Tuscan Tuna and Cannellini Beans

I had the leftovers from yesterday's Snapping Turtle Salad for lunch today and I have to say that I think it was better the second day. This would be a really great recipe to make the day before a picnic or backyard party and then stick in the fridge. I would just take it out about 30 minutes before you served it to get the vinagrette warmed to room temperature.

I also wanted to share a variation on the theme that one reader posted about (thank you Anonymous!). It is from "The Mayo Clinic William-Sonoma Cookbook" and is called Tuscan Tuna and Cannellini Beans. The Other Half was kind enough to have tuna two days in a row, for the sake of experimentation (he is a trooper isn't he) and said he liked this version as well, maybe more so when it is cool outside. So for those readers of mine who haven't quite thawed out yet, but would like a little taste of warmer times to come, here is a recipe for you.

Couple of notes:

If you don't want to use white wine you can substitute chicken stock and a little lemon juice in it's place.

One small yellow onion works well in this recipe. If you have a larger white onion I would only use half.

I de-seeded the tomatoes for this recipe. Because you are going to cook them anyway the fastest way to do this is to cut them in half and squeeze them gently like a lemon, rubbing the sides gently together, over the sink. This should get most of the seeds out and leave you the flesh.

Tuscan Tuna and Cannelini Beans

1/3 cup orange juice
1 yellow onion, chopped
2/3 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 lb sushi-grade tuna steaks, cut into 1-inch cubes
15 oz cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 small tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp grated orange zest
1 tbsp chopped chives
salt to taste

In a large pan over medium-high heat, heat the orange juice. Add the onion and sauté about 5 minutes, until t just starting to wilt and become translucent. Add the wine and vinegar and continue to cook for another 2 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium and stir in tuna, beans, tomatoes, basil pepper and half the orange zest. Cover and cook until fish is opaque through out - about 7-10 minutes.

Plate and sprinkle with chives, remaining orange zest and salt to taste.

Enjoy!

Snapping Turtle Salad

I have been away from the blog for a whole month without even realizing it. The truth of the matter is I have kind of been away from cooking. In the rarest of circumstances I found myself in a situation that was so overwhelming that cooking didn’t even chill me out. Without getting into lots of gory details, the simple answer is that our military family will be once again relocating this summer, and though this has been a given for a while, we were caught in that dead space in the process where you know (or think, or hope) you will move but do not know when. In that space I lost interest in experimenting with new recipes, so we have been eating a lot of roast chicken and pasta and tried and true standbys. And then we got orders. Simply put we know where we are moving next and I could not be more thrilled. And back to the kitchen I go!

It has been unseasonably warm here this week – mid to high-80s warm – so I have been craving something light. And since it has been so nice and daylight savings time is upon us once again I needed something fast so that we can spend as much time outside playing as possible. Hands on time for this recipe was about 15-20 minutes. I served the salad with some homemade potato bread and on a bed of washed baby romaine.

The real name of this dish is Tuna and Cannellini Bean Salad but my oldest pod took one look at it in the bowl tonight and said, “Mom, dinner is as ugly as a snapping turtle. I hope it tastes better than it looks, because it looks gross.” After patiently explaining to him that I didn’t really appreciate that kind of comment, I kind of had to agree. Don’t let appearances fool you though. It will be worth it, I promise.

Couple of notes:

I used sushi grade tuna steaks for this recipe. Since I was going to cut it up into chunks anyway, I asked the fish counter person if they had any left over pieces of tuna that weren’t as pretty, that they might be able to sell me at a better price. In a rush or don’t want to spend the money on tuna steak? You can easily substitute canned tuna, but if you do, I would recommend the Italian tuna packed in olive oil. I can find it in the specialty section at our grocery store but in some of the nicer stores it is in with the regular tuna selection. It comes in nice big chunks, filled with flavor and is very moist.

Don’t like fish? This is one of those dishes that you could throw pretty much anything into. Grill some chicken and throw it in.  Substitute olives for the capers, chickpeas for the cannelloni beans, roasted red peppers for the sun-dried tomatoes – you get the idea.

I grilled my steak indoors on an All-Clad, stove-top grilling pan. The secret to getting a good sear indoors is that same as on an outdoor grill – make sure your pan is good and hot.

I would love to hear what you think and if any of you get a pretty shot of it, send it my way and I will be happy to post it on the blog with full credits to you.

Tuna and Cannellini Bean Salad

1 lb sushi-grade tuna steak

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp butter or olive oil

15 oz can cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained

3 tbsp oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained

2 tbsp capers, drained

2 tbsp parsley, chopped

1 lemon

1 tomato, roughly chopped

pinch red pepper flake

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Romaine lettuce

Preheat grill or grill pan. Melt butter then add minced garlic. Let butter mixture sit while prepping remaining ingredients. Once the pan is hot, brush both side of steaks with butter mixture and place on the grill. Sear for 3-4 minutes per side, reapplying butter mixture as needed to keep the meat moist. I like to cook the tuna  until the outside is starting to brown but center is still pink, but if you are like The Other Half you will need to add a little time to get to medium. (Watch it carefully though — tuna cooks fairly quickly if your pan is hot enough.)  

In a large bowl combine beans, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, parsley, tomato and the zest of the lemon. Roughly cut the tuna in to chunks and layer on top of the vegetables.

In a separate bowl whisk together the juice of the zested lemon (about 2-3 tbsp), olive oil, salt and pepper, to make a vinaigrette. Pour vinaigrette over the tuna mixture and toss. Serve on a bed of lettuce with fresh bread.

Enjoy!

The Fish Notes

Super interesting to me that the first post I did on fried foods has gotten the most input from my readers. Thanks for all the great feedback – so much so that I thought it would be good to share a “couple of notes” that weren’t mine but made me go and do some more research.

One reader posted “The house still smells like fish, despite having lit 'the kitchen candle' before beginning.” I confess I had the same issue. And though I love the smell of good food when it is cooking, I am not a fan of waking up in the morning (or in this case the middle of the night) wondering what “that” smell is. I guess I assumed that not having a very powerful vent fan — one of the things on the dream house wish list — was the reason for my wiffy experience, but it would appear that several of you had the same issue. The next time I make this recipe it will have to be on a warmer day when I can open some windows and let the smell waft out to the neighborhood instead of staying trapped in my house.

Several of you commented that the 20 minutes that it took to heat my oil was intimidating. I apologize for that and have to put out there a big caveat. I have one of the worst cook tops in the world – electric and persnickety as all get out. It is also on the “someday” list to be replaced but in the meantime I probably erred on the side of caution heating my oil. The most important thing is to get the oil nice and hot.

Several of you commented that your fish was still a bit soggy or in one person’s case, got soggy while warming in the oven. So I went back and checked my handy dandy resources and found these answers. If your fish was soggy, your oil was not hot enough. I found this neat tip that may help to calibrate your oil temp without a thermometer (what I am asking for, for mother’s day). Place a small piece of bread in your oil when cold. It should sink to the bottom of the pan. As the oil heats up the bread should rise to the surface. When it is bobbing on the surface with small bubbles around it, your oil should be hot enough. I have not had a chance to try this yet but sounds like a good idea.

I also found out that when you remove a batch of fish from the oil it cools slightly now that it is not working as hard. The solution? Through in another small hunk of bread, just to keep it bubbling.

For those that had issues with the fish staying crisp after it was cooked and warming I found this answer. As the fish cools to room temperature, the oil in the surface of the food, combined with the steam released during the cooling process, makes the fish soggy. To keep your fish crispy, you need to blot any excess grease and keep the fish hot and dry until you are ready to eat. I removed my batches of fish to a paper towel for a few minutes before placing it on the baking sheet and in the oven. One reader said she blotted the top with an additional paper towel and then placed the fish on a paper towel, on top of a cooling rack, placed on a cookie sheet to keep her fish crisp.

I love, love, love all the comments and look forward to hearing what you are interested in and want me to cook. Over the next month or so I am hoping to make some changes to the blog to make it more robust and enjoyable to read and look forward to your feedback on what is working and what isn’t. In the meantime — Enjoy!

Barefoot Contessa Fish and Chips

In my twenties I had the opportunity to live in England for a year. I am pretty sure I may have been born on the wrong continent. I took to life over there like fish to water - no pun intended (well maybe a little one...). Since then I have had a soft spot in my heart for fish and chips and mushy peas. That being said I have to confess I am a fry-a-phobe. Past experiences have resulted in soggy, nasty fish that is not at all appetizing. In search of the perfect recipe I turned to one of my food goddesses, Ina Garten. The one thing I have learned about Barefoot Contessa recipes is that if you follow them to the letter they usually result in a very tasty meal. But because of my past bad experiences I did some research and found out a couple of tidbits that I suspected would make all the difference in the world. I was right! Tonight for the first, but definitely not the last, I made a tasty batch of lightly crisped fish and chips. Not able to sell the Other Half and Pods on mushy peas I served steamed green peas. The meal was gobbled down by all. And the nicest part of it was that prep work was about 10 minutes and I had all the fish cooked in about 30 minutes. Meanwhile the chips were in the oven baking and peas steaming. It was so easy! I hope you enjoy this as much as we did!

Couple of notes:

When cutting the cod, cut against the grain. It will hold together better when cooking. Try and cut your fish in as similar a size as possible. If part of your fillet is thinner try and cook those pieces together and adjust the cooking time slightly.

I used a little more than a teaspoon of lemon zest to balance some old bay that I threw into the batter, in place of the cayenne pepper.

If you decide to cut the recipe in half I would still make a full recipe of batter.

The most important thing to remember is to let your oil get hot enough gradually! It took about 20 minutes on an electric stove to get the oil up to temperature. If you don't have a thermometer to gauge the temp then plop a tiny drop of the batter into the oil when you think it is ready. If it sizzles and bubbles up you are good to go.

Cook your fish in batches. I used a 12" cast iron skillet (thanks mom!). I did 4-5 pieces at a time - don't crowd the pan. Room is one of the keys to the fish getting a nice crispy shell.

Place the finished pieces on a baking towel lined with paper towel and keep warm in a 200 degree oven for up to 20 minutes. 

http://www.pdphoto.org

 

 

Parker's Fish and Chips (Barefoot Contessa Family Style)

3 pounds fresh cod fillets (try and get as even a thickness as possible)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest (one small lemon)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (as noted above I replaced this with Old Bay)
1 cup water
2 extra-large egg
Vegetable oil, for frying

Lay the cod fillets on a cutting board. Pat dry and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Cut the fillets in 1-1/2 by 3-inch pieces.

In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, lemon zest, cayenne pepper, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Whisk in 1 cup of water and then the eggs.

Pour 1/2-inch of oil into a large frying pan and heat it to about 360 degrees. Dip each fillet into the batter, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl. Place it very carefully into the hot oil. Don't crowd the pieces. Cook the fish on each side for 2 to 3 minutes, until lightly browned and cooked through - thinner pieces closer to 2 minutes, thicker pieces slightly longer. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt.


Baked Chips

4 large baking potatoes, unpeeled
4 tablespoons good olive oil
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic (about 2 small cloves)
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Scrub the potatoes, cut them in half lengthwise, then cut each half in thirds lengthwise. You'll have 6 long wedges from each potato. Place the potatoes on a sheet pan with the olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and rosemary. With clean hands, toss all the ingredients together, making sure the potatoes are covered with oil. Spread the potatoes in a single layer with 1 cut side down.

Bake the potatoes for 30 to 35 minutes, turning to the other cut side after 15-20 minutes. Bake until they are lightly browned, crisp outside, and tender inside. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

Comfort Food on my mind

We have one of those weeks coming up that I say to myself "Hold on to your hat, jump in the saddle" and hope that I make it to the other end so the menu for this week is pretty simple and straight forward. When we get this busy I tend to make more stew or meals that I can prep whenever I find a free minute while still being warm and tasty for my family. So here is what I have for this week:

Monday - Pork and Apple Stew - using leftover tenderloin from the the recipe last week which was NOT a success and will need some major tweeking before I would think about posting it up here. Hopefully this will be better!

Tuesday - Ina Garten's recipe for Fish and Chips, with green peas and a salad

Wednesday - Tortellini Soup and Salad

Thursday - West African Chicken and Groundnut Stew with Brown Rice

Friday - Pizza night - everyone gets to make their own favorite

Saturday - Marinated Steaks and Warm Potato Salad with Green Beans

Sunday - leftovers

Hopefully I will like the pork and West African Chicken stew recipes enough to post up here. I have not tried either of them before so we will have to see. If there is something that catches your attention and you would like me to post let me know - I am more than happy to share.

Have a good week!

Roast Salmon with Lentils

This was the other new recipe on my menu last week and what a pleasant surprise. Not only was it quick and easy to make, it was so super tasty that every one ate it - even my extremely picky oldest Pea Pod who only eats about five things. And the leftover lentils were yummy over brown rice for lunch the next day. Again this came from my new cookbooks, "The Best of HeartSmart Cooking" by Bonnie Stern. The Other Half says that he has liked everything I have made from it so much that Ms. Stern may soon edge out his food heartthrob, Ina Garten (high praise from a man who has said that he would only consider cheating on me if Jeffrey, Ina's husband, was no longer in the picture and The Other Half might have the chance to eat Ina food every night).

Couple of notes: This does require a higher that usual number of pans and make for a slightly bigger clean-up, but if your house is like mine once The Other Half is done eating a good meal he is more than happy to clean up the mess required to make it.

I did not have plum tomatoes on hand so I substituted Muir Glen No-Salt Added Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes. One cup was about 3/4 of the can. I froze the remainder of the can for use later.

If possible use wild-caught salmon. Try and get as even a cut of fillet as consistent a thickness as possible so that it will cook evenly. I find it is a lot easier to skin the fillet after you have portioned it.

I found that it took a good 10 minutes for the carrots to become tender. I would say keep an eye on them after 8 minutes but make sure you let them soften up a bit or their texture will be really off from all the other components in the dish.

I served this with some roasted red potatoes and a small baby arugula salad with a lemon vinaigrette, but you could easily just eat this and be plenty satisfied. I hope you enjoy this a much as we did!

Roasted Salmon with Lentils

1 1/2 cups dried lentils (I used green because that was what I had in the pantry)
4 tsp olive oil, divided
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground roasted cumin
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
 1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 cup plum tomatoes with juices, pureed
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, rinsed and chopped
1/2 tsp pepper
Salt to taste
1 1/2 lbs. salmon fillet, cut in 6 pieces, skin removed
1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped (can substitute 1/4 tsp dried rosemary)

Place lentils in a bowl of water, covered by several inches and pick out any that float to the surface, then rinse and drain. Place in a large pot and cover generously with water (at least 2 extra inches of water). Bring to a boil and then simmer gently for 25-35 minutes until just tender. Rinse and drain well, then set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in large pan on medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook gently for 5 minutes. Add cumin and red pepper flakes then cook an additional 30 seconds. Add carrots, celery and tomato puree to pan and cook 8-10 minutes until carrots are tender and liquid from tomato is reduced slightly. Add lentils, parsley and salt and pepper to the pan. Keep warm.

Preheat oven at 400 degrees.

Heat remaining 1 tsp of oil in a separate pan over medium heat. While heating pat salmon dry and sprinkle with rosemary. Once hot, place in pan and cook 1-2 minutes per side, or until fillet is lightly brown and developing a crust. Transfer salmon to baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or leave in pan if oven-proof). Bake for 7-9 minutes, or until just cooked through.

Serve salmon on top of bed of lentils, garnished with fresh parsley.

Ribbolita

As is often the case in our house, though I planned a menu for the week I did not actually get to make the meals until later in the week. The kids brought home some sort of gleep from school so for the beginning of the week there was a lot of crackers and mac and cheese consumed in this house. By the latter part of the week we were all hungry and ready to eat again so I went ahead and made the ribollita.

Ribollita's originates from Tuscan peasant food using re-heated minestrone or vegetable soup from the prior day — in Italian ribbolita literally means "reboiled". I found several different versions of this recipe but I wanted to try the one in my new "Best of HeartSmart Cooking" by Bonnie Stern, which may have just become my new favorite in the collection. Though the version I made was meatless it would be very easy to add some meat. Ina Garten includes 1/4 pound of diced pancetta in her recipe to be added with the onions. I think you could also put bacon or pancetta on top of the casserole before the final baking and just let the juices run down into the dish. That way you could split the base into two dishes and have one that was meatless and one that had meat, offering all in your life with options!

Couple of notes: This recipe says it makes 8 servings. The Other Half has a pretty healthy appetite and between the four of us we barely touched a third of the pan. This is very filling!

Wash your swiss shard very well and then cut out the tough rib from the center, much like you do the core of the cabbage. It will make for a much nicer eating experience. Use fresh herbs - my battle cry I know, but oh, the taste - especially in something like this that cooks for a while.

I used zucchini per the recipe but will probably try green beans next time, or add the zucch later. It was a bit mushy for my taste.

Go to the bakery at your grocery store and ask if they have any day old bread. They will often give it to you for free or sell it to you at a discounted price.

Let me know what you think!

 Ribbolita

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch, red pepper flakes
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 zucchini, diced
3 cups cabbage, cored and chopped
4 cup vegetable stock ( I used Kitchen Basics)
2-28 oz. cans plum tomatoes, with juice
2- 14 oz. can cannelini or great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 bunch Swiss chard or rappini, rinsed, cored and chopped
1 cup macaroni or other dried soup pasta
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh basil or parsley, chopped
12 thick slices Italian bread (1 loaf sliced)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven on medium heat. Once hot, add onion, garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook gently for 5-8 minutes, until onions are tender.

Add carrots, celery, zucchini and cabbage. Cook for about 5 minutes to wilt vegetable slightly.

Add stock and tomatoes and bring to a boil, breaking up tomatoes with a fork on the side of the pot. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add beans, swiss chard and pasta and cook for 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, then basil. Stir.

Line a 13 x 9 baking dish with half of the bread slice and spoon half the mixture on top. Sprinkle with half the cheese then repeat layers. Top with remaining cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes, until top is golden brown and bubbling.

Menu planning

I mentioned in yesterday's post that I try and sit down on Sundays and plan out a menu for the week. It is a little luxury I afford myself. Not everyone's cup of tea I know, but for me it is exciting to see what new recipes I can find to try out on whoever is my latest victim, often The Other Half. I peruse the ever-growing cookbook collection, pull out a couple of potentials and then sit at the kitchen table and flip through the pages until something catches my eye. Then I write out each day, with any major activities that might impact the cooking and/or eating of dinner, weigh in the likes and dislikes of the wee pods, and try and come up with a plan. I try to make sure I am offering chicken/turkey, pork, fish, beef pasta/pizza and vegetarian options during the week. At least one night, usually later in the week or Monday, is reserved for leftovers. (I have a leftover confession - I am not a big fan of them - they too easily become mystery meals in the back of the fridge, but especially when I am trying something for the first time I will make a full recipe so that I can get a sense of what the taste is like. Once a recipe is taste-test approved, then I will start to monkey with it/reportion.) Recipes that I want to try but are going to take a long time to cook are usually saved for the weekend when The Other Half and I can tag-team the wee pods. The rest of the week I try and do recipes that take between 30-40 minutes of cooking time - that doesn't include prep work which I try and do in advance either in bulk (why cry over onions all week long when you can get it out of the way all at once) or when the youngest pod is napping.

Here is what this week looks like:

Monday - Leftovers

Tuesday - Herb-Rub Roasted Chicken Breasts with Couscous and Peas

Wednesday - Ribollita with fresh Italian Bread from the bread machine

Thursday - Roast Salmon with Green Lentils and Tomatoes

Friday - Pizza Night - everyone makes their own with individual toppings

Saturday - Boneless Pork Loin Roasted with Apples and Sweet Potatoes, Salad

Sunday - Seared Rosemary Steak with Roasted New Potatoes and Broccoli

For Christmas I received two new cookbooks by Bonnie Stern and the "HeartSmart" series, published in conjunction with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. I discovered these cookbooks this summer, when visiting relatives and am super excited to dive in and try things out. A couple of this week's recipes come from Mark Bitman's, "How to Cook Everything" one of my go-to tomes, which will need to either rebound soon as it is so well loved and often used it is starting to fall apart.

So that is the plan. If you see something on the menu you are interested in having me post, let me know and I will try and take pictures while I am cooking (another resolution for the year - more pictures!) In the meantime, happy eating.

Resolutions and White Bean Stew

It is a new year and like so many others around me — though I say I am not going to — I once again start to think in terms of resolutions. There are the time-old favorites like "I am going to start working out every day and lose 20 pounds" or "I am going to do a better job at keeping up with the laundry"... you get the gist. But this year I asked myself one simple question: What will make me a happier person? The Other Half often says, "Happy wife, happy life" and being the smart man that he is, he does many things to facilitate that. As for me - I tend to put myself last and make sure everyone else is taken care of. I come by it honestly - from a long line of women with the same trait. But when I asked myself what would make me happy these things came to mind: create, read, cook, eat and write. Could it really be that simple? Maybe so. To that end I am going to try and be better about writing on here because doing so will address pretty much all the other needs. One fly in the ointment is that it doesn't really address that pesky 20 pounds, so I will try to post recipes that are healthier and maybe I can make peace that way. The laundry will just have to wait...

So, first recipe of the new year is a White Bean Stew. I usually sit down on Sundays and write up a menu for the week. Makes grocery shopping on Mondays with my wee-pod go quicker and tends to keeps the impulse purchases to a minimum. I try and do a different protein every night — Chicken/Turkey, Fish, Pork or Red Meat, Pasta and of late a Vegetarian dish one night a week. I haven't gone all crazy with the tofu yet but I have found a couple of great bean recipes. I particularly like this one because I can easily add roast chicken or sausage to The Other Half's bowl if he is feeling the need for protein. I have recently reintroduced myself to my bread machine and have found that some good herb bread and a small salad are really all you need to make this a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs meal.

Couple of notes:
Wash bean then put in a bowl, cover with water plus 2 inches. Throw away any beans that float to the surface. Let the remaining beans soak for up to 12 hours. Beans that soak longer than that might sprout. Soak for as long as you can though. The second time I made this recipe I only soaked the beans for four hours and the recipe was not as nice and creamy.

Grocery store onions these day are huge. One "regular" size onion is usually about 2 cups. If you are lucky to have a good food co-op by you and your onions are not on steroids, you might need a couple to make up two cups. 

Peeling garlic cloves is a pain in the butt I know, but take the time to try and keep the cloves as intact as possible.

Use fresh herbs - in this recipe it really will make a big difference. Don't be frightened by the garlic and resist any urge to mince it. By the time you get done cooking it the cloves will have disintegrated. I promise you will not melt anyone's eyebrows off after eating it.

Is you want to add protein add some diced rotisserie chicken or grilled kilbasa.

Enjoy.

White Bean Stew

1-1/2 cups dried cannelini or great northern beans, washed and picked over
1 head of garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
4 carrots, peeled and chopped into 1/4" rounds
14.5 oz can whole diced tomatoes ( I use Muir Glen Fire Roasted, No Salt Added)
1-1/2 cup stock (chicken or vegetable)
1 cup water
8-10 fresh basil leaves, washed and julienned and divided
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup chopped parsley
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon

Wash and soak beans. Drain and set aside.

Break the head of garlic into cloves and peel.

Heat oil in a heavy bottom pot over low heat. Cool the garlic, onions and carrots in the oil until the onions are soft and golden, stirring frequently. Keep the pot covered between stirrings.

Add the beans to the pot. Then add the tomatoes. Add stock and water, half the basil and oregano. Cover the pot and bring up to a simmer. Let simmer for about one and a half hours until the beans are very soft. Gently press the garlic cloves to the side of the pot with a spoon.

Add salt and pepper and remaining basil and let simmer another 5 minutes. Just before serving add parsley and lemon juice and stir.

Chicken Sauté Provençale Style

As I was looking back through the recipes I had posted in the last year I was amazed to find that I had not put this one up. It is absolutely one of my go-to recipes - just as appropriate for an important dinner with the boss as a quick weeknight meal - the epicurian equivalent of the perfect day to night outfit, as it were. This recipes embodies pretty much everything I love about cooking and reaffirms that good food does not have to be fussy or take hours, though those recipes have their place in my world as well.

This is good all year round. In the fall/winter I will pair it with green beans, rice and crusty bread for soaking up all the good sauce; in the spring/summer I will serve it with roasted asparagus and couscous for a lighter fare.

I originally found this recipe in one of my well-loved cookbooks, Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library "Healthy Cooking". The chicken dish is low in calorie (222 calories per serving) and high in flavor.

Couple of notes:
I would recommend using regular olive oil here. You want that olive flavor present and extra virgin just will not have enough presence. If it's all you have in the pantry, no sweat, but if you have a choice, use high test this time.

As always fresh herbs make a difference. I know this is my battle cry but with so many basic ones readily available now in the grocery store there really isn't a reason not to use them - it makes such a difference in the taste.

For the wine, cook with what you would drink with. If you don't want to have to open a bottle just to decant a 1/2 cup of wine or if you are an infrequent white wine drinker here is a tip. When you do drink white, save the last little bit of the bottle and pour it into an ice tray. Freeze the wine cubes and then pop them into a plastic freezer bag. Then when you need a touch of wine, you can put a couple of cubes in the recipe and you are good to go.

I always make extra sauce. It is delicious the next day poured over leftover rice or couscous and warmed quickly in the microwave.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Chicken Sauté Provençale

2 tablespoons good olive oil 
4 4-5 oz skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/3 cup finely chopped yellow onion (about half an onion)
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 can chopped tomatoes (I use Muir Glen Fire Roasted, No-Salt Added Diced Tomatoes)
1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano ( substitute 1 tsp dried oregano)
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Parsley for garnish

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add oil and warm.

When hot, add chicken, onion, garlic, salt and pepper and cook, turning the chicken once, 2-3 minutes each side. Chicken should be lightly browned on the outside.

Add the wine and bring to a boil.

Add tomatoes and oregano and return to boil.

Reduce heat to low, cover partially and cook 5-7 minutes. Sauce should have thickened and chicken have become opaque throughout when cut with a knife.

For party presentations, transfer chicken to a warmed platter. Spoon sauce on top, sprinkle with parsley and garnish with parsley sprigs. For a more casual meal, spoon starch (rice, couscous etc) on to plate and layer chicken on top. Spoon sauce over all and top with fresh chopped parsley. Serve at once.

Comfort Food Classics: Chicken Noodle Soup

As the weather finally gets colder and the days shorter I find myself making more comfort food. Chicken Noodle Soup is one of those recipes that I think people dismiss sometimes as too basic, but when made well can really taste simply delicious. I have played around with a recipe for years and even when my friend Paul asked me to resend a version I had sent him some time ago I wasn't sure if I could do that  - exactly - so this is where I am now. I can't really take any credit for the origins of this recipe. The base is a hybrid formed from the marriages of Williams-Sonoma and Barefoot Contessa recipes (not a bad coupling if I do say so myself). Over the years I have doctored and added elements that gave me the flavor I was looking for. Served with some crusty bread and a salad, this is the perfect quick weeknight meal.

Couple of notes: Fresh veggies and herbs are key here. It really does make a difference in the taste. If you can make your own stock that much the better but on a day to day basis I use Kitchen Basics, no salt added stock. I like to use half veggie stock, half chicken stocker for a richer flavor. When I am feeling horrible, especially if my nose if clogged I tend to like a lot of garlic, but if you are not a garlic lover, then just cut the amount to taste. If you are pressed for time a rotisserie chicken can easily be used. You may have to skim some fat off the soup before serving though.

This freezes pretty well, Just add some new stock to the frozen batch and reheat on the stove top. Enjoy!

Add caption

Chicken Noodle Soup

1 whole chicken breast, bone-in, skin on
Olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely diced
2 large carrots, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
4 small cloves garlic, smashed then finely minced
1 bay leaf
2 fresh thyme sprigs
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
2 oz egg noodles
6 cups stock
2 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley, plus some for garnish
Salt and pepper


Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Baste the chicken breast with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast, skin side up for 25-30 minutes until just pink on the inside. You want the chicken to be slightly undercooked. Remove from oven. Allow to cool then skin and remove the meat from bone, cutting up the meat into 1-inch cubes. (You should have about a 1/2 pound of meat.) Set aside.

Heat a large pot on the stove. When hot add a small amount of olive oil and coat the bottom of the pan. Add in onions, celery and carrots and cook until softened, about 10-12 minutes. (Turn down the heat if veggies start to brown.) Once cooked, add garlic and cooked for another minute. Add the broth and bay leaf heat until slowly boiling. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface of the stock. Add noodles, remaining spices and cook about 8 minutes until noodles are almost done, then add reserve chicken, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 4 more minutes and then serve.

Broiled Salmon with Mustard Dill Sauce

They had beautiful wild-caught salmon at the store today that I just couldn't resist so tonight for dinner we are having Broiled Salmon with Mustard Dill Sauce. I love this recipe - it is deceptively easy to make but can be a real show stopper if you are looking for a nice "dinner for the boss" meal. I am serving it with a basic risotto and green peas. Simple clean flavors that taste good any time of year. To be honest I am not sure where this recipe originated from. It is one of those that I have been carrying around for years, written on a page torn out of my Daytimer - so that means I have had it for a really long time! It also means I probably saw it in a magazine at the doctor's office or at a friend's house, so my apologies to the original author. You are a genius whoever you are!

Couple of notes: Try and get as even a thickness as possible of fillet. I asked my fish guy to trim down a slightly larger piece for me to just get at the center of the fillet. If you don't you will almost definitely overcook the thinner pieces to get the thickest part the right temperature. For me If your fish counter at the market won't trim it for you it is worth it to buy a little extra, trim it up and have salmon that you can grind up for salmon cakes or some other application where it doesn't matter what the fish looks like.

The sauce makes way more than you will need/want unless you want to slather your salmon in sauce. That being said, it is very tasty and goes well with other fish and chicken. The recipe calls for heavy cream - I have used low-fat milk when it was all I had with less creamy and luxurious results but if it is just family dinner it will be fine. (If you are making it for the boss, pull out all the stops and use the heavy cream - it is worth it!) You can substitute dried dill for the fresh but the sauce will not have as nice a flavor. Worth it, I promise.

I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

Broiled Salmon

21/2-3 pound salmon fillet, preferably wild caught
Low-sodium soy sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh thyme sprigs for garnish

Preheat broiler.

Rinse salmon and pat dry. Arrange salmon, skin side down, in a foil-lined pan and rub thoroughly with soy sauce. Season salmon with salt and pepper and broil about 4 inches from heat 12 to 15 minutes, or until just cooked through. Transfer salmon to a platter and garnish with herbs.

Serve salmon warm or at room temperature with mustard dill sauce.

Mustard Dill Sauce

1/2 cup coarse-grained mustard
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup olive oil
4 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill, or to taste

In a bowl combine well all ingredients and season with pepper. Sauce may be made 1 day ahead and kept chilled, covered. Let sauce come to room temperature and whisk before serving.

This dinner meal brought to you by the letter H: Healthy Halibut with Horseradish

Quite a few of you asked for healthy, quick dinners that don't skimp on flavor, so I did a little research and here is the first of hopefully many tasty options. This was a hands-down winner at the table, even tempting The Pods. In total, with prep time, the recipe took about 20 minutes to make, but you would never know from looking at it once it's plated.

The original recipe comes from one of the first cookbooks I bought as an adult, "The Golden Door Cookbook" by Michel Stroot. I am not sure if it is in print anymore. I tried to buy it for a friend a few years ago, without success, but if you come across it in a used bookstore or online somewhere grab it. Michel is the original chef at the Golden Door Spa in Southern California - the zen oasis of healthy living and good food where you could go to work out and realign your life while still eating well. I will be honest and say that I bought the book for all the wrong reasons. I remember browsing in a little independent bookstore in Del Mar with a roommate and coming across this cook book on the sale table. I flipped it open to the center of the book and came across a photo of "Lobster-Filled Papaya". It is this saliva-inducing photo of a full lobster claw practically toppling off this mountain of large chuck lobster meat, balanced in a papaya half that compelled me to buy the book. I wasn't even really all that in to cooking yet, but that picture called to me - aspirational I guess. Anyway, I bought the book and have since then found a ton of really yummy things in it to make.

Couple of notes: If you can get fresh halibut great, but I used frozen steaks from the commissary and it was wonderful. I served the halibut with 5-minute couscous but I think it would also be really tasty with steamed red potatoes with parsley.

The recipe calls for savoy cabbage leaves to be steamed in a bamboo steamer but to expedite things I just julliened the leaves and steamed them in a little bit of veggie broth over medium low heat while the fish cooked in the oven. Keep an eye on the cabbage when you are cooking this way - you want them to wilt but not get soggy. If you can't find savoy cabbage, use what you can find fresh in the veggie section - it isn't as important to have the pretty frilly savoy leaves if you are going to cut it up.

The sauce will make way more than you need but I saved it and used it with a beef recipe a couple of nights later and it was delicious.

You will need a pan and cover that you can take from stove top to oven. I use All-Clad pans and they work beautifully. If you don't have a pan that you can do this with the alternative is to cook the fish, covered on the stove top for about 15 minutes, until the fish is opaque and cooked through. You will need to keep an eye on it on the stove to make sure that there is enough liquid in the pan and add more if needed. I used vegetable stock to refresh the pan once, on the stovetop.

Let me know what you think. I am still working on vegetarian recipes as well as adding more photos to the blog. Enjoy!

Baked Halibut on Savoy Cabbage

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1⁄2 cup thinly sliced red onion (about half a small onion)
4 (4-oz.) halibut steaks
1⁄2 cup dry white wine
1⁄8 teaspoon salt
1⁄8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 sprigs fresh lemon thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme with 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
Vegetable stock
3 savoy cabbage leaves per person, julliened
1⁄2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1 lemon, quartered


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In small bowl, combine yogurt and horseradish; mix well. Set aside.

In large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion; cook and stir 4 to 5 minutes or until translucent and softened. Arrange halibut steaks in single layer over onion; add wine. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; place thyme sprigs or dried thyme and zest on fish. Cover and bake about 10 minutes until fish is opaque and cooked through.

While fish is cooking place sliced cabbage leaves in a pan with a 1/4 cup of vegetable stock. Cover and steam 8 to 10 minutes or until leaves soften.

To serve, arrange cabbage on each plate. Place fish and onion over leaves; ladle some of the cooking liquid evenly over fish. Spoon dollop of yogurt mixture onto each fillet. Garnish with lemon wedges.


Per Serving: 190 calories, 4.5 g total fat (1 g saturated fat), 26 g protein, 6.5 g carbohydrate, 40 mg cholesterol, 175 mg sodium, 1.5 g fiber.

Low-fat Pittsburgh Fare Fast - Kilbasa, Cabbage and Pierogis

The Other Half is from the Pittsburgh region and was raised on pierogis, cabbage and brat. This is also the man who thinks that Kraft Mac and Cheese and a can a tuna fish is the ultimate meal - one which is only made when I am not present in the house - but that being said he has come to appreciate my attempts to make his favorite eats a little healthier. I have to admit the first time I tried brats and cabbage I was not overwhelmed, but since it is a personal favorite of his I was on a mission to come up with a version that (a) the kids would eat; (b) was not going to kill anyone and (c) tastes good. To make it a quick to the table recipe I do use packaged pierogis - Mrs. T's low-fat Cheddar and Potato - but if that is not your speed this recipe is also really good with baked sweet potatoes, mashed or not or if you have the fortitude to make homemade pierogis. You can also buy jarred red cabbage if you are really pressed for time but I like the taste of the fresh cabbage as well as a little crunch. Even on an insane, then things happening at once kind of night I can usually get this on the table in 20-30 minutes. Enjoy!

Kilbasa, Cabbage and Pierogis

1 package frozen pierogis ( I used cheddar and potato but there are other options)
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 small onion)
1 clove garlic minced
1 cup diced apple (preferrably golden but I have used others and it is fine)
8 oz shredded red cabbage (box grater or food processor works great for this, just keep it course); you can also purchase a package of precut red cabbage - usually with the coleslaw fixings in the veggie department
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
1 package turkey kilbasa, cut into 1/2" pieces
chopped parsley

Cook pierogis according to package instructions. (The Other Half likes them boiled; I prefer them baked - both work.)

In large pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute about 2 minutes. Add garlic and saute another minute. Add apple, cabbage, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper and cook, stirrig,  until cabbage is wilted - about 3-5 minutes. Remove from pan and cover to keep warm.

Add remaining olive oil to warm pan with kilbasa and cook 3-5 minutes, turning occasionally, until heated through and browned on both sides. Return cabbage to pan and toss to coat. Sprinkle with parsley.

Serve with pierogis.

Pork Chops to Make a Bad Day Better

Okay. I have had a crummy week - no two ways about it. Lots of whining (or is that wining...?) that could be done but instead when things are glum I tend to cook. Everything looks better with a good meal in you, I think. So this week when I was at a rotten place I made a nice dinner for myself and The Other Half. I'm not sure if others would consider this comfort food but for me this recipe is warm and comforting and made a bad day just a little better.

This recipe comes from "The Naked Chef" by Jamie Oliver - one of my foodie crushes. I served it with creamed spinach (Green Giant, not homemade this time) and long grain rice. Because of the bold flavors in the herbs there are a variety of wines that would pair nicely with this. We chose a lovely Riesling that was a crisp, clean companion to the meal. Enjoy!

Couple of notes:

Buy nice thick single chops, or in the absence of that see if you can get double-rib chops - the butcher at your local grocery store should be able to cut them for you. If you get chops that are super large (more than an inch thick) you will want to pan sear them per the recipe and then finish them off in the oven at 375 degrees until the juices run clear and the core temperature is at least 145 degrees for 15 seconds with a meat thermometer (about 15-30 minutes depending on thickness, check frequently so they don't dry out). So important to check the temperature to make sure they are cooked all the way through!

Use fresh herbs - I know this is often my battle cry but in this instance it will make the difference between a chop that you eat and say "What was Nancy thinking?" and a chop that you eat and say "Is it okay if I pick the bone up and eat every last little morsel like I am at a Renaissance fair?"

If you don't own a mortal and pestle you can McGyver one using a wooden or heavy plastic bowl and a round fist sized rock wrapped in plastic wrap - you can find a good rock at almost any garden supply store. The other option would be to use a food processor - just don't work it too much - you won't get as nice a paste.

Pork Chops with Thyme, Lemon and Pesto

1 handful of thyme picked from stem
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 clove of garlic
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
(4) thick loin chops or two-rib regular chops
pesto (recipe below)

Using a mortar and pestle pound the thyme with 1 teaspoon of salt until it becomes a paste, then add the garlic and 1 teaspoon of black pepper and pound again. Stir in the lemon juice and zest and the olive oil. The paste should be the consistency of toothpaste.

Smear the mixture over the chops and leave out to rest for at least 10 minutes.

Meanwhile heat a caste iron pan or stove top griddle on medium high heat. Place the chops in pan (they make a bit of smoke so get your fan on!). Cook on each side 4-5 minutes, letting each side get nicely charred and golden. Don`t let them burn - if it looks as if they are getting too much colour turn the heat down. They should take about 8 minutes to cook at a medium high heat. After 8 minutes total take the pan off the heat and check the chops temperature, inserting the meat thermometer from the side. When the temperature registers 145 degrees the chops are done.

Rest the chops for a few minutes while making the pesto, then spoon a dollop of pesto over them.

Pesto 

1/4 cup garlic, chopped (3-4 good size pieces)
3 healthy handfuls of fresh basil leaves
1 handful of pine nuts
1/4  cup Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
extra-virgin olive oil
salt and ground black pepper
lemon juice

Put your garlic into a food processor. Combine into a pulp with shredded basil leaves. Add the pine nuts into the mixture and pulse again. Turn out into a bowl and add half of the cheese. While gently stirring, add in olive oil until sauce starts to bind and becomes semi-wet in consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste, then add remaining cheese. Add more oil as needed and then finish with a squeeze of lemon juice to keep the color bright and help bring out the flavor of the basil over the garlic.

Penne with Sausage, Porcini and Portobello Mushrooms and Syrah Wine Sauce

Here in the south we don't have a typical fall. Summer drags on into Indian Summer and then Fall slides in stealthily for a few weeks before bang - it is cold. So when the temperature drops in the slightest, as it did this week, I was ready with a favorite fall dish to compliment the nip in the air.

We invited friends over for the afternoon. You know this couple - they don't mind that your house is not perfectly clean and that the heathens are under foot - heck, they are right there on the floor reading the latest installment of the ToysRUs catalog with them and cow racing on Wii. Comfortable folks deserve comfort food, and this is one of my favorite dishes for just such an occasion. The recipe comes from this great cook book that I received from dear friend and fellow foody, entitled "The Wine Lover's Cookbook: Great Recipes for the Perfect Glass of Wine" by Sid Goldstein - I highly recommend picking up a copy if you can find it.

We started the day off with some olives, marinated artichokes and bruschetta while the kids ate their dinner and then once they were tucked in bed, made our own dinner.

Couple of notes: I have found it virtually impossible to find fresh porcini mushrooms, but the dried ones seem to be readily available in the super market. Most of the times I find them on the endcaps with other specialty items, in the produce section. If you can find fresh ones, jump on them - it really does enhance the flavor. I tend to use a broader variety of mushrooms then what is listed in the recipe. There are so many wonderful shrooms to choose from - take a look at what is available fresh at your local store and experiment.

The wine that you cook with should be one that you would be willing to drink with dinner as well. Don't skimp on this ingredient but don't break the bank. There are a nice variety of $10-$15 bottles of syrah our there that will be very good in the recipe. Alternatively you could also use a zinfandel if you have one that you like.

I buy a can of tomato paste, spoon it out a tablespoon at a time on to pieces of press and seal, seal up the packets and then freeze them in a bag. Then when a recipe calls for a tablespoon of tomato paste I don't have an open can sitting in my fridge waiting to get thrown away. Just peel off the press and seal, throw the frozen glob of tomato paste into the dish and watch it dissolve.

We served this with a toasted baguette, fresh arugula salad and fresh asiago cheese. For dessert we had dark chocolate covered strawberries and expresso.

Enjoy!

Penne with Sausage, Porcini and Portobello Mushrooms, and Syrah

(makes 4 servings)

2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms

12 ounces Italian sausage, cut into 1/2-inch slices (I use Botto's Hot Italian Sausage)

11/2 cups chopped yellow onion (about 1 medium onion)

3 cloves garlic, chopped

(1) package baby portobello mushrooms, chopped

3/4 teaspoon crumbled dried rosemary or 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

crushed red pepper to taste (optional)

11/2 cups syrah

14.5 oz. can chopped tomatoes, drained

1 tablespoon tomato paste

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound dried penne or other small dried pasta

Chopped pasta for garnish

Shredded asiago cheese

Soak porcini in hot water for 2 to 3 hours. Drain.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Heat a small amount of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until good and hot. Saute sausage for 6 to 7 minutes, turning to brown on both sides. Remove with slotted

spoon, place on paper towels, and pat dry.

Add onions and garlic to pan and saute for 4 to 5 minutes, until onions are translucent. Add porcini, portobellos, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper, and continue sauteing for 3 to 4

minutes. Add wine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer to reduce by half. Add tomatoes and tomato paste and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Add reserved sausage and heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Carefully add penne to boiling water and cook according to package directions or until it is al dente (about 8 -10 minutes). Drain and return penne to pot. Add sauce to pasta and mix thoroughly. Add a handful of chopped parsley.

To serve, divide pasta among 4 large pasta or soup bowls. Garnish with freshly grated asiago cheese.

Chicken with Figs, Two Ways

A recent offer of fresh figs sent me on a search for a good savory recipe that I could include them in. After much taste testing (mostly good, occasionally horrid) I ended up with two recipes that I wanted to share with you. The first is an elegant presentation - great for that "I want to impress the boss" dinner or if you want to make something nice for The Other Half. It comes from one of my go-to cookbook, "The Silver Palate" and is a definite crowd pleaser. The second is a much less fussy, though no less tasty recipe that my whole family will eat - even the pod who eats virtually nothing. 


Silver Palate Chicken with Figs 
Couple of notes: I could not find green peppercorns the first time I made this so I substituted black peppercorns instead. If you do that, cut the amount of peppercorns you use to 2 teaspoons - black peppercorns have a much stronger favor. FYI - I finally found the green ones by the pickling spices.

Take the time to marinate the chicken a day ahead. It really makes a difference in the depth of flavor. I served this with wilted spinach cooked with in chicken stock with a little garlic, salt and pepper, and jasmine rice.

2 chickens (2 and a half to 3 pounds each), cut into 8 pieces each
6 large cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons dried thyme
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup best-quality olive oil
4 teaspoons green peppercorns (packed in water), drained
1 cup imported black olives
1 and a half cups dried apricots
1 cup dried small figs or large fig fresh figs, cut into pieces
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup Madeira
1 cup large pecan pieces (optional but adds a nice crunch)
Grated zest of 2 lemons
 
One day before serving, combine the chicken, garlic, thyme, cumin, ginger, salt, vinegar, oil, peppercorns, olives, apricots, and figs in a large bowl.  Marinate covered in the refrigerator overnight.  Remove the bowl from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking.
 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
 
Arrange  the chicken in a single layer in a large shallow baking pan.  Spoon the marinade mixture evenly over the chicken.  Sprinkle with the sugar and pour the Madeira between the pieces. Cover the pan with aluminium foil and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake, basting frequently with the pan juices, until the juices run clear when a thigh is pierced with a sharp skewer, 40 to 50 minutes.
 
Using a fork and slotted spoon, transfer the chicken, olives, and dried fruit to a large serving platter. Drizzle with a few large spoonfuls of the pan juices and sprinkle with the pecans.  Sprinkle the lemon zest over all.

Moroccan Chicken

The greatest thing about this recipe is the relatively low hands-on time. This is a great soccer practice night dish and is finished with couscous or rice and a nice salad to make a tasty and quick dinner. It is low in fat and calories but high in protein and fiber - an extra bonus if you are trying to watch your weight.

Notes: Fresh ginger spoils much quicker than I can use it so I often buy a large piece, cut it up into 1" sections and put them in a freezer bag in the freezer. When I need fresh ginger I take out a piece per tablespoon needed, let it defrost slightly, peel it with a peeler and then zest it with a microplane or mince it depending on the recipe. You get all the lovely flavor of fresh ginger but without all the waste.

I buy skin-on chicken breasts, then split and skin them. It's important to have the bone though - it helps to keep the chicken moist. The recipe is not as tasty if you use boneless breasts and dries out too quickly.

2 tablespoons olive oil 
1 spanish onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
(1) 28 oz. can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander (I prefer to use roasted ground coriander - it has a warmer taste) 
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon crushed saffron threads
(6) 4 oz. skinless, bone-in chicken breast
(1) 15 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
6 dried figs, cut in half or about a cup of fresh figs, cut into pieces
salt and black pepper to taste


Warm oil in Dutch oven or heavy pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes (with juice), broth, parsley, paprika, coriander, lemon rind, cinnamon and saffron. Add the chicken, placing breast side down in the pan), chickpeas and figs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 45 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center when tested with a sharp knife.
 

Sort of Shrimp Lo Mein

I am just back from spending a glorious vacation in the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee. (Hopefully the first of many as I fell in love with the area) We ate lots of fried foods: fried ochre, fried pickles, fried chicken, chicken-fried steak  - pretty much if you can fry it we probably ate it - and collard greens cooked in bacon (who doesn't love a green cooked in bacon). Lots of over-indulgence that results in my desire to now cleanse my body of this sluggish feeling. So this week has been all about cooking with fresh ingredients - what ever I can find at the local farm stand and winging it. This dish came to mind after finding some fresh green cabbage, bean sprouts and carrots at the Leaping Lizard's farm stand. Okay truth be told the first recipe to mind was cabbage and brauts (The Other Half is from Pittsburgh), but that didn't really seem to be heading in the right direction, so after some pondering I decided to make a lo mein-ish dish. I think the foundation recipe for this came from an every day cooking with Martha Stewart, that I have since then fiddled with pretty extensively. It was super easy to make, received rave reviews and was even better cold for lunch the next day. Hope you enjoy!

Couple of notes:
If possible make the sauce in the morning and then let it sit out on the counter covered, for the day until you are ready to cook. It tastes a lot better if you give the sauce some time to meld. Mirin is a rice wine and pretty widely available in most grocery stores in the asian food section. Start with an 1/8 cup of vinegar and then add more at the end of the day if you want a tangier taste. To blanche the bean sprouts drop them in a pan of boiling water for 30 seconds and then move them to an ice cold bowl to stop the cooking process. And most importantly have all your prep work done in advance - this recipe cook quickly.

Sort of Shrimp Lo Mein

8 oz. linguine
Course salt, fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin
1/8-1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tbsp. canola oil
1 lb. fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 head green cabbage, cored, quartered and thinly sliced
1 cup bean sprouts, blanched for 30 seconds
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup water or vegetable broth
Cilantro, for garnish

Combine soy sauce, mirin, vinegar, ginger, sugar and red pepper flakes and whisk lightly to blend. Cover and let sit for at least two hours and up to all day.

Heat water in a large pot with 1 tsp. of salt. When boiling, add half a box of linguine (about 8 oz.) and cook at low boil for 7-8 minutes.

While pasta pot is heating, heat oil in a large pan over medium high heat until flecks of water skitter across the surface when flicked on to the pan. Add half the garlic, the shrimp and cook 1.5 minutes. Make sure the shrimp have plenty of room in the pan - you want them to get a nice crust. Flip them over and add half of the soy sauce mixture, coking for another 1.5-2 minutes until all the shrimp have tightened up into little curls and turned a pink hue. Remove from the pan and set aside in a bowl.

Add cabbage, remaining garlic, carrots and bean sprouts, water or vegetable broth and cook 6-7 minutes until greens are just wilted.

When pasta is done, drain and put back in pot. Top with shrimp, and cabbage mixture, salt and pepper to taste. Add the reminder of the sauce and toss. Rinse and chop a handful of cilantro. Add and toss one last time. Serve while warm in large bowls.

Honey Mustard Turkey Burgers

One of the great ironies in my life is that as a lover of food and cooking, I am also the proud parent of one of the pickiest eaters on the planet. Seriously folks, I am talking about a kid who will eat seven things and most of them are breakfast foods. As a result I am constantly trying to find new ways to reinvent those few food groups that he will eat into something that the rest of the family will not look at and say "Baked chicken again...." Unbeknownst to me, apparently all you have to do to get your child to eat a new food is have your mother tell him to. Such was the case last summer when we were visiting my mother in the south. It was hot and as a result I was not in the mood for anything heavy. I had seen this recipe in an Eating Well magazine and thought I would give it a try. Though initially rejected, once Nana informed my oldest pea pod that turkey was just like chicken, it had honey in it - eat it up, my oldest paused, shrugged and ate the whole thing while I held my breath and tried not to make a big deal about it. So that is how the honey mustard turkey burger came to be added to our regular rotation.


I have made some tweaks to the recipe and changed up the accessories a bit to suit our tastes but you can get the basic idea and take it from there.


Couple of notes:


We cook these on our old school George Forman grill. I know, I know, but I have to say it makes a really good burger. It cooks both sides uniformly and quickly, doesn't require any extra oil or fat and the excess fat in the meat drain out. It is a bugger to clean but that is because ours is older than dirt. I understand that the new ones have removable plates... but I digress. Anyway, though the GF is our weapon of choice you could just as easily cook them on the grill or in a cast iron pan on the stove. 


We like to serve ours on English Muffins with swiss cheese, whatever fresh greens and sliced tomatoes from the farmers market, and baked sweet potato fries.

You will not have a lot of the honey mustard mixture left over once you have added the suggested amount to the turkey,  but we have found that it is plenty to lightly dress your burger and that they are already pretty flavorfull and juicy so you don't need a lot. If you want more topping I would suggest doubling the recipe. 



I hope you enjoy these as much as we do. I am still looking for suggestions for recipe to research/try so if you are looking for something specific let me know and I will go on the hunt!


Honey Mustard Turkey Burger
1/4 cup coarse-grained mustard (I use Grey Poupon)2 tablespoons honey1 pound ground turkey breast1/4 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Prepare a grill, fry pan or whatever surface you are cooking on. If neccesary brush with a little canola oil to keep burgers from sticking.

Whisk mustard and honey in a small bowl until smooth.

Combine turkey, 3 tablespoons of the mustard mixture, salt and pepper in a bowl; mix well. 

Form into four large or six small burgers. 

Grill until no pink remains in center, 5 to 7 minutes per side. 

Brush the burgers with the remaining mustard mixture. 

Latin Pork Stew and Chocolate Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

I think one of the secrets to a great get-together is a menu that you can have 90-100% complete before your guests walk in the door so that you spend your time enjoying your company and not stressing out over whether something is burning, undercooked etc.

This weekend we had friends over for a game night and I planned a menu that included a pork stew, field green salad with lettuces I had gotten at the farmer's market in the morning, fresh bread from the local bakery and dark chocolate chip chocolate cookies. Our friends are wine lovers so they brought the wine. The stew is a one-pot wonder recipe I found in one of those "Best Of Good Housekeeping" cookbooks that I purchased a couple of years ago in a used bookstore - I love finds like this one - it is a gem. The stew was done and warm on the stove, the last batches of cookies in the oven or cooling, the bread warmed and the salad ready to be tossed and dressed when our friends walked through the door.

Couple of notes: As always, using fresh ingredients will really make this recipe pop. The Other Half is not a huge cilantro fan so I sometimes swap out half of the cilantro for flat leaf parsley and it still has a really nice taste. Take your time browning the pork in smaller batches - I usually put two spoonfulls into the pot at a time - you want that really nice crust that only space in the pot will give you. It makes a pretty generous amount of stew so for those of you not feeding an army I recommend making the full recipe and then planning on putting some in containers in the freezer - it freezes beautifully and might only need a little chicken stock added when reheating to keep it from getting dry. This is another Other Half favorite. It worked particularly well in this instance because one of our guests was lactose intolerant so I could not use any dairy.

I have modified the cookie recipe to be lactose free from an Ina Garten, Barefoot in the Kitchen recipe from the "Barefoot Contessa Parties!" cookbook. The original recipe is for a Chocolate White Chocolate Chunk Cookie - I just swapped out all dairy and replaced the white chocolate with dark chocolate (recipe to follow). Warning - these things are addictive!

Latin American Pork Stew

2 tsp olive oil
2 lbs. pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 large onion, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, minced
(1) 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (I like to use Muir Glen's no salt added fire roasted diced tomatoes) or just shy of 2 cups of seeded, diced fresh tomatoes when they are in season
1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves and stems, chopped
1 tsp ground cumin (if you can find roasted cumin the flavor is amazing)
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground coriander (if you can find roasted coriander the flavor is amazing)
1/4 tsp ground red cayenne pepper
3 medium sweet potatoes (about 1.5 lbs), peeled and cut into 1/2" chunks
(2) 15 oz. cans black beans rinsed and drained (I like to use Eden Organics because of the packaging - the cans don't leech anything into the beans)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large Dutch Oven (I use my cast iron oven), heat oil over medium high heat. Once hot add pork in batches and cook until lightly brown, about 5 minutes per batch. (Usually takes me 5-6 batches to get it all browned). Transfer pork to a bowl.

Reduce heat to medium. Add onions and cook in pork drippings until tender, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute longer.

Add tomatoes with their juices, cilantro, cumin, coriander, salt, ground red pepper and 2 cups of water. Heat to boiling. Stir in pork, cover and bake in oven for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and stir in sweet potatoes. Cover, return to oven and bake for 40 minutes or until potatoes are just tender.

Remove from oven and stir in black beans. Cover, return to oven and bake for 15 more minutes until beans are heated through.


Chocolate Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 lb. unsalted butter at room temperature (in this instance I used Earth Balance Vegan Spread as a substitute)
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large eggs at room temperature
2/3 cup dutch process cocoa (Hershey's makes a nice one)
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
1 bag dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven at 350 degrees.

Cream the butter and two sugars until lightly fluffy in the bowl and beat with an electric beater. Add the vanilla, then the eggs, one at a time and mix well. Add the cocoa and mix again. Sift together the flour, baking  soda and salt together in a separate bowl then slowly add to the chocolate mixture with the mixer on a low speed until just combined. Do not over mix. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Drop the dough on to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (not wax paper) or Silpat cooking mats (one of the best gifts I ever received) using a rounded tablespoon. Dampen your clean finger and press the dough slightly flatter. Bake for up to 13-15 minutes (the cookies should be slightly underdone). Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on the pan, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.