Archives for August 2009

Horseradish-Crusted Salmon

August 18, 2009 By

Horseradish crust:

  • 2 tbs. Butter
  • ¾ tsp. Fresh thyme, chopped
  • 1 tbs.  Italian parsley, chopped
  • 1 tbs.  Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbs.  Horseradish, drained but not dry
  • ½ cup plus 2 tbs.  Bread crumbs

Salmon fillets:

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 4, 7-ounce salmon fillets, skin removed

Crust:

Blend together butter, thyme, parsley, mustard and horseradish.  Fold in breadcrumbs.  Season with salt and pepper.

Salmon:

Preheat over to 400 degrees.  In an over-proof skillet large enough to hold the fillets in one layer, heat oil over medium-high heat.  On the non-skin side of the fillet, spread a thin layer of the crust, pressing well to make it adhere.  Place salmon crust-side down on the skillet and cook about 1 minute.

Carefully turn salmon over and place pan in middle of the oven.  Cook 5 or 6 minutes.

4 Servings.

Filed Under: Entrees, Fish, French Tagged With: ,

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

August 18, 2009 By
  • 1 beef chuck roast (3 pounds), trimmed
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1 tsp. rosemary
  • 1 tsp. thyme
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 whole peppercorn
  • 8 French rolls, split

Place roast in slow cooker.  Add water, soy sauce and seasonings.  Cover and cook on high for 5-6 hours or until beef is tender.  Remove meat from broth; shred with fork and keep warm.  Strain broth; skim off fat.  Pour broth into small cups for dipping.  Serve beef on rolls.

Serves 8.

Filed Under: American, Beef, Entrees, Slow Cooker Tagged With: , , , ,

Seafood Fettucini Alfredo

August 18, 2009 By
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/8 lb. butter
  • 12-16 ounces fresh seafood (shrimp, scallops, lobster, crab work well and can be used interchangeably)
  • freshly grated parmesan (Locatelli works well)
  • 1/2 tsp. chopped garlic
  • 1/2 tsp. salt and pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. parsley flakes
  • 12 ounces fettucine noodles, cooked to al dente

Poach all seafood in simmering water for about 4 minutes.  Drain well on paper towel.  Place butter in a pan on medium heat.  Add poached seafood, garlic, salt and pepper and cook until warmed through.  Add cream and raise heat to medium-high.  Cook until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.  Add cheese and pasta.  Place on a platter and garnish with parsley.

2 Servings.

Filed Under: Entrees, Italian, Pasta, Seafood Tagged With: ,

Fettucini with Wild Mushroom Sauce

August 18, 2009 By
  • 2 cups hot water
  • 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
  • 2 tbs. olive oil
  • 1 pound fresh, wild mushrooms (any kind), sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 3 tbs. butter
  • 1 tbs. chopped fresh thyme
  • ¾ cup chicken broth
  • 8 tbs. parmesan
  • ¾ pound fettuccine

Combine water and porcini in a medium bowl.  Let stand about 40 minutes.  Drain and reserve soaking liquid.  Chop porcini.

Heat oil in heavy, large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add fresh mushrooms and garlic and sauté 6 minutes.  Add porcini and sauté another 4 minutes.  Add butter and thyme and sauté 1 minute.  Add broth and 1-1/4 cups soaking liquid.  Boil until sauce thickens slightly, 5 minutes.  Mix in 4 tbs. of cheese.

Cook pasta until aldente.  Drain.

Add sauce to pasta and toss.  Season with salt and pepper.  Transfer pasta to a bowl and top with remaining cheese.

4 servings

Filed Under: Entrees, Italian, Pasta Tagged With: , ,

Creamy Shrimp and Crab Casserole

August 18, 2009 By
  • 1 1/2 lb. Unpeeled medium shrimp
  • 1 lb. Crab meat
  • 1 7-ounce package thin spaghetti
  • 1 tsp. Oil
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter plus 1 Tbs.
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup finely diced celery
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 6 ounces shredded Swiss cheese
  • 1/4 cup dry sherry
  • 1/2 tsp. Salt
  • 1/4 tsp. Pepper
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Cook shrimp just until done in boiling salted water; drain and rinse with cold water.  Peel shrimp and set aside.

Cook pasta al dente; drain well, toss with oil to keep moist.  Set aside.

In a skillet, melt 1 Tbs. Butter over medium heat, then sauté onion and celery until tender 10 minutes.  Set aside.

In a heavy saucepan over low heat, melt rest of the butter; add flour and stir and cook until smooth and bubbly, about 2 minutes.  Gradually add broth and cream; cook over medium, stirring, until mixture is thickened and bubbly.  Add Swiss cheese, sherry, salt, and pepper and sautéed vegetables and stir until cheese melts.  Remove from heat.  Stir in pasta, shrimp, and crab and mix well.  Spoon mixture into lightly greased shallow casserole.

Bake uncovered at 350 F.  For 20 minutes.  Broil until lightly golden.

6 Servings.

Filed Under: Entrees, Pasta, Seafood Tagged With: ,

Clam and Mussel Stew with Capocollo and Vesuvius Tomatoes

August 18, 2009 By
  • 2 Tbs. olive oil
  • 2 large leeks, thinly sliced
  • 1 Tbs. chopped garlic
  • 12 halves Vesuvius Tomatoes(see recipe)
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 24 littleneck clams, scrubbed
  • 2 cups bottled clam juice
  • 32 mussels
  • 6 oz capocollo or country ham cut into matchstick size pieces
  • 1/3 cup parsley

Vesuvius Tomatoes:

  • 2 Tbs. plus 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 2 cups finely chopped onions
  • 12 large ripe plum tomatoes, halved
  • 3 garlic cloves crushed
  • 12 fresh basil leaves
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. sugar
  • 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper

Preheat oven to 250 F. Heat 2 Tbs. oil in skillet and add onions. Sauté 8 minutes. Place tomatoes in single layer in large roasting pan. Add onions, 1/2 cup oil, garlic, basil, salt, sugar, and red pepper; toss. Roast about 2 hours.

Stew:

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat.  Add leeks and garlic and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes.  Add Vesuvius Tomatoes and wine and boil 2 minutes.  Add clams and clam juice.  Cover and cook 5 minutes.  Add mussels, cover and cook until clams and mussels open, about 4 minutes.  Mix in capocollo and parsley.

4 Servings

Filed Under: Entrees, Italian, Seafood Tagged With: , , ,

Ricotta and Goat Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

August 17, 2009 By
  • ¾ low fat ricotta cheese
  • 2 ounces goat cheese, softened
  • 2 tbs. chopped parsley
  • 1 tbs. chopped chives
  • ¼ tsp. dried Italian herbs
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • black pepper to taste
  • 4 boneless breasts of chicken halves, pounded to ¼-inch thickness
  • 8 ounces tomato sauce, heated through

Blend together the ricotta and goat cheese with spoon.  Stir in parsley, chives, Italian herbs, salt and a little pepper.  Set aside.

Spread each breast with ¼ of filling and roll up each piece.  Refrigerate 30 minutes.

In bottom of 9-inch square glass baking dish, spread thin layer of tomato sauce.  Put chicken onto sauce layer and pour remaining sauce over chicken.  Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 30 minutes, or until cooked through.  Remove from oven a let cool 5 minutes.

4 Servings.

Filed Under: Chicken, Entrees, Italian Tagged With: , , ,
17 August 2009 Breakfast Portobello Mushrooms with Shiitakes

Breakfast Portobello Mushrooms with Shiitakes

August 17, 2009 By

portoeggA simple yet delicious way to start your day. Perfect for entertaining.

Ingredients:

  • 4 medium to large fresh portabello caps
  • 3 Tbs. olive oil
  • 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced
  • 1/2 small onion, finely diced
  • 1 cup corn kernels
  • 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
  • 1/2 cup fried, crumbled bacon
  • salt
  • 4 eggs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Place the portobello caps, gill side up, in a large baking dish and bake 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, heat oil in a large sauté pan over high heat.  Add shiitakes, onion, and corn; sauté until mushrooms are limp and corn is tender, 3-4 minutes.  Add pine nuts and bacon and stir well.  Season to taste.  Be sure to season well, making it a little salty.

Remove mushrooms from oven and evenly divide shiitake mixture among the four caps, smoothing surface.  Make sure caps lay as flat as possible.  Crack an egg on top of each mushroom.  Return dish to oven and bake until eggs are done to your liking.

4 Servings.

Filed Under: Breakfast, Entrees, Mushrooms Tagged With: , ,

Boston Baked Beans and Brisket

August 17, 2009 By
  • 1 pound dried navy or kidney beans
  • 3 pounds brisket of beef
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 1 tbs. prepared mustard
  • 1 tbs. salt
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup molasses

Wash beans and pick over, discarding stones.  Place in bowl and cover with cold water.  Let soak overnight.

Next morning, drain beans and place in saucepan.  Cover with fresh water.  Heat slowly and cook just below boiling point until skins burst, about 30 minutes.

When done, drain beans and place them in large 6-quart casserole with lid.  Add brisket of beef and onions.

Mix mustard, salt, brown sugar, molasses, and 2 cups boiling water and pour over beans and brisket.  Cover and bake at 225 degrees for 8 hours, uncovering casserole last hour to brown.

6-8 Servings.

Filed Under: American, Beef, Entrees Tagged With: ,

Quick Beef Stroganoff

August 17, 2009 By
  • 1 1/2 lb. sirloin
  • 5 Tbs. butter
  • 2 Tbs. oil
  • 2 green onions, minced
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 1 Tbs. lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 cups sour cream
  • salt, pepper
  • parsley, minced

Cut the beef in strips.  Melt 4 Tbs. butter and 1 Tbs. oil in a pan.  Sear the meat.  When meat is cooked, about 5 minutes, place on a plate.  Add to the pan, the rest of the butter and oil and sauté the green onion for 2 minutes.  Add the wine, the sour cream, and the lemon juice and let cook for one minute, making sure the mixture does not boil.  Pour the sauce over the meat.  Salt, parsley and pepper to taste.

6 Servings.

Filed Under: Beef, Entrees Tagged With:
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