Monthly Archives: July 2011

Pork and Lamb, Vegetables

Sausage And Pepper Frittata

Sausage and Pepper Frittata

A Pound Of Sweet Or Hot Italian Sausage Links

A Large Green Bell Pepper (Seeded And Cored) Cut Into About One Inch Pieces

½ Cup Of  Spanish Onion Cut Into About One Inch Pieces

A Minced Garlic Clove

½ Teaspoon Of Sea Salt, Divided

¼ Teaspoon Of Ground Black Pepper, Divided

10 Large Beaten Eggs

A Tablespoon Of Olive Oil

 

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

 

Put a 12-14 inch non-stick skillet on medium high heat for four minutes. Add the olive oil and the sausage links. Brown the sausage on all sides. Remove the sausage to a plate. Add the peppers, the onions, ¼ teaspoon of sea salt, half of the black pepper and the garlic. Reduce the heat to medium and scrape the bottom of the skillet to remove any of the brown bits that have accumulated. Cook the vegetables for four minutes stirring frequently.

 

Cut the sausage into about ½ inch circles. Add the sausage to the pan with the vegetables. Spread out all of the ingredients uniformly in the skillet. Add the remaining sea salt and the black pepper to the beaten eggs and mix well. Add the eggs to the pan. When the eggs start to cook around the edges, place the skillet into the preheated oven.

 

Cook for 15 minutes in the oven until the eggs are set in the middle.

 

Let the frittata sit at room temperature for five minutes before slicing it into wedges.

Pasta, Vegetables

Spaghetti With Green Pea Basil Pesto And Broccoli

A Pound Of Thin Spaghetti
½ Cup Of Frozen Green Peas (That Have Been Thawed)
A Cup Of Fresh Broccoli Florets
16 Ounces Of Fresh Basil Leaves
A Minced Garlic Clove
Two Tablespoons Of Grated Romano Cheese
Two Tablespoons Of Shelled Walnuts
¾ Teaspoon Of Sea Salt
¼ Teaspoon Of Black Pepper
½ Cup And Two Tablespoons Of Olive Oil, Divided

Combine the peas, the basil leaves, ½ cup of olive oil, the garlic, the grated cheese, the walnuts, the sea salt, and the black pepper in a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Taste and add more sea salt, black pepper, and/or grated cheese, if desired. Set this pesto sauce aside.

Cook the spaghetti in a pot of boiling, salted water according to the package instructions. Add the broccoli florets before the last three minutes of cooking time. Drain the pasta and the broccoli well in a colander.

Combine the pesto sauce, the spaghetti, the broccoli, and two tablespoons of olive oil in a pasta bowl. Toss well. Serve with grated cheese.

Seafood

Seafood Spiedini (Italian Seafood Shish Kabob)

Seafood Spiedini

The Juice Of ½ Lemon
¼ Cup Of Olive Oil
A Garlic Clove Cut In Half
Five Fresh Basil Leaves Torn In Half
A Tablespoon Of Roughly Chopped Italian Parsley
½ Teaspoon Of Sea Salt
A Pinch Of Freshly Ground Black Pepper
A 12 Ounce Swordfish Steak Cut Into About Two Inch Cubes
Ten Scallops
Six Metal Or Wood Skewers (Note: If using wood skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes to prevent them from burning on the grill)

Combine the lemon juice, the olive oil, the garlic, the basil, the parsley, the sea salt and the black pepper in a bowl. Whisk well.

Place the swordfish cubes on skewers. Leave about a 1/2 inch of space in between each piece of fish. Do not crowd the skewers. Do the same thing with the scallops. Depending on the size of the scallops, you may want to use two skewers (one for each side of the scallops) for better stability.

Place the skewers in a baking dish. Pour the marinade over the seafood. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Cook over a hot gas or charcoal grill turning only once for 5-7 minutes on each side. The seafood is cooked when it is slightly firm to the touch and browned on the outside.

Vegetables

Green Bean And Mozzarella Salad

Green Bean and Mozzarella Salad

12 Ounces Of Trimmed Green Beans (cooked for five minutes in a ½ inch of salted, boiling water and drained)
Four Ounces Of Fresh Mozzarella Cheese Cut Into About ¾ Inch Cubes
A Minced Garlic Clove
The Juice Of ½ Lemon
A Teaspoon Of Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 Teaspoon Of Anchovy Paste
¼ Teaspoon Of Sea Salt
A Pinch Of Freshly Ground Black Pepper
¼ Cup Of Olive Oil
A Tablespoon Of Chopped Fresh Basil
A Tablespoon Of Chopped Fresh Italian Parsley

Combine the garlic and the sea salt in a salad bowl. Mash with a fork to form a paste. Add the black pepper and the anchovy paste. Mash again. Add the lemon juice and the red wine vinegar. Whisk well. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Continue to whisk until the mixture is smooth and thickened slightly. Taste and add more sea salt and/or black pepper, if desired.

Add the green beans while hot to the dressing and toss well. Add the mozzarella cheese, the basil and the parsley. Mix again and serve at room temperature.

Sauces and Dressings

Homemade Mayonnaise

Homemade Mayonnaise

This mayonnaise is great in potato salad.

A Tablespoon Of Fresh Lemon Juice
A Teaspoon Of Dijon Mustard
An Egg
¾ Cup Of Canola Oil
½ Teaspoon Of Fresh Minced Garlic
¼ Teaspoon Of Sea Salt
A Pinch Of Black Pepper

Combine the lemon juice, the mustard, the egg, the garlic, the sea salt and the black pepper in a food processor. Blend the mixture. While continuing to blend, very slowly drizzle in the canola oil (Note: use the two little holes that are located on the top of your food processor to accomplish this). When all of the oil is incorporated, stop blending. You now have mayonnaise. Taste and add more sea salt and/or black pepper to taste.

Homemade Mayonnaise

Pizza

Naan Bread Pizza Margherita

Naan Bread Pizza Margherita

If you cannot find naan bread in your local supermarket, pita bread will work fine.

Two 8 Inch Naan Breads
8 Slices Of Mozzarella Cheese (Four Slices Per Pizza)
1/2 Pint Of Cherry Tomatoes Cut Into About ¼ Inch Wide Slices
10 Fresh Basil Leaves Torn In Half
A Minced Garlic Clove
¼ Cup Of Olive Oil
½ Teaspoon Of Sea Salt
A Pinch Of Red Pepper Flakes

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Combine the tomatoes, the basil, the garlic, the olive oil, the sea salt, and the red pepper flakes in a bowl. Mix well.

Spread the tomato mixture out evenly on each piece of naan bread. Top the tomatoes with the mozzarella cheese (four slices per pizza). Put the pizza pies on a baking sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.

Let the pizzas rest for 7-10 minutes before slicing.

Poultry

Cornell Chicken Marinade

Cornell Chicken Marinade

I resurrected this chicken recipe made famous by Robert C. Baker, a Cornell professor, in 1950. The marinade makes for a tangy, crispy grilled chicken. I have tweaked the recipe a little substituting some of my own ingredients.

Two Tablespoons Of Dijon Mustard
A Cup Of Canola Oil
Two Cups Of Apple Cider Vinegar
Three Tablespoons Of Sea Salt
A Teaspoon Of Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Five Fresh Sage Leaves Torn In Half

Combine the mustard, the oil, the vinegar, the sea salt, and the black pepper in a blender. Blend the mixture well. Add the sage leaves after the marinade is fully blended.

For best results, marinate the chicken with this baste overnight.

Grilling tips- cook the chicken (with the bone side down) on a gas or charcoal grill over indirect or low heat for 50-60 minutes. Cook skin side down for an additional ten minutes to get the skin crispy brown. Be careful not to let the chicken burn. Use a squirt bottle of water if the fire flames up. Move the chicken around as the various pieces get cooked, as well.

Pizza

Pizza With Salsa Rosa, Baby Spinach, Feta Cheese And Mozzarella

Pizza With Salsa Rosa, Baby Spinach, Feta Cheese and Mozzarella

A Twelve Inch Prepared Pizza Shell (Pre-Baked Are Preferred)

A Twelve Inch Aluminum Pizza Pan

1/4 Cup Of Olive Oil

1/4 Cup Of Crumbled Feta Cheese

10 Mozzarella Cheese Slices

8 Ounces Of Baby Spinach (Cooked In A Half Inch Of Salted Boiling Water For Two Minutes And Squeezed Well To Remove Any Excess Water)

A Minced Garlic Clove

A Cup Of Whole San Marzano Tomatoes (Hand Crushed)

A Roasted Red Bell Pepper Cut Into About One Inch Pieces

A Roasted Hot Red Cherry Pepper Cut In About Half Inch Pieces

1/4 Teaspoon Of Sea Salt

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Place the pizza shell in the pizza pan.

Spread the olive oil evenly over the top of the pizza shell.

Combine the tomatoes, the red bell pepper, the cherry pepper, the garlic, and the sea salt in a bowl. Mix well. Spread this mixture evenly over the top of the pizza.

Place the cooked spinach evenly over the sauce.

Place the feta cheese uniformly over the spinach. Finally, top the pizza with the mozzarella cheese slices.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and browned around the edges.

Let the pizza sit for ten minutes before slicing.

Pork and Lamb, Poultry

Mediterranean Style Shish Kabobs

Mediterranean Style Shish Kabobs

Four Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs Cut Into About 2 Inch Cubes

A Pork Tenderloin Cut Into About 2 Inch Cubes

A Peeled Eggplant Cut Into About 2 Inch Cubes

A Summer Squash Cut Into About 2 Inch Cubes

Ten Whole White Mushrooms

Metal Or Wood Skewers (Note: If you elect to use wood skewers, soak them for a half hour in water)

The Juice Of A Lemon

A Minced Garlic Clove

A Minced Shallot

A Teaspoon Of Red Wine Vinegar

Two Fresh Italian Parsley Stalks

Two Fresh Oregano Stalks

1/2 Cup Of Olive Oil

3/4 Teaspoon Of Sea Salt

A Pinch Of Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Mediterranean Style Shish Kabobs

Combine the olive oil, the red wine vinegar, the lemon juice, the shallot, the garlic, the parsley, the oregano, the sea salt, and the black pepper in a mixing bowl. Whisk the ingredients well.

Place the meat and the vegetables on seperate skewers.

Put the meat skewers in a glass baking dish. Brush the olive oil and herb mixture generously on the meat.

Repeat the same process with the vegetable skewers.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes prior to cooking.

Cook on a hot gas or charcoal grill for about 15-20 minutes. For best results, the meat should be placed over direct or high heat and the vegetables can cook over indirect or low heat. Close the lid of the grill during cooking. Turn the vegetables and the meat only once after 10 minutes of grilling time. You can tell when the meat is cooked through because it will be firm to the touch. The vegetables are cooked when they are soft to the touch and browned on the outside.

Serve with rice pilaf and tzatziki sauce (recipe published on this web site on 2/14/11).

Pork and Lamb

St. Louis Ribs

St. Louis Ribs

A Rack Of St. Louis Cut Pork Ribs

Two Tablespoons Of Chinese Five Spice

A Tablespoon Of Brown Sugar

1 1/2  Teaspoons Of Sea Salt, Divided

1/2 Teaspoon Of Red Cayenne Pepper

A Cup Of Ketchup

1/4 Cup Of Soy Sauce

A Tablespoon Of Rice Vinegar

A Teaspoon Of Sriracha Sauce

A Teaspoon Of Sesame Oil

Two Teaspoons Of Honey

A Teaspoon Of Ground Ginger

A Minced Garlic Clove

Combine the Chinese five spice, the brown sugar, a teaspoon of sea salt, and a 1/2 teaspoon of red cayenne pepper in a small mixing bowl. Mix well.

Rub the meat side of the rib rack generously with the spice mixture.

Wrap the rack of ribs tightly with plastic wrap. Now wrap the ribs with two layers of aluminum foil. Allow the ribs to sit overnight in the refrigerator. Place the rack of ribs on a baking sheet. Bake in a pre-heated oven set at 225 degrees for 5 hours.

Remove the wrapping from the ribs. Retain at least a tablespoon of the pan drippings.

Combine the pan drippings with the ketchup, the soy sauce, the rice vinegar, the Sriracha sauce, the sesame oil, the honey, a 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt, the ground ginger, and the minced garlic in a sauce pan. Cook while stirring on medium low heat for three minutes until all of the ingredients are incorporated.

To finish the ribs, place them on a hot gas or charcoal grill for 10 minutes (meat side up). Slather the top of the ribs with the sauce.

If there is any extra sauce, serve it at the table along with the ribs.