This is a perfect Spring meal: it comes together in a snap when you've been sidetracked by the nice weather and forget to start dinner. I get the beets steaming first, then season the chicken. While my husband grills, I make the bok choy. Voila!
Sweet & spicy grilled chicken
2 ts paprika
1 ts thyme
1 ts oregano
1 ts minced dried onion
1/4 ts orange zest
1/4 ts salt
1/4 ts pepper
1/4 ts crushed red pepper
1 tb olive oil
1 ts lemon juice
1 ts honey
4 chicken breasts
Combine dry spices (first 8 ingredients) in a small dish and set aside. Whisk together liquids (next 3 ingredients). Coat both sides of chicken breasts with sauce and sprinkle with dry spice mix. Grill until done.
Golden goat beets
2-3 golden beets, peeled
3 oz goat cheese, crumbled
2 ts olive oil
Salt & pepper
Cut beets into bite sized pieces and steam 15 minutes in basket over boiling water. Toss with remaining ingredients. Sprinkle with chopped fresh cilantro, if you have it.
Garlic bok choy
1 tb olive oil
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 heads bok choy
2 tb white wine
Cut stem ends off of bok choy and remove any mangled outer leaves. Cut thick rib sections into 1-inch pieces; cut leafy parts into wide ribbons. Heat the oil in a skillet and cook the garlic until fragrant but not burnt. Add the bok choy ribs and cook a few more minutes. Turn down the heat, add the bok choy leaves and toss to coat with garlic and oil. Add wine to steam and immediately remove from heat.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Multicultural meat
This is a Middle Eastern dish made with an Asian marinade. It works!
Tea-crusted Beef Kabobs
2 lbs beef, cubed
3 tb tamari
2 ts orange zest
2 tb oil
2 ts dried chili flakes
2 tb lemon juice
2 ts (or bags) green tea leaves
5 garlic cloves, minced
assorted veggies, cut into bite-sized pieces
Combine beef cubes and next 7 ingredients in a zip-top bag and marinate overnight. Thread beef cubes onto skewers, alternating with veggies - I used mushroom, bell pepper and onion. Grill to desired temp.
Tea-crusted Beef Kabobs
2 lbs beef, cubed
3 tb tamari
2 ts orange zest
2 tb oil
2 ts dried chili flakes
2 tb lemon juice
2 ts (or bags) green tea leaves
5 garlic cloves, minced
assorted veggies, cut into bite-sized pieces
Combine beef cubes and next 7 ingredients in a zip-top bag and marinate overnight. Thread beef cubes onto skewers, alternating with veggies - I used mushroom, bell pepper and onion. Grill to desired temp.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Salmon in Spring
Local it is not, but we found a place to bulk order wild caught salmon. That just leaves me with the task of figuring out some different ways to cook it. It turns out that one of the best things to do with a strong tasting - and delicious - fish, is to prepare it simply and match sides to it. Here is one example.
Citrus Salmon with Sesame-Ginger Broccoli Slaw
1/4 c orange (or lemon) juice
1/4 c water
2 tb tamari
1 lb salmon (fillets or whole)
2 ts sesame seeds, divided
1 bag broccoli slaw
1/2 red pepper, cut into matchsticks
1/4 red onion, diced
2 tb chopped cilantro
2 tb sesame oil
1/4 c lime juice
2 ts ginger
1 ts orange (or lemon) zest
1 ts crushed dried red pepper
Whisk the first three ingredients together and marinate fish, skin side down, for one hour. Remove from marinade and place skin side up on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and sesame seeds. Bake for 20 minutes at 450 degrees.
Dump slaw into a large serving bowl. Add pepper, onion and cilantro. Whisk together sesame oil through dried red pepper and pour over veggies. Toss to coat and sprinkle with remaining sesame seeds. Chill until ready to serve.
This dish is also great the next day for lunch: top slaw with leftover salmon and enjoy cold!
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| Leftover salmon served cold on top of slaw for lunch the next day. |
1/4 c orange (or lemon) juice
1/4 c water
2 tb tamari
1 lb salmon (fillets or whole)
2 ts sesame seeds, divided
1 bag broccoli slaw
1/2 red pepper, cut into matchsticks
1/4 red onion, diced
2 tb chopped cilantro
2 tb sesame oil
1/4 c lime juice
2 ts ginger
1 ts orange (or lemon) zest
1 ts crushed dried red pepper
Whisk the first three ingredients together and marinate fish, skin side down, for one hour. Remove from marinade and place skin side up on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and sesame seeds. Bake for 20 minutes at 450 degrees.
Dump slaw into a large serving bowl. Add pepper, onion and cilantro. Whisk together sesame oil through dried red pepper and pour over veggies. Toss to coat and sprinkle with remaining sesame seeds. Chill until ready to serve.
This dish is also great the next day for lunch: top slaw with leftover salmon and enjoy cold!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Shrimp: A winter staple
As winter rolls on and our stored garden surplus - as well as our fall cow share - begins to dwindle, eating locally becomes tougher. In addition, the holidays (and their seemingly endless leftovers) have passed and left a need for frugality in their place.
We found a farm that direct-sells mushrooms in quantity, and there are still root vegatables to be had. When in need of good comfort food, to these staples I add shrimp. As much effort as I expend to get the best possible meats, vegetables and dairy products, shrimp is one place I slack. It comes in bulk, is frequently on sale at the grocery store and makes a great source of protein to go with whatever canned goods the pantry might hold.
Shrimp and braised winter vegetables with pureed butternut squash
1 butternut squash
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 tsp chili pepper flakes
1 tb olive oil
1 lb shrimp, peeled
2 leeks, washed and trimmed
1 c white wine, divided
1/2 pound mushrooms (I used crimini)
1 can artichoke hearts (in water)
1/2 c milk
Peel and cube butternut squash and set in a steamer basket over boiling water for 30-45 minutes.
Meanwhile, warm garlic and pepper flakes in oil on stove. When oil is hot, add leeks and shrimp and sautee until cooked. Deglaze pan with half of wine and add mushrooms and drained artichoke hearts. Add remaining wine, cover and remove from heat.
Drain squash and place in pan over burner on low heat. Add milk and puree with an immersion blender until smooth.
Serves 2, with squash puree left over.
Thai coconut shrimp stew over spaghetti squash
2 spaghetti squash
1 tb olive oil
1 tb minced garlic
1 stalk lemongrass, trimmed and sliced thinly
2 tb ginger, grated
1/4 c vegetable or chicken broth
1 ts red curry paste
1 lb shrimp, peeled
1 can coconut milk
8 oz shiitake mushrooms
4 oz carrots, julienned
fresh cilantro
Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and bake cut side down at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
In a heavy saucepan, heat olive oil and sautee garlic, lemongrass and ginger. When browned and fragrant, deglaze pan with broth. Whisk in curry and add shrimp, stirring to coat with sauce. When shrimp is cooked, stir in coconut milk and add mushrooms and carrots. Simmer on low 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile chop cilantro and scoop spaghetti squash out of shell and into shallow bowls. Stir in cilantro before ladling shrimp and sauce over squash.
I like to garnish this with diced avocado and serve with a spinach salad on the side. Serves 4.
We found a farm that direct-sells mushrooms in quantity, and there are still root vegatables to be had. When in need of good comfort food, to these staples I add shrimp. As much effort as I expend to get the best possible meats, vegetables and dairy products, shrimp is one place I slack. It comes in bulk, is frequently on sale at the grocery store and makes a great source of protein to go with whatever canned goods the pantry might hold.
 |
| Braised shrimp, leek and mushrooms with butternut squash puree. Served with sauteed spinach and bacon. |
1 butternut squash
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 tsp chili pepper flakes
1 tb olive oil
1 lb shrimp, peeled
2 leeks, washed and trimmed
1 c white wine, divided
1/2 pound mushrooms (I used crimini)
1 can artichoke hearts (in water)
1/2 c milk
Peel and cube butternut squash and set in a steamer basket over boiling water for 30-45 minutes.
Meanwhile, warm garlic and pepper flakes in oil on stove. When oil is hot, add leeks and shrimp and sautee until cooked. Deglaze pan with half of wine and add mushrooms and drained artichoke hearts. Add remaining wine, cover and remove from heat.
Drain squash and place in pan over burner on low heat. Add milk and puree with an immersion blender until smooth.
Serves 2, with squash puree left over.
Thai coconut shrimp stew over spaghetti squash
2 spaghetti squash
1 tb olive oil
1 tb minced garlic
1 stalk lemongrass, trimmed and sliced thinly
2 tb ginger, grated
1/4 c vegetable or chicken broth
1 ts red curry paste
1 lb shrimp, peeled
1 can coconut milk
8 oz shiitake mushrooms
4 oz carrots, julienned
fresh cilantro
Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and bake cut side down at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
In a heavy saucepan, heat olive oil and sautee garlic, lemongrass and ginger. When browned and fragrant, deglaze pan with broth. Whisk in curry and add shrimp, stirring to coat with sauce. When shrimp is cooked, stir in coconut milk and add mushrooms and carrots. Simmer on low 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile chop cilantro and scoop spaghetti squash out of shell and into shallow bowls. Stir in cilantro before ladling shrimp and sauce over squash.
I like to garnish this with diced avocado and serve with a spinach salad on the side. Serves 4.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Perfect Jerky
Purchasing half a cow gave us good reason to plan for ways to use and store it. One of the best methods we use is making jerky. The hands-on time is low, the recipe is simple, and voila - snack food for a week.
Spicy Asian Jerky
2 lbs roast
6 tb sesame oil
4 tb hot sauce
2 tb honey
5 tb tamari
3 tb ginger
3 tb garlic powder
2 ts pepper
1 tb dry mustard
Combine ingredients for marinade. Slice meat thinly (it helps if it is still slightly frozen) and place in plastic bag with marinade for an hour or longer. (In our case, we have to preheat our dehydrator for an hour, so this works perfectly.) Dehydrate meat using any convenient method. Our dehydrator usually takes around 6 hours at 150 degrees.
2 lbs roast
6 tb sesame oil
4 tb hot sauce
2 tb honey
5 tb tamari
3 tb ginger
3 tb garlic powder
2 ts pepper
1 tb dry mustard
Combine ingredients for marinade. Slice meat thinly (it helps if it is still slightly frozen) and place in plastic bag with marinade for an hour or longer. (In our case, we have to preheat our dehydrator for an hour, so this works perfectly.) Dehydrate meat using any convenient method. Our dehydrator usually takes around 6 hours at 150 degrees.
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