Northern Exposure

Happy Monday everybody,

I just got back into the swing of life after a whirlwind week of time with my hubby, a visit from the in-laws, and a little mini va-cay to Seattle, one of my favorite cities.

Lucky for us, Matt’s brother now calls Seattle home and therefore we got the homegrown tour of many flavorful neighborhoods in this Pacific Northwest city.

Can you believe I managed to survive a trip to Trophy, the world famous (made so by the food network) cupcake confectioner, without a bite??  I had my off-white arsenal of grace and mindfulness to help me survive the potential pitfalls of cupcake land.  For some, a cupcake is just a treat but for a sugar junkie like me, its a gateway into carb hell, and I wasn’t about to go there.   However, I could appreciate these tiny delictables for what they were – creative, edible art.  Here is a pic:

But fear not, I did not leave the city hungry! In fact, not even close.  Matt and Ben (his bro) picked out some fine cuts of fish for us and we created a feast of Sea scallops, golden trout and asparagus, served over sauteed leeks.   See below for this delicious and easy recipe:

2 large sea scallops per person
1 lb golden trout (serves 4-5)
2 lbs asparagus, trimmed
2 leeks, trimmed, sliced down the middle to wash, and then diced
4 tbsp EVOO
4 tbsp butter
dill, parsley and salt, to taste

In a medium skillet on med heat, sautee the leeks and butter for about 5 minutes.  Add the scallops and cook for another 5-8 minutes allowing them to get slightly golden brown on the edges, but not chewy or dry.  Remove from heat, add dill and sea salt to taste.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, in an oven @ 375 roast asparagus tossed in 2 tbsp EVOO and sea salt for about 15-20 minutes, keeping a slight crisp intact.  In a separate skillet on the stove, cook the trout with dill, parsley, salt and EVOO on med. heat for 8-10 minutes.  Fish should appear almost slightly undercooked when removed from heat, as it will continue to cook for a few more minutes and fish gets dry FAST!

Plate the scallops/leeks over the asparagus and top with a 3 oz serving of trout.  ENJOY!!

PS: there is nothing better than greens and fish to quell the sugar cravings, and my palate was 100% satisfied, especially because of the fabulous company.

Blessings for a wonderful, off-white day,

Rebecca