Tag Archives: Recipes

Risotto with Country Mushrooms (Risotto ai Funghi)

7 Replies

Risotto_ai_Funghi1 (1 of 1)You must have patience when preparing this dish, but it’s well worth the effort — this risotto is creamy and very flavorful! If you don’t take the time to gradually add the stock to the rice, you’ll end up with a crunchy risotto that’s far too al dente (trust me). This dish makes for a perfect, light evening meal — serve with fresh sourdough bread and a glass of white wine. I hope you’ll try this tonight!

1 cup (1 oz) dried porcini mushrooms
1 1/2 cups boiling water
4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely grated or minced
1 lb fresh “exotic” mushrooms, sliced (I used half shiitake, half oyster)
2 1/2  tsp salt, divided
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 medium onion, diced
2 cups uncooked arborio rice
1/2 dry white wine
6 cups chick stock
2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus additional for serving
2 Tbsp chopped parsley

In a small bowl, cover mushrooms with boiling water. Cover and let stand 30 minutes. Strain mushrooms, reserving soaking liquid. Chop mushrooms.

Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbsp of the olive oil in a large frying pan over low heat. Add garlic and saute 3 minutes. Add fresh mushrooms, and turn heat up to medium-high. Saute 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in porcini mushrooms, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a Dutch oven, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until soft, Risotto_ai_Funghi2 (1 of 1)about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir 2 minutes. Add the wine and stir until it has been absorbed, about 1 minute. Stir 1 1/2 tsp salt into the stock. Now, this is where your patience kicks in — add stock to rice mixture, one ladle at a time, stirring each time until it has been absorbed. About half-way through, stir in the reserved mushroom liquid. Continue stirring in stock. This entire process should take about 20 minutes.

Remove from heat. Stir in the mushrooms, parmesan and 1 Tbsp of the chopped parsley. Cover and let stand a few minutes. Serve, topping with additional parmesan and parsley.

Serves 4.

Indian Beef Stew (Rogan Josh)

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Rogan_Josh2 (1 of 1) Last night was snowy and cold once again here in New England — a perfect evening for Rogan Josh! This Indian stew is commonly made with lamb, but I decided to make it with beef, since the roads were bad and this is what I had on-hand in the freezer. Beef works well. The aroma from the wonderful spices in this dish made the whole house smell great as it was braising in the oven. Whether it’s cold or not where you are, I think you’ll like this dish, so please try it tonight!

2 inches ginger, peeled and finely grated
8 cloves garlic, peeled
4 Tbsp plus 15 oz water
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 lbs beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
10 cardamom pods
2 bay leaves
6 cloves
10 black peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick, about 2 inches
1 large onion, peeled and finely diced
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1 1/4 tsp salt
6 Tbsp plain yogurt
1/4 tsp garam masala
Ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Add ginger, garlic and 4 Tbsp water to a blender. Blend into a paste.

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add meat and stir until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add another Tbsp oil to the same pan. Add the cardamom pods, bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns and cinnamon. Stir until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the onions and cook until they start to turn brown, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger paste and stir 30 seconds. Add the coriander, cumin, paprika, cayenne and salt and stir another 30 seconds. Add back the meat with its juices. Add the yogurt 1 Tbsp at a time, stirring well after each. Cook mixture about 3 minutes.

Add 15 oz water to the pan. Bring to a boil, stirring to deglaze. Cover, place in oven and cook for 2 hours. Remove from oven and stir in garam masala. Season with additional salt and ground black pepper, if desired. Serve with steamed long-grain or basmati rice, as well as an assortment of relishes, chutneys and naan.

Serves 4.

Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken with Rosemary and White Wine (Involtini di Pollo)

11 Replies

Involtini_di_Pollo1 (1 of 1)This is an incredibly easy dish to prepare, yet the end results make it look like you slaved in the kitchen all day! Unlike my typical blog post, this recipe has very few ingredients, which in my mind, is key to Mediterranean cooking — fresh, simple ingredients that go very well together! Delicious. Hope you’ll give this one a try tonight!

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat
2 large garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
3 Tbsp chopped rosemary leaves
3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
8 slices prosciutto
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 Tbsp sherry
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp sour cream

Combine garlic, rosemary, 1/2 Tbsp of the olive oil, salt and black pepper in a small bowl.

In a large, shallow dish, rub chicken thighs evenly with the rosemary mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand 1/2 hour.

Lay the prosciutto slices on a flat surface. Roll each thigh in one slice of prosciutto; secure each Involtini_di_Pollo2 (1 of 1)involtino with two pieces of butcher’s twine.

Heat 2 1/2 Tbsp olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add the involtini and brown on all sides, about 13 minutes. Add wine and bring to a simmer. Cover pan, reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 30 minutes.

Remove involtini, remove strings (gently), cover loosely with foil and set aside. Bring the cooking juices to a boil over high heat. Add the chicken broth, sherry and sour cream and whisk until smooth. Cook sauce down until thickened. Season with additional salt and black pepper, if desired. Serve involtini with sauce drizzled over them. I like to serve this dish with boiled new red potatoes and a small green side salad.

Serves 4.

Mediterranean “Stir-Fry” of Chicken, Olives and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

14 Replies

Chicken_with_Sundried_Tomatoes_and_Olives1 (1 of 1)Cooking with a wok is great, and can be very healthy. As the name indicates, this dish is a stir-fry, but in cooking method only — it’s quick and healthy, and its delicious ingredients are distinctly Mediterranean (for the most part). Try this dish tonight!

1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3 large), thinly sliced crosswise
1 (smallish) red onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced or very finely grated
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp sambal ulek
1 Tbsp lemon juice
12 Kalamata olives, pitted and quartered lengthwise
1 1/2 oz (about 1/4 cup) sun-dried tomatoes (I prefer those that are not packed on oil or water; just dry, but soak in boiling water 10 minutes, then drain), cut into very thin strips
1 Tbsp chopped parsley, plus some coarsely chopped for garnish

Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in wok over medium-high heat.

Add chicken and stir fry 5 minutes. Remove from wok.

Add the other 1 Tbsp olive oil. Heat and add onions. Stir fry until golden brown, about 5Chicken_with_Sundried_Tomatoes_and_Olives2 (1 of 1) minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add back chicken. Add vinegar, sambal ulek and lemon juice. Toss well.

Stir in olives, sun-dried tomatoes. Season with additional salt and ground black pepper, if desired. Serve over cous cous and garnish with parsley.

Serves 4.

Goulash of Pork Tenderloin with Sauerkraut, Dill and Sour Cream (Székely Gulyás)

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Szeleky_Goulash1 (1 of 1)This version of goulash comes from the ethnic Hungarians who live in a region (Székely Land) which is now part of Romania. Székely goulash is characterized by its use of sauerkraut and sour cream, and it is delicious! Like many Hungarian recipes, goulash tends to call for lots of fat (lard, etc.). I’ve tried to slim down this goulash without compromising its great flavor by using a lean cut of pork, a small amount good quality, smoked bacon, omitting oil and using reduced-fat sour cream (one recipe I saw called for a slab of bacon and 1/4 cup of oil to brown it in! Yuck!). Anyway, this is a good, hearty dish for a cold winter’s evening. I hope you’ll try it and let me know what you think!

1 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 slices good quality, smoked bacon (about 2 oz), finely diced
3 large onions, thinly sliced
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and sliced lengthwise into thin strips, then strips sliced in half
2 cloves garlic, finely grated or minced
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp crushed caraway seeds
3 tsp salt
3 cups beef or vegetable stock
4 Tbsp tomato paste
3 Tbsp sweet paprika
1 lb sauerkraut, rinsed, drained and chopped
1 apple, peeled, cored and diced
1 large baking potato, peeled and diced
1/4 cup dry red wine
2/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
Additional salt and 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp hot paprika
1 Tbsp coarsely chopped dill
1 Hungarian wax pepper, sliced crosswise into thin rings, seeds removed

Heat bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook until brown and fat is rendered, about 4 minutes. Add the pork and saute until browned, about 4 more minutes.

Lower heat to medium. Add the onions, bell pepper, garlic, thyme, caraway and salt to the pork Szeleky_Goulash2 (1 of 1)mixture. Saute until vegetables have softened, about 7 minutes. Add 4 Tbsp of the stock, together with tomato paste and sweet paprika. Cook for 5 minutes. Stir in sauerkraut, potatoes and apples, and cook for another 5 minutes.

Pour rest of the stock into the pork mixture. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 1/4 hours, stirring after 30 minutes.

Stir in wine, sour cream and paprika. Increase heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Season with additional salt to taste (I added another 2 tsp salt), ground black pepper and hot paprika. Serve over hot spätzle. Garnish with pepper rings and dill.

Serves 6.

Chicken Simmered in a Creamy Mushroom-Thyme Sauce

15 Replies

Chicken_with_Mushrooms1 (1 of 1)There’s nothing that makes me happier than meat done with sour cream (some recipes call for heavy cream, but in something like this, I like to use reduced-fat sour cream). This dish is a perfect example of that — all the right ingredients; chicken, butter, olive oil, mushrooms, red wine, sherry and thyme (just to name a few!). This is a great dish — please try it!

1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
8 oz sliced white button mushrooms
1/4 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin, 3-inch segments
1 1/2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 3 large), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 tsp salt, divided
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup red wine
2 Tbsp sherry
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
4 spring onions, finely chopped (white and green parts)
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
8 oz dried egg pasta (wide noodles), cooked to package instructions and tossed with 1 tsp butter and 1/4 tsp salt

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat. Stir in the mushrooms and red bell pepper. Cook for about 4 minutes, until soft. Remove mushroom and peppers with a slotted spoon;  set aside.

Combine flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 ground black pepper, turmeric.

Combine chicken stock, red wine, sherry, thyme and 1 tsp salt

Decrease heat to medium and add chicken. Stir for about 3 minutes, until browned. Add flour mixture and cook for 2 minutes. Add wine mixture; bring to a boil and deglaze pan. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Whisk in sour cream and spring onions, and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the mushroom, redChicken_with_Mushrooms2 (1 of 1) bell pepper mixture and the chopped parsley. Season to taste with additional salt and ground black pepper. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve over pasta and garnish with additional chopped parsley.

Serves 4.

German Meatloaf with Roasted Tomato and Onion Gravy (Falscher Hase)

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German_Meatloaf1 (1 of 1)I think I may have mentioned this in previous posts, but I love a good meatloaf, especially on a snowy, cold night like tonight. This wonderful dish, called falscher Hase (fake rabbit), originates in Germany’s eastern regions that were formerly part of the DDR (East Germany). Adopted from my favorite German cookbook, Nadia Hassani’s Spoonfuls of Germany, this meatloaf is homey, but deliciously elegant with the roasted tomato and onion gravy. I like to serve this with steamed new red potatoes tossed in some butter, salt, ground black pepper and chopped parsley. Give this dish a try — I think you’ll like it!

1 slice bread, soaked in 1/4 cup milk for 5 minutes, then excess milk squeezed out
1 slice good quality smoked bacon
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
2 medium onions, peeled and and quartered
10 oz lean ground beef
10 oz lean ground pork
2 eggs
3 Tbsp chopped parsley
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground caraway seeds
1/8 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp ground marjoram
1/8 tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp ground coriander
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes
14 1/2 oz beef stock
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp flour
Additional chopped parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Dice bacon and saute over medium heat until crisp. Add the diced onion and saute for about 4 or 5 minutes. Remove from heat and spread mixture on paper towels and let cool for a few minutes.

In a large bowl, combine bread that you soaked in milk, bacon and onion mixture, meat, eggs, German_Meatloaf2 (1 of 1)parsley, mustard, paprika, caraway, oregano, nutmeg, cayenne, marjoram, thyme, coriander, salt and black pepper. Mix very well with your hands (add some breadcrumbs if  it seems too moist). Shape into a loaf and place in an ovenproof, lidded casserole. Pour tomato around loaf. Break up the onion quarters and sprinkle around loaf. Pour 1/4 cup stock over it.

Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 40 minutes. Bake until meatloaf is brown, and the vegetables are nicely roasted, gradually adding another 1/2 cup stock.

Remove loaf from casserole and deglaze with the remaining stock. Pour mixture into a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and strain well, discarding solids. Add gravy back to sauce pan.

Whisk together the sour cream and flour, then whisk this into the gravy. Simmer for a few minutes until gravy thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Slice meatloaf into 1/2-inch slices. Pour some gravy over each serving and garnish with chopped parsley.

Serves 6.

Thai Stir-Fry of Mushrooms and Tofu

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Mushrooms_and_Tofu1 (1 of 1)I’ve been posting a lot of meat dishes lately, writing about meat, even declaring my love of meat in my last post. That said, I’m taking a break from meat. This is simple and delicious vegetarian dish (if you use vegetable stock), and served with steamed rice, is a meal in and of itself. It’s not too spicy (depending on the chili garnish you use), give it a try tonight!

14 oz extra firm tofu
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp plus 2 Tbsp soy sauce, divided
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 Tbsp peeled and finely grated or chopped ginger
5 Tbsp vegetable or chicken stock
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and very finely grated or chopped
8 oz oyster mushrooms, tough bases removed, cut into 1-inch chunks
8 oz shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced into 1-inch chunks
2 spring onions, sliced diagonally
1 hot red pepper (about 3 inches long), seeded and cut into very fine julienne slices

Drain tofu block and cut into 1-inch cubes. Place cubes in between paper towels and let drain further for about 15 minutes.

Place tofu in a shallow dish. Whisk together sesame oil, 2 tsp soy sauce, ground black pepper and ginger in a small bowl. Add to tofu and toss until tofu is well-coated. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate for 30 minutes.

Whisk together stock, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, cornstarch and sugar in a small bowl.

Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry for 4 minutes. Add the cornstarch mixture and tofu, and gently mix for 1 to 2 minutes. Season with a couple  additional sprinkles of soy sauce, if desired. Remove from heat and place on a serving platter. Garnish with the sliced green onions and red pepper (add more red pepper, if desired). Serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Serves 2 as a main dish, or 4 as part of a Thai meal with other dishes.

Pan-Fried Pepper Steak with Red Wine-Mushroom Sauce

4 Replies

Pepper_Steak1 (1 of 1)In case readers haven’t noticed, I’m a big fan of meat — I’m about as far from vegetarian as a carnivore can be, although I do enjoy vegetarian dishes (especially spicy ones!). I try to limit my intake of red meat for health reasons, but I occasionally love to prepare steak dishes, such as this one. These steaks are delicious, especially with the wine-mushroom sauce! Oh, and one last thing, butter and steak were meant for each other. Give it a try tonight!

4 5-oz top sirloin steaks, each about 1 inch thick
3/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp butter
2 large shallots, peeled and sliced
1 1/2 lbs button mushrooms, thickly sliced
1 Tbsp flour
1 cup red wine
1/2 cup ruby Port
1/2 chicken stock
1 Tbsp chopped parsley

Place each steak between 2 sheets of plastic wrap; pound to a thickness of 1/2 inch. Sprinkle both sides of the steaks evenly with the black pepper and salt. Cover and set aside.

Melt 2 Tbsp of the butter in a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots andPepper_Steak2 (1 of 1) saute 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove cover and saute mixture until mushrooms are browned (about 10 minutes). Add flour and stir for 1 minute. Add the wine, port and stock. Bring to a boil and cook until sauce has thickened (about 10 minutes). Season to taste with additional salt and ground black pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.

Melt remaining 1 Tbsp butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add steaks and cook until done (about 2 minutes per side for medium-rare). Transfer steaks to a cutting board. I like to thinly slice the steaks prior to plating, but they can also be left whole. To serve, spoon sauce over each steak; garnish with parsley.

Serves 4.

Curry of Chicken Soup with Rice (Mulligatawny)

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Curried_Chicken_Soup1 (1 of 1)Mulligatawny is a delicious Anglo-Indian soup that has its origins in South India. The name is said to come from the Tamil words milagu (“pepper”) and thanni (“water”). Pepper water  doesn’t sound so appetizing to me, and it not representative of this great soup. If I had to pick out one ingredient that I think makes this soup shine, I would definitely say it’s the cloves — they really add to the depth of flavor of this dish. Hope you’ll try it tonight!

2 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (about 2 large), trimmed of all visible fat
2 Tbsp flour
2 tsp curry powder
2 tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp butter
12 black peppercorns
6 whole cloves
6 cups chicken stock
1 large apple (such as Golden Delicious), peeped, cored and diced
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup cream
1 recipe steamed jasmine rice
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Ground black pepper

In a large bowl, combine the flour, curry powder, 1 tsp of the salt, ground ginger and ground turmeric. Rub into the chicken and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the diced apples and lemon juice; set aside.

In a large Dutch oven, heat the butter over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and any of the Curried_Chicken_Soup2 (1 of 1)spice mixture that may have fallen off. Brown chicken on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add 1 tsp salt, peppercorns, cloves and chicken stock to the pan. Bring to a boil, stirring to deglaze the pan. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer gently for 1 hour. Add the apples and lemon juice; cook for another 15 minutes.

Remove chicken breasts from the pan. When cool enough to work with your fingers, remove skin and discard. Remove meat from the bones and shred. Add shredded chicken back to the pan. Stir in the cream. Season to taste with additional salt.

Divide the cooked rice among 4 bowls. Ladle soup over each and top each with chopped parsley and freshly ground black pepper. Serve.

Serves 4.