Category Archives: entree

Eggplant Meatball Casserole Sarah Carey

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  • 1 eggplant (1 pound), stemmed and cut in 4 3/4-inch planks
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 1/3 cups breadcrumbs, preferably from a hearty Italian loaf
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (1 1/2 ounces)
  • 1 small garlic clove, minced plus 2 cloves thinly sliced
  • 1 large egg white
    1 can (28 ounce) whole plum tomatoes, pulsed in food processor
  • Red pepper flakes
  • 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, sliced into 12 thin squares

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle the eggplant slices with salt, place in a single layer around a colander set over a bowl, and let stand for 30 minutes. Rinse eggplant, drain, and squeeze dry, pressing out excess moisture and patting with paper towel. Removing excess moisture helps make it easier to roll the balls.

    1. Meanwhile, spread 1 1/3 cup breadcrumbs in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until dried and just turning golden, 5 minutes. Let cool.

    2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 10 inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the eggplant in a single layer; cook, flipping one time, about 5 minutes. Transfer to colander. Repeat adding another tablespoon of oil and second half of eggplant. If pan gets too hot, adjust heat. Wipe out pan. Let eggplant cool slightly in colander.

    3. Transfer eggplant to a food processor, discarding any extra juices that drained out. Add toasted breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and minced garlic. Pulse until mixture is a chunky paste, about 6 pulses. Transfer to a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in egg white. Chill until cold, about 30 minutes. Form mixture into 12 balls, coating the outsides with remaining breadcrumbs to help shape the balls. Chill at least 1 hour until firmer and cold and up to overnight. Best results with an overnight chill.

    4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 10 inch enameled cast iron casserole or cast iron skillet over medium-high. Add meatballs working in two batches; cook, turning carefully with a spoon to help retain shape, until browned all over, about 6 to 7 minutes. If pan gets too hot, adjust heat. Transfer to a plate. Add remaining tablespoon oil and sliced garlic; stir until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, a large pinch of red pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt; bring to a boil. Return meatballs to pan; spooning sauce over to coat. Bake until sauce is slightly thickened, 18 minutes. Remove casserole from oven. Set oven to broil. Top each meatball with a piece of mozzarella; return to oven. Broil until cheese is bubbly and golden in spots, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Sicilian-Style Swordfish from food52.com

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  • IMG_98552 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
  • 1/4 cup pitted oil-cured black olives coarsely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons salted capers, well rinsed and coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine, preferably Sicilian
  • Crushed red pepper to taste
  • 4 x 6 ounces swordfish steaks
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Basil, roughly torn for garnish
  1. In a large skillet (one wide enough to hold swordfish in a single layer), heat oil over medium-high heat.
  2. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
  3. Add sun-dried tomatoes, olives, capers, wine and generous pinch red pepper flakes; stir together. Transfer to bowl.
  4. Lightly season swordfish with salt and pepper; in a single layer, place fish in skillet.
  5. Return skillet to medium-high heat, cover and cook for 3 minutes per side.
  6. When swordfish is cooked through and browned, cover with sauce and warm.
  7. Sprinkle roughly torn basil and serve. This dish can also be served room temperature.Serves 4

 

Maple Bourbon Salmon from 12tomatoes.com

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    • 1 pound salmon, with skin
    • 2/3 cup maple syrup
    • 1/3 cup bourbon
    • 1/4 cup orange juice
    • 1/4 cup soy sauce
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
    • Salt and pepper, to taste
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil

     

    • Preheat oven to 400º F.
    • In a medium bowl, combine maple syrup, bourbon, orange juice, soy sauce, garlic, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
    • Place salmon in a shallow baking dish. Add liquid mixture to dish, submerging fillet; refrigerate and marinate for 30 minutes.
    • Drain most of marinade from baking dish, and reserve. Bake salmon for 10-15 minutes (adjust cooking time depending on thickness of fillet and desired doneness).
    • While salmon cooks, pour marinade into sauce pan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and let simmer until liquid thickens into a glaze-like consistency, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and top salmon with glaze. 4 servings
    • Serve immediately and enjoy!

best crab cakes

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imagesnote: I made 7 cakes, one was small.  I cooked two cakes and used about 2 tbsp butter and a splash of olive oil

1/4 cup panko
1 large egg — lightly beaten
1-2 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice — plus lemon wedges for serving
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
several dashes of hot sauce
1 tbsp minced parsley
3 tbsp mayo
1 lbs lump crab or crab claw meat — picked over
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
olive oil
2 scallions — thinly sliced–optional, I did not use

Mix 1/4 cup panko, and milk to cover in a small bowl let sit for a few minutes. In a medium bowl, whisk the Worcestershire sauce, egg ,mustard, lemon juice, Old Bay and hot sauce; fold in the crab meat, panko mixture and parsley. Shape into 6-8 patties and refrigerate 30 minutes.

sauté in olive oil

-or-

this is the best Melt butter into baking pan of your choice. Form 4 to 6 crab cakes and place into baking pan put in oven at 400. After 10 minutes open oven, tilt pan to accumulate melted butter, and baste crab cakes with butter. Close oven, cook 10 more minutes, baste and repeat until top of cakes are golden brown. Approximate cooking time is 18-25 minutes

Carrot, Potato, and Cabbage Soup

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  1. Combine the carrots, onion, cabbage, garlic, chicken stock, olive oil, thyme, basil, parsley, salt, and pepper in a stock pot over medium-high heat; bring to a simmer and cook until the carrots are tender, about 20 minutes. Add potatoes and cook until done.  Serve

Roasted Cauliflower ‘Steaks’

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1 large head cauliflower, sliced lengthwise through the core into 4 ‘steaks’
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste
3144420salt and ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place cauliflower steaks on the prepared baking sheet.

Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper together in a bowl. Brush 1/2 of the olive oil mixture over the tops of the cauliflower steaks.

Roast cauliflower steaks in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Gently turn over each steak and brush with remaining olive oil mixture. Continue roasting until tender and golden, 15 to 20 minutes more. Sprinkle with parsley and serve

Spicy Whole-Roasted Cauliflower

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  • 1 head cauliflower
  • roasted-cauliflower-21 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 3 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 tablespoons grainy mustard
  1. Preheat oven to 450º F.
  2. Cut leaves from around the cauliflower, and cut out the center core to create a flat surface for cauliflower to balance, making sure to leave the head intact.
  3. Rub vegetable oil over cauliflower and season generously with salt. Transfer to a baking sheet or pie dish and roast for 45 minutes, or until fork tender.
  4. Combine olive oil, lemon juice, grainy mustard, chili powder and cumin in a small bowl. Set aside until cauliflower finishes baking.
  5. Remove cauliflower from oven and brush olive oil mustard mixture all over. Let rest 5 minutes, so the mixture can soak into the surface.
  6. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro or other herbs, then cut into four pieces and serve hot.

15-Minute Lazy Noodles from woksoflife.com

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12 oz. dried wheat noodles (almost any noodle will do––even spaghetti)
1-2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oilnoodle-recipe-13
1 pound ground fake meat
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 large handfuls of baby spinach
salt and pepper
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon honey
2 teaspoons chili oil (optional)

Bring a pot of water to a boil for the noodles. Meanwhile, heat the wok over high heat, and and add a tablespoon or two of oil. Add the ground meat, and stir-fry until browned and slightly crispy.

Add the onion and garlic, and continue to cook over high heat until the onions are slightly softened and browned at the edges. Stir in the spinach until it’s just wilted. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to the package directions. Add to a bowl, along with the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, and chili oil (if using). Toss with the onion, meat, and spinach mixture. Serve!

 

shrimp and cauliflower curry from Floyd Cardoz

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  • 1 1/2 pounds144-145_Shrimp-Curry-with-Cauliflower_0/680 grams (21–25 count) head-on shrimp
  • Sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced onions
  • 5 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1 tablespoon turmeric
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds, ground
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, finely ground
  • 1 serrano chile, sliced lengthwise in half
  • 1 tablespoon Tamarind Paste
  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  • 3 cups cauliflower florets
  • One and a half 13.5-fluid-ounce cans Chaokoh-brand coconut milk (stir well before measuring)

1. Remove the heads and shells from the shrimp, reserving both. Devein the shrimp and rinse them well. Season the shrimp with salt and refrigerate.

2. Place the shrimp heads and shells in a medium saucepan, add cold water to cover, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid is reduced to 3 cups, 25 to 30 minutes. Strain the stock and set aside.

3. Heat the oil in a 4- to 6-quart pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic, turmeric, cumin, and pepper and cook until the garlic is lightly colored and the spices are fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Add the reserved stock, the chile, tamarind paste, and vinegar and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

5. Add the cauliflower and coconut milk and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Season with salt. Reduce the heat and simmer gently until the cauliflower is just beginning to soften, 3 to 4 minutes.

6. Stir in the shrimp and cook until the shrimp are firm, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove and discard the serrano, if desired. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot.

Changing It Up

Sometimes I make this with fish instead of shrimp, using one 4- to 5-ounce (113- to 142-gram) halibut or fluke steak per person. (The steaks come from cutting a whole fish crosswise into 1/2 – to 1-inch-thick slices. It’s a very pretty cut, resulting in a nice oblong shape with a bone in the middle and the skin ringing the steak.) Use fish stock or plain water in place of the shrimp stock; the fish’s bones and skin add depth and richness to the curry, just as the shrimp shells do. Add the fish steaks where the recipe instructs you to add the shrimp and cook until the fish is opaque and flakes easily.

 

Linguine with shrimp scampi from Ina

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VegetaIG0511_linguine-with-shrimp-scampi_s4x3.jpg.rend.snigalleryslideble oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt plus 1 1/2 teaspoons
3/4 pound linguine
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
1 pound large shrimp (about 16 shrimp), peeled and deveined
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 lemon, zest grated
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/4 lemon, thinly sliced in half-rounds
1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

Drizzle some oil in a large pot of boiling salted water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the linguine, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or according to the directions on the package.
Meanwhile, in another large (12-inch), heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic. Saute for 1 minute. Be careful, the garlic burns easily! Add the shrimp, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and the pepper and saute until the shrimp have just turned pink, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat, add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices, and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine.
When the pasta is done, drain the cooked linguine and then put it back in the pot. Immediately add the shrimp and sauce, toss well, and serve.