Tossed Salmon, Edamame, Fennel, and Olives

This is an amazingly perfect dish for a summer night.. Heat a non-stick frying pan on medium high for several minutes before salt and peppering a couple of salmon filets and setting them in skin side up for approximately five minutes. Then flip and cook for another five.

Meanwhile, combine in a small bowl the juice of half an orange, a splash of rice wine or white vinegar, some extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Chili flakes are optional but recommended. Then in a large bowl add a thinly sliced fennel bulb, a bag of shelled edamame, a dozen chopped Kalamata olives, a scallion, and a generous handful of either basil or mint.

By this time your salmon should be cooked through. With a spatula place the filets on a side plate being careful to leave the salmon skins in the hot pan. Having removed the filets flip the skins and cook for another minute, they should be crispy but not burnt. To serve break up your salmon and along with the dressing add and toss with the other ingredients, then sprinkle your finely chopped crispy salmon skin over the top. Japanese Bacos…trust me, this is a good one.

Asian Chicken Salad

So great to see those chives in the garden this time of year…perfect for an Asian chicken salad. If you don’t have any chicken leftovers it’s easy enough to poach a couple of breasts, simply cover with water and simmer for ten minutes then turn off the heat and let them sit for another fifteen before cooling and dicing.

In a small bowl stir together until smooth a tablespoon of peanut butter, a tablespoon of rice wine vinegar, a tablespoon of soy sauce, and two tablespoons of mayonnaise. Hot sauce is optional. In a larger bowl add the chicken, a generous handful of chopped chives, a chopped carrot, a chopped stalk of celery, and a half cup of finely chopped salted peanuts. Before serving pour in the mayonnaise mixture, stir together, then salt and pepper to taste. Crunch away.

Carrot Cilantro Lime Salad

I think carrots are often taken for granted, relegated to coleslaw, soups, and stews. But as some of you probably know they can be pretty satisfying as the main ingredient, and not only do they last for a couple of weeks in the fridge but they’re super easy to prepare. Take for example roasted carrots and garlic, simply wash, cut, toss with oil and salt and throw in the oven at 350. Add your chopped garlic after thirty minutes and serve after forty…what could be easier?

 
But with the warmer temps and the perennials popping a cold carrot salad seems more of the way to go these days, and this simple one with lime juice and cilantro is especially refreshing. Julienne your carrots in a mandolin, shred on the coarse side of a box grater, or cut by hand. Sixteenth inch slices are best. Toss with fresh lime juice, chopped cilantro, and coarse salt and pepper to taste. So crunchy and so tasty.

Parmesan Encrusted Cod

Parmesan with anything is good and cod is no exception, nether are tilapia, pollock or haddock which would all be great substitutes.
Start with three shallow bowls, the first one with a cup of flour, the next with three lightly scrambled eggs, and the third with a cup of panko and half a cup of grated parmesan. Pour enough oil into a large frying pan to nearly cover the bottom and heat on medium until hot but not smoking.
Cut your fillets into four inch pieces and season both sides with salt and pepper before dusting with flour, dipping in the egg, and coating with the panko cheese mixture. They should sizzle when you place them in the oil, and depending on the thickness will only take three to four minutes per side. If you’re frying more than one batch heat up your oven to keep the earlier batches hot while you finish the rest.
Serve with some potatoes and lemon, that’s it.

Pasta with Ground Lamb and Mustard Greens

I recently toured Green Mountain Harvest Hydroponics here in Waitsfield, a year-round greenhouse operation owned by Dave Hartshorn and John and Ted Farr. I was totally impressed by the operation that turns out lettuce, kale, basil as well as other assorted greens year round. I was excited to find mustard greens as they’re one of my favorites to make with lamb and you don’t see them around much this time of year.

While my pasta was boiling I sautéed a chopped shallot and two garlic cloves for a few minutes in some extra virgin olive oil before adding a pound of ground lamb. Once the lamb was cooked through and my pasta was two minutes from being done I dropped the mustard greens into the pot with the pasta. After draining the noodles and greens together I tossed them with the lamb mixture then added a generous amount of grated pecorino and salt and pepper to taste.

Local greens year round in Waitsfield...life in the Valley just keeps getting better.

Maple "Baked" Beans

We don’t always have five hours to make traditional Baked Beans but this thirty minute stove top version is perfect for the arrival of both sugaring and BBQ season in Vermont.

In a small pot sauté a finely chopped shallot and two cloves garlic until translucent before stirring in a quarter teaspoon of chili pepper flakes (chipotle pepper flakes if you have them).

Drain and add two 15 oz. cans of pinto beans and a quarter cup of both ketchup and maple syrup.

Then it’s just a matter of simmering over low heat until it reduces to your preferred consistency, salt and pepper to taste before serving.

For an even richer flavor start with two strips of smoked bacon cut into half inch pieces, fry until nearly crispy, then add your shallot and garlic.

Either way you’ll wonder why you don’t make them more often...these aren’t your typical canned beans.

Chicken Patties

Whether you serve them with eggs or between a bun a chicken patty is a nice way to change things up a little. 

Pour a half a cup of milk into a cup of panko or bread crumbs and let sit. 

Then, in your Cuisinart pulse a couple of garlic cloves, half a bunch of scallions, kosher salt, pepper, a teaspoon of spice such as Lawry’s or Old Bay, and a couple squirts of your favorite hot sauce. Cut up a pound of chicken into one inch chunks, it’s best to use all thighs or at least a 2 to 1 mixture of thighs to breast meat, then pulse them together with your garlic scallion spice mixture until coarse. Scrape your chicken mixture into a bowl and stir together with a lightly scrambled egg and your soaked bread crumbs. 

Before making the patties I like to taste the mixture by placing a small spoonful into a hot pan until cooked through. Add more salt or spice if necessary, form your patties, and cook on the stove top or BBQ.

You can easily change these up to suit your mood by substituting Indian, Mexican, or Asian spices instead of the Lowry’s or Old Bay.

Ricotta Gnocchi

These are the lightest fluffiest and easiest gnocchi I’ve ever made, so if you’ve never made gnocchi I implore you to give them a try.  They may change your life…or at the very least, fill you up.  In a large bowl stir together to form a wet dough:  a cup and a quarter of flour, two cups of ricotta(Maplebrook Farm will make them taste best), two lightly scrambled eggs, a cup of grated parmesan, and a quarter teaspoon each of salt and pepper.  On a lightly floured surface split the dough ball in two and roll each half into one inch thick ropes then cut each rope into one inch nuggets.  Spread the nuggets on a parchment lined baking sheet while you bring a pot of salted water to a boil and melt three tablespoons of butter in large pan.  Working in batches lightly boil the gnocchi for four minutes, drain, then brown in the butter over medium heat.  I served them with a mint pea puree but they would have been great with a red sauce, rosemary butter, or pretty much anything.  I’ll never rice another potato to make gnocchi again.

Enchileftovers

It’s so satisfying to successfully transform unappetizing leftovers into a great meal, and enchiladas are a great way to do it.  Whether its veggies, steak, chicken, burger, or rice I start by sautéing a chopped onion with some garlic, cilantro, jalapeno, salt, pepper, and chili powder before adding a drained can of black beans and cooking on low heat for five minutes.  Preheat your oven to 350 then cover the bottom of a baking dish with some enchilada sauce right out of the can to keep your corn tortillas from sticking.  One by one fill each tortilla with your chopped leftovers along with a spoonful of your black bean mixture, roll, and place in the baking dish seam side down.  When you’ve filled them all cover with the remaining enchilada sauce, a generous heaping of shredded cheese, and bake uncovered for thirty minutes.  They make great leftover leftovers as well.

Pancetta and Pea Risotto

It’s still comfort food weather and there’s nothing like a bit of parmesan with your bacon, or pancetta.  If you don’t happen to have some homemade chicken stock in the freezer (which I don’t) I recommend Better Than Bouillon, either way warm about three cups in a small pot.  Add approximately a third of a pound of diced bacon or pancetta to a large sauté pan, brown, pour off half of the accumulated fat, then add a minced shallot and a couple of cloves of garlic.  After a minute stir in a cup of risotto and toss to coat.  This would be the time to add a cup of white wine if you happen to have one open but it’s not necessary, but if you do continue to cook on medium low heat until most of the wine has been absorbed.  Add a half cup of stock to the rice, stir, wait until it’s nearly absorbed, then repeat. After forty minutes or so the rice should be firm but not crunchy, stir in a cup of defrosted sweet peas…and lots of grated parmesan.

Fried Artichoke Hearts

The Cabin Fever has set in, not knowing where else to turn I wandered the frozen food aisle at the market looking for an escape.  Artichoke hearts, how could I have not noticed these before?  After defrosting them in a plastic bag submerged in warm water I threw them into a frying pan on medium heat with enough extra virgin olive oil to coat the bottom.  I’ve never been a big a fan of the soggy canned artichoke hearts but these frozen ones crisped up beautifully tasting very much like a fresh artichoke.  Towards the end I added a minced garlic clove, a pinch of chili flakes, and a squeeze of lemon and savored them one by one.  They would have been nice in a pasta dish, salad, or served with fish or chicken but I just couldn’t wait.  The next day I bought two more boxes to keep in the freezer for when I again need a reminder of warmer days…I don’t think they’ll be in there for long.

Roast Monkfish with Fennel and Tomatoes

Monkfish has a consistency similar to lobster and is perfect for roasting.  Begin by cutting your fillets into four inch pieces and dust liberally with salt and pepper while you preheat your oven to 350.  Halve 8 to 10 grape tomatoes and slice a fennel bulb thinly along with a shallot and a couple cloves of garlic.  In a large frying pan over medium heat add olive oil or butter and brown your monkfish by searing for about a minute on one side.  Add the tomatoes, fennel, shallot and garlic to the pan then flip to sear the other side of your fillets for another minute.  Pour a half cup of white wine and the juice from half a lemon into the pan then place in the oven for 25 minutes, a knife should slide through the center of the fish easily when it’s done.  Simply salt and pepper to taste and serve over rice, potatoes, beans, or couscous.  It’s a great one pan meal and is adaptable to any firm white fish and a variety of veggies.  Just one note of caution, remember the handle of your frying pan will be very hot when you go to remove it from the oven.