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There's nothing better than eating fresh out the water seafood! Our neighbor this past weekend offered us an extra Peacock Bass (or also known as a Butterfly Peacock). Below is a bit of information on this Florida nonnative species. If you are in south Florida, you REALLY need to try this delicious fish. It is very dense and exceptionally mild. The usual way to cook them are to saute with butter, garlic and lemon.  Here's a tip, descale your fish under running water. The helps reduce the flying scales. Another tip is to use a vegetable peeler if you do not have the proper tool. Note, we descaled our Peacock Bass but it was not needed as you filet them and then skin them. Their skin is exceptionally tough and discarded.  Butterfly Peacock:  Cichla ocellaris Appearance: Body shape similar to that of a largemouth bass; color highly variable, but generally golden with three black vertical bars that tend to fade and are possibly absent in older fish; black spot with

While growing up in Massachusetts, my family spent summers at our cottage. These cocktails for the adults were a regional variation on Long Island iced tea, and they always showed up at clambakes on the beach. —Ann Liebergen, Brookfield, Wisconsin Ingredients 2 tablespoons sugar 1 ounce vodka 1 ounce light rum 1 ounce gin 1 ounce Triple Sec 1 ounce lime juice 1 ounce tequila 1 to 1-1/2 cups ice cubes 2 ounces cranberry juice Lemon slice, optional Directions In a mixing glass or tumbler, combine the sugar, vodka, rum, gin, Triple Sec, lime juice and tequila; stir until sugar is dissolved. Place ice in a highball glass; pour in the sugar mixture. Top with cranberry juice. Garnish with lemon if desired.  private chefs and event catering Palm Beach + Boca Raton + Fort Lauderdale + Miami Beach info@yadachef.com | 954-367-YADA (9232) 561-285-7466 www.yadachef.com south florida catering and personal chefs

Serves 4 2 tbsp/30ml olive oil ½ yellow onion, diced 3 chiles, chopped (seeds can be removed for less hot filling) 1 tbsp/30ml paprika 1 tsp/5ml cumin 1 tbsp/15ml honey 1 C(8oz)/225g cooked chicken, shredded ½ C/118ml sliced green olives 2 hard boiled eggs, chopped 1 tbsp/15ml water salt and pepper to taste 2 rounds pie dough premade or follow recipe below Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add in onions, chilies, paprika, cumin and honey. Sauté for 10 minutes until onions become translucent. Add in chicken, olives, eggs, water and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and allow to sit for 30 minutes before adding to empanada dough circles. Fill empanada dough with ¼ cup/59ml mixture for large empanadas. Makes filling for 16-20 small or 10 large empanadas. 3 cups/375g unbleached flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 sticks butter/170g, cut into pieces and very cold 1 whole egg 5 tablespoons ice cold water 1 egg yolk Preheat oven to 400F/

We often put our own spin on recipes.  That is what makes them our own. It is often said that recipes are like road maps.  You should use them the first few times then feel free to improvise and take a detour.  At least that is what we always tell our students. How ever, classics are classics for a reason.  You will find different versions of the Salade Nicoise even in Nice. Different families will have their on version and depending on availability of ingredients some may use one vegetable rather than another.  According to Jacques Médecin in his book Cuisine Niçoise there are certain rules that MUST be followed, one is you either use tinned oil packed tuna or anchovies, not both. I must admit that I have found chefs in Nice that do use both and the locals do not seem to mind. The second rule of thumb is no cooked vegetables are to be added. There go the green beans and potatoes so often include.  Boiled eggs are fine. In all honesty I use both in my Salade Saumonée de Nicoise,

Mustard Recipes, Substitutions, and Cooking Tips Mustard inhibits the growth of yeast BY  PEGGY TROWBRIDGE FILIPPONE When the volume as well as the flavor of mustard is important to your recipe: Mix 1 Tablespoon dried mustard, 1 teaspoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon cold water, and 1 teaspoon sugar to equal 1 Tablespoon of prepared mustard. Let stand 15 minutes to develop flavor and heat before adding to recipe. Sugar can be omitted but the result will be much hotter. For additions to wet mixtures: 1 teaspoon dried mustard = 1 Tablespoon prepared mustard Mustard Cooking Tips and Hints • If your recipe calls for dark mustard seeds, you will be disappointed by substituting white ones. The flavor is truly that different, like night and day, and substitution is not recommended. When used whole in canning and preserving, the seeds do not impart a sharp mustard flavor, but add a nice, mild aroma. • In India, the seeds are often toasted until they split open much li

Mustard was around thousands of years before Grey Poupon BY  PEGGY TROWBRIDGE FILIPPONE Mustard, a member of the Brassica family of plants, bears tiny round edible seeds and tasty leaves. Its English name, mustard ,  is derived from a contraction of the Latin  mustum ardens  meaning "burning must ."  This is a reference to the spicy heat of the crushed  mustard seeds  and the French practice of mixing the ground seeds with  must,  the young, unfermented juice of wine grapes. The condiment mustard is made from the seeds of the mustard plant. The seeds aren't flavorful until they are cracked, after which they are mixed with a liquid to become prepared mustard. The culinary history of mustard as a condiment is extensive. History of Mustard as a Condiment As a condiment, mustard is ancient. Prepared mustard dates back thousands of years to the early Romans, who used to grind mustard seeds and mix them with wine into a paste not much different from the 

Lidia Bastianich's Spaghetti Carbonara Lidia Bastianich Mar. 23, 2016 at 8:15 AM Samantha Okazaki / TODAY Perhaps a perfect dish, this pasta is simply made with spaghetti, bacon, eggs and grated cheese. Since there are so few ingredients, be sure to choose the best possible version of each for the most delicious result. Note:  There is always concern about uncooked eggs, or, in this case, egg yolks. You can omit the egg yolk altogether and the dish will be a little less complex, or you can buy pasteurized egg yolks. One egg yolk is approximately one and a half liquid ounces if you want to substitute pasteurized egg yolks. Ingredients Kosher salt 6 ounces bacon, chopped Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup) 1 pound spaghetti 2 large egg yolks 1 bunch scallions, trimmed and chopped (about 1 cup) 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 cup freshly grated Grana Padano Preparati