Tuna Steaks
2 servings
Ingredients
2 5-oz. boneless, skinless wild-caught yellowfin tuna steaks
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup flour
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup green olives, such as Cerignola
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Directions
Season the tuna with salt and pepper and dredge in the flour. Shake off any excess.
Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange the tuna in the skillet in a single layer and cook, turning once, until done to your liking (3 to 4 minutes for medium-rare). Transfer the tuna to a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the shallot to the skillet. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, olives, basil, and a few grinds of pepper; cook until warmed through and the tomatoes are just softened, about 2 minutes more. Remove the skillet from the heat and gently stir in the lemon juice.
Return the tuna steaks to the skillet to warm over low heat.
Serve with the sauce and a pasta side dish.
Broccoli Soup
8 servings
Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
6 garlic cloves, sliced
4 shallots, sliced
1 large baking potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 sprig thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
1 onion, diced
2 bunches broccoli {4 heads}
8 cups chicken broth
Pinch of freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup half-and-half or cream
1/4 cup snipped chives
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Remove the broccoli florets and divide them in half. Save one half for another recipe and set aside the remaining florets. Dice the stalks into small pieces.
In a large soup pot, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic, shallots,, onion and thyme. Sweat in the butter until softened.
Add the potatoes and broccoli stems. Stir the mixture several times.
Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low, partially cover the pot and simmer the soup for about 90 minutes until all the vegetables are very soft.
Puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender until very smooth.
Add the broccoli florets and cream and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover the pan and simmer over very low heat until the florists are softened for about 10 minutes.
Serve h garnished with chives.t.
For the topping
3 slices bacon, diced
1/2 cup plain panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon black pepper
For the roasted cauliflower sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large head cauliflower, cored, cut into florets
1 teaspoon dried Italian herb blend
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
Pasta
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
12-oz box spinach linguine (DeCecco)
Directions
For the cauliflower
Preheat oven to 450°F. Cover a baking sheet with foil.
In a bowl toss together the cauliflower florets, shallots, garlic, seasoning, salt, red pepper, and olive oil. Spread on the pan and bake for 15-20 minutes or until cauliflower is tender and browned.
For the topping
Cook bacon in a small skillet over medium-high heat until crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Add panko and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until panko is well browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer panko mixture to bowl and stir in cheese.
For the pasta
Cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain. Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water.
Return the pot to low heat and add the cream, roasted cauliflower, pasta water, and cheese. Stir until heated through. Add cooked pasta and mix well. Turn the mixture out into a serving bowl and sprinkle with the bacon panko topping. Serve immediately.
For 2 servings-double for 4 servings
Ingredients
2 chicken thighs, skin and fat removed
2 medium baking potatoes, unpeeled and scrubbed
Marinade
1 garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoon olive oil
Directions
In a bowl, combine the marinade ingredients. Add the chicken and refrigerate for several hours.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cover a sheet pan with foil and coat with cooking spray.
Drain the chicken and reserve the marinade. Place the chicken at one end of the pan.
Cut the potatoes into wedges. Toss the potato wedges in the reserved marinade, then spread them out in a single layer on the sheet pan.
Bake for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are turning golden brown on the edges.
Turn the potatoes over, then bake for another 20 minutes, until golden brown all over.
Season with extra salt if desired. The chicken should register 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Divide the chicken and potatoes between two individual plates.
Spinach and Pear Salad
Ingredients
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 medium red pears, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 celery stalk, diced
1 (6-8ounce) package pre-washed baby spinach
1/4 of red onion, sliced
Dressing
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1/8 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
Directions
Place all salad ingredients in a large bowl; toss to combine.
Combine the salad dressing ingredients in a small bowl with a wire whisk until well blended. Pour dressing over salad; toss to coat. Sprinkle with toasted walnuts. Serve immediately.
Ingredients
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes
4 cloves garlic, grated
2 shallots, finely chopped
½ cup white wine
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
12 oz spinach linguini
¼ cup roughly chopped parsley
Directions
Cook pasta according to directions for al dente, drain, and place in a pasta serving bowl.
Cut the shrimp in half, crosswise.
Heat 3 tablespoons. butter and oil in a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat; season shrimp with salt and pepper, and add to skillet. Cook, turning once, until beginning to turn pink, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate; set aside. Add chili flakes, garlic, and shallots to skillet; cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add wine and lemon juice; cook until bubbly.
Add reserved shrimp and remaining butter; heat for a minute or two. Pour sauce over the reserved pasta and toss well. Sprinkle with parsley and serve in individual pasta bowls.
A tomato salad goes well with this entree.
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
Adapted from an article by Anthony Bourdain in Gourmet.
4 servings
Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter, divided
4 ounces small whole mushroom caps
1 chopped shallot
2 minced garlic cloves
1 cup of water
½ cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Bouquet garni (wrap two sprigs of parsley, two bay leaves, and a sprig of fresh thyme in a piece of cheesecloth. Tie into a neat bundle with string)
1 pound fresh sea scallops, dried well
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Bread crumbs for the topping
Grated Gruyère or Fontina cheese
Directions
In 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan saute the shallots, garlic, and mushroom caps until the mushrooms brown and lose their liquid. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
Add the water, wine, bouquet garni, and lemon juice to the saucepan and bring yo a boil. Add the scallops, cover, and remove the pot from the heat. Let the scallops sit in the liquid for 5 minutes. Remove the scallops with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Strain the liquid and discard the bouquet garni. Set aside
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the saucepan and whisk in the flour. Do not let it get dark. Add 3 tablespoons of the scallop cooking liquid and mix until blended. Over very low heat, blend the flour mixture into the remaining scallop cooking liquid. Add the cream and simmer and stir until blended and thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the scallops and mushroom mixture, and stir.
Fill 4 scallop shells or shallow 6-inch ramekins almost to the top with the scallop mixture. (If you’re not ready to serve the scallops, cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate.)
Sprinkle the top lightly with bread crumbs and top with grated cheese.
Preheat the broiler. Broil the scallops until the mixture bubbles and the cheese melts and turns golden brown.
Roasted Vegetables
Save the leftover roasted vegetables for a delicious quiche. Recipe after Christmas.
Ingredients
1/2 cup olive oil
4-5 large carrots, peeled, cut on the bias, about 1-inch thick
3-4 parsnips, peeled, cut on the bias, about 1-inch thick
1 bulb fennel, trimmed and quartered
1 medium red onion, peeled and quartered
4 garlic, cloves, peeled and cut in half
4 fresh thyme sprigs
1/2 teaspoon Maldon sea salt
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cover a large baking sheet with sides in foil.
Heat the olive oil in the microwave until hot. Place the carrots, parsnips, fennel, onion, garlic, and thyme on the prepared baking sheet. Pour the hot oil over the vegetables. Sprinkle with the salt. Transfer to the oven and roast until tender and brown, about 45 minutes.
Leftover roasted cauliflower may also be used, as I did, using the leftover roasted cauliflower from my Fall Recipes post.
Ingredients
12 oz short pasta (penne)
Topping
1/2 cup Italian seasoned panko breadcrumbs
1/2 grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sauce
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 medium shallots, chopped fine
2 minced garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ cup sliced cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup heavy cream
Cauliflower
1 (1 1/2-pound) head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into small florets
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
For the topping:
Combine the breadcrumbs and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring until the mixture is well toasted and golden-brown; remove from the heat and reserve.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a medium baking dish, combine the cauliflower, oil, and salt. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally or until the cauliflower is tender and browned.
Remove the dish from the oven and stir in the shallots, melted butter, garlic, cream, tomatoes, and red pepper. Place the dish bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside while the pasta cooks.
Cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and return the pasta to the pan. Turn the heat to very low and add the cauliflower sauce. Heat for a minute or two and pour into a pasta serving bowl. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs topping over the top of the pasta and serve.
My Meyer lemon tree produced its first ripe lemon this week. The sea bass recipe was a good way to start using these delicious lemons.
Pan-Fried Sea Bass
Ingredients
For the sea bass
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter, divided
Two 6- to 8-ounce fillets sea bass
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Flour
1 small shallot, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
Juice and zest from half a Meyer lemon.
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 cup heavy cream
For the asparagus
1 lb asparagus, stalks trimmed
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Roasted garlic powder
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the asparagus in a shallow pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and roasted garlic powder. Bake for 15 minutes.
Heat a large skillet with olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Season the fillets with some salt and pepper and lightly coat in flour. Place fillets in the skillet with the minced shallots and cook the fish for 5 minutes on each side. Stir the shallots but keep them to the sides of the pan as the fish cooks. When the fish is cooked, place the fillets on a plate and deglaze the pan with the wine, add the thyme and lemon juice. Cook until it’s reduced by two thirds. Add remaining butter and lemon zest. Whisk followed by the heavy cream and heat through.
Divide the cooked asparagus between two serving plates. Place a sea bass fillet on top of each plate. Divide the sauce evenly over the fish and serve.
Steak Diane
2 servings
Ingredients
2 boneless Filet Mignon steaks, each 6 oz and 1½ inches thick, fat trimmed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, sliced into thin strips
4 oz sliced mushrooms, such as shiitake, oyster or cremini
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons brandy (Cognac)
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
Directions
Gently flatten the steaks to about ½ inch thick. Season both sides of the steaks with pepper and salt.
Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, add the steaks and cook 1 minute per side. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
Add butter, shallots, and mushrooms to the pan and cook, stirring, until golden brown and the mushrooms are beginning to release their juices, about 3 minutes. Add brandy and cook, stirring, until almost evaporated, about 1 minute. Combine flour and broth, add the pan, bring to a boil and cook until reduced about 5 minutes.
Whisk in mustard and cream, and cook 1 minute. Reduce heat to low. Return the steaks to the pan along with any accumulated juices. Turn to coat with the sauce and cook until heated through about 1 minute. Place each steak on an individual plate, top with the sauce and sprinkle with chives.
The potatoes and asparagus can roast in the oven together, while you prepare the steak.
Roasted Baby Potatoes
Ingredients
12 oz small potatoes, peeled
1 teaspoon olive oil
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons panko crumbs
1 tablespoon parmesan, finely grated
1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
Dash of paprika
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Coat an 8-inch baking dish with olive oil cooking spray.
Slice the potatoes in half and boil them for 7-10 minutes or until fork-tender but not cooked all the way through. Remove from the water and place on paper towels to remove excess water. Place the potatoes in the prepared baking dish and drizzle with the olive oil then season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.
Combine the panko crumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic, and paprika together in a bowl until well combined. Sprinkle the panko mixture on top of the potatoes evenly. Place into the oven and roast for 20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
Roasted Pencil-thin Asparagus
Ingredients
1 bunch pencil-thin asparagus
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons chopped almonds
Directions
Wash and trim off 1″ from the bottom. Place the asparagus on a large, rimmed baking sheet; add salt, pepper, and oil. Toss with your hands. Spread out into a single layer and sprinkle with almonds.
Bake in a 400-degree F oven for 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
