Blackened Chili Lime Chicken

Blackened Chili Lime Chicken

3 tsps Ancho Chili Powder

1 ½ tsps. Garlic powder

1 ½ tsps. Mexican oregano (or regular, if you can’t find Mexican)

1 ½ tsps. Coriander

¾ tsp Cayenne pepper

2 Limes, zested (the skin grated off)

3 tsps salt

3 Tbsps brown sugar

1 ½ pounds chicken breasts

2 Tbsp neutral oil, like vegetable oil

Directions

Mix together all the ingredients.  Rub on chicken.

Heat oil on high heat in a large skillet, preferably a cast iron skillet.  Cook chicken quickly, until it is just cooked through and the chili lime rub is slightly blackened.

Squeeze lime juice over chicken and serve.

Serves two with leftovers.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

3-4 Bananas, smushed up 

1 cup white flour

1/2 cup wheat flour

3/4 cup brown sugar (unpacked)

1 stick butter, softened

1/2 cup sour cream

2 eggs

1 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup chocolate chips

2-3 Tbsp turbinado sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.  Butter a loaf pan.

Cream butter and sugar together.  (I like using a hand mixer, but you can mix it however you like.  I will say that the more air you can beat in, the fluffier the bread.)  Toss in the eggs and blend well, then add the bananas, sour cream and vanilla.

Fold in the white flour, wheat flour, salt and baking soda.  Then fold in the chocolate chips.

Sprinkle the top with turbinado sugar, and bake until it is set, about one hour.

Makes one loaf.

Linzer Torte

1 cup hazelnuts (or hazelnut flour, if you can find it)

1 1/4 cups flour

¾ cup sugar

½ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp nutmeg

1 orange (the zest of it)

1 stick of butter

1 egg

1 ¼ cups seedless raspberry jam

½ tsp vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 400.

Butter a 9 inch tart pan with a removable bottom (I just use the paper from the stick of butter and wipe it all around the pan until it is thinly coated)

If you are using hazelnuts, throw them in a food processor and grind them up until they are flour-like.  If you are using hazelnut flour, just throw it into the bowl of a food processor.  Then add the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange zest, egg and stick of butter, and combine until it forms a ball.  

Dump the dough out onto a counter.  Roll it out between two pieces of waxed paper (so it doesn’t stick to everything).  Using about 2/3 of the dough, line the bottom of the tart pan with the dough, and make sure it goes all the way up the sides.  

In a bowl, mix together the jam and the vanilla, and pour it into the tart, making sure it spreads evenly throughout the tart.

Cut the rest of the dough into ¾ inch wide strips.  Lay them on top of the jam, and press each strip into the dough at the sides of the pan.

Bake until browned and bubbly, about 30-45 minutes.

MOUSSAKA

MOUSSAKA

4 large eggplants

3 large baking potatoes

cinnamon

garlic powder

1/3 cup olive oil

For the meat sauce:

1 large onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 pound ground beef or lamb

3 Tbsp tomato paste

¾ cup red wine

1  tsp cinnamon

1 tsp oregano

For the cheese sauce:

3 ½  Tbsp butter

3  ½ Tbsp flour

3 ½ cups whole milk

2 eggs

½ cup kefalotyri cheese (or parmesan), plus another ½ cup  for the top

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Peel the eggplants and the potatoes, and slice the vegetables into roughly ½ inch slices.  Brush the eggplant and potato slices with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle cinnamon on the eggplant (trust me: it’s delicious) and garlic powder on the potatoes.  (You should have two very full sheet trays of eggplant and one very full sheet tray of potatoes, which you can fit in the oven all at once if you use all three racks.)  Bake until the vegetables soften and brown, about 30-45 minutes.  Flip them over about halfway through the cooking.  When you remove the eggplant and potatoes from the oven, reduce the heat to 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, make the meat sauce.  Add the olive oil to a hot pan, and sauté the onion with some salt until soft.  Add the meat and some more salt, along with garlic, cinnamon, nutmeg and oregano, until the meat browns.  Add the tomato paste, and cook until it darkens slightly in color.  Add the wine and cook it down until it disappears into the sauce.

For the cheese sauce:  In a pan, melt the butter and flour together until it forms a roux.  Add the milk, and whisk until it is incorporated into the butter and flour, and the sauce thickens slightly.  Season with salt and pepper.  Take if off the heat and let it cool a little, then whisk in 2 eggs and the cheese.

Assemble the moussaka:

At the bottom of a 9x13 lasagna pan, layer in the eggplant.  Sprinkle with half the meat mixture, then add the rest of the eggplant and the potatoes.  Sprinkle with the rest of the meat mixture, then pour the cheese sauce on top.  Sprinkle the remaining half-cup of cheese on top of the moussaka, and bake it in the oven at 350 until it is bubbling and the top is brown, about 45 minutes.  Let it sit for 15 minutes to settle before cutting and serving.

Serves a crowd.

Pasta with Shrimp and Roasted Tomatoes

2 ½ pounds plum tomatoes

2 Tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

¾ pound pasta

1 pound medium sized shrimp, peeled and deveined

3-5 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tsp red pepper flakes

3 Tbsp olive oil

½ cup chicken stock

1 cup pasta cooking water

1 cup basil, thinly sliced (optional, but very nice)

A few hours or a day before dinner...

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Slice the tomatoes in half length-wise and arrange them, cut side up, on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, until the tomatoes are nicely coated.  Roast in the oven for 2 hours.  When the tomatoes come out of the oven, coarsely chop and set aside.

When you are ready for dinner...

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil.  Add the pasta.

In a pan large enough to hold the pasta, heat the olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes.  When the garlic is just fragrant, add the shrimp and cook until it is just pink.  Then add chicken stock, roasted tomatoes, pasta cooking water and extremely al dente pasta.  Cook everything together for a minute or two, then serve, topped with basil.

Serves two with leftovers.

Zatar Crusted Chicken

ZATAR CRUSTED CHICKEN

1 ½ pounds chicken, butterflied (in other words: cut halfway through the thickness of the breast)

2 ½ Tbsp tahini (found in most supermarkets)

1 large clove of garlic, minced

Juice of 1 lemon

salt

Crust

3 Tbsp zatar

3 Tbsp sesame seeds

1 Tbsp flour

2 tsp sumac

1 tsp garlic powder

generous pinch of salt

2-3 Tbsp olive oil, for the pan

Salad

1 bunch arugula, roughly torn up

2 Persian cucumbers, chopped

½ small red onion, chopped

Vinaigrette

1/3 cup olive oil

2 Tbsp lemon juice

½ tsp cumin

salt and pepper to taste

Combine the zatar and other dry ingredients on a plate.  Combine the tahini, garlic and the juice of the lemon in a bowl.  If it seems too pasty, add a splash of warm water.

Dunk each chicken breast into the tahini mixture until it is coated.  Scrape off any extra with the back of a knife.  Then coat with the zatar/sesame seed mixture, and gently shake off any excess.

When a large pan is hot, add the olive oil, and sauté the chicken breasts until they are browned on both sides.  Turn them over carefully, so the crust doesn’t get disturbed.  

Meanwhile, combine the arugula, cucumbers and onions in a bowl.  Whisk together the olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice and cumin, and dress the salad.

Serve the hot chicken with the arugula salad on top. 

Serves two with leftovers.

Pasta with Cauliflower and Hazelnuts

¾ pound short pasta

1 head cauliflower, cored and cut into medium sized chunks

½ cup hazelnuts

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste

5 Tbsp olive oil

½ cup chicken or vegetable stock

½ cup parmesan cheese

1 head of parsley, chopped

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Toss the cauliflower with 2 Tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper and roast until the cauliflower browns, about 20-30 minutes.

When the cauliflower is almost done, bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil.  Boil the pasta until it is al dente, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.

Meanwhile, in a hot pan big enough to hold all of the pasta, add the hazelnuts.  When they are golden and fragrant, remove them from the pan, and add the rest of the olive oil, along with the garlic and red pepper flakes.  When the garlic is fragrant, add the cauliflower, straight off the roasting pan, along with the stock, the pasta and a few splashes of pasta cooking water.  When the sauce starts to thicken, add the hazelnuts, parsley and parmesan cheese, toss together, and serve with more cheese on the table.

 Serves two with leftovers.

Balsamic Grilled Chicken and Goat Cheese

1 ½ pounds chicken breasts or thighs

For the marinade:

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1 Tbs maple syrup

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup olive oil

2 tsp goat cheese

salt

generous amount of ground pepper

 For the salad:

 2 bunches arugula

1 small disk goat cheese (minus the spoonful for the marinade.  I like to use pepper crusted goat cheese)

1 roasted pepper, torn into strips (You can used jarred in a pinch)

1 small cucumber, cut into disks

Whisk together all of the ingredients of the marinade.  Reserve half, and toss the other half into a plastic ziplock bag with the chicken.  Marinate for a few hours, or overnight.

 When you are ready to eat, toss together the arugula, roasted pepper, cucumber and goat cheese with the rest of the marinade.

Broil the chicken under the broiler, or grill it in a grill pan, until it is just cooked through.  Slice and serve atop the salad.

Serves two with leftovers.

Sesame Crusted Tuna with Cucumber Ribbons and Ginger Ponzu Sauce

1 pound sashimi grade tuna

¼ cup sesame seeds

salt and pepper

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 English cucumber

¼ cup ponzu sauce

1 tsp grated ginger

1 ½ tsp toasted sesame oil

Sprinkle the tuna with salt and pepper, then press the sesame seeds into both sides of the fish.

Heat vegetable oil in a pan over medium-high heat.  When it is hot, sear the tuna.  Do NOT overcook it!  Tuna should be served raw almost all the way through, with only a thin sear of cooked fish on each side.  About 2 minutes per side should do it.

Meanwhile, peel the cucumber, then continue to peel long ribbons of the flesh until you get to the seeds.  Discard the seeds, and place the cucumber ribbons in a bowl.

In another small bowl, mix together the ponzu sauce, sesame oil, and grated ginger.

Thinly slice the tuna, then arrange with cucumber ribbons.  Spoon some sauce over the whole thing.  Serve with sushi rice, if you like.

Serves two without leftovers.

Kale Salad

1 bunch of kale, washed and dried

1 lemon

¼ cup best olive oil

3 Tbsps good quality parmesan cheese

½ stale baguette

2-3 Tbsps regular olive oil

salt and pepper

A few hours before you plan on serving the salad, whisk together the juice of the lemon (you should get about 3 Tbsps from the lemon), salt and pepper and the best-quality olive oil.  Thinly slice the kale into strips (it should look almost like a slaw), and toss with some of the lemon vinaigrette, until the kale looks moist.  Set everything aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cut the stale baguette into cubes and throw onto a cookie sheet.  Season with salt and pepper and toss with some regular olive oil.  Bake until the croutons are crunchy, about 5-10 minutes, and set aside.

When you are ready to serve the salad, grate the parmesan cheese over the kale, top with the croutons, and serve.

 Serves two.

Fish with Pumpkin Seed Salsa

½ cup pumpkin seeds

1-4 arbol chilis, to taste (start with one, and work from there)

½ ancho chili (they are big)

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic

½ onion

3 Tbsp vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar, but you could use sherry or wine vinegar as well)

2-4 Tbsp water

salt

1 tsp sugar (if necessary) 

For the fish:

1 1/2 pounds flounder, or tilapia, or whatever is on sale

2 Tbsp flour

Salt and pepper

2 Tbsp olive oil

For the salsa

In a medium sized pan, toast the pumpkin seeds until they are just golden, then set them aside.  Coarsely chop the onion and garlic and add it to the same pan with the olive oil, and cook until the onion starts to turn golden and everything gets fragrant.  Cool slightly and add to the bowl of a food processor, along with the rest of the ingredients.  Start of with just a bit of the arbol chili, then blend everything together and adjust the heat and the seasoning to your taste.  Slowly add arbol chilis, and taste after each addition until you reach the level of heat that you want.  If the salsa gets too spicy, add a bit of sugar to even things out.  Then add water until you get the desired consistency. 

Serve with chips, as an accompaniment to tacos or burritos, or over fish or chicken.

If you are serving it over fish:

Heat olive oil in a pan large enough to hold the fish over medium heat.  Season the fish with salt and pepper.  Dredge the fish in flour, then saute in olive oil until golden on both sides, about 4 minutes per side, if the fish is a thin fish like flounder.  Spoon salsa over the fish, sprinkle with pumpkin seeds, and serve.

Serves two.

Buttermilk Coffeecake

2 cups all-purpose flour + 1 Tbsp flour

1 scant cup of sugar

1 tsp salt

10 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened and cut into small pieces

3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted (no, this is not a typo, I listed the butter twice)

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

¾ cup buttermilk

1 extra-large egg

2 tsp vanilla

1 Tbsp lemon zest

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

½ cup pecans

 Preheat oven to 350.  Butter a 9-inch springform pan.  (I just take the wrapper from the butter cube and smear it all over the pan to grease it.)   Sprinkle with the 1 Tbsp of flour and shake it around to coat, then dump out the excess.

In a dry pan, toast the pecans just until they are fragrant.  Cool, and then chop them up.   (I chop them by dumping them into a ziplock bag and then whacking the bag with a rolling pin until the nuts are crushed.)  Set the pecans aside.

Put flour, sugar and salt in a bowl.  Add the softened butter, cut up, and rub the butter into the flour mixture with your fingers, until it resembles coarse meal with some small clumps.  Set aside 1 cup of the mixture.

Mix baking powder, baking soda, buttermilk, egg, vanilla and lemon zest into the remaining flour mixture and beat together with a wooden spoon.  Pour into the springform pan.

Add the pecans to the leftover cup of the flour mixture, along with the brown sugar, cinnamon and the 3 Tbsp of melted butter.  Stir together until you have coarse crumbs, then pour it on top of the cake batter, spreading it evenly.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 45 minutes.  Cool completely and serve.

Quinoa with Pine Nuts and Fried Shallots

Quinoa with Pine Nuts and Fried Shallots

1 cup quinoa

¼ pine nuts

2-3 shallots, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp flour

Vegetable oil

1 lemon

2 Tbsp best quality olive oil

2 Tbsp regular quality olive oil

Salt and pepper

Roated butternut squash (optional)

Cook quinoa according to the instructions on the package.  I cook it like rice, with a ratio of one part quinoa to two parts water.

While the quinoa is cooking, toast the pine nuts in a large dry pan until they are golden.  Watch the nuts carefully, because they will burn quickly.  When they are golden, remove them from the pan and set aside.  In the same pan, heat enough vegetable oil to coat the pan.

Dump the flour on a plate and add salt and pepper.  Coat the shallots in the flour and then fry in the pan until they are crunch and golden, moving them around and flipping them so that they don’t burn.  When they are finished, remove the shallots and set them to drain on paper towels.

When the quinoa is finished, toss it while it is hot with the juice of the lemon (you should get a couple of tablespoons of juice), a few tablespoons of your best olive oil, and a big sprinkle of salt and pepper.  Then toss it with the shallots and pine nuts, and serve either hot or at room temperature.

 Serves two with leftovers.

Korean Barbecued Beef Lettuce Wraps

 1 ½ pounds steak

¼ cup soy sauce

1 ½ Tbsp brown sugar

2 tsp sesame oil

1 ½ Tbsp mirin or sherry

1 tsp rice vinegar

1 tsp sriracha (or to taste)

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 inch piece of ginger, grated

4 scallions, sliced

1 ½ Tbsp sesame seeds

 1 head Boston lettuce, or any tender lettuce, washed with the leaves kept whole

Rice

 Directions:

Stick the steak in the freezer for about an hour.  When it is slightly frozen – I know, that sounds a little like slightly pregnant, so you’ll have to use your judgment – slice it as thinly as possible

 Dump the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, sherry, rice vinegar and sriracha into a ziplock bag.  Add the garlic and ginger.  Then throw in the sliced steak, and marinate anywhere from 20 minutes to a day.

 When you are about 30 minutes from dinnertime, cook the rice according to the instructions on the package, if you’re using it.  Drain the beef from the soy marinade, and quickly cook it in a really hot pan until it is just cooked, with some caramelized spots.  Alternatively, you can throw the beef on a sheet tray and broil it.  Top the beef with sesame seeds and scallions.

To make a wrap, place some rice and some beef in a piece of lettuce, roll it up, and enjoy!

Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Creamy Avocado and Citrus Salsa

SPICY SHRIMP TACOS WITH CITRUS SALSA AND CREAMY AVOCADO

 1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp chili powder

1tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

½ tsp cayenne pepper (or more, if you like things spicy)

salt and pepper

For the salsa:

2 oranges, segments removed

1 ruby red grapefruit, segments removed

1 blood orange, segments removed

1 Tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbsp mint, chopped

For the avocado

1 ripe avocado

1 lime

salt

Tortillas

Toss the shrimp with the olive oil and spices and broil until just cooked, about 2-3 minutes per side.

Mash the avocado together with a sprinkle of salt and the juice of the lime, until it is a smooth paste and set aside. 

 Mix all of the citrus in a bowl together with the olive oil, salt, pepper and mint.

Assemble the tacos:  heat up the tortillas over a low flame or covered in a low oven until they are warm.  Spread with some of the avocado and then add some shrimp.  Top with the citrus salsa and enjoy!

Spicy and Sticky Tofu

 SPICY AND STICKY TOFU

 1 block tofu, cut into squares

3 Tbsp flour

salt and pepper

vegetable oil

 For the sauce:

 2 tsp garlic, chopped

2 tsp ginger, finely grated

½ tsp Szechuan peppercorns (optional, but tasty)

½ tsp hot red pepper flakes

1 Tbsp sesame seeds

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 tsp sesame oil

2 tsp fish sauce

2 tsp brown sugar

sriratcha or hot sauce to taste

2-3 Tbsp water

1 cup of broccoli, blanched (I didn’t add this, but will next time.)

3-4 scallions, sliced

Handful of cilantro, chopped

If you are making rice, start it first.  You’ll be able to put the whole tofu dish together in the time the rice cooks.

 Heat vegetable oil on medium high heat in a pan large enough to hold the tofu.

 Dump the flour onto a plate and season it with salt and pepper.  Dredge the tofu squares in the flour, then sauté in the oil until the tofu gets slightly golden and crunchy.  Remove the tofu and set aside.

 If there seems to be a lot of oil left in the pan, drain some of it off and turn the heat way down to low.  Add the garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, sesame seeds and Szechuan peppercorns (if using).  Saute until everything is fragrant, about one minute.  Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, fish sauce, hot sauce, brown sugar and water, and let everything simmer together for a couple of minutes.  Add the tofu back into the pan (and the broccoli, if you’re using it) and swirl everything around until the sauce coats it.  Taste and add more hot sauce, if you like things spicy.  Add the scallions and cilantro, and serve over rice.

Serves two with leftovers.

Pasta with Asparagus

PASTA WITH ASPARAGUS

1 pound asparagus, woody ends trimmed

3 Tbsps olive oil, plus some extra to toss with the asparagus

4 cloves of garlic, minced

½ tsp red pepper flakes

2 Tbsps mint, coarsely shredded

½ pound pasta

½ cup white wine

¼ cup good Parmesan cheese, grated

Cook the pasta, and reserve 1 cup of the cooking water

Toss the asparagus spears with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Saute the spears in a hot pan – big enough to hold the pasta – until the spears are bright green, with some browned bits.  Remove the asparagus from the pan and coarsely chop into inch-length pieces.  Lower the heat on the pan all the way down.  Add the rest of the olive oil, and sauté the garlic and red pepper flakes until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the wine (or stock, or just cooking water), and cook for a minute until it is bubbling.  Toss with the pasta, asparagus and mint.  Sprinkle cheese on top and serve.

Serves two.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Frosting

For the cupcakes:

 2 cups white sugar

½ cup brown sugar

3 cups all purpose flour

1 ½ cups unsweetened cocoa powder

1 Tbs baking soda

1 ½ tsp baking powder

1 ½ tsp salt

1 ½ cups buttermilk

¾ cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

3 Tbs brewed coffee

Preheat oven to 350.  In a large bowl, mix together sugars, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Add buttermilk, vegetable oil, coffee and 1 cup warm water.  Blend together.  Then blend in eggs and vanilla.

Ladle batter into muffin cups (it will be very liquidy) and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, with crumbs, 20-25 minutes.  Let cool completely before frosting

For the frosting:

 3 cups confectioners sugar

2 sticks unsalted butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 generous dessert spoons of seedless raspberry jam

2-3 Tbs heavy cream

Pinch of salt

Using a mixer (standing or handheld) blend all the ingredients together.

Frost completely cooled cupcakes.