Oven baked parcels of fish with scallions, mushrooms, ginger and sesame oil

July 19, 2014January 7, 2017 Belinda

This is one of our most favorite, light and extremely tasty fish dishes, steamed to perfection, snuggled cozily in their own aluminum foil packets. All you need to serve with it is steamed white rice, as the juices from these parcels are divine.

Serves 2
2 x 6oz fillets of Chilean sea bass, cod or halibut
6 scallions, sliced on the diagonal in 1″ pieces
1 large clove of garlic crushed
1 & 1/2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated finely or chopped very finely.
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
A pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
6 good sized mushrooms, or shitake mushrooms, sliced
1/2 can baby corn pieces, drained (optional)
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 F
In a small bowl, add the soy sauce, sesame oil, sliced scallions, ginger, garlic,red pepper flakes, mushrooms, baby corn, if using, and ground pepper.
Mix well and set aside.
Get two large pieces of aluminum foil and in the middle of each piece, place a piece of fish. Bring up all the sides of the foil, so the liquid won’t run out, and tip 1/2 of the mixture in the medium bowl over each piece of fish.
Gather up and seal the packages really well.

Place in a small roasting tin and bake at 400 F for about 15 mins max.
To test, open one of the packages and put a sharp knife into the fish to see if comes away easily.
Place the fish over a pile of simple steamed white rice in a bowl, and pour over all the sauce and vegetables.

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Nuts · Poultry · Whole30 compliant

Eric Ripert’s summer chicken paillard with tomatoes, fennel and olives

May 17, 2014September 8, 2022 Belinda

In true Eric Ripert style (chef of the extraordinary restaurant in New York called “Le Bernadin”) this is a light and very flavorful summer dish with pure, refreshing flavors.

Serves 4
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and lightly pounded flat
1/2 cup shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
1 cup thinly sliced fennel
1/2 cup green olives, pitted and sliced
1/3 cup raisins, soaked in white wine or water
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted (or you can substitute almonds)
2 tablespoons capers
4 sprigs thyme, leaves removed
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh basil, sliced julienne
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 F
Toss the tomatoes, fennel, green olives, shallots, pine nuts, raisins, caper, basil, thyme leaves, and garlic in a mixing bowl. Drizzle most of the olive oil over the vegetables and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Place the chicken in a single layer on a large baking dish. Cover the chicken with the vegetable mixture and drizzle the remaining olive oil over and around the chicken.
Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle the parsley over the chicken and serve immediately.

Fish · Whole30 compliant

Prosciutto wrapped sea bass with roasted Autumn vegetables

April 12, 2014January 5, 2017 Belinda

I have been thinking about this recipe ever since I watched the “Barefoot Contessa” make it.
Finally I made it tonight with some modifications and it really is lovely with sweet roasted root vegetables, moist sea bass enclosed in the salty prosciutto, and the lovely woodsy flavor of the rosemary infused buttery lemon sauce.

Prep time 20 mins
Cooking time 1 hour
Serves 4, but is easily augmented

2 cups peeled, seeded and diced (1/2-inch) butternut squash
2 cups peeled and diced (1/2 inch) diced parsnips
2 cups peeled and diced (1/2 inch) diced carrots
Good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
4 ( 7 oz ) fillets skinless sea bass fillets
6 to 8 thin slices prosciutto di Parma
1/4 lb (1 stick) unsalted butter, clarified butter or ghee
6 good sprigs fresh rosemary
3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
lemon wedges, for serving

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

For the vegetables;
Put the butternut squash, parsnips and carrots in a large bowl.Finely cut 2 sprigs of the fresh rosemary and add to the vegetables. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp salt, 1 tsp pepper and the garlic. Add about 1/3 cup olive oil and toss together with your hands until well mixed together.
Line a shallow roasting tray with aluminum foil, spread the vegetables out in a single layer and roast for 30 mins, turning once during the cooking until they are tender and starting to brown.
Meanwhile, line another sheet pan with aluminum foil and place a baking rack on top of the foil.
Brush the fish fillets on both sides with olive oil and season liberally with salt and ground pepper.
Wrap each fillet with a slice or two of prosciutto to form a wide band around the center of the fillet.
Arrange the fillets on the rack with the prosciutto seam side down and roast for 10 to 15 minutes until barely cooked.
While the vegetables and fish are roasting, melt the butter over medium heat in a medium-sized saute pan.
Add the rosemary sprigs and cook over low heat until the rosemary leaves are crisp and the butter begins to brown, about 5 minutes.
Discard the rosemary, stir in the lemon juice and set aside.
To serve, place the vegetables in the middle of a shallow bowl, lay a piece of the prosciutto wrapped fish on top.
Spoon the butter/rosemary sauce over the fish and vegetables.
Garnish with a small sprig of rosemary and a wedge of lemon and serve hot.

Asian flavors · Poultry · Soup · Whole30 compliant

Tom Kha Gai. The world’s best soup!

February 25, 2014January 7, 2017 Belinda

This is one of my “desert island” foods. I am absolutely addicted to this soup and these flavors. The bright, clean taste of lime, ginger and cilantro and the exotic coconut milk and red curry paste is divine.
Red curry paste is available online on Amazon and this particular brand is the best and will keep in the fridge for months. They also have green and yellow pastes. I have all three on the go all the time.
If you don’t have the Keffir lime leaves, then use lime zest, but I highly recommend you go out and buy a Keffir lime tree and keep it in a pot. There is nothing like the flavor of those leaves.

1 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 stalk lemon grass (pound the white ends to release the flavor)
2 tsp or more, of red curry paste
4 cups chicken broth
3 tbsp Thai fish sauce (Asian section in supermarket)
1 tbsp coconut or palm sugar. (optional)
3 (13.5 oz ) cans coconut milk
1lb chicken breast sliced thin
1/2 lb fresh shitake mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 Keffir lime leaves, very finely chopped, or the zest of 1 lime
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
salt, to taste

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.
Saute the chicken pieces till done, add the ginger, lemongrass and curry paste and cook, stirring for 1 minute.
Stop, inhale, the aroma!
Slowly pour the chicken broth over the mixture, stirring cnstantly.
Stir in the fish sauce and coconut sugar and simmer for 15 minutes.
Stir in the coconut milk and mushrooms and cook and stir until the mushrooms are soft, abut 5 mins.
Stir in the lime juice, and zest or finely sliced (julienned) Keffir lime leaves.
Season with salt, garnish with cilantro.

Serve!

Poultry · Whole30 compliant

Simple roast chicken with rosemary, garlic and lemon

February 21, 2014January 5, 2017 Belinda

A great weekday meal, full of flavor and all you need is a simple salad and some good bread to mop up those juices.
A good tip- Never buy a chicken over 3.5 lbs in weight , as you will lose the flavor and texture in the bigger ones. If necessary, buy 2 chickens if you are feeding a crowd.

Serves 4
1 (3.5 lb) chicken, cut into pieces
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
10 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 lemon, peel removed, pith and pulp chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Toss the chicken pieces with oil, rosemary, lemon juice, garlic, lemon and salt and pepper in bowl.
Marinate for 1 hour.
Heat the oven to 475 F.
Arrange the chicken in a 9″ by 13″ baking dish; add remaining marinade.
Roast, flipping once, until cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes.

Asian flavors · Curry · Fish · Whole30 compliant

Thai-style halibut (or other white fish) in a coconut-curry broth

January 8, 2014September 13, 2018 Belinda

Light and very flavorful.

Serves 4

2 tsp vegetable oil
4 shallots, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
2 1/2 tsp red curry paste (or 2 tsp curry powder)
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup light coconut milk
1/2 tsp salt, plus 1/4 tsp, plus more for seasoning
4 (6 oz) fillets of halibut or any other flaky white fish, like cod or chilean sea bass
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 scallions green part only, thinly sliced
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
freshly ground black pepper

*2 cups cooked brown rice, for serving
* 1lb steamed spinach for serving

In a large saute pan, heat the oil over moderate heat.
Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the curry paste (or powder) and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, 1/2 tsp salt and simmer until reduced to 2 cups, about 5 minutes.

Season the fish fillets with 1/2 tsp salt. Arrange the fish in the pan and gently shake the pan so the fish is coated with the sauce.
Cover and cook until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 7 minutes

Arrange a pile of steamed spinach in the bottom of 4 soup plates. Top with the fish fillets. Stir the cilantro, scallions and lime juice into the sauce and season, to taste with salt and pepper.
Ladle the sauce over the fish and serve with rice.

Poultry · Whole30 compliant

Easy garlic roast chicken pieces with rosemary and lemon

January 4, 2014January 5, 2017 Belinda

This is a really lovely dish to serve with my lemon-dill rice and the combination of flavors complement each other very well.

Serves 4 and takes about 30 minutes to cook

2 1/2lbs boneless chicken pieces, whether thigh or breast, cut into large chunks
6 to 8 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, stripped from the stems and coarsely chopped (You can also use fresh oregano instead of rosemary)
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 tbsp grill seasoning blend (I use Montreal Seasoning, but you can just use coarse salt and pepper)
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth

Preheat the oven to 450 F

Arrange the chicken in a shallow baking dish, about 9” by 13”.
Add the garlic, oil, lemon zest and grill seasoning or salt and pepper to the dish.
Toss and coat the chicken with all these ingredients, then place in the oven.
Roast for about 20 minutes.
Add the wine and lemon juice to the dish and combine with the pan juices.
Return to the oven and turn the oven off and leaving the chicken in the oven for another 10 minutes or so before removing from the oven and serving.

Serve with my lemon-dill rice, spooning the pan juices over the chicken.

Accompaniments · Gluten Free · Vegan · Whole30 compliant

Great caramelized onions in your slow cooker

January 3, 2014January 5, 2017 Belinda

Now you can do a heap of caramelized onions and not have to watch them incase they burn. Do far more than you need, and freeze them in small containers for up to 3 months. Perfect!

Makes several cups

5 large yellow onions
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or melted butter, or a mixture of the two
1/2 tsp salt
Optional: 1/2 to 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

You will need a 4 to 6 qt slow cooker

Thinly slice all the onions; Peel and thinly slice all of the onions into half moons. Transfer all the onions to the slow cooker. The slow cooker should be 1/2 to 3/4 full.

Toss the onions with the olive oil; Drizzle the olive oil/melted butter, the salt and the fresh thyme, if using, over the top of the onions. Toss evenly to coat all the onions with a thin glaze of oil

Cook for 10 hours on LOW; Cover the slow cooker and cook for 10 hours on LOW. If you’re around while the onions are cooking, stir them occasionally – this will help them cook more evenly, but isn’t strictly necessary.
After 10 hours, the onions will be golden-brown and soft and they will have released a lot of liquid. If you like them as they are now, stop cooking and pack them up.

Optional, and worth it – cook for an additional 3 to 5 hours with the lid ajar; If you’d like jammier, more concentrated onions with a deep color, continue cooking for another 3 to 5 hours on LOW. Leave the lid ajar so the liquid can evaporate.
Check every hour and stop the cooking whenever the onions reach your desired doneness and taste good to you