Gourmet Meals for Your Unique Tastes
Recipe Courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine
This spicy, Asian-inspired sauce would be fantastic on just about any roasted veggies! A sweet-yet-salty-yet-spicy sauce made stove top with chili sauce, soy sauce, fresh orange juice, sesame oil, and brown sugar, this warm sauce is poured over roasted broccoli florets and finished off with toasted sesame seeds for a touch of crunch. Try this sauce idea even in your next stir fry, or on a crunchy broccoli slaw as a vinaigrette idea.
Recipe Courtesy of www.MarthaStewart.com
Both the grated carrots and the sour cream in this savory quick bread, make for a very moist crumb. And for the incredible flavor? Melted butter and salty Asiago cheese are the culprits on that front. Not only do you add tasty, grated Asiago cheese into the carrot bread’s batter, but you also sprinkle some on top of the bread (along with almonds) for a toasted crunchy exterior. A wonderful quick bread that is a perfect accompaniment to a bowl of soup, or a light dinner or brunch menu.
(To view this recipe, click on the following link: https://www.marthastewart.com/1521155/carrot-asiago-bread)
This healthy raw kale salad becomes even more desirable with the decadent addition of crispy prosciutto, crunchy sunflower seeds and shaved Parmesan. A simple Dijon mustard and lemon juice vinaigrette adds just the right amount of brightness to each-and-every bite; this is a lovely side salad but could easily be made into a main course salad with the addition of roasted chicken, pan-seared salmon or even a vegetarian main with slices of crisp apple, buttery pears, or protein-packed lentils or chickpeas.
(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)
A Romesco sauce is a classic Spanish sauce predominately served with fish, that is a purée of roasted red pepper, raw almonds, breadcrumbs, sherry vinegar and garlic. Smoky from the roasted red peppers, a luxurious texture from the addition of bread crumbs, and just the right amount of rich acidity from the sherry vinegar, this sauce not only pairs well with your favorite fish, but also shellfish liked seared scallops or shrimp. (In my opinion, the sauce works well on pork or even a grilled skirt steak, as well as a dip for crudités!)
My version of a traditional Romesco sauce leaves out the breadcrumbs, but subs in a touch of grated Parmesan cheese instead, and includes raw walnuts instead of almonds. Best when served at room temperature, this time I decided to dress up baked fillets of mild flounder that had been seasoned and topped with a touch of fresh dill. And to finish the dish off? A few briny fried capers for a touch of crunch and an extra ‘pop’ of salty flavor.
(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)
Recipe Courtesy of Delicious Magazine
A classic bowl of Roman Pasta Carbonara always contains a handful of specific ingredients: pasta (obviously), bacon, eggs and cheese. More often than not, specifically spaghetti is used, guanciale or pork cheek for the meat, and Parmesan for the cheese. Such a simple and satisfying pasta dish and it seriously only takes about 5 minutes for it all to come together (once the pasta cooks of course)!
Here’s how you do it: you cook the meat with some minced garlic while you cook the al dente spaghetti noodles, then you stir into the cooked noodles the eggs mixed with the grated cheese, some black pepper and some pasta water to make the sauce thicken slightly. Next comes the cooked meat, garlic and sprinkling of chopped parsley. The egg-cheese-pasta water mixture makes for a creamy and naturally smooth sauce that is out-of-this-world tasty. I liked this specific recipe from Delicious Magazine because it used slices of Parma ham instead of pancetta or guanciale, which is lighter on the grease and crisps up beautifully in the pan.
(To view this recipe, click on the following link: https://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/healthier-spaghetti-carbonara-with-parma-ham/ )
Recipe Courtesy of Eating Well Magazine
The beauty of Vietnamese cuisine lies in its fresh ingredients, colorful combination of ingredients, and the complex flavor of its sweet-spicy-and-salty ingredients. This salad first featured in Eating Well magazine is no exception. Flavorful, tender pork tenderloin is sliced and served over a healthy salad made from watercress, cucumbers, sweet bell peppers, and carrots. For the salty and crunchy component, roasted peanuts; for the spicy and sweet components, a dressing made from fish sauce, sugar, grapefruit and lime juices, and minced hot red chilies. All of this, plus tangy segments of the seasons best grapefruit. (Yum!) We couldn’t have loved this Vietnamese-inspired salad more, and hope you do as well.
These tender baked plum tomatoes are filled with a homemade basil pesto sauce, creamy crumbles of French goat cheese, and for a bit of crunch–toasted Panko breadcrumbs. A simple yet super flavorful side dish that works well with a roast chicken, served on the side of your favorite soup, or even a top al dente pasta for a vegetarian dinner idea.
(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)
Recipe Courtesy of Fine Cooking Magazine
This healthy Spring-green pasta pairs some of the finest veggies of the season: sweet green peas, sliced leeks and baby spinach. All sautéed together with some fresh lemon juice, grated Parmesan cheese, fresh mint from the garden, and crumbled Italian sausage, this one-bowl dinner comes together in no time and makes for great leftovers. (If there are any to speak of…)
This is one of my all-time favorite Italian salads. Thinly sliced, crunchy fennel is combined with sliced cremini mushrooms, shaved Pecorino Romano cheese and a lemony Dijon vinaigrette studded with chopped, fresh parsley. Simple, healthy and a perfect accompaniment to just about any entrée idea; serve it alongside your favorite pasta dish, roasted pork or chicken dish, or even a simple seared fish dish with sautéed broccoli rabe.
(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)
Recipe Courtesy of Fine Cooking Magazine
Oh what a glorious dish! Flaky salmon filets coated in a mixture of Moroccan spices that are served over a hearty serving of French lentils. Salmon and lentils is a classic French pairing, but what I loved about this version are the North African touches. The spice mix (which would also be great on pork, a roast chicken, even a skirt steak) included cumin, turmeric, allspice, paprika, cayenne pepper, ground cinnamon, and ground ginger. (Can’t you just smell the spice mix already? ) And the lentils were flavored with sweet dried apricots, onions, lemon zest and briny capers. Such a wonderful updated version of a classic French flavor combination.
(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)