In my first foray into the kitchen in a *very* long time (my first time teaching + a four month old + a husband on paternity leave = no cooking for me) I made Soy Glazed Salmon with Lemon (in a earlier post) and also whipped up this great salad dressing that I found on the Earthbound Farm site.
Asian Citrus Vinaigrette
1/4 cup fresh tangerine or orange juice
2 tablespoons rice vinegar (unseasoned)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon peeled and finely grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Combine all ingredients and stir vigorously.
I didn't have any fresh ginger so I skipped it and it was still great. I served over baby spinach with some slivered almonds on top.
A triumphant return to the kitchen!
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Gnudi!
Back to the kitchen tonight after a very long hiatus brought on by 7 weekends of travel in the last 9 weeks, leaving very little time for grocery shopping or meal planning. I'm catching up on Top Chef DC, where gnudi was featured on a recent episode, and decided to try it with this recipe by Giada DeLaurentis. Delicious and hearty for a thunderstorm-y day.
Ingredients
* 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
* 1 pound frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (I substituted fresh, finely chopped spinach)
* 1 cup grated Parmesan
* 2 eggs
* 2 egg yolks
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus 1 cup for coating (I found it took a little more than 5 T flour to get the dumplings to stick together)
* Store bought marinara sauce, heated
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
In a large bowl, mix ricotta, spinach, Parmesan cheese, eggs, and yolks. Stir in nutmeg, salt, pepper, and flour. Form mixture in to small, flattened balls.
Dredge the formed gnudi in flour to coat, tapping off the excess. Slide formed gnudi into the boiling water. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan; work in batches if necessary. Remove the gnudi using a slotted spoon after they float to the top and have cooked for about 4 minutes. (I found the dumplings rose after about 2.5 minutes and would recommend cooking them to 4 minutes total, as ours were a tiny bit soft.)
Arrange gnudi on a platter and lightly drizzle with marinara sauce.
Ingredients
* 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
* 1 pound frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (I substituted fresh, finely chopped spinach)
* 1 cup grated Parmesan
* 2 eggs
* 2 egg yolks
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus 1 cup for coating (I found it took a little more than 5 T flour to get the dumplings to stick together)
* Store bought marinara sauce, heated
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
In a large bowl, mix ricotta, spinach, Parmesan cheese, eggs, and yolks. Stir in nutmeg, salt, pepper, and flour. Form mixture in to small, flattened balls.
Dredge the formed gnudi in flour to coat, tapping off the excess. Slide formed gnudi into the boiling water. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan; work in batches if necessary. Remove the gnudi using a slotted spoon after they float to the top and have cooked for about 4 minutes. (I found the dumplings rose after about 2.5 minutes and would recommend cooking them to 4 minutes total, as ours were a tiny bit soft.)
Arrange gnudi on a platter and lightly drizzle with marinara sauce.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Chicken Stir Fry with Broccoli, Green and Yellow Beans
More CSA-inspired goodness, this time with green and yellow beans as the centerpiece. I can't remember where I got this recipe, but modified it a bit from the original - didn't have any red pepper sauce. It was delicious and literally took me maybe 10-15 minutes to throw together. We marinated our chicken the night before when we cooked another chicken dish, and this made it even faster and easier. I also tossed on a bit of the thai peanut sauce noted in the previous recipe at the end, which gave some additional flavor.
* 6 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
* 3 tablespoons soy sauce
* 3/4 teaspoon Asian spice blend
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil
* 1/2 pound green beans, stem ends trimmed, cut into 3-inch lengths (we used green and yellow)
* 1 tablespoon minced garlic
* 1/4 cup roughly chopped cashews
* 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
* 1 teaspoon sesame oil
* 1 tablespoon lightly toasted white sesame seeds
* 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
* Chopped green onions
Directions
In a bowl, combine the chicken, 4 1/2 teaspoons of the soy sauce, and Asian spice blend. Toss to coat and let sit for 10 minutes. (We just marinated our chicken in a thai peanut marinade from Whole Foods the night before and threw it in the pan.)
In a large wok, heat the oil over high heat and cook some of the green onions. Add the chicken and stirring constantly, cook until brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the beans and stir-fry until wrinkled, stirring, about 2 to 3 minutes; add the broccoli about a minute after the beans. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 10 seconds. Add the cashews, hoisin, remaining 3 teaspoons of soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes. Stir to coat, and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and serve immediately over white rice. Garnish with green onions.
* 6 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
* 3 tablespoons soy sauce
* 3/4 teaspoon Asian spice blend
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil
* 1/2 pound green beans, stem ends trimmed, cut into 3-inch lengths (we used green and yellow)
* 1 tablespoon minced garlic
* 1/4 cup roughly chopped cashews
* 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
* 1 teaspoon sesame oil
* 1 tablespoon lightly toasted white sesame seeds
* 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
* Chopped green onions
Directions
In a bowl, combine the chicken, 4 1/2 teaspoons of the soy sauce, and Asian spice blend. Toss to coat and let sit for 10 minutes. (We just marinated our chicken in a thai peanut marinade from Whole Foods the night before and threw it in the pan.)
In a large wok, heat the oil over high heat and cook some of the green onions. Add the chicken and stirring constantly, cook until brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the beans and stir-fry until wrinkled, stirring, about 2 to 3 minutes; add the broccoli about a minute after the beans. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 10 seconds. Add the cashews, hoisin, remaining 3 teaspoons of soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes. Stir to coat, and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and serve immediately over white rice. Garnish with green onions.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Napa Cabbage, Chicken and Thai Peanut Sauce Salad
We inherited our friends' CSA haul for two weeks while they're out of town, which has literally been a life changing experience. My mom jokes about her "balanced lifetime" philosophy towards vegetable eating, developed to avoid guilt over my picky eating in childhood; the idea was that over the course of a whole lifetime, I'd eat enough vegetables. Well, this week has certainly made up for those early years - I probably have had more servings of vegetables than I did for the first decade of my life.
Today I chose to use the giant, gorgeous Napa cabbage from Tantre farms and made this delicious, hearty, healthy protein-filled salad, with an absolutely delectable homemade peanut sauce I found on the internet from a great site called shesimmers.com. This is my new favorite thing, and the chef/blog author says it keeps for weeks in the fridge. I can imagine a lot of other uses besides salad dressing too, like stir frys (fries?) or satays.
For salad:
1 head Napa cabbage
1 chopped green onion, mostly white parts
Black sesame seeds
Toasted sesame seeds
Unsalted peanuts
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
Cut up green leafy parts of Napa cabbage into bite size pieces and put in bowls. Garnish with unsalted peanuts, black and toasted sesame seeds, and chopped green onion. Meanwhile, cook the cubed chicken pieces in a nonstick skillet with some olive oil. Put chicken on top of prepared salads and top with Thai peanut sauce, add sea salt and pepper to taste.
For Thai peanut sauce dressing:
1 13.5 oz can of coconut milk
About 1/4 cup of Thai red curry sauce
3/4 cup peanut butter (I used chunky but the original recipe says creamy)
1/2 tablespoon salt
3/4 cup sugar (I used a little less)
2 tablespoons white vinegar (can use cider too, just not red)
1/2 cup water
Combine everything in a saucepan and bring to a low boil over medium heat, whisking constantly.
Let the mixture simmer for 3-5 minutes.
Serve over salad.
Salad adapted from shesimmers.com, peanut sauce recipe at http://www.shesimmers.com/2009/03/how-to-make-thai-peanut-sauce-my-moms.html
Today I chose to use the giant, gorgeous Napa cabbage from Tantre farms and made this delicious, hearty, healthy protein-filled salad, with an absolutely delectable homemade peanut sauce I found on the internet from a great site called shesimmers.com. This is my new favorite thing, and the chef/blog author says it keeps for weeks in the fridge. I can imagine a lot of other uses besides salad dressing too, like stir frys (fries?) or satays.
For salad:
1 head Napa cabbage
1 chopped green onion, mostly white parts
Black sesame seeds
Toasted sesame seeds
Unsalted peanuts
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
Cut up green leafy parts of Napa cabbage into bite size pieces and put in bowls. Garnish with unsalted peanuts, black and toasted sesame seeds, and chopped green onion. Meanwhile, cook the cubed chicken pieces in a nonstick skillet with some olive oil. Put chicken on top of prepared salads and top with Thai peanut sauce, add sea salt and pepper to taste.
For Thai peanut sauce dressing:
1 13.5 oz can of coconut milk
About 1/4 cup of Thai red curry sauce
3/4 cup peanut butter (I used chunky but the original recipe says creamy)
1/2 tablespoon salt
3/4 cup sugar (I used a little less)
2 tablespoons white vinegar (can use cider too, just not red)
1/2 cup water
Combine everything in a saucepan and bring to a low boil over medium heat, whisking constantly.
Let the mixture simmer for 3-5 minutes.
Serve over salad.
Salad adapted from shesimmers.com, peanut sauce recipe at http://www.shesimmers.com/2009/03/how-to-make-thai-peanut-sauce-my-moms.html
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Butternut Squash and Zucchini Risotto
Holy fast and easy risotto! I didn't know such a thing was possible, but I ate my words today along with copious quantities of this delectable dish. Amazingly, it didn't take more than 1/2 an hour from start to finish, and was not very dish-dirtying, either! I definitely recommend following the "variation" noted at the end by the recipe's author, cooking the butternut squash and zucchini separately to speed things up a bit. I also put the onions in a blender to chop them up very fine, as I don't like the texture of thick-cut onions, even when minced. I added the butter which was delicious, and I found that substituting the white wine for some of the stock (the recipe originally said 3 cups stock instead of wine) gave it a really delicious yet subtle flavor. Might also up the quantities of butternut squash as well.
Butternut Squash and Zucchini Risotto:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic – crushed
1 small onion
1 zucchini
1/2 butternut squash (poke holes in the squash and heat in the microwave for 3 minutes to make cutting easier) - I would even use a full squash
1 cup arborio rice
About 3 cups stock (can be real or made, vegetarian or chicken) or 2 cups stock, 1 cup white wine
Generous grated Parmesan cheese
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.
Peel and cut all the vegetables into small pieces (about 1/2 cm.). In a large pan, heat the olive oil to medium heat and add the onions, cook for 5 min. and add the garlic. When the onions are soft and almost transparent add the zucchini and butternut squash, cook for 10 min.
Add the risotto rice and start adding the stock, a little bit at a time. Let the rice absorb the stock before adding some more. Repeat until the rice is soft and has a creamy texture.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
good variations:
* Replace some of the stock with white wine (if you do that, add the wine at the beginning and later add the stock.
* Add peas or green beans – It makes the risotto look more appealing (color contrast).
* Add 20 grams of butter (a little less than half a stick) at the end, it makes the risotto even more creamy.
* To save time, make the onions and risotto rice in one pan and the vegetables in another. It can cut down the time to make this dish to 1/2 a hour.
Source: http://bakingforthecure.wordpress.com/2008/07/22/butternut-squash-and-zucchini-risotto/
Butternut Squash and Zucchini Risotto:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic – crushed
1 small onion
1 zucchini
1/2 butternut squash (poke holes in the squash and heat in the microwave for 3 minutes to make cutting easier) - I would even use a full squash
1 cup arborio rice
About 3 cups stock (can be real or made, vegetarian or chicken) or 2 cups stock, 1 cup white wine
Generous grated Parmesan cheese
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.
Peel and cut all the vegetables into small pieces (about 1/2 cm.). In a large pan, heat the olive oil to medium heat and add the onions, cook for 5 min. and add the garlic. When the onions are soft and almost transparent add the zucchini and butternut squash, cook for 10 min.
Add the risotto rice and start adding the stock, a little bit at a time. Let the rice absorb the stock before adding some more. Repeat until the rice is soft and has a creamy texture.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
good variations:
* Replace some of the stock with white wine (if you do that, add the wine at the beginning and later add the stock.
* Add peas or green beans – It makes the risotto look more appealing (color contrast).
* Add 20 grams of butter (a little less than half a stick) at the end, it makes the risotto even more creamy.
* To save time, make the onions and risotto rice in one pan and the vegetables in another. It can cut down the time to make this dish to 1/2 a hour.
Source: http://bakingforthecure.wordpress.com/2008/07/22/butternut-squash-and-zucchini-risotto/
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Great Side Dish: Roasted Asparagus with Sesame Ginger Soy Dressing
This one comes directly from Dishin and Dishes, a blog I found while searching for a recipe that used roasted asparagus and Asian flavors. This was divine - our guests were sopping up the plates with bread. Modified slightly as I roasted the asparagus for less time than the original recipe calls for.
1 bunch asparagus
Olive oil
Sea salt
Pepper
1 green onion, chopped
1 thumb size piece of ginger, peeled and minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T. sesame oil
2 T. soy sauce
1/2 lime, juiced
1 T. honey
Preheat oven to 400ยบ.
Combine onion, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce, lime juice and honey in bowl. Mix well with whisk.
Place asparagus in single layer on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Roast uncovered in oven about 8 minutes. Remove and drizzle with dressing.
Source: http://www.dishinanddishes.com/2010/03/27/roasted-asparagus-with-ginger-soy-sesame-dressing/
1 bunch asparagus
Olive oil
Sea salt
Pepper
1 green onion, chopped
1 thumb size piece of ginger, peeled and minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T. sesame oil
2 T. soy sauce
1/2 lime, juiced
1 T. honey
Preheat oven to 400ยบ.
Combine onion, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce, lime juice and honey in bowl. Mix well with whisk.
Place asparagus in single layer on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Roast uncovered in oven about 8 minutes. Remove and drizzle with dressing.
Source: http://www.dishinanddishes.com/2010/03/27/roasted-asparagus-with-ginger-soy-sesame-dressing/
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Menu: Ahi Tuna Burgers with Wasabi Aioli, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Spinach Salad with Soy-Sesame Dressing
What a perfect summer menu for the grill, and about as simple as it gets! We threw this together in about 20 minutes.
To serve 4:
Ahi tuna burger:
* 1.5 pounds sushi-grade ahi tuna, finely chopped
* 2 large basil leaves, chopped
* 1 scallion, chopped
* 1/2 heaping tablespoons black sesame seeds
* 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
* 1 tablespoon honey
* About 1 teaspoon sesame oil (start with 1/2 teaspoon and see if you need more)
* Lemon zest
Mix all ingredients together using your hands to form patties. Grill until medium rare (sear on high on a very hot grill).
Wasabi aioli:
* 1/2 tablespoons wasabi paste
* 1.5 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise (such as safflower)
* Salt and pepper to taste
* Juice of 1/4 lemon
* Juice of 1/4 lime
Mix together and top burgers. Note: the wasabi packs a real kick; if you don't like the sinus-clearing capacity, you may want to scale back on the wasabi.
Adapted from a mix of Bethenny Frankel's and Martha Stewart's recipes (mostly Bethenny's, which was simpler). Sources: http://www.bethenny.com/2010/06/21/wasabi-tuna-burgers/ and http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/tuna-burgers-with-wasabi-mayonnaise
Garlic mashed potatoes:
* Cut 4 potatoes up; boil; drain; and mash
* While mashing, throw in some butter, salt, milk, cream, and minced garlic (to taste)
* (You could also use pesto, or wasabi paste in these potatoes as well)
Source: This is one of the hubs' signature dishes.
Spinach salad with soy-sesame dressing:
A great compliment to the Asian flavor of the burger, and a nice light dressing that's still flavorful enough to stand on its own (we didn't think it needed much more than the almonds as garnish in the spinach).
Mix together:
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil
* 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
* 1 tablespoon soy sauce
* 2 teaspoons sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
* 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
Toss over half a bag of fresh spinach, and add slivered almonds.
Source: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=337547
To serve 4:
Ahi tuna burger:
* 1.5 pounds sushi-grade ahi tuna, finely chopped
* 2 large basil leaves, chopped
* 1 scallion, chopped
* 1/2 heaping tablespoons black sesame seeds
* 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
* 1 tablespoon honey
* About 1 teaspoon sesame oil (start with 1/2 teaspoon and see if you need more)
* Lemon zest
Mix all ingredients together using your hands to form patties. Grill until medium rare (sear on high on a very hot grill).
Wasabi aioli:
* 1/2 tablespoons wasabi paste
* 1.5 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise (such as safflower)
* Salt and pepper to taste
* Juice of 1/4 lemon
* Juice of 1/4 lime
Mix together and top burgers. Note: the wasabi packs a real kick; if you don't like the sinus-clearing capacity, you may want to scale back on the wasabi.
Adapted from a mix of Bethenny Frankel's and Martha Stewart's recipes (mostly Bethenny's, which was simpler). Sources: http://www.bethenny.com/2010/06/21/wasabi-tuna-burgers/ and http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/tuna-burgers-with-wasabi-mayonnaise
Garlic mashed potatoes:
* Cut 4 potatoes up; boil; drain; and mash
* While mashing, throw in some butter, salt, milk, cream, and minced garlic (to taste)
* (You could also use pesto, or wasabi paste in these potatoes as well)
Source: This is one of the hubs' signature dishes.
Spinach salad with soy-sesame dressing:
A great compliment to the Asian flavor of the burger, and a nice light dressing that's still flavorful enough to stand on its own (we didn't think it needed much more than the almonds as garnish in the spinach).
Mix together:
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil
* 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
* 1 tablespoon soy sauce
* 2 teaspoons sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
* 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
Toss over half a bag of fresh spinach, and add slivered almonds.
Source: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=337547
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Pineapple-Mustard Glazed Chicken with Pineapple-Cilantro Salsa
Normally tropical fruits are not my thing, but this was worth the deviation. Just about perfect timing for listening to half a podcast of This American Life! Note that the original recipe had about 1/4 of the glaze - I made more for the rice to sop up.
* 1 cup pineapple juice
* 8 tablespoons (packed) brown sugar
* 4 tablespoons yellow mustard
* 1-2 cups cubed fresh pineapple
* 3-5 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
* 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
* Dried chiles to taste
* 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
* White rice
Preheat oven to 400°F. Bring pineapple juice, brown sugar, and mustard to boil in small saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil until glaze has thickened slightly, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, cook rice.
Mix pineapple, cilantro, onion, and chiles in medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Line baking sheet with foil. Place chicken on sheet and brush with glaze. Bake 15 minutes. Brush again with glaze, then broil until cooked through and golden, watching closely to avoid burning, about 5 minutes longer (I found it took about 10 minutes longer because the breasts were very large).
Put chicken breasts over bowls of rice, spoon salsa and leftover glaze over chicken and serve.
Adapted from Epicurious
* 1 cup pineapple juice
* 8 tablespoons (packed) brown sugar
* 4 tablespoons yellow mustard
* 1-2 cups cubed fresh pineapple
* 3-5 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
* 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
* Dried chiles to taste
* 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
* White rice
Preheat oven to 400°F. Bring pineapple juice, brown sugar, and mustard to boil in small saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil until glaze has thickened slightly, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, cook rice.
Mix pineapple, cilantro, onion, and chiles in medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Line baking sheet with foil. Place chicken on sheet and brush with glaze. Bake 15 minutes. Brush again with glaze, then broil until cooked through and golden, watching closely to avoid burning, about 5 minutes longer (I found it took about 10 minutes longer because the breasts were very large).
Put chicken breasts over bowls of rice, spoon salsa and leftover glaze over chicken and serve.
Adapted from Epicurious
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Iron Chef'ing the Leftovers: Pesto Salmon Pasta
So, I wanted to use up the leftover salmon from last night's dinner, and also had a bunch of homemade pesto to use while it was still fresh. So, the result: iron chef'ing a tasty recipe using the ingredients I had. This pasta was deliciously creamy and once again, very easy! (The hubs, who is looking over my shoulder, gives a ringing endorsement, as does the dog, who is actively licking up my leftovers as I type.) Adapted from busycooks.com.
Serves 2.
--1 portion salmon (about 1/3 of a pound)
--1/2 pound angel hair pasta
--About 6 ounces basil pesto (I used the homemade recipe posted below)
--1/2 cup half and half
--1/2 cup sour cream
--Generous Parmesan cheese
While boiling water for pasta, preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake salmon in a dish with some olive oil on the bottom, for 15 minutes. Cook angel hair pasta and set aside. Combine pesto, half and half and sour cream in a saucepan, on medium high heat for about 2-3 minutes, then add some cheese. Cut the salmon up into chunks and stir in with the pesto sauce. Put on pasta and add more cheese and salt and pepper to taste.
Serves 2.
--1 portion salmon (about 1/3 of a pound)
--1/2 pound angel hair pasta
--About 6 ounces basil pesto (I used the homemade recipe posted below)
--1/2 cup half and half
--1/2 cup sour cream
--Generous Parmesan cheese
While boiling water for pasta, preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake salmon in a dish with some olive oil on the bottom, for 15 minutes. Cook angel hair pasta and set aside. Combine pesto, half and half and sour cream in a saucepan, on medium high heat for about 2-3 minutes, then add some cheese. Cut the salmon up into chunks and stir in with the pesto sauce. Put on pasta and add more cheese and salt and pepper to taste.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Soy Glazed Salmon with Lemon
Made this EASY, light, super fast salmon dish for dinner tonight. Literally took 5 minutes to prep, 15 to cook. I'm just getting back in the habit of menu planning and remembering how happy cooking makes me, so I'm trying to add a few extremely-low-effort-yet-high-return dishes to my repertoire as I rev back up for summer, post morning sickness-induced cooking hiatus.
I threw in a bunch of baby carrots in the dish to cook with the fish, and they came out tender and juicy. I'd highly recommend serving over white rice to sop up the flavorful glaze. I was running low on a few ingredients, so I started with a base of Soy Vay teriyaki marinade from Trader Joe's and added dashes of brown sugar, white wine, fresh lemon, olive oil and soy sauce, but I bet it'd be delicious on its own without a base as well.
Makes 4
* 1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 3 tablespoons soy sauce
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 2 tablespoons dry white wine, or water
* 2 pounds salmon fillet
* Lemon wedges, for serving
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. with a rack in the center. Make the glaze: In a small bowl, stir brown sugar, olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, and white wine until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Cut salmon fillet into 4 equal-size pieces; arrange, skin side down, in a single layer in a baking dish. Pour glaze over the fish, and turn to coat evenly.
3. Bake until fish is opaque but still bright pink inside, basting every few minutes with glaze from baking dish, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.
(Source: http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/soy-glazed-salmon)
I threw in a bunch of baby carrots in the dish to cook with the fish, and they came out tender and juicy. I'd highly recommend serving over white rice to sop up the flavorful glaze. I was running low on a few ingredients, so I started with a base of Soy Vay teriyaki marinade from Trader Joe's and added dashes of brown sugar, white wine, fresh lemon, olive oil and soy sauce, but I bet it'd be delicious on its own without a base as well.
Makes 4
* 1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 3 tablespoons soy sauce
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 2 tablespoons dry white wine, or water
* 2 pounds salmon fillet
* Lemon wedges, for serving
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. with a rack in the center. Make the glaze: In a small bowl, stir brown sugar, olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, and white wine until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Cut salmon fillet into 4 equal-size pieces; arrange, skin side down, in a single layer in a baking dish. Pour glaze over the fish, and turn to coat evenly.
3. Bake until fish is opaque but still bright pink inside, basting every few minutes with glaze from baking dish, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.
(Source: http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/soy-glazed-salmon)
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Fresh Basil Pesto
Here's a good basic recipe for fresh pesto from simplyrecipes.com. I didn't follow the measurements, just tossed in the ingredients in rough proportion to one another; I used pine nuts and shredded parm. Really tasty with a simple pasta or on flatbread.
Fresh Basil Pesto Recipe
Ingredients
* 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
* 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
* 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
* 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
* 3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.
Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Fresh Basil Pesto Recipe
Ingredients
* 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
* 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
* 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
* 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
* 3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.
Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Salad with Breaded Chicken, Peaches and Citrus Vinaigrette with Yogurt-Balsamic Dip
So, I haven't posted here in several months not because I'm through with cooking - but because I'm pregnant and had morning sickness so severe that there was no way I could even get near a kitchen, much less cook in one. My sweet husband fended for us for several months, and I had a triumphant return today, although I kept forgetting where things were kept and banging my head on our hanging pots - out of practice!
I made this delicious salad, which we've had before: It was originally called "Almond-Crusted Chicken and Nectarine Salad with Buttermilk-Chive Dressing" (available at http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/almond-crusted-chicken-nectarine-salad-buttermilk-chive-dressing.aspx) but I modified based on what I had on hand to the below. I also added a lighter citrus vinaigrette to replace the buttermilk-chive dressing, and made a yogurt dip instead for the chicken tenders.
Salad:
* 6 cups torn tender lettuce (I like butter lettuce)
* 2 small to medium ripe nectarines (I used peaches), halved, pitted, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Dressing:
* 1-1/2 cups fresh orange juice
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Yogurt dip:
* About 1/4 cup regular plain or Greek style yogurt
* 1 Tbs. sour cream
* 1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar (original recipe says white but I prefer regular)
* 1/2 tsp. honey
* 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 Tbs. thinly sliced fresh chives
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chicken:
* 2 large eggs
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* About 1 cup bread crumbs (original recipe says to use almonds but I find these harder to cook with)
* 1-1/2 lb. chicken breast or tenders, sliced thin into 2-inch pieces
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 2-3 Tbs. vegetable oil
*To make chicken:*
Lightly beat the eggs in a wide, shallow dish. Stir the bread crumbs and flour together in another dish. Season the chicken on all sides with 1 tsp. salt and 3/4 tsp. pepper. Dip one piece of chicken at a time in the eggs. Shake off the excess and dredge in the bread crumb mixture, pressing lightly to help it adhere. Set aside.
Heat 2 Tbs. of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering hot. Working in batches, cook the chicken until light golden brown on both sides and just cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a paper-towel-lined plate when done. Between batches, remove any stray crumbs from the pan and add more oil if necessary.
*To make the citrus vinaigrette dressing:*
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk.
*To make the yogurt dip:*
In a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine the yogurt, sour cream, vinegar, and honey. Slowly whisk in the oil to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
*To assemble the salad:*
In a large bowl, toss the lettuce and peaches with about half of the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among 4 dinner plates. Divide the chicken among the plates, overlapping the pieces on top of the salad. Drizzle additional dressing over the chicken and serve with yogurt dip as a side for each plate (or you can put the dip on top of the salad at the very end before serving).
I find the yogurt dip really makes it, although it's too heavy as a dressing; it works great in complement with the citrus vinaigrette, since both have balsamic notes.
I made this delicious salad, which we've had before: It was originally called "Almond-Crusted Chicken and Nectarine Salad with Buttermilk-Chive Dressing" (available at http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/almond-crusted-chicken-nectarine-salad-buttermilk-chive-dressing.aspx) but I modified based on what I had on hand to the below. I also added a lighter citrus vinaigrette to replace the buttermilk-chive dressing, and made a yogurt dip instead for the chicken tenders.
Salad:
* 6 cups torn tender lettuce (I like butter lettuce)
* 2 small to medium ripe nectarines (I used peaches), halved, pitted, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Dressing:
* 1-1/2 cups fresh orange juice
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Yogurt dip:
* About 1/4 cup regular plain or Greek style yogurt
* 1 Tbs. sour cream
* 1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar (original recipe says white but I prefer regular)
* 1/2 tsp. honey
* 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 Tbs. thinly sliced fresh chives
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chicken:
* 2 large eggs
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* About 1 cup bread crumbs (original recipe says to use almonds but I find these harder to cook with)
* 1-1/2 lb. chicken breast or tenders, sliced thin into 2-inch pieces
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 2-3 Tbs. vegetable oil
*To make chicken:*
Lightly beat the eggs in a wide, shallow dish. Stir the bread crumbs and flour together in another dish. Season the chicken on all sides with 1 tsp. salt and 3/4 tsp. pepper. Dip one piece of chicken at a time in the eggs. Shake off the excess and dredge in the bread crumb mixture, pressing lightly to help it adhere. Set aside.
Heat 2 Tbs. of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering hot. Working in batches, cook the chicken until light golden brown on both sides and just cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a paper-towel-lined plate when done. Between batches, remove any stray crumbs from the pan and add more oil if necessary.
*To make the citrus vinaigrette dressing:*
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk.
*To make the yogurt dip:*
In a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine the yogurt, sour cream, vinegar, and honey. Slowly whisk in the oil to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
*To assemble the salad:*
In a large bowl, toss the lettuce and peaches with about half of the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among 4 dinner plates. Divide the chicken among the plates, overlapping the pieces on top of the salad. Drizzle additional dressing over the chicken and serve with yogurt dip as a side for each plate (or you can put the dip on top of the salad at the very end before serving).
I find the yogurt dip really makes it, although it's too heavy as a dressing; it works great in complement with the citrus vinaigrette, since both have balsamic notes.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
West African Peanut Soup with Chicken
I've been craving this dish since we saw it at a stand at the Eastern Market in Detroit, and found this version on Allrecipes.com. Delicious, flavorful, and very filling, especially with a good crusty bread. I added chicken to the original recipe which gives it a bit more dimension. I also minced the onion, peppers and garlic in a food processor because I don't like a lot of crunchy texture, but you may want to just finely chop with a knife if you want more texture.
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 onion, finely chopped (recipe called for 2 originally, but I downsized)
* 2 large bell peppers (any color) finely chopped (I used red)
* 6 large cloves garlic, minced (I upped to 8 cloves)
* 1 (28 ounce) can chopped tomatoes with juice
* 8 cups vegetable broth (I used a mix of chicken broth and vegetable, which is what I had on hand)
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
* 1/2 cup uncooked rice
* 1 (18 ounce) jar creamy peanut butter
* 2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
* Chopped roasted peanuts (optional)
* Sea salt
Heat olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Mince together onion, bell pepper and garlic until very fine, and then cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with their juice, vegetable broth, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Add rice to soup and stir. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 25 minutes, or until rice is tender. After about 15-20 minutes of simmering, cook the chicken in a separate skillet - saute in olive oil for about five minutes until cooked through. When rice is cooked, whisk in peanut butter and cooked chicken and return to a simmer for several minutes. Garnish with chopped roasted peanuts, if desired, and sea salt to taste.
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 onion, finely chopped (recipe called for 2 originally, but I downsized)
* 2 large bell peppers (any color) finely chopped (I used red)
* 6 large cloves garlic, minced (I upped to 8 cloves)
* 1 (28 ounce) can chopped tomatoes with juice
* 8 cups vegetable broth (I used a mix of chicken broth and vegetable, which is what I had on hand)
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
* 1/2 cup uncooked rice
* 1 (18 ounce) jar creamy peanut butter
* 2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
* Chopped roasted peanuts (optional)
* Sea salt
Heat olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Mince together onion, bell pepper and garlic until very fine, and then cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with their juice, vegetable broth, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Add rice to soup and stir. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 25 minutes, or until rice is tender. After about 15-20 minutes of simmering, cook the chicken in a separate skillet - saute in olive oil for about five minutes until cooked through. When rice is cooked, whisk in peanut butter and cooked chicken and return to a simmer for several minutes. Garnish with chopped roasted peanuts, if desired, and sea salt to taste.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Lynnie's Spinach Pasta with Ricotta and Pine Nuts
One of the best, easiest pasta dishes, and always makes me think of a dear friend who introduced me to it. An indispensable part of our repertoire these days. Heap on the ricotta! And the pine nuts really make the dish.
Spinach pasta - I like the "nests"
Bag of fresh spinach
Ricotta cheese
Olive oil
Pine nuts
Parmesan cheese
Sea salt and black pepper
Boil the pasta to your desired taste. Reserve the pasta water, strain the pasta, and put in bowls. Put an entire bag of fresh spinach (or more or less, depending on your tastes) in the pasta water and wilt for about 30 seconds. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts - more is better - at least a couple of handfuls! - in a skillet on the stove or in a toaster oven for about a minute or two, be careful not to burn. Put the wilted spinach on top of the bowls of pasta, add about a teaspoon of olive oil (again, more or less depending on taste), and toss. Add a big scoop of ricotta cheese, sea salt and black pepper to taste, toasted pine nuts, and a little bit of parmesan cheese on top. Tastes best with a little bit of each component - pasta, spinach, cheese and pine nuts - all in one bite.
Spinach pasta - I like the "nests"
Bag of fresh spinach
Ricotta cheese
Olive oil
Pine nuts
Parmesan cheese
Sea salt and black pepper
Boil the pasta to your desired taste. Reserve the pasta water, strain the pasta, and put in bowls. Put an entire bag of fresh spinach (or more or less, depending on your tastes) in the pasta water and wilt for about 30 seconds. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts - more is better - at least a couple of handfuls! - in a skillet on the stove or in a toaster oven for about a minute or two, be careful not to burn. Put the wilted spinach on top of the bowls of pasta, add about a teaspoon of olive oil (again, more or less depending on taste), and toss. Add a big scoop of ricotta cheese, sea salt and black pepper to taste, toasted pine nuts, and a little bit of parmesan cheese on top. Tastes best with a little bit of each component - pasta, spinach, cheese and pine nuts - all in one bite.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Grandma's Coffee Cake
My mom just sent me this recipe for my grandma's coffee cake. It's timely because our grandparents always used to stay with us for a week each February, and the first thing Grandma would do was make this coffee cake, which was a highlight of my life! Good memories. Absolutely delicious with tea and gets more delicious as the days go on.
Preheat oven to 350.
1 stick (=1/2 c.) softened butter
1 c. granulated white sugar
2 eggs
2 c. sifted flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 c. sour cream or light sour cream or plain yogurt
1 t. real vanilla
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. granulated white sugar
1 t. ground cinnamon
Grease but don’t flour a square baking dish (8x8 or 9x9) and set it aside.
Cream the softened butter and sugar until fluffy.
One at a time, add the eggs to incorporate well.
On a piece of waxed paper combine the dry ingredients.
Add one half of the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar/egg mixture and mix well.
Add half the sour cream/or yogurt and combine well.
Add rest of dry ingredients and mix.
Add rest of sour cream and mix.
Stir in vanilla.
Combine the sugar/brown sugar/cinnamon thoroughly.
Transfer half the cake batter to the buttered pan and smooth to reach the sides.
Sprinkle with half the cinnamon mixture. top with rest of cake batter, smoothed out, then add the remaining cinnamon sugar.
The recipe says to bake at 325 for 45 minutes. If using glass (pyrex) 325 is good, but anything else, do 350. The time is a guess - at around 40 minutes, start testing with a toothpick.
Preheat oven to 350.
1 stick (=1/2 c.) softened butter
1 c. granulated white sugar
2 eggs
2 c. sifted flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 c. sour cream or light sour cream or plain yogurt
1 t. real vanilla
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. granulated white sugar
1 t. ground cinnamon
Grease but don’t flour a square baking dish (8x8 or 9x9) and set it aside.
Cream the softened butter and sugar until fluffy.
One at a time, add the eggs to incorporate well.
On a piece of waxed paper combine the dry ingredients.
Add one half of the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar/egg mixture and mix well.
Add half the sour cream/or yogurt and combine well.
Add rest of dry ingredients and mix.
Add rest of sour cream and mix.
Stir in vanilla.
Combine the sugar/brown sugar/cinnamon thoroughly.
Transfer half the cake batter to the buttered pan and smooth to reach the sides.
Sprinkle with half the cinnamon mixture. top with rest of cake batter, smoothed out, then add the remaining cinnamon sugar.
The recipe says to bake at 325 for 45 minutes. If using glass (pyrex) 325 is good, but anything else, do 350. The time is a guess - at around 40 minutes, start testing with a toothpick.
Park Street Pizza
This is the recipe my mom, dad, and uncles Charlie and Tom used to make when they all lived together on Park Street in the early 1970s as college and grad students in California. Super quick and easy!
To make dough:
1. Soften 1 package yeast in 1/4 c. warm water
2. In a saucepan heat to scalding 1 c. milk
1 T sugar
1 t. salt
1 T. butter
3. Cool to lukewarm, add softened yeast, combine.
4. Add 3 to 4 cups flour - start with 3 cups, knead, and if it needs more, add by 1/4 c intervals (I found that mine required about 5 cups). Let rise.
5. Spread on pizza stone or pizza pan sprayed with cooking spray, brush olive oil over dough, add toppings, bake at 400 for 30 minutes.
For toppings -- what we used, in order we put them down:
-Spicy tomato spaghetti sauce
-2 very finely chopped garlic cloves
-1 very finely chopped green onion
-Shredded mozzarella cheese
-Sliced beefsteak tomatoes
-Fresh whole basil leaves (we left them on the whole time they were in the oven; you may want to put them on after 15 minutes in the oven if you want them to be fresher/less cooked)
-Fresh thyme leaves
-A tiny bit of sea salt once it came out of the oven.
To make dough:
1. Soften 1 package yeast in 1/4 c. warm water
2. In a saucepan heat to scalding 1 c. milk
1 T sugar
1 t. salt
1 T. butter
3. Cool to lukewarm, add softened yeast, combine.
4. Add 3 to 4 cups flour - start with 3 cups, knead, and if it needs more, add by 1/4 c intervals (I found that mine required about 5 cups). Let rise.
5. Spread on pizza stone or pizza pan sprayed with cooking spray, brush olive oil over dough, add toppings, bake at 400 for 30 minutes.
For toppings -- what we used, in order we put them down:
-Spicy tomato spaghetti sauce
-2 very finely chopped garlic cloves
-1 very finely chopped green onion
-Shredded mozzarella cheese
-Sliced beefsteak tomatoes
-Fresh whole basil leaves (we left them on the whole time they were in the oven; you may want to put them on after 15 minutes in the oven if you want them to be fresher/less cooked)
-Fresh thyme leaves
-A tiny bit of sea salt once it came out of the oven.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Southwestern Tofu Wraps
Delicious and flavorful, and physician-approved! I think this came from the Mayo clinic list of heart-healthy recipes; we made it for the first time last fall with my good friend Liz, who's recently been doing a vegan diet. We added black beans, vegan soy cheese (which was surprisingly good), some green salsa instead of red, and some sour cream.
* 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
* 8 ounces firm tofu, drained, patted dry, crumbled
* 1/2 cup chopped red onion
* 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 4 7- to 8-inch-diameter flour tortillas
* 2 cups thinly sliced lettuce leaves
* 1 cup green salsa
* Cheddar cheese
* Light sour cream or nonfat yogurt
* Black beans
Whisk 3 tablespoons lime juice and oil in medium bowl. Add tofu, onion, cilantro and garlic and toss to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let marinate 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Wrap tortillas in foil. Place in oven until heated through, about 10 minutes (OR, just microwave them). Meanwhile, toss lettuce with 1 tablespoon lime juice in small bowl.
Place 1 tortilla on each of 4 plates. Place layer of lettuce down center of each tortilla. Top with black beans and then tofu mixture, dividing equally. Spoon cheese, salsa and sour cream or nonfat yogurt to taste. Roll up tortillas.
* 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
* 8 ounces firm tofu, drained, patted dry, crumbled
* 1/2 cup chopped red onion
* 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 4 7- to 8-inch-diameter flour tortillas
* 2 cups thinly sliced lettuce leaves
* 1 cup green salsa
* Cheddar cheese
* Light sour cream or nonfat yogurt
* Black beans
Whisk 3 tablespoons lime juice and oil in medium bowl. Add tofu, onion, cilantro and garlic and toss to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let marinate 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Wrap tortillas in foil. Place in oven until heated through, about 10 minutes (OR, just microwave them). Meanwhile, toss lettuce with 1 tablespoon lime juice in small bowl.
Place 1 tortilla on each of 4 plates. Place layer of lettuce down center of each tortilla. Top with black beans and then tofu mixture, dividing equally. Spoon cheese, salsa and sour cream or nonfat yogurt to taste. Roll up tortillas.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Seafood Stew
We had a fabulous dinner party last night with some foodie friends and decided to make this special-occasion stew which resembles a bouillabaisse. It's from Ina Garten's Barefoot in Paris cookbook - a source I always trust.
We got all our veggies and seafood for the stew from the Eastern Market in Detroit (highly recommended!), and also made a side of fresh local asparagus, roasted for 5 minutes at 400 degrees with olive oil, sea salt and pepper. A local wine merchant suggested a good cote du rhone to complement the anise notes in the soup. And you definitely need a hearty, delicious bread to sop up all the broth!
**Definitely take the time to make the homemade stock if you can.** I'm sure it would still taste good with store-bought stock but the flavors from this stock were just incredible.
Ingredients
* 3 tablespoons good olive oil
* 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 small)
* 2 cups large-diced small white potatoes
* 2 cups chopped fennel (1 large bulb)
* 2 teaspoons kosher salt
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 2 cups good white wine
* 1 (28-ounce) can plum tomatoes, chopped
* 1 quart Seafood Stock, recipe follows, or store-bought fish stock
* 1 tablespoon chopped garlic (3 cloves)
* 1 teaspoon saffron threads
* 1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined (reserve the shells for the stock)
* 1 pound each halibut and bass fillets, cut in large chunks
* 24 mussels, cleaned
* 3 tablespoons Pernod (we substituted Sambuca for 1/10 of the price)
* 1 teaspoon grated orange zest (I used 1.5 teaspoons)
* Toasted baguette slices, buttered and rubbed with garlic (we used crusty French round served plain, no butter or garlic)
Directions
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or stockpot, add the onions, potatoes, fennel, salt, and pepper, and saute over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, until the onions begin to brown. Add the wine and scrape up the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Add the tomatoes with their juices, stock, garlic, and saffron to the pot, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Add the shrimp, fish, and mussels, bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the pot to sit covered for another 5 minutes. The fish and shrimp should be cooked and the mussels opened. Discard any mussels that don't open. Stir in the Pernod, orange zest, and sea salt, to taste. Serve with bread.
Seafood Stock:
* 2 tablespoons good olive oil
* Shells from 1 pound large shrimp
* 2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
* 2 carrots, unpeeled and chopped
* 3 stalks celery, chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 1/2 quarts water
* 1/2 cup good white wine
* 1/3 cup tomato paste
* 1 tablespoon kosher salt
* 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
* 10 sprigs fresh thyme, including stems
Warm the oil in the pan over medium heat. Add the shrimp shells, onions, carrots, and celery over medium heat for 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Add 1 1⁄2 quarts of water, the white wine, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour. Strain through a sieve, pressing the solids. You should have approximately 1 quart of stock. If not, you can make up the difference with water or white wine (following the recipe exactly, I got about 8/10 of a quart and used white wine to make up the rest; it tasted great).
Yield: 1 quart
We got all our veggies and seafood for the stew from the Eastern Market in Detroit (highly recommended!), and also made a side of fresh local asparagus, roasted for 5 minutes at 400 degrees with olive oil, sea salt and pepper. A local wine merchant suggested a good cote du rhone to complement the anise notes in the soup. And you definitely need a hearty, delicious bread to sop up all the broth!
**Definitely take the time to make the homemade stock if you can.** I'm sure it would still taste good with store-bought stock but the flavors from this stock were just incredible.
Ingredients
* 3 tablespoons good olive oil
* 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 small)
* 2 cups large-diced small white potatoes
* 2 cups chopped fennel (1 large bulb)
* 2 teaspoons kosher salt
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 2 cups good white wine
* 1 (28-ounce) can plum tomatoes, chopped
* 1 quart Seafood Stock, recipe follows, or store-bought fish stock
* 1 tablespoon chopped garlic (3 cloves)
* 1 teaspoon saffron threads
* 1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined (reserve the shells for the stock)
* 1 pound each halibut and bass fillets, cut in large chunks
* 24 mussels, cleaned
* 3 tablespoons Pernod (we substituted Sambuca for 1/10 of the price)
* 1 teaspoon grated orange zest (I used 1.5 teaspoons)
* Toasted baguette slices, buttered and rubbed with garlic (we used crusty French round served plain, no butter or garlic)
Directions
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or stockpot, add the onions, potatoes, fennel, salt, and pepper, and saute over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, until the onions begin to brown. Add the wine and scrape up the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Add the tomatoes with their juices, stock, garlic, and saffron to the pot, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Add the shrimp, fish, and mussels, bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the pot to sit covered for another 5 minutes. The fish and shrimp should be cooked and the mussels opened. Discard any mussels that don't open. Stir in the Pernod, orange zest, and sea salt, to taste. Serve with bread.
Seafood Stock:
* 2 tablespoons good olive oil
* Shells from 1 pound large shrimp
* 2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
* 2 carrots, unpeeled and chopped
* 3 stalks celery, chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 1/2 quarts water
* 1/2 cup good white wine
* 1/3 cup tomato paste
* 1 tablespoon kosher salt
* 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
* 10 sprigs fresh thyme, including stems
Warm the oil in the pan over medium heat. Add the shrimp shells, onions, carrots, and celery over medium heat for 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Add 1 1⁄2 quarts of water, the white wine, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour. Strain through a sieve, pressing the solids. You should have approximately 1 quart of stock. If not, you can make up the difference with water or white wine (following the recipe exactly, I got about 8/10 of a quart and used white wine to make up the rest; it tasted great).
Yield: 1 quart
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Spinach, Pesto and Cheese Healthy Veggie Lasagna
"One of the best lasagnas I've ever had" according to a recent eater. Good ingredients are the key to this recipe, especially in the pesto - make it homemade or buy high quality. The prep is fast and the return on investment is high.
* 3 cups fat free ricotta cheese
* 1-2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
* 1 large egg
* 2 10-ounce packages chopped fresh spinach (I use a food processor)
* 1 7-ounce package prepared or homemade pesto
* 4 cups bottled chunky pasta sauce
* 12 no-boil lasagna noodles from one 8-ounce package
* 2 cups grated Fontina cheese
* Fresh mozzarella (about twenty mini bocconcini cut in half) - if desired
Blend ricotta and Parmesan in medium bowl. Season cheeses with salt and pepper; stir in egg. Blend spinach and pesto in another medium bowl.
Brush 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish with oil. Spread 1 cup pasta sauce in prepared dish. Arrange 3 noodles side by side atop sauce. Spread 1 1/4 cups ricotta cheese mixture over in thin layer. Drop 1/3 of spinach mixture over by spoonfuls. Repeat layering with sauce, noodles, ricotta cheese mixture and spinach mixture 2 more times. Put a layer of the fresh mozzarella half-moons towards the top. Top with remaining 3 noodles and 1 cup sauce.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover lasagna with foil. Bake 35 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with Fontina cheese. Bake lasagna until heated through, sauce bubbles and cheese on top is melted, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes.
* 3 cups fat free ricotta cheese
* 1-2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
* 1 large egg
* 2 10-ounce packages chopped fresh spinach (I use a food processor)
* 1 7-ounce package prepared or homemade pesto
* 4 cups bottled chunky pasta sauce
* 12 no-boil lasagna noodles from one 8-ounce package
* 2 cups grated Fontina cheese
* Fresh mozzarella (about twenty mini bocconcini cut in half) - if desired
Blend ricotta and Parmesan in medium bowl. Season cheeses with salt and pepper; stir in egg. Blend spinach and pesto in another medium bowl.
Brush 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish with oil. Spread 1 cup pasta sauce in prepared dish. Arrange 3 noodles side by side atop sauce. Spread 1 1/4 cups ricotta cheese mixture over in thin layer. Drop 1/3 of spinach mixture over by spoonfuls. Repeat layering with sauce, noodles, ricotta cheese mixture and spinach mixture 2 more times. Put a layer of the fresh mozzarella half-moons towards the top. Top with remaining 3 noodles and 1 cup sauce.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover lasagna with foil. Bake 35 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with Fontina cheese. Bake lasagna until heated through, sauce bubbles and cheese on top is melted, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes.
Maureen’s Curried Spinach Salad
Maureen is my mom's best friend, and we've had this *incomparable* salad every year on Christmas Eve for the past 25 years. Lately I've been craving it and indulging in making it even on non-special occasions. Luckily, it's easy.
2 lb. fresh spinach (I used baby spinach)
2 green apples, unpeeled
2/3 c dry roasted peanuts
1/2 c. dried fruit (cranberries or cherries)
1/3 c thinly sliced scallion (green onions)
2 T. toasted sesame seeds
For dressing:
1/3 c. white vinegar
3/4 c vegetable oil (I substituted olive oil and it was fine)
1/4 c finely chopped chutney (I used an apple-cranberry one but you can use most any kind)
2 T. sugar
1 t. curry powder
1 t. salt
1 t. dry mustard
3 drops tabasco sauce
To prepare salad, trim stems from spinach and chill (or, if no time and you don't mind stems, don't worry about it). When ready to assemble, tear spinach into bite sized pieces (not an issue if using baby spinach). Core and dice apples. Place spinach, apples, peanuts, dried fruit, green obions and sesame seeds in a salad bowl.
To prepare dressing: combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Toss with salad immediately before serving.
2 lb. fresh spinach (I used baby spinach)
2 green apples, unpeeled
2/3 c dry roasted peanuts
1/2 c. dried fruit (cranberries or cherries)
1/3 c thinly sliced scallion (green onions)
2 T. toasted sesame seeds
For dressing:
1/3 c. white vinegar
3/4 c vegetable oil (I substituted olive oil and it was fine)
1/4 c finely chopped chutney (I used an apple-cranberry one but you can use most any kind)
2 T. sugar
1 t. curry powder
1 t. salt
1 t. dry mustard
3 drops tabasco sauce
To prepare salad, trim stems from spinach and chill (or, if no time and you don't mind stems, don't worry about it). When ready to assemble, tear spinach into bite sized pieces (not an issue if using baby spinach). Core and dice apples. Place spinach, apples, peanuts, dried fruit, green obions and sesame seeds in a salad bowl.
To prepare dressing: combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Toss with salad immediately before serving.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Marinated Apricot and Olive Roast Chicken
My mom introduced me to this recipe about 5 years ago, and every time I've served it at a dinner party, people literally lick the bowl. I've found it does turn out best when marinated ahead of time, but I've only ever done 2-6 hours, not the 24 hours the recipe originally called for. And the sauce is flavorful enough that even if you don't have time to marinate, it can still work. Could also be an excellent sauce for a white fish like tilapia.
Yield: 6 servings.
Boneless skinless chicken breasts to serve 6 (you can also do thighs,
other pieces, etc, I just like the white meat best)
1 1/2 t salt
5 large cloves garlic, peeled
4 t. ground cumin (1T + 1t)
1 ½ t paprika
1/3 c sherry vinegar (you can also do regular distilled white vinegar
with a tablespoon of sherry mixed in)
1/3 c orange juice
¼ c honey
3 T olive oil
Rice
4-5 oz. dried apricots
24 whole black olives
Wash and dry the chicken pieces thoroughly. Press down on the breasts with your hand to flatten slightly. With a sharp knife poke slits in both sides of each chicken piece to allow marinade to penetrate. Put chicken in a large bowl. Toss with 1 ½ t salt. Crush the garlic cloves, sprinkle with a little salt, and mince into a fine paste, and add to bowl and coat chicken with it.
Put cumin, paprika, sherry vinegar, OJ, honey and olive oil in a small bowl, whisk to thoroughly combine.
Scrape the above ingredients the big chicken bowl and marinate the chicken, plus 4-5 oz. dried apricots and 24 whole black olives, for 4-6 hours (up to 24 hours for maximum flavor). Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate while marinating. Makes sure everything has marinate coating it.
Up to an hour ahead, remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Pour chicken and marinade into baking dish. Tuck apricots and olives under and around the chicken pieces. Let it sit at least 20 minutes to warm up a bit. Meanwhile heat oven to 400.
Bake the dish about 25 minutes at 400, check at 20 minutes to make sure it isn't overcooking.
Serve over rice.
Yield: 6 servings.
Boneless skinless chicken breasts to serve 6 (you can also do thighs,
other pieces, etc, I just like the white meat best)
1 1/2 t salt
5 large cloves garlic, peeled
4 t. ground cumin (1T + 1t)
1 ½ t paprika
1/3 c sherry vinegar (you can also do regular distilled white vinegar
with a tablespoon of sherry mixed in)
1/3 c orange juice
¼ c honey
3 T olive oil
Rice
4-5 oz. dried apricots
24 whole black olives
Wash and dry the chicken pieces thoroughly. Press down on the breasts with your hand to flatten slightly. With a sharp knife poke slits in both sides of each chicken piece to allow marinade to penetrate. Put chicken in a large bowl. Toss with 1 ½ t salt. Crush the garlic cloves, sprinkle with a little salt, and mince into a fine paste, and add to bowl and coat chicken with it.
Put cumin, paprika, sherry vinegar, OJ, honey and olive oil in a small bowl, whisk to thoroughly combine.
Scrape the above ingredients the big chicken bowl and marinate the chicken, plus 4-5 oz. dried apricots and 24 whole black olives, for 4-6 hours (up to 24 hours for maximum flavor). Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate while marinating. Makes sure everything has marinate coating it.
Up to an hour ahead, remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Pour chicken and marinade into baking dish. Tuck apricots and olives under and around the chicken pieces. Let it sit at least 20 minutes to warm up a bit. Meanwhile heat oven to 400.
Bake the dish about 25 minutes at 400, check at 20 minutes to make sure it isn't overcooking.
Serve over rice.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce, Cilantro and Lime
Last night, we recreated my childhood experience of chicken satay at the great Thai place by the Seattle Center where I grew up eating with my family, right down to the quarters of white-bread toast that accompanied the dish.
The amounts below are designed to make 24 skewers and be served as a party appetizer; we made it our entree dish and were very full by the end.
• 1 cup plain yogurt (original recipe calls for 1.25 cups but I found this to be a bit much)
• 1 tsp. freshly grated ginger
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1.5 pounds of large skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips (we cut down to just 2 large breasts)
• Vegetable oil (for grill)
• 2 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
• Lime wedges, 2-3 per person
• White bread, 1-2 pieces per person
For peanut sauce:
1. Combine yogurt, ginger, garlic and soy sauce in a bowl. Toss in chicken strips until well coated. (The original recipe calls for marination up to 2 hours, but it was late and we were hungry so we didn't do this - just tossed the chicken in there for a bit before throwing on the grill. It still turned out great.)
2. Preheat grill. When ready to grill, thread the chicken pieces onto skewers, working the skewer in and out of the meat, so that it stays in place. Place on perforated pan over medium heat and brush with oil to prevent sticking. Grill for 5 minutes on each side, until seared and cooked through. (We used a perforated pan but if you don't have one, we found that it worked better to just grill the pieces directly on the heat; do whatever works best for you.)
3. While chicken is grilling, make the 5-minute peanut sauce with ingredients above. In a small bowl, stir together peanut butter, soy sauce, sugar, hot pepper sauce and garlic until well mixed. Transfer to a small skillet and over medium-low heat, gradually stir in water until texture is smooth and creamy.
4. Toast pieces of white bread and cut into quarters.
4. Remove skewers from grill and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Serve with peanut sauce, lime wedges, and toast. I find that the lime really gives it an extra kick with the peanut sauce especially.
The amounts below are designed to make 24 skewers and be served as a party appetizer; we made it our entree dish and were very full by the end.
• 1 cup plain yogurt (original recipe calls for 1.25 cups but I found this to be a bit much)
• 1 tsp. freshly grated ginger
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1.5 pounds of large skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips (we cut down to just 2 large breasts)
• Vegetable oil (for grill)
• 2 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
• Lime wedges, 2-3 per person
• White bread, 1-2 pieces per person
For peanut sauce:
- 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 2 drops hot pepper sauce
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup water
2. Preheat grill. When ready to grill, thread the chicken pieces onto skewers, working the skewer in and out of the meat, so that it stays in place. Place on perforated pan over medium heat and brush with oil to prevent sticking. Grill for 5 minutes on each side, until seared and cooked through. (We used a perforated pan but if you don't have one, we found that it worked better to just grill the pieces directly on the heat; do whatever works best for you.)
3. While chicken is grilling, make the 5-minute peanut sauce with ingredients above. In a small bowl, stir together peanut butter, soy sauce, sugar, hot pepper sauce and garlic until well mixed. Transfer to a small skillet and over medium-low heat, gradually stir in water until texture is smooth and creamy.
4. Toast pieces of white bread and cut into quarters.
4. Remove skewers from grill and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Serve with peanut sauce, lime wedges, and toast. I find that the lime really gives it an extra kick with the peanut sauce especially.
Madras Chicken with Couscous in Slow Cooker
- 3 onions, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 apples, cut into chunks (I used gala; original recipe says to peel the apples but I decided it doesn't need this)
- 1 teaspoon sea or kosher salt (original recipe said 1/2 teaspoon but I felt it needed more salt so I upped it)
- 1-2 tablespoons curry powder
- 1 (8-ounce) jar mango chutney (I used cranberry-apple chutney and it was good)
- 3 pounds boneless skinless breasts (recipe calls for thighs but I like breasts better)
- 3 cups hot cooked couscous
- Greek or plain yogurt
Stir well and serve over couscous with a dollop of plain yogurt on top and additional salt and pepper as desired.
Update on 2/23:
This has become one of our favorite dishes and I've made it several times. In the latest version, I just used one onion and upped the garlic cloves to about 12, and it was great. Also have not had chutney on hand a couple of times, so have substituted jam instead - not as perfect a flavor but still delicious.
Confessions of a Ph.D. Phoodie
A good friend from graduate school and I have recently been sharing lots of recipes back and forth, and were commenting on how much improvement we've witnessed in our culinary abilities - we've gone from perennial takeout consumption to delicious homecooked meals in just a few years. As my friend said, it's nice to have a hobby where, unlike the slogging pursuit of the Ph.D., one can actually see growth, accomplishment, and get occasional positive feedback! I started this blog to share some of my favorite recipes with friends who are also on the long road to the dissertation and need a few delectable distractions along the way.
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