Fish fillets with lemon and coriander, The Best of Casual French Cooking: Bistro, by Gerald Hirigoyen, pg 58
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 T fresh lemon juice
2 T water
¼ cup roasted, peeled, chopped red peppers
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp ground white pepper
4 firm white fish fillets such as cod or sea bass
2 T chopped fresh parsley
Roast the peppers under the broiler until skin is blistered. Place in a paper bag and let steam for a few minutes, until cool enough to handle. Peel and chop the peppers.
In a blender, add the coriander seeds, lemon juice, water, bell peppers, olive oil and 1 tsp salt. Blend on high speed until thick and smooth, about 1 minute.
Rinse the fillets and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper. Place on a steamer rack over gently boiling water. Cover and steam until opaque, about 6-7 minutes. Transfer to plates and spoon the sauce over the tops and sides of the fish. Garnish with chopped parsley.
How I did it: I have no idea. I have this recipe marked as completed and noted it was good. I don’t own a fish steamer, so I have no idea how I cooked this. I know I would have used tilapia because it’s readily available and I like it.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Fennel, Zucchini and Tomato Soup
Fennel, Zucchini, and Tomato Soup
12 Months of Monastery Soup, by Brother Victor-Antoine d’Avila-Latourrette, pg 135
1 large onion, chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 fennel bulbs, thinly sliced
2 medium-sized zucchinis, sliced
6 tomatoes, peeled, sliced and chopped (or 1 28 oz can)
8 fresh basil leaves
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup white wine
salt and pepper to taste
fresh basil for garnish
If using fresh tomatoes, blanch them in hot water to make peeling easier.
Heat the oil in a soup pot. Sauté the onion for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for one additional minute. Add the fennel, zucchini, tomatoes and basil. Stir well, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to sauté for 2-3 minutes.
Add the stock or water and the wine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook slowly for 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, simmer for 10 more minutes. Serve soup hot. Garnish with chopped fresh basil.
How I did it: I used vegetable broth and it was very light. I like fennel so I really enjoyed this soup.
12 Months of Monastery Soup, by Brother Victor-Antoine d’Avila-Latourrette, pg 135
1 large onion, chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 fennel bulbs, thinly sliced
2 medium-sized zucchinis, sliced
6 tomatoes, peeled, sliced and chopped (or 1 28 oz can)
8 fresh basil leaves
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup white wine
salt and pepper to taste
fresh basil for garnish
If using fresh tomatoes, blanch them in hot water to make peeling easier.
Heat the oil in a soup pot. Sauté the onion for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for one additional minute. Add the fennel, zucchini, tomatoes and basil. Stir well, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to sauté for 2-3 minutes.
Add the stock or water and the wine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook slowly for 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, simmer for 10 more minutes. Serve soup hot. Garnish with chopped fresh basil.
How I did it: I used vegetable broth and it was very light. I like fennel so I really enjoyed this soup.
Zuppa di Pasta e fagioli
Zuppa di Pasta e fagioli
12 Months of Monastery Soup, by Brother Victor-Antoine d’Avila-Latourrette, pg 93
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 28-oz can Italian tomatoes, chopped with juice
1 bay leaf
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp fresh or dried basil, chopped
4 springs fresh Italian parsley
4 cups precooked white beans or 1 15 oz can cannellinii beans
6 cups water
1 cup white wine
salt and pepper to taste
4 oz dried pasta
grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add onion and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute.
Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, rosemary, basil and parsley. Cook for about 3 minutes.
Add the precooked beans or can of beans (drained), water, wine, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cook for 15 minutes, covered, over medium heat. Do not overcook. Add the pasta and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let the soup rest for 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaf. Serve hot, topped with grated cheese.
12 Months of Monastery Soup, by Brother Victor-Antoine d’Avila-Latourrette, pg 93
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 28-oz can Italian tomatoes, chopped with juice
1 bay leaf
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp fresh or dried basil, chopped
4 springs fresh Italian parsley
4 cups precooked white beans or 1 15 oz can cannellinii beans
6 cups water
1 cup white wine
salt and pepper to taste
4 oz dried pasta
grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add onion and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute.
Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, rosemary, basil and parsley. Cook for about 3 minutes.
Add the precooked beans or can of beans (drained), water, wine, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cook for 15 minutes, covered, over medium heat. Do not overcook. Add the pasta and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let the soup rest for 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaf. Serve hot, topped with grated cheese.
Minestra Tuscana (soup)
I haven't cooked anything since last Tuesday. Just haven't been in the mood. I ate out way too much, so here are a few old recipes that were very good.
Minestra Tuscana
12 Months of Monastery Soup, by Brother Victor-Antoine d’Avila-Latourrette, pg 139
½ cup olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
6 cups of vegetable or chicken broth
2 cups white wine
1 bouquet garni (sprigs of thyme, oregano, bay leaf tied together)
salt and pepper to taste
2 carrots, julienned
1 red pepper, julienned
1 zucchini, diced
16 spinach leaves
½ cup olives (black or green, pitted), sliced
½ cup Italian rice or equivalent
grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
Heat oil in a large soup pot. Saute onion for about 2 minutes. Add the broth, wine, bouquet garni, salt and pepper and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low-medium.
Add the carrots, pepper, zucchini, spinach and olives. Cover the pot and cook slowly for 1 hour. Add the rice and more broth or water if needed, simmer for 15-20 minutes until the rice is cooked. Remove the boquet garni. Serve hot. Top with grated cheese.
How I did it: I used vegetable broth which made the soup very light. Using chicken broth would make it heartier.
This is a nice light vegetable soup. Very good. Worth repeating.
Minestra Tuscana
12 Months of Monastery Soup, by Brother Victor-Antoine d’Avila-Latourrette, pg 139
½ cup olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
6 cups of vegetable or chicken broth
2 cups white wine
1 bouquet garni (sprigs of thyme, oregano, bay leaf tied together)
salt and pepper to taste
2 carrots, julienned
1 red pepper, julienned
1 zucchini, diced
16 spinach leaves
½ cup olives (black or green, pitted), sliced
½ cup Italian rice or equivalent
grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
Heat oil in a large soup pot. Saute onion for about 2 minutes. Add the broth, wine, bouquet garni, salt and pepper and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low-medium.
Add the carrots, pepper, zucchini, spinach and olives. Cover the pot and cook slowly for 1 hour. Add the rice and more broth or water if needed, simmer for 15-20 minutes until the rice is cooked. Remove the boquet garni. Serve hot. Top with grated cheese.
How I did it: I used vegetable broth which made the soup very light. Using chicken broth would make it heartier.
This is a nice light vegetable soup. Very good. Worth repeating.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Braised chicken thighs with "pizza" spices
August 16, 2010
Braised chicken thighs with “pizza spices”,
Cuisine a Latina, by Michelle Bernstein & Andrew Friedman, pg 180
½ cup plus 3T olive oil
8 chicken thighs
kosher salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 medium Spanish onion, diced
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and diced
1 shallot, minced
½ cup dry white wine
1 cup tomato sauce
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 T chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 ½ tsp dried oregano
1 ½ tsp crushed red peppers flakes
4 jarred peperoncini, drained and chopped
Heat the oven to 350°.
In a very large skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat, heat 1 cup of olive oil. Season the flour with salt, dredge the chicken pieces in the flour. Shake off any excess. Working in batches, brown the chicken in the hot oil, skin side down, turning once and cook in until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Drain on paper toweling.
Pour out the oil and gently wipe the pan. Add 3 T oil to the pan and heat over medium. Add the onions, bell peppers, and shallot. Cook until softened but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and cook, for about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, parley, oregano and pepper flakes. Cook for about 5 minutes.
Return the chicken to the pot, skin side up and spoon the sauce over it. Add the peperoncini and season with salt and pepper. Cover the pot, transfer it to the oven and braise until the chicken is cooked through, 35-40 minutes.
How I did it: I used two legs and thighs, Mexican oregano, one green bell pepper and one red bell pepper. I coarsely chopped the vegetables instead of dicing them because I like them better that way. I used tapioca starch for the dredging and it was very good. I didn’t have tomato sauce, so I used 2 T tomato paste diluted with water.
I really liked this. It was very good and pretty easy to make.
I served it with Mexican Rice:
1 cup long grain white rice, soaked and rinsed
1 ½ tsp whole coriander seeds
1 ½ tsp whole cumin seeds
salt and pepper
3-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion diced
1 T olive oil
1 T tomato paste
Toast the cumin and coriander in a dry skillet until fragrant and slightly brown. Grind in a spice mill or coffee grinder.
Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion and garlic. Cook for a couple of minutes until soft, add the spices and stir well. Add the rice and stir to cover with the oil. Stir in the tomato sauce and add 2 cups of water.
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cover. Cook until the water is absorbed. Season with salt and pepper.
You can add chopped tomatoes, corn, carrots, peas to this, if desired.
Braised chicken thighs with “pizza spices”,
Cuisine a Latina, by Michelle Bernstein & Andrew Friedman, pg 180
½ cup plus 3T olive oil
8 chicken thighs
kosher salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 medium Spanish onion, diced
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and diced
1 shallot, minced
½ cup dry white wine
1 cup tomato sauce
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 T chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 ½ tsp dried oregano
1 ½ tsp crushed red peppers flakes
4 jarred peperoncini, drained and chopped
Heat the oven to 350°.
In a very large skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat, heat 1 cup of olive oil. Season the flour with salt, dredge the chicken pieces in the flour. Shake off any excess. Working in batches, brown the chicken in the hot oil, skin side down, turning once and cook in until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Drain on paper toweling.
Pour out the oil and gently wipe the pan. Add 3 T oil to the pan and heat over medium. Add the onions, bell peppers, and shallot. Cook until softened but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and cook, for about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, parley, oregano and pepper flakes. Cook for about 5 minutes.
Return the chicken to the pot, skin side up and spoon the sauce over it. Add the peperoncini and season with salt and pepper. Cover the pot, transfer it to the oven and braise until the chicken is cooked through, 35-40 minutes.
How I did it: I used two legs and thighs, Mexican oregano, one green bell pepper and one red bell pepper. I coarsely chopped the vegetables instead of dicing them because I like them better that way. I used tapioca starch for the dredging and it was very good. I didn’t have tomato sauce, so I used 2 T tomato paste diluted with water.
I really liked this. It was very good and pretty easy to make.
I served it with Mexican Rice:
1 cup long grain white rice, soaked and rinsed
1 ½ tsp whole coriander seeds
1 ½ tsp whole cumin seeds
salt and pepper
3-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion diced
1 T olive oil
1 T tomato paste
Toast the cumin and coriander in a dry skillet until fragrant and slightly brown. Grind in a spice mill or coffee grinder.
Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion and garlic. Cook for a couple of minutes until soft, add the spices and stir well. Add the rice and stir to cover with the oil. Stir in the tomato sauce and add 2 cups of water.
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cover. Cook until the water is absorbed. Season with salt and pepper.
You can add chopped tomatoes, corn, carrots, peas to this, if desired.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
stir fried strips of lamb with peppers and pineapple
August 14, 2010
This is easier if you’ve already been to the Indian Market and bought coriander powder and mango powder. I don’t know what you’d substitute for that.
To know if a pineapple is ripe, pull on one of the inner leaves. If it gives easily, it’s ripe. But the core might still be too hard to use. If you have time, leave it on the counter for a couple of days. If in doubt, when you are cutting the pineapple, stab a fork into the core. If it penetrates easily, you can use it. If not throw it the core away.
Stir fried strips of lamb with peppers and pineapple,
Healthy Indian Cooking, by Shehzad Husain, pg 96
8 oz boned lamb, cut into strips
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp mango powder
½ cup pineapple juice
1 tsp hot chili sauce (Sriracha—with the rooster on the label)
1 tsp garlic pulp
1 tsp ginger pulp
¼ tsp tumeric
sea salt
Combine all the ingredients. Add the lamb slices and marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
2 T corn oil
½ red bell pepper
½ green bell pepper
12 chunks of pineapple
2 T fresh chopped cilantro
1 T sesame seeds (optional)
Heat the corn oil to very hot. Add the lamb. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring. Add 2/3 cup water. Simmer for 7-10 minutes until tender and the liquid is reduced (longer if too much liquid). Increase the heat and add the peppers and pineapple. Cook until crisp-tender. Add the cilantro. Serve with sesame seeds.
How I did it: I have been unhappy with the ginger puree over many recipes, so I substituted chopped fresh ginger. I also substituted chopped fresh garlic for the garlic puree. I liked it much better.
There seemed to be too much liquid, so I let it simmer longer, but after it cooled, the liquid was absorbed--also a good reason to serve it with rice, it absorbs the liquid. I like more vegetables with everything, so I used one whole green pepper and one whole red pepper and doubled the pineapple. I bought the pineapple today at Trader Joes and juiced what I needed. The core was not ripe enough and I should have tossed it. I served it over rice (below) with steamed green beans.
African (inspired) rice (from a refugee family I knew):
4-6 cardamom pods
2 shaves of cinnamon (cinnamon sticks)
4 whole cloves
1 tsp sea salt
1 T olive oil
1 cup long grain rice
Heat the oil, add the spices and cook until fragrant (about two minutes). Add the rice and sauté until coated. Add 2 cups of water. Boil for one minute. Reduce heat and cook until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove the spice bits and crush or chop them. Add them back into the rice. Good on day one, better after it sits for a day and absorbs the spices.
This is easier if you’ve already been to the Indian Market and bought coriander powder and mango powder. I don’t know what you’d substitute for that.
To know if a pineapple is ripe, pull on one of the inner leaves. If it gives easily, it’s ripe. But the core might still be too hard to use. If you have time, leave it on the counter for a couple of days. If in doubt, when you are cutting the pineapple, stab a fork into the core. If it penetrates easily, you can use it. If not throw it the core away.
Stir fried strips of lamb with peppers and pineapple,
Healthy Indian Cooking, by Shehzad Husain, pg 96
8 oz boned lamb, cut into strips
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp mango powder
½ cup pineapple juice
1 tsp hot chili sauce (Sriracha—with the rooster on the label)
1 tsp garlic pulp
1 tsp ginger pulp
¼ tsp tumeric
sea salt
Combine all the ingredients. Add the lamb slices and marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
2 T corn oil
½ red bell pepper
½ green bell pepper
12 chunks of pineapple
2 T fresh chopped cilantro
1 T sesame seeds (optional)
Heat the corn oil to very hot. Add the lamb. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring. Add 2/3 cup water. Simmer for 7-10 minutes until tender and the liquid is reduced (longer if too much liquid). Increase the heat and add the peppers and pineapple. Cook until crisp-tender. Add the cilantro. Serve with sesame seeds.
How I did it: I have been unhappy with the ginger puree over many recipes, so I substituted chopped fresh ginger. I also substituted chopped fresh garlic for the garlic puree. I liked it much better.
There seemed to be too much liquid, so I let it simmer longer, but after it cooled, the liquid was absorbed--also a good reason to serve it with rice, it absorbs the liquid. I like more vegetables with everything, so I used one whole green pepper and one whole red pepper and doubled the pineapple. I bought the pineapple today at Trader Joes and juiced what I needed. The core was not ripe enough and I should have tossed it. I served it over rice (below) with steamed green beans.
African (inspired) rice (from a refugee family I knew):
4-6 cardamom pods
2 shaves of cinnamon (cinnamon sticks)
4 whole cloves
1 tsp sea salt
1 T olive oil
1 cup long grain rice
Heat the oil, add the spices and cook until fragrant (about two minutes). Add the rice and sauté until coated. Add 2 cups of water. Boil for one minute. Reduce heat and cook until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove the spice bits and crush or chop them. Add them back into the rice. Good on day one, better after it sits for a day and absorbs the spices.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Braised fish steaks
August 8, 2010
Braised fish (salmon, halibut) steaks
The New Mediterranean Diet, by Nancy Harmon Jenkins, pg 361
2# fish
A little (non-gluten) flour for dredging
3 T olive oil
3 medium yellow onions, sliced
1 glove garlic, minced
1 or 2 bay leaves
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp sweet paprika
juice of 1 lemon
Dredge the fish in 1 T of flour. Heat 2 T olive oil. Sauté the fish in the hot oil until slightly brown on each side. Set aside. Preheat oven to 375°.
Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, and salt to the pan. Stir to mix. Cook until the onions are soft, about 10 mintues. Remove the bay leaves. Add the paprika and lemon juice. Place the fish in a baking dish, cover with onion/sauce. Cook until done, about 15 minutes. Serve hot.
How I did it: I didn’t dredge the fish with flour. I made it with Swai, my new favorite white. Everything else was according to recipe. The onions are wonderful.
Braised fish (salmon, halibut) steaks
The New Mediterranean Diet, by Nancy Harmon Jenkins, pg 361
2# fish
A little (non-gluten) flour for dredging
3 T olive oil
3 medium yellow onions, sliced
1 glove garlic, minced
1 or 2 bay leaves
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp sweet paprika
juice of 1 lemon
Dredge the fish in 1 T of flour. Heat 2 T olive oil. Sauté the fish in the hot oil until slightly brown on each side. Set aside. Preheat oven to 375°.
Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, and salt to the pan. Stir to mix. Cook until the onions are soft, about 10 mintues. Remove the bay leaves. Add the paprika and lemon juice. Place the fish in a baking dish, cover with onion/sauce. Cook until done, about 15 minutes. Serve hot.
How I did it: I didn’t dredge the fish with flour. I made it with Swai, my new favorite white. Everything else was according to recipe. The onions are wonderful.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
lime cilantro grilled cornish hens
August 5, 2010
Dinner was supposed to be “Peppered Cornish Hens and Asparagus with lemon and marjoram”, Food and Wine Italian, pg 137, except I didn’t have any lemons and asparagus is out of season in August. I was at three stores today but never realized I needed lemons. I have a bowl full of limes, a tree full of over-ripe grapefruit, woodpecker eaten oranges and a couple of tangelos but no lemons. I wasn’t about to go out again to get lemons. Since I didn’t use the recipe, I’m putting it back in rotation.
The original recipe:
6 T olive oil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp salt
2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 T fresh marjoram or 1 tsp dried (oregano is a good substitute)
2 Cornish Game hens, split
1 pound asparagus
Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and marjoram in a small bowl. Rinse and pat dry the split hens. Cover with the dressing (about ¼ cup), turn to coat.
Trim the hard ends off the asparagus and then toss with 2 T of the rest of the dressing.
Heat the grill to moderate. Cook the hens for 12 minutes, basting with the dressing and flipping once. Grill the asparagus at the same time, about 12 minutes, turning once. Serve warm with the asparagus and the extra dressing.
How I did it: Since I didn’t have lemons and I had a bunch of limes, I made a dressing of limes, garlic, cilantro and sea salt.
¼ cup fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T cilantro, minced
2 T olive oil
Combine and marinate the hens in a plastic zip bag. Start the grill for a hot fire. Grill the hens for 12 minutes or until done. Turn once during cooking.
Make additional dressing. Since asparagus is out of season, I served the hens over rice and spinach with the additional dressing poured over all.
I was using charcoal from Whole Foods instead of briquettes and it took longer and didn’t get as hot. The hens were a bit undercooked, but after micro waving to heat them up for left-overs they should be just right.
It was pretty good. A little too limey for me, but I was winging it.
Dinner was supposed to be “Peppered Cornish Hens and Asparagus with lemon and marjoram”, Food and Wine Italian, pg 137, except I didn’t have any lemons and asparagus is out of season in August. I was at three stores today but never realized I needed lemons. I have a bowl full of limes, a tree full of over-ripe grapefruit, woodpecker eaten oranges and a couple of tangelos but no lemons. I wasn’t about to go out again to get lemons. Since I didn’t use the recipe, I’m putting it back in rotation.
The original recipe:
6 T olive oil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp salt
2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 T fresh marjoram or 1 tsp dried (oregano is a good substitute)
2 Cornish Game hens, split
1 pound asparagus
Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and marjoram in a small bowl. Rinse and pat dry the split hens. Cover with the dressing (about ¼ cup), turn to coat.
Trim the hard ends off the asparagus and then toss with 2 T of the rest of the dressing.
Heat the grill to moderate. Cook the hens for 12 minutes, basting with the dressing and flipping once. Grill the asparagus at the same time, about 12 minutes, turning once. Serve warm with the asparagus and the extra dressing.
How I did it: Since I didn’t have lemons and I had a bunch of limes, I made a dressing of limes, garlic, cilantro and sea salt.
¼ cup fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T cilantro, minced
2 T olive oil
Combine and marinate the hens in a plastic zip bag. Start the grill for a hot fire. Grill the hens for 12 minutes or until done. Turn once during cooking.
Make additional dressing. Since asparagus is out of season, I served the hens over rice and spinach with the additional dressing poured over all.
I was using charcoal from Whole Foods instead of briquettes and it took longer and didn’t get as hot. The hens were a bit undercooked, but after micro waving to heat them up for left-overs they should be just right.
It was pretty good. A little too limey for me, but I was winging it.
fresh herbed turkey breast
August 4, 2010
I went to Mac’s for happy hour and had wings and a salad. So, I didn’t come home and make the salmon like I’d planned. I’ll do that later.
Here’s a recipe I made this summer. It was very tasty.
Fresh Herbed Turkey breast
Crockpot Best Loved Slow Cooker recipes, pg 164
2 T butter, softened
¼ cup fresh sage, minced
¼ cup fresh tarragon, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp black pepper
½ tsp salt
1 split turkey breast, about 4 pounds
1 ½ T cornstarch
Thaw the turkey breast (if frozen), remove skin. Combine butter, sage, tarragon, garlic, pepper and salt. Rub mixture all over turkey.
Place in the slow cooker, cover. Cook 8-10 hours on low, or 4-5 hours on high.
Transfer turkey to a platter, cover with foil to keep warm. Turn the crock pot to high, add the cornstarch to thicken the cooking liquid. When thick and bubbly, pour over the turkey. Slice and serve.
How I did it: I couldn’t find a turkey breast so I used a turkey roast. Mistake. I should have just used turkey cutlets instead. The flavor was terrific. I don’t use cornstarch, so I transferred the sauce to a small frying pan and brought to a simmer to reduce the liquid by half.
I went to Mac’s for happy hour and had wings and a salad. So, I didn’t come home and make the salmon like I’d planned. I’ll do that later.
Here’s a recipe I made this summer. It was very tasty.
Fresh Herbed Turkey breast
Crockpot Best Loved Slow Cooker recipes, pg 164
2 T butter, softened
¼ cup fresh sage, minced
¼ cup fresh tarragon, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp black pepper
½ tsp salt
1 split turkey breast, about 4 pounds
1 ½ T cornstarch
Thaw the turkey breast (if frozen), remove skin. Combine butter, sage, tarragon, garlic, pepper and salt. Rub mixture all over turkey.
Place in the slow cooker, cover. Cook 8-10 hours on low, or 4-5 hours on high.
Transfer turkey to a platter, cover with foil to keep warm. Turn the crock pot to high, add the cornstarch to thicken the cooking liquid. When thick and bubbly, pour over the turkey. Slice and serve.
How I did it: I couldn’t find a turkey breast so I used a turkey roast. Mistake. I should have just used turkey cutlets instead. The flavor was terrific. I don’t use cornstarch, so I transferred the sauce to a small frying pan and brought to a simmer to reduce the liquid by half.
southwest sirloin with corn salad
August 3, 2010
Southwest Sirloin with corn salad
Weber’s big book of BBQ, by Jamie Purviance & Sandra S. McRae, pg 112
For the rub:
2 tsp whole black peppercorns
1 ½ tsp cumin seeds, toasted
1 ½ tsp chili powder
1 ½ tsp brown sugar
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp granulated garlic
1 sirloin steak, 1 ½ to 2 pounds, about ¼ inch thick, trimmed of fat.
Grind the peppercorns and cumin seeds. Place in a small bowl and add the remaining ingredients.
Press the rub into both sides of the steak. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling.
Lightly brush or spray both sides with vegetable oil. Grill over medium direct heat for 10-12 minutes, turning once during the cooking. Remove from the grill and let stand for 5 minutes.
Corn Salad:
2 cups freshly cooked corn kernels
¼ cup finely diced red pepper
¼ cup finely diced red onion
1 tsp minced jalapeño pepper, with seeds
3 T vegetable oil
1 T Dijon mustard
1 T white wine vinegar
1 T granulated sugar
1 T finely chopped fresh dill
¼ tsp kosher salt
Combine the corn, red pepper, red onion and jalapeño.
In a sauce pan, whisk together the olive oil, mustard, vinegar, sugar, dill and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Pour the warm mixture over the corn. Toss to mix. Allow to sit at room temperature until ready to serve.
How I did it: Originally, I was going to make the Molto Bene steak, but didn’t read the recipe and didn’t marinate it for 3 to 6 hours. Good thing this recipe was on the same page.
I started the grill because I have finally discovered that a hot grill takes about 30 minutes. Then, I made the rub and prepped the steak. I didn’t make the corn salad, but the recipe sounds a lot like Trader Joe’s corn salsa (except for the dill).
This rub was really good. It would be a good addition to your grilling repertoire.
Southwest Sirloin with corn salad
Weber’s big book of BBQ, by Jamie Purviance & Sandra S. McRae, pg 112
For the rub:
2 tsp whole black peppercorns
1 ½ tsp cumin seeds, toasted
1 ½ tsp chili powder
1 ½ tsp brown sugar
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp granulated garlic
1 sirloin steak, 1 ½ to 2 pounds, about ¼ inch thick, trimmed of fat.
Grind the peppercorns and cumin seeds. Place in a small bowl and add the remaining ingredients.
Press the rub into both sides of the steak. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling.
Lightly brush or spray both sides with vegetable oil. Grill over medium direct heat for 10-12 minutes, turning once during the cooking. Remove from the grill and let stand for 5 minutes.
Corn Salad:
2 cups freshly cooked corn kernels
¼ cup finely diced red pepper
¼ cup finely diced red onion
1 tsp minced jalapeño pepper, with seeds
3 T vegetable oil
1 T Dijon mustard
1 T white wine vinegar
1 T granulated sugar
1 T finely chopped fresh dill
¼ tsp kosher salt
Combine the corn, red pepper, red onion and jalapeño.
In a sauce pan, whisk together the olive oil, mustard, vinegar, sugar, dill and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Pour the warm mixture over the corn. Toss to mix. Allow to sit at room temperature until ready to serve.
How I did it: Originally, I was going to make the Molto Bene steak, but didn’t read the recipe and didn’t marinate it for 3 to 6 hours. Good thing this recipe was on the same page.
I started the grill because I have finally discovered that a hot grill takes about 30 minutes. Then, I made the rub and prepped the steak. I didn’t make the corn salad, but the recipe sounds a lot like Trader Joe’s corn salsa (except for the dill).
This rub was really good. It would be a good addition to your grilling repertoire.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Fish with crispy caper dressing
August 2, 2010
This is terrific! It’s fast, easy and delicious.
Fish with crispy caper dressing
Flavors, by Donna Hay, pg 140
4 pieces of white fish, 6 oz each (swai, tilapia)
2 T olive oil
sea salt, freshly ground pepper
1 T fresh dill, chopped
4 baby cos lettuces, halved lengthwise
2 T olive oil
2 T butter
2 T capers, drained
2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
Rinse the fish and pat dry with paper towels. Brush the fish with oil on both sides. Season with salt, pepper and dill. Prepare the grill or broiler. Cook for 2-4 minutes on each side, depending on thickness.
While the fish cooks, heat the oil and butter. Add the capers and fry for about 4 minutes until crispy. Remove from heat, add the lemon juice.
Place the lettuce on a plate, place the fish atop the lettuce and pour the caper dressing over it.
How I did it: I used tilapia, because that's what I had thawed and ready to use. This would be wonderful with swai. I used the electric grill for the fish (first chance I had to use it). Broiling or pan frying would have been good too. I don’t know what cos lettuce is, but from the picture it looks like hearts of romaine. I served mine over raw spinach.
This is so good!
This is terrific! It’s fast, easy and delicious.
Fish with crispy caper dressing
Flavors, by Donna Hay, pg 140
4 pieces of white fish, 6 oz each (swai, tilapia)
2 T olive oil
sea salt, freshly ground pepper
1 T fresh dill, chopped
4 baby cos lettuces, halved lengthwise
2 T olive oil
2 T butter
2 T capers, drained
2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
Rinse the fish and pat dry with paper towels. Brush the fish with oil on both sides. Season with salt, pepper and dill. Prepare the grill or broiler. Cook for 2-4 minutes on each side, depending on thickness.
While the fish cooks, heat the oil and butter. Add the capers and fry for about 4 minutes until crispy. Remove from heat, add the lemon juice.
Place the lettuce on a plate, place the fish atop the lettuce and pour the caper dressing over it.
How I did it: I used tilapia, because that's what I had thawed and ready to use. This would be wonderful with swai. I used the electric grill for the fish (first chance I had to use it). Broiling or pan frying would have been good too. I don’t know what cos lettuce is, but from the picture it looks like hearts of romaine. I served mine over raw spinach.
This is so good!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
herb crusted salmon with horseradish bread sauce & cole slaw
August 1, 2010
Herb-crusted salmon with horseradish bread sauce
High Heat, by Waldy Malouf, pg 162
½ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
¼ cup fresh dill
1 T chopped fresh tarragon
1 small shallot, minced
3 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup plus 1 T prepared horseradish
coarse sea salt or kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup plus 3 T extra virgin olive oil
4 skinless salmon fillets
½ cup fresh bread crumbs
In the bowl of a food processor or blender, combine the parsley, dill, tarragon, shallot, 1 T of the lemon juice, 1 T of the horseradish and 1 large pinch of salt and pepper. With the motor running, drizzle in 3 T of the olive oil to form a thin paste. Reserve ¼ cup of this herb paste to use as garnish. Lay the salmon in a pan in a single layer and brush with the remaining herb paste, turning to coat both sides of the fish. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes to 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 500° F or light the grill. Unwrap the salmon.
In the oven: Place the salmon in a roasting pan and roast until done to taste, about 9 to 12 minutes.
On the grill: Place the salmon on the grill (or use a grill basket) and cook, turning once until done to taste, about 4-6 minutes per side.
While the salmon is cooking, place the bread crumbs in the bowl of a food processor or blender with the remaining ¼ cup horseradish, 1 T of the lemon juice and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend to combine. With the motor running, drizzle in the remaining 1/3 cup of olive oil and process until smooth.
Whisk the remaining tablespoon of lemon juice into the reserved herb paste, add a little more olive oil if necessary to make a pourable herb oil. To serve, place a pool of the bread sauce on each plate, top with a salmon fillet, then drizzle the fish and plate with the herb oil and garnish with fresh dill.
How I did it: I used an 8 oz fillet, skin on. For the herb paste, since you pulse it in the food processor, I didn’t chop the herbs or the shallot too much. Tasted the sauce and adjusted the flavors, coated the fillet (top only) with the marinade, and sat it aside.
Started the briquettes. And this time, I waited long enough for the briquettes to get really hot. I should have started them before starting on the herb paste.
I made the bread sauce. I used almost all of the horseradish in the remoulade yesterday and the herb paste today, so I didn’t have nearly enough for the bread sauce. I reduced the recipe down to work with the horseradish I had and it didn’t work well. I used brown rice bread crumbs which have a much coarser texture than wheat bread crumbs. There wasn’t enough of the mix to blend into a paste in the food processor. Through no fault of the recipe, it didn't work out. I threw it out. I'll try it again later when I have all the proper ingredients.
Then I made cole slaw. That was an adventure!
Cole Slaw
½ head green cabbage
1 granny smith apple
½ yellow onion
celery seeds
½ cup mayonnaise, or so
1T rice wine or white wine vinegar, or so
2 tsp Dijon mustard, or so
2 tsp sugar, or so
(If you like to make cole slaw, invest in an electric slicer. They're reasonably cheap and very handy).
Cut the half head of cabbage in half again. Slice thinly using a mandolin or electric slicer. Shred the apple and the onion in the food processor, combine with the cabbage. Sprinkle liberally with celery seeds.
For the dressing: Start with about half a cup of mayonnaise, add 1 T rice wine vinegar and 1 Tsp Dijon mustard, stir and taste. Add about 1 tsp of sugar. Stir and taste. Adjust the vinegar, Dijon and sugar to your taste, make sure you have enough dressing to cover the cabbage mixture to your liking. (I don’t like mine too soupy).
How I did it: I had all the vegetables shredded when I remembered that I used all my mayonnaise in the remoulade yesterday. So I had to make some mayo. I washed the mixing bowl of the food processor three times making this dinner!
Mayonnaise
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 egg
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 T rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
salt
In the bowl of the food processor, crack the egg and turn the motor on. Add the mustard, vinegar and salt. Drizzle in the olive oil with the motor running continuously. After all the oil has been emulsified, turn off the motor and taste the mayo. Add more vinegar, salt and mustard to suit your taste.
The type of olive oil you use will make a huge difference in the flavor of the mayo. This time I used Spanish olive oil and it was very fruity when finished, so I added more vinegar, salt and Dijon. Usually, I use extra light virgin olive oil and it needs very little adjusting at the end.
Congratulations, you just made mayonnaise in under four minutes, with no trans-fatty acids or hydrogenated oil.
Remember that you can mess with this mayo recipe in so many ways! Add garlic, add roasted garlic, add onion, add herbs, change the vinegar, change the mustard, add tomato paste, change the olive oil, omit the egg (I’ve never done this, but I think it would work). I wonder how it would be using a nut oil instead? Walnut mayo? If you try that, skip all the other ingredients, turn on the motor and drizzle the oil over it until emulsified. Then taste it and see what would go with it. Hum...
Herb-crusted salmon with horseradish bread sauce
High Heat, by Waldy Malouf, pg 162
½ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
¼ cup fresh dill
1 T chopped fresh tarragon
1 small shallot, minced
3 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup plus 1 T prepared horseradish
coarse sea salt or kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup plus 3 T extra virgin olive oil
4 skinless salmon fillets
½ cup fresh bread crumbs
In the bowl of a food processor or blender, combine the parsley, dill, tarragon, shallot, 1 T of the lemon juice, 1 T of the horseradish and 1 large pinch of salt and pepper. With the motor running, drizzle in 3 T of the olive oil to form a thin paste. Reserve ¼ cup of this herb paste to use as garnish. Lay the salmon in a pan in a single layer and brush with the remaining herb paste, turning to coat both sides of the fish. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes to 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 500° F or light the grill. Unwrap the salmon.
In the oven: Place the salmon in a roasting pan and roast until done to taste, about 9 to 12 minutes.
On the grill: Place the salmon on the grill (or use a grill basket) and cook, turning once until done to taste, about 4-6 minutes per side.
While the salmon is cooking, place the bread crumbs in the bowl of a food processor or blender with the remaining ¼ cup horseradish, 1 T of the lemon juice and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend to combine. With the motor running, drizzle in the remaining 1/3 cup of olive oil and process until smooth.
Whisk the remaining tablespoon of lemon juice into the reserved herb paste, add a little more olive oil if necessary to make a pourable herb oil. To serve, place a pool of the bread sauce on each plate, top with a salmon fillet, then drizzle the fish and plate with the herb oil and garnish with fresh dill.
How I did it: I used an 8 oz fillet, skin on. For the herb paste, since you pulse it in the food processor, I didn’t chop the herbs or the shallot too much. Tasted the sauce and adjusted the flavors, coated the fillet (top only) with the marinade, and sat it aside.
Started the briquettes. And this time, I waited long enough for the briquettes to get really hot. I should have started them before starting on the herb paste.
I made the bread sauce. I used almost all of the horseradish in the remoulade yesterday and the herb paste today, so I didn’t have nearly enough for the bread sauce. I reduced the recipe down to work with the horseradish I had and it didn’t work well. I used brown rice bread crumbs which have a much coarser texture than wheat bread crumbs. There wasn’t enough of the mix to blend into a paste in the food processor. Through no fault of the recipe, it didn't work out. I threw it out. I'll try it again later when I have all the proper ingredients.
Then I made cole slaw. That was an adventure!
Cole Slaw
½ head green cabbage
1 granny smith apple
½ yellow onion
celery seeds
½ cup mayonnaise, or so
1T rice wine or white wine vinegar, or so
2 tsp Dijon mustard, or so
2 tsp sugar, or so
(If you like to make cole slaw, invest in an electric slicer. They're reasonably cheap and very handy).
Cut the half head of cabbage in half again. Slice thinly using a mandolin or electric slicer. Shred the apple and the onion in the food processor, combine with the cabbage. Sprinkle liberally with celery seeds.
For the dressing: Start with about half a cup of mayonnaise, add 1 T rice wine vinegar and 1 Tsp Dijon mustard, stir and taste. Add about 1 tsp of sugar. Stir and taste. Adjust the vinegar, Dijon and sugar to your taste, make sure you have enough dressing to cover the cabbage mixture to your liking. (I don’t like mine too soupy).
How I did it: I had all the vegetables shredded when I remembered that I used all my mayonnaise in the remoulade yesterday. So I had to make some mayo. I washed the mixing bowl of the food processor three times making this dinner!
Mayonnaise
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 egg
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 T rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
salt
In the bowl of the food processor, crack the egg and turn the motor on. Add the mustard, vinegar and salt. Drizzle in the olive oil with the motor running continuously. After all the oil has been emulsified, turn off the motor and taste the mayo. Add more vinegar, salt and mustard to suit your taste.
The type of olive oil you use will make a huge difference in the flavor of the mayo. This time I used Spanish olive oil and it was very fruity when finished, so I added more vinegar, salt and Dijon. Usually, I use extra light virgin olive oil and it needs very little adjusting at the end.
Congratulations, you just made mayonnaise in under four minutes, with no trans-fatty acids or hydrogenated oil.
Remember that you can mess with this mayo recipe in so many ways! Add garlic, add roasted garlic, add onion, add herbs, change the vinegar, change the mustard, add tomato paste, change the olive oil, omit the egg (I’ve never done this, but I think it would work). I wonder how it would be using a nut oil instead? Walnut mayo? If you try that, skip all the other ingredients, turn on the motor and drizzle the oil over it until emulsified. Then taste it and see what would go with it. Hum...
Horseradish burgers with Havarti and tomato remoulade
July 31, 2010
Horseradish burgers with havarti and tomato remoulade
Tyler Florence’s Real Kitchen, pg 172
Tomato Remoulade
2 cups mayonnaise
1 T tomato paste
2 T caper, drained
1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
1 ½ tsps Dijon mustard
1 anchovy fillet, coarsely chopped
2 T chopped fresh parsley
1 T chopped fresh tarragon
dash of Tabasco sauce
1 dill pickle, coarsely chopped
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
In a food processor, combine all the ingredients for the remoulade. Pulse a few times to combine. Cover , refrigerate until ready to use.
Burgers
2 pounds ground chuck
¼ cup grated fresh or prepared horseradish
½ bunch chopped chives
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
canola oil
16 slices Havarti cheese
8 large hamburger buns, split
cooked bacon, lettuce, sliced tomatoes and onion for garnish
Put the beef in a large mixing bowl, add the horseradish, chives, salt and pepper. Mix with your hands, a large spatula or wooden spoon.
Preheat the grill until very hot (burgers stick to a cold grill). Grill the burgers for 8 minutes per side for medium, 7 minutes for rare.
During the last minute, add two slices of cheese to each burger.
After removing the meat from the grill. Wipe off any stuck pieces. Toast the buns cut side down for 1 minute. Serve the burgers with the remoulade and any garnishes you like.
How I did it: I messed up the remoulade. I’d been reading a couple of recipes and confused them a bit. For some reason, I thought I read that the remoulade had a piece of bread in it (no, that’s a different recipe). OOPS. I over pulsed the remoulade so it didn’t have large chunks in it. I’ve never had remoulade so I don’t know what it’s supposed to taste like, but mostly I taste the mayonnaise. Next time, I’ll pay better attention (not add things that don’t belong) and use more tomato, pickles, anchovies, mustard, etc.
The briquettes would catch fire! I had a terrible time getting the grill going. It wasn’t as hot as it should have been. Since I use a Weber, I feel compelled to cover everything. I covered the burgers, and probably shouldn’t have. They overcooked (for my taste). With the horseradish, I’d like a more pungent cheese, maybe sharp cheddar.
The burgers were very tasty, but I’d like more horseradish. And, I don’t know how much a “half bunch” of chives is. I used about 3 T.
All in all, it was good. A lot of room for experimenting. I really like the addition of horseradish to the beef.
Horseradish burgers with havarti and tomato remoulade
Tyler Florence’s Real Kitchen, pg 172
Tomato Remoulade
2 cups mayonnaise
1 T tomato paste
2 T caper, drained
1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
1 ½ tsps Dijon mustard
1 anchovy fillet, coarsely chopped
2 T chopped fresh parsley
1 T chopped fresh tarragon
dash of Tabasco sauce
1 dill pickle, coarsely chopped
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
In a food processor, combine all the ingredients for the remoulade. Pulse a few times to combine. Cover , refrigerate until ready to use.
Burgers
2 pounds ground chuck
¼ cup grated fresh or prepared horseradish
½ bunch chopped chives
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
canola oil
16 slices Havarti cheese
8 large hamburger buns, split
cooked bacon, lettuce, sliced tomatoes and onion for garnish
Put the beef in a large mixing bowl, add the horseradish, chives, salt and pepper. Mix with your hands, a large spatula or wooden spoon.
Preheat the grill until very hot (burgers stick to a cold grill). Grill the burgers for 8 minutes per side for medium, 7 minutes for rare.
During the last minute, add two slices of cheese to each burger.
After removing the meat from the grill. Wipe off any stuck pieces. Toast the buns cut side down for 1 minute. Serve the burgers with the remoulade and any garnishes you like.
How I did it: I messed up the remoulade. I’d been reading a couple of recipes and confused them a bit. For some reason, I thought I read that the remoulade had a piece of bread in it (no, that’s a different recipe). OOPS. I over pulsed the remoulade so it didn’t have large chunks in it. I’ve never had remoulade so I don’t know what it’s supposed to taste like, but mostly I taste the mayonnaise. Next time, I’ll pay better attention (not add things that don’t belong) and use more tomato, pickles, anchovies, mustard, etc.
The briquettes would catch fire! I had a terrible time getting the grill going. It wasn’t as hot as it should have been. Since I use a Weber, I feel compelled to cover everything. I covered the burgers, and probably shouldn’t have. They overcooked (for my taste). With the horseradish, I’d like a more pungent cheese, maybe sharp cheddar.
The burgers were very tasty, but I’d like more horseradish. And, I don’t know how much a “half bunch” of chives is. I used about 3 T.
All in all, it was good. A lot of room for experimenting. I really like the addition of horseradish to the beef.
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