MAHIMAHI WITH CHARRED ONION, TOMATOES, AND TAPENADE VINAIGRETTE

SERVES4

• ACTIVE TIME:10 MIN
• START TO FINISH:25 MIN

• 1 medium red onion, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
• 3/4 lb cherry tomatoes
• 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 4 (6-oz) skinless mahimahi fillets (1 inch thick)
• 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons black or green tapenade (olive paste)

• ACCOMPANIMENT:

  plain or parmesan couscous

• Preheat broiler and line a large shallow baking pan with foil.
• Toss onion and tomatoes with 3 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in lined baking pan, then spread evenly in one half of pan.
• Pat fish dry and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, then arrange, skinned side down and spaced apart, next to vegetables in other half of pan. Drizzle fish with 1 tablespoon oil and broil 4 to 6 inches from heat until vegetables are charred and slightly wilted and fish is just cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk together vinegar, tapenade, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil.
• Serve fish and vegetables over couscous. Stir pan juices into vinaigrette and drizzle on top.

MUSTARD-CRUSTED PORK WITH CARROTS AND LENTILS

SERVES 4

• ACTIVE TIME:10 MIN
• START TO FINISH:35 MIN

• 1 lb precut fresh carrot sticks
• 5 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 (1 1/4-lb) pork tenderloin
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided
• 1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 (15-oz) cans lentils, rinsed and drained
• 2/3 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

• Preheat oven to 425ºF with rack in middle.
• Toss carrots with 2 tablespoons oil and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a shallow baking pan and roast while preparing pork.
• Pat pork dry and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then brown pork all over, about 3 minutes total.
• Put pork on a work surface and brush with 1 tablespoon mustard. Stir together bread crumbs and 1/2 tablespoon oil, then press onto mustard on pork to form a crust.
• Transfer pork to pan with carrots and roast until carrots are browned and tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of meat registers 140 to 145ºF, 15 to 22 minutes. Let pork stand 5 minutes; keep carrots warm, covered (or continue roasting if needed).
• While pork roasts, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil with garlic and thyme in a small saucepan until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in lentils, broth, and remaining tablespoon mustard and cook until heated through. Season with salt and pepper and discard thyme. Serve pork with carrots and lentils.

CHICKEN AND PARSNIP “FRIES” WITH SPICY VINEGAR

SERVES4

• ACTIVE TIME:10 MIN
• START TO FINISH:30 MIN

• 1 1/2 lb parsnips
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 4 chicken breast halves with skin and bone (3 1/2 lb)
• 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes

• Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle.
• Peel parsnips and quarter lengthwise. (If large, cut lengthwise into eighths and cut out cores.) Toss with 1 tablespoon oil in a large shallow baking pan and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Roast, stirring occasionally, while preparing chicken (about 5 minutes).
• Pat chicken dry, then sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until it shimmers, then brown skin side of chicken, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer chicken, skin side up, to pan with parsnips, reserving skillet, and roast until chicken is cooked through and parsnips are tender and caramelized, about 20 minutes.
• While chicken roasts, reheat fat in skillet with remaining tablespoon oil, then add vinegar and red-pepper flakes and boil, stirring, 30 seconds. Pour into a cup and keep warm, covered.
• Serve chicken and fries drizzled with spicy vinegar.

CAULIFLOWER AND FETA OMELET

SERVES2

• ACTIVE TIME:20 MIN
• START TO FINISH: 30 MIN

• 5 large eggs
• 2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 medium head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch-wide florets (3 cups)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta (2 oz)
• 1/4 cup packed flat-leaf parsley leaves

• Beat eggs with 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Heat oil in a 10-inch heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then sauté cauliflower until browned and tender, 5 to 9 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, then add garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper and sauté 1 minute.
• Pour eggs over cauliflower. Cook, lifting edges to let uncooked egg run underneath and shaking skillet occasionally to loosen omelet, until almost set, 4 to 5 minutes. Slide out onto a large plate. Put skillet over omelet and, using pot holders, firmly hold plate and skillet together, then invert omelet back into skillet and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Slide out onto plate and sprinkle with feta and parsley.

CAPELLINI WITH SHRIMP AND CREAMY TOMATO SAUCE

SERVES4

• ACTIVE TIME:10 MIN
• START TO FINISH:15 MIN

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lb peeled large shrimp
• 3 large garlic cloves, forced through a garlic press
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 cup sweet (red) vermouth
• 1 (14- to 15-oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 lb capellini (angel-hair pasta)

• Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then cook shrimp and garlic with oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, turning once, until golden, about 2 minutes total. Stir in vermouth and tomatoes, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of skillet. Add cream and briskly simmer until sauce has thickened slightly, about 1 minute. Stir in lemon juice.
• Meanwhile, cook capellini in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (3 tablespoons salt for 6 quarts water) until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta-cooking water, then drain pasta.
• Serve immediately, topped with shrimp and sauce. Thin with some of reserved water if necessary

Sausage with Bacon and Sage

Ingredients: 2 sausages, sage, 6 slices bacon,

Season 2 sausages with some finely chopped sage (or dried sage). Wrap slices bacon around the sausages. Bake the sausages around brown in hot butter. Lower the heat and add some water. Let the the sausages simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes. Serve with potatoes and a salad. Bon appetit!

Curly Kale and Sausage

Ingredients: 1 kilo potatoes, 500 grams curly kale, salt, pepper, sausage, tomato ketchup, gravy cube, 200 ml water

Peel 1 kilo potatoes and boil 1 potatoes cooked. Heat 500 grams frozen curly kale in a separate saucepan with butter. If both are done mash well together and bring to taste with salt and pepper.

Bake the fresh sausage in some butter around brown and leave it another 10 minutes on low heat. Remove the sausage from the pan and put a gravy cube in the butter, with tomatoes ketchup and 200 ml water. Bring the sauce to the boil. Serve all together. Enjoy!

Tagliatelle with Minced Beef and Celery

Ingredients: 2 red onions, 4 celery sticks, 300 grams minced beef, 1 tablespoon flour, 100 ml red wine, 750 ml stock, 2 bay leaves, tagliatelle, salt, grated cheese,

Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry in it 2 finely chopped red onions and 4 diced celery sticks to the soft. Scoop it from the pan and keep it separate. Add some oil and bake at a higher heat 300 grams minced beef until brown. Put the red onion and celery back into the pan. Add 1 tablespoon flour. Stir fry shortly. Add 100 ml red wine and 750 ml stock. Bring to the boil briefly and then let it gently simmer on lower heat g for about an hour. Boil in the meantime tagliatelle in boiling water with salt until al dente. Serve the tagliatelle with the ragu and sprinkle some grated cheese over it. Enjoy!

Chicken Curry with Rice and Green Beans

Ingredients: rice, 300 grams green beans, 1 onion, 1 tablespoon curry powder, 200 ml coconut milk, 100 ml chicken stock, 1 chicken breast,

Boil the rice according to the indication on the packaging. Boil 300 grams green beans until al dente. Bake in hot oil 1 finely chopped onion with 1 tablespoon curry powder until the onion is soft. Add 200 ml coconut milk and 100 ml chicken stock and let it boil briefly. Add 1 diced chicken breast and let the chicken breast be cooked in 20 minutes. Serve the chicken curry with the rice and beans. Enjoy!

Carrot Blini’s and Swiss Pork Scallops

Wortelblini
Ingredients: 1 carrot, 1 small onion, 1 egg, 25 grams of flour, dill, grated cheese,

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees. Mix 1 grated carrot with 1 small onion, 1 egg, 25 grams flour and dill to taste. Heat oil in a frying pan and bake the blini’s brown at both sides. Place the blini’s on a baking tray. Sprinkle grated cheese over the carrot blini’s and place the baking tray about 10 minutes in the preheated oven.

Swiss Schnitzel
Ingredients: 2 pork scallops, salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1 onion, 250 grams chestnut mushrooms, 100 ml white wine, 200 ml cream,

Cut 2 pork scallops in slices and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cook the pork scallops slices brown in hot oil. Shovel the pork scallop slices from the pan and stir fry in the remaining fat 1 finely chopped onion with 250 grams sliced chestnut mushrooms for about 3 minutes. Add 100 ml white wine and let the alcohol evaporate. A 200 ml cream and bring to the boil. Add the pork scallops and let it simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes.

Serve the carrot blini’s and Swiss pork scallops with baked potatoes. Enjoy!

Noodles with Chicken Breast and Cashew Nuts

Ingredients: 1 onion, 1 teaspoon chilli jam, 1 chicken breast, 1 red pepper, 125 grams beansprouts, 50 grams cashew nuts, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon fish sauce,

Cook the noodles according pack instructions. Bake in hot oil 1 chopped onion with 1 teaspoon sambal until the onion is golden brown. Add 1 diced chicken breast and cook the chicken breast brown. Add 1 chopped red pepper and stir fry about 1 minute. Add 125 grams beansprouts, 50 grams cashew nuts, 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon fish sauce. Stir fry about 5 minutes. Add the noodles to the chicken mixture and serve. Enjoy!

Pork Roulade with Tomatoes and Mozzarella

Ingredients: 1 pork roulade, 1 onion, thyme, 250 ml sieved tomatoes, 1 stock cube, 3 tomatoes, mozzarella,

Bake 1 pork roulade around brown. Lower the heat when the roulade is brown and add a little water. Let the roulade be cooked in 45 minutes. Preheat the oven at 170 degrees. Remove the net or the strings of the roulade and cut into slices. Keep separately. Bake in hot oil 1 chopped onion with thyme until the onion is soft. Add 250 ml sieved tomatoes and crumbled stock cube. Bring to the boil briefly, then pour the tomato sauce in an oveproof dish. Cut 3 tomatoes and 1 mozzarella in slices. Put in the ovenproof dish with the slices roulade with in between tomato and/or mozzarella slices. Place the ovenproof dish about 20 minutes in the preheated oven or until the mozzarella has melted. Good with a salad and Flemish fries. Enjoy!

Spaghetti with Corn and Yellow Pepper

Ingredients: spaghetti, 2 onions, thyme, 250 grams minced beef, 1 yellow pepper, 50 ml white wine, 1 can diced tomatoes, 200 ml stock, 1 jar corn, salt, pepper,

Cook the spaghetti in boiling water with a little salt. Bake in hot oil 2 chopped onion and thyme to soft. Add 250 grams minced beef and fry it brown. Add 1 chopped yellow pepper and stir fry 2 minutes. Pour 50 ml white wine and let the alcohol evaporate. Add 1 can diced tomatoes, 200 ml stock and 1 jar corn. Bring it to the boil and let it all simmer on medium heat for about 10 minutes. Bring to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with spaghetti. Enjoy!

Grilled Flank Steak with Shallot and Red Wine Sauce

If you watched the Next Food Network Star, this recipe is from Amy, the show’s winner. While I think that the sauce from our Burgundy Steak Salad is a bit richer, this is a good and fairly simple way to make a good steak.

The potatoes are fun too… thwak them with a rolling pin and drown them in olive oil and thyme. Mmmmm.

Grilled Flank Steak with Shallot and Red Wine Sauce with Cracked Potatoes

Makes 4 servings. Recipe from Amy Finley.

INGREDIENTS
For Potatoes:
12 small-medium Yukon potatoes
1/2 cup olive oil
2 sprigs fresh thyme, plus 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1 clove garlic, sliced

4 shallots, sliced in thin rings
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup red wine
1 cup beef broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (1 1/2 pound) piece flank steak
1 tablespoon cold butter, in small chunks

DIRECTIONS
Make potatoes: Using the rolling pin or a heavy pan, gently smack the potatoes, 1 potato at a time, until the skin begins to split, exposing the interior of the raw potato.

Over low heat, add the olive oil to a medium-sized heavy-bottomed saucepan, then add the potatoes and thyme sprigs and season generously with salt and pepper. Place the lid on the pan and allow to cook, undisturbed, shaking the pan every 5 minutes or so, until the bottoms of the potatoes are browned, about 10 to 12 minutes. (Check occasionally to make sure the potatoes aren’t browning too quickly and adjust heat accordingly.) Turn the potatoes to their second side, replace the lid, and continue cooking undisturbed a further 5 to 8 minutes.

Remove the lid and cook a further 2 to 3 minutes, for the condensation to evaporate. Remove the thyme sprigs and add the sliced garlic and chopped fresh thyme and cook until the garlic is caramelized and chewy, about 2 minutes. Serve hot.

For steak: In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, saute the shallots in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until lightly caramelized, about 5 to 7 minutes. Raise the heat to high and add the red wine and reduce by half. Add the broth and reduce by half. Check for seasoning, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Keep warm on low heat.

Brush the flank steak on both sides with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with the salt and pepper. Place on the center of grill and sear 5 to 8 minutes per side for rare to medium rare, testing by pressing the meat with a finger: The spongier the meat feels, the rarer it is cooked. Remove from the grill and allow to rest, very loosely tented with aluminum foil, 5 to 10 minutes, to allow the juices to reabsorb into the meat. Slice the flank steak on the diagonal and place on a large platter. Finish the sauce by swirling in the chunks of cold butter, then top the steak with some of the sauce and serve the rest on the side.