Moroccan Lamb with Sweet Potato and Raisins

An easy, flavorful recipe – note that it takes about 2 hours to simmer gently at the end. This is a great make-ahead dish as it's even better the next day. Serve on its own or with a simple green salad.

Recipe

Olive oil for frying
1-3/4 lbs. boneless leg or shoulder of lamb, cut into 2-inch chunks
2 red onions, peeled and cut into eighths
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
Pinch of saffron
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
1 T. tomato paste
1 lb. sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 T. raisins
3 c. chicken (or lamb) stock
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Heat a large dutch oven over high heat. Add a little oil and brown the lamb pieces in batches for at least 5 minutes until browned all over. Remove and set aside.

Add a little fresh oil to the pan if needed. Add the onions and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Fry for 4-5 minutes until lightly colored, then add the garlic, ground ginger, saffron, ground coriander, cumin seeds, paprika, fennel seeds, cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Stir for 2 minutes until aromatic.

Add the tomato paste and stir for 30 seconds, then add the sweet potato, coating well with the mixture in the pan. Return the lamb, plus any resting juices, to the pan along with the raisins and stock. Bring the stock to a boil, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Lower the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is really tender. If the liquid is reducing too much, cover the pan or add a cupful of water. Serve garnished with chopped parsley.

– Gordon Ramsay's Ultimate Cookery Course

Poached Salmon in Sour Cream−Herb Sauce

I usually bake or grill salmon, or wrap in phyllo, or steam in parchment. This recipe for poached salmon is so easy and flavorful, I need to prepare it this way more often. I used fresh Chinook salmon and it was flaky and delicious!

Recipe

1 firm medium zucchini (for garnish), trimmed and sliced lengthwise into strips with a vegetable peeler
Salt
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/3 c. sour cream
1 T. finely chopped fresh chives
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Lemon rind, zested (for garnish)
4 salmon steaks (about 5 oz. each and 1-inch thick)
Fleur de sel (for garnish)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Arrange the zucchini slices on a baking tray and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. salt. Bake for about 3 minutes, just until the slices soften slightly.

Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, chives, lemon juice, 1/4 tsp. salt, and the pepper together in a small bowl. Set aside.

When ready to serve, bring 4 cups of salted water to a light boil in a large saucepan or skillet and add the salmon steaks. Turn heat to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for about 6-8 minutes (4 minutes if you like it slightly wet in the center).

Arrange 4 or 5 slices of the softened zucchini around the plate, place the salmon steak in the center and top with the sauce. Sprinkle the lemon zest over the sauce. From a height, sprinkle the whole dish with the fleur de sel and serve. 

– Jacques Pepin, "More Fast Food My Way"

Middle Eastern Couscous with Saffron

I hadn't used Israeli couscous before so I was in for a treat. Larger in diameter that the regular couscous that everyone is familiar with, soft and flavorful it's a must for this dish. I served the couscous with Jacques Pépin's Turkey Scaloppine with Dried Morels - a perfect combination.

Recipe

2 T. olive oil
2/3 c. finely chopped onion
1/4 c. pumpkin seeds (+ 1 T. for garnish)
1 tsp. saffron (crush between your fingers before adding)
1 c. Israeli couscous
1-1/2 c. vegetable stock
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
4 sprigs fresh tarragon or parsley (for garnish)

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over high heat and add the onion, pumpkin seeds, and saffron. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the couscous and mix well. Add the chicken stock, salt and pepper, stir, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to very low, cover and cook for about 10-12 minutes. Uncover, turn the heat up to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 or 4 minutes longer (so the grains are dry and fluffy). Serve garnished with the herb sprigs and a tablespoon of pumpkin seeds.

– Jacques Pépin, "More Fast Food My Way"

Turkey Scaloppine with Dried Morels

Out of all the recipes I've made so far from Jacques Pépin's "Fast Food My Way" and "More Fast Food My Way" cookbooks, the Turkey Scaloppine with Dried Mushrooms is my #1 Favorite! Fantastic, rich flavors, and as always, very easy to prepare. Serve this for a special occasion dinner as the dried morels are on the expensive side. A half-ounce package was nearly $12 and you need one ounce for this recipe. But after tasting, it was worth it! Have everything prepared and ready to go near the stove as this dish cooks quickly. Serves 4 (or two very hungry people). Middle Eastern Couscous with Saffron pairs nicely with this dish.

Watch Jacques prepare this dish here (at about the 13:18 mark)

Recipe

1 oz. dried morels (about 1 c.)
1-1/2 c. tepid water
2 T. butter
4 large turkey scaloppine or cutlets (about 1 lb.)
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4. tsp. freshly ground pepper
1-1/2 T. flour
1/2 c. finely chopped shallots or onion
2 T. white dry vermouth
1/2 c. heavy cream
1 T. chopped fresh tarragon, or chives (for garnish)

Rinse the morels briefly under cool running water and put them in a small bowl with the tepid water. Push them down and press a piece of foil on top to keep the mushrooms under the water.

Put the butter and oil in a large saucepan and heat over high heat. I used a large non-stick pan that accommodated all 4 of the cutlets. Sprinkle the scaloppine with about half the salt and pepper on both sides and dip them very lightly into the flour. Shake off any excess. Saute over high heat for about 1-1/2 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

Put the onion in the same skillet you fried the scaloppine in and saute for about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and soaking liquid (be sure to pour the liquid carefully and leave behind any dirt from the mushrooms on the bottom). Boil for a few seconds to deglaze. Continue cooking, uncovered, over high heat for about 4-5 minutes until the liquid is almost completely gone (maybe a tablespoon or two left in the pan). Add the vermouth and cook for another minute. Add the cream and boil for a minute or two to reduce and thicken the sauce. Add the remaining salt and pepper and any liquid that has come out of the resting scaloppine.

Arrange the scaloppine on a nice serving dish and pour the sauce on top. Sprinkle with tarragon or chives and serve.

– Jacques Pépin, "More Fast Food My Way"

Chicken Bouillabaisse with Rouille

A quick, hearty, satisfying meal for those chilly, windy almost-Winter days. You really don't need to serve this with anything else – it's a meal in itself. I didn't have chicken thighs so I substituted three chicken breasts and marinated in the fridge for about 3 hours (can be marinated up to 8 hours). Serves 4.

Recipe

4 large skinless chicken thighs (about 1-3/4 lbs.)
1 T. olive oil
1/2 c. coarsely chopped onion
1 rib of chopped celery
1 coarsely chopped carrot
1 T. coarsely chopped garlic
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp. saffron
1/4 tsp. fennel seeds
1/4 tsp. herbes de Provence
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
(1) 14-oz. can diced tomatoes
1/2 c. dry white wine
3/4 c. chicken broth (or water)
5 red or yellow Yukon Gold potatoes (about 3/4 lb. total), peeled and cut into 4 pieces each
1 kielbasa sausage (about 10 oz.), cut into 2" pieces
2 T. chopped tarragon (or parsley or chives)
Splash (2 tsp.) of Pernod (an anise flavored liqueur) *optional

ROUILLE
1/4 c. liquid from the soup
1/2 of one of the cooked potatoes in the stew
2 large garlic cloves, smashed
1/4 tsp. sweet paprika
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 egg yolk
1/2 c. olive oil
Dash of salt, if needed

FOR THE BOUILLABAISSE:
In a large bowl combine the olive oil with the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, lemon zest, saffron, fennel seeds and herbes de Provence. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken, toss to coat and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Or marinate in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours.

When ready to cook, put the chicken and marinade ingredients in a Dutch oven or stainless steel pot and add the tomatoes, wine, chicken broth (or water) and potatoes. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and simmer gently until the potatoes are half cooked, about 25 minutes. Add the kielbasa and tarragon (and the Pernod if using) and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes longer.

FOR THE ROUILLE:
Transfer half of a cooked potato half to a food processor along with 1/4 c. of the cooking liquid from the stew. Add the garlic, paprika and cayenne and process for 10 seconds. Add the egg yolk. Then, with the machine running, add the olive oil in a thin stream and process until smooth and creamy. Taste and season with salt if needed.

Serve the bouillabaisse in shallow bowls with a few spoonfuls of the rouille drizzled on top.

– Jacques Pépin, "Fast Food My Way"

Smoked Trout Salad with Horseradish Cream

A light but filling salad that I made for lunch today. You can find pre-packaged smoked trout in specialty grocery stores or Trader Joe, but my local market had fresh smoked "candied" steelhead so I thought I'd give it a go. I wasn't sure how the sweet flavor would go with the horseradish and other ingredients in this recipe, but it was a hit! Serve with a tasty pinot rose wine. Recipe below makes two good-size portions.

Recipe

8 oz. smoked Steelhead (or other trout)
1 hard boiled egg, peeled
1 large tomato, chopped
1/2 to 2/3 c. pitted mixed olives (Kalamata, black, and green), cut in half or quartered for larger olives
1/4 to 1/3 c. chopped sweet onion
3 T. loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, or roughly chopped parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 T. olive oil
2 Boston lettuce leaves

HORSERADISH CREAM
1/4 c. whipped cream cheese
1 T. bottled horseradish (I used horseradish cream)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Crunchy French bread for serving

Using an egg slicer, cut the egg into vertical slices, then pivot the slices at 90-degrees in the slicer and cut them again, or chop into squares. Put the egg, tomato, olives, onion, cilantro (or parsley), salt, pepper and oil in a bowl and toss gently.

For the horseradish cream, mix the ingredients together in a small bowl.

Divide the tomato mixture among two plates, creating a mound in the middle of the plate. Make a well in the center of each mound; using a spoon spread it out slightly to accommodate the lettuce leaf. Place the lettuce in the middle and put half the horseradish cream on the lettuce leaf. Arrange the pieces of trout on top of the horseradish cream and sprinkle with any remaining chopped cilantro.

Serve with slices of French bread and butter.

– Jacques Pépin, "Fast Food My Way"