Dinner Tonight--Walnut Crusted Salmon Fillets

It was a dark and stormy night.  No, really.  It was dark.  It was raining.  And it was cold.  It was the kind of night you wanted to stay at home with a steaming bowl of soup and a crackling fire. But that was not meant to be.  I was meeting friends for an early movie before dinner, and because I knew that John and I would be returning home about the same time, I wanted to prepare something for dinner that would be ready for the oven when we got there.

Walnut crusted salmon fillets was the perfect dish.  A delicious healthy dinner full of heart-healthy  antioxidants and phytonutrients that would be able to be prepared ahead of time, parked in the refrigerator, and roasted in a matter of minutes.  A good choice for a dark and stormy night.

Salmon ready for the oven

Walnut Crusted Salmon Fillets
 Serves 4

4 6-ounce salmon fillets, whatever kind of salmon you prefer
1 cup lightly toasted chopped walnuts
4 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
3 teaspoons low fat mayonnaise combined with 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Combine the walnuts, bread crumbs, melted butter, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. 


Place salmon fillets on an oiled, or silpat-lined baking sheet.  Season with salt and pepper if desired.
Spread one teaspoon (or less) of the mustard-mayonnaise on each fillet and top with the walnut mixture, pressing into fish.


Bake until just done 12-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish and your preference of doneness.

Cook's Note:  A quick and delicious weeknight meal also works well for dinner parties.  The salmon can be prepared ahead of time and kept refrigerated until baking.  If you don't like walnuts, why not try pitachios or hazelnuts.








 


 

Focaccia

I had just returned from my mother's house where we had watched TV chef, Michael Chiarello, construct a picnic sandwich using a home made focaccia.

The day was cold and windy, and the thought of the  smell of hot and yeasty baking bread wafting through the house was all I needed to consider making my own focaccia. I planned to be working at home the rest of the afternoon anyway, and so what if I had no yeast? There was pizza dough in the freezer.

Focaccia, the flat oven-baked Italian bread, is thought to have originated with the Etruscans or the Greeks.  The word, focaccia,comes from the Latin panis focacius--bread baked in the fireplace.Focaccia is baked in either a round or oblong stretched into shape in an oiled pan. It can be thick or thin and soft or crisp.  The dough's distinctive top  is dotted with one's fingertips to create wells in which the fruity olive oil pools.  It is usually topped with herbs, such as rosemary and salt. This rustic dish emerges from the oven golden and delicious perfect for snacks, lunch, picnics, or a great accompaniment to dinner.

Making focaccia differs from pizza in that the dough rises three times before it is baked.  Carol Field, in her book, The Italian Baker,  explains the origins of both beautifully. When I removed the pizza dough ( about one pound) from the freezer I  put it in a bowl rubbed with oil to defrost and come to room temperature since its first rising took place before going into the freezer.

The next step is to knead the dough lightly until smooth on a flour-covered work surface. Roll  or stretch dough out to approximately 12 x 10 inch rectangle, brush off any excess flour and  transfer to an oiled rimmed baking sheet. Brush top with olive oil , cover and let rise about 20 minutes.

Now the fun part. Press your fingers into the risen dough to make even indentations all over.  Brush with additional olive oil--be generous here--sprinkle with chopped rosemary and sea salt. Let rise again for about 20 minutes.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes until focaccia is golden brown.

And try to wait until the focaccia cools down a bit before tearing into it!

After making the savory focaccia, I came across an article online--sorry, I don't remember where--and I just had to try the sweet focaccia mentioned in the article. 

This time dried fruits that I had on hand--1/4 cup each of dried cherries, cranberries, and apricots, and chopped rosemary were kneaded into the dough after it defrosted; put in an oiled bowl and brought to room temperature.

The rimmed baking sheet was coated with some oil and butter this time and dough rolled out and fit into the pan. The dough was brushed with melted butter, covered, and set to rest for about 30 minutes.

The dough was then dimpled as before and baked in a 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes until golden. I didn't have time for a third rise, but I don't think it mattered.

When the focaccia came from the oven I brushed it with melted butter and sprinkled it with demerara sugar.

Although we ate some of this when it came out of the oven,  I think slices of this sweet focaccia might be nice for breakfast or a brunch as well as with some after dinner cheese.

Dinner Tonight--Balsamic Chicken Breasts

Balsamic chicken breasts were a favorite of my clients when I was working as a personal chef.  They have a lot going for them.  They are quick to prepare,  they hold well for reheating if necessary, the ingredients are easy to come by, and they certainly are tasty.

And finding myself with all the ingredients on hand, they are dinner tonight.

Balsamic Chicken Breasts
The original recipe is from Pierre Franey's Cusine Rapide
Serves 4

4 6-8 ounce chicken breast halves
1/2 pound small mushrooms, cleaned and cut in half (larger mushrooms may be sliced)
2 tablespoons flour
salt and pepper
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar (you don't need the 25 year old stuff here)
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf
sprig of fresh thyme or a sprinkling of dried thyme
2 tablespoons sweet butter

Dredge chicken breasts in seasoned flour.  Heat olive oil in skillet, brown breasts about 3 minutes.  Turn.

Scatter garlic cloves and mushrooms around chicken.  Brown for another 3 minutes.

Add balsamic vinegar, chicken broth, bay leaf and thyme.  Cover skillet tightly and simmer for about 10 minutes, turning pieces to baste, until chicken is tender.

Remove chicken from skillet.  Reduce sauce,  Remove whole herb, if using, and garlic cloves.  Off heat, swirl in butter, and return chicken to sauce.

This is nice served with string beans or a green salad.

The Weekend

Cold and blustery outside, this weekend proved to be warm and cozy at our house.

Friday night chesse crispettes perfect with a Negroni

Saturday morning bran muffin

A cup of turkey chili for lunch between errands

A healthy dinner of roasted mushroom and string bean farro salad from Closet Cooking

Sunday brunch potatoes and eggs

Sunday dinner half time skirt steak sandwiches

Dinner Tonight

To me, there could be no better antidote to two weeks of overeating, than a big old bowl of escarole and beans.  Not only will a bowl of escarole and beans make you feel virtuous about your diet, but it just may give your immune system a boost.

Escarole is at its peak from December to April. And as are all leafy green vegetables, it is low in calories and high in dietary fiber and antioxidants. Not to mention the fact that a steaming bowl of fragrant greens and beans is filling and delicious.

Chances are you have most of the ingredients in your pantry right now. All you need to do is get to the market and pick up a couple of heads of fresh escarole and start chopping.

I used two heads of escarole, about 1 1/2 pounds, for dinner tonight.  You will need to wash the escarole leaves under running water and drain them.  Slice leaves into 1-inch strips, removing thick stems if necessary.

Heat some olive oil with some crushed garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes.  Saute about 1 minute.  Then add the greens by handfuls, stirring until they start to wilt before adding more.  It will look like a mountain of greens, but don't worry, they will cook down quickly.  Stir until all are coated with oil.

Add about a cup of low-sodium chicken broth or water--depending on how much escarole you are cooking--and cook until greens are tender.  You may add a potato, cut up, with the broth if you wish. Add one 15-ounce can of cannellini beans which have been drained and rinsed, and simmer until beans are heated through.   Make sure to season with salt and pepper and enjoy.

Christmas Weekend

Crepe making for Christmas Eve dinner--

Resulting in spinach-ricotta manicotti with tomato cream sauce--

Panettone French Toast for Christmas morning--

Some of John's favorite Christmas things--

And some of mine--

I hope that you all had a joyous weekend.

The Second Time Around

Who knew that the ingredients I used for two Friday night pizzas would show up again on the dinner table Sunday night?

I made a pizza topped with Italian sausage, sauteed onions and mushrooms topped with a mixture of grated cheeses as well as a Margherita pizza using grape tomatoes and mozzarella.  Both were very good served alongside this salad.

The pickled onions gave the salad a nice sweet and sour crunch.

While looking for some inspiration for supper on Sunday, I came across a recipe for pasta using the ingredients I  had in the refrigerator.  I love this kind of cooking, that is making a meal from what is essentially in the pantry.  No outing to the market is involved.  And I get to use the bits and bobs, as Kath would say, so that nothing goes to waste at the end of the weekend.  Mr. No Carbs was just going to have to suffer through two carbohydrate-laden dinners this weekend.

This recipe comes from Philadelphia chef, Marc Vetri, and it's a keeper.  It goes together quickly and is hearty enough for a cold night like last night--and tasty, too.


Orecchiette with Sausage and Cherry Tomatoes
By Marc Vetri                  
Serves 4


1 pound orechiette pasta
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt
2 ounces aged provolone cheese, shredded
3/4 cup reserved pasta water

In a large pot of boiling salted water cook pasta until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 3/4 cup of the cooking water.

Meanwhile, in a large deep skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil until shimmering.  Add the sausage in 1-inch clumps and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until browned and cooked through, about 8 minuets.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer sausage to a plate.

Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to the skillet along with the tomatoes and crushed red pepper; cook over moderate heat, pressing the tomatoes until slightly softened, about 4 minutes.  Add the reserved pasta cooking water, season with salt and cook over moderate heat, scraping up any browned bits and crushing the tomatoes, until the liquid is reduced by half and the tomatoes are nearly broken down, about 5 minutes.

Add the pasta to the skillet along with the sausage and the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and cook, stirring, until the pasta is evenly coated, about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in provolone.  Transfer to bowls and serve.

Cook's Note:  I used hot Italian sausage and eliminated the crushed red pepper.  I rarely buy pre-shredded cheese, but I had a combination of asiago, fontina, Parmesan and provolone, left from the pizza.  Use whatever you like. If you can't get orecchiette, any pasta that will hold the sauce will do.

Comfort and Joy

Whenever I'm yearning for some comforting food, the first thing that comes to mind is meatballs. Maybe it is because I grew up eating meatballs every week. Hot and steamy, soft and plump, meatballs would appear on the table with macaroni like clockwork each Thursday evening.

So when I came across Mary Ann Esposito's recipe for Pesto Meatballs I just had to try them.  This recipe is a little different from my mother's tried and true weekly meatballs. It combines two different cuts of beef as well as incorporating a tasty pesto sauce into the mixture.  Also they are baked in the oven instead of fried which makes for a much cleaner cook top when you are finished.

PESTO MEATBALLS
Mary Ann Esposito

2/3 cups breadcrumbs
1/2 cup milk
1 large egg
3 heaping tablespoons pesto sauce
1/3 cup grated Pecorino cheese (you can omit part of this if you have already added cheese to the pesto)         
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 pound ground beef round
1/2 pound ground beef (with higher fat content than round)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Place the bread crumbs in a bowl and pour milk over them.  Let the breadcrumbs soak for a few minutes then whisk in the egg, pesto sauce, cheese, salt and pepper.

Crumble the meats over the bread crumb mixture and use your hands to combine well.  Scoop up about 1/3 cup at a time to form the mixture into meatballs.

Place them on a slightly oiled or silpat-line baking sheet.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until meatballs are lightly browned.

Serve them in tomato sauce as a main course or as a side with pasta.  Very good.

Makes 12 2-inch meatballs

Enjoy Everything

 

"Enjoy everything." That is how my friend ended her letter to us disclosing her husband's illness.  Everything can change in an instant.

"Enjoy everything" are the words I thought of as John and I brought out the Christmas decorations and all the hoopla that went with them.  You see, I am not one of those people who loves the Christmas season. John thinks I suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder.  I do not.  I just am not sunny by nature and tend toward melancholy.  But "enjoy everything" resonated with me.

Was I enjoying polishing the silver platters my mother-in law left to me? Not really, but I thought about how much pleasure I get from seeing these beauties shine with use.  My mother-in-law left me some beautiful things--things that she loved but from which she never derived pleasure.  They were always safely locked away for special occasions.

I began to think. I leave my things within easy reach and use them all the time.  I enjoy them! What a concept.

Am I enjoying the fact that our son is not coming home for Christmas for the second year in a row? Of course not.  This just might be the first Christmas Eve in forty years of marriage that John and I are going to be alone.I plan to buy some good smoked salmon and my favorite French Champagne. I'll cook a nice dinner while playing some Christmas Elvis in the background.  And I will enjoy the evening.

There are many things in my life that I wish were different; but they're not.  But I do know this.  I will remember the reason for this season and enjoy the present good health of my family, the laughter of my friends, the warmth of the fireplace and the bounty of food from my kitchen. 

Every day I will try to fulfill my friend's wish for me, enjoy everything, because everything can change in an instant.

 

Our Winter Kitchen

Clementines

 

 

 

 

Stir fried Beef and Broccoli

 

 

Being prepared

 

 

 

Comfort food

Getting ready for the oven

Dinner last night

Toasted hazelnuts

View from the  kitchen window

Spicy Chicken

To help get me out of this rut I am in, I decided to make an effort to cook some new dishes.

Recently, while reading prolific cookbook author Melissa Clark's book, In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite, I came across a recipe that was calling my name.  The recipe for Spiced Chipotle Honey Chicken Breasts with Sweet Potatoes had everything I was looking for in a recipe and more--flavor, spice, color-- and I had all of the ingredients at hand.

The only change I made was to use much less cumin, as I am not a big fan.  Next time I would omit it. Also, I whirred the chipotles into a rough paste instead of mincing them. Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce are a staple in my kitchen.  When I open a can, I roughly puree them in the food processor, transfer them to a glass jar and store them in the refrigerator almost indefinitely. I think they have a special affinity to sweet potatoes.

This recipe turned out to be uncomplicated and quick to put together--not to mention delicious to boot.

Post Turkey Blahs

It was late on Sunday afternoon, and my friend T had just gotten her last child back to where she needed to be after Thanksgiving when she called.

"What are you doing?"
"I'm just deciding what to cook for dinner."
"So, what are you cooking?"
"Chicken."
Pause.
"Aren't you going to invite us for dinner?"
"You don't need an invitation."

And so it goes.

After a little back and forth, we decided that  since T had all of the side dishes from Thanksgiving to accompany the chicken, John and I would go to their house with the main dish in tow.  I prepared Ina Garten's Lemon Chicken Breasts, instructed T to have the oven heated to 400 degrees, grabbed a bottle of wine, and off we went.

While the Martinis were being shaken, the chicken went into the oven, and T heated up the Apple Butternut Squash Soup.  Delicious.

What a nice way to end the holiday weekend.