Here is a fast way to jazz up some frozen edamame for weeknight meals. This dish is inspired by the edamame with lime oil that I had at Kuma Inn.
Ingredients:
1 bag frozen, shelled edamame (16 oz.)
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp black sesame seeds
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 lemon
1 tsp wasabi paste (or more if you like extra heat)
Place the bag of frozen edamame in a bowl and in the microwave for 3 minutes. (Yes, the microwave!) In the meanwhile, whisk together soy, sesame oil, and wasabi paste in a small bowl. Juice the lemon into the small bowl.
When edamame is finished, add sesame seeds and sauce from the small bowl. Ey Voila! A protein rich, delicious, healthy side dish
A very simple, savory salad with a dijon vinaigrette that I whipped together a few days ago. I think it might become one of my staples. Maybe yours too?
Serves 2
Salad Ingredients:
3 oz arugula
6 on-the-vine, roma, or plum tomatoes
1 avocado
1/2 cup pine nuts
Heat a small pan over low heat. Add pine nuts and toast for 2-3 minutes, until slightly brown.
While the pine nuts are toasting, halve and score avocado, then cut into thin slices. Slice tomatoes into thick cuts then slice in half again. Prepare the vinaigrette.
Dijon Vinaigrette:
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (use the lemon in risotto dish if preparing it also)
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Whisk ingredients together in a small bowl then season with salt and pepper.
Add arugula, tomatoes, avocado, and pine nuts to a large bowl and then toss with your homemade dressing.
I was in awe the other day when I realized I’ve had this blog for over a year, and have yet to post a risotto recipe. Risotto is one of my favorite things to prepare because it’s so diverse and always a crowd pleaser. It also takes a bit of time and patience to make, rendering a product of some true TLC. I’ve tested out other sorts of risotto with saffron, shrimp and pancetta, but this dish is my one and only original, the first risotto I’ve ever prepared. I made it Wednesday night for E and it turned out just as well as I remembered. It’s so hearty that you can enjoy it on its own, or with a salad/vegetables. I made an arugula salad and it was a nice pairing. Enjoy.
Can serve 2-4 as a main, or more as a side
Ingredients:
2 2/3 cups boiling-hot water
1/2 oz dried porcini mushrooms
3 cups chicken broth (or substitute vegetable broth if need be)
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1/2 lb mushrooms (oyster, cremini, shiitake, whatever you like)
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Arborio rice (8 oz)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Preparation:
Pour 2/3 cup hot water over porcini in a heatproof cup and let stand until softened, about 10 minutes. Lift porcini out of water, squeezing excess liquid back into cup, and rinse well to remove any grit. Coarsely chop porcini. Pour soaking liquid into a glass measure and reserve.
Meanwhile, bring broth and remaining 2 cups hot water to a simmer. Keep at a bare simmer, covered.
Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté cremini, stirring, until browned, about 7 minutes. Add porcini and reserved soaking liquid to skillet and boil, stirring, 1 minute. Remove from heat.
Cook onion in 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add wine and simmer, stirring constantly, until absorbed.
Stir in 1/2 cup simmering broth mixture and cook at a strong simmer, stirring frequently, until broth is absorbed. Continue simmering and adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently and letting each addition become absorbed before adding the next, until rice is tender but still al dente and creamy (it should be the consistency of a thick soup), 18 minutes. (There will be leftover broth.)
Stir in zest, mushrooms, remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, parmesan, parsley, and pepper to taste. (If necessary, thin risotto with some of remaining broth.) Serve immediately.
Charmoula is a Middle Eastern herb and garlic sauce. I found that it yielded a great deal of flavor beyond its modest preparation time. I used a whole lamb roast but you can also use lamb chops if you prefer. Make the charmoula in advance and marinade the lamb the night before if possible so that the spices are well-absorbed into the meat prior to cooking. I served this with homemade taboule, hummus , and pita and it made for a wonderfully complete Mideastern meal!
Serves 4
Charmoula
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 1/2 cups (lightly packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/2 cup (lightly packed) fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup (lightly packed) fresh cilantro leaves
2 large garlic cloves
1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika or sweet Hungarian paprika
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Lamb
1 small lamb roast or 8 lamb chops
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation
For charmoula:
Add cumin seeds, parsley leaves and next 6 ingredients to processor. Using on/off turns, process until coarse paste forms. With machine running, gradually add 4 tablespoons oil. Transfer 2 tablespoons charmoula to small bowl; whisk in lemon juice and remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Cover and chill to serve with lamb.
For lamb:
Transfer remaining charmoula to large resealable plastic bag. Add lamb; seal bag and turn to coat well. Chill at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
Let lamb and charmoula sauce in bowl stand at room temperature 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 500°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place rack on prepared baking sheet. Place lamb on rack and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until thermometer inserted into center registers 130°F for medium-rare, about 13 minutes. Transfer lamb to platter. Tent with foil and let rest 5 minutes.
Serve lamb with a spoonful of Charmoula on top and enjoy.
Adapted from Epicurious.com with some slight variations.
This is a new recipe that I made this past weekend from my favorite cookbook, Coast,which features recipes from Australian chefs. I nearly mimicked the recipe but here we’ll use my own homemade pesto and make their tart into mini, hors d’oeuvres portions. If you use store bought puff pastry and pestro, this dish can be complete in under an hour. The strong raclette cheese combined with the pesto makes this an incredibly rich dish but worth every bite!
Serves 4
4 sheets puff pastry
1 egg yolk
3 oz raclette cheese (or a milder cheese if you prefer)
4 tbsp sundried tomatoes
8 large roma tomatoes
4 tbsp wholegrain mustard
salt and pepper
StrumErika’s Pesto
5 oz. fresh basil leaves
½ cup parmesan
½ tbsp crushed garlic
4 oz pine nuts
1 cup olive oil
Blend together in a food processor.
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Roll out the pastry on a floured surface until relatively thin, no higher than half an inch. Using the rim of a cup make small round cut-outs in the pastry and place each round onto a greased baking tray. For each round also cut a strip of pastry about half an inch wide and place around the edge of each round for the crust.
Puree the sundried tomatoes in a food processor then cut the cheese into small cubes. Slice the tomatoes into thick cuts then halve and quarter each slice.
Spread each tart base with 1 tbsp mustard and 1 tbsp sundried tomato puree. Place the cheese cubes in the middle of each pastry base with two tomato quarters on top of the cheese. Season with salt and paper.
Bake the tarts in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Add 1 tsp of pesto on top of each tart before serving. Enjoy!
I love making grains and was thrilled last night to discover how quickly bulgur heats up in the microwave. Though Rachael Ray irks me, I’m fighting the temptation to call this a “30 Minute Meal!” Here is a nice, healthy weeknight dish with only a few ingredients. It is packed with flavor from the red peppers and the lemon juice adds a nice, crisp acidity.
10 large, frozen shrimp
1/2 cup uncooked Bulgur wheat
2 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tbsp crushed garlic
1 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes
Sea salt
Defrost and remove the shells of your shrimp by either nuking them in the microwave or running them under cold water for a couple of minutes.
Place bulgur in a microwave safe, deep bowl. Pour a cup of water over the bulgur and heat for 8-10 minutes.
While bulgur is cooking, heat the olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add shrimp, garlic, crushed red pepper and a dash of sea salt. Heat the ingredients and stir to blend for a minute or so then turn down heat. Add cooked bulgur to the pan and toss to combine.
Pour your crushed red pepper shrimp with bulgur into a bowl, toss with lemon juice and enjoy!
These are a delicious hors d’oeuvres that can be made far in advance and chilled or frozen, then reheated when your guests arrive. Everyone loved it at Thanksgiving! This is from Bon Appetit via Epicurious, not an original.
Makes 42 squares
Ingredients: Crust 2 cups all purpose flour (try using whole wheat flour for a more hearty taste)
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
For crust:
Preheat oven to 425°F. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Make well in center of dry ingredients. Whisk milk, olive oil, and melted butter in liquid measuring cup to blend. Slowly pour milk mixture into well in dry ingredients, stirring until just blended and smooth. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 10×13-inch rectangle. Transfer dough to rimmed baking sheet. Re-form dough into 10×13-inch rectangle (dough will shrink when moved). Pierce dough all over with fork. Let dough rest while preparing topping.
For topping:
Melt butter with oil in large skillet over high heat. Add onions. Cook until onions are soft and beginning to brown, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Add rosemary, sugar, and salt. Season onions to taste with pepper. Reduce heat to medium. Continue to cook until onions are soft and dark brown, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes; cool.
Spread onion mixture evenly over dough. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake until crust is golden and cheese is bubbling, about 20 minutes. Let cool. Cut into squares and serve.
Wanna try something new for Thanksgiving this year? I’ve been making this stuffing recipe for the past few years and it never fails. The addition of the brie cheese and artichoke really packs some unique flavors into the stuffing. It will look more like a quiche in the end than a true stuffing but I promise it is delicious! This one is not an original recipe of mine, it’s actually straight from an Emeril Live episode a few years ago. Enjoy!
Difficulty Level: Easy
Serves: 10-12 (can double the recipe for larger gatherings)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 1/2 pounds spinach, washed (3 cups cooked and roughly chopped)
2 cups chopped yellow onions
1 tablespoon roughly chopped garlic
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons Emeril’s Italian Essence, or other Italian seasoning blend
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3 (8 1/2-ounce) cans quartered artichoke hearts, any tough outer leaves removed
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons lemon juice
12 to 14 cups cubed (1-inch) day-old French bread (1 loaf)
1 pound Brie, rind removed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the spinach and cook until just wilted, about 30 seconds. Drain and rinse with cold water. Once cool, squeeze as much water from spinach as possible, then roughly chop, and reserve.Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until golden brown and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, 2 teaspoons of Italian Essence, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the artichokes and cook, stirring, another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and reserve.
Combine the eggs, cream, chicken stock, lemon juice, remaining 1 tablespoon Italian Essence, remaining 2 teaspoons salt, and remaining 1 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the bread, spinach, artichoke mixture, brie, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and parsley and stir to combine. If bread does not absorb all of liquid immediately then let rest until this happens, about 20 minutes.
Pour the bread pudding mixture into the prepared dish. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan over the top and drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Bake until firm in the center and golden brown, about 1 hour. Serve warm.
Here is a quick and healthy side dish that can be made ahead of time and enjoyed for weeknight meals. For a more robust meal, pair with the protein of your choice. Some sauteed salmon or a turkey burger would be a great fit.
Serves 2 people as a side dish.
Difficulty level: Easy
1 lb. Pre-cut broccoli florets or whole bunches with stems chopped off, cut into bite-sized florets
2 oz. pine nuts
2 oz. sundried tomatoes packed in olive oil
1 tbsp olive oil
Pinch of salt
Fill a large pot with about an inch of water and bring to a boil. Place the broccoli florets in a steamer if you have one or directly in the boiling water with a cover.
Steam broccoli for 6 minutes or until it begins to change color to a deeper green. Be careful not to overcook and turn the broccoli to mush.
While the broccoli is steaming, toast pine nuts in a small skillet over low heat until the pine nuts turn a pale brown color.
Drain broccoli in a colander, shaking off any excess water. Place broccoli in a large bowl and toss with olive oil and a pinch of salt.
Coarsely chop the sundried tomatoes, releasing extra oil as you chop. Use the oil to flavor your broccoli or discard for a lighter dish.
Add the sundried tomatoes and toasted pine nuts to the broccoli, toss and enjoy!
Serve either hot or cold.
These Tortilla Espanola bites are really rich in flavor and went over well at last night’s fundraiser. Exercise a little patience (unlike myself) and let the Tortilla cool before beginning to cut or you will end up with a mound of (delicious) goop. Recipe from Epicurious.
Ingredients:
1 bunch scallions
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped (or crushed garlic)
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 oz Spanish chorizo (cured spiced pork sausage), cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 1/2 lb yellow-fleshed potatoes such as Yukon Gold (about 4 medium), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
9 large eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
5 oz Manchego or white Cheddar, coarsely grated (2 cups)
Preparation:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a 13- by 9-inch baking pan or dish.
Finely chop white and green parts of scallions and reserve separately.
Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook onions, garlic, white parts of scallions, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden, about 6 minutes. Add chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to brown and release oil, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat to moderate, then stir in potatoes and cover skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and cool slightly.
Whisk together eggs, sour cream, cheese, scallion greens, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a bowl, then pour into baking pan. Sprinkle potato mixture over eggs (some potatoes will stick out). Bake until custard is set, about 20 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack to warm or room temperature. Trim 1/2 inch off each side, then cut tortilla into 1 1/2- by 1-inch rectangles.
Cooks’ note: Tortilla can be baked 1 day ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered. Cut into squares, then bring to room temperature before serving or reheat to warm in a preheated 325°F oven.
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