Fish Kale Kebabs

1 lb wild caught firm white fish, cut into large chunks

1 large red onion

2 large yellow peppers/capsicum

1 large bunch of kale

1 small garlic, minced

2 tablespoons lemongrass paste

1 large lime, juiced

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

You will also need 8 skewers and aluminum foil. 

In a small mixing bowl, combine extra virgin olive oil, fresh garlic, lime juice and lemongrass paste. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Wash mahi-mahi and dry. Rub 1/2 the lemongrass and extra virgin olive oil mixture generously on the fish. Set aside to marinade for 1 hour.

Cut yellow peppers/capsicum and onion into equal size large chunks to ensure even cooking. Remove the hard rib off the kale. Cut fish into equal size large chunks.  

Assemble kebabs (refer to the picture). Brush generously with the remaining lemongrass oil (leave some aside for serving). Season with sea salt and black pepper. Place on a sheet of aluminum foil. Place a single kebab on the foil and wrap tightly so that the juices don't leak out when it's on the grill.

Preheat barbecue to 400 F on medium heat. Place kebabs on the barbecue and cook for 10 minutes. Open up a small portion of the aluminum foil to make sure everything is cooked to your liking.

Remove from the barbecue. Serve hot.

Beef Investigation Uncovers Fecal Contamination

www.huffingtonpost.com - December 17th, 2012

This is the origin myth of the food safety system in the United States: The beef industry was a mess, led to awful practices by the profit motives of a few major processing companies, until investigative journalist Upton Sinclair exposed many of the atrocities of the packing plants in his 1906 novel "The Jungle," which spurred the establishment of federal meat inspections, improving safety forever. Today, beef and other meat sold in the U.S. is safer than ever.  

This is the true state of affairs, according to a yearlong investigation of the beef industry concluded by the Kansas City Star this week: just four companies process more than 87 percent of the beef packed in the U.S., and take advantage of novel, money-saving techniques that significantly increase the risk of contamination by foodborne pathogens, leading to hundreds of preventable illnesses every year.

The investigation spans dozens of articles, tens of thousands of words and graphic illustrations galore, and is worth browsing around in depth on the Kansas City Star website.

Here are a few of the paper's staggering findings:

The investigators found ample evidence of serious problems with fecal contamination in beef at major plants, despite industry claims that beef was safer than ever. Fecal contamination is obviously the most disgusting kind of contamination on earth -- but it also vastly increases the risk that beef will spread E. coli bacteria, which lives in the intestines of cows.

Read More

Lemon Pesto Salmon

6 6 ounce pieces of raw wild salmon

1/4 cup fresh basil pesto

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 lemon, juiced

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

Combine extra virgin olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and pesto. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Coat salmon generously on both sides. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Put on a prepared baking sheet pan or on the outdoor grill, skin side down.

Indoor grill:

Preheat broiler to high heat. Cook salmon for about 5 to 10 minutes or until just cook (don't over cook!). Remove from broiler. Brush with the pesto mixture. Serve hot.

Outdoor grill:

Preheat to medium high heat until it reaches 400 F. Grill salmon for about 5 to 10 minutes or until just cooked (don't over cook!). Brush with the pesto mixture. Serve hot.

Pesto Almond Crusted Flounder With Hollandaise Sauce.

4 Flounder fillets or similar

1 cup almond flour

4 tablespoons pesto

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon lemon zest

Salt and black pepper

Combine pesto, minced garlic, and lemon zest in a bowl and mix to combine.

Season fish on both sides with salt and black pepper and coat generously with the paste. Roll in the almond meal/flour, making sure to coat fully. Season well with salt and black pepper.

Arrange fish in a single layer in a prepared baking sheet.

Preheat oven to 500 F.

Bake for 4 minutes on each side or until crispy and thoroughly cooked. Remove from oven.

Drizzle Hollandaise sauce over the top and serve immediately with extra sauce on the side.

Hollandaise Sauce:

3 egg yolks

1/4 teaspoon dijon mustard(optional)

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup butter, melted

Salt and black pepper

In a blender, combine egg yolks, mustard, and lemon juice. Blend to fully combine (about 5 seconds). With the blender on high speed, stream the melted butter in. Sauce should be a thick, but smooth consistency. Season with salt and black pepper. Serve immediately.