp season while we can enjoy these little beauties.
Here’s a great start for Super Bowl XLVI. This Bloody Mary recipe features celery salt as the secret ingredient, adding a winning flavor to an already delicious classic cocktail. Get the recipe here!
To make your Bloody Mary even more enjoyable and nutritious, try adding a few cooked and chilled Maine Shrimp around the glass rim, or in the drink itself. Yum!
image courtesy of Sarah Leah Chase and Coastal Goods
To all our friends, from us at Maine Food & Lifestyle magazine, we wish you a Healthy and Happy Holiday with those you love! ~Melanie Hyatt & Jim Bazin
Making a getaway for a family holiday celebration (vegetarian).
image © Jim Bazin
Maine author and Portland Press Herald columnist, Brooke Dojny, has a very complimentary review in today’s Press Herald about The Maine Summers Cookbook by Linda and Martha Greenlaw. Brooke’s article includes two recipes from the cookbook, one each from Linda (Pulled Barbecued Chicken with Vidalia Onions) and Martha (Brenda’s Famous Crab Dip). Brooke also compliments the photography (done by MF&L publisher and creative director, Jim Bazin) mentioning that it adds the scenic dimension of Isle au Haut to the cookbook. You can read Brooke’s article and get these recipes at the Press Herald’s site here.
And you thought pineapple was the only fruit that did headstands! Chocolate and pears team up here in a moist, rich, torte-like cake, whose satiny topping echoes the delicate flavor of the fruit.
image: marcussamuelsson.com
The Maine table has been enlivened by the exotic spices of the Far East for a couple of centuries. Curries of various types, brought to New England coastal towns by English seamen, were a particular favorite. And they still are. I crave curries for their bright color as well as their powerful flavors. This one is sharp with spice, but mellowed and enriched by the coconut milk in the sauce.
Going on now through Sunday afternoon in Rockland’s Harbor Park is the annual Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors Show. Full of interesting stuff to see, eat, do, buy, and learn about, this show just gets better every year!
With demonstrations on such things as oar making and wood turning and Maritime activities like toy making workshops for children, plus book signings, talks and maritime films, there is something to interest everyone. Sunday, the last day of the show, brings the 8th Annual World Championship Boatyard Dog Trials, where last year’s champ Pancho Villa will be back defending his title.
Get down to Rockland’s Harbor Park for a look at some gorgeous boats, fine furniture, marine gear, fabulous shopping, delicious food and snacks, and exciting activities! Not to mention the perfect weather for an outdoor event.
Browne Trading Corporate Chef and Sommelier Jen Flock introduces a new column, Wine ‘n Dine, in the new issue of Maine Food & Lifestyle magazine.
image courtesy of Jen Flock
We welcome her aboard as she shares suggestions for white wine pairings along with her recipe for Chicken Pot Pie. Delicious, satisfying, fun, and new to this issue of Maine Food & Lifestyle.
Enjoy Jen’s expertise as she provides great recipes, suggestions for wines to try, and adds her special brand of humor and insight to our blog and magazine.
Read Issue #11 of Maine Food & Lifestyle magazine and Jen’s column…subscribe now!
They have been making lobster stew in Cundy’s Harbor for much longer than a decade (trust me, half my family lives there) but Cal Hancock’s recipe is what put this quiet spot on the New Meadows River on the national culinary map. Hancock Gourmet Lobster was born in 2000 and is spending 2010 marking its anniversary by offering reduced Second Day shipping rates, showcasing its now expansive product line — including Port Clyde lobster mac & cheese, lobster pot pies and Orr’s Island oyster stew – and chronicling all of the fun on the company’s blog. Continue reading “Hancock Lobster: Beyond the Crustacean” »
I am practically upside down… cleaning out the freezer by leaning into the freezer in a big way, getting to the bottom of it all…and thinking on the fly. No one really likes getting their hands freezing cold in this weather, but taking stock of the freezer is something we must do now and then to keep order and be frugal. Here are some of my Non-Recipes, which got their inspiration from viewing the freezing heap on my kitchen table.
My New Year’s resolution is to use up all this stuff in my freezer before buying more. It’s crazy to let good food get freezer burned or go to waste. Let’s see what’s good… and what good recipes come out of this. Continue reading “A New Year’s Missive/Delicious Duty” »
To all our blog contributors, readers, magazine subscribers, friends, and family, our very best wishes for the holiday season and for the year ahead.
Jim Bazin Melanie Hyatt
Rockport Harbor on Christmas Eve 2004. © Jim Bazin
This is the time of year we could all use a little hearty comfort food.
Sausage and Vegetable Stew
recipe courtesy of Food Network
You certainly don’t need to use colored gelatins or whipped topping concoctions when this tasty and colorful combination will make the perfect holiday salad. Recipe and photo courtesy of Royal Rose Radicchio.
Radicchio, Avocado, and Grapefruit Salad
Continue reading “Radicchio, Avocado, and Grapefruit Salad” »
A sincere apology for the teasing omission of Diana Santospago’s frosting recipe from her recent Banana Cake post. We hope this will satisfy your sweet tooth! Continue reading “Brown Butter Brandy Frosting” »
More and more people throughout the country are learning what we Rockland Mainers have known forever. Rockland Maine Rocks!
Budget Travel has once again listed Rockland, Maine as one of America’s “Coolest” small towns. In fact, Rockland is the Readers’ Choice Pick among the 10 small towns selected by the magazine staff.
In the words of their editors, “Every now and then, you stumble upon a town that’s gotten everything right—great coffee, food with character, shop owners with purpose. These 10 spots have it all, in perfectly small doses.”
Rockland is referred to as a perfect mix of “sophistication mixed with saltiness.”
See for yourself in their article, America’s Coolest Small Towns!
After a recent lunch at Chase’s Daily, I wandered back to browse the selection of fruit, vegetables, and flowers delivered fresh from the Chase family farm. The restaurant receives well-deserved praise in the new issue of Maine Food & Lifestyle; not only are their vegetarian meals delicious, but thanks to the light streaming in the tall windows, the hand-lettered signs, and the rustic bins, more photogenic produce cannot be found.
Among the sunflowers and herbs, I discovered husk cherries. I couldn’t resist this adorable, unfamiliar fruit so I brought home a pint, though I had no idea what lay inside their papery skins. 
Also called ground cherries or cape gooseberries, husk cherries are closely related to tomatillos. Tender and full of small seeds, they resemble cherry tomatoes in texture. Husk cherries possess a unique flavor with elements of vanilla, pineapple, citrus, and yellow cake. They’re sweet as candy inside their delicate wrappers.
If you stumble across husk cherries, pick up a pint or two. They would be lovely in a fruit crisp or clafoutis. In this simple variation on the Waldorf salad, they’re sweet enough to stand in for apples and raisins. If you can’t find husk cherries, grapes or chopped sweet apple would be the next best thing.
Husk Cherry Waldorf Salad
1 cup walnuts
3 stalks celery, thinly sliced (1 cup)
1 pint husk cherries, husks removed and halved (a generous cup)
2 Tablespoons sliced shallot
½ cup vanilla soy yogurt
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
Green or red leaf lettuce, chopped (optional)
In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast walnuts for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly, until they become lightly browned and fragrant. Allow walnuts to cool, then combine with celery, husk cherries, and shallot in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt and lemon juice. Pour dressing over salad and stir gently to combine. Serve over lettuce if desired.
Serves 2 as a main dish, 4 as a side.
During these tough economic times, especially, promotion is an important key to Maine’s seafood industry. A recent trip to Boston’s Seafood Show by one of our writers revealed over 2,000 exhibit booths. Of those, only about
8 companies were from Maine. The question was raised: “Where is Maine?”The fact that Maine is known worldwide for its rugged and vital fishing image, as well as being the lobster capital of the world, made our absence a glaring one.
There are several key players working hard to keep Maine’s seafood industry prospering. Learn who they are and what they are doing to keep Maine’s 4th largest export alive now and for generations to come.
What is happening to Maine’s seafood industry? State and federal marketing programs? Our image around the world? Find out what’s being done to get Maine’s Seafood industry the credit it deserves in the article… “Maine’s Seafood Industry: From the Outside Looking In“… found in the current issue of Maine Food & Lifestyle magazine.
But where exactly will Spring make an appearance in 24 days? Maine? Do you really think so?
Courtesy of those fabulous ladies at The Brass Compass Cafe in Rockland. And right in time for another snowstorm!
