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Seared carpaccio of beef
with chili, ginger, radish and soy
 Ingredients
Serves 6-8.
1.5kg filliet of beef
1 handful of very finely
sliced fresh ginger
2-3 fresh red or green
chilies (or use a mixture of both), deseeded and finely sliced
1 good handful of
radishes, finely sliced
1 small handful of fresh
coriander, leaves picked
sesame seed oil
soy sauce
juice of 2 limes
Directions
After preparing the beef,
gather your ginger slices and cut finely across into little delicate
matchsticks. Flick these randomly over the beef with the chilies,
radishes and coriander. Drizzle with a very small amount of sesame seed
oil, some soy sauce and your freshly squeezed lime juice, making sure
each slice of meat gets an equal dousing.
Steak Fajitas
 Ingredients
Serves 4.
1 lb of flank steak or skirt steak
1 large yellow onion, peeled and sliced with the grain, not against the
grain as one would normally slice an onion. Slice first in half, and
then slice off sections a half inch wide at widest point.
2 large bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, de-ribbed, sliced lengthwise
into half-inch wide strips
Marinade:
Juice of 1 lime
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 fresh Jalapeño pepper, seeded, ribs removed, finely chopped (be
careful not to touch your eyes or anywhere near your eyes after
handling a Jalapeño pepper!)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, including stems
Directions
1 Mix all marinade ingredients. Set the steak in the marinade and let
it sit at least an hour, the longer the better.
2 Heat to high heat a large cast iron pan or griddle. Add a teaspoon of
olive oil to the pan. Add the steak, frying on each side for 3 minutes,
or to desired doneness. 3 minutes per side will yield approximately
medium rare doneness for an average cut of flank steak. If pan starts
to smoke too much, reduce the heat to medium high. We want the steak
browned, not burned. Remove from pan and let sit for 5 minutes.
3 Reduce the pan heat to medium high. Add a little more oil to the pan
if necessary. Add the onions, bell peppers. Cook, stirring frequently,
for 5 minutes, until the onions are slightly translucent.
4 Slice the meat against the grain into thin slices. If you slice the
meat at a slanted angle, you will be able to get your slices pretty
thin. (I forgot to do this in the photo above!) Flank steak is
flavorful but can be a little tough, so thin slices will really help
make it easier to eat.
5 Serve immediately with shredded cheese, salsa, shredded iceberg
lettuce, sour cream, guacamole and warm flour tortillas. (Hint for
warming tortillas - put in microwave over a paper towel for 20 seconds
on high heat.)
Chicken Peanut Curry
 Ingredients
Serves 6-8.
3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken pieces, cut into 1 1/2 inch wide
chunks or strips
1/2 cup flour
4 Tbsp curry powder
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground peppercorns
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
2 Tbsp garlic, minced
2 serrano chili peppers, seeded, de-veined, minced
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup peanut butter (if using freshly ground peanuts, add 2 teaspoons
of sugar)
1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
8 green onions, chopped, greens included
1/3 cup each finely chopped mint and cilantro
2 limes cut into wedges
Directions
1 Rinse chicken and pat dry. In a small sturdy paper bag, combine the
flour, curry powder, salt and pepper. Shake well. Add the chicken
pieces and shake to coat well.
2 Heat oil in a large saucepan on medium high heat. Add chicken pieces.
Cook 5-10 minutes (depending on size of chicken pieces) tossing
occasionally to cook chicken evenly. Add the ginger, garlic, chili
pepper and 1/2 cup of the chicken broth to the saucepan. Cook for 3
minutes, scraping the pan with a spatula and stirring to combine
everything well.
3 Add the peanut butter, stirring quickly to incorporate it with the
chicken. Add the remaining 3 1/2 cups of broth slowly, stirring
continuously to maintain an even texture. Let simmer for 10 minutes.
Right before serving, add the coriander and green onions. Salt to
taste.
4 Serve with rice. Top each serving with fresh cilantro and mint.
Squeeze a little lime juice over it as well.
Cheese Tacos
 Ingredients
A large cast iron frying pan
A metal spatula
Corn tortillas (as many as tacos you want to make)
Butter
Cheddar or jack cheese
Salsa (usually prepared. Pace is a good brand)
Plus these optional ingredients:
Avocado
Apple
Lettuce
Strips of cooked chicken, beef, or pork (a great use of leftovers)
Directions
1 Heat up the cast iron frying pan on medium high heat. While the pan
is heating, prepare your ingredients. Cut some slices of cheese. Get
the salsa out of the fridge. Thinly slice as many slices of apple as
you want tacos. (3 tacos, 3 apple slices). Cut, remove seed, slice, and
remove from skin the avocado slices you want. Slice some lettuce and
any leftover meat you want to add in.
2 When the pan is hot (sprinkle a few drops of water on it, they should
sizzle) lightly butter one side of one tortilla and place it in the
pan, butter side down. Using a spatula, quickly flip the tortilla over
to the other side, and back again, repeating until there is melted
butter on both sides of the tortilla. Let the tortilla sit in hot pan
until pockets of air start to form bubbles in the tortilla.
3 Add slices of cheese to one side of the tortilla. Make sure to allow
room for the cheese to melt and not spread all over the pan.
4 Flip the side of tortilla without the cheese over the side with the
cheese, as if you were making an omelette. Move the folded cheese taco
to one side of the pan. Add a second tortilla, lightly buttered on one
side, and repeat the process. You can tell when the taco is done by
pressing down on it with a spoon or fork or edge of the spatula. If it
gives easily, the cheese is melted and you can remove the taco from the
pan.
5 You are basically done with the cheese tacos. Now all you have left
to do is assembly. Open up each taco and add the ingredients you want.
A slice of avocado, a slice of apple, a piece of chicken, a little bit
of lettuce. Don't over do it or you won't be able to hold the taco and
get it in your mouth.
Note that this method makes delicious, buttery, cheesy tacos. If you
are avoiding butter, or frying oil (which you could also use), you
could make these in a microwave. I do it all the time. Definitely not
kosher, but much much less fattening. Soften the tortillas first in the
microwave. We use 20 seconds on high per tortilla, with the tortillas
sitting on a paper towel in the microwave to absorb moisture. Once
they've been softened this way you can add cheese and fold them over
and heat them a few seconds more, just until the cheese melts.
Chiles en Nogada (Chilies
in Walnut Sauce)
 The
recipe is said to have been concocted by the grateful people of Puebla,
who were giving a banquet in honor of Don Agustin de Iturbide's saint's
day, August 28 in 1821. He and his followers had led the final revolt
against Spanish domination; as self-proclaimed emperor he had just
signed the Treaty of Cordoba. All the dishes at the banquest were
concocted of ingredients of the color of the Mexican flag; in this dish
were the green chilies, the white sauce, and the red pomegranate seeds.
You must start this dish one day ahead by soaking the walnuts for the
nogada sauce overnight. This dish is a bit involved, but the effort is
worth it. It really is an extraordinary blend of flavors. And if you
ever get to Guyamas Restaurant in Tiburon, Mill Valley California, by
all means order it! You won't be disappointed.
Ingredients
Serves 4.
The Picadillo:
2 lbs of boneless pork
1/2 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 Tbsp salt, or to taste
Cut the meat into large cubes. Put them into the pan with the onion,
garlic, and salt and cover with cold water. Bring the meat to a boil,
lower the flame and let it simmer until just tender - about 40-45
minutes. Do not over cook. Leave the meat to cool off in the broth.
Strain the meat, reserving the broth, then shred or chop it finely and
set it aside. Let the broth get completely cold and skim off the fat.
Reserve the fat.
6 Tbsp of lard or the fat from the broth
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
The cooked meat (about 3 cups - note if you use more than 3 cups, you
will need to increase the amounts of the other ingredients)
A molcajete (mortar and pestle)
8 peppercorns
5 whole cloves
1/2 inch stick cinnamon
3 heaping Tbsp of raisins
2 Tbsp blanched and slivered almonds
2 heaping Tbsp acitron or candied fruit, chopped
2 tsp salt, or to taste
1 1/2 pounds of tomatoes, peeled and seeded
1 pear, cored, peeled and chopped
1 peach, pitted, peeled and chopped
Melt the lard and cook the
onion and garlic, without browning, until they are soft.
Add the meat and let it cook until it begins to brown.
Crush the spices roughly in the molcajete and add them, with the rest
of the ingredients to the meat mixture. (If you don't have a molcajete,
you can use the blunt end of a pestle to crush the spices in a bowl.)
Cook the mixture a few moments longer.
Add chopped peach and pear to the mixture.
The Chilies:
Put 6 chilies poblanos (and you MUST use this type of chili)
straight into a fairly high flame or under a broiler and let the skin
blister and burn. Turn the chilies from time to time so they do not get
overcooked or burn right through.
Wrap the chilies in a damp cloth or plastic bag and leave them for about
20 minutes. The burned skin will then flake off very easily and the
flesh will become a little more cooked in the steam. Make a slit in the
side of each chili and carefully remove the seeds and veins. Be careful
to leave the top of the chili, the part around the base of the stem,
intact. (If the chilies are too hot - picante, let them soak in a mild
vinegar and water solution for about 30 minutes.) Rinse the chilies and
pat them dry.
Stuff the chilies with the
picadillo until they are well filled out. Set them aside on paper
towels.
The Nogada (walnut sauce)
The day before:
20 to 25 fresh walnuts, shelled
cold milk
Remove the thin papery
skin from the nuts. (Note, these are Diana Kennedy's instructions. I
have found it virtually impossible to remove the skins from the fresh
walnuts that come from our walnut tree. The above photo shows the sauce
which includes the skins. I think it would be creamier without the
skins, but what can you do? We found that blanching the walnuts did not
help get the skin off). Completely cover the walnuts with cold milk and
leave them to soak overnight.
On serving day:
The soaked and drained nuts
1 small piece white bread without crust
1/4 lb queso fresco
1 1/2 cups thick sour creme (or creme fraiche)
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
Large pinch of cinnamon
Blend all of the ingredients in a blender until they are smooth.
To assemble the dish, cover the chilies in the nogada sauce and
sprinkle with fresh parsley leaves and pomegranate seeds.
Pork Chops with Dijon Sauce Recipe
We found this recipe in a New York Times Sunday Magazine over a year
ago and have prepared it several times since. The dijon cream sauce
perfectly complements the pork. Goes well with new potatoes and green
beans.
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 center-cut rib or loin pork chops, bone in (preferred), about 1 1/4
inch thick
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped green onions or shallots
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp chopped parsley (optional)
Directions
1 Melt the butter in the oil in a large deep skillet over medium high
heat. Season chops with salt and pepper and brown them, about 2-3
minutes on each side. Reduce heat slightly if the chops brown too
quickly.
2 Remove chops from the pan and pour off most of the fat. Add the green
onions or shallots and cook on med high heat until softened, about 1
minute. Add wine and bring to a boil, scraping the brown bits from the
bottom of the pan. Stir in the stock and return chops to the pan. Bring
sauce to a simmer and cook until chops are tender, about 15 to 20
minutes.
3 Remove the chops to a warm platter; cover with foil to keep warm.
Raise the temp of the pan to boil the pan juices, reduce the juices by
half, about 2 minutes. Add cream and boil 2 minutes more, until sauce
reduces and thickens. Remove from the heat and whisk in mustard and
parsley. If you want, add more mustard to taste. Spoon sauce over chops
and serve.
Mango Salsa
 Fresh
mango salsa is easy to make and delicious served over halibut or salmon
or as the salsa in fish tacos.
Ingredients
1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and diced (about 1 cup)
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 Jalapeño chili, minced (include ribs and seeds for a hotter taste if
desired)
1 small cucumber, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Combine all of the
ingredients in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Asparagus
 Ingredients
1 bunch of medium sized asparagus, about 1 lb
2 Tbsp of the most exquisite extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon lemon zest - freshly grated lemon rind
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Prepare the asparagus by rinsing them thoroughly, break off any tough,
white bottoms and discard. Cut into 1 to 2 inch sections, slicing the
asparagus at a slight diagonal.
Fill a medium sized saucepan half way with water, bring to a boil. Add
the asparagus and reduce heat slightly to a simmer. Parboil the
asparagus for exactly 2 minutes. Drain the hot water. While the
asparagus are still hot, toss them in a bowl with the olive oil,
Parmesan, and lemon rind. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or room
temperature.
Note that when you are working with so few ingredients, it's important
to make sure they are of the highest quality.
Green Beans with
Almonds and Thyme
 Ingredients
Serves 8.
2 lbs of green beans, trimmed
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted
Directions
Cook green beans in a large pot of boiling salted water until just
crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Using a large diameter strainer,
transfer beans to a large bowl of ice water, cool completely. Drain
well. (At this point you can make the beans a day ahead, store in
refrigerator.) Alternatively you can steam the beans for 5 minutes and
proceed directly to the skillet.
Melt 1/4 cup of butter in a heavy large skillet over medium high heat.
Whisk in 1 Tbsp of fresh thyme, 1 Tbsp of mustard and 1 teaspoon of
garlic salt into butter. Add beans to skillet and toss until heated
through, about 4 minutes. Transfer to serving bowl. Sprinkle with
toasted almonds and remaining 1 Tbsp of thyme.
Roasted Zucchini with Garlic
 Ingredients
Serves 4-6.
1 lb zucchini, each cut lengthwise twice, and then cut in half across
the middle
1 Tbsp fresh minced garlic clove
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Make sure there is a rack on the top rack spot in the oven. Align the
zucchini pieces on a cookie sheet, skin down. Mix the garlic in with
the oil in a small bowl. Spoon or brush garlic oil over all of the
zucchini pieces. Place in heated oven on the top rack. Set the timer
for 5 minutes and check to see if the zucchini is beginning to brown at
the end of 5 minutes. If not, continue to add 2 or 3 minutes at a time
until the zucchini begins to brown. Once it begins to brown, remove one
piece and test for doneness. The zucchini should be cooked, but not
mushy. Remove from oven and place in a bowl. Mix in Herbes de Provence.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Roasted Cauliflower
 Ingredients
Serves 4.
1 head of cauliflower
2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and coarsely minced
1 lemon
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper
Parmesan cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut cauliflower into florets and put in a single
layer in an oven-proof baking dish. Add garlic. Squeeze a lemon over
cauliflower and drizzle each piece with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt
and pepper. If the oven hasn't reached 400°F yet, set aside until it
has. Place casserole in the hot oven, uncovered, for 15-25 minutes,
until the top is lightly brown. Test with a fork for desired doneness.
Remove from oven and sprinkle generously with cheese.
Gazpacho Recipe
 Gazpacho
soup was invented for the summer. Refreshingly cold on hot summer days,
this classic Spanish soup deliciously combines the best of summer
vegetables. Make sure you only use the freshest, highest quality
ingredients for this soup.
Ingredients
Serves 8.
6 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 purple onion, finely chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped
1 sweet red bell pepper (or green) seeded and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1-2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons sugar
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
6 or more drops of Tabasco sauce to taste
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4 cups tomato juice
Directions
Combine all ingredients. Blend slightly, to desired consistency. Place
in non-metal, non-reactive storage container, cover tightly and
refrigerate overnight, allowing flavors to blend.
Turnip Potato Soup Recipe
 Ingredients
Serves 8.
6 Tbsp unsalted butter
4 medium onions, thinly sliced
3 pounds turnips, peeled and thinly sliced
1 1/2 pounds of Russet baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
Salt
6 Cups of chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup finely shredded basil for garnish
Directions
1 In a large heavy stockpot or casserole, melt the butter until it
foams. When the foam subsides, add the onions and cook over moderate
heat until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the turnips
and potatoes and stir to coat with the butter. Add 2 teaspoons of salt,
cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the
vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
2 Stir in the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Cover partially and
cook over moderate heat until the vegetables are very tender, about 10
minutes.
3 Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender until perfectly
smooth. Return the soup to the pot and season with salt and the nutmeg.
Ladle the soup into shallow bowls and garnish with the basil before
serving.
Spicy Pumpkin Soup Recipe
 Ingredients
Serves 8.
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
Pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)
3 (15 oz) cans 100 percent pumpkin or 6 cups of chopped roasted
pumpkin*
5 cups of chicken broth
2 cups of milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
Directions
1 Melt butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions
and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes.
Add spices and stir for a minute more.
2 Add pumpkin and 5 cups of chicken broth; blend well. Bring to a boil
and reduce heat, simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
3 Transfer soup, in batches, to a blender or food processor. Cover
tightly and blend until smooth. Return soup to saucepan.
4 With the soup on low heat, add brown sugar and mix. Slowly add milk
while stirring to incorporate. Add cream. Adjust seasonings to taste.
If a little too spicy, add more cream to cool it down. You might want
to add a teaspoon of salt.
Serve in individual bowls. Sprinkle the top of each with toasted
pumpkin seeds.
*To make pumpkin purée, cut a sugar pumpkin in half, scoop out the
seeds and stringy stuff, lie face down on a tin-foil lined baking pan.
Bake at 350°F until soft, about 45 min to an hour. Cool, scoop out the
flesh. Freeze whatever you don't use for future use.
Fisherman's Stew
 Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red pepper, finely chopped
1 medium red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed with garlic press
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound cod fillet, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 pound large mussels, scrubbed and beards removed
1/2 pound shelled and deveined large shrimp, with tail part of shell
left on if you like
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil or parsley leaves, chopped
Directions
1. In nonstick 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat
until hot. Add chopped pepper and onion, and cook 6 to 8 minutes or
until tender, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and crushed red pepper,
and cook 1 minute, stirring. Add wine and heat to boiling; boil 2
minutes.
2. Stir in tomatoes, salt, and 1/2 cup water; heat to boiling over
medium-high heat. Add cod, mussels, and shrimp; heat to boiling. Reduce
heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, 8 to 9 minutes or until cod and
shrimp turn opaque throughout and mussel shells open. Remove Dutch oven
from heat; sprinkle with basil.
Grilled Trout with Fennel Mayonnaise
 This
recipe uses fresh fennel leaves, which are rarely sold but often grown.
If you have no access to fennel, use fresh dill instead, it will still
taste delicious. Serves 6.
Ingredients
Fennel mayonnaise
2 organic egg yolks
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped fennel (or dill)
150ml olive oil
150ml sunflower oil
Salt and freshly ground
Black pepper
Grilled trout
6 cleaned trout
2 tablespoons olive oil
Directions
Place the egg yolks and lemon juice in a food processor. Whiz until
they turn pale, then add the fennel or dill. Turn the machine back on
and slowly pour in a thin stream of olive oil, followed by sunflower
oil until you have a thick mayonnaise. Season to taste and transfer to
a serving bowl.
Preheat a ribbed grill pan over a medium-high heat. If you own two,
preheat both, as it will speed up the cooking time. Rub the trout with
olive oil and season, then grill the fish for 8 minutes on each side
until they are cooked. Serve hot, warm or cold, depending on your mood,
with the fennel mayonnaise.
Roman-Style Artichokes
 Ingredients
8 medium artichokes
1/2 large lemon
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 large mint sprigs plus 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves,
chopped
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions
1. Trim artichokes: Lay each artichoke on its side and, with serrated
knife, cut 1 inch off top of artichoke. Trim stem end, then cut off
stem level with bottom of artichoke. Peel stem with vegetable peeler.
Bend back dark outer leaves just from around base of artichoke; snap
off and discard. With kitchen shears, trim thorny tips from remaining
leaves. Rub lemon all over artichoke and stem to help prevent
discoloring. Repeat with remaining artichokes.
2. In non-reactive 8-quart Dutch oven or saucepot, heat oil over medium
heat until hot. Add mint sprigs and garlic and cook 3 minutes, stirring
frequently. Add wine, salt, pepper, and 2 cups water; heat to boiling
over high heat.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Place artichokes, stem sides down, and stems
in boiling liquid in Dutch oven. Cover and cook 30 to 40 minutes or
until knife inserted in bottom of artichokes goes in easily.
4. Transfer artichokes with cooking liquid to 8 shallow soup bowls;
serve warm or cool to room temperature. Sprinkle with remaining chopped
mint.
5. To eat, starting at bottom of artichoke, pluck off leaves one by
one. Dip leaves in broth and pull through your teeth, scraping off
pulp. Discard leaves. When leaves are too small and thin to eat, pull
them out to reveal fuzzy choke. With tip of spoon, scrape out choke and
discard. Cut solid heart into chunks before eating.
Turkey Cutlets Saltimbocca
 Ingredients
2 lemons
8 turkey cutlets (about 2 pounds)
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
24 fresh sage leaves plus additional for garnish
8 thin, long slices prosciutto (about 1/3 pound)
2 tablespoons margarine or butter
1/3 cup dry white wine
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 250° F. Place heat-safe platter in oven while oven
preheats. From 1 lemon, grate 1 teaspoon peel and squeeze 2 tablespoons
juice. Cut remaining lemon into wedges; set aside.
2. Place turkey cutlets between 2 sheets plastic wrap. With flat side
of meat mallet or with rolling pin, pound cutlets to 1/4-inch
thickness. Arrange cutlets on large cookie sheet; sprinkle with lemon
peel and pepper. Place 3 sage leaves on each cutlet. Wrap 1 slice
prosciutto around each cutlet, making sure cutlet stays flat; secure
with toothpick if necessary. (Prosciutto will not completely cover
cutlet.)
3. In nonstick 12-inch skillet, heat 1 tablespoon margarine over
medium-high heat until margarine browns. Add 2 to 3 cutlets at a time
to skillet. Cook 3 to 5 minutes or just until cutlets lose their pink
color throughout, turning cutlets over once. Transfer cutlets to
platter in oven. Repeat with remaining cutlets, without adding
additional margarine.
4. Transfer any meat juices from platter to skillet. Add wine and lemon
juice to skillet. Boil 2 minutes or until mixture is reduced to 1/4
cup, scraping up any browned bits. Remove skillet from heat. Stir in
remaining 1 tablespoon margarine. Discard toothpicks if any. Pour sauce
over saltimbocca. Serve with lemon wedges; garnish with sage leaves.
Snapper Livornese
 Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 red snapper or flounder fillets (about 6 ounces each)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
1/4 cup kalamata or Gaeta olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons capers, drained
Directions
1. In nonstick 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat until hot.
Add garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring. Stir in tomatoes with their
juice and crushed red pepper; heat to boiling over medium-high heat.
Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 8 to 10 minutes or until
mixture thickens slightly.
2. Meanwhile, with tweezers, remove any bones from snapper fillets.
3. Place fillets, skin side down, in tomato mixture in skillet;
sprinkle with salt. Cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes or just until fish
turns opaque throughout.
4. With wide slotted spatula, transfer snapper to warm platter. Stir
basil, olives, and capers into tomato mixture; spoon over snapper.
Spicy Ginger Chicken in Lettuce Cups
 Ingredients
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 garlic clove, crushed with press
1 pound ground chicken
2 medium stalks celery, chopped
1/2 cup sliced water chestnuts, chopped
1/4 cup dry-roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
8 to 12 large Boston lettuce leaves
Directions
1. In cup, combine soy sauce, ginger, sugar, crushed red pepper, and
garlic; set aside.
2. Heat nonstick 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add
chicken and cook 4 to 5 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking up
meat with side of spoon.
3. Add celery to chicken in skillet, and cook 2 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Add water chestnuts and soy-sauce mixture; cook 1 minute
to blend flavors. Stir in peanuts.
4. Divide chicken mixture among lettuce leaves. Fold leaves over
chicken mixture and eat out of hand.
Moroccan-Spiced Beef with Couscous
 Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pound lean (90%) ground beef or ground lamb
1 can (15 to 19 ounces) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
4 ounces dried apricots, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can (14 to 14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth (1 3/4 cups)
1 box (10 ounces) plain couscous
Directions
1. In 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat until hot. Add
carrots, onion, paprika, allspice, and cinnamon, and cook 10 minutes or
until vegetables are tender.
2. Increase heat to medium-high and stir in ground beef and cook about
5 minutes or until meat is no longer pink, breaking up meat with side
of spoon. Stir in beans, apricots, parsley, salt, and 1/2 cup broth.
Simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly.
3. Meanwhile, prepare couscous as label directs, but substitute
remaining 1 1/4 cups broth for some of the water called for to prepare
couscous.
4. Fluff couscous with fork. Spoon couscous onto 6 dinner plates or
bowls. Top with beef mixture.
Chicken Breasts à
l'Orange
 Ingredients
1 box (6 ounces) quick-cooking long-grain and wild rice mix
1 tablespoon margarine or butter
4 medium skinless, boneless chicken-breast halves (about 1 1/4 pounds)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 medium oranges
1/3 cup sweet orange marmalade
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 small garlic clove, thinly sliced
Directions
1. Prepare rice mix as label directs.
2. Meanwhile, in nonstick 10-inch skillet, melt margarine over
medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Cook 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; turn chicken over and cook 5 to
7 minutes longer or until juices run clear when thickest part of breast
is pierced with tip of knife. Transfer chicken to plate; keep warm.
3. While chicken cooks, from 1 orange, grate 1/4 teaspoon peel. Squeeze
1/2 cup juice into 2-cup liquid measuring cup or bowl. Cut off any peel
and white pith from second orange. Holding orange over same liquid
measure to catch juice, cut on either side of membranes to release each
section, allowing fruit and juice to drop into cup. Squeeze membrane to
release any excess juice. You should have at least 3/4 cup orange juice
and sections. Stir in marmalade, vinegar, cornstarch, orange peel, and
remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.
4. Add garlic to drippings in skillet; cook 15 seconds, stirring. Add
orange-juice mixture; heat to boiling. Boil 3 minutes or until sauce
thickens slightly. Return chicken with any juices to skillet; heat
through, turning to coat with sauce.
Bourbon-Marinated Steak
 A
sweetly spiced marinade adds flavor and tenderness to classic grilled
flank steak.
Ingredients
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup bourbon whiskey
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
2 flank steaks (about 1 1/2 pounds each), well trimmed*
Directions
1. Prepare marinade: In jumbo self-sealing plastic bag (2 gallons), mix
1 cup water with all ingredients except steaks.
2. Add steaks, turning to coat. Seal bag, pressing out excess air.
Place bag in shallow glass baking dish and refrigerate at least 4 hours
or overnight, turning bag occasionally.
3. Remove steaks from marinade. Discard marinade. Place steaks on grill
over medium heat and cook 15 to 20 minutes for medium-rare or until of
desired doneness, turning once. (Or, preheat broiler and place steaks
on rack in broiling pan. Broil steaks at closest position to source of
heat 15 to 20 minutes for medium-rare.)
4. Transfer steaks to warm large platter, let stand 10 minutes for
easier slicing. To serve, cut into thin slices.
*Or, use 2 beef top round steaks, about 1 1/2 inches thick (about 1 1/2
pounds each). Follow recipe for flank steaks, but grill or broil 25 to
30 minutes for medium-rare or until of desired doneness.
Grilled Pesto Lamb with
Bruschetta
 Ingredients
3 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves (about 2 bunches)
1/3 cup pine nuts (pinoli)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves
3 pounds boneless butter flied lamb leg*
Bruschetta (below)
Basil sprigs for garnish
Directions
1. Prepare pesto: In food processor with knife blade attached or in
blender at medium speed, blend basil leaves, pine nuts, Parmesan
cheese, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and garlic until well blended.
2. Pour pesto into 13" by 9" glass baking dish; add lamb, turning to
coat.
3. Place lamb on grill over medium heat, reserving any pesto remaining
in dish. Cook lamb 20 to 25 minutes for medium-rare or until of desired
doneness, brushing with reserved pesto and turning lamb occasionally.
4. Remove lamb to cutting board. Cut lamb into serving pieces. Serve
with bruschetta if you like. Garnish with basil sprigs.
Bruschetta: About 20 minutes before serving, seed and coarsely chop 1
medium-size tomato. Peel and coarsely chop 1 medium-size cucumber. In
bowl, mix tomato, cucumber, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 teaspoons lemon
juice, and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. Cut off ends from one
8-ounce loaf Italian bread; reserve for making bread crumbs another
day. Slice remaining loaf diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices. On
grill over medium heat, toast bread slices until golden, turning once.
Spread toast slices with 1/4 cup olive paste; top with tomato mixture.
Makes 10 accompaniment servings.
*Ask butcher to bone a 3 1/2- to 4-pound lamb shank half and slit the
meat lengthwise to spread open like a thick steak.
KAENG PHET KAI SAI NO MAI
(Chicken in Red Curry with Bamboo Shoots)
 Ingredients
400 grams diced, boneless
chicken
1 tbsp. red curry paste
2 cups coconut milk
300 grams bamboo shoots
(sliced lengthwise)
2 tbsp. fish sauce
114 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
5 kaffir lime leaves,
halved
1 fresh red chili (sliced
lengthwise into 8 pieces)
1/2 cups sweet basil
leaves (horapha)
Directions
1. In a pot, bring half
the coconut milk to a slow boil, stirring constantly. Put in the red
curry paste and chicken, stir well, and cook until done (about 5
minutes).
2. Add the remaining
coconut milk, bamboo shoots, sugar and fish sauce, and bring slowly to
a boil. Add Salt to taste.
3. Add kaffir lime leaves,
and chili, and remove from heat. Garnish with sweet basil.
4. Serving.
Steak with Mushroom Sauce
 Tender,
lean filet mignon steaks are pan-fried, then smothered in a mushroom,
shallot, and port wine sauce. Either ruby or tawny port works well in
this recipe.
Ingredients
4 well-trimmed beef tenderloin steaks (filet mignon), 3/4 inch thick
(about 4 ounces each)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large shallot, minced (1/4 cup)
1 package (10 ounces) sliced white mushrooms
1 package (4 ounces) assorted sliced wild mushrooms (gourmet blend)
1/4 cup port wine
Directions
1. Sprinkle steaks on both sides with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8
teaspoon pepper. Heat nonstick 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat
until very hot. Add steaks and cook 8 to 10 minutes for medium-rare or
until desired doneness, turning steaks over once. Transfer steaks to
platter; keep warm.
2. To drippings in skillet, add oil and shallot, and cook 1 minute,
stirring often. Add mushrooms and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8
teaspoon pepper, and cook until liquid evaporates and mushroom mixture
is golden, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add port and 1/4 cup
water; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Spoon mushroom sauce over
steaks.
KALBI (grilled beef Korean way)
 One
of the best things about this dish is eating it; all the guests get to
wrap up their own lettuce packages.
Ingredients
1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons minced, peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
3 garlic cloves, crushed with garlic press
1 beef top round steak, 1 inch thick (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 cup regular long-grain rice
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
1 medium head romaine lettuce, separated into leaves
Directions
1. In large self-sealing plastic bag, combine soy sauce, sugar, ginger,
vinegar, sesame oil, ground red pepper, and garlic; add steak, turning
to coat. Seal bag, pressing out excess air. Place bag on plate;
refrigerate steak 1 to 4 hours to marinate, turning once.
2. Just before grilling steak, prepare rice as label directs; keep
warm.
3. Remove steak from bag; reserve marinade. Place steak on grill over
medium heat and cook 14 to 15 minutes for medium-rare or until of
desired doneness, turning steak over once. Transfer steak to cutting
board; let stand 10 minutes to allow juices to set for easier slicing.
4. In 1-quart saucepan, heat reserved marinade and 1/4 cup water to
boiling over high heat; boil 2 minutes.
5. To serve, thinly slice steak. Let each person place some steak
slices, rice, green onions, and sesame seeds on a lettuce leaf, then
drizzle with some cooked marinade. Fold sides of lettuce leaf over
filling to make a package to eat out of hand.
Savory Steaks with Red
Wine Sauce
 This
assertive sauce, made with red wine, is the perfect accompaniment to
pan-seared steak.
Ingredients
2 boneless beef top loin steaks, 3/4 inch thick (about 12 ounces each),
well trimmed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Directions
1. Heat nonstick 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until very hot
but not smoking. Add steaks; sprinkle with salt. Cook 8 to 10 minutes
for medium-rare or until of desired doneness, turning steaks over once.
Transfer steaks to plate. Cut each steak crosswise in half; cover with
foil to keep warm.
2. In same skillet, in oil, cook onion over medium heat 8 minutes or
until tender, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook 1 minute,
stirring. Stir in tomato paste and wine and heat to boiling; boil 1
minute. Add broth and Worcestershire; heat through.
3. Pour any juice on plate into sauce in skillet; spoon sauce over
steaks.
Middle Eastern Lamb
Steaks
 Aromatic
spices such as coriander, cumin, and allspice in a quick tomato relish
add zip to simple pan-seared lamb steaks.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
1/4 cup dried currants
1 tablespoon pine nuts (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 center-cut lamb leg steaks, 3/4 inch thick (about 8 ounces each),
trimmed
Baby greens for garnish
Directions
1. In small bowl, stir together thyme, coriander, cumin, allspice,
salt, and pepper. Drain tomatoes, reserving 1/2 cup juice; chop
tomatoes.
2. In nonstick 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat until hot.
Add onion and 2 teaspoons thyme mixture, and cook 5 minutes or until
onion is slightly softened, stirring occasionally. Add chopped
tomatoes, reserved juice, and currants, and cook 6 minutes or until
slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Transfer tomato mixture to
bowl; stir in pine nuts, if using, and 1 tablespoon parsley.
3. Coat lamb steaks with remaining thyme mixture. In same skillet, cook
lamb over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes for medium-rare or until of
desired doneness, turning lamb over once.
4. To serve, spoon tomato relish into deep platter; top with lamb and
sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon parsley. Garnish with baby greens.
Potatoes with Rosemary
 You
can replace the rosemary with thyme, basil, or sage for other delicious
versions of this classic dish.
Ingredients
2 pounds baking potatoes (about 4 medium)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
2 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted
2 tablespoons olive oil
Rosemary sprig for garnish
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Peel potatoes and cut into paper-thin
slices.
2. In cup, mix chopped rosemary, salt, and pepper. In another cup, mix
margarine and oil. Lightly brush bottom and side of 9- or 10-inch
cast-iron or oven-safe nonstick skillet with some oil mixture.
3. Beginning at outside edge of skillet, arrange 1 layer of potatoes in
concentric circles, slightly overlapping slices, to cover bottom of
skillet. Sprinkle with some rosemary mixture; drizzle with some oil
mixture. Continue layering potatoes in concentric circles to make 2
more layers, sprinkling each layer with some rosemary mixture and
drizzling with some oil mixture.
4. Lightly grease sheet of foil with remaining oil mixture; place foil,
greased side down, on top of potatoes. Place heavy skillet or lid on
top of potatoes to weight them down. Cook 5 minutes over medium-high
heat until underside is lightly browned.
5. Place skillet in oven and bake 10 minutes. Uncover and bake 10
minutes longer or until potatoes are tender.
6. To serve, place large round platter upside down over skillet;
grasping them firmly together, carefully invert potatoes onto platter.
Garnish with rosemary sprig.
Seafood with Zesty Tomatoes and Wine
 You
would never guess that the base for this authentic-tasting fish stew is
marinara sauce from a jar.
Back to 30 Dinners in 30 Minutes
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, crushed with garlic press
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 jar (14 to 16 ounces) marinara sauce
3/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 pound monkfish, dark membrane removed, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 pounds medium mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1/2 pound shelled and deveined large shrimp
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
Directions
1. In 5-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion; cover
and cook 5 minutes or until golden brown and tender. Add garlic and
crushed red pepper and cook, uncovered, 30 seconds. Stir in marinara
sauce and wine; cook 3 minutes.
2. Increase heat to medium-high. Stir in monkfish; cover and cook 2
minutes. Stir in mussels; cover and cook 2 minutes. Stir in shrimp;
cover and cook 2 minutes or until mussels open and fish and shrimp turn
opaque. Discard any unopened mussels.
3. Sprinkle with parsley to serve.
Seafood-Stuffed Shells
 If
you're pressed for time, get shrimp already shelled and deveined.
Ingredients
30 jumbo pasta shells
Salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bottle (8 ounces) clam juice
1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes in puree
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/3 cup heavy or whipping cream
1 pound medium shrimp, shelled, deveined, and coarsely chopped
1 pound scrod fillet, coarsely chopped
1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed with side of chef's knife
2 slices firm white bread, torn into 1/4-inch pieces
Directions
1. Prepare pasta shells in boiling salted water as label directs. Drain
shells and rinse with cold running water to stop cooking; drain again.
Arrange shells in single layer on waxed paper and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in 4-quart saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat
until hot. Add onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic
and cook 1 minute longer, stirring frequently. Add clam juice and cook
7 minutes over high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup. Stir in tomatoes
with their puree, breaking up tomatoes with side of spoon. Add tomato
paste, sugar, and crushed red pepper; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to
low; partially cover and simmer about 20 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Stir in cream and cook 2 minutes longer; remove saucepan
from heat.
3. Transfer 1 cup tomato sauce to 3-quart saucepan. Add shrimp and
scrod, and cook over medium-high heat until seafood just turns opaque
throughout, about 5 minutes, gently stirring occasionally. Remove
saucepan from heat; stir equal amounts of frozen peas into both
saucepans.
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Fill each pasta shell with 2 heaping
tablespoons seafood mixture and place in 13" by 9" glass baking dish.
Pour tomato sauce over stuffed shells.
5. Prepare Bread-Crumb Topping: In nonstick 10-inch skillet, heat olive
oil and garlic over medium heat. Add bread and cook until golden, about
5 minutes, stirring often. Discard garlic.
6. Spoon bread crumbs over stuffed shells. Bake 20 minutes or until hot
and bubbly.
Caramelized ginger
chicken
Ingredients
 12
meaty chicken thighs, boned and trimmed with skins still on (your
butcher can do this for you)
200g fresh root
ginger, peeled and finely shredded
100ml sunflower oil
6 tablespoons fish
sauce
50m1 Caramel
salt and freshly
ground black pepper
Garnish: 4 large
watercress sprigs
Directions
1.Cut each chicken
thigh into three equal pieces. Place in a large bowl with the ginger,
two-thirds of the oil and seasoning. Cover and marinate for about 6
hours in the refrigerator.
2.Heat a large
heavy-based frying pan and pour in the remaining oil. Leave to heat
through, then add the chicken. Fry until the meat is colored, about 2
minutes, then drain away the excess oil.
3.Add the fish
sauce, cover the pan with a lid and steam until the sauce has
dissolved, about 1 minute.
4.Now add the
prepared caramel to the pan and cook until the caramel has thickened
and coated the chicken in a rich golden color, about 2 minutes,
stirring occasionally.
5.To serve, arrange
the chicken pieces on a serving platter and garnish with watercress.
Peppered tuna with sour
tomato & lemon
 Ingredient
375g tuna loin
4 tablespoons freshly
ground black pepper
a little sunflower or
vegetable oil for frying
500g plum tomatoes
2 garlic cloves
2 large shallots
2 lemons
2 tablespoons sake
8 tablespoons Nuoc Cham
1 bunch mizuna (or young
and tender rocket leaves), freshly picked (if possible)
salt and freshly ground
black pepper
Garnish: 1 lemon, 4
coriander sprigs, freshly picked (if possible)
Directions
1.In a large shallow bowl,
roll the tuna loin through the pepper.
2.Heat a large heavy-based
frying par and when hot, add the oil. Scar the tuna in the pan for a
few seconds on each side, caving the centre raw. Allow to cool, then
cover and refrigerate.
3.Place the tomatoes in a
bowl of boiling salted water for 10 seconds to blanch them. Remove with
a slotted spoon: peel, deseed and cut into small dice.
4.Peel and finely chop the
garlic and shallots.
5.Peel and juice the
lemons. Dice the peelings as finely as possible.
6.Heat a large heavy-based
saucepan, add some oil and sweat the shallot, garlic and tomatoes.
Allow to stew for about 5 minutes over low heat. Add the sake, Nuoc
Cham, lemon rind add juice. Leave to stew until all the liquid has
dissolved, stirring occasionally.
7.Season the mixture to
taste. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
8.Pick over the mizuna.
Wash and allow to drain.
9.With a sharp knife,
finely slice the tuna to create small, thin slices rather than long
ones. To do this, cut down through the thin width of the meat and allow
about 4 slices per portion.
10.To serve, arrange the
mizuna on a serving dish and spoon some of the tomato mixture over the
top. Place the tuna in fan-shaped layers so that it falls away from the
tomato. Quarter and deseed the remaining lemon. Garnish with lemon
quarters and coriander sprigs.
Baked Salmon Fillets
with Ginger-Cilantro Butter
 Thick
center-cut pieces of salmon bake in about 20 minutes. If using thinner
pieces, cut nearer the tail, check after 15 minutes.
Ingredients
4 pieces salmon fillet with skin (6 ounces each)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup butter or margarine (1 stick)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon grated, peeled fresh ginger
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease 13-inch by 9-inch baking dish.
With tweezers, remove any bones from salmon fillets. Arrange fillets in
prepared baking dish; rub with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Bake until salmon is just opaque throughout, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. In medium bowl, beat butter or margarine, softened, with wooden
spoon until creamy. Beat in flavor ingredients; blend well. Transfer
flavored butter to waxed paper and shape into log about 6 inches long;
wrap, twisting ends of waxed paper to seal. Flavored butter can be
refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen up to 1 month. To serve, cut into
1/2-inch-thick slices.
Nigiri Sushi
 Various
types of flatfish are served as sushi, but they are all served the same
way. Depending on where you live, the same or very similar fishes may
be called halibut, plaice or flounder - though the halibut is normally
much bigger. Flatfish sometimes appear on sushi bar menus under the
unappetizing name of 'fluke'. The Japanese flatfish is small, more like
a plaice or flounder, but the big hirame (halibut) is prepared in the
same way. You get much more engawa (prized meat next to side fins) from
a hirame! Most species are reckoned to be at their best in winter, with
autumn as the second season of choice. The flesh may simply be sliced
and served as nigiri zushi with no further preparation, or it may be
briefly marinated in a sauce made of spring onion (scallion), momigi
oroshi (hot-pepper paste in vinegar) and ponzu (citrus vinegar). Ponzu
is obtainable ready-to-use from japanese shops, or you can make a
substitute by adding 1 cup/250inl/8fl oz orange juice and the juice of
1 lemon to 41/2 cups/I litre/35fi oz sa (rice vinegar). Ponzu is not
used alone. To make a useful sauce, which can be used with fish or as a
basis for powerful soup (suimono), bring 41/2 cups/1 litre/35fl oz
ponzu to the boil with kombu and katsuo-bushi, add an equal volume of
soy sauce and 1/2 cup/125ml/4fl oz mirin, then strain.
Where salmon is
served as sashimi, the presentation is much the same as for flatfish.
In Japan, salmon is hardly ever served raw, and California is probably
the only area where it is really popular. Cod and rock cod can be
served the same way. Shark could also be prepared by the same
techniques, but most people find it too fishy tasting.
Monkfish wrapped in banana
leaves with ginger, coriander, chili and coconut milk
 Ingredients
Serves 4.
4 large banana leaves or
vine leaves
a little olive oil
2 fresh chilies, red,
green or both
2 sticks of lemon grass,
outer leaves removed, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic,
finely chopped
2 good handfuls of
fresh coriander, roughly chopped
juice and zest of 2 limes
2 tablespoons sesame seed
oil
2 heaped tablespoons
finely sliced fresh ginger
170-225g monkfish per
person
1x 400 ml of coconut
milk
4 rosemary springs
or bay leaf slicks, to secure
Directions
Preheat the oven to
230˚C. Lay out your banana leaves and rub them with olive oil, Leaving
aside your fish, coconut milk and herb sticks, sprinkle a little bit of
everything else on one end of each leaf. Place your fish on top and
then sprinkle what's left over them. Pour 5-6 tablespoons of coconut
milk into each parcel before folding the loaf over the fish, bringing
the sides in and spiking it with a rosemary sprig or bay leaf stick to
secure it. This will look lovely and it's natural, but it is known to
use a clothes peg or string to hold it all together. It won't be a
perfect seal but this allows it to breathe and steam, letting the
flavor infuse. So gutsy and tasty. Put your parcels on a tray and bake
for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5
minutes.
Serve the individual
parcels on plates at the table and let dissect them. When opened, the
fragrant steam wafts up and smells fantastic. Serve with plain boiled
rice to mop up the juices.
Roe
 Many
kinds of roe (fish eggs) are used in sushi. Because they are soft, they
are mostly made into gunkan-maki ('battleship' sushi). The most common
variety is probably ikura (golden-red salmon roc). This is sold
ready-packed, like caviar, and is one of the largest of roes. If it is
exposed to the air for too long, it loses its glossy texture and bright
color, but these can be restored by soaking the roe in sake for a short
while. If the ikura is bought with the ovarian membrane still around
the roe, it is known as suzuko. Tarako (salted cod roe) is a popular
topping; the roe is reddish-brown and significantly smaller than salmon
roc. Tarako is frequently artificially colored a vivid red or a
virulent orange. Kazu-no-ko (salted herring roe) is very highly
regarded, though arguably as a fertility symbol rather than for its
taste. It is extremely expensive: the popular name of 'yellow diamonds'
refers as much to the price as to the color and the symbolism. Immature
eggs are less colorful and lustrous, and command a lower price because
they do not taste as good. Instead of being extracted from the live
herring, komochi kombu is kelp (kombu) on which the herring has
spawned; a strip is placed atop a finger of sushi rice. Both kazu-no-ko
and komochi kombu are desalted by soaking in water for at least two
hours. Perhaps surprisingly, adding a little salt to the water seems to
speed the desalting process.
Lumpfish roe and
true (sturgeon) caviar can also be used, Unsalted fresh caviar would
probably be delicious, but the likelihood of finding it is ravishingly
small.
Directions
1. To build a
gunkan-maki, take a standard-sized piece of sushi rice and put it in
the middle of a long strip of nori (seaweed paper).
2. When you roll the
nori, make it slightly skewed. This is not just to appeal to the
Japanese love of asymmetry, it makes the roll easier to build.
3. Tuck the edge of
the nori underneath, where it will stick to the rice.
4. Fill the
completed gunkan-maki with roe; this is salmon roe.
UNI (Sea urchin)
 The
interior parts of the prickly uni (sea urchin) are a delicacy in many
parts of the world; the roe, which clings to the inside of the shell in
five top-to-bottom strips, is what is normally eaten. Some people cat
the meat as well. Uni probably spoil faster than any other kind of
shellfish, so unless you get live ones (which normally means catching
them yourself), it is as well to buy prepared roc, sold in a box.
Alternatively, bottled uni or neri uni (sea urchin roe) is good -
unless you compare it with the original. The difference is analogous to
the difference between fresh and canned pineapple. Because uni is so
soft, it is normally made into gunkan-maki (battleship' sushi). In the
United States, uni-maki ore sometimes garnished with a quail's egg.
Directions
To prepare fresh uni,
split the fragile shell in half with a heavy, sharp knife; smaller or
blunt knives will crush the shell rather than cutting through. The
watery flesh and the mouth parts in the middle are discarded. The roe
of the male is yellow and edible; the orange roe of the female is more
highly prized.
Go Up
(source of the article are several websites, the
books 'The best of Thai dishes', Sisamon Kongpan, Sangdad Books;
'Lemongrass and Lime – New Vietnamese Cooking', Mark Read, Simon &
Schuster; 'Step by step Sushi', Katsuji, Yamamoto/Roger W. Hicks,
Quantum Books;
'The return of the naked
Chef', Jamie Oliver, Penguin Books) |
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