beach. a place to regenerate.

I recently purchased a book, Beach a Book of Treasure by San Francisco photographer Josie Iselin.  I was window shopping in Solo, one of my favorite Solana Beach decor boutiques, and came across the book.  Between my studies of art and architecture, I already have quite the collection of coffee table books, but something about the images spurred the impulse purchase.  In her opening she states, "the seashore and its remarkable power for healing captivates us all." There is something to be said about the immense calm that can come from the magnificence of the ocean.  With the lapping rhythm of water, to the whistle in the breeze, or the fresh salty air - stress begins to fade and the breathes become slower.  Committed to looking closely at not only what surrounds you but also what is within you, the ocean allows us to clear our mind and presents the opportunity to look for beauty in change.  Just like each tide is new, our life can also ebb and flow, shifting to reveal new treasures.

steamed black cod with soy-chile sauce

With the recent opening of the Whole Foods in Encinitas, I find that as I give myself excuses that their meat and fish is so much better than the other grocers (this is debatable no doubt), I inevitably end up departing with a bag full of unnecessary overpriced health food.  But, in the recent issue of Bon Appetit, I decided I would take a stab at steaming black cod, a fish I rarely ever cook.  It was a very simple recipe that left the fish moist, and the sauce was full of flavor and zing (I also added an extra chile for heat).  I served this over pasta (as I completely forgot to get glass noodles).

Steamed Black Cod with Soy-Chile Sauce Bon Appétit | August 2011

by The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen

An aromatic broth of garlic, scallions, and ginger infuses the fish and helps keep it incredibly moist. Yield: Makes 4 servings 1 head of garlic, 3 cloves sliced, remaining head halved crosswise 6 scallions, trimmed, 2 cut into 2" pieces, 4 thinly sliced 1 5" piece peeled fresh ginger, cut into matchstick-size pieces 1/2 lemon 4 4-ounce black cod fillets, skin on 1 tablespoon vegetable oil Kosher salt 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce 2 green Thai chiles or 1 serrano chile, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro Combine halved head of garlic, 2" pieces of scallions, 1 tablespoon ginger, and 4 cups water in a pot large enough to fit a steamer basket. Squeeze lemon half over; add lemon to pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer 1/4 cup liquid from pot to a small bowl; set aside for sauce. Add 2 cups water to pot and return to a boil. Set aside 1/4 cup sliced scallions and 1 tablespoon ginger. Line steamer basket with parchment paper. Scatter half of sliced garlic, half of remaining sliced scallions, and half of remaining ginger on top of parchment, spreading evenly. Coat fish with oil, season with salt, and place skin side down in steamer. Scatter remaining garlic, scallions, and ginger over fish. Set steamer over pot, cover, and steam until fish is just cooked through, 12-18 minutes, depending on thickness of fish. Meanwhile, stir reserved scallions, reserved ginger, soy sauce, sliced chiles, and chopped cilantro into reserved steaming liquid to make sauce. Transfer fish to a platter. Drizzle with sauce.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/printerfriendly/Steamed-Black-Cod-with-Soy-Chile-Sauce-366702#ixzz1V22GBtg1