I've recently started to love cod - I'm not sure why I never used to eat it. I prefer it in stews and other dishes rather than on its own since it holds well to other flavors. I keep a couple of large fillets in the freezer and 1lb of cod is perfect for this stew and feeds 2 people. Although this is hot, it's a good summer stew - fresh tasting with the tomatoes and cod and a little spicy and salty with the chorizo. Substitute the potatoes for a good crusty warm bread for dipping!!
1 medium to large leek, chopped
2 small (or 1 large) chorizo links, cut lengthwise and then into 1/4 inch pieces
4 medium red or yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 28oz (large) can of diced tomatoes (fire roasted is good!)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup water
1 lb cod fillet, cut into thirds or in half, or large cubes if you prefer
1. Put the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Boil until just soft and drain.
2. In a large pan with high sides or a dutch oven, heat the oil on medium heat.
3. Add the leeks and chorizo and saute until leeks are soft, stir occasionally.
4. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
5. Add the tomatoes and their juice, the wine, water, salt and pepper. Bring to boil on high heat. Add the potatoes then partially cover the pot, reduce heat to medium and let simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Season the cod with salt and pepper and lay on top of the stew. Spoon some of the tomatoes on top of the fish to help it cook. It should take about 5 minutes. Flip gently if you need to.
7. When the fish is done, it's ready to serve!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Summer Pasta
I love pasta, but red sauce is sometimes a little too much in the hot summer. This is a nice and light pasta dish with lots of room for fresh veggies. I prefer to use asparagus and love to add swish chard if I have it - it's a great alternative to spinach - you get the good vitamins and it holds up a little more in the hotness of the food. I like to use penne or rotini or some kind of pasta that can catch the ricotta.
Pasta - whatever kind you like, penne or rotini are good with this
2 tbsp olive oil
2 spicy chicken sausages
Handful of asparagus
2-3 shallots, chopped
4-5 baby bella mushrooms, quartered
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 cups swiss chard or kale, chopped, and if you have it
Salt and pepper
1. Start the pasta.
2. In a large pan (use one with deep sides if you have one), heat the olive oil on medium heat and add the sausage - cook until done.
3. When the sausage is done, remove from the pan and set aside. Add the asparagus to the pan and cook until just tender. When done, remove from heat and set aside with the sausage.
4. Add the shallots and garlic and mushrooms and cook until just soft. Don't burn the garlic.
5. Turn heat to medium high and add the wine and broth, scrape the bottom of the pan to get all the bits up. Simmer until reduced to half.
6. While liquid is simmering, chop the sausage into small pieces and chop the asparagus into bit sized pieces.
7. Add the swiss chard to the pan and stir until soft. Add the sausage and asparagus.
8. When pasta is done, set aside about a cup of pasta water and drain the pasta. Add the pasta to the pan and mix with the sausage and vegetables.There should be enough juice so that everything is well coated but you don't really want juice at the bottom of the pan. If it seems a little dry, add some of the water from the pasta.
8. Add the ricotta and mix until everything has a little ricotta on it. Again, you might want to add a little pasta water to help the ricotta mix in with the rest of the ingredients but be careful not to make it watery. If it is, just simmer until the water evaporates.
9. Add the basil, mix well again and it's ready to eat!
*good with a little grated romano on top.
Pasta - whatever kind you like, penne or rotini are good with this
2 tbsp olive oil
2 spicy chicken sausages
Handful of asparagus
2-3 shallots, chopped
4-5 baby bella mushrooms, quartered
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 cups swiss chard or kale, chopped, and if you have it
Salt and pepper
1. Start the pasta.
2. In a large pan (use one with deep sides if you have one), heat the olive oil on medium heat and add the sausage - cook until done.
3. When the sausage is done, remove from the pan and set aside. Add the asparagus to the pan and cook until just tender. When done, remove from heat and set aside with the sausage.
4. Add the shallots and garlic and mushrooms and cook until just soft. Don't burn the garlic.
5. Turn heat to medium high and add the wine and broth, scrape the bottom of the pan to get all the bits up. Simmer until reduced to half.
6. While liquid is simmering, chop the sausage into small pieces and chop the asparagus into bit sized pieces.
7. Add the swiss chard to the pan and stir until soft. Add the sausage and asparagus.
8. When pasta is done, set aside about a cup of pasta water and drain the pasta. Add the pasta to the pan and mix with the sausage and vegetables.There should be enough juice so that everything is well coated but you don't really want juice at the bottom of the pan. If it seems a little dry, add some of the water from the pasta.
8. Add the ricotta and mix until everything has a little ricotta on it. Again, you might want to add a little pasta water to help the ricotta mix in with the rest of the ingredients but be careful not to make it watery. If it is, just simmer until the water evaporates.
9. Add the basil, mix well again and it's ready to eat!
*good with a little grated romano on top.
Chicken Teriyaki with Basil
I'm not a big fan of bottled sauces because they tend to be thick and salty and not so fresh tasting. So whenever I can make my own version, I try to. This is a good teriyaki recipe that doesn't take long, and doesn't require a lot of ingredients - it's also a good summer dinner. I like to use a combination of snow peas, baby bok choy and mushrooms but you could also add or substitute carrots, baby corn, or broccoli. I also like mine on the sweet side so you could do either the honey or the brown sugar instead of both.
2 chicken breasts - cut into 1/4 inch cubes (bite size)
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp canola oil
Handful of snow peas
2 baby bok choys
5-6 dried shitake mushrooms (soaked in bowl of boiling water until soft, ~5 minutes)
2 cloves garlic
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 tbsp ginger
1/4 cup mirin
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
* Serve over rice
1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and set aside.
2. Add the cornstarch to the chicken broth and mix well. Set aside.
3. Heat a medium sized pan to medium high and add the oil. When hot, add the snow peas and bok choy and cook until slightly browned. You want the pan pretty hot, the vegetables won't take long at all so stir frequently! When done, remove from pan and set aside in a bowl.
4. Add a little more oil to the pan and turn down to medium. Add the chicken and stir frequently until cooked. (Don't over cook! The chicken will cook through fast, avoid it getting too dry). When done, add into the bowl of cooked vegetables.
5. Add a little more oil to the pan if you need to. At medium heat, add the garlic, shallots, and ginger until it smells good. Then add the mirin, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, sugar and the cornstarch mixture. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any pieces from the pan and stir until sauce is thickened and bubbly. While sauce is thickening (this will only take a couple of minutes) chop the softened mushrooms into very small pieces and add to the bowl of chicken and vegetables.
6. When sauce is thickened, add the bowl of chicken and veggies and stir well so that it's all coated. If sauce is too watery, add a little more cornstarch to a little more water in a cup and pour in. If sauce is too thick - add some of the water that the mushrooms were soaking in.
7. Add basil and mix well.
Serve over jasmine rice.
2 chicken breasts - cut into 1/4 inch cubes (bite size)
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp canola oil
Handful of snow peas
2 baby bok choys
5-6 dried shitake mushrooms (soaked in bowl of boiling water until soft, ~5 minutes)
2 cloves garlic
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 tbsp ginger
1/4 cup mirin
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
* Serve over rice
1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and set aside.
2. Add the cornstarch to the chicken broth and mix well. Set aside.
3. Heat a medium sized pan to medium high and add the oil. When hot, add the snow peas and bok choy and cook until slightly browned. You want the pan pretty hot, the vegetables won't take long at all so stir frequently! When done, remove from pan and set aside in a bowl.
4. Add a little more oil to the pan and turn down to medium. Add the chicken and stir frequently until cooked. (Don't over cook! The chicken will cook through fast, avoid it getting too dry). When done, add into the bowl of cooked vegetables.
5. Add a little more oil to the pan if you need to. At medium heat, add the garlic, shallots, and ginger until it smells good. Then add the mirin, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, sugar and the cornstarch mixture. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any pieces from the pan and stir until sauce is thickened and bubbly. While sauce is thickening (this will only take a couple of minutes) chop the softened mushrooms into very small pieces and add to the bowl of chicken and vegetables.
6. When sauce is thickened, add the bowl of chicken and veggies and stir well so that it's all coated. If sauce is too watery, add a little more cornstarch to a little more water in a cup and pour in. If sauce is too thick - add some of the water that the mushrooms were soaking in.
7. Add basil and mix well.
Serve over jasmine rice.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Chicken Cordon Bleu
Not a whole lot to say about these except that they're really good, and VERY quick and easy!!
2 chicken breasts (or more if for more people) - pounded out to 1/4 inch thick or buy as cutlets (as long as they're as wide as a normal breast - you don't want the narrow cut ones.
2 slices of deli ham
2 slices of cheddar cheese - provolone or fontina would also be good
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs
2 tbsp water
1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs - found in Asian section or with other breadcrumbs)
1/4 cup regular breadcrumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Toothpicks
Preheat the oven to 375
1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup!
2. Beat the eggs and water in a bowl or wide dish (big enough to dip the chicken into later)
2. Put the flour on a plate
3. Combine the panko, breadcrumbs, and Parmesan cheese and put on a plate
4. Lay the chicken breast on a flat surface, place a piece of cheese and then a piece of ham on top - try to keep most of it towards the middle of the chicken.
5. Roll the chicken tightly around the cheese and ham and toothpick the end so it stays rolled up. Repeat for all of the chicken.
6. Dredge the rolled chicken in flour, then dip in the egg mixture. Dredge the chicken in the panko/breadcrumbs so that it's well coated with a crispy layer on the outside - don't forget the edges! Repeat for each piece of chicken, placing each on the cookie sheet when ready.
7. Put in the oven for about 24-30 minutes (depending on the thickness of the chicken) or until the chicken is done.
*I like to serve this with mashed potatoes and broccoli. MMmmmmmm.
2 chicken breasts (or more if for more people) - pounded out to 1/4 inch thick or buy as cutlets (as long as they're as wide as a normal breast - you don't want the narrow cut ones.
2 slices of deli ham
2 slices of cheddar cheese - provolone or fontina would also be good
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs
2 tbsp water
1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs - found in Asian section or with other breadcrumbs)
1/4 cup regular breadcrumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Toothpicks
Preheat the oven to 375
1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup!
2. Beat the eggs and water in a bowl or wide dish (big enough to dip the chicken into later)
2. Put the flour on a plate
3. Combine the panko, breadcrumbs, and Parmesan cheese and put on a plate
4. Lay the chicken breast on a flat surface, place a piece of cheese and then a piece of ham on top - try to keep most of it towards the middle of the chicken.
5. Roll the chicken tightly around the cheese and ham and toothpick the end so it stays rolled up. Repeat for all of the chicken.
6. Dredge the rolled chicken in flour, then dip in the egg mixture. Dredge the chicken in the panko/breadcrumbs so that it's well coated with a crispy layer on the outside - don't forget the edges! Repeat for each piece of chicken, placing each on the cookie sheet when ready.
7. Put in the oven for about 24-30 minutes (depending on the thickness of the chicken) or until the chicken is done.
*I like to serve this with mashed potatoes and broccoli. MMmmmmmm.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Shrimp Scampi - in 15 minutes!
This is as easy as it gets. An Italian restaurant in your own kitchen. So go out and buy 1 lb of shrimp at the grocery store and make yourself a very easy meal.
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp red pepper flakes (less if you don't want the spice)
1 lb shrimp (tails on or off)
1/2 cup dry white wine (or whatever you have in the fridge)
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup parsley
salt and pepper to taste
pasta - spaghetti or rotini or whatever you like.
*Pasta will take about 8-10 minutes or more, so start this before the shrimp.
1. In a large skillet, melt 2 tbsp butter over medium heat.
2. Add shallots and red pepper.
3. Season shrimp with salt and pepper and drop in skillet. Cook until pink (be careful not to overcook!!). Remove shrimp from heat.
4. Add wine and lemon juice to skillet and bring to boil.
5. Add 2 tbsp butter and olive oil.
6. When butter's melted, return shrimp to pan with parsley.
7. Drain pasta. Serve with shrimp and sauce.
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp red pepper flakes (less if you don't want the spice)
1 lb shrimp (tails on or off)
1/2 cup dry white wine (or whatever you have in the fridge)
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup parsley
salt and pepper to taste
pasta - spaghetti or rotini or whatever you like.
*Pasta will take about 8-10 minutes or more, so start this before the shrimp.
1. In a large skillet, melt 2 tbsp butter over medium heat.
2. Add shallots and red pepper.
3. Season shrimp with salt and pepper and drop in skillet. Cook until pink (be careful not to overcook!!). Remove shrimp from heat.
4. Add wine and lemon juice to skillet and bring to boil.
5. Add 2 tbsp butter and olive oil.
6. When butter's melted, return shrimp to pan with parsley.
7. Drain pasta. Serve with shrimp and sauce.
Sausage Stuffed Cabbage
I know, I know. The last thing you all think you want to eat is stuffed cabbage. Is it just me or does it conjure images of the little boys slopping goo in their mouths in "A Christmas Story"? Wait, don't go to another recipe! This is one you really want to try. The cabbage is just a casing for a very tasty sausage filling and if you combine it with my red sauce - it's sure to please. Really, try it. Never bought cabbage before? Neither had I. Stick with savoy cabbage, it's a little lighter and thinner.
2 cups water (or amount of water in tabouli box directions)
1/2 cup mushrooms - finely chopped
1 1/4 cups bulger or tabouli (can be found in a box in Mediterranean section of grocery store)
2 tsp butter
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
2/3 cup finely chopped celery
2/3 cup finely chopped carrot
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground italian sausage (or sausage links removed from casings)
12 savoy cabbage leaves
* Heat tomato sauce in a large pot or Dutch oven. (Use tomato sauce recipe in my blog!)
1. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan, stir in bulger/tabouli (if you buy tabouli in a box, follow directions on box). Let stand for 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
2. Heat butter and oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, garlic. Saute until soft and lightly browned.
3. Add sauteed veggies to bulgar/tabouli mixture and cool slightly. Salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add uncooked sausage (removed from casings) to mixture and mix well.
5. Add water to a large pot or Dutch oven. If you have a vegetable steamer, drop the cabbage leaves in and let steam for 5-7 minutes. If you don't have a steamer, bring water to a boil, turn off heat, drop cabbage in water and leave in until soft.
6. Working with one piece of cabbage at a time, place 1/2 cup of bulgar/tabouli and sausage mixture in the center of the leaf. Fold the edges in and roll up like a burrito. Repeat for the rest of the cabbage and sausage mixture.
7. Either place the cabbage packages back in the steamer, covered, with water boiling, for about 30 minutes. OR, pour an inch or two of the tomato sauce into the bottom of a Dutch oven and place the cabbage packages in one layer and cook for 20-30 minutes.
8. Serve with lots of tomato sauce.
2 cups water (or amount of water in tabouli box directions)
1/2 cup mushrooms - finely chopped
1 1/4 cups bulger or tabouli (can be found in a box in Mediterranean section of grocery store)
2 tsp butter
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
2/3 cup finely chopped celery
2/3 cup finely chopped carrot
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground italian sausage (or sausage links removed from casings)
12 savoy cabbage leaves
* Heat tomato sauce in a large pot or Dutch oven. (Use tomato sauce recipe in my blog!)
1. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan, stir in bulger/tabouli (if you buy tabouli in a box, follow directions on box). Let stand for 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
2. Heat butter and oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, garlic. Saute until soft and lightly browned.
3. Add sauteed veggies to bulgar/tabouli mixture and cool slightly. Salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add uncooked sausage (removed from casings) to mixture and mix well.
5. Add water to a large pot or Dutch oven. If you have a vegetable steamer, drop the cabbage leaves in and let steam for 5-7 minutes. If you don't have a steamer, bring water to a boil, turn off heat, drop cabbage in water and leave in until soft.
6. Working with one piece of cabbage at a time, place 1/2 cup of bulgar/tabouli and sausage mixture in the center of the leaf. Fold the edges in and roll up like a burrito. Repeat for the rest of the cabbage and sausage mixture.
7. Either place the cabbage packages back in the steamer, covered, with water boiling, for about 30 minutes. OR, pour an inch or two of the tomato sauce into the bottom of a Dutch oven and place the cabbage packages in one layer and cook for 20-30 minutes.
8. Serve with lots of tomato sauce.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Grilled Noodle Bowls
Paddy and I went to lunch at this great Vietnamese restaurant in Harvard Square not too long ago. We had fresh spring rolls that had small pieces of BBQed pork and they were delicious. We also had two very large bowls of Pho, which I think is one of the most comforting soups there is. It has lots and lots of noodles. I usually order it with chicken. But when I recreated it at home a couple of weeks ago, I grilled a pork tenderloin and used that in the soup instead. It was unreal. The great thing about this soup is that you can add lots of fresh ingredients, and make it really spicy. You can make it with chicken, shrimp, pork, or no meat. If you use chicken, small pieces pulled from a roast chicken work best (good use of leftovers), if you use shrimp pop them right into the soup at the end and let them cook in the broth. If you use pork, this really is worth it...you can use the other half of the tenderloin a couple days later in something else.
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp dark sesame oil
3 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp rice vinegar
~ 1 - 1.5 lb pork tenderloin
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tbsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp minced ginger
2 qts chicken broth
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 cup bok choy, sliced into 1/4 pieces (1 medium with greens included)
1/4 onion sliced
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 handful of thin, round chinese egg noodles (you can also use angel hair pasta...if you have to!)
* eye the amount according to how much broth you have and the noodle ratio that you prefer
1 cup bean sprouts
1 large bunch of basil, roughly chopped
1 tbsp chili paste - at least
1. In a small bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients and mix well to dissolve the brown sugar a bit.
2. Place the tenderloin in a large plastic bag an pour in the marinade. Marinate the meat for 15-20 minutes.
3. Grill the tenderloin for 8 minutes, flip it and do the other side for another 8 minutes. When it's finished, take it off the grill and let it sit.
4. Heat the oil on medium or a little under in a large pot. Add the red pepper flakes, garlic, and ginger and let their flavors infuse into the oil - you don't want them to burn.
5. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
6. Turn the heat down to medium high and add the mushrooms, bok choy, and onion and let simmer for about 5 minutes until the mushrooms start to get tender.
7. Add the noodles straight to the soup. Bring the broth back to a simmer so that the noodles cook in the broth.
8. Cut the tenderloin in half (you won't need all of it). It may be very slightly pink in the middle, that's ok, it will finish cooking in the soup. Cut the meat so that you have 1/4 x 3 inch strips.
9. When the noodles are soft, add the meat to the soup and turn the heat down to medium.
10. Just before serving, add the beansprouts and basil (the more basil the better). Serve with chili paste on the side - again, the more the better!
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp dark sesame oil
3 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp rice vinegar
~ 1 - 1.5 lb pork tenderloin
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tbsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp minced ginger
2 qts chicken broth
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 cup bok choy, sliced into 1/4 pieces (1 medium with greens included)
1/4 onion sliced
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 handful of thin, round chinese egg noodles (you can also use angel hair pasta...if you have to!)
* eye the amount according to how much broth you have and the noodle ratio that you prefer
1 cup bean sprouts
1 large bunch of basil, roughly chopped
1 tbsp chili paste - at least
1. In a small bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients and mix well to dissolve the brown sugar a bit.
2. Place the tenderloin in a large plastic bag an pour in the marinade. Marinate the meat for 15-20 minutes.
3. Grill the tenderloin for 8 minutes, flip it and do the other side for another 8 minutes. When it's finished, take it off the grill and let it sit.
4. Heat the oil on medium or a little under in a large pot. Add the red pepper flakes, garlic, and ginger and let their flavors infuse into the oil - you don't want them to burn.
5. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
6. Turn the heat down to medium high and add the mushrooms, bok choy, and onion and let simmer for about 5 minutes until the mushrooms start to get tender.
7. Add the noodles straight to the soup. Bring the broth back to a simmer so that the noodles cook in the broth.
8. Cut the tenderloin in half (you won't need all of it). It may be very slightly pink in the middle, that's ok, it will finish cooking in the soup. Cut the meat so that you have 1/4 x 3 inch strips.
9. When the noodles are soft, add the meat to the soup and turn the heat down to medium.
10. Just before serving, add the beansprouts and basil (the more basil the better). Serve with chili paste on the side - again, the more the better!
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