There is a stillness, a quietness about my house these days, seemingly all of a sudden. I know its not, in fact, if I am honest I will admit that it has been slowly, steadily marching toward this day no matter how hard I hung on and tried to slow its pace. It's what we mothers do. My boys are growing up and more and more often I find myself cooking for two, instead of the small army I have been for all these years. How did this happen? I'm not sure....all I know is that it happened faster than I thought it would and it still managed to sneak up on me and startle me. My husband and I have become part-time empty nesters.
As parents, we have instilled all that we can in them - the time has come to let them go forth in this life. Our roles have become mostly advisory, as the heavy lifting of the job has been done. With the boys out more and more, my husband and I are enjoying more time together as a couple again, our role as parents spending more and more time on the back burner as our job is all but done.
The boys are off doing what young men do....finding their way in this life with a part-time job, a girlfriend, the last semester of high school and an apprenticeship. Home has become a hotel to them....just a place to lay their head, run through the shower and occasionally share a meal with us, the long lost parents, or just scrounge the refrigerator for leftovers. Oh to be young again!
Cooking for two has become quite liberating, now that the shock of it has worn off. The limitations of picky eaters no longer a consideration, I am able to try new things. My husband is willing to try anything at least once, so this new found freedom has me taking a second look at recipes I had once passed over because one or both of the boys would have turned their nose up at it. My husband has been asking me to cook fish more often for years, but unless it was battered, the boys had no interest in it. Picky, picky!
The other night, it was just us...again...curled up in front of the tv, watching the Olympics and cheering on our Canadian athletes (Go Canada Go!!). A perfect night for a casual dinner and to try something new. I decided to make fish cakes....My youngest son works part time in the seafood department of a large grocery store so I had fresh halibut in the fridge (although you could use tilapia, a much more economical choice.) Fish cakes are easy, not too serious, the chicken finger of seafood. Paired with a salad and maybe a nice piece of bread, it manages to be slightly elegant. I made it with coleslaw and, only because my husband asked repeatedly, potato fritters. My mother used to make fritters....sliced potatoes, battered and deep fried. As a child, I could have eaten these everyday if she would have just made them! As an adult, I have come to accept that they are definitely not good for you and should only be eaten with abandon (and malt vinegar) occasionally.
Halibut Fish Cakes with Lemon Chili Mayo
Adapted from Canadian Living Healthy Dinners
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
2 green onions, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1 LB fresh halibut fillets
1 cup bread crumbs ( I used two slices of white bread that I ground in the food processor)
1 egg
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
Lemon Chili Mayo
1/3 cup light mayonnaise
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp chili powder
Combine celery, green onions and parsley in bowl of food processor. Pulse to combine until finely chopped. Scrape into bowl and set aside. Add the fish to the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Do not pureé. Add to bowl with celery, green onion and parsley mixture. Mix in bread crumbs, egg, mustard and pepper. Divide into four portions and form into thick patties.
Heat oil in non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cook fish cakes, turning until nicely browned and firm to touch, about 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, to make the dipping mayo, whisk the mayonnaise, lemon juice and chil powder together until well combined. Serve with the fish cakes.
As parents, we have instilled all that we can in them - the time has come to let them go forth in this life. Our roles have become mostly advisory, as the heavy lifting of the job has been done. With the boys out more and more, my husband and I are enjoying more time together as a couple again, our role as parents spending more and more time on the back burner as our job is all but done.
The boys are off doing what young men do....finding their way in this life with a part-time job, a girlfriend, the last semester of high school and an apprenticeship. Home has become a hotel to them....just a place to lay their head, run through the shower and occasionally share a meal with us, the long lost parents, or just scrounge the refrigerator for leftovers. Oh to be young again!
Cooking for two has become quite liberating, now that the shock of it has worn off. The limitations of picky eaters no longer a consideration, I am able to try new things. My husband is willing to try anything at least once, so this new found freedom has me taking a second look at recipes I had once passed over because one or both of the boys would have turned their nose up at it. My husband has been asking me to cook fish more often for years, but unless it was battered, the boys had no interest in it. Picky, picky!
The other night, it was just us...again...curled up in front of the tv, watching the Olympics and cheering on our Canadian athletes (Go Canada Go!!). A perfect night for a casual dinner and to try something new. I decided to make fish cakes....My youngest son works part time in the seafood department of a large grocery store so I had fresh halibut in the fridge (although you could use tilapia, a much more economical choice.) Fish cakes are easy, not too serious, the chicken finger of seafood. Paired with a salad and maybe a nice piece of bread, it manages to be slightly elegant. I made it with coleslaw and, only because my husband asked repeatedly, potato fritters. My mother used to make fritters....sliced potatoes, battered and deep fried. As a child, I could have eaten these everyday if she would have just made them! As an adult, I have come to accept that they are definitely not good for you and should only be eaten with abandon (and malt vinegar) occasionally.
Halibut Fish Cakes with Lemon Chili Mayo
Adapted from Canadian Living Healthy Dinners
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
2 green onions, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1 LB fresh halibut fillets
1 cup bread crumbs ( I used two slices of white bread that I ground in the food processor)
1 egg
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
Lemon Chili Mayo
1/3 cup light mayonnaise
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp chili powder
Combine celery, green onions and parsley in bowl of food processor. Pulse to combine until finely chopped. Scrape into bowl and set aside. Add the fish to the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Do not pureé. Add to bowl with celery, green onion and parsley mixture. Mix in bread crumbs, egg, mustard and pepper. Divide into four portions and form into thick patties.
Heat oil in non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cook fish cakes, turning until nicely browned and firm to touch, about 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, to make the dipping mayo, whisk the mayonnaise, lemon juice and chil powder together until well combined. Serve with the fish cakes.
Sorry Dear Reader...in my haste to get back to watching the Olympics, I didn't take any pictures of the fish cakes plated. My husband said they were fantastic...you're just going to have to take his word for it.
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