Roasted Salmon with Hazelnut Crust

I think I could write a cookbook just about salmon, because we eat it so often and I am the kind of person who likes to change things up and not eat the same old same old for dinner.

So I have lots of recipes for salmon.

This one is among the easiest also. And fast. The essence of "quick and easy."

 

Roasted Salmon with Hazelnut Butter

 

• 4 salmon fillets or steaks, about 6 ounces each, about 1 1/4 inches thick
• 1-1/2 tablespoons softened butter
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
• 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh lemon peel
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons crushed hazelnuts (or almonds)

Preheat the oven to 475°F. Place the salmon in a baking dish. Mix the butter, chives, lemon peel and mustard and spread this mixture evenly over the surface of the fish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and scatter the nuts evenly on top. Roast for about 15 minutes, depending on thickness, or until nearly cooked through but still darker in the thickest part of the center.

Makes 4 servings.

Chicken Soup Burgers

My daughters are not big meat eaters, so when they were young kids and still living at home,  I never made stuff like roast beef or beef stew or meatloaf. They just didn't want any of it.

They didn't even eat hamburgers.

We were basically a chicken and turkey family (including chicken and turkey burgers).

Also, I would make burgers out of all the vegetables I used for chicken soup, which I cooked more often than almost everything.

That was a kid favorite. They still talk about those burgers.

Recently I made some chicken soup because, well, it's been rainy and gloomy in my part of the world and soup is like magic to help get you in a good mood. I used the leftover vegetables for burgers, just for the two of us. Fabulous not-quite-meatless dinner. Of course you can make this a vegetarian meal with regular cooked vegetables not from soup!

 

CHICKEN SOUP BURGERS

• 8 cooked carrots, cut up

• 6 stalks cooked celery, cut up

• 2 cooked parsnips, cut up

• 1 large cooked onion, cut up

• some sprigs of cooked dill

• 1 large egg

• 1/2 cup matzo meal

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• vegetable oil

Place the cooked vegetables and dill in a food processor and pulse to combine them and chop them into very fine pieces. Spoon the contents into a bowl. Add the egg, matzo meal and some salt and pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly to combine the ingredients evenly. Shape portions of the mixture into patties about 1/2-inch thick. Heat about 1/4-inch vegetable oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot enough to make a crumb sizzle, add the patties, a few at a time, leaving space between them in the pan. Do not crowd the pan. Fry the patties for about 3 minutes per side or until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels. 

Makes about 12

Roasted Plum Tomatoes

When it's really really cold outside, (like it is where I live) I think of soup and make a pot or two. 

But I also dream about summer and sunshine and the garden fresh tomatoes you can only get at the end of August.

Winter tomatoes are not good. Not for salad anyway. They're typically too hard and the flesh is usually too dry.

But a good tomato taste does come out when you cook them, especially if you use Roma (plum) tomatoes. Use them for sauce for spaghetti or in Shakshuka. Braise them with string beans as a side dish.

Roasted tomatoes are also flavorful, even if you use winter tomatoes. This dish couldn't be simpler. It goes with any meat protein and also as part of a meatless Monday meal. 

CRISPED ROASTED TOMATOES

• 4 large plum tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh herbs
• 2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
• cayenne pepper, optional

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise and place them cut side up in an ovenproof pan. Mix the olive oil and Dijon mustard and brush this evenly over the tops of the tomatoes. Sprinkle with the herbs and breadcrumbs. Dust lightly with a pinch of cayenne pepper for more flavor. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until the tops are crispy.

Makes 4 servings

Love Livornese

One of our favorite restaurants dishes is some-kind-of-fish Livornese style. Ed and I both like the tangy components -- olives and capers -- and how they give so much extra flavor to the more typical tomatoes and garlic red-sauce. 

Somehow I never made Livornese sauce at home, until recently, when I saw a great looking hunk of halibut in the market and decided to dig right in and try it out.

It was absolutely perfect. I used Aleppo pepper, because I like the hint of smokiness that it has, but crushed red pepper would be equally good.

 

Roasted Halibut Livornese

• 1-1/2 pounds halibut, about 1-1/2-inches thick
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 large clove garlic, chopped
• 4 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup cut up black imported olives
• 2-3 teaspoons capers
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (or crushed red pepper)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the fish in a lightly oiled baking dish. Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes or until slightly softened. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes or until softened. Add the olives, capers, white wine and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes or until soft. Spoon the sauce over the fish. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, depending on thickness of the fish, or until cooked through.

Makes 4 servings

Child’s Play: How a Young Cook Makes a Perfect Meal for Meatless Monday

And so, another generation of passionate, creative cooks.

Recently I spent some memorable time with one of my grand daughters. She cooked almost an entire dinner for herself and siblings as I watched. I encouraged her to use her judgment about flavors and amounts. She was thoughtful, asked questions and was unafraid to follow her senses and taste buds rather than someone else's recipe.

At each step of the way she got off the stool she needed to reach the pan so she could write down what she did.

In the end: Rice and Beans with Roasted Brussels Sprouts for 4.

First, I must say, she knew to wash her hands before cooking. She also used disposable gloves when she tossed the Brussels sprouts in olive oil.

I watched her pour olive oil into the pan and toss a bit of chopped onion in to see if it sizzled because I had told her that's when the oil was hot enough for the rest.

She added chopped onions and made a decision about how much was enough. About 1/4 cup.

I told her how to rinse the beans, and why, and watched her do it.

She added the beans and some crushed tomatoes and when she said she didn't think it was tomatoey enough I encouraged her to add more. And she did.

She wondered about spices. I suggested either chili powder or cumin and she asked "why not both?"

Indeed. I told her to add both, starting with 1/2 teaspoon each.

When she tasted she said it needed more chili powder. And added some. And salt. To her taste.

As the beans cooked, she cut the Brussels sprouts, placed them on a baking tray, tossed them with olive oil, sprinkled them with salt and placed them in the oven.

The only thing I cooked was the rice. 

Everyone gobbled up this magnificent feast. The perfect meal for a meatless Monday or whenever you have yen for a scrumptious vegetarian dinner.

I left smiling. Still am.

 

RICE AND BEANS 

1 cup brown rice

1-3/4 cups water

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

1-1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

salt to taste

Place the rice and water in a saucepan over high heat. Bring the water to a boil, turn the heat to low, cover the pan and cook for about 35 minutes or until the grains are tender and all the liquid has been absorbed. While the rice is cooking, pour the olive oil into a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes. Add the beans, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin and salt. Stir to distribute the ingredients evenly. Cook for 8-10 minutes. Spoon the rice onto plates; top with some of the rice and beans. 

Makes 4 servings

Comforting Pasta Amatriciana

When you feel let down or sad you need to do something special to help cheer yourself up.

Some people shop, some go to a spa for a facial, some exercise like crazy (when my brother was going through a divorce he ran super marathons -- 110 miles!)

To say that the election of 2016 was a disappointment for me is a huge understatement. 

I need cheering up, and my favorite coping mechanism is: eating. Mostly potatoes. So one night I had two baked potatoes for dinner.

But now I need real, actual food, a regular dinner entree. Something more substantial and also comforting. 

Pasta! 

With red sauce. AND smokey with (I use Jack's Gourmet Facon) bacon and (I used Jack's Gourmet Sweet Italian Beef Sausage) sausage. And a little gentle (chili pepper) heat.

Bucatini Amatriciana!

Yum.

Celebration-worthy.

Kosher Pasta Amatriciana

• 4 ounces kosher beef or lamb bacon, chopped
• 3 ounces kosher Italian style sausage, diced
• 2 ounces olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large clove garlic, chopped
• 3 pounds tomatoes, chopped (or use canned tomatoes)
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 pound cooked bucatini

Cook the bacon in a large saucepan over low-medium heat until lightly crispy. Add the sausage and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the meats are browned. Remove the meats with a slotted spoon and set aside. Pour the olive oil into the pan. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes or until slightly softened. Add the garlic, cook briefly, then add the tomatoes, parsley and red pepper. Return the bacon and sausage to the sauce. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Pour over the pasta, toss and serve. 

 Makes 4 servings

Chicken Fried Steak

Several years ago my daughter Gillian and I drove from Chicago through some of the border states on our way back home to Connecticut.

We had a grand old time that included a (tasting) tour of the Jack Daniel's distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee.

We also heard Grandpa Jones sing at the Grand Ole' Opry in Nashville.

One of the most astonishing things we witnessed were the thousands of people Christmas shopping in July in the malls in Gatlinburg (with motel accommodations priced at $39/night so you could shop till you dropped for more than one day).

Slowly we made our way through the magnificent Great Smoky Mountains. That was truly glorious.

And, last but not least, we saw -- everywhere we looked -- a lot of people eating chicken fried steak.

For breakfast!

Chicken fried steak for breakfast!

I love understanding local cuisine and sometimes even trying it. Somehow chicken fried steak smothered with gravy and accompanied by mashed potatoes and biscuits for breakfast seemed a bit much.

But that didn't stop me from trying it at home.

For dinner, of course.

Chicken fried steak, made properly (in the border states), is made with round steak. I substituted skirt steak. Anyone who has eaten skirt steak understands it can be tough, but you can pound it to make it more tender.

Or, you can use rib steak, but I think that's a waste for this particular recipe because, really, this kind of dish is about the fried, not the fabulous beef. If you do use rib steak though, be sure to slice it thin.

We didn't mind the chewiness of the skirt steak. Like fried veal or chicken cutlet, the outside is crispy and the inside moist and flavorful. The gravy is an indulgence.

Glad I tried it, but I wouldn't serve this for breakfast!

Chicken Fried Steak

• 2 pounds skirt steak, approximately
• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt to taste
• 2 large eggs plus 2 teaspoons water, beaten together
• vegetable oil
• use 2 tablespoons of the seasoned flour for gravy
• 1-1/3 cup chicken stock
• 1/3 cup soy or rice milk (or more chicken stock)

Preheat the oven to warm. Cut the meat into smaller portions and set aside. In a dish, combine the flour, garlic powder, paprika, thyme, cayenne pepper and salt and whisk the ingredients to blend them thoroughly. In a bowl, beat the egg and water together until well combined. Remove 3 tablespoons of the seasoned flour and set it aside separately. Press each portion of meat in the seasoned flour, coating the surface completely. Coat the meat portions with the egg, then coat again with more of the seasoned flour. Heat about 1/4-inch vegetable oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat until hot enough to make a bread crumb sizzle immediately. Fry the meat portions a few at a time, leaving plenty of space in the pan, for about 3 minutes per side or until crispy. Drain on paper towels and continue with the remaining meat. As the portions are cooked, place them on a baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven. When all the meat is cooked, discard all but 3 tablespoons of fat from the pan. Add the reserved seasoned flour and whisk into the fat, cooking over low-medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Gradually add the stock and whisk until a smooth, thickened sauce has formed. Pour in the milk and whisk into the sauce. Remove the steaks to plates and serve covered with some of the gravy.

Makes 4 servings

Mom’s Fried Chicken Wings

MOM’S FRIED CHICKEN

• 12 chicken wings, cut into pieces
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon paprika
• 3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• shortening or vegetable oil

Rinse the chicken pieces and set them aside. In a large dish, mix the flour with the paprika, salt, garlic powder and black pepper. Coat the chicken pieces with the seasoned flour. Place them on a cake rack to air dry for 25-30 minutes. Heat the shortening or vegetable oil in a deep saute pan over medium-high heat (should be about 1/2-inch) to 365 degrees (a bread crumb will sizzle quickly when you add it to the pan). Add a few chicken pieces at a time (adding too many will make the cooking oil too cool) and cook, turning the pieces occasionally, for 8-10 minutes or until crispy and golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Makes 12

Baked Chicken with Fig-Orange-Balsamic Sauce

Baked Chicken with Fig-Orange-Balsamic Sauce

To me, chicken is the “basic black dress” of food. Because, like a basic black dress, you can do all sorts of things with it.

You can dress chicken up or play it down. Make it humble or fancy. Cook it plain or add all sorts of stuff, like stuffing, fruits or vegetables. Make it mild or with lots of seasonings.

Chicken is so basic it goes with lots and lots of herbs, spices, condiments and other flavorings. It’s good with gravy or without. It looks different and tastes different depending on all these variables.

So, the other day I made a very simple recipe using chicken breasts and figs.

Fresh figs are in the stores for a really short time, every summer and into the fall. And if you’re like me, and like figs, now is the time to buy and use them. I knew they’d be perfect with chicken.

After I bought the figs I poached some, used some for salad and then roasted chicken breasts and added some figs to the pan for the last several minutes. I had some fresh thyme too, so I included that, sweetened the dish up with a little orange juice and gave it a little tang with some Balsamic vinegar.

Look how dark and rich this dish looks! Lots of rich, tangy-sweet sauce, perfect for steamed rice, cooked noodles or polenta.

I still have a few fresh figs left. Think I might grill them. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Baked Chicken with Fig-Orange-Balsamic Sauce

• 4 large chicken breast halves (bone-in) or whole legs

• Vegetable oil

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1/2 cup chicken stock

• 1/3 cup orange juice

• 3 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar

• 1 teaspoon grated fresh orange peel

• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

• 8 large fresh figs

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash and dry the chicken. Rub the skin with the vegetable oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired. Place the chicken in a roasting or baking pan. Immediately reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees and roast for 15 minutes (you preheat to 400 degrees to give the chicken an immediate blast of high heat, but it needs to cook at 350 degrees after that). While the chicken is cooking, mix the chicken stock, orange juice, Balsamic vinegar, orange peel and thyme leaves in a small bowl. After the 15 minutes are up, pour the sauce over the chicken. Continue to roast the chicken for another 10 minutes. Baste and roast for another 10 minutes. Place the figs in the pan. Baste with the pan fluids. Cook for another 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken and figs from the pan and keep them warm. Place the pan over high heat to boil the pan juices for 2-3 minutes until thickened slightly. Serve the chicken with pan fluids and roasted figs.

Makes 4 servings

Braised Chicken with Dates

When I think about comfort foods I’m no different than most people. I’ll go for Macaroni and Cheese, Mashed Potatoes and Chocolate Pudding just like the next guy.

But my list also includes Chicken Fricassee. My mother made Chicken Fricassee with chicken wings, gizzards and necks. She included potatoes and little meatballs, lots of onions and sometimes mushrooms. She loaded it up with paprika, covered it and cooked it slowly for hours until there was a rich, russet gravy and chicken soft-as-you-know-what. 

That was good.

When my mother was much older and not well, I would make some for her and bring it to her house in a kind of comforting culinary role reversal. She loved Chicken Fricassee too.

This dish was such a regular when I was a child that when I became a Mom and my kids were young, I made it too. 

They hated it. Made fun of it. Wouldn’t eat it.

I still don’t get it.

But, it wasn’t something I made because what’s the point? If your family doesn’t like something you don’t cook it for dinner.

I did however, continue to make braised chicken. Which is actually, for most purposes except the strictest definition, the same as fricassee. My daughters did eat many of the newer versions. And one day Gillian actually called me out on it and said she knew it was fricassee only with different spices and no meatballs.

This is one of the recipes that proved to be a big winner. Call it Braised Chicken with Dates if the word fricassee is not a word you want to use in your house.

Braised Chicken with Dates

• 1 cut up broiler-fryer chicken

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 large onion, sliced

• 1 large clove garlic, chopped

• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

• 1 cup chicken broth

• 12 whole dates, preferably medjool

Rinse and dry the chicken and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Cook the chicken a few pieces at a time until they are lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Remove the chicken to a dish and set aside. Add the onion to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger an cook briefly. Return the chicken to the pan and spoon the onions on top. Sprinkle with the cumin, cayenne and nutmeg. Pour in the chicken broth. Stir the liquid, cover the pan and turn the heat to low-medium. Cook for 15 minutes. Add the dates and cook for another 10-15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Makes 4 servings