Chocolate Walnut Espresso Loaf

Happy Valentines Day! What are you doing to celebrate this year?  I hope it's something wonderful. I love the idea of a holiday celebrating love. Plus, it's the only day of the year where excessive consumption of chocolate and wine is deemed perfectly acceptable for everyone.

And speaking of chocolate and wine...our two favorite Valentines Day indulgences revert back to their natural roots in this Chocolate Walnut Espresso Loaf, utilizing cocoa powder and grapeseed oil for a health(ier) chocolate treat that's just as rich and decadent as the name suggests. (Obviously, to fit the occasion!) The cocoa and expresso powder are bitter and raw, but thickened by the creamy yogurt. Sugar is not overpowering here, a seriously welcomed relief if you've spent the day stuffing your face on drugstore candy (guilty as charged.) Best of all, since the chocolate loaf is lightened in fat but packs a caffeine punch, it makes a great breakfast option in addition to an afternoon pick-me-up or post-dinner sweet treat.

The outside crumb is firm and crunchy, thanks to a generous smattering of toasted walnuts, giving way to an impossibly dense, moist center. The bitterness is almost startling—begging to slice off another piece to make sure—but as I mentioned before, the absence of saccharine overmuch pleasant and comforting. It's kind of like a sophisticated mocha brownie bread. Oh Chocolate Walnut Espresso Loaf...will you be my valentine?

I've already delved into cocoa powder's fruitful flavanoids in my other chocolate recipes, but grapeseed oil is new to both this blog, and to me.  When grapes are pressed to make wine, the grape seeds become separated from the grapes. Upon grinding, the seeds release an oil that contain fatty compounds, proteins, vitamin E and our friends the flavonoids. One kind, OCPs (oligomeric proanthocyanidin complexes, say that 5 times fast) is an especially health-touting antioxidant.

Grapeseed oil is often found in recipes that require a high cooking temperature thanks to its high "smoke point", meaning it resists releasing free radicals (a known cancer risk) during cooking at extremely high heat levels. While grapeseed oil does contain both heart-healthy omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, don't throw out that olive and canola oil just yet. It's omega-6 content is almost double its omega-3 (the healthier of the two), plus it's high polysaturated fat content means that while it lowers LDL (bad cholesterol), it may lower good cholesterol too.

Chocolate Walnut Espresso Loaf (from Serious Eats)
Yield: 1 loaf

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups (7.5 ounces) all purpose flour (I used 1/3 whole wheat; 2/3 white)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup (7 ounces) sugar
• 1/2 cup grapeseed oil
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup plus 4 tablespoons chopped walnuts

Directions:
1. Grease an 8- by 4-inch loaf pan with oil and lightly dust with flour, knocking out any excess. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar until smooth. Add grapeseed oil, yogurt, and vanilla extract and whisk until combined. Add dry ingredients to bowl and whisk until just combined. Stir in 1/2 cup walnuts.

3. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Sprinkle remaining walnuts over top of cake. Bake until top is dry and a cake tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

Sources:

"Grape Seed." University of Maryland Medical Center. University of Maryland Medical Center, n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.

Marie, Joanne. "Grape Seed Oil Health Benefits." SF Gate. San Francisco Chronicle, n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.

Sacks, Frank, Dr. "Ask the Expert: Omega-3 Fatty Acids." The Nutrition Source. Harvard School of Public Health, n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.

Vegan Quinoa & Sweet Potato Chili

This Vegan Quinoa & Sweet Potato Chili recipe is a cooking checklist dream come true. Healthy? Yes. Cheap? You got it. Full of items most likely already stocked in your kitchen? Uh-huh. One-pot wonder? Done. Under 30-minutes? Yup. Freezer-friendly? For sure. Filling, flavorful, hearty, wholesome? Each more than the last. And last but not least (because I am running out of different ways to say the affirmative), it's absolutely delicious.

I've had this recipe on my "to-try" list for a while, finally putting my mind to it last Sunday in the Superbowl spirit. A true "pantry" dish, over half the ingredients are kitchen staples; the four fresh ingredients—onion, sweet potato, cilantro, and avocado— can be purchased for under $4. A little sautéing and simmering, and 30 minutes later, voila! Introducing the meatiest, meatless chili you've ever known.

It's so easy to get enveloped in the hearty delicacies of this chili—a plump stewed tomato, grainy quinoa spoonful, or tender sweet potato chunk; each exhibiting perfectly balanced hints of spicy, nutty, fiery, and herbed— that the realization it's sans meat occurs as a mere afterthought; most likely while you're scraping clean the bowl from your first (OK, second) helping.

In fact, it is so inconsequential that I debated even including the word "vegan" in the title of this recipe, fearing the word would serve as an automatic turn-off to carnivorous chili-lovers. I promise, this dish is anything but a paled comparison of the beloved game version. If anything, the organic vegetables and seeds yield even more hearty, intricate flavors: starchy sweet from the potato, and a subtle nuttiness from both the quinoa and a most unexpected ingredient: cocoa powder.

Yup, that slightly bitter, complex undertone adding an extra layer of depth to the multitude of spice is indeed chocolate! (Happy Valentines Day). Unsweetened cocoa powder earns the MVP ingredient award here, casting an almost mole-like nuance to the stew, and tempering the acidity of the tomatoes. With it's powerful flavors comes a host of excellent health benefits too, such as concentrated antioxidants (pure cocoa has the most) and cardiovascular benefits, including reduced blood pressure and increased coronary artery blood flow.

I thoroughly enjoyed my chili bowl topped with creamy sliced avocado and chopped cilantro, but other add-ons could include chopped scallions, crushed tortilla strips, and shredded cheese or sour cream if you're dairy craving proves insatiable. (But try it without, first!) This recipe serves 4-6, but if you're cooking for less I highly recommend making the full batch and freezing the rest for a later date. A chili so hearty is bound to yield repeated appentencies.

Vegan Quinoa & Sweet Potato Chili (derived from Milk Free Mom)
Yield: 4-6 Servings

Ingredients
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 6 oz can tomato paste or 1 cup diced canned tomato with juices
32 oz (4 cups) vegetable broth
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 sweet potato, cut into bite sized chunks
1 cup dry quinoa
salt and pepper to taste
avocado, cilantro for garnish (optional)

Directions:
1. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, and cook until soft and translucent, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes.
2. Add garlic, tomato paste (if using diced tomatoes and juice, add with stock) chili powder, cocoa powder, cumin, and oregano. Cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add black beans, vegetable broth, and sweet potatoes; season with salt & pepper. Raise heat to bring to a boil, and add quinoa.
4. Turn heat down to low, and continue cooking for about 20 minutes, or until quinoa is cooked through, stirring every 5 minutes. Add additional salt & pepper to taste.
5. Serve topped with avocado and chopped cilantro, or other desired garnishes.

Sources:
Shifko, Robert. "What Are the Benefits of Pure Cocoa?" LIVESTRONG.COM. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Feb. 2013.

Pasta con Sarde

One swallow does not a summer make. But one sardine does a winter make? For this humble but mighty fish, an unexpected cold-weather benefit confirms it surely does!

Named after the Italian island Sardinina, sardines are definitely the herring family’s hippest and healthiest member. Famed restaurateur Gabriel Stulman’s newest West Village hotspot, Chez Sardine, literally translates to “House of Sardine.”  And while ordering the minute ocean-dweller off a menu will most likely feature the fish in it’s entirety, eyes, skin and all; canned sardines (available skinless and boneless) provide an excellent alternative for easy and painless home cooking.

For such a little fish, the sardine’s health benefits are disproportionately tremendous to its size. Omega-3 fatty acids support cardiovascular health by lowering triglycerides and cholesterol levels, play a significant role in cancer prevention and bone and joint strength, and even promote ocular health. Worried about Mercury and PCBs? Not a problem in this bottom-of-the-food-chain fish. No wonder fish oil softgels are all the vitamin and supplement rage right now.

But in the dead of winter, when cold dry air manifests its nasty self in full force through thirsty skin and chapped lips, sardines offer an additional perk to these already lucrative health benefits: dry skin relief, packing a serious moisture punch from the inside out.  Chockfull of essential fatty acids that calm inflammation and keep skin conditioned, sardines can help alleviate your winter epidermal woes— straight from the kitchen. Your own home, a chez sardine!

A frequent ingredient in Mediterranean and Italian cooking, sardines offer a briny, salty burst of flavor that enriches many a dish, especially pastas. In this classic Sicilian Pasta con Sarde, the fishy protein elevates a simple “pantry” spaghetti to a whole new level of sophistication, flavor and nutrition.

Sautéed in an ambrosial stew of tomato, fennel, garlic and raisins, the sardine chunks are disseminated throughout the sauce, toning down the fish’s concentrated intensity.  The dish is finished with a generous smattering of toasted breadcrumbs, pine nuts and fennel fronds to deliver a delightful crunch and texture twist against the slippery noodles.

Merci, chez sardine. Sincerely, your skin and taste buds.  

Pasta Con Sarde (derived from Zakary Pelaccio and Food52)

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

-1 tin sardines (can use skinless & boneless) packed in olive oil (about 4 ¼ oz.)

-2 cloves garlic, minced

-1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced, plus fronds

-½ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

-1 cup crushed or diced canned tomatoes, with juice

-⅓ cup raisins

-¼ cup flat-leaf parsley

-3 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted

-¼ cup vermouth or cooking wine

-Juice of 1 lemon, plus 1 tablespoon zest

-⅓ cup toasted whole-wheat breadcrumbs

-¾ pounds dry whole-wheat linguine or spaghetti

-Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Open the sardine tin and drain a tablespoon of the oil into a large skillet, over medium heat.  Add fennel (not fronds) and cook until fennel softens and begins to caramelize. Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes in their juice and the raisins. Cook uncovered, so the liquid reduces, and then pour in vermouth or cooking wine, simmering for 5 more minutes.
4. Add the sardines to the skillet, breaking up slightly with a spatula. Meanwhile, pulse together toasted breadcrumbs and parsley in a blender or food processor, and then add 1 tablespoon of lemon zest to the breadcrumb mixture. Set aside.
5. Add lemon juice to the tomato mixture, and season with salt and pepper.
6. Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package directions. When pasta is al dente, drain and transfer to the skillet, cooking for 3 more minutes. Add a tablespoon of pasta water if sauce looks in need of liquid.  
7. Serve pasta immediately, sprinkled generously with breadcrumb mixture, pine nuts, and fennel fronds. 

Sources:

"6 Health Benefits of Sardines." 6 Health Benefits of Sardines. HealthDiaries, 14 July 2011. Web. 30 Jan. 2013.

Weitz, Gene. "The Best Foods for Dry Skin Relief." Smart Health & Beauty. N.p., 19 July 2011. Web. 30 Jan. 2013.

Spiced Citrus Tofu Veggie Scramble

I'm at it again—in defense of tofu.

I woke up on this lazy Saturday morning, in deep rumination over what kind of omelette to make for breakfast; conducting a complete mental inventory of all available veggies and cheeses. I open the fridge, and:

No eggs. I blink. No. Really? Really, confirms the refrigerator. It's 17°F degrees outside, Accuweather informs me. Feels like: 11°F. Inside, I'm already wearing a blanket and wool socks. So my corner bodega run is out of the question.

And then I see, partially obscured in the crowded kitchen cabinet, a box of silken tofu. It is staring at me. (It IS.) I challenge you, it smirks silently. OK, I think, challenge accepted! Let's do this. I've been reading a lot of rave reviews over tofu breakfast scrambles; egg-lovers swear they are converts to the soy substitute based solely on this dish.

My recipe hails from Kathy at Lunch Box Bunch, a reputable vegan who names the breakfast tofu scramble a "hearty, savory veg-classic." This Spiced Citrus Tofu Veggie Scramble recipe was test-kitchen approved by her non-vegan boyfriend. I have to admit, I definitely had my doubts going in: orange juice, soysauce and tumeric in the morning?! Hmm...I thought I'd be back to eggs first thing Sunday morning. But once again, the tofu won me over, fair and square.

This recipe is fantastic. The silken tofu was so light and airy, producing a crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth effect. The orange juice, apple cider vinegar and soy sauce yielded a very tempered acidity, and the light spice provided flavor without overpowering in the least. Put it this way: even though the scramble has hints of tumeric and cumin, this is NOT an Indian curry dish. It is 100% breakfast appropriate. A bountiful assortment of veggies add a wonderful flavor and nutrient boost to the piquant protein, plus a lovely crunch thanks to the kale and carrots. All wrapped up in a whole-wheat tortilla, this scramble is the perfect way to start your day. I enjoyed the tofu veggie scramble wrap plain, but you could definitely serve with a side of salsa.

Another nice things about tofu breakfast scrambles is their versatility; seasonal/favorite vegetables are welcomed based on your preference—Kathy recommends mixing it up to keep the recipe fresh—and spices are flexible. Tumeric is often used because it's yellow color is reminiscent of eggs, but if you're not feeling the spices, consider mixing your scramble with chopped parsley or basil. Cheese (vegan or real) is also a great addition; I chose feta, which complemented the leafy greens.

As I had already decided I was not leaving my kitchen, I made a few edits to the recipe based on my ingredients at hand.

Spiced Citrus Tofu Veggie Scramble (derived from Lunch Box Bunch)
Serves 3-4

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large carrot, shredded (or 1 cup matchstick carrots)
1 small onion, diced
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp tumeric
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 small orange, juiced (about 1/4 - 1/3 cup juice) +1 tsp orange zest OR 2 Tbsp orange juice concentrate
15 ounces extra firm tofu, cubed or Silken tofu, well-chopped
1 cup frozen or fresh spinach
1 cup kale, thinly sliced, ribs removed
Optional veggies: shredded zucchini, swiss chard, bell pepper, mushrooms, tomato
Optional cheese: feta, mozzarella, cheddar, vegan cheese
Whole-Wheat tortillas
Salsa

Directions:

1. Prepare tofu, squeezing out as much excess tofu liquid as possible. (This can be achieved by wrapping tofu in a paper towel and microwaving for 1-2 minutes).

2. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add carrots, onions, and about half the amounts of soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, tumeric, cumin and a dash of pepper. Saute until the onions have translucent edges and the carrots have softened, about 5 minutes.



3. Add in the remaining amounts of the seasonings, along with the tofu, orange juice and orange zest (or orange juice concentrate). Saute for 4-5 minutes over medium heat, cover off so the excess liquid evaporates.



4. Taste-test the mixture and modify the spices as needed.

5. When tofu is just about cooked and all the excess liquid has been absorbed or steamed off, add in spinach and kale. Saute until veggies wilt.

6. Remove pan from heat. Fold in cheese, if desired. Transfer scramble to a large bowl.

7. In the same pan, heat a light coating of olive oil from a spritzer (or cooking spray). Add tortillas, one at a time, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until tortilla browns. Flip and cook for same amount on the other side. Spoon scramble into warm tortillas, and serve with salsa if desired. 

Roasted Acorn Squash Soup with Rye Crostini

In winter, I find that I'm prone to two distinct types of soup cravings. The first is for hearty chunky soups, like a loaded minestrone, and the second demands a thick pureed soup, like a smooth-as-silk squash. Possessed of the latter, I found the prettiest acorn squash at the Farmers Market last week (I have to brag, it was gorgeous!), and set out to make this Roasted Acorn Squash Soup with Rye Crostini.

I can't say enough about what an exquisite medium acorn squash is for a soup. It perfectly complements the flavors of so many soup-friendly ingredients. Apple, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves enhance the squash's natural sweetness, while autumn-rich notes like sage, ginger and onion tip the scale towards savory, balancing out the sweet. Beta-carotene rich carrots gives the soup a substantive texture boost while illuminating it's signature orange hue. The result: a melt-in-your-mouth maze of flavors, every bite as smooth as it is scrumptious—and nutrient packed too! In fact, this soup is so rich in taste that a generous dollop of Greek yogurt is recommended to mellow it out a bit pre-serving, adding even further creaminess along with a healthy protein boost.

Equipped with a a flattened, round loaf of Nordic Bread's Finnish Ruis bread—a dense, hoppy-tasting whole-grain rye from the Union Square Greenmarket —I set out to make croutons, but the bread proved too flat. Instead, I came up with something even better: crostini mini-spoons!  I toasted thin, slivers of bread, which crisped perfectly in the toaster oven thanks to a quick spritz of olive oil.  The crostini mini-spoons acted as the perfect vessel to sop up the pureed soup. Cut along a thin diagonal, the crostini slivers can also be made easily with a whole-grain baguette.

Upon serving, the dish was really beautiful: a vibrant tangerine-hued soup, laced with thin swirls of creamy white yogurt, accented with the floating crostini crisps on top. Add a thyme sprig for a final aesthetic touch, and this one-pot-wonder—a must-have starter for cold-weather dinner parties— will certainly turn heads. Warning: requests for second helpings will keep your ladle busy!

Time Saving Tip: The squash can be roasted up to a day in advance, and then refrigerated until you're ready to start the soup. Also, after removing the squash seeds, feel free to salt & roast them along with the squash, removing from heat after 30 minutes. They make a nice crunchy snack while waiting for the soup!

Roasted Acorn Squash Soup with Rye Crostini (derived from A Sweet Pea Chef)
Yield: serves 4 as main dishes; 6 as a side

Ingredients:

2 acorn squash, sliced in half and seeds removed
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 carrots, chopped
1 large gala, macintosh or jonah gold apple, cored and chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 tsp fresh grated ginger
1/4 tsp. dried sage
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
1/4 tsp. ground allspice (or even parts cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove)
3 cups vegetable or chicken stock

salt & pepper to taste

balsamic or red wine vinegar

optional garnishs: rye crostini, Greek yogurt (non-fat or low-fat), thyme sprig

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Place squash, skin-side-down, onto baking sheet. Lightly sprinkle with salt and ground black pepper.  Roast in oven for 45-50 minutes, or until flesh is tender and skin is starting to turn golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Once cool, remove flesh from skin by using a spoon and scooping out the flesh. Discard skin and set flesh aside.

3. In a large, deep pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add carrots, apple, and onions and saute until tender, about 6-8 minutes. Once tender, add ginger, sage, cayenne, allspice, squash and vegetable or chicken stock. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Remove pot from heat and puree mixture, either with an immersion blender (my fav!), a blender (in batches) or a food processor.

4. Once pureed, add salt & pepper, adjusting seasoning to taste. Mix in a generous splash of vinegar. Garnish with rye crostini*, dollop of Greek yogurt, and thyme spring, if desired.

*To make rye crostini, cut bread or baguette very thinly on the diagonal. Line a shallow baking dish with tin foil and arrange slices in a single player, mist with a generous spritz of olive oil. Bake in oven or toaster oven until brown and crispy.

Fennel & Garlic Shrimp with Yellow Rice

Happy New Year! Did you make a New Year's resolution? Forbes identified #1 most common New Years resolution as going on a diet...and also as the most difficult to keep. More practical, they say, is to make small changes to your eating habits. Instead of just generically trying to "eat healthier," maybe identify tangible goals—eliminating butter, consuming less red meat, eating 5 servings of vegetables a day. Whichever goal you pick, you've come to the right place to achieve it!

This Fennel & Garlic Shrimp with Yellow Rice dish is inspired by my holiday vacation to Puerto Rico. While unfortunately I cannot conjure up the island's delightful warm sun back here in New York City, I can continue to eat fresh, light, and delicious seafood into the New Year. (Maybe it wasn't caught 2 hours ago in the same ocean I watch the sun setting over above my menu, beautiful hues of pink orange and yellow reflecting off the gently lapping waves...but you get the gist. And that mojito can be easily replicated for dinner here, too.)

In this recipe, the shrimp is paired with fennel—a lovely (and seriously underused, I must say) member of the parsley family, native to the Mediterranean. Armed with phytonutrients plus vitamin C, dietary fiber, potassium and folate, the versatile vegetables provides a great crunch and anise-like bite when eaten raw, but I prefer it cooked: emitting a tender, fragrant liquorish-esque flavor, the liquorish hues soften and becomes sweet; complementing the mild shrimp wonderfully, and staying within a Mediterranean theme. (Fennel pairs well with any flaky white fish, too.) Constantly looking for recipes that display a vegetable's full array of tastes and textures, I love when the same vegetable can be used more than one way in a dish, as is the case here: while the sturdy bulb is chopped and cooked through, the delicate feathery fonds at the tip—resembling fresh dill—lend themselves perfectly to a pre-serving garnish.

This recipe hails from Ina Garten's new cookbook, Barefoot Contessa Foolproof. While the title promises straightforward directions and easily accessible ingredients for an un-mess-up able dish, I did make a few changes to the original recipe.  Ina serves these shrimp as an appetizer, suggesting chunky bread slices for sopping up the fragrant, garlicky broth, but I was perplexed when my dish came out with no more than a tablespoon of this very tasty (but seriously scant!) broth. [Insert pouty face here.] This might have been a result of halving the olive oil, but nonetheless, there are a few ways to increase the liquid while keeping the oil minimum: double the fennel (the natural water from the vegetable will seep out when cooked), or add 2-3 tablespoons cooking/white wine along with the garlic and red pepper.  I prepared mine as a main dish, and topped the succulent shrimp over yellow rice, which became delightfully thick and saturated as the juices seeped down into the bowl.

Depending on the culture of your cuisine, the "yellow" in yellow rice may originate from different spices: in Spain, saffron; Caribbean, annatto; or Indian, tumeric. As the first is expensive and the second obscure, I made mine with the accessible and super healthy tumeric.

Dr. Andrew Weil, founder of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, writes that "the therapeutic advantages of turmeric and curcumin [its main active ingredient] are almost too numerous to list." To sum it up, curcumin's anti-inflammatory properties make the ginger-relative a leader in disease prevention, exhibiting antioxidant, antiviral, and anticancer properties to help protect against diabetes, allergies, arthritis, and Alzheimer's disease. "Looking for a simple New Year's resolution for health?" asks Dr. Weil. "Add turmeric to your diet." Done!

Fennel & Garlic Shrimp (from Barefoot Contessa Foolproof)
Yield: 2-3 servings

Ingredients:
6 3 tablespoons good olive oil 
1 cup chopped fennel bulb, fronds reserved (can double)
3 2 tablespoons minced garlic (9  3 cloves) (I promise this is more than enough!)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 pound (16- to 20-count) shrimp, peeled with tails on
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon Pernod (optional) Can use 2-3 tbsp cooking or white wine instead
1 teaspoon fleur de salt (fancy salt. Can use regular)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Heat the olive oil in a large (12-inch) saute pan over medium heat. Add the fennel and saute for 5 minutes, until tender but not browned. Turn the head to medium-low, add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook at a very low sizzle for 2 to 3 minutes, until the garlic just begins to color. If using cooking or white wine, add here.
2. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels, add them to the pan, and toss together with the fennel and olive oil. Spread the shrimp in one layer and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes on one side. Turn the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes on the other side until they're pink and just cooked through.
3. Off the heat, sprinkle with parsley, 1 tablespoon of chopped fennel fronds, the Pernod (if using), the fleur de sel, and black pepper. Serve with bread or yellow rice to soak up all the pan juices.


Yellow Rice
Ingredients:
1 cup whole-grain, brown rice
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (can substitute water)
1 cup water
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
pinch of tumeric (1/2-3/4 tsp)

Directions:
Bring onion, rice, chicken broth and water to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, 40-50 minutes. Let stand (still covered) for 5 minutes, then fluff with fork. Add tumeric, and mix throughly. Spoon into bowl, and top with shrimp, ladling generous amounts of broth into serving bowl too.

Sources:

Garten, Ina. "Fennel & Garlic Shrimp." Barefoot Contessa: Foolproof. London: Bantam, 2012. 92-93. Print.

Rose Shulman, Martha. "Fragrant Fronds, Pungent Bulbs: Cooking With Fennel." Recipes for Health. New York Times, 7 June 2010. Web. 3 Jan. 2013.

Weil, Andrew, Dr. "Turmeric Health Benefits: Have a Happy New Year With Turmeric." The Huffington Post. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Jan. 2013. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andrew-weil-md/turmeric-health-have-a-happy-new-year_b_798328.html>.