Monthly Archives: October 2011

Poultry

Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala

There is no need to make a special trip to a liquor store to purchase Marsala wine. My method incorporates balsamic vinegar as a substitute.

Six Chicken Breast Cutlets (Approximately Four Ounces Each)
¼ Cup Of All Purpose Flour
½ Teaspoon Of Sea Salt
¼ Teaspoon Of Ground Black Pepper
Three Tablespoons Of Olive Oil
A Tablespoon Of Unsalted Butter
8 Ounces Of Sliced White Mushrooms
A Tablespoon Of Finely Chopped Red Onion
A Minced Garlic Clove
¼ Cup Of Balsamic Vinegar
1/3 Cup Of Low Sodium Chicken Stock
A Tablespoon Of Chopped Italian Parsley
A Pinch Of Chopped Fresh Rosemary
A Pinch Of Chopped Fresh Thyme

Combine the chicken cutlets, the sea salt, the ground black pepper, and the flour in a zip lock plastic bag. Close the zip lock and shake well so that the chicken gets coated with the flour, the sea salt, and the black pepper.

Add two tablespoons of olive oil to a large (12-14 inch) non-stick skillet. Put the pan on high heat for four minutes. Shake off any excess flour from the chicken cutlets. Add the chicken to the hot oil. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until a golden brown crust is formed. Remove the chicken to a plate but retain the olive oil that is left in the skillet.

Turn the heat on the skillet down to medium. Add the butter and a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. When the butter melts, add the mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms while stirring frequently for 5 minutes (Note: If the mushrooms absorb the olive oil and the butter during the cooking process, add a little more olive oil and/or butter to the pan). Add the onion, the garlic, and the balsamic vinegar. Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen the brown bits that have accumulated. Cook for three minutes until the vinegar is reduced by a third. Add the chicken stock. Let the mixture cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. At this stage, taste and add more sea salt and/or black pepper, if desired. Now add the chicken cutlets (along with any of the juices that have accumulated in the plate) back to the pan. Turn the heat down to low and simmer uncovered for ten minutes. Add the parsley, the rosemary, and the thyme before the last minute of cooking time.

Serve over buttered egg noodles or white rice.

Seafood

Poached Salmon Puttanesca

Poached Salmon Puttanesca

Two 6-8 Ounce Salmon Fillets With The Skin Removed
Two Cups Of Tomato Sauce
¼ Cup Of Dry White Wine (Select One That You Would Drink)
A Minced Garlic Clove
Two Tablespoons Of Finely Chopped Red Onion
A Tablespoon Of Capers
¼ Cup Of Kalamata Olives
½ Sprig Of Fresh Rosemary
½ Teaspoon Of Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
A Teaspoon Of Sea Salt
A Tablespoon Of Olive Oil

Combine the olive oil, the red onion, the garlic, the sea salt, and the crushed red pepper flakes in a skillet with a lid. Cook while stirring on medium high heat for two minutes. Add the white wine. Let the wine cook for four minutes. Add the capers, the rosemary, the olives and the tomato sauce. Cover the pan. Turn the heat down to low. Simmer the sauce for ten minutes. Remove the rosemary sprig. Add the salmon fillets. Cover and let the salmon cook for 5 minutes. Turn the salmon fillets over. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve.

Seafood

BBQ Shrimp

BBQ Shrimp

A Pound Of Shrimp (Peeled And Deveined)
½ Cup Of Your Favorite Barbecue Sauce
A Minced Garlic Clove
A Tablespoon Of Finely Diced Red Onion
A Tablespoon Of Unsalted Butter
A Tablespoon Of Canola Oil
A Teaspoon Of Frank’s Louisiana Hot Sauce
A Teaspoon of Sea Salt
½ Teaspoon Of Red Cayenne Pepper

Combine the butter, the canola oil, the hot sauce, and a ½ teaspoon of sea salt in a non-stick skillet. Put on medium heat. Cook while stirring until the butter has melted. Sprinkle the shrimp with ½ teaspoon of sea salt and the cayenne pepper. Add the shrimp to the pan. Cook while stirring frequently for 5 minutes. Add the red onion, the garlic, and the barbeque sauce. Cook while stirring for three more minutes until the shrimp are opaque. Turn off the heat. Serve with crusty French bread for dipping into the sauce.

Pork and Lamb

Pork Pot Roast

Pork Pot Roast

A 3 ½ Pound Pork Loin Tied In Three Equally Spaced Intervals With Butcher’s Twine
28 Ounces Of San Marzano Tomatoes
Two Minced Garlic Cloves
½ Cup Of Chopped Celery
A Cup Of Chopped Spanish Onions
A Cup Of Chopped Green Bell Pepper
A Cup Of Red Wine (Select One That You Would Drink)
Two Tablespoons Of Olive Oil
A Fresh Rosemary Stalk
A Fresh Oregano Stalk
Four Fresh Thyme Stalks
Four Fresh Italian Parsley Stalks
Three Teaspoons Of Sea Salt, Divided
¼ Teaspoon Of Ground Black Pepper
A Pinch Of Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Put a Dutch oven (large enough to hold the pork loin) on high heat for three minutes. Sprinkle the pork on all sides with a teaspoon of sea salt and the black pepper. Add the olive oil to the pot. Brown the meat on all sides. Remove the pork loin from the Dutch oven and set it aside on a plate. Turn the heat down to medium. Add the celery, the onion, the green bell pepper, the garlic, two teaspoons of sea salt, and the crushed red pepper flakes. Cook while stirring for two minutes. Add the red wine. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen any of the brown bits that have accumulated. Let the wine and the vegetables cook for five minutes. Add the tomatoes. Using your spoon, break up the tomatoes into coarse pieces. Add the pork roast and any of the juices from the plate back to the Dutch oven. Tie the rosemary stalk, the oregano stalk, the thyme stalks, and the parsley stalks into a bundle with cooking twine. Drop the herb bundle into the pot. Cover the Dutch oven with aluminum foil. Place the pot into the preheated oven.

Cook for two hours. Remove the herb bundle after the first hour of cooking. Let the meat rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with the tomato gravy on top of the pork.

Poultry

Roast Stuffed Chicken

Roast Stuffed Chicken

About A Three Pound Whole Chicken With Giblets
Four Slices Of Day Old Italian Bread Cut Into About ¾ Inch Cubes
A Beaten Egg
A Garlic Clove Cut Into Quarters
A Minced Garlic Clove
A ½ Inch Slice Of Spanish Onion
A Tablespoon Of Diced Spanish Onion
Two Whole Celery Stalks
A Tablespoon Of Diced Celery
A Carrot Cut Into Four Pieces
¼ Cup Of Cold Water
A Tablespoon Of Diced Soppressata Salami
A Tablespoon Of Chopped Capers
A Tablespoon Of Grated Parmesan Cheese
Two Whole Stalks Of Fresh Italian Parsley
A Tablespoon Of Chopped Fresh Italian Parsley
Two Whole Fresh Oregano Stalks
Three Tablespoons Of Olive Oil, Divided
The Juice Of ½ Lemon
A Tablespoon Of Sea Salt, Divided
A Teaspoon Of Ground Black Pepper, Divided

Combine a ¼ teaspoon of sea salt, a pinch of black pepper, and a tablespoon of olive oil in a sauté pan. Put the pan on medium high heat. Add the chicken neck, the chicken liver, and the chicken heart to the pan. Brown the chicken giblets well on all sides. Remove the neck, the heart, and the liver once browned. Discard the neck and the heart. Chop the liver into small pieces and place them in a bowl. Add the chopped onion, the minced garlic, and the chopped celery to the oil in the sauté pan. Cook while stirring frequently for three minutes. Add the cooked vegetables to the bowl with the chicken liver. Mix well. Add the bread cubes, the water, the salami, the grated cheese, the capers, the chopped parsley, the beaten egg, a pinch of sea salt, and a pinch of black pepper to the bowl. Mix thoroughly.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the stuffing into the cavity of the chicken. Place the garlic clove quarters, the whole oregano stalks, and the whole parsley stalks under the skin of the breast meat. Rub the chicken with the lemon juice and two tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle the chicken generously all over with sea salt and ground black pepper.

Put the carrots, the whole celery stalks, and the onion slice on the bottom of a roasting pan. Place the chicken (breast side up) on the vegetables. Roast in the preheated oven for two hours. Let the chicken sit out at room temperature for 15 minutes before carving. Scoop the stuffing out of the chicken and place it in a serving bowl. Serve the roasted celery, carrots, and onion on the side.

Pasta, Vegetables

Pappardelle With Kale Greens And Ricotta

Pappardelle With Kale Greens And RicottaA Pound Of Pappardelle Pasta Noodles
A Pound Of Washed Kale Greens (Note: Remove Any Large, Tough Ribs)
A Minced Garlic Clove
Two Tablespoons Of Olive Oil
Two Tablespoons And A Teaspoon Of Sea Salt, Divided
¼ Teaspoon Of Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
¼ Teaspoon Of Ground Black Pepper
A Pinch Of Nutmeg
Two Cups Of Ricotta Cheese
¼ Cup Of Grated Romano Cheese

Combine the ricotta cheese, the Romano cheese, ½ teaspoon of sea salt, the black pepper, and the nutmeg in a large mixing bowl. Mix well and set aside.

Add two tablespoons of sea salt to a large pot of cold water. Bring the water to a boil. Add the kale greens. Cook the kale in the boiling water for 4 minutes. Remove the kale to a colander but save the water that the greens were cooked in. Squeeze as much water as you can out of the kale and set it aside.

Bring the water (that the kale was cooked in) to a boil. Add the pappardelle noodles. Cook the pasta for 8 minutes until al dente (cooked but still firm to the bite).

In the meantime, add the olive oil, ½ teaspoon of sea salt, the crushed red pepper flakes, and the garlic to a 12-14 inch sauté pan. Cook the garlic while stirring on medium low heat for one minute. Add the kale. Cook on low heat while stirring frequently for 4 minutes making sure that the greens get coated well with the olive oil and the garlic.

Before draining the pasta, reserve a cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta well in a colander. Add the drained pappardelle noodles to the mixing bowl with the cheese. Add the reserved pasta water. Mix well so that all of the noodles get coated with the cheese. Add the kale greens. Mix well again and serve.

Rice, Vegetables

Oven Spinach And Rice

Oven Spinach and Rice

1 ½ Cups Of Basmati Rice
The Juice Of ½ Lemon
Three Cups Of Cold Water
Two Minced Garlic Cloves
Two Tablespoons Of Finely Diced Red Onion
A Pinch Of Ground Nutmeg
½ Teaspoon Of Ground Cinnamon
3/4 Teaspoon Of Sea Salt
A Pinch Of Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
A Pinch Of Ground Black Pepper
A Tablespoon Of Chopped Scallions
A Tablespoon Of Chopped Italian Parsley
A Teaspoon Of Chopped Fresh Oregano
12 Ounces Of Fresh Baby Spinach
A Tablespoon Of Olive Oil

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Combine the olive oil, the sea salt, the black pepper, the crushed red pepper flakes, the nutmeg, the cinnamon, the garlic, and the red onion in an ovenproof pot. Cook on medium heat for four minutes stirring frequently. Add the spinach. Continue to cook and stir until the spinach begins to wilt. Add the rice. Stir well so that the rice and the spinach get coated well with the olive oil, the onion and the garlic. Add the lemon juice and the cold water. Stir one more time. Bring the mixture to a boil.

When it begins to boil, cover the pot and place it in the preheated oven. Cook for 25-30 minutes until the rice absorbs all of the liquid. Remove from the oven and add the scallion, the oregano, and the parsley. Stir well. Taste and add more sea salt and/or pepper, if needed. Let the rice sit at room temperature covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.

Vegetables

Eggs And Peas

Eggs and Peas

Eight Beaten Eggs
A Cup Of Frozen Peas (Thawed And Drained)
A Minced Garlic Clove
A Tablespoon Of Finely Chopped Celery
A Tablespoon Of Finely Chopped Shallot
A Pinch Of Black Pepper
¼ Teaspoon Of Sea Salt
A Pinch Of Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
¼ Cup Of Grated Romano Cheese
Two Tablespoons Of Olive Oil

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

Combine the celery, the shallot, the black pepper, the sea salt, the olive oil, and the crushed red pepper flakes in a 12-14 inch non-stick skillet. Cook while stirring frequently on low heat for four minutes. Add the peas. Stir well so that the peas get coated with the shallot, the celery, the olive oil, and the spices. Spread the peas out in a single, even layer.

Combine the beaten eggs, the minced garlic, and the grated cheese in a bowl. Mix well.

Turn the heat under the skillet up to high. Add the egg mixture. When the eggs begin to cook around the edges, place the pan in the preheated oven.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until the eggs have set in the middle. Cut into wedges and serve.