I have some Alaskan Pollock and I'm wondering if anyone has any good recipes? I'm completely open to any preparations. Thanks Chowhounders

awesome- i wasn't aware they had a website- excellent! Love the idea to swirl into cheesecake.
I'm currently eating rice pudding with the vanilla caramel swirled in- delicious!

I was given an array of delicious goat's milk caramel from Fat Toad Farm ( vanilla bean,original and cinnamon). I don't make many of sweets and could use some ideas of ways to use these special treats.
I'd love some unique ideas- thanks CH

Final Menu- thanks all for you great ideas!

Appetizers:
guacamole & chips
Warm cheese

Soup:
Red Chileatole with Fall Vegetables

Meal:
Plantains dusted with ground chipotle chili and Thai Ginger salt
Nopalea salad with Jicima, cilantro, onion, tomato and corn
Jalapeno Cornbread
Sweet Potato, Black Bean and Spinach Enchiladas with an Ancho Chili sauce

Dessert:
Tres Leche Cake
assortment of fruit ice creams

I have a very similar bottle that I recieved as a gift and Cheftathome has made the right call you'll want to experiment. I have found it best works as a finish or as part of a rub. I like it on fish- something light in flavor, in pasta and with salad/salad dressings. It is not the salt I turn to the most often but is beautiful and can be lovely. I have found I do not like it anywhere near a tomato- but that could be me.

I found premade empanada dough at H-Mart in Catonsville- they have a nice variety

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H-Mart
800 N Rolling Rd, Catonsville, MD

On a suggestion from Dinning Diva, I am making a Nopalea salad for the 1st time. I have found a ton of different recipes that sound great. I planning on a basic mix of onion, tomato and cilantro with the nopalea marinated overnight.
My question is on how to prepare the cactus paddles. I have fresh lovely produce to work with.

I've seen variations on how to handle the nopalea preparation.
Do you like them grilled?
Raw and diced?
or boiled?(changing the water several times to reduce the slime)

Thanks CH!

thanks- off to see if nopales are in a market near me- I think I've seen them

Does Conrad's on joppa do Lobsters? if so that would have a great product. I know they have good frozen Lobster tails but I can't remember if they have a tank.

Also Wegmans of Faildley's

great ideas!! I want to make them all. Excellent call on the Mole- ancho/pasilla based sauce will be a much better fit.

What are nopales- there are several great mexican markets near me- what should I be looking for?

I'm really excited about the flavored pudding or cake ideas- Chocolate is a big hit in my family one of those will be perfect.
thanks!!

I love the idea of having fried plantains on the table! excellent. My sister-in-law is bringing her guacamole and they will go great with that!
Thanks.

a tiered jello dessert- check out joys of jello 1963 ed.
beautiful desserts and there is simply not enough jello at the dinner table any more.

personal favs.
crown jewel dessert- it looks like floating stained glass
supreme dessert- elegant parfaits with fruit suspended in them

I am hosting a post Christmas holiday gathering and the decided theme/inspiration is mexican/south american.
I have some holes in my menu CH can you help me out?!

7 people, 1 shrimp allergy and the meal must be veg or Pescatarian.
This is a sit down semi fancy affair.
(I've nixed tacos- I think it will be to nuts- I'd rather do one large dish served family style)

Apps: mushroom/spinach empanditas. But what else?

Soup: I'd love to a soup especially a veg or seafood variation on tortilla soup- ideas?

Entree: I'm thinking enchiladas and I'd like to do some either holiday or unusual flavors. I'm stuck on a spicy roasted sweet potato and black bean and can't think beyond that. If I did that what kind of sauce? Mole? (I'm also open to other entree ideas)

Side Dishes: 1. jalapeno corn bread
2. sweet and spicy cabbage slaw or green salad with pomegranate seeds and jicama?

dessert: first thing that comes to mind is tres leche cake but I've never made one- is it difficult (i'm pretty kitchen competent) other ideas?

Thanks CH

I whimped out on making the dough myself and time get the better of me (but I'll be trying your recipe next time!) The Pie dough worked GREAT! The flavor was a little different but when I rolled it extra thin it worked very well. Since I was doing thanksgiving flavors for the fillings the combo was good in the end. So in a pinch yes you can use pie dough!

Well I never did find the pre-made empanada dough- but I will keep loking- time just went to quickly.
I tried 2 subsitutes- Pie dough works GREAT! it does taste a little different but it easy to work with and bakes properly. Puff pastry was a DISATSER! the dough does not want to be folded that way and enacts it's revenge in the oven spewing the contents all over the oven. The result was messy and ugly but the flavor was ok- so we kept these ones at home and took the pie dough variety and they were a huge hit.

to simulate the seafood bake- I'd leave the onions (or at lest some) cut fairly large. One of the dominant features of a MD seafood bake is onions cooked till their droopy and thick with old bay. porker's & greygarious' suggestions sound right on. I think I'd use shrimp stock over clam juice but that might just be my tastes.

great- there is a shoppers near me I will check there-thanks

where is grandmart?

I'm getting down to the wire and can't find premade empanda dough in my area. I have one more stop planned but in a pinch would pie dough work? or is it really just better for me to bite the bullet and make the dough myself? Just how different is pie dough vs.empanada dough?

that sucks! I too wish they would get their service up to snuff but I feel it's a bit of a lost cause- they do fine questionable service and all

can I use pie crust or pizza dough?

Anyone know where I can find premade empanada dough in Baltimore. Wegmans does not have it, I'm sure it could be found in Fells- but wondering if anyone knows where to go for sure. I'm making empanadas as Thanksgiving apps.

I love the Helmand and it is a great place to go- but the menu (I'm pretty sure) has never changed, reservations are pretty much irrelevant (but still make them) and service can be aloof, rushed or both. That said the menu is excellent- the baby pumpkin is a must and the aushak is my personal favorite, if it ain't broke don't fix it I guess. Don't go there starving because you might have a wait if you have more than 2 people (2 tops rarely wait). They are all about turnover in this busy place (plus they cater to the time restricted theater crowd) so my advice is take your time and take control of the experience order at your pace not theirs. It really is a unique wonderful place. If you care more about great food than memorable service the above shouldn't sway you away from there.

RP- What about Faidley's crab crakes do you think are not traditional? IMO (and this is a highly shared opinion of Baltimoreans) they are quintessential crabcakes- the standard that most others fail to live up to. But you must get the jumbo lump. Additionally they have excellent sides- especially the mac and cheese and cucumber salad .
I've been going to this market since I was born and I'll admit I may get overly sentimental and defensive about the place but I take every out of towner there and it is always loved. It is one of the few places where all of Baltimore comes together- from the down trodden to the power brokers and everyone in between sharing for a moment in a common B-more love of amazing seafood. The other highlights of the market can be found in other posts but personally- I get roasted peanuts from the peanut shoppe and a couple of Berger cookies from the Berger stall.

If you want good crabs and you don't mind traveling a short distance out of the city- I recommend Costa's or Bill's Terrance Inn- they both have great crabs all year long. In the city and in the fall winter I recommend Canton Dockside or Bo Brooks. If it is nice out I love the crab eating experience on the deck at Nick's Fish House.

I totally second baltoellen's rec of Matthew's Pizza- it is a special family place that will cause you to have dreams about their pizza- it's thick pie with lots of cheese. Zorba's is great greek but I'm personally more drawn to Samos- their spinach pie is out of sight.

Blue Moon is superb but go during the week it is too popular and small to handle the demand on the weekends- the wait gets absurd. Also in Fell's point I reccomend grabbing a drink and some mussel's at Bertha's in the bar, especially when they have a blue band,it is a great experience. Grab some gelato at Pitango afterward.

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Zorba's
4710 Eastern Ave, Baltimore, MD 21224

Blue Moon Cafe
1621 Aliceanna St, Baltimore, MD 21231

Bo Brooks Restaurant
2701 Boston St, Baltimore, MD 21201

Canton Dockside
3301 Boston St, Baltimore, MD 21224

excellent-thanks

does anyone have an online resource you really like for asian recipes?

I'm mostly looking for Thai and Chinese recipes but not limited to those. I am really not happy with any of my recipes or cookbooks so I'm looking for new ideas/techniques.
Thanks

The once exception in Little Italy is Aldo's. Always special always great. On the lighter side I've had great drinks and snacks at Vino Rosina on Exeter (strateling the Little Italy/Habor East line)

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Aldo's
306 South High Street, Baltimore, MD 21202

I have to add my vote for corn pudding in here too- I use a recipe from a cook book I picked up in Utah- 4T butter. 1/2 c flour. 11/2 tsp salt. 3/4 tsp mustard. 1/2 tsp paprika. 11/2 c scalded milk. 2 can cream style corn. 1 egg slightly beaten. 2tsp worcestershire sauce . 1 cup buttered bread crumbs.
it is now a family favorite

brown butter and sage- I like to throw in roasted pine nuts for texture and flavor. You can't go wrong with brown butter

The Ambassador is great weekend lunch place also they have a make your own mimosa and bloody mary bar! and fresh juices. The buffet is lovely as is the ambience