NY Strip Steak With Bearnaise Sauce
Marinade
2 tablespoons of olive oil
3 tablespoons of soy sauce
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon of brown sugar
2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon of whole black peppercorns or ¼ teaspoon of cracked black pepper
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Strip steaks, trimmed of excess fat
Let the steak stand for about 15 minutes so it comes to room temperature. Add all the ingredients to a glass dish or other non-metal container. Mix well. Add steaks and cover with plastic wrap.
Marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours, flipping them after 12 hours. Remove the steaks from the refrigerator one hour before cooking.
Bearnaise Sauce
Ingredients
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons minced shallots
3 sprigs tarragon, leaves stripped and roughly chopped
2 egg yolks
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
Directions
Place the white wine vinegar, minced shallot, and half the chopped tarragon in a saucepan. Heat this on a medium-low for 5 minutes, until the shallots are soft and the liquid has reduced by about half. Strain out the solids, replace the concentrated liquid back into the saucepan, and let it cool to room temperature.
Add the egg yolks, water, vegetable oil, and salt into the saucepan with the concentrated vinegar mixture, and heat over a medium-low flame while whisking vigorously. The goal here is to whisk the eggs to a fluffy, custard-like consistency, which should take around 3-5 minutes. Once you see it start to steam, be extra vigilant: if you overcook the sauce, it’ll turn into scrambled eggs. Remove the pan from the heat if needed to better control the temperature.
When the sauce thickens and reaches the desired consistency, add in the butter and the rest of the chopped tarragon, and whisk until the butter dissolves.
The sauce is best served immediately but can hold well for 30 minutes to an hour.
Cooking Directions: Air-Fryer, Grill or Broiler
Air-Fryer
Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF for 5 minutes.
Drain the steak from the marinade.
Place the New York strip steaks in the air fryer basket and cook for 5 minutes on each side or until an instant meat thermometer registers 135ºF for medium rare.
Transfer to a clean cutting board and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Slice the steak against the grain and serve with the Bearnaise Sauce, baked potatoes, and sauteed spinach.
Grilling or Broiling
| Cut | Thickness | Rare (125°) | Medium (140°) | Well (170°) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flank steak | 1-1½ lbs. | 10-15 min. | 15-19 min. | |
| New York strip | 1 in.o | 8-10 min. | 10-12 min. | 12-14 min. |
| Ribeye | ¾ in. | 5-7 min. | 7-9 min. | 9-11 min. |
| Steaks:
Porterhouse, rib, ribeye sirloin, T-bone, tenderloin, top loin |
1 in.
1½ in. 2 in. |
6-7 min.
10-12 min 15-17 min. |
7-9 min.
12-15 min 17-19 min. |
9-11 min
15-19 min. 19-22 min. |
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.
Lemon Sole
2 servings
Ingredients
2 (4-ounce) {or 4-2 oz} sole fillets skinless, boneless, patted dry
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ cup all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons butter
Lemon juice from one lemon, freshly squeezed
1 tablespoon minced parsley
Directions
Season both sides of the fish with kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Coat the fish in flour.
In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat the butter. Swirl or brush to coat. Place the fish pieces in the skillet and cook them until just done, about 2 minutes per side.
Remove the skillet from the heat and drizzle the fish with lemon juice and sprinkle the parsley over the fish. Serve immediately.
Fettuccine Alfredo
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups hot cooked fresh fettuccine (8 ounces uncooked fresh pasta)
Cracked black pepper
Directions
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 1-minute cream cheese, then add the cream. Lower heat to medium-low and cook until the cream is hot. Stir in the cheese and heat for a minute. Toss the sauce with the hot, drained fettuccine. Toss well and serve with fresh cracked pepper.
Serve with a green vegetable, such as sauteed spinach.
Ingredients
2 6-ounce sea bass fillets {branzino or other white fish fillets}
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
A couple of dashes of hot sauce
1 large egg, beaten
Olive oil, for cooking
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
1 clove garlic, grated
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup chicken stock
Directions
Dry the fish with paper towels.
Mux the egg, hot sauce, and mustard together in a shallow dish.
Place the flour in a second shallow dish and add salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.
Dredge the fish in the flour, then the egg, and back into the flour again.
Heat enough o; olive oil in a large skillet to coat the bottom of the skillet. Heat over medium. Aff the fish and cook for 2 minutes on each side.
Remove from the skillet to a platter.
In a mixing bowl, mix together the butter, chopped parsley, capers, garlic, lemon zest, and juice. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Drain any oil from the pan and wipe it out. Place back on the direct heat side of the grill. Add the stock and cook for 1 minute. Add the butter mixture and cook, whisking until the butter is melted and all the mixture comes together about 1 minute. Pour the sauce over the fish and serve.
Braised Red Potatoes with Lemon and Chives
Serves 6
Ingredients
2 pounds small-medium red potatoes, unpeeled, halved or quartered
2 cups water
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 whole garlic cloves, peeled
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
¾ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
Directions
Place potatoes in a large saucepan. Add water, butter, garlic, thyme, and salt, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer until potatoes are just tender, about 15 minutes.
Remove the lid and use a slotted spoon to transfer garlic to the cutting board; discard thyme. Increase heat to medium-high and vigorously simmer the potatoes until water evaporates and butter starts to sizzle for 15 to 20 minutes.
Mese garlic to a paste. Transfer the paste to a bowl and stir in lemon juice and pepper. Add cooked potatoes and chives, mix well, and serve.
Garlic Sautéed Spinach
Ingredients
2 10-ounce cellophane packages of spinach
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 garlic cloves, peeled
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy skillet over medium heat. Crush the garlic cloves with the side of a knife and toss them into the oil. Cook, shaking the pan, until golden, about 2 minutes. Scatter the spinach a large handful at a time into the pan, waiting until each batch wilts before adding another. Season lightly with salt and pepper and cover the pan. Cook until the spinach begins to release its liquid. Uncover the pan and cook, stirring, until the spinach is wilted and its water has evaporated 1 to 3 minutes. Taste, and season with additional salt and pepper if you like. Serve hot.
Caciocavallo is a distinguished Italian cheese from southern Italy that means “horse cheese”, due to the fact that during the maturation process, two kinds of cheese are bound together with a rope in a horizontal way on a wood surface, called in Italian “ a cavallo”, then “horse”. It is an ancient traditional cheese, the first time mentioned in history was 500 BC by Hippocrates. There are other kinds of Caciocavallo cheese based on their origins as well as the type of milk. The most famous is made with cow’s milk from the southern areas of Italy
Ingredients
Basic Pizza Dough {see recipe}
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch thin asparagus (about 1 pound)
Canned or jarred Roasted red pepper strips, drained
1 small handful of fresh sage or basil leaves, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded caciocavallo cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil with the minced garlic. Remove the woody stems from the asparagus.
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Oil a 16-inch pizza pan.
Press the dough out in the pan to its edges.
Spread the garlic oil over the pizza dough and sprinkle the mozzarella cheese evenly over the dough. Sprinkle the caciocavallo cheese evenly over the dough. Distribute the chopped sage evenly over the cheese,
Alternate the asparagus spears and pepper strips in a circle around the entire pizza top. {see photo}. Sprinkle with Parmesan and the remaining oil.
Bake in the oven for about 15- 20 minutes until the crust is lightly brown. Serve with a salad.
Simple Spinach Salad
Ingredients
5oz baby spinach
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons diced walnuts
Fresh ground black pepper
Directions
To toast the walnuts*. Add walnuts to a small ungreased skillet over medium heat. Let the diced walnuts warm up, stirring occasionally until they just begin to darken and become fragrant, this usually takes about 5-6 minutes.
Remove the skillet from the heat, give the walnuts a little shake, and let the walnuts rest on the warm skillet 2-3 more minutes to finish toasting until ready to add to the salad.
Place the spinach to a bowl and drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil.
Toss the spinach to coat in lemon juice and olive oil.
Add cheese, walnuts, and a dash of freshly cracked pepper. Toss again and serve immediately.
Ingredients
16 oz. pizza dough homemade or store-bought
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
8 oz. container of ricotta cheese
16 oz pkg. mozzarella cheese, sliced thin
10 oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Combine spinach with the salt, oregano, and garlic powder in a mixing bowl
Press pizza dough into a greased 16-16” round pizza pan.
Lay slices of mozzarella over the dough. Spread the ricotta cheese evenly over the mozzarella.
Top the ricotta with the spinach using a tablespoon to distribute evenly. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the spinach.
Drizzle the top of the pizza with the olive oil.
Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the pizza crust is golden brown in color. Let rest for 5 minutes before cutting into 8 slices.
I served this pizza with a Greek Salad.
Ingredients
Meatballs
1 lb lean ground beef {or any ground meat you prefer}
1 cup dried bread crumbs
2 eggs
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
4 tablespoons shallots, minced
2 tablespoons dried Italian Seasoning
Soup
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, sliced
1 cup yellow onion, minced
1 cup leeks, diced
1 celery stalk with leaves, diced
10 oz fresh spinach leaves chopped
8 cups rich chicken broth
2 carrots, chopped
Half a small red chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup orzo
Grated Pecorino Romano cheese, for garnish
Make the Meatballs
Working with your hands, combine all ingredients and let sit in the refrigerator for one hour. Roll into small meatballs, about 1 inch.
For the Soup
In a large heavy pot over low heat add the olive oil, garlic, chili pepper, carrots, onion, and leeks. Gently cook for 10 minutes until tender.
Add the broth. Bring mixture to a boil, add orzo, and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the spinach and cook for 1 minute.
Add the meatballs, and lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 10 minutes.
Slowly pour in the beaten eggs, mixing gently to form fine threads.
Season with salt and pepper. Serve the soup with grated cheese and crusty Italian bread.
Spinach & Mushroom Quiche
Servings: 6
Ingredients
One 9-inch refrigerated pie crust
4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch dice
8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup diced red onion
5 ounces fresh baby spinach (about 8 cups), coarsely chopped
6 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese, divided
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9-inch deep dish pie pan with cooking spray. Fit the pastry into the pie pan and flute the edges.
Cook the bacon and drain on paper towels. Retain bacon fat in the skillet.
Scatter the crumbled bacon in the bottom of the prepared pie pan. Scatter 1 cup of the cheese over the bacon.
Add the mushrooms and onions to the bacon fat in the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes. Add spinach; cook, tossing constantly, until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Whisk eggs, cream, mustard, thyme, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Fold in the mushroom mixture and 1 cup of cheese.
Spoon into the prepared pie pan. Bake until set and golden brown, about 45 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Serve with a salad. I made a Caesar salad.
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.
Baked Branzino Fillets With Almond Topping
Branzino is a light and flaky fish with a sweet, buttery flavor. It is sourced from the Mediterranean waters, where the natural currents create the perfect environment for raising healthy fish.
Ingredients
2 Branzino fillets, about 6 oz each
¼ cup butter
Juice and zest from 1 small lemon
Chopped fresh parsley
Topping
½ cup ground toasted almonds
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon minced dried onion
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a baking dish just large enough to fit the filets, place the lemon zest and butter. Place the dish in the oven while it preheats. When the butter has melted, remove the dish from the oven.
Unwrap the fish and run it under cold water. Pat with a paper towel.
Place the fish skin side up in the prepared baking dish and then turn the fillets over. Place in the oven. Bake for 10 m minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and divide the topping evenly over the fish. Return the dish to the oven and bake for 8-10 more minutes.
Squeeze the lemon.
Remove the baking dish from the oven and pour the lemon juice over the fish. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.
Herbed Farro
Farro is a high-fiber whole grain that is an ancestor of modern wheat. It is commonly used in Italian cooking and is readily available in the U.S.
Ingredients
1 ½ cups farro, soaked in cold water to cover overnight
When ready to cook, drain the farro.
3 cups water
1 teaspoon salt, divided
3 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
½ cup chopped onion
¼ cup chopped fresh herbs {oregano, parsley, thyme, and chives}
Directions
Combine farro, water, and ½ teaspoon salt in a large heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir and reduce the heat to a simmer; cook, uncovered, until the farro is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
Drain the farro and set it aside.
Heat the oil in the empty saucepan. Add the garlic and onion. Saute for 3-4 minutes until the onion is tender. Add the farro and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir until the farro is coated in oil. Stir in the chopped herbs and heat briefly.
Spinach Stuffed Tomatoes
Ingredients
2 medium tomatoes
2 pinches of salt
¼ cup cooked, drained spinach/2 tablespoons of chive/onion cream cheese
1 teaspoon grated Parmesan cheese
Chopped chives
Directions
Cut a thin slice off the top of the tomatoes and remove the seeds and some of the inner flesh/ Sprinkle the salt on each tomato and turn them over in a paper towel. Let rest for 30 minutes.
Combine the spinach with the cream cheese and divide evenly between the two tomatoes. Sprinkle the tops with Parmesan and the chives. Place the tomatoes in a small baking dish and place them in the oven with the fish.
{400 degrees F for 20 minutes}
Greek Omelet
Ingredients
8 large eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup diced fresh tomatoes
1-10 pkg frozen spinach, defrosted and drained
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
Directions
PREHEAT THE BROILER.
Heat the oil in a large ovenproof swollen. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the spinach and salt. Sauté fir 1 minute. Add the tomatoes. Pepper and sauté for 3 minutes.
Pour the eggs over the vegetables and cook on medium until the eggs are set, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle the feta cheese over the top of the omelet.
Place the pan two inches under the broiler and cook for about 1-2 minutes until the top is set. Cut into wedges and serve.
Buttery Braised Potatoes
Ingredients
3/4 lb baby potatoes, about 1-inch in diameter, unpeeled and halved
1 cup water
2 tablespoon butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Directions
Place the potatoes in a 12-inch skillet, cut side down in a single layer. Add the water, butter, garlic and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover pan and cook 10 minutes.
Remove the cover and turn the heat to high. Cook 6-8 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally until the water evaporates. Add lemon juice and parsley. Serve with the omelet.
