Sara’s Weeknight Meals
Sautéed Duck Breast with Gingered Grape Sauce
Makes 4 servings Hands-on time: 15 minutes Total preparation time: 30 minutes Duck and fruit are a classic combination, humans having long ago figured out that the acid in oranges, apples, or pears acts as a great counterbalance to the richness of the duck. Here I’ve used grapes, because I think grapes…
Lemon Chicken
Makes 4 servings Hands-on time: 15 minutes Total preparation time: 35 minutes For the longest time torikatsu chicken was one of my favorite Japanese takeout items. In fact, I loved this dish so much that I pretended it wasn’t fried. Alas, one day I confirmed the awful truth. Heartbroken, I decided to…
Chicken with Sausage and Hot Cherry Peppers
Makes 4 servings Hands-on time: 20 minutes Total preparation time: 50 minutes This is based on an Italian dish called scarpariello – sort of a “turf and turf.” I love the combination of chicken and sausages to begin with, and when you throw in the pickled peppers, the whole dish takes on…
Poblanos Stuffed with Spinach and Goat Cheese (Chiles Rellenos de Espinachas)
Makes 6 servings Hands-on time: 20 minutes Total preparation time: 45 minutes Seven 6 ounce bags (or six 7 ounce bags) baby spinach or 2 1/2 pounds loose baby spinach or 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen 6 large poblano chiles (about 1 1/4 pounds) 1/4 cup mild olive oil 1/2 cup raisins…
Swiss Enchiladas (Enchiladas Suizas)
Makes 6 servings Hands-on time: 20 minutes Total preparation time: 40 minutes plus prep time for salsa if making 4 cups Cooked Green Salsa (recipe follows) or store bought green salsa 2 poblano chiles, roasted (see page 21), peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped. 1 cup heavy cream 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas 1/4 cup…
Adobo-marinated Chicken Quesadilla (Quesadilla de Pollo Adobado)
Makes 2 to 4 servings Hands-on time: 10 minutes Total preparation time: 10 minutes plus prep time for chicken and sauces 1 1/2 cups coarsely shredded queso Chihuhua (about 6 ounces) Adobo-marinated chicken, cut into 1/4 inch slices Four 10-inch flour tortillas Pico de Gallo Guacamole Pasilla de Oaxaca Tomatillo Salsa Make…
Adobo-marinated Chicken (Pollo Adobado)
Makes 4 servings Hands-on time: 15 minutes Total preparation time: 30 minutes plus marinating time For the adobo: 2 guajillo chilies, wiped clean, stemmed, seeded and toasted very lightly 2 chiles de arbol (with seeds) or less, depending on heat, wiped clean and well toasted 3 large garlic cloves 1/2 teaspoon cumin…
Grilled Lamb and Onion Kabobs with Olive Aioli
Makes 4 servings Hands-on time: 10 minutes Total preparation time: 35 minutes Lemon, olive oil, rosemary, and garlic – this is my favorite marinade for lamb, whether I am cooking a roast or skewering kabobs. They work well together because both the marinade and the lamb are products of the Mediterranean. The…
Korean-style Beef with Spicy Cabbage
Makes 4 servings Hands-on time: 25 minutes Total preparation time: 25 minutes Skirt steak is one of those ingredients you would have to be very talented to mess up. It is a well-marbled (butcher’s way to say there is significant fat running through it) tough cut of meat that should be cooked…
Pork Tournedos with Sage and Prosciutto
Makes 4 servings Hands-on time: 20 minutes Total preparation time: 20 minutes This is a take off on the Italian dish called saltimbocca, which literally means “jump into the mouth,” because that is how tasty it is. The traditional dish has veal scaloppine, prosciutto, and sage. This variation, made with pork tenderloin,…