Wonderful Dinner, Restaurant quality, have paid for worse

Tonight's dinner was restaurant quality.  I would have been happy to pay for it on a night out on the town, but best of all I made it myself, it was EASY and delish.  I did a blackened talapia on my grill pan skillet with a Mango Raisin chutney and a Mango Cucumber Rice and Quinoa salad.  It was so fresh, light and just exceptionally yummy on this hot day, in an air conditioned house. 

The original recipes came from the Eating Well website (Mango Raisin chutney), my cookbook for the spice rub on the talapia and then from my Food Network magazine the Mango Cucumber Rice and Quinoa salad.  As always I modify them a bit, this time because I read it a bit wrong and also because I like to make it with ingredients I have on hand and the quantities one of the recipes asked for didn't make sense so I made my own combinations.

So here is what I made, it is company worthy (which is always a plus) and it made me feel great about this quick dinner I prepared.  Go 5 minute fish and a salad I made ahead.

SOUTH CAROLINA DRY RUB

3 T. paprika
1 T. garlic powder
1 T. brown sugar
1 T. dry mustard
3 T. coarse sea salt
1 T. coarse ground black pepper

Mix and store in an airtight container. Sprinkle and rub into meats. Makes more than you will need for one meal.

Note: Use on pork butt’s, talapia or any other meat of choice.

MANGO CUCUMBER QUINOA RICE SALAD
1 ½ C. cooked rice blend
½ C. quinoa, rinsed and cooked
1 mango, diced
1 cucumber, pealed, diced
1 red jalapeno, finely chopped
2 scallions, chopped
½ C. (¼ bunch) fresh cilantro, sizzor cut
Dressing:
1 lime, zest and juice
1 T. sugar
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
Garnish: Salted roasted peanuts

Cook rice according to package directions (Boil with a 14.5 oz. can chicken broth (2 C.) and ¼ C. water. Reduce heat to simmer and cook, covered for 15 minutes.) Rinse quinoa in water, add to small saucepot with 1 C. water. Bring to a boil for about 10-15 minutes or until water starts to absorb. Turn off heat, cover and let stand 5 minutes. Drain quinoa, rinse in cold water. In a large bowl whisk dressing ingredients. Add quinoa, rice, mango, cucumber, jalapeno, scallions and cilantro. When ready to serve top with roasted peanuts.

"Original recipe came from Food Network magazine."

MANGO CHILI CHUTNEY
2 T. canola oil
1 t. yellow mustard seeds
2 mangos, chopped
½ C. golden raisins
6 dried red chilies, stemmed
¼ C. brown sugar
1 C. water
¼ t. salt
Topping: ¼ C. fresh cilantro, torn

Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium high heat. Add mustard seeds, cover and cook until the seeds have stopped popping, 20 seconds. Add chopped mango, raisins and chiles. Stir. Reduce heat to medium and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally until raisins are plump and fruit is lightly browned, 5-8 minutes. Add sugar and cook, stirring , until it dissolves, about 2 mintues. Add water and salt. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce isz syrupy thick, 10-15 minutes. Serve warm over fish and sprinkle with cilantro.

"7/5/2011: This came from the Eating Well website. I didn’t add the cilantro because if you don’t use it all it will go dark and this made quite a bit."