Marinade
1/4 cup oyster sauce
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon regular soy sauce
1/4 cup beef stock
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, minced
Stir Fry
1 small flank steak or half of a large flank steak
1 medium onion, quartered
2 large stalks from one bunch fresh broccoli
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch or arrowroot
3 scallions, sliced
Directions
Slice the steak into thin strips, about 1/4 inch thick.
In a large ziplock plastic bag, combine the oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, beef stock, sesame oil, ginger, red pepper flakes, and garlic.
Add the steak to the bag and mix until all pieces are coated. Let the steak marinate in the refrigerator for an hour or up to 24 hours.
While the meat is marinating, cut the florets off the broccoli stalks and peel the stalks. Slice the stalks into thin rounds. Separate the onion into single pieces.
Heat a wok or a large high-sided skillet over high heat. Add the oil to the pan.
Once the pan is very hot, remove the meat from the bag with tongs, letting the marinade drip back into the bag and add to the hot pan. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. Remove to a serving bowl. You made need to do this in two batches.
Add the broccoli and onion and stir fry 5 minutes or until tender. Add the cornstarch to the marinade in the bag. Shake and pour into the pan, Add the scallions and browned beef and stir fry for 2-3 minutes.
Pour the mixture back into the serving bowl. Serve with rice if you prefer.
Grilled Lamb Chops
2 servings
Ingredients
4 loin lamb chops, about 1 ¼ lb total
Lemon wedges
Marinade
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 large garlic cloves, sliced
1 teaspoon Greek seasoning store-bought (or combine equal parts of coarse salt, Turkish oregano, garlic, dried lemon zest, black pepper, and marjoram and use 1 teaspoon in this recipe)
Directions
Place the lamb chops in a medium ziplock bag with the marinade ingredients. Seal the bag, shake and store the bag in the refrigerator for several hours before grilling.
To grill the lamb chops:
Preheat an outdoor or stovetop grill. Oil the grill.
Remove the chops from the marinade and grill them over medium-high heat, turning once, until medium-rare, about 3 minutes on each side.
Transfer the chops to a serving platter and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges, the Greek Salad, Tzatziki, and grilled pita.
Greek Vegetable Salad
2 servings
Ingredients
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut in large dice
1 large tomato, seeded and cut in large dice
4 -5 pepperoncini, seeded and cut in large dice
1/4 of a red onion, cut in large dice
12 Greek olives
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
Dressing
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano or Greek seasoning
1/2 teaspoon honey
Directions
In a serving bowl, combine the cucumber, tomato, pepperoncini, onions, olives, and feta cheese. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the dressing ingredients; shake well. Drizzle over salad and toss to coat. Serve with a slotted spoon.
Tzatziki Sauce
Makes 1 cup
Ingredients
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and grated
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 scallion, minced
1/2 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cloves garlic grated
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh dill finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon za’atar or dried oregano
Directions
Place the grated cucumber in a fine-mesh sieve and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt and drain for about 30 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, black pepper, ¼ teaspoon salt, parsley, and oregano or za’atar and stir to combine.
Add the cucumber to the yogurt mixture and stir to combine.
Cover and refrigerate for about an hour before serving to allow the flavors to develop.
Grilled Pita Bread
A very good tasting low carb mini pita (4g net carbs) is made by Joseph’s Middle East Bakery
2 servings
Ingredients
2 small (mini) pita bread
Olive oil
Za’atar
Directions
Lightly brush both sides of each pita with olive oil. Sprinkle with a little za’atar. Place on the grill for 1 minute, turn them over and grill for 1 minute more. Serve with the Tzatziki Sauce.
Steak Pizzaiola
I like to use the mini bell peppers for sauces because they are tender and sweet tasting.
Serves 2
Ingredients
1 rib-eye steak (about 12 oz. and 1 inch thick), trimmed of excess fat
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
12 oz. mini bell peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
1 large sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 cup Marinara Sauce
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Directions
Cut the steak in half crosswise and pat dry with paper towels. Season both sides of each steak with salt and pepper.
In a large heavy frying pan over medium heat, add the oil, onions, garlic, and peppers. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened but not browned, 10 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl with a slotted spoon.
Add the butter to the pan and increase the heat to medium-high. Put the steaks in the pan and sear until deeply browned on both sides and medium rare about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer the steaks to individual serving plates.
Pour the marinara sauce into the skillet and add 1/2 cup of the sautéed peppers and onions and stir them into the sauce. Reserve the remaining peppers and onions for another recipe.
Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer just until the vegetables are hot, 1 minute. Divide the mixture in half and pour over each steak. Garnish each serving with chopped parsley.
Sautéed Swiss Chard With Garlic and Lemon
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 large bunches Swiss chard, ribs and stems removed, leaves torn into 2”
pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Directions
Wash the chard well in several changes of cold water. Drain in a colander. Heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and half of the Swiss chard, season with salt and pepper.
Cook, tossing often until wilted. Add the lemon juice and remaining chard and cook, tossing, just until all chard is wilted about 1 minute. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
Rosemary Flavored Roasted Rutabaga Wedges
Ingredients
1 medium rutabaga, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut the ends off the rutabaga and then cut the rutabaga in half. Cut each half in two. Cut the slices into wedges.
Place the rutabaga wedges in a large ziplock bag with the oil and seasonings and toss to coat. Spread the mixture evenly on a sheet pan and cook for 45-50 minutes until tender and brown. Turn the wedges over half way through the cooking time.
Easy Overnight Pizza Dough
Makes one 16 inch round pizza. Prepare the dough one day ahead. This process makes the best pizza dough.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1 teaspoon honey
1 cup lukewarm water
3 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Sausage and Peppers Topping
8 oz spicy Italian Sausage, cut into thin slices
1 lb small bell peppers, sliced thin
1 large onion sliced thin
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
8 oz mozzarella cheese, sliced thin
Olive oil
Pizza Sauce
26 oz container strained Italian tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions
One day before making the pizza:
Combine all the ingredients for the dough in the large bowl of an electric mixer and with the paddle attachment mix until the ingredients come together around the paddle. Attach the dough hook and knead the dough for 5-6 minutes.
Spray a large ziplock plastic bag with olive oil cooking spray. Place the dough in the bag and close the top. Place the bag in the refrigerator overnight.
When ready to make the pizza, remove the bag from the refrigerator 30 minutes before making the pizza. Turn the oven to 400 degrees F and let the oven heat for 30 minutes.
Combine all the ingredients for the pizza sauce in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 30 minutes.
Preheat a large sauté pan on medium-high and place 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the pan, then add sausage and cook until browned about 6 minutes, stirring until no pink remains. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, peppers and onions and saute until the vegetables are tender.
Let stand 5 minutes to cool.
Prepare the crust: flour your hands lightly and pat the dough evenly into a lightly oiled 16″ pizza pan. Top the crust with slices of mozzarella cheese, pizza sauce, peppers, onions, and sausage.
Bake the pizza on the bottom rack of the oven for 20–25 minutes or until the crust is golden, the cheese is melted, and the toppings are thoroughly heated. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.
I recently watched an episode of The Kitchen on the Food Network where they prepared Reverse Seared Ribeye. The technique seemed to make sense so I decided to give it a try.
While this method does take longer to prepare than just grilling the steak, the outcome ensures the meat is cooked to your likeness. The steaks also tasted very good.
Reverse Seared Ribeye Steaks
Ingredients
Two 1 inch thick bone-in ribeye steaks, at room temperature
Coarse sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
Directions
Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F.
Season all sides of the rib-eyes liberally with salt and pepper. Place on a wire rack-lined baking sheet. Bake until the desired internal temperature is reached, 105 degrees F for rare, 115 for medium rare and 125 for medium, 45-60 minutes. When the ribeyes come out of the oven, tent loosely with aluminum foil while preheating the skillet.
Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, then sear the steaks on the first side for about a minute. Turn the steaks over and add the butter to the skillet. Once the butter has melted, continue to cook the steaks, continuously basting with the melted butter, until seared on the second side, about 30 seconds. Sear the fat cap on the sides of the steaks 30 seconds more.
Place the steaks on a serving platter and spoon the pan juices over the steaks, Slice the meat and serve.
Creamed Spinach
Save 1 cup of the creamed spinach for stuffed chicken breasts. Recipe next week.
Ingredients
Two 10 ounces frozen spinach
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 ounces cream cheese
4 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Defrost frozen spinach overnight in the refrigerator or in the microwave until warmed through, usually about 6-7 minutes.
Heat a saucepan on the stove to medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the spinach and let some of the water evaporate. Season the spinach with salt and pepper to taste and mix together.
Add cream cheese and stir together until cream cheese is melted.
Add sour cream and mix together. Turn the heat to low. Add the parmesan cheese and stir until the creamed spinach thickens. Serve immediately.
Homemade Onion Rings
Cornflakes and a hot sheet pan are the secrets to the crispness of these onion rings.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups cornflakes
1/2 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
1 large egg
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 medium sweet onion, such as Vidalia, sliced crosswise and broken into rings (discard small center rings)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
In a food processor, pulse the cornflakes and breadcrumbs until fine crumbs form, then transfer to a medium bowl.
In another medium bowl, whisk together egg, buttermilk, flour, and cayenne. Season with salt and pepper.
Dip onion rings in egg mixture (letting excess drip off) and dredge in cornflake mixture; place on a large plate.
Pour oil onto a rimmed baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the oven and heat 2 minutes. Remove sheet from oven and tilt to coat evenly with oil.
Arrange onion rings on the baking sheet. Bake, turning once until onion rings are golden brown, about 16 minutes. Season with salt.
Sautéed Mushroom Caps With Herbs
Servings: 2 as a side dish
Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 lb cremini mushroom
1 clove garlic grated
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh parsley finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
Directions
Remove the mushroom stems and save for another use. In a skillet over medium heat, add butter and oil. Once the oil is hot, add mushrooms in a single layer, cut-side-down. Sprinkle with garlic, salt, and pepper. Saute until bottoms are browned (4-5 min), then turn them over and cook until browned on the second side.
Add the lemon juice and herbs. Stir mushrooms and cook another 1 minute. Remove from heat and serve.
Cacciatore means “hunter” in Italian. In cuisine, alla cacciatora refers to a type of stew prepared “hunter-style” with onions, herbs, bell peppers, and sometimes wine. It is named in honor of the hunter’s wife—who, all over northern Italy, might traditionally cook the dish on the eve of the hunt. In Italy hunter’s stew was made with rabbit or other wild game, not chicken, sometime during the Renaissance period. This stew dish was simple but delicious and was likely developed to satisfy the appetites of hunters who may have been on the track of a larger animal or herd of animals for several days, and who needed a tasty, filling stew that could easily be cooked outdoors to keep them going. The spices used, such as parsley and oregano, would have also been readily available. Contrary to popular belief, Cacciatore did not originally contain tomatoes or tomato sauce, as tomatoes were brought to Italy from the New World later than it would have been made for the first time. When the Italian immigrants came to America, they brought with them their traditional recipes but needed to adapt them to the ingredients available in America.
In true Italian fashion, there are probably more than a thousand recipes for this dish and here is mine.
Chicken Cacciatore
Ingredients
4 lbs chicken cut up or use all thighs, skin removed
8 oz Italian pork sausage, casings removed
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (divided)
1 large onion, diced (about 1-1/2 cups)
1 large carrot, peeled and diced (about 3/4 cups)
1 large bell pepper, seeded and diced (about 1-1/2 cups)
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
1 (26-oz.) container finely chopped Italian tomatoes
Directions
Arrange the chicken in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet or plate. Season with the salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.
Place a large Dutch oven over high heat for several minutes. When hot, add 1 tablespoon of the oil and heat until shimmering. Add a layer of chicken and brown on both sides. Remove to a large plate. Add 1 tablespoon oil and brown the remainder of the chicken. Remove and place with the first batch of chicken.
Add the sausage to the pan and brown completely, crumbling the meat as you stir.
Add the remaining oil and vegetables; reduce the heat to medium and sauté until the vegetables are very soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more, until fragrant.
Add the tomatoes and the chicken to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cover the pan and cook for about 1 ½ hours or until the chicken is very tender.
To prepare ahead.
Remove the pot from the heat and cool. Remove chicken to a large baking dish and pour the sauce from the Dutch Oven over the chicken. cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, heat the oven to 350 degrees F and reheat the chicken covered for one hour.
While the dish originated from fishermen of the Neapolitan area, who sautéed the catch of the day in seawater together with tomatoes and extra virgin olive oil, The term itself most likely originated from Tuscany; where the local peasants would make wine, but had to give most to the landlord, leaving little left for them to drink. The peasants were resourceful, however, and mixed the stems, seeds, and pomace leftover from the wine production with large quantities of water brought it to a boil, then sealed the mixture in a terracotta vase and let it ferment for several days. Called l’acquarello or l’acqua pazza, the result was a water barely colored with wine, which the fisherman may have been reminded of when seeing the broth of the dish, colored slightly red by the tomatoes and oil.
Acqua pazza became a very popular dish with tourists on Capri Island in the 1960s.
The pezzogna fish (also known as “occhione” or “big eye” because of the size of its eyes) is caught in the Bay of Naples and is highly prized for its delicious taste.
Marcella Hazan was introduced to the dish by her friend from Amalfi, Pierino Jovine, and her first reaction was, “Who wants to eat fish in water?” Here is the link to her recipe:
https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/fish-in-crazy-water
And here is my version
Pesce All’Acqua Pazza
Ingredients for 2 people
1 lb fish fillets (red snapper, flounder) cut into serving portions
Salt and pepper
4 mini plum tomatoes (Marzano) or cherry tomatoes, sliced
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (peperoncino)
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 cup sliced red onion
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Directions
Dry the fish fillets on paper towels and season them with salt and pepper.
Heat the oil and lightly fry the garlic, onion, and peperoncino in a skillet with a cover that is large enough to fit the fish, until the onion softens. Add the tomatoes, white wine, and water. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat to low and add the fish. Cook, covered, 10 minutes for thin fillets or 15 minutes for thicker ones. Serve immediately, dressed with the cooking liquid and topped with the parsley.
Here is another example of my cooking philosophy – never waste food. I had extra zucchini squash and leftover cooked cauliflower, so I decided to use them for side dishes with this fish recipe.
Cauliflower Cakes
Makes 6
Ingredients
2 cups mashed cauliflower
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
Butter
Directions
Combine the mashed cauliflower, cheeses, and seasoning.
Heat a stovetop griddle to medium/high heat. Coat with butter.
Form the cauliflower mixture into 6 patties about 3 inches across. Coat the patties in the panko crumbs.
Cook until golden brown & set, about 3-4 minutes per side.
Zucchini Pancakes
These are so good that I usually double the recipe.
Makes 8-4 inch patties
Ingredients
2 cups grated zucchini
1 large egg
1 garlic clove, grated
2 green onions, finely minced
1/4 cup arrowroot powder or cornstarch or flour
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Butter
Directions
Place the grated zucchini on a kitchen towel and sprinkle the zucchini lightly with kosher salt. Let rest 30 minutes.
Squeeze the excess moisture out of the zucchini with the towel.
In a medium bowl, combine the zucchini with the egg, garlic, green onions, and arrowroot powder. Stir in the cheddar and mozzarella cheeses. Season with black pepper to taste.
Brush a large stovetop griddle pan or large skillet with butter. Scoop 1/4 cup of the zucchini mixture onto the griddle and pat it flat with a metal spatula. Add as many patties as you can to the pan without letting them touch each other.
Cook until golden brown and crispy on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and keep the cooked pancakes warm in a low oven until all the pancakes are made.
Extras can be wrapped in foil and stored in the refrigerator for a week. Believe me when I say the leftovers are delicious reheated for breakfast and served with a fried egg on top.
