“Real cooking is more about following your heart than following recipes.” unknown
That unknown quote is really so true. The Tuna Avocado Salad I will be sharing in this post did not start as my own. But, I made it my own by changing it a lot. It is easy, it is healthy and perfect for the summer weather here at the beaches.
In 2009 I started my blog. So it has been 12 years. I had forgotten all about it. It is a diary of sorts and still a lot of fun to put my thoughts, ideas, experiences on paper.
This is the final look of the Tuna Avocado Salad. It was enjoyed last week. Presentation is always something I care about. It adds to the mood of the evening.
The first thing I changed was the canned tuna. Fresh Sashimi tuna is what I used. Be mindful that you can modify this salad to your liking, using crabmeat, shrimp, lobster, chicken salad or whatever your heart or tummy desires.
The second thing that happened was that I needed a cylinder in order to make a perfect round stack. Could not find it anywhere so I opened a large can that held 32 ounces on both ends. For future references this recipe says that it feeds 2 people but it really feeds 4 if you use a smaller can. We had leftovers.
Ingredients:
two large fresh Sashimi grade tuna fillets (I usually say I need 2 good size pieces)
Mayonnaise ( I only use Dukes and you can start with a tablespoon and add more, but don’t let it get too soggy.
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (If you don’t like it, and a lot of people don’t, use fresh Italian parsley.)
2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lime juice
Avocados (They were small so I got 4 and used all of them.)
Pico de Gallo (Homemade, recipe will follow, use enough to top the stack. From 1/2 cup to a cup.
1/8 teaspoon of salt
PICO DE GALLO RECIPE
Pico de Gallo
This is not my recipe but it very easy and you can use it for so many things. Pico de Gallo is basically a Salsa. You can buy salsa at the store but why would you want to do that when it is so easy to prepare.
6 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 red onion, minced
3 tablespoons of chopped fresh Cilantro or Italian Parsley
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (I used bottled sliced jalapenos)
1/2 lime, juiced
1 clove of garlic, minced
a pinch of garlic powder
a pinch of cumin or to taste
salt and black pepper to taste
Combine the tomatoes, onion, cilantro or parsley, jalapeno pepper, lime juice, garlic, garlic powder, cumin, salt and pepper together in a bowl. Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving. You will have leftovers and use it for tacos or for salsa with chips. Mind you that the jalapenos give it a kick. I do love that though.
Continue with the Tuna Avocado Stack
Dry the tuna steaks and season with salt and pepper. Heat a good skillet with a bit of oil. We only seared it, so it is rare in the middle. Of course, you can make it your way.
Take fillets out and cut them in small pieces for the stack. Not tiny pieces, just small. In a bowl mix the cut tuna, mayonnaise, cilantro or parsley and juice for half a lime. Add salt to taste and stir it together.
Peel and chop the avocados. Put them in a bowl and mash them a little bit but also leaving some of the chunks. Salt to taste.
Place the cylinder in the middle of each plate. First put avocado in and pack it in. Remember that you are making a stack so you want it to hold its shape. Then a layer of the tuna. Again, press on it gently so it stays. Finish with the Pico de Gallo salsa. Go on to the next second serving.
Always treat your stack gently when you are taking the cylinder out. You see that photo above. I was scared it was not going to work but it certainly did.
The Chili Bean Salad made it look that it was placed on pebbles. This Salad was a recipe given to my children’s school cookbook many years ago. It is very good.
Recipe
1 15 ounce can each of black beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans and whole-kernel corn
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 cup diced celery
1 4 ounce can chopped green chilies, not drained
Dressing:
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons leaf oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon of hot pepper sauce (I used Crystal)
Drain and rise beans and corn. Put all dressing ingredients in a jar; shake well to mix.
Combine all ingredients except dressing in a large serving bowl. Pour dressing over salad and mix well. Cover and chill 6 hours or overnight and mix it from time to time so all beans take advantage of the dressing.
When preparing your serving plates, just put it around it just like the photo shows. You will have leftovers.
Life around a table…”If the home is a body, the table is the heart, the beating center, the sustainer of life and health.” shauna niequist
This post is a little long and you may think this recipe is hard to make. I can tell you that it takes no time. I think you will love it.
AboutMyBeaches has its own Facebook page and Instagram Page.
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Look at the menu. Dalmata has been serving carry out this past year and just recently opened for inside dining. I love the idea that it stays open until 10 p.m. Located at 28 Wilmington Ave., Unit E in Downtown Rehoboth Beach, DE.
Just tried it on Wednesday and was pleasantly surprised. Seeing the restaurant taking shape from the street, it look like it was going to be so comfortable and pretty inside. It certainly is.
A little Chianti, and a chat with our server, Katie. She was very enthusiastic and knew her menu well.
I asked her about the size of the pizza. She said they were 14 inches and good to share if you have other things or if you are hungry it would be just perfect for one person. I found that it was a good size. The crust was delicious. It really was and our choice was #1 White Lightning. This pizza had creamed roasted garlic and garlic oil. I put the menu above so take a look at it to see what else was on it.
But before the pizza an order of the Caesar Salad which was perfect for one person. Love the croutons and dressing.
Not on the menu as a side serving, but they were making some in the kitchen. I am talking about Broccoli Rabe. They were very nice in serving us a dish full of it and I hope they add it to the menu. We loved it.
Another glass of Chianti because why not? It is the beginning of the 4th of July weekend. I know, I know…..Wednesday, right, but here at the beaches we take an opportunity to celebrate every time we get a chance.
I almost forgot to tell about my calamari. I love squid and octopus. When I see calamari on the menu I usually order it. Lightly fried, a little heat with the banana peppers and tasty sauce. Went very well with the Chianti.
I really do want to go back and try a few other things. Love that the menu is simple. The best things in life are usually that way, simple.
Enjoy the weekend. Celebrate and remember those who have given their lives so that we can celebrate.
A shout to Katie, as well.
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I laughed when I wrote Good Food, Will Travel. The traveling from Rehoboth Beach to Bethany Beach and then west to Millville takes no time. All the beaches are closed to each other. Well, in the summer it may take a bit longer during the week. You know how it is. This particular Memorial Weekend like the usual ones, the weather will not cooperate for the most part. So, what is there to do? Shop and Eat!!
I love going out on Wednesdays. It seems that it is a quieter day of the week to enjoy the local restaurants. I think at this time of the year you need to call and make a reservation for most restaurants. Also, because the lack of help some may be closed Monday and Tuesday.
Perucci’s is located at 3507 Atlantic Ave., Millville, DE. Tel. 302-829-8727. Website? http://www.peruccis.com
An old building reminiscing of a Trattoria somewhere else. I feel I have to have a Chianti every time I step into, this small and very quaint restaurant. It is a family restaurant that has been opened for many years and their family recipes are delicious.
It was crowded but we had a reservation. I like to eat late so the reservation was for 8 p.m.
A Malbec from Fableist was truly amazing. I probably could have had the wine and just the bread. OMG it was so good. Warm and accompanied with very good olive oil.
A order of Calamari Fritti for the table. Perfect portion for sharing. Flash fried, chipolte cocktail sauce, citrus aioli, and spicy chili aioli. Tender and truly lightly flash fried.
I liked their Caesar Salad and have had it before. Perfect way to get your palate cleansed if you would call it that way. To me salads prior to the entree cleanse your taste buds. They call it Knife & Fork Caesar. Pecorino and garlic croutons.
An entree of Gamberetti con Aglio e Vino. Shrimp, white wine sauce with garlic and olive. For true pasta eaters this dish was simple but impacted great flavor.
My order of Veal Scallopini al Piccata. I loved it for many reasons. The combination of lemon, capers and wine sauce was light and simple, as well. The amount of pasta was just right too. Not an over abundance but a perfect serving.
While it was storming in Rehoboth Beach on Wednesday our dinner was memorable and cannot wait to go again.
A shout to Daniel who took care of us so nicely.
Have a great week-end.
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If you have been watching how people are moving to Southern Delaware you can also see that there is no housing inventory. A house goes on the market and in a day it is sold. I have seen that most of the houses have awesome outdoor living areas. My deck and outdoor areas are not the most fancy ones but I have enjoyed them for a long time.
They say that eating outdoors actually makes food taste better. You are more relaxed. You pay attention what’s around you. Being outside is a mood booster. This particular week-end in Rehoboth Beach was so crowded and Memorial is not even here yet. People are ready to mingle and sit outside and continue to enjoy life as it should.
Let me get back to barbecuing. My favorite is cooking with charcoal. Chicken, I do like to marinade. Then put the homemade barbecue sauce afterwards. This chicken was from Lloyd’s in Lewes. It is the best chicken in the area.
I prefer the breast and others prefer the dark meat. Don’t mind eating it, don’t get me wrong. But I do like my chicken well done. I don’t want to see any red when I cut into it.
And cucumbers in vinegar, oil, and a little sugar or sugar substitute is it perfect. Looking forward to that summer corn we get here in Southern Delaware.
Grilling Shrimp is another favorite. These gigantic shrimp were from Big Fish Grill in Rehoboth Beach. Butterfly them, marinate them and takes no time to grill.
Veggies are great grilled as well. Love eggplant. These ones were from the Brush Factory in Lewes. All you do is peel it, cut lengthwise, brush with a lot of olive oil on both sides, sprinkle salt and pepper and both sides, and cover them with flat leaf parsley. The parsley even though it will mostly fall when turned over, it will still have that flavor all over the eggplant. So delicious.
Look how delicious it looks.
This whole meal is perfect for today since it is Meatless Monday. Just a day out of the week to forget about meat and eat something very healthy.
Enjoy your time here in Southern Delaware whether you are a resident or a visitor for a short while.
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Southern Delaware and its restaurants!! You find them up and down the coast line. I always say “Good Food, Will Travel”. The Flying Fish is located at 300 Coastal Hwy. in Fenwick Island, Delaware. From Rehoboth Beach, where I live, it is only about 20 minutes. Depending on the time of the day and the season it could be more.
Right before you get to the intersection of Rt. 54 and Coastal Highway the cluster of red buildings is called Village of Fenwick Shoppes. You have arrived then!!
Reservations are a must for dinner. The restaurant is small. Tel. 302-581-0217. Have in mind that it is worth going.
I am trying to catch up with the restaurants before Memorial Weekend arrives. It is the official opening of the summer season. This year promises to be a very busy one.
I was dying for some Sashimi. It is my favorite. For some, having raw fish is not their thing but The Flying Fish has plenty for everyone.
I started with a Seafood Ceviche of squid, octopus, crab, scallop, fish and shrimp. It was served on a bed of greens. After eating the ceviche I asked our server if I could have some of that ginger dressing and it was perfect!! That ceviche was marinated in just enough of sesame line ceviche oil to give it a very light and tasty flavor. My friend, Sharon, decided to get the Gyoza Dumplings with a homemade dipping sauce. The Gyoza is a thinner dumpling wrapper and more finely chopped stuffing. Delicious, by the way.
I got the Sashimi Sampler which usually has the chef’s choice but since I love sashimi scallops I asked if that could be included and they obliged. Everything tasted so fresh. Loved it.
If you see on my plate there is wasabi. Well, in reality what it is usually served at sushi restaurants is horseradish that has had coloring added to it. It is strong, almost too strong and it really takes away from your rolls and fish. Fresh Wasabi is amazing. It has a slight sweetness to it. It is an expensive delicacy and most restaurants add a couple of dollars to your dish. Please try it and you will taste the difference. Where have you been all this time? Haha
Sharon’s roll was a the Mexican. It is a roll that has been around for a long time. Topped with crab meat.
As you can see, she also ordered fresh wasabi.
It was a nice dinner. Time to catch with a friend. And off we went to drive around Bethany Beach and tour Rehoboth Beach’s neighborhoods at night.
Have a great weekend. Remember that AboutMyBeaches has its own Facebook Page. Let me know how the Flying Fish was. Thanks.
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We had a craving for soft shell crabs. It is that time of the year when crabs have recently molted their old skeleton and are still soft, sweet, delicious; a true delicacy for all of us that like crabs. Soft shells are my favorite. After cleaning them, you eat them whole. In a sandwich, sauteed, lightly fried…Yummy.
I have had them before at Heirloom and they have been getting them this past week.
Love going out to the restaurants in our beaches on a Wednesday. It is not as crowded and I like to relax while enjoying the amazing cuisine our restaurants are offering. Sitting at the bar is our favorite seat in the house.
Heirloom is located at 212 Savannah Rd. It is in Historic Lewes in a beautifully renovated Victorian house that kept its charm.
The bread at the table very simple. Just a little something with delicious butter including one with herbs.
What to order as an appetizer was a challenge. You could almost make a dinner out of a few of them. I was between octopus, the Burrata or the pate.
The pate won. It was called a Shiitake Mushroom & Pistachio Pate. Sherry and soy gelee, porcini and horseradish aioli, spring herb and pickled carrot salad with sherry vinegar. It is a vegetarian pate. The combination of flavors was amazing and it was a light beginning to be followed by the crabs.
The crabs did make a presentation. They were sitting a top of a shrimp head bisque and blue corn grits. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. My first soft shells of the season and they certainly were delicious. I did not want my entree to end so I proceeded to take little pieces apart and enjoy them slowly. The salad was light and I loved the watermelon radishes.
If you like to end your meal with a sinful dessert, they do have them. But, we were very satisfied.
Hope you have a great week. Tulips are out, the trees are flowering and our beaches are considered HOT!!
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What a gorgeous Easter Weekend here in Rehoboth Beach, DE. The main roads were heavy with traffic, and I was just thinking what will it look like this summer. I will have to plan to go to the grocery store either at midnight or at the crack of dawn. Not kidding.
On Monday temperatures were warm and my sister in law, Susie, and I took off to check Downtown Rehoboth. A lot of people had left and the boardwalk was just delightful for a power walk.
What to have for lunch? Indian, Pizza, Salad, or seafood? Our choice was Henlopen City Oyster House located on 50 Wilmington Ave. This restaurant I have posted before here or shared photos on my FB page. Fresh seafood, amazing salty oysters, and great Bloody Marys.
I call it the Oyster House and it is great that they are opened year round for lunch and dinner and carry out, as well. Their website? http://www.hcoysterhouse.com
An order of smelts to share. It has been some time since I have had those. Lightly fried with a lemony sauce.
New on the menu is a King Crab Salad. Very well received by my sister in law. Having seafood and salads on this day after all our Easter delicacies.
It does not fail. I usually order one of their salads with scallops. Today they were grilled scallops. There is plenty on the menu and it is all good but this is a favorite.
While in Rehoboth, check them out. You will not be disappointed.
Want to leave a comment? Please visit my Facebook Page AboutMyBeaches and put your 2 cents in.
Have a great day!!
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Pies are comfort foods. When you hear the word pie immediately thoughts come to holiday pies. Apple Pie being the most popular pie.
Meat Pies and vegetable pies are very popular, as well. Some weeks ago I found a Crab Meat Pie and being that we live on the coast and crabs are all around us, I decided to make it. It, actually, makes 2 pies but if you want a pie with more height you can probably just put it in one pie plate and you will also have to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
I get my crab meat locally and at this time of the year to get fresh one you will pay the price. Thought about if it was worth to put it in a pie vs using it for crab cakes. What the heck, I wanted to do something different.
Ingredients:
1 lb of fresh crab meat (don’t like the pasteurized one)
4 eggs
2 Tbsp. flour
1 cup mayonnaise (love Duke’s)
8 ounces of extra sharp Cheddar cheese
8 ounces shredded Swiss cheese
1 Tbsp. minced onion
1 Tbsp. minced green pepper
2 tsp. pimentos
2 9 inch deep dish pie shells or any other pie shell crusts you may want
A little Old Bay Seasoning
Instructions:
Combine eggs, flour, mayonnaise and milk in a bowl and mix well.
Stir in the rest of the ingredients but do it gently. You want that crab meat lumps to stay intact as much as you can.
Bake the pie shells at 350 degree for 5 minutes. Cool pie shells.
Spoon crab mixture into pie shells. Sprinkle a little dusting of Old Bay Seasoning because what good are crabs if you don’t have Old Bay, right?
Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remember to adjust cooking if you will be using just one pie shell.
This crab meat pie goes well for lunch or dinner. It is tasty and so easy to make. Just add a salad or a green veggie and you are good to go. Enjoy!!
TGIF….Hope your long week-end is filled with fun.
AboutMyBeaches is a blog started in 2009 to promote our beaches and other cool places to visit. To discover the great foods around us. Check the Facebook Page and leave me a note.
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