Monthly Archives: January 2019

CASTAWAYS STEAK AND MUSHROOMS

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2 lbs top sirloin steak

1/2 c flour

salt and pepper, to taste

3 tbs olive oil

3 cloves fresh garlic, minced

2 tbs oregano

1 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 c red wine

1/2 tsp thyme

1 c water

1 c fresh mushrooms, sliced

Pound steak to flatten.

Cut steak into 2″ strips.

Roll in flour, salt and pepper.

Add olive oil to a hot frying pan.

Brown meat on both sides.

Reduce heat to simmer.

Add herbs and 1/2 cup water and steam for 20 minutes.

Add remaining water, wine, and mushrooms and cook 20 minutes more, or until tender.

Check periodically, adding more water if needed.

Remove meat from pan and add 1-2 tbs flour if necessary to thicken gravy.

Serve with rice or noodles.

6 servings

RED PEPPER ASIAGO GOUGERE CHEESE BITES

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1 c water

1/2 c butter

1 c flour

1/2 tsp garlic salt

4 eggs

1 1/2 c (6 oz) finely shredded asiago OR parmesan cheese

1/2 c finely chopped red bell pepper

1 1/2 tbs finely chopped fresh basil*

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

Place water and butter in heavy 2 qt saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a full boil (6-8 minutes). Reduce heat to low; stir in flour and garlic salt vigorously until mixture leaves sides of pan and forms a ball. Remove from heat. Add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition, until mixture is smooth. Stir in 1 cup cheese, bell pepper and basil.

Immediately drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle each with 1/4 tsp remaining cheese. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

makes 72 gougere bites

 

 

CHICKEN STEW WITH LEMON AND ROSEMARY

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8 chicken thighs, roughly 2 1/2 lbs (each thigh about 6 oz)

kosher salt, plus 1 tsp

freshly ground black pepper

1 tbs vegetable oil

3 tbs unsalted butter, softened

4 carrots, sliced into 1″ bias cut (about 1 1/2 cups)

4 ribs celery, cut into 1″ bias cut (about 1 1/ 2 cups)

2 sprigs rosemary

1 lemon, juiced

2 1/2 cups chicken broth, homemade OR low-sodium canned

3/4 cup frozen pearl onions, thawed

2 tsp finely grated lemon zest

2 tbs flour

buttered noodles, accompaniment

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Heat the oil and 1 tbs butter in a dutch oven (12″ diameter) over medium-high heat. Lay half of the chicken pieces skin-side down in the skillet. Cook the chicken, until golden-brown on both sides, turning once, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the carrots and celery, and cook until just tender, about 10 minutes. Add the rosemary, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add the lemon juice, and scrape up any browned bits that cling to the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the broth, onions, lemon zest, and 1 tsp salt and bring just to a boil.

Return the chicken skin-side up to the pot, taking care that the skin is just over the surface of the liquid, and then put the stew in the oven. Cook, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through, tender, and lightly glazed and brown, about 40 minutes. Base the chicken occasionally in the last 20 minutes of cooking. Meanwhile, use a fork to work the remaining 2 tbs butter into the 2 tbs flour to make a paste.

Remove the stew from the oven. Remove and discard the rosemary and arrange all the veggies and chicken (reserving the juices in the pan) in a serving dish/bowl. Place the dutch oven over medium heat and whisk the butter/flour mixture to the juices until dissolved. Bring to a boil an simmer until thickened. Pour sauce over the chicken and serve immediately over buttered noodles.

4 servings

 

TOMATO BASIL SOUP

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4 lbs tomatoes, halved across the hemisphere

2 tbs PLUS 2 tsp extra virgin oil

1 1/2 tsp sea salt

1 lg onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, sliced

4 c low-sodium veggie OR chicken stock

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tbs butter

salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 c basil, sliced thinly

1/2 c freshly grated parmesan cheese

Heat the grill or grill pan over high heat to 400 degrees. Remove the tomato seeds; brush the tomato halves with 2 tbs of the olive oil and sprinkle them with salt. Grill skin side down for 15-20 minutes or until slightly blackened.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tsp olive oil in a lg stockpot over med heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute for 4 minutes. Pour in the stock, red pepper flakes, and grilled tomatoes.

Bring the stock to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer for 30 minutes. Add the butter and stir until melted. Blend the soup in a blender or in the pot with a stick blender until it is the desired texture.

In the pot, season the blended soup with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the soup into eight bowls, top each serving with 1 tbs of sliced basil and 1 tbs of parmesan, and serve.

 

8 servings

MEDITERRANEAN LENTIL SALAD

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2 c water

1/2 c dry brown OR red lentils

1 (14.5 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

3 roma OR plum tomatoes, chopped OR one (14.5 oz) can chopped tomatoes, drained

1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 carrot, grated

juice of 1 lemon

2 tbs extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

salt to taste

In a 2 qt stockpot, bring the water and lentils to a boil on high heat; reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes or until tender. Drain any excess liquid.

In a serving bowl, mix the cooked lentils, chickpeas, tomatoes, bell peppers, and carrot. Whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil.

Stir the lemon vinaigrette into the salad, top with the cilantro, season with salt to taste, and serve.

 

6 servings

 

ZUCCHINI AND GOAT CHEESE FRITTATA

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2 medium zucchinis

8 eggs

2 tbs milk

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 oz goat cheese, crumbled

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice the zucchinis into 1/4″ thick round slices. In a lg bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk, salt, and pepper.

In a heavy, ovenproof skillet (preferable cast iron), heat the olive oil over med heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the zucchini slices and cook for 5 minutes.

Pour the whisked eggs over the zucchini and stir for 1 minute. Top with the cheese and transfer to the oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the eggs are set. Remove the pan from the oven and let sit for 3 minutes.

Transfer the frittata to a cutting board, slice into four pie wedges, and serve hot or at room temp.

4 servings

CHICKEN STEW

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2 tbs olive oil

2 stalks celery, cut into bite-size pieces

1 carrot, peeled, cut into bite-size pieces

1 small onion, chopped

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 (14 1/2 oz) can chopped tomatoes

1 (14 oz) can low-salt chicken broth

1/2 c fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces

1 tbs tomato paste

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves

2 chickens breasts with ribs (about 1 1/2 lbs total)

1 (15 oz can organic kidney beans, drained (rinsed if not organic)

 

Heat the oil in a heavy 5 1/2 qt saucepan over med heat. Add the celery, carrot, and onion. Saute the veggies until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in tomatoes with their juices, chicken broth, basil, tomato paste, bay leaf, and thyme. Add the chicken breasts; press to submerge.

Bring the cooking liquid to a simmer. Reduce the heat to med-low and simmer gently, uncovered, until the chicken is almost cooked through, turning the chicken breasts over and stirring the mixture occasionally, about 25 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the chicken breasts to a work surface and cool for 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Add the kidney beans to the pot and simmer until the liquid has reduced into a stew consistency, about 10 minutes.

Discard the skin and bones from the chicken breasts. shred or cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Return the chicken meat to the stew. Bring the stew just to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Ladle the stew into serving bowls and serve with crusty bread.

4-6 servings