Sara’s Weeknight Meals Season 3
Spanish-style Burgers
Makes 6 servings Hands-on time: 25 minutes Total preparation time: 35 minutes 1 large onion, chopped 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/2 teaspoon smoked, sweet or hot smoked Spanish paprika 2 pounds burger mix (NOTE: you could use: ground…
Baked Risotto with Red Wine, Sweet Potatoes and Duck Confit
Risotto, is a great one size fits all dish because it provides the perfect back drop for any foreground ingredient. But it needs to be nursed, stirred constantly so the rice absorbs the liquid at just the right pace. No one has the time for that on a weeknight. I…
Biscuit Sticky Buns
This is a great recipe based on cream biscuits. Normally, sticky buns are made with yeast dough, which scares off lots of folks. These are blessedly yeast-free. But you don’t have to tell your brunch guests. Let them assume that you got up at the crack of dawn to give…
Xim Xim de Galinha
Chicken, Shrimp, Peanut and Cashew Stew This stew is about simple ingredients but with an exotic result. The favorite Bahian combination of chicken and shrimp comes together in a creamy sauce. The nuts serve as the perfect binding agents for the coconut milk and chicken stock but they have to…
My Banh Mi
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…
Çökertme Kebabı, Refika Style
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…
String Cheese and Mushroom Dip
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…
Walnut Poppyseed Bread
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…
Marinated Bluefish
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…
Tomato Walnut Salad
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,…
Simit Kebabs
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…
Quince Liqueur
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…
Pumpkin Fritters
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 &…
Nacho Pie
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…
Linguini with White Bean, Roasted Red Pepper and Olive Sauce
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…
Waffles Eggs Benedict
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…
Peking Duck Wraps
One evening, when I was cooking sautéed duck breasts, a favorite at our house, I thought of Peking Duck and wondered if I couldn’t dream up a quick version . Peking duck is a great classic of Chinese cuisine, “a dish fit for an emperor,” according to writer Emily Hahn,…
Spicy Roast Pork
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…
Bacalhau Gomes Sá
Salt Cod with Onions, Eggs, Potatoes, and Olives Suggested Accompaniment: shredded collard greens, sauteed with garlic in olive oil Cod and onions have a love affair. Throw in potato, olives, and olive oil and you have a complete mixture of ingredients that absolutely love each other. Serves 8 to 10…
Sautéed Fish Fillets Meunière with Sauce Grenobloise
Recommended side dish: buttered green beans and roasted potatoes tossed with parsley Makes 4 servings Hands-on time: 15 minutes Total preparation time: 40 minutes IngredientsFour 6-ounce pieces, skinless, mild-flavored fish fillets, such as trout, tilapia or catfish 2 cups milk 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour Kosher salt and freshly ground…
Broccoli and Goat Cheese Souffléed Omelet
This is a cross between an omelet and a soufflé and doesn’t take too much work as long as you have electric beaters. Make sure you only beat your egg whites to soft peaks, otherwise they won’t fold properly into the egg yolk base. Any leftovers you have would make…
Chicken Cassoulet
Suggested accompaniments: tossed green salad and crusty bread Yields 4 servings Hands-on time: 35 minutes Total preparation time: 45 minutes Ingredients2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 8 bone-in chicken thighs (about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds) Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 medium onion 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary…
Angry Chicken
Serves 4 Side dish: sautéed baby bok choy Ingredients 1 teaspoon coriander seed 1 green cardamom pod ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns 1 teaspoon fennel seed 3 cups Frank’s hot sauce 1 pound plain yogurt 1 tablespoon fish sauce 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon 1 teaspoon turmeric…
Crispy Oyster and Bacon Pad Thai
Serves 4 Ingredients 1 pound Pad Thai noodles 1 cup Pad Thai Sauce, recipe follows Vegetable oil for deep frying plus a little extra for stir frying Dozen shucked oysters Rice flour for dusting 1 Thai chile, thinly sliced 1 bunch scallions, green part only, cut into 2 inch lengths…