Recipes
Lemon Potatoes (Patates Lemonates)
Serves 3 to 4 4 large Idaho potatoes The juice of 1 lemon 3/8 cup Greek olive oil Salt and pepper to taste 1 teaspoon tomato paste Dried Greek oregano, to taste Peel the potatoes, cut into wedges and soak in cold water for 1 to 2 hours before cooking.…
Green Bean Salad with Beets and Feta (Fasolakia Salata me Patzaria kai Feta)
Serves 3 to 4 1 ½ cups (12 ounces) green beans 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, for dressing 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Salt and pepper, to taste Dried Greek oregano, to taste 8 to 10 ounces cooked peeled red beets, cooled and cut in wedges 1/3 cup walnuts (optional)…
Sardine Fish Tacos
Serves 4 1/3 cup sour cream 1/3 cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon finely minced chipotle in adobo 1/2 teaspoon fresh lime zest 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice 2 cups finely shredded cabbage (white or red) 1/2 cup coarsely grated carrot Kosher salt 8 corn tortillas Three 124-gram cans of sardines 1…
Pan Seared Branzino (Lavraki Sto Tigani)
Serves 2 2 eight-ounce branzino filets Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed The juice of 2 lemons plus 1 lemon, sliced thin Salt and pepper, to taste Dry wild Greek oregano, to taste Chopped parsley Gently pat the branzino filets dry using paper towels; season with salt and pepper. In a…
Catalan Fish Stew (Suquet de Peix)
Servings: 6 For the stew: 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 6 pieces monkfish about 3/4 to 1 inch thick, or any firm fleshed thick white fish Salt and pepper All-purpose flour for coating the fish 1 medium red onion, finely chopped 3 medium tomatoes, grated on the coarse side of…
Spot Prawn Risotto
For the stock: 1 pound prawn heads and shells (about 8 cups), rinsed 4 quarts of cold water ½ medium onion, sliced 1 rib celery, cut crosswise into ¼ inch pieces 1 carrot, roughly chopped Kosher salt For the risotto 7-8 cups prawn stock 1 ½ -2 pounds asparagus (approximately…
Shrimp Saganaki
Servings: 4 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 20 medium raw shrimp peeled and deveined 1 small glass Raki or Ouzo 1 medium red onion finely chopped 1 medium green pepper chopped 3 tablespoons tomato paste 3 garlic cloves finely chopped 4 large ripe tomatoes crushed Pinch hot red pepper flakes…
Greek Salad
Servings: 4 to 6 Prep time: 15 minutes 3 large plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped ½ cucumber, peeled and coarsely chopped ½ red onion, chopped 1 green bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped 15 black olives 2/3 cup Greek feta Salt, pepper, dried oregano 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil *Mini barley rusks…
Salt Cured Bluefish
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 Sprinkle salt on both sides of the fish, cover and chill for 30…
Walnut Poppyseed Bread
1 lb whole wheat dough from the bakery 2 handfuls whole walnuts 1 tablespoon poppy seeds 1 tablespoon butter Preheat the oven to 475 F. Crush walnuts into large pieces with your hands; make a well in the middle part of the dough and sprinkle with walnut pieces as well…
Cokertme Kebabi
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…
Shakshuka
Shakshuka is one of the stars of Tunisian cuisine. This dish, found throughout North Africa, It is exported all over the world and adapts to all cultures. It’s secret? ease and speed of execution coupled with a tasty mixture of inexpensive vegetables and added runny eggs. Etymologically, some attribute a…
Three Mushroom Tart
When I developed the original version of this recipe for a Gourmet column on mushrooms in the mid-eighties, porcini and enoki mushrooms were considered very exotic; the white button mushroom was still king. These days you see all sorts of once exotic mushrooms in the supermarket—portobello, shiitake, chanterelle, etc.—and they…
Chicken Posole
2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup) 1 cup bottled green salsa or 1 recipe Mexican Tomatillo Salsa, (recipe follows) 4 cups canned chicken broth or Chicken Stock (see Episode 103) 1 rotisserie chicken, skin and bones discarded and meat shredded Two 15-ounce cans white…
Steak House Salad
Makes 4 Servings Hands-On Time: 30 Minutes Total Preparation Time: 35 Minutes 1 pound russet Potatoes (2 medium) 5 tablespoons extra – virgin olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper One 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pound beef sirloin steak (about 1 1/2 inches thick) 1 large onion…
Crispy Buttermilk Soaked Pork Chops
The key to this recipe is the buttermilk, a great tenderizer. On the inside the chops turn out very juicy. On the outside the panko breadcrumbs create a wonderfully crispy crust. It’s almost as if you had deep-fried them. Makes 4 servings Hands-on time: 30 minutes Total preparation time: 1…
Cucumber Tomato Salad with Yogurt and Toasted Cumin Seed Dressing
This salad would go especially well with a spicy dish because it has sugar and dairy in it, two ingredients which naturally tame a chiles’s heat. But it would also be a delightful side dish for any fish, poultry, or meat entree. Makes 4 servings Hands-on time: 15 minutes Total…
Seafood Gazpacho – The Perfect Summer Soup
This is a very adaptable cold soup. You could substitute any kind of seafood for the shrimp and crabmeat or replace them with cooked fish–or another cooked protein like chicken, pork, or beef for that matter. Whatever protein you use this is a very refreshing yet filling summertime entrée. Makes…
Southwestern Chicken Salad
This is my favorite kind of salad because it has so many elements and, from the creamy avocado to the crispy homemade tortilla chips, they all have different textures. I have cheated here by using leftover or rotisserie chicken. You could substitute leftover cooked pork, shrimp, or beef too. You…
Green Chile and Zucchini Quiche
This quiche gets its heat from canned chiles. But if you have a little more time, you should lose the canned chiles and make the recipe instead with roasted fresh poblanos, which are even more delicious. I like the contrasting crunch of Triscuits, but just about any cracker will do.…
Indonesian-Style Chicken with Spicy Peanut Sauce
Chicken thighs should be more popular. The meat is much more flavorful than the white meat and almost always cooks up moist, which is not something you can say of chicken breast meat. Yes, the thigh is slightly more caloric than the breast, but I prefer it anyway. This is…
Antipasto Salad with Parmigiano-Reggiano Dressing
This is the perfect lazy day summer salad since you never have to turn on the oven. You could even buy the blanched broccoli or cauliflower and prepared pasta salad at the salad bar and never turn on the stovetop. Feel free to substitute any meats or cheeses for the…
Chilled Two-Melon Soup with Balsamic Marinated Strawberries and Sour Cream
1 small very ripe cantaloupe, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped (about 6 cups) 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or to taste 1/2 very ripe honeydew melon, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped (about 6 cups) 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice or to taste 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh mint, plus several…