PanSeared Filet Mignon and Crabmeat Stuffed Lobster Tails
For the steak
2 Filet Mignons, 1 inch thick
1 tablespoon steak seasoning
2 tablespoons butter
For the lobster
2 frozen lobster tails, 5 ounces each
1/2 cup dry white wine
Lemon wedges
Crabmeat Stuffing:
2 tablespoons butter, salted
2 tablespoons minced onion
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup panko crumbs
1/2 cup jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
Pinch salt
Freshly ground white pepper, to taste
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons olive oil
Directions
Thaw lobster 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator or place in a clean bowl under cool running water until completely thawed.
To make stuffing:
Melt butter in a small saucepan or saute pan. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is translucent. Do not brown. Fold in panko, crabmeat, salt, white pepper, lemon zest, and olive oil.
Heat oven to 450 degrees F.
Split top side of lobster shell down the center with scissors, keeping tail fan intact. Pull shell open; lift tail meat, leaving it attached at the end, and lay over top of the shell, “piggyback” style. Make a cut down the center of the meat 1/4-inch deep. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour wine into a small baking dish. Place lobster tails in the dish. Spoon stuffing over top of the meat. Bake 10 to 12 minutes in the center of the oven, until the meat, turns from translucent to opaque (white).
Remove from the oven and drizzle pan juices lightly over the lobster. Serve with lemon wedges
To cook the steaks
Season the steaks with steak seasoning, rubbing the spices into the steaks. Let rest until room temperature.
Heat a small ovenproof skillet and add the butter.
Sear filets for 2 minutes on each side, until you see a golden-brown crust form.
Place the full skillet with filets onto the center oven rack to finish cooking. Place the skillet in the oven at the same time you put the lobster in the oven.
The best temperature for a filet mignon is, generally, medium-rare, which will give them a slight pinkness in the center. To cook to this temperature, your steaks should read 130-degrees with a meat thermometer before removing them from the oven. Shoot for 120-degrees for rare and 140-degrees for medium. After they’ve finished cooking, place the steaks on a plate and cover loosely with foil for about 10 minutes to rest.
Twice-Baked Potatoes
Directions
1 large russet potato (about 10 to 12 ounces each)
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 scallion, minced
Paprika, for sprinkling
Directions
Bake the potato early in the day. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prick the potatoes all over with a fork. Brush lightly with the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast on a sheet tray until tender, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Cool enough to handle.
Slice the potatoes lengthwise and scoop the potato flesh into a medium bowl, leaving a 1/4-inch shell all around. Season the insides of the potato shells lightly with salt and pepper. To the bowl with the potato, add the sour cream, half-and-half, and butter and mix until almost smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the scallion. Mound into the potato shells. Place on a baking sheet. Refrigerate if not baking right away,
Remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking. Place in the oven at the same temperature set for the steak and lobster ten minutes before the steak and lobster.
Bake until heated through, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with paprika and serve.
Spinach Salad with Cherries, Walnuts And Blue Cheese
Spinach Salad
¼ small red onion, sliced thinly and soaked in water for 10 minutes, and drained.
8 cups clean spinach leaves
½ cup dried cherries
¾ cup crumbled blue cheese
¾ cup roughly chopped toasted walnuts
Vinaigrette Dressing
3 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Salad
Pre-heat oven to 350F
Spread walnuts on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 6 minutes. Stir around and roast for another 3-4 minutes ensuring they don’t overcook. Let cool. This step can be done earlier in the day.
Combine the spinach, onion, and cherries n a large bowl and toss to combine.
Vinaigrette Dressing
Combine all ingredients and whisk to combine.
Taste and add salt and pepper until it’s to your liking.
Add dressing to salad and toss to coat, gently add the cheese and walnuts and serve.
Chinese Chicken Stock
Ingredients
3-4 lb chicken
10 cups water (cold)
3 slices fresh ginger
2 scallions (cut into 1-inch pieces)
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
Salt and black (to taste)
Directions
Place the chicken in a large pot with 10 cups of water (or enough to cover).
Add the ginger, green onion, rice wine, or sherry. Bring to a boil over medium heat, occasionally skimming off the foam that rises to the top.
Add salt to taste and black pepper if desired.
Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 2 hours. Strain the broth and use as called for in recipes. Shred one cooked chicken breast for the soup recipe below. Use the remainder of the meat for other recipes.
Chinese Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
8 cups Chinese chicken broth
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons sherry or Chinese rice wine
2 teaspoons sesame oil
4 oz Asian curly noodles, cut into smaller pieces
3 medium carrots, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
6 denied shiitake mushrooms, soaked
1 medium onion, sliced
8 oz can water chestnuts, drained
Chilies, hot sauce, chili paste, optional
Add broth ingredients to a large saucepan. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes
to have ingredients infuse flavors.
Cook noodles according to the package.
Cut vegetables as needed.
Add carrots to the broth and simmer for 2 min. and remove but keep warm. Add
chicken and bok choy and cook for 2-3 min. until bok choy is tender.
Divide the broth between four bowls, add the noodles, carrots, chicken, and
bok choy in sections around the bowl and the green onions scattered in the
middle or the side.
Serve with hot sauce, optional.
Ginger Pork in Lettuce Leaves
6 servings
Ingredients
3/4 pound ground pork
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon minced peeled ginger
1 tablespoon Thai sweet chile sauce
1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
1 tablespoon peanut oil
One 8-ounce can water chestnuts, drained and diced
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
24 lettuce leaves
Directions
In a medium bowl, combine the ground pork with bell pepper, garlic, ginger, chile sauce, fish sauce, and sesame oil l.
In a large skillet or wok, heat the peanut oil until shimmering. Add the pork mixture and stir-fry over high heat, breaking it up, until it is cooked through and starting to brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in the water chestnuts, scallions, oyster sauce, and cilantro and remove from the heat.
Spoon the pork into bowls. Stack the lettuce leaves on plates. To eat, spoon the pork onto the lettuce leaves, roll up,
This Chinese dish is from the Mandarin style of cooking and is therefore not spicy. If you like spicy food add hot sauce to taste.
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
3 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
1/2 pound bok choy, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
3 carrots, sliced thin on the diagonal
1 sweet onion, quartered and layers separated
2 celery stalks, sliced thin on the diagonal
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 scallions, sliced
Hot cooked Jasmine rice
Sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Directions
Remove any silverskin from the pork. Cut pork into thin 1-inch-long pieces. Season with pepper and salt.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet or wok over high. Add half of the pork; cook, stirring, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from skillet. Repeat with 1 tablespoon of the oil and remaining pork.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet. Add bok choy, carrots, celery, onion, remaining salt, ginger, and garlic; cook, stirring, until vegetables are tender-crisp, 5 to 6 minutes.
Whisk together the cornstarch and the remaining sauce ingredients in a bowl. Pour the sauce mixture over the vegetable mixture in the skillet; bring to a simmer over medium-high. Add pork and simmer stirring, until thickened, about 1 minute. Serve with rice.
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, 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 its cooking methods, food, and spices to America. They farmed the soil, hunted game, and incorporated their ways into the food of America.
Stroganoff (or Stroganov) is a simple and comforting Russian dish consisting of sauteed pieces of beef served in a sour cream sauce. It dates back to the mid 19th century and is named for a member of the Stroganov family, who were a group of highly successful Russian merchants and landowners in Tsarist Russia. The first known recipe is found in a mid-1800s Russian cookbook. The dish probably goes back to much earlier peasant fare but is now commonly attributed to the household of Count Pavel Stroganoff (1774-1817). Tolstoy’s War and Peace novel paints a picture of Russian society of that time which was fascinated with French culture and language. The interest in all things French extended to food, with chefs of the great households striving to create dishes in a more elegant and refined style.
After the fall of Tsarist Russia, the dish found popularity in China. Then, during WWII, Russian and Chinese immigrants, as well as US servicemen, brought the dish to the US. The first English language recipe for Beef Stroganoff appeared in a cookbook in 1932, but its popularity didn’t blossom until after World War II. Servicemen who’d served overseas were open to new tastes and flavors. Some went on to become the food editors, writers, and chefs who redefined American cuisine. At the same time, families moved to the suburbs, and dinner parties became more fashionable than ever. Beef Stroganoff, luxurious yet easy to prepare, became a signature dish with countless hostesses, and a headline entrée in upscale restaurants. New York’s Russian Tea Room, founded by former members of the Imperial Ballet, was famous for this dish.
In the 50s and 60s, Stroganoff saw quite a bit of popularity in the US, but overtime its image was marred by canned cream of mushroom soup and poor cuts of meat that were poured over noodles or rice and served in cafeterias. Unfortunately, it was this cafeteria version that everyone in the States came to associate with the name. Beef Stroganoff is so much more than the 50s and 60s made it out to be. Authentic Russian Beef Stroganoff combines tender beef and flavorful mushrooms in a creamy sauce for an elegant, yet quick dish.
The best beef to use in beef stroganoff is a cut that works well with quick-cooking. That means you need something that is tender in its own rights, such as beef tenderloin or ribeye steak. The important thing is to cut the steak into thin slices by cutting across the grain. This shortens the fibers of the meat, making it more tender with less cooking.
In Russia, you will most often find traditional beef stroganoff served over fried shoestring potatoes (French fries). It can also be found served over mashed potatoes or rice. Here in the States, egg noodles are the most common accompaniment to beef stroganoff.
TRADITIONAL BEEF STROGANOFF
Ingredients
2 tablespoons salted butter
8 oz button mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 lb beef tenderloin, sliced thinly, against the grain
2 tablespoons instant Wondra flour or all-purpose
1 cup beef broth
½ teaspoon ground mustard seed
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ cup sour cream
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
8 oz egg noodles, cooked
Directions
In a large skillet, heat the butter. Add the beef to the saute pan. Cook until lightly browned, 2 minutes. Add the onion and mushrooms, cook until the mushrooms are tender. Stir the flour into the beef broth and mix well.
Add the beef broth, salt, pepper, mustard powder, and tomato paste to the saute pan scraping the bottom of the pan to pick up any stuck bits.
Simmer the mixture over medium heat for 10 minutes.
Place the sour cream into a small bowl and mix a little of the broth from the skillet with the sour cream to warm it. Pour the warmed sour cream mixture into the saucepan and mix to combine. Warm over very low heat,
Adjust the seasoning to taste.
Serve the stroganoff over the cooked noodles.
I made a baked ham over the holidays and of course, that meant leftovers. Here are some of the recipes I made with some of the leftover meat.
Ham Broth
You can make your own ham broth for soup using a leftover ham bone:
Simmer the ham bone in a stockpot filled with 12 cups of water.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover with a lid, and let simmer for one hour.
Potato Soup
Ingredients
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 onion finely chopped
2 carrots diced
1/2 cup diced celery with leaves
4 cups peeled and diced baking potatoes, about 3 large baking potatoes
3 cloves garlic minced or finely chopped
1 1/2 cups cooked ham, diced (add more if desired)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups ham broth
3 cups of milk
1 pinch of salt (adjust to your taste)
Fresh cracked black pepper
Chopped fresh chives
Directions
Heat the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery until beginning to soften (about 4 minutes).
Add the ham bone used for the broth and potatoes, cook for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and sauté 30 seconds.
Stir in broth mixing all ingredients together. Increase heat and bring to a boil until potatoes are ‘just’ fork-tender, about 10-12 minutes. Remove ham bone and pick off meat to add to the completed soup.
Puree soup with an immersion blender.
Mix the flour and milk together and stir into the soup.
Reduce heat to medium-low and stir over the heat until thickened (about 5 minutes).
Add chopped ham. Adjust seasonings.
Top with chives and serve hot.
Ham and Cheese Scones
ingredients
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons, divided
1 ¼ cups whole-wheat flour
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cold salted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped leftover baked ham
¼ cup thinly sliced fresh chives
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat two large baking sheets with cooking spray or parchment.
Whisk 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, cut or rub the butter into the dry ingredients. Stir in cheese, ham, and chives.
Whisk buttermilk and egg in a medium bowl; stir into the dry ingredients until just combined.
Sprinkle a work surface with 1 tablespoon flour. Turn the dough out and sprinkle the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour.
Knead three to five times, or until the dough just comes together. Divide in half and pat each piece into a 5-inch circle. Cut each circle into 6 wedges and transfer to the prepared baking sheets.
Bake the scones until firm to the touch, 20 to 24 minutes. Rotate the pans halfway through the baking time
Tips
Reheat at 300°F for 10 to 15 minutes.
Ham Macaroni and Cheese Casserole
Ingredients
1 lb whole wheat penne pasta
3 tablespoons butter
½ cup diced onion
½ cup diced bell pepper
1/4 cup flour
½ teaspoon mustard powder
2 cups of milk
12 ounces Velveeta cheese, diced
2 cups diced baked ham
Pinch black pepper
1/2 cup panko crumbs
Salt to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Prepare pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
In the same pot melt butter and add the bell pepper and onion, cook until soft. Stir in the flour, salt to taste, and mustard.
Slowly whisk milk into the roux, whisking constantly to avoid lumps.
Allow milk and roux to heat for about one minute, then begin adding the Velveeta.
Continue to gently whisk the mixture until all the Velveeta has melted, then add a pinch of black pepper. Stir in the ham and pasta.
Transfer the mixture to a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Sprinkle panko on top.
Cook uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly.
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, 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 its cooking methods, food, and spices to America. They farmed the soil, hunted game, and incorporated their ways into the food of America.
Hoppin’ John: A New Year’s Tradition
Forget champagne—in the Southern United States, Hoppin’ John is standard New Year’s fare. This simple dish of peas, pork, and rice has been a tradition since the 1800s. It’s believed to bring luck and peace in the coming year to anyone who eats it.
The first recipes for Hoppin’ John appear in cookbooks that date back to the 1840s, although the mixture of dried peas, rice, and pork was made by Southern slaves long before then. It seems to have originated in the Low Country of South Carolina, an area where plantation owners searched long and hard for a crop that would flourish in the hot, muggy weather. Rice grew well in the river deltas, so it was a natural choice, but the white farmers had no real experience with cultivating rice on a large scale until enslaved West Africans who had grown rice for generations arrived in America.
Although any type of dried peas can be used for Hoppin’ John, the black-eyed pea is the most traditional. This pea happens to have been domesticated in West Africa, which led to the belief that African slaves took the peas with them, planted them in their new surroundings, and created a dish that would remind them of their lost homes. This is probably only partly true. Newly abducted Africans were lucky to have clothes on their backs, and they certainly weren’t encouraged or even allowed to bring sacks of planting grain along with them. What is more likely is that slave traders saw black-eyed peas as an economical and easy way to feed their cargo.
The origins of the name “Hoppin’ John” are slightly less clear. Some say an old, hobbled man called Hoppin’ John became known for selling bowls of peas and rice on the streets of Charleston. Others say slave children hopped around the table in eager anticipation of the dish. Most food historians think the name derives from a French term for dried peas, “pois pigeons.”
It’s also uncertain why the dish became associated with New Year’s and good luck. The most likely story is that slaves would often have the period between Christmas and New Year’s off since no crops were growing at that time. Hoppin’ John was, and still is, often eaten with collard greens, which can resemble paper money and “golden” cornbread. The peas themselves represent coins. Some families boost the potential of their Hoppin’ John by placing a penny underneath the dishes—or adding extra pork, which is thought to bring more luck.
One tradition common in the United States is that each person at the meal should leave three peas on their plate to ensure that the New Year will be filled with luck, fortune, and romance. Another tradition holds that counting the number of peas in a serving predicts the amount of luck (or wealth) that the diner will have in the coming year.
This dish is traditionally a high point of New Year’s Day when a shiny dime is often buried among the black-eyed peas before serving.Whoever gets the coin in his or her portion is assured good luck throughout the year. For maximum good luck in the new year, the first thing that should be eaten on New Year’s Day is Hoppin’ John. If you eat leftover Hoppin’ John the day after New Year’s Day, then the name changes to Skippin’ Jenny since one is demonstrating their determination of frugality. Eating a bowl of Skippin’ Jenny is believed to even better your chances for a prosperous New Year!
Source: Beyond Black-Eyed Pease: New Year’s good-luck foods, by Mick Bann, Dec. 26,2008, Austin Chronicle.
Recipe for Hoppin’ John
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small ham hock or bone
4 celery stalks, sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 medium-size yellow onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 small green bell pepper, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
3 garlic cloves, chopped (about 1 Tablespoon)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
8 cups lower-sodium chicken or ham broth
4 cups fresh or frozen black-eyed peas
For the rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups uncooked Carolina Gold rice
½ teaspoon salt
Fresh scallions, sliced
Chopped parsley
Directions
Heat oil in a large pot. Add celery, onion, bell pepper, garlic, thyme, black pepper, cayenne, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender, about 8 minutes. Add broth and black-eyed peas and bring to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until peas are tender about 40 minutes. Drain pea mixture, reserving cooking liquid. Return pea mixture and 1 cup of the cooking liquid to the pot. Cover to keep warm; set aside.
To cook the rice
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high. Add rice and cook, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly toasted, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in 3 cups of the reserved cooking liquid and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook until rice is tender, 15 to 18 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork, and gently stir into pea mixture in the Dutch oven. Stir in the remaining cooking liquid, 1⁄4 cup at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Sprinkle servings with parsley and sliced fresh scallions.
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.
Cod Parmigiana
Ingredients
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 egg
1/2 cup panko Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 oz cod or another firm thick white fish fillet
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 oz fresh mozzarella sliced
Cherry Tomato Sauce, below
Directions
Place flour on a plate and add a pinch of salt and pepper. In a bowl, beat the egg with a little water. On another plate, mix bread crumbs with Parmesan.
Coat fish fillets in flour, dip in egg mixture, shake off excess, and coat with bread crumb mixture. Heat oil in a deep skillet with a cover. When the oil is hot, add the breaded fish and cook on both sides until brown. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Clean out the skillet and add half to the cherry tomato sauce recipe. Heat for a few minutes and return the fish to the pan. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Uncover the pan and place the mozzarella cheese evenly on the fish. Cover the pan and heat on low until the mozzarella melts.
Cherry Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ cup diced onion
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
28 oz can Italian cherry tomatoes (Cento)
1 large sprig of basil
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon capers
Directions
Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add onion, garlic, salt, and black pepper. When the onion is tender add the tomatoes, basil, and honey. Break the tomatoes up a little with a wooden spoon and cook for 15–20 minutes over medium heat. Stir in the capers.
Orzo with Diced Zucchini
Ingredients
1 cup whole wheat orzo
1 teaspoon salt plus extra for seasoning
1 medium zucchini diced into ½ inch cubes
½ cup diced white onion
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Directions
Add salt to a large saucepan of boiling water. Stir in orzo and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside. In the same pot heat the oil and add the garlic and onion. Cook for two minutes and add the zucchini. Stir and cook for three more minutes. Add drained orzo, turn heat to low, and let the mixture heat. Serve with the cod.
Corn is very plentiful and has a long growing season where I live. So when it is at its best, I freeze many quarts of this vegetable to use during the off-season. Even after spending several months in the freezer, you can taste its sweetness when using it in your cooking. You certainly can use frozen corn from the supermarket in this recipe.
Chowder
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)
1 large carrot, diced
4 ribs celery with leaves, diced
1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
4 cups vegetable stock
2 fresh whole sprigs of thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ -½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1to 2 tablespoons honey
7 cups frozen sweet corn kernels, divided
2 cups whole milk
Additional salt to taste, pepper to taste
Directions
Heat the butter in a Dutch oven or large soup pot. Add the onion, celery, carrots, and potatoes to the pot and saute for ten minutes until soft.
Add honey if the corn isn’t sweet.
Add 4 cups of corn, vegetable stock, cayenne, salt, and thyme. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for an hour. Remove the thyme branches.
Remove the pot from the heat and puree the contents with an immersion blender. Add milk, salt, and pepper to taste and the remaining 3 cups of corn.
Return the pot to the heat and simmer the soup for about 30 minutes.
Garnish the soup with cheddar cheese or toasted tortilla strips when serving, if desired.
Easy Sausage and Pepper Stew
Ingredients
Olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
4 links spicy Italian pork sausage, or any style sausage, cut into one-inch pies
1 medium onion, diced
2 large bell peppers, cut into one-inch pieces
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into one-inch pieces
1/2 lb fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into one-inch pieces
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons tomato paste
28 oz container of finely chopped Italian tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Pour enough olive oil into the bottom of a Dutch Oven and heat over medium-low. Add the sausage and cook until brown on all sides, stirring the sausage pieces often. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and tomato paste and stir until completely combines. Add the remaining ingredients, stir well, and bring the mixture to a slow boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and simmer the stew for about an hour or until all the vegetables are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon into individual bowls and serve with a slice of Italian beard.
