Thai Basil Squid

Servings: 2
Preheat: 
Prep Time: 30 min
Source: https://rasamalaysia.com/thai-squid-recipe/

This Thai basil squid showcases tender squid infused with Nam Prik Pao (Thai roasted chili paste), fresh Thai basil leaves, and a few fiery Thai chilies. A splash of fish sauce ties everything together, making this dish both delicious and authentically Thai.

Ingredients: 

12 oz (375g) squid, cleaned and cut into rings, and pat dry with paper towels
1 tablespoon oil
3 tablespoons Nam prik phao, Thai roasted chili paste (like “Pantai” brand
3-4 Thai chilies, lightly pounded (optional)
1 teaspoon fish sauce , to taste
1/2 cup Thai basil leaves, stems removed

Directions: 

Clean the squid thoroughly and cut it into pieces. Rinse with cold water. Bring a pot of water to a boil, then quickly blanch the squid for 5-10 seconds. Drain and set aside.

Heat a wok with oil, then add the roasted chili paste and Thai chilies. Stir-fry until the spicy aroma fills the air.

Add the squid and stir to combine thoroughly.

Add the fish sauce, stirring a few times before adding the basil leaves. As soon as the leaves are wilted and the squid completely cooked, dish out and serve immediately with rice.

Lemon Squares

Servings: 16
Preheat: 350
Prep Time: Total time 1 hour
Source: NYT’s Food section – best lemon squares

The recipe for these sweet, tart squares, adapted from the “Wellesley Cookie Exchange Cookbook” by Susan Mahnke Peery, was published in The Times in December 1990, part of a Christmas cookie roundup. But they can be made for just about any occasion, whether you’re in the holiday spirit or just craving something with a little pucker. The buttery shortbread mellows a lemon topping, as does the dusting of confectioners’ sugar. Make it to cap off a weeknight dinner, or for a weekend afternoon snack, paired with a cup of tea. —

Ingredients: 

2cups/256 grams flour, plus ¼ cup/32 grams
½cup confectioners’ sugar/61 grams, plus 2 teaspoons
1teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup/227 grams (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
4 eggs
2 cups/400 grams granulated sugar
⅓ cup/80 milliliters lemon juice (from about 1 to 2 lemons)
½ teaspoon baking powder

Directions: 

Step 1
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Put parchment paper in the bottom of the pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together two cups flour, ½ cup confectioners’ sugar and salt. Add melted butter and stir to thoroughly combine. Spread with clean hands in an even layer into a 9-by-13-inch pan and bake for 25 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, granulated sugar, lemon juice, baking powder and remaining flour. Pour onto the hot baked shell and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, or until just set. Using a small, fine meshed sieve, sift remaining confectioners’ sugar on top when cool. Cut into equal bars.

Cornbread (for Bob’s Red Mill medium grind)

Servings: 12
Preheat: 375
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Source: https://www.bobsredmill.com/recipes/how-to-make/cornbread/

Works for medium grind cornmeal

Ingredients: 

1 cup Medium Grind Cornmeal
1 1/3 cups Buttermilk (or 1 tbsp +1 tsp white vinegar to 1 1/3 milk)
1 cup Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour
1/4 cup Cane Sugar
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
2 Eggs
1/4 cup Melted Butter cooled

Directions: 

Combine medium grind cornmeal and buttermilk in a large bowl and let sit for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°F. Spray an 8×8-inch baking pan and set aside.

Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to the cornmeal mixture along with the eggs and melted butter. Mix until thoroughly combined.

Transfer to the prepared pan and bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 – 30 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Perfect Pearl Couscous Recipe

Servings: 6
Preheat: 
Prep Time: 30
Source: https://www.themediterraneandish.com/pearl-couscous-recipe/#wprm-recipe-container-55002

Tender, chewy, and slightly nutty, pearl couscous (Israeli couscous) is an irresistible side dish that comes together in just a few minutes, with very little effort. Simply toast it in some good extra virgin olive oil and boil it in water or broth on the stove until tender. It’s as easy as that! You can enjoy pearled couscous at room temperature in a salad, or hot, tossed with some pesto or other sauces of your choice.

Ingredients: 

Extra virgin olive oil
1 cup pearl couscous
1 ½ cups water
Kosher salt
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, optional
Zest of 1 lemon, optional

Directions: 

Toast the couscous: In a medium saucepan, heat about 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium-high until just shimmering. Add the pearl couscous and toss around to toast (the couscous pearls should turn a nice golden brown).

Boil the couscous: Boil 1 ½ cups of water and add it to the toasted pearl couscous. Season with kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low. Cover and cook for about 14 minutes or until the pearl couscous is tender. Remove from the heat.

Season and enjoy! Taste and adjust salt to your liking. To finish, add the parsley and lemon zest (optional), toss and serve.

Chicory Salad with Anchovy Dressing

Servings: 6-7
Preheat: 
Prep Time: 30 min
Source: https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-bar-tartines-chicory-salad-with-anchovy-dressing-recipes-from-the-kitchn-218917#post-recipe-11463

The dressing recipe comes from Cortney Burns and Nicolaus Balla, the chefs and authors behind Bar Tartine.

This recipe makes a lot! It makes a very large, dinner-sized salad for 4 to 6, or you could serve it as a side salad at a larger dinner party for 8 to 10 people. We halved the dressing ingredients, and it still made a lot.

Ingredients: 

FOR THE ANCHOVY DRESSING:
7 tablespoons (100 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fermented honey, or honey
18 oil-packed anchovy fillets, minced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (115 g) freshly grated hard cheese, such as Parmesan or Piave Vecchio cheese
3/4 cup (180 ml) unfiltered sunflower oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon Hatch chile powder or spicy red paprika powder
1 tablespoon freshly grated horseradish

FOR THE SALAD:
1 pound (455 g) mixed chicories, such as Treviso, puntarelle, radicchio, escarole, and endive, trimmed and roughly torn into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces
1 fennel bulb, halved, cored, and thinly sliced
1 bunch radishes, trimmed, and thinly sliced
2 kohlrabi or small daikon radishes, peeled and cut into thin half-moons
1 bunch green onions, white and tender green parts, thinly sliced 1/4 in/6 mm thick
1/2 bunch fresh dill, chopped
1/2 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Fresh horseradish for garnish

Directions: 

To make the anchovy dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, fish sauce, vinegar, honey, anchovies, garlic, Parmesan, sunflower oil, salt, pepper, chile powder, and horseradish. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. The dressing can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 5 days. Shake well before using.

To make the salad: In a large bowl, combine the chicories, fennel, radishes, kohlrabies, green onions, dill, and parsley. Add the dressing and toss to coat evenly. Finely grate the horseradish over the salad and serve.

Coconut-Miso Salmon Curry

Servings: 6
Preheat: 
Prep Time: 1 hour pre-prep, 30 minutes @serving time
Source: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020045-coconut-miso-salmon-curry

This light, delicate weeknight curry comes together in less than 30 minutes (if prep work is done in advance) and is defined by its deep miso flavor. Miso is typically whisked into soups toward the end of the recipe, but sweating it directly in the pot with ginger, garlic and a little oil early on helps the paste caramelize, intensifying its earthy sweetness. Adding coconut milk creates a rich broth that works with a wide range of seafood. Salmon is used here, but flaky white fish, shrimp or scallops would all benefit from this quick poaching method. A squeeze of lime and a flurry of fresh herbs keep this curry bright and citrusy. For a hit of heat, garnish with sliced fresh jalapeño or serrano chile peppers.

If you use the 1.5lb coho salmon filet from Costco, the dish serves 6 for an impressive dinner. You could also use tofu for a vegetarian alternative. The poaching liquid can be done ahead of time, as can the cleaning and chopping of the spinach, cilantro, and basil. That leaves the last steps of poaching, rice prep, and serving. Per most of the comments, I’ve doubled the coconut milk and halved the water in the ingredients list.

To serve, remove the poached salmon when done, off the heat, add the spinach to the hot liquid and serve as soon as it wilts. Plate rice first, then spinach+red onion, then salmon, then coriander+basil.

Ingredients: 

2 tablespoons safflower or canola oil
1 medium red onion, halved and sliced ½-inch thick (about 2 cups)
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and black pepper
¼ cup white miso
1 cup unsweetened, full-fat canned coconut milk
1 (1½-pound) salmon skinless fillet, cut into 2-inch pieces
5 ounces baby spinach (about 5 packed cups)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
Steamed rice, such as jasmine or basmati, for serving
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions: 

In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium. Add onion, ginger and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add miso and cook, stirring frequently, until miso is lightly caramelized, about 2 minutes.

Add coconut milk and 1.5 cups water and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until liquid is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. If preparing in advance, stop here.

Stir in salmon, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat, remove salmon to a plate, and stir in spinach and lime juice.

Divide rice among bowls. Top with spinach and onions, salmon, ladle sauce over the top, and then sprinkle basil and cilantro on top Serve with lime wedges for squeezing on top.

Whole Chicken Roti

Servings: 5
Preheat: 400
Prep Time: 30 minutes to debone and truss the chicken, which can be done in advance, and 1 hour to bake it.
Source: 

This is my recreation of the excellent chicken roti sold by Oliver’s Butchery in San Francisco. The deboning process is not that difficult, and even if the deboning is not perfect, the truss of the bird hides most mistakes. The prep of the chicken can be done well in advance of the baking, so it’s a good (and impressive) dish to serve to company.

I tried placing the bacon horizontally around the bottom of the bird prior to trussing, but I think it works better draped over the top. Jacques Pépin’s instructional video demonstrate how to debone a whole chicken and truss it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfY0lrdXar8
Don’t be afraid. It’s only a chicken.

Ingredients: 

1 whole chicken (preferably the non-water-injected organic variety)
Herbes de Provence
4 slices of bacon
Salt and pepper
Butcher’s twine

Directions: 

Remove and save the wings for another use. Debone the chicken, taking care not to detach the legs. Sprinkle non-skin side of meat with herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper and gather meat beneath the breast, so that skin side of breast is facing up. Place slices of bacon over the top of the chicken.

Truss the chicken and bacon. At this point, the chicken can be refrigerated for baking later.

Line a cookie tray with aluminum foil. Roast the chicken directly on the foil
1) 43 mins at 400°F
2) 10 mins at 375°F

Check internal temperature with a thermometer. Slice for serving.

Corn Salad

Servings: 4
Preheat: 
Prep Time: 20 min
Source: Dressing from https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024083-crispy-coconut-asparagus-and-green-bean-salad

This recipe is better than the “Charred Corn Salad” recipe.

Ingredients: 

One ear of corn per person
Cherry tomatoes, halved
Chopped cilantro
Red onion

Dressing
½ teaspoon finely grated lime zest plus 2 tablespoons juice (from 2 limes)
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil or another neutral oil
4 teaspoons white miso
2 teaspoons maple syrup

Directions: 

Steam/boil corn for a few minutes. Remove from pot, let cool, and remove kernels from cobs. You can make in advance and chill.

Saute sliced red onion in olive oil until soft. Add to the corn kernels

Make the dressing: Whisk the lime zest and juice, oil, miso and maple syrup in a large bowl to combine.

When read to serve, combine corn, onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and dressing.

Salmon Burgers

Servings: 4 big burgers (we split one)
Preheat: 
Prep Time: 45 min
Source: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/7131-salmon-burgers

For this recipe, you’ll want to grind part of the salmon in a food processor: It’ll bind the rest, which can be coarsely chopped to retain moisture during cooking. Some bread crumbs keep the burger from becoming as densely packed as (bad) meatloaf. This approach, along with a few simple seasonings, produces delicious burgers in not much more time than it takes to make one from ground chuck. The only real trick is to avoid overcooking. Whether you sauté, broil or grill this burger, it’s best when the center remains the color of … salmon. Two or three minutes a side usually does the trick.

Ingredients: 

1½ pounds skinless, boneless salmon
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 shallot, peeled diced
½ cup panko
1 tablespoon capers, drained
Salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
Lemon wedges
Tabasco sauce

Directions: 

Cut the salmon into large chunks, and put about a quarter of it into the container of a food processor, along with the mustard. Turn the machine on, and let it run — stopping to scrape down the sides if necessary — until the mixture becomes pasty.

Add the shallots and the remaining salmon, and pulse the machine on and off until the fish is chopped and well combined with the puree. No piece should be larger than a ¼ inch or so; be careful not make the mixture too fine.

Scrape the mixture into a bowl, and by hand, stir in the bread crumbs, capers and some salt and pepper. Shape into four burgers. (You can cover and refrigerate the burgers for a few hours at this point.)

Place the butter or oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet, and turn the heat to medium-high. When the butter foam subsides or the oil is hot, cook the burgers for 2 to 3 minutes a side, turning once. Alternatively, you can grill them: Let them firm up on the first side, grilling about 4 minutes, before turning over and finishing for just another minute or two. To check for doneness, make a small cut and peek inside. Be careful not to overcook. Serve on a bed of greens or on buns or by themselves, with lemon wedges and Tabasco or any dressing you like.

Six-Minute Seared Ahi Tuna Steaks

Servings: 2
Preheat: 
Prep Time: 30 min
Source: https://www.bowlofdelicious.com/wprm_print/7627

Ingredients: 

2 ahi tuna (yellowfin tuna) steaks (about 4 oz. each, 1″ thick – see notes for thinner or thicker)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil see notes
1 tablespoon honey see notes
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 tablespoon canola oil or olive oil
green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and lime wedges for serving (optional)

Directions: 

Pat the ahi tuna steaks dry with a paper towel. Place on a plate or inside a plastic bag.

Mix the soy sauce (2 tablespoons), toasted sesame oil (1 tablespoon), honey (1 tablespoon) kosher salt (1/2 teaspoon- OMIT if marinating for more than a couple hours, see notes), pepper (1/4 teaspoon), and cayenne pepper (1/4 teaspoon) until honey is fully dissolved. Pour over the ahi tuna steaks and turn over to coat completely. Optional: allow to marinate for at least 10 minutes, or up to overnight in the refrigerator. Also optional: Reserve a spoonful or two of the marinade before coating the fish for drizzling on top after you’ve cooked it.

Heat a medium skillet (preferably non-stick or a well-seasoned cast iron skillet) on medium-high to high until very hot ( or medium medium-high for nonstick). I recommend giving cast iron 3-5 minutes to get hot and nonstick about 1 minute, depending on how thick it is.

Add the canola oil (1 tablespoon) to the hot pan. Sear the tuna for 1 – 1½ minutes on each side for medium rare ( 2 -2½ minutes for medium-well to well, 30 seconds for very rare. See notes – this will vary based on thickness of the tuna steaks). (Note: different burners get hotter depending on your stove. Use your best judgement whether you use medium, medium-high, or high heat, as the marinade may burn if too high heat is used)

Remove to a cutting board. Slice into 1/2 inch slices and serve garnished with green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice, if desired.