Lemon Pasta with Roasted Shrimp from Ina

Posted on December 17, 2015 by admin

2 pounds (17 to 21 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
Good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound angel hair pasta
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Zest and juice of 2 lemons

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the shrimp on a sheet pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.Toss well, spread them in one layer and roast for 6 to 8 minutes, just until they’re pink and cooked through.

Meanwhile, drizzle some olive oil in a large pot of boiling salted water, add the angel hair and cook until al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking liquid. Quickly toss the angel hair with the melted butter, 1/4 cup olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and about 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid. Add the shrimp and serve hot.

Quinoa Chili from Nettie Cronish

Posted on December 16, 2015 by admin

Use organic diced tomatoes for best flavour. The crunch from celery compliments sautéed thinly sliced purple eggplant. Great cabbage roll filling. Delicious hot or cold.

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
¼ tsp. salt
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 green pepper, thinly sliced or sweet mini peppers
2 Japanese eggplant, chopped (about 2 cups) OR 2 c. regular eggplant
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 tbsp. chili powder & dried oregano
1 tsp. paprika
½ tsp. salt & pepper
2 x 28 fl.oz. diced tomatoes USE 1 can rotel and 1 can crushed
2 green onions, sliced

In a skillet over medium heat, roast the rinsed quinoa for 5 minutes or until fragrant and the quinoa begins to pop. In a small pot bring 2 cups water and salt to boil. Add roasted quinoa . Cover and simmer over medium heat 15 to 20 minutes, until water has been absorbed. Remove from the heat, stir and let stand covered 5 minutes.
Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic 5 minutes or until softened Stir in green pepper, eggplant, celery, chili,oregano, paprika, salt and pepper. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring often.
Stir in the tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the quinoa and green onions. Serves: 6

Quinoa, white bead and kale soup from chelseasmessyapron.com

Posted on December 11, 2015 by admin

3/4 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
1 container (32 ounces) Tuscan Chicken Flavor-Infused Broth (Swanson makes this)
1 can (14.5 ounces) petite diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cans (15.5 ounces each) cannellini beans, undrained
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
3 cups chopped kale
Salt and pepper, to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Rinse the quinoa thoroughly and add it to your slow cooker with 2 cups of the broth.
Add in the undrained petite diced tomatoes, and one can of undrained cannellini beans.
Add in the garlic, chopped yellow onion, Italian seasoning, and some salt and pepper.
In a blender or food processor, combine the remaining 2 cups broth with the remaining can of cannellini beans. Blend until smooth. Pour into the slow cooker.
Give everything a good stir and cover the slow cooker.
Cook on high for 3-4 hours.
Remove the stems, wash the kale, and finely chop the kale.
About 15 minutes before ready to serve, adjust any seasonings (add some salt and pepper if desired), and stir in the finely chopped kale.
Garnish each bowl with a handful of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Roasted Sausage with Broccoli and Fennel

Posted on December 7, 2015 by admin

12 ounces (about 3 or 4 links) good quality pork sausage, removed from casings and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2 small heads of broccoli, cut into small florets
1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, and cut into thin slices, about 1/4-inch thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
Finely grated zest and one 1 teaspoon of juice from 1 small lemon
1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper, or a lesser amount of red pepper flakes or cayenne (omit if you’re using spicy sausage)

Heat oven to 425° F. Combine broccoli florets and sliced fennel in a shallow casserole or baking dish.

You want them to fit snugly in a single, even layer. Season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, whole-grain mustard, lemon juice and zest, and Aleppo pepper.

Add to broccoli and fennel and toss well to coat evenly. Nestle the pieces of sausage among the broccoli and fennel.

Roast for about 20 minutes, or until the broccoli and fennel are tender and the sausage is no longer pink. For extra security, you can toss about halfway through the cooking time to ensure even cooking.

Optional but highly recommended: Heat broiler, and place the pan under the broiler for a few minutes to crisp the sausage and slightly char the broccoli and fennel in spots. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 4

Cashew Shrimp Stir-fry from thewoksoflife.com/

Posted on December 7, 2015 by admin

8 oz. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 1/4 teaspoon sugar, divided

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon cornstarch

salt and white pepper

4 stalks celery, sliced at a 45 degree angle

1/2 of a red bell pepper, sliced

1 1/2 tablespoons oil

2 slices ginger, minced

1 scallion, chopped

2 teaspoons oyster sauce

3/4 cup roasted cashews

First, prepare the shrimp. Toss the shrimp with 1 teaspoon sugar, baking soda, and 1/4 cup water, gently mixing everything together for a couple minutes. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours and then rinse under cold running water for 5 minutes to wash away any sugar and baking soda. Pat the shrimp dry thoroughly with a paper towel. Marinate the shrimp with 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pinch of white pepper and set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Now, since the dish comes together very quickly, and you want to avoid overcooking the shrimp, it’s time to blanch the celery and red bell pepper. Bring a pot of water to a boil and drop the celery and red bell pepper in. After 30 seconds, drain the vegetables and shock them in ice water. Drain completely and set aside.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the minced ginger and chopped scallion and cook for 1 minute. Then turn up the heat to high and add the shrimp. Once the shrimp have just begun to turn pink, add the blanched celery and red bell pepper, along with the last 1/4 teaspoon sugar, the oyster sauce, and the cashews. Mix everything well, and season to taste with salt and white pepper. Serve.

Note: It’s ideal to use roasted cashews for this recipe, but I only had raw cashews, so I just wok-roasted them for about 10 minutes. I’ve learned that cashews burn easily, so when roasting, start with a cold wok and medium low heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and then the cashews. Toast the cashews for about 10 minutes, stirring often and taking care not to burn them. Then spread them out and let cool until they’re ready to go into the dish.

Mushroom Noodle Pudding

Posted on October 13, 2015 by admin

2 tbsp butter or vegetable oil
2 scallions, minced
1 small onion, minced
16 ounces firm, fresh mushrooms, stemmed, halved, and sliced
1/4 cup mushroom broth or white wine
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 cup cottage cheese
½ cup sour cream
1/4 c. mild cheese, grated
2 large eggs, beaten
pinch paprika
pinch dill
4 c. cooked cooked pasta, penne or ziti or regular noodles
2 tbsp. chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Heat butter or oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and scallions, sauté 10 minutes or until very tender. Add mushrooms, salt, pepper, sauté 10 minutes until mushrooms are tender and limp. If liquid remains in pan, cook over high heat, stirring, 2 minutes until it evaporates. Add broth or wine and simmer for 5 min.

Cook noodles uncovered in a large pan of boiling salted water over high heat 4 minutes or until nearly tender but firmer than usual. Transfer to a large bowl.

In mixing bowl add beat eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream and cheese, transfer mushroom mixture to bowl. Stir in paprika, dill, parsley and noodles.

Grease an 8″ baking dish and add noodle mixture. Bake until firm and golden brown, about 45 minutes. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

salmon bibimbap from http://thewoksoflife.com/

Posted on September 28, 2015 by admin

2 cups raw white rice
light olive oil or canola oil
2 carrots, julienned
Salt and pepper
2 cups bean sprouts
2 bunches watercress
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
½ teaspoon sesame oil
1 salmon steak or filet
4 eggs, cooked sunny side up (over easy is fine too)
1 cup kimchi
Roasted seaweed flakes or sheets, cut into slivers (optional)
Gochujang paste, to taste (about 1-2 tablespoons per serving)

First, cook 2 cups of dry rice using your preferred method.

Next, heat a pan with 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Stir-fry the carrots for about 1 minute, sprinkling with a pinch of salt. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Next, stir fry the bean sprouts using the same method as with the carrots.

Next prep your watercress. Cut each bunch in half and wash thoroughly.

In the same pan you used for the carrots, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium high heat. Add the garlic and let fry gently for about 15-20 seconds. Add the watercress, followed by a ½ teaspoon of salt, and stir-fry until completely wilted. Remove from the heat and toss with the soy sauce, sesame seeds, and sesame oil. Set aside.

Now for the salmon. Sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat a pan over medium high heat with 3 tablespoons of oil. Add the salmon. Let brown for about 5 minutes. Flip, and let the other side cook for another 5 minutes. Our salmon steak was pretty thick, so cooking time may need to be adjusted depending on how big your piece of salmon is. When in doubt, just use a knife to gently cut into the center to check for doneness. Looks don’t matter with this dish, as we’ll be flaking the salmon anyway.

While the salmon is cooking, set aside the kimchi and seaweed flakes, cutting up the seaweed with kitchen shears if you’re using roasted sheets. Also, cook one egg for each person you’re serving.

When the salmon is finished cooking, you’re ready to assemble your bibimbap.

Spoon a nice bed of rice into a bowl and top with a small handful of flaked salmon and your egg. Add as much watercress, carrot, bean sprouts, kimchi, and seaweed as your heart desires. Finish off with gochujang to taste. Stir thoroughly and enjoy with a big spoon!

Beer-glazed salmon with roasted mushrooms from whole foods

Posted on September 26, 2015 by admin

2 pounds mixed mushrooms (such as shiitake, cremini or oyster) , thickly sliced

2 shallots , sliced 4918-1 (1)

5 sprigs fresh thyme

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt , divided

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper , divided

3/4 cup stout beer

2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

4 skinless, boneless salmon fillets

Preheat the oven to 400°F.In a large bowl, combine mushrooms, shallots and thyme sprigs. Drizzle with oil, season with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper and toss to combine. Arrange mushrooms in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast, stirring 2 or 3 times, until nicely browned, about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, in a small heavy saucepan, stir together beer, brown sugar and mustard and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until mixture just starts to thicken, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and set glaze aside. (Reserve all but 1/4 cup of the glaze for serving.)

Pat fish dry and season with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place skin-side down in a large baking dish. Toss mushrooms with 2 tablespoons of the glaze and spoon them around fish. Brush fish with additional 2 tablespoons of the glaze. Roast until fish is just cooked through and flakes easily, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve each piece of fish with a generous portion of mushrooms and reserved glaze on the side.

Creamy smoked salmon pasta with dill from whole foods

Posted on September 25, 2015 by admin

10 ounces dried linguine
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 shallot , finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine (or 2 tablespoons lemon juice in 1/4 cup water)
3/4 cup half and half
1 cup frozen peas
1 package smoked salmon , cut into thin strips
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill
Salt and pepper to taste
Lemon wedges

Cook pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, heat oil and butter in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Sauté shallots 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Add white wine and simmer until reduced by half, another 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat, add half and half and peas and gently simmer 2 to 3 minutes more before adding salmon and dill. Heat through and let sauce thicken slightly. Drain pasta and toss in pan with sauce to coat. Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Serve immediately.

Cod en Cocotte with tomatoes and olives from epicurious.com

Posted on September 22, 2015 by admin

2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes (12 ounces/350 g total)
6 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 1/2 ounces (45 g) Spanish chorizo, cut into 1/8-inch (3-mm) dice (OMIT)
12 small black olives, such as Niçoise, pitted
1 large garlic clove, chopped
Four 4- to 5-ounce (125- to 150-g) skinned cod fillets
4 thyme sprigs
1/4 cup (8 g) chopped parsley
4 tablespoons (60 g) unsalted butter, sliced
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). In a medium saucepan of boiling water, cook the potatoes until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly, then peel and cut into slices 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick.

In a medium enameled cast-iron casserole, spread the potato slices, tomatoes, chorizo, olives, and garlic. Set the fish on top and add the thyme, parsley, butter, oil, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a simmer on the stove, then transfer the pot to the oven and cook until the fish is just opaque throughout, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve directly from the casserole.

Make Ahead
The casserole can be assembled and refrigerated for up to 4 hours before baking.

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