Sara’s Weeknight Meals Season 2

Serves 4 Ingredients… 1 tablespoon grapeseed or canola oil 4 lemongrass stalks, pale parts only, crushed with the flat side of a knife 1 head celery, stalks rinsed and roughly chopped 2 large carrots, peeled and shredded 2 medium onions, thinly sliced 2 Thai or serrano chiles, stemmed and minced (optional) Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut widthwise into 1/4-inch strips 3 tablespoons fish sauce 6 cups unsalted fresh chicken stock or low-sodium more »

Makes 4 Servings Hands-On Time: 25 Minutes Total Preparation Time: 40 Minutes Ingredients… 1 1/2 pounds portobello mushrooms (about 6 medium to large) 3 T fresh lime juice 2 t ground cumin Kosher salt 1/4 c plus 1 T vegetable oil 3 garlic cloves, 2 unpeeled 3/4 pound plum tomatoes (about 3 medium) 1 medium unpeeled onion Freshly ground black pepper Eight 8-inch flour tortillas Half a 4 ½ ounce can chopped green chiles 1 ripe Hass avocado 1/2 c more »

Makes 4 Servings Hands-On Time: 30 Minutes Total Preparation Time: 35 Minutes Ingredients… 8 thin pancakes (see recipe below for Basic Crêpes) 4 medium scallions One 3-inch piece fresh ginger 3 garlic cloves 1/2 pound baby bok shoy (2 or 3) or napa cabbage (about 1/3 head) 1 medium red bell pepper 8 oz shitake mushrooms 2 T vegetable oil 2 large eggs Kosher salt 2 c bean sprouts ½ c unsalted roasted whole cashews 2 T sake, rice wine, more »

Makes 4 to 6 Servings Hands-On Time: 40 Minutes Total Preparation Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes Accompaniment Tomato salad with sprouts Ingredients… ½ recipe Basic Butter Pastry (see recipe below) or store-bought pastry for a single crust pie 3/4 pound small boiling potatoes, such as Yukon gold or Red Bliss 1 medium onion 2 pounds cooking greens, such as chard, spinach, collards, mustard, or a mixture 2 T extra virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves 2 oz Gruyére cheese 1 more »

Makes 4 servings Ingredients 4 slices Italian bread
 1 garlic clove, cut in half 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 6 oz Italian tuna in oil (drained)
 2 T capers 1 small red onion, sliced thin 6 oz cannellini beans, drained the juice of two lemons salt and pepper to taste 1 beefsteak tomato, sliced thin 4 oz arugula fresh cracked black pepper Directions… Rub the bread with garlic and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and either grill or more »

Makes 6 Servings Ingredients 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 12 individual lamb chops 2 sprigs rosemary cracked black pepper to taste 2 pounds ripe heirloom tomatoes salt and pepper to taste 3 T sherry vinegar 6 large fresh basil leaves 5 fresh mint leaves Directions… Brush some oil on the lamb and grill to your desired temperature. Take the rosemary leaves off the stems, chop coarsely and mix with 1/4 cup of the oil and some cracked black pepper.
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Makes 4 to 6 Servings Ingredients… 6 oz or 2 bunches fresh basil leaves 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts or even almonds (toasted) 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 medium sized garlic cloves, minced Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 3 oz haricot verts or green beans cut in 1/3′s 1 large or 2 medium Idaho potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch cubes 1 box of gemelli more »

Makes four ice cream sodas… 2 cups fresh orange juice 4 large scoops vanilla ice cream Seltzer, well chilled Bring the orange juice to a boil in a medium saucepan and simmer until it is reduced by half. Chill well. Drop a scoop of ice cream into the bottom of 4 tall glasses, pour one quarter of the orange juice over each scoop and top with the chilled seltzer. Stir with a long spoon until the orange juice and seltzer more »

Makes 6 Large Servings Hands-On Time: About 30 Minutes Total Preparation Time: 55 Minutes Ingredients 1 qt whole milk 6 T (3/4 stick) unsalted butter 6 T unbleached all-purpose flour 8 oz assorted cheese (See Note) 1 T Worcestershire sauce 1 t dry mustard 1 t Tabasco sauce Kosher salt 1 pound elbow macaroni Freshly ground black pepper Suggested toppings Crumbled bacon, sautéed or slow roasted cherry tomatoes Suggested wine Crisp white, such as a Chardonnay Directions… 1. Bring a more »

Makes 6 Servings Hands-On Time: 20 Minutes Total Preparation Time: 3 Hours 15 Minutes to 3 Hours 45 Minutes Ingredients 5 pounds meaty beef short ribs with the bones Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 3 c Homemade Chicken Stock (see recipe on Roast Chicken page) or canned broth 1/2 c dry red wine 3 T unbleached all-purpose flour 4 T Steak Butter (recipe below) or salted butter 1 c panko bread crumbs 2 1/2 T Dijon mustard Suggested … more »

Makes 4 Servings Hands-On Time: 40 Minutes Total Preparation Time: 1 Hour 20 Minutes Ingredients 1 medium zucchini (about 1/2 pound) Kosher salt 1/2 medium onion 2 T extra virgin olive oil 1 garlic clove 1 t fresh thyme 1 1/2 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano 2 slices firm white bread 1/4 c whole milk ricotta Freshly ground black pepper One 3 1/2 pound chicken Foolproof Egg Lemon Sauce (optional, recipe below) Suggested accompaniments Roasted potatoes and summer squash Directions… 1. Coarsely grate more »

Makes 4 servings Hands-on Time: 30 minutes Total Preparation Time: 45 minutes Ingredients 1 pound dried fettuccine 3 tablespoons plus ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus high-quality extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling 1 medium jalapeño, stemmed and seeded, sliced in rounds 1 pound rock shrimp, peeled and deveined Sea salt Freshly ground black pepper 6 ears corn, kernels removed from cob, about 3 cups 2 cups arugula, rinsed and spun-dry, chopped Directions… Bring a large post of salted water to more »

Makes 4 Servings Hand’s-On Time: 45 minutes Total Preparation Time: Overnight plus 3 hours Ingredients for the chickpeas 1 cup dried chickpeas (see Preparation Note) 2 ounces pancetta, unsliced 1 small carrot, roughly chopped 1 small yellow onion, quartered ½ stalk celery Extra-virgin olive oil Salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 cup roughly chopped arugula Ingredients for the panella… 1 cup whole milk 1 1/3 cups chickpea flour, plus more for dusting the work surface Sea salt Freshly ground black more »

Serves 2 Hands-On Time: 30 minutes Total Preparation Time: 1 hour Ingredients One 2-pound fish (such as branzino, dorado, or black sea bass) 3 1/2 cups fine sea salt 3 large egg whites 4 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, stems and leaves separated, leaves chopped, for garnish 2 sprigs rosemary 1 clove garlic 2 slices lemon Directions… Preheat the oven to 400°F. Trace a rough outline of the whole fish on a piece of parchment paper, and cut it out. In a more »

Makes 4 servings Suggested Accompaniment Serve with a pinot noir Ingredients Two 12-ounce Muscovy Duck breasts Honey Roasted Carrot Farro Salad (recipe below) Cider Jus (recipe below) Directions… First score the fat side of the breast by making shallow, crosswise cuts. (This helps the fat melt away into the pan.) Season the breasts well with kosher salt and finely ground black pepper. Heat a heavy bottomed skillet, preferably cast iron, on a grill over medium heat until very hot. Add more »