Steak & Mushroom Pasta

There is nothing like leftover steak & sauteed mushrooms - even in pasta!

Printable Recipe

Total time: 20 minutes (longest part is boiling the water for the pasta)
Serves 2

Ingredients
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 sprig, fresh rosemary leaves, chopped (about 1 tbsp)
2 cups assorted mushrooms, sliced (I used shitake and cremini)
1 can (14oz/398ml) fire roasted & diced tomatoes, undrained
¼ cup cured black olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
½ grilled strip loin steak (or you could use leftover roasted or grilled chicken), thinly sliced
Splash of balsamic vinegar
½ lb//225g short pasta
Asiago cheese, grated for serving.

Directions
1. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente (check the package for time – usually 7-8 minutes). Reserve a cup of pasta water in case the sauce is too thick/dry).

2. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat and sauté the onions, mushrooms, garlic and rosemary until the onions are soft and golden (about 5 minutes). Add the tomatoes (with the juice), olives and sauté for an additional 5 minutes.

3. Add a splash of balsamic vinegar and the sliced steak. Toss and sauté for another couple of minutes. If the sauce is too thick, add some pasta water.

4. Plate the pasta and pass the grated cheese for each to add.

Lobster Pasta in Creamy Tomato Sauce

Inspired by an Allrecipes iPad app recipe

Printable Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:
8oz/250g pasta (I used elicoidali lunghi, but penne or whatever your favorite)
Sauce
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1 can (14oz/398ml) diced fire roasted tomatoes
1 – 1 ½ cups baby beet greens, coarsely chopped
¼ cup fresh Italian/flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
1 lb/450g cooked lobster meat, in chunks
½ - ¾ cup cream (I used 18% - be as decadent or not as you like)
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
¼ - ½ tsp red chili pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente.

2. In the meantime, in a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter in olive oil (to avoid burning the butter). Sauté the shallots and garlic until soft and fragrant (3 minutes or so). Don’t allow the garlic to burn. Add the canned tomatoes and their juice, chili pepper flakes and continue to cook for 5 minutes.

3. Add the beet greens and parsley and toss about for 1 minute. The greens should begin to wilt. Add the lobster meat, cream and fresh basil. Toss and just cook for 2 minutes or until the lobster is heated through.

4. Once the pasta is al dente, drain and add to the lobster sauce. Toss, taste for seasoning and serve.

Steamed Nova Scotia Lobster

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes

Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 lobsters ( 1½ lb/680g each)
16oz/ ½ liter sea water (if you’re lucky enough to get some from your lobsterman)
OR…
That much water plus 1 tbsp sea salt

Directions:

1. Allow the salted water to come to a boil in a very large pot . I use my big stock pot for this.

2. Remove rubber bands on claws and place head first in the water. Quickly cover and allow to steam for about 20 minutes.

Tip from Anita Stewart's Canada is to plunge the cooked lobster in a sink of ice water for 30 seconds to to prevent the meat from sticking to the shell.

3. To get to the meat, Nova Scotia lobstermen style..
A)Hold the lobster with one hand on the hard front (includes the claws)shell and the other on the articulated back (includes the tail) and twist apart.
B) Lay tail portion on the cutting surface - hard shell side up - and press down firmly until you hear a crack. Turn over and twist the very tip of the tail off.
C)Pull the meat out or.. if that's too hard, cut the softer under belly shell and pull the tail meat out that way.
D) Remove the claws from the front shell and using a hammer or cleaver crack across the large claw shell - try not to cut through the meat. separate the shell halves and genly pull out the meat.
E) Back to the hard front shell... remove and discard the part behind the eyes. I personally love chomping on the skinny legs, but some people just eat the claws and tail portions.

And now for the extra treat... save the shells in a large zip lock baggie and freeze them to make the most delicious stock ever - great for lobster risotto and lobster bisque.

Back to eating your freshly steamed lobster... All you need is squirt of lemon juice or, if you’re really in a decadent mood… some melted garlic butter for dipping.

Chicken Satay with Peanut Coconut Dipping Sauce

From Bittman's Kitchen: What I Grill and Why (Kindle Single)

Printable Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes + 20 minutes to soak bamboo skewers
Marinating Time: 30 minutes – 2 hours
Cook Time: 8-10 minutes

Serves 2 ( Sauce will do for 4, so you might want to double up on the chicken. I just saved more for another batch

Ingredients:
8-10 bamboo skewers (10- to 12-inch)
1 lb/450g boneless chicken breasts
Marinade/Dipping Sauce:
½ cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
½ cup smooth peanut butter
1-2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice (I used more – juice of 1 lime)
1 tsp sugar
¼ - ½ tsp Sriracha sauce ( or ¼ tsp cayenne pepper)

Directions:
1. Soak bamboo skewers for at least 20 minutes in cold water to prevent them from burning.

2. Combine the marinade ingredients in small bowl. Taste for seasoning and consistency. You might need to add more coconut milk or water to thin it if it seems too thick. It should be thin enough to brush on the chicken. Set aside one half of the sauce for dipping.

3. Cut the chicken into strips about 1 inch wide, 3-4 inches long, and ¼ - ½ inch thick (I cover the breasts with waxed paper and pound with a mallet). Thread them on the skewers and brush the chicken all over with some of the marinade. (I just tossed the chicken in the marinade before skewering, which is obviously messier… too bad I didn’t read carefully the first time I made this).

4. Marinate for a few minutes at room temperature to an hour or more in refrigerator. The longer you marinate, the more flavorful the chicken.
5. Preheat the grill to medium high. (Ruth’s note… if you don’t have a BBQ, use an indoor electric grill, stove top grill pan or the broiler of your oven). Cook the chicken skewers until they are lightly charred on one side (about 2 minutes) and flip. Cook until they are no longer pink inside (usually just another 2-3 minutes).

Mark’s important note: “Chicken cut this thin can get rubbery if it’s overcooked, so don’t let it go too long.”

Serve the chicken with reserved Peanut-Coconut dipping sauce.

Strawberry Rhubarb Galettes

From Martha Stewart's Pies & Tarts

Printable Recipe

Crust needs to be prepared one hour up to a day ahead….
Crust:
Prep time: Tip from Martha Stewart – all ingredients should be cold – refrigerate for 30 minutes before you begin
Working the dough: 5 minutes or so
Chilling time: one hour to overnight

Galette:
Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Chilling time: 30 minutes
Baking time: 45 minutes
Cooling time: 30 minutes

Servings: 8

Ruth’s note: I used half the dough, but made it all and froze 4 of the 8 rounds of dough for another time. I made all of the filling and what I didn’t use for the tart, I slowly cooked down over low heat until the rhubarb was soft and made fridge jam.

Ingredients:
Crust: Pate Brisee
2 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) COLD unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
¼ - ½ cup ice water

Filling:
1 ½ lbs/680g) rhubarb, trimmed and cut into ¼ “ pieces (about 5 cups)
8 oz/227g fresh strawberries, hulled and chunked (Martha uses raspberries for this recipe) (about 1 ½ cups fresh berries – whichever you choose)
¼ cup cornstarch
2 cups granulated sugar
Coarse sugar for sprinkling

Directions:
Crust
1. Put the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of the food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse a couple of times to combine.

2. Add the chilled butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal (if you don’t have a food processor, whisk the flour, sugar & salt and then using a pastry blender or your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour mixture). Drizzle ¼ cup ice water over the mixture. Pulse (or mix with a fork) until the mixture begins to hold together. If the dough is too dry, add more water 1 tbsp at a time and pulse. Cutting in the butter in a food processor should only take 10-15 seconds.

3. Turn the dough onto plastic wrap. Use you hands to quickly gather the wrap to shape the dough into balls (This recipe asks you to cut the dough evenly into 8 pieces to make individual galettes. For a large version, just shape into one ball.). Wrap each ball, flattened to a disk, in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or longer. The dough should be firm (I put 4 in the fridge and double wrapped and zip-lock bagged the other 4 and put them in the freezer for another time).
Galette:
4. While the dough is chilling, toss the fruit, cornstarch and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl. Set aside until the dough is ready to roll out.

5. Roll each disc on a lightly floured surface and working from the center outward, until they are about 7” in diameter and 1/8” thick. Loosen with a spatula if it starts to stick and sprinkle a little more flour on the surface of the counter or board… but don’t use too much flour or it will get tough.

6. Line a rimmed baking sheet (or two if you are making all 8 galettes) with parchment paper.

7. Place a heaping ½ cup of fruit mixture in the center of each rolled disk leaving a 1” border. Fold the edges of the dough over the filling, leaving an opening in the center. Gently brush water between the folds and press gently so the folds stick together. Place four per baking sheet, leaving room between each galette.

8. Refrigerate for 30 minutes

9. Preheat oven to 400°F/ 200°C. Brush the edges of the dough with a little more water and sprinkle with the coarse sugar. Bake until the crusts are golden (30 minutes or so). Reduce the heat to 375°F/ 190°C and bake until the juices bubble and start to run out from the center of each galette (about 15 minutes)

10. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving.

I like mine topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream… whipped cream is another delicious option.