TV Dinner

Daytime television has done wonders for my domestic life. No, not because Dr. Phil taught me how to require more of myself and watch out for people falling off of turnip trucks. It’s because I have discovered the joy of the Food Network.

Once upon a time the Food Network was only good for watching (the original) Iron Chef make ice cream out of eels and for some post-bong hit drool sessions. But these days, the Food Network actually inspires me. To cook, I mean.

In fact, some of my very favourite recipes – recipes I may almost even consider specialties of mine – were inspired by demonstrations on the Food Network. I almost never go with a TV chef’s original recipe – there are just some things I will never have on hand, like crème fraiche, marscapone cheese and baby animal anything – but when the method is simple and the outcome mouthwatering, even when enjoyed only with the eyes, I get can inspired and give the dish a whirl.

I am surprised by what some of my favourite shows have turned out to be, and thought I would share a few that have helped turn me into an honest to goodness foodie gourmet kitchen goddess mediocre cook.

Fixing Dinner – Not even a real cooking show, but I like the premise: Busy, disorganized families call upon a professional meal-planner to help make dinner time a fun, family affair, and not the mess it has been. This is a Canadian show, hosted by Sandi Richard, who, while down-to-earth, hovers in that uncomfortable space between actor/host/real-life-persona, and appears to always be reading lines. This is an unfortunate hallmark of Canadian television hosts.

Nevertheless, Sandi comes up with some yummy solutions to mealtime problems, and while I may try out some of her recipes, there is no way I will ever be as organized as she thinks a person should be in the kitchen. Fun to watch anyway, if only to marvel over the fact that, apparently, every kitchen in Alberta is huge and completely unused.

Fresh with Anna Olsen – I never watched Anna’s previous shows, but I love this one. Maybe it’s because everything about Anna – from her (real life) kitchen to her opening titles to her husband – screams of shabby chic, and that appeals to me. Her food does too, focusing on local, whole and well, fresh (duh) ingredients. On the whole she’s a bit fussy with her embellishments and presentation, but this is television, so I’ll forgive her that.

Chef at Home – Michael Smith. In PEI. I love him. His fridge actually contains things that mine does; he eats tons of organic, local food, and he always mentions his young son. And he drinks the beer he’s supposed to be cooking with. And he actually made Baked Alaska, even though he’s not a 1950s housewife. Michael makes me want to eat things like baked corn chowder.

I would mention any of Jamie Oliver’s shows, but c’mon, we all know that the tastiest things on Jamie’s shows are… Jamie.

Couscous Encrusted Halibut
(Inspired by a Fixing Dinner episode)

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Feeds: 4

2 cups cooked couscous – follow directions on package, but substitute half of the water with chicken or veggie broth for tons of extra flavour

1 pound (4 pieces) halibut filets
salt & pepper
flour
1 egg + two tbsp. water
oil

1/4 cup mayo
1 clove crushed garlic
1/8 cup relish
2 tbsp. your favourite pesto
1 tbsp. lemon juice

- Prepare your couscous and allow to cool. Scoop the couscous onto a sheet of wax paper
- Rinse and pat dry halibut; sprinkle with salt and pepper
- Whisk together egg & water
- Make an assembly line for coating the fish: coat the  pieces in flour, then dip in egg bath, then place on wax paper with couscous, rolling to cover the entire piece of fish
-  Place in shallow, oiled pan and fry on medium-high, about 4 minutes per side.

- Prepare tartar sauce: mix together mayo, garlic, relish, pesto and lemon juice until blended. Serve with halibut

- Go watch some of your own favourite Food Network shows, just for the halibut.

*SoundBITE*
Couscous is not actually a grain, but a coarsely-ground type of semolina pasta. Hailing from North Africa, couscous is about as easy as it gets in terms of prep, since almost all varieties bought in North America are pre-steamed. A very nice substitute in dishes that usually call for small pasta or rice, couscous is low in sodium, fat and cholesterol and is a good source of selenium (an anti-oxidant that helps fight those bastard free radicals, and therefore, cancer.).

Comments

[daysgoby]

You are SPOT ON with Sandi's reading problems (can someone get that girl a scrolling promptER?) and Michael's goodness - I love how he has supper with his wife and son and they all talk about their days, like us common folk....