Fo’ Shizzle

From Gourmet, July 2007

1 medium red onion, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
3/4 pound cherry tomatoes
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 (6-ounces) skinless mahimahi fillets (1 inch thick)
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
2 teaspoons black or green tapenade (olive paste)

Accompaniment: plain or parmesan couscous

Preheat broiler and line a large shallow baking pan with foil. 

Toss onion and tomatoes with 3 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in lined baking pan, then spread evenly in one half of pan.

Pat fish dry and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, then arrange, skinned side down and spaced apart, next to vegetables in other half of pan. Drizzle fish with 1 tablespoon oil and broil 4 to 6 inches from heat until vegetables are charred and slightly wilted and fish is just cooked thourough, 12 to 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile, whisk together vinegar, tapenade, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil. 

Serve fish and vegetables over couscous. Stir pan juices into vinaigrette and drizzle on top.

Notes:

We used haddock instead.  Still good.

Ran out of soy milk and cow milk the other morning.  Was contemplating the sad possibility of eating dry cold cereal when I noticed the half-empty container of heavy cream in the fridge.  Could I?  That’s crazy, but…

D asked me “do you know how much fat you’re pouring on your cereal?”  Then, a minute later: “How is it?”  Me: Glorious.

It really was glorious.

Food & Wine 2000, p. 233

Serves 4.

Ingredients

Salad

• 6 ripe plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup (about 3 oz) Calamata or other black olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup crumbed feta cheese
• 2 tbsp minced mint
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Lamb

• 1 tbsp minced rosemary, or 1 tsp dried, crumbled
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Eight 4-5 oz lamb rib chops (1 1/4 in. thick)

Instructions

1. Make the salad: In a glass or stainless steel bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, olives, feta and mint. Add the oil and lemon juice and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Prepare the lamb: Preheat the broiler. In a glass or stainless steel bowl, combine the rosemary, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic. Rub the mixture on both side of the lamb chops and season with salt and pepper.

3. Arrange the lamb chops on the rack of a broiling pan. Broil about 2 inches from the heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium rare. Transfer the lamb chops to a platter, spoon the salad alongside and serve.

Wine

Full-flavored Rhone or Rhone-style red.

Bon Appetit, March 2008, p. 59

Serves 4

• 1/3 cup chopped fresh mint
• 2 tsp ground paprika
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 1/3 lb. ground lamb
• 4 hamburger buns or small ciabatta rolls (best!), halved lengthwise
• 1 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves
• 1 1/3 cups crumbled feta
• 4 1/4-thick red onion slices
• 1 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Instructions

Mix first 4 ingredients and 1 1/2 tbsp oil in medium bowl; mix in lamb. Shape into 4 3/4-inch-thick patties. Cook patties in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 4 minutes per side for medium.

Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Broil buns until golden, about 2 minutes. Top each bun bottom with burger. Toss spinach, feta, onion, vinegar, and 1 1/2 tbsp oil in bowl. Place salad atop burgers. Cover with bun tops, pressing firmly to compact.

Fine Cooking, April/May 2008, p. 51

Serves 4.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 10 scallions (white & light green parts), halved lengthwise
• 2 cups fresh shelled peas (from about 2 lb. unshelled) or frozen peas
• 1 medium head butter lettuce, leaves separated, washed, and dried
• 1/2 cup lower-salt chicken broth or water
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• 1 Tbs. creme fraiche

Instructions

Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Add the scallions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes (don’t let them brown). Increase the heat to medium, add the peas and lettuce and continue to cook, tossing with tongs, until the lettuce begins to wilt, 2 minutes more. Add the broth and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir well and bring to a simmer.

Reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and simmer until the peas are just tender, 5 to 8 minutes for presh peas, 3 to 4 minutes for frozen. Remove the lid and add the mint and creme fraiche. Stir well and simmer 2 minutes more to meld the flavors. Season to taste with the salt and pepper and server.

Notes

Whole Foods had fresh English Peas, so I bought a couple of packages. I never really appreciated good peas until I tried these recipes… Wow. Unlike those sad canned peas I remember from childhood, and the boring frozen peas I usually get, these peas had a wonderfully nutty and earthy flavor to them.

I forgot to look for creme fraiche, and I didn’t have time to attempt to make it, so I improvised with some heavy cream and lemon juice. I used 1 Tbs. of heavy cream and maybe 1/4 tsp. lemon juice. Seemed to work alright.

Fine Cooking, April/May 2008, p. 48

ingredients

For the lemon-zest breadcrumbs:

3 Tbs. olive oil1 cup coarse fresh breadcrumbs (from a rustic loaf)

1 Tbs. finely grated lemon zest

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the horseradish aïoli:

5 Tbs. mayonnaise

2 tsp. prepared horseradish

3/4 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp. minced garlic

1/2 tsp. tomato paste

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the fish:

3 Tbs. olive oil

4 thick skinless haddock or cod fillets, about 6 oz. each

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, washed and dried

1 lemon

About 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

how to make

Heat the oven to 425°F.

Make the lemon-zest breadcrumbs: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring, until golden and crunchy, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool. Stir in the lemon zest and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside at room temperature.

Make the horseradish aïoli: In a small bowl, mix the aïoli ingredients, adding salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate.

Sear-roast the fish: Heat the oil in a heavy 12-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the fish dry with a paper towel and season on both sides with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. When the oil is shimmering hot, arrange the fillets evenly in the pan, skinned side up. Sear for about 2 minutes, without moving; then use a slotted metal spatula to lift a piece of fish and check the color. When the fillets are nicely browned, flip them and remove the pan from the heat.Spread the seared side of each fillet with some of the aïoli and then a layer of breadcrumbs. (You may or may not need all of the aïoli and crumbs.) Put the pan in the oven and roast until the fish is cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes.While the fish is roasting, put the parsley leaves in a small bowl; cut the lemon in half and squeeze some juice from one half over the parsley, to taste. Drizzle the parsley with enough extra-virgin olive oil to lightly coat the leaves, season with salt and pepper, and toss. The parsley should taste bright and lemony. Cut the remaining lemon half into four wedges.

When the fish is cooked, remove the pan from the oven and transfer the fillets to plates. Top each with some of the parsley salad and garnish with a lemon wedge.

Chicken (serves 4):
Bon Appetit, February 2006, p. 108
Prep: 20min, Total: 40min
Wine: Chianti (naturalmente!), 2005 Sensi
NB: Use fresh oregano as a substitute for marjoram

4 large skinless boneless chicken breast halves
6 tsp. chopped fresh marjoram, divided
2 tbsp. butter, divided
2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
12oz assorted fresh wild mushrooms (e.g. oyster, stemmed shiitake, stemmed bella), thickly sliced
1 cup sliced shallots (around 5)

3/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup whipping cream
3 tbsp. dry Marsala

Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then 2 tsp. marjoram. Melt 1 tbsp butter with 1 tbsp oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to skillet and saute until just cooked through, about 7 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate; tent with foil to keep warm. Melt remaining 1 tbsp butter with 1 tbsp oil in same skillet. Add mushrooms, shallots, and 2 tsp. marjoram. Saute until mushrooms are brown and tender, about 6 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl.

Combine broth, cream, Marsala, and remaining 2 tsp marjoram in same skillet; boil until thickened and reduced to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper.

Divide mushrooms among 4 plates. Top mushrooms with chicken. Spoon sauce over and serve.

Salad
Bon Appetit, November 2005, p. 46

Dressing

1 cup Chianti
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup olive oil

Salad

4 oz baby arugula (about 6 cups)
4 heads of Belgian endive, thinly sliced crosswise diagonally
1 Fuji apple, halved, cored, cut into matchstick-sized pieces
1/3 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese (about 1/2 oz.)
1/4 chopped fresh chives
1/3 cup walnuts, toasted

Dressing: Boil Chianti in medium saucepan until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 7 minutes. Transfer to small bowl and cool. Whisk in vinegar, chives, rosemary, sugar, and garlic. Gradually whisk in oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

Salad: Gently mix arugula, endive, apple, cheese, and chives in large bowl with 1/3 cup dressing. Divide salad among 6 plates. Garnish salad with walnuts and serve, passing remaining dressing.

Not gonna do it. No-op. No turkey here. Gobble free, my gallinaceous friends. Tonight, we dine on beef!

P.S. To all my jive-turkey friends who turned down my invitation: You missed out.

From Bon Appetit, November 2007, p. 72

NB: Roast the garlic first.

Wine: Pinot Gris, 2006 Chateau Ste. Michelle

Mahi-Mahi (serves 6):

6 6-ounce mahi-mahi fillets (about 1″ thick)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp finely-grated orange peel
.75 cup fresh orange juice

2 tbsp (.25 stick) butter
1 large shallot, chopped (~ .33 cup)
.5 tsp crumbled saffron threads
.75 cup green olives, pitted, halved
3 oranges, peeled, cut into segments

.33 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
1 tbsp chopped fresh chives

Preheat oven to 400F. Place fish in shallow bowl or glass baking dish. Drizzle with 1 tbsp oil, sprinkle with orange peel, and pour juice over; turn to coat.

Melt butter with 1 tbsp oil in large nonstick ovenproof skillet over high heat. Remove fish from marinade, reserving marinade; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook fish until light brown, about 3 minutes. Turn fish over; add shallot. Cook 1 minute. Stir saffron into reserved marinade; pour marinade over fish. Add olives and half of orange segments. Transfer skillet to oven; roast fish until cooked through, about 6 minutes.

Transfer fish to platter; top with remaining orange segments. Spoon sauce with oranges and olives around fish. Sprinkle with basil and chives and serve.

Spinach (serves 6):

12 garlic cloves, peeled
4 tbsp olive oil

3 6oz bags fresh spinach

Preheat oven to 400F. Place garlic on foil; drizzle with 1 tbsp oil. Wrap garlic in foil; roast until soft, about 20 minutes.

Heat remaining 3 tbsp oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add spinach and garlic with oil from foil packet. Saute until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer spinach to bowl and serve.

Notes:

Wow! This was definitely worth the work. The smell alone is enough to justify all the chopping. I think I overcooked the fish just a bit… Next time, a bit less searing before the oven. Still, though, the wild mixture of flavors and smells was incredible.

The wine was quite nice. A little tart, which complemented the orange very well. Also, just a bit fizzy, which was somewhat unexpected for a Pinot Gris.

From Bon Appetit, November 2007, pp. 70, 73-34

NB: Make the eggplant first, then reheat it to serve with the lamb.

Wine: Shiraz, 2004 “2 up” (South Australia)

Moroccan Lamb (serves 6):

1 1.5lb butterflied boneless leg of lamb, trimmed
2 tbsp good olive oil
.5 cup dry red wine
6 tbsp fresh orange juice
1 tbsp grated peeled fresh ginger
2 tsp finely grated orange peel
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4 tbps chopped fresh cilantro

2 cups chopped red onions
6 garlic cloves, chopped

2 15.5oz cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed, drained
1 cup chicken broth

Place lamb in shallow bowl or glass baking dish; coat with 1 tbsp oil. Add wine, orange juice, ginger, and orange peel to bowl. Mix to coat. Mix cumin, coriander, and cinnamon in small bowl. Sprinkle spice mixture over lamb, turning to coat evenly. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp cilantro. Cover and marinate at room temperature 1 hour or chill up to 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 400F. Heat 1 tbsp oil in large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Remove lamb from marinade, reserving marinade. Add lamb to skillet; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until light brown, about 3 minutes per side. Push lamb to 1 side of skillet. Add onions and garlic to skillet; saute until onions are light brown, about 3 minutes. Pour reserved marinade over lamb. Transfer to oven; roast until instant-read thermometer inserted into center registers 130F for medium-rare, about 15 minutes. Remove lamb from pan, reserving onions and garlic in skillet. Let lamb rest 5 minutes. Slice lamb, transfer to platter, and tent with foil to keep warm.

Place garbanzo beans and broth in medium saucepan; simmer over medium heat 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, add onions and garlic from skillet to garbanzo bean mixture. Stir; simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat; add 2 tbsp cilantro. Using potato masher, mash to coarse puree. Season with salt and pepper.

Place scoop of garbanzo bean mash on each plate. Top with lamb slices. Drizzle with juices from skillet and serve.

Eggplant (serves 6):

1 1.75lb eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 large plum tomatoes, cored, quartered lengthwise
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp Sherry wine vinegar
2 tbsp plus 2 tsp chopped fresh oregano
.5 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preheat oven to 450F. Place eggplant and tomatoes on rimmed baking sheet; toss with oil and vinegar. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp oregano, salt, and pepper. Roast until eggplant is tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes. Transfer eggplant and tomatoes to platter. Sprinkle with feta and 2 tsp oregano and serve.

Notes:

This was a nice dish.  The eggplant was quite tasty.  I love the combination of eggplant and oregano.  Fresh oregano is an experience…  That dried stuff in your spice rack?  A pale imitation.  Really.  Try some of the fresh stuff.

The lamb was tasty, but I didn’t get the timing right and it wound up being a bit cool.  I’m still learning how to coordinate the various parts of the meal so that they’re all ready (or at least all warm) at the same time.

D said that it was the best lamb she’d ever had, and that she liked it better than beef.  I dunno about better than beef (nothing like a good T-bone), but it was very flavorful.