Tag: dinner

Food Recipes

Chinese-style Ribs

  • 1 (6-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced thin
  • 8 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 cup honey
  • ¾ cup hoisin sauce
  • ¾ cup soy sauce
  • ½ cup Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
  • 2 teaspoons five-spice powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 5 – 6 pounds pork spareribs (2 racks, 2 1/2- to 3-pounds each), preferably St. Louis-style, cut into individual ribs
  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
  1. Pulse ginger and garlic in food processor until finely chopped, 10 to 12 pulses, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Sautee on low in a Dutch oven while adding remaining ingredients. Whisk together remaining seasoning ingredients with 1/2 cup water, add to pot. Add ribs and stir to coat (ribs will not be fully submerged). Bring to simmer over high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 1¼ hours, stirring occasionally.
  2. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Using tongs, transfer ribs to large bowl. Strain braising liquid through fine-mesh strainer set over large container, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids. Let cooking liquid settle for 10 minutes. Using wide, shallow spoon, skim fat from surface and discard.
  3. Return braising liquid to pot and add sesame oil. Bring to boil over high heat and cook until syrupy and reduced to 2½ cups, 16 to 20 minutes.
  4. Set wire rack in aluminum foil–lined rimmed baking sheet and pour ½ cup water into sheet. Transfer half of ribs to pot with braising liquid and toss to coat. Arrange ribs, bone sides up, on prepared rack, letting excess glaze drip off. Roast until edges of ribs start to caramelize, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip ribs and continue to roast until second side starts to caramelize, 5 to 7 minutes longer. Transfer ribs to serving platter; repeat process with remaining ribs. Serve.

TO MAKE AHEAD: At end of step 3, refrigerate ribs and glaze separately, covered, for up to 2 days. When ready to serve, bring glaze and half of ribs to simmer in Dutch oven over medium heat, then proceed with step

Recipes

Roasted Leg of Lamb

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 1 medium shallot, minced (about 1/2 cup)
  • 6 anchovy filets, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
  • 1 tablespoon zest from 1 lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 boneless leg of lamb, 3-5 lbs.
  1. Trim lamb of fat and silver connective tissue. Butterfly lamb and cut into 2-3 pieces that can roll into individual roasts.
  2. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 275°F. Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add garlic, shallot, anchovies, rosemary, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots and garlic are softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl. Add salt and pepper and mix with a fork to combine.
  3. Rub half mixture into insides of lamb roasts. Roll and tie securely at 1-inch intervals with butcher’s twine. Rub remaining mixture over exterior of lamb roasts. Cook immediately or let rest uncovered in the refrigerator for up to one night for best flavor and texture.
  4. When ready to cook, place lamb on a wire rack set in a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Transfer to oven and roast until an instant read thermometer inserted into coolest section of lamb registers 125°F to 130°F (52°C – 54°C)for medium-rare, checking after 10 minutes, then every 5-10 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 20 minutes.
  5. While lamb is resting, add butter and rosemary to a skillet. Baste lamb with butter to sear outside. Remove and let rest 5 minutes. Remove twine with kitchen shears, transfer lamb to cutting board, slice into 1/4 inch slices, and serve.
Recipes

Bolognese

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 small onion, minced
  • 2 carrots, minced
  • 2 celery stalks, minced
  • 2 garlic gloves, minced
  • 1 1/4 pound mixed ground meat (80% lean beef, pork, veal, sausage)
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 cup sweet white wine (or dry red wine)
  • (28 ounce) can tomatoes, chopped fine (“crushed” texture), with juice strained and reserved
  • 1 porcini boullion cube

Makes 3 cups for 1lb pasta

Don’t drain the pasta of its cooking water too meticulously when using this sauce; a little water left clinging to the noodles will help distribute the very thick sauce evenly into the noodles, as will adding an extra 2 tablespoons of butter along with the sauce. Top each serving with a little grated Parmesan and pass extra grated cheese at the table. If doubling this recipe, increase the simmering times for the milk and the wine to 30 minutes each, and the simmering time once the tomatoes are added to 4 hours.

  1. Add wine to non-reactive saucepan and simmer over low until reduced to 1/4 cup for sweet white wine or 1/2 cup for red wine.
  2. Use food processor to pulse vegetables into 1/8 inch pieces.
  3. Pulse strained tomatoes until chopped fine.
  4. Heat butter in large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium high heat; add onion, carrot, and celery and sautè until softened but not browned, about 6 minutes. Sautè garlic and sugar until fragrant.
  5. Add ground meats, breaking meat into 1-inch pieces with wooden spoon, about 1 minute.
  6. Add milk and stir to break meat into 1/2-inch bits; bring to simmer, reduce heat to medium, and continue to simmer, stirring to break up meat into small pieces, until most liquid has evaporated and meat begins to sizzle, 18 to 20 minutes.
  7. Stir in tomato paste and cook until combined, about 1 minute.
  8. Add tomatoes, porcini cube, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper; bring to simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium and simmer until liquid is reduced and sauce is thickened but still moist, 12 to 15 minutes.
  9. Stir in reduced wine and simmer to blend flavors, about 5 minutes.
  10. Adjust seasonings with extra salt to taste and serve. (Can be refrigerated in an airtight container for several days or frozen for several months. Warm over low heat before serving.)
Food Recipes

Burst Tomato Pasta

  • 1/2 pound fusilli or curly pasta
  • 6 ounces bacon, preferably thick cut, diced
  • 6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 1 quart cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 cups basil leaves, torn
  1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until 2 mins shy of al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.
  2. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil and heat. Add bacon and cook until it starts to render its fat, about 2 minutes. Add garlic, red pepper flakes and a large pinch of salt and pepper and cook until fragrant. Add tomatoes and cook until they burst, turn golden at the edges and shrivel up slightly, about 5 to 8 minutes.
  3. Add pasta to pan and toss with tomato-pancetta mixture; if the mixture looks dry add a little pasta cooking water a few tablespoons at a time. Cook over high heat until the pasta finishes cooking in the sauce. Add the butter and toss until it melts and coats everything. Add basil.
Food Recipes

Salmon With Lemon-Herb Marinade

  • 1 3-pound salmon, in one piece
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
  • 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped fine
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  1. Mix marinade ingredients well and spread on both sides of salmon in a shallow dish. Marinade 1-4 hours.
  2. Scrape off herbs and put salmon in a tray, skin side down.
  3. 350* for 20 mins until 130*F. Broil 3 min. Serve.
Recipes

Lamb & Butternut Squash Stew

  • 4 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1lb boneless lamb or beef stew meat, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 3 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 small butternut squash, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
  • 1 14-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
  1. Combine the spices and salt in a bowl. In a large bowl, stir together 1/4 cup flour and 1.5 Tbsp of the spice mixture, add the lamb and coat well. Heat 3 tsp of oil in a large pot over medium high. Add lamb a few pieces at a time; don’t overcrowd. Turn the pieces until lamb is browned on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch; add a teaspoon of oil as needed between batches.
  2. Remove the lamb and set aside. Add oil and onion to the pot. Cook until soft, then stir in tomato paste and garlic. Stir in remaining spices. Stir in the lamb. Stir in the chicken broth and bring to a boil, then reduce to a slow simmer. Cover and cook until the lamb is tender, about 45 min – 1 hour. Stir in the squash and cook, covered, for 15-20 minutes.
  3. Make a slurry with 1.5T cornstarch and stir in. Stir the chickpeas and cornstarch slurry into the stew and cook until the broth thickens, about 2-4 minutes longer. Add salt and pepper to taste. Divide among 4 bowls, garnish with cilantro and serve.
Recipes

Seafood Cioppino

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 pound leeks, ends trimmed, halved lengthwise and sliced diagonally ½-inch thick
  • 4-5 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, toasted and crushed
  • 1 cans fire roasted, diced tomatoes
  • 1 can tomato sauce
  • 1.5-2 cups dry white or red wine
  • Seafood bullion (for 3-4 cups of liquid)
  • Bouquet garni bullion (1)
  • 4 to 6 ounces large shrimp (16 to 20 count per pound), shelled and deveined
  • 1/2 pound large scallops
  • 2 tilapia filets, cut into 1½-inch pieces
  • Other seafood

1. In a large, heavy-bottom sautée pot heated over medium-high heat, add the oil and saffron. Bloom saffron, then stir in the onions, leeks, garlic, pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent and the herbs are fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes.

2. Stir in the wine and bullion cubes, scraping up brown spots. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce. Simmer gently, uncovered, to develop the flavors, 30 to 45 minutes. The cioppino base can be made ahead of time to this point; remove from heat, cover and refrigerate up to one day (reheat before continuing).

3. To the pot, add the shrimp, scallops and fish. Cover and simmer gently just until the fish and shellfish are firm and opaque, about 10 minutes. Uncover the pot and remove from heat.

If adding mussels or clams, sautée steam in wine/water mix in a separate skillet until open. Discard cooking water.

Recipes

Creamy skillet penne

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 10 ounces sliced mushrooms
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1⁄2 cup dry white wine
  • 3 1⁄2 cups water
  • 1 mushroom bullion
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 8 ounces penne
  • 1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch lengths
  • 1⁄2 cup grated parmesan cheese (optional)
  1. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over med-high heat until shimmering.
  2. Add in white mushrooms and ½ teaspoon salt; cook until mushrooms are browned, about 8 minutes.
  3. Stir in shallots; cook until shallot has softened, about 1 minute.
  4. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  5. Stir in wine and simmer until almost dry, about 1 minute.
  6. Stir in the water, bullion, cream, and penne; increase heat to high and cook, stirring often, until penne is almost tender and liquid has thickened, 12-15 minutes.
  7. Add in asparagus and cook until tender, about 3 minutes.
  8. Take pan off heat; stir in cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste; serve.
Recipes

Mushroom Shepherd’s Pie

Filling:

2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 large carrots, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2.75 lb fresh mixed mushrooms, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1/2 tsp dried thyme, ground or chopped fine
2 tablespoons red or white wine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tbsp flour
1/2 cup – 1 cup (235ml) mushroom stock

Potato Lid:

1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and cut into larger 1-inch chunks
1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
6 Tbsp (85g) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (55g) crème fraîche or sour cream
1/2 cup (118ml) milk, if necessary to get desired texture
chopped parsley, to top (optional)

 

Prepare the lid: Place the potatoes and parsnips in a medium pot, and cover them with a couple inches of salted water. Bring to a boil, and then simmer over medium heat for 12-15 minutes, until both are easily pierced in the center with a knife. Drain, scoop into a bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher. Add the butter, salt and pepper and stir. Add the crème fraîche and milk and stir to combine. If the potato mixture is thicker than you’d like and would be difficult to spread, add more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Heat the oven to 400 F.

Cook the vegetables: In a large pan (4-quart, or an 11-inch deep skillet or braiser) heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, pinch of salt and pepper, and sauté until the vegetables begin to brown ever so slightly, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the fresh mushrooms, a pinch of salt, fresh thyme, and increase the heat to high, cooking the mushrooms until they brown and soften, releasing their juices, about 5-10 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and cook 1 minute.

Add the sherry and scrape up any stuck bits. Add the tomato paste, and stir to combine. Add the stock slowly, stirring (start with 1/2 cup stock and add more if mixture seems to dry). Simmer over medium heat until mushrooms are coated in a thick sauce. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired.

Bake the pie: In an oven-safe 2-3 quart baking dish, scoop the mushrooms into an even layer. Top with potato mixture, using the back of your spoon to spread it evenly over the top, all the way to the edges to form a seal. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until lightly browned on top. Garnish with additional thyme and parsley, if desired.