Mussels a la Mariniere

Mussels are delicious, and ridiculously easy to make. I made this one night for a snack. Very easy and pretty tasty for the amount of effort required. Serve with crunchy bread to soak up the sauce.

Ingredients...

• 16 fresh mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup white wine
• 2 teaspoons margarine or butter
• 1 green onions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions...

1. Place mussels in a large bowl with cold water to cover. Let them soak for about 20 minutes to remove any dirt or sand.
2. Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-low heat. Add garlic, and saute for one minute, but do not brown. Add the chopped green onion and tomatoes, and cook until almost tender. Pour in the white wine, and stir in the parsley and butter. Bring to a boil, and allow to boil until the liquid has reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Add the mussels to the pot, cover and allow to cook until the shells are opened, about 10 minutes. Transfer the mussels and sauce to a large serving bowl, discarding any unopened shells. Serve with bread.

Source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pattis-mussels-a-la-mariniere/detail.aspx

Asparagus Alla Fontina

Love asparagus so this dish was a must-try. It's kind of like a quiche without the crust. Also love the prosciutto and Gruyere cheese in this dish.

Ingredients...

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds thin asparagus, trimmed
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/3 cup grated Gruyere or fontina cheese
• 3/4 cup finely minced or slivered prosciutto (about 4 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 3 to 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions...

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook until crisp-tender, 3to 4 minutes. Drain.
2. Cut the asparagus into 1- to 1 1/2-inch lengths. Return the asparagus to the pot, add the butter, and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Set over low heat and stir to melt the butter.
3. Turn the asparagus and butter into a 9- or 10-inch pie plate, and arrange in an even layer. Sprinkle with the Gruyere, prosciutto, and parsley. Pour the beaten eggs on top, gently shaking the pan to  distribute. Top with the Parmesan.
4. Bake until eggs are set into a custard and a golden brown crust forms on top, above 35 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

Fettucine with Preserved Lemon and Roasted Garlic

I made this pasta dish to accompany the Parmesan chicken (posted previously). It's a nice dish. I had never heard of "preserved lemon," but luckily I found it in the grocery store with little problems. P.s., not the best picture... oh well.

Ingredients...

• 2 heads garlic
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons olive oil
• Salt
• 1 pound fettucine
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 preserved lemon, pulp and rind finely chopped
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• 3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions...

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Chop the top  third of each head of garlic and discard. Drizzle the heads with a teaspoon each of olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast until the garlic is very soft and golden brown, 50 to 70 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
2. Squeeze the garlic out of the skins. Set aside.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the fettucine until al dente. Toward the end of cooking, scoop out about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water and reserve. Drain the pasta and place in a serving bowl. 
4. Meanwhile, combine the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the butter in a small pan over medium-low heat. When the butter melts, add the roasted garlic and preserved lemon and cook for 1 minute.
5. Toss the fettucine with the preserved lemon  mixture. Toss again with the Parmesan and parsley, and season generously with salt and pepper. Add a little of the reserved pasta water if needed.

Serves 4 as a light main course, 6 as a first course.

Source: The Essential New York Times Cook Book
Recipe by: Molly O'Neill

Breaded Chicken Breasts with Parmesan Cheese

Great chicken recipe, flavorful and juicy. Great go-to weeknight chicken recipe. Will definitely do again, and soon...

Ingredients...

• 4 small skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/4 pounds total)
• Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons corn, peanut, or vegetable oil
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped tarragon
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions...

1. Cut away and discard any white membranes or traces of fat from the breast halves. Sprinkle each with salt and pepper. Put the flour in a shallow dish. Dip the breasts in the flour. Coat well, and shake off the excess.
2. Combine the eggs with the water and salt and pepper to taste in another shallow dish and beat to blend. Combine the bread crumbs with the Parmesan cheese in a third dish and blend.
3. Dip the breast halves  in the egg mixture, coating thoroughly. Drain off excess. Dip the pieces in the bread crumb mixture, also coating thoroughly. Put the pieces lightly with the side of a large knife to make the crumbs adhere.
4. Heat the oil in a large skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat. Add the breasts (can do in 2 batches) and cook until golden brown on one side, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown on the second side.
5. Transfer the chicken to a warm platter; pour off the fat, if there is any, from the skillet. Add the butter and cook the butter until bubbling. Add the tarragon and lemon juice; blend. Pour the sauce over the chicken.

Serves 4.

Source: The Essential New York Times Cook Book
Recipe by: Pierre Franey

Conchiglie Al Forno with Mushrooms and Radicchio

I made this dish a few months ago, and I've made it twice. The first time I cooked it in a large pyrex rectangular dish. I advise against this because since this kind of dish is shallow, you will have too many crispy noodles. When I made it again in a 2-quart casserole dish, it turned out much better. If you want to make this dish, you must love cheese. There is Parmesan, Bel Paese, and Gorgonzola cheese in this recipe so it is very rich and cheesy.

Ingredients...

• Salt
• 6 ounches shiitake mushrooms, cleaned
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 pound conchiglie rigate (medium ridged pasta shells)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
• 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 2 small heads raddicchio, cored and finely shredded
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Bel Paese cheese
• 1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola
• Coarse salt
• 6 sage leaves (optional)

Note: If you can't find Bel Paese cheese, ask someone in the store for their most similar cheese.

Directions...

1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.
2. Remove the stems from the mushrooms and discard. Slice the mushroom caps 1/4 inch thick. Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes, until they are softened. Remove from the heat.
3. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Add the olive oil, if desired. Drain the pasta. Run cold water over it to stop the cooking process, then drain again.
4. Combine the cream, shredded radicchio, Parmesan, Bel Paese, Gorgonzola, and mushrooms in a large bowl. Add the pasta and toss. Stir in salt to taste and the sage leaves, if desired.
5. Butter a glass or eathernware baking dish (casserole dish). Transfer the pasta mixture to the dish. Dot with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
6. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes,  until the pasta is bubbly and crusty brown on top. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 6 as a main course.

Source: The Essential New York Times Cook Book
Adapted from George Germon and Johanne Killeen.

Mushrooms Stuffed with Duxelles and Sausage

I love mushrooms, so naturally I saw this recipe and had to make it. I've made these mushrooms twice and I plan to make them again on Christmas Eve for my family. These stuffed mushrooms are delicious and very juicy. A must-try if you're a mushroom fan like me. This recipe is by Craig Claiborne, as seen in the Essential NYTimes Cookbook.

Ingredients...

For the Duxelles

• 1 pound large white mushrooms, trimmed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vegetable or olive oil
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For  the Stuffing

• 1/4 pound sweet Italian sausage (casings removed)
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Directions...

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. To prepare the duxelles, remove the stems from the mushrooms. Reserve the 12 largest caps. Finely chop the stops and remaining caps. Measure out 1 cup.
2. Heat the  butter and  oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and shallot and cook until wilted. Add the chopped mushroom stems and stir. Sprinkle with the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, until all of the moisture has evaporated. Let cool briefly.
3. To make the stuffing, add the sausage and parsley to the duxelles and blend well. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Stuff the reserved mushroom caps with the sausage mixture, mounding it a bit. Sprinkle with a blend of the crumbs and cheese. Dot with the butter.
5. Grease a baking dish and arrange the caps stuffed side up in the dish. Bake for about 20 minutes, basting occasionally if there are any cooking juices (if not, don't worry), or until heated through and browned. Serve hot or cold.

Serves 4.

Chicken Marsala

This week I made veal marsala in preparation for the meal that my brother asked me to make for his birthday dinner. I've chosen to post the recipe for chicken marsala instead, which I cooked a few months ago, because I  think more people would rather the chicken, whatever their reasons may be. I found this recipe on epicurious.com, and modified it slightly. At the end of the original instructions, I chose to thicken the sauce and simmer the chicken in the sauce to make the meat softer. My revisions add significantly more cooking time, but it's worth it to not to have tough chicken. The same logic goes for veal marsala.

Note: If you plan to serve the chicken over pasta, DOUBLE the ingredients for the sauce.

Ingredients...

• 1 3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (14 fl oz)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 10 oz mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (2 lb total)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons dry Marsala wine
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Directions...

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 200°F.
2. Bring broth to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan over high heat, then boil, uncovered, until reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 20 minutes.
3. Cook shallot in 3 tablespoons butter in an 8- to 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until shallot begins to turn golden, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms, 1 teaspoon sage, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated and mushrooms begin to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Put flour in a wide shallow bowl. Gently pound chicken to 1/4 inch thick between 2 sheets of plastic wrap using the flat side of a meat pounder or a rolling pin.
5. Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour, 1 piece at a time, shaking off excess. Transfer to sheets of wax paper, arranging chicken in 1 layer.
6. Heat 1 tablespoon each of oil and butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté half of chicken, turning over once, until golden and just cooked through, about 4 minutes total. Transfer cooked chicken to a large heatproof platter, arranging in 1 layer, then put platter in oven to keep warm. Wipe out skillet with paper towels and cook remaining chicken in same manner, then transfer to oven, arranging in 1 layer.
7. Add 1/2 cup wine to skillet and boil over high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, about 30 seconds. Add reduced broth, cream, and mushrooms, then simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add lemon juice and remaining 2 tablespoons wine and 1/2 teaspoon sage. 
8. *For thicker sauce, sprinkle in flour and whisk into sauce at medium high heat. 
9. *Once you have reached desired thickness, add the chicken to the sauce and simmer at low heat for at least 30 minutes or until desired tenderness.

Serves 4

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chicken-Marsala-232152#ixzz1hK8Ry53e

Potato, Shiitake, and Brie Gratin

I love au gratin potatoes, so finding a gratin recipe with shiitake and brie was a pleasant surprise. I made this dish a few months ago, and I plan to make it again soon. It's easy to make, and it's a great side dish. This recipe is by Regina Schrambling, as written in the Essential NYTimes Cookbook.

Ingredients...

• 6 good-sized new red potatoes, scrubbed
• 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
• 1/2 pound fairly firm Brie, rind removed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs

Directions...

1. Using a mandoline or sharp knife, cut the potatoes into slices about 1/8 inch thick. Place them in a large bowl of cold water and soak for 30 minutes, changing the water twice. Drain and pat the slices dry.
2. Set one rack on the middle shelf and one in the bottom third of the oven (with enough room in between for the gratin dish) and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Butter a shallow gratin dish or glass baking dish about 10 inches across. Thinly slice the shiitake caps.
3. Using your fingers, pinch the Brie into gumdrop-sized pieces. Layer a third of the potato slices in the dish. Lay half the shititakes and half the cheese evenly over the top. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Add another third of the potatoes and top with the remaining shiitakes and Brie. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange the remaining potato slices on top. Combine the cream, garlic, and thyme and pour over the potatoes, pressing down on them so that all the liquid is absorbed. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake on the center oven rack for 30 minutes.
4. Combine the parmesan cheese and bread crumbs and season with salt and pepper. Remove the foil from the pan and sprinkle the crumbs over the potatoes. Place the pan on the bottom oven rack and bake for 30 to 40 minutes longer, until the potatoes are very tender and the top is crusty and dark brown.

Serves 6 to 8.

Shepherd's Pie with Curried Meat

I was first introduced to shepherd's pie in high school by a family I babysat for. I was then reminded of this dish when I visited Nashville last November. I saw that this dish used curried meat so I was tempted to make it. All in all, great comfort food, love the addition of curry. This recipe is by Craig Claiborne, as seen in Essential NYTimes Cookbook. I look forward to making this again.

The Ingredients...

• 6 white potatoes (about  1 1/2 pounds)
• Salt
• 1 tablespoon peanut, vegetable, or corn oil
• 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
• 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon  ground coriander
• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 cup crushed canned imported tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Freshly ground pepper
• 2 cups cooked fresh or frozen green peas
• 1/2 cup hot whole milk, plus more if needed
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions...

1. Put the potatoes into a pot and add water to cover and salt to taste. Bring to a boil and cook  for 20 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes are  tender to the core when pierced with a fork.
2. While the potatoes cook, heat the oil in a large skilled. Add  the onions and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted. Add the curry powder, cumin, and coriander and cook briefly, stirring. Add the meat and cook, stirring down with the side of a heavy kitchen spoon to break up the lumps, until it's lost its raw color. Add the tomatoes, broth, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 30 minutes.
3. Heat the broiler. Drain the potatoes and mash the potatoes in the hot pot. Stir in the peas and heat briefly. Add the hot milk, 2 tablespoons butter, and  pepper, preferably white, beating with a wooden spoon. If the mixture is too thick, add more hot milk.
4. Spoon the piping-hot curried meat into a 2 1/2 quart baking dish (I used a casserole dish). Top with the hot mashed potatoes. Smooth over the top. Dot with the remaining tablespoon of butter.
5. Run the mixture under the broiler until the top is golden brown.

Serves 4 to 6.

Spicy Chungking Pork

I broke out the wok this week to make this Sichuan dish. This was my first time using pork tenderloin on the wok. As with all of the dishes from Helen Chen's Easy Chinese Stir-Fries, I was not disappointed. Very yummy. This dish only added to my great week!

The Ingredients...

• 3/4 pound pork tenderloin
• 2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons fermented black beans, coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
• 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 pound green cabbage, cut in 1 1/2-inch chunks (about 3 cups)
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cored and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 3 slices unpeeled fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed with the side of a knife and peeled

 Directions...

1. Slice the tenderloin crosswise 1/8 inch thick. In a  medium bowl, whisk together the wine and 2 teaspoons of the cornstarch. Add the pork and mix well. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining cornstarch in 1/4 cup  water, make sure it is completely dissolved.
2. In another small bowl, stir together the black beans and crushed red pepper. In another small bowl, stir together the hoisin sauce and soy sauce.
3. In a wok or stir-fry pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the cabbage; it should sizzle. Cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes. Add the red bell pepper and cook for 2  minutes more. The cabbage may brown slightly. Remove to a plate.
4. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the same  pan and heat over high heat. Add the ginger and garlic and stir until the oil is hot and the ginger and garlic sizzle. Do not brown. Stir up the pork mixture, add to the pan, and cook, stirring briskly, until the pork is no longer pink, 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Add the black bean mixture and stir a few times. Stir up the sauce mixture, and add to the pan, mixing well. Return the vegetables to the pan, stir, then add the cornstarch mixture, and stir for 30 seconds. Remove and discard the ginger and garlic, if desired. Serve immediately.

Note: I tend to substitute fresh ginger and garlic cloves for minced ginger and minced garlic. If you buy a jar of minced ginger or garlic, it'll last you awhile. Definitely worth it.

Penne with White Bolognese

This week I repeated my Thanksgiving day dish with some key changes that made the dish a lot better in my opinion. I modified Heidi da Emploi's 'Rigatoni with White Bolognese' (The Essential NYTimes Cookbook). The big changes were I swapped out dried porcini mushrooms for baby bella mushrooms, and eliminated the celery, carrots, and sausage. The original recipe called for 2 pounds of meat (1 pound ground beef and 1 pound mild Italian sausage) - which is a little excessive for my taste. Also, given the texture of the sauce, it ended up being a good choice using penne instead of rigatoni. I did a lot of improv in this dish, but I'll try my best to describe the steps and quantities used.

The Ingredients...

• 1 pound penne pasta
• 1 pound ground beef (not lean)
• 10 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1/3 cup half and half
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Black pepper
• Salt, to taste
• Parmesan cheese

The Directions...

1. Coat skillet with olive oil. Turn to medium heat, add onions and mushrooms and cook until tender.
2. Add ground beef and cook until well browned. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add the wine, and  simmer rapidly until most of liquid is absorbed.
4. Add the beef broth, and simmer gently.  Add more salt and pepper to taste.
5. Meanwhile, cook pasta al dente and drain.
6. Add the cream to sauce and remove from heat.
7. Add sauce to pasta. Serve with parmesan cheese.

Black Pepper Beef with Green Beans

For my 24th birthday, my mom got me a carbon-steel wok and a stir-fry book (easy chinese stir-fries, helen chen). I really like cooking with the wok because everything cooks so fast.  So far, I've cooked six stir-fry dishes and they were all very tasty. Another great thing about chinese stir-fries is that many of the dishes use the same ingredients (sherry, fermented black beans, ginger, soy sauce..) so it's not expensive to cook.  I like this dish in particular because the black pepper gives it a nice kick.

                               Black Pepper Beef with Green Beans

The Ingredients...

• 1 pound green beans, ends snapped off and strings removed
• 3/4 pound flank steak, trimmed
• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 slices unpeeled fresh ginger
• 1 cup sliced onion

Directions...

1. Snap the green beans in half or thirds to make pieces about 2 1/2 inches long. Rinse in cold water and drain thoroughly.
2. Slice the steak with the grain into 2-inch wide long strips. Then slice the strips against the grain into  1/8-inch slices. In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, cornstarch, wine, sugar, and black pepper. Add the beef and mix well.
3. In a wok or stir-fry pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over high heat until the oil is hot, but not smoking. Test by dipping the spatula into the beef mixture and then into the oil; it should sizzle. Add the green beans and stir  for about 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup water and reduce the  heat to medium. Cover and cook until tender-crisp, 6 to 9 minutes. Transfer the beans and any liquid to a shallow dish.
4. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the same pan and raise the heat to high. Add the ginger and stir until the oil is hot and the ginger sizzles. Add the onion and stir constantly for 1 minute. Stir up the beef mixture and add it to the pan. Cook, stirring, until the beef is no longer pink, about 2 minutes.
5. Return the beans and any liquid to the pan and stir until thoroughly mixed and heated, about 30 seconds. Remove and discard the ginger, if desired, and serve immediately.

Note: Sometimes I substitute minced ginger for fresh ginger in these recipes. 

Thanksgiving

During the Thanksgiving holiday, instead of relaxing, I was working on a dozen graduate school applications. So stressful! Anyway, I did find some time to make a white bolognese pasta dish for the holiday, and I was very excited about it.  However, the dish didn't turn out as good as I thought it would... thank you rehydrated dried porcini mushrooms. I have no idea why the mushrooms tasted so weird, but they did.  And I am a mushroom lover. I still believe that the recipe has a lot of potential, so I'm going to try this dish again with some changes. I will report back after trial number 2!

Lemon Baked Cod

This recipe was one of the first dishes I made. Actually, it was probably my first fish fillet experiment. It is one of the simplest (and yummy) dishes I have made, and that is why I continue to make it. Great for a weeknight dinner. I would strongly advise using fresh fish - fresh always tastes better.  (I found this recipe online at food.com.)

The Ingredients...

• 1 lb cod fish fillet
• 1/4 cup butter or 1/4 cup margarine, melted
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
• Paprika

Directions...

1. If fish fillets are large, cut into serving pieces.
2. Mix butter and lemon juice.
3. In another bowl, mix flour, salt and white pepper.
4. Dip fish into butter mixture; coat fish with flour mixture.
5. Place fish in ungreased square baking dish, 8x8x2 inches.
6. Pour remaining butter mixture over fish; sprinkle with paprika.
7. Cook uncovered in 350 degree oven until fish flakes easily with fork, 25-30 minutes. Garnish with parsley sprigs and lemon slices if desired.

Meat and Spinach Loaf with Mashed Potatoes Anna

I feel like everyone should know how to make a decent meatloaf at some point in their life, right? Or, maybe I just wanted to shout "Ma, the meatloaf!" at my mom when cooking last week.  If you don't get this reference, that's okay. Anyways, my bible, the Essential NYTimes Cookbook, said this "it's the only meat I would serve to guests." So,  I decided to make this meat and spinach loaf with a side of mashed potatoes.

 Meat and Spinach Loaf
(Serves 4)

The Ingredients...

• 1 pound loose fresh spinach
• 1 1/4 pounds ground veal, pork, o r beef, or combination of three
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• Salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery
• 1/2 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 slices bacon

Directions...

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Pick over the spinach to remove any tough stems or slimy leaves. Rinse spinach in cold water, drain, place in a saucepan, and cover. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring once or twice, until wilted
2. Transfer the spinach  to a colander and douse with cold water to chill. Drain and press with your hands to extract most of the moisture. Chop the spinach.
3. Put the meat in a bowl and add the chopped spinach, bread crumbs, salt to taste, the pepper, and nutmeg.
4. Put the celery, parsley, and milk in a blender. Blend well, and add to the meat mixture. Add the garlic.
5. Heat the butter in a small skillet. Add the onion and cook until wilted. Add to the meat mixture. Add the eggs and blend well with your hands. Shape and fit into a baking dish. Cover with the bacon.
6. Bake until just cooked through, 1 to 1 1/4 hours, turning the pan 180 degrees halfway through. Pour off the fat and let the loaf stand for 20 minutes before serving. 

Mashed Potatoes Anna
(Serves 4)

The Ingredients...

• 2 pounds baking or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
• 1 cup whole milk
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions...

1. Place the potatoes in a saucepan, add enough cold salted water to cover, and bring to a boil. Partially cover the pan, lower the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
2. Meanwhile, place the milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat and heat until bubbles just form around the edges of the pan. Remove from the heat, cover, and set aside.
3. Drain the potatoes and put them through a ricer or mash with a potato masher. Return them to the pan and place over low heat. Gradually whisk in the hot milk, butter, cream, salt, and a few grinds of pepper.

Thoughts...
I enjoyed this meal, even if it was just a meatloaf. Spinach is an interesting twist to the recipe. To save money, I only used ground beef to make the loaf. The mashed potatoes were good too. Though I don't see myself making meatloaf often,  it's a good recipe to have on hand.

Sole Grenobloise (Sauteed Sole with Capers and Lemons) wtih Jean Yves Legarve's Spaghetti with Lemon and Asparagus Sauce

Oops, made these dishes last Thursday night, and I'm just writing the blog now. I saw the pasta recipe while flipping through my cookbook, and I knew it was going to be delicious. I've been really stressed out lately so I wanted some comfort food. I picked the fish because it seemed to complement the flavors in the pasta dish. Both recipes are from The Essential New York Times Cookbook. I substituted flounder for sole in the fish recipe. The store I went to didn't have sole despite the fact that the person at the seafood counter told me he had plenty of soul... Anyways, I suspected substituting the flounder wouldn't make a big difference.

Jean Yves Legarve's Spaghetti with Lemon and Asparagus Sauce

The Ingredients...

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 8 thick asparagus spears, stalks peeled and cut into 1-inch lengths
• Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan  cheese
• 4 gratings of nutmeg
• 3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Salt
• 1/2 pound spaghetti
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions...

1. Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the asparagus and cook until just tender, about 6 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, combine the lemon zest, half of the lemon juice, the eggs, cream, Parmesan cheese, nutmug, and parsley in a bowl and blend well. Taste the sauce. The lemon flavor should be subtle, but not overpowering. Add more lemon juice if needed.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Stir in enough salt that the water tastes salty. Add the spaghetti, stir and cook, stirring often, until al dente, 5 to 7 minutes.
4. Drain the spaghetti well. Immediately return it to the pot, and add the asparagus, with the butter, and lemon sauce. Toss well.
5. Turn the heat to low and gently toss the pasta over the heat for about 30 seconds, until the sauce thickens slightly and adheres to the pasta. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Sole Grenobloise (Sauteed Sole with Capers and Lemons)

Ingredients...

• 4 small sole fillets (about 1 1/4 pounds total)
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small lemon
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup peanut, vegetable, or corn oil
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon drained capers
• Coarse salt
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions...

1. Place the fillets in a dish large enough to hold them in one layer. Pour the milk over them and add salt and pepper to taste. Turn the fillets in the milk so that they are coated on all sides.
2. While they stand, peel the lemon with a paring knife, cutting away and discarding all the white pith as well as the yellow skin. Cut the lemon into thin slices and discard the seeds. Cut the slices into small cubes. Set aside.
3. Scatter the flour over a large plate and add salt and pepper to taste. Blend well.
4. Heat the oil with 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet. As the oil heats, remove the fillets from the milk, but do not drain, and coat the fish on all sides in the seasoned flour, shaking to rid the fillets of excess flour.
5. When the oil is quite hot but not smoking, add the fillets (this might have to be done in 2 steps) and cook until nicely browned on one side. The total cooking time for each fillet should be from 2 to 5 minutes. As the fillets are cooked, transfer them to a warm platter.
6. Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a small skillet and cook, shaking the skillet, until the butter foams up and takes on an appetizing hazelnut-brown color. Remove from the heat. Add the cubed lemon and capers. 
7. Pour the sauce evenly over the fillets. Sprinkle with coarse salt and the chopped parsley.

Thoughts...
As suspected, the spaghetti was indeed awesome. How could you go wrong with a creamy lemon sauce with asparagus? The fish was good too, but not my favorite fish recipe. This doesn't mean that I wouldn't do the dish again. I'm curious if using sole instead of flounder would change the outcome. All in all, the two dishes went together great.

Note: It probably wasn't necessary to peel the asparagus stalks. I have no idea why that was necessary...

Scallops with Pea Purée and Pancetta

I decided I wanted to make a scallops recipe, so I found this one in my New York Times cookbook. I was a  little iffy about the "pea purée" part, so I googled similar recipes online. I read some good reviews, so I forged ahead. I noticed that other recipes had bacon or ham, so I added pancetta to the recipe.

Side note: this is my favorite photo I've taken of my cooking thus far (it's the background of the site!).  I got a digital SLR camera at the beginning of fall, and now I try to take pretty pictures of all my dishes.

Ingredients...

• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• 1 6-inch sprig fresh rosemary
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 4 cups frozen peas
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 6 to 8 large sea scallops, each one halved to make two slim disks
• 3-4 slices pancetta

Directions...

1. In a small saucepan, combine the garlic, rosemary and oil. Place over medium-low heat until the oil starts to bubble. Turn off the heat and leave the mixture to infuse.
2. Place peas in a large pan of lightly salted water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until peas are tender but still bright green, cooked slightly longer than usual. Drain, and transfer to a food processor. Add 1/4 cup of the infused oil (discard garlic and rosemary). Process until puréed, then return to the pan, cover, and keep warm.
3. In separate saucepan, cook pancetta on greased pan (I used olive oil spray) to desired crispness. After cooking, set aside on paper towels. Break into pieces.
4. Season the cornstarch with salt and pepper to taste. Place a heavy skillet over medium heat and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil. When the oil is hot, lightly dust the scallop halves with seasoned cornstarch, and add to the pan. Cook until browned, about 2 minutes each side.
5. To serve, divide pea purée between two plates and add scallops and pancetta. Serve immediately.

My Thoughts...
I was happy with the result. The scallops were very easy to cook. I definitely recommend keeping the pancetta. The dish was much more flavorful with this extra ingredient. If you want to try this recipe, you must like peas!

Shrimp and Asparagus Risotto

So, this is where it all started, my first dish of many! As you'll come to notice, I like cooking seafood, especially shrimp. I found this recipe on epicurious (www.epicurious.com). Back when I started my weekly cooking, I didn't have my own cookbooks, so I found the first couple of recipes online.

I added asparagus to the original recipe. I love asparagus, and I thought the dish could use a vegetable. I've made this recipe three times... you could say that I like it. I've heard that risotto can be a tricky dish, but I found this dish easy to make and very tasty.

Though I think this dish is easy to make, it does require some time since you are slowly adding the broth to the rice. What I like to do (if I'm cooking alone) is bring my laptop into the kitchen. This way I can catch up on my TV shows while cooking. Just a thought...

 The Ingredients...

• 5 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1/2 pound uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Asparagus (however much you like!)
• 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions...

1. Bring broth and 1/4 cup wine to simmer in medium saucepan. Reduce heat; keep hot. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon garlic and crushed red pepper, then asparagus.  Sauté the asparagus until almost done (will finish cooking with the shrimp) then add in the shrimp. Sauté until shrimp begin to turn pink, about 2 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup wine. Simmer until shrimp are just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Drain shrimp, reserving cooking liquid.
2. Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and remaining 1 teaspoon garlic; sauté until onion is pale golden, about 4 minutes. Add rice and stir to coat, about 2 minutes. Add 2 cups broth mixture. Simmer until liquid is absorbed, stirring often. Continue adding broth mixture 1 cup at a time, stirring often and simmering until liquid is absorbed before adding more, about 20 minutes. Stir in reserved shrimp cooking liquid. Cook until rice is just tender and mixture is creamy, about 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat.
3. Stir shrimp and 2 tablespoons parsley into risotto. Season risotto to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowls. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons parsley. 

Note: My stove top gets very hot, so it actually only took about 10-15 for liquid to absorb each time. Just make sure that you are only simmering the mixture. If it takes less time for the liquid to absorb (like in my case), then lucky you! 


My Thoughts...
For an online recipe, I was impressed with this dish. If you like risotto, then try it out yourself. The key ingredient in this recipe is the crushed red pepper. DO NOT skip out on this ingredient. If you do, I would imagine that the recipe will be bland. If you don't have the red pepper flakes, you could try cayenne pepper.

Past Recipes...

My brother's fiance (shout out to Kathy!) requested that I post some of the recipes I've already done.  By my count, I've done at least 28 recipes since March! That's quite a few, so I'll just post some of my favorites for now in addition to my weekly adventure. Enjoy, Kathy. 

Wok-Seared Spicy Calamari Salad

Tonight's dish is Wok-Seared Spicy Calamari Salad. My mom is on a diet for my brother's wedding (Go Mom!), so I picked the calamari salad for her. Plus, I love calamari and I've never cooked it before. This dish is from Amanda Hesser's The Essential New York Times Cookbook.  This looked like a relatively simple recipe compared to some of my other endeavors, so I was hopeful for a good outcome!

                            Wok-Seared Spicy Calamari Salad
The Ingredients...

•  1 pound cleaned calamari, sliced into thin rings, tentacles included
• 20 roasted salted cashews, chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced cilantro
• 1 tablespoon mint leaves
• 2 to 4 teaspoons Sriracha sauce
• Salt and black pepper
• 4 cups baby arugula (or tatsoi, or other spicy greens)
• 1 endive, cored and slivered
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (two limes)

Directions...

1. Place the calamari in a bowl, add the cashews, cilantro, mint, and Sriracha to taste, and toss. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
2. Mix the greens and endive and divide among four shallow bowls.
3. Place a wok or large skilled over high heat and add the oil. When it is smoking hot, add the calamari and seasonings and stir-fry about 20 seconds, until the calamari rings start to turn opaque. Add the lime juice, toss, and remove from the heat. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt and Sriracha if necessary. Pour the mixture over the greens.

The Results...
Very pleased with this dish for several reason. First, it was delicious! My mom really liked it. The flavor was really good, a perfect amount of spicy flavor. This is a dish that tastes great and doesn't make you feel guilty afterwards... which is always nice.  Second, very easy to make and easy to clean up! I only used my wok to cook this dish so I was very happy not to deal  with the usual 3+ pots/pans to clean. The most time intensive part of this dish is slicing the calamari and chopping the other ingredients. Third, squid is cheaper than I thought! I bought the squid fresh at a Whole Foods and it only cost about $7.00. Half as cheap as a pound of cod.

The Verdict...
Make this dish if you love spices and calamari!