Panko-crusted Crab Cake Bites with Roasted Pepper-Chive Aioli

from myrecipes.com/
crab-cakes-su-656208-x

12 ounces shelled cooked crab
1/4 cup finely diced celery
1/4 cup minced fresh chives
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 large egg
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
1 1/4 cups panko (see notes) or fine dried bread crumbs
Roasted Pepper-Chive Aioli (recipe follows)
Fresh chives, rinsed and cut into 1-inch lengths

1. Sort through crab and discard any bits of shell.

2. In a large bowl, combine celery, minced chives, mayonnaise, egg, mustard, and hot sauce; mix well with a fork. Add crab and 1/4 cup panko; stir gently just to mix.

3. Put remaining 1 cup panko in a shallow bowl. Shape crab mixture into 24 cakes, each about 2 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. Turn each cake in panko to coat on all sides, pressing gently to make crumbs adhere. Place cakes slightly apart in an oiled 12- by 17-inch baking pan.

4. Bake in a 475° regular or convection oven until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. With a spatula, transfer crab cakes to a platter. Spoon a dollop of Roasted Pepper-Chive Aioli onto each cake. Garnish platter with fresh chives. Serve hot.

Roasted Pepper-Chive Aioli. In a small bowl, mix 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup chopped drained canned roasted red peppers, 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon minced garlic. Makes about 1/2 cup.

Notes: The Japanese-style coarse bread crumbs called panko are available in many well-stocked supermarkets and in Asian grocery stores. You can make the aioli up to 2 days ahead and the crab cakes through step 3 up to 4 hours ahead; in both cases, cover and chill.

Spanish Roasted Potato Salad, food52

  • Food521pound pound small Potatoes (white or red)
  • 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
  • 4 Cloves of Garlic finely chopped
  • 4 tablespoons Mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the potatoes in half or quarters into a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 3/4 teaspoon of salt and the pepper. Mix and put on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake the potatoes for 40 minutes flipping twice during baking. Make sure they turn a nice golden brown. Take out of the oven and allow to cool. In a bowl combine 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the chopped garlic, mayonnaise, lemon juice and Dijon mustard. Mix and pour over the cooled potatoes.
  2. Serves 3-4

 

Bulgur, Spinach and Tomato Casserole, NY Times

04recipehealth-articleLarge
1 cup coarse (#3) bulgur
Salt to taste
1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes with juice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 plump garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice or cinnamon (to taste)
Freshly ground pepper
1 12-ounce bunch spinach, stemmed and washed thoroughly in 2 changes of water, or 2 6-ounce bags baby spinach
2 teaspoons dried mint or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (1 can, drained and rinsed) (optional)
2 ounces Gruyère, or 1 ounce each Gruyère and Parmesan, grated (1/2 cup)

1. Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the bulgur and salt to taste, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Remove from the heat, uncover and place a clean dish towel over the pan, then replace the lid. Allow to sit undisturbed for 10 minutes or longer. Transfer to a large bowl.

2. Pulse the tomatoes with their juice in a food processor. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, wide skillet or a shallow 3-quart saucepan and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds, and add the tomatoes, sugar, salt to taste, and allspice or cinnamon. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the tomatoes have cooked down to a fragrant sauce, about 20 minutes. Taste, adjust salt and add freshly ground pepper.

3. Steam the spinach until it wilts, 1 to 2 minutes, rinse briefly with cold water and squeeze out excess water. Do this by the handful to get out all the water. Chop coarsely. Add to the bulgur. Add the mint and the chickpeas if using, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce and toss together.

4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 2-quart gratin or baking dish. Spread the bulgur mixture in the dish in an even layer. Top with the remaining tomato sauce. Sprinkle on the cheese. Drizzle on the last tablespoon of olive oil. Bake 30 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned. Remove from the heat and allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.  Yield: Serves 6

Variation: Substitute feta for the Gruyère.

 

Carmelitas

8183278175_02c0ebfab7_b

32 caramel squares, unwrapped ½ cup heavy cream
¾ cup butter, melted
¾ cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

  • Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8×8 pan or you can line with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easier removal. The carmel can get sticky. (can also be made in a 9×13 just double the ingredients)
  • In a mixing bowl, combine melted butter and brown sugar. Add flour, oats, and baking soda. Mix until combined.
  • Divide the cookie mixture in half and pat half of the mix into the bottom of the 8×8 pan. Bake for 10 minutes and remove.
  • While baking, combine the caramels and heavy cream and stir until completely smooth. Can also be melted in the microwave, just stir after every 30 seconds being careful not to let it burn.
  • Remove pan from the oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over the crust. Pour carmel mixture over the chocolate chips and crumble remaining cookie dough on top.
  • Return to oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until the edges are lightly brown.
  • Once removed from oven allow them to completely cool and the carmel to set up. The carmel is like molten carmel right out of the oven and you want to let it cool. You can speed up the cooling process by putting it in the fridge if needed.

 

NOTES
I found this at Lulu the Baker

Farro and herb pilaf with sausage, mushrooms and spinach, whole foods

  • 23011 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 1/2 cup farro
  • 3 1/2 cups low-sodium veggie broth
  • 3 links faux sausage, removed from casings
  • 1 cup chopped red onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 cups cremini or button mushrooms, halved or quartered
  • 2 cups packed baby spinach
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • 2 tablespoons (way too much) chopped oregano, Next time try thyme

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add farro and cook, stirring often, until fragrant and toasted, 4 to 5 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed and farro is tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking it up into small chunks with a spatula, until almost cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Add onions and garlic and cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, toss well and cook, stirring occasionally, until just softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove skillet from the heat and stir in spinach until wilted. Season with salt and pepper.

Stir parsley, oregano, salt and pepper into pot with farro, then spoon onto plates. Top with sausage-mushroom mixture and serve.

 

Squash With Chili Yogurt and Cilantro Sauce washington post

  • 1 large butteyumrnut squash (3 pounds)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 3/4 ounces cilantro, leaves and stems, plus more leaves for garnish
  • 1 small clove garlic, crushed
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons hulled pumpkin seeds
  • 1 cup regular or low-fat plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Sriracha (may substitute another savory chili sauce), plus more as needed

Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 425 degrees. Have two rimmed baking sheets at hand.

Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Discard the seeds, then cut the flesh into wedges 3/4 inch wide and about 2 3/4 inches long, leaving the skin on. Place in a large bowl with the cinnamon, 2 tablespoons of the oil, 3/4 teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper. Mix well so that the squash is evenly coated. Place the squash pieces on the baking sheets skin side down and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until soft and starting to color on top. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

To make the herb paste, combine the cilantro, garlic, the remaining 4 tablespoons of oil and a generous pinch of salt in a mini food processor; puree to form a smooth paste.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Spread the pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet and roast for 6 to 8 minutes. Their outer skins will pop open, and the seeds will become light and crispy. Let them cool.

To serve, swirl together the yogurt and Sriracha sauce. Lay the squash wedges on a platter and drizzle the spicy yogurt sauce, then the herb paste, over the top. (Or swirl the yogurt sauce and herb paste together if you like.) Scatter the pumpkin seeds on top, followed by the extra cilantro leaves and additional Sriracha, if desired, and serve.

 

Fried Cauliflower Sandwich, food52

2014-0923_fried-cauliflower-sandwich-010

  • 1/2 head cauliflower
  • 2 cups lacinato kale (or similar)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil (approximately)
  • Salt, to taste
  • 2 ciabatta rolls (or similar good, crusty white bread)
  • 2 tablespoons pickled banana pepper rings
  • 4 slices provolone cheese
  1. Trim the cauliflower, leaving the core intact, and cut into 1/4-inch slices (don’t worry if they don’t stay perfectly intact — as long as the have a relatively “flat” side they should brown up nicely). Set aside.
  2. Slice the kale into thin ribbons and peel and mince the garlic. Set aside.
  3. Pour enough oil in a heavy fry pan so that it completely coats the pan’s bottom and will slightly edge up the sides of the cauliflower pieces when you add them. Heat the oil over medium-high heat. When it’s very hot, add the cauliflower slices and let them sizzle, untouched, for 4 to 5 minutes (you may need to adjust heat so that they cook long enough to get brown and cook through). Flip the slices and cook them for another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove to a plate and sprinkle with a little salt.
  4. Turn off the heat and add the kale and garlic to pan. Cook in the residual pan heat for a minute or two until the greens are wilted, then scrape onto a plate.
  5. Turn the oven broiler on. Split and toast the ciabatta rolls. Take the two bottom halves and layer on the fried cauliflower slices, then the greens, and lastly, the peppers. Top with 2 slices of cheese and broil in oven just until melted. Top with the other ciabatta halves and enjoy.
  6. Note: I highly recommend using a cast-iron skillet if you have one. If you don’t, they cost about $12 at your local hardware store. Otherwise, choose a very heavy pan so you get a nice crust on the cauliflower.  Makes 2 sandwiches

 

Cauliflower Patties from food52

  • cauliflower1 large cauliflower (washed & trimmed into bite size pieces)
  • 3 to 4 shallots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 to 3 small garlic cloves (peeled and finely chopped)
  • 3 to 4 large organic eggs
  • Fresh italian flat leaf parsley
  • 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup grated Romano cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded low moisture mozzarella
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup (or more if needed) unbleached baking flour
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup (or more if needed) whole milk
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Light olive oil (for cooking
  • Place a large stockpot filled with water to boil on the stove top. Once it comes to a full boil, add the prepared cauliflower and cook until tender, but not too mushy. Drain and rinse with cold water, set aside to cool.
  • Saute the shallots and garlic in olive oil until soft and fragrant; do not brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • Break the cooked cauliflower pieces down into very small pieces using your hands or a knife. The cauliflower needs to be solid enough to taste and create texture, but not so large as to not allow the patties to cook properly.
  • Add the eggs, cooked shallots and garlic to the bowl of cauliflower and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix this well and add some flour and milk to begin creating a batter-like consistency (start with 1/4 cup of each and add more as needed; adjust to get the desired consistency.)
  • Add the grated cheese, shredded mozzarella and chopped fresh parsley to the mix and blend well until combined. Again, test the thickness here and adjust accordingly adding flour and milk until you are satisfied.
  • NOTE: The mixture for these patties is a bit of trial and error as it needs to resemble a very thick pancake batter without being too dry or worse, too thin and runny.
  • Heat a large non-stick skillet to medium-high heat and add drizzle of the light olive oil and test the mixture by spooning a small pattie into the skillet and watch how it cooks and holds its shape.
  • Use your spatula to press and form the pattie in the skillet as it cooks to make sure it maintains shape and cooks through. Adjust your heat and resist the urge to flip too soon, allow the pattie to cook until light golden brown (about 3-4 minutes each side depending on your stove) before you flip them.
  • Continue forming and cooking the patties, adding more light olive oil as you go. Remove the cooked patties to a large flat platter to cool (do not overlap them until cooled.) Taste the first patties and adjust your salt and pepper seasoning for the remaining batter, if needed.
  • I love to serve these after letting them cool as they are much more flavorful at room temperature. These are the ideal hostess side dish (plan to make these during the upcoming holidays) that you can make ahead.
  • Store them in a sealed container in the refrigerator and simply deliver them to your host and let them come back to room temperature before serving.  Serves about 4 to 6

 

Rhonda’s Spaghetti with Fried Eggs and Pangritata for One from food52

PangritFood52ata

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/3 cup fresh or stale coarse breadcrumbs
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary leaves
  • zest from half a lemon
  1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the breadcrumbs and sauté until golden and crispy, about 4 to 5 minutes.
  3. Add the rosemary, immediately remove from heat and allow to cool.
  4. Mix in lemon zest and set aside.

Spaghetti and Eggs

  • 4 ounces spaghetti
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
  • 1 teaspoon small capers, drained
  • freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
  1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook pasta to al dente according to directions on box. (I usually undercook the pasta by about a minute.)
  2. Wipe out the skillet from the pangritata, add 1 T olive oil and 1 T butter and melt together over medium heat.
  3. Add the garlic and immediately break the eggs into the skillet.
  4. If need be, lower the heat a bit. You want the garlic to cook without burning and the egg whites to set, but the yolks to remain runny.
  5. Drain the pasta well, reserving ½ c of the cooking liquid.
  6. Add pasta back to the pot, pour over the eggs and all the fat from the skillet, add the parsley and capers and toss well, breaking up the eggs as you do. If you prefer a wetter dish, you can add in some of the reserved cooking liquid.
  7. Plate the pasta and eggs, season well with freshly ground black pepper, sprinkle with the grated cheese and then top with the pangritata.
  8. Pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy!

 

Spaghettini with Mushrooms, Garlic and Oil, food and wine

  • Spaghettini with Mushrooms, Garlic, and Oil 
    1/2 cup olive oil
    3 cloves garlic, minced
    1/8 teaspoon dried red-pepper flakes (optional)
    2/3 pound mushrooms, sliced
    1 teaspoon salt
    1 pound spaghettini
    3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

    1. In a medium frying pan, heat the olive oil over moderately low heat. Add the garlic and the red-pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic softens, about 1 minute. Add the sliced mushrooms and the salt and cook until the mushrooms exude liquid, the liquid evaporates, and the mushrooms begin to brown, about 5 minutes.
    2. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the spaghettini until just done, about 9 minutes. Drain and toss with the mushroom mixture, the parsley, and the pepper.

    Spaghettini with Garlic and Oil Eliminate the mushrooms and reduce the oil to 7 tablespoons. Just cook the garlic and red-pepper flakes for a minute and toss with the remaining ingredients.

    Spaghettini with Walnuts, Garlic, and Oil Eliminate the mushrooms and reduce the olive oil to 7 tablespoons. At the end, toss in 2/3 cup of toasted and chopped walnuts.