I couldn't believe how flavorful this tuna was, especially since it only marinated for 20 minutes. Super flavorful, super easy, tuna was very tender (note that I seared it in a skillet). Easy workday dinner. Bon appetit.
https://www.thespruceeats.com/grilled-tuna-steaks-with-asian-sesame-crust-recipe-909353
To say that I would have snubbed my nose at this amazing woman who's penchant for taking microwave cooking to new heights wouldn't even begin to show how very uneducated I am in my forever young culinary quest. Some things are just too "mainstream" to actually be considered culinary, aren't they? Microwaves are for heating up your cold tea, melting butter in a pinch, NOT for making four course meals. I dare say my cooking trials will be long forgotten before I have to resort to the use of the microwave as an actual cooking tool once I am too old to be able to cognitively prepare a meal for my family or myself. Barbara, you were ahead of your time and I will just have to ride your coattails and feel the wind on my face. I do own one of her cookbooks, Soup, A Way of Life, and anyone who knows me knows how much I adore soup. Over the holidays I ventured into the book which has been staring me down for two years now on the shelf. Trying to prepare a vegetarian meal for my daughter in law I turned to Barbara's Minestrone. I've made a million Minestrones in my life, and no two are ever the same, but this one has a lovely twist...pesto! I've made the soup twice now and have found that using up the veges in the fridge is a great way to make this soup. The only thing I keep the same is the basil pesto. Bon appetit!
1/2 cup olive oil + 3 T
1 medium onion, 1/4" dice
3 medium carrots, 1/4" dice
2 ribs celery, 1/4" dice
1/2 lb potatoes, 1/4" dice
2/3 lb white cabbage, 1/4" dice
2 medium yellow squash, 1/4" dice
1/2 lb Swiss chard, leaves cut into narrow strips
1 small bunch of spinach cut into narrow strips
6 medium cloves of garlic, smashed, peeled and coarsley chopped
1 cup coarsely chopped Italian plum tomatoes
Rind from a piece of Parmesan cheese
2 medium bunches of basil
1 cup cooked orzo
2 T salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan for serving
In a medium saucepan cook 1/2 cup olive oil and onions over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add carrots, celery and potatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the cabbage, squash and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the greens, 1/2 the garlic, the tomatoes, 5 cups of water; add the cheese rind. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until all the veges are tender.
Meanwhile, to make the pesto, in a food processor, coarsely puree the basil. Add the remaining garlic and olive oil and puree. Continue to blend until smooth.
Remove the cheese rind from the soup and stir in the orzo just before serving. Heat through. Stir in 1/4 cup of the pesto. Season with salt and pepper.
If the soup is being reheated add a bit of water to avoid sticking. Serve with grated Paremesan and remaining pesto at the table.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/05/obituaries/barbara-kafka-cookbook-author-and-food-writer-dies-at-84.html
So anyone who studies a Keto diet or wishes to feed their gut the really good stuff needs to know about resistant starch. It's hard to wrap my head around a food that when I am dieting I am told is full of carbs and off limits, only to learn that these very carbs can be the savior, not the culprit, and provide me with some much needed energy. The other thing I love about this recipe is that it can be made 1/2 in advance and 1/2 when needed; just pull it out of the fridge when you need a quick side dish. I like to use the small round new potatoes and smash them into a really hot iron skillet with good olive oil, salt and pepper. Bon appetit!
https://eatbeautiful.net/smashed-potatoes-with-resistant-starch/
Do you ever feel that your salmon always comes out too dry? Too little flavor? Well, FINALLY the perfect, simple way to cook salmon that always comes out super moist and flavorful. A friend made this one night for us and I never looked back. I've made it twice now and it has not disappointed. An added perk...clean up is a breeze! I intend to try the parchment cooking method with many other fish in the future. Bon appetit!
https://www.thecandidadiet.com/wprm_print/178139
The Hubs and I have found ourselves in a new home with new rules this winter. Our purchase of a Swedish Tulikivi soapstone stove has afforded us a lot of fun new culinary adventures, in particular pizza and flat bread. Think brick oven...While I often make pizza dough, I have been experimenting with other doughs and this recipe, infused with fresh herbs, lent itself to further exploration. I will certainly be trying this in the future with many other combinations, but we settled on fresh thyme mixed into the dough, homemade carmelized onion jam (which has become one of our staples. I love the herbs infused in this one), prosciutto and goat cheese. The onion jam is a delicious sweet/tart addition to any kind of bread topping and certainly brings a lot of flavor to the table! Bon appetit and don't be afraid to explore...
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/homemade-flat-bread-recipe2-2013334
https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/caramelized-onion-jam
Note pictures show flat bread as described as well as pizza....
I have really fallen off the wagon lately with new and exciting culinary adventures, but I must post a few that we have enjoyed. This recipe for beef empanadas was very authentic, I thought, to the ones we enjoyed in Peru. I don't have a dough press like the one shown, but simply rolled the dough out and filled it, crimped it and it was fine. I do like the fact that these are baked and not fried as clean up was much easier (notice I don't mention the health aspect here). Super yummy and we served them with fresh salsa and sour cream. Bon appetit!
https://www.mylatinatable.com/the-best-mexican-style-baked-beef-empanadas/
