Category: Entrees

Orange and Fennel Poached Sole

Servings: 2
Prep Time: 45 min
Source: Gourmet
September 1993

Ingredients
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
2 shallots, chopped fine
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 strips of orange zest, removed with a vegetable peeler
1/2 cup water
2 sole or orange roughy fillets (about 1 pound)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Directions
In a skillet boil the orange juice, the wine, and the vinegar with the shallots, the fennel seeds, and the zest, shaking the skillet, until most of the liquid is evaporated. Add the water, bring the mixture to a boil, and in it poach the sole, covered, at a bare simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer the sole with a slotted spatula to 2 plates and keep it warm, covered. Boil the poaching liquid until it is reduced to about 1/3 cup, remove the skillet from the heat, and swirl in the butter. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and pour it through a fine sieve over the sole.

Macaroni and Cheese

Servings: 8
Preheat: 375°
When I bit into my first expensive plate of pasta e quattro formaggi, I was surprised that it immediately struck a homey and familiar note. This is not macaroni and cheese out of a box; it isn’t cheap; it isn’t slimming; and while not particularly complicated, it also isn’t an instantly made dish. But it is resoundingly delicious and always pleases people. As one friend said upon digging in, “”You can go home again!””

For the pasta you can use any substantial pierced pasta. Shops that sell loose pasta often have macaroni or the larger ziti, about 18 inches long. The long pieces look wonderful curled around in the dish, but you need a very large pot to cook them in. If your pot isn’t big enough, just break the noodles into halves, thirds, or whatever will fit comfortably.

This will make eight generous servings. It’s the kind of dish that those who are clearly untroubled by thoughts of calories confess to enjoy eating the next day, fried in butter.

The most efficient way to organize your work is first to put the water on to boil for the pasta and then, while it’s heating, make the white sauce and grate the cheese. Once the noodles are cooked, toss them with the sauce and cheese and cover them with a layer of bread crumbs. The dish can either be baked right away or held and baked hours later.

Ingredients

Directions
THE WHITE SAUCE

3 cups milk
½ small onion, sliced
1 bay leaf
4 parsley sprigs
10 peppercorns
2 branches thyme or 2 pinches dried
a couple of gratings of nutmeg
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour salt
freshly ground pepper

Slowly bring the milk to a boil in a saucepan with the onion, bay leaf, parsley, peppercorns, thyme, and nutmeg, then strain. Mix the butter and flour together; then whisk it into the hot milk. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 25 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

THE PASTA AND THE CHEESES

salt
slightly less than 1 pound macaroni or ziti, in short or long pieces
1½ cups fresh bread crumbs
¼ cup melted butter
6 ounces (about 2 cups) Gruyere, grated
2 ounces (about 2/3 cup) smoked cheese such as Swiss, Gouda, or mozzarella, grated
½ pound mozzarella cheese, fresh if possible, sliced or grated
freshly ground pepper

Bring to a boil a pot of water large enough to hold the long pasta easily, if you’re using it. If your pot isn’t large enough to allow the noodles to become quickly submerged, break them into smaller pieces. When the water boils, salt to taste and add the pasta. Cook until slightly underdone since it is going to cook again. With tubular noodles this will take less time than you might guess since, being pierced, they cook from both the inside and the outside. Check frequently-they may be done after only 4 or 5 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking; set the pasta aside.

Toss the breadcrumbs with the melted butter. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly butter a large gratin or baking dish. Toss the pasta with the first 2 cheeses and the white sauce. Put a third of it into the dish, make a layer of sliced mozzarella, season with pepper to taste, and repeat with the rest of the pasta and cheese.

Cover the dish with a blanket of the buttered breadcrumbs and bake until the crumbs have browned and the dish is hot, about 45 minutes. If you are going to bake the macaroni later, set aside the bread crumbs until you put the dish in the oven. If the dish goes directly from the refrigerator to the oven, it will take about 60 minutes to heat.

If you’re serving macaroni and cheese as a main dish, serve it with something fresh, simple, and a little tart, such as a tomato and onion salad or a salad of endive or crisp romaine lettuce with fresh herbs and a lemon vinaigrette.

Lemony Moroccan-Style Chicken Kebabs

Servings: 6
Source: From Fine Cooking, June/July 2005 p 53

Ingredients
Microwaving the lemons is a quick method for giving them the flavor of preserved lemons.

FOR THE MARINADE:
2 lemons
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 1/8-inch-thick slices peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch saffron threads
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
2½ teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil

FOR THE KEBABS:
2½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 2-inch chunks
I sweet onion (like Vidalia), cut into 1 -inch pieces
I red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish

FOR THE YOGURT-LEMON SAUCE:
1 seedless cucumber, cut into ½-inch dice
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt
Kosher salt

Directions
Make the marinade: Cut four deep, lengthwise gashes, equally spaced, into each lemon. Put the lemons and garlic cloves in a small microwavable container. Cover and microwave on high until the lemons are soft and juice has exuded from them, about 4 minutes (If not soft, continue to microwave in 30-second intervals). Strain the juice into a small container and let the lemons and garlic cool briefly. When the lemons are cool enough to handle, separate them into sections. Scrape the pulp and most of the white pith away with a spoon; discard. Put the scraped lemon peels, garlic, lemon juice, and remaining marinade ingredients in a blender and purse to make a coarse, soft paste. Set 2 tablespoons aside to use for the yogurt sauce.

Marinate the chicken: Put the chicken into a 1-gallon zip-top bag; scrape in the remaining marinade. Massage the bag to coat all the chicken pieces and marinate for 1 to 2 hours in the refrigerator.

Grill the kebabs: Build a medium-hot charcoal fire or heat a gas grill to medium high.

Dump the chicken into a bowl, but don’t scrape off any excess marinade. Put the onion and peppers in the marinade bag and massage them to coat with the marinade (it’s fine if the onion pieces break apart). Transfer to another bowl. Thread the chicken onto skewers, positioning a piece of onion and pepper between the pieces of chicken. If there’s extra pepper or onion, thread them onto separate skewers, if you like.

When ready to grill, oil the grill grate. Grill the kebabs over direct heat (uncovered for charcoal; covered for gas), turning the skewers every 2 to 3 minutes until the chicken is firm and shows no redness when cut into, about 1 0 to 1 5 minutes. Check several pieces of chicken to be sure.

Make the sauce: Combine the reserved 2 tablespoons marinade with the cucumber, cilantro, yogurt, and 2 teaspoons salt. Mix well. (Make the sauce no more than an hour before serving or it will be too watery).

To serve: Remove the chicken and vegetables from the skewers and serve them in a mound with the yogurt sauce on the side.

Key Lime Pork Roast

Servings: 6
Source: Gourmet, December 1980

Ingredients

Directions
Rub a 4-pound boneless pork loin with 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard and put it in a ceramic or glass baking dish just large enough to hold it. In a ceramic or glass bowl combine ¼ cup each of bourbon and key lime juice, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper, spoon the mixture over the pork, and let the pork marinate in a Ziploc bag, basting it several times, for at least 6 hours.

Drain the marinade into a dish and reserve it. Press 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar onto the top of the pork and roast the pork in the lower third of a preheated very hot oven (450ºF) for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to moderately slow (325º F.) and roast the pork, basting it with the reserved marinade occasionally, for 1 hour and 30 minutes more. Transfer the pork to a cutting board, let it stand for 10 minutes, and cut it into ¼ -inch slices. Arrange the slices on a heated platter. Skim the fat from the pan juices and transfer the juices to a heated sauceboat “

Kefta Aux Oeufs

Servings: 4
Source: From “The Vegetarian Table: North Africa” by Kitty Morse
Vegetarian meatballs with eggs in tomato sauce (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia) Kefta refers to a mixture of ground meat and fresh herbs. Sometimes it is shaped into small balls and simmered in a cinnamon-scented tomato sauce, like the one in this recipe. On other occasions, kefta is rolled into a sausage shape, skewered, and grilled or baked. This vegetarian adaptation is served as a light dinner or as a first course.

Ingredients
Tomato Sauce
One 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 onions, minced
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp sugar
10 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs
10 fresh cilantro sprigs, minced
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Kefta
10 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs, minced
5 fresh cilantro sprigs, minced
1 cup dried bread crumbs
3 eggs
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp ground cumin
8 fresh mint leaves, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 Tbsp vegetable oil for frying
4 eggs
Minced fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Directions
To make the tomato sauce: In a large saucepan over low heat, combine all the ingredients. Cover and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer the sauce to an ovenproof dish.

Meanwhile, to make the kefta: In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients, except the oil for frying, the eggs, and the parsley. Mix, using your hands, until you obtain a homogeneous mixture. Form heaping teaspoonfuls into small balls about ¾ inch in diameter.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large, seasoned cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat the vegetable oil and fry the balls, in batches if necessary, until evenly brown, about 4 or 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, place them on paper towels to drain. Carefully transfer the balls to the tomato sauce. Break the eggs over them, keeping the yolks whole. Bake until the eggs are set and the yolks somewhat runny, 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the minced parsley and serve immediately. “

Hoisin-Glazed Pork Chops with Plum Sauce

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 15 min
Inactive Prep Time: 4 1/2 hrs
Cook Time: 10 min
Source: Weber’s Real Grilling

Ingredients
MARINADE:
½ cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1tablespoon canola oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

4 bone-in pork rib chops, each about i inch thick

SAUCE

¼ cup plum sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons granulated suga

Directions
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES
MARINATING TIME: 4 TO 6 HOURS
GRILLING TIME: 8 TO 10 MINUTES

1. To make the marinade: In a medium bowl, whisk the marinade ingredients.
2. Place the chops in a large, rescalable plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Press the air out of the bag and seal it tightly. Turn the bag several times to distribute the marinade, and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.
3. To make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk the sauce ingredients along with 2 tablespoons of water.
4. 4 Allow the chops to stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling. Remove the chops from the bag and discard the marinade. Grill over Direct Medium heat until barely pink in the center of the meat, 9 to 10 minutes, turning once. Remove from grill and let rest 3 to 5 minutes. Serve warm with the sauce on the side for dipping.

Grilled Whole Fish with Lemongrass and Graprao Basil

Servings: 6
NOTE: To prepare this dish in the traditional way, buy a 2- to 3-pound whole fish and have it cleaned and slit open from head to tail, leaving the bones intact. (Asian markets usually have excellent fresh fish and the staff to prepare them this way.) Rub the fish sauce mixture in the fish and then stuff it with the lemongrass and basil. Wrap in banana leaf and aluminum foil and grill for 15 to 20 minutes on each side.

If you can’t easily find fresh Asian herbs, use the freshly grated zest of 3 limes or lemons instead of lemongrass, and citantro, dill, mint, or any other fresh herb instead of the basil.

Like most Thai sauces, the chili sauce is served on the side, so you can add a plate of lime wedges or a quick sauce of lemon and melted butter for those who prefer a milder taste. The banana leaves enclosing the fish are wrapped in foil for grilling, so you can omit them if they’re difficult to find.

Ingredients
Chili-Garlic Sauce (see below)
¼ cup fish sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons finely minced garlic
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
Banana leaves and aluminum foil for wrapping
3 stalks fresh lemongrass
2 bunches graprao basil or other fresh basil (about 1½ cups leaves)
6 boneless small trout or 3 pounds meaty fish fillet, divided into 6 equal portions

Chili-Garlic Sauce for Fish

Serve this feisty sauce with Grilled Whole Fish with Lemongrass and Graprao Basil or any grilled or steamed fish or seafood.

1 1/3 cup fish sauce
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons palm sugar or brown sugar
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion
2 teaspoons coarsely ground dried red chili

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the fish sauce, water, and palm sugar. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice, garlic, green onion, and chili, mixing well. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.

Makes about ½ cup.

‘Real Thai’ cookbook (paper back). pg 131

Directions
Prepare a fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill. Prepare the Chili-Garlic Sauce and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the fish sauce, soy sauce, garlic, pepper, and sugar. Stir well and set aside. Prepare six 8-by-14inch sheets of aluminum foil and six 8-by-11-inch pieces of banana leaf. Place the 6 aluminum foil sheets on a flat work surface in front of you. Arrange 1 banana leaf piece in the center of each piece of aluminum foil.

Trim the lemongrass stalks. Cut away and discard the grassy tops of each stalk, leaving a stalk about 6 inches long. Cut away any hard root section to leave a clean, smooth, flat base at the root end below the bulb. Remove and discard tough outer leaves. Using the blunt edge of a cleaver or large knife, whack the stalk firmly at 2-inch intervals, rolling it over to bruise it on all sides. Slice each stalk on the diagonal into 2-inch lengths and set aside.

Place a whole fish or fish fillet on each banana leaf. Divide the fish sauce mixture among them, spooning it evenly over the fish to cover completely. Tuck several chunks of lemongrass and sprigs of basil inside each whole fish or alongside the fillets. Fold the long edges of each banana leaf toward the center and tuck in to enclose the fish securely. Fold all sides of the foil in toward the center to make a well-sealed packet.

Arrange the pockets on the grill rack and grill over hot coals for 8 to 10 minutes on each side. Transfer the packets to plates and serve at once with the Chili-Garlic Sauce.

Grilled Vegetable Sauce For Ravioli

Servings:

Source: Fine Cooking, August/September 1999 pg 25
This sauce recipe will cover two pounds of pasta, so you can freeze half to enjoy later. The sauce is also delicious over tortellini, gnocchi, or even polenta.

Ingredients
Yields 4 cup sauce; serves four with sauce left over.
1 med red onion, halved (skin on)
3 red bell peppers
2 yellow bell peppers
1/2 hot fresh green chile, such as jalapeño
1 portabelia mushroom (4 to 5 inches in diameter), wiped clean, stem removed
½ med eggplant, peeled and sliced ½ inch thick
2 cup (1 lb) chopped tomatoes, preferably fresh plum tomatoes or Early Girls
3 cloves garlic
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup heavy cream
1 lb cheese ravioli
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions
Prepare a medium-hot charcoal fire or heat a gas grill for 20 min. on high. Put the onion, peppers, chile, mushroom, and eggplant slices on the grill. Grill the onion until it can be easily pierced by a skewer (about 45 min.), the peppers and chile until charred black and the skins are blistering (about 20 min.), the mushroom until soft and golden brown (about 20 min.), and the eggplant until branded with grill marks (about 15 min.). When the peppers and chile are cool enough to handle, peel them and remove their seeds. Peel the onion. Put the onion, peppers, chile, eggplant, mushroom, chopped tomatoes, and garlic in a food processor. Process until the vegetables are a pureé. Pass through a food mill or a strainer and transfer to a saucepan; stir in the olive oil and cream. Turn the heat to medium, bring to a gentle boil, and then simmer until the sauce is dense, smooth, and reduced to about 4 cups, 30 to 40 min.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a vigorous boil and add the ravioli. Cook until the ravioli are puffy and bobbing on top of the water, pushing them down occasionally (if using frozen ravioli, follow the directions on the package). Test one to be sure it’s fully cooked; drain and then cover with the sauce. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if you like.

Grilled Tuna Marinade

Servings: —
Source: Bon Appétit, August 2005

Ingredients
Recipe #1

Marinade:
1 cup soy sauce
½ cup lemon juice
1 clove crushed garlic (for each steak)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
small amount of sea salt, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

In a shallow 9 X 13 inch glass dish, prepare all of the marinade ingredients. Remember, if you have more than 2 8-oz tuna steaks, you might need to adjust the ingredients to marinate. Marinate both sides (dredge steaks and get marinade on both sides). Let sit in refrigerator for 30 minutes before grilling.

*Soy sauce will overpower tuna if you marinate for too long!

Light the grill while tuna is marinating. Once coals are white (30 minutes) spread them and clean the grill, then wipe with oil so steaks don’t stick.

Grill for 4 minutes or less per side for 1 inch steaks, depending on how you like them. Steaks should be firm with pink in the middle. If you prefer steaks to be rarer, grilling time should be 2½ minutes on each side.

Mediterranean Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

Servings: —
Source: Bobbie Werner
his can be made without chicken or you can use tofu instead.

Ingredients
3-1/2 lb chicken roasted at 350; rub with olive oil and herbs de Provence.
Cool, skin, and cut into cubes, or pull off bones in clumps.
You can also go to your local market a buy a roasted chicken.
1 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp herbs de Provence
salt and black pepper
1 lb new potatoes
1 lb eggpant
2 red bell peppers
1 red or yellow onion (I use shallots)
8 oz green beans
1 whole head garlic, separated and peeled (I added one sm pkg of baby carrots)

6 oz drained jar of artichoke hearts(packed in water)
1 cup pitted calamata olives
1/2 cup chopped basil
8 oz feta, cubed

Vinaigrette:
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
I tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp each salt and freshly ground peper
2/3 cup olive oil

Directions
Cut the veggies into 1 “” cubes and put in roasting pan. (Veggies are potatoes, eggplant, bell peppers, onions, green beans, carrots, and garlic) Drizzle some oil and all the herbs, salt and pepper. Roast approximately 30 minutes at 350°. When the potatoes are done, it will be the time.

Add basil, olives, artichoke hearts, chicken and feta. Toss with the vinaigrette and serve at room temperature. (I used about 2/3 of the vinaigrette. I would taste after using 1/2)