Experimenting again -- Grilled eel with portobellos and scallions

I'm back to experimenting with exotic items from the HMART. The kimchi series is over (though I do want to come back and wrap up some time with some reliable research on health claims). But until then, I discovered a grilled eel in the freezer. I'd picked it up on a trip the the HMART a month or two ago and I had it in mind when I wandered over to the Whole Foods to find something to go with it. Something simple. I knew the meal would start with the roasted kabocha squash, so I didn't need much. Mushrooms were calling my name. As were scallions, not just as a flavoring, but as a full throttled vegetable. Brown rice as a bed to lay it on. Done.

The grilled eel was easy, as it was already grilled. The package gave a few options, either baking for 10 minutes, a quick zap in the microwave (right in the package), or frying. I had the oven going anyway for the squash, so I chose the conventional oven.

The scallions and vegetables were a simple saute/stir fry with some oil. The eel already had some seasoning, so I didn't need much.  The result was startling.  The eel had a deep flavor which were accentuated by the scallions and mushrooms.  It all oozed into bed of rice, making it a satisfying meal--one that I'm sure to repeat soon.

This is so easy it doesn't warrant a recipe.  But go find one of those eels and see what else you can do with it.  Once I eat down the contents of the freezer a bit, I'll be restocking so I have something fun for one of those days when I don't have much time or creativity.

Kabocha squash revisited

After my first exploration with kabocha squash, I've repeated the same formula over and over: cut into slices, roast with olive oil. Eat. A little variation entered the lexicon when I turned it into an appetizer spread.

The kabocha had been sitting on the counter for a couple of weeks, and needed some attention. I also thought I needed a first course for our Friday night dinner--something that would keep us satisfied till the main course came along. Back to the blogs and such, looking for ideas. Nothing was ringing any bells for me, until I came across this idea for slathering the kabocha with some spices.

It sounded like just the thing--similar to what I'd done before, yet different enough to warrant some excitement.

I sliced the squash pretty thin. Thinner than usual. About a quarter inch. Used aluminum foil over the baking pan to avoid cleanup and brushed with olive oil. Then more olive oil brushed on top, and sprinkled with about a half teaspoon each of freshly ground fennel seed, coriander seed, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper. Roasted at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes, until it was just starting to brown around the edges and was very soft.

Magical. The kabocha had that sweet potato like quality, and the coarse spice/herb mix lended both a deep flavor and grainy texture. It was perfect to just stand there by the stove and savor them. As you can see by the picture, it never made it to a serving plate. We just ate it in the kitchen as I prepared the rest of the meal.

Since I don't have perfect slicing skills, some parts were thinner than others. There was one part that was VERY thin -- think potato chip width. That started to caremelize by the time I pulled the tray from the oven. And was the best bite of the batch.

So next time I think I'll try slicing it even thinner, and see if I can get more caremelization going on. Since I ony used half the squash, I still have the other half in the fridge, waiting to be tested again. Perhaps tomorrow!