Quiet day for cooks in the New York Times' Dining Section but there are a few good recipes lurking in its mainly restaurant-driven content this week.
Quickly and Easily, a Touch of Elegance - Mark Bittman whips up lettuce-wrapped fish quickly and easily but with a touch of class. We like how the little bundles of fish and fresh lettuce are poached in white wine - these might be a very good weeknight dinner soon.
More from the Times below, including fermented sugar cane juice and tofu for carnivores.
Allure of Cachaça Spreads to U.S. From Brazil - Fermented and distilled sugar cane juice - it's not just for caipirinhas anymore. See how it's made, from jungle to bottle.
Tofu Meets Its Match in a Dish Fit for Carnivores - Melissa tempts carnivores with tofu fried up with mushrooms and chorizo - the ultimate smoky sausage.
One Pot - Today's simple dish is a Mediterranean Fish Stew.
The Outlaw Glamour of a Long-Banned Fruit - Mangosteens are legal! Finally! And they're in New York, served up for $6 each at the grocery stores and juiced in smoothies.
African Heat, Bottled in New Jersey - The tiny African birds-eye chili makes piri-piri sauce, a hot jolt of complex flavor.
(Top image: Evan Sung for The New York Times)


Straw Mat from The ...

I used to make a tasty salmon wrapped in a cabbage leaf.
The salmon filet is seasoned and seared on both sides.
The top of the salmon is spread with a little salmon mousse seasoned with herbs.
The filet is then wrapped in a blanched cabbage leaf and the bundle is steamed in a bamboo steamer.
Slicing the bundle in half makes for a nice presentation, like above. But this has the layer of mousse which gives it another dimension (especially if has had raw lobster coral mixed in with it.)
Sounds delicious, Art...