Category Archives: Quick & Simple

Jul8

Cream of Fresh Tomato Soup

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Cream of Fresh Tomato Soup

3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped red onions (2 onions)
2 carrots, unpeeled and chopped
3 cloves minced garlic
5 large vine-ripened tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup packed chopped fresh basil leaves, plus julienned basil leaves, for garnish
3 cups vegetable stock, preferably homemade
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup heavy cream
Croutons, for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and carrots and saute for about 10 minutes, until very tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, basil,  stock, salt, and pepper and stir well. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tomatoes are very tender.

Add the cream to the soup and puree with an immersion blender (or regular blender). Reheat the soup over low heat just until hot and serve with julienned basil leaves and/or croutons.

Jun28

Mango Chicken Salad

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Mango Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
4 cups  arugula
1 mango, peeled and sliced into 1″ long pieces
1 red peper, trimmed, seeded and sliced into 1″ long pieces
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
sea salt
2 tsp honey
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 boneless chicken breast (4 ounces)
1/4 cup slivered almonds

In large bowl, combine arugula, mango, and red pepper. In another bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, and a pinch of salt. Set aside.

In a shallow wide bowl, stir together honey and mustard. Add chicken and toss to evenly coat.

Grill chicken over medium-high heat (or cook in skillet with 2 tsp olive oil) until golden brown, 8-10 minutes, turning once halfway through. Transfer to a cutting board and let sit 5-7 minutes. Slice chicken into 1″ pieces. Add to salad, toss to combine. Add balsamic vinaigrette and almonds. Toss again before serving.

Jun2

Pasta with Peas & Salmon

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Pasta with Peas & Salmon


Ingredients:
3 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 jalapeño chili, seeded (optional)
3 cups chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup soy creamer or whipping cream (not sweetened)
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice (or bottled)
salt and freshly ground pepper
12 ounces chinese noodles or thick spaghetti
1 10-ounce package frozen petite green peas, thawed
1 cup cooked salmon, shredded

With food processor running (fitted with metal blade), drop garlic and chili through tube; chop finely. Add cilantro; chop finely. Add cream; blend until thick, using on/off turns. Add lime juice. Season sauce with salt and pepper.

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain pasta. Return to same pot. Mix in sauce and thawed frozen peas if using. Add salmon and stir over low flame till heated through.

Jun2

Edamame Hummus Dip

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Edamame Hummus Dip

Ingredients:
16 oz bag thawed shelled edamame
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup packed fresh basil
1/4 cup prepared hummus

Boil edamame for about 5-7 minutes until tender. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking liquid.  Puree edamame and basil in food processor. Stream in olive oil to thin out, then add hummus. Add cooking liquid if to thick to get the right consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Alternate Recipe:

12 oz bag frozen shelled edamame (2 1/2 cups), unthawed
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
3 Tbsp minced fresh basil
1/4 cup prepared Hummus

Cook edamame in large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, 5 minutes. Drain, reserving 3/4 cup cooking liquid. Place edamame, oil, and 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid in processor. Blend until smooth, drizzling in 1/4 cup cooking liquid and lemon juice. Season dip with salt and pepper. Blend in more cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls if too thick. Add minced basil; pulse until basil is just mixed in (do not puree). Fold in 1/4 cup Hummus. Transfer dip to bowl. Serve with pita chips.

Pita Chips
Ingredients:
3 pita breads, split horizontally, each round cut into 1 1/2″ wedges

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Scatter pita pieces on large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt. Bake until crisp, 15 minutes; cool. Serve with edamame dip.

May26

Whole Bronzino Fish with Carmelized Shallots, Lemon & Thyme

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Whole Bronzino Fish with Carmelized Shallots, Lemon & Thyme

Serves 2
Ingredients:
1 whole Bronzino fish, sliced in center but not halved, bones removed
salt and pepper
olive oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
3 sprigs thyme

Brush olive oil on both sides of fish and season inside and out with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat till very hot and drizzle with olive oil. Sear fish on both sides till skin is crispy. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Lower the flame to medium-low and drizzle pan with a little more oil. Add shallots and saute till translucent and beginning to brown. Meanwhile place thyme and lemon slices inside fish. De-glaze pan with wine and bring to a simmer to cook out the alcohol. Add the fish back to the pan, cover and put flame on low. Continue until fish is cooked through and wine is reduced to very little. Serve topped with caramelized shallots and wine.

May11

Grilled Vegetable and Cheese Sandwich

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Grilled Vegetable and Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients:

1 small garlic clove, minced
1 small shallot,  minced
1 Tbsp canola oil
1/4 cup soft goat cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
dash of hot sauce, to taste
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup pitted olives
1/4 tsp dried mint
extra virgin olive oil
1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 long or 2 medium soft baguettes, split
1 cup roasted red peppers, cut into strips
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, cut into strips

In a skillet cook the garlic and shallot in canola oil over low heat till softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer to blender or mini food processor and add goat cheese, cream, thyme, hot sauce and puree. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a bowl.

Clean out blender and add olives, mint, 2 Tbsp olive oil and a pinch of pepper. Process to a paste.

Preheat a grill pan. Brush zucchini with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. grill over high heat, turning until tender. Keep the grill pan hot. Spread goat cheese on botoms of baguette and top with zucchini, red peppers, and tomatoes. Spread tops with olive paste. Quarter long baguette or cut medium ones in half and grill, pressing with a skillet and turning once until hot and grill marks are on both sides. Serve hot.

May10

Za’atar Chicken

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Za’atar Chicken

Ingredients:
8-10 chicken pieces
1/2 cup duck sauce
1 Tbsp za’atar spice
1 tsp ground tumeric
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp dried oregano
4 dates, chopped (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the skin from chicken if desired. Fill bottom of 9×13 pan with thin layer of duck sauce in small bowl, mix za’atar, tumeric, cumin, onion powder, and garlic powder in a bowl. Place chicken on top of sauce. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with spice mixture, oregano and top with dates. Cook for 1 1/2 hours, spooning sauce on chicken half way through, until sauce is bubbly and chicken begins to brown.