From epicurious http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/reviews/roasted-halibut-and-green-beans-with-asian-cilantro-sauce-234134?page=2
This makes a beautiful presentation, combining main dish and side dish in one. I added halved cherry tomatoes for color afterwards, but then read several comments online that suggested adding them before putting the dish in the oven. I didn't have string beans, so the photos show the dish with Brussels sprouts, which I love to roast. These needed a few extra minutes to cook, so string beans would be easier. Shiitake mushrooms have become my favorite variety. They are soft and readily take up dressings. The lemon gives the dish a great fresh taste. And if you want to spice it up, add some jalapeño, but I opted for the milder route. Just a sprinkle of salt and pepper at the end, and it was perfect. No leftovers here!! Serve over quinoa or couscous.
YIELD Makes 2 servings
Ingredients:
2 cups loosely packed cilantro leaves (from 1 large bunch)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 green onion, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1/2 jalapeño chile with seeds, chopped (about 2 teaspoons) (optional)
5 tablespoons safflower oil, divided
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil, divided
3 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce, divided
2 8-ounce halibut fillets, each about 1-inch thick
2 cups green beans, halved
2 cups stemmed shiitake or oyster mushrooms
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes (optional)
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 450°F.
2) Place first 5 ingredients, 3 tablespoons safflower oil, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon soy sauce in processor; puree. Season sauce to taste with salt.
3) Place fish, beans, and mushrooms in single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons safflower oil, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and 2 teaspoons soy sauce in bowl to blend. Pour over fish, beans, and mushrooms; toss beans and mushrooms to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4) Roast until fish is opaque in center and beans are crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. Divide fish, vegetables, and sauce between plates.
Market tip:
Try Chinese long beans (dow gok), haricots verts, or regular green beans in this recipe.
This is a collection of some of my favorite recipes that prove that nutritious foods can be delicious! I love to experiment with and create new recipes. Here are some that are tried and true. Let me know what you think! If you have a better version, I'm game!
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Monday, February 15, 2016
Chicken Molé
Adapted from www.foodnetwork.com http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/quick-chicken-mole-recipe.html
I served this in 2008 for a dinner club that we had at the time. The host chose the theme - so I opted to have all courses contain chocolate. We had salad with cacao nibs, meatballs containing cocoa, and this chicken mole as the main course. Scotch chocolate cake topped off the evening. Since pure cocoa doesn't have sugar - it's actually bitter on its own - people weren't totally sugared out by the time the meal was over.
Another time, we took a cooking class in which the theme was chocolate. It featured a cocoa-rubbed steak, an eggplant dish with cocoa and finished up with Mexican hot chocolate - a sprinkle of cayenne pepper giving it a kick.
On Valentine's day we had so much chocolate during the day at Coco Sala - caramel salted hot chocolate, accompanied by a chocolate brioche - with some more chocolate on the side - that we opted for a plain salad for dinner. We went there specifically for dessert, but the brioche was actually listed as an entrée on the brunch menu. We've been there before. If you're looking for a special chocolate experience in Washington, DC, consider a treat at this restaurant!
That was yesterday. Since today was a snow day, I had more time to cook and made that old chicken mole from our dinner club adventure years ago. It took a little time, but well worth it!
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1-2 Tbsp chili powder (for milder taste, I used 1 Tbsp cocoa chili powder and 1 tsp regular chili)
1 1/4 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
14 oz diced tomatoes, drained (I used fire-roasted diced tomatoes)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
up to 2 chipotle peppers, roughly chopped - optional
10 oz low sodium vegetable broth
2 Tbsp smooth natural peanut butter
2 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped (it melts so don't worry about chopping)
1 - 5 pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces (white meat actually takes up the taste most)
Toasted pumpkin seeds for garnish
Quinoa or rice for serving
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2) Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent. Add garlic and spices and continue to sauté to toast and develop flavor.
3) Add diced tomatoes, red pepper, chipotle peppers (if using), broth, peanut butter, and chocolate. Simmer for 10 minutes, keeping the heat low and stirring frequently. Strain, saving the liquid. Purée the solids until smooth.
4) If you have time, sear the chicken in a heavy bottomed hot sauté pan over medium-heat until browned on both sides. Add to casserole dish, cover with all of the puree and 1/4 cup or so of the liquid and bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes. Garnish with pumpkin seeds and serve with grain of your choice.
Save the rest of the chocolate sauce for another dish! Enjoy!
I served this in 2008 for a dinner club that we had at the time. The host chose the theme - so I opted to have all courses contain chocolate. We had salad with cacao nibs, meatballs containing cocoa, and this chicken mole as the main course. Scotch chocolate cake topped off the evening. Since pure cocoa doesn't have sugar - it's actually bitter on its own - people weren't totally sugared out by the time the meal was over.
Another time, we took a cooking class in which the theme was chocolate. It featured a cocoa-rubbed steak, an eggplant dish with cocoa and finished up with Mexican hot chocolate - a sprinkle of cayenne pepper giving it a kick.
On Valentine's day we had so much chocolate during the day at Coco Sala - caramel salted hot chocolate, accompanied by a chocolate brioche - with some more chocolate on the side - that we opted for a plain salad for dinner. We went there specifically for dessert, but the brioche was actually listed as an entrée on the brunch menu. We've been there before. If you're looking for a special chocolate experience in Washington, DC, consider a treat at this restaurant!
That was yesterday. Since today was a snow day, I had more time to cook and made that old chicken mole from our dinner club adventure years ago. It took a little time, but well worth it!
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1-2 Tbsp chili powder (for milder taste, I used 1 Tbsp cocoa chili powder and 1 tsp regular chili)
1 1/4 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
14 oz diced tomatoes, drained (I used fire-roasted diced tomatoes)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
up to 2 chipotle peppers, roughly chopped - optional
10 oz low sodium vegetable broth
2 Tbsp smooth natural peanut butter
2 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped (it melts so don't worry about chopping)
1 - 5 pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces (white meat actually takes up the taste most)
Toasted pumpkin seeds for garnish
Quinoa or rice for serving
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2) Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent. Add garlic and spices and continue to sauté to toast and develop flavor.
3) Add diced tomatoes, red pepper, chipotle peppers (if using), broth, peanut butter, and chocolate. Simmer for 10 minutes, keeping the heat low and stirring frequently. Strain, saving the liquid. Purée the solids until smooth.
4) If you have time, sear the chicken in a heavy bottomed hot sauté pan over medium-heat until browned on both sides. Add to casserole dish, cover with all of the puree and 1/4 cup or so of the liquid and bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes. Garnish with pumpkin seeds and serve with grain of your choice.
Save the rest of the chocolate sauce for another dish! Enjoy!
Saturday, February 13, 2016
Italian Vegetable Soup - Ribollita
Adapted from The Washington Post 1/27/16 Ellie Krieger https://www.washingtonpost.com/pb/recipes/ribollita/15114/
I'm guessing your inbox is filled with recipes for comfort foods as a cold spell envelops the East Coast this weekend, just in time for Valentines' Day, but here's a healthy one to keep you warm and content.
From Ellie Krieger at the Washington Post: "Ribollita, which means "re-boiled" in Italian, is a homey Tuscan stew of vegetables, beans and bread born from the need to use up leftovers by cooking them together to make a new and different meal. That makes it amenable to all kinds of variations depending on what ingredients you have at home. Feel free to swap the type of bean, or substitute chopped broccoli, green beans or red pepper, for example. If you've got home-cooked beans to use instead of canned, the stew will be all the better for it...
Make Ahead: The ribollita can be made in advance, up to the point where the bread is added, and refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Add the bread after the stew has been reheated."
Another option for including whole grains is by cooking up some bulgur separately, and adding it to the soup. I'm not a great fan of whole wheat pasta, but I do like trying other whole grains. Bulgur is made from whole wheat kernels that have been parboiled, dried and cracked and has been a highly nutritious staple in the Mediterranean. It has a nutty taste and is best known as the grain used in tabbouleh.
SERVINGS:
Tested size: 6 servings; makes about 12 cups
Ingredients:
Two 15-ounce cans no-salt-added cannellini or navy beans, drained and rinsed (may substitute 3 cups home-cooked cannellini beans)
4 cups no-salt-added vegetable broth
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, cut into medium dice (1 cup)
2 medium carrots, scrubbed well, cut into medium dice
1 rib celery, cut into medium dice (1/2 cup)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium zucchini, cut into medium dice (1 cup)
One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, plus their juices, preferably no-salt-added (I used diced fire roasted tomatoes)
1 sprig rosemary
1 teaspoon kosher salt (more if the broth is low sodium)
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Leaves from 1 bunch (12 ounces) kale, any variety (I used a blend of baby kale and spinach)
1 cup cubed day-old or lightly toasted whole-grain Italian bread, crusts removed (and/or bulgur)
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving
Directions:
1) Combine the drained beans from 1 can with 1/2 cup of the broth in a food processor; puree until smooth.
2) Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once it shimmers, add the onion, carrot and celery; cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened but not browned.
3) Stir in the garlic and zucchini; cook for 1 minute.
4) Add the tomatoes one at a time, crushing them in the pot to break them up as you add them, then pour in their can juices (or just use diced tomatoes).
5) Add the bean-broth puree, the remaining can of drained beans, the remaining 3 1/2 cups of broth, the rosemary sprig, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes (to taste), stirring to combine. Increase the heat to medium-high; once the mixture starts to boil, reduce the heat to low; cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6) Cut the kale leaves into ribbons or bite-size pieces. Discard the rosemary in the pot, then stir in the kale and increase the heat to medium-high; once the mixture returns to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes, stirring as needed.
(At this point, the stew can be cooled, covered and refrigerated or frozen.)
7) Add the bread cubes; cook for about 15 minutes or until they have mostly dissolved/broken down.
Serve hot, garnished with the cheese.
From nutritionist and cookbook author Ellie Krieger.
I'm guessing your inbox is filled with recipes for comfort foods as a cold spell envelops the East Coast this weekend, just in time for Valentines' Day, but here's a healthy one to keep you warm and content.
From Ellie Krieger at the Washington Post: "Ribollita, which means "re-boiled" in Italian, is a homey Tuscan stew of vegetables, beans and bread born from the need to use up leftovers by cooking them together to make a new and different meal. That makes it amenable to all kinds of variations depending on what ingredients you have at home. Feel free to swap the type of bean, or substitute chopped broccoli, green beans or red pepper, for example. If you've got home-cooked beans to use instead of canned, the stew will be all the better for it...
Make Ahead: The ribollita can be made in advance, up to the point where the bread is added, and refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Add the bread after the stew has been reheated."
Another option for including whole grains is by cooking up some bulgur separately, and adding it to the soup. I'm not a great fan of whole wheat pasta, but I do like trying other whole grains. Bulgur is made from whole wheat kernels that have been parboiled, dried and cracked and has been a highly nutritious staple in the Mediterranean. It has a nutty taste and is best known as the grain used in tabbouleh.
SERVINGS:
Tested size: 6 servings; makes about 12 cups
Ingredients:
Two 15-ounce cans no-salt-added cannellini or navy beans, drained and rinsed (may substitute 3 cups home-cooked cannellini beans)
4 cups no-salt-added vegetable broth
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, cut into medium dice (1 cup)
2 medium carrots, scrubbed well, cut into medium dice
1 rib celery, cut into medium dice (1/2 cup)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium zucchini, cut into medium dice (1 cup)
One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, plus their juices, preferably no-salt-added (I used diced fire roasted tomatoes)
1 sprig rosemary
1 teaspoon kosher salt (more if the broth is low sodium)
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Leaves from 1 bunch (12 ounces) kale, any variety (I used a blend of baby kale and spinach)
1 cup cubed day-old or lightly toasted whole-grain Italian bread, crusts removed (and/or bulgur)
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving
Directions:
1) Combine the drained beans from 1 can with 1/2 cup of the broth in a food processor; puree until smooth.
2) Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once it shimmers, add the onion, carrot and celery; cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened but not browned.
3) Stir in the garlic and zucchini; cook for 1 minute.
4) Add the tomatoes one at a time, crushing them in the pot to break them up as you add them, then pour in their can juices (or just use diced tomatoes).
5) Add the bean-broth puree, the remaining can of drained beans, the remaining 3 1/2 cups of broth, the rosemary sprig, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes (to taste), stirring to combine. Increase the heat to medium-high; once the mixture starts to boil, reduce the heat to low; cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6) Cut the kale leaves into ribbons or bite-size pieces. Discard the rosemary in the pot, then stir in the kale and increase the heat to medium-high; once the mixture returns to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes, stirring as needed.
(At this point, the stew can be cooled, covered and refrigerated or frozen.)
7) Add the bread cubes; cook for about 15 minutes or until they have mostly dissolved/broken down.
Serve hot, garnished with the cheese.
From nutritionist and cookbook author Ellie Krieger.
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Asian Chicken Salad
This is my adaptation of a recipe that was in our Sisterhood cookbook and said to come from a California Pizza Kitchen cookbook. The original dressing seemed too dense and almost bitter from the hoisin sauce, so I adjusted the other ingredients to my taste. Truth be told, I didn't prepare chicken with it, so I can't attest to that part of it. Perhaps firm tofu can be substituted with the same marinade. Here goes:
Serves about 16
Dressing:
1 cup hoisin sauce
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp minced ginger
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp Asian chili sauce
3/4 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp Asian toasted sesame oil
Put all dressing ingredients except oils together in a mixing bowl. Blend using a whisk or hand-held mixer on low speed. Mixing continuously, add oils, stirring until thoroughly blended. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Chicken:
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1 1/3 tsp olive oil
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 tsp minced garlic
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Mix teriyaki, olive oil, garlic and ginger in bowl. Add chicken breasts and marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes. Grill or broil chicken oil cooked through. Chill and then cut crosswise into strips.
Salad:
1 head iceberg lettuce, cut in strips
1 head Romaine, cut in strips. I used some darker greens as well.
1/2 head Napa cabbage
1 large cucumber, halved lengthwise and seeds removed, then sliced
1 c shredded carrots
1/3 cup sesame seeds, toasted in pan over low heat (or purchase toasted)
1/3 cup minced cilantro
12 large basil leaves, cut into thin strips
1 cup thinly sliced scallions, more for garnish
toasted almonds, or chow mein noodles, or something else crunchy for additional garnish
In a large bowl, combine lettuces, carrots, sesame, cilantro, basil and scallions. Add dressing slowly and toss as you go. There will be more than enough dressing. It is thick, and makes the salad wilt if used too generously. Top with grilled chicken, crunchy garnish and and leftover scallions.
Serves about 16
Dressing:
1 cup hoisin sauce
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp minced ginger
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp Asian chili sauce
3/4 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp Asian toasted sesame oil
Put all dressing ingredients except oils together in a mixing bowl. Blend using a whisk or hand-held mixer on low speed. Mixing continuously, add oils, stirring until thoroughly blended. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Chicken:
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1 1/3 tsp olive oil
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 tsp minced garlic
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Mix teriyaki, olive oil, garlic and ginger in bowl. Add chicken breasts and marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes. Grill or broil chicken oil cooked through. Chill and then cut crosswise into strips.
Salad:
1 head iceberg lettuce, cut in strips
1 head Romaine, cut in strips. I used some darker greens as well.
1/2 head Napa cabbage
1 large cucumber, halved lengthwise and seeds removed, then sliced
1 c shredded carrots
1/3 cup sesame seeds, toasted in pan over low heat (or purchase toasted)
1/3 cup minced cilantro
12 large basil leaves, cut into thin strips
1 cup thinly sliced scallions, more for garnish
toasted almonds, or chow mein noodles, or something else crunchy for additional garnish
In a large bowl, combine lettuces, carrots, sesame, cilantro, basil and scallions. Add dressing slowly and toss as you go. There will be more than enough dressing. It is thick, and makes the salad wilt if used too generously. Top with grilled chicken, crunchy garnish and and leftover scallions.
Kale Chips
I've tried several recipes for kale chips that just didn't work. This time, I happened to have some kale in the fridge that wasn't going to make it too much longer. I was baking chicken and turkey cutlets, so I thought I might a well put the kale in the oven, side by side.
I tossed the kale with olive oil, sprinkled the dish with salt, pepper and ras el hanout, a Whole Foods spice blend of coriander, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. It's meant to be used with rice but it can easily be used to flavor chicken or veggies. Any spice can be tried on the kale. Toasted sesame seeds are great sprinkled on top after removing the kale from the oven.
I baked the chicken and kale in separate baking dishes for 20 minutes at 365 degrees (for those of us who can't decide between 350 and 375). The thinner cutlets were perfect at 20 minutes, the thicker chicken breasts needed an extra 5 minutes. No fuss no muss and dinner is ready!
I tossed the kale with olive oil, sprinkled the dish with salt, pepper and ras el hanout, a Whole Foods spice blend of coriander, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. It's meant to be used with rice but it can easily be used to flavor chicken or veggies. Any spice can be tried on the kale. Toasted sesame seeds are great sprinkled on top after removing the kale from the oven.
I baked the chicken and kale in separate baking dishes for 20 minutes at 365 degrees (for those of us who can't decide between 350 and 375). The thinner cutlets were perfect at 20 minutes, the thicker chicken breasts needed an extra 5 minutes. No fuss no muss and dinner is ready!
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