Skirt Steak with Stewed Lima Beans

Skirt steak is one of my favorite cuts! It’s super flavorful simply broiled or grilled with some salt and pepper, and these stewed lima beans made for a great side dish.

In a large straight sided pan or pot sauté a minced shallot in olive oil until translucent. Drain a half a can of anchovies and add to the pot along with several finely chopped garlic cloves. After a minute, break up the anchovies with a wooden spoon then pour in a small can of crushed tomatoes, stir well, and continue to simmer for another ten minutes or so.

Add about 12 oz. of defrosted lima beans, cover, and continue to simmer for at least another ten minutes. Salt and pepper to taste and you’re ready to go.

Potato Cheddar Bacon Soup

Potatoes, cheddar, bacon, what could be bad? And this soup doesn’t take much more than frying some bacon and boiling some potatoes.

Cook six to eight slices of bacon in the bottom of a large soup pot until crisp. Remove the bacon and set aside to cool and crumble, but leave the fat in the pot.

Stir in two chopped onions and six minced garlic cloves and sauté over medium heat for six or seven minutes. Once the onion is translucent, add three cubed unpeeled baking potatoes, a teaspoon of kosher salt, a half teaspoon of black pepper, and a couple of quarts of chicken stock.

Bring to a boil then simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 30 to 40 minutes. Puree until smooth with a stick blender, or transfer in batches to a blender or food processor. Then, with the soup back in the pot and the heat on low, stir in at least 8 ounces of shredded sharp cheddar and the crumbled bacon. Salt and pepper to taste.

Double up on this one so you’ll have plenty left over for the freezer, there’s a lot of winter ahead of us.

Honey Roasted Carrots and Feta

Honey and feta are an awesome combination of sweet and salty, and even tastier paired with some sweet roasted carrots.

Preheat the oven to 450 while you toss your carrots with salt, pepper, and a couple of small splashes of olive oil. If you’re looking to spice up your Valentine’s Day, try adding a bit of cayenne pepper as well. Transfer to a large shallow baking dish and roast until they start to caramelize around the edges…about 45 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and toss with a few healthy drizzles of honey until well coated, followed by the crumbled feta.

Shelled Edamame

I always have a bag of shelled edamame in the freezer for last minute soups, salads, side dishes and more. I’m a huge fan! Anything a lima bean does, an edamame can do better.

Having a soup, throw them in. Salad, throw them in. Stir fry or pasta, throw them in. You can even substitute them for garbanzo beans in your hummus.

As far as side dishes go, if you’re cooking Asian, saute them with some ginger, scallions, and a splash of soy sauce or sesame oil. Italian, saute with some minced garlic then toss with grated parmesan.

And if you’re turning on the oven anyway, you can toss them with vinegar and salt and roast for thirty minutes. Even easier, boil or steam them quickly then toss with your favorite salsa, sauce, or condiment.

And if you’re having one of those, I can’t bear to cook, kind of days, you can even eat them raw. Just defrost them quickly in a strainer under some tepid running water. But tossing them with some olive oil, salt, and pepper or chili flakes doesn’t take much, and I think you’ll find it much more satisfying.

Cheesy Baked Pasta

This cheesy, crusty, super flavorful pasta is the ultimate mid-January satisfier. And, you could easily add some cooked cauliflower or broccoli if you want to balance it out.

Preheat the oven to 400, then boil and drain half a pound of short pasta, cooked al dente. Rinse with cold water to keep it from cooking further.

In a large straight sided pan or pot, sauté a chopped red onion until translucent. Turn the heat down to low and add a couple of cloves of minced garlic, half a tin of chopped anchovies, a couple tablespoons of capers, half a cup of milk, the optional chopped vegetables, and a large pinch of red chili flakes. Cook for two minutes then remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.

Thirty minutes before you want to serve, add a cup of shredded Mixed Italian or Mozzarella cheese, the cooked pasta, and a healthy grind of black pepper. Mix well and spoon into a baking dish. Top with a mixture of half a cup each of bread crumbs and grated pecorino or parmesan. Bake for 25 minutes.

Celery Root Remoulade

It’s root vegetable season and they don’t all have to be boiled, baked, or steamed. This classic French bistro salad is served cold, and packed with flavor.

For the sauce, mix together a half cup of mayonnaise, a tablespoon of Dijon mustard, two tablespoons each of chopped capers and relish, a healthy squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and some chopped parsley. Salt and pepper to taste.

Shortly before serving, add about a pound and a half of peeled and shredded celery root and mix well.

Pickled Pepper Sauce

This is my kind of sauce, easy, tasty, and adaptable…I didn’t change a thing from a Sam Sifton recipe I found in NYT Cooking. I served it on pork chops, but could have also been chicken or beef.

In a small sauce pot, sauté a few sliced garlic cloves in a splash of olive oil. Once translucent, add the brine from a jar of hot pickled red peppers, the halved and seeded peppers, and a cup of white wine. For even more heat, add a pinch or two of chili flakes. Cook on medium heat until the liquid is reduced by half then set aside.

Salt the pork chops and cook over medium-high heat in a large frying pan. Once the meat is browned on both sides and cooked to your desired doneness, remove from the pan.

Turn down the heat to medium-low then pour the reduced sauce into the pan along with a couple tablespoons of butter. Stir until the butter melts and forms a velvety consistency. Salt and pepper to taste, then serve over the chops.

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.