Tag Archives: Recipes

Roasted Rosemary Pork Tenderloin with a Plum Sauce

1 Reply

Rosemary_Pork_Tenderloin1 (1 of 1)As in recent posts, I’m trying to get as much out of the herbs from my garden before it’s too late. Last night I chose to make something with my rosemary. I made this wonderful roasted pork tenderloin — the pork is prepared by rubbing it with a garlicy rosemary and olive oil paste. The aroma is fantastic! The pork is served over a bed of frisée that’s been slightly wilted in some of the rosemary paste, then topped with a sweet/sour plum sauce (I served it with mashed potatoes). This turned out to be delicious, so I hope you’ll try it out!

8 oz pitted prunes
1 1/3 cups water
2/3 cup Sherry vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground black pepper
1 large pork tenderloin (about 1 1/2 lbs), trimmed
1 cup chicken stock
1 large head frisée (escarole), coarsely sliced

Add prunes, water, Sherry vinegar and sugar to a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook until syrupy, about 20 minutes. Set aside

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place olive oil, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper into a food processor. Process to a smooth paste. In a shallow roasting pan, coat pork well with 3 1/2 Tbsp of the rosemary paste (set remaining paste aside). Place pork in oven and roast until middle of thickest part registers 150 degrees F, about 30 minutes. Remove pork to a cutting board and loosely tent with aluminum foil.

Heat remaining rosemary paste in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat. As soon as paste begins to sizzle, stir in the chicken stock, then the frisée. Cover and cook until wilted, about 6 minutes.

Divide frisée among 6 plates. Top each with pork slices and plum sauce. Serve.

Serves 6 .

Veal Croquettes with Mushrooms (Verrückte Omas Merkwürdige Kalbfleisch-Frikadellen)

Leave a reply

Veal_Croquettes1 (1 of 1)I had a bunch of ground veal left over from my last post, so I decided to make veal croquettes (my spin on Viennese Butterschnitzel). Croquettes are typically deep-fried in oil, but here I try to reduce the fat a bit by pan-frying the croquettes in a little oil and butter until crispy. I really like the depth of flavor provided by the lemon and nutmeg (I could add nutmeg to just about anything!). I served the croquettes with steamed asparagus and a fresh caprese salad, which I think went together well. This crazy dish is truly delicious — please try it next weekend and let me know what you think!

1/8 cup skim milk
1/8 cup crème fraîche
2 slices sandwich bread, coarsely torn into pieces
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 1/4 tsp salt, divided
1/2 ground black pepper, divided
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp finely grated, chopped lemon rind
2 1/2 Tbsp finely chopped chives
1 1/4 lbs ground veal
1/2 cup fine, unseasoned breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp butter
8 oz cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Whisk together milk and crème fraîche in a small bowl. Stir in bread pieces and let stand 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the bread-milk-crème fraîche mixture together with the egg, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, nutmeg, lemon rind, 1 Tbsp chives and veal. Mix with hand until ingredients are well-incorporated. Form into 4 4-inch patties. Place breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Coat patties all over with the breadcrumbs and set aside.

Heat oil and butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Once foam from butter has subsided, gently place the patties in the skillet. cook patties until golden brown, turning once half way through, about 10 minutes in total. Remove patties (time to call them “croquettes”) from skillet to a warm plate and cover loosely with foil.

Add mushrooms, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 black pepper and 1 1/2 Tbsp chives to the skillet. Stir over high heat until mushrooms begin to release water, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer until browned, about 3 more minutes. Serve croquettes, topped with the mushrooms and parsley.

Serves 4.

Tapas-Style Meatballs (Albóndigas Pequeñas)

5 Replies

Albondigas1 (1 of 1)I think Spanish cuisine is one of the best in the world, but I don’t think I figured that out until well after I backpacked through Spain (with no money) right before college. It seems similar to Italian, but its flavors are quite different and distinct. One of my favorite Spanish culinary ingredients (besides saffron, of course), is sherry — it is commonly used in a variety of dishes, and it adds a fantastic depth of flavor. This delicious meatball dish is simple — it has the sherry, but I don’t think you’d be able to pick it out. So good, I hope you’ll try these tonight!

Albóndigas

6 oz ground lean ground pork
6 oz ground veal
3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely grated or minced
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
2 Tbsp olive oil

Sauce

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and very finely grated or minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 Tbsp dry sherry
1 14-oz can chopped tomatoes
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas

In a large bowl, mix together the ingredients for the meatballs with one hand until well-incorporated and smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Remove from fridge, and form meat into meatballs, about 1 inch in diameter.

Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs and brown on all sides (I like to swirl and toss them in the pan so they brown evenly), about 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels. Set aside.

Add the additional 1 Tbsp olive oil to same skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook another 1 minute. Stir in wine and sherry. Turn heat to high. Bring mixture to a boil and cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes, tomato paste and chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in the cayenne, salt, peas and meatballs. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer another 10 minutes, or until sauce thickens. Season sauce with additional salt, if desired. Serve as part of a tapas meal (serves 6), or as an entre with rice and a vegetable (serves 4).

Oven-Roasted Chicken with Lemon and Rosemary

15 Replies

Oven_Roasted_Chcken_with_Lemon1 (1 of 1)Last night was another night where I wanted to make something with herbs from my garden — in this case, rosemary. I’ve thought for a long time that rosemary and lemon were meant for each other. I was also in the mood for chicken, which goes very well with rosemary and lemon, so I decided to make this oven-roasted version of those ingredients — wonderful! The combination of flavors is bright and welcoming. I like to serve this with a wild rice pilaf — hope you’ll try this dish tonight!

1 large clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Zest of 1 lemon, finely chopped
1 tsp chopped rosemary leaves
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
4 chicken thighs, bone in, skin on, trimmed of any fat
1 lemon, thinly sliced
Juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup water
1 tsp corn starch
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 bay leaf

In a small bowl, combine garlic, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, lemon zest, rosemary and 1 Tbsp olive oil. Stir into a paste. Place chicken thighs in a shallow dish and rub thoroughly with paste. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line an ovenproof dish with sliced lemons.

Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Brown chicken thighs (skin-side down first) on both sides, 4 minutes per side. Arrange the chicken over the lemon slices in the ovenproof dish, skin-side up. Place dish in oven and roast 20 – 25 minutes, or until juices run clear when pierced.

In the meantime, add lemon juice, water, corn starch, salt and bay leaf to pan that the chicken browned in. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and stir until sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Remove chicken from oven, cover loosely with foil and let stand 5 minutes. To serve, place a few of the lemon slices on each plate. Place chicken thigh over lemon slices on each plate and pour some of the sauce over each serving.

Serves 4.

 

Beef Sauce with Red Wine, Sage and Parsley over Cavatappi

Leave a reply

Meat_Sauce_with_Sage1 (1 of 1)Once again, it was my overflowing herb garden that inspired me to make this dish — I used to think of sage as an herb you cook with only in winter. I’ve always grown it, but by the time I wanted to use it, it was gone with the first frost. Luckily, I’ve discovered that sage is wonderful year-round. In this simple meat sauce,  the sage (together with the meat browned in butter!) provides for a nice depth of flavor! I hope you’ll try this recipe tonight with your fresh herbs!

2 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
3 medium onions, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and very finely grated or minced
8 large sage leaves, chopped
1 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups red wine
3/4 cup beef stock
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
1 lb (uncooked) cavatappi pasta, cooked according to package instructions
1/4 cup sour cream

In a large sauce pan, melt butter over high heat. Add beef and brown 5 minutes, stirring constantly to breaking up any clumps. Add onion, garlic, sage, and sprinkle with flour. Stir an additional 3 minutes. Stir in wine, beef stock, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Stir in tomato paste. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes.

Remove sauce from heat. Stir in parsley and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Serve over pasta with a dollup of sour cream.

Serves 6.

 

Sautéed Chicken with a Summer Garden Salsa and Lemon-Scented Barley Pilaf

4 Replies

Sauteed Chicken1 (1 of 1)We have a ton of fresh basil in the garden, so I wanted to make use of that. I decided to do this chicken sauté dish with a delicious, fresh garden salsa. I was also inspired by a recent issue of my favorite cooking mag that featured various grain dishes. I had barley in the fridge, so I made this great, lemon and bay leaf-scented pilaf as a side (I’m very keen on things flavored with lemon and bay leaf!). The main and side went so well together — I hope you’ll give them a try!

Chicken with Summer Garden Salsa

3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 2 ears)
12 oz grape tomatoes, cut lengthwise into thirds
1/4 cup chopped green onions
3 Tbsp finely sliced fresh basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, pounded between sheets of plastic to an even 1/2-inch thickness
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 Tbsp butter
1 1/12 Tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a bowl, toss corn with 1 Tbsp olive oil and spread mixture evenly on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Roast for about 18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until corn begins to brown. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in tomatoes, green onions, basil, 2 Tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper. Cover and set aside.

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper, then dust with the flour (shaking off excess). Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté about 5 minutes per side, until done. Serve chicken topped with tomato-corn salsa.

Barley Pilaf

1 Tbsp butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup pearl barley
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 tsp salt
1 bay leaf
1 tsp grated lemon peel

Heat butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for about 5 minutes, until onion softens. Add Barley. Stirring constantly, cook 3 minutes. Add the stock, salt and bay leaf. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 45 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon peel, cover and let stand 10 minutes.

Serves 4.

 

Gnocchi with Chanterelle Mushrooms and Sage (Gnocchi mit Pfifferlingen und Salbei)

9 Replies

Gnocchi_mit_Pifferlingen_und_Salbei3 (1 of 1)Although this dish seems Italian, it has a strong German accent. The stars are the chanterelles (which are commonly used in Germany) and the sage (which I harvested from my herb garden out back). The crème fraîche in this recipe is also a key ingredient — it’s similar to sour cream, but not as sour. Try not to substitute. The sauce is simple and absolutely delicious! I hope you’ll give this a try!

1 1/2 lbs ready-to-cook gnocchi
1 lb fresh chanterelle mushrooms, (or 2 oz dried, soaked in 4 cups very hot water for 30 minutes), coarsely chopped
2 strips bacon (about 5 oz), finely chopped
1 large onion, diced
1/2 cup vegetable, beef or chicken stock
1/2 tsp salt
8 large sage leaves, chopped
3/4 cup crème fraîche
Ground black pepper
Grated Parmesan cheese

Cook gnocchi according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Heat bacon in a large pan over medium-high heat. Cook until crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and let sit on paper towels. With a paper towel, wipe up all but about 1 Tbsp of the bacon drippings from the pan.

Reduce heat to medium, and add mushrooms and onions. Cook for about 5 minutes. Stir in stock and crème fraîche. Cook for a few minutes, until sauce has thickened slightly. Stir in sage and some ground black pepper, and cook an additional 1 minute. Remove from heat and season with additional salt if desired. Serve over gnocchi and sprinkle portions with Parmesan cheese.

Serves 4.

Chicken Simmered with Green Onions and Sweet Soy Sauce (Ayam O)

8 Replies

Ayam_O (1 of 1) Hi. Back from Germany. Turns out that I was too busy to cook for the blog while there. I did have tons of great food there, which I’ll try to recreate in future blogs. Great game tonight between Germany and Brazil (though, I feel bad for Brazil). Anyway, tonight’s dish is a very simple, delicious Indonesian chicken dish. There is no heat in this dish, but you can add some if you like. Browning the chicken first (which I don’t think is very Indonesian) helps to keep the chick very moist. Yum — hope you’ll try it tonight!

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut up into large chunks
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 large cloves garlic, peeled and finely grated or minced
1 inch ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 tsp brown or palm sugar
1/2 tsp granulated terasi
2 spring onions, chopped (reserve some for garnish)
3 Tbsp kecap manis
2 Tbsp water

Combine chicken chunks with salt and pepper in a large bowl. Set aside (let stand 10 minutes).

Heat oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Add chicken and brown 3 minutes. Add garlic and stir-fry another 1 minute.

Add ginger, brown sugar and stir. Add terasi and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

Stir in spring onions, soy sauce and water. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer 25 minutes. Remove lid and cook another 5 minutes, or until sauce is very thick. Serve with steamed coconut rice and peeled, quartered hard-boiled eggs.

Serves 4.

New England Fish Chowder with Rosemary and Thyme-Scented Crackers

4 Replies

Fish_Chowder1 (1 of 1)One of the nice things about New England is the availability of really good fish chowder (and of course, clam chowder) in restaurants. However, I find it’s also nice to prepare my own at home — this mouth-watering, creamy (although not exactly slim!) version so easy to make, and the herbed crackers are really what make this dish. Delicious! Hope you’ll give this a try!

3 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp dried thyme, chopped (or 1 tsp fresh)
1/2 tsp dried rosemary, chopped (or 1 tsp fresh)
3 cups oyster crackers
3 slices bacon, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
2 Tbsp butter
4 tsp flour
1 tsp ground paprika
2 8-oz bottles clam juice
2 cups water
1 cup heavy cream
2 baking potatoes (about 1 lb tot.), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 1/2 lbs firm white fish (cod, halibut, etc.), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 tsp salt, plus a pinch
1/2 tsp ground black pepper, plus a pinch
3 Tbsp chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt 3 Tbsp butter with thyme and rosemary in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add a pinch each of salt and ground black pepper. Add oyster crackers and stir well to combine. Spread cracker mixture out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place in oven and bake 10 minutes, until golden brown.

Cook bacon over medium-high heat in a large sauce pan or Dutch oven. Stir until crisp, then transfer to paper towels using a slotted spoon. Drain off fat. Add onions, carrots, celery and 2 Tbsp butter to pan. Reduce heat to medium. Cook until vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes.

Sprinkle flour over onion mixture and stir 3 minutes. Add paprika and stir another 30 seconds. Add clam juice, water and cream. Increase heat to medium high, add potatoes and stir until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 12 minutes (stirring occasionally). Stir in fish and cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley, 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Serve with the prepared crackers.

Serves 4.

Italian Meatloaf

5 Replies

Italian_Meatloaf2 (1 of 1)Some of my readers may recall that I have a thing for meatloaf. Well, it’s been a while since my last meatloaf post, so here we go (again). This fantastic version comes from central Italy — its ingredients are simple, but make for a delicious meatloaf and sauce! Really easy to prepare — hope you’ll try it out!

 

Two thick slices bread, torn into pieces and soaked in about a cup of milk
1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb lean ground pork
1/4 lb pancetta, finely chopped
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 chopped parsley
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup dry white wine
2  14-oz cans diced tomatoes with juice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Drain milk from bread, squeezing out excess liquid. Combine bread and next 8 ingredients (ground beef through black pepper) in a large bowl. Mix well with hands.

Coat lidded casserole with cooking spray. Add meat mixture to casserole and form into a Italian_Meatloaf1 (1 of 1)10-inch x 5-inch loaf. Combine tomatoes and wine, together with a pinch of additional salt in a bowl. Pour tomato mixture around loaf. Cover, place in oven and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 45 minutes. Remove casserole from oven and let stand, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Slice meatloaf in casserole into 1-inch slices. Serve with hot pasta.

Serves 8.