Steak Salad with Horseradish Dressing

I adapted this recipe from one I found in Bon Apetit.  It has a lot of components to the dish but none of them take very long, so don’t be scared.  This dish utilized something I had never done before-pickling.  It was surprisingly super easy and the pickled red onions and cucumbers added a fantastic zing to the dish that makes this dinner stand out as something special.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

Horseradish Dressing

1/2 cup low-fat sour cream

3 tablespoons prepared horseradish, use a little less if you don’t like spicy foods

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

Steak Salad

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 1-pound  flank or skirt steak

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

4-6 fingerling potatoes, thinly sliced

6 radishes, cut into thin wedges

2 cups greens (such as arugula or torn Bibb lettuce leaves)

 

Pickled red onions & Cucumbers

1/2 cups apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 English hothouse or pickling cucumber, thinly sliced

Directions

Horseradish Dressing

Whisk sour cream, horseradish, chives, honey, and vinegar in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper.  Put in the refrigerator while you prepare the rest of the dish.

Pickled Red Onions & Cucumbers

Bring vinegar, salt, and 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat. Stir in onion. Let cool.  Add sliced cucumbers. Let sit for about 10-15 minutes.  Drain before serving.

Steak Salad

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet, preferably cast-iron, over medium-high heat. Season steak with salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat until cooked to desired doneness,  about 7 minutes per side for flank steak, or 5 minutes per side for skirt steak. Transfer meat to a plate and let rest for 10 minutes.

While steak rests, wipe out skillet and heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add potatoes, season with salt, and cook, tossing occasionally, until tender, 10-15 minutes.

Slice steak and serve with horseradish dressing, potatoes, radishes, greens, and pickled red onions and cucumbers.

Spaghetti with Clams and Slow Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

This dish is so easy to make and tastes like it came out of a 5-star restaurant. Living in New England has some perks and one huge perk is the amazing seafood…even in the winter.  The littleneck clams I picked up last week when I made this were so super sweet, and created this amazing briny broth. Combine that with the smokey sweet flavor the tomatoes develop in the oven and it is just unbelievable!  It was definitely worthy of sopping it up with some crusty bread which unfortunately I forgot to pick up.  Do not make that mistake!  This recipe makes 2 servings so if you want to do it for a larger group (this would make a great dinner for entertaining) just double or triple the recipe.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

3 garlic cloves, divided

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/2 cup dry white wine

24 littleneck clams, scrubbed

2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons minced fresh basil

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 pound uncooked spaghetti

Directions

Preheat oven to 300°.  Combine tomatoes and 1 tablespoon olive oil, tossing to coat. Arrange tomatoes, cut side up, on a jelly-roll pan. Thinly slice 1 garlic clove; sprinkle over tomatoes. Bake tomato mixture at 300° for 1 1/2 hours or until tomatoes are slightly shriveled. Set aside.  Mince remaining 2 garlic cloves. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add minced garlic and red pepper to skillet; cook 2 minutes or until garlic and pepper sizzle. Increase heat to medium-high; stir in wine. Add clams; cover and cook 7 minutes or until clams open. Using tongs, remove clams from skillet; reserve liquid. Discard any unopened shells. Wipe skillet clean; return liquid to skillet. Add tomatoes, parsley, basil, and salt; bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain. Combine pasta and clam mixture. Serve immediately.

Bolognese Lasagna

This is a great dish to make over the weekend…especially if you are getting snowed in.  It takes up some time and the result is a gooey, hearty meal that should leave you with a full belly and some leftovers for the next day.  This dish is especially special because the sauce isn’t just a plain old meat sauce, it’s a Bolognese sauce in there, which is one of my favorites.  There’s just something about cooking a lasagna that makes you feel like you have accomplished a master piece.  This one definitely delivers that wow factor to your table…Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped onion

3/4 cup coarsely chopped celery

1/2 cup coarsely chopped carrot

4 garlic cloves

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted tomato paste

1 ounce diced pancetta

1 pound ground ground sirloin or turkey breast if you want to cut the fat

1/4 cup white wine

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup 1% low-fat milk

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained

1 1/2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese

6 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Cooking spray

6 cooked lasagna noodles

Preparation

Place first 4 ingredients in a food processor; pulse until coarsely ground. Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add tomato paste and pancetta; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add turkey, and cook for 4 minutes, stirring to crumble. Add wine; cook for 2 minutes or until liquid evaporates, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add onion mixture, salt, and next 3 ingredients (through black pepper) to pan, and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add milk and basil; cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes; reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425°.

Combine ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, and egg in a small bowl.

Spread 3/4 cup meat mixture in bottom of a 13 x 9–inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 noodles over meat mixture; top with half of remaining meat mixture and half of ricotta mixture. Repeat layers once, ending with ricotta mixture. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella evenly over top. Bake at 425° for 35 minutes.

Preheat broiler to high. (Keep lasagna in oven.)

Broil lasagna for 2 minutes or until cheese is golden brown and sauce is bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

14 is an age…maybe a page number.  But in no way should it ever be the temperature outside. But it is. At least here in the northeast right now as I type this, and the only way im survving it is by cooking meals that are hearty and warm.  This soup is so tasty and creamy and sneaky.  Its main ingredient is a vegetable. (as you probably gathered from the tittle) The same vegetable that I have been substituting for mashed potatoes for years: cauliflower.   This soup will take you a little over an hour to prepare, but its worth every minute.  The crispy prosciutto on top is a must, trust me dont skip it

Ingredients

8 cups cauliflower florets (about 1 large head)

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

Cooking spray

4 thin slices prosciutto, chopped (about 1 1/2 ounces)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided

3/4 cup chopped yellow onion

4 garlic cloves, chopped

4 cups low sodium chicken stock

1 cup water

1/2 cup fat free half-and-half

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°

Place cauliflower in a large bowl; drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss to coat. Arrange mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 40 minutes or until tender and browned, stirring once after 30 minutes.

Heat a large pot over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add prosciutto,  cook 5 minutes or until crisp. Remove, drain on paper towels. Melt 1 1/2  teaspoons butter in pan. Add onion and garlic; sauté 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cauliflower, stock, and 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in half-and-half. Place half of cauliflower mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth; pour pureed soup into a bowl. Repeat with remaining cauliflower mixture. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Top each serving with crumbled proscuitto and enjoy!

Back in Action

I feel the need to explain my 3 month absence.  As some of you may know, I am pregnant with my 2nd child and the food aversions with this pregnancy have been outrageous.  In the first trimester I could not fathom eating anything but eggplant parm, pasta with butter and an occasional slice of pizza….even for breakfast!  Don’t judge…a huge bowl of pasta at 9:30 A.M. is ok right?  right?  I have not had much inspiration or tolerance to write flavorful recipes.  At 4 months now, those aversions have subsided and Im craving more flavor, so I wanted to dive back in and share with you what I am making these days.  I’m telling you right now, there won’t be much red meat in the coming months, because I just can’t stand the thought of a beefy stew or a steak right now…maybe a cheeseburger but that’s it!!  There will be a bunch of pasta recipes, so I’m sorry you carbophobes, but it’s just the way it’s going to be for the next 6 months!  It’s a steady stream of tortuous freezing here these days, so there will be warm and yummy soups.  So there it is, the reason I’ve been MIA….but I’m back….and hungry

Balsamic Tomato Soup

So I survived my first snowfall since coming back to the northeast two days ago.  It wasn’t bad at all.  But the days of having a snow day and vegging on the couch don’t really exist anymore with the presence of my 11 month old son. Despite his never-ending cuteness, the panic of how to keep him busy all day hit me at 7:25 in the morning yesterday.   So I had a brilliant idea to lure my friends in the same situation over to my house with the promise of tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches.   Not a single one said no.  Could you blame them?  This recipe is what I whipped up.  It is very easy to make and is just a little different from your run of the mill  tomato soup.  I found this recipe in a Cooing Light many years ago as a part of their Thanksgiving issue.  I made it immediately and have probably made it 10 times since then. It’s creamy and  tomato-ey and screams for a grilled cheese sandwich to be dipped in it.  And at 120 calories a serving you can’t go wrong.  Cooking the vegetables at the high temperature of 500° caramelizes their natural sugars and deepens their flavor; the liquid poured over them ensures they won’t burn. Prepare the soup up to two days ahead; reheat over medium heat before serving. Enjoy!!!

The bread next to the soup is a Gruyère & Pumpkin Foccacia, which I will post about next week!

 Ingredients

1 cup less-sodium beef broth, divided

1 tablespoon brown sugar

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

1 cup coarsely chopped onion

5 garlic cloves

2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes, drained

Cooking spray

3/4 cup half-and-half

Cracked black pepper (optional)

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 500°.  Combine 1/2 cup of broth, sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce in a small bowl. Place onion, garlic, and tomatoes in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Pour broth mixture over tomato mixture. Bake at 500° for 50 minutes or until vegetables are lightly browned.  Place tomato mixture in a blender. Add remaining 1/2 cup broth and half-and-half, and process until smooth. Strain mixture through a sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Garnish with cracked black pepper, if desired.

Lemony Chicken Saltimbocca

For all of you out there who want to put something on the table that will fool your diners into thinking you put a lot of effort into their meal…here is your recipe.  This recipe is from a Cooking Light issue released about 2 years ago and it just popped up again in their Best Recipes of the last 25 years issue, so I wanted to share it. This dish is very lemony but it is cut by the saltiness of the prosciutto perfectly.  I don’t use sage much but it is a very necessary ingredient to make this dish successful.  This was a big hit in my house and I am going to use it the next time I entertain….Enjoy!

Ingredients

1/8 teaspoon salt

12 fresh sage leaves

2 ounces very thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into 8 thin strips

4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1/3 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

Lemon wedges (optional)

Directions

Sprinkle the chicken evenly with salt. Place 3 sage leaves on each cutlet; wrap 2 prosciutto slices around each cutlet, securing sage leaves in place.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan, and swirl to coat. Add chicken to pan; cook for 4-5 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.   Combine broth, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a small bowl; stir with a whisk until smooth. Add cornstarch mixture and the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil to pan; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook for 1 minute or until slightly thickened, stirring constantly with a whisk. Spoon sauce over chicken. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

Greek Stuffed Eggplant

Moving to a new city can be daunting. New highways, new climates, new faces, among a million other things you need to get used to. I’ve been very fortunate to make a lot of great new friends in a relatively short period of time which has made my transition very easy.  What this has also done, is given me a whole new crop of ladies that “Just don’t know what to do with that eggplant that’s about to go bad”.   Like any good samaritan I feel the need to step in.  I forgot about this recipe until last night, when I had to be quick on my feet and come up with something on the fly. The only skill you’ll need is to get the eggplant out of its skin and still leave enough around the edges to create a good vessel for the filling.  It’s hearty and filling and you can substitute any meat here…ground turkey, chicken and my fave, lamb  You can use the recipe I’ve already posted for a good Tzatiki sauce and serve with a greek salad  on the side.  Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

1 whole eggplant

1 lb ground beef

1 1/2 tablespoons greek seasoning ( I use the one pictured right but you can substitute it for salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and parsley)

1/2 onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

 

DIRECTIONS

 

Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Cut the top and bottom off of  the eggplant, slice it in half and score  it.

Put the eggplant in the oven for 30 minutes, then let it cool.  In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium heat.  Add onions and garlic and cook for 5 minutes.  Add the meat and greek seasoning.  Cook until browned, then drain off any fat.  Once the eggplant is cooled enough to touch it, scoop out the flesh, leaving enough around the rim to keep its shape.  Add the eggplant to the meat mixture  and toss to combine.  Fill the eggplants up with the mixture and top each with feta cheese.  Put under the broiler for 5-10 minutes until the cheese starts to brown.  Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Pasta with Butternut Squash

After 3 days of doom and gloom weather up here, I decided to take a trip to my local farmer’s market to check out all the new fun fall offerings.  While I was there, they were sampling a recipe that looked like macaroni and cheese and I almost passed it by….a moment of insanity I guess.  I was mistaken…it was whole wheat pasta with butternut squash, and it was DELICIOUS!  I grabbed the recipe and the few ingredients it required, ran home and made it.  So super easy and a great replacement for mac and cheese.  I think this one would be good to trick your kids into eating…it has that Velveeta orangey color and it’s really creamy.  The recipe called for light cream but I used 2% milk.  I’m sure the cream would have made it even more heavenly but I just couldn’t do it.  My husband said this could replace macaroni and cheese forever.  I can’t say that, but it was pretty darn good.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup dry whole wheat pasta

1/4 cup olive oil

1 butternut squash peeled and cubed (you can get this already done for you at some superarkets…go ahead and take this short cut!)

1/2 onion chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 1/2 cups 2% milk

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

salt & pepper

grated cheese for sprinkling

DIRECTIONS

Cook pasta as directed. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat.  Add onion garlic and squash and cook until soft, about 30 min.  Add the milk, sage, salt and pepper. Cook on low for another 5-10 minutes.  Add cooked pasta, top with grated cheese and serve.  Enjoy!!!

Pork Loin with Fig & Port Wine Sauce

I originally made this recipe, borrowed from Giada De Laurentiis, with my favorite person to cook with, my good friend Maria.  It was a cold Florida day and we made this dish and sipped on red wine and watched the very first season of So You Think You Can Dance.  What a memory  I have made this dish probably ten times in the past 7 years and it is one of my husband’s favorites.  The pork loin is so mild and the flavors of the rosemary and garlic make this meat sing.  When you make the sauce, it fills your entire house with the warm and cozy scent of cinnamon.  There is always left over sauce and it is so good I have even put it on vanilla ice cream.  This dish would be great as the main star of a holiday dinner, or if you just want to dress up a weekday dinner…go for it!

Ingredients

Sauce:

2 1/2 cups port wine

1 1/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

8 dried black Mission figs, coarsely chopped

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

2 cinnamon sticks

1 tablespoon honey

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pork:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1 tablespoon salt, plus additional for seasoning

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus additional for seasoning

1 (4 to 4 1/2-pound) boneless pork loin

Directions

For the sauce: In a heavy medium saucepan, combine the first 6 ingredients. Boil over medium-high heat until reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Discard the herb sprigs and cinnamon sticks (some of the rosemary leaves will remain in the port mixture). Transfer the port mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Blend in the butter. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper. (The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using.)

For the pork: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Stir the oil, garlic, rosemary, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper in a small bowl to blend. Place the pork loin in a heavy roasting pan. Spread the oil mixture over the pork to coat completely. Roast until an instant read meat thermometer inserted into the center of the pork registers 145 degrees F, turning the pork every 15 minutes to ensure even browning, about 45 minutes total.

Transfer the pork to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm. Let the pork rest 15 minutes. Meanwhile, stir the chicken broth into the roasting pan. Place the pan over medium heat, and scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits. Bring the pan juices to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Using a large sharp knife, cut the pork crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the pork slices on plates. Spoon the juice over. Drizzle the warm fig sauce around and serve immediately.