Weekly Recipes
SOLO RECIPES
Quick-Braised Lamb
1 lamb shoulder chop, about 8 ounces with bone
1/3 cup red wine
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
3 mushrooms, sliced thick
Pinch rosemary
Serves one.
Season lamb with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together wine and mustard. Set aside.
Put oil in skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the lamb and sear well on both sides.
Remove lamb to a plate and discard garlic. Add mushrooms to the hot oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. If necessary, add a little more oil to keep the mushrooms from sticking. Saute until mushrooms are brown and have released their liquid.
Pour in the wine-mustard mixture, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits from the pan. Return the lamb to the pan, and sprinkle the rosemary over both the meat and the liquid. Lower the temperature to medium low, cover the pan and simmer until the meat is done, 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove lamb to your serving plate and keep warm. Simmer or lightly boil the sauce to reduce it by one-third, until it is slightly syrupy.
Almost Veal Piccata
1 turkey breast fillet, 6 to 8 ounces
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 clove garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
3 mushrooms, sliced
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon capers
1/2 tablespoon butter
Serves one.
Season turkey on both sides with salt and pepper. Set aside. Heat oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms, season lightly with salt and pepper, and saute until they begin to turn brown and release their liquid.
Move mushrooms and garlic aside and add turkey. Cook until browned on one side, then flip. Add wine and lemon juice, and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits on the pan. Cook 2 minutes, then add capers.
Cook until turkey is done (it will have an internal temperature of 165 degrees, or you can cut a small slice into it to see if it is cooked). If the wine is about to evaporate before the turkey is finished, add another splash or two. Remove pan from heat and swirl in the butter. It is all right if there is very little wine left in the pan; simply coat the browned side of the turkey in the melted butter, which will have picked up the flavor of the wine.
Double Chickpea-Two Tomato Soup
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 small carrot, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped celery
1 small (or 1/2 large) garlic clove, finely chopped
3/4 cup canned garbanzo beans (also known as chickpeas), rinsed and drained, divided
1/2 cup canned chopped tomatoes
1 cup vegetable stock, divided
3 sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped. Blot with paper towels first, if they were packed in oil
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh basil leaves
Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
Serves one.
In a medium-size saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery, and saute until limp and lightly colored, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add 1/2 cup of the garbanzos, the canned tomatoes and 1/2 cup of the stock. Cover, lower the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Scrape into an electric blender or use an immersion blender to puree until completely smooth.
Return the soup to the pan, if you used a blender. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup stock, the remaining1/4 cup of the garbanzo beans and the sun-dried tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring the soup to a simmer, add the basil, and taste to adjust the seasonings.
After serving in a bowl, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Hot Veggie Mess
1/2 tablespoon butter
Pinch curry powder, optional
1/4 onion, diced
1 small carrot, cut in1/4-inch slices
1/2 rib celery, cut in1/4-inch slices
1/2 red bell pepper, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
1 small zucchini or 1/2 large zucchini, sliced in half lengthwise, then cut in1/4-inch slices
1 Russett potato, unpeeled
1 tablespoon onion, minced
1 wedge lemon
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Pinch nutmeg
Vegetable oil (not olive)
1 poached egg, see note
Serves one.
Melt butter in a large skillet and stir in optional curry powder; cook about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add onion and saute until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in carrot, celery and pepper until thoroughly mixed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the carrots are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the zucchini. Cover and cook until the zucchini is cooked, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside and keep warm.
Grate the potato, using the small holes of a grater. Place the gratings in several layers of paper towels and squeeze out as much liquid as you possibly can (do this over a sink). Unwrap the potato gratings and place them in a medium bowl. Add the onion, squeeze the lemon wedge over the bowl, and stir to mix thoroughly. Add the egg, flour and nutmeg, and stir to mix again.
Pour oil into a skillet to a depth of 1/8 inch to1/4 inch. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it is very hot; a little bit of the potato mixture will sizzle immediately when you drop it in. Pour in enough of the potato mixture to make about an 8-inch pancake; you will probably have1/4 of the potato mixture left over. Flatten the potatoes in the pan with a spatula and fry a few minutes until the bottom is golden brown. Flip the pancake in the pan -- it helps to use 2 spatulas -- and cook until the other side is golden brown. Remove, drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt (it is fried potatoes, so it will take a lot of salt).
Place the still-warm potato pancake on a plate. Top it with the warm vegetable mixture and then top that with the warm poached egg. Serve with hot sauce such as sriracha, if desired.
Note: To poach an egg, put about 3 inches of water into a small saucepan. Add 1 tablespoon vinegar, the cheaper the better. Bring the water to a simmer and crack in 1 egg. Simmer gently for 3 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon. If not using immediately, gently glide the egg into a bowl of ice water. The egg can be warmed again by placing it briefly in hot water.
VEGETARIAN RECIPES
Braised Kabocha Squash, Green Onions, Miso
3/4 cup vegetable broth
6 tablespoons white miso paste
6 tablespoons mirin
1/4 cup peanut oil
12 medium green onions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons fresh minced ginger
4 teaspoons minced garlic
2 medium kabocha squash, peeled, cubed (about 12 cups) (see note)
Black sesame seeds
Serves eight.
Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Whisk the broth, miso paste and mirin in a bowl until well combined.
Set a large Dutch oven or cast iron casserole over medium heat for a few minutes. Add the oil, then the green onions. Cook, stirring often, until they’re wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in the ginger and garlic; cook a few seconds until aromatic. Stir in the squash. Pour in the broth mixture, increase the heat to high and heat to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
Cover the pot; place on the center rack of the oven. Bake until the squash is tender, about 30 minutes. Serve in shallow bowls, garnished with black sesame seeds.
Note: Another squash, such as acorn, can be substituted for the kabocha.
Buttery Black-Eyed Pea Stew, Fried Corn Cakes
FOR THE CORN CAKES:
2 cups fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup canned chopped mild green chilies
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, cooled a few minutes
2 eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
Corn oil, for frying
FOR THE STEW:
4 tablespoons ( 1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
4 medium ribs celery, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic, about 2 cloves
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried sage (do not use rubbed sage)
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon celery seeds
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 to1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups vegetable broth
5 cups black-eyed peas, thawed if frozen or rinsed if canned
1/2 cup heavy cream
Serves eight.
For the corn cakes: Stir the corn, cream, chilies, butter and eggs in a large bowl until well combined. Stir in the cornmeal, flour and salt to make a soft but rich batter, like a thick pancake batter.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high. Coat the skillet lightly with oil. Scoop up a scant1/4 cup of the batter; drop it into the skillet. Add a few more, spacing them apart; use the back of a metal spatula to flatten them to 3 1/2-inch rounds. Cook, turning once, until browned and set, about 4 minutes total. Transfer to a wire rack; continue making more cakes until you have 16 in all, adding a little oil before each batch and never crowding the skillet.
For the stew: Melt the butter in a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, celery and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, stir the flour, thyme, sage, paprika, salt, celery seeds, nutmeg and cayenne together in a small bowl.
Whisk the spiced flour mixture into the onion mixture; cook, whisking constantly, 30 seconds. Whisk in the broth until the flour dissolves; heat to a simmer and continue whisking until thickened and bubbling, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the black-eyed peas and cream; heat to a simmer, stirring often. Cover, reduce heat to low; simmer to meld the flavors, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
To serve, ladle the stew into shallow soup bowls; top each with 2 corn cakes.
Blanched Greens (Horta)
1 1/2 to 2 pounds mixed greens
2 tablespoons good, fruity olive oil, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, or to taste
1 juicy lemon, quartered
Serves four to six.
Wash and drain greens well. Separate the tough leaves and stalks from the more tender ones that will cook faster.
Heat 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot; add the tougher leaves and stalks first. Cook until they start to soften, 2-4 minutes. Add the more delicate greens that will cook quickly. Stir the pot with a long fork; taste after 2 minutes. If the greens are done to your liking -- they should be tender with a very slight bite -- remove with a fork or a large slotted spoon. Don’t pour the cooked greens into a colander as we do with pasta, because any leftover sand from the bottom of the pot will end up on the greens.
Chop the cooked greens; transfer them to a shallow bowl. Drizzle with olive oil; sprinkle with salt. Pass the lemon quarters at the table so everyone can season their greens according to taste.
Roman sauteed greens: Heat1/4 to 1/3 cup olive oil in a skillet; add 2 to 3 coarsely chopped garlic cloves. Toss for a minute; as the garlic starts to color, add the cooked and drained greens. Toss for about 2 minutes, just to heat the greens through and coat them with the garlicky oil. Transfer to a platter and serve warm or at room temperature, sprinkled with salt and pepper and drizzled with more olive oil, if you like.
Moroccan greens: Heat1/4 to 1/3 cup olive oil in a skillet; add 2 to 3 coarsely chopped garlic cloves. Toss for a minute; as the garlic starts to color, add 2 tablespoons harissa (a hot sauce) or h’rous, a Tunisian pepper, onion and turmeric paste, and the finely chopped cooked and drained greens. Toss for about 3 minutes, to heat the greens through and coat them with the spicy oil. Transfer to a platter and serve warm, sprinkled with salt and Maras pepper (or another ground red chili) and drizzled with lemon juice.
SPICY RECIPES
Chili Pepper Soda Dip
2 8-ounce packages Neufchatel or cream cheese, softened
6 to 8 ounces Fresca, 7-Up, Sprite or other lemon-lime soda
1 tablespoon chili powder (see note)
2 teaspoons garlic powder
In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix well. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
Note: We used standard grocery store chili powder, but you can use your favorite kind in this recipe and adjust the amount of the spice to taste.
Thick French Toast with Spicy Rum Butter
3 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of sugar
4 1-inch-thick slices multigrain bread
FOR SPICY RUM BUTTER:
1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon rum extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon chili powder
Makes four slices.
In a mixing bowl, beat eggs with milk, vanilla and sugar. Soak bread in egg mixture.
Heat a frying pan to medium heat and cook each piece of bread about 1 to 2 minutes per side or until browned.
For rum butter: Soften butter. Cream with brown sugar, rum extract, cinnamon and chili powder. Serve over French toast.
Spicy Berbere Lentil Stew
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups onion
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons powdered ginger
2 tablespoons berbere seasoning blend
2 cups split red lentils
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
3 ounces red wine
6 cups vegetable broth
24 precooked turkey meatballs, optional
Serves eight.
Saute onions in olive oil until onions are translucent. Add the garlic and ginger and saute for another minute. Add the berbere and saute for a few minutes more, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. The onions should start to caramelize.
Add the lentils, tomatoes, red wine, vegetable broth and meatballs and bring to a boil. Turn heat to simmer and cook uncovered for an hour.
Shrimp Pili-Pili
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup peanut oil
1 pound large shrimp or prawns, shelled and deveined
1 tablespoon crushed dried African birds-eye chile, or pequins
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons lime or lemon juice
Serves four.
Melt butter and add oil and remaining ingredients. Simmer for a couple of minutes to blend the flavors. Transfer to a ceramic bowl.
Toss the shrimp in the marinade and marinate for a couple of hours in the refrigerator.
Thread the shrimp on skewers and grill over charcoal or broil, until shrimp are slightly browned. Discard leftover marinade.
This story was originally published January 21, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Weekly Recipes ."