Portuguese Fish Stew
This recipe is for my best friend in the whole world whose family came from Portugal. The Portuguese are great lovers of fish have created simple but delicious seafood recipes over many years. I think you will like this version of Portuguese Fish Stew.
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Salt Cod
1 Cup Olive Oil
2 Large Chopped Onions
3 Chopped Garlic Cloves
3 Medium Peeled & Diced Potatoes
1 Medium Peeled & Diced Carrot
5 Peeled, Seeded & Sliced Tomatoes
½ Cup Chopped Parsley
1 Cup White Wine
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
¼ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
Soak the cod in water for 24 hours. Change the water two or three times. Drain the cod and cut in 2 inch rectangles. In a medium cooking pot place the cut cod and bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Turn the heat to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes. Drain the cod and remove the skin and any small bones. Break the fish into flakes and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over a medium high heat. When the skillet is hot stir in the chopped onions, carrot, garlic and potatoes. Cook for 3 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the cod, tomatoes, parsley and wine. Season with the thyme, pepper and salt. Cover the skillet and simmer on a low heat for 2 ½ hours. The fish should be extremely tender. Serves 4
Pork Satay With Peanut Sauce
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Pork Tenderloin
¼ Cup Coconut Milk
1 Tablespoon Red Curry Paste
¾ Cup Coarsely Ground Peanuts
¼ Cup Coconut Milk
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lime Juice
1 Tablespoon Red Curry Paste
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
8 Bamboo Skewers
(Soaked)
Cut the port tenderloin crosswise into 16 slices. Put each slice between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound to ¼ inch thickness using a meat mallet. In a large bowl combine ¼ cup of the coconut milk and 1 tablespoon of the red curry paste. Make sure that you do not use the low fat coconut milk for this recipe. Add the pork to the bowl, toss and refrigerate covered for 1 ½ hours. For the peanut sauce combine ¼ cup of the coconut milk, brown sugar, soy sauce, lime juice and 1 tablespoon of the red curry paste. Preheat the grill to medium high. Remove the pork from the bowl and throw away the marinade. Thread the pork evenly onto 8 skewers that have been soaked in water and sprinkle with the salt. Grill for 3 minutes on each side and serve with the peanut sauce. Serves 8
Yellow Squash Salad
A friend gave me a tiny yellow squash from his garden and I didn’t quite know what to do with it. It was so tiny and so cute that I just wanted to look at it. I finally decided to make a little salad with it. This Yellow Squash Salad turned out great!
INGREDIENTS
½ Red Onion Chopped
2 Small Diced Yellow Squash
2 Diced Curby Cucumbers
½ Cup Chopped Basil
1 Medium Chopped Tomato
6 Ounces White Beans
4 Ounces Chopped Feta Cheese
¼ Cup Oil & Vinegar Salad Dressing
¼ Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Chop the onion, yellow squash, cucumbers, tomato and place in a medium serving bowl. Pour ¼ cup salad dressing over the chopped vegetables and set aside. Add the salt, pepper, white beans and basil. Lightly toss. Just when you are ready to serve add the chopped feta cheese and lightly toss. Serve immediately. Serves 4
Chicken Noodle Soup
I was raised on good old fashioned Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup. Everyone knows that homemade is much better. A great prescription for any malady. If you’re ailing or not try this fabulous recipe for what warms the body and soul.
INGREDIENTS
2 ½ Cups Wide Egg Noodles
1 Teaspoon Olive Oil
12 Cups Chicken Broth
2 Teaspoons Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 Teaspoon Poultry Seasoning
1 Cup Chopped Celery
1 Cup Chopped Carrots
1 Cup Chopped Onion
1/3 Cup Cornstarch
¼ Cup Water
3 ½ Cups Diced Cooked Chicken
In a large stock pot bring salted water to a boil. Add the egg noodles and olive oil. Boil for 9 minutes until tender. When done cooking drain. In a large saucepan combine the broth, salt and poultry seasoning. Bring to a boil and stir in the celery, carrots and onions. Reduce the heat and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes. In a small bowl mix the cornstarch and water together until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Gradually add to the soup. Stir constantly. Stir in the noodles and chicken. Cook for 10 minutes on a medium heat. Serve with salad and French bread. Serves 10
Steamed Mussels In White Wine
INGREDIENTS
1 Large Finely Chopped Shallot
1/3 Cup Finely Chopped Onion
¼ Cup Dry White Wine
4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1 Tablespoon White Wine Vinegar
4 ½ Pounds Mussels
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
2 Tablespoons Chopped Flat Leaf Parsley
Scrub and debeard the mussels. Place the shallot, onions, wine, butter and vinegar in a large heavy pot. Add the mussels. Cover and bring to a boil. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Throw away any mussels that don’t open up. Put a strainer line with a double layer of cheesecloth over a large bowl and set aside. Using a slotted spoon transfer the mussels to a large bowl. Pour the liquid that is in the pot through the cheesecloth in the strainer. Once all the liquid has gone through the strainer season with the black pepper and pour over the mussels. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with toasted bread. Serves 4
Ratatouille
Ratatouille (ratatouille niçoise) is a traditional French Provençal stewed vegetable dish that originated from Nice. Ratatouille is usually served as a side dish, but also may be served as a main dish. The secret of a good ratatouille is by cooking the vegetables separately so that each vegetable holds its own flavor. There are many versions of ratatouille, but here is my version.
INGREDIENTS
2 Large Onions
2 Medium Green Zucchini
1 Medium Yellow Zucchini
1 Green Bell Pepper
1 Red Bell Pepper
1 Large Eggplant
8 Seeded Plum Tomatoes
4 Crushed Garlic Cloves
¼ Cup Olive Oil
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Slice all of the vegetables and keep them separated. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a heavy sauté pan. When the oil is hot add the onions and crushed garlic. Cook for 8 minutes over a high heat. Remove the onions and place in a large bowl. Repeat this process with all of the vegetables cooking them in small batches. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Layer the sautéed vegetables into a large oven safe pot or ceramic dish. Add the salt and pepper. You don’t need to add any water or stock as the vegetables will produce enough of their own juices so that they don’t burn. Cook for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve either as a side or main dish. Serves 4
Smoky Red Lentil Soup
INGREDIENTS
3 Slices Thick Cut Bacon
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Diced Yellow Onion
1 Peeled & Diced Carrot
1 Diced Celery Stalk
2 Teaspoons Minced Garlic
1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
¼ Cup Canned Diced Tomatoes (Drained)
¾ Cup Rinsed Red Lentils
4 Cups Chicken Broth
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Sour Cream For Garnish
Heat a sauté pan over a medium high heat and add the bacon. Cook for 5 minutes until crisp. Drain on a paper towel. Chop bacon coarsely. In a soup pot heat over a medium heat the olive oil and add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, tomato paste and paprika. Cover and cook for 25 minutes until the vegetables are just starting to soften. Open the lid occasionally to stir. Add the tomatoes, lentils and chicken broth. Cover and cook on high heat for 40 minutes until the lentils are tender. Turn off the heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and pulse 5 times to lightly puree some of the soup mixture. Transfer back to the soup pot and season with salt and pepper. Heat to warm. Pour soup into warmed bowls. Garnish with sour cream and bacon. Serves 4
Green Bean Salad
I love this salad!
INGREDIENTS
1 Large Sliced Sweet Onion
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Pound Trimmed Green Beans
1 Teaspoon Snipped Fresh Rosemary
½ Teaspoon Sea Salt
1 Clove Minced Garlic
1 Cup Cooked Fresh Corn
1 ½ Cups Sliced In Half Cherry Tomatoes
2 Tablespoons Fresh Lime Juice
In a medium sized skillet cook the onions in the hot olive oil over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Don’t overcook the onions. You want them just to begin to soften. Add the green beans, rosemary, garlic and salt. Cover and cook for 10 minutes more or until beans are crisp-tender. Remove from the heat and toss in corn, tomatoes and lime juice. Serve hot or cold. Serves 4
Watermelon Sorbet
I love all things watermelon. I remember growing up in the hot Nebraska summers eating watermelon everyday that I could. We would have seed pitting contests and had sticky faces while enjoying our last days of summer. Here is a simple recipe to make your own Watermelon Sorbet.
INGREDIENTS
5 Cups Seeded & Cubed Watermelon
½ Cup Sugar
1 Envelope Unflavored Gelatin
1/3 Cup Cranberry Juice
Place the watermelon cubes in a food processor. Cover and process until smooth and stir in the sugar. This should yield about 3 cups of pureed watermelon. In a small saucepan combine the gelatin and cranberry juice. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes. Stir the mixture over a low heat until the gelatin is dissolved. Next, stir the gelatin mixture into the pureed melon. Pour into a medium sized baking pan and cover with plastic wrap. Freeze for 2 hours. Remove from the freezer and break up the frozen sorbet and place in a chilled mixing bowl. Beat with a mixer on medium speed until the sorbet is fluffy. Return to the baking pan, cover and freeze for 6 hours. To serve let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before scooping. Serves 4 One Cup Servings
Spanakopita
Spanakopita or Spinach Pie is a wonderful Greek savory pastry with a filling of chopped spinach, feta cheese and other ingredients wrapped or layered in a phyllo pastry and baked to a golden brown. Spanakopita is mostly eaten as a snack in Greece. In rural Greece, smaller amounts of spinach are used, with the missing part substituted with leeks, sorrel and/or chard.
INGREDIENTS
3 Pounds Frozen Spinach
9 Lightly Beaten Large Eggs
2 Cups Crumbled Feta Cheese
¼ Cup Grated Romano Cheese
¼ Cup Chopped Dill
1 Cup Freshly Chopped Parsley
2 Cup Sliced Scallions
½ Cup Sliced Onions
2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Mint
8 Ounces Ricotta Cheese
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
2 Cups Melted Unsalted Butter
1 Pound Phyllo Dough (Freezer Section at the Grocery)
Thaw and drain the frozen spinach. In a large bowl mix together all of the ingredients except for the melted butter and phyllo dough. Brush the butter over the bottom of a 24×12 baking pan. Layer 10 sheets of the phyllo dough in the pan, brushing each sheet generously with the melted butter. Spread the spinach mixture over the phyllo dough and top it with another 10 phyllo dough sheets brushed with butter. Neaten up the edges and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Using a serrated knife, score the spanakopita into 15 squares, cutting about ¾ of the way through it. Sprinkle the surface with cold water to prevent curling and bake until golden brown for between 45 to 60 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before cutting. Makes 15 pieces
