Sweet Potato, Onion, and Kale Hash

This hash is just the thing for Christmas breakfast or New Year’s Day brunch. Not only is it on the lighter side as far as hash goes, but you can prep it up to three days ahead of time. And it’s holiday worthy!

Cut your unpeeled sweet potatoes into ¼” cubes. Drop them in a pot of simmering salted water for a couple of minutes then drain well.

Sauté some chopped onion in a large frying pan over medium heat. After five minutes or so, stir the sweet potatoes into the pan and continue to cook. Give the pan a shake and a flip with a spatula every few minutes.

Once the potatoes are cooked through and the onions start to brown, add some finely chopped kale, a couple of minced garlic cloves, and a bit of salt and pepper. Turn the heat to medium low and continue to cook until the kale is tender, about seven to ten minutes. Again, an occasional flip with a spatula wouldn’t hurt.

Salt and pepper to taste, then serve immediately with an egg on top. Or let cool and store in the fridge for reheating later. Hot sauce optional.

Happy Merry!

Pan Fried King Oyster Mushrooms

‘Tis the season for entertaining, and these pan-fried king oyster mushrooms make a special appetizer for an intimate gathering…and they’re ready in minutes. Figure a mushroom and a half per guest.

While you heat a few splashes of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat, carefully cut your mushrooms the long way into 1/8” slices. Toss gently in a shallow dish with some olive, salt, and pepper.

Using a fork or a pair of tongs, place the mushroom slices into the hot pan and cook for approximately two minutes, or until they are lightly browned. Flip and do the same to the other side.

Turn the heat to low, remove the mushrooms from the pan and arrange on your plates. Add another splash of oil to the pan if necessary, then stir in some sliced garlic. Sauté for about a minute. Once they are browned on both sides, slide them onto your mushrooms along with some chopped parsley and serve.

Hot and Sour Soup

I made this one with chicken and black beans, but pork or tofu would have worked too, and the beans are optional. The broth and mushrooms are what it’s all about, and it all comes together in less than twenty minutes.

If you’re using meat, brown in a large stock pot then set aside. In the same pot, quickly sauté three minced garlic cloves and a couple tablespoons of fresh ginger. Add six cups of chicken stock, a large pour of soy sauce, a squirt of Sriracha, and a teaspoon of ground white pepper….no worries if you don’t have any, use half a teaspoon of black pepper.

As soon as it boils stir in ten or so thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms, then turn down the heat and simmer for ten minutes. While that’s cooking, whisk four tablespoons of rice wine vinegar and two heaping tablespoons of cornstarch together in a small bowl.

Slowly pour the mixture into the soup followed by a couple of lightly beaten eggs. Stir continually until you start to see the soup thicken and egg ribbons form.

Add the cooked meat or some diced tofu along with a few thinly sliced scallions and a couple teaspoons of sesame oil. Taste, and adjust with some more soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, or Sriracha if needed.

Radicchio Salad with an Orange Vinaigrette

Whatever you’re cooking for Thanksgiving classics, this salad’s refreshing combination of bitter and sweet makes for a light and tasty side.

For the dressing, whisk together half a cup of olive oil with a quarter cup each of fresh orange juice and red wine vinegar, a tablespoon of honey, a teaspoon of Dijon, some minced shallot and chopped parsley. Salt and pepper to taste.

You can go a lot of different directions with the greens, but start with radicchio. From there you could simply toss in some endive and watercress, or radishes and spinach for something less bitter, or maybe even some fennel.

To make it even more special, try adding toasted pistachios or walnuts, or a bit of gouda or pecorino cheese. Whatever you decide, wait until just before serving to toss everything together with the dressing.

Most importantly, have a fantastic Thanksgiving!

Swordfish with Capers, Parsley, and Anchovies

With lots of prep going on for Thanksgiving, dinner on Wednesday night needs to be about simplicity and ease…not to mention something on the lighter side. These baked swordfish steaks check all those boxes.

Preheat your oven to 425, then grease a roasting pan using a paper towel and some olive oil. Spread out your swordfish steaks on the bottom of the pan and generously salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, combine equal amounts of finely chopped capers and parsley, along with a few minced anchovies…you can also use anchovy paste to save time. Mix well with enough olive oil so it will spread easily, then spoon it evenly over the swordfish.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through. Remove from the roasting pan immediately so it doesn’t get overcooked. Serve with a wedge of lemon.

Crispy Oven Baked Wings

With the dark, damp, days of November upon us, it’s time to hunker down for some football. Unless you’re a Giants or Jets fan that is…very sad.

No need to fuss with deep frying or outdoor barbequing, with a flavorful dry rub, you can get them plenty crispy in the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 then heat your heaviest and largest frying pan on a medium burner to get it good and hot.

Using your hands, toss and massage the wings in a large bowl with a little bit of vegetable oil, and enough dry rub to cover each wing well. For the rub I start with a teaspoon of salt, two of sugar, then a combination of whatever is around; cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, almost anything goes.

Turn your exhaust fan on high, then slide the wings into the hot pan. After a minute stir them around, flipping as many as possible. Give it another minute, then using pot holders, put the pan in the hot oven for approximately 30 minutes.

They’re ready to go as is, or with your favorite dipping sauce.

Chimichurri

It sounds fancy, but it isn’t, just a little Cuisinart magic….and it makes whatever you put it on come alive.

Put a large handful of parsley, or half and half parsley and cilantro, in your Cuisinart along with three chopped garlic cloves, a quarter teaspoon each of salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes, a couple big splashes of red wine vinegar, and a teaspoon of oregano, if you have it.

Slowly pour up to a quarter cup of olive oil into the Cuisinart while it’s running until you’ve achieved a smooth runny consistency. You really want the vinegar to stand out, so don’t be shy about adding a bit more, salt and red pepper flakes too.

Easy, right! And your chicken, beef, pork, fish, broccoli, or potatoes will never be the same.

Squash Curry Soup with Roast Corn

The butternut squash is pretty tasty these days, and the addition of some roast corn makes for a nice twist on a classic soup.

As the chicken stock is one of two main ingredients to this recipe, it pays to use a quality brand. Personally, I prefer the roasted chicken Better Than Bouillon concentrated base. I also think its way more economical than a liquid stock in a box.

Start by preheating your oven to 400. Toss some defrosted corn with a little bit of olive oil and salt in a shallow roasting pan, then cook for 30 to 40 minutes…or until it starts to brown around the edges.

In a large soup pot, heat a few splashes of olive oil then sauté a chopped onion until translucent. Stir in some curry powder or paste, followed by the peeled, seeded, and cubed squash. After a few minutes, add enough water to cover the squash by at least an inch then boil lightly for 20 to 30 minutes.

Once the squash is very tender, stir in a teaspoon of chicken base, let dissolve, taste, and repeat until it tastes like you want it to. Take the soup off of the heat and puree until smooth with a stick blender, or let it cool slightly, and use a food processor. Stir in the roast corn, salt to taste, and serve.

To save some time, you could substitute some drained garbanzo beans for the corn.

Turnips with Crispy Shallots

You could put these crispy shallots on dog food and it would be incredible, but let’s just start with turnips.

Peel and cut the turnips into one-inch chunks, then lightly boil in an inch or so of salted water in a covered pot. While the turnips are cooking, halve and thinly slice lots of peeled shallots…you’re going to want extras for whatever you’re eating tomorrow…and the next day.

In a large non-stick frying pan melt a couple tablespoons of butter then sauté the shallots over medium heat for approximately fifteen minutes. Turn often so they brown and crisp up, but be careful not to let them burn.

When the turnips are cooked through and tender, drain and mash them with some butter, salt and pepper, and if you’re feeling it, a splash of heavy cream. Serve topped with the shallots.

Brothy Cabbage and Beans

It’s all about what’s in your pantry when it comes to weeknight cooking, chicken stock, canned beans, onions, and garlic are all must haves.

In a medium sized pot, sauté a chopped onion until translucent then add a quarter of a head of chopped up cabbage, half a minced jalapeno, and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Leave over medium heat stirring occasionally. Once the cabbage is fully wilted, stir in a few sliced garlic cloves, a can or two of undrained black beans, and a splash of water.

Bring to a quick boil then immediately lower to a simmer. After ten or so minutes stir in some concentrated chicken stock to taste, and a few squirts of ketchup to boost the flavor.

Continue to simmer until the rest of your dinner is ready to go. Salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Tortilla de Patatas

Warning! Making this Spanish potato omelet is definitely a pain in the spud, but if you have an hour and a little patience, it’s so worth it. There’s a reason it’s one of the most common dishes found in Spain.

I modified this recipe from one I found on Smitten Kitchen. Slice a pound and a half of unpeeled Yukon gold potatoes and a peeled sweet onion as thinly has you can. In an eight-inch non-stick frying pan heat up a cup of olive oil. Once hot, add the potatoes and onion and gently simmer for fifteen minutes, turning, and occasionally jiggling, so they cook evenly without browning.

Place a colander in a large bowl and carefully slide the mixture into the colander to drain and cool for five minutes. Generously salt and pepper.

Lightly beat six to seven eggs with some additional salt and pepper. Add the drained potatoes and onions and let soak for 10 minutes.

Return the non-stick pan to medium low heat, add a couple of tablespoons of the reserved oil, then add the potato mixture. Jiggle and flatten with a spatula, then let cook undisturbed for three to five minutes. You’ll want it to be golden on the bottom, but still wet on top.

Wearing oven mitts, set a large plate over the tortilla and quickly flip upside down, return the pan to the heat and slide the tortilla back in to cook the other side for a few minutes or more depending on the thickness. Slide it out onto a plate and lightly salt and pepper.

Slice and serve hot, at room temperature, or out of the fridge for the next few days. You can also save the oil for other uses that would benefit from an infused onion flavor.

Salmon with Caramelized Leeks

This could be one of the most satisfying things you can make in twenty minutes!

Salt and pepper your salmon then preheat your grill, skillet, or oven. Next, melt a few tablespoons of butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Slice your leeks in half the long way then cut into 1/8” slices, rinse and dry if necessary. Add to the hot pan along with a teaspoon of sugar and a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper…mix well.

Stir the leeks every few minutes or so, allowing them to lightly brown, but making sure they don’t burn. While they’re caramelizing start cooking your salmon. They both should be done in approximately ten minutes. Top the salmon with the leeks and enjoy.

You see what I mean? And they’re just as amazing on chicken, beef, pork, rice, grains, or pasta. Or simply on their own.