Sunday, February 21, 2010

Apple Puff Pancake

Sunday brunch.



Apple Puff Pancake
Adapted from ReadyMade Feb/Mar 2010

1 apple
1/4 cup butter
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk (I used soy)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. In a 10-inch oven proof skillet melt 1/4 cup butter over medium heat. Add apples, cut in wedges, and saute until golden brown, about 5 min.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, flour, vanilla, and salt. Pour over apple mixture in skillet.
4. Place skillet in preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until puffed and browned. Remove from oven.
5. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the pancake. Bake 5 more minutes. Remove from oven and enjoy!

Serves 2-4

Friday, February 19, 2010

Salmon with Lemon, Capers, and Basil



Salmon with Lemon, Capers, and Basil
Adapted from Everyday Italian

1 salmon fillet, skin on
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
pinch of salt and black pepper
1 tsp minced fresh basil
2 lemon slices
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp white wine
1 tsp capers

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
2. Brush the top and bottom of the salmon fillet with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and basil. Place the salmon piece in a piece of foil large enough to fold over and seal. Top the salmon with 2 lemon slices, lemon juice, white wine, and capers. Wrap salmon tightly in foil packet.
3. Bake the salmon for 15 minutes. It should be a little rare inside. Serve with steamed broccolini.

Serves 1

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Chicken Masala

I love chicken tikka masala. Or butter chicken. I think those terms are synonymous; are they or am I crazy? Oh and did you see the Olympics mens snowboarding halfpipe last night? THAT was crazy. Crazy good! Just like this chicken.



Chicken Masala
Adapted from Bon Appetit Feb 2010

1/2 cup plain whole milk yogurt (I used Brown Cow)
1/8 cup coarsely chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 1/2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 Tbsp garam masala
1 tsp coarse kosher salt
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 small onion, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices

1. Mix yogurt, parsley, olive oil, garam masala, salt and garlic in a large plastic bag. Add chicken to marinade, close bag, and massage chicken so that the marinade covers each piece. Refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
2. Preheat oven to 400 F. Arrange onions in a thin layer on a large rimmed baking sheet to form a bed for the chicken. Top with chicken pieces in a single layer.
3. Roast chicken on top rack until cooked through and juices run clear, about 20 minutes. Serve chicken atop onion slices. Spoon pan juices around.

Serves 1

Mustard-Roasted Salmon and Carrots

A recipe from last week that was very yummy:



Mustard-Roasted Salmon and Carrots
Salmon:
1 8 oz salmon fillet, skin on
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp low fat mayo
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 anchovy fillet, minced
1/2 Tbsp minced onions
1/2 tsp drained capers

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay the fish skin side down and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Combine the mayo, mustard, minced anchovy fillet, onions, and capers in a small bowl. Spoon the sauce over the fish, making sure it is completely covered.
4. Bake for 10 minutes at 425 F then put under the broiler for 4 to 5 minutes. Serve as is or with extra sauce on top.

Carrots:
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa
2 carrots, peeled
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. Cut the carrots diagonally into 1/4-inch slices. Place the carrots, scant 1/4 cup water, salt, and pepper in a large saute pan and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 8 minutes or until the carrots are just cooked through. Add the butter and saute for another minute until the water evaporates and the carrots are coated with butter.
2. Off the heat, toss with the parsley. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.

Serves 1

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Sole Meuniere

Today is Ash Wednesday. This is a fact. I went to church and I have a cross on my head. Another fact about Ash Wednesday: fast day. A great fact about it being both Ash Wednesday and thus fast day: I buy wayyy too much food at the grocery store. Being hungry and going to the grocery store does not bode well but what's even worse is being hungry and going to Central Market. I ended up buying so much food that I won't have to leave my apartment for a month. Seriously. I think I should share a small list of a small portion of my huge shopping excursion:
Filet Mignon
Lamb chops
Chicken thighs
Sole fillets
Bacon (What?! I don't even like bacon...)
Grapes, lemons, sugar snap peas, tomatoes, asparagus, bananas, juice, milk, yogurt etc. etc. etc.

My friends, I have a problem. I like food too much. But that's good news for this blog! A couple of posts from last week will post this week since I didn't have time to upload pictures to them and really wanted y'all to see the beauty of the food. After all, what looks like it tastes good must taste good, right?



Sole Meuniere
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 fresh sole fillets
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 Tbsp minced fresh Italian parsley

1. Combine the flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large shallow plate. Pat the sole fillets dry with paper towels and sprinkle one side with salt.
2. Heat the butter in a large (12-inch) saute pan over medium heat until it starts to brown.
3. Dredge 2 sole fillets in the seasoned flour on both sides and place them in the hot butter. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 2 minutes. Turn carefully with a metal spatula and cook for 2 minutes on the other side. While the second side cooks, add the lemon zest and lemon juice to the pan. Carefully put the fish fillets on a plate and pour the sauce over them. Sprinkle with the parsley, salt, and pepper and serve immediately.

Serves 1

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Sausage-stuffed Mushrooms and Garlic Spinach

I foresee lots of mushroom and spinach dishes for the next few days. I went to Costco this weekend for most of my groceries and those bulk packages that feed families of six are going to feed a (very) large mouth of one. So today I bring you...mushrooms and spinach!

[Insert pretty picture that I took of the mushrooms and spinach here. I took one. Then I deleted it on accident. It was a good picture too.]

For the sausage-stuffed mushroom recipe, I actually made a pasta sauce with Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage, onions, and tomato vodka sauce a couple nights ago. I only ate half of it and decided to save the rest for a night when I didn't want to cook. I could just throw it over pasta and voila - a meal! But I wanted to use the mushrooms so I decided to just stuff them with this mixture. Thus the recipe below for the sausage-onion-tomato-mixture will feed you for two meals. Also, I bet the mushrooms would taste really good with mozzarella on top but I used Swiss because that's what I had. It was so good that I ended up making on e batch of 7 mushrooms for myself then proceeded to make another 4 once I had finished eating the first 7. See, I told you I have a large mouth.

Sausage-stuffed Mushrooms and Garlic Sauteed Spinach
Sausage-stuffed Mushrooms:
1/2 roll of Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage
1 small yellow onion, chopped
(1/2 Tbsp olive oil)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup tomato vodka sauce
14 Cremini mushroom caps, wiped clean
1/3 cup shredded cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Place the sausage and onions in a large saute pan. Cook until the sausage is no longer pink. Add the olive oil if the sausage doesn't provide enough drippings. Once the sausage is done cooking, add the garlic and tomato sauce and stir until heated through.
3. Stuff the mushroom caps with the sausage mixture, top with the cheese, and place in a greased baking dish. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Garlic Sauteed Spinach:
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves chopped garlic
3/4 pound baby spinach leaves, rinsed and patted dry
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil and saute the garlic for about 1 minute but not until it is browned.
2. Add the spinach, salt, and pepper, toss it with the garlic and olive oil, cover the pot and cook for 2 minutes. Uncover the pot, turn the heat to high, and cook the spinach for another minute with a wooden spoon until it is wilted.
3. Using a slotted spoon, lift the spinach to a serving bowl, top with butter and serve hot.

Serves 2

Monday, February 8, 2010

Mac and Cheese

Mac and Cheese is the ultimate comfort food. It's so good in so many forms. Out of the blue box, out of a different colored box, homemade; it's all good. Except for the Easy Mac. That's no good. Ina's mac and cheese calls for white truffle butter but 3 oz of that is a whopping $17. Plus I couldn't find it. I guess that's a good thing. Even without it though, this mac and cheese was nice and creamy and so very yummy. My roommate and I ate it last night for dinner and again tonight. I think it will make a reappearance tomorrow as well.



Mac and Cheese
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa

1 Tbsp unsalted butter
Olive oil
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced 1/2-inch
1 1/2 Tbsp white wine
Kosher salt
1/2 pound pasta (I used Gemelli)
1 1/2 oz unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk, scalded
2 cups Gruyere cheese, grated
1 1/2 cups sharp white Cheddar, grated
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 Tbsp salt
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp freshly chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley leaves
3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Heat the butter and 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes until they are tender. Add the white wine and continue to saute until the wine is absorbed. Set aside.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta for 6 to 8 minutes or until al dente. Drain.
4. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan melt the 1 1/2 oz butter and whisk in the flour. Cook for 2 minutes over low heat, stirring with a whisk. Slowly whisk in the scalding milk and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the sauce is thick and creamy. Remove from heat and add the Gruyere, Cheddar, pepper, nutmeg, and salt.
5. Combine the pasta, mushrooms, and sauce in the large saucepan and pour into a 9x13 baking dish.
6. Place the garlic and parsley in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until they're minced. Add the bread crumbs and pulse to combine. Mix in the Parmesan cheese. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the topping is golden brown.

Serves 4 to 6

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Tuna and Crostini

Not much to say except that it's beautiful and sunny out today.




Tuna and Crostini

2 slices white bread (like ciabatta; I used cranberry and walnut)
1 can albacore tuna, drained
1 anchovy fillet, minced
2 small garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp capers, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

1. In a nonstick pan or griddle, grill the bread until toasted and crispy.
2. Mix all other ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Top the crostini with the tuna mixture and enjoy!

Serves 1

Friday, February 5, 2010

Shrimp and Asparagus Pasta

Oh the things one makes when there is no food left in the apartment. I know it seems pretty fancy to to say that I eat shrimp and asparagus when I have no food but really, I don't have any food. No chicken, beef, anything. All I have is salmon or shrimp. Which, now I don't have any shrimp. Time to hit the grocery store!




Shrimp and Asparagus Pasta

2 oz small pasta (I used Gemelli)
1 Tbsp olive oil
6 shrimp, deveined
1/4 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut in half lengthwise
1 Tbsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup store-bought garlic alfredo sauce
1 Tbsp heavy cream
1 Tbsp white wine

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente, 8-10 minutes. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, toss the shrimp and asparagus together with salt and pepper until shrimp is just cooked, about 2 minutes per side. Add the garlic and turn off the heat. Stir for one minute then remove from heat.
3. In a medium pot, heat up the alfredo sauce, heavy cream, and white wine. Add the pasta, shrimp, and asparagus and toss to coat. Serve warm.

Serves 1

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Baked Pasta with Italian Sausage

I have a fairly good excuse for not posting for a week. No, it's not because I haven't been eating. On the contrary. I've been pigging out. I had restaurant and takeout food all weekend and then cooked a baked pasta Sunday night that could feed a family of six. I did end up giving one portion to my Korean teacher who proceeded to be very confused as to why I was giving her food. She thought I had made it for her daughter - I guess I'll find out tomorrow if she liked it.

The other (more legitimate) reason for why I haven't posted since last week is that I've been studying for my biochemistry test and freaking out about my thesis. Now that one of them is over, I can cook and bake a little more. At least until my next test. Unfortunately, I also don't have a photo of tonight's dish. I know, I know. The pictures on food blogs are what motivate me to make the dish too. I'm sorry. But take my word when I say that this is my absolute favorite baked pasta. I make it at least once a semester, eat it for 3 days straight afterwards, love it more than Maggiano's Italian sausage pasta, and even had a little competition for my aunt for the best baked pasta (this pasta won over her lasagna).


Baked Pasta with Italian Sausage
1 (12 oz) pkg dry pasta (I used gemelli)
1 lb mild Italian sausage
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 to 1/2 cup red wine
2 tsp olive oil
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1/2 Tbsp dried Italian herbs
1 Tbsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
3. Meanwhile, place sausage and onion in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until sausage is evenly browned and cooked through. Add the olive oil if the sausage doesn't produce enough grease for the onions.
4. Add garlic and wine and cook for 1 minute, stirring.
5. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, herbs, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Toss with pasta and place in a 9x13-inch glass baking dish. Sprinkle the top with mozzarella. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Serves 6-8