Garlicky Beans

Garlicky Beans
from Ainsley Harriott's Fresh and Fabulous Meals in Minutes

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 cans (400g/14oz) cannellini beans (I had some cooked Jacob Cattle Beans in the fridge, so I used them instead)
3-4 oz/100ml vegetable or chicken broth
2 tbsp fresh parsley (preferably flat leaf/Italian), chopped
Lemon juice (squeeze to taste)
Salt & pepper

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium high heat and add the shallots and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until tender but not colored.

2. Add the beans (drained if from a can) and the broth and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 4-5 minutes. The beans should be tender and heated through.

Add the parsley, lemon juice plus salt and pepper if you like and serve. Great side for grilled or roasted meat, chicken or fish. And perfect for a buffet or picnic side dish.

Spicy Stir Fried Broccoli

Ainsley’s Spicy Stir Fried Broccoli
from Ainsley Harriott's Fresh and Fabulous Meals in Minutes

Prep time: 3 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:
Broccoli florets ( I used 1 bunch, not sure how much it weighed. And I removed the stalks)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ -1 tsp red chili pepper flakes
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp mustard seeds
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

Directions:
1. Steam or boil the broccoli for a couple of minutes, just until tender and a brilliant green. I used my microwave. Drain and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet/sauté pan and add the chili pepper, cumin and mustard seeds. Cook over medium heat for 30-40 seconds…just until you hear the popping of the seeds and smell that wonderful fragrance. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute or so. You just want to smell them…not see them darken. Add the drained broccoli and toss well. Stir fry until tender – 1-2 minutes should do.

Great side for grilled or roasted meat, chicken or fish.

1000 Year Old Steak - at least the recipe is

1000 Year Old Steak (at least the recipe is)
From a Mark Bittman video on NY Times - it's called Frank's Steak)

Prep time: 5 minutes
Marinate:1-3 days
Grill time: 5-8 minutes or so

Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 strip loin steaks – not too thick for this recipe (or whatever you’re favorite grilling boneless steak is)

Marinade:
½ cinnamon stick
3 whole cloves
½ tsp grated nutmeg
1 tsp fresh orange zest
1 cup full bodied red wine ( they suggest Amarone – very expensive, so I used Valpolicella)
1 tbsp sugar

Directions:
1. Mix all the marinade ingredients in a large zip lock baggie and add the steaks. Marinate on the counter for at least 3 hours, but much better in the fridge for 1-3 days.

2. Allow the steaks to come to room temperature before grilling - about one hour.

3. Heat a heavy bottomed fry pan or skillet over high heat. Once it’s hot, add the steaks and grill for 3-4 minutes per side.

4. Remove from the grill and place on a cutting board, cover with foil for a couple of minutes. You can serve each person a steak or you can slice across and serve over your favorite salad.

Simplest, best tasting dinner ever!

Baked Eggplant Chips with Sumac & Yoghurt

Baked Eggplant Chips with Sumac & Yoghurt
From Donna Hay Magazine

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 20-30 minutes (depending how skinny the wedges and how crispy you like them)

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
2 long Japanese eggplants, NOT peeled
½ cup olive oil (actually, I just drizzled over until I thought all the wedges had a little)
To serve:
2 tsp sumac*
Coarse sea salt (just a sprinkling over hot chips)
Lemon wedges
Plain yoghurt

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup.

2. Cut the eggplant, lengthwise into thin wedges. Because Japanese eggplants are so long, I also cut then in half across before cutting them into wedges

3. Toss the eggplant in a large bowl with enough olive oil to coat them. Start with ½ cup and add only as needed. The eggplant will soak up as much as you add, so don’t overdo.

4. Bake until the wedges are dark and crispy. The amount of time will depend on the size of the wedges and amount of eggplant on the baking sheet.

5. Once done, remove to a bowl and sprinkle with sumac and sea salt and squirt a little lemon juice. Toss and serve with some plain yoghurt on the side – Greek style is my favorite, but frankly, I like them straight - no yoghurt at all.

*Sumac is a Middle Eastern spice that I have come to love. If you can't find any where you live, substitute some Aleppo Chili Pepper or Chipotle powder...or whatever you think might add your favorite zing to these smoky fries.

Moroccan Style Stew with Preserved Lemons & Olives

Moroccan Stew with Preserved Lemons & Olives
Inspired by: Moroccan Food

Serves 4 to 5.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 ½ -2 hours

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. (700 g) beef or lamb, cut into 3-inch pieces (my first choice is lamb, but they didn't have any at the shop today)
1 large onion, chopped fine or grated
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp powdered ginger
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp saffron threads, crumbled
1/2 tsp ras el hanout (optional, Middle Eastern spice mix)
1/4 cup chopped parsley and cilantro
2 1/2 cups water
1 handful olives, pitted (I used sundried Lebanese olives – awesome)
1 preserved lemon, quartered, pith removed removed and rinsed well

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F/170°C

2. In a large bowl, combine the oil, finely chopped onion, ginger, pepper & turmeric. Set aside.

2. Heat a large, heavy bottomed Dutch oven, seasoned with just a touch of olive oil over high heat until it's really hot and the oil just begins to smoke. Once it's hot, sear the meat in batches so it doesn't "stew" (brown on all sides). Add the seared meat to the onion mixture and toss together and return to the pot once all the batches are done. Cook for 2-3 minutes over medium high heat. The fragrance and color will tell you when it's ready. Add the garlic and toss. Cook for an additional minute or two. Add the water, saffron, ras el hanout, if using, parsley and cilantro. Mix well and bring the stew to a boil.

3. Cover and transfer to the oven for 1-2 hours or until the meat is quite tender. Stir every 30 minutes or so and add a little water if necessary to prevent the meat from scorching.

4. When the meat is cooked, add the olives and lemon, and finish the cooking on the top of the stove, over medium –high heat to reduce the liquids until they have the appearance of a thick sauce.

This is great served over couscous or with mashed sweet potatoes.

Dessert Couscous with Pistachios & Rose Water

Dessert Couscous with Pistachios & Rose Water
Inspired by Sidewalk Shoes

Hands on time: 5 minutes
Standing time: 5 minutes
Serves 3-4

Ingredients:
1 ½ cup light coconut milk
1 cup whole wheat couscous
2 cracked cardamom pods
1 tbsp rose water (you can add a little more just before serving if you like)
Honey to drizzle before serving (optional)
¼ cup shelled pistachio nuts, toasted & coarsely chopped

Directions:
1. Bring coconut milk, rose water and cardamom pods to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Allow to boil for 2-3 minutes. And remove from stove.

2. Place the couscous in a deep bowl, pour the coconut milk mixture over (use a strainer to catch the cardamom pods and any escaped seeds), cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

At this point, taste and add additional rose water and perhaps a drizzle of honey (depends on how sweet you like your dessert).

3. Sprinkle with the toasted pistachios and serve.

You can serve this warm or at room temperature. I loved it both ways.

My Own Mellow Lentil Soup

My Own Mellow Lentil Soup
From Every Kitchen Tells Its Stories

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 2-3 hours (1 hour without the meat)
Serves 8-10Freezes well

Ingredients
2 lbs/ 1 kg flanken (beef short ribs) (this time I left it out)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 medium onions, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
2 large carrots, peeled and finely chopped (about 1 cup)
4 cups/1 litre beef broth (or vegetable broth if you like)
8 cups/2 litres of water
1 lb green lentils, washed in strainer (pick out any stones)
1 ripe tomato, diced
1 small bunch of fresh thyme sprigs or 1-2 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt & pepper to taste
Fresh lemon juice (when serving – optional)

Directions:
1. If making a meat version, sear flanken in Dutch oven or large soup pot on medium high heat. Remove from the pot and set aside.

2. To finely chop the vegetables, I use a food processor. Chop each type separately so they come out the same consistency.

3. Saute onions and carrots until the onions are soft and translucent (about 5 minutes). Return the meat to the pot if making the meat version.

4. Add liquid and bring to a boil over high heat.

5. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 30 minutes.

6. Add tomato, lentils and seasonings.

7. Remove bay leaf after 15 minutes.

8. Cover and simmer for at least one hour for vegetarian version, 2 hours, if you’re using meat, stirring occasionally and remove thyme sprigs once they shed their leaves.

Ainsley's Spaghetti with Sicilian Cauliflower Sauce

I don't usually like to show a messy platter, but check out the saffron thread on the upper left of the pasta

Ainsley’s Spaghetti with Sicilian Cauliflower Sauce
from Ainsley Harriott's Fresh and Fabulous Meals in Minutes

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:
8oz/226g multigrain spaghetti (because we’re on the South Beach Diet)
1 small cauliflower, cut into small florets
Pinch of saffron threads
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
4 anchovy fillets in olive oil, chopped
2oz/50g raisins
2oz/50g pine nuts
2 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste (I just used regular)
Juice of ½ lemon
3 tbsp fresh Italian/flat leaf parsley, chopped
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese to serve

Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and cook for about 4 minutes. Place the saffron threads in a small bowl, cover with 1 tbsp boiling water and set aside to soak for 5 minutes.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet/sauté pan and add the onion and cook over medium heat until tender but not coloured (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and anchovies and cook an additional minute or until the anchovies have “melted”. Add the fillets and pine nuts and cook for another minute, until the pine nuts are toasted.

3. Using a slotted spoon, scoop the cauliflower out of the boiling water and add to the pan. Stir in the saffron infusion, tomato paste and 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Season and continue to cook over low heat for 5 minutes, breaking the cauliflower up a bit with the back of a wooden spoon.

4. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in the boiling cauliflower water until al dente. Drain well and add pasta to the sauté pan.

5. Squeeze some lemon juice and sprinkle some parsley over the pasta and toss. Serve with lots of Parmesan cheese.

Mushroom Barley Soup Rouxbe.com style

Mushroom & Barley Soup
From rouxbe.com’s great site & cooking class

Hands-on time: 60 minutes (on and off but really only about 15-20 minutes of actual work)
Cooking time: 1 hour or so
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
½ cup pearl barley
½ tsp Kosher salt
1½ cups stock (chicken or vegetable)

1 oz/30g dried porcini mushrooms
2 cups boiling water

5 to 6 shallots (about 1 cup, once minced)
2 cloves garlic, minced
10 cups sliced mushrooms (they like white button, I love cremini)
4 to 5 sage leaves (1 tablespoon) ( I used thyme sprigs instead)
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
¾ cup dry-to-medium sherry (they use 1 full cup)
3 ½ cups stock (chicken or vegetable)
½ cup sour cream or plain yoghurt

Directions:
1. To cook the barley, place it into a small pot along with the salt and stock. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and let cook for about 30-35 minutes.

2. Soak the dried mushrooms in enough hot water to cover for at least 30 minutes. Strain through a filter and reserve the soaking liquid. Coarsely chop the mushrooms.

3. While the mushrooms are soaking, finely mince the shallots and garlic. They suggested slicing the mushrooms about 1/8-inch thick, but I just cut them into quarters and pulsed them until coarsely chopped in a food processor. I also minced the shallots and garlic in the food processor separately and set them aside in two separate bowls.

4. To cook the soup, heat a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the butter and oil. When the butter melts, add the shallots and sauté for about 3 to 4 minutes, until softened and translucent.

5. Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper and immediately turn up the heat to high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their juices and start to brown slightly. This should take about 10 minutes or so.

6. Meanwhile, check on the barley. Turn off the heat once tender. Keep covered and set aside.

7. Once the dried mushrooms are soft and rehydrated, remove them from the liquid and strain through a sieve lined with a coffee filter. This will help to remove any grit. Make sure to reserve the mushroom liquid, as it will add even more flavor to the soup. Finely chop the rehydrated mushrooms and set aside.

8. Once the mushrooms in the pot begin to brown, don’t stir too often. To help them brown nicely, you want them be in direct contact with the surface of the pot.

9. Once the mushrooms are golden brown, turn the heat down to medium-high, and add the rehydrated mushrooms and garlic. Let this cook for about 30 seconds, and then deglaze with the sherry. Once almost all of the sherry has evaporated, sprinkle the mixture with flour. This technique is known as singer. It's a sprinkling of flour to help thicken the mixture. Stir in the flour and let cook for about a minute.

10. Next, add the reserved mushroom liquid, and while stirring, add the stock. Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes.

11. To finish the soup, stir in the barley and thyme. Temper the sour cream with a bit of the hot soup, just so it blends evenly into the soup.

For an even creamier finish, you can add a touch of heavy cream if you like. Temper the cream by first heating it in the ladle, and then slowly combining it with a bit of the hot soup. I didn't bother adding cream...my waistline said "no thank you...at least not this time".

And you will definitely think it’s all worth the effort. Actually, you’re only standing in front of the stove for about 15 minutes in total. Not such a big deal for a really awesome soup.

Cod Provencal

Cod Provencal
Adapted from: rouxbe.com

Prep time: 15-20 minutes
Roasting time: 10 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:
¾ cup frozen baby lima beans
1 tbsp coriander seeds
½ cup Panko bread crumbs
4 fillets of cod, or other firm fleshed fish (last time I made this with tilapia, next up..salmon)
Sauce/Ragout:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 tomatoes, diced ( I used a small tin (14oz/ 396g) of diced tomatoes with their juice)
1/3 cup Kalamata or Nicoise olives, pitted & coarsely chopped
1 ½ tbsp capers, rinsed
¾ cup dry white wine
6 whole basil leaves (you can substitute dried basil or fresh oregano or parsley)
¼ tsp sea salt (Rouxbe suggests grey salt)
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:
1. In a medium sized pot, boil salted water. Add the frozen lima beans and cook for 3-5 minutes. Strain the beans when done and place in an ice bath (submerge in icy water to stop the cooking process). Set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F/170°C. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lightly spray the foil with cooking spray or brush with olive oil.

3. Heat a fry pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Saute the garlic and jalapeño for about 30 seconds then add the lima beans, tomatoes, olives and capers and cook for 30 seconds. Then add the wine and bring to a boil. Let the wine reduce by about half.

3. In the meantime, roughly crush the coriander seeds and mix with Panko crumbs. Season fish with a little salt and pepper and bread ONE SIDE ONLY with breading.

4. Heat a medium sized skillet over medium high heat. Add the oil and pan fry the fish crust side down and cook until golden. Once done, flip the fish and transfer to the prepared baking sheet.

5. Bake for 5-10 minutes.

6. Once the fish is ready, add the basil to the sauce. Spoon a few heaping spoonfuls of the sauce over each piece of fish and serve.

The sauce is wonderful to accompany any grilled fish, or chicken and is lovely tossed with your favorite pasta.

Roasted Butternut Squash & Garlic Soup

Roasted Butternut Squash & Garlic Soup
From a la di stasio (photo doesn't do justice to the burnt orange color or the fantastic aroma & taste)

Prep time: 5 minutes
Squash roasting time: 30-45 minutes + at least 10 minutes to cool
Soup cooking time: 15 minutes

Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash (2lb/1kg), cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed
4 cloves of garlic, not peeled, but tips cut off (easier to squeeze out the roasted garlic pulp after cooking)
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
1 large onion or 6 French shallots, finely chopped
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
2 tsp mild curry powder
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment.

2. Brush the cut side of the squash and the garlic cloves with olive oil. Place the squash cut side down and push the garlic cloves under the squash, in the cavities. Roast in the center of the oven until the flesh is tender (anywhere from 30-45 minutes, depending on the size of the squash). You will notice lots of liquid in the pan (along with the fantastic aroma of the roasted garlic). Not to worry, the squash will reabsorb the liquid as it cools. This step can be done much earlier in the day or day before. Scoop out the squash pulp and garlic and set aside.

3 Sauté the onions or shallots in butter over medium heat until they are soft. Don’t let them burn, stirring often for about 5-10 minutes, depending on how finely chopped they were to start. Add the ginger and curry and cook for an additional minute or two – just until you get their fragrance.

4. Add the squash, garlic and broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce and let simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.

5. Puree the soup. I use an immersion blender, but if you don’t have one, just puree in a blender or food processor.

Josée di Stasio suggests garnishing with yoghurt and lime wedges, which I’ll try next time, but it was awesome all on its own. So good, in fact, there was no time to take pictures. So close your eyes and imagine a thick bowl of orange colored delight and dig in.

Easy To Do Hearty Bean, Sausage & Mushroom Soup

Easy To Do Hearty Bean, Smoked Sausage & Mushroom Soup

Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour or simmer longer
Serves 8

Ingredients:
1-2 tbsp olive oil
2 carrots, coarsely chopped
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cremini mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1 can (28oz/794g diced tomatoes and their juice (I love Muir Glen fire roasted)
2 smoked sausages (chorizo or I just tried Butterball Chipotle turkey sausages), diced
4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
½ oz/14g dried porcini mushrooms (no need to reconstitute, the soup will do it)
2-3 sprigs thyme ( or 1 tsp dried thyme leaves)
2” piece of hard cheese rind (Parmesan or, like today, the last of my favorite – Manchego)
2 cups cooked Jacob Cattle beans (kidney beans, chickpeas, navy beans…whatever you like/have on hand)***
Optional: some additional heat to the soup – some red chili pepper flakes or Worcestershire or other hot sauce; chopped fresh cilantro just before serving.

***Check this recipe for a good way to prepare dried beans. Or just use your favorite canned option, but drain and rinse them before adding to the soup.

Directions:
1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven. Add the carrots, onion, cremini mushrooms (don’t add the dried porcini until you’ve added the liquid). Sautee until the carrots are soft (5 minutes or so). Add the tomatoes, sausages, and stir. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a simmer. Hold off on extra heat until you know you’ll need it! Thirty minutes should be enough time to let you know.

2. Simmer for 1 hour or until the bean are soft but still holding their shape. Nothing worse than mushy beans unless you’re going to puree them anyway. Remove and discard the thyme stems and cheese rind, scraping any cheese back into the pot.

To serve, you can also add some baby spinach or arugula leaves. The heat of the soup will wilt them.

Asian Hoisin Ribs

Asian Hoisin Ribs
From recipezaar.com submitted by Kittencal

Prep time: 5 minutes
Marinating time: 24 hours is best
Total Cooking time: 1 hour or so

Serves: 2-4 (depending on your appetites and what you serve it with)

Ingredients:
½ cup hoisin sauce
¼ cup + 1 tbsp honey
1/8 cup vegetable oil
1/8 cup rice vinegar
¼ tsp black pepper, ground
2 lb/1kg country style ribs, separated (the recipe calls for pork, but beef ribs would taste lovely too)
Sesame seeds (to sprinkle on top of finished dish) I prefer the toasted sesame seeds you can buy in most Asian markets and some larger grocery stores.

Directions:
1. Combine the hoisin sauce, honey, oil, rice wine vinegar, garlic and black pepper in bowl or right into large resealable ziplock baggie. Add the ribs and toss well to coat with the sauce. Marinated in the fridge overnight.

2. About one hour before serving, preheat the oven to broil and place the rack in the top third of the oven. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Add the ribs, bone side down if possible. Let them sit on the counter while you prepare the marinade as a baste.

3. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, boil the marinade for about 10-15 minutes or until thick and remove from the heat.

4. Brush the ribs with the marinade and broil for 4-5 minutes. Turn the ribs and repeat for the other side (another 4 minutes). Place the rack in the top third of the oven, but not right under the broiler. The honey and hoisin will just burn.

5. Reduce the oven temperature to 350F/170C and lower the rack to the middle of the oven. Turn the ribs one last time and cook for an additional 30-40 minutes (until they’re cooked through). If the ribs start to char before they are completely cooked, just cover them with foil.

Place the ribs on a serving platter and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Delicious served with vegetable stir fry or, like this time, roasted cauliflower and baby bok choy (15 minutes or so along with the ribs). I just tossed them with a spoonful of Asian Chili sauce to spice things up and counter the very sweet, but very delicious ribs.

Jello Jigglers

Jello Jigglers
Adapted from Jello’s own website with lots of great ideas for kids of all ages

Hands on time: 5 minutes
Chilling time: at least 3 hours
My tip: easiest to prepare the night before – 5 minutes, pop in the fridge and you’re ready for all the fun.

Makes as many shapes as your little ones can get out of a 13”x9” baking dish.

Ingredients:
1 ¼ cups fruit juice
1 pkg (8 servings size) your favorite Jello

Directions:
1. Bring the juice to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat.

2. Place the jello powder into a bowl and stir in the boiling juice. Stir for 3 minutes or until the jello is completely dissolved.

3. Transfer to a 13”x9” pan and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or until firm. I let it chill and then cover with plastic wrap.

My big tip: make it the night before you plan on creating Jelly Jiggles with your little ones.

4. When you’re ready to make shapes, dip the bottom of the pan in hot water for 15 seconds or so. Take a knife and ease the edges of the jello away from the pan. Gently use a spatula to begin the release process but DO NOT lift out of the pan. Place a cutting board that is larger than the circumference of the pan, and turn the whole thing upside down. The inverted pan is now over the board and the jello should have dropped onto the cutting board. Take a peak, if it still is in the pan, soak a tea towel in hot water and place over the exposed bottom. This should do the final loosening.

5. Use your favorite cookie cutters to make shapes or just cut into diamonds or squares. Even two year old fingers enjoy this. If there are any leftovers, they can be refrigerated. Well shaped ones can be put in baggies as a snack, or mix the leftovers with some cool whip and serve.

Pasta Sicilian Style with Broccoli Rabe

(I know you don't see any pasta, but we're doing the South Beach Diet, and I'm using the "sauce" as a side for grilled steak)

Pasta Sicilian Style with Broccoli Rabe

Prep time: 15 minutes (mostly for boiling water for pasta)
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:
8oz/226g spaghetti (we used whole wheat, because we’re on the South Beach Diet)
1 large bunch broccoli rabe
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
2-3 anchovies, mashed
Red chili pepper flakes – as much as you’re comfortable with
Asiago cheese, coarsely grated, again – as much as you prefer. I just like a little sprinkling of each
Extra olive oil for tossing.

Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (8-10 minutes depending on the type of pasta). Drain and set aside.

2. In the meantime, bring another large pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the broccoli rabe (means cook until the water returns to a boil and the greens get really green – 1-2 minutes).

3. Drain the broccoli rabe, and soak for a couple of minutes in ice cold water to stop the cooking process.

When you add the pasta to the pasta pot, prepare the final touches to the broccoli rabe.

4. In the same pot you blanched the broccoli, heat some olive oil with the garlic, chili pepper flakes and anchovies and cook for a couple of minutes over medium heat, just until you smell the fragrance. Add the broccoli rabe to the pot and toss to heat. Take off the stove and coarsely chop the broccoli.

6. Drain the pasta and place in a large serving bowl. Add the broccoli rabe mixture and taste for seasoning. The broccoli rabe is more bitter than regular broccoli so you might want to add a pinch of sugar to temper it. Add some Asiago cheese and possibly more olive oil and chili pepper flakes.

Serve with a simple green salad.

Puerto Rican Ajilimojili

Puerto Rican Ajilimojili
From: Herbs & Spices: The Cook's Reference

Hands-on time: 3 minutes
You can keep it in the fridge for 3-4 weeks

Makes1½ cup

Ingredients:
3 hot red chili peppers (I’m a baby when it comes to spicy, so I just used one red jalapeno pepper, seeded
3 red sweet peppers, seeded (I only had one, so I just scaled back the lime juice & oil)
4 black pepper corns (or coarsely ground pepper)
4 large cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp salt (I cut down on that)
2/3 cup lime juice
2/3 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Roughly chop the peppers and then place in a food processor with the pepper, garlic and salt. Add the lime juice and olive oil and process until smooth.

2. It keeps well in the fridge for 3-4 weeks.

I loved it over pan or oven roasted tilapia, but it will work well with any fried, grilled or roasted fish or meat.

Eggplant with Preserved Lemons

Roasted Eggplant wit Preserved Lemons
From: Herbs & Spices: The Cook's Reference

Hands-on time: 5 minutes
Roasting: 20-30 minutes depending on the size of the eggplants
Serves: 4

Ingredients::
2 long eggplants (I couldn’t find any, so I used baby eggplants – 2/person)
1 preserved lemon
1 tbsp sunflower oil (I used olive oil)
Sprinkle of chili pepper, smoked paprika or, my favorite – Ancho chili powder
3 tbsp or so pine nuts

Directions:
Salsa:
1. Preheat the oven to 350F/170C. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.

2. Cut the eggplants in half length-wise and cut slits into the fleshy side.

3. Rinse the preserved lemons well and remove any pith. You only want to use the rind. Cut the rind into slivers and stuff the slits in the eggplant with small slivers of the lemon.

4. Cut squares of foil –one for each of the eggplant halves. Place an eggplant portion in the center, flesh side up. Drizzle with a little oil, sprinkle some chili powder and a few pine nuts on each half. Close up each foil packet.

5. Bake until soft (20-30 minutes or so). Let them cool and serve at room temperature.

I served them with oven roasted tilapia with Puerto Rican Ajilimojili . The richness of the eggplant, worked well with the spicy ajilimojili.

Seared Scallops with Peruvian Parsley Salsa

Seared Scallops with Peruvian Parsley Salsa
Salsa from: Herbs & Spices: The Cook's Reference

Hands-on time: 5 minutes
Marinating time for salsa: 30 minutes
Cooking time: less than 5 minutes
Serves: 2

Ingredients:
Salsa:
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh oregano leaves (½ tsp dried if you can’t find any fresh)
Red wine vinegar, just enough to cover the onion & oregano in a small bowl)
3 handfuls of fresh parsley leaves
1 tomato
Salt & pepper to taste

1 lb/500 g sea scallops, rinsed and patted dry
1 tsp or so good olive oil
Arugula leaves (just for yourself as to how much you like per person. Note: some people find this very strong and woodsy, so you might want to do half arugula, half baby spinach leaves)

Directions:
Salsa:
1. Place the chopped onion and the oregano in a small bowl and pour red wine vinegar over the mixture, just enough to cover. Let it sit for 30 minutes or so and then drain off the vinegar. Chop the parsley leaves to a paste in a food processor. Add to the drained onion/oregano mix.

2. The book calls for peeling and grating the tomato into the salsa, or chop fine. I cheated and added coarsely chopped tomato (with the peel) to the pureed parsley and pulsed a couple of times, then adding it all to the onions & oregano. Taste for seasoning and set aside while you cook the scallops.
Scallops:
In a large nonstick skillet over high heat, add the olive oil and once the pan is quite hot, add the scallops so they do not overlap or touch each other. Giving them space will help them sear and get a little golden on each side. Flip after 2-3 minutes, depending on the size of the scallops, and cook for another minute or two. They don’t take very long and if you overcook them, they just get rubbery.

Plating the finished dish:
Place a bed of arugula or arugula, spinach mix on a plate or platter. Place scallops on top and then generously spoon the salsa over the scallops. Toss and serve.

Norene's Best Oatmeal Cookies

Norene's Best Oatmeal Cookies
From Norene's Healthy Kitchen

Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Baking time: 10-12 minutes
Makes 3 dozen or so

Ingredients:
½ cup canola oil
1 large egg (or 2 egg whites)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla extract
¾ cup whole wheat flour
1 ½ cup rolled oats (preferably large flake)
¼ cup wheat germ
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup raisins or dried cranberries
1/3 cup sunflower seeds or chopped nuts (this time I used pecans)

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a food processor fitted with the steel blade (or large bowl using an electric mixer) beat the oil, eggs (egg whites), sugars, water and vanilla about 1 minute. Add the flour, rolled oats, wheat germ, baking soda, cinnamon & salt. Process just until combined.

3. If you are using a food processor to this point, transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the fruit, chocolate chips and nuts (or whatever you fancy) with a rubber spatula.

4. I use a small ice-cream scoop, but you can use a soup spoon to drop the batter onto the prepared cookie sheets.

5. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden.

Norene says they freeze well for up to 4 months. They didn’t last 2 days on my counter!

South Beach Friendly Arugula, Mushroom Omelet

The South Beach Diet Friendly Arugula & Mushroom Omelet

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Serves 2

Ingredients:
5 large eggs, beaten
1 tbsp olive oil
Filling:
½ cup leftover caramelized onion & mushrooms (mine is from Onion Mushroom Quesadillas, but any rich leftover cooked veggies would work well)
½ - 1 tsp pureed chipotle in adobo
1 tbsp roasted red pepper pesto
1 cup baby arugula leaves
½-1cup grated cheese (this time I used Swiss, but crumbled feta would also be delicious)

Directions
Filling:
1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Heat up the leftovers, chipotle and pesto for 1-2 minutes, just to heat through. Add the arugula and allow to wilt, tossing frequently. Set aside in a small bowl and rinse out the skillet. Squeeze out any excess liquid before adding the mixture to the eggs.

Omelet:
1. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to same skillet; heat over medium-high heat.

2. Add beaten eggs and cook until eggs are just set in center, tilting skillet and lifting edges of omelet with spatula to let uncooked portion flow underneath, about 3 minutes.

3. Sprinkle half of cheese over half of omelet, then top with filling and then add the remaining cheese.

4. Using spatula, fold uncovered half of omelet over cheese; slide onto plate. Sprinkle with a little freshly ground black pepper and serve.

Bread Machine Plus Pumpernickel Rye

Bread Machine Plus Pumpernickel Rye
Adapted from The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook

Hands-on time: 5 minutes
Bread machine time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Resting time: 1 hour
Baking time: 30 minutes
Cooling time: 15-20 minutes

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients: Make sure you place the ingredients in the order given. This recipe is for a medium loaf which for my bread maker means 1½ lb (680g) loaf

Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups water
3 ½ tbsp molasses
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 ½ cups bread flour
1 cup medium or dark rye flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
¼ cup cornmeal (I used finely ground)
3 tbsp unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 ½ tbsp dry nonfat milk
1 ½ tbsp gluten
½ tsp instant espresso powder
2 tsp caraway seeds
1½ tsp salt
1 tbsp bread machine yeast

Directions:
1. Place all the ingredients IN ORDER into the bread machine. Select Dough setting and press start. (My machine takes 1 hour 20 minutes).

2. When the bread machine beeps, press STOP and unplug the machine.

3. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured working surface (I used cornmeal). Knead a few times and pat into a 12”x6” rectangle. Roll up from the long edge into a loaf about 14” long. Cover gently with a damp dish towel and let it rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk – about 1 hour.

4. Preheat the baking stone before baking -place a baking stone on the center rack of a cold oven and preheat to 450°F/230°C. Place an EMPTY cake pan or broiler tray out of the way of your stone (I put mine on the lowest shelf, off to one side). I leave the oven on for at least 30 minutes before lowering the heat to 400°F/200°C.

5. Sprinkle a little cornmeal directly on your pizza/baking stone. Using a dough scraper or steel spatula to help you, quickly slide the loaf onto the prepared stone. Don’t worry if it slightly deflates. Just before shutting the door add 1 cup hot tap water to the hot empty baking pan. This will steam the oven and make a very crispy crust. Bake for about 30 minutes until the surface is dark brown and sounds hollow when you tap the top.

6. Remove and let it cool on a rack.

Stuffed Thyme Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Thyme Roasted Sweet Potatoes Mash
(peeping out behind the salmon)

Serves 2
Hands-on time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10-15 minutes

Ingredients:
1 large sweet potatoes, cut in half
1 large sprig thyme (or ½ tsp dried thyme leaves)
Salt & pepper to taste
Splash of maple syrup
Pat of butter

Directions:
1. Cut the sweet potato in half, lengthwise and place the thyme sprig (or dried thyme) between the 2 halves. Wrap in paper towel and microwave until soft. How much time will depend on the sweet potato and your microwave oven. Check after 5 minutes, and if still not soft, flip the sweet potato over and continue to microwave at 1 minute intervals until done.

2. Scoop the sweet potato out of the skin and into a bowl, discard the thyme sprigs, but not the potato skin. Add some butter, salt & pepper to taste and just a tiny splash of maple syrup. Mash well and refill the sweet potato skins.

3. If you’re roasting fish, chicken or meat, pop the sweet potatoes in the oven for the last 5 minutes. If not, just pop back in the microwave for 40 seconds or so, to reheat.

I served this one with Spice Rubbed Roasted Salmon....delicious combo.

Spice Rubbed Salmon

Spice Rubbed Salmon
From a la di stasio

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 8-10 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tbsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp white or maple sugar (I used brown sugar)
2 tsp sea salt
4 salmon fillets
2 tbsp olive oil

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F/220°C

2. Coarsely grind coriander and mustard seeds in a coffee grinder or with a mortar and pestle.

3. Mix the spices, sugar, salt & pepper on a plate or wide bowl and coat the salmon fillets. Let the spices infuse the fish for a few minutes.

4. In an oven-proof skillet (one that can sustain high heat), heat the oil over medium heat on top of the stove. Brown fillets on top and bottom for 1-2 minutes per side. Take care not to burn the spice crust.

5. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for 5-8 minutes or until the fish is cooked.

Josée suggests serving with Mashed Potatoes and braised beet salad (also in her book), a green salad or her warm potato salad (in her book and looks very tasty…must try some). I served it with Stuffed Thyme Roasted Sweet Potatoes.

Pasta Pepe e Cacio

Pasta Pepe e Cacio
From a la di stasio

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 5-8 minutes (plus time to boil pasta)

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 lb/500g pasta (I used multigrain spaghettini)
2-4 tbsp butter or olive oil or combo (that’s what I did)
2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 cup or so grated Romano or Parmesan or combo (I used Asiago and it was quite clumpy, although delicious)
Grated lemon zest & juice of 1 lemon

Directions:
1. Boil pasta as per directions in salted water (cooking time anywhere from 5-10 minutes, depending on the type of pasta used).

2. In the meantime, place the butter (and olive oil, if using) and pepper in a hot serving platter/bowl. Put the platter over the pasta cooking pot to melt the butter and keep everything warm.

3. Here’s where we slightly differ:
Josee’s version: Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water. Transfer pasta to platter and toss to coat with peppery butter.
Ruth’s version: Use tongs to take pasta out of cooking water along with any water that clings to the pasta. Toss to coat with the peppery butter.

Add most of the cheese a little at a time, tossing and adding a little cooking water if needed. (My cheese clumped, probably because I used Asiago instead of Romano or Parmesan, but it tasted awesome anyway.)

Add the lemon zest and juice, and the last of the cheese. Toss and serve. Best with a simple salad for a very tasty meal.

Note: I served it with some Sichuan Tilapia ( used the rub from Dai Grilled Chicken and pan grilled it). Actually, it was overkill and I really didn't get to taste the wonderful garlicy & subtle, perfumy pepper rub, so I won't be doing this combo again. That said, I'll definitely be making both dishes...just not together.