• ¼ cup tequila
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 to 2 jalapenos, stemmed, seeded and coarsely chopped
• ¼ cup green onion, cut in ½” pieces
• 1 cup chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• ½ tsp salt

Combine ingredients in food processor and puree. Taste mixture and add more jalapeno as desired.

• 1 lime, thinly sliced crosswise
• 1/2 inch finger of ginger, peeled, very thinly sliced
• 1 lemongrass stalk, trimmed and thinly sliced, on the bias
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced lengthwise
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 4 6 oz flounder/fluke filets

Bring 4 cups of water to boil. Add lime, ginger, and lemongrass, boil for 5 minutes. Place flounder filets in a heavy bottomed sauté pan or skillet. Pour poaching liquid over the filets and place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and simmer about 7-10 minutes or until fish is opaque and flakes easily. Serve garnished with cilantro and tomato.

For vinaigrette

• 2 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
• 3 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp red or white miso
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 2 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 4 tsp tahini
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil

For cabbage

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 lb Savoy cabbage, very thinly sliced crosswise
• 1/2 lb napa cabbage, very thinly slice crosswise
• 1/4 lb snow peas, very thinly sliced lengthwise

For fish

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 5 oz. cod fillets, center cut if possible

Make vinaigrette

Purée all vinaigrette ingredients in a blender until smooth

Sauté cabbage

Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté garlic until golden, about 30 seconds. Add cabbages and snow peas and sauté until cabbages are wilted and peas are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and transfer to a bowl, then wipe skillet clean.

Cook fish

Heat oil in skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté cod, turning once, until golden and just cooked through, about 6 minutes in total. Divide cabbage among 4 plates, then top with fish and drizzle with some dressing. Serve remainder on the side.

• 3 c clam juice
• 1 750ml bottle Sauvignon Blanc or other dry white wine
• 1 half lemon, thinly sliced
• 4 sprigs fresh dill
• 4 sprigs fresh tarragon
• 1 dozen whole peppercorns
• 4 8 oz. salmon filets

Combine first 6 ingredients in a deep saute pan. Bring to a simmer and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Add salmon filets and allow to cook until just opaque in the center, about 7 minutes. Serve on a bed of lettuce and garnish with fresh dill and lemon slices.

Caper Dill Sauce

• 2 tbsp chopped capers
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 3/4 c creme fraiche

Combine first 3 ingredients. Slowly fold in creme fraiche. Do not overmix or the sauce will thin. Set aside and allow flavors to come together while you make the salmon.

This recipe was in Self Magazine’s November 2006 issue. Another one of Ellen’s great finds, we threw this together on New Years Day. We had a bit of trouble finding some of the ingredients since the market was nearly empty. We made do, and noted our substitutions below. This is better than any hot pot I’ve had at any Thai restaurant, ever.

• 4 oz. dried rice stick noodles
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1/2 C chopped onion
• 2 1/2 C chicken stock
• 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, with juice
• 1 C light coconut milk
• 3 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• Zest of 2 limes (about 1 tbsp)
• 1 tsp Sriracha, more to taste
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 stalk lemongrass, minced
• 6 sprigs of cilantro, plus more for garnish
• 2 sprigs basil, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 C canned straw mushrooms (available at Asian or specialty markets)
• 12 large shrimp, peeled & deveined
• 4 large sea scallops, cut in half
• 2 calamari tubes, cut into 1/2″ rings
• Juice of 1 lime

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Stir in noodles; remove from heat. Let stand until noodles soften – 5 to 8 minutes. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook shallots, garlic and onion until soft – 3 to 5 minutes. Add stock, juice from tomatoes, coconut milk, vinegar, fish sauce, lime zest, Sriracha, sugar and lemongrass. Bring to a boil medium high heat. Add cilantro and basil; reduce heat to medium low; simmer 10 minutes. Remove garlic, cilantro, and basil from pot; add tomatoes & mushrooms. Reduce to a simmer. Add shrimp and scallops; cook 2 minutes. Add calamari and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Divide noodles among 4 bowls; top with soup; garnish with remaining basil & cilantro.

• 1 cucumber, preferably English
• 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded, deribbed and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 2 or 3 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 tsp chopped fresh dill
• 1/4 cup champagne vinegar (or other sweet white wine vinegar)
• 2 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt

• 2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 8 green Swiss chard leaves
• salt
• 4 salmon fillets, skin removed
• freshly ground pepper

About 1 hour before serving, make the cucumber relish: Peel the cucumber and cut in half lengthwise. Using a small spoon or melon baller, scoop out the seeds and discard. Cut the cucumber into 1/4-inch dice; you should have about 1 1/2 cups.

In a bowl, combine the cucumber, bell pepper, green onions and dill. In a separate small bowl, combine the vinegar, sugar and salt. Whisk until the sugar and salt dissolve. Add the sweetened vinegar to the cucumber mixture and stir well. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside at room temperature for 50-60 minutes, stirring frequently.

Position a rack in the middle of an oven and preheat to 425°F. Select a baking dish that will accommodate the salmon fillets comfortably in a single layer. Brush the bottom of the dish with some of the olive oil.

Rinse the chard leaves. Trim the white stems from the chard, including the first 2 inches that protrude into the leaves. Discard the stems. Fold the leaves in half crosswise, sprinkle them with water and arrange in 4 stacks of 2 leaves each in the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle the chard with a little salt and lay a salmon fillet, skinned side down on each chard stack. Brush the salmon with olive oil and sprinkle to taste with salt and pepper.

Bake, uncovered, until the salmon is opaque throughout, 12-15 minutes.

Using a spatula, carefully transfer the fillets with their chard leaves to warmed plates. Top each fillet with 3-4 spoonfuls of the cucumber relish. Serve.

• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tbsp chopped basil
• 2 tsp drained capers, chopped
• 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 8 oz. swordfish steaks, about 1 inch thick

Light a grill. In a small bowl, blend the butter with the basil, capers and 1 teaspoon of the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, and refrigerate.
In a large, shallow dish, mix the olive oil with the remaining 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Season the swordfish with salt and pepper and turn the fish in the olive oil mixture. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Grill the swordfish steaks over a hot fire until nicely charred on the outside and just cooked within, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the steaks to plates, top each with a dollop of basil-caper butter and serve right away, with the Arugula and Endive Salad with Pine Nuts and Parmesan.

• 2 cups loosely packed cilantro leaves (from 1 large bunch)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1/2 serrano chili with seeds, chopped
• 5 tablespoons safflower oil, divided
• 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil, divided
• 3 teaspoons soy sauce, divided

• 2 8 ounce halibut fillets, each about 1 inch thick
• 2 cups green beans, halved
• 2 cups stemmed shitake mushrooms

Preheat oven to 450 deg. Place first 5 ingredients, 3 tablespoons safflower oil, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon soy sauce in processor; puree. Season to taste with salt.

Place fish, beans and mushrooms in single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons safflower oil, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and 2 teaspoons soy sauce in bowl to blend. Pour over fish, beans, and mushrooms. Toss beans and mushrooms to coat. Season with salt and pepper. roast until fish is opaque in center and beans are crisp tender, about 8 minutes.

Serves 2