Warm Cannellini Bean Dip

I just love dips. So last weekend I made this warm bean dip made with creamy cannellini beans, roasted tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and pesto. I say warm because at the last minute I decided to toss in some hot chili flakes as well. What a great surprise of flavors popped onto our taste buds with every bite. The white Italian kidney bean has a potato like texture and very creamy. Roasting the tomatoes with balsamic vinegar and olive oil brought out a sweetness from those little grape tomatoes. I roasted extras to make some tomato risotto later in the week. The basil pesto was made fresh from far too many basil plants I've grown for this seasons garden. Hey, you can never have too much basil right? The flavors of the pesto give the dip a mild fresh summer flare.

Use this dip as an appetizer served on crusty breads, crackers, or cut up vegetables. If you have any leftover, try using it as a spread for wraps or Italian subs.. just yummy!

Warm Cannellini Bean Dip

2 cans cannellini beans and drained
1 container grape tomatoes cut in half
3 TBLS basil pesto
3 shallots, minced
3 TBLS sesame tahini
juice of 1 squeezed lime
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp sea salt

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cut tomatoes in half, and place on baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil and balsamic vinegar over tomatoes and roast for about 8-10 minutes. Remove the tomatoes from the oven and allow to cool.

In a food processor add beans, tomatoes, pesto, shallots, tahini, lime juice, red pepper flakes, sea salt and begin to process. Slowly drizzle olive oil in, to make a smooth blend. Serve with crackers or crusty bread slices and enjoy!

One Pan Cilantro Cod Stew

We are major fish eaters around our house and really lucky to live here in Maine, where there's no shortage of the freshest fish and shellfish you can find. Of course it doesn't hurt to have a good friend that supplies me with much of my obsession either :)

Our friend Paul fishes pretty much daily in season, and on a day just like this one we went out for cod. It was one of those gorgeous fishing days, when you just knew you'd be pulling them in left and right, and that we did. Seldom is my freezer not stocked with cod, haddock, cusp, mackeral or bass. So as I am trying to get this freezer emptied for the new season I pulled out my last package of cod to prepare a dish I've been making for years. I make this dish often through the summer months when the tomatoes are ripe and just picked off their vine and cod that's just been reeled in. For this dish you only need a skillet, spatula, knife and a cutting board and a short list of ingredients. My kind of meal.

Simple flavors put together can create a surprising taste. Ripened tomatoes bring out the sweetness of fresh fish in this one-skillet stew. Simple yet delicious, which blend well together. You can increase or decrease each ingredient to your own liking--there's no right or wrong way to make it and this recipe may easily be halved.

One Pan Cilantro Cod Stew

2 TBLS olive oil, divided
2 lb cod fillets
sea salt to taste
1 1/2 cup diced onions
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro or more to taste
ground black pepper

Heat 1 TBLS of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the fish filets sprinkled with salt. Cook for two minutes, then turn the fish and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes until just cooked through. Transfer the filets and browned pieces to a warm plate. (It's okay if fillets break into smaller pieces).

Heat the remaining 1 TBLS of olive oil in the same skillet, adding the onions and garlic and cook, stirring until the onions begin to soften, about two minutes. Add the tomatoes and water and stir well. Lower the heat and simmer until the tomatoes begin to reduce into a sauce, about 6-8 minutes. Return the filets, including any accumulated juices to the skillet. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro and cover skillet. Simmer for two minutes or until the cilantro has slightly wilted.
Sprinkle the stew with ground pepper and serve immediately over rice or with crusty artisan bread. Enjoy!