Home At Last! with Patty Gironda

Asian-style Parrot Fish Dark soy, sesame oil mixed with a little olive oil, freshly-grated ginger and garlic! Yum. A little chopped green onion and blood orange. Yes! One of my last blood oranges was squeezed for a citrus marinade that made for a nicely-flavored and springlike taste! I might be rushing the seasons a little but this easy recipe would certainly be good anytime of the year! The Parrot Fish has a nice firm texture with lots of flavor. The bones were easily removed from the meat and so the yield is very good. I grilled the fish on the infrared for about eight minutes and finished it off in a very hot oven! Definitely worth a try!

Casa Bella Bed and Breakfast is finally open and guests are enjoying our spacious, modern rooms. Many of the furnishings were purchased locally but we still had to make semi-frequent trips to Piedmont Street in Atlanta for lamps and other small accessories. We also enjoyed the trip for a nearby Chinese buffet that has really delicious seafood on the menu-including an Asian fried Tilapia that is so crispy and flavorful. Paired with their spicy mussels and sushi I'm a "happy camper". Unfortunately, we've run out of excuses to hit our favorite buffet so I just had to break down and cook the mussels myself. For me, this is an enjoyable process but requires a little extra knowledge to create the deep, rich broth that flavors the meaty mussels. I buy the mussels at my local Asian mart and keep the in the freezer to enjoy when the mood strikes. A box on the half-shell is plenty for two or three people and also yields the pretty green shells which I saved for an upcoming ...

I just had to post this pretty picture; so pleasing to me.. From a simple digital photograph I am transported across oceans and continents. Popular in both Tuscany and Spain, anchovy-stuffed green olives are enjoyable as a compliment to bruschetta or simple grilled cheese bread or paninni. For me, they are best by themselves with a Chianti or Pinot Noir. For others, these can be an acquired taste! The mention of anchovies can really cause some to shake their heads in disgust or cringe with disapproval. But, I don't let little things stop me from trying to convert "fish haters".   I recently won over my husband . . . "a fish hater" from way back! 

  Another easy salad idea for the hot days ahead. This Asian-inspired salad is easy to prepare and delivers complex layers of flavor and texture. I cook all the components in my black iron skillet or wok and remove each cooked layer to bowls until I'm ready to assemble the individual salads. I have my cold items sliced, diced and seasoned-ready to be served before I even begin the cooking process. Experience and repetition have taught me how to prepare ingredients in the proper order to ensure that each stage of a recipe is ready when I need it. Learning the art of combining ingredients on hand comes from years of studying the core ingredients of different ethnic recipes and finding their common denominator(s). And finally, stocking my pantry with ingredients that allow me to grab ordinary ingredients and creating a tasty meal without a recipe. For this simple salad, I boiled the chicken wings with fresh garlic and saved my stock. For the black iron skillet I created an essentia...

  Here's a treat-when I am lucky enough to find them! Raw chick peas. I was so excited the first time I ever found them and look for them each time I shop at my Super H-Mart! Super H-Mart, in case you aren't familiar, is a super-sized Asian market that is mind-blowing FUN for us foodies! These are so delicious as a snack-and so different than the canned or dried variety. I am going to roast them with my garlic oil this time but I enjoy them raw! They remind me of boiled peanuts!

  I don't know the proper name for these crispy morsels but they are so delicious! I first sampled them fifteen years ago at a sushi buffet at the corner of Buford Hwy. and Shallowford Road in Atlanta. The restaurant shared the recipe and it couldn't be easier! Sesame Wonton Sweets: I cut wonton skins into strips, fried them in oil and drained them on paper towels. In a small saucepan I combined a cup of honey and 1/4 cup of water. I gently melted the mixture and removed it from the heat. Once cooled I spooned the honey on to the strips of wonton I had placed in a large bowl. I tossed the wonton coating everything well and finally added about 3 - 4 tablespoons of black and white sesame. I gave it another good toss and they are ready. The longer they sit the gooier the honey water gets! Yummy!