Substitutions

Have you ever been following along using a recipe which you neglected to read through thoroughly before beginning.. ah hem…and found you didn’t have one of the ingredients? This happens to me quite frequently, however I have learned to read through a recipe before beginning but a lot of times I don’t have all the ingredients and have to use my imagination for substitutes. Here are 10 items which you most likely DON’T have on your shelves with the applicable substitute for 10 more common items. This was extracted from a “Cooking Light” magazine years ago (had it stuck to the fridge – my “pin up board”). Unfortunately, I can’t give the date of the article/publication but refer you to the site: www.cookinglight.com

1 TBS capers = 1 TBS chopped dill pickles or green olives
1 stalk chopped lemongrass = 1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 tsp chile paste = 1/4 tsp hot red pepper flakes
1/2 cup honey = 1/2 cup molasses or maple syrup
1 cup tahini = 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter and 1/4 cup sesame oil
1 tsp cider vinegar = 2 tsp lemon juice mixed with a pinch of sugar
1 tsp wasabi = 1 tsp horseradish or hot dry mustard
1 cup buttermilk = 1 cup whole milk and 1 TBS lemon juice, stirred well
1 tsp baking powder = 1/4 tsp baking soda mixed with 1/2 sp cream of tartar
1 TBS cornstarch = 2 TBS all purpose flour or 4 TBS quick cooking tapioca.

Sunday Dinner: Baked Haddock with Curried Pears and Oven Roasted Snap Peas with Yellow Squash

Curried Pear:

1 pear, peeled and choppe
2 tsp curry powder
1 TBS fresh dill
1 TBS dried parsley
2 TBS lemon juice
1 TBS honey
1/4 cup water

Mix all ingredients in pot and put on medium high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside untl ready to use. May be prepared a day in advance.

Oven Roasted Snap Peas and Yellow Squash

1 package or 8 oz Snap Peas
2 small Yellow Squash, chopped
1/2 TBS EVOO (flavored is best)
1 tsp Lemon Juice

Preheat oven to 400 F. Put snap peas on the bottom of baking dish. Add the chopped squash. Drizzle some infused/flavored EVOO, plus lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Mix all around and cover with foil. Bake for 45 minutes.

Haddock

Baked Haddock in Curried Pears

Preheat oven to 425 F. Spread 1/2 of curried pear on the bottom of a baking dish sprayed with non stick spray. Top with fish. Salt and pepper fish to taste. Top fish with rest of curried pears. Bake 20 minutes.

One of Ted’s retired work buds stopped by this past week and dropped off some home made sherry. This one tasted like Apricots. Now I’m not a sherry drinker but this was very good. Smooth and so full of fruit flavor, it burst in your mouth. Good job and Thanks Ed!