I served the grilled swordfish with a green bean salad and a Caprese salad.
For two servings
Ingredients
Dressing
1 lemon
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
Fish
Olive oil
¼ cup panko bread crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup Castelvetrano olives, pitted and halved
One – 12-ounce skinless swordfish fillet (sustainable)
Directions
For the dressing
In a medium bowl, whisk together the mustard and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Whisk in the olive oil, basil, garlic powder, and salt. Set aside.
For the fish
Brush the fish with olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Press the panko crumbs onto one side of the fish.
Outdoor grill
Heat an outdoor grill to medium. Place a piece of foil on the outdoor grill or use a grill mat. Place the swordfish panko side up on the foil or mat. Close the lid of the grill and cook the swordfish for 8-10 minutes. The fish will turn white and the crumbs will toast..
Grill pan
Heat a stovetop grill pan over medium-high heat
Grill the fish until golden brown and the fish releases easily from the pan, 3 to 4 minutes per side depending on the thickness of the fish. When turning the swordfish over, use a wide spatula and try to keep the crumbs intact.
Remove the swordfish to a serving platter. Spoon the dressing and olives over the swordfish and serve.
Steak de Burgo is a regional specialty in the Midwest, specifically Des Moines, Iowa. The dish usually consists of a beef tenderloin steak either topped with butter, garlic, and Italian herbs or served in a sauce consisting of those same ingredients.
Tracing the steak’s history
Des Moines Cityview food critic Jim Duncan researched the history and name origin of the de Burgo steak. The Des Moines Register’s archives indicate that the steak began appearing prewar on the menus of the more refined restaurants. Restaurants with names like Vic’s Tally-Ho and Johnny and Klay’s claimed to have created the de Burgo steak The steak became popular and began appearing in other restaurants but most of those restaurants have vanished. Duncan reports other historical sources, claiming the de Burgo steak has some kind of connection to the Castilian city of Burgos. The theory infers that, since many immigrants came to the United States during the Spanish Civil War, the original aioli recipe used in early versions of the dish came from a recipe that was outlawed by Franco due to its association with centers of rebellion, which resulted in giving the steak it’s “de Burgo” code name. It’s a fantastic and deeply untrue seeming theory.
Writing in DSM Magazine last year, Wini Moranville offered another theory after interviewing the son of Kay Campiano—part owner of one of the restaurants with claim to the de Burgo’s origin—who stated for the record that his father brought the recipe back from New Orleans after the second world war. However, steak de Burgo doesn’t seem to be prepared anywhere in New Orleans.
The Register’s archives also mention that steak de Burgo was in a 1963 newspaper column titled “Over the Coffee.” This column was written by Harlan Miller and tracks one man’s travels for a week in the 1960s Des Moines. He has steak de Burgo on a Thursday. The de Burgo appears in advertisements for restaurants throughout the 70s.
Source City View http://www.dmcityview.com/
Steak de Burgo
For 2 servings
Ingredients
1 tenderloin steak about 1 lb
Steak rub
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ each Salt and Pepper
De Burgo Sauce
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and grated
1 teaspoon of white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1 tablespoon of heavy cream
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh oregano
Directions
Preheat an outdoor grill or stovetop grill pan. Mix the dried oregano, garlic powder, salt and ground black pepper in a small bowl. Dry the steak with paper towels, rub the mixture all over the meat. Place the steak on the grill and cook for 4 minutes on each side or until meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a thermometer should read 135°; medium, 140°; medium-well, 145°).
Remove the steak from the heat and tent with foil.
In a skillet, heat oil on medium heat. Add garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the remaining ingredients, except the butter. and heat over low. Whisk in the butter, one tablespoon at a time. Cook for about 2 minutes.
Pour the sauce over the steak. Slice the steak and serve.
I served the steak with a baked potato and a wedge salad.
Do inventory. This is the perfect time when you are stuck at home. You will be amazed at what you forgot is in the freezer. Maybe some chicken parts and a few steak bones for soup, or a package of stew meat. You get the picture. I found a ham bone from the holidays and a half package of split peas. (I keep my dried beans in the freezer as well as flour and nuts because I live in a hot climate)
Time to make soup.
Split-Pea and Ham Soup
This is my easy and uncomplicated version. It makes a delicious soup. Serve with some rye bread.
Ingredients
1 lb dried split peas
2 quarts cold water
1 meaty ham bone
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram or thyme
2 onions, chopped
3 stalks celery with tops, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
3 medium parsnips, peeled and diced
1 potato, peeled and diced
Directions
In a large stockpot, combine all the ingredients. Cover, bring to boil and then simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Remove the bone to a plate and let cool. Cut off any meat still clinging to the bone. Dice the meat. Retrieve any pieces of meat that are floating in the soup and dice. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup. Return the diced meat to the stockpot and reheat the soup for serving.
Whole Wheat Rye Bread
Ingredients
1 ½ tablespoons instant yeast
1 ½ cups rye flour
2 cups warm water
1 ½ tablespoons caraway seeds
1 tablespoon deli rye flavor
3 cups whole wheat bread flour
2 tablespoons whole-grain bread improver
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
Directions
In the large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together all the ingredients except the whole wheat bread flour and salt. Mix until smooth. Combine the bread flour and salt. Add 1 cup of the flour at a time to the rye mixture in the mixer. When smooth, change the attachment to the dough hook and knead the dough until smooth, about 5 minutes. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover and let rise until double about 60 minutes.
Place a piece of parchment in a round cake pan. Turn the dough out onto a breadboard and shape it into an oval. Place the shaped loaf in the pan with parchment. Cover and let rise while the baking pan and oven heat.
Turn the oven to 500 degrees F and place a Cloche pan or Dutch oven in the oven while it is heating. After the oven temperature reaches 500 degrees F continue to heat the oven for 15 minutes.
With a sharp knife cut 3 slits in the top of the risen bread.
Carefully and using hot mitts remove the cover from the baking pan. Pick up the dough in the parchment-lined pan with the parchment and place it in the bottom of the baking pan. Cover and return the pan to the oven to bake for 15 minutes.
Turn the oven down to 450 degrees F, open the oven and remove the cover from the baking pan with hot mitts. Close the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes more or until the internal temperature of the bread reaches 200 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove the bread to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Open-Faced Rueben Sandwich
2 servings
Ingredients
2 large slices of rye bread
2 tablespoons mustard
8 thin slices of corned beef
4 slices swiss cheese
½ cup drained sauerkraut
4 tablespoons thousand island salad dressing
Directions
Spread each slice of rye bread with 1 tablespoon of mustard. Lay 4 slices of corned beef on top of the mustard. Spread ¼ cup sauerkraut over the meat. Spread 2 tablespoons dressing over the sauerkraut. Top each slice with two pieces of cheese. Heat the sandwiches in a hot oven, air fryer or toaster oven until the cheese melts. Serve with a kosher pickle and some onion rings.
This dish is always a big hit when I take it to a potluck dinner.
Meat Sauce
Ingredients
3-26-ounce containers chopped Italian tomatoes
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and chopped fine
1 pound ground beef
1 pound meatloaf mix( pork, veal, beef)
1 lb Italian sausage, casing removed
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
1/4 cup tomato paste
1½ teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
To prepare the meat sauce
Heat the olive oil in a heavy 4 to 5-quart pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes. Make a little room in the center of the pot, add in the garlic and cook, stirring, until the garlic is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the ground beef, meatloaf mix and pork sausage and season lightly with salt. Cook, stirring to break up the meat until the meat changes color and the water it gives off is boiled away, about 10 minutes. Continue cooking until the meat is brown, about 5 minutes. Add the seasonings and bring to a boil and cook, scraping up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pot. Pour in the tomatoes, then stir in the tomato paste until it is dissolved. Bring to a boil, adjust the heat to a lively simmer and cook, uncovered, stirring often, until the sauce thickens and takes on a deep, brick-red color, about 3 hours.
The sauce can be prepared entirely in advance and refrigerated for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
Lasagna
Ingredients
Meat Sauce (recipe above)
12 uncooked fresh lasagna noodles
2 containers (15 oz each) ricotta cheese
1 box (9 oz) frozen spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry
2 teaspoons dried basil leaves or Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg
1 lb sliced mozzarella cheese
Grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, spinach, basil, garlic, salt, pepper, and egg.
Oil a 9×13 inch baking dish. Spread about 2 cups of sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Place 4 fresh noodles on top of the sauce. Layer half of the mozzarella slices on top of the noodles. Spread half of the ricotta filling over the mozzarella. Add 4 more noodles. Spread with some of the meat sauce. Add remaining mozzarella slices, remaining ricotta filling and cover with 4 more noodles. Cover the noodles with a good amount of sauce. You may not need all of the sauce from the recipe above.
Spray a sheet of foil with cooking spray and place it face down on the lasagna and seal tightly. Heat the oven to 375°F. Bake the lasagna for45 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle the top of the lasagna with Parmesan cheese. Return the baking dish to the oven and cook for 15 minutes more. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.
To bring to a potluck-cover the dish again and place it in a thermal carrier.
For 2 servings
Ingredients
1/4 cup quick-cooking Italian farro (available at Whole Foods)
1 cup of water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 medium onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups finely chopped Italian tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, divided
1/4 lb lean ground beef
1/4 lb Italian sausage, casing removed
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 large minced garlic clove
Salt & pepper to taste
1 large green bell peppers halved lengthwise and seeded
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese plus more for topping
Directions
Combine the farro, water, and salt in a microwave bowl. Microwave on high for 9 minutes. Set aside the bowl without draining the farro while you prepare the stuffing.
Mix the Italian tomatoes with the red pepper flakes and ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning. Pour into a baking dish large enough to fit the peppers.
In a large skillet, cook the onion and olive oil over medium heat until softened. Add the beef and sausage. Cook until light brown. Let cool.
Drain the farro.
In a mixing bowl, combine the meat mixture with the farro, mozzarella cheese, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, parsley, garlic, salt, black pepper. Use your hands to mix everything together..Stuff the peppers with the meat mixture.
Place stuffed green bell pepper halves in the baking dish over the tomato sauce; cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, and bake at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes.
Remove the foil, top each pepper with additional shredded mozzarella cheese and return the dish to the oven. Bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Sauteed Tuscan Kale
Ingredients
2 bunches Tuscan Kale
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 large garlic cloves, sliced
Sea Salt & Pepper to taste
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan Cheese
Directions
Wash the kale thoroughly. Remove the stems and cut the leaves into smaller pieces. Heat olive oil and red pepper flakes in a deep saute pan over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers, and the red pepper flakes start to sizzle. Add the garlic. Working quickly, so the garlic does not burn, add the kale. (Some splattering and crackling of oil may occur from the water on the kale.) Using tongs, toss the kale in the pan for 2-4 minutes until the kale has wilted and cooked to desired tenderness. Keep the kale moving to avoid scorching any pieces. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese just before serving.
Recently my PBS station aired a special about how Julia Child influenced many of today’s well-known chefs as well as the viewers who watched the shows. This special made me realize that I, too, had learned many cooking skills from her shows. Growing up I learned some basic Italian recipes from my mother and father (Italian men like to cook.) but not the kind of food America was eating when I got married. My mother was not an enthusiastic cook and tended to make the same things every week. My father would make things she did not like, such as rabbit or crab in spaghetti sauce. So as a young wife I liked cooking but needed to know more. It was about that time that Julia’s shows came onto PBS. There were no other cooking shows on TV at that time. While her recipes highlighted French cooking, she did focus on skills. I learned how to cook a whole chicken, prepare fish and make good sauces from watching her shows. If you have never made her chicken recipe, give it a try. It comes out moist and full of flavor.
Poulet Poele a l’Estragon
(Casserole- Roasted Chicken)
Ingredients
Seasoning Chicken
1 (3-4 pound) roasting chicken
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 shallot, halved
Browning Chicken
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
For Vegetables
2-3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sliced onions
1/4 cup sliced carrots
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
Sauce
2 cups brown chicken stock, or 1 cup canned beef broth and 1 cup canned chicken broth
1 tablespoon corn starch
2 tablespoons port wine
2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon (or 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon)
1 tablespoon softened butter
Directions
Preheat oven to 325° F. Thoroughly dry the chicken. Season the cavity of the chicken with the salt, tarragon and 1 tablespoon of butter. Insert the shallot and rub the remaining tablespoon of butter on the outside of the chicken. Tie legs together with kitchen string.
Heat a heavy, fireproof casserole dish or pot over medium-high heat. Add butter and oil. When the butter foam has begun to subside, lay in the chicken, breast down. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, regulating the heat so butter is always very hot but not burning. Carefully turn the chicken to another side, using 2 wooden spoons. Be sure not to break the chicken skin. Continue browning and turning the chicken until it is a nice golden color almost all over, particularly on the breast and legs. This will take 10 to 15 minutes. Add more oil if necessary to keep the bottom of the casserole filmed.
Remove chicken from the pan and set aside. Pour out the browning fat if it has burned, and add fresh butter. Cook the carrots and onions slowly in the casserole for 5 minutes without browning. Add the salt and tarragon.
Salt the chicken and place it breast up over the vegetables. Baste with the butter in the casserole. Lay a piece of aluminum foil over the chicken, cover the pan, and reheat it on top of the stove until you hear the chicken sizzling. Then place the casserole/pan in the preheated oven.
Roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Baste once or twice with the butter and juices in the casserole. The chicken is done when the drumsticks move in their sockets, and when juices run clear.
Remove the chicken to a serving platter and discard trussing strings. Combine the cornstarch with ¼ cup of the chicken broth and the port wine and set aside. Add the remaining broth to the casserole and simmer for 2 minutes, scraping up coagulated roasting juices. Blend in the cornstarch mixture, simmer a minute, then raise heat and boil rapidly until the sauce is lightly thickened. Stir in tarragon and butter.
Serve chicken with sauce. Good sides are peas, potatoes, asparagus, carrots or broiled tomatoes.
The recipe above is from Julia Child’s, Mastering The Art of French Cooking, Volume One, Pages 249-251.
You can watch the original episodes on Amazon Prime Video or your local PBS online site.
Amazon Season 1 Episode 3 Chicken Video is the recipe for Casserole-Roasted Chicken with Bacon, Onions, and Potatoes -a variation of the above recipe called Poulet en Cocotte Bonne Femme.
https://www.amazon.com/French-Chef-Julia-Child/dp/B0062246R8
The Mediterranean diet is a way of eating based on the habits of those who live in countries bordering the Mediterranean sea, like, Spain, France, Greece, and Italy. Here is a good example of a dinner based on this type of diet. It is a very healthy way of eating.
Parmesan-Crusted Flounder
4 servings
Ingredients
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons paprika
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
Olive oil mayonnaise
4 flounder fillets (about 1 pound total)
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. In a shallow dish, combine the Parmesan cheese with the paprika and parsley. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Brush the fish lightly with mayonnaise and dredge in the cheese mixture. Place on an oiled baking sheet or dish, drizzle with a little olive oil and bake until the fish is cooked through and beginning to brown along the edges 10 to 12 minutes. Serve the fish with the lemon wedges.
Whole Grain Pasta With Zucchini And Tomatoes
4 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt
1 medium zucchini (about 8 oz) quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 tablespoon of prepared basil pesto
1 cup fresh mini San Marzano or grape tomatoes, halved
8 oz whole-grain linguine pasta
Pasta water
Directions
Combine 2 tablespoons oil, garlic, pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in small bowl; set aside.
Heat the 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, add zucchini and ¼ teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until zucchini is tender, about 5 minutes.
Push zucchini to the sides of the skillet to create a clearing; add the oil-garlic mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and stir to combine the garlic tomato mixture with the zucchini and cook for 1 minute longer. Remove skillet from the heat and stir in pine nuts and pesto.
Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in a large Dutch oven. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt to the boiling water; cook until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, drain pasta and return pasta to the Dutch oven. Turn the heat on to low.
Add sauce and reserved cooking water to the pasta and toss to coat. Season with salt to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl.
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 rib-eye steaks (about 1 ½ lbs total and 1 inch thick), trimmed of all fat
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil; more as needed
2 large onions, thinly sliced
3/4 lb Italian frying peppers, seeded and halved
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 ½ cups finely chopped Italian tomatoes
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes.
Directions
Cut each steak into 1-inch strips removing as much fat as possible and pat them dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Place on a foil-covered pan that can under the broiler.
In a 12-inch heavy frying pan over medium heat, place the oil, garlic and the onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened but not browned, Add the peppers and cook until tender.
Pour the wine into the pan. As it comes to a boil, deglaze the pan juices by scraping the bottom of the pan well with a wooden or silicone spoon. Add the tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer.
Set the broiler to low. Place the pan with the steaks under the broiler and cook for 4-5 minutes until lightly brown. Remove the pan from the broiler and place the steak strips and meat juices in the skillet with the tomato mixture. Stir in the meat and simmer for 1-2 minutes.
Serve this dish with mashed potatoes and green beans.
America is a melting pot that was formed by the hard-working people who migrated here from lands as far east as China and Japan and as far north as Russia and Europe. They utilized American supplies and prepared them in ways that they had prepared them in their homeland.
True American food is a collection of these culinary traditions passed down from generation to generation. Each culture brought their cooking methods, food, and spices to America. They farmed the soil, hunted game, and incorporated their ways into the food of America. This series is about what they cooked.
From Manhattan to New England, clam chowder is known for its competing varieties as much as for its comforting briny flavor. It seems every state on the East Coast has its own take on the popular soup
New England clam chowder is the most well-known and popular clam chowder. Though it’s named after New England and associated most with Massachusetts and Maine, food historians believe that French, Nova Scotian, or British settlers introduced the soup to the area and it became a common dish by the 1700s. The soup continued to gain popularity throughout the years and, according to “What’s Cooking America”, was being served in Boston at Ye Olde Union Oyster House (the oldest continuously operating restaurant in the country) by 1836.
New England clam chowder, occasionally called “Boston Clam Chowder,” is made with the usual clams and potatoes, but it also has a milk or cream base. It is usually thick and hearty; Today. the soup can be found all over the country but is still most popular in the North East.
I serve the chowder with crusty Italian bread and a Romaine Salad dressed with a Parmesan Vinaigrette.
New England Clam Chowder
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
3 strips thick-cut bacon
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 medium leek, washed and sliced
2 celery ribs with tops cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon seafood seasoning (Old Bay)
3 medium-size white potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (I use Wondra-no lumps)
4 cups seafood stock or bottled clam juice, divided
1 pound chopped fresh clam meat with juices or 2 (6.5 oz) cans of clams in broth
Kosher salt to taste
2 cups half & half
1 teaspoon white pepper
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Directions
Place a 4- to 6-quart pot over medium-low heat. Add the bacon and cook, turning occasionally, until crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the bacon, leaving the fat in the pot, and crumble into small pieces onto a plate; set aside.
Add the butter, onion, leek, celery, thyme, seafood seasoning and bay leaves to the pot. Cook, stirring often, until onions and potatoes are tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
Return the bacon to the pot and increase the heat to medium-low.
Dissolve the flour in 1 cup of the clam broth or seafood stock. Add the mixture gradually, stirring continuously, until incorporated. Stir and cook 5 minutes.
Increase the heat to medium and slowly add the remaining clam broth or stock, 1 cup at a time, incorporating it into the mixture before adding more.
Increase the heat to medium-high and add the clam meat with its juices. Keep stirring 5 minutes, until the clams are tender.
Add the cream slowly; then stir in the white pepper.
Discard the bay leaves before serving. Garnish each serving with chopped parsley.
Note
Many supermarkets carry frozen, chopped clam meat in 1-pound containers, which is fresher than canned and just as convenient. Simply defrost before using.
Romaine Salad with Parmesan Vinaigrette
Ingredients
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnishing the salad
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 hearts of romaine lettuce, chopped
Directions
Whisk the Parmesan, mustard, vinegar, and garlic in a small bowl. Whisk in the oil. Sprinkle the vinaigrette with salt and pepper. Toss the lettuce with the vinaigrette. Serve immediately.
