Dragon Fruit Salad

I found this red dragon fruit in my quest for new fruits and vegetables. True, I was in Hawaii, on the tropical paradises where this fruit grows. I've seen it since in Sacramento, though I have to admit the fruits I saw weren't as large or gorgeous as these were. Dragon fruit has either red or white flesh, however both are speckled with black, edible seeds. While I've red that the white fleshed fruit is sweeter, it's been my (limited) experience that the red fruit is the sweeter of the two. They look the same on the outside, so I had to rely on the tags at the market to differentiate the two. If you're lucky enough to find one of these at your store, go ahead and pick it up. It's marvelous!

Ingredients: 

1/2 dragon fruit

1/2 cup cut fresh pineapple

1/4 cup fresh blueberries

1/4 cup fresh raspberries

Directions: 

Scoop the flesh out of one half of the dragon fruit, and cut into 1/2 inch dice. Cut the pineapple into approximately the same size. Add the blueberries and raspberries. Toss to combine and serve. 

Serves 2 generously

Stealthy Cooking Tip: I also prefer the red dragon fruit because of its jewel tone color. First, it's SO pretty! Also, remember that tale about eating the rainbow? Darkly colored fruits and vegetables usually tend to have more vitamins and minerals. Red dragon fruit is high in vitamin C, and all those tiny seeds make it high in fiber, too. One note, the red flesh will stain - your hands, your cutting board, or your clothes - so take care! 

Fisherman's Stew

I've been missing visits to one of my fav food cities - San Francisco. So many restaurants have their own delicious version of what I can only call "Fisherman's Stew". That said, I decided it was high time for me to come up with my own version, based on what I remember from tasting so many different ones. I think the walkaway stews on the wharf have their charm, especially since they're eaten outside. But, then again, the fish stews at some of the restaurants with table cloth and a view of the bay sport a taste that's hard to beat. Regardless of where, they always seem to be tomato based, with a variety of fish and seafood. Here's my version:

Ingredients: 

1 tsp olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 onion, chopped

1/2 cup sliced fennel

1 red pepper, chopped

2 tsp tomato powder (or use a can of tomatoes)

1/2 cup white wine

5 oz V8 juice (not needed if using canned tomatoes)

1/2 tsp lemon zest

1 cup fish or chicken stock (or more if the stew is too thick)

1 Tbs fresh basil, minced

1/2 lb shellfish

1/4 lb white fish, such as haddock, cod, or mahi mahi, cut into bite size pieces

Salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbs fresh parsley, minced

Directions: 

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, fennel, and pepper to the soup pot, then cook for several minutes until the onion begins to turn translucent. Add the tomato powder, white wine, juice, zest and stock and bring to a simmer. Add the basil, along with the shellfish and fish and cook until shellfish and fish are just opaque, about 5 more minutes. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to your taste. Serve in bowls, topping each serving with some fresh parsley. 

Serves 4 as a starter or 2 as a main dish

Stealthy Cooking Tip: I used a seafood blend from Trader Joes that included shrimp, scallops, and calamari, then added some mahi mahi for the fish. The premixed seafood made this a quick and easy stew to put together.