Category: Entrees

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.

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.

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.

Tuna Burgers

Servings: 4
Preheat: 
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Source: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1900-tuna-burgers

The chef Michel Richard featured these tuna burgers in his 2006 cookbook, “Happy in the Kitchen.” At the time of publication, Mr. Richard’s Washington, D.C., restaurant, Citronelle, was considered one of the best in the country. Basil, soy, anchovies and garlic add layers of flavor to this simple-to-assemble tuna burger.

Ingredients: 

1½ pounds fresh tuna fillet (do not use dark oily flesh)
4 cloves garlic, minced
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 anchovies, minced
½ cup minced basil
2½ teaspoons soy sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons good-quality mayonnaise
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 cups mesclun
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
4 hamburger buns, split
1 tablespoon canola or grapeseed oil
1 large ripe tomato, trimmed and cut into 4 slices

Directions: 

Step 1
Chop tuna until it is the texture of hamburger and presses into a compact ball, and place it in a large mixing bowl.

Step 2
Add garlic, 4 tablespoons olive oil, anchovies, basil, 2 teaspoons soy sauce and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well, shape into four patties 1 inch thick, and set aside. (Patties may be placed on a wax-paper-lined baking sheet and covered and refrigerated for 1 to 8 hours. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before sautéing.)

Step 3
In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise with remaining soy sauce and ginger. In a mixing bowl, combine mesclun with remaining tablespoon olive oil and the vinegar. Toast buns on one side.

Step 4
Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add oil. Add burgers and sauté for 1½ minutes a side for rare. Set burgers aside in a warm place for 2 minutes. To serve, spread mayonnaise mixture on bottom bun, add burger, tomato and a portion of mesclun. Top with other bun. Repeat with other burgers and serve immediately.

Weeknight Lemon Chicken Wings

Servings: 3 or 4
Preheat: 450
Prep Time: 1 hour
Source: Smitten Kitchen Keepers by Deb Perelman

These are not bar chicken wings. They’re not fried until crisp, bathed in butter and hot sauce, and served with blue-cheese dressing, although you can deliver those here any day and we will not leave a single one behind. These are weeknight wings, which, if they’re not a thing yet, I think should be, because, at some point after having kids, I discovered that oven-roasted wings deserved more credit in the Weeknight Greatness category. They’re perfectly sized for small hands. They take on the flavor of whatever you pour over them without requiring brining or an overnight marinade. They’re often done in 35 minutes, but they have enough natural fat in them so they’re forgiving if you distractedly leave them in almost twice as long—they just get more browned and crisp. I love them as lemony as possible, and here, I add the lemon in three ways: in zest, in slices that caramelize in the pan (even the almost black, crispy lemon slices are wildly good here), and in juice at the end. Dijon mustard adds more punch, as do garlic and a lot of black pepper. The sticky juices that collect on the foil are my favorite part. We find these inhalable.

Ingredients: 

3 tbsp (45 g) unsalted butter, melted
1½ tsp smooth Dijon mustard
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp (6 g) kosher salt, plus more to finish
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 lemons (1 whole, for zesting, and 1 thinly sliced)
2 lbs (905 g) chicken wings, cut in half at the joint (wing tips saved for stock), or 1½ lbs (680 g) wingettes, already jointed and wing-tip-free (sometimes sold as “party wings”)

Directions: 

Heat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking sheet with nonstick spray. Combine the butter, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper. Finely grate the zest of the whole lemon, and add it to the butter mixture. Add the chicken and lemon slices and toss to coat; then spread them evenly in the prepared pan. Season with additional salt and pepper, and roast for 35 minutes, flipping the wings and lemon slices once, at the 20-minute mark, and then back to the first side for the last 5 minutes, or until the wings are a deep golden brown and some of the lemon slices look worrisomely dark. (Do not worry. They are not burned.) You can move the pieces around a bit as you flip them if the edge pieces are picking up color much faster than those in the center.

To serve: Slice the zested lemon in half, and squeeze the juice of one half over the tray; cut the second half into wedges for serving. Eat right away.

Super Grain and Veggie Burgers

Servings: 12 burgers
Preheat: 
Prep Time: 2 hours
Source: Grains for Every Season – Joshua McFadden

Yes, this recipe does have a long list of ingredients and several
steps … don’t start making these burgers 20 minutes before
you want to eat. The good news is that the recipe makes a dozen
burgers and they freeze beautifully, so an hour spent prepping
yields future meals for days. I wrap each burger individually-
uncooked-so that I can just pull out as many as I want to cook.
Thaw the frozen burgers before cooking, ideally, leave them in
the fridge overnight, but you can thaw them on the counter to
speed things up if need be. -Makes twelve-4-ounce (115 g) burgers

Ingredients: 

1/3 cup (70 g) uncooked barley or farro
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup (60 g) uncooked quinoa
1/3 cup (80 g) raw cashews
Extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces (115 g) shiitake or cremini mushrooms, stemmed and finely chopped
1 cup (160 g) finely chopped carrots
1/3 cups (200 g) finely chopped onion
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
One15.5-ounce (439 g) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained well
1/2 cup (50 g) uncooked rolled oats
2 ½ cups (125 g) panko breadcrumbs (whole-grain, if possible)
½ 1 cup (120 ml) soy sauce
1 tablespoon sriracha
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 ½ tablespoons potato starch

Directions: 

Put the barley, 1 cup (240 ml) water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan with a lid. Bring to a boil, then quickly reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until the barley is tender and the water has been absorbed, 45 to 60 minutes for hulled barley, about 30 minutes for pearled barley. If the barley is tender but there’s liquid left, just drain it off; if the water has been absorbed but the barley isn’t fully tender, add a few tablespoons more water and keep cooking until tender. Cool completely.

Meanwhile, combine the quinoa, 14 cup plus 2 tablespoons water (135 ml), and VI teaspoon salt in a separate mall saucepan with a lid. Bring to a boil, then quickly reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until the quinoa is tender and the water has been absorbed, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool completely.

Meanwhile, put the cashews in a small bowl, cover with warm water, and soak until they have softened a bit, at least 1 hour. (They won’t be mushy, they’ll just get less crunchy.)

Heat a glug of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, season lightly with salt and pepper, and sauté until they have released their liquids, the liquid has been cooked off, and the
mushrooms are fully tender and browning a bit, about 5 minutes. Scrape into a large bowl and let cool.

Add a bit more oil to the pan, then add the carrots and sauté until they start to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion and season lightly with salt and pepper. Continue cooking until the vegetables are quite soft and fragrant and starting to turn golden. Don’t let the onions actually brown or the burgers will be bitter. Add the garlic, cook another minute, and then transfer the vegetables to the bowl with the mushrooms and let everything cool completely.

Meanwhile, drain the cashews well and finely chop. Mash the chickpeas with a fork or potato masher until about half are mashed and the rest are slightly broken up. (Whole chickpeas will make the burgers too chunky and crumbly.)

When the sautéed vegetables are cool, add them to the chickpeas, cashews, quinoa, barley, oats, and panko. Toss with clean hands to integrate all of the ingredients.

in a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, hot sauce, vinegar, and potato starch. Add this to the other ingredients and work the mixture with your hands so everything is blended nicely Taste, either as is or by frying up a small lump, and adjust the seasoning with more salt, black pepper, hot sauce, soy sauce, and/or vinegar.

Shape the mixture into 12 patties (about % cup or 115 g each). Set the patties on a rack and leave at room temperature for 30 minutes or so to dry the surface. For burgers that you’re not going to eat right away, arrange them on a tray in a single layer, freeze until firm, then pile the frozen burgers into a zip-top freezer bag or other container and freeze completely. You can remove the number of burgers that you need, leaving the rest frozen for later. For freezing longer than month, wrap the burgers individually and then put in a freezer bag to prevent freezer burn.

To cook, heat a glug of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the burgers, leaving enough room for a spatula to scoot in and flip them. Cook until nicely browned and heated through, about 5 minutes on each side.

Serve right away, with your favorite burger fixings.

Crispy Baked Fish With Tartar Sauce

Servings: 4
Preheat: 400
Prep Time: 30
Source: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022325-crispy-baked-fish-with-tartar-sauce

Charming fish shacks and salty sea air aren’t a weeknight possibility for most of us, but thankfully, this recipe is. It features a clever technique from recipe developer Molly Kreuger: Creamy tartar sauce is spread on the fish to add flavor, keep the fillets moist during cooking and help the bread crumbs adhere to the fish. (Feel free to use your favorite tartar sauce in place of the one below.) The fish is baked until nearly cooked through, then broiled to toast the breadcrumb topping. The end result is crispy, creamy, tangy and moist, all of which is achieved without having to deal with a big pot of oil. Eat with more tartar sauce and a squeeze of lemon.

Ingredients: 

You can make the half the tartar sauce and it will be plenty. If you are using dried tarragon, make tartar sauce ahead of time.

1 cup mayonnaise
5 tablespoons capers, drained and coarsely chopped
¼ cup finely chopped pickles (such as cornichons or half sour)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon Worcestershire or soy sauce
1 small garlic clove
1 large lemon
Kosher salt and black pepper
½ cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing

4 (6-ounce) thick white fish fillets, such as halibut or cod (skin on or off)

Directions: 

Heat the oven to 400 degrees and set a rack in the upper part. In a medium bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, capers, pickles, herbs and Worcestershire sauce. Using a Microplane, finely grate the garlic into the bowl, then grate in the zest of the lemon. (Hold onto the lemon; you’ll use the juice later.) Stir to combine and season the tartar sauce to taste with salt and lots of pepper.

In a small bowl, stir together the panko and olive oil; season with salt and pepper.

Pat the fish dry on all sides and season lightly all over with salt and pepper. Transfer to a lightly greased or foil-lined sheet pan. Coat the top with a thin layer of the tartar sauce (a scant tablespoon per fillet). Sprinkle the panko evenly on top (about 2 tablespoons per fillet), pressing gently to adhere.

Bake the fish on the top rack until almost cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes for fillets between ½- and ¾-inch-thick (though you should check earlier, if using a thinner fish). An instant-read thermometer should read somewhere between 125 and 130 degrees when inserted into the thickest part of the fish.

Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon juice from the lemon to the tartar sauce and cut the remaining lemon into 4 wedges for serving.

When the fish is nearly cooked through, switch the oven to broil. Broil the fish on the top rack until the bread crumbs are golden and the fish flakes easily and registers 140 degrees in the thickest part, 2 to 3 minutes. Eat with a spoonful of tartar sauce, more black pepper and a squeeze of lemon. (Any extra tartar sauce will keep for up to a week in the fridge.)

Cauliflower Curry

Servings: 4
Preheat: 
Prep Time: 1 hour
Source: https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/cauliflower-curry-recipe/#wprm-recipe-container-38380

Super easy and delicious curry. See “Source” URL for more detail. Serve with rice or roti. Can add green peas, potatoes, mushrooms, or spinach (1.5 cups).

Ingredients: 

250 g cauliflower florets (2 heaped cups)
Cilantro for a garnish
2 Tbsp oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
1 1/4 cup red onions chopped finely (2 medium)
1 Green chili slit or chopped
1 tbsp half ginger/half garlic chopped, or 1 tsp paste
3/4 -1 cup tomatoes. Diced canned work fine
3/4 to 1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 to 3/4 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala or curry powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
3/4 -1 cup water or coconut milk (I used 1 1/4 cup)

Directions: 

Heat oil in pan. add mustard and cumin. Whey they begin to sizzle, add the curry leaves and fry for 30 seconds.
Add onions and green chilli. Saute until pink or golden
Stir in ginger garlic and saute until a nice aroma comes out for about 30-60 sec
Add tomatoes and salt. Saute until the tomatoes turn soft
Add turmeric, red chilli powder, garam masala, and coriander powder. Saute for 30-60 seconds until the masala smells aromatic.
Add cauliflower florets and saute for 1-2 minutes
Pour 1/2 to 1 cup water or coconut milk and give a good mix. I used 1 cup water at this step. Young cauliflower releases lots of moistures, so be careful not to add a lot of water at one time.
Cover and cook until the cauliflower is tender but not too soft
If needed, add more water or coconut milk to bring the curry to a desired consistency. I added half cup coconut milk at this stage and cook 2-3 minutes more.
Taste the curry and add more salt if needed. Garnish cauliflower curry with coriander leaves.