Haddock Chowder 
serves 4-6

3 strips bacon, cut into small pieces
1/2 yellow onion, minced
1/2 carrot, finely chopped
2 large white potatoes, cut in 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 c water
1 1/2 pounds fresh haddock
1/4 dry sherry
1 quart of whole milk
2 Tbsp butter
1 sprig of thyme
1/8 c chopped fresh parsley
2 green onions, sliced very thin
2 big dashes of Frank's Red Hot (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

In a heavy bottom dutch oven (I love my le Creuset!) brown the bacon until crisp.  Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel.  Put the dutch oven back on medium heat and add the onions, potatoes, and carrots.  Cook about 5 minutes, until slightly carmelized (browned) and add 1/4 cup water.  This creates some steam, speeds up the cooking process, and will release the starch that will add some body and slightly thicken the chowder.  Cook until the potatoes and carrots are soft, about 10-15 minutes.

Soak the haddock in cold water for about 15 minutes.  Fresh haddock should have almost no smell.

Take the haddock out of the water and pat it dry with paper towels.  Lay the haddock fillets on top of the cooking vegetables, cover it, and allow it to steam for about 5 minutes.  When the haddock CAN be broken apart with a spoon (don't break it all up!  Just test it this way!!) add the sherry and the milk.  Bring back to full heat - but don't boil!  Add the thyme sprig (whole), the butter, and the bacon and stir well - taking care to scrape the carmelization off the bottom of the pot but not break up the haddock too much! .  Let that steep 5 minutes and then taste the chowder for salt and pepper - add S and P to taste.  Add the parsley and green onions just before serving.  Serve very hot with biscuits or crusty bread.  Enjoy!

Fruit Crisp with Vanilla Ice Cream   (GF)

• 3 cups apples, mixed variety, peeled, cored and sliced
• 3 cups mixed frozen fruit, thawed (I used peaches, mango, strawberries)
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons brown rice flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne

• 3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1/2 cup brown rice flour
• 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 c molasses
• 1/4 cup butter, melted 
•  
•  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degree C).   Spray 6 ramekins with non-stick spray.  Mix fruit and first set of ingredients and toss well.  Spoon this mixture into the ramekins. Combine the oats, rice flour, baking powder, and baking soda.  Melt the butter and molasses together in the microwave.  Be careful not to overheat. Mix the butter/molasses with the dry ingredients and crumble evenly over the fruit mixture.Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 45 minutes.  Serve warm with really good vanilla ice cream. 

Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

*sorry no pics for this one - and a nod to Bobby Flay, from whom I adapted

Dry Rub

• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon powdered garlic
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 2 tablespoons coarse grind sea salt
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Rub into flank steak, cover with plastic wrap, and let set for at least 2 hours at room temperature.  Rub mix can be stored in an airtight container for later use.

Chimichurri Sauce

• 2 cups fresh parsley and/or cilantro, firmly packed (I use parsley cause I'm not a cilantro lover)
• 1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves (optional - I used a Tbsp of dried oregano)
• 3-6 cloves of garlic
• 2 tablespoons chopped onion
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lime juice 
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Coarse grind sea salt and red pepper flakes to taste

Pulse the garlic and onion in the food processor or blender until finely chopped.  Add the parsley and/or cilantro, and oregano if using, and pulse briefly, until finely chopped.  Add the olive oil, lime juice, lemon juice, and vinegar, and pulse a few times You don't want the herbs to be completely puréed, just finely chopped. Season with salt and red pepper flakes to taste.   Cover and store in fridge.

Set BBQ grill on high setting for 5 minutes.  Place steak in middle of grill, cover and grill on high for 3-4 minutes.  Turn, and grill for another 3-4minutes.  Remove from heat and let steak rest for 5 minutes.  If your steak is particularly thick, you may want to grill  a little longer.  These times worked well for a medium steak, about 1 1/2 inches thick.

make sure you turn the steak only once, and don't poke at it or cut into it!


Thinly slice the steak against the grain and pour the chimichurri sauce over the steak.  Serve immediately.