Fish

Tuscan butter salmon

Belinda

A delicious and easy salmon recipe that has a smooth, silky sauce and the fresh pop of cherry tomatoes and fresh basil.

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SERVES 4

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 (6-oz) salmon fillets, patted dry with paper towels
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
3 cups baby spinach
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 ball of burrata cheese, optional for when you want to feel extra indulgent!
3/4 cup Parmesan
3/4 cup chopped basil, plus more for garnish
Lemon wedges, for serving (optional)

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Season the salmon all over with salt and pepper. When the oil is shimmering but not smoking, add the salmon skin-side up and cook until deeply golden, about 6 minutes. Flip over and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium and add butter. When the butter has melted, stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the cherry tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook until tomatoes are beginning to burst then add the spinach and cook until the spinach is beginning to wilt.

Stir in the heavy cream, parmesan and herbs and bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the sauce is slightly reduced, about 3 minutes.

Return the salmon back to skillet and spoon over the sauce. Simmer until the salmon is cooked through, about 3 minutes more.
At this point, you can stir through the burrata cheese, for extra silky heaven!

Garnish with more herbs and squeeze the lemon on top before serving.

Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related · Whole30 compliant

Charred Cauliflower With Anchovies, Capers and Olives

Belinda

This deeply versatile recipe from the New York Times is essentially a baked cauliflower salad. You can serve it room temperature as an antipasto, as part of a buffet or warm as a nearly vegetarian main course with rice pilaf, roasted sweet potatoes or pasta. It is also a perfect make-ahead side dish to accompany nearly everything from roasted chicken or fish fillets to steaks and chops.

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1 medium cauliflower (about 1 1/2 lbs)
Salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 to 6 anchovy fillets, rinsed, patted dry and finely chopped
½ cup roughly chopped good-quality green or black olives
1 tbsp capers, rinsed, patted dry and roughly chopped
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp grated lemon zest
½ tsp red-pepper flakes, or to taste
½ cup roughly chopped parsley
3 tbsp chopped scallions

Put a large pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, with a large knife, cut the cauliflower into quarters. Cut off the tough core at the stem end of each piece. Cut cauliflower quarters into rough 1/2-inch slices. Cut larger slices into several pieces, so all the chopped cauliflower is about the same size.

Salt the boiling water generously and add the chopped cauliflower. Cook for 2 minutes, then drain and spread out on a baking sheet to cool.

In a large bowl, put garlic, anchovy, olives, capers, olive oil, lemon juice and lemon zest. Whisk ingredients together and taste. Adjust salt or lemon juice as necessary.

Add blanched cauliflower to the bowl. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add a generous pinch of red-pepper flakes, or add to taste, and toss cauliflower with your hands to coat evenly with dressing.

Transfer mixture to a shallow baking dish, small roasting pan or sheet pan. (Recipe may be prepared up to this point several hours ahead of baking.)

To finish, heat the oven to 450 F.
Bake the cauliflower, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until the top is browned and beginning to char in some places.
(For extra char, place dish under broiler for 1 to 2 minutes.)
Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
Serve at room temperature with a sprinkling of parsley and scallions. Drizzle with a little more olive oil, if desired.

Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Roasted carrots with cilantro yogurt and peanuts

Belinda

A new and interesting recipe from Con Poulos for The New York Times.

Carrot takes center stage in this easy-to-assemble side dish. Tangy Greek yogurt is combined with cilantro, coriander and lime juice to create a creamy bed for carrots that have been roasted until just caramelized. Salted peanuts finish the dish with a nice little crunch. If you can find rainbow carrots, this dish becomes even more vivid, but straightforward orange ones work just as nicely.

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Serves 4 to 6

FOR THE CARROTS:
1 ½ lbs medium carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise (quartered lengthwise if large)
2 tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 tsp ground coriander

FOR THE YOGURT:
1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
½ cup finely chopped cilantro
¼ tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp lime juice, (about 1/2 lime), plus more for serving (optional)
Pinch of Aleppo pepper or red-pepper flakes (optional)
Kosher salt
¼ cup roughly chopped roasted, salted peanuts
3 tbsp scallions, thinly sliced, green parts only
Flaky salt, for serving

Heat oven to 400 F.
Make the carrots: In a large bowl, toss the carrots with the olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper, add the dried coriander, and toss the mixture to evenly coat. Place the carrots cut-side down on a rimmed baking sheet and roast, flipping about halfway through, until the carrots are golden brown and tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.

While the carrots roast, make the cilantro yogurt: In a medium bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, cilantro, ground coriander, lime juice and Aleppo pepper or red-pepper flakes, if using. Stir well to combine and salt to taste.

Spread the cilantro yogurt on the bottom of a plate or platter and arrange roasted carrots on top. Scatter peanuts and scallions on top, and finish with flaky salt and a squeeze of lime juice, if using.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Gluten Free · Vegetable sides

Parmesan roasted zucchini spears

Belinda

This is a lovely and easy way to use zucchini as a snack or side.

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Serves: 4-6

3 medium sized zucchini (about 1½ pounds)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp grated lemon peel
1 garlic clove, minced
½ tsp oregano
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
1 tbsp shredded parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Cut the zucchini lengthwise into quarters, then cut in half widthwise.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
Lay the zucchini on the cookie sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon peel, garlic, and oregano.
Drizzle over the zucchini spears. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
To give more of a crisp edge, broil for the last 3 minutes.

Asian flavors · Rice

Easy pork belly and mushroom rice bowl

Belinda

This dish is full of flavor and easy to make from the food blog “The Woks of Life”. A bowl of tender pork belly and glistening saucy rice will get even the pickiest child to enjoy their dinner.

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Serves: 4

1 cup diced shiitake mushrooms (about 5 mushrooms, fresh or reconstituted dried mushrooms)
8 oz fresh pork belly, cut into large, ¼-inch thick pieces (if you can’t get pork belly, try ground pork)
2 tbsp oil
3 slices ginger, minced
1½ tbsp Shaoxing wine
3 tbsp light soy sauce
¾ tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
½-¾ cup water, mushroom soaking liquid, or stock
4 cups cooked rice
1 scallion, finely chopped

If you’re using dried Shiitake mushrooms, rinse them, then submerge them in warm water until softened. This takes at least 2 hours, but it’s easiest to just soak them overnight. Squeeze the water out of the soaked mushrooms before cutting them into quarters, and set aside. Save the mushroom water! If using fresh mushrooms, just dice them.

Prepare your pork belly.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in wok over medium heat. Cook the minced ginger until lightly browned. Add the pork belly, and turn up the heat, stir-frying until the pork is lightly browned around the edges. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry for another two minutes.

Turn down the heat and add 1½ tablespoons of Shaoxing wine, 3 tablespoons of light soy sauce, ¾ tablespoon of dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, and ½ cup water, mushroom soaking liquid, or stock. (Use ¾ cup liquid if your stove has a higher BTU).

Stir, and turn up the heat to bring the mixture to a boil. Turn the heat back down to medium, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes until the pork is softened and a bit more tender.

Now add the cooked rice, stir, and mix everything well using medium-low heat. Make sure all of the rice kernels are well-coated with sauce. Sprinkle a few drops of water in if the rice looks dry, but unlike fried rice, this should be a little saucy! Lastly, mix in the chopped scallions, and serve!

Appetizer Vegetarian · Appetizers · Vegetable-related

Hot, charred cherry tomatoes with cold yoghurt

Belinda

Chef and recipe book writer, Yotam Ottolenghi has recently brought out another gem of a recipe book called “Simple” (Do buy it, you won’t regret it)
This recipe was the first one to grab my attention and it certainly deserves the word “sublime” and is in my repertoire forever.

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350 g (12.5 oz) cherry tomatoes
3 tbsp olive oil
¾ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp light brown sugar
3 garlic cloves peeled and finely sliced
3 sprigs thyme
3 sprigs fresh oregano
1 lemon – zest of one half shaved off in 3 wide strips, the other half grated
salt and black pepper
250 g (9 oz) fridge-cold extra-thick Greek yoghurt
1 tsp urfa chili flakes or ½ tsp regular chili flakes

Heat the oven to 400 F

Put the tomatoes in a rimmed baking dish that’s just large enough to accommodate them all snugly. Add the oil, cumin, sugar, garlic, thyme, oregano sprigs, lemon strips, a pinch of salt and a good grind of pepper. Toss together with your hands.

Roast for 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are beginning to blister and the liquid is bubbling, then turn the oven to the grill setting and grill for 5 to 7 minutes, until the tomatoes start to blacken on top.

While the tomatoes are roasting, mix the yoghurt with the grated lemon zest and 1/4 tsp salt, then return to the fridge.

Once the tomatoes are ready, spread out the cold yoghurt on a large plate or shallow, wide bowl. Spoon the hot tomatoes on top, as well as the pan juices, lemon peel, garlic and herbs, and finish with the remaining oregano and chili. Serve at once with some flatbreads or sourdough.

Gluten Free · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Roasted cauliflower with feta, almonds and olives

Belinda

From the New York Times.
Roasted cauliflower is a pure delight, but tossing it with feta, toasted almonds and olives makes it even better. The additions come together while the cauliflower roasts, allowing you to assemble this side in no time. If almonds aren’t available, walnuts or hazelnuts are good substitutions. This dish works well served warm, but it’s equally good at room temperature if you want to make it ahead. Serve with grilled pork chops or pan-seared chicken thighs with lemon and herbs, or fold it into cooked grains, such farro or rice, for a hearty grain salad.

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Serves 4

1 medium head of cauliflower (about 2 1/2 pounds), cut into florets
3 tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
Pinch of red-pepper flakes (optional)
¼ cup roughly chopped almonds
⅓ heaping cup/about 3 oz crumbled Greek feta cheese
½ cup pitted and roughly chopped green olives
2 tbsp finely chopped Italian parsley
½ lemon, to taste
Flaky salt (optional)

Heat the oven to 425 F.
In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower with the olive oil.
Season well with the salt, pepper and red-pepper flakes, if using, and toss again. Spread the mixture evenly onto a large sheet pan and roast until crisp and golden, about 25 to 30 minutes, tossing halfway through to ensure even browning.
Meanwhile, toast the almonds in a skillet over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to ensure they don’t burn, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Once the cauliflower is roasted, toss it in a large bowl with the feta cheese, olives, half the almonds and 1 tablespoon parsley until combined. Top with remaining almonds and parsley, and lemon. Season with flaky salt, if desired.

Dairy-free · Salad · Vegan · Whole30 compliant

Moroccan Carrot Salad with Harissa and Avocado

Belinda

This recipe is from the food blog “Alexandra Cooks” and is such a lovely combination of flavors and textures, especially served with garlic rubbed ciabatta toast.

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3/4 lb. carrots, scrubbed, root ends trimmed, but unpeeled
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Harissa to taste, I use about 1/4 cup of homemade Harissa, but I suggest starting with a teaspoon if using store-bought.
1/2 tsp sugar
½ tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
½ cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley or cilantro or a mix of the two
1 avocado, halved and thinly sliced

Send the carrots down the chute of your food processor with the shredder attachment in place. Transfer shredded carrots to a large bowl. Alternatively, coarsely grate with a box grater.

In a small saucepan, toast the cumin seeds over medium heat until they begin to darken and smell fragrant. Add the garlic, Harissa, sugar, salt, and olive oil, and bring to a sizzle. Cook until fragrant, about one to two minutes. Remove pan from the heat and add the lemon juice.

Pour the dressing over the carrots and mix. Add the herbs and mix again.
Add the avocado, if using, and toss again. Serve immediately or let stand for an hour or so before serving.

Note: If you would like to make this ahead of time, hold the avocado until just before serving.

Meat · Pasta

One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese

Belinda1 Comment

This is the perfect warming, comforting family meal combining two favorites from the food blog, “Damn Delicious”

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1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
8 oz ground beef
4 cups chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
3/4 cup canned white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp cumin
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
10 ounces elbows pasta
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat.
Add the garlic, onion and ground beef, and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks; drain excess fat.
Stir in the chicken broth, tomatoes, beans, chili powder and cumin; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Bring to a simmer and stir in pasta. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until pasta is cooked through, about 13-15 minutes.
Remove from heat. Top with cheese, stir and cover until melted, about 2 minutes.
Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Grains · Rice · Vegan

Moroccan rice with Harissa, dates and orange

Belinda

Enjoy this flavorful, exotic rice dish from the food blog, “Alexandra’s Kitchen”
The combination of the dates and orange gives the rice that wonderful Moroccan aroma.

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3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp harissa
1 cup basmati rice, rinsed until water runs clear (do not use brown rice)
6 Medjool dates, pitted and diced
1 orange, zested and juiced

In a large skillet over high heat, heat the oil until it shimmers. Add the onions and reduce the heat to medium.
Add a pinch of salt, and sauté until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and bay leaf to the onions, and cook for another minute more. Add the harissa. Stir to incorporate.
Add the rice and stir for another minute or until each grain is glistening. Add the dates and the orange zest.
Squeeze the orange into a liquid measure and add enough water to create 1 and 1/3 cups liquid. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt to the pan. Stir to combine.
Bring to a simmer, cover the pan, turn heat to low, and cook for 20 minutes.
Let stand for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork. There should be a bit of nice caramelization on the bottom of the pan — I like to scrape this up and incorporate it into the rice.
Serve immediately.