Spring Vegetable Frittata

I make this year around, not just in the Spring. Slices are even delicious served cold for the next few days. The arugula adds such a nice flavor and texture, and it’s a great way to start your day with some healthy greens!

Recipe

8 eggs
2 T. heavy cream or half and half
2 dashes Tabasco
splash Worcestershire sauce
kosher salt and white pepper, to taste
2 T. olive oil
16 stalks asparagus, chopped
4 oz. Brie cheese, cut into cubes
4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
2 c. arugula, stemmed
1/4 c. grated Parmesan
2 green onions, sliced into thin rounds
1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
juice from half a lemon

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, then add cream, salt, pepper, hot sauce and Worcestershire and whisk to blend.

Heat a 10-12” cast iron skillet and add 1 T. olive oil. When it barely begins to smoke, add the chopped asparagus. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes until some of the liquid starts to escape.

Stir in the green onions, arugula and cheeses into the egg mixture and pour into the skillet over the asparagus.

Put the skillet in the oven and cook 15-20 minutes until firm around the edges but still a bit loose in the middle. Remove from oven and let it rest for a few minutes before serving.

Just before serving, toss the tomatoes with salt, pepper, 1 T. olive oil, and lemon juice, and sprinkle on top of the frittata. Cut into wedges.

– Alex Guarnaschelli, Food Network

Za'atar Salmon Baked in Tahini and Spinach

This is my new favorite preparation for salmon fillets. It takes just minutes to prepare and has such a beautiful flavor! A great recipe for one, served directly from the skillet.

Recipe

1 salmon fillet, skin on
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1-1/4 tsp za’atar (see below)
1/2 tsp. sumac
2 T. olive oil
3 c. baby spinach
4 T. tahini
2-1/2 T. lemon juice
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

Za’atar Spice
1/2 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. toasted sesame seeds
1/2 tsp. sumac
pinch of kosher salt
pinch of Aleppo pepper flakes

Heat the oven to 465-degrees. Pat the fish dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine the za’atar and sumac, then sprinkle all over the top of the salmon to create a crust.

Put a 7” ovenproof frying pan on a medium-high heat and add a tablespoon of oil. Once hot, add the spinach and a small pinch each of salt and pepper, and cook until just wilted – about 90 seconds to two minutes. Lay the salmon skin side down on top of the spinach, drizzle the remaining tablespoon of oil over the flesh side and transfer the pan to the oven for five minutes.

While the fish is cooking, whisk the tahini with a 2 T. of lemon juice, the garlic, a good pinch of salt and 1/4 c. of water in a small bowl, until smooth and quite runny. Add a touch more water if too thick. When the fish’s time is up, remove it from the oven, pour the tahini mixture all around (but not over) the salmon, and return the pan to the oven for another five minutes, or until the fish is cooked through and the tahini is bubbling. Spoon over the remaining half-tablespoon of lemon juice and serve straight from the pan.

— Yotam Ottolenghi, “Recipes for One” in The Guardian

Lamb and Chickpea Curry

This is one of the best curries I’ve ever tasted! Ina Garten really comes through with this fabulous recipe. It has layers and layers of flavor. I used Ottolenghi Rose Harissa that I purchased on Amazon, and a wonderful curry from Penzy’s. If you love a good curry, try making this recipe, you won’t be sorry. I’ll definitely be making it again.

Recipe

2 lbs. boneless lamb shoulder, gristle and fat removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 c. curry powder
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tsp. ground fennel seeds
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 c. olive oil
1 c. yellow onion, chopped
1 T. fresh ginger, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 c. chicken stock
1 can coconut milk
1/2 c. dry white wine
6 oz. tomato paste
1/2 c. brown sugar (light or dark)
3 T. pure maple syrup
1-2 T. harissa (depending on how much heat you like)
4 carrots, peeled and cut in 1-inch pieces
4 stalks celery, cut in 1-inch pieces
1/2 c. golden raisins
3 cans chickpeas, drained
Basmati rice, for serving
Plain Greek yogurt, for serving
Whole fresh parsley or cilantro leaves, for garnish

Place the cubed lamb in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine the curry powder, paprika, cumin, rosemary, thyme, fennel, 2 tablespoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Add the seasonings to the lamb, toss well to thoroughly coat, and set aside for 30 minutes.

Put the chicken stock in a small saucepan and keep warm on the stove.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and ginger and saute for 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Raise the heat to medium high, add the lamb and all the seasonings in the bowl, and saute for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is evenly browned. Add the warm chicken stock, coconut milk, wine, tomato paste, brown sugar, maple syrup, and harissa. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, partially covered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Add the carrots, celery, raisins, chickpeas, and 2 teaspoons salt, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, partially covered, for another 30 minutes. Serve hot in shallow bowls with the rice, a dollop of yogurt, and a sprinkling of parsley.

— Ina Garten recipe, Food Network “Cook Like a Pro”

Pork Posole

This Tex-Mex dish is somewhere between a soup and a stew. Flavored with peppers, oregano, garlic and salsa and thickened with white corn tortilla chips, it’s sure to be a winner in your house! It’s substantial enough to stand on its own for lunch or dinner, and once all is in the pot, it only takes 30 minutes to simmer.

Recipe

1-1/2 lbs. boneless pork loin, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
2 c. yellow onion, chopped (about 1 large onion)
1 poblano pepper, seeds removed, small dice (about 1/3-1/2 c. diced)
1 yellow and 1 orange bell pepper, seeded, 3/4-inch diced
1 T. minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
1 tsp. Aleppo pepper* (or chili powder)
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
6 c. chicken stock, simmering in a pot on the stove
12-oz. medium salsa verde
30-oz. white hominy, rinsed and drained
(1) 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
3 c. yellow corn tortilla chips, plus extra for serving
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Garnishes:
Lime wedges
Avocado, sliced
Green Onion, sliced
Radishes, sliced
Cheddar cheese, grated (I use Trader Joe’s Mexican Blend)
Sour cream

Heat 3 T. olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the pork and sauté for 5-10 minutes until lightly browned in all sides. Don’t crowd them or they’ll steam instead of brown, cook in two batches if you need to. Transfer the pork and any liquid to a bowl and set aside. Add 2 T. oil to the pot and add the onions and sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the poblano and bell peppers and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, Aleppo pepper and oregano and cook for one minute. Return the pork and its juices to the pot.

Add the simmering chicken stock and salsa verde and bring back to a simmer. Lower heat to medium so that it continues to simmer. Stir in the hominy, black beans, corn chips, 1/2 T. salt, and 1 tsp. pepper. Simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve in large soup bowls garnished with a squeeze of lime and topped with avocado, green onion, radishes, cheddar cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips.

*I get Aleppo pepper (Turkish) at Penzeys spices — it’s worth trying!

— Ina Garten, Food Network

Chicken, Broccoli & Cauliflower Bake

Curry, lemon, and tarragon is a perfect marriage of flavor and the raisins add another surprising note. Since I have been limiting dairy, I used soy cheddar cheese shreds. This casserole is pretty forgiving in the type of vegetable or cheese that you may have on hand.

Recipe

3 chicken breasts, cut widthways in 3/4” slices
3 tsp. curry powder, divided
salt & pepper
6 T. butter, divided
12 oz. Trader Joe Broccoli-Cauliflower heads (or 2 heads broccoli, about 3 cups)
1/4 lb. green beans, ends trimmed, cut in 2” pieces
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 c. half ‘n half
1 c. chicken stock
1/4 c. raisins
1 lemon — zest half the lemon, for 2 tsp. and juice to get 1-1/2 T. 
1 tsp. dried tarragon or 1 T. fresh, chopped
1-1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese
1/3 c. panko breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 375-degrees.

In a medium saucepan, bring salted water to a boil, add the vegetables and cook for 2 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, and leave in the colander to dry.

In a bowl, mix the chicken with 2 tsp. curry powder, 1/2 tsp. salt, and some freshly ground pepper. Melt 2 T. butter in a large saute pan on high heat and fry the chicken for 1 minute on each side until browned. Do this in batches if your pan isn’t large enough to hold all the chicken without crowding. Remove chicken and set aside.

Melt 2 T. butter in the saute pan on medium-high heat and fry the onion, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic and remaining teaspoon of curry powder and fry for 2 minutes. Add the half ‘n half, chicken stock, raisins, lemon zest, lemon juice, tarragon, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper, and cook for 8 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Return the chicken to the pan with the vegetables and half of the cheese. Stir to coat, then pour into a 8x12” baking dish.

Put the panko and remaining cheese into a bowl. Melt the remaining 2 T. butter and pour over the panko and cheese, mix and sprinkle evenly over the chicken casserole. Bake for 25 minutes. Serve hot with rice.

– inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi’s Coronation Chicken and Broccoli Bake recipe

Greek Dinner Menu

What a perfect meal! I had to post each of the recipes so you can also enjoy this delicious menu. A homey, warming dish, the cinnamon chicken is a good choice for a casual supper and definitely tasty enough for company. I served it over gluten free chickpea macaroni noodles accompanied by a tossed Greek salad. Mini baklava bites with a scoop of your favorite ice cream round out the meal. Serves 4-6.

Chicken Kapama

with a subtle cinnamon flavor

Recipe

2 chicken breasts + 4 thighs, bone in, skin on (or a 2-1/2 to 3 lb. chicken cut into 8 pieces)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon (I used Penzys Vietnamese cinnamon)
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
5 cloves garlic (3 minced, the other 2 left whole)
2 T. olive oil
4 c. yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 c. dry white wine
2 c. water
6-oz. can tomato paste
2 whole cinnamon sticks
1/2 c. Myzithra cheese, grated
Noodles, pasta, or rice for serving

Pat chicken dry with paper towels. In a small bowl mix the ground cinnamon, salt and pepper, then rub all over the chicken pieces. Heat 2 T. oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side. You may have to do this in two batches. Don’t crowd the chicken or it will steam instead of getting a good sear. When browned, remove from pan and set aside.

Add the onions and minced garlic to the pan and cook about 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until onions are softened and golden brown. Add the wine and stir to get up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. When the wine has evaporated, about 5 minutes, stir in the tomato paste until mixed, then add the water, 2 whole garlic cloves, and the 2 whole cinnamon sticks. Return the chicken to the pan; the liquid should cover about three-quarters of the chicken. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour. Taste and add more kosher salt or pepper if needed. Serve over noodles or rice, sprinkled with plenty of grated Myzithra cheese.

Freeze any leftover sauce, or use it to top pasta or chicken for lunch the next day.

– inspired by Chef Cat Cora’s Kota Kapama

Greek Salad

using green beans instead of cucumber

Recipe

1/2 lb. green beans, ends trimmed, cut in half crosswise
1 lb. grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced
1/4 lb. feta cheese
3 T. red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove
1 small shallot, chopped
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. dried Greek oregano
1/2 tsp. fresh thyme
2 large basil leaves
1/4 c. olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Cook the beans in a pot of boiling salted water for 4 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, and pat dry with paper towels. In a blender or mini processor, combine the red wine vinegar, garlic clove, shallot, mustard, oregano, thyme, and basil and puree until smooth. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine the blanched green beans, tomato halves, red onion. and crumbled feta. Toss with the vinaigrette and serve immediately.

– inspired by Chef Michael Psilakis’ Chopped Greek Salad

Baklava Bites

find phyllo shells in frozen foods section of your grocery store

Recipe

1/2 c. pistachios
1/2 c. walnuts
1/2 c. almonds
1 lemon, zested
1/4 c. plus 3 T. sugar
2 T. butter, melted
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
2 boxes mini phyllo shells, 15 shells each
1/2 c. water
1/4 c. honey

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Put the pistachios, walnuts, and almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly and add to a food processor with the lemon zest, 3 T. sugar, cinnamon, salt, vanilla, and melted butter. Pulse to combine.

Take the frozen phyllo shells and place in a mini cupcake pan. If you don’t have a mini cupcake pan, place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Add 1 tsp. of the nut mixture into each shell. Bake at 350-degrees for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, add the water and honey and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until reduced and slightly thickened, about 8-10 minutes. Pour 1 tsp. syrup into each phyllo cup and allow it to soak in. Repeat with another 1 tsp. Refrigerate at least 5 hours or overnight. Serve at room temperature. Keep the phyllo cup packaging to store any leftover baklava bites. Makes 30.

– Sunny Anderson, Food Network