Pimentón!

I got a fabulous present of some pimentón recently and, well, it's fabulous. (What is it? Smoked Spanish paprika.) I've only used it on one thing so far (turnips), but look forward to such things as pimentón'd chicken paprikash, pimentón'd fried eggs, pimentón'd pork chops, and pimentón'd quinoa with greens... For more ideas see: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/dining/24mini.html and http://bitten.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/pimenton-junkies-have-your-say/ (Mark Bittman's recipe for pimentón'd swordfish and his call for pimentón ideas from others, respectively.)

Back to the turnips: they were easy. A few handfuls of turnips(chopped)+a few cloves of garlic (chopped)+some onion(chopped)+olive oil(a heavy drizzle)+pimentón(a few shakes)+salt+pepper, roasted in a pyrex dish at 400 for about 35 minutes, stirred every ten minutes or so. I put in some rosemary too (before I remembered about the pimentón) but it wasn't enough to influence the taste at all, as far as I could tell.

No pictures today (sorry), so you'll just have to make it for yourself to experience the beautiful deep orange color the olive oil turns and the golden crispy reddish turnips... Or make something else with it...and let me know!

Lemon Gruyere Grits and Chili Baked Fish

I just want to say that I LOVE GRITS. Ok now that that's out of the way, I can't believe that our southern roots haven't been more exposed. Well that's going to change. Tonight I was in the mood of something creamy, savory, and all together scrumptious! Also, I had some fish that needed to be eaten. What's the best way to combine those two needs you say? Well I still don't know but I did a pretty damn good job with the following recipe. It may sound a little fishy at first but I urge you to try it. Have we ever disappointed you?

First: The Fish

Alaskan Pollok Fish is a nice, white fish with a firm texture and a flavor similar to cod. It lends itself well to just about any flavor combination and it just happen to be on sale the other day!

To prepare Fish
-Coat in butter milk
-Mix bread crumbs with some chili powder, garlic powder, and salt
-Roll fish in bread crumbs
-Bake at 350 for 20 min (maybe less if the fish is a bit thin)

Next: The Grits

-1 Cup White Corn Grits (not the instant kind, shame on you)
-4 Cups Water
-1 Cup Shredded Gruyere
-The zest of 1/2 a lemon

Preparation
-In a pan combine grits and water. Simmer over medium low heat stirring occasionally. These have a tendency to stick to the bottom so be careful. The grits will slowly absorb water slowly and after about 20mins or so have a 'soupy' look to them. Take them off the heat at this point and add your cheese and lemon zest. If you've timed it right your fish is done too and all that is left is to put it all in a bowl and enjoy!

Sorry of the lack of pictures. My camera is still being held hostage by my parents. It shall return after thanksgiving.