Lemon salmon piccata

May 16, 2022May 16, 2022 Belinda

Recipe by Alyssa Rivers

This easy salmon piccata is a delicious yet elegant meal that is great for a weeknight meal or for when you have guests over. The flakey pan-seared salmon nestled in a bed of a creamy lemon and caper sauce will definitely be a crowd-pleaser!

2 tbsp olive oil
4 salmon fillets
salt and pepper
1 cup flour
3 garlic cloves minced
1/3 cup white wine
1 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp fresh thyme
2 cups chicken broth
2 tbsp Capers
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp water

In a medium nonstick skillet add the olive oil over medium-high heat. Salt and pepper the salmon filets. Add the flour to a shallow bowl and coat each side.
Add the salmon skin-side down and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side. Flip and continue to cook until the top has a golden brown cut and the salmon flakes easily.
Remove the salmon and set it aside on a plate. Add the garlic to the pan and cook for 20 seconds. Add the white wine and fresh lemon juice, and whisk to deglaze the pan. Stir in the thyme, capers, and chicken broth.
In a small bowl whisk the cornstarch and water. Add to the sauce and whisk until it starts to thicken.
Add the salmon back to the sauce and spoon the sauce on top. Serve immediately.

Crispy potato, olive and caper bake

March 26, 2016January 7, 2017 Belinda

This is such a lovely mixture of flavors and again, really not difficult to make.
Paired with some grilled meat or poultry, you have a pretty gorgeous meal

2lbs Jersey Royal or Baby Yukon potatoes
A handful small capers
2 x handfuls pitted black olives (Please, not those awful canned ones!)
1 tbsp thyme leaves
A medium bunch rosemary, broken into sprigs
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar

Heat oven to 450 F
Boil the potatoes until the softer side of cooked, about 12 mins.
Drain, slice in half, then tip into a bowl. Tip the capers, olives and herbs on top of the potatoes then add most of the oil and a some seasoning.
Stir together, lightly crushing the potatoes.
Line a medium Swiss roll-type tin with baking parchment, leaving some hanging over the sides.
Tip the potatoes into the tin and flatten down. Mix the vinegar and remaining oil, drizzle over the potatoes, then bake for 40 mins until golden.

Enjoy!

Accompaniments · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Egg based · Fish · Gluten Free · Sauces · Whole30 compliant

A beautiful caper vinaigrette to serve with fish

August 15, 2015September 7, 2022 Belinda

This is worth posting on it’s own as it is absolutely delicious on a salad or drizzled over a piece of hot salmon or halibut. It also keeps for a long time in the fridge

2 egg yolks
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp Champagne or White balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup blended oil (1 part olive oil to 3 parts avocado oil mixed together)
2 tbsp capers, drained
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
2 tsp chopped fresh Italian parsley
salt and pepper

In a food processor or in a blender, combine the egg yolks, lemon juice, garlic and vinegar.
Slowly whisk in the oil. Remove from the blender into a bowl and fold in the capers, mustard and herbs.
Season with salt and pepper.
Drizzle over your seared piece of fish or a salad

Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Vegan · Whole30 compliant

Pan-fried eggplant with balsamic, basil and capers

August 4, 2015January 5, 2017 Belinda

Sweet, mild eggplant pairs with briny capers, floral basil, and a drizzle of balsamic reduction. Beautiful combination.

Serves 4
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup olive oil
2 small eggplant (about 8 oz. each), trimmed and sliced 1/3″thick crosswise.
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste>
2 tbsp. capers
4 basil leaves, thinly sliced

Simmer the vinegar over medium heat in a 1-qt saucepan until reduced to a thick syrup, about 15 minutes.
Heat half the oil in a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches and adding more oil as needed, fry eggplant, flipping once, until golden-brown, 5–7 minutes.
Transfer to paper towels to drain and season with salt and pepper. Arrange on a platter; drizzle with balsamic.
Garnish with capers and basil.

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

Caponata ratatouille

May 5, 2015January 5, 2017 Belinda1 Comment

Mediterranean vegetarian food is the most comforting to eat and beautiful to look at. This is a combination of the Provencal ratatouille and Italian caponata with the briny capers and olives added for a punch. It is from the wonderful BBC Food website and is very low calorie. If you need anything else with it, you could boil some rice or pasta with it.

Serves 6

1 tbsp olive oil
1lb 10 oz eggplant, cut into 1 1/2″ chunks. If you don’t like eggplants you can use zucchini instead
1 large onion, cut into 1 1/2″ chunks
3 celery sticks, peeled and roughly chopped
2 large beefsteak tomatoes, skinned,deseeded and chopped into 1/2″ chunks
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp caper, drained
small handful pitted green olives
4 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp sugar, optional
1-2 tbsp cocoa powder, optional
Freshly ground black pepper
To garnish;
chopped toasted almonds
Chopped Italian parsley

Heat the oil in a non stick frying pan until very hot, add the eggplant and fry for about 15 minutes or until very soft. Add a little boiling water or stock to prevent sticking if necessary.
Meanwhile, place the onion and celery in a large saucepan with a little water or stock. Cook for 5 minutes or until tender but still firm.
Add the tomatoes, thyme, cayenne pepper, and eggplants to the saucepan. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the capers, olives, vinegar, sugar and cocoa powder and cook for 2 to 4 minutes.
Season with freshly ground pepper and add salt if you think you need it.
Divide between 6 bowls, garnish with the toasted almonds and chopped parsley and serve.

Nuts · Pasta

Penne with brown butter, arugula, tomatoes and pine nuts

January 14, 2015 Belinda

This is a terrific recipe adapted from Giada de Laurentiis and is full of great textures and flavors. Although it’s a pasta dish, it’s really like a room temp pasta salad that’s light, tangy, easy to make and makes a great lunch for friends.

Dressing:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp good Dijon mustard
1 large lemon, zested and juiced
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large clove garlic, crushed

Pasta:
1 pound penne rigate pasta
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, at room temperature
4 cups baby arugula
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained

Firstly, toast the pine nuts by arranging them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven until lightly toasted, 6 to 8 minutes. Cool completely before using.

For the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, crushed garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper until smooth. Set aside.

For the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.

In a high-sided skillet, whisk the butter over medium heat until melted. Simmer until foamy. Continue to cook until the butter has a nutty aroma and turns a caramel color, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the pasta, dressing, arugula, tomatoes, Parmesan, pine nuts, and capers. Toss until coated, adding the reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time to loosen the sauce, if needed. Transfer to a large bowl and serve.

Appetizers · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Stuffed roasted peppers with caramelized rutabaga (swede), capers and goat cheese

October 23, 2014September 7, 2022 Belinda1 Comment

Well, this knocked our socks off! Yotam Ottolenghi’s new book, “Plenty More” stuffed full of more spectacular vegetarian recipes is a winner.
What a combination of flavors this recipe has, with the caramelized rutabaga, capers, parmesan cheese and goat cheese.

These are just as good at room temp (or as leftovers the next day) as they are hot. Rutabaga gets a whole new “wardrobe’ with this dish!

Serves 6
2/3 cup unsalted butter
1 large rutabaga, peeled and cut into 3/8″ dice (about 7 cups)
1/3 cup thyme leaves, stripped from the stalk
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
2 large cloves garlic,crushed
5 tbsp capers, drained and coarsely chopped
3 small yellow bell peppers
3 small red bell peppers
1 tbsp olive oil, approx
6 oz chevre log, (goat cheese) broken into 3/8″ pieces
1/3 cup Italian parsley, coarsely chopped
salt and pepper

Melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat.Add the rutabaga, thyme leaves, 1 1/2 tsp salt and a good grind of black pepper. Turn down the heat to low and cook, uncovered, for about 50 minutes, spooning the butter over the rutabaga from time to time, until the rutabaga is completely soft and caramelized. Use a slotted spoon to remove the rutabaga from the butter and add it to a large bowl along with the parmesan cheese, garlic and capers and mix well. Set aside until needed. (The leftover butter can be used for cooking carrots or zucchini)

Preheat the oven to 500 F

Cut the peppers in half lengthways, keeping the stalks intact. Remove the seeds and white flesh and place, cut side up, on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Drizzle the oil over the top, sprinkle with a little salt and place in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the peppers are slightly charred and the flesh is completely soft.

Remove the peppers from the oven and turn down the oven to 425 F

Spoon the rutabaga mixture into each pepper half and dot with the goat cheese on top.
Return to the oven for a further 10 to 15 minutes so that the cheese gets some color.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes before serving warm, or serve at room temperature
Top each stuffed pepper with a sprinkle of parsley

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Poultry

Roast chicken with dates, olives and capers

August 30, 2014September 8, 2022 Belinda

Thanks again to the incredible Yotam Ottolenghi for another Middle Eastern winner. The combination of sweet dates, briny green olives and tart capers, complements this dish so beautifully. It is best to prepare this dish 2 days before you need to serve it and leave it in the fridge to marinate so all the wonderful flavors permeate the chicken

Preheat the oven to 350 F
8 whole chicken legs, drumstick and thigh attached and skin on.
5 large cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 oz fresh oregano, plus extra for garnish
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
4 oz pitted green olives
2 oz capers, plus 2 tbsp of their juices
3 oz Medjool dates, pitted and and quartered lengthways
2 bay leaves
4 fl oz dry white wine
1 tbsp date syrup or treacle
Salt and black pepper

Place the chicken in a large, non reactive bowl and add all of the ingredients, apart form the wine and date molasses, along with 3/4 tsp of salt and a good grind of pepper.
Gently mix everything together, cover the bowl and leave in the fridge to marinate for 1 to 2 days, stirring the ingredients a few times during the process.
Spread out the chicken legs on a large baking tray, along with all the marinade ingredients. Whisk together the wine and date syrup/treacle and pour over the meat. Place in the oven and cook for 50 minutes, basting 2 or 3 times, until the meat is golden brown on top and cooked through.
Remove from the oven, transfer everything to a large warm platter, sprinkle over some freshly picked oregano leaves and serve.

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.

Gluten Free · Poultry

Light and easy chicken piccata

January 11, 2014February 7, 2016 Belinda

We absolutely love this recipe, it’s equally good with thinly sliced pork fillet, chicken, turkey or fish and is so light, quick and tangy.
* I made this again the other day and omitted the butter, adding a little more olive oil instead and we didn’t miss it!

Serves 4

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 4 to 5oz each
1 large sweet onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup all purpose flour (GF flour is okay too)
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup dry sherry (if you don’t have sherry you can use dry Vermouth or a dry white wine)
2 lemons
2 tbsp capers
1 cup chicken stock, or broth
2 tbsp Italian parsley, finely chopped
kosher salt to taste

Squeeze the juice out of one of the lemons and set the juice aside.
From the other lemon, slice 4 very thin slices from the center (the widest part) and set those aside too.
Stretch a piece of plastic wrap across your work surface, place the chicken breast fillets on it, lay another piece of plastic wrap on top, covering the fillets.
Using a meat mallet, rolling pin or similar flat object, flatten the chicken breasts between the payers of plastic wrap until they are 1/4 inch thin, but no thinner or they lose their consistency.

In a shallow baking dish or even a plate, combine the flour and salt.

Heat a heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium heat, then add the olive oil and heat for another 30 seconds or so.
Add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.
Remove the onion and garlic mixture from the pan and set aside.

Add the butter to the pan and let until it turns foamy.

Now dredge both sides of the chicken breast fillets in the flour mixture, shake off any excess flour and add them, one at a time to the hot pan.
Cook 2 to 3 minutes per side or until nicely browned. Remove them from the pan and set aside on a plate, covered with foil, while you make the sauce.

Add the stock or broth, sherry, lemon juice and capers to the pan and scrape off the flavorful bits from the bottom of the pan.
Then return the onion-garlic mixture to the pan and heat it through, adding a bit more oil or butter if necessary.

Return the chicken to the pan, bring the liquid to the boil, then lower it to a simmer and cook for about 3 minutes or until the mixture has reduced by about 1/3.
Add the chopped parsley just at the end of the cooking.

With a pair of kitchen tongs, remove the chicken breasts and plate them. Adjust the seasoning on the sauce with kosher salt and lemon juice. Make sure there is plenty of sauce on each chicken fillet with a lemon slice on top and serve immediately