Blue Apron ~ Seared Cod

Another yummy dish.  The seared cod was served atop the delicate flavors of spring with fresh asparagus in a light lemon-mustard vinaigrette.  The asparagus was blanched, then tossed with fingerling potatoes and radishes.  The radishes "cooked" when tossed with the warm asparagus and potatoes.  The recipe called for capers to be added to the vegetables, but I forgot to put them in.  The meal was tasty without them.

I learned that Asparagus is actually the young shoot of a small shrub that is harvested before its flesh becomes woody.  The "leaves" are actually early branches that, if the plant was allowed to grow, would shoot off the main trunk of the shrub.

In Turkish, the name for asparagus is "Kuskonmaz", which literally translates to "bird can't land."  In looking at the plant, one can see that a bird cannot perch on an asparagus tip.

Fingerling potatoes are native to South America.  There were brought to Europe during the colonial period and became a food staple, especially in French cuisine.

4 Stars

Blue Apron ~ Hoisin-Glazed Chicken Meatballs

Absolutely fabulous!  The chicken meatballs were incredibly flavorful because the secret is to add the savory hoisin sauce and soy glaze into the ground chicken, along with minced garlic and ginger.  A tad of the Sambal Oelek gave the meatballs just enough zing.  Mixed with the sautéed zucchini and topped over rice ~ heaven!

5 Stars

Blue Apron ~ Seared Steaks and Mashed Potatoes

This dish was not a winner.  I followed the instructions for cooking the steak, but it didn't turn out the way I think it should have.

The sautéed radishes and snap peas, on the other hand, were delicious.  I would definitely make them again.  Sautéing the radishes toned down their peppery bite, giving them a marvelous texture and flavor.

2 Stars

Blue Apron ~ Salmon Burgers with Creme Fraiche Sauce, Arugula and Potato Salad

Another tasty meal.  The potato salad was made with creme fraiche and mint.  The mint gave it a refreshing taste.

The salmon burgers were delicious.  I supplemented the burgers with an egg, however, as the mixture seemed a tad dry and wouldn't stick together.

Of the first three meals, this was my husband's least favorite.

Blue Apron ~ Arepas de Carne Molida

Tonight's meal was Arepas de Carne Molida with Avocado and Pickled Jalapeño.  The dinner celebrates South American cuisine.  Areas, which traces its background to the indigenous people of Venezuela and Colombia, are round flatbreads made of cornmeal.  This meal was topped with ground beef, avocado and pickled jalapeño pepper.

I supplemented this dish with some extra ground beef, because the servings are small.  Also, the recipe called for adding the Molida Spice Blend "to taste."  Since I don't like foods that are too spicy, and I was already using the jalapeño pepper, I did not use as much of the spice blend as I could have.  Still, the meal was good, but it seemed like more work than the total effort.

The Carne Molida Spice Blend used in this dish is made up of:

     2 Parts Ancho Chili Powder
     2 Parts Chipotle Chili Powder
     2 Parts Garlic Powder
     2 Parts Ground Cumin
     2 Parts Ground Coriander
     2 Parts Mexican Oregano
     1 Part Cocoa Powder
     1 Part Ground Nutmeg
     1 Part Cornstarch

The Arepas were made of Masarepa, which is a quick-cooking maize flour most commonly used to make arepas.  The word Masarepa is a portmanteau of the word Masa and Arepa, meaning Dough and Cornbread.


On the other hand, the pickled jalapeño was delicious!

Blue Apron ~ Chicken Piccata

People who know me, know I don't do a lot of cooking.  So, when I heard about Blue Apron, the company that send you food, and all you have to do is cook it, I decided to give it a try.  My first week of Blue Apron meals arrived late Saturday.  I was so excited!

Today, I tried one of the meals ~ Chicken Piccata.  Everything I needed to make the meal was included and already portioned out.  Even the flour I needed to flour the chicken cutlets before cooking them!

The recipe was easy to follow, although it took me a little longer than the suggested cooking time of 25-35 minutes.

My hubby loved the dish.  The portion, however, was a bit small for a man, but was just perfect for me.

I can't wait to try tomorrow's meal!