Quince-Glazed Chicken Breasts

March 3, 2018 No comments

Membrillo, or quince paste is a thick jelly made from the pulp of quince fruit.  Popular in Spanish cuisine, it is traditionally served as a small bite with nutty Manchego cheese.  Found in most grocery stores in the deli/cheese section, the paste keeps very well in the fridge for a long period of time. One of my favorite ways to use quince paste is not only paired with cheese and crackers, but cooked down into a sweet yet tangy glaze.  A lovely glaze for chicken like in this recipe, but also pork–all you need is a small saucepan, some dry white wine, a portion of quince paste and some Dijon mustard.  I think this lovely glaze pairs very nicely with fresh rosemary, so I like to add that onto the meat as well.

(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)

Lemony Haricots Verts with Potatoes, Dill & Feta

March 2, 2018 No comments

This lovely Mediterranean-inspired side dish was inspired by a bunch of fresh dill that a client recently gave me.  That, plus a few tart Meyer lemons in the fruit bowl at home, I decided to roast both golden potatoes and thin French green beans with the zest of a lemon, the freshly chopped dill, and some briny, mixed olives.  A perfect way to finish off a roasted side dish like this one is with crumbled cheese; feta cheese works very well, but so would a bit of ricotta salata.

(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)

Filet Mignons with Balsamic-Dijon Pan Sauce

March 1, 2018 No comments

One of my favorite go-to sauces for a pan-seared steak is a simple combination of white wine to deglaze the pan, rich balsamic vinegar, and some Dijon mustard for tang.  The combination of the three makes for a smooth yet thick sauce—perfect for a filet mignon, sirloin, ribeye…you name it.  Allowing the steaks to marinated in the fridge for at least an hour with some chopped, fresh rosemary, garlic and olive oil doesn’t hurt anything either!

(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)

Toasted Chickpeas with Curry

February 23, 2018 No comments

This fragrant chickpea nibble can be enjoyed either as a side dish, snack or appetizer idea.  Simply canned chickpeas (rinsed, drained and patted dry) tossed in olive oil, fresh parsley, salt, curry powder and a touch of crushed Aleppo chiles, roasted at a high heat until toasted and crunchy.  The curry powder is the predominant flavor here, but it can easily be swapped out for a mixture of cumin, coriander and paprika, or a dried za’atar mixture as well.

(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)

‘Chicken with Escarole & Warm Mustard Dressing’

February 19, 2018 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Better Homes & Gardens Magazine

A simple warm mustard dressing slightly wilts a fresh salad of escarole leaves and fresh fennel–while also flavoring perfectly browned chicken cutlets.  Such a healthy and delicious dinner idea that pairs perfectly with a brown rice pilaf studded with nuts and fresh herbs, along with a glass of dry Riesling.

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: https://www.bhg.com/recipe/chicken-with-escarole-and-warm-mustard-dressing/)

Pork & Spaghetti Squash Stir-Fry

February 16, 2018 No comments

This colorful, low-carb stir-fry combines fragrant sesame oil, soy sauce, and sliced garlic with crunchy sliced sweet peppers, snow peas and scallions.  And for the protein? Crumbled ground pork that becomes infused with all of those Asian-inspired flavors.  You can certainly serve this pork and veggie stir-fry over rice or even noodles, but try it over strands of spaghetti squash for a modern, and healthier approach.

(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)

‘Crispy Pork & Bok Choy Larb’

February 9, 2018 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Real Simple Magazine

This modern version of a traditional Thai larb is utterly fantastic!  Cooked, ground pork is flavored with a mixture of lime juice, fish sauce, granulated sugar and crushed red pepper flakes and is served on top of a fresh salad made with baby bok choy, carrot ribbons, scallions, cilantro and a few hot chile peppers. The traditional way to serve larb is as a first course and in lettuce cups, so think of it as a entree version of larb, in salad form.  Very traditional in its flavorings, this lovely larb is finished off with roasted, salted peanuts for crunch.

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/crispy-pork-bok-choy-larb)

Lemony Prosciutto-Asparagus Bundles

February 8, 2018 Comments: 2

This simple side dish recipe works well not only with asparagus spears, but with thin, French green beans and even broccolini spears.  Simply wrap a bundle of vegetables with a thin slice of prosciutto or capicola ham.  Drizzle with olive oil, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and place on lemon slices on a baking sheet. Roast in a hot oven until the ham is crispy and the vegetables are still a bit crunchy, but just cooked through.  Such and elegant and easy appetizer idea, or even side dish to accompany just about any entree you have in mind.

(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)

Harissa Meatloaf

February 7, 2018 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of www.SkinnyTaste.com

Harissa is a Tunisian chili pepper paste that adds just the right amount of heat and flavor to a variety of dishes.  Buy a jar and keep it in the fridge for a flavoring agent on roasted vegetables, a rub for a roast chicken, part of a skirt steak marinade, or even as a salad dressing component.  Here, the harissa paste is used as a way to liven up an everyday meatloaf.  Mixed together with the ground meat, onion, garlic, grated zucchini, breadcrumbs, and egg and sweet paprika, the harissa shines with its underlying spicy nature and bright red color.  Don’t close that jar of harissa just yet! The topping for the meatloaf is a combo of both ketchup and a touch more harissa paste to carry the Tunisian-theme through.

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: https://www.skinnytaste.com/skillet-harissa-turkey-meatloaf/)

‘Chicken with Tarragon & Vermouth’

February 6, 2018 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of www.FineCooking.com

Fresh tarragon is not only a lovely flavor pairing for seafood, but also chicken. With its natural anise-flavor, a little goes a long way, and it can add a nice brightness to a simple dish like this one. I used thinly sliced chicken cutlets for this dish, and added some sliced garlic to the saute pan along with the minced shallots.  Other than those few ingredients, all you need are olive oil, butter, salt, pepper and either white wine or dry vermouth.  The olive oil is used to cook the chicken cutlets through, and the butter is used to create a beurre blanc-like sauce studded with the cooked alliums and fresh tarragon.  This sauce would really compliment seared scallops or pan-seared fish as well.

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: http://www.finecooking.com/recipe/chicken-with-tarragon-vermouth)

« Previous Entries
Next entries »