Lemon-Garlic Linguine

 

INGREDIENTS

• Salt

• 1pound linguine

• 8tablespoons unsalted butter

• 3garlic cloves, peeled

• 1large lemon

• Black pepper

• Grated Parmesan, lemon zest, crushed red pepper, parsley or a combination, for garnish (optional)
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PREPARATION

• 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until al dente. Reserve 2 cups pasta water, then drain the noodles.

  2. Dry the pot, then return to low heat and add the butter. While the butter melts, grate the garlic over the butter. Stir until the garlic is fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Finely grate the zest of the lemon into the pot, and add a few grinds of black pepper. When the pepper is sizzling, add 1 cup pasta water and the cooked pasta. Increase heat to medium-high and toss vigorously. As the liquid in the pot evaporates, add another few tablespoons of pasta water. Repeat, tossing vigorously and adding pasta water, until the pasta is glossed in a thick sauce, 1 to 2 minutes.

  3. Remove from heat, squeeze in the juice of the whole lemon, and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Optionally, top with Parmesan, lemon zest, crushed red pepper and/or parsley as you like.

Parmesan-Crusted Chicken

 

Link: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025525-parmesan-crusted-chicken?smid=url-share

INGREDIENTS

• 2boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 8 ounces each)

• Kosher salt and black pepper

• 1¼cups panko bread crumbs

• ¾cup grated Parmesan

• 1tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnishing

• 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• ¼cup mayonnaise

• Lemon wedges (optional), for serving

PREPARATION

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

2. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel, then carefully slice each breast in half horizontally, forming 2 thin cutlets. (You’ll have 4 total pieces.)

3. Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound the cutlets until ¼-inch thick. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

4. In a large, shallow bowl or rimmed plate, combine the panko, Parmesan and parsley with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Add oil and toss until the bread crumbs are evenly coated.

5. Working one at a time, brush each chicken cutlet all over with 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, then dip into the panko mixture, turning and pressing gently until fully coated. Place the breaded chicken on the prepared pan and bake 20 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until browned and cooked through.

6. Sprinkle lightly with salt and serve hot or warm.

Vietnamese Meatballs

INGREDIENTS

For the meatballs:

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon honey
• 1 Thai chili, finely chopped (optional)

Dipping sauce

• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 Thai chili, finely chopped (optional)
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• Put all the ingredients for the meatballs in a food processor and blend until everything is mixed and minced. Transfer to a bowl.
• Put a little oil in your hands, just enough to lightly coat fingers and palms and use a tablespoon to scoop up the beef mixture so the meatballs are the same size. Repeat process until all the beef mixture is used.
• In a deep pan over medium high heat, add oil and the meatballs. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Turn the meatballs over, cover and cook for another 5 or until meatballs are golden brown.
• Mix all the ingredients for the dipping sauce in a bowl and serve together with beef meatballs. Pour over or use as a dipping sauce.
• Serve with rice, tomatoes and a few cilantro leaves.

Honey Sesame Pasta Salad

 we make this all summer long. Thank you, Dan Pelosi.

Ingredients

• 1 lb box of rotini 

• 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes

• 2 cups diced cucumbers

• 2 cups fresh corn kernels

• 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce

• 1 pound of thinly sliced chicken breast tenders*

• 1/2 cup of sesame seeds 

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 2 tablespoons honey 

• Sesame Honey Dijon dressing: 

• 2/3 cup olive oil 

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 

• 2 tablespoons honey

• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

• 1/8 cup toasted sesame seeds

• salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste

• *you can easily substitute firm tofu here.

Preparation

1. Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente pasta. After 7 minutes, drain pasta and set aside. 

1. Lay out your chicken tenders on a cutting board and season with salt. On a small plate, pour ½ cup of sesame seeds. Evenly coat each side of the chicken in the sesame seeds. Heat a large frying pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of honey. Place the half of the chicken in the pan and cook for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of honey into the pan and repeat with the rest of the chicken. Cut the chicken into ½ inch pieces. Set aside.

1. While the chicken rests, make the dressing. Whisk all dressing ingredients together in a small bowl until well-combined. 

1. Put the pasta in a large bowl and add in 2 cups each of tomato, cucumber, corn, and lettuce. Toss to coat. 

1. Cut the chicken into ½ inch pieces and serve either on top of the pasta salad or tossed into the pasta salad. Enjoy! 

1. This pasta salad can be served warm or cold and is easily made ahead of time!

Spaghetti With Ramps

Mid to late April this is a classic in Pine Bush. 

Ingredients

4 Servings

12

ounces spaghetti

Kosher salt

4

tablespoons unsalted butter

2

tablespoons olive oil

3

bunches ramps (about 18 ounces), greens and bulbs separated, greens torn into 2-inch pieces, bulbs thinly sliced

Freshly ground black pepper

½

cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more, shaved, for serving

1

tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

2

lemons, halved, for serving

Preparation

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente.

   Meanwhile, heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium. Add ramp bulbs; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and tender, about 4 minutes.

   When pasta is nearly done, add ramp greens to bulbs and toss to coat.

   Drain pasta, reserving 1½ cups pasta cooking liquid. Add pasta to skillet along with ½ cup cooking liquid; toss to coat. Cook, tossing often and adding more cooking liquid as needed, until a thick, glossy sauce coats pasta. Add grated Parmesan and lemon zest, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Divide among bowls, top with shaved Parmesan, and serve with lemon halves.

One-Pan Salmon Niçoise With Orzo

  

 

 

INGREDIENTS

YIELD: 4 SERVINGS

This was so good. NYTimes. 

1
large shallot, coarsely chopped


2
tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil


1
cup orzo



Kosher salt and pepper


½
cup pitted kalamata olives


1
pint cherry or other small tomatoes, halved (8 to 10 ounces)


2
tablespoons red wine vinegar


1
tablespoon Dijon mustard



Handful of basil leaves or pinch of thyme leaves (optional)


4
(4- to 5-ounce) salmon fillets, skin on or off
8
ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths


                   


                   


Transfer 1 tablespoon of the chopped shallot to a medium bowl, then add the remaining shallot to a large (12-inch) skillet. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet and heat over medium high. When the oil is sizzling, add the orzo, season with ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper, and stir constantly until light golden, 2 to 4 minutes.

 

Add the olives plus 2¼ cups water; bring to a boil, then cover the skillet with a lid, baking sheet or foil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook according to package directions until the orzo is al dente.

 

Meanwhile, add the tomatoes, red wine vinegar, mustard, herbs (if using) and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the reserved shallots in the bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper then set aside. Season the salmon with salt and pepper.

 

When the orzo is al dente, add the green beans and stir to combine. If orzo looks dry, add ¼ cup water; you want it to be wet but not soupy. Nestle the salmon in a single layer into the orzo, skin-side up if applicable. Cover and cook until the salmon and orzo are cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 2 minutes. If your salmon has skin, peel it off and discard. Top the orzo and salmon with the tomatoes and vinaigrette.

 

Orzo Salad With Peppers and Feta

  Link from NYTimes.

1pound orzo

Kosher salt and pepper

¼cup extra-virgin olive oil

1medium yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 1½ cups)

3large or 4 medium red, yellow or orange bell peppers (about 1¼ pounds), cored, seeded and chopped into ½-inch pieces (about 4 cups)

1fresh thyme sprig

1tablespoon minced garlic

1medium tomato, diced into ½-inch pieces

1tablespoon fresh lemon juice

¼cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish

4ounces feta cheese, thinly sliced or crumbled

 

Cook orzo in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta, pressing out excess liquid. Spread out on a baking sheet to cool.

 

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add onion, bell peppers and thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomato and cook, stirring occasionally, until broken down and juices release, about 8 minutes.

 

Add the reserved pasta water and stir to scrape up any browned bits at the bottom of the skillet. Transfer vegetable mixture to a large bowl to cool slightly to lukewarm, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to speed up the cooling process. Discard thyme sprig.

 

Add cooled orzo, lemon juice, basil and cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix well, then transfer to a large serving bowl or platter. Garnish with more basil.

 

Broccoli Salad

 

link.

For the Dressing

½cup golden or black raisins (or dried cranberries)

½red onion, finely sliced

¼cup apple cider vinegar

4teaspoons granulated sugar

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1tablespoon sesame oil

For the Salad

1½pounds broccoli (about 2 heads)

1apple (any variety), cored and cut into ½-inch cubes

2scallions, white and green parts, finely sliced

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper

½cup toasted sliced almonds, pepitas or sunflower seeds (see Tip)

1cup red or green grapes (optional), halved crosswise

 

Make the dressing: Place raisins and red onion in a small bowl. Add vinegar, sugar, ¾ teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons of water, and toss to combine. Leave to pickle for 10 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Peel the woody exterior from the broccoli stalks and discard. Chop the stalks into ½-inch pieces. Chop the broccoli florets into ½-inch pieces. (The pieces do not have to be uniform or the same shape.) Place all the broccoli into a large mixing bowl.

After 10 minutes, finish the dressing by adding the olive oil and sesame oil to the bowl with the pickling raisins and red onion, and stir well to combine. Taste and season with more salt if needed. It should be tangy, slightly sweet and a little salty.

Add the raisin-and-onion dressing to the broccoli along with the apple and scallions. Using two large spoons, toss well so that everything is well coated. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste. Taste to make sure you are happy with the seasonings, adding more if needed. When you are ready to eat, add the almonds and grapes (if using), and gently toss. Serve at room temperature.

 

 

 

 

 

Spice-Rubbed Braised Brisket

from the NYTimes. A Passover hit.

FOR THE BRISKET:

2 tablespoons finely ground coffee

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon black pepper

2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

1 (4- to 5-pound) first-cut brisket

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, sliced

6 garlic cloves, peeled

½ cup dry red wine

1 ½ cups pomegranate juice

1 cup chicken stock or water

1 ½ pounds cipollini onions or small shallots, peeled

FOR SERVING:

1 cup lightly packed Italian parsley leaves with tender stems

1 teaspoon lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

2 teaspoons olive oil

Kosher salt and black pepper

½ cup pomegranate seeds

Make the brisket: Heat oven to 300 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the coffee, smoked paprika, coriander, garlic powder, cinnamon, pepper and 2 teaspoons salt. Mix well and rub all over the brisket.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium. Add the oil and brown the brisket, taking care not to burn the spices, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add sliced onion, garlic and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the red wine, scrape up any brown bits and reduce the liquid by half. Add the pomegranate juice and stock. Bring to a simmer and return the brisket to the pot with the fatty-side up. Cover with the lid, place in the center of the oven, and braise until fork-tender, about 3 1/2 hours, basting every hour or so. Uncover and nestle the cipollini onions in the liquid. Cover and braise in the oven for another 45 minutes. The meat should be very tender. Uncover and carefully transfer the meat to a cutting board. Let stand until cool enough to handle.

Meanwhile, scoop the cipollini onions into a bowl with a slotted spoon. Pour the sauce into a fat separator or a tall container and remove as much fat as you can. Pour the sauce back into the pot, slice the meat and return it to the pot along with the onions, using a brush or spoon to encourage the sauce between the slices. Heat the broiler with the rack 8 inches from the heat source. Partly cover the Dutch oven and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to simmer until the meat is completely warmed through. Remove the lid and transfer the Dutch oven to the broiler. Broil, basting a few times, until the sauce thickens and the top is glazed, about 8 minutes.

To serve, dress the parsley with the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper, and sprinkle over top along with the pomegranate seeds. Serve immediately with mashed potatoes.

Tip: You can make the brisket up to three days before serving. After it braises, let cool to room temperature in the Dutch oven. If you have the space, refrigerate the Dutch oven. Otherwise, remove the meat and onions to one container and the sauce to another. When ready to serve, slice the meat across the grain. Remove the hardened fat from the sauce and discard. Return the sauce to the Dutch oven. Place the sliced meat and onions in the sauce, using a brush or spoon to encourage the sauce between the slices. Proceed as above from Step 6.

Matzo Brei

A favorite breakfast. LINK.

INGREDIENTS

2 sheets matzo

2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 large eggs, beaten with 1 tablespoon water

 Large pinch fine sea salt, more to taste

SAVORY: Large pinch black pepper. Or, chopped chives, for serving

SWEET: 1 tablespoon Demerara sugar, more to taste. Or, honey or maple syrup, for serving

1. Under cool running water, rinse matzo sheets until they are quite wet. Set it aside and let sit to soften while you prepare the pan.

2. Place a large, preferably nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add butter. Once it melts and the foam subsides, break matzo sheets into bite-size pieces and add to pan. Sauté matzo in butter until it browns all over, about 2 minutes.

3. Add eggs, salt and pepper (if you’re making the dish savory) to pan and scramble the mixture until it is just set but still light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with sugar (if you’re making it sweet) and toss well.

4. Serve matzo brei sprinkled with salt and topped with chives (savory), or with salt, additional sugar and maple syrup (sweet).