4 servings
Ingredients
1 pound flank steak or you can purchase stir-fried steak at your grocery store that is sliced and recipe ready
4 cloves garlic
One 1-inch piece of ginger
7 tablespoons ow-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup beef broth
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 medium white onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large red bell pepper (about 8 ounces), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large green bell pepper (about 8 ounces), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
2 sliced scallions
Cooked Jasmine or white rice, for serving
Directions
If using flank steak: Freeze the flank steak until the meat is slightly frozen and firm enough to thinly slice with ease, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Grate 2 cloves of garlic into a large bowl. Peel the ginger and cut it in half. Finely grate one of the ginger halves into the same bowl; reserve the remaining ginger. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of the soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of the Shaoxing wine, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the sugar, and several large grinds of pepper to combine. Set aside.
Thinly slice the flank steak against the grain on a very slight bias into 1/4-inch-thick strips. Cut any extra-long pieces in half; the strips should be no longer than 3 to 4 inches. Add to the bowl with the marinade and stir to combine. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
When ready to cook use tongs to transfer the steak to a large baking sheet lined with several layers of paper towels and arrange it in a single layer. Lay additional paper towels on top to help absorb any excess marinade. Set aside to take the chill off the meat.
Whisk together the beef broth, sesame oil, remaining 1/4 cup soy sauce, remaining 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, and a couple of large grinds of pepper in a medium bowl; set aside.
Finely mince the remaining 2 cloves of garlic and add to a small bowl. Finely mince the remaining ginger and add to the same bowl. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil in a large skillet over high heat. When the oil starts to shimmer, add half of the steak strips in a single layer and cook until well-browned on the first side, about 1 minute. Turn over and cook until browned on the second side, about 1 more minute. Transfer to a large plate. Cook the remaining steak adding 1 1/2 teaspoons of oil per batch. Transfer to the plate.
Lower the heat to medium-high. Add the onion and a splash of water to the empty skillet and cook, scraping up any browned bits and stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
Add the red and green bell peppers and cook, stirring frequently and adding another splash of water if the skillet starts to get too brown on the bottom until the vegetables are crisp-tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring constantly, until softened about 1 minute.
Return the steak to the skillet and stir to combine. Whisk the cornstarch into the sauce, then pour it into the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thick and glossy, about 2 minutes. Transfer the pepper steak to a large serving platter and top with sliced scallions Serve immediately with a side of rice.
Black cod, also known as Sablefish and Butterfish, is a gourmet fish with a rich, buttery flavor and delicate, silky texture. It is found on the menus of the world’s most exclusive seafood restaurants. While it is known as a delicacy in many countries, it is especially popular in Japan.
Black Cod is found along the northeastern Pacific Ocean from northern Mexico to Alaska but is most commonly found in Alaska. Alaskan black cod stands apart from their regular cod thanks to the frigid waters of Alaska. The cold temperatures result in higher fat content, making for a richer flavor and more Omega-3 fatty acids. Additionally, Alaskan black cod is sustainably sourced and special provisions are in place to ensure the Alaskan fish populations remain at healthy levels, preventing overfishing.
Baked black cod is especially easy to cook and requires minimal work on your part. Here is how I like to cook black cod. You won’t believe how delicious this fish is compared to other varieties.
Black cod fillets Poached in Garlic, Lemon, Butter Sauce
2 servings
Ingredients
2 (6-ounce) Alaska sablefish (black cod) fillets
2 tablespoons flour
Salt and pepper to taste
Garlic, Lemon Butter
4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 servings of Mashed Potatoes
Directions
Sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper and lightly dredge in the flour. Set aside
Combine the ingredients for the Garlic Lemon Butter sauce in a medium skillet.
Bring the sauce to a simmer, and add the fish skin-side up. Cover the pan. Cook for 12 minutes, carefully turning once after 6 minutes.
The recommended temperature for cooked fish is 140°-145°F.
Place a serving of mashed potatoes on each serving plate. Carefully lift a portion of the fish out of the skillet and place it on top of the potatoes. Pour the sauce over the fish and potatoes on each plate. Serve with peas or another green vegetable.
Ingredients
1 (15-ounce) container of whole milk ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
1 cup shredded mozzarella (about 4 ounces)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
1 large egg, beaten to blend
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for salting water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 uncooked fresh lasagna noodles
3-4 cups marinara sauce
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Oil a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish. Spread with 1 cup marinara sauce.
Combine the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup Parmesan, mozzarella, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.
Arrange the uncooked noodles in a single layer on a kitchen towel to prevent them from sticking.
Divide the filling evenly among the 12 noodles. Spread the filling down the middle of the strips.
Starting at 1 end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll. Lay the lasagna rolls seam-side down, over the sauce in the baking dish. Spoon 2 cups of marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls.
Cover tightly with foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake for 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Open-Faced Reuben Sandwich
For 2 servings
Ingredients
Olive oil or avocado oil cooking spray
2 slices Deli Rye bread
Thousand Island dressing recipe below
1/2 cup Sauerkraut drained
6 oz, divided corned beef deli meat {you can also use pastrami or turkey}
Mustard
4 slices Swiss cheese
Homemade Thousand Island
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar white vinegar will work
A shake or two of hot sauce
Pinch of kosher salt
Directions
Homemade Thousand Island
If making homemade do this first so you can let the flavors meld for a bit before adding to the sandwich.
Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and stir together well. Cover and refrigerate for several hours.
Reuben Sandwiches
Preheat oven to 425. For easy clean up line a sheet pan with some parchment paper or aluminum foil. Add slices of rye bread to a sheet pan and spray with olive or avocado oil cooking spray.
Place in oven for about 4 minutes until the bread is lightly toasted. Add thousand island dressing and spread it evenly across the bread then add a large scoop of sauerkraut and spread out, layer on 3 ounces of corned beef. Spread a little mustard over the corned beef. Add the cheese.
Place in the oven for about 5 minutes or just until the cheese has melted. Serve immediately with sliced tomatoes, extra dressing, pickles, and fruit.
Swordfish is a mild-tasting, white-fleshed fish with a meaty texture, which makes it a particularly good choice for those who are unsure if they like fish. Swordfish meat is relatively firm, and can be cooked in ways more fragile types of fish cannot. This makes it a particularly popular fish for grilling since the meat is large and usually sold as 1-inch thick steaks.
Be sure to buy domestic, wild-caught, and sustainable swordfish. What does sustainably caught fish mean?
Environmentally sustainable seafood is wild or farmed seafood that is harvested in ways that don’t harm the environment or other wildlife that helps to ensure healthy and resilient ocean ecosystems.
If I am making an Italian dinner I like to bake swordfish fillets in the oven with a crumb coating.
Oven Baked Swordfish Filets
Ingredients
Juice of half a lemon
2-6 oz swordfish filets
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves
Pinch of salt, p;us more for the breading
Pinch of black pepper
Breading
½ cup Pankp Crombs
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
Directions
Place the olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Add the swordfish and turn to coat in the oil. Refrigerate for several hours if you have time.
Place a rack on the highest rung of the oven.
Preheat the oven to 450° F. (The position of the rack is important as it allows for faster baking of the fish and the browning of the crumbs.
Combine the breading mixture in a shallow dish.
Drain the swordfish from the oil marinade, but reserve the marinade.
Press the swordfish in the breading, then turn them over and press them into the crumbs on that side.
Place the fish on a parchment-lined pan. Drizzle half of the marinade oil over the fish.
Bake the fish for 4 minutes. Drizzle the remaining oil over the fish and bake for 4 minutes more. Pour the lemon juice over the fish and serve.
I served this entree with leftover Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Pasta and Sauteed Swiss Chard.
Ingredients
Basic Pizza Dough {see recipe}
4 oz can of sliced mushrooms, drained
¾ cup of marinated artichoke hearts drained
¾ cup canned roasted red pepper strips, drained
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon red chili flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup prepared marinara sauce
16 oz mozzarella, sliced
Grated Parmesan cheese
Olive oil
Directions
reheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Oil a 16-inch pizza pan.
Press the dough out in the pan to its edges.
Cover the dough with the mozzarella cheese slices. Spread the marinara sauce over the cheese.
SDistribute the mushrooms, artichoke hearts and red pepper strips topping evenly over the sauce.
Sprinkle with oregano and Parmesan.
Bake the pizza for about 20 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before serving..
My husband loves these little pastry rolls, so I try to make them for him when I have extra pastry.
Peach Galette
Ingredients
For the Galette:
1 Prepared pastry dough for a 9-inch pie pan
3 large peaches, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter, melted
Turbinado Sugar
Ice cream, for serving, optional
For the Cinnamon Rolls
1 Prepared pastry dough for a 9-inch pie pan
2 tablespoons soft butter
½ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Place the uncooked pie dough onto the baking sheet.
In a bowl, gently mix peaches, sugar, cinnamon, and flour together. Pour the fruit mixture into the center of the pastry round, leaving about 2 1/2 inches around the edge.
Fold up the edge of the pastry dough over the filling to make a rim. Fan the edge as you go around folding the dough.
Brush the pastry with the butter and sprinkle with sugar
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling. Cool the galette on a rack and serve warm or at room temperature with your favorite ice cream.
To make the cinnamon rolls.
Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Place the uncooked pie dough onto the baking sheet.
Spread the butter on the dough and sprinkle evenly with the brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll the pastry up, jelly roll style, and cut into 1-inch pieces. Spread them out and place the pan in the oven with the Galette and bake for 15 minutes or until crispy and light brown.
2 servings
Ingredients
Heated Italian bread
For the Chicken
2 large chicken breasts,
½ cup flour1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons Italian or Greek seasoning
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Olive oil
For the Salad
2 large, ripe tomatoes, sliced thin
8 ounces fresh mozzarella slices
1 cup Kalamata olives
¼ cup sliced red onion
2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
Fresh basil leaves, to taste
Cracked black pepper
Make the chicken: Take the chicken breast and slice them in half horizontally so you have four thin chicken cutlets. Combine the flour with the seasonings and dredge the chicken in the flour mixture.
n the large skillet heat enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the skillet and set over medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the chicken cutlets. Cook for 3 minutes, then turn over and cook the other side for another 3 minutes.
Assemble the salad: Layer the tomato slices evenly between two pasta bowls and sprinkle lightly with salt. Add the red onion, mozzarella slices, then the olives and basil. Place the cooked chicken cutlets on top and drizzle with olive and sprinkle with cracked black pepper. Serve with slices of crispy Italian bread.
Air Fried Lobster Tails
Ingredients
3-4 6oz lobster tails
3-4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Directions
Prepare butter mixture by combining butter, garlic, salt, chives, and lemon juice.
Butterfly lobster tails by cutting through the shell, removing the meat, and resting it on top of the shell.
Place in Air Fryer basket and spread half the butter over top of lobster meat. Close the Air Fryer basket and cook at 380 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 minutes.
Open the Air fryer basket and spread the remaining butter on top, cook for an additional 3 minutes.
Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
Ingredients
8 ounces short pasta
Extra virgin olive oil
½ of a small onion diced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
15-ounce jar of roasted red pepper strips drained
1 cup prepared marinara sauce
½ teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon Smoked paprika
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Directions
For the sauce: heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat until just shimmering. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the roasted peppers. Marinara sauce, oregano, paprika, and a big pinch of salt and pepper, Bring to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and season generously with kosher salt. Add the pasta and bring back to boil. Stir occasionally until the pasta is cooked to al dente according to package instructions, about 9 to 10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.
Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Mix well and add some of the pasta water to blend the sauce. Serve with the lobster.
Caesar Salad
2 servings
Ingredients
1/2 head Romaine lettuce, washed and finely chopped
1 cup croutons, see recipe below
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper for garnish
Dressing
1 anchovy, finely chopped or use anchovy paste
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons mayonnaise made with olive oil, if available
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
Add the anchovy, Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce to a bowl and whisk together.
Gradually whisk in the 1/4 cup of olive oil, whisking until the dressing is emulsified.
Place the chopped lettuce in a bowl and toss it with the dressing, and croutons. Top the salad with extra cheese and freshly ground black pepper.
Croutons
Ingredients
2 cups cubed bread
1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a mixing bowl combine the bread cubes and olive oil. Toss well to coat.
Pour the bread cubes onto a baking sheet. Spread them into a single layer. Bake in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring every five minutes to prevent burning. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container or ziplock bag.
Nut Crusted Salmon
2 servings
Ingredients
2 salmon filets, about 6 oz each
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
1/2 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup finely chopped nuts, any type works
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a baking dish large enough to hold the salmon in one layer with vegetable oil.
Combine the honey, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic in a small bowl.
Season the salmon lightly with salt and pepper/ Place the salmon in the baking dish and spread the glaze over the salmon.
Combine the nuts and parsley and press the nit mixture on top of the salmon fillets.
Place into oven and bake until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 15 minutes or until cooked to your liking.
Air-Fried Pattypan Squash
Ingredients
2 large pattypan squash
¼ cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup panko crumbs
1 egg
Directions
Place the flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl. The egg with 1 tablespoon of water in a second shallow bowl and the panko crumbs in a third.
Trim the tops and bottoms from the patty pan squash so they lay flat, then halve each squash. Cut each in half again for a total of 8 slices. Remove the seeds with a serrated spoon.
Dredge the squash in flour, then the egg wash, and finally in panko crumbs.
Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F then spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
Place the breaded sliced squash in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Spray the squash with cooking spray. Cook for 10-12 minutes, flipping the squash halfway through cooking, until the squash is golden brown and crispy.
Stuffed Cucumbers
Ingredients for 2 servings
Half a large cucumber peeled
Salt and pepper to taste
4 teaspoons stone bought or homemade spinach dill dip
Directions
Cut a thin slice off the top of the cucumber. Remove the seeds and salt lightly.
Spread the dip in the area where the seeds were removed. Place the cut-off slice on top. Chill in the refrigerator until serving time. Cut the cucumber in half to make 2 servings.
