Sara’s Weeknight Meals Season 3

Ingredients ½ pound beef tenderloin 2 garlic cloves, minced 4 to 5 sprigs oregano 1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds, crushed 1 teaspoon milled four peppercorn mix 1 dried hot pepper Salt ¼ cup olive oil 2 medium potatoes Sunflower seed oil for frying the potatoes 2 cups tomato sauce 1 cup yoghurt 1 tablespoon crushed fresh thyme leaves Directions… Slice the tenderloin into strips and put it into a resealable plastic bag. Add the garlic, oregano, mustard seeds and milled more »

According to Refika, “The best thing about having a bakery in my neighborhood is that on the way back from work you can stop by to buy bread dough. I strongly recommend this; in this way, only in ten minutes, you can make a pizza, lahmacun or pita and make a hit with your guests. Free your imagination!” Ingredients 1 lb whole wheat dough from the bakery 2 handfuls whole walnuts 1 tablespoon poppy seeds 1 tablespoon butter Directions… Preheat more »

Ingredients 2 small bluefish, filleted coarse sea salt 1 tablespoon four peppercorn mix 2 tablespoons mustard seeds 3 garlic cloves zest and juice of 2 lemons 6 to 7 thyme sprigs olive oil for topping off the jar Directions… Sprinkle salt on both sides of the fish, cover and chill for 30 minutes. Crush the peppercorn mix with the mustard seeds in a mortor and pestle and transfer the mixture to a glass jar large enough to hold the fillets. more »

Ingredients 10 sliced mushrooms (Refika used Fairy Ring Mushrooms, which I am not sure are easy to find in this country), your choice 2 big strips string cheese, separated into strings 5 garlic cloves salt and pepper 3 sprigs fresh thyme 3 tablespoons olive oil flat bread as an accompaniment Directions… Preheat the oven to 400F. Combine the mushrooms with the cheese in a bowl and toss well. Crush the garlic with some salt in a mortar. Add the leaves more »

Ingredients 3 tomatoes, chopped 2 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped ½ cup chopped walnuts ¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley leaves 1 to 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses extra-virgin olive oil to taste salt and pepper to taste Directions… In a salad bowl toss together the tomatoes, peppers, walnuts, parsley, molasses, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. more »

Ingredients 1/3 cup bulgur 1 teaspoon allspice 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon oregano ¼ cup chopped pistachio 1 white onion, grated 2 small garlic cloves, minced 4 ounces ground lamb 4 ounces ground veal Salt, pepper Pear Salsa (recipe below) as an accompaniment Directions… If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 1 hour. Preheat the grill to medium. Put the bulghur in a bowl, add hot water and let it stand for 15 minutes. Let more »

This flavored after dinner liqueur can be made with any other fruit such as apricots, figs, peaches and pears. Ingredients 3 quinces (about 2 pounds), peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces 300 grams sugar (about 1 ½ cups) 4 to 5 whole cloves 1 cinnamon stick 2 cups unflavored vodka 1/3 cup chardonnay Directions… In a 2-litre glass jar, pack the chopped quinces and cover with the sugar. Add the whole cloves and cinnamon stick. Fill the jar to more »

Ingredients 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 tablespoon olive oil 3 ½ lb pumpkin, grated the green part of two scallions, finely chopped ¼ cup finely chopped parsley ¼ cup finely chopped dill ½ cup crumbled feta cheese 3 large eggs, lightly beaten 2 Tbsp unbleached white flour Salt & pepper to taste sunflower oil for frying Directions… In a large skillet cook the onion in the olive oil over moderately low heat until softened. Add the pumpkin and cook, more »

Though some of us imagine that the pantry went out with the hoop skirt, most of us keep a steady supply of dry goods somewhere in the kitchen. When I talk about a pantry I mean not only the dried goods in your cupboard, but the vegetables you keep in a basket or bin at room temperature, the regular items you keep in your fridge at any given time, and the frozen goods you should keep in your freezer. If… more »

Have you ever had some leftover salad greens in the fridge (not enough for a full salad) and wondered what to do with them? You can saute them and add them to the spinach for the green part of this eggs benedict. You could double up on the bacon and eggs if you want, serving each person two of each to make this more substantial Also, although I didn’t do it on the show I recommend adding some water to … more »

Everyone loves nachos, but I wondered how to transform this all-American barroom staple made of tacos and melted cheese into a respectable (and less fattening) dinner entrée.  Here’s how:  Use the nachos as a pie crust and cut back on the cheese in favor of bell peppers, corn, onions, and black beans.  In fact, almost any vegetable from the salad bar would work nicely in this recipe – mushrooms, broccoli, carrots, whatever. Just decide what you are in the mood … more »

White beans become very creamy when you mash them a bit so it is easy to turn them into instant sauce for pasta. I have “beefed” up the sauce with roasted red peppers and olives from the pantry but you could add any other handy pantry items such as marinated artichoke hearts, or canned tuna, or just toss in some leftover vegetables or meat from the fridge. Recommended side dishes: green salad and crusty bread Makes 4 servings Hands-on time: … more »

My easy strategy for quick meals in Episode 308 of Sara’s Weeknight Meals… is to cook once, eat twice. Spicy Roast Pork is a simple and delicious meal any night, but a visit with my brother to a Vietnamese food joint inspired me to turn that pork into delectable pork Banh Mi Sandwiches later in the week. Sautéed Duck Breasts one night become delicious Peking Duck Wraps the next. Magic! You will find the recipes right here! more »

My brother Peter is a New York State Civil Court judge when he’s on the clock, and a devoted chowhound in his off-hours. One day about five years ago I went to meet Pete for lunch and he took me to a little hole-in-the-wall a short walk from his chambers in downtown Manhattan. Called Sau Voi Corp., this strange little shop sold a variety of goods: brassieres stacked up like nesting yarmulkes, lottery tickets, Vietnamese music CDs, pornography DVDs, and … more »

Whenever I’m looking for a lean cut of pork, I reach for the tenderloin. Not only is it very lean, it is, as named, ridiculously tender — just as long as you don’t overcook it. So I didn’t much mess with the meat in this recipe except to lather it with sriracha (hot chile sauce) and seasoning. Why sriracha instead of, say, Tabasco? (which I often reach for?) Because I was thinking ahead to the second-half of this one-two punch: … more »