Simple Salad

One of my favorite light meals or sides:

Arugula with tomatoes and mozzarella


Sliced roma tomatoes
Sliced fresh mozarella
Candied walnuts
Place over a bed of baby arugula
Top with homemade lemon vinaigrette

Candied walnuts:
Buy whole shelled walnuts
Toss in 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tbsp honey and 1/2 tbsp brown sugar, and 1/4 tsp black pepper
Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
Heat on 400 degrees for 20 minutes
Let sit and cool

Lemon Vinaigrette:
The juice of a large lemon
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Squirt of honey
1 tsp salt and pepper
Shake in container or emulsify with a fork (whisking motion)

Halibut with Lemon and Capers

Halibut with Lemon and Capers

 

(I'm really not the best photographer but it was more delicious than it appears)

Serves 2

2- 5oz. Halibut filets

Salt and pepper both sides of the fish

Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to a hot skillet

Add the fish to the skillet

Cook 3-4 minutes per side, until lightly browned and cooked through

Remove cooked fish from the skillet

Add juice of 1 lg or 2 small lemons

Add 1/4 cup of dry white wine

2 tbsp of capers

Cook until slightly reduced

Add 1tbsp of butter to finish the sauce

Top the fish with the lemon and caper sauce

Roasted potatoes:

1 medium sized potato per person

Dice potatoes in bite sized cubes

Toss in olive oil, salt, pepper, chilli powder, and garlic powder

Roast in the oven for 45 min on 350 degrees, tossing potatoes every 15 minutes to get evenly browned.

(To speed up the process place the diced potatoes in a microwave safe bowl covered with water and cook 3-5 minutes. Potatoes will be par cooked. Season and roast for 20 minutes.)

Serve with a salad

Yesterday felt like a day for comfort food...

Chicken Parmigiano!

Homemade Gravy:
Straight from Mom...

Makes 6 servings

1 tbsp olive oil

4 cloves garlic 2 lg cans crushed tomatoes (rinse out cans with water and add to sauce about a cup)

1 small can tomato sauce (rinse out can and add to sauce - 1/4 cup or so)

1 small can paste

1 bay leaf

1 tbsp dried sage or chopped fresh sage if you have it

5 -6 leaves of fresh basil chopped or dried 1/2 tsp basil

1/2 cup grated romano cheese or parmasean if you don't have romano

1/2 cup red wine

-In large sauce pan add olive oil and peeled garlic cloves - cook garlic on medium until light brown, remove and chop set aside to add to sauce (do not burn garlic)

-Add crushed tomatoes, sauce, paste and water

-Stir and add cheese, wine, sage, bay leaf  and basil

-When meatballs are done add to sauce and stir, reducing heat to low

-Cook at least 2 - 3 hours stirring occasionally (you can cook it all day but may need to add water if it evaporates

For the parmigiano:

Buy boneless, skinless chicken breast.

Use a meat mallet until tenderized

Set up an assembly for flour, egg, and bread crumbs (use fresh or store bought)

Season the chicken with salt and pepper

Coat the chicken in flour, dip in egg, then coat with bread crumbs

Use 2 tbsp of olive oil in saute pan and turn on high

Cook chicken on each side 2-3 minutes until nicely browned

Buy fresh mozzarella or make your own homemade (it's easier than you think)

Place 1/4 cup of gravy in a baking dish, lay the browned chicken on top, add a tbsp of sauce atop each breast and a few thin slices of mozzarella

Place in the oven on 400 degrees until chicken is cooked through and mozzarella is nicely melted. (about 15-20 minutes)

In case you would like to give homemade mozzarella a try:

Buy mozzarella cheese curd from the market

At home boil a pot of water with lots and lots of salt. Make the water look and taste like salt-water.

Pour some of the water into a smaller pan with the curd. Stir vigourously with a fork until the curd begins to melt together.

When all of the lumps are gone pull the cheese out of the water and begin kneeding with your hands and form into a ball by pulling the cheese together. 

Once formed let sit for a few minutes then slice for use.

(You can use the extra salted water to cook your pasta)

Serve with your favorite side of pasta!

Mussel in Marinara

A second mussel recipe...

20-30 Mussels,  have them cleaned by your fishmonger/seafood counter

Homemade Marinara:
1-12 oz can of crushed tomatoes, 1-8 oz can of tomato sauce, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 garlic clove, 1/2 cup of a good red wine, 1 teaspoon of basil, and oregano (fresh if available), salt and pepper. Saute the garlic, add crushed tomatoes and sauce, finish with herbs.
(If there is extra sauce it can easily be frozen and stay fresh for several months)

Mussel Preparation:
Rinse and drain mussels
In a saute pan add one tbsp of olive oil and 2 cloves of garlic-diced.
Once garlic is lightly browned add the mussels.
Pour marinara over to coat and add a splash of red wine (any kind you enjoy drinking)
Cover mussels and let steam until tender-just a few minutes
Finish with a pinch of red pepper flakes and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Serve with fresh bread for dipping.

Fish Tacos!!!

Buy any kind of white fish that holds well (Mahi mahi, Tilapia, Cod)

Prepare all purpose flour seasoned with salt, pepper, and ancho chilli powder
Toss bite-size pieces of fish in flour to coat
Bring a good frying oil to temperature and cook fish until nicely browned about 2 minutes on each side.

Meanwhile for toppings:
Lime-Cilantro Sour cream: juice one lime, add a tablespoon of chopped cilantro, a pinch of chilli powder and 1/2 cup of sour cream and mix.
Guacamole: 1 avacado, 1/2 tomato, 1 lime, 1/2 jalapeno, 1 clove of garlic, 1 tablespoon of cilantro. Chop all ingredients fine and add diced avacado. Mix until a slightly smooth consistency.

When the fish is finished cooking, about 3-5 minutes. Buy store bought corn tortillas. Heat the tortillas lightly over an open flame or in the oven for about 10 minutes and serve!

Last night's dinner...

Steamed Mussels with Gorgonzola and Bacon:

Begin by cubing bacon and brown it in a saute pan

Remove bacon and add thinly sliced shallots to the bacon fat

As shallots become translucent add the cleaned mussels and 1/2 a bottle of a whit beer

Cover and steam until the mussels are open and tender

Pour into serving dish and top with cooked bacon and a sprinkle of gorgonzola cheese

Serve with a fresh baguette!

Give them a shot and let me know what you think...I know I thoroughly enjoyed them.

I will have tonights dinner up by tomorrow.

 Fish tacos!